Let me know 1) What is your favorite tube and why? 2) Do you prefer push-pull or single-ended? 3) Do you like your tube amp? 4) Are you planning to try a tube amp in the future? Benefits of using tubes: ruclips.net/video/9f5iV80jAe0/видео.html Here are some comments from Mr. Vintage that I left out from the video. Please keep in mind we are generalizing here. Mr. Vintage: For me, the biggest difference between Single-ended and push-pull design is the image (結像力), the SE is sharp like the Zeiss lens while the push-pull is a little loose by comparison. It was 6V6 that inspired me to enter the "tube world". The magic of the 6V6 tube driving a pair of Dynaco A25 could not be found on all my Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood...SS amplifiers. The 6L6 follows the footprint of the 6V6 but has blended in the flavor of the EL34. I find the 6L6 performs the best on the McIntosh 240 Poweramp and even today I don't think you can find another amp that surpasses the 6L6 of the Mcintosh MC240. The NOS 6V6GT tubes are still available and affordable, this is something I like to explore，I think its mid-range rivals the SE designs in Push-pull. The bass is a bit lean but it is tuneful and has a good definition.
I have pretty limited experience with tubes (compared with some here, anyway), but I will say I quite like my vintage push-pull 6BQ5 receiver. The best experience I've ever had with a tube was a GE red label 5670 in a DAC, though in the future I look forward to hearing 6N6P tubes in a DAC's output section. Some other really interesting tubes out there that seem cool, though I have not heard... The 50CA10 is an interesting power triode that can be found in vintage Luxman amplifiers. I'd love to get my hands on one of those. And of course, the 12AX7 and 12AU7 deserve some credit for being easy to find and getting so many people into tube audio.
I use 6L6 on push pull configuration Do I like it? Yes One thing i observe is, in a push pull configuration, the impact of tube rolling (change brand) is subtle, while on single-ended topology it is more notable Correct me if I am wrong since this is just generalization from my limited experience
6:00 thank you so much for giving this rough guide to tube sound, you don't find this anywhere else online! Instead reviewers focus far to much on build quality, inputs / outputs, price etc. and leave out the most important part. Keep doing what you're doing, you're one of the most helpful hifi channels on RUclips.
Thomas, you are one of the great voices in the audio community. Your style and storytelling is so illuminating and unique. You should write a book- I bet it will be a best seller!
I agree with what has been said about Thomas. His presentation is informal & intimate...like he's a very cool & knowledgeable audiophile friend...just talking to me.
As a “newbie” to the world of Tube amps, I must say that this video is incredible. I learned so much and at least have a base to begin investigating what is right for me. I am looking forward to binging through the rest of your videos. Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of information in a very clear and concise manner
Bought the Reisong A10 a year ago, my first tube amp. Tom is right, great midrange but lacked bass & punch for me. Bought the Willsenton R8 OMG! what a difference! This one is a keeper! Have no intention of trying something else. Exceeded my expectations Very Very happy! Best sounding Amp I ever owned over 50 years of being a audiophile.
My favorite tube is the EL34b in the Reisong A10. I prefer single ended amps or Class A amps. I absolutely love my Reisong A10. The sound is absolutely beautiful and the quality and detail put into this unit is outstanding. This is the best amp I’ve owned thus far and I will never buy a solid state amp again. For me this is an entry level amp and I am seriously considering buying a more powerful tube amp again. I really appreciate Reisong as a company because they share their schematics and as an electronics hobbyist I find this educational. I also am grateful how this company has made this technology financially accessible to everyone. Thank you for your excellent commentary !
Indeed. I have enjoyed my Reisong A10 for a year or so, not going anywhere soon. Sweet, non fatiguing sound. Plenty of power to drive my 99dB/w speakers in my apartment 🤘
Absolutely brilliant Thomas, this video is very close to my heart as I am on this tube Journey with you. I will say that having a sensitive speaker opens up lots more options and should be a careful consideration.
I just purchased a Tekton lore 96db efficiency upgraded version mondolf capacitor upgraded crossover from the company $1300 fantastic speaker excellent resolution excellent bass beautiful mid range my tube amps never sounded better
I use the Primaluna prologue pre amp running Mullard gz34 & Mullard CV4003 12AU7 valves paired with a Plinius RA 300 solid state power amp running into Focal Sopra 2 speakers ... Changing to NOS tubes made a huge difference , All going well so far , Thanks Thomas for an excellent audio channel that's very informative ... 😎
I found this presentation to be very informative and offering key points on what to consider before purchasing a tube amp. The vast world of tubes and their combinations can be overwhelming and again you help us so very much. Thank you.
I’m finding the importance of finding and using quality tubes , huge in dictating the listening experience . Many of these amps come with bottom end tubes not even correctly biased . That is a huge topic in itself .
Thomas man, a decade ago I was a guitar player who played guitar tube amps for 30+ years and was starting to build my first hifi. A tube integrated was the logical choice but the choices seemed to be really cheap and unreliable stuff or super expensive stuff. What you have done this past year in highlighting good quality mid priced tube gear would have been SO amazing for me at the start of my hifi journey!!!!!!! I know that many people entering the hifi journey will absolutely have a wealth of info that was not available to me a decade ago. Your tube series of reviews is truly a great contribution to the community!!
Lookin foreword the review. The WilsentonR8 was my first “ new” tube amp and I have a 10watt L84 based vintage amp. The old amp whispered in my ear years ago that “ hey , this what you want”. The R8 has let me know “ that old amp was right”. When I move up, it will be the bigger Wilsenton. Guess I’m a “ tube guy” now.. happy to be here:)
Great video Thomas. As an avid user of tube amps for guitar, I'm thinking about buying one for my audio rig. You have such a clear way of explaining things, I always learn tons from your work. Thank you for sharing your experience with us newbies.
I am learning about amps little by little. It's so hard when you do not have access to different types of amps to know what you like or dont like, without of course experimentation, which can be prohibitively expensive. As I take my second foray into tubes I am trying to read and watch as many videos as I can, but there's no substitute for having the item in your home hooked up to your equipment. I very much look forward to your video on the R800i
In order to take advantage of the best qualities of each part of a system, I prefer separates. I use a Tube Pre to get the tube sound and holographic effect, then via an active crossover, I send mids and highs to a solid state class A and lastly, my 2 servo subs use class D.
@@MrBonger88 Bryston 10B-SUB. It's pricey but it's transparent and that is a huge deal when inserting anything between a pre and an amp. It's a worthwhile investment.
The whole tube-thing is new for me. I purchased a Leben CS300 and replaced it by the CS300f . I can tell these are different! Thanks for your interesting video, I did learn a lot.
Back in the day I purchased Carver Silver 9Ts. That was an obscene amount of money back then! My 9Ts power my ol’ school Polk SRA-SDS 1.2tls (also run two (2) Velodyne FSR-18 subs). Every 5 years I have the amps serviced (cleaned, replace all tubes, etc), which I have done for the past 30+ years. The 1.2tls (I am the original owner) have been restored. My 9Ts still sound amazing! Yes, I own old equipment but my ol’ school gear still images beautifully. Now that my financial position has improved, I can afford to pay cash for new gear. I recently purchased a Sony XBR-77A9GG OLED tele, an ATV 4K and two (2) SVS PC-4000 subs. Next will be Polk L800 (with L900’modules). Have not decided on an amp or processor. People shit on me because my commitment to Polk. My ears like Polk and that’s all that matters to me.
Nice job of finding an interesting angle and explanation of the overwhelming experience of listening to so many reviewers and their personal opinion on a vague subject . ( the norm in hiring?) As always a great informative listen . This should be a amplifier 101 even before they start listening to individual reviewers . Especially with resurgence and popularity of tube integrated amps .
Hi Thomas, when getting into my decision/making process on a new amp about 5 month ago, I watched literaly all of your videos and pretty much enjoyed all of those - same with this video. Ultimately, I ended up with a Line Magnetic LM-211, one of the smaller verisons of LM, running EL34 in push pull. And yes, I have been close to purchase one of these 805 or 845 tube single ended monsters, but was ultimately kept back from both price in Germany and heat dissipation (0.5 KW !) which would heat up my listening room too much during summer. But to my huge surprize, the sound I am getting with my Sonus Faber Cremona V1 is so great, sweet, and yet dynamic that I do not want to go back to solid state. Yes, I agree with you that its ultimately about tube type and curcuitry preference - but, the first move is to go from solid state to tubes at all! And, for most whoalready have speakers that ar capable for tume amps this step will be a quantum leap! So, thanks for all your great videos and your unrivalled way of explaining things!
