I love that you mention that just because a speakers response isn't flat that with right combo of gear and ears can make for a very pleasurable experience
Great review, thank you! For even mentioning that tubes might help the sound of a speaker... What a freaking concept... In my humble honest opinion, good tubes make every speaker I have ever heard sound better. Not just better, but the best that speaker can ever sound. Tubes rule, solid-state drools. Good tubes, not cheap bad Chinese tubes. At the very least I always run a tube preamp into my power amps. I have a Scott 299 B (LK-72) integrated tube amp also. Made in 1960, and it blows away all solid state amps I have owned. Of course you can't buy an 11 tube amp like that now. I guess it would cost around $6,000 10,000? I rescued mine from a trash heap and reconditioned it. Fantastic amplifier. I guess some people cannot even hear what tubes do. That is great for you. Go buy a solid state amp. Have you ever heard a very good tube amp into a very good speaker? Warning! You may become hooked. Addicted to the tube sound.. And then have to go look for JJ tubes... Thanks for the video.
Ron, another great video, informative and highly entertaining. I have owned many reasonable to good solid state amps, Quad, YBA, Ayre and Audio Analogue to mention a few. But I always had the desire to sample tubes. So about a year ago an Audio Research VSi75 integrated with KT150s found its way into my system. The improvement in sound was quite astonishing, every aspect of the presentation seemed more natural and just correct. The mid-range is just sumptuous and the bass extension and control impressive. The music seems more palpable with more authority and 'flesh' to the presentation. Even the artificial sound-stage is more holographic. As you can see I am extremely content with this amp to the point where I think the search for anything potential better is over. Keep up the good work! Thanks, Dave, Vancouver Island, Canada.
I only just adjusted my speakers like you say in the video, just slightly toed in. What a difference! And i also use them, for the first time, with a tube amp. It's everything that you say it is.. Thx!
I'd say get a TS-Galion 120 Tube Amp...from Thomas and Stereo...then tell us about it. Seeing that it in his Room at Toronto Audio Show his was voted the Best Sounding with his Amp driving serious open baffle speakers.
First it's Class A, then it's low powered amps using tubes, then it's vinyl, then it's high sensitivity speakers, like AN, or Devore, and finally you realise that the last 40 years of 'innovation' were fucking pointless when it comes to actually improving the enjoyment of music. Orwell talks about this in 1936. He called it the 'swindle of progress.'
After 15 years of solid state amps, I bought a Monoprice(!) Puretube amp a couple of years ago "just to see", and I was blown away... That amp isn't perfect, but it made the music more exciting and more fun than pretty much every amp I've bought (except maybe $$$ class-D). Definitely more enjoyable than anything at this price point!
Great review of the Black Ice. I saw the light also sold my Magnepans and Audiolab 6000a. Purchased Willsenton R 300 and Wharfedale Lintons . Best system I have owned.Tubes rule!!
This is an awesome video, I would really like to see you compare the Lumina 1 to the BRX, I chose the Lumina's over the BRX for the lower mid base as a desktop speaker. Right now I have the new PeachTree Gan1 for an amp so lots of drive available
For desktop I would choose the Lumina 1 over the BRX. The BRX would be too much nearfield IMO. The Lumina 1 was a consideration but I ended up with a Dali Opticon 1 which is also a great option for nearfield and it was less than half the price on closeout. The Lumina 1 however, looks alot nicer and at full retail, I would have chosen it over an Opticon. Considering the Lumina II as a main driver...especially if they discount the price, for the time being, I will use my Triangle Zetas which are a great budget speaker, better than Bro series IMO. The BRX is also a consideration. Before any more speakers, I am going to work on amp-dac combos and experiment with EQ. I think one can get alot more performance out of a speaker using EQ/room correction...why pay more if a less expensive speaker can do? Most have inexpensive parts anyway, regardless of their retail prices. Personally, I would not have bought the Dali at retail, even though performance is decent. I tried the Menuet SE and found it to be audiophile, too much so in refinement that alot of info didn't come through. Much prefer the Opticon. And I tried the SE on a Hegel that drove it easily, still too refined. Outstanding resolution but left out details that would have benefited from that resolution. I've also found that resolution isn't everything and not the first thing I look for. I need some balance and really need good tonality, stage depth and separation. Don't like instruments smearing together but you are at the mercy of the final recorded product too and how the recording was produced. I've considered tube equipment but never jumped on it due to inexperience, issue of tube rolling and replacement and whether quality tubes will continue to exist down the road at affordable prices (strange economic times). Plus, I consider lifestyle products that perform well in the form of size and weight and am liking smaller products more and more...as I enter the final quarter of my time. If I were younger and had a larger space without neighbors, larger speakers and subs, big amps would do nicely. I have seen other people with this equipment and they end up putting it in a too small room so the SQ becomes a mess, they don't think so but one can hear it. I suppose there's the pride of owning behemoths. But if I were to do tubes, I would absolutely start with decware and a suitable high sensitivity speaker. Some actually prefer lower sensitivity with larger woofers to sound meaty, to which their own. So many directions and caveats in this hobby.
