[atbglenn]

In 1969 I built my first tube amp. It was a Dynakit Stereo 70 and a PAS 3X Preamp when I was 17 years old. My Speakers were AR 4X's and an AR Turntable with a Stanton Cartridge (Unknown model). I remember it sounding amazing at the time.

I'd love to know what you had, what year, how old you were if you don't mind.

 

[compuryan]

I got into headphones in 2006, I was 16 at the time. My first amplifier was an Eddie Current Lunchbox I, I loved that little thing, it was such a great amp for the money. I think I paid $150 for it.

 

[hypoicon]

My first tubes, based on a love of guitar tube amps, were a Dynaco PAS preamp and a Stereo 70 that I bought used out of a classified ad in Audio Amateur circa 1988. I would have been 30 around then. I think I paid about $125 for both of them.

A friend accidently blew up the Stereo 70 working on it with a variac (fried the transformer) so it never got that much airtime at my house. The PAS, however, got modded and used for years. I think it's still in a shed around here somewhere.

 

[Gabe Logan]

Was 27 at the time and my first intro into tubes goes by the name of a Singlepower PPX3 SLAM.Don't have it anymore but i would love to own it again one day.

 

[jeffreyj900]

I was 36 which was 2005. My first toob amp was a Woo Audio 3.

Jeff

 

[hew]

I finally gave in and got a DV332 last year after years of admiring the tube sound.

 

[Uncle Erik]

It started in (I think) 1998 when I picked up a "Flying Wedge" Philco Transitone 48-230:

I was 26 and came across it at a junk shop for $20 or so. Fell for it and thought I could fix it, since I had taken a couple years of electronics in high school. I did fix it, still have it and it still works. That led to more radios, to multiband radios, to communications receivers, to an Amateur Radio license, even a tubed black & white TV set, then I realized that I could probably build or work on tubed hi-fi gear.

Also big thanks to my uncle Art (W6EA, unfortunately no longer with us and hugely missed) for the encouragement and advice for getting into Amateur Radio and a passion for hollow state equipment. I've got a few more hi-fi pieces to build, but I think the next step will be tubed RF linear amps/transmitters for radio.

Oh, and old tube radios kick butt. If you're a tube head, pick one up some time. You might be surprised how good AM can sound. Not to mention all the international broadcasts that multiband radios pick up. There's more to tube geekery than amplification.

 

[ingwe]

Back in 1965 mom taught me how to use her Revere. She still has it and it still works.

'Lightweight" back then was about 25 lbs.

 

[atbglenn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ingwe /img/forum/go_quote.gif Back in 1965 mom taught me how to use her Revere. She still has it and it still works. 'Lightweight" back then was about 25 lbs.

Nice Reel to Reel.
My father bought me a Sony Model TC 101 Reel to Reel back in 1964 for my 12th birthday. If I remember correctly, it was a hybrid design, both tubes ans transistors. I still have tapes made from that recorder of family and friends from that period. It's nice to be able to hear my parents and grand parents, who are no longer with us, singing songs and just chatting. I did transfer some of those old tapes to cassettes, and then to mp3's.

 

[krmathis]

Bought my first (and so far only) tube gear in 2006, at an age of 34.
A Stax SRM-007t.

 

[apatN]

I'm 17 and just got my first amp which happens to be a tube amp.

 

[Calypso]

Bought a used Unison Triode 20 integrated tube amp in 2002 (age 34). Sold it around 2004, and got solid state again.
But now I am hooked again!! Yamamoto HA-02 for my headphones, and a Unison S8 integrated tube amp for my Magnepan MG 12/QR.
Tubes are great

. And the electricity bill keeps going up

.

 

[atbglenn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif It started in (I think) 1998 when I picked up a "Flying Wedge" Philco Transitone 48-230:

Beautiful radio! Looks just about brand new. I've been looking for a classic tube radio on ebay, but the nice ones are way too expensive. Oh well.

 

[cooperpwc]

My first tube amp - Millet Hybrid with diamond buffers - was bought from dizzieorange two years ago after I joined this forum. I still use it with Darth Beyers to watch DVD movies.

Just this year I got my first true OTL tube amp with my purchase of the Earmax Pro and a somewhat pricey selection of quite rare and fine NOS tubes. So that makes me a 40 somethig newbie tubehead. Better late than never! I'm enjoying it muchly.

 

[Old Pa]

54, and I grew up with tubes so 1954. My first Silvertone "mono phono in a box" had two tubes. I later installed a compatible stereo cartridge and wired it up to two tubed PA amps, so my first stereo was a tubed "monoblock".

I scrounged the biggest speakers I could find from old stereos, etc. and wired them up into the four corners of my bedroom. My father often said he was going to "rip the whole thing out by the wires" if I did not turn it down.

Even our first garage door opener had a couple of tubes in the car transmitter that had to warm up before you could put the door down. Every drug store had a self serve tube tester station with a selection of common tubes in the cabinet below. I learned how to do this when I was about ten and my old man started looking at me differently. We anticipated transiters and solid state like the Second Coming. All the transister radios were rated on their covers as to how many tansisters they had.