My bet is a 40W iron with a thick tip and a preheat with the torch will work fine. Once there is the wire and post have been tinned it should be easy. However, if you do decide to buy another soldering iron and you want to do more of this diyAudio gig then invest in a soldering station with temperature control. I use a simple Toolcraft 80W digital soldering station. Works great and gets a lot of use.
I have a soldering station, a Weller WHS40. I bought it for this project.
I got my soldering skills from a couple of Youtube clips! 🙂
I see what I can find in the diy-shop...
I got my soldering skills from a couple of Youtube clips! 🙂
I see what I can find in the diy-shop...
I would rather use a minimum of an 80 -100 Watt iron for adequate thermal capacity plus an equal or larger than 3 mm wide swivel type tip for optimum heat transfer. The binding post "soacks" up a lot of heat and dissipates it partially (mass) too thus there must be enough thermal capacity on the side of the soldering iron and tip to provide good (and fast) heat transfer to compensate for or you will get a cold solder joint. If it takes a "long" time to heat up the soldering position at the binding post than you don't have adequate heat capacity on the soldering iron side. The longer it takes to heat it up the greater the chance of damage and problems.
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Butane is your friend. Try soldering some Cardas jacks. They recommended a quick preheat with a blowtorch. Works a treat. Your 1mm tip is your biggest problem. Don't dump the money on a new station until you've tried the cheaper potential solutions. A bigger tip and the torch won't be money wasted.
You can also remove the jacks from the chassis. Pull the wire through the holes (binding post nuts on the wire in the chassis) and solder outside of the chassis. That way you aren't melting the insulators or wasting heat on the chassis.
Just called my father and he has a bigger iron, with a bigger tip too. I think I'll try that first.
Indeed, I'll take the binding posts out of the chassis to tin them, and put them back to solder the wires to the binding posts (I'm using short, twisted, solid core copper wires).
Indeed, I'll take the binding posts out of the chassis to tin them, and put them back to solder the wires to the binding posts (I'm using short, twisted, solid core copper wires).
OK, that went well!
I tinned the binding posts using the butane burner only. Easy peasy.
Then I put everything back in place, and made the joints using my father's 120W solder gun. I melted a little bit off one wire's insulation, holding it in place with a pincet while heating the binding post. But I don't think that will have any functional repercussions.
Done!
I attached a pic of the end result (can't manage to get more than one photo inserted...
). All comments welcome!
I've been listening for a couple of hours now (Bluesound Node --> Ncore --> KEF LS50s) and crammed as it is, the case is hardly lukewarm. Very impressed with the result so far: the grip the amp has on the speakers... Hearing is believing!
First diy experience, but it's very rewarding indeed!
I tinned the binding posts using the butane burner only. Easy peasy.
Then I put everything back in place, and made the joints using my father's 120W solder gun. I melted a little bit off one wire's insulation, holding it in place with a pincet while heating the binding post. But I don't think that will have any functional repercussions.
Done!
I attached a pic of the end result (can't manage to get more than one photo inserted...
). All comments welcome!I've been listening for a couple of hours now (Bluesound Node --> Ncore --> KEF LS50s) and crammed as it is, the case is hardly lukewarm. Very impressed with the result so far: the grip the amp has on the speakers... Hearing is believing!
First diy experience, but it's very rewarding indeed!
Attachments
temperature
The amp has been in use for a couple of days now. The hifi is in a closed cabinet, with passive ventilation. I've done some temperature measurements of the case and the NC400 heatsinks (with a calibrated IR thermometer).
After playing music (moderate levels) for over 6 hours, I got about 35°C at the case surface, and just under 40°C at the heatsinks.
When idling for several hours, the values were comparable, if anything even a little higher.
Is that considered normal/safe?
Anything to gain with heat paste between NC-400 and chassis?
Other tips?
Or should I just relax and enjoy the music?
The amp has been in use for a couple of days now. The hifi is in a closed cabinet, with passive ventilation. I've done some temperature measurements of the case and the NC400 heatsinks (with a calibrated IR thermometer).
After playing music (moderate levels) for over 6 hours, I got about 35°C at the case surface, and just under 40°C at the heatsinks.
When idling for several hours, the values were comparable, if anything even a little higher.
Is that considered normal/safe?
Anything to gain with heat paste between NC-400 and chassis?
Other tips?
Or should I just relax and enjoy the music?
Yes, sounds totally reasonable to me.
If you do, make sure it is a very thin layer, otherwise it does more harm than good.
Pretty much, yes. 🙂
Was not Bruno's Mola Mola NC1200 released circa 2012-13? Is this that same amp, or different?
Tx.
Mr Bruno P was there and sat right behind me during the B&W 800D3 and new prototype Classe' demo ...he seems like a good guy but I didn't introduce myself in case he might recognise and clap me over the head for my occasional rants on here hehe!
Firstly I must apologise to Hypex because after this Show I realised that all of the High End systems, Valve amps with exotic Turntables exhibited vocal sibilance ...I figure it's a symptom of Recordings and ultra transparency!!!
None of those High End systems put a Unicorn in the room for me and I am a bit disillusioned with this hobby ...at the same time, my system is not bad comparatively 🙂
I think Julf is right, without blind testing these differences are hard to discern at the the High End of Stereo systems....and there is a lot of snake oil out there that can hoodwink us out of thousands, tens of them and even hundreds seeing some of these systems that were showcased today (my wallet did not itch one iota to get out of my pocket...except maybe the MagnePlanar 1.7i which were perceived as rich and snappy sounding for their low'ish price-tag) ;-)
Sorry again for my odd outbursts Mr Bruno P, you have made some good stuff that runs cool and keeps the world a bit greener too...we live and learn
Firstly I must apologise to Hypex because after this Show I realised that all of the High End systems, Valve amps with exotic Turntables exhibited vocal sibilance ...I figure it's a symptom of Recordings and ultra transparency!!!
None of those High End systems put a Unicorn in the room for me and I am a bit disillusioned with this hobby ...at the same time, my system is not bad comparatively 🙂
I think Julf is right, without blind testing these differences are hard to discern at the the High End of Stereo systems....and there is a lot of snake oil out there that can hoodwink us out of thousands, tens of them and even hundreds seeing some of these systems that were showcased today (my wallet did not itch one iota to get out of my pocket...except maybe the MagnePlanar 1.7i which were perceived as rich and snappy sounding for their low'ish price-tag) ;-)
Sorry again for my odd outbursts Mr Bruno P, you have made some good stuff that runs cool and keeps the world a bit greener too...we live and learn
Yes I think the full suite was there ...but not his new Active speakers, unfortunately
From the 10-20 odd minutes that we sat listening there (came back twice during the day), the band of sonics were no worse than other Exhibitors exotic Valve systems ...the BASS was most impressive with the MolaMola combination, low level rythm and detail seemed more controlled
I don't believe my nc500 is much different in its presentation, but I did not compare directly today of course ;-)
...after listening critically to all these systems today I think most singers must spit into their microphones...Recording Studios needs to stop this bad habit!
Ps. The MolaMola casework is really tasteful in the flesh and pretty heavy (my guess that was mainly for the Audiophools that won't believe anything light is worth it's salt)!
Also noticed the speaker wire to the Furutech terminals seemed to be just screwed down, no solder 🙂
Also noticed the speaker wire to the Furutech terminals seemed to be just screwed down, no solder 🙂
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