Ableza
Headphoneus Supremus
I was asked to discuss my Butler TBD-5150 HT amplifier. Since it's not related to head-fi audio I thought this belonged in the general discussion area. But hey, we don't live in our headphones ALL the time...
The Butler is a hybrid tube-solid state 5-channel amp rated at 150 WPC into five channels. Designer and company owner BK Butler has been making tube-drivers for professional guitar players and hybrid tube amps for car audio and home audio for many years. His approach is somewhat controversial (and patented) in that he directly couples the tube between the MOSFET output and the speaker terminals, using no output transformers. The amp is also a zero-feedback design and is single-ended only. It's made in the USA in Boulder Colorado.
I heard this amp at a friend's house some years ago and was impressed that it sounded like a tube amp (no harsh high end, smooth mids and no compressed sound) but also had the power and authority of a SS amp (great bass extension and plenty of power.) This spring when I decided it was time for a change, I bought one (and Butler was happy to send me a black finished version even though their web site does not say they are available. One of the positive aspects of working with a small boutique audio company.)
An interesting aside, when I ordered the amp I contacted the folks at Butler to ask for a delay in shipping as I was traveling for business and wanted to be home when it arrived. They said that they would ship whenever I wanted them to, and that since I was asking for a delay, "This will give BK a chance to do an extended burn-in and bias fine adjustment for you so it will be fully ready to go when you get it." An impressive bit of service.
Upon arrival I was impressed at how solid and well-built it is. The RCA inputs and 5-way binding posts on the back are all custom-made and VERY substantial. In fact the binding posts felt better than the WBC posts on my super-high end Halcro amp. Again, impressive. I hooked it up and powered on the system. Over the past few weeks of ownership I've used it for movies, television, and for listening to music.
My overall impression is this amp does exactly what I wanted it to do. The mids are super sweet. Voices are crystal clear and distinct. The bass is authoritative and present, and the highs don't seem rolled-off in the typical tube amp fashion, but perhaps level-suppressed a little. They are all there, but they do not jump out and poke you in the ears. Some might call this sound "laid back," but I call it natural. The amp has a very natural sound. Overall I like it. My wife made the comment, "It's like having HD audio."
At $3000 this is not a cheap amp, but neither is it priced like the High-end. It is a definite step up in sophistication from a typical SS amp, and allows the home theater enthusiast to experience the sweetness of tubes while having the power needed for movie soundtracks. If this is what you want, it's worth trying.
The Butler is a hybrid tube-solid state 5-channel amp rated at 150 WPC into five channels. Designer and company owner BK Butler has been making tube-drivers for professional guitar players and hybrid tube amps for car audio and home audio for many years. His approach is somewhat controversial (and patented) in that he directly couples the tube between the MOSFET output and the speaker terminals, using no output transformers. The amp is also a zero-feedback design and is single-ended only. It's made in the USA in Boulder Colorado.
I heard this amp at a friend's house some years ago and was impressed that it sounded like a tube amp (no harsh high end, smooth mids and no compressed sound) but also had the power and authority of a SS amp (great bass extension and plenty of power.) This spring when I decided it was time for a change, I bought one (and Butler was happy to send me a black finished version even though their web site does not say they are available. One of the positive aspects of working with a small boutique audio company.)
An interesting aside, when I ordered the amp I contacted the folks at Butler to ask for a delay in shipping as I was traveling for business and wanted to be home when it arrived. They said that they would ship whenever I wanted them to, and that since I was asking for a delay, "This will give BK a chance to do an extended burn-in and bias fine adjustment for you so it will be fully ready to go when you get it." An impressive bit of service.
Upon arrival I was impressed at how solid and well-built it is. The RCA inputs and 5-way binding posts on the back are all custom-made and VERY substantial. In fact the binding posts felt better than the WBC posts on my super-high end Halcro amp. Again, impressive. I hooked it up and powered on the system. Over the past few weeks of ownership I've used it for movies, television, and for listening to music.
My overall impression is this amp does exactly what I wanted it to do. The mids are super sweet. Voices are crystal clear and distinct. The bass is authoritative and present, and the highs don't seem rolled-off in the typical tube amp fashion, but perhaps level-suppressed a little. They are all there, but they do not jump out and poke you in the ears. Some might call this sound "laid back," but I call it natural. The amp has a very natural sound. Overall I like it. My wife made the comment, "It's like having HD audio."
At $3000 this is not a cheap amp, but neither is it priced like the High-end. It is a definite step up in sophistication from a typical SS amp, and allows the home theater enthusiast to experience the sweetness of tubes while having the power needed for movie soundtracks. If this is what you want, it's worth trying.
