Help with upgrading

[Malka07]

Well i finally got round to opening up the amp and systematically go through all the joints and connections, everything is as it should be. However i did find some wiring that i am unsure of! The manual directions are as follows:

Route D - Heater wiring for V3 and V4 - Using 2 seperate lengths of twisted 1/0.6 wire, one pair going to each valve, connect tag cR18 to v3 pin 5 and v4 pin 5, then connect tag cR15 to v3 pin 4 and v4 pin 4.

The way the amp has been wired is as follows:

A twisted pair of wires are both connected from tag cR18 at one end and they go to V4 pins 4 and 5. Then there is another twisted pair of wires going from v4 pins 4 and 5 to v3 pins 4 and 5.

Would this cause any problems? Should i rewire as the manual states?

I hope that i have explained this clearly enough to understand!!! if not i will get some diagrams up.

Thanks

Alon

[John T]

Originally Posted by Malka07

A twisted pair of wires are both connected from tag cR18 at one end and they go to V4 pins 4 and 5. Then there is another twisted pair of wires going from v4 pins 4 and 5 to v3 pins 4 and 5.

If the heater wires are connected as you state - this is wrong! The correct alternative way to "daisychain" then is to connect one wire to cR18 and one wire to cR15 and twist them together. The ends are then connected to v4, pins 5 and 4 respectively. Then connect one end of another pair of twisted wires to pins 4 & 5 of v4 and connect the other end to the corresponding pins of v3.

This method is electrically the same as per the recommended method. However, it can be easier for some to solder a pair of wires to a tag on the tag board than on the holder for valve 4.

PS! Just one final thought - do the heaters in v3 & v4 light up when you switch on? If they do, there shouldn't be a problem - just your initial description!!

[Malka07]

Thank you John for explaining that to me. Both heaters in v3 and v4 light up. Im sorry but my initial discription was wrong.

"A twisted pair of wires are both connected from tag cR18 at one end and they go to V4 pins 4 and 5"

Was meant to read:

A twisted pair of wires are both connected from tag cR18 and cR15 at one end and they go to V4 pins 4 and 5.

Still cant find the cause of the rustling sound from the left channel

Does someone know anyone near north london, that will be able to take a look at the amp for me? As this is really driving me crazy!!!

Alon

[Malka07]

Sorry for all the questions, but i have just spotted that Resistors 1,2,3 and 4 which are meant to be 100k 1W(according to manual) are actually 80000mohms! They are located on tag cL5,6,11 and 12(can be seen on previous pic i posted) they have a Grey, black, white, gold band accross them.

Is this incorrect? should they be 100k as manual states? (brown, black, yellow, gold?)

Alon

[Malka07]

Well not exactly help with upgrading, but i didn't know quite where to post.

When i joined the forum about 1 year ago, i had a few problems with my amp the rustling noise and the bass more prominant on one side. With you guys help i have managed to get rid of those problems as well as improve my sound dramaticaly, as well as build a passive pre and then the b1 buffer...i also tweaked and rewired my kit34 turning it into a kat34 but never got round to sharing the pics with you...so here are 2 pics....and another question...lol



The power supply consists of 5 mundorf m-tubes, 3 mounted on the top of the Kat34 and the other 2 can be seen here at the back, this is an old pic so the blue cap has been removed, was waiting on delivery of the final m-tube cap. Wired with hgc silver wire. Again an old pic and all earthing wire has now been changed to silver wire as well.



As can be seen here V-caps installed (wow these things are AMAZING)
cathode bypass caps are elna silmic 2's, well anyway you can see what i have in there...lol...basicaly the sound has improved alot since i first go the kit34. Im very pleased with it.

So here is the question....whilst i am very please with the improvements i have made and am very happy with the sound. Its still not quite where i want it to be. So i think its time that i did a speaker build

My question is, do you guys have any suggestions as to a good first speaker build, i listen to all types of music, and im particualy interested in getting very realistic holographic imaging and soundstage. but bass and musicality is important too...so im not asking for much really...lol

My room is not massive, my speakers currently fire down 3.5 meters and there is 3 meters width. Height is 2.6 meters.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Alon.

[Greg.]

Hi Alon,

You wouldn't go wrong with WD25A or 25T at whatever spec you can afford. They work will work brilliantly with WAD KaT34 producing a very authentic and natural sound with plenty of frequency extension where you want it. Unless you are looking for a more severe and cheaper DIY option, these have got to be the place to start.......all IMHO of course Also, just remember they are designed to be sited close to a wall to help bass perfomance. If you can't do that they'll still work well but maybe not give you the optimum bass performance they are capable of. I am splitting hairs here, I assure you!

Best wishes,

Greg

[Malka07]

Thanks for the suggestion Greg, the WD25t is definetely on my list of speakers. Is there anywhere i can hear a pair of these? as i would like to hear them before purchasing. But im sure they are very good.

Alon.

[Greg.]

Unless someone local to London pops up, Give WD a ring and arrange an audition. They are not too far up the A1 near Huntingdon.

[Malka07]

Thanks Greg, thats very helpful, i didnt realise that WD was so near to me, will only take me about an hour to get there

As soon as i get a bit more funds, i will arrange an audition.

Thanks

Alon