Hot Weather Tube Based System AKA Analog Room #1

[kcline]

I have had this SET 45 amp for around 6 or 7 weeks, not much power but on the right recordings WOW. The Hot weather part is this amp does not get hot I can touch the output tubes while playing, the Fisher 400-C pre, also does not get hot.

 

[kappclark]

Have the fan going in order to cool off the room, currently being heated by a Fisher 400 ... might even switch on the A/c but find it can be too noisy (masking the sweet tube sound ) BTW - what is the rack on left ? did you build that ?

 

[Rome]

Very nice setup!

Rome

 

[kcline]

The rack, no I did not built it.

 

[Nightwisher]

Sweet!

 

[kcline]

With the weather still around 90 + or big thunder storms going on everyday, I am only playing this system, although I will be changing back to the Heathkit Mono blocks that you can see behind the SET amp on each side. I have not played the Heathkits since I placed the SET amp in system. For the pass 3 or 4 weeks I have also been trying different pairs of 12AX7 in the Fisher 400-C phono stage, you can see some of the tubes in front of my Mac. MR-78. I have in that pile or did have, Tele smooth and ribbed plate, Mullard short and long plate, Amperex Bugle Boys Holland Fisher and GE 7058 AKA 12AX7 mobile use rated, I had never heard these in any audio amp, darn good sounding, seem to have a little less gain then the others, I am still not sure which pair I like the best, most of the time I have Telefunken Smooth Plate 12AX7 in those sockets, they say "Fisher". I have Mullard IEC short plates in now, sound great. All but the GE 7054s are used tested good tubes all run nice and quiet when used with my Ortofon 2M Red cart that came with Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC table. I have had no noise problems with any 12AX7 that tested good, if a tube dealer tells you that only NOS tubes work well in this Fisher 400-C phono stage they are wrong and for price some are charging for NOS stock versus used tested good, well its your money spend it as you see fit

 

[kcline]

Over the weekend I removed the 45 SET amp and reconnected the Heathkit W-3AM Williamson Mono amps back. Still have nice wide soundstage with good center depth but not as nice as the SET, but now I can play R&R again without it sounding compressed. Vocals are still very nice and with the extra power this amp is just a more universal can play more recordings with better sound levels. I need to add better speaker connections to the Cornwall's so I can change amps to use best amp for the recordings I am playing, it is very hard to beat the SET amp on acoustic music.