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....how things are after 9 days (TU-872)

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I posted my initial impressions about this 2A3 SET kit from EK Japan 4/17 and commented on the fat/loose bass I was getting. Well, that's totally gone now!
:-)))

Changes made to the amp since then:
1. just more burn-in time on the tubes/caps...
2. coupling caps were changed to musicaps...
3. replaced (chinese) tubes to NOS sylvania vt231 and to Sovtek 2A3.
4. removed the NFB circuit (2 caps + 1 resistor/channel), follwoing the instructions by manufacturer.
5. dedicated step-down transformer (this is 100v)...

With the NFB removed, the presentation became more open and bass tighter, actually more tuneful. Track 1 on Patricia Barber's "Companion" CD took on a very "live" presentation - I heard/noticed for the first time (maybe I wasn't listening that well before) folks in the audience clapping along with the beat! I am amazed how (even with just 3.5 watts driving a sub-90db speakers) this flea amp could sound so big! Vocals/instruments were so natural, actually quite seductive. I observed though that it was less sweet/tubey than having the NFB circuit in --is this normal? Actually, this is fine with me because I also don't like the overly "tubey" sound.

This note is simply to thank this Asylum and a few nice folks who shared their comments on some questions I had: Thorsten, Byzen, etc., Phil Sieg who sent me email messages, and Velvet (who got this amp for me from Japan!). Thanks for your help...

Looks like my next project is to hunt/audition some efficient speakers, although that can wait awhile because the EPOS ES14 plays loud enough in my small room. Then there is the TU-876CD player which is actually tubed and costs only less than $300 as a kit also from EK Japan!

Isn't this hobby just great and a lot of fun!!!

Francis S (a newbie to SETland, veteran in musicland)





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Topic - ....how things are after 9 days (TU-872) - Francis S 21:06:49 04/26/00 (0)


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