Hi JC,I saw you use Triplaner tonearm from your photo,and did you try to removed the lift finger from tonearm,i mean take it out,and this is my experience from my Well Tempered Amadeus TT,you will got better sound than before.
Sam
Hi JC,and i saw you use the Diffusor on the turntable,does it work??thanks
Sam
Aesthetically, the best looking tonearm, imo. (reminiscent of the Infinity Black Widow)
Me very curious what your verdict on Mr Perkins' latest will be.
I heard it several times at shows and in the Spiral Grove headquarters in Berkeley. What is really outstanding is the bass reproduction. It goes down very low and tight with lots of energy. This is unusual for a single point and due to the horseshoe counterweight and how the center of gravity has being set. In theory downpreasure of that arm does not change when a warped record pushes the arm up and down. A patent has being granted as far as i know but i have not looked it up. Another advantage of the horseshoe is that you can use heavy and lightweight carts without changing the counterweight. It has tremendoes detail too without sounding bright or nervous. That makes for a fantastic soundstage that is cavernous but still well focussed. I am sold.
Hi Joachim,
the Sam-FF2011 Phono Version at Posting 2227 looks just like the nobrainer
Phono you posted around January. Input Stage is about the same, RIAA Net-work is quite different.
Which version is better in sound? Would you be so kind and write something
about the changes? Which circuit is to prefer?
Greetings Ulf
the Sam-FF2011 Phono Version at Posting 2227 looks just like the nobrainer
Phono you posted around January. Input Stage is about the same, RIAA Net-work is quite different.
Which version is better in sound? Would you be so kind and write something
about the changes? Which circuit is to prefer?
Greetings Ulf
Sure, the first circuit has the Nobrainer input structure. It has advantages and disadvantages. It is a transimpedance circuit and works only well with a cartridge that does not have too much inductance. In that case we would experience a treble loss because the rather low input impedance forms a low pass with the coil inductance. In theory that requires a low output MC with a low amount of windings on the coil former. In praxis even a DL103 works rather well. One reason may be that many MC carts have a treble lift that can amount to plus 6dB at 20kHz and more and this circuit tames that a bit. The other reason may be that many of us over 40 are stone deff over 16kHz. The Nobrainer solves the major problem of a transimpedance circuit in the form of a DC offset into the cart by a local feedback loop around the input trimmer. It has to be adjusted though with the cart connected. The feedback loop also lovers distortion by making the P and N trannis more similiar in behaviour.It is very low noise and does not need particular special BJts because the base current is shunted to ground. That also cancels shot and flicker noise. That stage is dead quiet with 4 cent trannis. Another advantage of the transimpedance circuit is the damping of the cantilever and the use of the output current
of the cartridge so you could argue that more information flows into the circuit and less is shunted to ground like in a high impedance input with a conventional loading resistor. The Nobrainer has also the option to adjust the input impedance to more or less the same value as the carts impedance so making a power transfer circuit. Some people argue that a power transfer circuit is the best compromise between transimpedance and transconductance. I could also argue that the cartridge impedance is part of a shunt feedback stage, so the cartridge is actually in a feedback loop that controls distortion. Another odd option is to inject DC into the cart at will so offsetting the position of the coil in the gap and canceling in theory second harmonic that comes from asymmetry of the total system. So you see there is more to it that meets the eye and you may understand why i waisted nearly one year only to research transimpedance. The cascode circuit has good points as well but you have to wait for my next installment.
of the cartridge so you could argue that more information flows into the circuit and less is shunted to ground like in a high impedance input with a conventional loading resistor. The Nobrainer has also the option to adjust the input impedance to more or less the same value as the carts impedance so making a power transfer circuit. Some people argue that a power transfer circuit is the best compromise between transimpedance and transconductance. I could also argue that the cartridge impedance is part of a shunt feedback stage, so the cartridge is actually in a feedback loop that controls distortion. Another odd option is to inject DC into the cart at will so offsetting the position of the coil in the gap and canceling in theory second harmonic that comes from asymmetry of the total system. So you see there is more to it that meets the eye and you may understand why i waisted nearly one year only to research transimpedance. The cascode circuit has good points as well but you have to wait for my next installment.
Hi Joachim,
i think i can´t read between the lines...so is the samFF2011 an upgrade to
the former nobrainer?
One other thing i was waiting for are your hints to install the nobrainer
correctely....
so until now i just set the nobrainer up by (using an dl103) measuring 3.5mA
and nearly no dc offset at the input....done properly ??
Greetings Ulf
i think i can´t read between the lines...so is the samFF2011 an upgrade to
the former nobrainer?
One other thing i was waiting for are your hints to install the nobrainer
correctely....
so until now i just set the nobrainer up by (using an dl103) measuring 3.5mA
and nearly no dc offset at the input....done properly ??
Greetings Ulf
Ok, i have a little bit more time. The stage after the Nobrainer input is new because i wanted to make an MM input happen. It is the classical D.Self Precission RIAA with a twist.
I lowered the gain of the first stage by 6dB to lower distortion and double speed and i substituted the buffer with a gain stage of 6dB for less common mode distortion. It works rather well but it is one Opamp more in the chain as the simple Nobrainer. The actual stage that Sam will build for FF2011 is a bit different again. The input is the cascode version as far as i can tell and the RIAA stage is the conventional Self without the gain drop and the output buffer is a discrete class a floating cascode Fet buffer.
