Carver TFM Owners - Preamps

pitdogg2

heiney9 wrote: »

He did have the TFM45 for a couple days before he sold it.

H9

yes i knew that didn't know he sold it already. I thought he was asking because he was keeping the thing.....Man this kid is like a super ball....all over the place. He should sell the 2b's and get some pioneer HPM's and all Thechnics stuff and call it a day.....

newbie308

A couple of weeks ago I posted a similar question, however I was consideering replacing the tfm-35 with an adcom gfa-555. The result (suggested by H9 and others) was to look for a better preamp to replace the (good for the price) Adcom tuner/preamp I'm currently using.

I have never had the oppertunity to hear what tubes sound like, so I'm getting a Dynaco PAS-2 to try with my system. If I like the sound of tubes I will do the Van Alstine upgrades including the black anodized face plate to match the TFM-35.

Anyone try this combo?

Joe08867

newbie, I have heard the pre and it is a wonderful piece. I have not heard it with your 35 though.

Dynaco makes some really nice stuff in general so I think you will be very happy with your purchase.

I prefer a tube pre solid state amp combo mostly do to budget constraint but that seems to be more my listening style.

Fongolio

newbie308 wrote: »

I have never had the opportunity to hear what tubes sound like

Being an audio guy and listening to tubes for the first time is like being a casual drug user and smoking crack the first time....you will want more and more and more.

audiocr381ve

george daniel wrote: »

Dodd ELP

Been reading up on those. Looks like an interesting piece. Their are so many tube Pre's to choose from it's nuts.

punk-roc

Many here like Dodd products.. i really like my Dodd ELP and will most likely never part with it.. i had to pry mine from a very stubborn canuck, but I have it now and am happy

audiocr381ve

punk-roc wrote: »

Many here like Dodd products.. i really like my Dodd ELP and will most likely never part with it.. i had to pry mine from a very stubborn canuck, but I have it now and am happy

I'm glad you're digging it dude. You just fueled my investigation even more. Have you tried any other tube pre's? How did they stack up?

heiney9

Shane, the Dared is a nice place to start. The Dodd is a great piece the Dared matches it except the Dodd hardly ever comes up for sale. You could wait a year or more to find a used Dodd ELP.

Once you jump into tubes and start rolling tubes to get "your" sound it's fun, but depending on the pre, it can be expensive. I have as much in tubes for all my tube pieces as I have in the pieces themselves.

I've had the Dodd ELP and Dared in my rig and IMO, the Dared was even a tad sweeter. I attribute that to the Dared having tube rectification and the Dodd have solid state rectification.

H9

heiney9

If you are going to go with a tube pre-amp, be sure to do your homework and take your time. Lots of choices out there at all price points. The key to a superb sounding tube piece is the tubes. I've found NOS (new old stock) tubes from the 50's and 60's to be superb and my only choice. Some guys here like some of the new Chinese offerings, they just aren't the same, IMO. Selecting tubes is an education of it's own. I spent a year researching and rolling tubes to find waht I liked.

The hunt for tubes can be intoxicating and as much fun as listening.

H9

audiocr381ve

heiney9 wrote: »

Shane, the Dared is a nice place to start. The Dodd is a great piece the Dared matches it except the Dodd hardly ever comes up for sale. You could wait a year or more to find a used Dodd ELP.

Once you jump into tubes and start rolling tubes to get "your" sound it's fun, but depending on the pre, it can be expensive. I have as much in tubes for all my tube pieces as I have in the pieces themselves.

I've had the Dodd ELP and Dared in my rig and IMO, the Dared was even a tad sweeter. I attribute that to the Dared having tube rectification and the Dodd have solid state rectification.

H9

Hey Brock, those are the two that I'm looking in to per your and others recommendations. I owned a Yaqin tube buffer that didn't end up adding any tubey goodness to the system. Just gave me a whole lot of nastiness for some reason. I'm sure those pieces will give me what I'm looking for. Now waiting on the bank account to replenish itself. :redface:

heiney9

Hmmm.....lot's of people here had good luck with the Yaqin buffer, but sometimes the synergy just isn't there. Could have been a tube issue. I cannot stress enough the importance of really good tubes in tube gear. It can literally make or break the performance of the gear.

The difference between a 1980's Phillips JAN tube vs. a nice Blackburn made Mullard from the 60's is astonishing. Just keep that in mind as you start your tube gear journey.

H9

audiocr381ve

heiney9 wrote: »

Hmmm.....lot's of people here had good luck with the Yaqin buffer, but sometimes the synergy just isn't there. Could have been a tube issue. I cannot stress enough the importance of really good tubes in tube gear. It can literally make or break the performance of the gear.

The difference between a 1980's Phillips JAN tube vs. a nice Blackburn made Mullard from the 60's is astonishing. Just keep that in mind as you start your tube gear journey.

H9

I was pairing them with NAD separates and the Monitor Audio RS6's which lean on the bright and forward side. Could have been that. I did have the stock tubes in the thing, and according to what you're saying that could have very well been the issue, although many said the stock tubes were nice.

Anyway, I see tubes in my near future once again.

Joe08867

As far as Tube pre's go I love Conrad Johnson, Dared, Dodd, and Cayin. In that order. I think Conrad's classic is one of the nicest sounding pre's I ever heard.

Joe08867

NAD and Tubes don't always see eye to eye. Had a NAD integrated that didn't like a tube buffer I had. Can't remember the name of the buffer. Only had it a short time many years ago.

I think NAD is a bit to sterile for tubes, B&K likes them a lot though.

nspindel

My NAD 2200 ran with a tube pre just fine. Sound was mint.

toucanet

Carver CT-17 Preamp + TFM-55+SDA 1.2TL = Not so good (Sonic Holography did not sound good with the 1.2TL's).

Carver Research Lightstar Direct+TFM-55+SDA 1.2TL = Very good improvement in sound and clarity.

Rogue Audio Magnum 99 Tube Preamp+TFM-55+SDA 1.2TL = Much better than previous two mentioned above.

Rogue Audio Magnum 99 Tube (upgraded by Rogue Audio) Preamp+Carver A760x amp(2 of them)+SDA 1.2TL (upgraded x-overs) = Major improvement in clarity plus serious low end power.

punk-roc

I jumped from a fairly cheap tube pre (a "Music Angel" Chinese brand), which I liked but definitely raised the noise floor too much for me. Got the Dodd and loved it, I'm actually not using it right now since I like the W4S Dac-2 so much and am using it as a pre since it has a remote, but I've been dying to get the Dodd back in there..