If anyone is looking for a true "World Class" preamp at a very fair price..heed my advice. I just recieved a Supratek Syrah preamp that was hand built by Mick Maloney in Western Australia, and it is absolutely beautiful! This preamp is the best deal you will ever find. I would put it up against any preamp out there for both looks and sound. Price? $2500 for the Syrah (includes Killer Phono stage). Not into phono? Try the Chardonney line stage for $2100. Don't get me wrong, I am not associated with this company. I am just a very happy owner! This preamp is VERY dynamic, yet liquid. It conveys the sound of music better than any other preamp that I have ever heard! You can check out the Supratek website at www. cantech.net.au
I have just received my Chardonnay,taking the plunge after reading the posts here and the reviews on 6moons and can say that it's the best "blind" buy that I have ever made. As I am in the UK I think we Supratek owners are bit thin on the ground here but it's really great to read about your experiences with these fantastic products. Mick supplied my Chardonnay with Sovtek KT66 regulators and EH 6SN7's and the lowly Sovtek 5AR4 rectifier.I have barely got my Chardonnay warmed up let alone burned-in but as I had some 6L6 types and a bunch of 6SN7's I thought that I would try a valve (tube) change as I thought that it sounded a tad bright. So in went a set of Brimar 6L6G...... dull and lifeless........Sylvania 6L6GA.......a bit better so the KT66's are back in at the moment. I have a couple of New Tung-sol 6L6G replicas on the way so I will see if they can match the Sovtek KT66. I have also replaced the EH 6SN7's with Sylvania GTA chrome domes and these are a big improvement. I think I will leave things as they stand until I get some more hours on this unit but I am also waiting delivery of a Mullard GZ33 for the power supply. I am really interested in the mods that you guys have done such as the attenuator and changing some of the caps. As I am new here I would like to ask if someone would tell me what caps to change in the Chardonnay and what the uF values are and voltage. I realize that this has probably been posted somewhere but it would make it so much easier if you could post it in a response.
you might want to consider a bendix 6106 rectifier in the chardonnay. that's what i used when i owned a chardonnay and i thought it was much better than the sovtek 5AR4 mick provides. alas, i'm having to sell all mine on eBay as mick stated that the cabernet cannot use a 6106. c'est la vie.
Kgturner are your 6106's on ebay now? If not how much are you looking for one? I have a Mullard GZ33 on the way to replace the Sovtek 5AR4. You can mail me on jaydeecee@tiscali.co.uk Thanks
I used a Bendix 6106 quite a bit in two Cabernets and now use two of them in my full 6SN7 Grange with great results and no issues. Could someone enlighten us as to the differences between the Bendix 6106 and the regular GZ34/5AR4 rectifier? Is there a "danger"or can it be more a issue of preference as to it's performance?
I am very interested in the Chenin. I have some issues with cabinet space and components and was wondering if it would be possible to downsize the power supply. I know Mick doesn't do that type of thing but figured I might be able to get someone local to help out.
Does anyone know if the circuitry in the power supply fills most of the enclosure. I would definitely not want to mess with the wiring itself. If I could get it down to 8 to 9 inches wide, I would be home free. Thanks for any constructive comments. TWC
i would suggest you just order an extra long umbilical cord and move it out of the way where you have room. once you go modifying the chenin's power supply to fit into a small case, you've basically thrown it's resale value out of the window.
That's a valid point but if this piece is as good as everyone says, I am a buy and hold kind of guy and it will probably be in my system for so long it won't be worth anything when it is time to sell.
So back to the original question, any idea about how much circuitry is actually in the case?
I suppose another option is to approach Mick about buying an additional power supply or just the guts of it sans case and fancy chrome plate.
My alternatives are the one case solutions from Cary (SLP 03) and Bat (vk-31se)
I have been trying a few different 6SN7's in my Chardonnay and contacted Mick on his recommendations and he replied saying that he has tried many NOS 6SN7 types and would suggest that I should stick with the supplied tube the Electro Harmonix as this is better than most NOS. I tried Ken Rad VT231 (smoked glass); Sylvania GTB chrome domes and Brimar military CV1988 and I have to agree with Mick as only the Brimars matched the EH. I had one other type to try and they were GE 6SN7GTA, short bottle, side getter and they just blew everything else away. Nobody appears to have mention these. Can anyone give me info on the capacitor upgrade. What caps have you replaced and what values would I need for the Chardonnay. I also asked Mick about this and he said that he also did the V-Cap upgrade and waited months for something to happen........"nothing" so he would not recommend them over the Auricap and neither would Srajan of 6moos, apparently.
