tube amp or valve amp or regular amp?

[XDR]

hi,
i ask que. which are the best of hi end music system for this amp

 

[StanleyB]

Tube amp and valve amp is the same. By regular amp I assume you mean a transistor amp.
High-end comes in all forms. It is really down to your budget. And you need a set of outstanding speakers in order to get the best from your amp. If you are looking at buying new, then U$3K for a high-end amp and U$2K for the speakers is a ball park starting figure.

 

[marsilians]

If you are looking at buying new, then U$3K for a high-end amp and U$2K for the speakers is a ball park starting figure.

Emotiva Audio, while still gaining audience and traction, sells the superlative XPA series amps from USD 700 - 2K (class D) that compare with some of the best in the business. I have spoken many times to Dann (their CEO) and Lonnie - quite knowledgable guys and they used to sell through AV123 before branching out by themselves. I owned one a while ago and was very, very impressed. Amazing customer service and service levels though it is a major pain in the neck for shipping as they all weigh a ton.

Lots and lots of happy customers.

I am planning to visit their offices sometime in 2009. Will post my experiences.

PS. i also love my Parasound siblings as well

Std Disclaimer : No commercial interest in/with Emotiva

 

[nuRoXX]

Hi XDR,

whether a tube or a transi? Imho not a question easy to answer without any additional info from your side as both the concepts are totally different (well, at the end they are amplifying). You should define at least your preferences in sound (i.e. warm or analytic), the speaker you want to drive with (i.e. their impedance - might be very important), sound-level requested, the sources you are using (i.e. CDP, a record player etc.) to get the best out of it.

A proper tube amp set-up can be challaging if you (what I suppose) never did it before (i.e. adjusting the voltage, selecting the tubes which are meeting your "taste", burn-in time etc.) which, on the other hand, could bring a lot fun

 

[hifiashok]

my queries would be similar.

tube amps are generally expensive, for the same 'volume' (used as a very basic, lay term).

SS amps on the other had are much cheaper for similar ratings and much more easily accessible.

tubes are harder to maintain. SS, easy, as more widely used/sold.

tube amp. if you like acoustic recording, for ex. Clapton's 'Layla' or Rebecca Pidgeon's 'Spanish Harlem' or Jagjit Singh 'Baath nikli tho'. SS, if you like Metallica/IronMaiden/Judas Priest fully cranked up.

next in line is speakers, as to what speakers would you use with the amp.

tube amps go well with electrostatic hybrids or single driver dynamics.

SS amps would go with almost anything.

 

[marsilians]

Hifi

What you say is true for the most part. However the Jolida JD1501 or the 1701 are excellent hybrid amps and priced around 500 - 700 USD. Considered one of the best options for the discerning listener on a budget (yes sometimes they go together as well!)

my queries would be similar.

tube amps are generally expensive, for the same 'volume' (used as a very basic, lay term).

SS amps on the other had are much cheaper for similar ratings and much more easily accessible.

tubes are harder to maintain. SS, easy, as more widely used/sold.

tube amp. if you like acoustic recording, for ex. Clapton's 'Layla' or Rebecca Pidgeon's 'Spanish Harlem' or Jagjit Singh 'Baath nikli tho'. SS, if you like Metallica/IronMaiden/Judas Priest fully cranked up.

next in line is speakers, as to what speakers would you use with the amp.

tube amps go well with electrostatic hybrids or single driver dynamics.

SS amps would go with almost anything.

 

[nuRoXX]

Hifi

What you say is true for the most part. However the Jolida JD1501 or the 1701 are excellent hybrid amps and priced around 500 - 700 USD. Considered one of the best options for the discerning listener on a budget (yes sometimes they go together as well!)

Hi marsilians,

hehe, good idea

Hybrid amps are neither pork nor beef (or whatever you prefer). I am a bit in doubt that it might be a solution for XDR. Of course a lot manufacturer offering such concepts (i.e. Vincent, and a lot of chinese (french -> AA ) brands etc.). Surprisingly you will not find hybrid concepts within "serious" manufacturer's products, i.e. Accuphase, Cambridge, Rotel, NAD etc. Won't say the later mentioned are the only and "the" brands, just as examples.

The signal way is important here. Coming, i.e. from an ordinary CDP into the pre-section (tube) of a hybrid, converted here (mostly by what?) and amplyfied by a transi-power section... again, good idea

Imho and when choosing a tube solution, you have to follow that concept consequential to the end, including sources (and appropriate speakers).

 

[marsilians]

Hi marsilians,

hehe, good idea

Hybrid amps are neither pork nor beef (or whatever you prefer). I am a bit in doubt that it might be a solution for XDR. Of course a lot manufacturer offering such concepts (i.e. Vincent, and a lot of chinese (french -> AA ) brands etc.).

Hi Nuroxx,

I do not understand your points in the note below. From the little I can pick up, I would like to state that one of the reasons hybrids are hard to produce apart from manufacturing costs are the complexities of the development model (design, layout and engineering). Once a level of synergy is achieved, then these offer the best of both worlds - warmth, clarity and dynamics of tubes along with controlled bass and soundstage of solid states. There are many manufacturers of hybrids with prices ranging from few hunders to thousands of USD (sorry I have lived in N America and India and just a bit around in Asia) so these are my only frames of reference.

