I'm starting to lose interest in tubes

[Deang]

No, the most honorable Dr. Who -- you need to visit my place.

The only thing you need to know about tube gear is to NEVER, EVER let Craig talk you into sticking your hands in it.

[Speedball]

I am using my Merlin feeding an Alesis SS power amp at the moment, so that my wife doesn't have to pay attention to the hot EL34s. It sounds great with the HIIs. Good bass and excellent imaging. Shows bad recordings for what they are though-- bad recordings. The good ones are superb.

An Alesis?...Mmmmmmm you are the first person I've met who is using that brand.[]

I can deal with the poorley recorded ones (recordings), it's the good ones I enjoy the most.

Sounds like you're happy.

[Marvel]

I'm only using the Alesis so my wife won't have to deal with the Dynaco right now. I've been turning the system on in the morning and leaving it on all day for her. Then all she has to do is change CDs.

The Alesis is an RA-100. 100wpc into 4 ohm, and 75 into 8. Works great with the Heresys. It is normaly connected to some small Alesis monitors I use in my recording setup. It has just taken a big back seat to all that is going on at our house these days.

You can pick them up pretty cheap on eBay.

[cjgeraci]

I agree tube amps do require a little more attention but once you find tubes you like and set the bias you should not have to mess with again for 6 months.

I have a Transcendent Sound Ground Grid tube preamp and just got a Merlin tube preamp and both sound very good. I have a Cayin TA 30 tube int amp and I do not like using it with either preamp sounds dull and lifeless. I know the TA 30 is no VRDs or Quicksilvers but it is a good tube amp unless I use it with these preamps. I hook the TA 30 up to my Solid state Luxman preamp and it sounds very good. Finding equipment that really sounds good together can be frustrating experience I know. I am at the point now where I have 3 very good preamps and will probably be selling the Ground Grid preamp. If you want to try it I could ship it to you and let you use it for a couple of weeks and if you like it you can buy it if not send it back. This way you can know if a preamp will help or not.

So far the 2 tube preamps sound better with solid state amps and the tube amp sounds better with a solid state preamp. Guess I'm just bass ackwards!! I'm still reviewing the Merlin and will post a comparison to the Ground Grid, and Luxman preamps using 3 different amps.

I would try a preamp, solid state or tube, before selling your amp.

Xman

Totally agree. The synergy between various amps and preamps is often only achieved by trial and error. You are not bass ackwards.... I have also had certain tube amps that sounded better with ss prepros, some nice all tube combos, and some surprisingly good tube pre/ss combos. Its all about trial and error - and different combinations naturally sound different with various Klipsch speakers I have owned.

Button - another vote for finding a decent, yet not obscenely expensive tube preamp with all the features you want - to get the luscious sound out of that ST 70 (my 70 is on my Altecs - driven by a Peach).

I know it is much more than you want to spend - but Mark still has a refurbished Peach on sale on his website for under a grand.....And, from personal experience, the inputs and HT bypass are great to have, especially when your system gets "complicated" - like mine is...... And tubes in your preamp last a longggg time.......

Carl.

[jbsl]

I would have saved up for the Peach with HT bypass but I have a Luxman system selector. Now that I have 3 preamps(Luxman, Merlin, Denon A/V) I can run all 3 preamps into the selector and then out to whatever amp I want to use.

Xman

[DrWho]

No, the most honorable Dr. Who -- you need to visit my place.

A trip I really want to make if I ever have the time []

[BS Button]

I must admit that I knew beforehand that this post might cause a little stir. Everybody's input is appreciated. Update, an ebay member just sent me a check for the old SS Adcom equipment, so it's gone. Now, I could sell the Dynaco for let's say 700 to 800 and get two good SS pcs. or add in another 500 to a grand for a tube pre. Sounds like I should've taken Dean G's advice earlier, replacing the pre-amp first, and staying with SS in the Amp, but this, rather rare and mint Dynaco was difficult for me to pass up. Looks like I'm stuck in neutral. Woo, are you coming over tonight? I just returned from St. Louis, gone for the last couple of days, sorry.

[kev313]

Just try a preamp before you ditch the Dynaco. Grab a nice used one off of Agon to minimize the cost and resale loss risk.

[Lurch]

I don't understand.....

You don't want to spend a lot of money, but you want a lot more capability than you need (judging by the equipment in your signature: ST-70 II, Denon DVD-2900, Yamaha CDX and Cornwalls).

What inputs do you need?

Why do you need a HT bypass?

