I made decent progress the last two days, stealing an hour here and an hour there. My TU-8900 is now officially alive. Blue lights for auto-detecting 300Bs (green for 2A3s) and red lights on the power controller modules, where the red lights should be.
Next up, voltage checks, then time to button it up and start playing music!
Steve Z
Next up, voltage checks, then time to button it up and start playing music!
Steve Z
With all the test point voltage nominal I couldn't wait any longer. So here it is -- TU-8900 in Electric Blue Metal Flake:
Fresh from the soldering iron with essentially zero hours on it, it sounds really good. Very happy, especially knowing it will only get better as the caps, tubes and transformers get more hours on them.
Thanks very much, Victor!
Steve Z
Fresh from the soldering iron with essentially zero hours on it, it sounds really good. Very happy, especially knowing it will only get better as the caps, tubes and transformers get more hours on them.
Thanks very much, Victor!
Steve Z
Thank you - I think I will try to continue finding a powder coating shop and play with some spare metal with Rust-oleum to see what the results look like.
been ten days since you posted, did you have a chance to compare and contrast TU-8900 to your Sunvalley - SV-S1645D and do you care to share your findings and current preferences with us? Inquiring minds want to know, Thx
been ten days since you posted, did you have a chance to compare and contrast TU-8900 to your Sunvalley - SV-S1645D and do you care to share your findings and current preferences with us? Inquiring minds want to know, Thx
Thanks for asking. I've been comparing and contrasting but it's still early days. Both are definitely keepers, that is clear.
I love the fact that the TU-8900 is at least two, if not four, amplifiers in one -- 300B with or without NFB, 2A3 the same. It's still breaking in but even fresh off the workbench it is a lovely sounding amplifier no matter what mode it's being operated in. I haven't developed a preference for 300B over 2A3 so far. I've got a couple of pair of NOS 2A3 to play with as well as the LinLai/Cossor 2A3 Western Electric-construction style tubes.
The Sunvalley SV-S1645D is something truly special and it might end up being my daily driver -- which is making it difficult to get the break-in hours on the Ele-kit. The 45 tube sound is really seductive and between my 107dB/w/m horns and two subwoofer stacks I'm finding there is no lack of volume when I want to turn it up (true for either amp).
But what is uncanny about the Sunvalley is how even at very low levels it has a clarity and vibrancy that most systems in my experience just can't duplicate. It is a late-night, intimate mood machine.
Steve Z
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Those are gorgeous! Very elegant.
There is nothing wrong with basic black, but colors are so much more fun and make our equipment more "ours", if that makes sense.
Thanks for sharing the photos.
Steve Z
from Quebec Canada - today
Hi Viktor I have approximately 85 hours of burning time and the sound is very very good. This amplifier (TU-8900) is a marvel ! It has the capacity to communicate much better the inner sense of the music ! Wow ! Do you think that it will be better with more hours ? I know I was far from being a good diy guy but my ears are really able to appreciate the quality of this amplifier. Thank you very much for all your help. Andre
He has TU-8900 + Audio Note Resistors and Silver Caps upgrade
Hi Viktor I have approximately 85 hours of burning time and the sound is very very good. This amplifier (TU-8900) is a marvel ! It has the capacity to communicate much better the inner sense of the music ! Wow ! Do you think that it will be better with more hours ? I know I was far from being a good diy guy but my ears are really able to appreciate the quality of this amplifier. Thank you very much for all your help. Andre
He has TU-8900 + Audio Note Resistors and Silver Caps upgrade
To this day, I regret selling my Korneff 45SET. I didn't have horns back then, but I do now...