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In November 2002, we announced our second single ended tube integrated amplifier - the SE 18. Some customers wonder if they should buy the SE 9 or the SE 18. I hope that these specifications will help readers make their decision. The major differences between the SE 9 and the SE 18 are:
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The SE 9 is the ideal amplifier where space is a concern. The SE 9 has surprised many of our customers just how loud it can play -- even without special loudspeakers. The SE 18 provides even more power and more high-end performance. The SE 18 might be the ideal living room system while the SE 9 is the ideal bedroom system.
I have over 1200 LPs in my collection. Some of these are not available on CD. I dare say that some of my LPs are classics. Today, less and less equipment is available that allows you to listen to your LP collection. There are some people who feel that CDs can never sound as good as LPs. I don't belong to that group but I do know that there are many CDs that were not mastered carefully and do not sound as good as the LP versions. In any case, I plan to hang onto my LP collection.
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The
SE 18 has a built in phono preamp. The preamp provides proper equalization
for the RIAA curve but it doesn't provide any additional gain. Some moving
coils will require an additional headamp but all moving magnet and high
output moving coil phono cartridges will work. Today, it can cost over
a thousand dollars to buy a separate phono preamp. The SE 18 is one of
the lowest priced tube amplifiers available that has the phono preamp
built in. Even if you don't think you need a phono preamp, it doesn't
hurt anything to have one. Besides, you might want to see if you can pick
up a new or second hand turntable, new cartridge and start enjoying the
world of music prior to the invention of the CD. |
We have used the SE 18 with our more expensive loudspeakers. The SE 18 does a very good job driving the SM 6.9s, nOrh 9.0s, and nOrh 7.0s. With the Pyramids, the SE 18 plays astonishingly loud. The SE 18 is ultra quiet, articulate, fast, and detailed.
The SE 18 has three inputs (one of them being a phono in).
Let's take a look at some people's perception of tubes:
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1. Tubes are outdated. False. Tubes have been replaced mostly with solid state devices but not entirely. Most TVs and monitors still use tubes for their displays. While there are LCDs and other solid state technologies, the CRT remains the mainstay. Many industries continued to use tubes for other applications. Many audiophiles have believed that tubes simply sound better. For many years, audiophiles would scrounge to find vintage tube equipment to be rebuilt. As tubes never went out of fashion in China or Russia, modern audio tube equipment has a large supply of tubes. |
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2. Tubes are trouble prone.
Tubes are amazingly rugged. The low-power tubes can last 50,000 or more hours. Higher powered tubes can last 10,000 hours or more. When the tube wears out, it can be changed as easily as changing a lightbulb. I personally have tube equipment that is over 10 years old and I have never had to replace a tube. Tubes are relatively inexpensive. A high quality EL 34 costs about $14.00 USD and a 12ax7 tube costs about $5.00. Replacing all the tubes on the SE 9 will cost less than $50.00. Most importantly, this is a repair you can do yourself. If you had to pay someone, it could cost $100.00 without parts.
3. Tubes waste electricity
The SE 9 only uses 35 watts of electricity. The SE 9 uses 180 watts. A solid state amplifier can certainly use this much and more. We don't suggest anyone leave these amplifiers on all the time.
Most people have experienced that when they turn up their audio system loud, it sounds full and rich. However, when the system is turned down to lower volume levels, the sound becomes thin and veiled. Many people will listen to audio loud because the equipment they have simply isn't able to product high quality sound at more modest levels.
Tubes amplifiers look cool. Tube amplifiers, when built properly, sound great. Tube amplifiers have long been expensive and only recently have new designs such as the SE 9 and SE 18 made tube amplifiers affordable.
Our SE 9 and SE 18 are destined to become classics. Prior to the SE series, many audiophiles would pay thousands of dollars to have this quality of sound. They are beautiful to look at and sound extraordinary.