ever seen anything like this?

[giggerman]

http://www.audiocubes.com/category/Car%2BAudio_2%2BDin%2BReceivers/product/Panasonic_CQ-TX5500D_Vacuum_Tube_CD_Receiver.html

[neomagus00]

a tube HU... yeah, i've heard of em, nakimichi (or whatever it is, you know the one i'm talking about) had/has one... i personally wouldn't use one, for fear of beating it up too badly (and heat), but i suppose that's like using a tube preamp in HT, which is supposed to be a great upgrade, if you're a tube person...

[MacLeod]

Why would anyone want a tube h/u?
Why go with outdated technology?
Why not just get an 8 track player?

:rolleyes:

However, that is one of the coolest looking h/u's Ive ever seen!

[spwuinmk67]

Wanna talk about outdated? I've got a Panasonic reciever at home, still kind of working, with an 8-track recorder.

[exalted512]

we have an 8-track player at the rents house
-Cody

[MacLeod]

When I was a wee lad I had an 8 track in my room. No radio or cassette player, just an 8 track.

But since I was only 7-10 and wasnt allowed to buy tapes, I had to listen to my dads collection.

Some of it was ok though. The Ventures were a instrumental group from the 60's. Guitar, bass and drums. Had some cool tunes.

And Herb Albert. Trumpet player.

I was so stoked when a buddy at school gave me Motley Crue's Shout at the Devil on 8 track! :D

[nadams]

My '53 chevy pickup originally had a tube radio... *shrugs*

Don't let any of the bottleheads in the 2ch section hear you talking about "outdated technology"

[MacLeod]

LOL!!

Yeah, there is no quicker way to get your ass kicked on the HA side than denigrate tubes.

Well, claim there is no difference in cables and youll get toasted pretty quick too! ;)

[VR3]

Originally posted by MacLeod
Why would anyone want a tube h/u?
Why go with outdated technology?
Why not just get an 8 track player?

:rolleyes:

However, that is one of the coolest looking h/u's Ive ever seen!

:rolleyes: :o

Give me a break. I have never owned or heard tubes. And I dont have any intentions to. But to say something is bad because its "out-dated technology" is crazy!

I mean you have no room to talk, you dropped 4.0 or whatever for 2.0 HT. Thats "out-dated technology".

There are alot of "new" things that shouldnt even exist.

And there is a difference in cables. AND amps. Biotch.

[BrentMcGhee]

Not to be repeating what sid said but c'mon mcleod, tubes..... outdated, hell no, older yes.. outdated means that something better has come along, and we all know that is not true.


Just out of curiosity, have you ever heard a tube set-up before.... if you have not i strongly suggest you get on that, it is a complete different experience if you have been used to solid state all your life. Or heaven for bid that new digital drive amp crap!!

[giggerman]

i have a tube guitar amp, and a solid state, i must say, the tube has a warmth like no other, but as for music, ive heard a 'few' tube setups, and they remind me of the db650's i just got, lots of clarity, not much bass...
im not knocking polk, but thats just the easiest way to describe my experience
i guess thats why a lot of the nu metal bands dont use tube amps... they cant handle drop f tuning... lol

[Jstas]

That is gorgeous! It'd look great in the Ranger when I get it done! Strap some tube amps into the setup on the SR6500's and it'd be a hell of a stereo!

[neomagus00]

please, please, let's not get into a tubes OR cables debate... you want that, you can go get as much as you can stand on the HT side...

tubes, maybe a little, cause it is applicable in cars, but the cable debate in cars is... well, there's no real debate...

[ND13]

Originally posted by Jstas
That is gorgeous! It'd look great in the Ranger when I get it done! Strap some tube amps into the setup on the SR6500's and it'd be a hell of a stereo!

Here, here!!!

Please those of you that have never heard tube audio, just do yourself a favor and go to a nice HA "boutique" and get those ears on a tube set-up. It's smooth as butta. As far as the "not alot of bass" point, isn't that what your monoblock amp is for???

[TrappedUnder Ice]

I had a Planet audio Tube amp for a while. While the sound was quite excellent...it was a tad over-rated in its power! I would have kept her had it given the juice it claimed too. Nothing wrong with tubes btw...you either like them or hate them. guess the same can be said for JL eh??? hehe...that was funny....

