Tweeter crossover order

:cop: split from budget vs expensive tweeters
***

Personally I would stay away from first order crossovers, and don't have a lot of experience implementing them, so will only say that clearly they would require a very robust low end of any tweeter, and that would probably be my first consideration. Beyond that I'll have to defer to others who have done more first order crossovers in standard midwoofer/tweeter two ways.

True Troels says it handles <2hhz well, and he know's what he's doing. That said, his opinion is not the last word on everything, and there are multiple independent measurements that show distortion taking a big jump as you move below 3khz (albeit; from great to merely average). I have a suspicion when people say that about this tweeter, they mean 'handles it well for a 3/4" tweeter, better than expected', not 'handles it well compared to the better 1" tweeters', but that's just my guess.

If you've modeled it and it looks like there won't be any issues, give it a shot and see, only way to find out! If it sounds strained though, I'd definitely try steeper slopes around 2.5khz before blaming the tweeter.

Marantz PM7200 re-cap question

Hi Everyone,

I'm in the middle of picking out capacitors for a recap project for my marantz pm7200, I figure its due by now, been 15 years old, and the thing runs like a toaster when on for a while, especially in class A mode, great for keeping the room warm 🙂



I opened it up and see almost ever capacitor inside it is a 85 degree elna cap, explains why it sounds warm , a tone I like.
All the caps used for cleaning up the DC rails are the same elna caps, such as the 220uf caps 2263,2264,2265,2566 on page 13 (the number is 15 at the bottom of that page) of the service manual.


The service manual is at
Marantz PM7200 - Manual - Stereo Integrated Amplifier - HiFi Engine


My question is, would using a high temperature nichicon like a 647-UBW1J221MHD1TO (mouser code) change the sound of the amp at the above locations (non-signal locations), or do these have to be elna caps to keep the sound as is. I wanted to use high temperature caps in all the locations that aren't on the signal path and assumed that changing these non-signal caps to high temps caps would be a good idea, but see marantz didn't do that in any of the locations in the amp and its making me suspicious....

I'm making all signal path caps elna silmic2 and have resigned myself to swapping them out over 7-8 years as they're 85 celsius caps.


Thanks
Dave.

from noob to noob: links for research on parts, techniques etc.

Hi
Here are my few links to sites/pages/articles I found very useful when I was trying to understand the very nature of a PSU. (my research isn't over, by far not, but here's what I already have in my bookmarks):


Others have other, better sources (mind to share?), but this should make for some brainfood...

Pre-amp Buffer

I am building a Pre-amp / buffer so I can run a ceramic cartridge turntable through some powered studio monitors I have. There is a impedance mismatch going on so after running through a 12a (*)7 I plan on using 12SQ7 tubes as Cathode followers on the output.

The CFs (Stereo) will be fixed biased by the two 1M resistors and the 12SQ7 has a diode I can use to protect the cathode to grid arcing before the heaters warm up and it should be reverse biased and OFF after that. That is part of the reason I chose the 12SQ7 plus it has a trans-conductance of about 1K for the low impedance output I need.

I would like to run this design by you all because I am not the experts you are. Does this look good? Any comments / advice would be appreciated.

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Help Needed - Sub Amp Died

I have a Definitive Technology subwoofer PF15tl+ that met the reaper the other night. It’s 10+ years old and quit while being driven pretty hard. The amp is in two pieces referred to as High Level (Output) and Low Level (Input). I have attached the schematics. Nothing physically looks amiss but again it died playing hard and made a couple of “not normal sounds” before turning off.

I think the issue is with the Low Level board. Here is what I can tell you:
(Low Level Schematic – page 8)
120 VAC coming in past the fuse
27 VAC out of transformer (schematic lists 32VAC but I measure 27VAC?) (T1)
32 VDC out of rectifier (DF02)
15 VDC out of voltage regulator (LM337LZ)

(Low Level Schematic page 6 and 7)
**-> Problem: 6 pin ribbon connector between boards - pin 4 and 5 are supposed to turn on the relay on the high level board
32V+ on pin 4 BUT “–Spkrly” is not a ground.
LED does not come on but does work (one leg is “-Spkrly”)
If I jump pin 1 (ground) to pin 5 the relay does open on the high level board.
The relay on the High Level board does work fine
I did replace the diode that was across the relay’s coil on the high level board, it was reading like diode in both directions (not open backwards)

Now somewhere on page 6 or 7 is where I think the issue is but I am at a loss to figure out what to check (I am a weekend hack at best apologies up front.). Any and all thoughts would be appreciated.

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FS: Satori Drivers

Hello. I Thought in a project at the begining of this year with SB Acoustic drivers. I bought them but I do not have time not space for this build and my final Speakers are at home now (The Loudspeaker 2).

So, before starting break my mind simulating and designing... up for sale:

2x Tweeter SB29SDAC-C000-4 (Price is 38euro each, I'm asking 40€ both)
2x Midrange SATORI MR16P-8 (Price is 140euro each, Asking 170euro for the pair)
2x Woofer SATORI WO24P-8 (Price is 185 euro each, asking 220 euro for the pair)

The drivers are in their original box, never used, not measured. They were bought January 18th 2020 so, more than 1,5 yrs warranty

You have to add shipping and PP fees 4%

For the whole lot, shipping to EU will be included.

Thank you

simple enclosure for Fostex FE-208EZ?

I made a pair of Bruce V1.2 from the Frugal-horn site (Spawn family). Started it a long time ago but it got shelved when life came in the way. Can't say I'm happy. Very thin sound, bit like a tiny transistor radio in a cavern.

Is there a reasonably simple enclosure for those Fostex speakers so I can at least salvage them into a usable speaker? The enclosure Fostex proposes is a bit a puzzle of all little pieces and I'd like something with less sawing involved. Something like a simple BR?

Epitek audio power module

One of my Epitek 5070 modules (70Vdc, 50 Watts) has the negative swing side open (probably due to a short on the speaker wire). Would you know where I can find one of these modules? I bought it back in the 70's and it worked fine up to now. It is not obvious where I can find one, even if I live near Ottawa where it used to be manufactured. I would not want having to scrap the Amplifier that I built based on these.

