Fount Master & Moderator
Location: Essex
Posts: 31,988
I'm openingabottleofwine.
£1,500 a year running cost on valves sounds a bit steep - what are output valves?
Coca-Cola contains a small amout of phosphoric acid It will dissolve a tooth overnight, and apparently the Italians used to use it to clean the chrome trim on their cars!
Barry
Senior Member
Location: Glasgowshire
Posts: 9,663
I'm Gary.
Elrogs...
and pre valves too.
Cost of ownership can be harsh, but worth it...just not EVERY year.
(And I drive an Italian car, so need to check my chrome trim.
Last edited by Gazjam; 15-03-2020 at 06:43.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Senior Member
Location: London/Durham
Posts: 6,878
I'm Lawrence.
Aren't they from Lord of the Rings??
Senior Member
Location: Glasgowshire
Posts: 9,663
I'm Gary.
Sounds like it...Elrond was it?
Big shiny glow-ey things, on my previous valve amp.
The pins were clean too.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Senior Member
Location: London/Durham
Posts: 6,878
I'm Lawrence.
Elrond + Balrogs = ElrogsOriginally Posted by Gazjam
Sounds like it...Elrond was it?
Big shiny glow-ey things, on my previous valve amp.
The pins were clean too.
Audio Engineer; Moderator
Location: South Wales
Posts: 9,151
I'm NotTakingLifeTooSeriouslyTheseDays.
Its more important to keep the valve base female pins tight, then all one has to do is pull each valve out of its base every couple of months, and re-insert them, that way, the tight pins in the base will re-scrape the contact area of the valve pins, and all's good again for a while, cleaning the area of valve pins that make no contact in the amp's valve bases serve no purpose, as far the amp's valve base, and valve is concerned.
"Today scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality"
Nikola Tesla
Its now a conspiracy theory to believe that the Immune system is capable of doing the job it was designed to do.
A fish is only as healthy as the water its swimming in ! [Dr Robert Young]
www.tubedistinctions.co.uk
Matthew 5:10
Senior Member
Location: Down South
Posts: 2,413
I'm Neal.
I seem to recall the guys on the World Designs forum had success with Wonder Wheels cleaner. Small amount in a saucer just enough to cover the pins with the valve stood upright and left overnight.
Listening in a Foo free Zone...
Only a Sith deals in absolutes.
Senior Member
Location: Bergerac, France
Posts: 567
I'm Francois.
Gorgeous piece of kit, but I totally understand where you come from.Sounds like it...Elrond was it?
Big shiny glow-ey things, on my previous valve amp.
The pins were clean too.
I used to have 300B amp as well, and the cost of these was becoming prohibitive.
And as you so rightly said, the nagging feeling every time you switch it on that something might be amiss...
Same with my Gyro, because the thing was bought second hand I never fully trusted the springs and the motor...
Kit paranoia!
Not the best way to enjoy your music in the end.
Francois, Bergerac, France
Source component/s:
Musical Fidelity M1 Dac, Allo Digi One, Sony SCD-XE800, AVID Ingenium Twin arm, Audio Note Arm One, Groovemaster II 12in, Audio Note IQ3 MM, Denon DL103R MC, Croft Basic 25, TQ Iridium Phonostage, Puresound T10 Stepup Transformer, Zavfino majestic tonearm cable
Amplification:
Audio Note OTO PP, Dussun V6i
Loudspeakers:
Triangle Comete ES, Klispch RP600M
Cables/stands:
Quadraspire, Belden 9497
Senior Member
Location: Glasgowshire
Posts: 9,663
I'm Gary.
Very true Francois, before you know it that nagging feeling creeps in...did for me, to detriment of enjoying the kit I had.
Heard the latest news about the 15 day lockdown in France, stay safe.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
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