Amp (TU-8900) sounds wonderful! Very easy to build but also very fun. Can't wait to fully break it in. Plenty of power also. Even with 2A3's I rarely turn it up halfway.
I asked TIM to compare ANK amp kit and TU-8900.
Sure I can do that. This is ANK Kit1-15. They are both very different... The ANK being tube rectified & a much more traditional single ended amp design. That said, I would rate your version of the TU-8900 as the superior product. More clarity, transparency, & detail. The ANK is very rich sounding but not nearly as versatile as what I'm experiencing with the Elekit.
I feel that the Audio Note copper caps are not a good match for the ANK. There is too much tendency for bloat in the bass & low mids. All that said, this is why I would like to purchase four Vcap CuTF .22uf 600v capacitors from you. I feel like those caps would be a better match for the circuit & allow me to do a better comparison between the two amps. The ANK as it is now, is very good for certain things but I do feel like oil capacitors are perhaps adding too much additional color.
I asked TIM to compare ANK amp kit and TU-8900.
Sure I can do that. This is ANK Kit1-15. They are both very different... The ANK being tube rectified & a much more traditional single ended amp design. That said, I would rate your version of the TU-8900 as the superior product. More clarity, transparency, & detail. The ANK is very rich sounding but not nearly as versatile as what I'm experiencing with the Elekit.
I feel that the Audio Note copper caps are not a good match for the ANK. There is too much tendency for bloat in the bass & low mids. All that said, this is why I would like to purchase four Vcap CuTF .22uf 600v capacitors from you. I feel like those caps would be a better match for the circuit & allow me to do a better comparison between the two amps. The ANK as it is now, is very good for certain things but I do feel like oil capacitors are perhaps adding too much additional color.
Does this have the Lundahl OPTs?Amp (TU-8900) sounds wonderful! Very easy to build but also very fun. Can't wait to fully break it in. Plenty of power also. Even with 2A3's I rarely turn it up halfway.
I asked TIM to compare ANK amp kit and TU-8900.
Sure I can do that. This is ANK Kit1-15. They are both very different... The ANK being tube rectified & a much more traditional single ended amp design. That said, I would rate your version of the TU-8900 as the superior product. More clarity, transparency, & detail. The ANK is very rich sounding but not nearly as versatile as what I'm experiencing with the Elekit.
I feel that the Audio Note copper caps are not a good match for the ANK. There is too much tendency for bloat in the bass & low mids. All that said, this is why I would like to purchase four Vcap CuTF .22uf 600v capacitors from you. I feel like those caps would be a better match for the circuit & allow me to do a better comparison between the two amps. The ANK as it is now, is very good for certain things but I do feel like oil capacitors are perhaps adding too much additional color.
SF's Comment
Except when stopped by complications, the amp and tubes have been running towards break-in. I’ve not switched between any tubes, while the AM OPTs are settling in. When xx was here, he thought I was using a subwoofer. He’d never heard 300B’s produce the quantity and quality he heard here. He was suitably impressed with the amp right across the spectrum.
In 45 years of this hobby, this is the best sounding amp, I’ve ever had in my home.
Except when stopped by complications, the amp and tubes have been running towards break-in. I’ve not switched between any tubes, while the AM OPTs are settling in. When xx was here, he thought I was using a subwoofer. He’d never heard 300B’s produce the quantity and quality he heard here. He was suitably impressed with the amp right across the spectrum.
In 45 years of this hobby, this is the best sounding amp, I’ve ever had in my home.
First post here, but not first time Ele-kit enthusiast. I built a much earlier Ele-kit 300B amp, gee almost 20 years ago now (can it be that long?) and an Ele-kit heaphone amp powered by WE396A. Both from Victor.
I'm planning on the full-option TU-8900 (not silver OPT though), hopefully soon. I'm looking at speakers to pair with the amplifier and the Cube Audio Nenuphar v2 has been recommended by a couple of friends:
https://www.cubeaudio.eu/cube-audio-nenuphar
It ticks the box of single driver/no crossover important to at least one of the frequent posters here. However, at 91dB/w/m it seems a bit on the low efficiency side to do a good job in a medium to large room. Any thoughts on this or other speaker candidates I should be considering?
Thanks in advance,
Steve Z
I'm planning on the full-option TU-8900 (not silver OPT though), hopefully soon. I'm looking at speakers to pair with the amplifier and the Cube Audio Nenuphar v2 has been recommended by a couple of friends:
https://www.cubeaudio.eu/cube-audio-nenuphar
It ticks the box of single driver/no crossover important to at least one of the frequent posters here. However, at 91dB/w/m it seems a bit on the low efficiency side to do a good job in a medium to large room. Any thoughts on this or other speaker candidates I should be considering?
