Quicksilver tube amps...

Can anyone recommend or condemn theses amps? I might be able to swing a couple of monoblocks. The comments I've seen at asylum are mixed, but they appear to have an extreme tube sound. Steve?

(sigh) I'm in hardware mode. What's a good (new) tube amp under 1k with at least 25w?

 

Since I am using a pair of these, maybe I can add my comments. THe sound can be characterized as classic tube, slightly soft bass, great midrange and impressive highs, almost silky. Mine are the original Mono amps rated at 60 watts and that is plenty for my environment. The biggest problem is finding the 8417 tubes which are getting scarce and also with this amp need to be a matched pair due to one bias pad per amp. Also, the tubes by design are driven pretty hard and will last on average about 1 year of normal use. I have had mine for about 15 years and will probably be buried with them. If you like firm bass, these are not for you. But if you want to hear music, these will do.

Cadillacjack

 

cadillacjack, what do you mean by"firm bass"? What kind of music do you listen to? Is it adequate for the occasional high vol. rock session? I'm getting the impression that the Quicksilver is more for vocals and acoustic instruments, which I love, but neither can I foresake Pink Floyd...

 

WHat I meant was that the bass will not be as full as solid state. However, the detail at all frequencies is excellent. If you like bass that pulverizes you, these won't do it. But, they sound plenty fine with any music.

 

cadillacjack,
I don't want bass that pulverizes me. What I want is the bass that is right thar on that thar CD. I understand that many tube amps are a bit light on bass, and that's one thing because you get something else in return. But I saw a comment that the Quicksilver can be defficient in the lower regions-- and that's quite another story. I take it that you mean the former.

Gary,
What did you have before you got you Mac system? What did the MacIntosh bring in terms of sound quality?

 

Once again, I realize that I'm not really addressing your concerns and your not in the market for a single ended triode amp, but I really needed to butt in here. I really think that the idea that tube amps are a little shy on bass is a bunch of crapola. On my 2A3 SET amp, the bass is not at all proportionately less than the midrange or the treble. Obviously, a 3.5 watt amp isn't going to vibrate you out of the chair, but from bottom to top I feel I have better tone than anything I've ever owned.

Why would Steve use a VAC 70 tube amp in the mastering process if it accentuated one part of the frequency spectrum at the cost of another? Feel free to butt in here Steve....

The simple fact is that I don't have a tone control of any type or equalizer anywhere in the chain and my tone is perfect. Especially when I listen to my DCC Gold CD collection.


I have more separation between the instruments than I've even heard before.

No "air", No "shimmer", No "mud", just pure clean honest sound.

Oh, and 3d soundstage that leaves the jaws of friends on the floor.

Now if I only could bring myself to buy a turntable................

 

I don't know Drew; that's what I'm trying to find out. It may be a case of information overload from searching over at Asylum too much. You have to admit though, it's a common theme that always pops up.

You know how it is, I'm just splitting hairs before I have to throw the ole' wallet down on the table.

 

I know the feeling (about the info overload)...

Well... I have more tubie projects on the horizon. I wish I was in a position to build you something...

 

Weeell....no, just kidding. What 2A3 amp did you build?

All this researh has turned up some interesting stuff. I ran across an ad where a guy was selling a pair of Soliliquy 2A3 speakers that he had replaced with a set of Straight Eights from Bottlehead. The Straight Eight must be pretty impressive for the price. I also looked hard at the Paradox 1 kit which I 'm sure I can handle, but impatience prevailed. The world of high-efficiency speakers is pretty intriguing. I did order some DIY ICs and I have this cool brand-spankin' new Weller sitting here on the desk...

 

I bought the bottlehead paramours with the 2A3's.

I'm a lot better at the electronics DIY than the woodworking DIY, so I'm not sure what to think about the Bottlehead Straight 8 speakers. I went to www.pispeakers.com and ordered some Studio 2's and had them built for me. You might want to look at the different models there. If you go into the pi speakers forum on audioasylum and ask Wayne Parham to send you plans, he will for free. He encourages people to build their own. You precure everything yourself. The Straight 8's you get the raw speakers and the plans for the cabinet for $599.

As far as amp projects go, I've found a schematic for a push-pull 2A3 amp and plan to build it from scratch. That way if it doesn't work out, I can always use the power output tubes as spares for my Paramours.

2A3's in push-pull with give about 10-12 watts output.

