Free major Ultimate 70 amplifier upgrade.

simon wagstaff · « **Reply #80 on:** 19 Jun 2009, 11:20 am »

Just got my kt77 tubes, pins were fine, fit was good. Bias is much steadier, no problems there. the depth and detail are really remarkable. every individual layer of a multitrack vocal is revealed. Not quite as lush as the EL34 tubes.

With the E34 it was like a bubble of sound was being projected outward from the speakers, with the KT77 the bubble is inverted and it is like looking into a deep pool of sound.

I listened to Lark's Tongue's in Aspic last night, perhaps one of the few recordings I have listened to more than Caverna Magica. I heard things, especially in Bruford's percussion, that splash thing, that I had never heard before.

Really amazing.

simon wagstaff · « **Reply #81 on:** 19 Jun 2009, 04:22 pm »

Oh, one more thing about the KT77. they have like a glowing ball at the top that has a semi-circle of a round shield around it. with the tubes on the right the shield is behind so you can see the glow, the tubes on the left the glow faces backwards, kind of makes it look like something is wrong, it is not, of course.

Maybe in the new version of the U70 the sockets should be oriented so that the glowing orb of mystery can be seen at all times....

Wayner · « **Reply #82 on:** 19 Jun 2009, 04:37 pm »

The sockets are mirror image on my proto-type. There may be a reason, maybe not. That will be up to Frank and Larry.

Wayner

turkey · « **Reply #83 on:** 19 Jun 2009, 07:01 pm »

Quote from: Wayner on 19 Jun 2009, 04:37 pm

The sockets are mirror image on my proto-type. There may be a reason, maybe not. That will be up to Frank and Larry.

Wayner

Maybe they should just start selling little clip-on mirrors so people can see all their tubes glow at once? It's either that or make revolving tube sockets.

hotroady · « **Reply #84 on:** 19 Jun 2009, 09:55 pm »

Quote from: simon wagstaff on 19 Jun 2009, 11:20 am

Just got my kt77 tubes, pins were fine, fit was good. Bias is much steadier, no problems there. the depth and detail are really remarkable. every individual layer of a multitrack vocal is revealed. Not quite as lush as the EL34 tubes.

With the E34 it was like a bubble of sound was being projected outward from the speakers, with the KT77 the bubble is inverted and it is like looking into a deep pool of sound.

I listened to Lark's Tongue's in Aspic last night, perhaps one of the few recordings I have listened to more than Caverna Magica. I heard things, especially in Bruford's percussion, that splash thing, that I had never heard before.

Really amazing.

I am even more impressed with the lucidity and liquid mid range than better bass. The GE tubes let you view that deep pool, also, but that one tube is dying

. You are talking about JJ tubes, correct? I am intriqued by the KT77, but thought the EL34L's, would match what I'm aiming for w modded Clarity; more/better upperbass/ mid range. I hoping someone trys EH EL34's in one side of their updated U70, and reports back what they found, in comparison to quality tubes in the other channel. I'm sure the U70 is much more responsive to output tube swap now. If the new UltraValve can go tighter on the bass, it should really catch on.

hotroady · « **Reply #85 on:** 19 Jun 2009, 10:02 pm »

Quote from: Otis on 19 Jun 2009, 09:36 pm

Revolving tube sockets? How -incredibly- cool would that be?

I smell a million-dollar audiophool idea here! aa

add 120v heaters for twin lighthouse effect.

hotroady · « **Reply #86 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 03:23 am »

Quote from: Otis

I smell a million-dollar audiophool idea here! aa
[/quote

So....would that make turkey a pretty fart smeller?

turkey · « **Reply #87 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 11:35 am »

Quote from: hotroady on 20 Jun 2009, 03:23 am

Quote from: Otis

I smell a million-dollar audiophool idea here! aa
So....would that make turkey a pretty fart smeller?

No, I just have a marvelously developed sense of the absurd.

It's why I find toob gear so amusing.

simon wagstaff · « **Reply #88 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 11:57 am »

yes, the J and J KT77, I just couldn't see ponying up twice the price for the gold lions. Price of the JJ tubes was the same as the mullards.

I will probably play around with the tubes this weekend to get a better idea of the comparison between the two. I also got a replacement for my burned up Mullard el34 so I can do the tube swap thing. With either tubes though I know the modded U70 is even more remarkable than before.

hotroady · « **Reply #89 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 05:12 pm »

Quote from: simon wagstaff on 20 Jun 2009, 11:57 am

yes, the J and J KT77, I just couldn't see ponying up twice the price for the gold lions. Price of the JJ tubes was the same as the mullards.

I will probably play around with the tubes this weekend to get a better idea of the comparison between the two. I also got a replacement for my burned up Mullard el34 so I can do the tube swap thing. With either tubes though I know the modded U70 is even more remarkable than before.

