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SinglePower: the amp for Grados ONLY. Help please


deepak

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I felt really bad hijacking humanflyz thread so I've created this seperately. I've done plenty of searching at the other place.

I have heard reks amp with the grado HP-2 and PS-1. This pairing was much better than any setup I had when I owned my HP-1's. I especially liked the PS-1's with the sylvania 5687's he had in the amp.

I have heard the standard ppx3-6cg7 with my grado SR-225's and recently HF-1's. I really liked that combo and I didnt feel it was underpowered with the middling grados. But the SLAM upgrade takes the sound quality of these two headphones up a notch without a doubt.

The AKG K701 is a bear to drive and the SLAM PPX3 sounded great with the 701's. Using 6sn7's in my MPX3's I could get the MPX3 to clip with 701's. The same amp would not clip at any level I could tolerate with 5687's as the outputs.

The higher power tubes like the 5687 and the 6bl7gt/a and 6bx7gt make a definite difference driving low impedence headphones. the 6bl7gt/a's in particular can do everything the 6sn7 can do in the soundstage department while offering so much more speed, bass kick, and dynamics.

Earl one of your posts from Headfi.

Just doing some searching for uber Grado amps. I'm convinced the 6BL7GT/A is the way (if this will provide tons of current for the Grados) I want to go, unless there is a more high current tube that can be stuck in the MPX3 without driving the costs to Supra levels.

Out of everything I'm looking for in a tube amp bass slam, and bass control is probably the most important thing for me. I'd like tight controlled bass with excellent attack and decay. And uh...don't mess with the Grado midrange too much please :laugh: Soundstage is not really that important.

Without going the full blown MPX3 SE, what would be a more affordable spec'ed MPX3 that would take full advantage of those tubes? This will also have the preamp option added. Once I get more serious I will definitely give Mikhail a call.

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Actually I'm quite in the dark right now. I need to read up a lot more about these newer tube configs before I can form anything resembling intelligent :-X

I guess if you could ask him about an MPX3 (or PPX3) config optimized for high end Grados using either the 5687/6BL7GT/6BL7GTA or combinations of those tubes without getting all the upgrades in the MPX3 SE. Also running the latter 2 tubes at higher voltage to get the most out of them? I can't quite spend $2200 on a full out MPX3 SE, but I really need an amp to use just with Grados.

God damn that meet has a nice lineup of equipment.

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i really think the stock PPX3 Slam with good tubes is excellent with Grados.

No doubt I loved the pairing with an RS-1. Still I'd like to get every last bit of performance that I can, and I think they're capable of more bass. It did have excellent impact.

The 6BL7GT/A sounds very interesting as a high current tube, and I think the added transparency of the MPX would be a plus as well. I have read the MPX is more laid back...thats the only thing I'm not sure I'd like.

Well, any meet with neilvg is going to have some fucking nice equipment. Ha, my K1000 setup will probably look mid-fi next to his. O0

O0

Damnit! Should have added this to the first post...the Grado I'm going to be using will be the........

......

....

..

.

Grado HP-2 >:D

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I know of a certain MPX3 Slam that might be needing a new home shortly and it has some nice goodies to boot! >:D >:D>:D

-MPX3 slam

-Loop Out

-Solen Stage 1 upgrade

-6sn7 sockets

-Supra Transformer

(Includes all supportive circuitry for this transformer in power supply)

(Larger regulator, higher power caps/resistors, additional stage of filtration)

-Blackgate capacitors

Yummy with Grados.

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Earl has sent me a PM suggesting the PPX3 using large transformers that will be able to use the 6BL7GT at high voltage

Yeah thats really a pretty good recommendation, my PPX3 Slam with the Plitron transformer sounds fantastic with the bl7 and bx7's at high voltage. You can always upgrade other parts at a later date if you want.

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Yeah thats really a pretty good recommendation, my PPX3 Slam with the Plitron transformer sounds fantastic with the bl7 and bx7's at high voltage. You can always upgrade other parts at a later date if you want.

Could you list out all the uprgades you have? Thanks

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I don't want to speak for Tkam directly, so if anything I say is wrong, he can correct me.

From the conversation I had with Earl a while back, he said all you need to run the 6BLTGT/A tubes in a PPX is to upgrade the transformer and have Mikhail use octal tube sockets. Also, Earl suggested upping the voltage and bias on the PPX. I was planning on getting that setup, but I found a pair of K1000s and have been in a rebuilding mode ever since. I will ask Mikhail how much this config will cost.

Also, I think Tkam's amp runs the tubes at a higher voltage and higher bias than the stock PPX, is that correct?

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I don't want to speak for Tkam directly, so if anything I say is wrong, he can correct me.

From the conversation I had with Earl a while back, he said all you need to run the 6BLTGT/A tubes in a PPX is to upgrade the transformer and have Mikhail use octal tube sockets. Also, Earl suggested upping the voltage and bias on the PPX. I was planning on getting that setup, but I found a pair of K1000s and have been in a rebuilding mode ever since. I will ask Mikhail how much this config will cost.

Also, I think Tkam's amp runs the tubes at a higher voltage and higher bias than the stock PPX, is that correct?

That is correct.

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I don't want to speak for Tkam directly, so if anything I say is wrong, he can correct me.

From the conversation I had with Earl a while back, he said all you need to run the 6BLTGT/A tubes in a PPX is to upgrade the transformer and have Mikhail use octal tube sockets. Also, Earl suggested upping the voltage and bias on the PPX. I was planning on getting that setup, but I found a pair of K1000s and have been in a rebuilding mode ever since. I will ask Mikhail how much this config will cost.

Also, I think Tkam's amp runs the tubes at a higher voltage and higher bias than the stock PPX, is that correct?

Awesome thanks. With the preamp option as well ;)

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No special adapters are needed to run the bl7/bx7? Voltage adjustment?

You can have mikhail use octal sockets and you won't need any adapters. In my amp they are run at a higher voltage (375V) I'm not sure about the bias to be honest.

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Guest sacd lover

You can have mikhail use octal sockets and you won't need any adapters. In my amp they are run at a higher voltage (375V) I'm not sure about the bias to be honest.

The voltage makes more difference than the bias. You can get the tubes sounding very good at 300 volts by increasing the bias. But for the "magic" .... high voltage is the answer. I have been thinking if there is a way to use a seperate power supply and put the 6528's in a SLAM PPX3. There is no way two big transformers would fit on a SLAM PPX3 chassis.

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Guest sacd lover

I do believe you could do that but there would also be a number of changes to the circuit that would need to be done.

I know there would be changes. I guess I meant doing a SLAM amp with the 6528's without creating an entirely new amp. Rumor has it there may be some 6c33 adapters for the 6528 amps. ;D

The option would be nice although the nos 6528 is likely a better sounding tube. The 6c33 can be a little unrefined and rough sounding at the top.

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