How's this for cutting edge tube technology?

[Mr Peabody]

http://esoteric.teac.com/amplifiers_&_preamps/a-100/

Let's hope the sound is unbelievable, the power rating is fairly low and I can't believe it's too overly under estimated with just four KT-88's, another link I found showed a price of only $19k

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/esoteric_a100.htm

[dakatabg]

It is a beauty for sure. It's so neat inside!

[SHIFTY23]

Question as im sorta new to the audio game was wondering about tube amplifiers, How come so expensive? whats the advantages/positives of tube amplification?

[blackraven]

Question as im sorta new to the audio game was wondering about tube amplifiers, How come so expensive? whats the advantages/positives of tube amplification?

Tubes sound more natural and warmer in general. They add a distortion that we perceive as pleasing. This is over simplifying it. You just have to hear the difference yourself and decide if you like it. I use a hybrid system. My preamp and DAC are both Solid State and Tube hybrids and my amp is SS. It gives me an inbetween sound that I can change to a more SS or Tube sound depending upon the tubes that I use. This is one of the big advantages of Tube gear. You can swap out tubes ( called tube rolling ) to change the sound characteristics such as sound stage, transparency, resolution, bass, treble, etc. I like the combo of a tube preamp and DAC with a SS amp.

Tube gear is certainly over priced. Tubes need different circuitry and need a tube heater to warm them up and tubes vary in price from $5 to a few hundred depending upon what type of tubes and if they are new production tubes or Vintage new tubes or new old stock NOS from the 1950's through 1980's. Again this is over simplifying things.

Not all tube gear is over the top expensive. I buy from a well known boutique company called avahi www.avahifi.com which makes reasonably priced, excellent sounding SS, Hybrid and Tube gear. There are several other companies that do the same.

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah, everything by Esoteric is priced in the stratosphere. There are some budget priced tube gear, take a look at JoLida.

As far as sound tube gear can vary as much as solid state, but as BR said tubes typically give a warmth and presence not found in solid state.

[SHIFTY23]

ok, sweet thanks for the info guys guess i will have a look into it then as have not yet got a pre-amp in my system.
i would like to add a bit of warmth into the system as i have quite a bright sounding equipment atm.

Yamaha receiver
Klipsch speakers

Well where i live there is hardly any hifi shops which display tube equipment, but i will investigate and have a hear for myself.
In the research i have done people say that they give quite harmonic outputs?

[JoeE SP9]

The one in the link is an integrated. You could add a power amp. This presumes your Yamaha receiver has pre out and main in jacks.

Harmonious may be a better word than harmonic.

[blackraven]

ok, sweet thanks for the info guys guess i will have a look into it then as have not yet got a pre-amp in my system.
i would like to add a bit of warmth into the system as i have quite a bright sounding equipment atm.

Yamaha receiver
Klipsch speakers

Well where i live there is hardly any hifi shops which display tube equipment, but i will investigate and have a hear for myself.
In the research i have done people say that they give quite harmonic outputs?

Shifty, If you live in the States and want to do an in home audition of a tube preamp, give the avahif gear a look. They have a 30 day money back guarentee. if you don't like it send it back. Frank Van Alstine is a very friendly and honest man.

[SHIFTY23]

Yeah wish i did have such a variety of gear over there in the States im from Australia and not many people are selling tube preamps here