[MrCurwen]

This weekend will let you know how much fire
I have heard a rumor little dot prototype amp using 300b tubes. .

I just shake my head and wonder why would anybody use 300B as direct coupled output tube in a WCF. Other than looks and brand recognition.

I assume the topology would be same.

It would contribute to a more traditional tube sound, catering to many people who enjoy that. Transients more compressed etc.

DHTs have a certain 'magick' to them, I don't deny that. For best results I use 4P1L partly because it is DH. But higher output impedance makes the sound slower, the transients lazier and the bass less controlled and more boomy. Not good for long term use in my opinion.

Also, look at the tube types used by Eddie Current (my only choice if not DIY)

6sL7, 6sN7, 2a3, 300b

Those are the popular tubes of choice.

Something to think about. ..

Yep, most designers and hobbyists don't go outside popular waters. If you use a good tube that nobody knows about, you have to design around it's specs all by yourself, understand all of the stuff on the datasheet and more... That takes effort. Most people don't like spending effort, too much.

 

[coinmaster]

I just shake my head and wonder why would anybody use 300B as direct coupled output tube in a WCF. Other than looks and brand recognition.

I assume the topology would be same.

It would contribute to a more traditional tube sound, catering to many people who enjoy that. Transients more compressed etc.

DHTs have a certain 'magick' to them, I don't deny that. For best results I use 4P1L partly because it is DH. But higher output impedance makes the sound slower, the transients lazier and the bass less controlled and more boomy. Not good for long term use in my opinion.

Higher output impedance is the only downside other then design complications right?
 

Yep, most designers and hobbyists don't go outside popular waters. If you use a good tube that nobody knows about, you have to design around it's specs all by yourself, understand all of the stuff on the datasheet and more... That takes effort. Most people don't like spending effort, too much.

I'd rather do what works best. But I don't want to bite off more then I can chew, I learned that lesson the first few months I tried to learn electronics. Slow and steady is better,
I know how 6080s and 6SN7s sound in my circuit so I'm going to focus on design before I focus on tubes instead of blowing more money on uncharted waters.

 

[Maxx134]

Quote:
If you do DIY long enough, you will build several THE BEST amps you've ever heard, and spend many nights marveling how you couldn't even imagine how any sound reproduction system could sound any more realistic and musical. Then you design a couple of failed things, and then you design the thing that is again THE BEST, even better than the last one. Then you spend many nights.... etc. Continue until you run out of cognitive ability to understand more electronics. That will be your best then.

I agree with your statement here 100%
This is why I held back on a next project for another year,
To decide which design to use. ..

I know my strengths and weaknesses,
Which places me as a builder and modder,
NOT a circuit designer.
Although this hobby has me made lots of reading and discovering. .

I rather enjoy the idea to make a future DIY amp in a rediculously spectacular case..
hehe.

 

[MrCurwen]

I am in awe of your casing work!

My amps look horrible. I don't have paint skills, or much of woodwork skills in the aesthetic department. I go for engineer look, that's hard to fail at.

 

[coinmaster]

This is why I held back on a next project for another year,
To decide which design to use. ..

Smart. I don't trust the internet and peoples all too similar claims that everything sounds "amazing" so I'm going to design my own thing.
If I heard MrCurwens amp for example I'd have a reference to go off of but for now all I have is his word that it sounds amazing. Unfortunately "amazing" is all relative and subjective.
 
Apart from modding the MK6 design and the current balancing version of it I helped design I am going to start looking into distortion canceling designs from here on out.
 
Odd harmonics are really hard to get rid of so canceling out distortion with distortion seems to be the best way to go. 
This requires a predictable distortion source of equal and opposite measures and thus far the only way I know to go about this is to feed a cathode follower into or from a grounded grid or grounded cathode amplifier.
One of the big questions I have is what the difference in distortion "correction" is between the two types of amplifiers as it has a large effect on design since one is a low impedance input and one is a high impedance input.
 
 

I rather enjoy the idea to make a future DIY amp in a rediculously spectacular case..
hehe.

 

I'm not surprised. You seem to have spent more on your case then on the rest of it 

DIY is the way to go if you know how to do it. I'll never buy another amp again.

 

[MrCurwen]

Completely off topic, sorry for that, but just to illustrate what I meant by not having much aesthetic skills:

http://kalleria.org/livejournal/Kuva1339.jpg

This is my flagship amp, not in my possession anymore. Unfortunately I didn't take a 'final' picture of it; here the buffer (sitting on top) is not yet operational, as you can see from the indicator light not being on. Also the PSU and signal chassis indicator lights are of very different brightness. I fixed this later, important mod!

