Hello everyone,
after seeing Steve Guttenbergs Interview with Nelson Pass on Youtube, I have become interested in Nelson Pass designed amplifiers.
As it happens, I have never owned a decent stereo system. I am ready to upgrade and allow music back into my life.
I was wondering whether you could share your thoughts regarding my plan to build an Aleph J with a Nutube Preamp and match it with speakers.
Would you recommend this build? Which good speaker combination are you aware of? Would the Tekton Lore Reference or Klipsch RP 600 M be a good match?
Thank you for your kind consideration.
after seeing Steve Guttenbergs Interview with Nelson Pass on Youtube, I have become interested in Nelson Pass designed amplifiers.
As it happens, I have never owned a decent stereo system. I am ready to upgrade and allow music back into my life.
I was wondering whether you could share your thoughts regarding my plan to build an Aleph J with a Nutube Preamp and match it with speakers.
Would you recommend this build? Which good speaker combination are you aware of? Would the Tekton Lore Reference or Klipsch RP 600 M be a good match?
Thank you for your kind consideration.
I think that's a good place to start. I have a Nutube preamp driving a Pass F-5 connected to Tekton Lore S speakers and it is wonderful. Tektons are very efficient (94 to 96 dB) and work very well with most Pass amps. The other preamp option is the B-1. Good luck. You'll be able to get much assistance here on DIYAudio as you go through the builds. Be sure to check out the build guides.
You don't mention whether you have built stuff before... If not I would recommend the Amp Camp Amp as a low cost starting place. It will give you a flavor of what can be achieved and coupled with some speakers, give you music while you build something further up the ladder.
The Aleph J and the Nutube preamp may to a little too much of a good thing. I have both, and they both sound very good with other partners in the sound system. If you do try that route, Nelson's Nutube board offers some adjustment for how much H2 / H3 is present. It would be worthwhile to start with the Nutube circuit in its 'cleanest' setting when pairing with the Aleph J.
Edited to add:
Ditto for starting with the ACA, if this is your first stereo electronics project. The full kit of the ACA is very convenient.
Edited to add:
Ditto for starting with the ACA, if this is your first stereo electronics project. The full kit of the ACA is very convenient.
Which B-1
hirscwi,
BeardyWan,
TungstenAudio,
thank you very much for your encouraging responses. And thank you for taking time to share your knowledge with me!
Indeed the ACA would be a sensible starting point, as I have only limited electronics experience. Nonetheless, I would like to take on the challenge of the Aleph J.
It seems that the B-1 could be an excellent match to the Aleph J and I would like to take this advice and build a B-1.
However, there does not seem to be a PCB in the diystore and there seem to be several versions:
1) a very beautiful one with a Nutube on it - I love the way this looks and it is different from the Korg Nutube Preamp isnt it?
2) one with two transformers on it
3) A regular one
Should I build the first one? But where to get the PCB as it does not seem to be in the diystore?
hirscwi,
BeardyWan,
TungstenAudio,
thank you very much for your encouraging responses. And thank you for taking time to share your knowledge with me!
Indeed the ACA would be a sensible starting point, as I have only limited electronics experience. Nonetheless, I would like to take on the challenge of the Aleph J.
It seems that the B-1 could be an excellent match to the Aleph J and I would like to take this advice and build a B-1.
However, there does not seem to be a PCB in the diystore and there seem to be several versions:
1) a very beautiful one with a Nutube on it - I love the way this looks and it is different from the Korg Nutube Preamp isnt it?
2) one with two transformers on it
3) A regular one
Should I build the first one? But where to get the PCB as it does not seem to be in the diystore?
You know yourself better than anyone so if you’re a patient person, read the build guide from front to back and take your time, you can build an Aleph J for your 1st build.
There is also the BA3 pre to consider, boards in the store and build guide avaliable.
One small thing, you will need to look around for genuine Jfets and Mosfets (there are sellers here.)
One small thing, you will need to look around for genuine Jfets and Mosfets (there are sellers here.)
Aleph J was my first serious DIY amp project, and the hardest part was building enclosure. Good luck!
If you are considering the Aleph J, I've just bought two extra boards from the DIY store by mistake.
Ben Mah, thank you for the link!
plasnu, thank you, I will be buying the chassis 😉
KatieandDad, pm sent 🙂
ColinA123, thank you for the mention. I checked it out and there are a lot of people who prefer it over the the B1. I was wondering whether you heard it with an Aleph J before?
plasnu, thank you, I will be buying the chassis 😉
KatieandDad, pm sent 🙂
ColinA123, thank you for the mention. I checked it out and there are a lot of people who prefer it over the the B1. I was wondering whether you heard it with an Aleph J before?
