Hi Bjarne,
As Thorsten mentioned in the post Hugh refers to: The Tram II inverts polarity..! This is a fact since all tube circuits with just one amplifying stage inverts polarity... I have also measured the polarity, and the Tram II does invert polarity.
They should make this more clear in the manual so users are aware that the must swap the speaker cables for the best sound...
Morten, you are absolutely correct. Correctly length and placed interconnect, power and speakers cables will elliminate interferences. Hugh, you need to get longer interconnect cables and not stack your equipment. Only have the equipment you are using on your audio stand. The other dac's, pre-amp all have magnetic fields from their own transformers which can interfere . Keep things mininal. Yesterday, we had power and interconnect cables very close to the tubes and there was no audible noise at the speakers except tube hiss which has always been present with the Tram2 with the DIYHIFI heater regulators. This hiss is very minimal.
You should just get your Tram2 built and later on see if you need shielding. Have a read of Diy HiFi Supply Tram Mk2 DHT OTL Preamplifier Take the direct route to the heart and soul of your music. Review By Clive Meakins. This is a very good review and things too do to tame microphonics.
Peter
You should just get your Tram2 built and later on see if you need shielding. Have a read of Diy HiFi Supply Tram Mk2 DHT OTL Preamplifier Take the direct route to the heart and soul of your music. Review By Clive Meakins. This is a very good review and things too do to tame microphonics.
Peter
I would recommend not making any at all
Ah - the Zen option. May I ask why you recommend no tube shielding? The presumed benefits of better cooling and less noise seems pretty useful for a simple DIY job, that even I can wire up without zapping myself.
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Hugh, then you would not see the heater elements of the tubes at night. That is hypotonic to the eyes. It's like watching a fire. See the picture of my STC 4212E tube. I have had metal shielding in my Ah! CD player and I could not hear a difference. If the Full Music 2A3/SE are microphonic, then use the Herbie's Audio Lab Damping Instruments Guitar type dampners. The Full Music 45 ST shaped tubes are somewhat microphonic and I used the dampners with little difference in the noise heard.
From the review above: I'll put it simply; if you care about your music you must strongly consider this preamp. Don't let the potential need for fettling put you off but I appreciate that it won't suit some folks. As you can tell I'm over the moon with Tram Mk2, there's no way it's leaving my system.
Peter
From the review above: I'll put it simply; if you care about your music you must strongly consider this preamp. Don't let the potential need for fettling put you off but I appreciate that it won't suit some folks. As you can tell I'm over the moon with Tram Mk2, there's no way it's leaving my system.
Peter
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I simply don't see the point of these pipes... Tubes are designed run hot and to work perfectly fine without extra cooling, and how much will they actually lower the temp? A few degrees..!? That's a solution looking for a problem if you ask me. And since I have no hum what so ever they are not needed for grounding / shielding either.
Besides, as Peter mentiones: Tubes are beautiful, metal pipes are not.
As I remember it those 45's are mesh plates? Mesh plate tubes are too microphonic to be used in the Tram, also there has been a problem with hum with those Full Music 45's... Better stick to solid plate type tubes...
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I tried the normal and inverted phase of speaker terminal connects with my two phase inverted pre-amp and power amp equipment using a Wadia 3200 transport, Killerdac and ML3 Lenehan speakers with Dueland Caps. The result was quiet dramatic. The inverted phase sounded much better. Try it. That is what DIY is all about.
For people with extra cash, I tried a GEC U52 brown base single D getter rectifier tube in the Tram2. This tube rocks. It's the best. See picture of this tube.
Morten, I do not sell them. The person (Craig Connor) I auditioned my equipment with, has them for his Killerdac. It's an exotic mix of NOS tubes, chokes, Deuland caps and Philips made in Holland TDA1541A crown or double crown chips.
Craig has listened to alot of U52 tubes and he indicated not to touch the dark base U52 tubes. Only go for the U52 brown base with a single D getter. See picture: http://natubes.com/data/images/product/large_331.gif.
Peter
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Craig purchased his on e-bay, but you can get them from Natubes in Vietnam. In the UK check out: Mullard Magic. Mullard, GEC, rectifier, Osram, 5U4G, Octal, Brimar, Williamson, CV575, CV1071, CV1575, GZ31, VU71, U52, 
Craig has listened to alot of U52 tubes and he indicated not to touch the dark base U52 tubes. Only go for the U52 brown base with a single D getter. See picture: http://natubes.com/data/images/product/large_331.gif.
Peter
Hello Peter
Nice amp I heard it at Lucas's
.Just before Chrissy I was at Lucas's and it looks like he'll be making reg boards for the Tram pre ,he's done a bit of work on them lately .
Cheers
Mal
Hi Mal, when I was down at Melbourne, I lived at Hoppers Crossing and Wyndham Vale when I was in the RAAF at Point Cook.
The amps sound alot better with different coupling caps (SCR Teflon) and resistors (Philips close tolerence carbon 3 Watt). I changed the NOS Genelex KT88 to NOS GEC TT21. A KT88 with a Top cap. I also changed the 12AU7 to a Mullard E80CC. Both a big step forward.
