Inner view of the HT 230 lay-out, visible the Dual Mono circuitation of the two channels.

 

it's a true class a 30 watt mono block... I've sold 5 of them in the states

 

Even if it was, I see no reason to use class A amps in the car, none at all when you consider the current consumption, heat, size and power output one would (or does) get with one.

 

well first off it is.... so no need for speculation.... almost draws 30amps at idle... and once you have an opportunity to hear a class A tube amp you will understand....

 

here is a site dedicated to class A

http://www.tcaas.btinternet.co.uk/index-3.htm

http://www.tcaas.btinternet.co.uk/index-1.htm

 

I've driven an International [ semi ], we let it idle at all times when we were not driving and it was below freezing.

Now with an amp and music, I don't see the problem if you know what a toggle switch is

But , yeah if you didn't understand how to wire things up so you controlled them this could be a big problem with dead batteries, wasting gas , etc..,

So you'd have to be one smart puppy or rich, if you're not !!

 

On the moving car thing, no sound deadening, high resistance tires, etc..,

Just get some coaxils and power them off the head unit

 

No car is dead quiet while driving. Besides that, unless it's hot or cold out, I have my windows and or sunroof open. I would never realize any small advantage to a class A amp, but I would know the disadvantages pretty well.

 

Got a few dollars

quote>
The EQ is most likely to be used when comparing a tube amplifier (which exhibits slight high frequency rolloff) to a solid state amplifier . In that case Richard Clark says he can usually fashion an equalizer out of just a resistor and/or capacitor which for just a few dollars makes the solid state amplifier exhibit the same rolloff as the tube amplifier, and therefore sound the same. If the tube amplifier really sounded better, then modifying the solid state amplifier to sound indistinguishable from it for a few bucks should be a great improvement.
end quote>

 

Ok. So I know nothing about tubes, and I have spent the better part of 2 hours reading everything I could before asking this questions about them.

1. A$$hole, earlier you noted the dual mono design. Am I understanding correctly that all 2-channel stereo tube amplifiers must be dual mono?

2. Mantz's response said that the 6550 tube was incapable of delivering the quoted power. Yet the 6550 seems to have a maximum plate dissipation of 40W, so would 2 in parallel be able to deliver 80w in theory? Does this depend on the "ultralinear mode"?

3. With this 6550 tube, where would you be seeing the "signal" to the speakers? On the plate? And the output on the plate is varying with the input signal being fed to the screen, and also with the anti-phase speaker output?

4. The output from a tube requires a transformer from high tube voltage / low current to lower voltage, higher current needed by speakers?

Sorry if these questions are dumb or flat out wrong, but sometimes its a lot easier to get help from people who know, rather than just reading and reading without any assistance. Thanks!

I've found this information on the 2 tubes used in the design, KT88 and 12AU7.

 

That is a picture of the inside of the aforementioned amp

 

I have one of these amps...pretty nice amp. Yeah, I don't think most people on here run speakers that have a high enough sensitivity to really appreciate the amp...start getting into the 100+ dB range, and any and all small things will start jumping out at you. I am planning on running mine on a pair of 112 dB sensitive horns.

The amp is running class A. It's not wired as a puesdo triode, but single ended pentode, which 2 paralleled KT88s can deliver 30 watts that way. You can get less power in ultra liner versus SEPP, but distortion drops in UL mode.

And no, you do not have to have dual power supplies for a stereo tube amp. But for one to use in the car, it would be easier to do it that way. And I think HSS had a good power supply worked out from previous products that they either adapted to use in this amp, or used it as it stood.

 

Here is a home kit that gets about half the power of the HSS with one power tube per side...and the KT88 and 6L6 both have the ability to make more power than the El34s and 6V6s he likes to use.

http://tubelab.com/SimpleSE.htm