Huhuru ... you rock, I'm 62 and still listen to a couple old Fisher tube receivers...60's were the days..
Are all Tube lovers rich and/or old?
- Thread starter bastek
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what's old, what's rich?
We need to define our terms. What do we consider old? What's rich?
I do know that I'm at an age that I would have considered old in the past but I don't really feel old now.
I bought a lot of the tube equipment that I own between 5-15 years ago. I lived in the NY area and there was a lot of older tube equipment for reasonable prices back in those days. I got some nice Fisher and Scott integrated amps for around $100 each.
These days, I live in the SF Bay area and you can still find nice tube equipment on Craigslist but it's more expensive. The locals are quite tech savvy and buy up equipment from garage sales, fix them up and sell them for a premium. Perhaps it's the geography - everything seems to cost more in California than it did in NY. But salaries are also higher out here, so it works out. I agree with others who said that geography makes a big difference in salaries and what one can afford.
---Gary
We need to define our terms. What do we consider old? What's rich?
I do know that I'm at an age that I would have considered old in the past but I don't really feel old now.
I bought a lot of the tube equipment that I own between 5-15 years ago. I lived in the NY area and there was a lot of older tube equipment for reasonable prices back in those days. I got some nice Fisher and Scott integrated amps for around $100 each.
These days, I live in the SF Bay area and you can still find nice tube equipment on Craigslist but it's more expensive. The locals are quite tech savvy and buy up equipment from garage sales, fix them up and sell them for a premium. Perhaps it's the geography - everything seems to cost more in California than it did in NY. But salaries are also higher out here, so it works out. I agree with others who said that geography makes a big difference in salaries and what one can afford.
---Gary
Old and rich? Hardly. I'm sure not rich and I've been running tubes since my early 30's after a hiatus since my teens. SS can be great, but the sound of good tube gear is just something special. You do not have to spend a lot of money to have good tube sound, not at all.
http://www.samsung.com/us/2012-vacuum-tube-amplifier/
Think this proves that tubes are mainstream now......
Heard this thing at Best Buy, it really kinda sucked....
Think this proves that tubes are mainstream now......
Heard this thing at Best Buy, it really kinda sucked....
hammondcrazy
Well-Known Member
I am broke as shit and you knowwhat!!!! I LOVE TUBES and enjoy them. again I think that tubes will make a comeback as vinyl has.
olds442111
watching the reels
Agreed with above
www.records
Quality over Quantity
Got out of tubes in the early 80's , dont miss it and never looked back , ....
Well, I guess that leaves more for the rest of us.
I'm 42 and look at this differently. The expense isn't the tubes, great sound isn't from expensive tubes, its all about the iron. Take the iron from a $40k tube amp and anyone can build an amp with that iron that sounds as good for a few hundred bucks.
It bugs me how poorly tube amps actually "measure", but with audio I think the science just isn't there, it involves measuring perception its much more complicated the eyesight/video.
One thing I notice reading this thread is the only technical argument given in favor of tubes is the triode is more linear than a transistor yet nearly every post is about loving the sound of a pentode p-p:scratch2:
Its the iron on the output that makes tube amps sound so good. They cut the crud out and make music.
And unless you are lucky and find an old classic amp in need of repair you will spend big bucks to get a modern amp with iron that sounds as good as the golden age. But buying iron is almost an investment as you all discover, unlike tubes the iron last for ever.
It bugs me how poorly tube amps actually "measure", but with audio I think the science just isn't there, it involves measuring perception its much more complicated the eyesight/video.
One thing I notice reading this thread is the only technical argument given in favor of tubes is the triode is more linear than a transistor yet nearly every post is about loving the sound of a pentode p-p:scratch2:
Its the iron on the output that makes tube amps sound so good. They cut the crud out and make music.
And unless you are lucky and find an old classic amp in need of repair you will spend big bucks to get a modern amp with iron that sounds as good as the golden age. But buying iron is almost an investment as you all discover, unlike tubes the iron last for ever.
Flyquail56
Active Member
Just clicked on your link; "The downfiring woofer underneath the dock enhances every detail with deep, rich base lines." If their engineers are no better than their copywriters, then I'll bet it really did kinda suck!
poconoman
Active Member
I'm fairly a noobie. My first real all tube amp is and I still have it, a Mesa 2:90. The power and above all, the sound convinced me that tube power and sound is the way to go. That amp inspired me to look into my hifi gear. I had for years SS amps. Took the plunge on a Yaqin MC-10L and I love it. Tube rolling too. Currently have NOS Sylvania EL34 Big Bottle and they sound way better than the stock tubes. EH 6AC7 sound very good too, but the Sylvania is better.
jaymanaa
RIP 1961-2018
Good post, I've got amps that will prove it's exactly right and some that will make you wonder. To really get close to nirvana, you need the iron, the circuit, and the tubes. Only one is free.
31 here, and living on an engineer's salary. Not rich by any means. You can get into some great vintage tube stuff for under $500, and do even better if you're willing to restore something yourself. I don't necessarily dislike the sound of a good SS amp, but given the choice, I will always go for the tubes.
Sorry, you will have to treat me as a complete moron here, what is the "iron" that you talk of? I have never heard the word used in HiFi things before. My only guess is that your on about transformers?? You have me intrigued and thinking all I need to do is strap some old scrap to my amp and the sound quality will go through the roof
:scratch2:Oh, and I am 49, not rich and got my first tube amp this year and will never look back!
kevco
Member
I'm 41 and dirt ass poor. I work 60 hours/week to be able to pay my mortgage, car payment and associated bullsh*it. I own 4 tube amps, and all are functional and sound great and different in their own way. I also own a Marantz 2275. I do as much recap type work on all of them that I have time and skill to do. I'd consider my only hobby to be tube amp stereo related and record collecting. I will continue to avidly follow this hobby and am looking toward transmission triodes. What else am I gonna do, eat?
IMO It's the whole thing, circuit design, layout and parts choice...............the transformers are just parts among a number.
Of course better iron is going to be a better base to build on, but as long as the output transformers are not shit-house and have a reasonable bandwidth and build quality, you can built a sublime sounding amp.
Just my view
Also this is lucky for me, as I'm poor as a church mouse.
a.wayne
Active Member
Well, I guess that leaves more for the rest of us.
You bet , nothing like buying 16, 6LQ6 output tubes when doing a retube....
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