Summits - Which are the best amps. to match with

[Lexicon Logan]

Summit ML 432

Maybe one of these...

What about the combi Summit/ML432? Is it satisfying?

 

[edwinr]

What about the combi Summit/ML432? Is it satisfying?

The combination is absolutely stunning. To be perfectly frank, when I plugged the 432 into my system, it did all the things I expected, plenty of spl's, dynamics etc. It sounded really good. But after a few days of listening, I became a little blase. I kept thinking "... I know it sounds good, but was this Mark Levinson really worth the dollars?"

Well, guess what I did? I plugged the Proceed BPA2 back into the system. Just for kicks.

I was floored. The Summits with the Proceed plugged back in sounded flat and boring, the soundstage collapsed.

This just goes to show how to evaluate what a really good amp can do for your system. Listen to your new amp for a while, then go back to the old one. If you your old amp sounds just as good as your new one, then your upgrade choice sucks...

 

[babydoc]

Amps with Summits

I have been using a Pass Labs X-350.5 for the past two years. There are no headroom issues, no noise issues (tubes occasionally hiss), no horrific heat issues. It's just a big piece of equipment and cannot be lifted without weight training.
Pass equipment is among the most reliable out there and price-wise is value received for value perceived.
The Summits really sing with this kind of power and sound holographic which is what we are after in high end listening.

 

[elcorso]

Only way to get the ELS panels on the Summits as it's best

Hi everyone,

Having a pair of Summit since last April, I just updated my CD player, (Meridian 508.20), for the DCS P8i. I also dismised my pre-amp./processor, (Primare SP 31), and run the DCS directelly into the amp.. The amp. still remains, (Parasound HCA-3500), but seems to be out level, between the DCS and Summits.


So, where should I go, in terms of finding a amp. that match the rest of the system?
I think, Summit owners don`t need a amp., witch has his major strengths in the bass area, because the quality of the bass, is the one that the amps. in the Summits can produce. Do You agree?
For instance, why have Nuforce or even Krell with Summits? (I´m being polemic for pourpose).
ASantos

You, and everyone one need tube gear for the ELS panels, 30 to 200 watts/channel is OK, it's a matter of impedance matching, and power depends of the size of your listening room.
The amplifiers inside the subwoofers will match whatever you supply via the external amp.
I know that because I began wit an external 30 watts/channel Amp, an right now I have a 200 watts/channel Amp (because I just moved to a huge listening room).

Best regards.

Roch

 

[wkjeffers]

This is a reply to the two previous posts,
This reply isn't meant to insult or disrespect anyone's opinion. I just thought I might throw in my $0.02 worth. I am an Electrical Engineer by trade. In an attempt to simplify a very complicated issue: a 50 Watt solid state power amp will deilver as much current and voltage into an 8 ohm resistive load as a 50 Watt tube power amp run off it's 8 ohms transformer taps. As the impedance drops, generally speaking, a high quality solid state amp will deliver more current into the load (i.e. loudspeaker) while the vacuum tube amp will not. That is why tube power amps are usually equipped with several output transformer taps, i.e. 16 ohm, 8 ohm, 4 ohm to allow you to match the tube amplifiers output power to your speakers nominal impedance. If your load tries to draw more current from the amp than the amp can deliver the power amp will go into clipping, the advantage of tubes is they clip far more gracefully that soild state amps, i.e. the tube amps clipping does not sounds as harsh or offensive as the soild state amps clipping. Another advantage of tube amps is the output tubes are very rugged and do not require protective current limiting circuitry, transistors are far more fragile and usually require current limiting circuitry, the current limiting can also affect the amps sound when the amp goes itno clipping. An excellent reference is the "Hifi Investigation" feature in the April 2007 issue of HI FI News.

My apologies if I have offended anyone, I'm not trying to start a flame war.
Regards,
Chris

This is a good explanation, I am also an electrical engineer and the bottom line is "watts are watts" the issue with tubes vs. SS is how the current is delivered into the load ( speakers ) and listening preference ( subjective ). I have just purchased used Quests and am looking into this amp issue before I buy ( I have had numerous recommendations for Classe A-200 and Levinson because of their ability to deliver the low frequency power needed and stability in the low impedance loads around 20K) I have come to the opinion that bi-amping with tubes up top and SS down low seems to be the best setup?