Dennis Had Inspire Amps

[Bombadil]

I honestly don't know how he could continue to build amp after amp, making solder joint after solder joint, through hundreds of amps. I might be able to do it 4 or 5 times.

[ismelllikepoop]

Is there a primer explaining the difference between the different types of inspire amps? Seems like a decent bit more over the past 5 years. Also did a phono stage ever happen?

[straitwire]

I'm not sure but I think it's yours Jprod
That's a beautiful amp.
And in my opinion that is the best color we have ever offered.
Congratulations!

[Jprod]

Originally Posted by straitwire

I'm not sure but I think it's yours Jprod
That's a beautiful amp, In my opinion that is the best color we have ever offered.
Congratulations!

Dennis emailed me yesterday and said my amp was on the test bench. If it’s a kt88 it’s got my name on it - actually has Dennis’ name on it but you know what I mean

Thanks. I can’t wait to hear it and will post my impressions after some listening

[straitwire]

Originally Posted by Bombadil

I honestly don't know how he could continue to build amp after amp, making solder joint after solder joint, through hundreds of amps. I might be able to do it 4 or 5 times.

Speaking for myself, I really enjoy building them.
Once I start on a build the time flies by.
So it's not really a task or a chore, it's more like a hobby to me.
And of course working with Dennis is great.
When we layout the chassis for a new amp or preamp it's exciting.
You start out with an idea a bunch of parts and a blank chassis.
Then when you finish and throw that switch, your listening to something that's unique...and in a way it sorta feels like its alive.

[Bombadil]

My Inspire SE EL84 amp. Built in September, 2012. Hard to believe that it was that long ago, seems like only 2-3 years.

Tube complement is: RCA 6BQ5, the smoked glass, no hole version. Amperex JAN 6922 from naval surplus. RCA 5V4GA also with a slight bronze/smoked glass. Total cost I paid for all 4 tubes < $10. All were acquired 20-25 years ago. All test as new.

I like the 5V4GA appearance, it doesn't dominate the "landscape" of the amp.

[Bombadil]

This is a Magnavox 196-00 console pull amp, also a single-ended EL84 amp. Look how similar it is to the Inspire EL84. Same layout, essentially the same transformers.

[Cdrdel]

Very cool Bombadil! I also remember huge stashes of tubes stored in Cheatham Annex, Navy Warehouses in the early 1990s (Williamsburg, VA). I wish I was into tubes back then. I remember there was also a brand a NOS 1961 Chevy (Belaire) staff car that was heading to the crusher rather than being surplussed! It was apparently buried for years in a warehouse of one on the old conventional Carriers (USS America maybe).

[straitwire]

Prototype passive preamp with a voltage divider headphone section.
Goofing around with some ideas I've had for awhile.
Gonna build this in a bigger 6"x 9" enclosure but worked out the way to do it on this little box.
LED's indicate input selected (I need to dim the Red mute LED).
So basically what you do is take the input directly from your source (or from your preamp) and plug it into the RCA jacks on the back which then runs it thru a selector switch to a stepped attenuator out to the amp and then you listen thru your speakers.
Or disconnect the speaker cables from the speakers and connect them to the binding posts on the back of the box which then runs it thru a voltage divider network to the headphone jack which gives you a "headphone amp".
I used a 3 pole 3 position switch and wired the third group of positions and the third pole to light LED's indicating which RCA jacks your using and a mute in the middle for dropping the needle on vinyl.
The volume knob, selector switch, indicator LEDs, and the headphone jack will be on the front panel of the bigger enclosure I am building with more LED's on the top at the back of the enclosure inline with the RCA jacks on the back to indicate which RCA jacks you have selected.

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After I finish laying out the bigger enclosure I'll cut the holes and get it powder coated.
Works great as a headphone amp if your into that sort of thing.
It lets me listen to music after everyone is asleep.
If your source is hot enough (the phono preamp I use is) you can use it without a preamp.
Or with a preamp, it doesn't matter.
If you are listening thru headphones you don't really need a preamp.

[oldominion]

Well, I'm in full "buyer beware" mode for the Sophia Electric 6sn7. Two out of the four I've purchased have failed drastically.

I sent my preamp down to Dennis/Straitwire to check out the persistent hum I've been having issues with and thought it would be a good idea to send the tubes as well. Apparently, the SE 6sn7 was the cause of the instability in the preamp as it went nuts while on Straitwire's bench, according to Dennis.

As for the hum, we shall see if I still have issues when it returns. I'll say that I've got a long phono chain that has always been difficult to ground: Thorens TD124>Ortofon SPU>CineMag SUT>Magi Phonomenal phono pre>Inspire pre.

I'm also going to repeat something I think is important to remember: the Inspire preamp is the best sounding preamp I've ever had in my system. It's clear as gin, full of body, lively, exciting but not bright...everything I've ever wanted in a preamp. I'm excited to get it back as I've missed it.

There is some documentation of failure of these Sophia Electric 6SN7's on the internet, and I appear to be the latest person who has been duped into paying far too much for a tube.