Preamp

Vintage Gear – Solid State

VINTAGE Gear - sOLID STATE

I don’t know that my tube gear really counts as Hi-Fi even though in my head it is extremely Hi-Fi vs. where I started. I really like all of my tube equipment, but there is a touch of sadness that comes with just using my vintage solid state equipment as decoration around the house. It became decoration when I moved to tube only equipment in the music room.

6CG7 Tubes
Pioneer SX-1980

If you are using any tube equipment in the chain of audio components it is usually night and day when you moved from Solid State gear. For me, if you remove the glow of the tubes I much prefer the look of vintage audio gear. You know you like meters and silver faces!

Marantz 1060

My first step into decent solid state equipment was a Pioneer SA-8500 II. It had a sound I had never heard before and really brought the music to life before one side stopped producing audio. I moved from that to a Pioneer SX-850 and then to a Marantz 2220B. I even tried a Sansui QRX-6500 I stumbled across. Now I still have all but the Sansui and they are in 3 different rooms of my house. The Marantz in the living room, the SX-850 in the bedroom and the SA-8500 II in the music room.

Sansui QRX 6500
Marantz 2220B
Pioneer SX-850

To be fair that SA-8500 II will stay with me in the music room solid state or not. Sort of a trophy/achievement. It isn’t being used, but I completely recapped it. I’m not talking the usual, I replaced a few caps and all is good. I am talking about completely recapped. Capacitors, resistors, transistors, and of course the relay. 108 pieces total that was replaced. If you are a technical person this isn’t something that will be a big deal to you, but I had never done it before. It took me forever but was so gratifying.

It also has sentimental value since it was my father in law’s. He’s not with us any longer so it’s nice to know he loved it so much and it still lives on.

It is hard to listen to it now though vs. tube amplifiers. It has plenty of grunt to it and that’s nice but musically it isn’t the tube sound. As much as everyone hates to say tube sound if you a/b them it is a big difference. Tube sound exists people! It was an amp that was made in the Power Wars of vintage amps. You know the more power the better. Not that everyone used all of the power but it was nice to have, and brag about.

Pioneer SA-8500 II

It is 60 real watts per channel. I’ve tried using it as a preamp into a tube amp. It made enough of a difference that I wanted to try more tube equipment. I’ve even used it as the amp and run a tube preamp into it. This sounds better than using it as a preamp, but some tube magic is still lost.
I like to swap stuff around enough in the music room that writing this is making me itch to run my tube preamp into it just to hear it again. Like I need to convince myself again. That makes me roll my eyes. Like I need to hear it again to decide that a complete tube experience is what I like. Audio is so much fun! Does anyone else miss their vintage equipment? Maybe I should look into a vintage tube piece…

Bad Tubes – Bad Bad Tubes

Bad Tubes - Bad Bad Tubes

Well, I finally had some tubes go “bad” on me or “become microphonic”. When I purchased my Doge 8 one thing I didn’t like was that it used 4 12AT7 tubes for the line stage. I liked the idea of 12AT7 because they can really change the music. However, it is tough to get a quad of matched tubes. Originally I was going to get a quad of Bugle Boys from VTubeAudio but only 3 of the 4 matched. I passed on them and wish I hadn’t.

Amperex Bugle Boy 12AT7 / ECC81
Doge 8
Amperex Bugle Boy Halo Getter

After talking with www.VTubeAudio.com we decided the quad didn’t match and I passed on them and decided to try my luck on a cheap set to get me by from another company until VTubeAudio had something I really wanted that matched. 

Brimar 12AT7

Pay attention kids because here is the lesson in this post. Do not buy cheap tubes. I found a quad that was said to be a matched and NOS Brimar 12AT7 quad. The price was right and I purchased them.

I rolled them in and gave them some warm-up time before running some Sade on vinyl through them and seeing what they were made of. I was happy enough with them. After some time to burn in and settle they really had the same sound as when they were first rolled into the preamp. I was skeptical about them being true NOS tubes at this point though. Usually, true NOS tubes will adjust and change through the first 10 hours at least before they settle down, or that has been my experience with tubes. I purchased a pair of Mullard 12AT7 / CV4024 ( Rebranded BEARD M8162) tubes from VTubeAudio a while back and it was awesome listening to them change and finally settle in. Now they don’t leave the amplifier they are in.

