mike stehr Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 If the time for tubes has come and gone, that won't hurt my feelings too much I suppose. I've noticed the prices for anything related to vacuum tubes/amplification has gone up. I just like building the stuff as a hobby. I've collected enough stuff/junk over the years to be able to keep myself busy with projects, at a minimal cost...mostly buying passive parts like resistors and capacitors. The class D amplification products are things I would like to buy and check out, but I have a rather limited income. I have enough iron/tubes lying about to keep myself in things to do. I just can't see the point in buying some Chinese chip amp for cheap, when I can just invest in passive parts and build maybe a better sounding tube amp. With that all pointed out, I just wished I live closer to arrto. I would love to listen to that NAD C390DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnysal Posted February 8, 2015 Share Posted February 8, 2015 I listen to a lot of rock at high volumes. I had auditioned a SET 2A3 in my room and felt it perhaps lacked a bit of punch at high volumes so I had a 2A3 PP amp made and have been happy ever since. I dont have measurements of its output but it must be close to twice a SET so lets say 5 watts. I have never felt the need for something more powerful in my system. My room is not enormous so if you listen loud and in a big room you may want more power than a 45, 2A3 or even a PP2A3. good luck and let us know how it turns out. T PS I own and have auditioned tube and SS amps up to 200 watts in my same system and room and to date have yet to feel the need for more power than my PP2A3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captmobley Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I've gone from S/S to P/P to 300b to 2A3 to 45 tubed Welborne StarChiefs. I've tried Decware and George Wright amps with my Klipschorns but the 45 tube SET sound is something special. I do use P/P Wright EL 34 monoblocks with my La Scalas (my rock and roll rig) for the extra punch.The extra power comes in handy for rock and rock, but for jazz and female vocals, the 45 is the bomb! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 I've gone from S/S to P/P to 300b to 2A3 to 45 tubed Welborne StarChiefs. I've tried Decware and George Wright amps with my Klipschorns but the 45 tube SET sound is something special. I do use P/P Wright EL 34 monoblocks with my La Scalas (my rock and roll rig) for the extra punch.The extra power comes in handy for rock and rock, but for jazz and female vocals, the 45 is the bomb! Pretty much exactly the route I have gone. Except that I went from S/S to Tube Hybrid to P/P to 300B to 2A3 to 45 DRD45 and now have the Welborne Starchiefs and now Bi-amping the Starchiefs with Class 'D' digital amps on the Bass Bins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Kevin - would you explain the basic circuit design of the Star Chief compared to that of the DRD 45? I'm very familiar with the direct reactance drive circuit; what is different about the Star Chief monoblocks in terms of input/driver and output stages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cut-Throat Posted February 10, 2015 Share Posted February 10, 2015 Kevin - would you explain the basic circuit design of the Star Chief compared to that of the DRD 45? I'm very familiar with the direct reactance drive circuit; what is different about the Star Chief monoblocks in terms of input/driver and output stages? Well, I certainly can't answer your question, but I do have the schematics that may be able to. I have other stuff such as Parts Layout,lists, Power up stuff, Just ask Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkane Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 2A3 SET. Quite satisfied. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 A timely topic I've been following as I am considering having a 45 amp built for my KHorns. My current SE is either KT66 or KT88 depending on rectifier, 6-8 watts for the former 10-12 the later. Speakers are 21 feet apart, I sit either 14 or 19 feet back with another 12 feet to the back wall. (what a sonic difference that 5 feet further back makes!) Either tube is plenty loud with impressive bass. Even the 66's will easily load the room. I do understand the sweetness of the 45 but must admit am a bit shy of 2 watts. Then again I think circuit design and quality transformers can make a real difference in soundstage, bass control and tone. And here I have little doubt amp construction will be the least of my concerns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikolas Topaloglou Posted February 11, 2015 Author Share Posted February 11, 2015 KT120 is a nice tube as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Thanks The Star Chief is also a DRD circuit with regulated B+ supply. I remember Jack Eliano's description of it with the first DRD 300B circuit he published in VTV magazine -- where each section shakes hands with the other. Very much the case with this as well. The DRDs, including the 2a3 version I built from scratch lots of years ago, are the most hum-free and quiet AC heated SET amps I have ever heard. Really, really good sounding amplifiers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Mkane - what a great looking room that is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkane Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Thanks. If I had it my way there would be a few most set of speakers in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I love my 45 DRDs as well - a friend of mine borrowed them for a while and he almost talked me into selling them to him - that was before I re-discovered my horns - now? - no chance. There is something about this amp which simply makes it sound "right" - you listen to them and think "yes, no need to change anything" - something not easy to achieve. Wolfram 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikolas Topaloglou Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 What preamplifier are you using with the 45 DRDs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 With my SET amps I use a Transcendent Sound GG. Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 (edited) I'm glad you're still enjoying those Wolfram. I really liked your DRDs when they were here. BTW: what midrange horns are you now using with the Klipschorns? I remember you had been doing quite a bit of experimentation with them. Edited February 13, 2015 by erik2A3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Erik, they are great amps. The mid horn is an interesting "beast" - actually for the time being I have gone back to the K-400 - coupled with a pair of Altec 808-8B drivers. Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Kevin mentioned Decware above: a couple of years ago my amazing wife bought me a Decware Mini Torii for Christmas. It's a fascinating little amplifier, and one might (ignorantly and unfortunately) dismiss the single-ended use of a 6V6 as rather mundane. This little amp makes a very clear case for the potentially very high sound quality of such a common valve in the right circuit -- and that output transformers do NOT need to be the size of welding machines to achieve very respectable low end response. It is the amplifier I'm using right now with our La Scalas, sans preamplifier (which I like to avoid when possible). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 -- and that output transformers do NOT need to be the size of welding machines to achieve very respectable low end response. Erik, how can you say that (see picture below) ? Just joking, of course. I've been getting amazing results with the little Hammond 125CSEs which can achieve very potent output all the way down to 25 Hz. Best regards--- Maynard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik2A3 Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Maynard - indeed! I also have a couple of amps with transformers and chokes that could do double duty as boat anchors! I had once mentioned some of the benefits of the antique (but fairly recently revisited) output technique known as 'parallel feed' (which many know more commonly as para-feed). What is different about parafeed is that the OPT handles audio, only, and where the output stage B+ supply is delivered by way of a separate and large plate choke. As such, the output transformer is considerably smaller than the more conventional output transformers with which most are familiar. Some members commented that such an amp would be incapable of any appreciable low end response because of the much smaller (and visually less impressive) size of the output transformer. Such a mindset is unfortunate, because parallel-feed (also known as shunt-feed) can sound stunningly good and can have absolutely superb bass response. I have also known those who (to no fault of there own -- they just didn't know better) thought that power (as in wattage) had a direct correlation with the size of output stage tubes (or tube): the larger the tube, the more powerful it would be. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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