I am sorry to hear about Supratek's demise. I have lurked on this thread for awhile, but have not checked in for a month or so. What a surprise.
I own a Cortese, which I bought new from Mick a year and a half ago. The Cortese is very special to me. Spinning records has been more enjoyable than ever before.
Good luck Mick in your endeavors.
Tom |
Mick, You will be sorely missed in High End Audio! God Bless and Good luck. Thank you for all your fine work that has brought me countless hours of listening pleasure. Bob |
Thanks for the good times Mick! Best of luck to you. If you are half as good with grapes as you are with preamps, the wine wiil be world class. |
This is like the end of a good movie, but all good things never seem to last long. I hope that Mick is happy with his new profession. Mick,thanks for your help and good luck.
Tim |
As a very rare Chinese user of Supratek(I'm a proud owner of Syrah ), I'm very sorry to know Mick will wind up Supratek. Particularly, one of reason that force Mick to give up is the competition from China as well as EX rate. As a fiancial journalist, I seem to experienced a live story of EX rate. I will love my Syrah more. Best wish to Mick and hope you make another wonderful real SYRAH in your new veinyard. |
Best Luck to you and your family, Mick. |
Mick, from what you've said here and in the e-mail that you sent me, I understand how you feel.
You need a change of pace but I suspect you'll be back when the market is more favorable (stronger dollar etc). Hopefully now you'll have a slower pace of life with enough time to do some R&D work at your leisure which will contribute to an even better product. I'll be waiting for the Cabernet Dual Signature Edition.
All The Best,
Frank |
Mick-
Thanks for everything you have done to advance the art of bringing a truly wonderful preamp to the market at a real world price.
My Supratek is not only a joy to listen to, but a joy to look at as well. Every time I fire it up for a listening session I will think of you with great fondness.
I wish you the best on whatever road you go down, and I wish you and your family health and happiness. |
All the Best in your future ventures Mick ...
Its a wonderful thing you have done to create Supratek, all those shining pre-amplifiers glowing in the dark, continuing to give listening pleasure to hundreds of music lovers Worldwide ...your legacy lives on.
You may have hung up the soldering iron for now, but I suspect the passion for good music continues to beat in your heart, so we shall see what the the future brings.
Best regards,
Steve. |
Yes, it is true. I exchanged e-mails with Mick. He is just not making a profit anymore. He told me he had to step up production to make any money, and he felt quality was suffering as a result. Mick is very proud of the preamps he builds and he is not willing to let quality suffer. He is going to manage a vineyard and he seems very excited about it. As a result of starting the "Preamp of the Century" thread, I felt I had become good friends with Mick. The news hit me pretty hard, but I told Mick that he has to do what makes him happy. I wish him all the best in his new endeavor.
I hope this won't mean the end of this thread, as I have made many new friends here. Mick should be in the audio hall of fame for his brilliant designs. As you know, specs never meant much to Mick. The music is all that mattered to him. HERE'S TO YOU MICK! |
Hi Guys.
yes it's true- I'm afraid I'm going to have to wind up Supratek, at least for now. It's gotten very hard to make a living with the Chinese competition and the exchange rate.
I would have to double the prices to get back to a reasonable return , and then you get into the market where it's all hype and opinion over good innovative circuitry , which has always been the strength and fun of Supratek.
I'll finish off the orders we have, and maybe my assistant might do a few Chardonnays in the future , but pleased be assured that i'll always be available to help with any warranty issues or questions.
It's been fun and a pleasure to deal with everyone, even the crazy besotted audiophiles with their mad "upgrades" .
Thanks to everyone for their support, especially Dan and Kevin ,truly wonderful generous people .
And to Tom who started this thread so long ago.
Who knows- maybe Supratek might come back , but it's a different world now than it was 10 years ago, and for now i have other obligations.
Look after yourselves, and your families.
Mick |
Yes, it is true. Mick and I corresponded over the weekend and he is indeed giving up on audio and Supratek is no more.
I was his original importer and friend and he has his sights set on something new for his life.
It is making me think hard about whether I will sell the Cortese I have listed on Audiogon, or not, as I feel his gear will become classics. I've owned a bunch of his preamps and amps and while they have had some build issues, they all sound like real music.
