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Mark III's and the fruits of my labor !


NOSValves

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Well finished up the large contract job that has kept me burning the candle at both ends Friday and came home to a box from Triode Electronic with front end boards for 2 sets of Mark III's . I was tired and was going to just Veg all evening but I just could not resist ! I had my amps pretty much 90% done except for the front end board already so I went to work. Spent all of Friday evening doing my anal perfect job of installing totally matched parts onto the front end boards and before I knew it the clock said 2 AM !! Earlier when I got home I figure one long evening and I would have them up and running this never seems to work out 1.gif . Slept for about 5 hours and at 8:30 am was back in the shop installing the boards 4 PM I was finally testing the operation LOL !! so much for timing. Ended up giving the chassis a polishing while I was at it and also rerouted the wiring and cleaned that up. I included pictures of a bone stock under chassis just to give you a idea of the shoe horning I do. The large metal can capacitor was already in these amps when I received them from Mark Deneen which sure is cool to bad I can't find them like this ! Although I have a current option to do the same basic thing to this amps.

Bone stock

mark3_before.jpg

After

Mark2.JPG

Top view

Mark6.JPG

Over All top view

Mark5.JPG

This is probably needless to say but they sound stunning !! Which is no surprise to me I'm still running them in Ultra Linear for the time being to satisfy bone head Dean. I want to get a good handle on there sound this time before strapping them in Triode which will take them a slight step up the ladder in sound quality.

Mark Deneen and I have been discussing some interesting thoughts on what Triode does with my combo and it may not be for everyone. It all depends on the speakers used.

Craig

PS to all my customers I'm hard at your amps from here on out. Thanks for your patience !!

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KJ,

They will not ever leave there current resting place my bench is where I do 95% of my listening and my life for the matter !! 7 foot from the bench is a nice cozy coach and a end table. This room is my Shop and listening room all in one. Its ruff but you close your eyes and you instantly forget the room !!

Craig

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Great shots Craig, and as usual -- awesome job.

I had no idea those transformers were that big. Sitting on the bench like that you get some scale. Those things are freaking huge.

Yah -- me's a bonehead. I like lot's of Class A, bandwidth, and headroom galore. Of course, like we talk on the phone -- those Scalas dust the RF-7's in sensitivity, and that squawker probably benefits from a little warming up. Since I don't have real horns -- my midrange needs all the help it can get. :)

I love the blue caps -- beautiful. Too bad they have to be stuffed underneath the chassis. Of course, I noticed you got a couple plugged into the Scott too. I knew you would cave into the blue cap syndrome sooner or later. I also noticed the nice blue carpet on your test bench -- if you ever need more, I got a whole house full of it. 9.gif

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KJ ,

They do look great and some day in a different life I will have a dedicated listening room and a shop !! It will be after the daughter gets thru college and the wife and I make the big move to a secluded area in the woods. I hoping to work completely out of my shop and let Fed Ex and UPS just bring me my work LOL !!

Dean,

You bone head 1.gif the blue caps were a fluke Triode changes his supplier for the 50/50 UF can caps or they would be Black !! I should of known you would pick that out !

Mark,

They have found a home for life. I really think this is the end of my Amp upgrade Journey they just sound so right from 70Db late night listening to 110 Db pin your ears back Blast !

The polish can be bought from http://www.nvo.com/prodcarcare/displayroom/category.nhtml?catuid=10092 simply called "Metal Polish"

I did a okay job but saved the super shine for when I have serious time and decide to live without them to have my end bells chromed like Dale's ! This may take me years I hate having my main system down it keeps me Sane !!

Thanks for all the Kind words guys ! You should hear these babies !!

Craig

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Look like a few more tweeks than mine , dude !!!

Tell you what !! when there all done and sound oohhhh soooo sweet you can ship them to me and i'll ship mine to you at the same time.

That way you'll get chrome end bells without losing your amps for any length of time. Then i'll chrome those ones when they get here.

BTW : Did you get much of a chance to try any of that metal polish i sent you ? Suff works fairly good and seems to shine with some elbow greese.

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Craig,

Nice work. I wish I could hear them in both Ultra-Linear and Triode modes. Will you be using feedback in triode mode?

Also, I like the workshop/listening room. You've done a great job making vintage amps available to people who otherwise would never hear what the old designs, and a lot of your ideas, could do.

leok

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Nice!!!!! Nice!!!! Work. Now I know why you were strapped for ducas in being interested in that hickok 752 tube tester, You spent all your ducas on those mark III LOL. THOSE ARE A WORK OF ART, AND NO DOUBT DUCAS WELL SPENT.

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Mark,

Your humor is killing me !! I hope its humor LOL !!

Leok,

I will not cut feedback all together I see no need. I truely think some feedback is required no matter what.

Craig,

Ultra Linear and triode are 2 different way of operating the output tubes. Triode cuts the output roughly in half bring the mid range slightly forward and lightens the bass hit. Not what you want to do with your speakers and ST-70 combo !

Dale,

We could do something like that for sure. But really not much difference between are except more filtering capacity. I'm braver with my own amps then I am with customers you know ! I can fix them if something bakes on me. If it bakes on you its return shipping repairs and bad rep !! There are a few more tricks I can throw in your though ! like I mentioned to you in email.

Thanks for all the comments everyone else.

Craig

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