I love tubes............

heiney9
heiney9 Posts: 25,165
edited July 2010 in 2 Channel Audio
Just sitting here chilling a little bit recovering from last nights cook-out and fireworks. Getting ready to attend another cook-out. Listening to the office rig a 12 wpc 6V6 based integrated amp.

(4) 1950's 6V6 gray glass, black plate power tubes
(2) 1950's 5691 Red Base, black plate, 3 mica, 5 support rod, RCA driver tubes.

It sounds so sweet, so much "air" and texture in the music. Just simply amazing how musical it sounds with my 5B's. Gotta love tubes :).

Currently listening to a band called The Ditty Bops

Purveying an utterly charming sound that borrows from folk, pop, Western swing, and early vocal jazz, Los Angeles' fancifully named Ditty Bops feature the tightly woven harmonies of Amanda Barrett (who also handles mandolin and dulcimer duties) and Abby DeWald (who also plays guitar).

g50124hxe89.jpg

H9
"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited July 2010
    Shimmy like my sister kate,, great cd on sda's and the one about mustard too
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited July 2010
    6V6 amps are all right by me...
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  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited July 2010
    Enjoy H9 ! As it has been said many times here, TUBES ADD SOUL!

    Getting into tubes is one of the best things that happened to me at CP.
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited July 2010
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    6V6 amps are all right by me...

    My next purchase was going to be a modern EL34 based amp................but these 6V6 mono's have caught my eye.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220629926677&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

    Have no idea how they would sound but so far they are still in the "experimentation" budget.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited July 2010
    heiney9 wrote: »
    My next purchase was going to be a modern EL34 based amp................but these 6V6 mono's have caught my eye.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220629926677&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

    Have no idea how they would sound but so far they are still in the "experimentation" budget.

    H9

    Try the EL34 man. Very diiferent sound compared to 6V6. You're already running a 6V6 amp now.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited July 2010
    Not a big fan of the EL34 family sound... with one exception. Marantz 8B. Heck of an amplifier. Just a heck of an amplifier.

    YMMV, of course.

    PS I do recall hearing the Ditty Bops on A Prairie Home Companion.
    Along these lines (sort of)... are you familiar with the Wailing Jennys? I am a big fan.
    http://www.thewailinjennys.com/home.aspx
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited July 2010
    I was turned on to The Ditty Bops by a local Polkie. I'll have to check into The Wailing Jennys
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2010
    Simple rig, stellar sound. I dig it.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited July 2010
    Speaking of 6V6s... The little honkin' Maggotbox PP 6V6 stereo console amps are surprisingly enjoyable - almost unbelievably simple and often dirt cheap, too. E-Z to restore. They sound far better than they have a right to (i.e., given the meager output transformers).

    P1020244.jpg
    P1020247.jpg

    EDIT: If it's not obvious, this amp is the red-headed stepchild of the "Magnificent Magnavox" amps in the auction H9 linked to earlier...
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  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited July 2010
    Hmmmm, wonder where you might have heard that Ditty Bops CD????
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

    Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,788
    edited July 2010
    dkg999 wrote: »
    Hmmmm, wonder where you might have heard that Ditty Bops CD????
    George Daniel stole my copy from me! Grumpy old ****! And then he cast aspersions upon my family!
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,788
    edited July 2010
    Yeah Brock, we know you "like" tubes. sheesh man let it go!:rolleyes:
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited July 2010
    lightman1 wrote: »
    George Daniel stole my copy from me! Grumpy old ****! And then he cast aspersions upon my family!

    Truth be told,, I was picking up some 1C's that you and Tom so kindly picked up and hauled for me,and we hooked up up to a Dodd MLP and an Anthem Amp 1,,the source was an ancient Rotel 855 player,,IIRC we listened to the Ditty Bops and were all so impressed by the synergy,you (and I) forgot the cd was still in the player,,he,he,,you could have sent me the case though,had to go out and buy my own copy.E|h,, the point I'm trying to make is

    toobs

    BTW--did I ever return it?

    Aspersions-- the sprinkling of water during a religious ceremony
    I suppose that you were sprinkled with some tube magic eh?,,or were you speaking about peeing off the deck and onto the chickens:)

    Old **** over and out.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited July 2010
    heiney9 wrote: »
    My next purchase was going to be a modern EL34 based amp...

    Any tube man worth his salt has or previously had an EL34 amp on hand. Beautiful sound!
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited July 2010
    My own personal first vacuum tube amp was indeed an EL34pp amp (EICO HF-52 mono integrated)...
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  • jerryj12
    jerryj12 Posts: 451
    edited July 2010
    I own several tube amps. ( el84 stereo , 6l6 mono blocks, kt88 stereo, 6550 stereo ,el34 mono blocks, and then some ). So far I like the El34's the best.

    I like tubes. :D They make me feel all warm and fuzzy. Opps did I type that?:eek:
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,788
    edited July 2010
    jerryj12 wrote: »
    They make me feel all warm and fuzzy. Opps did I type that?:eek:
    'Cause you are warm and fuzzy, sweetcheeks!:D
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited July 2010
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    My own personal first vacuum tube amp was indeed an EL34pp amp.

    Me too! :)
    Jake
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  • dcmeigs
    dcmeigs Posts: 708
    edited July 2010
    Gotta love those Maggies. I dressed my 6V6 up a little.

