Space-Tech Laboratory Super Rectifiers
- Thread starter opnly bafld
- Start date
Maybe they do, maybe they don't. You add a pile of 845s and 300Bs to your power supply, things are going to sound different. ;-) But let's say, for the sake of argument, that that these things do what they say they do. I mean, it's not a couple of diodes and a resistor. This is some heavy-duty filament supplies and caps and chassis and expensive tubes and what not.
Look, I can build a pair of Williamson monoblocks with quality OPTs, point-to-point wiring, custom hardwood base, $1500 including tubes. That's with retail off-the-shelf parts. Takes me about a week. Let's say word gets out that they're the bee's knees. What should I charge for them?
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Lavane
Lunatic Member
If all those claims were true, maybe. But the claims kind of read like hyperbole.
I get wanting a stiff well filtered power supply for hifi, but does it have to use such expensive componants? I would think going SS would be much cheaper.
Out of all my tube amps and preamps, only two amplifiers and one preamp use a tube rectifier. I don't want voltage sag in my hifi equipment.
I get wanting a stiff well filtered power supply for hifi, but does it have to use such expensive componants? I would think going SS would be much cheaper.
Out of all my tube amps and preamps, only two amplifiers and one preamp use a tube rectifier. I don't want voltage sag in my hifi equipment.
Yes, I agree, but that wasn't the question. ;-) The question was, why are they so expensive? My point is, whether they work or not, they clearly don't look cheap to build. I'm sure the markup is considerable, but we're talking about a custom piece aimed at well-heeled audiophiles with a yearning for show-off tweaks. The fact that they're a little off-beat is probably a plus. ;-)
The problem I have with his inventory is that, if every piece is essentially a one-off, how can a potential buyer know he or she is getting a consistent product? A Rogue amp is a Rogue amp. If a friend has one and you like it, you can buy the same thing. Here, you're just taking a stab at whatever he had on hand at the moment--or at least it looks that way. ;-)
Lavane
Lunatic Member
Thats somehing I've thought of also with these boutique equipment builders.
Especially if it needed to be sent back for repair. It may not be the same when it comes back due to availability of the parts used. Even with small shops, consistency should be important. Unless everything sold is being sold as one offs.
But do you want to spend a lot of money on a one off? Down the road it may be difficult to have repaired without some changes made to the circuit to get it going again because componants used are hard to find.
I have a couple pieces of equipment that can be considered boutique I guess, but we're built with easy to source replacement parts.
Especially if it needed to be sent back for repair. It may not be the same when it comes back due to availability of the parts used. Even with small shops, consistency should be important. Unless everything sold is being sold as one offs.
But do you want to spend a lot of money on a one off? Down the road it may be difficult to have repaired without some changes made to the circuit to get it going again because componants used are hard to find.
I have a couple pieces of equipment that can be considered boutique I guess, but we're built with easy to source replacement parts.
trainbuftony
Electron Herder
I imagine the builder gives a warranty of "send it back and I'll fix it" on these boutique items. That's what I give people with my one offs (which follow a plan and don't deviate much) if theres ever a problem I'll fix it, if it turns out to need a tube, I don't provide new tubes (Hey my name ain't Dave O Brien so foggeddaboudit)
I wish the guy the best of luck selling these "super rectifiers" I think the idea is sound (no pun intended) and can certainly remedy the effects of a cheap or inadequate power supply.
This is not the case of a solution looking for a problem as so many audio tweaks are. This could conceivably increase the performance of a lot of lower budget tube equipment.
I wish the guy the best of luck selling these "super rectifiers" I think the idea is sound (no pun intended) and can certainly remedy the effects of a cheap or inadequate power supply.
This is not the case of a solution looking for a problem as so many audio tweaks are. This could conceivably increase the performance of a lot of lower budget tube equipment.
1 month lead time is the word on the street (actually another forum).
unless it provides it's own HV winding, I don't see how it would do anything about an inadequate supply. If it does provide it's own HV supply, you'd need a different unit for each whatsit it pairs with to get the output voltage right. Definitely not a universal thing. Also you'd be limited in your rectifier selection by what filtering is on the unit already. If whats in the unit has big caps, not all rectifiers work with that.
FlaCharlie
Super Member
OK . . . but how many people with lower budget tube gear are going to be spending that kind of money on a power supply? I would think they would be much more likely to just put the money into a more expensive - and hopefully better - amp.
