That's no problem at all! If a transformer is silent on 50Hz then it will be on 60Hz as well.
SET amp owners thread
- Thread starter bonzo75
- Start date
Finally an observation/opionion from my amp comparo.. I still have the 3 pairs of amps--see a post above--arranged on my lowboy, and last nite I concentrated on my substantially improved Atma-Spere MA-1s v. the Viva Auroras.. The A-Ss sounded as excellent as ever but not as warmly toned as I remember(1) them.. In contrast, the Auroras sounded simply fabulous--very resolving, warmly balanced (to a greater degree than just a little--but never to 'thickness'), and very spacious...WOW.. One term I've never used to describe sound is 'round', but I hope you'll understand that the music sounded more 'round'--and whole--than thru the A-Ss.. I sat and listened, grinning, and sampled disc after disc.. I then tried the Linlai WE845 Western Electric (mentioned above) in the 'Power' position where Elrogs had been and didn't notice any difference..Then I installed the Linlai 845-T2BE(2) in the front position to reduce the combined light output of the tubes; that worked nicely and didn't reduce the SQ. (3)
Next up will be the deHavillands.. FWIW, the A-Ss, Auroras, and Allnics have balanced inputs, the A-Ss' real and the Auroras' and Allnics' presumably simply a convenience, but those inputs eliminate the use of the inexpensive, CHEAP XLR-to-RCA adapters that I must use to drive the deHavillands and Operas.. BTW these various c. -30Watt amps drive my 96dB-sensitive Serenity Super-7s to extremely high levels, so lack of dynamic range is NOT a problem.. And I almost always forget to mention that these amps drive only the MR and treble mag-planar drivers of the S7s.
(1) One reason I'm such a low-degree Golden-Eared Audiofile is that my sonic memory is about 5 seconds long.
(2) The 'BE' means black envelope.
(3) Grant Fidelity offers the same tube versions in 211s as in 845s, so if the Auroras win my comparo, probably I'll buy another a '211WE' for the driver and another 845-T2BE for a full complement of Linlais.
Next up will be the deHavillands.. FWIW, the A-Ss, Auroras, and Allnics have balanced inputs, the A-Ss' real and the Auroras' and Allnics' presumably simply a convenience, but those inputs eliminate the use of the inexpensive, CHEAP XLR-to-RCA adapters that I must use to drive the deHavillands and Operas.. BTW these various c. -30Watt amps drive my 96dB-sensitive Serenity Super-7s to extremely high levels, so lack of dynamic range is NOT a problem.. And I almost always forget to mention that these amps drive only the MR and treble mag-planar drivers of the S7s.
(1) One reason I'm such a low-degree Golden-Eared Audiofile is that my sonic memory is about 5 seconds long.
(2) The 'BE' means black envelope.
(3) Grant Fidelity offers the same tube versions in 211s as in 845s, so if the Auroras win my comparo, probably I'll buy another a '211WE' for the driver and another 845-T2BE for a full complement of Linlais.
Well, yes and no.. One achieves 240VAC from a 120VAC branch circuit by moving the latter's neutral conductor to the output of a breaker attached to the other 120VAC leg already within the breaker panel.
Interesting observation and consistent with my experience with the Auroras and what I have heard from OTLs I have owned and the couple of times I heard AS OTLs. I predict the Allnic will fall closer to the OTL sonically and the deHavilland even warmer (maybe too much) than the Auroras. Opera amp maybe a bit leaner than Auroras. Just speculation on my part...
No; they're equipped with Tung-Sol oval-plate 'N7s in the Voltage-gain sections.
If those are NOS original Tung-Sols, that particular tube has an odd kink in its linearity curve. They fixed that in later production and a lot of other manufacturers never had that problem. You can see this if you find an early Tung Sol tube data manual.
The Linlai Global Elite E-6SN7...
The Linlai Global Elite E-6SN7s arrived today.. I plugged them into the deHavilland 845-Gs and warmed everything an hour or so.. Started playing music and discovered one of those amps had about 20dB less level; replaced the LL with a TSOP and the missing gain came back.. Replaced the other LL with the other TSOP and all is good.. The deH 845-Gs sounded very good overall but certainly did not dethrown the Viva Auroras.
I can finally eliminate one pair of SETs from my pile of poweramps. Will be having the Opera amp repaired locally next week.
Details you want, huh????
The strenths of the Auroras are their overall musicality--their combination of tonality...natural warmth, 'wholeness', 'roundness'...and HIGH rez and duplication of the space of the recording venue (which, of course, go hand in hand).. The deHavillands have the rez but not the tonality and 'wholeness'.. The deHs don't sound thin, they simply don't have that realness and musicality the Auroras have.
