What power amp do you use with ARC tube pre amp?

[TOGA]

Hi,

I may be getting new amp to use with Ref40, minimum recommended load is 20KOhm of input impedance on power amp.
Anybody here break this rule ? What could be the result if new amp is at lower limit of 20K or even lower at 10Kohm.
Will I damage tubes ?
So if anybody use low input impedance power amp with tube ARC pre, please share your experience. Thank you
Toga

[doggiehowser]

I would not recommend it if my experience with the Ayon CD5S is any indication. The Ayon runs without negative feedback and when partnered with XLR power amps with low input impedance there's just a heck of a lot of noise and buzzing. Ayon specifically says no.

I was using a pair of active speakers (10kOhm input impedance).

On my Ref5SE, I use Electrocompaniet Nemos which I believe are 60kOhms.

ps Ayon says if the input impedance is too low, RCA is OK. Just not XLR. Not sure if this makes a difference to the ARC.

[TOGA]

Thanks for sharing.

Now I know there is someone who use Ref40 with amp that I likely to buy !
He didn't report problem. His speakers have same high sensitivity as mine, but not
Reporting noise.

My ref40 does have noise from tweeter more than SS pre, especially with my current 31 dB gain amp.
When I switch to Ref 75 , not mostly gone. New amp is also high gain at 31dB.

Current set up ARC Ref40+ Moon W7M or ARC Ref75, both have high input impedance.
Next amp could be Gryphon Memphisto ST., if REF40 can t drive its low input Z, then I have to sell it
And replace it with Pandora from Gryphone, which I don't wanna do. In that case I iust hope that the Pandora
Will be at least as musical as Ref40.
Toga

Originally Posted by doggiehowser

I would not recommend it if my experience with the Ayon CD5S is any indication. The Ayon runs without negative feedback and when partnered with XLR power amps with low input impedance there's just a heck of a lot of noise and buzzing. Ayon specifically says no.

I was using a pair of active speakers (10kOhm input impedance).

On my Ref5SE, I use Electrocompaniet Nemos which I believe are 60kOhms.

ps Ayon says if the input impedance is too low, RCA is OK. Just not XLR. Not sure if this makes a difference to the ARC.

I'm aware of your experience with the Ayon Doggie, but thought I might chime in here since I owned a modded Ayon CD-5s which I ran as my line source paired with a Boulder 1060. I found that combination wonderful with absolutely no noise or performance issues whatsoever. I ran the Ayon on it's low gain setting & ran xlr cables. Perhaps the difference was that the Boulder's input impedance is set high at 100k ohms (balanced) My speakers were Marten Coltrane Alto's.

[Ritmo]

Toga,

I'm using ARC. I've heard of wonderful match and synergy with Pass.

[doggiehowser]

Originally Posted by Bodhisattva

I'm aware of your experience with the Ayon Doggie, but thought I might chime in here since I owned a modded Ayon CD-5s which I ran as my line source paired with a Boulder 1060. I found that combination wonderful with absolutely no noise or performance issues whatsoever. I ran the Ayon on it's low gain setting & ran xlr cables. Perhaps the difference was that the Boulder's input impedance is set high at 100k ohms (balanced) My speakers were Marten Coltrane Alto's.

I did end up using the Ayon with the Plinius SA-Reference.

With my 90dB sensitivity speakers and high output XDS-1, I did find the gain with the ARC Ref5SE and Plinius to be overly high tho. But the sound was quite good with a lower voltage source.

[darkstar]

I am running Lamm 1.2s with my REF 5SE. An excellent combo although not sure its a match with your Magico's.

[Lorenzo]

I'm running ARC Ref250 mono with my Ref10. If you do not want tube power u might wanna consider the D'agostino amps. The 250s are powering my strads.

Cheers

[fgchong]

I used my Ref 10 to control a pair of Goldmund Telso 250 mono blocks driving the newly acquired Wilson Alexis. I think this is the best combination I ever had since I started this hobby almost 40 years ago.

[TOGA]

Thanks all,

Most are using amps that have higher than lower limit or ARC amp. I will try my Ref40 with
Gryphon amp soon, will see if this cause any mismatch problem. If so, will see if the Pandora preamp
Is good enough to replace Ref40.