G said:
That is a good starter too Ron. Don't be intimidated. Look at one wire, one resistor and one capacitor at a time and before you know it it is done. Here is a enclosure for it if you decide to get it.
http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16294+BX
All you will have to do is drill some holes, add a transformer and some connectors. Maybe a little paint if you are vain like me.
By the time you buy all of the parts that are needed to finish it you might find that the Foreplay is a pretty good deal.
Well I was thinking I was set to pull the trigger on this but the part saying "It will cost almost as much as the bottlehead Foreplay by the time I am finished" is giving me pause, it might be a good point id the cost is cost to that.
Meantime reading as much as I can.
Cheers Ron.
Maybe also look at PassDIY firstwatt buffer/pre
They sell boards as well as matched fets
I suppose you could still use your NAD fore turntable phono only
But if you favour vinyl, a Broskie phono would be good
Remember that Aikido is top notch quality
A combination of above is about as good as it gets
They sell boards as well as matched fets
I suppose you could still use your NAD fore turntable phono only
But if you favour vinyl, a Broskie phono would be good
Remember that Aikido is top notch quality
A combination of above is about as good as it gets
Ron-
Sorry to jump in just as you seem to be reaching a decision.....
If you want to get an idea of 'tube sound' (aka 'something completely different'), I'd suggest you build a small tube amp (with volume control- ?).
Tube buffers and other 'add-ins' to your current system can make such a subtle difference that it may not reward your effort and investment.
For me, a tube amp and 'average' fullrange speakers (FE167) really opened my ears to some new possibilites for music listening. The Bose spkrs & SS receiver went out the door quite quickly.
Admittedly, you are starting from a lot higher point with your gear, but I'd still advise beginning with the tube amp, and changing other parts of the audio chain later. Most small amps are not that complex, and you should not have any trouble with a decent kit.
Cheers
John
Sorry to jump in just as you seem to be reaching a decision.....
If you want to get an idea of 'tube sound' (aka 'something completely different'), I'd suggest you build a small tube amp (with volume control- ?).
Tube buffers and other 'add-ins' to your current system can make such a subtle difference that it may not reward your effort and investment.
For me, a tube amp and 'average' fullrange speakers (FE167) really opened my ears to some new possibilites for music listening. The Bose spkrs & SS receiver went out the door quite quickly.
Admittedly, you are starting from a lot higher point with your gear, but I'd still advise beginning with the tube amp, and changing other parts of the audio chain later. Most small amps are not that complex, and you should not have any trouble with a decent kit.
Cheers
John
Are you confused yet Ron?
For tube sound and a DIY starter either the Aikado or the Foreplay are your best bet. More bang for the buck. A Amplifier will cost you more in iron. Choose the one you are most comfortable with and build it. I will be around the forum as well as a lot of other guys that are more learned than I. You have a support group so don't sweat it. It can be overwhelming until you have a couple of circuits under your belt but it is challenging and fun and ultimately very satisfying. The Aikado will be a bit less expensive than the Foreplay but you will need to ask more questions in building it. Thats what this forum is all about. Many a newbie has been nursed through their first build here, Either way it will turn out fine. Relax and enjoy the journey because as soon as you finish the preamp you will be asking about building a amplifier. That's the way it works. 
For tube sound and a DIY starter either the Aikado or the Foreplay are your best bet. More bang for the buck. A Amplifier will cost you more in iron. Choose the one you are most comfortable with and build it. I will be around the forum as well as a lot of other guys that are more learned than I. You have a support group so don't sweat it. It can be overwhelming until you have a couple of circuits under your belt but it is challenging and fun and ultimately very satisfying. The Aikado will be a bit less expensive than the Foreplay but you will need to ask more questions in building it. Thats what this forum is all about. Many a newbie has been nursed through their first build here, Either way it will turn out fine. Relax and enjoy the journey because as soon as you finish the preamp you will be asking about building a amplifier. That's the way it works. OK, I ordered some books from the Library. This should give me a start and a grasp of the language.
I am thinking you have some word of wisdom here, a pre amp might be better dollar value.
I think I have found the Aikado amp kit here:
Is this it? It is listed as a phono pre amp.
http://glass-ware.stores.yahoo.net/aiphprkit.html
I am going through the search which is answering a lot of my questions.
I might have to start another thread as Nubie pre amp kit
Cheers Ron.
I am thinking you have some word of wisdom here, a pre amp might be better dollar value.
I think I have found the Aikado amp kit here:
Is this it? It is listed as a phono pre amp.
http://glass-ware.stores.yahoo.net/aiphprkit.html
I am going through the search which is answering a lot of my questions.
I might have to start another thread as Nubie pre amp kit
Cheers Ron.
