We have playing in house a monoblock version of the Lux91.
The original Lux was Thorsten Loesch's circuit and excelled in drive and dynamics, putting out 12w on musical peaks.
The key feature was the reactive interstage - a 5687 with choke on the cathode and direct coupled to the grid of the 300b. The role of the reactive interstage is best understood by viewing the 5687, choke and direct coupling as a unit.
Thorsten has been at it again and we've been tweeking the implementation these few months. These are:
1. 310a used as driver tube: This tube just has such a luscious tone -- it's too good not to have.
2. Monoblock chassis: needed as the extra parts would be too much to fit into a single stereo chassis
3. FCUPS power supply: Big L, small c gives even more 'kick' when needed, and all film caps as should be the standard for any highend products to be taken seriously
4. Fixed Bias: The Active Bias Supply (ABS) module is used to provide bias on the grid as supplied by the FCUPS. This allows the cathode of the 300B to have only a single small extreme high quality resistor -- NO CAP!
5. Choke input power supply: together with 5U4. nothing more need be said!
6. Of course our VCS filament supplies round out the module complement for lowest noise - best sound.
result?
dynamic range of 100dbA
0.3-0.4mv output noise
16w from a single 300B!
No sacrifices! You should hear these driving our Tutti horn ribbon speaker system. If you pass by HK, drop in for an audition.
Hmmm.... how about 300B+ implementation? An 845 slayer?
Stay tuned.
more....
The original Lux was Thorsten Loesch's circuit and excelled in drive and dynamics, putting out 12w on musical peaks.
The key feature was the reactive interstage - a 5687 with choke on the cathode and direct coupled to the grid of the 300b. The role of the reactive interstage is best understood by viewing the 5687, choke and direct coupling as a unit.
Thorsten has been at it again and we've been tweeking the implementation these few months. These are:
1. 310a used as driver tube: This tube just has such a luscious tone -- it's too good not to have.
2. Monoblock chassis: needed as the extra parts would be too much to fit into a single stereo chassis
3. FCUPS power supply: Big L, small c gives even more 'kick' when needed, and all film caps as should be the standard for any highend products to be taken seriously
4. Fixed Bias: The Active Bias Supply (ABS) module is used to provide bias on the grid as supplied by the FCUPS. This allows the cathode of the 300B to have only a single small extreme high quality resistor -- NO CAP!
5. Choke input power supply: together with 5U4. nothing more need be said!
6. Of course our VCS filament supplies round out the module complement for lowest noise - best sound.
result?
dynamic range of 100dbA
0.3-0.4mv output noise
16w from a single 300B!
No sacrifices! You should hear these driving our Tutti horn ribbon speaker system. If you pass by HK, drop in for an audition.
Hmmm.... how about 300B+ implementation? An 845 slayer?
Stay tuned.
more....
The Full Review is Up
It's now on the 6moons site. Great job by Chris Redmond organizing a panel of listeners.
Have a read and let us know what you think.
regards
Brian
DIY - Done Right!
It's now on the 6moons site. Great job by Chris Redmond organizing a panel of listeners.
Have a read and let us know what you think.
regards
Brian
DIY - Done Right!
Attachments
Fedex to US is $303USD.
We supply Russian 310a, 5Z3p for rectifier and various 5687 (currently United which we think made by Sylvania).
No plans to lay in a stock of NOS selection as these are getting hard to buy in quantity.
regards
Brian
The 6moons review has the premium output tx.Could you elaborate on the differences in the standard output transformer and the Premium output transformer other than the pricing as shown on the web site...Which one was used for the units used for the 6moons review?
The standard OPT are not lacking in any way. The Premium OPT are made for us by Silk with premium materials and using Kittipols winding methode which gives wider bandwidth and less distortion. If you have or plan to get a truly wide bandwidth speaker 20hz>>20k+khz then it is worth getting the premium opt.
regards
Brian
Hi,
No, cannot, nor would there be much of a point. The Lux 91 is explicitly designed as "Max Headroom" and "Max Power" amp, so it needs 300B's and ones that are no frightened Mimosas either.
Given my experience I would also doubt this kind of circuit will harmonise well with the "sound of the 2A3" if there is such thing.
