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Tool Shed Audio - T12 mono blocks


Matthews

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I gave my reissue Gold Lion KT-88's a thrashing last night on my Toolshed T-12.  The new box set from the Grateful Dead arrived yesterday coincidentally, five live shows from July of 1978.  Wonderful Betty Cantor recordings, the speakers just disappeared and the imaging was pretty holographic.  I was transfixed...  Other tube complement was a vintage 1964 5C3S rectifier with the Winged =C= type of logo (a bargain on the 'Bay, rugged looking tube that should last a while), and a pair of the tall Siemens E80F's for the driver socket.  I stayed up WAY too late listening to music last night.  But it was fun!

 

as "goodies" begin to arrive...

attachicon.gifGold Lion (Medium).jpg

A grown man & his candy :D

 

Matt ♪ ♫ ♪

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Yes, the E80F has slightly less gain, however, I believe it's a much superior tube in sound quality to most EF86's (aside from perhaps the "chrome plate Telefunken) and it is a 10,000 hr. heater-life tube...additionally, the gain difference in most cases is negligible as it doesn't need to swing 60v in any of my circuits. :)

 

TS Matt. 

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Yes, the E80F has slightly less gain, however, I believe it's a much superior tube in sound quality to most EF86's (aside from perhaps the "chrome plate Telefunken) and it is a 10,000 hr. heater-life tube...additionally, the gain difference in most cases is negligible as it doesn't need to swing 60v in any of my circuits. :)

TS Matt.

That's good to know. So it won't effect the input sensitivity much?

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The input sensitivity running the EF86 is 1.32v to full output in the Genesis6. Sensitivity is slightly lower (1.55v to full output) running the E80F in the same Genesis6. As long as any directly connected source capable of the industry standard CD Player output voltage (2.0v) will easily be able to drive the Genesis6 to full output. 

 

Optionally, the Genesis6 can be ordered with the 6AU6 Input/Driver instead of the EF86. This Pentode allows for an input sensitivity of 1.10v to full output in the Genesis6 for those customers who would like to connect a typical MM Phono-Stage directly to the Genesis6 without the need for an active Line-Stage. Although the stocks of N.O.S. 6AU6's do not seem to be dwindling, this is NOT the standard configuration of the Genesis6 as there is no current-production 6AU6 being manufactured.  Sonically, it's a coin-flip, both versions running great examples of either tube type yield outstanding results..:)

 

TS Matt.

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  • 3 weeks later...
You started this tread a month ago, and still no amp? You could have rebuilt 40 LaScalas in that time. Make sure Matt brings a vehicle large enough to haul some speakers back with him!

Down to a matter of days now, Mookie :D

Getting pretty excited.  I have told TS Matt to be sure and bring a "hauler".  Unfortunately, he hasn't room for the "Black Betty" pair. 

 

As far as restoring LS, taking a break for a bit.  Running out of room Man...

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Beautiful. I think you should take this time by loading up this thread with sultry pictures of your current Genesis and Pre.

Speaking of the preamp, what tube combo does that use. Did you try your Genesis alone and then with the pre? What were your thoughts?

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Thsese examples are some of the most aesthetically pleasing hand-built amplifiers I've seen on this forum in the fourteen years I've been here. As a builder myself, I certainly appreciate the amount of work that goes into not only the actual wiring of a component, but even more the manual labor involved with machining a chassis. Truly outstanding work! Very surprised, I have to say, that more of the other builders here haven't chimed in....

So, while attention to aesthetic detail (type of wood, chassis plate finish, etc.,) is all interesting, as a builder I tend to be more curious about actual circuit design and development; which, after all is what is most important when it comes to reproducing music. Can we have some description of input/ouput stage topology, type of interstage coupling, and so forth? Even the kinds and/or brands of passive components used are arguably much less significant than the design of the circuit in which they are used.

Again, very admirable work!

Edited by erik2A3
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And to Matt of TS: You referred to the importance of dual secondary windings on output transformers - one for loudspeakers, the other for driving a subwoofer amp. Doubtless you're already aware of this, but just tossing it in here for the purpose of discussion: Another possibility is to use the existing lower impedance secondaries through a very simple voltage divider to drop the output down to a reasonably strong line level. There is yet another, even easier way to drive a sub plate amp that still avoids the use of subwoofer's (possibly somewhat inferior) internal speaker level crossover that some use to drive the main L/R speaker pair.

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You're going to love the Gold Lion KT-88's with the E80F's driving them.  Matt tried to convince me for almost a year to try the GL's, now they're hard to take out to try other things.  Really dynamic, great bass and midrange.  This combo seems to be perfect for this circuit.  Will look forward to your initial reactions later today!

 

as "goodies" begin to arrive...

attachicon.gifGold Lion (Medium).jpg

A grown man & his candy :D

 

Matt ♪ ♫ ♪

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