Fluxion Tube Amp Made in Canada World Wide Review, Threading and Discussion

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Classic Car Guy, Jul 21, 2021.

  1. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    First of all, I cant express enough my deepest thanks to Mr. Ahn the owner and designer of Fluxion Amp in Canada for building and designing my first dual 300B tube integrated amp LV-14 mk-II. I am so happy with the way how this amp was made in looks and simplicity with the importance of how it sounds in every aspect. One of the its strongest point is the bass response under 100hz and it doesn't break-up/distort. For a tube amp, it is "very fast and precise" on all frequencies while maintaining the 3D holographic sound of the 300b amp should deliver. Another strong point is the 14 watt per channel that gives you more option with choosing and driving your ideal speaker preferrence. Combining this two element gives you the versatility to listen to more variety of music from classical, blues, rock, electric, monophonic, synths and keyboards, vocals, orchestral and more. The sound is just so matural and makes you feel like youre right next. Here are the specs and video of the amp so you can see and hear. Feel free if you want to ask or leave any comments for its an open threading for everyone. Or if you want to add another review for a Fluxion amp or experiences, please share. Thanks.

    Chassis layout: 2mm thick aluminum top and bottom panel
    wooden sides for classic look
    Tube compliment:
    2-12AT7
    2-6CG7
    4-300B
    Specs:
    14 watt / channel push/pull design
    1% THD @ 14 watts
    FR : 20Hz ~ 20KHz
    residual noise ; 2 +- 1mV
    Auto bias
    Power on/off
    volume
    Speaker output 14 watts@8ohms
    Accessory 1 and 2 inputs
    size ; 320 x 330 (W x D)


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Here is the demo of the actual amp he made me last year.
     
    Earthbound2, Ampexed, Tim 2 and 13 others like this.
  2. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    Looks beautiful. Enjoy!
    I remember when we talked about Fluxion in PM and you had me intrigued.
    What are the two knobs left and right of the volume control for?
     
  3. Davey

    Davey NP: Electrelane ~ No Shouts No Calls (2007 LP)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    Does look nice.

    Knobs look like power and standby ...

    [​IMG]
     
    5-String likes this.
  4. gakerty

    gakerty Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    That is one sweet looking piece! I bet it sounds lovely. An amp with 300B will someday be in my future...
     
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  5. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Yes basically that is the design. from left to right. Its very simple.. Thanks for the feedback.
     
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  6. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Yes. Definitely will be a good future amp to look up to. You can always contact the designer Mr. Ahn and he will gladly ask all your questions and he actually custom design to your specifications. In fact he's currently working on one of the members here.
     
  7. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    I just sent designer an email for I just wanna thank him.. Its actually an open road and reachable to venture. It just so happen it clicked. Thanks to you, @benzoin and @SandAndGlass . You guys are the ones that got me into the 300b. After all were all reaching out for the next level.. Why not?
     
  8. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    @Benzion I think you were being referred to in the previous post, but with a typo.
     
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  9. 5-String

    5-String μηδὲν ἄγαν

    Location:
    Sunshine State
    For me, there is nothing like the beauty of the 300B tubes.
    I had many tube amps through the years and I liked them a lot, EL34, KT88, etc. they all sounded great but I always went back to 300B.
    There is a magical midrange in this tube that no other tube can come close imo.
     
    Tim 2, Helom and Classic Car Guy like this.
  10. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Well that was my experience too with the 300b amps. Nothing really better or best but its just a personal preference.
    Going back a bit to the SE / Push-Pull amp video. I think what Fluxion is referring to as a blind test and nothing better or best.
    Both amps has their won magic. That's just the way how I look at it.
     
    5-String likes this.
  11. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Benzoin? LOL! - Don't tell my rabbi, he'll be pissed.:biglaugh:
     
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  12. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Yeah that's right.. "The Rabbi."
    Check this out. I'm looking at venturing on my next amp. I'm going Mig this time. More power but still trying to figure out the real voice of the amp on Live...
    6C33C-B pp tube amplifier sound test, My Life Billy Joel. FLUXION F-5Qi integrated with phono EQ
     
  13. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    If I got another amp, I'd want something EL-84 based, plus I don't want an integrated.
     
  14. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Too many amps to list in favorites. Why did you choose EL84 and how many watts per channel? What preamp are you planning to drive the amp?
    EL84 is one of my favorites for a reason. In fact I have an integrated. I cannot put it on list #1 or 5 neither compare it with the other amps. All I know is the only time that amp will leave me is I'm already in a box.
     
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  15. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    Actually, I haven't chosen an amp yet, because I don't know of any power amps using the EL-84 tube. The few contenders I know about are all integrated: the Icon PP-20, Kingko 101, and Quicksilver. If I ever get serious about it, I might write to Quicksilver and see if they can build me a straight power amp. Only then will I worry about the preamp.

    But honestly, I have three amps now (EL34, 300B, and one SS), and one more perfectly good SS integrated boxed up under the stairs. Getting yet another amp would mean something else getting boxed up under the staircase. Hence the big "IF" in my previous post.

