Davisound TB-3 "WG"Highend HandMade Tube Pre/Compressor Start Price USD 1,795.00 Current Price USD 1,795.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Tuesday, November 18, 2008 End Time Tuesday, November 25, 2008 Location San Diego, CA See more about 'Davisound TB-3 "WG"Highend HandMade Tube Pre/Compressor' Description                                                                                                                                                                                PHONE (818)987-3393 San Diego, CA    AUTHORIZED Dealer or Distributor for  many products. Specializing in Rare New & Used Pro Audio Equipment & Services   WE SHIP AROUND THE WORLD   Foriegn,  Hawaii, Alaska, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico etc... Please email for shipping quote. Foreign transactions we accept International Money Orders and Bank Transfers, Paypal upon approval. Your item will be shipped USPS/EMS Express Insured delivery with tracking, no exceptions. Buy more than 1 item and save on shipping.    This auction is for a Davisound TB-3 "WG" Highend Hand Made Tube Preamp and compressor. Very unique sound. Beautiful wood construction. In new condition. Only used a couple of times. Very versatile and unique boutique audio piece. Can be used as a stereo compressor to warm up that digital sound or as a stereo preamp. Great for tracking vocals as well and or instruments. Hate to see it go. Very beautiful piece. Would look great in a set up for home entertainment purposes and give your CD's a boost in audio listening. Was $2,800.00 and I had to wait a year for it. Very hard people to deal with, there service isn't the best but their sound is unique. Would look great in a home set up or church and professional studio. These are special order units and take a year or more to get one. Get yours TODAY and save $100.00 and No waiting. The one in the picture below is the one you get. We got the first one ever made and they used it for posting on the web. Note the one you will receive is exactly like the pictures below but instead of the three small center knobs we put vintage pig nose style knobs.   The TB-3 "GLASS ACTION INNER TUBE"©™ - Compressor Amplifier This design features optical gain reduction combined with a variable drive and variable distortion control for a singled ended, Class- A triode, tube stage. The new TB-3 "WG-3RU", both internally and externally, aesthetically and sonicaly, truly provides "warm, class glass"! This "Inner Tube" Tool Box really does offer you "time in a bottle" or, in this case, the manipulation thereof! The TB-3 is, basically, a TB-2 with the addition of ... "a touch of GLASS"... a single, enhanced triode stage added to our proven compressor design! And, as of spring 2006, we upgraded the TB-3 to new "WG 3RU" enhanced styling with spacious wooden cabinetry! Due to the larger spacing, we can now use the popular classic, dual triode, 6SN7, in the signal path with our SPECIAL circuit techniques which EMPHASIZE THE WARMTH, its desirable tube artifacts (like that fat second harmonic!) and ... at the same time... MINIMIZE the undesirable (for instance, canceling ODD harmonics)! Whatsmore, with the TB-3, you have the BEST of BOTH worlds since the tube stage is completely by-passed with the flick of a switch! This switch allows the TB-3 "GLASS ACT INNER TUBE" to instantly become the transparent TB-2! It also provides for handy A/B comparison of the "fat warmth" of the tube stage to otherwise "uncolored" signals! To cap it off, the TB-3 combines, quite literally, two channels of acclaimed "Mic-All" preamplifiers with full features, including fully variable active gain, phase reverse and individual phantom power. A unique feature of the TB-3, is this ability to actively "mix" the microphone input signals with the separate line input signals for live tracking or overdubbing. The TB-3 features a CENTER WINDOW - a one inch circular opening for viewing the warm glow of the tube through the front panel. It also now features a 2 1/2 inch circular access port in the top cover for viewing tube status, air circulation and heat transfer, and, of course, the ability to change tubes without removing the cover. The compressor stage design of the TB-3 is identical to the TB-2 EXCEPT the tube version offers a variable front-end DRIVE control which allows the user to drive the tube harder or softer for varying "texture". An important design consideration places the tube stage AHEAD of the compress stage so that harmonics generated by the tube can be further enhanced by compressor action as desired. Those using the TB-3 design, who have also used other tube compressors, continually tell us, emphatically, that ours offers the "best tube sound" available. Naturally, we agree since this was the sole intent and purpose of the design! The TB-3 is now packaged exclusively in "WG-3RU". WARNING: PLEASE READ All OF THESE GUIDELINES (TWICE) BEFORE OPERATING YOUR TB-3! The prime rule is to quickly acquire AWARENESS ... awareness that UNLIKE MANY OTHER pieces of equipment manufactured with limited scope, the TB-3 offers YOU, the professional operator, "LOOSE REIGNS" for control! This also means , that due to these "loose reigns" purposely designed into the TB-3 for broad applications at the discrimination of professionals, it may, therefore, take a little time to learn all of the "nuances" of the controls' relationships to each other. But you will enjoy the experience! The DRIVE Control adjusts the amount of incoming signal level directed to the tube stage. Any setting, other than full clockwise, is actually an ATTENUATION of the input signal with the difference being made up, and amplified further, by the tube stage and succeeding stages. Settings for this control depend upon the exact tube utilized but "ballpark" settings are about 9 O'Clock to 10 O'Clock for unity gain of incoming signals levels. Of course, the whole