Vacuum Tubes Back in Style?
Filed in archive Audio by william on April 14, 2005
I seem to have missed this out at CES (and the company is completely quiet on its web site), but AKAI is getting back into surround receivers with a pair of tube receivers. Yes, vacuum tubes. The AVR8500 and AVR8510 are 7-Channel Vacuum Tube Audio/Video Receivers. Both receivers use 7 Dual Triode Vacuum tubes (of "Blue Tube Thermionic" design, whatever that is), one for each amplifierThe amazing part is the price:. Tubes actually introduce audible distortion to an audio signal, but the distortion is harmonically pleasing, giving the sound a "warmth" that audiophiles crave.
No word on availability, but pricing is astonishingly low: $899 for the AVR8500, $1199 for the 8510. I actually think this is a mistake: tube gear is often ludicrously expensive, and, at this point, AKAI no longer has a strong brand in the U.S. home theater market. AKAI could easily create a few limited edition versions of the 85x0 series at much higher price points to build buzz and audiophile credibility.Read New/Old Audio Technologies New Again: Part One
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