seti
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Posts posted by seti
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7 minutes ago, mike stehr said:
I have a Lambda C-281M. 325 volts at 200ma maximum operating voltage. The Hewlett Packard 712A would be nice to have...
A retired EE friend had a tube power supply he picked up when he was an employee at Magnavox...it was older looking unit that uses 6550 for pass tubes.
600 volts at 200ma. I'd always tried to talk him out of it to no avail.
I also have a Lambda LA-100-03BM. Switchable up to 35 volts at 10 amps. An 80–90-pound tank...
It was really a case of paying too much attention to the images I took to reference for rebuilding, and not enough attention to the schematic.
I wouldn't be surprised if these are the original tubes that came with the unit.
That is cool.. It would be hard to build a tube amp power supply as good as HP or Lambda... Great stuff.
My second hobby is restoring test equipment.
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That is really cool. I need a few of those!! I have some HP Power Supplies awaiting restoration but I don't think they are as flexible. I've also had my eye on some Lambda Supplies.
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20 hours ago, captainbeefheart said:
I know all too well many amplifiers on the market aren't designed great either.
I never said anything about his amps being noisy with hum, my point was he clones a lot of WE91A circuits and from experience if you just copy the schematic you will have stability issues with the positive feedback. Those amps aren't easy for a novice to build optimally.
That and many errors in his wording like him saying "input sensitivity is 300mA" instead of 300mV. Little things like that tells me a lot. 300mA across even an input impedance of 50k is 15,000 volts. I highly doubt the amplifier requires 15000v to be driven to full power 😂
There isn't much required for good sound. I have had many borderline stable amps with high distortion and other gross discrepancies still sound good enough to use. But by no means does it imply they are great amplifiers. For that we would need some specs and measurements of his builds which he doesn't provide.
I'm not telling people to not purchase his amps, I'm only putting things into perspective. He is a clone builder with no knowledge of electronics, he sadly focuses on brand name parts instead of the circuits themselves which is a bad sign in my book. Some of his other builds are much more forgiving circuits which won't have the troubles of say a WE91A but from someone with a ton of experience with electronics I'm here to tell you those amps are not for the faint of heart to clone if you want optimal results. Does his amps function? Yes of course but I'm certain that most of his WE91A clones are going to be unstable and ring like a bell.
I'm only saying I won't go to a dentist that his day job is an electrician and just because he has a pair of pliers and has successfully pulled teeth before doesn't make him an actual dentist.
Not all his clones are going to be as troublesome of a build, it was just an example and I'm certain a broken clock is right twice a day so yea I'm sure some of his amps he has produced sounds fine. But again I personally would want someone that knows what they are doing. A backyard mechanic might be able to slap some brake pads on your Toyota but do you want him putting a timing chain on a near 500hp S58 engine inside your lovely M3? I doubt it.
It might just be me, but if I'm going to spend thousands of dollars on an amplifier I'm going to want something designed by someone competent. I have given multiple examples of why just cloning a circuit many times isn't enough to achieve optimal performance no matter how many expensive boutique parts you throw at it. Any amplifier with a decent amount of feedback will need to have compensation networks worked out, it's something you cannot copy from a schematic unless you build the exact same amplifier with the same exact chassis, layout, and parts. I don't expect the average person to know this stuff which is why I'm taking my time to explain it to anyone willing to read it.
This isn't art, it's not a painting that is subjective. Amplifiers are technical devices bound by the laws of physics. Yes anyone can make an amplifier that produces sound but is it optimal? That takes someone with knowledge and experience, sheer will won't get you there no matter how hard you pray to your gods. If I'm going to fork over thousands of dollars for a piece of technical equipment I'm not going to trust someone doing it by the seat of their pants that mixes up mA with mV, I want someone that knows what they are doing. That's all.
Yeah he is a clone builder 1000% and a bloody good one. Not really gonna argue.
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11 hours ago, captainbeefheart said:
I suppose if you stick to cloning a known simple no feedback circuit he will do fine but he admits he has zero electrical engineering background and his portfolio is all clones of circuits.
