Tannoy+SET class a tube amp= magic
 

Had the opportunity to hear my Tannoy Kensingtons with a 30w SET Crossfire II using AA62B tubes. The AA62B tubes are similar to 300B but are supposed to be even better in some ways. Manufactured by Ayon for their amps only and they are huge!

What can I say, I am definitely on the right path! Midrange is simply magic. :yes: So much emotion, so engaging, so soul stirring... :drool: The richness, and coherence of Tannoy combined with the magic of SET is intoxicating. :music:

The 30w (peak of 45w) of triode power from the big tubes seems to be more than enough to drive the Tannoys with effortless dynamics. Great, big, round and textured analog like bass, sweet, airy highs but the midrange is... simply magic indeed.

I'm very happy with what I am hearing now! I'll have to borrow Alberto's description of "delicioussness" indeed. :yes:

Spinning vinyl becomes somekind of religion experience. The analog source highlights the beauty of an all analog sound through tubes!

Here is what the amp looks like. Did I mention those AA62B's are HUGE? :D Compare their size to the 6H30s on the bottom!

http://www.tnt-audio.com/jpg/crossfire_main.jpg

Serge...very nice. Ayon is certainly top notch. Is there a similar set-up as the crossfire but with separates in the Ayon line? Will you have an opportunity to demo Shindo or Leben? I suspect sonic signatures will be somewhat different. Just curious.

Cyril, this amp has very strong traits of being very transparent yet very, very musical and engaging without sounding glassy or thin. The soundstage is truly remarkable, the tubes seem to unravel the air and ambiance in the recording with the greatest of ease. I've heard Shindo also sounds transparent due to very minimalist approach of point to point wiring and very little in the path of the musical signal. The transformers on the Ayon are HUGE too! Probably very good quality judging by how it sounds. I don't know what exactly the difference would be. :scratch2: If Shindo is all about midrange magic, this Ayon has it in spades too! :yes: I'm able to demo Shindo but it will require a trip to NYC.

Serge...wait till you hear the Shindo. Congrats my friend you'll be in tube & vinyl heaven once again;) Btw, the Ayon is nice looking for sure.

Dave

Sorry, forgot to say, yes, Ayon has a nice variety of separates and integrateds. :yes:

Serge,

That's great to hear. You nailed it. The coax drivers add coherence and continuity and so does SET (and class-A) when you combine them you do get a kind of magic that's hard to describe ... but intoxicating is a good start :D.

Alberto

The Ayon has been playing for a few more hours and holy crap does it sound good with my Tanny's! If Shindo is even better, I will be in audio heaven for sure. :D

There is something very cool about not having a single solid state device in the audio chain vinyl -> tubes -> speakers.

I thought about making my listening room a digital and solid-state free zone ... but the fact is that the Shindo + Tannoys sound very, VERY, good even with the digital (at least with MDA1000). I am getting ZERO listening fatigue and lots of deliciousness from digital + all tubes and SET. The main area where vinyl has the edge over digital in my system is in a more holographic presentation and wider+taller soundstage, but I get none of the digital glare and nasties.

I tell you, tubes running SET are the closest thing to a deliciousness control I can think of - musical bottom, magic midrange and smooth highs, who can ask for more?

Alberto

Serge,

Congrats.

I would venture to bet that the Shindo will bring you, yet another step closer to the music

Good luck in your quest.

Stephen