[ARC5] Our 1626s Go Audio

[Myron Ort]

Are the number of people experimenting with these old transmitter  
tubes for audio really that significant? Really, I would like to  
know. I would think there are many more tube possibilities for  
audiophools to experiment with that would be as good or "better" than  
these transmitter tubes with the less convenient filament voltages.  
It is certainly true that their using vintage 45s has driven up the  
price for folks restoring vintage /antique tube radio sets. But it is  
hard to imagine that a few 1625 or even 807 SE audio amps would put  
much of a dent in the supply. I really don't know, I was just  
curious.  There are also new companies making "high end" versions of  
these tubes (45, 2A3, 300B etc.) which are proving  better buys than  
the overpriced vintage market.  I guess you might be right though, as  
soon as a supply of "inexpensive" older tubes is discovered and made  
the latest audiophool fad it does seem to immediately drive up the  
prices. I think it would be better if they try to design some amps  
using otherwise useless old television tubes, of which there are a  
bezillion.  What really seems crazy to me are the SE audio amps using  
enormous transmitter tubes and dangerous power supplies. They should  
be called out just for the environmental implications especially when  
there are so many better and efficient audio topologies.  I truly  
think the exotic visual /physical effect of these amps is what its  
all about.

Bill   K6TAJ


On Nov 15, 2008, at 10:54 AM, J Forster wrote:


> Do you talk to trees too ? LoL.
>
> I don't care about people using commercial tubes in audiophool  
> amps. If they
> want to follow some tube audio guru to the gates of hell, I could  
> care less.
>
> If you want an amp not to be "harsh" because of clipping, turn down  
> the damn
> volume. Virtually any power IC amp has better specs than a single  
> ended tube
> amp, even the best of them. If you want class A, use MOSfets.
>
> BUT, the supply of WW II and other Mil tubes is limited. It will  
> never get
> any better. The audiphools have this love for transmitting triodes,  
> like from
> the T.1154, and those are all but impossible to find any more.  
> After all,
> some have "black plates" which, as every audiophool knows, sound  
> 7.69 dB
> better than silver plates.
>
> THAT pisses me off. A lot !!!
>
> FWIW,
> -John
>
> ===============
>
> Ian Wilson wrote:
>
>
>> Well, at least in this case I can offer a sort of A/B comparison.
>>
>> A couple of years ago I built a 2-channel single-ended amplifier  
>> using
>> 6B4G's and a couple of Hammond single-ended transformers (designed
>> for higher saturation current than push-pull service transformers).
>>
>> A pair of 6SL7's provide voltage gain.
>>
>> I have this connected to a pair of cheapish speakers. It is driven  
>> from
>> the audio output of my PC.
>>
>> The sound is very appealing, compared to a (not cheap) amplified  
>> speaker
>> setup (same audio source, same room). Part of it, of course, is the
>> pleasure of having built the amplifier myself.
>>
>> I have spoken (quietly) with the 6B4G's, and they assure me that  
>> they are
>> much happier being used than being 'preserved' (who will remember to
>> keep them when I'm gone?), sent to the nearest landfill, or  
>> flogged on
>> some auction place.
>>
>> 73, ian K3IMW
>>
>
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> ARC5 at mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/arc5
>
>

On Nov 15, 2008, at 10:54 AM, J Forster wrote:

> Do you talk to trees too ? LoL.
>
> I don't care about people using commercial tubes in audiophool  
> amps. If they
> want to follow some tube audio guru to the gates of hell, I could  
> care less.
>
> If you want an amp not to be "harsh" because of clipping, turn down  
> the damn
> volume. Virtually any power IC amp has better specs than a single  
> ended tube
> amp, even the best of them. If you want class A, use MOSfets.
>
> BUT, the supply of WW II and other Mil tubes is limited. It will  
> never get
> any better. The audiphools have this love for transmitting triodes,  
> like from
> the T.1154, and those are all but impossible to find any more.  
> After all,
> some have "black plates" which, as every audiophool knows, sound  
> 7.69 dB
> better than silver plates.
>
> THAT pisses me off. A lot !!!
>
> FWIW,
> -John
>
> ===============
>
> Ian Wilson wrote:
>
>> Well, at least in this case I can offer a sort of A/B comparison.
>>
>> A couple of years ago I built a 2-channel single-ended amplifier  
>> using
>> 6B4G's and a couple of Hammond single-ended transformers (designed
>> for higher saturation current than push-pull service transformers).
>>
>> A pair of 6SL7's provide voltage gain.
>>
>> I have this connected to a pair of cheapish speakers. It is driven  
>> from
>> the audio output of my PC.
>>
>> The sound is very appealing, compared to a (not cheap) amplified  
>> speaker
>> setup (same audio source, same room). Part of it, of course, is the
>> pleasure of having built the amplifier myself.
>>
>> I have spoken (quietly) with the 6B4G's, and they assure me that  
>> they are
>> much happier being used than being 'preserved' (who will remember to
>> keep them when I'm gone?), sent to the nearest landfill, or  
>> flogged on
>> some auction place.
>>
>> 73, ian K3IMW
>
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>