Tube Amplifier Recommendation for VOTT ?

[Eric1]

Hi -- does anyone have a mono tube amplifier recommendation, for a VOTT / Altec 800? I'm thinking of a McIntosh MC75. But I'm wondering how good the old Altec theatre amps, like the 255A, would be. thanks!

[pete]

Ive heard the VOTTs driven by a SS 70 watt "Popular Electronics Brute 70" amp going full tilt and they sounded awsome. Tha amp was a build article in the mag and my company, HP, built a small run of them for the hifi nuts in the division. Good amp.

[hjames]

Ive heard the VOTTs driven by a SS 70 watt "Popular Electronics Brute 70" amp going full tilt and they sounded awsome. Tha amp was a build article in the mag and my company, HP, built a small run of them for the hifi nuts in the division. Good amp.

Neat - was that like those South West Tech Products stuff they used to feature in the classic days, like the Tiger01 and all of those?
I was just searching on SWTPCo yesterday, but all I could find was their computer gear, not the audio side of the company.

[pete]

Neat - was that like those South West Tech Products stuff they used to feature in the classic days, like the Tiger01 and all of those?
I was just searching on SWTPCo yesterday, but all I could find was their computer gear, not the audio side of the company.

kinda the same but when HP built it, it wwas built with all top quality parts and like a tank, in house. We made the circuit boards, chassis etc. Ran the full gamut of IHF audio tests on them to insure they all met spec. They did.

I had the SWTPC Universal Tiger 80watt job, 2 for stereo. but smoked em duiring testing and never rebuilt them with all the mods to kill oscillations. Still got em.

[pete]

Hi -- does anyone have a mono tube amplifier recommendation, for a VOTT / Altec 800? I'm thinking of a McIntosh MC75. But I'm wondering how good the old Altec theatre amps, like the 255A, would be. thanks!

Dont know the Altec amps but that Mac ought do them justice. IMO

[cohearent]

This has gotten a little off topic. He is asking about tube amps. I have used many Mc and Marantz tube amps with Altec and JBL with great results. My personal favorite is the MC30. It works particularly well with HF horns. It really smooths out Altec 288s and 375s. If you bi-amp, these drivers do not like highly damped SS amps. You can help this with series resistance, but nothing makes them sing like an MC30. MC75s are not quite as smooth sounding as 30s (believe me I have a pair of each) However, for driving a full range system with crossover, the 75 works well. Back in the day every studio in Hollywood seemed to be driving their 604s with 275s. BTW an Mc30 will drive an A7 as loud as I care to listen.