Bogans need "loud"!
Well, it's been three years...
Three years since we moved house, whence I last listened to my Weston Thunderbird valve amp (~12W SET). Which my son James won as the door prize one previous year at bathurst. And I confiscated coz I paid for his weekend. I'm a bastard like that!
Prior to the move it was part of my stereo system, along with my turntable & and other bits and bobs, including Osborn Interlude 2-way speakers & using an active sub to make it a 3-way speaker system, rather use the sub to augment the 2-ways.
The 3-way config I found improved the sound overall, as I reckoned it reduced cone distortion of the 8" woofers coz they don't need to do the lower octaves that the sub takes care of.
So, on the weekend I finally reinstated the Weston Thunderbird valve amp.
I use the preamp section of a NAD SS integrated, which outputs to the active sub & crossover, which then highpasses to the single input of the valve amp.
So, we now have three volume controls to deal with. After a bit of messing about they are sorta dialled in.
The volume on the preamp (primary volume control).
The gain on the sub, is set to ~2 o'clock
The gain on the valve amp, set to ~2 o'clock
Here's the rub! It doesn't like it used to... 
I can't get the previous SPL I used to. It sounds nice, but it aint loud enough!
The previous preamp solution has gone to heaven. It was the preamp section of an older NAD SS integrated receiver.
The sub used to be dialled in ~12 o'clock. It's now ~2 o'clock.
The gain on the valve amp used to be set ~11 o'clock. It's now ~2 o'clock.
I need more volume. I need more gain. I need to feed the inner bogan with _loud _ music.
Over to you Agony Uncles. What to do!?
Notes: I have more volume if I use the amp section of the NAD SS integrated, but I prefer the sound of the Weston.
I discussed with the Duke of Earle changing valves some time ago, but he suggested I would get little SPL gain from a 4W jump to 16W.
Comments
I don't follow. You are saying with max volume on the NAD, there is not enough volume? But your sub and Tbird are only set to 2 o'clock - why don't you turn those up?
Sorta!
What I'm saying is, I think???
If I turn up the gain on the TBird, I don't get any more real volume.
If I turn up the volume on the sub, it is too loud by comparison ie I can't just turn it up by itself.
Is there a limit to where I turn up the TBird gain position? As I said, I don't perceive I am really gaining anything past ~2 o'clock.
I am asking this based on "just coz a volume goes to 10, don't mean it should go there!"
With this in mind, I don't like running preamp volumes past 12 or 1 o'clock.
Does that make sense?
No
Pse test: disconnect the sub, and connect the preamp output directly to the Tbird input. Turn the Tbird volume all the way up and use the preamp to control the volume. Does it get loud enough (apart from the bass?)
Doubt if this has anything to do with missing SPL, but I would NOT be running all my signal into a subwoofer's crossover. It could be good quality crossover, but it could smell like the one you dropped in my car when you were up here.
This doesn't explain why the volume controls need to be a lot higher than before!? :-??
There aint no problem with my SGR plate amp or active xover.
And besides, it is how I had it configured before & it sounded fine.
And besides, I need to run the full signal via the xover in the plate so I can high pass from the xover to the Tbird. Otherwise it aint a 3-way.
See, this is why we can't have nice things! Coz it always gets complicated, and messy, and annoying.
Stupid hi fi!
Graham X-(
Thank you Graham, I am satisfied that one of Stuart's xovers will be good. You may proceed.
???? Did you do the test?
No, I found a bottle of Chapel Hill red instead.
I will tonight. I promise. Honest.
Hah hah. No worries either way, just trying to help you solve your problem.
HI John
I do appreciate your response, seein' as I actually asked for help X_X
The least I could do is actually test your idea :notworthy:
So.. how did you go
I'm having a hectic life AtM
I'll test it one night during the week.
But remember, I tell lies...
Hah hah.
Well, whenever. I expect several hours of turntable setup advice in return.
:-P :-*
I can do that
I can even loan you a decent protractor
I'm joking! ... I think.... if it weren't so darn cold in the north wing I'd go and try setting it up now.
Cold!
Cold!
You caint handle the cold?
Try living in outer eastern Melbourne, or Tassie brrrrr
Soft
forget Tassie - if you want to live in the coldest place on earth....move to Canberra
Uhm... do I have too? :-*
Hey the fire's on, it's warm in the South wing.
Holy cucumbers! I just realized that north is east and south is west. No wonder I can't get the wow to flutter right.