Vintage HiFi Audio Forum

Audio Discussion => TUBES TUBES TUBES => Topic started by: papabearjew on May 17, 2015, 04:48:00 PM

Title: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: papabearjew on May 17, 2015, 04:48:00 PM

I'll be test driving my first tube power amp this evening. Which one is a secret for now.  >:D  I'm thinking it might be the perfect amp for the genres I listen to most and the speakers I have.  I know I sure love the sound of my tube headphone amp.
Film at 11 (maybe not today though)

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on May 17, 2015, 06:26:48 PM

 :)

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: MacGeek on May 17, 2015, 08:54:10 PM

Seems you are having fun, PBJ

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on May 17, 2015, 09:12:42 PM

as tony montana said - '...you gotta make the money first. Then when you get the money, you get the power. Then when you get the power, then you get the..." [in your case] the Amazings to play right.


so that tube thing best be powerful.

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: papabearjew on May 17, 2015, 09:38:09 PM

Not real powerful. It's a Carver Black Magic. Man did that sucker hum until we disconnected the ground at the plug

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on May 17, 2015, 10:21:55 PM

PBJ - me thinks that amp does not have enough oomph to handle your speakers,  they are on the inefficient side.

Rev, he who disappeared from this forum,  drives the same ribbon with bi-amping, driving 305 of Carver tube amps,  and they only get really moving at the 80% throttle or so (admittedly he sis running a passive pre)

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: papabearjew on May 17, 2015, 11:03:40 PM

OBG. I agree and if I still lived in my house power would certainly be more important.  I do have a pretty large living room but I am in an apartment. Anyway at this point I'm still test driving it. I love the speakers I have but if I knew I was going to make a quick move into an apartment I might have just kept the Macs. The genres I listen to really sound awesome with ribbons though; even at low volumes.

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: Sir Thrift-a-Lot on May 18, 2015, 03:21:28 AM

I didn't realize you had given up the Macs.   I loved their uniqueness.   I'd never seen another pair besides yours (and they sounded good too).

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: MacGeek on May 18, 2015, 06:36:44 AM

Macs :)

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: bearjew on May 18, 2015, 07:02:41 AM

@OBG, even with PBJ's phase linear 400 he never exceeded 2 watts, maybe 4 when he was feeling lucky.  We decided that instead of aiming for high power, let's see what a really nice low power amp will do for him.  I think it sounds great.  Since he's still not using a lot of power, there's still tons of head room, and the amp doesn't seem to have any problem running the silvers.

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: RnR on May 18, 2015, 09:45:19 AM

I have had a lot of success using the carverfest amp.  ENJOY

Title: Re: Test driving my first tube amp
Post by: OldiesButGoodies on May 18, 2015, 10:17:38 AM

PBJ I think your Macs will be for sale at the Memorial Day Swap Meet.