Do you plan on hooking your ST-70 up in a home theater?

Need more info to help you....

[BS Button]

Lurch,

1. Tuner

2. CD

3. 2 channel movie

4. HT Bypass would allow a reciever to be used for an eventual 5 channel. Is this wrong?

[Lurch]

You don't need HT bypass if you aren't going to use the ST-70 as part of the "home theater" mode. It might be very hard to use the ST-70 with any solid state receiver that way and get any kind of sonic match.

If you plan on using the receiver just for surround, I would run the digital out from the DVD-2900 to the receiver and keep your stereo setup separate. Then just just run two sets of speaker wires to the Corns ( 1 from the ST-70; 1 from receiver). I think you'll be better off than trying to live with a receiver alone.

[NOSValves]

You don't need HT bypass if you aren't going to use the ST-70 as part of the "home theater" mode. It might be very hard to use the ST-70 with any solid state receiver that way and get any kind of sonic match.

If you plan on using the receiver just for surround, I would run the digital out from the DVD-2900 to the receiver and keep your stereo setup separate. Then just just run two sets of speaker wires to the Corns ( 1 from the ST-70; 1 from receiver). I think you'll be better off than trying to live with a receiver alone.

This is exactly what I do with great results only problem is you have to make sure only one system is on at a time. You could install a Niles source switch to choose what system feeds the speakers if having them both hard wired bothers you.

Craig

[cjgeraci]

Lurch and Craig make some great points. Craig is referring to the Niles DPS-1. A neat little switchbox - they now run about $80. I use two Niles in my system. http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=23405

Yes, you could run a receiver's speaker outputs to all speakers - except the Corns, for those - one set of main speaker leads goes from the receiver to the Niles; the other set of speaker goes from the ST 70 to the Niles. Then there is one set of speaker leads leading from the Niles to your Corns (switchable between the two). That way you could run a tube pre that does not have a HT bypass (and only use the ST 70 for 2 channel).

A HT bypass is a great feature to have with a tube pre, especially if you want to use the same amp for HT and 2-channel. And, I have used tube amps in HT with success. But, there are other ways of achieving the same desired result.

Carl.

[jwc]

I must admit that I knew beforehand that this post might cause a little stir. Everybody's input is appreciated. Update, an ebay member just sent me a check for the old SS Adcom equipment, so it's gone. Now, I could sell the Dynaco for let's say 700 to 800 and get two good SS pcs. or add in another 500 to a grand for a tube pre. Sounds like I should've taken Dean G's advice earlier, replacing the pre-amp first, and staying with SS in the Amp, but this, rather rare and mint Dynaco was difficult for me to pass up. Looks like I'm stuck in neutral. Woo, are you coming over tonight? I just returned from St. Louis, gone for the last couple of days, sorry.

Todd,

It took a lot of courage to start a thread like this knowing that there are mostly tube lovers on this forum. I myself have wanted to get into the tube arena and it is nice to know of your experience. I believe the idea of a tube preamp addition would be wise before thinking tubes weren't the way to go.

One thing you could consider since you are wanting to sell the tube amp. You could use that money for an integrated amp. This doesn't seem to be mentioned much around here but there are some good reviews on some that are probably in your price range. You would still have the problem with HT integration. The niles box is a nice idea.

jc

[D-MAN]

Without a clear definition of what is "wrong", I made up a list of my own.

This list does does not discriminate between tube or SS.

I think that we've all heard examples of these at one time or another...

=====================================================

Dynamic range is compressed to being "the same" across the board

Highs don't sparkle or shimmer

Highs are grating, shrill or otherwise irritating ; strident

Mid-bass muddy ; ill defined ; bloated

Lows are ponderous (fat) and boomy

Sibilance is irritating and unrealistic ; accentuated ; strident

Loud volume is unlistenable

Mids are "dirty" or unclear, lacks snap and "whack"

presence is lacking

soundstage is flat

soundstage is congested ; i.e., not "open"

noisy - hums, hisses ; no "black space"

****

The problem is, it isn't going to be just one thing to "fix" it.

Replacing the amp alone won't fix all of the above.

DM

[BS Button]

More input indeed is good, thanks. I've never questioned the sonic attributes of this tube amplifier. They are outstanding. I do however question the ability to integrate well into a home theatre atmosphere and good two channel, when desired, and I do not relish the idea of running a tube amplifier for two to four hours every other weekend whilst listening to and watching a movie. I'm seriously considering an amp spin-off, buying a very good tube pre and a decent solid state amp.