Mungo Park said:
This is the one you want:
http://glass-ware.stores.yahoo.net/aiallinoneki.html
The problem is they are sold out at the moment. A phono preamp is for amplifying the small signals from a phono cartridge to normal line level (about 2v rms).
Mungos question was about a tube buffer
Actually he was on the right track, asking fore a buffer
And he obviously wanted a tube fore richening the sound
Excuse me if Im wrong, but a tube buffer means no gain, which would be quite difficult with tubes, though I have heard some suggestions how to do it
But what we are looking at here is all preamps with gain
This gain could mean trouble in many cases, especially when we know that Mungo doesnt play loud, and never passes 12oclock
We certainly have dragged Mungo of the path, far away from his original intent
The suggestions are actually almost a complete rebuilt of his whole setup
Which probably would be optimal
Only, such things should be planned very carefully
How many times have we thought, if only I had the preamp from that setup combined with just that power amp from a later setup
It just never happened the best way it was supposed to
And we can only blame our own lack of experience
And ofcourse, money always seem to be the dominating factor
I admit, its not right to say this in a tube thread, but Nelson Pass knew exactly what he was doing when he designed the B1 buffer preamp
Also very many tube enthusiasts begin to acknowledge the qualities of a TVC or autoformer
And Im from the times before anyone even thought of CDs, so I know perfectly well how hard it is to get a good phono/riia
Best I ever had was a simple small "diy" proto, with two tubes in phono section, and a single ecc81 in the lineamp
But even today it still troubles many vinyl enthusiasts
But yes, even with many years of experience I still find it very difficult to make the right choices
They always seem to lead in different directions
To make it worse, most choices often depend on lots of other things that needs to be done
And the money and time fore building never really seems to be enough
I can think of about a hundred ways to do this
Fore low level quality listening I would start with the Pass B1, and it could be both cheap and easy
Or a TVC/autoformer
The NAD could still be used fore phono until there would be money to build a phono pre, like the Aikido or whatever
And theres still the issue with pickup gain, but a high output MC has always worked fore me, and quite good with a high gain tube riia
A nice little power amp, be it 20watt tubeamp or SS classA( or 50watt AB)
Whether one should waste time on a CD is questionable in these times
But a good D/A converter might be good too
Hell, they even claim that a cheap PC harddisc drive is superiour
Besides, it may not be very long before most music will be available as downloads only
Well, thats about how it looks inside my confused head
But one thing is certain
I will always try and do it such that any decision will give me a vararity off other possible options to chose from
Who doesnt like space and freedom
Actually he was on the right track, asking fore a buffer
And he obviously wanted a tube fore richening the sound
Excuse me if Im wrong, but a tube buffer means no gain, which would be quite difficult with tubes, though I have heard some suggestions how to do it
But what we are looking at here is all preamps with gain
This gain could mean trouble in many cases, especially when we know that Mungo doesnt play loud, and never passes 12oclock
We certainly have dragged Mungo of the path, far away from his original intent
The suggestions are actually almost a complete rebuilt of his whole setup
Which probably would be optimal
Only, such things should be planned very carefully
How many times have we thought, if only I had the preamp from that setup combined with just that power amp from a later setup
It just never happened the best way it was supposed to
And we can only blame our own lack of experience
And ofcourse, money always seem to be the dominating factor
I admit, its not right to say this in a tube thread, but Nelson Pass knew exactly what he was doing when he designed the B1 buffer preamp
Also very many tube enthusiasts begin to acknowledge the qualities of a TVC or autoformer
And Im from the times before anyone even thought of CDs, so I know perfectly well how hard it is to get a good phono/riia
Best I ever had was a simple small "diy" proto, with two tubes in phono section, and a single ecc81 in the lineamp
But even today it still troubles many vinyl enthusiasts
But yes, even with many years of experience I still find it very difficult to make the right choices
They always seem to lead in different directions
To make it worse, most choices often depend on lots of other things that needs to be done
And the money and time fore building never really seems to be enough
I can think of about a hundred ways to do this
Fore low level quality listening I would start with the Pass B1, and it could be both cheap and easy
Or a TVC/autoformer
The NAD could still be used fore phono until there would be money to build a phono pre, like the Aikido or whatever
And theres still the issue with pickup gain, but a high output MC has always worked fore me, and quite good with a high gain tube riia
A nice little power amp, be it 20watt tubeamp or SS classA( or 50watt AB)
Whether one should waste time on a CD is questionable in these times
But a good D/A converter might be good too
Hell, they even claim that a cheap PC harddisc drive is superiour
Besides, it may not be very long before most music will be available as downloads only
Well, thats about how it looks inside my confused head
But one thing is certain
I will always try and do it such that any decision will give me a vararity off other possible options to chose from
Who doesnt like space and freedom
Well I am still hanging in there and have not given up, although I guess thinking of building a tube buffer was/is just the tip of the iceburg 
but I have not given up.
