How much does it cost to get into tube hi fi?

You can buy kits or start with really good PCB's for a nice affordable diy amp, which will teach you a lot. Restoring something vintage will also teach you much as you go along!

Just depends on the efficiency of your speakers & room size to determine the size of amp needed , and smaller SE & PP (like EL84 or 6V6 output tubes) can sound great for not much $ compared to the big amps!

You might try and listen to SE & PP to see the difference if you can.
 
Look around and join a local Hi-Fi club. Some members will have tubes. That is the mistake I made.:)
 
You could probably pilfer & pillage any old organs for their tube amps or keep your eyes open for any old tube consoles.
 
Not know what they sound like, I wanted to give tube audio a try. I looked up tube equipment on eBay and they seemed to run thousands of dollars per piece. Is that about what they cost?

Seems pretty costly to try tube audio. Is it even worth it or should I stick with modern equipment.

Thanks

You are right about price of tube gear in thousands. Tube amplifiers are boutique made and thus have large overheard embedded into retail price. Generally today you can expect to spend at least $1500 on new Chinese power amplifier when you expect decent sound quality from it. There are cheaper models, but they are more like DIY kits for further tuning, than ready to enjoy gear.
 
Ive thought about trying my Peavey Classic 50/50 power amp myself. Its a EL84 based power amp for guitar rack set ups. 40 -20 khz response, 50 watts a side. That would be cheap-whether or not it would sound good is another story though. Bob
 
Tube Depot has the Tube Cube for a couple hundred bucks you just need to have speakers that are at least 90 db at one watt one meter sensitivity. It's 3.5 watts per channel with one input and the one I have interferes with FM so if a tuner is a must it's a no go. It's a SET amp running 6bq5's output stage and a single 12AX7 in the pre stage. With a input selector box you can add inputs and I use a EQ to add tone control to it. Run it within it's design envelope it will sounds really good for what it is.
 
Not know what they sound like, I wanted to give tube audio a try. I looked up tube equipment on eBay and they seemed to run thousands of dollars per piece. Is that about what they cost?

Seems pretty costly to try tube audio. Is it even worth it or should I stick with modern equipment.

Thanks

Keep your eyes open for an old stereo console with a tube amp, for sale in your area. Many times people will give them away - or even pay you to haul it!

The amps in many of these consoles are excellent. It's how I got into tube gear.

Good luck!
 
Getting into it can be very inexpensive.Staying in it can be another matter entirely;)

Why is that?

Do the tubes burn out fast? I was wondering how easy it is to get replacement tubes. Do they make modern replacement tubes at an affordable price or do you have to scrounge for vintage tubes?

I'd like something reliable and low maintenance...if there is such a thing.

Arts quote could mean something like this , i started out with this-a 500C just to try out tubes to see if i liked them and i did

20180212_075352 (800x450).jpg

and now have these among others

20171012_203405 (800x450).jpg
 
If you're curious, you'll likely fall in love with tube sound. You may be able to find an old model amp in serviceable shape, but if it has any reputation at all you'll just as likely pay top dollar for it, no less have a potentially end-of-life and unreliable unit.

I'd recommend you look into a kit or pre-assembled amp from tubes 4 hifi. They may look like the old Dynaco tube amps but the circuitry is upgraded, rock solid and dead quiet. No need to inherit someone else's problems.

I built the VTA ST120 and had a blast doing so. Customer support is top notch. Best investment in hifi for me in years.
 
I've built a number of tube integrated amps- and of those, ones that output 20-30w/ch (enough for most any decent speakers) tended to run between $600-900 or so.

If you can use 10-15 w/ch, the integrated amps I built in that power range usually ran about $450-600. You want a speaker with at least 90dB sensitivity, minimum, for that to work well.

I have built smaller ones- 4 to 5 watts per channel, single ended- those were in the $300 range. With those, you want speakers with about 94dB sensitivity or higher, to have adequate output level.

Regards,
Gordon.
 
Being patient is helpful. So is having good connections/timing. I got my 30 wpc integrated tube amp used for $450, a fraction of what it is new (antique sound lab aq-1003dt) because my friend needed to get rid of it as exposed hot tubes are not generally good for a foster care environment.

Know how much you want and need. 30 wpc seems low compared to lots of solid state amps, but honestly, I barely turn the volume past 9 o'clock with my Hsu Research bookshelf speakers (part of that is because I am in an apartment complex and my housemate works nights, but it is also because I do not need to go louder... though sometimes I do go up to 10 or 11 o'clock).
 
Arts quote could mean something like this , i started out with this-a 500C just to try out tubes to see if i liked them and i did

View attachment 1112781

and now have these among others

View attachment 1112784

You nailed it Chris!

My first exposure to music (and tubes) was my parents stereo,a Fleetwood console identical to this one.
(which is presently really tempting me,listed at a hundred buck,but too far away:rolleyes:):

vintage-fleetwood-stereo-hi-fi-console-100-eglinton-avenue-rd_8395223.jpg


Today,my equipment list reads like a who's who of killer tube gear,both vintage and modern.If I were to sell it all,and got top dollar for everything,I could put my a** into an Aston Martin.A new one.(not that it would fit,but it's nice to dream.....)

vanquish-coupe.jpg
 
Get a Dynaco ST70 (or 35 if you find one), learn to do some basic restoration and you'll be away. I've seen them on ebay (US) for $600 or less. They hold their value and the ST70 can drive pretty much any speaker.
 
Not know what they sound like, I wanted to give tube audio a try. I looked up tube equipment on eBay and they seemed to run thousands of dollars per piece. Is that about what they cost?

Seems pretty costly to try tube audio. Is it even worth it or should I stick with modern equipment.

Thanks
I bought my first junk tube console for $30. I put about 100 hours and maybe $50 into it. I used the damaged cabinet to build a smaller housing for the amp and pre . I still have it and love it although I've spent 20 times that on other tube amps. So my answer is $80.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that @weegee is most likely looking to buy tube gear, not rebuild or refurbish anything vintage. Plus, buying "old" tube gear is a huge unknown, unless the seller is someone here on AK who can be trusted who has also already gone through and taken care of any of the issues that older electronics have, or is a reputable, proven business that rebuilds and resells vintage gear. I would also think this tends to mean an integrated amp, or a receiver (in the case of vintage).

Keep an eye on the integrated amp category at sites like US Audio Mart or Audiogon for listings or HiFi Shark (although I am wary of anything listed on eBay for a tube "newbie").
 
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If you have the stomach for it, DIY is always a good way to go. I just built this simple 5 watt amp for a friend. The trannies from Edcor (new) were $150 and the 3 tubes are about $50 new (1 x 12AX7 and 2 x 6V6). Another $100 or so on miscellaneous parts.
 

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