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Dynaco Mk III question help me decide

A27 said:
I remember reading on E-pay how so many sellers stated the cloth lead x-fmer wired ones were so much better than the "modern" reproduction ones. Whatever. I believe the transformer company that makes them today bought the old machines that they were originally wound on an used the same winding technique. So what, you need an old guy that used to wind them too? Sheesh. Cloth Leads are better!! Whatever.
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The really vintage guys , many of whom reside in the "east", are firm believers in "old copper". That is copper that has not been recycled, made from pure elemental copper. I think there is something to that if one has an amplifier and speakers that can resolve such a difference. Perhaps copper wire production for companies like Western Electric, were of a such a purity or formulation that is not followed in run of the mill transformer winders.
 
primosounds said:
The really vintage guys , many of whom reside in the "east", are firm believers in "old copper". That is copper that has not been recycled, made from pure elemental copper. I think there is something to that if one has an amplifier and speakers that can resolve such a difference. Perhaps copper wire production for companies like Western Electric, were of a such a purity or formulation that is not followed in run of the mill transformer winders.
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More & more I think this stuff comes from 4chan,
 
What the heck will add some tall tales, that I have heard over the years. The first was that Sid Smith (other job opera singer) hand wound the prototype 8B output transformers, liked what he heard and sent the drawings out to have the transformers made. When they came back he didn't like them, and hand would every one produced.

Second tall tale is that the magic of the old transformers is in the cores. The iron was mined closer to the surface of the earth, hence more gamma ray exposure.
 
6DZ7 said:
Recycled CU is probably equal to or better than first run smelting. The beginning material is already highly purified, not ore.
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But it is also has traces of silver, gold, and other metals. And i would not think that the trace metals are in the same amounts from batch to batch.
Anyway, have you checked to see how much "vintage" wire costs? If it is in the cloth covered insulation and you put the words Western Electric with it....Sheeeshh, I don't know if the buyers save it or use it but its kinda ridonkulous.
 
primosounds said:
But it is also has traces of silver, gold, and other metals. And i would not think that the trace metals are in the same amounts from batch to batch.
Anyway, have you checked to see how much "vintage" wire costs? If it is in the cloth covered insulation and you put the words Western Electric with it....Sheeeshh, I don't know if the buyers save it or use it but its kinda ridonkulous.
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and this is, together with a lot of other bs, what makes 'the best snake oils' out there! Each to their own beliefs, but I just shake my head and smile!! :rflmao:
 
primosounds said:
Anyway, have you checked to see how much "vintage" wire costs? If it is in the cloth covered insulation and you put the words Western Electric with it....Sheeeshh, I don't know if the buyers save it or use it but its kinda ridonkulous.
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The problem with vintage wire,especially the Western Electric type,is that once you've depleted the original electron charge and begun flowing modern electrons,it sounds just like any other wire.
 
arts said:
The problem with vintage wire,especially the Western Electric type,is that once you've depleted the original electron charge and begun flowing modern electrons,it sounds just like any other wire.
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I thought so too.
 
arts said:
The problem with vintage wire,especially the Western Electric type,is that once you've depleted the original electron charge and begun flowing modern electrons,it sounds just like any other wire.
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:rflmao::rflmao::rflmao::rflmao:

Thank you!

Needed that laugh.
 
I honestly dunno about old vs new opts, winding techniques and metal formulation are knowns. Proprietary and arcane production technology as with some tube production don't apply here afaik.
 
6DZ7 said:
No, No! It actually takes 20 years for electrons to move 1' through a wire, so .... OK, they're probably all gone now. No wait! ...Unless the amp hasn't been used, power on, for a total of 20 years! So how would we prorate the value of that wire? Hmmm. ...back to taking people's words for condition...
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Yep,that would be right up there with my faith in the old '' Very low hours'' statements regarding used tubes and cartridges:beerchug:
 
Well at least you know how much money you are going to need to spend every three or 4 years on tubes. I had III's for a while and if you like that type of sound OK. I didn't. They were loud for sure pushing Altec Speakers at the time, but Mac MC 60's were just so much better. Especially above 5 KHZ and below 60 hz. But I was never really happy with tube amps and early SS. Though I will say a 7T was a great pre-amp and the Power amp was pushing the envelope at the time. So I never could give up what you have for tube stuff. Because of the low damping factor of the MK III its over all frequency response will not be as linear as your SS amp. And that is what makes for the difference in sound. You can always purchase a graphic EQ and by add at little in the 250 to 500 region and rolling off the highs a bit and playing with the bass gain the same effects of having a III power amp. If you have efficient speakers you will also hear the residual noise of the MK iii's and thats why I got rid of mine and went with Mac amps. I know we are talking big money, but if you have to have tubes, look for a pair of Model 9's. They may not be a musical as a 275, but with certain types of speakers they are more spacious and revealing.
 
jptinc said:
I saw those and no I looks are not that important to me. I kind of like the thought of something in contrast to my Marantz stuff. But as my OP said I am new to tubes.
I am looking for something that will sound great a low volume. was just gifted a pair of Dynaco A-25
but has enough punch to drive my original large Advents.
thanks for your input.
-john
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My Dynaco MKIII pair have been powering a range of gear since 1976. I’ve upgraded all wiring, speaker taps (Cardas), changed to board (Poseidon), etc. they were perfect for stacked Advents and now drive 101 db efficient speakers (Zu Druids, modified). They are primitive build-wise, but every engineer-audiophile builder of the SET/compression-horn crowd likes ‘em. These are the ‘57 Chevy of the audio world, not the Lamborghini. The units for sale look lovingly tended, though there is some overkill and maybe some small things that could be done. Hearing is believing...many who have not heard them offer informed comments, but may have not heard what these can do.
 
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