[Jonathan]

90 watts per channel. Great sounding and in nice cosmetic condition (fingerprints in the photos included at no extra charge). Purchased the amps used and have had no problems. Not sure exactly which tubes are in the amps, as many of them have no writing on them.

Selling to finance a higher powered/higher current ss amp to drive a pair of Thiel CS 3.6s.  Will consider trades of equal value.

Note: I prefer a local transaction so that you can see/hear the amps yourself prior to committing to a purchase.

Asking $1250/best reasonable offer. Email with offers/questions.  Thanks for looking.

[Big Red Machine]

Part of the tube contingent is KT88:

http://www.quicksilveraudio.com/history/SMonoManual.pdf

[Jonathan]

Part of the tube contingent is KT88:

http://www.quicksilveraudio.com/history/SMonoManual.pdf

Thanks for responding. I did not mean to imply I didn't know what kind of tubes the amps take (each amp: KT88 x 2, 5V4 x 1, 12BH7 x 1, and 12AX7 x 1), but rather I don't know what brand of tubes are in them right now. Hope this helps.

[Big Red Machine]

Not a fair question but maybe other tubes guys can comment:  There is a fellow from Canada selling these amps on Agon and he says they are more like 45 watts, not 90 watts.  I wonder why he says that?  Seems like a real deal killer statement unless he knows something about the power output the rest of us need to know.

Pete

[Tubeburner]

Mike Sanders understates his amps, so in my experience, these are around 100 watts. The pair on audiogon must be driving very ineffecient speakers or they need to go to Mike Sanders for evaluation. Quicksilver amps are very reliable and stable. Anyone interested can talk to Mike to verify. He is a man of few words, but his amps speak for themselves.

[ecramer]

Silver Mono Amplifier

quicksilver states the power output at 90watts

ED

Silver Mono Amplifier

    * 90 watts
    * Manufactured 1991-1995
    * Retail Price $2300-$2450
    * Instruction Manual

[Tubeburner]

Yes, stated is 90 watts. Like I said, Mike understates his amps. Not worth the discussion, just my experience.

[Ericus Rex]

That Agon seller is highly misinformed!

[Jonathan]

There is a fellow from Canada selling these amps on Agon and he says they are more like 45 watts, not 90 watts.  I wonder why he says that?  Seems like a real deal killer statement unless he knows something about the power output the rest of us need to know.
Pete

Yes, I saw that ad. I've never measured the output, but considering how well the Silver Monos drive my less-than-efficient Thiels, I'd be quite surprised if they were only putting out 45 watts per channel. And I agree that Mike Sanders does not strike me as the kind of guy who overstates the spec's on his products.

Last week,  some friends and I sat and listened to a few of our favorite "demo" pieces on my rig. When we finished, my friend looked over at me and asked, "So what's the problem here?" I have to admit, I was questioning my sanity all the while as well. For fun, we swapped the Silver Monos for an old Bryston 4B. We agreed the bass was more controlled.

Over the course of a week or so with the Bryston, I have heard a bit of extra headroom on orchestral music and additional grip on the bottom end, but I definitely miss the overall sound of the Quicksilvers, which, to me, are more open sounding a provide a more palpable midrange, especially on the small-scale, intimate stuff.

Still curious to hear a more modern solid state amp to see if I can find that bottom end control with the openness of the tube amps.

[Big Red Machine]

Mike Sanders understates his amps, so in my experience, these are around 100 watts. The pair on audiogon must be driving very ineffecient speakers or they need to go to Mike Sanders for evaluation. Quicksilver amps are very reliable and stable. Anyone interested can talk to Mike to verify. He is a man of few words, but his amps speak for themselves.

I was thinking the same thing but didn't want to lead the witnesses.  Thanks for chiming in guys.

I think I am a tube convert now.  I picked up a Jolida integrated 2 weeks ago and absolutely love the tube sound.  Man is it rich.  Now to get more serious in power level. aa

[Big Red Machine]

What type of speaker and input connections does this have?

[Jonathan]

What type of speaker and input connections does this have?

RCA inputs. Speaker terminals are screw strips with 8, 4, and 1 ohm taps. I use spades on my cables, but if you want to use bananas, I have gold plated adaptors that work great.

[doug s.]

i know i mentioned this in a prewious thread, but i believe you won't find any s/s amp to give you what you are enjoying w/a good tube amp.  better to get an outboard active x-over, cross the thiels at ~80hz, and get an inexpensive (pro audio?) s/s amp to drive a pair of subwoofers.  you will then have the bass you like, the headroom you want, plus, the thiels themselves will sound even better than they do now...

doug s.

