CM7's OK with a valve amp?

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  • Bunyip
    Junior Member
    • Dec 2009
    • 2

    CM7's OK with a valve amp?

    Hi there all,
    This is my first post here - so nice to meet you all and thanks in advance for your replies.

    I am in the process of finally returning to my audiophile roots (the kids are old enough to trust to not trash my gear).

    I have a Linn Axis turntable the Rega Planet CD player as my front end which I have had for a long time.
    In my younger days I always lusted after the valve amp sound, but they were out of my price range.
    Not so now and it's time to indulge myself.
    I am looking to get the Icon Stereo 25 amp with the KT88 upgrade, paired with the PS1 phono stage.
    This gets me to the outer limit of my budget, so please don't bother recommending more expensive amps.
    The KT88 upgrade will give me 55W per channel.
    I will be listening at low volumes in a relatively small room. (4.5m x 6.5m).
    Musical tastes are wide, but a cross section would be Dire Straits, Lloyd Cole, Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon, Beatles, as well as some funk, and acid jazz.
    Now, the trick is going to be pairing the right speakers. I currently have a pair of B&W 602's which I love, but the wife hates the stands. So my solution is to get some floor standing speakers to replace them. (better aesthetic for her, and I get to go speaker shopping again!)

    I love B&W and the CM7's seem really nice and on budget. However I do know that the B&W's like a bit of grunt driving them.

    Do you think the Stereo 25 at 55W will be enough to drive these babies at relatively tame volumes?

    Also, to help me understand what to look for in the tech specs of a speaker - what gives me an indication of the sensitivity?
    The specs on the CM7's say the recommended amp power is 30-150W. So would this suggest that the 55W of my 25 would be OK, or too close to the low end?

    Thanks for your help and happy new year.

    Bunyip
  • stuofsci02
    Super Senior Member
    • Nov 2009
    • 1241

    #2
    Bunyip,

    I think you will be just fine with 55w/channel. Welcome back to the hi-fi world. I only wish I could have a dedicated stereo system with a tube amp.. Someday...

    I have a 50W/Channel NAD Amp that I have used with almost all my speakers for a number of years. B&W 602.5, 603, 683 and had no problems driving them to loud levels.

    If you budget allows for it, you might also want to demo the CM9. I have heard the CM7 and found it a tad light in the bass department although it was a wonderful sounding speaker. I have not heard the CM9, but I have heard it has all of the CM7's great sound and is full in the bass dept. It is also a more sensitive speaker and might be easier to drive.

    Cheers,

    Stuart
    Main System:
    B&W 801D
    Emotiva USP-1 Pre-Amp
    Chord SPM-650 Stereo Amp
    Oppo BDP-105
    Squeezebox Touch


    Second System:
    B&W CM7
    Emotiva UMC-1
    Emotiva UPA-2
    Oppo BDP-83SE
    Grant Fidelity DAC-09

    Comment

    • Nolan B
      Super Senior Member
      • Sep 2005
      • 1792

      #3
      Not knowing your specific amp, listened to the CM9s powered buy a Rotel 60w/ channel and felt they were just fine at moderate levels. Its really hard to judge just by the spec of watts, but Im thinking they will be fine with that.

      Comment

      • Bunyip
        Junior Member
        • Dec 2009
        • 2

        #4
        OK gents, thanks for the reply.
        CM7's are already into the "I'm spending more than I really should" zone, so CM9's will have to wait I'm afraid. I plan to demo the 7's with a low powered amp to get some sense of what they will be like.
        I'll report back on the final results.

        Comment

        • stuofsci02
          Super Senior Member
          • Nov 2009
          • 1241

          #5
          Originally posted by Bunyip
          OK gents, thanks for the reply.
          CM7's are already into the "I'm spending more than I really should" zone, so CM9's will have to wait I'm afraid. I plan to demo the 7's with a low powered amp to get some sense of what they will be like.
          I'll report back on the final results.
          Understood! You will be very happy with the CM7..

          Happy auditioning and let us know what you do!
          Main System:
          B&W 801D
          Emotiva USP-1 Pre-Amp
          Chord SPM-650 Stereo Amp
          Oppo BDP-105
          Squeezebox Touch


          Second System:
          B&W CM7
          Emotiva UMC-1
          Emotiva UPA-2
          Oppo BDP-83SE
          Grant Fidelity DAC-09

          Comment

          • Horacio
            Senior Member
            • Jan 2005
            • 142

            #6
            Bunyip,

            The CM7 have a sensitivity of 88 dB. My 804S are 91 dB, and I run them with a McIntosh MC275 which is 75 Watts per channel (actually using 2 KT88 per channel). It sounds very good to me, and bests my previous Rotel RB1080 (200 Watts per channel of solid state).
            To get to the same sound pressure level, say 85 dB for sake of argument, with CM7s you would need twice the power needed to achieve 85 dB SPL with 804S. On top of that the amp you are considering is 55 W vs. mine at 75 W...I'm thinking you'll be short of power...

            Can you audition the amp/CM7 pair?

            Horacio

            Comment

            • stuofsci02
              Super Senior Member
              • Nov 2009
              • 1241

              #7
              Horacio,

              804S is 90db, so not quite as big a gap.. BTW I just picked up my 804s today.. Upgraded from 683. All I can say is wow..

              I still think he will be ok with 55 watts. Most moderate listening is done at < 30 watts.. As long as his amp can handle higher power draws for short durations I think he should be good.
              Main System:
              B&W 801D
              Emotiva USP-1 Pre-Amp
              Chord SPM-650 Stereo Amp
              Oppo BDP-105
              Squeezebox Touch


              Second System:
              B&W CM7
              Emotiva UMC-1
              Emotiva UPA-2
              Oppo BDP-83SE
              Grant Fidelity DAC-09

              Comment

              • Horacio
                Senior Member
                • Jan 2005
                • 142

                #8
                Stoufsci,

                Congrats on your new 804S! I like them a lot.

                You are right, the 804S are 90 dB, not 91 dB. So instead of needing twice the power to achieve the same SPL, he would need 66% more power with the CM7 than I need with my 804S. So my point is the same: I don't think it will be enough power. My amp is 75 Wpc and his is 55 Wpc...

                Not sure what you meant with "most moderate listening is done at < 30 Watts". Power draw for a given SPL will be a function of the speaker's sensitivity. And we don't know how loud Bunyip likes to listen to Pink Floyd, or how loud he likes to sit down and evaluate his system.

                Again, Bunyip, if you can try to audition. You shouldn't take my, or anybody else's, word as given wisdom.

                Best of luck!
                Horacio

                Comment

                • stuofsci02
                  Super Senior Member
                  • Nov 2009
                  • 1241

                  #9
                  Thanks Horacio,

                  Today I will really let the puppies loose.. I didn't have much time to play last night before my daughter had to go to bed..

                  But.. Bunyip did indicate in his first post that he plays music at "relatively tame volume levels"..

                  One thing I think we are missing (correct me if I am wrong) is a speakers ability to generate bass at low power will increase its sensitivy. I have often found that small two way and three ways with small drivers and without dedicated bass drivers often have a low sensitivity (805S, 685, 686, CM7 etc.). As such it is obvious that to get the same bass volume (which no doubt contributes to sound pressure levels) one will need to provide the speaker more power.

                  I used to have the DM 602.5 S3 and it also had a 88 db sensitivity. I found no problem driving them very loud with a 50 wpc NAD, but again bass response was lacking compared to the 603 which was the same speaker with an extra bass driver with a 90db sensitivity.

                  I guess in the end bunyip will have to audition the pair together and see what he finds.
                  Main System:
                  B&W 801D
                  Emotiva USP-1 Pre-Amp
                  Chord SPM-650 Stereo Amp
                  Oppo BDP-105
                  Squeezebox Touch


                  Second System:
                  B&W CM7
                  Emotiva UMC-1
                  Emotiva UPA-2
                  Oppo BDP-83SE
                  Grant Fidelity DAC-09

                  Comment

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