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High-Performance Audio Reviews
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Click images above for larger photos. This 300B Parallel Single Ended (PSE) Amplifier is based upon the Edison 60 Amplifier Kit which is made in the UK. This modified version by none other than Thorsten Loesch uses the PCB's from the Edison Kit as well. A pair of Svetlana SV300B valves per channel produce about 18 watts per channel. The driver stage is similar to that of the Audio-Note P4. The input valves found to sound best were old production Tesla E88CC (goldpin) and General Electric 6CG7 (think of it as a 6SN7 in a 9-pin bottle). After trying a range of 5687's and E182CC/7119 valves in the driver position, a Mullard E182CC was thought to sound preferable over "Black Plate" 5687's and Amperex 7119's. The rectification is solid-state with extensive filtering as described by John "Buddah" Camille. Finally, note the Enjoy The Music.com "Shim Mick" Tube Dampers and the Silicon Rubber Damping Rings on the Input Valves.
This amp can run without a preamp! Simply plug your CD player directly into it. The Granite 860 has a constant impedance Alps input volume control for just such a simple system! This unit has zero-feedback and the top-mounted RCA jacks accept factory supplied plug-ins for user adjustable feedback contours. When the contour plugs are not used, there is nothing extra in the circuit. The tube filaments are run on AC voltage which is lifted from ground by 40 volts DC, and wired with shielded twisted pair wires for maximum current handling, minimum noise, and a smooth voltage rail. Switches and contacts are either gold or silver. Tube biasing is user adjustable with factory supplied tool and Vishay trimmers, all easily accessed from the rear of the chassis. The 860 is easily switchable from pentode to triode with an 18 amp solid silver contact toggle switch located between the KT88s. The amp is claimed to produce 60 watts in pentode and 30 watts in triode. Granite Audio
Coming from Robert Root of the USA is a great homebrew Loesch 211. This unit uses a full wave GZ-37 (CV-378) bridge while the rare and expensive WE437A is used for voltage amplification. While the 310 tube is pictured, the owner later changed it with an 801A to enhance it's performance. The highly acclaimed Tango outputs and all top-mounted parts sit on a beautiful 1/8" brass top plate.
Coming from the other side of the pond, this UK company makes both solid-state and tube products. Seen here is their M300 tube amplifier which is 100% hand wired and uses eight KT88 tubes to produce an output power of 300 watts per channel. Frequency response is claimed as 10 Hz - 30 kHz (+-2db) with a signal to noise ration of -95db. Papworth Audio Technology32 Fendon Road Cambridge CB1 7RT United Kingdom www.papworthaudio.demon.co.uk/
Coming straight from an e-mail with D.I.Y netizen, he was kind enough to share in his personal stash of units. Seen here is the Euridice which is a line stage preamplifier that, uniquely, uses an output transformer! The wickedly expensive yet very good WE-437A triode is employed as is 6CJ3 damper diodes in the power supply. Paper in oil caps, Black Gate capacitors, and other exotica are all housed in w gorgeous birds-eye maple cabinet. The output transformers are the Mega-Hertz TL-311 for those who were wondering. Looks really cool with the front-mounted meter too!
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