Mullard CV4024

After 2 weeks with the Brimars, I noticed one afternoon that I could hear the volume being adjusted through the speakers. I don’t mean the music playing louder and softer I mean the actual volume pot being adjusted. It had a mechanical sound that took me off guard. Initially, I thought It must be the tubes adjusting and it would go away, but it continued to get worse. Word to the wise: shut your system down if you have anything sounding odd. I did have a bit of panic as this has been the first major problem I’ve had with my tube equipment. So I powered everything off and decided to start with the preamp. Logical starting point since I could hear the volume and nothing else had changed in the amplifier it was feeding. 

Removing the Doge 8 Cover

Immediately the problem was obvious. You could see the 3 tubes that had the white haze all over the plates. I removed the tubes and put the stock tubes back in to make sure that was the only problem in the chain. Luckily no damage had been done to the preamp by the tubes becoming microphonic.

First 3 tubes Microphonic
Triplett 3444 Testing Siemens ECC82

I feel like I really dodged a bullet. I haven’t had this happen yet and no components of the preamp were damaged so I feel very lucky. While tubes can go bad there are a few things to remember. Cheap tubes sometimes mean cheap tubes. You know the ole “you get what you pay for” saying. Buy from a dealer that is known for quality tubes, tests the tubes, and shows results for those tests.

Every set I’ve gotten from VTubeAudio has come with a sheet showing the results of the test for each tube. It’s seriously awesome to know what they read before you put them into your tube equipment. It’s peace of mind and will save frustration when you are listening to your music.

Test Results Sent With Tubes

I’ll be patient next time. I should have waited for the right quad of 12AT7 to come along. I feel like everyone has a story of an amp being affected by tubes going bad. I would love to hear your experiences with tubes that didn’t live up to your expectations, and then catch up on past posts by clicking below.

Life Without a Remote – The preamp search starts!

Life Without a Remote – The preamp search starts!

My system currently runs from a Primaluna Prologue 3 into a custom-made tube amp that will allow plenty of tubes to be rolled in. Currently, I’m using some =C= 6550 tubes that are special, and offer a great soundstage and low end that has the impact of the KT88 tube. The mids are warm, very balanced, and give off a great “tube” sound. With that said I’ve wondered about the top end.

I have always been skeptical of the Primaluna and its sound though. I have rolled a few brands of 12AX7 tubes in and out and haven’t really noticed a change in sound. I have also read that this preamp was known to have a solid state characteristic. Very linear and not much warmth added. Not to take anything away from it. I think it is a nice preamp that does sound good but always leaves me wondering if there is something better for my system.

Also, it doesn’t have a remote and my integrated amp does. I don’t care if you call me lazy I want a remote! I find that I listen to the Integrated more because of the remote. It is a great amp, but it isn’t the same caliber as the “KT88” amp as it’s called around our house. The KT88 amp runs 12AT7 and 12AU7. These compliment each other very well.  The amp really responds to rolling tubes and can take plenty of power tube options. KT88, El34, 6L6GL and all variations of these.

I know a simple solution would be to sell the amp and preamp and buy an integrated that will do what the KT88 amp does. That’s a great solution, but I’m attached to the KT88 amp. I got to help decide the preamp and power tube types. A local tech/tube amp guru made the changes before I purchased it. Plus it looks amazing!

Back to the hunt for the preamp with a remote

 I started researching and landed on a few options that I like. I narrowed it down to Schiit Audio Freya, Vincent Audio SV-500, or a Doge 8 LP. The first 2 were new and the Doge a pre-owned unit at an amazing price that made it a possible candidate.

Schiit Freya

The Freya is a no-excuses balanced, remote-control preamp! Switch between passive, active JFET buffer, and tube gain modes, enjoy the fine control of a 128-step relay-switched stepped attenuator volume control with perfect channel matching, and control it all from the comfort of your favorite chair—for many times less than you’d expect to pay.               http://www.schiit.com/products/freya

The SV-500 is a hybrid amplifier that utilizes a full tube preamp stage and a solid state amp stage. It is based on the bigger SV-227. The main difference between the 2 is the SV-500 has less power but the same tonal qualities. It can be used as a tube preamp vs an integrated.                 http://www.vincent-tac.de/en/product-types/integrated-amplifiers/sv-500.html

Vincent SV-500
Doge 8

The Doge 8 LP is a unit that has actually been renamed as the Doge 8 Clarity. Basically, they had a dealer that wanted certain caps installed and they did it. The “clarity” in the name means they are using clarity caps now. It is a full tube preamp and on their website Doge boasts “The best tube preamp on the market below $5,000”          http://www.doge.audio/products/doge-8-tube-preamplifier/doge-8-clarity-2017-edition/

One of the frustrating things in the Hi-Fi world is the lack of availability to go in and side by side compare higher end equipment. Out of the 3 options, I narrowed it down to it is a German company (Vincent) with no stores, a company in California with 1 store (Schiit), and Doge who is direct to customer company.  So I had to go by reviews and questions I was able to ask the company. Here are highlight points for each preamp for my needs.

