[rollo]

Anyone out there own this amp?Have you modified it in any way?Thinking of changing caps to Mundorf silver in foil,any other suggestions?
    Using GE4TC 211swith Mullard cc188 as input Tungsol 5687 as driver with bias set at 5.2 any suggestions on other tube combos?
thanks rollo

[PaulFolbrecht]

We've corresponded before - I have the 845 version.

I've thought about modding them, but they sound sooo good stone-stock, the motivation just hasn't been there.  I apply my time and money elsewhere.

[Midnite Mick]

Has nothing to do with the thread but I just purchased the Cyber 800's and love them as well.  Just thought I'd do some chest pounding as well 

Wouldn't have a clue how do mod it though.

Thanks,
Mike

[rollo]

Midnight, good luck with the 800s.You might want to try a Promitheus TVC works well with mine.
rollo

[rollo]

Hey paul,
    I felt the same way until I heard my friends Audio Note kit.I know his sound real well and was not expecting to hear a big difference.The Mundorfs made such an improvement I was shocked.I believe our units use Mundorf M caps to start with,However the silver in oil was to say the least very very impressive.
     Just in case you catch the fever
rollo

[PaulFolbrecht]

Hey paul,
    I felt the same way until I heard my friends Audio Note kit.I know his sound real well and was not expecting to hear a big difference.The Mundorfs made such an improvement I was shocked.I believe our units use Mundorf M caps to start with,However the silver in oil was to say the least very very impressive.
     Just in case you catch the fever
rollo

I'll be sure to stay away from your friend's place. 

[Sonny]

Has nothing to do with the thread but I just purchased the Cyber 800's and love them as well.  Just thought I'd do some chest pounding as well 

Wouldn't have a clue how do mod it though.

Thanks,
Mike

Mike, I too own the Cyber 800s (had them for about 8 months now) and I love them to death!  I use the JJ Tesla Blue Tubes on mine, and well, it's night and day versus the stock EH 6CA7 tubes.  Also, I have the Cyber 222 pre and modded those by replacing the Auricaps (warms and slow) with Sonic Cap platniums and gen-1s and love the extended highs, transparency and well, I love my Cyber Series Amp/Pre!!!
 

[Midnite Mick]

Nice to find somebody that has these.  The internet was a ghost town with these amps.  Couldn't find any information other than a couple of professional reviews and we all know how reliable those are.  Thanks for the your thoughts on some tubes as I was wondering about that.  I just love the stock amps, it is scary what some rolling and/or mods would do if it is a major improvement.

Sorry Rollo if this is a little off topic.

Thanks,
Mike

[enjoythemusic]

Anyone out there own this amp?Have you modified it in any way?Thinking of changing caps to Mundorf silver in foil,any other suggestions?

Rollo, i had e-mail exchanges with the head engineer about the caps. We discussed the V-Caps and others. He said the ones chosen were the best balanced and that the V-Caps would add more detail in the upper registers but lose some of the lower frequency balance. Also remember when you make a caps change that caps need time to settle in. This is where using a cable burn in device can help, as i usually will put caps on a week-long diet of cable burn in to at least get them to 'form' and settle in to some degree. Trying different caps is easy, though perhaps a bit costly depending on the ones you try.

Nice to find somebody that has these.  The internet was a ghost town with these amps.  Couldn't find any information other than a couple of professional reviews and we all know how reliable those are.

Ouch! that hurt    

Thanks for the your thoughts on some tubes as I was wondering about that.  I just love the stock amps, it is scary what some rolling and/or mods would do if it is a major improvement.
Sorry Rollo if this is a little off topic.
Thanks,
Mike

As for tube rolling, that is what was needed in my review as the stock 211 were not so good. Having owned a 211 amplifier years ago i felt the GE VT4C was the best of the best so got a set from Upscale Audio and it was well worth the cost.

[rollo]

Steve ,
was that the best balance with the chinese tube?You can review for me anytime,I thank you for bringing the Cyber 211 to press.The review was straight foward with no undue hype.Are you still using the CJ 17l preamp?Have you trioed aTVC yet?THe Promitheus and Bent{kit Fform] work real well with the .6 input sensitivity.
rollo

[PaulFolbrecht]

Hey Rollo - I too used a TVC with the Cyber SETs for several months, then tried a Supratek Sauvignon active pre - glad I did.  It is just as transparent with better microdynamics and especially soundstage.  Much bigger!

I've come to the conclusion that TVCs are killer unless you can get to a certain level of active linestage.  At that level, you get all the benefits of a TVC - namely, what seems like complete transparency - with additional benefits.

