Pub/ish«lQuarterly Celebrating the History and QlIOlity of Vocllum Tube Te<lmology luue 2 Vo/LlI7U! I VACUUM TUBE VALLEY Fall 1995 Price $6.50 Magnum SE Amplifier Da\-c Wolze rec.:nrlydesigned and built an SE amp with power and punch. Page 17 ...... Tube Review: EL·34 In one of existence since 1953 and th(Omost popular audio tubes of all time, rhe EL-34 has many variarions and performance characteristics. Page 8 Heath W-6M Heathkit: Early Tube Hi-Fi years. In This Issue .. manufacturer of Heathkit was the largest d�c­ Ironic kits in the US, alone time, selling over ntbe bldustry News 350 different types of kts. Learn more aboUl Check OUt the latest happen gs i in in the the early days of Heath Hi-Fi. Page 3 world of vacuum tubes. Learn the results of a recent survey of tuhe dislfih­ mors and sellers conducted by VIV. MU/UlrdEL-34s Harbouroudines the latest Ilem and Eric Early Cinema Sound Views. Page 15 vrv examines an early \xre�ternElectric [heater sound system. Page 24 Guitar Amplifiers Learn about how to get the best guitar tone. Chaclie Kittleson interviews Terry Buddingh, Tube Amp Expert from GuiTdrPi4yer Magazine. Page 20 Heatb w-4AM Tube Matching: Get the best soutuisfrom your amp. Matched tubes arc essential for opti­ mum performance from push-pull amps. n John Atwood explai s tube matching techniques for the layman. Page 22 Vacuum Tube Valleyis published quarterly for electronic enthusiasts interested in the See (Jur newfiatures in this months colorfv1 past, present and fvture af yocuum tube electronics. expanded issue W'ri!t<n and Prin,edin ,h. Uni'M State< of Am<ticl "!ilIF, V A C U U M TUB E VA LLEY 3. Do not call, FAX or write us For Something Different-Try VTV CONTROL GRID asking for rare tubes or obscure infor­ V.A.L.Y.E. by Chaclie Kiuleson mation. Rart audio and guitar amp tubes are a scarce commoditv. Please do Those of )'ou interested in anothe:r nOt comaCf us asking for these tubes. unique tube-ellthusiast publication, Welcome to Issue 2 Some are a\'ailable from tube dtalers or should try VALVE. This is a tube club With our first issue, vrv ha:. �uc­ may be obtained by placing an ad in publicacion put out by Dan Schmalle of ceeded in getting the word out to tube Alldiolllllrt. Also, we are not the Libr.HY Poulsbo, WA. It features lots of neat ani­ cles on vintage hifi, tube comparisons, enthusiasts around the planet. \Vc are of Congress, so please don't call us asking striving to provide quality historical, per­ for a schemacic for your 1934 ReA vintage sYStem listening tests and more. formance and technical information on Theater amp. A one rear (12 issues) subscription to the vacuum tube tcchnology. Our writers VALVE newsletter is US520.00/530.00 have tons of ankles on tubes, transform­ Dynaco Visit to VIV Foreign. \Vhat a bargain for the useful ers, new and vintage equipment coming information you will get! R«:ently, the VTV officn were \isite:d up in future issues ofvrv. by Ra)'mond Sassoon, Executive Vice Send your ch«:k to VALVE, 1127 Presidtnt of Oynaco/Panor Corporation. Throughout the 1990s tubes will N.W Brightstat Lane, Poulsbo, WA be:gin to wander back into mainstream Raymond is very interested in bringing 98370 (360) 697-1936 audio. They arc already being seen in innovative mbe hifi products to market at reasonable prices. VTV also audi­ Readers - We Need Your Help!! mbe CO players, many /lew tube hifi tioned tht new PAS-4 preamp, CO-I amps, tube guirar amps and tube record­ \Ve are planning articles on the hbto­ Tube Compact Disc Player and the Stereo ing studio equipmem. Sweeten up your ry of Fisher, Harman-Kardon, Mclmosh, 80 Power Amplifier. of 0Yllaco'$ new music; put vacuum tubes in the signal All Marann, Radio Craftsmen and H.H. tube products performed very well. path! Scot! next year. If you have any informa­ tion including literature, history or other WriteUs Please data on these American HiFi companies We are being ove:rwhdme:d by ince�­ from 1947 through 1965 please send it to sail{ phone calls from tube cmhusiasts. us. Photocopies are OK. We are trying We simply cannOt handle all of the calls. to obtain the most accurate information There are three rules you should remem· possible on these companies. Also, if you ber when trying 10 COntaCt \TfV; know anyone who worked at these com­ panies during the Golden Era of HiFi, I. Contact US by fax or in writing help us get in COntact with them ASAP!!! only! We will not handle technical inquiries over the telephone. Please FAX A Call to Authors! or write us with your questions and we We arc also seeking quality attidn will respond if we