Best amp for Devore Gibbon X

[KeithR]

Will see if we can get some activity back on this forum - any owners or demo'rs have some thoughts on amplification?

I have used a Dartzeel on the SS side with success...just tried a pair of 15 watt Quad Jubilees that don't work in the bass. Not sure if power or low damping factor. My friend says the Xs would sound best with a higher damping factor amp like ARC due to the long-throw woofers JD uses. Any thoughts?

[restock]

Unfortunately no opportunity yet to hear the Gibbon X - I own the Devore O/96 and Super 8. On the solid state side, I do enjoy the Accuphase E600 Class A tremendously with the O/96 - rich, textured with spot on tonality with excellent resolution and refinement. The E600 replaced a Shindo separate system (Giscours + Cortese), sharing the duty with a Leben CS600 (nice how they are both named "600"). I can imagine the Accuphase E600 would work very well with the Gibbon X as well.

On the more affordable side, Naim works great with the Super 8s, bringing out the drive and typical "prat" attributes from the Devores.

[fclombardo]

In my experience with Silverback Reference i (I own them from 2013), the best sound was with SS amps. Mark Levinson (old series), Reference 32 + 23.5 help the speakers to give their best...especially the bass... Yes, now the bass are true and present, like never I heard before. I tryed with Shindo - Nagra - Leben. Nothing work well in terms of general coherence and basses like SS amps, in my opinion and in my experience with these speakers. I think the same could be with Gibbon X.
Ciao - Francesco

[GreginNH1]

Luxman L-590AX Sublime!

[KeithR]

I can now confirm that the ideal amplifier for this speaker is the Audio Research Ref 75SE - it is truly stunning. Big, open sound that brings the woofers together and presents a singular coherent image. This is not the whitish, SS-sounding ARC of yesteryear - best amp in years. Quite frankly everyone who has heard the combo can't believe it.

Another Gibbon X owner just received his 75SE - after trying a half dozen amps including Shindo, Leben, LM, etc. - and has relayed the exact same thing.

Highly recommended!

[Formerly YB-2]

Nice. When you get to the point of rolling some 6H30 tubes you might see if you can find some Soviet era tubes as opposed to modern production.