[Dave_From_Canada]

Well... as long as you don't count plumbing.

There's something mysterious and magical about tubes to me - that steampunk look and retro feel. I tend to wax poetic and get carried away so I'll try not to do that here. But quickly: I have a dream build and that would be the Audio Note ANK C-Core 300B Interstage monoblocks. I'm not sure about the links rules here but it's an easy google. To that end I bought the Elekit  TU-879S as both my introduction to tubes and learning to put these kind of kits together. Indeed, learning to solder with something other than a turbo-torch.

So. I wanted a place to show my friends and family.  Here's my pictorial! I hope you all like it.


My temporary work bench. This is being posted after I've finished this build though and I've really caught the bug, so I've put everything away. But not too far away.


The bare bones. The mini Irwin clamps turned out to be an excellent helping hand. That and Karen let me use one of her little 'reverse tweezers' called a TweezerBee - from Walmart. Awesome tool.


The resistors are in.








I of course had the benefit of numerous posts on various forums and write-ups on what pitfalls to avoid and what upgrades might be most beneficial. The Mundorf Silver-Oil Film Capacitors were one such mod.



A nice little touch were the two orange leds to light up the 12AX7 tube on power up.

 

Note the skimpy looking lamp cord that came with the kit. I could have bought 15 of these for the price of one Mundorf silver oil cap. This truly seems like an odd hobby sometimes.



The C-Core transformer is wired in next.



Another upgrade I chose to go with was replacing the little $2.00 volume pot with a TDK model. It required some finessing and a little bit of modification in it's own right to fit properly but it is a far superior and more sturdy unit.



Mounted!



At this stage I started to get (more) excited about the whole thing. Or nervous. AND nervous.




This is one of those places where the TweezerBee was very useful - when soldering the volume control wires.



Using the quick-grips to hold the back plate onto the transformer while I soldered the speaker terminal wiring and input harnesses.



And here it was before I dared to plug it in. I sat and looked at it for some time admiring the finished product. The kit was exceptionally well thought out and I didn't have a problem with a single screw not aligning or a part missing or anything. Many kudos to the designer and many thanks too.





TA DA!!! I went and got Karen before plugging it in and flipping the little ON switch. Besides being my wife and the light of my own life, she is definitely my good luck charm. Damn if I didn't almost tear up when the tubes came to life without even a hint of protest. I let it warm up for a while before shutting it off. The final test of course is hooking it up to my speakers and dac. No worries. The subwoofer was NOT employed.

And everything works. I am overjoyed with my experience and the results. What a great thing!

Hope you liked the pics!

Dave

[JakeJ]

Hi Dave,

Nice work!  Good choice on the Elekit for a learning tool.  Also you made your upgrade choices up front and implemented them during the initial build, kudos.  Speaking from experience with this particular kit you do not want to try and unsolder anything on the board, the traces lift very easily.

Another kudos for building your first kit, turning it on and no smoke!  Congrats! 

Looking forward to your comments on sound.  What speakers are you listening to?

Jake

[Dave_From_Canada]

Hi Dave,

Nice work!  Good choice on the Elekit for a learning tool.  Also you made your upgrade choices up front and implemented them during the initial build, kudos.  Speaking from experience with this particular kit you do not want to try and unsolder anything on the board, the traces lift very easily.

Another kudos for building your first kit, turning it on and no smoke!  Congrats! 

Looking forward to your comments on sound.  What speakers are you listening to?

Jake

Thx Jake

I built a pair of GR N3 TLs with a lot of help from John a couple of years back. They are about a 91 db sensitivity and are pretty quiet with this tube amp at 8 watts or so with the 6L6 tubes. I have a pair of Super V's sitting in my closet waiting there turn on the work bench. I think that will be my next project now that I've built this amp.

I bought a Virtue M-901 back a while ago. I can probably blame Seth for starting me down this crazy road. The Virtue amp and the N3s are a very nice sounding combination. The Elekit doesn't really fit in anywhere to be fairly compared me thinks.  I have listened to some vocals and the like - Vienna Cheng is an example where the vocals in the quieter passages are pretty silky, but there is a lack of power and the emotion that comes with it when it get's going.

What speakers have you used with the Elekit and what was your experience?

Dave

PS: Did you experience any sort of break-in with this amp and of course, have you experimented with different tubes?

