Tube (tubelike) amp for usher mini dancer

[himadri]

Thanks Capt and Raj
The MD1 are around 85db but benign 8 ohm load (min 6 ohms). But having lived with them for quite some time , my gut instinct tells me that a minimum of around 50 tube watts are required to exploit the dynamic range fully in a small to medium sized room .Thanks for your suggestions.
Cheers

 

[captrajesh]

Captn,
Himadri has the Mini Dancer 1 if I am not wrong they have a nominal impedance of 8 Ohms with 87Db sensitivity, It is the Mini Dancer 2 which has 4 Ohms Impedance. They are power hungry of course no doubt. Himadri wanted to try Lyrita's GM-70, I am just suggesting Analogue Audio as another option.

B Rgds,
Raj.

Yes Raj, if they are Mini Dancer 1 you are right. Even then the 30WPC Dared MP60 with its limited drive would be hard pressed to drive these speakers which have a fairly low sensitivity of 87 dB IMHO.

By the time I replied to Rajgopal_j's post Himadri has made his post.

The MD1 are around 85db but benign 8 ohm load (min 6 ohms). But having lived with them for quite some time , my gut instinct tells me that a minimum of around 50 tube watts are required to exploit the dynamic range fully in a small to medium sized room.

From the net I gathered that the MD1 have a sensitivity of 87 dB. If they are 85dB, it further spoils the case of it being driven by Dared amp.

Trust me, TA30 has such a solid drive that it drove the difficult to drive Thiel 1.6 speakers quite effortlessly. May be you should take an audition.

 

[rajagopal_j]

Yes Raj, if they are Mini Dancer 1 you are right. Even then the 30WPC Dared MP60 with its limited drive would be hard pressed to drive these speakers which have a fairly low sensitivity of 87 dB IMHO.

Like I said before you are absolutely correct that the Ushers are very power hungry, but point in case is my own Lyrita GM-70 which are 15 WPC driving very beautifully my Dali speakers rated at 86.5Db sensitivity.

BUT, that being said most amp specifications are different in reality from paper as are speaker specs. Like you mentioned the AA amps had such amazing drive in the auditions, I believe they will be able to do a good job driving the ushers.

I guess trying them out, will be the best way to go!

 

[captrajesh]

most amp specifications are different in reality from paper as are speaker specs.

Fully agree.

I believe they will be able to do a good job driving the ushers.

Hope it works for OP.

 

[himadri]

Hi
On a recent one day trip to Delhi I could barely manage an hour or so in the evening to have a look at the horn speakers at Viren's place which he was kind enough to show me at a very short notice.
The horns driven by DHT pre with GM70 power and marantz CD player as a source sounded very different from dynamic speakers .
It was a not even front seat but 'in the stage' kind of a presence, but the dynamics were not detail dependent but something else which I could not put my finger on.The sound was also more open as compared to dynamic speakers and had a sense of non-restraint.
The bass from the horn grande was also very tight and articulate as compared to the petite (the horn was playing its role there also).
It was too short a period for any serious listening but being my first exposure to horns was an enlightening experience.
The same evening I also had a chance to listen to Snell C7 speakers at my brother's place.The Snell sounded big, bold and delicate at the same time.
An evening really well spent.
Cheers

 

[himadri]

Hi
An update;
The glorious uncertainties of this hobby.
I started out with an amp search on a limited budget but ended up doing the following which has consumed most of it:
Got a new Rega Rp3 tt as my JVC tt stopped turning.
Inspired by the benefits of a better power cable, I changed the stock power cord of my Denon PMA2000 amplifier to an Audio Art power cable with wattgate connectors.
A chance access to 2 pairs of used JPS labs ultraconductor speaker cables (biwire) was too good to pass.The denon amplifier and the Usher mini dancer speakers support biwiring with independent terminals.
The power and speaker cable upgrade has resulted in utilizing the full potential of all the other components.
The sound is coherent,clean and slightly warm and in these days of the shrinking rupee I wouldn't mind living with it for quite sometime.
Cheers

 

[himadri]

Hi
On a short trip to Mumbai I had the opportunity to listen to forum member Prem's set up for sometime.Prem's carefully optimised set up sounded tonally natural and real for all types of input material (type of music), conveying the resolution and essence of the music without adding anything to the recording.
A significant step in my journey.
Thanks to Prem and his better half for hosting me (and my wife) , and for the discussions about the various finer aspects of the music and recording during the session.
Cheers
himadri

 

[Staxxx]

Hi
On a short trip to Mumbai I had the opportunity to listen to forum member Prem's set up for sometime.Prem's carefully optimised set up sounded natural and real for all types of input material, conveying the resolution and essence of the music without adding anything to the recording.
A significant step in my journey.
Thanks to Prem and his better half for hosting me (and my wife) , and for the discussions about the various finer aspects of the music and recording during the session.
Cheers
himadri

Great opportunity to hear Prem's system. It is one of those systems I would like very much to hear....

 

[himadri]

Hi
This is an addition to my setup but of a different kind. Thanks to a forum member I could lay my hands on a 12 LP box set of JOHN COLTRANE THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC RECORDING, limited edition .From the original analogue master tapes.
A drink,lights dimmed ,Coltrane playing , original vinyl recording--- Things can hardy get any better.
Cheers

 

[AMITNOIDA]

Hi Himadri,
12 LP Box set of John Coltrane - Great collection.

After changing your Amp power cord and biwiring of speaker cables how much improvement you could notice?

My finding after doing the same thing was big. Now I don't complain much about loose bass. But obviously, an apt SS amp will bring out tighter bass and dynamics. A symphonic line is in my dream as second amp.

 

[himadri]

Hi Himadri,
12 LP Box set of John Coltrane - Great collection.

After changing your Amp power cord and biwiring of speaker cables how much improvement you could notice?

My finding after doing the same thing was big. Now I don't complain much about loose bass. But obviously, an apt SS amp will bring out tighter bass and dynamics. A symphonic line is in my dream as second amp.

Thanks Amit
Yes, the audio art power cable with wattgate connectors improved the power envelope and hence tighter bass , with a slight change in listening postion ( nearer to the back wall) , Im getting thicker and fuller sound.
The surprise element was the JPS lab bi-wire.Low noise, coupled with smooth but greater frequency extension and clean and solid bottom end was almost as much as an amplifier upgrade.
cheers

 

[wlg]

Hi any reviews on the DNM tube amp

 

[himadri]

Had a chance to listen to Golden ear triton 2 + speakers in my system (3500$) .Though the Golden Ears were room friendly due to their powered woofers but I missed the clear midband and the airy treble of the ushers , hence had to return them , though I was offered a good deal on them.Surprisingly, I preferred the Ushers even though the bottom end is too prominent on certain recordings in my room.Meanwhile , also had a listen to Tannoy turnberry + leben 600+ VPI tt at a dealer's in Kolkata.Reference level sound but the bass was testing the limits of the fairly treated room.
Looks like any furthur amp or speaker upgrade is exponentially expensive.A top of the line harbeth /tannoy or a luxman / mcintosh maybe. Any views?
cheers

 

[sidvee]

Had a chance to listen to Golden ear triton 2 + speakers in my system (3500$) .Though the Golden Ears were room friendly due to their powered woofers but I missed the clear midband and the airy treble of the ushers , hence had to return them , though I was offered a good deal on them.Surprisingly, I preferred the Ushers even though the bottom end is too prominent on certain recordings in my room.Meanwhile , also had a listen to Tannoy turnberry + leben 600+ VPI tt at a dealer's in Kolkata.Reference level sound but the bass was testing the limits of the fairly treated room.
Looks like any furthur amp or speaker upgrade is exponentially expensive.A top of the line harbeth /tannoy or a luxman / mcintosh maybe. Any views?
cheers

Himadri,
Do consider ATC in your speaker upgrade search. You can try the 19 (I have it) and/or the the 40. FM Sameer got a pair of 40's recently.
Cheers,
Sid.

 

[himadri]

Thanks Yogi and Sid.
Yes , I have to decide whether to go for an amp or speaker upgrade as upgrading both dont seem to be affordable.
A tube buffer seems to be a good idea but Im probably looking for a larger solution .
The Golden ear experience makes the case for retaining the mini dancers at the expense of slightly boomy bass on certain recordings in my room.Nevertheless after having listened to the Harbeth P3esr, and Tannoy turnberry, ( at other locations including dealers) , british kind of clean midband oriented sound seems to be one of the last frontiers of speaker upgrade.How much they will be an upgrade over the mini dancers is a point ,as during the tannoy audition I never felt the dancers to be significantly less dynamic or involving.I havnt heard the ATC of course but they are reputed to be more demanding of amplification.Spendor is another brand but no experience there also.
I am in touch with First note Labs for a class A pre power ( with phono), but the bigger ones are really HEAVY( weightwise and cost wise) and the build time is long.
Lets see...............................
cheers.

 

[Lazer]

Hi
Looking to upgrade my Denon amp (PMA2000 ivr) at present driving the Usher mini dancer 1.
My room size is smallish -12 x14 .
Budget 1-1.4 lakhs. jazz/rock/jazzrock/indian classical.
My source is denon dcd700ae/jvc qly5f tt.
The dancers are 85db , 2 way with beryllium tweeters ,easy to drive (stays generally higher than 8 ohms min 6 ohms), slightly hot at the top , woofer needs a bit of damping , and need smooth and slightly warm electronics.
The denon is adequate on the smoothness and woofer control but sounds a bit thin.
Have heard the usher power r 1.5 , odyssey khartago, symphonic line integrated rg10, leben cs600, ayon orion with the ushers in bits and pieces.
The usher and odyssey amps are very good but would prefer slightly smoother sound.
I liked the leben best and then the symphonic line next but both are beyond my budget.
The ayon sounded very good , like a solid state , would prefer a softer amp.
Also liked Viren's GM70 monoblocks but don't know how the ushers will handle the low damping factor of single ended amplification
As I live in Chattisgarh hence product reliability and service is important.
Looking for advice preferably on tube /tubelike amplification.
Cheers

Hi ,
I think you should go for pre and power combination.You can use hybrid amp also to have good sound.I have one pre amplifier of Carver C 19 for sale.

 

[alitaher2009]

I have Quad Qsp power amp for sale.
let me known if you are interested.

 

[himadri]

Couldn't resist an harbeth p3esr which was available.looking for stands.female vocals to die for.superior tone,decay,and spatial information presented in a refined ,detailed and uncolored manner.not a complete fullranger but a mid-range champion which makes many other speakers sound colored by comparision.
Cheers

 

[prem]

Congrats Himadri. A great buy.

 

[himadri]

Thanks Prem and Jls