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Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier (Read 18053 times)
Dana
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Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
08/23/22 at 20:04:15
 
Retirement has afforded me a lot of time to explore stereo options.  I've never seen this before.  An external tube rectifier.


HiFi Cave review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ldwtuyWLq0&ab_channel=HifiCave


Space Tech super tube rectifier
http://www.thebestamp.com/Accessories/Super_Rectifiers.php
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Tom Waits:
And the newspapers were fooling,
And the ash-trays have retired
'Cause the piano has been drinking,
The piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking,
Not me, not me, not me, not me, not me
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will
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #1 - 08/23/22 at 22:39:55
 
Dana. Thanks for posting this. What a cool idea to use nice power tubes for a rectification circuit. I wonder what all is going on in there? The Hifi Cave review recordings are ridiculously bad through my headphone setup, but impressions from the cave man quite impressive. Interesting.
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Kamran
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #2 - 08/24/22 at 00:40:22
 
Loic started as a collaborator with Thomas and Stereo and later started his own channel. He’s good at it and recently posted a super positive review of the MK5. He’s also a big fan of OB speakers and Lii Audio F15 drivers, though he customized his build a bit.

I was not familiar with the concept of an external rectifier until yesterday and was wondering if other members had any experience with it?
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Lon
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worthless!"
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #3 - 08/24/22 at 02:52:32
 


Very interesting. . . .
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CAJames
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #4 - 08/24/22 at 03:20:37
 
Quote:
Posted by: will      Posted on: Yesterday at 22:39:55
... I wonder what all is going on in there...


Seriously. I don't get it, what does the rectifying? Is it a solid state rectifier with a power tube buffer? I looked all over the site for an explanation but I couldn't find anything. Did I miss something?
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tempest62
Ex Member



Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #5 - 08/24/22 at 03:54:52
 
Ok this really turned me off…..the vendor has this idiotic hippie hipster jack-assed statement at the bottom:

“Save the earth and save yourself, be a vegetarian and keep enjoying music for a long long time !!”

W…..TF

Unacceptable. Effin’ mo-ron.

Brad

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Dana
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #6 - 08/24/22 at 04:10:29
 
But how does it sound?  The only thing that really matters to HIFI
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Tom Waits:
And the newspapers were fooling,
And the ash-trays have retired
'Cause the piano has been drinking,
The piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking,
Not me, not me, not me, not me, not me
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tempest62
Ex Member



Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #7 - 08/24/22 at 04:15:23
 
Everything matters. The big picture matters even more than the small one in the brain.

They are interesting devices. Hats off the the designer/engineer(s).

But screw the shit for brains statement which is utterly offensive and beyond that, highly problematic. It matters. Principle matters. And dumb hippie shit ruins everything it touches.
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Kamran
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #8 - 08/24/22 at 04:36:51
 
I just love this forum.  Also, mental note to self “Don’t ever say hippie stuff to Brad”

Namaste
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Innuos Pulse-Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE R2R-Ic0n4 Autoformer Passive Pre-Sarah 300B SET Amp-ZBIT-Project Carbon Debut TT-Schiit Mani Phono-GIK Room Treatment-Caintuck Audio Magnum Baffles—Li Audio Fast 15 Drivers-P.I. Audio MajikBuss & Puritan PSM 156 Conditioners
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BicycleJoe Lo-Fi
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note, Just Listen

Posts: 534
Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #9 - 08/24/22 at 05:18:36
 
Thank you for being the person who always brings everyones attention to all the stupid shit here on this forum.
You always seem to be neck deep right in the middle of it.
Everyone needs a purpose in life. Its like a given, Stupid shit appears and there you are.

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"Once there was a note, pure and easy,playing so free like a breath rippling by,the note is eternal, I hear it, it sees me,forever we blend and forever we die".
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tempest62
Ex Member



Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #10 - 08/24/22 at 06:19:58
 
Tough guy reply aside, you’re very welcome. I’m glad for your thankfulness.  The rest is nonsense.
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Dana
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #11 - 08/24/22 at 08:05:48
 
I'm not sure you quite know the meaning of utterly offensive.  Benifits of vegetarianism doesn't even approach the bar,  Hate spewed in the name of self rightouness....BINGO.

AND I QUOTE "Effin’ mo-ron."