Then I'd like to tackle a single ended 300B project.

Then a push-pull 300b... That should get me to about 22-25 watts.

And then... well, you get the idea.

No more kits for me....

 

Gary,
The MX110 is a Tuner/Preamp with a tube Phono stage right? It seems to be highly regarded, and I think it could be a viable option for my system. Are all the tubes still readily available, or are some becoming rare? Did you get a manual with your amp? Is bias adjustment fairy simple?

 

Thanks Steve. I have my eye on one right now.

 

Steve,

Just out of curiousity... Do you use NOS Western Electric 300b's in your VAC's or something more current? In the DCC forum a few months ago you said you love the sound of single ended triode amps (and gave the thumbs down on pentodes wired into triode mode)... can you characterise the sound of a single ended 300b amp vs a push-pull 300b?

 

originally posted by pigmode
Quicksilver tube amps...

Can anyone recommend or condemn theses amps? I might be able to swing a couple of monoblocks.
The comments I've seen at asylum are mixed, but they appear to have an extreme tube sound. Steve?

I have an MS-190 that I bought from Mike in 1983. This is a big, heavy amp (about 95 lbs., 19 x 20 x 10 inches WDH) that uses 4 EL34's per side and is rated at 90 Watts/Channel. They came with either pentode, triode or DC-coupled input driver cards (I have the triode and DC cards), depending on what you wanted. Over the past >18 years I've tried several other amps but keep returning to this one. I tried a pair of the original dual monos when they were first introduced, but found them a little cold & dark by comparison. Then I tried the Golden Tube SE-40, and wondered what all the commotion was about. The MS-190 is far more dynamic than most amps in its price range ($3000 in 1983) with high quality bass and clean, clear highs. Since there weren't but about 100 of these built before the dual monos were introduced, they're awfully hard to find. I know there is one for sale in Southern California, but the guy won't ship it to me here on the Gulf Coast. If you see one, snap it up. The last one to sell on AudioWeb went for $1500.

 

Actually, if I go Quicksilver it will be a pair of 25w Mini Mite Monoblocs that are available locally. The shipping here really kills us, and heaven forbid that a unit might be defective. I read that the newer models have addressed a few of those issues that you and others have mentioned.

 

A brand I'd love to hear. Sorry to see that the Mini-Mite Mono Amps have been discontinued. $1198/pair 25 watt tube monoblocks built in the USA are not that common. Welcome to Quicksilver Mini-Mite Mono Amp; high end vacuum tube audio Now the entry price to the Quicksilver line is $1895 for the Mid-Monos or the Horn-Monos. Great bargains, no doubt, but the $1200 price point was a lot more justifiable for me.

Steve, finagle your self a pair of the Horn-Monos, plug in your favorite 6L6s, and hook them up to your more efficient speakers. Let us know what you think.

 

I bought a pair of the Horn Monos a few months ago and I'm absolutely thrilled. They sound fantastic in my single driver set up and have bested the SET and SEP amps I also have. I don't think they sound too tubey at all, that said, my system doesn't plummet down into the lowest octaves so it would be irresponsible of me to comment on the ultimate low (sub 50hz) sound of the amps.

Because they are designed for high efficiency speakers, great care was taken to get the noise floor as low as possible. Without a doubt, these are the quietest amps I've had in my system solid state or tube. My only complaints are that the two amps take up a fair amount of real estate, and that the layouts are a bid awkward having the power cords on the opposite ends of the amps.

 

Looks like the horn monos would be great for my Zu omen defs. I actually get outstanding bass with my solid state amp. I wonder if udpsing KT88’s would improve the low end of the QS ers

 

I have the Omen Definitions sitting next to LSiM 707's from Polk Audio. I use an A/B switch to move back and forth between them. They are the front mains and are driven by an Emotiva XPA-2 (1st generation), which is rated at 250-WPC into an 8-Ohm load.

The Polk's are very laid back with the SS amp, there isn't any real reason to try to change their sound signature because they sound perfect with the SS amplification.

The Omen Definition's are more dynamic, more forward sounding and yet they sound (almost) perfect with SS amplification.

I have several tube amplifiers, new, vintage, but have not yet tried one of them with the Zu's. I do think that they will sound nice with the Zu's. Very clear and with "Definition".

I run my large, horn loaded speakers with only tube amplifiers. The other speakers are run with SS amplifier's.