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tube pre amp

C

cbn700

Active Member
I am thinking of getting a tube pre amp to run. What kind of things can I expect from running one? Will I get a better sound stage? Better seperation of the instruments? My amp is currently a musical paradise 501. Is it really worth the money??
 
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Your amp appears to be an integrated with volume control, and without the option to run as a "power amp", so I don't see the need for a "pre-amp".

jeff
 
What is the purpose? You already have tube power amp. Tube preamp won't make difference at best or results in more hum and noise at worst. All things that preamp does like tone adjustment, phono amplification are much better done using modern elecronic components.
 
Time to invest in some driver tubes to roll. What are the small tubes in your amp? If they are Chinese, get some RCAs, Sylvanias, Mullards, and/or Telefunkens, and play with those.

If you have a table, get a phono stage.
 
Jolida music envoy ( used I would look for ) it has a phono section with adjustments for ur mm/mc and remote control to !! I love mine !!
 
I talked with Gary who built the amp, and it can run as a mono amp and not use the front end. I was thinking about a pre amp and then get another 501 and run them in mono.
 
Can it also be run as a stereo main amp? If so, perhaps just try picking up a preamp and try that out for a while as most of the sonic character of a system rests with the pre.

Adding another identical amp will only gain an extra 3 dB in maximum loudness (assuming output is doubled in mono mode) therefore I'm not too sure about how much good adding another amp would accomplish.
 
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cbn700 said:
I talked with Gary who built the amp, and it can run as a mono amp and not use the front end. I was thinking about a pre amp and then get another 501 and run them in mono.
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I own a similar amp in that it is an integrated tube amp that puts out around 50 wpc. I can't thing of any reason why I would buy another one to run them as mono blocks. It kind of defeats the purpose of the amp is designed to do. It's not that I don't like mono blocks, I do and I own a pair but they are a different animal entirely. I'd save your money and invest it elsewhere down the road.

cubdog
 
cubdog said:
I can't thing of any reason why I would buy another one to run them as mono blocks. It kind of defeats the purpose of the amp is designed to do. It's not that I don't like mono blocks, I do and I own a pair but they are a different animal entirely. I'd save your money and invest it elsewhere down the road.
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+1. If your speakers and listening habits demand more power, then invest in mono-blocks.

jeff
 
cubdog said:
I own a similar amp in that it is an integrated tube amp that puts out around 50 wpc. I can't thing of any reason why I would buy another one to run them as mono blocks. It kind of defeats the purpose of the amp is designed to do. It's not that I don't like mono blocks, I do and I own a pair but they are a different animal entirely. I'd save your money and invest it elsewhere down the road.

cubdog
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All recent Chinese amps are more useful as pure power amplifiers. They lack tone adjustment, balance control and phono section. Thus use of separate preamp is VERY reasonable.
 
for_p1 said:
All recent Chinese amps are more useful as pure power amplifiers. They lack tone adjustment, balance control and phono section. Thus use of separate preamp is VERY reasonable.
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What makes you think I need or want tone or balance controls? And what does the country of manufacture have to do with anything?

"All recent Chinese amps are more useful as pure power amplifiers". Well that's just silly IMO.

cubdog
 
cubdog said:
What makes you think I need or want tone or balance controls? And what does the country of manufacture have to do with anything?

"All recent Chinese amps are more useful as pure power amplifiers". Well that's just silly IMO.

cubdog
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Most Chinese amps have variarion of the same 3-4 circuits. Nothing special there. There are few makers of amps with significantly different circuits, but they are not from China.

As to tone and balance adjustment - it is really necessary to have them. There is always either amplifier or source (like phono catrtidge) off balance 1-2 dB. And it is easy to hear. Many records REQUIRE tone adjustment too - simply because they were mastered differently. This is even more important if vinyl is the source.
 
for_p1 said:
Most Chinese amps have variarion of the same 3-4 circuits. Nothing special there. There are few makers of amps with significantly different circuits, but they are not from China.

As to tone and balance adjustment - it is really necessary to have them. There is always either amplifier or source (like phono catrtidge) off balance 1-2 dB. And it is easy to hear. Many records REQUIRE tone adjustment too - simply because they were mastered differently. This is even more important if vinyl is the source.
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I'm not going to argue with you ,I know it would be useless, but I can't tell you how much I disagree with everything you have posted. Wow! :no:

cubdog
 
for_p1 said:
Most Chinese amps have variarion of the same 3-4 circuits. Nothing special there. There are few makers of amps with significantly different circuits, but they are not from China.
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+1. They reuse the same designs over and over in new packages because they can't design for sh!t. The stuff is unsafe and unfit for human use. I won't even begin about the interstage instability issues, improper grounding schemes or the dubious clone components. I mean honestly, someone has to be in a bad way to bother to fake a 20 cent Nichicon capacitor. Some of it is so unsafe that it should be banned from export. In fact, the very methodology behind these bottom-dollar bargains is what put the economy of many now defunct companies and their jobless past employees, in their current state. I have got to see much of the low-dollar handy work, everything from cold solder joints to plain incorrect circuit design. The problem is that all-knowing audiophile doesn't want to hear the truth. Even worse are the "audiophile" tubes coming from China these days that separate music lovers from hundred of their hard earned dollars, whilst leaving them empty handed in the sound and longevity departments. In recent years, more brands have popped up, and they are charging more than American-made designs that bettered them in every department.

There is nothing to be gained by driving the Musical Paradise from yet another gain stage. In fact, the MP integrate already has a perfectly suited preamp that acts as the driver stage. This is basis of most all past tube amplifiers. Some power tubes require large voltage swings to get to their full power potential, and those swings require a dedicated voltage amp stage. This stage is normally sufficient to drive the power tube to clipping, and by adding a level input control, we now have a means to control that output. This relegate the external preamp redundant. In this collective case, the preamp only holds merit where the amplifiers are monophonic blocks, or where tone controls are a desired feature.
 
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I have the MP-501 also - a recent vintage - July of this year.
Mine has a switch in the center of the tube nest labeled Direct and Integrated.
In the Direct position, the optional set of unlabeled inputs on the rear accept the output of a preamp. The source selector and volume control on the MP-501 no longer are in the circuit.

I have used it both ways with no problem. I currently have an older Dynaco Pas-4 hooked to it. The preamp adds a phono stage and a tape loop which the 501 does not have. If want or need additional inputs, it's certainly worthwhile to look around for a preamp that fits your needs. I've run the 501 with my McIntosh preamp and that is truly a nice combination. But the McIntosh is part of my main system. so the Pas is in use now.

It doesn't have to be a tube preamp - a good ss preamp will fill the bill nicely too.

Good luck
 
First of all to the OP. I didn't understand the exact design of your amp when I posted my advice. The ability to defeat the preamp section is pretty cool. I still wouldn't use those amps as mono blocks but that's just me.

Secondly, why would anyone come to this thread, which concerns a Chinese built amplifier, although designed in Canada I believe, and crap all over Chinese amps? What is the point? If the offending posters are trying to save the audio world from Chinese made gear save your breath it's not going to happen. If not that then what's the motive? Just leave those of us who don't know better alone. We'll be fine.

cubdog
 
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