OK I’ll bight: Darling Fest Two stages, single power supply, Jeremy Epstein relating. Im paraphasing from memory, but you can verify it reading Jeremy’s write up in Sound Practices. I cant find my Sound Practices CD at the moment. first stage rc decoupled, but when he tried same power supply filtering for both stages. i.e. no further upstream filtering straight single b+ node to both stages. It was better.simon wrote: ↑Wed Mar 02, 2022 1:32 pmYes the compromises can be significant when costs are considered. I had Bud Purvine wind me some ITs for 10Y to drive 300B and the amp was very good. But 12GN7 as triode with simple LC coupling to copper GM70 with separate PS for driver and output is so much better. And simpler, albeit heading in to boat anchor territory.Paul Barker wrote: ↑Wed Mar 02, 2022 1:16 pm The elephant in the room for a Sukuma version is I can’t afford the required Iron. I think 10y / 801a is the one valve for two stages in front of gm70 but one word, transformer! Yes romantic to use such valves but don’t be a fool and ignore physics.
Different situation but Im still not fully bought into the power supply seperation. Even thouh I dont doubt youre experience Simon, Im not arguing with you, that happed Im sure and it sounded better Im sure.
But the best ever sound Ive had was a single resistorless capacitorless power supply LR filtered, the R in LR being two shunt valves. A no longer member of the forum, or any other for that matter, who is silent but not silent key heard it and it was concurred. Field coil fullrange drivers on Briggs dimensions baffles (there was a easter hobby group back in the days of Soumdpractices with loads of pictures of Briggs dimensions baffle. It was a thing in their group that those dimensions were special. It worked for us that day. Ive never heard anything like it anywhere in the world, not even Bruce Edgar. But it filled the floor of a pretty big room on my top floor, well if you include the speakers. It was the same one power supply for the whole amp, and that powersuply was the best sounding I ever had. But you couldnt pick it up.
I just dont buy the multiple power supplies, unless they are all faultless. My experience varies.
I can tell Im going to have to recreate it for demonstration purposes. Listen paints a thousand words.
We even tried a Black Gate added where there were no caps, we tried paper in oil where there were no caps, we tried motor run caps where there were none. The magic of the sound was lost, you could hear every single cap, where before, words cant describe it to you, the only thing that would show you it is not a simple intelectual science. Its about trying things and finding where youre mileage settles by youre ears. Itll settle in the most impractical thing you ever built, but the best sounding by miles and miles.