Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[Musica Amantem]

I would recommend 274B for any tube smaller than KT-88 or 6550 (i.e., 6V6, 6L6, KT-66, 350B), except of course as FloridaBoy pointed out, the shouldered G ST 6V6 and 6L6, which need a 5Y3 (80). With the larger tubes my best results have come from 5Z4 and 5AR4 (low V-drops), as these behave better with the sagging larger tubes. KT-77 can go either way. Experimenting is the only way to dial-in your preferences, as each system/setup responds differently.

[Wgarcia]

I do need to add some rectifiers to my tube stash if only to provide a modicum of credibility. The only other tube rectified amp I own is an EL84 based single ended guitar amp with an EZ81. And, I appreciate the advice. Thanks.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by Musica Amantem

I would recommend 274B for any tube smaller than KT-88 or 6550 (i.e., 6V6, 6L6, KT-66, 350B), except of course as FloridaBoy pointed out, the shouldered G ST 6V6 and 6L6, which need a 5Y3 (80). With the larger tubes my best results have come from 5Z4 and 5AR4 (low V-drops), as these behave better with the sagging larger tubes. KT-77 can go either way. Experimenting is the only way to dial-in your preferences, as each system/setup responds differently.

The Shuguang 274B and GL 5AR4 are worth looking into.

[Wgarcia]

Yesterday I ordered both the Shuguang 274B and a Gold Lion U77/GZ34, so things should be getting rectified around my house.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by Wgarcia

Yesterday I ordered both the Shuguang 274B and a Gold Lion U77/GZ34, so things should be getting rectified around my house.

They, especially the GL GZ34, will wake up the KT88's. Just trust your ears.

[Wgarcia]

I might fool myself into liking the Shuguang more than I should only because it looks so cool, but my ears are ready (just cleaned 'em). My ears just got me into trouble as a new (3 months…trying cables and whatever to get these things to come alive) pair of higher efficiency speakers are failing me…not enough clear tweeting from the tweeters, and the manufacturer/owner of that company is sending me new resistors to give the ribbon tweets less restriction. I put my previous speakers (yet unsold luckily) back in the system and although the lack of relative efficiency (new speakers are 93db, older ones now back in the system around 89 to 90) could explain the "HO" (what I call my Fire Bottle…and why not?) running hotter, but with the astonishing resolution my rig now has I don't mind at all. Go HO!

[FloridaBoy]

You may need to give the tubes a few hours to settle in. These rectifiers will give you more power and the amp will run hotter.

[Musica Amantem]

I would venture to suggest anything under "true" 95 dB (not demanding impedance curves) won't do justice to that amp, probably even in a near-field configuration. You may have enough SPL, but the amp´s performance is not the same. Also, try the 100 Hz filters with a SUB in the future, big difference! Of course, my experience is based on a Triode-strapped version of the HO.

[Wgarcia]

My current speakers are in use until I can re-wire the tweeters (for more output…they need it) in my more efficient speakers, and the HO's performance is astounding enough in this configuration that the tweeter issue will have to have a profound effect to kick the current preferred speakers aside. (2 REL subs are also in the mix)…I have been looking at much more efficient speakers for eventual use anyway so that gives me a reason to live, and if the new rectifiers do cause the amp to run hotter that's gonna be interesting…I haven't let the new rectifiers settle in as they're not here yet, and I'll have to consider the effects of jet lag or mail carrier lag on their performance. If the triode strapped HO (!) is the lower powered version I imagine far more efficient speakers would make a tremendous difference, but no filtering seems necessary in my current rig so my HO remains unmolested, so to speak.

[Wgarcia]

The GL GZ34 seems to work well, and the HO doesn't seem any hotter than with the 5Y3S (except maybe for how it sounds). This last thing was carefully tested with my calibrated human palm while running a CD Julian Lage gave me (name drop…it's a name drop).