Cool...
I will be interested to hear the results of your comparison.
Sorry if I wasn't clear, but I meant IME by my "past" experience with capacitor and transformer coupling.
Though I suspect that the transformers will remain my favorite, I do intend to compare them against Muse ES bipolars and Mundorf SGOs when I receive my Legato
I will be interested to hear the results of your comparison.
Russ, Brian,
Have gotten my Legato working and am very happy with the sound. Can't compared it to any IVY versions, but is certainly superior to the discrete voltage-mode stage I was using previously. Thanks!
I''ve been a little concerned about how hot some of the 1W resistors are running, so have tweaked some values and used 2W resistors to give more headroom. Not that I'm suggesting the original version is unsafe - just for my peace of mind.
The quality of the kit is excellent, as always.
Dan
Have gotten my Legato working and am very happy with the sound. Can't compared it to any IVY versions, but is certainly superior to the discrete voltage-mode stage I was using previously. Thanks!
I''ve been a little concerned about how hot some of the 1W resistors are running, so have tweaked some values and used 2W resistors to give more headroom. Not that I'm suggesting the original version is unsafe - just for my peace of mind.
The quality of the kit is excellent, as always.
Dan
One of the reasons we choose the resistors we chose was to keep current noise down (metal film rather than metal oxide) and to keep a reasonable thermal coefficient.
Wire wound would also yield low current noise, but of course, they have yucky inductance. That leaves bulk metal foil as the "best" option, but it would be nice if the kits were affordable by the average human.
I call it "pragmatic hi end.". The search could last forever, but then you end up with an inbox full of angry emails about when kits will be available
.
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Just ordered a second Legato board for experimentation. My first board is set up with the Ballsie populated and I will use that output for SE and the balanced outputs to try a couple of alternate bal to se conversion methods.
On my second board can I use the Ventus set-up when it is available in place of the Ballsie (leave the Ballsie unpopulated and connect from where R9,10,11,12 would normally be installed to Ventus inputs? Then can I still use balanced outputs independently?
Ultimately I would like to experiment with the Ballsie, a pair of Onetics transformers, the Ventus and Welborne's Cato (set up as bal to SE ) converters.
On my second board can I use the Ventus set-up when it is available in place of the Ballsie (leave the Ballsie unpopulated and connect from where R9,10,11,12 would normally be installed to Ventus inputs? Then can I still use balanced outputs independently?
Ultimately I would like to experiment with the Ballsie, a pair of Onetics transformers, the Ventus and Welborne's Cato (set up as bal to SE ) converters.
I went
ahead and mounted 1 watt resistors. Ended up using 180/390 to slightly raise the output voltage with PRP metal films, these are good resistors so should be quite low noise. They are of course larger than OE, I mounted them angled up, with one end on the board and they fit OK-this should allow for nice airflow around the resistors as well. Do not have my B-II yet, so cannot comment on sound, but I did plug the output stage into my system to listen for the noise floor. Well, I heard virtually nothing above the noise of my preamp (Ayre C-5xeMP) at full volume, so at least the Legato output stage alone is very low noise, cool!
ahead and mounted 1 watt resistors. Ended up using 180/390 to slightly raise the output voltage with PRP metal films, these are good resistors so should be quite low noise. They are of course larger than OE, I mounted them angled up, with one end on the board and they fit OK-this should allow for nice airflow around the resistors as well. Do not have my B-II yet, so cannot comment on sound, but I did plug the output stage into my system to listen for the noise floor. Well, I heard virtually nothing above the noise of my preamp (Ayre C-5xeMP) at full volume, so at least the Legato output stage alone is very low noise, cool!
I'm also a bit interested in the use of Ventus as a Bal/SE converter (and gain stage/buffer) for Legato, the best wiring scheme, and possible modifications to the modules that would improve the result. In my case I would like to try a dual mono combination (2xBuff II, 2xLegato, 4xVentus).
So far I have understood that this should be feasible without the buffer stages and decoupling caps on the Legato. My aim is a fully discrete and completely dual mono configuration without caps in the signal path, no DC-offset and low output impedance (which my power amp requires) and a bit of additional gain.
Possible?
Thanks,
Nic
So far I have understood that this should be feasible without the buffer stages and decoupling caps on the Legato. My aim is a fully discrete and completely dual mono configuration without caps in the signal path, no DC-offset and low output impedance (which my power amp requires) and a bit of additional gain.
Possible?
Thanks,
Nic
Count me in as well in complete agreement."On my second board can I use the Ventus set-up when it is available in place of the Ballsie (leave the Ballsie unpopulated and connect from where R9,10,11,12 would normally be installed to Ventus inputs? can I still use balanced outputs independently?"
I guess my question boils down to - can the Legato drive two bal to se converters at the same time? ie Ballsie + transformers ( through balanced out) or Ventus + transformers or Ballsie + Ventus? It would allow some nice comparison work because I could switch between inputs on my preamp quickly.
Best and thanks
Bob
I guess my question boils down to - can the Legato drive two bal to se converters at the same time? ie Ballsie + transformers ( through balanced out) or Ventus + transformers or Ballsie + Ventus? It would allow some nice comparison work because I could switch between inputs on my preamp quickly.
Best and thanks
Bob
That depends entirely on the load they present to the balanced outputs. The Ventus has a nice high input impedance, so they are relatively easy to drive. Transformers will depend on how they are used.
