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Q1: What is "Ultralinear Mode," and how does its sound differ from the classic triode sound? Q2: What is the Tone Mode switch, and how does it affect the sound? Q3: What are the large cylinders on top of the chassis? Why don't I see them on other amplifiers? Q4: You stated that the Carina is point-to-point wired, with no terminal strips in the signal path. If point-to-point wiring is better, then why do most amplifiers use printed circuit boards? Q5: The Carina's layout looks quite different from many amplifiers. It's long and narrow, with the power supply situated to one side instead of centrally located. Is this because you were going for a trademark look, that would be instantly recognizable as yours? Q6: I noticed that the Carina's speaker connections are specified at 6 ohms. Isn't this odd, seeing as how most speakers are 8 ohms or maybe 4 ohms, but never 6 ohms? Q7: Can I use the SV83/6P15P power tube in place of the EL84/6BQ5 in the Carina? Q8: You said I can order my Carina with a choice of two different voicings? What are they, and how do you do this? Q9: You stated that other rectifier tube types can be used. Why would you want to use a different rectifier? Doesn't it just provide the DC current the amp operates on, and nothing else? Q10: Does the Carina require a preamp? Q11: Can I use an impedance-matching autoformer with the Carina, since it has just the single, fixed, 6 ohm output? Q12: I know low-powered SET amplifiers are popular, but I've never heard one and just don't understand how can you get significant volume out of just a couple of watts. Q13: How did you specifically arrive at using the EL84 and 6922? Why not a 2A3, 45, 300B, or other hip, trendy DHT (directly heated triode) power tube? Why not a classic 6SN7, 12AT7, or 12AX7? Q14: Does the 3 inputs option degrade the sound, with its added selector switch? |
| Q1: What is "Ultralinear Mode," and how does its sound differ from the classic triode sound? |
| A: TheTriode and Ultralinear modes correspond to two distinctly
different manners in which the EL84 power tubes are operated in the Carina. Triode Mode effectively transforms
the EL84 pentodes into “pseudo-triodes.” Ultralinear Mode drives their screen grids with a signal from a specifically
located tap on the output transformer's primary winding. There are too many technicalities involved in the function
of ultralinear operation to expound on it here, but in its simplest terms it basically operates the power tubes
in a manner that is between triode and pentode. Triode Mode gives you all the classic, free-spirited openness that SET amplifiers are famous for, with a rich harmonic content and plenty of that warm, sweet "triode cream." The sound is intimate, honest, and natural, with a captivating musicality that holds you in your listening chair and won't let you go! Acoustic music in Triode Mode produces off-the-scale "goosebump factor." The extreme realism of strings and wind/brass instruments will send chills down your spine. Triode Mode also excels in the reproduction of female voice with fluidity and realism, which is a very difficult test for any amplifier. With twice the power of Triode Mode, Ultralinear Mode turns up the heat with speed and slam galore. The frequency balance and overall presentation become more like what a pentode amplifier produces. While the Triode Mode is generally preferred for most acoustic music, Ultralinear Mode works well for many types of electric music. Never let it be said that single ended amplifiers can't do both! Ultralinear Mode is the Carina's "secret weapon;" an iron fist in a velvet glove. The slap of kick drums, the crack of snares, and the attack of percussion in general is very unlike anything you'll hear on other low-powered single ended amplifiers! ^ |
| Q2: What is the Tone Mode switch, and how does it affect the sound? |
| A:
Whereas the Triode/Ultralinear switch affects the operating
characteristics of the power tubes, the Tone Mode switch affects the operating characteristics of the preamp tube.
It also affects how it interacts with the power tubes, as well as the interstage coupling componentry between them.
