OT? SE tube amp recommendations

[endeeinn]

I have a pair of 825 cabs with 416's and 311-90/288Gs (all 8 ohm) that have been driven by SS amps (have sub as well). I haven't had a tube amp since 1965 so don't remember the sound and didn't have Altecs when I did. GM and others keep saying that there is nothing like the sound of a Single Ended Tube amp with Altecs. Now may be the time, as my SS amp is on the repair bench and looks like it may be terminal so I thought I might try an SE tube amp to see what I've been missing. All my local Audiophile buddies are running SS gear so I can't borrow one to hear on my speakers and the Audio Shops the have tube amps only have ones that cost as much as my first house so I'm looking for recommendations for a reasonably priced SE amp that will provide the performance that I've heard you all talking about. Not apposed to vintage, new or DIY build but would rather a plug and play. Thanks for your help.

[BillWojo]

See if you can find a Musical Paradise MP-301. I had a MKII version for a while and was impressed with it's performance. Uses EL34 tubes and is a decent build for a Chinese amp. There is lots of info on the forums about these amps and even mods for them if your so inclined.
Used, I paid about 300 bucks, had it for a few months and moved it on for the same.
I always considered it a LOT of bang for the buck.

BillWojo

[rogerh113]

I am running a SET amp into a pair of Altec 604s, and it is superb to my ears.

Your approach depends on how strongly you want to back your bet on SET. The transformers are touted as the most critical part of the amp, so it you go low you get low. That likely will affect your assessment. Going the full monty is not really cheap, but it may well give you audio pleasure, as well as a work of art.

Here is a link to a SET amp that is similar to what I am running. Hirata Tango are reputed to be among the best transformers, with a remarkable bandwidth. Also uses interstage transformers to eliminate coupling caps. Perhaps over the top, but not always a bad way to go. He has lots of other amps as well, many of them eye candy for a tube dude (or dudette).

OTOMON Laboratory　(音門ラボ) / 808 SE tube amplifier with all special order made Hirata TANGO transformer

Similar amps can be sourced, but they are pretty rare, and this guy has a nice collection to view. Just another option, depending on how serious you are....

regards -- Roger

[gearfreak]

Bruce's 'Bruiser' kit seems an affordable option - but is it single ended?

Transcendent Sound Products

I've built one of his kits, it works and is dead quiet IME.

I've an Almarro A205 SEP which I used for years with my Altecs, but I myself am not in much position to posit opinions on topologies.

[endeeinn]

I've been looking at this amp as a reasonably priced amp built by Dennis Had who retired from Cary with a good reputation for quality. I am concerned that it is only a 3 watt amp. Will 3 watts drive my Altec's with enough dynamics and loudness to fill a room? I listen mainly to Jazz.

STEREO TUBE AMPLIFIER INSPIRE by DENNIS HAD CLASS A SINGLE ENDED KT88 AMPLIFIER | eBay

Thanks!

[BillWojo]

I did the Dennis Hadd thing with one of his 6L6 SE amps. Just wasn't for me. I prefer the power of a PP tube amp. Currently running a set of Macintosh MC40 mono blocks. Speakers are HeathKit AS101's, basically Altec Valencias.
See if you can find a Dynaco ST70 in good shape, 35 watts per channel should drive those speakers pretty good.
I'm all tube, Audio research SP8 preamp. What are you going to use for a preamp?
It's one of the reasons I suggested the Musical Paradise MP-301 MKIII amp, you can drive it directly from a CD player or phono preamp. It has a built in volume control. I think they are around 339.00 plus shipping. Check out the reviews. About 8 watts with the 6L6 tubes, SE.

BillWojo

[Phil-G]

Bruce's 'Bruiser' kit seems an affordable option - but is it single ended?

Transcendent Sound Products

I've built one of his kits, it works and is dead quiet IME

i didn't see any prices. I guess "If you have to ask, you can't afford it"

[Twodawgz]

I recently built Bruce Rozenblitz' Transcendent Sound Mini Beast from a kit for my 604e's, and the result is the clarity across the frequency spectrum is stunning. But the most noticeable difference is the definition I hear in the stereo separation. Plus, the amp is dead quiet. Fadeouts fade to absolutely no sound at all. The Mini Beast is a 4wpc otl (output transformerless) SET. Rozenblitz, who has written numerous electronics books, touts going the otl route for the quietest amp.

I had bought my 604e's new in 1976 or 1977 when Altec put out a reissue of 100 units. I had heard about the reissue and tracked down a pair. I then built cabinets for them. Over the years I have had several different amps powering them, and have used passive and active crossovers. First I had McIntosh MC60s and most recently for about a decade I was using a Marchand Electronics XM26 tube model active crossover with a McIntosh MC225 tube amp on the top and an SS Cary CA-1 on the bottom. However about a year ago the crossover started cutting out regularly in one channel and I sent it across the country to Marchand for repair. After it came back it worked for a while and started doing it again. Eventually some component soldered to one of the channels' card started throwing sparks (which I only noticed because I had the lights off in the room). It was at this point that I decided to go back to a passive crossover and to build an SET amp, about which I had heard so much over the years. I decided to build the Mini Beast.

Next I researched passive crossovers, but because of the 604e's vintage, I couldn't find any. But I did find several schematics from which I could build my own. So I did. The only work of this kind, soldering resistors, capacitors, etc., that I had done previously was to build a headphone amp from a kit by Bottlehead. Not that difficult if you're reasonably manually dexterous, careful, and patient. Getting good soldering connections is the most difficult part, but if you get things good and hot, there shouldn't be a problem.

So now, after 40 plus years of owning my 604e's, I am happier than ever with my latest setup powering them with an SET amp.

[oface1]

I have a pair of 825 cabs with 416's and 311-90/288Gs (all 8 ohm) that have been driven by SS amps (have sub as well). I haven't had a tube amp since 1965 so don't remember the sound and didn't have Altecs when I did. GM and others keep saying that there is nothing like the sound of a Single Ended Tube amp with Altecs. Now may be the time, as my SS amp is on the repair bench and looks like it may be terminal so I thought I might try an SE tube amp to see what I've been missing. All my local Audiophile buddies are running SS gear so I can't borrow one to hear on my speakers and the Audio Shops the have tube amps only have ones that cost as much as my first house so I'm looking for recommendations for a reasonably priced SE amp that will provide the performance that I've heard you all talking about. Not apposed to vintage, new or DIY build but would rather a plug and play. Thanks for your help.

Two quick questions, what do you mean by " reasonably priced", and what's the size of your listening room?

In my old 604's in 620A cabs and ran them with all sorts of amplification topologies. I used SS, tubes ( vintage and new) PP and SET , all with levels of enjoyment/success. And they sounded fine with some bottlehead 2A3 paramours, but don't expect the low end to be too pronounced or authoritive.

I currently, and have been using, a nice Japanese tube kit, Elekit TU-8200DX, and I can set it for UL or triode mode and roll a lot of tubes in it. It was a kit for around $700, and you can pay an extra $100 to have it assembled.

A bit of advice, don't get caught up in the " mythos" and hoopla of one topology ( especially with SETs) over another based on what you read online. It's so easy to go that rabbit hole and not be satisfied.


I suggest you try out what you can, how you can....but most importantly, I would look at your room's acoustics first before any of this.....