AudioAficionado.org - Serious Stereo

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Masterlu

10-12-2013 09:47 PM

Serious Stereo

2 Attachment(s)

http://www.audioaficionado.org/attac...1&d=1381628805

gortnipper

10-14-2013 08:41 PM

Would be interesting to hear your impressions of this system.

kev313

10-14-2013 09:28 PM

That is very...err....polarizing gear. Those little amps are very expensive and have some serious haters, as do the Altec based speakers. I've never heard em, but I like most 2a3 based amps.

gortnipper

10-14-2013 11:41 PM

Yes, it is. That is part of the reason why I would like to hear them (or impressions).

I built a very similar pair of speakers using GPA-604-8H-III instead of the II's that Dennis uses. I like them with a 2A3 amp as well.

Masterlu

10-15-2013 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gortnipper (Post 541108)

Would be interesting to hear your impressions of this system.

Honestly, the video was the best thing about this room. :sigh:

MyPal

10-15-2013 04:34 AM

It has a DIY look to it.

bart	10-15-2013 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyPal (Post 541259)

It has a DIY look to it.

I'm afraid I have to agree.
Especially the speakers look they have parts from IKEA stuff.

-E-	10-15-2013 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MyPal (Post 541259)

It has a DIY look to it.

That is a very polite way to put it!

gortnipper

10-17-2013 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masterlu (Post 541238)

Honestly, the video was the best thing about this room. :sigh:

HAH! Sorry to her that, but not terribly surprised, sadly.

edkoz

10-17-2013 04:51 AM

Serious(ly),,, were those speakers part of a science project or did they sound good ?:scratch2: Sometimes you just can't tell by the looks of something

deathtube667

11-10-2013 11:05 AM

Serious Stereo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masterlu (Post 541238)

Honestly, the video was the best thing about this room. :sigh:

So you actually heard the legendary Serious Stereo SE DC 2A3 monophonic amplifiers and 604 duplex speakers?

Can you tell us what you heard from this system?

Dennis Fraker has posted extensively about his amplifiers on a few other well know audio forums.

He is something of a "cult" figure to some people who build low-powered SE tube amps, but not everyone will agree with the design ideas he promotes.

kev313

11-10-2013 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masterlu (Post 541238)

Honestly, the video was the best thing about this room. :sigh:

Surprising. It's hard to make 2a3 and altecs sound bad. Not for everyone I suppose. It's definitely low on the bling scale.

I'd like to hear his 2a3 amps. They do attract controversy. I always suspected it was due to the price. The speakers...well....well executed 604s are pretty good. Bad ones are pretty bad.

deathtube667

11-11-2013 07:02 PM

serious stereo 2A3

Quote:

Originally Posted by kev313 (Post 549649)

The website suggests that optional finishes are available for the speakers.

The signal circuit is basically a 7B4 directly coupled to 2A3 with a series feed SE OPT.

Dennis uses a low DCR/low Z power supply and over the top $$$ parts and wiring.

Apparently, these amps have been refined over a few decades since he built the first set.

I tried to do a very low budget industrial grade version of a similar circuit on a breadboard and it has turned out really good so far.

But I also employed a robust DC filament supply for the 2A3, something I prefer over AC heating.

I will caution that these type of amps are for high EF speakers for best results.

:music:

kev313

11-12-2013 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deathtube667 (Post 549963)

The website suggests that optional finishes are available for the speakers. The signal circuit is basically a 7B4 directly coupled to 2A3 with a series feed SE OPT. Dennis uses a low DCR/low Z power supply and over the top $$$ parts and wiring. Apparently, these amps have been refined over a few decades since he built the first set. I tried to do a very low budget industrial grade version of a similar circuit on a breadboard and it has turned out really good so far. But I also employed a robust DC filament supply for the 2A3, something I prefer over AC heating. I will caution that these type of amps are for high EF speakers for best results. :music:

I'd like to hear these. I've enjoyed many 2a3 based amps over the years - Fi, Wright, Welborne. For whatever reason, I thought I heard that the parts quality was pedestrian - Hammond iron etc. I haven't followed that controversy at Audio Asylum for years tho, so my memory could be off.

deathtube667

11-12-2013 05:23 PM

serious stereo ... the controversy

Quote:

Originally Posted by kev313 (Post 550117)

The OPT are custom wound by Magnaquest.

The wiring is Siltech and tubes are EML 2A3's.

The cathodes are bypassed by multiple bundles of expensive caps.

I think the power transformer is a Hammond, but perhaps that changed.

Not sure how it all adds up to $15k per set of amps, but someone is buying them or Dennis would be out of the tube amp business.

As far as the controversy regarding Serious Stereo, it still exists on the other audio forums.

There are a lot of engineering types who like to police things that don't conform to standard electronic practices.

The discussions can get a bit heated on those tube forums.

:yes:

Ozzi	05-08-2018 10:14 PM

that surely has a DIY look to it but it's nice

RodeoDog

03-12-2019 01:56 PM

Well . . . To Each His Own! I don't have the Best Stuff, but it Plays what I like to hear! Some 15 Year Old JBL E50 Book Shelf Speakers, Some E715 Cerwin Vegas, Yamaha RX-A1040 7.1Channel Receiver, Yamaha BD Player for Video and CD's, All set up with a McIntosh MAC7200! We Be ROCKIN' All D Time!

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