Let me know 1) What is your favorite tube and why? 2) Do you prefer push-pull or single-ended? 3) Do you like your tube amp? 4) Are you planning to try a tube amp in the future? Benefits of using tubes: ua-cam.com/video/9f5iV80jAe0/v-deo.html Here are some comments from Mr. Vintage that I left out from the video. Please keep in mind we are generalizing here. Mr. Vintage: For me, the biggest difference between Single-ended and push-pull design is the image (結像力), the SE is sharp like the Zeiss lens while the push-pull is a little loose by comparison. It was 6V6 that inspired me to enter the "tube world". The magic of the 6V6 tube driving a pair of Dynaco A25 could not be found on all my Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood...SS amplifiers. The 6L6 follows the footprint of the 6V6 but has blended in the flavor of the EL34. I find the 6L6 performs the best on the McIntosh 240 Poweramp and even today I don't think you can find another amp that surpasses the 6L6 of the Mcintosh MC240. The NOS 6V6GT tubes are still available and affordable, this is something I like to explore，I think its mid-range rivals the SE designs in Push-pull. The bass is a bit lean but it is tuneful and has a good definition.
I have pretty limited experience with tubes (compared with some here, anyway), but I will say I quite like my vintage push-pull 6BQ5 receiver. The best experience I've ever had with a tube was a GE red label 5670 in a DAC, though in the future I look forward to hearing 6N6P tubes in a DAC's output section. Some other really interesting tubes out there that seem cool, though I have not heard... The 50CA10 is an interesting power triode that can be found in vintage Luxman amplifiers. I'd love to get my hands on one of those. And of course, the 12AX7 and 12AU7 deserve some credit for being easy to find and getting so many people into tube audio.
I use 6L6 on push pull configuration Do I like it? Yes One thing i observe is, in a push pull configuration, the impact of tube rolling (change brand) is subtle, while on single-ended topology it is more notable Correct me if I am wrong since this is just generalization from my limited experience
Thomas, you are one of the great voices in the audio community. Your style and storytelling is so illuminating and unique. You should write a book- I bet it will be a best seller!
I agree with what has been said about Thomas. His presentation is informal & intimate...like he's a very cool & knowledgeable audiophile friend...just talking to me.
As a “newbie” to the world of Tube amps, I must say that this video is incredible. I learned so much and at least have a base to begin investigating what is right for me. I am looking forward to binging through the rest of your videos. Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of information in a very clear and concise manner
Bought the Reisong A10 a year ago, my first tube amp. Tom is right, great midrange but lacked bass & punch for me. Bought the Willsenton R8 OMG! what a difference! This one is a keeper! Have no intention of trying something else. Exceeded my expectations Very Very happy! Best sounding Amp I ever owned over 50 years of being a audiophile.
I agree you don’t see many reviews on these amps! I had one about 10 years ago the “one” and had a host of valves come with it! Some cheaper some special expensive heat treated valves and I couldn’t get on with any of them! Just sounded like a harsh transistor amp so I soon sold it! Just couldn’t get the lush valve open sound that I wanted and expected! Regards Paul Allen
Actually i have a question: what is the difference between your "killer midrange" category and "great voice good power" category? Isnt midrange same as voice?
Hi Thomas, when getting into my decision/making process on a new amp about 5 month ago, I watched literaly all of your videos and pretty much enjoyed all of those - same with this video. Ultimately, I ended up with a Line Magnetic LM-211, one of the smaller verisons of LM, running EL34 in push pull. And yes, I have been close to purchase one of these 805 or 845 tube single ended monsters, but was ultimately kept back from both price in Germany and heat dissipation (0.5 KW !) which would heat up my listening room too much during summer. But to my huge surprize, the sound I am getting with my Sonus Faber Cremona V1 is so great, sweet, and yet dynamic that I do not want to go back to solid state. Yes, I agree with you that its ultimately about tube type and curcuitry preference - but, the first move is to go from solid state to tubes at all! And, for most whoalready have speakers that ar capable for tume amps this step will be a quantum leap! So, thanks for all your great videos and your unrivalled way of explaining things!
Absolutely brilliant Thomas, this video is very close to my heart as I am on this tube Journey with you. I will say that having a sensitive speaker opens up lots more options and should be a careful consideration.
I just purchased a Tekton lore 96db efficiency upgraded version mondolf capacitor upgraded crossover from the company $1300 fantastic speaker excellent resolution excellent bass beautiful mid range my tube amps never sounded better
I use the Primaluna prologue pre amp running Mullard gz34 & Mullard CV4003 12AU7 valves paired with a Plinius RA 300 solid state power amp running into Focal Sopra 2 speakers ... Changing to NOS tubes made a huge difference , All going well so far , Thanks Thomas for an excellent audio channel that's very informative ... 😎
It’s complicated. So many tubes…so many amps….so many tastes and so many people who do not know their tastes! 😂 Video is helpful…but mostly it just calls attention to how overwhelming it all is to the average listener! Right?
Great video. But I must say that the power and output transformers play an enormous role as well. The weight of similarly constructed tube amps can reveal which has the generally better output transformers. I used to have the hot rodded 'original' version of the Willsenton R800i (Line Magnetic LM805IA). It comes with better build than the Willsenton but with cheaper tubes. It still sounds better. Both have a grip over the bass drivers and a finesse over the mids and treble that push pull can't offer at anywhere near the same price. Think double the price just to be in the ballpark. I demo'd my LM805IA against the PrimaLuna EVO400 Integrated and, even with hotrodded NOS tubes, the PL EVO got demolished in every genre. It was an absolute runaway victory when I used NOS tubes in the LM805IA. No bass amps being discussed here, but these big radio transmitter SET tubes (805, 845, 211) do things that push pull amps just can't. Period. End of story.
SET is class a. The incoming signal is not split and beat up. In push-pull, it's class A-B. Each circuit handles one half of the input signal. The two signals are then splice together. This gluing creates a distortion, crossover distortion. More circuitry is added to eliminate and smooth that crossover distortion. Some amps the amplitude of the frequency at the splice is reduced along with the other half thus their is a blend of both signals in an area where both produce the sound creating an impure signal. The class a-b will usually have more power for obvious reasons - single circuit can only produce so much. Long ago A/D/S made class a car amps. The sound was phenomenal and loud. Unfortunately, they had a habit of burning up due to being class a and without ginormous heat sinks. Had one in a car in the early 90s and which people still talk about today. As an end note, class a-b solid state has come a long way, such that crossover distortion shouldn't be an issue in any competent amp.
I am learning about amps little by little. It's so hard when you do not have access to different types of amps to know what you like or dont like, without of course experimentation, which can be prohibitively expensive. As I take my second foray into tubes I am trying to read and watch as many videos as I can, but there's no substitute for having the item in your home hooked up to your equipment. I very much look forward to your video on the R800i
My favorite tube is the EL34b in the Reisong A10. I prefer single ended amps or Class A amps. I absolutely love my Reisong A10. The sound is absolutely beautiful and the quality and detail put into this unit is outstanding. This is the best amp I’ve owned thus far and I will never buy a solid state amp again. For me this is an entry level amp and I am seriously considering buying a more powerful tube amp again. I really appreciate Reisong as a company because they share their schematics and as an electronics hobbyist I find this educational. I also am grateful how this company has made this technology financially accessible to everyone. Thank you for your excellent commentary !
Indeed. I have enjoyed my Reisong A10 for a year or so, not going anywhere soon. Sweet, non fatiguing sound. Plenty of power to drive my 99dB/w speakers in my apartment 🤘
I have always been curious about Fluxion’s sound and quality since they are priced reasonably. He makes so many variations… would love to see you review his amps with popular tubes configurations.
I recall Fluxion to be a single person that hand builds every single unit, one at a time. Impressive skills yet I don't know the sound quality of his amps.
Personally, I will always choose EL84. I have a Manley Stingray that I simply love. I have carefully listened to many different tubes for a long period and there is always something missing, but EL84 is a complete tube for me. That EL84 has less bass than other tubes is not true and if it is, it depends on how you have built the amplifier itself and what output transformer you have used. I prefer push-pull amp because it gives me more opportunity to choose many different speakers. For example, I can choose my favorite speakers with less sensitivity and still get good pressure in the speakers What I like more about EL84 is that there are so many tubes for sale, everything from vintage, nos, new and they can be anything from cheap to expensive. I'm probably a tube fan and have a good collection of EL84, ECC81 and ECC83 tube. The sound can vary sharply depending on which tube you drive with. I have a good opportunity to customize my tube amp depending on whether I play rock, blues, jazz, soul.
Nice job of finding an interesting angle and explanation of the overwhelming experience of listening to so many reviewers and their personal opinion on a vague subject . ( the norm in hiring?) As always a great informative listen . This should be a amplifier 101 even before they start listening to individual reviewers . Especially with resurgence and popularity of tube integrated amps .
Hello Thomas, I have a pair of '93 La Scala AL3 and a pair of '87 Heresy II that I want to dedicate to 2ch. I did minimal research and jumped into the Decware se34i.5: 6w x2, single ended triode, not really knowing much about tube amplifiers. It is in the process of being built and I am excited, the only thing is, I've never listened to a tube amplifier and I think I've made the right decision, I hope. I do enjoy vocals, horn instruments, classical guitar and hope it will be an upgrade over my AVR, "Yamaha RX-A1080." Love watching your videos and thank you for your knowledge.
In order to take advantage of the best qualities of each part of a system, I prefer separates. I use a Tube Pre to get the tube sound and holographic effect, then via an active crossover, I send mids and highs to a solid state class A and lastly, my 2 servo subs use class D.