I may have been seduced here, but I sure am loving it!!!
Now have all-new tubes in the Auroras, mostly Linlais from Grant/Prem.Vac.Tubes. All-four 845s in the regulator positions are black-coated...
...and now the tubes' light is not so visible on my Panavision-ratio screen when I watch movies.
Tried to repair the Allnic A-6000s' blown fuses, fuseholder, and resitors but was not succesful, so, taking an expensive leap of faith in the amps, I'm shipping both to Sonic Craft for repair and improvements BEFORE I hear them.. Improvements will include Miflex copperfoil/polyprop./paper-oil coupling caps, new decoupling caps and bypasses, maybe new main-PS caps and bypasses, new Cardas rhodium/rhodium binding posts, adjusting Voltages where necessary from the change from 220/230VAC to 240VAC, and fixing whatever else needs it*.
Speaking of leaps of faith, I just ordered a 'ten-tet' of EML 300B-XLSs that will give me 2 spares since I'm such a klutz; these are a matched set of 10 tubes and not 2 quintets of matched tubes.. Cost was 4066 euros or US$4125 delivered to me.
* Many fingers and soldering irons have been in these amps, and some of the work does NOT look very nice.
...and now the tubes' light is not so visible on my Panavision-ratio screen when I watch movies.
Tried to repair the Allnic A-6000s' blown fuses, fuseholder, and resitors but was not succesful, so, taking an expensive leap of faith in the amps, I'm shipping both to Sonic Craft for repair and improvements BEFORE I hear them.. Improvements will include Miflex copperfoil/polyprop./paper-oil coupling caps, new decoupling caps and bypasses, maybe new main-PS caps and bypasses, new Cardas rhodium/rhodium binding posts, adjusting Voltages where necessary from the change from 220/230VAC to 240VAC, and fixing whatever else needs it*.
Speaking of leaps of faith, I just ordered a 'ten-tet' of EML 300B-XLSs that will give me 2 spares since I'm such a klutz; these are a matched set of 10 tubes and not 2 quintets of matched tubes.. Cost was 4066 euros or US$4125 delivered to me.
* Many fingers and soldering irons have been in these amps, and some of the work does NOT look very nice.
Last edited:
I’m using and loving two 300B SET amplifier, a Cary 300B monoblock and a JJ 300B SET integrated. Recently I bought a pair of Klipsch La Scalas, which I really like to my surprise (being a longtime stat lover). But it doesn’t need 10-20 watts of power. 1-2 watts is probably plenty. I was considering getting a 45 based amplifier. Two models that have received praise are the Yamamoto 08S, which is pricey, and the more affordable American Alan Eaton 45s. These and others are reviewed here: http://www.glowinthedarkaudio.com/amps.html
Any opinions?
Any opinions?
Another change of circumstances--the A-6000s are NOT going to Sonic Craft, my buddy and I are repairing/improving them in my musicroom. Will be moving a worktable into there to do, first, the repair work, and then some improvements.
The Auroras still sound as fabulous as ever.
The Auroras still sound as fabulous as ever.
Last edited:
So, unless the Allnic amps are better, the Aurora was the champion of the amp cluster you bought? Didn't the Opera Consonance amps also die? Did you get them working?Another change of circumstances--the A-6000s are NOT going to Sonic Craft, my buddy and I are repairing/improving them in my musicroom. Will be moving a worktable into there to do, first, the repair work, and then some improvements.
The Auroras still sound and fabulous as ever.
Yes, the Auroras are clearly the best of the 3 I heard. And yes, one of the Operas died; it'll be at the professional-fixist's place for many weeks.
Interesting. What did you find lacking compared to the likes of Kondo or Audio Tekne?
Sound is good and have many energy and power,little too full in midbass,very very little roll off and less natural anf magic on mid of kondo and audiotekne
But good with speaker not very efficient,even if at that point i prefer a good transistor
But good with speaker not very efficient,even if at that point i prefer a good transistor
My friend had Viva new Autora with Wilson Alexandria that are 94 db in a small
Not big room,when tried my CH A1 mono
Sold immediately Viva and bought my A1 mono and i bought M1 mono
Really no
Comparison but also at low level
Then with speaker AN Sogon,for exemple,could be viva sound better than Ch,but in that case I will use Kondo G70I and Souga
Not big room,when tried my CH A1 mono
Sold immediately Viva and bought my A1 mono and i bought M1 mono
Really no
Comparison but also at low level
Then with speaker AN Sogon,for exemple,could be viva sound better than Ch,but in that case I will use Kondo G70I and Souga
Similar threads
