[mordy]

Not much has been posted recently regarding tube rectifiers... But there are quite a few GOTL out there designed to use 5-volt rectifers. So even though I am admittedly very far out in vacuum-tube rectifier left field, I thought this might be of interest to some...

With the plug-in HEXFRED, I haven't been all that impressed with the old embossed Lorenz C3g no matter which output tubes they were paired with. To my ears, the Lorenz are simply too subdued. One of my go-to tracks is Nora Jones, "Come Away With Me," and even with the mid-range forward Fivre 6BX7, the Lorenz are still too subdued, Something is still missing. But if I add in a touch of GEC magic (U18/20), her voice really comes alive. It is almost palpable.

With the more neutral Tung-Sol 6BX7, even adding a bit of GEC magic doesn't have the desired affect. But if I add in a touch of Telefunken magic (WE56), which seems a bit more powerful, her voice again comes alive. And I am ready to grab her hand and go! lol

With either of these rectifiers, the Lorenz C3g is one of my favorite drivers.

Which leads me to an unanswered question: Can Hexfred rectifiers be tuned for different sounds?

 

[gibosi]

Which leads me to an unanswered question: Can Hexfred rectifiers be tuned for different sounds?

Well, I do not understand this well enough to use "engineering speak" but I can try to appeal to your intuition....

It may well be possible, But I doubt it is worth the time and effort to literally create and add in complex harmonic wave forms to mimic a desired tube rectifier.

And I should note that solid state rectifiers are not free of harmonic distortion. Different solid state rectifiers have different sounds due to the fact that they all have different distortion products. One of the most desirable features of the HEXFRED is that it's distortion products resemble those of a vacuum tube. To my ears, the HEXFRED has a sound similar to the Cossor 53KU. So anyway, it would be necessary to somehow "erase" the sound of the HEXFRED and add in a different sound. And it certainly seems to me that this would not be a trivial thing to do....

 

[whirlwind]

Not much has been posted recently regarding tube rectifiers... But there are quite a few GOTL out there designed to use 5-volt rectifers. So even though I am admittedly very far out in vacuum-tube rectifier left field, I thought this might be of interest to some...

With the plug-in HEXFRED, I haven't been all that impressed with the old embossed Lorenz C3g no matter which output tubes they were paired with. To my ears, the Lorenz are simply too subdued. One of my go-to tracks is Nora Jones, "Come Away With Me," and even with the mid-range forward Fivre 6BX7, the Lorenz are still too subdued, Something is still missing. But if I add in a touch of GEC magic (U18/20), her voice really comes alive. It is almost palpable.

With the more neutral Tung-Sol 6BX7, even adding a bit of GEC magic doesn't have the desired affect. But if I add in a touch of Telefunken magic (WE56), which seems a bit more powerful, her voice again comes alive. And I am ready to grab her hand and go! lol

With either of these rectifiers, the Lorenz C3g is one of my favorite drivers.

The GEC U18/20 is one of my favorite rectifiers.
If i want a more warmer sound from the C3g tubes, Lorenz fills that spot....Siemens are more dynamic....I compare the Lorenz sound to an RCA driver tube in its more laid back approach

 

[leftside]

I sometimes run early 1950's black plate RCA 12AX7 in my main amps if I have some particularly bright music I want to tame. I find them to be amongst the warmest (even almost dark) tubes I have. Not sure if the early 1950's black plate 6SN7's are the same?

 

[gibosi]

I sometimes run early 1950's black plate RCA 12AX7 in my main amps if I have some particularly bright music I want to tame. I find them to be amongst the warmest (even almost dark) tubes I have. Not sure if the early 1950's black plate 6SN7's are the same?

While I have no experience with any 12AX7, I think it is safe to say that the 1940's gray glass RCA 6SN7GT can be described as warm and dark, but also, very musical with a rich, lush midrange. With a little effort to select complimentary output tubes and a rectifier, it can be quite splendid.

 

[attmci]

While I have no experience with any 12AX7, I think it is safe to say that the 1940's gray glass RCA 6SN7GT can be described as warm and dark, but also, very musical with a rich, lush midrange. With a little effort to select complimentary output tubes and a rectifier, it can be quite splendid.

Ken, Left is one of the unbelievers of rectifier tubes.

How about 1940's RCA 6F8Gs? I like those.

 

[leftside]

Ken, Left is one of the unbelievers of rectifier tubes.

It maybe because I have so many other components and tubes in the rest of my system, that with a single rectifier tube change I don't notice much of a difference. I'm ready to try again with the GOTL

 

[gibosi]

Ken, Left is one of the unbelievers of rectifier tubes.

How about 1940's RCA 6F8Gs? I like those.

As Leftside points out, in a very complex system it may well be that swapping out rectifiers has little impact. But since my system is very simple, swapping out rectifiers can indeed make a substantial difference.

I haven't listened to an RCA 6F8G in a very long time. I seem to remember that it sounded very similar to the very early gray glass RCA 6SN7GT. What do you think?

 

[2359glenn]

It maybe because I have so many other components and tubes in the rest of my system, that with a single rectifier tube change I don't notice much of a difference. I'm ready to try again with the GOTL

Your OTL will have to use massive rectifier tubes 5CU4s unless you put in less output tubes or go to 6BX7s for outputs.

 

[leftside]

Your OTL will have to use massive rectifier tubes 5CU4s unless you put in less output tubes or go to 6BX7s for outputs.

Already purchased! And really given the choice, I'd rather go with the extra power. I also have many more power and driver tubes than rectifiers to roll.

 

[attmci]

Already purchased! And really given the choice, I'd rather go with the extra power. I also have many more power and driver tubes than rectifiers to roll.

Don't forget to purchase a box of fuses too. LOL

 

[leftside]

Have them for all my amps

 

[2359glenn]

Already purchased! And really given the choice, I'd rather go with the extra power. I also have many more power and driver tubes than rectifiers to roll.

I really just use 5CU4 and 3DG4 but have been using the GZ37

 

[mordy]

Have them for all my amps

Just opened up Pandora's box on the impact of fuses on sound. After reading post after post of people who are, shall we say, "politely criticizing" each other, I have a head ache.

A bargain for $61. All metal parts treated with Furutech’s patented Alpha Super Cryogenic and Demagnetizing process. These beautifully made audiophile fuses are engineered to withstand 1 nanosecond at a full 1500 watts, and rated at 125mA/6.3A.

I am really convinced that these fuses make a big difference. In the cash register....

 

[JazzVinyl]

Just opened up Pandora's box on the impact of fuses on sound. After reading post after post of people who are, shall we say, "politely criticizing" each other, I have a head ache.

A bargain for $61. All metal parts treated with Furutech’s patented Alpha Super Cryogenic and Demagnetizing process. These beautifully made audiophile fuses are engineered to withstand 1 nanosecond at a full 1500 watts, and rated at 125mA/6.3A.

I am really convinced that these fuses make a big difference. In the cash register....

NICE!!

You had me goin' good

In the cash register....hahahahaha!!!