@@MrBonger88 Bryston 10B-SUB. It's pricey but it's transparent and that is a huge deal when inserting anything between a pre and an amp. It's a worthwhile investment.
Ok My favorite tubes with the Doge 10 MK2-B (Kt88-Kt120-12ax7-12at7) Well depends on the speaker pairing . With speakers that present more of a 'forward lively presentation' I prefer the Psvane classic (Reds) for Pre/power These tubes are in contrast not as aggressive as my other tubes the Psvane are more layed back (Smooth-rounder) Great layering/depth and localization,(Soundstage) Warm midrange . caveats The Psvane clarity suffers just a lil bit but still accurate . Now with speakers that are not as forward or lively i prefer to use the full set of Golden Lions , The Golden lions are what i call a hot tube that has top end extension (lively) with very good clarity and detail retriaval , The Golden lions have very solid dynamic peaks And lots of AiRYness in my soundstage . and low-end bass with Golden lions are also a lil stronger than the Psvane classic , Only caveat with Golden lions the upper treble can have a bite to it 100 hours of burn in helps alot but still has a bite to it or can be a lil aggressive . Midrange is clean with barley a nibble of warmth . Now for my speakers that love power and that can be a lil on the dry side I prefer the Tungsol Kt120s these tubes are dynamic ! With very good attack and strong low-end bass , The top end has what i call 'Sizzle' yes the top is a lil extended but not overly extended the midrange is fuller than both the Psvane/Golden lions but the Tungsol midrange is surprisingly clean Vicals have bring more emotion , caveats with Kt120s they like lots of voltage and their just a lil more powerful than kt88 yes low-end is stronger and dynamics/Attack are insane but i don't get the depth/layering/localization like i do with psvane and the Golden lions have better Airyness than the Tungsol . But again the Tungsol have better Low-end bass dynamics attack and i love the top end sizzle with my polk lsim 703s the tungsol Kt120 tamed the treble of the polk lsim 703 IMHO the Polks Hercules heel . My favorite tubes in order based on all of my speakers 1st Psvane classics kt88 And its a tie between the Tungsol kt120 And The Golden lions kt88 . But this list really is actually irrelevant And based again on my Personal Synergy and what speakers i am using so theirs no clear winner , I just have to many Speakers with a lively forward presentation . !! So heres my Book Thomas I almost Deleted because i am giving away my furure doge review that drops in September but the ? Is will my 52 pound Yamaha AS-1100 👑 be dethroned or outclassed by the Doge ? And the 🏆 will be compared to my Vintage Monster 👑 The Sansui G8000 the 2nd biggest reciver built by Sansui that has incredable power that brings that warm lush richness to the table sort of speak Lol just gave my whole expirerence away dang it !
I’m finding the importance of finding and using quality tubes , huge in dictating the listening experience . Many of these amps come with bottom end tubes not even correctly biased . That is a huge topic in itself .
I have an Elekit 8600r 300b single ended amplifier made from a kit. As this is 9.2W per channel I have made open baffle speakers using the Li Audio 15inch full range speakers. I am pretty happy with this combo but am wondering if there are better speakers to match the amplifier to? Great video Thomas.
Most people can't say they prefare single ended or push pull as they simply buy their tube amp for say a grand and will never be able to buy another to do a comparison , , I have an icon audio 20pp a starter tube amp , but not knowing what I was buying into ,as most people can't really get the opportunity to audition many amps , anyway I love the sound through my rp600m
Lookin foreword the review. The WilsentonR8 was my first “ new” tube amp and I have a 10watt L84 based vintage amp. The old amp whispered in my ear years ago that “ hey , this what you want”. The R8 has let me know “ that old amp was right”. When I move up, it will be the bigger Wilsenton. Guess I’m a “ tube guy” now.. happy to be here:)
Great video Thomas. As an avid user of tube amps for guitar, I'm thinking about buying one for my audio rig. You have such a clear way of explaining things, I always learn tons from your work. Thank you for sharing your experience with us newbies.
6:00 thank you so much for giving this rough guide to tube sound, you don't find this anywhere else online! Instead reviewers focus far to much on build quality, inputs / outputs, price etc. and leave out the most important part. Keep doing what you're doing, you're one of the most helpful hifi channels on UA-cam.
👍👏🏻🙏🏻Well Thomas I just simply love this video everything you said is so true I have a cheap Musical Paradise 301 I put expensive old stock tubes on it and it went up in sound quality at least three notches I also have the Wilsonton R8 I love the power on it The base but the mid range is better On the cheaper little Musical Paradise 301💪👍🙏🏻
@@ThomasAndStereo hello Thomas. Thanks for replying. Me and my wife both watch your channel. Really appreciate you. Yes solid pre. As my system does double duty. For HT duty as well. The Parasound P6 gives the HT bypass. Speakers are FYNEAUDIO F502sp towers and PARADIGM Seismic 110 sub for HT duty along with centers and surrounds of course.
@@ThomasAndStereo Btw can you kindly share your opinion on Primaluna amps? As you get to compare with lot of other Tube amps. Your inputs will be very helpful and valuable. The Dialogue premium new was around $3k USD when new or till a year back. I got mine in 2019 and paid a little less then listed price. But apparently Primaluna holds value quite well. I had Prologue Premium before. Upgraded to Dialogue in 2019. Both are replaced by the Evolution line now I suppose.
@@sahdinkhan1827 I believe he said they are excellent Amplifier integrated‘s as well but they are pricey nowadays you can get one for 1/3 the price that is 90% the sound of prima Luna
@@stephencosta6814 thanks for your input man. yup they are pricey no doubt. I Started tube with Icon Audio Stereo 40.2 Mkiii intigrated back in 2015. All British made. Before that always ran all solid state separates. After the Icon Audio i moved to Primaluna and started experimenting with Hybrid system. Ran a Cayin intigrated for few weeks can't remember the model. Then went back to Primaluna. First Prologue then Dialogue the bigger one.
I've had the Reisong A10 for yonks. Used it off and on. Strapped to triode and I've diddled with various components over the years. Now it's my go to amp I've decided. Would I like something higher end? Certainly. Would I value any difference? Maybe, but there comes a point when one has to say one can't try every tube amp out there, so why keep looking? I'm better fixed financially now, but I think I'll stick with the A10. It works, was extremely well put together, and looks great...
single ended for sweet tone...ala the Champ and push pull for all out WAR!!!.....MARSHALL...UM WHICH IS A RIP OFF OF THE FENDER BASSMAN..THE REST IS HISTORY..BLAHBLAH
There is no contest. The big iron gets the biggest sound. All the best, and most transparent amps, the ones that defied amplification and just became the music seamlessly... they all have the name Bogen. And they all date from the early 60s and earlier. The original work horses were the austere, multi purpose MO60 and MO100. A few tweaks and those amps are the best thing you'll ever hear. Even without those tweaks, they'll serve any audiophile a top ten performance. It doesn't matter that they often wound up hammering nails or shaking huge tables, they offered the largest frequency response of all the tube spectrum. 5hz-50khz. Yes, really. I just flipped two sets of dual mono blocks for obscene money, locally... I began using them in the studio to critically study mixes... they're simply stellar. Often overlooked, because the later Bogens were not that great. Also because they are basic, black boxes with zero bling. All business. The BP60 would have been a game changer... but too few were made... if you find one, keep it! You'll never see another. At the base of each great tube amp is the iron. Bogen had the BEST. It's a fine art. To replicate those amps now, domestically, would command a price of 10k for two 100 watt mono blocks. TRIPLE RECTIFIED!!! And never bested, IMO.
Thanks Thomas. I’m just starting into proper tube amps. Bought a used/inexpensive EL84 Mengyue Mini recently, updated the tubes, and am amazed by how it sounds. Have been looking at the R8 for a few weeks.
Have tube amps for about 25 years now, nothing compares for me . I prefer push pull myself , i like a less direct approach to sound , Have had: Leben cs600, graaf gm50b , line magnetic 518ia, 805ia, and 219ia ,cayin kt88 ( later upgraded) , amplifon wt30 mk2 , Between much other ones . Favorite amp until now .....difficult to say , leben cs600 and line magnetic 219ia were equally good , being ( strangely enough ) the leben the most transparant , and the 219ia the more refined and powerful sounding . Graaf gm50b in the context of a system that i had was absurdly good for the price , but outside that system was less inpressive ,....the old synergy issue. Favorite tube ? They are all very different and each his own merits . I like a lot the old el34 , the kt88 , strangely the kt90 even better than the kt88 ,the 300b is also great , but always the output problem or lack of it , ...i like a lot ( maybe the best if i had to choose one tube) the 845 tube
Back in the day I purchased Carver Silver 9Ts. That was an obscene amount of money back then! My 9Ts power my ol’ school Polk SRA-SDS 1.2tls (also run two (2) Velodyne FSR-18 subs). Every 5 years I have the amps serviced (cleaned, replace all tubes, etc), which I have done for the past 30+ years. The 1.2tls (I am the original owner) have been restored. My 9Ts still sound amazing! Yes, I own old equipment but my ol’ school gear still images beautifully. Now that my financial position has improved, I can afford to pay cash for new gear. I recently purchased a Sony XBR-77A9GG OLED tele, an ATV 4K and two (2) SVS PC-4000 subs. Next will be Polk L800 (with L900’modules). Have not decided on an amp or processor. People shit on me because my commitment to Polk. My ears like Polk and that’s all that matters to me.
single-ended are the best It sounds like the good old days, mid-ranges are gone these days all we can hear is a loud bass sound do you mind if I ask what your choice or recommendation speakers for Willsenton R800i 300B? In moderate budget of course thank you
How would you compare the wilsenton r800i 805 tubes to the Audio Hungary Qualiton X200 with KT150’s matched to Klipsch RP280F tower speakers? I’m not comparing price only the sound and pros and cons. Thank you!
