What first

[rockpassion]

Ok, I am currently looking to upgrade my preamp and phono preamp.  I currently have a FP II and Seduction with all the upgrades.  What I would like is a suggestion on which I do first, the preamp or phono preamp? 

My turntable is a VPI Mk IV with a OL Rega 250 tonearm.  My cartridge is a Shelter 501 II and I have a Cinemag stepup transformer which I assume I will still need with the new Eros. 

Also, I am sure that someone has upgraded their FP III to use 6SN7's.  I would also like to do this; was it hard and how is the sound. 

Any suggestions and comments would be appreciated. 

Thanks,

Richard

 

[Laudanum]

Upgrade your FP with 6SN7's or upgrade to the new 300B preamp?    Not sure why Im asking because I wouldnt know where to start first myself between the Bee Pree and the Eros.  Neither is in my future plans.  I do however have the FPIII and Seduction in the headphone / second system.
Anyway, the FPIII to 6SN7's is merely a socket change and re-wire.  It's relatively easy and Im not one of the tech savvy folks here.  The 6SN7's draw twice the heater current as the 12AU7's so if you have a FPII you will have to wait on others to chime in.  I dont know if the transformers are the same between the FPII and FPIII.  
Personally, I prefer the more tubey or perhaps vintagy (is that a word ???)  6SN7 and built my FPIII with them from the start.   Mine is NOT the extended version by the way.  It's basically stock with a couple cap changes and maybe a resistor or two.  

Edit ... DebK is right, also a resistor. 

 

[debk]

I am using 6sn7's in my extended FP III.  I like it very much, the mod is easy just an change of resistor and socket.

When I updated my seduction to the Eros, I found it a huge improvement


Deb

 

[Grainger49]

To add to what has been said already, the resistor that needs to be changed in the FP III is the one in the heater supply.  Since the FP III has DC heaters, unlike your and my FP 2, there is a dropping/smoothing resistor after the diodes.  

IIRC, the FP III comes with larger holes and a hole shrinker for the 12AU7s.  The octal socket is drop in, the heater supply is up to the job.  That was Paul and Doc's design.  I think Paul is a big fan of the 6SN7.

I upgraded to the Eros about a year ago.  The sound I heard is in This Thread.

BTW, what upgrades have you done to your FP 2?  I might be able to suggest another tweak.

 

[Paully]

Are you planning on getting a used FPIII?  Otherwise you are getting a FPIV, Beepree from Bottlehead.  I would upgrade the Foreplay then the Eros in your situation, but that is just me.  I modified my Foreplay III for 7N7 (the loctal version of the 6SN7) and never went back.  But I like the warm, tubey sound.