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Blue Hawaii Special Edition


pabbi1

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wat? the standard BH is 10W bias per tube

10W CCS x4 = 40W

10W EL34 plate x4 = 40W

1.6A x 6.3V x 4 = 40W

voltage regulation = +15%

transformer efficiency = +15%

total = 166W

then add in the -300V regulators, a couple watts for the +/-15V, and its easily 175W

Does it ship with one of these?40-mr_fusion.jpg

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As far as I know, for what an amp builder tried to explain to me, if you don't load the secondary of a transformer coupled tube amp, the tube output sees the primary as a load with just the impedance of the wire in the primary, so it's quite close to a short. The tube is asked to delivery way more current than it's designed to and will die soon. So for a short while you can run an OTC tube amp without a load plugged, but it's not a good idea doing so for more than a few minutes, unless you want to burn out your tubes prematurely.

For an hybrid amp, if the output devices are the transistors, not having a load plugged shouldn't be a problem. The transistors are still a load that the tubes would "see" despite you don't connect anything to the output.

It's a bit more problematical than that. You see, the extra current being drawn from the tubes has to go somewhere. What it does is turn into heat. When enough heat is generated, what appeared to be a near short in the transformer becomes a real short, and an expensive output transformer is now an expensive paperweight. Once a tube is operating into a dead short, it will burn out quickly enough.

In some pro gear, there is a short across the output jack when nothing is plugged in, so that the tube is operating into a dead short immediately. The idea is to burn out the tube as quickly as possible, before it can kill the transformer. Tubes are cheap relative to output transformers, in most cases.

While this only applies to transformer-coupled amps, I tend to advise people to always put a load on a tube amp. Even if the amp is safe without a load, it creates good habits. Plugging a headphone in when not necessary doesn't hurt anything. Forgetting to plug a headphone into a transformer-coupled amp can be disaster. Better to develop a good habit than learn from an expensive mistake.

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It's a bit more problematical than that. You see, the extra current being drawn from the tubes has to go somewhere. What it does is turn into heat. When enough heat is generated, what appeared to be a near short in the transformer becomes a real short, and an expensive output transformer is now an expensive paperweight. Once a tube is operating into a dead short, it will burn out quickly enough.

In some pro gear, there is a short across the output jack when nothing is plugged in, so that the tube is operating into a dead short immediately. The idea is to burn out the tube as quickly as possible, before it can kill the transformer. Tubes are cheap relative to output transformers, in most cases.

While this only applies to transformer-coupled amps, I tend to advise people to always put a load on a tube amp. Even if the amp is safe without a load, it creates good habits. Plugging a headphone in when not necessary doesn't hurt anything. Forgetting to plug a headphone into a transformer-coupled amp can be disaster. Better to develop a good habit than learn from an expensive mistake.

Yep that's the detailed explanation I was given, but not being a technical person I couldn't remember it. Thanks for clarifying :D

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  • 2 months later...

My BHSE should be shipping today. :) It's going to LA to be displayed at CanJam '09 (on Icarium's Spectral SDR-2000) so hopefully it gets there on time.

It'll also be staying in the LA area for a few weeks after CanJam so if any SoCal-ers want to check it out after the big event, let me know.

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i just shipped it, to be delivered to the hotel along with my demo BHSE, Sony SACD player, and a couple pairs of Stax headphones. Total bill for 3-day shipping = $400 :facepalm:

Where's my e-mail with tracking number?? ;)

Also if shipping cost more than what I already paid for, I will gladly pay the difference. You know how to contact me.

It's not?!?!? I thought the first run had a waiting list in hopes of people dropping out?

IIRC, Justin has a few units that may be available.

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i just shipped it, to be delivered to the hotel along with my demo BHSE, Sony SACD player, and a couple pairs of Stax headphones. Total bill for 3-day shipping = $400 :facepalm:

Haha, I would've thought a young strong guy could've "carry-on" the Sony SACD player in a backpack.

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