2. amps-preamps
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Why does this old tube gear sound so good?

I have a realtively modest system...Rotel cdp feeding an MSB Link dac, Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 Sig preamp with Telefunken 12at7 tube, Classe 10 amplifier driving North Creek Music Borealis speakers....Kimber and Cardas cables.

Every once in a while I pull out some vintage tube gear that I have collected...in this case a McIntosh C-11 tube preamp and a pair of McIntosh MC-60 tube amps.

I carefully insert the Mac stuff, make sure connections are good and everything fires up OK, and then.....magic.

The normal gear doesn't sound bad by any means, but with the Mac gear it just sounds more like music, more alive, robust and palpable. I know this has been discussed hundreds of times before on this forum, but I am always surprised by how good this 50 year old, original condition gear sounds.
stuartbmw3

Showing 1 response by fatparrot

fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
I have been told that the old tube output x-formers are "better" than the newer ones. Same thing with the older oil capacitors, which, I believe, contained PCB's...now banned.

I'm not sure if this is true, but hobbyists will pay BIG BUCKS for these parts...much like for NOS tubes. I have experience with NOS tubes, and I can assure you that modern tubes do not have the fidelity or the longevity of NOS tubes.
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