Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

[larry_emder]

Is it safe to do so? And does it sound good?

and while were on the topic, do you *need* a preamp, or is it possible to plug directly into the poweramp?

Cheers

[shredaholic]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

That's basically what high end audiophile gear consists of; those guys are the ones driving up the prices on NOS tubes. It's probably a much bigger market than the guitar amp one.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

It sounds great, and has the tube warmth that is lost from digital.
The only issue will be converting your cabling, so that the ends that plug into a CD player, such as RCA, will have the other plugs chopped off and resoldered into banana plugs or 1/4". If you find out what the inputs look like on your power amp, you can find them at an electronics store.

Then, the speaker cables going from the power amp to the speakers have to be compatible. Most likely, you'll just chop the ends off, and use the bare wire into your hifi speakers.

[larry_emder]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

So are the 'audiophiles' poweramps any different to guitarists poweramps?

[3th3r]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

With tube hi-fi equipment, you need the same equipment as with solid state. You still need a SOURCE (cd, tuner, etc), PREAMP, and AMP, and of course your speakers. This is the same as if you were setting up a rack for guitar.

These are some manufacturers of hi-end tube gear

http://www.manleylabs.com/hifimain99.html

http://www.vtl.com/pages/products.html

http://www.audioresearch.com/products.html

http://www.audionoteusa.com/

[3th3r]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

So are the 'audiophiles' poweramps any different to guitarists poweramps?

High Fidelity (Hi Fi) means to keep the source signal (CD, tuner, etc) as pure and pristine as possible. With guitar amps it is desireable to distort the source signal (guitar), a little or a lot, so yes, guitar amps are designed differently than audiophile amps.

[Sludgenutz]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

If you want to, join the ranks of the audiophile group where some literally swear on their mortal souls that things like the actual wall-socket makes a real difference in HiFi sound, check this site out:

http://www.audioasylum.com/index.html

[larry_emder]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

Good point jdm

[Young Angus]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

If you want to, join the ranks of the audiophile group where some literally swear on their mortal souls that things like the actual wall-socket makes a real difference in HiFi sound, check this site out:

http://www.audioasylum.com/index.html

Be careful going down that road my friend

[jdm61]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

the answer to your question is no, you can't. Not only do you need a power amp and a preamp, but for records, you also need some sort of phono preamp or step-up device to boost the phono output signal, which is VERY weak, to line levels. As for the wanker comment, look at the things that guitar players to in the search for "tone" and get back to me with your revised comments.

[jdm61]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

If you want to, join the ranks of the audiophile group where some literally swear on their mortal souls that things like the actual wall-socket makes a real difference in HiFi sound, check this site out:

http://www.audioasylum.com/index.html

Before you comment, listen to a really good system Then plug your amp into a crappy old socket with bad grounding and compare it to when you are plugged into a good circuit and a high quality power scrubber like one of the big Monster units.

[larry_emder]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

the answer to your question is no, you can't. Not only do you need a power amp and a preamp

Hang on, i read that jimi used an octaver pedal straight into the poweram for the 'purple haze' solo.

Are you telling me this is untrue?

[jdm61]

Re: Does anyone use tube poweramps to listen to records?

You axed about playing records. Not sure about Jimi because i don't know if the Octavia could send the proper current to the guitar's pickups to make them work.