Schiit Freya:

Freya Board
  • Remote (plastic credit card style)
  • 6SN7, 6N8S, or 5692
  • Passive, JFET Buffer, or Tube Gain
  • 128-Step Relay Attenuator
  • 2 unbalanced outputs

Vincent SV-500:

SV-500 Board
  • Remote (metal)
  • 1 x 12AX7, 2 x 6N1
  • Tube output
  • Built in DAC – Digital input decodes 16-bit, 24-bit and 32-bit audio files up to 384 kHz
  • Hybrid tube/solid state amp (tube preamp stage – solid state amp)

Doge 8 LP:

Doge 8 Board
  • Remote (metal)
  • 12AT7 x 4 for line stage, 12AX7 x 4 for Phono stage
  • Tube output
  • Built in MM Phono input
  • 2 unbalanced outputs

There are other features that some of these units have that may appeal to some of you. These were the features that appealed to me and my needs.

Online Reviews and Thoughts on each Preamp

Schiit – Freya

Schiit Freya Back

This company has always been on my radar. I like the looks of all of their equipment. That silver just jumps out and looks the part! They are a Made in the USA Company and they are proud of it. I like it as well! This amp gives the option to use it as 3 different preamps: Passive, JFET Buffer, or Tube output. When my search began originally I was searching for passive preamps with remotes. So the Freya appealed to me for sure! Plus you get 2 other options for outputs besides the passive output. The idea that I would have 3 options sounds great because I do have a vintage solid state system as well that might benefit from the Freya. The Freya also uses 6SN7 tubes that admittedly I have zero experience with. I’ve read they are an amazing tube. I’ve got a friend in one of the audio groups I am a part of that did a really nice comparison of them in his system.  The volume being on a relay instead of a true volume pot is another buying point for me. As excited as I was to go with the Freya I could not get in touch with the company. I tried 2 different emails and a message left and no response. It’s a shame because the reviews look great and most seem happy with the product. My main concern was if an issue arrived how would I be able to get it resolved. So, in short, The Freya was out rather fast.

Vincent SV-500

Vincent SV-500 Back

I have always liked this company and their products. The Hi-Fi community knows this brand rather well. They are a German company and they make quality! Before I first jumped into tubes I wanted to purchase one of their SV-237 MK2 units that were extremely out of my price range at the time. When I started looking for a new preamp I went to their website and found the SV-500. One of the great things about this unit is its ability to be a standalone tube preamp or an integrated hybrid. I don’t need another integrated amp, but it’s a plus to have it just in case. Reviews say it has the same sound as its bigger brother the SV-237. I was immediately drawn in when I read that! Just take my money already! I had done enough research on the SV-237 to know it was the amp for me. Plus it has an onboard DAC, looks amazing and the SV-500 has a cost at a fraction of the price with the same sound as the SV-237! It was the front runner for sure. My only concern was the amount of preamp I was going to get for the money. After all, this is 3 units in one: preamp, amplifier, and a DAC. Plus I don’t need another DAC. I have one that for my needs is good. I am able to stream Tidal at a level that for me is as good as or better than my Vinyl collection at times. Easy Vinyl lovers I still believe in Vinyl first.

It has a real metal remote. That seems like a silly statement, but credit card remotes feel flimsy and cheap. The SV-500 does have tone controls. For me, that’s a real love-hate relationship. In the past when I was running solid state equipment I had tone controls in everything I ran. All the vintage equipment came with it. You remember bass, treble, loud button, etc. When I made the jump to tube equipment I struggled with the lack of adjustments that could be made. It took a while to just relax and listen to the music how it was recorded and mastered. Now I enjoy not having the adjustments. My system is at a level that really lets you know if it’s a bad recording or not. That’s good and bad. If the recording/mastering is bad then tone controls allow you to adjust to make it right or at least improved.

The SV-500 gives the best of both worlds. As much as I like the entire bonus features set that SV-500 offers I just couldn’t pull the trigger on it. I am really only looking for a preamp and nothing more. My final conclusion was that the SV-500 would make the perfect bedroom all in one integrated amp. So I passed on the Vincent. Man, I can’t believe I ended up passing on the Vincent SV-500. Even typing that makes me a bit sad. Like I said I have wanted a Vincent piece in my set up for a while. I’m just destined to not have a Vincent in my music room I guess. Well for now anyway.