Thank you.

View attachment 856624

versatile system recommendations

Im looking for a system for small to mid sized events. Its going to need to be used for a variety of purposes, from playing background music at parties of around 30 people, to pushing the sound at a film night for 100 people. It will also need to be portable.

I know nothing is going to be ideal for every use, but I just need something with a good sound thats going to have as much versatility as possible.

I am currently looking at the Fender Passport Event PA system. does anybody have advice or insight? I know my headphones and home audio, but I have zero experience with event systems and am not sure if im even looking in the right direction :S

Bose AWR1 sound very quiet

Hi,
I've got a very old Bose AWR1 that wasn't making any sound at all. It would power up and I could tune it (etc) but no sound came out. I replaced the transistor on the board as mentioned here:



https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/200773-fixed-bose-wave-radio-sound-4.html


Now it plays sound, but it's very quiet. In fact, with the sound turned up to 99 I can hear it in a quiet room, but that is all.


I am NOT trained in fixing electronics, but I'm game to try and fix it.


(And I have the schematic, but it exceeds the upload limit by 3kb so I can't post it here. Sorry.)


Thanks for any help.

setting freq of tone controls TDA7440 and other simular chips

I am a newbie here 🙂

Question: How to calculate capacitators for changing freq of tone controls.

And searching for some way to build a nice preamp for double bass.
I have a jfet high impedance input
Also planning to use ICEPOWER as power amp.

But now the in between. Thinking about a chip amplifier TDA7440 or better, so I can control the amp with arduino or otherwise.

Now I want to change the control of the treble + bass controls. THere is a formula for that. But that is above my possibilities, so perhaps there are some examples, calculators etc. to work with. Other tips also welcome.

Regards, Eef

Explaining the Quad ESL-57 Crossover

The crossover for the ESL-57 looks a bit more involved than most DIY designs.
For instance on the tweeter panels, why are there a 150k resistor to the 2 outer tweeter panels plus the 150k//560pf cap?
Do they provide a delay from the center tweeter panel?

There are also 180k resistor between the secondary for the tweeters and winding for the woofer panels and 2x180k resistors for each stator of the woofers.

Finally there is a loading choke.
Just wondering what all this is meant for, and how would perform be affected if any of this was left out.

Stereo Tube Amp to build for my father.

Hi guys,

I've built numerous tube amps for guitar in all fashion: pcb, point to point, turrets etc.
My dad is always fascinated by my amps because he has always been an 'audiophile' and in his youth he started to work in an audio repair shop and always loved to mess with amplifiers.

Now that I have some free time and no commission to build I'd love to build a small stereo tube amp for my dad, do you have any suggestion?
I'm still in doubt between building a tube pre-amp + mosfet power amp or a full tube one.
I'm aiming at a bedroom level ampli, so not a very powerful one.

thanks a lot!

DIY crossover help needed

Hi. I have been building some diy speakers. These are a World Designs kit from some years ago. The kit is no longer available. But I managed to get the cabinets from someone, and he gave me instructions on how to make the crossover. Having done this, I am not getting any sound at all. So what I need is someone to show me what I have done wrong with the crossovers.

Maybe I've soldered incorrectly, or done something wrong somewhere. I'm not too sure how to go about getting help with this. I have photos of the crossovers I have made, and a photo of the instructions I was given, which I can post up here. It may not be easy to see clearly what I've done, but we can try that.

Thanks.

Simon

Dynaco A451

So I was given some output transformers from my father in law. (I(m also getting some Unitran 9U13 when he cleans some of his workspace)
They are a bit rusty but the innards are probably still good.
They where used with some big PA amps using 4 output tubes of the kt88/6550 sort.

So after a bit of looking I saw A-451 stamped somewhere. the spec tag was removed a long time ago.
After a bit of searching it appears that they are the Dynaco A-451 output transformers.
http://knob.planet.ee/kirjandus/books/Dynaco_Transformers.pdf


120w from 20-20khz and 240w from 30-15kHz.
They have screen taps so UL is possible.
Primary load is 2k2.

So I have 2 of these. Question is now what to do with them.
I was thinking they would make a nice amp for Bass guitar.
They handle 240w at 30Hz. So I think at around 40Hz this could be a lot more. As long as the tubes used can of course.

Another option would be a hefty Hifi amp. I could just use 4 KT88's in UL and be done and aiming for around 200w. Altough getting there needs and Anode voltage of 560v and using Taps for the screen I think the screen would get a hard life.
I also like to use some other tubes then standard🙂 EL156 has been long on the list to try

So have any of you guys have experience using this Dynaco A451 output?

JpW SS-553 replacement for tweeter

Hi,
I just received a couple of Jpw SS-553. I connected them to my system and I found out that one channel was not working properly. So I exchange the laudspeakers and the same one was not working well. Only the bass part did.
I found out that the tweeter was broken, meaning that the magnet has fallen away from its frame. i trid to fix it in some way. but the mid-tweet section is not working. Do.anyone know which tweeter was mounted and/or suggest a replacement?
Due to the fact that the tweeter is not working, this is influencing the mid high part of the crosover?
Many thanks in advance
srcmmr

XO ESR resistors with capacitors in parallel

I've been re-capping my Celestion Ditton 44's and followed to advice on the "Crossover nightmare" and "Celestion 66 needs mid-range" threads.

For the bass section of the filter the recommended ESR value is 1R with each of the 68 and 75 uF caps.

However, I made up these values as follows:-
68uF: two 22uF Jantzen Cross Caps, one 2uF Cross Cap and one 22uF Mundorf Ecap.
75uF: one 27uF Cross Cap, one 1uF Z Cap and one 47uF Ecap.

The resistors are Mundorf MOX, 5watt.

For neatness and space reasons I put all the caps and resistors on a separate board which hangs off the XOs (which are still mounted on the rear of the speakers till I've finalised everything).

Bass sounds very good. Not boomy but very deep and detailed.

