Setup backup and ambition
Anonymous
Yesterday I listened to 16W SEPP 300B driving ESL63. Other amps I often use include SE300B, some with IT and other input and inductive loading iron, my favorite PP EL34, SV572-3 and 10, SE 845, Quad II, and SS amps, some Class A of my own devising, plus Quad 405 Mk II. I have some preamps for special use, including the super kit designed by Holger Stein, reworked Q22, and of course a Q34, but otherwise I hardly use preamps, preferring line input to integrated power amps.
My normal test CD player is a Quad 67, standard, and I have another, modded, and a DAC with a tube output of my own devising but the truth is that a good standard CD player is all you require and the rest is snakeoil. When it was current, the Quad 67 was about 1400 bucks or so (I dont actually know because I didnt pay for mine but I seem to remember about 900 sterling being the price).
Besides the ESL63 stats, of which I have stacked pairs used most often as huge headphones either side of my workchair before my computer, I have the old BO bookcase speakers type S25, which are a copy of the bentback Goodmans of fond 1960s memory, various point source speakers of my own design, some in cardboard or plastic tubes, some in wooden proto boxes if further advanced. An ongoing Bessel experiment is er - - ongoing. The truth is that advanced audiophiles, once they get the hang of tubes and have built a few amps, say 30 or so according to taste and wallet and attention span, find the far greater uncertainties of loudspeakers a more satisfying challenge.
Next up will be a pair of Fidelio style horns (quarter-size, single Lowther PM6A driver, backfiring bass, second smaller backfiring channel for resonance cancellation) of which one is built, awaiting the single-tube 417A amp giving a glorious one-third watt output I have designed especially for these small horns (11 x 17 in footprint). The amp is presently three quarters built and not progressing as Im kicking Turners jabbering butt at the same time as I have to meet deadlines. (I tested the horn with a 675T opamp miniamp I designed specifically for this purpose. The amp sounded surprisingly good once I biased it to Class A.) I think I shall paint the horns and 417A amp matt white to match my new iMac. The iMac was chosen to replace a G4 and 21in graphic designers screen so that I shall be able to hear my horns at the other end of the room past the screen.
I can see a stack of boxes in the corner with gear I dont use often, amps that no longer please me and so on. One of those boxes, dont know which one, is my turntable. Ive given away all my vinyl and replaced my entire collection with CDs, about 6 or 7000 of them. I play music in my study and workshop 14 hours a day. I dont have the time or the patience for vinyl.
I like using Cardas 5TC for speaker cable, because the environment, shared with computers and other electronic gear often in the room and at furthest on the other side of the wall, is both electronically filthy and physically abrasive as cables are swapped often, sometimes daily, and are not protected at all or mollycoddled. 5TC is the only stuff that lasts. I also often use it for internal wiring of speakers.
Why dont you describe your setup, Max. Tell us about your backup amp and other gear too, and what youre planning next.
Andre Jute
(1) I delayed replying to Max until I could truthfully say all this, in the hope of giving a few undesirables apoplectic fits.
PS. Max also says in the same thread that he believes two or more tube maxima may be simultaneously permitted. I dont think so, Max. It may be done now, by individuals, but it was never permitted by the tube manufacturers, and standard engineering practice was a long, long way below max on all parameters, that is, not even one was ever approached in good design. Note that the parameters in question are not only the specified ones but also the derived parameters.
Henry A. Pasternack
news:3b5bd4b7cf0aeb62...@paranoici.org...
> [Description of stereo deleted.]
Given your vivid imagination, Andre, it's impossible to believe you
possess even a fraction of the equipment you've described. As with
everything else, you tell a good story -- but don't deliver the goods.
Go torment another newsgroup, and...
Have a nice day!
-Henry
Patrick Turner
Anonymous wrote:
Snip the technicals, with which I have no objections,
The amp is presently three quarters built and not progressing as Im kicking Turners jabbering butt at the same time as I have to meet deadlines.
But your kicking is all a waste of time, and limply
done, like smack with a lettuce leaf!
snip more of same,
> (1) I delayed replying to Max until I could truthfully say all this, in the hope of giving a few undesirables apoplectic fits.
No, we are just laughing at you, with pity about your waste of bandwidth.
Patrick Turner.
