VKMusic.ca proudly presents the Elekit Audio Kit to North America DIY enthusiasts and hobbyists since 2007.
This high quality vacuum tube kit is Made in Japan.
The following 2 reviews are organised by VKMusic.ca .
Reviews:
6moons
6moons audio reviews: Elekit TU-879S
Positive Feed Back
Positive Feedback Review
This is a single stereo power amplifier using the powerful 6L6GC. Assembly is easy. Anyone can follow the printed circuit board and obtain the same result. For this reason, you do not need to know the details of wiring and other technical details to assemble a vacuum tube.
TU-879S allows you to use KT88, KT66, EL34 (6CA7) power tubes without any ADJUSTMENTS.
This amplifier is compact and powerful enough to surpass the capacity of output transformer in other models under the same class of our company (TU-877, 874, etc.). This amplifier includes premium capacitors which enhance the sound quality.
This amplifier installed with advanced "R-core transformer" as a power transformer that enables clear tone quality. To improve transient characteristics, both polypropylene film capacitor act as a coupling capacitor (previous model: polyester film) and low-ESR electrolytic capacitor are adopted in TU-879S. The highest S/N ratio among our models thanks to large reduction of ham-noise.
The ripple filter used with π-MOS FET in our higher end models is improved. The driver tube heater is powered from a DC supply with a 2mm thick shielded panel added to effectively reduce hum noise to the minimum. A number of other components have also been upgraded.
Great for hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts:
Specification
Vacuum Tubes : 6L6GC×2, 12AX7(ECC83)×1
Features:
The ripple filter used with π-MOS FET
DC heater supply for 12AX7
Rated Output :8.5W + 8.5W ( 8Ω)
Suitable Speaker : 3.2~6Ω, 6~16Ω
Residual noise : 0.26mV (WIDE), 0.035mV (IEC weighting)
S/N Ratio : 90dB (WIDE), 107.5dB (IEC weighting)
Frequency Response: 20~43,000Hz (-3dB)
Input Resistance :75kΩ
Rated Input :430mV
Input Terminal :Line x 2 (RCA Jack/ Gold Plated)
Fuse :2A (AC 100V ), 0.3A(B Power)
Supply Voltage :AC 100V/120V** 50/60Hz
Energy Consumption :70W
Dimension (mm) W154×H140×D400(including projections)
Weight : Approx. 6.5kg
Price : $575.00 (for DIYaudio member only)
VKMusic.ca Home page
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If you send me your email address, I will send you the first few pages of the manual. It is very newb friendly.
TU-879S Step-by-Step Assembly Instructions
ELEKIT TU-879S>
Thanks
Victor
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Victor, thanks for the information you sent, I appreciate the prompt reply.
I'm sure I'll have more questions, but I like what I've seen thus far. 🙂
I'm sure I'll have more questions, but I like what I've seen thus far. 🙂
I purchased a TU-879S from Tube Depot (they are in Memphis, so pretty local to me) with the intention of building it this weekend.
I'm at our lake house for the labor day weekend, so I'm not sure how much progress I can make with all the other holiday stuff that will be going on.
A couple of initial observations: with my kit, the documentation is entirely in japanese! Still, it looks simple enough, the pictures are clear, the board is intuitively marked (components that go on the reverse side have a dashed outline) so it looks like no big deal. The board looks to be very high quality.
The output trannies look to be sized identically, as in drop in replacement with no drilling, for the 10 watt XSE Edcors!
More later, and pics if I can figure it out from my cell phone.
Win W5JAG
I'm at our lake house for the labor day weekend, so I'm not sure how much progress I can make with all the other holiday stuff that will be going on.
A couple of initial observations: with my kit, the documentation is entirely in japanese! Still, it looks simple enough, the pictures are clear, the board is intuitively marked (components that go on the reverse side have a dashed outline) so it looks like no big deal. The board looks to be very high quality.
The output trannies look to be sized identically, as in drop in replacement with no drilling, for the 10 watt XSE Edcors!
More later, and pics if I can figure it out from my cell phone.
Win W5JAG
Here is the link will assist you during your building process.
ELEKIT TU-879S>*
If you have any questions about your building process, I am happy to assist you.
I have been selling TU-879S since 2008.
Thanks
Victor
ELEKIT TU-879S>*
If you have any questions about your building process, I am happy to assist you.
I have been selling TU-879S since 2008.
Thanks
Victor
Thanks, Victor.
I'll take pictures as I go, and when I get a chance I'll start a thread on the build of this kit, since there hasn't been much activity on this forum regarding it.
It sure looks like a nice kit, and I hope to get started on it in a few hours.
Win W5JAG
I'll take pictures as I go, and when I get a chance I'll start a thread on the build of this kit, since there hasn't been much activity on this forum regarding it.
It sure looks like a nice kit, and I hope to get started on it in a few hours.
Win W5JAG
As long as you follow the instruction, you should be no problem.
More people posted their feedback in
Elekit Kits Forum
A pair of RCA Red Label 6L6Gc and 1 Telefunken 12AX7 will improve this amp further..
Victor
More people posted their feedback in
Elekit Kits Forum
A pair of RCA Red Label 6L6Gc and 1 Telefunken 12AX7 will improve this amp further..
Victor
Powered up without any issues, and has been running for the last couple of hours.
Sounds very good.
More in a day or so.
Win W5JAG
Sounds very good.
More in a day or so.
Win W5JAG
I am glad you have no issue to assembly this amp.
Tube rolling" is fun for this amp by changing the output tube to a different type (6L6GC, KT66, EL34, KT88, & 6550C) that various tube types "sound" different.
