Butler vs. US Amps

[Amfibius 10+ year member]

I have a choice between a secondhand Butler TDB 475 and a US Amps TU 4360 vacuum hybrid amp. I know that specs can only tell you so much, but here we go anyway:

US Amps AXTU-4360

75W x 4 @ 4 Ohms

100W x 4 @ 2 Ohms

Are these bridgeable? The website does not say!

Butler TDB 475

75W x 4 @ 4 Ohms

75W x 2 + 200W x 1 (bridged) @ 4 Ohms

200W x 2 (bridged) @ 4 Ohms

Any help would be appreciated.

Click to read more...

 

[Gnab2 10+ year member]

I thint that US Amps are the way ti go. For the price and quality you can't go wrong...

 

[Amfibius 10+ year member]

Thanks Gnab2. Do you know if the US Amps amp is bridgable?

BTW, the price difference between the two amps is negligible (they are both secondhand). You would still choose the US Amps?

 

[Amfibius 10+ year member]

(edit) removed double post.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

US Amps.

Why?

Because you can find 12VDC signal triodes (like 12AU7's, 12AX7's, and 12AT7's) for a whole lot cheaper than you can find octal-based tubes like 6SL7's (which are used in the Butler).

Upgrade the signal tubes with new-old-stock ones, and it'll be prime //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[flakko 5,000+ posts]

Litsen to jack lol he is tube king.

Well the TU4360 triodes are the 12AU7's i dunno how good of quality they are, but says they are used for the russian military? how much are you getting the TU for?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Litsen to jack lol he is tube king.
Well the TU4360 triodes are the 12AU7's i dunno how good of quality they are, but says they are used for the russian military? how much are you getting the TU for?

The quality will depend on what kind you get...the Chinese-made ones ****, but the ones built in the '60s and '70s by American or European companies are the best.

 

[tplaya07 10+ year member]

Amfibious...Just buy the US Amps, send it Jack, along with the new parts, let him mod it, and he can keep the spare/extra parts for one of his upcoming projcects. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif Everybody wins.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

I like //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I like a lot //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[Amfibius 10+ year member]

Thanks for your recommendations. All of you seem to think the US Amps is the better choice. Besides being able to mod it, why do you think it's better? In what way does it sound different? I'd like to know, because my preference in music might be a bit different to yours //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I actually already own a Butler TDB 475 and I love the sound of that thing. I have never heard a US Amps setup before so i'm a bit curious.

flakko, the US Amps has been offered to me at AUD$600, vs. AUD$700 for the Butler.

 

[Tirefryr 10+ year member]

I heard a Butler and fell in love. Unfortunately, they did not want to conduct business with me, so I have to look elsewhere. The USamps are looking intriguing.

List some pros and cons of the Butler since you have experience.

 

[flakko 5,000+ posts]

ygpm amfibius.

edit: yea can we please have a review on the butler? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Thanks for your recommendations. All of you seem to think the US Amps is the better choice. Besides being able to mod it, why do you think it's better? In what way does it sound different? I'd like to know, because my preference in music might be a bit different to yours //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif
I actually already own a Butler TDB 475 and I love the sound of that thing. I have never heard a US Amps setup before so i'm a bit curious.

flakko, the US Amps has been offered to me at AUD$600, vs. AUD$700 for the Butler.

You can pull and swap tubes in any amp that uses them - you could play around with different 6SL7's in the Butler if you wanted; my point was is it would get a lot more expensive quick //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Amfibius 10+ year member]

Review of the Butler? I can't do that because the only amp which has been in my car since install is the Butler! I've got nothing to compare it to apart from my old car, but that's not fair since the stereo in my old car was nowhere as good as my current setup - Blaupunkt HU + Alpine V12 amp + MBQ speakers, vs. Pioneer P9 combo + Butler TDB475 + Dynaudio.

If I *do* end up getting that US Amps amp then I could do a listening test, but at this stage it looks as if I will go for another Butler for the simple reason that the US Amps seller lives 4000km away whereas I the guy who is selling the Butler is just 20 minutes drive from me.

The US Amps amp would have to make a big case for itself if I am going to bother with an internet purchase, swallow the shipping cost and take the risk of DOA equipment. You guys have all recommended the US Amps amp, which is starting to make me think that AUD$550 isn't so much money after all ...

All I can tell you is that my current stereo sounds incredible but it is hard to seperate the effect of one component from another.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

http://www.audiotubes.com/6sl7.htm

If you need replacements for the Butler //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I'm not sure exactly what comes stock, but it's probably some Groove Tubes Chinese crap or Sovteks which aren't much better.