kevinmi
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Posts posted by kevinmi
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5 hours ago, tube fanatic said:
I think a better question would be if there is tube equipment which approaches SS reliability. The answer is a definite “yes.” It is possible for output tubes to last 15k or more hours, and small signal tubes well beyond that. Even Carver guaranteed the tubes in some of his amps for 5 years.
Maynard
I agree with you. My problem isn't with tubes lasting as much as me always tube rolling, always looking for the next best sounding tube. It's getting harder to find good quality vintage tubes.
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5 hours ago, rockhound said:
I will soon have a an all tube system and an all SS system. I do like to listen to different equipment/speaker combo's. So I say get one of each! I will say the older Mcintosh 2105 I have comes pretty darn close to what my tube amp sounds like to my ears. I plan to listen to the all tube system in the winter months and the all SS system in the summer months.
I had a 2125 before I went to tubes!
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I just installed a Pioneer Elite receiver I purchased last year for a future project. It has class D amplification. After hours of going through the menu and bypassing all the stuff I don't need so I can listen in direct stereo mode, I have to say I'm not impressed. It sounds OK I guess, and has tons of tuning capabilities, but the heart of the music is missing. I'll be living with this setup for a couple months, so maybe it'll grow on me. I know there are probably better sounding ss equipment, so I'm still keeping an open mind. I had a McIntosh SS system before I went to tubes, and I would expect that caliber of equipment to sound a lot better to the receiver I'm using.
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Now that I've got your attention, let me tell you my story. I'm into tubes. This last month I've purchased 6 vintage tubes. And a tube tester. I already have two other testers. I put in my new tubes, hoping for the glorious sound I hope to achieve. Not sure I like the sound. My tube pre quits two weeks after I put new tubes in it. I replace the tubes with the ones I took out, change the blown fuse, and nothing. Now I have to send the pre in for repairs. Last year I had a tube short out and take out my amp. I was able to repair it myself.
Here's the dilemma--I love the sound of my tube system, but I'm thinking that the constant cost of upkeep may not be worth the aggravation. I'm getting older, my ears aren't getting better. Technology is going forward. Is it time to cut my losses and go back to solid state? Would I find the same satisfaction as I do with tubes? Would I be trading convenience for sound quality?
I know there are people on here who have gone from tubes back to solid state and never looked back. Obviously there are people like me who have gone from solid state to tubes. I'm looking for advice from people who have been in my predicament.
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I've run both in my Latino ST-120, and you will need some sort of time delay with the ss unless it has a built in delay. I found some cool Mullard GZ-33 rectifier tubes that not only look great, but have handled the load on the ST-120 for ten years now. I kept blowing new production GZ-34's. I prefer the look of glowing tubes!
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If available--Mountain-Climbing
Neil Young-American
Kinks- Greatest
Nicky Hopkins-No Mo
Lee Michaels-5th
Jack Bruce--Harmony
Dave Mason-Let it Flow
Set aside, I might take more after I research them. Thanks
add-Quicksilver
Fairport Convention
Both Family lps
Ray Charles
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Neat boat! Have you seen the video of David Gilmour's boat he uses for a studio? Reminds me of that.
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I like to think of this Forum as one big support group, no matter what kind of support you need.
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I think the Lady is very underrated. Love her voice.
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A true story from just a few days ago...I found something I wanted on U S Audiomart, a rare piece. It was $1500. There was one on fleabay for the same price. I decided to check the sister page, Canuk Audio Mart. There was one of the same item, for $950. I messaged the seller and asked if he could ship to the US.He said yes, but with double boxing and duties and such, it would be another $200. I figured I was still ahead at $1150 total, so I agreed to buy it. The seller said wait until you see the exchange rate on the currency. My $1150 payment through paypal cost me $946! I love our friends to the North!
I said all that to say this-those sites are great for finding rare or obsolete items, and sometimes bargains.
BTW, I've been to Claude's house. I had to park my own car.
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RIP, Mr. Crites. You have helped many people, including me, on their journey through the audio hobby.
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if available, I'll take Kinks Greatest
Bruce Springsteen Live
put aside for me if you are going to list more!
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Wow, what a coincidence! I just got an e-mail from some princess in Africa who wants to send me 9.8 million dollars! People sure are getting generous.
