| I just bought an ASUSA single-ended amp not delivered yet [message #10599] |
Mon, 03 May 2004 10:52  |
akhilesh
Messages: 1275
Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (3rd Degree) |
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Antique sound usa amp. with 5 db negative feedback..one 12ax7 tube and 2 el84s in SET mode.
Basically got it very cheap used of course, and am going to upgrade it with nicer caps, and do some tube rolling. it gives 4 watts per channel, and i am eagre to compare it to the zen se84C i have. They use the same tubes (well almost: the zen uses sv83 output). Except the zen has no negative feedback, and gives out 1.5 watts per channel. The output tubes on the zen last about a year, on this one they last maybe two years. SO i figure: a) i can upgrade to NOS outputs on this one unlike the zen, and b) the negative feedback may give me more slam... not sure.. i'll let you all know. Oh.. it uses solid state rectification too.. so i may upgrade the diodes as well...
Eager to hear how this baby will sound after upgrades.
Keep you all informed. IN the meantime, if anyone has suggestions, tips on upgrading...do jump in.
-akhilesh
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| Re: I just bought an ASUSA single-ended amp not delivered yet [message #10603 is a reply to message #10602] |
Mon, 03 May 2004 13:53  |
akhilesh
Messages: 1275
Registered: May 2009
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Illuminati (3rd Degree) |
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Thanx Wayne. How about this thursday or Friday?
Assuming the amp works fine when i get it, i was going to listen to it in comparison with the zen, and then:I was going to go with auric or some other metal film caps, and the critical resistors. Tube rolling, esp. when the tubes are going to last, is always cool. What i like is that it uses el84s and 12ax7s, which are plentiful, and has decent quality external parts. In terms of output trannies, the amp is down to 35Hz -1 db, so i am not going to mess with them...as you said they cost too much. This is purely low cost fun here!
A review of this amp on TNT-audio said it has a slight harshness to the sound on very rare passages like solo violin (compared to other mor eexpensive SETs). The review also said it had great bass.
Reviews on audioreview say this is a great SET, and only the zen triode sounds better.... i am curious if the zen will indeed sound better after i mod the caps & roll tubes...
ANyways, for whta it cost, it is worth keeping asa second amp!
-akhilesh
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| Re: I just bought an ASUSA single-ended amp not delivered yet [message #10604 is a reply to message #10603] |
Mon, 03 May 2004 16:14 |
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Wayne Parham
Messages: 18793
Registered: January 2001
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Illuminati (33rd Degree) |
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Wednesday or Thurday would be great, I'll plan to stop by. Do you have any speaker projects planned for this summer? What about tube amp kits? My plate is full, Full, FULL with all my π stuff. I even have a phono stage kit, new and in the unopened box, and I probably won't have a chance to mess with it 'till fall. Maybe late summer. I can't believe how busy I've allowed myself to become.
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