[Baten]

I also like the metal base MELZ foton tube, can be found on eBay but are a bit pricier.

 

[califmike33]

Well thank you for your reply you may just save me a bunch of money in tube rolling. Sounds similar to Op amp rolling minute differences. But you're happy overall with the sound of the amp?

 

[InsanelyConfused]

Well thank you for your reply you may just save me a bunch of money in tube rolling. Sounds similar to Op amp rolling minute differences. But you're happy overall with the sound of the amp?

I think it's worth it. Very clean for a tube amp though and I would say some reviews exaggerate a bit on the musicality. It reaches a bit deeper in the bass region, mids are slightly more present and well, that's it. The potentiometer can crackle on some units and I noticed that this too depends on the preamp tube used. I swapped my potentiometer after a while and now it's silent.

I have not tried the rarest of NOS tubes though, so I can't say anything about that. Maybe it transforms this amp, who knows. I stick to what's readily available.

 

[califmike33]

Well thank you for that mini review. I've read a lot of YouTube reviews and different things on the amp it seems like for the money it's pretty damn hard to beat. I got one on the way that I picked up for $230 open box. I will be putting a Alps potentiometer immediately.

I don't hear of anybody doing any mods on the inside I know it's pretty tight and things are kind of crammed in there. I'm actually thinking of changing out some of the capacitors and stuff for better quality stuff see if it makes any difference. I like to mess around with stuff, can't find anybody that's really done that.

 

[InsanelyConfused]

Well thank you for that mini review. I've read a lot of YouTube reviews and different things on the amp it seems like for the money it's pretty damn hard to beat. I got one on the way that I picked up for $230 open box. I will be putting a Alps potentiometer immediately.

I don't hear of anybody doing any mods on the inside I know it's pretty tight and things are kind of crammed in there. I'm actually thinking of changing out some of the capacitors and stuff for better quality stuff see if it makes any difference. I like to mess around with stuff, can't find anybody that's really done that.

Feel free to tell me how it goes! I've been very curious about modding this thing because no one has done it before, unlike with the Darkvoice.

 

[califmike33]

I'm definitely going to look into it and see what can be done to it I will keep you in the thread up to date I'm sure there are things that can be improved.

 

[califmike33]

There are no upgrades to make in this amp, it has very very good parts already in it Elna caps etc, tube rolling is all you got.

 

[califmike33]

Been messing around with the amp for 2 or 3 days don't like the sounds the sounds a little sterile it's not tubey enough sounding.

The item is for sale here in the classifieds on this website also I've listed it on eBay if anybody's interested has about 8 hours of play time on it basically it's brand new.

 

[vmiguel]

Been messing around with the amp for 2 or 3 days don't like the sounds the sounds a little sterile it's not tubey enough sounding.

The item is for sale here in the classifieds on this website also I've listed it on eBay if anybody's interested has about 8 hours of play time on it basically it's brand new.

Are you on the original tubes? They are not very good, my TA-26 with mid-price tubes is way better (and more "tubey") than with the original ones.

 

[califmike33]

Yeah I'm on the original tubes. The question is what tubes there are so many tubes to try and I don't want to spend $250 on tubes on a $200 amp think I'm just going to upgrade to a better amp.

I thought about rolling tubes on it but I don't think I want to go down that rabbit hole.

What tubes are you using?

 

[InsanelyConfused]

Yeah I'm on the original tubes. The question is what tubes there are so many tubes to try and I don't want to spend $250 on tubes on a $200 amp think I'm just going to upgrade to a better amp.

I thought about rolling tubes on it but I don't think I want to go down that rabbit hole.

What tubes are you using?

Not OP but Sylvanias are nice and Tung-Sol tubes do a great job too.

But in my honest opinion, the TA-26 is very light on the distortion. It's a clean amp and it's very understandable that you want more tube sound.

 

[califmike33]

Yeah I think I'm going to get a musical Paradise MK 301. Having trouble getting rid of this amp nobody seems to want it thanks for your reply.

 

[vmiguel]

Yeah I'm on the original tubes. The question is what tubes there are so many tubes to try and I don't want to spend $250 on tubes on a $200 amp think I'm just going to upgrade to a better amp.

I thought about rolling tubes on it but I don't think I want to go down that rabbit hole.

What tubes are you using?

I'm out of town for a few days, so can't be sure, but I believe it's a RCA on the back and a Hitachi on the front.

I also agree that the TA-26 is not very tubey to begin with. For me it's enough, and I'll be tube rolling as funds and oportunities arise.

 

[califmike33]

Yeah I've had several suggestions on tubes to try you know everybody's taste is different so what tubes work for you may not work for me what tubes work for the other guy may not work for you.

I've heard that the stock tubes hold this amp back but then I've watched videos on people changing tubes out and they said it was like so minut of a difference and they dropped $60 on tubes.

I think I'm just going to move on to another amp if I can get rid of this thing I know when there's an amp out and there's not a 15 or 20 Page thread on it it's typically not a very good amp when you get a gem of an amp there's usually a pretty good following of people and a lot of activity this is a four-page thread which tells me a lot about the amp.

 

[marekm]

I know when there's an amp out and there's not a 15 or 20 Page thread on it it's typically not a very good amp when you get a gem of an amp there's usually a pretty good following of people and a lot of activity this is a four-page thread which tells me a lot about the amp.

And yet, with all this knowledge, you decided to buy it. Why ?