Stltrains,
Believe it or not, these Hifi-tuning fuses get better with time. They have a mild break-in period, so give them a few days to acclimate into your system. |
Cedar,
Thanks for the mini-preview of your beta-testing time with Joseph's new SET amp. May I suggest that you start a new thread on the amp and/or write up a separate review on it. I'm hoping that we can keep this thread going as it started on Joseph's preamp and its variations. Any technical information and pricing and availability on the SET amp would be helpful as well. The SET amp will probably benefit those with fairly high-efficient speakers( I recall that you have the high efficient Coincidence speakers) Those with lower efficient speakers might not be able to mate this new SET amp with their speakers. |
Markwattkiss,
Did you ever talk with Joseph or Victor about lowering the gain on the preamp? I noticed that on their web site specs, the 2.1 comes standard with 20db gain, but 10db gain with "B" upgrade. |
Mark,
I look forward to hearing your impressions after the upgrade. I am particularly interested at this time in the Vishay resistors. How many, what locations, and cost. I wish Joseph would upgrade his web site for current upgrades. |
I'm curious if this "harmonic alignment" is something done to the power supply regarding AC filtration or to the actual signal in the circuitry. |
Gandme,
Joseph does great work on his tuner upgrades. He is the Master in this regard. He completely transformed my Harman/Kardon Citation 18 tuner. I look forward to your impressions of both the tuner and the preamp. |
Which brings up the question: If it really does need 300-500 hours break-in to sound its best, is Joseph's trial period long enough to cover that? |
It has been a few years now, but I recall deciding to keep my TP 2.0n after about 150 hours. My next step was finding a nice quad of Siemens CCa tube upgrades for further refinement. |
Unless Joseph is specifically selling a demo unit and/or has otherwise changed his policies, I had thought that all units shipped for evaluation were new with possibly just a few hours on them. A comment from Joseph or Victor here regarding this would be nice. |
Gandme,
Joseph will do some very nice things to your TU-919. The Blackgate caps he puts in the power supply and signal path will need some break-in time, but in a short while, you might just be listening more to your tuner than your Cd player. It happened to me. Keep us posted. |
I forgot to mention that much later, after Joseph had upgraded my tuner, I put some Blackgates in the MPX section of my tuner and it made another huge improvement. I have a 1977 Harman/Kardon Citation Eighteen tuner so the circuit could be a little different than the Sansui TU-919, but you might run the MPX upgrade question by Joseph. He offers several cost upgrades to tuners. |
Great news, Charlie. I look forward to hearing more of your impressions as the unit goes through its break-in process. I'm thinking it will only get better. |
Hi Robert,
No reason to feel lost. It's quite simple. E-mail or call Victor or Joseph to make arrangements for an audition. AH has a money-back return policy if you aren't happy with the preamp in your own system. |
I just upgraded the caps and wiring in my Reference 3a Dulcet speakers. The cap is the new Duelund VSF copper foil and it is as good as they say it is. Can you say "natural"? After much break-in, these speakers are really showing just how good Joseph's preamp is, particularly now that the pre's output caps have the new Claritycap MR caps in them. The transparency, dynamics and musicality is " to-die-for". (O: |
The wire is a custom-made UPOCC copper solid core that Reference 3A buys in bulk. They sent me enough to do the pair. Interesting that the tweeter wire is .56mm and the mid/woofer is 1.26mm. |
Hey Charlie!(Cdente) How are those components sounding now with some time on them? |
Charlie,
As you know I only have the MR caps in my preamp, but yes, I heard improvements up through the 300 hr. mark. Once you hit the 200 hr. mark, you're 90% there though. I look forward to hearing more comments from you about your system and particularly your new preamp. What preamp do you have coming? |
Hey Charlie(Cdente),
How's that Dude and Dac upgrade sounding. I would love to hear your current impressions. |
This new promotion is a good deal for those who have been holding back:
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1256773013&/Audio-Horizons-TP-2.1-July-Pro
I am strongly considering the Vishay resistor upgrades. I already have the Claritycap MR caps in the pre outputs. |
Oh, great! How about us poor dolts that already have an older model in need of upgrading? I know the economy's tough, Joseph. Please pass the savings on to current owners as well. |
Just a reminder to new as well as current AH preamp owners that the AH preamp does indeed invert phase and simply reversing your speaker cable polarity corrects this issue. |
Hey Mark! I'm glad to see that you found a deal on an upgraded 2.0 model. Enjoy the music. By the way. Has anyone spoken with Victor lately? He was to post upgrade and update information a while back and he has disappeared from this thread. I hope he's all right. |
Joe,
Just enjoy what you have now in your system and send the extra money to your kids in college. (o: ( I'm just kidding, okay?) |
Well, here I go again about to experiment with yet another cap in the output stage, the venerable Duelund VSF copper. This should be an interesting comparison to the current Claritycap MR caps. I'll post some results in a couple of weeks after some break-in. Stay tuned. |
Cedar,
Thanks for sharing your listening tests of Joseph's new prototype amps. Hopefully, once you recuperate from your shoulder surgery, you'll be able to listen to the 845 tube amp in your own system to do a better comparison with the two EL34 versions. By the way, is Victor still involved with AH? He's been quiet for a while here on our thread. |
This new TP 2.2 version isn't even on their web site yet. Cedar, have you had an opportunity to evaluate and compare this new version to your current version? I'd be interested in knowing what your impressions are. Thanks. |
Hey Mark! I'm glad to see that you found a new cord to help make your system sing. It's been quiet on this thread lately. I hope you all have a very happy and safe holiday season. |
Cedar,
