New user here but I purchased one of these recently. A KT66 version, I am waiting for my preamp to arrive so I can use it. I am going to try it with my KEF LS50's so it will be a workout for sure.

I've seen the first one on Audiogon now too.

BeerCan... Welcome! :wave:

Welcome BeerCan!! :beerchug:

What preamp are you waiting for? An Inspire LP2? Those KEF's should be a good challenge for the KT66 amp! How big is your listening room?

pre amp is from another manufacturer. I don't want to name them until I have it in hand but it should be a good one. :)

My listening space is small so this may just work out fine. I will keep an eye on the amp the first couple of days to make sure it is not getting to hot. I think at my low listening levels I will be ok

Welcome BC!

From one newb' to another, you'll do just fine with that amp in a small space. Small spaces need love too! :banana:

Hey guys,
Any idea what frequency range & efficiency the Dennis Had speakers might be and will he be offering soon?

This SET bug is getting to me. :)

You can look up the Morel tweeter spec's at Parts Express for the top end. A 10" woofer in an OB configuration with a narrow baffle like Dennis' design is likely going to roll-off (down 3db) on the bottom around 50hz from what I've been reading. There is a fairly good thread on just OB speakers in the speaker forum at that 'other' audio forum (AK) website. Want more on the bottom you will likely want a powered sub. Some folks also run a super-tweeter on the top.

Hey Wes,
I believe Dennis said that the speakers were measured at 90 dB efficient, but he didn't mention range or load. He also didn't mention anything about selling or shipping them. He said that he made a few pairs that he sold to some local fellas in North Carolina. He hasn't shipped them to anyone yet, and I didn't get the impression that he was itching to start shipping speakers. I think he's happy just shipping little amps ....you do know he is retired....right??? :thumbsup:

No sub needed with OB Hawthorne Audio drivers...each lower driver (Augies) is a sub.

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/...pseeb2e76b.jpg

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2e2fe849.jpg

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/...ps75c290b5.jpg

http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/...psfdeebba6.jpg

Indeed, makes me jealous. :scratch2:

Now that I think about it, we're about 4.5 hours from Raleigh Durham ... Wonder if he would mind a drive by visit to hear some of his latest stuff. I may have to email him about that.:yes:

Indeed. I'm talking to Darrel about a set of one of these designs. Would be a Duet rather than a Trio, but the design basis would be similar.

http://www.audioaficionado.org/attac...1&d=1396576385
http://www.audioaficionado.org/attac...1&d=1396576540
http://www.audioaficionado.org/attac...1&d=1396576540

I'm sure Dennis would love to have a visit. He sent me an open invite to drop by his club if I were in the neighborhood.
I bet it would be a blast, if I could just free up some time. :music:

6v6 "Copper" Coming Soon
 

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8345.jpeg

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8356.jpeg

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8365.jpeg


Very classy, Dennis!

I like the flake in that copper powder coat. Recent listing on ebay for the M3 blue. Glad I got bought my 6V6 when I did, prices seem to be climbing. Hopefully the phono pre and the LP2 will stay attainable. 1.5 weeks until I get to hear my lil green 6v6 for the first time..... Suspense is building. Fingers crossed it is a good match for my Zu audio Soul Suferfly's......

That's awesome looking Bill!! Dennis sent me the top picture, with all of the chassis' together. I thought yours was a burgundy red, but I can see the copper better from the other photos. Looks really cool!!!

You're halfway there Simon!!

The Build Has Commenced!
 

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8399.jpeg

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8402.jpeg

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8410.jpeg

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8405.jpeg

Dennis whips these things out! He told me that with a couple more hours work that he'd be listening to Music! (Of course he didn't say with THIS unit...) ;)

It's hard to pin this copper color down in different lighting, but it is metal flake and then clear coated. It will look spectacular when finished. It is exactly what I wanted and Dennis found it after looking at several samples I think I mentioned before that I asked him to match the MSB copper on their special color examples page. The copper and black is about halfway down. Once we got on a roll there was no stopping... What a friend!

Custom Colors

Dealing with Dennis is one of the pleasures of buying his hand made amps.:yes:

6V6/KT77 Finished
 

Dennis has been running it with both tubes.

