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Need some suggestions for a Preamp
- Thread starter Big Jim 007
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Big Jim 007
Certified Bottlehead
Well today came and it really was "Good Friday"! The Marantz 9's only needed to have a octet of Mullards Biased in...and the Marantz 9's make so easy to do that it's almost criminal.
The McIntosh preamp/tuner was just completely serviced and it too was basically plug and play.
All I can say is holy shiit!!!! It was a big cashectomy to pull this system together and it exceeded my expectations in every aspect.
The protagonist were telling me that the bass would still be light and disappointing as Magnepan 1.6's need more zip to zap them. Well that was pure bandini...but understand I'm running with a pair of decent subs and while it was good before, it was amazing today. Tight/fast/deep and hit as low as called for. Moreover, the integration between the maggies and subs became even more transparent.
The disappointing thing pre Marantz/McIntosh with the Maggies was there was a little valley in the mid bass that completely disappeared.
The mids and highs pre Marantz/McIntosh were really, really good and couldn't imagine them getting any better, but they did. They became more spatial and the micro/macro detail was greatly improved. Another sore spot with the maggies was how small the listeners sweet spot was, well that too is no longer a real issue as the soundstage gained more depth and the instrument/vocals became more separated and that too increased the size of the soundstage.
It's a bit unnerving spending large, but in the end it was well worth it and I know that I may have the system that will keep in tonal nirvana for many years to come.
Crooner, I would personally like to state how much of gentleman you are and can not thank you enough for the PDF of the MX-110 Manual!
The McIntosh preamp/tuner was just completely serviced and it too was basically plug and play.
All I can say is holy shiit!!!! It was a big cashectomy to pull this system together and it exceeded my expectations in every aspect.
The protagonist were telling me that the bass would still be light and disappointing as Magnepan 1.6's need more zip to zap them. Well that was pure bandini...but understand I'm running with a pair of decent subs and while it was good before, it was amazing today. Tight/fast/deep and hit as low as called for. Moreover, the integration between the maggies and subs became even more transparent.
The disappointing thing pre Marantz/McIntosh with the Maggies was there was a little valley in the mid bass that completely disappeared.
The mids and highs pre Marantz/McIntosh were really, really good and couldn't imagine them getting any better, but they did. They became more spatial and the micro/macro detail was greatly improved. Another sore spot with the maggies was how small the listeners sweet spot was, well that too is no longer a real issue as the soundstage gained more depth and the instrument/vocals became more separated and that too increased the size of the soundstage.
It's a bit unnerving spending large, but in the end it was well worth it and I know that I may have the system that will keep in tonal nirvana for many years to come.
Crooner, I would personally like to state how much of gentleman you are and can not thank you enough for the PDF of the MX-110 Manual!
crooner
Tube Marantzed
Hi Jim,
You are most welcome.
And enjoy your Good Friday with those mighty classic audio pieces! :thmbsp:
You are most welcome.
And enjoy your Good Friday with those mighty classic audio pieces! :thmbsp:
Big Jim 007
Certified Bottlehead
oh forgot to mention...now that you have the gear, why not give us some eye candy?
:worthless
I will try to post some pictures tomorrow....
Big Jim 007
Certified Bottlehead
Okay, here's some pictures....
Here's some pictures....
oh forgot to mention...now that you have the gear, why not give us some eye candy?
:worthless
Here's some pictures....
Attachments
Big Jim 007
Certified Bottlehead
Crooner:
You may know the answer (anybody can answer if they know the answer). What are the preamp tubes for the Aux? Are they the 12AX7's or the ECC82's? When it was serviced the original ECC83/12AX7 Telefunken's got pulled in favor of newer EI's...one of the 12AU7/ECC82's is still a Telefunken...
There are Three 12AX7's in it and I would like to roll in better ones and wanted to know which is dedicated for the Aux channel(s) or do I need to roll all three 12AX7's or is it the 12AU7/ECC82's...heck I will roll all of them at some point, but without rambling on too much longer...which are for the Aux?
You may know the answer (anybody can answer if they know the answer). What are the preamp tubes for the Aux? Are they the 12AX7's or the ECC82's? When it was serviced the original ECC83/12AX7 Telefunken's got pulled in favor of newer EI's...one of the 12AU7/ECC82's is still a Telefunken...
There are Three 12AX7's in it and I would like to roll in better ones and wanted to know which is dedicated for the Aux channel(s) or do I need to roll all three 12AX7's or is it the 12AU7/ECC82's...heck I will roll all of them at some point, but without rambling on too much longer...which are for the Aux?
Big Jim 007
Certified Bottlehead
Interesting....
PakProtector
AK member
hey-Hey!!!,
I've been following this one for a bit, and my first and continual thought on pre's has been to acquire separates. Something like a directly heated triode, perhaps type 26 or 10Y for the linestage with a dedicated phono stage.
cheers,
Douglas
I've been following this one for a bit, and my first and continual thought on pre's has been to acquire separates. Something like a directly heated triode, perhaps type 26 or 10Y for the linestage with a dedicated phono stage.
cheers,
Douglas
Big Jim 007
Certified Bottlehead
From what I can gather the line stage is indeed 6U8's and the chiva is Telefunken or early Amperex's...I will need to check what's in her tomorrow.
