Supreme Model 400 Tube Tester with Provenance

I have had a Supreme 400 Tube Tester for quite a while now.  Today I got it out and cleaned it up.  I will post some pictures of it later on.  The date on the catalog page advertisement illustrated below is 1938.

Supreme Catalog 1938

It is interesting that the price of the 400 Tester in 1938 was $38.95.

Inside the narrow storage slot in the case, I found several small paper items of interest.  First is a business card for "Wiscasset Radio Service".  The telephone number is only two digits, "20".

Wiscasset Radio Service Business Card

 

Also found were a couple of radio tube sticker labels, one Philco and one Zenith.

Philco Tube Sticker Label

Zenith Tube Sticker Label

These are each about an inch long.

Finally, I found a roll of tube test result labels that might have been used to help keep track of the condition of the tubes in a radio.

Radio Tube Test Labels

These three stickers were separated from the roll already.

It looks like if a tube tested "feeble" then the radio might still work but with less than good reception.

 

Two of my watercolors on sale at Pemaquid Art Gallery today, August 22, 2020!

 In order to paint, I must have music playing during all of the process.  The wonderful music playing on the magnificent horn loudspeakers playing in my work rooms makes my work a pleasure to say the least.

At any rate, here are images of two works recently completed and now on sale at the Pemaquid Art Gallery.  You can see more at my blog, https://artbypaulsherman.blogspot.com.

"Red White Blue Buoy" by Paul Sherman

"Wet Red Buoys And Water" by Paul Sherman

Victor Phonograph Packing Crate

This is one side of an original Victor phonograph packing crate rescued from a construction waste grinder fifteen years ago.  It was raining when I found it and the plywood had already delaminated.  Recently, I set up a clamp and glued the top lamination back down again.

Victor Packing Crate Repair

Here it is after the lamination repair.

Victor Packing Case Repaired

More On Mike Matthews Dirt Road Special - Schematic Found

A blog reader has requested a schematic for the EH-1313A amplifier.  I looked for one and found a post from 2009 where you can scroll down a bit and find a link to a schematic.  I am copying the image here in the event the above links stop working:

EH-1313A Schematic

I have no idea whether or not this is accurate.  It is the best one I could find after a brief search.  I hope this posting will make this schematic easier to find in the future.

An Official Welcome To My Klipsch La Scala Loudspeaker Pair

I thought it might be nice to share the sound of part of my system playing part of a piece by Dave Matthews and Warren Hayes, their rendition of Neil Young's "Cortez".  The video clip below is just under a couple of minutes long.  This is as close as I can get this medium to sound like my setup does "in person".  I hope you enjoy listening :)

I first heard the Klipsch Heritage Series at "Music Box" in Wellesley Massachusetts in the mid 1970s.  That experience has stayed with me to this day and I am really pleased to have the opportunity to let you to hear what a fully horn loaded loudspeaker system can sound like inside a small room.

Note:  The Nakamichi Receiver 3 provides the preamplifier.  An original TriPath Class "T" digital amplifier by Lepai, modified by removing all analog circuitry except what is on the digital chip, provides the power amplification.  The source is a wav file of part of the sound downloaded from a YouTube video recommended on the Klipsch Owners Facebook Group page.  The sound is streaming from USB through a Mini USB DAC by SignStek Audio.  The Nakamichi Receiver 3 has the best sounding preamplifier I have been able to find so far.

Lepai Power Amp and Mini USB DAC

The system is so efficient it requires less than 200 milliWatt of power from the power amplifier to fill the room with sound.

Barn Door Horn Speakers

I turned the eight-foot horns around to face the barn door opening.  Here are two views of the setup.

Barn Door Horn Speakers

Barn Door Horn Speakers

The original sliding door is quite heavy with wheels that ride on an iron track set in the floor.  I had to leave a foot wide clearance in order to operate the door from inside.

I have not played this system very loudly yet so as to avoid complaints from neighbors :)

Sound Transformer Matched Pair

These are 50% longer than the originals.  This version improves both efficiency and smoothness of frequency response.  That is a "Class-T" amplifier in the lower right corner.

Matched Pair