View Full Version : Pictures Of My Kit
Well, here goes! Opened a PhotoBucket account and i will now attempt to upload some pictures here.
The first is my complete system (excluding Speakers)
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/Hi-FiRack.jpg
The Turntable is a Pioneer Direct Drive Motor (PXM-030, robbed from a scrap 80's deck!) mounted on a Perspex Plinth with a Rega R-200 Arm, normally (but not pictured here) fitted with my Denon DL-304
The second 'box' down is the Phono EQ. MDF cabinet with Mahogany Curl Veneering (applied by me! That was the hard bit!) using two ECC82's per channel with Passive equalisation. A slightly enlarged view is here:-
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/PhonoEQ.jpg
My normal Amp is an EL33 based Single-Ended design fairly close to the Mullard 3-3 circuit but tweaked slightly to accomodate the 33's and to try and get the EF86's a little quieter.
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/EL33SE.jpg
I switch between the EL33 Amp and a Mullard 3-3 i made, just as the fancy takes me. They both sound very different, i can't say i prefer one over the other, they are just different. Here's the 3-3:-
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/Mullard3-3.jpg
I also now and again use a Mullard 3 Watt Economcal Stereophonic Amplifier i made, only about 1.5 Watts (due to the H.T. supply) but all made from second hand components (apart from the casing) and sweet nonetheless:-
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/DSCF0013.jpg
Well, that's it for now, i will perhaps post some better 'shot' photos when i get around to taking them which means when i get around to moving the kit around, which maybe this October when i have to move House.
Regards,
James.
Ali Tait
07-02-2011, 20:37
Nice! what speakers do you use?
Cool TT :), I had a go at replinthing a direct drive pioneer PL518 (late 70's) into slate a couple of years ago, was very pleased with the result given the outlay. Have you got a picture of the underside of the perspex?
Nice! what speakers do you use?
Rega Ela Mk1's.
I will try and take some more pics of the T/T soon.
James.
very nice James, your speakers must be very sensative to get 1.5 watts SE to work
very nice James, your speakers must be very sensative to get 1.5 watts SE to work
I think they're quoted as being 89dB/1W/1m.
It aint loud but for Single Female Voices and Light Classical, it suffices. Again, a different sound to the 3-3 and EL33, nice in its own way. I haven't listened to it for a while, i'm going to put it on right now!
James.
Sounds like you need a pair of Tannoys to get the most out of your amps ;) :lol: Take a look at this (http://mcnally.cc/amps.htm) site you might like it, he has built loads of valve amps
Sounds like you need a pair of Tannoys to get the most out of your amps ;) :lol:
I think space would be a limiting factor there!!
Take a look at this (http://mcnally.cc/amps.htm) site you might like it, he has built loads of valve amps
Wow! He's made more Amps than i've had hot dinners!! They're fantastic, the internal wiring is so neat, i try, but mine are not quite so good.:(
James.
That turntable looks really good!
tubehunter
07-02-2011, 23:23
great job with the amps very nice.
the ef86 can be noisy, what have you done to reduce this, triode?
sometimes a shielded socket helps.
.................the ef86 can be noisy, what have you done to reduce this, triode?
sometimes a shielded socket helps.
I have thought about a Shielded Socket but don't think i'd get much more improvement now.
I experimented with the way pins 2 & 7 were connected, to zero Volts seems to have produced better results over connecting to the cathode.
I have also increased the Cathode resistor value. This has had the effect of reducing overall stage Gain which therefore 'masks' any noise. This i have found has worked extremely well and i still get 'room filling sound' with a 1KOhm there instead of what Mullard quote for the 3-3 (upon which the circuit is based).
I think maybe 'next time i would have the 86's slightly physically farther away from the GZ33, though as i say, things as they stand, there is very little noise/hum. One has to place ones ear right up against the speaker to hear any. From my listening position i cannot hear anything whatsoever with the Amp idling. I am very pleased.
Thaks for all the nice comments folks,
James.
RochaCullen
08-02-2011, 09:26
Hi James,
I also use a DL-304 with an R-200. Tell me, do you need to do much fettling before the arm and cartridge perform to a good standard? I ask because, other than rewiring the arm, I have not done much to try and marry the two.
Regards,
Nathan
Very, very nice - must be so satisfying to know you contributed so much time and effort to the system, rather than just bung a few boxes together like I have! Maybe, when I have more time... hmmmm... :)
Nice work looks really good
Hi James,
I also use a DL-304 with an R-200. Tell me, do you need to do much fettling before the arm and cartridge perform to a good standard?.........
No, just 'Plug and Play' worked for me. The Tracking weight is, i have found, very critical and does affect the sound greatly. Once set for the Manufacturers specification, exactly, it sounds sublime.
My arm is as standard except for the connection at the bottom of the main stem. The 'Din' (for want of a better term) style connector and captive leads was faulty when i got the arm (second hand-the reason i was 'given' it) so i removed it and installed an actual 5-pin Din plug on to which i have attached 'cartridge' style connectors (removable) on a lead to the underside of a 4-pin XLR socket mounted on the plinth.
I will try and post some more pics of the T/T so you can see more clearly.
Cheers,
James.
Some Pics of my 845 Amp.
First experiments..................
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/845%20Amp/1025529_10151482666763148_1086748649_o_zpsf3f7d195 .jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/845%20Amp/1025529_10151482666763148_1086748649_o_zpsf3f7d195 .jpg.html)
Bought an incomplete box from a chap, needed two extra holes and one filling in. Tried a bit of Marquetry!!.......
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/845%20Amp/1077723_10151554729458148_865854732_o_zps8b58b88e. jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/845%20Amp/1077723_10151554729458148_865854732_o_zps8b58b88e. jpg.html)
Early Internals.......
