I’m considering a Tubelab SSE build and I’m soliciting advice and opinions. The TubeLab SE with 300B tubes is a step too far for me. I already have several new and vintage 12AT7s, EL34s and 6550s so the SSE has piqued my interest. I’ve already read through this forum and I’d like to distill the tribal knowledge with the help of all of you. Some years ago I built an Angela Instruments EL34 SET (see attachment) but I traded it away before I acquired my current speakers. If I recall it had a nice midrange but was kind of vintage (slow, weak and uncontrolled) in the bass. I want something with more balanced performance this time around.
I want to build an SSE with Triode/Ultralinear switching and switchable feedback as well. The speakers I’ll be driving are ~100dB sensitive, 16 ohm Altec Valencias.
So my most important question will be: What OPT should I get? The budget is about $100 US each but this could stretch a bit if a compelling reason is given for something more exotic. The choices will be narrowed somewhat by the ultralinear option and 16 ohm output impedance requirements. The most obvious choice is one of the Edcor CXSE models with a 16 ohm secondary. I’d like to have 8 and 16 ohm taps if possible. Is there anything out there I should also consider? Is a 5000 ohm primary the best choice if I’m limiting tube choices to EL34s and 6550s?
The power transformer will likely be one of the Hammonds.
For the coupling cap, C11 and C21, I’m considering a NOS Russian Teflon at about $10 each to start (I know they’re big but I’ll make it work). A former work colleague built a 300B amp and it really hit its stride when he put in Vcap Teflons but I’m not spending more on caps than OPTs. Has anyone done some cap rolling that they’d consider sharing with the forum?
For the power supply I’m considering Panasonic metalized polypropylene caps (see link). Does anyone have any PS cap rolling experience they’d care to share as well?
http://ca.mouser.com/catalog/648/1119.pdf
I think that’s enough questions to start. Please chime in Fellow Forum Freaks!
Cheers, Steve
I want to build an SSE with Triode/Ultralinear switching and switchable feedback as well. The speakers I’ll be driving are ~100dB sensitive, 16 ohm Altec Valencias.
So my most important question will be: What OPT should I get? The budget is about $100 US each but this could stretch a bit if a compelling reason is given for something more exotic. The choices will be narrowed somewhat by the ultralinear option and 16 ohm output impedance requirements. The most obvious choice is one of the Edcor CXSE models with a 16 ohm secondary. I’d like to have 8 and 16 ohm taps if possible. Is there anything out there I should also consider? Is a 5000 ohm primary the best choice if I’m limiting tube choices to EL34s and 6550s?
The power transformer will likely be one of the Hammonds.
For the coupling cap, C11 and C21, I’m considering a NOS Russian Teflon at about $10 each to start (I know they’re big but I’ll make it work). A former work colleague built a 300B amp and it really hit its stride when he put in Vcap Teflons but I’m not spending more on caps than OPTs. Has anyone done some cap rolling that they’d consider sharing with the forum?
For the power supply I’m considering Panasonic metalized polypropylene caps (see link). Does anyone have any PS cap rolling experience they’d care to share as well?
http://ca.mouser.com/catalog/648/1119.pdf
I think that’s enough questions to start. Please chime in Fellow Forum Freaks!
Cheers, Steve
I've built all 3 boards or I should say I've populated all 3 boards. I've only listened to The SSE so far. I used all Edcor transformers, GXSE15-8 for outputs. I used Audiocap Theta and Panasonic, IIRC, running in triode, no feedback. I get all the volume I want with Advent 500s, sound is very good. With your Altecs, I'd imagine they would sound even better. I use a CJ PV8 for a preamp and Denon 103 cartridge for vinyl. After I finish the SPP and SE (with 45 tubes), I'd like to build some high efficiency speakers. Let us know how those Valencias sound when you're done.
Hi Steve, nice to read you here.... 
As you probably know I have a TSE with 300B, always wanted to try a good 300B SE amp, and this is really good for what I need; so cannot help with SSE, sorry, but here people will surely give opinions and reasons.
My OPT are One-Electron 5K, if this help, no feedback only pure SE so understand my configuration is not what you are looking for.
Just a consideration, I'm almost a complete beginner and had no particular difficulties going on with TSE....with a strong help from here.
Good luck and will see around here.
g.
As you probably know I have a TSE with 300B, always wanted to try a good 300B SE amp, and this is really good for what I need; so cannot help with SSE, sorry, but here people will surely give opinions and reasons.
My OPT are One-Electron 5K, if this help, no feedback only pure SE so understand my configuration is not what you are looking for.
Just a consideration, I'm almost a complete beginner and had no particular difficulties going on with TSE....with a strong help from here.
Good luck and will see around here.
g.
I've used the teflon caps on several builds besides the Tubelab amps and have been very pleased with the results. Being about the size of a 12 ga. shotgun shell, I mounted the ones used on my SSE and TSE off-board on the chassis. One inch peel and stick bases with zip ties works well for me.
