NEED ME SOME TUBES

[OconeeOrange]

I have no tubes now.   
I had tubes before most here were born as that was all there was.  There was a time you could buy replacement tubes at the Drug Store or Gas Station.

I have been reading up for a few months, and saw this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150592829991&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

What do yall think?
Try not to be too harsh as I am most likely going to buy this no mater what you say if I can talk the guy down a hundred.
Try not to tell me what to buy, just tell what you think of this.
I will be running it from my Rega TT to Carver Amps and on to Polk speakers.
Also I have a 400 CD player in that system I like to play on shuffle.   

I like the idea of MADE IN AMERICAfor a change.   

[wkhanna]

IMHO there are too many tried and true proven tube pre’s out there for that kind of $.
Never heard of this one.
JMHO YMMV

Chears!

PS: if it turns out you don't like it, it may be hard to resale being an off brand.

[Kingman]

Bill...I don't know a darn thing about that amp...give Zoothorn a buzz and he will give you the scoop on tubes...he sure has some nifty little tube amps. 

[tinpan]

OO, I don't know anything about that pre-amp. That being said, I will say there is a lot of junk out there and just because it has tubes in it doesn't mean it's going to sound good.

I believe Tom has a C-19 instock that looks very nice and clean  http://www.vintagehifipgh.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=45_47&products_id=433&zenid=mnj1j495jjd4u105p5ssj57kq3

I've been looking at it very closely and almost pulled the trigger on it and the Silver 9ts that were on ebay.
It was a test of wills.

I haven't heard this pre-amp but the specs in it are nice it and comes with a  MM and MC phono stage if I am reading it correctly. Plus, you can still shop for a Sunfire Classic Tube Pre amp, which is what I think you will ultimately want.

If you get a Sunfire pre and decide to sell the Carver Pre, you will get all of your money back. You won't with the Aric Audio.

Then when you sell the C-19 we can talk about hooking you up with an SET set up

[Zoot Horn]

For that kind of money,I'd get something in the "used" market-- alot more bang/buck,, such as the C-19,, Audible Illusions,,Eastern Electric(I have one modded by Tom Tutay) and it is that good,,,C-J,, Wright Audio,,Belles 20 or 21a's,,to name a few--good luck in your search.

[OconeeOrange]

Yea, this post is not working ---   ;


I have tried to get a Sunfire for a year now, and something always goes wrong.  Most don't have a phono in.  I am still open for that, but OCCD guys keep those at a high price.
Brian T almost got me one last week, but no luck.  My search on that goes on.  

I was just hoping some here who understand electronics might post about the components he is using.  This guy has an excellent track record.  I am going to buy this.  He has a good rep and a return policy.  I see no downside on trying his stuff.

Like KingMan, have never sold any of my junk, so that is not a problem.  (gave some away)

[OconeeOrange]

I am not an audiophle.
I don't even know what that means, but I suspect my many years of firing cannons in the Army and working security at Rock concerts has taken that ability from me.
I do enjoy my music though.

To that end, I enjoy knowing it is playing over eqquipment I admire.
That is why all my systems revolve around Bob Carver.
I admire Bob Carver.

Tubes are just another way to play with audio.  It is hard to believe how popular they have become years after digital took the stage from analog.
Actually, I believe that is why as people want a choice when they play thier tunes.  Make no mistake, tubes are not as precise as solid state.  Is it more pleasing to the ear?? 
I don't know.  I do know I have a lot of LPs (analog) and they sound great with solid state.
No harm in also playing them with a couple tubes in the mix.

Might as well have a little of both ---

[Zoot Horn]

The parts the guy is using appears to be very good,AN,eyc .PTP wiring--go for it,,if he does not have syergy with your gear-- send it back--no brainer.

[OCCD]

The C-19 is gonna have mods out the ass.

[wkhanna]

All good points, Zoot.

Based on all that Bill has said about his system and philosophy, I think he is the perfect candidate for the C-19. But I am a bit biased.

[wkhanna]

Tom posted while I was writing. He just Sprinkled the Fairy dust on my C-19 & it is now the best pre I have ever had in my system.

Not only that, but considering that you get a phono pre that will accommodate  MM & MC carts that is a hands down giant killer..........

What I am hearing after two days with my resurrected C-19, It may be the best pre I have ever heard.

[Zoot Horn]

All good points, Zoot.

