Differences Edcor XSE vs GXSE for Darling Clementine
Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2021 12:39 pm
Hello All,
Coming back from a long hiatus of doing tube projects due to unforeseen events over the past decade or so, I have looked through one of my tube project boxes and had "unearthed", a Darling Clementine project. I remember a bit issue I had was that I had the Hammond 269AX transformer and not the specified 259EX one. However, in coming back here and looking up at what SE amp guru, Tom McNally was up to, I have noticed that in his latest Clementine Darling builds, he was using a rather interesting donut transformer made by Antek, I have decided to purchase that given that it was only $35 as compared to $50 for Hammond's 269F. Now the next thing I was turning my attention to were the output transformers I have. I have the Hammond 125E transformers...not the 125ESE. Keep in mind I bought the 125E's back when I first heard of the Darling amp all the way back from the creator Bob Danielak himself. This got me thinking that if it was affordable, perhaps I can do better than the lousy 100hz lower limit from the Hammond transformers as it is, I will be using speakers that go down to about 60hz.
Much to my dismay in my search, transformers have gone up tremendously in price. Hammond wants over $60 for the 125ESE and I find that excessive. I tried to look up what James had, but alas, they seem to be gone. Likewise with Transcendar. I been to their site, which is still up, but no prices are listed. So in my search, Edcor came up on my radar, but the thing I don't like with them is the long turn around time when you order transformers from them. However, in looking at their equivalent transformer to the 125ESE, which is the XSE line, theirs goes down to 70hz, which is better than 100hz. Further, I have noticed another line called GXSE and while they cost more than the XSE line, they are just a little over $40. I would say that is worth the price (and subsequent wait time) for a better performing transformer.
However, I am curious if there is a tremendous difference between the two lines because if the difference in sound quality is only slight, the XSE transformer costs only $23 each and it is about half the weight.
I know this question is more for those that have built multiple Darling amplifiers such as Tom McNally, as they would be in a position to have directly compared the sound and would know if there are any major differences between the two transformers.
So that in mind, should I go for the GXSE or would the XSE be enough. I mostly intend to use fairly efficient bookshelf speakers (Klipsch Reference Series), which will probably not go below 50hz anyway (more like around 60hz).
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Geo
Coming back from a long hiatus of doing tube projects due to unforeseen events over the past decade or so, I have looked through one of my tube project boxes and had "unearthed", a Darling Clementine project. I remember a bit issue I had was that I had the Hammond 269AX transformer and not the specified 259EX one. However, in coming back here and looking up at what SE amp guru, Tom McNally was up to, I have noticed that in his latest Clementine Darling builds, he was using a rather interesting donut transformer made by Antek, I have decided to purchase that given that it was only $35 as compared to $50 for Hammond's 269F. Now the next thing I was turning my attention to were the output transformers I have. I have the Hammond 125E transformers...not the 125ESE. Keep in mind I bought the 125E's back when I first heard of the Darling amp all the way back from the creator Bob Danielak himself. This got me thinking that if it was affordable, perhaps I can do better than the lousy 100hz lower limit from the Hammond transformers as it is, I will be using speakers that go down to about 60hz.
Much to my dismay in my search, transformers have gone up tremendously in price. Hammond wants over $60 for the 125ESE and I find that excessive. I tried to look up what James had, but alas, they seem to be gone. Likewise with Transcendar. I been to their site, which is still up, but no prices are listed. So in my search, Edcor came up on my radar, but the thing I don't like with them is the long turn around time when you order transformers from them. However, in looking at their equivalent transformer to the 125ESE, which is the XSE line, theirs goes down to 70hz, which is better than 100hz. Further, I have noticed another line called GXSE and while they cost more than the XSE line, they are just a little over $40. I would say that is worth the price (and subsequent wait time) for a better performing transformer.
However, I am curious if there is a tremendous difference between the two lines because if the difference in sound quality is only slight, the XSE transformer costs only $23 each and it is about half the weight.
I know this question is more for those that have built multiple Darling amplifiers such as Tom McNally, as they would be in a position to have directly compared the sound and would know if there are any major differences between the two transformers.
So that in mind, should I go for the GXSE or would the XSE be enough. I mostly intend to use fairly efficient bookshelf speakers (Klipsch Reference Series), which will probably not go below 50hz anyway (more like around 60hz).
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Geo