Would you buy a tube amp if you were unable to use vintage tubes in it ?
Not available or too expensive.
Hmm.., I don't think I have a definitive answer for myself, but I would do my best to avoid such amps. There is no substitute for great tubes, I guess, especially if you value sophisticated sound.
How can I know if my amp is hard on tubes or not ? And what about 12AX7 and 12AU7 signal tubes, can the amp be hard on them too ? I use PS Audio regenerator that puts out 120 volts. Well, I could, I suppose, put a step down transformer between the regenerator and the amp. How would the amp sound with 100 volts input, I wonder ? |
I don’t think you need to go so low, 115 volts would be within any specified operating voltage and it would be significantly gentler on tubes. Too low and performance may suffer and might actually be a problem if your amp has voltage regulators. The person I know who set voltage at 100, knows what he is doing and can adjust other operating parameters of his gear. Some amps do run small signal tubes hard too, but that is not usually a big concern. There are some who don’t use these tubes as drivers for the 300B because they may not have enough grunt (or may be pushed a little hard to deliver sufficient output), but many amps do use these tubes as drivers. The subject is complicated, as some amps use interstage transformers which reduce the need for grunt from the driver. Hence, it is hard to generalize. |
@steakster So, what are those things that look like space heaters with rows of piezo tweeters across the top? Subs? I bet you’re also going to tell me all of your equipment is so esoteric that I’ve never heard of any of it with the exception of the bargain priced Denon CD player you’ve got there. The Denon built tray in my McIntosh transport whole sales for more than that. The after photo of your cable routing is worse than the before and what’s all the blue tape stuck here and there on the loose wires? I hope you keep a fire extinguisher handy!
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