SWL Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Can you do this? Just getting into tubes with my two channel set-up as follows..........JM Peach ll, Eastern Electric Mini Max, Jolida JD 100a and RB-75's. This system sounds so sweet but I feel needs more power. The Mini Max is 8 watts including the Mullard rectifier tube. I can turn the Peach up about 3/4 of the way before it seems to run out of gas but before that it sounds incredible, very relaxing and warm with every bit of detail without "any" harsh or edgyness. That being said, the Peach- Mini Max combo has got me hooked so if I obtained another 8 watt Mini Max would it make sense to bridge them if that is possible? Mark if you're reading this, the Peach-Crown XLS series did not suit my taste. However, the above has made me "giddy" all over again. Thanks Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Nooooooooo ..... !!! Smmmmoke .. will follow obviously, you need a bigger amp ...[*-)] and ...less ..Distortion .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 Ouch!! I had a feeling.......but it's just that I've used the Mini Max with other pre's and it sounds so good, just not enough output. (My first tube amp) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 I don't know about smoke....most Stereo amps can be bridged. But it's always advisable to contact the manufacturer of the amp for absolute information on doing so. The distortion will go up a bit. You may or may not hear it. By the time you source a second amp and go through the hassles you would most likely be better off selling your existing amp and buying a more powerful tube amp though. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Since he has 2 sets of binding posts in the RF-&s, why can't he run another pair of amps on the bottom set? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 He could but at least one set would have to have level matching abilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 He could but at least one set would have to have level matching abilities. Two of the same identical amps...........wouldn't need "level matching abilities" correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Two of the same identical amps...........wouldn't need "level matching abilities" correct?Correct, but you're not going to notice any increase in volume because both amps will still be amplifying a full-bandwidth signal. They might run a little bit cooler though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Craig .... You ... recommend . Bridging .... a Tube amp ..? bwaaaahahahaha .......[*-)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Depending on the amp model and the proposed load....some tube amps can be parallel wired....some tube amps bridged. Lower impedance loads are better handled by parallel wired.....higher impedance loads by bridging. The challenge for bridging is a source for an inverted signal for the - connected amp. If you bridge...keep in mind....impedance rules change....if you put a 4 ohm load on a bridged pair of amps...each amp will only see 2 ohms.....for some amps...that could mean trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Spinner Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 " if you put a 4 ohm load on a bridged pair of amps...each amp will only see 2 ohms.....for some amps...that could mean trouble." i see .... smmmoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshnich Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 I know that you can bridge McIntosh tube amps or at least I know you can bridge a MC225 because I was running mine that way. The stereo 25 watts a side amp, when bridged is a 50 watt mono amp. To do so you needed to bridge the speaker posts for 8 ohm speakers you bridge the 16 ohm connectors and the common connectors. There is also a mono / stereo switch on the amp. I would suspect that the amp is designed to do this because of the switch and the manual having directions as to how to do it! Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted January 6, 2008 Author Share Posted January 6, 2008 I know that you can bridge McIntosh tube amps or at least I know you can bridge a MC225 because I was running mine that way. The stereo 25 watts a side amp, when bridged is a 50 watt mono amp. To do so you needed to bridge the speaker posts for 8 ohm speakers you bridge the 16 ohm connectors and the common connectors. There is also a mono / stereo switch on the amp. I would suspect that the amp is designed to do this because of the switch and the manual having directions as to how to do it! Josh Thanks Josh. I should have been more specific in that I meant bridging two separate identical tube amps together, to perhaps double the output.Until I can get a bigger tube power amp I think I'll try bi-amping the 75's with some ss Marantz mono blocks (ma-700's) on the LF's. Maybe that will enhance the output closer to what it should be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Craig .... You ... recommend . Bridging .... a Tube amp ..? bwaaaahahahaha ....... I don't see where I recommended anything? I advised checking with the amplifier manufacturer. I advised that a higher powered amp would be a better choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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