Tube rolling" is fun for this amp by changing the output tube to a different type (6L6GC, KT66, EL34, KT88, & 6550C) that various tube types "sound" different.
Tube rolling
Just finished one of these up last week and now have it hooked up to the good speakers upstairs (B&W 803s - 90db sensitivity) and it sounds great! It gets crunchy at high volumes, but it should be paired with higher efficiency speakers as well. I tried Tung Sol EL34s, Mullard EL34s, EH 6L6, and SED 6550s. Tung Sol and the 6550s were o.k. so I'll restrict my comments to the other two. The EH 6L6 had a nice even sound across the frequencies with good bass. Sound stage and detail were good. Piano sounded bright; you could hear the harmonics of other strings and the sound board.
With the Mullard EL34s, the tones were darker but much more detail and deep soundstage. We focused on a few recordings of Jazz and Beatles that we knew well. With the Mullards, we heard sounds that we'd never before heard in the recordings through our other gear (CJ, Menno, Pass, etc.). For example the snares sounded great with the other tubes, but now we could hear additional nuances that the drummer was putting in there. Ambient sounds were also now heard that we'd never heard before. It's my first SET; a whole different experience. We look forward to pairing it with other speakers and also trying some other 12AX7s. I tried 3 that I had around and only the EI was acceptable so no need to discuss the others. I've ordered some others to try out.
Just finished one of these up last week and now have it hooked up to the good speakers upstairs (B&W 803s - 90db sensitivity) and it sounds great! It gets crunchy at high volumes, but it should be paired with higher efficiency speakers as well. I tried Tung Sol EL34s, Mullard EL34s, EH 6L6, and SED 6550s. Tung Sol and the 6550s were o.k. so I'll restrict my comments to the other two. The EH 6L6 had a nice even sound across the frequencies with good bass. Sound stage and detail were good. Piano sounded bright; you could hear the harmonics of other strings and the sound board.
With the Mullard EL34s, the tones were darker but much more detail and deep soundstage. We focused on a few recordings of Jazz and Beatles that we knew well. With the Mullards, we heard sounds that we'd never before heard in the recordings through our other gear (CJ, Menno, Pass, etc.). For example the snares sounded great with the other tubes, but now we could hear additional nuances that the drummer was putting in there. Ambient sounds were also now heard that we'd never heard before. It's my first SET; a whole different experience. We look forward to pairing it with other speakers and also trying some other 12AX7s. I tried 3 that I had around and only the EI was acceptable so no need to discuss the others. I've ordered some others to try out.
I wrote a review of the TU-879S on my blog.
Elekit TU-879S Stereo Valve Amplifier Kit Review - feilipu's posterous
It is an excellent kit. Absolutely complete. When completed, looks like a professional product.
Build time was 8 hours for the kit. Some back and forth on the potentiometer modification, added an hour on top.
Elekit TU-879S Stereo Valve Amplifier Kit Review - feilipu's posterous
It is an excellent kit. Absolutely complete. When completed, looks like a professional product.
Build time was 8 hours for the kit. Some back and forth on the potentiometer modification, added an hour on top.
TU-879s build
Just bought a TU-879s from Victor - who is a true gentleman - and finished the build in something like 7 or 8 hours. I was having too much fun to track the time closely.
I used to build Heathkits as a teenager, and also a Dynaco or two. I am happy to report that this is a great kit, with quality parts, plenty of wire and hardware, and Victor's English instructions are very well done.
I think David Kan really covered both the build of this amp with his photos, as well as the sound, in his 2008 6moons review, so I don't intend to repeat anything he said. With that in mind, I took a series of pictures of the build, and will post several of them here in this thread.
I am now listening to the amp several hours per day, and it's just getting sweeter sounding as things burn in. I am rolling a few tubes and will comment on that in a while.
Tube equipment was never cheap, and that's as true today as it has always been. For the price of this kit you can buy a reasonably nice Chinese push-pull tube amp, and that is tempting, but personally I already have a pair of push-pull monoblocs and had never had experience with the single-ended tube sound. All I can say is, the price of this kit is very fair for the quality you get, and I love the SE sound.
Just bought a TU-879s from Victor - who is a true gentleman - and finished the build in something like 7 or 8 hours. I was having too much fun to track the time closely.
I used to build Heathkits as a teenager, and also a Dynaco or two. I am happy to report that this is a great kit, with quality parts, plenty of wire and hardware, and Victor's English instructions are very well done.
I think David Kan really covered both the build of this amp with his photos, as well as the sound, in his 2008 6moons review, so I don't intend to repeat anything he said. With that in mind, I took a series of pictures of the build, and will post several of them here in this thread.
I am now listening to the amp several hours per day, and it's just getting sweeter sounding as things burn in. I am rolling a few tubes and will comment on that in a while.
Tube equipment was never cheap, and that's as true today as it has always been. For the price of this kit you can buy a reasonably nice Chinese push-pull tube amp, and that is tempting, but personally I already have a pair of push-pull monoblocs and had never had experience with the single-ended tube sound. All I can say is, the price of this kit is very fair for the quality you get, and I love the SE sound.
The only modification I made was to substitute better coupling caps. I have found this really can make a difference in several other projects. I was leaning towards Auricaps, having had good luck with them before. Victor strongly advised oil caps, but he was out of the Vitamin Q's he sells.
Based on various reviews of caps around the internet I splurged a little and chose Mundorf silver/oils. Cap tests are highly subjective, and the results vary like crazy, but the silver/oils seem to do pretty well everywhere.
Based on various reviews of caps around the internet I splurged a little and chose Mundorf silver/oils. Cap tests are highly subjective, and the results vary like crazy, but the silver/oils seem to do pretty well everywhere.
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