Best tube amp clone for stereo music

[45]

Hi,

"Oh no! Again....."

Your being utterly tedious again as the design does not use
a concertina splitter, so your comment is tediously irrelevant.

rgds, sreten.

IPSE DIXIT

 

[sreten]

Hi,

FWIW a used Pioneer A400 is by far the most cost effective
choice for driving these relatively quite budget speakers.
It includes decent MC/MM stages and a passive preamp.

rgds, sreten.

 

[Doug Kim]

Tubes4HiFi clone of a Dynaco ST-70...but upgraded to output 65 watts/channel and now called an ST-120.

I'm using TungSol KT120 tubes in mine now and it sounds very good driving modified Klipsch Heresy's. Some say better than a McIntosh MC275, but I'm not sure if that's really a good thing since I've never heard an MC275.

Triodeelectronics and dynakitparts also offer ST-70 kits.
I do not know which one is better ( in what aspect ).

 

[hooman]

He didn't ask for an 'audiophile' amp. He asked for a tube amp to clone. I suggested a tubes4hifi amp as a clone of a Dynaco amp.


And on top that what makes you think a Dynaco or McIntosh as non audiophile quality?

macitosh use good classic push pull design in 275.more tubes for output drive and negative feedback circuits for best answer .but in compare to another good amps 275 is not best .

 

[pageboy]

What would be the holy grail of an easy to clone music amp? My suggestion would be to build a Williamson. Classic design. Groundbreaking in its time.

 

[Eli Duttman]

What would be the holy grail of an easy to clone music amp? My suggestion would be to build a Williamson. Classic design. Groundbreaking in its time.

Yes, a Williamson somewhat along the lines of Heath's W6M (Class "AB2" KT88s) would work well with the OP's speakers. The problems, as I see them, are a quite difficult build, for a "rookie", and the VERY large expense involved. The OP owns modestly priced speakers and, likely, has (like many/most of us) limited financial resources that can be brought to bear.

 

[seppoa]

Old-fasioned 30W Push-Pull amplifier ⋆ Lundahl Transformers

Hi, as good a documented design as I've seen, rgds, sreten.

Suitable iron is not difficult to get hold of.

I second this suggestion. And even if there are some that don´t like the documentation, it is very good and has some nice proof of the (good) results.
Otherwise one can, as I have done, buy a PCB at ebay for a PP amp, and stuff it with some components and connect to the iron. Nothing difficult, and the result is very nice. I´ve used 6550 as output tubes and get 65 watts of power, sufficient for the most speakers. EL34 would give a litte bit less. The iron I´ve used is from Indel in Poland, suitable also for the 5-20 circuit from Lundahl, even if their iron is much better.

 

[jazbo8]

I asked for an easy to clone amp, because the kits are not so expensive as an assembled one.

Unless the kits come with good output transformers (most Chinese kits do not), you'd be better off buying a vintage receiver/amplifier, although it may be tough to do in Chile.

 

[jdiego]

The OP's Pioneer speakers are not efficient, to begin with. Even without derating for the impedance curve dips almost certain to be present, the nominal 6 ohm impedance requires derating to be done, as 2.83 V. into 6 ohms is 1.3 W., not 1 W. I think a good guess will be to use 4 ohm speaker taps and a real world sensitivity around 84 dB.

At a minimum, push/pull KT88s will be needed. From an economic perspective, a nice, DIY, tubed preamp driving a SS power amp of good quality seems indicated. The inexpensive speakers may sound good, but they are definitely power hungry. Once again, TANSTAAFL strikes.

so... considering that my speakers sensitivity are 86-87dB, I should get an amp with at least 30W/CH, and because I can't build nor buy a push-pull tube amp ≥ 30W/CH for less tan 500 bucks, I should get an hybrid instead?

What's the audible difference between tubes and SS power amps when using a tube preamp?

What's the audible difference between preamps with 1 and 2 tubes? amount of noise?


I'm really grateful, thanks all

 

[jdiego]

Yes, a Williamson somewhat along the lines of Heath's W6M (Class "AB2" KT88s) would work well with the OP's speakers. The problems, as I see them, are a quite difficult build, for a "rookie", and the VERY large expense involved. The OP owns modestly priced speakers and, likely, has (like many/most of us) limited financial resources that can be brought to bear.

in deed