Building a HiFi amp

[John_P_WI]

Leo, of course you are the man. I'll contact you in the future for a few pointer on a vintage 60. Stay warm...

[Teleguy61]

ST70s and anything by McIntosh have gone out of sight in price.
Of course it's because they are great equipment.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/McIntosh-Vintag ... 1c2d9fd5c5
Typical deal these days on Mac, not in my price range.

[beasleybodyshop]

ST70s and anything by McIntosh have gone out of sight in price.
Of course it's because they are great equipment.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/McIntosh-Vintag ... 1c2d9fd5c5
Typical deal these days on Mac, not in my price range.

wait, so that setup is a preamp, poweramp, and a radio tuner?

[skyboltone]

I've used both the MX-110 and PAS-3X with a full double throw down vinyl setup. I found the McIntosh to be pretty flabby compared to the Dynaco. Just saying. If you are going to have a CD only setup it probably doesn't matter what you use for source and tone control. It's more important to pay attention to the D/A chip used in the CD player. Philips used pretty good ones for a long time. I don't know about now.

There is a very long thread on DIY Audio about an amp called "Baby Huey". If I were in your shoes I would build that. It's designed for cheap iron and all accounts indicate it's STUNNING.

I have a Dynaco SCA-35. When I get some of the backlog of projects done around here there is are two sets of Altec Model 19 components stashed away that will go in utilitarian cabinets and be set up in the garage with the Philips CD/CDR and the Dynaco.

Have fun.
Dan

[cbass]

I've always wanted a tube HiFi amp.I gots a suitable pt and somev7591s need to get a couple of OTs
I have no idea where to start though I've been searching schematics but I still don't really know what to do.

I built some D-III speakers from the parts express along time ago.they aren't terribly efficient but certainly louder than the old Bose speakers I have.
I hope those would work

[John_P_WI]

Back in the 90's my old boss built a pair of 300B SET mono blocks. What a glorious 7 or 8 watts per channel when paired with a GOOD tube pre amp. Very simple with outstanding sound with efficient speakers.

[cbass]

Bah

[skyboltone]

So what is efficient speakers for HiFi 90db or so?

A biamp or triamp would be super cool.

Over 100. Altec and JBL range in that area 100-104db.

[cbass]

So what is efficient speakers for HiFi 93db or so?
I remember my buddies dad had a pairnof sansuis and they were freaking loud horn loaded I belive
A biamp or triamp would be super cool.

[cbass]

Id say my speakers are close to 90 or so so not veryeffecient

[John_P_WI]

Dan,

Thanks for mentioning Baby Huey. A little digging and found out that is Ian's "Gingertube" design - Ian frequently stops by TAG. I have not built it, but being Ian's design I am sure it is very good. May have to contemplate this for the future. Thanks!

[Cantplay]

I have Foster 8" drivers in an Onken style cabinet in the bedroom. ~96 dB or so.

It's run by an EL84 SET that's under a watt. Capable of getting 'too loud'

[Teleguy61]

ST70s and anything by McIntosh have gone out of sight in price.
Of course it's because they are great equipment.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/McIntosh-Vintag ... 1c2d9fd5c5
Typical deal these days on Mac, not in my price range.

wait, so that setup is a preamp, poweramp, and a radio tuner?

Yes, and it would be an awesome system through a couple of good speakers.

[Structo]

A friend of mine has a pair of old McIntosh mono blocks.
I believe they are 6L6 powered.

I've been trying to buy them from him for years.
As far as I know they are sitting collecting dust.

Unfortunately, he knows how much they are worth.......

[Ken Moon]

I built a tubes4hifi ST-120 kit for a friend about 5 years ago, using 12BH7 driver tubes and JJ KT77 output tubes, which JJ had just released at the time.

It's still going strong, and was pretty easy to build from the kit (took me 2 days), but it cost about $1,000 and he still had to buy a preamp. It sounds warm and clear through his Martin Logan electrostatic speakers, but lacks bass IMO.

You may be able to find a kit for resale on one of the DIY Hi-Fi forums. I'm not sure I'd trust eBay unless the price was really low.

I'm not sold on the whole tube hi-fi thing myself - for a lot less money, I have an older Denon 5.1 receiver, and spent my money on some good Monitor Audio speakers and a sub-woofer. Not sure a tube set-up could match it for watching movies