audiobliss69 Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I've been pushing my RF-35 with my Yamaha RX-V1400 receiver, but I've been drooling over tubes for a while now. I just bagged a set of Antique Sound Labs Wave 8 monoblocks in great condition. These have the cages and have modded caps, and are coming with two sets of tubes (svetlana and ei). What do you guys think of these monoblocks? How will they go with my speakers? What do you think would be a fair price for them? Any info/suggestions/advice you have on them would be much appreciated! audiobliss69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 If we say too they are worth X dollars and you paid more, how will you feel? They are supposed to be pretty decent little amps for the money, even at full price, which I think was $99 each when they were still making them. They don't have much power, but may be enough for what you listen to. I would love to hear a pair to judge for myself. Build quality may be iffy to good. Not the most expensive parts in them. Let US know how you like them. You do have a preamp to use with these I hope. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiobliss69 Posted October 16, 2005 Author Share Posted October 16, 2005 I wouldn't feel too good if you said they're not worth as much as I paid, but I asked for it. Unfortunately, I do not have a pre-amp. I'll be stuck using my Yammy as a pre until I can get my hands on a real pre. And that could be for as long as a year. However, this is a step in the right direction, right? Thanks! audiobliss69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dflip Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 They will provide enough power to sound good, but you do need to remember that this is a budget priced amp. It is not the be all end all in tube monoblocks. 8W with these speakers will be fine, some of us like more, but you could also use them with a SET amp if you wanted. The bigger concern, is what are you going to use as a preamp for this experiment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted October 16, 2005 Share Posted October 16, 2005 I used to use a pair of Wave 8s but only from 500hz on up driving Altec 288 compression drivers, a job they did very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speed3 Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I have a pair unmodified with the Ei tubes. I got them a couple of years ago when they were being discontinued. For the price I paid for the pair ($169 as a demo model) they are incredible, but certainly you can purchase better for more money. For me, they are all I need for now. I don't know if I'll ever get the itch to upgrade to a better tube amp, but you never know. With the modified caps they're supposed to be much better than stock. They are definitely a great introduction to tube amplifiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 great tube sound for very low cost, now all you need is a sub! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiobliss69 Posted October 17, 2005 Author Share Posted October 17, 2005 A sub would be nice, but a pre, CD player, tuner, and cassette player (not to mention finishing my car's audio system) is more important to me than a sub, right now. Thanks for all the comments, guys. Hopefully I will be impressed with the sound. audiobliss69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hardy Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 I apologize if I am hijacking this thread, but I thought that it might be worth mentioning that the topology used in the Wave 8's (i.e., two xBM8's performing the driver, phase splitter, and PP output duties) has been implemented in a number of other products, past and present. I only mention this because: 1) Folks might want to try a pair of Wave 8's 2) Folks might have trouble finding a pair of Wave 8's 3) Folks might be tempted to spend too much money for a pair of... (and, to be very clear, by "too much money" I mean "more than they cost new") Some examples: S-5 electronics has an extremely similar product (in kit form) in a stereo 'integrated' amp configuration (it's an integrated amp only in the sense that it has a volume control) that uses IIRC 11SM8's. http://www.s5electronics.com/gpage1.html A virtually identical product is available from Antique Electronic Supply www.tubesandmore.com as a stereo amp (using 11BM8's) or as monoblocks (using 11MS8's). These are very decent little amplifiers as is, and may be tweaked with some facility. The old Heathkit AA-32 integrated amp kit (available for many, many years) was a similar idea using four 6GW8's as outputs. Again, about 8 wpc. I bought one last week at an antique radio fleamarket for a very modest sum. Finally, the venerable Pioneer SX-34/Allied 333/Knight 333 was a very nice tube AM/FM stereo receiver with four 6BM8's doing the work. These are nice looking and decent perfoming little receivers (again, about 8 wpc). Just re-capped one for a co-worker. Here's a picture of the Pioneer morph from www.classic-audio.com Note: my intent is IN NO WAY to denigrate the Wave 8's... just to expand the pallette of choices for someone who'd like to try a pair of Wave 8's but just can't find 'em... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiobliss69 Posted October 29, 2005 Author Share Posted October 29, 2005 Well, my ASL Wave 8's came today!! I'm so excited! Well, kinda. I have them hooked up to my RX-V1400 as a pre and am listening to the radio through them. I don't really have time to listen to them critically, but I'm letting them warm up a bit. I'm surprised at how warm they get! Does all tube stuff get this warm? I'm experience a humm now. [] I guess that's just incentive to get a new pre, though, right? [] [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 Well, my ASL Wave 8's came today!! I'm so excited! Well, kinda. I have them hooked up to my RX-V1400 as a pre and am listening to the radio through them. I don't really have time to listen to them critically, but I'm letting them warm up a bit. I'm surprised at how warm they get! Does all tube stuff get this warm? I'm experience a humm now. [] I guess that's just incentive to get a new pre, though, right? [] [] Many tube amps (dare I say ALL?) get pretty hot. Enough to burn your skin. The output tubes will get especially hot. Had a babysitter lay an album on top of the cage on my Dynaco ST-70 once. Melted over the side. At least it was a crummy album to begin with. The hum... kinda hard to determine the problem there. How does the pre on the Pioneer disconnect from the amp section? I used a '72 JVC integrated to front the aforesaid Dynaco for years. It had little jumpers between the two sections, and I just plugged that into the amp. It had no hum at all. Is there a hum in both channels/amps? Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiobliss69 Posted October 29, 2005 Author Share Posted October 29, 2005 Actually it's a Yamaha HT receiver. Thus, I can't disconnect the amp section from the preamp section. Howver, I do have A and B buttons on the front to turn the amp sections off. BUT, this doesn't affect the hum. I'm using some AR interconnects to connect the amps to the receiver. The hum is in both channels, though it seems to be of a slightly higher frequency in one. Though I've never heard a humm before, I'd say it's fairly loud. I kinda gave up on the idea of fixing it because someone else told me there was no way to and still use my receiver the pre; I'll just hafta get another pre. Any thoughts? Thanks! audiobliss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travisc Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 I dont think the Yamaha is the cause of the hum. try moving things around a bit(wires and amps further away from that rather expensive looking cd player[]), or the power converter for the discman, try unplugging it and using the tuner only. They look real cool and your sure to hear a difference. I went with different amplification from my Yamaha, from a t-amp,tubes and back to highpowered ss. Havent looked back at the Yamaha's amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiobliss69 Posted October 29, 2005 Author Share Posted October 29, 2005 I moved everything individually as far as the cords would allow in every direction with no difference in the humm. As for the CDP (and yes it set me back a lot...[]), it hasn't been turned on since I set-up the monoblocks. I've just been using the tuner in the Yamaha. I've also thought about hooking the CDP up directly to the monoblocks since it has a variable volume output (headphone jack). This way I'd get to by-pass the yucky preamp section in the Yamaha and I'd get a taste for what a passive preamp would sound like. Any more thoughts? Thanks! audiobliss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travisc Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 only one. unplug the power supply for the cd player.(from the wall) after that youll have to wait for Marvel or one of the gurus to help out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiobliss69 Posted October 29, 2005 Author Share Posted October 29, 2005 Well, I unplugged the CDP from the wall, the printer from the wall, and the pencil sharpener from the wall (all are sitting on top my desk beside the monoblocks). I even unplugged the lamp that sits on the lower area of my desk. No noted difference in humm. Thanks for all the suggestions. Keep them coming, as I'd really like to get rid of the humm if it's possible! audiobliss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travisc Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 is it both of them or just one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiobliss69 Posted October 29, 2005 Author Share Posted October 29, 2005 Well, I just switched things up. I just hooked up my CDP directly to the monoblocks to see if that'd do away with the humm. I must say Eric Clapton Unplugged is sounding really nice... Anyways, when I turn the volume down all the way on my CDP there's just a little bit of static, but no humm to speak of. So does this mean my receiver is my problem? And it's coming from both speakers (when I was using the Yamaha). Thanks for any help!! audiobliss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 audiobliss, When you plug your RCAs into the front pre-out jacks on the rear panel of your Yami the front internal amps are disabled. The other amps in the Yami will still be active. Do the Waves have 3 prong plugs? If so try some "cheater" plugs on them. That will eliminate any ground loop potential problems. Is the hum there with the RCAs disconnected from the Waves? Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiobliss69 Posted October 29, 2005 Author Share Posted October 29, 2005 "The other amps in the Yami will still be active." Why's that important? I mean...what am I missing? "3 prong plugs" I have no idea what those are. Each has an RCA plug for the input and then two 5way binding posts (that probably aren't 5way). One is for ground, one for an 8ohm load. And what's a 'cheater' plug? Thanks a bunch!! audiobliss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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