Which Mark Audio driver/tube amp would you choose?

[chrisb]

Just curious, but did you listen to one "as shipped"? If so, I agree that I could live without it if I was only listening to uncompressed formats of high quality recordings. In it's stock configuration (ie. with the Chinese 6J1 tubes) its main advantage is "de-digitalizing" compressed audio formats and generally warming up the sound. I do my best to only listen to uncompressed formats, but enough of my music library is still MP3 (of various quality) that I sometimes don't have a choice. The tube buffer makes the MP3s a lot more pleasant, regardless of what tubes are in it...

However, once you start rolling some NOS vintage European or American tubes, even uncompressed "audiophile" level recordings and re-masters benefit from the processor. All hints of "digitalness" just disappear, the sound is warmer, the soundstage opens up, and then depending on the tubes you can get really fast, tight bass with brighter highs (Sylvania) or smooth-as-silk bass with forward mids and refined highs (Mullard), etc. It can go the other way, too. The (used) Raytheons I bought have fat, flabby bass, distant mids and variably distorted (very odd) highs. They are probably done.

If you already have tube amplification, excellent source(s) and fantastic speakers (which I suspect you do) then I am not surprised at all that you can live without the B-283 🙂

It'd be churlish to argue with what you're hearing, or dispute your final paragraph

 

[rvsixer]

Just wanted to post a little update on my project:

The EL70's have been in break-in since received, and just hit 100 hours. I have always been dubious of this process and its merit, but am now a believer. At first I wondered where is this sweet MA/CSS EL70 sound everyone raves about? They sounded quite "harsh" at first, kind of like an old AM transistor radio, but after the first 25 hours passed were already sounding MUCH MUCH better.

Several weeks passed and I realized the tube amp kit was not going to materialize, so I began searching for alternatives. I found a local producer of very reasonably priced class D amp kits (Class D Audio Home page) that have a good following (and if you believe everything on the internet, some "tube only" guys are replacing them with these). Kit received next day, going together next.

Speakers are also designed, just need to get the router out and fit the EL70's. Stay tuned 😉.

 

[planet10]

😀

 

[cogitech]

rvsixer, I had the same experience with the EL70s. When I first heard them I was horrified. What had I done wrong? Had I reversed the polarity? etc.

I have several hundred hours on mine now and they do continue to improve for quite some time. The improvement slows down after a couple hundred I'd say...

Glad to hear your system is all coming together nicely.