[Ichinichi]

I am being informed that while 0.1uF Vcap is best for clarity and balance, 470uF N-series should be installed only for more bass impact. My concern is that I am on nylon'd 650s (bass was too heavy, sound was too congested for my tastes with foam in) - will a 0.1uF/470uF combo be going overboard when heard through 650s? Is 0.1uF/220uF combo feasible?

 

[takezo]

i just tried my 650 with it's stock cable on the mod unit and as expected the bass is
not quite focused enough yet...only about 130+ hrs. burn-in...but the mids
and highs are not affected as much as i'd imagined...there's so much
separation that nothing sounds congested or smeared...hopely with much
much more burn-in, i'll get to a more focused and stable sound...but yes, the
bass is much more prominent with the 650 than a 701...and i'm using a 5r4ga,
which is fairly flat in freq. characteristics...

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kahuna /img/forum/go_quote.gif In-directly related... Has anyone else heard the rumor that Black Gate capacitors are out of production? (Just read this on another forum).

Did you mean that the "original Blackgate" caps are out of production (and are either NOS, or used now)? They are.

Rubycon bought the license to manufacture the "new Blackgate" caps using the same design specs - they're now called the "Rubycon Blackgate" caps.

Or... did you mean Rubycon no longer mfr's the new Blackgate caps? I'm surprised - if that's the case.

 

[jamato8]

It has gone on for at least 5 years now with BG's going in and out of production. They have stopped and started and stopped and started. BG's are the only of their type and there is nothing to equal them.

 

[Kahuna]

The thread didn't mention weather they were the original Blackgate's, or the newer Rubycon version...


Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did you mean that the "original Blackgate" caps are out of production (and are either NOS, or used now)? They are. Rubycon bought the license to manufacture the "new Blackgate" caps using the same design specs - they're now called the "Rubycon Blackgate" caps. Or... did you mean Rubycon no longer mfr's the new Blackgate caps? I'm surprised - if that's the case.

 

[jamato8]

Rubycon has always made the Blackgate caps. They were contracted to make them in their factory to the specs of the company that has the rights to the BG technology.

 

[MGLDyson]

Do you guys have any thoughts or opinions comparing the modified WA6, WA4, and Raptor? They all seem to be some pretty good tube solutions in a similar price range.

 

[Gradofan2]

So, does this mean... Rubycon will no longer be making the Blackgate Caps - and they will no longer be available at all (whoever owns the license)?

 

[jamato8]

It is hard to say but most sellers have bought large number of the caps because production has stopped a few times until Blackgate finally got a new contract and the caps were again in production. Go to the Audio Note UK web site and you can read some information on this, starting a few years ago. Or go to Audio Connection in Canada and they have info on start, stop, start, stop of the whole thing. I will say it again, there in Nothing that can replace the Blackgates and nothing that I know of on the horizon that could.

 

[takezo]

latest update with the modded wa-6 at 250+ hours:

bass has focused a bit but still fluctuates from a tight growl to a flabby meow
day to day, hour to hour, it seems...

the soundstage has finally opened up significantly...width, depth, height and
3-d effect is alive and well...sound seems to emanate from outside of the
headphone, front, sides, up and back...using 701...

the mids are so smooth, voluptuous and sweet...the presence, tone and
decay is quite impressive. nothing, not even xin's supermicro 4, with july's
upgrade, compares...

 

[jamato8]

What tubes are you using? The bass is typical of the Blackgates forming.

 

[takezo]

i'm using a 5r4ga jan brown base for burn in...cost me $4 per tube...put in the
philips gz32 for 4 hrs to see if it had synergy...and it does...

 

[jamato8]

Yeah, with a nice short signal path, the Blackgates, Vcaps and good tubes I would think you will get the max out of everything.

 

[3rdRock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by takezo /img/forum/go_quote.gif latest update with the modded wa-6 at 250+ hours: the soundstage has finally opened up significantly...width, depth, height and 3-d effect is alive and well...sound seems to emanate from outside of the headphone, front, sides, up and back... the mids are so smooth, voluptuous and sweet...the presence, tone and decay is quite impressive.

Hey takezo! I have about 450 hours on my modded WA6 now, and I am getting the same 3-D effect with my HD-650's, with sound extending well outside the headphones. And yes, the mids are perfect! Bass continues to improve, but still varies a little bit from day to day.

Most of the first 400 hours of burn-in were done with interstation white noise, but I have my doubts that this is the best method, as it seems that it has gotten even better (at a faster rate) in the last 50 hours of playing actual music.

One thing I have noticed with this Amp, is that it is very easy to discern differences between Rectifiers. Have tried Mullard GZ34, Mullard GZ32, Amperex Brown Base GZ34, etc. All sound very good, all sound slightly different, but if you want to hear this amp at it's best, you've got to use a Holland made GZ34 Metal Base. AMAZING! Simply blows any of the other tubes away! If I knew earlier what I know now, I would have saved all the money I spent (wasted) on the other tubes and just bought the Metal Base to begin with.

The GZ34 Metal Base Rectifier transforms the modded WA6 into something very special!

 

[jamato8]

Well I did say it a long time ago but sometimes getting there is part of the fun. . . I guess. :^)