The Lady Day or Lady Day 91 would probably be a better choice to use with a 2A3. The mains transformer already has taps for lower HT to use with 2A3 and 45, as well as the required heater windings etc., I personally would probably tend towards the 6SL7 driver version with gridchoke for 2A3 (so to speak a Lady Day 2A3), but that is a subjective thing.
Ciao T
No, cannot, nor would there be much of a point. The Lux 91 is explicitly designed as "Max Headroom" and "Max Power" amp, so it needs 300B's and ones that are no frightened Mimosas either.
Given my experience I would also doubt this kind of circuit will harmonise well with the "sound of the 2A3" if there is such thing.
The Lady Day or Lady Day 91 would probably be a better choice to use with a 2A3. The mains transformer already has taps for lower HT to use with 2A3 and 45, as well as the required heater windings etc., I personally would probably tend towards the 6SL7 driver version with gridchoke for 2A3 (so to speak a Lady Day 2A3), but that is a subjective thing.
Ciao T
Hi,
No experience.
The EML's have thicker pins, in the high grade PTFE Sockets they damaged the contacts, or more precisely, it expanded them so they made poor contact with other tubes.
Ciao T
No experience.
The EML's have thicker pins, in the high grade PTFE Sockets they damaged the contacts, or more precisely, it expanded them so they made poor contact with other tubes.
Ciao T
Does it mean that when i use only the EML it would work fine with the PTFE Sockets?
Anka
Hi,
Yes. But it also means you may have to change the sockets if you ever want to use other tubes.
Ciao T
Yes. But it also means you may have to change the sockets if you ever want to use other tubes.
Ciao T
Hi all - I'm the proud new owner of the Lux91 monos with silk tx, and while at it I also bought the Tram2. I've had it for about a week and have been steadily burning it in with in the evenings with some light music. Comparing by contrast (my existing system was solid state - Roksan Caspian M1 integrated amp / CD player, and Roksan FR-5 floorstanding speakers), the Lux / Tram2 is more dynamic, more energetic, more musical. The soundstage is wider and the instruments clearer. Its still got a bit of burning in to do, so hopefully the sound will continue to improve.
I'm using the Roksan CD player as source and also the Roksan speakers. The speakers don't seem to be the best combination as they're not high efficiency (87db in 8 ohms), and I find that voices and instruments sound a bit distant. What speakers are other Lux91 owners using? I don't want to spend yet more $$$$ to upgrade the speakers right now, but I'm thinking the current speakers are a bit of a compromise to the Lux and Tram2.
Also, a couple of observations about the Lux.. My Lux91 is slightly different to the one in the manual as the on/off switch is now at the front. The IEC is still in the back. I don't know much about electronics or amp design, but would that mean more potential for interference? I guess there must be a reason for the change, but curious why.
Another thing, inside the Lux91 several tag boards are used, and one of those is used between the input signal path and the 310A pentode. I'm curious whether going for direct soldering instead of using the tag board would improve the sound? The tag board looks like its steel, not silver, and it looks a little off-colour - like its a bit oxidized. So I'm wondering if the signal is travelling through the tag board, albeit via short distances, would that degrade the sound quality?
In any case, I'm really enjoying my first foray into tube amps and grateful for others' knowledge on these forums. Thanks!
I'm using the Roksan CD player as source and also the Roksan speakers. The speakers don't seem to be the best combination as they're not high efficiency (87db in 8 ohms), and I find that voices and instruments sound a bit distant. What speakers are other Lux91 owners using? I don't want to spend yet more $$$$ to upgrade the speakers right now, but I'm thinking the current speakers are a bit of a compromise to the Lux and Tram2.
Also, a couple of observations about the Lux.. My Lux91 is slightly different to the one in the manual as the on/off switch is now at the front. The IEC is still in the back. I don't know much about electronics or amp design, but would that mean more potential for interference? I guess there must be a reason for the change, but curious why.
Another thing, inside the Lux91 several tag boards are used, and one of those is used between the input signal path and the 310A pentode. I'm curious whether going for direct soldering instead of using the tag board would improve the sound? The tag board looks like its steel, not silver, and it looks a little off-colour - like its a bit oxidized. So I'm wondering if the signal is travelling through the tag board, albeit via short distances, would that degrade the sound quality?
In any case, I'm really enjoying my first foray into tube amps and grateful for others' knowledge on these forums. Thanks!
Hi,
You may want to try borrowing one of the Clearout Prototype dual TDA1541 Satch DAC's for a trial. You may find it will lift up the systems quite a few notches.
