[Mikey01]

The Eddie Current Dual Mono-1 is back home with me now to stay after being moddified. Some internal tuning-up took place and some upgrades in capabilities were added-in such as preamp, line thru and a plug-in ambilical power cord for the power supply. The sound is now even more sophisticated. Approaching the 2A3 even.

I installed some NOS Sylvania 6AL5's for the rectifier tubes. The 6H30 tube is not rolled and for good reason. This tube is the Russian high end to tube making if you can believe that. It is of a new variety developed for there space industry.

: Many years ago, the Soviet engineers designed the tube that is now the high-end audio industry standard and mainstay - the Russian 6922. Of course, back then they used to call it the 6H23P, just another member of the growing "H" family of small dual triodes. It is a good tube to be sure, and specifically designed for cascode operation, low noise, relatively low plate resistance, wide frequency bandwidth, and low filament power requirements. But the restless military puts even tougher tasks in front of their design teams: the enemy never sleeps and progress must continue marching forward. Here is a proposal sheet for a new device with a combination of parameters that no one in the world has yet seen. But no, it is not possible, no one can build a device like that, so please go away and don't bother us!

The generals, however, do not relent. So the most capable team - electrical engineers, materials scientists, and technologists - start their work and years later, behold, the marvel is born. It is given the official name 6H30P. Its existence shall remain unknown to the rest of the world and it is officially banned from export. Its intended application shall remain secret.
However that did not happen. I guess the Russians figured out that they have to eat, so the tube was eventually marketed. In the "audio world" it is known as the "Super Tube".

The 6H30 Super Tube has achieved tremendous popularity since its introduction. Due to its unique set of characteristics, the 6H30 can not be used as a direct replacement for the more standard 6922 tube. In order to incorporate it in the product, several aspects of the circuit design had to change.
The most immediate modifications involve upgrades to the power supply section. In addition to much higher filament current, the 6H30 also benefits from increased stage bias current. This increase in power consumption requires a special larger power transformer. So the 6H30 stays put and sounds heavenly. This summery on the 6H30 has been taken from a tube announcement placement on a tube site in an effort to give you some history on this marvelous tube. Every now and then even the Russians get one right.

So to sum this all up, the New "Eddie Current Dual Mono" falls just short of the EC2A3 a vail or two. However, in it's price catagory, it's a "no brainer"; you'll want one.

[size=medium]The DM-2 will be available for audition at the Cincinnati meet June 25th.[/size]

 

[Mikey01]

Some more notes on the DualMono-1 and 2. I may have stated that I thought the two DM's sounded similar. This is not true, sorry. The first time I had the DM-1 the listening results given for it by me may have been a wash. This was because of some internals of the amp might have been jarred, thus misconstruing listening results, not that they were bad either.

The second goround of listening results are a by-product of some internal fixing and tweaking. The end result is like the first but now is not quite as thick/heavy a sound and has a lot more refinment. It has a less "in your face" attitude and portrays a most civilized demeanor. But the amp is still very engageing and musical. The amp is dead quiet with no crosstalk in distortion or bleedover between independant powersupplies and channels. As I said above, it approaches the EC2A3 in sound only giving way to the over abundance of smoothness, and vail clarity as only an EC2A3 could deliver, as it should for the cost difference. Now onto the DualMono-2.

The DualMono-2 will be built using 6SN7 input and driver tubes, keeping the 6B4G's for output. Basically the amp is a cathode follower. In this version, it will use one 6SN7 for left and right input, and one 6SN7 for left and right driver. That way the two 6SN7's don't have to match. One can be a RCA and the other a Sylvania, or whatever. You can drive yourself nuts tuberolling.

It would take eight 6AL5 rectifiers and additional film caps to equal the DM-1 power supply if adapted in the DM-2. So there can never be an apples to apples comparison and also why the DM-1 cost more. I am to understand that I am the only one so far who has heard both amps back to back so I can tell you this, that they are both of different flavors from one another. The DM-2 has a thicker/heavier sound than the DM-1. The DM-2, in my opinion, has a heavier bass line. Do understand that the DM-1 has plenty of bass to go around also. Both amps have all the goodness that a quality amp should have.

