Anyone look at Menno Vandeveen
Menno Vanderveen has toroids here:
Single-Ended
I am interested in the VDV-5006-SEE for single EL-84. Without VAT prices have me looking.
Menno Vanderveen has toroids here:
Single-Ended
I am interested in the VDV-5006-SEE for single EL-84. Without VAT prices have me looking.
Good, certainly
cheap, ehhhhhh noooooo
Ward de Ceuninck is a professor at Hasselt University and knows his stuff so you get an amazing transformer, but well that quality comes at a price.
Disclaimer: I have no involvement in his company but studied and worked for some years in the same building as him and coffee breaks could get interesting when he started talking about these kind of things
Ok,i believe that it was nice at the coffeetable
I think you are tight with the price.It is only in my head cheap because some time ago i heard the prices of much recommended Edcor transformers when shipped to Europe.Then Monolith is a good price i think.
I have not tried any of the SE stuff. Plitron has ceased manufacturing them so the North American source is gone. Over 10 years ago Plitron had a clearance page where they unloaded unsold stock for cheap. I bought the unpotted pair seen here for about $135 each. Another forum member bought the potted pair and sold them to me a few years ago. The unpotted pair have been my test mules for BIG push pull amps.....How big? see post #438 in this thread:
Posted new P-P power amp design
The power meter is reading 504 watts at 5% THD. Just the ticket for really annoying the neighbors.
I have been looking for the proper method to get 500+ WPC (1KW total) from a pair of these guys, with two serious constraints. I need to be able to lift and move the completed amp, and It should be capable of operating from a standard US spec power outlet which can pass 1800 watts continuously, quite a bit more for short times.
The small tube on top of the potted OPT is a Sylvania 6L6WGB (5881) the big boy is a 36LW6. I think 4 to 6 of them will make 500 Watts from these OPT's.
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I finally had some time to read the rest of this thread and researched some of the xfmrs mentioned. A couple of these have promise, I like the Torroidy and the Menno Vanderveen as well as the Oganowski. Both of them end up being about $120CDN here, with a little shipping. I would like to hear from anyone who tries the Vanderveens or Oganowskis, they look well built as well.
There are certainly lots to choose from now and I think I may have to build a spread sheet to compare them all, there are quite a few variables to consider.
Thanks for everyone's contributions, there has been a lot of info presented here.
Cheers
There are certainly lots to choose from now and I think I may have to build a spread sheet to compare them all, there are quite a few variables to consider.
Thanks for everyone's contributions, there has been a lot of info presented here.
Cheers
Maybe also interesting is this company Experts in custom transformers i am very close to order a basic kit based on Triode Dick design.
What sort of price are the transformers from that site? I failed to find a link to the details about the different Triode Dick transformers, or prices.
I have got a trio (1 PT and 2 OPT) from Ogonowski, but the SSE I was planing to use them on suddenly saw 3 Elektraprint monsters approaching so I'm playing with those right now. The Ogos will wait the next SSE build. What I can say is serious guy, ontime delivery, well-packed, well-built.
Charles
http://www.triodedick.com/
the projects, most of it in Dutch but the schematics speak for themselves
Thanks for asking the question to begin with! I'd also like to thank those who have provided info and opinions.
As luck would have it, I am going through the same process and considering many of the same options that you are. Odd that we live so close to each other and are building SETs at the same time.
I look forward to hearing about your choice and how it works out for you.
I have a pair of cheap Chinese "8-10w" 5K OPTs ($80 CAD for both, shipped) on the way just to play with during the amp build, but I still have not made up my mind which OPTs I will actually use for my SET. My short list currently includes The Hammond 1628SEA and 2 different models of Transcendar (either the TT-338-OT or TT-119-OT). Right now leaning more towards one of the Transcendars.
@kilohertz I've been doing a lot of research/reading today and I have realized that despite Hammond's marketing copy the 125*SE series are not to be dismissed.
We already know that the small 125CSE isn't going to provide as much bass as "big iron" will, but I have found several examples of people using and liking the larger (ESE, FSE and GSE) versions of the 125. The FSE and GSE are 4.5 and 6 pounds (respectively) and by all accounts can easily provide 20Hz-20kHz "flat" at 5-6 watts. The Hammond units are tested at full output power (and they don't shine at those power levels) but in a small SET the FSE and GSE are never going to get anywhere near full power.
The best part is, they are quite affordable compared to many of the other options for us Canucks - Tube_Guitar_Amplifier_-_Chokes_194_Series and only $17 bucks for shipping. I am very, very tempted to get a pair of 125FSE for $215 CAD delivered. An extra $40 bucks to go up to the GSE.
The downside - fugly. They'll need to go inside the chassis. Also, no U/L tap.
