Tube amps

[pentium]

Some of you may remember these things (and some might still own one) but is it just me or are these modern tube amps a little harshly priced?
This is a nice one but look at the price. $600!
That's a bit high is it not? I would expect say $150-$250 but $600 is rather extreme for what it has to offer. Are the tubes in it even standard or are they proprietary (as in older tubes won't work)?

[willawake]

Re: Tube amps

They are generally rather pisstakingly priced even the kits also. Personally i am into a bit more power than they generally offer. Bet you can find some nice solid state on the second hand market.

[hardwareguy]

Re: Tube amps

Welcome to the goofy land of the Audiophile. These nincompoops will pay well over $1000/meter of cable in some cases.

The tube amps have somewhat of an excuse: they DO cost more to make, the tubes cost more than good bipolars or FETs, the output transformers aren't cheap and neither are the high voltage caps they need.

The high priced tubes and tube amps aren't even the tip of the iceberg. You've got magical amps (sometimes with buttloads of "warmth", eh I mean distortion!), magical sources, magical speakers that actually sound BAD, magical power cords, magical speaker wire, magical interconnect, magical outlets, magical bases to put other magical equipment on, magical knobs, magical markers, magical rocks that supposedly do stuff to the sound and even magical caps, resistors, inductors and other stuff that doesn't audibly do jack shit but makes the nincompoop feel good and THINK that it has in some way enhanced his listening experience.

Oh and here's my definition of the word magic: Pseudoscience with a sprinkling or marketing and a dump truck load of bullshit!

[hardwareguy]

Re: Tube amps

I have THREE.....

Lafayette receiver, EL84 output stage, class A single ended, 4W/ch....LOL
HH Scott 299 C, Push/Pull 7591 outpus, 30W/ch
Heathkit something or other, push/pull 6BM8 I think, 8W/ch

[hardwareguy]

Re: Tube amps

I now remember what I had.... Heathkit AA32! Tube was an ECL86/6GW8

[dood]

Re: Tube amps

hardwareguy- Caps, resistors, and inductors all will change how a speaker sounds when you upgrade them in a crossover. Be it better or worse, that depends on your ears.

I'm currently running a pair of Polk audio SDA2's, with upgraded crossovers. Great sound, and my whole system cost less than that one tube amp above.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Tube amps

They cost much because they don't make just one and then there is no (or very slow) market for most of what they make.
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I special ordered one once and all the order/routing paperwork came to me for some reason.
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Went like this:
I ordered.
Went to the dealers warehouse. No stock, they ordered from the manufacturer.
Went to their warehouse. No stock, they ordered from the factory.
Factory didn't have any.
Made 1000 units and sent to their warehouse.
10 units got sent to the dealer's warehouse.
Dealer gave me one. (With all the paperwork ???)
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That tube was only ever used in radios in 1960 Ford cars and trucks.
This all happened in the early 80's.

.

[shadow99]

Re: Tube amps

Welcome to the goofy land of the Audiophile. These nincompoops will pay well over $1000/meter of cable in some cases.

The tube amps have somewhat of an excuse: they DO cost more to make, the tubes cost more than good bipolars or FETs, the output transformers aren't cheap and neither are the high voltage caps they need.

The high priced tubes and tube amps aren't even the tip of the iceberg. You've got magical amps (sometimes with buttloads of "warmth", eh I mean distortion!), magical sources, magical speakers that actually sound BAD, magical power cords, magical speaker wire, magical interconnect, magical outlets, magical bases to put other magical equipment on, magical knobs, magical markers, magical rocks that supposedly do stuff to the sound and even magical caps, resistors, inductors and other stuff that doesn't audibly do jack shit but makes the nincompoop feel good and THINK that it has in some way enhanced his listening experience.

Oh and here's my definition of the word magic: Pseudoscience with a sprinkling or marketing and a dump truck load of bullshit!

That's alot over the edge hardwareguy. Just because your ears cant tell the difference between high quality audio and the basic stuff doesnt mean an "audiophile" cant. I'll agree with you on some of that but take speakers as an example. A set of Energy 22 reference models sound alot better than a pair of Cerwin Vega party blasters. BUT that depends what you value most. If it's sheer volume then the CW's win but for clarity, pureness, and accuracy of sound the 22's win hands down. It's why you see 22's and similar reference speakers in tv and recording studios. Is eating a 16 oz. crap steak better than a fantastic tasting 4 oz. filet? Is more better? If you have no tastebuds, why spend money on good taste?

As for tubes, I dont own a tube amp but I do know they are smoother. Tubes react different than a transistor so when a tube amp clips, it is much softer than a transistor amp thus it sounds better. There's alot more to it than that. But again, for sheer power and price, tubes arent a good choice for you if your ears cant hear the difference.

A true audiophile is not a nincompoop at all, they just are aware enough to tell the difference between the everyday stuff and something special. That can be quite subtle and not detectable to someone who isnt tuned that way.
A true nincompoop is a person who call's another person's knowledge, experience and taste bullshit without knowing much about what he is talking about