Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[x3workshop]

Originally Posted by nhparrot

I put together a similar document based on my amp after seeing Peter's. Available on Google Drive https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwg...ew?usp=sharing

Very nice.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by x3workshop

The Siemens/RFT EL34 is a very good tube. I have pairs labeled Telefunken and they've been the closest to Mullards that I've used. I'm not sure they're worth the prices they're fetching now though.

I think new issue TS EL34B are very close if not superior in some ways and the prices are easier to deal with.

Try those FMODS first. It may change everything.

I'm in agreement with old production tube prices. I got a pair of TAD 6L6GC STR tubes and in my rig they better the Westinghouse 6L6GC's I got a couple of months ago.

http://www.tubeampdoctor.com/en/shop...d_slave_id=813

I will try the TS EL34B.

[BearCityUSA]

A while back one of you contributors was having problems with 27 tubes in your LP-27a. A LOUD hiss/rumble I am getting from two pair of tubes I recently received. Both pair were pulls as most antique tubes are I figure.The seller has said they were fully tested on 3 separate testers and found to have no issues. They have provided a full refund so I have no issues with seller. Anyway, I seem to remember that the contributor here was allowing them to warm up for :10-:15 prior to turning on the amp. I have tried that and eventually the hiss/rumble get so pronounced that the pre starts driving the speakers directly w/o the amp powered on. Of course at this point I shut everything down and put in a pair which I know works. For those who have run into this please advise. The answer maybe to pitch these 27s and find others from elsewhere. I am not rolling as much as trying to obtain a lifetime supply of a tube which is no longer made.

Thanks,

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

A while back one of you contributors was having problems with 27 tubes in your LP-27a. A LOUD hiss/rumble I am getting from two pair of tubes I recently received. Both pair were pulls as most antique tubes are I figure.The seller has said they were fully tested on 3 separate testers and found to have no issues. They have provided a full refund so I have no issues with seller. Anyway, I seem to remember that the contributor here was allowing them to warm up for :10-:15 prior to turning on the amp. I have tried that and eventually the hiss/rumble get so pronounced that the pre starts driving the speakers directly w/o the amp powered on. Of course at this point I shut everything down and put in a pair which I know works. For those who have run into this please advise. The answer maybe to pitch these 27s and find others from elsewhere. I am not rolling as much as trying to obtain a lifetime supply of a tube which is no longer made.

Thanks,

Bear, did you clean/scrub the pins with Scotchbrite? I had a pair of 27's that acted up and a good scouring of the pins fixed the issue. I turn on the pre and give it a minute or so to warm up and then turn on the amp.

[x3workshop]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

A while back one of you contributors was having problems with 27 tubes in your LP-27a. A LOUD hiss/rumble I am getting from two pair of tubes I recently received. Both pair were pulls as most antique tubes are I figure.The seller has said they were fully tested on 3 separate testers and found to have no issues. They have provided a full refund so I have no issues with seller. Anyway, I seem to remember that the contributor here was allowing them to warm up for :10-:15 prior to turning on the amp. I have tried that and eventually the hiss/rumble get so pronounced that the pre starts driving the speakers directly w/o the amp powered on. Of course at this point I shut everything down and put in a pair which I know works. For those who have run into this please advise. The answer maybe to pitch these 27s and find others from elsewhere. I am not rolling as much as trying to obtain a lifetime supply of a tube which is no longer made.

Thanks,

I had the issue and posted about it with type 27 & type 56 tubes - both globes. With one Type 56 Globe about 75% of the time when I started the pre, waited 5 minutes then turned the amp on I would get a very loud hum out of that channel. I literally had to 'thump' the tube and it would stop immediately without any further issues. Weirdest thing. If I let it warm up for 20 minutes or so I would rarely have the problem. I still use that tube, but give it an old parochial school thump before I turn the amp on. No problems...

With another 27 globe, I would get a sizzle and hiss out of it. Never went away no matter how long I let it warm up, cleaned pins, etc., so I chucked the tube. It hasn't given me trouble since.

These are all old tubes, and globes are especially prone to backtalk. ST shaped 27's & 56's have been pretty good.

[BearCityUSA]

Thanks guys,

Cleaned the pins and one pair is running clean right now. I will likely put the other pair in in the morning. So far so good. I will have to contact the seller and pay up to keep my Karma in good stead.

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

Thanks guys,

Cleaned the pins and one pair is running clean right now. I will likely put the other pair in in the morning. So far so good. I will have to contact the seller and pay up to keep my Karma in good stead.

You have to really clean the pins until they shine to get a good connection. All the oxidation has to be removed.

