New Toy: AE Music MK2 Tube Line Stage

RuSsMaN
RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
edited July 2004 in 2 Channel Audio
Three 12AX7 and a 5Y3GT pulling rectifier duty.

Just hooked it up, letting her settle in. So far so good.

Cheers,
Russ
Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
Post edited by RuSsMaN on
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited July 2004
    Showing your feminine side, Russ? Is the point of a tube line stage to add that "tube sound" without having to have a tube amp, or is it used in conjunction with a tube amp to get the cleanest possible sound?
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    edited July 2004
    ITS PINK!! @_@

    Congrats on the new toy!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited July 2004
    Never heard of that gear but looks sweet.

    It's not even listed on their website:

    http://www.ys-audio.com/ys-audio_eng.htm

    Some really good praise on Agon about the manufacturer though. Definitely some unique gear.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2004
    It's not pink, my flash on my dig camera is possibly infected with the 'sid virus'.

    I'm a HUGE fan of the tube pre / sand amp combo. Sort of a best-of-both-worlds thing. You get the high(er) damping, shear muscle, and a nice dollar-to-watt ratio with a solid state amp. The tube pre puts that lush tube sound on it, and nullifies the solid state 'shrill' to the top end.

    I can't STAND transistor preamps now that I've heard the difference. I'm tube or passive on the line stage front now, period.

    I don't think it was out very long, it retailed for $750, so it's not an un-attainable peice by any means. Next step, get the JJ's out, and see if she can sing or not.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    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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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited July 2004
    It is on the website. Just missed the silver color.

    http://www.ys-audio.com/ys-audio_eng.htm

    Russ, let me know when you're ready to.. as you would say "unass" one of these tube pres you got:D
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  • Pauly
    Pauly Posts: 4,519
    edited July 2004
    Man i;m starting to get the tube itch...**** she sure is clean and purty!
    Life without music would♭
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,546
    edited July 2004
    Looks PINK to me.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited July 2004
    I am also sold on the Tube/SS combo, it's an extremely flexible way to run gear. I have zero plans to change that idea any time soon.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2004
    Coming from a man who lives alone, surrounded by antique furniture and cats, I'll take that at face value F1.

    Here, try this, not as much hue.

    PJ, I have a couple things coming down the pike here that will knock your damn socks off. Not something that 'everyone' has either.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    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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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited July 2004
    Congrats on the new toy! Damn, you have some really good connections eh? That's the sweetest looking pre amp I've seen. I love it when they expose the tubes.

    What can you tell us about this new piece compared to the Melos? Might be too early to ask but just wonering.

    You might want to try out the SED 12AX7. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the sound. Very warm and smooth. Not as dynamic as others I've tried but a real pleasure to listen to. If you want to try the SED, buy two and I'll send you mine. Can you mix U7's in there? I won't be using the ASL for a loooooooong time so I've got some 12AX7 I can spare.

    Maurice
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2004
    I don't even know if I'll try it in the cave (where the Melos is).

    Right now, it may or may not get to pull duty in the living room, and replace my modfied ASL Line-Wave (single 12au7).

    Keep your tubes bro, I'll get my order on for some SED, just point me to you best source.

    On that note, has YOUR new toy arrived yet? Lucky ****, YOU are in for a real treat, I **** you not. That GT is a **** SINGLE ENDED amp, it just doesn't have the power to drive speakers. Prepare to be ****.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    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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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited July 2004
    That should sound better than the ASL. Don't know why but I have a thing for tube rectification:).

    I got my SED X7 from www.triodeel.com Not sure if tubestore.com have them or not. Oh yeah, I think the SED will only work if the pre has DC heater voltage. You get a hum if it's AC. The info is on triodeelectronics.

    The GT is not here yet. Hopefully it will arrive tomorrow or Fri. Man, the wait is killing me! I can't wait to hear it. Triode output going into a triode push/pull amp aaaaaaaah! I'm prepared to get serously f#cked. Let me know when your DITB arrives. Are you planning to add a jitter reducer?

    Maurice
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited July 2004
    Looks pink to me too. Russ, seriously, lets have a man to man talk sometime if it is still possible...
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2004
    DITB showed today. Jitter reduction in the Russman's book is putting a small sandbag on the crystal. Prepare for high-end cochise. You are stepping into the $1000 line stage range, and in todays money, you'd need 2 large to best it.

    Chuck, another *single* guy, this time surrounded by esoteric audio gear (not that F1 isn't, he is, but the cats take the cake).

    Again, face value, and I have a strange craving for a British cigarette now.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    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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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited July 2004
    Russ,

    These are the best prices I've seen for 12AX7s. Free shipping according to the website:

    http://store.tubedepot.com/12ax7.html

    They are in Tennessee too. Not too far away. I haven't ordered from them yet though but someone else here on the forum pointed out this place a couple of weeks ago.

    Tubestore is good but in Canada and you pay primo for shipping. Triode is good but my last order took me two weeks to get here from Chicago!
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,546
    edited July 2004
    Now Russ, you'd only have to worry about me if the (single) cat was pink. Speaking of the cat, you know she pretty much lives outside and kills anything that effn moves out there. Believe me, around here, that's a good thing.

    It is a nice looking pre. :D
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,242
    edited July 2004
    This will probably stir the pot a little, but I my solid state Audio Alchemy DLC pre seems to be as tubish as they come. It sounds very similar to the tube pre hoosier21 let me borrow. Everyone always says the the Audio Alchemy gear has a very warm sound and dammit, it must. Maybe my expectations were too high, I don't know. I'll say for sure that if you are looking for "tubish" piece of SS gear, check out the Audio Alchemy Direct Line Controller (DLC) preamp...if you can find one.

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Sony 75" Bravia 4K | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Rotel Michi P5 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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  • hotwheelman
    hotwheelman Posts: 1,300
    edited July 2004
    Which brand of the el84/6bq5's would you guys recommend from these guys. Where in Tn. are they anyway?
    "Its worked so far but we're not out yet."
    "Hey big man let me hold a dollar"
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    edited July 2004
    This is the color of the unit, according to the picture -

    And it definetely looks PINK
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited July 2004
    oh for petes sake.. it's mauve not pink. :rolleyes:

    otherwise known as man pink. :p
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited July 2004
    I'll show you effin pink at the Polk gathering.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    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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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    edited July 2004
    I'll hold you to that!

    LOL
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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