WiredState Audio Community

i've always liked my st70 in raw form - ultralinear. a few times i tried it in triode mode, i thought it lacked the dynamics and punch of the ultralinear.

last night, we did some testing (with the scope) and compared the st70's response in both ultralinear and triode mode. guess what? surprise surprise, the triode mode gave the better response on the scope.

well, i hooked up the amp in triode mode and set it up in a system matched for a 17wpc. guess again. the sound is indeed more refined, yet dynamic. better definition. a deeper stage in MY system. a bit more engaging too.

experiment with your own st70. you have to find the appropriate speakers for 17wpc (and not for the 35wpc of the st70 in ultralinear). enjoy...

Does switching to triode require resetting the bias?

Does switching to triode require power off first?

KD, kung matapang ka, do it like the vintage_dog does- on the fly.

arnoldc wrote:KD, kung matapang ka, do it like the vintage_dog does- on the fly.

hoy, okay lang naman ito ah...i always do it on the fly

KD, match it with speakers for 17wpc. common mistake is using less sensitive speakers with the st70 and switching to triode mode...set to triode, set the bias, use matching speakers, and go!

vintage_dog wrote:well, i hooked up the amp in triode mode and set it up in a system matched for a 17wpc. guess again. the sound is indeed more refined, yet dynamic. better definition. a deeper stage in MY system. a bit more engaging too.

what speakers did you use Sir?

what a coincidence as i was also playing around with my st70. in fact i did text vintage_dog and iceman90a whether the ultralinear/triode switching could be done on the fly or not. anyway, to play it safe i turn the amp off first before switching but then v_d said it didn't matter. on the fly was ok.

anyway, i've always been on ultralinear mode. for some reason this weekend i decided to try out triode. initially i thought it sounded a bit thin. so i switched it back to ultralinear and got back the fatter sound. then i switched back to triode again but this time took a few hours to listen.

lo and behold, the "thin" sound was actually crisper, more dynamic but lower sound volume which made me think it was thinner. actually the lower watts just meant i had to turn the volume knob a bit higher to get the same SPL.

but i actually started enjoying the triode sound. the fatness in the ultralinear mode was just additional warmth and tube fuzz (sorry for the descriptor but that's how i describe the lush of tube sound). but the triode mode was punchier and detailed without loss of bass. i was quite surprised as the speakers i was using were the low sensitivity 86db/4 ohm dynaudio audience 72 floor standers. well a small listening room helps

anyway, i am going to keep my amp on triode for a couple of weeks to really make a comparison. so far i like what i hear

front end: thorens td166mkII, grado gold cart
pre-amp: tono violin

and did i say triode measures better? so you hear what is measured

ooops, eto na naman

arnoldc wrote:and did i say triode measures better? so you hear what is measured

ooops, eto na naman

francis and i discussed the measurements today in his office. first i described what i heard then he described what you guys saw

Nice observation conspicuous. You've got to play some more of your cds to really "see" hear actually what it takes to like a "crispier" against a "fatter" sound. Some cds may like it fat, some like it thin. I often find myself at a quandary which. Maybe this ain't right? But I've observed my fisher amps specially the el 84 versions can sound a bit thin but clearer with a triode preamp (integrated) driving. I've heard a hi end triode as well in the $$$$ that sounded emaciated driving a mid senz speakers. It would have been a different story if it were driving hi senz speakers I'm sure. And your listening experience with your speakers would have been quite different had you been driving/using those huge horny fagots -- huge speaks with flea power reqs.

ichabod!, good to hear from you as always you raise an important point which is why to me simply a-b'ing equipment should not be conclusive in some cases. switching from ultralinear to triode and then back again doesn't do justice. long time listening is really key and using varied sources. so i'm keeping my amp on triode mode for at least 2 weeks to get a real sense.

conspicuous,

once you're set and like the sound of your amp in triode mode, it's time for you to have a SET amp to really enjoy the true triode sound!

of course, you need an efficient speaker for that!

s2kov wrote:conspicuous,

once you're set and like the sound of your amp in triode mode, it's time for you to have a SET amp to really enjoy the true triode sound!

of course, you need an efficient speaker for that!

andy, ka! gastos yan!

oo nga naman andy, hindi lang gastos yan, but the road leading to SET land is much difficult to travel.

that's what happened to me when i'm just starting with tube amps. i first owned the dynaco st70 and really enjoyed it, but after hearing a SET amp and built one for myself, my vintage amp is mostly idle and just collecting dust on my room!

andy, ang mahal naman ng paper weight mo, ibenta mo na yan! tapos gawa ka ng isa pang SET amp

s2kov wrote::lol:

that's what happened to me when i'm just starting with tube amps. i first owned the dynaco st70 and really enjoyed it, but after hearing a SET amp and built one for myself, my vintage amp is mostly idle and just collecting dust on my room!

so what high sens speaker are you using now? fostex based? eto, na, kumakagat na. mahuhuli kaya ako??

arnoldc wrote:andy, ang mahal naman ng paper weight mo, ibenta mo na yan! tapos gawa ka ng isa pang SET amp

Triangle Titus 202

conspicuous wrote:

s2kov wrote::lol:

that's what happened to me when i'm just starting with tube amps. i first owned the dynaco st70 and really enjoyed it, but after hearing a SET amp and built one for myself, my vintage amp is mostly idle and just collecting dust on my room!

so what high sens speaker are you using now? fostex based? eto, na, kumakagat na. mahuhuli kaya ako??

KD wrote:Does switching to triode require resetting the bias?

Does switching to triode require power off first?

KD, saksakan mo ng 300B yung ST70 mo para tutuong Trayood. D' Best Yan

andy, time for PP 2A3!! mickey is now selling lundahl interstage!!