ToolShedAmps

I asked for 274b, 350b, 437a and 417a............... pipe dream, most of them. My guess is that they will try to fill the "guitar" amp tube vacuum. 12_ _7's and a power tube of some sort, unfortunately, probably not the 350b. Anything would be welcome.

Good God…. You are missing the point. This is musical. I’ve tried everything from gyrator, J-Fet CCS, tube CCS, inductor, you name it to load my voltage amplifier stage/s…. this sounds BETTER to my ears. And they are in fact, what my customers rely upon. Please don’t turn this thread into some sort of inane engineering pissing match. I have no idea what you think you need to prove to anyone. Armchair braggadocio and looking down ones own snoot at the effort of others is seldom attractive. It’s my amplifier I will build it as I see fit. My customers truly enjoy the music that it makes. 107…. and counting. And really, that’s all that matters.

Here are a few examples of what my products look like "under the hood"...... Hmm....... can't shrink them down far enough to get three of them on here. Instead, I'll post a link to the gallery on the website for these pics. https://www.toolshedamps.com/inprocessconstruction The wiring methodology is my own, it does not emulate anyone's style. I'll be adding construction pics as time allows to this gallery. And, yes, nothing is as it is accidentally. All of these choices have been deliberate. Everything has been carefully selected based on the tonal colors it adds to the finished piece. These selections cannot be quantified by math alone........... after all, a 220R/1/2W resistor is a 220R/1/2W resistor isn't it? Whether it's carbon film, metal film, carbon comp, thin-film, or tantalum doesn't matter........... or does it? Even if they measure the same? Hmm............? This then is a rhetorical question, of course they all sound different, despite measuring the same. The human ear doesn't lie, and it is IN FACT the most important development tool we have. Because once we've crossed our "T's" and dotted our "I's", they are the tool that can mean the difference between a good amplifier, and something truly magical. Cheers! Matt.

As for this.......... I somewhat agree, you can find and read, and disseminate as much information as you can get your hands on, develop a more-than-passable working knowledge of advanced mathematics, crawl down the rabbit-hole of endless forum "suggestions" until you become part of your computer chair, then order up $20K worth of resistors, caps, power transformers, chokes, output transformers, signal tubes, power tubes, rectifier tubes, vr tubes, solder, switches, tube sockets, wire, etc........... and solder together all of the circuits you've read about and see how they sound................. so about 5,000hrs and two marriages later you can be somewhat satisfied? Maybe if it were a hobby. Certainly not the suggested methodology if you've got four kids to feed. I feel eternally blessed to have the help I've been given...... and express it every chance I get. The "help" is usually in the form of not wasting precious time chasing a topology that's been tried by others and is ultimately not good enough. This kind of direction is most welcome. Bad habits..................... Hmm.... well, everyone knows that audio designers have the capacity to grow like any other human being. Changing one's perspective is part of the human condition. I welcome change................ as long as it sounds better. My recommendation for those wanting to DIY, is to find a topology that several people have used, build from a valid schematic, then rub on it till it shines. You'll learn much in the endeavor. I absolutely believe in empirical evidence to support what I'm hearing. Word of advice: buy the best iron you can afford. There is a difference. Good Luck! Matt.

Noted, and adjusted....... FWIW, you'll notice that Silbatone doesn't list ANY specifications for the amplifiers on their website....., and believe me when I tell you that JC and Joe know what they are doing. Suffice to say that the amplifier sounds glorious, even at full power, banging out Highway Star at an absolutely absurd volume level, only fit for a teenager! Cheers! Matt.

Have you measured the new W.E.300b at 1W ? It's an eye opener for sure, possibly due to the new proprietary filament coating. None of the other 300b's are even close, although among the "other" high-end brands (EML, KR, Takatsuki), the Elrog ER300b (possibly due to the Thoriated-Tungsten filament) is closest, full disclosure, we have no EAT 300b to evaluate. Also, the Transcendence Amplifier uses a higher-than-typical primary on the output transformers, this helps to keep distortion lower at higher power as well. The amplifier was designed for musicality, not power. If a 3K primary OT was used at this operating point, the power would be in excess of 11W. This said, it really is a "dance" that numbers alone cannot quantify. Matt.

