I'm looking for options for a SE interstage for the driver stage of a 300b SET.
The tube I'll actually be using is 4P1L at anything from 15mA to 20mA. Could stretch that to 25mA but not necessary. The plate impedence of the 4P1L is around 2K. So I'm assuming approximately 50H inductance. More could be nice.
There must be many reading this who have experience with various options and it would be great to have your contributions.
So far:
Hammond 126C, 105H, 15mA. - Works and sounds pretty good.
LL1660/18mA. - This is better - cleaner and more detailed treble and more air.
Possibilities:
- Lundahl LL1660, 1694A, 1671, 1635 etc
- Hashimoto A105 - A-105
- Silk I-511S SACThailand
- Tango NC20F - Thomas Mayer recommends this
Feel free to add more possibilities. I have 126C already so looking for real quality here, so probably not e.g. Edcor unless someone is bowled over by them. I'm also in the UK so US products will incur shipping + tax.
Andy
The tube I'll actually be using is 4P1L at anything from 15mA to 20mA. Could stretch that to 25mA but not necessary. The plate impedence of the 4P1L is around 2K. So I'm assuming approximately 50H inductance. More could be nice.
There must be many reading this who have experience with various options and it would be great to have your contributions.
So far:
Hammond 126C, 105H, 15mA. - Works and sounds pretty good.
LL1660/18mA. - This is better - cleaner and more detailed treble and more air.
Possibilities:
- Lundahl LL1660, 1694A, 1671, 1635 etc
- Hashimoto A105 - A-105
- Silk I-511S SACThailand
- Tango NC20F - Thomas Mayer recommends this
Feel free to add more possibilities. I have 126C already so looking for real quality here, so probably not e.g. Edcor unless someone is bowled over by them. I'm also in the UK so US products will incur shipping + tax.
Andy
Hi Andy,
you mentioned my favorite already. The Tango NC20F is among the very best for this application.
My second choice would be the LL1692A which I prefer over the LL1660 in this application.
Best regards
Thomas
you mentioned my favorite already. The Tango NC20F is among the very best for this application.
My second choice would be the LL1692A which I prefer over the LL1660 in this application.
Best regards
Thomas
Hi!
another good alternative is Tribute. Pieter can wind something close to the Tango NC20
Thomas
another good alternative is Tribute. Pieter can wind something close to the Tango NC20
Thomas
The Sowter 8424 looks the part, but expensive at £120. Any user comments on sound quality?
LL1692A is about 105 Euros so a bit cheaper - I've used the 10mA version and like it. As Thomas says, a bit nicer than the LL1660.
Hashimoto A105 is $596 a pair. Tango even more. That's a lot more than Lundahl. I'm wondering what you get that's noticeably better sound.
Andy
LL1692A is about 105 Euros so a bit cheaper - I've used the 10mA version and like it. As Thomas says, a bit nicer than the LL1660.
Hashimoto A105 is $596 a pair. Tango even more. That's a lot more than Lundahl. I'm wondering what you get that's noticeably better sound.
Andy
Yes - Pieter is a very good idea. Good quality. I know he has a waiting list though. I've often thought of using his stuff.
Andy
Andy
Hi Kevin!
You must have heard a lot of interstage transformers, including the Lundahls. What specific model would you go for as a 1:1 with 15-20mA current?
Have you also heard the Bartolucci INT.6/7, for instance?
Andy
You must have heard a lot of interstage transformers, including the Lundahls. What specific model would you go for as a 1:1 with 15-20mA current?
Have you also heard the Bartolucci INT.6/7, for instance?
Andy
+1 for Sowter
You can even give a try on AE Europe, they have an excellent 1:1 Interstage !
Bartolucci makes some very nice transformers IMLE..
Some people consider Bartolucci better than Tango or Tamura.😉 and considering the price there is'nt other choice. Giuseppe makes the order in 1 or maximum 2 weeks, also you can ask them to do exactly the tx specs that you need.
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Audio Note TRANS-013/03-C -> £ 3,392.76 each.... >>
That, as they say in Norway, is out in the potato field....
