Tube mod for my amp...
pearsall001
Posts: 5,104
As a little winter project Stephen of Quest For Sound suggested that I let him mod my Nikko Alpha VI amp. We break each others balls all the time about those little glass thingys that glow in the dark. He just laughs because he knows I'm a big SS fan. But Stephen is a dyed in the wool tube head to say the least. Stephen has his own line of products called SQ Products (Sound Quest) that he designed & has manufactured. His latest creations are horn speakers that are downright spooky good. In fact his phone's been ringing off the hook from reviewers trying to get a pair. http://sq-products.com/ All of Stephens designs (amps, integrated amps, CD player) get glowing reviews. If anyone can do a tube mod...it's Stephen!!!
He would have to take a look at the schematics to see what could be done. He said that the mod would be on the output stage & probably would call for 6DJ8 or 12AU7 tubes. Just for **** & giggles I might just go for it.
He would have to take a look at the schematics to see what could be done. He said that the mod would be on the output stage & probably would call for 6DJ8 or 12AU7 tubes. Just for **** & giggles I might just go for it.
"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
Post edited by pearsall001 on
Comments
-
Hell, go for it. Tubes add so much, I can barely listen anymore without something with a tube in the chain.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
You know everybody is going to tell you to do this Phil....and we all know what the result will be. Waste of bandwidth I say.:D
MikeModwright SWL 9.0 SE (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC with Oyaide 004 terminations)
Consonance cd120T
Consonance Cyber 800 tube monoblocks (6Sons Audio Thunderbird PC's with Oyaide 004 terminations)
Usher CP 6311
Phillips Pronto TS1000 Universal Remote -
Tubes add Soul"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
-
Hell, go for it. Tubes add so much, I can barely listen anymore without something with a tube in the chain.
We shall see...I'm still pondering!Midnite Mick wrote: »You know everybody is going to tell you to do this Phil....and we all know what the result will be. Waste of bandwidth I say.:D
Mike
I never was frugal so a little bit of waste is right up my alley!Tubes add Soul
That's what I've been told! Decisions, decisions!!!
"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
Where's all the tube head opinions!! I figured you'd be breaking them by now.
"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
Do It! Do It! Do It!
Give me a T ... Give me a U ...
. . . a little cheer leading to get you off of your butt VTL ST50 w/mods / RCA6L6GC / TlfnknECC801S
Conrad Johnson PV-5 w/mods
TT Conrad Johnson Sonographe SG3 Oak / Sumiko LMT / Grado Woodbody Platinum / Sumiko PIB2 / The Clamp
Musical Fidelity A1 CDPro/ Bada DD-22 Tube CDP / Conrad Johnson SD-22 CDP
Tuners w/mods Kenwood KT5020 / Fisher KM60
MF x-DAC V8, HAInfo NG27
Herbies Ti-9 / Vibrapods / MIT Shotgun AC1 IEC's / MIT Shotgun 2 IC's / MIT Shotgun 2 Speaker Cables
PS Audio Cryo / PowerPort Premium Outlets / Exact Power EP15A Conditioner
Walnut SDA 2B TL /Oak SDA SRS II TL (Sonicaps/Mills/Cardas/Custom SDA ICs / Dynamat Extreme / Larry's Rings/ FSB-2 Spikes
NAD SS rigs w/mods
GIK panels -
Phil,
It seems to me that Steven would just be adding the tubes like a tube buffer, no? Are these going to be output power tubes?
If indeed they are just adding tubes as like a tube buffer, I would say don't modify the amp as it will reduce the resale value and you could just buy a tube buffer and place it between the NAD and the NIKKO.
If they are going to be power out tubes then I would say go for it even though it will still probably affect the bottom line in resale value.
BTW you've had tubes in your rig with the CJ pre you had. -
The Nikko fan club will have a heart attack!
All 5 members. "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 -
hearingimpared wrote: »Phil,
It seems to me that Steven would just be adding the tubes like a tube buffer, no? Are these going to be output power tubes?
If indeed they are just adding tubes as like a tube buffer, I would say don't modify the amp as it will reduce the resale value and you could just buy a tube buffer and place it between the NAD and the NIKKO.
If they are going to be power out tubes then I would say go for it even though it will still probably affect the bottom line in resale value.
BTW you've had tubes in your rig with the CJ pre you had.
Very similar like a Jolida or any other hybrid amp where the driver stage is tubes and the output (power stage) is still transistors. Can't use 6DJ8's for power tubes"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul! -
-
Very similar like a Jolida or any other hybrid amp where the driver stage is tubes and the output (power stage) is still transistors. Can't use 6DJ8's for power tubes
I didn't think so. -
But it does remain to be seen if it will be just a "buffer" between the input and output stage still using the SS drivers or if it will be a "true tube driver" stage getting rid of the SS drivers."Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul!
