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HE-6 Tube Amp cost? POLL

Poll Results: WHAT IS A FAIR PRICE TO PAY FOR A DECENT TUBE AMP TO DRIVE THE HE-6?

 
  • 40% (9)
    Under $1000
  • 27% (6)
    $1000-1500
  • 13% (3)
    $1501-2000
  • 18% (4)
    $2000+
22 Total Votes  
post #1 of 17
1/6/12 at 9:47am
Thread Starter 

Having settled on my choice of headphones, the HE-6, I was looking to get a tube amp built for it that puts out about

8-10watts @50 ohms to drive them as wuwhere has reported success with his Audio Research. I am currently happy with my SS vintage amp but as an alternative would like to enjoy the tube flavor also. But the problem is the vintage tube amps need a lot of upkeep (biasing and mega buck tubes replacement), big footprint and generally cost a lot.

 

So I am talking to a couple of small manufacturers/DIYers to specifically design/modify  a modern tube amp for the HE-6 for me but the prices are all over the place. So need some help in trying to see where the price should be to make you and me buy one.

 

 

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post #2 of 17
1/6/12 at 4:51pm

Have you heard of Vacuum Tube Audio? Here's their site http://www.tubes4hifi.com/home.html

They sell kits or fully assembled based on Dynaco ST-70, with or without tubes. And have customer

technical support.

 

When buying vintage tube amps, if at all possible, buy from a manufacturer that still exists and still provides

service. The good thing about Audio Research is it still exists, provides support and maintenance for all the

vintage amps they ever made and is located in USA (Minnesota).

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post #3 of 17
1/6/12 at 8:27pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wuwhere View Post

Have you heard of Vacuum Tube Audio? Here's their site http://www.tubes4hifi.com/home.html

They sell kits or fully assembled based on Dynaco ST-70, with or without tubes. And have customer

technical support.

 

When buying vintage tube amps, if at all possible, buy from a manufacturer that still exists and still provides

service. The good thing about Audio Research is it still exists, provides support and maintenance for all the

vintage amps they ever made and is located in USA (Minnesota).


Thanks for the link. I was looking at used Conrad Johnson MV60 and the LP66s  but then realized I would have to buy a preamp too so gave up on that. So it does not work out for me.

I am currently talking to someone who will build me a 8 watter@50 with an attenuator with decent caps for about 1K. Lets see where that goes.

 



Quote:
Originally Posted by subzer0 View Post

which decware can drive the he-6?


None.

 

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post #4 of 17
1/6/12 at 8:42pm

Which output tubes will your amp be using and how many?

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post #5 of 17
1/6/12 at 9:37pm

Have you considered the Schiit Lyr ?

http://schiit.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=3

Not quite as much power as you requested in your original posting, but still very good for the money.


Edited by USAudio - 1/6/12 at 9:38pm
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post #6 of 17
1/6/12 at 9:45pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wuwhere View Post

Which output tubes will your amp be using and how many?



Obviously the price is cheap because of Russian tubes. Either the GU-50 or the 6AS7G- 2 per channel. Leaning towards the GU-50 because of power  10+ watts vs 6 watts. Also looked at the 6L6GC.

 

Planning to use Nichicon gold, Wima and/or Elco caps, V Caps are just too expensive. My current amp has BG and Auricap.


Edited by gurus - 1/6/12 at 10:03pm
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post #7 of 17
1/6/12 at 10:42pm

I have another all tube amp rated at 10wpc @ 8ohms that uses Russian output tubes 6P1P-EV, 2/channel. Obviously its less than that @ 50ohms. I use WE 396A for driver tubes. It sounds leaner and less dimensional compared to my ARC. The ARC uses 4 Russian made Tung-Sol 6550 output tubes, 2/channel, 60wpc. It has deeper bass, fuller upper bass & lower mids, overall just better.

 

The CJ amp should be excellent with the HE-6. You can try a passive preamp instead of a full preamp. Still, that requires 2 pairs of ICs.

 

I feed my ARC amp directly from my source Oppo BDP-95, it has a vol control, no preamp in between.

