Topic: Eddie Current 445 - THE GOOD AMP (Read 35145 times)

Marvey · « **on:** February 21, 2014, 08:52:23 AM »

Part 1 of X

Some time ago, Anax went to Craig's house to listen to a custom amp now affectionately known as the Leviathan or Levi. (http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,693.0.html) The Levi was similar to the other DHT amps in the Eddie Current lineup, but with a few twists. Here is a summary of the features:

Paralleled 2A3 output tubes
5842 driver tubes
Tango ($$$) interstage tranformers
Tango ($$$) output transformers
High frequency AC heaters

I have never heard this amp, and no one else here has heard the Levi; but all of us trusted Anax when he said this was the best thing he had ever heard. Of course we all believed him. We trust his ears. And therefore we all hyped it up and signed up ourselves for the Levi build.

Unfortunately, the Levi project hit a huge snag when we found out that Tango went out of business. Anax was only able to source a few of the Tango interstages; but that was only one part of the puzzle. Craig continued on and produced the 445 development amp which we shall refer to now as the "445DA" (http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,951.0.html)

I thought the 445DA was very good, much better than the BA with headphones, and also able to power speakers. When I asked Craig and Anax what they thought of it, both answered that they thought it was pretty good but not quite there. Given the length of time between when they both heard the Levi and when the 445DA was produced, they couldn't say for sure though. I couldn't get a straight answer out of Craig, but I think it was because he really didn't know or couldn't say without a direct comparison - too much time had passed.

Of course in the meantime, we are all now quietly thinking to ourselves if Anax was full sh1t about the Levi. Perhaps just imaging things...

I know Craig wasn't quite happy with the Lundahl OPTs, especially their funky square waves at 10kHz which did not look square. He set about looking for transformer options with Electraprint, Edcor, Hammond, and some others. One research fork went toward the direction of Dave@Cinemag and a new transformer for the BA. The results for the new BA transformer were outstanding. So efforts then moved toward an output transformer for the 445. The first prototype 445 OPTs were finished toward the end of November 2013.

Craig had been busy assembling the rest of his lineup, the 2A3mk2 and mk4. He was finally able to put the 445 amp together on 2/14/2014, two days before the big Bay Area meet.

Anax, LFF, and I heard the production 445 on Monday 2/17/2014...

Marvey · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2014, 09:15:51 AM »

Part 2 of X

Now before I say any more. There is some uncertainty on whether this 445 production amp beyond the initial batch will be produced. What I know is this: only five were made; and those who got in on these initial five will receive their units.

Craig has certain considerations, among them is tube choice and availability. Outside of NOS, there are only really three 45 tubes: the EML Mesh, the EML Solid Plate, the Sophia Fake Mesh. (Craig will not deal with KR, too much BS). Whereas with the 2A3, there are many many choices outside of NOS. I know Craig doesn't like to make amps where there isn't a wide availability of tubes. Makes sense from his point of view because he has to support these amps.

The silver lining is the transformer construction methods employed by Cinemag for the 445 can be replicated for the 2A3mk4 platform OPTs. And thus the Levi project is reborn! There is hope for those who missed out (in case of the possibility that 445 is never made again) of being able to have the Levi magic. And such a transformer could be a drop in replacement for the Hammonds of the current 2A3mk4.

But I'm jumping ahead. Maybe I should say something about the sound of the 445 production amp that we heard this last Monday...

Marvey · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2014, 09:43:23 AM »

Tari · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2014, 03:34:07 PM »

Oh you tease...

Marvey · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2014, 04:52:03 PM »

Part 3 of X

Anax, LFF, and I heard the production 445 on Monday 2/17/2014... (continued from the first post)

So before I go on to actually describe the sound of the production 445, or whether or not it's even any good, I want to quickly recount the story of the "God" headphone.

As fellow pirates may recall, when the LCD-X was first announced at RMAF, a two Audio360.org guys over at HF were going goo-goo-ga-ga all over it in a RMAF early reveal thread (http://www.head-fi.org/t/684388/canjam-at-rmaf-2013-preview-and-exclusive-early-reveals-head-fi-tv/15#post_9860101). It was like huge circle jerk with a lot cum shooting all over the place raining praise over the LCD-X.

Naturally, many of us pirates were skeptical. I believe zeedee (our reigning 14 year old who has now found his place replacing the absent "elephant sh1tting pic" RD - I hope RD is OK.) whipped out a cock-block on this cumfest. With kind of a rude interruption: "I would like to hear this so called GOD headphone."

