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tubehunter
20-02-2010, 10:02
Here is some pictures of my current system.
Only valves in the signal path no transistors or horrible op-amps:)

The Wharfedale E50 are very sensitive and makes the little Kel84 sound like its got 100s of watts on tap.
The Kel84 has had some mods to its power supply and I use a very high quality external stepped attenuator for control.
The Dac has the most excellent SRPP 6N6P topology with separate fully regulated HT and LT power supplies for each channel. Big improvement.

All music in flac format and films in Divx or HD, streamed from a server upstairs to the very versitile PS3.

http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4990.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4991.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4992.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4993.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4995.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4996.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4997.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4998.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4999.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_5000.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_5001.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_5002.jpg

Marco
20-02-2010, 10:47
Looking VERY nice, Dunc! Ian was raving about your new DAC, so I look forward to hearing that soon... Any chance you could bring it round to Ian's on Sunday? I'd love to hear it.

Mark Grant's coming round to deliver Ian's new mains block (which should be interesting), so I could pick you up and take you to Ian's on the way over... PM me if you fancy it :)

Love the E50s... Vintage speakers rule! :respect:

Marco.

jandl100
20-02-2010, 11:17
Wow - nicely done!

I'm especially interested to see those Wharfedale E50's ... they come along on eBay now and then, but I've never taken them seriously. I assume now that that is a bit of a mistake? :)
How would you describe them compared to other 'speakers? What sort of music do they favour? (I'm a classical fan mainly).

John
20-02-2010, 11:24
Lovelly work Duncan

bonneville
20-02-2010, 11:40
Hi Duncan
Nice one! A bit of a change from Kan's & tranny's.:) I would have loved to have heard your copper EL84 mono blocs with this set up even though the WAD is a great amp.

Vinnie

Jonboy
20-02-2010, 11:56
Very nice Duncan, my wife would love my system to be as neat and tidy as yours.

The Vinyl Adventure
20-02-2010, 13:12
Very nice Duncan, my wife would love my system to be as neat and tidy as yours.

I can well imagine that it sounds superb, but as far as my missis is concerned anything that doesn't take up half the living room must sound pants ... This sorta thread is a danger to the equilibrium in my household!

The Vinyl Adventure
20-02-2010, 13:13
She asked me once why the pre amp needed to be so big after I told her it was basically a volume control and a switch ... My uneducated resposnse was "it just does, ok?!"

Ali Tait
20-02-2010, 17:25
Lovely work Duncan! That 6n6p output stage is really nice isn't it? Let me know if you ever decide to sell the dac!

SteveW
20-02-2010, 17:39
I'll vouch for those E50's of Duncan's. My old E70's NEVER sounded like his.
Guess thats the difference between his kit now and what I had back then. An Armstrong 625 if I remember. If only I'd known.

Daniel
20-02-2010, 18:03
Where could I get more information on that "Williams Audio Dac"?

Steve Toy
20-02-2010, 18:10
A clue: Tubehunter = Williams Audio.

Ian Walker
20-02-2010, 18:53
Lovely work Duncan! That 6n6p output stage is really nice isn't it? Let me know if you ever decide to sell the dac!

This afternoon Dunc Changed the circuit in my dac to this and its made a BLOODY HUGE difference...my speakers have now been renamed the Tannoy MONSTER Canterbury 15:lol:

Cheers Dunc much appreciated.

Marco
20-02-2010, 19:01
Sounds good, mate - I look forward to hearing it tomorrow! :eek: :cool:

Marco.

Marco
20-02-2010, 19:04
I'll vouch for those E50's of Duncan's. My old E70's NEVER sounded like his.
Guess thats the difference between his kit now and what I had back then. An Armstrong 625 if I remember. If only I'd known.

Hi Steve,

Yes, but you do realise that it's the owl on Duncan's stand making all the difference? :eyebrows:

Btw, we'll have to arrange a sesh chez-moi, hopefully before the Scalford Hall show....

Marco.

Ian Walker
20-02-2010, 19:08
Here's a piccy of mine.

Ali Tait
20-02-2010, 19:11
Sounds good, mate - I look forward to hearing it tomorrow! :eek: :cool:

Marco.

Marco,you will not be disappointed.I was round at Nick's a couple of weeks ago,and heard his 6n6p stage he'd knocked up on the end of a Sabre dac.Sounded absolutely superb!

Marco
20-02-2010, 19:12
Here's a piccy of mine.


Nice, but you'll have to borrow the owl! :flasher:

Marco.

Marco
20-02-2010, 19:16
Hi Ali,


Marco,you will not be disappointed.I was round at Nick's a couple of weeks ago,and heard his 6n6p stage he'd knocked up on the end of a Sabre dac.Sounded absolutely superb!

I don't doubt it, mate! I'm expecting something quite special. I'm very curious to hear how it stacks up against the Sony, which has always been used as a bit of a benchmark... So who knows, there could very well be a new one set tomorrow!!

Stay tuned to find out :)

Marco.

Ali Tait
20-02-2010, 19:28
Be interested in your findings mate.

SteveW
21-02-2010, 09:49
Hi Steve,

Yes, but you do realise that it's the owl on Duncan's stand making all the difference? :eyebrows:

Btw, we'll have to arrange a sesh chez-moi, hopefully before the Scalford Hall show....

Marco.

Aye...PM me yer number again...seem to have lost it.

tubehunter
21-02-2010, 22:26
Anybody want a Kel84.

Got this new Kat34 this evening, very nice indeed.

http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/kat34/IMG_5004.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/kat34/IMG_5005.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/kat34/IMG_5006.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/kat34/IMG_5007.jpg
http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/kat34/IMG_5008.jpg

Marco
21-02-2010, 22:36
Nice one, Dunc - that looks more like it! ;)

Marco.

Ali Tait
22-02-2010, 18:28
Well?? How did you get on with the dac?

Marco
22-02-2010, 19:43
Hi Ali,

It sounded superb - one of the best DACs I've heard, but unfortunately we never got a chance to compare it to the Sony. We were too busy eating and drinking and listening to music! :)

Marco.

giorgino
23-02-2010, 02:24
Hi Duncan. That's a lovely system. The passive pre is just so well designed (I'm really into minimal) and the exposed stepped attenuator is great. Same with the DAC design - just so clean. Great example of form following function.

Steve Toy
23-02-2010, 02:44
Active preamps give you more music though :eek:

Marco
23-02-2010, 08:57
It's not a passive preamp, though! ;)

Marco.