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Tom Waits:
And the newspapers were fooling,
And the ash-trays have retired
'Cause the piano has been drinking,
The piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking,
Not me, not me, not me, not me, not me
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Paul2
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #12 - 08/24/22 at 12:10:57
 
Plus one ^
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tempest62
Ex Member



Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #13 - 08/24/22 at 12:12:06
 
The benefits of vegetarianism isn’t the problem but I knew you wouldn’t get it either. The blind spot screams the obvious.

Disappointing, but not unexpected.
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tempest62
Ex Member



Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #14 - 08/24/22 at 12:17:21
 
The devices look like fun, but if you have mono blocks or a dual mono amp, you would need to buy 2 of them. Ouch.
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BicycleJoe Lo-Fi
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #15 - 08/24/22 at 12:59:57
 
The Height Of Audio Phoolery
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"Once there was a note, pure and easy,playing so free like a breath rippling by,the note is eternal, I hear it, it sees me,forever we blend and forever we die".
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jec3504
Ex Member



Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #16 - 08/24/22 at 13:48:51
 
This product sure does promise a lot.

Careful BicycleJoe Lo-Fi according to the Forum moderator insulting other members can get you banned. Quote:
Everyone needs a purpose in life. Its like a given, Stupid shit appears and there you are.


When I was four a wise man told me "Never trust a hippie".

Thanks Brad needed a good laugh this morning.

Peace and Love,

Joseph

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Mannytheseacow
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #17 - 08/24/22 at 14:56:52
 
"Careful BicycleJoe Lo-Fi according to the Forum moderator insulting other members can get you banned."

No worries!  When you get kicked off you just sign up again with a different name.

Isn't that right?

Lol.
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jec3504
Ex Member



Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #18 - 08/24/22 at 15:06:57
 
LOL Mannytheseacow,

Think the moderator can ban your I.P. address. Guess that could be worked around. Hate to see anyone kicked.
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will
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #19 - 08/24/22 at 15:09:24
 
Though potentially meant for a different thread, thanks Lon for nudging this thread back toward music rather than socio-political rubbish that has nothing to do with our musical quests!

It would be cool to see the inside of one of these rectifiers boxes.
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Lon
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worthless!"
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #20 - 08/24/22 at 15:16:59
 
I'd like to see the insides as well, and would like to know more about the operation of the biggest and baddest one.
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Dana
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #21 - 08/24/22 at 16:07:10
 
Oh I get it.  This is a thread about innovation like the ZRock. CAJames gets it.  he put forth an idea about how it could work.  

You owe me and the Decware community an apology.  You are hijacking my thread, like what the Qaedat al-Jihad  did to airplanes.

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Tom Waits:
And the newspapers were fooling,
And the ash-trays have retired
'Cause the piano has been drinking,
The piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking,
Not me, not me, not me, not me, not me
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BicycleJoe Lo-Fi
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It's all in one
note, Just Listen

Posts: 534
Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #22 - 08/24/22 at 16:14:03
 
My Audio Phoolery comment applies to the ONLY $1000 rectifier circuit

Direct order price for regular Aluminum top / bottom and plexiglass chassis
STR-104-Mk2 C$880 [US$ 792 only!] / STR-104-Mk2-Super C$1130 [US$ 1017 only!]

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"Once there was a note, pure and easy,playing so free like a breath rippling by,the note is eternal, I hear it, it sees me,forever we blend and forever we die".
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will
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #23 - 08/24/22 at 16:49:29
 
The prices caught me by surprise too just thinking about rectifiers. And though rectifier changes are big time in my setup, the Hifi Cave guy's comments made the sonic effects sound like way more than a rectifier. Along with options for a range of intersting tubes that are not made as rectifiers, but well loved, like CAJames, Dana, and Lon pointed to, it appears to be more than a straight forward rectifier circuit. So guessing it might be rectification with heightened lucidity and dynamic hits beyond great rectifiers alone (why I would love to see an internal pic).... Anyway, seems to me, from this limited information, like it might feel more like some of Steve's pre stages musically.
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Paul2
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #24 - 08/24/22 at 17:11:27
 
I expect that we will hear more about the product.