So the question is should I have fitted a separate ESR resistor in series with each cap? If so, what values should I use?
Maybe it wouldn't make any difference, but just want to clarify the correct method.
Thanks Gordon.

sub plate-amp - auto-power trigger needs a 6x boost

Hello all,

I have bought an old subwoofer (JBL 125) that needed a new plate-amp... as I post the schematics, I prefer not to mention its brand and model to avoid waking up sleeping lawyers 🙂

I listen to music at my desktop, with Magnat Quantum Edelstein, and wanted to add this sub to get some more bass, a fuller sound, etc. I connected the sub using the high-level inputs. Because the 2 speakers are really close to me (60cm), I listen to them at low-level when working (I have measured signals on speaker bindings at about 80-120 mV peak-to-peak). My amp is an Elekit tube amp but that doesn't matter I think.

Connected to my sub plate-amp high-level inputs, this signal level never triggers the auto-power on. With my signal generator, I have measured the sub needs about 450mV peak-to-peak to "wake up". That's probably ok for home-cinema, but I'm into music, not bangs and booms.

I have studied the circuit and have achieved to modify it to get triggering at 150 mV, but it's not where I want yet. What I have done is modify R38 value (with a parallel R until I'm happy). This way I rise the U3 amplification factor from 100 to about 280. R28 is now about 9'600 ohms.

I would like to get its sensitivity higher, so the triggering happens at about 80-100 mV. It would need a R28 around 5K or so. What I'm not sure about :

  • is this the correct approach ?
  • do I charge the output of U1 and U1' too much by reducing R38 ? Not sure how to evaluate how much the U3 amp circuit loads its input...
  • or is there another approach I have overseen around D3, Q1, etc ?
thanks for your help !
Charles

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Pioneer Ke-4444 revival

This thread is going to be about the KE-4444 I bought in case the KE-1818 was dead. Unfortunately when I plugged the KE-4444 into my car, it did not turn on.

Without a wiring diagram, diagnosing it is going to be rather difficult. It is exhibiting the same symptoms as the KE-1818 did. No lights, no display, no nothing. I am hoping that it at least shares the same microcontroller as the KE-1818.

First step is going to be taking it apart and checking the silk screen to ensure pioneer didnt pull some sort of shenanigans and change the wiring between the two. If thats not the case, check for power at the switch. If thats good, check the microcontroller for power and signal (if its the same as the other unit).

If I cannot figure out the issue from there, I will need some help. I will do my best to take pictures of the boards. The KE-4444 has more boards in it (riser cards / daughter boards?) than the KE-1818 did.

FS: JDS Labs O2 Headphone Amp (like new) - NO BATTERIES

I bought this O2 brand new from JDS directly. I took some measurements and posted my review. After that, the amp sat on a shelf collecting dust. That's a crying shame, so since I no longer need it, I figured I'd sell it.

I took the amp out of storage and tested it. It works as good as new. The batteries would no longer hold a charge, so I removed them. Thus, the amp you will receive will NOT have any batteries installed. They were 9V NiMH types. The amp runs just fine from the wall wart and I'm sure you can find replacement batteries locally should you need battery operation.

The amp comes with the original wall wart, original box, and original self-adhesive rubber feet (that I never installed).

I'm thinking $80 including tracked Canada Post shipping within North America. Bump it up to $90 if you want it shipped by UPS. The amp is $140+shipping new from JDS. (SOLD)
I'm happy to ship it overseas as well. Contact me directly for a shipping quote to overseas locations.

I check email multiple times per day, so that tends to be the best way to reach me. Take my user ID here and add @neurochrome.com. I do check my PM somewhat regularly, though, so that's an option as well.

Tom

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graaf gm20 shorting resistor

HI , hope somebody can help me with my dilemma.

The resistor number R02 on the power supply section shorted,

I am planning to replace it ,but am afraid it would escalate to another problem, this all started when i replaced the trimpot for the dc offset of the left channel, since the trim pot was not able to trim the voltage.
I did this is to try to fix my actual or initial problem ,which was no signal outptut on the left channel.

Hope someone out there could give me a heads up on what to lookout for before i replace the resistor.

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Techeunion TU-9015 or Unistar 15A2

attachment.php


This looks identical to the Unistar 15A2, and the PCB is marked as such.

I'm posting this mostly as a way to have a little more information out there about this amp. And I have a question about it. But if not, hopefully this will help someone someday with one.

A coworker got this amplifier from her father and asked me about it. Nearly nothing can be found about Techeunion on the internet(other than not cheap anyway), but found a statement(later decided was false) that made me really curious about it and I could see solid state inside too. So I offered to check it out and recap it cheap so I could look it over. Decided to make a schematic for it. Lots of notes in the schematic. Interesting design with the plates at chassis voltage. SS soft start. Diodes to protect the grids from being positive to cathodes on startup, see above about the plate voltages. No capacitors in the pre stage.

The amp was supposedly bought new in Taiwan in the mid to late 1980s. What little I find online is that the tubes are 12AT7×2, 12AU×2, EL34(6CA7)×4. Someone wiped the markings off the tubes, except for the first tube which is a 12AX7. Someone also J-hooked a 76K resistor inline with the factory 100K feeding the input tubes. The amp has enough gain that a preamp isn't really needed. Was hoping someone would come along here and tell me what tube is supposed to be where. My gut feeling is 12AT7 in the input stage, and 12AU7 in the phase spliter stage. And someone, again supposedly never worked on, add the resistance to rebias the input tubes.

Amp is quite heavy, so I expect it's got good iron. Build quality is quite high. Sounds very good to my ears with my speakers. If I can keep the amplifier a while I might try to do some actual measurements on it. I give it a 'would like it in my room' rating. Board is decapped in pictures.

Thanks
Cory

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Turning Tesla Model X into a (Removeable) folded horn.

First off, why do this? I miss GREATLY my JBL 18" KX 151 twin loaded sugar scoops. They turned into handtrucks (great to toss gear and records into for rolling into Gigs, but now 39 years later I have a 57 year old spine.