Thanks in advance,
Steve Z
Hi Steve, check https://omegaloudspeakers.com/ I am a happy owner of Super Alnico High Output Monitors.
But if you need more power, check https://tektondesign.com/product/full-range-speakers/full-towers/the-perfect-set-15/#color
But if you need more power, check https://tektondesign.com/product/full-range-speakers/full-towers/the-perfect-set-15/#color
Thanks very much @milanstastny. I didn't fall in love with the pair of Tekton's I heard last week at a new friend's home, but I'll check with him about which model we were listening to. Omegas I'm familiar with. Their twin driver model floorstander looks interesting, and 97 dB/w/m too.
Steve Z
Steve Z
The 8900 can drive a pair of Tekton Electon at 95 dB/w/m, in a 20x30 ft room, to fairly loud volume and provides nice music. In fact, using 2A3 tubes is good to a point that most music does not require the 300B.
The 8900, with Tekton Electon, cannot reach a sound level to reach your neighbour, though. Assuming that you are not in an apartment unit.
The 8900, with Tekton Electon, cannot reach a sound level to reach your neighbour, though. Assuming that you are not in an apartment unit.
□ 3.3Ω(ORN‐ORN‐GLD‐GLD) 2pcs Takman 2 R129 /R229
□ 8.2Ω(GRY‐RED‐GLD‐GLD) 2pcs Takman 2 R128/ 228
□ 20Ω(RED‐BLK‐BLK‐GLD) 4pcs 4 R103, R127 R203, R227
□ 47Ω(YEL‐VIO‐BLK‐GLD) 2pcs 2 R126 R226
□ 120Ω(BRN‐RED‐BRN‐GLD) 1 2pcs 12 R105, R120, R121, R122, R124, R125 R205, R220, R221, R222,R224,R225
□ 2.2kΩ(RED‐RED‐RED‐GLD) 6pcs 6 R102 R104, R134 R202, R204,R234
□ 6.8kΩ(BLU‐GRY‐RED‐GLD)* 6pcs 6 R110, R109, R108 R210,R209,R208
□ 15kΩ(BRN‐GRN‐ORN‐GLD) 8pcs 8 R112, R111, R116, R115 R212, R211, R216, R215
□ 100kΩ(BRN‐BLK‐YEL‐GLD) 4pcs 4 R107, R106 R207, R206
□ 220kΩ(RED‐RED‐YEL‐GLD) 4pcs 4 R101, R113 R201, R213
□ 8.2Ω(GRY‐RED‐GLD‐GLD) 2pcs Takman 2 R128/ 228
□ 20Ω(RED‐BLK‐BLK‐GLD) 4pcs 4 R103, R127 R203, R227
□ 47Ω(YEL‐VIO‐BLK‐GLD) 2pcs 2 R126 R226
□ 120Ω(BRN‐RED‐BRN‐GLD) 1 2pcs 12 R105, R120, R121, R122, R124, R125 R205, R220, R221, R222,R224,R225
□ 2.2kΩ(RED‐RED‐RED‐GLD) 6pcs 6 R102 R104, R134 R202, R204,R234
□ 6.8kΩ(BLU‐GRY‐RED‐GLD)* 6pcs 6 R110, R109, R108 R210,R209,R208
□ 15kΩ(BRN‐GRN‐ORN‐GLD) 8pcs 8 R112, R111, R116, R115 R212, R211, R216, R215
□ 100kΩ(BRN‐BLK‐YEL‐GLD) 4pcs 4 R107, R106 R207, R206
□ 220kΩ(RED‐RED‐YEL‐GLD) 4pcs 4 R101, R113 R201, R213
I have a pair of Zu Audio DW2, and my space is 16'x10'. So, you're convinced that it'll get loud enough with the 2a3?
ZuFocalFan,
A few things I am not sure:
1, check the efficiency of your speaker, if it is higher than 95, it is likely not an issue
2, your sense to how "loud" music is may not be same as mine
3, your taste of music may require a much loader presentation. That is, a 3 piece Jazz trio playing a melody would differ from a full Mahler symphony.
Assuming you taste of music is same as mine and your speaker just as efficient, then it is not a problem even with 2A3 tubes
A few things I am not sure:
1, check the efficiency of your speaker, if it is higher than 95, it is likely not an issue
2, your sense to how "loud" music is may not be same as mine
3, your taste of music may require a much loader presentation. That is, a 3 piece Jazz trio playing a melody would differ from a full Mahler symphony.
Assuming you taste of music is same as mine and your speaker just as efficient, then it is not a problem even with 2A3 tubes
While spring is happening and outside chores still have to get done, I'm managing to find some time to progress with my TU-8900 build. Today I finished up the last of the resistor soldering on the main board, so now the caps and hardware will be next. The Ele-kit is starting to look like an amplifier!
Steve Z