We already know that the small 125CSE isn't going to provide as much bass as "big iron" will, but I have found several examples of people using and liking the larger (ESE, FSE and GSE) versions of the 125. The FSE and GSE are 4.5 and 6 pounds (respectively) and by all accounts can easily provide 20Hz-20kHz "flat" at 5-6 watts. The Hammond units are tested at full output power (and they don't shine at those power levels) but in a small SET the FSE and GSE are never going to get anywhere near full power.
The best part is, they are quite affordable compared to many of the other options for us Canucks - Tube_Guitar_Amplifier_-_Chokes_194_Series and only $17 bucks for shipping. I am very, very tempted to get a pair of 125FSE for $215 CAD delivered. An extra $40 bucks to go up to the GSE.
The downside - fugly. They'll need to go inside the chassis. Also, no U/L tap.
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George, just wondering if you have done any more working with/testing/listening to the Toroidy KT88PSE transformers the last couple of weeks.
Working with or testing, no. Listening, yes. These things sound pretty good even at 400 volts of B+(below the red tube zone).
If I had ordered the 3000 ohm versions (not in stock when I ordered), I would have simply stuck this amp pretty much as is in a box with an Antek toroidal power transformer and made a 15 to 20 WPC amp. The 1.5K Transformers will make a nice 30 WPC SE amp, but I need to use two output tubes per channel to get there. This means making a new PCB, or hand wiring the output stages.
Too many non electronics diversions in my life right now to build a new amp, so I can't say when it will happen.
Thanks and good to know you like how the Toroidy OTs sound. Hope the non-electronic diversions will abate soon.
6 years ago I bought Transcendars OPT for a small SE 6BQ5 and a Hammond for PT. 3 years ago I bought Hashimoto OPT and Hammond PT for a PP. I'm now in the process of building another small 6BQ5 SE amp and have ordered Transcendar OPT's and PT.
Is that your way of saying the Transcendars are in the same league as the Hashimotos, mate? Or, are you just not flush enough to splurge on Hashimotos this time around?
Note: I'm not judging - the Transcendars are at the top end of my budget.
Also, which Transcendars did you go with last time and which ones are you choosing this time for your SE ?
Not much chance. She's 39 years old, and this crap has been going on ever since high school.....
Hashimotos have never been in my budget, so I have no knowledge of them.
Gerry has been selling transformers off and on under the Transcendar name for years. Before that, he designed transformers for some big name audio companies. I got a pair of "overstock" OPT's designed specifically for a customer's 300B amp over 12 years ago. I liked them and made a deal to buy all that he had left for a very good price. I had a pair of them in my UNSET test amp before I put the Toroidys in. Other than the fact that they are far too small for the job, they work well. There is a pair of them in my "daily driver" SSE amp which was built in 2007, so I know how old they are. I have not tried any of his new stuff though.
Here's another thought:
You can afford to buy expensive OPTs if you are willing to sell your 211 tubes or your 2A3 tubes. Both types will fetch a good price. That will give you resources to buy more expensive transformers.
Realistically consider the time and money you can afford. If a finished amp is your goal, I humbly suggest you choose one set of tubes and buy the best available OPTs for it. Otherwise you will always be asking "what if" about the more expensive transformers. Build a tried and trued design and spend your time listening to music.
Otoh, if it's fun and experimenting you want, go nuts with cheap parts. I had lots of fun with surplus store and thrift store parts. You can buy and try, then sell what you don't like. You will spend some money, but it's fun and educational.
Sorry to be longwinded, but let me tell you a story. I had a hardcore diy audio friend. He has a graduate degree in EE, and scratch built amazing audio gear. But most of the time his best system was torn down for upgrades. So what did he listen to? He listened mostly to an old 5 tube radio, and his car audio system. Building and listening can be two separate things.
You can afford to buy expensive OPTs if you are willing to sell your 211 tubes or your 2A3 tubes. Both types will fetch a good price. That will give you resources to buy more expensive transformers.
Realistically consider the time and money you can afford. If a finished amp is your goal, I humbly suggest you choose one set of tubes and buy the best available OPTs for it. Otherwise you will always be asking "what if" about the more expensive transformers. Build a tried and trued design and spend your time listening to music.
Otoh, if it's fun and experimenting you want, go nuts with cheap parts. I had lots of fun with surplus store and thrift store parts. You can buy and try, then sell what you don't like. You will spend some money, but it's fun and educational.
Sorry to be longwinded, but let me tell you a story. I had a hardcore diy audio friend. He has a graduate degree in EE, and scratch built amazing audio gear. But most of the time his best system was torn down for upgrades. So what did he listen to? He listened mostly to an old 5 tube radio, and his car audio system. Building and listening can be two separate things.
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