Rexton's Valve System - Upgrade Blog

[Firebottle]

It's an ECL82 (or 6) that is the regulator valve. The 85A2 is a voltage reference valve, the SS equivalent would be a zener diode. Every day is a school day.

So Andy's preamp had double regulation on his line stages, which also improves the linearity of those stages.

[Marco]

Ah I see, interesting... Just good to know what's going on under the hood!

Marco.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Thanks Alan for further help with the Mosfet discussion. So, well there you go Marco I do have some Mosfets!!

[Wakefield Turntables]

Tonight's experiment has been with the voltage supplying me Garrard 301. I have long known about the ability of the Phoenix Engineering PSU to change it's supply voltage into the 301 but never really experimented with it. The theory goes that less voltage into a Garrard 301 motor produces less vibration into the chassis and top-plate and ultimately into the platter and cartridge. So last night I set the voltage down to 200V and bugger me after a few minutes listening to A Kind of Blue I notice a massive improvement in timbral quality to the double bass. The Phoenix engineering EAGLE PSU is now supplied directly from the PS Audio P10 and the Roadrunner tachometer is still being run with a Anker battery. It's all a little unorthodox but boy does it sound good. I've now swapped over to my Paradise phonostage and Silver Meister II SPUas I fancied a little MC action. The valve system is sounding excellent and I'm very happy with the setup so far but as always upgrade beckon. The 301 and the Croft preamp are probably going to be the areas of interest in the next six months. I intend to mod the 301 with a new designed plinth and material, possibly stiffen the 301's chassis and then think about the Croft pre-amp. I will be upgrading the Sondex S100 at some point in 2021 but that is a massive project which will be replaced with monoblocks, yes, some very very special monoblocks, but more about them when (and if) they ever get built.

[Marco]

Thanks Alan for further help with the Mosfet discussion. So, well there you go Marco I do have some Mosfets!!

Lol - indeed so! However, where is the ECC83? I seem to remember you said that you've tried different ones in your Croft... And have you tried rolling ECL82 regulator valves, in the same way as you have with the others?

Marco.

[Wakefield Turntables]

There is no ECC83 in the preamp. I have x3 M8137 sitting in my 834P clone and these are the best I've heard. I've rolled the 85A2. I've tried NOS GEC, Phillips, Tunsgram and the latest 8098. The best I've heard is the 8098 followed by the Tunsgram. I have indeed rolled the ECL82, I have tried the original jobbie supplied by Glenn (I can't remember the name) and bought the Tesla from Watford Valves. They seem to have different brands for the ECL82 everytime I check on the website. I'm not sure they have any sonic impact. Perhaps I should buy the 3 on offer from Watford valves and experiment? Do you fancy buying one or two and then swapping them with me for an experiment? Shouldn't cost any more than £25 each??

[Marco]

Lol... I don't have ECL82s in my amp, mate. Yours is dual-valve and Mosfet regulation. Mine is just Mosfet

Noted on the ECC83, no worries. That's another area where our amps are different, as I have an ECC83 and 85A2 in the PSU section.

Marco.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Lol... I don't have ECL82s in my amp, mate. Yours is dual-valve and Mosfet regulation. Mine is just Mosfet

Noted on the ECC83, no worries. That's another area where our amps are different, as I have an ECC83 and 85A2 in the PSU section.

Marco.

Fair enough! So your now rolling the M8137 and M8098 in your PSU section?

[Marco]

Ya, muchacho, and sounding fabby-doodle!

Marco.

[The Black Adder]

Lol... I don't have ECL82s in my amp, mate. Yours is dual-valve and Mosfet regulation. Mine is just Mosfet

Noted on the ECC83, no worries. That's another area where our amps are different, as I have an ECC83 and 85A2 in the PSU section.

Marco.

Same on mine too. I need x2 ECC83s and x2 85A2s

Not sure how different the ECK82s are but I'd imagine the gain being lower with an 82. I remember trying ECC82s in mine once but didn't get on with it. The ECC83s are the only option IMO... Gives it much more Oooomf!