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Tube amp suggestions please
- Thread starter Moe
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thanks looks promising and in my price range
I have been following this thread with interest. I am old and a tube amp is a long-held dream. I have heard tube amps and they sound pleasant. I would like to connect a pair of Elac Debut Reference DB62 speakers ( 6 Ohms, Sensitivity: 86db, Max Power Input 120 Watts) to a suitable tube amp. SPL calculator indicates that I need 20w to deliver 90 SPL at 6 m (where the couch is).
Can I request a brand/spec recommendation, please? Many thanks in advance
I have a HT7.2.4 set up with Marantz 8805 AVR, GoldenEar Tritor reference, center, overhead and inwall speakers, Emotiva xpa 5 and xpa7 with a JVC NX7. To listen to 2-ch music, I switch to Parasound A21.
Can I request a brand/spec recommendation, please? Many thanks in advance
I have a HT7.2.4 set up with Marantz 8805 AVR, GoldenEar Tritor reference, center, overhead and inwall speakers, Emotiva xpa 5 and xpa7 with a JVC NX7. To listen to 2-ch music, I switch to Parasound A21.
Bob from Florida
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Quicksilver has quality tube amps that are accurate - as in without the ”warmth“ so many attribute to tube amps. As mentioned earlier in the thread, Quicksilver has a 20 watt integrated that uses 8 EL84 output tubes with a 6 ohm output tap. Your speakers will work with this amount of power but you indicated 6 meters to the couch, which means you may want more power for some headroom.
Integrated Amplifier – Quicksilver Audio
quicksilveraudio.com
KT Mono Amplifier – Quicksilver Audio
quicksilveraudio.com
DanielT
Major Contributor
Start with the tube amp in yourself and then match with the appropriate speakers to it. Of course you should have a classic:
I hope to perform some listening tests on the ST-70. For now, I say it is not that bad considering what we have in front of us. Wonder how good it can be made with the type of instrumentation I have now versus what used to be available and what people typically use. Cleary we can push the weak channel to be as good as the other as a minimum.
Review and Measurements of Dynaco ST 70
This is a review and detailed measurements of the vintage Dynakit Dynaco Stereo 70. It is on kind loan from a member who bought it used online and repaired it. Previous owner hand upgraded it but could not get it working. Given that it is 60 years old, one can forgive the rust and dust...
audiosciencereview.com
If you want to "cheat", split the signal and let an active subwoffer take care of everything below 80-100 Hz. Then maybe your Elac Debut Reference DB62 speakers plus Dynaco Stereo 70 can work together. If Dynaco Stereo 70 fixes 6 Ohm? That depends on what type of music you listen to and how high volume you usually have, among other things.Note this is a suggestion. If it is appropriate, more knowledgeable people than me may help you find out.
Tube amp likes "kind" speakers. No loudspeakers and which flutter violently in impedance, which sinks low in Ohm. But of course with a separate sub amp it makes it easier.
Good tube integrated / power amps, (compared to tube amps in between) can be very expensive, brutally expensive.
It is the power part of a tube amp that causes a lot of distortion. The preamplifier part can be fixed to a tube amp with low distortion. So if you want a little tube glow, because it looks cool and nice plus low distortion maybe it can be a solution?
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mhardy6647
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I couldn't have written a better response suite myself
I'd love to see Amirm put the Carver 275 on the bench.I couldn't have written a better response suite myself
275 Features / Specs | bobcarvercorp.com
www.bobcarvercorp.com
With the 12AX7 and 12AT7, driver tubes are available everywhere at low costs when needed.
And IMHO a handsome product. I've seen and heard them a couple times now at the Tampa shows
and must say I was impressed with the build quality. Plus made right here in the good ole USA, I'm sold !
PrimaLuna
I meant to say a little more but had to run.
I find their Prologue Integrated quite interesting though a bit short on power at 42wpc.
ProLogue Premium Integrated — PrimaLuna USA
www.primaluna-usa.com
One last comment, stay away from the very cheap Chinese stuff, a firebomb waiting for a day to ignite.
Cheers, Sal
Bob from Florida
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Have you seen this thread on the Carver?I'd love to see Amirm put the Carver 275 on the bench.
For the cost and power offered, along with the 5 year tube warranty, it's an interesting option.275 Features / Specs | bobcarvercorp.com
With the 12AX7 and 12AT7, driver tubes are available everywhere at low costs when needed.
