Supratek Owners Thread

My understanding is that the difference between the Chardonnay and Cabernet is not just the complexity of the power supplies, but in the quality (or price) of the components used within both sections, i.e., the kind that make a difference in sound quality. How much more than that is involved, I don't know.

Btw, the prices you are quoting are for the more expensive cabinetry/finish (+ shipping presumably to the States, another $250).

Thanks highstream.

Yes, you're right, I was looking at the preamps with the chrome finished top plate. They seem too beautiful to resist.
Bob

Hi All,I have a simple question for my more techno-proficient co-owners that I am posting here as it is night in Oz and Mick ergo asleep:My Cab Duo left channel 101D is carrying too much heater current and Mick has asked me to measure it accurately (as my early model has pots for adjusting heater voltage), which leads to my question:I have removed the rectifier tube per his instructions to remove the HT high ac risk. Do all the other tubes need to remain in place minus the 101D being checked in order to test the heater current accurately?Thanks
(Promise more info on my kit later)

Hey Bob,   I have Mick making me a Pre as we speak (or in que at least, lol).   All Cortese models are Phono integrated pre's.  The price difference ($4K / $7K) is whether or not the phono is a standard CR or the more expensive LCR version and the $500 difference between those is whether or not the chasis is Copper/Chrome or Steel.   Having the phono (Cortese) is not going to make a difference in heat vs a Chardonnay,  it will be negligible.  The phono tubes are rated at ~10k hours as well so they will most likely outlive all the other tubes in use too.   If you don't need the phono section though, then you need to look at the Chardonnay or Cabernet.  After discussion with Mick,  I was led to believe that the difference between the 2 is in the capacitors and iron (transformers/chokes) in use, the circuit is pretty much the same.   The power supply I believe is pretty much the same as well except the Chardonnay has the Tube Regulators located on the preamp box (PS box has just the rectifer)  and the Cabernet has the Regulators located on PS box (3 tubes).   Biggest difference being the audio circuit components.  He told me that the Cabernet, even with some more exp. componets is not necessarily better per-se, but a little different. Possibly a bit more nuanced I guess.  Mick will tell you that all the magic is in the circuit design not fancy components, although he does use quality and nice components even in his cheapest builds.   Hope this helps!  

I got the same response from Mick. If you look at the reviews from roughly 15 years ago, there’s one that compared the two and found the Cabernet, or whatever it was called then, to be significantly more of the same. So I wonder what’s changed, and if Mick’s answer is a way of saying the differences have considerably narrowed over years.