    Speaking purely hypothetically, the next tubes I'm mostly interested in (or intrigued by) are old-school: EL84, 2A3, and maybe the GM70.
     
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  16. Archguy

    Archguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Richmond VA
    Definitely a cool-looking amp. And the 300b valves have a siren song all their own.
     
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  17. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Behold.. your real search is actually on the preamp and not the amp.. "Believe it or Not!"
    That's the one that's gonna pull the trigger on your wallet.. Unless your already made up your mind on an SP8 or SP9.
    That's the reason why I like to stay integrated. Not just being the El-Cheapo way but I shape the voice if my amp with a superb 1/3 octave eq and dynamic expander. So eve if I have a high dollar preamp, it'll just defeat the purpose.
    I played and EL84 for quite a long time. There's nothing really I can say about that amp as far as sound. very creamy and like in between EL34 and 300B. But that amp doesn't have enough power to massacre my tower speakers. That's just the flipside on my case. If I was a bookshelf guy, perfect!
     
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  18. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    The first time I fired up the amp last year.. it was around 9pm. I began to listen to this song "Sleepwalk" by Ultravox. I got right away with the music for there was a lot of 3d sound separation. At the end of the song there was a part that the singer was whispering and I could have sworn there was someone right next to my ear. Man I stood up, turn on the lights and started looking around for no one was there. LoL.. Halleluiah welcome to the world of 300b. :biglaugh:
     
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  19. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    Integrateds have their place. My main source control selector, system DAC and class "A" preamp in my Peachtree iNova. But many years ago, I bypassed the power amp section in favor of using outboard power amps. Something to consider.

    The iNova also has a line output, which I bring into the 6SN7 tube preamp. This serves for an all tube chain, for the Altec horn speakers. All of the other non-horn speakers use SS power amps, except for the Zu's.

    This separation allows me to use whatever power amps I so choose on either system.

    Nothing against a good integrated amp, they serve their purpose well for a compact single box solution.

    Keeping a dedicated preamp in the system foes two things. It keeps the sound signature from different audio sources sounding the same. It also allows system to be consistent. When changing out different power amps, the only component that is changing is the power amp itself.

    I am very fond of EL84 based amps. The exception to consider is a true vintage EL34 amp. Vintage units tend by nature to be integrateds. This is a good thing, because you are going to get the total benefit of an EL84 vintage sound.

    Integrated EL84 amps and tubes in the EL84 family are readily available from early Scott and Fisher. Reconditioned, they can be had for around $1k, plus or minus $200. While I wouldn't depend on any vintage amp as my sole amp, you have other amps to fall back on.

    The beauty here, is that NOS EL34 tubes are both available and affordable. The other supporting small signal tubes are as well. This is important! And, these tubes have such a long life, that you can buy used tubes to experiment with for only a few dollars.

    Still to consider is to spend a few hundred dollars and get some NOS RFT EL34's. This are about the only large power tubes that are even remotely affordable. Once you try vintage, you will see that modern EL34 tubes sound nothing like the truly magic midrange that vintage EL34's are famous for.

    You will also have the advantage of having somewhere in the 30-Watt power range, which will power your speakers quite nicely.

    When you get down to the low powered 2A3 type tubes, really efficient horn type speakers are usually necessary.
     
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  20. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    That's why I mention "tubes in the EL84 family", in my above post. I have a little Scott 222C that delivers 20-WPC thanks to their 7189 EL34 family output tubes. These early 60's vintage integrateds are also tube rectified.

    Vintage 1963 H. H. Scott 222C "Stereomaster" Stereo Tube Hi-Fi Phono Amp - fully restored!
    Mint $950 + $60 Shipping

    [​IMG]

    I have a more powerful Fischer 500C that uses larger power tubes in the 30-Watt range. It is a superb but complicated receiver. I still prefer these smaller basic integrateds better. More or that sweet vintage sound. With a full 20-Watts, it can drive most any ordinary speaker, where many smaller EL84 amps fall short.
     
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  21. Otlset

    Otlset I think I am I think

    Location:
    Temecula, CA
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  22. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God - Thread Starter

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Ahhh I see what you're saying. That's a nice looking amp with large transformer sets.
     
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  23. jeffmackwood

    jeffmackwood Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ottawa
    Anyone care to mention price(s)?
     
  24. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    You must have forgotten - I did buy a quad of RFT EL34's, based on your advise. Paired with stock small signal tubes, I was unimpressed with the RFTs, and like the sound of the full stock PrimaLuna tube complement a lot better.

    They are sitting in a drawer, with a quad of vintage NOS Brimar signal tubes, awaiting the amp needing a full re-tube. Hoping they will shine then.
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  25. Benzion

    Benzion "Cogito, ergo sum" Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    You can get the Icon Audio PP-20 or Kingko 101 for not a lot more, with a modern build, quality parts, and a a warranty. I'd prefer to stay away from so vintage a piece of gear.
     

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