Monoprice 50w Hybrid Amp

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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,400
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    Looks like Monoprice has a "full" tube amp for $329...
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
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    Not a bad price! EL84 are not my favorite tubes, but it is a cool looking amp for a low power operation.
    Jake
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,416
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    zingo wrote: »
    I believe Counterpoint and AMC made some vintage hybrid amps. :)

    Your assessment of vintage and mine are rather different. ;)

    Here's a vintage hybrid amplifier (and not a great one, at that).
    http://www.roger-russell.com/amppre.htm#ma230

    ip3pafupgj2q.png
    grtrehgz330r.png

    images from http://www.berners.ch/McIntosh/en/MA230.htm

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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
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    Neo-vintage :blush:
    Jake
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,416
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    zingo wrote: »
    Neo-vintage :blush:

    :)


    ... as opposed to retro-vintage.

    Yeah, I gotcha.


    1jnzhlan50u3.png
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,416
    edited July 2018
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    rb5n2dnbif8q.png

    FWIW, the all-tube Monoprice (pp EL84) amp looks benign to me. These products are sold worldwide under a plethora of brand names. It would be good to get a look under the hood (althogh even that can be misleading since counterfeit components abound in the current electronics world) but it would be nice to see how neatly - or otherwise - things are laid out, wired up, or soldered together. These factors say a lot, from my perspective, about the fundamental quality (and potential dependability) of a component.

    Quality of the output iron is also important, of course -- but the old Maggotbox Magnavox stereo console amps prove that it's hard to go wrong with a simple pp EL84 amplifier. To call the quality of components and the design of those early 1960s amps "modest" is -- well... diplomatic ;) -- but they do sound good.

    In other words, the $329 (or whatever) "Monoprice" branded pp EL84 stereo amp may sound fine. That's enough money, though, that it might be worth shopping a little harder/spending a little more in the long run.

    I'd also encourage folks to resist the temptation of buying a $329 amp and then putting 600 dollars worth of boutique or NOS tubes in it. False economy, I'd opine.

    This is a pp 6V6 Maggotbox amp, but it amply illustrates the extreme simplicity of the design and the execution - despite having been rehabbed with modest quality capacitors. The comparable pp EL84 amp is very similar overall.

    14505622034_e807a6b47e_b.jpgP1020247 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
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    So I should shouldn't spend $600 on exotic parts for my amp?
    Jake
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,416
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    zingo wrote: »
    So I should shouldn't spend $600 on exotic parts for my amp?

    yeah, just don't spend it all on tubes ;)

    I think some Teflon-coated silver wire would be an excellent investment for one of these.

    ;)
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
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    I think spending $300/each on two coupling caps will be worth the parts budget.
    Jake
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,416
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    zingo wrote: »
    I think spending $300/each on two coupling caps will be worth the parts budget.

    I like your thinking!
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
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    :D
    Jake
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
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    Monoprice just emailed $247.99 sale and free shipping for the all tube amp, $105.99 for the 25w hybrid, and $143.99 for the 50w hybrid.
    Jake
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,416
    edited July 2018
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    hmm...
    For two-hunnert-fiddy smackers...

    somebody needs to try one -- or three, or four, or whatever it takes to get a working one ;)

    I hope that somebody's not me. :#


    EDIT: Current website price is $309... how does one (or can one[/i) ]unlock the $248 price?
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  • mark090852
    mark090852 Posts: 1,001
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    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    hmm...
    For two-hunnert-fiddy smackers...

    somebody needs to try one -- or three, or four, or whatever it takes to get a working one ;)

    I hope that somebody's not me. :#


    EDIT: Current website price is $309... how does one (or can one[/i) ]unlock the $248 price?

    Use code WKND20 for the discount on the all tube and the 50 watt. Use WKND5 for the 25 watt amp.
    McIntosh MA352 Integrated Amp, Bluesound Node Icon Reference Network Music Streamer, SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle Speakers
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited July 2018
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    I did some listening to Rebecca Pidgeon on both my DIY monitors and my new Monoprice K-BAS monitors and the sound seems to have settled in a little with a bit of a bass increase (stock tubes) over the initial listening experience.

    With the 50w hybrid amp and the K-BAS monitors, the music is detailed, enjoyable, balanced bass response down to 40hz, and no sibilance. The overall sound stage is not as 3D as I have experienced, but this is a Monoprice branded 2-channel system for about $500 total with sale prices, which I think is amazing for the value.
    Jake
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 13,101
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    I'd like to take a listen to those K-BAS speakers!
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
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    They are great (even better for the price) and compare favorably to the Atlantic Technology speakers with a similar hybrid TL cabinet design.
    Jake
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 13,101
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    I think they would be perfect for the drum n bass and other electronic music that I listen to. I just have too many speakers and not enough room.

    But mostly I just don't want to move my 30lb behemoth 703s :smile:

    Glad you are getting some enjoyment out of your inexpensive monoprice experiments.
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,400
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    I will give the all tube a try...
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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,206
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    Conradicles wrote: »
    I will give the all tube a try...

    I'll be curious to hear how you like it compared to the Yaqin MS-20Lthat I sent you about 4 years ago.
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
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    Conradicles wrote: »
    I will give the all tube a try...

    For science! :wink:
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,400
    edited July 2018
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    michaeljhsda2 wrote: »
    Conradicles wrote: »
    I will give the all tube a try...

    I'll be curious to hear how you like it compared to the Yaqin MS-20Lthat I sent you about 4 years ago.

    @michaeljhsda2 - You sending me the Yaqin was an awesome gesture on your part!!! You still got that bad boy?
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  • michaeljhsda2
    michaeljhsda2 Posts: 2,206
    edited July 2018
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    Conradicles wrote: »
    michaeljhsda2 wrote: »
    Conradicles wrote: »
    I will give the all tube a try...

    I'll be curious to hear how you like it compared to the Yaqin MS-20Lthat I sent you about 4 years ago.

    @michaeljhsda2 - You sending me the Yaqin was an awesome gesture on your part!!! You still got that bad boy?

    Yes I still have it. Glad I was able to introduce you to the world of tubes!
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's
    Silk Audio MS-90-BT integrated tube amp
    Yaqin MS-20L integrated tube amp
    SDA 2B TL's
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,400
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    Got the "Pure Tube" from Monoprice today. Little booger is breaking in now...

    qqj337b20t9h.jpg
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,416
    edited July 2018
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    Looks good to me! Especially for the price.

    I've been listening to the 25 watt hybrid pretty much exclusively the last coupla weeks. If nothing else, it puts out less heat than the SE 2A3 amp does. :#
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
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    Well it looks nice!

    Any initial impressions?
    Jake
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 27,618
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    zingo wrote: »
    Well it looks nice!

    Any initial impressions?

    It won't cook marshmallows
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 35,416
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    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    zingo wrote: »
    Well it looks nice!

    Any initial impressions?

    It won't cook marshmallows

    That's good, actually -- although EL84s usually run pretty hot at normal Class AB operating points.

    It's particularly good if one cannot cook marshmallows on the power transformer.

    :#
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
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    Next I want to try this unit as a preamp using the line-out. I don't know a dedicated amplifier right now except my Christie, but I'll try that and see what it sounds like driving both pairs of speakers.
    Jake
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  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,400
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    zingo wrote: »
    Well it looks nice!

    Any initial impressions?

    No loud buzzing noise like the hybrid I sent back. Gets pretty warm. Actually, really warm as expected.

    Sound is a bit smoother than the hybrid. Still, the bass is a bit weak compared to the other amps I have rotated thru this little rig. Build quality is really good for a $230 tube amp. Great deal.
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