Bravo Audio - funny looking little tube amps - Page 118

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonarfd 

Just ordered an Bravo Audio Ocean for fun, not been very interested into the tube amps. But might aswell give it a shot is so cheap and it just looksso cute .

 

Anyone who know what is a good tube for this one that would match some Beyerdynamic DT880 or a Mad Dog?

For DT-880 stay away from RCA's or Mullards, sounds smeared and murky with them. Non-re issued Genalexs are good with the DT880, presumably you have the 600ohm prem version which is the only one that I had for a little while paired with few amps. I can also recommend the Psvanes and Sophia's grade a which are the best modern in-production tubes you can get, besting a lot of the old vintage rare and expensive Tele's and Gold Lions I've tried but they are bit steep at $100 a pop for first timers.

EDIT: Fixed.

yeh that is a pretty hefty on the last one, would lamost cost the same as the amp ^^

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leonarfd 

yeh that is a pretty hefty on the last one, would lamost cost the same as the amp ^^

Indeed it is, but they will sound extremely well across most if not all amp's that accommodate 12AU7's. Just for comparison, they best the old Gold Lions ($200-260) in every way possible, almost the same with the nos Tele diamond base ($250+ ) tubes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evshrug 


Uh, no, neither actually, but it is a 6DJ8 based amp. Unfortunately I ordered a 6N1P tube (hasn't arrived yet), which is a 7v tube, and I doubt it will roll correctly. I also have an Amperex 6DJ8 with a white label, which was also warm-ish and laid back, but the Sylvania is my preference because it creates a sound with more texture and excitement. Ideally, I'd like that texture with some of the warmth from the Amperex, but I don't know if that's possible within my budget (as nice that new 12au7 variant tube you mentioned sounds, $100 is out for now). Just trying to collect info

6N1P are 6v tubes, denoted by the 6 at the front, 7v tubes will start with 7XX just fyi. I know which tube amp your talking about, they look almost alike to the Bravo's and Indeed except they are not branded. With 6N1(P) , not that many variants compared to 6DJ8's or 12AU7's. Most common 6N1P I've seen are Sovtek's, Electro Harmonix, Shuguang (as well as generic's), Mullards and Mesa Boogies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evshrug 


You do know which amp I'm talking about?

Not trying to steal the show, but it's a prototype 6DJ8 amp that will probably be called the Rock & Glass. The components and output are impressive, and the man making them was going to think about how to screen the name and a little decorative ring around the tube socket, like the rosetta ring you'd see around a guitar's sound hole.

I haven't heard from the amp maker in a good while, but judge buff said this tube type was incompatible. Here was the tube's listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/6N1P-EV-OC-E88CC-6DJ8-6922-Voskhod-1980s-NIB-VERY-RARE-Nuclear-grade-NR-/181048711618?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=O0i3HfkSUGTKFsna%252FfIn8cyphBw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
I don't think anything will explode if it's not quite compatible, but I wanted to ask. Have multimeter, want to experiment

Ah. Guess I was wrong but there are amp's similar to what you were talking about that take the 6DJ8's on ebay. Nice looking amp you've given me an idea how I should encase my modded Bravo .

It won't explode but in worse case scenarios it will kill your amp, first to go will be either the tubes itself or the tranny and then any resistors or caps etc will be toasted. I've only had 1 extreme case of an incompatible tube blow up (literally, cracked opened from the top side of the getter area.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evshrug 

I guess, though your implementation will be different. Is the bravo a class-A type amp?
I seriously do not want to kill my amp over a cheap curiosity... The capacitors were just getting nicely burned in, and I don't know anyone local who could fix it. What about the tube could cause the problems, especially if it's a 6v tube like the 6dj8? Like a current short or something?

Yeah it's definitely not worth it, that's why you should either mod the circuit so it can take it or leave it as-is. Most commonly the tube will die first, the heaters and cathode will burn out (a symptom when you turn the amp on is buzzling and crackling on the channels and/or one side dead quiet) shorting itself out. You can tell a tube has been shorted by looking at the top getter area when powered on, one side or both sides not emitting any sort of glow means a short has occurred (no sound).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evshrug 

Yeah well, the 6N1P specifications are kind of a mystery to me, so I have no idea how to mod the circuit to accept it.

Yeh most integrated speaker amp's take 6N1P tubes, not many with headphone amp's that I have come across DIY or commercial.

What are the dimensions of your amplifier?