TubeGarden
I am listening (well, I will be, again, when my wife wakes up) to a pair of
Tang Band W23-1046S mounted, with hot glue, on a pair of Dr. Bruce Edgar 300 Hz
ehorns. Since the drivers are smaller than the throat, technically the horns
have morphed into Wave Guides. Anyway, the sub and woofers are the same old
same old ;)
Two amps drive the little wonders, left channel is the homebrew SE and right
channel is a stock Heathkit AA-13 EL84 P-P UL mono.
Sound is very pleasant.
The 13 runs the piss out of the EL84s. The plates are rated for 12 Watts, and
the amp claims, likely true, to deliver 14 watts to speakers from a pair of
them. The Max Plate Voltage in the GE tube book is 300. The measured plate
voltage is 425. The amp was new in 1969, a note on the schematic says the 6AN8
was replaced in 1984, and, I put in a Mullard EZ81 because I had one from a
swap meet :)
Happy Ears!
Al
Alan J. Marcy
Phoenix, AZ
PWC/mystic/Earhead
Ruud Broens
"TubeGarden" <tubeg...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20031108072622...@mb-m19.aol.com...
: Hi RATs!
:
: I am listening (well, I will be, again, when my wife wakes up) to a pair
of
: Tang Band W23-1046S mounted, with hot glue, on a pair of Dr. Bruce Edgar
300 Hz
: ehorns. Since the drivers are smaller than the throat, technically the
horns
: have morphed into Wave Guides. Anyway, the sub and woofers are the same
old
: same old ;)
:
: Two amps drive the little wonders, left channel is the homebrew SE and
right
: channel is a stock Heathkit AA-13 EL84 P-P UL mono.
:
: Sound is very pleasant.
:
: The 13 runs the piss out of the EL84s. The plates are rated for 12 Watts,
and
: the amp claims, likely true, to deliver 14 watts to speakers from a pair
of
: them. The Max Plate Voltage in the GE tube book is 300. The measured plate
: voltage is 425.
If you want to 'play it save', you could consider this tube:
6P14P-EV NOS Reflector, should be able to handle 450 V & Pa=13,5 W
http://el-tubes.webzone.ru/price/pr_high_end.htm
has them at USD 4,90
Cheers,
Rudy
TubeGarden
Yup. My point was the 6BQ5/EL84 appear to be the originals. That would be 34
years, on and off, in a design running a bit above maximum ratings...
May get a pair of the 6P14P and try them, just for grins ;)
Happy Ears!
Al
>If you want to 'play it save', you could consider this tube:
>
>6P14P-EV NOS Reflector, should be able to handle 450 V & Pa=13,5 W
>http://el-tubes.webzone.ru/price/pr_high_end.htm
>has them at USD 4,90
>Cheers,
>Rudy
Max Holubitsky
That's a pretty cool setup. I got into the computer music thing, when I got my new computer, which is a Sony Vaio 2.67GHz, and then I got out of it, within the span of maybe 2 weeks. The convenience was so cool, as was the fact that it named all the songs for me. but after my initial infatuation, I realized that I didn't find the sound acceptable, even when put through my main hi-fi system. My previous computer was an iMac, however the lack of software availability, the high price of new Apple computers, and mostly the desire to try something different led me to the Sony. I will note, that it has not frozen or crashed *once* since June this year, when I bought it.
I will describe my system for sure, in detail.
My currently playing system consists of
Speakers:
Tannoy Saturn S6
Amplifiers:
2 x RCA MI 12188A monoblocks... 70W, 4x 807s, with new tubes and capacitors.
Premplifiers:
McIntosh C-24
Passion Audio ( Chinese made tube preamp - tube regulated PSU, chrome chassis, ALPS volume control)
I use the McIntosh for its phono preamp, at the moment.
Sources:
Pioneer PL-05 front load record player, with Grado cartridge (Currently playing the Ramones)
Sony CDP-200 CD player
Late model Sony DVD player
Motorola digital cable receiver (background music sometimes)
Other:
Technics graphic eq, connected in the tape loop of the Passion Audio.. used mainly when I'm playing around with single driver speakers, which may have poor frequency response...
Okay that's the currently set up system. In the closets, etc, I have lots of other stuff, but I'll name some of it.
