Old tube versus new tube gear

03-04-13: Isochronism
Top shelf done right is all good and timeless!!

Very well said, Brett!

Also, I was pleased to see Lincoln Walsh's Brook Electronics company mentioned in your post. He seems to be more commonly remembered these days for having invented the Walsh speaker driver. As you realize, though, during the early 1950's he produced what as far as I am aware were the only 2A3 and 300B-based amplifiers made by an American manufacturer for use in the home, prior to the resurgence of interest in DHTs (directly heated triodes) that occurred in recent decades, and subsequent to the use of 2A3s in the amplifier sections of a few high end radios of the 1930s.

I have a little bit of experience with the mono integrated amplifier he produced at that time, the 22A, which used a push-pull pair of 2A3s. Although it is worth far less than the very high prices that the separate Brook power amplifiers go for these days, I can say that if its capacitors are in good condition and/or are suitably replaced, it remains a worthy example of DHT magic.

Best regards,
-- Al

Al,

I'm curious if in your opinion, the old Brook amps, assuming in good modern working order, could match the performance their more modern equivalents overall, particularly on newer recordings of various genres that are digitally mastered? I'm sure the exact kind of modern speaker used would be a big factor. Not just any would probably do.

I guess my question might be rephrased. How much better are modern SOTA tube amps than their ancestors? And also how much should/does it really cost to play that game these days?

Paul Klipsch favored the Brook amplifiers and was most fond of the 12A model during his earlier K-horn development.
"What this country needs is a good five watt amplifier" PWK

Marakanetz,
Sounds even more funny today cause' I smile more and more each day. :)
-Wavelength Cardinal Signature SE 300B (in Zebrewood)
-Wavelength Silver 45 prototype (commissioned by Larry Alan Kay)

Hi Mapman,

With respect to Brook specifically, my answer to your question has to be somewhat speculative, because as I indicated I have no experience with their highly valued separate power amplifiers, and my experience was only with one mono integrated amplifier.

But extrapolating from that experience and experience with a number of other highly regarded vintage pieces, most notably several of the Marantz tube models, I would say that most top shelf pieces from that era, when in excellent condition and/or well restored, would be competitive with recent models **that are at similar price points** (asterisks added for emphasis).

Concerning speaker selection, most of my experience with vintage electronics has been with modern speakers, and I don't think the factors that are involved are particularly different than when matching modern tube amplifiers with modern speakers. 2A3s and 300Bs can't provide a great deal of power, even in push-pull configuration, which obviously rules out a lot of speakers. On the other hand, the Brook amplifiers provide 2, 4, 8, and 16 ohm output taps, so they are fairly versatile in terms of impedance compatibility.

Best regards,
-- Al