Relyon based tube amp, would you?

[RJee]

I can pick up thuis amp for rather cheap, guy says it's been rebuilt using a schematic from a well known Dutch tube guru, but I can't find this schematic on his site.

It's built around some relyon (Chinese?) amp.

It seems to be single ended 807s and 6sn7 tubes.

Here are some pictures

What do you guys think?

 

[mrwood200]

Not for me.

I would have to know more about the original design, and then evaluate any modifications from 'rebuild'. I don't need another project! Also, the tube lineup does not excite me. If you need an integrated tube amp, and can get it for your price, then this may be for you.

 

[gadget73]

The other question is how good are the transformers? Tube amps are very much dictated by the capability of the iron.

 

[RJee]

Both points agreed with, iron is of course unknown Chinese, so no guarantees. Also not sure about SE 807, seems not the highest spec possible. But on the other hand, it's only the price of a dinner and some movie tickets.

My current tube experience is an EL84 pp Lafayette integrated and a pioneer sx34 (6bm8) receiver.
How would it stack up against that?

 

[knockbill]

I like the looks of it,,, can you find the schematic, and see if looks like a good design?

 

[RJee]

I like the looks of it,,, can you find the schematic, and see if looks like a good design?

No unfortunately I can't. Seller bought it from someone who had built it. Only way is to open her up and draw it myself.

But that means buying it.

 

[knockbill]

Find a schem for something you like,, and build it!!! Then you know what you have...

 

[RJee]

Well guys, for the price, i couldn't resist.

Firs impressions: it's really, really heavy. Put it on a scale: 20kg! Sound wise it's a mixed bag: really like the imaging it does and midrange is sweet but it's a tad bright and not that much bass going on.

For instance: Eagles Hotel California from the hell freezes over album: intro with all the low drums going on, they're there, but no real presence. But when the guitar comes in, that's great again.

Also a strange thing, one of the output tubes has got some blue glow on it, anyone knows what's up with that?

 

[whoaru99]

The blue glow may or may not be normal.

If the glow looks like it's on the inner surface of the glass, that's typically OK and happens with lots of different power tubes. Usually that's a deep blue color. Usually, in any given amp, all the power tubes will exhibit some degree of this blue glow if any do.

If the blue glow looks like it is inside the plate structure then that's usually a bad sign of a gassy tube. Usually that blue glow is a lighter shade of blue. If it's just one tube of two or more, it may be an indicator of a bad tube.

 

[RJee]

Don't know how light or deep it is, perhaps you can tell from the pictures, here are some more.

There seems to be no imbalance in left/right channel, whilst only one side is this blue.

I'm not being x-rayed?! :-D

 

[knockbill]

Looks to me like the glow is on the glass...I have a quad of NOS Tung-Sol 6V6s that look like that....

 

[RJee]

Looks to me like the glow is on the glass...I have a quad of NOS Tung-Sol 6V6s that look like that....

Looks like that to me too, thanks.

 

[whoaru99]

Looks like the OK kind of blue glow to me too.

 

[knockbill]

Turn it up,, and enjoy!!!!

 

[RJee]

Turn it up,, and enjoy!!!!

Haha, no, I'm off to bed soon. It's almost 12 o'clock.

Next step is opening her up and have thorough look at how it's been built. Originally it was based on el34 and probably PCB instead of point to point.
I'm thinking about drawing out the schematic. But I'm not sure how easy that's going to be. Never done such a thing. Really curious of what you guys think of the design. Perhaps we can find a way to get a bit more bass out of my new found friend.