    DSCF0041.jpg
    The world is full of answers, some are right and some are wrong. - Neil Young
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  • vc69
    vc69 Posts: 2,500
    edited July 2010
    heiney9 wrote: »
    I was turned on to The Ditty Bops by a local Polkie. I'll have to check into The Wailing Jennys

    It's "Wailin' Jenny's" and they are pretty damn good. :)

    oops... Just saw where mhardy linked em up. I have been turned onto a bunch of music I would otherwise never have heard on PHC. Love that show.

    Oh yeah...and I love toobs too!
    -Kevin
    HT: Philips 52PFL7432D 52" LCD 1080p / Onkyo TX-SR 606 / Oppo BDP-83 SE / Comcast cable. (all HDMI)B&W 801 - Front, Polk CS350 LS - Center, Polk LS90 - Rear
    2 Channel:
    Oppo BDP-83 SE
    Squeezebox Touch
    Muscial Fidelity M1 DAC
    VTL 2.5
    McIntosh 2205 (refurbed)
    B&W 801's
    Transparent IC's
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited July 2010
    You should see the Jennys live. We saw 'em in Lebanon, NH in the spring - they were excellent.
    We're seeing them again in August in Maine (link to the venue below):
    http://stonemountainartscenter.com/ArtsCenter/index.html

    Speaking of the Stone Mtn Arts Center... those of you who like "little girl with guitar" music might want to check out the SMAC's proprietress's music as well. Just clicky on the linky and hear some...
    http://stonemountainartscenter.com/home_page.html
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  • Midnite Mick
    Midnite Mick Posts: 1,591
    edited July 2010
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    My own personal first vacuum tube amp was indeed an EL34pp amp (EICO HF-52 mono integrated)...

    And me as well.
    Modwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Consonance cd120T
    Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
    Usher CP 6311

    Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote
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  • doctorcilantro
    doctorcilantro Posts: 2,028
    edited July 2010
    Heiney,

    What 6V6 amp are you running. I just picked up one of these for my office:

    d7.jpg

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Audioromy-6v6-ClassA-Tube-Headphone-Integrate-Amplifier-/270598528717?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f00eddecd#ht_1897wt_911

    Now I'll have to put aside some 6V6 for it. The headphone is tied to the tube output according to the seller/designer.
    For Sale 2019:
    Tortuga Audio LDR passive preamp
    Decware EL34 amp
    Allnic H-1201 phono
    Zu Union Cubes
    iFi iDSD DAC, .5m UBS, iFI Gemini cable, Oyaide Tunami XLR 1.3M, Oyaide Tunami Speaker wire 1.5M, Beyerdynamic DT1990 headphones, PS Audio P3 power center

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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited July 2010
    Dared VP-16 (2006 model with easier biasing and piano finish sides)

    http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/dared2/vp16.html

    http://daredtubeaudio.bravehost.com/VP-16.htm

    Running early 50's RCA gray class, black plate 6V6's and RCA 5691 red base 3 mica black plates for the driver/signal tubes.

    This thing sounds excellent and it's really well built with premium parts like Auricaps, Allen Brady and Nichicon. I am very happy with it running my modded 5B's in the office rig. Specs say 18wpc but I think that's generous as it probably closer to 12 or 15wpc. I have yet to clip it hard. But since it's NOT self-biasing they can get a little more power out it so maybe 18wpc is correct.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited July 2010
    Seduction at it's finest!!!













    That's what tube are..................

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited July 2010
    heiney9 wrote: »
    Seduction at it's finest!!!

    That's what tube are..................

    H9
    Yeah kind of like fake ****,a lot of extra substance added in that on the surface looks(sounds) good but isn't supposed to be there.:)
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  • doctorcilantro
    doctorcilantro Posts: 2,028
    edited July 2010
    FTGV wrote: »
    Yeah kind of like fake ****,a lot of extra substance added in that on the surface looks(sounds) good but isn't supposed to be there.:)

    Nah, tubes CAN be more linear...just look at those curves! :D
    For Sale 2019:
    Tortuga Audio LDR passive preamp
    Decware EL34 amp
    Allnic H-1201 phono
    Zu Union Cubes
    iFi iDSD DAC, .5m UBS, iFI Gemini cable, Oyaide Tunami XLR 1.3M, Oyaide Tunami Speaker wire 1.5M, Beyerdynamic DT1990 headphones, PS Audio P3 power center

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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,165
    edited July 2010
    No, tubes are much more natural, linear and simpler than most mass produced, mid grade solid state. Don;t know what kind of tube gear you listen too but if it's adding stuff, extra substance and and unnatural artifacts that's not supposed to be there................maybe your listening to the wrong tube gear. :):D

    Just maybe........

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited July 2010
    heiney9 wrote: »
    .. if it's adding stuff, extra substance and and unnatural artifacts that's not supposed to be there....
    as in the boat load of 2nd order harmonic distortion those little single ended vacuum state thingies are adding to the signal...;).





    I'm just fun'in ya and I know why they have their appeal and they would be muchpreferable to some of the nasty SS stuff thats floating around.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited July 2010
    It's funny that younger engineers (not to mention audiophiles) don't appreciate how linear a triode amplifier is, compared to transistors, which require rather complex circuit topologies to work around the fundamentally nonlinear characteristics of a transistor.

    The 2HD stiff has nothing to do with vacuum tubes and everything to do with topology; only a single-ended amp (vacuum tube or solid state) will show predominant even (principally second order) distortion. This is cancelled out in a push-pull amplifier. http://www.aikenamps.com/SingleEnded.htm

    EDIT, and, yeah, it does sound good, it's euphonic distortion (an octave above the fundamental) - ask the guitar guys...
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