[rollo]

Some tube experts suggest the driver tube creates more differences in the end sound result than a EL34 Mullard or a EL34 GE, JJ etc
The EL34 x KT88 differences are huge.

  Agree 100%.


charles

[jeffreybehr]

I decided some months ago to be rid of SETs poweramps and output tubes, so I bought a pair of First Watt J2s and wired them into mono for 30 Watts into 8 and 60 Watts into 4 per chassis.  Gorgeous sound and plenty of power.  Also recently bought a c-j hybrid poweramp, an MET150, with five 6922s in the frontend and SS output stages.  (This is used for 2 ends of the centerchannel plus the surround channels.)  My much-loved c-j MET1 preamp has six M8080 tubes--not only just one per channel but one triode section per channel.



So in my six-channel system, 11 (including NO output tubes) is the right number of vacuumtubes.

[rockadanny]

I do NOT have too many tubes, but a minimal number. I purposely assembled my system to not have too many to deal with.

CDP - 1
Preamp - 3 (one per channel plus one rectifier)
Power amps - 4 per monoblock (input, driver, and two power tubes)
Subs - 0

Would I love less? Yes, but not if it means lesser quality playback.

[rpf]

DAC - 1

Integrated amp:
Pre section - 1; Amp section - 2 phase splitters, 2 drivers, and 4 power tubes. Works for me.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

My last preamp had 8 tubes. Don't think I'll ever do that again, maybe 4 tubes at the very most. To much noise/hiss.

My BAT preamp has 8 tubes and my DAC has 2 tubes, no hiss at all.  The preamp is dead quiet.