Ron’s New System

[Argonaut]

There are circumstances when one simply has to get the Big Stick out.

 

[bonzo75]

Same thing happened when we tried Ayon Orthos II XS which are 300w KT 150 amps that can be switched between triode and pentode, on apogee duetta. They work better in pentode on those speakers. In fact on Gnomus in triode they would stop.

300 in pentode, 180 in triode

 

[bonzo75]

Some Sensitive speakers can also be harder to drive. Tune audio anima needs drive to get its woofer going and I don’t like it with triodes like 300b, and on Diesis the absolare integrated in pentode did better than in triode, and did better than the ongaku in the same room.

 

[cjfrbw]

When I had my VTL 450 amps, the triode mode was good for wispy, breathy female vocals and up to four instrument chamber or light jazz. For everything else, the tetrode mode was a more pleasing, emulsified tonal experience. I listened overall about 90 percent tetrode and 10 percent triode. I didn't think the tubes lent themselves that well to the triode mode.

However, when I got SET 805, it pretty much whipped the VTL's, even with lower power. The opening up of the dynamic range of the mids and mid highs was unmistakable. The push pull tetrodes seemed to squash the upper midrange in particular by comparison.

Bear in mind, this was one of the original earlier VTL 450s, not the updated current range.

 

[morricab]

For the record, I've never been a fan of massed-tetrode/pentode high power tube amps, and that goes further true for VTL. Plus it's stuffed with today's generic blah Russian mass-produced KT tubes. That said, listening to Ron's temporary system via Magnepans last week showed the objective superiority of Tetrode Mode in his VTLs, with that speaker, in his room. In triode mode, the sound was hooded, oversmooth, with sanded transients, truncated harmonics and spatially limited to the box defined by the speakers' placements, with very little depth projected. In tetrode mode, there was greater and more natural resolution; the soundstage was realistically larger and scaled outside of the width of the dimensions separating the Magnepans, and more depth dimensioning. Filigreed details were also more honestly and articulately rendered. Bass from his subs was also more articulate, firmer, and quicker. Some pentode/tetrode amps don't shine in pseudo-triode mode; others do. The tetrode advantages in this case were consistent across multiple recordings. A given listener could still prefer the old-school rounded sound of triode mode in the VTL. With something like new KR KT88s or NOS Genelecs populating the VTLs, the outcome could be different.

I visited Ron a few days before his Denon turntable showed up, so intend to go back to hear the system fed by analog. Everything will have to be re-evaluated after the Pendragons are installed to replace the stopgap Magnepans but his room is dimensionally favorable, the environment is quiet. It should host an engaging system.

PS: Do people really compare and care about "Thriller" pressings/versions?

Phil

Interesting. A friend of mine had for a time a pair of VTL MB450s and with his speakers there was a strong preference for triode mode...perhaps it really depends on the speaker and the sources? FWIW, I too was never a fan of massed KT/EL whatever amps. I have heard some very nice push/pull triode amps that used real triodes (DHT and IDHT triode types) that were also running Class A and without negative feedback.

If you are going to run PP tetrode for big power, I think maybe a good hybrid amp will sound more like one expects from a tube amp. A good example is the Sphinx Project 14, which was a tube input/driver and MOSFET output that was biased for 24 watts Class A and 180 watts Class AB (360 watts into 4 ohms). This amp sounded very much like a good triode push/pull amp and was only really beaten by good SET and OTL amps.

 

[Argonaut]

If you are going to run PP tetrode for big power, I think maybe a good hybrid amp will sound more like one expects from a tube amp.

Bingo …

 

[Ron Resnick]

After five years of rehabilitation this baby is coming home tomorrow.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Her amazing doctor, Charlie Bolois, of Vertigo Recording Services, in North Hollywood, CA, just gave me an hour of instruction so I don’t screw anything up tomorrow.

 

[Audire]

That’s awesome Ron!

 

[LL21]

After five years of rehabilitation this baby is coming home tomorrow.

View attachment 103533

Great news, Ron! Getting there! Enjoy.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Ron,

love your beautiful Studer; really pristine. over the years you have shared with me about some of the tapes you have. can't wait for you to play them on the A-820 in your room and share with us about that.

congrats,

Mike

 

[andromedaaudio]

Nice machine .

 

[Ron Resnick]

Ron,

love your beautiful Studer; really pristine. over the years you have shared with me about some of the tapes you have. can't wait for you to play them on the A-820 in your room and share with us about that.

congrats,

Mike

Thank you very much, Mike! If you look closely there are a lot of scratches and dings on her. She is a lot higher mileage than the virtually new old stock Mariah Carey machine I had.

But Charlie replaced every capacitor and bearing he could possibly replace, bypassed the output transformers, simplified the internal audio electronics, fixed the tilting mechanism, repainted the bridge and JR Magnetics relapped the Studer headblock.

 

[bonzo75]

Her amazing doctor, Charlie Bolois, of Vertigo Recording Services, in North Hollywood, CA, just gave me an hour of instruction so I don’t screw anything up tomorrow.

can you please feed back today if the hour was sufficient?

 

[microstrip]

After five years of rehabilitation this baby is coming home tomorrow.

View attachment 103533

Great! What will be your choice for the overture tape?

 

[Ron Resnick]

can you please feed back today if the hour was sufficient?

I hope so. I will know the answer to that question today.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Great! What will be your choice for the overture tape?

Hi, I do not understand your question.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I think Francisco means what you're gonna kick off with first. First movement, overture, etc.

 

[Ron Resnick]

The Studer technician is concerned about my 20 to 30 year old tapes having the goo problem. He suggested before I try playing any of those tapes that I bake them. I ordered a Nesco Professional dehydrator.

When this and any other test and technical issues are resolved I expect the first official debut tape play will be Bill Henderson’s “Send in the Clowns.”

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

The Studer technician is concerned about my 20 to 30 year old tapes having the goo problem. He suggested before I try playing any of those tapes that I bake them. I ordered a Nesco Professional dehydrator.

When this and any other test and technical issues are resolved I expect the first official debut tape play will be Bill Henderson’s “Send in the Clowns.”

ha-ha...appropriate choice