Thx

 

[JakeJ]

Hi Dave,

Actually I helped a friend build one and he used it with a set of double horns running Fostex full-rangers.  He did minimal tube and capacitor rolling before moving on to Jack Elliano's Electra-Print 2A3 monoblocks and PVA passive preamp.

[Guy 13]

Hi Dave from Canada, this is Guy from Canada/Vietnam.
Nice job.
At one time, I almost bought that kit directly from the manufacturer in Japan,
however, since I was a Canadian and wanted a 120V unit,
they wanted me to buy the unit from their agent in Vancouver,
did not make sense to me, therefore I bought a Decware SE84C+.
But I have to admit, it's a nice unit.
I like the fact that you have documented your built with lots of pictures,
not all the AC members do that, too bad.
Like I've often said:
I picture is worth a thousand words.

Guy 13 from Canada (Vietnam)

[Dave_From_Canada]

Actually Guy mine came from Tube-Depot (with the correct C-Core transformer) but if I had been paying more attention I most certainly would have bought mine from Victor (VKMusic.ca). Pretty classy guy.

As for the pictorial...  I know I certainly enjoy when others post along these lines. It sure helped me with a few wrinkles to find some pic posts!

[Guy 13]

Actually Guy mine came from Tube-Depot (with the correct C-Core transformer) but if I had been paying more attention I most certainly would have bought mine from Victor (VKMusic.ca). Pretty classy guy.

As for the pictorial...  I know I certainly enjoy when others post along these lines. It sure helped me with a few wrinkles to find some pic posts!

Hi Dave_from_Canada.
May I ask exactly where in Canada?
I think I have contacted Victor and he answer my first e-mail,
but after that, nothing, it's like he went out of business.

Guy 13.

[Dave_From_Canada]

Hi Dave_from_Canada.
May I ask exactly where in Canada?
I think I have contacted Victor and he answer my first e-mail,
but after that, nothing, it's like he went out of business.

Guy 13.

Hello Guy

You can find Victor here: http://www.vkmusic.ca

Elekit has updated the TU-879S and is offered as the TU-8200. He's a pretty busy guy by most accounts but seems quite accessible.

Regards
Dave

[Guy 13]

Hello Guy

You can find Victor here: http://www.vkmusic.ca

Elekit has updated the TU-879S and is offered as the TU-8200. He's a pretty busy guy by most accounts but seems quite accessible.

Regards
Dave

Hi Dave.
Since I already bought a Decware, for now,
I will not do business with him.
By the way,
did you forget to tell me where in Canada you live
or is it a military secret.
Yes, I work for the FBI and KGB.

Guy 13

[Dave_From_Canada]

Hi Dave.
Since I already bought a Decware, for now,
I will not do business with him.
By the way,
did you forget to tell me where in Canada you live
or is it a military secret.
Yes, I work for the FBI and KGB.

Guy 13

Ahhh, My apologies Guy - I thought you were looking for Victor!

I live in the Northwest Territories. And you are in Vietnam? Small world sometimes isn't it?

Dave

[Guy 13]

Ahhh, My apologies Guy - I thought you were looking for Victor!

I live in the Northwest Territories. And you are in Vietnam? Small world sometimes isn't it?

Dave

Hi Dave,
My God, you are living with the Eskimos, are you an Inuit?
What are you doing so close to the North Pole?
I am surprised that you have access to the Internet.
Yes, I am teasing you, pulling your leg.
I hope you have a good sens of humor?

Guy 13

A genuine French Canadian originally from Montreal, Quebec,
at the bottom of the Canada's map.

[Dave_From_Canada]

Hi Dave,
My God, you are living with the Eskimos, are you an Inuit?
What are you doing so close to the North Pole?
I am surprised that you have access to the Internet.
Yes, I am teasing you, pulling your leg.
I hope you have a good sens of humor?

Guy 13

A genuine French Canadian originally from Montreal, Quebec,
at the bottom of the Canada's map.

I have a great sense of humor Guy, as evidenced by the very fact I am here!

Hope all is well with you there

Dave

[sebrof]

Hello Guy

You can find Victor here: http://www.vkmusic.ca

Elekit has updated the TU-879S and is offered as the TU-8200. He's a pretty busy guy by most accounts but seems quite accessible.

Regards
Dave

I bought the kit from Victor, great guy and I recommend him.
The kit was indeed easy to build, I believe the instructions came from VKMusic.com and not from Elekit (Japanese language only) or from any other supplier. Good sound if you have efficient speakers.

Thanks for posting the pics, looks like a solid build.