[daycart1]

Obviously these are both fine options. Happy listening.

I was going to suggest the Zotl, which like the Melos has tube smoothness with the accuracy of fine solid state. A fair piece of change less expensive too. It sounds great with stock tubes, but does respond well to rolling.

But as you say, the opportunity to grab a Melos like this is uncommon. (I wish I could say I've HEARD the Melos

)

 

[is2us]

Quote:

Originally posted by daycart1 But as you say, the opportunity to grab a Melos like this is uncommon. (I wish I could say I've HEARD the Melos )

Yes, the previous owner had really pampered it. He was using PS Audio Power Plant to power it, send it to all the mods at MAR and installed "Marigo Dots" all over it (did anyone tried them?). He claims it doesn't have a single scratch on it and it looks shiny and new.
Wish it Was Here already. Have to wait until Saturday...

 

[kelly]

Repeat after me: The Melos is not a tube amp.

I know it sounds like I'm nitpicking a technicality, but I'm not just talking about the fact that it's a hybrid amp. It really does not share the stereotypical traits of tube amps. So if it's not technically a tube amp and it doesn't sound like a tube amp either, why are we so eager to call it one? Because it has a tube?

In my experience, the Max is smoother than the Melos--smoothness being a "tube" trait.

In my experience, the Melos is brighter than the Max--brightness being a "solid state" trait.

(I know this will call all the Melos supporters out to tell me about bad tubes and tweaks and mods and the Melos Gold being different from the SHA-1 but that's the risks I take for you people!)

So anyway... I've heard nothing but good things about the microZOTL but one thing I've heard hunanimously is that it doesn't behave like a tube amp. Aside from being able to effectively roll it, it's more like a solid state in that it's allegedly very clean and able to drive varying impedances easily.

Want a tube amp?

The RKV is a typical OTL tube amp. A good one, I think--but stereotypical. Ie, as advertised--a tube amp.

In the same price range, the aforementioned Earmax Pro is also a tube amp and said to be typical of tube amps.

The Twin Head might be a consideration.

And of course, if you want to spend more, there's the Homes Powell, Cary SEI and EAR HP4.

Anyway, I still consider the Melos to be a good decision and place it in the upper eschelon of amps I've auditioned thus far, I just wonder if you'll get what you're looking for if you're looking for a specific sound characteristic.

 

[Nick Dangerous]

is2us: Try the JHS (or CAA) designated Sylvania 3-mica blackplate 5751 in the MG Head OTL first. If you don't like it (fat chance), you can always sell it here since the word has gotten out.

 

[is2us]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelly Anyway, I still consider the Melos to be a good decision and place it in the upper eschelon of amps I've auditioned thus far, I just wonder if you'll get what you're looking for if you're looking for a specific sound characteristic.

I think this is what I was looking for. The mids with my Mg Head were amazing with vocal and acoustic music. But for any classical and jazz Cds that had more than three or four instruments I was getting a headache trying to recognize the different instruments. The contrabass and the cellos sounds like a smeared backround to the violins and piano (I'm exaggerating here but you get the point). This was really bad with certain Bach pieces where you are not suppose to have a solo instrument, but just a contrapunt of all the instruments together (my English is bad, I hope I succeed to explain what I mean).
Anyway, if you say that TUBE NOT EQUAL DETAIL and any tube amp with detail actually has a solid state sound to it, then I'm looking for a solid state with a touch of tube to it.


Quote:

Originally posted by kelly In my experience, the Max is smoother than the Melos--smoothness being a "tube" trait. In my experience, the Melos is brighter than the Max--brightness being a "solid state" trait.

This worries me though. Hope I'll have a chance to here my Melos before I'll go to the Headroom show on Sunday, and try to hear if you are right.

 

[kelly]

i2us

I think you'll find the Melos to be sweeter in the upper mids and high frequencies while the Headroom amps have less sweet spots but are overall smooth throughtout. The Melos might be preferable to you since you spoke a lot of string instruments. Both are excellent amps.

 

[is2us]

Quote:

Originally posted by Nick Dangerous is2us: Try the JHS (or CAA) designated Sylvania 3-mica blackplate 5751 in the MG Head OTL first. If you don't like it (fat chance), you can always sell it here since the word has gotten out.