I miss Dj'ing as I always made the ladies scream those Beatle mania type screams at the women's colleges around Boston.

Then last year at a HS reunion I Dj'ed out of my Model X and again great reactions.

I can't carry gear anymore

It occurred to me that the sloping roofline of Tesla Model X might work as a subwoofer in a folded horn application.


Skip this next section....as its just FUN detail:

------------------

I have (2) MC4000M 1000 watt amplifiers (used for all the systems below) . Which at one time I used one of those to run a Roller Disco at an outdoor roller rink that had no power. each is 4 x 100 and 2 x 300 watts into 4 ohms but have no issue running 2 or even 1 ohm loads.

The Tesla has a huge battery.

I have access to lots of production master tapes and the car does triple duty thanks to some front end swappable modules.

1. Introducing people to the audiophile world. EAR 912 pre amp, Otari 5050b reel to reel with mastertape, and Wadia 860x DAC , Speakers are Chapman T-8

2. Analog DJ rig with Technics 1200 GAE, Bozak DLC mixer ,Chapman T-8 and Genelec S30d as monitors for small parties.

3. Digital DJ rig Technics DZ-1200MK2 and Vestax VCI-100

But I realize I need some REAL bass reinforcement and frankly hearing people perform with QSC and JBL EON just makes me think people are lazy and tone deaf.

SO my thought is my old favorite AlNiCo KX 151 18" drivers in a folded horn using the car as the horn , some sort of array of 12"midbass drivers compression midrange and super tweeter.

I have 6 band 4 channel Mcintosh Parametric EQ, and a 5 way 4 channel Electronic crossover with 4 memory settings to easily convert.

---------------

So could anyone suggest how I could make a baffle that press fits into the car with these drivers?

Am I just a foolish idiot? Rhetorical question... but I hope there is another brilliant idiot out there that can see my vision.

Drop me a PM and I an happy send you videos of what has been done already.

This will also be used for Aspen Race department and for ESPN Winter X games.

reciever pream/power amp seperation

working on a vintage luxman r1040 , I'm getting what seems to be dirty pot noise , have cleaned as well as I know how with very good cleaner and still get an intermittent large dose of R channel static .
Question : is there a practical way to isolate the power amp section of this piece ? Also , if someone wants to recommend a repair for the existing problem please do.


thanks

'Engineered by Audio Note' EVGA's Nu Audio sound card

Asus Xonar (and, to some extent, Creative) PC soundcards seem to have held their ground despite lack of upgrades to their lines.

Now it's EVGA's turn. At $250.00, the card seems to offer quite a package (see links).

Darko wrote:
EVGA -- among audio circles they barely rate a mention but for those building PCs the Californian motherboards and graphics card manufacturer is much bigger news. For their latest product, EVGA teamed up with Audio Note UK for a most unlikely collaboration.

The NU Audio Card sports a multi-layer PCB with passive heatsinking and 'isolated dual ground planes', presumably to hold back (the negative influence of) electrical noise from infiltrating both analogue and digital sections. Audio Note UK's in-house developed capacitors and resistors feature in the card's fully-regulated power supply and analogue circuitry.

On D/A conversion, we see a pair of oscillators (one each for 44.1kHz and 48kHz families) clock an XMOS chip's output into an AKM AK4493 decoder chip (PCM up to 32bit/384kHz and DSD256) which in turn feeds the card's analogue output stage: an ADI AD8056 op-amp spills via a pair of RCA sockets and is fully rollable.

Rollable too is the ADI OPA275 dual op-amp that forms the backbone of the 6.4mm (variable) headphone output that offers an output impedance <1 Ohm. It's reportedly good for headphones whose rated between 16 Ohms and 600 Ohms.

On volume control, we are not necessarily forced into the digital domain (where DSD doesn't play). EVGA's own software interfaces with the NU Audio Card's Maxim DS1882 controller for fully analogue attenuation and, making hi-fi purists wince,'audio reactive' lighting.

A TOSLINK output is there, ready and waiting, for when we upgrade to a superior sounding outboard DAC.

For signals moving in the other direction --for those who like to do needledrops of their favourite records -- the NU Audio Card also features an AKM AK5572-powered ADC, fed via a 3.5mm socket. For gamers, the all-important mic-in socket rounds out the EVGA card's feature set.

And whilst EVGA is almost certainly aiming this audiophile-grade sound card at gamers and PC builders, hi-fi enthusiasts might wonder if high-end audio server/streamer manufacturers will see the NU Audio Card as a drop-in solution for their own products. Time will tell.

EVGA - Articles - EVGA Nu Audio
'Engineered by Audio Note': EVGA's Nu Audio sound card | Darko.Audio

evga-anuk-board.png


An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

Fostex P1000-BH frequency response. Really only 270 Hz?

Hi,

I have the these cabinets with the FE103En drivers. I originally bought them because I was intrigued with the back-horn concept. I now have my bigger back-horn towers, so no more 'novelty' on these. I use them as my computer speakers powered by a Rotel RA-12.

Fostex rates the tuning frequency as 270 Hz. which is crazy-high. Is this 'real' or in the real world would these be outputting lower bass?

I am thinking about 'downgrading' to the ported box as they are tuned to 80 Hz. - question is, should I expect to actually get more and power bass?

My drivers: Fostex FE103En 4" Full Range

My current cabinets: Enclosure: P1000-BH - Back-loaded Horn Enclosure Box for P1000K | Speaker Components| Fostex

What I am thinking of getting instead: Fostex P1000E DIY Kanspea 4" Full Range Speaker Kit - PAIR: Madisound Speaker Components

Thanks!

Ken

BIAS setting problem on amplifier

Hi everyone !

I have designed the attached schematic in NI multisim. Everything works brilliant on the simulation software.
I have done a test pcb as well and built the amplifier. After some errors repaired (reversed cap, reversed diode - was my mistake) I have managed to have the amp playing music.

Anyway, something is wrong on the BIAS adjust section. I can't adjust the BIAS from the trimmer although in the simulation it works perfectly.

