Amp or speaker change? your views please chaps.

[Floyddroid]

Hi all

I am at present using a Prima Luna prologue 2 valve integrated amp driving Ruark Crusader speakers. I may be in the position to upgrade either of them soon. Mt plight is this, do i trade up my P2 for a more powerful option further up the range or should i keep the P2 and buy a pair of sensitive loudspeakers?:scratch:

[Effem]

Do you feel the P2 hasn't got enough welly to drive the Ruarks? I wouldn't say the Ruarks are too difficult a load and the P2 although isn't massively powerful aint no slouch either. Is the system working in a large or small room? Furnishings?

[DSJR]

Are there any friendly AOSers around your area who can help you listen to a few different alternatives? I was never a fan of many Ruark speakers (too tight a*sed for my tastes), but some of them respond well to some welly up their backsides. In the meantime, can you get a listen to some different valvey amps between a grand or two? My experiences are strictly limited, but the Icon Stereo 40 and 60 sound very good indeed I thought, and a worthy alternative to the ubiquitous Crofty ones I feel.

As for used amps, I haven't a clue, but the lovely peeps here often come up with something you could try I'm sure :)

[wee tam]

steve , if you can be , and can put that laot in a car , drive up to washinton 20 miles at most , can try a pre /power , and 2 integrated , and 2 diff sets of speakers with your lot

[jon1]

Steve if you want listen to crofts i have some;)


jon

[Slawts]

Steve,

Keep the Prima Luna and get some Monitor Audio GR or GS 60's second hand. They seem to be quite cheap at the moment £500-£700 and will make Heart of the Sunrise, Starless or Tarkus sound magnificent.

Cheers,

Steve

[chelsea]

Speakers.

[RichB]

hello chaps, you're always welcome in Gateshead to hear my kit. Any saturdays are usually fine with me working away at the moment.

Welcome Tommy to AoS as well if i haven't said hello before. Whereabouts in Newcastle are you?

Rich

[Floyddroid]

Steve,

Keep the Prima Luna and get some Monitor Audio GR or GS 60's second hand. They seem to be quite cheap at the moment £500-£700 and will make Heart of the Sunrise, Starless or Tarkus sound magnificent.

Cheers,

Steve

Cheers steven. may just try a pair of MA speakers.:)

[Tim]

get some Monitor Audio GR or GS 60's second hand. They seem to be quite cheap at the moment £500-£700 and will make Heart of the Sunrise, Starless or Tarkus sound magnificent.
:scratch: as a previous owner of said MA GR60's I couldn't disagree more TBH - I sold mine on eBay for £799

Have a read here which was a thread discussing Listener Fatigue http://theartofsound.net/forum/showpost.php?p=359173&postcount=14 check the posts I link to.

Just saying and ignore any of the above if you disagree, but it could be worth bearing in mind as MA speakers do have a very characteristic sound, which many hear have commented on - YMMV ;)

[Slawts]

:scratch: as a previous owner of said MA GR60's I couldn't disagree more TBH - I sold mine on eBay for £799

Have a read here which was a thread discussing Listener Fatigue http://theartofsound.net/forum/showpost.php?p=359173&postcount=14 check the posts I link to.

Just saying and ignore any of the above if you disagree, but it could be worth bearing in mind as MA speakers do have a very characteristic sound, which many hear have commented on - YMMV ;)

I do understand Tim's point. They are quite bright but as your Prima Luna is a bit dark in tone I though it might be a synergistic match. They're not screechy but need a darker amp. Naims are popular with them but if you have a bright tranny amp I'm sure it would sound like screaming cats accompanied by finger nails down a blackboard.

I've had my MA's for nearly 14 years and it's one of the only bits of kit I haven't changed until now. I've just bought a set of KEF Reference 3.2's which I have to say are a bit of a step up. They're a bit more mature sounding so I've put on a bit of Wishbone Ash.

As Tim says listen before you buy.

Cheers,

Steve