In my case I'll have to hear reviews from folks (that I trust) on this forum.  It just might be the cats meow, or more reptile lubricant.
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CAJames
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #25 - 08/24/22 at 17:50:01
 
I'm intrigued by his 300B SE amp with balanced inputs.
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Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
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Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Senn HD-650
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Lon
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"Love without
guts is
worthless!"
Philip K. Dick

Posts: 23307
Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #26 - 08/24/22 at 17:58:47
 
Perhaps we might one day learn Steve's opinion on these and how they might interface with the Decware components. It might be the cat's meow for the Sarah amp.
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Same Old DD
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #27 - 08/24/22 at 18:24:06
 
tempest62 wrote on 08/24/22 at 04:15:23:
Everything matters. The big picture matters even more than the small one in the brain.

They are interesting devices. Hats off the the designer/engineer(s).

But screw the shit for brains statement which is utterly offensive and beyond that, highly problematic. It matters. Principle matters. And dumb hippie shit ruins everything it touches.



Want a big picture perspective, Brad?

Every hostile vegan type is fooling themselves from the start.
Ever wondered what any plant that shows chlorophyll to the sun eats? Sugar conversions from the sun, but ... it takes more than the sun to get there.
Well, it's meat they eat mostly, whether in the form of worm or larval insect carcasses, bacterially processed bacteria colonies (the war is still going), reconfigured mammal carcasses, bones, fibers or collagen products of long dead animals, it's still meat. It takes several elements to make chlorophyll work and the abundance is from decaying animal matter.

Not the thick bloody rich, rare steaks I prefer, but all the plants all around us eat meat, too. If you eat plants, you are still consuming the meat of things that once had lips and faces and bones, in most cases.

Relax, pal. Those hippy types are just showing another side of just how little they actually know about Big Picture things.

Get a grip, then let it go.
Grin
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Same Old DD
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #28 - 08/24/22 at 18:34:06
 
So how does this work, guys. You have part of your power supply remote and tube driven.
I have a couple of older products with remote power supplies and there are reasons.

Someone mentioned solid state rectifying and tube something, but why would you need two rectifier systems for one power suppliy?
What is this?

Anyone have anything to add? Not much to the articles.

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BicycleJoe Lo-Fi
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Posts: 534
Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #29 - 08/24/22 at 23:05:19
 
Quote:
impressions from the cave man quite impressive. Interesting.


From him I understood it is truly UNBELIEVABLE.

Impression were Impressive ? got it. I understand completely?

Personally my impressions of the caveman is he doesn't have much to add except meaningless adjectives. Where his first test he ran it through Bluetooth, his second time played an MP3.

$UPREME $UPER DUPER$

My Impressions of the STR-1003 Supreme Super Tube Rectifier is add in the price of A pair of Western Electric 300B tubes and it costs 5K, IT IS NOT a  bargain

Direct order price
C$4,080 for regular chassis [US$ 3672 only!]"


Remember the Zen DESIGN philosophy Steve likes to have parts left over when he does a design, NOT add TWO more chassis AND a longer signal path to his design.

PS Psvane is derived from Shuguang. LINLAI is a derived from Psvane. It is no surprise to see some similarities across their tube offerings, since the engineers are hopping from one employer to another. Each brand has its own core offering:  

More info https://premiumvacuumtubes.com/who-is-linlai-tubes/

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"Once there was a note, pure and easy,playing so free like a breath rippling by,the note is eternal, I hear it, it sees me,forever we blend and forever we die".
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CAJames
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #30 - 08/24/22 at 23:34:44
 
Quote:
Posted by: Same Old DD      Posted on: Today at 18:34:06
So how does this work, guys. You have part of your power supply remote

Someone mentioned solid state rectifying and tube something, but why would you need two rectifier systems for one power suppliy?


Where do you see two rectifiers? I see power tubes. This box replaces the rectifier in your amp so there must either be a solid state rectifier in the box or somehow he hijacks power pentodes to do rectification, which means he knows way more about tubes than I do, and probably all of us put together.
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[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
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Dana
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #31 - 08/25/22 at 00:35:29
 
CAJames you're probably right.  In the HIFI Cave video he showed an option to bypass the tubes with a switch. So it's a tube rectifier buffer???

Peoples minds are amazing.

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Tom Waits:
And the newspapers were fooling,
And the ash-trays have retired
'Cause the piano has been drinking,
The piano has been drinking
The piano has been drinking,
Not me, not me, not me, not me, not me
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Same Old DD
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Posts: 1057
Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #32 - 08/25/22 at 01:29:23
 
Thanks, CAJ.
I'm mainly looking for the benefits and trying to understand the Why and How. But I need the What, first.