If you're as lucky as me you find an integrated amp that runs both triode and pentode simultaneously. It also uses both EL34's and EL84's. It's beauty and the beast (30 watts beast?). I actually own two. You know, just in case. I'm literally the luckiest guy in the world. You can see one of the ones I own on UA-cam. Audio Matiere Majuscule
My favorite tube is KT 120, for there treble and punchy bass. I would like to go to KT150 or higher but limited by current amp (Rogue M180 monoblock). I do not care if it is push pull or single ended as long as it sounds good to me, and has enough power to drive my speakers (Pure Audio Project Quintet15 with Vox1.6 95 db). I love my tube amp, I have had many before like Cayin 880 mono etc. Yes, I am planning to try out 845 or 805 tube amps, my preference now is the Willsenton R-800i for its power and balanced input. I also use Ayon CD-5s as source and preamp (Bugatti of Sound world renown CD transport, DAC and pre amp). I have not heard anything better and willing to try Denafrips products but have my doubts). Looking forward for your review on Willsenton R-800i to finalize my purchase. Also purchased Denafrips Athena and in process of evaluating.
Just geting into tube and the sound is so addictive. Mainly headphones but I will adapt tubes to my main speaker system once I build it (Folded horn arangement with AMT and planar for high and double cavity 4 driver to 150hz.) The question is can you convert a stereo tube amp into mono to drive each speaker independently?
Well having owned quite Alot of valve (tube) amplifiers, including monoblocks, in my opinion a push pull pure class A is superior as it pushes and pulls the driver, single ended are very pure but they don't have the control as a push pull does, single ended is fabulous in the mid range though
what tubes have best sound quality for movies and musicality ? i want clear voices for movies and love music...also want a wide aound stage...and holographic sound tubes are supposed to give?....thanks
Awesome vid Thomas I have 2 amps one a Yaqin and Conrad Johnson one triode and Pentoide and your right its about taste so keep up your awesome vids bro cheers
Hi Thomas, just looking for a Set integrated tube amp . I am not beginner. Too many bad ass that put you down I have an Audio Space 3i push put amp. Have Italian horn speakers
@@ThomasAndStereo Come on MAN!!!! You KNOW on just about every amp review someone is going to ask, "will it drive LRS's" give up on of your 30 pairs of Focals and keep the LRS around! 😎
The biggest issue for me to go single ended is the 3D imaging if done right. Individual instruments are usually not 2D cutouts as in many amps. The crossover distortion of push pull amps usually lessens the instrument 3D presence and can make them larger. Think of the effect of speaker diffraction on imaging. My Rig. ua-cam.com/video/WH_zBpFfzxs/v-deo.html
Nice video! I have a Woo WA6 SE single ended headphone amp, and love it. The main sonic difference is with the rectifier tube, splurged for a WE422; tried pretty much all signal tubes, and differences are much more subtle, currently have a 13DE7 (I believe that's the type). I also have tubes in phono stage (EAT eglo petite) and in my new preamp (PrimaLuna EVO 300). Just got it a month a go, so still exploring. Again, rectifiers make more of a difference, and it has no power tubes, but much better soundstage and 3D imaging. Also love the PL300 for clarity and 3D presentation. I did not go for tube power amp, as output resistance/damping factor is typically very poor, e.g., on the PrimaLuna DF of 1-2! and that leads to sound coloration with (variable impedance) speakers (two resistor voltage splitter). So went solid state (have a PassLabs XA-25 in production). When it comes to tubes, I would not only focus on the power tubes, but also rectifier and signal tubes (12AU7, 12AX7, etc). Going separates gives you the best of both worlds: tube pre, SS power. For low power amps like headphone, one can use tubes in a "power"-amp. my 2c.
How can Willsenton suqeese 2x48W out of 4x SE tubes? is the 805 so much more powerful than the 845? I started (my first) with the LaoChen 845, (reminds me a bit of the Willsenton R800 You showed here), its a 845 paired with 300B, 2x 25W, and I love the sound! It feels so naturally "harmonic" and I love to listen more, never going tired at all. Building a full range speaker to it right now (Fostex FE-103NV Chassis) to explore the sound even more!
Spot on.. Just few things may not be very clear for some. Single Ended equals class A Push Pull equals to class A/B Class A in a transistor amp eliminates the distortion of a switching transistor from the positive to the negative path of signal on A/B class. Class A/B has min 2 transistor per channel. Now tube amps are coloured and distorted and a class A or Single Ended implementations doesn’t make any sense to me. A classic Dynaco topology with a P/P el34 and 35watt would be the ideal sweet spot for most. From here the magic from an amp, especially a tube one, comes from the power supply and because of it the Dynaco was sounding that good. That’s why todays japanese and italian tube amps tend to sound better than chinese ones. Long story short a good modern implementation of a Dynaco ST35 with 35 watts would be the ideal tube amp for most regardless of price. Just download schematics and DIY. This is my opinion only made from having build 63 tube amps of any topology. I suggest el34 for mids or kt88 for tonal balance an power. (70watts). From here and after 22 years building electronics I have learned one lesson which is: nothing can beat a good pure class A transistor amp. Nothing regardless of price spent. I came to this conclusion with age. The more distortions, even the good sounding ones coming from tubes, the more infos the brain have to process. This with age translates in fatigue in the long run especially for aged chaps. Now all of this is my experience and my own toughs and opinions.
Thomas man, a decade ago I was a guitar player who played guitar tube amps for 30+ years and was starting to build my first hifi. A tube integrated was the logical choice but the choices seemed to be really cheap and unreliable stuff or super expensive stuff. What you have done this past year in highlighting good quality mid priced tube gear would have been SO amazing for me at the start of my hifi journey!!!!!!! I know that many people entering the hifi journey will absolutely have a wealth of info that was not available to me a decade ago. Your tube series of reviews is truly a great contribution to the community!!
I purchased the A12. Found the sound a little veiled at times. Rolled in some NOS Flying C 34’s and new TungSol 12AX pre. Stupid good sound- very clear with good recordings ( running with Klipsch RP600M) these are still breaking in but really amazing details and separation for a budget kit. Have a sub in line as well which helps fill in low end. I’ll tweak now- cables will be first- building my own- too cheap to fork out crazy money🤫
NOS Flying C34's? What are these please? I guess you rolled out the stock EL34's with the NOS Flying C34's, but I don't specifically know what they are and I am looking for potential options! I understand the replacement TungSol 12AX7 Pre-amp tubes; did you replace the 5Z4PJ rectifier tube too, and if so what with please? My A12 has just arrived and waiting for my Triangle Borea BR03 to arrive tomorrow to start messing about...
I'm such a noob and would love to deep dive onto tube swapping. but to start I'd like to get as close as I can to good sound for classic rock on vinyl. Anyone have any suggestions of any cost but to get me started I'd like to not break the bank.
1. I don’t have a favourite tube but have used 6V6, EL84, EL34, 6550 and KT88. Each one has pros and cons 2. I have only tried EL84SE and amps are so dependent on the quality of the iron that I won’t say one is better than the other except that the iron required for PP is smaller than that required for SE (the EL84SE was sweeter than the PP but again you have a different topology). 3. There are many amps I like, including solid state and tube, both class A and Class AB.
Great video. The simple distillation into 3 key points drove home an important message. While I use tube amps now for 8 years, I have only used the same amps. I got lucky and like it. But many tube amps I hear at audio shows I do not like. It will be interesting next time for me to keep your 3 things in mind when I got to the next show and see what my preferences are. I think an evolution could be to bi amp or tri amp so you can use SE class A for mid and hi and KT150 PP for low end.
Thank you for this @ Thomas & Stereo. It brings me to a very important consideration. I am looking at a change to an R8 to replace my IOTAVX SA3/PA3x2……Or keep my IOTAVX PA3 and use the Schiit Freya + as a pre-amp upgrade. The prices for the upgrade is similar between the two. My speakers are the Klipsch RP-8000F. I appreciate all your great videos and perspective!
Yes I would go with that combination use a schiit Freya with the two power amps form iotavx make sure you use a 50ohm interconnect cable between the two something like a RG 213/u. I think you gonna lose bass control with the r8 maybe if you change the tube rectifier think it's got! for solid-state you might be alright Or possibly I think the r8 got pre out? If so you could use it bi-amp but you need to match the impedance between the two amps use a potentiometer at 50 kohms to the pa3
@@johnsweda2999 thanks for this, question though. Why would I need a 50ohm interconnect? Is there a matching problem between the voltage gain of the PA3 and Frey’s +?
@@F1fletch yes it is a matching gain issue, all analogue signal should be 50 ohms or less, i changed it to 213/u what is a copper braid not a silver braid a little bit less conductive what really you want from a valve to solid-state, try 2.5 or 4 m length probably not shorter! if you're going valve to valve or solid state to solid-state or solid-state to valve use rg214/u. Valve amplifiers like to be driven harder higher voltage not the same for solid-state the opposite
Thanks Thomas for all you do for us. One thing we could get your advice on - if bass definition is important, rather than bass punch, along with the airiness of high-end. What amps should we be looking at? Is this where we should look at single ended? We should also be looking at EL34? Speakers are 90db efficient, listen at 60-70db max. Bloated bass must be avoided at all cost.