This is fantastic information for an audio enthusiast that understands personalities of different amps. I have never had a tube amp before and had no idea where to even begin. Thank you so much for explaining.
I solved all the issues to do with tube amps by sticking with very good solid state amplification and realizing that, as long as all the system components produce high quality accurate, neutral sound, the greatest influence on sound quality are the source recordings.
There is no contest. The big iron gets the biggest sound. All the best, and most transparent amps, the ones that defied amplification and just became the music seamlessly... they all have the name Bogen. And they all date from the early 60s and earlier. The original work horses were the austere, multi purpose MO60 and MO100. A few tweaks and those amps are the best thing you'll ever hear. Even without those tweaks, they'll serve any audiophile a top ten performance. It doesn't matter that they often wound up hammering nails or shaking huge tables, they offered the largest frequency response of all the tube spectrum. 5hz-50khz. Yes, really. I just flipped two sets of dual mono blocks for obscene money, locally... I began using them in the studio to critically study mixes... they're simply stellar. Often overlooked, because the later Bogens were not that great. Also because they are basic, black boxes with zero bling. All business. The BP60 would have been a game changer... but too few were made... if you find one, keep it! You'll never see another. At the base of each great tube amp is the iron. Bogen had the BEST. It's a fine art. To replicate those amps now, domestically, would command a price of 10k for two 100 watt mono blocks. TRIPLE RECTIFIED!!! And never bested, IMO.
I'm still running the Tube Amp from my Granddad the only thing I have done is replaced the caps and the Tubes :) This Amp drives my Urei 809 Speakers. Thank you for your video!
The r800i is a cheaper copy of the LM508ia. But without full point to point wiring or the upgraded caps/resistors. I am not sure if the r800i has the Japanese EL core output transformers of the Line Magnetic, either. Weights are very similar though.
Run in stock setup is meant to be great but gather the clans and get those tubes rolled! And reading between the lines of those V shaped speakers that you like: holographic air, fast punchy quality bass and dynamics 😉
@@KeenAesthetic1 Agreed. NOS tubes, even if only on the small input tubes, bring HUGE gains. I actually use and prefer speakers with great imaging but neutral on-axis and listening window responses. Solid bass, too. But that hologram of the performer standing in your room is a drug for me.
Thanks, Thomas, for laying this out at the beginner level, which is pretty close to the mark for me with tube amplifiers. Given the limited efficiencies of my speakers, I may not get to try tubes anytime soon despite my interest in them. Nonetheless, I appreciate how with all of your videos you show your reasoning as you inform and explain about the topic at hand. Knowing more about things, even those I may never buy or experience, is allowing me to better understand how my system components work together and choices to be made as I look to improve or add to what I have.
From Spain my favorite reviwer... to categorize is what i spect from a review. Sold my Naim gear and keeping my Reisong A10 but I feel to need to uograde but keeping in Class A single ended... very easy to listen in fact
Thanks Thomas. I’m just starting into proper tube amps. Bought a used/inexpensive EL84 Mengyue Mini recently, updated the tubes, and am amazed by how it sounds. Have been looking at the R8 for a few weeks.
SET is class a. The incoming signal is not split and beat up. In push-pull, it's class A-B. Each circuit handles one half of the input signal. The two signals are then splice together. This gluing creates a distortion, crossover distortion. More circuitry is added to eliminate and smooth that crossover distortion. Some amps the amplitude of the frequency at the splice is reduced along with the other half thus their is a blend of both signals in an area where both produce the sound creating an impure signal. The class a-b will usually have more power for obvious reasons - single circuit can only produce so much. Long ago A/D/S made class a car amps. The sound was phenomenal and loud. Unfortunately, they had a habit of burning up due to being class a and without ginormous heat sinks. Had one in a car in the early 90s and which people still talk about today. As an end note, class a-b solid state has come a long way, such that crossover distortion shouldn't be an issue in any competent amp.
Hi Thomas single ended with active bass, could have stayed in that room all day, Manchester hifi show, about 10 Yr ago... Now give us good choice of speakers to go with these lovely amplifiers.. Thanks Thomas,, regards Antony Warrington..
@@ThomasAndStereo hello Thomas. Thanks for replying. Me and my wife both watch your channel. Really appreciate you. Yes solid pre. As my system does double duty. For HT duty as well. The Parasound P6 gives the HT bypass. Speakers are FYNEAUDIO F502sp towers and PARADIGM Seismic 110 sub for HT duty along with centers and surrounds of course.
@@ThomasAndStereo Btw can you kindly share your opinion on Primaluna amps? As you get to compare with lot of other Tube amps. Your inputs will be very helpful and valuable. The Dialogue premium new was around $3k USD when new or till a year back. I got mine in 2019 and paid a little less then listed price. But apparently Primaluna holds value quite well. I had Prologue Premium before. Upgraded to Dialogue in 2019. Both are replaced by the Evolution line now I suppose.
@@sahdinkhan1827 I believe he said they are excellent Amplifier integrated‘s as well but they are pricey nowadays you can get one for 1/3 the price that is 90% the sound of prima Luna
@@stephencosta6814 thanks for your input man. yup they are pricey no doubt. I Started tube with Icon Audio Stereo 40.2 Mkiii intigrated back in 2015. All British made. Before that always ran all solid state separates. After the Icon Audio i moved to Primaluna and started experimenting with Hybrid system. Ran a Cayin intigrated for few weeks can't remember the model. Then went back to Primaluna. First Prologue then Dialogue the bigger one.
Thanks for the great video Thomas, I just bought BoyuuRange mk3 50, and wow 7.6 watts per channel. My biggest surprise is that it can power my sonus faber sonetto viii 90db sensitivity no problem. Love the sound 🔊
Thank you for this @ Thomas & Stereo. It brings me to a very important consideration. I am looking at a change to an R8 to replace my IOTAVX SA3/PA3x2……Or keep my IOTAVX PA3 and use the Schiit Freya + as a pre-amp upgrade. The prices for the upgrade is similar between the two. My speakers are the Klipsch RP-8000F. I appreciate all your great videos and perspective!
Yes I would go with that combination use a schiit Freya with the two power amps form iotavx make sure you use a 50ohm interconnect cable between the two something like a RG 213/u. I think you gonna lose bass control with the r8 maybe if you change the tube rectifier think it's got! for solid-state you might be alright Or possibly I think the r8 got pre out? If so you could use it bi-amp but you need to match the impedance between the two amps use a potentiometer at 50 kohms to the pa3
@@johnsweda2999 thanks for this, question though. Why would I need a 50ohm interconnect? Is there a matching problem between the voltage gain of the PA3 and Frey’s +?
@@F1fletch yes it is a matching gain issue, all analogue signal should be 50 ohms or less, i changed it to 213/u what is a copper braid not a silver braid a little bit less conductive what really you want from a valve to solid-state, try 2.5 or 4 m length probably not shorter! if you're going valve to valve or solid state to solid-state or solid-state to valve use rg214/u. Valve amplifiers like to be driven harder higher voltage not the same for solid-state the opposite
I have a Reisong A-10 tube amp. I live in a mobile home and have it in a very small spare bedroom contacted to Klipsch RM 600s. It sounds great whether thru the phono or cd.
Great video. But I must say that the power and output transformers play an enormous role as well. The weight of similarly constructed tube amps can reveal which has the generally better output transformers. I used to have the hot rodded 'original' version of the Willsenton R800i (Line Magnetic LM805IA). It comes with better build than the Willsenton but with cheaper tubes. It still sounds better. Both have a grip over the bass drivers and a finesse over the mids and treble that push pull can't offer at anywhere near the same price. Think double the price just to be in the ballpark. I demo'd my LM805IA against the PrimaLuna EVO400 Integrated and, even with hotrodded NOS tubes, the PL EVO got demolished in every genre. It was an absolute runaway victory when I used NOS tubes in the LM805IA. No bass amps being discussed here, but these big radio transmitter SET tubes (805, 845, 211) do things that push pull amps just can't. Period. End of story.
Great video. The simple distillation into 3 key points drove home an important message. While I use tube amps now for 8 years, I have only used the same amps. I got lucky and like it. But many tube amps I hear at audio shows I do not like. It will be interesting next time for me to keep your 3 things in mind when I got to the next show and see what my preferences are. I think an evolution could be to bi amp or tri amp so you can use SE class A for mid and hi and KT150 PP for low end.
