Yeah, UcD180's and UcD400's with better caps and seperate opamp PS connections would be nice. The HG PS is already equipped with a 12V PS circuit, and the 501 transformer has the secondaries as well!
Modding is possible, but some people here are just "block building" DIYers, like me - I just have basics electronics, just know enough to put simple stuff together and do 1st aid, not much beyond that.
Of course it's up to JP, he's the mastermind of his business, we're just an asking party
- maybe we ask too much.
Personally I don't see much need for the 700. Great for massive subwoofers or some very current hungry speakers. The price is just to steep just for better quality, I don't need those extra 3db's anyway
Modding is possible, but some people here are just "block building" DIYers, like me - I just have basics electronics, just know enough to put simple stuff together and do 1st aid, not much beyond that.
Of course it's up to JP, he's the mastermind of his business, we're just an asking party
- maybe we ask too much.Personally I don't see much need for the 700. Great for massive subwoofers or some very current hungry speakers. The price is just to steep just for better quality, I don't need those extra 3db's anyway
Well the first thing I wanted to do was run the AD8620 from a separate supply using Schottkies and ALW super regs.
Build a nice diy main supply dual rectifiers using MBR20200 schottkies for the HT
It would also be nice to remove the op-amps and try building something discrete instead
BTW, if we build our own supply using dual rectifiers, would it be best to join the main psu caps grounds together there or keep them separate and join the grounds at the UCD module?
Build a nice diy main supply dual rectifiers using MBR20200 schottkies for the HT
It would also be nice to remove the op-amps and try building something discrete instead
BTW, if we build our own supply using dual rectifiers, would it be best to join the main psu caps grounds together there or keep them separate and join the grounds at the UCD module?
Pasi P said:
This is how i have made my 4-pole cap supply. It is "accepted" by Bruno
Thank you Pasi
So the grounds are joined at the caps and then a single ground wire goes to the UCD module
Out of interest what speakers do you use? I have a feeling the UCD400 may be too powerful for my listening room, does this model sound good at low levels too? Its nice to have the extra power for complex music but I do a lot of late night listening too
t. said:
Thank you Pasi
So the grounds are joined at the caps and then a single ground wire goes to the UCD module
Out of interest what speakers do you use? I have a feeling the UCD400 may be too powerful for my listening room, does this model sound good at low levels too? Its nice to have the extra power for complex music but I do a lot of late night listening too
Yes, i have made grounding as you said.
I use Linkwitz Orions
Without any doubt, best part of my audio system, despite how good UCD:s are..
(Sorry Hypex&Bruno)
I am using 4-ch UCD180, so i cannot say nothing about UCD400. Anyway, 180 sounds very good in all sound levels.
Pasi P said:
I use Linkwitz Orions
Without any doubt, best part of my audio system, despite how good UCD:s are..
(Sorry Hypex&Bruno)
I am using 4-ch UCD180, so i cannot say nothing about UCD400. Anyway, 180 sounds very good in all sound levels.
Oops! I just realised you use 30v transformers so its obvious you use UCD180
Linkwitz Orions, very nice
I would normally just order the Hypex modules but I already have too many diy amps, as long as the UCD's sound better than what I have I'll
be happy
Pasi P said:
Yes, i have made grounding as you said.
I use Linkwitz Orions
Without any doubt, best part of my audio system, despite how good UCD:s are..
(Sorry Hypex&Bruno)
I am using 4-ch UCD180, so i cannot say nothing about UCD400. Anyway, 180 sounds very good in all sound levels.
I agree that the orions are probably pretty good as I have built something similar (dipoles) myself using SEAS excel drivers for mid in an MTM with Vifa ringradiator and dipole woofers using Visaton drivers. However, it is surprising each time what a big difference an amp can make. It is hard to say what the weakest or best component in a chain is as long as all of them make a difference.
Best regards
Gertjan
ghemink said:
I agree. What i said from Orions is, of cource, only what i feel now.
My other setup is not top class, far from it. So i can not say how much it is possible to improve sound and what is actually best component. It also depends how you feel and what is your personal taste etc.
On the other hand, without doubt, any loudspeaker "distort" audiosignal much more than any cd-player or amp. In this point of view, any speaker is "weakest" component.
And if we are more detailed, listening room is even more weakest than speaker
Pasi P said:
......
And if we are more detailed, listening room is even more weakest than speaker
And this is were the dipoles are good at, less interaction with the room. Even in a small room you can get good sound with dipoles, I think the absence of cabinet resonances in the midrange also plays a big role.
With respect to distortion, I tend to agree that very likely the speakers produce more distortion than many amps. However, I can hear the difference between a by many considered a quite high-end AB amp (Accuphase E407) and the UcD modules very easily on my B&W CDM9NT passive speakers. I would not considers those speakers high-end, my active system sounds better, but still it is very easy to hear the difference between those two amps. The Accuphase is very well spec'ed but is easily beaten by the UcD that is on paper probably similarly spec'ed.