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I watched about a third of it so far, excellent piece of history. Hope to finish it later today. Thanks for posting!
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If still available, I'll take both Mott the Hoople, Catch Bull at 4, best of Procol Harum, Lightning Hopkins.
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Dean recommended a brand of cap to me that the humble guy said was no good. Guess who was right and who was full of sh...himself?
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2 minutes ago, brl0301 said:
Have you tried any 12bh7 in the middle position?
I bought a pair of 12bh7 a couple years ago, but they were both noisy on one side, so I gave up. The Amperex Holland tubes are the best I've heard so far. The Kt-120's are good new production tubes. I probably ran them longer than any other tube. They are more SS sounding. whereas the Gold Lions are more mellow sounding. It all depends on your overall system and room acoustics also.
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6 minutes ago, brl0301 said:
A latino amp in triode is running each of the power tubes as triodes but in a push-pull configuration. In a push pull amp, each of the power tubes amplifies etther the positive or negative portion of the signal and then the two halves of the signal are combined again at the output transformer. In a single ended amp, the positive and negative portions of the signal are amplified in the same tube, preventing some of the distortion that occurs in a push-pull amp from when the two havles are combined again.
That's kinda what I thought. That makes sense why my single ended amps sound different.
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1 minute ago, RandyH000 said:
What brand of tubes are you using with the ST-120 , May , I ask -
You may ask. but you may not like the answer---I started out with the Sovtek KT-88's. Then I tried Tung Sol new production 6550's. Then Gold Lion KT-88's. Then KT-120's. Now I'm running vintage Tung-Sol 6550, about $150 each. As far as the small preamp tubes. I've used dozens. but my favorites are RCA clear tops. and I usually run an Amperex in the middle. because that's the tube that makes the most difference. I am running a vintage Mullard GZ-33 for the rectifier tube. I like tube rolling, can you tell?
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I've bought a new desktop and a new laptop. both with windows 10. I hate windows 10.
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Yep, go with a Latino kit. Excellent instructions, and if you get stumped. Bob Latino is always there to help you. I built my first amp, a Latino ST-120, ten years ago and it is still running strong. I must have e-mailed Bob a dozen times during the build. and he was always quick to respond and very patient.
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2 minutes ago, brl0301 said:
The latino amps have a switch to run the tubes as triodes not single ended. The amp is still operating as a push pull. Having both a st-120 and a tubelab se running 300b, I can confirm they do sound significantly different.
Whats the difference between a Latino amp in triode and a single ended triode amp?
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23 hours ago, MechEngVic said:
I'm this close to getting a single ended, just to have both sides of tube-ampery: A PP and a SE.
don't buy a pp amp with switches that switch it to single ended and expect it to sound like a dedicated single ended amp. The Latino amp has this capability, and it doesn't sound anything like my single ended amps.
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2 hours ago, JRS94 said:
The ST-120 is great with the khorns.
I used to think it was the best with my K-Horns until I tried single ended tube amps.
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Is it even worth it? Should I pull the plug?
in Lounge
Posted
Thanks for all the good comments so far, keep them coming. Here's some answers to questions and/or comments some have made. I am planning on getting my preamp repaired. It's a $5000.00 piece of equipment, so that's a no brainer. My speakers are fully modded K-Horns. The only thing stock is the bass bins, and those have been enclosed.
Someone asked about my budget, which is a really good question, and one that drives a lot of my concerns. I can afford decent equipment, but I don't know how much I'd have to spend on solid state stuff to get a satisfactory sound. I used to have a McIntosh SS system before I got into tubes. I like the tube sound better, but I miss the convenience. There is new technology that I've not owned, like the chip amps. And I've never done streaming music.
Here is my plan (today, it may change tomorrow}, I'm going to run two different systems, one tubes and analog: LP's, RTR, Cassette, plus a cd player .My other system will be solid state, and I'll venture into trying active crossovers, digital streaming, etc. I'm in the process of building another pair of modded K-Horns, so I will have similar speakers in both setups. I have another setup right now with a ss pre and a tube amp running a pair of Frazier Model 7's just to confuse me more...
And Jeff Mattews, I just sold all three of my Corvettes this last Summer. I recently retired, and came to the conclusion that working on old cars isn't a hobby I want to pursue in my leisure!