Digital Drive Upsamplers, DACs, jitter, shakes and analogue withdrawals, this is it.

---

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Digital Drive ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

RE: Quick question

Posted by RhythmDevil (A) on June 9, 2015 at 05:29:36

In Reply to: Quick question posted by AbeCollins on June 9, 2015 at 04:12:33:

Since you asked, a "not-so-quick" answer... :)

The MV-60, along with a PV-14LS, was my "entry" into tube systems some fifteen years ago now. I still own the amp, but it is currently in the shop at CJ for a unknown internal failure. (Hmmm, it's been 3 weeks, time for a phone call...). This is not the "SE" version with the 6550s, but the "vanilla" version designed for EL-34s. These days, its populated with new production tubes from Genalex (KT-77, 12AX7) and Tung-Sol (6SN7).

The backup amps, currently in service, are the AES SixPacs. In normal times, this is where I go to have fun playing around with tube swapping when the mood strikes. The power tubes are Russian NOS 6P3S-Es (thanks to Jim McShane for the matched sextets!), and there are lots of NOS 12BZ7s and EL84s out there to play around with. :)

I have difficulty talking about the "sound" of an amp outside of the context of a system (in general) and a speaker (in particular). My amps work well for me because I mated them to the right speaker, one I know was intentionally designed for moderate powered tube amps. I am speaking of my Alon Lotus Elite speakers. Their open-baffle midrange & tweeter throw a dipole dispersion pattern that helps in my moderate sized listening room (13x17); I'm also partial to the sound of its sealed bass enclosure. The design has a very "tube-friendly" impedance curve.

Now, to your question....

I like both amps; I think they have similar qualities. The CJ is the one that is preferentially in the system. I would describe the sound, relative to the SixPacs, as more "delicate" in soft passages, more resolving of low-level details, and the sound is more liquid... wetter, if you will. Together with the Alons, they bring acoustic performances into the room.

The SixPacs do this act too, but where they do better in my system is when I want to rock. Again, not to say that the CJ can't do this in my system, but the SixPacs grab ahold of the woofers and don't let go. Perhaps this is because they are mono-blocks with separate power supplies.

I have not heard the MV-60SE amp (it was only released after I purchased mine, or I would have considered it). People whose opinion I respect have told me in the past it sounds like a modern version of the Premier-11. That said, I have learned to always listen for myself.

EDITED: fixed 12BH7 -> 12BZ7 typo
Cerebrate!

Edits: 06/10/15

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Sonic Craft

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---