2. amps-preamps
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Can excellent tubes transcend modest amps?

I am wondering how far a good but not amazing amp design with decent parts such as Antique Sound Lab AQ1003 DT or a Jolida 302B can be improved by putting top notch NOS tubes? In other words, is it worth buying a used $500 integrated and give it an extreme tube make over for $200-400 rather than buying say a PrimaLuna or Cayin in the $800-900 range with its stock tubes?
kanuk
Post removed 
jallen
502 posts
 
IMO, NOS is very overrated. The most important thing is quality capacitors, well built power supply, quality circuit, and a well matched dammping factor between amp and speakers. NOS is just a blip in a far more complex chain of events. Good tubes by Winged C, and JJ are as good as NOS, and even better in some cases. NOS is a good way to make a lot of money on old tubes. NOS is hard to match, and many have a lot of hours on them. I like new, but do have NOS too, I just buy new now after comparing the two. A bad circuit cannot be saved by NOS. Point to point with no PCB is great and quality caps like v-cap will do more than NOS ever hoped to do. NOS and power cords are similar IMO in that they are very over emphasized and emphasis should be elsewhere. Jallen
tweak1
3,656 posts
 
I owned Rogue M 150s and tried evertything aftermarket to get the top end to open up, including gold fuses, and cryoed tubes. Just couldn't compensate for the average output transformers. In fairness, better transformers cost quite a bit more. If Rogue used them, the amps would no longer be $4K per pair.

I much prefer tubes at my source and SS everywhere else. Less hassle and less money.

The newer ASL is much better made. Cayins I've heard are outstanding. I have no Jolida reference.

Replacing stock tubes with cryoed Russian 6922s in my Raysonic 168 was a HUGE improvement, but my system is highly resolving
elevick
2,636 posts
 
AudioFile, let's clarify this a little. Yes, Pirelli P zeros are worthless on an Impala. However, cheap retreads are a nightmare even to that car.

Jolida sends out their amps with notoriously lame tubes. I don't have a problem with Jolida or ASL gear, I just have a problem with $2 tubes put in them at the factory. Tube upgrades even to modest priced tubes ($10 each) will make a noticeable difference.
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Well I tend to agree with Audiofeil. That is not to say that the OEM tubes are WAS, just that you can usually, for just a few more dollars, get new production alternatives that will be quite suitible for you. You don't need to spend big bucks on NOS tubes to get a good result when you are using modest components unless you are seeking a very specific result and you can't find a new production tube that will get you there.
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