Confusing readers by showing an "illegal" mains cable in post 1 ..
The power amp seems to be professionally built. I would be careful randomly changing parts. Who did this work ?
No reason to expect big sonic changes from parts swapping : the sound may be dominated by the big number of transformers in the signal path.
I see an Input level control in the power amp picture which is not shown in the schematic, some loss of treble can be expected If it is not in "full" position.
The power amp seems to be professionally built. I would be careful randomly changing parts. Who did this work ?
No reason to expect big sonic changes from parts swapping : the sound may be dominated by the big number of transformers in the signal path.
I see an Input level control in the power amp picture which is not shown in the schematic, some loss of treble can be expected If it is not in "full" position.
Sorry that cable was original cable with that schematic in photo how it was shown in the listing, i just didn't trim the photo to show only the schematic. The schematic is taken from the internet, not exactly representing my amp i don't believe. It's the only one that could be found. The only parts change was taking that round connector and installing an iec inlet at a local tech's shop. All the rest of the parts are original as far as i can tell, but changing resistors and capacitors to better quality with same values was my only intention outside of tube rolling.
I keep the level control at full volume at all times.
I also figured not much change in sound as it is transformer dominated like you said, but it couldn't hurt to put fresh caps and resistors right?
I keep the level control at full volume at all times.
I also figured not much change in sound as it is transformer dominated like you said, but it couldn't hurt to put fresh caps and resistors right?
Sorry i didn't see this post yesterday. It's vintage Audio Tekne from Japan. Imai san who runs a small shop with his wife(she wires all the cables by hand) and son transformer couples everything. Always push pull. Carbon for isolation. He uses supermalloy transformers, though im unsure if my amps are. I use the ALT-8905 isolation transformer and voltage conversion and i have an LT-8310 that i use with harsh digital sound. Audio Tekne litz cabling, however my amps are before he started using litz cable so i think they're just vintage tinned copper.
I actually have the set for sale as i was looking into downsizing into an integrated amp solution, but not at all desperate to change and happily rolling tubes for fun.
Attachments
This 6098 a potential cheap sub without adapters?
https://www.tubedepot.com/products/...V0yusjCDx1rs-DaeEuvrVh0JnOpsqX4tHowid1S-BK4Rt
You did have something to contribute with the first post. I didn’t know I’d lose top end if I used that volume pot and had been considering going dac direct to amp and using that level plus digital volume. Won’t do that now. So thank you. And yes, I agree I shouldn’t randomly start changing parts.
I have several dacs that use 6922, the best i tried was the bugle boy 6dj8, but its midrange beautiful and im not getting that sparkle up top. I think i'm chasing after what i got from a telefunken 12ax7 equivalent. I dont remember it exactly. It had gold pins and i was allowed to take home to demo on trust but there was no way i could afford it. It had the most liquid sparkly highs. Like magic fairy dust floating around my ears. The closest i got to recreating that was from an Accuphase preamp and that was solid state.
I suppose i can take suggestions on miniature tubes that could give me what i seek. My SRPP dac is tolerable of just about any 6.3v tube with adapters. I've used and loved Tung Sol 6CG7, Tung Sol 5687, Tung Sol 12AT7, Western Electric 396a/Bendix 5670/Raytheon black plate windmill getter 5670, Raytheon black plate triple mica 6072(from my preamp i have two pairs). I have Western Electric 420a on the way as well as Raytheon 5755 with getter.
Raytheon tubes from 6bx7 to miniature tubes have a very dynamic sound that i really liie at first, but start to sound solid state and hard.
Tung Sol i've found consistently the best with wide soundstage and the sweetest highs that are closest to what i seek from those telefunkens.
I suppose i can take suggestions on miniature tubes that could give me what i seek. My SRPP dac is tolerable of just about any 6.3v tube with adapters. I've used and loved Tung Sol 6CG7, Tung Sol 5687, Tung Sol 12AT7, Western Electric 396a/Bendix 5670/Raytheon black plate windmill getter 5670, Raytheon black plate triple mica 6072(from my preamp i have two pairs). I have Western Electric 420a on the way as well as Raytheon 5755 with getter.
Raytheon tubes from 6bx7 to miniature tubes have a very dynamic sound that i really liie at first, but start to sound solid state and hard.
