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Post by roger20 on Feb 11, 2015 20:32:42 GMT
Hi Mike
This is my first post although I have been a member for a few years and really appreciated all the advice on the forum and the site. Virtually all my listening is through headphones nowadays (Sennheiser HD-650’s) using an X-Can V2 which was heavily modded a few years ago using parts bought from you. I have been very pleased with it, especially after self-building a basic PSU based on a “tweaks” article from the site. Valves are 6H23-EB.
I have now bought a modded X-Can V3 which may have been changed using one of your kits and would be grateful if you could confirm that it does look like one of your kits. I have attached a few pics (separate post - unable to upload in this post) and looking at the soldering underneath, which seems very neat, all the caps seem to have been changed as well as possibly other parts. At one time I seem to recall seeing several ‘under the hood’ pictures of a standard V3 but I can’t find it now and it might have been useful to compare this with mine so see what parts may have been changed on mine.
The six largest caps are black/silver 3300uF +105c 35v 80IILH
The four smaller are dark blue/gold 1500uF +105c 35v 22180E
2 large Nischon Muse
2 small green Muse (behind RCA output sockets)
4 small gold/black caps (between the valves) but not sure about these
2 red caps (?) either side of power socket
Possibly some resistors?
The valves it came with show 6DJ8 ECC88 but no manufacturer and the only thing I know is that one of the forum posts (might have been yours) mentioned that these were equivalent to E88CC but I don’t know what this implies. What are these valves like? You mentioned the importance of ensuring they are matched but how does a novice like me do that ( I have a multi-meter but, again, little knowledge!!). If there are better options, and I am pleased with the 6H23-EB on the V2, where would you go from here?
Your parts page shows transistor heat sinks – are these essential or just desirable? The two large green Nishcon caps are virtually touching the transistors so there doesn’t seem to be enough room now.
Thanks for your help
Roger
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Post by roger20 on Feb 11, 2015 20:44:31 GMT
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Post by PinkFloyd on Feb 13, 2015 20:19:12 GMT
Hi Mike This is my first post although I have been a member for a few years and really appreciated all the advice on the forum and the site. Virtually all my listening is through headphones nowadays (Sennheiser HD-650’s) using an X-Can V2 which was heavily modded a few years ago using parts bought from you. I have been very pleased with it, especially after self-building a basic PSU based on a “tweaks” article from the site. Valves are 6H23-EB. Hi Roger, welcome to the forum. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner but my computer has been playing up a bit. It is one of my kits but I didn't work on that particular amp so the previous owner must have fitted the kit himself. The kit fitted to your V3 is the latest kit. The valves fitted are 6DJ8 / ECC88 and these are general purpose types..... the E88CC types have a slightly more robust construction and are sometime called "military grade". The first thing I would do with a secondhand amp is to fit a new pair of valves, you don't know how long they have been in there nor what condition they are in with regards to emissions etc. I'd be happy to test them for you (free of charge) and let you know what condition they're in. You can't analyse a valve with a multimeter, you need a dedicated valve tester. A matched pair of valves means you have to select a pair of closely identical (with regard to measurements) from a batch of valves.... sometimes you will be able to match from a batch of ten, other times it may require going through a batch of twenty or thirty to find a close pair. Each valve has two sides and, with the V2 / V3, the most important thing is to ensure that the gain (per side) matches up so, for example, valve one would be something like: Side one - Gain 37.9 / mA 12.5 / mA/V 10.50 Side two - Gain 37.6 / mA 12.5 / mA/V 10.63 That is a closely matched "single" valve. Valve two would be something like: Side one - Gain 37.4 / mA 12.5 / mA/V 10.47 Side two - Gain 37.7 / mA 12.5 / mA/V 10.44 I (personally) would class that as a VERY closely matched pair. Unfortunately, most of these "matched valves" that are sold on the internet have been tested either on the "they look the same to me" tester or the "good valve / bad valve" tester  Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good guys out there who take pride and spend time matching valves from their batches but there are so many more who just throw anything they have to hand into a carton and call it "NOS / Cryo / Matched". I actually "enjoy" going through my valves and analysing each one, it's a lot more engrossing (and enjoyable) than watching the bloody television, and I take pride in every last valve I send to my customers. Not needed. The transistors are thermally coupled and they do not warrant heatsinks, they pass the finger test and run pretty cool. No problems at all Roger, any more questions feel free to ask. All the best, Mike. |
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Post by roger20 on Feb 13, 2015 23:54:53 GMT
Thanks for the reply Mike
This looks like a great start so for the moment I'm going to sit back and enjoy listening to the V3 and then start to compare it critically with the V2 and let you know how I get on.
New valves will definitely be worthwhile - I did see a big improvement with the 6H23-EB but I'm sure they weren't advertised as matched so this sounds like the best way to go.
Thanks for the offer to test the valves - this might be more useful for the 6H23-EB's. I sure you are right and a new (matched) set is the best way to go from here, and then perhaps a PSU upgrade. To begin with though the standard walwart for the V3 seems to be a much beefier thing altogether than the V2 one but I know there are big gains to be made with this. I have just changed the DAC from the V-Can to the MKII version and have already heard the difference. I just wish I could describe the sonic changes in the way you and others on the forum do!!
To begin with I will try the Philips Jan 6922 (USA) which came with the V2 and see how they sound first so I've got a few base points to works from.
Great site and so much helpful advice - if only others could appreciate what they might be missing.
