Hi, I am considering purchasing the 508ia for use with some Zu Omen MKII (97db), but I have some slight concerns regarding noise. Does anyone on here have experience with this speaker/amp Combination? /H
Thanks for the reply, I did that already. No mentioning of noise, the reason I am asking is partly because the dealer I have been talking to reccomended the 518 over the 508 due to potential noice/buzz issues with the 508 and high sensitivity speakers. Thus found it best to ask someone with preferably this combo. Cheers /H
I had the Zu Soul Supreme and 508ia combo for awhile. Pros were super fast, articulate sound. Cons were a power mismatch: at low-to-medium volume, the bass was too light; at high volumes, the bass appeared but the highs got too piercing in my small-to-medium room. My opinion: If you haven’t purchased the amp yet, and love the Zu sound, go for a SET with 5-10W instead of 40+.
Hi, you really got me thinking there... Currently quite happy with my (modified) Music Angel KT88 (800mkIII) my main reason for considering a change is a current lack of low end «mmpf». I was hoping the 508 would bring that to the table... maybe I am better of with a 518? Feel free to propose based on experience.. Highly appreciated!
I think you'll get a different sound with the 508ia, by virtue of switching from an ultra-linear amp to a SET, but I think you'll see the differences in the presentation of the midrange. Both amps (or the 518ia) have more than enough power for your Omens, and it might come down to the way they sound in your room, in your setup. For me, I came away from my Zu audition really appreciating what those speakers do well, and wondering someday what they would sound like with an amp that was better matched to them. If I were to own a pair of Zus, I'd try them with something like a Whammerdyne amp.
I've sold my LM 508ia couple of months ago. I miss it dearly. I completely forgot that I've some upgraded tubes lying around that is of no use to me. These tubes change the sound of 508ia in such a profound manner that I think a 508ia owner should own some variation of these extra tubes to roll depending on the mood/music/etc. Please PM me if anyone would like to buy any of the following tubes (all NOS tubes with less than 150 hours on them): - 1 matched pair of NOS United Electric 805 tube (comes with the top cap wire to provide power) 6SL7 tubes: - 1x NOS RCA 5691 red base - 1x JAN CKR-6SL7WGT Ken-Rad - 1x Tung Sol 6SU7GTY 6SN7 tubes: - 1 matched pair Sylvania 6SN7GT, 3-rivet Bad Boy, 1952, matching pair WestingHouse rebranded (extremely rare) - 1 matched pair Vintage SOVIET SOVTEK 6H8C 1970s
The new version of the 518 is the 845ia....I think it would be a fantastic match for your speakers. Or, perhaps consider the new 845 Premium (the replacement for the 219ia). The 508 would likely work great, but you really don't need the extra power it has (IMHO).
I've looked high and low for images of the insides of the 508IA but have been unsuccessful. Dies anybody know where to find some?
I didn't take time to look back through, but where there some in this thread earlier? Or maybe in the other Line Magnetic thread? Pretty sure I remember seeing internal shoots somewhere here (that could be the 518 I'm thinking of though).
One comes up pretty quick on google images with a lot of detail pictures ... https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=556732622544&skuId=3699007883161
Thank you so much for that! Google Images is region-based, from what I've experienced. If we search for the same thing, we won't likely see the same results which is why I couldn't see this and other pics. There are a couple of good ones. It's a good start! It lets me see some of the caps. Wonder if there are others people could contribute to the thread.
There were but were quickly deleted. The same images were posted a few other msg boards by the same member but all those images won't display, probably because they were deleted at the source. Too bad. I remember them being detailed good pics.
The guy I sold my 508 to mentioned that he has changed the internal caps. He thinks it was a great improvement in sound quality. He is very happy with the amp.
I have a dozen tube amps, ranging from 3.9-Watts to large 150-Watt monoblock's, including two Line Magnetic integrated amps, the 211iA and the 518iA. Read some of the quotes that I am quoting here. I believe that the 518 would be a better match for your Zu's. I have a pair of Zu Omen Definition's. The last thing Zu's need is a more dynamic sounding amp. I'm running the Omen Definition's with KT88 based PrimaLuna Prologue Five, which is rated at 36-WPC. Which is way more power than they need. I'm running the 518iA with the large Altec's on the right. They are more efficient than the Zu's. The 22-WPC that the 518 produces is more than enough power to run the Altec A7's. The 518 produces a lot of clean deep bass, that is very natural sounding. I think that lower power and tube rectification that the 518iA has makes for a better match for your Zu's. One professional reviewer that I read on the 518iA said that the combination of the 518iA and his upgraded Omen Definition's, the 1a's, was an end game combination for him. Since you have both amps, what is your opinion of the 508 vs. the 518? Do both amps sound good with the Cornwall's? Not too bright sounding? Cornwall's are not as bright as most Klipsch speaker's. On a SS amp, if you decrease the impedance by half you will double the current and the amp will put out twice the amount of power (if it is able to). In tube amps they use different taps on the transformer to achieve 4 or 8 Ohms, so the amplifier's power is not effected. Curious, why are you moving away from the 508iA?
