Hi everybody

[Viktoras]

Hi,
I just registered in and would like to introduce by my self briefly.
I am married, have two suns. Live in Vilnius. In my youth made some electronic devices - car battery charger, electronic clock, amplifier.
Some time ago I exchanged my quite old Sony stereo receiver and CD player in to Marantz SR5400 HT multichannel receiver and Sony DVD 785 player. I got significant sound improvment, but from this time i feel that sound could be even more better. I want to get better sound from my CD's collection and started to make some items by myself. Started from interconnect and speakers cables. Now I think about some tube amplifier.
I hope I will get some advices concerning amplifier suitable for the beginer.
Thank in advance

[audiousername]

Welcome

Originally posted by Viktoras
Now I think about some tube amplifier.

Oooh

I'd imagine there'd be quite a few nice Russian-type valves out your way... GU-50s perhaps?

I'm sure you'll find lots of helpful people around here

[Netlist]

Like good wine we keep getting better by the years.
No doubt our gear should follow.
You came to the right place Victoras, may I suggest some Pass amp to start with?

/Hugo

[Cal Weldon]

Originally posted by Viktoras
have two suns.

They do shine sometimes don't they?

I didn't see what speakers are you using. Are they DIY? If not, sell them and start building your own! I can't think of anything more important to the sound than speakers, and when they are homemade...

They can shine just like your sons.

Welcome to the forums.

Cal

[planet10]

Welcome,

Originally posted by Viktoras
but from this time i feel that sound could be even more better

And you are right

Now I think about some tube amplifier.
I hope I will get some advices concerning amplifier suitable for the beginer.
Thank in advance

Check out the threads on the EL84 amps (also a couple on 6BM8SEs) -- you can't get much simplier than those (and they sound really good to boot)

dave

[Magura]

Hi Viktoras,

To make a tube amp should be easy for you, as you have all the ex ussr tubes at hand for cheap, take a look at the military stuff for resistors and capacitors as well, and you will find that the only thing you have not readily available for cheap is the output transformers and the power transformers. I usually get a lot of my electronics supply when I visit Latvia, it's cheap and fantsatic quality !!!
You could work around the need of an output transformer by making an OTL, that way you could make a killer amplifier for pennies.

Magura

[Viktoras]

Thank you all for good will and advices. Also sorry for my english, I am not very strong in it.

I'd imagine there'd be quite a few nice Russian-type valves out your way... GU-50s perhaps?

Yes, I am living in postsoviet space and till now it's possible to find some gear from soviet times. Probably I can find these tubes, also and other types, but I need schemes for it. May be you can indicate some link?

I didn't see what speakers are you using. Are they DIY?

No, they are not DIY. They are made in Latvia by former state company RRR. The model is S-250MS. http://www.rrr.lv/p10.html?l=3
In my opinion they have quite good bass, not bad highs and are lack in middle tones. So the sound hasn't some kind of warm.
Now I am choosing between two options - to buy new pair, and JBL XTI100 is among posible choises, or to DI myself. Decision is not made yet.

I usually get a lot of my electronics supply when I visit Latvia, it's cheap and fantsatic quality !!!

Yes, they have big factory (RRR) still working. In Lithuania situation changed because few big home electronics manufacturers (TV sets) whrere closed.
Viktoras

[audiousername]

Originally posted by Viktoras
Yes, I am living in postsoviet space and till now it's possible to find some gear from soviet times. Probably I can find these tubes, also and other types, but I need schemes for it. May be you can indicate some link?

Sorry, although it's a valve that has pretty good specs (and wonderfully linear triode curves), it's rather poorly known and there aren't any schematics out there that I know of - which is not to say you can't make one with a little learning of valve amp theory of course!


(that's actually for the German LS50, but I'm led to believe that the GU50 is equivalent)

If you're looking for ready made schematics, perhaps look for Soviet equivalents, or near-equivalents to more common Western type valves like 6P14P (EL84), 6P3S (6L6) etc... I'm sure there are many, many more, but I can't think of any others off the top of my head.

[beamnet]

I made a GU50 push-pull for a first project. A little over 60Watts!.

The lows are incredible!

It's a derivation of a schematic that was meant to be cheap and good. The 7193's can be interchanged with any 6sn7 equivalent!

If you are interested in a schematic: