Guest Steven1963 Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 (edited) I'm strictly a two channel guy right now and I'm thinking about dipping my toes into tube amplification. With that said, I know literally nothing about it. But, I've come across this ad on CL and it's local to me. Before I take the next step I'd like to get some input from the community on this... http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ele/4506506360.html I've googled this brand, and it seems decent. But then again, I know NOTHING about them. Specifically, what I would be looking to learn is: 1. Is this brand reputable? 2. Is the price fair? 3. Anything else you would like to comment on. Thanks in advance! Steve Edited June 7, 2014 by Steven1963 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinsweber Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Brand is well known and well thought of... Not made in US... but considered well made. The price is fair. 800-1200 would be a good range on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minermark Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Or go to Ebay enter "Class a tube" and shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I have had tons of tube amps, and personally I would and have passed on the prima luna brand as there are plenty of great usa made amps in the same price range Can I ask what speakers you use ?? If you use Heritage Klipsch, I would say you will get a much better built and supported amp at very near the same price like these http://ampsandsound.com/products/amps/ Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Get an Ideal of how much replacement tubes are and how oftem you may need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steven1963 Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I'm running a couple Lascalas. Looking at adding Khorns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I'm thinking about dipping my toes into tube amplification Please be careful … tubes can get very hot and electricity isn't always our friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wipster Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 (edited) Hey Steve, Long time no talk to... LOL! Are you spinning vinyl or running CD's, SACD's, or other digital sources? I just ask because vinyl through tube amps into heritage Klipschs sounds awesome. I've got an Eico HF-85 pre and 2 HF-50 amps and the vinyl sounds so much better running through my Heresy's vs my Forte I's it's surprising, yet all the digital (CD, Flac, etc.) sounds better running through my Onkyo TX-SR806 into the Fortes... we spent an afternoon blind testing and all three Klipschnuts listening agreed... weird huh? Just food for thought! Edited June 7, 2014 by wipster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakeydeal Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I'm thinking about dipping my toes into tube amplification Please be careful … tubes can get very hot and electricity isn't always our friend. Yes, tubes get VERY hot. But I will pay the price to the power company to have better sound than comparable SS offerings. Worth it to me. Shakey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Tubes get hot so do SS class A amps The fact that tubes get hot has nothing to do with the electric bill, it wont cost more or less to run ss over tubes or vice versa you run heritage speakers that means your speakers are very efficient and can play loud enough to run you out of the room on 10 watts per channel look at a better amp for the same or less money which requires no biasing and is basically plug and play for many years of hassle free use most you will do is replace a tube here or there. as stated above vinyl through tubes and heritage is glorious, and tubes will also smooth out the rough edges and etch on some poorly recorded digital music as well Contact Justin http://ampsandsound.com/products/amps/ speak with him about your music preferences and he will get you going........................There is no substitute for dealing with the guy that actually builds the product. and Justin is one of the nicest, most honest people you are likely to meet Tubes can be a learning curve, we recently witnessed a horror story of one mans ordeal with a poor tube amp purchase which he is still paying for. He bought from what he thought was a reputable seller and received amps in need of repair, and is dealing with a less than helpful manufacturer, all problems that have him second guessing tubes not because of sound quality but because of the headaches he has endured all because of who he dealt with You can save a mountain of headache if you deal with reputable builders with current designs that need no biasing knowledge, and they use easily accessed reasonably priced tubes in there designs Start off on the right foot and tubes will lead you to a life time of enjoyment and improved sound quality 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakeydeal Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I don't think the comment about tubes and electric bills was directly related to power consumption of the amp. But more or less how much a tube amp can heat up a room in the summer and the A/C having to work harder. At least that's the way I took it. Doesn't matter to me though. Shakey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsear Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Okay, I'm no huge fan of tubes mostly because of their quirkiness and the endless fiddling those systems demand. But SS gets hot as much as do the tubes, especially if your using a large toroidal transformer. They both have their advantages. But even I have to admit - tubes are sexier. That glow is mesmerizing - that warm twinkling invites the listener to the system - to relax - to absorb. Tubes gives one the sense that their stereo rig is a coparticipant in the music reproduction and not just some inanimate box. All that said I use SS stuff with my heritage Klipsch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckAb3 Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I'm with Oscar on this one. But ... if ya never give it a shot ya never know for sure. There are also some very decent hybrids out there (i.e., Vincent) which may be worth a listen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joessportster Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I agree with mark to a point, i have never had an experience where tubes required constant or even routine maintenance, tube do eventually burn out but it is quite obvious when that is happening some tube amps do require more attention than others but I tend to stay away from those (generally if you see an amp that is