Doctor's Orders-Part Two-The New Listening Room Of Steve Williams
- Thread starter Steve williams
- Start date
Well I continue to marvel at Nick's tape head preamp as I now have well over 50 hours of listening and it only continues to get better.
When Nick set up my unit he had asked me if I want to preserve the internal electronics of my Studer because if not he could have used the bypass switch to connect with the balanced XLR outputs. I did want to maintain the internal workings but I can honestly say that "if" I ever listen to the standard internal electronics again it would be only for A/B purposes. I remain amazed at the precision of imaging and the increased dynamics over te stock electronics.
IMO Nick has hit a home run on this unit and I would wholeheartedly and without reservation suggest that members put this unit on their short list of tape preamps to audition. As I said previously, even though this is a tubed unit, it is dead quiet
PS I have no vested interest in Doshiaudio other than as a music lover
When Nick set up my unit he had asked me if I want to preserve the internal electronics of my Studer because if not he could have used the bypass switch to connect with the balanced XLR outputs. I did want to maintain the internal workings but I can honestly say that "if" I ever listen to the standard internal electronics again it would be only for A/B purposes. I remain amazed at the precision of imaging and the increased dynamics over te stock electronics.
IMO Nick has hit a home run on this unit and I would wholeheartedly and without reservation suggest that members put this unit on their short list of tape preamps to audition. As I said previously, even though this is a tubed unit, it is dead quiet
PS I have no vested interest in Doshiaudio other than as a music lover
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Some technical info on the unit I received from Nick that I fell is worth sharing......
The unit will continue to break in for another 50-100 hours. The coupling capacitors and resistors take around that much time. You will notice that the unit gets even more open and liquid. The resistors are carbon films and they typically need around 2-3 hundred hours to break in.
The unit will continue to break in for another 50-100 hours. The coupling capacitors and resistors take around that much time. You will notice that the unit gets even more open and liquid. The resistors are carbon films and they typically need around 2-3 hundred hours to break in.
Today I will roll the unused NOS Telefunken ECC 83's into my ML3 amps. I'm interested in how they compare to my ECC803S's especially with respect to the wider soundstage
Steve-The ECC83 tubes are just the normal Telefunken 12AX7 tube. The ECC803S was built to a different standard and are much rarer which is why they command so much more money than a ECC83. With regards to hearing a "wider soundstage," is believing hearing or is hearing believing? I'm always skeptical of people who don't have something that everyone craves for it's rareness and sound quality and wants to sell you something different that is not as rare and claims it sounds better. It will be interesting to read your comments.
I agree
I have plenty of ECC83's but it is the smooth plate in particular that is supposedly better however I can easily compare it to my ECC803S's
I have plenty of ECC83's but it is the smooth plate in particular that is supposedly better however I can easily compare it to my ECC803S's
I was tweaking the laser lights in my room yesterday and caught some R2R bling.....
View attachment 10577
All I need is Donna Summer
It's too soon to say as my family is still here from the July 4th holiday and I will get some detailed listening in by the weekend. Stay tuned
You might want to order it now then as it took over 3 months for him to build mine.
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
One of the things I only just noticed on the back of the power supply to the Doshi tape head preamp is 2 cables to the unit itself. All other separate power supplies traditionally have the umbilicus to carry the power. Nick set up my unit and I must admit that I didn't notice this when he was connecting cables so I wondered what it was for. My conversation with Nick revealed the following....
There is one power supply unit, it has power supplies for high voltage (270Vdc, B+) for the tubes, filament voltage (2x12.6v regulated) , -35V for the LTP phase splitter and +/- 20V for the head amplifier.
The head amplifier gets its own cable to keep interference as low as possible
There is one power supply unit, it has power supplies for high voltage (270Vdc, B+) for the tubes, filament voltage (2x12.6v regulated) , -35V for the LTP phase splitter and +/- 20V for the head amplifier.
The head amplifier gets its own cable to keep interference as low as possible
Bruce B
WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
and something else I noticed was that it has its own ground wires as well.
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