ModWright Transporter Tube Rolling Thread.....!

dminches · « **Reply #1580 on:** 6 Oct 2010, 12:48 am »

I just shipped my Transporter back to Dan to do the following: "check the voltage at the rectifier filament, check the capacitor size after the rectifier and be sure that we install resistors in the B+ leads to the anode of the rectifier." I want to make sure that the EML lives a long life.

dminches · « **Reply #1581 on:** 6 Oct 2010, 05:34 pm »

As I am acquiring more and more equipment that utilizes tubes and I am buying more and more tubes I think I should get a tube tester. I know many of you already own one. Can someone recommend which testers I should consider getting and what's the best strategy to get one that actually works and is calibrated?

sfig · « **Reply #1582 on:** 7 Oct 2010, 01:18 am »

Check out www.alltubetesters.com. You'll find recommendations on testers and Roger offers calibration services if you get your tester to him. No affiliation or connection here. He has calibrated twice for me and I have been very satisfied though it can take some time to turn around. He recommends periodic recalibration so any tester that you buy may or may not need to be calibrated again even though it's sold as "calibrated". You see a lot of testers for sale on the auction site. I bought mine on an audio website where you see them every so often.

tomm · « **Reply #1583 on:** 9 Oct 2010, 05:04 am »

Has anybody tried tube type 83 mercury vapor rectifier?

scp2 · « **Reply #1584 on:** 9 Oct 2010, 01:17 pm »

Here's another question along these lines. Is there a place to send tubes to be tested. I bought a GZ34 Amperex metalbase about 2 months ago for my TP and it seems to have lost a little something. I don't know if the newness wore off in my head or the tube is lossing it. I am a total tube newbie.

dminches · « **Reply #1585 on:** 9 Oct 2010, 09:50 pm »

I don't know of a commercial place but if you send it to me I will be happy to test it for you. I just got a b&k 550 completely refurbished and calibrated

scp2 · « **Reply #1586 on:** 9 Oct 2010, 10:14 pm »

Thanks for the offer diminches...I received another pm and am in good hands.

I love this forum and everybody's willingness to help.

dminches · « **Reply #1587 on:** 11 Oct 2010, 09:11 pm »

Am I correct in saying that the new Platinum Truth transporters take 6SN7 tubes without an adapter? Was this a change from the original MWTP?

zybar · « **Reply #1588 on:** 11 Oct 2010, 09:21 pm »

Quote from: dminches on 11 Oct 2010, 09:11 pm

Am I correct in saying that the new Platinum Truth transporters take 6SN7 tubes without an adapter? Was this a change from the original MWTP?

Yes and Yes.

George

dminches · « **Reply #1589 on:** 11 Oct 2010, 09:25 pm »

That's what I thought but I got all confused reading the specs on Dan's web site.

dminches · « **Reply #1590 on:** 13 Oct 2010, 12:02 am »

For anyone paying attention, I sent my TP back to Dan to check out the voltage going to the rectifier so I could feel safe using the EML. According to Dan the "filament voltage to rectifier was adjusted down to ~ 4.75VAC."

RodneyM · « **Reply #1591 on:** 4 Nov 2010, 10:03 pm »

Hello Dan and AudioCircle,

I am trying to get back into the game after a long hiatus.

I sold my ModWright Transporter on Audiogon back in 2008, after getting laid off. It gets worse, if that is possible. I also sold my Shunyata stuff as well as almost all of my Transparent Audio cables and my Classe CP 500 preamplifier and Classe CA-m400 amplifiers. All this happened a while back. Hey, it is what it is. I’m not crying about it. Things happen and we move on.

I still have my Martin Logan Odyssey speakers, a Roku and a good Marantz SR9000 receiver, thank goodness, and I am keeping all of it. Needless to say I am sort of starting over and rebuilding my audio system. First on my agenda is to get another ModWright Transporter. This is a goal I am working towards for the very “near” future. You have to have goals, at least I do.

It just so happens that while I was still employed I was also OBSESIVELY collecting tubes at break neck speeds, on the side, and some of you know I was trying to start a vintage audio equipment business called VTubeAudio. Then with the turn of events I dropped the ball for a couple of years. Well, I just created a Page on Facebook. I call my page VTubeAudio and hopefully it will eventually turn into more than just a Facebook page but for now it is a start to help me get back on my feet and maybe help some of you get some tubes to roll in your ModWright Transporters and other equipment as well. I just made it to 32 fans and most of them were friends from Facebook already.

You should be able to just go to http://www.facebook.com/VTubeAudio and feel free to write on my wall and / or LIKE my page. I can use a few friends. I am now home all of the time and online most of the day. I hope it is okay to post this! Thanks in advance!

jriggy · « **Reply #1592 on:** 9 Dec 2010, 04:35 pm »

Well, it's a sad day in audio land at the jriggy abode... My EML rectifier just died. It died a quiet peaceful death. Playing soft female vocals...and just stopped. No pop, no ping and not noise at all. It just went out...

Funny thing is, I was staring at it just 10 min or less before its last note, wondering if it looked extra bright. Guess I know the answer now.

I bought it used from an AC member a little over one year ago. I am confident that the seller had only had it long enough to have maybe 300 hours on it. It has played a TON over the last year, but we all know that is not long enough.

I have a question... For the past two months or so, I have been using a Kaplan HE power cable. I then sent it off to Paul to be changed to Copper as well as being one of the first MK II versions. I JUST got the PC back, ran it on the TP (with tubes off) over night to get a few hours on it. This morning I turned on the tubes for listening and the EML dies within a half hour... Could it be possible that this 'new' power cable cooked the EML to its death within that half hour??? Tell me this is not possible?