Best advice for a beginner buying a tube amplifier....(1)Check out the build quality of the amplifier and components .point to point wiring is easier to fix or modify in the future. Circuit boards are nice and will last as long as they are not exposed to heat. (2) Does it use common tubes? All the tubes that are used on or in the amplifier have an effect on the sound quality of the amplifier .the larger the choices of the tubes that will work on the amplifier, the more choices you have in presentation of the sound made by the amplifier. If it takes a weird or off the wall tube,You have less choices in voicing the amplifier. (3) look at the efficiency of the speakers you plan on driving with the amplifier. If you have high efficiency speakers ,they don't need as much power to drive as lower efficiency ones. (4)Any equipment you buy is an investment, You want to enjoy your investment and if or when you sell it,You would want it to keep its value and in many cases you would want or like for it to increase in value.You can put all the Uber expensive capacitors and resistors you want on a cheap amplifier ,It will still be a cheap amplifier...
Hallo Thomas, Ty for this video, im new in this hobby, and somehow Lua 6060rc stereo tube amplifier with out phono input come into my hands, but im struggling to find some one who can review this amplifier (what kind of Speakers can match this amp, is it worth for the money…) I play music only on my kenwood kd 500 with sme 3009 s2 improved, and i have clasic audio spartan 10 phono preamp, quadral wotan mk iv speakers but i want to change them for something else that can match with the Lua 6060rc Thank you!!!
Thanks, Thomas, for laying this out at the beginner level, which is pretty close to the mark for me with tube amplifiers. Given the limited efficiencies of my speakers, I may not get to try tubes anytime soon despite my interest in them. Nonetheless, I appreciate how with all of your videos you show your reasoning as you inform and explain about the topic at hand. Knowing more about things, even those I may never buy or experience, is allowing me to better understand how my system components work together and choices to be made as I look to improve or add to what I have.
Currently using a Type 85 tube based preamp feeding a bi amped system where the mids and highs are driven by a 300B SET amp and the lows are driven by a diy solid state amp based on the Gibson Lab Series guitar amp with large 150,000 microfarad capacitors in the power supply.
@Laurentz, Type 85 preamplifier tubes from the 1930s can be an iffy engineering proposition due to their low current output but they do sound like something "God" would use - the Type 85 tube definitely sounds heavenly.
Thank you Thomas, your videos are is very didactic. I'll soon buy a Wilsenton R8 but I'm debating which speakers to buy, so far I'm between SVS Prime Pinnacles and Polk R700. I listen from Jazz to Hardcore Punk so I'd prefer speakers that would give me a nice sound in a broad spectrum of genres. Which one would you recommend of these two modeles, or in any case, which one would you recommend that is under $2500 per pair? Thank you very much!
Beginners tips from a tube amp dude..... Dodge the Chinese brands like Cayin etc.... unreliable and mediocre sounding. My Cayin experience is shocking and embarrassing for the brand though i wont indulge further. Dont buy cheapo tube amps, they need high quality transformers to perform and this is pricey. Buy from your own country and make sure you get good warranty and support for years to come. Simplicity of design is best for tube amps. Be prepared for a higher noise floor and more hums/buzzes than a good quality but flat and colourless ss amp. READ THE MANUAL AND SAFEFTY INSTRUCTIONS. AN 845 AMP WILL FRY YOU INSTANTLY IF YOU MAKE A SMALL ENOUGH MISTAKE Made in China is fine, in fact is good even having latest factories, machining etc. Design and components matter... where its made doesnt so much. Amps made by a Chinese brand sold from a random ebay Chinese outlet is - after 4 amps from two better known brands - A TERRIBLE IDEA. In UK i highly recommend the Icon Audio range... made in China but... fully tested, supported in the UK by the maker, easy to find tubes still in production, simple designs without PCB so serviceable for years. Another brand ive had amazing experiences with is Unison Research, their products look and sound amazing.
I like both SE and PP.. It all depends in the overall design and implementation.. For relatively higher powered SET, I like the GM70 more these days than the 845 or 211 types.. For micropower I like the 45, 46, or 50 directly heated triode.. Those are just samplings of output tube preferences for SET using directly heated triodes.
Do single ended amps with paralleled output tubes like 300B. Sound the same as amp with just 1 300b. I know there will be more power but is the sound the same?
I have had a Reisong A10 for about one year. I have been tube rolling several EL34's (Tung Sol is the best so far) and KT77. I have swapped out the stock rectifier for a mid 60's ex-RAF Mullard CV 1863. I have also swapped out the 6N2Js for NOS JSC Voskhod 6N2P-EB/6AX7. I am well pleased with the sound. 1. I don't have a favorite tube i.e., EL34, KT88, etc. as I have not had enough experience with a variety of tube amps. 2. Same as above. However in solid state I prefer class A. 3. So far I am enjoying the Reisong very much. In a word, it is salubrious. 4. Yes. I am planning on trying additional tube amps.
Interesting. I have the same amp, Reisong A10. I found changing the rectifier made it sound too much like "solid state" even thou using the same "type" of rectifier. I have tried the Russian equivalent 5Ц4С (5U4S) and also Brimar 5Z4G (CV1863). I find the amp sounds the sweetest (tube like) with those original ShuGuang 5Z4P (J) it shipped with. Maybe there is is enough difference electrically between these same "types" rectifiers after all and its designed to use the original tube. Not sure if i'm imagining it or not (i don't think so), don't have any measurement tools to confirm. Anyhow, because of that, i have stocked quite a few of those original type rectifiers. I really do like the amp. Oh, also noticed that its best to be plugged in a dedicated wall socket and not use any extension cords shared with other devices, it changed the background noise even better (less), i did not think about that first because its so low wattage, but it did make a difference. My speakers are sensitive to background hiss/noise, 99dB/w, Klipsch Heresy III. Currently my favourite combo for the other tubes are the Russian 6N2P-EV signal tubes and Mullard EL34 (current production). Also used Tung-Sol EL34, but now they are for backups. Can listen to this little beast of a amp for hours / whole day without even a hint of listening fatigue compared to a normal solid state stuff i also have. 👍
@@johto if you check out the voltage drop between the rectifier tubes you are using,They can and will effect the sound quality of the amplifier. Another thing to consider is the rectification rail on the amplifier. A majority of the rails are either 5v-1.9amp which would be a 5ar4, It has the least amount of voltage drop.A 5v-2a which would be for tubes like 5y3.normally low powered low milliamp 125 max circuits. Then the 5v-3a like the 5u4 family of rectifiers,which can handle 250ma. Where a majority of people go wrong with rectifier tubes is ,They will use to small of a rectifier on a circuit,Like a rectifier rated for 3a on a 2a circuit. They will use a rectifier with less voltage drop on circuit, So the voltages are to high or they will use an undersized rectifier on a circuit,So the tube is push to its limit ,because of the MA current that is required to run the amp.. In a SE el34 amplifier, the milliamp draw of the power tubes and driver tubes, is going to be atleast 125-130ma depending on how the tubes are biased. The voltage drop between a 5ar4 and 5u4g is roughly 42 volts,the difference between a 5ar4 and diodes is roughly 7volts... If you wanted to customize your amp. If you do pio coupling capacitors the sound will be smoother and rounder.and it will match up with more speakers.If you do poly or Teflon capacitors, it will sound brighter,more detailed and exact ,so fewer speakers will work with it.
Let me know 1) What is your favorite tube and why? 2) Do you prefer push-pull or single-ended? 3) Do you like your tube amp? 4) Are you planning to try a tube amp in the future?
Benefits of using tubes: ua-cam.com/video/9f5iV80jAe0/v-deo.html
Here are some comments from Mr. Vintage that I left out from the video. Please keep in mind we are generalizing here.
Mr. Vintage: For me, the biggest difference between Single-ended and push-pull design is the image (結像力), the SE is sharp like the Zeiss lens while the push-pull is a little loose by comparison. It was 6V6 that inspired me to enter the "tube world". The magic of the 6V6 tube driving a pair of Dynaco A25 could not be found on all my Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood...SS amplifiers. The 6L6 follows the footprint of the 6V6 but has blended in the flavor of the EL34. I find the 6L6 performs the best on the McIntosh 240 Poweramp and even today I don't think you can find another amp that surpasses the 6L6 of the Mcintosh MC240. The NOS 6V6GT tubes are still available and affordable, this is something I like to explore，I think its mid-range rivals the SE designs in Push-pull. The bass is a bit lean but it is tuneful and has a good definition.
For sure 6L6 ,having tried 7 different brands hands down Tungsol 7581A.
I have pretty limited experience with tubes (compared with some here, anyway), but I will say I quite like my vintage push-pull 6BQ5 receiver. The best experience I've ever had with a tube was a GE red label 5670 in a DAC, though in the future I look forward to hearing 6N6P tubes in a DAC's output section. Some other really interesting tubes out there that seem cool, though I have not heard... The 50CA10 is an interesting power triode that can be found in vintage Luxman amplifiers. I'd love to get my hands on one of those. And of course, the 12AX7 and 12AU7 deserve some credit for being easy to find and getting so many people into tube audio.
I use 6L6 on push pull configuration
Do I like it? Yes
One thing i observe is, in a push pull configuration, the impact of tube rolling (change brand) is subtle, while on single-ended topology it is more notable
Correct me if I am wrong since this is just generalization from my limited experience
4
@@HercahyoAdiSaputro You are 100% correct
Thomas, you are one of the great voices in the audio community. Your style and storytelling is so illuminating and unique. You should write a book- I bet it will be a best seller!
I second that. great review with a more intimate style. Can tell he is not reading off a script.
I agree with what has been said about Thomas. His presentation is informal & intimate...like he's a very cool & knowledgeable audiophile friend...just talking to me.
Luis, you hit it out of the park. Thomas gives you information in a way that is non bias and uplifting.
