Thinking of getting into tube amps...recommendations?

starkiller · « **on:** 12 Jun 2009, 04:41 pm »

Newb here, in fact, i am probably whatever level is before newb

anyway, am thinking about getting into tube ampflication. only experience with tubes was a dynaco tuner and loved the glow

looking for at least 20 wpc. and i need inexpensiveness, having spent $ on a preamp and speakers.

thoughts/tips and ideas are greatly appreciated!

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #1 on:** 12 Jun 2009, 07:06 pm »

What's your price range? Are you looking for new or are you open to pre-enjoyed?

starkiller · « **Reply #2 on:** 12 Jun 2009, 07:20 pm »

pre-enjoyed is fine..something below $650 if possible or lower...

dweekie · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 Jun 2009, 12:16 am »

What speakers are you powering? The really fun tube amps (in my opinion anyway) are single-ended with power ratings in the single digits. Many find tube amps with fewer watts to sound just as powerful as solid state amps with higher power figures. If your speakers are efficient enough, you may open up some more options.

starkiller · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 Jun 2009, 12:36 am »

ACI Emerald XL's...their recommendation is 20 wpc or more...

Hogg · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 Jun 2009, 01:07 am »

The Vista Audio EL34 is a stunning amp for the price, less than $1000. Save your money for it. It will drive the ACI Emerald-XL's very well.

Jim

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 Jun 2009, 01:55 am »

I have a Quicksilver GLA, 40 watts per side. It's pretty sweet and super reliable and you can find used for under $650.

JakeJ · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 Jun 2009, 02:44 pm »

If you could swing it a used Music Reference RM-10 MkII would be perfect with 35WPC from a pair of EL-84's.

If you have DIY blood in you then perhaps a used vintage amp that you could refurbish yourself might be the ticket.

Just a couple of thoughts slightly outside the box.

Cheers,
JakeJ

Edit: Another consideration might be Niteshade Audio for an affordable solution.

bpape · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 Jun 2009, 03:43 pm »

You're used to quite a bit of power. You might want to consider a hybrid. There are a couple of used Counterpoint amps on AGon right now that would work pretty nicely.

Bryan

doug s. · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Jun 2009, 04:54 pm »

enjoy the music said this amp was a bargain at $1299. at $525 delivered, it seems a no-brainer...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260423831962

it can be run triode (45wpc), ul (65wpc), is dual-mono, and allows for individual bias adjustment of each power tube. the supplied power tubes are rated highly; you would likely wanna try different 6sn7's & 12ax7's...

doug s.

Listens2tubes · « **Reply #10 on:** 14 Jun 2009, 01:47 pm »

What preamp are you going to use?

starkiller · « **Reply #11 on:** 14 Jun 2009, 04:50 pm »

Acurus L10

S Clark · « **Reply #12 on:** 14 Jun 2009, 06:58 pm »

I know that Gary Dodd is designing his new battery powered 6qb5 tube amp to run under $1000. When he starts production, I suspect that it will be really something, as I have never heard anything negative about his designs, and mostly raves. I think it is supposed to reach around 15 wpc, so it's close to what you are looking for in power, and would give you a cutting edge amp. Worth a phone call to talk to him. Google Dodd Audio.

earplay · « **Reply #13 on:** 14 Jun 2009, 07:15 pm »

Starkiller,

Here are some thoughts I hope are pertinent.

You might notice that you are getting recommendations for kits and used amps. That's because your power needs, price point are hard to meet with good tubes.

To meet your power requirements, you will almost always need matched sets of power tubes. If you want the real magic of tubes, you will end up looking for NOS tubes... matched sets of NOS tubes. The costs are rising quickly, here. If you limit your power to single digits, you can use unmatched power tubes and the cost, even for really good NOS tubes, comes down dramatically. Plus, you face the prospect of the continually rising cost of NOS tubes. There few examples of new tubes that match the sonic quality of NOS tubes.

A hybrid makes sense, but you are giving up some of the beauty a tube's sound. It's all comprimises.

