#5321
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Hey hood_1, sorry it took so long to reply.
Our transformers are hand wound in the US to Dennis's specifications. |
#5322
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I was in need of a break from work while Dennis, Tony (straitwire)and Allan (Analog Addict) had been trading texts regarding a get together. Well, Friday fit the schedule for all of us so another trip to Cary has come and gone. I had a blast. Backing up a bit, it was just about two months ago last I went. On that trip I dropped off my 2013 KT amp for some Dennis offered mods. This amp has had a second rectifier tube added in the past to accommodate the IIPS power circuit but still was running Russian PIO coupling caps and a single auto bias. Dennis wanted to install the new Universal OPTs and individual channel auto bias circuits and just bring it up to date. I had thought long and hard about the change in OPTs. I had thousands of hours break-in on the old OPTs and was very happy with the sound. I had also done direct comparisons to his Universal Amp and could see the improvements in his current designs. Having been offered, I ultimately accepted.
As I was planning to make another trip soon for additional audiophile reasons I told Dennis to hold onto my amp and I would pick it up then. Well, to my benefit he did not just set it on a shelf. It seems he has been using it for his home amplifier. As it also seems, he continued to tweak it during its stay. Picts he sent with the initial mods don’t match the final. A different can cap for instance. Thats just on the outside. I have not pulled the bottom to really look things over yet. I do know he switched the wiring from Pentode to Triode and has abandoned the bias switch on the front. Also it seems that any rectifier will fly. A 5ar4 with 6v6g is fine now. I used to have to run 5y3 and the like with the lower powered output tubes. Not sure if the new universal amps do that or not. As always, what matters is the sound. This amp is amazing. Dennis has really been able to get a great deal more from his triode wired amps. As I have heard them in the past they were not for me. I get the magical midrange but the loss of the punch of a pentode was not acceptable sacrifice IMHO. Not the case with this amp. Still the punch and drive but also the magical midrange. WOW. Been listening most all weekend and this thing really does impress. Having been a couple months without it I accept my audio memory has faded some but there is no doubt in my mind the improvements are real and substantial. Another reason for the visit was a speaker project Denis and I were playing around with. I’ll plan to post about that on the speakers with Inspire gear on this forum. Scott |
#5323
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Scott... Welcome to AA!
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Ivan FLORIDA MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: ACCUPHASE A300 AMPS, C3900 PRE-AMP, DP1000 CD/SACD TRANSPORT, DC1000 DIGITAL PROCESSOR, DG-68 DIGITAL EQUALIZER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, PS1230 POWER SUPPLY, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, WW PLATINUM CABLES CAPE COD MX150, MC501(2) MC1.2KW(10) MC2301(2) MR88, MVP881, MCD1100, MDA1000, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, ESOTERIC K-01X 30th ANNIVERSARY (BLACK) SACD/CD PLAYER, G02-X CLOCK, HT3F(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(4) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) KALEIDESCAPE STRATO & TERRA SERVERS 80-TB, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" SCREEN, SONUS FABER STRADIVARI, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, FORTRESS SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES |
#5324
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As always, what matters is the sound. This amp is amazing. Dennis has really been able to get a great deal more from his triode wired amps. As I have heard them in the past they were not for me. I get the magical midrange but the loss of the punch of a pentode was not acceptable sacrifice IMHO. Not the case with this amp. Still the punch and drive but also the magical midrange. WOW. Been listening most all weekend and this thing really does impress. Having been a couple months without it I accept my audio memory has faded some but there is no doubt in my mind the improvements are real and substantial.
Good for you. Dennis appears to have, as Tarzan would say, put good Ju Ju in the latest offerings. |
#5325
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#5326
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Interesting.... have not tried any of the new production 6SL7 or 6SN7 as I have a good collection of old tubes and probably lack the patience of a long burn in time. I have tried just about every vintage 5U4G and find Tung-Sol to be my favorite. Until getting a Sofia Aqua 274B, this one is the best sounding rectifier by far in my 2014 vintage Inspire. The Sofia has more of everything sound quality wise.
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#5327
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#5328
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#5329
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I'm running an earlier Inspire, I think it is wired in Ultralinear for maximum power. Dennis has never described it as such, to my knowledge, but it produces 40% more power than his SE Pentode amps.
In my amp, my least favorites tubes are the 6V6, 6P3S-e, and 6F6. All sound very bright and have diminished deep bass. They do have great detail, if your ears can withstand all of that upper midrange energy. The high end detail from the 6P3S-e is amazing, cymbals just shimmer and strings vibrate like I've never heard before. But after 20-30 minutes the headaches come on. As to rectifiers, while there are minor differences between types (5U4GB vs 5V4GA vs GZ34 vs 274B), within a type I can detect no difference at all. So I use all 5U4GBs interchangably, same for 274Bs, etc. I've swapped them over and over again but never hear a difference. Even inexpensive modern JJ GZ34s sound the same as expensive, vintage GZ34/5AR4s. However I believe I hear differences between every different 6SN7 that I try. I generally use a new production Genalex GZ34 with my KT88 / KT120 / KT150 power tubes. This combination produces a powerful sound with very good deep bass detail along with smooth midrange (but not overly warm) and treble. The difference on the lowest notes from an acoustic bass guitar or a piano between the KT88/KT120 vs a 6V6 is striking. |
#5330
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The input tube used has a large influence and experimenting has been very worthwhile. |
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