Neutrik has got many many parts, only subtle differences. I think I used these ones (or something very much like it)
NC3MD-L-BAG-1 - Neutrik
NC3FD-L-BAG-1 - Neutrik
NC3MX - Neutrik
and
NC3FX - Neutrik
What balance control do you mean? The one on your amplifier? Is one Pearl channel bad, is it still the same when you swap channels?
Hi everyone,
finally I got my Pass Pearl 2 working! A good friend of mine who is really an electronic expert did the measurement with the scope and soon found out about it. The problem with the faint signal on both output channels was simply due to the fact that none of the gain stages was working properly. Reason for that was that I apparently blew all ZTX450 bipolar transistors, so the JFETs did not have any power. I must have burned them when I had them soldered -I didn't know that they were so sensitive.
After replacing them with new ones and carefully re-soldering them I got the gain stages to work. Interestingly none of the JFETs was damaged (I was lucky, since these were the matched ones that I got from Pass Labs). Anyway, after replacing the ZTX450, one could notice a slight imbalance in output voltages, so I replaced the MOS-FET ZVP3310 and after re-calibrating voltages with P1 the output on both channels was fine and more or less equal.
I am happy and am looking forward to listening to some good old vinyl now!
Attached are two screenshots, one from the amp itself and one from the psu. I am using LM317/LM337 voltage regulators in the psu and 28 V per rail.
Thanks for help in this great forum!
Cheers
Poli
finally I got my Pass Pearl 2 working! A good friend of mine who is really an electronic expert did the measurement with the scope and soon found out about it. The problem with the faint signal on both output channels was simply due to the fact that none of the gain stages was working properly. Reason for that was that I apparently blew all ZTX450 bipolar transistors, so the JFETs did not have any power. I must have burned them when I had them soldered -I didn't know that they were so sensitive.
After replacing them with new ones and carefully re-soldering them I got the gain stages to work. Interestingly none of the JFETs was damaged (I was lucky, since these were the matched ones that I got from Pass Labs). Anyway, after replacing the ZTX450, one could notice a slight imbalance in output voltages, so I replaced the MOS-FET ZVP3310 and after re-calibrating voltages with P1 the output on both channels was fine and more or less equal.
I am happy and am looking forward to listening to some good old vinyl now!
Attached are two screenshots, one from the amp itself and one from the psu. I am using LM317/LM337 voltage regulators in the psu and 28 V per rail.
Thanks for help in this great forum!
Cheers
Poli
Attachments
Not really what I was trying to say...
I do, however, mean that the Rega cartridges are much like the Grados - they have a very distinct sound that can work for some people and not for others. I happen to fall in the later camp. I know people who think they are fantastic. Luckily, we are both right. Thinking a Troels TQWT if I can realistically find the time to build.
Drool! Jealous! Awesome! Very Nice! That speaker is on the short list of what I would build if I had a dedicated listening space.
Poli - That looks fantastic!! Bravo and congratulations!
Do you see the solder pad that is all by itself in the middle of the PCB? Very close to the mark for C12 -- under the pair of 3300uf electrolytic caps and above the RIAA caps?
Attach a wire from each of those holes to the phono ground post. Remove the PSU GND from the phono ground post. Do that and your construction will be complete!
Do you see the solder pad that is all by itself in the middle of the PCB? Very close to the mark for C12 -- under the pair of 3300uf electrolytic caps and above the RIAA caps?
Attach a wire from each of those holes to the phono ground post. Remove the PSU GND from the phono ground post. Do that and your construction will be complete!
a chassis part that is meant for banana plugs, ordered locally. It also accepts bare wire through a hole in the side, but I will attach a banana plug to my TT ground wire later.
That is looking great! The 22 muF caps are quite big, what type are they? Also quite some capacitor real estate in the PSU...
Replacing the Yamaha HT Receiver, using it as a Pre-Amp out to the F5 made a big difference. Most 'average' listeners would say my current rig sounds great. Compare to a digital source, and it is obvious there is room for improvement on the phono side. 6L6 and others have been polite in saying my Rega Bias 2 cartridge sucks compared to other choices. That may be a future bottleneck after I get the Pearl 2 going.
I also plan on building a B1 buffer pre-amp, it will be interesting to observe the improvements (hopefully) as I upgrade each element. I have Polk TSi300s, OK for the money - another candidate for an upgrade. Thinking a Troels TQWT if I can realistically find the time to build.
Have you lowered the gain for the Bias2 cartridge? I think its output is too high for the standard 55 dB gain (will give you almost 3V ouput). Time to save up for something like a Goldring Eroica
It's awfully hard to swamp the input of the Pearl. Just run the gain in the stock position. ...don't add any gain, obviously...
Yes, but the distortion at 5mV input is already around 0.25% according to the article by Wayne and the Bias2 has even more output. Expect between 0.3% and 0.35% distortion. But you won't destroy it, so just listen and decide if you're happy with it.
Have you lowered the gain for the Bias2 cartridge? I think its output is too high for the standard 55 dB gain (will give you almost 3V ouput). Time to save up for something like a Goldring Eroica
I am going to start stock. Dynavector 10x5 is more realistic - down the road a bit.
I wish I could change the gear purchases to show up as Home Depot on the credit card so I can hide it from the wife.