Do you have a Tram 2 pre-amp. What is Lucas doing to the Tram 2 pre-amps???
Peter
The amps sound alot better with different coupling caps (SCR Teflon) and resistors (Philips close tolerence carbon 3 Watt). I changed the NOS Genelex KT88 to NOS GEC TT21. A KT88 with a Top cap. I also changed the 12AU7 to a Mullard E80CC. Both a big step forward.
Do you have a Tram 2 pre-amp. What is Lucas doing to the Tram 2 pre-amps???
Peter
Hi Peter
I'm not far from Point Cook RAAF base .Glad to hear the changes to the amps
were positive .
I don't have a Tram2 ,my pre is one of Lucas's circuits .He's repaired a couple
and a few mods . Best get incontact with him ,he's always has something up his sleave
.Cheers
Mal
Mal, when I spoke to Lucas, he said he was repairing broken Tram2 pre-amps. I had a incorrectly indicating bias module and DIYHIFI replaced it. The pre-amp worked, all the voltages were correct, but I was getting an incoorect bias red LED indication. No problems since then. It is quite a hardy pre-amp. It is built extremely well.
Is your pre-amp the 417A circuit.
Peter
Is your pre-amp the 417A circuit.
Peter
Similar ,I'm using the 6H30pi per channel with dual mono 5V4 rec power supplies 2 chassis job.I've had this combo for 10 years tme to update it with reg filiment supplies and Lucas's volume relay attenuator with IR control a new project he's doing this year.My whole system is BlackArt custom circuits from front end to amps and xovers .Active tube base system .
Anyway way off topic now .
Cheers
Mal
@Peter... Thanks for the update on the NOS rectifier tubes, I must say that it's a jungle figuring out what is recommended and what is not - and those tubes are quite expensive..!
I have not done a lot of testing with different rectifiers, in the beginning when I got the Tram I just selected the rectifier tube, that would result in less hum. This was when I just got the Tram II and thought the right way to go was NOS triodes. I struggled with those NOS RCA 2A3 tubes where there was always hum and/or microphonics. With those the RCA 5R4GY was the most quiete, so basically I have used it because of that.
With my new production tubes: The Treasure 2A3-Z and the Full Music 2A3/SE there is no hum with any of the rectifiers. I just installed the Valve Art 274 again yesterday, it was the one where there was the most hum with the RCA's, but it's dead quiet with the Full Musics... Maybe it's time to actually try and listen to the sound, not the hum, if I can detect differences between the rectifiers I have.
If upgrading to expensive rectifier I would be tempted by the TJ / Full Music 274, based on my good experience with their triodes. Anyone know if mesh plate will be a problem in the rectifer? It can't be used in the triodes due to microphonics..
These are the rectifiers I have for now:
RCA brown base 5R4GY
Valve Art 274
NOS Svetlana 5U3C
I have not done a lot of testing with different rectifiers, in the beginning when I got the Tram I just selected the rectifier tube, that would result in less hum. This was when I just got the Tram II and thought the right way to go was NOS triodes. I struggled with those NOS RCA 2A3 tubes where there was always hum and/or microphonics. With those the RCA 5R4GY was the most quiete, so basically I have used it because of that.
With my new production tubes: The Treasure 2A3-Z and the Full Music 2A3/SE there is no hum with any of the rectifiers. I just installed the Valve Art 274 again yesterday, it was the one where there was the most hum with the RCA's, but it's dead quiet with the Full Musics... Maybe it's time to actually try and listen to the sound, not the hum, if I can detect differences between the rectifiers I have.
If upgrading to expensive rectifier I would be tempted by the TJ / Full Music 274, based on my good experience with their triodes. Anyone know if mesh plate will be a problem in the rectifer? It can't be used in the triodes due to microphonics..
These are the rectifiers I have for now:
RCA brown base 5R4GY
Valve Art 274
NOS Svetlana 5U3C
Morten, I too have tried the RCA brown base 5R4GY and Chatham Elec 5R4WGY. They did not do anything for me with regards to the sound of the Tram2. I did not detect any noise change compared to the Roger 5U4 ST glass tube that I settled on. But when I put in the GEC U52 bottom side 'D' getter tube it was like night and day. It was that dramatic.
To all, if you or if you have a friend that can lend you a GEC or Osram or Marconi or Cossor or Mullard or Brimar or MWT U52 Brown base muddy black plate rectifier tube with a bottom side 'D' getter, definitely remove the other rectifier that you have in place and install this wonderful tube. It will change your life and you will not take it out. Period.
Peter
To all, if you or if you have a friend that can lend you a GEC or Osram or Marconi or Cossor or Mullard or Brimar or MWT U52 Brown base muddy black plate rectifier tube with a bottom side 'D' getter, definitely remove the other rectifier that you have in place and install this wonderful tube. It will change your life and you will not take it out. Period.
Peter
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