Need Recommendation on Tube Headphone Amp

[andymok]

Got any designs / kits / projects that sounds good / have high performance? Share with us

 

[SIY]

For what headphone loads? A tube circuit designed to drive 600 ohms will look a lot different than one optimized for 32 ohm loads.

 

[solderdude]

all tube or hybrid ?

Price class ?

 

[sergeauckland]

Also, why tubes? Looks maybe?
If a tube amplifier is well designed and is transparent, then why bother with tubes, you might as well use SS and save a lot of cost, power consumption, heat etc etc. If it isn't transparent, then in effects you're buying an effects box, so what effects you like won't necessarily be the same as anyone else likes, so only you can judge, and asking opinions is pretty futile.

S.

 

[bunkbail]

If it isn't transparent, then in effects you're buying an effects box, so what effects you like won't necessarily be the same as anyone else likes, so only you can judge, and asking opinions is pretty futile.

100% agreed. I always audition before making any audio related purchases, especially when it comes to tubes. Personally I prefer my headamp to be transparent and only after that I color the sound with tube preamps/buffers (I use iFi iTube2 for this).

 

[SIY]

Also, why tubes? Looks maybe?
If a tube amplifier is well designed and is transparent, then why bother with tubes, you might as well use SS and save a lot of cost, power consumption, heat etc etc.

But that ignores a certain coolness and fun factor. Seriously. I use tubes, but with proper engineering so that I can achieve audible transparency. Sure I could use solid state and get the same results, but... I could also drive a Hyundai instead of a '57 T-Bird.* The Hyundai is cheaper, more reliable, and probably outperforms the T-Bird. But for car geeks, driving a T-Bird is... fun.

*Disclaimer: This is just an analogy. I drive a Hyundai because I'm largely uninterested in cars.

 

[sergeauckland]

But that ignores a certain coolness and fun factor. Seriously. I use tubes, but with proper engineering so that I can achieve audible transparency. Sure I could use solid state and get the same results, but... I could also drive a Hyundai instead of a '57 T-Bird.* The Hyundai is cheaper, more reliable, and probably outperforms the T-Bird. But for car geeks, driving a T-Bird is... fun.

*Disclaimer: This is just an analogy. I drive a Hyundai because I'm largely uninterested in cars.

I do (sort of) understand fun, that's why I have three turntables, but for me tubes are a step too far. Back in 1967, I tried a SS amplifier, but the MTBF was measured in minutes, so I went back to tubes and built a pair of Mullard 5-10s. I used these until 1971 when the 2N2955/3055 complementary pair became available, and built myself a 30 watt PC amplifier.

Never looked at a tube amplifier again, except for a short spell in the early '80s when I had to spend a month in Zambia with nothing much to do. I took all my tube data books with me, and designed a 100 watt PC amp from first principles, using 6550As . I built it when I got home, and it worked fine, but hardly better than my SS amp at the time. Fun (that word again!) to look at and play with, but a lot more hassle than a standard SS amp.

Turntables and tube amps to me are the audio equivalent of the 1936 MGC or 1929 blown Bentley (I'm sure you can find a suitable transatlantic equivalent). Great fun, but hardly a daily drive.

S.

 

[SIY]

The hassle issue is exactly why I don’t recommend commercial tube equipment. It’s fine for someone like me who can keep things running and in good tune, but for an appliance operator? No. But for me, it’s fun.

 

[andymok]

For what headphone loads? A tube circuit designed to drive 600 ohms will look a lot different than one optimized for 32 ohm loads.

40-100, I guess they can't be made as generous as solid state right?

 

[andymok]

all tube or hybrid ?

Price class ?

both am interested

 

[andymok]

Also, why tubes? Looks maybe?
If a tube amplifier is well designed and is transparent, then why bother with tubes, you might as well use SS and save a lot of cost, power consumption, heat etc etc. If it isn't transparent, then in effects you're buying an effects box, so what effects you like won't necessarily be the same as anyone else likes, so only you can judge, and asking opinions is pretty futile.

S.

wanted to learn more so I thought, why not just go back to the very basics where things all started.

and my boss, who is also an electronic/audio engineer, always keep saying Tube sounds lot more better for music appreciation. So I thought give it a try.

 

[solderdude]

Rules out OTL all tube headphone amps.

You would have to look at all-tube amps with output transformers or hybrid ones.
I recommend to stay away from the cheap Chinese hybrid amps on e-bay/amazon/ali-express etc. (the ones below $ 150.-)
These have short longevity and the published specs are bogus.
Most of them work 'fine' for 1 or maybe 2 years and then break down in most cases.