I have three Telefunken ECC83's that I will drop in tomorrow and if need be go after some 6U8's. The darn thing sounds great right now, but I can only imagine how much better it will after rolling in better tubes and when the new caps get some burn in hours (as well as the tubes).
I'm still pinching myself as this was a big deal for me!
I have three Telefunken ECC83's that I will drop in tomorrow and if need be go after some 6U8's. The darn thing sounds great right now, but I can only imagine how much better it will after rolling in better tubes and when the new caps get some burn in hours (as well as the tubes).
I'm still pinching myself as this was a big deal for me!
tubino
A guy with too many tubes
Troublemaker.
Although microphonics seem more of a problem with the big ol' tubes, I hear enough benefits to warrant them. If noise is a big problem, I think you get the most of both worlds with large tubes that aren't directly heated. Even the lowly 6SN7 can sound DARN GOOD in a well-designed preamp. Some days I regret parting with the Ampex 350 decks I had...
One of these days I'll try to build a linestage around autoformer volume control, so that impedance matching is never a problem with it.
OH -- I had an MX-110 for a short while -- GREAT VINTAGE PIECE!
PakProtector
AK member
Troublemaker.
Although microphonics seem more of a problem with the big ol' tubes, I hear enough benefits to warrant them. If noise is a big problem, I think you get the most of both worlds with large tubes that aren't directly heated. Even the lowly 6SN7 can sound DARN GOOD in a well-designed preamp. Some days I regret parting with the Ampex 350 decks I had...
One of these days I'll try to build a linestage around autoformer volume control, so that impedance matching is never a problem with it.
OH -- I had an MX-110 for a short while -- GREAT VINTAGE PIECE!
hey-Hey!!!,
The 6SN7 can indeed be built into an excellent linestage. I have done it a few times. I have still preferred the 12B4. Still, the older power triodes are quite nice. I am playing with filament supply design, somethng like 100kHz should take care of any filament noise....
I don't think the autoformer is the way to go, low-value resistive feeding an active stage has sounded better to me wen I've compared them.
cheers,
Douglas
Big Jim 007
Certified Bottlehead
Okay, I couldn't resist and peeked last night and I have the original Tele 6U8's in her and they tested strong on my Eico 667. There is absolutely no microphonics and the black-noise is dead quiet.
I will be rolling in the 3 Tele ECC83's today...these are low hour burned in and I should be good to go for many years.
Bob McIntosh sure knew a little bit about this stuff I guess!!!! I wonder if Sol (Marantz) and Bob ever met each other enough to have a good conversation or two....it would have been an interesting conversation to say the least.
I will be rolling in the 3 Tele ECC83's today...these are low hour burned in and I should be good to go for many years.
Bob McIntosh sure knew a little bit about this stuff I guess!!!! I wonder if Sol (Marantz) and Bob ever met each other enough to have a good conversation or two....it would have been an interesting conversation to say the least.
Big Jim 007
Certified Bottlehead
Today will be a fun Easter as I will be rolling some tubes in the MX-110.
I will need to get a backup pair of the Tele 6U8's at some point, but I'm doing just fine with the 12AX7's!
I think I will be going with a pair of British Made Amperex's that are a little sweeter in the mids than Telefunken's and the third in the 12AX7 lineup a Ribbed Telefunken.
The backup sets will be a trio of Mullards and I also have some good USA made GE's, RCA's Phillips, etc that are ready and willing if the call arises! :thmbsp:
I will need to get a backup pair of the Tele 6U8's at some point, but I'm doing just fine with the 12AX7's!
I think I will be going with a pair of British Made Amperex's that are a little sweeter in the mids than Telefunken's and the third in the 12AX7 lineup a Ribbed Telefunken.
The backup sets will be a trio of Mullards and I also have some good USA made GE's, RCA's Phillips, etc that are ready and willing if the call arises! :thmbsp:
Attachments
tubino
A guy with too many tubes
You lost me there. Why not a cathode follower to the autoformer to cathode follower and/or gain stage? Why not the best of both, lose the resistance?
I think we're on the wrong thread, BTW.
Big Jim 007
Certified Bottlehead
Pak and Tubino:
It ain't broke so why fix it? Meaning, the MX-110 sounds wonderful and isn't broke!!! I just bought some NOS Siemens 6U8's that once they arrive will be given a roll.
Next will be to see what's out there as far as the driver tubes in the Marantz 9's!
It ain't broke so why fix it? Meaning, the MX-110 sounds wonderful and isn't broke!!! I just bought some NOS Siemens 6U8's that once they arrive will be given a roll.
Next will be to see what's out there as far as the driver tubes in the Marantz 9's!
tubino
A guy with too many tubes
That's what I meant about this being the wrong thread to pontificate on DIY ways to get a little more performance. As a finished product for putting in your system to listen to, vintage gear means even less to Pak than to me, I'm guessing. I enjoy it and appreciate it, but I'm never completely satisfied with it for a main system.
But I did enjoy my MX-110 when I had it.