Poleelop

This discussion needs some impedance.

As Mobil pointed out, I just got an ASL AQ1003 DT. I'm using it with a brand new Sony SCD-C555ES, a DH Labs SILVER SONIC BL-1 Series II Interconnect, and my Klipsch Forte II's that I bought around '88. I still want to test the waters and buy something used, and I have a small room that I'd be happy to put another stereo in. I'm all for trying an SET. I know what mobile would suggest in SET's. How about speakers? Also, what tubes would you suggest in the ASL I have?

Well, after quite a bit of waiting, I finally got my tube amp last Friday. "kind of blue" on SACD was the first SACD I bought (although a few SACD sample CD's came with my Sony 555) Anyway, that's one awesome CD.....though I do hear some hiss. As for the amp, it sounds good and it looks cool. But I'm not blown away. Maybe my ears aren't as good as some of these true audiophiles....and maybe; just maybe...that's a good thing. The amp sounds better than the SS I replaced it with a low to medium low volumes. Can I hear things I never heard before? Yes. Does it make me more critcal of of the harsher highs in my old solid state gear. Yes...but with a caveat. To me, those really harsher highs only become really apparant at high volumes. At high volumes with the tube amp though, the sound seems to get muddled...sluggish...distorted. I'm not sure of the best description, but I know I'm not crazy about it. The bottom line: if I want to listen to more accoustic type music at lower volumes, I definitely want the tube amp. If I want to crank up some hard rock, I'll probably just walk into the media room and play it on my HEC's RF-5's Actually, the best sounding CD I've heard on my new setup is not an SACD. It's "Sweet Tea" from Buddy Guy.

What's the big difference between the forte I's and the forte II's?

would this be a good deal? http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?ampstube&1039302024

I'm pretty curious too. Why the change?

I actually think I might enjoy upgrading it.....but as far as it looking good, I probably should have been more clear. This is effectively an early Christmas gift from my wife....it can't just look good for it's age; it needs to look new.

And Mobile.....I've been watching audiogon, and I haven't found anything (not that I'd know if I did anyway). If you see anything, point me in the right direction. I thought this looked interesting, but my wife would probably sh!t if I bought it. (she wants it to looke good too) http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/auc.pl?ampstube&1034127988

Thanks Justin; should I assume that was from Divertech? I think they have a warped impression of the size of Texas. Although San Antonio is much closer to Houston than say....El Paso, I'd still much rather have it shipped to me than drive to San Antonio. The guy at eaudio said they (his distributer, again, I'm assuming it's divertech because he told me they were in Canada) can't drop ship it to me because I have local dealers, but I sure as heck can't find them.....and I'm sorry (I'm a bit lazy), San Antonio is NOT local.

Dean..why are thinking of moving on? I'll have to think about that one for a while. I was prepared to spend that much at one time, but then I went and spent $650 on my Sony 555; now my amp budget has dropped considerably. I'd have to do some wife maneuvering....if ya know what I mean. In the end, I don't think it will be possible though. At least not immediately. I was getting this amp from www.eaudionet.com for $787 with free shipping which would probably save me about $100 over divertech. Wen Li (at eaudionet) e-mailed me last night and said that his distributer (which has to be divertech) claims the amp will be ready to ship on the 10th.....just two days from now. I think I'll just be patient for the time being and see how it goes. Justin---I'm also in Houston; well, Pearland to be exact.....but I was born and raised in Houston.

Thanks Justin....what part of Texas are you in?

It was an Antique Sound Labs AQ1003 DT

I just found out that the distributer is "out of product." I can't get my tube amp now. What the hell do I do? I want a tube amp, and I want one now!!!!!! (here's where you come in and tell me how I should have gotten something from audiogon)

If I'm understanding this then deang, you were wiring them in parallel when you thought you were wiring them in series. ....because really, wiring from the -amp to -speaker 1, and then from -speaker 1 to -speaker 2 is the same as taking two wires from -amp, one of them going to -speaker 1 and the other going to -speaker 2. I think I'll go with series if I'm gonna try this. Ultimately, I'd rather risk the speakers than the amp. I hooked it up to my forte's last night with my new Sony SCDC555ES, and really, it sounded pretty good.

Okay, I'm rearranging stereo's in my house to make way for my new system, and I'm thinking about putting two pairs of bookshelf speakers in one room to appease my wife. These bookshelves are rated "4 to 8" ohms which seems a little ambiguous to me. Is that normal? Regardless, I want to hook these speakers up in tandem and run two of them together each (pair) to one channel of an old amp I have. What is the best way to do this? Electrical-wise, I'm a dummy. I remember something about wiring in series or parallel, but I don't remember which is which and which does what. I'm sure this is a neophyte question, but throw me a bone here. Thanks in advance

Do you know I'm a moron?

