Help needed - Tube amplifiers

[iamharishkm]

My name is Harish Mohan, located at Bangalore. I am pretty new to the Audiophile world. Started my journey with Harman Kardon AVR and JBL 5.1 speakers, which is serving me decently mainly for movies. But for music I am in search for a very pleasing set up for my ears.

For the last 2 months I have been auditioning variety of brands that included - for amp: Yamaha, Marantz, Cambridge Audio, NAD.. for speakers: Jamo, Klipsch, Polk Audio, Mordaunt Short.
Among these Cambridge Audio (640A) and NAD (315 BEE) i liked most for amp and Mordant Short (Aviano 8) for speakers.

But...

Everything changed suddenly when I happened to read a review about the Valve amps on hifivision.com. So many members were praising it.. actually a lot!. So now I am interested in valve amps if it is within my budgets.

So can someone please let me know more about these amps and their pricing?

What are the brands available in India and their pricing? I have heard only about Lyrita amps. Thanks,

 

[prashant_dv]

Hi Harish,

Check this link for a tube amplifier MiniWatt Tube Amplifier which has got a pretty good review in this forum. This costs around USD 229 and can be directly ordered from the website.

Not sure if you have already gone through, but this is the review of the MINIWATT Tube Amp on this forum itself : http://www.hifivision.com/reviews/5648-miniwatt-tube-amplifier.html

Oh & btw, this is not an indian product.

 

[stevieboy]

hi harish,

i'm also in bangalore i've got the lyrita SET amp you're most welcome to drop over if you want. quite a few people have done so already send me a pm if you interested. weekends are good for me we can finalize by phone. you can also listen to records while you're over

regards
steve

 

[sachi]

hi harish,

i'm also in bangalore i've got the lyrita SET amp you're most welcome to drop over if you want. quite a few people have done so already send me a pm if you interested. weekends are good for me we can finalize by phone. you can also listen to records while you're over

regards
steve

Could i take you up on that offer steve?
Looks like i will be in Bangalore in March. :yahoo:

 

[stevieboy]

Could i take you up on that offer steve?
Looks like i will be in Bangalore in March. :yahoo:

most welcome sachi,

mornings sat or sunday are good!

regards

 

[vinod_david]

There you go Stevie, got another TUBE convert in Harish, am sure.

 

[sachi]

most welcome sachi,

mornings sat or sunday are good!

regards

sweet!!..I will try to bring my Assemblage DAC and at least one of my TP headphoines (will need an amp of some sort however, will try to fashion an adapter so it can be driver straight out of a power amp if possible) with me as well. Would love to compare it with ROC's Audiozone and Abhi's Remiyo DACs..

 

[malvai]

Hi guys!
I am thinking about starting out a little journey into the world of tube amps... Wanna start small though... have put aside about 10k for a vintage tube amp. In this budget i'm getting a Heathkit and a HHScott 299c amp.

What would you guys recommend? Heathkit or Scott?

I intend playing the Thorens TT with this... This will become my vintage kit later. Also what kinda speakers should I go for with this?

 

[iamharishkm]

hi harish,

i'm also in bangalore i've got the lyrita SET amp you're most welcome to drop over if you want. quite a few people have done so already send me a pm if you interested. weekends are good for me we can finalize by phone. you can also listen to records while you're over

regards
steve

Steve.. Thanks!.. I will be more than just happy to see your setup

 

[ashishkesarwani]

When you are venturing into the tube world then you should know the fact that tube amps are very conservatively rated at 5 - 15 watts, so they require very sensitive speakers to produce the same level of sound output which solid state amps produce. Also it depends a lot on your music choice too as the tube amps are not very well suited for today's electronic music where they tend to roll off a lot from the top end section of the sound spectrum.

 

[spirovious]

anyone from Mumbai ?

 

[Dr.Bass]

sweet!!..I will try to bring my Assemblage DAC and at least one of my TP headphoines (will need an amp of some sort however, will try to fashion an adapter so it can be driver straight out of a power amp if possible) with me as well. Would love to compare it with ROC's Audiozone and Abhi's Remiyo DACs..

Super !!!!!

 

[iamharishkm]

..Also it depends a lot on your music choice too as the tube amps are not very well suited for today's electronic music where they tend to roll off a lot from the top end section of the sound spectrum.

Guys.. since i like Michael Jackson (and the kind of music) a lot will this be a big problem? :sad:


I like and hear... from Beegees to Metalica... Illayaraja to AR Rahman... Paul McCartney to Mariah Carey..

 

[ashishkesarwani]

Guys.. since i like Michael Jackson (and the kind of music) a lot will this be a big problem? :sad:


I like and hear... from Beegees to Metalica... Illayaraja to AR Rahman... Paul McCartney to Mariah Carey..

This simply means that you should look at Solid State amps as your music taste is quite varied, but it will also be wise that you take an audition of a tube amp too.

 

[iamharishkm]

This simply means that you should look at Solid State amps as your music taste is quite varied, but it will also be wise that you take an audition of a tube amp too.

True.. I am going for a Tube audition soon.. Will see what happens then

 

[iamharishkm]

guys.. please share your experience on 'Michael Jackson kind of' music on valve amps.. preferable on a lyrita amp.

 

[suri]

sweet!!..I will try to bring my Assemblage DAC and at least one of my TP headphoines (will need an amp of some sort however, will try to fashion an adapter so it can be driver straight out of a power amp if possible) with me as well. Would love to compare it with ROC's Audiozone and Abhi's Remiyo DACs..

PLEASE DO THIS - this experience will be worth a lot to a lot of us!!!

 

[maniac_2004]

This simply means that you should look at Solid State amps as your music taste is quite varied, but it will also be wise that you take an audition of a tube amp too.

what kind of music is best heard with a tube amp . I was not aware of these facts

 

[venkatcr]

what kind of music is best heard with a tube amp . I was not aware of these facts

Maniac, it is not just the amp that makes a difference. Having said that, a tube amp leans towards wind instruments the most, followed by string instruments, and then voices. Usually a tube amp is not expected to pamper percussion instruments. That is the reason why, if one likes rock/hard rock a lot, he/she may find a tube amp wanting.

The second second point is that most tube amps have low power output and work well with speakers that are highly sensitive. In addition, tube amps are expected to be listened to at sane volumes in a very quite room. Viren, for example makes tubes amps that have an output of 3 watts per channel, though this figure could be misleading. With good speakers, these three watt amps could pump out a huge amount of SPL.

These circumstances are anathema to rock that are listened to at high volumes and has a lot of drums.

Jazz is a very popular choice for tube amps. Just a single voice supported by a few instruments. Logically tubes should work well with Indian Classical music - both Carnatic and Hindustani.

Cheers

 

[iamharishkm]

guys...

is this true?

http://www.theaudiocritic.com/downloads/article_1.pdf