Apex Peak/Volcano Review

[purrin]

 
Quote:

Hi purrin,
 
Is the Black Treasure/Apex Peak combo what I heard with the HD-800 + Horio's turntable + Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Lenny" at the Bay Area Mini-meet?
 
I didn't listen for very long or with different sources or genres but I had a positive impression of your Apex Peak that day...
 
For some reason I have this "eagle-eye" on your particular equipment choices (ATH-W1000X(modded and sold), Apex Peak, HP2, wanted to hear your Melos, will be envious of your BHSE).
 

 

Indeed, it was the Black Treasure (I think). I did bring a few other tubes and maybe rolled in the Sylvania for a bit. Don't get me wrong, the BT is a good sounding tube, but it's kind of expensive when you can get some really good sounding vintage tubes for ~$30 a pop.
 
I think you will like the Melos with the Grados. That combination produces wonderful tone and has a nice "tube" thing going on - more so than the Peak / Volcano. I'll make sure you get the hear it for an extended period.
 
The HP2s aren't nearly as fun as the other Grados, they are sort of my dark/neutral sounding alternative to the HD800s.
 

 

[Wedge]

Nice thing about the P/V if you want a "tubier" sound roll in a "tubier" tube.  Seems like you can get pretty much whatever you want out of this amp, or close to it.

 

[tme110]

Which tubes are tubier?

 

[Wedge]

What most people generally associate with tubey sound is warmth and laid back, in general RCA's will fit the bill.  If your looking for smooth, a nice ECC32 or B65 will do the trick.  Nice dynamic tubes Tung-Sol Round Plate.
 
 

 

[purrin]

Quote:

What most people generally associate with tubey sound is warmth and laid back, in general RCA's will fit the bill.  If your looking for smooth, a nice ECC32 or B65 will do the trick.  Nice dynamic tubes Tung-Sol Round Plate.
 
 

 
Aye, the RCA Red Base 6sn7 does sound "tubey" on the Peak. The ECC32 and B65 seem pretty much un-obtanium. TSRPs can still be found. But in general, the Apex Peak is just isn't a very "tubey" amp - it's sound is closer to SS in many respects.
 
 

 

[Skylab]

Completely agree. The Peak is excellent, but indeed it's not very "tubey".

 

[Wedge]

I don't think it sounds like solid state, you can really design amplifiers any which way, warm, rich harmonics, etc, depending on its topology, other parts used etc.  You can make a tube amp sound like "solid state".  A solid state amp like a "tube".  I think with the P/V in general you have a neutral amp, that is generally a little less lush than say a Woo Audio WA-22.  I'm running my P/V with a B65 right now, works real nice for me, I personally think of the P/V as a blank canvas that you can tweak in different directions, we probably aren't talking about dramatic changes to the casual listener, but if we are here talking about a $2100 ish amp none of us are casual listeners, at least I wouldn't think so.  In general I find that Sylvania's are a leaner, less "tubey" sounding tube, which I also like.  In general I just like the starting point that the P/V gives.
 
Edit:  Yes, I agree the P/V isn't a "tubey" sounding amp.

 

[Sweden]

It there a tube that possibly could make this amp sound more lush, organic and "musical"?

 

[CEE TEE]

The way that you have been describing this amp as "not tubey" coincides/jives with my brief listening to it and is why the Melos ("more tubey") is not really on my radar anymore. 
 
purrin happens to answer a lot of questions for me...somehow he just has this mix of gear that I feel "pulled to" and wonder about!
 
Thanks for sharing, purrin.  I would like to listen to your Peak with the HP2 next time...   
 
 

 

[purrin]

      Quote:

It there a tube that possibly could make this amp sound more lush, organic and "musical"?

Probably not, although I admitted haven't heard any of the Brimar, Mullard, or Osram tubes on this amp. Sometimes I think the Peak was meant more to be a preamp than a headamp. If you want the lush, organic thing with a similar ability to retrieve detail, you'd have to move up. Woo Audio 5 or or the higher end Eddie Current amps would be the ticket. At a recent LA meet, I plugged in my PWD->Woo 5->HD800 and dang - that setup seriously gave me the goosebumps and chills up my spine. In comparison, the Peak can be a little dry sounding though - but never sterile. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea though - the Peak is still a great amp. But one needs to consider that the Woo 5 with a good complement tubes is at least twice the price of the Peak / Volcano.
 
Quote:

The way that you have been describing this amp as "not tubey" coincides/jives with my brief listening to it and is why the Melos ("more tubey") is not really on my radar anymore. 
 
purrin happens to answer a lot of questions for me...somehow he just has this mix of gear that I feel "pulled to" and wonder about!
 
Thanks for sharing, purrin.  I would like to listen to your Peak with the HP2 next time...   
 

 
Tubey could mean a lot of different things. It could mean soft, fluffy, and blubbery (the bad tubey) or lush, organic, inviting, tonally rich, and musical (the good tubey). The Melos is in the good tubey category (LOL, I actually think it's got some intentional second order harmonic distortion going on), but it seriously lags in the transparency and treble extension department compared to the Peak.
 
HP2 is indeed a great match for the Peak / Volcano. Unfortunately I just sold mine (the Peak) to one of the lucky posters above. However, you are more than welcome to drop by my place and hear the incoming replacement for it...
 

 

[CEE TEE]

Oh no!  The HP2 is gone too??  

  (Your ATH already sold.)
 
I was gonna PM you to try to have dibs...and sell stuff if you wanted to let them go!
 
I guess if I want the Apex I better let you know soon, STAX requires a bit of investment for the BIG system...but I need a couple of months. 

 
(May have to PM Bobcn in case he starts moving things around <and might let go of HP2>!)
 
EDIT:  The incoming replacement for it???   Interested...

 

[purrin]

Doh! I meant the Peak / Volcano is sold. I'm keeping the HP2. It's just too much of a classic to let go. No one will ever design something like the HP2 ever again.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

At a recent LA meet, I plugged in my PWD->Woo 5->HD800 and dang - that setup seriously gave me the goosebumps and chills up my spine. 

Indeed it did.  Indeed...it...did.  

 

 

[CEE TEE]

Erm, I guess I could have read your grey signature and gotten the update/doubly-bad news...  
 
Quote:

Doh! I meant the Peak / Volcano is sold. I'm keeping the HP2. It's just too much of a classic to let go. No one will ever design something like the HP2 ever again

 

[purrin]

      Quote:

Erm, I guess I could have read your grey signature and gotten the update/doubly-bad news...  
 

Not necessarily. I got something pretty good coming in that works well with Grados. You should definitely bring your collection of Grados by.