Try both 4 Ohm and 8 Ohm Taps.
That is my fault, as I find rear switches a MAJOR PITA. So I had it changed.
As the wires carrying the mains run on the opposite side of the chassis and are twisted I don't think there is anything to worry...
I doubt it.
The Metal is too soft for steel, I think it is a copperalloy (Brass etc), tinplated. The tagstrips are quite old and thus the tin surfaces tarnishes.
Ciao T
You may want to try borrowing one of the Clearout Prototype dual TDA1541 Satch DAC's for a trial. You may find it will lift up the systems quite a few notches.
Try both 4 Ohm and 8 Ohm Taps.
That is my fault, as I find rear switches a MAJOR PITA. So I had it changed.
As the wires carrying the mains run on the opposite side of the chassis and are twisted I don't think there is anything to worry...
I doubt it.
The Metal is too soft for steel, I think it is a copperalloy (Brass etc), tinplated. The tagstrips are quite old and thus the tin surfaces tarnishes.
Ciao T
Hi Thorsten
Thanks for your reply. Sure I will check with Simon if I can try out the Satch prototype. I guess this is my advantage for living in HK! You guys are never far away.
I've been switching between the 4 ohm and 8 ohm taps. I need a bit more auditioning to determine which one is better. But I want to ask, if I use the 4 ohm tap, would that lead to a larger load on the Lux91s? And would that in turn mean the tubes will wear out quicker? Is that how it works?
Regards
HKL
Thanks for your reply. Sure I will check with Simon if I can try out the Satch prototype. I guess this is my advantage for living in HK! You guys are never far away.
I've been switching between the 4 ohm and 8 ohm taps. I need a bit more auditioning to determine which one is better. But I want to ask, if I use the 4 ohm tap, would that lead to a larger load on the Lux91s? And would that in turn mean the tubes will wear out quicker? Is that how it works?
Regards
HKL
Hi,
Not in the sense in which you think it will.
What the tap does is it regulates the matching of speaker to the tube. Best think of this as being like the gearbox in a car.
The motor in the car likes to run at high revolution and (relatively) low torque, just like the tube wants high voltage but low current. The road wheels want low revolutions and high torque, just as the Speakers want low voltage and high current.
In the car the gearbox translates one to the other without much loss, in the tube amp the transformer does this. If you have the wrong gear in a car you will not get the right torque (if you want to go from stop to driving) if your gear is too high or you will not get much speed while driving even with the accelerator floored if your gear is too low.
So for every set of wheels, speed etc. there is a "right" setting for gear and the accelerator...
Similar, if the Output Tap is wrong for your speaker the results may not be as you desire. Which is right is a little hard to predict, especialy if there is minimal information. Getting the Tap that "sounds right" or "more right" usually means you also optimise the matching between Speaker and Amp/Tube.
No, especially in Class A Amplifiers (SE or PP) the Tube Wear is strictly related to cathode current / dissipation and possibly the number of turn on cycles (the last not for the Lux 91 as it soft-starts both heater and HT VERY softly)...
Ciao T
Not in the sense in which you think it will.
What the tap does is it regulates the matching of speaker to the tube. Best think of this as being like the gearbox in a car.
The motor in the car likes to run at high revolution and (relatively) low torque, just like the tube wants high voltage but low current. The road wheels want low revolutions and high torque, just as the Speakers want low voltage and high current.
In the car the gearbox translates one to the other without much loss, in the tube amp the transformer does this. If you have the wrong gear in a car you will not get the right torque (if you want to go from stop to driving) if your gear is too high or you will not get much speed while driving even with the accelerator floored if your gear is too low.
So for every set of wheels, speed etc. there is a "right" setting for gear and the accelerator...
Similar, if the Output Tap is wrong for your speaker the results may not be as you desire. Which is right is a little hard to predict, especialy if there is minimal information. Getting the Tap that "sounds right" or "more right" usually means you also optimise the matching between Speaker and Amp/Tube.
No, especially in Class A Amplifiers (SE or PP) the Tube Wear is strictly related to cathode current / dissipation and possibly the number of turn on cycles (the last not for the Lux 91 as it soft-starts both heater and HT VERY softly)...