Based on all that Bill has said about his system and philosophy, I think he is the perfect candidate for the C-19. But I am a bit biased.

If these guys say that it sounds good,,thats good enough for me,, and very few pre amps have/give you the kind of performance of an outboard phono pre,,unless you pay big $$$$ for them,,with that said,,Bob tweaked the phono board for Brians pre=magic--I'm sure that he could work his magic with the board in the C-19,,, just pointing out that there are many options here,trying to help OO get the biggest bang/performance/buck.But you gotta start somewhere,,be sure to set aside some monies for tubes,,,once you get started,it's a deep dark rabbit nole.

[OCCD]

George,

Send up your C-19 for a makeover. You will be astonished! We are going to be offering that service in the website.

[tinpan]

Try not to tell me what to buy, just tell what you think of this.
I will be running it from my Rega TT to Carver Amps and on to Polk speakers.

Knowing that you plan on using this new tube preamp for your turntable, I don't think you will be happy with this solution. Maybe you will, maybe you won't. I just don't see it. Let me explain why with my limited tube experience.


Here is a Shuguang KT 88 tube amp I got for my dad. I also got him a pair or Snell J type speakers.

On the surface of it, it has a lot going for it. Shuguang tubes are very nice, KT 88's again killer tubes, Snell speakers. Granted I only paid $450 for this amp and the speakers were only $150 bucks. The speakers are actually very nice.

So, what did I get for my money? It plays, it can play loud, it's clean, It looks way cool, but, it doesn't give me that tube magic. It sounds just like any other amp out there. There are no discerning features to it. Plus it has a very slight clicking sound I have to figure out what that is.


Here is my Audio Note L3 pre-amp. it cost a boat load, more than I wanted to spend. The sound is to die for. I also have a AN tube DAC and AN tube phono stage plus the AN Interstage Mono Blocks. Tube tubes used in this thing are pretty basic tubes, the transformers, silver wiring, Black gate caps and Tantelum resistors all combine to make this a very efficient system tweaked for hi efficiency speakers.
Probably wouldn't work well in your set up but if I ever get around to tube rolling I have lots of options. I can roll the pre-amp, the DAC, the phono stage or the amps.


This is what you really want. This is just the phono stage for a Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Pre-amp. See how nice it looks 


You can roll tubes in the line stage section on the Pre-amp, plus you can roll tubes in the phono section. Many different combinations covered by Wills post on Carver Audio.
Granted I spent $1,400 on this pre-amp and had to wait to find the phono stage, I think this preamp is well under priced for what it offers, even at $1,500 bucks.


Here is the inside of the C-19. I haven't heard this one but I would bet it offers performance similar to the Sunfire. I'll let someone that has one discuss the mods or tube rolling options for it.

I have listened to a fair amount of tube pre-amps and tube amps. I am very picky about what I like in this area. I have listened to a bunch that really don't sound special or have any discerning features about them. I really scratch my head when i see a room full of people all nodding their heads about a wonderful tube pre-amp or amp when I can't hear a difference. It finally dawned on me I actually have a little more experience than I give myself credit for.

Just as I will tell you that my AN set up is wonderful. It was expensive. It took me a long time to save up the scratch for that set up.

The other set up that I have that is like that is the Sunfire 600 x 2 Amp and the Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Pre-amp. You can get both items for under $ 3,000 and it is a hot set up. You already have the amp.

I can sit in my chair and feel the projection and imaging from both of these systems at low volume as if the music is going through me.

The other dream set up I would like would be the C-19 with either the Silver 9ts amps or Sunfire 600 x 2.

I think it would be fair to say I am more in the 300b SET camp than anything. That is where my music passion lies. I would say I am moderate in the Carver camp. I assembled the Sunfire set up because I got the amp for $600 bucks and it was too good to pass up. I ordered a Rythmik Audio Sub for my AN Kit one amp. For some odd reason it ended up on the Sunfire set up when the Sunfire tube pre showed up and hasn't left. I was very surprised how nice this system sounds and am now trying to figure out where to squeeze it in.

I don't know anything about the pre you are looking at. It may turn out to be fantastic sounding. I'm just saying I know how sweet the Sunfire Classic Tube Pre-amp sounds with your amp and I think the odds are in your favor with the C-19.

[Zoot Horn]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^well said^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  a little synergy goes along way.