[Jonathan]

i know i mentioned this in a prewious thread, but i believe you won't find any s/s amp to give you what you are enjoying w/a good tube amp.  better to get an outboard active x-over, cross the thiels at ~80hz, and get an inexpensive (pro audio?) s/s amp to drive a pair of subwoofers.  you will then have the bass you like, the headroom you want, plus, the thiels themselves will sound even better than they do now...

doug s.

Hi Doug,
Yes, you mentioned using an active crossover; however, the Thiels only have one set of binding posts under each speaker. To bypass them or do mods to the speaker is not really of interest to me at this point. I appreciate the input.

Jon

[doug s.]

i know i mentioned this in a prewious thread, but i believe you won't find any s/s amp to give you what you are enjoying w/a good tube amp.  better to get an outboard active x-over, cross the thiels at ~80hz, and get an inexpensive (pro audio?) s/s amp to drive a pair of subwoofers.  you will then have the bass you like, the headroom you want, plus, the thiels themselves will sound even better than they do now...

doug s.

Hi Doug,
Yes, you mentioned using an active crossover; however, the Thiels only have one set of binding posts under each speaker. To bypass them or do mods to the speaker is not really of interest to me at this point. I appreciate the input.

Jon

the fact that the thiels have only one set of binding posts does not matter - your quicksilvers would still be feeding them, only from ~80hz on up; having been relieved of the duty of seeing anything below that, from the active x-over.  having the speakers and amps crossed over at the line level w/an active x-over would allow both to perform much better...

doug s.

[Jonathan]

Now I see the part of your answer in which you suggested adding a pair of subs; sorry, I thought you were talking about bi-amping only the Thiels with an active crossover--I wasn't sure how that could happen with only one set of binding posts.

Not sure I'm ready to go that route; my only experience with subs has been less than stellar, which is why I went with floorstanders to begin with. Again, thanks for the input.

[doug s.]

Now I see the part of your answer in which you suggested adding a pair of subs; sorry, I thought you were talking about bi-amping only the Thiels with an active crossover--I wasn't sure how that could happen with only one set of binding posts.

Not sure I'm ready to go that route; my only experience with subs has been less than stellar, which is why I went with floorstanders to begin with. Again, thanks for the input.

when i first got my subs, active x-over and sub amp, my speakers were thiel 3.5's.  the results were stellar.     now, i would never be w/o an active sub set-up, regardless of what speakers i am using.  once you try good subs w/a good x-over, it's impossible to go back.

doug s.

[James Romeyn]

Mike Sanders understates his amps, so in my experience, these are around 100 watts. The pair on audiogon must be driving very ineffecient speakers or they need to go to Mike Sanders for evaluation. Quicksilver amps are very reliable and stable. Anyone interested can talk to Mike to verify. He is a man of few words, but his amps speak for themselves.

John Marks of Sphile recently wrote a column listing components that in his opinion may become classics.  IIRC all QS amps are included in the list.   

[James Romeyn]

Now I see the part of your answer in which you suggested adding a pair of subs; sorry, I thought you were talking about bi-amping only the Thiels with an active crossover--I wasn't sure how that could happen with only one set of binding posts.

Not sure I'm ready to go that route; my only experience with subs has been less than stellar, which is why I went with floorstanders to begin with. Again, thanks for the input.

when i first got my subs, active x-over and sub amp, my speakers were thiel 3.5's.  the results were stellar.     now, i would never be w/o an active sub set-up, regardless of what speakers i am using.  once you try good subs w/a good x-over, it's impossible to go back.

doug s.

What Doug wrote. 

I could theoretically see employing a full range speaker HP x'd at 80 Hz w/ subs.  But as long as the mains are HP x'd, smaller standmount monitors have advantages making them preferable over larger floorstanders IMHO.

W/ a few rare exceptions I don't believe so-called fullrange floorstanders are high end unless the mains are HP X'd & subs are employed.  .   

[doug s.]

Now I see the part of your answer in which you suggested adding a pair of subs; sorry, I thought you were talking about bi-amping only the Thiels with an active crossover--I wasn't sure how that could happen with only one set of binding posts.

Not sure I'm ready to go that route; my only experience with subs has been less than stellar, which is why I went with floorstanders to begin with. Again, thanks for the input.

when i first got my subs, active x-over and sub amp, my speakers were thiel 3.5's.  the results were stellar.     now, i would never be w/o an active sub set-up, regardless of what speakers i am using.  once you try good subs w/a good x-over, it's impossible to go back.

doug s.

What Doug wrote. 

I could theoretically see employing a full range speaker HP x'd at 80 Hz w/ subs.  But as long as the mains are HP x'd, smaller standmount monitors have advantages making them preferable over larger floorstanders IMHO.

W/ a few rare exceptions I don't believe so-called fullrange floorstanders are high end.

have you ever heard thiel's?  these disappear as well as most any standmount small monitor.  3.6's are excellent candidates for subwoofing, imo.

doug s.