Octave HP 700 -the new tube pre-amp benchmark?

Glareskin

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I have just read a review of this amp in Audio magazine and I am very impressed by what I read and see. A new dimension of silence, depth and clarity. And very natural. Nothing is painted more beautiful as it is.
Anybody had a listen to this baby yet?
Octave_HP700_zwart.png


Ovtave_HP700_binnen.png
 
OK, what does it say. :huh:
Oh yes I forgot that not everybody speaks German:blush: It just said that the ranking is based on sound quality only with no consideration for build-quality or price.

What is the value of a list? Of course you'll have to listen for yourself. However Audio is one of the respected German magazines and even if it is not absolute it says that the Octave is a darn good pre-amp. And the price is right so I am very interested. I hope the amp makes it to the US as I would like to have your impression.
 
Interesting...i have read great things about Octave. Question - the tubes inside...are they 6922s? And is it a bit of a pain to have to retube by unscrewing the entire top off to get inside? (I ask because when i re-tube my CJ GAT...or if a tube gets noisy and i need to take it out, tap it and re-seat it...its easy since the tubes are in their own sockets in tube guards outside the unit.
 
Interesting...i have read great things about Octave. Question - the tubes inside...are they 6922s? And is it a bit of a pain to have to retube by unscrewing the entire top off to get inside? (I ask because when i re-tube my CJ GAT...or if a tube gets noisy and i need to take it out, tap it and re-seat it...its easy since the tubes are in their own sockets in tube guards outside the unit.

Lloyd-Are you getting lazy as the years advance? :)
 
Like Lloyd, Joe , Myles and quite a few others, listen to the cj GAT before declaring best tube pre amp.:snicker:
 
Interesting...i have read great things about Octave. Question - the tubes inside...are they 6922s? And is it a bit of a pain to have to retube by unscrewing the entire top off to get inside? (I ask because when i re-tube my CJ GAT...or if a tube gets noisy and i need to take it out, tap it and re-seat it...its easy since the tubes are in their own sockets in tube guards outside the unit.
As I can see in the article you just need to unscrew the lid (4 screws).

According to the article the output entodes are Mullard EF184
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And according to the designer the Siemens D3A also sound good
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The output tubes are driven by the ECC-82 double triode from Tung-Sol
$(KGrHqF,!lUFCysjFCHlBQ0BH32ufg~~60_35.JPG
 
Like Lloyd, Joe , Myles and quite a few others, listen to the cj GAT before declaring best tube pre amp.:snicker:
I am sure the guys from Audio have done that. But have you listened to the Octave that you can make this statement?
 
Lloyd-Are you getting lazy as the years advance? :)

Always lazy/hate re-tubing!!! ;) Actually, i have managed to avoid too much of that stuff, other than the CJ which seems to eat tubes. On that one, i hate having to undo, redo, tap-tap, put back in...tube rush, take out...tap-tap. I have managed to find tubes that so far go for about 12-18 months before noise sets in...so thats quite good actually.
 
Why would you assume they havent? These guys in the Trade can get access to most anything that strikes their fancy.

iI now see Why certain posters like Elberoth MUST be taken seriously in their gear comments. Not that one must agree, but source considered, you can't brush his comments aside as whimsical opinion.
 
No they haven't
Are you in insider with Audio? This magazine has been around for a long time so the chances are that they have heard the CJ.

What statement?
That one should listen to the CJ first before declaring another amp the best pre-amp. I think that is a valid statement but then again the other way around is as correct. So my question is still open...

You are the one making grand statements.
Maybe you want to point out the grand statements? As I read back I read only that I have stated to be interested if anybody has listened to the Octave amp as I appreciated the article.
 
Are you in insider with Audio? This magazine has been around for a long time so the chances are that they have heard the CJ.

That one should listen to the CJ first before declaring another amp the best pre-amp. I think that is a valid statement but then again the other way around is as correct. So my question is still open...


Maybe you want to point out the grand statements? As I read back I read only that I have stated to be interested if anybody has listened to the Octave amp as I appreciated the article.

Every magazine has access to any HiFi gear.

I have never read a review of the cj GAT from Audio. Have you?

Your grand statement is the thread title - the new tube pre amp benchmark?
Or did you forget that?

All I said was before making statements like that, have a listen to the cj GAT

Any more questions or anything you would like me to clarify?.
 
Every magazine has access to any HiFi gear.
I have never read a review of the cj GAT from Audio. Have you?
Nope. But that does it mean they didn't hear it?

Your grand statement is the thread title - the new tube pre amp benchmark?
Or did you forget that?
The question mark says it all. I wondered if it might be the new benchmark. In fact I ask if anyone here has listened already. No I did not forget asking that question.

And I am not the only one understanding: Norman did.
XV, doesnt the question mark preclude it from being a statement?

Any more questions or anything you would like me to clarify?.
Yes. I realize that you have a couple of Conrad Johnson amps as it is listed in your signature. And I am pretty sure they are sounding great. But does that make you feel offended if someone raises a question about another amp? Aren't you just interested in just learning about new gear all the time?
Let me clarify: I do.
 
Nope. But that does it mean they didn't hear it?

The question mark says it all. I wondered if it might be the new benchmark. In fact I ask if anyone here has listened already. No I did not forget asking that question.

And I am not the only one understanding: Norman did.



Yes. I realize that you have a couple of Conrad Johnson amps as it is listed in your signature. And I am pretty sure they are sounding great. But does that make you feel offended if someone raises a question about another amp? Aren't you just interested in just learning about new gear all the time?
Let me clarify: I do.

Why would I be offended. I purely said to have a listen to the GAT before declaring statements like benchmark.

Always interested in new HiFi. The two phono stages in the HP 700 is of interest to me.

Cheers
 
No. It is an opinion/statement asking for an response.


I think you know that as well.


Sorry, I dont know that. In strict English it cant be a statement. I understand poetic licence, but knowing Hans, he is not that kind of a guy. There is a Dutch/English translation joke floating around in the internet. The English fellow makes a statement like .."that's an interesting idea" and the Dutch guy interprets it as , "he likes my train of thought", while the real meaning is: "what a dumb idea". Long and short, the Dutch shoot straight and knowing that and knowing Hans, he means exactly what he says.
 
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