7.62
Infinity nutcase.
https://tenoctaveaudio.com/wp/
This is what I’ve been eyeing.
This is what I’ve been eyeing.
Adding tube buffer to my system?
- Thread starter 7.62
- Start date
Dr. Ears
Super Member
The FX Audio 01 is a best buy in new tubed gear and I thank you for the introduction.
The pair of 6AK5/EF-95 tubes sound better than several of the 12AU7 + 12AU7 driving 12AX7 + 12AX7 preamps I have heard.
I started with a Grant Fidelity tube buffer for a while (circa 2012) Seemed a bit of a contrivance and I moved on to a Jolida integrated amp, replaced that with a more powerful Jolida integrated,
and did that again, twice, until I now have a Jolida JD502CRC integrated amp (60-85w/ch) that can be run as strictly a power amp, with a nice audiophile Acurus preamp in front.
If the buffer is inexpensive, it can be educational to help you figure if tube sound characteristics are something you like - but - expect it to be a trial only - and, if you like it, you'll want to upgrade your Mac gear to tube versions later on, or at least something comparable.
and did that again, twice, until I now have a Jolida JD502CRC integrated amp (60-85w/ch) that can be run as strictly a power amp, with a nice audiophile Acurus preamp in front.
If the buffer is inexpensive, it can be educational to help you figure if tube sound characteristics are something you like - but - expect it to be a trial only - and, if you like it, you'll want to upgrade your Mac gear to tube versions later on, or at least something comparable.
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I use the FX Audio 6j1 with GE tubes and am very satisfied with the sound.
Any stage incorporated in a chain will degrade sound quality. Maybe less then noticeable but it will never improve or restore the natural sound, in worst case it will color the sound.
It all boils down to "do i want the sound as in real life" or do i want to add sugar.
It all boils down to "do i want the sound as in real life" or do i want to add sugar.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
I've owned a number of far more expensive tube preamps over the years but none more versatle than the $31 FX-Audio Tube-01. Except for not having tone controls it's probably very close to the one under discussion which is incorrectly called a buffer. The thread on the FX preamp has been active for several years and doesn't seem to be losing any traction so check it out. I can't tell you how many folks have thanked me for discovering the FX preamp and bringing it to their attention. In this picture it's driving a SET amp which powers MLTL Lowthers. I also use it with a Volt+D which measures very well at ASR. I haven't heard an amp yet that didn't benefit from the FX's tube goodness.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
Love the little preamp's flexibility. With a pair of Y cables from its output it easily drives both the Volt+D and subwoofer without breaking a sweat.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
I enjoyed the FX preamp so much that I bought a second one for the porch system.
Dr. Ears
Super Member
I totally agree, love the Philips EF-95's, made in Holland.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
I sure would like to hear your open baffle stuff Poultrygeist, I’m sure I’d be amazed.
You can get a rough idea how OB's sound from youtube. But some are recorded a lot better than others. My first OBs used these inexpensive Betsy drivers and anyone could build this design. Steve at Decware did this video which doesn't do them justice.
Big-L
Member
I agree....that's how I started a few years back. With a Yaqin tube buffer,after that it's been tube gear and wount go back.
asilker
Super Member
I was wrong earlier, my Fosi desktop amp did not have DC on the pot. I pulled it apart tonight and replaced the potentiometer with a Bourns part sourced from Digikey. The problem was that the stock pot did not make physical contact all the way around the turn and so it would crackle in an out with tons of noise and awful channel tracking. I also replaced the electroytics with Nichicons because there were only 4 of them and I was already in there.
Also notable that the solder flux on the board was everywhere and pretty goopy.
Now it sounds great and I'm really happy with it. So as far as OP's original question goes, I still would only recommend anything from Amazon / Fosi if you are comfortable soldering PCB's and you can source parts from Mouser or Digikey. Otherwise you roll the dice to see if they even put in a functional volume control.
Also notable that the solder flux on the board was everywhere and pretty goopy.
Now it sounds great and I'm really happy with it. So as far as OP's original question goes, I still would only recommend anything from Amazon / Fosi if you are comfortable soldering PCB's and you can source parts from Mouser or Digikey. Otherwise you roll the dice to see if they even put in a functional volume control.