of interest you need to read and not just the stereophile etc... reviews............look for actual users reviews) they will tend to point out issues, if I see a few reviews stating issues I steer clear, I also try and make it a point to deal with usa built and people with good reputations Tubes are Expensive if you make them expensive, in other words if you go looking for NOS Mullards you are going to pay a premium, if you do some research into the new tubes available you can find some very reasonable tubes where 30.00 can last 5 - 10,000 hours I have found it much cheaper to get the sound I wanted using tubes as opposed to SS amps, There are no doubt some ververy expensivey good SS amps they tend to be I don't think the comment about tubes and electric bills was directly related to power consumption of the amp. But more or less how much a tube amp can heat up a room in the summer and the A/C having to work harder. At least that's the way I took it. Doesn't matter to me though. Shakey The only tube amps I have owned out of literally dozens that was a concern when it came to heat were the OTL amps, The Joule Electra Grand Marquis would affect the temp in my room and cause the furnace or air to react.....................other than that none have been any better or worse than SS amps I have used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakeydeal Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 because of their quirkiness and the endless fiddling those systems demand. Just a myth. And unfounded at that. I have been using tube amps for the last 15 years and they are not demanding or quirky. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Okay, I'm no huge fan of tubes mostly because of their quirkiness and the endless fiddling those systems demand. But SS gets hot as much as do the tubes, especially if your using a large toroidal transformer. They both have their advantages. But even I have to admit - tubes are sexier. That glow is mesmerizing - that warm twinkling invites the listener to the system - to relax - to absorb. Tubes gives one the sense that their stereo rig is a coparticipant in the music reproduction and not just some inanimate box. All that said I use SS stuff with my heritage Klipsch. Oscarsear has a nice stereo. The reliability and low/no maintenance of solid state is a nice thing to have, especially when one has a high quality solid state device...such as Accuphase. Good sound quality, and no worries about letting it sit idle burning up tubes. Having high efficiency speakers, (cornwall) liking to tinker and lack of income is what got myself into tubes. A guy can build a single-ended 6BQ5 amp, or restore/mod a SEP 6BQ5 console amp for peanuts. Things like DC tube power supplies, enable a guy to be real cheap and bread-board the circuit, and not have to build the amp at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taz Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I have had tons of tube amps, and personally I would and have passed on the prima luna brand as there are plenty of great usa made amps in the same price range Gave a grand for 2 mc30's and Lafayette pre-amp. Another grand to have them gone through. Refused to even hook it up until I got some Khorns. I can sit in the dark and be mesmerized for hours. There are Good Deals out there. I think estate sales are worthwhile as often the person selling may have undervalued the equip. That's not saying you should take an advantage of some widow. I did not dicker for my mc30's and still got a hell of a deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigStewMan Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I'm thinking about dipping my toes into tube amplification Please be careful … tubes can get very hot and electricity isn't always our friend. Yes, tubes get VERY hot. But I will pay the price to the power company to have better sound than comparable SS offerings. Worth it to me. Shakey I wasn't talking about quality and i agree that tubes are tops … i was just suggesting that he rethink his plan to dip his toes inside the unit…he could easily burn or shock himself. Sorry for the confusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steven1963 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 TONS of good advice and insight. I thank you all very, very much! I've got a decent vintage amp that I am running right now (DBX BX3), and I am happy with the sound coming out of my Lascalas...for the time being. Tubes sound like something that I would like to get into after I gather a wealth of knowledge about them - perhaps a retirement hobby. For now, though, too much other things in my life to occupy my time. I know the sound I'm after - I can hear it in my imagination; the clarity, the depth, the detail. Speakers first (looking for Khorns to sit beside my Lascalas). Then I'll work on the secondary stuff. Maybe even get into vinyl. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wipster Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 (edited) Steve, If you're ever over to the real East side (by that I mean NOT Bellevue), give me a ring... I would love to have you listen to my Eico's playing the newly remastered SRV albums on my Micro Seiki DD-40 (MA-505 tonearm with a Stanton 881 cartridge) through my H1 Heresys (rebuilt with Crites caps and the '74 PWK mod)... you would melt. It would sound fantastic running through your LaScalas (and my KHorns when BluesBoy rebuilds the crossovers this weekend). I've been collecting albums since '75 (when I learned how to properly take care of them) and various digital media since the mid-80's. Until a couple years ago, everything was played through SS equipment. But since a divorce (amicable) and an unexpected early retirement (due to health issues), I had the EICO equipment rebuilt (inherited from a father-in-law who passed away before I could meet him) and I got to tell you, I have NEVER heard music sound better. I must admit, I probably still listen to digital played through SS more often, but that's for convenience sake only... with the possible exception of SACD's and BR's, the warmth of a well recorded LP played through Heritage Klipsch via a good tube amp cannot be beat IMHO, but you need to hear it yourself before you venture off into that realm. If you were closer, I have a spare system I would loan you, but 200 miles is a wee bit too far. Anyway my advice is to listen to someone who has a decent tube system and can guide you in the right direction before making the plunge... it's your ears that will be listening, so they need to be happy! Edited June 9, 2014 by wipster 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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