[Docere]

Hi Rabbit,

I was following your difficulties with Sophia. I am very pleased for you and your recent purchase.

I am not surprised about your findings regarding the EML 2A3-M tubes. From what I understand - not based on using them - that they are perhaps better run at lower plate dissipation than what you are using. Also, if Pete is the Pete I think he is - having friends such as Dave Slagle and Jeff Jackson - I imagine his horns are very sensitive to tube changes and likely require a different set of virtues to the JJ. Still, I am not trying to dissuade you from trying the Sylvania Black Plates, just saying that the JJs might be a better match for your system than they were in Pete's. You could also try the EML 2A3-S - some prefer it over the mesh.

Enjoy your amp!

Edits: fix some typos.

Cheers.

[happyrabbit]

Docere !

Thank you for the kind words...  I have moved past the Sophia experience.   At first, I thought the Triode Lab 2a3 was as 'good' as the sophia 300b amp.   After rollings numerous tubes and replacing the coupling caps, I feel the 2A3 is an excellent tube.    The most lovely 4 watts I have every owned !    My green mountain Rio Chroma's are 93db 4ohm 2-way based on a silk dome tweeter.   My speakers couldn't be more different to horns.   I should have auditioned the EML 2A3 Plates in hindsight.      I have started to investigate the 6sn7    I started with the MELZ NOS 1578.  ~$200.   Compared to the Sophia 6sn7 - The MELZ 1578 have a notch up in transparency, a bit more refinement (sweetness ?), and a sense of presence. The Sophia's are not a NOS replacement.     I have ordered a 2nd set of MELZ NOS 1578.         

Dwight

[WireNut]

A year ago, I would have been 1st in line to state 4 watts is not enough...   



Dwight

That's exactly my thinking. All I've ever owned are 100 watt or more SS amps. Hard to believe 25 watt or less power amps would be enough power, but in my bi-amp system (SS on the bottom) something like a 2A3 on the top end may sound glorious.



     

[happyrabbit]

I looked at the various NOS 2A3 tubes but ultimately ordered a pair of EML 2A3 Solid Plate.    I was not impressed with the EML 2A3 Mesh Plate.    I will be comparing them to the lovely JJ 2A3-40... 

Dwight

[Docere]

Hey Dwight - let us know how you go with those. There are a few folks that prefer solids over the meshies. My guess is that the solids will better suit your amp... They sure do look the part.

Cheers.

[sebrof]

happyrabbit thanks for continuing to post about the different 2A3s. I run 2A3-40s now and like them, and also like the fact that they should last a long time considering they're basically a 300B run at 2A3 parameters.
I've read that the EML meshies don't work in every amp and that you need to be concerned with the operating points. Anybody know if the solid plates are different from the meshies in this regard?

[sonicboom]

I will be comparing them to the lovely JJ 2A3-40... 

Dwight

Can't personally testify to this, but some knowledgeable people claim that the JJ 2A3-40 is really a 300B with a 2.5V filament.  The plate dissipation of 40W as well as the single plate structure seem to support this claim.  Having said this, I'd still be interested in your findings.

Happy listening.

[sebrof]

Can't personally testify to this, but some knowledgeable people claim that the JJ 2A3-40 is really a 300B with a 2.5V filament.  The plate dissipation of 40W as well as the single plate structure seem to support this claim.  Having said this, I'd still be interested in your findings.

Happy listening.

Pretty much everything I read when researching what 2A3s to buy said they were JJ's 300B tube with a 2.5v filament.
When I first got the JJs a couple of years ago I compared them to the Shuguang 2A3C and the two tubes were pretty close with the JJs sounding a little better. Since then I've made improvements to my amp (coupling caps and OPTs) and I have better speakers. There is a bigger difference now, for sure the JJs sound better.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/jj2a3/40.html

[happyrabbit]

Its been a month...    The EML 2A3 Solid Plate are     

I find the JJ 2A3 a 'bit' biased and unrefined.    YMMV.

If you have the funds, the EML 2A3 Solid Plate are an excellent choice.  I have no regrets owning the JJ 2A3-40. 