This worries me in a few ways, firstly if the amplifier has feedback you can't just copy the compensation networks and expect fantastic results unless you copy the EXACT layout/chassis and EXACT same parts and transformers used. For example anytime I clone a Mullard 5-20 type circuit I have ended up with very different lead/lag compensation network values. Output transformers will have the biggest impact on this and the layout will also change parasitic properties.
If you have a simple, zero feedback design that you want him to clone I'm sure he'll do fine, as he states in his website that pretty much anybody can clone circuits and build tube amplifiers that have already been designed from an engineer.
Just a note of caution. Personally I wouldn't want a food biologist fixing my car or making me an amplifier as it's not their area of expertise, it's just a hobby to him.
I also looked through his portfolio and gut shot images of soldering and layout and he doesn't seem to follow any guidelines. For example he has a large coupling capacitor where he extended the leads of the cap to reach where he needed to go. On any build I have looked at I can see many bad decisions made which are all rookie mistakes. That's fine if you are building yourself an amplifier but if you are shipping amps across the country you should at the very least take some time to study MIL Spec soldering requirements for different component types to learn how to build a rugged piece of equipment. For what he is doing (cloning) that will improve his amps significantly. It would also help if he did take some electrical engineering courses to not just clone but improve upon older designs and make certain the amp is as good as can be.
I don't see any specs or measurements. I guess just another fly by the seat of his pants clone builder selling amps that know nothing about electronics. Sorry it just irks me. Any hack that jumps into something head first with zero background knowledge just doesn't sit well with me. I suppose many of the builds he is making are very simple zero feedback old designs.
I've actually heard two of Min's amps on horns. They were free from hum and sounded fantastic. The look is advanced DIY. I've heard his SET amps not push pull a 45 and 300b. If you look at the shear number of amps he has built and his feedback that says a lot. The list on his website is not all he as done. He has been building for many years. I would trust him over much of the stuff out there. He is a good and honest builder. A direct coupled SET amplifier is not rocket science. If I can do it as a first amp build someone with 100's of builds under their belt will not find it problematic.
If I had to list all the cottage industry audio companies not run by audio engineers you would be shocked... Well likely you would not be but a few of them are actually good.
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6 minutes ago, captainbeefheart said:
Each unit is two LND150 depletion mode FET's with their gate, drain, and source pins tied to grid, plate, and cathode pins. There isn't a "dummy" load for the filaments which is good and bad. Good that it saves energy and bad in that with less current draw on the heater winding voltage will increase possibly stressing the other tubes in the circuit.
It will have a completely different distortion profile compared to a true 6SN7 so I don't see the allure either.
Those whacky engineers. If they can do something do they ask themselves if they should do something.
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Why?
The 6SN7 is one of the greatest and most linear tubes. I don't see the alure to this...
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Min of Tube Audio Labs does great work and does custom orders. He builds budget or elaborate. I like his style.
https://www.tubeaudiolab.com/portfolio
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2 minutes ago, MicroMara said:
I had a hearing t done last week and at my age of 60 I still achieved 97% . So it can't be my hearing that still hears frequencies up to 16 KHz.
That is pretty good. I can not english what sounds good. For me music listening is a feeling. Which I can't express very well. This is likely why I can't stand reviews.
I had a ruby klipsch cart but I dropped it and then I cried lol..... I don't know of anyone that has even seen a diamond.
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6 hours ago, MicroMara said:
Bor cantilever´s advantage vs alu shall be a better resolution above 10 KHz, however I had enough Bor cantilever´s like Nagaoka MP 500 , I´ll never heard a better resolution in the hights to the vintage Nagaoka OS 300 MP with alu cantilever
How strange. Thanks...
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They are rebranded Zennn carts also labeled Levinson. Good stuff. I have boron and aluminum cantilever and for some reason prefer aluminum.... Maybe something wrong with my borons.
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That is funny even if you managed it good luck with the real magic......
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I have a couple I have been using. Good carts.
There is a Klipsch Step Up out there MCT-200..
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5 hours ago, henry4841 said:
How much does Front Panel Express charge for their services Seti?