Everyone knows more about audiophilia than I and most know more about internal electronics regarding tubes, so forgive the "childmind" questions please.
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CAJames
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red light on memory
lane."

Posts: 1589
Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #33 - 08/25/22 at 01:41:36
 
I think I want to change my answer. Now I'm guessing this is basically an external tube regulated power supply. So instead of feeding the power supply in the amp the high ripple DC output from the rectifier you feed it with super smooth tube regulated DC from this box. So the amp's PS has almost no work to do, and the power that hits your tubes is double extra filtered.
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[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Senn HD-650
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Yakatak
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #34 - 08/25/22 at 06:00:19
 
The model of the unit Loic is "reviewing" is a STR 1001 MK2. This model is not listed on the Space-Tech Laboratory website.  Must be a prototype?
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Lon
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #35 - 08/25/22 at 11:02:13
 
CAJames wrote on 08/25/22 at 01:41:36:
I think I want to change my answer. Now I'm guessing this is basically an external tube regulated power supply. So instead of feeding the power supply in the amp the high ripple DC output from the rectifier you feed it with super smooth tube regulated DC from this box. So the amp's PS has almost no work to do, and the power that hits your tubes is double extra filtered.


That analysis makes sense, thanks for sharing.

His "subwoofer synthesizer" also looks interesting. If it actually works as advertised I think it would be an amazing thing in my system. Sure is expensive though.
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JBzen
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #36 - 08/25/22 at 11:11:26
 
I was thinking on the same lines CAJames.
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Same Old DD
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #37 - 08/25/22 at 12:45:49
 
That does make more sense, CAJ.

Thanks.

But, Lon, subwoofer?
The music you listen to mostly has no sub bass content, or rarely ever did.
I don't know if you're joshin' a little or if your hat's on too tight.
Wink
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Lon
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worthless!"
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Posts: 23307
Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #38 - 08/25/22 at 12:48:22
 
I have bass and sub-bass issues in my room that the ZROCK2 helps with. (I don't always chronicle what I listen to and I do listen to a bit of organ music that I think would benefit as well as some other). I can't do room treatment. It would be fun to play around with this device, but I won't be able to afford it so it's a moot point.
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HR-1,ZTPRE,ZBIT,ZROCK2,SEWE300B,CSP3-25mod,Taboo MkIV;Rega RP3 all GrooveTracer mods;PSAudio:PST+DSD,P15,NPC,PowerBases,AC-12 pwr cbls,Reference spkrcbls;Mapleshade SamsonV3;VooDoo:Cremona+Amati interconnects, IsoPods; headphones:Sennheiser HD800S,ZMF Ori,Oppo PM1
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Same Old DD
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #39 - 08/25/22 at 13:17:35
 
Gotcha. I HAD to make the hat joke though.
I listen to organ music as well, but rarely post about it. I have some nice releases, but it is almost like my secret love of bagpipes.
I generally keep it to myself because there does not seem to be very much of that blood flowing these days.
My way of being a gentleman.

Grin

ZRock is at the top of my list, when things settle a bit.
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Earthbound
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #40 - 08/25/22 at 13:40:05
 
Interesting claim that the entry level makes 30%-80% improvement and that gets higher as you go up. Entry level at $1100 or so isn’t too bad. Could you test how effective this is by using the MK5 or mono blocks? I assume since they have a left and right channel you would need 2 of these things, one for each side. Could you hook just one up and try to see what that does for that side?
Some big claims made. Would love to hear Steve’s input.
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #41 - 08/25/22 at 15:41:06
 
Quote:
Posted by: Earthbound      Posted on: Today at 13:40:05

Interesting claim that the entry level makes 30%-80% improvement and that gets higher as you go up. Entry level at $1100 or so isn’t too bad. Could you test how effective this is by using the MK5 or mono blocks? I assume since they have a left and right channel you would need 2 of these things, one for each side. Could you hook just one up and try to see what that does for that side?


