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Can tube amps play loudly?

Hello Gentlemen,

I'm in process of upgrading my current system. It's all junk...Onkyo receiver, Wharfedale speakers, etc. I've finally finished grad school and have decided it's high-time to upgrade to a quality two-channel system.

I've heard tube amps in various settings and love the way they sound. I'm strongly considering starting with one of the modified Cayins on the market (Bizzy Bee or PrimaLuna versions).

I’ll preface my question by noting that I am a total tube “newbie,” and I’m sure my question will speak volumes about my relative youthfulness. Here goes: Can tube amplifiers in this modest price range play loudly?

I realize this is dependent on the speakers and their sensitivities. What I'm looking for here is a relative ballpark estimate. There are so many good speakers on the market that I don't even know what to start looking at seriously. If I could weed some out based on their sensitivities, that would help me out a lot.

So, does anyone have any rough decibel ratings for tube amps similar to the Cayin? If so, what sensitivity are your speakers? I do realize that decibel ratings vary widely depending on amp power, speaker type, distance, etc. All I want is a rough estimate.

Any thoughts from anyone would be appreciated. I’d like to be able to narrow down my speaker choices before I start shopping seriously, because I don’t want to waste my time or a dealer’s. Plus, I’d like to know whether I can even achieve respectable volumes with tube amps on my modest budget.

Thanks!
-Chris
cds9000

Showing 1 response by boa2

boa2's avatar
boa2
1,551 posts
 
Cds9000,

Many tube amps will rock your house down. Achieving volume won't be your quandry. Finding an amp that will cover the wide range of your musical genres will. It's a little like playing golf with five clubs in the bag. It can be done, but you will notice the gaps in the tool kit.

My wife and I went through a similar audio journey, and we settled on two systems run from one CD player. We owned and auditioned many tube amps--even as powerful as 140W-- and while they had the warmth and 3-dimensionality we loved, we could not find one that had the bass impact we wanted for rock/metal/blues. Again, not a volume issue. Rather, more of a tonal requirement.

If we had only one amp, we would keep our hybrid. It is not the 'best' at anything, but it covers every genre quite capably. That is not to suggest that it would be right for you. Rather, I would say that it is most important to look/listen for the amp (and speakers, which are just as crucial) that will answer to YOUR listening needs. In the end, you may notice those 'gaps in the tool bag', but there are some amp/speaker pairings that will ultimately satisfy you on all counts.

All the best,

Howard
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