purpose of this control is for operator discretion as to the resulting "sound character" it provides, especially when used in conjunction with the "DISTORTION CONTROL", and RECOVER CONTROL, so it's setting is a primarily a matter of desired effect. Increasing the drive results in increased THD (largely 2nd harmonic) of the tube (see more details in "Test Tube" proof of performance section below). The DRIVE control has no effect, of course, when the tube stage is switched out as it is by-passed as well. The "DISTORTION CONTROL" is a small knob located just below the tube port hole in the center of the control panel. This control allows you to lower the "soft clipping" threshold of the tube by adjusting the tube's gain bias voltage. Here again, it is provided for application at the discretion of the operator and, as such, there is no guideline other than the fact that the FURTHER CLOCKWISE it is turned, the lower the peak threshold and greater the distortion factor of the tube stage. At FULL COUNTERCLOCKWISE setting, the tube is operating with MAXIMUM HEADROOM and with very little audible THD. At the 12 O'Clock pointer setting, the distortion control adjust the tube plate voltage to about 1/2 the availabe power supply voltage and this is, typically, the setting to begin easily, audibly detecting the added 2nd harmonic content to the incoming signal. More on this control in the "Test Tube" section below. The "COMPRESS CONTROL" is the MASTER CONTROL of the "DaviSmart" Optical Compressor designs! It is the "smart" control which adjusts all compression parameters simultaneously, all of which are interdependent upon the other, as gauged by the sampling of the incoming signal! A full description is provided in the "Overview" section. The "RECOVER CONTROL" adjusts the ACTIVE GAIN of the final amplifier to +20db. With certain line level input conditions, it is therefore possible to overload subsequent stages in a system if this control is misused! This is an abnormally high amount of user gain adjust for any line level amp, or processor, but it is provided for use in unusual input conditions. The normal position for this control is about 9 O' Clock (barely "cracked") as this is the UNITY gain setting. Too high settings will degrade the signal to noise ratio of both the TB-3 tube stage and the signal chain ahead of the unit. Of course, this control is also useful, in conjunction with the other controls, for raising a -10dBu signal level to the traditional "pro level" of +4dBu. The "MIC CONTROL" provides continuously variable active gain control, from 0 to about + 45db, to the built-in, differentially balanced, DaviSound "MIC-ALL" microphone preamps. A UNIQUE FEATURE OF THE TB-3 DESIGN IS THAT THE MICROPHONE STAGE IS ACTIVELY MIXED WITH THE LINE INPUT STAGE ALLOWING BOTH TO BE USED SIMULTANEOUSLY IF DESIRED! If this is not desired, simply turn down the mic gain control when not in use. The line input may be left floating when not in use with no degradation to S/N ratio. Suggested first time set-up procedure reference settings for the TB-3 ... To begin getting to know the TB-3 it is suggested that you start with the most basic, neutral signal chain application possible. This will be with a line level, high quality music program input signal applied via the line input jack and controls set as follows- All pots fully CCW (off) EXCEPT the "Recover" control, which is set to 9 O'Clock (about 1/4 open). The Tube switch is in the "out" position (Toggle handle LEFT). This places the amplifier in the most direct signal mode with just one stage operating at about unity gain. This will be your most "neutral" through-signal setting. At this setting the amplifier will be passing the input signal in the most "uncolored" manner possible, with maximum headroom and maximum signal to noise ... i.e. with the best overall dynamic range. Next, to get the idea of the tube stage effect, flip the tube switch on (Toggle handle RIGHT). Since the drive control is at first fully CCW you will hear nothing. Adjust this control to around 9 O'Clock, or just slightly beyond (depending the exact type and condition of the tube utilized) , and the tube stage will now be operating at unity gain also. You can fine tune this for the exact volume match by flipping the tube in/out switch back and forth and listening carefully until the levels are matched as closely as possible as you rotate the "drive" control. If you can get the levels adjusted fairly close to being perfectly matched, you will notice something very surprising. You will notice that, at this setting, there is very little discernible difference at all in the sound with the tube switched in! This may teach you something about the so-called "sound of tubes" that you had never realized.. .that being that a single-ended, Class-A vacuum tube circuit, even one operated with relatively low plate voltage and NO negative feedback, can sound very "neutral", at unity gain, when A/B compared at the same exact signal level with a transparent state-of-the-art solid state stage! The THD is there anytime the tube is switched in, it is just not as obvious as you might think with most source material. Now, to hear some increasing subtle, musically related (even order) harmonic content added by the tube, slowly raise the drive control to about 10 or 11 O'Clock. You may want to lower the "recover control", or not as the case may be, to compensate for the volume increase. Depending on program content, this will give varying degrees of subtle "tube warmth" or "fatness" to the sound. You can continue to experiment by raising the "drive control", and lowering the "recover control" until the distortion content becomes overly noticable or objectionable. You should learn from these early experiments that even in the so-called "starved plate" condition, the tube offers very "clean" performance at unity setting with very "useably clean" subtle