Entry level tube amps - Recommendations (Please?!)

Which one would you recommend? (3 votes each)


  • Total voters
    13
Dec 27, 2017 at 8:14 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 46

Rex Aevum

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Hello everyone,

I am relatively new to the higher audio world but have managed to get my hands on a few pair of good headphones and amp's
  • Philips SHP9500 & Fidelio x2
  • Audio Technica m40x & AD 1000x
  • Audeze LCD-X & iSine 20
  • Questyle cma600i & Schiit Modi 2 Uber & Magni 2 Uber
I am looking to get something a little different, I want to try my hand at tubes, something that is a little more musical and soft, rounded, less detail more fun. I have been trying to find something that would work well with my collection but i couldn't really find many amps that are <$1000. I would want something in the sub $500 category but could find only a few options (given I didn't look at every single one but a few) so I would like to get recommendations and suggestions form whoever can.

The ones I found:
  • Schiit Valhalla 2
  • Schiit Lyr 2
  • Musical Paradise MP-301 mk3
  • DarkVoice 336
  • Little Dot Mk3
I also looked at the Woo Audio WA6 but that is out of budget at $700, or is it worth saving up for?

Please help, any input will be greatly appreciated and might serve others that are in the same situation!

Thank you in advance
 
Last edited:
Dec 27, 2017 at 11:32 PM Post #5 of 46
I am relatively new to the higher audio world but have managed to get my hands on a few pair of good headphones and amp's
  • Philips SHP9500 & Fidelio x2
  • Audio Technica m40x & AD 1000x
  • Audeze LCD-X & iSine 20
  • Questyle cma600i & Schiit Modi 2 Uber & Magni 2 Uber
---
The ones I found:
  • Schiit Valhalla 2
  • Schiit Lyr 2
  • Musical Paradise MP-301 mk3
  • DarkVoice 336
  • Little Dot Mk3

All those headphones are lower impedance and all those amplifiers are Output Transformerless amplifiers. OTL amps have a lot of voltage but their power delivery is flipped over due to low current performance - they make a lot of power at 300ohms for not a lot of money and size due to the absence of the output transformers but they make the least amount of power at 32ohms. You'll distort if not also clip a lot sooner, on top of which the output impedance is a lot higher (even the Valhalla2 is only low for an OTL) and it is not easy to predict without all the relevant data whether your headphones will sound like tin cans like the K701 on the Little Dot MkII or do the opposite and sound like a mudslide with flabby and uncontrolled bass hits. Basically even the Valhalla2 is best used with high impedance reference headphones and then it happens to be less unpredictable in case you use lower impedance headphones for casual listening, particularly if you have ones that have a high enough sensitivity so lower power isn't a problem (note that even Grados can sound like tin cans on some amps that have high output impedance).

Given your most likely reference headphone in that set is the LCD-X you might as well get a decent hybrid amp or if you can afford it, a transformer-coupled tube amp, unless you plan on getting an HD800S.


I also looked at the Woo Audio WA6 but that is out of budget at $700, or is it worth saving up for?

Given your headphones, yes. And whatever you upgrade to later on will work well on it anyway - high impedance headphones have high sensitivity anyway so even if you get an HD800 they won't have any problem on conventional power delivery that drops at high impedance barring some circuits that really drop the output.
 
Dec 28, 2017 at 12:23 AM Post #6 of 46
All those headphones are lower impedance and all those amplifiers are Output Transformerless amplifiers. OTL amps have a lot of voltage but their power delivery is flipped over due to low current performance - they make a lot of power at 300ohms for not a lot of money and size due to the absence of the output transformers but they make the least amount of power at 32ohms. You'll distort if not also clip a lot sooner, on top of which the output impedance is a lot higher (even the Valhalla2 is only low for an OTL) and it is not easy to predict without all the relevant data whether your headphones will sound like tin cans like the K701 on the Little Dot MkII or do the opposite and sound like a mudslide with flabby and uncontrolled bass hits. Basically even the Valhalla2 is best used with high impedance reference headphones and then it happens to be less unpredictable in case you use lower impedance headphones for casual listening, particularly if you have ones that have a high enough sensitivity so lower power isn't a problem (note that even Grados can sound like tin cans on some amps that have high output impedance).

Given your most likely reference headphone in that set is the LCD-X you might as well get a decent hybrid amp or if you can afford it, a transformer-coupled tube amp, unless you plan on getting an HD800S.


Given your headphones, yes. And whatever you upgrade to later on will work well on it anyway - high impedance headphones have high sensitivity anyway so even if you get an HD800 they won't have any problem on conventional power delivery that drops at high impedance barring some circuits that really drop the output.

Any recommendations on a hybrid amp or a transformer coupled tube amp? i think the Lyr 2 is a hybrid amp. Also, i have seen impedance adapters that add like 75 ohms of resistance that you can buy with the MP-301, are those a valid consideration or do they ruin the sound?

ok, nice so the WA6 is a good option. Any experience with the WA7 firefly?

and thanks for the reply!
 
Dec 28, 2017 at 2:37 AM Post #11 of 46
Any recommendations on a hybrid amp or a transformer coupled tube amp?

Hybrid - Lyr2
Transformer coupled amp - WooAudio WA6


Also, i have seen impedance adapters that add like 75 ohms of resistance that you can buy with the MP-301, are those a valid consideration or do they ruin the sound?

AFAIK these are used more to reduce the noise floor when you have a high sensitivity, low impedance headphone. Not sure how else it can affect the interaction between the amp and headphone.
 
Dec 28, 2017 at 12:36 PM Post #12 of 46
Hybrid - Lyr2
Transformer coupled amp - WooAudio WA6




AFAIK these are used more to reduce the noise floor when you have a high sensitivity, low impedance headphone. Not sure how else it can affect the interaction between the amp and headphone.


Thanks for the response, it really helps me out since I’m still new to the whole game.

You try the lyr 2 or the wa6? Any opinion on what the difference are beside hybrid and transistor coupled.

Does the lyr have more closer to a solid state kind of a sound or does it still sound like tubes?
 
Dec 28, 2017 at 11:04 PM Post #14 of 46
Helpful responses. I'm planning to buy Focal Clears in the next few months. I own a Schiit Lyr 1, which has been a nice amp for my AKG K702 headphones. But now the Woo WA6, Gen 2 has caught my eye. Has anyone here had experience with these two amp driving low-impedance headphones? Comments on comparison of sound characteristics would be helpful.
 
Dec 28, 2017 at 11:07 PM Post #15 of 46
Helpful responses. I'm planning to buy Focal Clears in the next few months. I own a Schiit Lyr 1, which has been a nice amp for my AKG K702 headphones. But now the Woo WA6, Gen 2 has caught my eye. Has anyone here had experience with these two amp driving low-impedance headphones? Comments on comparison of sound characteristics would be helpful.
how you liking the Lyr 1?
 

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