$8oo dollar budget

10-07-09: Mechans
For realizing the tube sonic the path is clear. You must use a tube power amp or tube power output section. Ignore the nattering naebobs to follow claiming that a tube preamp is all you need . It is absolutely false. At most it may get you about 10 or 20% of what you would discover if tube power is used.

I agree 100%.

However, the B&W 602.5 S3 does not lend itself to a tube amp, IMO.

Based on the Stereophile measurments of the original test, I'm kind of surprised you get good results with the matchup to B&W.

www.stereophile.com/solidpoweramps/675/index9.html

They had some... difficulty... at 4 ohms, not to mention lower.

Also, Please keep in mind that the real measure of a loudspeaker's 'goodness' of load is a combination of impedance AND Phase Angle....the amount the voltage and current demands are 'out of sync' . This number is usually measured in degrees and can be expressed as a number called 'power factor'.
Large phase angle combined with low impedance is a deal breaker for many amps. I don't have the phase data for the B&Ws but if it follows there 'norm' it can get to 45->60 degrees. This is not a trivial number.

And, as a final note, Tube amps do not like certain reactive loads. I don't remember off-hand if it is Capacitive or Inductive which they don't like, but this too, makes a difference. It may make a difference if the amp is either direct coupled or running thru an autoformer, I have no information on that.

Tvad and Pubul57-I just saw this Jolida JD-502P Tube Amp
up for sale in his price range with 4 and 8 ohm taps;do you
guys think this amp may work for him;I am not familiar with it or his speakers.

...do you guys think this amp may work for him?
Rleff (Threads | Answers)

I do not.

A version of a tube amp that will work is a nice Hybrid tube amp. Tube first stage and SS second stage. Monarchy makes some nice ones 100 and 160. They do show up if you keep watching.

Blue Circle also makes some nice ones that can be had used for close to $1000. None right now on the Gon, but I have seen their 100 watt hybrid time and again used. BC24 and I think the 22 or 28? Forget.

I have owned both and they are great.

Electrocompaniet makes great SS amps with very musical, tube like presentation. AW220 - Very warm yet detailed and so musical. These do show up on the Gon!