Amplifiers:
Circa 1993 Rotel SS preamp
6L6GC Hammond xfmr based p-p amplifiers of my own design, used regularly until I got the RCA's - I used these transformers as a base for several generations of home built amplifiers, and they were the base of my stereo from about '95 to '01 I tried these with 6L6GCs, 5881, 6550s, KT88s, EL34, and 6V6GTA's. I designed them originally for EL34s, but the 6L6GCs (Tesla) proved to be my favourite. The Japanese EL34s, were a close second. This amplifier developed an oscillating problem while in storage, and I haven't got around to fixing it yet.
Sowter transformers, for a 6V6 SE amplifier I never got around to building
EICO Cortina SS integrated amp
Sources:
Thorens TD-124/II with SME 3012 - this thing is a supurb piece of engineering, but it's too inconvenient to use, and collects dust like a magnet.
Philips CD-101
Ampex 800 reel to reel
Teac Cassette deck of some description
Thorens TD-160 with original arm
Various cartridges in various states of wear.
Speakers:
-Goodmans 212c triaxials, from the early 60s... used to use these with 6V6 PP amplifiers to great effect. Still haven't heard AC/DC reproduced as well I built maple veneer cabinets for these in about 1994... they're about the size of small washing machines, and are currently on semi permanent loan to my brother.
-Magnepan MG-IIb
-Polk Audio Monitor series bookshelf speakers - nice tweeter, not enough bass
-Optimus LX-5 pro's, and miniums 7
-Corner speakers from the early 50s, which use 4 x 5" PM speakers each. These are neat, and why I bought the eq. I find them to be especially satisfying for listening to early 60s pop music, because they image well, and their limited frequency response sort of complements the music. These are probably the least "hi-fi" product I own that I actually like using.
Now that's off the top of my head. I also have a couple of FM tuners I rarely use... and a few started but unfinished projects in hiatus as well.
Of all the hi-fi gear I have ever bought, I would say the Tannoys are my favourite. The Mcintosh is my second favourite... I am in the process of moving soon, and the Passion Audio will take a back seat to the C-24 in the near future. The Tannoys are such a remarkable improvment over any other speaker I have used, that I have no motivation to change my speakers at all anymore, where in the past I was always trying something new. I haven't listed things I have owned in the past, only what I currently own. Strangely, I feel the same way about the C-24... it dosen't seem to do anything wrong - maybe a future improvement in my system will show its shortcomings.
As for the maximum ratings thing, I have just read though the sections of my GE and RCA tube manuals that deal with ratings, and have found no mention of not running and more than one maximum rating at the same time, but lots of mention of not exceeding any of the ratings given by the manufacturers. I don't feel as though it's a point worth arguing, as only a cheapskate (like me, for example) would actually push the ratings anyhow.
I will also mention, that I have also made speakers out of cardboard cartons, and have a bunch of raw drivers, etc, laying around. Audio is a funny hobby, and it's amusing how replacing with Magnepans with an old 5" Quam 5A07 in a cardboard enclosure, set in the corner, and running in mono, kept me entertained for a few weeks. I was trying to evaluate if it was worth building a pair of "sweet sixteens", just for kicks.
As for what I am planning next????
Well, I am moving into a house, from an apartment, in the near future, and I'll be able to set up more than one stereo. At this point all I know, is one stereo will have the Tannoys, the RCAs, and the McIntosh involved in it, and the other one will have other equipment.
I have been toying with the idea of buying a Tannoy centre speaker, and connecting it though another MI-12188A, to the L+R output of the McIntosh, but I have no idea how well this would work, or what it would accomplish.
I also want to make use of the Sowter transformers, and possibly complete work on a solid state amplifier. Once the dust has settled from moving, I will *finally* be able to set up a permanent workshop, which is going to seriously increase my ability to work on my hobby.
Anyhow, this is where I'm coming from, ... and thanks for your response.
Max
P.S. Andre, you may address me in first person, you know...
P.P.S. One point I find amusing, and also relatable, is the fact that you would even temporarily replace an ESL-63 with a cardboard box prototype... you have to be in pretty deep to do that sort of thing!
RdM
: various point source speakers of my own design, some in cardboard
: or plastic tubes, some in wooden proto boxes if further advanced.
Ah, the Christmas Pipes of last year! How did you solve that problem of a
cutting template for the diagonal baffle in the tube, in the end?
"in wooden proto boxes if *further* advanced"? (As projects, not pipes;-)?
More advanced design experiments, perhaps, or boxed voight pipes?
: An ongoing Bessel experiment is er - - ongoing.
You're talking of a "time-delayed", "point source" many-speaker array?
Genuinely interested,
RdM