Low Watt amps: please enlighten me...

[MeloManiac 1309]

 

I live in Europe and paid substantial postage and import duties for Tubedepot's Tubecube 7, a cd sized tube amplifier. I have no regrets at all, because the sound it produces is amazing. And, though it is only 3.5 W per channel, it can play really loud, especially with my efficient Heresy I speakers. Of course, my Marantz amp (40W) can go much louder, but for my room and listening style, the Tubecube produces more than enough decibels... 

 

Hence my question: in plain terms, who can explain the science of this to me? I've read it elsewhere: it is the first couple of watts that are important... But why? 

[JohnA 1080]

Most of your listening is done around 80 to 85 dB, or 0.1 watts average into a Heresy.  That leaves about 15 dB of headroom for peaks with your 3.5 watt amp.  With a tube amp, clipping has a more melodic, benign sound, so the very few peaks at +20 dB don't spoil the sound. 

[SWL 1942]

Are those EL84M's in there?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[MechEngVic 278]

3 hours ago, ILI said:

I live in Europe and paid substantial postage and import duties for Tubedepot's Tubecube 7, a cd sized tube amplifier. I have no regrets at all, because the sound it produces is amazing. And, though it is only 3.5 W per channel, it can play really loud, especially with my efficient Heresy I speakers. Of course, my Marantz amp (40W) can go much louder, but for my room and listening style, the Tubecube produces more than enough decibels... 

 

Hence my question: in plain terms, who can explain the science of this to me? I've read it elsewhere: it is the first couple of watts that are important... But why? 

There are several low priced tube amps from China avaliable on eBay. Is shipping from China to Europe reasonable? 

[MeloManiac 1309]

33 minutes ago, SWL said:

Are those EL84M's in there?

 

Yes, I upgraded to EL84M tubes.

[MeloManiac 1309]

4 minutes ago, MechEngVic said:

There are several low priced tube amps from China avaliable on eBay. Is shipping from China to Europe reasonable? 

 

I know, but I wanted the Tubecube 7...

[MeloManiac 1309]

This is Ken Rockwell's review of the Tubecube 7.

 

https://www.kenrockwell.com/audio/tubedepot/tubecube-7.htm 

[NavyCorpsman 1]

Interested in the TubeCube 7 for a small bedroom system.  Don't particularly care for Klipsch or other horn base speakers and not familiar with full-range speakers such as the Fostex P-1000 and/or Fostex P-1000-BH.  Basically I would be looking for commercially available speakers in the $200 a pair or less range that would work well with the Tube Cube 7 in a small bedroom environment.  Btw I'm a 67 year old Navy Veteran living on Social Security and yes, I'm familiar with tube amps having once own a Jolida SJ502A.  Anyway suggestion/comments greatly appreciated.

[derrickdj1 8233]

The amps from China are great but, if you are happy with the system, you are DONE!

[billybob 13939]

First saw the Tubecube 7 on Tampa craigslist. Cannot remember the price but got my

Attention. Asked recently what you're powering. Heresy ...was going to ask how loud but just answered here. So, phono preamp needed. Interesting...

[billybob 13939]

3 hours ago, NavyCorpsman said:

Interested in the TubeCube 7 for a small bedroom system.  Don't particularly care for Klipsch or other horn base speakers and not familiar with full-range speakers such as the Fostex P-1000 and/or Fostex P-1000-BH.  Basically I would be looking for commercially available speakers in the $200 a pair or less range that would work well with the Tube Cube 7 in a small bedroom environment.  Btw I'm a 67 year old Navy Veteran living on Social Security and yes, I'm familiar with tube amps having once own a Jolida SJ502A.  Anyway suggestion/comments greatly appreciated.

Commercial speakers will likely need to be at least 90 db efficient or else which may present a problem for the Tubecube 7. If you can find the speakers you are suggesting for that price with 90+ db efficient and not Klipsch, please let me know.

Welcome to the forum...

 

 

[MeloManiac 1309]

14 hours ago, NavyCorpsman said:

Interested in the TubeCube 7 for a small bedroom system.  Don't particularly care for Klipsch or other horn base speakers and not familiar with full-range speakers such as the Fostex P-1000 and/or Fostex P-1000-BH.  Basically I would be looking for commercially available speakers in the $200 a pair or less range that would work well with the Tube Cube 7 in a small bedroom environment.  Btw I'm a 67 year old Navy Veteran living on Social Security and yes, I'm familiar with tube amps having once own a Jolida SJ502A.  Anyway suggestion/comments greatly appreciated.

I did a little 'bedroom' test for you. 

From left to right: Denon 30W 6 ohm bookshelf speakers (price around €120), Amazon 8 HD fire tablet, Tubecube 7 and a China made 50W 'hybrid' amp.

 

• The 50Watt hybrid amp (€70) can play the tiles off the roof with these tiny speakers and sounds really good. It comes with bluetooth, minijack and rca inputs.
• The Tubecube (€175/€300) has connections for 4/6/8 ohm speakers - which is rather remarkable. The sound is really good as well, while the volume can be pretty loud, but it will never blow the tiles off the roof.