Tube amps for Alexia's

Etunes said:
I have the Doshi 90W Mono blocks and the bass is by far the best I've heard with the Sashas. I consider them full range for sure although opinions differ. I've heard the Alexia's at Nicks with my amps and they were stunning. I've heard his larger mono blocks with MAXX 3 and X2's the X2's were so good its hard to describe.
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Nice to meet another Doshi owner. What pre do you use?
 
Mike said:
Ian - the Doshi's definitely sounded nice at RMAF. I was unaware that Nick had a new 200 watt amp.

As you know, I will be driving the Alexia's with D'Agostino Monos (the proverbial match made in heaven IMO). But I would like to have some tube amps to swap around for fun. When I get tired of the puffy, slow bass, I will put Dan's amps back on and enjoy the iron fist grip again. If I wasn't so set on the D'Agostino amps, I would probably get the VAC phi200's and be done with it. Their bass was NOT slow and undefined. Quite the opposite. But they sounded too close (or perhaps I should say, not different enough) from Solid State amps to really switch things around and have some fun. That being said, my friend's 200's only had a few hours on them, so I will wait until they are fully broken in before deciding. I really wanted VAC since they are local and I think Kevin is a genius.

John at Audio Salon recommended the McIntosh 2301's. Hmmm.....interesting.

Mike
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Nick has 90 watt and 160 watt monoblocks. No 200 watt amp as far as I know!

I have the 90's. What you heard at RMAF were the 160's. They sound different - they use different tubes (EL34's for the 90's, KT88's for the 160's if memory serves). The higher power amps are more linear, while the 90's have more of the tube midrange tone. I have not heard the 160's on the Alexias (although I did hear them on Maxx3's at last year's RMAF).

The bass on the Alexias is very good with the 90's. This weekend I will post a video on youtube where hopefully the character will come through. My Doshis go pretty darn deep in the bass with the Alexias and sound pretty darn tight and not slow - although it will never win a battle of the low frequencies compared to the Dags (although I wouldn't be surprised if it beat some solid state amps that couldn't handle the low impedance).

The Doshi gear is not a balanced design. That said, you can have them with XLR inputs and outputs (I use XLR from my DAC to the pre and while I have XLR outputs that I used to use when I had Lamm amps, I now use single ended as it's MUCH half the price for Transparent cable!).

As a second amp to get that lush delicious tube sound on occasion, you couldn't go wrong with the lower powered (and less costly) Doshis in my opinion.
 
Mike...not sure if you saw my post from yesterday but still wandering if the Raidho D3s are out?
 
Mike said:
I'm not sure what it is, but this amp still has my attention:

Bob Carver Cherry 180 Tube Monoblock Amplifier One of the most significant tube amplifiers of the past 60 years! Review By Dick Olsher

I like the fact that you can switch between "Classic" and "Modern" tube sound. I owned Carver stuff in the 80's and it was built like a tank. The hoopla with Emotiva has me mildly concerned, but there is something about these amps...
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Bob Carver and Emotiva are no more. ...It never took off! ...The talk-talk-talk lasted six months, and died!
...Not surprising at all comin' from Emotiva (they keep talkin' about the XMC-1 since 2006-07, and nothin' happens yet).

http://emotivalounge.proboards.com/thread/33568/official-bob-carver-update?page=1&scrollTo=574892
 
Oh btw I just realized my above statements about the snappers was incorrect. Lol
The volume only has to go extra high when I play the low output cartridge
It's way different with the CD player . Lol I just realized that when I as writing something in another thread. Lol so 100 tube watts could drive those big bears. Lmao!!!! Brain fart!!!
 
Mike
I have a feeling that once you hear the Alexia's with the D'ag amps you'll quickly forget about using tubed or any other amps with them.

With the momentum amps kicking out 300wpc, the Alexia's are gonna kick some serious a$$.
 