In Mode A , the bass frequencies are more authoratative, and the midbass is fuller and warmer. In Mode B, the sound
is more delicate and relaxed. The Tone Mode switch can be changed "on the fly" while listening, for instant
A/B comparison. Because the Tone Mode and Triode/Ultralinear Mode switches are not interactive and control different sections of the amplifier, four very distinctly different signatures can be had from the various settings of these two switches. Together, they give you a powerful tool for tailoring the amplifier to your speakers, room, music, and personal tastes. ^ |
| Q3: What are the large cylinders on top of the chassis? Why don't I see them on other amplifiers? |
| A: They are oil-filled polypropylene capacitors, that make
up the power supply's main filter section. In most amplifiers, the power supply caps are located inside the chassis.
Occasionally, you see an amplifier with can-type electrolytic caps that are mounted above the chassis, which are
usually identified by their colored vinyl shrink-wrap and small size (much smaller than the Carina's capacitors).
So, why would one use these huge, expensive beasts when you can use very small electrolytic capacitors instead? Because they perform better in every way! Electrolytic capacitors are almost universally used in commercial amplifiers because they are inexpensive and compact. But, their small size and low price carry a definite penalty. Compared to electrolytic caps, the Carina's polypropylene capacitors have lower equivalent series resistance, lower dialectric adsorption, lower frequency-dependent impedance rise, faster charge/discharge speed, higher linearity, and are non-inductive. In layman's terms, their electrical characteristics are superior to electrolytic capacitors in every way, as are also their mechanical characteristics. Most electrolytic caps suffer from microphonicity problems (some more than others), and pick up vibrations and resonances in addition to their own self-resonances. The oil-filled construction of the Carina's polypropylene capacitors damps them internally, further enhancing their sonic superiority by preventing the resonances and microphonicity problems that plague electrolytic capacitors. For those who may worry about having canisters full of oil mounted in their amplifier, there's no need to. They are permanently sealed, have no vent holes of any kind, and the oil is an inert, vegetable-based type. Service life is another area where electrolytics and film-type caps differ. Although modern electrolytic capacitors will normally last for many years, they are typically only rated to deliver decent performance for 1000 - 2000 hours, and deteriorate continually while in use. They are also sensitive to heat, and experience reduced performance and hastened deterioration when exposed to the high temperatures inside a tube amp chassis. On the other hand, the Carina's oil-filled polypropylene capacitors have a theoretically infinite lifespan, with no decline in performance over time. They're relatively unaffected by heat, and are mounted above the chassis where they don't see high temperatures anyway. Of course, a capacitor's properties mean nothing if it doesn't sound good. So how do the Carina's power supply caps measure up against the electrolytic caps "the other guys" use? Well, these same caps have been used in many high-end speaker crossovers over the years, if that tells you anything ... You see, in most tube amplifiers, these power supply capacitors are actually part of the power tube's signal circuit. No one would dare use electrolytic caps in a serious speaker crossover, but yet they are used in the power supplies of most all commercial tube amplifiers, where they are part of the signal circuit! Here, the clean, low-distortion performance of the oil-filled polypropylene caps trumps electrolytics in a big way. They yield a smoother signature with greater liquidity, sharper focus, tighter bass, better detail and dynamics, a blacker background, better separation of parts, and an airier, more open and effortless sound. By comparison, electrolytic caps sound grungy and "mechanical." ^ |
| Q4: You stated that the Carina is point-to-point wired, with no terminal strips in the signal path. If point-to-point wiring is better, then why do most amplifiers use printed circuit boards? |
| A: Although most amplifiers are built with printed circuit
boards, point-to-point construction is regarded by many purists as being sonically superior to PC board construction
because of its lower stray capacitance and inductance. First, allow me to debunk this commonly held myth here:
PC boards are used at gigahertz frequencies (such as in your cordless telephone and wireless router) without problems,
so they are most definitely adequate for high-performance use at audio frequencies! A well-designed PC board's
