Tube Amp. Question

Mike Reeter
Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
edited December 2008 in 2 Channel Audio
This thing is calling my name...http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1233532394&/Dynaco-St-70-classic-design....do you all think it will power my CRS+'s into Audio Bliss?

My listening room is about 12'x12'...so,I don't have a lot of space to fill.

I really would like to get into a tube amp. one day and one of these is in my price range.

Many thanks on your thoughts,Mike
Post edited by Mike Reeter on
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2008
    Have you considered any of the Manley gear?

    or this
    http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1232516451&/VTL-IT-85-Like-New-Condition or this

    http://cgi.ebay.com/VTL-TUBE-STEREO-75-75-AMPLIFIER-DAVID-MANLEY_W0QQitemZ160279391352QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVintage_Electronics_R2?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited December 2008
    george,these both look like a very good place to start,but too much coinage for my poor ole audio budget.

    Tube amps. are just too pricey:D
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2008
    whats is your budget?
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited December 2008
    Personally, I've found that tubes at every turn in my system tends to muddy things too much, and I love to let the Stratos stretch its legs every now and then.

    If I felt that tubes in the power section were in order, I'd most likely drop them from my source or preamp and look into one of these.......http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1232086511&/ONIX-SP-3-II- keeping a very simple signal path for rolling tubes and cables with. Just my opinion....
    HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable

    2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited December 2008
    Around 8 bills.
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited December 2008
    Dennis Gardner wrote: »
    Personally, I've found that tubes at every turn in my system tends to muddy things too much, and I love to let the Stratos stretch its legs every now and then.

    If I felt that tubes in the power section were in order, I'd most likely drop them from my source or preamp and look into one of these.......http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1232086511&/ONIX-SP-3-II- keeping a very simple signal path for rolling tubes and cables with. Just my opinion....

    I'd say a very good opinion,I've always heard that the best way to obtain the tube sound was via the preamp...which I have.

    I've always had good results with my SS amp.,just wanting to try something a little different...but,I also was thinking that too many tubes would/could be too much.

    I might just try rolling in some new tubes in the pre,or look at stepping up a notch in a different SS amp.

    The ONIX is a good lookin amp.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited December 2008
    A ST-70 shouldn't have a problem driving CRS's, but I don't know if it's common ground.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited December 2008
    Dennis Gardner wrote: »
    Personally, I've found that tubes at every turn in my system tends to muddy things too much....

    You're the first person I've heard to say that about tubes. Of course, the sound depends a lot on the quality of the tubes. Usually stock tubes suck, regardless of the price of the component.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited December 2008
    Mike Reeter wrote: »
    I also was thinking that too many tubes would/could be too much.

    Too much of what???

    There'a a lot of misinformation out there about tube gear.

    A completely SS system can sound great, and likewise for an all tube setup.

    Bottom line -- if a component sounds good to you, does it matter whether it's tube or SS?
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited December 2008
    FWIW,, I listened to Jesse's Joule pre/manley tubed amp thru a "stock" pair of 1C's(might have had the rdo's) and it was the snizzle at Carverfest,, oh,, the Jolida was tubed also,, the midrange was sweet,, plenty of bass,and the high's were certainly pleasing to the ears,,alot of folks spent some time with that system. Maybe it was the quality of the gear, but there was no muddiness about it. Currently I'm running a pair of 7a's with a Dodd ELP and an Anthem amp one, with EL-34 output tubes,,and as with all gear, be it ss or tubed or a combination,, I like the SS aproach,, Source and Synergy. YMMV--have fun,, just my humble opinion.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited December 2008
    Early B. wrote: »
    Too much of what???

    There'a a lot of misinformation out there about tube gear.

    A completely SS system can sound great, and likewise for an all tube setup.

    Bottom line -- if a component sounds good to you, does it matter whether it's tube or SS?

    Bottom line is,you're right...This hobby will drive you to drink if you don't watch it:D

    My newly refurbished CRS's are sounding soooo good,I just want to get the most out of them I can.

    I'm sure I'll pull the trigger one day on a tube amp...just so I'll know.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited December 2008
    Early B. wrote: »
    You're the first person I've heard to say that about tubes. Of course, the sound depends a lot on the quality of the tubes. Usually stock tubes suck, regardless of the price of the component.
    You must not have had heard anything from Manley.


    Mike, it's all about synergy. Some believe you can't have too many tube components, some despise tubes, it's all about what sounds good to you. IMO, the downfall to cheaper tube amps is the bottom end. Some lack the control needed for large displacement or multiple woofers. In a 12x12 room with a pair of CRS's, you should be fine with a ST-70. I wouldn't want to try my ST-70 on the pair of SRS2's in my (18x18ish)living room though.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited December 2008
    Face wrote: »
    You must not have had heard anything from Manley.


    Mike, it's all about synergy. Some believe you can't have too many tube components, some despise tubes, it's all about what sounds good to you. IMO, the downfall to cheaper tube amps is the bottom end. Some lack the control needed for large displacement or multiple woofers. In a 12x12 room with a pair of CRS's, you should be fine with a ST-70. I wouldn't want to try my ST-70 on the pair of SRS2's in my (18x18ish)living room though.

    I'm in the camp that the gear has to look good also...I really like the "look" of these ST-70's that Vincent rebuilds.

    The particular piece I attached would set in my rack just fine...along with several others:D
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited December 2008
    Yes, he appears to do a nice job. I wish mine was half as pretty.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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