Indeed. Note that you get a 15 day "trial" where you can return it for your money back less 10%. So I nominate you to try it out

In other news I think I'm going to buy his (used) balanced 300B amp. So that will be fun to compare to my UFOs.
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[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Senn HD-650
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Earthbound
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #42 - 08/25/22 at 16:29:49
 
Well thank you. I’ve never been nominated for anything before!😂🥳
If you can get Steve to put me to the front of the list for the MK5/zma (not sure which one yet), I will buy one tomorrow! Or 2 I think!
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #43 - 08/25/22 at 16:50:08
 
Nice move on the 300B.
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BicycleJoe Lo-Fi
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #44 - 08/25/22 at 18:31:06
 
Quote:
In other news I think I'm going to buy his (used) balanced 300B amp. So that will be fun to compare to my UFOs.
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Now that really sounds interesting
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #45 - 08/26/22 at 00:51:31
 
In response to will's phrase: "impressions from the cave man quite impressive. Interesting."

From BicycleJoe Reply #29

"From him I understood it is truly UNBELIEVABLE.

Impression were Impressive ? got it. I understand completely?

Personally my impressions of the caveman is he doesn't have much to add except meaningless adjectives. Where his first test he ran it through Bluetooth, his second time played an MP3.
.....
Remember the Zen DESIGN philosophy Steve likes to have parts left over when he does a design, NOT add TWO more chassis AND a longer signal path to his design."


I am with you, these recordings for system input, and recordings of the room sound, are a distraction. And for me the same with his style of presentation. But he has been one of the folks Thomas & Stereo uses to test gear Thomas is reviewing, Thomas apparently trusting his listening skills, experience and system/room. I get the impression Thomas is pretty real, and his using this guy's setup and discernment tends to point to some credibility for me. Also, the few I have seen, the hifi cave guy with Thomas, or Thomas conveying hifi cave guy's impressions to broaden our view beyond Thomas', his comments tended to make more sense in that context. So though I don't have much experience with this guy, I do imagine he is describing real things.

I get it though. This video assumes we know and trust his system/room, listening skills, and experience, without a lot of evidence from the video to support that trust.

Relative to your thoughts on Steve's purest design approach, as he is working on a new design, I completely get that simpler can be better.... that is, if all the parts, and wires, and design relatively purely convey the recording in its completeness, which Steve obviously strives for and gets. I also get from Steve that when "it" is not enough, it is not enough, and he reworks the design until is sounds right. And sometimes this can take more. Like his addition of some ZRock tech into the Sarah, or offering bypass mods (that are now sometimes built in to new designs). In these cases, more is more. Also he has his string of pre stages, many of which he seems to use himself much of the time, so again, more of the right things can be more for musical expression in a good system and room. Just saying the broader context is important to me in these deliberations.

Similarly, having played a lot with mods and cable making, I can't avoid how much part sounds effect design sounds. It is just really obvious once the right better part/wire replaces a little lesser quality ones. A lot of subtle masks and veils solved together can really add up if parts allow complete sound on their own, and if they all go together to compliment one another. Then I can get how as little as possible can be "better," but also, upgrading a bunch of parts done well can leave room for more extra good parts or cables while still having a purer signal presentation than stock.

I think simpler synergy can be even more important if parts are good but not quite as complete for purity of musical presentation... each part being a little less transparent and fast, adds up too. Clearly in this case, if we upgrade a bunch of those parts with musical discernment, that original design will be more pure, and allow more flexibility, while retaining musical transparency and speed...  For example, even with Steve's really well conceived designs that use quite musical and transparent parts combinations, replacing some with a more transparent set of RCAs, well designed UPOCC internal signal cables, and a more complete sounding attenuator, quite notably increases transparency and musicality of the amp altogether... from the RCAs to tubes, letting more complete and complex information from the recording through. In this case, that could leave room for more parts, especially if they are really good wires or parts, and still be ahead of my stock amp in purity if done well.

I feel like I can say these things because I have done hundreds of experiments at this point with all the usual stuff we get into, and a steady stream of progressive modifications, including loads on my Decware. Also I have done many power, IC, speaker, digital, and power cable iterations. And I learn from what I have heard from seemingly countless comparisons of parts and wires while doing these pretty methodical modifications and explorations.