Sandy Gross designed and voiced the Triton Reference and all of the reference line using Tube amps (and solid state too), as well as he runs his own pair of Triton References with a Line Magnetic stereo tube amp.
Hi Ron. What would be your *favourite* commercially available valve power amp to drive a pair of M3 Sapphires. Would LTA still figure? Started out building my own - EL34 based - back in the 60's. Have strayed from the true path - for many decades. ;¬D. Thanks for any suggestions. Budget around 5-6k Greetings to you and yours, one and All...
I have a pair of modded Magnapans .07 with the fuse removed. IMO, the Maggies work best with big wattage and high current. That said, how do you think they would mate with one of the Black Ice Audio F-35's? Love your channel.
Really hard to say man! I tried a number of tube amps with the .07s when I had them and just didn’t love them. For me; the Maggie’s desperately needed absurd current to wake them up.
Had an F35 for six months, rolled in Gold Lion KT88s, my unit had upgraded caps and resistors powering CW IVs with Node to Iris to Pontus II. I never got it to sound pleasing, it was sorta terrible actually. I replaced it with a SuperNait 3 and total brilliance. After two months with the Naim I am still impressed every day I go down to my room and listen. My personal opinion is the CWs like high current juice and the pairing of Heritage line with tubes is overrated. I see this really isn’t about the F35 after all haha. Perhaps you had the same experience.
I can’t imagine this amp sounding great with Cornwalls but I must confess, I really don’t care for those speakers at all. It’s possible the supernait is just warm enough to tame some of the peaks and valleys in the Cornwall and I’m glad you are digging that combo.
Hey Trevor, when Jerred and I received your amplifier back we immediately saw that the bias was not set at our recommended voltage setting for the KT88 tubes. Low voltage would absolutely cause less than stellar sonics, terrible actually, we're sorry that happened. We're really happy you found a sound you love in the SuperNait! Thank you for giving us an audition.
@@JaimeDeMarco-qs3eq Hey Jaime, they were all four set to exactly 40 per Jerred’s recommendation every single time I used the amp (they were pretty stable actually, requiring very little adjustment). I marked each tube’s location on their base as I removed them for packing. You had also said if anything was found to be not functioning correctly you’d provide the opportunity for the unit to be returned to me. This is the first I’ve heard from you since sending it back a couple of weeks ago. Not getting into he said she said, but just make sure proper information is being discussed here.
RON: Thanks for this. Im currently searching for my first Tube amp for a small (ish) 2-chanel vinyl rig in my living room and this looks like a contender. What do you say to doing a comparrison video using a number of what you think are the better pairings of bookshelf speakers - the Bucharts hopefully included? Im most interested in speakers which sound rich and full at lower volume as well as can hold together with a little juice once in a while. Tweeters that can be delicate and present down low but behave themselves when turned up. Drivers that scale well together if you know what I mean. I also would LOVE to here this amp on the Spatial Audio X5! THANKS!
I have never heard of this company so I googled them and went to their website. It has all kinds of information saying things are designed and made in Maryland. But they also mentioned that they make things in Shanghai China. I mapped out the address that’s listed on the website and it’s actually someone’s home address. It’s not a business. Which makes me question if their products are actually being made in Maryland.
Are you able to share any evidence, measurements, about your subjective comments about the differences of amps? Can you explain why there are advantages using tub amps?
