Same with the cameras and the TV's and even cars! More resolution does not directly mean more pleasure! Better measuremanets don't mean more satisfaction! We want harmony not just concentration in one direction!
No fluff. Straight honest opinion, useful explanation, as always. Thanks!!! I do wish Russell would tweak the looks but maybe that’d hurt the circuit. You-know-who makes the ST70 look cool. WAF is an issue here.
After owning Hafler 500, NYAL Moscode 300, then Distech LS-2 (among other lesser amps), I ran a stock(refreshed) pair of ST70s for 20 years, then upgraded the driver boards with the VTA mods 3 years ago. What great sound.
Tubes and horns for me also. I have an amp that can use EL34 up to KT88 tubes. I tried many brands of both as well as 6550 tubes. To my ears EL34 are the best even with lower power they have that warm tube sound.
Would love to see a ST-70 super shootout between the Russell, your Will Vincents, the VTA (Latino) and Erhard (now Miller). It would be great to see/hear them all side by side. You are the only one with an arsenal of ST-70s who can do this!!!
I hear you. I owned early Audio Research (D-150, D-90B) and while everyone was raving about the newer amps, they left me cold. The chase for “accurate” sound by necessity ,seemed to slowly reduce all the reasons you got a tube unit in the first place! The fact that a small custom producer is needed to give folks what they really are after, shows the state of current audio thinking. When tubes and SS sound nearly the same they call it accurate and uncolored. Now I’m not calling for actual high coloration such as a CJ MV 50 or75, Just a return to really superior sound like in your Dyna. Did Mac ever make a better amp than the MC-30 or the C-20. Some feel it was all downhill after that. I would love to see a change in current philosophy.
I really like the choice of parts in your ST70.. I’m having my own ST70 being built by a tech buddy (I can’t solder for long periods anymore bec of health reasons..) Although mine has an Octal Board, but not VTA’s, and not one of those garish boards with tons of small Lytic decoupling caps on top.. Got the parts 3rd hand, with unused/unmounted Dynakitparts OPT’s same as yours, but with a more scruffed-up Stainless Dynakitparts chassis.. I might upload a small vid of how it looks like when it’s ready.. I hope they still reatain that ST70 character..
Dynacos are the finest hi-fi tube amp circuits ever designed. Some say the ST-35 is superior, others the SCA-35, others the SCA-35 with a PAS 3x preamp, others the ST-70, others the ST-70 Series II, others the ST-70 Series III :)
Great to hear your observations. I too, am disappointed in so-called neutral, modern sound. I want beauty, not anti-septically clean and lean. I have a stock Dyna ST70 and ST35 that needs re-tubeing. Can you tell us what brand output tube is in your ST70? And what driver tube you're using, since they no longer make the driver tubes for ST35 or ST70. Thx. Great channel.
I am with you regarding the rather clinical / sterile sound of some of the current design tube amps. With that said, the orginal Stereo 70 driver board considerably limits bass definition and overall dynamics. Replacing the original 7199 with an adapted 6U8 or 6GH8a I find further degrades the sound. Upgrading this board to either the Triode Electronics or VTA driver board eliminates these issues and makes the amp an impressive performer. This is my experience as a long time hobby builder / restorer who has owned or built around 10-15 ST70, MkIV & MKIII amps.
there are two of these for sale that i could get my hands on...both look different...one the guy says many upgrades have been done the other says his has been recapped...i don't know what one to pick...i can't a/b compare them...the board on top of yours with the nice looking golden black capacitors...is that a complete board i could buy with all the capacitors on it like yours and swap mone out to be the same❓also that copper looking rectifier, what is that and what part do i order to get that for mine?
You're not alone with this experiencing the new way of hifi .........out of proportion details etc...as if they would do,be better than real life ..........but this is wrong and applies also to video . The original circuit of the ST70................INDEED ! al those modified circuits do not equal an original ST70 nor it's sound . When reconditioning a vintage amp I always listen to the results to not getting it out of it's original musical balance ..I fully agree with the message of your video. PS............it's not what audiophiles pretend that tubes add something like warmth etc to the music .......in reality it's mostly SS that LACKS those qualities ! Today there's a lot of fake reversed thinking on everything ....
Some of the things I think you are encountering here is the difference in modern KT-88 reissues versus the sound of the EL-34. Albeit I too find newer designs lean more towards sounding accurate over romantic. A first generation of the MC275 does sound richer to my ear than the more recent models.
there are two of these for sale that i could get my hands on...both look different...one the guy says many upgrades have been done the other says his has been recapped...i don't know what one to pick...i can't a/b compare them...the board on top of yours with the nice looking golden black capacitors...is that a complete board i could buy with all the capacitors on it like yours and swap mone out to be the same❓also that copper looking rectifier, what is that and what part do i order to get that for mine?