Jason

Philistine · « **Reply #1593 on:** 9 Dec 2010, 05:11 pm »

Jason, the power cord change is purely coincidental. The older rectifier tubes are more robust than the EML, whereas the EML is more sensitive with a shorter lifespan? On the plus side I believe non of the older rectifier tubes come close to the all round performance of the EML, the shorter life is apparently the price we pay.....

dminches · « **Reply #1594 on:** 9 Dec 2010, 05:17 pm »

Jason, did you have Dan lower the voltage being fed to the EML? He did that on my MWTP since it was felt that the extra voltage was causing early failures of the EMLs.

jriggy · « **Reply #1595 on:** 9 Dec 2010, 07:14 pm »

Hey Guys,

Glad to hear the new power cord is strictly coincidental... Strangely enough though -- ya know that soft "Bhu-Hummmmm..." sound the tube stage makes when turned on? That seemed louder and [possibly] faster (?) when first turned on with the new power cord. Made me go "hmmm" at that moment actually. Then a half hour later it was dead... But if you say it is purely coincidental then I believe.

I did have Dan correct the voltage for the EML and got the hyper mod as well while he had it, Sept. or something of last year. So Im sure it was changed. From my understanding, the EML would have not lasted anywhere close to a year or so if the voltage was not 'fixed' for it, right? It was stated to be dangerous unless changed right?

So... Are you guys paying the premium for one EML a year? Or going another direction?

~J

Berto · « **Reply #1596 on:** 9 Dec 2010, 07:33 pm »

Quote from: jriggy on 9 Dec 2010, 07:14 pm

Hey Guys,

Glad to hear the new power cord is strictly coincidental... Strangely enough though -- ya know that soft "Bhu-Hummmmm..." sound the tube stage makes when turned on? That seemed louder and [possibly] faster (?) when first turned on with the new power cord. Made me go "hmmm" at that moment actually. Then a half hour later it was dead... But if you say it is purely coincidental then I believe.

I did have Dan correct the voltage for the EML and got the hyper mod as well while he had it, Sept. or something of last year. So Im sure it was changed. From my understanding, the EML would have not lasted anywhere close to a year or so if the voltage was not 'fixed' for it, right? It was stated to be dangerous unless changed right?

So... Are you guys paying the premium for one EML a year? Or going another direction?

~J

I would also agree the added PC was purely coincidental, however I would be very suspect bout the fact you bought a used EML and can't be 100% sure about the hours.

FWIW I got my EML almost 2 years ago, play 25hrs a wk min. and just had my units voltage lowered bout 6months ago. Now I just prob jinxed it

jriggy · « **Reply #1597 on:** 9 Dec 2010, 08:08 pm »

Hey Rob,

Uh-oh! You may have!

I can not recall the AC member I purchased it from, but they were a MWTP owner, the EML was rather fresh on the scene of tubes for MWTP owners and he offered it up right from this thread. So I was, and still am inclined to take his word that the EML was just broken-in.

Most of this year my system got 30 to 50 hours of play a week. Some weeks much more. Sounds like many more hours a week than yours...

See Zybar's thread in this circle on pager 3 regarding the EML........

I do not wish an early EML death on you by any means brother, but let me know when and if it happens.

Berto · « **Reply #1598 on:** 9 Dec 2010, 08:42 pm »

Hey J,

My 25hr/p/wk estimate is prob more conservative then reality since like you got new speaks and new source and have had many 5-10hr listening sessions 5 days per wk about.

Considering the reports from here and most of my EML's life has been with a high voltage MWTP Im surprsied mine is still going strong at about the 3000hr mark.

I'm still not passing judgement on this tubes life expectancy till my next and 2nd brand new EML purchase , playing through the lower voltage MWTP for its entire life. That will be the true'er test

owenmd · « **Reply #1599 on:** 11 Dec 2010, 01:12 am »

I was one of the first pioneers of the EML / Transporter match.... I'm now on my third EML tube.

My first tube died after about a year and was replaced under warranty by George and was considered a freak failure at that time.

My second tube was installed and about 6 months or so into its life, it was discovered that the EML's were a touch sensitive to high voltage.... amongst other things like capacitance and PS impedance? My EML was glowing like a Banshee and upon checking, it was receiving 5.4v. My Transporter was suitably modified to 5.04v along with the other mods to make it more EML friendly. Anyway, this tube then decided to croak after another 6 months or so, and it was considered that the initial high voltage for 6 months did the necessary damage to shorten it lifespan? Over-voltage results in faint vertical black carbon zebra lines discoloring the clear glass tube.

Still having Faith, I purchased my third EML and had the voltage reduced even further to 4.7v which is apparently optimum for the EML when used in the Transporter? The tube now glows significantly less brightly. Talking to other folks, its "apparently" not typical for the EML's to have such a short lifespan? I now fully believe that this new EML will have a very reasonable lifespan in its comfier, custom designed surroundings.

Its important to note that the voltage attained by Dan in his shop, may be different to in-home voltage due to variations and surges on the mains power.... plus some power filters may alter voltage?

Seems like a lot of effort to make just one tube type happy when no other make of tube seem to have any issues in the Transporter.... but IMHO, the EML sounds fantastic and makes magic that I've just not heard from any other tube combo.... to me, it was worth it. The Transporter is one sweet versatile little unit.