Some weeks ago I showed the line output / volume control transformers with silver windings on finemet cores which Tribute made for me. Now a line stage which uses them is finished.
The circuit is the same as that of previous 10Y line stages. The only difference is the silver wire and nano crystalline core material of the OPTVCs. And a different color scheme, black and white with silver metal plates.
The upgrade of the OPTVCs is well worth it. They bring a clearly audible advance in sound quality. The silver wire seems to have the same effect as in a previously built silver line stage. The finemet cores add yet another level of refinement to the sound quality which is achieved by the silver wire.
The different sound layers of a recording fall into a new perspective. Separation of background vocals and instruments becomes more audible, without the sound image falling apart, it stays well integrated. Altough I usually do not care too much about sound stage, this preamp brings better focus of instruments and voices which is beautiful.
Silver wire and finemet cores are an interesting new endeavour which I will explore further. Stay tuned!
Best regards
Thomas
"A clearly advance in sound quality" - This sounds pretty subjective. Wouldn't be a way to demonstrate, with science principles, how a silver coil and nano crystalline core are able to give such a change? Might they affetc frequency spectrum response in a way that would be sensed my everyone? Would be nice to find out.
ReplyDeleteHi!
DeleteYes this assessment is purely subjective.
So far I have not been able to show differences of silver with measurements. I do not have the instruments to dive into that level of measurements.
I did however see a smoother and extended frequency response when measuring the transformer with finemet core compared to the one wilt silicon steel core
Best regards
Thomas
Thomas, I find the darker wood chassis with the white caps and transformer covers spectacular. Really beautiful combination. Also the PS threw me for a loop as I always expect it on the left, as are my four 6ax4's!
ReplyDeleteOne of your most beautiful designs to date, and I am sure it sounds twice as good!
Do you prefer the finemet to amorphous, which if I recall you were not a fan of?
ReplyDeleteHi!
DeleteFor a fair judgement I would have to do a direct comparison of the same transformer on the different cores.
Thomas
Hi Thomas,
ReplyDeleteReally beautiful preamps! Super dig the look, and very fine materials used!
Would like to ask about your opinion about using finemet for chokes (for DHT preamp), do you think they are worth the extra cost, and what additional sounds benefits do they add?
Thanks!
Hi! If you read my blog you probably know what my answer will be. A single component or in such a case even just part of the component might have different sound impacts depending on the whole circuit entire system and lastly subjective preference. There is no way but trying it to find out
DeleteHi Thomas,
DeleteThanks for your reply!
Yep I have read every finemet article on your blog :p And I do have a rough idea! Its just that I guess for individual component changes I don't know how much a impact it will be. I am planning to use finemet output transformers for a 01a DHT preamp, just wondering if finemet chokes are better/more worth it. My other power transformers won't be finemet.
Thanks!