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I'm beginning to understand what a good solid state amp sounds like
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Posted on February 28, 2017 at 08:29:25 | ||
Posts: 11287
Location: Arizona Joined: February 4, 2003 |
For decades I was going back and forth between solid state and tube amps. Always going back to tubes because solid state just did not have that feel, texture and tone of being "real" music - to me so please no flame throwers. Several months ago I had a circa 1973 Marantz 250M totally rebuilt. New caps, relays, the works. Also in that rebuild all the transistors and diodes were replace with more durable upgraded versions. As well as a few minor upgrade mods to tweak up the original circuit. I'm not going to go into the pointless descriptive's. However! with tubes I always sensed more "feel and texture". More of like yes this IS a trumpet or a violin playing and not just a really good sound reproduction of it. The solid state amps I tried were really good in the usual descriptive ways (some not so good). But they never really attained that indescribable sense or feeling I got with tubes. Enter the Marantz 250M. A trumpet sounds like a trumpet and a violin sounds like a violin. The feel, texture and soul of great audio. Its presentation of tone and detail was a bit different than my tubes but still wonderful and engaging. Now I understand what good SS sound is and why the debate of tubes vs SS continues to invoke a heated debate. |
RE: One man's 'texture' is another man's 'grain'.*, posted on February 28, 2017 at 16:00:13 | |
Posts: 9361
Location: 52deg 28'N,1deg56'W Joined: April 17, 2006 |
* |
One man's 'grain' is another man's whiskey. , posted on February 28, 2017 at 17:15:18 | |
Posts: 2063
Location: San Diego Joined: July 13, 2009 |
nt |
By Jove, posted on March 1, 2017 at 08:00:30 | |
Posts: 8489
Location: Washington, DC Metro Area Joined: November 16, 2004 Contributor Since: May 23, 2023 |
I think I've got it.
Gsquared |
After reading his profile, I wondered if, posted on March 2, 2017 at 12:03:25 | |
Posts: 37650
Joined: May 12, 2000 Contributor Since: April 5, 2002 |
time runs backwards in the forest. :) |
RE: and it was fuzzy, posted on March 2, 2017 at 16:09:54 | |
Posts: 2063
Location: San Diego Joined: July 13, 2009 |
I also have the NAD M22 with my maggie 3.6's. |
RE: I'm beginning to understand what a good solid state amp sounds like, posted on March 3, 2017 at 12:28:30 | |
Posts: 3538
Joined: April 23, 2007 |
you should hear a really good s/s amp |
RE: I'm beginning to understand what a good solid state amp sounds like, posted on March 3, 2017 at 14:12:35 | |
Posts: 3538
Joined: April 23, 2007 |
Pass Labs is very good.....I'm an Ayre man myself |
RE: St70 !?, posted on March 4, 2017 at 08:31:39 | |
Posts: 665
Joined: December 29, 2012 |
bare, I don't know exactly what experiences lead you to your conclusions, but have you seen this recent landmark study of the original Dynaco Stereo 70? It's really worth reading for its objectivity alone: Gillespie Study of original Stereo 70 As far as the "variants," or "modded" versions of the Stereo 70, they have had a pretty well established following, and people seem to like them a lot. I personally have not heard them, but the evidence suggests they sound good and represent a good value, like the original Dynacos did. As far as the original Dynaco Stereo 70, I built a new Stereo 70 to the original circuit and added some of the same kinds of performance enhancements that the modded versions use. For example: individual bias adjust, increased power supply (B+ and filament) capacitance using low ESR electrolytics with polypropylene bypasses, a zero recovery diode for the bias supply, stainless steel chassis, larger power transformer, closely matched resistors and polypropylene coupling capacitors all of which I think bring out the potential of the original Dynaco circuit. While not a "world beater," I find the results to be remarkably good, even excellent. I have a Cary SLI-80 Signature, a Parasound Halo A21 and a McIntosh MC275 MkIV, and I think my Stereo 70 does a very good job of keeping up with their sound quality, while taking into account that they are different kinds of amps. Given a fair chance on a level playing field, the original Dynaco circuit can sonically achieve what I think of as "the high end vibe." Regards, |
Silverline Sonata, posted on March 7, 2017 at 03:02:50 | |
What I'm wondering is: Where is he getting the Dynaudio drivers? :) |