sprocket

Hey Cut Throat Grear deal on your Moondogs. My M-dogs came with both KR and Sovtek 2a3 pairs. The rca input was moved to the top plate to shorten the distance to the 6sn7 input (I think Leok has a similar configuration). The hole vacated by the original location of the rca input was fitted with the voltage switch for alternating between the Sovtek and KR tubes. I recall that switch bypasses R13 on the power supply cap. Leok, Erik or Jazz can confirm this. Kelly kindly posted 2 picktures of my moon-puppies where the wiring bypass can be seen under her skirt (search Leok's "Moondogs are up"). Jazman's amps look like the switch is accessed after the bottom plate is removed. BTW I think things were more interesting when Kelly was around.

Hello Erik I hear many folks stating their suspicions about "component break-in". I'll offer this observation (not my own). Of all internal components, the capacitors may be the most sensitive to any break-in process. Some report the thermal cycling of serveral hours on followed by several hours of off time will properly break-in the capacitors. This corresponds with mosts people's listening behavior amyway. RB

Hey Rob I live in the New Haven area and my Moondogs would love to visit your new Khorns. I've wanted to listen to such a combination for a long time. Tell me what ya think about getting to together for a listen.... Drop me an e-mail.

Hey Tom Glad to see you try the Bottlehead products. They realy pack a lot of value for so few bucks. Likewise they are a great learning experience. I can see you've installed the sweet whispers volume pot upgrade into one channel. This is an interesting way to evaluate and learn. I see the stock caps still installed. You'll want to try upgrading these after you are realy acquainted with the sound of the stock caps (another great learning experience). As you know the Bottlehead forum and website are full of interisting and inexpensive upgrades. Trying them one at a time you can enjoy an ever changing and improving music system. You'll be adding educational and music enjoyment for a long time (futher increasing the already high bang for the buck). BTW gerat wood work. RB

Tom, My stock Paramours hum slightly also. However the amount of hum changes with different tubes. Driving my Cornwalls they make very good bass. Enough to please most. The hum is just noticeable from my chair with the music on pause. I've been told tracking down hum starts with checking for bad solder joints. After that getting familiar with the search function on the Bottlehead Forum. Also very important to check the "Loose Parts" section esp Voltsecond's notes. I've heard other Paramours that were silent after his filament snubber mod. Good luck RB

I may have mentioned how I value the audio meetings that I often attend in my area! The meetings originate as a place to show and audition Bottlehead products but many people bring homegrown DIY projects as well. It's a great place to listen to your equipment with someone's amp, preamp or speakers. I for instance listened to my Moondogs with some huge Pi speakers and some borrowed NOS tubes and with a Foreplay and SACD upstream. The Bottlehead forum is littered with invitations in many states. Access the forum at www.bottlehead.com of www.audioasylum.com . Here are some pictures of a meeting in Texas http://www.wardsweb.org/LSB/02_01_03/02_01_03.html And here some pictures of the last mtg I went to in Connecticut http://a2.cpimg.com/image/70/DA/16029552-ba42-02000180-.jpg RB

When I moved to a preamp without tone controls the sound quality improved. I then discovered the importance of fine tuneing speaker position. Gone were the days of Lazyboy remote control splender. Replaced now with the drudgery of speaker toe-in, toe-out, tilt-up, distance from the back wall, distance from the side wall, reflective walls, defusing materal, absorbing material.... Sound quality is up. Body weight is down.

Dale I've heard 2 sets of Straight 8's at audio meetings in my area. Although many like them very much, I prefer horns with tube equipment. Maybe try some Pi speaker kits. You can find their web site on www.audioasylum.com . I use Klipsch Cornwall with my tube equip. They do it for me. RB

Erik Great post regarding the Bottlehead Foreplay. I've heard about half a dozen differently configured Forplay preamps from completely stock to well tweked. They all perform surprisingly well. There are meetings here in New England and throughout the country (check the Bottlehead Fourm) for tube amp fans where kit builders and builders from scratch show their creations. When I have attended, I have found enthusiastic and helpful folks and lots of cool gear. Dale, the Forplay kit is a medium skill level kit and could be assembled in a day. Many upgrades are also available from www.bottlehead.com directly and also from the members of the Bottlehead forum. Best of all their probucts are inexpensive and yet give a full measure of the tube/SET experience. RB