Tung Sol i've found consistently the best with wide soundstage and the sweetest highs that are closest to what i seek from those telefunkens.
Ok i'm going to take the dive into the 807/5933 b/c your liquid and near 300b description.
I've had some tubes people describe as linear, but they sounded boring to me. The 6BX/L7 don't seem to have any substitutes in this amp it seems. I was for a time thinking i could use 6AS7/6080 instead because on the headfi forum i found a thread where people would use dual 6bx7 adapters to 6as7/6080 for their headphone amps.
I do not use phono, so would that change anything? I've come across the 12AV7(gain factor of 41) as well as the 5965 which has a mu of 47, 12ay7/6072 being 45 mu. Is that close enough? I see also E180CC. I'm not sure if thats the same as 5965 or different. I'd love to try a telefunken in my preamp. If a change were to be made, would i need to change all tubes to same type including phono even if i don't use that input? Or if i only use AUX input, could the input tubes remain 12ay7 and the output tubes be 5965 for example?
@grovergardner All i had on hand was a tung sol 12at7 and triple mica GE 5 star 6201, They sound great in my preamp. Surprised it actually feels like i need to use more volume, however. I worried it might be too loud at too low of a volume, but that's not the case. The Tung sol AT7 with my tung sol AY7 at the aux input position sounded great last night. Those Tung Sol 12at7 give me a touch of what i wanted from those Telefunkens ive heard before. 3D. Sparkly highs. Wide soundstage. I've never been disappointed in a NOS Tung Sol. The GE went in this past hour and it's perhaps too sweet now and lacking low end, but increased vocal intelligibility which is where i think the new production 6550s hold my system back. Clearer vocal with the 6201. Highs are still very sweet and sparkly, but it just feels slightly rolled off/rounded off at the bottom.
The 12AY7's i've heard so far. These United Electron branded Tung Sol 12AY7 short plate, musical but soft. The both very well regarded GE 5 star triple mica 6072 and Raytheon blackplate 6072. The GE just didn't do anything for me. The Raytheon i loved at first, in fact i loved every Raytheon at first. They sound dynamic and fast at first, but over time they sound solid state and boring to me. Overall i can see the 12AY7 doesn't add anything and gives lots of headroom. Maybe that's why they are used in high end japanese brands like my Audio Tekne or Kondo's flagship models. I can imagine if i had a dac that used the Tung Sol 12AT7 or a Telefunken, and the power amp used more sparkly tubes as drivers, then i'd be happy with the preamp using 12AY7, but the 6550+6bX7 power isn't giving me that 3d-liquid-sparkly sound. Now, i can't judge it rightfully the way it was intended with NOS 6550. The quad NOS GE 6550 were failing and too quiet. The New production Tung Sol 6550 sounded great coming from failing tubes, but over time i think they are the weakest link.
Thanks everyone for the help. Will experiment with the power tubes grover mentioned previously and Telefunken's soon enough. 👍
The 12AY7's i've heard so far. These United Electron branded Tung Sol 12AY7 short plate, musical but soft. The both very well regarded GE 5 star triple mica 6072 and Raytheon blackplate 6072. The GE just didn't do anything for me. The Raytheon i loved at first, in fact i loved every Raytheon at first. They sound dynamic and fast at first, but over time they sound solid state and boring to me. Overall i can see the 12AY7 doesn't add anything and gives lots of headroom. Maybe that's why they are used in high end japanese brands like my Audio Tekne or Kondo's flagship models. I can imagine if i had a dac that used the Tung Sol 12AT7 or a Telefunken, and the power amp used more sparkly tubes as drivers, then i'd be happy with the preamp using 12AY7, but the 6550+6bX7 power isn't giving me that 3d-liquid-sparkly sound. Now, i can't judge it rightfully the way it was intended with NOS 6550. The quad NOS GE 6550 were failing and too quiet. The New production Tung Sol 6550 sounded great coming from failing tubes, but over time i think they are the weakest link.
Thanks everyone for the help. Will experiment with the power tubes grover mentioned previously and Telefunken's soon enough. 👍
One of the best choices for rectifiers in tube preamp is the 6x4 ...Made in England. brimar or mullard ...gec.... benedix 6x4 filimant is 800 ma...