I did find some good words about this pre amp, BUT it is not a tube buffer not to confuse the issue any nor than it already is.
http://www.transcendentsound.com/preampkit.htm
Cheers Ron
but I have not given up. I did find some good words about this pre amp, BUT it is not a tube buffer not to confuse the issue any nor than it already is.
http://www.transcendentsound.com/preampkit.htm
Cheers Ron
Mungo Park said:
Ron-
Don't worry - no need to 'jump' for something you won't be happy with. Lots of options, and lots of advice.
I think it will help if you think about what 'you really would like', even if it's not obvious you can afford it at this point. There may be choices that folks have not yet suggested.
For instance:
How much money do you have available to spend now? (It might be better to wait for a bit to get something more suitable. You've heard the expression "Nickel and dime to death', no doubt. It could have been custom-made for the audio scene.)
Do you want a tube solution that will connect to both your CD player and turntable?
Do you like to play your music loud, and is your listening space large?
How efficient are your speakers/ (You may have mentioned this, sorry.)
At one 'end of the spectrum', you could well be happy with a simple tube amp and volume control to play your CDs . Alternatively, you may decide that just adding some 'tube flavour' to your existing system is the way you want to go, using a tube preamp or buffer.
I'm a bit of a believer in the idea that the 'weakest link' in the audio chain will tend to colour the output the most, so generally I tend toward all-tube or all-SS choices. However, I've never put a really good SS amp into my system, so I'm speaking from ignorance.
BTW, after reading 'Audio Reality' , I'm a big fan of Bruce Rozenblit (Transcendent) and would buy from him if I had the cash.
Cheers
John
To keep it short
If you plan to hold on to you vinyl records, and if they are what matters most, THEN you will definately need a good tube phono, as first priority
Roger Modjeski knows that, building phono preamps with passive attenuator
He always has and never changed that
The Aikido might be a good choise
But with a SS poweramp the passive line attenuator is not the best fore you, thats a speciality fore tube amps
With an autoformer from Intact you will have a pretty good foundation fore good sound
Tubes where they matters most
And a noise free high quality "linepre"
You wont believe your own ears when you hear what that will do to your sound
Its not some kind of coulering thingie, but high revealing truly musical stuff of the very finest kind
And no matter if you spend many thousands of dollars, it wont get better than that
If you plan to hold on to you vinyl records, and if they are what matters most, THEN you will definately need a good tube phono, as first priority
Roger Modjeski knows that, building phono preamps with passive attenuator
He always has and never changed that
The Aikido might be a good choise
But with a SS poweramp the passive line attenuator is not the best fore you, thats a speciality fore tube amps
With an autoformer from Intact you will have a pretty good foundation fore good sound
Tubes where they matters most
And a noise free high quality "linepre"
You wont believe your own ears when you hear what that will do to your sound
Its not some kind of coulering thingie, but high revealing truly musical stuff of the very finest kind
And no matter if you spend many thousands of dollars, it wont get better than that
Maybe try these output transformers made fore SS poweramps
Well, they could very well do exactly what you are looking fore
http://www.promitheusaudio.com/solidstateopt.htm
Well, they could very well do exactly what you are looking fore
http://www.promitheusaudio.com/solidstateopt.htm
tinitus said:Maybe try these output transformers made fore SS poweramps
Well, they could very well do exactly what you are looking fore
http://www.promitheusaudio.com/solidstateopt.htm
Tinitus:
Well the price is right and I would think the DYI part could not get any simpler. This could be something to tide me over until I get a better hang of what I should eventually do.
Cheers Ron.
Its actually something many people have discussed fore several years
Theres a big american who is famous of using output transformers on his big and very expencive SS amps, cant remember the name
There have been lots of talk about the transformers maybe being Lundahl, but noone seems to know really, and those who have found a way seem to keep it secret
At least I not yet heard much about anything
Well, now they are available
btw
its many years ago I read an article about a japanese transformer and tubeamp specialist who experimented with output transformers on a big Yamaha amp, and claimed it worked quite good
But noone seemed to take it seriously, until now
Theres a big american who is famous of using output transformers on his big and very expencive SS amps, cant remember the name
There have been lots of talk about the transformers maybe being Lundahl, but noone seems to know really, and those who have found a way seem to keep it secret
At least I not yet heard much about anything
Well, now they are available
btw
its many years ago I read an article about a japanese transformer and tubeamp specialist who experimented with output transformers on a big Yamaha amp, and claimed it worked quite good
But noone seemed to take it seriously, until now
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