Gave my Fetzilla a small upgrade with some pure silver signal wire for the inputs and Eichmann cablepods for the outputs - this ones a keeper and has been running 24/7 in our systems for about 4 months now. It is phenominal, one of the best amps I have had the pleasure of owning. Still smiling that I happened across this thread 
Oh yeah - forgot to mention - i've got a new set of Ncore N400 based monoblocks completed this week, I intended to use them where I currently have the Fetzilla as the rating on the Fetzilla means it should struggle at times when we are watching movies - but so far it has never run out of puff, it seems to punch above the 50W/Ch weight suggests. Also, the jury is out at the moment on the Ncores, they are new, but I'm hearing some brightness and maybe some compression at higher volumes. For the price I could have built another 3-4 Fetzillas haha !!
Yea well I do admit to an initial bout of getting carried away by the Ncores when I first fired them up - but I'll have to spend more time with them
Before I'm 100% sold. As I tend to do I waxed lyrical on our local audio forum before I sat back the next day and on reflection thought that maybe the shine had fallen off. On a final note - bolting two modules into a case is nowhere near as much fun as a PCB build
Got a few coming over tomorrow so we will see what the crowd says. As I said - the Fetz is a keeper - possibly the Ncores as well given they can operate in a small enclosed space.
Before I'm 100% sold. As I tend to do I waxed lyrical on our local audio forum before I sat back the next day and on reflection thought that maybe the shine had fallen off. On a final note - bolting two modules into a case is nowhere near as much fun as a PCB build
Got a few coming over tomorrow so we will see what the crowd says. As I said - the Fetz is a keeper - possibly the Ncores as well given they can operate in a small enclosed space.
Sure yes - the Fetzilla wins on musicality for me - imaging and detail are better for me on the Ncores - detail is spectacular and soundstage is expansive. The Fet seems to have a slight roll off by comparison but this does give it a lovely warm non fatiguing sound which I prefer.
The Ncores obviously have more ability at louder SPL's. I'm pretty sure I'll have the Fetzilla for life - the Ncores I will play around with for a while as I get my head around their character.
I'm not very good at describing sonic characteristics - interesting to see though that on the US Ncores tour the one amp that seems to have given them a real run for their money was a Lifeforce amp. They have been put up against some pretty high end competition.
The Ncores obviously have more ability at louder SPL's. I'm pretty sure I'll have the Fetzilla for life - the Ncores I will play around with for a while as I get my head around their character.
I'm not very good at describing sonic characteristics - interesting to see though that on the US Ncores tour the one amp that seems to have given them a real run for their money was a Lifeforce amp. They have been put up against some pretty high end competition.
Hmm, thanks Andrew, the Lifeforce was my first low feedback amp. Interesting observation, pity I no longer offer it, but I can say fairly emphatically that the NAKSA series is better than the Lifeforce, and, to my mind, better than the FetZilla.
You're not good at describing sound? You could have fooled me...... try this for audiophile speak:
'There was a hermetic sense of imaging and palpable leading edge which gave the harmonic texture a contrained expansiveness I found most appealing'.
Cheers,
Hugh
You're not good at describing sound? You could have fooled me...... try this for audiophile speak:
'There was a hermetic sense of imaging and palpable leading edge which gave the harmonic texture a contrained expansiveness I found most appealing'.
Cheers,
Hugh
Yes I agree - having been fortunate enough to have the Naksa in my system for a short while. If location and heat were not issues (for my circumstance) I feel the Naksa 100 would be a strong contender at about the same price. I really like the Aspen house sound and your passion for amp design.
Anyway - the Fetz is a quality amp that allows quite a remarkable music experience and is a total bargain punching well above where it's power rating and cost should place it.
Anyway - the Fetz is a quality amp that allows quite a remarkable music experience and is a total bargain punching well above where it's power rating and cost should place it.
Alternative output devices?
Hugh, et al.
Are there any other (cheaper) options that could be considered for output devices? I can only find the ECX10N20/P20 for $18ea and the 2SK1058/J162 for $20ea... Element14 (formally Farnell) suggests the Renesas 2SK2220 at $44ea when I search for 2SK1058!
Obviously I will be putting a fair bit of effort into the build so crippling performance by skimping on parts is not a good option. Also, I would imagine that if cheaper parts were equally suitable they would have been specified in the first place.... but it never hurts to ask the experts.
At $18 per device I'd be spending significantly more on the transistors than I did on the transformers for this project.... but if that's what it takes to get the full sound of the FETZilla then so be it.
Alternatively, are the above prices too high for these devices... can anyone point me to a cheaper source?
Many thanks,
Tani.
EDIT: Is eBay a reliable option for these parts? I have found several of the 2SK/J devices for more reasonable prices, such as these. Are these commonly fakes? Does anyone know a seller that they find trustworthy?
Thanks again?
Hugh, et al.
Are there any other (cheaper) options that could be considered for output devices? I can only find the ECX10N20/P20 for $18ea and the 2SK1058/J162 for $20ea... Element14 (formally Farnell) suggests the Renesas 2SK2220 at $44ea when I search for 2SK1058!
Obviously I will be putting a fair bit of effort into the build so crippling performance by skimping on parts is not a good option. Also, I would imagine that if cheaper parts were equally suitable they would have been specified in the first place.... but it never hurts to ask the experts.
At $18 per device I'd be spending significantly more on the transistors than I did on the transformers for this project.... but if that's what it takes to get the full sound of the FETZilla then so be it.
Alternatively, are the above prices too high for these devices... can anyone point me to a cheaper source?
Many thanks,
Tani.
EDIT: Is eBay a reliable option for these parts? I have found several of the 2SK/J devices for more reasonable prices, such as these. Are these commonly fakes? Does anyone know a seller that they find trustworthy?
Thanks again?
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I ordered the SEMELAB - ALF08P20V and ALF08N20V Element14, these supposed to be the same as ECX10N20/P20 fabricated for Farnell and they are running at US$10.90 each. I can get legitimate 2SK1058/ 2SJ162 for 12$ each but only a few pairs left.
Had been busy and havn't solder them to the PCB to try out yet.
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Just checked Australian element14 and they're $17.66 each for order of 1-24 pieces.
I find this hard to justify, with the AU dollar as strong as it is for such a long period of time (long enough for me and many others to lose their jobs). <end rant>Shipping kills small orders from OS. Skylab, may I ask what you would charge for the remaining 2SK/J pairs (I'm building 4 Fetzilla PCBs, so would need 4 pairs if you could stretch to that) with shipping to Victoria, Australia?
Thanks,
Tani.
Tani,
A friend in the US posted me some of these devices cheap, I was most grateful.
I have not therefore had to search hard for them. In cases like this, I generally trawl through google and ebay, but you might also try Digikey and Mouser, which can sometimes have good discounts at a break of ten pieces.
Others here such as Syklab and Do have given excellent suggestions, however.
BTW, any others have listening impressions of the FetZilla?
Good luck!
Hugh
A friend in the US posted me some of these devices cheap, I was most grateful.
I have not therefore had to search hard for them. In cases like this, I generally trawl through google and ebay, but you might also try Digikey and Mouser, which can sometimes have good discounts at a break of ten pieces.
Others here such as Syklab and Do have given excellent suggestions, however.
BTW, any others have listening impressions of the FetZilla?
Good luck!
Hugh
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