Legato 3 - Look ma! No caps!

[BrianDonegan]

There will be two versions of the kit: with and without the optional SE buffers. Pricing is not yet final, but will be in a few days. The buffers are not cheap, thus the two versions. The kit with pre-mounted buffers will be roughly $25 more.

 

[natzev_i]

When will they be available for order, please?

 

[BrianDonegan]

When will they be available for order, please?

Once I get a substantial number of kits ready, and have the pricing finalized. I can probably get the pricing done tonight if I can steal away a little time.

 

[natzev_i]

Thanks, Brian - I'll keep looking at your website.
Please, pardon my ignorance but is the SE buffered version suitable for driving headphones only or both headphones and pre/power amps, as well?

 

[Russ White]

Thanks, Brian - I'll keep looking at your website.
Please, pardon my ignorance but is the SE buffered version suitable for driving headphones only or both headphones and pre/power amps, as well?

Absolutely.

 

[natzev_i]

Absolutely.

I suppose this means both amp and headphones which is great - thanks!

 

[Russ White]

I suppose this means both amp and headphones which is great - thanks!

Yes . At the SE outputs you have 250ma of SE output to use as you see fit.

Using the balanced outputs without caps is not going to work for everyone. I will cover this in the manual, but if you balanced amp has diode protection at the inputs, and/or cannot handle common mode DC while powered off or on, you should definitely use caps. This only applies to the balanced outputs, and those caps will not be in the path to the BAL/SE stage. If you do decide you need caps they will be external to the I/V stage, and can be fairly low value film types depending on the impedance of the next stage of course.

Those going into truly differential transformers with no tap to GND on the primary side will not need caps.

This thing is absolutely amazing into headphone. I have been listening to all of my cans, all of them from electrostatic to 600ohms sound awesome. Plenty of power to spare. Incredibly rich and realistic bass and extended but not harsh high end.

Cheers!
Russ

 

[acidbrain]

- will the kits be shipped out with the Supertex TP0604 ?
- I have the Ventus to adjust dc to 0V and later also the Legato 3 to adjust to 0V.
Can I use both to adjust or is there a favourite, better to use one and set the other with fixed resistors?

 

[Russ White]

1) yes.
2) Shouldn't make much difference either way. Experiment and see which you like best.

 

[avr300]

What is HP_out ?

 

[acidbrain]

One more thing Russ, I'm using 2 bipolar power supplies for driving (L+R) the Legato and the Ventus at the same time. Legato is 12V and The Ventus is 15V. What voltage should I use to get the best result out of both of them ? i believe that the Ventus works fine on 12V?

Lookin' forward to the Legato 3 !

 

[Russ White]

A convenience header for headphone output. It just bring the two SE outputs and GND close together so you can route braided wires up to you headphone jack.

 

[BrianDonegan]

The Shape of Things to Come

Russ thought I should post these as well, even though this prototype is awaiting a few more parts...

This is Placid HD-BP, designed for higher current output, and will replace Placid BP.

 

[Russ White]

I designed L3.1 for 15V rails. Though 12V should work fine too. 15V is better.

 

[avr300]

NICE !!

And how does that differ from the normal Placid besides the obvious bigger caps.

 

[Russ White]

Well for one it is fully discrete, and it can handle a lot more current.

 

[avr300]

I was blinded by it's beauty - didn't noticed the missing opamps.

Can't wait...

 

[Russ White]

It also has real test points for all of the things that need to be adjusted or checked.

 

[Russ White]

I was blinded by it's beauty - didn't noticed the missing opamps.

Can't wait...

haha, well thank you.

 

[avr300]

No more blown pots. Really nice.