[Makiah S]

Anyway moving on, let's get into TUBES AMP [cheap] For the Dt 880 600!
 
I like a leaner tube, something Bright and Airy with a tight overall sound. I want just a SMIDGE of those Tubey Mids and Bass 
 
I like the detail and clarity of my Solid State, I'd like not to lose to much of that. But I do want a touch more warmth. With a focus on detail. I'd assume even the most solid state "tubes" are still warmer than a Solid State [due to the nature of an OTL tube]
 
Is something like a Schiit Valhalla worth getting? 
 
In addition, I remeber why I LOVED the Dt 880 so much, Classical Jazz. I think they might be winners for Reggae/Ska as well... enjoying some 2006 Matisyahu, I can understand the lyrics like no one's buisness! I had that album the YEAR it came out, and 7 years later is's EPIC on my dt 880s 
 
That being said, my testing track has changed again, ditched Metallica as Metal is not needed when there's post rock, ditched Male Vocal DnB [I have Reggae and Dub Step in it's place] also added anoter very delicate mid track, 
 
Esentally, I guess I've got tracks on the Tester that sound good with each can, and each varying sound signiture I like 
 
Needless to say I'm a happy dt 880 owner again [loving jazz and Reggae all over again] 

 

[MinedSafe]

I wouldn't recommend any cheap tube amp. I have some experience with tubes comming of my speaker setup. Had 3 or 4 tube amps and different SS, the only one sounding brilliant was Audio Note. Good tube amp costs big money no matter what people say how good the cheap ones are. Had them and they where always not up to par with same price SS amps. You always have to remember that good tubes take about 30 min before they start to sing. There is also a bias problem, auto bias in cheap amps degradates sound. Tube amps are quite often unreliable as well. I remember taking mine for service 300km twice a year and I was lucky to live close! You can seervice it on your own but the current there might kill u if not carefull and dont know what your doing. My heaviest amp had a weight of about 40 kg.

Wile it might seam that cheap tubes are better. You will change the point of view once u hear a proper tube amp or good transistor amp.

 

[MinedSafe]

There is no point buying tubes if you dont have min 2000euro. Just a waste of money otherwise. Amp plus preamp and set of good cables at the end.

And changing tubes is like changing opamps. Its all about trafo here and current and capacitors and way to properly control this and shape the sound. Its way more coplicated and 10 times more expensive then building SS amp.

 

[MrEleventy]

I wouldn't recommend any cheap tube amp. I have some experience with tubes comming of my speaker setup. Had 3 or 4 tube amps and different SS, the only one sounding brilliant was Audio Note. Good tube amp costs big money no matter what people say how good the cheap ones are. Had them and they where always not up to par with same price SS amps. You always have to remember that good tubes take about 30 min before they start to sing. There is also a bias problem, auto bias in cheap amps degradates sound. Tube amps are quite often unreliable as well. I remember taking mine for service 300km twice a year and I was lucky to live close! You can seervice it on your own but the current there might kill u if not carefull and dont know what your doing. My heaviest amp had a weight of about 40 kg.

Wile it might seam that cheap tubes are better. You will change the point of view once u hear a proper tube amp or good transistor amp.

There is no point buying tubes if you dont have min 2000euro. Just a waste of money otherwise. Amp plus preamp and set of good cables at the end.

Yeah, ok. I'll be sure to tell Doc over at Bottlehead that he's wasting his and our time. :rolleyes:

 

[MrEleventy]

In addition, I remeber why I LOVED the Dt 880 so much, Classical Jazz. I think they might be winners for Reggae/Ska as well... enjoying some 2006 Matisyahu, I can understand the lyrics like no one's buisness! I had that album the YEAR it came out, and 7 years later is's EPIC on my dt 880s 

+1, I love Live @ Stubbs and Light. They sound even better on the T90! I still love my 880s. Not parting with them.

 

[MinedSafe]

Yeah sure why not. Im in the audiophile businnes 13 years Ive heard enought and seen enought. People make money of these cheap tube amps so they will tell u what u want to hear.

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

+1, I love Live @ Stubbs and Light. They sound even better on the T90!

I still love my 880s. Not parting with them.

Indeed, I really want the Dt 880 to be GOOD with Vocals and rock but it's not [not for me] But it SINGS with Male Vocals, like what we find a lot of in Reggae, not to mention both Classical, Vocal AND Nu Jazz sound great through them! Leaving the w1000x with all the Rock and Vocal Folk it can handle! The Dt 990 also does my Classical and EDM, making me wonder which is best for Sound Tracks... I guess all 3 as every OST is a tad different. 
Quote:

Yeah sure why not. Im in the audiophile businnes 13 years Ive heard enought and seen enought. People make money of these cheap tube amps so they will tell u what u want to hear.

New members, we take with a grain of salt but... you sound like you know your stuff... like you REALLY know your stuff. What do you think of the Little Dot tube amps then? 
 