[exalted512]

or caps??

that head unit has been out for a while btw
-Cody

[Jstas]

Originally posted by ND13
Here, here!!!

Please, just do yourself a favor and go to a nice HA "boutique" and get those ears on a tube set-up. It's smooth as butta. As far as the "not alot of bass" point, isn't that what your monoblock amp is for???


Uhhh...I've built my own tube amps, man. I have a tad bit of experience with them! :)

giggerman was the one who complained that there was "not alot of bass". Then again, I try to avoid discussing things with un-reistered users. Too many have turned out to be a problem and I'm not going to get in to it.

[Jstas]

Originally posted by exalted512

that head unit has been out for a while btw
-Cody

Big deal. It obviously was not that well known.

[exalted512]

when do you plan on getting those SRs John?

[Jstas]

Probably not until around Christmas and they will most likely sit in a stack in teh corner until I get the interior sorted out on the vehicle they are going in. I'm starting to think though that that Panasonic would be perfect. The plan is to redon the entire interior with a fiberglas dash. I will have dark Cherry wood inserts for the guage cluster and the center stack with brass/gold trim pieces and gold bezels on teh white face guages with antique lettering from Ford Racing Performance Parts. The reast will be finished off in a medium tan finish with seats from a 94-97 Thunderbird re-done in tan leather with sueade inserts. The audio will be all done by hand an invisible from outside the vehicle. But I'm thinking that that Panasonic unit with it's gold finish and that glowing tube in the center would look flat out incredible in the center of the dash. I'll have to build some enclosures for behind the seat too and when the finally release the SR subs, they had better be BLAcK with NO marking cause that would look great in an enclosure with the same dark cherry color on the veneer.

[ND13]

Originally posted by Jstas
Uhhh...I've built my own tube amps, man. I have a tad bit of experience with them! :)

giggerman was the one who complained that there was "not alot of bass". Then again, I try to avoid discussing things with un-reistered users. Too many have turned out to be a problem and I'm not going to get in to it.

I didn't mean that you were complaining about the lack of bass, I was agreeing with you. I just didn't add a quote from the other guy.;)

I knew you built your own tube amps. The Here here was for you, that's why the rest was seperate. It was meant for the others that have never experienced the tube sound.

[MacLeod]

Originally posted by Vr3MxStyler2k3
:rolleyes: :o

Give me a break. I have never owned or heard tubes. And I dont have any intentions to. But to say something is bad because its "out-dated technology" is crazy!

I mean you have no room to talk, you dropped 4.0 or whatever for 2.0 HT. Thats "out-dated technology".

There are alot of "new" things that shouldnt even exist.

And there is a difference in cables. AND amps. Biotch.

See what I mean? Pure rage and hysteria at the very mention of tubes not being all that! I dont get it.

Tubes are outdated because solid state amps can perform just like a tube amp more effeceintly and cheaper! Thats why its oudated.

Going from 4 channel to 2 isnt going down in technology, merely not having as much of it. If I were going backward in technology Id be running an 8 track instead of my CD player. Another example would be ditching your car for a horse drawn buggy.

And yes, Ive heard tubes before. A couple home pieces and a car amp or two over the years. They dont sound bad at all, but for 1/3 the price I can get a solid state amp thatll not only be more durable but will perform just as well.

[VR3]

Mac,
Most people run SS amps with Tube preamps.

Supposedly gives you the slam of SS with the smoothness of tubes.

[MacLeod]

Thats cool.

I have no problem whatsoever with anyone running tube gear.

Here is what I believe thru what Ive seen, read and heard:

Tube gear is high quality equipment and delivers great sound quality and is usually very well built. Its a fine match for high end speakers. However, I think soild state gear can deliver the same performance for a lot less money and thats why I think tubes outdated. Outdated, NOT useless.

.......and cables make no difference! :p :p

[VR3]

"Cables may make no difference", but do you want a coat hanger delivering your signal or a power line? I'd rather take the power line. Quality cables are just that - QUALITY. They will outlast you.

As for tube gear. I don't own any. To expensive for what I want/need. Form over function, all that.

[MacLeod]

Well, no you cant use coat hangers, but you could use cheap Monster Standard RCA's.