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/845%20Amp/1277206_10151613794778148_1342489004_o_zps8324b7bb .jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/845%20Amp/1277206_10151613794778148_1342489004_o_zps8324b7bb .jpg.html)
Almost there, spot the deliberate mistake!!
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/845%20Amp/1267398_10151612080373148_1173159091_o_zps20538db2 .jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/845%20Amp/1267398_10151612080373148_1173159091_o_zps20538db2 .jpg.html)
And all done.....
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/845%20Amp/1293076_10151644170083148_448378723_o_zpsf90ad176. jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/845%20Amp/1293076_10151644170083148_448378723_o_zpsf90ad176. jpg.html)
Idlewithnodrive
16-12-2013, 10:58
Looks lovely James.
How does it sound ?
Very, very nice! Rather inspirational, actually. Is it a home-brew design, or did you follow a published design?
.................How does it sound ?
Really rather good though I say so myself.
...................Is it a home-brew design, or did you follow a published design?
I started with this design..........................
http://tube-amps.net/How_Hashimoto_sounds.htm
but couldn't get it to sound as I wanted it to so ended up changing quite a bit.
I didn't like what C3 did to the sound so omitted it. I have to say it will not please the SET Purists as I have used Feedback permanently, not in a variable way as Mr. Matsunami did. I am afraid I am of the school that has nothing against Feedback. The few tests I have done on SET's I have always felt it is the sound of the Output Transformer that the Purists must be liking. The Valve (SET) itself often has a ruler flat frequency response if measured at the Anode but by the time it has gone through the O/P TX it becomes ''an SET''. Let Feedback do its job and you hear what the Valve can do, in my humble opinion.
To compensate for the loss of Gain due to the Feedback I added another stage, outside the feedback loop actually, which also made the whole thing non-inverting too which bothered me slightly perhaps unnecessarily so but it did!
James
costerdock
20-12-2013, 15:34
Great looking setup and beautiful work!
very good James....I like things that are adapted and then made better....
I started with this design..........................
http://tube-amps.net/How_Hashimoto_sounds.htm
but couldn't get it to sound as I wanted it to so ended up changing quite a bit.
I didn't like what C3 did to the sound so omitted it. I have to say it will not please the SET Purists as I have used Feedback permanently, not in a variable way as Mr. Matsunami did. I am afraid I am of the school that has nothing against Feedback. The few tests I have done on SET's I have always felt it is the sound of the Output Transformer that the Purists must be liking. The Valve (SET) itself often has a ruler flat frequency response if measured at the Anode but by the time it has gone through the O/P TX it becomes ''an SET''. Let Feedback do its job and you hear what the Valve can do, in my humble opinion.
To compensate for the loss of Gain due to the Feedback I added another stage, outside the feedback loop actually, which also made the whole thing non-inverting too which bothered me slightly perhaps unnecessarily so but it did!
James
Thanks James, always interesting to get a bit of the thinking behind DIY projects. Curious as to your preferred sources for specialist transformers, both o/p and mains.
.................................Curious as to your preferred sources for specialist transformers, both o/p and mains.
I bought the Mains Transformer with the part built box so I'm afraid I cannot help you out there. I have used VVT in the past for Mains and Output and would have done again this time for the Output TX's but got no reply from them so I approached Majestic Transformers......
http://www.transformers.uk.com/audio-transformers-chokes.htm
who were unbelievably helpful and friendly. I gave them as many of my specifications for the TX, Current, Power Output, Impedance and size etc etc and they came back with an acceptable quote. I have to say they do perform extremely well.
Thanks for the interest,
James.
New Speakers (ProAc Studio 148) and latest picture of current Kit.
19265
Jim.
Lovely setup and particularly the amplifiers. Great work.
More pictures please.
192721927319274
There are lots more Pics in an Album on my Profile Page.
Jim.
RobbieGong
06-02-2017, 20:21
Wow, serious looking set up. The exposed glowers would have me very nervous though
I haven't any kids running about, or animals so it's only me who'll get burnt fingers !!!!! ;)
RobbieGong
06-02-2017, 20:54
I haven't any kids running about, or animals so it's only me who'll get burnt fingers !!!!! ;)
:)
Some more and better Pics...............
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/DSCF0311_zpsubw17htf.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/DSCF0311_zpsubw17htf.jpg.html)
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/DSCF0305_zpsebpiuciw.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/DSCF0305_zpsebpiuciw.jpg.html)
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/DSCF0306_zpshlmhi4vn.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/DSCF0306_zpshlmhi4vn.jpg.html)
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/DSCF0308_zpsy1fyj7ke.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/DSCF0308_zpsy1fyj7ke.jpg.html)
Not sure I chose the right font for the front of the Hashimoto SUT.
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/DSCF0170_zps6oyt3z8j.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/DSCF0170_zps6oyt3z8j.jpg.html)
http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa381/EL33SE/DSCF0310_zpsy8mud9xp.jpg (http://s1195.photobucket.com/user/EL33SE/media/DSCF0310_zpsy8mud9xp.jpg.html)
Had these just two weeks now so still running in but lovely Speakers. (Studio 148)
jollyfix
13-02-2017, 12:12
Very nice James. Speaker cable in the wall?
Speaker cable in the wall?
Yes, I have some Transistor Amps with an Auto built in Speaker Selection Switch (perhaps should read ''Amplifier Selection Switch'') hidden in a cupboard. When I want to watch a Film and use the 5.1 system the Transistor Amps automatically connect to the Speakers. With the Tranny Amps switched Off the Valve Amps are connected. Makes for a slightly longer run than would be ideal and an extra connection but it just makes it easier.
Tasteful. Nice. Quality. All words that come to mind, thank you for sharing.
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