Tell me about valve equipment

[The Grand Wazoo]

Neil, of course, I completely agree, but having no experience of them, all I have to go on is the spec.

I'd be willing to bet they'd sound good bi-wired, with the Quad on the bass/mid & valves on the tweeters!!

[Spectral Morn]

Hi Ali

Was it these ?


Regards D S D L

[Ali Tait]

Pretty sure it was,though in rosewood.They seemed to go damn loud for the size of them!

[Spectral Morn]

Neil, of course, I completely agree, but having no experience of them, all I have to go on is the spec.

I'd be willing to bet they'd sound good bi-wired, with the Quad on the bass/mid & valves on the tweeters!!

Hi Chris

I must admit that the configuration you suggest I have never heard work properly. Two amps the same no problem but an SS amp on the bass and valve on the mid/treble nope. Once tried two Ecofan sound (valve) amplifiers set up this way similar spec just slightly different power and power valves. The speakers were easy to drive X overless Ref 3a Decapo's it was crap. You could hear the mismatch right away. The sound was like a Venetian blind no coherence at all.

It is true that companies like T&A have speakers with active bits and a valve amplifier driving the tweeter but they were designed to work this way. The chances of matching the sonic and power characteristics of a SS amp and a valve amplifier would be very hard...not impossible but you would I suspect have to try lots and lots of products to find a match.

Had a customer with two audio Innovations second audio amps one using 6B4G and the other 6A3s in a bi-amplification set up it didn't work...the 6A3 amp had to be modified to match the spec of the 6B4g amp this still was not right. Bi-amplifing must IMHO be done with identical amplifiers.


Regards D S D L

[Spectral Morn]

Pretty sure it was,though in rosewood.They seemed to go damn loud for the size of them!

Yes they came in Rosewood, very nice finish. I may be having a senior moment here....you have me doubting myself now....ummmm

Regardless Symon must try any potential amplifiers in his own set up. Yes if some one on the WAD forum would let him try the amp at home that would be ideal.


Regards D S D L

[The Grand Wazoo]

I must admit that the configuration you suggest I have never heard work properly. Two amps the same no problem but an SS amp on the bass and valve on the mid/treble nope.

The chances of matching the sonic and power characteristics of a SS amp and a valve amplifier would be very hard...not impossible but you would I suspect have to try lots and lots of products to find a match.

Bi-amplifing must IMHO be done with identical amplifiers.

I must've been lucky in my gear then!
For years, I used various combinations of Levinson/Radford/Cary amps into my SD OBS's & it never sounded as you describe.

The best incarnation was with the 50 watt ML11 driving both bass & tweeters with the STA15 on the mid. There are things that set-up did that I've never been able to replicate.

One day I'll try what would be the ultimate incarnation possible with the gear I now have. ML9 - bass / STA 15 - Mid / ML11 - treble. The Radford needs a little work, though.

Matching the gain without losing out was tricky, but possible.

The only time I've heard anyone else do it was with Impulse H2's - I can't remember the amps, but it gave a stunning sound. The treble was really sweet & drum kit dynamics were incredible (but those speakers did pretty much chuck it at you, didn't they?)

Otherwise, I bow to your wider experience!!

[The Grand Wazoo]

Pretty sure it was,though in rosewood.They seemed to go damn loud for the size of them!

I think the kosher Beam Echos were 20 wpc

[Spectral Morn]

I must've been lucky in my gear then!
For years, I used various combinations of Levinson/Radford/Cary amps into my SD OBS's & it never sounded as you describe.

The best incarnation was with the 50 watt ML11 driving both bass & tweeters with the STA15 on the mid. There are things that set-up did that I've never been able to replicate.

One day I'll try what would be the ultimate incarnation possible with the gear I now have. ML9 - bass / STA 15 - Mid / ML11 - treble. The Radford needs a little work, though.

Matching the gain without losing out was tricky, but possible.

The only time I've heard anyone else do it was with Impulse H2's - I can't remember the amps, but it gave a stunning sound. The treble was really sweet & drum kit dynamics were incredible (but those speakers did pretty much chuck it at you, didn't they?)

Otherwise, I bow to your wider experience!!

Ummmm...interesting. When you do it we want....nay demand a write up as soon as your fingers can do the typing. Technical details too please. I told you would be doing more writing for SOG Take it as a commissioned review for when you feel you can do it....when Mr Radford is fixed.


Regards D S D L

[The Grand Wazoo]

Take it as a commissioned review for when you feel you can do it....when Mr Radford is fixed.

You're a hard taskmaster, you!

I'd actually planned to, but it might be quite some time before I can.

[Spectral Morn]

You're a hard taskmaster, you!

I'd actually planned to, but it might be quite some time before I can.

It will be worth waiting for Chris.


Regards D S D L