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I've been dying to try oneand now I am ready to rebuild one of my systems. Which one to get?
Back in the day, tubes were the <I>only</I> choice. Today, some audiophiles still consider them the only choice. Have you ever tried a tubed component in your system?
After several years i bought a single ended union research s 8 tubes amplifier and an audio note DAC 3 signature and audio note an e /spe loudspeakers. The cd playes is musical fidelity. It is an amazing sound. Transparent, clear, soft, open. So the sound of Joni Mitchell CD the beginning of Survival is so good, that it like's she stands in my room. Succes Rudolph
I have the Audio Research Ref 2 Mk II preamp and VT-200 Mk II amplifier (although purists would call these hybrid products, since they have FETs in the input circuits and the amplifier has solid state regulation and rectifiction. These are both modern designs that don't have any of the sweetening that many people associate with some older tube circuits.
Musical Fidelity gear: Nuvistors: NuVista pre-amplifier, 300 power amplifier, 3D CD player. ECC88's: X-Cans v3 and v2 headphone amplifiers; Elektra Class A CD player. (Plus the X-Ray CD player v1, no tubes but fantastic, too.)
A VTL 5.5 preamp between a Krell CD player and Krell amp. There seems to be a synergy between the components that makes the listening experience more realistic and enjoyable. And, after all that's what we are trying to accomplish.
(I hope it is not too late to comment on the tube question.) I had grown bored with the quest for perfection with solid state systems. No matter the degree of air, space, and realism in the image, and power in the bass, something always seemed off, especially when listening to a single instrument where its tonal complexities were isolated, not shadowed by other sounds - the reed in a sax, a bow on the stings, etc. One day I heard a violin solo through a single ended triode amplifier and my love for this hobby was reignited. All of the complex tones which you hear during a live performance were there and were just right. I can't explain it, but I can hear it. Perhaps it is the simplicity of the circuit - one tube, class A, no feedback. I was ready to give up on audio, and the tube brought me back.
Unfurtunately not. I would love to try a tube preamplifier with my amp to heard the difference between it and my solid pre. A friend uses an hybrid preamplifier and it sounds wonderfull to my ears. My only concern is the tube mantainance though.
Yes I owned the old Dynaco ST70 and PAS3 and have heard the McIntosh MC60's. I listened to modern equipment too from Audio Research. While pleasant, the sound of the components such as transformers and capacitors get in the way. Way too much bass boom and coloration from the Dynacos. I build my own gear now that I am an EE. I aspire to Mark Levinson and Krell these days.