Or maybe I did that. Or maybe Maxvla. (I can't seem to find any evidence of this anymore, so maybe it was all a dream).

Well it turns out in end the LCD-X is a mighty fine headphone which belongs the echelon of the LCD-2 / LCD-3, but hardly the "God" headphone...

So what I am about to say is that I am going to be just as guilty as the two guys who praised the sh1t out of the LCD-X. With possibly the only exception that I may actually be more right about the 445 than those two about the LCD-X.

The 445 is the GOD tube amp.

Marvey · « **Reply #5 on:** February 21, 2014, 05:19:00 PM »

Part 4 of X

Naturally, all Craig had on hand was that sh1tty Carla Bruni CD I've heard a million times. BTW, it is quite popular. His first Carla CD, the special import version, was ripped off.

I plugged in his AD2000, and I was like whoa... This is really something special. This is something I've never heard in my life. This is so seductive. This is so obviously tubes. And yet this is not tubes (precision, control, clarity, blackness, etc.)

Anax got his turn with his modded HD800s. (I was trying to keep away as far as possible from that face-tweeter of a headphone as I just had about enough of the stock HD800 at the Bay Area meet... until I realized that Anax's modded HD800s sounds totally different.) Anax thought he heard some excessive thickness or a slight lower end haze. We dug around for one of Anax's early test CDs that he left at Craig's.

Well it turns out that this thickness as part of the Carli Bruni recording. I listened again, this time with Anax's modded HD800 and on tracks that I was familiar with.

Holy Cow! I mean the clouds parted and the heavens opened up. I mean the 445 (production) is so so seductive. It's like getting a great all body massage and yet at the same time it provides this super clear window into the recording. I've never heard anything quite like this - the combination of these two properties.

I mean sh1t, my eyes were tearing up and I was shuddering as if I saw God. Anax turned his head toward me and nodded: "Now you know what I heard with the Levi. Can you do me a favor? Please tell others of this so they don't think I was full of sh1t."
I spoke with Craig, and he frankly stated: "This gives me goose-bumps. I haven't heard anything like this since the BA."

I interrupted: "The BA doesn't give you goose-bumps anymore right? You are used to it, just like me."

"Yup, but the 445 does."

Anyways, here is a little e-mail that Craig sent to me on Friday before the Bay Area Meet. He didn't plan on turning the thing on until he got back after the meet, but evidently, he couldn't wait.

I couldn’t take the suspense, and sparked up the 4-45 production sample.

A few minor fixes and everything works perfect.

Maxvla · « **Reply #6 on:** February 21, 2014, 05:19:53 PM »

Wasn't me. I stayed clear of the X hype train cause I knew what they would sound like, and sure enough at the Austin meet I confirmed it.

Stapsy · « **Reply #7 on:** February 21, 2014, 05:37:15 PM »

Firstly I simultaneously hate and love you for tempting me. After mentioning the possibility of new transformers for the 2A3mk4 to my girlfriend I may need to enter witness protection.

Anyway I am glad you were able to find something like the Tango's. What was the IT used for the production 445 that you heard?

Marvey · « **Reply #8 on:** February 21, 2014, 05:41:48 PM »

I'm not exactly sure what he used for the interstages on the 445. Looks like some kind of custom deal (much much smaller than the Tangos tho).

zerodeefex · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2014, 06:22:14 PM »

Stapsy, you need to get her used to this. My partner just says "you and your weird hobbies. As long as we can afford a house, do what you want."

You could always try the "A few hundred more isn't that bad after the thousands I've already spent."

Author Topic: Eddie Current 445 - THE GOOD AMP (Read 35145 times)

Marvey

Eddie Current 445 - THE GOOD AMP

Marvey

Re: Eddie Current 445 Impressions

Marvey

Re: Eddie Current 445 Impressions

Tari

Re: Eddie Current 445 Impressions

Marvey

Re: Eddie Current 445 Impressions

Marvey

Re: Eddie Current 445 Impressions

Maxvla

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Stapsy

Re: Eddie Current 445 - THE GOD AMP

Marvey

Re: Eddie Current 445 - THE GOD AMP

zerodeefex

Re: Eddie Current 445 - THE GOD AMP

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Author Topic: Eddie Current 445 - THE GOOD AMP (Read 35145 times)