minuscule stray capacitance and inductance are a moot point at a mere 20kHz. However, I use point-to-point construction because it contains approximately half the solder joints of PC board construction, and joins each component lead directly to its mating component's lead. It therefore maintains a high degree of signal purity, which is important because every little bit counts when you're seeking to extract every all of the potential performance from a circuit. There are only 10 solder joints between the input jack and the binding post. A floating, star-point grounding system lowers the noise floor and helps maintain sonic purity. Simply put, our highly efficient layout and particular point-to-point construction methods minimize signal degradation like no other. Amplifiers based on printed circuit boards are much easier to manufacture, as they require less time and skill to assemble by hand than point-to-point does. Of course, PC boards readily lend themselves to completely automated manufacture, which makes them very appealing from an audio manufacturer's standpoint. An audio engineer can lay out his circuit and order the assembled boards using the same software, and receive his batch of ready-to-install boards within a few weeks. Although point-to-point is far more laborious and time consuming to build than a PC board, it's nevertheless much easier to service in the future, should the need ever arise. PC boards are usually more arduous to troubleshoot and effect repairs on. ^ |
| Q5: The Carina's layout looks quite different from many amplifiers. It's long and narrow, with the power supply situated to one side instead of centrally located as in many amplifiers. Is this because you were going for a trademark look, that would be instantly recognizable as yours? |
| A: Actually, aesthetics were not the reason at all, although
most people do like the way it looks. Rather, the form is simply an unintentional by-product of the function. The reason for the long, narrow chassis (twice as long as it is wide) is to eliminate magnetic and AC field interactions between the power supply and amplifier section by segregating them. It also makes for the shortest possible signal path from the inputs to the outputs. The chassis is constructed from thick, non-resonant, non-magnetic aluminum alloy, to prevent magnetically-induced eddy currents or permanently magnetized areas that can cause anomalies. Most amplifiers use a dense, 'close quarters' layout, and the power supply and output transformers must be placed at 90 degrees or 45 degrees to one another to reduce magnetic interactions. Despite its rather compact footprint, there's plenty of "breathing room" between the transformers in the Carina, and because the filter inductor is placed in front of the power transformer and not beside it, they likewise do not interact. The front panel mounted Power and Standby switches are located just in front of the power supply, with the AC wiring routed next to the right-hand wall of the chassis to keep it as far as possible from the amplifier section. The solid, pure silver RCA jacks are placed all the way to the opposite side of the amplifier, to keep the signal input circuitry well away from the power supply. I've always been amazed at the commercial manufacturers that locate their signal inputs directly by the AC line cord, power transformer, or high voltage/current AC carrying wires, which is a sure formula for picking up hum and interference! The solid, 99.995% pure silver wire carrying the input signal runs through the open space inside the amplifier, midway between the top panel and bottom cover of the chassis. It is far enough away from both the componentry and chassis that there can be no stray capacitance or inductance to it. It makes a straight shot from the RCA jack to the volume control, which is ideally located directly in front of the preamp tube. The silver wire is insulated with braided cotton tubing, which has excellent dialectric properties and also damps vibrations. The interstage coupling componentry connects directly from the preamp tube socket to the power tube sockets, with no additional terminals or jumper wire. The speaker connections are centered directly behind their corresponding output transformer on the rear panel. Simply put, everything about the layout is optimized for the best performance and lowest signal degradation. ^ |
| Q6: I noticed that the Carina's speaker connections are rated for 6 ohms. Isn't this odd, seeing as how most speakers are 8 ohms or maybe 4 ohms, but never 6 ohms? |
|