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8465.jpeg

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8482.jpeg

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8452.jpeg

http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/.../DSCF8481.jpeg

DAMN!!! That is one fine looking amp Bill!! Color me green with envy!!! :yes:

JL2,
Thanks!

Wow, she's a stunner! Is dennis going to leave that Sophia mesh plate in when he ships it???? Look forward to hearing how the rolling goes with his amp's.

Hi all
Quick question. Can I use the 5ar4 rectifier with the KT66 output tubes?
Seperate question, does anyone know anything about the 5gk20 rectifier?

That copper looks killer! Congrats!

According to Peter's notes, no, you will need a 5U4 rectifier to run the KT66's.

5 watts per channel - 6V6 output tubes and 5Y3 rectifier tube
7 watts per channel - 6L6, KT66, 5881 output and 5U4 rectifier
10 watts output - KT88, EL34, 6550, KT99, KT120, KT150 output and 5U4/274B rectifier
12 watts output - KT88, KT120, KT150 and 5AR4 rectifier

Just scored a NOS EML 5u4G mesh plate on the Ebay for under $100.00!

Between that and the Full Music 6SL7 I got from parts connection bargain basement sale for $35.00. I've got some fun tube rolling in my future! Look forward to hearing the Penta KT88's in the lil 6V6 amp. Dennis told me through email that he designs the circuit to run them with the 5Y3 rectifier. Odd he doesn't advertise this combo.... maybe its not ideal but he termed it as a "hifi spectacular" setup..... Wonder if that translates to overly bright with limited bottom end..... We shall see!
One week to go!

Tubes collection to roll;
Driver:
NOS RCA Jan6SN7GTB (from Dennis)
EH 6SN7 Gold cryo
Shuguang Treasures 6SN7/CV-181-Z
Full Music 6SL7

Output:
6V6 Gold lion Reissue(from Dennis)
EL34 SED winged =C=
KT88SC "preferred series" (penta)

Rectifier:
Sovtek 5Y3 (from Dennis)
5U4G SED Winged =C= Black plate
5U4G EML mesh plate (2010 old version)

I'm no longer sure about this. Those combos are what Dennis put in the listing for the KT120/150 amps. He doesn't seem attached to matching those up exactly though in general conversation. These are also different amps aren't they (KT66 vs 120/150)? Still don't know if some tube combos apply across these designs though.

Simon - nice selection to play with. Been running the Winged 'C' EL34s in the SLI 80 and have been very pleasantly surprised at their bottom-to-top presentation and have picked up another set for that 'rainy day' when no more W 'C' tubes are available.

6V6 Rolling results!
 

So I received this from Dennis last night, it is specific for the 6V6 amplifier. Interesting that the KT90 is able push that kind of wattage! He also confirmed that the EML tubes work fine in his amplifier circuits as he has an EML 274B mesh plate himself. Looks like its hard to make any catastrophic errors with output tubes / rectifier tubes in his designs :thumbsup:

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p...sc0e67918.jpeg

I have been using 6BG6GA with the 5ar4 and a 6sl7 and have been very pleased. I have very inefficient speakers and so far no problems. This amp is a tube rollers dream.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-E...0/R0001859.JPG

These amps are! I'm still working on a tube order to try EL34 and 6V6 tubes in my KT150. Just for fun! :music:

I've always wondered about those big tubes with the external cables and caps. What is that about? I gather the 6BG6GA is a 6L6 replacement?

Wow, where did you pick up the 6BG6GA and adapters? This site familiar?

vacuumtubes.com/6BG6.html

Dennis also highly recommended the NOS Pope 6V6GT available at Upscale Audio. However, I think I have more then enough tubes to roll at the moment.....

BeerCan, all you need now is a 6F8G Driver tube and an USAF 596 rectifier tube and you'd have something that would look right at home in a mad science lab!

Inspire tube-rolling fun
 

Whew! It took me 24 pages to catch up - but what a fun read! I'm fairly new to the Inspire Fire Bottle amps/preamps (and very new to AudioAficianado.org) but just stumbled on to this thread.

I've been wildly happy with the amps and Dennis' enthusiam for the product, and the late night emails checking in to see if a certain tube was okay, etc.

