[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by markl /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would advise avoiding tube amps for the D5000. They need a full-powered solid state amp.

Tubes are fine if you choose a tube amp with ample power. There are several tube amps that will drive the Denons with ease like the Sound Quest SQ-84, Mapletree Ear+, Woo 6 and Singlepower Extreme.

I have owned all four and I still own the Sound Quest SQ-84 and Extreme. The SQ-84 drives low impedences with ease. But, the amp I absolutely love with low impedence headphones, actually any impedence headphone .... is the Singlepower Extreme.

From my ownership experience I rate them ....

1) Singlepower Extreme
2) SQ-84
3) Mapletree Ear+
4) Woo 6

The Extreme, no doubt, has the best sound quality of the four amps I mentioned. Furthermore, compared to the SQ-84 the Extreme has more tube options, is more space friendly than the SQ-84, I personally like the SP look the better and the Extreme is the most versatile amp sounding great with high or low impedence headphones .... should you decide to try some high impedence headphones at some point.

The tube cost of the Extreme is very reasonable especially if you invest in a tube socket adapter for the input tube so you can use several types of inexpensive, high quality nos tubes like the 6GU7, 6CG7, 6BZ7 etc... The SQ-84 uses 6V6GT's output tubes that are getting harder and harder to come by and which will easily run you a good $100 or more for a nos matched quad. The 6AS7 output tube used by the Extreme is plentiful and inexpensive at around $25-30 per pair.

 

[Jodet]

A hundred dollars for a matched quad of 6V6? More like $58.

And how come you can get your pictures up but I can't get up mine!!!!

-M

PS: How expensive is a Single Power Extreme?

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jodet /img/forum/go_quote.gif A hundred dollars for a matched quad of 6V6? More like $58. And how come you can get your pictures up but I can't get up mine!!!! -M PS: How expensive is a Single Power Extreme?

$58 for new production 6V6's .... price a NOS (new old stock) quad of 6V6's; especially the older coke bottle style. Even pedestrian GE 6V6GT's are noticeably better than the JJ 6V6S I used initially.

The stock Extreme is $999 .... add in a tube socket adapter for $99 so you can use high quality NOS tubes for gain and you are set. New old stock 6AS7's are inexpensive and you can find them at ANY tube dealer.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover /img/forum/go_quote.gif From my ownership experience I rate them .... 1) Singlepower Extreme 2) SQ-84 3) Mapletree Ear+ 4) Woo 6 The Extreme, no doubt, has the best sound quality of the four amps I mentioned.

So... is that the "stock" SP Extreme?

If not, what options are included... and... what's the total price?

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So... is that the "stock" SP Extreme? If not, what options are included... and... what's the total price?

Mine is the stock Extreme. But, I requested a 14 amp version of the standard 8 amp power transformer so I could experiment with 6528's. But, I didnt like how hot the amp ran with the 6528 so I ended up using the 6AS7G anyway.

The 6528 has a huge 5 amp heater current draw per tube (double that of the 6AS7) and in that little chassis there was to much heat buildup. If I had known the 6528 would run to hot for my liking, and I should have, I would have just got the stock version. The sound with the 14 amp power transformer vs the standard 8 amp power transformer is the same.

So, the stock Extreme is $999 and will sound just like the one I have. I do not have any upgraded caps, wiring etc..

 

[MatthewK]

Sadly, like falcon_wizard, my budget is only about $300 or a little over.

Hey, anyone want to lend me about a thousand buckroos? j/k

 

[nikongod]

your options improve greatly if you allow output-transformer-coupled tubes OR hybrid tube/SS amps.

i would also keep my eyes on the used market. stuff that has fallen out of fashion sells way cheaper than its sound should allow.

Edited/added: it is worth note (or your consideration) how loudly you listen. if you are a quiet listener, you can get seriously dinky amps to do sweeeeet things.

as another addition, if you have the gilmore lite, i would guess you are doing pretty well for amplification at the moment. i would be patient and save cash for the amp of choice.

 

[MatthewK]

Hmm, well I'm considering the Gilmore Lite. It looks like it would drive my D2000 'phones pretty good with it's Class A biasing and whatnot. There's only one thing that's a big downer to me -- it doesn't appear you can rickroll opamps. Or am I wrong? As far as I can tell it doesn't allow swapping opamps..

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover /img/forum/go_quote.gif Mine is the stock Extreme... ... So, the stock Extreme is $999 and will sound just like the one I have. I do not have any upgraded caps, wiring etc..

And... what's your guess of the current "lead time?"

I assume it drives low impedence phones as well as high impedence phones?

I'm particularly interested in: D5000s, AD2000s, RS-1s, and HD580s. Of this group the D5000s with their 25 ohm impedence are by far the most difficult to drive / control - especially the bass.

 

[Asr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatthewK /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm, well I'm considering the Gilmore Lite. It looks like it would drive my D2000 'phones pretty good with it's Class A biasing and whatnot. There's only one thing that's a big downer to me -- it doesn't appear you can rickroll opamps. Or am I wrong? As far as I can tell it doesn't allow swapping opamps..

The Gilmore Lite does not use an op-amp for amplification. Not all op-amp based amps let you roll the op-amp either, you know. Just because an amp does use an op-amp doesn't mean it can also be rolled (at least not easily), it needs to be specially mounted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif And... what's your guess of the current "lead time?"

Singlepower always maintains a small supply of stock Extreme amps ready to go out the door immediately. No lead time whatsoever if you're ordering just a stock version.

 

[MatthewK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Gilmore Lite does not use an op-amp for amplification. Not all op-amp based amps let you roll the op-amp either, you know. Just because an amp does use an op-amp doesn't mean it can also be rolled (at least not easily), it needs to be specially mounted.

Oh, I thought I saw opamps on the circuit board, thanks for the heads up. Hmm, I wonder how it would sound with an E-mu 0404 USB as the source then? Does anyone happen to have this setup? (0404 + GL)

 

[Asr]

The one op-amp in the Gilmore Lite circuit is not in the signal path.

 

[nikongod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I assume it drives low impedence phones as well as high impedence phones?

having owned an extreme (platinum with black gate everything) it drives low impedance headphones EXCEPTIONALLY well.
Quote:

I'm particularly interested in: D5000s, AD2000s, RS-1s, and HD580s. Of this group the D5000s with their 25 ohm impedence are by far the most difficult to drive / control - especially the bass.

i think the hd-580 are the most "amp sensative" of that group (although i have not heard the ad-2000) but the others are served exceptionally well.

the bass control from the extreme was nothing short of awesome. really really good. i did not have my d5000 when i had my extreme, but the extreme got exceptional sound from all of my other headphones. it was the first amp i heard that got me liking the hd-650 (since sold for the 580, but close enough still) it was stunning with the hp-1000 and RS-1. the R10 were VERY well served by the extreme.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod /img/forum/go_quote.gif having owned an extreme (platinum with black gate everything) it drives low impedance headphones EXCEPTIONALLY well. i think the hd-580 are the most "amp sensative" of that group (although i have not heard the ad-2000) but the others are served exceptionally well. the bass control from the extreme was nothing short of awesome. really really good. i did not have my d5000 when i had my extreme, but the extreme got exceptional sound from all of my other headphones. it was the first amp i heard that got me liking the hd-650 (since sold for the 580, but close enough still) it was stunning with the hp-1000 and RS-1. the R10 were VERY well served by the extreme.

So then... Is it fair to say the stock Extreme is the "sweet spot" (performance/dollar) of the Singlepower amps?

 

[HDen]

I don't want to sound dumb or anything, but I can't see the "Extreme" on the SinglePower website?