With no load connected to the output, when powering up I get around 50mA current for 20-40 sec and after that the current goes to 0.35Amp constant.
With the load connected to the output, it draws 0.35Amp.

Can you please help ?

Kind regards,
Julian

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Woofer or subwoofer?

My kit consists of repurposed boxes containing full range drivers and a Seas tweeter with first order capacitor @ 6.8uf

Have space for a pair of 6.5” woofers or subwoofers wired in the box is 14”tall x8” wide 11” deep

Seems to be lacking in low end

I do use a POS Polk 10” sub but would dearly love to sack it

any helpful contributions would be valued and appreciated

please no criticism of the setup, love it and just wish to address a 6.5” driver a possible elements to achieve desired outcome

Thank!

New Project - Network Streaming Device (Pi4/Hifiberry)

Gz5AXjx.jpg


* Raspberry Pi 4 (2gb)
* Hifiberry DAC+ DSP
* micro SD card for the OS
* Volumio Audiophile Music Player (Debian based Linux distribution customized for the pi and music streaming)

The hardware build only took about 20 mins: Imgur: The magic of the Internet

* Connected to my NAD integrated amp via optical cable.
* Connected to my home network via wifi. I'm going to change this to a hard wired ethernet connection after I free up an additional port.

The software took a bit longer... Days longer. Ran into some issues.

But first, what went right:https://imgur.com/a/usRswBB

  • Installing the OS and getting the basic player and streaming functions was not that difficult. Volumio found all my network shares & Plex server easily. Access to the box via my phone's browser was also pretty simple. Pretty much all functions can be controlled remotely that way, or by using a web browser on a laptop, desktop or tablet (windows & mac).
  • Spotify connect was enabled easily enough through an available plugin for Volumio.
  • Volumio has native tidal and Qobuz support for the paid license.
  • There's always airplay and bluetooth connectivity built in for when you have no other more direct streaming options.

Now, onto what went wrong:

Installing the software to access the 'DSP' part of the Hifiberry board proved to be quite a challenge!

  • The DSP Tools software package that interfaces with the DSP chipset requires a recent version of Python. Volumio is built on an older version which the DSP Tools doesn't support. So a Python 3.x version needed to be compiled and installed.
  • The instructions to do this, while lengthy, did not look too daunting. I'm no stranger to the Linux command line, though not an expert by any stretch of the imagination.
  • This also means getting 2 versions of Python to play nice together on the same machine in such a way that the applications that require the older version can find it, as well as other applications/packages requiring Python 3.x to be able to find it. This is where I ran into trouble, Errors upon errors returned after following instructions to the letter. I ended up reformatting the SD card and starting from scratch 3 times to get this right. In the end, I have not yet been able to get DSPtools installed correctly in order to access the DSP functions.
  • I have had some wonderful help from a user over on the Volumio forums that has a similar hardware setup. I'll post updates.

lwgTr8e.png

Can we talk about series/pass regulators?

I've been doing some reading on series tube regulators lately.

References:

http://www.audioxpress.com/assets/upload/files/bicknell2890.pdf

Tube Based Voltage Regulators - Part 1

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/tubes-valves/90020-perfect-tube-regulator.html#post1059442

Also Radio Amateur's Handbook and other odds and ends I have on my bookshelf.

I'm interesting in trying something around a 12AX7 and 6AQ5/6BQ5 or similar. I'd like to use it to power a small SET (6V6 or 6BQ5 output, probably) with one regulator per channel. I also have a couple 6CK4s and 6Y6GAs that look like they'd be useful as pass tubes.

What I'm having trouble finding is information on the maximum permissible current through the series tube. Is it as simple as dividing the maximum dissipation by the voltage drop across the series tube? For something like a 6BQ5 with a 150V drop, that gives 80mA, but this seems very high and I don't see any designs operating at or advertising this much current with this tube or similar. Or should I use the maximum permissible cathode current (65mA in the case of EL84 according to some data sheets)? The latter makes more sense, but it's still very high if compared to many of the designs I've seen.

It seems that lower currents allow for better regulation. Is this a function of the series tube Rp as it relates to the voltage drop divided by the current passed (in that we want the Rp to be much lower than this figure, like when calculating for load impedance in an output)? In that context I think I see why there would be practical current limits to provide useful regulation. That might also mean that a higher gain error amplifier would allow regulation for higher currents (within the limitations of the max cathode current). Not sure if thinking about this like a load calculation is correct though.

Can anyone point me to some more reading or shed light on how to spec series regulator tubes?

GE Tungar Battery eliminator / Charger

I have recently restored a Tungar Bulb Charger. It is working great. This model was used not only to charge car batteries but was used as a Tube Radio battery eliminator. I have the 2A model. It has multiple taps.

Tungar Battery-Charger for A and B Power-S General Electric

My question is, if I use this as a battery eliminator what kind of filter would I need to create? Given that it has a high current output does that mean I can use modern high value filter caps?

If I use it as a Battery Charger would I still need to filter it if I intend to add a charger cutoff circuit to protect the battery?. I know many chargers use pulsing DC, but will the circuit linked below have an issue with that?

12v Automatic Charger (Auto Cut OFF) : 3 Steps (with Pictures) - Instructables

I don't really have a plan for what I intend to build, but I do intend to use it one way or another.

The charge cut off schematic uses 1N4007 diodes, could they be replaced with tubes? The Transistor?

I could also use it to supply field coil voltage as in this thread:

Tungar Power Supply

Would I still need a Power Transformer given that the unit already has a power transformer built in? Looks like the circuit in the thread used just the bulbs. I have read the charger can still be unsafe as is.

I'm looking for advice and suggestions on how I could make this restored charger useful for some project in the future.

FS: JBL 2226J (quantity 2) 15" woofers

Long story short, had these things for years, unused, sitting wrapped up in my closet. When I got them, one of the cones was damaged and was re-coned my JBL in Northridge (the application of the epoxy looks different than the other).

Asking $300 for the pair (buyer pays shipping), or a reasonable offer. If you are in Minneapolis then obviously it is fate!

