The ups and downs of tube vs. SS...

My first phono preamplifier was a solid state Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC. I really liked the sound it putout and after reading interviews about the companion Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply I purchased it and the Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply made the sound of my albums even more dead quiet with an even larger soundstage than using the Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC alone by itself.

The list price for the Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC was $999 and the list price for the Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply was $749 for a total of $1748 with free shipping.

While doing the research on phono preamplifiers I also was intrigued by the Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier. So after about 6 months of enjoying the Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC and the companion Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply I got the 'upgrade' bug/itch and purchased the Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier with the stock pair of EH 6922 vacuum tubes for a total of $399 with free shipping.

Based on Shannon Park's, the owner and maker of the Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier Exacta loading system that provides 16 settings, I set the Exacta settings to 67.3K which is the MM setting to use for my Shure V15VxMR cartridge with the JICO (Shure) VN5xMR stylus. I was amazed at the transparency, depth, wide soundstage, and dynamic range. The Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier is a single ended Class A tube circuit.

Also while researching phono preamplifiers I found out about 'tube rolling'. However I thought that tube rolling is a expensive proposition even though the tubes you roll maybe not that expensive, after rolling 5 to 6 or 7 pairs of tubes, the money spent would add up pretty quickly. So I decide to go for the gusto and buy up. I bought a pair of NOS 6DJ8/ECC88 Telefunken West Germany with diamond mark matched pair for $195 plus Tektronix 576 curve tracer matching for $20, shipping $10 and $4 for insurance for a total of $229 from Brent Jessee Recording and Supply, Inc. Keep in mind it is very important that you buy vacuum tubes from reputable dealers. That being said Brent Jessee Recording and Supply, Inc. has a 30 day return policy with a 20% restocking fee. After less than 30 days I decide to return them.

After seeing Kevin Deal's of Upscale Audio NOS Telefunken E88CC/6922 youtube video I bought a Platinum Grade, Cryoed, matched pair of NOS Telefunken E88CC/6922's for $454. For a total of $853 I bought a Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier and pair of NOS Telefunken E88CC/6922's vacuum tubes with the transparency, depth, wide soundstage, and dynamic range as described above with an added 3 Dimensional sound quality I had never heard before that far surpassed the solid state Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC and Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply in sound and price.

jtweet, I did not mention that I am pairing my Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier with my solid state Panasonic SA-HE200 receiver or any other receiver for that matter downstream works well too.

koss_amojan, whatever the magic is with tubes, my Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier at $399 with the pair of NOS Telefunken E88CC/6922’s at $454 beats the heck out of spending a couple of thousand dollars on interconnects and another couple of thousand dollars on a turntable for better quality sound. Not to mention the  $1748 Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC and the companion Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply that I fortunately sold for cost. 

I took a $200 Pioneer PL-600 direct drive turntable (the silver one) and upgraded the headshell with Ortofon LW-800S headshell wires and the above mentioned Shure V15VxMR cartridge with the JICO (Shure) VN5xMR stylus, rewired the tonearm with KAB SuperFlex Tonearm wire and hardwired the phono interconnects with the very inexpensive but value added Blue Jeans Cable LC-1’s with the preamp output interconnects being Blue Jeans Cable LC-1’s also.

I have 2 used Power Sound Audio V1081 subwoofers for left and right bass with again the Blue Jeans Cable LC-1’s subwoofer interconnects.

My front left, right and center speakers are Miller & Kreisel Professional MPS-2510’s with again, Blue Jeans Cable 12 gauge 5000UE speaker wire.

And all these modestly priced components perform flawlessly with each other. And without the Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier with the pair of NOS Telefunken E88CC/6922’s I don’t think my modestly priced system would sound as good.

And the receiver upgrade is the next upgrade for me. It’s just that every time I see an Anthem 1120 receiver on ’Gon I don’t have all the money to pull the trigger, but I’m working on it.

This is the first time I have posted here after years of lurking. Thanks to all you good folks who have posted here to help me make better decisions about that VERY EXPENSIVE hobby of trying to be an audiophile! It is much appreciated!

@jtweed , thanks a bunch for starting this ’The ups and downs of tube vs. SS...’ discussion because I never would have found out or known anything about the Fisher 500C integrated all tube receiver.

@sunrayjack12and @geoffkait, ditto for bringing up in this discussion this little known jewel to me, the Fisher 500C tube integrated all tube receiver. After doing some research I found that this receiver is one of or if not the best value of integrated all tube receiver ever made!

I started my research here: STEVE HOFFMAN music forum - ’FISHER all-tube receivers from 1961-66 are cheap and sound wonderful!’ 2010.

I then stumbled across the Analog Engineering Associates website and found they restore customers Fisher integrated all tube receivers and sell restored Fisher integrated all tube receivers for as little as $1000. Please see here: http://aeaaudio.com/product/fisher-500c-gold-restoration-sold/.

Coincidently, today I will be picking up a SVS PB12 Plus/2 subwoofer with the 12.3 speaker upgrades specifically for its ability to be connected to vintage receivers.

I sure am glad I held on to my vintage Henry Kloss KLH Model Seventeen’s. I will be cleaning out my closet of all my 30 - 45 watt analog, solid state, and vintage Pioneer, Technics, Scott, and Cambridge receivers, turntables, speakers and whatever else I have around the house and selling those items just so I can one day buy me a Fisher integrated all tube receiver.