Valve amplifier with diode rectifier.
Hi at all. I have an amplifier with 5Z3 rectifier tube.
I would like to change to solid state rectifier.
Somebody says that really tube amp would have tube rectifier.
But there is a lot of tube preamp and tube amps with diode rectifier.
Of course sound differents both , but somebody could say that diode rectifier sound bad ?
Thanks a lot.
Santiago
Hi at all. I have an amplifier with 5Z3 rectifier tube.
I would like to change to solid state rectifier.
Somebody says that really tube amp would have tube rectifier.
But there is a lot of tube preamp and tube amps with diode rectifier.
Of course sound differents both , but somebody could say that diode rectifier sound bad ?
Thanks a lot.
Santiago
Attachments
One friend of mine, change tube rectifier 5z3 in a 300B amp for diodes rectifiers, and tell me , sound bad , something happenned, the sound was bad.. and again , the doubt came to me.
He come back to 5z3 tube rectifier.
He come back to 5z3 tube rectifier.
So the Fisher 400 and 500 receivers, the Sansui 1000A, the Marantz 8B, the McIntosh MC-240, MC-225, MC-275, MC-40 etc. aren't "real" tube amps? I mean the ST-70 has a solid state bias rectifier, is that not a tube amp?
I thought this discussion died in 1995 honestly.
I thought this discussion died in 1995 honestly.
It sounded bad because the B+ rail voltage increased.
Instead of coping with the complications of switching to SS rectification, do something much simpler. Change the UX4 socket the 5Z3 goes in to an Octal socket and install a 5U4GB. NOS GE 5U4GBs remain "reasonable" in price and the current production ElectroHarmonix 5U4GB is highly satisfactory.
The 5Z3 and 5U4G are electrically equivalent. Unfortunately, OS 5U4Gs are silly expensive, while Chinese and Russian 5U4G "equivalents" are utter trash. Giving up ST bottle cosmetics for reliability and cost control is obvious to me.
And … in much smaller letters,
⋅-=≡ GoatGuy ✓ ≡=-⋅
It sounded bad because it sounded different and the consensus was, like the person seeing a fly in her partner's soup, if there's a fly there, mine must be bad too!
⋅-⋅-⋅ Just saying, ⋅-⋅-⋅⋅-=≡ GoatGuy ✓ ≡=-⋅
I am asking , and someones tell that Hexfreds are a good option for do a bridge rectifier .. Better than uf4007 and Schottky Diodes.. Is true ?
I used SS rectifiers in a valve audio mixer and it buzzed like mad.
The high voltage through the diodes was causing switching spikes.
A change to different diodes sorted it.
The high voltage through the diodes was causing switching spikes.
A change to different diodes sorted it.
My valve amp uses solid state rectification and it certainly doesn't sound bad. Then again, that is how it was designed.
I would recommend you stick with the form of rectification around which your amplifier was originally designed.
You could consider using a pair of 1N4007 diodes with series resistors to get roughly the voltage drop and peak currents you would have got with a valve rectifier. That's a trick often used by people repairing historic radios when the original rectifier model is not available, or when they are worried that the radio might draw excessive current due to some unknown defect and they don't want to take the risk of blowing up a rectifier valve.
Stand alone, FREDs generate less switching noise than UFnnnn parts. However, the UFnnnn parts are easy to snub. Snubbing FREDs can be problematic.
High PIV Schottky diodes are "best", as they are switching noise free.
i also use ss diodes (UF series etc), with ss diodes you can use larger capacitance in psu filters - and you will get ripple free B+
Cree makes many of the high PIV Schottky diodes. They're made from silicon carbide. Look here for Cree and other manufacturers.
I just use UF5408 myself, but if you want to spend extra money but have a nice looking package, this would fit the bill.
STPSC2H12D STMicroelectronics | Discrete Semiconductor Products | DigiKey
STPSC2H12D STMicroelectronics | Discrete Semiconductor Products | DigiKey
I use those STPSC2H12....but buy them from Mouser...a little cheaper.
STPSC2H12D STMicroelectronics | Mouser Nederland
STPSC2H12D STMicroelectronics | Mouser Nederland
Mouser might be a little cheaper, but they want 20$ for shipping if you don't order 100$. Digikey only charges 8$. Digikey will ship heavy transformers for free, too. Mouser will not.
Also, Mouser is controlled by a holdings company where as Digikey is still family run. Some people might care about that kind of thing 🙂
Of course you might find a better price through Octopart: STPSC2H12D STMicroelectronics datasheet and CAD model download | Octopart
Also, Mouser is controlled by a holdings company where as Digikey is still family run. Some people might care about that kind of thing 🙂
Of course you might find a better price through Octopart: STPSC2H12D STMicroelectronics datasheet and CAD model download | Octopart
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