If you have questions let me know!

Thanks,

Ken

threshold T200

Hi, I have a T200 threshold and I am updating it with all the new trainers.
I have checked all the components and the surprise when I turn it on is that in the right channel at the exit the DC is 270mv
and in the left channel 8.75volts and do not regulate the bias, always checking it with a lamp in series in AC.
I've checked everything and I don't see anything wrong in a vacuum. They could help me.
Cheers

More on Output Stage Local Feedback

No, it follows the normal triode behavior but it is very small distortion and good enough to get an amplifier that satifies with IEC standards (i.e. <0.2% THD from 20Hz to 20KHz at FULL rated power). Distortion at 1W is 0.01% or less.
Compare the distortions in the UL driver with the driver running on the output stage, with the "single link". Apparently, Mackintosh did not know what kind of work he could offer his engineers in the last 40 years.🙄

FS: Misc Project PCB's

1. BUF03 LDR Preamp - If you have some BUF03's, this is hard to beat! Requires bipolar PS. Includes offset trim for each BUF03, and LED balance trim for LDR mismatch. SOLD

2. EAR phono - This is a deluxe version with OEM PS. This has all the options to emulate the Romy the Cat and Thorsten mods. Multiple B+ cap options (electrolytic, film 2-pin and film 4-pin). Coupling cap sized to accomodate Obbligato Golds. SOLD

3. MM/MC RIAA Opamp - Single op-amp with negative RIAA feedback. Has switch provisions to adjust cart loading and gain for a single MM/MC switch. Pick your favorite op-amp. 8 left. $12 shipped

4. Dynaco SCA-35 Upgrade - Includes PS cap replacements, Adjustable fixed bias circuit and DC heater supply (w/transformer) for phono stage. Fits in cap mounting holes. $25 shipped

5. WAD Phono - EXCELLENT phono stage with built-in Series Pass Regulator and DC heater supplies. This beat the EAR above in neutrality. SOLD

6. Zen Amp - Picked this off eBay and decided not to build. SOLD

7. Vintage Cap Adapters - These are great for updating old amps with chassis mount cans. Bolt these to OEM holes and solder in a Jensen (or equiv. pin space) modern electrolytic. Available in chassis grounded or isolated versions. SOLD

ALL of these have been built and tested (except the Zen). I do have pics of finished working boards if anyone wants to see them. I will provide all info needed to build these as required.

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FS: Lots of high end op amps (AD797, AD8620 etc)

Note: If interested, post in this thread or PM me. Do not email.

As I have no apparent use for some of the of op amps in my stock anymore, they gots to go.
Every sensitive component in my little lab is always handled properly, with ESD protection and no fingerprints on stuff. Here we go:

Stereo AD797BRZ, DIP-compatible: Two AD797B (SOIC package) soldered on each side of a small gold immersion PCB, with gold plated mill-max pins.
These are of the best grade (B) I think these are overkill for audio, but hey, sometimes you need overkill. €30 each
Links: Datasheet | Analog Devices | Mouser

AD797ANZ. Single op amp in DIP package. €10 each
Links: Datasheet | Analog Devices | Mouser

AD8620ARZ. Dual op amp in SOIC package. Made DIP-compatible with gold immersion PCB and gold plated mill-max pins. €15 each.
Links: Analog Devices | Datasheet | Mouser

AD8610ARZ. Single version of the AD8620, in SOIC package, with some improved specs over the dual version here above. (see datasheet)
Made DIP-compatible with gold immersion PCB and gold plated mill-max pins. €8 each.
Links: Analog Devices | Datasheet | Mouser

AD845KNZ. Still my favorite preamp op amp. Single, in DIP package. €15 each.
Links: Analog Devices | Datasheet | Mouser

The solder work of the adapters are of professional quality, cleaned after soldering of course.
The ultra sonic cleaner broke a while ago but I got a new one coming, and will clean the (already clean) parts once again before shipment.
I tried to take some photos but I soon found out its very hard to take nice ones on small things like this. But if you really need it, I'll just have to try again I guess.

Shipping from Sweden. I will not send these out untracked. Tracking worldwide is aprox 11 euros.
Let me know if there's anything weird about the prices.
In Sweden, we pay 25% tax on everything we import. This is reflected on the prices. (I paid aprox €40 in material for the stereo ad797b)


I don't know if I really have to state the obvious, but I do it anyways: These parts are not bought from eBay or such, which adds the risk of fake items significantly nowadays. These comes from reputable sources such as Mouser and Digi-Key.

(UK) Supravox 165-2000, 285GMF, Radian 475Pb

(UK) Supravox 165-2000, 285GMF, Radian 475Pb, MiniDSP

For sale in the Uk:
To fund the Tannoys, I have the following DIY speaker bits for sale:

1x Pair Supravox 165-2000 (mk1) full range drivers - **£700**
Bought new in 2018, originally out of spec so returned to Supravox to be re-manufactured, now a very well matched pair.


Supravox 165-2000 by Robert Seymour, on Flickr

1x Pair Supravox 285GMF mid bass drivers - **£350**
Bought new in 2019, very low use.


Supravox 285GMF by Robert Seymour, on Flickr

1x Pair Radian 475PB (16 Ohms) - **£200**
Bought second hand in 2019,very little use.


Radian 475PB by Robert Seymour, on Flickr

1x Pair Faital Pro LTH102 Horns - **£50**
Bought new 2019, installed once and then boxed.


FaitalPro LTH102 by Robert Seymour, on Flickr

1x MiniDSP 2x4HD - £180
Used, comes with remote/power cable/original packaging.


MiniDSP 2x4HD by Robert Seymour, on Flickr

Karlsonator for Prosound 8" L74AW and planar tweeters

Hello everyone, got a pair of these prosound drivers for like 6e the pair and thought I'd slam them in a karlsonator with some planar tweeters sitting on top (no k tube as the shape of the tweet is rectangular). I cannot find proper TS parameters (hence this design, more flex with those poorly documented drivers). Now my problem is obvious. Which size of box should i go for? Anyone can find the tsp? And all kind of help appreciated.

