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Tube newbie - need advice


carjulreyes

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I'm about to pull the trigger and get the Wright Sound WLP20 line/phono preamp, and I'm looking for a reality check here. Eventually, I'm looking to buy or build a tube amp when I get some more budget - 1 or 2 years down the road. But for now, my plan is connect the WLP20 to my current HT receiver (yamaha rxv-757) via the AUX input. Any opinions about this idea -good or bad idea? Is there any other preamps with line and phono that I should consider? I looked at the Prologue 3 but was turned off with the phone stage add on.

My goal is to get a better 2 channel sound from both my turntable and cd player than what I currently have with the HT receiver and a Bellari vp129 phono stage. I've been able to audition a few peices of tube gear and I like what I'm hearing. So, the WLP20 will be my first step in putting together a decent 2 channel tube system. The other option that keeps circling in my head is new or vintage tube integrateds. But I keep leaning towards separates for the flexibility down the road.

Carlo

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A good way to go is a less expensive tube intergrated such as Scott, Fisher etc. Use a switch box between the amps and the speakers and you will be fine. You then won't be in such a hurry to spend your money on more equipment (well mabey you will be) and when you are ready, we can spend your money like no one else can![:P][:)]

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Thanks for the replies and that's just it. I'll give you the opportunity to help me spend my money right now. My wife graciously agreed to let me spend $3k on a tube system but preferred that I not spend it all at once right now. Kind of like over a 3 year period but is ok with $1500 right now.

So if it's not possible or not recommended that I hook the tube preamp into the aux of the HT receiver, maybe I should wait until I can put in all of the money for both tube preamp and amp. The only reason I'm thinking I can buy the preamp now is that I'm fairly certain that I want the tube preamp but I'm not sure as to what I want in an amp -SS amp or PP or SET tube amp just yet.

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I looked at the Yamaha website at the back of your 757 (I have the 750, just before your unit, the only difference is that you are XM ready) You have pre outs and I don't see any pre-ins. If you went into your amp via aux ect, you will still be using the preamp in the 757 so you won't gain anything.

There are many very good pre-amps out there but a lot of the people on this board are using JM products. The Blue Berry is a full function pre-amp, they are a very good quality pre and can be had new for $1495 (though sometimes a used one comes up at a good price) I don't have one but I have heard them and as I said, they are good. This is the quickest way to get a tube pre-amp without the hunt.

You will still need an amp though and the field is wide open here for sure. The next choice you need to make is what kind of amp are you interested in. The major divisions are SET (single ended triode) and PP (push pull) There are many here on both sides and many battles have been fought over this topic.

In a nutshell, SET amps are lower power (normaly under 10w) they have very nice midrange and high end with a wide sound stage but are a little lunder powered in the bass department if you like music with lots of bass like Rock and Roll, Jazz etc at higher volums, this amp is not for you.

PP tend to be much higher power (up to 50w and more) they have good midrange, good high end and very good bass control. They have a more narow (not a tunnel!) sound stage and have less distortion at listening levels.

There are other types of power amps but this covers about 90% of what you need to know.

So what kind of music do you like? How loud? How big is the room?

I bet we can spend every penny you have and then some more![;)][:P]

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Thanks for the replies and that's just it. I'll give you the opportunity to help me spend my money right now. My wife graciously agreed to let me spend $3k on a tube system but preferred that I not spend it all at once right now. Kind of like over a 3 year period but is ok with $1500 right now.

So if it's not possible or not recommended that I hook the tube preamp into the aux of the HT receiver, maybe I should wait until I can put in all of the money for both tube preamp and amp. The only reason I'm thinking I can buy the preamp now is that I'm fairly certain that I want the tube preamp but I'm not sure as to what I want in an amp -SS amp or PP or SET tube amp just yet.

It sound like you are looking to purchase the Wright preamp "new". My suggestion is to be a bit patient and wait for a used one to show up on the Audiogon site and save yourself several hundred dollars that can remain in the war chest for future purchases that upgrade your source components.

Klipsch out.

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In a nutshell, SET amps are lower power (normaly under 10w) they have very nice midrange and high end with a wide sound stage but are a little lunder powered in the bass department if you like music with lots of bass like Rock and Roll, Jazz etc at higher volums, this amp is not for you.

[;)][:P]

It is always awful to see this kind of mis-information dispensed.

Klipsch out.

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I have asked this in the past, no one seemed to know of one, but, here goes again:

Is there a tube preamp with a remote (with at least a volume control), prephono for my TT, and a home theater bypass avail?

It seems like the Peach has the HT bypass, but nothing for the phone, and the BlueBerry is set up for phone, but no HT bypass. Apparently they are about to be able to have a remote.

Vintage gear is great, but no remote. I am continuously having to adjust the volume when the phone rings, the kids, or my wife need something. Totally is a bummer to have to get my rear end up off the couch 2-3 times per song. I know, I am lazy....