I have had a Reisong A10 for about one year. I have been tube rolling several EL34's (Tung Sol is the best so far) and KT77. I have swapped out the stock rectifier for a mid 60's ex-RAF Mullard CV 1863. I have also swapped out the 6N2Js for NOS JSC Voskhod 6N2P-EB/6AX7. I am well pleased with the sound. 1. I don't have a favorite tube i.e., EL34, KT88, etc. as I have not had enough experience with a variety of tube amps. 2. Same as above. However in solid state I prefer class A. 3. So far I am enjoying the Reisong very much. In a word, it is salubrious. 4. Yes. I am planning on trying additional tube amps.
Interesting. I have the same amp, Reisong A10. I found changing the rectifier made it sound too much like "solid state" even thou using the same "type" of rectifier. I have tried the Russian equivalent 5Ц4С (5U4S) and also Brimar 5Z4G (CV1863). I find the amp sounds the sweetest (tube like) with those original ShuGuang 5Z4P (J) it shipped with. Maybe there is is enough difference electrically between these same "types" rectifiers after all and its designed to use the original tube. Not sure if i'm imagining it or not (i don't think so), don't have any measurement tools to confirm. Anyhow, because of that, i have stocked quite a few of those original type rectifiers. I really do like the amp. Oh, also noticed that its best to be plugged in a dedicated wall socket and not use any extension cords shared with other devices, it changed the background noise even better (less), i did not think about that first because its so low wattage, but it did make a difference. My speakers are sensitive to background hiss/noise, 99dB/w, Klipsch Heresy III. Currently my favourite combo for the other tubes are the Russian 6N2P-EV signal tubes and Mullard EL34 (current production). Also used Tung-Sol EL34, but now they are for backups. Can listen to this little beast of a amp for hours / whole day without even a hint of listening fatigue compared to a normal solid state stuff i also have. 👍
@@johto if you check out the voltage drop between the rectifier tubes you are using,They can and will effect the sound quality of the amplifier. Another thing to consider is the rectification rail on the amplifier. A majority of the rails are either 5v-1.9amp which would be a 5ar4, It has the least amount of voltage drop.A 5v-2a which would be for tubes like 5y3.normally low powered low milliamp 125 max circuits. Then the 5v-3a like the 5u4 family of rectifiers,which can handle 250ma. Where a majority of people go wrong with rectifier tubes is ,They will use to small of a rectifier on a circuit,Like a rectifier rated for 3a on a 2a circuit. They will use a rectifier with less voltage drop on circuit, So the voltages are to high or they will use an undersized rectifier on a circuit,So the tube is push to its limit ,because of the MA current that is required to run the amp.. In a SE el34 amplifier, the milliamp draw of the power tubes and driver tubes, is going to be atleast 125-130ma depending on how the tubes are biased. The voltage drop between a 5ar4 and 5u4g is roughly 42 volts,the difference between a 5ar4 and diodes is roughly 7volts... If you wanted to customize your amp. If you do pio coupling capacitors the sound will be smoother and rounder.and it will match up with more speakers.If you do poly or Teflon capacitors, it will sound brighter,more detailed and exact ,so fewer speakers will work with it.
now for a serious tube related comment.my first tube amp i aquired in the 1980's.it was a kit amp from heathkit.i obtained it used so someone else built it.this amp had 6l6gc tubes in it.i remember how much i loved that thing.just to add i was a teenager at the time.my taste has changed a bit since then.the last tube amp i owned was a few years back.it had el84's driven by a single 12ax7.the sound of that thing was sublime.i do have 98db efficent speakers.so i can slide by with low power.i think the next piece of tube gear im going to try.it is defo gonna be a schiit audio freya+.
Well done ! I ended up with a Made in USA SET amp can run Triode or Ultralinear mode as well as autobiases EL34 and KT88 tubes.. Best of all worlds !!!
Hello Thomas, I have a pair of '93 La Scala AL3 and a pair of '87 Heresy II that I want to dedicate to 2ch. I did minimal research and jumped into the Decware se34i.5: 6w x2, single ended triode, not really knowing much about tube amplifiers. It is in the process of being built and I am excited, the only thing is, I've never listened to a tube amplifier and I think I've made the right decision, I hope. I do enjoy vocals, horn instruments, classical guitar and hope it will be an upgrade over my AVR, "Yamaha RX-A1080." Love watching your videos and thank you for your knowledge.
I purchased the A12. Found the sound a little veiled at times. Rolled in some NOS Flying C 34’s and new TungSol 12AX pre. Stupid good sound- very clear with good recordings ( running with Klipsch RP600M) these are still breaking in but really amazing details and separation for a budget kit. Have a sub in line as well which helps fill in low end. I’ll tweak now- cables will be first- building my own- too cheap to fork out crazy money🤫
NOS Flying C34's? What are these please? I guess you rolled out the stock EL34's with the NOS Flying C34's, but I don't specifically know what they are and I am looking for potential options! I understand the replacement TungSol 12AX7 Pre-amp tubes; did you replace the 5Z4PJ rectifier tube too, and if so what with please? My A12 has just arrived and waiting for my Triangle Borea BR03 to arrive tomorrow to start messing about...
👍👏🏻🙏🏻Well Thomas I just simply love this video everything you said is so true I have a cheap Musical Paradise 301 I put expensive old stock tubes on it and it went up in sound quality at least three notches I also have the Wilsonton R8 I love the power on it The base but the mid range is better On the cheaper little Musical Paradise 301💪👍🙏🏻
Awesome vid Thomas I have 2 amps one a Yaqin and Conrad Johnson one triode and Pentoide and your right its about taste so keep up your awesome vids bro cheers
I had a Duna70 in the late 70's and replaced it only because i wanted more power. In the late 80's I picked up a Jolida 502a that had more power, after I modified it the sound was good but the cost of a set of new output tubes was a bit much. I ended up replacing that with a Gaffler d220 which I put new driver boards into. It sounded very good but to get the best sound I had to bias it on the high side to get the best sound with my Conrad Johnson PV-10a. For the best compromise is a tube preamp with a good solid state amp, currently I have the Rogue RP5 preamp and a set of PS Audio m700 mono blocks, thats a good sounding setup driving my Elac Adante floor standing speakers.
Thanks for this Thomas, next year I will buy my first tube amp for my klipsh speakers. Im leaning towards a r8 el34 but you're upcoming studies may help me here. Either way I learnt a lot today about push/pull and single ended.
Fanboy alert! I love my R8. Among being able to choose between el34 and kt88, easy and relatively inexpensive tube rolling, and being able to choose between triode and ultralinear modes the R8 can be voiced so many different ways. It is endlessly fun and such a bargain.
Personally, I will always choose EL84. I have a Manley Stingray that I simply love. I have carefully listened to many different tubes for a long period and there is always something missing, but EL84 is a complete tube for me. That EL84 has less bass than other tubes is not true and if it is, it depends on how you have built the amplifier itself and what output transformer you have used. I prefer push-pull amp because it gives me more opportunity to choose many different speakers. For example, I can choose my favorite speakers with less sensitivity and still get good pressure in the speakers What I like more about EL84 is that there are so many tubes for sale, everything from vintage, nos, new and they can be anything from cheap to expensive. I'm probably a tube fan and have a good collection of EL84, ECC81 and ECC83 tube. The sound can vary sharply depending on which tube you drive with. I have a good opportunity to customize my tube amp depending on whether I play rock, blues, jazz, soul.
Mine is a Tsakiridis Ultra w 4xkt150 Class AB, 70w Think I like Ultra Linear more that Triode. Paired to Nola Boxer 3, Schiit Bifrost2, Allo DigiOne Sig
Love these kind of vids Thomas. I think these educational insights are what separates you from the many reviewers out there. One thing I would add to this title is the cost and access to tube rolling. You can end up spending more on replacement tubes than the cost of the amp itself. That's one of the reasons why I like my Doge 10 and the kt-88. Not too expensive to replace.
100% correct I bought a Musical Paradise 301 used for $100 no tubes on though it cost me 400 to get new old stock tubes and I simply love it it brought it to a new level
nice review Thomas.Something folks should consider with push pull is how essential good tubes are in the phase inverter stage.a good tube such as GL 12au7 can make a difference.In many ways the phase inverters are the "heart "of a push pull circuit.
