i had a chance to revisit the mystery caps that were soldered under my pcbs. they were the same kind of 100nf caps that are populated on the board, presumably recycled from c17-20 that were already taken out.
one was soldered on the bottom side of c4 and the other connecting the holes of c19 and c20, so that it's positioned paralleled to c7. i had no idea what functionality this second cap could serve, so...i snipped them both out.
and once again, wow.
soundstage opens up to no end, inner details unleashed, everything is dramatically smoother and airier. the sound is now truly SET-like minus the lush. the concern i voiced last night no longer applies.
the bass on the other hand became recessed. it's so weak that it's actually difficult to pick it out on some songs since it gets buried under other instruments.
why do you think that second cap was soldered parallel to c7?
one was soldered on the bottom side of c4 and the other connecting the holes of c19 and c20, so that it's positioned paralleled to c7. i had no idea what functionality this second cap could serve, so...i snipped them both out.
and once again, wow.
soundstage opens up to no end, inner details unleashed, everything is dramatically smoother and airier. the sound is now truly SET-like minus the lush. the concern i voiced last night no longer applies. the bass on the other hand became recessed. it's so weak that it's actually difficult to pick it out on some songs since it gets buried under other instruments.
why do you think that second cap was soldered parallel to c7?
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Dario, it seems unrealistic that a six inch piece of copper wire, among the better types available, could have such a negative impact on sonics. I do not hear anything that is similar to the cap interaction that bothered me with the Silmics. In fact, I don't hear any problems at all with OCC wire. I hope you revisit your evaluation and get better results. How can aluminum possibly be better?
Bob, I'm using the ESP P09 active xovers. They're modestly priced and decently flexible to achieve different results. They are designed for 12 or 24dB slopes, but you can fiddle with them to get others. I like the sound I'm getting. I'm sure there are better xovers available, but at much greater cost. Rod is a good guy to deal with. Shipping takes about 10 - 14 days. The kit is easy to understand and build. Documentation is pretty good. You'll need to buy the components and a power supply, too. He sells that, as well, or there are others available.
Regarding TVC and removing input cap: every time you move the volume control, there is the possibility of momentarily generating DC. One good crack, and there goes your amp or speakers. It is your decision whether the risk is worth it. I also use a passive TVC, and I have not tried running without the cap in MyRef. Think of that cap as really good insurance, and one more opportunity to voice your system the way you like it.
I cannot understand the problems you're having with bass. What value is the input cap you're currently using? If it's smaller than 1uf, it will reduce bass, but it certainly doesn't disappear.
Peace,
Tom E
Bob, I'm using the ESP P09 active xovers. They're modestly priced and decently flexible to achieve different results. They are designed for 12 or 24dB slopes, but you can fiddle with them to get others. I like the sound I'm getting. I'm sure there are better xovers available, but at much greater cost. Rod is a good guy to deal with. Shipping takes about 10 - 14 days. The kit is easy to understand and build. Documentation is pretty good. You'll need to buy the components and a power supply, too. He sells that, as well, or there are others available.
Regarding TVC and removing input cap: every time you move the volume control, there is the possibility of momentarily generating DC. One good crack, and there goes your amp or speakers. It is your decision whether the risk is worth it. I also use a passive TVC, and I have not tried running without the cap in MyRef. Think of that cap as really good insurance, and one more opportunity to voice your system the way you like it.
I cannot understand the problems you're having with bass. What value is the input cap you're currently using? If it's smaller than 1uf, it will reduce bass, but it certainly doesn't disappear.
Peace,
Tom E
You need at least 40V rated caps... apart that KGs could be worse than TS-HA.
I can say for sure that those 6 inches have a clearly audible effect using different types of wire.
It's for this reason that I want to try also with plain OFC speaker wire...
The aluminum I'm using is of aerospace origin, high purity (5N) and long crystal (OCC).
Though unusual for audio wires it is largely used in electronic parts and for industrial/aerospace cabling.
If you think about it signal in your MyRef passes trough a lot of aluminum (the foil of elcos is aluminum, some film/foil caps uses aluminum, the metallized layer of most film caps is made of aluminum).
This is getting waaaay off topic, and somewhat ridiculous.
The reason aluminum is used in aerospace wiring is because it's very ductile, it's a decent conductor, and, most importantly, because it's lighter. The reason it's not used in audio cabling is because it doesn't sound good, no matter how many N's are attached to the purity level. As far as I am aware, any film and foil cap that is made with aluminum sounds inferior to any cap made with copper foil. Metalized caps are made with aluminum because it's easier to deposit onto a film, not because it sounds better. I'm sure there is a reason it's used in 'lytic caps, but I bet it's not because of better sonics. Why aren't PCB's made with aluminum? Why don't audio cable manufacturers, the ultimate money grabbers, use aluminum for their overpriced toys? Because they'd get laughed out of the industry.
There aren't many things I won't try with audio equipment, at least as an experiment. Aluminum wire is one. Dario, if you're willing to take the time and trouble, that's great. I'll be interested to learn the results.
Troy, if you're going to trot out that stupid argument about miles of utility wire, I'm out of here. That's the wire skeptic's last defense, and it just doesn't make any sense. Why try to make anything sound better by using better materials wherever you have the choice? Why not just make everything out of tin, nickel, and aluminum? Because they sound bad, whether it's twenty miles, twenty inches, or twenty microns between your equipment and the utility.
