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New Member And few questions on First Tube Amp.

Little about me.I am 67 and more into cars /cycles but enjoy music during winter months.
I have Tinnitus very bad and so I can not play music much over 70 db with high pitch horns ect.
But I have Marantz SR 8002 and had until last week Mirage M-5's. 28 yrs and did not realize how deteriorated
they become until someone sold a pair of Definitive Techogoly BP 8080ST and I could not beleive what I was missing
on sound.. All along thought it was my hearing..So now that I can hear music separation along with my ringing 
it is a joy to hear more than I thought I would ever hear again.
So with that I want to just see if a tube amp will allow me to hear music flow from the speakers as others describe.

So not knowing anything I have a dealer not to far selling Prima Luna tubes and my question is I see tube amp and pre tube amp.. To try a tube amp can you run from just one of these components ??
Does Prima Luna have a all in one unit if I need a amp and pre amp ???

I do not mind spending few thousand, but not sure how long my hearing will last  and so just want to 
purchase low end just to see if I can hear a difference of tube vs solid state...thank you Joe

128x128harleyujoe
tablejockey
3,795 posts
 
harleyujoe-

As mentioned in my first post, polarizing opinion undoubtedly shows up. 

What's going to sound good to your ears is subjective, and absolute specs/graphs etc. won't guarantee satisfacton. 


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islandmandan
1,260 posts
 
Harleyujoe,

I am also a tinnitus sufferer ( heavy equipment operator, aircraft assembler, etc.) I'm 72, and I'm still enjoying music a great deal. My listening room is on the large side 34' X 16.5' w/cathedral ceilings). I use my SET 300B, which I won on auction here on A'gon for around $750. I then had caps and resistors upgraded at the factory (Sonic Frontiers/Parts Connexion). I use it to drive my 94db custom built Tannoy HPD 315 drivers (12" Dual Concentric) in massive 150 liter bass-reflex enclosures. 

They sound amazing in my room, and I'm still able to discern the difference in SQ between different sources & amps, digital/vinyl etc. Although many offer opinions that the SET 300B shouldn't be up to the task, but for me, it does the job.

I hope you find what works for you. I wish you many years of continued musical enjoyment, regards,
Dan
stretchl's avatar
stretchl
7 posts
 
Tinnitus sufferer here, also.

No one hip on Manley labs? Maybe the Snappers?
jcder
28 posts
 
Yet another victim of tinnitus here.  I'm 63, but I've had it for years.  That said,  I still love to listen to all types of music.   Tinnitus notwithstanding, I still prefer the sound of tubes vs transistors, even allowing for relative expense.    I have found great deals on used equipment on Audiogon, eBay and Craigslist.   
ericsch
751 posts
 
Another tinnitus person here. I still enjoy listening to music. To the OP, I have a Cayin A88-T,  it sounds great and is well built. I have the MK 2 version, never had a problem in the 5 years I've owned it. 
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