Dr Morbius Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Those are indeed beautiful, and that atomic logo looks straight out of the 1950's! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthews Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 One quick question for ya...the sub on the right is that a old SW-12...looks like it... Close, "MKP" - it is an SW-8 II. Little 2.1 system for my TV and morning radio programs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Tool Shed Audio, Not sure if Matthew got a chance to relay the comments I made to him via private messaging but since I have been posting around here again recently I figured I would chime in. I have to say the amplifier and preamplifier you built for Mathew are just gorgeous! Awesome work...I'd love to bend your ear on the process for the engraving your doing to your flat work wonderful stuff! I'd also commend you on how you handled that moron that kept doing is best to tear down your good work! Keep those bottle burning! Craig 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolShedAmps Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Tool Shed Audio, Not sure if Matthew got a chance to relay the comments I made to him via private messaging but since I have been posting around here again recently I figured I would chime in. I have to say the amplifier and preamplifier you built for Mathew are just gorgeous! Awesome work...I'd love to bend your ear on the process for the engraving your doing to your flat work wonderful stuff! I'd also commend you on how you handled that moron that kept doing is best to tear down your good work! Keep those bottle burning! Craig Hi Craig, Thank you for the kind words. Matthews did pass along your flattering comments. Obviously there are many paths to "sonic bliss" as evidenced by the P-P Mono's you build as well as the work Maynard has offered here on the forum. You know as well as I that it is easy to provide commentary (criticism) behind the relative safety of a keyboard. It is far more difficult to please a paying customer. So, nuff' said about ticks and leeches. I'm a "glass half-full" kind of guy. Regarding "bending my ear", shoot me an email: toolshedamps@gmail.com I'd be happy to give you a little insight into how I do what I do (etching). Cheers! TS Matt. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richieb Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 TSMatt/Craig Seeing the faceplate photos several times on the Forum Matt just confirmed what I thought, the plates are acid etched. It's a reverse negative film process requiring film plates and acid baths. My company had a small division that did acid etching for supplying cutting tools for paper. Nearly all the labels you see in the market and particularly those with complex shapes are cut with thin die plates that were acid etched from the original CAD drawings. That's a particularly good idea Matt in order to achieve the unique complicated 3D relief shapes you were looking for. Are you using stainless? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToolShedAmps Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 TSMatt/Craig Seeing the faceplate photos several times on the Forum Matt just confirmed what I thought, the plates are acid etched. It's a reverse negative film process requiring film plates and acid baths. My company had a small division that did acid etching for supplying cutting tools for paper. Nearly all the labels you see in the market and particularly those with complex shapes are cut with thin die plates that were acid etched from the original CAD drawings. That's a particularly good idea Matt in order to achieve the unique complicated 3D relief shapes you were looking for. Are you using stainless? Hi richieb, No, I'm not using stainless steel (although I do use stainless hardware; bolts, screws, washers, keps nuts, etc.). I use only non-ferrous metals for my flat work. Either Brass (Hard), Copper (CA110), or 6061 Aluminum, as in addition to being an aesthetic design element, they provide a much better ground-plane for my circuits. Not to mention that they are far easier to mill myself using standard drill-presses with cobalt cutters. I do all of this work myself and would rather be "self-reliant/self-actualized" and not rely upon a third party or CNC milling. Additionally, I do 90% of the artwork for the "negative" resist myself as well, and, as most of my work is actually commissioned rather than "production", I am able to work with the customer to provide a product that aesthetically is just as much an expression of the individual as it is functional. TS Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Tool Shed Audio, Not sure if Matthew got a chance to relay the comments I made to him via private messaging but since I have been posting around here again recently I figured I would chime in. I have to say the amplifier and preamplifier you built for Mathew are just gorgeous! Awesome work...I'd love to bend your ear on the process for the engraving your doing to your flat work wonderful stuff! I'd also commend you on how you handled that moron that kept doing is best to tear down your good work! Keep those bottle burning! Craig Hi Craig, Thank you for the kind words. Matthews did pass along your flattering comments. Obviously there are many paths to "sonic bliss" as evidenced by the P-P Mono's you build as well as the work Maynard has offered here on the forum. You know as well as I that it is easy to provide commentary (criticism) behind the relative safety of a keyboard. It is far more difficult to please a paying customer. So, nuff' said about ticks and leeches. I'm a "glass half-full" kind of guy. Regarding "bending my ear", shoot me an email: toolshedamps@gmail.com I'd be happy to give you a little insight into how I do what I do (etching). Cheers! TS Matt. Awesome response you are top notch in my book and I'm proud to call you a comrade and competitor! For the love of the glowing tubes! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cincymat Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Matt, The components you bought from TSMATT look incredible. Now that you've had some time to listen through your refurbished La Scalas, is there anything you would change or do differently? I'm getting the funds together to do much the same as you have and appreciate your thoughts. Rock On, Mark 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthews Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Awesome news, Mark (aka cincymat)! I will write some more this evening after work. I guarantee you will not be disappointed Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JiminSTL Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 No technical comments, but the photo of your setup . . . fantastic! Happy for you, Matt. You will have many thousands of hours of "Audio Nirvana". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthews Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 until my upcoming, further review, some more "eye candy" Matt of Tool Shed's craftsmanship is remarkable! And yes, they sound even better than they look... Matt ♪ ♫ ♪ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthews Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 Matt, The components you bought from TSMATT look incredible. Now that you've had some time to listen through your refurbished La Scalas, is there anything you would change or do differently? I'm getting the funds together to do much the same as you have and appreciate your thoughts. Rock On, Mark Mark, during a short listening session this evening I was thinking of a way to put into words, what I am hearing. A bit of a difficult task when everything sounds so wonderful. It brought me to thinking about how it sounds compared to my old SS rig. Tool Shed amps definitely have that "trademark" tube sound. They provoke emotion and bring detail not found in my past gear. To put it quite simply and in easily understood terms, in my opinion, the SS gear I was so fond of suddenly became sterile. The tubes brought life to my music like I have never heard before. With the new tube gear I have found myself putting aside much more time to enjoy my tunes again. I used to just turn the stereo on and never really felt involved, just listening. My new amps have changed that. I now find myself bathed in a beautiful sound like never before. My sessions are now more frequent, longer and emotional. I do believe I have stumbled upon something great! There were a few things I did have to change with the new amplifiers. First off, a dedicated circuit had to be ran. I was getting noise or interference from other sources. That has been eliminated with the new, isolated circuit. Another thing to note is how the newest additions changed the way I listen. I used to listen loud and that had become a basis for my critiques. With the tubes, that tendency has become absent. Don't get me wrong, I still rock the house and shake the walls. But now, that sterility has been replaced with warmth and detail. I never used to enjoy my music unless it was loud. With the TSA tube amps, listening is nothing short of bliss, at any volume level. To go further about change. I like changing things. It adds variety to life. The next stage of change will be to ask TSMatt to build me two more amplifiers. 2 mono-blocks to match "The Twins" Just a few thoughts of my new ride... Matt ♪ ♫ ♪ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) I have to say I have heard some of the best SET amplifiers produced and they do indeed sound great....but I always wish they had more.... but my room is large and I listen to just about every gender of music known to man. To me SET amps have never been able to do it all even higher powered types. My next project will be to develop a PP triode zero or a little local feedback 10 watter... probably a pair a 2A3's Edited February 12, 2016 by NOSValves 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 When I picked mine up from Matt he played some music on a CD, which I would have sworn was vinyl. His amps change the sound of the source? I thought an amp should merely amplify, not add or subtract from the signal. She When I picked mine up from Matt he played some music on a CD, which I would have sworn was vinyl. His amps change the sound of the source? I thought an amp should merely amplify, not add or subtract from the signal. Sheesh... he said played some music ON a CD not from a CD. Everyone knows this means the CD was laid on the floor whilest musicians sipping Himalayan tea and smoking some Mexican...... were playing music and doing that Russian dance thing where the crouch down to the floor & kick a leg out as though they were a Rockette... Dummy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Ok, so who's the dummy above that hit the quote button twice??? Sheesh.... what a dumbazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Looks like I need to work on my reading comprehension (again). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyJarvis Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 From a musicians POV some of those SS amps that sound like SET amps probably have high second order harmonic distortion and or low damping factor. I am starting to learn that the folks that like SE amps like the second harmonic distortion. Too many variables to make accurate broad statements maybe. -Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Naseum Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 The incomparable Bob Carver was (maybe) the first to easily demonstrate that SS amps can be made to sound "identical" to tube amps. And he did it with only a few adjustments, which I believe were global feedback and output impedance controls. This, in spite of the fact the triodes and bipolars have totally different transfer functions. He made the game one of simple topology. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tube fanatic Posted February 12, 2016 Share Posted February 12, 2016 The incomparable Bob Carver was (maybe) the first to easily demonstrate that SS amps can be made to sound "identical" to tube amps. And he did it with only a few adjustments, which I believe were global feedback and output impedance controls. This, in spite of the fact the triodes and bipolars have totally different transfer functions. He made the game one of simple topology. Jo, actually Carver's achievement wasn't so simple! It took a lot of work on his part as revealed in this detailed report on the challenge (presumably, the reference amp was a Conrad-Johnson unit): http://www.stereophile.com/content/carver-challenge#d5sSqfZSBPMZEEce.97 Maynard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted February 13, 2016 Share Posted February 13, 2016 You never or at least rarely hear some one brag there tube amp sounds like an SS amp across the board...At most you will hear this tube amp has SS like bass control... I have heard many a tube amp sound just like a SS amp and I always scratch my head thinking to myself....why would you mess with the headaches of tube amps to make it sound like that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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