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SPEAKER FORUMS >> Tube Tots >> Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
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Message started by Donnie on 04/10/22 at 18:31:07

Title: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Donnie on 04/10/22 at 18:31:07

Has anyone bought a pair of Tube Tots yet?

I'm not seeing any reviews or thoughts on them yet.

Just color me curious!

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Nick324 on 04/10/22 at 19:29:18

Yes, mine just arrived recently. I am very much enjoying them. I’ve got them running in a small room, 12x14x8.
Running ROON > Matrix X SPIDIF 2 > Line Magnetic LM32 DAC > LTA MZ3 (pre-amp duty) > Rachael 341.5 > Tube Tots & REL T7/i
Both gorgeous IMO, and sound character I am loving. I can’t get them to the performance levels Steve spoke about yet, but they are absolutely worth every dollar and then some. If steve comes up w/ stands for them I’m all in.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Nick324 on 04/10/22 at 19:44:34

A most basic description based on my short time w/ them and limited equipment used thus far, (i have many amp & DAC combo’s i look forward to trying on them)
Very nice detailed top end that is smooth and feels lightly rolled off on the Rachael. The 341.5 is a very sweet amp that tames my livelier speakers so this top end performance was expected by me. The midrange has beautiful texture and timbre, I love it. They do have some grunt on the bottom end, i was very pleased. Yes i added a subwoofer, that’s personal preference, i also like the depth a sub adds to the soundstage. I can easily listen to these with many genre’s without the sub and feel satisfaction. They have heft and grunt, they do NOT feel light on the bottom, that was a pleasant surprise considering their diminutive size. They are very reminiscent of Ωmega speakers in their speed and precise imaging. So very pleased w/ them, they are an easy buy and welcome addition to my collection.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Beni on 04/10/22 at 20:12:07

I have had them in use for about 3 weeks alternating with my Wilson Audio Sasha DAW.
I'm still waiting for my Decware amps, so I'm running them on my Mcintosh components.
The performance is exceptional and the localization of the instruments is very good.
The bass goes surprisingly deep, I had only heard a flutter in a driver on one song, otherwise they are very resilient.
At this low price, you can't go wrong ordering them.
The placement in the room is totally unproblematic, they always sound extremely good.
The resolution and the fullness of the mids is amazing with my amps.
A great recommendation.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Nick324 on 04/10/22 at 21:13:34

Beni, so many gorgeous pieces in your collection. Beautiful absolutely beautiful.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by piezoman on 04/10/22 at 23:41:09

Hey Beni, extraordinary system! You've got high class and great taste.

Can't wait to hear what you have to say when your Decware components arrive.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Beni on 04/11/22 at 09:08:16

Dear Nick
Dear Piezoman

Thank you very much for your kind words.

I am looking forward to the arrival of my new Decware amplifiers (360 on List) and hope that I will get them by the end of the year. I will then gladly inform you in a timely manner.
The zen 25th anniversary amps I will probably use as monos balanced.

Kind regards

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by kulafu on 04/11/22 at 13:09:28

Beni,
+1 on your rig. The stands you have on the tube tots "stands out". Do you mind telling us where you got them?
Bob

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Beni on 04/11/22 at 17:27:35

Dear Bob

Thanks a lot.

These are stands of the brand solidsteel from Italy. The model is called SS6. They are available in raw, white or black. This is the raw version.
I have filled the tubes with quartz sand to suppress the natural resonance.

https://solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-6-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/

Kind regards
Beni

I got them from there:
https://www.vinyl-audiophil.de/hifi-shop/phono-moebel-racks-stands/lautsprecherstaender/modell-ss-6-ss-serie-silber-lautsprecherstaender-solidsteel.html

They ship to USA

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by kulafu on 04/11/22 at 19:50:51

Beni,
Thanks.
Bob

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Zork on 04/13/22 at 21:08:53

They are fabulous sounding, I've had them a couple months. I have 2 Rel T/7i running with them which I preferred with them after switching in and out. On my steel stands I use the IsoAcoustics ISO-PUCK Minis which made, to me, a noticeable difference. I was using Magneplanar 1.7is before and I like these better in my room with my system.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by DPC on 04/13/22 at 21:38:57

Yes

Got mine last fall. They hit way above their class. It seems to me that the cabinet design helps quite a bit.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Nick324 on 04/13/22 at 23:27:46

Zork, did you remove the brass feet snd go direct to the mini’s to wood or spike the feet to the mini’s?

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Zork on 04/14/22 at 16:18:42

Mine came with what I think are the hard rubber feet that Decware uses on their amps with Blu-Tack on both sides, too much grab i think. Then I bought a set of the Mini-Pucks which have cup suction on the top and bottom, they hold pretty well. The difference was increased soundstage in all dimensions. Try a set most places in the US have at least a14 day return policy. Oh, and I think they would fit on most stands. I like them, they work and I'll keep using them.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Nick324 on 04/14/22 at 23:15:01

Thank you for the info Zork, yes I will try them.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Clay N on 04/20/22 at 17:22:13

For those that have heard TTs ... any chance you've also listened to Omega Super 3 HO Monitors? I'm curious how they compare since they seem to be a similar price point and concept ... although the TTs are much prettier IMO :)

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by yoshi carroll on 04/22/22 at 18:14:34

One thing to be aware of is that at close distances, lining up the speakers with ear position is critical. Mine are placed about six feet from my head, on 24 inch stands. My ears end up at about 41 inches high off the ground. In this configuration most of the detail doesn't reach my ears.