These are obviously marketed towards people with lots of cash who already own high end gear. And if their expensive, high end, gear has an inadequate power supply then they got taken. Which (sorry to be so cynical
) makes them perfect customers for even more, very expensive, "high end" gear.
maxhifi
Addicted Member
These are for the same guys who don't mind spending $1000+ on a set of interconnects, or expensive linear power supplies for a DAC or streamer. This isn't about watts per dollar, it's about having a hobby centered around spending money on gadgets that nobody else has, and frankly I think it checks the boxes.
I agree. ;-)
Pio1980
AK Member
No, just no.
FlaCharlie
Super Member
Some amps may have issues with voltage sag and I don't doubt that these units would alleviate the problem if it exists. But which amps are most likely to have such a problem?
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always been under the impression that:
SE amps, which are Class A by definition, and PP amps that are designed to run in Class A have very little variation in current draw and, as a result, rectifier sag would typically not be a problem, or at least not a serious problem.
And I suspect that a fairly large percentage of wealthy owners of very expensive "high end" tube gear own boutique SETs.
The PP amps that typically have a considerable amount of voltage sag are the ones that are routinely run very hard, such as guitar amps, where the sag is often considered to be desirable and part of their "sound".
A PP stereo amp, which is used for music re-production, is generally not operated close to full power output like a guitar amp is unless it's a very low power PP amp. And how many low power PP amps are expensive enough to appeal to those who own elite "high end" gear?
Don't PP (Class AB) amps stay in Class A at lower output levels and then transition into Class B at high power? If so, then the more powerful the amp the less time it's likely to spend in Class B where voltage sag would be more of an issue. At typical listening levels most amps are only putting out one watt or so and often less. Unless you listen to very dynamic music many PP amps may never actually run in Class B or, even if they do go into Class B on occasion, it's likely in short bursts that are perhaps less than a second in duration. Isn't that one of the main arguments in favor of high powered PP amps?
And I suspect that a fairly large percentage of wealthy owners of very expensive "high end" PP tube amps opt for high power designs.
Again, I may not understand all this very well, so please correct me if my interpretation is incorrect.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I've always been under the impression that:
SE amps, which are Class A by definition, and PP amps that are designed to run in Class A have very little variation in current draw and, as a result, rectifier sag would typically not be a problem, or at least not a serious problem.
And I suspect that a fairly large percentage of wealthy owners of very expensive "high end" tube gear own boutique SETs.
The PP amps that typically have a considerable amount of voltage sag are the ones that are routinely run very hard, such as guitar amps, where the sag is often considered to be desirable and part of their "sound".
A PP stereo amp, which is used for music re-production, is generally not operated close to full power output like a guitar amp is unless it's a very low power PP amp. And how many low power PP amps are expensive enough to appeal to those who own elite "high end" gear?
Don't PP (Class AB) amps stay in Class A at lower output levels and then transition into Class B at high power? If so, then the more powerful the amp the less time it's likely to spend in Class B where voltage sag would be more of an issue. At typical listening levels most amps are only putting out one watt or so and often less. Unless you listen to very dynamic music many PP amps may never actually run in Class B or, even if they do go into Class B on occasion, it's likely in short bursts that are perhaps less than a second in duration. Isn't that one of the main arguments in favor of high powered PP amps?
And I suspect that a fairly large percentage of wealthy owners of very expensive "high end" PP tube amps opt for high power designs.
Again, I may not understand all this very well, so please correct me if my interpretation is incorrect.
that would depend on why it happens though. If the rectifier alone is the problem, then yes. If the voltage out of the transformer is what dips under load or if it has something else in the current path that limits it, this won't help.
yep. AB output stages are where you see significant current swings.
Exactly where it starts to draw more power depends on how its biased initially. The higher the idle current, the wider the class A region is, and the more output power it will make before each tube is conducting for less than than all of the output wave.
PakProtector
AK member
SE has significant current variation. Its variation is a hair over 2x the idle current. PP Class A is a near constant; one turns on, one turns off...sum of the variation is near zero.
3B22 at 2.5V/6.25A is a fairly high power cathode...comparable to the late-era, colour TV dampers at 2.5A/6.3V and those can be very good as PS rectifiers.
cheers,
Douglas
3B22 at 2.5V/6.25A is a fairly high power cathode...comparable to the late-era, colour TV dampers at 2.5A/6.3V and those can be very good as PS rectifiers.
cheers,
Douglas
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