tom b. 57 Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 I have recently become interested in learning about tube amps,preamps,tuners,etc. I know absolutely nothing about them. I am hoping some of you good people can help. I have many questions. What makes a good tube amp? what kind of specs. should I be considering? Are there any particular makes to stay away from? what constitutes a good piece of tube equipment? Are there any articles or web sites that you could recommend that would give me some good info.? How do you shop for tube equip.? Please help. Thank you, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Now there is a can of worms.......Hold on Tom, once the answers start this could becoming interesting.......indeed........I am sure you will get responses to that question, for sure......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 First ...... don't listen to anything the guy above me say's ......!!!! then .... go buy some SET ...... no, go buy some PP.... Aaaah .... your sure gonna get a LOT of Opinions ...... ...............what components do you have ..??? ...............how loud do you like it..?? ...............how can we make O.B. .. go back to bed ...??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Yeah, you had better fill out your system profile with the source of music/movies, what you like to watch/listen to, how much is music or movies, what front-end equipment you have now, what you plan for the future, number of channels now or in the near future, speakers, sub-woofers, room size, acoustic treatments and your plan for the your system. That way, the kind and thoughtful posters here can provide advice based on what you know and like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 From previous post: <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/thread/455237.aspx Things to know about tubes that you never thought to ask: X Don't ever play with the amps when they are on X Don't touch the tubes while they are hot X Try not to touch the glass at all since our finger oil is not good for them X Plan on buying another pair of tubes in about 1 to 3 years depending on all sorts of things X When the sound starts to seem a little brittle or harsh, it is almost always one of the tubes, so plan to have a spareX Question every solid-state amplifier measurement as they can no longer guide you X Kids will go right for the tubes when they see themX A very solid base (think turntable vibration isolation platform) is good for them X The more ventilation the better (think 3 feet of air around them) X Try different interconnects if you can (think thin silver instead of thick copper)X Some people swear that leaving them on all the time is best (seems to be helping a tube I thought was going bad) X Poster Mobile Homeless thinks that any form of surge protection can degrade the dynamics (my jury is still out, leaving them with OUT surge protection scares me too much to even try)X If you can get the measurements on a specific tube, you can match it with the measurements from another one and they will sound better togetherX Hang out at the tube forum at the audio asylum and while you will not understand what they are saying, you will realize that you made the right choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3dzapper Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Tom, The quickest way to dip your toes into the tube pond is with a rebuilt integrated amp from the sixties from Scott, Fisher, HK etc. In that way, you can see if the tube sound is for you without too great an expense. Your costs can be recovered when you move up or out (though I doubt the latter). Such amps come up here regularly with many of them rebuilt by Craig NOS Valves. That is where most of us here started our trek. From there, the sky is the limit or rather your pocket book is.[] In seperates, IMO, the best bang for the buck is Mark Deneen's Blueberry Extreme pre amp and a pair of George Wright's sweet DHT PP amplifiers ( can be bought used for about $1k). For more slam try Craig's VRDs (rarely available used). All three are lovingly hand built by their designers. Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom b. 57 Posted October 13, 2006 Author Share Posted October 13, 2006 Well, I see this isn't going to be as cut and dry as I thought it might be. Here is a list of my existing equipment: Carver M500 amp. (250 rms per channel), Phase Linear 3000 Series II pre amp, Carver TX 8 tuner, HK EQ 8 graphic equalizer, Sony DVP-NC80V cd/dvd player, '73' Cornwalls, '75' Cornwalls with a K43 woofer instead of the original K33, '89' Fortes, all connected through a speaker selector switch. My room is aprox. 12-14 by 20-22 ft. I listen to 60's and 70's rock,soul,funk,love the blues,jazz of any era, and an occasional 80's,90's and yes, even this century's music, (although not to often). I like my music, for the most part, as loud as I and my neighbors can stand it. As long as it is distortion free. No clipping allowed. Do you think there is something out there that will suit me? Oh by the way I have a pair of KG5.5's and a pair of KG4's hooked up to a Sony receiver of moderate power for standby ( normally an HK3480, but oopsed it and am now waiting for replacement which HK has notified me, is in the mail). In my bedroom I have a Marantz classic 2275, an AkaiGXC-730D cassette deck, a pair if Klipsch SF1's and a pair of polk Monitor30, I almost forgot an Audio Control 10 band eq. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cal Blacksmith Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Well, I see this isn't going to be as cut and dry as I thought it might be. Here is a list of my existing equipment: Carver M500 amp. (250 rms per channel), Phase Linear 3000 Series II pre amp, Carver TX 8 tuner, HK EQ 8 graphic equalizer, Sony DVP-NC80V cd/dvd player, '73' Cornwalls, '75' Cornwalls with a K43 woofer instead of the original K33, '89' Fortes, all connected through a speaker selector switch. My room is aprox. 