Buying a COMPLETE Tube Amp System for Living Room

I think it would be worth talking to @Warren Jarrett who posted above. Many people get off the merry go round with what he’s selling.

 

Contact me by cell phone, call or text anytime, I am just home surfing the internet. 672-897-2227

 

You could build a really nice system with your budget. Do you listen very loudly? The system listed here below is for moderately loud to lower volume listening, it can't do the spl's that horn speakers can do, but it's a really special, 3D holographic sounding setup when used within it's comfort zone.

Decware SE84UFO25 Amplifier - $3295
Decware ZP3 Phono Preamplifier - $1295
Omega Junior 8 XRS Loudspeakers - $1895
Rega Planar 6 Turntable with Exact 2 Cartridge - $1995

Total $8480 + speaker and interconnect cables.

All made in the USA (except for the turntable which is made in the UK (who also gives their employees a fair wage). The Decware comes with a lifetime warranty and is all hand made, point to point wiring (which is really rare in this price range) and the Omega's with a 10 year warranty.

Considering it's all made in the USA and UK ~ and this is all you need for a complete tube vinyl setup that IMO will be really hard to beat in it's price range of $8480.

 

I tried the number but it couldn't connect? Do you exclusively sell AN?

Interesting system list! Thanks for that, I will take a look at what you provided. I'm not sure if I entirely like the aesthetics of the Decware amps as they look a bit old world, but I guess that is subjective. How much was the setup in your signature btw, with the McIntosh gear?

Does anyone else have a second opinion on this list of components?

 

I have some other lines besides AN.

I was sleeping, with the phone off, for the past few hours. I will turn it on again now, and be awake way past midnight. Feel free to call. 562- 897-2227

 

You will be able to get a complete Audio Note system for $8000. The specific components won't matter. It will be a terrific sounding set up and IMO better than anything you will be able to set up with B&W speakers. The AN K at $2500 is vastly better than the B&W 805 at $6500.

If you go with a tube system get speakers designed for the job. That is not B&W

 

@Lonson, @SandAndGlass and @rischa to name a few will have a good second opinion of a system like this.

For something similar to mine, about $8000 give or take $500, but that was about 5 years ago or more. The Omega loudspeakers and Rega turntable were the only items I purchased new, all others were purchased second hand:

1. Decware Taboo MK II amp $900 to $1100,
2. McIntosh C220 $2000,
3. McIntosh DAC $1900
4. Rega RP6 about $1600 with Exact 2 cart.
5. Omega RS7 (not in production anymore) about $1500.

Yeah, the Decware stuff is not really about aesthetics, but more about performance. Some people like the aesthetics (me included), but there are others who need more.

The Decware stuff looks better in person and can look pretty elegant in a simplistic sort of way ... here is a link to my system, the pics are watermarked by photobucket as I haven't switched over to another pic host, but will kind of give you an idea of how nice it can look...

 

For an American customer, I would recommend starting out with AN/E speakers. The basic AN/E-D-Hemp, in Black Ash are just over $5000 a pair, and provide much better sound to our ears than AN/K.

 

I agree and there is significantly more bass and dynamics. For a bigger western home too. The K is more for a western bedroom. The E/Lx has the nice finishes though and a better cabinet and wiring. But then he'd need 10k probably

 

HI Hans. I mentioned Decware upstream in the thread. As you know I'm a longtime owner of Decware gear. I'd buy it over any other at this point.

If you are interested in using low efficiency speakers you'll want to consider the Zen Mystery Amp. If you want to use high efficiency speakers such as the Decware DNA2, I would strongly recommend the 25th Anniversary amp, the best sounding amp I have heard ever (I have the Monoglock version for over 13 months now). Neither requires a preamp, but the Decware preamps offer another level of authority and ability to tailor the sound. The best next step is to call Steve Deckert, info is on the site. He's always willing to talk and he really offers the best advice.

 

I have never heard AX-2. How do they sound, compared to E or K.