So let’s talk about my pick: 

DOGE 8 LP

The Doge is a current model that has had a name change recently by adding the word Clarity instead of LP at the end. Nothing major here. They just changed the caps inside the amp that are being used during production. It does matter the quality of caps that are used but they were high quality before the change as well.  Normally I lean towards chrome/silver equipment if possible. The majority of what I do have has chrome in it. However, the Doge I decided on is all black and looks amazing! It is going to match the KT88 amp it’s going to drive perfectly. I can’t wait to see them next to each other. The remote is a full metal remote that feels amazing. Truth be told here: I already own a Doge integrated amp. That is how I know the way the remote feels. The Doge I currently own, Doge 6130R, started life as an amp that ran KT88 tubes and was heavily modified. The volume pot and the remote were the main things that were saved after the modifications were complete. So it really isn’t a Doge amp any longer. I know someone is going to think that owning one will influence my decision. I just wanted to clarify that the designs/lay outs aren’t even the same at this point.

Stock Doge 6130R (not my photo)
My Modified Doge 6130R

As I was searching for reviews I discovered there isn’t a ton out there for the Doge 8. I found the least number of reviews for the Doge actually. I did stumble across one review that just jumped out at me as I was reading it. “The sound- Let’s start with the line stage. Magnificent sums it up. This line stage will compete with any in models costing $ 5,000. It is that good. Not only is it highly transparent and pure, this thing kicks ass. The dynamics, the weight, and impact are staggering. If your system is in need of an adrenaline boost, the Doge is the remedy. The Doge line stage makes listening to digital viscerally thrilling in a way a live concert does”- HIGH-END AUDIO writer Arthur Salvatore

The Doge uses 4 12AT7 in the line stage and 4 12AX7 in the built-in MM phono stage. The phono stage really isn’t that important to me. I’m glad it has it, but I’ve got external phono stages already that punch well above what the Doge could offer. Just an added bonus to have it. I do however like that it uses 12AT7 in its line stage. I run that tube in a few amps including the KT88 amp. I recently purchased some Mullard 12AT7 tubes that were rebranded by BEARD from VTubeAudio and wrote about them here. The 12AT7 has a nice laid back sound to it for the most part and is readily available in plenty of NOS options.

It has 5 inputs and a phono input. 2 unbalanced outputs and 1 balanced output. Again no need for a balanced output but it’s a bonus to have it. Currently, I run 2 turntables and a DAC so there is still room to expand if I wanted to add anything. All reviews I read felt like they were describing what I wanted in a preamp. Plus it just felt like the right one to go with. It should be arriving about the time this post goes live online. I’ll let you know in the next post how the tubes from VtubeAudio sound in it. I’ve got some on the way because you know how it is you have to have new tubes with a new preamp.

Doge 8 LP

Tips on identifying a NOS Mullard M8162 tube

Beard M8162 vacuum tubes

NOS tubes are a great way to improve the sound your system produces. If you are going to purchase quality NOS tubes there are things to look for to make sure you are getting what you expect.

This post is going to focus on the Mullard M8162 that is rebranded by Beard. You’ll discover over the course of this blog my favorite flavor of tube is the Mullard, so of course I like these!  I’ve got a set of them currently in my main tube amp that I just can’t get enough of. So let’s dive right in!

The M8162 will be called different names: CV4024, ECC81, but must most commonly the 12AT7 (WA). Many NOS tubes were made by one manufacturer and then branded/re-branded by another. Besides the silk screening on the outside of the glass everything else is 100% Mullard.

Model Code

You’ll also notice the code on the glass 654. This signifies it is an M8162 or CV4024.


halo getter

They have a halo getter that some will swear changes the sound. I’m not in that group. I think the getter does its job, but really only helps to confirm the era it was made when identifying tubes.


cross seams

These also have the Euro style cross seams on top of the tubes.

Ladder Plates

If you look at the picture you can see the double ribbed ladder plate that these tubes are known for having.

Plant/Year Code

For me, the numbers R3A2 on the tubes are the most important. They signify what plant they were made in and the year of production. In this case Mullard, Mitcham Plant year 1983.

