Hi
Some notes to let you know whats been going on at Black Art.
417A Output transformer case work
The popular output transformer for the 417a valve and its cousins in now offered with or without casework. The cased version is our standard black aluminium and stainless steel design, Click here for a picture.
New Australian tax impossed - GST
The Australian government has made some significant changes to our taxation system and saddled us with a GST or VAT to the Europeans. To simplify our price lists and not add to the confusion as of the 1 st of July 2000 All prices listed on the web site are for export out of Australia only. For local prices contact Black Art directly for a quote.
from April 99
Changes to model numbers
The product line is getting too
large to maintain the original model numbering system. We will
be slowly changing the model numbers a more logical system which
discribes the application of the device. This has already been
done on some of the products so dont worry only the names have
changed. As an example the 300B output transformer which was called
SEGO3CT will now be labelled 2k7:8/4-80CT.3 this basically means
2700 ohm primary : 8 & 4 ohm secondary at 80 mA optimum bias
with c cores and teflon insulation, the final .3 is a version
number relating to our geometry modifications.
New interastage transformer - There has been an increase in requests for a high current version of the 11-6k-20 interstage basically a design more suited to triode strapped power pentodes such as 6L6, 5881 even some of the RF pentodes such as the 7788 etc. most of these tubes seem to like to run around the 25 -30 mA region and can make very good drivers for some of the bigger power triodes 845/572-?s et al. We altered the geometry a couple of months ago and have yet to get around to officially adding it to the product range. The new geometry will be called the 11-6k-30 and as a large core design will only be available in a fitted case version. - model number 11-6k-30 Use this version is your planning on using one of the above driver tubes with a plate resistance around the 1-2k zone. We will keep its little brother going for a while to come.
We have added a couple of non transformer products, these products dont signal a change in company direction as the parts industry is well served elsewhere, but the particular products are fairly obscure and hard to source. They are as follows
Multistrand PTFE coated Copper wire. We have been trying to source this for 5 years now and have finally surcured it. 16 strand oxygen free copper in clear PTFE/Teflon insulation. The insulation is moulded on and will not oxidise as fast as sleeved designs.This is NOT SILVER plated like the common Thermax/Whitmore variants offered by the majority of wire suppliers. It does not exhibit that bright slightly tizzy top end the silver plated varients exhibit. Instead the tone is warm and full with a nice touch of bloom to the upper mids. A good solid audiophile cable. Check out the Extra stuff page
Solid silver with PTFE sphegetti tubing. As it sounds - solid core pure Australian silver in 1 and 0.5 mm diameters the PTFE/Teflon spheggetti tubing has been extruded to form a neat slide fit over the top. The sound is fast and clean but ruthless to flawed components in the rest of the circuit. If the rest of the circuit is on tune then solid core silver can give the most transarent and fast sonics. Makes a great hook up wire inside amplifiers and can be used for interconnects if youre VERY careful with bending etc.\ Check out the Extra stuff page
from November 99
Contact difficulties -We have had some server
problems over the last few months which may explain some missing
emails so if we havent responded to a email then it probably because
its lost in the ether somewhere. To combat this we have changed
our email system and retired the computer based fax machine (
software just isnt as good as a real fax ) so there is now a good
old fasioned fax machine on the following number : (ISD) + 61
+ 3 + 9530 3829
( thats ISD your international dial out code ) + 62 for Australia
+ 3 for Melbourne + the local numbers ).
from October 99
New circuits added: - There
seems to be an unstoppable desire for the 2A3 products. We are
constantly recieving requests for circuits. To address this we
have included some 2A3 circuits for you to ponder over. Check
out the circuits page
from September 99
6k : 600 Line output trannies
- Listening tests confirmed
that more low frequency bandwidth was preferable to high frequency
response out above 40kHz providing the rolloff could be kept smooth.
With this in mind we have redesigned the line output transformers
and now offer a second version in the 600 ohm series, the existing
one and a larger cored version of the current geometry improves
the low frequency performance. Bandwidth is now 1 dB from 10 to
45 kHz with a 417A tube. The larger core allow extra headroom
allowing the maximum current limit to be increased to 25/30 mA.
The large core version also features a new bobbin and insulator
material improving transparancy. This option will only be available
in the fitted cases - model number 6k60020.2
from ages ago -
Moving coils step up transformers : still yep thats right - still working on the
new design.