I think what we are hearing is more of the 'magic' of the Dyna 70 transformers themselves. Mailman just knocked at the door, my JJ's just arrived!

hotroady · « **Reply #90 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 09:17 pm »

The JJ EL34L is very clean. Leaps and bounds above the EH. Kinda hard to evaluate fairly. Last nite had low grunge off hour voltage of 121v. Crap went as low as 114v, with all the air conditioners running. I don't know how many hours run time they need before they 'settle in', either. Intial impression; more stirile and brite in mid range, need to compensate by playing w tone controls and am using loudness contour, now. The new tubes are improving, but still not NOS quality. Have to find a replacement for that one GE tube. How many hours do you think I'll have to put on, to get the best sound? Bass is real capable, though it seems I have to use the loudness contour to get the same 'SS' type pump that I hear with the GE's. Overall the bass is very solid and I think the bandwith has widened with the circuit change. I repositioned the Claritys to take advantage of the percieved power gain, and it really worked. Full bass, that only needs a little more SS type 'snap' to be truly first rate. Speakers blend with the sub better. Sounds like the bass comes from corner speakers, as opposed to centered sub. Soundstage is expanded. Getting gr8 image.

Wayner · « **Reply #91 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 09:28 pm »

I'm listening to my new David Gilmore album on vinyl "On an Island" and I'm just awestruck. This amp is a killer.

Wayner

hotroady · « **Reply #92 on:** 20 Jun 2009, 09:42 pm »

Right on Wayner! I am a little resrictive on my use of superlatives, but last nite I was almost..well startled and astonished at some of the tonal quality of some passages. Incredibly hard task to beat the mid range of this unit. I think the 4 ohm tap sorta stabilizes the impedance changes of changes in frequency. These modded Clarity's are 'lil' azz kickers with this unit, and my small room.

hotroady · « **Reply #93 on:** 21 Jun 2009, 01:17 am »

Wayner, I have an SL-BD22 Technics turntable that lifts its arm prematurely at the end of a record. Do you know how to adjust this? I want to record album to CD. I broke the stylus off my Dual, and don't want to spend 97.00 bucks for the primo SAS stylus, right now.

hotroady · « **Reply #94 on:** 21 Jun 2009, 03:29 am »

Quote from: Otis on 21 Jun 2009, 03:11 am

Quick OT question:

Hotroady, what are your thoughts on the OMP cart?

It's real nice, makes me wonder what a 20 or 30 stylus would do. All three needles fit the same body. I probably need a better turntable to utilize a better stylus. SL-1200 series would be nice. TT could use tune up. Plenty of bass for me, nice extension in highs over stock Shure 91ED

hotroady · « **Reply #95 on:** 21 Jun 2009, 05:46 am »

You're quite welcome, Otis. I set my bias at about 11:oo pm. I assume Frank took into consideration, todays' higher voltages when he came out with the original U70. I believe the tubes are producing better bass in the 10hrs or so that I've ran them. Mid range and top are improving in tone. Not really getting that deep pool sound, yet. GE has got the edge on the lush mids, and tone at top, but the JJ's are really closing any gap in the bass. If it holds its bias for a day, I'd have to rate this a pretty fine tube. Got the new America..Here and Now 2 disc CD about two weeks ago. It has a live version of the America Greatist Hits History album on 2nd CD..Good Stuff! When heard with the update.

Wayner · « **Reply #96 on:** 21 Jun 2009, 11:54 am »

Hotroady,

There is a micro-switch on your tonearm that needs to be adjusted. I had to adjust my Technics SL-Q2. Take the bottom cover off to expose the innards. I used a 5-gallon pail to set the turntable upside down on so you can work on the insides, and not damage the arm. Loosen the switch and move it over a hair. Set the table back on it's base, but don't screw it down and test the new position with a record. You may have to do this a couple of times to get it to lift at the round-out, near the label.

Good luck, but it's not that hard, just be careful. Doing shit like this always puts the stylus in harms way. I'd take the headshell off when fooling around and lock the tonearm down.

Wayner

boycephoto · « **Reply #97 on:** 21 Jun 2009, 05:03 pm »

I just finished the U70 upgrade and yes, it is a major improvement.

My U70 is still on my work bench, connected to a pair of Small Advents, an original (1979) AVA Super Pas pre-amp and an AVA Omega II CD player. The change has made made a significant improvement. Bass is more prominant, detail and air is noticalby improved and better imaging too, I will connect to the LS3/5a's this afternoon for some real excitement. Maybe I'll even give it a try on my Maggie 3.6's.

Thank you Frank!

Dave

hotroady · « **Reply #98 on:** 21 Jun 2009, 06:19 pm »

Thanks Wayner, Good info.

avahifi · « **Reply #99 on:** 21 Jun 2009, 06:50 pm »

Hey Dave,

Did you notice you won the "name the tube amp" contest with your suggestion, "Ultravalve"?

You get a free Insight+ upgrade to your OmegaStar EC preamp as soon as you send it in.

Best regards,

Frank Van Alstine