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post #8 of 17
1/6/12 at 11:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by wuwhere View Post

I have another all tube amp rated at 10wpc @ 8ohms that uses Russian output tubes 6P1P-EV, 2/channel. Obviously its less than that @ 50ohms. I use WE 396A for driver tubes. It sounds leaner and less dimensional compared to my ARC. The ARC uses 4 Russian made Tung-Sol 6550 output tubes, 2/channel, 60wpc. It has deeper bass, fuller upper bass & lower mids, overall just better.

 

The CJ amp should be excellent with the HE-6. You can try a passive preamp instead of a full preamp. Still, that requires 2 pairs of ICs.

 

I feed my ARC amp directly from my source Oppo BDP-95, it has a vol control, no preamp in between.


Yep. Very tempted by Conrad Johnson. But now it has come down to price. the GU-50 is half the price of the used CJ +passive pre-amp.

The GU-50 is very dynamic and the designer says the sound is like a 6L6GC on steroids.

 

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post #9 of 17
1/7/12 at 2:50pm

I have a mini-torii and HE-5LE but not HE-6. The mini-torii drives the HE-5LE better than I expected given the power output, however it definitely runs out of steam when things get busy and large scale classical is pretty much out of the question. I have a couple 100WPC solid state amps and they clearly show the HE-5LE really need more power. They're not as refined and detailed as the mini-torii, when it's operating within its limits, but those limits are too easy to hit.

 

Since the HE-6 is even less efficient I really wouldn't recommend it at all. I also find the mini-torii to have too high of a noise floor for the LCD-2. It is a nice sounding amp within its limits but it's highly compromised as a headphone amp and I wish I had gotten something else. I'm probably going to end up using it for its original purpose which is driving very efficient speakers.


Edited by kstaken - 1/7/12 at 3:03pm
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post #10 of 17
1/7/12 at 3:45pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks. Just what I was looking for.

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post #11 of 17
1/8/12 at 4:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gurus View Post


Yep. Very tempted by Conrad Johnson. But now it has come down to price. the GU-50 is half the price of the used CJ +passive pre-amp.

The GU-50 is very dynamic and the designer says the sound is like a 6L6GC on steroids.

 



CJ amps and preamps have always been extremely colored and euphonic -- think opposite end of the spectrum from ARC in terms of their respective house sound.  Nice if that is the sound signature you are shooting for, but just be aware of it going in.


Edited by Il Mostro - 1/8/12 at 4:07pm
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post #12 of 17
1/9/12 at 6:19am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Il Mostro View Post



CJ amps and preamps have always been extremely colored and euphonic -- think opposite end of the spectrum from ARC in terms of their respective house sound.  Nice if that is the sound signature you are shooting for, but just be aware of it going in.



Thanks for the heads up on CJ house sound.

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post #13 of 17
1/9/12 at 6:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by gurus View Post



Thanks for the heads up on CJ house sound.



Having once  owned a CJ Premier 11A tube amp and in constant use for 12 years I will say it was the most lifelike amp I have ever owned. It was musical and had the best inner detail of any amp I owned. When a bongo player hit the drum you could close your eyes and see his hands hitting the skins. I have yet to replicate that . The house sound is caramel in flavor but  a major winner in tonality. Highly recommended products that are  overbuilt and trouble free. I sorely miss that amp big time.

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post #14 of 17
1/9/12 at 6:49am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank I View Post



Having once  owned a CJ Premier 11A tube amp and in constant use for 12 years I will say it was the most lifelike amp I have ever owned. It was musical and had the best inner detail of any amp I owned. When a bongo player hit the drum you could close your eyes and see his hands hitting the skins. I have yet to replicate that . The house sound is caramel in flavor but  a major winner in tonality. Highly recommended products that are  overbuilt and trouble free. I sorely miss that amp big time.

The one that got away otherwise it would have been in da house.

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/648969199-conrad_johnson_premier_11a_tube_power_amplifier/

 

The good thing with CJ gear is you cannot lose money if you buy it used and it is pretty easy to sell.

 

Frank, I too love mid bass.  If you get a chance listen to Joe Morello's "Going Places" , you will love it.
 

 


Edited by gurus - 1/9/12 at 7:01am
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post #15 of 17
1/9/12 at 7:02am

Hop on to Audiogon and Audioasylum to see what's up for sale there, too.  CJ, like a lot of the venerable audio manufacturers, still provide full support for their products -- even the legacy products.   And you are correct, there is always a strong market for gear like this in the world of what I still think of as real audio.

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