Thank you team

puddletag - new developments

Hi.

puddletag IMO used to be the best audio tagging software under Linux.
I found it equally good as mp3tag under Windows.

Since a couple of years it's no longer maintained though. Unfortunately this happens all the time with very promising projects in Linux land.

The application ran stable for years. That was the case until beginning of this year.

The issue.

Starting 2020 Python 2.x will no longer be maintained. And. puddletag is based on Python 2.x.

A port to Python 3.x was needed. The designer was no longer in the boat. A community
effort was required.

The great news. A port project is full at swing.

I've been testing the git version under Fedora and Wayland. Most of the functions work fine by now.

The big issue I see is a public release of the new fork.

A lot of work for an application goes into the coding. However. Huge efforts also go into (online-) documentation, distribution, maintenance, communications.

I'm not sure yet how this is going to progress. Perhaps it'll remain one of thousands
github-only projects.

Keep the fingers crossed that the team manages to go public at one point in time.

For the hackers and advanced users out there it'll be possible to install the fork manually from git sources of course.

Enjoy.

2sa607/2sc960 to-39 subs for JVC vn900 amp board

Hello all. I have recapped my vn900 about 2 years ago. And I was looking to replace some of the transistors on the amp boards. But I couldn’t find a good replacement for 2sc960/2sa607. So much just left it alone until now while playing relay started clicking on and off until it just never came back on, after further examination I discovered the two transistors went bad. So here I am trying to find a good replacement for them. Also I have read a lot abou a good replacement for the stv-3 bias diode. Does any one have a definite answer to a good replacement for it Is really unclear to me weather you can make one your self. Does any body have any experience making one ??
Your input is greatly appreciated

Creating a transformer saturation device

Hi,
I am experimenting and wish to create an audio saturation device to run my instruments through and get that transformer saturation sound.

I got 2 of these transformers 119DA rated at 12w.
Hammond Mfg. - "Classic" 600 Ohm - Speaker Matching Transformer - Hammond P/N 119DA

And got this:
Permalloy Audio Signal Transformer 600Ω: 30K, 7 times boost boost signal, frequency response 23Hz ~ 36KHz -3DB

Buy Products Online from China Wholesalers at Aliexpress.com

And i have a 2 channel 140w amp outputs 8 or 4 Ohms, that i can use to power the transformers.
My end goal would be to saturate the transformers and step it down to live level to record it.

I ran a 50Hz sine wave input to the amp, and hooked up the secondary 8 Ohms of the 119DA transformers to the hi-level out of the amp. The signal is amplified from 25v max to 60v max. (I measure the ACV with a multimeter)

I haven't hooked up the other 600:30k pair yet but i can't seem to saturate the transformer, the sine wave somes out clean.

Any ideas on what to do to achieve saturation?

Thanks,
Mike

Pass Pearl 2 troubleshooting help needed, low output in one channel.

Hi Gang,

A friend was kind enough to give me a pair of populated boards, and it was gesture I greatly appreciated as I have been swooning over them for years. He made one "small" mistake which I thought was on purpose.. he left out the LED's completely. That made R29 smoke in both channels.

So, I replaced R29 on both boards and installed LEDs with the correct polarity. I brought the boards up and one of them still smoked R29. I found a short in Q11 and replaced it. This channel works properly.

The other channel didn't obviously cook any transistors. I just dropped in a fresh 100 ohm resistor at R29 and tested it out. This channel shows a dramatically lower output. The only oddity I can find is higher voltage at the Collector of Q11. I can't seem to figure out why.

I am going to be totally upfront and say I am a total rookie at this type of thing and usually can't successfully diagnose a circuit because I don't truly understand how it all works. I also can't count out an assembly error of some sort by my friend.

Any help is appreciated, I am dying to hear this thing!! I borrowed my friends and really liked it a lot.

Thanks in advance.

HiFiBerry AMP2 Power Issue

Recently took delivery of one of these amps, which I connected to my working RPi 3B loaded with MoOde. I initially connected it using a 19.2V PSU, one that I've successfully used to power my Zoudio amp previously.

No +5V. The board says 18V at the input terminals. So I tried a 16V PSU. Get +5V this time, but not for long.

The only way it runs with the 16V PSU is if I co-power it using the ordinary pi 5V input. It plays correctly. If I remove the additional 5V PSU, it drops out within a few seconds.

Do I have a defective AMP2 module?

HiFiBerry says it's supposed to power the pi and then some from the amplifier power input. I know the TAS amps are good for 24V and HiFiBerry only warns against using >18V with 4 ohm speakers... Implying it should work with , oh, 19.3V input and 8 Ohm speakers which I have.

I'm using the screw terminals, versus the quick connect for the PSU connection.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

555 Timer DC Protect / Turn-On Delay

I have been working on a simple design for a turn on delay and DC protection utilizing the venerable NE555 timer and have encountered and interesting issue.

I decided to prototype the design quickly on some perfboard following simulation success. I only had a ratty old salvaged 555 chip that I wasn't even sure was OK, so I stopped at the local junk monger to pick up a few new ones. So, I cobble up the test circuit (see attached) with the recommended local decoupling and such and of course it didn't work as was expected (otherwise I wouldn't be asking 😉).

Well initially I can say my issue was self induced as I inadvertently applied a supply voltage that was too high and may have ruined one. After realizing my error I re-configured my PSU for a proper supply voltage and installed a new 555. Still wasn't working. Removed the second new 555 and double checked everything again, no errors found. I decided to pop in the ancient old 555 and here is where it gets interesting - the circuit worked exactly as expected.

OK, no apparent error. One possibly toasted 555 was my fault, another seemed to be DOA. Curiosity got me as I had bought four and had only tried two new ones thus far. I decided to try the others and found they did not work as expected either, but whenever the old one was inserted, voila, it would work.

