Ron's Speaker, Turntable, Power and Room Treatment Upgrades
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
- Start date
Just to be clear I was suggesting the current Tenor amplification. It should stable and able. I would also think DDK is on the money regarding the best match being SS for the speakers Ron selected.
There are always the eye gouging, hair ripping audiophile arguments over autoformers with OTL.
Yes, adding a transformer. However, they are not air gapped, floating output transformers with separate windings. They offer some speaker protection by conducting DC to ground. They are a single winding with different taps for impedance and/or voltage control. They do not have the large windings ratios of typical single ended or push pull transformers, usually a max of 4:1.
Autoformers can bump speaker impedance to 16 ohms, where OTL amps thrive. A local audiophile uses Speltz autoformers with his Atma-sphere OTL amp, and his setup sounds great.
I decided to add them to my VFET amps to bring the low impedance ribbons to 8 to 10 ohms. As far as I can tell, they are NOT transparent, because they make things sound better. Higher, wider, deeper soundstage, all suggestion of janglies gone. The dynamics seem to be wider and more linear.
If you associate janglies with detail, that might be disappointing, but I perceive even more detail because I can look deeper into the soundstage and music and the images are larger. They make me doubt the "wisdom" of current dumping DC amps. However, I would imagine their use would always be situation specific.
The VFET amps already sounded great, so bumping them up was nice.
Yes, adding a transformer. However, they are not air gapped, floating output transformers with separate windings. They offer some speaker protection by conducting DC to ground. They are a single winding with different taps for impedance and/or voltage control. They do not have the large windings ratios of typical single ended or push pull transformers, usually a max of 4:1.
Autoformers can bump speaker impedance to 16 ohms, where OTL amps thrive. A local audiophile uses Speltz autoformers with his Atma-sphere OTL amp, and his setup sounds great.
I decided to add them to my VFET amps to bring the low impedance ribbons to 8 to 10 ohms. As far as I can tell, they are NOT transparent, because they make things sound better. Higher, wider, deeper soundstage, all suggestion of janglies gone. The dynamics seem to be wider and more linear.
If you associate janglies with detail, that might be disappointing, but I perceive even more detail because I can look deeper into the soundstage and music and the images are larger. They make me doubt the "wisdom" of current dumping DC amps. However, I would imagine their use would always be situation specific.
The VFET amps already sounded great, so bumping them up was nice.
Last edited:
Speltz site has info:
http://www.zeroimpedance.com/
Of course, it will depend on the particulars of the amp/speaker matchup.
Mcintosh has been using autoformers forever on their transistor amps. There are yays and nays, but the yays seem to outnumber the nays for those that have actually owned and heard them in the Mcintosh equipment.
I won't debate their use or non-use except to cite my own experience with my own amps, and refer to the other info on the web.
http://www.zeroimpedance.com/
Of course, it will depend on the particulars of the amp/speaker matchup.
Mcintosh has been using autoformers forever on their transistor amps. There are yays and nays, but the yays seem to outnumber the nays for those that have actually owned and heard them in the Mcintosh equipment.
I won't debate their use or non-use except to cite my own experience with my own amps, and refer to the other info on the web.
instead of amp speculation, have a more interesting question - when do the towers of power arrive????
I have been corresponding with Ralph. He has been very helpful and instantly responsive to my inquiries. He seems like a great guy!
It has been very start and stop. Weeks of rain slowed things down.
These things usually take longer than the most pessimistic estimates.
These things usually take longer than the most pessimistic estimates.
We're all pulling for you Ron; best of luck kicking their ass into gear and getting past the rainy weather (uncharacteristic for your zipcode)!
May it all finish much faster than how they are currently progressing!
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I agree. I've been to Ron's house at the start of all of the construction. Nonetheless IMO Ron's house is amazing with a view that only mere mortals can dream of. Can't wait to see and hear it when done
Thank you very much for your kind wishes, SCAudiophile! I appreciate it!
Thank you, Steve! You will be the first to hear it!
Thank you, Steve! You will be the first to hear it!
Oh that's right!! I read it has been raining there and that the drought is officially over. I'm pulling for you too Ron and I can't wait to visit you guys over there in southern CA.
Oh my, ain't that the truth. My room is done, acoustic curtains finally hung, vinyl cabinet near completion. What is the hold-up — a dozen recessed LED ceiling trims. Ordered wrong color temp originally, returned early December. Then the lighting store guy orders the wrong part... those are out of inventory until late January and not until they arrived did we learn he'd order 2" instead of 4". Back they go. Friday I go to finally pickup the replacements. Oh oh, wrong part number in their system resulted in the wrong parts arriving once again.
The best of plans and project schedules can't account for and predict the effects of f-ups and knuckleheads.
I won't put my gear in the room as I still need to work the perimeter to install the trims. Knocking sheetrock mud and dust down onto the gear seems silly. At this point it'll be done when it is. Some parts you cannot control.
And then there was my original intention to not do this during the winter rainy season. Epic fail on that!
Best of luck Ron. Patience is indeed a virtue.
Last edited:
Not only that. I would not want the contractors anywhere near my audio gear. Just image the potential for damage and what they might think about it. The need to touch, etc. Must be frustrating to have to reorder the same item so many times. Best of luck.
Steve Williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
First off I guaranty you and Ron that the wait is worth it
Having said that I am breathing with relief that my build out went so well. Start to finish for me was 6 weeks and all without glitch
Bob what did Bonnie say your RT60 was as I know this is always a big thing for her
Similar threads
 | Steve Williams Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator |  | Ron Resnick Site Co-Owner | Administrator |  | Julian (The Fixer) Website Build | Marketing Managersing |