Help with OPT choice....

[analog addict]

Actually....

Success?

....it was on my list to mess with tonight. I just finished the final pieces of a 6BQ5 PP integrated restoration that had been sitting on my bench for forever.

Let me ask you this just to be sure I don't F up your OPTs. I hook lead One to pin 2 of the 45, and lead Five to the + terminal of the caps as listed in the previous post, right?...:scratch2:

The speaker leads are fairly self explanatory.....:yes:

 

[bricktop]

Yup - Edcor pin1 to [45] pin 2, and Edcor pin 5 to the power supply. Pin 3 will have the full power supply voltage on it, so be sure to have that covered. Nothin' else to it (I don't see any feedback from the secondary on the original 45 amp thread, so you're all set).

 

[analog addict]

Finally....

Got the Transcendar OPTs in from Gery. $125 ain't bad at all for a custom wound USA made set of nice looking and hopefully even nicer sounding OPT's.

Also have the equivalent OPTs from Edcor on loan from Bricktop, so I hope to be able to do some listening tests this weekend...

 

[Ty_Bower]

Got the Transcendar OPTs in from Gery.

Also have the equivalent OPTs from Edcor on loan from Bricktop, so I hope to be able to do some listening tests this weekend...

I'm very interested to hear the results of your listening sessions. I own a pair of the Transcendar 10 watt 5K:8. I'm curious to see your opinion of how they stack up to the Edcor.

 

[fairchild]

For others interested in OPTs, One Electron (John Attwood) makes some excellent ones,
as does Electra Print (Jack Elliano)...IMO, for what it's worth, either of them are superior to Hammond and Magnequest in general, but may be more expensive. Both guys have written extensively for VTV and are good eggs to boot... John spends a lot of time in Vietnam these days, he has a place there, but is in contact via the net. Roger A VTV writer, Binghamton NY, the home of McIntosh Labs

 

[analog addict]

Update....

Here's the 45 amp with the Edcors tapped in.

Soon as I'm comfy with this rigged set up, I'm gonna move them to a bigger set of speakers for more critical listening.....:thmbsp:

However, I sure don't hear anything wrong with these so far....

 

[sloober]

That sure is purdy!

 

[analog addict]

The verdict is in.....

Well, after spending some time with both sets of OPT pairs, and double checking the specs, the Transcendar pair is the clear winner. OK so I did pay 3 times the amount for them, ($125 vs $40), but the difference is noticeable.

The Edcor's freq response is 70 Hz-18 KHz, while the Transcendar's are listed as "Frequency response is 20 Hz to 90 kHz +/- 1 db at 1 watt, tested on Hewlett Packard audio analyzer"

I thought that on the initial listen that the Transcendars sounded a bit richer/fuller, but when I slapped in a CD of Floyd's - "Wish You Were Here", and played the transition from "Shine on..." to "The Machine", you could hear the low freq vibrations much better through the Transcendar side.

So Bricktop, thanks for the loan of the Edcors. I'll have them back to you fairly soon. Hopefully I can find the time to install the Transcendars permanently today. Two of the screw holes line up, but I'll need to drill two new holes for each OPT.

Luckily there's plenty of room....:thmbsp:

 

[bricktop]

:tears:

Here's my measured reports of the Edcors, albeit a 25 watt version. I would expect the smaller ones i sent to give a bit better HF response too. Edcor really conservatively rates their transformers. Of course, just comparing the core sizes, the Transcendars are much beefier, so probly more primary inductance.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=166633

But anyway, I'm glad you had some fun with them, experimenting and whatnot. :yes:

 

[Kegger]

Nice Brick, thanks for the measurements, I've always felt the Edcor specs were pretty
light and conservative, good to see some actual measured specs, for the money they
are pretty hard to beat.

Those trancendars are beefy suckers and I'm sure they'll pack a pretty good walloup
when there pushed for it, great comparo guy's...

 

[analog addict]

Don't get me wrong....

The Edcors are a great value, and the difference is subtle. If this amp was more of a budget build, I'm sure I'd be happy with the Edcors. However, given the high quality components used throughout, plus the fact that the Transcendars have the right look for this amp, I figure I'll just stick with the best OPT's I have.....:thmbsp:

If I was more motivated, and had more bench space, I'd break out that HP freq analyzer/sweep generator/chart recorder combo I have sitting on the shelf along with my HP audio oscillator, and make like Zilch. However, I'm just too damm lazy....

I'll post some pix of the final results.....:yes:

 

[Kegger]

Oh yah those Transcendars look much better on your setup, and the BEEF goes a long way!

Nice, I like it!

 

[sloober]

I like the transcendars as well. Looks sweet. Can't wait to hear it. John

 

[analog addict]

Finished!!!!

A picture is worth a thousand words....

If you look carefully, you can see the re-drilled holes bracketing one of the speaker binding posts. I left the OPT leads long in case some day I want to use them in a different application. Hopefully it won't affect the sound quality....

Thanks to everyone for all your help....:yes:...:thmbsp:

Slowly but surely I'm learning all the bits and pieces of knowledge to eventually "roll my own"....

 

[tim614]

nice work! the trancendar look beefy, just ordered mine friday hopefully i get them by monday cant wait .

 

[bricktop]

Looks pretty. I do like an enclosed end bell....Newman (if you're watching).

 

[jaymanaa]

Looks pretty. I do like an enclosed end bell....Newman (if you're watching).

I think Heyboer would sell ya some.:yes::thmbsp: BTW, you're too cheap on those Tung Sols.:sigh:

 

[bricktop]

Yea I might have to look into that, if they have them for that size lamination. Sure beats the effort and cost of potting. Did you get some opts too?