[GermanGuy]

couldn't resist to connect the Sowter 9351 Headphone Output Transformers to my (original) tu-05 to listen how they sound - one word - Un Be Lie Va Ble ....
 
i tested different tubes,RFT97 and Telefunken Diamond Base Berlin made DF96 combined with the TEN 3s4 and the PHILCO 1s4 with my DIY Grado Style Headphone and (SIC!) the HD800.
 
The HD800 (300 Ohm Impedance Setting of the output transformers) together with the Telefunken DF96 - TEN 3s4 is a match made in heaven, for my DIY Grado i prefer the RFT DF97 - TEN 3s4 combo.
 
Most remarkable listening with the Sowter transformers is not only the overall sound quality but the soundstage depth and added information of the space, how to say, you not only have this feeling of depth in the middle of the "soundstage", but also on the left and on the right, listening to Telarc, Erich Kunzel, Tschaikowsky 1812, you have the feeling to really see the orchestra in all its dimensions, located at a square formed  area in front of you, exactly beeing able to draw an image of that area with all the positions of all the instruments, the choir, always beeing able to tell who is in front and who  is behind or second or third on the left, right, in the middle.
 
Verdi, Requiem, 2. Dies Irae, the impact of the drums on the left is unbelievable precise, deep, really hits,
 
The efficiency of the transformers is outstanding. listening to 1812 with the integrated tu-05 transformers i must set both colorfly c4and tu-05 to maximum volume while with the Sowter transfomers the same output level is reached with adjusting the tu-05 to about 60 to 70%.
 
have to spend some more time to listen to the Sowter 9351 output transformers also testing the different impedance settings, but even now i am sure that this is again one step up the sound quality ladder, and best of all this transformers cover everything from 30 to 600 ohm output impedance.

 

[bmichels]

  couldn't resist to connect the Sowter 9351 Headphone Output Transformers to my (original) tu-05 to listen how they sound - one word - Un Be Lie Va Ble ....
 
i tested different tubes,RFT97 and Telefunken Diamond Base Berlin made DF96 combined with the TEN 3s4 and the PHILCO 1s4 with my DIY Grado Style Headphone and (SIC!) the HD800.
 
The HD800 (300 Ohm Impedance Setting of the output transformers) together with the Telefunken DF96 - TEN 3s4 is a match made in heaven, for my DIY Grado i prefer the RFT DF97 - TEN 3s4 combo.
 
Most remarkable listening with the Sowter transformers is not only the overall sound quality but the soundstage depth and added information of the space, how to say, you not only have this feeling of depth in the middle of the "soundstage", but also on the left and on the right, listening to Telarc, Erich Kunzel, Tschaikowsky 1812, you have the feeling to really see the orchestra in all its dimensions, located at a square formed  area in front of you, exactly beeing able to draw an image of that area with all the positions of all the instruments, the choir, always beeing able to tell who is in front and who  is behind or second or third on the left, right, in the middle.
 
Verdi, Requiem, 2. Dies Irae, the impact of the drums on the left is unbelievable precise, deep, really hits,
 
The efficiency of the transformers is outstanding. listening to 1812 with the integrated tu-05 transformers i must set both colorfly c4and tu-05 to maximum volume while with the Sowter transfomers the same output level is reached with adjusting the tu-05 to about 60 to 70%.
 
have to spend some more time to listen to the Sowter 9351 output transformers also testing the different impedance settings, but even now i am sure that this is again one step up the sound quality ladder, and best of all this transformers cover everything from 30 to 600 ohm output impedance.

 
good, you are building a real monster
 
I guess those Sowter 9351 Headphone Output Transformers are way to big to fit in a TU-05 or even a bigger but transportable TUxx ?
 
QUESTION: where do you forsee the biggest SQ Upgrade ? in the transformers, the powersupply, ...... ?

 

[GermanGuy]

in a step by step approach bigger and better output transformers are the easiest way to get a remarkable improvement (but with the sowter output transformers now you can slightly hear the difference and need for a improved power supply as for example i provided with my double mono mod and improved filter and stabilization stages), sound is somewhat grainy, bass pulses could be better resolved with less distortion.
 
at the moment i am thinking if it were a good idea to suggest a tu-05 with an added connector to be used as connection to a docking station so that the docking station could provide big output transformers and power supply, while on the road the tu-05 could be used as usual! think of building such an tu-05 with the extended case i bought.

 

[ianmedium]

Just a heads-up from Shikada Sans FB page, it looks like he is going into hospital, not sure for what or how long as the translate thing on FB is not that great but I would assume it will mean some slight delays in production.

I hope your better soon Shikada San.

 

[GermanGuy]

that is really bad news. hope everything will be ok as soon as possible!

 

[bonitomio]

  that is really bad news. hope everything will be ok as soon as possible!

+1
Best wishes Shikada San and recover soon.

