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Advice on entry to tube amps...?

post #1 of 13
12/9/10 at 7:22am
Thread Starter 

I am a complete neophyte with respect to tube amps, but am really interested in getting into them based on all I've read about the 'tube' sound -- Given that I am not knowledgeable about things like biasing and general maintenance, I'd be interested to get some advice on a reasonably priced, relatively low maintenance and high reliability amp to get started in this arena -- I am primarily listening w/ AKG702s, or w/ Grado SR80s w/ an upgraded Soloz audio cable...

 

Thanks for any suggestions or feedback in advance.  

 

 

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Grado SR-80
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AKG K 702 Black
post #2 of 13
12/9/10 at 7:36am

What is your budget and source?

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post #3 of 13
12/9/10 at 8:20am
Thread Starter 

Budget is up to $1000 - source is a naim CD5i and/or a Wyred4Sound DAC running files off a MacBook Pro

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post #4 of 13
12/9/10 at 8:32am

Take a look at Woo Audio WA6SE, it can handle K702 and Grado fine. 

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post #5 of 13
12/9/10 at 9:49am
Thread Starter 

Thanks much!

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post #6 of 13
12/9/10 at 10:04am

Take a look at DNA Sonett too, it is one heck of amp if you upgrade the tubes.


Edited by jc9394 - 12/9/10 at 10:07am
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post #7 of 13
12/9/10 at 10:41am
Thread Starter 

Thanks - what tubes would you suggest instead of the stock?

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post #8 of 13
12/9/10 at 10:50am

Mullard GZ34 and 6H30P-DR, the change is not subtle at all.  I notice a big change with HD800.

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post #9 of 13
12/9/10 at 11:04am

Grab this quick: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/527022/ic-woo-audio-wa6se-black-sophia-princess-mullard

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post #10 of 13
12/9/10 at 11:34am
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the tip -- I missed it entirely!

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post #11 of 13
12/10/10 at 7:41am

Probably a silly question, and I could (maybe will) answer it for myself later, but -- I wonder if an old guitar amp I have could make a decent headphone amp.  I realize guitar amplifiers are typically voiced for a relatively narrow frequency range, but I'm not sure how much of that voicing is due to the speaker and cabinet versus the amplifier itself.  The specific amp I'm thinking of is an old practice amp with an EZ80 rectifier tube, an EF86 preamp tube, and an EL84 power tube.  Of course, rigging it to drive a headphone would probably be a non-trivial act (its output transformer is no doubt geared toward an 8-ohm speaker load that can take 7+ watts, dunno if it'd play nicely with most headphones).  Sorry if this is OT.  redface.gif

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post #12 of 13
12/10/10 at 8:19am
I really like my Bellari HA540 with upgraded Mullard tube. At $299 retail, you can't beat it. Street price is a little less.
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post #13 of 13
12/12/10 at 1:12am

Another amp which works well with Grados, and was designed for higher impedance amps like the Senns HD650 is the Mapletree Ear+ HD250.

 

The amp utilizes the 6BQ5/EL84 output tubes with 12AX7/5751 drivers configured in SRPP topology.

 

Both the EL-84 and 12AX7 tubes are readily available and not very expensive.

 

I use a Mapletree Ear+ Purist 150 (an eariler version with 12AX7/5751 driver tubes and JJ ECC99 and a Russian 6N6P power tubes) to power a set of Grado HF-2 and SR225 headphones. 

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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Grado SR-80
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AKG K 702 Black
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