 

Well the AX Two has the same AN K tweeter but mated to a 6 inch VIFA driver. It's a great little speaker that is so under the radar. I always remember the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where Indy has to choose which cup is the cup of Christ - well the AX Two is that cup - looks nothing in a sea of pizazz but will be the best sounding one on the wall-o-speakers. Being ported it has a surprising amount of bass for the size (but then we always say that about AN speakers) and is the usual first rate cohesiveness.

Put it this way - I owned Stereophile's product of the year much ballyhooed KEF LS-50 which costs more than 50% more money than the AX Two - I had both speakers for several years - but I knew fairly early on that if I ever moved on to upgrade it would be the KEF.

Smaller room required. I understand from my dealer that at the moment it only comes in Black or white and that beech and cherry are unavailable.

I would not compare them to the AN E - I mean that is asking a LOT for a speaker at like 1/5th the price. But in the vocal band it's tough to beat.

An I-Zero integrated with the AX Two and their basic CD replay add in some Lexus IC and speaker cables and that is one great place to start IMO for not a whole lot of cash.

I'll be bringing them back to Canada when I finally leave here. They are mini-mini-me AN-E.

You should bring in one pair to try - I mean they cost less than a run of a few meters of Lexus speaker cables!

 

This was my RP6 with the Exact cart and upgraded Groovetracer subplatter & white belt. Still an excellent TT & MM cart combination.



Not familiar with the Omega speakers.

I agree, no matter what you opinion of the Decware aesthetic, they do look a lot nicer in person than in the photos.

I personally like the look. Here is a photo of my 3.9-Watt Decware Mini Torii that I posted on the previous page, during the evening hours with the overhead lights off and the led strip ambient lighting on.



I usually keep the other tube amps on tables behind the TV. But I like the unique retro tube DIY look of the Decware products.

I think they add a lot to the uniqueness of the audio room.

Here is the ZP1 phono preamp.



And the Torii Jr. which is an EL34 based class A/B amp that is rated at 20-WPC and is very SET sounding.



Decware gear is custom built, so you can specify many available options to personalise your gear, like different case designs and woods. They also offer different caps to choose from.

 

So I just completed the first and easier step: I picked up a lightly used, demo Rega Planar 6 TT as recommended! Scooped it for $1450 shipped. I initially wanted to get a Pro-ject TT to fit my budget, but some research told me Rega is highly acclaimed and the new Planar 6 seems really cool.

Now, going back to this list, as I think it is very formative:

Decware SE84UFO25 Amplifier - $3295
Decware ZP3 Phono Preamplifier - $1295
Omega Junior 8 XRS Loudspeakers - $1895
Rega Planar 6 Turntable with Exact 2 Cartridge - $1995


Is there another version where I could throw in something from McIntosh? Maybe a McIntosh and Decware combo? I just would like to own at least one thing from McIntosh.

And are there any other alternative speakers to the Omega towers that will pair well with the eventual amp combo? Maybe something from Ascend Acoustics or Fritz? It seems like DTC speakers can save a few bucks

 

The Anniversary amplifier has only an output of 2-Watts per channel, operated as a stereo amp. The output is 6-Watts if used as a monoblock, which still is not a lot of power.

I don't have any knowledge about the Omega towers, but you are going to need speakers that have a very high sensitivity rating if you are planning on running them with a two watt amplifier.

You are still going to need high sensitivity speakers like legacy Klipsch or Zu's, if you are planning on running them at 6-Watts.

I think you are better off with an amplifier that can operate in the 20-Watt (plus) range and that leave you more leeway of speakers that are in the 90-dB. or better range sensitivity wise.

The Line Magnetic 518iA 8454 based SET would be an excellent amp for that at 22-Watts and I can tell you from experience, that it is an endgame amp, even then, you need the right speakers.

The Decware Torii Jr. at $2,500 would also work.

 

Could you tell me more about the Line Magnetic 518iA 8454? It does look quite appealing to me and the price point isn't bad. Is there anything McIntosh you would pair with it and what Tower speakers would you personally run with this config? Thank you

 

@XUR

Here's what I have and you can find it all used for way under your budget
Line Magnetic 518ia $2500
Manley Chinook $1700
Golden Ear Triton One $3000

Those prices are guesstimates based on USAM prices

Spend the rest on cables

 

Nice score on the Rega P6! Did it come with a cartridge?