Now to my question. Does anyone KNOW what, if anything, would cause three new 555s to not function (I actually found another unused one that did not appear to work either, so four in total) while the really old one worked perfectly? They are all bipolar devices, no CMOS ones were used. Is there some fundamental difference between the construction of the old vs new that is the difference? I thought the 555 was basically unchanged since 1970 so expected them to all behave the same. Am I wrong?

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Overseas shipping delay time

The coronavirus situation obviously had an impact on delivery time of the goods (in our case diy parts). I'm still waiting for items to arrive after two months (item was send from USA).
I have a hesitation every time I find something and the shop is overseas

What your experience with orders you've made lately ? Also did you have an experience where you've finally received an order after months of waiting ?
Does Mouser/Digikey/big shops have the same week or so delivery period ?

Crossover LCR meter measurement

I bought an LCR meter to measure the values of unmarked crossover components. I now realise that the meter measures impedances and calculates values for LCR. The issue is that the values displayed depend on the frequency setting. However when I buy an inductor/resistor/capacitor, they aren't specified as having a particular value at a particular frequency. So how do I know which measurement to use to obtain the actual value of the component in crossover? Thanks.

FS Dayton Audio Esoteric ES140Ti-8 midbass drive units

Up for sale I have a pair of Dayton Audio ES140Ti-8 5 1/2in midbass drivers from their Esoteric series. Drivers are brand-new-in-box.

The 140 has a superb spec.; key features include a woven fibreglass cone of large central cap design. Finite element designed motor with neodymium ring-magnet, dual copper shorting rings, 3in edge-wound CCAW voice-coil with titanium former, long-throw suspension, tethered tinsel leads. Klippel optimised suspension. Heavily vented motor and extremely open cast basket design. I've attached some Dayton images as it's an impressive looking unit.

As noted above, brand-new-in box. Asking for £80 for the pair + shipping, which is about £60 less than some European sellers are asking for a single unit.

On the subject of packaging, they are in their original Dayton Audio boxes. I use sustainable FSC rated outer cardboard boxes fastened with heavy-duty packing tape. These are reinforced inside with recycled heavy-duty cardboard and packed with recycled brown / grey packing paper and high quality bubble-insulation.

As always, thanks for looking. 🙂

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Large lot of transistors,diodes, LEDs, etc

Thousands of pieces, hundreds of different part #s, too many part #s to document and list here. Most are (>90%) NOS, I imagine from 10-30 yrs old but some may be newer. More parts then are shown in the photos, I think they can be stuffed into a 22x17x16 box weighing 35lbs. My zip is 17036 and prefer to ship via FedEx, so you should be able to get a shipping estimate at FedEx based on the above information. I will not ship international, it will cost more then the parts!



Price is $99 for the entire lot, prefer local pickup.

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Krell KSA100S jumps into its security

Dear DIY enthusiasts and professionals, My Krell KSA100S jumps into its security immediately after switching on. I have no money to buy such an amplifier again, so a repair is my last rescue. Could any of you help me with a schedule or repair manual? I would be very grateful to you. Thank you in advance for your effort! kind regards Arnold Bergen.

Please critique - Studio Monitor - SEOS 12 + 2x6" Mid-Woofer + 18" Sub

3 way high SPL sealed studio monitor

Edit - Changed the title of the thread to better reflect the current ideas.

Hello,

Apologies, I have started similar threads before, but got confused and waylaid by other projects.

I build music studios. I have built several pairs of custom speakers for my studio builds... mostly derived from proven designs. I have a superficial understanding of some things, but I can be flummoxed easily.

I want to build a sealed, 'limited range' (100 Hz - 20 KHz) monitor which will function well @ 2m-4m listening distances. The accepted studio protocol (per ITU 775) is an equidistant triangle between the speakers and the listener, with L&R angled @ 30 degrees.

In my current demo room, I have Tannoy DC12i (with a coaxial 12" driver) and custom subwoofers with AE TD15H drivers. One of my main problems is that the stereo imaging is much more stable further back into the room from where I'm sitting (the speakers are about 9' apart and I'm sitting @ about 8' - this is 1' ahead of the theoretical "sweet spot"). I'm hoping that a smaller mid-woofer will beam less and widen the sweet spot.

I already have a pair of B&C DE250s in SEOS 12 waveguides. I'd like to use the DE250s for sure (they sound absolutely great to my ear, in a pair of 4 Pi speakers I built), but I'm willing to consider a smaller waveguide if it will help me increase my XO frequency (between mid-woofer and CD), for a wider sweet spot at a closer listening distance...

System will be tri-amped with Class D amplifiers, and managed by MiniDSP 4x10HD, with analysis and tuning help from REW.

At this time, I'm thinking that bass duties will most likely be handled by a JBL 4645c, simply because it is very inexpensive here. Luckily, it will serve as a great stand for the mid-woofer/HF speaker and bring the listening axis point up to the recommended 4' above floor level. I'm also thinking about a Peerless by Tymphany STW-350F in a custom sealed enclosure, but that is for another thread.
Right now I am focussed on the mid-high component.

Goals:

* 82 dB average / 102 dB peaks @ 4m, from ~100 Hz to ~18 KHz (some active Eq may have to be applied to achieve this, of course). (85/105 dB is the film standard - but for smaller rooms, the kind that these speakers are intended for... 82/102 should be sufficient.)

* Suitable for listening distances of 2m-4m.

* Sealed enclosures that can be easily customised to different rooms by varying the dimensions, but keeping the internal volume constant.

At this time, my questions are -

* Will a pair of Eighteen Sound 6ND430s per side do the job? What alternatives should I consider?

* If so, how high can I cross them over to the DE250s in SEOS12 waveguides? Or should I consider keeping the XO point as low as possible, in order to minimise interference problems between the mid-woofers?

* Will a smaller waveguide such as the Eighteen Sound XT120 be preferable for a higher XO point (~2 KHz)

* Are there any fundamental flaws to this approach?

Thanks in advance,

PS: I'm stuck in a total lockdown/quarantine situation. I can't access my PC which is in my studio, in which I have WinISD - the only speaker design software I'm familiar with... Pity there seems to be no similar software for Mac...

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