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#258726 - 22/06/2005 11:09 Empeg - Tube Amp integration?
cushman
veteran

Registered: 21/01/2002
Posts: 1380
Loc: Erie, CO
So who will be the first to install this with an Empeg?



Link to store where you can buy it


Attachments
258291-f_panasonic_cqtx5500d.jpg (225 downloads)



Edited by cushman (22/06/2005 11:09)
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Mark Cushman

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#258727 - 22/06/2005 11:59 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: cushman]
wfaulk
carpal tunnel

Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
Well, you can already get tube-based car audio amps. Just harder to see the actual valve than having it presented on your dash.
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Bitt Faulk

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#258728 - 22/06/2005 12:08 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: wfaulk]
cushman
veteran

Registered: 21/01/2002
Posts: 1380
Loc: Erie, CO
Or the old school analog level meters! Those look like they came out of a reel-to-reel.
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Mark Cushman

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#258729 - 22/06/2005 12:11 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: cushman]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
I'm betting the tube is completely ornamental -- not actually part of the output chain. Sure does look pretty (retro), though.

Cheers

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#258730 - 22/06/2005 13:50 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: mlord]
tfabris
carpal tunnel

Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31563
Loc: Seattle, WA
I remember someone linking to this product about two years ago (ie, this is way-old news). I don't recall if the tube was part of the output stage or not....
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Tony Fabris

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#258731 - 22/06/2005 14:35 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: mlord]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
Quote:
I'm betting the tube is completely ornamental -- not actually part of the output chain. Sure does look pretty (retro), though.

The tube is used in a preamp stage.

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#258732 - 22/06/2005 14:49 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: tman]
mlord
carpal tunnel

Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14472
Loc: Canada
Yeah, they probably use it as part of a power supply for something relatively minor, entrusting sound quality (where it matters) only to solid state chips and the like. I don't think tubes would be my first choice in a (electrically) noisey car environment, but hey..

Cheers

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#258733 - 22/06/2005 14:56 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: mlord]
tman
carpal tunnel

Registered: 24/12/2001
Posts: 5528
Quote:
Yeah, they probably use it as part of a power supply for something relatively minor, entrusting sound quality (where it matters) only to solid state chips and the like. I don't think tubes would be my first choice in a (electrically) noisey car environment, but hey..

It really is part of the audio path. Alledgely you can tell when it's on because everything sounds "warmer". There is an AOpen motherboard with a tube doing similar things as well.

There is an option to bypass the tube. I guess you'll need that for when the tube has killed itself because it's been bounced around too much...

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#258734 - 22/06/2005 20:27 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: tman]
tanstaafl.
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5539
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
Alledgely you can tell when it's on because everything sounds "warmer".[snip] There is an option to bypass the tube

Bypass... as in when you are tired of the tube-caused distortion that provides the "warmer" sound...

Maybe I'm just an anarchist at heart or something, but I'll take accuracy over the false warmth provided by tube amps. Besides, if I want more warmth, I'll just press the rocker switch that runs the motorizied voltage splitter that controls the input level of the amp that drives my 6.5" door speakers and bring the output of that amp up a bit (leaving the other four amps alone) and presto! More warmth. More brightness? Do the same thing with the switch for the center channel amp that drives a 4" coaxial speaker with titanium dome tweeter.

See attached .gif file for a signal path diagram of my system.

tanstaafl.
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#258735 - 22/06/2005 20:39 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: tanstaafl.]
tanstaafl.
carpal tunnel

Registered: 08/07/1999
Posts: 5539
Loc: Ajijic, Mexico
Hunh! What happened to my attachment.

Let's try this again....


Yes, that's better. Click on the picture to get the button that lets you expand it to full size so it looks pretty....

tanstaafl.


Attachments
258340-SHOST16.gif (305 downloads)



Edited by tanstaafl. (22/06/2005 20:44)
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#258736 - 22/06/2005 22:15 Re: Empeg - Tube Amp integration? [Re: tanstaafl.]
rob
carpal tunnel

Registered: 21/05/1999
Posts: 5335
Loc: Cambridge UK
Quote:
Bypass... as in when you are tired of the tube-caused distortion that provides the "warmer" sound...

I'd say that tube amps do have their place in high end audio - specifically in systems which are fundamentally likely to be over driven, such as guitar amps, or in systems where a flat clip is particularly bad news for the drivers. Tubes are far more musical in distortion than solid state amps. You can try to emulate this with soft knee compression but it's not the same.

Rob

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