[UntilThen]

Preface

This thread is created to catalogue McChanson amps and for owners to give their impressions of tube amps created by Eric.

The old McChanson thread will be phased out but you can referenced it. I will try and capture as much information as possible from this old thread into this new thread.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/eric-mcchanson-headphone-amp.718350/

Tube rolling on McChanson amps and the sharing of tubes will be done in
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mcchanson-amps-tube-rolling-thread.972576/

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The McChanson story
https://www.mcchanson.com/

This first post is a work in progress.

McChanson headphone amps
cutiE - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mcchanson-amps-appreciation-thread.972577/post-18090133
whispEr - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mcchanson-amps-appreciation-thread.972577/post-18090139
gEm - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mcchanson-amps-appreciation-thread.972577/post-18090154
UltimatE - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mcchanson-amps-appreciation-thread.972577/post-18090431

McChanson speaker amps
6L6GC amp - https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mcchanson-amps-appreciation-thread.972577/post-18090843

 

[UntilThen]

cutiE amp

General information: using 6EM7 - later changed to the smaller 6FD7 and later to 6EW7.
(for it's lower gain, that maybe more suitable low power headphone amps)

6FD7 and 6EW7 are used for the smaller micro chassis - making it cute and small, hence the name cutiE.

The earlier cutiE used the small but high quality output transformers from salvaged German radio. Now it is changed to use standard timE output transformers. 6EM7 etc are dual dissimilar triodes in a glass envelope. In cutiE, the 6EM7 high mu triode section is direct coupled to drive the power triode section. It is a capacitor-less (in the signal path) amp. It maybe the simplest and most affordable value for money headphone amp.

Tube rolling is possible - with 6EM7 and 6GL7 and many others with adapter for 6FD7 with 6DR7, 6CY7.. for 6EW7 and 6DE7.

Picture 1 : Micro cutiE using 2 x 6FD7 and small German output transformers under the chassis.

Picture 2 : Micro cutiE - with standard timE output transformers using 6FD7 or 6EW7 - selectable. That in picture 2 is the last in stock and sold to a USA client via eBay and he posted a very positive eBay feedback :

It's like Christmas came early this year. Out of the box it was an exceptional sounding amp. It's very quiet, more so than any tube amplifier I've ever heard but also wonderfully euphonic with holography galore! As I'm just passing 20 hours with one of the two pairs of tubes I've received, the sound is getting even smoother, and as the tubes open up, I'm finding more excellent pairings among the headphones I own, my favourite so far being ZMF Aeolus. It's a stellar amp from a stellar seller, thanks!

Picture 3 : cutiE in mini chassis in earlier days with timE outputs.

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whispEr amp

This is the simplest amp. It is ONE stage per channel using those high gain low plate impedance triodes to do all the work on it's own. Humming is completely suppressed. It is just QUIET. Suitable for very sensitive IEMs and headphones.

Tubes used in whispEr are : 6S3P / 6S4P / EC86 - directly replaceable within the amp. Other tubes that can be used are 6S45P / 6S15P.

Since it's only one triode for each channel, power is just below 1w. whispEr is only in micro chassis - dimension 170 mm x 290 mm.

Picture 1 - Early whispEr using small German output transformers (and filter choke) installed inside chassis.

Picture 2 - Varieties - with dual power tubes selectable (@Zachik 's amp) - installed with 2 sets of power tubes selectable. In the picture, user can select between 6S45P & 6H6P.

Picture 3 - Standard whispEr - use the standard timE output transformers to boost the sound quality (fuller) and slightly more power. This is the current whispEr and still in micro chassis.

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gEm amp

Uses the wonder tube 6AS7 which is a low mu and exceedingly low plate resistance. Being low mu = 2, it's advisable to use a high mu driver to drive the output tube. 6AS7 is also a high current tube with big filament current (2.5A) so the power supply within the amp need special requirements.

gEm use ONE 6AS7 or 6080 - a twin power triodes, each triode for each channel. The driver is a 6SL7 ( mu=70 ), 12AT7 ( mu=60 ) or a 12AX7 ( mu=100 ) to drive this lazy tube. Alternative tubes are 5998 / WE 421A which is a higher gain power tube ( mu=5 ) so the required gain from the driver tube can be relaxed a bit by using 6SN7 or 12AU7. Test have shown that 6BX7 or 6BL7 can also work as power tube in gEm. It is as dynamic and explosive as 5998 !

gEm is a 3w headphone amp with speaker outputs. It has similar power as Ultimate.

