| Clyde Tube Jazz Head's DIY Tube System
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| Last Update: July 06, 2002 at 10:51:24
| IP Address: 66.11.97.75
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| Amplifier: | DIY KT66 Push Pull Mono blocks
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| Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | DIY 12AX7 with NO TONE CONTROLS!
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| Speakers: | DIY folded bass reflex horns with 8" Morel driver and an HiVi mid-hi in a square-shaped wood horn enclosure, single cap cross-over (easier for tube amps to drive) Total SPL is 98db!!
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| Sources:
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| CD Player/DAC: | Phillips CD900 used as a transport, DIY 6DJ8 tube DAC |
| Turntable/Phono Stage: | DIY MDF Plinth with an old heavy Rek-o-kut platter driven with an Origin Live motor and power supply, Benz-Micro Ace cartridge mounted on a Rega RB300 tonearm, DIY 12AX7 Phono stage with Sowther MC step up transformers
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| Other Source(s): | TEAC Professional CD recorder, Harmon Kardon FM Tuner (good NPR Jazz broadcasts!)
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| Other Accessories/Room/Misc.:
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| Speaker Cables/Interconnects: | Audioquest budget speaker cables, Mostercable interconnects for all componets except for an Audioquest cable between the transport and the DAC
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| Other (Power Conditioner, Racks etc.): | Racks are DIY 3" PVC filled with lead shot and layered MDF 2.25" thick shelves. The turntable sits on an MDF box filled with sand. I do not have a power conditioner at this time, but, I do use hospital grade outlets.
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| Tweaks: | Audioquest turntable mat (that funky aqua blue one) Sota "I" clamp for the turntable, DIY MDF speaker cable risers. RF filters on all digital cables and all power cords.
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| Room Size (LxWxH): | 22' x 15' x 10.5'
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| Room Comments/Treatments: | DIY diffussers on side walls near the speakers. Over-stuffed pillows in all corners.
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| Music Preferences and Comments:
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| Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Jazz and Classical, mainly on vinyl, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Buddy Rich!; Beethoven, Bartok, Prokovief.
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| System Goals/Comments: | 15 years in the making. My goal is to have everything DIY. Also in the planing stages are a pair of 300B SE mono blocks, DIY of course!
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| System Strengths: | Very musical with a large open sound stage. The speakers seam to dissapear when doing some serious listening. Low accurate bass without sounding "boomy" or "muddy". Clear highs and midrange without sounding "honky" or piercing.
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| System Weaknesses: | Turntable is very fussy to setup properly. The MC cartridge doesn't do older records much justice. I am working on building a seperate turntable with a good Grado MM and also a seperate arm to mount a mono MM for old mono records. The open soudstage is not always a "good thing", sometimes the instruments get a little lost in some recordings (I do not believe it is the recordings fault). Tubes make the room a little warm on hot summer days!
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| Video/HT System:
None
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| Other Interests/Hobbies/Occupation: | I'm a Jazz Drummer on weekends,Golf, Pipe smoking, Beer making. I am a currently employed as a Purchasing Agent for a chain of furnature/appliance stores.
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