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post #76 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:12am
I would say after 50 hours and Sophia Electric recommends 100 hours. As you have noticed even after a few the tube will start to dance.

Your wife is great! I love it. I would have dropped it and then going to pick it up accidently kicked it.
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post #77 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:19am
oh, she laughed after i expressed sheer terror on my face...
where's my whip...
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post #78 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:35am
Ok, here is an exxxxtttreeeeeme example.

When I lived in Tucson a ground transformer for the main power line was right outside my listening room wall. I really don't like to be that close to the magnetic flux of a large power line transformer but there it was. Anyway it hummed, as they do, but it was loud. So I complained and complained and the power company sent out an employee to check it out. He was a nice guy and I explained how I couldn't really enjoy my music at low volumes etc. He agree and wrote an order and a week later they came in with a big truck and a new transformer and replaced it.

This is the Ultimate power line upgraded. They had tested the new one and made sure it was quiet and it also proved to improve the AC to my wall and the sound quality of my components increased. How about a few thousand pounds of copper! :^)

In looking at the image it looks like: rect to LCLC then split split at the resistors to the umbilical. One cap is unaccounted for so it could be in parallel but but I don't know if a trace is on the other side of the board where the caps are. I also don't know what the henry of the inductors is, maybe 5 henry or so, which is common. The DCR of the inductor is important also.
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post #79 of 298
9/25/08 at 4:11am
Thread Starter 
Is it possible for you to discuss this circuit design around the rectifier with Jack so that we can get a good indication of whether the Sophia is being stressed (I for one am getting lost in the technical jargon).

Given the premium parts upgrade that I mentioned above (here below again for reference), do you feel that any of these are not optimum when using the Sophia, or has the use of inductors (I am not sure what they do) made the amp put less stress on the Sophia tube?

Blackgate voltage filter caps, 150uf/350V
Blackgate decoupling caps, 330uf/100V
Blackgate bypass caps, 220uf/16V
Blackgate bypass caps, 22uf/350V
MILLS voltage filter resistor, 3.3K/12W
KIWAME load resistor, 56K/2W
KIWAME resistor, 1K/2W
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post #80 of 298
9/25/08 at 4:14am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamato8 View Post
Ok, here is an exxxxtttreeeeeme example.

When I lived in Tucson a ground transformer for the main power line was right outside my listening room wall. I really don't like to be that close to the magnetic flux of a large power line transformer but there it was. Anyway it hummed, as they do, but it was loud. So I complained and complained and the power company sent out an employee to check it out. He was a nice guy and I explained how I couldn't really enjoy my music at low volumes etc. He agree and wrote an order and a week later they came in with a big truck and a new transformer and replaced it.

This is the Ultimate power line upgraded. They had tested the new one and made sure it was quiet and it also proved to improve the AC to my wall and the sound quality of my components increased. How about a few thousand pounds of copper! :^)

In looking at the image it looks like: rect to LCLC then split split at the resistors to the umbilical. One cap is unaccounted for so it could be in parallel but but I don't know if a trace is on the other side of the board where the caps are. I also don't know what the henry of the inductors is, maybe 5 henry or so, which is common. The DCR of the inductor is important also.
I was considering getting some IsoTek Optimum power cords. Do you think a power conditioner, such as the IsoTek Orion, would also be worthwhile to clean the mains? I wonder if some of my transformer hum is caused by DC mixed in with the AC.
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post #81 of 298
9/25/08 at 5:12am
Thread Starter 
Would a 1950's RCA 5U4G Black Plate rectifier tube be a good choice for the WA6 SE?

I would like to say at this point that, although the WA6 SE might be slow roasting my Sophia tube, it is still an immensely good amp and must be up there with the best tube amps currently available.
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post #82 of 298
9/25/08 at 11:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sclamb View Post
Would a 1950's RCA 5U4G Black Plate rectifier tube be a good choice for the WA6 SE?