When I sold customers home stereo equipment back in the 1970's, I basically asked them this...................
What sort of music do you listen to?.... how loud.......?
What's the size of the room that the system is in?....... furnishings, rugs....?
CHOOSE YOUR SPEAKERS FIRST.
Go, take a listen....... decide...
THEN...... choose the components (amp, etc) that are right for those speakers.
Not the other way around.
Forget amps, etc, until you choose the speakers.
It's the intelligent way to put a system together.
What sort of music do you listen to?.... how loud.......?
What's the size of the room that the system is in?....... furnishings, rugs....?
CHOOSE YOUR SPEAKERS FIRST.
Go, take a listen....... decide...
THEN...... choose the components (amp, etc) that are right for those speakers.
Not the other way around.
Forget amps, etc, until you choose the speakers.
It's the intelligent way to put a system together.
I started my DIY journey with the B1 available at PassDIY. It’s a perfect first project, and if you started there you’d be in good shape. FWIW, My second build after the B1 was an Aleph J, and I felt the experience in building the B1 and sourcing the materials was a great primer.
Aleph J is really good. Do you need the pre-amp...? Depending on your source (ability to change the level), you may be able to get away with the pre-amp.
Aleph J has only two gain stages, pure class A, single-ended. Very revealing, very short signal path. Amazing! Why would you complicate things with a pre-amp; additional set of interconnects...?
IMHO, skip the Nutube preamp. Nutubes were designed for music effects circuits and pedals, not for HiFi. They aren't very good tubes if you want to keep THD low or not color your sound signature. They are good if you do want to add a little color to the mix... but proceed with caution.
I can (and do) enthusiastically recommend the Aleph J amplifier. It's completely wonderful.
Go slowly, read all you can, take notes, and ask questions here. It's not impossible for a first timer, just requires a little more work.
Go slowly, read all you can, take notes, and ask questions here. It's not impossible for a first timer, just requires a little more work.
Another option, build ACA first, then F4; reduce bias on ACA and use as a pre and headphone amp.
-- 🙂 --
This smiley is to indicate how I feel when reading all the constructive feedback in this threat.
wiseoldtech> yes, that is a very sensible way to go about it and its not the first time I hear this advice, thank you! I am going nonetheless the amp first and I will learn to appreciate whatever speaker I get in the end
codyt> I saw your B1. Its beautiful! Your components are also of super high quality and if I make a B1 like that (the RCAs, the stepped attenuator...), I may run out of financial steam before ever reaching the Aleph J. Going to print the B1 threat to see if I can make it on a budget
Extreme_Boky> thank you, good to know. I thought I need a pre-amp for volume control. Actually I do not have a source yet. Might skip the pre-amp then, if it is too costly. Otherwise I will proceed to get the experience and the build fun
6L6> thank you. I will definitely build it now!
Itsmee> 🙂 thank you for the suggestion. Maybe in the next build!
raptorlighting> yes, given all the feedback from the forum members, I will skip the Nutube for now
This smiley is to indicate how I feel when reading all the constructive feedback in this threat.
wiseoldtech> yes, that is a very sensible way to go about it and its not the first time I hear this advice, thank you! I am going nonetheless the amp first and I will learn to appreciate whatever speaker I get in the end
codyt> I saw your B1. Its beautiful! Your components are also of super high quality and if I make a B1 like that (the RCAs, the stepped attenuator...), I may run out of financial steam before ever reaching the Aleph J. Going to print the B1 threat to see if I can make it on a budget
Extreme_Boky> thank you, good to know. I thought I need a pre-amp for volume control. Actually I do not have a source yet. Might skip the pre-amp then, if it is too costly. Otherwise I will proceed to get the experience and the build fun
6L6> thank you. I will definitely build it now!
Itsmee> 🙂 thank you for the suggestion. Maybe in the next build!
raptorlighting> yes, given all the feedback from the forum members, I will skip the Nutube for now
I ran my F6 for a long time with just a 10k stepped attenuator as source, fed from Marantz network streamer and it was very good.
I now use a Ba3 Pre which I feel is better, but I am hopeless at describing the sound differences.
Anyway with my old ears and years of work in heavy industry I am probably not the best to start audio reviews!
I now use a Ba3 Pre which I feel is better, but I am hopeless at describing the sound differences.
Anyway with my old ears and years of work in heavy industry I am probably not the best to start audio reviews!