Picture 1 : gEm in Mini chassis with timE output transformers installed inside chassis.

Picture 2 : gEm in Mini chassis with timE outputs on the top plate.

Picture 3 : gEm in Mini chassis with Silk output transformer from SAC Thailand.

gEm can also be in parallel 6AS7 to become a diamond as an integrated amp to drive speakers... good sound.

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Parallel 6AS7

 

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UltimatE amp

This is a standard configuration amp with 2 stages - a driver drives the power tube. The driver is one high mu twin triodes 6SL7 or 12AT7 driving one high current working on low voltage 6Y6G per channel. The amp delivers 3w, powerful enough to drive most if not all headphones.

Picture 1 : Standard Mini UltimatE - in gold, black or silver. Options available to upgrade the hardware, Silk O/P transformers, caps, etc.

Picture 2 : Special Mini Gold version with gold painted 6L6 metal tubes and copper side covers for the timE O/P transformers.

Picture 3 : Junior Wood Ultimate - in wood chassis - upgrade options as Mini, plus XLR input and output, etc.

Picture 4 : Super UltimatE - in gold, black or silver front panel. This is a bigger chassis and allows for 5V rectifiers instead of the 6V 6BW4, dual drivers, 12.6v or 6.3v selectable options, dual capacitors selects. This amp has the most tube rolling options possible of all tube amps.

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6L6GC amp

The 6L6GC amp is an integrated SE amp with Ultra Linear and Triode modes switching. UL mode can deliver about 10W, Triode mode is about half of that but some claim it is a better sound. The amp may have 2 type of drivers (either or - not both) :-

a) Each channel of the power tube is driven by a single triode, for example 6S3P / 6S4P / EC86 as these single triodes are high mu and can drive the 6L6GC family of tubes well.

b) The driver tube is a 6EM7 (2 stage driving with the dissimilar dual triode). This has more power and will drive the 6L6GC tubes more effortlessly. When Interstage transformers are chosen, it is necessary to use 6EM7 as drivers.

A standard 6L6GC SE amp use the timE output transformers, 5V rectifier tube (limited to 2A filament current, for 5AR4, etc) using 2 x 6EM7 or 6S3P, 6L6GC or similar power tubes. The power tubes can be all 6L6GC pin compatible power tubes including 6L6s, KTs, 6550, 5881. The amp is wired to use EL34 too. With adapters, it can use 807, EL38, EL39, EL12 spez, etc. The amp uses adjustable fixed bias. There is a need to readjust bias for different power tubes (also when rectifier tube is changed) to optimize the power tubes used. Note this amp use higher working voltage, low voltage tubes like 6Y6G cannot be used (unless it is a U-Amp). It can also use a pair of 6AS7 (in parallel) to replace the 6L6GC, making it a very good sounding 6AS7 parallel pEar amp.

Varieties of this 6L6GC timE amp & upgrades : Optional upgrades to this amp include : hardware upgrades, Silk output transformers, pEar output assembly instead of timE. Higher power upgrade to boost the output power to use KT150, KT170 and bigger power transformer to increase output to 15w. This can also be a 6L6GC Push Pull timE amp that will deliver 25w.

Customised versions exist and are called Chameleon (@rollinbr 's amp) and Super Angel that uses KT170 and other similar power tubes.

Picture 1 - 6L6GC timE amp using 6EM7 as drivers and KT150 as power tubes.

Picture 2 - KT170 SilkEt - with many upgrades in particular using IT (interstage transformers) that is installed inside the chassis and Super Silk output transformers from SAC Thailand.

Picture 3 - 6AS7 parallel pEart - with IT and big power transformer. This can also use 5998 / WE 421A tubes.

Picture 4 - 6L6GC Push Pull amp with 25w of power. It is a heavy amp.

Picture 5 - Power extended using KT150 PP and marzE output transformers (marzE is discontinued) to have 50w.

SupremE amp is a name given for a structurally UltimatE amp but using 300B tube. The amp can also use 2a3 and 45 tubes via a switch. It is in Super chassis with all optional upgrades as UltimatE. SupremE use a single triode as driver, so it is not as powerful as the 300b speaker amps. It is about 4 to 5w but is ample as a headphone amp and is very quiet.

Picture 6 - Super Black SupremE with Silk output transformers and all other upgrades.

Picture 7 - @rollinbr 's Chameleon. A customised KT170 amp with symmetrical layouts and Super Silk output transformers. This with Susvara has been voted the number 1 combination at the Arizona local meetup amongst other outstanding gear on display.

