Leseranlagen von Reinout de V. aus E.

Dear HIFI TUNES,

as an early starter with IMAGE HIFI and HIFI TUNES I think the upcoming issue of personal audio systems is great! I’m looking forward to the new issue already! Included are sample pictures of my audio system. It’s a combination of commercial available and home built components.

  • CD player: Krell KPS 20i/L
  • Pre amplifier: Gryphon XT-MC
  • Power amplifier: DIY based on the TB3/1000 tube
  • Headphone amplifier: DIY based on the 6SN7 tube
  • Headphone: Grado RS-1
  • Turntable: VPI Scout
  • Cartridge: Denon DL-103
  • Speakers: DIY based on Thiel drivers

The poweramplifier contents of two mono chassis with dedicated power supplies for each channel. In total this four-piece amplifier weighs about 280 kilos. The signal route is all transformer-coupled. Every needed voltage in the amplifier has it’s dedicated powerline (transformer + rectifier + coils/capacitors). In total there are 32 transformers and coils in these amplifiers. There is a 6SN7 as input tube, a 300B as a driver (normally this is used a a classy output device), and the output triode is the Philips TB3/1000. This is a serious triode not unlike the better known 833A (used by Wavac); but the construction of the TB3/1000 is far superior. With it’s 100 Watt filament and with 1100 Volt at the plate I get 100 Watt from a single triode, and it gets serious warm after a couple of hours of listening. The weight and size of these amplifiers forced me to make my own audio-rack as well. There is simply nothing commercial available that won’t break.

Some explanations to the pictures: The small wooden box between the speakers and the audio-rack contains the crossover. The power amplifiers are located on the left and right side of the audio-rack, with the power supplies on the lower shelf. You can see the size difference between the 300B in the middle of the amplifiers and the big, serious TB3/1000. The CD player and the turntable stand on top of the audio-rack. The signal compartment of the preamplifier is located on the middle top shelf, the middle shelf houses the powersupply of the preamplifier. The lower shelf contains the headphone amplifier with it’s dedicated external power supply.

Best regards,
Reinout de V. from E., The Netherlands