[SonicTrance]

Thanks for all the comments guys! =)

@SonicTrance looks great! WE 300b, Mullard rectifier, are those Ken Rad 6sn7? Are you doing anything fancy for the driver circuitry? I was under the impression that a triode like the 6sn7 would have some difficulty driving the 300b. What sort of circuit did you use? Reading over at DIYaudio.com I am intrigued by the approach that Tubelab uses to get his 300b in A2 for a bit extra power.

Copy paste from my website:
Telemachus is a SET 300B amp. It uses a 6SN7 cascode input stage followed by a MOSFET source follower, or “grid driver”, that drives the 300B grid. The output is then a traditional series feed output with high quality output transformers.

This gives Telemachus the best of both worlds. Fast transients and speed due to the grid drivers while still maintaining the beautiful 300B sound!

This it's what's new in this design: Monolith output transformers and manually set grid bias. The grid drivers are now also biasing the 300B's.

Brilliant ! What are those meters facing front and at the top? What options did you set up for this?

More importantly, how does it sound?

Add-ons on this unit would be:
Extra set of speaker jacks for sub.
Silver rings around the tubes
4-pin XLR out
Impedance switch
Output selector switch
VU meters (those at the front)
Different knobs
Some stuff on the inside as well like different caps and so on.

I think it sounds really good and even better than the Sowter version so I'm going to keep getting the Monoliths for both Telemachus and Odyssey. I've been through some personal stuff lately and getting this amp finished just the way I wanted it was I big milestone for me and sort of sigh of relief. So, I'm kind of biased as well lol. I'll leave anymore comparisons and SQ descriptions to the next customer which will be you.


Some have asked about my queue. It's between summer and autumn 2024 I should say. If I don't start pumping these out one at a month like before. But I don't think I will. You never know though.

Next up is a Eternity!

 

[Zachik]

Next up is a Eternity!

...and after the Eternity? Maybe Psithyros?

 

[Isaacc7]

Thanks for all the comments guys! =)


Copy paste from my website:
Telemachus is a SET 300B amp. It uses a 6SN7 cascode input stage followed by a MOSFET source follower, or “grid driver”, that drives the 300B grid. The output is then a traditional series feed output with high quality output transformers.

This gives Telemachus the best of both worlds. Fast transients and speed due to the grid drivers while still maintaining the beautiful 300B sound!

This it's what's new in this design: Monolith output transformers and manually set grid bias. The grid drivers are now also biasing the 300B's.


Add-ons on this unit would be:
Extra set of speaker jacks for sub.
Silver rings around the tubes
4-pin XLR out
Impedance switch
Output selector switch
VU meters (those at the front)
Different knobs
Some stuff on the inside as well like different caps and so on.

I think it sounds really good and even better than the Sowter version so I'm going to keep getting the Monoliths for both Telemachus and Odyssey. I've been through some personal stuff lately and getting this amp finished just the way I wanted it was I big milestone for me and sort of sigh of relief. So, I'm kind of biased as well lol. I'll leave anymore comparisons and SQ descriptions to the next customer which will be you.


Some have asked about my queue. It's between summer and autumn 2024 I should say. If I don't start pumping these out one at a month like before. But I don't think I will. You never know though.

Next up is an Eternity!

Never thought to read the website doh! Using the mosfet makes sense. The 300b is tough to drive well. I’ve seen 2 stage designs with a 6sn7 input going into a 6sn7 driver, pentode drivers, and solid state follower circuits. If I were to get a 300b amp I think I’d prefer the way you do it with a mosfet. Sometimes the best tube to use is solid state!

 

[Isaacc7]

Trends come and go. Before 300B it was 2A3 and now nobody speaks of them anymore.

I would think that the 2a3 would make a great headphone amp. Maybe even a 45 or px4 but they might need a special output transformer. One thing that does separate the 300b from the 2a3 is that there are more high quality 300b tubes being made now than 2a3. At least that’s the impression I get. Of course it could (should?) be asked how many sets of tubes do you really need? Plus, who can afford to do much 300b rolling? I guess the real reason the 300b is still around is that it can give you that sweet sound with adequate power. Going up to the 211 or 845 gives you a bit more power but much more complicated and dangerous amp construction. 300b is the sweet spot for triode outputs.

 

[UntilThen]

I think it sounds really good and even better than the Sowter version so I'm going to keep getting the Monoliths for both Telemachus and Odyssey. I've been through some personal stuff lately and getting this amp finished just the way I wanted it was I big milestone for me and sort of sigh of relief. So, I'm kind of biased as well lol. I'll leave anymore comparisons and SQ descriptions to the next customer which will be you.


Some have asked about my queue. It's between summer and autumn 2024 I should say. If I don't start pumping these out one at a month like before. But I don't think I will. You never know though.

Tube amp custom builders on this forum are dwindling and we appreciate you're still doing this. I hope you're on the mend and have time for yourself. Your queue have stretched out to autumn of 2024. Glad I put my order in last year.

It's a surprise to me that the Monoliths version sounded better than Sowter's. You're the only one to have heard both versions.

 

[senseitedj]

It's finally done! I'll take some "real" pics of it maybe tomorrow or so. This version has the Monolith transformers and fixed (manually) grid bias for the 300B's.

Looks absolutely stunning!

On a side note, I am copying your tube selection now

 

[baronbeehive]

Thanks for all the comments guys! =)

Hope you're doing OK now .

Some have asked about my queue. It's between summer and autumn 2024 I should say. If I don't start pumping these out one at a month like before. But I don't think I will. You never know though.

OMG .

 

[ThanatosVI]

Some have asked about my queue. It's between summer and autumn 2024 I should say. If I don't start pumping these out one at a month like before. But I don't think I will. You never know though.

Well it's good to see that the business is striving

 

[baronbeehive]

Never thought to read the website doh! Using the mosfet makes sense. The 300b is tough to drive well. I’ve seen 2 stage designs with a 6sn7 input going into a 6sn7 driver, pentode drivers, and solid state follower circuits. If I were to get a 300b amp I think I’d prefer the way you do it with a mosfet. Sometimes the best tube to use is solid state!

The important thing is the tubes are still doing the voltages properly which is what you want and the grid driver is feeding the grid properly, both doing what they should do so solid state is not really interfering with tube at all.

 

[Thaddy]

...and after the Eternity? Maybe Psithyros?

Should be my custom Odyssey

 

[SonicTrance]

Sometimes the best tube to use is solid state!

My mentor, MrCurwen, tought me very early that tubes are just another component. Use components for what they do best and you'll get the best results.

I would think that the 2a3 would make a great headphone amp.

I have a 2A3 Telemachus in the queue. It won't get built for a while though.

Hope you're doing OK now .

OMG .

I'm ok, just need to take it easy once in a while, lol.

Should be my custom Odyssey

Yep!

 

[UntilThen]

I have a 2A3 Telemachus in the queue. It won't get built for a while though.

Knew that will come up sooner or later. Will it run both 2a3 or 45?

 

[UntilThen]

My mentor, MrCurwen, tought me very early that tubes are just another component. Use components for what they do best and you'll get the best results.

Should ask MrCurwen to pay us a visit again. He'll be shocked at the range of models now.

I have not done Oblivion justice by talking about Odyssey all the time. The truth is Oblivion sounded amazing. I've been using Odyssey almost exclusively but now I power on Oblivion and at moderate volume, I am quite shocked at how good it make Susvara sound.

 

[SonicTrance]

Knew that will come up sooner or later. Will it run both 2a3 or 45?

No 45 support. They would require different transformers.

 

[Isaacc7]

My push pull Odyssey is living up to my goals of being super versatile with different sounds with different tube combos. All of these are using my Supratek Cabernet with Cossor 6c5g. The amp is driving my Phase Technology PC 3.5 speakers. Here are three great combos I’ve found so far.

1) Ceramic base Vt60a (some labeled Cossor) triode 320v 40ma with tall bottle 14n7 clear glass. Open, detailed sound with crazy depth and frequency extension in both directions. Probably the most “hifi” sounding combo I’ve heard with this amp.

2) STC 5b/254m triode 320v 40ma with Raytheon 12j5wgt drivers. For many people this comes close to their Platonic ideal of a “tube amp” sound. Timbres sound just right with extra “bloom” in the midrange, and a tad warm. It is a more mid focused sound. Don’t sleep on the STC output tubes, Super high quality british tubes at really good prices.

Tung Sol 7581a Ultralinear 400v 60ma with Milliwatt branded but supposedly Fivre made b36 inputs. This is a big, rich, powerful presentation with super solid bass. Listening to analog synths through this is just nuts. The mid bass is just as solid as the low stuff, Tony Joe White has never sounded so good!

All of these output tubes span the range of eh, eww, and OMG when using different input tubes. Some engineering types scoff at the idea of using different tubes and tube types but I love it. I can radically change the sound of my system just by switching tubes. Why have one system when you can have many?