Ciao T
Its been a month since I first picked up the Lux91 monos. Overall I'm quite satisfied with them and yet I keep feeling they possibly have more to offer, if only they were paired to higher efficiency speakers.. I've switched around between 4 and 8 ohms and have settled with the latter. The sound seems to be more dynamic at 8 ohm, but the difference wasn't really that big. Now, I just keep wondering - what if the speakers were different.....? In particular:
1. SET magic - I've read a lot about this, and forums have told me that only high efficiency speakers will reveal this magic to me. Although the Lux sounds good, I wouldn't exactly say there's a huge wow factor when I went from solid-state to the Luxes. Am I missing out with my current 87db 2-way floorstanders?
2. Go full range? Has anyone paired their Lux91s with single drivers without crossover? Lowther? Fostex? Audio Nirvana? Could anyone share their experience with these? What would be the pros and cons compared to crossed-over x-way speakers?
3. Lowther / horn loaded speakers - these speakers confuse me.. Some say they're great (i.e. Lowther for life), and others say they have limited range and don't sound tonally accurate. I wouldn't want to go for those gigantic boxes like those vintage Lowthers, but probably more like the Fidelios, or even the Commonsense Audio 1.3s or 2.8s.. Anyone had experience with these?
4. Open baffle - i.e. Bastanis? Reviewers and users speak highly of the Bastanis paired with the Luxes. Any opinion on how they compare with hon loaded speakers, or those in a conventional box? I also read that open baffles may throw a bigger soundstage, but positioning within the soundstage is not as accurate - e.g. less able to pinpoint where the performers are. Is this true?
In summary, I guess I'm looking for speakers that take me as close to a real-life performance as possible, and for not too much $$$. I once briefly heard the US$10k+ Audio Note AN-E mated with an EL84 push-pull amp (forgot the name of that amp), and the realism of the soundstage impressed me. E.g. when the trumpet blew, it was there right in front of me, and instruments extended well beyond the speakers. Although my current Roksan floorstanders sound good tonally, the trumpet is 10m away. Is it possible to spend much less money than the AN-Es but still get that magic?
Thanks plenty
HKL
1. SET magic - I've read a lot about this, and forums have told me that only high efficiency speakers will reveal this magic to me. Although the Lux sounds good, I wouldn't exactly say there's a huge wow factor when I went from solid-state to the Luxes. Am I missing out with my current 87db 2-way floorstanders?
2. Go full range? Has anyone paired their Lux91s with single drivers without crossover? Lowther? Fostex? Audio Nirvana? Could anyone share their experience with these? What would be the pros and cons compared to crossed-over x-way speakers?
3. Lowther / horn loaded speakers - these speakers confuse me.. Some say they're great (i.e. Lowther for life), and others say they have limited range and don't sound tonally accurate. I wouldn't want to go for those gigantic boxes like those vintage Lowthers, but probably more like the Fidelios, or even the Commonsense Audio 1.3s or 2.8s.. Anyone had experience with these?
4. Open baffle - i.e. Bastanis? Reviewers and users speak highly of the Bastanis paired with the Luxes. Any opinion on how they compare with hon loaded speakers, or those in a conventional box? I also read that open baffles may throw a bigger soundstage, but positioning within the soundstage is not as accurate - e.g. less able to pinpoint where the performers are. Is this true?
In summary, I guess I'm looking for speakers that take me as close to a real-life performance as possible, and for not too much $$$. I once briefly heard the US$10k+ Audio Note AN-E mated with an EL84 push-pull amp (forgot the name of that amp), and the realism of the soundstage impressed me. E.g. when the trumpet blew, it was there right in front of me, and instruments extended well beyond the speakers. Although my current Roksan floorstanders sound good tonally, the trumpet is 10m away. Is it possible to spend much less money than the AN-Es but still get that magic?
Thanks plenty
HKL
Hi,
Yes. To give you an idea, the original Lux 91 was a custom design I made for one specific reviewer who uses Speakers that are around 93dB/W/m efficient. He had tried another one of my custom Amp's (D3a choke loaded driver, 300B at 350V/60mA/5K) and found he liked the sound much better than a very expensive 300B PSE Amp, but he did not get enough power (the Amp was around 7 Watt).
So the first Lux91 was born and then people asked to buy the same Amp...
So currently you are more than 6dB of required efficiency short, probably more as the 87dB on the pro Ac's is optimistic.
Well, DIYHiFisupply currently have a pair of nicely finished Lowther Fidelio Cabinets in clearance sale, quite cheap if local pickup.
