Are Quicksilver power tube amps in the same league as VAC, VTL, BAT, ARC, ...?

@tubegroover What is the secret sauce? My guess and bet is the transformers, isn’t that generally the case in the best tube designs?

 

Yes, Transformers. +Proven circuit design, no circuit boards, clean point-to-point wiring, careful low-noise layout. Chassis, switches, connectors are nice. Secret simplicity works well with Quicksilver tube amps.  Sure like mine. Enjoy the music!  

 

@ihcho are you running the 4 or 8 ohm speaker taps on the back of the QS Monos --

• 8 or 4...with your 4ohm 90db Tyler speakers?
• 8 or 4...with your 6ohm 87db Gershman speakers?
• what preamp are you using to drive the QS monos?

A 3db speaker sensitivity difference there worth noting. Other things to check.  

FYI, a member on another forum was having unsolved headaches driving his 87db Gershman Grands’ with his powerful Bryston 14B amp (600w@8ohm / 900@4ohms). At first everyone thought it was a preamp gain / output voltage issue not able to drive the amp(s). As it turned out, he had his amps and gear all plugged into the same AC wall plug / circuit. To fix it, Installed two dedicated 20amp circuits, problem solved, amp was able to drive the Gershams Grands ok. 1) Check, try the 4ohm taps on the Monos if you have not done so yet. And, 2) try plugging QS monos in to a different wall plug not on the same circuit as the rest of your gear. Best of luck.

 

@incho - I don’t have much budget (under 5K) and my choice is either new QS or those other brands used.

Used or reconditioned units from "other brands" vs. Quicksilver new is how many end up buying QS. At first they are looked at as a "good value", and when paired with well matched speakers, and when the amps and tubes are well broken in, realization sets in that "hey, these amps sound good!". With great input/driver tubes, another step up.

With good tubes and my own cap upgrades (at your own risk), my Mono 120s and a good buddies Mid-Mono amps now sound well above their price point. Having owned several prior tube and ss amps, I’d now put my own QS Mono 120s up against other amps at 2-3x the price. Many of the QS amps in the lineup are nice, pairing with the right speakers for each level amp helps maximize the performance and sound. Best of luck.

[@lloydc] The Quicksilver amps look relatively easy to upgrade, e.g. better caps, being wired point-to-point and more classic than exotic; anyone doing that?

Yes.  Not totally necessary, yet ultra high-end caps and quality input/driver tubes do bring the sound of the monos to a level equal to amps at a much higher cost. 

"@smodtactical Is quicksilver warm and rich or more ss neutral and fast ?"

 

While Mike Sanders of Quicksilver already answered part of the question for you in Your Prior Post Here 5/22/23, I’ll add my .02 cents for what it’s worth about my QS.

1. Speakers used play a key part in the result

2. Preamplifier (SS or Tube) can impact results

3. Cables used can help or impact the sound

4. Source and/or DAC used matters too

5. Listening environment matters of course

 

For example:

My system includes a 6SN7 Triode tube preamplifier, a non-oversampling capable DAC, my choice of Cardas cables, with 93db 6ohm custom speakers for a type of sound I prefer. They match fairly well to my Quicksilver mono tube amps. Different output tubes in the QS amps can impart a smoother or more detailed sound too.

 

So, it depends, you can start out with a "neutral" sound as QS Mike suggests, you can also fine tune leaning in to warmer direction as your other threads inquire about. i.e. PSVANE CV181-TIIs tubes in my preamp tilt slightly towards a warmer result. You did not indicate what QS amps and what output tubes you are looking at, this matters too.  

 

"@russellrcncom Czarivey: Agree. in terms of breaking down the 8407 monos were in a league of their own. They made me swear off of tube amps forever."

 

8417 you mean? Not 8407.

After the supply of good 8417 output tubes became more scarce, better than most manufacturers would do, Mike Sanders of Quicksilver offered a $275 service to convert and reconfigure them to EL34 based tube amps. There are folks out there still running the Quicksilver 8417 monos today, originally manufactured 1984-1988.

It’s a two year old thread, and it was a reasonable question to ask. I’ve enjoyed the vibe and passion of the replies, capital letters and all, members sharing what they like and why. It’s one of the reasons I come to this forum. Its all good.

When I started down the path of buying and trying different tube amplifiers, I overlooked Quicksilver for years and their made 45m away from me. My local audio dealer (in business 53+ years) has been selling Quicksilver and AudioNote as long as anyone in business. What’s amazing is Mike Sanders is still in business, with a loyal following. The value of what he offers far exceeds the entry price.

I wanted to try the new Mono 120s when they came out with the massive quality transformers, and option to run KT150s or KT120s, all the bones where there. In stock form, at the entry price. They were solid. Can they be improved?, sure.

Experiment -

I decided to see what would happen by installing higher end silver-gold Mundorf coupling capacitors, Nichicon Power Capacitors, along with vintage NOS mallard input/driver tubes, and trying some others from new production pavane small tubes to see what can be achieved. While these amps were "too expensive to manufacture" and this along with a few other models have been discontinued, oh what a bargain find+. Just like the early Triodes, and current Mid Monos, the little EL84 integrated, real bargains and value.

Yes - I’ve compared these against amps at 2-3x the price, and the results are great - super happy that I tried this. Nothing has replaced my amps since. Nothing comes close for the investment that can run these tubes [properly], in their operating window. Best of Luck with yours. :)