Since you live in the same city as Joseph, and not too far, maybe you can update us on Joseph's new endeavors. I'm assuming that Victor has moved on to other ventures since he doesn't post here anymore. I e-mailed him last week to see how he's doing and no response yet. Usually he's quick to answer my e-mails. Joseph is a great designer as well as modifier/upgrader of various types of components, but does he have the marketing savvy to properly give his products exposure? I'm still waiting for the new review of his TP 3.0(?) preamp. Apparently it uses the Claritycap MR caps in the outputs along with other upgrades. It would be nice if Joseph mentioned these upgrades in his web site. |
I received an e-mail from Victor recently and his wife just had knee replacement, so he's been busy caring for her. He didn't mention his current association with Joseph, but Victor had told me a few years ago that he would retire and write books once Joseph felt comfortable on his own. Victor was just temporarily in the loop to help Joseph with advertising, promotions and communications. Victor has been following these threads so maybe he will post soon and fill everyone in on his current status. He also told me that he had problems with his e-mails and didn't receive some of them in case anyone has written him lately. He said it has been fixed so he should be able to receive e-mails now. Victor, if you are still following this thread, I hope your wife has a fast recovery and gets well soon. (o: |
Did Joseph mention if he'll have an upgrade program for current owners for the new TP 2.2? I'm curious what changes have been made to the new 2.2 preamp. Are you getting yours upgraded? |
I don't follow Postive Feedback much, but is it normal for them to give a product like a preamp an award without a review? It's been three months since that announcement, yet no more discussion about it from PF. Also, is the reason Joseph hasn't announced the introduction of the TP 2.2 on his website because it is still in the fine-tuning stages? I have begun to become a little disillusioned lately with the two gentlemen at AH. Victor has from time to time made posts on this thread of future announcements of things and they never came. If you, like me, have followed this thread, you know what I'm referring to. )o: |
I was just looking at a photo of the insides of a TP 2.1 preamp in a current AH ad. The link is to a photo. I'm curious of what changes have been made lately. Based on the photo, it looks like the power supply board has been changed back to the TP 2.0 version. Also, the caps look like something new, not the wax-type with copper foil wrap that were previously in there.
http://pic6.audiogon.com/i/s/f/1247266373.jpg
|
Well,well,well. It looks like the new TP 2.2 is finally here. Anyone take the plunge yet?
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatube&1275458921&/New-audio-horizons-TP-2.2-Tube
|
Markwattkiss,
I communicated regularly with Pat(Rx8man) while he was getting his TP2.0n upgraded with the Claritycaps and new transformer in the power supply. I'm not sure if Joseph replaced the key resistors in the signal path with the new Vishays in his(your) unit. I think I might give Joseph a call to see if he'll send me the Vishays so that I can put them in myself. I'm sure he'd rather do it himself, though. (o: Rhyno, I look forward to hearing your impressions of the differences between the 2.0 and new 2.2 preamps. Please keep us posted. |
One more thing. I did replace the power line fuse with a Hifi-tuning fuse and it made a nice improvement. There is one more fuse on the power supply board, but I can't remember what the value is. I probably need to order one to replace that one as well. Can someone tell me what the value is so I don't have to open up my unit just yet? |
Thanks, Stltrains. I believe that is the correct value for mine as well. |
The best buy I've found on Hifi-tuning fuses is from Acoustic Sounds:
http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/41414/HiFi-Tuning-Fuse_-_Large-System_Enhancements
|
I just installed the Hifi-tuning fuse on the power supply board. Already I hear I nice improvement with cleaner delineation of notes. Music just sounds more natural. Excellent for just a $40.00 investment. By the way, I noticed that Victor is selling a like-new 2.2 preamp for someone who lost their job. It is at a bargain price for someone who wants to save almost 50% off retail. |
The site is still operating, but no mention yet of the new amp lines.
http://www.audio-horizons.com/
|
Has anyone who has had an early 2.0 model had to change out the four E88cc tubes yet? Mine are still original Siemens Cca and I don't have a clue how many hours I have on them. I'm curious what to listen for when the tubes are showing their age and need replaced. I'm trying to get the most out of my tubes because they are rare NOS and expensive. |
I have been contemplating getting a decent tube tester. Maybe I'll start looking for a good used one. Thanks. |
Joe,
Yes, I recall us both putting in the cca's. I also turn my preamp off at night and the average daily use is also about 6 hours. They do still sound very good. I'll look into a used, calibrated B&K 606. |
Whatchu talkin' bout, Mark? You sold your preamp. Are you going with The Dude now? I would love to hear your impressions. (o: |
Hey! Good luck, Joe. Let us know how it sounds when you get it resettled into your system. |
One of the reviewers, although he wasn't specific, did mention that the new TP 2.2 sounded better than some preamps costing several thousand $$$ more. |
Good point, Tvad. Too bad the reviewer probably won't post on here to give an explanation. |
My preamp is still as it was. Current output caps are Duelund VSF coppers. I highly recommend the Claritycap MR for the outputs. I still have a back-up pair I'm hanging on to. |
Joe,
That's good to know. I've often wondered how easy or hard the preamp was on tubes. I'll rest easier now until I can get my own tubes checked. I just missed out on a tube tester on Ebay, but still enjoying the music. (o: |
Well,
I finally found a deal on a tube tester on Ebay. It should arrive soon. In the meantime, I changed out my Siemens cca in location 1 and 3 with nos Siemens cca and the sound is so much more present and alive. I'm anxious to see what my old ones read at. |
Great impressions and analysis of what you are hearing with the new upgrades, Joe. I'm assuming it will only get better. Enjoy the music. (o: |
