Modulus-86 build thread

This is an interesting point. I often close my eyes when listening to live performances to focus on listening. I have also noticed I perceive sound differently when watching a video of live performance vs listening with my eyes closed.
I "think" I've learnt over a period of time to listen with my eyes open, in the sense that you're talking about - I'm very aware now, when I'm listening that I automatically start tuning into the tonality of the sound, whether it's live or reproduced - I'm sniffing out its characteristics, so to speak.
 
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basically output transformer of tube amps convert high voltage low current to low voltage high current.

And a solid state amp takes a low voltage low current and turns it into a low voltage with high current drive capability (closer to an ideal voltage source). How you get the voltage developed across the speaker is really quite irrelevant.

The current through the speaker can be calculated using Ohm's law. Due to the impedance of the speaker being a complex variable and both currents and voltages varying as function of time, the math gets a bit involved, but it's still Ohm's law. If you measured the voltage across the speaker as function of frequency and the current through the speaker as function of frequency, you would discover that the impedance of the speaker as function of frequency is exactly Z(s) = V(s)/I(s), where s is complex frequency. That's Ohm's law. Incidentally, this is also how one measures the impedance of a speaker as function of frequency.

Some transformers have taps for different speaker impedance, and generally people end up selecting the values lower than what the speaker specs say.

Generally? Really? Most folks in the tube forum seem to put 8 Ω speakers on 8 Ω secondary taps. If you put 8 Ω speakers on a 4 Ω tap, the output tube sees half the load impedance. This gives you a slight increase in output power (a few dB at most) in exchange for a significant increase in THD. Maybe they like the phat sound, but it certainly isn't what I'd recommend.

There are many aspects of designing an output transformer as well.

That is correct. However, I can assure you that output transformers conform to the laws of physics.

Calculate the power. Energy preservation is not going on a holiday.

Yes. Please do calculate the power. You will discover that the output transformers do not produce current. The current on the secondary is induced by the current in the primary. The output transformer does not add current. Nor is it a current source.

There is nothing magical about a tube output transformer that causes Ohms law to go on holiday for a while and extra current to appear in the speakers beyond the turns ratio of the transformer and the impedance matching the transformer gives you.

Exactly.

~Tom
 
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And a solid state amp takes a low voltage low current and turns it into a low voltage with high current drive capability (closer to an ideal voltage source). How you get the voltage developed across the speaker is really quite irrelevant.

The current through the speaker can be calculated using Ohm's law. Due to the impedance of the speaker being a complex variable and both currents and voltages varying as function of time, the math gets a bit involved, but it's still Ohm's law. If you measured the voltage across the speaker as function of frequency and the current through the speaker as function of frequency, you would discover that the impedance of the speaker as function of frequency is exactly Z(s) = V(s)/I(s), where s is complex frequency. That's Ohm's law. Incidentally, this is also how one measures the impedance of a speaker as function of frequency.



Generally? Really? Most folks in the tube forum seem to put 8 Ω speakers on 8 Ω secondary taps. If you put 8 Ω speakers on a 4 Ω tap, the output tube sees half the load impedance. This gives you a slight increase in output power (a few dB at most) in exchange for a significant increase in THD. Maybe they like the phat sound, but it certainly isn't what I'd recommend.



That is correct. However, I can assure you that output transformers conform to the laws of physics.



Yes. Please do calculate the power. You will discover that the output transformers do not produce current. The current on the secondary is induced by the current in the primary. The output transformer does not add current. Nor is it a current source.

G

Exactly.

~Tom
Yes, it is not a current source I stand to be corrected. It is more like a power source if you design it to be such. This means that in order to preserve power, the voltage would increase with the square root of resistance. Not quite a current source, but current does not drop as a pure voltage source amplifier when the impedance increases.
 
How does this amp sound ? I come back on my review.
I don't know if it is a good test but I plugged in my MODULUS-86 on the left speaker and my Audio Note 300B SE on the right speaker.
- Finally, after having equalized the levels, actually I do not hear any major differences.
 
