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For the sound, or?????



About three years ago or so, we auditioned a tube amp with a pedigree name driving a set of speakers exactly like the ones my friend owned. It was certainly nothing to write home about. Actually, it was more than a bit mushy in the top end.
After we listened to it for an hour and a half, trying I/C's and speaker placement, they had to bring it to another room for a demo.
We still wanted to try a few I/C's so while we waited for the amp to be available again, I demo'd a few D/A's they had in stock just for kicks.
I hooked up the only other amp available at the time, an old scratched up 80 watt transistor name-brand amp the shop used for testing in the back room.
The speakers immediately came to life! Detail, control, subtle layering...POOF! It was all there.

We were shocked to say the least.

The amp we had been auditioning was in the 3-5K range and the old amp that had lived on the solder bench for more than ten years sells for around $120 on ebay in good shape, let alone a beat up example like this one.

A chat with both techs verified there had been no mods to the old Amplifier.
A listen by three different salesman and the techs from the back had heads shaking and smiles all around.

(He went home with the pricey tube amp.)

When I asked him why, he said he could not bring himself to own all that nice esoteric gear and have it powered by a name-brand 30 year old amp that he would have had to hide.

While I am far less interested in looks than most, I simply cannot imagine someone spending more to get less...so the face-plates will complement each other. (Especially when the price difference was this outrageous)

More recently, I checked out a set of single driver home-made speakers. While we were playing with placement and measuring reflections, we ended up substituting the tube amp for a 35 year old 22 watt mid fi receiver.
The difference was instantly obvious and for the better...like...a LOT better.

When I left, the tube amp was back in place.

Reason? "Because my SET friends would not believe it or take me seriously with that old Kenwood receiver powering my speakers.

I cannot help but wonder how many people have spent money for less sound and a prettier/more exclusive face plate.

How many of you have actually done something like this...or been there when it is happening right in front of you?
gumbydammit
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
I've not heard the Bada but was interested in it as well. They are one of the good makes out of China and it's their second version, made to Pacific Valves specs and said to be a much better version.

If you haven't gotten it yet, you might also check out the Sphinx integrated from Rogue Audio. It too has a tube preamp section mated to some Hypex modules for the amp and it's an integrated version of their Medusa and Hydra amps which have gotten great reviews. It's just under $1300 ($100 more w/remote) and puts out 100 watts/channel.

I haven't heard it but it may suit your needs.

All the best,
Nonoise
gumbydammit OP
186 posts
 
Don, I am not sure if this would be something you would try, but an online friend rid himself of tubes after he auditioned a (I think) 6500 Musical Fidelity.
His thing is the way it can be a 500wpc integrated, yet has the "delicacy at low levels like my flea power tube gear."
I guess the next one down, at 200wpc, fits right in your price range and sounds very much the same...but with less power.
I am told when there is no signal, nothing comes out. This may sound elementary, but he is the third person who has commented this way about these amps. Black hole silence between passages and warp speed transients. (Not my words...but when three people say the same thing...)
Might be worth a listen. It is not something I often hear about solid state at low volume levels.
I wish I could hear a few of the offerings mentioned in this thread.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
I was one of Pacific Valve's first customers having purchased a Bada PH12 Hybrid SET headphone amp. This little jewel was recently pressed back into service, driven by a modded Oppo 103.
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
4,382 posts
 
I still have the Classic 6.1 from Pacific Valve sitting on a shelf somewhere. Not a bad unit at all but not quite as good as my Burson PI-160. In the right system (speakers with a dome, or textile tweeter) it would sound quite nice. HiFI tuning fuses went a long way towards taming the highs and allowing it to breathe and open up.

I've been thinking if recapping it would make it any better as I hate to part with it: it does a lot of things right.

All the best,
Nonoise
donjr
1,311 posts
 
I was reading up on the Rogue Sphinx and noticed the Pharaoh integrated which they're calling their flagship integrated. I've never heard a class D but I think they have the right idea with tubes in the pre amp section. 175 watts/8 ohms.
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