We had a 'shoot-out' of 32 different SE output transformers (yes, tube amps still use those!). It wasn't the biggest one that won, and not the smallest one that lost. Very interesting, I'm sure you can read all about it in the ETF thread in a day or so.
jd
It looks like the winner was the most expensive, though.
John
Winner of OPT shootout was a Group C, Audio Note Double C-Core Output Transformer with copper wirings and HiB Core (don't know which HiB variant), and copper frames, for single 300B. See here Audio Note.
This OPT has been brought by Peter van Willenswaard, the same guy who won the phono shootout at the ETF 2005 with his Audio Note style phono.
Though I think this was not the most expensive OPT. There have been some big Tangos, even a special custom version (a 3K5 version of the big X-10SF), also a big Tamura, IIRC. Being a Tango user myself, I liked the Tangos, too.
Cheap standards like from Silks, James etc. were discarded very quickly.
Yes, it was pure fun, and very interesting lectures. I liked the super-pentode circuit (patent pending!) a lot, and might try it at home in the near future.
best regards, Hartmut
This OPT has been brought by Peter van Willenswaard, the same guy who won the phono shootout at the ETF 2005 with his Audio Note style phono.
Though I think this was not the most expensive OPT. There have been some big Tangos, even a special custom version (a 3K5 version of the big X-10SF), also a big Tamura, IIRC. Being a Tango user myself, I liked the Tangos, too.
Cheap standards like from Silks, James etc. were discarded very quickly.
Yes, it was pure fun, and very interesting lectures. I liked the super-pentode circuit (patent pending!) a lot, and might try it at home in the near future.
best regards, Hartmut
I've asked the Webmaster to add an ETF2009 gallery. I've put some stuff from dhtRob's gallery in there and will move his other pics there as well. Because Rob's gallery is a pain in the neck to navigate.
diyAudio.com ETF 2009 gallery
diyAudio.com ETF 2009 gallery
Been using that sofware for years... Never found such a good looking skin though as Holger used. Although I'm sure I've tried Chameleon I don't recall it looking so good.
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What, still No pics of Stuart lying between a hurd of drained wine bottles and artificial cork ?
What an outrage, and that smooth hybrid quartet looks far too nice.
What an outrage, and that smooth hybrid quartet looks far too nice.
NO pictures of Stuart whatsoever!... 😉 Not even in the restaurant.....mmmmmmmm...What, still No pics of Stuart lying between a hurd of drained wine bottles and artificial cork ?
Oeps..just spotted him in the picture where everyone was drinking champagne.NO pictures of Stuart whatsoever!... Not even in the restaurant.....mmmmmmmm...

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Naah, that's just the picture of a head taped to a window : Decoy !
The ETF management probably already dragged him to the empties storage room before that picture was taken.
The ETF management probably already dragged him to the empties storage room before that picture was taken.
Thx guys for the kind words. Glad you like the pics.
Thank YOU for the great pics.
It would be so nice to have some more info on OPT shootout & correlation with measured results. Also, what was talked about at lectures - Kondo, Lundahl... ?
Would there be some in-depth report?
Pictures are lovely, but in this case detailed report would be great.
Would there be some in-depth report?
Pictures are lovely, but in this case detailed report would be great.
Well there is always my favorite fall back speaker cable:/OT warning
Morgan Jones just completed the auction at European Triode Festival. I won a pair of 10 ft long, garden-hose diameter Monster speaker cables. Beautifully terminated in black and red cladding, gold spades. Can't wait to hear the strong, clean, moving bass that must come out of these babies!
We had a 'shoot-out' of 32 different SE output transformers (yes, tube amps still use those!). It wasn't the biggest one that won, and not the smallest one that lost. Very interesting, I'm sure you can read all about it in the ETF thread in a day or so.
/OT warning off
jd
#4 welding cable. Seriously. Even Harvey Rosenberg was happy with the sound!!!😱
En route home. The Eye Lady took many, many pix that we'll upload this weekend. Spent several days afterward in Champagne with Jan Didden and EC8010 (Pete Millett was unexpectedly called back home, so we drank his beer). Much more drinking and verbal abuse. As EC would say, "Crikey, that was fun!"
Free Beer!!! Yeah......and the smell of hot tubes...En route home. The Eye Lady took many, many pix that we'll upload this weekend. Spent several days afterward in Champagne with Jan Didden and EC8010 (Pete Millett was unexpectedly called back home, so we drank his beer). Much more drinking and verbal abuse. As EC would say, "Crikey, that was fun!"
Life is good!
Free Beer!!! Yeah......and the smell of hot tubes...
Life is good!
Indeed, and on top of that, the best Champagne any of us has ever had (and I for one have had plenty). We visited some small artisan producers in the Aube who completely changed our view of what Champagne is and how it should taste.
None of that cheap "aspirins in water" stuff for our man SY... What was it like?
On the transformer shootout scene, what were the cheapest/most common represented, and what was the most exotic? Were any homemade transformers in the shootout? How did the ones that flunked out manifest themselves? I doubt that my program sources or my speakers are good enough to make such fine distinctions yet, but it would be nice to know the criteria used. Were the early washouts really obvious? It's a good idea to sneak some Gallo Mountain Red into the hooty-tooty wine tasting for a reality calibration....
On the transformer shootout scene, what were the cheapest/most common represented, and what was the most exotic? Were any homemade transformers in the shootout? How did the ones that flunked out manifest themselves? I doubt that my program sources or my speakers are good enough to make such fine distinctions yet, but it would be nice to know the criteria used. Were the early washouts really obvious? It's a good idea to sneak some Gallo Mountain Red into the hooty-tooty wine tasting for a reality calibration....
I avoided the shootout, instead hiding in a room with a few friends and more than a few bottles. Some nice looking iron from our own YvesM, though.
The Champagne was... like nothing I've had before. Finer, yet more intense and well-defined.
The Champagne was... like nothing I've had before. Finer, yet more intense and well-defined.
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