Tube phono preamp or SS

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medium jim

Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #20 on: 14 May 2013, 03:51 am »
Well, perhaps more important is buying tubes from a reputable dealer who grades their tubes for noise etc.

Kevin Deal from Upscale Audio is a good person to talk to for these, as is Jim McShane. Be sure to tell the tube seller that the tubes will be in a phono stage.

I've used TheTubeStore and really like them...they will test for low noise if you ask and their prices are reasonable for both NOS and New Production.


http://www.thetubestore.com/

Jim

Ericus Rex

Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #21 on: 14 May 2013, 11:17 am »
If you want to jump into NOS without spending a ton of money then old US tubes are the way to go.  Don't get me wrong; the Euros sounds awesome but are priced high b/c of it.  Go US and you should then be able to retube the whole phono section for $100-200.  Roscoe is absolutely right, be sure to tell the dealer you'll be putting these into a phono stage.  Low noise tubes may cost a bit more but should be worth it in the end.  Buy matched pairs.  IIRC, you'll need a pair of 12AX7s and a pair of 12AU7s.  If there is one US 12AU7 I'd say to avoid it would be the RCA Cleartop 12AU7.  Every single one I've owned has gone microphonic and there are lots of other people who've had the same experience.

And CHANGE OUT THOSE 6SN7S!!!!  Rogue supplies the 99 with Chinese 6SN7s.  They don't sound too bad but you can do so much better for not a lot of dough.  Again, stick with US here, the Euros are just way too expensive and rare.  US manufacturers made tons and tons of 6SN7s so you can find them anywhere for cheap.  GEs and RCAs are nice and cheap and sound good.  You can even get those on ebay if you're feeling adventurous/lucky.  Be sure it's a seller with lots of good feedback and preferably one who uses an Amplitrex tester.  Again, buy matched pairs but you can buy pairs from different manufacturers.  BTW, in the 99 the 6SN7 tubes are oriented a little different than most manufacturers;  you'll put one matched pair in the right two sockets and the other matched pair in the left two.

Have fun!

medium jim

Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #22 on: 14 May 2013, 02:59 pm »
I will go one step farther and say that Mil/Industrial Spec USA Made vintage tubes are as good or better than their Euro equivalents.  And there is absolutely nothing wrong with buying test strong tubes to save big money, plus it saves on the burn in time.  Go even one step farther and buy the rebranded tubes....understand, many a great tube will be private label branded, but were made by one of the big boys. 

Here's a helpful website to figure a lot of it out:

http://www.triodeel.com/eiacode.htm

Happy Tube Rolling to you, until we Roll Again....

Jim

sturgus

Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #23 on: 14 May 2013, 11:03 pm »

jzatopa

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Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #24 on: 28 May 2013, 10:15 pm »
I'm trying to make a similar decision right now.

jzatopa

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Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #25 on: 18 Jun 2013, 12:03 am »
I have been trying to decide between building an VSPS 300 and Tetra phono stage myself.  I am sure that the VSPS 300 is hard to beat but I just love the look of glowing tubes.  I wish I could find a solid review comparing the two.

BobM

Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #26 on: 18 Jun 2013, 01:40 pm »
IMO the phono stage is usually the weakest link in a vinyl setup. That being said, I like tubes there, but getting a good one isn't an inexpensive proposition, especially if you are using a LOMC and need the extra "quiet" gain. You will get more bang for your $ with a SS unit, but they just miss out on that something special that tubes bring to the table (pun intended).

Deafbykhorns

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Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #27 on: 23 Jun 2013, 12:51 am »
Those speakers are difficult loads but if you could find a Classic Bedini amp, it would drive that speaker easily.
I have the 45/45, bass is solid, mids are 3d and seems to drive my Scan Speaks with ease compared to 100wpc amp I had.

rollo

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Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #28 on: 23 Jun 2013, 02:20 pm »
Tube Phono Stages typically are non-colored and allow for tube rolling which can be the ticket for listening to different genres of music 8)

Jim


   Not in my experience. Tube rolling absolutely allows for voicing which is adding or changing color. Now using a Loesch and Weisner Phonostage which has WE417A input,  RCA 6Gk5 cathode follower and  Tungsol 5687 output tubes. Sounds as good as it gets but is colored in direct comparison to the Miracle and Vista SS units.
     As much as I adore the tubed flavor the SS devices are just more neutral in my system. For tubes Vintage Tube Service ask for Andy. You get the real deal tested to the hilt.


charles

jimdgoulding

Re: Tube phono preamp or SS
« Reply #29 on: 23 Jun 2013, 03:27 pm »
If it were me and I had $700 to throw at it. I would upgrade the table. If you sell the Rega and add the $700 you can get a lot of table buying used. You will probably have to spend at least a grand to better what you already have in the phonostage. Then you are still stuck with an entry level table. Just a few that I found.

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/turntables-michell-focus-one-w-mayware-formula-4-arm-2013-04-26-analog-53005
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/turntables-thorens-td-166-mk-ii-w-rega-rb600-2013-04-25-analog-97123
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/turntables-luxman-vintage-audiophile-pd-121-with-audiocraft-ac400c-tonearm-turntable-2013-04-27-analog-91344-granada-hills-ca
http://app.audiogon.com/listings/turntables-vpi-hw-19-mk-3-with-audioquest-pt-6-and-benz-micro-glider-h2-2013-05-06-analog-10591-north-tarrytown-ny
Thank you, Sturgus, for the work that took.  I priced air fare to STL as I would lie to hang out sometime, but, damn, the cost is nearly what it's costing me to fly to San Francisco!  Maybe it's the time of year :dunno:.