apholden
Well-Known Member
If you like messing with electronics, check out Bottlehead. They have some awesome tube kits. They create even more tweaking options, like capacitor rolling.
Totally Tubular: The Tube Thread
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LiamGallaghersBucketHat
Go on, geezer.
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
A definite pro is that the sound is unlike anything else. If you like it you won’t ever go back to a solid state on your main system. Also the ability to roll the tubes, both between manufacturers or, if you get something like a Prima Luna, between output tube types allows you to customise that sound. The cons are lower power, not an issue for you with super hi efficiency zu speakers, they can draw more electricity, they get hot in comparison to what you’ll be used to with solid state and the cost of periodic tube replacements.
The lowest PL model come in around that $2k mark, it’s $2.3K.
PrimaLuna Evo 100 Tube Integrated — PrimaLuna USA
www.primaluna-usa.com
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Jango
Active Member
I’ve had my eye on Decware for a tube amp, and since you have such high efficiency speakers they might be a good option for you. I haven’t heard a bad thing about their quality, they come with a full set of tubes (and then some), a lifetime warranty, and they offer quite a few upgrades for treating any upgrade-itis you may experience. If my speakers were as efficient as yours and I had your budget, I’d get probably get this one with the Beeswax Bypass Mod.
displayname
Well-Known Member
Cons are the costs, the lower power output, and the maintenance.
Pro is the sound. And honestly that's all you need to know. Trying to describe tube sound to someone who hasn't heard it is like trying to describe a color to someone without sight.
On the cost and maintenance factor, if you're into vinyl tubes really aren't anywhere near as costly or as time consuming as vinyl. The maintenance comes up because it is a thing, but I think tube maintenance is largely over stated. It's simply more maintenance than the zero maintenance of solid state. But like vinyl, it's immensely satisfying when it's at its best.
kvetcha
Chet Hanks' Filmography Buff
Boy, I would love a Decware.
Jango
Active Member
What made you choose Jolida?
kvetcha
Chet Hanks' Filmography Buff
Cost. Push-pull has a higher power ceiling than SET. Great price for the performance.
If I could spare the $2500, I'd love to have a Torii Jr, but for the $800 I paid I really like the JoLida.
note: I should also say that the JoLida is an integrated, and the Decwares I was looking at are, I believe, power amplifiers, so there's the extra outlay for a preamp.
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Jango
Active Member
That’s a good deal. With my speakers I’d need a Torii Jr at a minimum. 8 watts might be okay for my Focals, but I’m not willing to take that chance.
The Decwares all have a volume control, so a preamp isn’t really necessary so long as you have a separate phono preamp.
kvetcha
Chet Hanks' Filmography Buff
Well, I also run a Sonos Port through my amp, so I'd need a couple inputs. But yeah, one day maybe! I really thought about it for a while.
The JoLida really is good, though, and they pop up a couple of times a year at really reasonable prices.
I bought my jd801arc in part because it's 70w/ch, but after spending a year with it I realize that I could easily get by with anything from 12-25 watts.
Bloodlemons
Well-Known Member
I have a Decware Zen Mystery Amp which runs about 40 WPC. It sounds amazing. I prefer to goose it with a little extra gain to get my fairly-inefficient Chartwell LS3/5As to really growl/sing.
kvetcha
Chet Hanks' Filmography Buff
That is on my short list of dream amplifiers, would that I could justify the expense.
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
This is actually very true, I've tried, and even the usual "audiophile" verbiage doesn't really do it justice. I love my Prima Luna, I think the UD system along with the Omens sounds absolutely stunning. I did notice the comparison recently, while spending a lot of time on my PLX system burning in the 2 Grado carts I hadn't listened to the UD system for quite a while.
The PLX system sounds fantastic, I can't knock anything about it, yet when I went back to the UD/PL It was like hearing it for the first time all over again, and in my head I was like "Yep". So as it's been mentioned, I don't think "better" is ever the right word when comparing solid state to tubes and you really should try and listen to tubes if you can before making your decision.
That being said, I'm a big fan and highly recommend them
Jango
Active Member
You and me both. Damn things hold their value really well, especially if you account for needing to send the unit to Decware to transfer the lifetime warranty.
kvetcha
Chet Hanks' Filmography Buff
Well that's good to know. I was tempted by the monoblocks I see going for ~$950 a couple times a year.
Bloodlemons
Well-Known Member
If you aren't already, you should be looking at the Decware forum for deals as well. A lot of these amps never leave the Decware forum family...
Forums - Classifieds
www.decware.com
kvetcha
Chet Hanks' Filmography Buff
I'll keep an eye out there! I don't think I can really justify the purchase unless I find a home for this JoLida, which, for the record, I quite like. The Decware is more of an end-game type amplifier.
Bloodlemons
Well-Known Member
Fair enough. I hear really good things about Jolida, fwiw. It probably wouldn't be too hard to move yours along.
Joe Mac
Well-Known Member
I was tempted by a pair of their monoblocks too, until the pair worked out at $12k