Not very mailable, unfortunately. But I am thinking more and more about mailing a smaller amp for audition, first to one man in Denmark who I've been tutoring and then onwards to somebody else in Europe. Preferably somebody who has very expensive caps to try out. I don't know, I should make another thread for this, sorry for the off topic.

 

[coinmaster]

I'd be tempted to buy it since it would finally give me a sonic reference to attach to your words but last I recall you said it was like $1300 or more? I don't remember. That doesn't include shipping. I've already invested too much into a DIY set-up and I'm reaching the threshold of my comfort zone.
I'd pay for the schematic but I wouldn't blame you for not sharing that with people. I would no doubt learn a lot from it though.

Preferably somebody who has very expensive caps to try out

I do! Too bad I'm not in europe. 

 

[MrCurwen]

I find it utterly dishonorable to publicly mention facts talked about in private conversations. Again.

 

[coinmaster]

Something wrong with talking about the expense? You get offended way to easily as usual.

 

[Maxx134]

Coin has the best caps, Deuland.
Although there are I believe three best and Jupiter & I believe "V-Cap" is the other.

And about caps :
It has been generally stated in past, that a cap can alter the depth perception of an instrument within the sound field accordingly to the dynamics.

I have not noticed this on new copper foil caps.
They are on another level & also entirely free of treble colorations..
They make the best Mundorf sound very colored.

 

[Maxx134]

I find it utterly dishonorable to publicly mention facts talked about in private conversations. Again.

Coin has done this in the past to me and another guy from another thread he posted here..

Coin, maybe you need to learn the word discretion.
lol

 

[Maxx134]

Something wrong with talking about the expense? You get offended way to easily as usual.

Hey, I thought I was the only one you said that too!
Now I don't feel special..

 

[coinmaster]

Coin has the best caps, Deuland.
Although there are I believe three best and Jupiter & I believe "V-Cap" is the other.

I can't speak for Jupiter (yet) or v-caps but Duelund is definitely the most finely crafted and expensive one, at least from a materials perspective. The thing is like a lead weight, it's solid copper and is as big around as my palm.
 
The only review I've found of Duelund vs Jupiter claimed them to be very similar. I have some Jupiters ready for use and they look like tiny axial versions of duelunds without the weight. I suspect they were Jupiter's attempt at recreating Duelund tech for cheaper.
 

It has been generally stated in past, that a cap can alter the depth perception of an instrument within the sound field accordingly to the dynamics.

The sound stage went from conal to almost 360 degrees after upgrading to duelunds from stock, among the many many other delicious sonic benefits.
For the first few hours there was this incredibly "sweet" sound on the highs it was orgasmic, I kept waiting for the high notes so I could keep experiencing it. It was actually high inducing. Sadly after letting it burn in over night the sweet sound went away
 

Coin has done this in the past to me and another guy from another thread he posted here..

Coin, maybe you need to learn the word discretion.
lol

True, but I never mentioned your name, it was on another website with no reference to you in particular. I only mentioned your advice to me.
As far as I see it I did him a favor by mentioning the price of his amp. Marketing is what sells and $1300 is pretty darn good for what it is (assuming that was the price, I don't recall correctly) and he sounds like he wants to sell.
 
MrCurwen easily gets upset at the drop of a hat over the internet no less. Such things are way beneath me. Progress is either being made or it's not, people that get mad about petty nothings are probably miserable irl and make wonderful bait for internet trolls.
 

Hey, I thought I was the only one you said that too!
Now I don't feel special..

No actually you adjusted pretty quickly, Redge on the other hand seems to be in the same boat as MrCurwen. He hasn't spoken to me in quite awhile.

 

[Maxx134]

OK let's change topic..

Another thing I have learned that you won't hear too often.


On the subject of capacitors. 

In my WCF you will see I replaced one cap for three in parallel. .





 


I did this for other reasons, 


But sonically I have noted improments over single cap.


I have to do a future test to give more accurate description of benifits, 


But so far I can say I have more liquid and better Soundstage. 


I am currently using three "VitaminQ" caps which are now my preferred choice over both the Mundorf (silv/gold/oil) and the "plain" Jupiter HT ..

Edit*
The "VitaminQ" cap is similar to the Russian oil caps in a heavy metal case,
So I had to tape them to cover the metal!

 

[coinmaster]

But sonically I have noted improments over single cap.

More caps equal less ESR and inductance. It's like putting resistors or inductors in parallel. Caps in parallel increase capacity as well.
More caps is usually better then one assuming you implement them correctly. I forget the details but there is a proper way to solder them for best performance. I'll have to find that thread again.
This is actually really important if what you say is true.