mobile homeless Posted February 7, 2002 Share Posted February 7, 2002 Ok, I have a lot of mess to get done today so I cant wallow in this hell-hole every 10 minutes, thereby causing me to get ZERO done, besides anguish.... See The ELLA EL-34 kit! http://www.diyhifisupply.com/ But HERE is a GREAT little kit for someone that is JUST getting into tube circuits that wants to try their hand with ye olde soldering iron. From what is told to me, it is really well done with some solid transformers and a good circuit. Shipping will be a bit much, but if starting out at a palty $399 without tubes are $479 with, how can you go wrong??? They also have a GREAT 300B SET kit that many are raving over... This 300b amp, The Billie, is the bargain right now in SET kits. But for now, take a look at this EL-34 push-pull option that can also run KT-88 or 6550. I hope to be having one in-house for some pics soon (along with The Billie). IT even has a volume pot for running a source without a preamp. The unit can also be upgraded with better cap /wire options as well as a more transparent stepped attenuator. Take a look! Phono Linn LP-12 Vahalla / Linn Basic Plus / Sumiko Blue Point CD Player Rega Planet Preamp Cary Audio SLP-70 w/Phono Modified Amplifier Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks Cable DIYCable Superlative / Twisted Cross Connect Speaker 1977 Klipsch Cornwall I w/Alnico & Type B Crossover system one online / alternate components / Asylum Listing f>s> This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 02-07-2002 at 10:24 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbflash Posted February 7, 2002 Share Posted February 7, 2002 Mobile, Thanks for the info. danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted February 7, 2002 Share Posted February 7, 2002 Wish I knew how to read a schematic - it would be fun to do something like this. Looks like a lot of amp for the money - probably sounds sweet. Don't know what to think about those Lowthers. Seems like there would be gobs of IM distortion. ------------------ deanG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted February 7, 2002 Author Share Posted February 7, 2002 mdeneen is right here. You really dont HAVE to know how to read a schematic to do a kit of this nature. In fact, you could even order the Moondog kit and complete the entire thing by the instruction booklet alone, with not a spec of schematic knowledge! OF course, it sure helps come test time and also when something in the instructions is confusing..but still, plenty of people have trudged through it right alongside the learning curve (it also helps to practice on a kit that is $ instead of $$$$). And you learn a ton doing it as well. The best thing to do is to get a good soldering iron and practice your soldering on something old, like your wife's clock radio...heh. It really is not that hard. Here is a nifty little link on tips to soldering: http://home.att.net/%7Ejoemacjr/diyproject/soldering.html It has a funky little movie to follow and is quite clever. There're some other sites online for this as well. I'll round a few up. kh ps- In addition, you can get on the Asylum forums an the guys will give you a hand with any problems. This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 02-07-2002 at 04:07 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted February 7, 2002 Share Posted February 7, 2002 I will sleep on it. I have just enough money left to do this. I will need to find an old clock radio first I don't know about going to the inmates for help - they love to crucify people. This message has been edited by deang on 02-07-2002 at 04:29 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 7, 2002 Share Posted February 7, 2002 One way to get away from being crucified on AA. ARCHIVES! I know how you feel with the audio geek trolls that have nothing better to do than lurk all the time and slam the poor layman, and suck corn from the AE's. Well, some of the AA Forums are this way, there are other AA Forum's with good freindly helpful folks. But a few keywords in Archives can get lots of answers without the humiliation factor. It's what I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 7, 2002 Share Posted February 7, 2002 Yeah. 'Cable' and 'Tweaks' are the one's I'm talking about. AA is a great site, if you can sort the junk from the sense. There is good folks in the other Forums, and the other two as well. I just realized this is a integrated stereo amplifier. It would seem pretty simple for myself to assemble an amp like that. If the boards were already stuffed, that would almost take some of the fun out of it.(To me, anyway.) How is this thing rectified? Solid State? I'm guessing it's using a 6DJ8 or equivelent for input tubes, with the KT-88, or 6550, or KT-100's for output tubes. Now this is the EL-34 equivelent or higher? The case seems like decent thickness sheetmetal. (I know, that's kinda moot.) With the upgrades, your into it about $600 before shipping. Power cord is not included, a few bucks there. I could nickel and dime for those fancy parts, later. I don't have $400,$500 to throw around at the current time, but in a few months I may be really considering this option. Even Ole Thunderboy likes the Billie. THANX! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speed3 Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 Thanks for the info Mobile. I must say that you are extremely helpful in this forum. I've gone from thinking tubes are a waste of time, effort and money to lusting after one. Unfortunately, I must save my money to (finally) upgrade to 5.1 channel. Hopefully within the year I'll be looking into the Ella. I've been lurking around here following your advice and checking out the EICO amps etc., but aesthetically they just don't do it for me (I wanna see the GLOW). Jolida amps are nice but I'm not ready to drop $750 on tubes just yet. The Ella seems to compare quite favorably in specs with the Jolida for about $300 less and doesn't look too difficult to assemble. I really like the Cherry panels also. Well, something else to drool over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clipped and Shorn Posted February 8, 2002 Share Posted February 8, 2002 Monoblock 300B Kit - The Billie Does look intriguing. Looking forward to mobile's review of it when he has access to one in the flesh. -tinned and slobbered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aab3rd Posted February 9, 2002 Share Posted February 9, 2002 Thanks Mobile, I have been considering getting a tube amp for 2-ch audio and this is what I have been lookng for, i.e. one with open tubes for appearance, and a volume control. I really do not need an integrated amp since the only source will be a CD player (which I have not decided on yet). Two questions: 1) What upgrades, if any, do you recomend with this kit? 2) would this be a better route than a used Jolida 102 or ASL offering in the same price range (or any other offering such a the Bottlehead 2a3 with their inexpensive pre). The room is 19 X 19 (yuck) and I plan on using some bookshelf speakers such as RB5s or some less expensive PSB or Axiom Audio speakers which both have a decent sensativity rating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 9, 2002 Share Posted February 9, 2002 Yeah Mobile, I'm curious to these questions as well. Have you found any other information, like white pages or any other Tech info on this amp? I searched the AA boards, didn't come up with anything regarding the Ella. I found the Consonance web site for Bejing, I didn't really dig to much to see if there was Tech info, it didn't look like there was any. I would like to know what brand transformers, and what material is used in them, and how it is Rectified, The parts can be upgraded, I know that. I know you probably have not listened to one, to roll tubes. But what good quality NOS tubes, do you think would fit well with this amp design? I know your busy, and I'll keep digging. THANX! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 9, 2002 Share Posted February 9, 2002 C'mon man, I know your lurkin' out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted February 9, 2002 Author Share Posted February 9, 2002 I dont know that much about the Ella but will have one in my apartment soon. Kevin Haskins is going to carry these kits and offer some upgrade packages. I plan on doing a whole site for these kits in the next month or so. Kevin is building the Billie right now and says the transformers and parts are about as good a deal as he has seen. The Ella comes next. Then they are coming down here for a photo shoot and a test drive. The ASL didnt quite pan out for various reasons that I wont go into here. But Kevin says these kits have been just what he is looking for. Same here as I hope to listen to this 300B amp and perhaps get one myself. I will be getting most of the info on these shortly and will report the findings here. Of course, I am more interested in the 300B amp and mentioned the Ella as a good option that cant be beat for the price. And as I said, Kevin is building them right now and seems VERY impressed, not quite sure how they can offer this type of kit for the money. He has been looking for tube amps to carry that he can endorse for five months now. On top of that, I think DIYCable will become a major tube dealer coming up with Svetlana and TJ being part of the package. I hope to be adding all this stuff to that site in the next 30 days. I will get the info on the ELLA as soon as I can. From what it looks to me, you CANT LOSE with this deal. Of course, Thorsten RAVED about the Billie at Enjoy the Music.com awhile back...nothing but positives. They ended up carrying the wire upgrade he added as part of an upgrade package. I am going to ask Kevin what seems to work the best...and eventually, I'll be able to sample these for myself. Some of the tubes they offer at DIYHIFI look VERY nice! With good pricing too! DIYCable, unfortunately, wont be carrying any NOS, just new tubes. kh Phono Linn LP-12 Vahalla / Linn Basic Plus / Sumiko Blue Point CD Player Rega Planet Preamp Cary Audio SLP-70 w/Phono Modified Amplifier Welborne Labs 2A3 Moondog Monoblocks Cable DIYCable Superlative / Twisted Cross Connect Speaker 1977 Klipsch Cornwall I w/Alnico & Type B Crossover system one online / alternate components / Asylum Listing f>s> This message has been edited by mobile homeless on 02-09-2002 at 07:36 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted February 10, 2002 Share Posted February 10, 2002 Thank you for the Reply, Mobile. So you think shipping through Kevin will be cheaper? By the time I can roust up cash, He'll probably have the Kit. Then one of them entry level Music Hall TT's. This sounds Fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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