1959 Voice of Music Speaker Surprise
- Thread starter drbiggles
- Start date
Masterdraco
Super Member
I need to find and restore a decent tube multiplex adapter for my tube tuner but funds are tight right now. Dr b next for you a stereo tube preamp no doubt. if you can find one the same type of resto would be needed caps resistors a few tubes perhaps or you could go passive with the preamp. a input selector box with a simple rotary switch and a stepped potentiometer would do. but phono it wouldn't do riaa equalization is required for that.
Masterdraco
Super Member
I need a new project too been really bored but very happy with my tube setup getting my did tube preamp completely hum free was awe inspiring. couldn't have done it without help from here.
Masterdraco
Super Member
If the vom cabs don't have that sparkle in the highs you want installing some 2.2uf film caps would open them up more. just a thought.
drbiggles
I like to pull weeds.
Yes, I've put that right up there on m list. The information with some semi-quick gleaning here didn't give me much. Some say tube amps, with ss preamp and vice versa. Something doesn't sound right there, I was thinking you'd want tubes all the way through. So, that's what I'm shooting for.
One of my resources for tech/design/availability is fleabay. Searching it for tube preamp or tube preamplifier really gives me loads of lousy results. Even if I had MONEY, I'm not convinced I would be able to find one.
Oh, and I want it to be a stereo one.
Biggles
drbiggles
I like to pull weeds.
I'm still getting hum or noise or whatever it is. I know I don't have a good ground to the chassis yet, so am going to take care of that first.
Those are already included in my resistor order list that I have, so far. Count on it!
Biggles
Masterdraco
Super Member
Dr b do both of the vom cabs have a slight hum to them?
drbiggles
I like to pull weeds.
The right one, original one I picked up, a little more than the left. Ever so slight. They both have that echoey thing going on, reminds me of old guitar amplifiers. Not that I have much experience with such things, but ya know.
As soon as any portion of the volume is turned up, all noise is gone from my ears. I'm not even remotely concerned about it, I care not. However, at some point here as my skill level increases a bit, I'd like to know what that's all about and how to cure it. If it's curable.
Biggles
Masterdraco
Super Member
Well hmm the echoey sound may have to do with the tag board full of resistors and a few caps getting rid of that would require rewiring a direct connection to the driver tubes the only passive component in my tube preamp is a 0.1uf dc blocking cap wired directly to the grid of the 12ax7 driver tube. Also a 4.7uf coupling capacitor at the output stage that is it. And installing a three prong grounded cord may help with the minimal hum that's left the secret is connecting the green wire to a clean and secure ground spot on the amp chassis. i must add that some tubes amps actually hum worse with the grounded cord as it can create a ground loop. A quick test you can do on the vom cab that has the worst hum reverse the ac plug and see if the hum lessens. As most tube amps of this age have a non polarized plug.
drbiggles
I like to pull weeds.
So, remove the tag board. That's all doable and sounds like a fun mod for later on. I'd want to get the ground to the chassis I already have improved and get the resistors changed out first. Cool!
But like I said, once you give it any volume, all that goes in the background and doesn't affect the listening experience.
Biggles
drbiggles
I like to pull weeds.
I considered, thought about it long and hard. But I've got a few pieces that I just cannot bare to part with, at least for now. Some day I'd like to be able to have my 4 Rectilinear III's hooked up and working full time. I just don't see an affordable tube rig running 4 of those simultaneously at higher volumes.
And, if I sold all my solid state gear, I don't believe I could afford a halfway decent tube setup anyways. Those nice tube rigs be all up there and expensive an junk.
Thank you sir, it's much appreciated. The Watson's make me smile, it's good. I like it here, this is where all the magic happens.
Another project I've been running through my skull over the last week or so is how to use these two rigs with a tubed preamp. And I don't want to do it by modifying anything. I would want to make stands for them to sit in, and plug in, ready to go. Then, unplug and put back in the VOM enclosures without a mishap.
Do I make the stands out of solid wood, have them fabricated out of stainless, I dunno. I would like to do something creative, something that makes your eyes stretch. Or maybe do a rough carve out of hunk of solid wood and go all Lord of the Rings on the tubes. That would be pretty neat!
Biggles
cademan
Lunatic Member
Your RCA input jack is right next to the 6AU6 tube. Simply unplug the existing passive preamp and connect any another external preamplifier, tube or solid state right there.
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drbiggles
I like to pull weeds.
Good morning,
It took me a cup of coffee to remember why I'd been planning those shenanigans. After all is said and done, cabinet cosmetics, resistors replaced, and wiring triple checked what I would like to do is use the 2 amps to run every pair of speakers that I have. And if you've followed my previous posts, I have a knack for dragging home forlorn speakers. I want to know what they all sound like with tubes backing them up. And hopefully some day in my near future, a pair of early speakers that will give up the amps full potential.
To accomplish that, I would need to get to their speaker outputs. Right now the enclosure has a multi-pronged plug that goes in to the amp's chassis. Sure, I could wire up a second plug and just swap out the plugs when needed. But let's be honest with ourselves, we want to SEE the tubes. We want to smell the tubes, we want our most awesome tube amplifiers of all time on display so we can show them off to the world. If not, then at least when we walk in to the room, they make us giddy with excitement. I can't see them inside those enclosures.
If I did it this way, they'd be on display, no modifications to the existing enclosure and I could use them on any pair of speakers I want to without a hefty sneeze.
Biggles
Would I be correct in saying that you want to pull both amps from the cabinets so you can display them as well as use them with the speakers of your choice. What are you going to use for a preamp?
drbiggles
I like to pull weeds.
Yes and I dunno, yet. I've been searching fleabay and CL for ideas on vintage tube preamps, but I just can't find all that much.
I've got a 70's Marantz preamp, but it's solid state. And it may or may not work, it's been more than a few years. I also have a gaggle of solid state receivers that will work as preamps as well, but that's just dumb for this application.
But some day, yes that's what I want.
Biggles
PastTechFan
Super Member
Well.......
Howsabout a tube (stereo) console pull, and split the pre from the amp? Easy for me to say. I've thought about this, but have never done it. Haven't even recapped anything, other than some speakers.
I've read a couple of threads here about it. It seemed feasible for some designs, but not so much for others (SETs?). Heck, if you're lucky (and you appear to be), you might find a console with the 2 units separate already, tuner/pre up top, and amp somewhere in the bowels of the cabinet.
Thrift demands ingenuity!
And, yeah, I like the VOM amps outside the cab idea. Set them up perched on top of each one, so you can bask in the glow. Not sure about the WAF issue unless, basking some romantic evening....... (May I recommend some Sinatra or Johnny Mathis or Diana Krall?) :yes:
Howsabout a tube (stereo) console pull, and split the pre from the amp? Easy for me to say. I've thought about this, but have never done it. Haven't even recapped anything, other than some speakers.
I've read a couple of threads here about it. It seemed feasible for some designs, but not so much for others (SETs?). Heck, if you're lucky (and you appear to be), you might find a console with the 2 units separate already, tuner/pre up top, and amp somewhere in the bowels of the cabinet.
Thrift demands ingenuity!
And, yeah, I like the VOM amps outside the cab idea. Set them up perched on top of each one, so you can bask in the glow. Not sure about the WAF issue unless, basking some romantic evening....... (May I recommend some Sinatra or Johnny Mathis or Diana Krall?) :yes:
