Manley Jumbo Shrimp - Thoughts/Experiences?
- Thread starter Tlarwa
- Start date
To put some qualification on this. I only used it for a couple hours. Was using a Benz High Output Ebony. It's happiest at 47K ohms. Could be a completely different animal on lower output cartridge's, also could see some utility if you had multiple tables or arms and had to make changes to the settings often.
The whole David/EveAnna Manley thing (at the level of the company/companies) is complicated/abstruse -- at least to me.
And, yeah, I still can't imagine how one effs up even a push-pull parallel EL84 amplifier -- they were bizarrely not uncommon for a time in the late 1950s... I guess it was an easy-ish, cheap-ish way to get high-ish power in a compact-ish package.
I am specifically thinking of the EICO HF-32 mono integrated, but there were numerous others. I've never heard an HF-32, though, in full disclosure.
Images from Reverb.
... and I've mentioned this PPP EL84 "pro sound" rascal before. It doesn't sound bad at all, at least the last time I listened to it. I should
drag it out again and confirm that memory (or not).
Wait, this is about preamps, isn't it?!
And, yeah, I still can't imagine how one effs up even a push-pull parallel EL84 amplifier -- they were bizarrely not uncommon for a time in the late 1950s... I guess it was an easy-ish, cheap-ish way to get high-ish power in a compact-ish package.
I am specifically thinking of the EICO HF-32 mono integrated, but there were numerous others. I've never heard an HF-32, though, in full disclosure.
Images from Reverb.
... and I've mentioned this PPP EL84 "pro sound" rascal before. It doesn't sound bad at all, at least the last time I listened to it. I should
drag it out again and confirm that memory (or not).
Wait, this is about preamps, isn't it?!
Yeah, I'm going to need to pile on to this opinion.
I've heard enough Manley to say I could Never recommend their products.
Besides being extremely ugly and cumbersome the Manta Ray is one of the worst sounding amplifiers I've ever heard, Tube or SS.
I have No idea how you do that to a 6BQ5?
Owned a pair of Fisher CA-40 PP Parallel 6BQ5 amps (24 watts) and they were superb sounding amps.
Worked on a few other pieces and they show a curious lack of organizational vision.
As for what to buy, I'd have to recommend a tube preamplifier of course.
The Tubes4HiFi SP10 for less than 600$ with remote!!! Assembled... Wowzer, What else is even close?
Who else is making a basic straight tube line stage w/remote? I'd like to know.
PS: "Jumbo Shrimp" is an Oxymoron...
I've heard enough Manley to say I could Never recommend their products.
Besides being extremely ugly and cumbersome the Manta Ray is one of the worst sounding amplifiers I've ever heard, Tube or SS.
I have No idea how you do that to a 6BQ5?
Owned a pair of Fisher CA-40 PP Parallel 6BQ5 amps (24 watts) and they were superb sounding amps.
Worked on a few other pieces and they show a curious lack of organizational vision.
As for what to buy, I'd have to recommend a tube preamplifier of course.
The Tubes4HiFi SP10 for less than 600$ with remote!!! Assembled... Wowzer, What else is even close?
Who else is making a basic straight tube line stage w/remote? I'd like to know.
PS: "Jumbo Shrimp" is an Oxymoron...
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