A: Just about everybody has 6 ohm speakers, they just don't know it! Well, I guess that does require an explanation..... Most SET-friendly 4 ohm loudspeakers measure their frequency-dependent impedance from around 2 or 3 ohms to as much as 25 or 30 ohms, and those rated at nominal 8 ohms usually between 4 and as much as 60 or so ohms. In short, speaker impedance is a dynamic rather than a static quality, so a speaker will only achieve its rated impedance at one specific frequency. So why not just use 4 and 8 ohm secondary taps? Well, each additional tap reduces both the frequency bandwidth and the transformer's efficiency. The Carina's single 6 ohm secondary connection simply gives purer sound. Also, just as there is no such thing as a 4, 6, or 8 ohm speaker, there's no such thing as a 4, 6, or 8 ohm secondary tap! An output transformer has no impedance of its own; it merely reflects the speaker's impedance back to the tubes at a certain ratio. The particular impedance ratio of the Carina's output transformers was chosen to cover both 4 and 8 ohm speakers with excellent performance. The benefits gained by the single secondary connection outweigh the rather minuscule drawbacks of not having separate 4 and 8 ohm taps. As a matter of fact, some of the best hi-end audio transformer builders have been offering their wares this way for many years now, including the legendary Electra Print, who supplies all our transformers. ^ |
| Q7: Can I use the SV83/6P15P in place of the EL84/6BQ5 in the Carina? |
| A: No. Although the Russian SV83 makes a very fine sounding
audio tube, it was neither originally designed nor intended for audio use. Its fragile screen grid cannot tolerate
ultralinear operation the way the EL84 (which was designed for it) can. And, even in Triode Mode, the Carina operates
at voltages and currents beyond the SV83's maximum ratings. For safe operation, stay with the basic EL84 type. Specifically, the TAD EL84-STR and the Genalex/Gold Lion N709 reissues are the best new production EL84s, with my personal nod going to the Genalex/Gold Lion N709 reissue. These two brands possess excellent quality and performance, and are very inexpensive compared to high quality, old stock European EL84s. ^ |
| Q8: Did you say I can order my Carina with a choice of two different voicings? What are they, and how do you do this? |
| A: Because people have different tastes, I offer the customer
something unique: a choice of overall sonic voicing. While the Carina offers four selectable signatures by virtue
of the Triode/Ultralinear Mode switch and the Tone Mode switch, the voicing you choose when you order the amplifier
is a "hardwired" voicing that sets the overall basic character of the amplifier. Voicing 1 — This is the stock configuration of the amplifier, and uses a specific mix of componentry types and values, including the highly acclaimed Mundorf Supreme/Silver in Oil interstage coupling capacitors and Riken Ohm resistors. You will find Voicing 1 to provide a well-balanced presentation, that combines classic tube warmth and richness with very high resolution and plenty of speed and slam; the best of both worlds. Subtle textures and nuances are clearly rendered, as are all the little microdynamics and microdetails that make the music sound and "feel" like music. Voicing 1 is nothing less than spectacular with most digital and vinyl sources. Voicing 1 also avoids a major pitfall that plagues most amplifiers having a truly liquid midrange quality, which is their tendency to make everything sound the same. They may make bad recordings sound better, but in the process also keep really good recordings from sounding their best, basically squeezing everything into a "sound-alike mode." With Voicing 1, good recordings will sound VERY good indeed, yet most bad recordings and source components will be palatable. Voicing 2 — This achieves maximum resolution with slightly less warmth and richness than Voicing 1, for those who want a highly "accurate" sound with absolute transparency and neutrality. Regardless of its nearly unbelievable resolution, it's still creamy and fluid, with zero harshness or glare in the mid and high frequencies. It achieves its signature by using some different componentry types than Voicing 1, including Audio Note tantalum film resistors and the critically acclaimed VH Audio V-Cap TFTF Teflon/tin foil interstage coupling capacitors, widely regarded as some of the best sounding, highest resolution capacitors ever made. Voicing 2 is highly revealing of the quality of your source component, preamp, interconnects, recording, etc. It will completely unmask everything upstream from it, good or bad. Although the Carina in this form is most definitely still very liquid and unfatiguing, it is rather unforgiving in that it will not make a poor digital source or bad recording sound better the way a warmer sounding, lower resolution amplifier will. On the flip side of the coin, good recordings played on a good source are downright magical sounding. If you have a hi-end digital source or a good turntable and phono stage, Voicing 2 will allow them to shine through in all their glory, without restrictions. ^ |
