All,
Last summer I built a TSE-ii with 300b tubes -- it took a little while to get everything sorted (entirely due to my shoddy craftsmanship), but now that it's all together it sounds awesome. Thank you, George!
I have Shuguang 300b-z black treasure tubes in it currently. The switch from the basic Electro Harmonix 300b's to the 300b-z Black Treasures made a big improvement! I remember reading on the Tubelab site that the output transformer has even more impact on the sound of this amp, which has piqued my interest.
I currently have the big Edcor transformers on it (CSXE-25-5k), but I'd like to try something different. I was hoping to get some Lundahl transformers, but they have so many options and I'm not sure which would be best for the TSE-ii. I would appreciate anyone's help selecting. The list of Lundahl transformers is at: https://www.lundahltransformers.com/tube-output/
I currently have the 300b's biased at 62mA and B+ voltage is 342 v. I'm using Tekton Lore speakers, which are efficient enough, and I use the 8 ohm tap on the Edcors with no problems.
I was hoping to use a OPT with a 5k ohm primary impedance. Lundahl has a few options there. Their US rep recommended the LL1663 or the LL1623. I'm told though, that the maximum primary voltages for these transformers are 200V for the LL1663 and 270V for the LL1623. Is that a problem with my B+ of 342V? The "max power capability at 30hz, single ended" is 8W for the 1663 - might that be a bit too low for the TSE-ii running 300b's? Also, I'm not sure what the "Configuration" column refers to, and which would be better as a configuration "B", "C", or "-" (really not sure what that last one means...)?
But I also see on that list that there's also the LL2769, with a 4.7k Ohm primary. Maybe this would be a good option? Are there any others that would fit the TSE-ii well?
Again, I'd be grateful for any guidance and to hear your thoughts. What specifications would I need to give Lundahl? Since these OPTs are for a single ended amp, I understand they need an air gap. How large? Does that relate to the bias current through the tubes of 62mA? Lastly, do I need to make any decisions regarding the type of core of the transformer and/or the material used (amorphous, etc.?).
Thank you all in advance for your help!
Best,
Dan
Last summer I built a TSE-ii with 300b tubes -- it took a little while to get everything sorted (entirely due to my shoddy craftsmanship), but now that it's all together it sounds awesome. Thank you, George!
I have Shuguang 300b-z black treasure tubes in it currently. The switch from the basic Electro Harmonix 300b's to the 300b-z Black Treasures made a big improvement! I remember reading on the Tubelab site that the output transformer has even more impact on the sound of this amp, which has piqued my interest.
I currently have the big Edcor transformers on it (CSXE-25-5k), but I'd like to try something different. I was hoping to get some Lundahl transformers, but they have so many options and I'm not sure which would be best for the TSE-ii. I would appreciate anyone's help selecting. The list of Lundahl transformers is at: https://www.lundahltransformers.com/tube-output/
I currently have the 300b's biased at 62mA and B+ voltage is 342 v. I'm using Tekton Lore speakers, which are efficient enough, and I use the 8 ohm tap on the Edcors with no problems.
I was hoping to use a OPT with a 5k ohm primary impedance. Lundahl has a few options there. Their US rep recommended the LL1663 or the LL1623. I'm told though, that the maximum primary voltages for these transformers are 200V for the LL1663 and 270V for the LL1623. Is that a problem with my B+ of 342V? The "max power capability at 30hz, single ended" is 8W for the 1663 - might that be a bit too low for the TSE-ii running 300b's? Also, I'm not sure what the "Configuration" column refers to, and which would be better as a configuration "B", "C", or "-" (really not sure what that last one means...)?
But I also see on that list that there's also the LL2769, with a 4.7k Ohm primary. Maybe this would be a good option? Are there any others that would fit the TSE-ii well?
Again, I'd be grateful for any guidance and to hear your thoughts. What specifications would I need to give Lundahl? Since these OPTs are for a single ended amp, I understand they need an air gap. How large? Does that relate to the bias current through the tubes of 62mA? Lastly, do I need to make any decisions regarding the type of core of the transformer and/or the material used (amorphous, etc.?).
Thank you all in advance for your help!
Best,
Dan