I’m unequipped to conduct any amplifier measurements so that’s a quick no. Can I explain why there are advantages to using tube amps? Sometimes there are and sometimes there isn’t… this video just explained why and when it was a benefit. Thanks for the comment and watching.
@@Newrecordday2013 thanks for the reply...I'm using audiovectors in the living room with all cary audio monos and dacs and tubes .L82 JBL with all shitt audio tubes pre and denifrips in another room and falcon gold badge with tubes in another room,.......and I have 50 more combos in storage ....Onkyo m510 and all the classic dx 70lb cd player cool mint stuff ...I also have some vintage infinity gammas just sitting wait... I may get a set of trenner and fridel ART.s can't spell that right sorry or I'm getting the new point source speaker from Andrew..
Punchy bass is not only the speaker, its the room acoustics, placement and how you measure / correct your speaker via DSP. Closed Speaker are very good in that area (Neumann KH310, Unity Audio Super Rock for example) but with good Sub Placement, DSP & Acoustics you dont need to think about it so much
When you talk about a speaker that disappears but also gives you deep and wide reach out and touch it imaging and breaks all of the speaker placement rules you really need to give a review on the Ohm Walsh 2000's. Also few other speaker produce a center image that does not move as you move around your room with what they call a sweet sweep , the sweet spot is nearly everyplace in the room.
@@vtkz His review of the Ohm Walsh 2000's was spot on about everything he mentioned. He was in an apartment now has a large new house with a few listening rooms and none look like a church to me.
“Broken” I think is the wrong term here and really not helpful. Otherwise 95% of speakers out there would be considered “broken”. “Not linear” may be a better way to say it, in which case, room placement and/or EQ can help adjust those non-linearities more toward neutral and/or toward your preference. And tubes can provide additional colouration to makes the sound more palatable and pleasant to the ear. Or you may love the flavour that those non-linearities bring and stick with it stock along with SS electronics. Different strokes for different folks.
I love that you mention that just because a speakers response isn't flat that with right combo of gear and ears can make for a very pleasurable experience
Great review, thank you! For even mentioning that tubes might help the sound of a speaker... What a freaking concept... In my humble honest opinion, good tubes make every speaker I have ever heard sound better. Not just better, but the best that speaker can ever sound. Tubes rule, solid-state drools. Good tubes, not cheap bad Chinese tubes. At the very least I always run a tube preamp into my power amps. I have a Scott 299 B (LK-72) integrated tube amp also. Made in 1960, and it blows away all solid state amps I have owned. Of course you can't buy an 11 tube amp like that now. I guess it would cost around $6,000 10,000? I rescued mine from a trash heap and reconditioned it. Fantastic amplifier. I guess some people cannot even hear what tubes do. That is great for you. Go buy a solid state amp. Have you ever heard a very good tube amp into a very good speaker? Warning! You may become hooked. Addicted to the tube sound.. And then have to go look for JJ tubes... Thanks for the video.
Ron, another great video, informative and highly entertaining. I have owned many reasonable to good solid state amps, Quad, YBA, Ayre and Audio Analogue to mention a few. But I always had the desire to sample tubes. So about a year ago an Audio Research VSi75 integrated with KT150s found its way into my system. The improvement in sound was quite astonishing, every aspect of the presentation seemed more natural and just correct. The mid-range is just sumptuous and the bass extension and control impressive. The music seems more palpable with more authority and 'flesh' to the presentation. Even the artificial sound-stage is more holographic. As you can see I am extremely content with this amp to the point where I think the search for anything potential better is over. Keep up the good work! Thanks, Dave, Vancouver Island, Canada.
I only just adjusted my speakers like you say in the video, just slightly toed in. What a difference! And i also use them, for the first time, with a tube amp. It's everything that you say it is.. Thx!
I'd say get a TS-Galion 120 Tube Amp...from Thomas and Stereo...then tell us about it. Seeing that it in his Room at Toronto Audio Show his was voted the Best Sounding with his Amp driving serious open baffle speakers.
First it's Class A, then it's low powered amps using tubes, then it's vinyl, then it's high sensitivity speakers, like AN, or Devore, and finally you realise that the last 40 years of 'innovation' were fucking pointless when it comes to actually improving the enjoyment of music. Orwell talks about this in 1936. He called it the 'swindle of progress.'
