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In Reply to: RE: JOC, are you looking for a "stiffer" sound? posted by Lord Soth on September 30, 2012 at 03:10:27
I've sued several Bendix 6106's. And these rectifiers usually take a LONG time to break-in. They eventually sound pretty good in single-ended apps (like yours). I mean, many 1950's made 5Y3GT last like 25 years. So, the Bendix Red Bank tubes could last long enough to be past onto your next of kin. Really, I play my Vibro-Champ or Champ at "10" for a solid week or two (3-4 hours per day), to get the 6106 to "relax."
MY opinion, it's sound like you want neutral bass, but warm organic midrange. Really a good 1950's black plate GE, RCA, or Sylvania 5Y3GT may fit the bill.
The GE 6087 is gonna make the unit sound a lot like the Bendix 6106, in my experience. Both the 6106 and the 6087 were NOT made for home audio use. But, were originally designed to meet military specs. Knowing those sepec may help you figure out how they are going to sound in your unit.
The 5U4G will supply more potential current to the tubes. This may help the transients. Now, how this effects the imaging is prolly circuit design/tube design dependent.
Why not look for good NOS 1950's black plate 5Y3GT?
There is one other issue. The design of your PS filter section. Do you have a schematic of it? And what components are in the PS rail (what caps, chokes, & resistors). A well-designed PS can sometimes help keep the specific restifier's idiosyncracies out of the final product.
Follow Ups:
Hi FenderLover,
Yes, you have a valid point about the 5Y3 family of tubes being what I'm looking for. My Tung Sol 5Y3GT was made in the 1950s and comes with "D" getters and black plates.
I'll grab a couple of 5Y3s from various manufacturers and experiment along those lines.
As for the PS schematic, unfortunately the only schematic I have is what I've posted when I started this thread.
I've read many great reviews of 5R4 rectifiers but the max 4uf capacitor issue is the one thing which is keeping me from trying it out in my amp.
It's a constant point of argument amongst guitar amp (esp hi-end boutique) owners. "Gotta look at the BIG picture & not concentrate solely on rolling tubes).The Power Supply plays a very imporantant role in the dynamics of your unit. Bigger, IMHO, than using a specific "magic" tube rectifier.
Yes, the "right" valve may "tune" the output to your desired wants. But, you may find it a fleeting thing, as the tube breaks-in, the tone starts to go back to the undersirable start point. Whereas good PS design & construction may allow you to use a number of rectifiers --- and get similar pleasant responses.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, tube rolling SOMETIMES is an indication of weakness elsewhere in the overall design. Just taking a WAG, kinda ho-hum bass wqith good mids (with the OEM 5Y3GT) may indicate that the PS caps are not doing what they should be doing --- at least not when you push your unit (transients, playing loud, past 2:00 on the control).
You have a photo of your unit? Esp an "under-the-hood" shot? Be nice to see what kinda caps, resistors, and chokes are being used.
I hate to see a new entry to audio go down that "Now, I have 100 tubes and none of them seem to really give me what I totally want out of my system."
Have a good one! Hope your team wins, if you follow football or baseball (or both)!
Edits: 09/30/12 09/30/12
Here's what it looks like under the hood.
I believe that Clarity Caps were used.The review by 6 Moons was for the mk3 version.
Mine is the updated Mk4 version.
However, the internals should still be the same.In the meantime, I've decided to roll some Mullard GZ32/5V4G rectifers and see if my needs can be met, i.e. warm mids but with punchy and tight bass.
BTW, I'm using 2x NOS EL34 xf2 Mullards and 2x WE NOS 396a "D" getters.
Edits: 09/30/12 09/30/12
What are the rated mfd of those large diameter electrolytic caps (the ones rated at 450VDC)?
Agradece. E deixe o Bluebird de felicidade vir em seua vida!
Hi,
I believe that it is 22uf.
I must thank you for your persistent prompting! :)
After you asked me for a photo of the innards, I realised that the 2 big 450v caps were for the rectifier. It is in the correct position.
I then looked at the schematics again, on the top left corner, the cap for the rectifier is 22uf / 450v. On the right side of the diagram, there is also a 22 uf cap. The "/450v" must have been truncated due to a lack of space.
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