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I just recently found out about the old mono amps Dynaco made. I was impressed with the wide variety of tubes the mark III can use, allot of them look the way a tube should be, nice and big Yellow_Light_Colorz_PDT_01 Whats the sound like compared to the later amps like the ST35? Do you need two of them to work or can you just use one monoblock and listen in mono?

Do you need two of them to work or can you just use one monoblock and listen in mono?

This will depend largely on your source of music. The majority of music media today is in stereo. So, to get most out of them you will need a pair of monoblocks, one for each channel. Having said that, there a few modern day aficionados who maintain that the purest sound can only be achieved from a dedicated mono system. That's upto to you to decide.

The MKIIIs aren't my favorite. They are ok, but not great. IMHO, the ST-35 is a sweeter sounding amp overall. A whole lot cheaper to build as well. That's just my deux cents on it. -Min

Do you need two of them to work or can you just use one monoblock and listen in mono?

An old mono tube tuner and a big speaker enclosure would give a rather suped-up retro sound.

There were many Classical music LPs which were recorded in mono, long after stereo took over. There is less distortion though less bass in mono than stereo. If you have some application for a mono setup, it might be advantageous.

You could even use one MKIII as a subwoofer amp to complement an st-35.

SDS-PAGE wrote:The MKIIIs aren't my favorite. They are ok, but not great.

Are you referring to a factory stock Mk3, or one with the Poseidon board? I haven't yet had a chance to listen to a Mk3 (stock or Poseidon) but I did just recently get a chance to hear the DIY-ST70 board. I think I like it a little bit better than my DIY-ST35. I would assume the DIY-ST70 and the Poseidon should perform similarly.

Mine were stock that I restored. I have a ST-70 with with Shannon's board and I like it too. The biggest difference for me is not in the board, but in the tubes. I like the sound of EL-84s over fat bottles. This has much to do with kind of music I like listening to, which is a lot of jazz vocals. I am partial to DH SET amps, except when it comes to PP EL-84s.

SDS-PAGE wrote:I like the sound of EL-84s over fat bottles.

Which tubes do you use for your EL84?

My EL-84 quads consist of Telefunkens, EIs, and JJs. Teleys in my Scott are by far my most favorite. JJs are decent after months of break in.