CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => DIY => Topic started by: gurubhai on September 26, 2012, 10:10:00 AM
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Hi guys! ahoy
So, I was shopping some tubes for my planned CTH build & came across a stock of some cheap RCA 6SN7GT side getters.
I am not really well versed with octal tubes(that's putting it mildly actually). Are there any DIY headphone amps which can make use of these tubes?
And would these amps play nice with low impedance orthos?
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make an adapter for your CTH ..dB
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make an adapter for your CTH ..dB
x 2
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Can't really remember the exact details of the sound but I once had a David Berning Micro Z OTL which was 6sn7 based I think it was. I replaced the stock tubes with Sylvanias so far as I remember and they sounded nice with my Senns(hd580s at the time) and even Grados sounded smoother than usual.
EDIT: Whoops sorry the Berning OTL isn't DIY
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Thanks guys, looks like I would be having much more fun tube rolling the CTH than I had originally thought. :)
I love my EHHA but it is rather limited in tube options & considering I have access to some nice tubes here locally, I thought I might as well have some fun (and may be get to learn some stuff as well. :D)
make an adapter for your CTH ..dB
Any suggestions on how to go about that job?
@LFF :I understand you are the person to contact for the CTH PCBs these days. Right?
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yeah , EHHA was not really designed to roll tubes, best in my opinion is to stick with the 6GM8's, find a pair that rocks it for you and never fuss with it again.
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Two-Adapters-12SN7-5687-tubes-SUB-/00/$(KGrHqYOKokE1z4,ujvjBNkr1cGpnQ~~_12.JPG)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-Adapters-12SN7-5687-tubes-SUB-/260760817073?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3cb68e4db1
they could be made from scratch obviously , sourcing a noval base and octal socket that could fit into one another then wiring it up
..dB
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Thanks Don.
I found one that is a bit cheaper - http://www.ebay.com/itm/320659633166?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/320659633166?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1pc-convert-tube-socket-12AU7-12AX7-to-6SN7-6SL7-/00/$(KGrHqZ,!lwE1F83KmznBN(8RO(,b!~~_3.JPG)
About EHHA, I like the Telefunken 6GM8 best(have tried Amperex, Amp. Bugle Boys, Mullard, Philco, GE etc.). Contrary to expectation though, I also really like my E88CC in the EHHA rev.A.
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Cool , that is a far better price for an assembled unit as it would cost that in parts and shipping alone.
Don't forget that the CTH can run 12V heaters and you will find many more 12SN7 treasures than 6SN7.
The EHHA is a great amp imho, it allows you to tweak the sound with the amount of feedback applied and is stable with no open loop feedback. The ECC88 does run reasonably well at low voltages, I just prefer about 100V on the plate. Technically the 6GM8 tubes are pretty advanced in design and are most linear at 28V , I thought they outperformed the 6DJ8's that I tried in the amp .
I miss the old beastie - sometimes life forces decisions which cannot be helped walk the plank
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/dBel84/DIY/EHHA/EHHAlatest.jpg)
..dB
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Hmm, I haven't seen any 12SN7 locally yet but I am certainly gonna start looking now.
EHHA -1/rev.A has been my main amp for past couple of years & its a great amp indeed. I never warmed up to E88CC in my original EHHA but with the rev.A, I honestly can't say if I really like Telefunken 6GM8 more(and these cost me more than 10 times of what I paid for E88CC).
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That was such a bad ass looking amp! Was so hard to resist when you put those babies up for sale. Do you have pics of your other post apocalypse looking builds?
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That chassis was quite the epic - front and back panels were solid 15mm copper plate , I got them dead cheap on a surplus find but they would be insanely expensive to buy.
sorry about the up coming thread crap guru ;-)
Not so much steam punk but resourceful recycling
My Kumisa chassis - top plate with hand made transfer and brushed aluminium, chassis was a discarded telecom switch box
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/dBel84/DIY/cavalli%20kumisa/faceplate.jpg)
Unity gain "bootstrapped" tube buffer
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/dBel84/DIY/bootstrapped/bootstrapped002-1.jpg)
SOHA II - re-used a sturdy chassis from a control unit that I found in a surplus store - made the transfer for the top
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/dBel84/DIY/SOHA%20II/sohaiifinalfront.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/dBel84/DIY/SOHA%20II/chassistopplatesm.jpg)
An early prototype - used a power supply base - original surplus had 3 units bolted next to one another.
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/dBel84/DIY/Beware%20Daleks/e2d2front.jpg)
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/dBel84/DIY/Beware%20Daleks/ehhaii045.jpg)
I am planning a full steam punk rework on this latest project - killer hybrid power amp , sounding glorious.
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/dBel84/2012-09-16195848.jpg)
..dB
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This is some truly inspiring stuff, Don. Guess its time for me to get off my lazy bum and do some building. :ship:
P.S. : Just wanted to post that pirate smiley, its awesome! :D
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Hmmm, a serious PASSION! headbang