[Ozer]

I've posted this in another thread too, but nobody was answering...
 
Ok, I know that apparently nobody have heard/heard about this amp (Icon Audio HP8), but I maybe will take a chance and buy one of those, I can send it back if I don't like it...
 
I'm wondering if the tubes on the Icon Audio HP8 is good..... I've mailed Icon Audio for some question, and they responded that they have a MKII version  the amp witch is upgraded... This amp uses 6SN7 tubes... And I think it still uses the ECC81 tube... Are these any good ? If you buy from Icon Audio themselves, you can get an upgrade with "Jensen Cu foil paper in oil caps", but I have no idea what this does

I also got two pictures of the amp, 'cause it's a totally new product and they haven't updated their homepage with this product yet.... Here's the pictures...
 

 

 

[arjunvenkawhat]

I don't know anything about the tubes but the upgrade they are talking about means upgrading the capacitors in the circuit to audio-grade Jensen metal (copper) film paper in oil capacitors.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

It might be a good amp but those 6SN7 tubes look like Shugang which are pretty poor. The upgraded caps are a good idea well worth the additional cost provided the amp is worth the additional expense. Hard to say from looking at these pics though. The one good thing about 6SN7's are they are very plentiful (NOS variety) and pretty cheap (if you stay away from Bad Boys/VT244 or real Sylvania chrome domes). A nice set of CBS/RCA or Sylvania 6SN7GT/GTB from the 50's or 60's will really make a difference vs the stock Chinese tubes. The driver tube should also be replaced as soon as you get the amp ....a good idea is to test the amp with the cheap tubes in it for 24 hours (to make sure it's running as it should) and then swap in the good NOS tubes.
 
Do you have a link that has pics of the internal build by any chance ?
 
Peete.

 

[Ozer]

 
Quote:

It might be a good amp but those 6SN7 tubes look like Shugang which are pretty poor. The upgraded caps are a good idea well worth the additional cost provided the amp is worth the additional expense. Hard to say from looking at these pics though. The one good thing about 6SN7's are they are very plentiful (NOS variety) and pretty cheap (if you stay away from Bad Boys/VT244 or real Sylvania chrome domes). A nice set of CBS/RCA or Sylvania 6SN7GT/GTB from the 50's or 60's will really make a difference vs the stock Chinese tubes. The driver tube should also be replaced as soon as you get the amp ....a good idea is to test the amp with the cheap tubes in it for 24 hours (to make sure it's running as it should) and then swap in the good NOS tubes.
 
Do you have a link that has pics of the internal build by any chance ?
 
Peete.

Yeah the stock tubes are probably not the best... I've always had in mind that I had to change them... I can buy the amp with different tubes if I buy from Icon Audio... I was asking about the tube models...
 
No I don't have any internal pics... Those two where the only ones they send me... But I will ask them for some internal pics...