Leok Congrats on the Moondogs. I'm eager to hear more from you as they mature. I too will need to hunt for a tube preamp to be an appropiate comrade for my amps. Presently the Wright unit (no pun) mentioned occasionally on this forum looks good. I like its small foot-print. Does anyone here use this pre? If so what are all those knobs on the front for? Also does anyone have pictures of the inside? It seens so small that I imagine it to be cramped inside. RB

KH I started with the Decware as my first tube amp. That little amp made me try my first Klipsch speaker. Later I found some Cornwalls and ran the Select straight from my cd player. The Corns and that little Decware amp make very nice music. I then ordered the Bottlehead Foreplay, but never made the time to build it. I followed the Bottlehead forum and found a local club that was holding meetings that showed off what they could make, mosly Bottlehead fans. The Bottlehead fourm is another very good reasom to try a Bottlehead product. I picked up the Paramoures off ebay. I had just received the Mours when Moondogs (Audiogon) went up for sale a short drive away. I had to try them. I blame you for that purchase (I guess credit you is more correct). I reasoned I could always put the Paramours back on ebay but I still stop into those mostly Bottlehead audio meetings. Another meeting is coming up later this month (I took the M-dogs to the last one I attended, it was very well received). I may someday sell the Paramours for a better preamp. I just think that Doc Bottlehead make such a good amp for such little a small entry fee it should be mentioned more when people are asking how to start with SET . RB

R.L.T. I have a single Decware Select. I read someplace they make 1.8 watts (rms measurment). They sound very good indeed. Very sweet with good but polite bass output to boot. However they pale in contrast with my Welborne Moon doogs which have greater dynamics and real bass output and cost more. I switch back and forth powing my Cornwalls . I feel the real bang for the buck king are my Bottlehead Paramours monos. The'er only 549.00 (kit) for 2a3 power. The Decware may inpress the boys at the retail stereo shop but the Bottleheads will make them cry. RB.

Two years ago I stoped in at this same place, Recycled in Boulder. The salesman (who was not the owner of the store) was extremely abrasive. Furthermore, he seemed to be negitive about anything that was not McIntosh.. He got me so worked-up that it prevented me from making a purchase... I kicked myself later. If he is trying to talk ya out of buying, then try using that to your advantage. REGRET is a sad thing. RB

Thanks KH I can see you're helping to narrow down the long list of preamps that use tubes, thanks much...I do like those Carys and the AES. It may seem like a little back-tracking if I ask an opinion on the new Welborne offering, http://www.welbornelabs.com/ultra.htm . It seems unusual with it's battery power and a tube I've not seen before. It is very new and I'm sure few have listened to it as of yet. Anyway care to offer your views?? RB

Mobile when you begin with the word "Lordy" I know I'm in deep trouble. Every change I've made to my system in the past has brought a big smile to my face. Somtimes even a "WOW". When I replaced the Adcom pre with the Acurus I said "wow". The first time i tried some decent cables also. I was expecting a similar experience here with the moon-puppies. I do indead have Sovetek 6sn7gt tubes. Also Sovtek 5ar4 and 2a3. The seller told me to try some tube rolling. He reported that this was a must, if the amp was going to truly light-up sound wise. Care to List some recommendations and sources?? I think you're saying this should be the first step. Right?

It takes a lot of roumds of "Counter Strike" to wareout my 15 year old son. Meanwhile I patiently wait for a turn on the computer. Can anyone relate?? So here's the moondog update: I've got good news and bad news. The amps seem to perform their expected magic. They are silent when they should be and deliver dynamics by the truck load when asked. They are smooth and silky through the upper end and as airy in the mids as my system can allow. I enjoyed all the familiar Jazz (lion-share of my collection), some Clasical stuff that sees regular duty in my home and some new things as well. The older rock showed up for the party also. It wasn't easy to pull away. So what the rub you ask?? My system is perhaps dimished by these amps. That may not be the correct wording as it implies I'm not happy. I'm infact DAM HAPPY. However it now is becoming clear that the rest of the components are for the first time found to be lacking. Maybe I had large expectation also. My sad cd player (sony ES 5 disc) is allready ageing and asked to feed amps that are ageless. The preamp (Acurus RL11), which has always served me well is solid state. Although it still seems to be invisible it may not mate well with tubes. The 84 Cornwalls, well I can't complain there. Before these amps I was using Bottlehead Paramours. I still have em if interested. An outstanding falue for the dollar. Perhaps they too were not performing at their best due to the rest of the system, however I had less expectations. After all they don't have silver wire, fancy resistors or battery bias. So what to do from here... Update the cd player? Update the tubes (presently all Sovtek)? Plan for a new preamp? Fire away with those sugestions. This message has been edited by sprocket on 09-01-2002 at 05:18 PM

So what if this is a dumb question.. I'll ask anyway. What is the big deal with an not yet built Eico? Is not a factory wired Eico just as good a find. Besides the better condition cosmetically speaking it will end up just an other face in the crowd after it is assembled, right?? What part of the equation am I missing?

