I've narrowed it down...


So my first venture into tube equipment will be an integrated amp based on the recommendations of this fine group of enthusiasts. I have narrowed the field to the Rogue Audio Tempest III, Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum, the Cayin H-80 and Cary SLI-80.

All of this is based on what I have read and what fits in my budget. The Cary is a little over but for something I think I'll have for a lifetime I'm willing to go a little over...

I will be driving B&W 602S3's until more $$$ are available for something else.

My intent is to listen to vinyl then maybe venture into CD's or digital music. Any feedback or suggestions are appreciated.

Going somewhere to listen to any of these is not an option for me, and room size is undetermined as I am in the process of moving.

Thanks.
botit
It has gotten some what off topic yet very interesting and informative,good thread IMO.
Atmasphere do DHT tubes behave differently from IDHT(Pentode) type tubes and would their response to feedback be the same? is one type more linear than the other? could that explain why some SET amps with DHT tubes can perform well without the need for feedback. Suprisingly the Yamamoto DAC I use is SS yet the builder uses zero feedback(he claims even 1 db of feedback is noticeable in the circuit).
Regards,
Unsound, The 3rd harmonic is one of the lower orders and is the only one considered musical with relation to the fundamental by the human ear. So Nelson's comment is spot-on.

When Crowhurst was writing, it was not generally understood at the time that the odd orders (above the 3rd) were the distortions that the ear finds unpleasant, although you will see Crowhurst refer to 'listener fatigue' with respect to the use of feedback. IOW he knew something was up, but some of the aspects of the human ear simply were not understood at the time.

Charles1dad, the DHTs are far more linear than tetrodes or pentodes. In fact all triode tubes (whether directly-heated or not) are quite linear, enough so that is is fairly easy to build an amplifier with them that does not need feedback. Triodes in general will generate distortion that favors the lower orders while the tetrodes and pentodes generate more distortion and also more of the higher orders and so tend to sound harsher, thus the need for feedback with them.

If you speak to almost any SET designer, they will likely tell you that the lower orders that their amps tend to make are not objectionable to the human ear, which is true. They do color the sound though- the ear hears distortion as tonality- so the lower orders contribute to the 'rich' or 'lush' sound of SETs.
Atmasphere,
I 'suspected' true triodes are more linear thus they don`t need to rely on feedback.Thanks for taking the time to explain the instrinsic differences between triode and pentodes, very educational.
Regards,
When I was listening to my Technics receiver driving my JLB L19s in college, who knew that one day Class A, Triode, OTL, No NFB would one day meaningful to me:)