What tubes are people using in the Dodd 120 mono amps?

MarkR7 · « **Reply #20 on:** 3 Sep 2006, 03:54 pm »

You are such a tease, George!!

zybar · « **Reply #21 on:** 3 Sep 2006, 04:26 pm »

Ok, here are a few quick pictures:

George

BikeWNC · « **Reply #22 on:** 3 Sep 2006, 04:37 pm »

Why do the El34 tubes on the right amp have a different base than the tubes on the left amp? My SED tubes have a reddish brown base like the ones on the left amp.

Andy

zybar · « **Reply #23 on:** 3 Sep 2006, 04:43 pm »

Quote from: BikeWNC on 3 Sep 2006, 04:37 pm

Why do the El34 tubes on the right amp have a different base than the tubes on the left amp? My SED tubes have a reddish brown base like the ones on the left amp.

Andy

One set of tubes has their test info written on white labels which were put over the reddish brown base.

Threw me at first also...

George

nature boy · « **Reply #24 on:** 3 Sep 2006, 06:41 pm »

Enjoy George. I hope the Dodd's are everything you have been wishing for.

NB

toobluvr · « **Reply #25 on:** 4 Sep 2006, 01:40 am »

Quote from: zybar on 3 Sep 2006, 03:46 pm

Ok, the Dodd 120's are up and runnning.

I am using the GE 7044 and the SED EL34 tubes.

Everything else is the same as I was using with the BAT VK-600SE (Black Sand Silver Max power cords, Gregg Straley speaker cable, etc...).

Amps only have around 30 hrs on them so don't expect any critical comments for a week or two.

I'll post a few pics later today or tomorrow.

George

Hey George...

hope you don't have the bitch burn-in experience that I did!

See Reply#105 here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=18224.100

If you do, just sit tight...it will open up.

Enjoy the amp!

jon_010101 · « **Reply #26 on:** 4 Sep 2006, 04:48 am »

Quote from: toobluvr on 4 Sep 2006, 01:40 am

Hey George...

hope you don't have the bitch burn-in experience that I did!

Ya know, I have an interesting theory about some burn-in problems with tube amps, and I have no idea if this applies to the Dodds. Sometimes when I get a new set of tubes and re-bias them, the initial DC imbalance tends to magnetize the cores of my output transformers (like a nail with a coil around it, turn the current off and you have some residual magnetism). The result is an absolutely effed-up kinda sound, really languid bass, excessive bloom/boom, tons of 2nd harmonic, some odd glassy brightness, etc. Essentially like a broken SET amp, due to the DC magnetization offset leading to premature transformer saturation. The solution for me has been to "rock out" at near-clipping volume levels for about one song. A good loud drum solo works well. This effectively degausses the OPTs, and clears the sound up real-quick. After that, I sit down and find that all bad is gone. Maybe it's just my amps

, but I'd imagine this can happen to others too. This isn't really advice, just a hypothesis.

zybar · « **Reply #27 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 02:19 am »

Quick question to you Dodd 120 owners:

Have you tried or do you use Herbie's tube damping products?

If yes, what improvements did you hear?

Thanks,

George

mr_bill · « **Reply #28 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 05:15 pm »

George,
Nice amps!
Do you run the digital out from your SB into your Tact and use the internal dacs in the Tact for D/A?
I'm thinking of buying a Tact 2.2x and doing the same.
Thanks,
Bill

zybar · « **Reply #29 on:** 8 Sep 2006, 06:44 pm »

Quote from: mr_bill on 8 Sep 2006, 05:15 pm

George,
Nice amps!
Do you run the digital out from your SB into your Tact and use the internal dacs in the Tact for D/A?
I'm thinking of buying a Tact 2.2x and doing the same.
Thanks,
Bill

Bill,

Yes, that's how I do it. However, both the TacT 2.2x and the internal dac card have been modified and upgraded by Anthony Padilla at Aberdeen Componenets. Once this was done, I felt that the TacT 2.2x became an excellent preamp and dac that would be difficult to significantly better without spending very big bucks.

