WTB: Antique Sound Lab Wave 8 (or like)

cmy330go

Ok all the tube talk here has done its damage. :rolleyes: After a little research I have decided I would like to acquire a pair of ASL Wave 8 monoblocks to get a taste of the tube world. These sold new for $99 each.

If anyone has any suggestions for something similar my ears are open. Also I am rather handy so I'm not opposed to a reasonable DIY kit.

Thanks Much!
Dave

ND13

I think RuSs is going to be letting go of his Wave 20s here soon. I love mine and they drive Monitor 7As loud enough to make you want to leave the room, and does it with clean power bass and crisp highs. They'll be staying in my house for quite a while.

Another suggestion would be...look for the little Radii 8wpc stereo tube amp. Very impressive and basically 2 Wave 8s in one chassis. Got to listen to one for several hours driving Mon 10As, RTA 8Ts, and LSi7s.

ND13

Upscale http://www.upscaleaudio.com/view_category.asp?cat=31 has the Wave 20s, nib, for $350 pair. That's like buy one get one free.

Scroll about 1/3 of the way down the page under amps.

cmy330go

ND13 wrote:

I think RuSs is going to be letting go of his Wave 20s here soon.

Thanks for the heads up! Any guess what those might go for?

ND13 wrote:

Another suggestion would be...look for the little Radii 8wpc stereo tube amp.

Sorry for the dumb question.....Is Radii short for something?

Thanks

ND13

cmy330go wrote:

Thanks for the heads up! Any guess what those might go for?



Sorry for the dumb question.....Is Radii short for something?

Thanks

Not that I know of.(Radii)

I'd say RuSs will want a little more than usual, as his will be modded.

ND13

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1133523638

I've also seen it in black.

cmy330go

Thanks ND for all the useful info. I am interested in the wave 20's but can't seem to find any detailed specs on them. Any thoughts?

audiobliss

I'm pretty sure Russ said teh Wave 20's aren't modded, in the Wave 8 thread, though I can't find it now.

Man, I'd like to have those, too!

:D

cmy330go

audiobliss wrote:

In Russ's thread about the Wave 8 he specifcally stated the Wave 20's are not modded.

Man, I'd like to have those, too!

:D

Butt out AudioHOG! Leave some for the rest of us!

Just Kidding

audiobliss

Hehe. I'm on a roll, now. It's just a shame I'm also out of cash! :eek:

ND13

RuSs has sent the 20s out to have some caps upgraded from the last correspondence I had with him.

audiobliss

Ahh, nice. Any idea what they are? Sonicaps like are in mine, perhaps?

ND13

here's a review on the 20s http://202.186.86.35/audio/printerfriendly.asp?file=/2003/6/5/audiofile/05asl&sec=audiofile

Here's the newer version, virtually identical except for being called 25s http://www.divertech.com/aslwaveav20dt.htm

Hope this helps

cmy330go

ND13 wrote:

here's a review on the 20s http://202.186.86.35/audio/printerfriendly.asp?file=/2003/6/5/audiofile/05asl&sec=audiofile

Here's the newer version, virtually identical except for being called 25s http://www.divertech.com/aslwaveav20dt.htm

Hope this helps

I saw the page about the 25s at divertech.com earlier but I am concerned about the frequency response.

Frequency Response at 1W 160Hz--13600Hz + 1dB
Frequency Response at full power 20Hz--12100Hz + 1dB

Is that accurate? Does that mean that I am going to have to have it cranked up to get any low end? Or that I am not going to have much high end? Or does it mean the opposite? That the upper highs and lower bass tones are going to be further emphasized beyond those points?

Sorry for the rookie questions? I know people say to ignore the stats on tubes gear, but I'm just trying to better understand this new advancing technology. :rolleyes:

ND13

cmy330go wrote:

Sorry for the rookie questions? I know people say to ignore the stats on tubes gear, but I'm just trying to better understand this new advancing technology. :rolleyes:

All I know is that I get plenty of dig deeps and crisp, clean highs with mine, so yes....ignore the specs cause they ain't realistic, imO. As a matter of fact, I get deeper, tighter bass with my Mon 7As with these little ASLs than with my SS amp with 7-8 times as much rated power, especially at lower volumes. There is just something in the way tube gear amplifies the various freqs that I really don't know or care about. As long I keep getting the wonderful sounds that I get right now from this combo, I'm a happy camper.

Trust me on this one, get the 20s and you won't be disappointed. If you are, I'll most likely take them off your hands, so basically, you get to try them out risk free. How's that sound?

PolknPepsi

Upscale Audio has some reeeeeally nice stuff ! :eek:
I've chatted with Franz at www.thetunerguy.com/new_radii.html about some speaker stands and he is quick to reply with eMail. He has some nice Cayin and Radii.

jdhdiggs

Try also www.bottlehead.com

That way you also learn about what you are using. I'm using a whopping 2W in my office at work and it will run you out of the room before quitting. As Herr Klipsch once said: "All the world needs is a really good 5W amp"

cmy330go

ND13 wrote:

Trust me on this one, get the 20s and you won't be disappointed. If you are, I'll most likely take them off your hands, so basically, you get to try them out risk free. How's that sound?

