henry4841

The Russia equivalent 6H8C/6N8S should be considered as replacements for the 6SN7. Still a bargain even at todays prices for NOS tubes and I have found them to sound excellent.

The Burning Amp Festival for 2021 happened over the weekend. It was a virtual event via Zoom featuring some very talented people. Nelson Pass' session is online now on youtube. A few new projects one being a very small Amp Camp requiring no case or expensive PS section the biggest cost of a Class A amplifier. I know there are many on this forum that have an Amp Camp amplifier and are very pleased with it. Check the video out.

I would have thought someone here would have posted before now since I know there are many here using FW amps. I have built clones of most all of them except the 3 you mentioned being no one has or can obtain any of the SIT transistors Nelson has made to clone one of them but I have built the PP V-Fet and just finished the SE V-Fet this month. V-fet's are static induction transistors, SIT and designed by Nelson so the sound should be similar. With some research you will find most claim the SIT1 and SIT2 sound much like a SE 300b amplifier. The F7 is one of the more popular FW amplifier he has designed and is still selling well. Of the FW clones I have built the M2 will probably be my favorite one but I do have one called the BA-1 which I like most of all. It is a diy one so not retail. The BA-2 diy amplifier I think is real close if not the Passlabs XA-30.8. The FW clones I did not particularly like are the F5 and F6. Very revealing amplifiers better suited for conventional speakers IMHO but then there are many here that like them with our horns. Other brands of Class A amplifiers should be very similar sounding as well. PP (push pull) or SE (single ended) in class A is something to consider as well. Maybe owners of FW amplifiers will post their opinions now.

Class D has come a long way the last since it was first made public. I have a number of them and I consider the TPA3255 the best I own. Quick with the best bass I have ever heard in an amplifier. I like using them, I have two of them one using the original Texas Instruments board and the other one of the Chinese clones, for a change but one of my SET amplifiers is what I used most of the time. By the way I cannot tell any difference in the sound between the Chinese clone and the original TI board.

For purist tone controls are a no no. For one thing they throw more electronics manipulating the sound introducing their sound signature into the mix. But if one likes what they hear using such I will not throw stones. The point is if one can get everything right without having tone controls the sound is supposedly better. With the right equipment this is possible. I have not used controls in years. I consider less is best. I mainly use an input buffer linestage (some call it a preamplifier) for volume control and the amplifier. I understand the sound is manipulated before the sound inters the linestage via DAC, phono pre, etc but where the rubber meets the road is a more contributing factor.

What one hears is subjective and for this reason there is no one amplifier for all. Horns are very revealing and this being a horn forum there are some amplifiers that are very revealing will not sound good on some of the medium offered for sale being they are recorded for the average Joe riding in his car listening to music. Very few, there are some here, have the luxury of comparing 2 or 3 high end amplifiers in their home at the same time. Most do research on quality amplifiers put down their hard earned money and make themselves like what they have bought. Been there done that. There are subtle differences in every amplifier I have heard. I honestly do not know how many amplifiers I have at the present time. Take for instance Firstwatt owned by Nelson Pass. There is not a bad one in his lineup but having built most all of them as clones there are a couple that I do not like with my setup. My latest build is the SE (single ended) V-fet (static induction transistor that have curves like triode tubes) one that only a few were able to get in a lottery that was held this year. I can assume it sounds much like the Firstwatt SIT amplifiers that are so popular. How does it sound? Like a good SET tube amplifier. For me and many others tubes rule when it comes to sound. Push Pull tube amplifiers sound much more like a SS amplifier. Ones choice in music also dictates which amplifier one will enjoy more. Rock and modern pop music lovers will probably be better off with one of the better class D offerings as well as a good class A/B amplifer. They will be quicker with better bass. I have a number of them I enjoy listening with for a change. I swap out amplifiers on a steady basis.

Remotes have spoiled us. Personally I need to get off my a** more is the way I look at it.

I have a couple of the cheap Chinese amplifiers I bought as kits a few years back when you could get them really cheap. I was surprised at the quality of iron offered at such a small cost. Both of them sound really good considering the cost. Also I have heard nothing but good reports on the Boyuu amplifiers. Big price increase because of inflation running rampant this year but still what I consider a bargain for the sound one can get using our speakers. Should be good for any speaker for most folks using 90db or better ones. Horns are perfect for low powered tube amplifiers.

This year it is going to be a Zoom event. Cost is $10. I enjoy watching this event every year. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burning-amp-festival-21-tickets-177589012517

All I really know, being 72 years old on a fixed budget, is when I buy gas it is 40 to 50 percent more then it was last year this time. Same thing while shopping at Wall-Mart for necessary food. Name calling has no place on this forum.

I thought the Benchmark was an A/B amplifier. The old class D amplifiers were thin sounding to me until I built and heard the TPA3255 boards in an amplifier. Ice boards are acceptable and from what I read the Hypex are outstanding sounding.

Works well for me and like Shu I watch youtube almost as much as youtube tv.

This is an interesting amp from Nelson Pass. The first to use a switching power supply for voltage with a input transformer and a large electrolytic capacitor on the output, sound goes through. Throwback to the old receivers and amplifiers of yesterday. Info with schematic can be found here for those that are interested in these kind of things. https://firstwatt.com/pdf/art_diy_sony_vfet_pt1.pdf The end result is a SE tube sound with better numbers. Output is 10 watts so is perfect for our speakers.

