Kees Olaf: Supply chokes
This is not to "reveal the best choke"!, an effort is made to describe the typical sound of each choke to ease up a possible choice!
| Type | Corematerial | Induction/DCR |
|---|---|---|
| Tango CD80-12wn | 45% Permalloy | 45He/30mA/390ohm |
| Tamura A394 | unknown | 30He/40mA/740ohm |
| Tribute "custom" | Amorphous | 65He/15mA/380ohm + 65He/30mA/190ohm |
This is the system used:
- Speakers: Custom made, HansKortenbach/Kees Pel, speaker PHY KM 30.
- CD Player: ACCUPHASE DP70 V
- Wiring: CUSTOM (more to follow...)
- Amplifier: Custom made inputcapacitor (more to follow), RE 134(Telefunken),SS 351 TAMURA/interstage, RE 604 globe (ancient version),F5002 Tamura OPT (amorphous), BlackGate WKZ 47 + 47mF, 2mF WesternElectric oil, 2 x A 4006 10He Tamura supply choke (amorphous), PC 6002 Tamura supply transformer. RGN 2004 Telefunken mesh rectifier (also, more to follow).
What music?:
- Tom Waits: mule variations
- MOBY 18
- Jamato ensemble: Koto music
- Sitsel Endressen Bugge Wesseltoft: Out there in there
- Maria Joao Pires: Schubert, DGG
The supply choke under test was each time placed as second
supply choke, being in between driver and powertube.
Differences in sound due to different impedances and inductions were taken into
account (experience?). Each time the voltage was adjusted (when necessary) so
the adjustments of the tubes were the same throughout the test..
First impressions/sound descriptions!
- TangoCD180- 12 wn; Extensive bass, loose highs, a little coarse, wide, some push with a typical romantic sound.
- Tamura A394 Power, energy, lots of "colour", mids/bass preference, compact mids.
- Tribute Custom New out of the box! Very open mids/highs, much details (typical Amorphous?). A bit less power compared to the Tamura though somewhat broader soundstage, mids/highs preference (will probably get better during "playing in"), much colour on mids and highs though a little lean in the bass, easy to listen to!
In about 3 weeks a final evaluation/test will be given! At
that time everything will be "played in".
Then the following chokes are also evaluated:
-
WESTERN ELECTRIC choke,
-
AE "6chamber" choke,
-
AE double C-core choke,
-
Tamura A394,
-
Tamura A395,
-
Tamura A4004,
-
Tamura A4006,
-
Audio Note choke and
-
Rick Stoet choke.
01-11-2002The big comparison test is a fact!!
These supply chokes are tested/listened to in the Single Ended amplifier as described above.They were placed in between the driver and powertube. The choke is not exposed to a big supply ripple here and is thus evaluted on its audio capacities only. These results reflect only the sonically differences between the chokes so that an eventually choice can be made easier. Our own preferences are not mentioned, we have tried to point out that feature of a choke which is, as we see it, important to the music. Tamura's A4004 and A4006 are still to be listened to, sorry for that...
The chokes, with a highlight on the good points:
- Tamura A395 10He/120mA/110ohm - Power, warm character, much emotion, open and wide soundstage, delicate, natural sounding
- Tamura A394 30He/40mA/740ohm - Very homogeneous, fast open big sound, live naturalness, very delicate, quietness, good timing, suspense in music
- Western Electric 7He/120mA/170ohm - Very nice timbre, soft midhigh, super rythm/swinging, power in mid/low end, warm sounding
- AudioNote 10He/200mA/- - HiFi-sound, slight loudness effect, open stage, nice rythm, nice mid/low end
- Tango 45He/200mA/- - Good timbre in mid/low end, warm souding, nice nuance colouring
- AE 6-chamber 7He/150mA/60ohm - Low price, power
- AE C-core 10He/200mA/32ohm - Power, musicality
- Parmeco 10He/200mA/- - Nice enclosure, HiFi sound, bit too much push
- Tribute 10He/200mA/72ohm - (connect 2in-1out) Lots of power, energy with precision, similar to Tango but better homogeneity, lots of push/drive, very colourfull
- Tribute amorphous 60He/40mA/195ohm - Very delicate and open mid/highs, neutral, quietness, very "airy&transparant"
Preciser defining:
| Type | Emotion | Timbre | Space | Quietness | Precision | Rythm | Energy/power | Naturalness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamura A394 | good | good | good | good | top | good | good | top |
| Tamura A935 | good | good | good | good | good | good | top | good |
| Western Electric | good | top | reasonable | good | reas/good | top | good | good |
| Audionote | good | good | reasonable | good | good | good | good | reasonable |
| TangoCD12-180wn | good | reas/good | reasonable | reasonable | reas/good | reas/good | good | reasonable |
| AE 6-chamber | moderate/reas | reasonable | moderate | reasonable | reasonable | reas/good | good | reasonable |
| AE C-core | moderate/reas | reas/good | reasonable | reasonable | reas/good | reas/good | good | reas/good |
| Parmeco | moderate | reasonable | moderate | moderate | reasonable | reasonable | good | reasonable |
| Tribute 1in-2out | good | reasonable | moderate | top | reasonable | reasonable | reasonable | good |
| Tribute 2in-1out | reasonable | good | reasonable | good | good | reas/good | top | good |
| Tribute amorphous | good | reas/good | good | top | good/top | reas/good | reasonable | reasonable |
That's it! Kees and Olaf really have been busy... The description is meant to be as a guide if you're planning to buy supply chokes, but are not sure which one to buy. I must emphasize that a good supply choke really can make the difference! More than you'll think of! Not every available supply choke is listened too, only (most of) the better and more expensive models, the ones you don't "just buy" to discover later on that it sounds not to your likings. Prices are not given, keep in mind that if you're buying one of the Japanese products, you'll have to add almost as much as the cost-price to get them home (shipping&customs)!