How?  Well, it's a fact that passive TVCs have hysteresis loss - going from + to - takes some energy (from the signal).  So, any type of passive throws some of the signal away - it's a fact.

[rollo]

Hey Rollo - I too used a TVC with the Cyber SETs for several months, then tried a Supratek Sauvignon active pre - glad I did.  It is just as transparent with better microdynamics and especially soundstage.  Much bigger!

I've come to the conclusion that TVCs are killer unless you can get to a certain level of active linestage.  At that level, you get all the benefits of a TVC - namely, what seems like complete transparency - with additional benefits.

How?  Well, it's a fact that passive TVCs have hysteresis loss - going from + to - takes some energy (from the signal).  So, any type of passive throws some of the signal away - it's a fact.

   

Hey Paul,
              I'm not a technical expert,But isn't that for resistor based passives not transformer.I was told that resistors through away some of the signal as heat.Don't really know
rollo

[PaulFolbrecht]

Resistors lose a lot of current by shunting to ground. 

The tranny problem is entirely different and is not something discussed a lot, but certainly jives with what I hear.  I hate to rain on everybody's TVC parade (really), and maybe I shouldn't have posted anything, but really first-rate active linestages will beat a passive.  Of course, it costs more.

[rollo]

Paul,
       I haven't given up on my active[Loesch],But for those who don't have the luxury of owning a class A unit the TVC is a very good alternative.In some cases better.
       When I receive my new unit I'll send the dual mono[single box] unit to you if you like.
        rollo

[enjoythemusic]

Steve ,
was that the best balance with the chinese tube?

Heck no, the Chinese 211 was bright, harsh... a horrible mess. i did have an early example and maybe they changed it since my unhappy experience. My review was with the GE VT4C.

You can review for me anytime,I thank you for bringing the Cyber 211 to press.The review was straight foward with no undue hype.

A most hubmle thanks my friend.

Are you still using the CJ 17l preamp?Have you trioed aTVC yet?

Still have the CJ and, sadly, have no TVC here, just a DACT homebrew passive. The Consonance now has a new home elsewhere BTW. No, it has not been 'replaced' per se, i just needed to do some housecleaning (6 amps, 13 pairs of speakers, four preamps, 4 phonostages, 4 turntables....) and the Consonance got the axe. Am now back to my fave Wavelength Audio Cardinal X-1 (WE or JJ mesh, Mullard GZ1377 configs) and Audio Note AnJ-Spx speakers. Funny, it is kinda full circle as this was my main rig 4 years ago. Ahh, some days it is good to press the proverbial RESET button. Still have 4 turntables, 3 phonostages, 4 amps, 3 preamps... and am down to an all-time low 8 pairs of speakers. So guess i still have some more housecleaning to do.

EDIT ADDED: Oops, i forgot to say, add in a tranny-based MC gainstage (review coming soon). Am rally trying to review less and do more on the business side of things.
.
.
.
. PLUS race season is only 50 days away

[rollo]

Steve,
           I'll have two tvc's on hand shortly.A dual mono single box Promitheus[silver internal wiring] and a dual mono two box with copper wiring also Promitheus.
          If you would like to take the single box unit for a drive let me know.The 2 box unit will not be broken in yet.To date it hasnt equaled the S&B tvc,however with the copper wiring I feel it will,as the difference between the two was slight.Just thought the sonic signature was shining through.
     Let me know[this is not a review request] it could be fun.
rollo
       

[PaulFolbrecht]

Paul,
       I haven't given up on my active[Loesch],But for those who don't have the luxury of owning a class A unit the TVC is a very good alternative.In some cases better.
       When I receive my new unit I'll send the dual mono[single box] unit to you if you like.
        rollo

I'll never sell my Promethius TVC.  It is a stellar unit, even disregarding cost, and amazing at its price point.  It will remain my standard for transparency.

[rollo]

Hey Paul,
             Do you have a web site for the Supertrack preamp?
thanks rollo

[PaulFolbrecht]

Hey Paul,
             Do you have a web site for the Supertrack preamp?
thanks rollo

That's "Supratek", and it's www.supratek.biz.

You should also check out this, the longest thread in Audiogon history:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1016931418&read&3&4&

[enjoythemusic]

Steve,
           I'll have two tvc's on hand shortly.A dual mono single box Promitheus[silver internal wiring] and a dual mono two box with copper wiring also Promitheus.
          If you would like to take the single box unit for a drive let me know.

A most humble thanks my friend. Would not want to take away your baby, though if the company feels like contacting me to send a review sample they can