I've been intrigued by the LDR for a couple of years. I have been on the verge of ordering parts to make an attenuator or a complete assembly from the several known suppliers many times.
I always chickened out at the last moment....until I didn't.
I ended up ordering the Clone Note kit from Uriah Daley. I had to be able to vary the L/R balance, which with his design is possible.
Dealing with Uriah was a pleasure and he made himself available if questions or support were required. I did not have any issues at all assembling the kit. It was my first time soldering smd components and had to kludge together something to hold the little buggers on the circuit board.
It's been running for the last few weeks. I have a VTA SP14 preamp that I have tweaked to death thanks to suggestions from Don Sachs in Canada.
I have experimented with the SP14, Kuartlotron buffer and Clone Note, swapping positions of each of them numerous times. Each swap obviously changes the music slightly.
In the end I listen to the Clone Note most often by itself, directly feeding the amplifier. The CN is completely silent and allows me to hear more detail and harmonics compared to the SP14. When I want to listen to a slightly less resolute sound I connect the tube preamp for a bit.
Today I received a crusty old tin cigar box from the early 20's and installed the attenuator in it. I love hiding audio gear in unassuming, rustic boxes. I like how it looks next to the SP14 preamp that I housed in a 1937 Silvertone radio chassis.
I am really happy with the Clone Note and am glad I made the purchase.
I always chickened out at the last moment....until I didn't.
I ended up ordering the Clone Note kit from Uriah Daley. I had to be able to vary the L/R balance, which with his design is possible.
Dealing with Uriah was a pleasure and he made himself available if questions or support were required. I did not have any issues at all assembling the kit. It was my first time soldering smd components and had to kludge together something to hold the little buggers on the circuit board.
It's been running for the last few weeks. I have a VTA SP14 preamp that I have tweaked to death thanks to suggestions from Don Sachs in Canada.
I have experimented with the SP14, Kuartlotron buffer and Clone Note, swapping positions of each of them numerous times. Each swap obviously changes the music slightly.
In the end I listen to the Clone Note most often by itself, directly feeding the amplifier. The CN is completely silent and allows me to hear more detail and harmonics compared to the SP14. When I want to listen to a slightly less resolute sound I connect the tube preamp for a bit.
Today I received a crusty old tin cigar box from the early 20's and installed the attenuator in it. I love hiding audio gear in unassuming, rustic boxes. I like how it looks next to the SP14 preamp that I housed in a 1937 Silvertone radio chassis.
I am really happy with the Clone Note and am glad I made the purchase.
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The Chinese manufactured switch which comes with the kit works well but has a really notchy feel that I don't care for. I thought that a nice switch from Elma would fix that if I could get it to work with the original circuit board.
Uriah sent me another board and I ordered the switch from the UK. I ordered the model meant for use on circuit boards as the leads are longer than the solder-eyelet model. It turned out to be perfect.
The only thing I had to do was carefully bend the leads and splay them out to make a wider base. I made three small jumpers to connect the oddly spaced switch leads and ground to the circuit board and soldered it all in.
The resulting feel is much nicer and feels as if it will last forever.
Uriah sent me another board and I ordered the switch from the UK. I ordered the model meant for use on circuit boards as the leads are longer than the solder-eyelet model. It turned out to be perfect.
The only thing I had to do was carefully bend the leads and splay them out to make a wider base. I made three small jumpers to connect the oddly spaced switch leads and ground to the circuit board and soldered it all in.
The resulting feel is much nicer and feels as if it will last forever.
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Hi Tim,
to be honest, I had wanted to try an Elma switch for some time, so the experiment was excuse enough to try it. The source I use most has it's own digital volume control, so the volume control on the Clone Note is moved very little.
The Elma switch is slightly smoother than the Chinese one, which also caused a loud tick at one position which bugged me. So, out it came.
Oh, having one trimmed differently than the other does indeed change the balance. Do a test for yourself. Listen to music with the image centred and change the setting on one of the trim pots a few turns. The image will drift either right or left.
For balance adjustment I replaced the 5K trimmer pot on one of the boards with the 5K precision pot that you see on the back of the cigar box. The other channel trimmer pot is set for 6K and is left alone. The channel with the remote, precision pot starts off at 6K, but is moved at will to vary the balance. I don't obsess about the setting on the stock side.
to be honest, I had wanted to try an Elma switch for some time, so the experiment was excuse enough to try it. The source I use most has it's own digital volume control, so the volume control on the Clone Note is moved very little.