As much as I respect Mick's work, my ears strongly disagree with him on the V-Cap upgrade. The difference was immediately apparent the instant I fired my Chardonnay back up. And I don't mean by a small margin. I think there are others here who installed the V-Caps after I posted my results and I think they had the same impression I did. I went from the Auricap to Mundorfs which was a nice improvement, but the improvement from the Mundorf to the V-Cap was substantial. There is no doubt in my mind that the leap from the Auricap to the V-Cap would be huge, unless the Auricaps have been changed since I used them. V-Caps are now used in many of the highest-end crossovers, amps, preamps, etc. and the reports from listeners and manufacturers alike are all the same. The V-Caps are stunningly better.
To be honest, I think Mick simply tries to discourage owners from modding his preamps because I am sure they can be easily screwed up. I have read anecdotal reports of modded Suprateks for sale that apparently sounded like crap. Ultimately, the blame falls on the Supratek name and not on the person or modder who screwed things up. So if I were Mick I would also recommend leaving the preamp in it's stock form.
As far as which caps and what values to change, the coupling caps are the ones to change. Sorry I can't give you the values in your particular preamp because Mick may have changed the values in the Chardonnay since I purchased mine several years ago. It should be easy enough to look on the Auricaps and discern the values.
As an aside, Audience is now making a Teflon cap that they advertise here on the 'Gon as the "fastest cap ever made".
Either Audience realized that the V-Caps are far superior to their own Auricaps and they were getting killed in the marketplace or they just wanted to make more money on a new Teflon cap from knuckleheads like me who think they can here a big difference in the Teflon V-Cap :)
No, I would not say the V-Caps changed the tonality of the Supratek in my experience.
Yes, I would say the V-Caps are considerably more detailed. That does not mean analytical and cold, but rather much more invisible. It seems to me that whatever the signal is in front of the V-Caps, it comes through much more pure. If you have warmth in the signal path prior to the V-Caps, you will get a cleaner, less congested warmth and I am sure if your system is cooler or more analytical, you will get a purer sense of that, as well.
I think "invisible" more accurately describes the V-Cap.
in my Cabernet , mick put a pair of OIL VCAP very warm and fast sound, but the better upgrade i have made is to buy a cheap pair of EHgold pin Cryo 6SN7 , the best 6SN7 you could grab for peanuts...
I have what may be a silly question. I've been enjoying my Syrah, and I've a friend who is poised to purchase a Chardonnay. Question is, he want's to connect it to a pair of monoblocks and a subwoofer. I know these pres have two sets of outputs, so I assume the subwoofer can comfortably use the second set of outputs, but I just wanted to confirm. Also, if my friend were to upgrade later to say two JL Audio Fathom 113s, is the connection one single RCA per sub, so that the Chardonnay could accomodate the pair of monoblocks and both subs?
I have the Chardonnay driving a pair of monoblocks and a sub-woofer right at this moment and can confirm that it does it beautifully. So tell your friend not to hesitate as it will be the best audio move he could make.
i used a 6106 and sovtek KT66 in my chardonnay without issue. mick is building a cabernet for me which is about done. he told me that the 6106 wouldn't gel in the cab's circuit.
What I'll say has been writen before in this thread but I'll recapitulate and provide some personal spin. I have found that Chardonnay takes some time to break-in. Let it break-in for a few months with the stock tubes. This will stabilize the sound and acclimate you to the tubes that Mick voiced the preamp with. If you still want to roll, now you have a baseline..... I've rolled many of the tubes mentioned on this thread. I highly recommend that you find a reputable tube dealer that will provide good tubes. The Chardonnay is very transparent and 'deserves' the best! I've wasted too much money on 'fleabay'. Caveat emptor!
Tube rolling is system dependent and I like to think of it as the bass/treble controls or system equalization. A given set of tubes will provide a very different response in your system. For example, a bendix 6106 rectifier will sound different with the Kt66 vs a bendix with a set of Tung-sol 6L6s.
For my particular set up I like the 6106 over the metal base Gz34. I like the 6F6GT in the regulator over the Kt66 with the 6106. However, the combo I've settled on is the 6106, 350b in the regulator and the Tung-sol 6sn7gt.
Enjoy the magic of Mick's preamp and save some money for your music!
Thanks Tvad, Kgturner and Powers for your kind replies. I just bought the Bendix from Kgturner on ebay. I would not have traded on ebay if I didn't know who the seller was.
My Chardonnay is two years old and it is completely broken in, obviously. I am perfectly happy with the stock tubes, but I want to have some tubes as spares. I am not into the expensive NOS stuff anyway, although it would be fun to try 350b as regulator. I have ordered two Sovtek KT66 and two Electro-Harmonix 6SN7EH. These are cheap and fun to try to see what this tube rolling is all about. I believe Mick is suppling these tubes with new Suprateks nowadays.
The stock tubes are Sovtek 5AR4, Electro-Harmonix 6L6EH and 6N8P of some unknown origin (probably Chinese).
