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View Full Version : Amps: Switching to valves from solid state.



twelvebears
06-05-2009, 06:00
Given the current and very amusing 'Thread of the Week', I thought this might be an opportune moment to raise a subject that's been on my mind.

I currently own a MF M3, which as all you knowledgeable audiophiles will know, is a solid state behemouth packing a min of 250 watts/channel.

I very much like this beastie for many reasons, not least of which been the sense of value I get whenever I have to try and move it for any reason.

However, I have a nagging doubt...

You see once upon a time, my domestic circumstances meant that I frequently got the chance to open the taps and enjoy some, if not all of that welly. Now however, times have changed and my listening volumes are far more modest, even though my partner's 13yr old boy still claims it's too loud....

Given that the M3 would still fetch a decent sum, I'm contemplating whether a move to valve power would be worth considering?

The issue is that I'd have to be COMPLETELY convinced it was the right thing to do, and that means being able to listen to some suitable kit at leasure and than try the most likely candidate side by side with the M3 at home.

Does any one have views/suggestions on:

1. Possible kit to try out

2. Anyone who would allow the home trial against the M3

NRG
06-05-2009, 07:12
Valves are going to sound very different to your current amp! The room and 'speakers are also going to be influential on the sound they will both need to be valve sympathetic.

I'd suggest you get yourself over to Noteworthy Audio in Aylesbury they have loads of stuff to drool over and are very accommodating.

Spectral Morn
06-05-2009, 07:53
I agree with Neal...

The MF amplifier is due to its power and design going to be different to valves. However the MF amplifier is not a million miles away in some ways to the sound of a valve amplifier...it sides to the just warmer side of neutral and is quite sweet compared to much later MF amplifiers Tri-Vista and KW series which I don't like the sound of, to much metal in the velvet glove showing for me.

What valve amps do very well is paint a much more three dimensional sound, they can be more dynamic and paint more realistic tonal colour and density. However what they don't do so well is provide very deep tight bass....unless the match with speaker used is near or perfect.

I do find, and again I must qualify this,the speaker match must be good, that valve amplifiers do indeed do low volume listening very well....IMHE. However in saying that so can solid state amplifiers. I was listening to a Chapter Audio pre-power last night at low volume and while it was not as fleshed out at low volume as my normal all valve pre-power it was pretty good.

However its really about system matching and slightly less about the technology used. If everything is matched up right then it should be possible to listen at any volume, and the sound just grow in size rather than loudness. When things have to go loud to work I would suggest that its not really working or matched up right, as I think it should/could be. I want an effortless sound that just gains density etc as I turn the volume control up...and this is pretty much what I get. The music just expands to fill the space around the speakers, until it reaches the individual recordings correct level to fully snap into focus. Every recording has a right level to achieve this.

My fear/concern not knowing your speakers is that to achieve this you may need a powerful push pull/parallel push pull valve amplifier with lots of power and excellent output transformers and this will cost a lot unless you can pick something up S/H. Most valve amplifiers at the cheaper end of things are low power and to gain say 75 watts or more will cost thousands of pounds and more than likely be American....BAT, Audio Research, Conrad Johnson and Rogue Audio to name a few. But these are all power amplifiers so if you need an integrated that complicates things a bit more, as high power examples are rarer than power amplifiers alone. I use a BAT VK75/Music Reference RM200 mainly because that is the type of power my Gallo speakers need...apart from my liking the way these amplifiers reproduce the music I like and match the rest of the system. Don't forget you will also need plenty of ventilation so your current housing arrangement for your gear would have to be altered.

It is vital you try out options don't be tempted no matter how good the deal looks to buy something on spec.


Regards D S D L

Marco
06-05-2009, 08:07
Sorry to come in like this, chaps, but could I ask that everyone contributing to this thread reads my post here:

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?p=44587#post44587

Cheers! :)

Marco.

Mike
06-05-2009, 16:32
Interesting... ish!

But it doesn't address this:



Does any one have views/suggestions on:

1. Possible kit to try out

2. Anyone who would allow the home trial against the M3


I've got a Mr Liang 845 sitting about idle that you'd be welcome to borrow, logistics could be a problem mind!

It's a very, very different animal to your MF though and may not work well at all in your system. How sensitive are your loudspeakers?

Ali Tait
06-05-2009, 23:19
I have several valve amps,as well as an MF A370.It's actually quite valve-like in a lot of ways! Saying that,I would not take the MF over my beloved valve amps. I agree wiv wot Neil sez! We really need to know what your speakers are before we could make any suggestions.Whereabouts in the world are you?