And IMHO a handsome product. I've seen and heard them a couple times now at the Tampa shows
and must say I was impressed with the build quality. Plus made right here in the good ole USA, I'm sold !
PrimaLuna
I meant to say a little more but had to run.
I find their Prologue Integrated quite interesting though a bit short on power at 42wpc.
Build quality also looks first class for the money.ProLogue Premium Integrated — PrimaLuna USA
One last comment, stay away from the very cheap Chinese stuff, a firebomb waiting for a day to ignite.
Cheers, Sal
Carver Crimson 275 Measurements
I tried posting this information to a different forum, and it caused a HUGE stir and got taken down very quickly, but I think this information is important to put out for public consumption and thankfully I saved a copy before it was removed. OK, here we go! So a friend of mine brought one of...
www.audiosciencereview.com
DanielT
Major Contributor
This would be really fun to listen to. Maybe mostly for those who have tube amp as a hobby, and or those who are interested in audio / hifi history but still. Interesting story.
en.wikipedia.org
You might think that it is the new Topping PA5 (which people are on fire and flames over now on the forum) when you see this advertisement for it:
Williamson amplifier - Wikipedia
You might think that it is the new Topping PA5 (which people are on fire and flames over now on the forum) when you see this advertisement for it:
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Larry B. Larabee
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If you are on a budget and determined to stick with tube sound one option may be to pick up something like a used nad 2100 amp with their soft clipping option activated to duplicate one tube type characteristic. Also, luckily the distortion is quite high, 0.5%. Along with the amp get yourself a passive volume control. A 50k/100k pot should be enough of an impedance mismatch to roll off the output at the frequency extremes and as an added extra the lack of gain will give you that laid back sound with no dynamic range whatsoever. I hear that the Nad products are only middling in quality, too so that extra touch of anticipation involved in wondering if it will actually work everytime you hit the 'On' button will add to the finicky nature of tube equipment.
Getting a reasonable level of background hum should be easy, put the volume control on top of the Nad near the power transformer and adjust the location to your taste. Using premium quality interconnects is not recommended in this case, the higher the capacitance the better.
As for the missing ambience, You can buy one of those chinese tube preamps with a couple of 12ax7s poking out of the case for about $40. You don't need to use it, plug it in and bask in the glory (glowry?). You could trick your golden ear friends too, just for fun.
Getting a reasonable level of background hum should be easy, put the volume control on top of the Nad near the power transformer and adjust the location to your taste. Using premium quality interconnects is not recommended in this case, the higher the capacitance the better.
As for the missing ambience, You can buy one of those chinese tube preamps with a couple of 12ax7s poking out of the case for about $40. You don't need to use it, plug it in and bask in the glory (glowry?). You could trick your golden ear friends too, just for fun.
I forget to mention the subs in my current set up. I have a SVS PB4000 and couple of spare Polk subs. I need to get a feel for a tube driven set up prior to investing any serious money if that makes sense.
I live in a small provincial town in North Queensland and support is a major issue. I need to factor that into any decision to buy a product.
Many thanks for everyone who responded so kindly. Much appreciated.
I live in a small provincial town in North Queensland and support is a major issue. I need to factor that into any decision to buy a product.
Many thanks for everyone who responded so kindly. Much appreciated.
Or just get a tube plug-in perhaps https://www.antarestech.com/tube-saturation-digital-plugin/
I would not suggest purchase of any new amplifier without opportunity to return. The secondhand market should offer the occasional vacuum tube amplifier, even in Oz. My particular favorite is the Dynaco ST70, if it has been maintained well. They're not spectacular, but they are stable and affordable.
If the amp no longer thrills you, a familiar vintage amp will be easier to sell on to the next custodian.
Another decent amplifier (two required for stereo) is the Quad II.
The reissue is a better value, as the original is now antique.
Tube Amplifiers Used and New Classifieds : Buy, Sell and Trade in Australia and New Zealand - Aussie Audio Mart
Used Tube Amplifiers classifieds in Australia and New Zealand. . Buy, sell, and trade used, second hand, and new Tube Amplifiers with other Australians on Australia and New Zealand's largest hifi, stereo, and home theater classifieds site!
www.aussieaudiomart.com
Thank you Jim. Much appreciate the thoughtful suggestion. I will most certainly explore this avenue. Thanks again,I would not suggest purchase of any new amplifier without opportunity to return. The secondhand market should offer the occasional vacuum tube amplifier, even in Oz. My particular favorite is the Dynaco ST70, if it has been maintained well. They're not spectacular, but they are stable and affordable.