Basically, yes, one can say that likely the speakers and room are the weakest links, but even when those links are weak, one can still hear the differences between amps, so still changes in the chain before the speakers may make a difference. At least in my case it clearly did.
Best regards
Gertjan
The price of the UcD700 is not the only thing....You need also a very powerful power supply. The power supply will cost you definatly more as the UcD700 module........
For people who will build the supply by them self, a small tip: a transformer of 2x60VAC is not easy to find. You can also buy two seperate 500VA transformers with 2x30VAC, put the secondairies in series and use these two transformers to create the full 2x60VAC. Thereby a 500VA transformer will have +/-400mVAC pro winding So it's very easy to wind by hand the extra power supply voltages of 2x12VAC and 1x15VAC.
Good luck!
Jan-Peter
Hi Jan,
Sorry to go off topic
Would it be possible for us to modify the UCD180 and UCD400 to sound as good as the UCD700 but with obviously less power?
I'd love to order the UCD700 but the output is way too much for me
My tube amp friends are looking forward to listening to the UCD modules so I hope to order either the 180 or 400 soon, I want to get them running the best I can, there will also be other amps too which they want to compare them against including class AB
Sorry to go off topic
Would it be possible for us to modify the UCD180 and UCD400 to sound as good as the UCD700 but with obviously less power?
I'd love to order the UCD700 but the output is way too much for me
My tube amp friends are looking forward to listening to the UCD modules so I hope to order either the 180 or 400 soon, I want to get them running the best I can, there will also be other amps too which they want to compare them against including class AB
T., are you already running the 180AD or 400AD modules? Check their standard sound quality first, it's still a fantasic amplifier!
Don't forget, we haven't heard the UcD700 yet, even with all the "sonic improvement" - with all due respect to Jan-Peter, it's only a single "review" to base yourself on.
Wait until a few people have tested both modules - chance is even that they are "different" somehow, and you might prefer the lower powered modules.
I'm not a big fan of tubes, and only have heard a few (and on high efficiency speakers) - however, if it's "silky" you are after, but without the distortion, take the modules and feed them with as big as possible power. I'm not sure if it's the added VA's or higher rail voltage or the caps in the HG, but "silky" is exactly what I found out when I replaced my homebrew PS with all-hypex power from (soft)start to end!
Don't forget, we haven't heard the UcD700 yet, even with all the "sonic improvement" - with all due respect to Jan-Peter, it's only a single "review" to base yourself on.
Wait until a few people have tested both modules - chance is even that they are "different" somehow, and you might prefer the lower powered modules.
I'm not a big fan of tubes, and only have heard a few (and on high efficiency speakers) - however, if it's "silky" you are after, but without the distortion, take the modules and feed them with as big as possible power. I'm not sure if it's the added VA's or higher rail voltage or the caps in the HG, but "silky" is exactly what I found out when I replaced my homebrew PS with all-hypex power from (soft)start to end!
Yves Smolders said:
Thanks Yves
I have not ordered any of the UCD's yet although I'm currently building a power supply ready for a pair of UCD400.
I'm also not a fan of a silky smooth sound, not all tube amps sound like this
If you listened to my tube amp I bet you would not believe it was tubes.I've 6 different diy amplifiers so far, they all have their strengths and weakness but none give me that being there sound.
I want something I can be happy with and not feel the need to upgrade for a while
A good improvement would be to use a external power supply to feed the op amp bufferstage in the UcD180/400 module.
To tell you the truth I don't know why the UcD700 do sound better. We use in all amps exactly the same modulator PCB. So this can't be the difference. Probably the more power full power supply?? In the UcD700 is used 4x10.000uF/100V capacitors. One rail voltage has charge of 81Joules at 90VDC (0,5*2*10.000uF*90^2=81Joules). I woudn't short circuit this by accident with a screw driver......
Or all the parallelled switched high voltage BCC/Vishay capacitors on the UcD700 PCB???
For the moment I take it as it is and we are happy with the performance
Jan-Peter
Jan-Peter said:
A good improvement would be to use a external power supply to feed the op amp bufferstage in the UcD180/400 module.
To tell you the truth I don't know why the UcD700 do sound better. We use in all amps exactly the same modulator PCB. So this can't be the difference. Probably the more power full power supply?? In the UcD700 is used 4x10.000uF/100V capacitors. One rail voltage has charge of 81Joules at 90VDC (0,5*2*10.000uF*90^2=81Joules). I woudn't short circuit this by accident with a screw driver......
Or all the parallelled switched high voltage BCC/Vishay capacitors on the UcD700 PCB???
For the moment I take it as it is and we are happy with the performance
Jan-Peter
Nice one Jan
I've learn't myself how much current is charged in big cap banks, I did manage to virtually weld my test probes against the terminals once when I slipped
I Wish you plenty of success with the UCD700, its too overkill for me so I'm sure the UCD180 or 400 is plenty powerful enough for me.
My tube amp is only rated at 40w and thats more than loud enough
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