henry4841 Posted July 1, 2023 Share Posted July 1, 2023 51 minutes ago, Dave1291 said: Interesting so gonna toss in my .02 worth. As a kid I was always told to never get into the back of the old TV. I remember the repairman coming one day after a couple days w/no TV and saw him spend 5 minutes replacing a tube but he told me the same thing. Then I saw solid state come into being as the the "real deal." I knew it ALL then so I jumped in with both feet. An "OLD" guy told me no I'd never find my happy place w/SS. WHY NOT OLD MAN I thought so I asked what he had. An old McIntosh amp, Thoren's table and Wharfdale speakers. He even invited me to his house to listen. Pfffft, NOT happening old man. Fast forward 50 years later and I'm running an integrated PrimaLuna and would love to buy a new Mc but it's outta my range today just like it was then. Maybe I'll get lucky someday. I've often wondered WHERE his system went. He was married w/no kids so it went somewhere. To a friend I'm sure. Today, I wish I would have listened to him. Wish I had bought Mc when I bought Crown IC150 and Crown DC300A for my LaScala's way back when. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the real Duke Spinner Posted July 1, 2023 Share Posted July 1, 2023 5 hours ago, henry4841 said: Wish I had bought Mc when I bought Crown IC150 and Crown DC300A for my LaScala's wayI I I like Crown The older stuff is not what you want ICY150. 🙄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partymark Posted July 2, 2023 Author Share Posted July 2, 2023 13 hours ago, henry4841 said: Another plus for tubes. You get high end sound much cheaper with tubes than SS amplifiers. In other words a 1K to 2K tube amp is going to sound better than 5K to whatever SS amplifiers. Any good suggestions for $1-2k tube amps? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnort Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 (edited) I'm very happy with my Elekit 8600s. It's a 300B tube amp kit from Japan. Edited July 2, 2023 by pnort Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1291 Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 The sky's the limit. I run a Prima Luna Prologue Classic, which was under 2k when I bought it. They came out w/their EVO amp shortly after I got mine. The price was naturally higher w/the EVO. Since then I've bumped it up w/Gold Lion tubes. Sounds great in here but am planning to go with the 400 integrated soon. That was NOT the point of my post though. When I'm ready I'll only post it in the Garage Sale thread here. IF I decide to spend that kinda money at my age. lolol You might check there and keep an eye on the thread. One thing is true though w/Klipsch speakers it doesn't take a ton of wattage to have a great sounding system. Get some ideas in here and nose. It's your nickel. I just didn't want to go with something used and possibly get someone elses problems. That call is yours to make. Other guys in here have all kinds of different amps at all kinds of different price points. You'll sort it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry4841 Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 9 hours ago, partymark said: Any good suggestions for $1-2k tube amps? I am an electronic geek and have built my own, dozen or more working in house now with many more built. I see others have already made suggestions which all are very good. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry4841 Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 6 hours ago, pnort said: I'm very happy with my Elekit 8600s. It's a 300B tube amp kit from Japan. I have only read of good sayings on that amp. Let's not turn our nose up at some of the reasonably priced Chinese offerings on Aliexpress or Amazon with their good reviews either. The cheaper ones will probably not last as long as the ones in the 1K to 2K range but you cannot beat the price. There was one SET that was only around $300 a year two ago that got really stellar reviews from most everyone for it's sound. Then there is the Decware Zen, quality built from all accounts that is all the rage now for $1200 but with too long a waiting list for many. There is a thread active right now on this forum on the Mac clone coming from China. A little more money than 2K but not much. I bet it sounds fantastic with our speakers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the real Duke Spinner Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 HeathKit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veloceleste Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 . 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcn3 Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 25 minutes ago, veloceleste said: Find a used Quicksilver Integrated for under 2k. Wonderful el84 sound, quiet, excellent build quality, reliable, and made in USA if that matters to you. Excellent suggestion - great performance for the dollars, particularly used. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave1291 Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pnort Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 back of the tv had 25,000 Volts with cathode tubes! But if you turned one off, unplugged it and waited a bit there was no danger. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixspeed Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 ~100W/ch Bryston Class AB and Heritage is an incredible combo. To date it's my favorite amp I have used for mixed movie/music listening at least in my main system. If you want that dead quiet background, lively, big dynamics with deep low end grip you honestly can't do better for the price. Far better value than McIntosh amps people buy for 2x the price. Pass Class A or Class AB is also an outstanding pairing but Bryston is also a better value for the buck there as well IMHO. There's a reason why Bryston amps are in major recording studios all over the world. Yes, high efficiency speakers can be driven with low watt amps, but not all watts are created equal and Bryston equipment runs DEAD quiet, this is critical for high sensitivity speakers. They don't cut corners, use very high quality power supplies and capacitors and their amps last forever. The 2.5 series or the 135 integrated you are looking at are the perfect amps for Heritage. Having all that current/power headroom does make a difference. I'd stay away from Crown class D anything unless it's being used for DSP/xover for a horn bass bin like in a underground Jub. For "normal" heritage, I found Crown sound to be shrill, harsh, sibilant and with underwhelming S/N and noise floor. My experience is with the newest XLS series. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakeydeal Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 I wouldn’t let a Bryston amp near my horns. But that’s just me. Not a fan. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormin Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 Bryston makes a damn fine preamp. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixspeed Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 12 minutes ago, Shakeydeal said: I wouldn’t let a Bryston amp near my horns. But that’s just me. Not a fan. I feel the same way about Crown class D, but tons of people use it. Each to their own but their lower powered amps are phenomenal. Depends on the sound one is into, what their usage is like and what music one listens to. A lot of tube amps and other SS, often have both far too high a noise floor and smothers detail and air for my liking. Old/Vintage McIntosh solid state (pre and amps) is especially terrible in my experience. Rolled off, mushy midrange, bloated, sluggish bass and way more hiss at idle than I could live with. Hi-Fi has come a long way since the 60s and 70s. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veloceleste Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 On 7/2/2023 at 7:18 PM, Shakeydeal said: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormin Posted July 2, 2023 Share Posted July 2, 2023 12 minutes ago, sixspeed said: Old/Vintage McIntosh solid state (pre and amps) is especially terrible in my experience. Rolled off, mushy midrange, bloated, sluggish bass and way more hiss at idle than I could live with. I can just hear DJK's response. The man knew more than most of us combined. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OO1 Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 3 hours ago, veloceleste said: the latest Bryston gear? It is balanced, neutral, quiet, expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OO1 Posted July 3, 2023 Share Posted July 3, 2023 4 hours ago, sixspeed said: My experience is with the newest XLS series. XLS are not to be confused with Crown Install Series ( standard in NBA/NHL /Rock Concert venues / Studios / Radio /TV /Cable /Satellite installations ). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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