[Sam21]

Does transformer coupled sound as tuby as an OTL or a hybrid?

I am looking at these two amps:

MP 301:
https://www.musicalparadise.ca/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=54


MONOLITH 29511:
https://qa2.monoprice.com/product?p_id=29511


Which one do you recommend ?

Any other options in this price range ?

 

[pbui44]

For lower impedance dynamic drivers:

https://www.schiit.com/products/vali-3

For higher impedance dynamic drivers:

https://drop.com/buy/dark-voice-366se/photos#photos

If you really need bass/treble hardware EQ:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100....store_pc_allProduct.8148356.1.27537e22qLIhQm

For lower impedance planar-magnetic drivers:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...g0o.store_pc_home.smartJustForYou_821566840.0

 

[Sam21]

The schiit one is a hybrid..

Darkvoice is otl...

Aliexpress links dont work..

I am looking for transformer coupled...

 

[jonathan c]

The schiit one is a hybrid..

Darkvoice is otl...

Aliexpress links dont work..

I am looking for transformer coupled...

Woo WA6 may be of interest to you. (I own a WA6 (1st generation)).

 

[Sam21]

Woo WA6 may be of interest to you. (I own a WA6 (1st generation).

A bit too expensive

 

[jonathan c]

A bit too expensive

That is new. You may want to check the classified adverts for secondhand in Head-Fi, US AudioMart, Audiogon.

 

[buke9]

Transformer coupled is going to be expensive. Don’t know about the ChiFi stuff sorry.

 

[ColSaulTigh]

Woo WA6 may be of interest to you. (I own a WA6 (1st generation)).

One just sold on the classifieds for under $600. Keep your eyes open - they're awesome amps!

 

[jonathan c]

A bit too expensive

Reply (B): as @buke9 says, OTC tube headphone amplifiers are going to be expensive. Why? The greatest cost components are the power transformer and the output transformer. The costs of these escalate quickly with the number of windings and with the grade / type of metal used. Add to that, the price impact of supply/delivery bottlenecks for components, cores, metals…

 

[gruedude]

A Bottlehead S.E.X. is $600 new if you want to go the DIY route. A used one could be really cheap if you're willing to wait for a deal.

 

[gruedude]

You could also wait around for a Hagerman Audio Tuba - I have one myself and it is a fantastic amp. They sometimes go for under $500 used.

 

[tomb]

The Hagerman might be your best, least expensive choice.

jonathan c is correct that a nice transformer-coupled tube amplifier will be expensive. While I disagree that the power transformer requires anything special (it doesn't), the output transformers are critical. Use of special metals in the core - nickel-chrome, anamorphous, etc., make all the difference. That said, some simple (and cheap) Hammond output transformers would probably sound a lot better than "ChiFi" transformers. AFAIK, they are way down on the learning curve for audio output transformers. It's an art to make them - about like vacuum tubes.

Just to be clear - the "tubey sound" doesn't come from output transformers. In fact, you may notice that an output-coupled transformer sounds decidedly solid-state, although with none of the typical harshness that solid-state includes. Tubey sound comes from the large capacitors needed for filtering in OTL tube amps. Hybrids can have it, too, depending on the circuit.