Tube amps

[Taz]

I have question on tube amps. I have a tube Cd player and love the sound thinking about a tube amp. I am concerned about noise. I have read that tube amps can be. I love a black back ground I hate Hiss It drives me nuts must be my hears but I have searched and traded and bought to get the black back ground. I love my tube player and want to try. Any thoughts or suggestions

 

[jhorowitz128]

Taz,

Am sure you're going to get a lot of suggestions and I'll give you mine. I own an all-tube system, from CDP, pre-amp, phono stage, and amp. The only hiss I get is when I select phono on the preamp and turn the volume way, way up with no vinyl playing. Under ordinary listening conditions, everything is dead quiet.

I too was afraid of the hiss problem went I went from SS to tubes. Modern-day tube equipment is very quiet. For amps, I use the Rogue M-150 monoblocks. Nary a peep!

 

[Wardsweb]

I now run a Shanling T100 cdp that feeds a pair of Shanling SP-80 mono amps that drives the CLS's. This setup is dead quiet and beautiful to listen to. I was previously running a Carver A-760x solid state amp (8ohm 380 watts per channel, 4ohm 600 watts per channel, 2ohm 1150 watts per channel). The 50 watt into 8ohm Shanlings with 6CA7EH "fat bottle" tubes sounds better and drives the CLS's easily past normal listening levels.

 

[Taz]

I have the 200A that is what is interseting me in tubes. What about power. Most tube amps are rated very low or very big $$ for lots of power. Is there a differance in power ratings if so is there a way to tell how much tube power you would need.

 

[Wardsweb]

What speakers are you going to drive with these tubes? For me, these 50 watt mono blocs are more than enough to drive my CLS's to stupid SPL. I would say 110-110 would be more than you would ever need to drive ML with. Tubes can handle the swing in impedance and supply high current.

 

[Taz]

Clarity's right now looking to move up the line soon.

 

[risabet]

TAD-1000's?

Just received the TAD-1000 (w/ 6550's) amps from Paul G. at BizzyBee Audio (Tube Audio Design). After some grounding issues, not related to the new amps, the system is dead quiet. I too am using the Clarity's which are beautifully driven both in Ultralinear mode (100 watts/each) and in tride mode (60 watts/each). Any speaker upgrades should be easily accomodated by these amps. A steal at the price too.

<a href=http://members.cox.net/risabet/index1.htm>My System<a/>

 

[Taz]

They look interesting. I have never heard of the company. Have you bought things before or is this your first purchase

 

[Taz]

Also new to tubes what is the differance in the 2 modes.

 

[risabet]

Opinions Only, so far!

I have had the TAD-150 pre-amp for 4-5 months and love it. Worth 3 times the price IMO. The amps are my second purchadse from Paul, who BTW, is a really knowledgable, personable guy with which to deal.

If I had to describe the difference I would say that IMO triode mode is sweeter and more harmonically rich, better suited to smaller scale music such as chamber, jazz and other simply recorded music. Ultralinear is best suited to large scale orchestral music, rock, opera, and other really dynamic music, Holst: Suite for Bands on Telarc comes to mind. If one genaralized then triode bass is less controlled than UL, which has perceptibly more extension and control at the bottom end. FWIW, I am far from having the measure of the 1000's so these are simply initial reactions. I can say that these amps are a steal at the price.

For a good discussion of the different output topologies of tube amps visit the following link.

<a href=http://ken-gilbert.com/techstuff/vtf.html>Tube FAQ's<a/>

 

[Taz]

Thanks, I can not get that link to work though.

 

[risabet]

Works from my end

Maybe you have pop-up blocker on, try ctrl + click and see if that works.

 

[Taz]

That worked great article!!! It will help me greatly. Thanks

 

[Jeff Aguilar]

I also have been using the TAD-1000 mono block amps and TAD-150 tube preamp from Paul at BizzyBee. Awesome stuff. They push my Aerius i's very well. Highly recommended! Paul at BizzyBee is great to deal with and his equipment is very well priced.

Jeff Aguilar