FirstWatt J2

Here is something akin to a J2 clone ... still work in progress but it plays rather good already. :)
 

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J2 to drive Edgar Seismic subs - feedback question

I have mocked this up and the amp does just fine.

I am using two and want to retain the character of the J2 from bottom to the top.

My (goofy, I do not doubt) question is: I would like to get some extra gain, around 5 dB, from the amp to be used for the bass. I do not want to add a gain stage preferring to use a Broskie tube based crossover with no gain.cathode followers using plus and negative voltage rails. ( OK, that was the premise not the question)

What would happen if one was to lower the feedback (of course, I have no idea how much is being used). Would 5 dB less make this a zero feedback amplifier? Somehow I figure there is more than that. Would reducing feedback in an amplifer used for low bass only be OK or would one be disappointed by the result?

I feel confident with instruction I could make the modification without making a mess.

I hope this question does not sound like a fishing expedition even though I figure those cleverer than I could figure out where the feedback loop is without asking any questions.

Just trying to get by without adding a gain stage to equalize output.

Can anyone help me or am I simply too far gone?

Thanks,
 
What's the worst that could happen?

Other than complete disappointment? I would not know.

It is obvious I have been enjoying this amp hence my acquiring a second one.

Don't want to harm it most assuredly.

The more I think about it the less damping from less feedback is probably reason enough to let it alone and just add a low-gain stage before the crossover. My mocked up experiment so far tells me the amp has control over an eighteen inch woofer. Lessening the FB might be asking too much.

I have been playing it as loud as I ever would with no sounds of obvious distortion. I guess it is true that a single ended amp does sound more powerful than its power rating would indicate? The SEISMICs are efficient within the world of subwoofers. I am not going for DISCO sound pressure which helps.

The amp does not produce the hard thump of the toy amps I had used before (the NHT as suggested by Edgar ten years ago and the useless RECKHORN amps two of which failed driving this easy load. CAVEAT EMPTOR on those things; both had power supply capacitor failures) There is a superior blending only to be expected when using the same amplifiers. Even the first two octaves are revealing of this necessary quality I have found. Always suspected but did not want to find out - if one could get by with a three hundred dollars "plate" amp and get a musical sound it would be nice, wouldn't it?

Compormise is the way of the audiophile, isn't it?

Bye,
 
Official Court Jester
Joined 2003
Paid Member
certainly weirdest plate amp-money can buy

Papa just said that you are free to try ; disappointments are also steps in learning process , but you certainly have more than fair chances to be pleased with result .

in any case - having two of them ( respect for respect !) , you are always free to move one to bedroom system :clown: , and make one from scratch - with increased gain , and two pairs of SS outputs - to increase current capacity and compensate gain ( meaning - increase OLG , while increasing CLG , so overall feedback stays the same ........ if this is important for your better sleep )
 
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