Peace,
Tom E
The reason aluminum is used in aerospace wiring is because it's very ductile, it's a decent conductor, and, most importantly, because it's lighter. The reason it's not used in audio cabling is because it doesn't sound good, no matter how many N's are attached to the purity level. As far as I am aware, any film and foil cap that is made with aluminum sounds inferior to any cap made with copper foil. Metalized caps are made with aluminum because it's easier to deposit onto a film, not because it sounds better. I'm sure there is a reason it's used in 'lytic caps, but I bet it's not because of better sonics. Why aren't PCB's made with aluminum? Why don't audio cable manufacturers, the ultimate money grabbers, use aluminum for their overpriced toys? Because they'd get laughed out of the industry.
There aren't many things I won't try with audio equipment, at least as an experiment. Aluminum wire is one. Dario, if you're willing to take the time and trouble, that's great. I'll be interested to learn the results.
Troy, if you're going to trot out that stupid argument about miles of utility wire, I'm out of here. That's the wire skeptic's last defense, and it just doesn't make any sense. Why try to make anything sound better by using better materials wherever you have the choice? Why not just make everything out of tin, nickel, and aluminum? Because they sound bad, whether it's twenty miles, twenty inches, or twenty microns between your equipment and the utility.
Peace,
Tom E
It's better to have a slightly higher blocking-voltage margin, so 1N4002-4007 are preferable to 1N4001 for D2/D3. I have a pair of BYV96E fast-soft rectifiers here in my premium BoM, and plain old 1N400x in my standard BoM.
It's also worth trying out UF4007 for D2/D3 - it's less expensive than BYV96E, but probably just as good. All of these should be available on EBay if the other sources are dry.
Probably there is a misunderstanding...
I'm not suggesting to use aluminum to anyone, in fact it's not even available by the foot.
I'm pointing out that, at least in my system, the solid core OCC could have a problem if used for the MyRef output.
I hope to do further tests this weekend with plain OFC speaker cable and Neotech OCC silver to find out if this possible timbre problem it's real or not.
You can't know that for sure until you actually try it...are you becoming a skeptic?
Anyway, yes, aluminum sounds good, even my power cable is made of it...
It's not my finding, another italian forumer gave it to me to try.
He uses it to make cables for himself and his friends.
They do...
Acustica Applicata
http://www.tprojectcable.com/home.htm
http://www.shat.it/no walls crystal VII.html
MondoAudio | Kosmos | SINE | Cavi di alimentazione
Alumiloy High Performance Wire and Cable
(Sorry, some links are in Italian only...)
Rectifiers on my Ultimate BOM are SBYV27-100 (Mouser 625-SBYV27-100-E3/4) which are soft recovery ones.
As LinuxGuru already pointed out different soft recovery ones are also good for that posistions.
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Hi Andrew,
sorry but you're wrong... the thread you are referring to is the http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/chip-amps/167458-myrefc-build-guide.html
This Madisonears' thread is from the start open to components evaluation on the MyRef...
Just goes to show how bad my memory really is.
Thanks for the reminder.
But the intent is the same. Recent discussion on modification and component type is off topic in this thread.
Maybe Clave is correct and my interruption is out of order.
But consider: Why did the thread starter come in and ask?
Thanks for the reminder.
But the intent is the same. Recent discussion on modification and component type is off topic in this thread.
Maybe Clave is correct and my interruption is out of order.
But consider: Why did the thread starter come in and ask?
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Tom started this thread with these words:
In the entire thread quite all possible arguments regarding the MyRef have been discussed without any limit (components, cables, chassis, design mods, new PCBs, etc.).
In fact the Ultimate MyRef GB is born from this thread discussions and its openness.
I dont think Tom changed his mind about that...
In the entire thread quite all possible arguments regarding the MyRef have been discussed without any limit (components, cables, chassis, design mods, new PCBs, etc.).
In fact the Ultimate MyRef GB is born from this thread discussions and its openness.
I dont think Tom changed his mind about that...
As someone who admittedly has posted some non-direct responses and questions (although with an attempt to be relevant) I want to plead my case. I have nowhere near the background and knowledge that is graciously shared on these forums. After almost a year working with a number of LM3886 flavors, I still think of myself as a novice - willing and wanting to learn. However, it is somewhat frustrating having to jump from thread to thread - forum to forum in an attempt to keep up to date, Sometimes it feels like trying to read a book where the chapters have no particular order.
I am aware that some here emphasize the engineering/component aspects of the MyRef - without whose efforts non of this would be possible. But as Andrew posted on another forum,(paraphrasing) all and every element in an audio system look to either side of itself to determine the proper function, and this is by nature interactive.
I for one, would greatly appreciate someplace that looks like a no-holds-bared system integration approach with the MyRef-C as its core. Not necessarily a change but possibly an addition or consolidation.
I am aware that some here emphasize the engineering/component aspects of the MyRef - without whose efforts non of this would be possible. But as Andrew posted on another forum,(paraphrasing) all and every element in an audio system look to either side of itself to determine the proper function, and this is by nature interactive.
I for one, would greatly appreciate someplace that looks like a no-holds-bared system integration approach with the MyRef-C as its core. Not necessarily a change but possibly an addition or consolidation.
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I just mentioned that EVERYTHING(*) we listen to has gone through aluminum.
I make NO cable claims what so ever. But my favorite wire is still Kimber Kable 4TC on the top end.
* battery powered and local generators being an exception.