Donald North Audio — Owners Thread

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Huxleigh, Aug 12, 2016.

  1. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    Thank you Donald. On the website, they are listed as 2A3s, but I will call them and not use in case I have to return. I just wanted some not quite as good as the single plates.
     
  2. m17xr2b

    m17xr2b Friend

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    To be fair it doesn't look like a 50, a mistype maybe but then again at only 47mA(78%) and 50mA(83%) they're not N(ew)OS but good used.

    Enjoy and be careful, don't run any weird rectifiers with these beauties.
     
  3. Donald North

    Donald North Friend

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    AA7CD55B-D104-4BE3-A83F-EC7B63DF31BE.jpeg
    I know how and have made type 50 amps and they sound fantastic, different from the 2A3, but need real estate = monoblocks

    You may want to keep them for a future project
     
  4. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    If I have to return them, I might as well get another pair of single plates.
     
  5. Donald North

    Donald North Friend

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    The original 50s had a globe envelope; later one’s used a ST-16 (2A3 like) and ST-19 (300B like) glass.

    Brent tests tubes differently from the data sheets so it’s possible they may be new/as-new
     
  6. m17xr2b

    m17xr2b Friend

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    Bigger is better?
    [​IMG]
     
  7. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

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    I caved and decided to spend more than $20 on cheap tubes. Have started reading and found some good info so far. Went through the various 6N1P and 5U4G I have and compared them as well (already compared 2A3 in past) as I've never done a more detailed/organized comparison of them together before.

    Surprisingly to me, although the rectifier doesn't make a big difference in sound, having the right rectifier with the right input tube did make just enough of a subtle difference here/there that some combos were "a great amp" and other combos were "a great amp with that magic touch". Unsurprisingly to me, no one 6N1P tube was really better than the other in all scenarios - it really does depend on preference IMO.



    m17 - tf is that? Even in museums, etc. I've only ever seen things about 2A3 sized or slightly bigger or tubes WAY bigger for what typically looked like various high power or industrial applications.
     
  8. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    All this tube talk is so not wanting me to t00b roll once I get my Starlett. My wallet....
     
  9. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    Don't worry. For the most part, it does not need much tube rolling according to Donald. Read the Starlet thread here and correspond with ColtMyFire and Cha Cha.
     
  10. m17xr2b

    m17xr2b Friend

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    That's an AVVT 320B, EML 1605 is even more impressive, along with 520B these are up rated 300Bs.

    Regarding 6N1P differences, I haven't rolled them since the Stratus days yet I did have not so subtle differences between construction types for non box plates emphasising different frequencies with single wire getter somewhere in the lead, the box plates a noticicible step up for midrange smoothness and my overall preference. Out of these the rocket ones were darker to suit the HD800 better and the novosibirsk ones for 650s.

    I find it surprising rectifier changes doesn't affect the sound unless you're using S plates outputs which tend to mask other tube characteristics. With KR,single plates, smoked glass 2A3s swapping 5U4Gs was easily detectable and switching 422A, U52 etc. with different 6N1Ps I could make it sound from overly bright to obcenly dark. It goes without saying the rest of the system has a huge part to play.


    Ask Donald to build you a pair of monoblocks for them instead, should be above the Stellaris in SQ and it doesn't get better than that, drooling over a 10Y input myself.
     
  11. Ntbm3

    Ntbm3 Friend

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    Best part about Starlett is the tubes use are very reasonable priced!

    I have a couple extra sets now just for back up.
     
  12. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Fine, I'll mess around with the tubes later in the year or maybe next. No reason to get them now since I don't even know what the stock sounds like!
     
  13. Donald North

    Donald North Friend

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    First Stellaris Special now out in the field
     
  14. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Interesting. What's the goal here?
     
  15. Donald North

    Donald North Friend

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    Just showing its a real product now
     
  16. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Interesting... Of course this is out of my wallet range but I wonder the differences. We will know soon enough.
     
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Don't listen to music; listen to tubes. In time these differences, once subtle, will be huge.
     
  18. Donald North

    Donald North Friend

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    Main differences over Stellaris are new output transformers with 50% nickel double-C cores and silver secondary windings, speaker outputs, and TKD stepped attenuator. The power supply was also revised including new filter chokes.
     
  19. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    That is sick, in a good way. Glad you are trying new things.
     
  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    In essence a Stellaris lite? Interested...
     

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