ST70 Octal boards

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Tyson

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ST70 Octal boards
« on: 20 Sep 2012, 02:43 am »
Yes, finally a good octal board from a company that has been around a while, the VTA boards.  I have the old 12au7 based boards and they sound very good, but I've always felt 6sn7's were a better sounding tube than the 12au7's.  $139 assembled, I just ordered mine!

JohnR

Re: ST70 Octal boards
« Reply #1 on: 20 Sep 2012, 05:57 am »
I don't see them on their website - ? any more info?

Tyson

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Re: ST70 Octal boards
« Reply #2 on: 20 Sep 2012, 06:24 am »
It's basically the same circuit - long tail phase splitter, just using octals instead of nonals :P

From their website:

 NEW! octal driver for ST70
This new board uses three 6SN7 tubes rather than the smaller 12AU7 type tubes,
with a CCS (constant-current-source) for perfect phase-splitter balance.
Same exact size, parts layout, and hookup connections as the boards above.

Tyson

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Re: ST70 Octal boards
« Reply #3 on: 29 Sep 2012, 04:36 am »
Got them in today.  Removed the old 12au7 based boards (without CCS), and installed the new octal boards (with CCS).  Fired it up and........dayum!!!  Even before break in it sounds better from both a tone and dynamics standpoint.  And that's with the stock orange drop output caps. 

6sn7 tubes just sound better to me than the 12XX7 tubes.  I've seen this play out in several different amps and it's sort of becoming a rule of thumb for me.  When you can, go octal!