I’ve had my 8200 DX for a few months and have loved every minute of it. I kept the amp in ultralinear mode since I first plugged it in and loved the sound. I decided to try triode mode this weekend, which is accomplished by cracking the case and moving a small jumper for each channel. Wow! The sound got even better, at least to my ears. I’ve read that amps using triodes tend to have a gorgeous mid-range but a less taut low end. That has been my experience as well with the 8200DX, but the bass sounds quite defined and satisfying all the same. Piano and horns, though, sound like they are in the room with me. The whole sound of my albums is fuller and richer. Maybe I’ll switch back to ultralinear mode in the future, but right now, I am loving how my albums are sounding.
My experience is different, but I made significant changes to the amp and now it sounds very different than the stock model.
Please note that TU-8200 was designed to work in UL mode in the first place. If you want to get the most of these pentodes in triode mode than much higher plate voltage, higher load impedance and higher voltage swing on the control grid, and lower bias current need to be used. This would require very different component values in various places, which obviously can't be done in a singe amp with reasonable effort so that the triode mode of the TU-8200 is a compromise.
The now-discontinued TU-8300 was the map where you could use pentodes in triode mode in proper conditions.
Well I played with modes for some time. I found each has its pros and cons.
A major experience, UL suffers from disadvantages of both triode and pentode modes, in a way, besides benefiting from both, as I hear.
Pentode mode is open, dynamic, powerful as I hear; still somewhat aggressive that might come from higher distortion or/and else. Maybe the odd type harmonics I hear it generates some, affects the otherwise natural character as above.
Triode mode is very clean to my ears. I do not miss power at all. I use 94 dB speakers that may help, dk not know. Dynamics is there too, much microdynamics but also macro. If this mode is is a compromise in TU 8200 for its capabilities, it still make me a happy man. But will listen to a SET once I can.
I offset the somewhat less bass by using Soviet 6P3SE tubes in this mode: this combo sounds better than UL mode with any types of tubes I tried up to now, NOS or new production.
A major experience, UL suffers from disadvantages of both triode and pentode modes, in a way, besides benefiting from both, as I hear.
Pentode mode is open, dynamic, powerful as I hear; still somewhat aggressive that might come from higher distortion or/and else. Maybe the odd type harmonics I hear it generates some, affects the otherwise natural character as above.
Triode mode is very clean to my ears. I do not miss power at all. I use 94 dB speakers that may help, dk not know. Dynamics is there too, much microdynamics but also macro. If this mode is is a compromise in TU 8200 for its capabilities, it still make me a happy man. But will listen to a SET once I can.
I offset the somewhat less bass by using Soviet 6P3SE tubes in this mode: this combo sounds better than UL mode with any types of tubes I tried up to now, NOS or new production.
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