Hello all I've picked up the moondog amps that I purched on Audiogon last week. Oh Boy! I was told these amps were heavy, however untill you lift them "heavy" is only a word. They look nice but the clear coat finish on the walnut was poorly applied and it detracts from the overall. Repairing this is a low priority. It will require a small disassembly. The task at hand is to listen. I will report on that later. Inside the wiring is very well done. I'll try to borrow a digital camera and post some photos. I'll have to ask how that's done exactly. The only issue I have is that the reported "Audio Note" capacitors are "Jensen Copper Foil" instead. When I found out about this I called the seller and we talked about why this was so. He reported his good friend was the one who built the amps (4 months ago) and at that time he believed his friend said that Audio Note caps were installed. He thinks he, the builder got them from Ron Welborne but he, the seller never looked inside. The seller seems very accomindating and stated he would get the caps as advertised if I felt it was required. He felt they were not very expensive and I didn't request that he do so. Did I do the right thing?? Are the Jensens about the same? Advise please. I just returned from a out of state trip and the seller knows I have not had time to think it through or listen to the amps. There may still be an opportunity to change my mind and get the Audio Note caps. Thanks in advance for your help.

Thank you all for the encouragement.. The moonpuppies will not be in my posession till next week. Can't wait. I'm going to pick them up by car. No shipping. They're not local but close enought for pick up. I went through the batery ariticles. WOW! I'll need to read through that jumble a bunch more, but big thanks for taking the time to list it out, Kelly. Another question abut the voltage switch for the KR's. Is the resistor, switch and wiring in the signal path. It seened that you were implying it was. Thanks again Reg

Thanks for response. Jazman; my source is an embarrassement to all source components...Sony es 5 disc. I can hear the hissing. I had a Njoe Tjoed Tube output cd player for a time (borrowed from a friend) that made such a difference. Source improvement is mandatory I know, so is college tuition (2 kids in college presently, 4 kids in all). Your getting the picture. I need some recovery $$ and time. Vinyl is not in play. Why did I buy an other amp when I so badly needed a new cd player? Somtimes Mr. I Want speaks louder than Mr. I need. You asked about how the moondogs were tubed. All Sovtek as equiped stock from Welborne, also a pair of KR 2a3's on the side. Do I understand correctly that the kr's require added juice and that's why the additional voltage selection switch was installed by the owner. I think that's how he explained it. Jazman, Kelly or anyone, can I get you to elaborate on the battery bias setup. Thanks Reg.

Hello to all I closed the deal last night on the moondogs. For some time now I've followed this forum and listened to all the helpful and articulate advise shared. I never get around to contributing much (I've more to learn than I have to share). I've followed your helpful advise to others, Kelly. I've been looking in as Jazzman took ownership of his Dogs and Mike jumped on the HF-81. Mike L, Craig, Edster, Mdneen, NOS, Colin all added to my education. for that I'm thankful and broke. I dumped my B&W solid state stuff and started the tube adventure with a Decware amp and Klipsch 8.5's about a year ago. The 8.5's were not sensitive enough and although the Zen was sweet, I soon wanted a little more. I found some great Cornwalls and that made all the difference. Suddenly I was listening to more music each day. You know the music one allways liked but now I was including other types of music I never tried before. Colin was using Bottlehead Paramours. I followed and finally achieved monoblock power. I bid on a Hf-81 but my bid didn't have the horsepower to win, just as well. What I longed for were M-Dogs. I thought I should say thanks and let all know that another pair of klipsch speakers is now being tickled by yet another SET amp. I've made myself late for work so I better hit the road...None will remove this smile from my face today. Reg.

dkbks An added note K-horns for sale in the Hartford area today on E-bay... go have a listen.

Big welcome neighbor. My corns are alternatly powered by solid state and tubes..No HT for me thanks..You will find info and advise generously shared here. The enthusiasm for these old speakers is truly captivating. I don' post very often, but I look in almost each day.

If it helps my 84 Corns have B-3's, K-77m (plastic), K-55k (plastic), K33e... crossovers, drivers and horns..

Texts>Textf>* CONNECTICUT DUDES * Textf>Texts>Now there are three... My two channel Cornwalls are at your service, located in Orange. Lets get together soon.