| Q9: You stated that other rectifier tube types can be used. Why would you want to use a different rectifier type? Doesn't it just provide the DC current the amp operates on, and nothing else? |
| A: Other than the two different stock "hardwired"
voicings and the four different signatures the Carina is capable of by throwing a couple of switches, the ability
to use different rectifier tubes is yet another tool that allows the customer to tailor the sound (should they
so wish) to their tastes. The Carina is equipped with the classic 5AR4/GZ34 rectifier. Due to its particular electrical
characteristics, it achieves both the best measured performance specifications, and (in my opinion) the best sonic
performance of any of the common rectifier types. However, you may use other types of octal-based fullwave rectifiers with JEDEC 5L or 5T pinouts. Each will produce a different, lower DC voltage than the 5AR4/GZ34, and will have different dynamic electrical characteristics as well, thus producing a different sonic signature by affecting the power supply's operational parameters. Consider that amplification does not occur within the tubes; instead, they manipulate the power supply across their load to produce amplification. A better term for 'amplifier' might be 'modulated power supply.' With this in mind, it becomes evident how different rectifier tubes in the same amplifier can readily produce different sonic presentations. Do note that the amplifier will not achieve its rated specifications with other rectifier types. However, you may still prefer the sound of a different type, because the realities of psychoacoustics and individual tastes do not always mirror those of measured specifications. Indeed, while most Carina owners do prefer the stock 5AR4/GZ34, there are also many who prefer a different rectifier type. Above all, don't be afraid to try different rectifiers in the Carina. ^ |
| Q10: Does the Carina require a preamp? |
| A: Not at all. Although the Carina works well with some
*high quality* preamps, it was designed to function as a stand-alone unit and does not require one. Most all CD
players, DACs, and hard drive based sources have enough output to drive the Carina to full power. A truly great preamp can add presence, weight, and slam, without obscuring microdetails/microdynamics or blurring the focus. But, probably 90% of the preamps out there will actually degrade the sound of the Carina in one or more areas. This is a textbook example of 'less is more.' The Carina's very high resolution (especially Voicing 2) readily reveals any flaws in your preamp, and you'll find that in many cases you'll get better sound with a setup like this: source>interconnects>Carina>speaker cables>speakers The entire reason we offer the optional 3 sets of inputs and internal selector switch is so you can plug multiple sources straight into your amplifier and enjoy the benefits of a cleaner, more direct signal path. ^ |
| Q11: Can I use an impedance-matching autoformer with the Carina, since it has just the single, fixed, 6 ohm output? |
| A: Yes you may, but you'll likely find it unnecessary and actually detrimental to the sound, unless you happen to have 2, 12, or 16 ohm nominal impedance speakers. Then, the impedance matching autoformers will present the Carina with a load that's more to its liking. But for 4, 6, or 8 ohm speakers, probably not. However, never be afraid to experiment. Sometimes, an unexpected synergy is discovered, but there's only way to find it! As Thomas Edison was famously quoted, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." ^ |
| Q12: I know low-powered SET amplifiers are popular, but I've never heard one and just don't understand how can you get significant volume out of just a couple of watts. |
| A: A one watt per channel amplifier with highly efficient
speakers can and will achieve a satisfying listening level for most people. For example, when your home theater
receiver is playing dialog through the center channel speaker at a normal listening level, it's usually not even