Hello Thomas, First let me say that I absolutely love your honest, straightforward, no-nonsense equipment review style and highly anticipate your tube amplifier reviews. You have taught me more than I ever imagined I'd learn about tube amplifiers (pre & Integrated) while simultaneously raising more questions than I'd ever thought I'd have. I'd truly appreciate and be eternally grateful for even a bit of assistance in pointing me in the right direction concerning my next (forever) tube amp purchase. I know you're bombarded with tons of questions and requests for gear recommendations from those who provide little to no information related to their listening environments, styles or tastes, so I've tried to provide as much info as possible related to my personal tastes and listening environment. The amplifiers I'm considering (because of you Lol - except the Mc) are below: Cayin CS88 tube integrated amp Cayin CS100 tube integrated amp Cayin CS 150 tube integrated amp Cayin CS845A Doge 10 tube integrated amp McIntosh MA 352 The music I intimately listen to (15x20 sq ft space) at mostly low to moderately loud volumes (80-85db max) is mostly acoustic, smooth jazz, lots of vocals and old R&B (Boney James, Fourplay, George Howard, Gregory Porter, Boz Skaggs, Lalah Hathaway, Diana Krall, Otis Redding, Gladys Knight) to name a few. The speakers I've chosen are the new Buchardt S400 MkIl. They are (per reviews) slightly more refined in the areas of top end, bass, soundstage and depth and are a bit less forward in overall presentation than the original. ruclips.net/video/xjPIlIhgBuM/видео.html (From your brother in arms Lol!) ruclips.net/video/KBcLfZAGi9A/видео.html (Another solid review) Lastly, I'm looking for a combination of at least Most of the following attributes in my final amplifier choice: 1. Smooth, silky, sweet (not "syrupy" or overly bright) top end 2. Great bass handling - speed, punch & definition 3. Holographic presentation 4. Great soundstage 5. Depth of field/ soundstage (not in your face) 6. Power enough to effortlessly drive the Buchardts @ 88db sensitive to moderate volume levels Lastly, I know that you may not have the time or let's be honest, the desire to respond to my post. However, as I can't locally audition any of the above amplifiers, except for the Mcintosh, I highly value your expertise and opinion. If you can and do decide to respond with a recommendation, I understand that it would be totally subjective & based on your tastes and experiences with each amplifier and for that, I would be eternally grateful. Thank you in advance Thomas and my sincerest apologies for such a long post. All the best and have a great day and weekend! Gene
I am always afraid to recommend because I don't know your taste Nd I have ever heard the new S400. If I had to pick blind, I personally would go for the Doge 10 but the newer version which is smoother.
I purchased a yaqin mc13 s 10 yrs ago because i just loved the way it look & it was cheap & reliable £350. But it does lack clarity & punch. I think i may be purchasing an upgrade very soon.
Best advice for a beginner buying a tube amplifier....(1)Check out the build quality of the amplifier and components .point to point wiring is easier to fix or modify in the future. Circuit boards are nice and will last as long as they are not exposed to heat. (2) Does it use common tubes? All the tubes that are used on or in the amplifier have an effect on the sound quality of the amplifier .the larger the choices of the tubes that will work on the amplifier, the more choices you have in presentation of the sound made by the amplifier. If it takes a weird or off the wall tube,You have less choices in voicing the amplifier. (3) look at the efficiency of the speakers you plan on driving with the amplifier. If you have high efficiency speakers ,they don't need as much power to drive as lower efficiency ones. (4)Any equipment you buy is an investment, You want to enjoy your investment and if or when you sell it,You would want it to keep its value and in many cases you would want or like for it to increase in value.You can put all the Uber expensive capacitors and resistors you want on a cheap amplifier ,It will still be a cheap amplifier...
Yes, I have crossed over to valves also. However, valves do not push a lot of current typically. For larger speaker systems, bi-amp. SS for the bass and valves for mid/tweet. What you said is the strongest thing to advise amplifier purchasers. That is: listen to the amplifier before you purchase it if possible. Your ears will tell you if it sounds “good.“ Also, because of reactance, valves’ sound will change based on the type of speakers that you are using.
Spot on.. Just few things may not be very clear for some. Single Ended equals class A Push Pull equals to class A/B Class A in a transistor amp eliminates the distortion of a switching transistor from the positive to the negative path of signal on A/B class. Class A/B has min 2 transistor per channel. Now tube amps are coloured and distorted and a class A or Single Ended implementations doesn’t make any sense to me. A classic Dynaco topology with a P/P el34 and 35watt would be the ideal sweet spot for most. From here the magic from an amp, especially a tube one, comes from the power supply and because of it the Dynaco was sounding that good. That’s why todays japanese and italian tube amps tend to sound better than chinese ones. Long story short a good modern implementation of a Dynaco ST35 with 35 watts would be the ideal tube amp for most regardless of price. Just download schematics and DIY. This is my opinion only made from having build 63 tube amps of any topology. I suggest el34 for mids or kt88 for tonal balance an power. (70watts). From here and after 22 years building electronics I have learned one lesson which is: nothing can beat a good pure class A transistor amp. Nothing regardless of price spent. I came to this conclusion with age. The more distortions, even the good sounding ones coming from tubes, the more infos the brain have to process. This with age translates in fatigue in the long run especially for aged chaps. Now all of this is my experience and my own toughs and opinions.
I think I'm going to order some scanspeak discovery 8 inch woofers and soft dome tweeters 4 ohm models and build some large bookshelf speakers to use hoping the finished speakers will have about 92db sensitivity
A colleague of mine, specialist in simulation software and electronics engineering says he can make any solid state amp sound like a tube amp. He simulated his listening room, including furniture, curtains, everything. I'm pretty sure he's right. He now uses 3 stereo class D amps with 8th order (4th order Butterworth + 4th order Chebyshev) filtering in his self designed dynamic speakers awaiting the moment he has spare time to finish his electrostatic speakers. Looking at the frequency and phase response of tube amps and how he's able to change it all, I'm pretty sure he's right.
Good video. Will need space and money... and be willing to say goodbye to digital ins and streaming. To enjoy your complete system you will need good pre... if lucky with a remote. Vincent audio hybrid tube solid state are great starting point.
Let me know 1) What is your favorite tube and why? 2) Do you prefer push-pull or single-ended? 3) Do you like your tube amp? 4) Are you planning to try a tube amp in the future?
Benefits of using tubes: ruclips.net/video/9f5iV80jAe0/видео.html
Here are some comments from Mr. Vintage that I left out from the video. Please keep in mind we are generalizing here.
Mr. Vintage: For me, the biggest difference between Single-ended and push-pull design is the image (結像力), the SE is sharp like the Zeiss lens while the push-pull is a little loose by comparison. It was 6V6 that inspired me to enter the "tube world". The magic of the 6V6 tube driving a pair of Dynaco A25 could not be found on all my Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood...SS amplifiers. The 6L6 follows the footprint of the 6V6 but has blended in the flavor of the EL34. I find the 6L6 performs the best on the McIntosh 240 Poweramp and even today I don't think you can find another amp that surpasses the 6L6 of the Mcintosh MC240. The NOS 6V6GT tubes are still available and affordable, this is something I like to explore，I think its mid-range rivals the SE designs in Push-pull. The bass is a bit lean but it is tuneful and has a good definition.
For sure 6L6 ,having tried 7 different brands hands down Tungsol 7581A.
I have pretty limited experience with tubes (compared with some here, anyway), but I will say I quite like my vintage push-pull 6BQ5 receiver. The best experience I've ever had with a tube was a GE red label 5670 in a DAC, though in the future I look forward to hearing 6N6P tubes in a DAC's output section. Some other really interesting tubes out there that seem cool, though I have not heard... The 50CA10 is an interesting power triode that can be found in vintage Luxman amplifiers. I'd love to get my hands on one of those. And of course, the 12AX7 and 12AU7 deserve some credit for being easy to find and getting so many people into tube audio.
I use 6L6 on push pull configuration
Do I like it? Yes
One thing i observe is, in a push pull configuration, the impact of tube rolling (change brand) is subtle, while on single-ended topology it is more notable
Correct me if I am wrong since this is just generalization from my limited experience
4
@@HercahyoAdiSaputro You are 100% correct
6:00 thank you so much for giving this rough guide to tube sound, you don't find this anywhere else online! Instead reviewers focus far to much on build quality, inputs / outputs, price etc. and leave out the most important part. Keep doing what you're doing, you're one of the most helpful hifi channels on RUclips.
Thomas, you are one of the great voices in the audio community. Your style and storytelling is so illuminating and unique. You should write a book- I bet it will be a best seller!
I second that. great review with a more intimate style. Can tell he is not reading off a script.
I agree with what has been said about Thomas. His presentation is informal & intimate...like he's a very cool & knowledgeable audiophile friend...just talking to me.
Luis, you hit it out of the park. Thomas gives you information in a way that is non bias and uplifting.
As a “newbie” to the world of Tube amps, I must say that this video is incredible. I learned so much and at least have a base to begin investigating what is right for me. I am looking forward to binging through the rest of your videos. Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of information in a very clear and concise manner
so, what did you chose ? :)
Bought the Reisong A10 a year ago, my first tube amp. Tom is right, great midrange but lacked bass & punch for me. Bought the Willsenton R8 OMG! what a difference! This one is a keeper! Have no intention of trying something else. Exceeded my expectations Very Very happy! Best sounding Amp I ever owned over 50 years of being a audiophile.
