Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[Human Bean]

Originally Posted by timeout59

Looking for a backup driver and rectifier tubes for my 300B-v. Are 6SL7 and 5U4 / 5AR4 the only options?

FWIW, I recently bought a linlai WE 274b, not cheap, but is my fave in my Inspire 45/2A3 and KT88SEP. YMMV.

[Masterlu]

Human Bean… Welcome to AA!

[Analog Addict]

So, meanwhile back at the Toy Shop, Dennis has been busy. While I'm out of town, he's been building amps. Guess when I'm around we listen to music and brainstorm ideas, when he should be building amps. Here are a pair of 300b-v's.

Sorry, they're both already spoken for...However you can still order one and bypass the E-Bay line here.

Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr

Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr

Here's the undersides of one of these amps...

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Also up for grabs is the new GK6'er, production unit #1, for $2000

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Also up for grabs is the new 2A3, featuring new PSVANE 2A3 tubes...This will be ready next week when the face plate arrives. $2950

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Last but certainly not least, is a new pre amp prototype, based on the WE396A
with a 6GK6 cathode follower. Dennis is very excited about this one.

Not for sale ...yet.

Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr

Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr

As always, jump line by bypassing E-Bay and PM me here for all your Inspire needs.

[Jefffeith]

Connecting my iPad directly into the Sweet 807 doesn’t produce very loud volume levels - small rooms + high efficiency speakers only. My room is about 16’ x 20’. Adding an inexpensive preamp allows me to play at very loud volumes easily. I chose the Topping L30II which cost $150 and it comes in red. Pleasantly surprised the Inspire amp’s sound remained the same - just louder.

Maybe I’ll have to get the new little black preamp in the post above. Will it add the gain I’m getting with the Topping? So beautiful!

PS. I figured out how to make the photo smaller and replaced the one that was too large.

[Analog Addict]

Originally Posted by Jefffeith

Connecting my iPad directly into the Sweet 807 doesn’t produce very loud volume levels - small rooms + high efficiency speakers only. My room is about 16’ x 20’. Adding an inexpensive preamp allows me to play at very loud volumes easily. I chose the Topping L30II which cost $150 and it comes in red. Pleasantly surprised the Inspire amp’s sound remained the same - just louder.

Maybe I’ll have to get the new little black preamp in the post above. Will it add the gain I’m getting with the Topping? So beautiful!

Impossible to say without knowing the specs on the pre amp. However Inspire gear is always designed to be additive/synergistic, meaning the sum is always greater than the number of its parts.

[Isaacc7]

Originally Posted by Jefffeith

Connecting my iPad directly into the Sweet 807 doesn’t produce very loud volume levels - small rooms + high efficiency speakers only. My room is about 16’ x 20’. Adding an inexpensive preamp allows me to play at very loud volumes easily. I chose the Topping L30II which cost $150 and it comes in red. Pleasantly surprised the Inspire amp’s sound remained the same - just louder.

Maybe I’ll have to get the new little black preamp in the post above. Will it add the gain I’m getting with the Topping? So beautiful!

PS. I figured out how to make the photo smaller and replaced the one that was too large.

The Topping has the reputation of many solid state preamps, super clean. Doesn’t surprise me that the sound isn’t all that different with it in your system. I have a tube preamp (Supratek Cabernet) and it can have quite a variable effect on my system. Keep in mind that I am a serial tube roller… I finds that the tubes in every step of the amplification chain makes a difference and not every tube works well with every other one. For example, I had been running some GEC 12sn7 in my preamp, very well regarded tubes that I was really happy with. I pout in some new driver tubes in my amp and yuck! Guess the drivers aren’t so good, right? Not so fast! I replaced the GEC with some Sylvania 12sn7 tubes and I’m back to great sound! A little different, but still great.

That’s my long winded way of saying that a tube preamp can be a blessing and a curse. When you have everything dialed in they can give you a richer, bigger sound that is addictive. They can also make previously liked tube combos in your amp not as good.

[Analog Addict]

Dennis finished up a new "Signature" KT-88 Firebottle amp for one of our AA members and has been having a lot of fun rolling different tubes through it this weekend.

Back at the Ranch....

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Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr


A pair of metal 6L6s...

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Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr




EL-34s

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Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr

Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr



and his favorite combo of the night, 6L6GTs, GE 6SN7, and new production 5U4G...

Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr

Untitled by analog addict, on Flickr


He told me that he was planning on making two of these, and although this one is spoken for, there is one more still available.

PM me for details...

[timeout59]

Nice, I'd be happy owning all those great tubes to experiment with.

What distinguishes the "Signature" from the usual KT-88 Firebottle?

What is that very cool looking globe shaped tube in the 6SN7 position?

[Isaacc7]

I’m a big fan of 6l6 tubes but haven’t gotten around to trying the metal ones. I know that the metal 6j5, 6c5, and c3m tubes are great and I like my metal 6f6 as well. They may not look great but they are still cheap!

[Analog Addict]

Originally Posted by timeout59

What distinguishes the "Signature" from the usual KT-88 Firebottle?

What is that very cool looking globe shaped tube in the 6SN7 position?

The Signature KT-88 Fire Otto’s has a higher voltage power transformer, and is set up for higher plate and filament current. The globe tube is a Linlai 6SN7.

Originally Posted by Isaacc7

I’m a big fan of 6l6 tubes but haven’t gotten around to trying the metal ones. I know that the metal 6j5, 6c5, and c3m tubes are great and I like my metal 6f6 as well. They may not look great but they are still cheap!

The metal 6L6s are actually the first version of the 6L6. Some people prefer them over all others…