 

[GermanGuy]

The modder's diary part 01 (highend version):
 
did not receive the parcel with the parts to really start my highend mod of the tu-05, but at least i wanted to get a feeling for the size and placement of the components, so here is a "sneak preview" of  the power supply for one channel (not all needed components on the boards):
 

 
the large white thing is an isolation transformer to avoid any hum due to a ground / earth connection, top right you see the WIMA DC-Link 550µF MKP foil capacitor for the anode voltage.
 
on the left side is the power transformer board, each transformer with seperate fuse, EMI filter stages and a bistable relais to switch each transformer on/off.
 
in the middle you see the rectifier and first CLC filter stages (with electrolyte capacitors), on the right the only MKP foil capacitors CLC filter stages to connect the different voltages to the tubes.
 
to have a complete one channel power supply two boards are missing at the moment, the constant current / constant voltage regulator board to charge the batteries and of course the battery board (16+2+2+2+2) = 24 18650 Li-Ion batteries per channel.
 
the power supply output will provide 3x 1.4 volt for the tube filament / heater voltages (yes, each channel will have 1x DF91 and TWO DL92), 4x18 volt to finally provide 67.2 volt to charge the 16 Li-Ion batteries for the anode voltage supply. In addition it provides a seperate support voltage (5, 7, 9 volt) for LEDs, power for the bistable relais.
 
The filament / heater voltages will be driven from a constant current source with 25, 50, 100, 200 mA, so it will be possible to also use for example the DL93 tubes.
 
The anode voltage will be selectable (just the steps the Li-Ion batteries offer), so for example 67.2 minus 4.2 volt steps when the batteries are fully charged or 59.2 volt minus 3.7 volt steps when batteries have their main voltage of 3.7 volt.
 
btw, made a design for an adjustable battery driven bias voltage board using a high precision voltage reference (0 to 8 volt).
 
There will be an additional power supply for USB power and to drive the Meridian Director DAC (and to charge a player) independent of the left and right channel power supplies.
 
The power supply can be used to charge the batteries and/or power the headphone amp (even without charging the batteries), so has a lot of capacitors and filter stages to avoid any hum or RF. and each voltage is completely separated from the others, no ground connection between the power supplies to provide a complete star topology of the whole amp with only ONE main ground connection exactly between DF91 and the DL92 tubes.
 
The benefit of using two output tubes is that you can seperately adjust the bias for each tube, for example one for lowest distortion, the second for nice overtone spectrum.
 
Because the anode voltage batteries have a capacity by a large margin exceeding the power needed, they will provide 67 volts for a long time, and as the DL92 tube in triode mode at this anode voltage has an ouput impedance of 8 KOhm, two of them have an impedance of 4 KOhm, so nicely fitting the impedance of the 5K primary impedance output transformers ( or you can use only one output tube then with about 57 volt anode voltage which will result in an output impedance of 5 KOhm.
 
in general, the capacity of the batteries for the different voltages is choosen to provide at least a battery runtime of about 40-50 hours without charging.
 
and the amps power supplies are highly adjustable with the result that not only the DL92 tube can be used but also the DL93 .. 96 (and of course the 1S4, will not forget to add a powersave / compatibility switch).
 
P.S. the size of each pcb board is 267mm x 170mm

 

[ianmedium]

An update from FB, the FB translation is terrible so I hope I have read this right, looks like he will be back to work tomorrow!

 

[GermanGuy]

Great news, all my best wishes to Shikada-San!
 
P.S. ianmedium, as i have no facebook account, could you send my best wishes to Shikada-San ?!

 

[GermanGuy]

9 people reading this thread at the moment, haven't seen this for a long time!

 

[nazrin313]

actually very interested in these but the long lead time really put me off.....interested in the TU-06b btw....probably my dream amp which I will never ever own

 

[zachchen1996]

  actually very interested in these but the long lead time really put me off.....interested in the TU-06b btw....probably my dream amp which I will never ever own

 
If you're a tube lover, Wagnus is supposed to be coming out with a portable tube amp towards the end of this year

 

[nazrin313]

   
If you're a tube lover, Wagnus is supposed to be coming out with a portable tube amp towards the end of this year

I am a tube lover, all my amplifiers are tubes (Desk and Portable)

 

[smial1966]

Fostex have released the HP-V1 (link below) which is a hybrid portable amplifier. Though I can thoroughly recommend the TU-05 and am so impressed with it that I've ordered a TU-06 too.

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/products/HP-V1.shtml

I am a tube lover, all my amplifiers are tubes (Desk and Portable)

 

[nazrin313]

Fostex have released the HP-V1 (link below) which is a hybrid portable amplifier. Though I can thoroughly recommend the TU-05 and am so impressed with it that I've ordered a TU-06 too.

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/products/HP-V1.shtml

Thanks for the the link, but i already have my portatube + as my portable tube amp and im thinking there is no way anything is better than this (bar a2p TU amps of cos).

Again, the portatube came up from my loadsa reading cos i know i could not get the a2p amps.. So i got the next best thing..