Nick, I bought the Sylvania JHS 5751 because I have the MG Head. And it is amazing. But my Head was humming and it died.
I'm thinking about sending it somewhere for repair (if i'll find out where I can do it) and use this tube again.
If I'll give up on that, I'll probably will sell it.

Maybe someone will want to trade it with a pair of Amperex 6922 PQ white label

 

[daycart1]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelly Repeat after me: The Melos is not a tube amp.

OK, the Melos has tubes, it is not a tube amp.


I asked on another thread, but didn't get an answer: What is the definition of "hybrid"? Or is it just a sloppy description of a device like the Melos. I know nothing of real world electronics, but I gather that the Melos has a tubed "signal" stage and an ss output stage.
I tried calling the new BRAND X tube portable (reviewed by Head-Fiers) a "hybrid" (it has one (!) tube), and someone responded that it is NOT a hybrid--it's a tube amp!

 

[is2us]

Quote:

Originally posted by daycart1 OK, the Melos has tubes, it is not a tube amp.

Well, soon I'm going to find out what I think. My wife just called me that the package is waiting for me at home. It arrived a day earlier. No need to pay Fedex overnight, they are doing it anyway.
Although I only have the stock Sovteks with it. Oh... I forgot, it is not a tube amp so it doesn't matter... or is it ??
I'm confused... Oh, I have a smiley for that

Anyway, my ears will decide in three hours. Or maybe they won't because I only got the Sovteks. Ok, here is the smiley again

 

[is2us]

OK.
Got home, put the Melos out of the box (boy, its heavy).
I'm listening for three hours now.
The first thing I did was to take female vocals CD to comare it to the MG Head, and that was a mistake. Nick Dangerous is right. The mids in the Melos doesn't give you shivers in your spine like the Mg Head with the Sylvania 5751 Black-plate 3-mica does. But the mids are better than the Head had with the stock JJ 12AX7.
So I was a bit disappointed, but kept trying all kind of CDs.
What I noticed very fast is that It's hard to stop listening to a CD in order to try another one. I was realy enjoying the music.
I had NO HUMS and LEFT CHANNEL BUZZ (thanks god for that), I got all the detail I need, the bass is very accurate and fast although it can be more deep than it is.

While the Mg Head was more exciting with some types of Cds, the Melos is more anjoyable and less fatiguing with all CDs.

Kelly was right, the Melos does tend to be bright, and my NAD C541 does help this tendency. but i'm not yet sure that I don't like it.

So back to the effect of tube rolling in the Melos. I don't need the same effect the Sylvania 5751 did to the MG Head. The Melos is very good to start with. Will tube rolling won't give me just a bit warmer sound. Just a bit more deep bass ?

 

[lextek]

The Sovteks are probaly the "brightest" of all tubes for the Melos. Start off with a set of JJ's. I find the Melos very, "listenable". It seems to work with all headphones. I think we get to involved with tweaking and rolling to enjoy the music. I am guilty. I bought a bunch of NOS tubes for the Melos, I will most likly be selling most of them. I may even sell the Melos. I use the Cosmic more.

 

[geom_tol]

Most amps have more than one amplification stage in them.
Usually voltage is amplified in the first stage (input stage), and the second stage is a buffer or current amp (output stage).

If an amp uses tubes for one of the functions and solid state components for the other it is a hybrid amp.
The Melos for example uses one tube for each channel in the input stage, and it has transistors in the output stage. Therefore it is hybrid.

The BRAND X amp probably has one tube that can be used in the voltage stage for both channels (triode? don't know the right name for it) , like a dual op-amp. And then it probably has a transformer for the output.

Some amps have only one stage, like Grado RA-1 and Cmoy amp. I'm not sure you can have a transformerless tube amp with only one stage, it would probably be a buffer amp like the Szekeres.


Quote:

Originally posted by daycart1 I asked on another thread, but didn't get an answer: What is the definition of "hybrid"? Or is it just a sloppy description of a device like the Melos. I know nothing of real world electronics, but I gather that the Melos has a tubed "signal" stage and an ss output stage. I tried calling the new BRAND X tube portable (reviewed by Head-Fiers) a "hybrid" (it has one (!) tube), and someone responded that it is NOT a hybrid--it's a tube amp!