Quicksilver audio silver 88 mono amps
@fsonicsmith +1. True on both counts. :), and they are gone, sold! The reason the silvers command a higher price is the chassis, plugs and inputs on the back with power on the front. Same as Mono 120s have now. Install good signal tubes and great coupling caps, and they become long term keepers; helps to reduce amp rotation syndrome :) |
I replaced my high-end Cary tube amps with QS Mono 120s with KT150 tubes. I like 88s too in some ways, shared DNA which led to Mono 120 design of course. At first, I thought these Mono 120s were a slight downgrade for me, even using my better Cary SLP-98 preamp with really good 6SN7 tubes. Had to try it. Keep reading. Had an upgrade vision too for later on. It has paid off. With some good burn-in time and patience, it has paid off big time in stock form, but just like any amp, there is more room for growth with slight tweaks that can turn these amps in to giant killers! After 100hrs burn in, ditched the entry level stock EI and JJ small signal/driver tubes and rotated in various vintage NOS tubes and tried PSVANE too with much improved results - way better. Several here on Agon messaged me since and have done the same, like a good underground group does. :) Same applies to Silver 88s, Mono 60s. Caution bringing up caps with Mike. It’s not his business plan I gather now days. He shoots for reliability and consistency #1, "no changes" i get it. Some upgrades can help - sometimes. Proceed at your own risk. After tube rotation of small tubes, the stock coupling caps are not bad, Mike likes them a lot. I was "okay" with the stock caps. Against conservative judgement (don’t tell Mike - haha, he’ll get pissed off), I upgraded my coupling caps in the Mono 120s to a really high end set of Mundorf EVO Supreme Silver Golds, same as used in $22k Cary amps. Just HAD to know. Bugged me. And, wow, sure enough - it brings the QS amps to a whole new level of 3 dimensional sound, tone, texture. The QS amps have the bones for sure. Enjoy. |
@zardozmike Recently helped a friend with an older Jolida integrated who was enamored with the sound of the upgraded QS monos. After some pushing and prodding by a few us and a local dealer buddy - removed his over-provisioned KT150 tubes (he mistakenly tried in that amp) to go back to different KT88s in his Jolida that was originally designed to run KT88s at lower plate voltage, bias, etc. KT150s were a waste and not running in their optimized state in THAT older Jolida. And of course, newer Jolida avail for KT150s though, different topic of course. Back to KT88s.... Popped in New Plate Current Matched Quad of Psvane KT88-T Classic MKII Series tubes. Viva sells them too.. Wallah, kinda got lucky, and his older Jolida sounded like a completely different amplifier, was a nice surprise. Not sure if your QS would respond the same but it was worth trying different KT88s in this other amp, fwiw. He loves the amp now... |
@fjs1155 "I replaced the JJ KT88s with Tung Sol KT120s and the difference was remarkable." fjs1155, If you can recall, did you find the stock JJ KT88 output tubes to sound kinda lean and edgy and less musical in your QS KT88 Monos? Asking for a friend who’s not yet researched replacing them with something like Genelex Gold Lyon KT77s or GL KT88s, or PSVANE CV-181-Ts, or Shuguang Black Treasure tubes. Thinking this might help... wondering if you tried any of these with your Mono 88s in addition to your current Tung Sol KT120s. |
@augwest The QS mono tube amps paired with your recapped Thor tube preamp should be fun. Appears VCap was a common upgrade in your preamp, photo here, and nice wide and thick copper strips on the main board, cool. :) https://www.audioasylumtrader.com/images/y2013/12/100421/FullBoard.jpg IF it’s a new set of QS monos, give them and internal caps time to burn in with stock tubes or the PSVANE if you get them soon enough. The PSVane BT Mark Its should sound pretty smooth, just helped a friend put them in an integrated amp. After the input tubes burn in on the QS amps, (if new stock tubes) you may want to update those and store the stock ones away. Also, kinda depends on your preamp and tubes too and how bright or smooth they are. It’s a basic balancing act on both ends. Is that brand new or used (burned-in) monos and what input/signal and output tubes are in them now? |
