View Full Version : OTL
Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 07:53
Just ordered one of these, will be shipped in a week-
www.transcendentsound.com/pinnacle.html
Heard a pimped up diy version of the earlier SE amp at a previous Owston, it’s no longer sold- a mighty 1.5w/ch!
In a lot of ways it was and is the best sounding amp I’ve ever heard. Lot of people saying this new PP version is even better, if this new one is anything like the one I heard I’ll be very happy indeed.
Just got to buy eight 300b’s now...
Just ordered one of these, will be shipped in a week-
www.transcendentsound.com/pinnacle.html
Heard a pimped up diy version of the earlier SE amp at a previous Owston, it’s no longer sold- a mighty 1.5w/ch!
In a lot of ways it was and is the best sounding amp I’ve ever heard. Lot of people saying this new PP version is even better, if this new one is anything like the one I heard I’ll be very happy indeed.
Just got to buy eight 300b’s now...
they sound great Ali. Just the job for sensitive speakers.
Boyse6748
04-10-2018, 08:34
Just ordered one of these, will be shipped in a week-
www.transcendentsound.com/pinnacle.html
Heard a pimped up diy version of the earlier SE amp at a previous Owston, it’s no longer sold- a mighty 1.5w/ch!
In a lot of ways it was and is the best sounding amp I’ve ever heard. Lot of people saying this new PP version is even better, if this new one is anything like the one I heard I’ll be very happy indeed.
Just got to buy eight 300b’s now...
You lucky man.... very envious!
From what I’ve read and heard about these amps, their about as good as it gets.
Enjoy!!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
walpurgis
04-10-2018, 08:41
Just got to buy eight 300b’s now...
That'll teach you! :D
JJ 300b, cheap, reliable unlike EH, good performers and well matched IME, sound excellent in my Tron, and believe me I've tried many!
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Firebottle
04-10-2018, 08:51
Lovely stuff Ali, we will have to have an OTL shoot out at some time. Must get my first one re-built.
Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 09:11
Yeah that would be good Alan, just hoping it gets somewhere near what I heard from Ray’s SE version.
Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 09:13
JJ 300b, cheap, reliable unlike EH, good performers and well matched IME, sound excellent in my Tron, and believe me I've tried many!
Sent from my BLA-L09 using Tapatalk
Yes that was my thought. Used JJ’s in my WAD 300b monos years ago, good valves.
Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 09:13
That'll teach you! :D
Lol aye, be nearly half the cost of the amps!
Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 09:15
You lucky man.... very envious!
From what I’ve read and heard about these amps, their about as good as it gets.
Enjoy!!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Cheers Peter, looking forward to getting these built.
walpurgis
04-10-2018, 09:16
Lol aye, be nearly half the cost of the amps!
:) I figured it might be something like that Ali. Mind you, there are some monster prices for 300B's.
Boyse6748
04-10-2018, 09:29
Cheers Peter, looking forward to getting these built.
Ali, Doesn’t the best deserve the BEST how about Shuguang 300B-T Tubes (Black Tulip) only £282 matched pair. Lol.
It would look very sexy on or off!! :)
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Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 09:35
Lol maybe, but would get a bit pricey buying eight!
From reading the Transcendent forum JJ’s seem to be the best choice. Can’t use mesh plates.
Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 09:35
:) I figured it might be something like that Ali. Mind you, there are some monster prices for 300B's.
Aye you’re not wrong.
At least mesh plates are banned from Pinnacle so that's some cash saved! It should be possible to do a deal on 8 JJs. If I go ahead too maybe it could be 16JJs to entice a good deal.
Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 10:53
Sounds like a plan Clive, PM if you have a good source.
Over the years I have been intrigued by OTL designs, but being uneducated I felt that electronic failures could result in more easy damage to speakers ( no transformers to act as a cushion). Have I got this wrong?
Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 12:20
In this case yes. The Mini Beast I’m using at the moment has caps on the output that will prevent DC reaching the speakers, and each channel is fused in case of a short in a valve. I’ve hunted the Transcendent forum and can’t find a single instance of speaker damage caused by amp failure, and Bruce has been selling these types of amps for many years.
