ideal amp for 4311b please help

[aaronz28]

hi all,
i just bought a mint pair of JBL 4311b monitors for my home studio...

i'm running right out of an Apogee DAC (their new Symphony i/o which is stellar)

i will not be using a Preamp as my DAC is true line level.. but I will go through an Analog volume controll the "SPL Volume 2"

I'd love to go into a tube amp, but i'm not anwhere ready to drop 3-4k on a tube amp..
I could probably swing for a nice Used Mac 240 or something, if that would be sufficient to drive these.
i certainly don't want to over or underpower these suckers... so any suggestions???
if tubes are out of the question... which studio ss amp should I look at?

i'm doing editing and monitoring of my Choral and Orchestral recordings so detail and sound stage are supremely important to me.. as is a nice warm sound

many thanks

[grumpy]

...detail and sound stage are supremely important to me.. as is a nice warm sound

I don't want to be a kill-joy, as the 4311 series can serve a useful function, but...

I would argue the 'nice warm sound' should be a product of your recording chain,
and -not- a function of your amp or speakers during editing monitoring, unless
(perhaps) quality final mixing/mastering is done later (at which time, I would guess
the input to that stage would be a bit cold and lean, with excessive brightness).
Sound stage with 4311b? The efforts of your recording will be limited by the speaker.

Having said that, I've run 4311's with several amp types, including a large/clean
tube amp (not what I'd call 'warm' in the audio sense), and was quite happy with
a well regarded 100-ish w/ch solid state amp... of which there are -many- to choose
from.

Not trying to be harsh, just a nudge to reconsider your priorities vs. what you're
trying to accomplish... and have fun

[Mr. Widget]

Along the lines of what Grumpy was saying, you want revealing and neutral. I think you'd be better served with a nice new pair of JBL LSR powered speakers with matching sub. That said, I really wouldn't use a MC240. That amp and speaker combo will have a bloated bottom end and the sound leaving your studio will end up thin and anemic sounding to compensate.


Widget

[aaronz28]

thanks for the input...

i should have clarified that this really is a fun hobby type studio doing my own work..

90% of the recording will be orchestra/choral work in churches, halls, etc.

i'll do some of my own stuff... but no serious production...

what do you guys think of the MC275 with the 4311b?

any other tube amps I should look at?

i do want a clear clean sound... perhaps warm wasn't the best word to use... its just hard (for me to separate warth and tubes) at least that's what I experience with Guitar amps and other Hifi Amps.

thanks - keep the suggestions coming.

Aaron