-
Please note that there are a few updates and clarifications made in the Audiokarma Rules, mostly relating to advertising and the addition of the new "Paying it Forward" & "Giving back" forums in the AudioKarma Audio Marketplace section.
Tubenirvana Ray Charles Amp
- Thread starter grindfix
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
cademan
Lunatic Member
Do you have any experience with this amp?
All kidding aside, do you own this amp or is it being offered somewhere? I have never seen this one but is looks like a cool little amp.
I don’t own it. It’s offered for sale. I so far didn’t find anything about it. Roy never sold the amp even though tubes4hifi is displayed on the deck.
I probably should get it if both channels produce sound. The rest, I guess could be corrected if there are any issues.
I probably should get it if both channels produce sound. The rest, I guess could be corrected if there are any issues.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
The name was changed to Erhard Audio. Erhard took over the PAS stuff from Tube4hifi several years ago i believe. Maybe he will chime in to clear things up. It has to be one of his earlier offerings. I built a preamp using his boards that fit in a PAS chassis and one of his latest preamps with phono stage.
I'd like to know what OTs are used. Edcor doesn't currently offer a transformer of this orientation with VIO/WHT secondary leads. I think Violet is for 6ohm but depending on the primary impedance of the transformer and tube plate load requirement it could be configured as 8ohm, right?
Erhard Audio shows "Ray" SE 6L6 in triode 4 wpc with different transformers.
Ray Charles shows to be 8W. Is it likely Pentode/Tetrode wired?
Erhard Audio shows "Ray" SE 6L6 in triode 4 wpc with different transformers.
Ray Charles shows to be 8W. Is it likely Pentode/Tetrode wired?
Lavane
Lunatic Member
@Erhard-Audio do you happen to have more information on this amplifier?
it is one of my very early versions of our model Ray SE amp. At that time, Roy wanted to use my pcb, so he could sell it under his name. Only that one was ever built by Roy as far as I know. It is a 6L6G strapped in Triode.
The OPT's are EDCOR GXSE 10-8-5K, don't know if they still make them. The current model Ray is a bit different these days and uses Lundahl iron.
BTW, Tubes4HiFi did not acquire Tubenirvana, I changed the name to Erhard Audio a few years back now.
The OPT's are EDCOR GXSE 10-8-5K, don't know if they still make them. The current model Ray is a bit different these days and uses Lundahl iron.
BTW, Tubes4HiFi did not acquire Tubenirvana, I changed the name to Erhard Audio a few years back now.
This answers some questions, thank you!
I'm assuming you are the same person who was posting in the audiocircle thread mentioned above?
Your description there says 4w but it says 8w on the board of the amp I'm referencing.
Could you share any comments about its sound? Doesn't look like many were made and sold.
Would you share a schematic?
Thanks for your help!
I'm assuming you are the same person who was posting in the audiocircle thread mentioned above?
Your description there says 4w but it says 8w on the board of the amp I'm referencing.
Could you share any comments about its sound? Doesn't look like many were made and sold.
Would you share a schematic?
Thanks for your help!
the sound was OK with the EDCOR's. Not sure where the 8W came from, obviously a mistake, it is closer to 4-5W. Not many were sold with the EDCOR OPT's, the Lundahl OPT's made a huge difference, plus some improvements in the circuit, so the current model Ray is night and day over the early version.
Lavane
Lunatic Member
The 8w may have been referring to both channels. Some manufacturers will list combined output of both channels in the specs.
I wonder how challenging it would be to tune the circuit to different output transformers? Those Edcor transformers are small. Are there known off the shelf better options to consider? It’s very tempting to just buy it. Even if it would be a great sounding amp, I’d take bells off and re-powder coat for better color. Anything is better than that blue.
it is not so much tuning the circuit, the output tubes used on an amp will mostly decide which OPT is best suited, ie the correct primary impedance of the OPT for a given model of output tube. With other words, one can pretty much use ANY brand OPT as long as the primary impedance is correct for the tubes used.
If different output tubes are being considered, then yes, some parts values would need to be changed....but then....one may as well consider an amp that has been designed for those different output tubes.
Yes, as stated earlier, the current model Ray uses Lundahl OPT's. A lot more expensive than the EDCOR's, but a LOT better sounding too.
Having said that, that original Ray is/was a good sounding amp with that original iron used.
If different output tubes are being considered, then yes, some parts values would need to be changed....but then....one may as well consider an amp that has been designed for those different output tubes.
Yes, as stated earlier, the current model Ray uses Lundahl OPT's. A lot more expensive than the EDCOR's, but a LOT better sounding too.
Having said that, that original Ray is/was a good sounding amp with that original iron used.
Last edited:
Lavane
Lunatic Member
I've always panted the bells on Edcore iron. That blue just hasn't gone with any of the colors I've used for the chassis. I've seen some nice looking amplifiers where those blue bells stick out like a sore thumb. I've painted them black, gold, silver and a fine metallic green.
