2. amps-preamps
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HELP ... Need Advice/Recommendations on Tube Amp

Hi, all. So, the upgrade bug is calling, and most you likely know how annoying that can be. For years I have been using a tube preamp (BAT VK-3i) and a SS power amp (Musical Fidelity A300cr @ 225 wpc). Since I  bought new speakers a little less than a year ago (JA Pulsars), I was wondering whether a tube power amp  might produce even better sound than I'm getting currently. 

I've been looking at the Carver Crimson 275 (75 wpc) and the Rogue Stereo 100 (100 wpc). The Carver looks really interesting ... the Rogue does as well, but it requires manual biasing. I know the jury is still out on manual versus auto biasing, so I'm not sure which way to go on that issue. Anyway, I have never owned a tube power amp before and can't audition most products due to my current location. Any thoughts on the above or recommendations for other tube amps would be much appreciated. Thanks.
rlb61
cymbop
315 posts
 
Don't be scared of manual bias.  If you can set the time on your watch, you can bias your amp.  :-)

That Carver really interests me, too.  A really novel implementation that allows tubes to run cool enough to touch, and supposedly they last 5 years.


yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,703 posts
 
Manual biasing should not be a big deal when you are looking to purchase a tube amp. I have Quicksilver amps and in the ten years that I’ve owned them I only had to bias them is when I replaced the tubes. You might take a look at Quicksilver they are point to point wired and built like tanks!
http://quicksilveraudio.com/amplifiers/
smrex13
645 posts
 
Keep in mind that the Pulsar has an efficiency of only 83.5db. The load is not particularly demanding, so a tube amp would work ok. However, you may have limitations in ultimate volume level, especially when compared to your 200+ wpc solid state amp.
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