Ok, I've caught the tube amp bug...help?

Mariusz · « **Reply #20 on:** 8 Jul 2010, 04:12 am »

VAC amps sound great and are powerful enough for most speakers.
Besides the great sound the price (especially on the used maker) is more then reasonable.

gongos · « **Reply #21 on:** 8 Jul 2010, 04:30 am »

I might be selling a pair of Response Audio's Bella 60 monoblocks.

drphoto · « **Reply #22 on:** 16 Jul 2010, 12:22 am »

What are you using for a preamp? You could start there to get some of the organic character of tubes for now.

Another option might be for you to keep the Odysseys for the bass section of your speaker and get a small tube amp for the mid/hi portion. Danny would be able to tell you how to configure the crossover to do this. (or rework it for you)

just a couple of thoughts.......

Tyson · « **Reply #23 on:** 16 Jul 2010, 01:25 am »

Quote from: drphoto on 16 Jul 2010, 12:22 am

What are you using for a preamp? You could start there to get some of the organic character of tubes for now.

Another option might be for you to keep the Odysseys for the bass section of your speaker and get a small tube amp for the mid/hi portion. Danny would be able to tell you how to configure the crossover to do this. (or rework it for you)

just a couple of thoughts.......

Best advice in this thread so far. Keep the SS amp for the bass and use a moderately powered tube amp for the mids/highs. Best of both worlds.

kingdeezie · « **Reply #24 on:** 16 Jul 2010, 10:35 am »

I know that a lot of people bi-amplify in the manner above, but I am not quite sure if I want to get involved in all of that.

Right now I am using a Response Audio Purity One before it was the Purity One as my preamplifier.

Two different amplifiers from two different companies with two different gains starts to sound like a massive headache. Not to mention the possible complications of adding another set of monoblocks to the mix (ground loops, etc, etc, etc).

I got in touch with Manley, and am going to start looking at dealers to demo the Snappers they sell. Most reviews that I have read state that with the right speaker load, the Snappers provide very nice bass. Perhaps not quite to the level I am getting now from the Odysseys, but I would trade some bass for super nice upper end extension in a minute.

newzooreview · « **Reply #25 on:** 16 Jul 2010, 11:30 am »

Quote from: kingdeezie on 16 Jul 2010, 10:35 am

I know that a lot of people bi-amplify in the manner above, but I am not quite sure if I want to get involved in all of that.

Right now I am using a Response Audio Purity One before it was the Purity One as my preamplifier.

Two different amplifiers from two different companies with two different gains starts to sound like a massive headache. Not to mention the possible complications of adding another set of monoblocks to the mix (ground loops, etc, etc, etc).

I got in touch with Manley, and am going to start looking at dealers to demo the Snappers they sell. Most reviews that I have read state that with the right speaker load, the Snappers provide very nice bass. Perhaps not quite to the level I am getting now from the Odysseys, but I would trade some bass for super nice upper end extension in a minute.

I heard the new Van Alstine UltraValve at an audio show last month (in the D.C. area), and the trade-offs that you're referencing between bass and upper end extension are not an issue with the UltraValve. The UltraValve was driving 88 dB efficiency speakers, and bass was excellent (in a large, high-ceiling room). The fact that the UltraValve has plenty of control to deliver excellent bass is corroborated in the recent Absolute Sound review (issue 104 referenced above). Across the rest of the range, the UltraValve's do everything right in my view. Wonderful soundstaging, very musical and engaging sound, lifelike midrange, extended highs (the speakers at the show had ribbon tweeters so any weakness in the amp's high end would have been apparent).

I haven't heard the other amps you're considering, but you might want to throw the UltraValve into the mix as others have suggested above.

Happy listening!

ctviggen · « **Reply #26 on:** 16 Jul 2010, 01:20 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 16 Jul 2010, 01:25 am

Best advice in this thread so far. Keep the SS amp for the bass and use a moderately powered tube amp for the mids/highs. Best of both worlds.

How do you match the levels between a solid state amp and a tube amp? I'm thinking of buying a tube amp for the highs and keeping my SS for the bass, but can't figure out how to do this without adding in another layer of equipment. Is it possible to do this passively?