taking a full watt to do it! With proper speakers of say, 95dB/1W/1m efficiency or better, the Carina will play more than loud enough in Triode Mode to satisfy 95% of listeners, and certainly loud enough in Ultralinear Mode. With ultra-efficient speakers, you can experience amazingly loud peaks at the listening chair . Regardless of what their efficiency rating may be, speakers with very complex crossover networks or Zobel impedance correction networks are not good choices, as they eat up power and obscure the nuances that good SET amps are so masterful at rendering. Another point to consider is that the power ratings of high powered, solid state, mass-consumer electronics (and sometimes tube amps as well!) are most always deceptive. They are typically in peak watts, program watts, music watts, or other misleading figures that sometimes don't even carry a standardized definition, and not in true RMS watts into a specifically stated load (which is the honest way to measure power). Even if the rating is in RMS watts, it's sometimes the maximum power the amplifier produced under unrealistic laboratory conditions half a second before it blew up! However, even accurate RMS power ratings can be misleading as well, in that they tell you nothing about the volume that will be actually perceived by your ears, or even how much power YOUR particular speakers will actually see. Due to the way manufacturers often state their power ratings, your 300 watt home theater receiver may provide only 30 or 40 usable watts. Mass-market electronics manufacturers have conditioned consumers to look for the biggest rated power and lowest THD figures, because it's very cheap and easy to build stuff that way. It's truly great sound that's difficult and expensive to achieve, not truly loud sound. So, the big-name manufacturers have manipulated the market over time to make more quantity desirable in the minds of consumers, instead of greater sound quality. But, although we're more interested in quality than quantity, tube watts nevertheless do sound louder to the ear than solid state watts, even though they are exactly the same. Extensive studies have been done on the subject, that have proven it every time. In some cases, people have perceived the tube amplifier to be as much as 12dB louder, even though the actual measured SPL was identical. So why do tube watts seem louder than solid state watts? Some of this is phenomenon is due to the fact that tube and solid state amplifiers create different series of harmonic distortions, which have very different psychoacoustic effects. Ask any serious guitarist and he'll tell you a 50 watt tube guitar amp sounds louder than a 150 watt solid state amp! Tube amplifiers also typically have greater clarity as well. More on that shortly..... You saw in the first two paragraphs that most of your room-level listening is done within the first watt, which is where the Carina truly excels. By comparison, most solid state amplifiers (and even most high-powered tube amps, for that matter) perform very poorly in the first watt. Your average high powered solid state amplifier uses cheap componentry and huge amounts of negative feedback. It sounds cold, lifeless, and homogenized, and harsh yet somehow dull at the same time. You always find yourself turning it up more so you can hear everything well. And turning it up more. And turning it up more......... Yet somehow, you can never clearly hear the innermost details, and the music has no life or vibrancy. It quickly becomes fatiguing to listen to (especially at high volume), and you turn it off. Instead of obscuring them, the Carina accurately renders all the little microdynamics and textures that give life and breath to the music, and give it that scary realism! At a normal room volume, you can clearly hear the innermost details and nuances of the music. Besides being amazingly lifelike, the sound is so natural and involving that it never gets fatiguing no matter how long you listen. Some of our customers spend 8 - 10 hours a day listening through their Carina while they work. Others have told us they've intended to relax with a few tunes in the evening, but got so involved in the music that it was hours past their bedtime before they realized so much time had slipped by! If you've never heard a really good 3 watt tube amplifier, you're in for a very special treat. There is no comparison whatsoever versus mass market electronics, or even high powered "audiophile" tube or solid state gear for that matter. The liquidity, rich musical tone, 3-dimensional imaging, airy openness, and the effortlessness with which the music flows are hallmarks of a truly great SET amplifier. No matter which direction you look at it from, the low power SET/efficient speakers philosophy trumps the high power/inefficient speakers philosophy in real-world practice, every time. Most people who buy their first low powered SET amp continue to use their existing speakers with it (as long as they're efficient enough), at least until they feel the need to upgrade them. Those with speakers that are too inefficient usually sell them and choose from the many fine speakers available today that are very synergistic with single ended triode amplifiers. Their only regret is usually that they didn't do it a lot sooner! ^ |
| Q13: How did you specifically arrive at using the EL84 and 6922? Why not a 2A3, 45, or other hip, trendy DHT (directly heated triode) power tube? Why not a classic 6SN7, 12AT7, or 12AX7? |
| A: The
