tube amp prices and names,

faster100 · January 2003

I certainly won't be running out and doing this tomorrow.. But as my HT rig is basically complete.. I would love to find a tube amp for a 2 channel setup. I have a picture here of a heathkit tube amp i had when i was about 18 and back then i just beat the crap out of it and then tossed it away, actually it might have been a pre-amp as it had a volume control, bass, and treble and a selector for source's .. but it had speaker terminals that i hooked my speakers to but wasn't very loud.. anyways.. this is something that interest me alot as we collect old stuff, Glassware, coleman stuff and love the old tube stuff as well..

so i wanted to know some names and prices of Tube amps,

faster100 · January 2003

excuse the low res pic, it was a old photo i scanned. this was in the background... so it looks far away.. reconize it?? Heathkit... No model though

organ · January 2003

Sorry, I don't know what brand it is or the model#. From your description it sounds more like a tube integrated.

Maurice

faster100 · January 2003

Its a heathkit Brand, just don't know the model.. besides i no longer have it, was just wondering what i had..

needed some tube amp names and prices so i can look for some later on,

tonyv1 · January 2003

For inexpensive tube amps and preamps, checkout Antique Sound Labs
http://www.divertech.com/antiquesl.html

madmax · January 2003

I would like to try their $329 headphone amp!

tonyv1 · January 2003

My buddy has the Antique Sound Labs headphone amp.
He rolled the tubes with Mullards. Great sound through his Grado SR 225 cans. Only issue was his Conrad Johnson preamp doesn't have dual outputs, so he's using the tape output for now.

faster100 · January 2003

so where are the inexspensive amps on that page with any power what so ever??

faster100 · January 2003

why are tube amp wattage so low?? i don't understand what you could do with 3.2 watts or 22 watts per channel

tonyv1 · January 2003

100 W tube amps are not cheap. The mono block tube amps start at about $4K per set (Manley Labs, Rogue Audio, Cary and Audio Electronics Supply). Most stereo tube amps (60 W) start at $1500.

faster100 · January 2003

Originally posted by tonyv1
For inexpensive tube amps and preamps, checkout Antique Sound Labs
http://www.divertech.com/antiquesl.html

you mentioned cheap thats why i said that, :rolleyes:

tonyv1 · January 2003

I guess it depends on own point of reference. I've been looking at 100 W tube monoblocks for my Maggies in the $4K range.

faster100 · January 2003

ok well thats not inexpensive to alot of people on the board but i understand..

gidrah · January 2003

This site has a 8 watt/ch integrated amp kit for $140.00 (tubes included). I've seen others put this in a cheap wooden box with stain and it looks great and they claim it sounds as good.
http://www.tubesandmore.com/

Antique Sound Labs (ASL) has the Wave-8. It's a 10 watt monoblock for about $99.00 without cage. Plenty of folks in the high efficiency asylum love these amps.

I recently got a Dynaco ST-70 (35 w/ch) for Christmas. It sounds great, cost about $350, and I've never cranked out more than 5 watts or so. Most of the time I listen to 4 watt speakers and am able to listen to some pretty high levels in my 12x15 living room without worry to most music. I turn it down for crescendoes.

faster100 · January 2003

Gidrah, Thanks.. Thats more like it.. I still don't understand what 8 watts can do when we all strive for 100 or more with our Ht setups. Is the sound louder with tubes?? I know i sound clueless about tube amps because i am.... I know nothing bout them.

Learn me if ya would, I want a small set of speakers... a cd player, maybe a fm tuner and a small tube amp. thats all nothing more and nothing less, speakers on stands also would be fine, no large towers.. keep it simple

madmax · January 2003

From my own experience, 50 watts per channel tube is the equal to about 375 watts per channel SS. It all has to do with clipping beyond the voltage ability of the power transformer. When SS amps of 300-400 watts per channel averages around 50 watts average power it also peaks at values around 300-400 watts. This is the end of it's power range. The tube amp averages the same 50 watts but when it clips, rather than following the peaks up to 300-400 watts it distorts gracefully with even order harmonics and you don't hear it. Thus you perceive the same amount of power. This does vary with program material.
madmax

faster100 · January 2003

Great thanks, so what would 8 watts be compared to? Or would the 35 watt amp Gidrah has be a good start? i don't really want to build one myself.. e-bay bound for a used one working would be cool

madmax · January 2003

Originally posted by tonyv1
My buddy has the Antique Sound Labs headphone amp.
He rolled the tubes with Mullards. Great sound through his Grado SR 225 cans. Only issue was his Conrad Johnson preamp doesn't have dual outputs, so he's using the tape output for now.

