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New member Username: JosefgabrielPost Number: 1 Registered: Dec-09 | Hello. I have been doing some research and found a lot of good info on this board. Recently I have become enamored with tube amps and ended up purchasing a Yaqin MC10-L Amp from China off of Ebay. It is a gorgeous amp and the build quality and sound quality are supposed to be excellent for the low price it cost me. I have read that you usually need to use high efficiency speakers with tube amps as their output is not normally that high. However the specs look fairly good for this amp. Looks like 45W per channel: Input Power 110V-240V AVAILABLE Output Power 52W x 2 "8 ohm" Valve / Tubes 4 x EL34B Frequency 20Hz-60kHz "±1.5dB 10W" Lose true degree 2% "40W" Signal/Noise Ratio 85dB "A Weight" Load impedance 8ohm or 4ohm Signal Inputs Level 300mv Input Consumption 250w They can be hooked up 8 ohms or 4 ohms. I was thinking about putting these in my bedroom. Currently my setup in there is a Pioneer Elite VSX 49 reciever/amp powering two Technics SB-TA210s. I am not sure if the new amp will power those speaker correctly or if I will be wasting a good sounding amp on crappy speakers. They have always sounded good to me but I know they are old and were never "high end". I could also run a pair of "Venturi" bookshelf speakers made by BIC speaker corporation. They used to be my surrounds for my HT system but now are just sitting in front of my keyboard. I think the taller floorstanding speakers (the Technics) that I have in the bedroom look better where they are at but I could get speaker stands if I went for the bookshelf route. What my question boils down to is would I be okay with my existing Technics or the Venturi speaker or should I go buy new speakers? I am a student and am already out some cash for the new amp but I want speakers that will let the sound quality come through. I was looking in the "speaker deal" thread and saw the infinities at frys and there are a few other nice looking floor standing speaker there (including a Yamaha) under $500 but I think my Technics were originally around that price anyway. Sorry for the longwinded first post. I just hope my new amp sounds great. I think the Pioneer Elite amp is really nice but the tube amp is so pretty and supposedly they have thier own "warm" sound which is especially good for "mellowing out" mp3 which is mainly what I listen to in there The only input in the bedroom is a SoundBridge M2000 which streams wireless internet radio and my music collection on my computer in the living room which is mostly MP3 (some FLAC). Also I saw this bias adjustment guide: http://yaqin.slickpepper.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/mc-10l_bias_adjustmen t.pdf which looks a little intimidating with the high voltage. Will I need to do this as soon as the product arrives? |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 737 Registered: Jul-07 | Traditional thinking would lead you to reasonably efficient speakers, but it's not like you're running a 2 watt SET amp. That amp should drive any reasonably efficient speaker, but I'm not familiar enough with that specific amp to know how well it will handle speakers that present difficult loads. Some tube amps enjoy lower impedence speakers, some not so much. You took a flyer with your amp and I hope it works out for you. I wouldn't take another one with your speakers. Use the speakers you have while you burn-in your amp and then decide if your existing speakers are sufficient or not. If not, talk to a knowledgable audio shop about the amp you have and ask for suitable speakers to audition. |
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New member Username: JosefgabrielPost Number: 2 Registered: Dec-09 | Thanks for your response Chris. By "flyer" do you mean that I got an import (air cargo?) or that I did something on a whim? I went down the Fry's today and checked out some speakers. The sales staff there sounded like they had no idea what they were talking about (to another customer not to me- sounded like he was just making stuff up) but the prices were decent. Just before that I went to Magnolia HiFi (which is where I bought most of my gear before they got bought out by Best Buy) but most of their speakers were several thousand dollars. What I would really like to find is perhaps a smaller manufacturer that does quality work but does internet only or something so it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I know that there are some things like that in the car audio world. I will wait to see how they sound with my current setup. One more question while I am here (and maybe I should post this in the amp forum?). I assume that when I get the amp the instructions will be minimal or no English and I have never really dealt with tubes before so is it possible to insert them in wrong or put the wrong tube int he wrong socket or is like S- Video where it will only go in one way and they are different sized? Thanks again. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 738 Registered: Jul-07 | There should be a map of what tube goes in what socket with the amp, sometimes stamped right on the top plate of the amp. It should be pretty apparent though....the EL34's in the back, and the 6N1's out front. If at all in doubt, call the supplier. Be gentle when you line them up and push them in. Get them straight up and down and if lined up correctly they should slide right in. By "flyer" I simply meant you purchased something you hadn't heard and new little about. We've all done it, so it's not a criticism. But there is some risk involved as I'm sure you're aware. There are plenty of internet direct speaker companies, but again, matching a speaker you've never heard to an amp you've never heard is a gamble. You're better off finding a local audio store that understands your needs and can guide you to an appropriate solution. If there isn't a local shop that does this, then I'd suggest doing some googling for two things. First, research some tube friendly speaker options. You don't necessarily need a highly efficient speaker with that amp, but it would be a good thing to understand why flat impedence and phase shift graphs are desireable. Second, find out what speakers other people have had success with, with your amp and read what they like about the combination. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars. If you browse the speaker forum here you'll get some ideas about options and which of them are an easy load and which ones aren't. Brands like B&W and Dynaudio can be a tough load (although each speaker is different) so be cautious. Monitor Audio makes some speakers that are fairly easy to drive and sound excellent. Companies like Omega and Tekton have very good products designed to mate with tube amps although as I said above, your amp isn't of the low powered variety so you'll have more flexibility than I would for instance, as I have a 15w amp. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 14025 Registered: Dec-04 | http://www.symphonysound.com/articles/tubefriendly.html |
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New member Username: JosefgabrielPost Number: 3 Registered: Dec-09 | Thank you both for your advice. Great atricle and great information Chris. I will try to not be as impulsive when I buy the speakers. My brother has B&W speaker (huge beasts) in his HT system and they sound wonderful. I have tiny Boston Acoustics but I also love them as well. I really like some of the more exotic looking speakers like the B&W Nautilus and 800 series and this beast http://e3fabrication.com/html/portfolio/manufacturing.html but they almost always have the price tag to go with it. Some of the home made horn enclosures don't look too hard but that may be misleading. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 739 Registered: Jul-07 | Wow. Those ElectronLuv speakers are certainly not your typical looking speakers. I have no idea how they might sound, but I'm guessing the price is not inconsequential. Definitely an "out of the box" outfit. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 740 Registered: Jul-07 | I'm also curious what tube they are using on the top of the guitar amp. It's huge! |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 14033 Registered: Dec-04 | The hybrid horns there have a goal light on top! Does it light when you put a puck right in the bass horn? |
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New member Username: JosefgabrielPost Number: 4 Registered: Dec-09 | I am guessing that is the bass driver. I can't point directly to the picture but it is the fourth picture in the gallery to my favorite (looking, never heard it) speaker. http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/display.aspx?infid=1729&terid=2003&sc=hf |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 14043 Registered: Dec-04 | jo, have you ever looked into Open Baffle speakers? Or full range single driver designs? |