I use a Mullard 5AR4. It is much better in my system then the Sovtek. They are not cheap - usually around $100 - $150 dollars, but well worth the upgrade IME. I found it too be smoother and cleaner sounding overall presentation. Other then that I too have found that Mick's choice for the other tubes is excellent and playing around with NOS and other funky tubes does not necessarily provide any better sound. Often just a bit different. Often for the worse.
Hi everyone, I just want to say thanks!!! Since this thread is probably the reason behind my latest purchase - Chardonnay with a Bendix 6106 Rectifier tube and a matched pair of very rare Tung Sol Round Plate tubes. All I can say is...........I AM SHOCKED & FLOORED in the same time. $1700 (used) for this preamp is one of my best buys so far. And I am not talking about money.
This thing is everything you guys said it is and more.
Thank You for the kind words Kgturner. The phenomena of the this tread as well as the number of people participating and being part of "THE SUPRATEK CLUB" can't be explain until one experience Michael's (Mick) products first hand.
On the matter of tube choices and its effect on the sound, I am also curies. As much as I would like to share my personal experience with the rest of "S" users - I can't because of my very limited time with the unit. As far as the tubes that came with my preamp, all I can say is that I can not find any shortcomings of that combo. Of course, it is too early for any meaningful evaluation or comparison. What I have noticed is that tubes chosen by a privies owner (NOS Tung Sol-round plate) are very sensitive/microphonic and a use of a tube rings is a must. Other then that, they are wonderful.
I would also like to ask: about the preferred way to address vibration control, unit placement (and power supply). I know I am going nuts with all this questions.......one more, power cables/ interconnects - make difference with Supratek or no.
To all those Cabernet especially Cabernet Dual owners. What are you guys using for the Rectifier.... Mullard GZ24 or the Bendix 106. I have both, but am reluctant to try as the power supply gets very hot. I'm kind of afraid it my blow the valve.
I'm also interested in knowing whether anyone is using a different regulator valve such as the Western Electric 350B or the Tung-Sol KT66 as I also have both types of valves sitting in boxes at the moment, but again afraid to try due to the heat generated on the power supply unit.
If anyone is using those above mentioned valves, I'd be very interested in your thoughts about what those valves do above and beyond the standard set that Mick supplies with the unit.
Btw, I had a Sauvignon pre-amp prior to the Dual and the power supply only used to get luke warm. Mick assures me it's perfectly normal for the Cabernet Dual power supply to get very hot.
Sorry that previous posting should read Mullard GZ34 or the Bendix 6106. I also realise the Bendix is not recommended in the Cabernet Dual, especially by Mick due to voltage differences.
mick is building a cab for me as i type and he stated in no uncertain terms that the 6106 should not be used in the cab due to it's voltage drop. he told me that if i really wanted to use the 6106, i would have to send him one so he could adjust the power supply and then i could only use a 6106 thereafter.
Thanks for sharing your experience with your Malbecs. I'm thinking about taking the plunge but I'm a bit hesitant after hearing about your ordeal. Must have been frustrating! Not much chatter on the forum about the amps.
Looking foward to hearing your impressions on your Cab Single. What tube config did you opt for?
Have you tried putting a "cheater" plug on your Malbec amps to get rid of the hum? I have a friend that has a Grange preamp and he could not get rid of a loud hum it had developed. He was ready to send it to Kevin Kovac, and he just happened to plug a power cord into it that did not have a ground. The hum disappeared! It plays perfect now.
i tried a million different combinations of grounded, ungrounded, shielded, unshielded, cheater plugs, and nothing could get rid of the buzz. it wasn't a ground loop hum, it was an electric buzz.
Once your "Sweet Package of Joy" arrives from Oz, are there any surprises with duties or taxes come April 16th. What does the customs brokers @ Fedex do with your Tax ID#?
Kgturner, same problem on this side of the fance. I will try some contact cleaner for the sockets and some fine steelwool to clean the pins. If that dosn't help, I am taking amps to the tech. Cheers
I've been using my Malbecs (modified for high sensitivity speakers by Mick himself) without any problems for almost four months now. I have two set of speakers: Lamhorn 1.8/Lowther EX-4 (101 db) and Coincident Total Victory (96 db) and I cannot hear any hum or buzz or anything, only plain, great musicality emanating from them. The Malbecs have replaced my highly modified Golden Tube 300b Mk. I (a la Arthur Salvatore) and the difference was notorious. Pablo.
Thank You for the kind words Kgturner. The phenomena of the this tread as well as the number of people participating and being part of "THE SUPRATEK CLUB" can't be explain until one experience Michael's (Mick) products first hand.
On the matter of tube choices and its effect on the sound, I am also curies. As much as I would like to share my personal experience with the rest of "S" users - I can't because of my very limited time with the unit. As far as the tubes that came with my preamp, all I can say is that I can not find any shortcomings of that combo. Of course, it is too early for any meaningful evaluation or comparison. What I have noticed is that tubes chosen by a privies owner (NOS Tung Sol-round plate) are very sensitive/microphonic and a use of a tube rings is a must. Other then that, they are wonderful.
