Has anyone tried to hook up the M80 with a tube integrated amp? I wonder what's the result will be. I would like to try those Chinese made tube amp cause the price is extremely affordable.

One of those Ming Da's?

Haven't gotten my Sophia Baby yet, but it'll only be used w/ some M22's. (Fedex says today, woo hoo!) But I think the M80's need some serious power, so you'd need a pretty decent tube amp that can handle a 4 ohm load.

In reply to:

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But I think the M80's need some serious power

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Well, the 80s are 4 Ohm, but they don't need serious power by any means. They're actually pretty sensitive!

So you might have more of a concern in getting a tube amp that will hurt the 80s' feelings..... ;(

Just got back from.....

.....Ming Da.....

I could actually hear my M3s talking to me about the dining room system.....it was evil, but somhow compelling....I could almost hear all my old tube amps chime in in perfect harmony.


It gets worse, ever get the urge to...... build a Heathkit?

Just got back? Did you go to the factory in China?

A quick session w/ my M22's and the Sophia Baby went very well last nite. I'll post a better review after a few days. My $40 turntable SHINED w/ the tube amp. It sounds better than any of my best CDs w/ my Denon 2200.

Heathkit? I'm an engineer and I don't the energy or patience to build it. Otherwise, I'd try a bottlehead.

Yup; just got back from the factory on the H-P Express!(Although I may well have been close in the 60s if it is either in Hong Kong or the "New Territories")

You unhappily reminded me that all of my platters were lost while in storage due to water leakage that, over a period of a couple years when I didn't have a usable turntable, totally soaked the jackets and made them a 250 lb mass of yuck.

I am also a great fan of tubes, going back...um...a long way. And am very close on deciding on tubes for the more intimate dining room system using M3s.

As a working Engineer I didn't have the time or patience to tackle a Heathkit(or a suitable whatever!)either, but I'm retired now and all the Grandkids will be in school, starting this fall.....

Glad to hear your M22s sounded good with the Sophia Baby. Are you running them with a sub?
Sounds like the "inexpensive" foray into tubes paid off. Looking forward to your review.

Surprise! surprise!
Received my tube integrated amp last night and couldn't wait until this weekend to do some testing.
I hooked the amp up with a 15 yrs old CD player (it doesn't even have digital output which is perfect for this situation) and played it through my M80. The sound was surprising good, even the amp claimed 30 watts output yet I didn't feel any less of the power. The bass is strong, the mid is clean and the treble is singing. I would say the $350 integrated amp is on par with my $4,000 B&K ref. 50 and Marantz Amp.
I will do some critical comparison this weekend.

Yes!! Please do!!

Some of us are more than just a Little Interested in your findings!!

$350? Which one? Post pics and model number. I keep seeing those models on ebay but haven't seen any reviews.

Is it a true SET?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5784322900&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1
It's really a good deal, I am very happy about it.

wow, that's a nice looking amp. It also looks just like ones made by Mind Da, which is really nice. I'm curious about this one so it will good to hear a solid review. I've read good things about Mind Da and at that price, a tube system is affordable.

Wow!! That thing is georgeous! Never really been interested in the tube thing, but after seeing that thing I would love to hear how it sounds. But alas I must stop buying more equipment or my wife will have my . . ..

They are from the same factory. As a matter of fact, a lot of high end tube amps are manufactured by them with a different badge.

Good catch on the price.

I'm sure if it was Ming Da, it would've been a little more.

That tube cage is a trip.

That thing is hellaciously cool looking. I want, I want!

tube amp

? Is it tube week or somethin'?

How about "tube tops"?

You know, it's funny. This week I've been mainly listening to my ss amp run through my HK. Way too hot in So Cal these days for tubes.

I guess I can add to "tube week"--got some new preamp tubes the day before yesterday. Still need to give 'em a proper run through. In honor of the new purchases, I'll fire up the bad boy tonight. Hope you guys are enjoying the new toys!

Finally understood why people like tube amp so much. I went a serious listening test this weekend by hooking up the amp with the M22, M40 and M80 to do some comparison. None of the speakers dispointed me but I will rate the M80 first, M22 second and M40 the last due to the fact that the M40 provided a tag too much of the bass. Don't doublt about this little baby, it can really deliver punches, it may the M80 sing like a fat lady, the mid is accurate, the high crystal clear.
Now, it make me wonder if I get a set of tub pre/pro, will it give me even better sound?

I had a Jolida 1501 Tube/Hybrid integrated. Loved the sound through my M80's with any source. I wanted a remote so I traded for an Eastsound 150wpc integrated. I like the remote but miss my tube sound. The cdchanger sound tinny through it. I am going to buy a tube buffer stage to smooth this out because I like a cd changer still and a remote for mute/volume.

free bump to move other threads down the list.