I will admit this much, I had a Millet 12ua7 Hybrid Tube, I loved the warm mids but the quality was crap. It lacked detail and was overly flat [cost me about $120] So when I go for a tube, I'd like to go big. Fully balanced optimally, and hell dropping about a Grand would be about what I was assuming, that being said. Tubes [even these cheap crappy ones] have nicer mids over the Solid States I've tried
 
Minded, what do you think of the AUDIO GD solid States while we are hear. I'm hoping it will be a tad warmer and more detailed than my current Matrix M Stage 

 

[xkonfuzed]

There is no point buying tubes if you dont have min 2000euro. Just a waste of money otherwise. Amp plus preamp and set of good cables at the end.

And changing tubes is like changing opamps. Its all about trafo here and current and capacitors and way to properly control this and shape the sound. Its way more coplicated and 10 times more expensive then building SS amp.

^ You heard the man! If you don't have 2000euros you might as well just kill yourself already because you won't find any good sounding tube amps for less than that!

Edit: I missed a zero xD

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

^ You heard the man! If you don't have 200euros you might as well just kill yourself already because you won't find any good sounding tube amps for less than that!

Coming from a fella on a Schit Modi and LD II <3
 
I do how ever hate how dull and overly smooth all the Hybrid Tube's I've EVER owned are... there must be a middle ground tube. 

 

[MrEleventy]

^ You heard the man! If you don't have 200euros you might as well just kill yourself already because you won't find any good sounding tube amps for less than that!

You missed a zero!!

Coming from a fella on a Schit Modi and LD II <3

I do how ever hate how dull and overly smooth all the Hybrid Tube's I've EVER owned are... there must be a middle ground tube. 

Maybe just a tubedac to color the source a little and then ss for an amp.

 

[xkonfuzed]

Coming from a fella on a Schit Modi and LD II <3

I do how ever hate how dull and overly smooth all the Hybrid Tube's I've EVER owned are... there must be a middle ground tube. 

Well, if you're a DIY kind of guy you might want to look into the Bottlehead Crack. I haven't heard it personally but I see it being recommended a lot here and there.

 

[MinedSafe]

I might sound harsh and bit controversial. Well sorry bout that but I cant stand when someone's selling a tube amp for 200 dolars claiming its so so so good u never want anything else. Tube amps have tendency to warm up the sound while being lushy on bass and not so detailed. Sure but only the cheap ones! A proper tube amp will have a touch of warmth without compromising and even being better than SS In ever aspect, but that cost money. And if u have 200 only just buy SS amp no need to kill uself.

To get a bitt of warmth into DT880 I would suggest buying NoS DAC, cheap cd transport and use klotz microphone cable as interconect. D class amp might be a good pair to compliment above. Other option is some Vintage amp like Luxman L4.. Series and something on wolfson as a dac say ipod 5gen ( cheap and good)

 

[MinedSafe]

DT 880 are very similar sounding to magneplnanar spekaers. Light and somehow flat with tendency to brighten the sound and have recesed mids and no bas when amped unproperly.Look for some info and this might give u a idea how to pair them properly, kind off as Its hard to compare heapdhones to speakers.

Even cheaper ;

NAD amp, old one and Audio Alchemy DAC ( if u manage to find one)

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

DT 880 are very similar sounding to magneplnanar spekaers. Light and somehow flat with tendency to brighten the sound and have recesed mids and no bas when amped unproperly.Look for some info and this might give u a idea how to pair them properly, kind off as Its hard to compare heapdhones to speakers.

The bass and mids are just fine on my Matrix M Stage, and my budget is about $500 dollars, now I'm looking at a SS amp with [size=medium]Sabre ES9018 Dac[/size]
 
There is a wolfson model of that , but the issue I have is my current amp and Dac [which the oDac is apprently a ESS Sabre ES9023 dac chip] Making me think,  that the DAC in the AUdio GD10ES2 should retain some simillarities to my oDac should it not [considering the use of the same family of Dac chips]
 
Which means I'm just going to wait until after I've heard the Audio GD 10ES2, as RIGHT now with the oDac and MatrixMstage they Beyer has good mids, for Jazz and Reggae it's wonderful [it's really killer for jazz] still I own 3 simmilar but different headphones for a reason, each has the right sound I like for the differnt kinds of music I enjoy. That being said, I've been missin out on a lot of my old classical jazz. I think I'll b content to enjoy that and some reggae until I hear how much of a differance the balanced amp dac make  

 

[Brooko]

Quote:

There is no point buying tubes if you dont have min 2000euro. Just a waste of money otherwise. Amp plus preamp and set of good cables at the end.

And changing tubes is like changing opamps. Its all about trafo here and current and capacitors and way to properly control this and shape the sound. Its way more coplicated and 10 times more expensive then building SS amp.

 
Hmmm opinion ....... everyone has one ......
 
Curious to whether you've ever heard amps like the Bottlehead Crack, or Little Dot MKIV, and specifically with the DT880 600ohm.  Both in the sub USD 500.00 bracket.  Both genuine OTL.  I haven't heard the Crack (would love to one of these days) - but have read plenty about it - and by people with many years in the audio industry.  There is a reason it is so well regarded by so many.  I do own the LD MKIV SE - and I know it's an excellent entry level tube amp - and especially good with the DT880.
 
Needing 2000 euro min for a tube set-up (to me) sounds just a tad elitist / condescending.
 
I'll respectfully choose to take any advice from you in future with a large amount of caution, and suggest others do likewise