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- Thread starter Ron Resnick
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Technically, the coupling of the stages Trafomatic employs is novel. The 250tl is direct coupled to the EML 20B via an interstage transformer of his own design. He's closed mouthed about specifics but as I understand it, he does not consider it transformer coupled, despite the interstage transformer. I hope for a more specific understanding...the direct nature of the sound does tend to support his assertion.
they are self biasing. the voltages are too high to want any layperson near them, that and they are luxury amps. eimac tubes are collectable. That said, they have more than they need. There's been talk of a pp 304tl amp which would have in excess of 1200 watts class a. There are also some incredibly good sounding transmitter tubes which could warrant another Drina-like massive SET
Well, as an absolute Nats devotee, I'm sure I'd love the Trafomatics too. That ElySium design has such visual presence.
Air Force 3 Premium:
vdH Grand Cru on SME 3012R
vdH Master Signature on SME 3012R
Shelter Harmony on Ikeda 407
Red Sparrow on VYGER
Mayer phono
Pass top phono
Lampizator phono
Epoch was at Grado Labs for upgrading to Epoch3 status, so Graham Phantom Elite was sad to be left out of the party.
Ron,
What did you think of the Shelter Harmony? Also, what does your host think of the cart? I've always been curious about this Japanese cart.
Shelter Harmony was lower in transparency, resolution and dynamics than either vdH or the Red Sparrow. It sounded like a good, regular, easy-to-listen-to cartridge, not a magic maker like Grand Cru.
Jeroen did not design the system to tame any horn edginess. He designed for maximum transparency and resolution.
As a result, while Grand Cru shows the best transparency (literally like cleaning the window squeaky clean) and the highest resolution ever, I enjoyed listening to Grand Cru only about 25% of the time, on vintage jazz, on some classical and on rolled-off 1970s pop like Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac.
The Grand Cru shows unparalleled life-like presence and energy and "alive-ness." But more often than not I couldn't relax and my ears tried to "defend themselves" against a little bit of edginess from the Grand Cru.
In my totally idiosyncratic personal situation, there is no way for me to know in advance if the warm-ish Aesthetix Io with the warm-ish Epoch3 will be too much of a good thing. If it is, then the Grand Cru could be great in my system.
If I love the Epoch3 in my system, then the Grand Cru likely would lean to being too edgy for me, and thus would perform for me a secondary role for vintage or rolled-off highs recordings.
I think audioquattr has more experience experimenting with the Epoch3 on a wider variety of tonearms than anyone else in the world.
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I didn’t like the Epoch in my system, but I’m not convinced that it is a good match with the 3012R.
Your ears seem to lean more toward the Esturo. You could have your LT arm play the Esturo or Red Sparrow and wont feel any edginess. Or if you really like the vdh transparency, contact them for the Jazz version. Other vdh is not for you imo.
Just seeing this...both the Elysium and the Drina are self biasing. (we wouldn't want anyone exposing themselves near the voltage required to run transmitter tubes.) Obviously the EML tubes are currently made, while the Eimac/transmitter tubes) are stocked beyond any foreseeable need. These tubes are tremendously sturdy as they were not initially conceived for audio applications. It is unlikely one would need to change the output tubes more than once or twice in a life.
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