As a “newbie” to the world of Tube amps, I must say that this video is incredible. I learned so much and at least have a base to begin investigating what is right for me. I am looking forward to binging through the rest of your videos. Thank you so much for sharing your wealth of information in a very clear and concise manner
so, what did you chose ? :)
Can listen to you wax poetic on hifi gear all day. Thank you for your vlogs. Love them.
I'll take ... the Leben CS-300 in the bottom right corner for the win please Alex
Bought the Reisong A10 a year ago, my first tube amp. Tom is right, great midrange but lacked bass & punch for me. Bought the Willsenton R8 OMG! what a difference! This one is a keeper! Have no intention of trying something else. Exceeded my expectations Very Very happy! Best sounding Amp I ever owned over 50 years of being a audiophile.
Congrats!
How come nobody reviews PrimaLuna tube amps?
I agree you don’t see many reviews on these amps! I had one about 10 years ago the “one” and had a host of valves come with it! Some cheaper some special expensive heat treated valves and I couldn’t get on with any of them! Just sounded like a harsh transistor amp so I soon sold it! Just couldn’t get the lush valve open sound that I wanted and expected!
Regards Paul Allen
Actually i have a question: what is the difference between your "killer midrange" category and "great voice good power" category? Isnt midrange same as voice?
Hi Thomas, when getting into my decision/making process on a new amp about 5 month ago, I watched literaly all of your videos and pretty much enjoyed all of those - same with this video.
Ultimately, I ended up with a Line Magnetic LM-211, one of the smaller verisons of LM, running EL34 in push pull. And yes, I have been close to purchase one of these 805 or 845 tube single ended monsters, but was ultimately kept back from both price in Germany and heat dissipation (0.5 KW !) which would heat up my listening room too much during summer.
But to my huge surprize, the sound I am getting with my Sonus Faber Cremona V1 is so great, sweet, and yet dynamic that I do not want to go back to solid state.
Yes, I agree with you that its ultimately about tube type and curcuitry preference - but, the first move is to go from solid state to tubes at all! And, for most whoalready have speakers that ar capable for tume amps this step will be a quantum leap!
So, thanks for all your great videos and your unrivalled way of explaining things!
Absolutely brilliant Thomas, this video is very close to my heart as I am on this tube Journey with you. I will say that having a sensitive speaker opens up lots more options and should be a careful consideration.
I just purchased a Tekton lore 96db efficiency upgraded version mondolf capacitor upgraded crossover from the company $1300 fantastic speaker excellent resolution excellent bass beautiful mid range my tube amps never sounded better
I use the Primaluna prologue pre amp running Mullard gz34 & Mullard CV4003 12AU7 valves paired with a Plinius RA 300 solid state power amp running into Focal Sopra 2 speakers ... Changing to NOS tubes made a huge difference , All going well so far , Thanks Thomas for an excellent audio channel that's very informative ... 😎
It’s complicated. So many tubes…so many amps….so many tastes and so many people who do not know their tastes! 😂
Video is helpful…but mostly it just calls attention to how overwhelming it all is to the average listener! Right?
Sure it can be overwhelming but people have to put in the effort if they want the best.
Great video. But I must say that the power and output transformers play an enormous role as well. The weight of similarly constructed tube amps can reveal which has the generally better output transformers.
I used to have the hot rodded 'original' version of the Willsenton R800i (Line Magnetic LM805IA). It comes with better build than the Willsenton but with cheaper tubes. It still sounds better. Both have a grip over the bass drivers and a finesse over the mids and treble that push pull can't offer at anywhere near the same price. Think double the price just to be in the ballpark. I demo'd my LM805IA against the PrimaLuna EVO400 Integrated and, even with hotrodded NOS tubes, the PL EVO got demolished in every genre. It was an absolute runaway victory when I used NOS tubes in the LM805IA.
No bass amps being discussed here, but these big radio transmitter SET tubes (805, 845, 211) do things that push pull amps just can't. Period. End of story.
SET is class a. The incoming signal is not split and beat up. In push-pull, it's class A-B. Each circuit handles one half of the input signal. The two signals are then splice together. This gluing creates a distortion, crossover distortion. More circuitry is added to eliminate and smooth that crossover distortion. Some amps the amplitude of the frequency at the splice is reduced along with the other half thus their is a blend of both signals in an area where both produce the sound creating an impure signal. The class a-b will usually have more power for obvious reasons - single circuit can only produce so much. Long ago A/D/S made class a car amps. The sound was phenomenal and loud. Unfortunately, they had a habit of burning up due to being class a and without ginormous heat sinks. Had one in a car in the early 90s and which people still talk about today. As an end note, class a-b solid state has come a long way, such that crossover distortion shouldn't be an issue in any competent amp.
Step 1: Invest in a nice AC unit because my god you're going to need it with most tube amps.
I am learning about amps little by little. It's so hard when you do not have access to different types of amps to know what you like or dont like, without of course experimentation, which can be prohibitively expensive. As I take my second foray into tubes I am trying to read and watch as many videos as I can, but there's no substitute for having the item in your home hooked up to your equipment. I very much look forward to your video on the R800i
Number # 1 advice from a Tube owner, make sure your Air Conditioner is big enough to cool your Tube Gear! :)
My favorite tube is the EL34b in the Reisong A10. I prefer single ended amps or Class A amps. I absolutely love my Reisong A10. The sound is absolutely beautiful and the quality and detail put into this unit is outstanding. This is the best amp I’ve owned thus far and I will never buy a solid state amp again. For me this is an entry level amp and I am seriously considering buying a more powerful tube amp again. I really appreciate Reisong as a company because they share their schematics and as an electronics hobbyist I find this educational. I also am grateful how this company has made this technology financially accessible to everyone.
Thank you for your excellent commentary !
Indeed. I have enjoyed my Reisong A10 for a year or so, not going anywhere soon. Sweet, non fatiguing sound. Plenty of power to drive my 99dB/w speakers in my apartment 🤘
My speaker are 90db are they in the a10 ballpark I love the look of this amp
Hi I have heard a lot about A10 and A50. Anyone tried both ?😊
Any chance you could do some more tube preamp reviews, thanks either way.
I have always been curious about Fluxion’s sound and quality since they are priced reasonably. He makes so many variations… would love to see you review his amps with popular tubes configurations.
I was in the process of buying Fluxions 845 preamp, but went BeePre2 300B instead
I recall Fluxion to be a single person that hand builds every single unit, one at a time. Impressive skills yet I don't know the sound quality of his amps.
Personally, I will always choose EL84. I have a Manley Stingray that I simply love.
I have carefully listened to many different tubes for a long period and there is always something missing, but EL84 is a complete tube for me. That EL84 has less bass than other tubes is not true and if it is, it depends on how you have built the amplifier itself and what output transformer you have used.
I prefer push-pull amp because it gives me more opportunity to choose many different speakers. For example, I can choose my favorite speakers with less sensitivity and still get good pressure in the speakers
What I like more about EL84 is that there are so many tubes for sale, everything from vintage, nos, new and they can be anything from cheap to expensive.
I'm probably a tube fan and have a good collection of EL84, ECC81 and ECC83 tube.
The sound can vary sharply depending on which tube you drive with. I have a good opportunity to customize my tube amp depending on whether I play rock, blues, jazz, soul.
Nice, thanks for sharing and yes you are correct, it also depends on how the amp is made.
Nice job of finding an interesting angle and explanation of the overwhelming experience of listening to so many reviewers and their personal opinion on a vague subject . ( the norm in hiring?) As always a great informative listen . This should be a amplifier 101 even before they start listening to individual reviewers . Especially with resurgence and popularity of tube integrated amps .
Hello Thomas, I have a pair of '93 La Scala AL3 and a pair of '87 Heresy II that I want to dedicate to 2ch. I did minimal research and jumped into the Decware se34i.5: 6w x2, single ended triode, not really knowing much about tube amplifiers. It is in the process of being built and I am excited, the only thing is, I've never listened to a tube amplifier and I think I've made the right decision, I hope. I do enjoy vocals, horn instruments, classical guitar and hope it will be an upgrade over my AVR, "Yamaha RX-A1080." Love watching your videos and thank you for your knowledge.
In order to take advantage of the best qualities of each part of a system, I prefer separates. I use a Tube Pre to get the tube sound and holographic effect, then via an active crossover, I send mids and highs to a solid state class A and lastly, my 2 servo subs use class D.
What about tube pre to a tube amp for the mids and highs and a class a for the subs?
Very nice. I love having that much control over a system.
This exactly what I’m in the process of doing. What active crossover are you using?
@@MrBonger88 Bryston 10B-SUB. It's pricey but it's transparent and that is a huge deal when inserting anything between a pre and an amp. It's a worthwhile investment.
@@ranbymonkeys2384 Class D is the most effective and efficient way to drive subs.
Ok My favorite tubes with the
Doge 10 MK2-B (Kt88-Kt120-12ax7-12at7)
Well depends on the speaker pairing . With speakers that present more of a
'forward lively presentation' I prefer the
Psvane classic (Reds) for Pre/power
These tubes are in contrast not as aggressive as my other tubes the
Psvane are more layed back (Smooth-rounder) Great layering/depth and localization,(Soundstage)
Warm midrange . caveats The Psvane clarity suffers just a lil bit but still accurate .
Now with speakers that are not as forward or lively i prefer to use the full set of Golden Lions ,
The Golden lions are what i call a hot tube that has top end extension (lively) with very good clarity and detail retriaval , The Golden lions have very solid dynamic peaks And lots of AiRYness in my soundstage .
and low-end bass with Golden lions are also a lil stronger than the Psvane classic , Only caveat with Golden lions the upper treble can have a bite to it 100 hours of burn in helps alot but still has a bite to it or can be a lil aggressive . Midrange is clean with barley a nibble of warmth .