I have a set running thru my truck right now. 20' of em and 4 sets running by all kinds of wires and potential noise inducers and I dont have any (except the whine from the damn CC universal wiring harness with its 400 guage power wires that Im too lazy to pul out and run decent size wire).

Ive run several "high end" sets of cables from Tsunami to Street Wires. Up to $70 a PAIR! I notice zero difference. Maybe is just wishful thinking because I cant afford $70 a pair RCA's anymore!
:D

[VR3]

I dont think you could hear differences in a car system. No offense by no means though. I just dont think your in the right position exactly to hear what you need to hear in a car.

I'm sure there are some Hi-Res systems and installs that can do it.

I feel in Home it is a different story.

And I will never buy Monster Cable. No support to the Monster...none at all!

[MacLeod]

That is a good point. A car is not the perfect test environment.

For cables you do need to pay for qualities like insulation, resistance, shielding and connectors so you dont want to be using lamp cord, but to say that Streetwires RCA's are more open and warm sounding and Stinger RCA's are more thin and bright sounding is a load of bull butter.

Thats just simple physics, which is usually way above my head so maybe Neo can jump in here if Im wrong, but resistance, inductance and capacitance are the only parameters that affect performance. So while you do need to pay for features like I mentioned above but a set of $100 RCAs wont sound any different than a line of lamp cord.

[VR3]

Well, you are more than welcome - if you ever come to NC, to drop by and we'll listen to some Ratshackers vs. Signal Cable.

I cant explain the difference, but its there.

However I agree with your comments. When I added my cables - the biggest difference was in sound staging and detail in the higher end. Not bass response or any of that jazz.

However, I did audition this one cable that had almost no bass. It was very odd. Even my friend heard it - and she isnt that experienced with audio.

[MacLeod]

Back nearly 20 years ago, Absolute Sound magazine held a ABX test at an audio convention to prove once and for all that there is an audible difference between cables.

Out of 200 engineers, magazine editors and reviewers, tech people and general consumers, NOBODY proved they could hear the difference betwen several hundred dollar RCA's and 16 guage lamp cord! The mag went crazy and had all kinds of excuses but it was their test and their setup.

Im not a big fan of Monster either but 20' RCA's for $14 is hard to pass up.

[hellohello]

After what Jstas said about not being registered, i decided to try and register, turns out i did, a looong time ago lol im such an idiot

The limited experience i have with tube amps is mostly with rebuilt antiques, so theres probably better examples out there.. but im too poor to know about them <my guitar amp was a rca phono amp from the 50's i got on ebay for $30> :-P


Originally posted by Jstas
I will have dark Cherry wood inserts for the guage cluster and the center stack with brass/gold trim pieces and gold bezels on teh white face guages with antique lettering from Ford Racing Performance Parts. The reast will be finished off in a medium tan finish with seats from a 94-97 Thunderbird re-done in tan leather with sueade inserts. The audio will be all done by hand an invisible from outside the vehicle. But I'm thinking that that Panasonic unit with it's gold finish and that glowing tube in the center would look flat out incredible in the center of the dash. I'll have to build some enclosures for behind the seat too and when the finally release the SR subs, they had better be BLAcK with NO marking cause that would look great in an enclosure with the same dark cherry color on the veneer.

I must say, that sounds damn sweet. :)

[exalted512]

as far as usamps goes, tube amps are actually cheaper than their a/b friends
-Cody

[Thom]

RCAs don't usually make a difference, but there's been a car or two that had noise that we couldn't quite get rid of. Pulling out the shielded RCAs and replacing them with unshielded (cheap) RCAs got rid of the noise. No differences in sound, stage width, height, etc. though... :D

[exalted512]

so you had noise, but you pulled out the shielded and replaced them with crappy ones and the noise went away??? strange indeed.

i like my streetwires. if i cant find another set of SW 5.0s in a 16' length im switching over to SW ZN6.
-Cody

[Jstas]

The sheilding can cause ground loop problems sometimes. I've had it happen especially with cars that have high volume fuel pumps. High pressure pumps usually draw more current and more current means bigger EM fields which affect more stuff.

[MacLeod]

Cars are just the worst possible environment to try and set up a quality sound system! Everything is against you from the start! Especially if you have a stock Bose system! ;)