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How to dip my toes into tubes


Pondoro

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I have got a bit of a tube bug. I am currently running some 1983 Heresy I's with a Yamaha 5.1 receiver and one or two 10"  powered subwoofers. (I own two subs but one seems to sound just as good so the second sub is currently used elsewhere.)   I don't have unlimited funds. Some options:

Tube Depot Cube 7 - 3.5 watts per channel, all tube (not the power supply), no sub out - $180

Dayton Audio HTA20BT - 20 watts per channel,  tube preamp, digital power stages, sub out, $130

Dayton Hybrid HTA100BT - 100 watts per channel,  tube preamp, digital power stages, sub out, $165

 

Future possibility, assuming I fall in love with tubes? Three Tube Depot Cube 7 amps in a tri-amp with the Heresy speakers (I would need some kind of active crossover before the amps) thus total cost would be 3x$180 plus the crossover.

 

I am interested in your opinions. If your opinion is "Forget all of that and buy something more expensive!" I will listen, please give details why. If your opinion is "Forget all this and just put the money into Cornwalls and remain solid state" I would also listen. I am new to all of this.

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4 minutes ago, Pondoro said:

If your opinion is "Forget all this and just put the money into Cornwalls and remain solid state" I would also listen. I am new to all of this.

 

Cheap tube amps are just that. Look around, learn what you can, then shop on the used market for a well built one.

However, if it was my money, Cornwalls!

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small correction /

 

the Dayton Hybrid HTA100BT -  is   50 watts per channel, at  4 Ohms   so  about 25  wpc at   8 Ohms  ,  / tube preamp, digital power stages, sub out,-

 

At $165 ---this amplifier could power the Cornwalls or Heresy 1 --1983  with ease -

-another option would be to seek a  brand new  or used   2 Channel or Multi-Channel  SS /   rated as close as possible   to  100 -150 wpc    , if your plan would be to purchase Cornwalls  -------Yamaha carries quite a few options that are quite affordable  - 

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I've used the TubeCube7 (one) with my 1972 Heresies for over a year. They sound pretty impressive and with a CD player or streamer they play loud enough. I did buy Sovtek EL84M tubes and a mechanical switch to connect several inputs. 

If I were you I'd start with one simple TubeCube7 first. 

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19 minutes ago, carlthess40 said:

I use this cheap el34A tube amp for my Klipsch H1’s. It does the job, and yes I know that theirs many more tube amps better the. This guy, but for under 300. It does the job just fine for me and gets very loud and the sound is fairly clean

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How long have you had it? (Wondering about like expectancy)

 

Thanks

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32 minutes ago, carlthess40 said:

I use this cheap el34A tube amp for my Klipsch H1’s. It does the job   but for under 300. It does the job just fine for me and gets very loud and the sound is fairly clean

looks really good -

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4 minutes ago, carlthess40 said:

I’ve been running it for over a year and I got it used, and that guy had been using it for over 2 years

it's about  6 wpc  at 6 ohms   ---so on the 4  Ohms tap - it is closer to 8 wpc  which is enough for a Heresy 1

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My vote is for a Restored vintage amp, el84 amps are really sweet sounding with klipsch, but they’re getting more expensive by the day. Good thing is as long as it is functioning correctly and you don’t overpay, you won’t loose money on it. You’ll probably never break even on chi-fi although it’s the cheapest to get into tubes with. Also you’ll have to know if the  vintage amp will mate with a sub correctly. 

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