Tube predictions / Thoughts...

[Deleted]

Ocezam questioned:

"Correct me if I'm wrong...But aren't the Butler's hybrid amps?"

This is what I wrote in my original post:

>Butler makes a 5-channel tube/MOSFET hybrid amp<

I think I did give *full* disclosure. Time to have another cup o' java, son...<g>

-RW-

[brubacca]

I look at the Prima Luna Classic Integrated at $1799 and think to myself Emotiva has to be able to do this for under $1k...

35w x2 , el34 tubes

[yves]

Forget about 300B and KT88. Give me EL-156 instead!

stereomojo.com/EasternElectricM156TubeMonoblockAmplifiersReviewtm/EasternElectricM156TubeMonoblockAmplifiersReview.htm

[mgbpuff]

The El-156 has a reputation for failure, hence it's sometimes called the 'firecracker' tube. Plate voltages are high for 8 pin sockets. The original E-156's were designed for 10 pin sockets.

[yves]

Jun 9, 2013 11:36:21 GMT -5 mgbpuff said:

The El-156 has a reputation for failure, hence it's sometimes called the 'firecracker' tube. Plate voltages are high for 8 pin sockets. The original E-156's were designed for 10 pin sockets.

The Shuguang EL156 is much, much tougher than you might think. www.audioasylum.com/forums/tubediy/messages/13/135348.html

For a 50W pentode, I'd say it's pretty darn excellent value, too, BTW.

[mgbpuff]

The tube (originally a German 10 pin design) was Chinese engineered into an 8 pin socket format. The anode pin is too close to the heater pin and although the tube itself is safe, the 8-pin socket spacing is not adequate for the plate voltages this tube uses.

[we]

Hello,

I bought two new XPA-1L and received them on Friday. When I opened the boxes a smell of burned electronic came out! I took them out of their packaging and installed them, I plugged them in and the smell is still there? 48 Hours later they still stink like cheap electronics that have been burned?

I am very concerned they play fine but the smell is nasty, all the windows are open and the ceiling fan is on but the smell still is over barring!

I will call them on on Monday, I have never seen this before and I owned Denon, Marantz, Yamaya, Onkyo, Krell, Classe and this is really gross.

[garbulky]

Emo amps are known to have a plastic smell on powering up. But by 48 hours it should have cleared out I assume....

[KeithL]

There are two smells that you might encounter when opening up a new XPA-1L.

One is a rather typical "new electronics" smell (not at all burnty, but somewhat "plasticky"), which should be rather faint and dissipate quite quickly.

The other is a distinct vinegar (acetic acid) smell which is generated by the air-dry curing of one of the adhesives used to secure a certain spacer to the chassis. (It should be recognizable if you have ever used "silicon seal" as it is a commonly used commercial equivalent.) Even though the adhesive is well cured in all XPA-1L's, sometimes the sealed box plus the rather humid weather here conspire to keep the smell trapped inside the box... it too should dissipate pretty quickly once the box is opened. (and it to is not in the least a burnt smell).

Jun 9, 2013 18:57:51 GMT -5 we said:

Hello,

I bought two new XPA-1L and received them on Friday. When I opened the boxes a smell of burned electronic came out! I took them out of their packaging and installed them, I plugged them in and the smell is still there? 48 Hours later they still stink like cheap electronics that have been burned?

I am very concerned they play fine but the smell is nasty, all the windows are open and the ceiling fan is on but the smell still is over barring!

I will call them on on Monday, I have never seen this before and I owned Denon, Marantz, Yamaya, Onkyo, Krell, Classe and this is really gross.

[we]

Well to be honest, they still smell and it has now been three days! So I don't know what to tell you except that this is the first time I have ever had this for the past 25 years that I have been purchasing electronic equipment. I am giving them a week after that I am not sure I will want to keep these. They give me a headache and make my office smell really bad.

All the best

[bootman]

Is Emotiva not offering a RMA on these?
This doesn't seem to be a normal case of "new amp" smell.

[we]

Nothing at all! I am sending them back they smell really bad.

[garbulky]

You forgot to eat the complementary blue-cheese they sent you inside didn't you?
Have you contacted emotiva? Because this isn't the place to do so for an RMA. (This is a forum for their users not for RMA's)

[ocezam]

Jun 8, 2013 12:05:24 GMT -5 @rlw said:

Ocezam questioned:
"Correct me if I'm wrong...But aren't the Butler's hybrid amps?"

This is what I wrote in my original post:
>Butler makes a 5-channel tube/MOSFET hybrid amp<

Sorry my friend, must have been asleep that day!


...

[paintedklown]

From reading Kieth's thread, I am now thinking I would like to see a small triode tube amp from Emo. I see a lot of you are wanting nothing less than 100W/ch, but in all reality, is that much power really needed with tubes.

Perhaps I am wrong on this, but I have always been under the impression that even small tube amps can play plenty loud. Would perhaps a goal of 50w/ch be sufficient for all but the most power hungry speakers and/or large rooms.

I feel that getting a lower powered 2 ch amp would help keep costs down, and provide an easier "gateway" into tube amps.

Anybody else with me on that?

EDIT: I thought perhaps I should expand on why I like the idea of a low cost/lower powered 2 ch amp.

The real reason is because I am absolutely in LOVE with my current preamp and amps (Emo stuff) and to get me to make a leap to something else would be a tough sell (especially on the pre-amp side). If there is a tube amp that is cheap enough to buy, and ultimately sell to upgrade if to big tube amp (if I like tubes), or won't set me back too much to get rid of (if I don't like it), then I would be more inclined to open up my wallet.

[mgbpuff]

How about a power amp to power amp interface box. What's that? Essentially its a resistive voltage divider that allows a tubed power amp to be inserted in the signal path to a more powerful ss amplifier. The ss amp takes on the signature sound of the tubed amp and it is able to drive highly inefficient speakers that most tube amps would never have a chance to power. I actually have this type of circuit built into my Musical Fidelity 550K monoblocks. I can drive my Revel Ultima Salon 2 speaker with a selection of tube amps ( a Glow Amp One (5 watt), Audio Electronic Six Paks (60 watts ea), or my beloved Marantz 8b (35 watts per ch)),and pump up to 550 watts to the Revels. I use the Glow Amp One often because it serves as a interface from my computer/DAC located halfway up my room.

[luvtubes]

These look like fun...   Attachment Deleted