Topic: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions (Read 10638 times)

Marvey · « **on:** April 25, 2013, 06:00:10 PM »

So anyways, I have Craig's 445 at my place now with the Xenon rect. tubes. Mike will come over and try the deadly mercury tubes soon. It doesn't have the Tango transformers, but EP and Lundahls instead. 445 is a similar design to the original Levi (exact same topology with slightly different parts).

I will say it sounds darn good and the design is very promising. As in darn good, I mean it's the best speaker amp I've heard. Really fast sounding, another level of plankton, extremely dynamic - same as the Frank Cooter mercury tube amps which were the most dynamic I've heard up until now.

I figured I should comment on my observations since only Mike has heard the Levi, again keeping in mind that the 445 is similar but not exactly the same.

One thing to note is that the 45 tubes are very neutral and would be my preference for speakers or most orthos. With regular dynamic driver headphones, I'd probably go 2A3 which have a little bit more of a wet sound or inner warmth (not to be confused with Leben warmth).

The 2A3 bass can be slightly coltish* though, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. The paralleled output tubes provide extra current (power) and lower output impedance. Darn amp sounds great with orthos (or any piece of shit headphone I've plugged into it so far). Soundstage is even more expansive and enveloping than the BA with super precise imaging. We are taking about surround sound with two speakers. Really delivers an impressive and huge sound space. I think Maxvla would be proud.

Finally the amp does take a while to warm up. First time we heard the 445 at Craig's, we probably did not give it enough time to warm up. The treble is brittle and bass dynamics lacking during the first 30-60 minutes.

* probably not the way I would put it, but this is sort of an inside joke.
_______________

Updated buy list:

EC Leviathan:

1-Tari - Tango/Paid
2-Anaxilus (exposed rectifier) - Tango/Paid
3-Purrin
4-Muppetface (either)
5-Blue (exposed rectifier)
6-Elysian (exposed) - Wait
7-Zerodeefex (exposed) - Wait
8-BournePerfect (exposed rectifier) - Tango/Paid
9-bozebuttons (exposed rectifier) - Tango/Paid
10-struggles (exposed rectifier) - Tango/Paid
11-xzobink - maybe - Wait
12-?H?

Moth:

1-blue (exposed rectifier)
2-Tari?

On hold:

1-Jackstraw
2-Danny B

MuppetFace · « **Reply #1 on:** April 25, 2013, 06:25:44 PM »

Thanks for the impressions.

I'm finding more and more that warm up is really important; I've been surprised by how much gear has changed as a result.

TBH I'm more interested in the 45s over the 2A3s since I'll be mostly driving orthos, speakers, and transformer boxes w/ the Levi. I just don't use dynamics much at all nowadays, plus I've got the Moth 2A3 already. I sort of accepted that people would be going w/ the 2A3s tho. Still curious about 45s as an option to explore.

Xenon rectifiers are way cool.

Anaxilus. · « **Reply #2 on:** April 26, 2013, 03:51:03 AM »

New thread for group buy members, at this point the initial run will close at this number until Joel and Craig say otherwise. So this thread is private to anyone not on the list and lets keep info here confidential please!

Finally got to hear the new PS on Craig's 445. It made a huge difference! So we are not on the wrong track.

Are they as good as the 6D22S on the original Levi? Hard to say since the Levi had better input transformers, better output transformers, and different output tubes. That's a lot of differences. So we won't know till the Levi is built and we plug the new PS in. Bottom line, they do not suck and are a vast improvement over the 5AR4 Craig was going to use originally and that was also in the 445 and the current production 2A3 amp. We also got to play with the Mercury Vapors and they sounded good as well, but on the more romantic side (but not messed up like a Leben) if people like that. The color is uneven in purrin's pic (to be posted later) because they are two different manufactured tubes totally unmatched. They are my disposable set for testing in case they explode. We tried a matched set later that sound even better but forgot to take a pic. So if you want to roll tubes for sound, look no further than the rectifier and the output tubes. We also found the Mercury tubes radiated no detectable noise and the amp was quiet w/ both (at least w/ the HD800 on the 445).

As to the 45's being better for orthos, I'm not so sure, could be synergy because the HE500 is inherently dark and the 45's more analytical/neutral. I'd think the 2A3 might be a better match for a HE6 for example. The 45s actually have half the watts and half the current, lower mu/gain and more plate resistance than the 2A3.

Now for the output transformers and we should be done with the basic build.

Anyone have ideas for pots? I'd prefer not to do the blue velvet and the RK50 is not an option. I need to put my TKD in the Super7 and see how that does.

bozebuttons · « **Reply #3 on:** April 26, 2013, 11:24:40 PM »

I am leaning towards the 2a3 over the 445,Why is the rk50 out even as a option at a increased cost.

Anaxilus. · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2013, 12:50:25 AM »

Well, the caveat was whatever he builds we all have to build the same. I'm willing to spend to spend $250 on a pot that's equal/better than the RK50, but not $900 on an overpriced ripoff RK50. So write me off on an RK50. I would not ask Craig about pots or anything else as there is a lot on his plate atm. The whole project is at a rather fragile state atm so a pot topic is just a topic for us to chew on here.

bozebuttons · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2013, 01:03:15 AM »

I understand we are not at the point but what pot do you feel is equal or better at a lesser cost.

Anaxilus. · « **Reply #6 on:** April 27, 2013, 06:29:31 PM »

The Spectrum pots, sadly you need to buy them in batches of 10,000 or so for your NASA/DoD applications. That's why I asked if anyone had thoughts. Probably isn't much out there or Justin would probably be offering them.

Anaxilus. · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2013, 06:38:34 AM »

We are going to start moving forward w/ acquiring Tango transformers from Japan. Plan on having around $1200US available by the end of next week as a worse case scenario. I'm hoping for much less but it all depends on how many actually end up putting up money and other details. Just be ready.

I know people have questions and other preconceptions which I will address at a later time this week. Things have become much more complicated than was intended originally but we need to move forward and this is the next step. I'll explain later, promise.

zerodeefex · « **Reply #8 on:** May 01, 2013, 06:29:05 PM »

Quote from: Analixus on April 30, 2013, 06:38:34 AM

Just be ready.

BournePerfect · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2013, 01:51:39 AM »

Ahem, er

, the uh, week is almost over Anax.

-Daniel

Author Topic: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions (Read 10638 times)

Marvey

EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

MuppetFace

Re: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

Anaxilus.

Re: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

bozebuttons

Re: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

Anaxilus.

Re: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

bozebuttons

Re: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

Anaxilus.

Re: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

Anaxilus.

Re: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

zerodeefex

Re: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

BournePerfect

Re: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions

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Author Topic: EC 445 (Levi development platform) impressions (Read 10638 times)