I would also like to ask: about the preferred way to address vibration control, unit placement (and power supply). I know I am going nuts with all this questions.......one more, power cables/ interconnects - make difference with Supratek or no.
Mrjstart, Heres one testimonial of Micks phonostage and preamp you should read through.
Slipknot,ARS Musica
Joe's Chenin has kept up with his new system. I find it truly remarkable. I'm sure if there was any hint of a problem with his Chenin in this incredible system, Joe would of dumped it long ago.
Regarding changing vacuum tubes in your preamp to vintage select brands. I believe the older models of Micks amps and pres responded favorably to rolling tubes.Ask the man himself.
If you have the money to spend on Western Electric 350Bs,Philips MininWatt metal base EL-34s,Philips MiniWatt metal base GZ-34,Tungsol round plate 6sn7s and early CCas.
Your in for a huge cash outlay.
Money better spent elsewhere in your system like a set of Symposium roller blocks under your c.d. player. You will know when you found the sweet spot under your player using these.The results are incredible.
Silent Running Audio make equiptment platforms that will make a HUGE difference under your front end and other components.
Slowhand highly recomends these platforms.I have since heard the results in a friends system. Nothing sutle about them at all.
My first S.R.A. platform will be used under a new turntable purchase.
Finite-Elemente equiptment stands and feet. Another company FOR SURE worth looking into. I use the Cerabase as feet under my maple equiptment stands and cerapucs under my Nordost Thor. No dought about it,they work.
A V-Cap. upgrade to your preamp.
Pay attention to wires throughout your system,keep with the same brand.That means a.c. cords through to speaker wire.
Over the years Roy Gregory editor of Hi-Fi+ magazine strongly recommends adhering to this.
I put to practice what Roy been saying all these years from the a.c. recepticals through to my speakers including my tonearm. My new tonearm and table will be rewired.
For those that spin vinyl. Lloyd Walkers enzyme base Prelude record cleaning solution is truly remarkable and is everything he says it will do. Over 25 years of using various brands of record cleaning solutions this is many times more effective.
I kid you not ,A cleaned record with this stuff is like a component upgrade.
Also check out WalkerAudio.com Click on Fine Tuning your turntable.
Borrow to try first in your system if you can. The type 3 Symposium roller blocks have shocking good results under a c.d. player.
Most of what I suggested would cost far less with FAR greater sonic results then filling up your preamp with select vintage vacuum tubes....Have fun
I just want to wish all of you in the "Supratek Club" a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I continue to be amazed at the life this thread has. I am proud to call each and every one of you my friends. And thanks also to the veterans of this thread for your kindness in helping the "new" guys with answers to their questions.
I would like to thank you Stiltskin for your thorough and very detailed description as well as your insight on these tweaks application and usefulness.
As I mention earlier, previous owner was kind enough to leave Tung Sol 6SN7GT/VT-231 round plate (NOS) as well as Bendix 6106 Rectifier tube. I am not in a rush to experiment with different tubes as this combination seems to work very well. I also have some extra tubes: Ken Rad VT-231 black glass (NOS - very microphonic) and few Sylvania 6SN7GT(B & A). If the bug bits me, I have few options to try............but not anytime soon.
As of Symposium roller blocks, I happened to have one set as well as few sets of Final "Daruma" ball bearing audio insulators - which are very similar to Symposium. However using those under my CDP is out of question, because of its dedicated stand. Which makes it impossible to use them under Droplet CDP. Here is why: Doplet with Stand I could used them with Symposium platform( got only one) for Supratek, if it helps with vibrations and isolation.
I will look into your other recommendations, those also seemed very interesting. Heard a lot about the products you mentioned but have no personal experience to form any opinion. But will investigate some more on your suggestions.
Cables I use right now are: CDP to Preamp = Harmonic Technology Magic link 1 balanced Preamp to Amps = Harmonic Technology Pro-Silway MK III(SE) Spk cable = Vampire Wire #CCS/S (Continuous Cast Silver)Bi-W Phono pre = Harmonic Technology Pro-Silway MK III(SE) and MÃRCH cable to MÃRCH UP-4 tonearm. Power = Signal Cable, Kimber Kable 10, Granite Audio.
Again, thanks for taking time and effort to answer my questions.
I just installed a Bendix 6106 rectifier and Sylvania 6f6g's that I purchased from Andy's Vintage tube service. I was wondering how long do these tubes take to break-in and how they will change upon reaching the point. Bob
Baranyi, The 6106 takes some time to break-in. Give it at least a month. The 6f6's are good out of the box. There's some great info about supratek tube rollin' in the link below.
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