Given your answer the reason for looking into tube amps "my boss, who is also an electronic/audio engineer, always keep saying Tube sounds lot more better for music appreciation." is subjective nonsense.
Some may feel added linear and non linear distortions may sound better to some individuals but given ASR nature they don't perform/measure that well. Those that do measure well sound the same as SS.
It's a 'religious' thing mostly.
Glowing tubes has a certain appeal as well.

Price range ? connectivity ? specs ?

 

[westyjeff]

Look at the reviews for this tube hybrid amp on amazon,
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H5HK3QT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And then get these tubes for it and you will not be disappointed,
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DLBABE4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Wombat]

'Amazon reviews'. "You will not be disappointed".

Beware the 'slippery slope', ASR.

 

[SIY]

40-100, I guess they can't be made as generous as solid state right?

Yeah, as solderdude said, that's low enough that you're pretty much going to need an output transformer coupled amp if you want decent performance (it could be done OTL if you're willing to tolerate something really massive, expensive, and hot-running). A good output transformer is expensive. So unless you're going to design and build it yourself, the amp will run serious money. Coolness does have its limits.

A hybrid amp with a solid state output stage could also be done, but at that point, this really isn't a tube amp, so why bother? And most of the ones I've seen don't really use the tube part for much other than show or (in the case of the ubiquitous Chinese "tube" amps on eBay) as elements which bring a pile of distortion to the table.

 

[AnalogSteph]

Indeed. In order to accomodate tubes properly, you don't get around input and output transformers and reasonably high B+. You could replace said transformers with solid-state / IC circuitry, though at this point you might just as well go all "sand" and avoid a lot of hassle.

There are a handful of applications in which tubes still are a serious option, but dynamic headphone amps probably aren't one of them.

 

[bunkbail]

Look at the reviews for this tube hybrid amp on amazon,
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H5HK3QT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And then get these tubes for it and you will not be disappointed,
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DLBABE4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If I'm not mistaken, @amirm already got one for review.

 

[Krunok]

But that ignores a certain coolness and fun factor. Seriously. I use tubes, but with proper engineering so that I can achieve audible transparency. Sure I could use solid state and get the same results, but... I could also drive a Hyundai instead of a '57 T-Bird.* The Hyundai is cheaper, more reliable, and probably outperforms the T-Bird. But for car geeks, driving a T-Bird is... fun.

*Disclaimer: This is just an analogy. I drive a Hyundai because I'm largely uninterested in cars.

Now that's what I call a decent car analogy!

 

[Rod]

Well I have the Monoprice Monolith tube amp. I have some hum issues but every tube amp I have had hum at this house. I am getting a UPS with AVR and pure sine wave output. I will plug the amp into the UPS and see if that helps, then unplug the UPS so it runs on battery(as suggested by another member) If it still hums, then its the amp I guess. But it has output transformers and sounds descent for a tube amp at the price range so I hope it works. Will report back in a few days when the UPS arrives.
The headphone impedance of the headphones changes the level of hum and also were the impedance selector switch is set also effects level of hum. On the 80 Dt-770 the hum is real low at the proper impedance setting, on 250 ohm 6xx'x its louder unless I cheat and lower the impedance switch a few clicks to were I have the dt-770's set at.
Changed the tubes around, its not them.
Tip=I have to admit, the THXAAA 789 sounds better with any headphones I have. But the tube amp has those mids that I like about tubes.

 

[Rod]

Well I have the Monoprice Monolith tube amp. I have some hum issues but every tube amp I have had hum at this house. I am getting a UPS with AVR and pure sine wave output. I will plug the amp into the UPS and see if that helps, then unplug the UPS so it runs on battery(as suggested by another member) If it still hums, then its the amp I guess. But it has output transformers and sounds descent for a tube amp at the price range so I hope it works. Will report back in a few days when the UPS arrives.
The headphone impedance of the headphones changes the level of hum and also were the impedance selector switch is set also effects level of hum. On the 80 Dt-770 the hum is real low at the proper impedance setting, on 250 ohm 6xx'x its louder unless I cheat and lower the impedance switch a few clicks to were I have the dt-770's set at.
Changed the tubes around, its not them.
Tip=I have to admit, the THXAAA 789 sounds better with any headphones I have. But the tube amp has those mids that I like about tubes.

Well there is a review on Monoprice complaining about hum. So there's my answer. Still will use the UPS for the computer.