Yaqin MC 10L with 12ax7's?

Thinker1920 · « **on:** 19 Jul 2012, 12:19 am »

Well I had let my aunt and uncle borrow my yaqin for a couple months since I wasn't happy with it and they don't have a good stereo, and I've been trying to figureout why I don't really like it at first I thought it was the SET sound that I liked but, now I'm starting to think it's the 6n1 and was wondering since I love 12ax7's could I just put 12ax7's in place of the the 6n1's? I tried to findout more info on the tubes to see if the they would be compatible? thoughts?

marvda1 · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 12:53 am »

6dj8 or 6922 or ecc88
6n1, 6n1p, 6n1p-ev

Thinker1920 · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 02:50 am »

what do those tubes sound like compared to the 6n1 and the 12ax7? I think 12ax7 sounds almost 3d and clear I find the 6n1 almost muffled in comparision.

marvda1 · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 05:03 am »

those are the tubes that can replace the 6n1. are you sure it can take 12ax7's ?

ltr317 · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 05:34 am »

No, no. 6DJ8 is a 6 volt tube and the 12AX7 is a 12 volt tube. If the Yaqin is design for a 6n1 tube you can't just use a 12 volt tube unless you want to blow the amp up. Listen to Marvda1 for the 6n1 replacements. Also, you should do some reading about tube circuits so you don't make these elemental mistakes.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 02:21 pm »

The Yaqin is a push pull and not a SET. No way it sounds like a SET.

marvda1 · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 03:03 pm »

what's the rest of your system? what is it that you don't like about the sound?

Thinker1920 · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 03:05 pm »

ltr317: the 12ax7 can either be wired as a 12.6 volt or a 6.3 volt for the heater heres the link to the tube specs http://tdsl.duncanamps.com/show.php?des=12AX7

Poultrygeist: I wasn't saying that I thought it sounds like a SET, I didn't word it well, I was trying to say that I think it was more of the 12ax7 then the SET sound that I was picking up on (and liking) but, I could be wrong, it could be the SET sound the I love. Did you ever listen to a motorola SH12N? I just got one and put in tung sol 12ax7's and jj el84's with a nos RCA rectifier IT's AMAZING! I like it more than the Miniwatt, it's only rated a little stronger than the miniwatt at 4 watts but, it packs quite a punch. I went out a bought another one and they're relatively cheap at around $70 on eBay, I do plan on putting in a new power cap which I've already ordered even though the one in it still tests good, I just don't want to take any chances considering it's about 50 years old

and my friend made a beautiful wood chasis for it

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 03:12 pm »

No, no, no! The amp would have to be rewired to accomodate a 12ax7. Just plopping a 12ax7 not only would only put 6.3v on your 12v filaments but would be an improper mu sent on to your power tubes. Listen to ltr317 and marvda1, they both know tubes!

Thinker1920 · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 03:19 pm »

I've talked about it on another thread about the short comings I feel the yaqin has in the sound, and I was really hoping just to findout if it could be the preamp tubes that I feel is disappointing me, was just thinking more about it and wondering if it's the 6N1's, some of the other fella's already know my situation but a quick recap would be that when I first got into tube's (not that long ago

) I had a miniwatt N3 with polk RTi 4's and I really liked it but was just a little dissappointed that for that occasionally song I really got into I couldn't really crank it b/c the speakers were 89 db efficeincy, so I sold the setup and got the yaqin mc 10l and a great deal on a polk LSi 15's which are 4 ohm and not effecient at 88 db but, the yaqin has more power rated at 52 watts a channel, but I felt dissapointed with the sound, so I ended up buying the miniwatt and RTi 6's and was trying to figure out if I could mod the yaqin instead of having to part with it but the more I look into it I'm finding it would just be better to sell it even though I'm scared about taking a loss on it (sorry to everyone that already knows I don't want to sound whiny) and without the yaqin theres no way a SET is going to power the LSi's so I will have to part with them too but, I reached the point where the sound is so dissapointing in comparison that I'm willing to take the plunge.

Thinker1920 · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 03:24 pm »

yeah I know if I were to try the 12ax7's I would have to do some modding, I wouldn't just through 'em in

I was just saying I don't think that would be the stumbling block but, I haven't been able to findout enough about the 6n1's to findout if the other specs are close enough but, at this point I just want to sell it and try something like a magnavox pull with the 12ax7's and 6v6's

bunnyma357 · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 03:42 pm »

I've got a Yaqin MC10L and upgraded the preamp tubes with Voskhod 6N1P-EV "Rocket" tubes and it improved the transparency and "airiness" quite a bit. But the amp still almost sounds like a nice solid state amp, just with a little more warmth.

You can get the tubes pretty cheap on eBay - here's an example but I have no experience with this seller:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4x-6N1P-EV-E88CC-6DJ8-6922-tubes-NIB-/200789296814?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item2ebff986ae

Jim C

ltr317 · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 03:56 pm »

Quote from: Thinker1920 on 19 Jul 2012, 03:24 pm

yeah I know if I were to try the 12ax7's I would have to do some modding, I wouldn't just through 'em in I was just saying I don't think that would be the stumbling block but, I haven't been able to findout enough about the 6n1's to findout if the other specs are close enough but, at this point I just want to sell it and try something like a magnavox pull with the 12ax7's and 6v6's

Well, from your original post you made it sound like you were going to just replace 6n1s with 12ax7s without modifications. It's not only about rewiring the pinouts, but there may be other modifications that need to be done. You have to look at the schematic of that amp to see if other mods are needed.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #13 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 04:09 pm »

In order to get the most from the Miniwatt you'll need at least 93db speakers and preferably full range single drivers. I don't know about the N3 but the 4 tube S1 greatly improved with better tubes ( WE and Russians ).

I have the original Miniwatt S1 with the diode mod and it's proven it's worth many times over driving Zu's, Tektons, Frugal Horn Mk3 and open baffles.

marvda1 · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 04:22 pm »

let me get this straight, you change amp and speakers, don't like the sound and it's the amp. could it be the speakers? maybe the amp and speakers are not a good match.

Thinker1920 · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 04:43 pm »

ltr317: yeah my original post was kinda vague

sorry about that

poultrygeist: I do agree I need a better speaker to get the most from the SET amp I saw a pair of new klipsch: http://www.klipsch.com/kf-26-floorstanding-speaker do you think that this would be better than open baffle betsy's? (this is if I sell the LSi's) Their's an audio store near me that said they could sell me some heresy's for $400 but I think they're 92 db and that they're rated only to 50hz.

marvda1: you're right part of it could be the speakers that's why I'm not feeling too bad about selling them

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 07:56 pm »

These inexpensive Betsy/Alphas OBs sound better than Klipsch. The N3 can drive the Betsys but you'll need solid state power for the Alphas.

Poultrygeist · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 08:41 pm »

The Betsy/Alpha OB's were good enough to make me sell the Zu's. The Beta 12LTA /H-frame Alphas pictured here have sent the Betsys/Alphas back to the garage which is not bad as I spend lots of time out there.

Thinker1920 · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 10:28 pm »

poultrygeist have you seen the old motorola's that have a push pull bass channel and then two single ended channels? do you think that the push pull channel would be strong enough to drive on alpha?

Thinker1920 · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Jul 2012, 10:29 pm »

I think that in the consoles the right/lefts were full range 8" speakers and the bass was a 15"