The OEM factory for Audio Nirvana is only a bit north of Hong Kong in Dongguan and have a nice Driver that would fit the Fidelio's well and is sold on chinese E-Bay, but you would probably need a subwoofer.
Earlier Lowther drivers had grave tonal problems, current Lowthers have introduced a number of changes that correct most of these issues, but I feel they do not offer good value for money.
You could also build (or get build) my old "D3L2QD" speaker system, which the lathe Stanley Chu (the Lowther HK) and Diyhifisupply did in the late 90's, we could make an updated versions using Audio Nirvana OEM Drivers (I notice BTW that the guy behind AN has stolen this design and markets it as his own...)...
Open baffles need space, they may not very suitable for HK sized rooms.
They have a great advantage, namely no box colourations, but they need to be pretty big and either need a lot of space behind them or absorbtion of the rearwave, or imaging is confused.
Incidentally, there is an Open baffle design using the Ciare CH250 which was also published here, DIYhifisupply has some left over CH250 in stock that will likely go fairly cheap, in case you like to try:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/22976-jasd-just-simple-dipolspeaker.html
Drawings are here:
Offene Schallwand (OB)
The AN-E is available as Kit, should you like.
There are also some AN-E'ísh speaker projects from Troels Gravensen and the AN-E was one of the speakers I had in mind to partner the Lux91...
Of course, the Crescendo (Grande) Kit is my personal answer to High Efficiency Speakers and I suspect you heard those...
You can use them with certain generic off the Shelf Subs, rather than the ones that come in the "grande" kit, REL ST Series ones would be good, maybe you can get part exchange against your Pro-Ac's?
Maybe you want to see when I am next at the diyhifisupply office and we can meet up for a chat? There is quite a bit of stuff (samples, singles) on the shelfs that may give you options.
Ciao T
Yes. To give you an idea, the original Lux 91 was a custom design I made for one specific reviewer who uses Speakers that are around 93dB/W/m efficient. He had tried another one of my custom Amp's (D3a choke loaded driver, 300B at 350V/60mA/5K) and found he liked the sound much better than a very expensive 300B PSE Amp, but he did not get enough power (the Amp was around 7 Watt).
So the first Lux91 was born and then people asked to buy the same Amp...
So currently you are more than 6dB of required efficiency short, probably more as the 87dB on the pro Ac's is optimistic.
Well, DIYHiFisupply currently have a pair of nicely finished Lowther Fidelio Cabinets in clearance sale, quite cheap if local pickup.
The OEM factory for Audio Nirvana is only a bit north of Hong Kong in Dongguan and have a nice Driver that would fit the Fidelio's well and is sold on chinese E-Bay, but you would probably need a subwoofer.
Earlier Lowther drivers had grave tonal problems, current Lowthers have introduced a number of changes that correct most of these issues, but I feel they do not offer good value for money.
You could also build (or get build) my old "D3L2QD" speaker system, which the lathe Stanley Chu (the Lowther HK) and Diyhifisupply did in the late 90's, we could make an updated versions using Audio Nirvana OEM Drivers (I notice BTW that the guy behind AN has stolen this design and markets it as his own...)...
Open baffles need space, they may not very suitable for HK sized rooms.
They have a great advantage, namely no box colourations, but they need to be pretty big and either need a lot of space behind them or absorbtion of the rearwave, or imaging is confused.
Incidentally, there is an Open baffle design using the Ciare CH250 which was also published here, DIYhifisupply has some left over CH250 in stock that will likely go fairly cheap, in case you like to try:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/22976-jasd-just-simple-dipolspeaker.html
Drawings are here:
Offene Schallwand (OB)
The AN-E is available as Kit, should you like.
There are also some AN-E'ísh speaker projects from Troels Gravensen and the AN-E was one of the speakers I had in mind to partner the Lux91...
Of course, the Crescendo (Grande) Kit is my personal answer to High Efficiency Speakers and I suspect you heard those...
You can use them with certain generic off the Shelf Subs, rather than the ones that come in the "grande" kit, REL ST Series ones would be good, maybe you can get part exchange against your Pro-Ac's?
Maybe you want to see when I am next at the diyhifisupply office and we can meet up for a chat? There is quite a bit of stuff (samples, singles) on the shelfs that may give you options.
Ciao T
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