I lowered the gain of the first stage by 6dB to lower distortion and double speed and i substituted the buffer with a gain stage of 6dB for less common mode distortion. It works rather well but it is one Opamp more in the chain as the simple Nobrainer. The actual stage that Sam will build for FF2011 is a bit different again. The input is the cascode version as far as i can tell and the RIAA stage is the conventional Self without the gain drop and the output buffer is a discrete class a floating cascode Fet buffer.
Yes, for the DL103 3.5mA plus minimum offset is fine. For a Lyra ( DC imp. = 5.5 Ohm ) you could try up to 10mA. That would rather overdamp the Denon.
Is the FF2011 an audible update ? I do not know but it is functionally more flexible. Usually transimpedance has a higher "PRAT" factor ( power-rhythm-attack ) and the cascode sounds more "elegant" and "sweet" provided you use the same parts, construction methods, PSU, etc.). You can make a transimpedance stage sound tired though with the wrong choice of components and the other way around so it all depends how well you know your "child". OK?
Is the FF2011 an audible update ? I do not know but it is functionally more flexible. Usually transimpedance has a higher "PRAT" factor ( power-rhythm-attack ) and the cascode sounds more "elegant" and "sweet" provided you use the same parts, construction methods, PSU, etc.). You can make a transimpedance stage sound tired though with the wrong choice of components and the other way around so it all depends how well you know your "child". OK?
I made a PSU that sound just as good as Accumulators and even more dynamic. When i am in the mood i may bring it to FF2011. It is a very low noise 4 stage design. The last stage passive with common mode coils and RC filtering. The Nobrainer works well on plus - minus 12V so why not using Accus ? The ones i use are from Sintron and dirt cheep. They are special types for medical and caravan use. I think they are called pbq 7.12.
They can be uploaded 600 times. I locally buffer them with 3300uF Nichcon Fine Gold and
NOS Röderstein 0.5uF MKP. They sound best when loaded full.
Come back to earth Ulf. This Nobrainer costs NOTHING and works mighty fine.
They can be uploaded 600 times. I locally buffer them with 3300uF Nichcon Fine Gold and
NOS Röderstein 0.5uF MKP. They sound best when loaded full.
Come back to earth Ulf. This Nobrainer costs NOTHING and works mighty fine.
OK,
best resistors : DALE 1/2 watt mill spec RS65E they are UGE terrible for compact layout
Elcaps ELNA Silmic 2 as good as foil
caps : REL Cap film and foil Styren or Teflon alternative "cheep" Mundorf Tin Foil
Diodes : Cree or Ixis Silicium Carbide and so it goes you can spend a fortune on a relatively average topology and make it sound amasing is that what you want ?
best resistors : DALE 1/2 watt mill spec RS65E they are UGE terrible for compact layout
Elcaps ELNA Silmic 2 as good as foil
caps : REL Cap film and foil Styren or Teflon alternative "cheep" Mundorf Tin Foil
Diodes : Cree or Ixis Silicium Carbide and so it goes you can spend a fortune on a relatively average topology and make it sound amasing is that what you want ?
Hi Joachim,
yesterday i found some old MM Systems i really did not listen to for a long
time. Unfortunately i do not have an MM PhonoPre anymore but i remem-
bered that i bought one year ago the ELV-Pre on your recommendation and
build it up quick and dirty as you wrote at that time.
Chip is LNE49720, C5 is two 2200uF im parallel and R5 is 270ohm for MM.
At first i used one 9V-Block for + and one for -. Then i put two batteries in
series each supply and it (in my opinion) is better that way.
And i like my MM Systems and will be playing them on my second Tonearm.
Did you work on an upgraded Version on MM-Pre? What about the MM Ver-
sion of Nobrainer? Better or just different?
Greetings Ulf
yesterday i found some old MM Systems i really did not listen to for a long
time. Unfortunately i do not have an MM PhonoPre anymore but i remem-
bered that i bought one year ago the ELV-Pre on your recommendation and
build it up quick and dirty as you wrote at that time.
Chip is LNE49720, C5 is two 2200uF im parallel and R5 is 270ohm for MM.
At first i used one 9V-Block for + and one for -. Then i put two batteries in
series each supply and it (in my opinion) is better that way.
And i like my MM Systems and will be playing them on my second Tonearm.
Did you work on an upgraded Version on MM-Pre? What about the MM Ver-
sion of Nobrainer? Better or just different?
Greetings Ulf
The modified ELV stage is the most simple solution i recommend for good sound.
It is surprisingly good and you can take it on the road. For FF2011 i designed a new phonostage that has separate MC and MM input. Yes, i think the MM input of that stage is better then the modified ELV. Unfortunately my laptop was stolen in Munich but i can get the circuit from Sam. I will send him an e-mail. Basically it is a Self Precision RIAA with a casoded, class-A Fet buffer.
It is surprisingly good and you can take it on the road. For FF2011 i designed a new phonostage that has separate MC and MM input. Yes, i think the MM input of that stage is better then the modified ELV. Unfortunately my laptop was stolen in Munich but i can get the circuit from Sam. I will send him an e-mail. Basically it is a Self Precision RIAA with a casoded, class-A Fet buffer.