Rebuilt Quickie: "The Bonze"

Bonzo · 30875

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Offline mcandmar

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Reply #30 on: March 06, 2015, 11:00:00 AM
He he.  Those look like an interesting tube from a quick scan of the datasheet, were they supposed to be an octal equivalent or the 3Q4?

M.McCandless

Offline aragorn723

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Reply #31 on: March 06, 2015, 11:10:02 AM
Hi Bonzo,

How do you like the sound of the 3Q5GT tube compared to the 3S4?

Dave


Offline Bonzo

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Reply #32 on: March 06, 2015, 08:15:12 PM
Quote from: mcandmar on March 06, 2015, 11:00:00 AM
He he.  Those look like an interesting tube from a quick scan of the datasheet, were they supposed to be an octal equivalent or the 3Q4?

It seems the equivalent tube is 1C5 (maybe 1C5GT is a bit better  ;D ), and they are really cheap on Ebay USA ($8 for a tested quartet!).
Only socket adapter was a bit expensive, but the little quickie is always worth every investment!

I also ordered a pair of 1L33 too, do you think that I can use them in the existing circuit by simply cutting pin n°1? As I told you I'm sooo lazy!  ;D ;D

Bisogna avere orecchio!

Offline Bonzo

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Reply #33 on: March 06, 2015, 08:25:03 PM
Quote from: aragorn723 on March 06, 2015, 11:10:02 AM
How do you like the sound of the 3Q5GT tube compared to the 3S4?

Ciao Dave,
ATM I have no time for serious listening test... >:(
From quick listen they seems promising: they are microphonics as usual but not too much, and they sound "correct", more like the Siemens.
The listening the setup was Apple ipod touch with lossless files>direct output from base pins>Quickie>Edcor transformers>AKG 141 (not so optimized...  ;D )

Bisogna avere orecchio!

Offline Paul Joppa

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Reply #34 on: March 06, 2015, 09:05:30 PM
I'll just mention that there are a (small) number of tubes with 2.0v filaments, and that there exist 2-volt sealed lead-acid rechargeable D cells. Type 31 is especially attractive because its gain and plate resistance are close to the 3S4, and it's a real triode.

Finding a charger for the SLA cells will be more of a challenge.

Paul Joppa

Offline Bonzo

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Reply #35 on: March 06, 2015, 11:35:14 PM
Thank you Paul...
some more adapter to order (and even some SLA's  ;D )
Just to confirm your kit is an endless source of amusement, and your design is simly perfect!
THANK YOU!  :)

Bisogna avere orecchio!

Offline mcandmar

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Reply #36 on: March 07, 2015, 04:41:19 AM
2nd that, i have learnt so much about valve amp design from PJ and the quickie, and i'm still not done experimenting.  It went from a preamp to a headphone amp, to an AC powered amp, and currently i am waiting for a few caps to finish my latest revision with a high voltage regulated power supply.  Still sounds great too!

M.McCandless

Offline Bonzo

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Reply #37 on: March 08, 2015, 05:12:52 AM
Some updates: those big tubes are incredibly microphonic!!
I start suspecting that 3s4 is another design choice is better not to alter...  ::)

Bisogna avere orecchio!

Offline aragorn723

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Reply #38 on: March 08, 2015, 02:57:11 PM
lol.  The funny thing with the Quickie is that it sounds really good with the pjccs (and there's probably no reason to mod it) but it is so tempting it's hard not to (plus the sound just gets better!)

Dave


Offline Paul Joppa

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Reply #39 on: March 08, 2015, 06:19:20 PM
People -  the Quickie deliberately follows in the footsteps of the original Foreplay, in being as much for fun and playing with as it is for listening to - it's just a fortunate side benefit that it actually sounds good. Rock on!

Paul Joppa

Offline mkane

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Reply #40 on: March 09, 2015, 11:42:09 AM
  Installed Clarity cap's MR series resistors in the Quickie and niiiiiiiiiiice, fantastic mod. Took the hit out of Bonamassa's voice, added some depth of field for lack of a better term. Really lay's down those goosebumps.


Offline aragorn723

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Reply #41 on: March 09, 2015, 03:59:31 PM
Quote from: Paul Joppa on March 08, 2015, 06:19:20 PM
People -  the Quickie deliberately follows in the footsteps of the original Foreplay, in being as much for fun and playing with as it is for listening to - it's just a fortunate side benefit that it actually sounds good. Rock on!

Definitely agree Paul, I couldn't think about changing the Quickie to something else (though i'm sure the other bottlehead pres are a step up!).  I'm temped to play with it some times more than others (though there's probably not much more that could be modded-already changed the coupling caps to Russian PIOs and bypass caps to black gates-which leaves maybe changing the volume pot, and a teflon bypass for the coupling caps). 

Dave


Offline Bonzo

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Reply #42 on: March 09, 2015, 08:41:23 PM
Teflon caps to bypass PIO output caps...
I have a pair...
How I wish I kept the bigger plastic plate of the Quickie, now I have some space issues to accomodate them!  >:(

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Offline aragorn723

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Reply #43 on: March 10, 2015, 12:19:47 AM
Bonzo,

How do you like the teflon?  The PIOs are really nice, but I wonder what the teflon would do to the sound (PIO seemed to take some of the bass out, which the black gates brought back, but not completely). 

Dave


Offline Bonzo

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Reply #44 on: March 10, 2015, 02:36:21 AM
Quote from: aragorn723 on March 10, 2015, 12:19:47 AM
How do you like the teflon?  The PIOs are really nice, but I wonder what the teflon would do to the sound (PIO seemed to take some of the bass out, which the black gates brought back, but not completely).

Ciao Dave,
Sorry if I wasn't clear: I have the Teflon caps but I cannot fit them in my quickie due to lack of space (but I promise I'll do my best to fit them). Bypassing a PIO with a Teflon cap could, IMHO, restore both a bit of bass and a bit of high, it's the same improvement I heard on my phono pre (where I was able to fit both PIO and Teflon) and also reported here: http://www.enjoythemusic.com/diy/0411/capacitor3.htm

Bisogna avere orecchio!

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