Tango XE Output Iron (merged)

[arnach]

Now this has been debated on others forums, with incredible displays of immaturity. Hopefully, this can be debated civilly.

I am building a simple 2A3 (Rankin 2A3) output amp and would like to use the best output transformers under $800 a pair that I can possibly get.

I am looking at the:

Tango XE-60-2.5S $600/pr or so
Magnequest DS-025 $360/pr or so

Has anyone heard either of these and can tell me how they sound? Is the Tango worth the extra money?
Thanks,

Aaron

[arnach]

### moderator splitted/merged threads; this was the intitial 1st post in this thread. Just ot keep topics together.
dice45 ###

Has anyone heard a Tango XE output iron, I'm especially looking at the XE-60-2.5S..

Better or worse than a Magnequest DS 025 and worth the extra money?

It's for a Rankin 2A3 design.

Thanks,

Aaron

[Brett]

Originally posted by arnach
Tango XE-60-2.5S $600/pr or so
Magnequest DS-025 $360/pr or so

Has anyone heard either of these and can tell me how they sound? Is the Tango worth the extra money?
Thanks,

Aaron

No I haven't used either of these transformers. However, I would also like to recommend you look into the Lundahls and Bartoluccis. The Lundahls I've used in some PP amps (I got 30kg of Lundahl iron last week, and still have two transformares to come) and the Bartoluccis are held in very high regard by someone who's opinions I trust. And there aren't many of them.

In any case, all 4 manufacturers have excellent reputations and make excellent products. I can't see how you could go wrong with any of them.

Cheers

[arnach]

That post was supposed to be a new thread. Oops. Thanks for the information.

Bartoluccis - I have heard bad things about them. I can't remember correctly but alot on the Joelist about lack of HF extension or whatnot.

[dice45]

arnach,

generally, i have never heard an amp with Tango OPTs that sounded like junk, it always was gorgeous sound. Tango sets the standard the other transformer manufactures have to tolerate to be compared with. (Some Japanese experts prefer certain certain but not all Tamura irons)

I have not yet listened to the Tango XE60-2.5S. If you have not yet bought the trannie, i would like to give an addititonal hint:

The Tango XE-20S is a more flexible choice, I have listened to it in several set-ups, the sonics are just gorgeous, you do not pay sonically for the flexibility.
Primary impedances are 2k5, 3k5, 5k.
Primary inductance even slightly higher than with XE-60-2.5, so low end is as good or better. And you do not need those extra 10kHz uper BW limit in a SET amp.
You can use this trannie for 2A3, 300B, 350B, 45, 50 , RE604 , PX25, PX4 , KT-66, KT-88, 6550. Ooops. forgot the 71A .

Point is: the XE-60 may be (or not) slighty better for the 2A3 in particular. But (provided you are satisfied with 1.4W of max.output power) the 45, the RE604, the PX-4 eat the 2A3 raw just as the 2A3 eats the WE300B raw. So choosing the XE-20S opens a huge field for experimenting. BTW, the tiny 71A is reputed to be the absolute killer, sonically, bettering even the RE604. But .... 0.7Watts of output only, better have a horn speaker . I have to try that out myself.

[dice45]

arnach,

my hearsay agrees with your hearsay, i have heard that Bartolucci almost matches Tango pricing but does not match Tango quality, particularly as far as the treble range is concerned. As said, just hearsay.

[dice45]

arnach,
case you want to obtain 2A3 single plate, look into the Trading Post board

[jeff mai]

Just to add my useless 2 cents, I am using the Tamura F-7002. It comes in right around your price limit. It has a permalloy core and is beautiful sounding.

[dice45]

Jeff,
no useless 2 cents, your Tamura iron is gorgeous, once heard an amp with it.

[arnach]

See, I can't decide if the Tango X-2.7s is so much more expensive than the XE line because it a) is better b) just handles alot more power and is bigger.

But those Tamuras.. only 8W, so you know you're getting the highest quality (at least you are spending the most per watt), and they have some outrageous specs... the F-5000 line does 10-100khz in SE (!)..

Has anyone heard of Tribute transformers? Amorphous cores, and $230 euros each.. (!!)

http://www.triodes.nl/transformers/t...u_tribute.html

Thanks,

Aaron