Amp recommendation for Altec 19 speakers

[Alex Mezi]

Hi !

:help:

I am a happy new owner of a pair of Altec 19 (416-8B Alnico 15" - 811B Horn - 1200 Hz Crossover - 99~102 db efficiency).

Could you please help me finding Amp & pre-amp to drive them ? (I listen to all kind of music: Baroque, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Disco... but mostly on vinyl ).
My turntable is a Technics 110 with a Sme 3012 serie II tonearm.

Are Mcintosh mc-30 monoblocks a good choice ?

Thanks for your help and knowledge !


http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/25/185152/Altec%2019.jpg
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/8/25/185152/Technics%20110.jpg

[Brian J]

Back in the 70s a H.S. chums' Father used a Dynaco integrated and it sounded awesome. Just look a the volume control and the house would shake. I think it was about 30wpc.

Brian

[www.records]

Alex, I have never heard 19's and MC30's, but I would imagine that would be an excellent match. I have Model 17s (604 duplex) with MC40s and love it.

[Gary Freed]

Very nice looking speakers

[Metralla]

Congratulations on owning such high efficiency loudspeakers. You can use low powered SETs, and that's what I would be going for. Something based on a 45 tube. I use Ron Welborne 300B SETs and I'd recommend his 45 Star Chiefs. Not many audiophiles could use these amps - but you could.


http://www.welbornelabs.com/starchief.htm

[cwon]

Look into George Wright's stuff:

http://www.wright-sound.com/

[Alex Mezi]

Thank you all for your advices ! :thumbsup:

I'll keep a eye open on Welborne Labs & George Wright. But I'm not sure to be able to listen to these products here in France...

I had yesterday the opportunity to hear a macintosh 220 (unfortunatly not with my speakers) and was highly impressed (especially with strings, acoustic guitar and harpsichord).
Could anyone characterize the sounding differences between the 220 and mc-30 ? (haven't heard this last one yet, but I've read so many enthusiastic comments on this forum...)
I'm afraid the 220 to be maybe too..."polite" (?)
I also want my speakers to Rock !
But is there a way to be happy listening either Led Zep's Whole Lotta Love or Bach's St Matthew Passion using the same system ?

[Rolf Erickson]

And Petite.... They have all the power you will need with those efficient boy's. And might "Mellow-Out" some of the "horniness" of those compression loaded driver/horns. I would use tubes, in any case.. McIntosh 30's would be great also.

P.S. I have a pair of Quicksilvers Mini-Mites just listed today in classifieds, I will sell you for $725.00 3 months old.

[vconsumer]

I second the use of low-powered SET amps for your speakers. If you don't mind a little DIY, Bottlehead's Paramour 2A3 amps at 3.5 watts would be great with the Altecs.

http://www.bottlehead.com/et/et.html

[Kent Teffeteller]

Hi,

McIntosh MC-30 and MC-40 are heavenly with the Altec 19, Flamenco, and Valencia lines. Also McIntosh 225 is superb as is Marantz model 8 and 9 paired with a 7 Stereo Preamplifier. We use a pair of MC-30 amps, a McIntosh C-22 preamplifier and an MR 71 tuner with our pair of Altec Valencias (similar to your Model 19's in componentry). We also use a Thorens TD 224 (the changer sibling to the TD-124) for vinyl playback with a Stanton 681 EEE-S Mk III. You'll love it with tubes. We also love Altec speakers like these with McIntosh early SS amps and preamps. They are just better with tube amps/preamps.

[TONEPUB]

What a dilemma! All good choices. THe MC30's are great, but a nice pair will probably run you about 1200-2500.

THe Welbourne stuff is all excellent, as is the Bottlehead. You can build
yourself a pair of the 2A3 amps from Bottlehead for about 700 bucks.

If I might ask, how much did you pay for those babies? I've always wanted
a pair!

Enjoy!

[Alex Mezi]

If I might ask, how much did you pay for those babies? I've always wanted
a pair!

Enjoy!


hi !

I paid twice as you should !
I'm living in Paris, France, and I bought my pair from a German gentleman.
But finding Altec's, Klipsch's or Mcintosh's stuff in USA is of course much more easy for you.
You could easily find a pair of Altec 19 for less than $2000 ... The only problem is to find something not too far from your place to be able to pick up by yourself... (it's heavy... around 150 lbs for each speaker).

Regards,
Alex.

[Alex Mezi]

I second the use of low-powered SET amps for your speakers. If you don't mind a little DIY, Bottlehead's Paramour 2A3 amps at 3.5 watts would be great with the Altecs.

Can a 15" speaker be really drove by a 3.5 W amp ?
On the Altec's specifications I can read: Recommended maximum and minimum amplifier power: 10 watts to 350 watts
:confused:

[TONEPUB]

Hi Alex;

You should be just fine...

Another amp that might be fun and not expensive is a 35wpc Prima luna power amp. They aren't that expensive and that would really rock those speakers!! An SET is cool but a little extra dynamic range wouldn't hurt either!

Good luck on the hunt!

[Metralla]

Can a 15" speaker be really drove by a 3.5 W amp ?
Have a look at the size of the magnet!

[MartinV56]

Hi, Congratulations, very nice speakers IMHO go to the Single Ended Triode Amplifiers, 2A3, 45 or 300B
I use the 2A3 and 45, Utopia Audio 2A3 and 45
www.utopiaudio.com

Good luck, Martin

[hifi_nut]

Hi, Congratulations, very nice speakers IMHO go to the Single Ended Triode Amplifiers, 2A3, 45 or 300B
I use the 2A3 and 45, Utopia Audio 2A3 and 45
www.utopiaudio.com

Good luck, Martin

Good advice from my point of view. You could also consider more recent offerings from china, like this SET 805 base, that pushes out a great sounding 45 watt / 8 ohms.

All the glory od SET, with the bottom end and control in the lows.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=2460158&postcount=55

Jorge

[MartinV56]

Can a 15" speaker be really drove by a 3.5 W amp ?
On the Altec's specifications I can read: Recommended maximum and minimum amplifier power: 10 watts to 350 watts
:confused:

Hi, Alex, Without too much deepening in theoretical electroacústic bond to remember an amplifier of 3,5 Watt connected to a loudspeaker of the high sensitivity (more than 100 dB/W/m) will produce sound pressure levels superior to those of one of 100 watt connected to a standard loudspeaker of 86 dB/W/m.
Best Regards, Martin