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In Reply to: RE: I will chime in here posted by morricab on January 26, 2015 at 01:40:27
Very nice post, Morricab. Thanks.
I have found that to properly benefit from the wonderful transparency of the OTL—in my case, a pair of Atma-Sphere Silver Edition MA-1’s—I must pay attention to the smallest parts of my overall system. The amps are at the penultimate end of a long chain of segments and interfaces, any one of which—or in combination—can affect the sound markedly. Thus I would no longer be sure enough of my ground to say that an OTL or SE amp is thus or so per se.
When I first hooked up my amps to my current speakers (GR Research LS-9’s with servo subs) I was mildly disappointed. I had heard the 9’s at RMAF driven by conventional amps (Dodds) in a carefully set up system, and they sounded terrific. I believe I have gone well beyond that sound now, but here’s what it took:
1. New internal wiring (Marigo)
2. Removing a sleeve I had put on a segment of the Marigo’s and separating the wires
3. Different series/parallel wiring scheme to optimize impedance
4. Different solder on the new wiring (Stop that! I heard someone giggling.)
5. A change to the crossover (because of the new wiring scheme)
6. Different IC’s (my silver ones were now too bright)
7. Replacing the 6SN-7 input tubes
I and several experienced observer friends heard a difference with every one of these changes. Whereas before the changes an especially picky (annoying, really) audio buddy politely declined my offers for a listening session, now he comes over often and brings others.
Placebo effect? Maybe. I did believe going in that the Marigo would make a substantial difference, and it did. But the difference was immediately obvious to other observers as well. As to the predicted effects of some of the other changes, well skepticism reigned supreme until the changes were made.
I suspect that the same attention to detail is necessary to make SE’s really sing in a real world system.
What’s next? Maybe some further tweaks: fuses, room mods, vibration control? The point is, the OTL’s let me hear what’s going on to an unprecedented degree compared to what I had before. Benefit or curse? You tell me.
Follow Ups:
What is it? Copper or silver or silver-plated copper? Stranded or solid core? LItz or not? Round or ribbon in cross-section?
Thanks.
Lew,
Pure copper, 18ga, round in cross-section,600 individual (lacquered, I believe)strands.
Ron Hedrich is easy to talk to; why not give him a call?
Contact Us
Call Ron Hedrich at (360) 835-9239
Our Address :
Marigo Audio Lab
32711 SE 16th St., Washougal, WA 98671 USA
map
Tel: (360) 835 – 9239
Fax: (360) 835 – 9249
Thanks, Chuck.
I use a Marigo power cord on my preamplifier, but that wire would be very difficult to use as chassis wire (for me, anyway). It's murder to strip off all the enamel insulation in order to make a good solder joint. I have a solder pot for that, but it's not really a cure for the aggravation. Anyway, I am happy with narrow gauge solid core silver (for chassis wire). In my speakers I use 6 or 8 parallel insulated strands of 19ga Cardas silver wire on the treble and parallel strands of enameled copper transformer wire on the bass. (Only because the silver is so darned expensive.)
Having owned double digit OTL and SET amps, from low power to high power versions of each, I can assure you that the sound of neither type of amp can be stereotyped. There are some lean, some neutral, and some fat versions of each. There are dynamic and less than dynamic versions of each. Some of each are very sensitive to speaker load and some of each seem relatively insensitive to speaker load. I've heard a 2 watt OTL sound more powerful into an easy load than a 100 watt OTL. I've heard 20 watt versions of 2 different SET amps using the same tubes into the same speaker with one sounding very powerful, tight, and dynamic and the other sounding weak and strained.
No specs will allow you to figure this out without trying, and no manufacturers' claims will allow you to figure this out. You need to hear the combinations somewhere or try them yourself.
Sound like the Symo wire that Krells KSA 100 class A Amp was wired with. I used in the 90s to run my Apogee Duettas, the late Jason Bloom used on his Apogees.
Vary,Vary hard to tin!
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/gma4/sidebar.jpg
Not so hard to tin if you use a solder pot. It takes several steps: 1) debraid the sleeve to about one inch; 2)cut and cauterize the end of the braid; 3) dip the end into the solder pot. Rewiring my speakers required 200 such operations. As I said, a royal PITA--well worth it, though.
Most don't have a Pot laying around,I never like the sound of the Symo!
Only difference I see is the cloth type covering that can make all the difference in the sound.
Wire is tuff,you like Vanilla I like chocolate.
But thanks for the info on Marigo Audio Lab.
Looks like Mr Bloom at Apogge was on to some thing with the Symo wire in the 1990s.
I'm using four Silver Edition MA-1's to drive my Dali MegaLines. Ralph's gear/circuits will readily respond to variants of 6SN7. I'm also using an MP-1. I wish all my sources were 1/2" master tapes :-)
Vbr,
Sam
Oh boy, me too! I had a great collection of tapes, but nearly all deteriorated to the point that they were unusable (Ampex Grand Master back-coated). Sure was great while it lasted. I love vinyl, but a great tape setup was truly magic. Sigh!
Oh, what a bummer! :-(
Baking couldn't resurrect them?
Vbr,
Sam
Might've, but you get to a certain point of disgust . . .
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