Recommended amps for Impression 11a's

[Rogernsaunders]

Hi ML owners,
I'm Roger from the UK. I have had my pair of ML Impression 11a's since June this year, and have been using them with a Devialet Expert 200 amp, which has been sent back to Paris as it cuts out
after 6 minutes when using my Krell CD player, probably a mains input issue. This has got me thinking about alternative amps to consider for the immediate future. I'm looking at the Simaudio Moon 340i, Parasound Hint 6 or updating my Devialet to EXpert Pro 220 status. Currently, while my amp is in Paris, I've been loaned a Krell 300i (£8800 in UK) and it performs well, but is a little hard sounding in the mid range, albeit that could be done to some recordings. Have any of you any experience using these amps with the Impressions. Looking forward to some feedback. Keep listening,
Roger

 

[ttocs]

After getting my current speakers early this year I tried some other amps to see if there was something which would be a better match than my Krell which I'd been happy with for the previous six years. Then, I looked into tubes. All interest in searching for anything else ceased upon connecting my current amps to my current speakers. It's one of those - nothing else could be more right kind of things. For me, it's been a rare realization.

You may want to consider tubes. Maybe the Conrad-Johnson dealer in UK might be able to bring amps over to you for audition?

 

[RDC]

I also recommend you look into using a valve amp. I'm not sure if £8800 is your budget, but great valve amps can be bought brand new for halve that price (and lower). Try EL34 valves for a silky smooth mid range or KT120's for more dynamic/'bassy' sound. I guess that these are the types of valves you can get on 'loaners'. Just ignore the output wattage for now and just listen to the music. I am using KT77's which are comparable to EL34's. I'm loving my wide soundscape, separation and beautiful voices and the bass and upper highs sound great to me too.

 

[twich54]

Roger, welcome to the fold !

my personal experience with amplification on Logans is as follows ....... Solid State - Plinius and PASS, Tube - Rogue Audio

Loved 'em all !!

 

[adeep42]

Another tube (valve) lover here. Mine are PrimaLuna. Since they are a Dutch company, surely available on your side of the pond.

 

[Rogernsaunders]

Thanks, guys. I have thought about valve/tube amps, especially, PrimaLuna, which my dealer stocks, but also Audio Research. They sold me my Devialet Expert 200 four years ago and it is a superbly accurate amp when driving my previous Wilson Sophia 3s. I'm waiting on Devialet, Paris, to let me know what problem they have found with the mains input problem. I've discussed options with my dealer and the loan Krell 300i is breaking in nicely (must be a very new demonstrator) and the midrange is becoming less hard. My problem with valve/tube amps are size, heat and space. My lounge is used for all TV/music/film, not a man cave, and there is little room for a valve/tube amp where I have to site the hi-fi rack and in summer the room is hot enough already. I may in the end go for updating my Devialet 200 to Expert Pro 220, at under £3000, which is a good deal with the improvements that the updated amp appears to have over the Dev 200. I'll carry on thinking about this and have to make my decision soon. Again, many thanks, guys. Roger

 

[JonFo]

Do keep us posted. Those Devialets are very nice, but not sure they are tuned to handle the reactive loads, unless that's part of what the update tackles.

 

[fabythom2713]

Roger, welcome to the fold !

my personal experience with amplification on Logans is as follows ....... Solid State - Plinius and PASS, Tube - Rogue Audio

Loved 'em all !!

Hi Twich54,
I have my 11a paired with m180 from RA...but I wanted to try something different and Pass Labs crossed my mind, which one would you say works better with ML? thanks

 

[twich54]

Hi Twich54,
I have my 11a paired with m180 from RA...but I wanted to try something different and Pass Labs crossed my mind, which one would you say works better with ML? thanks

how big is your wallet ?

seriously , if you want to stay with mono blocks the X260.8's (which I currently run) will drive anything Logan makes combined with the largest amount of initial Class A bias of any of their A/B amps, save the mighty '650'

 

[fabythom2713]

how big is your wallet ?

seriously , if you want to stay with mono blocks the X260.8's (which I currently run) will drive anything Logan makes combined with the largest amount of initial Class A bias of any of their A/B amps, save the mighty '650'

if changing to pass would be a completly different adventure, then I can spend some mula on that.

 

[fabythom2713]

you can use the x260.8 as 2 channel right ?

 

[twich54]

you can use the x260.8 as 2 channel right ?

yes, so long as you have two of them. They are mono amps.

 

[Bernard]

yes, so long as you have two of them. They are mono amps.

Smartass !

 

[fabythom2713]

��*
After typing that I went to the website... the x250.8 is the Stereo one... shoot me. ��