can you buy an all valve power amp by itself?

Bennetsgreen · #1 09-01-2010, 10:43 AM

hey guys, just wondering if its possible to buy an all valve power amp. i got plenty of preamps and normal poweramps but its missing the all valve feeling....let me know...cheers!

**garmenteros** · #2 09-01-2010, 10:48 AM

I know aguilar and ampeg sold all valve power amps to be paired with their pre amps, I dont know if one is readily available in the market today.

aspersions · #3 09-01-2010, 10:49 AM

Carvin sells one... TS100 $549 uses EL34 or 6L6 only 100 watts though.

naturalkinds · #4 09-01-2010, 10:49 AM

Aguilar DB728. Retails used between $1100 - $1600. 400W.

silky smoove · #5 09-01-2010, 10:57 AM

Demeter used to make one as well.

rpsands · #6 09-01-2010, 10:58 AM

Mesa Strategy?

Stick_Player · #7 09-01-2010, 11:17 AM

Here's a nice one:

McIntosh MC2301, mono, 300W, 8 - KT88 or 6550 Output Tubes, $16,500.

ThrashMaster · #8 09-01-2010, 12:13 PM

Fryette (formerly VHT) makes awesome power amps....much more known in the guitar world, but Ive used them with bass as well with great results. Theyve reduced their line alot, but ive you can find a used VHT 2150 youll be quite happy

craig.p · #9 09-01-2010, 12:14 PM

Yikes, Stick. Is that with or without a coupon for a free hernia operation?

ThrashMaster · #10 09-01-2010, 12:18 PM

if you ever had the chance to hear a full on mcintosh hifi system you might start savin your pennies haha

fu22ba55 · #11 09-01-2010, 12:33 PM

+1 on the Aguilars... they come up here for sale on TB once or twice a year.

+1 on the Mesa. I think they made them in the mid '80s.

Also, I think the Electric Amp POWER is basically a power amp:

http://www.electricamp.com/power-unit-tube-amp.html

KramerBassFan · #12 09-01-2010, 12:35 PM

Yes but wait times on Electric amps are terrible.

Bennetsgreen · #13 09-01-2010, 12:41 PM

well its pretty hard to find all them here in australia haha, think im just going to stick with my momark at the moment, anyway if you guys are keen to listen to some of my music, heres the link...not great audio but you get the idea. cheers fellas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4cbYaCg7P4

Bmorefoozler · #14 09-01-2010, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThrashMaster

if you ever had the chance to hear a full on mcintosh hifi system you might start savin your pennies haha

Yes certainly more at home in a millionaire's theater room then as a piece of Bass kit.

Near my old hometown, in the late 90's an electronics room had a $100k McIntosh Home Theater room... Godly.

Bennetsgreen · #15 09-01-2010, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bmorefoozler

Yes certainly more at home in a millionaire's theater room then as a piece of Bass kit.

Near my old hometown, in the late 90's an electronics room had a $100k McIntosh Home Theater room... Godly.

if i had the money id buy it haha...imagine the nosebleeds you would get with that

anonymous02282011 · #16 09-01-2010, 01:02 PM

Ampeg made a separate power section of an SVT at one time.

One popped up locally for 600 bucks and I missed it.

tombowlus · #17 09-01-2010, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silky smoove

Demeter used to make one as well.

I believe Demeter still makes the VTHF-300M. This is a fantastic amp, as is the Aguilar DB 728. In addition to the Strategy 400/500, Mesa/ Boogie also made the M-190 tube power amp. Phil Jones made a couple of their off the hook T-500 tube power amps (650 watts!), though they no longer make these. Trace Elliot made some very, very good tube power amps, the VR350 and VR400. I really love my VR350!

I've never tried the Carvin or Peavey tube power amps on bass, but that could be fun!

Tom.

Stick_Player · #18 09-01-2010, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Yes certainly more at home in a millionaire's theater room then as a piece of Bass kit.

Apparently, Paul Revere and the Raiders retrofitted their Vox Super Beatles with McIntosh power amps. This may have occurred back in the 60s, though.

Mark Lindsay - "Yeah it's true. They had to balance pretty carefully on those babies. But they weren't standard Super Beatles. They each had two Fender D-130F speakers in them and you know how heavy those things are. And then a Mac 175 amplifier sitting in the bottom of it. So it was a McIntosh power amp and Fender speakers."

So, it is a possibility.

Alex1984 · #19 09-01-2010, 05:02 PM

Ampeg SVT 300, Mesa, Marshall, they all made a few.

anderbass · #20 09-01-2010, 06:29 PM

Bennetsgreen, If you cant find a tube power amp you could always just plug any of your preamps into the Power Amp In jack found on most all tube bass heads to bypass its internal pre and just use it as a power amp.

If you want rack mount there's plenty of choices. I believe most all the 300 watt all-tube power amps made were the same (4 rack space) size as comparable heads and weren't all that much lighter anyway.