Please advice on Paramour upgrade

[kuramura]

Hi
I been lurking around this forum for a while and finally decided to join and see if anyone can give me advice on upgrading paramour and foreplay that I've build in 2004 (I think). Both have c4s installed. So far I changed  all coupling caps to mundorf and added film bypass caps to power supply.  I would like to know more about iron upgrade. I had been using Sovtek 2A3 but I'm considering some better tubes, JJ 2A3 maybe. Current speakers are diy fostex fe207 with tweeter in custom br box. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Grainger49]

For the Paramours the iron upgrade is hard to assess in isolation.  The iron upgrade requires new 10uF Parafeed caps.  So you are changing both the iron and capacitor at the output of the amp at the same time.

I instantly loved the iron upgrade in my Paramours.  I put in PP Foil in Oil Obbligato caps, the black ones, at the same time.

Recently I was at Paully's house when he installed new all nickel output transformers and new plate chokes in his Paramounts.  He did not put in a new Parafeed cap, just the iron.  The improvement made me wish I had opted for all nickel.  It was revelatory!  

When I changed my output tubes a couple of years ago I went with the 2A3C from the ebay seller who delivers them for about $100-110 a pair.  I really like them as well as some old RCA gray and black plates.

Several posters here have liked the JJ 2A3-40, try a search.

 

[kuramura]

Thank you for informative reply, I decided to order all nickel output with choke and will get the same 10 uf obbligato caps,
a while back I replaced output caps with mundorf 3.3 silver oil along with 0.1 input cap with the same type. I've just received 6.8 obbligato that I was going to parallel with 3.3 but I might as well get 10 uf and see which option sounds better. I also purchased jj 2a3, comparing to my old sovtek they sound great.

 

[Grainger49]

Parts ConneXion has the Obbligato caps and will get them to you quickly.  I haven't used any except the cheapest.  They are Polypropylene film in oil.  That is a combination of an Auricap and an oiler.  The price will shock you, they are inexpensive but the sound will amaze you.

Good to hear that the JJs are a step up.  The Sovtek sound good, they are not a bad tube but as you upgrade you find that there are better out there.