Congrats!
Can listen to you wax poetic on hifi gear all day. Thank you for your vlogs. Love them.
My favorite tube is the EL34b in the Reisong A10. I prefer single ended amps or Class A amps. I absolutely love my Reisong A10. The sound is absolutely beautiful and the quality and detail put into this unit is outstanding. This is the best amp I’ve owned thus far and I will never buy a solid state amp again. For me this is an entry level amp and I am seriously considering buying a more powerful tube amp again. I really appreciate Reisong as a company because they share their schematics and as an electronics hobbyist I find this educational. I also am grateful how this company has made this technology financially accessible to everyone.
Thank you for your excellent commentary !
Indeed. I have enjoyed my Reisong A10 for a year or so, not going anywhere soon. Sweet, non fatiguing sound. Plenty of power to drive my 99dB/w speakers in my apartment 🤘
My speaker are 90db are they in the a10 ballpark I love the look of this amp
Hi I have heard a lot about A10 and A50. Anyone tried both ?😊
Absolutely brilliant Thomas, this video is very close to my heart as I am on this tube Journey with you. I will say that having a sensitive speaker opens up lots more options and should be a careful consideration.
I just purchased a Tekton lore 96db efficiency upgraded version mondolf capacitor upgraded crossover from the company $1300 fantastic speaker excellent resolution excellent bass beautiful mid range my tube amps never sounded better
Thomas your a legend. I appreciate all your knowledge and how well you convey your message.
I use the Primaluna prologue pre amp running Mullard gz34 & Mullard CV4003 12AU7 valves paired with a Plinius RA 300 solid state power amp running into Focal Sopra 2 speakers ... Changing to NOS tubes made a huge difference , All going well so far , Thanks Thomas for an excellent audio channel that's very informative ... 😎
Just found your channel. I have zero experience with tube amps and this was extremely enlightening.
Glad it was helpful!
I found this presentation to be very informative and offering key points on what to consider before purchasing a tube amp. The vast world of tubes and their combinations can be overwhelming and again you help us so very much. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I like your sober or matter of fact approach very much!
Number # 1 advice from a Tube owner, make sure your Air Conditioner is big enough to cool your Tube Gear! :)
I’m finding the importance of finding and using quality tubes , huge in dictating the listening experience . Many of these amps come with bottom end tubes not even correctly biased . That is a huge topic in itself .
Yup and replacement intervals for tubes. Too costly
Thomas man, a decade ago I was a guitar player who played guitar tube amps for 30+ years and was starting to build my first hifi. A tube integrated was the logical choice but the choices seemed to be really cheap and unreliable stuff or super expensive stuff. What you have done this past year in highlighting good quality mid priced tube gear would have been SO amazing for me at the start of my hifi journey!!!!!!! I know that many people entering the hifi journey will absolutely have a wealth of info that was not available to me a decade ago. Your tube series of reviews is truly a great contribution to the community!!
Lookin foreword the review. The WilsentonR8 was my first “ new” tube amp and I have a 10watt L84 based vintage amp. The old amp whispered in my ear years ago that “ hey , this what you want”.
The R8 has let me know “ that old amp was right”.
When I move up, it will be the bigger Wilsenton.
Guess I’m a “ tube guy” now.. happy to be here:)
Which speakers are you using with the Wilsenton?
@@sepsism138 Klipsch Heresy IVs with a Sunfire Eq sub. Thorens TT , ifi Zen phono
@@dougg1075 Nice! Thanks for confirming.
I get most of the pleasure of experimenting HiFi..... Without having to spend any money.
Thanks for getting me through the pandemic
Great video Thomas. As an avid user of tube amps for guitar, I'm thinking about buying one for my audio rig. You have such a clear way of explaining things, I always learn tons from your work. Thank you for sharing your experience with us newbies.
I second that!
Single ended triode on the tweeter, pure class A solid state on the midrange, and Solid state Class D on the bass , tri-wire configuration! Got it!!
Wow, i finally found a guru that will guide me on my journey to the world of vacuum tubes. Thank you very much for the great video!
Glad it was helpful!
I am learning about amps little by little. It's so hard when you do not have access to different types of amps to know what you like or dont like, without of course experimentation, which can be prohibitively expensive. As I take my second foray into tubes I am trying to read and watch as many videos as I can, but there's no substitute for having the item in your home hooked up to your equipment. I very much look forward to your video on the R800i
Love the Stories Thomas…. Thank You.
Glad you like them!
All you reviewers are making tube amps the hot product of 2021!!!!
I very much enjoyed this video. A simple breakdown of a topic too often guarded by high brow practitioners.
In order to take advantage of the best qualities of each part of a system, I prefer separates. I use a Tube Pre to get the tube sound and holographic effect, then via an active crossover, I send mids and highs to a solid state class A and lastly, my 2 servo subs use class D.
What about tube pre to a tube amp for the mids and highs and a class a for the subs?
Very nice. I love having that much control over a system.
This exactly what I’m in the process of doing. What active crossover are you using?
@@MrBonger88 Bryston 10B-SUB. It's pricey but it's transparent and that is a huge deal when inserting anything between a pre and an amp. It's a worthwhile investment.
@@ranbymonkeys2384 Class D is the most effective and efficient way to drive subs.
The whole tube-thing is new for me. I purchased a Leben CS300 and replaced it by the CS300f . I can tell these are different! Thanks for your interesting video, I did learn a lot.
Back in the day I purchased Carver Silver 9Ts. That was an obscene amount of money back then! My 9Ts power my ol’ school Polk SRA-SDS 1.2tls (also run two (2) Velodyne FSR-18 subs). Every 5 years I have the amps serviced (cleaned, replace all tubes, etc), which I have done for the past 30+ years. The 1.2tls (I am the original owner) have been restored.
My 9Ts still sound amazing! Yes, I own old equipment but my ol’ school gear still images beautifully.
Now that my financial position has improved, I can afford to pay cash for new gear. I recently purchased a Sony XBR-77A9GG OLED tele, an ATV 4K and two (2) SVS PC-4000 subs. Next will be Polk L800 (with L900’modules). Have not decided on an amp or processor.
People shit on me because my commitment to Polk. My ears like Polk and that’s all that matters to me.
Nice job of finding an interesting angle and explanation of the overwhelming experience of listening to so many reviewers and their personal opinion on a vague subject . ( the norm in hiring?) As always a great informative listen . This should be a amplifier 101 even before they start listening to individual reviewers . Especially with resurgence and popularity of tube integrated amps .
Hi Thomas, when getting into my decision/making process on a new amp about 5 month ago, I watched literaly all of your videos and pretty much enjoyed all of those - same with this video.
Ultimately, I ended up with a Line Magnetic LM-211, one of the smaller verisons of LM, running EL34 in push pull. And yes, I have been close to purchase one of these 805 or 845 tube single ended monsters, but was ultimately kept back from both price in Germany and heat dissipation (0.5 KW !) which would heat up my listening room too much during summer.
But to my huge surprize, the sound I am getting with my Sonus Faber Cremona V1 is so great, sweet, and yet dynamic that I do not want to go back to solid state.
Yes, I agree with you that its ultimately about tube type and curcuitry preference - but, the first move is to go from solid state to tubes at all! And, for most whoalready have speakers that ar capable for tume amps this step will be a quantum leap!
So, thanks for all your great videos and your unrivalled way of explaining things!
Thank you very much for this video, been thinking about dipping my toes into tubes.
Thomas! What an awesome video. Well done, sir
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for dropping by!
This is fantastic information for an audio enthusiast that understands personalities of different amps. I have never had a tube amp before and had no idea where to even begin. Thank you so much for explaining.
I solved all the issues to do with tube amps by sticking with very good solid state amplification and realizing that, as long as all the system components produce high quality accurate, neutral sound, the greatest influence on sound quality are the source recordings.
Great overview of some popular tubes. Thank you!
