“retro-Zen” Decware inspired 6BQ5/EL84 triode strapped amp

 

A Decware inspired 6BQ5/EL84 (Zen) triode strapped amp with attenuator. Driver is 6N1P. And of course chicken beak knob with AWV 6BQ5.

OPTs are 5W Asian sourced which I and others have used and find excellent. They are shock mounted on split rubber grommets for HF/resonance suppression. Sockets are ceramic and gold plated with Visheys MKP interstage caps. Hookup wire is Cat5 solid core. 

External PS has a Sylvania 5U4GB and works with two other power amps saving me $400 each amp. But if I sell one ill have to make another PS. Power tranni is Hammond. Chassis is a cast Al with Epoxy Enamel paint. This is meant to be a fun amp, single input and just 2.5W. Good den amp or desktop amp. For good level music listening you need speakers with better the 90db sensitivity.

“Hegemony” - 6L6 monoblocks.

 

I was asked to build 6L6 monoblocks for a very keen tube collector. He would provide the tubes and I would build the amps. Monoblocks are almost double the work with two power trannies and filtering circuits. The requirements were also to use Silk OPTs from Thailand. I chose 20W models for a 5W amp. Interstage caps are Mundorf Evo oils. RCAs are Palladium.

These austere looking smart amps produce deep articulated bass, grounded detailed and rich midrange and crisp highs. Chassis are Hammond steel with wood cheeks and are difficult to drill but worth the effort. Hammond power trannies and 300uf of filtering in a double Pi config produce a very low noise (1.5mV) amp which plays plenty loud. Definitely one of my better and more expensive builds. You are rewarded, though, with an exceptional audio experience.