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In the Forum: Melquiades Amplifier
In the Thread: Single-stage Melquiades vs. DHT amps
Post Subject: DSET vs. the “better tubes”.Posted by Romy the Cat on: 5/20/2009
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 Romy the Cat wrote:
Spending some time listening carefully my new setup after fine-calibration I recognize some inaccuracies in my previous comments and some mistakes of my original objectives. Here are some observations I would like to make. If some of my observations contradict what I observed before then it is what call evolution and refinement.
Sound of a single MF channel when It is driven by one-stage 6E6P (with “new” PS schema) and the sound of my DC-coupled DHT is slightly different but without obvious advantage of any of them.

If any advantage does exist then it becomes practically negligible then MF channel incorporated into 6 other Macondo channel.

The change of the output tube in the DHT channel is well-auditable. However, the values of this change is very different then the values of the same change that might be viewed in an amp that drives only one channel. This is very important observation.

If change of output triode in one-channel operation might be evaluated from a position of full balance of the tube then the same change within 6-channel operation might be evaluated only from a perspective of complimentary balance.

Therefore any fine calibration of sound in case the left channel use DHT and right uses one-stage 6E6P possible only for a single DHT tube. The change the DHT change the flavor of sound and the “flavor”  balance between right and left channel shell be recalibrated and in some case might not be reached.

The idea of DHT MF channel is in way a fiasco as it is not significantly better then one-stage 6E6P (with “new” PS schema - that is important). At the same time the DHT MF channel, by virtue of replacing the flavor of output tube is a phenomenal opportunity and a great triumph as it allow to  tweak the contribution of MF channel to the level unimaginable when the one-stage amp was used. The full potential of this would be available only with DHT running on both right and left channel.


The DSET concept that been advocating for a while gives a lot of surprises and wipes out many barriers. Playing lately with various DHT tubes for my relatively narrow band-pass FM channel I am witnessing how DSET concept in a way converts the idea of vintage super tubes in some kind of absurdity.

Of course I do not argue ageist better quality tubes and in context of a full-range operation the more superior tubes do produces better and in some ways unique result. For instance my RE604 and particularly YO186 produce sound with truly unique character. The uniqueness of this character loses a lot of value when the system is bi-amped.  However, in the situation of the “unique character tube” operates in band-pass between two other fine-adjustable channels then the unique character of this band-pass tube does not expose itself too much. Well it does expose itself BUT using another less “unique character tubes” and recalibrating all 3 channels you might write any characteristic of this “middle” tube.

So, 3+4+2 = 1+5+3 and it looks that it is true not only in mathematics…

The Cat

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