Where to go after the F5?

[JZatopa]

So I am about to finish the first amp I have ever built. A goal I have had for about 10 years but for one reason or another I was not ready to tackle it until now. I have the amp running using a bench supply and am amazed by just how transparent it is. Of course the builder in me is now all worked up because I have made a working unit. So my question is where do I go from here. Do I build a hot rodded F5 or do I build a different amp? Personally I would love to know what the next level above the F5 would be. This amp sounds so good I have trouble believing that there could really be much better. When it comes to improving on the F5 it seems like the most you could really do is to up the power supply capacitance and possibly try different resistors. I feel though that changing resistors would be more of a matter of taste and not an upgrade. What about the premium resistor upgrade from techDIY, has anyone tried them, what did you find?

I'm using a decware preamp and a marantz 63 straight into the amp (it has volume control)but I am considering building my own preamp. The Aikdo looks tempting as well as the DCB1. Is this where I should focus next? Might be interesting to hotrod a DCB1 in a case that matches my F5 and crank up the bias.

 

[Richard Ellis]

Finish it....Get it off the bench, build your PS, create a very personalized enclosure & let it go to work making music....
If you 'music room' is too crowded, put in the 'den', kitchen........wherever it will stand out...

________________________________________________________Rick......

 

[AudioSan]

there is a sea of options.

 

[Nelson Pass]

F6

 

[JZatopa]

F6

Ohh that's a good idea unless you want to share the plans for the even more secret f7

 

[JZatopa]

there is a sea of options.

There is and this is just a fishing expedition.

 

[Marra]

Build a hotrodded DCB1 in conjunction with the Lightspeed as the volume control.IMHO truly a match made in heaven. The combination lets the F5 sing.
Having said that the Aleph amps are good too but a bit more expensive to build.

 

[Andersonix]

Try something single-ended? BA-1?

 

[chalkandtalk]

J5

 

[Itsmee]

F6

Oooh, my soldering iron is getting fidgity

 

[Bksabath]

2 F5

And yes please F6 and F7 where are the drawings?

 

[Nelson Pass]

And yes please F6 and F7 where are the drawings?

Patience Greedy Boyz. F6 is upcoming DIY.

 

[corkpuller]

@N.P......such a tease!

 

[flg]

Do things in general go in circles?

 

[Andersonix]

Circles? Cycles, certainly.

 

[flg]

I was thinking maybe Passatron

 

[buzzforb]

Patience Greedy Boyz. F6 is upcoming DIY.

I am already 3 behind!

 

[DougL]

If it were me, I would ask which Firstwatt matched my speakers.
Its really about best match between Speakers and amp rather than one absolute best amp IMHO.
Having said that, the F4 looks like you could try the Autoformer front end, or the BA1 front end or use a preamp. Interesting options.

Doug

 

[Spooky Electric]

F3-Successor: 30 watts in 8 ohms, no FB, SITs.

 

[Bksabath]

Quote >Patience Greedy Boyz. F6 is upcoming DIY.

Juppie cristmass camming soon.

I feel like I am 5 years old again.