Preamp Deal of the Century

I got my cabernet yesterday. Mick shipped on the 4th and I got it on the 8th, so that was pretty fast delivery. Let me tell you just a bit about the cabernet. It is the linestage only version of the grange. The normal tube compliment is 6j5, 101D, 5881, and gz34. Note that the 6j5 is a single triode tube and one half of a 6sn7. Because I have so many 6sn7's, I asked Mick to wire my cabernet for the 6sn7. It only uses one triode in the 6sn7 but the left and right sockets are wired to use different triodes. So I can swap 6sn7 tubes between sockets to make sure that each triode in a tube can be used. Best I can tell there are only 2 gain stages in the Cabernet and it does not invert phase unless you do it with a phase switch

The other signal tube is the 101D. Mick ships the preamp with the TJ101D, this tube has a mesh plate structure that is built kind of like shredded wheat cereal. The TJ101D has 2 getters which are perpendicular to the mesh structure. Overall the TJ101D construction looks very good. Besides the tennis-ball shape and the pinout it doesn't bare a lot of physical similarity to the WE101D. Electrically the TJ101D may be very similar to the WE101D but construction-wise it looks like its own tube design instead of a copy.

The power supply seems to weigh about 40lbs by itself. This preamp has the rectifier and regulator tubes in the power-supply. The Sauvignon I got from Mick last year only had the rectifier in the power supply. The preamp did not ship with a power cord. Not a big deal but those in the market to buy a Supratek preamp should plan on picking up a power cord also.

Mick is still shipping the same remote control with his preamps. Has anyone tried replacing this thing with one of those programmable universal remotes? You know the remotes that look like PDA's.

Last year Mick shipped the preamp and power supply together in one of those FedEx 25kg boxes. It was well packed then. This year Mick shipped the preamp and power supply seperately in their own 25kg boxes. They are really well packed now.

I prefer a minimalist design and my preamp configuration relfects that. There is only one set of inputs, rca and xlr outputs, volume control, balance control with a bypass switch, and a gain selector on the back of the preamp. Of course there is no source selector, no tape loop, no phase switch, no mono, no mute, etc.

I told Mick early on that I had bought 10 pair of NIB WE101D for use in the preamp. Mick builds the preamp to be auto-biasing and although he builds it for the TJ101D he made doubly certain that it would auto-bias with the WE101D also. He delayed shipping over a week to make certain it was right. I really appreciate that.

This preamp is supposed to have up to 30db of gain.
I have not had a chance to listen to the preamp yet. It will be a couple of weeks till I get to do that. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it sounds in the upcoming weeks.

Hi,

If the Sauvignon bass is too deep with the 6F6G & Ken Rad Black Glass VT-231 combination. Do any of you believe that a Sylvania VT-231 & 6F6G would make a dynamic combination. ie. All the strengths of great detail (Sylvania) with the deep bass of the 6F6G.

If the Sylvania is plausible in this scenario. Any particular of of Sylvania VT-231/6SN7 type of tube one should be looking out for. There are so many different variations of this tube.

It's just that Tung Sol Round Plates are still very difficult to get hold of, even from Bob at TubeSeller (Thanks for the tip Cello, thats where I purchased the Ken Rads from about a months ago).

Hence the thought of a Sylvania & 6F6G combination. Would this work ?

Cheers

of Supratek thread length..

When I have first discover this threat it was already about 20 posts long, I got really intrigued, but thought it is to beautiful to be true. About 60th post I first time have written to Mike. He is matter-of-fact guy. It took me another 300 convincing posts to put Supratek in my audio plans. About 800 I made purchase decision and started discussing detail with Mike. After 1000th post put my deposit for fully loaded Sarah. I have filling that it is going to be my first audio product I have never listen to, bought under the influence of fellow audiophiles, and I'm not going to be sorry like so far I have always been. I have never had anything tubed, but on HT 2001 in NY I got enlighten to my avail that SS is not the best sound forever.
It would be interesting how many peoples bought Supratek outside of this very influential thread!
What PC cord would have the best quality for buck ratio. I would not like to spend a lot of money on PC.

Clipsal,
.
I would suggest that you send Bob Malecki an email and ask him to keep on the lookout for a good pair (almost) NOS Tungsol 6SN7's and to let you know when he finds them. He just told me that in all his years that he has only come across 2 pairs of what he thought to be true NOS Tungsol's. The Tungsol’s that he sent to me had readings of 2700/2800. I will be listening to them this weekend for the first time and post what I hear compared to the Neotron's (best 6SN7’s so far) that I got from Bob have been listening to for the last 2 months or so.

Clipsal

I am useing the Syrah, and not the Sauvignon. I am useing
the W.E.350B along with the Sylvania metal base 6SN7W, and the Bendix Redbank 6106 as the rectifier.

This combo has dynamics in spades, and the bass which had
been MIA with 5881's 6L6, etc... comeing from my Totem Mani II is simply amazeing. Very deep, tight, and well defined. I haven't tried the 6F6G but, the results should be simular based on what's being said about them. I have not tried them becouse Mick has not recommended useing them, If you run tubes that he says no to useing, what is that going to do to your warranty? Something to consider. He did in an e-mail tell me that 350B's are ok, just too expensive.

If you are after a more "tubelike" midrange tho, the KT-66
is a gorgeous performer here, but you will trade off some of the dynamics, and bass control that the 350, or 6F6G's (?) provide. The KT-66 along with the Tung-sol round plate is an excellant combo, especially for vocals and acoustic music.

I also like the 350B with the tung-sol round plate. You get the superior performance of the 350B, with a bit of
organic, or human touch to it, as opposed to the straight-
forward dynamics of the Sylvania's.

Sorry if my descriptions are on the weak side, I am no re-viewer by any stretch, but I am a pretty good listener tho
and I like to try and help if I can.

I would also like to add here, a VERY large thank you to Mr. Slowhand for starting this very remarkable thread. Without it I would still be listening thru mudd. Although I would have a hell of a lot more $ in my saveings account thank you very much.

And also thank you to the other Guru's, BWhite, Fiddler,
Tubegroover, etc... And the YODA of tube knowledge and info. MR. Ecclectique who have provided so much to all of us quiet types out here at no charge.

CharlieE