Poleelop Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 I finally ordered a tube amp. I'm sure I'll like it....it's not like I have anything to compare it to--other than SS. Last night, I ordered an Antique Sound Labs AQ1003 DT and a SILVER SONIC BL-1 Series II Interconnect from www.eaudionet.com. I was so close to getting an AES SuperAmp....too bad I didn't wait for Mobile's post on that modded SuperAmp available at audiogon.....but then again, maybe not. Part of me wasn't sure about the whole "used" thing. I'm not ready for the risk yet. I also came REAL close to getting the nOrh. In the end, I just got sick of waiting. Sh!t or get off the pot, they say. I also picked up a Sony SCD-C555ES for a source. I found a few SACD's that I'll probably ****** up this weekend. Well....now I just have to wait on the boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 You did good. You got class A triode with a full warranty. Ain't nothing wrong with that. I didn't know about the norh. Looks like a lot of amp for $400. http://www.norh.com/products/se9/index.html What speakers are you running, I don't remember. Got yourself a 555es as well. Uh...you got yourself a kick butt combo. SACD and 30 watts of triode is going to blow you away. I don't care what people say about Sony. The 333, 555, and 9000 machines sound great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poleelop Posted September 25, 2002 Author Share Posted September 25, 2002 Thanks Dean....confirmation was just what I needed to hear. I'll be running a set of forte II's. I always told my wife that if a hurricane comes (I live near the Texas Coast), the only thing I care about saving is those speakers. I'll probably have to grab that amp now too. As for the nOrh, there's a decent discussion group for their products over at www.harmonicdiscord.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 I dont think this amp is triode connected. The EL-34 tubes surely are not triodes and I dont think could yield 30w in triode mode. Still, congratulations. Dont know what the stock tubes are but you can safely bet you will get a substantial upgrade with better NOS versions, especially in the driver stage. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 I remember now, this system's in the big kitchen area with the Forte's on each side of a window/glass. So, the system will be playing while you do other things you enjoy. You'll be perfectly fine. You are obviously not anal like some of us that sit and listen for every freaking nuance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poleelop Posted September 25, 2002 Author Share Posted September 25, 2002 Nope....I just want to look at the pretty glowing lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 I just remembered I owed you a mail! My apology here. I have a few others I owe a mail to as well. I actually copied your mail to text and was going to respond. Guess you already took a dip in the waters! Hope you get some great results. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poleelop Posted September 25, 2002 Author Share Posted September 25, 2002 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poleelop Posted September 25, 2002 Author Share Posted September 25, 2002 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 I have the AQ1003 DT and like it very much. It runs 2 x EL34/channel in a push pull configuration. It has adjustable bias and I believe that the newest version has a built in bias adjustment meter, which is more convenient than my setup which involves using an external meter. I was in touch with Joseph Lau - designer of the amp and he stated that the amp gives its best performance at about the 450 mv. setting. It comes from the supplier set at around 300. I think you will be pleasantly suprised by the sound of your new amp. It is rated as 30w/ch Class "A" but as mdeneen pointed out after looking at the circuit it is class A in the lower output power range and will operate in AB1 once you start really driving it I would recommend running it around 300 for a couple of months and then bring it up to 450 ------------------ It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca.1900) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 I have a very similar amp right here with my ASUSA A-4 you can see in my pages. There is a lot of little things you can do to this amp to make it better. Not sure if your amp has a choke in the power supply. Does it Lynnm? The 12AU7 move to good NOS alternates makes a big difference in the sound. You can upgrade the PS rectification to HEXFREDs, put better PS caps with more capacitance, upgrade the coupling caps to Jensen Copper film Oils or a nice film and foil, etc. Get used to the amp in stock mode before doing anything. The tube upgrades at the 12AU7 spot is the easiest start. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 I stand corrected. It is not wired in triode. I knew that. I have no idea what the hell I was thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 Polelop and Kelly Here is a link to a schematic of the AQ1003 DT: http://www.tubehifi.com/amp/amp/circuit/AQ1003-C.JPG The diagram is a little oddly drawn,(and my schematic deciphering skills a little weak), but it does not appear to me that there is a choke in the plate supply circuit. ------------------ It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca.1900) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 Lynnm, can you take a shot of the interior wiring of that amp. Just wondering how they wired it and if there are circuit boards or Point to Point wiring. Also will let you know the quality of the parts. Have you rolled the 12AU7? What tubes came stock (outputs/drivers)? My A-4 amp does have a choke in the power supply but I, for the life of me, cant locate my schematic now. Mdeneen and I were exchaning some mail on it and I have been looking for the damn thing for awhile. I want to do some operating on the beast for another system. kh ------------------ Phono Linn Sondek LP-12 Valhalla / Linn Basic Plus / Sumiko Blue Point CD Player Rega Planet Preamp Cary Audio SLP-70 w/Phono Modified Amplifier Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks Cable DIYCable Superlative / Twisted Cross Connect Speaker 1977 Klipsch Cornwall I w/Alnico & Type B Crossover Links system one online / alternate components / Asylum Listing f>s> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynnm Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 I'll try and get you a pic. of her innards this weekend. The one time I looked I recall that there was a PC board for some of the smaller components but for the most part it is wired P - P. The volume control is an ALPS. As for the rest ASL winds their own power and output Xformers. The drivers are JJ/Tesla and the EL34's are branded as Antique Sound Lab. I have been told they are by Sovtech but cannot say whether this is or they ain't. Take a look at http://www.uhfmag.com . They have online articles regarding the amp and a competing model from Rotac. The output Xformers used in the AQ1003 have been upgraded since the original review was published. The Rotac and the ASL models are made in the same factory and use the same circuit but individual distributors have the option of specifying custom modification of circuit components. AQ1003 DT review: http://www.uhfmag.com/Issue58/Antique.html Rotac PAK 10 review: http://www.uhfmag.com/Issue58/I-10.html ------------------ It is meet to recall that the Great Green Heron rarely flies upside down in the moonlight - (Foo Ling ca.1900) This message has been edited by lynnm on 09-25-2002 at 04:18 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dflip Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 The drivers are JJ/Tesla and the EL34's are branded as Antique Sound Lab. I have been told they are by Sovtech but cannot say whether this is or they ain't. I have looked at the integrated amp a few times at The SoundRoom in Scarborugh. The tubes are Sovtec, at least the ones I saw. Divergent Technologies, http://www.divertech.com is the distributor out of Kitchener, Ontario. Divergent is also the distributor for JJ electronics and tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 26, 2002 Share Posted September 26, 2002 Well, at least the JJ 12AU7 is better than a few other new 12AU7s out there. Not a bad backup but you can get some serious improvement moving to NOS in this position. I have never liked the Sovtek EL-34 very much. But get the amp, let it break in, listen for a month, and then see what you find. At $999 or so, you bypassed a LOT of great used options but I understand your caution. Just remember that amplifiers, like speakers, seem to be a much safer bet in the used market, unlike TT, cartridges, and CD players which offer more chance for things to go wrong. Still, I have bought ALL of the above USED (except cartridges) and had excellent luck. The first owner asorbs most of the sticker shock and due to upgrade disease, passes the savings on to you. In essence, you are paying for gear that cost two to three times as much with little tradeoff. Places like Audiogon are much safer than ebay, however. I now only own one piece of gear in my main system that was not used or a demo: The Linn LP-12 and cartridge. All my tube amps (every single one) are used as well as my CW down to my Rega Planet. Of course, it involves intelligent shopping with some homework and good communication with the owner; but it really pays off with the chance to own some excellent gear on the cheap (relatively). Just doing a quick search on Audiogon revealed a host of GREAT choices in the $1k range. Still, I think you will be excited by this new purchase. kh ps- Lynnm, look forward to the pics! This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 09-26-2002 at 07:55 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted September 26, 2002 Share Posted September 26, 2002 Well said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poleelop Posted September 26, 2002 Author Share Posted September 26, 2002 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Lindsey Posted September 26, 2002 Share Posted September 26, 2002 I was skeptical at first, but now I won't ever buy new again. Everything in my HT rig was bought new and everything in my 2-channel rig is used (all speakers were bought used). Once you realize what you can get for half the price of new, I think you will change your tune. If you research what you want, along with Seller feedback and knowledge, I think you can put together a very nice system for a very reasonable price. BTW, let us know what you think of these amps. I know Lynn really likes his... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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