alexberger

Responses from alexberger

Your journey with lower-watt tube amps -- Can a kit be good enough?
I had DIY 300B amp that I tweaked and in the end rebuild it from scratch. For 300B is very important the driver tube (more powerful is better) and driver inter-stage transformer works much better compared to RC coupling.  How many maximal dB do w... 
What contributes most to a change in how an amplifier sounds?
IMHO amplifier is more important than speakers and sources.     
What contributes most to a change in how an amplifier sounds?
The cathodes are one of very important issues in SET tube amplifiers. Some people use a fixed bias solution for the SET output stage. But there is the same issue in the input and driver stage and most designers do nothing to solve this problem. T... 
What contributes most to a change in how an amplifier sounds?
Hi @emergingsoul , This is a good question.I thought about it, to make stuff about tweaks on youtube. But my English is not good enough to do it. English is my 4th language. I am also not a good speaker in general. For me it is much easier to wri... 
What contributes most to a change in how an amplifier sounds?
I had a 300b integrated SET amplifier from 2005. I tweaked a lot of different things: 1. Interstage capacitors. 2. Tubes working points. 3. Cathode and load resistors. 4. Power supply capacitors. Including increased value of capacitors from 1... 
What contributes most to a change in how an amplifier sounds?
In SET amplifier: 1. Output tube. 2. Driver tube. 3. Coupling between stages (transformers and capacitors). 4. Cathodes (cathode or fixed bias, cathode bypass capacitors size and quality, resistors). 5. Signal transformers quality. Output, in... 
What Power Amplifier Should I Buy?
Why do most modern 15 inch drivers like modern JBL and Tannoy are made for very powerful transistor amplifiers?  These drivers have a very high moving mass and are designed to survive very high power. It is done in compromise in sound quality and ... 
What Power Amplifier Should I Buy?
Hi @lynn_olson , In the Montreal show were the Coherent speakers Model 18 (18" coaxial Radian driver with Neodymium magnet and aluminum diaphragm). In 2022 they used a 300B Allnic Audio T-1500 300B SET stereo amplifier. This setup sounded the be... 
What Power Amplifier Should I Buy?
I listened to and liked Coherent model 18 on the Montreal Audio show. These speakers are very sensitive and sound very easy and uncompressed (in the way like my Altec 604E) but with deeper bass and more smooth and extended high frequencies. They a... 
What Power Amplifier Should I Buy?
Hi @lynn_olson  Are you familiar with JBL 4430/4435? https://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/jbl/4430-35.htm They have a smooth sounding horn section compared to other vintage speakers.  
Gustard R26 vs hi end streamer
The truth is the extra $400 is too much for me. I have Gustard r26 DAC and a $1100 master clock looks like an too expensive gadget for $1600 DAC.  
Gustard R26 vs hi end streamer
I have a question about the new LHY - OCK-2"S" master clock. Does anybody tried it with Gustard R26 or another DAC or streamer? I tried to buy the old OCK-2 model on Aliexpress and eBay. But each time I ordered it sellers told me the old model i... 
What is the Altec 604 sound?
Altec 605 was a cost reduction version of 604. I has a little bit smaller magnet and sensitivity. But the sensitivity is still very high and weaker magnets give a little more bass (Qts is higher). Altec 605 monitors were The Beatles monitors in A... 
What is the Altec 604 sound?
https://www.technicalaudio.com/pdf/Duplex_Speakers_related_to_Altec_604/DUPLEX.html  
What is the Altec 604 sound?
What is special about the Altec 604 - The 15 inch driver plays a very wide frequency range up to 1500Hz. The mid bass driver moving mass is very light (compared to JBL and modern Tannoy) to afford to play midrange. Driver quality is on a higher le...