There is no contest. The big iron gets the biggest sound. All the best, and most transparent amps, the ones that defied amplification and just became the music seamlessly... they all have the name Bogen. And they all date from the early 60s and earlier. The original work horses were the austere, multi purpose MO60 and MO100. A few tweaks and those amps are the best thing you'll ever hear. Even without those tweaks, they'll serve any audiophile a top ten performance. It doesn't matter that they often wound up hammering nails or shaking huge tables, they offered the largest frequency response of all the tube spectrum. 5hz-50khz. Yes, really. I just flipped two sets of dual mono blocks for obscene money, locally... I began using them in the studio to critically study mixes... they're simply stellar. Often overlooked, because the later Bogens were not that great. Also because they are basic, black boxes with zero bling. All business. The BP60 would have been a game changer... but too few were made... if you find one, keep it! You'll never see another. At the base of each great tube amp is the iron. Bogen had the BEST. It's a fine art. To replicate those amps now, domestically, would command a price of 10k for two 100 watt mono blocks. TRIPLE RECTIFIED!!! And never bested, IMO.
I'm still running the Tube Amp from my Granddad the only thing I have done is replaced the caps and the Tubes :) This Amp drives my Urei 809 Speakers. Thank you for your video!
Rock on!
I've been lusting after the LM 508ia for ages - game recognizes game - you're excitement for the R800i is a give away 😄
The r800i is a cheaper copy of the LM508ia. But without full point to point wiring or the upgraded caps/resistors. I am not sure if the r800i has the Japanese EL core output transformers of the Line Magnetic, either. Weights are very similar though.
Run in stock setup is meant to be great but gather the clans and get those tubes rolled!
And reading between the lines of those V shaped speakers that you like: holographic air, fast punchy quality bass and dynamics 😉
@@KeenAesthetic1 Agreed. NOS tubes, even if only on the small input tubes, bring HUGE gains.
I actually use and prefer speakers with great imaging but neutral on-axis and listening window responses. Solid bass, too. But that hologram of the performer standing in your room is a drug for me.
Favourite Tube 845 Push Pull Class A, tube rolling to PSVANE was the right decision. Very happy. Amps are Cary 211 Mono Blocks 75 watts
Thoroughly enjoyed your video. I'm looking to buying a tube amp. Cheers from New Zealand.
Thanks, Thomas, for laying this out at the beginner level, which is pretty close to the mark for me with tube amplifiers. Given the limited efficiencies of my speakers, I may not get to try tubes anytime soon despite my interest in them. Nonetheless, I appreciate how with all of your videos you show your reasoning as you inform and explain about the topic at hand. Knowing more about things, even those I may never buy or experience, is allowing me to better understand how my system components work together and choices to be made as I look to improve or add to what I have.
From Spain my favorite reviwer... to categorize is what i spect from a review. Sold my Naim gear and keeping my Reisong A10 but I feel to need to uograde but keeping in Class A single ended... very easy to listen in fact
Thanks Thomas. I’m just starting into proper tube amps. Bought a used/inexpensive EL84 Mengyue Mini recently, updated the tubes, and am amazed by how it sounds. Have been looking at the R8 for a few weeks.
Don’t hesitate on the R8. I bought one and upgraded all the tubes. It’s an excellent amp especially for it’s low price!
Looking forward to your video on tubes, man! I like yout channel as well! ;)
yeah tubes sound awesome :)
SET is class a. The incoming signal is not split and beat up. In push-pull, it's class A-B. Each circuit handles one half of the input signal. The two signals are then splice together. This gluing creates a distortion, crossover distortion. More circuitry is added to eliminate and smooth that crossover distortion. Some amps the amplitude of the frequency at the splice is reduced along with the other half thus their is a blend of both signals in an area where both produce the sound creating an impure signal. The class a-b will usually have more power for obvious reasons - single circuit can only produce so much. Long ago A/D/S made class a car amps. The sound was phenomenal and loud. Unfortunately, they had a habit of burning up due to being class a and without ginormous heat sinks. Had one in a car in the early 90s and which people still talk about today. As an end note, class a-b solid state has come a long way, such that crossover distortion shouldn't be an issue in any competent amp.
I've been in tubes for many months already and these are by no means for beginners, even people who already own tube amps can learn from these.
Triode TRV-88SER is my long-term tube amp…beautiful vocals, meaty bass and looks to die for!
Yes i agree classical and opera sound good on single end good stuff.
I have been looking for a video like this for a long time. Very, very informative. Thanks!
Hi Thomas single ended with active bass, could have stayed in that room all day, Manchester hifi show, about 10 Yr ago... Now give us good choice of speakers to go with these lovely amplifiers.. Thanks Thomas,, regards Antony Warrington..
Great video - the categorization of sound differences helps those beginning/already in a tube journey.
I'm using hybrid separate system. Parasound Halo P6 PreAmp and Primaluna Dialogue Primium PowerAmp. Works well so far.
Really cool to go solid state pre and tube power amp.
@@ThomasAndStereo hello Thomas. Thanks for replying. Me and my wife both watch your channel. Really appreciate you. Yes solid pre. As my system does double duty. For HT duty as well. The Parasound P6 gives the HT bypass. Speakers are FYNEAUDIO F502sp towers and PARADIGM Seismic 110 sub for HT duty along with centers and surrounds of course.
@@ThomasAndStereo Btw can you kindly share your opinion on Primaluna amps? As you get to compare with lot of other Tube amps. Your inputs will be very helpful and valuable. The Dialogue premium new was around $3k USD when new or till a year back. I got mine in 2019 and paid a little less then listed price. But apparently Primaluna holds value quite well. I had Prologue Premium before. Upgraded to Dialogue in 2019. Both are replaced by the Evolution line now I suppose.
@@sahdinkhan1827 I believe he said they are excellent Amplifier integrated‘s as well but they are pricey nowadays you can get one for 1/3 the price that is 90% the sound of
prima Luna
@@stephencosta6814 thanks for your input man. yup they are pricey no doubt. I Started tube with Icon Audio Stereo 40.2 Mkiii intigrated back in 2015. All British made. Before that always ran all solid state separates. After the Icon Audio i moved to Primaluna and started experimenting with Hybrid system. Ran a Cayin intigrated for few weeks can't remember the model. Then went back to Primaluna. First Prologue then Dialogue the bigger one.
Thanks for the great video Thomas, I just bought BoyuuRange mk3 50, and wow 7.6 watts per channel. My biggest surprise is that it can power my sonus faber sonetto viii 90db sensitivity no problem. Love the sound 🔊
I have this amp too. I also love it and it drives my 88dB 4ohm Magico A3s with no problem, as well!
@@RJ_Chicago nice, did you roll your 300Bs
@@blejzerosamigos6115 No. At least not yet. Mine came with Psvanes. Have you rolled them yet and if so with what tubes and with what results?
@@RJ_Chicago I bought gold lions px300b, still in burn in stages but they seem little more refined
Fantastic. Thank you. Clear, conscience, insightful. Much appreciated
Thank you for this @ Thomas & Stereo. It brings me to a very important consideration. I am looking at a change to an R8 to replace my IOTAVX SA3/PA3x2……Or keep my IOTAVX PA3 and use the Schiit Freya + as a pre-amp upgrade. The prices for the upgrade is similar between the two. My speakers are the Klipsch RP-8000F.
I appreciate all your great videos and perspective!
Yes I would go with that combination use a schiit Freya with the two power amps form iotavx make sure you use a 50ohm interconnect cable between the two something like a RG 213/u. I think you gonna lose bass control with the r8 maybe if you change the tube rectifier think it's got! for solid-state you might be alright
Or possibly I think the r8 got pre out? If so you could use it bi-amp but you need to match the impedance between the two amps use a potentiometer at 50 kohms to the pa3
@@johnsweda2999 thanks for this, question though. Why would I need a 50ohm interconnect? Is there a matching problem between the voltage gain of the PA3 and Frey’s +?
@@F1fletch yes it is a matching gain issue, all analogue signal should be 50 ohms or less, i changed it to 213/u what is a copper braid not a silver braid a little bit less conductive what really you want from a valve to solid-state, try 2.5 or 4 m length probably not shorter! if you're going valve to valve or solid state to solid-state or solid-state to valve use rg214/u. Valve amplifiers like to be driven harder higher voltage not the same for solid-state the opposite
I have a Reisong A-10 tube amp. I live in a mobile home and have it in a very small spare bedroom contacted to Klipsch RM 600s. It sounds great whether thru the phono or cd.
Great video. But I must say that the power and output transformers play an enormous role as well. The weight of similarly constructed tube amps can reveal which has the generally better output transformers.
I used to have the hot rodded 'original' version of the Willsenton R800i (Line Magnetic LM805IA). It comes with better build than the Willsenton but with cheaper tubes. It still sounds better. Both have a grip over the bass drivers and a finesse over the mids and treble that push pull can't offer at anywhere near the same price. Think double the price just to be in the ballpark. I demo'd my LM805IA against the PrimaLuna EVO400 Integrated and, even with hotrodded NOS tubes, the PL EVO got demolished in every genre. It was an absolute runaway victory when I used NOS tubes in the LM805IA.
