john_tracy

Responses from john_tracy

Looking for views on bi-amping
One of the merits of biamping that I never hear discussed involves speaker back EMF. Speakers have mechanical resonances. The energy stored in these resonances can be dissapated both thermally and electrically. Just like an electrical motor can be... 
Hexfreds?
Are you asking about the Cary SLI-80? Doesn't it have tube rectifiers? Maybe there are SS rectifiers for the fixed bias supply; I haven't looked in mine. I got a significant improvement replacing the Sovtek 5U4g's with NOS 5AS4s. 
Personal turntable/cartridge evolution
1964 - Garrard Model? (the cheapest, #50 I think); Pickering Cart.1967 - AR XA; Shure V-15TypeII1973 - Braun TT; B&O Cart.1975 - Rabco ST-7; Ortofon MC1980 to 2001 - nothing, no stereo!2002 - MMF-7; Clearaudio Wood2004 - Nott. Hyperspace with ... 
how good is the sun audio sv2a3
I'm just getting around to building mine. I noticed from looking at the schematic that it appears that this amp runs the output tubes pretty hard. Anyone have any experience with how long NOS 2A3s last in this puppy? I am also planning to experime... 
Rectifier tubes?
Jake 42 - 5U4G is rated for 225ma; 5U4GB for 275ma. I don't have my Tube manual here; but I think the GB may be rated for a higher voltage also. Voltage sag under load may be slightly different too. A GB can be subbed for a G, but you need to chec... 
Rectifier tubes?
NOS 5U4GBs are dirt cheap. $5-$10 each. Cheaper than the new ones. Shop around on ebay and try several different flavors for little investment. RCA, Sylvania, Tung Sol etc. Just look at the ones offered for carefully. Do they appear to be NOS. Ori... 
Are new tubes supposed to do this?
Does your amp delay the B+ at turn on? Tubes, output tubes in particular, can arc if the high voltage is present before the cathode can build up a sufficient space charge of electrons. This can also occur with "weak" or old output tubes that are d... 
6550 to KT88
I have a solution for your problem: biamp! Run your midrange-tweets with the GEC KT-88s and your woofer with the KT-90s. 
best used 2 channel preamp for under $2500
If you are handy with a soldering iron you should consider the Raleigh Audio "Mood Indigo" line stage kit, available from K&K Audio. You can read about it in the current issue of AudioeXpress. $1800/kit. It is a balanced differencial design th... 
5AS4A vs. 5U4
I have Mullard 5AS4s in my SLI-80 and they sound wonderful; much better than the RCA 5U4GBs that I had been using. At first the RCAs impressed me with their dymanics. A much "juicier" sound. However, the highs were somewhat harsh and hurt my ears.... 
Spindle/Bearing Lube
4yanx, the new oil is more of an amnber color. It still smells like an oil field. 
Spindle/Bearing Lube
My impression at the time was a sense that the music seemed to "flow" more. Backgrounds seemed "darker". The effects were subtle; but noticable. The story that I have heard was that Tom Fletcher worked with a lubrication specialist for a year deve... 
Spindle/Bearing Lube
Tom Fletcher of Nottingham Analogue has a NEW oil out for his TTs. It is wimsically called "Snake Oil". There is a small but noticable improvement over the old oil. At $100/bottle it ain't cheap; but it is available from any Nott. dealer. 
Capacitor-less amps
Eldartford - you should check out Lynn Olson's article "Ultrapath, Parallel Feed and Western Electric" in VTV #16. Of interst here is the section titled 'Audibility of Power Supplies'. 
Capacitor-less amps
This is a forum where people will argue that different types of "wire" will each have their own sonic signature. Yes a large PS cap will look like a short circuit to an audio signal. Will it also impart it's "sonic signature" to that audio signal ...