Finally built the SE V-fet I won on the lottery. Health problems prevented me from building it sooner. Went together smoothly without any problems on start up. Need some hours on it before I can call it a successful build though. Not expecting any problems but one can never tell. Very short listening period and first impressions are positive. Sound very much like a really good SE tube amplifier of which I have a number of.

I've have found that capacitors do sound different despite what was said in my previous post. My thoughts are some roll off the highs more then others just as Bob Crites said when he was alive. I have tried many different caps in my AA's and prefer the sound of motor run caps in my horn speakers along with some Russian NOS PIO caps that were plentiful a few years back on Ebay. Horns tend to be too bright for many including myself and the two I use sound best to my ears in my setup. There are other electronic means to tame too bright sounding speakers but are beyond the means of most that frequent this forum. It is doubtful that any film cap in old crossovers have actually went bad or increased enough with ESR to make any difference in the original sound. There are many technicians restoring old electronic gear that do not replace even the old electrolytic caps unless the ESR is extremely high let alone film caps. Lots of misinformation about caps circulating on social media forums but if someone replaces the caps in old crossovers and are happy with the result I am all for them. Then there are many that have replaced the caps and complain about the sound being way too bright for their taste after doing so. Naturally if an old can cap is leaking it needs to be replaced but other then that if one is happy with the sound the old saying of "if it ain't broke why try and fix it.

Capacitors are a taboo subject of late on this forum since Klipsch now has an authorized dealer selling caps. At least that was what I was told a few months back when one of my post on capacitors was deleted. If one wants to put an old AA crossover back to where PWK designed it one should just use what is in it now, a motor run capacitor. Not motor start but motor run. At least that is what many are saying on this post. Keeping the sound original as designed. Personally being a technician I see this kind of talk as misinformation. A word commonly thrown around nowadays. A cap lets AC signals pass and blocks DC and if any cap does that it should sound the same. Technical talk about what dielectric material used to separate the plates that make a capacitor work will probably be deleted again but in reality what difference should it make the material used to keep the plates separated if it does it job? One person praises what he hears using so and so capacitor does not mean you will hear the same thing. The reason Klipsch probably went back to a cheaper capacitor of late is because they can save money knowing there really is no difference from a polyester cap over the more modern more expensive polypropylene one sound wise. At least that is my opinion no matter what so and so expert at Klipsch has to say. One does not design a crossover for a specific capacitor type period no matter what you hear or think. Technicians designing any electronic device depends more on the specification sheet of any component then any other thing and the truth is most capacitors measure much the same or at least plenty good enough for their intended use. What difference does it make what type of capacitor is used as long as it sounds good. In short use any film cap from a reputable manufacture you choose unless you believe as one past member that the color of wire tie sounds better over another and can hear the difference. The majority talk of capacitors is just BS for those that have nothing better to do than post on social media sites.

The M2 has a very tube like sound that many enjoy. It is a favorite of Zen Mod on the diyaudio forum. Totally different sound then the Hypex so it is not surprising you prefer the Hypex over the M2. Many on this forum should prefer the amp over the Hypex. Good luck with sale.

I have the F3 and it is a fine sounding amplifier using a small power J-fet (LU1014). Never heard an F8 but it uses a larger SemiSouth R100 power J-fets which has become the best selling Firstwatt amplifier. The SIT amplifiers use a different type of transistor which Nelson had built of which only he has or rather had. He had one production run done by SemiSouth before they went out of business. SIT's are fast. The reason they were built was for military purposes, radar etc. Generally not available for the general public.

Indeed, great components used. Should sound excellent Joe.

If you make changes to your speakers and they sound better in your room to you who cares what others think. Before internet and social forums one would not have such conversations we now have about not being Klipsch. There really is no such thing as a Klipsch sound. Horns sound like horns no matter the manufacturer. Klipsch speakers are designed as one size fits all rooms which is never the case. Once you buy a speaker it is yours to do with as you please so I just say ignore what is said on social media forums from those that have never heard your system or speakers. This is really a silly discussion for those that have nothing better to do. Enjoy what you have or rather what you have done to make your speaker sound better to your ears and ignore the critics. Enjoy music.

Easy, just remove horns and wash with soap and water. Naturally remove drivers first. Best way and foolproof. Great purchase by the way.

Was die hard class A only one time myself but have since been convinced all classes can sound outstanding when the design works. You should try one of the TPA3255 boards one can buy on ebay and build a linear supply for it. I can almost guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised. I have two of them with linear supplies. One an original Texas Instrument board and one from China bought on Ebay. Both sound extremely good and equal. Best bass of all my amps with great vocals and soundstage.

I've never known Claude J to be anything other then a gentleman that is willing to help anyone that ask. Perhaps you two just took postings wrong. Your postings are very entertaining and helpful as well. Always glad to have another diy'er on the forum. As far as amplifiers, I am not as critical of them as I once was. I can enjoy all the different classes.

I can agree with a lot you have said but then there are companies the price themselves out of business. Klipsch main product is of course the speakers and products that are not the heritage line but I would hate to see the plant in Arkansas close in the future because they priced themselves out of the market. Time will tell.