jt1stcav Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 ...Or if you really like gettin' crazy. Makes a statement, don't you think? Good luck Dean in your search for the Holy Grail of SETs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubinhard Posted December 28, 2003 Author Share Posted December 28, 2003 Believe me, I'm not looking for the Holy Grail of anything. I just want the cleanest 25-50 watts I can afford. Mike said, "But what you have to go through to get the big SET, one would be better off with a moderate sized well-designed Push-Pull." Ugh yeah, no doubt. I have to pay off my K-horns by March or April, and so I'm not exactly rolling in dough over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Amen to that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Paul Have you notified NASA When you launch this puppy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Now that's a tube that'll light up (and heat up) a room! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Dean, I think you should just buy a HK430 myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 ---------------- On 12/28/2003 6:40:39 PM Bill H. wrote: Paul Have you notified NASA When you launch this puppy? ---------------- It does look rocket-related, doesn't it? I'd be afraid to be anywhere near it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 ...Until you heard it through your Klipschorns. Then you'd be very much afraid (how you couldn't live without it)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltie dave Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Dean, when you are ready to upgrade, I'll sell you my HK 630. It has the pre/amp connecting posts, so you can run your kit-built 300B using the solid state preamp section! I'm going to throw the Jolida 1703 "wanted" on Audiogon tonight - we'll see if there's any action on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubinhard Posted December 28, 2003 Author Share Posted December 28, 2003 Man, you guys are mean. I want one of these: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Well Dean, As an Owner of one of those, I don't think you could go wrong there. With the Home trial period of 30 days, you could also make sure that it floats your boat. That would be almost 1/2 your actual time of ownership anyway! Let's put it this way. My AVA 550exr smokes my Push-Pull AE-25 SuperAmp. I think one of the reasons that SET amps sound so good is that they don't have a lot of components to screw up the sound. My Push Pull is absolutely jam packed with Caps, resistors and wires and there in lies some of the problem. The AVA hybrid has been a design in progress for over 25 years and I think it has paid off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 AAAH! A Van Alstine Fet Valve 550Ex Amplifier! Good choice! Bigbusa would be proud. 250 Hybred Tube/FET Watts per channel into Klipschorns. Don't you like your windows? I have stated before that if I ever go back to SS I'm going with one of Frank's products. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubinhard Posted December 28, 2003 Author Share Posted December 28, 2003 It has a lot of good things going for it. What really appeals to me is that I won't have to fight frequency response issues when the load varies. This is the only downside of tube gear -- the variations in impedance leading to non-flat response. I also like the idea of having some nice control for the 15 inchers in the bass bins. Using the tubes for voltage, and FETs for output current makes sense to me, and the fact that Frank uses little if any feedback with these designs tells me he's not a spec freak. It's hard not to admire someone who balances the numbers with the sound. I don't see any harm in trying it out. It may not do everything well, but maybe well enough until I can make a low power tube choice I'm comfortable with. I plan on buying some RF-7s again in the future, and I could always move this amp to power those down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubinhard Posted December 28, 2003 Author Share Posted December 28, 2003 Rick, I'm actually looking at the 350 -- it's the same circuit but with 160 watts instead of 250. I am going to call Frank on Tuesday and let him give me his thoughts on solid state crossover distortion, and the higher distortion levels inherent with solid state at low power. Another option that is really appealing to me is the Quicksilver Horn Monos. The online Stereophile review is a good read. Mike Sanders uses them on his Klipschorns, and I figure if they're good enough for him, they're good enough for me. Basically, I mostly want simplicity. The next year is going to be spent reworking the house, and I'm not going to have time for tweaking. I'm just going to want to turn it on and jam. Anything audio related is hopefully going to be spent rebuilding crossovers for people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Landau Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 How about this one? http://www.sakurasystems.com/products/47amp.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubinhard Posted December 28, 2003 Author Share Posted December 28, 2003 Excellent call Guy. I was wondering who was manufacturing those. That thing is supposed to sound VERY good. Thanks for muddying the waters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Dean, "I am going to call Frank on Tuesday and let him give me his thoughts on solid state crossover distortion, and the higher distortion levels inherent with solid state at low power. " If you have never talked to Frank before, I will give you some warning. He can be a little intimidating. He has very strong opinions and he will not mince words. His belief in most audio tweaks like power cords and fancy IC's is like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. He has been in this business for over 35 years and having someone tell him that they can hear the difference between Tara Labs Ruby vs. Sapphire Wires is like explaining to the Pope why the Catholic Church has got it all wrong. I have been an AVA Customer for 18 years now, and know him well. He is in the same Metro area as myself. Mention my name to him and at least he'll know your reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Before you buy a Gaincard: http://www.tnt-audio.com/ampli/47gaincard2_e.html This is a rarity: A pretty negative review. Seems like most reviews I read of anything audio on the internet are positive, kind of like the old days of Stereo Review. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Wow, I guess I still have alot to learn...never would've guessed I'd see the day when Dean and transistors (even a SS/tube hybrid) would go hand in hand! A nice piece...do check it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted December 28, 2003 Share Posted December 28, 2003 Ah but JT, those aren't ordinary SS devices. They are FETS ( field effect transistors). Originally they were developed for highpower voltage regulation. By applying a sample of the output voltage to the basethe device adjusts the voltage output from the emmitter. There is constant current flowing through the device. This constant current passage is similiar to a vacuum tube and facilitates biasing in class A or close to Class A. Many early SS amps used FETs but their high current demands on the powersupply, high the heat developed by them and the costs associated with heat and power requirements spelled their doom. Plain and simple FETs are "tubey" SS devices. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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