I'm working on a piece for the museum. For a 12x17 large front panel with lots of features $125. Then another 14x17 with a ton of holes and engraving with infill around $145.
The size you have would be much less and once you have a parts list it is easier.
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4 hours ago, henry4841 said:
I found this seller on Ebay and it is very tempting for me to consider using one of these if I build another tube amplifier. In the description it says 'Services available chassis drilling, polishing and other wood types for additional charge.' Save a lot of work building an amplifier than the way I am doing it. But I kinda enjoy working with wood and making holes with my drill press. For the last few years my woodworking shop has not had seen much use.
I hear ya.. My wife threatened me with my life if she got one more piece of metal in her foot 8-)
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2 hours ago, henry4841 said:
Nothing glamorous about making holes in metal but has to be done. Will not be long before starting build inside the house now.
I've become a fan of Front Panel Express. The software is great.
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12 hours ago, ssh said:
One of my ex-wife's bridesmaids went into the porn business. I still have a LaserDisc of her performing on a disc that is stuck in the player.
SSH
I lack the emoticon for a proper response.
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25 minutes ago, MMurg said:
I was into them when they were the best home video format available. I had a good-sized collection. I still have working players in two systems, though they don't get much of any use. I still have, at best guess, a few dozen LaserDiscs that I can't part with for sentimental reasons. 🙂 I even have the Klipsch 101 LaserDisc and the companion training booklet. I keep the jacket on display.
That is cool...
A friend gave me what was left of their record collection. In the mix were these laserdisc. I'd like to get them to someone into Laserdiscs. Not sure of ther condition.
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Anyone here actually into Laserdiscs??? The big LP sized shiny video CD......
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On 9/4/2022 at 4:01 PM, JohnA said:
Mr. Paul compared the frequency response of the La Scala to a "well known theater speaker" in a paper published on the "new" La Scala. I have always suspected it was the A7 and it falls well short.
I always heard that the A7 was PWK's goal performance wise in a small form factor. Mission accomplished. I've spent time with the A7 and some of the bigger ones and they are fun I like them. Personally I'd take the cash 8-)
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On 9/2/2022 at 5:01 AM, Guy Landau said:
Great score!
Here are mine
Wow you have a pair of Lowther TP1's????? Amazing...
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Hmm I know EMIA does custom work. They do amazing direct coupled amps.
I love my DC 45/2a3 amp. It isn't monoblock though.
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I think you can use whatever you want from a 45 SET to some crazy push pull tube amp. I've used tons of tube amps. It is hard to go wrong...
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9 hours ago, Travis In Austin said:
He passed away about 5 years ago. They have all been sitting around in that building since his death (this could be for a number of reasons).
The one's with the plaques with Golden Jubilee are the real deal, commissioned by Valerie Klipsch. You need a pair of K403 horns to complete what was commissioned. Michael Klementovich had a crazy ad on Audiogon where he was selling everything he had to finance a motorcycle trip somewhere (South America????). I don't think WC got the original mid-horns they came with, and I'm not sure about what the networks were.
@seti I believe knows more of that story.
At the time I didn't know he was a dealer. I measured the physical deminsions of the k403 for him. This didn't include the transition in the horn mouth. I think he bought Michael Klementovich's pair of goldens and built others. I got the K403 pair indirectly from Michael. It is my prized Klipsch horns. I wouldn't part with them so I believe he was going to stick with the Martinelli horns? The networks from Michael were not the ones from the Golden Jubilee's. He claims PWK gave him the secret sauce for instance moving the crossover point to to 750hz, using silver wire, and bunch of BS. I found it very difficuly to communicate with Klementovich. I am thankful to him because if he hadn't parted with the k403 I wouldn't have them. Buyer beware on the Goldens. Does anyone know how much they are? Would be cool to reunite them with the k403.
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Now to grab some up at a good price lol...
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Pictures of your Tube Amplifiers
in Talkin' Tubes
Posted
Just got this old Bogen going. It has 6DW5 output tubes and dc filaments. Interesting.