Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[decooney]

Corrected update: hmmm, maybe I will be keeping the little Inspire KT150 Hot Rod amp.

...just for grins I pulled out an old pair of my older ESS PS-810 AMT bookshelf speakers (95db 1w/1m), updated the crossovers with newer ones, better caps, and tried them with the little Inspire KT150 10w amp as a re-test. Also, reconnected my Cary SLP-98 preamp as a test since I don't own one of Dennis' matching preamps yet . Woohoo. Sounds pretty good jumping from 91 to 95db speakers. A reminder to self proper matching is important

[Bombadil]

Who knows what either of your speakers actually measure. We've discussed this here before. Some speakers' sensitivity measure right at manufacturer's specs, others measure up to 6dB under specs. No one polices the specifications. I've known people to sell their 92dB speakers to get 96db, but the 92db models were actually louder.

[decooney]

Agree. Who knows.

In any case, I'm just glad I did not part with the Inspire KT150 amp and move on to something else prematurely before trying a few different speakers tests first to get more ideas. Gotta early sense now of what it can do. Now on for some more testing... Thanks.

[Breakdown7]

Anyone have a copy of the output tube/rectifier chart for the standard FireBottle? Mine is from fall 2016. I use KT-88's in it now with a 5AR4 rectifier for the full 12 watts/channel. But if I drop in a pair of EL-34 or 6V6, I wasn't sure about which rectifier to use. Maybe a 274B?

Also, in the LP-3a preamp, I normally use a type 80 rectifier. Would a 5Y3 also be an option in this circuit? I wanted to ask fellow LP-3a owners before I tried it, to make sure it was safe and made sense to try.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by Breakdown7

Anyone have a copy of the output tube/rectifier chart for the standard FireBottle? Mine is from fall 2016. I use KT-88's in it now with a 5AR4 rectifier for the full 12 watts/channel. But if I drop in a pair of EL-34 or 6V6, I wasn't sure about which rectifier to use. Maybe a 274B?

Also, in the LP-3a preamp, I normally use a type 80 rectifier. Would a 5Y3 also be an option in this circuit? I wanted to ask fellow LP-3a owners before I tried it, to make sure it was safe and made sense to try.

Use an 5Y3 or 80 if you are using not-GT 6V6's in the amp. Otherwise any rectifier is OK. *I* like 274/5U4G's with 6L6's or EL34/KT77. The 274 from The Tube Store is a safe bet and reasonably priced.

The 5Y3 is electrically the same as an 80. Just a different pin out. Some here like the Bendix 6106 an indirectly heated 5Y3. I would not deviate from these tubes in the preamp.

[Analog Addict]

Originally Posted by Breakdown7

Also, in the LP-3a preamp, I normally use a type 80 rectifier. Would a 5Y3 also be an option in this circuit? I wanted to ask fellow LP-3a owners before I tried it, to make sure it was safe and made sense to try.

You do realize that an 80 is a 4 pin tube and a 5Y3 is an octal? I suppose there are adapters out there, but otherwise you are looking at a socket change and rewire....

[Breakdown7]

Originally Posted by Analog Addict

You do realize that an 80 is a 4 pin tube and a 5Y3 is an octal? I suppose there are adapters out there, but otherwise you are looking at a socket change and rewire....

Oh man, what a "duh" moment. Thanks for catching my brain fart. I'll just stick with an 80 in the LP-3a.

[Breakdown7]

Originally Posted by FloridaBoy

Use an 5Y3 or 80 if you are using not-GT 6V6's in the amp. Otherwise any rectifier is OK. *I* like 274/5U4G's with 6L6's or EL34/KT77. The 274 from The Tube Store is a safe bet and reasonably priced.

The 5Y3 is electrically the same as an 80. Just a different pin out. Some here like the Bendix 6106 an indirectly heated 5Y3. I would not deviate from these tubes in the preamp.

I don't have a pair of 6V6's anyway, so I'll just continue to enjoy my FireBottle with KT-88's and KT150's...and Mullard 5AR4 rectifier. In the meantime, I'll get some EL34's and a 274b to play around with. Thanks for the input.

[nhparrot]

Originally Posted by Breakdown7

Anyone have a copy of the output tube/rectifier chart for the standard FireBottle? Mine is from fall 2016. I use KT-88's in it now with a 5AR4 rectifier for the full 12 watts/channel. But if I drop in a pair of EL-34 or 6V6, I wasn't sure about which rectifier to use. Maybe a 274B?

Also, in the LP-3a preamp, I normally use a type 80 rectifier. Would a 5Y3 also be an option in this circuit? I wanted to ask fellow LP-3a owners before I tried it, to make sure it was safe and made sense to try.

This is the chart I keep for my Firebottle Amp

Output/Rectifier Tube Cross Reference
Output Tube/Rectifier Tube
6L6, 5881, or KT66/5AR4, 5U4, 274B
6V6/5Y3, 6106
6V6G/5AR4, 5U4, 274B, 5Y3, 6106
EL34, 6CA7, or KT77/5AR4, 5U4, 274B
6550, KT88, KT90, KT120, or KT150/5AR4, 5U4, 274B

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by Breakdown7

I don't have a pair of 6V6's anyway, so I'll just continue to enjoy my FireBottle with KT-88's and KT150's...and Mullard 5AR4 rectifier. In the meantime, I'll get some EL34's and a 274b to play around with. Thanks for the input.

Consider the Gold Lion KT77 instead of EL34's. Most excellent tube.

BTW, you can use 5y3's with an adapter but why bother?