I can't go into it more than that because I heard the DM-2 with a different compliment of tubes than what will be offered. Also to note: all my amps are bought and paid for by me. Non are given to me free and I do not work for the Eddie Current organization. Also, none of this is in any way prompted by another. I am just a conduit for information about some products that I find very inspireing.

More to come, stay tuned.

[size=medium]The DM-2 will be available for audition at the New York meet June 18th.[/size]

 

[recstar24]

hey mikey, thanks for more impressions, keep them coming! now, the DM2 sounds like OTL, but is the DM1 otl as well, or does it incorporate transformers to drive those low impedance cans?

 

[immtbiker]

I had the 6H30 "SuperTubes" in my Bat VK-D5SE...hence the SE. Besides making it 24 bit, by replacing the 6922's they had to add six-pak output capacitor modules. According to BAT, the modules triple the value in the paper-in-oil signal capacitors. They also had to add a larger toroidal power transformer. So the modifications, are similar to Eddie Current's.

Enjoy your mods

 

[Mikey01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by recstar24 hey mikey, thanks for more impressions, keep them coming! now, the DM2 sounds like OTL, but is the DM1 otl as well, or does it incorporate transformers to drive those low impedance cans?

The DM-1 is transformer (2 freekin huge ones) and is heavy too. The DM-2 is OTL and probably will be mass produced first because of in-shop parts allready on hand.

[size=medium]The DM-2 will be available for audition at the Cincinnati meet June 25th.[/size]

 

[tanfenton]

What made you keep the DM-1 if the 2A3 is the superior amp?

NGF

 

[Mikey01]

DM-2 is neither better or worse, nessessarly. It's just a different flavor. I favor the DM-1 being a transformer kind of guy, as oppose to OTL. However, I bought one of both flavors. You only live so many hours before your eternal dirt nap. Make em happy ones.

 

[Mikey01]

Just an update. After five days of burn in and over thirty CD's listened to, I can tell you that this amp gets it right. It sounds splended.

 

[Mikey01]

Something to note on the DM-1. The tubes hardly generate any heat. I was told that they do not have a heavy voltage gain. The design calls for them to be driven easily so they should last a long time.

 

[Star65]

And it is possible somewhere even to look on DM-1 and Moth/Eddie Current 2A3 ? At Craig on a site there is nothing similar.

 

[Jahn]

Dunno about the DM-1, but the DM-2 is in this thread.

 

[Mikey01]

This is a quote from Jude from the Detroit meet: Eddie Current DM-1 (Dual Mono 1) Prototype. This is the mysterious looking amp a couple of you asked about, occupying an HD25 chassis like a sort of invasion of the amp-body snatcher, or some Frankenamp. It only looks this way because it's a prototype. If you want to see a drawing of what this amp's production chassis will probably look like (tube portholes and all), click here. Sonically, this amp went over very well with the folks at the Mini-Meet, and is Craig Uthus' attempt at aiming for the performance of his much more expensive Moth Audio Si2A3H, but keeping it priced less than a grand. Did he succeed? Since I've spent so much more time with the DM-1 than with Nightfall's Si2A3H, that's a tough question for me to answer definitively. I have, however, spent a lot of time with the HD25, so I'll make a couple of comments about the DM-1 relative to it. The DM-1 betters the performance of the HD25 to my ears, and it does so not by taking the HD25's signature and improving it, but by offering a different presentation altogether, and stretching the total performance envelope, relative to the HD25. While maintaining the allure of a hint of midrange emphasis, this amp is more neutral through the midband than the HD25, and also extends the treble further out, with that only-very-good-tube-and-amazing-solid-state-can-do-it grainlessness. In fact, to my ears, the DM-1 may have more extended treble than most other tube amps I've heard, including its much more expensive Si2A3H cousin. It's a little bit more airy than the HD25, and the DM-1 also manages to be a more precise imager. Whereas the HD25 could reasonably be called a somewhat "tubey" amp (read: not "tubby," but tubey), the DM-1 is probably too precise to call it that. Don't misunderstand, as I'm not saying it comes off as cold, lean or analytical, as it certainly does not. But it is more neutral (especially through the midrange) and resolving (especially in the treble region) than many who use tube amps may be used to. Could tube rolling make this amp sound more "tubey" than it does? Perhaps, but I didn't have a chance to roll its two unusual types of tubes (unusual for headphone amps anyway), the 6H30P and the 6AL5 mini rectifier, and I'm not sure what kind of variety is available in those tube types.