Thank you Ron for the great video as usual. Do you think now that the BRX with tube amplifier has become very close to the S400 MK2 sound or better?
Thank you, Ron. I learned so much from this video, albeit nothing about the GoldenEar BRX.
Seriously, I just want to say: best, most useful audiophile channel I have seen, and beautifully organized, presented!
Hey thanks! That’s very kind.
I have the F35 amp and I love the sound. I can’t wait for a full review. Keep up the great work!
After 15 years of solid state amps, I bought a Monoprice(!) Puretube amp a couple of years ago "just to see", and I was blown away...
That amp isn't perfect, but it made the music more exciting and more fun than pretty much every amp I've bought (except maybe $$$ class-D).
Definitely more enjoyable than anything at this price point!
I’ve become a believer in TUBES!
I run a “cheap” Xduoo 604 Headphone Tube Amp ..and on my Sen’s 650’s they bring back the fun and soul to my music.😊
Great review of the Black Ice. I saw the light also sold my Magnepans and
Audiolab 6000a. Purchased Willsenton
R 300 and Wharfedale Lintons . Best system I have owned.Tubes rule!!
Linton better than Magnepans ? Must be very old Magnepans.
I feel it's kinda of about something
It’s about the chief audio man.
This is an awesome video, I would really like to see you compare the Lumina 1 to the BRX, I chose the Lumina's over the BRX for the lower mid base as a desktop speaker. Right now I have the new PeachTree Gan1 for an amp so lots of drive available
For desktop I would choose the Lumina 1 over the BRX. The BRX would be too much nearfield IMO. The Lumina 1 was a consideration but I ended up with a Dali Opticon 1 which is also a great option for nearfield and it was less than half the price on closeout. The Lumina 1 however, looks alot nicer and at full retail, I would have chosen it over an Opticon.
Considering the Lumina II as a main driver...especially if they discount the price, for the time being, I will use my Triangle Zetas which are a great budget speaker, better than Bro series IMO. The BRX is also a consideration.
Before any more speakers, I am going to work on amp-dac combos and experiment with EQ. I think one can get alot more performance out of a speaker using EQ/room correction...why pay more if a less expensive speaker can do? Most have inexpensive parts anyway, regardless of their retail prices. Personally, I would not have bought the Dali at retail, even though performance is decent.
I tried the Menuet SE and found it to be audiophile, too much so in refinement that alot of info didn't come through. Much prefer the Opticon. And I tried the SE on a Hegel that drove it easily, still too refined. Outstanding resolution but left out details that would have benefited from that resolution.
I've also found that resolution isn't everything and not the first thing I look for. I need some balance and really need good tonality, stage depth and separation. Don't like instruments smearing together but you are at the mercy of the final recorded product too and how the recording was produced.
I've considered tube equipment but never jumped on it due to inexperience, issue of tube rolling and replacement and whether quality tubes will continue to exist down the road at affordable prices (strange economic times).
Plus, I consider lifestyle products that perform well in the form of size and weight and am liking smaller products more and more...as I enter the final quarter of my time.
If I were younger and had a larger space without neighbors, larger speakers and subs, big amps would do nicely. I have seen other people with this equipment and they end up putting it in a too small room so the SQ becomes a mess, they don't think so but one can hear it. I suppose there's the pride of owning behemoths.
But if I were to do tubes, I would absolutely start with decware and a suitable high sensitivity speaker. Some actually prefer lower sensitivity with larger woofers to sound meaty, to which their own. So many directions and caveats in this hobby.
I heard the BRX at the 2022 AXPONA show and I thought they sounded very good, especially for their size.
Is it about digital vs analog mastering tho? 🧐
Is it rated so high due to the supposedly pleasing extra Coloration and Harmonics distortions that it produces? The extra Euphonic distortions?
Certainly possible
@@Newrecordday2013 I Greatly Appreciate Your Honest Thought.
Kind Regards
Sure! It’s difficult to appreciate tube sound without acknowledging a large part of that sound is indeed distortion.
Sandy Gross designed and voiced the Triton Reference and all of the reference line using Tube amps (and solid state too), as well as he runs his own pair of Triton References with a Line Magnetic stereo tube amp.