No bass amps being discussed here, but these big radio transmitter SET tubes (805, 845, 211) do things that push pull amps just can't. Period. End of story.
Great video. The simple distillation into 3 key points drove home an important message. While I use tube amps now for 8 years, I have only used the same amps. I got lucky and like it. But many tube amps I hear at audio shows I do not like. It will be interesting next time for me to keep your 3 things in mind when I got to the next show and see what my preferences are.
I think an evolution could be to bi amp or tri amp so you can use SE class A for mid and hi and KT150 PP for low end.
This was very helpful. I have been looking at tube amps for over three years now and I just can't make myself pull the trigger.
I have had a Reisong A10 for about one year. I have been tube rolling several EL34's (Tung Sol is the best so far) and KT77. I have swapped out the stock rectifier for a mid 60's ex-RAF Mullard CV 1863. I have also swapped out the 6N2Js for NOS JSC Voskhod 6N2P-EB/6AX7. I am well pleased with the sound.
1. I don't have a favorite tube i.e., EL34, KT88, etc. as I have not had enough experience with a variety of tube amps.
2. Same as above. However in solid state I prefer class A.
3. So far I am enjoying the Reisong very much. In a word, it is salubrious.
4. Yes. I am planning on trying additional tube amps.
Interesting. I have the same amp, Reisong A10. I found changing the rectifier made it sound too much like "solid state" even thou using the same "type" of rectifier. I have tried the Russian equivalent 5Ц4С (5U4S) and also Brimar 5Z4G (CV1863). I find the amp sounds the sweetest (tube like) with those original ShuGuang 5Z4P (J) it shipped with. Maybe there is is enough difference electrically between these same "types" rectifiers after all and its designed to use the original tube. Not sure if i'm imagining it or not (i don't think so), don't have any measurement tools to confirm.
Anyhow, because of that, i have stocked quite a few of those original type rectifiers. I really do like the amp. Oh, also noticed that its best to be plugged in a dedicated wall socket and not use any extension cords shared with other devices, it changed the background noise even better (less), i did not think about that first because its so low wattage, but it did make a difference. My speakers are sensitive to background hiss/noise, 99dB/w, Klipsch Heresy III. Currently my favourite combo for the other tubes are the Russian 6N2P-EV signal tubes and Mullard EL34 (current production). Also used Tung-Sol EL34, but now they are for backups. Can listen to this little beast of a amp for hours / whole day without even a hint of listening fatigue compared to a normal solid state stuff i also have. 👍
@@johto if you check out the voltage drop between the rectifier tubes you are using,They can and will effect the sound quality of the amplifier.
Another thing to consider is the rectification rail on the amplifier. A majority of the rails are either 5v-1.9amp which would be a 5ar4, It has the least amount of voltage drop.A 5v-2a which would be for tubes like 5y3.normally low powered low milliamp 125 max circuits.
Then the 5v-3a like the 5u4 family of rectifiers,which can handle 250ma.
Where a majority of people go wrong with rectifier tubes is ,They will use to small of a rectifier on a circuit,Like a rectifier rated for 3a on a 2a circuit.
They will use a rectifier with less voltage drop on circuit, So the voltages are to high or they will use an undersized rectifier on a circuit,So the tube is push to its limit ,because of the MA current that is required to run the amp..
In a SE el34 amplifier, the milliamp draw of the power tubes and driver tubes, is going to be atleast 125-130ma depending on how the tubes are biased.
The voltage drop between a 5ar4 and 5u4g is roughly 42 volts,the difference between a 5ar4 and diodes is roughly 7volts...
If you wanted to customize your amp.
If you do pio coupling capacitors the sound will be smoother and rounder.and it will match up with more speakers.If you do poly or Teflon capacitors, it will sound brighter,more detailed and exact ,so fewer speakers will work with it.
i had a single-ended amp many years ago and felt it was quite clean sounding
now for a serious tube related comment.my first tube amp i aquired in the 1980's.it was a kit amp from heathkit.i obtained it used so someone else built it.this amp had 6l6gc tubes in it.i remember how much i loved that thing.just to add i was a teenager at the time.my taste has changed a bit since then.the last tube amp i owned was a few years back.it had el84's driven by a single 12ax7.the sound of that thing was sublime.i do have 98db efficent speakers.so i can slide by with low power.i think the next piece of tube gear im going to try.it is defo gonna be a schiit audio freya+.
Hi Thomas
Great introduction for tube amplifiers thanks
Well done ! I ended up with a Made in USA SET amp can run Triode or Ultralinear mode as well as autobiases EL34 and KT88 tubes.. Best of all worlds !!!
I'll take ... the Leben CS-300 in the bottom right corner for the win please Alex
Hello Thomas, I have a pair of '93 La Scala AL3 and a pair of '87 Heresy II that I want to dedicate to 2ch. I did minimal research and jumped into the Decware se34i.5: 6w x2, single ended triode, not really knowing much about tube amplifiers. It is in the process of being built and I am excited, the only thing is, I've never listened to a tube amplifier and I think I've made the right decision, I hope. I do enjoy vocals, horn instruments, classical guitar and hope it will be an upgrade over my AVR, "Yamaha RX-A1080." Love watching your videos and thank you for your knowledge.
dang, you do a great job explaining these. super glad to have found your channel!
I purchased the A12. Found the sound a little veiled at times. Rolled in some NOS Flying C 34’s and new TungSol 12AX pre. Stupid good sound- very clear with good recordings ( running with Klipsch RP600M) these are still breaking in but really amazing details and separation for a budget kit. Have a sub in line as well which helps fill in low end. I’ll tweak now- cables will be first- building my own- too cheap to fork out crazy money🤫
NOS Flying C34's? What are these please?
I guess you rolled out the stock EL34's with the NOS Flying C34's, but I don't specifically know what they are and I am looking for potential options!
I understand the replacement TungSol 12AX7 Pre-amp tubes; did you replace the 5Z4PJ rectifier tube too, and if so what with please?
My A12 has just arrived and waiting for my Triangle Borea BR03 to arrive tomorrow to start messing about...
👍👏🏻🙏🏻Well Thomas I just simply love this video everything you said is so true I have a cheap Musical Paradise 301 I put expensive old stock tubes on it and it went up in sound quality at least three notches I also have the Wilsonton R8 I love the power on it The base but the mid range is better On the cheaper little Musical Paradise 301💪👍🙏🏻
Excellent summary! 😁
Awesome vid Thomas I have 2 amps one a Yaqin and Conrad Johnson one triode and Pentoide and your right its about taste so keep up your awesome vids bro cheers
Power content. Learned a few things today. Thanks for sharing!
Great reference video. I have no experience with tubes, so this helps if I ever decide to go down that road👍
Glad it was helpful!
I had a Duna70 in the late 70's and replaced it only because i wanted more power. In the late 80's I picked up a Jolida 502a that had more power, after I modified it the sound was good but the cost of a set of new output tubes was a bit much. I ended up replacing that with a Gaffler d220 which I put new driver boards into. It sounded very good but to get the best sound I had to bias it on the high side to get the best sound with my Conrad Johnson PV-10a.
For the best compromise is a tube preamp with a good solid state amp, currently I have the Rogue RP5 preamp and a set of PS Audio m700 mono blocks, thats a good sounding setup driving my Elac Adante floor standing speakers.
Great video Thomas! Keep your stories/opinions/approach videos coming! Love tubes!
Thanks for this Thomas, next year I will buy my first tube amp for my klipsh speakers. Im leaning towards a r8 el34 but you're upcoming studies may help me here. Either way I learnt a lot today about push/pull and single ended.
Fanboy alert! I love my R8. Among being able to choose between el34 and kt88, easy and relatively inexpensive tube rolling, and being able to choose between triode and ultralinear modes the R8 can be voiced so many different ways. It is endlessly fun and such a bargain.
@@downhillblur708 agreed, it’s top of my list. Thank you for taking the time to write your comment!
Thank you for such a clear explanation of these concepts - it’s really helpful!
Glad it was helpful!
Planning to buy my first tube amp, after hearing the comments of the qaulity why not, but good video for firsttimers
Nice info. Will put on hold in purchasing the MC ma352. Waiting for more your review.
Hey Thomas, thanks a lot for your great tube related content. 👍
I hope you will publish a review about the Doge 7 tube DAC 🤩
In nov.
Personally, I will always choose EL84. I have a Manley Stingray that I simply love.
I have carefully listened to many different tubes for a long period and there is always something missing, but EL84 is a complete tube for me. That EL84 has less bass than other tubes is not true and if it is, it depends on how you have built the amplifier itself and what output transformer you have used.
