Odd. My little buffer does not have this issue either. But I think @LeDechaine and I both have models with tone controls. I wonder if that has something to do with it? Very well could be some QC issues too. One complaint I do have with my buffer is the tubes don’t sit very securely. They stay in place for the most part but a sizeable jolt to the desk or its shelf can unseat a tube and then there’s a lot of buzz.
Oh ouch, not for me. They’re hard to put in there. But it’s an easy fix, just move a few of the metal pins of the tubes like one millimeter (…and don’t break em lol) and the tubes will fit more securely in place.
Yes, to get too much volume/distortion with this amp (tube-03 or tube-03 clones), you probably have to put bass + treble + volume to the max heh.
I don’t think it’s a QC issue since two people responded saying they had the same issue. But I suppose people with the problem might be more likely to respond. So who knows.
Also this made me laugh:
I don’t think he’s very satisfied with his tube preamp lol
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It’s a weird issue because… tubes. You never know if the tubes are the problem or the amp. But if it pushes 7 volts I’m guessing it will push 7 volts all the time, whatever the tubes?
I got four 6J1P-EV tubes. Two start distorting at 10 o’clock on my Tube-03. Two don’t distort at all with the volume at 100%…
Do you have the cheap-ass chinese stock tubes they came with? They’re essentially worthless but, maybe just put these in, see if the voltage is different with the volume at max (I don’t know lol), but above all, you can hear if it distorts at max volume with these tubes too – maybe it depends on the tubes.
I was experimenting on cheap tube buffers for a while now, and my conclusion is that they generally aren’t worth it, even if you have good tubes. The sound changes aren’t enough.
I think in the end, it’s worth it to get either a proper OTL or (more likely since you want the power of a solid state) a hybrid like the TA-10/20. The effect of tubes is so much more than tube pre for some reason, and because it’s hybrid, it can run planar.
My favourite setup at the moment is running the Argons off the TA-20, using 1951 RCA black tops. It’s got a much more power single ended than the 789 at 50ohms, and the effect with the tubes is amazing.
Personally, it was just the best for my speakers that needed just a little bit more warmth. Or, ironically, for my SMSL Sap-1 (inexpensive Class A headphone amp with lackluster 10khz+ highs), because this inexpensive tube buffer also extends the highs.
More than enough for me to make me go “wow” because I never heard that much soundstage and depth from my speakers. A bit weird with headphones sometimes, but this little thing sure made me smile.
But I understand, if you really want an enormous difference, yes, go for big-ass transformers and big-ass tubes.
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Ah ok, as far as I understand tube pre’s work better with speakers than they do with headphones. They did after all exist as a market long before people were putting them before headphone amps. Someone told me once it’s about the impedance of the amps.
But I was talking from my experience with headphone amps and tube pre’s.
Ok… my impression is, tube buffers are really amp-dependant. Makes sense. OTL tubes sound great on some headphones, sound like shit with others. With tube buffers, this problem is gone… you will get your specific sound with Sennheisers or planars, whatever.
Or so I thought… your problem is now, finding a great amp to pair with it. Just had a “wow” moment, plugging it into my AVR. Life-like presentation. There, it works #1 for my speakers and my headphones (therefore, any, headphones).
But since it also depends on tubes, well, unless you want to collect 20$-to-200$+ tubes (something you probably do not – or, well, should not do anyway, when the tube buffer costs like 40$), I’d say bass and treble knobs (or any EQ) are a requirement to get exactly what you want from tube buffers. Remember EQ not only affects the frequency response but also width, depth, soundstage, etc.
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Really? So do you think any EQ would work? Or are you saying you need to have a model with it built in to get that benefit?
I think there’s some truth in this. When I did my big buffer-Darkvoice comparison I used an Atom and a SP200 for the buffer. I get less positive results when it feeds a Liquid Spark or an Asgard 3. Maybe it has something to do with amp topology. The Atom and SP200 are op-amp based. The A3 is class A/B. Although I admit I don’t know what the Spark is, though it sounds more like class A (I know it isn’t class A).
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Any EQ would work – and probably better than the Tube-03 EQ, because with the Tube-03 bass and treble controls… “bass down” is “low hz cutoff” and “treble down” is “treble dip but don’t touch anything above 10khz”.
I used to think this, to the point where you disregard tube buffers entirely in lieu of Tone controls (like the Schiit Loki Mini Equalizer), however changes to EQ is not the same as changes you get from tube sounds. The tubey-ness (which I can explain at best as “holographic/layered sound”) can’t be replicated using EQ. I don’t think using EQ on a tube amp will also get the same result if the effect doesn’t come through the amp to begin with
The idea of amp dependence for the tube buffer though is interesting, I didn’t think of it that way. Maybe there is life yet for my Chinese tube amps, especially now I’ve collected a lot more 12AU7 tubes. Just have to play around with some other amps I have lying around.
Oh that’s for sure. Tubes definitely don’t just do “EQ” (what would be the point, they’d just be… overpriced Schiit lokis?). I meant, when there are tubes in the chain, EQ-ing can help with width, depth, soundstage, etc.
Tube effects can be muted or enhanced with EQ (or inappropriate headphones, speakers, amps, etc). EQ can’t reproduce tubes.
I also associate “tubiness” with not only soundstage and imaging, but also added smoothness and overall clarity of the sound.
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Man I have been having a blast reading this thread! I may have to experiment with this.
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my tube pre-amp does not get that warm when running, however the tube hybrid amp does. the amp is a fosi, the pre-amp is a aiyima. they all made by the same company and just branded differently.
edit: i use the GE matched pair off of amazon for both, no distortion on pre-amp. amp distorts about 2 oclock, but i think thats the amp and not the tubes.
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I know I can’t touch the tubes much (…should not anyway), the tube-03 tube buffer itself stays cold.
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My little FX-Audio 03 just got delivered, this thread made this science experiment possible! I’m going to run it into my SP200, can’t wait!
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Hey, did you try to EQ finally? 
I now have a Schiit Loki next to it so I can EQ it up easily. But I haven’t used the tubes recently. Were you suggesting that adding EQ would have a synergistic effect with the tube preamp?
Honestly I don’t see how EQing is supposed have a significant impact on those things. But I will play around with it tomorrow.
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