SpeakerTalk

suffolk2 · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:08 pm Post subject: Help needed - which Valve Amp ??

i am new to valve amps and would like to know what are the good ones out there to buy - budget £500-£1000 . names of ones that are well known and ones to avoid.

i have been looking on ebay and there are lots from eastern origin, and not sure if they are any good.

also pros and cons of valves vs integrated would also be helpful.

thks

Gary · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 2:53 am Post subject:

There are many tube amps but I prefer vintage myself. A lot of the Chinese made ones either go through tubes very quickly or they blow up.... or so I've heard. Choose wisely!

Tube amps usually have a low power rating, too.

I have McIntosh but I presume they're rare in the UK?

What speakers do you intend to drive with them?
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suffolk2 · Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 9:02 am Post subject:

ColinR · Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 2:36 pm Post subject:

Why valves?

Unless you get a big sod.

All you get are performance hits due to lower damping factors not being able to adequately control the bass units and more available power being soaked up in the crossover reducing the headroom before "soft clipping" takes place.

Put your pennies towards a Quad 520 or 240, they sound like a Quad II but with a "hard" power supply they never run out of steam.
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centaurus · Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:31 am Post subject:

i agree with Colin. i have a pair of those "expensive McIntosh tube amps". MC60s. sounds pretty decent with my modded 104/2 at reasonable volumes, but you'll definitely want better control of those bandpass woofers.

the calindas were interesting. lots of high frequencies, mids were a little recessed and bass was very recessed. threw on a stock quad 405-2 and THEY CAME ALIVE!

interesting that the macs seemed to have an easier time driving the big 104/2 over the calindas.

you'll want to at least do the Folsom equivalent upgrade kit (quad405.com). new caps plus the burr-brown op amps for the class A amp (the HF response is sorta grainy stock). i would just buy the parts yourself. Robert's a really nice guy, but you are paying $99 for $20 worth of parts IMHO.

I'm still waiting for my super tweako modded 405-2, but it's getting nearly everything from Ludwig and dc-daylight thrown at it. that's fine, i bought a quad 909 used in the meantime Wink

see ya,
Robby