[glfrancis]

I keep reading about tubes giving superior imaging. How much of that would I get from the 600r vs a solid state amp?

[whell]

Superior to what?  One can get excellent imaging from a good system - tube or SS - set up correctly in a room with reasonably good acoustics, with well recorded material.

[avahifi]

Inasmuch as our Fet Valve 600R has ten times the power of the Ultravalve and has even better audio channel isolation from each other due to multiple regulated power supplies, it should not be a surprise the the 600R throws a big, wide, deep image.  By far the better choice unless you are using very efficient speakers. And unfortunately the Ultravalve is out of production right now due to parts shortages.

Even a better choice would be a pair of our M225 mono amps, which everyone reports astonishment with their amazing imaging capability.  Something you have to hear to believe.

I have a pair running in my two channel HT system right now just using the smart TV's stereo headphone outputs into an older Vision solid state preamplifier to our new R2X converter box to interface with  the M225 amplifiers driving a several year old pair of Salk HT2 TL speakers.

I get an astonishing image now (width, depth, and height) with just exquisite overall musicality, transparency and resolving capability.  Probably better then any multichannel HT system you have ever heard.

The M225 is just magic!  Yes, source is TV sound from Utube music videos, old solid state preamp, A2D interface, older Salk speakers, and the MAGIC M225 amplifiers.  You can't possibly believe what I am reporting until you hear it.

If you are close to the Twin Cities area, come to visit us and become a believer.  Call first 651-330-9871.

Frank

[BadDNA]

Hello AVA community, new forum member here.

Have owned a SET 120 amp since last year and have enjoyed it immensely!

Looking forward to posting some more here.

Ed

[rotarius]

Agree with Whell, imaging is not necessarily an advantage of tubes over SS.  Speakers and room acoustics will dictate whether a tube or SS amp will make you happy.  If I had to generalize, I find my SS amps have a wider soundstage in my room and my tube amps have more depth, tubes make the mids and vocals pop out, while SS seems flatter.  Enjoy both.

[Nick B]

Hello AVA community, new forum member here.

Have owned a SET 120 amp since last year and have enjoyed it immensely!

Looking forward to posting some more here.

Ed

Hi Ed,
Welcome to the AVA community. I’ve had my SET 120 Control Amp for 4-5 months and appreciate it just like you do 
Nick

[aln]

In the 600R tubes matter quite a bit!  Some tubes will have a deeper/wider soundstage than others.  This to me is the great advantage of the 600R.  Room acoustics are also critical, but being able to voice your system through the input tubes is quite remarkable.  Buy one!

[BadDNA]

Hi Ed,
Welcome to the AVA community. I’ve had my SET 120 Control Amp for 4-5 months and appreciate it just like you do 
Nick

Thanks Nick!

I do not have the control amp version, just the 2 channel amp since I already had a decent preamp.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

The AVA 600R is a hybrid amp.  It does not sound fully SS or full tube.  I reviewed the original 600R although it has gone through some changes since then for the better.  I do have a friend that has the 400R and tube rolling does make a difference.

I have not heard that tube amps have superior imaging.  It just depends upon the design of the amp and of course your speakers, speaker positioning and other electronics involved.  Personally, I run a SS amp and a tube preamp.

[SteveFord]

Better soundstage with tubes is perhaps what he is asking about?

[glfrancis]

Too bad I don't know of someone in my area with the amp. Borrow the amp. I'd let them borrow my manley chinook if it helped. Just an idea.     

[Nick B]

Thanks Nick!

I do not have the control amp version, just the 2 channel amp since I already had a decent preamp.

I have a great preamp,  just happened to find a nice deal on a used Control Amp 

[trebejo]

The tube input stage of the 600r gives them a nice high input impedance (they don't need much current from the source). That eases them as a load for the preamp. The AVA preamps can handle the lower input impedance of a solid state just fine, but if there is a benefit to having it be even easier to handle, there's that. As for other preamps, that depends on the preamp. If it has higher output impedance (tube preamps can be like that) then it may benefit more from the high input impedance of the hybrid.