Dwight

[Jon L]

Its been a month...    The EML 2A3 Solid Plate are     

Just saw this thread, and if I had seen it earlier, I would have strongly recommended the EML 2A3 solid plates at the get to to save some money and hassle 

It's incredible how crappy QC is for many of these tubes in current production overseas.  My own experience bears out a very high failure rate, which I have never experienced in good old NOS tubes, even used ones.  Just about the only exceptions have been the AVVT AV32B(300B) and EML 2A3 solid plates, which have been stout and trouble-free for years in my 2A3 SET. 

How do you like the MELZ NOS 1578?  6SN7 is another area where good American-made NOS tubes should be at least tried.

[Audioclyde]

Dwight,

Any updates on the Triode Labs amp etc?  I've been corresponding with Frank about building a 2A3 version with speaker outputs and headphone output--as luck would have it he had been considering building something like this for commercial sale, so it looks like I may have the first.

What transformers/chokes do you have in your amp?

Thanks!

Randy

[happyrabbit]

Mundorf Myltic cap
Hammond PT & Choke
Tomiko OPT
Jupiter Beeswax HT coupling

I highly recommend the 5u4g from EML. 

I like Frank. Frank saved me from my sophia electric train wreck !   I have confidence he will deliver you an outstanding 2a3 amp 

Dwight

[Audioclyde]

Thanks Dwight; the key for me will be whether he can get the headphone output with no (or very little) hum on high sensitivity headphones--he's confident he can do so as he has built something like this for himself and says it's virtually noise free with high efficiency Sony 'phones.

I had the EML 5u4g back in the old days; very nice but I have a couple of other rectifiers from that family I actually prefer.   I have some great 2A3s and primo 6sn7's, so I love the tube compliment. Mine is likely to also use 12ax7's as input tubes from what I understand.

[happyrabbit]

If I could do it again...   I would spec the h-203s hashimoto transformers

Dwight

[Audioclyde]

He's quoting James as std with and going to give me some options.

[sebrof]

He's quoting James as std with and going to give me some options.

I had James 6112 OPTs in my 2A3 SET amp initially. These are pretty small James transformers compared to the 6123s and such, not sure what the standard James is for the amp you're considering.
After a couple of years of enjoying the amp, a friend loaned and then sold me a pair of Electraprint transformers. The EPs are much bigger and I suspect much more expensive than the 6112s, so not comparable really, but the EPs completely changed the amp for the better. Much more than changing tubes, volume pot and coupling capacitors combined.
I would recommend not saving money on the transformers.

[Quiet Earth]

I had the EML 5u4g back in the old days; very nice but I have a couple of other rectifiers from that family I actually prefer.

Just curious . . .  which 5u4Gs are your favorites? I think National Union and Sylvania VT-244 sound very nice, but those are getting hard to find now. I really want to try the EML, but I don't know if they are safe to use in my amp. I guess I should call them and ask. I know the first cap needs to be 40uF or lower, but I don't know if there are any other special requirements.

[Audioclyde]

@Sebrof:  I'm with you on the iron, my 45 SET has electraprint, and the bigger/better iron you can use is important as I read/understand it. I am also definitely considering the Hasimoto iron that Dwight mentioned.

@Quiet Earth:  the EML was outstanding in many ways, but I have a GEC U52, a Cossur 52KU and a Mullard big bottle/big base, each of these puts a bit more 'meat' into the sound (I'm not saying they completely match the EML for the amazing shimmer & sweet treble it provides, about the same in low bass, but I like what these others do for the mids).

[Audioclyde]

I've settled on the Hashimoto H-20-3.5U for output transformers, and likely sticking with Hammonds pwr transformer.  Haven't decided yet whether to spend the extra $ and go with Hashimoto for the chokes or not; any input/opinions are welcome!

Thanks,

Randy

[happyrabbit]

AudioClyde,

I would pass on the choke.  The Hashimoto choke is $$$$.    Get the Triode Lab 2A3-FFX Power Transformer.   The Hammond PT becomes hot during the summer months...very hot     The Triode Lab PT operates much cooler per Frank.     

YMMV

Dwight