I sure wish him the best of luck. |
If this is true, the few that own Suprateks should consider themselves extremely lucky, as this preamp will be a classic if it isn’t already – I have very little doubt in my mind about that. It is gracious of Mick to continue to support folks who run into problems – hopefully for a long time to come. I honestly hope this is a misunderstanding but if not I wish Mick the best of luck in whatever he does. Being such a gifted designer I hope it continues to be in the audio world. |
first i've heard of it. that totally sucks, but i guess i'm glad i got my dual cab when i did if it is true. hopefully mick will post to this thread and let us all know. |
Got an e-mail today from Mick after I inquired about a DUAL. He said he is no longer doing Supratek but will continue to support his current customers.
I haven't been on Audiogon much lately because I've been so busy. Is this something new or has it already been posted?
I'm really disappointed but wish Mick all the best.
Frank |
Outlier,
It is funny that you bring up this story. The same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago. Turned on my Cortese and none of the tubes lit up. I too tried replacing the rectifier. No luck. Put the old rectifier back in. Replaced the fuse and I was back in business. |
I just wanted to mention another great little Supratek story. Two days ago my Syrah wasn't powering up - it just seemed dead. I emailed Mick and Kevin, and they diagnosed/suggested that my Rectifier tube in the power supply might be dead. They also told me that when this happens it automatically blows a fuse (accessibe easily next to the plug socket) and that there is a spare fuse already there next to the spent fuse.
Sure enough, they were correct, and within mintues I was up and running again just by switching in their already-provided and easily accessed spare fuse, and swapping in another rectifier I had handy. I'm up and running again.
Anyways, not only was the communication swift and accurate, but I was amazed that I didn't even have to figure out what the replacement fuse type was and then go shopping for it. Not sure if this replacement fuse feature is typical, but is struck me as so convenient.
So, long story short, I continue to be a very happy Supratek owner. |
Ping Stiltskin! Hello Mark, I forgot to add, my email account is arevz@msn.com Would you please drop me an email privately so I know where to reach you. regards, Abe |
Hello Mark,
I responded to the your post in my system's page.
The trumpet is a good phono stage no question! The Chenin though is special. It has that liquid midrange but dynamics on the top and bottom are well balance. The Trumpet's bass is authoritative to say the least. this can be trace through the SS rectifier many irons used in the phono power supply design.
regards,
Abe |
Hi Abe,
Sorry ,I ment to get back sooner,forgot...Age
The Cunningham 45s did not test well at all,however I do have apair of RCA 45 Radiotron black plates later vintage that are used though test fine. Is $20.00 each too much?
Crazy thing I have a dozen or so 1920s vintage 201A and 301a Cunninghams that came with the bunch that all but one test great.
I ment to ask you ,how does your Haggerman phonostage compare to your Chenin? |
Hello Mark,
OT but, any news on the tubes?
regards,
Abe |
Ivarmorten,
A good long time for a early production GZ-34,years as a matter of fact.
One thing,don't switch your preamp and system on for a short period of time then shut it down.
This will shorten the life of your tubes.
Plan on listening for a while. |
Anybody have any idea how long a NOS Mullard GZ34 will last in a Chardonnay? |
|
|
Does anyone know what kind of chassis wire Mick is using
in his preamps? Copper?, silver-plated copper? Silver? |
Anyone have any experience with changing the 6j6 tubes in the Chenin? I read the entire 'tube swapping' Supratek thread and no mention there.
Currently, I'm using Phillips M8081 (unknown age, got em used). I swapped in the original Sovtek 6j6 tubes and it sounded awfully shrill with glare.
Other tubes I'm using and very pleased with are Bendix 6106 regulator, Ken Rad 6sn7, Sovtek KT66. Thanks to the many who suggested these. |
abe:
the yamamoto is a 45 tube amp and it is tube rectified. i have a few 80 tubes that i can roll to see if that reduces the hum. i emailed kevin covi and he seems to believe the hum is caused by the 101D tube as when i switch the amp to mute, the hum disappears. I see! If that is the case, ask Kevin if the 101D's filament supply is AC or dc. If ac, maybe he can say if its possible to convert it to DC (by means of adding an SS rectifier inside the chassis). If that is the real source of the hum, using dc filament supply will knock down the hum at least 90 to 95%. IME! regards, Abe |
here is what kevin covi had to say:
"The hum is coming from the 101D's, and unfortunately hum (and microphonics) are all-too-common attributes of directly-heated triodes."
i sent him a picture of my setup to which he stated:
"I can see right away that the Cab power supply is too close to the preamp, as are the components sitting on top. The DHT's are quite sensitive to external fields so it is essential to keep them far away from any equipment that contains a power supply. The output transformers are also susceptible in this way. The extremely high sensitivity of your speakers just compounds the problem. You also might try building electrostatic shields around the 101D's. As an experiment try placing an empty tin can over each tube to see if the hum goes away. Or maybe aluminum foil. Either way make sure the shields touch the chassis to shunt the noise to ground." |
Kgturner,
Let us know what is kevin Covi's recommendation. |
abe:
the yamamoto is a 45 tube amp and it is tube rectified. i have a few 80 tubes that i can roll to see if that reduces the hum. i emailed kevin covi and he seems to believe the hum is caused by the 101D tube as when i switch the amp to mute, the hum disappears. |
Hello Kgturner,
Hmm....I was hoping that the cable will solve your hum problem. I guess spreading the components out is the next thing to try.
So, when you use a different preamp, you do not have a hum? If yes, then does the preamp and amp have a ground point on the back or chassis where you can hook them together?
Does the Yamamoto use tubes? I am not familiar with them but if it does and tube rectified, have you tried a new tube in the rectifier position?
Goodluck!
regards,
Abe |
abe:
i built the cable as per your instructions, but the hum is still present no matter which way the cable is oriented. i'm going to try to spread the cabernet, cabernet power supply, and yamamoto as far apart as possible tomorrow just to be sure it isn't some kind of interference causing the hum. any other ideas? thanks. |
03-07-08: Stiltskin
Abe, You been busy! Hello Stiltskin! Nice to see you here again. Yep! Building a 2A3/45 amp and troubleshooting a 300B amp at the moment. Not to consider the time hunting for some nice horns for my future speaker project. Life is good! regards, Abe |
No problem, Zachzdb I had an imbalance problem which Kevin fixed quickly. My Sauvignon is dead quiet and works perfectly, with rolled tubes it sounds wonderful.
Good Luck, Kevin's work is very good, if there is a problem he will fix it as good as new.
Regards,
Joe |
Snopro-Thank you very much.
take care |
Abe, You been busy!
Interesting path your going down.
Markvetnz,
Could be the original tubes were getting alittle tired and with a fresh pair your pre came back to life.
Yep the ECC-33s in another design other then Supratek would certainly raise your eyebrows.
I also tried them in my Chenin afew years ago,HO hum.
I had one really quiet pair of TungSol black glass oval plates which I used for a short while then sold, couldnt resist the going price.
Tried Western Electric 350Bs and metal base EL-34s, better kept for an investment also tried some early 1960s CCAs in the phonostage, save your money if your thinking of buying tubes like these.
If you bought tubes like these years ago and still have them sitting in a drawer or in a closet.
Put them in a safe....
|
Zachzdb, Here is his address Kevin Covi [mailto:kcovi@attglobal.net] |
I have a Supratek Sauvignon. I rolled the original tubes to a pair of Tung Sol GTB's circa mid 1950's and the improvement was substantial. The music came alive right across the spectrum. I recently got a hold of a pair of NOS NIB Mullard ECC33's (manuf 1963). These tubes aren't easy to come by and they don't come cheap. To be honest I'm a little disappointed in the sound. I'm aware that the ECC33 isn't an exact substitute for a 6sn7, but everything I've read about the Mullards suggests that they should be fantastic. The sound is a little "slower" and although detailed, it lacks the punch of the Tung Sols. Has anyone else had a similar experience? |
Does anyone have an email address or contact number for Kevin Covi?
Thanks. |
i have tried mine with cheater plus but no lucks. |
It might be the case with some amps but I would try to have preamp grounded and try to find the real problem then playing "Russian Roulette". I know it is flustrating......been there not to long ago myself.
I wish you luck with this annoying problem. |
Have you tried using a power cord that does not have a ground? I have a friend that has a Supratek preamp. He was about to send his to Kevin Kovi because he had tried everything to get rid of the hum he had. He happened to plug a power cord in that did not have a ground on it. The hum went away and the preamp was dead quiet! |
Hello Kgturner, abe:
i'm gonna try the cable route first as my yamamoto and cabernet are only connected with cheapie red/white throw away cables. i noticed that when the yamamoto is turned on, the hum starts and the cab only amplifies it due to it's super high gain. if i unplug the rca cables from the yamamoto, the hum is greatly reduced. Ahh, then it is likely that your problem is only the cables. Goodluck! This message is tube driven |
abe:
i'm gonna try the cable route first as my yamamoto and cabernet are only connected with cheapie red/white throw away cables. i noticed that when the yamamoto is turned on, the hum starts and the cab only amplifies it due to it's super high gain. if i unplug the rca cables from the yamamoto, the hum is greatly reduced. |
Hello, I have the same hum issue with my supratek preamp. when i connect the amp to speaker only (no pre amp involveed) i have no hum. connecting pre to amp and to speakers, hum is audible. I then changed a pair of CHEAP monster ic from pre to amp. th e hum decreased significanly. i disclosed the monster ic i learned that the ic conductors are bigger than the other one. Also the monster is not shielded. It is simply twisted. I then ordered a good shielded ic but this pair does not help at all with the hum. Any recommendation? Thanks alot. As I mentioned above, it is good to know what freq of "hum" you are having. Have you tried a different rectifier? This will test if the hum is 120 Hz or not if by using a different rectifier, the hum decreases. If this is the case, remember that our preamp is transformer coupled at the output, then ripple is high on the supply voltage which means that the filter caps after the rectifier could be bad or not doing its function well. Is the hum present on phono only? Or linestage as well? Phono only, then you can be sure that the grounding scheme of the arm is the problem. Linestage too and there could be several factors. If the ground plane of the preamp(chassis) have a different reference than the ground plane of the amp you are using, hum will be present. Too many ground path and you will have to deal with it also which is commonly known as "ground loop". Have you tried connecting the amp and preamp to the same outlet ground? Have you tried connecting the chassis of the amp to the chassis of the preamp(phono ground lug) using a wire with alligator clip on both ends and hear a difference in hum loudness? Have you tried taking off all the input components to the preamp and then rotating the orientation of the preamp or moving it further away from the amp and hear any difference in hum level? On this case, we are isolating the preamp and testing for any interference. When the preamp gain is set to high, any interference or signal coupling from transformers or power cords close to the preamp will be amplified greatly. My suggestions only of course. FWIW, my Chenin is dead quiet on the phono section and linestage section with regards to hum. All I can hear is tube hiss when the tubes, especially phono, are noisy at maximum (fully clockwise) position of the volume attenuator(min attenuation). I can only hear a hum on mine when I connected an SET amp that I know hums with my 100 dB/1W/meter speakers (Altec). I have use my preamp with Magnepans (not likely to have a hum issue), MLogans, and other speakers as I mentioned above on my other post and have no hum problems (thank God!). Maybe I got lucky. BTW, I use a shielded cable from preamp to amp with the shield connected at the preamp side only. regards, Abe |
I have the same hum issue with my supratek preamp. when i connect the amp to speaker only (no pre amp involveed) i have no hum. connecting pre to amp and to speakers, hum is audible. I then changed a pair of CHEAP monster ic from pre to amp. th e hum decreased significanly. i disclosed the monster ic i learned that the ic conductors are bigger than the other one. Also the monster is not shielded. It is simply twisted. I then ordered a good shielded ic but this pair does not help at all with the hum. Any recommendation? Thanks alot. |
On my amp, it was the input tube NOS6922 Amperex.
*are you positive it is the pre-amp....not the amp.
*Some amps do not like to be plugged into AC conditioners or voltage stabilizers. It the worst case scenario, it could be a bad or leaky cap..... |
Abe:
I don't have a scope nor any access to one that I'm aware of. The hum sounds like a typical ground loop hum to me (60 Hz). I can try the shielded cable route, but I'd likely have to build it. What you're saying is connect the ground and shield at one end of the RCA and just the ground at the other end?
Yes, that is correct but lets change the terminologies so as not to get confuse. Lets call what you call "ground" as negative phase. So,on one end, positive phase to + of RCA pin, negative phase connected to the shield together then to the negative of the RCA pin, on the other end negative phase and positive phase connections only on the RCA's. regards, Abe. |
kgturner,
I also had a hum issue from one channel with my Cab Dual, but effectively reduce it by turning down the gain on the amps. A futher reduction in hum was obtained by re-routing the two umbilical cords on the Dual. |
