Author Topic: 20 words or less.  (Read 13901 times)

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ace.cafe

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Reply #30 on: December 10, 2009, 04:34:17 pm
well now ace, i probably like japanese a little more than you. having worked on japanese electro-mech equipment for 7 years i grew to appreciate the dependability and 'technician' friendliness of it. I have a 30 yr old japanese bike that i would ride just about anywhere anytime. because i can count on it, my soul transfers into the otherwise void bike because there are no performance and handling worries.

most people want dependabilty, that's probably why companies go there.

on the other hand, i like some things in other areas where people stay mainstream. i piddle with vacuum tube audio equipment while most like ic components. i'm into swapping out yugoslavian, russian, american, british and chinese tubes to get various characteristics on a vocalist, etc. you like taking apart and re-assembling bikes in the same manner. because of you, i'm starting to dig it, also.

Well now!
A "tube guy"!

I'm also a"tube guy".
I have a re-built and hot-rodded MFA Magus C tube preamp with NOS Amperex tubes in it.
And my amp is a custom-built one-of-a-kind that I had David Berning build for me.
It's a Single Ended Triode amp, which runs off 12vdc battery power so there is no "grunge" from AC powerlines.
It's choke-loaded instead of RC loaded, using a hand-wound choke that was done by David Berning when he made this amp.
It uses the SET-ZOTL output transformerless output stage, which eliminates the output transformers for impedance matching, and Berning's system is the ONLY Single-Ended-Triode amp with a single pair of output tubes that achieves this, with his ZOTL network.
It uses a pair of NOS Sylvania  6SN7-GTB"Chrome domes" for the input stage, and a matched set of hand-made Emission Labs Mesh-Plate Type-45 output tubes.
Produces 2.5 watts per channel.

I drive a pair of Lowther EX4 high-efficiency(102db/watt) single-drivers in quarter-wave tuned Voigt Pipe enclosures that I built myself, with a few tweaks.
And I use an analog-only source, comprised of a Teres 255 turntable, modified OL Silver Mk1 tonearm, Shelter 501 Mk2 cartridge, loaded thru a Mitch Cotter phono transformer.

Makes good music!
I used to be very heavy into the high-end audiophile scene, but not quite as much anymore, but I still enjoy it alot.
I know alot of guys inside the industry of high-end audio, but I haven't seen any of them for at least 6 years now.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2009, 04:48:22 pm by ace.cafe »
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rideOn

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Reply #31 on: December 10, 2009, 05:06:25 pm
A "tube guy"!

I'm also a"tube guy".
i've just discovered tubes the past couple of years. my training was in transistor amps. my design project was a hoot. a power amp that blinked the lights at power on. i've looked at amp kits to really get more into tube theory, but there are so many irons in the fire right now, i chose to go with a tube pre-amp/mic processor to use to record some tracks. right now, i just have variety of 12 ax7 from around the world for vocal tracks and want to get a good matched pair for mastering, maybe some NOS. i need something to keep me outta trouble
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ace.cafe

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Reply #32 on: December 10, 2009, 05:17:12 pm
i've just discovered tubes the past couple of years. my training was in transistor amps. my design project was a hoot. a power amp that blinked the lights at power on. i've looked at amp kits to really get more into tube theory, but there are so many irons in the fire right now, i chose to go with a tube pre-amp/mic processor to use to record some tracks. right now, i just have variety of 12 ax7 from around the world for vocal tracks and want to get a good matched pair for mastering, maybe some NOS. i need something to keep me outta trouble

NOS old Telefunken 12AX7 from the 1960s is generally considered the very best, most neutral and accurate 12AX7 available, if you can find any or afford them.
After that, It's probably Amperex Bugle Boy, but they have some particular sound to them, in comparison to the neutrality of the Telefunkens.
I like the Amperex, and they sound really good, and I couldn't find any old NOS Telefunkens at the time I was looking, that I could afford.

IF you can find some Yugoslavian 12AX7 tubes made by Ei, they were made on the original Telefunken tooling that was sold to Yugoslavia in the 1970s.
However that factory was bombed and destroyed during the war in Yugoslavia during the late 1980s, so that tooling is destroyed forever, much to the dismay of tube enthusiasts everywhere.
The Ei tubes made during the 1970s and 1980s were Telefunken tubes made in Yugoslavia, if you can get them, and they actually were made during that time period.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2009, 05:35:00 pm by ace.cafe »
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Reply #33 on: December 10, 2009, 05:34:13 pm
Regarding mass produced bikes, I would give shed room to a Moto Guzzi V7 Classic.