I would like to say at this point that, although the WA6 SE might be slow roasting my Sophia tube, it is still an immensely good amp and must be up there with the best tube amps currently available.
It is a good tube. I also like the early Sylvania 5R4GY.
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post #83 of 298
9/25/08 at 11:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sclamb View Post
I was considering getting some IsoTek Optimum power cords. Do you think a power conditioner, such as the IsoTek Orion, would also be worthwhile to clean the mains? I wonder if some of my transformer hum is caused by DC mixed in with the AC.
I don't think the AC is causing the problem but a good AC power conditioner can improve the sound. I made one with a very fine toroid AC transformer for this purpose that weighs in at 50 pounds of copper and I can hear it hum more when the AC isn't as pure as it should. It takes care of the problem.
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post #84 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:00pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks jamato8

I have been reading about capacitors and inductors and am starting to understand! Given that the WA6 SE uses inductors, surely even if the capacitor is too large, the inductors should stop the Sophia tube from getting stressed.

I am getting worried because, if the white sparks in the tube are caused by a less than optimal circuit design for use with the Sophia tube (rather than a faulty tube), I will not be able to get a replacement under warranty, as it will be the amp that is destroying the tube.
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post #85 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sclamb View Post
Thanks jamato8

I have been reading about capacitors and inductors and am starting to understand! Given that the WA6 SE uses inductors, surely even if the capacitor is too large, the inductors should stop the Sophia tube from getting stressed.

I am getting worried because, if the white sparks in the tube are caused by a less than optimal circuit design for use with the Sophia tube (rather than a faulty tube), I will not be able to get a replacement under warranty, as it will be the amp that is destroying the tube.
That is true but I am sure that Woo Audio would stand behind it since they designed the circuit. I don't know the numbers (voltages and current) so it is very hard for me to say what is going on for sure. The inductor can help but it also has to be the right size. You could have an inductor of a very low resistance and then a large cap and that won't help too much. The DCR is how the resistance is stated for an inductor. One with 150 or 200 ohms should be fine but one of a few ohms, which it can be with .5 henry inductor with large enough wire, isn't going to slow the current very much. Sometimes a resistor is used after the inductor.
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post #86 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sclamb View Post

...I am getting worried because, if the white sparks in the tube are caused by a less than optimal circuit design for use with the Sophia tube (rather than a faulty tube), I will not be able to get a replacement under warranty, as it will be the amp that is destroying the tube.
i really wouldn't rule out a bad tube... but the mechanical humming from the
wa6 SE should be looked into by jack. i've PM'd couple of owners of the amp
and they all tell me the amp is amazingly quiet. even with their ears next to
the chassis they don't get any humming at all. i guess breakfastchef isn't the
only one with a quiet amp... i'd list all the problems you've noticed and email
jack asap. the time difference may cause some waiting but i believe it's around
11am in newyork as i time this now.
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post #87 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:15pm
Thread Starter 
I am waiting for Jack to respond on some emails I sent to him yesterday. He had told me twice now that the transformer humming is not anything to worry about but, as you say, nobody else seems to have it. I have ordered another Sophia Princess from Sophia Electric and will try that when it arrives. If it also sparks then I guess I will have to ship the amp back to Jack.

I wonder how many WA6 SE owners with or without the maxed mods also have the sparking issue when using the Sophia Princess tube. I know one other person said it happens. Maybe not many are using that tube, or perhaps we just have faulty tubes.

I presume Jack would need to swap out the transformer for a new one that doesn't hum and fix the circuit to work with any rectifier, including the Sophia Princess.
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post #88 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by takezo View Post
i really wouldn't rule out a bad tube... but the mechanical humming from the
wa6 SE should be looked into by jack. i've PM'd couple of owners of the amp
and they all tell me the amp is amazingly quiet. even with their ears next to
the chassis they don't get any humming at all. i guess breakfastchef isn't the
only one with a quiet amp... i'd list all the problems you've noticed and email
jack asap. the time difference may cause some waiting but i believe it's around
11am in newyork as i time this now.
Maybe the mounting nut that holds the transformer in place is too tight, or too loose causing the mechanical hum? A slight turn in either direction may eliminate the hum ?
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post #89 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:19pm
Thread Starter 
Where is the nut? How do I check it out. If it can be too tight or too loose, how do I know the optimal setting?
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post #90 of 298
9/25/08 at 12:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sclamb View Post
Where is the nut? How do I check it out. If it can be too tight or too loose, how do I know the optimal setting?
It is under the transformer cover. If you do not have electro-mechanical experience, maybe you shouldn't touch it. I would hate myself if you messed things up because of my recommendation.
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