So I stumbled across this phono stage a few month ago and immediately knew I needed one:
Tavish Design 6SL7 Vintage Phono
After spending some time (quite a lot actually) on compiling a BOM and after a few emails with Scott (the owner of Tavish who's been super helpful so far), the first parts are arriving.
This is my first tube project and I'll try to update regular progress - and rest assured I'll need some advice along the way. 😀
Tubes, PCB and enclosure are in the house ... waiting for a shipment from mouser.
Tavish Design 6SL7 Vintage Phono
After spending some time (quite a lot actually) on compiling a BOM and after a few emails with Scott (the owner of Tavish who's been super helpful so far), the first parts are arriving.
This is my first tube project and I'll try to update regular progress - and rest assured I'll need some advice along the way. 😀
Tubes, PCB and enclosure are in the house ... waiting for a shipment from mouser.
Attachments
The 6SL7 is my absolute favorite signal tube, this should turn out pretty nice 🙂
What company makes that enclosure you chose? I like the looks of it.
What company makes that enclosure you chose? I like the looks of it.
the enclosure is from modushop / hifi2000 in italy: modushop economica case
those are the same guys that supply the enclosures for the diyAudio Store. The 220x150mm version fits the PCB like a glove.
Not bad prices. Only 13.00€ shipping to the US, and good prices all around. Might grab one for a DAC build.
If I'm not mistaken, the sovteks are relabeled Russian 6N9S, good tubes. Them and JAN types are my usual choice, not microphonic when I use them, and good noise performance.
prices and quality are outstanding. dropped it off my table yesterday and not a single scratch or dent 😀
Hey Mixi,
I take it you have assembled the Tavish, how does it perform/sound?
Also, about how much was the parts from mouser totaled up to?
Thanks!
I take it you have assembled the Tavish, how does it perform/sound?
Also, about how much was the parts from mouser totaled up to?
Thanks!
Hi oface!
I always seem to be better at opening threads than I am at keeping them updated.
Yes, I have completed the Tavish Vintage 6SL7 tube phono stage. It was by far the most ambitious DIY project I have completed. Mainly because the BOM is rather long and some of the parts are not unequivocally specified in the manual and I spent a lot of time sourcing the parts. This might be less of a problem for more experienced builders or those with a large parts bin.
I just checked my mouser orders and the orders I placed for the Tavish seem to add up to roughly 130 Euros. That includes some spares, LEDs and cables that are not in the original BOM. Add to that the tubes and sockets as well as an enclosure and you should get a pretty good estimate of the money you need to spend on this project. I'd be happy to share my mouser projects as well as an excel sheet with the full BOM if needed.
As an enclosure I used Modushop's budget line Economica chassis. I think it's 10 bucks and fits like glove.
Sound: This was my first ever experience with tubes and with all the fuzz you hear about tubes I guess my expectations where very high. After spending a few month listening to the Tavish I must say that it sounds surprisingly similar to my opamp based phono stages. It might have a slight advantage with piano music and voices and other less complex styles. Also the bass seems to be somewhat more articulate. As soon as there's "a lot going on" on the record I prefer the opamp designs as I have the impression with the tubes the sound get's a bit muddled, less defined. Would I be able to clearly distinguish one from the other in a blind listening session .... uhm, probably not.
But the tubes do give a nice glow and I enjoy the waiting time when the tubes heat up 🙂. It is a nice phono stage and I learned A LOT building it. Scott (the designer / owner of Tavish) was super helpful and supportive with my newbie questions.
BTW: I have only used this with an MM cart. I have no experience using it as an MC preamp.
I always seem to be better at opening threads than I am at keeping them updated.
Yes, I have completed the Tavish Vintage 6SL7 tube phono stage. It was by far the most ambitious DIY project I have completed. Mainly because the BOM is rather long and some of the parts are not unequivocally specified in the manual and I spent a lot of time sourcing the parts. This might be less of a problem for more experienced builders or those with a large parts bin.
I just checked my mouser orders and the orders I placed for the Tavish seem to add up to roughly 130 Euros. That includes some spares, LEDs and cables that are not in the original BOM. Add to that the tubes and sockets as well as an enclosure and you should get a pretty good estimate of the money you need to spend on this project. I'd be happy to share my mouser projects as well as an excel sheet with the full BOM if needed.
