“La Technique” - French made 1957 EL3N power amp

 

Inspired by the look of these vintage French made EL3N tubes - NOS NIB - with their red cumberbun and rarity I was compelled to build an amp. Also looking for something a little different I built on a Hammond wood cheek chassis. I already had the external PS with tube rectification from my “Xfi” amp and had listened to these new tubes in a 6L6 amp. 

Staying with a traditional black look with classic wood cheek sides and the showy tubes in black and red this amp was always going took stunning. The OPTs are 5K Asian and add that to German Mundorf Supreme interstage caps on a Canadian chassis you have a true international components mix. The driver tube is a new Svetlana 6N1P, resistor selection is carbon and metal film with wire wounds for Ck. Also a mix of NP and standard electrolytic caps with all Cat5 solid core hookup wire characterise the sound. 

Compared to my many SET amps, “Xfi” being a good example, this amp has a fuller, richer, bassier sound. As with all my other SE UL pentode amps this one has PRaT. I find drive and rhythm a hall mark of pentode based amps and “La Technique” no different. I love the look and are ecstatic about the full bodied sound. Add to this the amps heart is French made vintage tubes is a bonus. 

“Piccolo” - 5654W compact tube preamplifier

 

This smart looking and compact tube preamp uses (matched) JAN GE 5654W tubes. The kit is sold with lesser performing 6J2 but here they have been upgraded. The enclosure is Hammond extruded anodised Al smart looking enclosure. Three inputs are selected by two front switches. The black knob is a large anodised Al type with a good feel. All internal components are of very good quality. 
 

Power is via a 12VAC 1A plug pack and connects to the preamp via a two pin locking connection. Internally HT is generated to produce a dead quiet preamp. Under test up to 90% max volume there is 0.0mV of noise. At 100% volume, 0.4mV of noise. Input impedance is 100K. The blue colour when on is a pleasant glow and the filaments fire is also easily seen. Tube rolling is possible. 
 

From such small tubes I didn’t expect how good sounding this preamp could be.