That, as they say in Norway, is out in the potato field....
Hi!
Well for eyerything there will be someone who considers something as better 😉
Better than which one of these? Tango or Tamura? They follow very different philosophies neither is necessarily better.
My experience with Bartolucci is from more than 10 years ago. I got some custom wound plate chokes. Specifically isolated for high voltages to be used in 211 like circuits. Finish was rather mediocre and one of them had a short from winding to case. Might have been that I just was unlucky but because of that I never tried them again.
Never had such an issue with Tango and I used lots of them.
At the end the right transformer needs to be chosen that fits to the circuit. Although I prefer the NC20, I would not recommend it if the quality of all the circuitry in the amp isn't at the same level. In that case it would be wiser to rather use a lower priced interstage and get the rest of the amp quality up.
Best regards
Thomas
Well for eyerything there will be someone who considers something as better 😉
Better than which one of these? Tango or Tamura? They follow very different philosophies neither is necessarily better.
My experience with Bartolucci is from more than 10 years ago. I got some custom wound plate chokes. Specifically isolated for high voltages to be used in 211 like circuits. Finish was rather mediocre and one of them had a short from winding to case. Might have been that I just was unlucky but because of that I never tried them again.
Never had such an issue with Tango and I used lots of them.
At the end the right transformer needs to be chosen that fits to the circuit. Although I prefer the NC20, I would not recommend it if the quality of all the circuitry in the amp isn't at the same level. In that case it would be wiser to rather use a lower priced interstage and get the rest of the amp quality up.
Best regards
Thomas
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These are the models I've found so far, with prices in Euros
Hammond 126B €34
Hammond 126C €34
Bartolucci INT.6/7 €160
Bartolucci INT.6/7 €211 better version
Sowter 8424 €153
Hashimoto A-105 €150
Tango NC20F €380
Silk I-511S €105
Lundahl LL1692A €105
Lundahl LL1660 €105
Lundahl LL1671 €105
Lundahl LL1635 €95
Lundahl LL1621 €95
Tamura A-342 €360
SJS IT102 ?
SJS IT103 ?
Dave Slagle ?
AE ?
The Lundahls look like good value here next to the rest. Silk is good value but no idea of quality. You then have to ask yourself what you are getting for more money than the Lundahls. I don't know the answer, because it really needs a direct comparison. Reputation is one thing but an A-B test is more informative. Thomas has plenty of experience and thinks Tango is worth the money, so that's one benchmark.
Are there any comparative tests or A-B listening experiences of interstages like this online?
Andy
Hammond 126B €34
Hammond 126C €34
Bartolucci INT.6/7 €160
Bartolucci INT.6/7 €211 better version
Sowter 8424 €153
Hashimoto A-105 €150
Tango NC20F €380
Silk I-511S €105
Lundahl LL1692A €105
Lundahl LL1660 €105
Lundahl LL1671 €105
Lundahl LL1635 €95
Lundahl LL1621 €95
Tamura A-342 €360
SJS IT102 ?
SJS IT103 ?
Dave Slagle ?
AE ?
The Lundahls look like good value here next to the rest. Silk is good value but no idea of quality. You then have to ask yourself what you are getting for more money than the Lundahls. I don't know the answer, because it really needs a direct comparison. Reputation is one thing but an A-B test is more informative. Thomas has plenty of experience and thinks Tango is worth the money, so that's one benchmark.
Are there any comparative tests or A-B listening experiences of interstages like this online?
Andy
Fewer than you might suspect.. 😀
I have worked with and liked the Tango NC14, and NC20, a couple of custom built Magnequests, and a number of Lundahls.. I particularly like the LL1635, noting that it is not flat to 20Hz with a tube like the 4P1L or D3A, it is however pretty flat down to 30Hz which since my speakers have very little usable output below 35Hz is just fine for my system. They have very extended HF response compared to a number of alternatives, and sound very good in the aggregate, plenty of bass too.. I'm running D3A at 20mA into LL1635.. Here: http://www.lundahl.se/pdf/1635.pdf
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