HP to review phono stage

vinylphilemag

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audioarcher

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I hope HP tries different PS rectifiers when he has it. They can really change the sound. My favorite in the H3000 is the RCA 5U4G. It will depend on the tonal balance of the system and personal taste though.
 

MylesBAstor

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I hope HP tries different PS rectifiers when he has it. They can really change the sound. My favorite in the H3000 is the RCA 5U4G. It will depend on the tonal balance of the system and personal taste though.

Ditto but Albert Porter has some other U52 derivatives that he likes in his Allnic. A lot of the "sound" of the rectifier is how it affects the "stiffness" of the power supply. My least liked tube was the Mullard G37.
 

mep

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Ditto but Albert Porter has some other U52 derivatives that he likes in his Allnic. A lot of the "sound" of the rectifier is how it affects the "stiffness" of the power supply. My least liked tube was the Mullard G37.

Myles nailed it here. All tube rectifiers sag under load and you are looking for what sags the least (the "stiffness" Myles referred to). I don't know if anyone ever explained this phenomenon any better than David Manley did in his VTL tube book that he wrote oh so many years ago. He needed to explain to people why he would never use a tube rectifier in any of his gear because he was always being asked. People that love tubes love them everywhere, and they didn't understand why he wasn't using them for rectification.
 

audioarcher

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Ditto but Albert Porter has some other U52 derivatives that he likes in his Allnic. A lot of the "sound" of the rectifier is how it affects the "stiffness" of the power supply. My least liked tube was the Mullard G37.

Those U52 rectifiers are really spendy. I'd like to try one but I'm not sure they are worth the cost. I've not tried the Mullard G37 because I was told it is soft sounding and that is not the direction I want to go with my sound.

I just ordered a OPPO 105 and sent it to ModWright for the tube output stage and PS so now I can try my collection of rectifiers on it also.:D
 

audioarcher

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Myles nailed it here. All tube rectifiers sag under load and you are looking for what sags the least (the "stiffness" Myles referred to). I don't know if anyone ever explained this phenomenon any better than David Manley did in his VTL tube book that he wrote oh so many years ago. He needed to explain to people why he would never use a tube rectifier in any of his gear because he was always being asked. People that love tubes love them everywhere, and they didn't understand why he wasn't using them for rectification.

I can understand why someone would be against it on a technical basis but opinions will differ on whether it sounds better one way or the other.

From my point of view tube rectifiers give you more tuning possibilities. Depending on the design of the PS you can also plug in a solid state rectifier into the socket. I have done that with the Allnic H3000 and did not prefer the solid state rectifier. Be sure to ask the manufacture if it is ok to use a SS rectifier before you try it because it may not be designed to work with one.
 

mep

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I can understand why someone would be against it on a technical basis but opinions will differ on whether it sounds better one way or the other.

From my point of view tube rectifiers give you more tuning possibilities. Depending on the design of the PS you can also plug in a solid state rectifier into the socket. I have done that with the Allnic H3000 and did not prefer the solid state rectifier. Be sure to ask the manufacture if it is ok to use a SS rectifier before you try it because it may not be designed to work with one.

Just plugging in a SS rectifier into a tube socket could be a disaster as the B+ will usually go up in value. As far as opinions differing, that goes without saying. Audiophiles seldom agree on anything.
 

MylesBAstor

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Those U52 rectifiers are really spendy. I'd like to try one but I'm not sure they are worth the cost. I've not tried the Mullard G37 because I was told it is soft sounding and that is not the direction I want to go with my sound.

I just ordered a OPPO 105 and sent it to ModWright for the tube output stage and PS so now I can try my collection of rectifiers on it also.:D

I found the Mullard flat (image and ss depth), thin and hyperdetailed. Borderline unlistenable. Didn't sound like any Mullard tube that I've heard. :confused:

I actually think the RCA is slightly soft and closed in but is the best I've heard in the Allnic. Of course, Steve Dobbins told me that there is 'one' 5U4G RCA vintage to get but wouldn't tell me. Mine was probably late '50s.
 

jazdoc

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Mercury rectifiers sound mighty fine...and look pretty cool too!



 

audioarcher

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I found the Mullard flat (image and ss depth), thin and hyperdetailed. Borderline unlistenable. Didn't sound like any Mullard tube that I've heard. :confused:

I actually think the RCA is slightly soft and closed in but is the best I've heard in the Allnic. Of course, Steve Dobbins told me that there is 'one' 5U4G RCA vintage to get but wouldn't tell me. Mine was probably late '50s.

Interesting. Maybe it was a different Mullard I was told about. In either case your G37 does not sound appealing.;) I've only tried 5 different rectifiers and there are probably hundreds of different ones to investigate. I'm pretty happy with what I have now but may try some of the cheaper ones if I get bored.
 

audioarcher

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Mercury rectifiers sound mighty fine...and look pretty cool too!




Those look cool. I have not heard any equipment that uses those yet. If you could separate what the mercury rectifiers bring to the sound what would you say that is?
 

mep

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If I remember correctly, I sent Myles a Mullard GZ-34/5AR4 to try and he didn't like that one either. In the GZ-34 family, I don't think there was ever a better built-longer lasting rectifier than the Mullard GZ-34.
 

MylesBAstor

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If I remember correctly, I sent Myles a Mullard GZ-34/5AR4 to try and he didn't like that one either. In the GZ-34 family, I don't think there was ever a better built-longer lasting rectifier than the Mullard GZ-34.

Yes just was uneven sounding through the spectrum :) Don't remember specifics.
 

mep

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The reality of tube rectifiers is that the circuit should be optimized around a particular rectifier tube and not a mix and match grab bag of whatever type of rectifier you want to plug in the socket to add seasoning to your aural recipe. Tube rectifiers of different types all have different characteristics and they are not all suited for any socket they will plug into. No different than plugging in a 12AX7 into a 6922 socket just because the tube will plug in the socket.
 

audioarcher

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The reality of tube rectifiers is that the circuit should be optimized around a particular rectifier tube and not a mix and match grab bag of whatever type of rectifier you want to plug in the socket to add seasoning to your aural recipe. Tube rectifiers of different types all have different characteristics and they are not all suited for any socket they will plug into. No different than plugging in a 12AX7 into a 6922 socket just because the tube will plug in the socket.

I'd say that is an extreme analogy but I get your point.
 

cjfrbw

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I use the 83 mercury vapor rectifier in my H3000, requires a B+ switch. A lot of rectifiers sound good with it, it came with a so so JJ 5AR4.

The H5000 DHT phono must be killer diller, the L5000 DHT preamp is quite special.
 

MylesBAstor

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