Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Budget Tube Amp
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Budget Tube Amp

post #1 of 17
3/26/08 at 2:34pm
Thread Starter 
Looking for recommendations for a first time tube amp. I've looked at the Lunchbox and Darkvoice. Is there a thread I'm having trouble locating? What are some of the lesser expensive tube amps for a noob?

TIA
Reply
post #2 of 17
3/26/08 at 2:41pm
Darkvoice as you have already said. And then there's Little Dot.

Search around, there are loads of threads on both. Very good low budget amps.
Reply
post #3 of 17
3/26/08 at 2:54pm
What's your price range? Little Dot makes some great tube amps in the $150-300 range. Darkvoice makes even better tube amps, but they start at around $250 for the cheapest model.
Reply
post #4 of 17
3/26/08 at 2:58pm
Darkvoice Figaro - entry level amp for about $160. Great little amp for the money and a good entry into tube amps (it uses Chinese 2x6F3s, but western equivalents are much better - the ECL85 and 6GV8).

Note: only problem is the 110v version hasn't been released yet.
Reply
post #5 of 17
3/26/08 at 7:41pm
Are there any tube amps that won't go crazy when trying to drive low-impedance headphones (such as Audio-Technica)?
Reply
post #6 of 17
3/26/08 at 7:45pm
People have reported good impressions with the Little Dot MkIII amp. Tube rolling options are much wider with Little Dot amps than with DV amps, so that's something to consider as well.
Reply
post #7 of 17
3/26/08 at 7:48pm
I got to listen to Joshatdot's Little Dot MK II and compared the Darkvoice Figaro for a little bit. The MK II has a forward presentation and the Figaro has a more of a laid back sound. Flip a coin. They are so different.
Reply
post #8 of 17
3/26/08 at 8:40pm
Seriously look at Little Dot tube amps. I have the LD MKII and am really happy with it. For a few bucks more, I understand the LD MKIII is an even better value. Make sure to read Penchum's reviews of the Little Dot amps here on the forum. Even though he is not a salesman; his reviews will sell you on the product.
Reply
post #9 of 17
3/27/08 at 1:53am
i've recently been investigating the DIY offerings, of which there are plenty:
SOHA w/ JISBOS
Millet Hybrid MAX
Bijou
EHHA
Aikido
Bottlehead S.E.X.
Borbely Tube/ MOSFET Hybrid
Reply
post #10 of 17
3/27/08 at 2:30am
Funny guy at this forum uses Little Dot II as preamp, Darkvoice Figaro as amp heh.
Reply
post #11 of 17
3/27/08 at 2:36am
I can see that. It never crossed my mind though. I did listen to both and own the Figaro.
Reply
post #12 of 17
3/27/08 at 11:12am
Tube rolling options with the FIGARO are limited, there's no point denying it: but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some owners won't bother tube rolling at all - the stock 6F3s sound quite good; others will be relieved that they don't have the bewildering choice of equivalents available for other amps, like the DV332 and Little Dots.

There are lots of the Soviet equivalents of the 6F3s - the 6F5P. Haven't tried them yet but they're generally better than the Chinese versions. I'm running a pair of TELEFUNKEN ECL85s at the minute and they sound fantastic.
Reply
post #13 of 17
3/27/08 at 10:00pm
Two other possibilities to consider in the $200 or less range are:

- Little Dot Micro Tube
- Musical Fidelity X-Can V2

Good luck.
Reply
post #14 of 17
3/28/08 at 3:08pm
Thread Starter 
Looks like it may be the Little Dot MKIII. Thanks for the advice and recommendations everyone.
Reply
post #15 of 17
3/29/08 at 1:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by synaesthetic View Post
Are there any tube amps that won't go crazy when trying to drive low-impedance headphones (such as Audio-Technica)?
My Bijou (with 6n1p-ev and 6n6p tubes) doesn't have any problem with 32-ohm headphones.

But it's not exactly cheap to pay someone to build a Bijou for you. I'm not sure how much, but I've got at least $200 in my DIY bijou.

If you're into tube rolling, the Bijou uses 6dj8 types in the gain stage so you can spend bucks on exotic e88cc's to your heart's content. Using the 6h30 or 6n1p in the gain stage requires a resistor change. I'm cheap and i already had pair of matched 6n1p-ev on hand, so i used those.

The output stage on the other hand only accepts JJ-Tesla ECC99 or 6n6p / 6n6p-i from Novosibirsk or Reflector (which may be relabeled as Sovtek, Svetlana, etc). But these are Good Tubes.

The 6AS7 output tube on a Stratum/Waarde amp like the Darkvoice 336i shouldn't have any problem either. It was intended as a voltage regulator tube, and it has plenty of oomph.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphone Amps (full-size)
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Budget Tube Amp