New Pete Millett/TTVJ amp - Apex Teton

[shellylh]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/683115/the-apex-high-fi-audio-teton

 

http://www.ttvjaudio.com/Apex_High_Fi_Audio_Teton_Preamp_and_Headphone_amp_p/aaa0000020.htm

 

 

 

The Apex Teton - NEW from Apex High Fi Audio and TTVJAudio! Come to RMAF CanJam and be one of the first to hear it!!!

The Apex Teton is a single-ended output-transformer-less (OTL) vacuum tube preamplifier and headphone amp.  Its roots lie in the Wheatfield Audio HA-2 from nearly 15 years ago.  While similar, it is far superior to the original design.  Retaining the same tube compliment and amplifier topology, it has been greatly improved through the use of a better power supply and higher quality components throughout.

The all-tube Teton uses a single voltage amplification stage followed by a current amplification stage.   There are no transformers in the direct signal path, and only one coupling capacitor*.   To provide low noise and solid bass response, the Teton uses a vacuum-tube rectifier and a multi-stage LC filter.

Like other Apex tube headphone amps, the input stage uses the venerable 6SN7 tube, often regarded as the best tube ever made for audio voltage amplification.  The power stage uses a 6080 dual triode, which can optionally be replaced with a number of other power tubes like the 7236, 5998, or 6528, tailoring the sound to the owner’s headphones and musical preferences.  This combination, along with massive polypropylene output capacitors, gives the Teton a powerful sound along with the musicality that only a single-ended tube amp can give.

The Teton is a fully unbalanced, single-ended amplifier.  The input and output selections are made via a front panel switches, which activate relays that are strategically located to keep the signal path direct and pure.

Like other Apex products, the Teton is designed and hand-built in the USA, using high quality components sourced largely from the US and Japan.  

Specifications

Tube complement: Input - 6SN7.   Output - 6080 standard (optionally 6AS7, 7236, 5998, or 6528).  Rectifier - 5U4GB standard (many options possible, including GZ34/5AR4, GZ37, etc.)

Inputs:  Three unbalanced RCA connectors

Line output:  One unbalanced RCA connector

Volume control:  High quality TKD potentiometer

Headphone output: 1/4" TRS unbalanced.   Can drive loads from 16 ohms and up

Dimensions:  17" wide x 7" tall x 11" deep 

Power:  120V or 240V, 50/60Hz


* Regardless of what some people may have you think, the power supply circuitry as well as any bypass capacitors are actually also in the AC signal path.  Even though they are not as critical as components like coupling capacitors, because of this, only high-quality capacitors

Edited September 25, 2013 by shellylh

[blessingx]

Interesting. For those curious...

Our Price: $5,000.00

[shellylh]

I bet the fact that it is "fully unbalanced" will keep people from buying it.   

[johnwmclean]

Unbalanced is a turn off, especially if your already all balanced up. But that's one heck of nice looking amplifier.

[shellylh]

Evidently I cannot spell Millett correctly.  Could a mod change the title to the correct spelling? 

[n_maher]

Evidently I cannot spell Millett correctly.  Could a mod change the title to the correct spelling? 

Done.

 

Also, based on recent discussions surrounding the HD800 I'd wager that this stands a good chance of being an excellent amp for those cans.

[Dusty Chalk]

I bet the fact that it is "fully unbalanced" will keep people from buying it.   

One could always buy two...

[Knuckledragger]

Evidently I cannot spell Millett correctly.  

 

I have a HeadRoom product I should show some time...

[kevin gilmore]

unlike some other product we have been discussing recently, sure looks built really nice

with premium grade parts. especially the output caps. and since this is basically a singlepower

extreme done to the extreme, its going to kick ass for high impedance headphones.

 

cathode resistors are visible and are bolted to the heatsinks.

 

betcha no ground loops inside this thing.

 

sure looks to be leaning a bit to the left however. I wonder why that is.

Edited September 25, 2013 by kevin gilmore

[n3rdling]

Done.

 

Also, based on recent discussions surrounding the HD800 I'd wager that this stands a good chance of being an excellent amp for those cans.

I think so too.  This looks pretty similar to the Menace (half the tubes) and that's one of maybe 3 amps I've ever enjoyed the HD800 on.

[nikongod]

[joke]

Its a shame its not balanced, I have a hard time believing Pete would stoop so low as to build something that looks really pretty, and knowing what it is based on probably sounds realllllly nice with the HD800 without conforming to non-tech-peoples' preconceived notions. 

[/joke]

 

 

sure looks to be leaning a bit to the left however. I wonder why that is.

 

Photographer was not perfectly squared up with the amp and we have perspective distortion. 

 

The reason the ""45* view" shot works so well for so many things is that it works from about 30-60*. Just get in that general area and fire. perfectly straight shots of things with hard lines need to be perfectly straight, like within a few degrees. 

[Dusty Chalk]

sure looks to be leaning a bit to the left however. I wonder why that is.

Politically, or otherwise?  Aye keed, aye keed...

[kevin gilmore]

I was making a joke about the weight distribution

[CarlSeibert]

[joke]

Its a shame its not balanced, I have a hard time believing Pete would stoop so low as to build something that looks really pretty, and knowing what it is based on probably sounds realllllly nice with the HD800 without conforming to non-tech-peoples' preconceived notions.

[/joke].

Oh! "Fully unbalanced" refers to the AMP! I thought maybe it meant, well, us.

[complin]

I was making a joke about the weight distribution

 

All the heavy stuff on the left. Might prove a little unstable depending on its centre of gravity?

Personally I prefer a more symmetrical layout 

[n_maher]

Personally I prefer a layout that favors function over form, which this does.  I think Innerfidelity needs to review this amp.

[Pars]

^ don't you mean function over form?

 

EDIT: or form follows function? not sure how you say this in a PC manner

Edited September 26, 2013 by Pars

[n_maher]

Yes, of course.

[tkam]

Finally a good reason to pull my 6528 collection out of storage!

[complin]

Personally I prefer a layout that favors function over form, which this does.  I think Innerfidelity needs to review this amp.

 

Agree; but that should not mean you have sacrifice this for aesthetics. Good "industrial" design can be very attractive indeed  

[n_maher]

I'd argue that the amp in question is attractive.

[complin]

I'd argue that the amp in question is attractive.

 

Well as they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

 

Personally I thinks its butt ugly given it costs $5,000.

Would not get SWMBO approval in most houses 

Perhaps a perforated metal cage over the top to cover it up like a power amp might be an improvement?  

Edited September 26, 2013 by complin

[jpelg]

Classic Wheatfield HA-2:

 

Layout seem to be the mirror opposite:

 

What is that heat sink dissipating?

 

I love that the headphone jack label explictly says "UNBAL OUT"

[luvdunhill]

Look at the PCB photo and compare.

[grawk]

I think it looks great. Certainly better than most of the current alternatives.