Yes definitely, there are many ways to do this. All of Decware's amps can be used with or without a preamp (techinically you don't need a preamp since they all have gain controls for volume). That said, I think there is a lot of good reasons to use a preamp for instance it can give you a remote control for volume, more inputs for other sources, etc. Also, a lot of preamps already include a phono stage (which most Mac preamps do), so that eliminates something you have to buy right away. Inserting a Mac preamp may push you over your budget though.

Here is my recommendations for Mac tube preamps: C220, C2300, C2500 and C2600 ... the C220 (if you can find a used one) will be the most reasonably priced. The others jump up in price considerably.

So you could do something like this:

McIntosh Preamp (with phono stage) $$$
Decware Amp $$
Speakers $$

Your budget for everything else would be dependent on what's left over after you buy the preamp.

Remember the Decware amp I recommended only has 2 watts, so you really need very efficient speakers 95dB or above to use with it. The Omega Junior 8 XRS loudspeakers I recommend above have a sensitivity of 98dB so they can be easily driven by that particular amp (all of Omega's speaker line can be). Other efficient brands are Klipsch's Heritage Line, Zu Audio, Decware (has their own speakers), Tekton, Spatial Audio has some efficient models, etc. There's a lot out there, you just have to do some digging around.

System matching is important! If you decide on the amp first than you need to find speakers (pay attention to the speakers sensitivity ratings) so that the amp you're interested has enough watts to properly drive them. Likewise, if you decide on speakers first than you need to find an amp with enough watts capable of driving them.

For instance most of Fritz' monitor speakers are in the 88dB range and the minimum amp wattage he recommends is 30 watts, so the particular Decware amp listed above won't work with it ~ Decware does make amps that will drive it though just not the one I listed. So you just need to be cautious when pairing amps and speakers to get the most out of them.

A 88dB sensitivity speaker cannot be driven to loud enough volumes with a 2 watt amp, it would probably sound good up close, but couldn't fill a room. Likewise (though not written in stone) high efficiency speakers generally pair better with low wattage tube amps, so I would tend to shy away from driving a highly efficient speaker such as one from Klipsch's Heritage line with a high powered solid state amp.

 

Yep, the Rega also came with the Exact cartridge factory installed as you suggested!

I’m fairly convinced to give the Line Magnetic 518ia a try and make it my amp after additional reading.

Is this amp older and now discontinued? Does it have a successor, maybe the 805? Not opposed to buying it used, just need to try and find one.

What do you think about this retailer, it looks like they still carry it new: Line magnetic LM-518IA 845 tube amplifier Class A single-ended : China-hifi-Audio online store, Yaqin,Meixing Mingda,XiangSheng,Line Magnetic Tube Amplifier, power amp, preamp,hi-fi CD Player high end audio for sale [MUIA9831420] - $1,749.29 USD

 

That will most likely be the wrong voltage.

 

Check this one out.

Line magnetic 518ia integrated amplifier with Upgraded tubes

 

Line Magnetic 518IA + extra tubes + extra remote

This is a link to the used one for sale on our forum. I notice that it was not marked as SOLD, but a post was made by the OP to that effect.

I do hope that it was you that bought this. It was down to $2,500, plus shipping and it included $700 worth of spare tubes!



Most SET type amps are low power. With the 300B's being the more common and about 7-Watts. 2A3 SET's tend to be around 3.5-Watts and 45's about 2.7-Watts.

While these SET's sound ultra natural, because they put out such low power, you are forced to use very high sensitivity speakers.

The 518iA weighs 77-lbs. and has a LOT of iron, which is necessary due to the 845 tubes having a plate voltage of 1,000-Volts. SET amps are the most simple of designs, but they requite really high quality parts to sound excellent.

While many amps are straight power amps, the 518iA is an integrated, which means that you can forgo a separate preamp.

I have a separate tube preamp and there is a input where you can connect a preamp to the 518iA directly.

This is my preamp.



And here is the input source selector on the 518iA.



