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Valve Amp Decisions - Advice Needed

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PinkMoon

Member
Ive come to another crossroads in my Hifi Setup - I have the funds to buy a new amp and Im a bit swamped with information or in some cases; lack of it.

My Setup:

Tannoy Monitor Gold 15" York
Garrard 301 / SME 3012 / Ortofon Cadenza Black
Icon Ausio - PS1 Phono Stage
Amp - Leak Stereo 30

The Amp was always the weakest point and, after turning 40 and having some spare cash Im thinking its time to make that investment into the Valve Amp I (believe) I have always wanted.

(Before I get the amp, Paul at RFC is building me some new crossovers so that I want make the Tannoys Sing the way they should.)

I have a budget of £3k MAX and I believe I have narrowed down my choices to the following:

Leak Stereo 20 (will prob need to buy a refurbished one)
Radford Revival STA 25
Icon Audio Stereo 40
Consonance Cyber 10

Can anyone offer any comment on my decision or advice - If I get a Power, i'll need a decent Passive Pre - the benefit of the Consonance is that its integrated

Also - I once had a pair of Monoblocks but decided to get rid of them because of the biasing issues I had with them - readings would change a lot and require tweaking - is this just a hassle of owning valve, or are some amps more sturdier in this regard?

Cheers Guys.
 
Many views, but no replies...

I'll start you off.
PinkMoon said:
because of the biasing issues I had with them - readings would change a lot and require tweaking - is this just a hassle of owning valve, or are some amps more sturdier in this regard?
Click to expand...

Valve amps are normally configured in one of two ways.
Fixed bias where you will have to make some adjustments to the output valve settings from time to time. Such as replacement or a period of use etc.
Or Auto bias where the output valves need no adjustment, there isn't one. But matching the valves is slightly more important.

The Leak stereo 20 is auto bias. Cheap to find valves for and has a charm all of its own. Bass will not be as taught compared to the Radford or Icon. And 10 watts per side.

The Radford STA25 is a fixed bias amp and will need adjustment from time to time. It will sound much more modern than the Leak. Much more powerful and better bass control and depth. Output valves are more expensive, but you have 35 watts per side.
The Icon is also a fixed bias amp, so will need adjustment too. I have never heard one so cannot comment on how it sounds.
Also I know nothing about the Consonance Cyber 10, but 2A3 triodes are expensive to replace. You get 11 watts(ish) a side.

There is another option that you might consider, a Radford STA15. Just like the STA25, but with auto bias so no adjustments needed. Sounds nearly as powerful as its brother with just a little more sweetness / valve sound. It does 22 watts a side. I prefer it to the 25...
 
Despite your lovely and classic system I would go for a 'modern' amplifier. An Icon Audio stereo 40 with remote control, modern build, spares and service backup looks like pretty good value.
 
PinkMoon said:
Ive come to another crossroads in my Hifi Setup - I have the funds to buy a new amp and Im a bit swamped with information or in some cases; lack of it.

My Setup:

Tannoy Monitor Gold 15" York
Garrard 301 / SME 3012 / Ortofon Cadenza Black
Icon Ausio - PS1 Phono Stage
Amp - Leak Stereo 30

The Amp was always the weakest point and, after turning 40 and having some spare cash Im thinking its time to make that investment into the Valve Amp I (believe) I have always wanted.

(Before I get the amp, Paul at RFC is building me some new crossovers so that I want make the Tannoys Sing the way they should.)

I have a budget of £3k MAX and I believe I have narrowed down my choices to the following:

Leak Stereo 20 (will prob need to buy a refurbished one)
Radford Revival STA 25
Icon Audio Stereo 40
Consonance Cyber 10

Can anyone offer any comment on my decision or advice - If I get a Power, i'll need a decent Passive Pre - the benefit of the Consonance is that its integrated

Also - I once had a pair of Monoblocks but decided to get rid of them because of the biasing issues I had with them - readings would change a lot and require tweaking - is this just a hassle of owning valve, or are some amps more sturdier in this regard?

Cheers Guys.
Click to expand...
So, given your decision to go with tubes, does that mean you expect to be listening to the amp in a clipping condition? Or at least, is that a factor?
 
I can certainly vouch for the combination of Leak Stereo 20 and 15” Monitor Golds. It works exceptionally well and I can’t imagine ever needing more power.
 
I'm interested in your choices as I am contemplating replacing my dpa's with a valve amp for my Berkeleys.
I was also contemplating an Ear Yoshino V12 or V20 or a Manley Stingray. These admittedly are based on looks as I have heard neither.
 
naimnut said:
So, given your decision to go with tubes, does that mean you expect to be listening to the amp in a clipping condition? Or at least, is that a factor?
Click to expand...

I don’t understand your point. There will be no clipping at all. Some basic maths: 15” Tannoy Monitor Golds are 95db for 1 Watt. There are two speakers in the room so +3db. York cabinets are wall-proximity so debatably another +3db. In real terms that is getting on for 100db for a Watt. I speak with experience when I say it is hard to keep a 10 Watt Leak Stereo 20 quiet enough in this context given its high sensitivity, just forget anything aside from a passive preamp (which suits it perfectly)! Those 10 Watts will generate sound levels and a real sense of heft and scale most modern audio kit can’t even dream of. You would have to be a profoundly deaf heavy metal fan to want more than a few Watts into proper big Tannoys. They do need a little grip though and personally I prefer push-pull tube amps to the SETs I’ve tried into them, but a pair of EL84s or EL34s a side and they sound just right with the kind of headroom available you get from driving typical modern small-driver speakers with a good taught 500 Watt amp.

PS Given your username I take it you are a Naim user. For context as someone who has owned both I’d say a good ten Watt tube amp such as the Leak into Tannoys has way, way more headroom than say 135s into Isobariks. High efficiency speakers play by entirely different rules!
 
currently running st20 into a pair of B&W DM15's, and whilst it's nowhere near as efficient as Tony's Tannoys, it still goes plenty loud enough without clipping.
 
Another to consider is the Leben CS300. I have mine driving AN-e's but previously big Tannoys.
 
Arkless Electronics said:
The Radford STA25 is in a different league to the other amps mentioned IMHO.
Click to expand...
Hi I've not come across Radford before and have just had a look at their website. I currently have an Audion Sterling which I'm looking to upgrade. Considering Icon Audio, Audio Note Oto and Primaluna. Any advice you could pass on?
 
If you have any specific technical questions... but you would have to be more specific...

I will say that the Oto and Sterling are my idea of poor amps so we will probably be "reading from different hynm books" on these matters...
 
I had an Oto SE and 12" Tannoys ( Chatsworths ) and the Oto worked very well with the speakers , however be warned the Oto SE does not have a typical "valve" sound . AN used to be quite good at giving home demos I'm not sure if this is still the case , might be worth speaking to them .
 
Hi I'm open-minded having only owned one valve amp and owned that for less than a year. What is it that you dislike about the Oto and Sterling?
 
I have to say that now I am using my serviced Radford STA15 I have sympathy with phrases like '3D soundstage' and 'hear things in the mix I never knew were there' that previously would make me roll my eyes and mutter 'yeah, right.' Fortunately I haven't got as far as 'can't stop my foot tapping', 'stupid grin on my face' or 'inky blackness' yet.
 
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