Thoughts on butler audio/phaze audio tube driver amp?

wash with gasoline · Post by **wash with gasoline** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 12:33 pm

Im toying with the idea of putting my tube driver in my install because my ti600 is a rust bucket.

The tube driver has a uncommon cool aspect to it, and when warmed up sounds great. In wa state it took like 15min for it to warm up, in socal where i am now im guessing maybe 5 min? It doesent sound bad before it warms up, just much better once it does

Im a little concerned to put it in my corrado as its a stiff ride and i dont want to kill a cool rare amp on the f"ed up roads we have here, and im not sure how it will like the vibrations from a pair of rsdc 12s on 1000watts in close proximity to it

What do you guys think?

12voltjunky · Post by **12voltjunky** » Sat Oct 09, 2010 12:38 pm

i have never heard a car audio tube amp but love they warm sound that tubes offer. I say go for it and keep us posted.

Post by **stipud** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 10:59 am

Ooh Butler eh? Go for it! Just don't mount it to the sub box

Post by **ttocs** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 11:04 am

there have been a few that have made car audio tubes but they never realy did take off well. Great lookin amp!

finbar · Post by **finbar** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 11:34 am

I used a hybrid tube amp, US Amps AX TU100C, for about a year. The sound was grainy until the amp warmed up, about 5 mins. I replaced the tubes after about 9 months of daily driving. It was an easy job and the tubes are readily available, Sovtek 12AX7LP, about $35 delivered.
It was 18" from a JL Audio 15W6 and did fine even with the sub rattling my eyeballs.
I drive ~20K miles a year.
That Butler is a great looking amp, it would be a shame not to use it.

Pillow · Post by **Pillow** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 4:52 am

Pure sex on those tubes!!!

From what I understand they tend to run warmer due to the tubes, so keep them well ventilated.

Sounds like fun to me!

denim · Post by **denim** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 5:30 am

Hey, its finebar!

I had wanted to try those US Amps tubes before they were gone. Now I am still getting out bid on Planet Audio (zed built) tubes.

Haakon · Post by **Haakon** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:25 am

I have a pair of tube amps myself, one "proper" tube amp (full tube pre and power stage, pure class A 2x13W) and one hybrid (tube pre amp, transistor power stage) Tru Technology Copper series.

Have not tried them in the car yet (I'm in the middle of building), but have tested them inside on different speakers. and they sound sooo good, looking forward to getting the install done and listening to them on every little trip with the car

Post by **mhyde71** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 6:26 am

the best tuber (hybrid) amp i ever had (which i regret selling) is/was the US amps AX-TU4360 (not the AX-TU4360C w/ the Xover)
just plain straight up amp 4360

beautiful sounding, warm and full

BUT these USAmps amp's that use the 12AX7 tubes... they are not tube driven, the tubes are just for the input stage...
so the 12AX7's can take a lil more punishment than 6L6's or the like...

AT least that was/is what i had always thought