SET, 50 WPC, under $1,000

[Poleelop]

....it probably only exists in my fantasies (although it might cause some people to look at this thread).

This is my last thread on the subject. Before this weekend is through, I'm spending some cash. I'll try to make this fun for everyone, so....

...purely hypothetical; you're given $1,500 to spend on either an amp and a pre-amp or an integrated amp, and you can spend it at one (or more) of three places:

http://www.divertech.com/antiquesl.html

http://www.jolida.com/catalogue_tube.html (yes, I know it's not really a sales site, but they have suggested MSRP, so work with me here. If you can find it (new) elsewhere and cheaper, that's all the more better)

and..

http://www.audioelectronicsupply.com

Here's the drill: The stuff you buy is to drive a pair of Klipsch forte II's on hardwood floors in a decent size room with tall ceilings. What would you buy with your fifteen hundred bucks and why? If you'd rather have one tube over another, let me know why. If you'd rather have a 3.5 WPC SET over a 50 WPC superlinear, tell me why. I'm curious as hell as to why there's such a huge price discrepancy over some of these things. If you think a separate pre-amp adds value, tell me why. Whomever convinces me, I'm gonna go with your suggestions. The winner gets.....ahhh.......gets to listen to me *****, whine and moan if I'm unhappy (surely.... that won't happen).

If you go with the Jolida....you need to be very articulate. I'm a sucker for those models that say "Class A" even though I have no clue what that truly means. Anyway, that doesn't seem to be the case with Jolida, so they're trailing in my early opinions.

Also....separate budget here, but I also need to grab another CD player to work with this setup I'm buying. What's the best bang for my buck? I'm sure no amp is going to sound good with a crappy source, but I'd really like to get by with as cheap a unit as possible (for now)....preferably without having to buy separate DAC's. Maybe I'll buy that little black box thingy from Margules or something, but I'd like to go as cheap as possible with the CD player.

Anyway.....throw me a bone here.

This message has been edited by Poleelop on 09-13-2002 at 08:11 PM

[Parrot]

As far as a CD player goes, get a Sony SACD machine. They also play CDs. You can get a close-out/clearance/open box unit at Best Buy in the $115-$149 range. Then you can also buy SACD titles at your convenience.

[Poleelop]

Wow.....no responses on the amp.

I guess I'm gonna have to get that sweet solid state JVC receiver I saw at Wal-mart.

[NOSValves]

Sorry but I would do :None of the above" Vintage all the way here !!!

[NOSValves]

Well upon further reading if limited to your choices I would have to go with AE-25 Super Amp in kit form for $1000 or maybe opt for the Signiture for the extra $300 but I'm sure this mod could be done for 1/2 that on your own.

As far as preamp goes I'd get the AE-3 Preamplifier

basically because it matches and is within predefined price point.

I personally don't have any experience with any of these offerings but just think this would be best with your given budget. At this time I am firmly in the Push Pull class A camp but have little expereince with the low watt offerings.

Craig

[lynnm]

Antique Sound Lab has some nice offerings. I have the AQ1003DT driving my KLF30's. I have heard the MG SI 15 DT and was impressed to say the least.

I consider myself fortunate in that unlike most things the cost of decent tube equipment has come down at the entry level. It was not that long ago that an entry level integrated amp in the 30watt/channel range was at least a 2000.00 item.

------------------

It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca.1900)

[Colin]

Triode based tube amplifiers were the first, the simplest, and, in the opinions of many, still the best amplifiers. Their sound is incredibly pure, in part, because they are simple. The finest in this category is called a single ended Pure Class A triode amplifier (see below for description of classes of operation). Only a few watts of audio power (7-30 watts) can be obtained from such amplifiers, but the sound is marvelous.

The single ended triode tube amplifier mentioned above is usually a Pure Class A amplifier. Class A amplification is not very efficient, and the quality of components has to be high, especially if it produces high power. If the amplifier operates in Class A all the way to the limits of its power output, and, if all stages of the amplifier are operating in Class A, then the amplifier is said to be Pure Class A.

Since I love the sound of horns powered by tubes, you might also consider the dirt cheap Antique Sound Labs Waves AV-8s. These are push-pull tube mono-blocks with ECL82 or 6BM8 tubes for only $100 each. There are reviewed at "Cool Audio System

on the Cheap" by Steven R. Rochlin

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0801/coolaudio.htm.

The Antique Sound Labs Waves AV-8 are a push-pull design tube monoblocks, using the ECL82 or 6BM8 tubes. The tubes contain a double triode (driver) and a pentode power (output) devices all in one glass envelope. This provides fast and coherent sound says Antique Sound Labs in Canada.

The new ASL Tulip 2A3 stereo/mono SET power amplifier with step up transformer in put stage is 3.5-watts/channel stereo, 10 Watt bridged to mono. $899.00 USD

For a cheap solution, S-5 Electronics out of Chandler Arizona (480-895-2521) offers a 8 watt integrated amp for $170 with tubes I have never heard of, the 11MS8s.

Also, the Norh SE9 might be very nice at an incredibly low price:

The Thai loudspeaker company nOrh (pronounced nore, like north, but without the "th") has a SE-9 single-ended integrated tube amplifier. It follows on the heels of the firm's Le Amp solid state monoblocks at $295.95/ea.

The mirror-polished chrome plated steel chassis SE-9 weighs a very solid 35 lb. and features a black front. Power consumption is 80 watts. The SE-9 accommodates only two input sources. An introductory price includes free worldwide delivery.

Go to: www. Norh.com

Other amplifiers that I seen good things about here are the: Quicksilver Mini Mites, Quicksilver 8417's, Wright AU-15's PP 2A3's, Wright WPA 3.5 2A3 SET, Prototype Quicksilver 300B's (with Western Electric Tubes).

With about $1500 to spend the ones I would want to hear the most with ultra-efficient big old horns are the Wright or the Wellbourne 2A3s

------------------

Colin's Music System Ak-2 Khorns & Klipsch subs; lights out, tubes glowing & smile beaming!

[Poleelop]

Well...technically the weekend is over, and I still haven't whipped out the plastic.

That being said, I haven't stopped looking. I've really done a lot of homework, and the one thing that has become clear....all the data seems to be in the form of opinion.

I guess that's cool. It's got to be impossible to place a numercal value on how someone hears something.

And I haven't really found squat in my area to go and audtion, so I'm just gonna have to pull the trigger and hope for the best.

Colin....you gave me some good input, and you may have swayed me. I think I'm going to spend all of $400 on that Norh. If I don't like it, I'll just give it a glowing report on ebay and sell it.

[dbflash]

I second the Wright's.

I can't remember are you going to put this system in the kitchen?

If so I don't think it's going to matter what amp you use because IMHO I don't think you will like the sound. Way too many hard surfaces. I think the reflection's are going to kill any soundstage.

The Waves are nice too. I have a pair that have not been Modded yet. For the Money they are not bad. I only have tried them on my Heresy's and the combo was very good.

I have much more detail with the Wright's and Lascala's.

Good Luck,

Danny