Re: can't remember
Robert Morin
Wait!!! What am I saying! the 1h4 is a DHT - IE no cathode I can'y really remember what I did but I remember useing those 2 volt battery tubes and being impressed at first but later not being happy with the dynamic performance. They would make a good "sanitizer" for recording things like Bass and drums though.Robert Morin said:
Robert Morin
The first amp I ever buildt was a pre-amp based on a type #30 (UX4 based 1H4G).
This being the first tube amp, I really had it running for a long time. I really liked it.
My amp was a normal cathode biased Resistor loaded RC coupled gain stage. (one 22R resistor from each cathode leg to a common cathode resistor).
The one thing I really learned from that amp, besides how anoying HUM can be, was how much the sound depended uppon the passive components. It was a simple design, and the bypass cap on the cathode alone had a huge impact. Use a crappy BP-cap (or coupling cap..), and it will indeed sound compressed and soaked!
My first choice at the time was a Panasonic Low Impedance type. Later I got some Sanyo OS-CON's, and I was amazed! It seemed like I had been listening to the bypass cap, and not the tube! And even better it got when I got some Elna ARD series caps!
I guess one needs top-of-the-line parts if one wants to make these tubes sing.
My first sound test with that amp was on a NAD 340, connected it straight to the power amp, on to B&W monitors. I never used the transistor preamp inside the NAD again (well, not as long as I had that NAD...
I would describe it as very clear from top to bottom, sparkling and veil-lifting. Far from 'compressed'.
But, with that said, must admit I have never heard other DHT's like the 26, or IHT's like the 27... so... heh.... bye!
stigla
This being the first tube amp, I really had it running for a long time. I really liked it.
My amp was a normal cathode biased Resistor loaded RC coupled gain stage. (one 22R resistor from each cathode leg to a common cathode resistor).
The one thing I really learned from that amp, besides how anoying HUM can be, was how much the sound depended uppon the passive components. It was a simple design, and the bypass cap on the cathode alone had a huge impact. Use a crappy BP-cap (or coupling cap..), and it will indeed sound compressed and soaked!
My first choice at the time was a Panasonic Low Impedance type. Later I got some Sanyo OS-CON's, and I was amazed! It seemed like I had been listening to the bypass cap, and not the tube! And even better it got when I got some Elna ARD series caps!
I guess one needs top-of-the-line parts if one wants to make these tubes sing.
My first sound test with that amp was on a NAD 340, connected it straight to the power amp, on to B&W monitors. I never used the transistor preamp inside the NAD again (well, not as long as I had that NAD...
I would describe it as very clear from top to bottom, sparkling and veil-lifting. Far from 'compressed'.But, with that said, must admit I have never heard other DHT's like the 26, or IHT's like the 27... so... heh.... bye!
stigla
CRAPPY CAPS
Hi,
My experience exactly.
If you want to find out what a big electrolytic cap sounds like put one over the cathode R in a preamp and you'll hear the sound and transient response go down the tubes (pun intended)
For bias I much prefer fixed bias (several ways possible) over cathode bias.
Cheers,
Hi,
My experience exactly.
If you want to find out what a big electrolytic cap sounds like put one over the cathode R in a preamp and you'll hear the sound and transient response go down the tubes (pun intended)
For bias I much prefer fixed bias (several ways possible) over cathode bias.
Cheers,
Oh god, are we getting into a cap discussion again????
Back to the tubes...
a) Let me say this - usually, when I hear someone say "all ____ tubes sound _____" they are wildly generalizing, often from a single experience. I've breadboarded #30's, #112's, #01's, #31's many times now, and never had a bad experience.
Hum is a non-issue, since they have such low gain, and use DC filaments. And the sound was as full-range as any other tube I've wired up. I think they're relatively tough, very forgiving tubes, and easy to work with. This is contrary to the popular belief - 90% of whom don't own any of these tubes.
b) All the early tubes were designed to be operated with fixed bias, and you will do yourself a big favor by running them this way.
Back to the tubes...
a) Let me say this - usually, when I hear someone say "all ____ tubes sound _____" they are wildly generalizing, often from a single experience. I've breadboarded #30's, #112's, #01's, #31's many times now, and never had a bad experience.
Hum is a non-issue, since they have such low gain, and use DC filaments. And the sound was as full-range as any other tube I've wired up. I think they're relatively tough, very forgiving tubes, and easy to work with. This is contrary to the popular belief - 90% of whom don't own any of these tubes.
b) All the early tubes were designed to be operated with fixed bias, and you will do yourself a big favor by running them this way.
The couple of people who's reports I've read, say the Lundahls have better <i>measured</i> high frequency balance due to a better winding and interleaving pattern mainly, a worthwhile feature in a phase splitter.fdegrove said:
My most recent lot of Lundahl iron just turned up today after being stuck on the docks for 10 weeks. Now if I could just get some more 6C19pi's, I might get the preamp finished over the holidays.
Cheers
point well taken --Fixed Bias --
Maybe I should give this class of tubes a second chance. My effort with these tubes was in the "early" days of my tube efforts. Maybe at the end of 2003 I will check in to this again. For now I am finishing up a SS eq for studio and MI applications. The chassis will be finished in the 2nd week of 2003 - HURRAY!
Robert Morin
Maybe I should give this class of tubes a second chance. My effort with these tubes was in the "early" days of my tube efforts. Maybe at the end of 2003 I will check in to this again. For now I am finishing up a SS eq for studio and MI applications. The chassis will be finished in the 2nd week of 2003 - HURRAY!
Robert Morin
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