Top ten ways to a better Aleph?

[dantwomey]

I'm just in the middle of collecting all the aluminum, transistors, and other parts to needed to assemble my very first DIY amp, the Aleph 5. As a result of these efforts and alot of reading on this forum I decided to start the following thread for my own (and hopefully others) education and amusement. The top ten list I'd like to have us compile is to do with assembly practices and improved components. Not one particular amp design over another. I will starting the list here with one item and hopefully go from there.

1.) 1% metal film resistors?

Regards,
Dan

[harvardian]

Pay Peter to build the chassis.

[dantwomey]

Originally posted by harvardian
Pay Peter to build the chassis.

That would spoil all the fun! Wouldn't it?

Regards,
Dan

[Mark A. Gulbrandsen]

Use twice as much heatsinking as you calculate you will need, and then leave out R-19 from the circuit all together. This should give you the best sounding Aleph you've ever heard!! This will bias the amp all the way up...at least as high as Q-5 will allow. Also, use lots of power supply capacitance and inductors if you can, and all Vishay resistors in the amp circuit. Nothing else in the circuit seems to make much of a sound quality difference as doing the R-19 removal. You might also want to just solder your speaker leads directly to the PCB insteading of wasting your $$ on designer banana jacks. Eliminating these usually makes for some improvement in sound.
Mark

[Cobra2]

Must be 10 x Aleph...(4 x for Sub, 2 x 3 for tri-amping...)

Arne K

[dantwomey]

Here's the latest in no particular order:

1.) Buy more heasinking and jumper R19.

2.) Use Vishay DRALORIC: "Precision" Metal Film Resistors

3.) Follow Krisitijan's power supply design.

4.) Rob Paul to pay Peter?

Regards,
Dan

[Jay]

I don’t think that resistor type (other than standards) is important (surely the “precision” predicate is not), but if it counts, how about using a non-polar feedback capacitor? (I usually put a series of 2 capacitors in feedback to make it NP. With my system, being forced to lower the value a bit had never harmed the low roll-off)

How about choosing the MOSFET? Will it be relevant to the topic? The IRF drives me crazy. I need a better high frequency. I have tried to increase the bias current, and also padded down the high frequency in the tweeter crossover, but still not satisfied. I’m collecting information to build the Aleph with 10N16/10P16 (2SK135/2SJ50 substitute). But because I have to buy them in complementary pairs, it may not be 100% Aleph.

[Mark A. Gulbrandsen]

Dantwomey said......
"1.) Buy more heasinking and jumper R19."
_________________________________________________
Am I missing something here? I dopn't see how jumpering R-19 would improve things. Removing it raises the current......in theory as high as it can go...according to the actions of Q-5. Changing things around Q-5 too much and then its not an ALeph any more.
Mark

[AudioFreak]

My

1. Crank the bias up as much as you can manage.
2. Use a better power supply than what is shown in the service manual.
3. Use non-polar caps for the two 220uF caps.
4. Use a silver mica cap (or something similar) for the feedback cap.
5. Use whatever brand of exotic resistor you most prefer
6. Decrease the activeness of the aleph current source.

[jh6you]

My $$$

1. Silver wires
2. Silver solder
3. Matching Mosfets
4. Matching resistors
5. Computer grade PSU capacitors

JH