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audio research sp-10

hi..i'm fairly new to tubes. i have an AR sp-10 pre, AR d-125 amp, vandersteen 2ci speakers, and a shanling t-100 cd player. running the cd player on the tube output of the shanling. my music tastes run the gamut from synthpop/techno...to sarah mclachlin, and josh groban. the system seems just a tad bright to me, which it seems it shouldn't with all the tubes i'm using. i've put the sp-10 on "high gain" which seems to help...is it "bad" to use the high gain on a regular basis? also..my speakers are biwired..but with no name wires..any suggestions for compatable speaker wires and or interconnects (using legend interconnects right now) or any other suggestions would be appreciated. thanks in advance :)
synthgirl333
synthgirl333 OP
20 posts
 
newbee..okay..it's official..now the low level hiss is only on the right side as well...you rule!! this is with just the front two tubes swapped so far..what next?
synthgirl333 OP
20 posts
 
LMAO newbee..don't EVEN ask..the story behind the "big favor" my ex did me...he gave me the system for all of 5 min then took it back when , well that's another story...it's taken two years for me to get it back...this time with "no strings attached"...and IN WRITING...believe me the price i paid was far higher than you can imagine. on the other hand..yes, i am fortunate i do have it back now..and yes..whoa..what a way to start exploring the possibilities...i'm just a tad embarrassed i have all this equipment and i'm such a rookie!!

what kind of tubes do you have in yours?

hey i really like that you won't leave "old faithful" for the "young chick" way to go newbee ;)
synthgirl333 OP
20 posts
 
oh wow..i posted these last posts days ago...

pmotz..thank you for the kind offer to find the vandersteen 2ci instruction manual.

newbee..you have been an immense help..more than i can say..thanks

if any other posts show up out of context..it's cause my posts haven't been posting for the past few days..

hey whats your opinion on whether to leave the tubes on all the time...or turn them off whenever they are not in use..i've heard varying opinions..

thanks guys :)
linnlp12
79 posts
 
I currently own an SP10 as my main preamp. I disagree with the posts above, it has a great line stage. I wont use it for CD's because I dont want to waste the tubes on CD listening. Quality tubes are not that easy to find anymore. The SP10 is a tube microscope. When I picked up mine, it had sovteks and it was too bright for me. I immediately changed them out. The best tube I have come across in the SP10 is the Siemens 7308. They are fantastic in the 10. The tubes you put in the SP10, good or bad, form the personality for the sound quality. There is also a thread on tubes for the SP10 in audio asylum by "bambi" that is very informative. I have owned the SP11, SP8, SP6B SP3A1, Klyne SK2A, Klyne SK5A, Spectral DMC10 and many others. No matter what, for me, I always preferred the sound of the SP10. Anyways, there are many opinions, use your own ears. If you can get a variety of tubes to try (not so easy these days and very $$$$$), you will discover why this preamp is considered one of the best by many.
newbee
4,751 posts
 
Turn it off at the end of each day when you are thru listening. The SP10 has a very gentle warm up phase and the tubes don't suffer much from turn on trauma.

Linnlp12, you won't get much argument from me, except we differ on tube preference a tad. I've been using mine for over 20 years - warts and all, its still my favorite pre-amp.
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