New-building of my F5

[Babowana]

Hi, Gyuri

Even if I have SACD/CD players, I own simple audio CDs only, without having tried any SACD music yet . . . And, I have no plan to collect SACD. The price sucks me.

Cheers,

>><<

 

[Lesp]

Hawthornes

Hi enzedone

Thanks for the feedback, I also have the Augies, I have a Reckhorn A401 for them and I am going with the F5 for the SI coax 15 in. I am going to have a look at the Fan cooled Heat sink tunnel that Jaycar have and also their 300VA toroidal transformer.

Cheers,
Lesp

 

[enzedone]

Transformers

You are obviously outlaying some serious money, as you have to down here.......
So I would suggest going with some better quality transformers.
I am using 2x225VA's from RS components, but thats just my opinion.....

I also thought about the 401. Did you get that from the dealer in Hong kong?

 

[Lesp]

Hi enzedone

Yes you can't help but lay out serious money, our dollar does'nt go far. Thanks for the info on the transformers. The A401 was from DIY HiFi in Hong Kong.The deal was without problems, but the amp only ran for 10 Mins got very hot and blew up!. I have repaired it ok ( replaced op transistor ) not sure what the problem was, still to do some checks with the scope. I think that the unit I got was a repaired unit.One of the joys of shopping on the internet. The concept of the A401 is good, maybe I just got a lemon.

Cheers,
Les.

 

[Babowana]

In another thread, I have just completed the building of B1.

Now, I have my system set-up as follows:

• Passive Pre
• B1 Buffer
• Tube Pre Amp (optional)
• F5 Power Amp
• ATC SCM7 Speakers

The passive pre has 2x6 input source selector. And, it also has dual mono 47K 24-step ladder type attenuators. These will work as volume control and at the same time as loudness-balancing control between the left and the right channel.

My B1 is just a buffer amp, with neither input source selector nor volume control.

The tube pre amp has no input source selector. But, it has 100k stereo volume pot and quite high voltage gain. And, this tube pre is optional case-by-case.

And, F5 . . .
And, speakers . . .

Wow! What a sound! Softly killing me . . .


Season's Greeting,

>><<

 

[Babowana]

Here is a picture showing the passive pre, B1 buffer and the tube pre.


Season's Greetings,

>><<

 

[Gyuri]

Wonderful simplicity!
Congratulations.

 

[Babowana]

Thanks, Gyuri.

Now I would like to be all in with music.

Cheers,

>><<

 

[enzedone]

Sweet

Enjoy............

 

[Babowana]

I like these CD albums--nice music and good sound quality. Accordingly, I like to put these albums to my CD player quite often . . . and one day I have found a common denominator among these albums. All four are mastered by the same mastering engineer, Greg Calbi. It seems that the sound qualities of CD albums are very much depending on mastering engineers, and Greg Calbi must be one of excellent mastering engineers.

The sound of albums is not bright. I would like to say the sound is on a bit dark side, and edges of the sound are a bit rounded to add warmness and sweetness. F5 let me clearly feel this.

F5 is analyzing the instrumental details and arranging them very properly here and there on a deep sound stage through the speakers which are known as small and power hungry babies. The presence of them and the natural performances are also great!


Season's Greetings,

 

[Babowana]

Alanis Morissette, Supported Former Infatuation Junkie

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

7. The Couch
In the scene, there is a small hill. On the top of the hill she is standing alone. She looks somewhat small, and moving slowly herself dancing . . . the dark clouds are approaching from far behind her, accompanying dreadful thunders . . . F5 describes the thunders (drums?) very long-distance deep.

8.-13.

14. and 15. Tracks are badly scratched so that I have to skip these two.

16.-17.

All nice . . . I like this CD album.

Season's Greetings

 

[Babowana]

Iron Man

My F5 is an iron man . . .
Punching powerful sound out,
Much bigger sound than my baby speaker size.

Cheers,

>><<

 

[sandyhooker]

Iron Man

My F5 is an iron man . . .
Punching powerful sound out,
Much bigger sound than my baby speaker size.

Cheers,

>><<

Better than BaboZen V5??

 

[jacco vermeulen]

Season's Greetings.

But Babo, You is an iron man of steel.
(unless you guys overthere build woodies nowadays)

Wear a hat tomorrow, it's cold.

 

[Babowana]

No more woodies . . .

I have several hats . . . but no such magic of Papa's hat . . .
Still my head feels cold. My heart feels freezing . . .
I have to focus on no thinking, but eating well and sleeping well.

I put out Babo Zen.
The difference between Babo Zen and F5 is technically minor.
They have a bit different way of negative feedback.
Babo Zen has a toroidal trasformer while F5 an EI transformer.


Cheers,

 

[Tea-Bag]

I have to focus on no thinking, but eating well and sleeping well.

I put out Babo Zen.
The difference between Babo Zen and F5 is technically minor.

The art of NO MIND. Very Buddha, very Zen, very difficult.
To see things as they are, not what they were, or going to be.

 

[Babowana]

Listening to F5, and switching to Babo Zen, and repeating swapping . . . swapping . . . ? whatever . . . I felt difficult to find diffence in sound between them. Finally, I invited my wife to the event of comparing the sounds.

We used two CD albums:

1. Mozart, Devertimento, K.563
   Gidon Kramer, Violin
   Kim Kashkashian, Viola
   YoYo Ma, Cello
   Track 1, Allegro (12:40)
2. Paul McCartney, Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (2005)
   Track 3, Jenny Wren (3:47)
   [/list=1]
   Turned the volume up . . .
   
   Wife said Babo Zen seemed to be relatively a little bit thicker (darker).
   And, she said F5 seemed to be relatively brighter and softer in top frequencies.
   And, said that both were anyhow comfortable listening. Nice sounds!
   
   I was just nodding to her efforts in helping me . . .
   
   Cheers,
   
   >><<

 

[jupiterjune]

Wife said Babo Zen seemed to be relatively a little bit thicker (darker).
And, she said F5 seemed to be relatively brighter and softer in top frequencies.
And, said that both were anyhow comfortable listening. Nice sounds!

I was just nodding to her efforts in helping me . . .

Babo-you are a lucky man. My wife still doesn't know the difference between an amp and a speaker.
I too found the F5 to have a noticeably different top end. Bright but soft might be a good way to describe it.

JJ

 

[Babowana]

Hi, JJ

Take your time.
It has taken long years for me to teach wife.
She knows names of pre-amp, power amp and speakers.
As my marriage life has been 29 years minu three days . . .

Cheers,

 

[Babowana]

I compared the sounds of F5 and Babo Zen once again with my first son. We selected Alanis Morissette MTV Unplugged and chose Track 4 That I Would Be Good.

He concluded that F5 had a little bit better brightness and details than Babo Zen . . . even if the difference was almost nothing . . .

I don't know where the difference is coming from.
From the different way of negative feedback? Or from the EI transformer? Or from the different voltage regulator? Or from the combination of these in a way or another . . . ?

Nontheless . . . I conclude that both are really great power amps!

Ah . . .
Voice of Alanis is placed in the center of the concert hall, and voices are delaying in the hall as if to show the hall size. . . Behind her acoustic guitars, violin and cello are playing on left and right sides. . . Bass and drums are somewhat away behind her . . . Full air of live music . . .


Cheers,

>><<