The problem is that most tower speakers, notable exceptions being Klipsch towers and Zu towers, most tower speakers that are made today are designed to sound good with SS amplifiers that people use today.

If you look at the photo of my main speakers on the previous page, I can either use the Polk LSiM707's (which are still available at 50% close out pricing of $2k a pair, as opposed to their regular list of $4k a pair), or the Zu, Omen Definitions.

Like the B&W's, the Polk LSiM707's like a lot of power and really sound perfectly fine with SS amplification. I had a dozen tube amps of different sorts and I only use tube amplification on my sensitive, horn loaded vintage Altec's and the Omen Definitions.

Everyone has their own opinions, all components in the audio chain matter, but I think that the speakers matter the most and you definitely need to pick out your speakers before you purchase your amplifier.

With most larger tower speakers, you are going to want to have a lot of available power. While you can use some of the more powerful tube amps like a Rogue Cronus Magnum at 100-Watts, or Rogue Monoblocks, like the M-150's that I have or M-180's (150-Watts and 180-Watts respectivactively), I just don't see any point in it.

The Zu's, definitely should be run from tube amps and some modern Klipsch speakers or legacy Klipsch or Altec speakers, but none of these require that much power. Amplifier's in the 20-40 Watt range will run them just fine.

You could use tubes with the AN or most any of the British "monkey coffin" type speakers like the Harbeth's or Splendors and some of these will benefit with the more powerful tube amps.

But if you find a nice pair of Zu's or legacy Klipsch speakers like Cornwall's, they will knock the doors down with 22-Watts.

When I was buying my LM 518iA. There was reviewer who made come comments after a review that I was reading. He had my same Zu Omen Definitions, which he had upgraded the drivers to the new 10" drivers and the new tweeter and capacitor and he referred to the MKIB (the new Omen Definitions are the MKII) as an end game combination.

IMO, the Zu's don't even come close in sound quality to my custom Altec's.

The point is, that Line Magnetic builds quality products and the 518iA is about impossible to beat. The new model is simply called the 845 after the type of power tube that it uses. The new model has a typical (ugly) black face, while the 518iA has a beautiful yellow anodized aluminum front panel.

If you don't go with sensitive tower speakers, like the Klipsch or the Zu's, you might be better off with other speaker designs like vintage Klipsch.

Either that, or buy some speakers like the Polk LSiM707's, which are excellent, and go with a good used SS amplifier.

I have a preference for separates, but a good integrated amp like the Sugden Audio A21SE Integrated Amplifier Review, would work quite nicely. Or you could go with a Parasound Halo A 21 Stereo Amplifier and a good McIntosh preamplifier. You could use a Mac preamp with really any tube or SS power amp, or the LM 518iA integrated.

You might check with member @Litejazz53 who uses Parasound gear with Polk LSiM707's.

Too many people think that tube amplification is the answer to any audio system, that is simply not the case. Everything depends on the speakers that you intend to use.

See post below.

 

Buy Line Magnetic from a US authorized dealer.

 

I just found out that the Polk sale of 50% off the LSiM series, ends on 7/6/19.

F.Y.I.

 

I get an error when trying to access this link, I guess I don't have permissions to view that thread or part of the forum? I unfortunately did not buy it but would like to try and contact the seller to see if it might still be available...

The 518IA is now discontinued it seems?


One thing that is a firm requirement is I MUST have a Tube amp setup in this system, I do not want SS at this time. I am willing to seek out a high efficiency speaker that will pair up well and this information is exactly what I was seeking in this thread, as I wasn't positive if the initial options I was entertaining matched from an efficiency standpoint.

I guess I'm going to go a little backwards here and try the Amp first (518IA) and then find speakers to match it. Sounds like the Klipsches and Zu Omen Definitions are good references to look at for my speakers, are there any other recommendations to broaden the selection? I also see that @Guy Gadbois uses Golden Ear Triton One speakers in his setup.

If the 518IA is already an integrated amp, what's the benefit of still running a a separate preamp? Is there a particular McIntosh preamp I could pick up to pair well with the 518IA?