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How does this amp sound ? I come back on my review.
I don't know if it is a good test but I plugged in my MODULUS-86 on the left speaker and my Audio Note 300B SE on the right speaker.
- Finally, after having equalized the levels, actually I do not hear any major differences.


again No offence to anyone here but this post is exactly why Tom you need someone with a system that is very wide bandwidth and quality.with muiscal IQ...if most people cant hear a difference between a tube amp and any solid state amp either there systems are compromised or they have no idea what there listening too...and if the latter ...why bother right....I mean were talking about 20 plus times the distortion in the tube amp then your amp ....


Tom you need someone to do a proper evaluation of your amps...

let me be the one


Lawrence
 
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again No offence to anyone here but this post is exactly why Tom you need someone with a system that is very wide bandwidth and quality.with muiscal IQ...if most people cant hear a difference between a tube amp and any solid state amp either there systems are compromised or they have no idea what there listening too...and if the latter ...why bother right....I mean were talking about 20 plus times the distortion in the tube amp then your amp ....


Tom you need someone to do a proper evaluation of your amps...

let me be the one


Lawrence

There is no law that anyone should 'hear things'.
 
You can, just buy the dang thing Mr Cheapskate.


no problem...can you lend me 400 bucks! IMO nothing cheap about 400 dollars


why are people against someone with some knowledge to do a REAL review test..IMO this would benefit people like me... who would like someone who knows music and what there doing .... hell it could promote more sales for Tom ....Im begining to think Tom and everybody who blew the wad would not like an evaluation ....it may just go against there belief systems.... meaning if it measures good it must be good...


Lawrence
 
no problem...can you lend me 400 bucks! IMO nothing cheap about 400 dollars


why are people against someone with some knowledge to do a REAL review test..IMO this would benefit people like me... who would like someone who knows music and what there doing .... hell it could promote more sales for Tom ....Im begining to think Tom and everybody who blew the wad would not like an evaluation ....it may just go against there belief systems.... meaning if it measures good it must be good...


Lawrence

Maybe i can save you some time and blagging.

Imagine your source and what it sounds like - now imagine it much louder.

Job done :)
 
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no problem...can you lend me 400 bucks! IMO nothing cheap about 400 dollars


why are people against someone with some knowledge to do a REAL review test..IMO this would benefit people like me... who would like someone who knows music and what there doing .... hell it could promote more sales for Tom ....Im begining to think Tom and everybody who blew the wad would not like an evaluation ....it may just go against there belief systems.... meaning if it measures good it must be good...


Lawrence

Well for a start you are not a real reviewer, you are just some person claiming they have a better system and more 'musical IQ' than the rest of us.

Secondly this is a very objective amplifier. It's USP is that you get state of the art performance without needing special skills or magic components. On paper it should have no sound and so a subjective review is at best going to list the reviewers preferences.

I think people who have SET amps and are building Mod-86 are exceedingly brave as the presentation between the 2 will be very different and if you like one you may not like the other.

Personally, I want an affordable amplifier that gets out the way and lets me concentrate on the other parts of my system that need working on. But that is just me and I would not expect anyone else to have those needs.
 
How does this amp sound ? I come back on my review.
I don't know if it is a good test but I plugged in my MODULUS-86 on the left speaker and my Audio Note 300B SE on the right speaker.
- Finally, after having equalized the levels, actually I do not hear any major differences.
I would be interested in the description of differences.
Generally I find that image focus will shift based in the frequency range as an instrument is playing through a range of notes.
The next thing is to listen to a variety of music. Vocals are probably one of the more difficult to reproduce if you know how much effort the signer goes through to control how they sing. Especially when they reach the loud and high notes. Some singers just rely on their natural voice, then there are ones that switching between how the voice comes out. Each have their difficulties to reproduce.
Pianos are also among the more difficult to reproduce simply because of the rich harmonics, the dynamic range, the recording techniques.
Then you have the synthetic and electronic instruments. These are really hard to get right because you never know what they should really sound like. I had a hard time with these, but gradually begun to get some feeling what they were trying to do.
Soundstage depth perception differences involves clear focal image impression and room size perception. This is where polarity differences will show up most clearly. There is always one polarity that sounds more precise, and it should be consistent for a specific brand.