Fusion
Active Member
I made a few recent changes to my rig. My Denon CD player has been and will continue to be a constant.
Was running my Bryston B60R into a pair of PMC TB2i speakers. Couldn't complain. Sounded very good, but I always got the feeling the PMC's wanted more. When I switched out the amp and put in the YBA YA201 the extra power was a welcome change. There was more drive, the sound not quite as thick. Balance top to bottom, timing, and tone were about the same (they sounded right). Though I'd say in both cases the sound was a little bit clinical.
In went the B&W 705. Even more leanness, clarity, and drive. The bass felt deeper and punchier, dynamics better than with most standmounts I've had in my room. I'm not hearing discontinuity between the woofer and tweeter and musical instruments and voices sound natural and alive.
These aren't as power hungry as the PMC's and you can really hear it. This seems to be a love it or hate it speaker. There are reviews online from users who seem to not be able to get them to sound right. But many others from people who really dig them.
They sound plenty right to me. I really like them...overall however, the sound needs a bit of massaging. It's on the lean and bright side...not too much, but more than I'd like. And like the PMC's, a little bit clinical. I think the issue is that all of my components lean to that sound signature. If I can warm up the sound a bit, give it a little more soul, I think it'd suit me.
So I start looking at tube buffers. I like my amp, source, and speakers. Just need something to warm up the sound. A really nice buffer would cost around $700. But then it hits me...why not just spend that on a tube preamp and do what RGA suggested in a previous thread...run that into my Bryston B60 and use the B60 as a power amp?
So that's what I'm going to do. I may even replace the B60 in time with a stand alone SS power amp. Looks like decent ones start around $500 used. Maybe a Rega Maia 3, Quad 606, an Audio Refinement Multi 3, something from Linn, Roksan, or Classe', the options are almost endless. Classe' with B&W might be the natural pairing.
For now I'm focusing on the tube preamp. Any suggestions? I am leaning to trying a model from ARC (no shortage of these and I like the support that I can access). Anthem could be another. Quicksilver, Sonic Frontiers, BAT. Maybe a used Rogue Audio Perseus, if one comes up for sale. Looking at spending $700-$1,200 after selling the YBA.
Was running my Bryston B60R into a pair of PMC TB2i speakers. Couldn't complain. Sounded very good, but I always got the feeling the PMC's wanted more. When I switched out the amp and put in the YBA YA201 the extra power was a welcome change. There was more drive, the sound not quite as thick. Balance top to bottom, timing, and tone were about the same (they sounded right). Though I'd say in both cases the sound was a little bit clinical.
In went the B&W 705. Even more leanness, clarity, and drive. The bass felt deeper and punchier, dynamics better than with most standmounts I've had in my room. I'm not hearing discontinuity between the woofer and tweeter and musical instruments and voices sound natural and alive.
These aren't as power hungry as the PMC's and you can really hear it. This seems to be a love it or hate it speaker. There are reviews online from users who seem to not be able to get them to sound right. But many others from people who really dig them.
They sound plenty right to me. I really like them...overall however, the sound needs a bit of massaging. It's on the lean and bright side...not too much, but more than I'd like. And like the PMC's, a little bit clinical. I think the issue is that all of my components lean to that sound signature. If I can warm up the sound a bit, give it a little more soul, I think it'd suit me.
So I start looking at tube buffers. I like my amp, source, and speakers. Just need something to warm up the sound. A really nice buffer would cost around $700. But then it hits me...why not just spend that on a tube preamp and do what RGA suggested in a previous thread...run that into my Bryston B60 and use the B60 as a power amp?
So that's what I'm going to do. I may even replace the B60 in time with a stand alone SS power amp. Looks like decent ones start around $500 used. Maybe a Rega Maia 3, Quad 606, an Audio Refinement Multi 3, something from Linn, Roksan, or Classe', the options are almost endless. Classe' with B&W might be the natural pairing.
For now I'm focusing on the tube preamp. Any suggestions? I am leaning to trying a model from ARC (no shortage of these and I like the support that I can access). Anthem could be another. Quicksilver, Sonic Frontiers, BAT. Maybe a used Rogue Audio Perseus, if one comes up for sale. Looking at spending $700-$1,200 after selling the YBA.
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