33klfan Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 Does anyone know of tube amp dealers near central Pennsylvania? What brands are recommended for new sub $700 integrated tube amps? For vintage tube amps, are there any dealers that sell them in central Pennsylvania? What do you guys think about old vs. new tube amps. I know most recommend old vintage, but i do like new tube products because they are talked about having pretty decent sound, and i just like the thought of new. Any thought on jolida tube amps? I would only buy vintage if they were in the area i talked about. I mainly want thoughts on old vs. new. Anyone with experience of the new tube amps, please leave some opinions and thoughts. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 33klfan, I've used both vintage and new and have ended up preferring new tube gear. A couple of thoughts here. Rebuilt vintage can be a good way to get into tubes and is pretty good for the money. The vintage sound can also be very good. One thing that makes a difference, IMO, depends on whether one is a technical type or not. For someone like me, who is non technical, I need to send my gear off to someone who can repair it. That can get expensive to ship and to pay someone for their time. For the long haul, vintage tube gear, reminds me of having a vintage car. People who have them and really enjoy them are often mechanics and even so don't drive them every day. From my experience, most of my gear is current manufacture tube gear (or completely rebuilt as new) and I'm really happy with it. One other thing, it may be that preamplifier technology has improved over the years. Hope you find something that brings you bliss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
33klfan Posted October 2, 2005 Author Share Posted October 2, 2005 First, what's IMO? Any recommendations on new tube amp brands would be helpful to research. U can list the ones u personally listened to, and why u liked them. I would be hooking it up to a Rotel RCD-1072 and Klipsch SF-1's. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 For $700 no new tube amp is going to touch the sound of a nicely rebuilt vintage integrated. New or Vintage they both can have issies. I have had to completely rebuild modern tube gear that was only 4 or 5 years old and it happened to be a Jolida to boot. I've had a few rebuilt units have to come back after a rebuild because of some issue but by and large they just keep working and working once properly rebuilt. The old saying "they don't make them like they used too" is very true in the sub $1000 price range of tube amps. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 First, what's IMO? It is short for In My Opinion. He said it so that you would know he was saying what he thinks, rather than what someone else thinks. Sometimes you'll see IMHO, which means In My Humble Opinion. People use that when they want to emphasize that they really know what they are talking about, but don't want to appear arrogant about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 IMO = In My Opinion I agree with Craig regarding vintage tube amps. For the $640 I paid for my rebuilt Scott 299b, I doubt any new integrated amp can touch it. As far as preamps go, I opted for new. IMO, the Blueberry sounds significantly better then the much more expensive vintage units I've owned which have included both Mac and Marantz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
33klfan Posted October 2, 2005 Author Share Posted October 2, 2005 Are Scott 299b's hard to come by because right now that's my top choice for integrated vintage tube amp because of its praise and glory, and good bass output with the vintage quality tube sound. Or are there other amps comparable in there price range. Most u can buy for around $600 that I have seen, but NOSValves had one for $1750, why? Most seem happy for one's that cost around $600. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 That amp for $1750 is a Scott 296 in near perfect condition. They are real collectors Item. Its not mine it's a customers that ask me to list it on my for sale page. There are many amps that sound darn good from Scott, Fisher, EICO, Heathkit, Stromberg Carlson, Pilot and on and on. Heck there are at least 12 different Scott models alone. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arfz28 Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 A Scott 299B is an easy find usually 1 or 2 a week on ebay. Can be bought for around the 200 to 350 bucks depending on how mint the unit is. Of couse these will be units that may work but of course need too be rebuilt for safty issues and too get the best sound out of them. Figure you will be out close too 600 bucks after a rebuild give or take a few bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 The new vs old is really a personal choice. Old => phono stage New=> no phono One of the great experiences of audio for me in the past 10 years was my first revisit of phono about 4 years ago. Ortofon cart in a Dual CS 508 plugged into my Scott LK-48.....it all be came musical again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwhaples Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 33klfan, I have two Scott's For Sale. One is a 299B, stock and works fine. I bought it with the intention of sending it to Craig.The other is a 299C that's been rebuilt,I just boxed it last night to send to Craig to check over one last time before I sell it.I've gone to seperates and don't needs these .I'm asking what I paid,$225. for the B and $500. for the C plus shipping from VT. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 If you really want a "b", I'd suggest buying Larry's and have him send it straight to Craig for a complete rebuild. Don't hold back or skimp on anything. Have him give it the works. You won't be dissappointed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 I second that notion! Refurbished vintage integrated tube amplifiers are a great way to get wonderful tube sound at affordable prices. I trust NOSvalves to do a good job.[H] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 I'm using a new Jolida 102B and I'm very happy with it. I'd say it sounds at least as good as the two refurbished Fisher tube amplifiers I used to have (though I've not directly compared) and sounds much better than an unreworked Fisher 500B I have. The Jolida has excellent clarity and is noisefree. The sound is very airy and bass is firm with no tubbiness. The power is more than adequate for my 99db efficiency speakers in my setting. I think one would be hardpressed to hear a better hi-fi, a very natural and fatique-free sound. At our last Chicago Horn Club meeting several guys wouldn't leave the room and listened to the system for several hours. I went to a nearby shop (Van L Speakerworks on Western Ave.) paid the money, brought it home and plugged it in. Simple and easy. My experience with a new ASL tube integrated was also very good though that amp sounded a little tubby, kind of a stereotypical tube sound. And a pair of ASL tube power-amps I owned sounded VERY good but I used them only above 500hz. Vintage stuff reworked or even unreworked can sound very good too, either way you go you win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 I think the new stuff sounds new, and the old stuff sounds old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 I vote for the 299C. Having had both B and Cs, the latter, with it's increased power, sounds better to my ears. A Jolida 102 makes Heresys sound like you want to put them through a wood chipper!!!!!! Just joking Tom![] Actually, I'm still chuckling over that pic. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
33klfan Posted October 3, 2005 Author Share Posted October 3, 2005 Thanks for all your guys help. This is really getting me started to know tube amps much better, and it's only been a week since i started looking into them. Any more thoughts or opinions is still welcome though. How much would it approximately cost craig to make that 299b up to where it should be? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 I'm guessing under $400 depending on what condition it's in and if it needs tubes but I can't speak for Craig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
33klfan Posted October 3, 2005 Author Share Posted October 3, 2005 Anymore input anybody, vintage seem to be what i'm leaning toward, but i guess they'll last another 50 years once redone nicely. What's the longest amount of time u should leave them dormant, without using them. They'll last for quite a while if u use them regularly, right? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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