Roger
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2015 0:00:57 GMT
Don't forget that Mike has a HUGE stash of NOS valves of many different types and from different manufacturers. He also goes to much greater trouble to select valves with much closer matching between sections than the majority of online sellers, and his prices as well as P&P are most reasonable.
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Post by mrpharmacist on Feb 14, 2015 0:10:54 GMT
Hi Mike This is my first post although I have been a member for a few years and really appreciated all the advice on the forum and the site. Virtually all my listening is through headphones nowadays (Sennheiser HD-650’s) using an X-Can V2 which was heavily modded a few years ago using parts bought from you. I have been very pleased with it, especially after self-building a basic PSU based on a “tweaks” article from the site. Valves are 6H23-EB. I have now bought a modded X-Can V3 which may have been changed using one of your kits and would be grateful if you could confirm that it does look like one of your kits. I have attached a few pics (separate post - unable to upload in this post) and looking at the soldering underneath, which seems very neat, all the caps seem to have been changed as well as possibly other parts. At one time I seem to recall seeing several ‘under the hood’ pictures of a standard V3 but I can’t find it now and it might have been useful to compare this with mine so see what parts may have been changed on mine. The six largest caps are black/silver 3300uF +105c 35v 80IILH The four smaller are dark blue/gold 1500uF +105c 35v 22180E 2 large Nischon Muse 2 small green Muse (behind RCA output sockets) 4 small gold/black caps (between the valves) but not sure about these 2 red caps (?) either side of power socket Possibly some resistors? The valves it came with show 6DJ8 ECC88 but no manufacturer and the only thing I know is that one of the forum posts (might have been yours) mentioned that these were equivalent to E88CC but I don’t know what this implies. What are these valves like? You mentioned the importance of ensuring they are matched but how does a novice like me do that ( I have a multi-meter but, again, little knowledge!!). If there are better options, and I am pleased with the 6H23-EB on the V2, where would you go from here? Your parts page shows transistor heat sinks – are these essential or just desirable? The two large green Nishcon caps are virtually touching the transistors so there doesn’t seem to be enough room now. Thanks for your help Roger I followed that auction-if you don't mind me saying, whilst it looked fine, perhaps clean the underside very gently for swarf Enjoy yr amp! |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Feb 14, 2015 20:35:45 GMT
Thanks for the reply Mike This looks like a great start so for the moment I'm going to sit back and enjoy listening to the V3 and then start to compare it critically with the V2 and let you know how I get on. New valves will definitely be worthwhile - I did see a big improvement with the 6H23-EB but I'm sure they weren't advertised as matched so this sounds like the best way to go. Thanks for the offer to test the valves - this might be more useful for the 6H23-EB's. I sure you are right and a new (matched) set is the best way to go from here, and then perhaps a PSU upgrade. To begin with though the standard walwart for the V3 seems to be a much beefier thing altogether than the V2 one but I know there are big gains to be made with this. I have just changed the DAC from the V-Can to the MKII version and have already heard the difference. I just wish I could describe the sonic changes in the way you and others on the forum do!! To begin with I will try the Philips Jan 6922 (USA) which came with the V2 and see how they sound first so I've got a few base points to works from. Great site and so much helpful advice - if only others could appreciate what they might be missing. Roger Hi Roger, Some people think that as long as a valve "glows" it is working which is not the case at all. Just because it's working doesn't mean it's working as intended, after time the specs drift all over the place and this can really have a detrimental impact on sound quality. The valves in the vast majority of V1 / V2 / V3 / V8 amps that I have worked on were totally knackered and I always throw them straight into the bin as that's the best place for them! I remember one guy "insisting" that I leave his Mullards in after modding the amp as they cost him "£120"..... I told him that they were absolutely goosed but that didn't seem to be important to him. I sent his amp back with his mullards in place and also sent a complimentary pair of Russian 6H23N for him to try. He was absolutely gobsmacked when he heard the difference between the goosed mullards and the minty fresh 6H23N. He told me that he bought the mullards as "NOS" from a guy on ebay 8 years ago, the poor guy obviously thought that a valve was like a light bulb and the fact it "glowed" obviously meant it was working as intended..... erm, nope! Mike. |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Feb 14, 2015 20:43:22 GMT
Don't forget that Mike has a HUGE stash of NOS valves of many different types and from different manufacturers. He also goes to much greater trouble to select valves with much closer matching between sections than the majority of online sellers, and his prices as well as P&P are most reasonable. Hi Alex, My stash is not so HUGE these days mate...... |
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Post by roger20 on Feb 15, 2015 23:05:45 GMT
Thanks for the replies guys.
mrpharmacist - paid more than I expected but thought if modded parts were Mike's it had to be worth going the extra mile. You say "clean off the swarf" I asssume you mean residual flux? With isopropyl or something else?
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Post by mrpharmacist on Feb 16, 2015 1:02:02 GMT
Thanks for the replies guys. mrpharmacist - paid more than I expected but thought if modded parts were Mike's it had to be worth going the extra mile. You say "clean off the swarf" I asssume you mean residual flux? With isopropyl or something else? Yep, or surgical spirit |
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Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good guys out there who take pride and spend time matching valves from their batches but there are so many more who just throw anything they have to hand into a carton and call it "NOS / Cryo / Matched". I actually "enjoy" going through my valves and analysing each one, it's a lot more engrossing (and enjoyable) than watching the bloody television, and I take pride in every last valve I send to my customers. 