[ThanatosVI]

As I listen to music, I think of Telemachus that is coming next year. How will that alter the way Susvara sound?

So you still think about adding more amps?
Didn't even Ultrasonic Studios tell you to shift a gear down?

 

[UntilThen]

So you still think about adding more amps?
Didn't even Ultrasonic Studios tell you to shift a gear down?

I'm not thinking. It's ordered and mostly paid for. April 2023 is my build month. There's time to save for WE or Elrog 300b. The never ending money splurge in head-fi.

There's no shifting gear down. The only way is up. Having said that, Telemachus has to be the last amp (tube) that I will need. Anything else is in excess.

 

[ThanatosVI]

I'm not thinking. It's ordered and mostly paid for. April 2023 is my build month. There's time to save for WE or Elrog 300b. The never ending money splurge in head-fi.

There's no shifting gear down. The only way is up. Having said that, Telemachus has to be the last amp (tube) that I will need. Anything else is in excess.

I'm pretty sure it is already excess after Oblivion and Odyssey
But who am I to say something after ordering my own 2nd high end tube amp...

Head-Fi is a dangerous place

 

[UntilThen]

I'm pretty sure it is already excess after Oblivion and Odyssey
But who am I to say something after ordering my own 2nd high end tube amp...

Head-Fi is a dangerous place

So you ordered the Envy. We ought to get together to compare the amps. Head-fi.... why did I join in 2015? My exit should have been a while ago but I am still here.

 

[ThanatosVI]

So you ordered the Envy. We ought to get together to compare the amps. Head-fi.... why did I join in 2015? My exit should have been a while ago but I am still here.

Yes I did, the price increase triggered me to act now.

Instead of a custom bog oak Version it's now a american walnut one, but in return I can keep the Octave.
One of the best KT88 amps and one of the best 300Bs, you know the luxury

Would be cool to compare our amps, but we live really far away from each other, don't we?

 

[UntilThen]

Yes I did, the price increase triggered me to act now.

Instead of a custom bog oak Version it's now a american walnut one, but in return I can keep the Octave.
One of the best KT88 amps and one of the best 300Bs, you know the luxury

Would be cool to compare our amps, but we live really far away from each other, don't we?

Good point. Price increase and exchange rate going up.

Shortest distance between Germany and Australia is 9021 miles or 14,457 kms. Not that far.

 

[Isaacc7]

A quick update. The amp is here! The trouble is that I’m partially disabled and I can’t get it out of the box and on to the stand. Gah! Will have to wait until I get someone in to do it for me. So frustrating! I am otherwise ready. Got the second power supply and cables and have laid out my first set of tubes. So close but so far…

 

[triod750]

I don't 'like' your trouble but I congratulate you to what you have ahead of you. First frustrating, then rewarding!!

 

[UntilThen]

A quick update. The amp is here! The trouble is that I’m partially disabled and I can’t get it out of the box and on to the stand. Gah! Will have to wait until I get someone in to do it for me. So frustrating! I am otherwise ready. Got the second power supply and cables and have laid out my first set of tubes. So close but so far…

I'm sorry to hear that. I had trouble getting this out of the box too, even though I work out 8 days a weeks. It's a miracle I got it on the rack.

 

[Zachik]

I work out 8 days a weeks

Slacker...

 

[Isaacc7]

Amp is up and running! Only issue setting up was the banana cables I bought for the external heater supplies are too short so I’m stuck with 6v tubes for now. Hardly a burden as I have plenty of those. I was originally going to use 14c5 for outputs and my Tungsol BGRP 12sn7 for inpout tubes. Right now I’ve got some Sylvania JAN 7c5 for output and brown base Sylvania 6sn7w in input. Running the 7c5 in triode at 250v 30Ma.

Oh, should also talk about the rest of my system. I use my iPad Pro as a source using either Apple Music or JRemote to access my JRiver library. That goes into a Supratek Cabernet currently using Raytheon 12j5wgt. That goes into the amp and then into the Phase Technology PC 3.5 speakers. I listen to a wide variety of music except pop country and hip hop/rap left me behind around 2005 or so lol. My typical late night listening has been Indian classical music recently but I do also enjoy classical guitar and piano as well. First music using the amp is Andrew Bird’s album My Finest Work Yet.

 

[Isaacc7]

My very first impression was that this sounded much more like a traditional tube amp than my single ended pentode amp. That shouldn’t be too surprising, it is a standard, pretty old circuit design-wise. Less defined bass, fuzzy soundstage, kind of warm. Also sounded a bit congested and lacked air. Of course this is the first time I’ve used the amp and these particular tubes. Still…

The amp has both 4 ohm and 8 ohm outputs. Keep in mind that multi driver speakers with passive crossovers present a much more complicated load than single driver headphones. Speakers will advertise a nominal impedance but one look at the impedance measurement will show that it actually varies considerably depending on the frequency. Pretty sure headphones are usually pretty much a resistive load with a constant impedance. Multi driver speakers with their crossovers present a reactive load and how they interact with amps and transformers is really complicated. My speakers are nominally 4 ohms so that’s what I started with. On the other hand my other amp only has a single tap of the transformer and it is around 9 ohms and sounds amazing. I wonder what will happen if I switch to 8 ohms?

Big difference. Bass has tightened up and there’s a lot more clarity through the midrange. Pro tip, if you are using a tube amp with speakers, see how they sound with different taps on the transformers.

 

[Isaacc7]

Ok, first complaint. The power light is white! Ugh. Turn off the lights and it is impossible to see anything else. My gear is in front of me and so it is just blazing into my eyes. Why is a light needed at all? If an indicator is needed why not a small, dim red one? I’m going to have to figure out a way to cover this up. Hopefully it won’t be too ugly with the lights on.

 

[UntilThen]

You mean this light?

 

[Isaacc7]

You mean this light?

Yup. @SonicTrance is there a red light that can replace the stock one?