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The Dynaco Tube Audio Forum

Dedicated to the restoration and preservation of all original Dynaco tube audio equipment - Customer support for Tubes4hifi VTA tube amp and preamp kits and all Dynakitparts.com products


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    70 or 120?

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    devin
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    Post by devin Wed May 04, 2011 10:00 pm

    I have a set of KEF Q7s from circa 2005 - currently running off a McIntosh MA6100 - room size is 16 x 20 - I like to listen to my music relatively loud, not party loud - listen to classical and classic/hard rock. Want to build one of these amps - which one do you guys recommend. I'm kind of a newb - I have multiple McIntosh amps, all solid-state though - just delving into tube amps - im a big phono guy, and an electrical engineer - I just read soo many mixed things about small vs large, etc - my speakers are relatively efficient - I occasionally have parties where women like to listen to rap, and after awhile it will overheat the 6100 - I absolutely do not care, or want to cater my amp to that crap - as usually is it a nice reprieve... but, there you go- what you guys think
    j beede
    j beede


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    Post by j beede Wed May 04, 2011 10:29 pm

    Big room... Big woofers... high SPL... hard rock... with amp driven to thermal shutdown on occasion. Sounds like you would do well with a direct coupled solid state amp, maybe a vintage Bryston 3B or Hafler/Acoustat MOSFET amp. My guess is that you would be disappointed with the high SPL and bass performance that a 25W or 50W tube amp would produce with your speakers. Maybe you have an office or bedroom system with a nice pair of 2-way monitors? I know that combination would make pleasing music.
    oatstao
    oatstao


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    Post by oatstao Thu May 05, 2011 3:05 am

    devin wrote:I have a set of KEF Q7s from circa 2005 - currently running off a McIntosh MA6100 - room size is 16 x 20 - I like to listen to my music relatively loud, not party loud - listen to classical and classic/hard rock. Want to build one of these amps - which one do you guys recommend. I'm kind of a newb - I have multiple McIntosh amps, all solid-state though - just delving into tube amps - im a big phono guy, and an electrical engineer - I just read soo many mixed things about small vs large, etc - my speakers are relatively efficient - I occasionally have parties where women like to listen to rap, and after awhile it will overheat the 6100 - I absolutely do not care, or want to cater my amp to that crap - as usually is it a nice reprieve... but, there you go- what you guys think

    You have got to be kidding? A cheap Yamaha Natural sound amp from 1980 handles 4 speakers and "rap" or Bass music with ease. What's the problem with your amp?
    McIntosh are SOOO expensive..they should be able to handle that.
    Bob Latino
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    Post by Bob Latino Thu May 05, 2011 3:22 pm

    The KEF Q7 is about 90 - 91 dB efficient which is about average for a speaker. Your question was "70 or 120"? I am assuming that you mean the VTA ST-70 or VTA ST-120. Since you mentioned that you occasionally have parties and listen to rap music, I would go with the VTA ST-120. It would serve you better for playing loudly for longer periods of time.

    Bob
    jdm
    jdm


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    Post by jdm Thu May 05, 2011 9:56 pm

    Pictures of the women and the old amp would help answer the question!!

    However, for what it is worth, I rencently went from a 120W sherman tank with capacitors larger than beer cans to a ST-120. The Tung-Sol KT-120 tubes add a lot of low-end power and the amp delivers the goods, especially with a great tube pre-amp. The quality of the sound is so good that you may like the sound at lower levels. My old amp sounded much better at higher levels and was not that dyamic at lower levels. That is the beauty of the ST-120, I needed an amp to enjoy without rocky the household. If you need a great rock-in amp I assume you could buy one from me and others on the this forum who have heavy solid state equipment in the closet collecting dust.
    Roy Mottram
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    Post by Roy Mottram Thu May 05, 2011 11:21 pm

    I think JDM nailed it !
    High power SS amps are nice for loud rock and deep heavy bass,
    but once you've listened to tubes (and with enough power) there is no turning back.
    In the 70s I had a PhaseLinear 700w with super high end JBL studio monitors, couldn't get better.
    But it did - the VTA70 amp with Vandersteen 2C's in the 90s, and never turned back.
    You'll be listening to music, and it will get into you, not just make you move,
    it will make your heart and head swell with pleasure.

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