Possibly. But after several comparative tests we made it is questionable what is 'better'.
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I'm earnestly curious here. Off hand, it looks like a copper casing for any electronics amp would be better than an aluminum one.
Peter Q made the crossover caps on his Audio Note TOTL 8" 2 way souped up Snell type E out of around 75 pounds of solid silver jacking the price up to $150,000. And that was years ago, who knows what it is today. But you did get a cabinet made out of real Russian white birch. Get with the program John. Stop trying to cut costs on us. It isn't high end if it isn't high price...and the higher the better.
Here's the competition;
Audio Note
He uses transformers too. No 100 zisters though. I like the T&B tie-wraps holding things down. Real class. First rate manufacturing. Takes 140 hours to assemble or so he says. How long will it take to assemble yours John? Will you use tie-wraps too? How about wire nuts? Hey your preamp needs a name. How about some suggestions for him.
My limited experience shows me that different people have different preferences for sound quality. What is better for some people may be worse for others. However, some people are willing to pay extra money for the sound quality they are after.
I know how much I paid in the quest of better sound quality.
You may be absolutely right in everything you write here.
Possibly you see what so many people fail to see.
Possibly you know better than many others.
Only, I neither saw nor heard your deign.
So, is your only possible contribution here is criticism of others?
Sometimes criticism may assist designers improve their design. Do you have any point to make on how to improve a phono stage design? Or all you can do is put down others?
IMO the soldering job stinks. Not even remotely close to mil spec. Look at the two red wires next to each other on the back circuit board in the bottom photo. The solder failed to fully flow on to the copper wire because the soldering iron wasn't hot enough or the heat wasn't applied long enough or correctly. Now look two photos above it. Ugh. F minus. Look at how the insultation was trimmed on the two red wires. What's that dripping over the edge. Look at the blobs of solder on the yellow wire especially and the blue one next to it. What are those circuit boards made out of anyway, plywood? Not even glass epoxy. Still if he had just taken his time he might have done a better job. 140 hours to assemble that? My Dynakits I built in the 1960s looked much better than that. But you have to take into consideration that this is an entire preamp, not just a phono preamp and probably doesn't cost more than say ten to fifteen thousand. This probably doesn't affect performace but it is indicative of what went into this. I'll save my money for a bridge.
But look at what a nice stained finish they have. Here's a scary thought, what does the other side of it look like?
Well, technically, copper would provide somewhat better electrostatic shielding due to its higher conductivity.
se
Aluminum works fine for making a Faraday cage and is much cheaper than copper. Somewhere you have to draw the line or costs will get entirely out of hand.
Interesting that neither the Nagra nor the Audio Note used tube shields even on the low level pre-amp stages. It isn't just the external RF, what about the stray fields from the power trasnformer and the power cord? I wonder if the AN has any vent holes in the case for heat to escape. I didn't see a photo of the top and sides of the case in the ad.
Now you're going to start bagging on Audio Note?
You still haven't managed to produce the Nagra tube preamp with no ventilation.
se
Good phono design, PMA. I am using something similar, but with passive 75uS eq after the first stage (open loop) like the Vendetta. Separates the poles, makes later ADJUSTMENT easier, when other curves, other than RIAA are required. Everything is adjustable, what a nightmare.
While many armchair critics carry on, at least you should get the facts that are available:
just go to constellationaudio.com and see what you get. The main preamps, power amps, and digital systems (designed in part by Demian, of this website) are all up with pictures and everything. No, I do NOT build or make the case, solder the electronics, or wire up the unit. It is done in Southern California by skilled professionals, or their equivalent, robotically. Some of it is surface mount, other components are through hole, the transformers are ONLY for people using extremely low output cartridges, of 100uV or less, and to get the lowest noise possible at room temperature, with this design. it is a relay controlled option, like so many others.
Actually SILVER would be the ideal metal for the case, but we wanted to save both weight and money. A thousand dollars here, a thousand dollars there, soon, it adds up to big money! I did not design the case, a big time firm in So.CA did it, just as they do make cases for other known manufacturers in quality audio.
While many armchair critics carry on, at least you should get the facts that are available:
just go to constellationaudio.com and see what you get. The main preamps, power amps, and digital systems (designed in part by Demian, of this website) are all up with pictures and everything. No, I do NOT build or make the case, solder the electronics, or wire up the unit. It is done in Southern California by skilled professionals, or their equivalent, robotically. Some of it is surface mount, other components are through hole, the transformers are ONLY for people using extremely low output cartridges, of 100uV or less, and to get the lowest noise possible at room temperature, with this design. it is a relay controlled option, like so many others.
Actually SILVER would be the ideal metal for the case, but we wanted to save both weight and money. A thousand dollars here, a thousand dollars there, soon, it adds up to big money! I did not design the case, a big time firm in So.CA did it, just as they do make cases for other known manufacturers in quality audio.
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