Sooo.... I haven't even gotten my tube AMP, and I'm already wanting another one. Maybe it's buyer's remorse that I didn't get SET....but then, noooo.....I think I want SET too, so I can compare. And spend more money. I'm not going to move my forte II's to the kithen, and instead, I'm going to use them in my office. I'm going to use some unmentionable (OK, I'll say it....old Bose 601's that I bought long before I knew I'd be ridiculed for their purchase) speakers in the kitchen along with an old Kenwood 200 WPC 6,000 lb. amp. (actually, it's probably not near as heavy as some of these tube amps I've seen). So...that will take care of the Kitchen and the office, but I had planned on using the Bose in my workout room. I figured, "who cares how decent it sounds....just as long as I can crank it loud enough to inspire a much needed workout. Now, I'm left with nothing to put in the workout room, and an unfulfilled desire to get an SET. First of all, any recommendations on SET? I promise I'll try used this time, and I don't mind classic, and I don't mind new. I'd also like to get my hands dirty, so I don't mind if it's not "ideal." I'm all over the idea of fixing it up and upgrading it. That brings me to my next need. Speakers? I'm all out now. I've got all two dozen speakers in the house being used. Whatdayathink of these? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1384792299

I'm not sure if I follow.....but my question was based on the assumption that the sound(s) was reproduced PERFECTLY. That's probably not possible (and you guys probably assume that before I would), therefore, that might be were we have our disconnect.

Deang....the smaller norh does have a passive pre-amp, the newer one has an active. I forgot the link yesterday....my apologies http://www.norh.com/news.html

HDBRbuilder---this may sound dumb, but it seems like common sense to me, so I have to ask: I certainly understand that different people hear things differently.....I can't argue with that. But if a "live" sound is reproduced perfectly by mechanical means, won't it be universally appreciated? What I mean is this: Person A may hear a particular sound as X, person B may hear that same sound as Y, and person C may hear that exact same sound as Z, but if that sound is perfectly reproduced, won't each individual hear it EXACTLY as they heard it live? I guess what I'm trying to ask is if individual hearing traits are really relevant to this discussion.....and if they are, I'm not understanding why. Now....as far as all of the tests go, I see that immediately. There's a lot that makes up a sound, and I don't see how any one instrument....or a combination of instruments....are going to tell me what I'm hearing. I'm sure my ear isn't nearly as well tuned as some of the people here. Hell, I've even got some hearing loss, but I do know there are some less than subtle differences between systems that on paper should sound the same.

I'm pretty sure I would have bought this had I waited....even though I don't know anything about it. Granted, I don't know anything about tubes, so what does it matter? Anyway, as many of you know, nOrh makes a 9 WPC SE with the following: 2 Electro Harmonix EL34EH Power Tubes 2 Electro Harmonix 12AX7EH Drive Tubes 5AR4 rectifier tube (not a 10-cent diode) Alps Volume Control Platinum plated switches Ceramic tube sockets 20Hz to 70Khz 6 volts into 4 ohms and 8.5 volts into 8 ohms Class A, consumes 80 watts Thoughtfully engineered - weighs 14 KG Well....they just announced the SE-18 to begin shipping later this month. It doubles the horsepower and adds a phono pre-amp....all for $795 ....in case anyone is interested.

Mobile... I had me reservations about buying off of audiogon or ebay, but worse than that, I had my wife peeking over my shoulder on this purchase. It's an "early Christmas gift" from her, and she has a LOT of reservations about used. That being said, now that I'll have one, I think the "pressure" will be off. I've bought (literally) tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise off of the Internet. I even bought the diamond for my wife's engagement ring of the Internet, but I've never bought anything used. I have a bit of fear of it, but I have this yearning to do it also. I suspect it won't be long that I'll buy something used.....and it will probably be a second (or second and third) tube amp(s). I still have my office where I'd like some decent sound. Anyway, I suspect that once I buy my first used item, the "flood gates" will open, and I'll be buying stuff left and right. For now though, I think this will probably be a good place for me to start as far as tubes go. Thanks for all of the input everyone. I ordered my first couple of SACD's today. Anyone know where to buy those damn pricey things on the cheap?

No problem about the e-mail....I kinda figured you get bombarded all the time. And for the 800 bucks I paid for this thing, I doubt I'll lose much if it's not the best thing for me. I feel the need to get my feet wet, and these things are well regarded by enough people that I don't feel like I'm going too far out on a limb. Sorry for all the posts in my own thread. I hate when people do that.

However....assume I should lose my mind too, what are some upgrades I should make to this thing? What should I do first? Tubes, right? But what else...in order of importance?

Nope....I just want to look at the pretty glowing lights.