Hello!
Changes to the TX102......
For the last while we have been experimenting with some special wire I purchased from a company called Neotech. It's an OCC long crystal pure copper magnet wire. Go here for a bit a a blurb on it:
http://www.neotech.com.tw/occ.htmIn the listening tests I did here I found it to be superior to the standard copper wire in that it had some of the instrumental focus that I found so attractive in the silvers. It's not a night and day difference but is was there and I liked it! Please don't e-mail for more comparisons - I'll post here as I get more time with them and in particular when I have time to compare to the silvers - which I have not done yet.
I have also suplied special leadout wires to S&B made from pure OFC copper wire (not silver plated) and teflon insulation - thanks again to Homegrown audio who supplied the leadout wires!!
The last shipment of TX102's to go out were using both the new OCC magnet wire and the OFC leadout wires.
Then for the latest shipment (just in at the end of last week) Jonathan added some additional taps to the secondary for a couple extra steps. The standard taps are now:
-52, -46, -43, -40, -37, -34, -32, -30...(2db steps)..-6, -4, -2, 0
There are now 23 steps so you can either use all 23 or with a mute step drop one of the steps. On the standard kit drawings I have shown the -43 tap dropped and a mute position is maintained.
I decided while I was updating the drawings yesterday that this unit was now different enough that we should create a new designation for this model - the MK II.5. You can tell if you have a MK II.5 by the fact all the leadout wires are black except the white wire which is the internal screening. To confuse matters a bit the first batch with the special wire did not have the new extra taps as that just came about last week.
The MK II.5 will be the standard unit shipping from Bent Audio from now on. I have let Jonathan know that any other distributers are welcome to use this wire as long as they cover my cost on the wire and I have spoken to brian at diyhifisupply about it. I don't want the other distributers not able to supply the same unit I do.
Although I have been 'eating' the cost of wire up until now I will have to add $25.00 per pair in the future - this is just enough to cover my cost of the OCC magnet wire and the OFC leadout wires. This new price will take effect on March 1st and anyone who I've already been in communications with prior to today will get the old price ($350.00 a pair) even if they order later on.
Post any questions below....
Many Thanks!
John Chapman
www.bentaudio.com