Do you know the sound output level of this headphone amp? Just in general terms I'm wondering if it can drive the headphones to painful volume levels. I like that now and then.
madmax

madmax · January 2003

Whether it is 30 or 50 watts is somewhat insignificant but I would look closer to the 50 watt range. Jolida makes a nice one. The 302A.
madmax

madmax · January 2003

There is another nice one from Manley called the Stingray which I would consider. Keep in mind I've only tried the two brands.
madmax

tonyv1 · January 2003

madmax001,
Don't know what the output level is, but with headphones their impedence will make the difference whether they can driven that loud. I've had Yamaha cans that sounded soft and Sennheiser cans that hurt at the same volume setting.

madmax · January 2003

Thanks! I guess the only way to find out is to try it. I hate spending that much for a headphone amp but I don't have time to do a kit. I think I'll put it off for a while longer. I just bought a Koss A-250 set of phones. No, I wouldn't have thought of Koss either but I got to reading some reviews on this particular model.
madmax

madmax · January 2003

Are there any other tube headphone amps out there that I should be looking at? There was a little extra in the envelope last week if you know what I mean. The karma is good and the pocket is burning! I've read about the Stax amps but I am not willing to spend $1700. I am more into the range of $300 to $500? The headphones I bought have an input impedence of 60 ohms and have a large driver which means I should get some good volume levels. Any ideas about OTL vs transformer amps?
madmax

tonyv1 · January 2003

madmax,
Most tube amps I've looked at have output xformers on them. McIntosh even puts them on their more expensive SS amps!
Some the guys on the MUG site used zero-formers in with their amps to drive their Maggies. Suppose to ease the amp load when driving the 4 ohm Maggies.
The only one I know of that sells OTL tube amps is Atma-Sphere
http://www.atma-sphere.com/
Have you checked out the Headroom amps?
http://www.headphone.com/layout.php
I'm looking at replacing my NAD phono preamp with the ASL tube phono preamp.

rlw · January 2003

Originally posted by madmax001
Are there any other tube headphone amps out there that I should be looking at? madmax

These guys are every bit as mad as you, and I mean that in a good way.

madmax · January 2003

I see what you're saying! Looks like a lot of reading is required. Nothing is ever easy... Nor should it be! Thanks!
madmax

madmax · January 2003

Damn,
Just once it would be nice to get the answer "Buy the *****". I really do appreciate it though.
Thanks again,
madmax

faster100 · January 2003

Hey stop hy jacking my thread

i wanted names and prices for tube amps, ah below the 500 dollar mark, not thousands for one amp.. i'f its not obtainable than fine, But the dynaco amps seem popular on e-bay at 250-400 each

madmax · January 2003

Now, back to the original thread...

My Jolida 302A sold for $355 on ebay. They are really nice amps! I tried one of the HH Scott amps with EL-84's, not the same class as the EL-34's. Look for a Pioneer EL-34 tube amp. They are really cool! Sometimes you see one going for under $500. Ones with KT-88's or 6550's should not be overlooked either.
madmax

faster100 · January 2003

Thanks Buddy, Just looking for future 2 channel stuff, Tubes are what dreams are made of they say

later

Jstas · January 2003

Originally posted by faster100
excuse the low res pic, it was a old photo i scanned. this was in the background... so it looks far away.. reconize it?? Heathkit... No model though

If you need info on Heathkit stuff, this is the place to check out:

Heath Kit Virtual Museum

tube amp prices and names,

Comments