Poultrygeist
Lunatic Member
One thing I appreciate about the FX Audio Tube -01 volume control is it's quality feel and nice detent. Once you start modding these cheap built-to-a-price-point Chinese preamps you quickly reach the point of diminishing returns as one mod usually leads to another. You can easily spend more on a couple of caps or a potentiometer than the price of the preamp. I've often found the allure to be as much in the fun of modding as in the end result.
John Talbot
Member
Sorry but I have to question and challenge what you said above in your post...as the old minimal shortest signal path and degradation chestnut makes me laugh ....As does the notion of listening to. The real thing.
As NO recording process, or system can ever accurately reproduce live or real music, as its compromised from the start by the processes that try to capture it!
So the real game of hifi is simply a personal adventure and quest to try and put together a system or systems that can play, handle and reproduce the music we like, in a way that is personably pleasing, realistic and meaningful to us and our (good or bad) hearing!
And as everything is coloured, degraded and compromised right from the recording process - from the venue's used , through to the mics, amps, FX chains, the mixers, and a whole host of electronics used (no short circuit chain there). which is then passed over to a good or questionable sound/mastering engineers... who then fiddle, diddle, tweak, colour and manipulate things further to suit their personal sonic preference and stop at a certain point and call it a wrap (to again sometimes be periodically remastered with another sound variation) . ...this "real" sound notion you have is a complete fallacy...as it's alway a none standardised approximation!
I still can't figure out why anyone but a guitar player would want a tube amp of any kind. Last real progress in tubes was made 80 years ago after all (patent date on most amplifier tubes ranges from late 20's to mid 30's I think), and I remember them as being noisy, muted, and muffled compared to solid state, and that was the stuff my Dad's friends had, all good electrical engineers and some audiophile types. Tube amps give a particular sound to guitars, and that's fine, but why no earth would you want to insert distortion, hum, and hiss to a recording?
The less degradation of the signal the better, the goal is to make it sound like what went into the microphone as far as I'm concerned.
To me it's the same thing as speakers that emulate a dead short, bad engineering being passed off as something special.
But then I've become and old grump, so believe what you wish!
The less degradation of the signal the better, the goal is to make it sound like what went into the microphone as far as I'm concerned.
To me it's the same thing as speakers that emulate a dead short, bad engineering being passed off as something special.
But then I've become and old grump, so believe what you wish!
Would make a post like this in the "Tube Audio" forum, in a thread about adding tubes to a system???
Right place, I just don't get why anyone my age would think tubes are superior. After all, solid state home audio equipment didn't exist when I was young, and stereo was rare!
Especially tube equipment without negative feedback. Neither tubes nor transistors are linear (although in different ways) to signal frequency or amplitude and without adequate negative feedback to flatten out the frequency response curve, the reproduction is going to be markedly different than the recording.
If you want your solid state equpiment to sound like a simple tube amp, add a coupling cap to the output, get an equalizer, and dial in an inverted "BBC smile". Higher harmonic distortion, rolled off bass, rolled off treble, the whole package.
Just an observation from a guy old enough to remember when everything, including car radios, was tube powered.
Especially tube equipment without negative feedback. Neither tubes nor transistors are linear (although in different ways) to signal frequency or amplitude and without adequate negative feedback to flatten out the frequency response curve, the reproduction is going to be markedly different than the recording.
If you want your solid state equpiment to sound like a simple tube amp, add a coupling cap to the output, get an equalizer, and dial in an inverted "BBC smile". Higher harmonic distortion, rolled off bass, rolled off treble, the whole package.
Just an observation from a guy old enough to remember when everything, including car radios, was tube powered.
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I have a solid state amp and a rebuilt tube amp. When there is no music playing I hear a hum from the tube amp. It is certainly there once the music starts but I lose track of it immediately. Only by walking over to one speaker and sticking my ear up to it does the hum become apparent during actual playback. I don't play loud enough to have noticeable distortion. I like the sound of the tube amp better for 50's jazz and big band and early rock. If I blast disco or techno (something I never do unless I am trying to see if the solid state amp sounds better) the solid state amp does sound better (it is about 10x the power of the tube amp).
I know some would be outraged by that hum. I am not.
I know some would be outraged by that hum. I am not.
Nothing to get, some people of all ages like solid state better, some people of all ages like tubes better, some people of all ages think a good amp is a good amp, doesn't matter if it is solid state or tube. It is all opinions (as in many areas of life), nothing to make any sense of.
