EC Aficionado (was: The Studio Jr.)

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by AppleheadMay, Nov 10, 2015.

  1. ButtUglyJeff

    ButtUglyJeff Stunningly beautiful IRL

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    I really do hope the Aficionado is here for the long run, and not just a few batches...
     
  2. Cakecake

    Cakecake Guest

    What's this speakon speaker out? Do I need a banana adaptor?
     
  3. MrTie

    MrTie Friend

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    1a.jpg

    Used in a Pro amp they have screw down terminals inside the connector for wire, you can use any bare bare and you can go pretty thick, I've used 12 guage wire in the past with them.
     
  4. MrTie

    MrTie Friend

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  5. Comzee

    Comzee Facebook Friend

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    Looks bonkers! Was eyeing up these WE 396A http://www.ebay.com/itm/112463375891 doesn't seem to be many of the WE brand online. Anybody else have luck?

    EDIT:

    Also, is there any details on rectifier rolling?
    Can it only accept gz34/5ar4, or could it take a 5u4/5r4/5y3 etc.. ?
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2017
  6. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    5U4 could fry the power transformer. Heater filament current on 5U4 is 3 amps. 5AR4 only sucks 1.9A. The heater secondaries on the transformer is spec'd for 2.0A. There's probably some leeway, but I wouldn't want to test it. Anyway, voltage drop on 5U4 is pretty steep. The 5AR4 on the other hand is pretty stiff, as close as you can get to those glowy mercury vapor tube deals. 5AR4 also has soft turn on.

    I doubt rolling 5AR4s will make a big difference. There is a lot of heavy duty filtering with two chokes in the power circuit: Cap Choke Cap Choke Cap. Brute force filtering. Nothing fancy.

    The copper vein hammer tone finish was something I was hiding from you guys. It could have been a disaster, but it turned out exceptionally well. The bare look of the front of the amp with just the label, knob, and 4-pin XLR jack, is all business. The back of the amp is all business. As Craig said: The Aficionado, for people who know what they want and what the eff they are doing.

    P.S.

    If it sounds like I am trying to discourage people from buying this amp, it's because I am. Craig doesn't like after-sales doing customer service as much as he used to.

    If anyone rolls a 5U4, and something blows up, then we will know; and I will be mad at you and privately call you a dum dum. So please, just because you can stick it in, and it fits, it doesn't mean it will work. I know no SBAF member would do such a thing.
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2017
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    FYI, Judi should be sending out deposit information soon. Assembly will be in the order of the pre-order dates. Call or e-mail Judi to get an idea.
     
  8. rigo

    rigo Acquaintance

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    What are the dimensions?
     
  9. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    This little bit of advice would have saved me a lot of pain and grief with the ex years ago...
     
  10. ogodei

    ogodei MOT: Austin AudioWorks

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    Last edited: Jul 6, 2017
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I'm horrible. I've been buying them up in the past six months on eBay, every time I see them go below $35.
     
  12. Ringingears

    Ringingears Honorary BFF

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    The line must be drawn here. No further. Blow up the damn thread Capitan!

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2017
  13. ogodei

    ogodei MOT: Austin AudioWorks

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    Did you just buy all those ones on ebay? They appear to be gone. People around here are vicious....

    No matter, i'm a prepper from way back

    [​IMG]

    Here's my cheat sheet so far for tubes that should work stock-ish in the Aficionado. Please chime in if anyone sees something missing.

    Rectifier: 5AR4, GZ34, CV1377

    Driver: 2C51 family (2C51; 6N3P; 396A; 6385; 6854; CV2831)
    or 5670 family (5670; 5670WA; CK5670; CK5670WA; CV2575; CV5894; CV8247; GL5670; CV4013)

    Power: 2A3, 5930, CV1831

    [​IMG]
     
  14. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    I'm pretty sure one of the sets of tubes I got with the Valhalla 2 are the Western Electric 396A. I gave the Valhalla 2/Bifrost Multibit to my Dad, I'm going to have to put the stock tubes back in lol!
     
  15. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I haven't purchased any WE396s for at least six weeks.
     
  16. Garns

    Garns Friend

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    Jim McShane or Brent Jessee can do you WE396a singles. Jim McShane has them for $40 and Brent Jessee for $50.
     
  17. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    Brent also supposedly has the JW version for $90. thought I'd try one, when it arrives tube has no JW markings at all.
    his reply- well it was in a box marked Mil. sorry it looks different than the others. full refund offered.

    um- it looks different than JW version because it is different. along with a $40 difference in price.
     
  18. alucart

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    Any chance that one can order the AF with interstage transformer instead of coupling capacitor as an upgrade?
     
  19. ald0s

    ald0s Facebook Friend

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    That is one beautiful amp. Unfortunately shipping and Australian taxes will probably keep me away unless @Marvey smuggles me one over on his next tour down under. I especially love the mottled steel top plate and the VERY sparse front. I don't actually need more than volume + 1 input anyway.
     
  20. bengo

    bengo Friend

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    Speakon connectors are awesome fun, for hot-plugging multi kilowatt PA systems and so forth. (Not recommending anyone to do that with the AF, mind you)
     

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