George

jermmd · « **Reply #30 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 12:24 pm »

George,

You've had the Dodd's in your system for a while now. How do they compare to the BAT? I know you often listen at high volumes. Are the Dodds up to the task with the somewhat inefficient HT3's?

zybar · « **Reply #31 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 12:39 pm »

Quote from: jermmd on 15 Sep 2006, 12:24 pm

George,

You've had the Dodd's in your system for a while now. How do they compare to the BAT? I know you often listen at high volumes. Are the Dodds up to the task with the somewhat inefficient HT3's?

Joe,

I will say that I haven't felt the need or urge to put the BAT back in.

I am not saying the Dodd amps are better than the BAT, but they certainly aren't being seriously outclassed. I want to put the BAT back into the system before I write anything of a critical nature.

I am able to play at pretty high volume levels even though I am losing 3-6 db's doing my room correction via the TacT.

George
George

alotaklipsch · « **Reply #32 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 05:51 pm »

George, I use Mullard metal plate EL34's, Pinch waist amperex E182CC for center position, and 1956 Tungsol 5687's on the outside positions. WOW whatagreatsound

Glad you like the Dodd's

toobluvr · « **Reply #33 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 05:54 pm »

Quote from: alotaklipsch on 15 Sep 2006, 05:51 pm

George, I use Mullard metal plate EL34's, Pinch waist amperex E182CC for center position, and 1956 Tungsol 5687's on the outside positions. WOW whatagreatsound

Glad you like the Dodd's

sell a child for the Mullards!

zybar · « **Reply #34 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 06:19 pm »

Quote from: toobluvr on 15 Sep 2006, 05:54 pm

sell a child for the Mullards!

Nah...

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #35 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 06:23 pm »

Quote from: zybar on 15 Sep 2006, 12:39 pm

Quote from: jermmd on 15 Sep 2006, 12:24 pm
George,

You've had the Dodd's in your system for a while now. How do they compare to the BAT? I know you often listen at high volumes. Are the Dodds up to the task with the somewhat inefficient HT3's?

Joe,

I will say that I haven't felt the need or urge to put the BAT back in.

I am not saying the Dodd amps are better than the BAT, but they certainly aren't being seriously outclassed. I want to put the BAT back into the system before I write anything of a critical nature.

I am able to play at pretty high volume levels even though I am losing 3-6 db's doing my room correction via the TacT.

George
George

Wow!!! How much do the Dodd's cost again, George?

toobluvr · « **Reply #36 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 06:29 pm »

Quote from: zybar on 15 Sep 2006, 06:19 pm

Quote from: toobluvr on 15 Sep 2006, 05:54 pm
sell a child for the Mullards!

Nah...

oops!
just realized my last post probably came across as a suggestion.
not that, as I've never heard the Mullards.
just a comment on their price.

zybar · « **Reply #37 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 06:29 pm »

Quote from: mcrespo71 on 15 Sep 2006, 06:23 pm

Wow!!! How much do the Dodd's cost again, George?

They list for $5200/pair.

George

tvad4 · « **Reply #38 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 06:36 pm »

Quote from: zybar on 15 Sep 2006, 06:29 pm

Quote from: mcrespo71 on 15 Sep 2006, 06:23 pm
Wow!!! How much do the Dodd's cost again, George?

They list for $5200/pair.

George

What's the decoder-ring-secret-handshake price? Most owners on Audiocircle paid $2500/pair, correct?

Retail prices in boutique high end audio are fairly meaningless. I recently had a conversation with a company owner who suggested he'd make me a nice deal below his advertised sale prices, which are already about 70% of his retail prices. So, what's the real out-the-door price? Gotta know the handshake and have the secret decoder ring...

zybar · « **Reply #39 on:** 15 Sep 2006, 06:56 pm »

Since I bought my pair lightly used, I don't know the answer to tvad's question.

There was a blow out price of $2000/pair last year before the price hike, but that was last year.

George