If the amp no longer thrills you, a familiar vintage amp will be easier to sell on to the next custodian.
Another decent amplifier (two required for stereo) is the Quad II.
The reissue is a better value, as the original is now antique.
Tube Amplifiers Used and New Classifieds : Buy, Sell and Trade in Australia and New Zealand - Aussie Audio Mart
Used Tube Amplifiers classifieds in Australia and New Zealand. . Buy, sell, and trade used, second hand, and new Tube Amplifiers with other Australians on Australia and New Zealand's largest hifi, stereo, and home theater classifieds site!
OPPS, no I hadn't seen that! OMG, hey Bob, care to talk to us about those puny transformers.
Sorry Vijay, recommendation withdrawn, I expected much better.
I am deeply disappointed in Bob, this is a sad day in audio history.
DanielT
Major Contributor
Dynaco ST70, well well, who could believe such a thing.I would not suggest purchase of any new amplifier without opportunity to return. The secondhand market should offer the occasional vacuum tube amplifier, even in Oz. My particular favorite is the Dynaco ST70, if it has been maintained well. They're not spectacular, but they are stable and affordable.
If the amp no longer thrills you, a familiar vintage amp will be easier to sell on to the next custodian.
Another decent amplifier (two required for stereo) is the Quad II.
The reissue is a better value, as the original is now antique.
Tube Amplifiers Used and New Classifieds : Buy, Sell and Trade in Australia and New Zealand - Aussie Audio Mart
Used Tube Amplifiers classifieds in Australia and New Zealand. . Buy, sell, and trade used, second hand, and new Tube Amplifiers with other Australians on Australia and New Zealand's largest hifi, stereo, and home theater classifieds site!
Attached picture Dynaco PAS4 clone, a preamplifier built for evaluation. The one who DIY it helped me find new tubes, 6AQ5, for a small tube amp I had (unfortunately sold now). I had ordered Russian tubes and they had 9 pins, I missed that.
The small 5 W tube amp together with a high to low level converter, a subwoffer with ditto class d amp then the it was ok. Of course I could not play that super loud, but a bit normal, around, listening volume so it went pretty well. 90 db sensitivity speaker. It was driven into clipping in a nice way, maybe it helped. The little rascal did not like music with a lot of dynamics. In any case, it was a cool little gadget.
I'll post some pictures of it too.
(not me who built it).
Edit,
I also post some pictures from previous years' Vintage DIY fair, which I went to this year, but this year there was a shortage of tubes. After all, it is the visual that is the biggest thing (I think) with tubes.
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Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts. It has been a learning experience and it will continue to be so, always. The first time, I took note of a thermionic tube was when a pilot, Belenko, flew a Mig 25 and defected to Japan/US. The much-feared MIG 25 had tubes and after initially laughing it off, the engineers found that they were impervious to electromagnetic pulses from nuclear blasts (https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160905-the-pilot-who-stole-a-secret-soviet-fighter-jet ). That fascination continued for forty years and the AV discussion connected a few dots today
DanielT
Major Contributor
Good luck! Tube amps are fun. With the right type of speakers so
OT:
.... Check these out, for these are not needed many W. One of the coolest DIY I've seen and Mr DIY himself comment on them.
audiosciencereview.com
Post: 1358
Edit:
You can count on the efficiency of the speakers, these elements are in them:
hificompass.com
OT:
.... Check these out, for these are not needed many W. One of the coolest DIY I've seen and Mr DIY himself comment on them.
Wilson Audio TuneTot Review (high-end bookshelf speaker)
That's a great Freudian slip. It provided a little comic relief in what is otherwise an overly comical thread. It is not a Freudian slip, just a language slip. I edited it. English is not my native language.
audiosciencereview.com
Post: 1358
Edit:
You can count on the efficiency of the speakers, these elements are in them:
Peerless TC9FD18-08 | HiFiCompass
The THD measurements at voltage level 2.83 Volt were carried out with High Pass Filter "on" (2nd order Butterworth type, 80 Hz cutoff, HPF2-80) The THD measurements at voltage level 4 - 11.2 Volt were carried out with High Pass Filter "on" (2nd order Butterworth type, 150 Hz cutoff, HPF2-150)...
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I checked with the manufacturer. Their reply was "
Hi Vijay,
Our products are used for audio and video production.
Best,
Mikey
mastering.studio | Plugin Alliance"
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