I prefer push-pull amp because it gives me more opportunity to choose many different speakers. For example, I can choose my favorite speakers with less sensitivity and still get good pressure in the speakers
What I like more about EL84 is that there are so many tubes for sale, everything from vintage, nos, new and they can be anything from cheap to expensive.
I'm probably a tube fan and have a good collection of EL84, ECC81 and ECC83 tube.
The sound can vary sharply depending on which tube you drive with. I have a good opportunity to customize my tube amp depending on whether I play rock, blues, jazz, soul.
Nice, thanks for sharing and yes you are correct, it also depends on how the amp is made.
I am *so* far from this level of tube-wisdom, but this video makes me really want to dive in anyway.
Thank you Thomas !
You are welcome!
Great video Thomas. Keep up the interesting topics of conversation.
Kt150 !!!
Mine is a Tsakiridis Ultra w 4xkt150
Class AB, 70w
Think I like Ultra Linear more that Triode.
Paired to Nola Boxer 3, Schiit Bifrost2, Allo DigiOne Sig
Love these kind of vids Thomas. I think these educational insights are what separates you from the many reviewers out there. One thing I would add to this title is the cost and access to tube rolling. You can end up spending more on replacement tubes than the cost of the amp itself. That's one of the reasons why I like my Doge 10 and the kt-88. Not too expensive to replace.
100% correct I bought a Musical Paradise 301 used for $100 no tubes on though it cost me 400 to get new old stock tubes and I simply love it
it brought it to a new level
nice review Thomas.Something folks should consider with push pull is how essential good tubes are in the phase inverter stage.a good tube such as GL 12au7 can make a difference.In many ways the phase inverters are the "heart "of a push pull circuit.
Hello Thomas,
First let me say that I absolutely love your honest, straightforward, no-nonsense equipment review style and highly anticipate your tube amplifier reviews.
You have taught me more than I ever imagined I'd learn about tube amplifiers (pre & Integrated) while simultaneously raising more questions than I'd ever thought I'd have.
I'd truly appreciate and be eternally grateful for even a bit of assistance in pointing me in the right direction concerning my next (forever) tube amp purchase.
I know you're bombarded with tons of questions and requests for gear recommendations from those who provide little to no information related to their listening environments, styles or tastes, so I've tried to provide as much info as possible related to my personal tastes and listening environment.
The amplifiers I'm considering (because of you Lol - except the Mc) are below:
Cayin CS88 tube integrated amp
Cayin CS100 tube integrated amp
Cayin CS 150 tube integrated amp
Cayin CS845A
Doge 10 tube integrated amp
McIntosh MA 352
The music I intimately listen to (15x20 sq ft space) at mostly low to moderately loud volumes (80-85db max) is mostly acoustic, smooth jazz, lots of vocals and old R&B (Boney James, Fourplay, George Howard, Gregory Porter, Boz Skaggs, Lalah Hathaway, Diana Krall, Otis Redding, Gladys Knight) to name a few.
The speakers I've chosen are the new Buchardt S400 MkIl. They are (per reviews) slightly more refined in the areas of top end, bass, soundstage and depth and are a bit less forward in overall presentation than the original.
ruclips.net/video/xjPIlIhgBuM/видео.html (From your brother in arms Lol!)
ruclips.net/video/KBcLfZAGi9A/видео.html (Another solid review)
Lastly, I'm looking for a combination of at least Most of the following attributes in my final amplifier choice:
1. Smooth, silky, sweet (not "syrupy" or overly bright) top end
2. Great bass handling - speed, punch & definition
3. Holographic presentation
4. Great soundstage
5. Depth of field/ soundstage (not in your face)
6. Power enough to effortlessly drive the Buchardts @ 88db sensitive to moderate volume levels
Lastly, I know that you may not have the time or let's be honest, the desire to respond to my post.
However, as I can't locally audition any of the above amplifiers, except for the Mcintosh, I highly value your expertise and opinion.
If you can and do decide to respond with a recommendation, I understand that it would be totally subjective & based on your tastes and experiences with each amplifier and for that, I would be eternally grateful.
Thank you in advance Thomas and my sincerest apologies for such a long post.
All the best and have a great day and weekend!
Gene
I am always afraid to recommend because I don't know your taste Nd I have ever heard the new S400. If I had to pick blind, I personally would go for the Doge 10 but the newer version which is smoother.
Wow! Really useful information and presented in a very good way. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great well balanced information Thomas very much enjoyed this video.
Glad you enjoyed it
I purchased a yaqin mc13 s 10 yrs ago because i just loved the way it look & it was cheap & reliable £350. But it does lack clarity & punch. I think i may be purchasing an upgrade very soon.
Best advice for a beginner buying a tube amplifier....(1)Check out the build quality of the amplifier and components .point to point wiring is easier to fix or modify in the future. Circuit boards are nice and will last as long as they are not exposed to heat. (2) Does it use common tubes?
All the tubes that are used on or in the amplifier have an effect on the sound quality of the amplifier .the larger the choices of the tubes that will work on the amplifier, the more choices you have in presentation of the sound made by the amplifier. If it takes a weird or off the wall tube,You have less choices in voicing the amplifier.
(3) look at the efficiency of the speakers you plan on driving with the amplifier. If you have high efficiency speakers ,they don't need as much power to drive as lower efficiency ones.
(4)Any equipment you buy is an investment, You want to enjoy your investment and if or when you sell it,You would want it to keep its value and in many cases you would want or like for it to increase in value.You can put all the Uber expensive capacitors and resistors you want on a cheap amplifier ,It will still be a cheap amplifier...
Thanks for sharing.
I love my Decware 25th anniversary 2.3 watt tube amp. As Steve Decker says, "if the 1st watt sucks....."
Yes, I have crossed over to valves also. However, valves do not push a lot of current typically. For larger speaker systems, bi-amp. SS for the bass and valves for mid/tweet. What you said is the strongest thing to advise amplifier purchasers. That is: listen to the amplifier before you purchase it if possible. Your ears will tell you if it sounds “good.“ Also, because of reactance, valves’ sound will change based on the type of speakers that you are using.
Just discovered this channel and love it. Subscribed.
Welcome aboard!
Excellent video and thank you so much for the knowledge.
Glad it was helpful!
What an insightful video! Thank you!
Spot on..
Just few things may not be very clear for some.
Single Ended equals class A
Push Pull equals to class A/B
Class A in a transistor amp eliminates the distortion of a switching transistor from the positive to the negative path of signal on A/B class. Class A/B has min 2 transistor per channel.
Now tube amps are coloured and distorted and a class A or Single Ended implementations doesn’t make any sense to me.
A classic Dynaco topology with a P/P el34 and 35watt would be the ideal sweet spot for most.
From here the magic from an amp, especially a tube one, comes from the power supply and because of it the Dynaco was sounding that good.
That’s why todays japanese and italian tube amps tend to sound better than chinese ones. Long story short a good modern implementation of a Dynaco ST35 with 35 watts would be the ideal tube amp for most regardless of price. Just download schematics and DIY.
This is my opinion only made from having build 63 tube amps of any topology. I suggest el34 for mids or kt88 for tonal balance an power. (70watts).
From here and after 22 years building electronics I have learned one lesson which is: nothing can beat a good pure class A transistor amp. Nothing regardless of price spent.
I came to this conclusion with age.
The more distortions, even the good sounding ones coming from tubes, the more infos the brain have to process. This with age translates in fatigue in the long run especially for aged chaps. Now all of this is my experience and my own toughs and opinions.
Thank you ,I am looking at buying my first tube amp . Trying find some high sensitivity large bookshelf speakers
I think I'm going to order some scanspeak discovery 8 inch woofers and soft dome tweeters 4 ohm models and build some large bookshelf speakers to use hoping the finished speakers will have about 92db sensitivity
A colleague of mine, specialist in simulation software and electronics engineering says he can make any solid state amp sound like a tube amp. He simulated his listening room, including furniture, curtains, everything. I'm pretty sure he's right. He now uses 3 stereo class D amps with 8th order (4th order Butterworth + 4th order Chebyshev) filtering in his self designed dynamic speakers awaiting the moment he has spare time to finish his electrostatic speakers. Looking at the frequency and phase response of tube amps and how he's able to change it all, I'm pretty sure he's right.
That sounds interesting.
Good video. Will need space and money... and be willing to say goodbye to digital ins and streaming. To enjoy your complete system you will need good pre... if lucky with a remote. Vincent audio hybrid tube solid state are great starting point.
Great video! So useful for Tube newbies.