Just purchased a used Syrah and so love it. Mine is a little different in that in has a three tube power supply just like the Cortese. My question is about a power cord and which tubes, line stage, are most influential on the sound. I would like to tube roll for a little more bass impact. I was using my Opus 21 CD player directly into my Parasound Halo JC1's monoblocks. Sound is also so very good. I then put the Syrah in and found more detail and emotion in the music. Beautiful is the word for the sound of this preamp. I did however lose a bit of bass impact and weight.Not sure if a cord or tube roll will help me get that back. I prefer every other area of sound with the Supratek pre in the system. Just lost a little bit of dynamics and bass weight on my Khorus X11 speakers which go down to 17hz. |
In the power supply,
2 - 5881/16L6WGL Sovtek
1 - 5Z4GT Phillips
Main unit,
2 - 6C45N-L - No brand name I could fine but the tube # was in a design that looked like a tube.
2 - 6L45N - E - Same company as above
Hope this helps. Pretty sure they are all stock tubes and the unit has not been retubrd from the factory. Built in August of 2001.
Thanks,would a AC cord help - you use a Moray cable I have never heard of.
Thanks,
Bill
Bill |
Cottection, the main unit has all 4 smaller front tubes the same,
6C45N-E,
I incorrectly thought two were (-L) however they were (-E) rubbed out a little.
Thanks,
Bill |
Asa
The Parasound Halo JC1 is the onlu=y SS amp I have ver owned. I am a true blue tube man. But these SS mono's are the best amp I have heard on my speaker by a wide margin.If I xlosed my eyes I would have NEVER guessed it was a SS amp. Would have bet is was a powerful tube brute with dozens of glowing tubes. Except the bass is better than any tubes I have heard.
I want to thank everyone for the great info on the tubes. I will start one tube/pair at a time and give my ears a chance to understand what is happening.
I do notice quite a bit of tube hiss through my speakers. I suppose this is common on the Syrah? When my Opus went directly into my amps it was dead quite. I also had to put cheater plugs on both amps and the pre to rid my system of an aweful ground loop hum. Hate spending all the money on dedicated 20 amp outlets, PS audio outlets, high end power cables and introduce this .59 cent cheater plug!
Do love the pre and wonder if anyone else had the same ground loop problem.
Grannyring |
I will try the Mullard GZ-30, WE350B's and the Ken Rad Black Glass VT231. First, what brand are the WE350's(Is that Western Electric?)Not sure where to buy these tubes on the net? Thanks to all for all of the wonderful help.
Grannyring |
First, how many actually break or have a problem? One in 40, one in 70. Pretty small chance/risk. Second, paying full price is $2500, not $8000 like many of the preamps I have owned from Thor, Wavac and Audio Note. The Syrah bests all three of these and has a great phono section! None of the above three had phono at those list prices.
Be honest, folks pay $300 for NOS tubes and power cords, including me, that still dont bring other preamps up to the level of the Syrah. Again, when looking at this reasonably the cost/risk ratio is very, very low.
Grannyring |
I have talked to Mick and the only area of change in the Syrah is the phono section. I only use the linestage and he told me that it has remained pretty much the same. Your right about the unit making noise as I have moved the power supply all around and still get a hum through my speakers. The only way I could stop it is by using cheater plugs on my monoblock amps and the pre!
Nothing else seems to work. I will be trying some NOS tubes and I will see what that does.
Another interesting note on my used Syrah. Mine has what looks to be the same three tube power supply as put on the Cortese. I assume this is an upgrade over the stock one tube power supply? I have not heard of another one like it.
Grannyring |
I now have a Cortese to A/B verses the Syrah. I am also lucky enough to have a CJ Premier 16LS MKII , on loan, to go head to head against the " highly praised" Supratek models.
Thus far I wish the Syrah had more body, foundation and overall weight to the music. The CJ beats the Syrah in these areas, but is not as transparent. The CJ throws a larger stage also. I am only listening to CD's thus far. I will test the Cortese and update all on my progress. The Syrah was built in mid 2001 and I am not sure of the age of the Costese. Inside I noticed it was tweeked by "someone" with vibration deadening sheets.Serial number is RL136.
I understand much of the outcome will be based on system and room matching.
Grannyring |
Well, I have been comparing the Cortese(stock tubes) to the the Syrah (stock tubes). Thus far I am only listening the line stage with my Resolution Audio Opus 21 player. The Cortese is better by what I consider a small margin. More refined and and in control is what I would say. Then my NOS tubes showed up. I ordered these based on the info Bwhite gave me on what NOS tubes to use in the Syrah. Thank you so much Bwhite and others. Your ears are very good. Now going head to head, the Syrah with a Mullard 5AR4/GZ34 and the Ken Rad black glass VT-231's vs. stock tube Cortese!
The winner - very close and it just comes down to personal taste. The bottom line is for the money the Syrah with these three tubes is a better value to me. It is half the price and with NOS's almost all of the sound, if not all, in the line stage anyway. I understand the phono is better on the Cortese also. I am still looking for KT-66's Genalex or 350B's. I am sure this will put the Syrah in the giant killer league. These last tubes just cost to much and I am not sure I will ever pay that much!
I also have a CJ 16LSII in my home for the weekend. I never though CJ was all that good, but I am dead wrong on this one. Forget what you hear about it being slow, thick, lush or whatever. To be frank I feel it bested both the Cortese and Syrah in my system - line stage only, but I cannot afford it even used. It is very transparent and beautiful sounding. It is in the same leauge as the two Supratek units in the highs and mids, however it has a little more bass weight and foundation. I do like this as it makes music sound more live to me! But remember the CJ costs $8500 new! The Syrah with the NOS's costs less than 1/3 and has phono! I also find the Syrah with the NOS tubes mentioned sounded 90% as good as the CJ in my system. Perhaps the KT66's or 350B's would then cause the Syrah to be on par or better than the CJ. This is amazing for the money folks. I mean amazing.
Outside of the costly 350B and KT66, please give me a NOS tube that is affordable to use in the power supply. My Syrah has three tubes like the Cortese in the power supply.
I did open it up and while both have 3 tubes they are very different on the inside. The Cortese has many more parts and is laid out more cleanly.
Grannyring |
I just had my Atma-sphere MA1's updated to the latest 3.1 version (from 2.2) plus all options available have been added.
I have got to share that the current upgrades are a revelation for this amp. Wow does this amp now sing. So rich and glorious with state of the art transparency. The stage depth is jaw dropping and the images so 3D and real.
This is my first OTL amp or amp from Atma-sphere and I am taken back now realizing what I have been missing. This latest generation simply outclasses the 2.2 by a wide margin.
Yes, I am pleased to say the least. I have owned many a tube amp and this one has all of that wonderful warmth, bloom and weight combined with SET-like intimacy. |
I posted my comments above on the wrong thread. Sorry, should be on this thread - Thought on OTL tube amps |
I am sure these wonderful Supratek preamps would sound great with OTL amps! |
Yes indeed amazing thread! Hard to believe it has been this long?! Oh my. |
