Budget Tube amp for Forte I

[Jbmorrey]

You mention the HK 430; if you're willing to stay SS, not attempting to deter your tube craving, but you could do much worse than an Advent 300 receiver used as a tuner/preamp. Specifically one worked over by @patfont. It has a very good phono section designed by Tomlinson Holman. Patfont often has one for about $300 dollars; due to availability, of course.

I had the HK 430 on my short list when I was looking for a SS receiver, but came across a deal I could not pass p on the SX950, but it's still on my list as I have read that many really like the Amp with the Forte's. I really prefer going the route of tubes though for my Forte's simply because I think ( I hope ) that the fortes will have more of a different flavor compared to Tubes than the HK 430 vs the Pioneer sx950.

I'm thinking my goal is to have a dual setup in my listening room.
1. (Insert Tube amp here) , Project Phono stage Opera Consonance Isolde turntable and Klipsch Forte speakers
2. Pioneer SX950 - Pioneer PL530 - B&W DM4

We will see how that "Plan" turns out.

James

 

[Tom Bombadil]

If you go with a power amp and want a simple 2 input switcher and volume control to go with it, look into a Schiit Sys, which sell for $49.

 

[Jbmorrey]

If you go with a power amp and want a simple 2 input switcher and volume control to go with it, look into a Schiit Sys, which sell for $49.

ok! So I would be going with a Magnavox or similar Tube Amp, RCA from there goes to the Schiit sys to control the volume. Speaker outputs on the amp go to speakers, RCA out of sys goes to phono stage and from phono stage to turntable.

I know this would cause alot of debate, but audibly, how much of a difference in sound would that above type of setup be to getting the Monoprice Pure tube to turntable and connected to speakers?

I just have read so much hype about the warm sound of tube connected to the Klipsch Heritage series of speakers like my forte's and I want to know what I am missing!! I am just so new to tubes, I don't know what alot of the lingo means. things like tube rolling and such, This is one of the more complicated ventures I have starting showing interest in!

James

 

[primosounds]

I suggest you find an audio club that has a lot tube devotees that would possibly lend you one of their amps. They are always trying to make converts so as long as you have a buddy that recommends you someone should help you out with trying some inexpensive tube equipment.
Remember tube audio is very similar to vintage cars. It takes a little bit of extra attention to keep them running right. And it doesn't hurt to have a good "mechanic" in your neighborhood.

 

[drtool]

What primosounds posted. My Maggie is rock solid. If rebuilt correctly. HaySeed hamfest can caps, or under the hood caps,etc I believe, and so far for me, rock solid and trouble free. I do like to put a small fan "computer" underneath to help with cooling. The tubes do see the sky all the time.

 

[grindfix]

If your room is not too big, you could get by with 4-5wpc single ended Magnavox amp like 8600 series described in this thread:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....ore-out-of-the-8600-series-a-lot-more.665735/
You could purchase one on ebay and mod it yourself or purchase one ready to go. I see several people here build those from scratch. I'm sure those amps come-up for sale on BT.
Most of tube sound magic is in amp/speaker interaction, so you could use your SX950 pre-out to drive any amplifier, just to see if its the route you want to explore further.

 

[grindfix]

ok! So I would be going with a Magnavox or similar Tube Amp, RCA from there goes to the Schiit sys to control the volume. Speaker outputs on the amp go to speakers, RCA out of sys goes to phono stage and from phono stage to turntable.

I know this would cause alot of debate, but audibly, how much of a difference in sound would that above type of setup be to getting the Monoprice Pure tube to turntable and connected to speakers?

I just have read so much hype about the warm sound of tube connected to the Klipsch Heritage series of speakers like my forte's and I want to know what I am missing!! I am just so new to tubes, I don't know what alot of the lingo means. things like tube rolling and such, This is one of the more complicated ventures I have starting showing interest in!

James

This tube bug is highly contagious!
Its as if someone introduced you to a cheap bottle of generic Scotch and you liked it. You are screwed because there is no limit from there!

 

[Jbmorrey]

so you could use your SX950 pre-out to drive any amplifier, just to see if its the route you want to explore further.

So I could hook up a Maggie a,p that just has a single input from. The pre-out to the Maggie, hook up speakers to Maggie and I would then have volume controls and tone controls?

James

 

[grindfix]

So I could hook up a Maggie a,p that just has a single input from. The pre-out to the Maggie, hook up speakers to Maggie and I would then have volume controls and tone controls?

James

9300 series amp is Stereo with two channel inputs just like any other Stereo power amplifier.

Edit

You will have all sound controls of your SX if you use its pre-outs.

Single ended is a type of tube amplifier circuit that uses single output tube vs. two in push-pull design.
Pre-out to Magnavox. Magnavox to speakers. Output transformers in original Magnavox amplifier are for 4ohm speakers. I’m sure Forte is 8 Ohm. So amp need to be modified and optimized for best sound/power output

 

[derekva]

If your room is not too big, you could get by with 4-5wpc single ended Magnavox amp like 8600 series described in this thread:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....ore-out-of-the-8600-series-a-lot-more.665735/
You could purchase one on ebay and mod it yourself or purchase one ready to go. I see several people here build those from scratch. I'm sure those amps come-up for sale on BT.
Most of tube sound magic is in amp/speaker interaction, so you could use your SX950 pre-out to drive any amplifier, just to see if its the route you want to explore further.

I've got a set of Heresy IIIs which are close in sensitivity to the Forte - you'll be able to get plenty loud with one of those Dave-massaged Maggie 8600 SE amps. Given that a pair of the OPTs for that amp are only $30 from AES, and you can get a suitable PSU for under $75, you could probably build one yourself for well under $300 if you are so inclined.

-D

 

[mhardy6647]

Single ended is a type of tube amplifier circuit that uses single output tube vs. two in push-pull design.

Single ended (Class A) amplifier doesn't have to be tube, nor to have only one amplifiying (output) device (tube or transistor) per channel. Single ended means that the output device (or devices) is/are biased "full on" all of the time, and each device amplifies all of the signal waveform. This is very inefficient in terms of electricity consumption -- the output devices are dissipating all of the power they can, all of the time, even if there's no signal applied to them.

In a push-pull amplifier, the devices are biased and connected such that one (or more) handles the "positive" half of the waveform, and the other one (or more) handles the "negative" half. The device(s) that is/are not actively amplifiying is/are "completely switched off" in class B. In the more common class AB bias scheme, the split's not 50/50, resulting in a slightly less efficient but potentially somewhat lower distortion amplifier. A push-pull amplifier will have an even number of output devices per channel.

 

[Poultrygeist]

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/return-of-the-original-miniwatt-set-appj.647921/