But some specials are magical.

http://www.ccmmotorcyclesuk.com/cr-40/index.php

I have linked to that company before on this forum but the CCM CR40 is just as right as right can be and it is the best use of a Suzuki motor that you are ever going to see.

Weighs nothing and goes like stink, and the price ain't too bad either.
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ace.cafe

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Reply #34 on: December 10, 2009, 05:43:23 pm
Regarding mass produced bikes, I would give shed room to a Moto Guzzi V7 Classic.

But some specials are magical.

http://www.ccmmotorcyclesuk.com/cr-40/index.php

I have linked to that company before on this forum but the CCM CR40 is just as right as right can be and it is the best use of a Suzuki motor that you are ever going to see.

Weighs nothing and goes like stink, and the price ain't too bad either.

Yes, they did a nice job on the CCM with that.
It's hard for me to get used to seeing a watercooled cylinder and radiator on a cafe bike. But, water cooling does have its good points.

I like the V7 all right too,but I just think they could have done so much better with just a little more effort, that I get disappointed when I look at it. It's such an obvious quick make-up job on a Nevada 750.
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rideOn

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Reply #35 on: December 10, 2009, 06:23:32 pm
NOS old Telefunken 12AX7 from the 1960s is generally considered the very best,
IF you can find some Yugoslavian 12AX7 tubes made by Ei,
i have one Ei that is great for my wife the soprano. it contains her dynamics nicely. i've heard good things about telefunken, but not used yet. there's a guy near chicago that seems to have alot of NOS in stock, but tubes are getting popular again, so they turn quickly right now. my last tubes came from tube something or other dot com in tronno, ontario (craig ferguson's pronunciation). if you ever need these websites let me know, they're filed in e-mail somewhere
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jdrouin

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Reply #36 on: December 10, 2009, 07:12:47 pm
Re: tubes. A friend of mine has a hand-built Wright monoblock tube amp, with tubes from the radio unit of an allied WWII submarine. It gives the cleanest, warmest sound I have ever heard from a stereo. One afternoon we listened to Beethoven's 9th, followed of course by Black Sabbath. The music was so palpable it tasted like steak.

On my budget, though, I think the best I'll be looking at is a Dynaco Stereo 70, which I hope to procure before all the vinyl shops are gone here.

Jeff


Anon

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Reply #37 on: December 10, 2009, 07:25:53 pm
NOS old Telefunken 12AX7 from the 1960s is generally considered the very best, most neutral and accurate 12AX7 available, if you can find any or afford them.
After that, It's probably Amperex Bugle Boy, but they have some particular sound to them, in comparison to the neutrality of the Telefunkens.
I like the Amperex, and they sound really good, and I couldn't find any old NOS Telefunkens at the time I was looking, that I could afford.

IF you can find some Yugoslavian 12AX7 tubes made by Ei, they were made on the original Telefunken tooling that was sold to Yugoslavia in the 1970s.
However that factory was bombed and destroyed during the war in Yugoslavia during the late 1980s, so that tooling is destroyed forever, much to the dismay of tube enthusiasts everywhere.
The Ei tubes made during the 1970s and 1980s were Telefunken tubes made in Yugoslavia, if you can get them, and they actually were made during that time period.

Yeah, the loss of the EI factory was really unfortunate.  I'm coming at it from a different angle - guitar amps (where neutral sound is not necessarily the goal).  To that end, NOS Mullards are very nice as well.  For new manufacture tubes, I've had good luck with the ECC83, EL84, and 6L6GC tubes from JJ (made in the old Tesla factory).  I'm running JJ's in a replica of a 1965 Marshall JTM45 I built, and they are really good in that amp.  The 6L6GC's can take really high plate voltage, so they are lasting a long time in that amp, even though they get beat up pretty good.  That amp really wants KT66's, but I wasn't happy with the Russian or Chinese KT66's.  Supposedly someone is making copies of the Genelex KT66's and KT88;s now that I'm curious to try (originals are horribly expensive).

I'd love to try building something for a hi-fi application.  My Dad's gear was all 50's tube gear along with original Wharfedale ported speakers and it sounded so rich and 3d.

Eamon
Eamon


ace.cafe

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Reply #38 on: December 10, 2009, 07:27:46 pm
Re: tubes. A friend of mine has a hand-built Wright monoblock tube amp, with tubes from the radio unit of an allied WWII submarine. It gives the cleanest, warmest sound I have ever heard from a stereo. One afternoon we listened to Beethoven's 9th, followed of course by Black Sabbath. The music was so palpable it tasted like steak.

