IF you are driving low sensitivity speakers with tubes, probably not enough power, you will get noise, then perhaps no sound!
Is there such a thing??-- Tube Preamp Question
Hello All,
I have recently acquired my first tube preamp. Its a Blue Circle 21.1 with the stepped attenuator. From the start its been a journey. When I received it there was a distinct buzz/hum. I sent it out for repair and they found it was the power transformer. They made me a spiffy new external power supply which solved the problem. I truly love what it does for tonality, richness of voices and my sound stage appears deeper to me with good placement of instruments within it. However, and maybe my expectations are just to high, the hiss and tube replacements (needed to replace tubes after 6 months) along with a generally fussy nature in terms of the need to pop the top and clean to get the fuzzy sounds out occasionally just seems a bit much. Are all tube pres susceptible to this level of need an "fussy" temperament? Another issue, is when I am watching TV and/or using TV as a source, between songs there are strange sounds(bleeps and squeaks) and moments of scratchy sounds noted in quiet passages and seem triggered by moving from one song to the next. It seems very sensitive to picking up TV noise which I have never noted using solid state gear. While it isn't evident at medium to high volume it just bothers me and I know that its there.
Can I have all that this does for me in terms of tonality and sound stage along with a less fussy nature? Does such a thing exist for a reasonable price($1000-$2000). I would like a more silent background with less need for constant attention.
Does such a thing exist?
I have recently acquired my first tube preamp. Its a Blue Circle 21.1 with the stepped attenuator. From the start its been a journey. When I received it there was a distinct buzz/hum. I sent it out for repair and they found it was the power transformer. They made me a spiffy new external power supply which solved the problem. I truly love what it does for tonality, richness of voices and my sound stage appears deeper to me with good placement of instruments within it. However, and maybe my expectations are just to high, the hiss and tube replacements (needed to replace tubes after 6 months) along with a generally fussy nature in terms of the need to pop the top and clean to get the fuzzy sounds out occasionally just seems a bit much. Are all tube pres susceptible to this level of need an "fussy" temperament? Another issue, is when I am watching TV and/or using TV as a source, between songs there are strange sounds(bleeps and squeaks) and moments of scratchy sounds noted in quiet passages and seem triggered by moving from one song to the next. It seems very sensitive to picking up TV noise which I have never noted using solid state gear. While it isn't evident at medium to high volume it just bothers me and I know that its there.
Can I have all that this does for me in terms of tonality and sound stage along with a less fussy nature? Does such a thing exist for a reasonable price($1000-$2000). I would like a more silent background with less need for constant attention.
Does such a thing exist?
Showing 2 responses by elliottbnewcombjr
I have 30 wpc tube monoblocks made in 1956. I still have two 35 wpc fisher 500c, 1 35 wpc fisher 800c, have had other tube stuff, and friends with tube stuff. I just bought an old McIntosh tuner/preamp from the 60's. One of these https://www.ebay.com/itm/McIntosh-MX110z-Vintage-Tube-Preamplifier-FM-Tuner-Very-Good-Condition/264282601872?hash=item3d88787990:g:mAEAAOSwvcBch~My Plugged it in, play: noiseless. Nice FM antenna, awesome radio. TT, fab sounding phono eq, ... Just bought a tube amp, 22/45 wpc, NO NOISE. Tube amps and tube preamps SHOULD NOT MAKE NOISE! If so, something is wrong. I would never mess around like you have. It's not your fault. Tube life is much longer than most people understand, typical power tubes rated for 10,000 hours. Smaller preamp-tuner tubes much longer than that. Military spec tubes have ridiculously long lives, your grandchildren will still be playing them, unless they read too much. |