The best amplifier I have built so far

[KatieandDad]

Now I've built a few.

My first was JLH 80W MOS-FET amp which really blew my socks off back in the 1990s.

That was only beaten a few years ago when I built a Pass Aleph 4. Now that is seriously nice amplifier.

But, recently I built a Pass Aleph J. Although not as powerful, it is just so sweet to listen to compared to the Aleph 4.

Last week I finished a Williamson 5-20 EL34 amplifier which, to my ears knocks the socks off all of the others.

The Williamson just has so much more depth to its sound and far more control of the deep bass all the way through to the high treble.

 

[vinylkid58]

Williamson 5-20 EL34 amplifier

Shouldn't that be Mullard 5-20?

jeff

 

[KatieandDad]

No, this is the Williamson 5-20.

 

[planet10]

What speakers?

dave

 

[vinylkid58]

Ok, that's not a 5-20.

jeff

 

[baudouin0]

If anybody else builds this add some resistors in series with the bias pots to ground so you cannot put the grids right up to 0V.

 

[ontariomaximus]

DC voltages would be helpful, and tell us about your iron.

 

[planet10]

The Mullard and the Williamson are quite different. I am turned off by the “long” front-end of the williamson topology.

dave

 

[45]

Well, 5-20 was a Mullard label for sure. The OP has clearly built a Williamson but it could be called 5-20 as well. That label just means 5 tubes for 20W.

 

[45]

P.S.
In the original Mullard 5-20, the fifth tube was the rectifier...

 

[KatieandDad]

I'm pairing it with a pair of B&W CM8s2 speakers.

 

[baudouin0]

Umm might be going UL KT88 then next.

 

[dgta]

No, this is the Williamson 5-20.

Hahaha, leave it to the Chinese to re-invent the history of electronics, lol.

 

[Bandersnatch]

I think somebody in China was granted a patent on the hum-bucker pickup quite recently. Wish I could say I was shocked...LOL
cheers,
Douglas

 

[mooreamps]

No, this is the Williamson 5-20.

damn fine rig.....glad to know someone out there is thinking....

-g

 

[baudouin0]

Some would say its diyaudio that re-invent the history of electronics.

 

[mooreamps]

Some would say its diyaudio that re-invent the history of electronics.

I am re-inventing the history of electronics.....

-g

 

[U130421]

Now I've built a few.

My first was JLH 80W MOS-FET amp which really blew my socks off back in the 1990s.

That was only beaten a few years ago when I built a Pass Aleph 4. Now that is seriously nice amplifier.

But, recently I built a Pass Aleph J. Although not as powerful, it is just so sweet to listen to compared to the Aleph 4.

Last week I finished a Williamson 5-20 EL34 amplifier which, to my ears knocks the socks off all of the others.

The Williamson just has so much more depth to its sound and far more control of the deep bass all the way through to the high treble.

John Linsley Hood designed his class A amplifier in order to replace his Williamson amplifier that he found himself lucky to own the best version. By listening comparatively with several friends they found the transistor amp at least as good as the tube one. What do you think?
PS Original Williamson uses KT66.

 

[KatieandDad]

Sadly I haven't got the JLH any longer.

I do remember though that it did sound a lot better when I replaced the regulated PSU with a standard PSU albeit with huge reservoir caps.

I only had B&W DM14s at the time. The CM8s2s are far better.

 

[baudouin0]

I have some CM7's always been very pleased with them.