After my experience with the Antique Sound Lab Twin Head Mark II pre-production unit (which some reported sounded very different than the eventual production version), and because this DM-1 unit is an early prototype (and I know there are some changes intended for the better for the production DM-1), I will state cautiously that if the production DM-1 amp sounds at least as good as this prototype, then it will be a very formidable competitor in the $1000.00+ amp arena. Because if this prototype is an accurate example of what to expect when it comes to production, then, like the HD25, the DM-1 will be a legitimate competitor at its price and beyond, and makes a lot of sense in the Eddie Current product line price progression, as a step up from the HD25. According to Craig Uthus, in addition to a totally different chassis, changes with the production unit will include better output transformers. And speaking of output transformers, if you're of the mind that transformer-coupled designs can't stand up to OTL in terms of transparency, then give this DM-1 a listen and get back to me.

This is a quote from Nightfall from the Detroit Mini Meet: That would be the soon to be available Eddie Current DM1. An all new amplifier from the audio design brilliance of Craig Uthus that sounds simply wonderful. I was blown away by the quality of sound per dollar ratio, This is very expensive sound in a very modestly priced package, all things considered.
The final version will be completely enclosed and look very slick. Honestly, this amp is almost TOO good for its asking price. I told Craig he should charge MORE!
It should be available for sale sometime in the next few months and at a cost of about $900.00. The tubes it uses are also extremely affordable, and long term, that makes this even a better value. I would, and actually do plan to recommend to this to a number of friends that are looking for a great amp under $1000.00. In that price class, again, IMO, it has no peers. Not even close.

Also, the DM-1(http://home.comcast.net/~jbrockmo/he...5/PICT0785.jpg), DM-2 (http://www.actionpacked.net/photos/h...2_filtered.jpg), and the EC2A3(http://home.comcast.net/~jbrockmo/he...5/PICT0790.jpg) are pictured "live" in various meets. Detroit meet for one, and Ohio meet #3 for another, and also the most recent New York June 18th meet. Do a search or go to the "Meetings impressions" page.

[size=large]The DM-2 will be available for audition at the Cincinnati meet June 25th.[/size]

 

[Star65]

Many, many thanks, guys! Very interestingly!

 

[Mikey01]

OOPS! (See below)

 

[Mikey01]

Further impressions on the EddieCurrent DualMono-1: The expance of treble is unreal. This kind of ultra clean / ultra extended treble you only find in very high quality amplifiers. No grit, grain, or sibilance. As the unit breaks in, I notice I am haveing a hard time finding the EC 2A3 amp as being much better. It's certainly not the fault of the EC2A3 but more-so the trully great performance of the EddieCurrent DualMono-1

Earlier on Wendsday evening I had a chance to here the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra at a "Concert on the lawn". They sounded great as always and have "Grammy" recordings to there credit. I bought one while there. "EPIC" I think it was called. It is recorded by Telarc in "Direct Stream Digital" but is not "SACD" but that is available also. I was wishing I had the "SACD" version. The inside album cover said very little is lost between SACD to the "just DSD regular" recording on CD. I was blown away by the detail, preasence, and quality of the DSD recording. I have many Classical SACD recordings that don't come anywhere near this level of perfection and this DSD CD is not even SACD. It was recorded in a sound controlled enviroment and sounded way better than even the live performance I had just witnessed. Needless to say on the EddieCurrent DualMono-1 the performance was splended.