I got inspired by VyoKyong's ZMA modifications a long time ago, so started half-heartedly collecting parts on sale, and finally getting my nerve up to go inside the gear, started doing some experiments on my Torii MKIV in the fall of 2016. Power supply bypassing was a big 1st interest, in part because I had a lot of low value caps around I had tested in my speakers as bypasses on the tweeter caps. I loved the clarifying effects from the ones that worked best, more complexity and speed while being able to tune subtle beauty in tonally. So I wanted to see if the power supply would benefit similarly, and it did, being able to hear pretty close to the same cap characteristics in the power supply as on the tweeters or in the signal path.

Below is one of the first pics I took of the Torii IV modifications, not thinking to document earlier experiments until several months after getting going. Though there are some upgraded parts in this pic, it looks about like stock, but you have to imagine it without the Jupiter Copper coupling caps that replaced the Jupiter HTs, the HTs becoming power supply bypasses. Also, the bigger Mundorf Supremes (black) having replaced pretty good sounding, but not as good sounding 3.3 uF caps; and all the little bypass caps on top of the Mundorfs and the stock grey and black IC electrolytic caps. Anyway, I hope the stock "bones" can be imagined in this pic. And though I am not using most of these particular caps now, this was a remarkable upgrade at this point for this amp....

From this and later experiences, I learned that the power is really the heart of these amps, and the better the power is at making recordings resolved, transparent, and musically dynamic/immediate, the better the amp.

Based on all this, these Super Rectifiers, by appearances, also being a lot about power supply purification and enhancement, if done really well, I suspect they could potentially be pretty amazing "additions" to nice gear, as the cave guy said. To me, conceptually, some really good power supply and signal path work in these components could well enhance our power supply qualities, while introducing cool tubes to our overall sound for tuning to personal tastes...conceptually anyway.

To illustrate further how more can be more in the right context, the 2nd image below is a current version of the MKIV, now about six years into pretty steady, relatively methodical explorations. By now lots and lots of parts are upgraded, a number of values changed, and a load of bypasses are used about everywhere I could find that is relevant. To me, without doubt, in this case, way more is way better, the amp having many more parts than stock. A rough count gave me about 22 more parts on each channel, mostly small bypass caps. A fun trip so far, and clearly not about production the way I did it one or two parts at a time, but it sounds amazing. Needs some tuning from the last cap changes that I can hear now that they are all burned in, but close.

Just some views on purity of the musical presentation that suggest these Super Rectifiers could potentially be beautiful "additions" with the right gear, power, and cables.

Sorry, I can't figure out how to make these pics fit right. Any tips?



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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #46 - 08/26/22 at 01:02:08
 
Quote:
Posted by: will      Posted on: Today at 00:51:31
... I can't figure out how to make these pics fit right. Any tips?


The last pic I posted I resized to 640x480ish and it fit nicely.

HTH
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[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Senn HD-650
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #47 - 08/26/22 at 01:09:52
 
Thanks CAJ. Very helpful info. Come to think of it though, these pics already losing clarity, I wonder if that would be better in this case, so much going on? What do you think?
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All Modified: Balanced Transformer-DIY Strip/Shunyata Defender-RevolutionMacMini/Amarra-KTE Singxer/Gustardx20pro-ZBIT-CSP3-OldChen 300B/845, Torii IV, Simple Wave 300B-HR1/SVS Micro3000sub-Pi PCs-DIY PCs, ICs, USB, I2S, Speaker-SR and aluminum w ball bearing feet
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CAJames
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #48 - 08/26/22 at 01:54:34
 
I think you should try it and see how it looks. In general lower res "looks" sharper.
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[FOOBAR2000 | Jay's CDT2 MRK3] -> Denafrips Terminator 2 + Gaia
Sumiko Pearwood -> Mapleknoll Athena -> Luxman SUT -> Maple-tree Phono 3E
Woo WA22 -> 2x UFO25s, balanced monos
Omega SAM , Hifiman Arya, Senn HD-650
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will
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Re: Ultimate for tube rollers- External tube rectifier
Reply #49 - 08/26/22 at 02:24:18
 
These are 720 wide and fit here. There?
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All Modified: Balanced Transformer-DIY Strip/Shunyata Defender-RevolutionMacMini/Amarra-KTE Singxer/Gustardx20pro-ZBIT-CSP3-OldChen 300B/845, Torii IV, Simple Wave 300B-HR1/SVS Micro3000sub-Pi PCs-DIY PCs, ICs, USB, I2S, Speaker-SR and aluminum w ball bearing feet
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