New to Tubes - Looking for Amp to Start With

[Rossmosis]

I too am eyeballing the Psvane TS66 EL34 integrated amp, does anyone actually own one? I hear a lot of mixed reviews and quality issues with Chinese stuff, it's always hard to take a jump without hearing one. I'm a guitar player and love tube sound so I just basically wanna hear this lil guy will knock the socks off my current solid state receiver.

 

[ictwoody]

I too am eyeballing the Psvane TS66 EL34 integrated amp, does anyone actually own one? I hear a lot of mixed reviews and quality issues with Chinese stuff, it's always hard to take a jump without hearing one. I'm a guitar player and love tube sound so I just basically wanna hear this lil guy will knock the socks off my current solid state receiver.

For the money I don't think you'll be able to beat it. I have a Shuguang S8MK which is basically that amps bigger brother and I love it. The Shugaung/Psvane line have good reps, and if Grant Fidelity chose to sell it then its at least very respectable.

The nice thing about at amp is you can roll tubes etc... And since all the tubes in that amp are common you can upgrade the amp later if you feel it necessary and roll your tube investments into a higher end EL34 amp with point to point wiring etc...

- Woody

 

[goldleaf]

Rossmosis,
Having done a little test listening, my experience is that SS amps and tube amps are different animals, suited to different solutions. To get rock music to sound good on tubes seems to be prohibitively expensive. Therefore, if you try to compare a low watt tube design with your current ss receiver you may be disappointed.

So, one need to ask oneself, how big a room and what kind of program material unless money is no object.

 

[Shadowdog]

Output transformers make the sonic quality of a tube amp so if you want a quality new SE or SET or even PP try diy. You can get some top quality transformers made in the USA or Canada depending on your budget.

Also parts and service is not a problem then!

The Edcor's are said to be a great bang for the $ along with some Hammonds. The custom winders build the higher quality ones sonically. There is a page @diyaudio.com of transformer winders.

Check out Motorola Enngineer George Anderson of tubelab.com for his affordable PCB boards for SE , SET or an EL84/6BQ5 PP amp. A kit of parts is also available to populate the PP amp board. Lot's of help over at diyaudio and his form page there.

The Dynaco ST-35 clones can be another nice option and can be built from kit form. Check out diytube.com for more info. You can also get a plentiful SCA/35 amp and rebuild it .

Some think the EL84 PP amp with really good OPT's run in UL mode can better a SET or SE amp.

If you build or rebuild an EL84 PP amp it's worth adding Dave Gillespie's EFB mod for the bias for Output Tube life, Sonics, and 2-3 watts/per/Channel!

Randy

 

[Rossmosis]

I listen to mostly rock n roll on vinyl through a pair of Dynaco D-20XL's (sometimes Pioneer A. Jones bookshelfs) in a room that's about 11'x14'. I'm kinda new to tube stereo equipment but am pretty knowledgeable about tubes from my vintage guitar amps. I'd probably mess around with installing some NOS EL34's & 12AX7's or maybe some JJ's. I have an ear for a fat warm sound and I've never really been satisfied with my current stereo setup. The only time I've heard an amazing sound from a record player was from some portable tube amp from the 30's this guy was playing old 45's through. I like my guitar amps simple with minimal EQ so I'd like to think that transfers to the stereo world. Thanks for the input!