I've got the KT-150 (w/ 6H30 driver tube) and the LP-2 with the 3 x 6FM7. I've seen references to an earlier LP-1 that used 6SL7's, if I recall correctly. Until my LP-2 arrived, I was using a preamp also designed by Dennis from the old Audio Electronics era, the AE-3 (2 x 6SN7 w/ diode rectification). Still a good combo, but I had caught the Inspire bug from Dennis.

I'm using the KT-150's driving a pair of the Zu Audio Omen (Dirty Weekend option to save a few $$$). They're 97 dB/W efficient - so I figured the 12 wpc from the KT-150's would wake the neighbors across town.

I will say this: my first couple weeks with the setup were a little rocky. The sound was 'nice' but the bass was a bit woolly, lacked a bit of power and it just didn't seem like the amp was controlling the speakers. After a bit of back & forth, he suggested rewiring the output transformers to a higher impedance output wiring to match the 12 ohm Omens. Holy moly. There was a column of white light that descended on me and I heard the Inspires for the first time. This difference was night & day, mildly satisfied to wildly satisfied. The other night I popped on Emmylou Harris' "Wrecking Ball" and I'm not sure I've heard better. I read through this whole thread and hadn't noticed anyone else with this issue - so I wanted to throw it out there. Fortunately, I know how to solder and it was a 2 minute project and a breeze to do with Dennis' help.

I've been tube-rolling like a few of the rest of you. I've got a Mullard 5AR4 (f32 Blackburn plant 1960's vintage). I'm still using a Sovtek 6H30, but have some Voskhod 1980's vintage 6N1P's en route from Moldova to try. In the LP-2 I've settled on a 1940's vintage 5Y3G (big coke bottle shoulders - gorgeous and smooooooth!).

Anyhoo. I'll look forward to checking back to this forum often!

Soooooo.... vinyl. Almost bought a Rega Planar 3 last week. I haven't spun vinyl since I was in college and the CD emerged in the early 80's. But now I'm curious...

Cheers all! Love this forum!

Tubes and vinyl, they walk hand in hand!

Welcome Aercool! I too will be running Zu's. I had special 16ohm transformers installed by Dennis in my 6v6 for my Soul Superfly's. I still have my Omen bookshelf's, as they have not sold yet, I think I'll hook those up for kicks as well.

Vinyl is the way to go. Look forward to Dennis's inspire phono pre.... When he dreams it up that is.....

Hi Aercool and welcome! We are on a similar path. I too have the KT150 and LP-2. Waiting for my single driver 94db Omegas due in about a week. They are 8 ohm though, and should match up well I'm hoping.

I have the same or similar Mullard 5AR4 in my SLP05 and just ordered another to try with the inspire. Though I prefer the 274B to the stock 5AR4 that Dennis supplied. I ordered a pair of Pope 6V6 from Upscale Audio to try and am about to order an RCA black plate 5Y3GT to with them and a pair of Winged C EL34 to try as well. That will give me a range of output tubes to play with.

I am also ordering two sets of 6FM7 in different brands to try. They are only $3.00 each, so $18 for the two sets.

I'm ordering everything except the Popes from Brent Jesse at audiotubes.com. He has been very helpful and accommodating over the past year or two with my rolling habit. He says he hasn't detected any difference between the brands of 6FM7, but they are cheap enough to see for myself. And I'll have a back up set.

Have you tried anything other than the KT150's for output tubes?

I have a set of the Penta KT-88SC's from TheTubeStore, but probably only have a couple hours on them. After I changed the output tap, I've been really happy with things, and actually kinda regret buying them. I think trying the 6V6GT's would be a bigger change/difference in character.

Hopefully they'll work fine with the 8 ohm speakers, but if not you know what to try... ;^)

Just placed an order for a pair of the 6V6GT's from Upscale, I've got a cool 6106/5Y3 Bendix uber-tube to go with those.

Half the power but twice the cool?

Here's the "age" of each tube in my set up once I go with the 6V6GT's:

Inspire Amp:
2 x 6V6GT: 1950's/60's
1 x Bendix 6106: 1960's?
1 x Telefunken E88CC driver: 1960's

LP-2 Preamp
3 x 6FM7: ?
1 x Sylanvia JAN 5Y3G 1945