Arjen Helder Buffer V2

[rhing]

Originally Posted by Zero One

I have now had some time to listen to the buffer and amp combined and must say it is a sweet combination.

One thing worth doing is to bypass the output caps on the buffer if it is only going to feed the standard amp module. Having done this I found the bass was improved and the whole set-up gained a little more detail.

I followed this advice, and I get a very loud pop on start-up. In the eBay ad for the tube buffer, it states:

"Due to too much POP noise when starting the PREAMP, we have replaced the input capacitors to 2.2uf."


First of all, I thought the 2.2uF caps on the V2 buffer board were the output caps, not the input caps. Should I put the 2.2uF caps back in place?

[Zero One]

Hi Rich
The output caps are the large red ones, they can be removed if the buffer is feeding into a module that has input caps on it. You must have a cap somewhere either on the amp module or on the buffer.



Basically with both output and input caps in series you roll off the bass more.


I have no problems with big pops but there will always be a small pop, it was the input caps for the buffer they replaced with a smaller one, there is no need to replace that.

[onis_uk]

i have mine all set up now, on power up the speakers are kind of sucked in and slowly return to the middle and i get a very loud pop when i turn it off .... hummm

[rhing]

I measured the DC voltage on my speaker outputs of my TA2020MkIII amp with the MkII tube buffer. On power up, I read -2.4V on both channels. It starts to decay to about +8mV in about 10-15 seconds. The first time I powered up, it sent the T-amp into fault mode. On second power up, I got the same surge, but the T-amp remained on. I can't make any adjustments on the DC bias pots to bring the DC as close as possible to 0mV. After the initial surge on the second power up, I plugged in some cheapie test speakers and I have decent sound out of both speakers. I am very concerned that I cannot use this product with my T-amp, which is a shame, because I really wanted to further improve the excellent sound quality I get from my T-amp.

[rhing]

Originally Posted by onis_uk

i have mine all set up now, on power up the speakers are kind of sucked in and slowly return to the middle and i get a very loud pop when i turn it off .... hummm

I turned the amp off and I get the really loud pop too. Does anyone have any ideas on eleiminating/reducing this pop on turn on and turn off?

[onis_uk]

i hope so, ive emailed arjen and he doesnt even know (

[Frenger]

I've got the same problem of the loud pop. I hope someone knows how to solve it.

[rhing]

Arjen has emailed me to inform me that he's working on a solution. I'm not sure how the solution will be implemented (another PCB to buy). For now, I can't risk damaging my speakers with -2.4V DC on turn on. I haven't measured the turn off DC voltage, but the pop is louder.

[TheDealer]

Originally Posted by rhing

I turned the amp off and I get the really loud pop too. Does anyone have any ideas on eleiminating/reducing this pop on turn on and turn off?

with this konfiguration I think it´s best to connect speakers after turned on and disconnect speakers before you are going to turn off the amp.

So let the amp always ON. It´s also better for receiving immediately best performance without any warm-up
-----------------------
But another newbee question from me regarding the way from the cinch sockets of my CD Player to the V2 buffer amp:
how to handle with the black mass cable on the board which is shared from the right and left input together ? Cinch outputs have for each channel the separate mass contact and if I am not wrong it´s the outer ring which is mass, or ?

[onis_uk]

yes it will be another pcb that cuts the speakers off with a relay and to be honest i haven't got the room in my case for another pcb plus i dont really want another pcb in the signal path ....not too happy (