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This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hi Guys,
I've been looking at valve pre-amps, and have an Idea...
Would it be possible and safe to add a valve preamp to my Beomaster 5000 (80's version) I was thinking of connecting it between the pre-amp outputs and the power amp inputs (in place of the bridges at the back).
What do you think?
Lee
Stick one of these in the processor loop/pre out main in. Why you'd want to I'm not sure, but apparently a lot of people want tube distortion in their audio.
http://www.dcharti.com/home-audio/tube-buffer/
Lots of choices...
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
The pre-amp in the Beomaster 5000 is a really good one! I agree with Jeff - why do you want distortion, even if it is warm to listen to? I am not sure if you have seen it, but one chap has converted a CD5500 to have a valve output - look up TDA1541A on the web and it will be around.
I have a valve headphone amplifier - Tim laughed at it as it is designed so the valve does as little as possible!
Peter
Valve sound on a Beomaster 5000?
Easy - push your speakers into the corner so they get a bit wallowy in the bass and turn the treble right down. Hey presto - "that warm valve sound"!
Oh Adam, my non-B&O valve setup doesn't sound warm at all! My B&O does!
But seriously, the Beomasters of that generation sound so good, why fooling around with filters?
Jacques
If you want to try this, the Yaquin one is a good bet. It's fairly cheap, so if you don't like it you're not out much, and can probably sell it to someone else who wants to try a tube sound.
I always have a tube system just for the audio archeology aspects of it. Currently that is a Chinese 6L6 single ended integrated amp I use in my den when I want to see the tubes glow. Not a serious system, it's a just cause it's cool looking system, driving a pair of single driver full range Tang Bands I built. Doesn't sound bad, but when I go back to my main B&O the difference is not subtle.
Thanks for all your answers.
To be honest your right, it does sound amazing as is... I'm just listening to my brand new copy of Let It Bleed on Vinyl and it sounds incredible.
I guess I just wanted to experience what difference Valves make, I've never heard a Valve amp so was intrigued.
Think I'll just put my money into a pair of Beovox Pentas... Getting them next week but the mid's need re-foaming. They could also do with new Fret covers.. Is there a guide anywhere for fitting new fret covers?
A well designed valve preamp should be about sonically identical to a good solid state design, nothing in the preamp area really stresses a tube, though it's of course possible to make it sound different. Now tube amps, that's where a lot of the difference lies. For one thing, tube amps have high output impedance when compared with solid state, which interacts with the frequency varying load the speaker places on the amp and will induce frequency response changes in the amp/speaker interface. Unpredictable too. Damping factor is lower too.
If you want to play with tubes, something like a little SE tube amp from China, usually you can find them on eBay direct from the makers, a CD player or iPod, and a small pair of speakers can get you an attractive and not too expensive (few hundred bucks US) system to play with so you can experience tubes. I used to have a McIntosh MC240 tube amp I used, was great in the winter as it could heat the room, not so much fun in summer when the AC went out!
Iff you want a valve sound, try to get a B&O 608/610 valve amp in good condition, 2 good speakers and you will never regret it.
I would not combine tubes with BM5000, these are two different worlds...
Vintage Bang & Olufsen