VacuumTube1954 Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Hello, I would like to know if there are any Baldwin 6V6 amp owners and would like to receive opinions of these amps. I am thinking of purchasing a pair of Baldwin mono amps with 6V6 tubes. I have seen that Will also does these amps with 6L6 output tubes in them. Any and all comments welcome. BTW this is my first post here. Hello to everyone. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 I had one of Will's 6L6 Baldwin two channel amps and it was killer bang for the buck deal. The guy does really good work and the Baldwin platform is a classic. That amp probably had the best bass dynamics of anything I've heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USNRET Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Welcome, where in GA? I'm in Dallas/Hiram. I have been checking out the Baldwin selection as well. http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstube&1246570002&/Baldwin-super-amp- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryO Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Will Vincent is TOPS. PERIOD! Good people, classic sound. Harry 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 His Dynaco rebuilds are regular works of art. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I'm using one of Will's 6L6 Baldwins with a pair of two-way monitors I built a few months ago. I've also used the same amp with our Klipschorns, Heresies, and rear-loaded Lowther horns. The results have in all cases been very satisfactory considering the cost of admission (actually, despite the cost of admission). He also makes what he calls a 'Super Baldwin,' which among some other changes also includes larger output iron. I've heard that version as well, and also own a slightly modified version of his Dynaco ST 70. I'm using Hovland coupling capacitors in the Dyna, although they sounded just a little too bright, perhaps, in the Baldwin. I found a much more suitable capacitor sold by a company called Solen. Will would install whatever a customer wants. I own and use several higher power push-pull (including the 6v6 mentioned above) and single-ended amplifiers, and the battleship-like Baldwin is great fun and good listening. Regards, Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 More than anything else, Will Vincent is a gentleman. He also happens to do some of the finest audio electronics and chassis work I have ever seen. Erik 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheltie dave Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Erik, you must have learned at the master's knee. Your SET amps have been running for the past eight months on the 1963 KHorns in the basement kitchen, and they can cook! Congrats on finishing the school year.[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VacuumTube1954 Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 Evening Eric, Thank you for your comments. I have not yet talked to Will. I tried a couple of times today but was not able. I look foward to getting with him. I have noticed his amps at Audiogon and did see the "Super" Baldwin and man does it look great. I was wanting to try something different so that is why I am interested in the 6V6G tube. I have swapped e-mails with a couple of owners that own his stereo 6L6 and have good things to say about the amp and also with Will. I have owned McIntosh most of my life and I think it is time for a change. If you would could you elaborate more on the 6V6 I would appreciate it. Also if you could post a photo or two or direct me to some other than the Audiogon ones. Thanks my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seti Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Funkyhambone loaned me his for a couple of weeks. I thought they were excellent especially for the money. The rebuild he does is top notch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 Morning, Vacuum Tube 1954: A little on the tired side last night, it would have been more accurate to have mentioned that my 6V6 amps were not redone by Will. Years ago I had purchased and overhauled a single mono 6V6 integrated amplifier to use with a vintage Eico FM tuner (also monophonic). I liked the sound so much I looked around for a bit and found another matching amp for stereo use. I'd be glad to post a picture or two of them later, but I must say that I find the sound of the stereo Baldwin a little more robust (just bigger, more palpable, maybe). Sheltie Dave: I've wondered about those amps often, and am genuinely glad they are still doing well. Those things were amazingly good with the Klipschorns, and honestly had greater clarity and seemingly more power than our Moondogs. I had made some changes to Lessard's already very good though more classical shunt feed output (aka parallel feed), and I would say that the sound of the amp was improved by the Jensen capacitors that were installed. Oddly though, I fairly recently installed a pair of the very same capacitors in the 6BQ5 headphone amp I built, and the sound was so strident and bright it was uncomfortable. A slight increase in coupling cap value and change of brand (again 630 volt Solens) were an improvement. The Jensens in the parafeed amp were really nice, though. The 5687 driver is a very significant part of the sound of that amp -- in my opinion. I have some ideas for tube pre using that same tube. Just have exams left at school, and then it's done. Thanks for the thought on that! Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 My usual hiccup post: Will's other work sometimes takes him away from home for a few days, but he is always very good about communication. Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VacuumTube1954 Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 Good morning Eric and everyone, Raining and 67 here in Ga.. Thanks Eric and others for all the input. I will call Will again today and look foward to talking to him. It has been a long time since I have had a pair of mono amps in the house and I believe either the 6V6 or 6L6 amps will do the trick. The mono system you had Eric sounds interesting and there seems to be a growth in interest in mono systems such as mono turntables with the mono cartridges.I just have to respect these electronics guys who are part of the "underground" scene and that are performing audio wonders for us and not charging fortunes to boot. I understand that Will is working on an amp using 807's. That might be interesting. I know that Don Allen in Arizona builds them. If you guys have other comments and opinions please keep them coming. I appreciate your help and am glad I joined this site. Thanks again Eric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted May 23, 2009 Share Posted May 23, 2009 I'll post some pictures of the current Baldwin setup later. I've only had the amp for a couple of weeks, and was very happy to be able to get another one. I have a couple of other amplifiers that have been extraordinarily good matches with Klipsch (and non-klipsch) speakers. One of those was a Transcendent Sound T-16 I recently completely rebuilt for a friend. In terms of hearing differences between amps, there are so many variables involved, but the Transcendent OTLs have always been examples where differences were more obvious. They are also incredibly well-designed amplifiers, and simply do not need exotic/extremely expensive passive parts to sound good. expensive passives can't improve a circuit design that is already inherently compromised. Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VacuumTube1954 Posted May 23, 2009 Author Share Posted May 23, 2009 I got a chance to talk to Will a little while ago. It was a real pleasure and he is a true gentleman. We discussed different options and such. I will look foward to your photos when you get the chance to post them Eric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cody_Mack Posted May 24, 2009 Share Posted May 24, 2009 More than anything else, Will Vincent is a gentleman. He also happens to do some of the finest audio electronics and chassis work I have ever seen. Erik Hi Erik. Haven't noticed you on in a while and have been wondering about you. How ya been? Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 Hi, Rick -- I'm doing well. I've been occupied with some of my own projects, as well as staying extremely busy with school. We'll be finished in a week, so things will quiet down a bit. I hope all is well with you. Here is a picture of the Baldwin I got from Will a couple of weeks ago. I've used it with great result on our Heresies, Klipschorns, and Lowthers, although the power has been most useful with the two-way monitors shown. I had started this project with a pair of ceramic enclosures I had built for some other drivers, but accidentally dropped one. Unfortunately, fired clay breaks easily, and I haven't been able to find this particular size in Houston. In any event, these new cabinets are from Parts Express. I made the front baffles out of solid oak, and routed the driver holes to counter sink the frames. The first crossover consisted of a published circuit for the Seas woofer, and I was really unsatisfied with the performance. It was a higher order design, with impedance equalization and filter to tame a small peak; and the overall result to me was a sound that was closed in and dull. Part of that had to do with the padding of the tweeter, which I ended up removing altogether. My wife is happy with the smaller, more-decor friendly size, but the system was greatly improved by the 10" sealed subwoofer (also Parts Express). Single-ended triode amps for these monitors were a total mismatch, though the Baldwin and Dynaco 70 work very comfortably. Erik Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 A closer image of the amplifier: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Mandaville Posted May 25, 2009 Share Posted May 25, 2009 System from the front: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VacuumTube1954 Posted May 25, 2009 Author Share Posted May 25, 2009 Good morning Eric, Beautiful just beautiful ! Thanks so much for the photos and taking the time. Makes we want them more and more. I see you are running the SED 6L6GCs in them. Great tubes ! I run a quad in a Mc-240 amp with very good results. What 12AX7s are you running ? I had a very good conversation with Will on Saturday. He wants me to call him in about a week and we'll talk some more about my project. You are right about him. A great conversationalist and gentleman. I do want something that is built like a tank. Turn it on and forget about it. Many, many thanks Eric. Hope your Memorial Day goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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