One-of-a-kind Carver Silver Signature build

My power supply caps have arrived!

Here is a photo of left and right channel PS caps. The 7Up can is again for reference. The brown caps a the bottom of photo are the Duelund output coupling caps and feedback caps for the amp.

Here is closer view of the PS caps.

The biggest PS cap is bare aluminum can because the factory does not make the blue shrink wrap in this size. Enjoy!

Forgot to mention all the PS caps are FILM caps...no electrolytics in this amp.

A little update on my amp project. I've done a lot of reading and asking about output transformer designs. I initially wanted nickel C-core transformer with pie silver wire, which like many audiophiles thought this type is the best one can get. Boy was I wrong! I now realize transformer design is part science and part art. The art part is usually buried in secrecy by the individual transformer designer. No one wants to give away his secret recipe. An excellent transformer can be designed without resorting to exotic metals and winding technique. Nickel has drawbacks besides cost, including a resonance peak and nonlinearity compared to the best high grade steel. C-core is not necessarily the best geometry for a core. And silver wire, besides the current astronomical price, doesn't seem to have the benefits I thought. Benefits of pie winding can be achieved by interlaced layer winding. So now I'm looking into the more traditional E-I lamination using ultra thin laminations of M3 steel from a guy who has been designing transformers since the 70's. Bob will specify the parameters for the transformer. The secondary winding may have Litz copper wire or silver wire. The primary winding will be copper. More later...

A little update on my amp project. I've done a lot of reading and asking about output transformer designs. I initially wanted nickel C-core transformer with pie winding using silver wire, which like many audiophiles thought this type is the best one can get. Boy was I wrong! I now realize transformer design is part science and part art. The art part is usually buried in secrecy by the individual transformer designer. No one wants to give away his secret recipe. An excellent transformer can be designed without resorting to exotic metals and winding technique. Nickel has drawbacks besides cost, including resonance peak and nonlinearity compared to the best high grade steel. C-core is not necessarily the best geometry for a core. And silver wire, besides the current astronomical price, doesn't seem to have the benefits I thought. Benefits of pie winding can be achieved by interlaced layer winding. So now I'm looking into the more traditional E-I lamination using ultra thin laminations of M3 steel from a guy who has been designing transformers since the 70's. Bob will specify the parameters for the transformer. The secondary winding may have Litz copper wire or silver wire. The primary winding will be copper. More later...

Based on discussions with Bob and the transformer designer, we have opted to implement two smaller 250 watt output transformers per channel instead of one 500 watt transformer. Benefits are two fold; frequency response is extended farther and transient response improves.

so this would be 4 output Trans?

cool...

The biggest PS cap is bare aluminum can because the factory does not make the blue shrink wrap in this size. Enjoy!

SHIT!!! that's a cap!!!

Doc,

Thanks for keeping us in the loop. Now those are some Caps!

Based on discussions with Bob and the transformer designer, we have opted to implement two smaller 250 watt output transformers per channel instead of one 500 watt transformer. Benefits are two fold; frequency response is extended farther and transient response improves.

Interesting. Never knew that was an option. In fact, I've never seen 2 output transformers used for one channel (except in stereo converted to monoblock).

What about power transformers?

Thanks everyone for your continued support and interest in this project.

Yes, my amp will have two output transformers per channel. This is not done commercially because it is more costly and complicated to put together, but I think the benefits outweigh the increase in cost and complexity for a custom build. For example, there is about 33% increase in cost of the transformers.

As for power transformers, AFIK there is no benefit of having multiple transformers. A single power transformer per channel with different windings for required voltages seems sufficient to me. Toroidal power transformers seem to be better suited because of lower noise and more compact size than a comparable E-I or C-core power transformer.

I would entertain any of your thoughts on how this amp should look... layout of tube, transformers, chassis work, color, etc.

Check out the way Mike changed the configuration of the CarverFest tube amps to prevent interaction between the output transformers:

viewtopic.php?f=157&t=15063&p=173436&hilit=tube#p173436

Wouldn't it be easier to just use mu metal for magnetic shielding inside the transformer covers?

Placing the transformers to minimize interaction may be better method than shielding with mu metal. Some argue shielding distorts the magnetic field of the transformer and degrades the sound.