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Advice on selecting a tube amp

Sold all of the Sunfire and Martin Logan system when we retired and moved from a huge condo to a 46' sailboat. I'm missing the music.
I am an audio analyst by trade and tend to pick my music apart.

I've got about $1500 to spend and a pair of Sunfire CRM2s. They are small enough for the boat and love the ribbon's imaging capabilities. 90Db sensitivity and 8 ohms.

I'm not physically able to do the modding and such, so I am looking for reliability. Researching the Music Angel turned daunting when I read about the amount of work some of the guys needed to make them perform. Hands shake a bit too much.

I don't listen to loud music much anymore, except a little Pink Floyd. Mostly instrumental Jazz and some Hawaiian slack key.
I want to make the move to tubes and prefer to buy one which I will keep. I'm in over my head, but I like it like that.

I need and really appreciate any suggestions you guys would share.
nicknac
bigkidz
3,381 posts
 
First figure out what tube you like by auditioning different amps, el34, kt-88s etc. then you have to find one that matches the impedance of you source. Then each year buy and sell your old one on Audiogon and buy a new one from Audiogon and keep the economy going. You'll never be completely satisfied anyway so don't worry about it.
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
Hey Nicknac, please tell me about your boat and what it's like living on it.

Are you married? If yes, how did you manage to get wifey to share the adventure??

Where is your boat docked? Do you take it out much? Do you know how to sail it, or did you hire a charter captain?

I assume there's an onboard generator?

Is this something I should be thinking about?? I'm almost 61 years old and a survivalist at heart. Living on a boat in the middle of the ocean sounds like a good place to be to avoid urban sprawl and robbers. :)

Cheers and Happy Holidays
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
The oceans are full of junk from "urban sprawl" and weather is getting more extreme from climate change...enjoy!
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Nicknac, Tubes and tube socketts are not friends of moisture, esspecially if it's salt air.
I know from experience being on a boat space is a premium, your speakers are good quality in a small package and efficient at 90db.
This Cambridge Audio who make good quality gear have a CDP + DAB radio, SD card, I-Pod, MP3 and USB inputs as well and is a 30w amplifier all in one compact package with remote just made for your speakers and a boat. Plus it has subwoofer line out on the back, if you can find a compact active sub for more bass, as your speakers have limited low frequency response

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/products/one-cd-player-and-dab-receiver

Cheers George
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
Hey Nicknac I told my wife about the boat. She thought your transition sounded really cool. Really! So ... I hope you tell me how it's working out for you.

Happy Holidays,

Bruce
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