The plant/year makes a big difference when selecting tubes. A different year means different runs of tubes. Quality of work and quality of materials can vary and can change the sound of a tube even if it is from the same plant and a different year.  Something I really like about Mullard tubes is a pretty consistent quality and tone from the Mitcham plant tubes.  If you’re interested in a bit of history on the plant here is a great video to give some insight and a side by side comparison of a Mullard label and BEARD branded Mullard.

My personal take on these tubes falls in line with how most people feel about Mullards. They have a nice thick midrange, and the highs are extended but not harsh. I run horns in my system so harsh highs are something that can happen easily, but not with this tube. They are very non-fatiguing even at high volumes. Of course, the lows are solid, accurate  and typical of Mullards of this quality.  Click on the picture below and grab a pair from VTUBEAUDIO!

Just remember tubes were relabeled/rebranded by plenty of companies. Know what you are getting before you buy. Make sure it’s from a reputable source and that the tubes are tested before you buy.  VTubeAudio has been my go to for tubes.  Here is a picture of my BEARD M8162 in my system.

Using Reissue (new) 12AX7 vs. NOS 12AX7

I love tubes and since I first discovered them I’ve been in the pursuit of the perfect tube sound.  I know that is every tube-o-file’s goal. There are so many options. For me, it seems there is always a new tube to discover; a manufacturer or model I never knew was available. I started like most enthusiasts by using the tubes that came with the amp I purchased. Rolling in some new tubes was over my head and I was thankful to just have my first tube amp. After all, the tubes in the amp sounded great! Initially….

Then I became aware of the things that seemed to be lacking in each song I listened to. So I did what you are doing now. I started reading online and doing research. I started asking questions on forums and found plenty of opinions to go on. Of course, I had to find out myself if there was a change in sound. So I did it. I purchased my first set of tubes. It was a Magnavox tube amp called a Maggie 8802 that I rolled those tubes into. I felt that the tubes in my system were very lean and the top end could be over-bearing at times. Doing research online, I found that Mullards are where I wanted to go first to help make the sound bigger, fuller, and less shrill. I found a pair of 1967 Blackburn Mullards 6EU7 that was listed at a cost I felt comfortable with based on reviews. After 4 days, I had them in my hand. I pulled the old tubes out and put the Mullards in and turned the amp on. I gave the amp 5 minutes to warm up and then I put on a record and started to listen. I won’t bore you with all the albums I use as reference albums, but I will tell you this. The soundstage opened up and wrapped its sweet sweet arms of music around me. I was blown away. I knew immediately I was hooked and had to have more tube options to roll in. I purchased a Primaluna Preamp to run into the Maggie to make the system completely tube driven and removed the solid-state preamp I had been using.

           

The preamp came with Primaluna tubes in all positions except the 2 inner tubes were reissued Tung-Sol 12AX7s. When it was connected it was not what I expected. I was not impressed and thought I had just wasted the money on a Preamp that wasn’t necessary. Taking a step back I started reading about reissue tubes and how they may look like the originals, but do not always share the same sound characteristics. I did what I had done before and read reviews and made another purchase.  This time I wanted to try a different manufacturer to listen to the differences I heard. Telefunkens, commonly referred to as Teles, were supposed to have a nice, open soundstage with a 3d sound. I jumped on a pair like these:

  

The worst part about these tubes was the waiting for them to arrive. The 2-3 day wait period was killing me. When they arrived I couldn’t wait to hear the difference! They delivered in a BIG way! The soundstage blended perfectly with the Mullards. It opened up even more and the reviews regarding the 3d sound were all accurate. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to find out if the reissues were the same or close enough that money could be saved. Another purchase and a pair of 12AX7 Telefunken reissues arrived.

           Reissue ECC83 on the left and NOS ECC83 on the right.         

They looked great. They were new, and they cost less than the NOS Teles I had been listening to. Same routine – warmed up the amp and then gave them a listen. As soon as the music started I missed the sound of the NOS ECC83 (12AX7) Teles I had been using. The magic was gone. To be fair I gave them a few weeks to break in and put around 50 hours of audio through them. After the 50 hours, it was time to listen critically again. Reference albums out, tubes warmed up and go! The music was better than I recalled from day one but still felt like it was missing the magic. I rolled in the NOS Telefunkens and immediately heard the difference. The magic was back. I was closing my eyes, tapping my foot and smiling. I missed the magic that can only be offered from NOS tubes. I’m a believer and love getting NOS tubes to roll in. Give some a try. Click on the picture below to see all of the options available. What are our thoughts on NOS vs. Reissues? Let us know in the comments.

Photo of Four Philips Miniwatt 4699 Power Vacuum Tubes on a table