Russ,
Looks like you might have missed my earlier question with all the heated discussions.
Can the Legato work with low impedence cans? You had mentioned in an earlier post that you tried it with high impedance cans.
How would you recommend the hookup?
Thanks
Mark
Ventus availability
Can't wait...
Nic
Are you possibly tweaking it to match (better) with the Legato?
Can't wait...
Nic
Clearly not optimized but here is my Buffalo/Legato combination. I am using the Ballsie and a pair of BudP Onetics transformers (balanced to SE). After about an hour of listening through each I can say I am very pleased. It is going to take some serious sound time to see if I favor one over the other. I also want to implement the rest of my Paul H regulators.
Best
Bob
Thanks Russ and Brian
Best
Bob
Thanks Russ and Brian
Attachments
Balanced or SE? Balanced it will work fine if you use the buffer along with a larger output cap (say 470-1000uf) and your cans don't need more than about 25ma peak.
SE you don't need to change anything but you will only be able to drive something around 30-40ma. Depending on the opamp used.
The tweaks are mostly around the layout. I wanted to get the input pair closer together so they could be thermally coupled if desired. This will make the DC drift much less with temperature.
The layout is done I am just awaiting the boards from manufacture.
Cheers!
Russ
Hi
Not very many listening impressions on Legato around, so here is mine:
The Legato has been max tuned according to manual, and components on each rail has been matched. I am running SE, no buffer, Placid, good ventilation. After 1 week of burn in, I must say that I prefer the IVY III. The Legato is very good, but the IVY III has better low end extension and better dynamics in my Avantgarde Duo system...
Not very many listening impressions on Legato around, so here is mine:
The Legato has been max tuned according to manual, and components on each rail has been matched. I am running SE, no buffer, Placid, good ventilation. After 1 week of burn in, I must say that I prefer the IVY III. The Legato is very good, but the IVY III has better low end extension and better dynamics in my Avantgarde Duo system...
Thanks...
For posting your impressions of the Legato. I am assuming you are running it with stock parts? Are you running it at 12V, or?
Considering that the frequency response is likely flat within the audio band I wonder if the dynamic limitation you hear is due to time smear of transient information caused by the coupling caps, if so, upgrading these caps to good films may help. I have got my Legato set up with Mundorf zN film/foils and will report on its sonics when I receive my B-II. I will be running balanced only, no buffer, in a fully balanced system. I will not be comparing to an Ivy though, just to current CDP: bel canto CD-1 with OPA 1632 based I-V and output stages). Of course, it is possible that the Ivy sounds more dynamic because the high feedback opamps are producing some artifacts/ high order distortions or IMD... depends on what one's belief system is though.
For posting your impressions of the Legato. I am assuming you are running it with stock parts? Are you running it at 12V, or?
Considering that the frequency response is likely flat within the audio band I wonder if the dynamic limitation you hear is due to time smear of transient information caused by the coupling caps, if so, upgrading these caps to good films may help. I have got my Legato set up with Mundorf zN film/foils and will report on its sonics when I receive my B-II. I will be running balanced only, no buffer, in a fully balanced system. I will not be comparing to an Ivy though, just to current CDP: bel canto CD-1 with OPA 1632 based I-V and output stages). Of course, it is possible that the Ivy sounds more dynamic because the high feedback opamps are producing some artifacts/ high order distortions or IMD... depends on what one's belief system is though.
Yes, both running at 15V with stock parts.
I calibrated volume with SPL meter and sine wave to not be fooled by higher/lower listening level.
I agree that the coupling caps are critical components, so changing these for something better is likely to change the sonics quite much in a revealing setup.
You could be right regarding the time smearing, since my fast and dynamic Avantgarde Acoustics Duo 104dB speakers can probably reveal this artifact.
BUT the Legato is very good also, its a matter of taste. I'll save for some better coupling caps, how big uF value do you go for on the Zn caps?
I calibrated volume with SPL meter and sine wave to not be fooled by higher/lower listening level.
I agree that the coupling caps are critical components, so changing these for something better is likely to change the sonics quite much in a revealing setup.
You could be right regarding the time smearing, since my fast and dynamic Avantgarde Acoustics Duo 104dB speakers can probably reveal this artifact.
BUT the Legato is very good also, its a matter of taste. I'll save for some better coupling caps, how big uF value do you go for on the Zn caps?
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TBM...
I am using the zNs because they were affordable, and most reasonably sized film/foils I could find. As I am not using the BAL/SE circuit, the load on the Legato is either 11K (per phase) for my Pass amp, or 20K (per phase) for my Ayre pre amp-hence I can use a low value cap:
2.7 uF 100 V zNs are what I have, giving a corner frequency of 5.4 Hz with the Pass and 2.9 Hz with the Ayre, either way should end up being flat at 10 Hz. I guess if you need to run the Ballsie then you would need to figure the corner based on the the load presented by the Ballsie.
I am using the zNs because they were affordable, and most reasonably sized film/foils I could find. As I am not using the BAL/SE circuit, the load on the Legato is either 11K (per phase) for my Pass amp, or 20K (per phase) for my Ayre pre amp-hence I can use a low value cap:
2.7 uF 100 V zNs are what I have, giving a corner frequency of 5.4 Hz with the Pass and 2.9 Hz with the Ayre, either way should end up being flat at 10 Hz. I guess if you need to run the Ballsie then you would need to figure the corner based on the the load presented by the Ballsie.