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[Deleeh]

wonderfull

 

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@rollinbr with his Super Silver Supreme with c3gs and WE 300b. Said he is busy at the moment but enjoying the music when he can.

 

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Talking to Eric about a Parallel gEm which he will build for himself. He said that 6as7 is his wonder tube. Always has been since he was a lad !

So what is in this Parallel gEm? If it comes to fruition, it will have:-

All the features of a fully spec Super Ultimate plus the ability to use ONE or TWO power tubes. It will be parallel when 2 is used. When one is used it will be similar to the current gEm.

It will use 5 volt rectifier and have the option for 12.6v or 6.3v drivers.

For parallel gEm to work, it need Silk transformers, double choke and a bigger power supply. So it will be more powerful than Ultimate but it will be just as quiet. It will be predominantly a headphone amp but will drive efficient speakers.

This amp will use 6AS7, 6080, 5998, WE 421A, 6BX7, 6BL7 for power tubes.

 

[crakers7]

Talking to Eric about a Parallel gEm which he will build for himself. He said that 6as7 is his wonder tube. Always has been since he was a lad !

So what is in this Parallel gEm? If it comes to fruition, it will have:-

All the features of a fully spec Super Ultimate plus the ability to use ONE or TWO power tubes. It will be parallel when 2 is used. When one is used it will be similar to the current gEm.

It will use 5 volt rectifier and have the option for 12.6v or 6.3v drivers.

For parallel gEm to work, it need Silk transformers, double choke and a bigger power supply. So it will be more powerful than Ultimate but it will be just as quiet. It will be predominantly a headphone amp but will drive efficient speakers.

This amp will use 6AS7, 6080, 5998, WE 421A, 6BX7, 6BL7 for power tubes.

Interesting to see how many Watts it can put out as a speaker amp

 

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Interesting to see how many Watts it can put out as a speaker amp

The parallel 6as7 in this link puts out 6w. I am sure Eric can push it to 8w.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/mcchanson-amps-appreciation-thread.972577/post-18090154

As a headphone amp, it's astounding hearing the 6AS7, 6080, 5998, 6BX7 and 6BL7 in the standard gEm with just russian caps and timE O/P transformers. An up spec gEm will sound as engaging as Ultimate if not more so. If you have these tubes already it make sense rather than buy expensive vintage pentodes and beam tetrodes.

In an ideal world, you want both amps.

 

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A Gold KT150 speaker amp is cooking but Eric will make it as quiet as possible as though it's for headphone use. I will put my Susvara to the test. I will have a pair of KT170 from Eric to try on it, as well as my other pentodes. This will use Silk output transformers. This is fixed bias for the power tubes and you can see the adjustment knobs there.

The month of May will be busy.

 

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Have not much comparison between Ultimate and Oblivion so this gives me a chance to evaluate them side by side. Headphone is HD800.

Ultimate - tubes are Tesla EZ81, Russian 6S8S / 6C8C, GEC 807 ATS25.
Oblivion - tubes are Marconi 6AV6, Siemens EL81.

On first hearing, they are so alike but as my ears get adjusted, Oblivion has wider, deeper and higher soundstage but Ultimate is no slouch with soundstage. Oblivion seems to open up the sound with HD800. Notes are fuller. Ultimate is a master of precision and pinpoint imaging. Both are supremely clear, with a texture that I love so much about good tube amps. Finally quietness - both have an incredibly black background that lets you hear so much more into the music. Both amps are devoid of noise and are just quiet.

 

[triod750]

Have you tried EL81 in Ultimate? They are great tubes as you already know. (Comparing apples to apples).

 

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Alright let's compare apples to apples. I've used EL81 in Ultimate many times but never as a side by side comparison with Oblivion. So here we go.

Ultimate - 6S3P, Siemens 6CJ6 (EL81), Tesla EZ81. Single Ended amp.
Oblivion - Marconi 6AV6, Siemens CV2721 (EL81). Balanced amp.

Now Ultimate soundstage opens up with the 6S3P and EL81 but Oblivion still sound more wide spread, deeper, higher. Tone wise they are more alike now and we're splitting hairs here but I have a slight preference with Oblivion on EL81 tubes. Both are gorgeous sounding.

Remember that Tomas chose EL81 specifically for Oblivion because he said the tube measures very linear. Likewise he chose EL36 for Citadel.

Both are incredibly good looking too. I've decided to lose the socket savers in Ultimate for this photoshoot.

Dimensions are almost the same.
Ultimate - 43 cm x 31 cm x 9 cm
Oblivion - 45 cm x 29 cm x 9 cm