3s4 tubes quickie preamp

[wullymc]

I am still waiting for my Quickie to arrive but have been able to procure 2 Valvo and 2 Philips Miniwatt.  They look in mint shape!  There isn't much info out there on these but one reviewer said that he liked the Valvo's even better than the Telefunkens.

If anyone would like to chime in what they think, please do.  Also, if you want to know where I got them just PM me.

Take care...Dave

[4krow]

Again, since I also found a tube source that I trust, I just want to mention that Andy at Vintage Tube Services is better than some of the strangers that I have dealt with elsewhere. It is hard enough to find some of the stuff we need sometimes without having to take additional risk. I am going to have him send some GE tubes to me soon. I am anxious to get them. Funny though, the tubes that came with the Quickie sound VERY good to me as it is. Part of the hobby, I guess.

[4krow]

Wasn't quite sure where to put this little tid bit, but hey 3S4 tubes...ok....As I stated somewhere else, I have tried Herbies tube dampers on the 3S4 tubes with some good results. I could do all the crazy stuff that my brain wants me to experiment with, but hey, let somebody have a chance for that and use his product. So I did, and I like it enough to justify buying a damper for a 12ax7 tube, and particular to the Quickie, interconnect dampers. Normally I might shy away from such an idea, BUT with the micro-phonics inherent in the 3S4 tube, it seems that every thing matters! Yes, I can tap the Nordost cables and hear quite clearly a ringing. "Not done firing until your bullets make drop." When I am satisfied that the optimum amount of damping has been done, THEN I'll sit and enjoy. Until then, I have the target in site...waiting for my orders to arrive(from Herbies)

[corndog71]

Let us know how Andy's tubes go.  I was considering ordering them from him too.  I've gotten good tubes from him for my old Foreplay 2.

[4krow]

Rob,
  I didn't get the 3S4 tubes from Andy, but I did buy his GE 6SN7 AND 12AX7 tubes. Just as he said, they are clean and neutral. I did buy them also because they had a few hours on them(less than 100). No break in blues for me.

[corndog71]

Ah, I see.

[earwaxxer]

Hey Greg, Corndog, and others - another 'isolation' trick that I found helpful was to use glue gun around the tube sockets. It looks a bit funky and crude, but you can dremel it smooth when it hardens.