Please do a review on viking soundwave Disa 😁
What are the best bookshelf speakers you've ever heard?
Hi Ron. What would be your *favourite* commercially available valve power amp to drive a pair of M3 Sapphires. Would LTA still figure? Started out building my own - EL34 based - back in the 60's. Have strayed from the true path - for many decades. ;¬D. Thanks for any suggestions.
Budget around 5-6k Greetings to you and yours, one and All...
I have a pair of modded Magnapans .07 with the fuse removed. IMO, the Maggies work best with big wattage and high current. That said, how do you think they would mate with one of the Black Ice Audio F-35's? Love your channel.
Really hard to say man! I tried a number of tube amps with the .07s when I had them and just didn’t love them. For me; the Maggie’s desperately needed absurd current to wake them up.
Had an F35 for six months, rolled in Gold Lion KT88s, my unit had upgraded caps and resistors powering CW IVs with Node to Iris to Pontus II. I never got it to sound pleasing, it was sorta terrible actually. I replaced it with a SuperNait 3 and total brilliance. After two months with the Naim I am still impressed every day I go down to my room and listen. My personal opinion is the CWs like high current juice and the pairing of Heritage line with tubes is overrated. I see this really isn’t about the F35 after all haha. Perhaps you had the same experience.
I can’t imagine this amp sounding great with Cornwalls but I must confess, I really don’t care for those speakers at all. It’s possible the supernait is just warm enough to tame some of the peaks and valleys in the Cornwall and I’m glad you are digging that combo.
Hey Trevor, when Jerred and I received your amplifier back we immediately saw that the bias was not set at our recommended voltage setting for the KT88 tubes. Low voltage would absolutely cause less than stellar sonics, terrible actually, we're sorry that happened. We're really happy you found a sound you love in the SuperNait! Thank you for giving us an audition.
@@JaimeDeMarco-qs3eq Hey Jaime, they were all four set to exactly 40 per Jerred’s recommendation every single time I used the amp (they were pretty stable actually, requiring very little adjustment). I marked each tube’s location on their base as I removed them for packing. You had also said if anything was found to be not functioning correctly you’d provide the opportunity for the unit to be returned to me. This is the first I’ve heard from you since sending it back a couple of weeks ago. Not getting into he said she said, but just make sure proper information is being discussed here.
RON: Thanks for this. Im currently searching for my first Tube amp for a small (ish) 2-chanel vinyl rig in my living room and this looks like a contender. What do you say to doing a comparrison video using a number of what you think are the better pairings of bookshelf speakers - the Bucharts hopefully included? Im most interested in speakers which sound rich and full at lower volume as well as can hold together with a little juice once in a while. Tweeters that can be delicate and present down low but behave themselves when turned up. Drivers that scale well together if you know what I mean. I also would LOVE to here this amp on the Spatial Audio X5! THANKS!
@@Newrecordday2013 Is this " Tele-gram me" a legit response from you? I guess not - I see everyone got it.
@@5FWS5 it’s a bot - scam
Great review of an awesome looking tube amplifier. Too bad you didn't tell us what the Golden Ear BRX sounds like.
Hey Ron, excellent video. Would the NX Studios be a good match with the F35?
Oh heck yeah!
is the BRX ok for nearfield listening?
I’ve used them desktop and they sounded fantastic
Please compare kef ls50 meta
black ice formerly jolida... seems like a pretty legit amp from them. Put a quad of kt150 or kt120 in them and watch out.
I’m gonna try rolling a few options and thought it might be cool to do some sound clips with commentary on all the types of tubes.
@@Newrecordday2013 I think it would be pretty cool content to see how much the tube selection changes the sound signature
Let's see what Danny Ritchie had to say about the speakers that were not reviewed in this video:
ua-cam.com/video/6IPIOvKemJA/v-deo.html
What the heck does that guy know?!
Ron, what audiophile products do you use on your beard?
All of them.
I love that hat!!
Gas station hats. The best.
amazing speakers
Great points Ron!
this is the most I did not learn about something I did not watch a video about
Haha! Mission accomplished
if haven't yet, try BRX with a muscled SS amp, and it'll yet "mutate" into something else
Amazing DAC shoot out!!!!!