So, any ideas?

Paul

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I have asked this in the past, no one seemed to know of one, but, here goes again:

Is there a tube preamp with a remote (with at least a volume control), prephono for my TT, and a home theater bypass avail?

It seems like the Peach has the HT bypass, but nothing for the phone, and the BlueBerry is set up for phone, but no HT bypass. Apparently they are about to be able to have a remote.

Vintage gear is great, but no remote. I am continuously having to adjust the volume when the phone rings, the kids, or my wife need something. Totally is a bummer to have to get my rear end up off the couch 2-3 times per song. I know, I am lazy....

So, any ideas?

Paul

Try this. Cary SLP 98. It comes with volume remote, phono, but not HT bypass. Cary may be able to provide that mod at the factory, I'm not sure.

SLP 98 photo

Klipsch out.

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There are many very good pre-amps out there but a lot of the people on this board are using JM products. The Blue Berry is a full function pre-amp, they are a very good quality pre and can be had new for $1495 (though sometimes a used one comes up at a good price) I don't have one but I have heard them and as I said, they are good. This is the quickest way to get a tube pre-amp without the hunt.

You will still need an amp though and the field is wide open here for sure. The next choice you need to make is what kind of amp are you interested in. The major divisions are SET (single ended triode) and PP (push pull) There are many here on both sides and many battles have been fought over this topic.

In a nutshell, SET amps are lower power (normaly under 10w) they have very nice midrange and high end with a wide sound stage but are a little lunder powered in the bass department if you like music with lots of bass like Rock and Roll, Jazz etc at higher volums, this amp is not for you.

PP tend to be much higher power (up to 50w and more) they have good midrange, good high end and very good bass control. They have a more narow (not a tunnel!) sound stage and have less distortion at listening levels.

There are other types of power amps but this covers about 90% of what you need to know.

So what kind of music do you like? How loud? How big is the room?

I bet we can spend every penny you have and then some more![;)][:P]

I didn't realize that the Blue Berry was in that price range. I looked at those a few months back (before my wife agreed to my current budget) and probably thought back then that they were out of my price range.

I have auditioned a Kailyn push pull integrated amp and the Cary 300SE at home with my Chorus' and Quartets. I must admit that I agree that the SET amps are best suited for certain types of music and the sound stage is unbelievable. And I can see why people of different rigs for different types of music. But on a budget for now and no room yet for multiple systems, I'm looking for the best overall amp - which makes me still undecided between solid state and tubes (most likely PP).

My current listening room is 20x12. I listen to classical, jazz, disco, new age, rock - pretty much the whole gambit of genres. I listen at a soft to moderate levels, on occasion I'll crank it on a song I really like. For instance, when I was auditioning the Cary 300SE this past weekend, I had the gain on my Bellari phono stage only 1/3 the way up and I thought that was more than enough volume. So I think a low wattage amp will suit me just fine if need be.

It sound like you are looking to purchase the Wright preamp "new". My suggestion is to be a bit patient and wait for a used one to show up on the Audiogon site and save yourself several hundred dollars that can remain in the war chest for future purchases that upgrade your source components.

I have been scouring Audiogon as well as some local hifi shop sites for the last couple of months. I was hoping that if the response to using the aux would have been positive, I would have been more inclined to buy new. But it looks like I need to rethink this and keep looking at my options.

Thanks again for the input.

Carlo

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Thanks for the replies and that's just it. I'll give you the opportunity to help me spend my money right now. My wife graciously agreed to let me spend $3k on a tube system but preferred that I not spend it all at once right now. Kind of like over a 3 year period but is ok with $1500 right now.

So if it's not possible or not recommended that I hook the tube preamp into the aux of the HT receiver, maybe I should wait until I can put in all of the money for both tube preamp and amp. The only reason I'm thinking I can buy the preamp now is that I'm fairly certain that I want the tube preamp but I'm not sure as to what I want in an amp -SS amp or PP or SET tube amp just yet.

It sound like you are looking to purchase the Wright preamp "new". My suggestion is to be a bit patient and wait for a used one to show up on the Audiogon site and save yourself several hundred dollars that can remain in the war chest for future purchases that upgrade your source components.

Klipsch out.

Agree 100% with Jazzman's suggestion. I always say it and will say it again. Wait for a good deal on a used amp pre amp or whatever expensive audio equipment your in the market for. At this point you will change your mind and make mistakes on your purchase. This is the main reason buying use is a good idea. When folks tell you something, always take it with a grain of salt. For the longest time I was too afraid of using a SET amp on my system, they say not enough headroom and all. My Yamamoto A-08S with 45 tubes (3 watts/channel) seems to have enough juice to make my ears bleed and the sonic attributes of this amp is out of this world, when you integrate it with the correct system.[;)]

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