NorthStar said:
Bob Carver and Emotiva are no more. ...It never took off! ...The talk-talk-talk lasted six months, and died!
...Not surprising at all comin' from Emotiva (they keep talkin' about the XMC-1 since 2006-07, and nothin' happens yet).

http://emotivalounge.proboards.com/thread/33568/official-bob-carver-update?page=1&scrollTo=574892
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The XMC-1 has turned into an industry joke. I can't believe people are still holding out for it. They talk about how great it is - like its already here. LOL. I feel like saying "people - buy a Marantz or Denon and move on."
 
CR141 said:
Mike
I have a feeling that once you hear the Alexia's with the D'ag amps you'll quickly forget about using tubed or any other amps with them.

With the momentum amps kicking out 300wpc, the Alexia's are gonna kick some serious a$$.
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Agreed 100%!!!
 
CR141 said:
Mike
I have a feeling that once you hear the Alexia's with the D'ag amps you'll quickly forget about using tubed or any other amps with them.

With the momentum amps kicking out 300wpc, the Alexia's are gonna kick some serious a$$.
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I think you're right. That's one of the reasons I'm holding off. Baby steps.
 
madfloyd said:
...I have the 90's. What you heard at RMAF were the 160's. They sound different - they use different tubes (EL34's for the 90's, KT88's for the 160's if memory serves). The higher power amps are more linear, while the 90's have more of the tube midrange tone. I have not heard the 160's on the Alexias (although I did hear them on Maxx3's at last year's RMAF).

The bass on the Alexias is very good with the 90's. This weekend I will post a video on youtube where hopefully the character will come through...
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Look forward to seeing/hearing the video!!!
 
Mcintosh Mc2301 has to be a contender, just the right amount of tube bloom and SS control. Doesn't hurt that its also easy on the eyes, drove my Sophia speakers without breaking a sweat a few years back.


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CR141 said:
Mike
I have a feeling that once you hear the Alexia's with the D'ag amps you'll quickly forget about using tubed or any other amps with them.

With the momentum amps kicking out 300wpc, the Alexia's are gonna kick some serious a$$.
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I don't agree. The Momentums sound nothing like the Doshis. By comparison the D'Agostino sounds thin, small and sterile on a lot of music (in my humble opinion of course). Obviously this is personal taste, but I had the Momentum stereo for a week and while I appreciated it in many ways, I often couldn't wait to hook my Doshis back up.

The point is - there's a big difference in flavor - which is what I think Mike is hoping for in his desire to switch back and forth between amps.
 
Of course I don't agree Ian. The D'Agostinos are anything but thin and small sounding. They are regarded by many as some of the best amps in the world. Their bass control on the Alexia's is wonderful. They are sweet on top, with a terrific midrange.

Reviewers are unanimously saying the Alexia's need high current, high powered amps.

The Doshi amps are fine sounding amps. Classic tube sounding (which I love), but on the Alexia's, I found them a little bass weak and not as controlled - from what I heard at RMAF. This is a characteristic of most tube amps....but it's still a characteristic.
 
I don't agree either. I have listened to both both of the Doshi's at Paragon (and RMAF) on multiple occasions and although they are fine tube amp they are not what I would want on either the Alexia or the XLF's when compared to the Momentum's.
 
still-one said:
I don't agree either. I have listened to both both of the Doshi's at Paragon (and RMAF) on multiple occasions and although they are fine tube amp they are not what I would want on either the Alexia or the XLF's when compared to the Momentum's.
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I wouldn't expect you to. We all listen for different things, have different priorities. The same way you prefer the Momentums, Larry (owner of Paragon) who could easily use any of the products he sells, prefers the Doshis.

I was trying to make a point that they are vastly different sounding products, one of which definitely sounds like tubes (but compared to other tube amps is not rolled off in the highs nor syrupy slow in the bass). And the reason I was even mentioning the Doshis is that Mike is looking for a secondary amp set to use with his Alexias - and he specifically mentioned tubes. You're not going to find a better tube amp to mate with the Alexia (unless you like slow bloated bass or anemic bass in which case you have lots of choices).

Heck, I would take the Momentum over any tube amp if the Doshi didn't exist (although I would seriously entertain Pass as well). And if I had any other brand besides Wilson I wouldn't consider tube amps at all. Read into this what you will. :)
 
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