On my budget, though, I think the best I'll be looking at is a Dynaco Stereo 70, which I hope to procure before all the vinyl shops are gone here.

Jeff

Wright makes very good tube gear, and it's relatively affordable, in the world of high-end audio.
I'm sure that was very good sound.

The Dynaco Stereo 70 is a very good quality vintage amp design, and it would be a very nice thing to have. There are people who are reviving the Stereo 70, and making completely brand new ones now. The EL34 tubes that are in that design are some of the sweetest sounding tubes you can buy.
You could do alot worse than a Stereo 70.
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ace.cafe

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Reply #39 on: December 10, 2009, 07:32:17 pm
Yeah, the loss of the EI factory was really unfortunate.  I'm coming at it from a different angle - guitar amps (where neutral sound is not necessarily the goal).  To that end, NOS Mullards are very nice as well.  For new manufacture tubes, I've had good luck with the ECC83, EL84, and 6L6GC tubes from JJ (made in the old Tesla factory).  I'm running JJ's in a replica of a 1965 Marshall JTM45 I built, and they are really good in that amp.  The 6L6GC's can take really high plate voltage, so they are lasting a long time in that amp, even though they get beat up pretty good.  That amp really wants KT66's, but I wasn't happy with the Russian or Chinese KT66's.  Supposedly someone is making copies of the Genelex KT66's and KT88;s now that I'm curious to try (originals are horribly expensive).

I'd love to try building something for a hi-fi application.  My Dad's gear was all 50's tube gear along with original Wharfedale ported speakers and it sounded so rich and 3d.

Eamon

I like Mullards. They made some great EL34 tubes.
The Genelex KT66 is out of sight for price if you can get them.
I've heard rumor that the Chinese Gold Lion are KT66 and 88 are supposed to be pretty good, but spotty quality.

Bottlehead makes some nice kits, if you're into kit building.
And there are several Dynaco Stereo 70 kits out there, that you can build as stock, or hot rod them.
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Reply #40 on: December 10, 2009, 07:32:43 pm
The latest Triumph retro Bonnevilles have totally lost their way, and if I wanted one of those, I'd buy one from about 4 or 5 years ago, when they still sort of looked good and had wire wheels and didn't have the "swirly" chopper brake disc that looks like it came from JC Whitney's close-out parts bin for Harleys. I think Bloor is on drugs.
The best Triumph nowadays is the 675 Daytona triple, but it looks rather Japanese to me.

I agree for the most part on the new Bonnies, although I think the T100 and Scrambler still look pretty good.  Still got the wire wheels on those - the cast wheels look awful IMO.

Eamon
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Reply #41 on: December 10, 2009, 08:16:21 pm
I agree for the most part on the new Bonnies, although I think the T100 and Scrambler still look pretty good.  Still got the wire wheels on those - the cast wheels look awful IMO.

Eamon
On the new Bonnies, it's not so much the cast wheels per se; i can take or leave those. In fact running tubeless tires has its attractions. No, where they blew it stylewise was going from a 19" to a 17" front wheel. Completely destroys the balance of the bike visually for me. Made me wince when I saw it. Same with the new RE's. The smaller 18" front wheel just looks wrong.
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Reply #42 on: December 10, 2009, 08:36:40 pm
I did look at a Triumph scrambler a couple years ago, nice looking bike. The high weight, price and some features I didn't care for ran me off.

That CCM 40  style was probably more of what I was looking  for at the time. It would appear that there is a cry out for simpler motorcycles that reflect simpler times.

 I hate space war looking plastic, it has turned me off,  to several makes, which lead to the purchase of a RE.

. The RE suits me fine , even in a stock form.
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Reply #43 on: December 10, 2009, 09:02:07 pm
My alltime favorite, 69 Triumph bonney... the real English style.
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Reply #44 on: December 10, 2009, 10:02:42 pm
Hi just like to add my favorite ride. A number of years ago I had a 1956 Ariel Huntmaster 650cc twin. Lovely bike to ride, oil leaks aside, ran out of oil once, seized it up and had to push the bloody thing about 5 miles home. Dismantled the top end, honed the cylinders and barrells with a bit of emery paper, set of BSA A10 rings and away we went again. great memories. The G5 I have at the moment is so much like the Ariel it puts a smile on the dial every time I ride it.

Cheers  :)