These are the reasons you find very low powered tube amps. They are an inexpensive way to get into tubes. You can use the very best NOS tubes without breaking the bank... depending on your bank.

Really good flea-powered tube amps are around. Eastern Electric and Glow are Chinese examples. They are fully-assembled. Kits of varying complexity and cost are available from Bottlehead, Decware, Hawthorne and others. These can sound as good or better than commercially available amps at a fraction of the cost. Vaughn Audio makes a great amp assembled. As does Ram Labs (Music Reference amps). He gets more power from a single tube without damaging the tube than anyone else.

This is only a partial list. Others worthy of purchase are out there.

Refurbed and modified old amps are another possibility, but they tend to want matched sets of tubes. Again, the cost of matched tubes arises.

Hope this helps. Keep asking around and look at different sites. There are plenty and it's fun.

Best wishes, earplay

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #14 on:** 15 Jun 2009, 03:36 pm »

I don't think you'll find a 20 watt single ended amp in your budget. Hybrid certainly is an option, I've owned a Counterpoint SA-100 in the past and it is a great amp. However, I would imagine that the L10 would benefit from an all tube amp; I seem to remember it being a little 'hot' sounding. In addition to the Quicksilver GLA you could find some Quicksilver Mini Mite (or is it just the Mite?) mono blocks used in your range. You probably could find a vintage Dynaco (or many other vintage amps - just watch out for availability or tubes and condition of caps in the case of vintage), or Antique Sound Labs (ASL) amps (I think their Wave monos fall into your wattage req's and well within your budget), or an old Golden Tube amp (though I've heard "?'s" about their reliability). Lots of choices, but for performance and reliability, I still heartily recommend the GLA, and it rocks with KT88s.

James Romeyn · « **Reply #15 on:** 15 Jun 2009, 04:48 pm »

Long, relevent; the closer the speaker load is to 8 Ohms the more worthwhile is the reading http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=68889.msg638715#msg638715

LostInPA · « **Reply #16 on:** 15 Jun 2009, 11:11 pm »

Check out the products from Niteshade Audio, a frequent contributor to Audiocircle. Don't see exactly what you want? Email or telephone Blair Lamphear, The Man at Niteshade. His products are retro cool without the boutique look. Yes, they do sound good and, with variable bias and variable feedback controls offered, the amps can be tuned to suit the type of output tubes and type of load. Thoughtfully built products at reasonable prices.

jeenie67 · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Jun 2009, 11:18 pm »

......buy asbestos gloves....and cocoa butter for your fingers !

Niteshade · « **Reply #18 on:** 25 Jun 2009, 09:54 am »

Oh, honestly!

Quote from: jeenie67 on 24 Jun 2009, 11:18 pm

......buy asbestos gloves....and cocoa butter for your fingers !

jeenie67 · « **Reply #19 on:** 25 Jun 2009, 01:50 pm »

....My transition forever to tube amplification began with a modest 50 year old 20 watt ? 15? ..don't know for sure and don't care; I love the little guy ..amp rifled out of a miss-functioning mini console record changer. For all the solid state amps I've owned (Crowns, Threshold, Phase Linear, Kenwood, Hafler, more Crowns, and some I'm unable to think of), I never heard such musicality ..panchromatic resonance ..profundity of sonic grace ..constancy of tonal cohesiveness. I suggest a modest investment into a used stereo power amp...any amp. It may always find a spot on the shelf either as a dedicated HF or LF amp, serve duty as a channel amp for a theater system, or as, when I update my system, find a home in an office system so there's possibilities....even in the garage for us Euro motorheads. The investment shall pay off endlessly. Tubes for the tube-o-phile never go away, they just get mellower....like us as we age...maybe like a fine wine. And my crack about the gloves did it's job....evoked a response! Go where your ear takes you...peruse the fine advice already communicated here and remember...the more tube equipment you collect, the more subdued lighting you'll have for romance. "Tanx" Jeenie.