AudiogoN Forums: Somebody Help Convert me to tubes

Somebody Help Convert me to tubes

I first want to thank everyone that has been so helpful over the years. This forum and equipment site has been great.

Here is my dilemma. The first bunch years in this hobby my taste (and perhaps ignorance) has led me to pursue every last ounce of detail from a system, but after spending some time with some tube product, I am starting to prefer the more "listenable" type of equipment.

What I am looking for is for someone to help me with a step in this new direction. I am thinking of starting with a new preamp. Please don't recommend dumping everything I have and start over, I can't afford that, and besides I very much enjoy my system and I am looking for small changes at a time and to learn and appreciate the differences. I am also looking for a piece that if over time I like the way my system was, I can easily pass it on to another A'goner. My equipment is as follows:

Thiel 2.4 speakers
ML 27.5 amp
ML 36S DAC
ML 38S Pre
Theta Data Basic II Transport
Kimber Select (1111 and 1120)
Transparent Plus Speaker cables
Synergistic AC Master Coupler on Trans and Amp
Transparent Power cords on DAC and Pre

Thank you for your assistance once again.

Dewinkle (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

03-15-05

Responses (1-26 of 26)

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.

03-15-05 Well, probably not the response you're looking for, but if i ... Newbee

03-15-05 Dewinkle i would recommend a conrad johnson premier tube pr ... Czbbcl

03-15-05 Get a tube preamp, keep the ss power amp. cary, vac, arc, ma ... Jw94055

03-15-05 Welcome to the world of tubes! is there a budget? how abou ... Lousyreeds1

03-15-05 A good tube preamp paired with your ss gear should make a bi ... Bignerd100

03-15-05 Dewinkle why do you need help to convert...just do it !! ch ... Bluebull

03-15-05 I'd sell the speakers; they are a difficult load and will no ... C123666

03-15-05 Audible illusions m3a. very smooth. tubes will not have the ... Hiend2

03-15-05 Turn back! that way lies madness! a move to tubes may resu ... Gliderguider

03-15-05 I know this isn't really the kind of answer your looking for ... Uriah

03-15-05 I agree with uriah about upgrading your 38s. and after you' ... Nsgarch

03-16-05 Dewinkle take nsgarch advice,sell your ml27.5 to me so i can ... Yioryos

03-16-05 Hi dewinkle, i had cs-3.6's for 8 years and went through a s ... Bryhifi

03-16-05: Frogman
Dewinkle, here's a different approach:

You want to get a taste of what tubes can do, you're on a budget, and you want to be able to easily sell the piece of equipment should you decide to not keep it. Additionally, I have to assume that your ML pre and amp are a synergistic combo, so leave that alone. Instead, make your first change where changes are always most significant: at the source.

For very little money you can buy the Ah! Tjoeb 4000 tube output CD player that really is as good as everyone says it is. I bought one, and it is better, in the ways that matter, than my SS and very expensive, EAD transport and DAC. All the virtues of tubes: very open, dimensionality of images, liquid the way that real music is, surprising amount of detail, and great micro-dynamics. Very listenable. Two caveats: you HAVE to use premium tubes (talk to Upscale audio). I use NOS Siemens 6922's; there's only two 'though. And be careful with the upsampling version of the player. I am not a fan of it, as I think it hardens the sound and does strange things to the upper range; many will disagree. I have never seen a used 4000 ($450-$900) stay unsold for more than a couple of days.

Best.
Frogman (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

03-16-05 Hi dewinkle - i went through your same debate about 12 month ... Encyclopediabsh

03-16-05 Diwinkle, from this thread i think it is plain to see that ... Walkelin

03-16-05 Diwinkle, from this thread i think it is plain to see that ... Walkelin

03-16-05 If you don't want to rebuild your whole system, keep what yo ... Jmcgrogan2

03-16-05 This might sound pretty weak by comparison to the other sugg ... Timf

03-16-05 Aesthetix calypso is a no-brainer. first sound presence del ... Artg

03-17-05 Great advice as always guys. i did already inquire about th ... Dewinkle

03-17-05 Dont forget aesthetix and first sound..... Artg

03-17-05 Well, if you like the user interface of the ml, then bat wou ... Jmcgrogan2

03-17-05 All do respect dewinkle my advice would be to get some decen ... Cinematic_systems

03-17-05 I agree with jmcgrogan2.......bat for the money spent a use ... Bryhifi

03-18-05 Hi, i agree with previous posts that synergy between your pr ... Szutinglee