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Tube amps and heat

I have 2 systems in play. #1 PrimaLuna Dialogue amp with a Mytek Brooklyn DAC using Tidal. # 2 BelCanto Ref 600 Mono's same Mytek and Tidal.  I like the PrimaLuna slightly better. More separation and just the right amount of bass. The Bel Canto is very close but ever so slightly missing something, maybe in clarity separation. Since I live in AZ using the PrimaLuna with 14 tubes is difficult (HEAT). Question --- Is there am amp the will give me the sound of the PrimaLuna tube and not generate as much heat, something like a hybred. Or can I put in the BelCanto system a tube pre amp/hybred and get the tube benefit on that system as well. I've been using the PrimaLuna system during the winter, however we are starting to warm up here. 90+ this weekend and I'm afraid I'll have to shut down the PrimaLuna for 6 months or so. Suggestions anyone. BTW I just tried a Aesthetix Calypso Pre with the Bel's and didn't like the sound. I could live with it, but it's not what I'm looking for.
Thanks

gary
128x128onehole149
ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
Tube amps don’t need to be on all the time. 20 minutes is more than enough time to stabilize.

Solar input for Arizona is around 8 KWh/m²/day. A 2400ft² roof is about 1.8 GIGAwatts per day.

A refrigerator, computer, TV and all the other electric stuff generates far more heat than a tube amp.

The San Fernando Valley has many days over 100°F and mid 20th century houses were not very well insulated.

A 40w tube amp is about 0.2 kW/h. The additional heat when dissipated by the fans will not be noticed.
ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
OOPS... roof is only about 0.9GW/day for a 12 hr period ~<:-/
perfectpathtech's avatar
perfectpathtech
236 posts
 
Bob Carver has designed around the heat issue. Not sure if he offers a integrated. Sounds like its a big enough issue to at least take a look at.
They say all his new tube amps sound wonderful, I bet they do.  
wig's avatar
wig
1,262 posts
 

I'm in Southern NM with temps as high as 116 degrees during the day and 99 degrees at 11 PM and never noticed any real differences in an overly hot room and this was with SETs and now KT88 amp.

I just love the sound of tubes and would deal with a little sweat if I had too :)


Wig

onehole149's avatar
onehole149 OP
9 posts
 
Thanks guys for the suggestions. I've evaluated everything that has been suggested here. Rhljazz has hit it on the head. Maybe other appliances generate more heat but I doubt it. When you have small room with a 14 tube amp it's like putting a heater in the room. The past few days I've been using the BelCanto's and just maybe I've been concerned for no reason. The Bel Mono's are really close to the Prima Luna. Not quite there but close. In fact with a few tracks on my play list I thought they might be better. For me personally it seems easy to sway my impression of what I'm hearing. I can tell it's, different but sometimes different can be a nice change. Don't get me wrong I can tell if something is crap (for me) but in this case both systems are very nice. I guess I just got used to the Tube sound over the winter. I might still look for a fix, but a air conditioner in the window isn't one of them. As for fans and vents to take the heat away I've looked at that and for my room; not gonna work. Thanks again.
Gary
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