Sorry to keep grilling you with questions, but I just talked to someone at Upscale audio about those wave 20's. He said they are clearing out all the ASL gear due to severe quality control issues. Have you had any problems with yours? Has Russ ever said anything negative about his? (You out there Russman?)

I know it is only $350 but hey money is money. I'm starting to wonder if I would be better off getting a diy kit. UGH!!! I hate trying to make up my mind!

audiobliss

Hehe, I do, too. And not having any money just makes it worse!

That's interesting about severe quality control issues at ASL. I'd like to hear someone else's thoughts on this. But, I guess that means Upscale audio has them on sale, eh?

ND13

So far, no problems at all. They stay biased, sound good, and look good. What else is there to worry about, right? The only thing I've seen would be considered cosmetic.
With one of them, the little red led has been pushed back thru the hole a little bit, but can still be seen. I will open it up one of these days and push it back into place. Like I said, if you get them and don't like them, as long as they work correctly and look good, I'll take them off your hands, as long as the timing isn't bad. I'm thinking about bi-amping this set of JBL E30s I have that have been sitting in the box since I bought them. They are bi-amp/bi-wirable. They'd probably sound alot better on tubes than with ss power, seeing that most JBLs I've ever heard were bright on ss power. I'd actually rather sell the JBLs and pick up something in the 98db or higher arena.

audiobliss

coughklipschcough

cmy330go

Well unless I have a quick spell of intelligence between now and tomorrow I think I'm going to order them. And you're right, even if I don't like them I won't have any trouble finding someone who will take them.

BTW when I talked to Upscale they talked like they had a bunch of them to unload. So anyone wanting to try out tubes cheap here is your chance!

Later

audiobliss

Hmm. I wonder how my parents would take to my buying something else...so soon...so expensive...off the 'net. Hmm...I wonder how my 'money jar' would like. 'twould be empty, for sure.

*engages in wishful thinking*

beardog03

Noel,

Man you have been on a serious roll since the Fest, bro..

You find a money tree somewhere ?!!

I`m considering selling the Dodd ELP, but I really dig it, so.....
I am very curious about the low wattage amps I keep hearing about.

I remeber the ones you picked up from Marks...the ones in the back room, right ?

ND13

Bear,

Get you a pair and use the ELP with them, that's how I'm using mine and it works real sweet.
Yes, they are the silver monos from the back room at Mark's.

The "money tree" has ran out, remember it's fall and the leaves are falling :rolleyes:

I decided to get it over with and kick back and enjoy the system and quit guessing at what I must have been missing.

beardog03

agreed..

I decided to get a 5 ch amp for the HT rig, just to see if it`s better than all the Rotels I`m using (4)..!

I really dig the ELP, so I`m in no kinda hurry to move it..
I have my eye on either some Cary V-12 mono`s , or the V-12 2ch tube amp..
It just seems those little amps kick butt...

ND13

Those V-12s a very seductive amps, if I do say. I've eyed a couple of those stereos on AGon, I still haven't decided what I want to do for my "permanent" amp for the SRS2s. Am still leaning toward tubes. Now that I have the MLP, I want be looking for an integrated, but if I ran across one that really appealed to me, I could use the MLP/ss combo with the 2Bs.

beardog03

I`ve been running the ELP with the Parasound SS, and now the Cary 2002 pre with the Para 3500, and the 2b`s..
It really works well, but those V-12`s are so damn sexy..!!
I will end up with a tube amp, most likely the V-12 and the 3500 (aint goin anywhere) eventually..

I have the ELP on the Rotel in the office with the AH! CDP, and the nak tuna..

I still need to get hooked up with the Xm thing

The Parasound 850 pre will go in the garage ...gotta have tune while working in the garage too..!!!!

cmy330go

Ok it just hit me. When I get these amps I assume I'm going to want to get a tube preamp. I have seen lots of talk about the dodd around here but don't think I want to spend more on the pre than on the amps. Do you guys think I will be happy with them on my Halo preamp? Or should I just plan on getting some sort of entry level tube pre? By russmans coments earlier it sounds as though tube pre with tube amp renders the best results. Anyone agree or disagree with that?

Thanks again for all your help everyone! I love this forum!!!!!

ND13

Although I've never heard a tube amp with a SS pre, I'd still say a tube amp no matter what the amp is. That little ELP transformed my system with the ss amp and really sounds wonderful with the tube monos. There's someone right now with ELPs for $389 and that's cheaper than I paid for mine used, and I feel like I got a bargain still.

beardog03

I agree...I paid more, yet I still got a killer deal..!!

My first tube anything, and that started the snowball rollin...tubes too..!!

Tube pre+SS amp = sweet sound

I just want a tube amp....a V-12..!!
I`ll keep the SS pre with the SS gear downstairs for the garage, for when I workin and polishin the bike this winter...
got a pair of RT38i`s doin garage duty with the para 850 pre, and an old Marantz tuna

beware though, as the other guy`s will back me up, TUBES ARE ADDICTING..!!