Now for my speakers that love power and that can be a lil on the dry side
I prefer the Tungsol Kt120s these tubes are dynamic ! With very good attack and strong low-end bass , The top end has what i call 'Sizzle' yes the top is a lil extended but not overly extended the midrange is fuller than both the Psvane/Golden lions but the Tungsol midrange is surprisingly clean Vicals have bring more emotion , caveats with Kt120s they like lots of voltage and their just a lil more powerful than kt88 yes low-end is stronger and dynamics/Attack are insane but i don't get the depth/layering/localization like i do with psvane and the Golden lions have better Airyness than the Tungsol . But again the Tungsol have better Low-end bass dynamics attack and i love the top end sizzle with my polk lsim 703s the tungsol Kt120 tamed the treble of the polk lsim 703 IMHO
the Polks Hercules heel .
My favorite tubes in order based on all of my speakers
1st Psvane classics kt88
And its a tie between the Tungsol kt120
And The Golden lions kt88 .
But this list really is actually irrelevant
And based again on my Personal Synergy and what speakers i am using so theirs no clear winner , I just have to many Speakers with a lively forward presentation . !! So heres my Book Thomas I almost Deleted because i am giving away my furure doge review that drops in September but the ? Is
will my 52 pound Yamaha AS-1100 👑
be dethroned or outclassed by the Doge ? And the 🏆 will be compared to my Vintage Monster 👑
The Sansui G8000 the 2nd biggest reciver built by Sansui that has incredable power that brings that warm lush richness to the table sort of speak
Lol just gave my whole expirerence away dang it !
I’m finding the importance of finding and using quality tubes , huge in dictating the listening experience . Many of these amps come with bottom end tubes not even correctly biased . That is a huge topic in itself .
Yup and replacement intervals for tubes. Too costly
I have an Elekit 8600r 300b single ended amplifier made from a kit. As this is 9.2W per channel I have made open baffle speakers using the Li Audio 15inch full range speakers. I am pretty happy with this combo but am wondering if there are better speakers to match the amplifier to? Great video Thomas.
Single-ended amplifiers have NO crossover distorsion. Not very little :)
Most people can't say they prefare single ended or push pull as they simply buy their tube amp for say a grand and will never be able to buy another to do a comparison , , I have an icon audio 20pp a starter tube amp , but not knowing what I was buying into ,as most people can't really get the opportunity to audition many amps , anyway I love the sound through my rp600m
Lookin foreword the review. The WilsentonR8 was my first “ new” tube amp and I have a 10watt L84 based vintage amp. The old amp whispered in my ear years ago that “ hey , this what you want”.
The R8 has let me know “ that old amp was right”.
When I move up, it will be the bigger Wilsenton.
Guess I’m a “ tube guy” now.. happy to be here:)
Which speakers are you using with the Wilsenton?
@@sepsism138 Klipsch Heresy IVs with a Sunfire Eq sub. Thorens TT , ifi Zen phono
@@dougg1075 Nice! Thanks for confirming.
Great video Thomas. As an avid user of tube amps for guitar, I'm thinking about buying one for my audio rig. You have such a clear way of explaining things, I always learn tons from your work. Thank you for sharing your experience with us newbies.
I second that!
6:00 thank you so much for giving this rough guide to tube sound, you don't find this anywhere else online! Instead reviewers focus far to much on build quality, inputs / outputs, price etc. and leave out the most important part. Keep doing what you're doing, you're one of the most helpful hifi channels on UA-cam.
Thomas your a legend. I appreciate all your knowledge and how well you convey your message.
Awesome video Thomas. Do I need a pre-amp to connect to any of those amps, or can I connect them to a CD player or other device thru RCA inputs?
Love the Stories Thomas…. Thank You.
Glad you like them!
👍👏🏻🙏🏻Well Thomas I just simply love this video everything you said is so true I have a cheap Musical Paradise 301 I put expensive old stock tubes on it and it went up in sound quality at least three notches I also have the Wilsonton R8 I love the power on it The base but the mid range is better On the cheaper little Musical Paradise 301💪👍🙏🏻
I'm using hybrid separate system. Parasound Halo P6 PreAmp and Primaluna Dialogue Primium PowerAmp. Works well so far.
Really cool to go solid state pre and tube power amp.
@@ThomasAndStereo hello Thomas. Thanks for replying. Me and my wife both watch your channel. Really appreciate you. Yes solid pre. As my system does double duty. For HT duty as well. The Parasound P6 gives the HT bypass. Speakers are FYNEAUDIO F502sp towers and PARADIGM Seismic 110 sub for HT duty along with centers and surrounds of course.
@@ThomasAndStereo Btw can you kindly share your opinion on Primaluna amps? As you get to compare with lot of other Tube amps. Your inputs will be very helpful and valuable. The Dialogue premium new was around $3k USD when new or till a year back. I got mine in 2019 and paid a little less then listed price. But apparently Primaluna holds value quite well. I had Prologue Premium before. Upgraded to Dialogue in 2019. Both are replaced by the Evolution line now I suppose.
@@sahdinkhan1827 I believe he said they are excellent Amplifier integrated‘s as well but they are pricey nowadays you can get one for 1/3 the price that is 90% the sound of
prima Luna
@@stephencosta6814 thanks for your input man. yup they are pricey no doubt. I Started tube with Icon Audio Stereo 40.2 Mkiii intigrated back in 2015. All British made. Before that always ran all solid state separates. After the Icon Audio i moved to Primaluna and started experimenting with Hybrid system. Ran a Cayin intigrated for few weeks can't remember the model. Then went back to Primaluna. First Prologue then Dialogue the bigger one.
I've had the Reisong A10 for yonks. Used it off and on. Strapped to triode and I've diddled with various components over the years. Now it's my go to amp I've decided.
Would I like something higher end? Certainly. Would I value any difference? Maybe, but there comes a point when one has to say one can't try every tube amp out there, so why keep looking? I'm better fixed financially now, but I think I'll stick with the A10. It works, was extremely well put together, and looks great...
Buy whatever looks coolest, that's my tip
single ended for sweet tone...ala the Champ and push pull for all out WAR!!!.....MARSHALL...UM WHICH IS A RIP OFF OF THE FENDER BASSMAN..THE REST IS HISTORY..BLAHBLAH
There is no contest. The big iron gets the biggest sound. All the best, and most transparent amps, the ones that defied amplification and just became the music seamlessly... they all have the name Bogen. And they all date from the early 60s and earlier. The original work horses were the austere, multi purpose MO60 and MO100. A few tweaks and those amps are the best thing you'll ever hear. Even without those tweaks, they'll serve any audiophile a top ten performance. It doesn't matter that they often wound up hammering nails or shaking huge tables, they offered the largest frequency response of all the tube spectrum. 5hz-50khz. Yes, really. I just flipped two sets of dual mono blocks for obscene money, locally... I began using them in the studio to critically study mixes... they're simply stellar. Often overlooked, because the later Bogens were not that great. Also because they are basic, black boxes with zero bling. All business. The BP60 would have been a game changer... but too few were made... if you find one, keep it! You'll never see another. At the base of each great tube amp is the iron. Bogen had the BEST. It's a fine art. To replicate those amps now, domestically, would command a price of 10k for two 100 watt mono blocks. TRIPLE RECTIFIED!!! And never bested, IMO.
Thanks Thomas. I’m just starting into proper tube amps. Bought a used/inexpensive EL84 Mengyue Mini recently, updated the tubes, and am amazed by how it sounds. Have been looking at the R8 for a few weeks.
Don’t hesitate on the R8. I bought one and upgraded all the tubes. It’s an excellent amp especially for it’s low price!
Looking forward to your video on tubes, man! I like yout channel as well! ;)
yeah tubes sound awesome :)
Have tube amps for about 25 years now, nothing compares for me .
I prefer push pull myself , i like a less direct approach to sound ,
Have had: Leben cs600, graaf gm50b , line magnetic 518ia, 805ia, and 219ia ,cayin kt88 ( later upgraded) , amplifon wt30 mk2 ,
Between much other ones .
Favorite amp until now .....difficult to say , leben cs600 and line magnetic 219ia were equally good , being ( strangely enough ) the leben the most transparant , and the 219ia the more refined and powerful sounding .
Graaf gm50b in the context of a system that i had was absurdly good for the price , but outside that system was less inpressive ,....the old synergy issue.
Favorite tube ? They are all very different and each his own merits .
I like a lot the old el34 , the kt88 , strangely the kt90 even better than the kt88 ,the 300b is also great , but always the output problem or lack of it , ...i like a lot ( maybe the best if i had to choose one tube) the 845 tube
Back in the day I purchased Carver Silver 9Ts. That was an obscene amount of money back then! My 9Ts power my ol’ school Polk SRA-SDS 1.2tls (also run two (2) Velodyne FSR-18 subs). Every 5 years I have the amps serviced (cleaned, replace all tubes, etc), which I have done for the past 30+ years. The 1.2tls (I am the original owner) have been restored.
My 9Ts still sound amazing! Yes, I own old equipment but my ol’ school gear still images beautifully.
Now that my financial position has improved, I can afford to pay cash for new gear. I recently purchased a Sony XBR-77A9GG OLED tele, an ATV 4K and two (2) SVS PC-4000 subs. Next will be Polk L800 (with L900’modules). Have not decided on an amp or processor.
People shit on me because my commitment to Polk. My ears like Polk and that’s all that matters to me.