I solved this by keeping the stands but tilting the speakers back so they face directly at my head. With this placement I get all the detail and the vertical center of the soundstage is above the speakers, right in front of me. Taller stands might have been the better way to go.

I've had the Tube Tots a couple of months and I love them. They replaced a pair of Parker Audio 95s which I've been using for the last 20 years. The 95s were designed specifically for the Zen amp, they're 2 ohms and 95db efficient. I called Steve and told him I was pretty happy with the 95s but I wanted a little more bass. And if everything else was better too, that would be nice. He recommended the Tots and I am very satisfied.

The amp is an SE84C, also 20 years old. With the 95s I usually had the volume pot turned up about a quarter. With the Tots it's closer to half, but often not that high because they sound good even when they're quiet.

I continue to be impressed with the impact and realism the Tots convey. Big and heavy instruments sound big and heavy in a way that's hard to fathom given the small size of the speakers. And I'm pretty sure my room is canceling out a lot of bass energy, so with good bass trapping I expect they'll be even more impressive.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Egilmorephd on 05/14/22 at 23:14:07

Currently using a pair of Caintuck baffles w Lii 15 drivers. The sound is spacious with excellent mids. The high frequencies sound thin and the base rolls off around 80 hz even with varying placement and room enhancements. Anyone have any information comparatively with the tube tots. The incredible soundstage of the open baffle Caintucks are beyond compare. Considering tube tots. Can the tube tots compare? Appreciate all ideas and responses.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Tony on 05/14/22 at 23:45:40

Hi Egilmorephd,

This is a bit off your topic specifically, but as a happy owner of Caintuck baffles myself, the addition that made my system perfect was the bass baffle. I could not see from your signature if you have that, but if not, I thought I would give it a plug.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Egilmorephd on 05/14/22 at 23:57:23

Thank you for the reply. Not off topic as I am researching all possibilities. I have looked into adding a Lii bass driver. Of course the method now is ordering directly from Lii for the driver and baffles separately from Randy. A bit of thought was physical and sonic space. Currently in a 12x15 space and adding an additional 15” baffle would not be that easy to adapt to the room. The tube tots would be a non issue of course. Thank you again.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Tony on 05/15/22 at 00:07:19

The bass baffle is different than the Lii drivers that you have. Randy orders the non-Lii driver, mounts it on the baffle, and ships it to you. At least that is how he did mine. The driver he chose was less expensive than the Lii driver.

I would contact Randy for specifics.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Egilmorephd on 05/15/22 at 02:53:10

[smiley=icqlite20.png]thanks again.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Steve Deckert on 05/15/22 at 05:57:40

One of the big differences between stand mounted Tube Tots and Open Baffles, be it Randys or our larger ones, is that if you like image specificity and focus, you will find your open baffles work best in a single spot a certain distance from the wall. The Tots will have more flexibility in placement while still maintaining a really good sound stage. One of the things about the Tots that most people who hear them in our room leave with is the insane imaging. So big... much like the open baffles. This is because the port is located on the rear and designed with a very large radius flare that brings a lot of midrange and mid bass out of the rear. This is what creates that amazing depth. But it also filters the highs a lot more than open baffle, so the rear wall has less effect on focus.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Egilmorephd on 05/16/22 at 15:16:50

Thank you Steve. Spot on with my response with my inquiry. What is the turnaround time to order a set of Tots at the moment? Or is that a question for Sarah or our new admins? Thank you again. Will look forward to matching with the Tori Jr ii when that time comes.

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Steve Deckert on 05/16/22 at 16:36:12

Right now I have a few pair in stock that can ship within the week.

Steve

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Zork on 08/16/22 at 05:03:28

I've had my Tube Tots since last February. Everyday I hear music as I've never heard before, the room is 13x21' with 8.5' ceilings. I am using them with a Torii Jrv2 and a ZBIT and ZROCK2. Anyone here with Decware amps should try a pair, simply great! The music is everywhere and it's good!

Title: Re: Anyone have Tube Tots yet?
Post by Paul2 on 09/12/22 at 10:50:47

My small room (10'x12') is pretty well treated with most of the accepted items most recommend.

The Tube Tots sit on the glass stands that Steve first used. I removed the points on the bottom of the speakers. Used the floor protectors that came with the glass stands in place of the brass points. That seems to work quite well.

A couple of weeks ago I visited the Mother Ship and purchased the coils. Installed them and like the sound even better.

The front of the speakers are 22" from the wall. There are diffusers directly behind the speakers. The listening chair is at the one meter point and the same for separation between the speakers.

With respect to bass performance, the mid-bass is exceptional. The spectrum analyzer indicates good activity even below the point where they should drop off. This may be due to placement and the bass traps in the room. In any event I see no reason to connect a sub.

I accept that each of us have our own idea of what we want our music to sound like. I'm sure that someone else might not like what I have here. I have listened to other peoples systems that they really like and it did not sound all that good to me. We each have our own preferences.

I have used many different speakers in this room. Some good some not so good. I guess it boils down to synergy with the total of equipment and room.

Thanks for reading.