A nice healthy divergence of opinion going on here!
Barry
Indeed, and for 'sound-per-pound' value, that's probably the way to go. However, for me, vintage Tannoys (HPDs or MGs) still sound best on the end of a top-notch, reasonably powerful push-pull valve amp, with good grip and control, whilst also delivering the beguiling musical qualities of tubes.
However, such valve amps cost a lot of money (as it's mostly in the quality of the transformers), so Mike, unless you've got a minimum of £5k to throw at things, forget it and stick to SS.
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!
Location: KY - Scotland
Posts: 5,465
I'm Mike.
Lots to think on, which is what I wanted. As mentioned already I'm in no rush so I'll just keep watching the classifieds and try and organise demos of kit if I can.
Gary at Audio Emotion is very good and local to me so I'll be watching his used list closely, the same with Jordan's who are 5 minutes from me too.
My EWA M-50 Power Amp is a powerful great sounding amp on the Tannoys and will take some beating, I had Autobahn by Kraftwerk playing for my dad before the recone and it was like we were back in the Usher Hall listening to them live. So I more than likely should keep the EWA and match it with a pre amp, I might just demo/borrow some pre amps in the first instance.
Last edited by mikeyb; 07-11-2017 at 10:42.
My Quad QMPs produce an excellent sound through my Ardens (even better since snagging Jerry's L10) & I think I'm right in saying they're a similar design to the 909?
Location: Seaford UK
Posts: 1,861
I'm Dennis.
In the 70s when running a Nelson Jones 10+10, I chanced on a 303. It lasted 1 day, the bass was woolly and undamped.
The 405 is not much better IMO, but the 909 is very good.
Location: gone
Posts: 11,519
I'm gone.
The Quad 405ii has much more control than the original 405.
I upped from the 405 to the ii and consider it to be the first real hifi amp that I owned.
.
I consider selling the Croft back to you, if you were interested.
Location: Troon
Posts: 2,476
I'm tony.
Mike,
What about a EWA pre to match the power amp....makes sense!
If you fancy trying tubes I will lug my Kel 84 power amp and mono blocks across.
Ive got the monos plumbed in using the TQ as dac/pre-sounds lovely.
Can bring the tvc/tissie and bte to let you try some passives.
Try to persuade Brian to bring is croft pre /power.
As a left field I can also bring a few t amps-mini t/temple audio bantum/mono blocks-they can really surprise just how good they sound.
The scottish mafia is hear to help!!!
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!