I've used the GXSE15-6-5K on 5 amps including both Tubelab... my daily drivers are Klipsch KG4's (6 ohm, 94db), but every now and then, when I need to enjoy some insanity, I hook up my JBL 4331B (16 ohm, 94db) speakers and have no problem getting to a nice loud level. The JBL's are similar in size to your Altecs...my music room is just too small for the JBL's all the time... a friend's backyard on his farm is better suited.
I use Obbligato film oil caps for power supplies whenever possible (1st cap to set voltage)... again, too big to mount on a Tubelab board...punch a chassis hole and mount. JJ/Tesla electolytic can caps are another PS cap I like to use in conjunction with the Obbligato.
I've used the GXSE15-6-5K on 5 amps including both Tubelab... my daily drivers are Klipsch KG4's (6 ohm, 94db), but every now and then, when I need to enjoy some insanity, I hook up my JBL 4331B (16 ohm, 94db) speakers and have no problem getting to a nice loud level. The JBL's are similar in size to your Altecs...my music room is just too small for the JBL's all the time... a friend's backyard on his farm is better suited.
I use Obbligato film oil caps for power supplies whenever possible (1st cap to set voltage)... again, too big to mount on a Tubelab board...punch a chassis hole and mount. JJ/Tesla electolytic can caps are another PS cap I like to use in conjunction with the Obbligato.
FWIW, I always refer to this site for capacitor recommendations:
Humble Homemade Hifi
So far, I pretty much agree with what he states based on my own personal listening experiences. On my TSE build, I chose the Audyn True Copper since they fit in the space given after you re-strip and tin the leads a bit.
Humble Homemade Hifi
So far, I pretty much agree with what he states based on my own personal listening experiences. On my TSE build, I chose the Audyn True Copper since they fit in the space given after you re-strip and tin the leads a bit.
Hand-made/wound in modern days are not a measure of quality, it is a measure of we cannot afford the machinery so we "hand make" something for a "niche market" and then sell it at an exorbitant price.
Thanks to all...
...who responded. I guess the one question I missed was what's the noise level when used with 100dB speakers?
Craigtone: I see you have some Klipschhorns, have you tried these with an SSE? I realize that the way something is built often affects the hum/noise. I once had to turn the OPTs 90 degrees on a project to get rid of hum induced by the power transformer. I have seen the cap tests you sent the link for.
Cheers to all, Steve
...who responded. I guess the one question I missed was what's the noise level when used with 100dB speakers?
Craigtone: I see you have some Klipschhorns, have you tried these with an SSE? I realize that the way something is built often affects the hum/noise. I once had to turn the OPTs 90 degrees on a project to get rid of hum induced by the power transformer. I have seen the cap tests you sent the link for.
Cheers to all, Steve
I have not ... yet. I am currently building a TSE but have built several pieces of tube equipment before that I have run on my horns. It is VERY difficult to get it quiet with the khorns, but with some clever wire routing and lots of twisting, it can be made quiet. My current TSE build has a horizontal PT, so I should not have an issue <crossing fingers>
I have no problem with Humble's testing and the results. But understand he is basing his observations from the view of a speaker builder and certain caps may sound one way with low voltage and differently at higher voltage. The difference can be night and day on some capacitors.
No experience with these units, but asking - are you considering these models because they are available off the shelf?
I have used the 125ESE. One of my posts from an earlier thread:
"The conditions were plate set for 10K, secondary 8 ohm, the load was 8 ohm resistive, current through the OPT is 50 mils at 415 volts.
I set 1 Khz as the 0 dB point at 1 watt output. 100 Hz was -1db, 70 Hz was - 2 dB, and 55 Hz was - 3dB. The high frequency response was flat to 6 kHz, where it began a very gentle roll off out past 30 kHz. 10 kHz was down about -0.5 dB, 15 kHz was about -0.8 db, 20 kHz was -1.5 dB and 30 kHz was - 2 dB.
IIRC, the specification is 100 Hz to 15kHz + - 1 dB, so after eight years of hard use, sometimes abuse, thousands and thousands of hours, they still meet specification per my mediocre test equipment."
Win W5JAG
"The conditions were plate set for 10K, secondary 8 ohm, the load was 8 ohm resistive, current through the OPT is 50 mils at 415 volts.
I set 1 Khz as the 0 dB point at 1 watt output. 100 Hz was -1db, 70 Hz was - 2 dB, and 55 Hz was - 3dB. The high frequency response was flat to 6 kHz, where it began a very gentle roll off out past 30 kHz. 10 kHz was down about -0.5 dB, 15 kHz was about -0.8 db, 20 kHz was -1.5 dB and 30 kHz was - 2 dB.
IIRC, the specification is 100 Hz to 15kHz + - 1 dB, so after eight years of hard use, sometimes abuse, thousands and thousands of hours, they still meet specification per my mediocre test equipment."
Win W5JAG
Yes, I'm considering using either 125GSE or 125 FSE in my |tubelab sse build. Thanks.
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