BobRex · « **Reply #27 on:** 16 Jul 2010, 03:03 pm »

Quote from: ctviggen on 16 Jul 2010, 01:20 pm

How do you match the levels between a solid state amp and a tube amp? I'm thinking of buying a tube amp for the highs and keeping my SS for the bass, but can't figure out how to do this without adding in another layer of equipment. Is it possible to do this passively?

Sure. You can put an poteniometer / attenuator in series with the input of the more sensitive amp and then adjust for balance. Once you've done that, pull the attenuator, measure the resistance, and put the appropriate resistors in series. Viola!

kingdeezie · « **Reply #28 on:** 16 Jul 2010, 08:24 pm »

Quote from: newzooreview on 16 Jul 2010, 11:30 am

I heard the new Van Alstine UltraValve at an audio show last month (in the D.C. area), and the trade-offs that you're referencing between bass and upper end extension are not an issue with the UltraValve. The UltraValve was driving 88 dB efficiency speakers, and bass was excellent (in a large, high-ceiling room). The fact that the UltraValve has plenty of control to deliver excellent bass is corroborated in the recent Absolute Sound review (issue 104 referenced above). Across the rest of the range, the UltraValve's do everything right in my view. Wonderful soundstaging, very musical and engaging sound, lifelike midrange, extended highs (the speakers at the show had ribbon tweeters so any weakness in the amp's high end would have been apparent).

I have been looking into this option, however I do not think 60 watts is quite enough for me.

The Ultravalve amplifiers look very nice, and I am sure they sound great, but I think I need a tad more juice.

Shame though; their price is most excellent.

adydula · « **Reply #29 on:** 5 Aug 2010, 01:33 am »

What is the effieiency rating of your speakers? and what is the impedance?

I have had an AVA Ultravalve amp for two weeks now and it has been the best audio purchase since I bought a pair of Salk SongTower speakers....truly a magnificiant sound.

The 35 watt Ultravalve replaced a 140 watt SS amp, more than enough power with my speakers that are 88db efficiency at 4 ohms nominal. Loud like it will hurt you ears and have to leave the room loud.

The design and combination are dynamite..

All the best in your Tube Amp search!!

Alex

HAL · « **Reply #30 on:** 5 Aug 2010, 02:14 am »

When I bought the Dodd battery PA to go with my battery buffer, Gary was able to do them in purpleheart. He seems to have access to more than the two woods on the website. I would ask Gary if he has access to your wood species.

Just a thought.

cujobob · « **Reply #31 on:** 5 Aug 2010, 03:13 am »

Can you afford the new OTLs from McAlister Audio? I'm sure those would make you very happy.

raindance · « **Reply #32 on:** 6 Aug 2010, 10:52 am »

Quote from: Tyson on 16 Jul 2010, 01:25 am

Best advice in this thread so far. Keep the SS amp for the bass and use a moderately powered tube amp for the mids/highs. Best of both worlds.

It's really hard to dial the level in by ear and even harder for a lot of folks to get the phase right between the two amps. I don't recommend bi-amping. Even with identical amps I find it causes phasy effects and odd imaging artifacts. I knew someone who did this with the big Infinity panels years ago and to this day his system is a tri-amp work-in-progress with a big SS amp driving bass, a medium-size tube amp driving mids and a SET amp driving tops. He's never quite got there though.

kingdeezie · « **Reply #33 on:** 6 Aug 2010, 11:56 am »

Quote from: HAL on 5 Aug 2010, 02:14 am

When I bought the Dodd battery PA to go with my battery buffer, Gary was able to do them in purpleheart. He seems to have access to more than the two woods on the website. I would ask Gary if he has access to your wood species.

Just a thought.

I really wanted to go the Dodd route, because it would be unique to an extent, but it was a three month lead time considering the intricacy of building them out; and it was much more expensive then other class options.

Quote from: cujobob on 5 Aug 2010, 03:13 am

Can you afford the new OTLs from McAlister Audio? I'm sure those would make you very happy.

I will have to look into this, thank you for the suggestion!

Quote from: adydula on 5 Aug 2010, 01:33 am

What is the effieiency rating of your speakers? and what is the impedance?

I have had an AVA Ultravalve amp for two weeks now and it has been the best audio purchase since I bought a pair of Salk SongTower speakers....truly a magnificiant sound.

The 35 watt Ultravalve replaced a 140 watt SS amp, more than enough power with my speakers that are 88db efficiency at 4 ohms nominal. Loud like it will hurt you ears and have to leave the room loud.

The design and combination are dynamite..

All the best in your Tube Amp search!!

Alex

I truly don't think I can run my speakers on something with only 30 watts. Sometimes I like to mildly rock out with DBs of 90-95 with peaks over 100+. If you do the math, 30 watts runs out pretty quickly.

Since I also use these for HT, I need to be sure that if I am watching a movie at reference levels, I don't clip my amps and toast the speakers.

I also need some headroom for Dynamic peaks.

adydula · « **Reply #34 on:** 6 Aug 2010, 12:48 pm »

Hello Again..

I have to apologize you did state the efficiency and impedance on the first post!!!

Again best of luck!

Alex

kingdeezie · « **Reply #35 on:** 6 Aug 2010, 01:04 pm »

Quote from: adydula on 6 Aug 2010, 12:48 pm

Hello Again..

I have to apologize you did state the efficiency and impedance on the first post!!!

Again best of luck!

Alex

No worries, I appreciate the input always.

I think I have narrowed it down to Manley and Rogue at this point.

There are some attractive pieces in the 4K-5K range that I think would be suitable.

Listens2tubes · « **Reply #36 on:** 10 Aug 2010, 10:27 pm »

Tube watt ratings can be deceptive to the tube newbie.

Your have 91db efficient speakers and are worried about the 30 watt Ultravalve not having enough juice. Take it from a lifelong tube guy YOU GET 3-4 TIMES THE JUICE with a tube amp than the specs make it appear. My 40 watt Dynaco MkIV's blow the windows out of this place when cranked and the Paradigm Studio 100 v.1's are not as efficient as yours. Just for educational purposes you can use the 30 day return policy and really find out what your speakers can sound like. Just my opinion.

Hugh · « **Reply #37 on:** 10 Aug 2010, 10:50 pm »

KD,

You got PM.

Quote from: kingdeezie on 16 Jul 2010, 08:24 pm

I have been looking into this option, however I do not think 60 watts is quite enough for me.

The Ultravalve amplifiers look very nice, and I am sure they sound great, but I think I need a tad more juice.

Shame though; their price is most excellent.

cujobob · « **Reply #38 on:** 10 Aug 2010, 10:52 pm »

With the line source speakers he's using, users have reported better sound quality with more power....even though the sensitivity is fairly high. 3-4 times is definitely an overstatement from my experience. I have a 75 WPC tube amp that exhibits great control over a speaker of any load I've tried, but it's a rare amp design in that it uses sweep tubes. I'm sure it has it's limits, too.

If money were no object, I'd definitely go the OTL route....but it's not always practical.

kingdeezie · « **Reply #39 on:** 10 Aug 2010, 11:44 pm »

Quote from: Listens2tubes on 10 Aug 2010, 10:27 pm

Tube watt ratings can be deceptive to the tube newbie. Your have 91db efficient speakers and are worried about the 30 watt Ultravalve not having enough juice. Take it from a lifelong tube guy YOU GET 3-4 TIMES THE JUICE with a tube amp than the specs make it appear. My 40 watt Dynaco MkIV's blow the windows out of this place when cranked and the Paradigm Studio 100 v.1's are not as efficient as yours. Just for educational purposes you can use the 30 day return policy and really find out what your speakers can sound like. Just my opinion.

This I don't quite understand...

A watt is a watt is a watt; its a unit of measurement from what I understand of it.

So, regardless of how the watts are generated, its all the same correct?

I was always under the impression that the reason why tube amplifiers are perceived to have more power is that, since they distort differently, they can be pushed further to their limits without the uncomfortableness that comes with pushing a SS state amplifier to far near its rated wattage; not that they actual give you more power.