Haha
Years ago I used to prefer 6550s to KT88 but now the 88s seem to dominate in the power tube arena.
Yeah I want to roll these for 88s and see how they sound. I’ll keep you all posted.
@@Newrecordday2013 I just sent a passel of preamp tubes and some interconnects off for Cryo treatment so that will be interesting. The lunacy abides.
I have never heard of this company so I googled them and went to their website. It has all kinds of information saying things are designed and made in Maryland. But they also mentioned that they make things in Shanghai China.
I mapped out the address that’s listed on the website and it’s actually someone’s home address. It’s not a business. Which makes me question if their products are actually being made in Maryland.
Are you able to share any evidence, measurements, about your subjective comments about the differences of amps? Can you explain why there are advantages using tub amps?
I’m unequipped to conduct any amplifier measurements so that’s a quick no. Can I explain why there are advantages to using tube amps? Sometimes there are and sometimes there isn’t… this video just explained why and when it was a benefit. Thanks for the comment and watching.
Wool woop measurement police have arrived.
I hope you are OK, it's been a while since the last video
Ron u have been around the block for sure ...but what bookshelf speakers have you heard that have the punchiest BASS....no cost
Buchardts
@@Newrecordday2013 thanks for the reply...I'm using audiovectors in the living room with all cary audio monos and dacs and tubes .L82 JBL with all shitt audio tubes pre and denifrips in another room and falcon gold badge with tubes in another room,.......and I have 50 more combos in storage ....Onkyo m510 and all the classic dx 70lb cd player cool mint stuff ...I also have some vintage infinity gammas just sitting wait... I may get a set of trenner and fridel ART.s can't spell that right sorry or I'm getting the new point source speaker from Andrew..
Punchy bass is not only the speaker, its the room acoustics, placement and how you measure / correct your speaker via DSP. Closed Speaker are very good in that area (Neumann KH310, Unity Audio Super Rock for example) but with good Sub Placement, DSP & Acoustics you dont need to think about it so much
When you talk about a speaker that disappears but also gives you deep and wide reach out and touch it imaging and breaks all of the speaker placement rules you really need to give a review on the Ohm Walsh 2000's. Also few other speaker produce a center image that does not move as you move around your room with what they call a sweet sweep , the sweet spot is nearly everyplace in the room.
"Don't...tempt me further"
@@nc3419 They work best at only 18 inches away from a bare wall or window, see Z reviews "Best speaker ever"
@@leekumiega4919 Z Reviews haha... the guy who has a church as listening room and serious think he can evaluate how good or bad a speaker is
@@vtkz His review of the Ohm Walsh 2000's was spot on about everything he mentioned. He was in an apartment now has a large new house with a few listening rooms and none look like a church to me.
I refuse to watch any more than 9 minutes and 38 seconds of this video until there IS a video about the BRX speakers.
Ok.
I just want you to come to my house and tell me what to do😂
Ron, cant wait for you to not review the Buchardt s400 MKII
Is this video about the Golden Ear? 😄
Yes. And no.
“Broken” I think is the wrong term here and really not helpful. Otherwise 95% of speakers out there would be considered “broken”. “Not linear” may be a better way to say it, in which case, room placement and/or EQ can help adjust those non-linearities more toward neutral and/or toward your preference. And tubes can provide additional colouration to makes the sound more palatable and pleasant to the ear. Or you may love the flavour that those non-linearities bring and stick with it stock along with SS electronics. Different strokes for different folks.
That’s true, I could have worded that better. Thanks Rick!
Okay fine Ron...now pick up a Foz SSX from Black Ice Audio and get back with us please
Cough - cough: Does THIS Change Everything | Soundstage in a BOX?!
ua-cam.com/video/GY4sj2nqx_8/v-deo.html
@@Newrecordday2013 Oh yeah....I knew I saw something about that somewhere
This comment is not a comment about how great of a review you did not do.
Hahaha!
You're tag line said "BRX".
FIRST THING you said is "this video is not about the Goldenear BRX.
Chump. Unsubscribed.
Thank goodness! My plan worked!
“EQ and Tubes”…..annnnnd I’m out.👎🤦♂️
Well, that didn’t take much.