In this case yes. The Mini Beast I’m using at the moment has caps on the output that will prevent DC reaching the speakers, and each channel is fused in case of a short in a valve. I’ve hunted the Transcendent forum and can’t find a single instance of speaker damage caused by amp failure, and Bruce has been selling these types of amps for many years.
Sounds good Ali :)
Ali Tait
04-10-2018, 15:00
Yes, seem very reliable to me, I’ve been using my Mini Beast for a couple of years or more, for the last year it’s used several hours a day as I run the telly through it as well. It’s never put a foot wrong apart from once blowing it’s mains fuse due to my mains running at over 250v(!). Switch on surge I guess. Replaced the fuse with a slightly higher value and it’s been fine since.
paulf-2007
13-10-2018, 20:04
Don't spoil the ship for a happeth of tar, 4 pairs of takatsuki 300B, you know it makes sense
Ali Tait
13-10-2018, 21:46
Not at that price lol. Gone for JJ’s.
FrostEOne
15-10-2018, 19:28
I have the Transcendental Sound Son-of-Beast, does a great job with my Cerwin-Vega CLS-215 floor standers.
Not quite enough for the Yamaha NS1000M though, wish he still offered The Beast, it'd handle the Yamahas.
Ali Tait
15-10-2018, 21:20
The circuit is in his book, could be scratch built.
The old Tenor 75 OTL is the best amp I have ever heard. So I bought the Atmasphere ma60 3.2 mk2, and then the integrated Berning ZH270. They are good but I wanted to try on horns and preferred SETs. So I put them up for sale. The demand for the Atma was like crazy given the rarity in the EU. I still have the Berning listed somewhere. I will put it up in the classified on this forum when I get back home tonight. For a lot more money, the Berning Quadrature Zs 200w are fantastic amps if you want to drive some cones or planars, though not very low impedance cones or planars. They are super fast, super clean like Spectral, but unlike Spectral, have more valve harmonics, decay, and musicality. Too expensive though but are final amps. All OTLs need to be carefully matched to speakers
My write up on the Berning Quads. http://zero-distortion.org/berning-compared-to-einstein-and-vitus-audio-machina/
Don't spoil the ship for a happeth of tar, 4 pairs of takatsuki 300B, you know it makes sense
The Elrogs now are better than the Takatsukis since Thomas Mayer took over. The new RK 300b from KR is also good. The Takatsukis have too much midrange thickness and forward push for me to be real. The Elrogs show the hall ambience the best, slightly behind and wide. Most transparent of the three. We compared in the Alieno OTL, which is a 40k OTL from Italy, 300w http://zero-distortion.org/allnic-aesthetix-io-dartzeel-kodo-beat-vyger-indian-signature-kiseki/. Some might argue on the design it is an OTL hybrid. Possible.
Ali Tait
16-10-2018, 06:53
Heard a few diy otl’s, as well as few of the TS ones. Love to hear an Atmasphere, crazy money though.
I heard the transcendent kit OTL here, in the 5 way horn system. It is the second system, Karel's, listed below Guy's
http://zero-distortion.org/diy-horns/
Ali Tait
16-10-2018, 08:04
Thanks for the link, some interesting stuff there, love to hear those systems.
anubisgrau
16-10-2018, 12:31
Just ordered one of these, will be shipped in a week-
www.transcendentsound.com/pinnacle.html
Heard a pimped up diy version of the earlier SE amp at a previous Owston, it’s no longer sold- a mighty 1.5w/ch!
In a lot of ways it was and is the best sounding amp I’ve ever heard. Lot of people saying this new PP version is even better, if this new one is anything like the one I heard I’ll be very happy indeed.
Just got to buy eight 300b’s now...
That's the spirit, not a pussy like me who is testing a solid state amp pimped to sound like a 300b SE, complaining of costs of running a normal amp with 1 tube per channel I have.
Congratulations, this can not be nothing short of spectacular!
Ali Tait
16-10-2018, 13:04
I hope so!
montesquieu
19-10-2018, 10:03
Looking at the specs ... 6w into 8 ohm / push pull could be plenty in many circumstances ... do they give any indication of damping factor/output impedance?
Ali Tait
19-10-2018, 11:14
No specs are given from what I can see. New speakers are 95db and don’t dip below about 6 ohms so should be a good match.
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