High end Tube mono amp

HenrikKronborg · 22nd April 2003, 08:42 AM

Last year I heard this amp from Spark audio:

http://www.sparkaudio.com/ecp02.asp?id=76
The speakers was a set of Martin logan.
Only crappy thing about it, was the total price landed around 6 month's paycheck

Would it be possible to build something with the same quality?
It's certainly the best amplifier i have ever heard.

EC8010 · 22nd April 2003, 12:00 PM

YES

fdegrove · 22nd April 2003, 12:11 PM

Hi,

Quote:

Would it be possible to build something with the same quality?

Sure and that would likely still cost the equivalent of 3 paychecks...

ralf · 22nd April 2003, 01:10 PM

Which one?

Ralf

HenrikKronborg · 22nd April 2003, 02:31 PM

I thought so

Here comes the tricky part. I have found a lot of different solutions on the board, but i have absolutely no idea wich one to choose.

3 paychecks....Well, improves chance of survivial when i tell my girlfriend compared to 6 of them

Joel · 22nd April 2003, 05:22 PM

2% THD doesn't seem very good. They don't say at what output level though.

I wonder why they need a 6SN7+6SL7 for the front end...

HenrikKronborg · 22nd April 2003, 06:18 PM

Don't know why Joel, but it sure can play

Cheers

Joel · 22nd April 2003, 07:02 PM

Do you have a schematic? It's probably a differential, williamson style front end.

analog_sa · 22nd April 2003, 07:43 PM

I had a look at their 211 amp as well. Proudly presented are a pair of cheap Elna Cerafine caps. Dunno why refered to as 'coupling cap' probably the 'english'.
With commercial valve amps the really interesting question is not what topology is used, as very seldom anything new and original is seen, but rather what is the output iron. Small companies seldom wind or even custom order their iron but rather buy something off the shelf. It's very rare for a valve amp manufacturer to use even cheap power supply and plate chokes, usually a cheap SS regulator is all you get.
I believe that by using top quality output iron and reasonable passive components a DIYer can easily outperform most commercial offerings below the stratosphere.

HenrikKronborg · 22nd April 2003, 07:45 PM

Joel,

Wish I had, but it's a 3500$( converted from my currency ) per channel amp, so I'm not sure that it's possible to find a schematic

22nd April 2003, 08:42 AM	#1
HenrikKronborg diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Randers	High end Tube mono amp Last year I heard this amp from Spark audio: http://www.sparkaudio.com/ecp02.asp?id=76 The speakers was a set of Martin logan. Only crappy thing about it, was the total price landed around 6 month's paycheck Would it be possible to build something with the same quality? It's certainly the best amplifier i have ever heard.

22nd April 2003, 12:00 PM	#2
EC8010 diyAudio Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Near London. UK	YES __________________ The loudspeaker: The only commercial Hi-Fi item where a disproportionate part of the budget isn't spent on the box. And the one where it would make a difference...

22nd April 2003, 01:10 PM	#4
ralf diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Germany	??? Which one? Ralf

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22nd April 2003, 02:31 PM	#5
HenrikKronborg diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Randers	I thought so Here comes the tricky part. I have found a lot of different solutions on the board, but i have absolutely no idea wich one to choose. 3 paychecks....Well, improves chance of survivial when i tell my girlfriend compared to 6 of them

22nd April 2003, 05:22 PM	#6
Joel diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Brooklyn, NY	2% THD doesn't seem very good. They don't say at what output level though. I wonder why they need a 6SN7+6SL7 for the front end...

22nd April 2003, 06:18 PM	#7
HenrikKronborg diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Randers	Don't know why Joel, but it sure can play Cheers

22nd April 2003, 07:02 PM	#8
Joel diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Brooklyn, NY	Do you have a schematic? It's probably a differential, williamson style front end.

22nd April 2003, 07:43 PM	#9
analog_sa diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Sofia	I had a look at their 211 amp as well. Proudly presented are a pair of cheap Elna Cerafine caps. Dunno why refered to as 'coupling cap' probably the 'english'. With commercial valve amps the really interesting question is not what topology is used, as very seldom anything new and original is seen, but rather what is the output iron. Small companies seldom wind or even custom order their iron but rather buy something off the shelf. It's very rare for a valve amp manufacturer to use even cheap power supply and plate chokes, usually a cheap SS regulator is all you get. I believe that by using top quality output iron and reasonable passive components a DIYer can easily outperform most commercial offerings below the stratosphere.

22nd April 2003, 07:45 PM	#10
HenrikKronborg diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Randers	Joel, Wish I had, but it's a 3500$( converted from my currency ) per channel amp, so I'm not sure that it's possible to find a schematic

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