If I were to buy a tube amp and had budgeted...

avguytx
avguytx Posts: 1,628
edited November 2007 in 2 Channel Audio
...$300 to $500, what should I look for? I am flexible on it being either an integrated amp or just a power amp. It will only see a CD player and a turntable, anyway. What do you guys use and/or recommend? New or used? Am I shooting way to low? I would just like to get into them a little but don't want to go crazy on the expense of one although I know the more you spend, the (potentially) better it is.

Thanks as always for your input!
Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • MillerLiteScott
    MillerLiteScott Posts: 2,561
    edited October 2007
    What are you powering with this amp?

    Shameless plug starts below.

    I have some Antique Sound Labs AV-25 tube mono blocks in the flea Market right in the sweet spot of your budget.

    They are a great introduction to tubes.
    I like speakers that are bigger than a small refrigerator but smaller than a big refrigerator:D
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,029
    edited October 2007
    I'm already way out of your price range Kip, but you might want to start saving/researching on a Manley tube integrated. The one at PF had a really nice sound goin' on. I believe I remembered someone saying that you can pick them up used on the 'gone for 1K+. Impressive sound. Just a thought.....

    I don't even know why I am posting this because it's more than double the cost of what you are asking for, so I guess just consider it food for thought.

    My 2 cents......
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    I'll fess up and say this will be for more my "vintage rig" which is a pair of Altec Lansing Milano's which are very efficient. Once in awhile, I like to listen to the "horns" because, well, they don't sound too half bad on some things. I grew up with relatives that owned different JBL's, Klipsch and Altecs so I remember many a get together listening to the music that I've grown to like more and more now.

    I know that limits me to my options but it's not anywhere near my main system but it will be something to enjoy once in awhile.

    Keep the ideas coming!
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited October 2007
    You cannot go wrong with a push-pull EL84 amp.
    How about an EICO HF-81 (personal fave). Listening to mine on Valencias, off and on, all day today.
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    I've thought about those, too, as I hear good things about them. Another project I'm going to tinker with for the hell of it is an old console tube amp that came from a Magnavox console. It's a 9304-20 EL84 amp if I'm not mistaken. I've ordered the parts to make it a stand alone...power switch, fuse, new board mount RCA's and banana plug jacks. I'm going to recap it as well. This is just a project only and not what I'll end up with full time.

    Oh, and I've seen that setup you have with the Eico HF-81. Niiiccceeee....
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,601
    edited October 2007
    There is a hybrid Luxman on Dallas CL.
    http://dallas.craigslist.org/ele/454740808.html

    I am using a AR vt60 amp I got for $600.
    I'm sure if you keep your eyes open, something will pop up.
    There was a vintage Dynaco on CL a couple of days ago.
    Also watch Ebay and sort by distance. A good amp in driving range comes
    up a couple times a month.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited October 2007
    Check out the Almarro SEP integrated Mark has in the flea market. That would be a STELLAR amp for you Altec's, and don't let the power rating fool you, it will drive them louder than you should ever care to listen to them.

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58729
    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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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    IIRC, those are tubes on the preamp stage and solid state on the output side. I'm trying to remember when they came out as I was selling Luxman stuff in Tulsa back in the very early 90's.
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    That's a sexy little beast! I've heard about those but never actually "heard" them. I perused around CEDIA in Denver back in September (while I wasn't working) looking at various tube setups. There wasn't a lot of companies there in comparison to CES since CEDIA is more about integration, etc.

    'll have to keep that one in mind. Thanks for the heads up!
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited October 2007
    It's a 9304-20 EL84 amp if I'm not mistaken. I've ordered the parts to make it a stand alone...power switch, fuse, new board mount RCA's and banana plug jacks. I'm going to recap it as well. This is just a project only and not what I'll end up with full time.

    Is that a single ended or PP Maggotbox?
    Both were (are!) surprisingly nice sounding, but the SE is pretty low powered (ca. 4 wpc).

    Appropos of almost nothing :-) Here's a nice little single-ended EL84 integrated amp. This particular one's been in my family since it was new...

    AF4inaction0222.jpg
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Is that a single ended or PP Maggotbox?
    Both were (are!) surprisingly nice sounding, but the SE is pretty low powered (ca. 4 wpc).

    Appropos of almost nothing :-) Here's a nice little single-ended EL84 integrated amp. This particular one's been in my family since it was new...

    I'm pretty sure the "Maggotbox" is a PP version. I've attached a picture of it below. I also have a Stromburg Carlson amp that came from a working console that I think is an SE amp. A pic of it is below the Maggie. Again, these are just fun little projects to mess with.

    Magnavox amp...

    002b.jpg

    The Stromburg Carlson amp (not cleaned up yet)

    DSCI0075.jpg
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited October 2007
    Yup, that's the push-pull EL84. Got one of those in the basement, still ensconced in its console (a dump find), connected usually to a pair of AR-14s (sometimes DCM Timewindows original series and sometimes AR-3s). Very nice sounding little amp; probably 12-ish wpc.

    FWIW, here's mine, flanked by the world's ugliest AR-3s. The price was right...

    EL84PPstereoconsole.jpg



    That S-C amp is quite interesting... looks like single-ended 7408? 7408 was sort of a super-6V6.
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  • JimBRICK
    JimBRICK Posts: 1,543
    edited October 2007
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Yup, that's the push-pull EL84. Got one of those in the basement, still ensconced in its console (a dump find), connected usually to a pair of AR-14s (sometimes DCM Timewindows original series and sometimes AR-3s). Very nice sounding little amp; probably 12-ish wpc.

    FWIW, here's mine, flanked by the world's ugliest AR-3s. The price was right...

    EL84PPstereoconsole.jpg



    That S-C amp is quite interesting... looks like single-ended 7408? 7408 was sort of a super-6V6.

    that is a horror if I ever saw one
    2 CHANNEL
    Speaker - Klipsch Heresy II
    Under construction
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited October 2007
    every piece was free, though, and it sounds good. Very good, actually.
    but that's why it lives in the basement.
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    I may need to get some info from you on how to bypass any of the internals that need done (if there are any). Plus, some help on tying in the power switch and fuse. If you don't mind, of course. :)

    Here's the bottom side of the Maggie...

    005c.jpg

    And the bottom side of the Stromburg...

    DSCI0078.jpg
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited October 2007
    Both should be pretty easy, but of course I am willing to share a modicum of my tremendous expertise ;-)

    Do you have schematics for either/both? The "Magnavoxfriends" Yahoo group should have the EL84pp. Is the S-C in Sams? If so, I may well have it :-)
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    I have a Photo Fact page (well, 8 pages) for the Stromburg amp and I think I have one similar to the Maggie amp. Mine is a 9304-20 and I have about 4 pages of stuff for it as well.
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • dipiazza
    dipiazza Posts: 363
    edited October 2007
    I have the Onix SP3 and like it alot. Theres one on audiogon for 600 right now but they show up cheaper. One was just for sale in the Fleam Market but its gone already. heres the audiogon link...

    http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatube&1198889357
    Terps Swimming!
    HT Setup
    TV: Vizio VX32L
    Reciever: Pioneer VSX-D914
    HD-DVD Player: Toshiba HD-A2
    Fronts: Polk R50s
    Surounds: Polk R30s
    Center: Polk R20's
    Subwoofer: SVS 20-39PCi

    2CH Setup
    Integrated: Onix SP3 Tube
    CD Player: Sony CDP-CX355
    Speakers: Onix Strata Mini in PR Finish
    Signal Cable: Classic Speaker, Analog 1 IC

    Headphones
    Grado SR 60, Bang & Olufsen A8, Shure e3

    Other Stuff in Use
    Onix xls, Dual Onix x-subs, Onix Ref .5, Dahlquist M903, Teac A-1D, Marantz 1060
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  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited October 2007
    Are tube systems safe?
    HT setup
    Panasonic 50" TH-50PZ80U
    Denon DBP-1610
    Monster HTS 1650
    Carver A400X :cool:
    MIT Exp 3 Speaker Wire
    Kef 104/2
    URC MX-780 Remote
    Sonos Play 1

    Living Room
    63 inch Samsung PN63C800YF
    Polk Surroundbar 3000
    Samsung BD-C7900
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    dipiazza wrote: »
    I have the Onix SP3 and like it alot. Theres one on audiogon for 600 right now but they show up cheaper. One was just for sale in the Fleam Market but its gone already. heres the audiogon link...

    http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatube&1198889357

    Damn, that looks good! Anyone in here use one of those?
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited October 2007
    Are tube systems safe?
    In terms of what? Heat/fire? High voltage/electrocution?
    Like prescription pharmaceuticals, yes, they're "safe when used as directed".
    (as long as they have an isolation type power transformer and at least a mains fuse)
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  • avguytx
    avguytx Posts: 1,628
    edited October 2007
    What caps did you use in yours and where did you get them, mhardy?
    Richard? Who's your favorite Little Rascal? Alfalfa? Or is it........................Spanky?.................................Sinner.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited October 2007
    What caps did you use in yours and where did you get them, mhardy?

    My...? Maggotbox? Well, mine is totally stock/as-found :-)

    "We've" put Illinois coupling caps in the Magnavox amps to good effect. I put Orange Drops in my HF-81, and I think it sounds dandy. Size can be a factor for some old amp restorations; the ICs are nice in those cases, and sound just fine.

    Hope this helps.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited October 2007
    FYI, and FWIW, more info adding a switch to a Maggotbox just turned up at AK:
    http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=132612


    Just to keep this sort of on-topic, the problem with the affordable modern gear is that it's sort of mediocre in performance. Modern-day output iron of the quality of even EICO HF-81-grade vintage stuff(*) would be prohibitively expensive when rolled into a manufactured amp (even one manufactured in China). There is good, indeed great, equipment still being made, but it's out of my price range.

    DIY or vintage restoration offers considerably better value if you can take advantage of it, IMNSHO.

    (*) On the other hand, the OPTs in the little Magnavox amp would still be cheap today! Why those simple, cheap little amps sound as good as they do is inexplicable as far as I am concerned.
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  • JimBRICK
    JimBRICK Posts: 1,543
    edited October 2007
    dipiazza wrote: »
    I have the Onix SP3 and like it alot. Theres one on audiogon for 600 right now but they show up cheaper. One was just for sale in the Fleam Market but its gone already. heres the audiogon link...

    http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?intatube&1198889357

    I second that idea. I love mine. 4 ohm stable and beautiful to look at
    2 CHANNEL
    Speaker - Klipsch Heresy II
    Under construction
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,601
    edited November 2007
    Yo, ND13 has a tube pre and an Anthem amp one in the flea market.
    better be moving fast!!!
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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