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Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Quicksilver Audio Mid-Mono Amplifier (Tube) by zara spook

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REVIEW: Quicksilver Audio Mid-Mono Amplifier (Tube)

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Model: Mid-Mono
Category: Amplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price: $1895
Description: 50 Watt Mono-blocks
Manufacturer URL: Quicksilver Audio
Manufacturer URL: Quicksilver Audio

Review by zara spook ( A ) on June 12, 2004 at 08:26:54
IP Address: 65.33.212.25
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for the Mid-Mono


This is the second pair of Quicksilver amps I have purchased. The first were a pair of Mini-Mites - which were excellent in most every way except I needed more power after getting new speakers.

I have had the Mid-Monos for about 2 weeks now and cannot say enough good things about them. They are easily the best amps ever to be in my system. The list includes: Cary Rocket 88, Cary V12, Cary 300 SEI, Antique Sound Labs 845, Antique Sound Labs Fox KI22, Superphon DM 220, Quicksilver Mono 100's, and Mini-Mites. Most of these I had on trial for a week or two from Audiophile friends. The Quicksilver Mono 100's I burned in for a friend for 3 weeks and they are excellent. He uses them with a pair of Soundlab Dynastats with excellent results. I purchased the Mid-Monos from Quicksilver without audition based on Mike Sanders (Quicksilvers Owner) recommendation. Mike suggested the Mid-Monos would sound better than the Mono 100's if the speakers were a friendly load, but in the case of difficult loads the Mono 100's would be better. After hearing both, I agree with that recommendation. The Mono 100's to their credit were awesome with my speakers and did convince me of the need for more power.

The pair of Mid-Monos were ordered with a modification from Quicksilver which added about $75 to the price. The bias setting on a stock Mid-Mono is adjusted while pushing a test button and watching for an LED to illuminate dimly. I asked Mike if he would install meter pin jacks so I could measure my bias for more precise setting. The LED circuit measures the voltage accross a 15 ohm resistor and starts to light between 1.5 and 1.6 volts. This translates to 100 to 106 milliamps which gives you 50 to 53 per tube. Plate voltage is around 440 volts which means your idle dissipation is around 22 watts per tube. After testing with the pin jacks versus the LED, I have concluded the LED is pretty accurate and the bias is rock stable. I am currently using Ruby matched KT-88's with excellent results. One of the nice things about this amp is the ability to use most any octal output tube - they come stock with EL-34's. The Mini-Mites were auto biasing, but sounded their best when you found a "middle of the road" matched set of output tubes. The Mid-Monos with adjustable bias give you more flexibility with selection of output tubes. The output tubes should still be matched, but now the amp can be adjusted to work better with matched tubes at either extreme. The only other change I have made is to use a NOS GE 12AX7 for the input tube - the stock Sovtek 6922 driver tube seems to work quite well for now.

These amps respond very well to tweeks like Mapleshade brass cone points. As with any of these tweeks, you have to test them in your system to see for yourself if there are any positive benefits.

I am leaving this review to get something on the web about these marvalous amplifiers. They are so new, I could not find any reviews anywhere. My pair are Serial #'s 18 and 19.

Happy listening!


Product Weakness: No function weaknesses I can think of. The practical design - power cord in front - may not appeal to everyone for aesthetic reasons. The functionality of that design results in an extremely quite amp with no hum.
Product Strengths: Quicksilver products are among the most reliable and consistent offerings you can find. The build of these amps is incredible - a peek inside will showcase a sensible layout of point to point components with perfect solder joints. The amps are a bargain from a price/performance comparison and they hold their value relatively well.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Quicksilver Mid-Mono's 55 watts with KT-88's
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Cary Slp-74
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Harmon Kardon HDCD, Merrill Heirloom Table with Micro Seiki 505 MK 2 arm and Benz Micro ACE cartridge
Speakers: Gersman Acoustics - Avante Gard Loudspeakers 87 db
Cables/Interconnects: Home Made Copper Ribbon speaker cable - Home Made coaxial interconnects
Music Used (Genre/Selections): All types
Room Size (LxWxH): 12 x 12 x 8
Time Period/Length of Audition: > 2 weeks
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Quicksilver Audio Mid-Mono Amplifier (Tube) - zara spook 08:26:54 06/12/04 ( 6)