Surprisingly you will not find hybrid concepts within "serious" manufacturer's products, i.e. Accuphase, Cambridge, Rotel, NAD etc. Won't say the later mentioned are the only and "the" brands, just as examples.

What are you implying here? What do you mean by "serious" manufacturers? Also, just because the said "serious" manufacturers do not build hybrids does not make the idea or performance any worse automatically does it?

some notable and well known manufacturers of hybrid are Jolida, Butler, Behringer & Musical Fidelity (allows only for hybrid swtiching within 1 unit). Yes Vincent is the new kid on the block but I have heard from some friends that they are veyr good for music.

Imho and when choosing a tube solution, you have to follow that concept consequential to the end, including sources (and appropriate speakers).

I appreciate your personal opinion and as you see from above, I do believe hybrids a viable options for some esp. given their performance characteristics for music.

 

[nuRoXX]

Hi marsilians,

sorry for my delayed reply here (sometimes business is keeping me out a for a longer time...).

IMHO a synthese of both tube and solid-state is a worse "halfway-house".

A solid-state device or amp is reproducing the incoming signal with a considerable smaller noise and thus a significiant lower distortion. Hoping that you might agree here.

On the other hand the distortions may give "you" the so called "live-feeling", the "warmth" a solid-state won't. It is a question of taste.

What is the advantage having a hybrid-amp (not considering the source), which is putting distortions into the signal and amplified by a solid state section? A digital amp would transfer blind 1:1 or beeing identical - only a few solid-states are identical, a lot are not properly designed and thus not identical. But ok, that's not the question...

Every little sounding in a solid-state could "correct" distortions and making the whole story (not entirely but partly) "useless". Did you ever look on frequency response and linearity diagrams of i.e. Jolida or Vincent etc. hybrid products? Do it and answer me one question: why they are appearing so "linear" (which is unlikely for tube reproduction)?

Certainly manufacturer of hybrid solutions (they have to) and user swearing on that concept but in my eyes it is not consequent. The "tube signal", carried forward by the solid-state, has lost its origin once passed. Left overs are mitch-matched and bended frequencies ...
(some) People appreciating the analog output (rather than an analog source going into a solid state) beeing more authentical in the final (analog) signal. Hybrids, which most of them having tube in the pre-section, are representing the opposite.

Grateful getting me corrected, should I am wrong in the technical aspects.

A better concept however, and coming back to the initial question, is certainly a solid state solution, if "you" are demanding an identical reproduction of music.

 

[arj]

Totally agree with Cranky above. a lot of the responses are misleading and incorrect. Especially those of you who are saying thet SS is accurate and tube has distortion you really have a lot to read up on.

to the OP..if you are still interested, dont worry about SS or Tube from a sound perspective. it is very difficult to differentiate. there are tube amps which can sound hard and solid state which can be soft and mushy.

typically tube designs are simplistic but low pwer..which SS can crank out more power per Rs

But othersise this topic of "differences" is quite senseless to discuss

what is more important to figure out the amp within your budget which can synergise best with your speaker and give you the sound you like.

tube amps are more difficult tog et in india, but that does not mean that they do not exist. you can contact Viren bakshi of Lyrita audio who make excellent tube amps

XDR What is your Budget ? and what speakers are you planning to run ? witnout these two the question is not really complete

 

[hifiashok]

Totally agree with Cranky above. a lot of the responses are misleading and incorrect. Especially those of you who are saying thet SS is accurate and tube has distortion you really have a lot to read up on.

to the OP..if you are still interested, dont worry about SS or Tube from a sound perspective. it is very difficult to differentiate. there are tube amps which can sound hard and solid state which can be soft and mushy.

typically tube designs are simplistic but low pwer..which SS can crank out more power per Rs

But othersise this topic of "differences" is quite senseless to discuss

what is more important to figure out the amp within your budget which can synergise best with your speaker and give you the sound you like.

tube amps are more difficult tog et in india, but that does not mean that they do not exist. you can contact Viren bakshi of Lyrita audio who make excellent tube amps

XDR What is your Budget ? and what speakers are you planning to run ? witnout these two the question is not really complete

talk on tube amps in india and no mention of cadence!!? ;-)

but then the next q on budget is relevant.

XDR is in Nagpur.

 

[XDR]

hi , every one specially , cranky
mera budget around 60,000 k aur muze sirf amp aur bokkshelf speaker
chahiye via my pc to please, suggest tube aur ss amp aur speakers?

meri nazar me dali icon 1 aur jolida 1501 hai
thanks
xdr

 

[dinyaar]

Hi XDR,

For the budget buy a simple SS amp like a Nad or a Marantz and pair them with a monitor Audio or PSB Image.


If u are open to pre owned u will get better components for the same amount.
Rgds

 

[hifiashok]

if looking for budget AND ss, look at Norge Norge Audio also.

already a recommendation to HIGH FIDELITY AUDIO SYSTEMS

both have amp and speaker options.