-
But it does remain to be seen if it will be just a "buffer" between the input and output stage still using the SS drivers or if it will be a "true tube driver" stage getting rid of the SS drivers.
From the conversations I had with Phil about it, I didn't think Stephen was going to go that deep. -
If its a tube buffer I wouldn't do it. Maybe he can replace the output stage with tubes too, now that would be worth it.
madmaxVinyl, the final frontier...
Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... -
I'll have to get better clarification from Stephen on exactly what he has in mind. From our conversation there was never any discussion of merely being a tube buffer mod. He did say tube output stage.
As far as resale value goes I know it will effect it but that's not a real concern. I pretty much plan on keeping it for the long haul. It's just so purdy!!!!
The Nikko club (all 5 of us) will get over it. "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
pearsall001 wrote: »I'll have to get better clarification from Stephen on exactly what he has in mind. From our conversation there was never any discussion of merely being a tube buffer mod. He did say tube output stage.
As far as resale value goes I know it will effect it but that's not a real concern. I pretty much plan on keeping it for the long haul. It's just so purdy!!!!
The Nikko club (all 5 of us) will get over it.
I'm very interested to hear what Stephen has in mind Phil. Keep me in the loop please. -
The Nikko fan club will have a heart attack!
All 5 members.
They actually made some pretty nice tuners... and Charles King has modified 'em with vaccum tube output stages to good effect (I believe the one I heard was a Gamma 3, but I could be wrong about that). -
hearingimpared wrote: »I'm very interested to hear what Stephen has in mind Phil. Keep me in the loop please.
Joe, here's the skinny...no, it is not a tube buffer mod. The SS power will remain the same, Stephen is adding a true tube output stage after that with either 6DJ8 or 12AU7 tubes. His remarks are that this mod will sweeten up the midrange & give it more air. This all hinges on space inside the unit, once he opens it up he'll see if there's even room to do all this. That still remains to be seen."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
So it's a driver stage.....meaning the tubes will "drive" the current SS output. The confusion comes from saying it's in the output stage. It's not the final output, but the driver stage (which takes the input signal from a source and outputs the signal to the output (power) stage).
Glad to hear it's a true driver stage and not just a buffer.
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul! -
If it hasn't been done already, have him update all the caps in the signal path while he's in there, passive components have come a long way since. I recently updated all the caps in my McIntosh MC-7270 with Nichicon FG series caps and it was a nice improvement."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
-
Nichicon FG caps are very nice and easy on the wallet.
+1 on that recommendation"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul! -
So it's a driver stage.....meaning the tubes will "drive" the current SS output. The confusion comes from saying it's in the output stage. It's not the final output, but the driver stage (which takes the input signal from a source and outputs the signal to the output (power) stage).
Glad to hear it's a true driver stage and not just a buffer.
H9
That's it!!! My apologies for using the wrong terminology. Hell, I'm still confused.If it hasn't been done already, have him update all the caps in the signal path while he's in there, passive components have come a long way since. I recently updated all the caps in my McIntosh MC-7270 with Nichicon FG series caps and it was a nice improvement.
16 of them can't be that inexpensive. I don't know if I want to get that involved. This is just being done more for the fun of it just to give me another taste of tubes in the chain. You never know though."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
pearsall001 wrote: »
16 of them can't be that inexpensive. I don't know if I want to get that involved. This is just being done more for the fun of it just to give me another taste of tubes in the chain. You never know though.
Either way even if you end up not doing the tube stage..............it is definitely at that age where a re-cap should be done. No, with labor to have someone else do it it's not going to be cheap the caps aren't that expensive. I'd still recommend it even if you decide not to do the tubes.
The thing with caps is they degrade so gradually (unless they really go out) that one hardly notices until they compare the old vs. the new. So while it might sound great now............with new caps it will sound even better.
Just something to think about
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node3 - Tubes add soul! -
Thanks, I'll definitely bring up the caps issue with Stephen to see what he recommends. Damn, I have to watch the wallet on how this is progressing."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
-
pearsall001 wrote: »Thanks, I'll definitely bring up the caps issue with Stephen to see what he recommends. Damn, I have to watch the wallet on how this is progressing.
Good luck prying that dried prune open!:D -
hearingimpared wrote: »Good luck prying that dried prune open!:D
Cobwebs bro cobwebs!!! Or I'll just put it on your account. :eek: "2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
pearsall001 wrote: »Cobwebs bro cobwebs!!! Or I'll just put it on your account. :eek:
You will end up getting phone calls from collection agencies!:eek:
