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Anyone else heard the Quicksilver Triode Amps?

I hate to be the one to spill secrets, but has anyone else heard the Quicksilver Audio Triode monoblocks? My wife bought me a pair for my fast approaching 40th birthday, and we just can't stop laughing at how freaking incredible these things are. I can't tell you how many systems we've listened to, in high-end audio stores and in the homes of many generous and well audio-endowed audiophiles. We've taken quite a few products home for audition as well, and frankly, I'm just blown away. They are not even on the Quicksilver web site!

The Quickie Triodes are a 50W 6C33C powered triode that produce more body and palpability than I have ever heard. They make our CD player sound like we just upgraded it. I've certainly not heard everything on the market, that's for sure. However, I have heard some very pricey offerings from Lamm, Shindo, CJ, Audio Note, and others...and it's not even close. I know that sounds wacky, and maybe it is, but these things make the music sound downright edible. $5800/pr at retail, and they ought to be right there on the Quicksilver home page. Has anyone else heard them? Back to the music. Yikes!
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aronsss
110 posts
 
Yes, it is a different amp. I have the 6C33C triode amps w/ NOS tubes (and they are terrific). I have not heard the KT88's, but I presume that they are a bit less "sweet" sounding. They work great with your speakers.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Aronsss, I assume you mean the 6C33Cs work great with the Merlins, you are no commenting the KT88s - is that right. I'm suprised that Mike took the 6C33Cs off the market so fast and cam out with the KT88s - I see the price is also about $2000 less -- hmmm.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Does anyone have any insight into why the Quicksilver may have pulled the 6C33C triode model off the market?
db2sub1
23 posts
 
I have owned a pair of Quicksilver Triodes for about a year now and am very impressed. Lots of punch, lots of inner detail, but I agree with Peter S, they are a bit on the bright side right out of the box. YOU MUST REPLACE THE FACTORY TUBES WITH VINTAGE MULLARDS!!! I replaced the 6C33Cs with NOS early '70s Svetlanas and noticed a small difference, but the huge change was in changing the single 12AX7 and 12BH7 to the '60s Mullards (the 12AX7 especially). The improvement was dramatic. Still has the inner detail, still has the clean & extended midrange & detailed treble, but with more bass punch, more of a rich warm sound, no more brightness. I have concluded that the tubes installed at the factory were a cost consideration and an availability consideration; not a sonic one. This tube swap costs less than $100 and makes these amps really sing; I have heard nothing in the $15,000 and under range that compare. By the way, if you are using a Quicksilver preamp, it also also will benefit incredibly from vintage Mullards (warmer sound) or vintage Telefunkens (more forward sound).
ps. Mike Sanders only made 50 pairs of the Triodes so hang onto those sweethearts!
db2sub1
23 posts
 
Cost. Mike Sanders felt that the cost to make the Triodes was too high; mainly due to the 6C33C tubes.
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