Author Topic: Leak wars  (Read 14170 times)

Offline gamve

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #20 on: March 01, 2014, 07:34:52 AM »
Bring all the Leaks you want fellas.   

Blind Testing can settle the winner.   haha    :P

I'm gunna bring some class D mono blocks just to show you guys you are all full of siht (Tounge in cheek)  :P

Offline Jehuty

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #21 on: March 01, 2014, 09:40:10 AM »
Bring all the Leaks you want fellas.   

Blind Testing can settle the winner.   haha    :P

I'm gunna bring some class D mono blocks just to show you guys you are all full of siht (Tounge in cheek)  :P

Don't bother, we heard class D last year. Being your Godzilla instead. Screw the wars, I want a party!  :P
Not all that matters can be measured, not all that can be measured matters.

Offline ozmillsy

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #22 on: March 01, 2014, 10:08:52 AM »
I'm gunna bring some class D mono blocks just to show you guys you are all full of siht (Tounge in cheek)  :P

Bring the KillerBee's G,   and maybe I can convince you to leave them here.    ;D
It's all about the music,, not the equipment.

Offline gamve

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #23 on: March 01, 2014, 10:19:52 AM »
Carn Guys make you minds up.
You want bumblee bees or crickets? hahaha

Offline ozmillsy

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #24 on: March 01, 2014, 10:32:16 AM »
Not the pharken crickets !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    :-X   :-\   :o
It's all about the music,, not the equipment.

Offline stevenvalve

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #25 on: March 02, 2014, 04:16:05 PM »
My standard Leak Stereo 20s performance is very good but not at the leading edge of performance. Compared to my other full on leak, its not in the race. I am saying if you what your leak to perform you must rebuild it with the right weapons, that includes removing all the electrolytic capacitors, I used PB Solens, and VSF Duelunds, they are very good in the leak. Replacing the resistors with the right resistors, a combination of Allen Bradleys, Shinkoh, audionotes, all 2 Watt, then critically you must put them into the right spots. The standard wiring is OK but it looks to be tin plated solid core. The leak will sound even better if all the wiring is replaced with Cat 5 solid core copper in a Teflon sleeve, (remove the cat 5s plastic coating). Also you need great tubes, In my leak the first tube vintage German Siemens 5814A / 12Au7, second tubes  two vintage English Mullard long plate 12AX7s, Power tubes are vintage English Mullard EL84s with hole in plate with 1950-60s date codes or German Telefunken EL84s.  Against all my other push pull amps, Including Mullard EL34 base amps, a pair of Quad 2 GEC KT66 mono amp and many more, the leak is supreme. The leak is not perfect, the main drawbacks include low power and they can have weak bass, but after modifying very good. I am very tempted to change it to triode mode and knowing how crazy we audiophiles are, probably will. PS PB Solens can sound ordinary in many HI FI applications, the trick is to understand how and where to use them. In the right spot, superb.
« Last Edit: March 02, 2014, 04:28:06 PM by stevenvalve »

Offline vitavoxdude

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #26 on: March 02, 2014, 04:58:17 PM »
Wow, Leak bettered the QUAD 11's, has the same attention been lavished on the Quads SV?

I have owned both in the past and my thoughts were that the Quad 11's were more relaxed and the Leak had greater 'tone density' with the different tube line up; that was using a pair of ESL57's, some corner horn Lowther PM6's and Yam NS1000's.

The lowether's had far better richness of tone with the Leak as they are prone to sound thin with a lot of alternatives.

I found with the Quads you could just listen all day without any fatigue whereas the S20 was exciting and inviting for the first few hours eventually falling off, but there again I had not been to the enth degree in carefully tuning each component part, I can imagine (and one day look forward to hear) that in the hands of some one as skillful as SV the leak could be made to play in the senior league for most things except raw power.  I hope you guys have a great time comparing them with some great music in the best company  ;).
V
We all like different things so lets all agree to disagree and if any common ground is found then worship it.  Mine is the KD hence being present on this forum.

Offline stevenvalve

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #27 on: March 02, 2014, 05:41:01 PM »
V, the Quads 2 amplifiers are stock and all original, I changed the tubes for genuine GEC black glass KT66 1950s, and put in my best sounding new EF86s, plus the ants pants mullard black plate (hole in the plate),5V4=GZ32 1950s. They are much better sounding than most of the rebuilt Quads 2s out there. Most of them are rebuilt with the sh!t that the technician had laying around. I have seen Quad 2s with 1/4 watt resistors replacing the originals, sh!t electrolytic everywhere and very different parts between the individual amps so they are no longer a matched pair, Will the Quad 2s sound better with a full-on rebuild like the leak stereo 20. Its very possible because they are very good now.

Offline vitavoxdude

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #28 on: March 02, 2014, 06:25:45 PM »
Well theres some food for thought Steve ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)  I rebuilt mine around 20 years ago with PP caps and unfortunately, HOLCO 2 watt resistors in the main, this could well have robbed some of the richness that the likes of other resistors can bring but generally they bounced along quite nicely and nothing offended about its natural sound.. One of our club members begged me to sell them to him and unfortunately, I needed some piggy bank top up so the only personal kit I ever sold  :(

Yes agree that a lot of Q2's have been the victim of the spare parts box with no real feel or care for the results providing they make sound!  They are so easy to work on that it's easy to put right the wrongs.

I'd love to see what YOU think of the sound  if as much love were lavished on the Quads, not my favorite all time British valve amps, the Williamson and Radford's as well as the Leak TL12 would step up here but a simple nice design nevertheless.  The do attract a fair old premium these days compared to 20 years ago.  Maybe we should keep Mum about the great old amps....... :-\

One of the best sounds I have ever heard at a show was a pair of reworked stacked ESL57's driven by a williamson with a Garrod 401 TT, sublime, no effort, clean, clear as a bell and HUGE sound compared to all the other closed in boxes droning along to the music.  Just because its old does not mean its no good!
V
We all like different things so lets all agree to disagree and if any common ground is found then worship it.  Mine is the KD hence being present on this forum.

Offline bhobba

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Re: Leak wars
« Reply #29 on: March 09, 2014, 04:06:26 PM »
Blind Testing can settle the winner.

Only if it's from drinking Grange - preferably a great year like 1990 or 1986.

 :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

Thanks
Bill