reasons are too numerous to list in full, but I'll touch on the most important ones. The EL84 has always been one of my favorite power tubes. Classic and timeless, it's popular in both hi-fi and guitar amps. Yes, just as in recording and playing back music, there's no substitute for tubes in making music as well! Because of its popularity, the EL84 is currently produced in many brands and variations, and is plentiful and inexpensive. On the other hand, DHT amplifiers offer little opportunity for auditioning different tubes, as DHTs are prohibitively expensive for most enthusiasts to be able to try several different brands in their amplifier. Some DHT types offer very few choices of brand and variation to begin with, regardless of price.The purchase price of a premium EL84 amplifier is also lower than a comparably outfitted DHT amplifier. Additionally, DHTs require a much larger drive signal than the EL84 to attain the same output wattage. As a general rule, the larger the drive signal, the more distortion created in achieving it. EL84s allow the use of a simple, low gain, low distortion driver stage with low parts count, that really lets all the goodness of the music shine through. The EL84 has an extremely musical tonality and great presence, as evidenced by the fact that not only did many of the best sounding vintage amplifiers use it, but it has enjoyed such a great renaissance today that it's became one of the 3 most popular power tube types in current production. Versatility is another plus: the Carina offers two different operating modes from its EL84 power section, which is not possible with DHTs. It may sound as if I am biased against DHTs, when in fact I adore them. You can most definitely expect a production DHT amplifier from Vaughn Audio someday! I simply felt that the Carina, with its versatility, lower purchase price, and low cost of ownership would make a better debut product. Plus, the market is so saturated with poorly designed DHT amplifiers that have a slow, syrupy, and overly "warm and fuzzy" sound that it has given DHTs an undeservedly bad reputation. So, I decided to offer something different. As for the driver tube, the classic 6SN7 doesn't offer sufficient gain to drive the EL84 to full power with some of today's lower output sources. Current production 6SN7s are also very poor sounding, and good NOS is rare and expensive. Many other common small signal tubes have electrical characteristics that are poorly matched to the EL84's needs, for one reason or another. For example, the 12AT7 and 12AX7 both have lower drive current and higher output impedance, distortion, and noise than the 6922. They also create a higher proportion of dissonant, higher order distortion products. Without going into the technical aspects of how and why, the 6DJ8/6922 is simply much more synergistic with the EL84, and the proof is in the hearing. ^ |
| Q14: Does the 3 inputs option degrade the sound, with its added selector switch? |
| A: The
sound is degraded by an inaudible amount to my ears (which have been trained by 25 years as an audio fanatic and
performing/recording musician). As a matter of fact, low signal degradation is the very reason we offer this option. If you require multiple source inputs, this option usually sounds better than outboard selector boxes, passive preamps, or even most active linestage preamps!. It is simply the purest possible method of incorporating multiple inputs, as it adds only two solder joints per channel and no extra wire, while a typical outboard source selector box adds two RCA jacks, four solder joints, and a pair of interconnect cables plus internal hookup wire in the direct signal path per channel. All those extras deteriorate the music signal, which translates into poorer fidelity. This option uses 3 pairs of solid, pure silver RCA jacks (not just silver plated!), that are wired with cotton-insulated, 99.995% pure silver wire. The selector is a fine, Swiss-made ELMA rotary switch that features completely sealed, gold-plated silver contacts, and carries a rated minimum lifespan of 100,000 switching cycles. The switch is mounted in a precision, laser-cut bracket located directly in front of the RCA jacks. The control knob is connected to the switch by an aluminum shaft, that rides in a bearing mounted in the front panel. So why do we do it this way? Because it sounds better! Mounting the switch directly in front of the RCA jacks avoids a long, parallel run of signal wires, which always carries some sonically adverse effects with it. Although much more expensive to implement, we have found this method to sound undeniably better than the cheap, gold-plated brass jacks, shielded copper mini-cable, and front panel mounted selector switches used in practically all of today's preamps and integrated power amplifiers. ^ |
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