JMAC went a little crazy in 2017. It was a fun, polyamorous year that taught me a lot about the kind of sound that draws me in. I sold almost everything by the end of the year, including the Line Magnetic 508ia, and downsized considerably. That particular amp didn't stay because I didn't have a safe place for it in the living room, away from toddlers. But out of all of the tube amps that I've heard at home, including the McIntosh MX110z, Decware Torii Jr., and Leben CS600, the 508ia did this super special thing with midrange that allowed me to hear deeper into recordings, to the extent that I could pinpoint the types of reverb used on vocals, in a way that none of the other PP amps could do. It's what I miss most about it. I have only demoed the 518ia at a dealer for a half hour or so, but I imagine it does the same thing.
The member who I purchased my 518iA from had the same situation as you do, having inquisitive small children. After owning the 518, I can see why and totally agree. I would not have this amp anywhere where there are children present, not a good combination, to be sure. From what I am gathering, the 508 is better combined with more relaxed speakers, like the British boxes and has the necessary amount of power to drive them. While the 518, with it's tube rectification, sounds more polite, like you would expect an SET to sound like. I believe it is a better match with highly efficient speakers like the A7's or Zu's. The 518iA, probably does better at Jazz, vocals and acoustic instruments. Right before making this post, I was replying to a question about the 518, from a poster in another thread, here is the link to it, should you wish to read over my thoughts and impressions. I don't think that they were that far from your impressions.
My kids have done a good job teaching me about compromise. Gone are the days of listening rooms, hot amps, and stand mounted speakers. Instead, I get impromptu family dance parties and little surprises like finding out that Raffi albums are actually recorded pretty well. I appreciate your perspective @SandAndGlass (and appreciate you buying a few of my amps, too) -- your ability to compare many types of tube amps with highly efficient speakers is a helpful service to many of us. To steer this back to the 508ia, I would imagine that the amp was created for tube lovers with less efficient (but not highly demanding) speakers who still want SET qualities in their systems, and that anyone with more efficient speakers would really be better off with a lower-powered (and less expensive) LM amp.
I can confirm that the Tung-Sol 6SUGTY tube is fantastic in the 6SL7 slot and just as good as the Mullard. Perfect for those who'd like a major upgrade without paying the $150 a Mullard would command. It goes just as deep, has terrific mids, and the same highs as the Mullard which is to say slightly (but pleasantly) rolled off. In my case, I was expecting an upgrade from the Mullard but they're perfectly interchangeable and near identical in sound with perhaps the tiniest little bit of additional dynamics with the Mullard.
Here's a question for those with this amp running MC carts. Do you prefer high loading and a setting closer to 4 on the NFB of the 508IA or low loading and a setting closer to 1 for the NFB?
Hello everyone I'm wondering what the sound result would be like if the stock coupling condensers of 508 were switched to "Mundorof Silver Gold condensers". Is there anyone who tried changing 508's stock coupling condenser?
Hi Lee, I have swapped out the film caps for better ones in my 508ia and it makes a nice improvement, i remember thinking it had a more quiet back ground and generally slightly better sound across the board with no downsides, subtle but refining, can not be bad, iv done a few bits and pieces to the 508ia and it takes a good amp to a very good amp imo. Just a little elbow grease involved, i am definitely not an audio electrical wiz kid, just always looking for improvements, anyone can do simple component upgrades in this amp after good prep and some soldering practice. The biggest jump in sound quality came when changing the 6SN7 tubes for 2c22 tubes via an internal CCS board, i had been using Melz 1578's in the 6SN7, a tough act to follow but these 2c22 beasties are still better in all respects to my ear, in my system & all other safety net anecdotes etc etc i also use them in my pre amp and another set of mono blocks, i am a total 2c22 slut. I got a good SQ improvement by feeding the 508ia with an excellent pre amp. I would probably not recommend the Mundorf S/G oil though, i have used them in a few scenarios on various bits of gear and never really found peace with them, good top end, reduced bass and texture compared to others, but most of all i found them slightly lean, not as rich or involving/musical as some others out there. Its all subjective of course. I was wanting more richness in my 508ia at the time and went for some caps i knew would give this. If i were in your shoes i would definitely go for Jupiter copper. Mega nice caps and the "cheapest" of the best. BE VERY CAREFUL - this is a high voltage amp and the power caps can still hold charge after being turned off, make sure you discharge them (with a smallest resistor 47r etc and wire to chassis) before touching anything. I blew the op amp in the PS whilst doing this the first time, dammit, every day is a school day. Hope it helps God speed brother J
This may be a silly question but I am considering the 805ia and am wondering if the pre-in can be used for HT bypass?