[BearCityUSA]

As I have been shuffling around my life to get ready to move out of my house during a renovation/addition my 90's vintage Epos ES-14s have migrated to my office. The speakers are a large monitor type setup with 8" mid/woofer and 1" titanium dome tweeter. The 8" runs full range and the tweeter has a simple 2.2uf cap as a high pass filter. They were rated 86db back in the day. Of course, as we have discussed here that last number is rather meaningless, especially since the 90's were a more power hungry era where more efficient speakers were not as desirable as I feel they may be today. Anyway, I hooked them up to my PSE to see how they would be driven. Started with a quad of 6v6gt (2 Visseax and 2 Pope). Not quite enough juice to make them sing. Of course these have been sitting for at least a year and likely need to loosen up some. I later swapped in GL kt-77s for a more powerful arrangement. Also 27 to 56s in the pre for a bit of further gain. They do sing with this tube compliment. Not to concert levels but louder than I typically listen while not working on a personal growler. A while back I mentioned here I would give this a go and now have. I debate if I should sell these speakers from time to time. They still have some $$ value. I am now thinking that when the house is finished they may move home with the PSE and a couple new subs. I figure if I unloaded the lower fqs as has been discussed here a lot I would get even more listenable power from them. my conclusion is that the PSE can drive a lower efficiency speaker to pretty loud levels and can specifically make these sing. In contrast I purchased Omega Super 7 monitors shortly after I bought my Inspire KT a few years ago.

Have a good weekend.

[Musica Amantem]

Originally Posted by BearCityUSA

As I have been shuffling around my life to get ready to move out of my house during a renovation/addition my 90's vintage Epos ES-14s have migrated to my office. The speakers are a large monitor type setup with 8" mid/woofer and 1" titanium dome tweeter. The 8" runs full range and the tweeter has a simple 2.2uf cap as a high pass filter. They were rated 86db back in the day. Of course, as we have discussed here that last number is rather meaningless, especially since the 90's were a more power hungry era where more efficient speakers were not as desirable as I feel they may be today. Anyway, I hooked them up to my PSE to see how they would be driven. Started with a quad of 6v6gt (2 Visseax and 2 Pope). Not quite enough juice to make them sing. Of course these have been sitting for at least a year and likely need to loosen up some. I later swapped in GL kt-77s for a more powerful arrangement. Also 27 to 56s in the pre for a bit of further gain. They do sing with this tube compliment. Not to concert levels but louder than I typically listen while not working on a personal growler. A while back I mentioned here I would give this a go and now have. I debate if I should sell these speakers from time to time. They still have some $$ value. I am now thinking that when the house is finished they may move home with the PSE and a couple new subs. I figure if I unloaded the lower fqs as has been discussed here a lot I would get even more listenable power from them. my conclusion is that the PSE can drive a lower efficiency speaker to pretty loud levels and can specifically make these sing. In contrast I purchased Omega Super 7 monitors shortly after I bought my Inspire KT a few years ago.

Have a good weekend.

IMO, even if you can hear "loud" volumes with that setup, I would argue that the amp is not working in its best scenario, PSE/IIP and all. Headroom and dynamics reserves come handy in certain selections and the quality of sound may be better with a higher sensitivity across the frequency range. I believe the High Pass filter to alleviate the amp's load/stress is useful but at 100 Hz it is only a partial solution with a sensitivity of only 86 dB's. Remember the power needs to double for every 3 dB's in SPL increase.

BTW, I'm interested in your take on the Omega 7 full range speakers with the PSE Inspire. Now that should give you plenty of dynamic headroom reserves. How do you like the sound? I personally believe the PSE deserves the Alnico-driven monitors, but that's just me.

[Rosco65]

I don't own an Omega 7, but do own a pair of Super Alnico Monitors as well as a pair of Super 3's and Super 3U's. While the Alnico drivers are "better" in that they are higher in the Omega food chain, they do give up some of the speed and high end of the RS5 driver in the 3 series. However, the larger Alnico - and 7 series - driver does offer better midbass and simply will move more air.

Louis has recently added "1.5 way" models to his production line. Of particular interest is the 1.5 way Super 3 in monitor and tower model. A second driver is added below 500hz to the main full range driver. This supports the low to upper bass range in which the small driver starts rolling off. Above 500hz the natural rising response of the main driver takes over. The result is much better bass and 3 dB greater efficiency (97.5dB/W/M). The two drivers have the same surface area as one of the larger drivers and can move the same amount of air (or more) while retaining the speed of the 1.9 gram RS5 cone.