How about single ended for high-efficiency speakers versus push pull more power for lower efficiency speakers as a criteria?
single-ended are the best
It sounds like the good old days, mid-ranges are gone these days
all we can hear is a loud bass sound
do you mind if I ask what your choice or recommendation speakers for Willsenton R800i 300B? In moderate budget of course
thank you
How would you compare the wilsenton r800i 805 tubes to the Audio Hungary Qualiton X200 with KT150’s matched to Klipsch RP280F tower speakers? I’m not comparing price only the sound and pros and cons. Thank you!
Hello thomas!! I got triangle borea speakers at 90db sensitivity ! Can i run a simgle ended 10watt amp in my small room at 10tm??
If you're as lucky as me you find an integrated amp that runs both triode and pentode simultaneously. It also uses both EL34's and EL84's. It's beauty and the beast (30 watts beast?). I actually own two. You know, just in case.
I'm literally the luckiest guy in the world.
You can see one of the ones I own on UA-cam. Audio Matiere Majuscule
My favorite tube is KT 120, for there treble and punchy bass. I would like to go to KT150 or higher but limited by current amp (Rogue M180 monoblock). I do not care if it is push pull or single ended as long as it sounds good to me, and has enough power to drive my speakers (Pure Audio Project Quintet15 with Vox1.6 95 db). I love my tube amp, I have had many before like Cayin 880 mono etc. Yes, I am planning to try out 845 or 805 tube amps, my preference now is the Willsenton R-800i for its power and balanced input. I also use Ayon CD-5s as source and preamp (Bugatti of Sound world renown CD transport, DAC and pre amp). I have not heard anything better and willing to try Denafrips products but have my doubts). Looking forward for your review on Willsenton R-800i to finalize my purchase. Also purchased Denafrips Athena and in process of evaluating.
Just geting into tube and the sound is so addictive. Mainly headphones but I will adapt tubes to my main speaker system once I build it (Folded horn arangement with AMT and planar for high and double cavity 4 driver to 150hz.)
The question is can you convert a stereo tube amp into mono to drive each speaker independently?
Well having owned quite Alot of valve (tube) amplifiers, including monoblocks, in my opinion a push pull pure class A is superior as it pushes and pulls the driver, single ended are very pure but they don't have the control as a push pull does, single ended is fabulous in the mid range though
Hello Thomas, thanks for your video, i am seriously considering a Tube preamplifier to add to my Iotavx PA3'S in bridged mode, any ideas, thanks.
what tubes have best sound quality for movies and musicality ?
i want clear voices for movies and love music...also want a wide aound stage...and holographic sound tubes are supposed to give?....thanks
I've been in tubes for many months already and these are by no means for beginners, even people who already own tube amps can learn from these.
the 45 tube is better than el84 equivalent to a 300b
Nope. No tubes for me. 70s nakamichi 620 amp. Sweet and haven't replaced a cap yet. It drives same era la scala klipsch,
I've gotta jolida jd 202. I'm on a tight budget, can you recommend an upgrade set of tubes for it. T Y
Awesome vid Thomas I have 2 amps one a Yaqin and Conrad Johnson one triode and Pentoide and your right its about taste so keep up your awesome vids bro cheers
Hi Thomas, just looking for a Set integrated tube amp . I am not beginner. Too many bad ass that put you down I have an Audio Space 3i push put amp. Have Italian horn speakers
How would you classify the 6550 compared to KT88
I am *so* far from this level of tube-wisdom, but this video makes me really want to dive in anyway.
I look forward to you pushing the R800 by using the LRS's
@@ThomasAndStereo Come on MAN!!!! You KNOW on just about every amp review someone is going to ask, "will it drive LRS's" give up on of your 30 pairs of Focals and keep the LRS around! 😎
The biggest issue for me to go single ended is the 3D imaging if done right. Individual instruments are usually not 2D cutouts as in many amps.
The crossover distortion of push pull amps usually lessens the instrument 3D presence and can make them larger. Think of the effect of speaker diffraction on imaging.
My Rig.
ua-cam.com/video/WH_zBpFfzxs/v-deo.html
Nice speakers.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks. They move a lot of air, ha. All open baffle.
Nice video! I have a Woo WA6 SE single ended headphone amp, and love it. The main sonic difference is with the rectifier tube, splurged for a WE422; tried pretty much all signal tubes, and differences are much more subtle, currently have a 13DE7 (I believe that's the type). I also have tubes in phono stage (EAT eglo petite) and in my new preamp (PrimaLuna EVO 300). Just got it a month a go, so still exploring. Again, rectifiers make more of a difference, and it has no power tubes, but much better soundstage and 3D imaging. Also love the PL300 for clarity and 3D presentation. I did not go for tube power amp, as output resistance/damping factor is typically very poor, e.g., on the PrimaLuna DF of 1-2! and that leads to sound coloration with (variable impedance) speakers (two resistor voltage splitter). So went solid state (have a PassLabs XA-25 in production). When it comes to tubes, I would not only focus on the power tubes, but also rectifier and signal tubes (12AU7, 12AX7, etc). Going separates gives you the best of both worlds: tube pre, SS power. For low power amps like headphone, one can use tubes in a "power"-amp. my 2c.
How can Willsenton suqeese 2x48W out of 4x SE tubes? is the 805 so much more powerful than the 845?
I started (my first) with the LaoChen 845, (reminds me a bit of the Willsenton R800 You showed here), its a 845 paired with 300B, 2x 25W, and I love the sound! It feels so naturally "harmonic" and I love to listen more, never going tired at all.
Building a full range speaker to it right now (Fostex FE-103NV Chassis) to explore the sound even more!
Spot on..
Just few things may not be very clear for some.
Single Ended equals class A
Push Pull equals to class A/B
Class A in a transistor amp eliminates the distortion of a switching transistor from the positive to the negative path of signal on A/B class. Class A/B has min 2 transistor per channel.
Now tube amps are coloured and distorted and a class A or Single Ended implementations doesn’t make any sense to me.
A classic Dynaco topology with a P/P el34 and 35watt would be the ideal sweet spot for most.
From here the magic from an amp, especially a tube one, comes from the power supply and because of it the Dynaco was sounding that good.
That’s why todays japanese and italian tube amps tend to sound better than chinese ones. Long story short a good modern implementation of a Dynaco ST35 with 35 watts would be the ideal tube amp for most regardless of price. Just download schematics and DIY.
This is my opinion only made from having build 63 tube amps of any topology. I suggest el34 for mids or kt88 for tonal balance an power. (70watts).
From here and after 22 years building electronics I have learned one lesson which is: nothing can beat a good pure class A transistor amp. Nothing regardless of price spent.
I came to this conclusion with age.
The more distortions, even the good sounding ones coming from tubes, the more infos the brain have to process. This with age translates in fatigue in the long run especially for aged chaps. Now all of this is my experience and my own toughs and opinions.
Thomas man, a decade ago I was a guitar player who played guitar tube amps for 30+ years and was starting to build my first hifi. A tube integrated was the logical choice but the choices seemed to be really cheap and unreliable stuff or super expensive stuff. What you have done this past year in highlighting good quality mid priced tube gear would have been SO amazing for me at the start of my hifi journey!!!!!!! I know that many people entering the hifi journey will absolutely have a wealth of info that was not available to me a decade ago. Your tube series of reviews is truly a great contribution to the community!!
I purchased the A12. Found the sound a little veiled at times. Rolled in some NOS Flying C 34’s and new TungSol 12AX pre. Stupid good sound- very clear with good recordings ( running with Klipsch RP600M) these are still breaking in but really amazing details and separation for a budget kit. Have a sub in line as well which helps fill in low end. I’ll tweak now- cables will be first- building my own- too cheap to fork out crazy money🤫
NOS Flying C34's? What are these please?
I guess you rolled out the stock EL34's with the NOS Flying C34's, but I don't specifically know what they are and I am looking for potential options!
I understand the replacement TungSol 12AX7 Pre-amp tubes; did you replace the 5Z4PJ rectifier tube too, and if so what with please?
My A12 has just arrived and waiting for my Triangle Borea BR03 to arrive tomorrow to start messing about...
I'm such a noob and would love to deep dive onto tube swapping. but to start I'd like to get as close as I can to good sound for classic rock on vinyl. Anyone have any suggestions of any cost but to get me started I'd like to not break the bank.
1. I don’t have a favourite tube but have used 6V6, EL84, EL34, 6550 and KT88. Each one has pros and cons
2. I have only tried EL84SE and amps are so dependent on the quality of the iron that I won’t say one is better than the other except that the iron required for PP is smaller than that required for SE (the EL84SE was sweeter than the PP but again you have a different topology).
3. There are many amps I like, including solid state and tube, both class A and Class AB.
Nice, thanks for the comment.
What do u think of pioneers sa 1000 amps 1973
Great video. The simple distillation into 3 key points drove home an important message. While I use tube amps now for 8 years, I have only used the same amps. I got lucky and like it. But many tube amps I hear at audio shows I do not like. It will be interesting next time for me to keep your 3 things in mind when I got to the next show and see what my preferences are.
I think an evolution could be to bi amp or tri amp so you can use SE class A for mid and hi and KT150 PP for low end.
im consedering the syntesys roma 510 us my first tube amp with kt 88
Thank you for this @ Thomas & Stereo. It brings me to a very important consideration. I am looking at a change to an R8 to replace my IOTAVX SA3/PA3x2……Or keep my IOTAVX PA3 and use the Schiit Freya + as a pre-amp upgrade. The prices for the upgrade is similar between the two. My speakers are the Klipsch RP-8000F.
I appreciate all your great videos and perspective!
