|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
2.106.54.123
In Reply to: RE: Anyone upgrade the output transformers on their amps? posted by morricab on August 11, 2015 at 00:45:35
Yes, on the AN Conqueror to a Conqueror Silver (with HiB double c-core output transformers). The AN EIs are very good sounding. But I hear more detail in the c-cores, the soundstage is better defined, the bass deeper, the treble smoother, the mids richer. I had the same result with adding these OPTs to an AN Meishu.
I also upgraded OPTs on my Fi 2A3/45 monos from a standard Magnequest to one that was interleaved (but still EI). There I got a more present, "bigger" sound that seemed to give the music better pace and also made it more "accurate"-sounding.
Follow Ups:
I guess AN is one of the few companies where it is easy to compare. I am thinking of trying an Oto SE signature. My JJ has double Cs of very good quality (think SuperHiB) but my other amp has an EI design, but using exotic core materials. I was thinking of trying double C on that one as well...of suitable quality of course.
AN(UK) makes excellent double c-core OPTS. But a high quality EI OPT with "exotic core materials" can probably sound just as good as, or better than, a HiB or UHiB OPT, often at a lower price than these two AN(UK) OPTs. Moving up the AN(UK) OPT line costs a fortune (as if the HiB and UHiB were inexpensive).
I'd move up with caution on your other amp. Now tell me how that can be done and we'll both know!
So would you say that in your specific case going from AN EI to AN HiB C core made a huge leap in transparency, soundstage, detail etc.? What about tonality did it lean out just slightly by going to the new transformer? I ask because one of my amps, the JJ 322, has JJs equivalent to a Super Hi B double C core (grain oriented Si steel with thin laminations of only 0.13 - 0.15 mm) that also weigh a quite a lot (probably at least 7kg) and it is probably one of the most tonally neutral 300B amps I have heard. Only a bit warm but with a lot of resolution and quite well resolved and powerful bass.
The other amp(s) (monos) with the more exotic metals but EI frame have a bit more tonal richness through the mids and bass is similar. Highs are similar. That might not be the trafo but I suspect it is. I had a look under the cover...it is fairly big but needs to be given the amount of current running through it (2 x 6C33C have about 500mA bias current on the plate at 210V).
BtW, have you heard the OTO SE signature, which I believe uses a similar HiB C core (pretty big one from the pictures)? I was thinking about that amp a bit as there is an AN dealer nearby where I live.
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: