GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Audio For Dummies ™
In the Thread: LF Amplifier in biamping.

Post Subject: Sakuma is not DSET, but his work added value to the DIY communityPosted by Teflon on: 6/8/2012

Hi Romy,
I see why you don't like the design. And in particular, the choice of where he chose to limit the frequency responses for the two channels. I see the benefit of the DSET approach in this context as you explained it. If I understand you, your amplifier uses line level frequency selection at the input to each channel, and the output of each channel is optimized for the frequency range of interest -you worry not about the performance of a channel outside of the pass-band providing it doesn't create problems. Am I understanding this properly ?

So, say I take an off-the-shelf stereo SET amplifier of good quality - i.e. designed to cover the full audio spectrum. Then say I take this amplifier and use it to bi-amp a single 2-way speaker. I would then install passive line level frequency filters at the input to each channel, one for LF and the other for HF. The output transformers would be wide band, so they would not be optimized for the frequency range they were used at but it would still work as a DSET topology ?

If I were to replace the output transformers such that the HF channel used a transformer that is 'smaller' with less parasitic inter-winding capacitance and the OPT in the LF channel replaced with a 'larger' one with higher inductance - then I am creating an optimized DSET topology ?

I don't claim to be familiar with the works of Sakuma-san, I did read the web site with interest though. It seems to me that he had developed a high level of familiarity with the performance, the limitations and the sound of the components he used - especially the Tamura transformers. This allowed him to create the sound he was looking for. And I perceive that he knew how to listen to the sound and knew what he needed to change to achieve his goals. I think this aspect of his work is something you can appreciate. And the benefit he appears to have brought forth was to create in others, the interest to build and listen to tube amplifiers and to encourage others to listen for themselves and learn what they should do to achieve the sound they like - as far as I can tell he did not ask others to copy his work, but rather to develop their own. Unfortunately the website dedicated to his work is not his words and was not created by him and so reflects the interests of it's creators instead.

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