As an enclosure I used Modushop's budget line Economica chassis. I think it's 10 bucks and fits like glove.
Sound: This was my first ever experience with tubes and with all the fuzz you hear about tubes I guess my expectations where very high. After spending a few month listening to the Tavish I must say that it sounds surprisingly similar to my opamp based phono stages. It might have a slight advantage with piano music and voices and other less complex styles. Also the bass seems to be somewhat more articulate. As soon as there's "a lot going on" on the record I prefer the opamp designs as I have the impression with the tubes the sound get's a bit muddled, less defined. Would I be able to clearly distinguish one from the other in a blind listening session .... uhm, probably not.
But the tubes do give a nice glow and I enjoy the waiting time when the tubes heat up 🙂. It is a nice phono stage and I learned A LOT building it. Scott (the designer / owner of Tavish) was super helpful and supportive with my newbie questions.
BTW: I have only used this with an MM cart. I have no experience using it as an MC preamp.
Attachments
After many phono with tubes i try, i prefer for preamplifier only the series 12ax7,12u7,12t7. tubes with full body,strong bass and impresive sound of voice.i dont like at all,all this 6np..6l..rusian and chinese tubes its very tiny sound like op .Try jan12x7,exellent bass,and classic phillips ecc82.Try a clone conrad johnson pv12 phono its standar classic,elegant and simple and i dont hear any diference in details from my transistor phono Plinius
Hi mixi,
This looks really good!
I was looking for a good diy design and I think ill do this.
Any way of getting the BOM and other info from you?
Thanks
Some older tubes might sound better to your ears. I have tried many of the new crop of tubes from New Sensor and find them to be uninspiring.
Mullard
Sovtek
Tung-Sol
JJ
are all from the same plant evidently and just relabeled.
I'd ask the board designer it the tubes need to be matched or not. Then head over to Brent Jesse's website and send him an email.
6SL7 VACUUM TUBES IN STOCK He is very helpful and reliable. I've bought a great number of tubes from him.
Tell him you are just getting started with tubes and see what he has to say. In some positions New is OK and in others NOS or good testing used tubes do make a difference.
Mullard
Sovtek
Tung-Sol
JJ
are all from the same plant evidently and just relabeled.
I'd ask the board designer it the tubes need to be matched or not. Then head over to Brent Jesse's website and send him an email.
6SL7 VACUUM TUBES IN STOCK He is very helpful and reliable. I've bought a great number of tubes from him.
Tell him you are just getting started with tubes and see what he has to say. In some positions New is OK and in others NOS or good testing used tubes do make a difference.
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I believe tube should be matched (like the solid counterparts) right? are you will get imbalances.
Any EU eqivalent for sourcing tube and the hard to find items?
Thanks
Any EU eqivalent for sourcing tube and the hard to find items?
Thanks
You can get the board and the BOM from Tavish Designs at Vintage 6SL7 Phono Stage (MM / MC) – Tavish Design
I've built two. They sound great.
Do you happen to have a Mouser BOM saved or something? or you just googled the items?
I went through the Emerald Phono Stage BOM and getting them via Mouser was quite easy.
Thanks
@daemonsgr: thanks for your pm and sorry for not answering sooner.
I'll try to find the latest version of the BOM as soon as I get home and share it here.
Most items I bought from mouser and digikey.
Not sure if I have mentioned it before but this enclosure from Modushop is cheap and fits like a glove.
Try BTB in Germany for tubes and sockets. They sell matched tubes and have quite a selection.
I'll try to find the latest version of the BOM as soon as I get home and share it here.
Most items I bought from mouser and digikey.
Not sure if I have mentioned it before but this enclosure from Modushop is cheap and fits like a glove.
Try BTB in Germany for tubes and sockets. They sell matched tubes and have quite a selection.
The BOM is at the end of the assembly manual beginning on page 23.
Here's a link to the manual
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...etup_manual_prod2p2a.pdf?16013587918000871084
It includes part numbers at Digikey and Mouser
Here's a link to the manual
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0...etup_manual_prod2p2a.pdf?16013587918000871084
It includes part numbers at Digikey and Mouser
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