Thoughts on 833 valves?

Keith_W

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Mar 31, 2012
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Hello all, I am contemplating replacing my Cary CAD-211AE with a pair of Chinese made AM 833 monoblocks: http://www.am-hiend.com/product/833m.html

120W single ended, using the 833 valve.

I am wondering whether forum members are familiar with this valve. These are my questions:

1. Which 833 valve amp do you have experience with? Has anyone heard these amps?

2. What is the sound of the valve like, compared to an 845 - in terms of tonality, dynamics, and detail?

3. Are replacements easy to obtain?
 

JackD201

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Apr 20, 2010
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Hi Keith, what have you been cooking up these days?

I'm a bit familiar with them since my brother has WAVAC 833s. It's pretty hard to describe what a tube sounds like without taking everything else in the amp into consideration. No need to go through the list with you since you know what I'm talking about. Anyway, please take this as a description based on very limited information. The WAVACs are very sweet and very clear with IMO just the right amount of richness never becoming sloppy or syrupy. At first I was a bit unnerved seeing SETs with a Pentode driver stage but listening showed the negative reaction to the sight of this to be unfounded when it comes to listening. The other amp in the rotation is an over 3x more powerful VAC 450 iQ Statement. As might be expected it doesn't have the jump of the VAC but this should not be an issue at all with your horns as it is quite negligibly with my brother's non-horn system.

Availability shouldn't be a problem. You probably won't be finding them in the usual audio tube places but they should be easily available with commercial broadcast suppliers like Chelmers Valve and the like. Many broadcasters doing analog terrestrial still use transmitters that use 833s.
 

microstrip

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What is the price of these amplifiers? They look like Wavac copies, one of my dream amplifiers for Soundlab's. SET and powerful enough.

The manual has a strange comment. "The AM Music 833M does not run at the excessively high voltages of some other Super Amps, but there is 900V present at the top caps, when the amplifier is switched on." My question is how do they get 120W from a single 833C tube at 900V?
All the schematics I have seen of similar high power amplifiers using the 833 run at more than 1400V.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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fascinated to read more about the mighty 833...know someone who owned the Wavac 833 (single-chassis monos) and then went up to the 4-box version 833 Mk2 i think its called...lived with them for many years. has since moved across to Vitus Masterpiece Reference amps, i think. his other reference was Gryphon Colosseum monos, though he has owned most everything out there at one time or another, i believe. Still, i think his 833 Mk II monos were a reference for him for many years.
 

Zero000

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Jul 28, 2014
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I've heard the AM amps twice. Once with Brodmann loudspeakers, and once with Horning.

A few pics to follow at Silverstone, England, 2014, if this link works:

 
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Zero000

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Joke UK import prices:D



They sounded good as far as I could determine. And they look very well made.
 

Zero000

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This stuff is by the same designer that did Stereo Knight stuff. All Stereo Knight stuff I have heard has been good too.

If you want a good 833 based amp, I really don't think you'll be disappointed. I think it is good gear.
 

Sunnyboy1956

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Feb 22, 2014
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Keith
The 833C is a current production tube that is easily available. I got a spare set from a German retailer at approx 200euro a pair.
I have had my Wavac HE 833 v2 for nearly 3 years. I am not sure if there is a signature 833 sound but if it's even close to the Wavac sonically than at the quoted price these amps are a steal. Best to audition .
Best
Pradeep
 

Big Dog RJ

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Feb 2, 2012
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Hey Keith,

how's it going? Trust all is well at your end of the woods.

comparing the 845 to this tube, I heard it at the Melbourne HiFi show few weekends back, driving a pair of Avant Garde Duo omega's, fabulous sound. To me it was very hard to tell the difference, if any I was probably focused on the sheer power and dynamics of the 833. The sound off the Duo's was of course massive, very big/large sounding, not to my liking though, that typical massive accelerated wave of horn punch. Whether one would prefer the 845 in many reasons similar to what is used on the awesome Kondo amps- Kogaru's, would need to be closely investigated with dedicated listening environments.

I remember back in the day, a pair of Apogee's driven tri-amped with a Kondo Audio Note Ongaku I's- that was simply spectacular and even at the time for a equally spectacular price... To compare the 833 directly against the 845, I would only recommend trying them out on your system, or perhaps try to check if the dealer has an amp with 845 and compare directly. What we my state here is only a guideline, only your ears can be the ultimate judge.

I remember many of my fellow audio enthusiasts say push pull ultra linear was far more dynamic compared to SE, and that the 300B is no match for a pair of KT120's. Well right now I'm using a simple 8w/ch SE 300B on my Quads, and I'm not missing anything from UL push-pull, infact to me the 300B's musicality with stats is superb! Therefore, different set of ears = varied preferences.

I'm not sure what brand the 833 amps were but they look identical to your photo and the finish, perhaps they were from AM. The sound coming off the AV- Duo's was effortless and all I can say is that it was quite impressive.

By the way, what are you doing with the Cary's? Nick has folded up and gone fishing, hence don't know who can service these in Melb...
Have a good one and all the best in your quest. When you have them finally set up, perhaps I would like to come over for a listen.
Cheers mate, RJ
 

Big Dog RJ

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Feb 2, 2012
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Hey mate, how's it going?
Did you manage to get the 833 monoblock amps? How did they compare to the Cary with the 845's?

Just heard a pair of these driving older Quad stats this evening, marvellous stuff indeed! I think they should be a breeze on your Acapella's.
Cheers, RJ
 

daviddsailor

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Oct 9, 2016
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AM833 amps.

Hi Raj, I haven't got the 833's yet. For the time being I am waiting on my NADAC 8 channel DAC to arrive. After I get those, I will look at changing the amps.

I'm new to this forum and hope I'm not butting in here. Just thought I let anyone interested know that I've a had a pair of these amps for two years and doubt that I will ever part with them. I'm happy for anyone interested to hear them in my dedicated home setup.
Regards, David.
 

YashN

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Jun 28, 2015
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Hi Raj, I haven't got the 833's yet. For the time being I am waiting on my NADAC 8 channel DAC to arrive. After I get those, I will look at changing the amps.

HQ Player -> High-rate DSD -> NADAC -> Tube amp is a wicked combination.
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Hi Keith, I was wondering if you ever wound up getting the Audio Music 833S amplifiers?
 
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