Transcendent Sound DIY tube amps?

[erik2A3]

Hi, Craig

I'm doing good, thanks -- I hope you are too.

I think you're really right about the preference issue. The OTLs really aren't for everyone, but as you suggested, neither is anything else. The higher power T16 (still flea watt by many standards) has been tons better suited to the La Scalas in a larger listening space. They are the Industrial, fiberglass-covered, clad in aluminum armor variety, and are pretty cool-looking (to me) in an otherwise pretty tame-looking interior. They came with the infamous AL network (which I at times in the past liked in some cases and not others -- mostly didn't care for) that sound pretty decent with my vintage 100 watt/channel SS Hafler. With SET 2A3s and the the Transcendent SEOTL, that AL network sounded honestly really horrible. What's nice about these La Scalas is that they are very easy to bi-amp, and I've got the networks outside so I can try a couple of different things out.

So, I cobbled together an instant type A with what I had on hand: please don't tell anyone that for right now I have an 10uf NP electrolytic paralleled with a 3uf film for the input to the autoformer. Even with the NP electrolytic, the sounded opened up in a huge way with these little SET amps. I've made the decision to go ahead and splurge on some really fancy caps -- SOLENS! (wink) in the near future. I'm building a T16 right now and want to get that out of the way first.

Erik

[NOSValves]

WErik,

Glad to see your still having fun! If you want to try a cap that is very Solen like for less bucks give these a whirl for your crossovers. It even has a cool name LOL!! Hey and they're Red so they have to be good. tubesandmore.com has them MKP Audiophiler
http://www.tubesandmore.com/scripts/foxweb.dll/catalog@d:/dfs/elevclients/cemirror/ELEVATOR.FXP?PAGE=SUBCAT&SEARCH_TREE01=CAPACITORS&SEARCH_TREE02=10_MUSICAPS' target="bottom">

[erik2A3]

Craig:

I have seen those caps at AES. They are neat looking, too. Price is good. I've been considering Multicap, which I've looked at for years and always liked in terms of design philosophy, lower resulting ESR values, stuff like that. This was for coupling in amps, but might be interesting for crossover use.....just kind pricey right now. I've got some Auricaps in 1uf, though, and could parallel those. I tried .1 Auricaps in my 300B amps, and took them out after a couple of days. Just didn't like it.....too strident, and to me kind of course sounding. Maybe after they had broken in, but I just still haven't wrapped my head around caps and wire breaking in. Just slow on the uptake on that I guess. Really good construction on those things, just not right in terms of tonal quality to me.

Actually, I've been using some really well-made (IMO) Russian PIO types for a few years that I really, really like, and got a bunch for lots less than the usual, more common sources. That's what I replaced the Audience caps with. Not saying they're bad, just a matter of finding the flavor and voice I was looking for in a pair of 300B monoblocks I did last year.

Thanks for the reminder about those MKP caps at tubesandmore, I had forgotten about them.

Erik

[NOSValves]

The russian K40 PIO or the K42 film and foil caps will out perform the Auricap pretty easy IMHO. But you need to warm up to that cap break in theory a bit especially with a cap like an Auricap. It's a metalized cap and known to be the worst cap on earth for the first 100 hours of so. I don't use them simply because they are way over priced for a metalized cap even though they are one of the better metalized made. If you pay that kind of money you're much better served with a true film and foil. Why pay for the really good marketing of Auricaps when your getting a cap built in the cheapest method oas caps go even though its one of the highest quality of that less expensive method. I don't believe in the wire break in thing at all...it just makes no sense but with self healing metalized caps I can at least find some reason to warrant the change.

[erik2A3]

I know the Audience caps are metalized, and I was not comfortable with the cost/performance aspect. I've used far less expensive metalized types of more humble lineage that sounded good from the very start and stayed that way. These amps have just a single cap in series with the grid of the 300B, so it would be nothing (other than mildly boring) to snip the things out and experiment. Just spent too much time on that sort of thing in the past, and what's in there now sounds good.

[NOSValves]

Erik,

I don't believe I suggested you change your caps... I was just chatting about caps.

[erik2A3]

Craig:

I was just explaining that I knew they were metalized when I got 'em. I know you weren't telling me to change anything, just explaining your take on things, and that you know I know enough in terms of messing around with salt and pepper and spice effects of seasoning with different cap types, and that I'll use what I want despite the prevailing audiophile reputations of whatever cap, resistor, OPT, or hook-up wire type that might be under consideration. I'm stubborn like that, and in most cases it will be the less expensive part that gets the tap. That said, I won't reveal what I spent last year on OPTs for those 300b amps. I can't help but admit that they are really, really good though.

Fifteen to twenty years ago, capacitor crazy was in high gear with me, as was the ludicrous number of DIY interconnect and speaker cable experiments. I loved the cables I once made from the power cords I found on a couple of discarded garbage disposals! ;o. Then there was the Romex, twisted pair shielded coax, thermostat, ethernet, low voltage sprinkler (actually very good and cheap!!) etc., etc., etc.

All is good. Stay cool; it's sweltering-humid down here like it is in so many places. And thanks again for the reminder about those caps from AES. Seems every time I order from that place, I submit the order and then six hours later remember two other things I needed even more than what I had ordered the first time. Lousy planning!

Erik