Hi,
I am thinking of trying a tube buffer or pre-amp with Class-D amplification. I shall not be requiring any gain from the pre-amp though, the sole purpose is to add a bit of warmth/tubiness to the sound.
I see a lot of these on sale on eBay - are they good? Sorry I have NO idea about these and my questions might sound silly.
Assembled Tube 6N3 Buffer Audio Preamplifier For DIY | eBay
NEW MK3 Indeed Class A Valve Buffer Amp Amplifier 6922 | eBay
Buffer Preamplifier 6N3 Tube AMP Pre-amp assembled | eBay
Are schematics for simple projects available? I already have 6N3, 12AX7, and 5670 tubes.
Thanks,
Zia
I am thinking of trying a tube buffer or pre-amp with Class-D amplification. I shall not be requiring any gain from the pre-amp though, the sole purpose is to add a bit of warmth/tubiness to the sound.
I see a lot of these on sale on eBay - are they good? Sorry I have NO idea about these and my questions might sound silly.
Assembled Tube 6N3 Buffer Audio Preamplifier For DIY | eBay
NEW MK3 Indeed Class A Valve Buffer Amp Amplifier 6922 | eBay
Buffer Preamplifier 6N3 Tube AMP Pre-amp assembled | eBay
Are schematics for simple projects available? I already have 6N3, 12AX7, and 5670 tubes.
Thanks,
Zia
Except when well designed buffer minmizes distortions caused by non-linear input impedance of the power amp. It is often the case why solid state amp sounds better driven by tube buffer.
You don't want a preamp. You want an FX box. Perhaps something based on a type like the 12AV7 -- a notoriously nonlinear type that generates more H2 than almost any audio small signal triode.
It's E-Bay, and that means Caveat emptor in spades.
Hi Zaman
I am from Dhaka, we had discussion before remember?
Built and used plate followers/cathod followers of many flavour. Built and used AIKIDO for some time. Built/used ACF and BCF for some time.
I humbly request you to build (whatever design) yourself and enjoy. I think I have 300+ tube (power and signal both) stock with me for the tube lovers. You can get few tubes (at free of cost only) from me.
Regards
I am from Dhaka, we had discussion before remember?
Built and used plate followers/cathod followers of many flavour. Built and used AIKIDO for some time. Built/used ACF and BCF for some time.
I humbly request you to build (whatever design) yourself and enjoy. I think I have 300+ tube (power and signal both) stock with me for the tube lovers. You can get few tubes (at free of cost only) from me.
Regards
My opinion is as follows.... I've never heard a good class D amp. The tube buffers that you listed off ebay are total junk. I purchased some like junk years ago when I first got into tube equipment. At best they are a rip off copy of a 30 year old design. The worst is something that they threw together to bait some unsuspecting fool into purchasing it. They sound like total crap.
If its worth the time and trouble then its worth doing correctly in my opinion.
If its worth the time and trouble then its worth doing correctly in my opinion.
Minhaj,
Good to hear from you. Thanks for your advice and kind offer. You are right - enjoyment is key. For a lot of folks in this community, that's not only limited to listening I guess - the building, experimeting and trying out new tweaks count too.
M2 Racer, Original Burnedfingers,
Currently in the process of building a Tubelab PP amp, which would be my third tube amp. I like my Class D amps too, but sometimes they sound a tad too clean/thin in the upper mids and treble region. I got the idea of a tube preamp/tube buffer from Virtue Audio - they offer a tube buffer option with their Sensation amps IIRC.
I do not need any gain - so a tube buffer should be fine? I am assuming the buffer will add a "tube signature", and this would make the sound just a bit sweeter without screwing things up? I might be wrong though...
Good to hear from you. Thanks for your advice and kind offer. You are right - enjoyment is key. For a lot of folks in this community, that's not only limited to listening I guess - the building, experimeting and trying out new tweaks count too.
M2 Racer, Original Burnedfingers,
Currently in the process of building a Tubelab PP amp, which would be my third tube amp. I like my Class D amps too
, but sometimes they sound a tad too clean/thin in the upper mids and treble region. I got the idea of a tube preamp/tube buffer from Virtue Audio - they offer a tube buffer option with their Sensation amps IIRC.I do not need any gain - so a tube buffer should be fine? I am assuming the buffer will add a "tube signature", and this would make the sound just a bit sweeter without screwing things up? I might be wrong though...
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If I could only answer that... sounds like a trick question
and whatever I shall answer will lead to trouble...
For me, shall I say a slightly warmer presentation and highs that are clear without getting harsh.
In my experience, different tubes sound different, and same tubes sound different in different designs.
from what I understood(long time ago), the aikido is capeable of such low distortion that it could tend to 'sound' much like a good solid state design
though, a few good SS design have been claimed to sound much like tube amps
did you take a look at SY's led biased preamp, or Salas's simple 6V6 pre
such 'simple' designs might be more in the direction of what you ask
The function of a buffer is to isolate one circuit from another. In audio terms that usually means driving a high cable capacitance or a non-linear input impedance. The buffer should not add anything - at most it should prevent something else from subtracting something good or adding something bad. A 'buffer' which adds anything, including 'tube warmth', is not a buffer it is an FX box.
In most modern systems buffers are unnecessary. If a power amp has a seriously non-linear input impedance then the designer should have added a buffer at the input himself. If cable capacitance is too high then you probably need better (possibly cheaper!) or shorter cables.
In most modern systems buffers are unnecessary. If a power amp has a seriously non-linear input impedance then the designer should have added a buffer at the input himself. If cable capacitance is too high then you probably need better (possibly cheaper!) or shorter cables.
hey, I can relate to that, sure
but might be a bit more difficult job than just adding a tubewhat you need is near total synergy through out your whole setup
everything have to be considered
and speakers especially
and you might sit back and say, wow, thats a nice midrange, but where did the top go ?
and next, what happened to the bass now
very often it just titlts back and forth
the never ending story of is this better ? or was it better before ? or maybe some new third option ?
the endless pain of audiophile hifih
it will never be just like you want it
but hey, maybe thats why we are here
to ease each others pain
really
you must be talking about someone I dont know aboutbut yeah, music without any kind of distortion usually sounds like crap
the real difficult trick is to reproduce the distortion optimally
and thats the absolute truth, and secret of the finest reproduced sound
Why do some people get upset when it is suggested that some people like noise and distortion? Are the former admitting that they belong to the latter group, and feel insulted? There is nothing wrong with adding distortion if that is what you like, just like there is nothing wrong with using tone controls if that is what you like. Just don't pretend that tone controls don't modify frequency response, or that distortion does not add frequency components which were not there originally.
I'm not upset
but its like listening to the usual 'measurements vs listening', or the old 'feed back vs no feed back' debate, or even worse, the 'subjective people against the objective people'
I hope we can move on and get beyond that, some day
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