The Elma switch is slightly smoother than the Chinese one, which also caused a loud tick at one position which bugged me. So, out it came.
Oh, having one trimmed differently than the other does indeed change the balance. Do a test for yourself. Listen to music with the image centred and change the setting on one of the trim pots a few turns. The image will drift either right or left.
For balance adjustment I replaced the 5K trimmer pot on one of the boards with the 5K precision pot that you see on the back of the cigar box. The other channel trimmer pot is set for 6K and is left alone. The channel with the remote, precision pot starts off at 6K, but is moved at will to vary the balance. I don't obsess about the setting on the stock side.
Great SMD Tool
I'm very impressed by your SMS bionic arm, case and soldering.
I'm very impressed by your SMS bionic arm, case and soldering.
I've been intrigued by the LDR for a couple of years. I have been on the verge of ordering parts to make an attenuator or a complete assembly from the several known suppliers many times.
I always chickened out at the last moment....until I didn't.
I ended up ordering the Clone Note kit from Uriah Daley. I had to be able to vary the L/R balance, which with his design is possible.
Dealing with Uriah was a pleasure and he made himself available if questions or support were required. I did not have any issues at all assembling the kit. It was my first time soldering smd components and had to kludge together something to hold the little buggers on the circuit board.
It's been running for the last few weeks. I have a VTA SP14 preamp that I have tweaked to death thanks to suggestions from Don Sachs in Canada.
I have experimented with the SP14, Kuartlotron buffer and Clone Note, swapping positions of each of them numerous times. Each swap obviously changes the music slightly.
In the end I listen to the Clone Note most often by itself, directly feeding the amplifier. The CN is completely silent and allows me to hear more detail and harmonics compared to the SP14. When I want to listen to a slightly less resolute sound I connect the tube preamp for a bit.
Today I received a crusty old tin cigar box from the early 20's and installed the attenuator in it. I love hiding audio gear in unassuming, rustic boxes. I like how it looks next to the SP14 preamp that I housed in a 1937 Silvertone radio chassis.
I am really happy with the Clone Note and am glad I made the purchase.
Nice job. Your SMD bionic arm is brilliant and so is your casing.
It's cunning how you have implemented your balance system using one pot.
I have used one for each LDR and have removed the trim pots so I can tweak the LDR resistance with repeatable accuracy after they have warmed up.
I knocked together a cable for my DMM which plugs into a mini phono jack on the back of my case so that resistance can be quickly checked. (See middle of pic)
It's cunning how you have implemented your balance system using one pot.
I have used one for each LDR and have removed the trim pots so I can tweak the LDR resistance with repeatable accuracy after they have warmed up.
I knocked together a cable for my DMM which plugs into a mini phono jack on the back of my case so that resistance can be quickly checked. (See middle of pic)
Thanks for the compliments Rob.
I almost followed your lead to make the case out of acrylic as you did. I have never tried heating and bending acrylic into a case as you have done so nicely. Years ago I would heat and bend my own acrylic for windshields for my motorcycles, but that appears much easier than what you did to make your case.
Since the lid of the cigar box opens, and in a rush to get the CN playing music, I decided not to install test points as you have done. We will see if I finish the loose ends or it stays as it is forever...
I almost followed your lead to make the case out of acrylic as you did. I have never tried heating and bending acrylic into a case as you have done so nicely. Years ago I would heat and bend my own acrylic for windshields for my motorcycles, but that appears much easier than what you did to make your case.
Since the lid of the cigar box opens, and in a rush to get the CN playing music, I decided not to install test points as you have done. We will see if I finish the loose ends or it stays as it is forever...
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Thanks for all the detail and photos Fitero.
My new CN pot has started playing up,going loud briefly on turning it up,so will now ask Uriah for another board and get one of the Elma pots.I've used them (Elmas) for switching my inputs and find them great quality.
Apart from that I'm delighted with the sound through the CN,the best yet.
My new CN pot has started playing up,going loud briefly on turning it up,so will now ask Uriah for another board and get one of the Elma pots.I've used them (Elmas) for switching my inputs and find them great quality.
Apart from that I'm delighted with the sound through the CN,the best yet.
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