overtones added just slightly as the control is advanced beyond 9 O'Clock and kept below 12 O'Clock! You can further experiment with the "starved plate" and "space charge" bias effect by advancing the "distortion control" further CW while listening carefully (and optionally watching on a scope). The CW advancement of the distortion control varies the plate voltage with the moderate plate voltage supply reduced ever further as this control is increased further clockwise. While this, theoretically increases distortion by lowering headroom, it may, initially, LOWER distortion since it also, simultaneously lowers the tube amplfication factor. You will likely need to advance the recover control as the distortion control is increased further on because of this lowered gain effect. This description, so far, should just begin to reveal what we meant early on about all the inherent "loose reigns" and the relative interactions of the various controls that you wil continually discover as you use and operate your TB-3 in the months ahead! Microphone Input Testing ...Next, you can experiment with the mixing effect of adding a microphone source. It is suggested that you begin with a high quality condenser microphone plugged up to the microphone input jack. With the mic gain trim control fully off (CCW), turn on the phantom power switch for the mic channel under test. This will be the switch just to the lower left (or right) of the tube port hole, center panel, as diagrammed above. When turned on, the respective yellow LED indicator will light just above the switch. Now, slowly adjust the mic gain control to 9 O'Clock. Speak into the microphone. You should, then, hear your voice faithfully reproduced and mixed with the line input signal. You can blend the two by adjusting the mic gain slightly and adjusting the overall level with the "recover" gain control. Next, you may want to begin experimenting with the compress control in relation to what you have just established. You will likely find that a setting of around 12 O'Clock is required for the Comp LED indicator to just begin flickering. This is a moderate compress/limit setting. Try advancing the control to 3 O'Clock, and finally fully CW, in order to experience the effects of the various settings. At this point you will be just beginning to discover and learn the powerful processing possibilities, and capabilities, of the TB-3. If you are like most of us, you will be quite pleased, to say the least, and perhaps even somewhat amazed at what you will discover! You will begin to thoroughly enjoy owning and using a processor of the highest quality, cleanest operation, and, likely, greatest versatility of any you have ever heard/experienced previously! The TB-3 even amazes us every time we run a proof of performance on one! It is a MOST satisfying experience for us to realize what we have acheived with this design, just as it will be for you to experience the satisfaction of owning and operating this precision piece of equipment! As explained often in the manual, the TB-3 offers a lot of EXTRA reserve gain and control capability, the extreme of which will likely only ever be used under extreme conditioning requirements. But, it is there for you when/if you need it. Most of the time, you will likely NEVER need to advance any of the pot controls, with the exception of the "Compress" control, beyond their 12 O'Clock settings! Sometimes the recover control may be useful at around 3 O'Clock and, ocasionally it may be needed to run "wide open". Most of the time, however, you will likely only need turn your comp control,and recover control, somewhere between 12 O'Clock and 3 O'Clock, depending of course on signal input content and level as well as the desired effect. Hopefully, what we have documented here will get you well into the "ballpark". The rest is up to you! The TB-3 "WG-3RU" with wine colored "PurpleHeart" top, enlarged cover port and Walnut face! As of 2006, all "Inner Tube" Top Ports have now been standardized at an ideal diameter of 2 1/2 inches so as to better facilitate tube maintenance and removal when necessary. This eliminates the necesssity for top cover removal. The tube may be removed for replacement by carefully reaching inside the "firehole". When removing a tube ... First be certain that power is turned off, the power cord unplugged, and the unit is in cold state ! Then, grasp the top of the tube firmly, but gently, between the thumb and two fingers. Next, with an easy, slight rocking motion ... CAREFULLY work the tube back and forth while pulling just slightly until the pins come free. And, all tube mounting boards are now "MPT style". The new MPT block features a hardwood circuit board ... with all circuit components mounted underneath ...rigidly embedded in thermal epoxy. The boards are mounted on one half inch rails for a slightly elevated position above the cabinet floor. The first ever MPT shown above ... made from quilted African Mahogany for a touch of the "exotic" on the inside! One of the features of the new TB-3 is a dedicated utility ground lug on the rear panel. This tie point, which is direct at the TB-3 power supply common, is NOT normally needed for interconnection since signal grounding is accomplished through pins 1 of the input/output jacks. But, it is provided for utility purposes for those who have their own unique ground system requirements or who may prefer star grounding with all shields lifted at one end. One of the main side benefits of wooden rack cabinets is their inherent isolation from chassis ground loops and using this terminal to ground the unit to a rack cabinet would, of course, defeat this side benefit!   Be sure to add us to your "favorites list"! Thank you.    (818)987-3393 San Diego, CA 92102                   Pro Audio new & used Equipment from Hollywood studios and stages. Sales and services. 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