can help you. \TrV from our readership. In particular, his­ FAX 408-733-6146 (send facsimile aftcr IOrical perspectives, broadcasting history, the recorded message). early recording Sludio equipmem, euly theater sound systems, speaker and equip­ 2. All subscription and product ment manufaCturer profiles and more. paymenu must be by check or money We will also consider technical articles on order. We do /lot lIccept credit ClIrd$. your audio, radio or eI«:tronics conSlTUC­ Please provide payment by bank, certi­ tion projects relating (0 vacuum mbes. fied, or personal check or money order Stnd us your manuscripts, along with payable in US dollars. Foreign sub­ schematics, illustrations and photos. scribers - be sure your payment is payable: from a US bank and is magnetically We will pay for quality articles that encoded. .lre published in vrv EDITORIAL STAFF Copyri£l1t Vocuum Tube Volley Vacuum Tube Valley is published quar­ 1995 All rights re$erved. terly forelectranic enthusiasts interested No port of this publicotion may be reprinted in the colorfvl post, present ond future of Charles Kiitleson Edilor and Publisher - or oIherwi$6 reproduced without written vacuum tube electronics. per' John Atwood - Technical Editor mission 01 the publisher. Subsc ipti n rote is US$25.00/yeor r o t d ial Eric Send circula ion on editor !A issues) US and US$35.00 Foreign Barbour - Associate Editor correspondence to: To subscribe, renewor change address Sieve Parr- Electronic Publishin g Consullont VTV call or FAX us at Duone u te Jerl Markiewicz -Copy Editing 1095 E. Ave., S i 106 (408)733-6146. Sunnyvole, CA 94086 USA VACUUM TUB E VALLEY • GOLDEN ERA EAR L Y HEATHK T HEATHKIT - HEATHKIT The Early HI·F] Years by Charlie Kinleson � �ulJilij "BUILD IT YOURSelF" POST-WAR HI-FI IN THE US Hi Fi for the home really gOt a boost in the years immediately aft..,f amplifier World War!I. Returning Gls gOt thelT first taste of live classical music while stationed in places like Italy and kits France. They en oyed the experience and liked what thj ey heard. But when they returned to the States after the war WfUlA.MSON HP! ro play hack such recorded erfor­ (A.CROSOUND r rUNSfORMf_j manees, they found most 0 the audio equipment available at rbe time IQ be mediocre at hcsr. Many of the early audio enthusiasts had military training in clec(fonics or were radio emhusiasl:S who were able ro consnuct their own amplifiers and speakers using old radio parts and war tluiUa surplus electronics and folJowins plans YOURSELF published in enthusiast publications Radio EleC/Tonics ';lleatMtt like maga7:ine. WHHA.MSON "PE Hu. ,. ,om.'oto (CHfUGO T�ANS'ORM!.j In GreaT Britain, aboul the same HIGH FIDfUT Y p",mollf;".'h' o..;, d v •• lime, similar uends were de eloping. PREAlttPLlFIER :I:�'��..!! �II""�I� <ui� il ",•• id ..... ".1, .. • Then. in 1947, a monumental event ... for I.P. RI ....... "'ES. occurred in the world of audio. O.T.N. .»<1I ...rIy ;8 .--.n1o. 5 , ...i,.h·"I"t,d ;fiP�" W'illiamson developed the famous .. i," ;»<I'.",u,lIy' ...... Io"d "'"'rob. ...,.. .. Williamson Amplifier circuit and pub­ _.odt .. bIt '0" OOJ).. schematic in If<III.opoci,1 hum control. lished the plans with a fi Wire/us World, a British elccuonics for__ .»<1 moo' '''''<1i" :;.��'" . ,:,r� rfi� .:'; 1 . r n� publication. The Williamson design ��W7."i{:;. '":':.� ;� ����� �. ,:�. : $ 19.75 was one of rhe first am lifiers to e ec­ p ff ';II""tMtt tively combine feedback, a high quality WfLLlAlttSON TYPE output transformer, specially-aesigned 25 WATT AMPLIFIER from-cnd (Opology and rhe BriTish (,off�lUS T�ANSFO�MfRj COMI''''AIlOr< . W.!,M".d WA·�2 high erformance valve rhe KT-G6. Thio 10,.. , andmoo, .d,. � H.. ,hkll b,·fi p - ....... ""'" ..00.'''1>0''""' ,. ,h, .mplifi ,11 ,b. The front-end circuit consisted of a 'u.......... ","'1 I�I< .... Fn'\lflne KT·t\6 ,uboo. ,o«iol p..,t-oo'pu''''r�ror .... ,•• n<! ""... d,­ volrage amplifier, a split-load invener ::::�n. ,I 08".... btmiont p<rfor""'n<eby 'ny h and a non-inverting differential pair. Baoo _... i, .".nded __ ,h.n • foU produced IS wans RMS. octo., below.. 01 ' H.. ,hki, \\·tll"mo<>nd,allu. .Ione ..j,b h�'" P'"'''' ou".l!. ,t<!ooalin' ... • mOOo.. ,.... »<I .. b llIOnicd .. ''''', .....U ... pt-ooo O.T.N. Williamson's creation deliv­ ,bi!! ,..... ,, """'i<o.,,,»<It<! ,»<I bip f""""",,y =. .� ne" "". b.I."; • . , .,,,,.i, _k.. ered performance that was nothing oaoi«. and .. lb... me "",0'1,100 .!oH,"' .". I bob.", be"'. ."m,n 'u .... y","mic " •• 0>10< short of sensational. h was the first A.id.' from'h ... .'mt>ndi"� ""';""""1I ...,,,.