My first tube amp was a Magnovox console amp I bought for a whole $200. It's a great little amp that led me to an HH Scott tube reciever that I hope to use in a second system someday. It's been all tubes ever since for me with a 300B SET being my fav.
My first Tube Amplifier
I have a 40 years of audio history starting with Garrard Turntable, Fisher Intergrated(SS), ADS bookself speaker on 1978.
But I started using tube amplifier on 1999.
Since then I had been using only tube amplifier in my main system.
My last SS main amplifier was Krell KSA 150 to drive Apogee Duetta Signature speakers.
http://www.jadis-electronics.com/photos/ja500/45/3/ja500.jpg
My first tube amplifier was Jadis 500 which comprised of 4 pieces weighing 120 lb each.
B&W 801 driven by Jadis 500 gave most deep and powerful bass at my home.
But it generated too much heat so it was hard to use during summer.
It was memorable experience to use it for 4 years.
I may not go back to such monster tube amplifier again.
How about you?
What is your first tube amplifier?
I bet two cents on no one had used larger one as the first tube amplifier than mine.
But I started using tube amplifier on 1999.
Since then I had been using only tube amplifier in my main system.
My last SS main amplifier was Krell KSA 150 to drive Apogee Duetta Signature speakers.
http://www.jadis-electronics.com/photos/ja500/45/3/ja500.jpg
My first tube amplifier was Jadis 500 which comprised of 4 pieces weighing 120 lb each.
B&W 801 driven by Jadis 500 gave most deep and powerful bass at my home.
But it generated too much heat so it was hard to use during summer.
It was memorable experience to use it for 4 years.
I may not go back to such monster tube amplifier again.
How about you?
What is your first tube amplifier?
I bet two cents on no one had used larger one as the first tube amplifier than mine.
118 responses Add your response
" Pretty sure that thing was a Marantz...certainly not a McIntosh...I remember it was absolutely tubed." Nope, the Model 18 was the first receiver by Marantz and the only tube in it was the scope, all receivers are solid state. Tuners, amps and preamps yes. http://www.classic-audio.com/marantz/mindex.html |
My first tube amplifier was a pair of Marantz Model 2 monoblocks, ca. 1958, which I found and purchased locally in the early 1990s. When operated in triode mode, which provided a maximum of about 18 or 20 watts, and with speakers having benign impedance characteristics, they were one of the best sounding amplifiers I've ever heard. I sold them after about a year or so, mainly because they were not powerful enough for my purposes. Although I made what at the time was a nice profit on the sale, today I believe they would go for something like 10 to 15 $K, many times what they were worth then. Regards, -- Al |
@wolf_garcia It strikes me that you might appreciate this- the guitarist in my band uses a Marshall Major. I don't think he ever runs it past '2'. My first tube amp was a Knight KA-95. EL34, 35w/channel integrated amp. |
Early (pre "CBS") blonde Bandmasters and Showman amps were great...I used that amp head for live shows with various speakers here and there for a long time...worked great with a Marshall 412 cabinet. I moved on to smaller amps eventually, now preferring a single ended "class A" 18 watt Burriss amp, and a Reverend Goblin 5/15, and both of those are astonishing tone monsters...I have an Eden combo bass amp that’s magical, and a new-ish Ampeg "Portaflex" class D thing with a 400 watt 15 that is nothing if not cute. That Marantz was way underpowered, but if used with efficient speakers might have been great. |
I like Wolf's post so much I'll follow his lead. A blackface 1967 Fender Showman amp (four 6L6 power tubes) with a 15" JBL D140 driver for my '68 Fender Precision bass, and a blackface '66 Deluxe Reverb for guitar. For hi-fi, a Fisher X-100A, bought used in 1968 to drive a pair of AR 4X loudspeakers (wish I'd known about the Dynaco A-25!). Next was the combination of D-51 and D-75 amps from Audio Research, new in '72, used to bi-amp Magneplanar Tympani T-I's. |
My first was a 1961 Fender Bandmaster (belonged to my cousin originally) followed by a Magnatone and many, many others from Marshall, Boogie, Hiwatt, a couple of Twin Reverbs, etc. My first stereo tube amp was a Marantz tubed receiver in maybe 1970 that was destroyed in a fire (in a hippy shop I leant it to), and more recently an excellent "factory modded" Jolida 502p, followed by my current fave, a Dennis Had SEP Inspire "Fire Bottle" HO (it's a HO) which is the best sounding hifi amp I've owned...by far... |