Yes, 0.93% @ 1W w/1KHz sine-wave. No "global" NFB. However, still less than 5% THD at full power. And, yes, carefully selected operating points are key. The C3g driver stage is even slightly more linear, w/distortion slightly lower. However, distortion isn't everything, the design goal was musicality, everything else seems to fall into place within that context given sound engineering practices, a little luck, and mentors such as Gordon, Herb, JC, Joe Roberts... and countless unnamed contributors to MJ Audio magazine over the years. IMHO, it really is about that 1st watt (or 700mW if you've got K-horns or LaScala's)....... or really anything above 93db efficient. Although headroom is nice. 99% of my customers, family, friends, etc. critically listen with peaks at maybe 88db. Maybe we are all just getting old, who knows. FWIW, the final amplifier design didn't happen in a vacuum, Gordon and I designed the Iron-Coupled DHT Line-Preamplifier to compliment the amplifier w/approximately 5db of total gain, the 01a and 71a's operate right in their own "sweet-spot" allowing the entire volume control to be used, and just enough gain to drive the amplifier to full output with the "industry-standard" 2v input. A phono gain amplifier is in the works for this calendar year. This piece will complete the "Trifecta" for customers (and myself) that just want to stop buying gear and just "enjoy the music". Again, the design goal is ultimate musicality, not just vanishingly-low distortion figures. Gordon has, separately, finished his penultimate DAC, the Pelham, which also uses the 71a DHT in it's gain stage for customers digitally inclined. Lastly, final voicing is being done to the "50" version of the Transcendence amplifier. It uses a choke-loaded driver stage with the EXCELLENT Silk Audio grid choke on the 50. Jury is still out on the input transformer......... it may or may not use it. Cheers all. Matt.

Howdy all, tipped to this thread by a Klipsch customer in Des Moines................. Been busy. A new review dropped either late Saturday or early Sunday over at Part-time Audiophile............ here is the link in case you have interest in reading. https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2022/01/28/toolshed-amps-transcendence-300b-amplifier-review/ Although the reviewer used a single, wide-band speaker, you all know I'm more of a Klipsch/Altec guy. Different strokes for different folks. It's all good. No hard feelings with Klipsch management about the Cary thing either........... Billy is a great guy and Cary has some decent product. Business is business. Cheers! Matt.

Hmm..... If I had to guess, Cary Audio is tired of seeing my P.W.K. Edition, Euphoria Stereo 2a3/45 in the Klipsch Heritage ads......., including the pic on page 158 of this year's Music Direct catalog of the new AK6.

Thanks Mike!

This just in........... and final voicing with the Klipsch Reference HP-3's.... https://twitteringmachines.com/review-toolshed-amps-darling-head-amp/ Cheers! Matt.

Jeff........ my customers listen with their ear-holes, not their eye-holes, and you know what they say about the other-holes, like cowboy hats, everyone has one. For the life of me I can't figure out how to find enough room in my amp chassis for that 8 AWG wire, or the 18 Million Watt-capable coupling caps. But come to think of it, I suppose I could VASTLY improve this build if I wrap the whole amp in silver and claim bandwidth is DC to Light. Matt.

Oops! Almost forgot the "gut-shot"........ And, YES, those are massive, Magnequest output transformers.

Ahh............... ya, I might know a thing or three about 2-Stage, Zero-Feedback, PTP-Wired, 2a3 Output, Single-Ended, DHT Amplifiers.......... Matt.

Mr. Medwin, would you be so kind to enlighten us with a few pics and verbiage of YOUR amplifiers to which you speak?

Now if I could buy output transformers wound with 8 AWG, I'd be in business!

I might as well chime-in, although the Forte III is a mighty fine speaker (slightly smoother through the mid-range than the Cornwall III, IMHO) they require careful setup to get the passive radiator to work properly..... you CANNOT push them up against a wall. Additionally, they simply cannot compete with the Cornwall if you consider a "life-sized" rendering of instruments on the sound-stage important. They play "bigger", there's something about a 15" woofer that a 12" (even with passive radiator) just can't quite match. As for the Chorus (either I or II's, I have owned both) despite their sensitivity, they are a far more difficult load to drive with tubes than the Cornwall. And of course with the same placement requirements as the Forte' (I, II, or III's). That said, if the poster purchases either, he'll be grinning from ear to ear. Matt.

Go with the Cornwall III's, I absolutely LOVE mine and they pair incredibly well with valves.

Hmm....... much has been written by men without ears......

In most cases, the difference you hear will be due to a change in the operating point/s of the amplifier/pre-amplifier with a rectifier change as the amount of voltage dropped by different rectifier types varies.

Yep, the GZ37's are going for over $100 each now, luckily decent 5U4g's are still to be had for half that. You might want to try the JJ 2a3/40's when budget allows, they are very well made and sound very nice. Matt.

Agreed! His build-quality is second to none, I've got a couple pair to get started.... Check this out, solid brass channel frames! Absolutely massive! I'm so excited and feel honored to be given the opportunity to use his transformers in my Euphoria 2a3/45 amplifier.

Wow! NICE, GZ37's! Give my friend George a call @ www.tubesusa.com/ELtubes.html for a pair of EML Mesh-2a3's

Check this out.... no tube sockets sandwiched between transformers.... also, new development, now available with Magnequest output transformers.....

Thanks Steve, let me know what you think. Merry Christmas.