12-14 by 20-22 ft. I listen to 60's and 70's rock,soul,funk,love the blues,jazz of any era, and an occasional 80's,90's and yes, even this century's music, (although not to often). I like my music, for the most part, as loud as I and my neighbors can stand it. As long as it is distortion free. No clipping allowed. Do you think there is something out there that will suit me? Oh by the way I have a pair of KG5.5's and a pair of KG4's hooked up to a Sony receiver of moderate power for standby ( normally an HK3480, but oopsed it and am now waiting for replacement which HK has notified me, is in the mail). In my bedroom I have a Marantz classic 2275, an AkaiGXC-730D cassette deck, a pair if Klipsch SF1's and a pair of polk Monitor30, I almost forgot an Audio Control 10 band eq. Tom Well, I think you can cross off SET amps from the list! You want to FEEL the music as well as hear it, again, the question comes up, do you want to jump in with both feet or do you just want to find out about tubes? Some people LOVE the sound of Mac gear with horns (Allan Songer is THRILLED with his Mac amps and Corns for jazz) I think they are a great match also, but they are a little $$. If you just want to see what it is all about, I will echo the 60s era integrated amps, they really do sound quite nice. Fisher, Scott, Eico are GREAT first tube units with little risk of loosing money when you upgrade (as long as they are in good working order) The Juicy music line of equipment represents a good value for the money as do VRDs. There are other pieces of equipment out there that are an exceptional value for the $ when bought used. For example, my preamp, a VTL Ultimate, was a $3800 unit when new but can be bought for under $1000 now as it is "out of fashion" It just looks like a black box, no shiny chrome or exposed tubes. Sound? FANTASTIC! The list of things to think about that Collin posted is a good place to start. I will disagree with the "leave tubes on" thought as it "depends" Tubes have a life span of both hot and cold cycles AND hours of operation. If you use the equipment all the time every day, then leaving it on is a reasonable argument (though I don't like ANYTHING left on in my home when I am asleep or away) If you mainly listen on the weekends, then turning it on and off makes a good logical argument. Also, personally, I feel that the taboo of touching a tube with your fingers because the oil in the fingers will damage the tube is an old myth. I use a rag to wipe them off before turning them on for the first time after handling only because I don't want to take the chance of burning onto the tube any unsightly finger prints. The caution of handling them hot is a wise one though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 You can not go wrong with mac tube gear. Don't write off SET tube amps until you have heard them for themself. High efficiency speakers do not need high watt amps and horns love tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 "X Plan on buying another pair of tubes in about 1 to 3 years depending on all sorts of things " I hear this all the time. But folks who sell used gear, will tell you that the tubes will last for 40,000 hrs. Who is right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 WOW, You've got a pretty damn fine system right now......Boy oh boy, enough is never enough around here.............Crank It Up You Lucky Dog..............the Forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Go back to Bed ......O.B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 24 hours later...........No Change.......He still has NICE GEAR......I'd be proud to own that equipment.........I wouldn't be looking for more......but that's the Fever that gets burning on this Forum.......Enough is never Enough..........CRAZY PLACE......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom b. 57 Posted October 14, 2006 Author Share Posted October 14, 2006 OB, you are right the system I have now is great. I'm happy with it. A few weeks ago I was at an audio tech's home and got a chance to listen to a tube system. He had a'63' amp., a '63' pre amp, both which sold for $89.00 back then, an AR turntable, vintage 1960. and some small tower speakers that were made in Canada. The Canadian company non-existent now. The sound was smooth and silky. We listened to a little swing music and a little jazz. On one of the cuts off of the jazz album, you could actually hear the female singer take the breath before she started singing. It was unbelievable, the presence and clarity. All I can say is, that kind of clarity and the instruments sounding exactly like they should, blew me away. The sickness needs to be fed. I want. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Aaaahhhh ... you haven't heard me say ... system ... Synergy ... is everything .... it don't have to be Tubes .. necessarily ... to get "That " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 BTW ... ifn' ya dump that Phase Linear pre-amp...... you'll get what yer lookin' for....... they are ... Sonic Turd's ...... try a JM ..Merlin ......or .. Blueberry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 http://cgi.ebay.com/PAXTHON-tube-amplifier-NEW-110-watts-rms-LOOK_W0QQitemZ140041106779QQihZ004QQcategoryZ39783QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbuckster Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 GO FOR IT Tom.b....................Do what you gotta' do.......I am beginning to realize that there is NO END in the search of perfect re-production of Music........You can go to your grave and never find it................the length of the search depends on the searcher, and the depth of his wallet.....................I doubt the depth of my commitment......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted October 15, 2006 Share Posted October 15, 2006 "On one of the cuts off of the jazz album, you could actually hear the female singer take the breath before she started singing" I think this is the first time I read something specific about tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom b. 57 Posted October 15, 2006 Author Share Posted October 15, 2006 "I think this is the first time I read something specific about tubes." I don't know if it was the tubes or if it was a very well engineered recording. All I know is it was wonderful to hear such accurate sound reproduction. The stage presence was phenomenol. The audio guru that was humoring me is probably in his late 60's, and built his first crystal radio at age 7, I believe. He had been a consultant to boeing in the past and now repairs equipment at home. People send him stuff to fix from all over. While I was there, he showed me an amp that was sent all the way from Kansas City. It was some obscure company that was no longer in business. Half the time he talked over my head and I would have to let him know that I was at a loss. My knowledge is very limited when it comes to electronics and all the properties that come in to play. I certainly was impressed with what I heard though. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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