Author Topic: In My Sweet Spot Chair Listening in Triode Mode  (Read 4737 times)

Offline mresseguie

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In My Sweet Spot Chair Listening in Triode Mode
« on: August 09, 2019, 12:31:15 PM »
I almost never flip the normal/triode switches to triode mode on my D Sachs Kootenay 120 because I prefer the normal (65w) setting most of the time. However, for some reason, I decided to give the triode mode a listen today. I popped an XRCD "Best Audiophile Voices" in my Oppo-103 and hit play.

I'm gobsmacked! This XRCD has 14 titles of female singers accompanied by different instruments. The ladies are Eva Cassidy, Allison Kraus, Stacey Kent & Jim Tomlinson, Carol Kidd, Jheena Lodwick, Dave's True Story, Tish Hinojosa, Cheryl Wheeler, Salena Jones, Jeanette Lindstrom & Steve Dobrogosz, Karrin Allison, Monica Mancini, and Nnenna Freelon.

Wow.

Additionally, I've been experimenting with turning the gain dials way down (approximately at 30%) rather than having them at 100%. Music just sounds better at the lower gain setting.
Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS

Offline Folsom

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Re: In My Sweet Spot Chair Listening in Triode Mode
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2019, 07:14:53 PM »
I'm rather surprised you had not tried it till now! I would have very early.

Offline mresseguie

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Re: In My Sweet Spot Chair Listening in Triode Mode
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2019, 12:17:58 AM »
Hi, Jeremy.

If you're talking about the triode mode, I have tried it in the past, but it just didn't sound as good to me till now. Perhaps, my ears finally grok it. Perhaps, it's because my system and speaker placement are better. I dunno.

If you're referring to my turning the gain dials way down, then it was more an issue of my not understanding the advantages of less gain vs max gain. Until I bought this preamp, I had never owned gear that allowed for adjusting gain. No one else who came over or attended a G2G said anything about the gain setting.

I quite like this lower gain setting, though not all the time. It sometimes sounds too syrupy to me. I'll experiment with different low settings to try to find a sweet spot. I imagine the 'best' setting will vary depending on which kind of music I play, huh?
Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS

Offline Folsom

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Re: In My Sweet Spot Chair Listening in Triode Mode
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2019, 02:13:32 AM »
Triode mode.

Synergy with triode's character is important. It isn't going to be great with everything.

Offline steve

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Re: In My Sweet Spot Chair Listening in Triode Mode
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2019, 02:21:42 PM »
Hi, Jeremy.

If you're talking about the triode mode, I have tried it in the past, but it just didn't sound as good to me till now. Perhaps, my ears finally grok it. Perhaps, it's because my system and speaker placement are better. I dunno.

If you're referring to my turning the gain dials way down, then it was more an issue of my not understanding the advantages of less gain vs max gain. Until I bought this preamp, I had never owned gear that allowed for adjusting gain. No one else who came over or attended a G2G said anything about the gain setting.

I quite like this lower gain setting, though not all the time. It sometimes sounds too syrupy to me. I'll experiment with different low settings to try to find a sweet spot. I imagine the 'best' setting will vary depending on which kind of music I play, huh?

Hi Michael,

Do you happen to know what brand of coupling capacitors are in one or all of your components?

Secondly, do you have any performance specs I could see with any or all of your components?

What tubes are presently in the pre and amp(s)?

I can sometimes correlate performance through the responses of the questions.

Thanks
steve
« Last Edit: August 19, 2019, 02:26:48 PM by steve »
Steve Sammet (Owner, Electron Eng, SAS Audio Labs, Ret)
SAS "V" 39pf/m 6N copper ICs,
SAS Test Phono Stage
Acutex 320 STR Mov Iron Cart
SAS 11A Perfect Tube Preamp
SAS 25 W Ref Triode/UL Monoblocks
2 way Floor Standing Test Speakers

Offline mresseguie

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Re: In My Sweet Spot Chair Listening in Triode Mode
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2019, 07:29:20 AM »
Hello, Steve.

I'm visiting the California Redwoods this week, so I cannot open my gear for an inspection. However, I do know that the output caps being used on my Model 2 preamp are Jupiter copper caps. I'm afraid I don't know their values. Everything else will have to wait until I'm back home.

Michael
Daedalus Audio Apollos; Fritz Loudspeakers LS/5-R
SW1X NOS DAC III BAL/SPL; Holo Spring3 KTE
Don Sachs Model 2 preamp
Don Sachs dual mono 300b; Nuprime Evolution STA
Hapa loom
PI Audio UberBUSS, DigiBUSS, Uber-MiniBUS