45 tubes for Yamamoto A-08s
I decided to try Australian made Radiotron 80 (NOS/NIB) first. Damn, it's from the 40's, definitely the oldest piece of gear in my system. The next step is 717A preamp tubes, something like this ? Westen Electic is what i have now in the amp selected by Yamamoto-San, but i need NOS for backup |
Has anyone tried this CA-04 preamp from Yamamoto for A-08s ? |
To my surprise i have plenty of gain with my passive Pass ALEPH L preamp with Yamamoto A-08s, this combination with Zu Audio Druid is shockingly good. I was a little bit afraid that with 2w single ended i will need some active gain stage, but i was wrong! No need for any active gain stage in this combo (even in my big room). If someone thinking about active gain stage with this amp i must say with 101db speakers and some nice phono stage the active gain stage is a waste of money for nothing. Only passive preamp! I love Pass Aleph L because there are 4 inputs and 2 line outputs. Still listening with the stock vintage NOS tubes provided by the manufacturer. But luckily got my NU 45s (from USA) and Rectifier 80 (from Australia) back up before covid-19 situation. |
@sdrsdrsdr yes, my concern was only about this particular combo, the reason i asked before for Yamamoto preamp than nobody tried, i realized that it will be overkill for my 101db speakers. Pass ALEPH L preamp available in several versions, the one i have is passive when the volume control in under 3 o'lock, then it will be an active pre if the volume is more than 3 o'clock. Clever design from Nelson Pass. With my speakers and this Yamamoto A-08s (2w) i don't need an active gain for sure, hard to believe, the volume control on my pre is under 12 o'clock (and this is god damn loud). |
@gwalt Thanks! I also have some left over from the previous amp (WLM Minueta), very rare military Telefunken E84L matched quad and ECC801s matched pair ... all in original boxes, purchased from The Tube Museum NYC long time ago. Some rare gold pins NOS Sylvania AT12WA Gold Brand quad and Japanese Matsushita ... since i don’t have an amp for those tubes i am willing to trade (if anyone interested). Or maybe i should make a preamp with them ? |
Ok, it’s me again Waiting for my National Union 45s i start thinking about RECTIFIER 80 tube too, i need only one. I have zero experience with this type of tube. Any recommendations? On ebay i see many of them (NOS) from the 30’s and 40’s: Sylvania 80 Silvertone 80 Cunningham 80 National Union 80 Radiotron 80 Telefunken 1064 |
No, they do mods only for those who’s buyin’ an amp from them. I got my amp from Japan, i want to use what i have without any mods in the tube sockets. So i’m looking for RECTIFIER tubes that i can just plug and use. P.S. And new EML RECTIFIER tubes are too expensive, over $300 for a single tube that’s crazy! |
For some of those European tubes the sockets must be modified like this. I have standard 4 pin sockets. I am like this dude |
Since I sold some of the rarest 12at7wa tubes from my ex push-pull amp., I’m thinking about much older 45 tubes from the 1930’s for my Yamamoto A-08s. ST bottle shape or Globes, Solid Plates or Mesh Plates... This is where you lost me... Vintage tubes are addictive, you’d better get rid of them all, or you’re always buying some more. I thought I’m done with the tubes, but I’m still buying more. Stop me somebody ... After some research these trio is on my radar now: -RCA 80 GLOBE tube (tested 56/52 where min is 40) -RCA 245 GLOBES (PAIR) (tested both 66/66 where min is 47) Any comments? I don’t have a tube tester, but I hope I can trust a seller who’s got calibrated TV7 tester and life long experience. Tube testing is another quest, I know nothing about it. Would you buy a tube with tested results stated above? This is what I received so far from another tube dealer: NOS 717A matched pair (mushrooms). National Union 45s from another audiogon member. And this Radiotron 80 from Australia |
RCA Radiotron UX-245 was amazing! Unfortunately one tube died slowly glowing purple and making heartbeat sound in my woofer, never seen anything like that before with old tubes, but those Balloons are by far the oldest I ever tried (from 1930’s). Seller shipped replacement tube, but that one also died same way. So the Globe 45s goes back to America for refund. Rectifier (Globe 80) is fine, fingers crossed ! I think this is a lesson to avoid old Globe shape, never again. Or it’s just a bad luck ? |
