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In Reply to: RE: Rp of rectifier tubes posted by mikeyb on March 28, 2008 at 18:47:55
These are measurements made under static conditions, not while playing actual music.. The purpose of the Low-Storage Effect Supply (my original terms) is to allow FAST micro-current delivery upon .... musical demandS which are constantly changing and piling demand upon demand at speeds that we cannot begin to approach-- ever trying to measure.
Everything in an amp (or preamp, etc.) is therefore a compromise-- we follow an art form in order to achieve a final result that is what we want in all musical areas. I repeat-- in ALL (musical) areas.
To me, what separates the men from the boys in amplifiers is that extremely rare amp that can DO IT ALL. All at once, and all correctly.
The directly-heated rectifiers have higher DCR, and less voltage recovery under CURRENT load. We know that. Really low-DCR stuff is Solid-State diodes, Merc. vapors, and to a lesser degree, indirectly heated vacuum types such as the 5AR4.
In rectifiers, the valid argument is not which has the lowest DCR-- it is what can supply the ever changing musical transient micro-current requirements that are demanded by musical modulation WITHIN the current-load envelope. Combine THAT requirement with the lowest DCR you can achieve (using the other components in the P.S.) and you are beginning to get somewhere.
The directly-heated diode is simply vastly superior at musical transient recovery, regardless of voltage recovery under load and regardless of DCR that IT has-- alone.
In other words, we DO want an OVERALL low-DCR, more importantly-- a Low Storage Effect Supply--, but we DO NOT compromise rectifier QUALITY to get it. We'll get it anyhow-- by making the rest of the supply low-DCR and LSES.
QUALITY is what makes the 5U4 series "king" of the MUSIC reproducers. When you parallel elements in these types, you don't change the measured DCR under a set current load all that much, but under actual musical transient deliveries, you change the MOMENTARY DCR by vast amounts. It's important here to understand MICRO-current MUSICAL demands WITHIN the current-load envelope.... especially, THEIR recovery times and speed is of paramount importance-- above all other power supply considerations. It is because of this requirement, and because large iron choke frames, too much wire (inside chokes), and other such bulky, clumsy items cause virtual elimination of fast delivery of these tiny micro-currents that I named a Power Supply that could deliver the goods a LSES) Low Storage Effect Supply...
So, why not have the best of both worlds in a rectifier-- fast MUSICAL TRANSIENT recovery (remember, we're not talking about voltage recovery only here)-- and--- Wah, la!---- LOW DCR? Mercury Vapor!
Why use the lowly 5U4 when you can beat it hands-down with the "mercs"?
NOT so fast, Dude! The Merc. is just a bit poisonous inside (ever break one?) and it also makes lots of nice, but real nasty R.F. and other types of distortions! BUT-- we can filter this out, can't we? We can also put "snubbers" on its elements. (If you enjoy listening to "snubbers" operate in their own realms-- I don't).
You sure can, however, (but it's not going to really reproduce music) and now you can also listen to excessive filtering instead of real music.
What the 5U4 series has going for it is fast transient recovery as only direct-heated diodes can deliver, with a minimal need for filtering. Both caps and chokes can be of smaller values.
The 5AR4 would offer minimal filtering needs with lower DCR, but unfortunately, indirect heating just can't compete with direct-heating when it comes to delivering musical transient micro-currents QUICKLY-- WITHIN (inside of) a given load current-draw power envelope...
The 5U4 series is really only a compromise-- the best one we have so far.
----Dennis----
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