Ouch...ouch...the...ouch...Raptor...ouch...ouch... is...ouch...ouch...ouch...hot!

[AudioDwebe]

Just got this from a fellow Head-Fi'er yesterday and after plugging it in, I noticed that it is WAY warmer than merely warm. This thing is actually pretty hot. I've never really noticed that in all my readings on this amp. Now, granted, I might have read about how hot the amp runs, but just not have taken any note of it. Not sure. It even warms the headphone plug when it's removed.

It came with the stock tubes, and only listened to it for about an hour or so, but from that short listen, this amp doesn't sound tubey at all. It seems to have plenty of power. I did most of the listening with a pair of 501's (happen to be the last cans used) and I'm not sure I like the sound of the Raptor through the 501's. It seems to really overpower the bass on these cans, causing them to sound a bit bloated. Not sure what to make of that. I'm thinkin' the AKG's have now been seriously "man-handled" by the Raptor.

From what I've heard so far, this is a VERY NICE sounding amp. Can't wait to get acquainted with it over the next couple of weeks.

 

[xnothingpoetic]

Hi, your title is long and... uh... unique. I clicked out of curiosity.

Bye.

 

[2deadeyes]

Does your come with a Piltron transformer that supposedly fixed the heat issue from the power supply? The amp section does get quite hot if not ventilated well.

 

[decur]

your raptor has the 1st design power supply!
you can send your raptor back to ray samuels for updated plitron supply
which runs cool

 

[AudioDwebe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by decur /img/forum/go_quote.gif your raptor has the 1st design power supply! you can send your raptor back to ray samuels for updated plitron supply which runs cool

The power supply is cool. It's the smaller part with the tubes. I assumed it was the tubes creating the heat. Was I wrong to ass u me?

 

[AudioDwebe]

I was wrong about the bloated bass on the 501's with the Raptor. It was the unfamiliar, crappy recording I listened to (d'oh!). With some of the familiar recordings, the amp drove the 501's very well.

I first played an old record from the 80's (Mike Columbier) and thought, "Damn, this thing doesn't sound very good." I then put on a different record (Paul Demsond and Supertramp) and the headphones were brought to life. Some modern jazz on CD...very nice. The Raptor isn't going to make a crap recording sound good, that's for sure. But who'd want that, anyway?

I've got the unit sitting on a trio of Ceraballs and the heat seems a lot less than it was yesterday just sitting on the shelf by itself. It's also a very nice looking unit. Much nicer in person than in pictures.

 

[jamato8]

What part of the amp is actually hot? I know you said the PS is fine so what section of the tube chassis is unusually hot? Depending upon radiation, tubes get stuff around them hot or very warm (after a while).

 

[Uncle Erik]

Be careful with that. Most components aren't rated for more than 105 degrees C, or about 220 degrees F. If it's getting hotter than that, the component lifespan will be a lot shorter. Massive heat will also change the values of the components and possibly lift the traces off a PCB. Are you sure it's not malfunctioning?

 

[ephrank]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xnothingpoetic /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi, your title is long and... uh... unique. I clicked out of curiosity. Bye.

x2

 

[Blackmore]

Congrats with your new toy!
Buy some NOS Telefunkes or Mullards and call Ray about the heating. Zana also become a bit warm ( after a while ), but not HOT, if you know what I mean. Any chance you can try GS1000 with the Raptor?

THX

 

[n_maher]

If it were me I'd just contact Ray and ask what the normal operating temperature is for the Raptor Amp chassis (since this doesn't sound like the known PS issue). A component running hot is nothing to play around with or casually ignore.

 

[AudioDwebe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What part of the amp is actually hot? I know you said the PS is fine so what section of the tube chassis is unusually hot? Depending upon radiation, tubes get stuff around them hot or very warm (after a while).

The part that holds the tubes is what's getting hot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Be careful with that. Most components aren't rated for more than 105 degrees C, or about 220 degrees F. If it's getting hotter than that, the component lifespan will be a lot shorter. Massive heat will also change the values of the components and possibly lift the traces off a PCB. Are you sure it's not malfunctioning?

The temperature's nowhere near 220 degrees F. The best way to describe it, probably, is that it's about as warm/hot as a hot bath. The heat just threw me for a loop because I wasn't expecting it.

The volume knob doesn't seem as hot (or real warm) now that I've placed the unit on a trio of Ceraballs. When I unplug my cans, the part that goes into the amp is warm to the touch.

I'm sure it's probably operating just fine. This is my first tubed gear where the tubes are so close together in a small base. I'll try calling Ray again today and ask him.



Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackmore /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats with your new toy! Buy some NOS Telefunkes or Mullards and call Ray about the heating. Zana also become a bit warm ( after a while ), but not HOT, if you know what I mean. Any chance you can try GS1000 with the Raptor? THX

I haven't tried the GS1K yet, but I will later and post my opinions. But you know what they say about opinions....

 

[jamato8]

Well part of the purpose of a chassis is to act as a heat sink and since tubes get hot it is normal that the chassis near the tubes will get warm to very warm and sometimes, depending upon the amp, hot.

 

[achristilaw]

The "Amp" section gets Hot, but not dangerously so. The 5687 is ballsy and sounds best run full tilt, hence the two chassis design. It was designed with the intent to withstand those heat stresses. Call and ask Mr. Ray with any questions.