Tubers/Tube fanatics/WATT say you?

virtualdean

My Brother is a long time, 30 years plus, tube fanatic. His gear is all old and vintage tube stuff. Total vinyl head.
He never fails to bring up the superiority of tubes.
So...I thought maybe I should put together a second systems (someday) with a simple tube setup..
Sticker shock drove that stupid idea out of my head. I want something like Bob Carvers homemade kt88 tube amps that just sold for 10000 plus bucks on ebay. 180 wpc...
But when I checked my wallet all I had was 8 dollars and a 20 Barhaini Dinar note. (heavy sigh)
I found this website about these new but inconsistent amps made in china.
Cheap. They are of primitive design but look beautiful.
There are already electronics technician types redesigning these things and declaring the result amazing.

Here is one site...everything you need to know with pictures to revamp your own Magic Angel 65 wpc integrated tube amp that plays like a million bucks.

http://www.lampizator.eu/AMPLIFIERS/CHINA/KT88/Music%20Angel%20KT88%20reworking.html
I think you will find it a fascinating read and project.

Come on...some of you Electronic Tech types, What do you think??

W WALDECKER

If you examine threads on the DIY audio website pertaining to Music Angel tube amps there are fundamental design errors in thier circuits that need to be rectified just for them to operate properly. Caveat Emptor

virtualdean

W WALDECKER wrote: »

If you examine threads on the DIY audio website pertaining to Music Angel tube amps there are fundamental design errors in thier circuits that need to be rectified just for them to operate properly. Caveat Emptor

And thats exactly what lampizator does. He claims very strongly that the end result after doing his mods is a very good tube amp.:) good step by step photos of his work.
you should see the bowlfull of parts he removes that serve no function.
If i was to do it it would be as a project for fun. If it smoked in my face..well.
it wouldn't be the first time I screwed up.

heiney9

So why not spend the money on a "name brand" KT88? Why go thru all the BS with the MA, paying to have it rebuilt, etc.? I don;t get the point of your post.

heiney9

I looked at your link. I'm sure the work done is correct (or atleast better than the original) but one thing that really stands outs are the poor original solder joints and the very cheaply made pcb's. Those things look horrid regardless of how good the parts are the modder is adding.

Buy something that already works fine right out of the box.

H9

sda2mike

JOLIDA FX10....sweet little integrated...running EL34s and 12AX7s...makes 10 wpc sound HUGE....costs more than $8, much less than the Carvers, though..More like $450..

virtualdean

heiney9 wrote: »

So why not spend the money on a "name brand" KT88? Why go thru all the BS with the MA, paying to have it rebuilt, etc.? I don;t get the point of your post.

One you have to pay through the nose to get a good tube amp that isn't 30 years old and has sufficient power.
Two its the satisfaction of building or rebuilding and improving something with your own hands..
Why do people redo their kitchens when they can hire someone to do it?
Rebuild and trick out cars? Fix up the garage...
I like the idea of taking a piece of crap and making it sing.
What? No one here ever built a Heath kit?

mhardy6647

Power is highly over-rated as an important parameter in hifi sound reproduction.

heiney9

What is paying thru the nose to you?

Here's a great kit I am contemplating buying and it will be miles better than the corrected MA.

http://www.vkmusic.ca/TU-879S.htm

This a well thought out kit with excellent parts and pcb's as well as excellent transformers. You know exactly what you are getting.

With the MA even with your link it's a crap shoot because the transformer is the *single* most important piece in a tube amp (especially for higher power and lower impedances). I can pretty much guarantee the MA tranny's won't hold up for the power you think you might achieve from (4) KT88's.

Just food for thought

H9

heiney9

Here is another excellent, well built unit with excellent design and parts. I was bidding on one of these not too long ago and still am sorry I was outbid.

http://www.teconaudio.com/model_SE43i.html

These two units I linked to as well as the Jolida FX10 are all very inexpensive ways to get into very high quality, newer tube gear (as opposed to the 50's and 60's stuff you eluded to before). By the time you pay to have the MA KT88 bought, shipped and modded you'd be much better off with these other suggestions, IMHO.

Good luck

H9

Face

What speakers are you driving? How loud do you listen?

virtualdean

heiney9 wrote: »

What is paying thru the nose to you?

Here's a great kit I am contemplating buying and it will be miles better than the corrected MA.

http://www.vkmusic.ca/TU-879S.htm

This a well thought out kit with excellent parts and pcb's as well as excellent transformers. You know exactly what you are getting.

With the MA even with your link it's a crap shoot because the transformer is the *single* most important piece in a higher power tube amp. I can pretty much guarantee the MA tranny's won't hold up for the power you think you might achieve from (4) KT88's.

Just food for thought

H9

Good point and good info. Thank you. Even the rebuilder states he doesn't trust the Chinese transformers...I must have glossed over that part the first time.

Paying thru the nose to me means that my discretionary money is spoken for. Which is why I was contemplating Music Angel.
A reputable kit sounds mo' betta already.

virtualdean

Face wrote: »

What speakers are you driving? How loud do you listen?

My current speakers are Bose 901's. Until May 6th when my Polk rtiA9's arrive..Then I will have to unload the 901's or ..I could switch off now and then for variety.

virtualdean

I've clipped and pasted them and will have a good time discussing it with my older Bro.

He will probably get all puffed up and say, "Its what Ive been trying to tell you!"

Good night.

by the way, I say tubehead in a good way. It occurs to me some might find it offensive. its not.

weitrhino

I'm staying out of this one.....

heiney9

weitrhino wrote: »

I'm staying out of this one.....

Apparently not, or you wouldn't haven't posted all................what would you like to add?

H9

Face

Brock, did you see his sig?

heiney9

Face wrote: »

Brock, did you see his sig?

Yeah, I did..........just trying to start a conversation. Obviously you and I know that the suggestions here won;t compete with nice high power hand built stuff like in his sig. That's not what this thread is about, unless I'm mistaken and the KT88 amps in his sig can be built for around $500-600.

H9

mhardy6647

The little tec.on UL SE EL34 stereo amp is very cute and looks pretty formidable for the price. Using a choke in the power supply is a nice touch.

(it'd be nice to see a photo of its innards)

heiney9

mhardy6647 wrote: »

The little tec.on UL SE EL34 stereo amp is very cute and looks pretty formidable for the price. Using a choke in the power supply is a nice touch.

(it'd be nice to see a photo of its innards)

I used to have a couple photo's, I'll see what I can dig up.

heiney9

Here you go Mhardy

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=mmbcnpj19eihrohuqcsevme6qnd7h5k2;action=gallery;sa=view;id=28680

I also forgot Affordable Audio did a review too

http://www.affordableaudio.org/teconSE34i.pdf

6 Moons did a review on the other Tec*on (Model 55) piece here and there is a naked photo as well.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/tecon/55.html

mhardy6647

heh, I should've seen the AffordableAudio review at least (but I didn't), thanks.

zingo

I would look towards CL for a used one. It's going to be your best bang for the buck, and at any time we seem to have a few floating around in the Seattle area; maybe you do too.

reeltrouble1

The dust on my tubes costs more than eight bucks........

RT1