Yes I would go with that combination use a schiit Freya with the two power amps form iotavx make sure you use a 50ohm interconnect cable between the two something like a RG 213/u. I think you gonna lose bass control with the r8 maybe if you change the tube rectifier think it's got! for solid-state you might be alright
Or possibly I think the r8 got pre out? If so you could use it bi-amp but you need to match the impedance between the two amps use a potentiometer at 50 kohms to the pa3
@@johnsweda2999 thanks for this, question though. Why would I need a 50ohm interconnect? Is there a matching problem between the voltage gain of the PA3 and Frey’s +?
@@F1fletch yes it is a matching gain issue, all analogue signal should be 50 ohms or less, i changed it to 213/u what is a copper braid not a silver braid a little bit less conductive what really you want from a valve to solid-state, try 2.5 or 4 m length probably not shorter! if you're going valve to valve or solid state to solid-state or solid-state to valve use rg214/u. Valve amplifiers like to be driven harder higher voltage not the same for solid-state the opposite
I have a Junas tube amp that starts making a humming noise when I reach past half volume. Not sure why this is happening?
Thomas! What an awesome video. Well done, sir
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for dropping by!
Which one would be best for movies, because I'm super picky
Thanks Thomas for all you do for us. One thing we could get your advice on - if bass definition is important, rather than bass punch, along with the airiness of high-end. What amps should we be looking at? Is this where we should look at single ended? We should also be looking at EL34? Speakers are 90db efficient, listen at 60-70db max. Bloated bass must be avoided at all cost.
Great overview of some popular tubes. Thank you!
Many modern tube amp don’t show like tube amp of yesterday
Best advice for a beginner buying a tube amplifier....(1)Check out the build quality of the amplifier and components .point to point wiring is easier to fix or modify in the future. Circuit boards are nice and will last as long as they are not exposed to heat. (2) Does it use common tubes?
All the tubes that are used on or in the amplifier have an effect on the sound quality of the amplifier .the larger the choices of the tubes that will work on the amplifier, the more choices you have in presentation of the sound made by the amplifier. If it takes a weird or off the wall tube,You have less choices in voicing the amplifier.
(3) look at the efficiency of the speakers you plan on driving with the amplifier. If you have high efficiency speakers ,they don't need as much power to drive as lower efficiency ones.
(4)Any equipment you buy is an investment, You want to enjoy your investment and if or when you sell it,You would want it to keep its value and in many cases you would want or like for it to increase in value.You can put all the Uber expensive capacitors and resistors you want on a cheap amplifier ,It will still be a cheap amplifier...
Thanks for sharing.
Hallo Thomas,
Ty for this video, im new in this hobby, and somehow Lua 6060rc stereo tube amplifier with out phono input come into my hands, but im struggling to find some one who can review this amplifier (what kind of Speakers can match this amp, is it worth for the money…)
I play music only on my kenwood kd 500 with sme 3009 s2 improved, and i have clasic audio spartan 10 phono preamp, quadral wotan mk iv speakers but i want to change them for something else that can match with the Lua 6060rc
Thank you!!!
Sadly I have never tried that amp so I don't know.
Will the R8 be good for Martin Logan speakers?
Hey Thomas, thanks a lot for your great tube related content. 👍
I hope you will publish a review about the Doge 7 tube DAC 🤩
In nov.
Thanks, Thomas, for laying this out at the beginner level, which is pretty close to the mark for me with tube amplifiers. Given the limited efficiencies of my speakers, I may not get to try tubes anytime soon despite my interest in them. Nonetheless, I appreciate how with all of your videos you show your reasoning as you inform and explain about the topic at hand. Knowing more about things, even those I may never buy or experience, is allowing me to better understand how my system components work together and choices to be made as I look to improve or add to what I have.
Need to consider the speakers carefully, especially sensitivity and impedance.
Check Omega speakers from US. They are excellent, with high sensitivity, driven from 2 Watts.
Currently using a Type 85 tube based preamp feeding a bi amped system where the mids and highs are driven by a 300B SET amp and the lows are driven by a diy solid state amp based on the Gibson Lab Series guitar amp with large 150,000 microfarad capacitors in the power supply.
@Laurentz, Type 85 preamplifier tubes from the 1930s can be an iffy engineering proposition due to their low current output but they do sound like something "God" would use - the Type 85 tube definitely sounds heavenly.
this doesn't seem very beginner, because you are naming brands that most people have never even heard of.
Just found your channel. I have zero experience with tube amps and this was extremely enlightening.
Glad it was helpful!
SOLDANO SLO 💯 Power AMP SECTION IS THE LOWEST. THD CHECK OUT THE SPECS
Thank you Thomas, your videos are is very didactic. I'll soon buy a Wilsenton R8 but I'm debating which speakers to buy, so far I'm between SVS Prime Pinnacles and Polk R700. I listen from Jazz to Hardcore Punk so I'd prefer speakers that would give me a nice sound in a broad spectrum of genres. Which one would you recommend of these two modeles, or in any case, which one would you recommend that is under $2500 per pair? Thank you very much!
I pair a Reisong 10 with an Elac B6 and it can get Led Zep boogie.
Beginners tips from a tube amp dude.....
Dodge the Chinese brands like Cayin etc.... unreliable and mediocre sounding. My Cayin experience is shocking and embarrassing for the brand though i wont indulge further.
Dont buy cheapo tube amps, they need high quality transformers to perform and this is pricey.
Buy from your own country and make sure you get good warranty and support for years to come.
Simplicity of design is best for tube amps.
Be prepared for a higher noise floor and more hums/buzzes than a good quality but flat and colourless ss amp.
READ THE MANUAL AND SAFEFTY INSTRUCTIONS. AN 845 AMP WILL FRY YOU INSTANTLY IF YOU MAKE A SMALL ENOUGH MISTAKE
Made in China is fine, in fact is good even having latest factories, machining etc. Design and components matter... where its made doesnt so much. Amps made by a Chinese brand sold from a random ebay Chinese outlet is - after 4 amps from two better known brands - A TERRIBLE IDEA.
In UK i highly recommend the Icon Audio range... made in China but... fully tested, supported in the UK by the maker, easy to find tubes still in production, simple designs without PCB so serviceable for years.
Another brand ive had amazing experiences with is Unison Research, their products look and sound amazing.
I like both SE and PP.. It all depends in the overall design and implementation.. For relatively higher powered SET, I like the GM70 more these days than the 845 or 211 types.. For micropower I like the 45, 46, or 50 directly heated triode.. Those are just samplings of output tube preferences for SET using directly heated triodes.
Excellent summary! 😁
speed,, dyn range,,, inter mod dist,,, separation of details
Have you listened to carver tube amps?
Do single ended amps with paralleled output tubes like 300B. Sound the same as amp with just 1 300b. I know there will be more power but is the sound the same?
It should be slightly different, that is why people like SET amps.
I have had a Reisong A10 for about one year. I have been tube rolling several EL34's (Tung Sol is the best so far) and KT77. I have swapped out the stock rectifier for a mid 60's ex-RAF Mullard CV 1863. I have also swapped out the 6N2Js for NOS JSC Voskhod 6N2P-EB/6AX7. I am well pleased with the sound.
1. I don't have a favorite tube i.e., EL34, KT88, etc. as I have not had enough experience with a variety of tube amps.
2. Same as above. However in solid state I prefer class A.
3. So far I am enjoying the Reisong very much. In a word, it is salubrious.
4. Yes. I am planning on trying additional tube amps.
Interesting. I have the same amp, Reisong A10. I found changing the rectifier made it sound too much like "solid state" even thou using the same "type" of rectifier. I have tried the Russian equivalent 5Ц4С (5U4S) and also Brimar 5Z4G (CV1863). I find the amp sounds the sweetest (tube like) with those original ShuGuang 5Z4P (J) it shipped with. Maybe there is is enough difference electrically between these same "types" rectifiers after all and its designed to use the original tube. Not sure if i'm imagining it or not (i don't think so), don't have any measurement tools to confirm.
Anyhow, because of that, i have stocked quite a few of those original type rectifiers. I really do like the amp. Oh, also noticed that its best to be plugged in a dedicated wall socket and not use any extension cords shared with other devices, it changed the background noise even better (less), i did not think about that first because its so low wattage, but it did make a difference. My speakers are sensitive to background hiss/noise, 99dB/w, Klipsch Heresy III. Currently my favourite combo for the other tubes are the Russian 6N2P-EV signal tubes and Mullard EL34 (current production). Also used Tung-Sol EL34, but now they are for backups. Can listen to this little beast of a amp for hours / whole day without even a hint of listening fatigue compared to a normal solid state stuff i also have. 👍
@@johto if you check out the voltage drop between the rectifier tubes you are using,They can and will effect the sound quality of the amplifier.
Another thing to consider is the rectification rail on the amplifier. A majority of the rails are either 5v-1.9amp which would be a 5ar4, It has the least amount of voltage drop.A 5v-2a which would be for tubes like 5y3.normally low powered low milliamp 125 max circuits.
Then the 5v-3a like the 5u4 family of rectifiers,which can handle 250ma.
Where a majority of people go wrong with rectifier tubes is ,They will use to small of a rectifier on a circuit,Like a rectifier rated for 3a on a 2a circuit.
They will use a rectifier with less voltage drop on circuit, So the voltages are to high or they will use an undersized rectifier on a circuit,So the tube is push to its limit ,because of the MA current that is required to run the amp..
In a SE el34 amplifier, the milliamp draw of the power tubes and driver tubes, is going to be atleast 125-130ma depending on how the tubes are biased.
The voltage drop between a 5ar4 and 5u4g is roughly 42 volts,the difference between a 5ar4 and diodes is roughly 7volts...
If you wanted to customize your amp.
If you do pio coupling capacitors the sound will be smoother and rounder.and it will match up with more speakers.If you do poly or Teflon capacitors, it will sound brighter,more detailed and exact ,so fewer speakers will work with it.