B1 with Korg Triode

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#4,762
ClaudeG said:
Hi James,

Thanks for your very kind words but, to be very honest, there are here a LOT of people that are far more knowledgeable than me, especialy since I have NO experience with remote controled volume pots.

I am playing since a couple fo decades with pots and stepped attenuators but never motorised solutions. Having said that, coincidence, I recently considered this topic... but please note I have yet no 1st hand experience on that.

After various researches I came to the conclusion that I shouldn't try to reinvent the wheel and that I should trust someone far more experienced and knowledgeable than me: Papa! On top, I like his philosophy as he listens to his designs: IMHO as designer he is rather on the musical and transparent side, than on the "dry, over-analytical computer figures side", and that suits me very well!

Nelson is using the Muse chip for remote controled volume adjustment in his Pass flagships. OK, there might be cost and industrial considerations, but if that's good for him, than it can only be a very suitable choice for me 🙂

I haven't tried all options, but with time I found that the very best pots are quite close to perfection and in most cases equivalent to expensive alternative stepped solutions. So my recommandation wouldn't be to try tuning a pot or attenuator with associate costs and question marks, but simply to go for the Muse solution (there is an affordable kit in the US) and to trust it as it is (without using the gain option). Yes, it is a chip (which has also some positive in that case in terms of resistor network consistency), but the world has moved on since a decade and even the latest op-amps are if righly implemented very performant solutions...

Another solution could have been LDR, but after reading rave reviews that also described... how much better it sounded than simple resistor networks, I digged further and came to the (very personal) conclusion these must add a lot of distorsions, among them perhaps the liked H2. Whereas it is for me OK for a B1K to add some controled flavour as I fancy it, it is not what I expect from a single volume (pot) function -not to mention unkown fail safe modi... so I now ruled these out.

Not sure it is what you wanted to read, but that's all my humble opinion. I would not go for an attenuator or pot if I would need a remote solution, but go Muse (and no other chip BTW).

Claude
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Just before dinner I received everything to connect my muses diy volume control (Meldano) to the korg preamp. [emoji1696] Will report on my findings if and when it is all working. This was my first attempt to smd soldering and that muses chip form factor is defenitely small to my eyes. Until then I was always under the impression my hands were steady..
 
#4,763
twitchie said:
Wow, beautiful indeed @rmauror!!! :cheers:

How do you find the sound and what did it replace?

More importantly, what is planned for the next build?
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Hi Twitchie and thank you,

the first test was done in February, you can be found at # 4103, I had not only specified that the speakers were Golden Ear Triton7, therefore very dynamic and with bass that go down almost to the level of a subwwofer.

Now, something has changed with the Magnepan 3.3R.
The sound is in the same line as the Aleph3: elegant, present, soft and silky, exceptionally detailed, the separation of the channels and depth are crazy.
Excellent medium and high, beautiful bass, not like a punch in the stomach but balanced. Listening is very relaxing.

He replaced the PS Audio 6.1 and first Norma SC-1.

Planning for next build? Complete the Aleph
3 that I started build more than two years ago, what you see in the pictures is from a dear friend of mine, whom he kindly loaned me.

Ok, I hope that google translator has done a good job ...

Cheers
 
#4,764
brian92fs said:
Is that from a kit or something you created?
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Hi brian92fs,

I bought a kit for 3d printers on Amazon, consisting of 8 pulleys and 5 meters of timing belt.
Then I had to rework it on the lathe, threading and boring the holes on the pulleys for the 6mm shafts and to adjust the fixing of the knobs on the bearings of the front panel, so as not to have off-axis movements. Then cut and join the timing belt.

Cheers
 

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#4,767
Thanks for clarifying Jim, I stand corrected 🙂

Well, then my sentence should be:
"Wayne is using the Muse chip for remote controled volume adjustment in the Pass flagships. OK, there might be cost and industrial considerations, but if that's good for him than it can for sure be a very suitable option for me 🙂

Having said that, I am very happy with my Tocos, but would on the other hand be pleased to learn from other clever options, be it Muse or else...

Claude
 
#4,769
My B1 Korg stereo ALPS was changed to 50K two mono wire wound precision potentiometers.
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...=sGAEpiMZZMvygUB3GLcD7hVDXHLAEiqa1ieLQvFre64=
https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/54/3549-776754.pdf
Need two vernier knobs is mandatory ,total price is around 50~70 $ for all stuff together.
Check Your potentiometer shaft dimensions for adequate knob dial choice !:att'n:
dial 10 tours Turns-Counting Dial Boutons et cadrans | Mouser France
Interesting compact alternative to autoformer volume control I use in the other gear.
 

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#4,770
TVC always intriguing me, not just because of Luxman, should also give it a try one day... so many things to try ;-)

Soundhappy, looks like your treasured B1 Korg will be kept in... a safe 🙂)

As posted, a non expensive and quite good sounding solution is also digital volume control at DAC say in the 0dB to -25dB range (I could hear no degradation whatsoever up to that) followed by a switch connected to a simple resistor network acting as a -25dB mute... gives nearly perfect 0dB to -50dB and then some slight sonic degradation beyond, but anyway very low level listening is not that qualitative. Only downside for me: doesn't work with my TT, unless I use a ADC :-(

So many choices...

Wonder what are the best sounding options Papa likes, both normal and remote...

Thanks to both of you

Claude
 
#4,773
ro9397 said:
(snip)
What is the general consensus Re. the use of linear stereo pots with a "logarithmic" inducing resistor from wiper to ground? The potential advantage is that linear pots have better/more linear channel tracking.

IIRC, the linear pot value = 10x that of the desired log/audio taper pot. The log taper pot value = that of the "log" inducing R.
Click to expand...

Have you seen what Elliot Sound Products says about better volume and balance controls?
ESP - A Better Volume Control
 
#4,774
A New B1 follower

Hi,
I just ordered a board and a tube. A thought of building an amp designed by Mr. Nelson is just so unreal to me. I am so appreciative of his generosity.
Please allow me to ask 3 questions to begin with.

1. Ordering parts from "D-key", I 've noticed that the Nichicon KAs (1000uf) are in back order. I am thinking of going with the FG series. But I wanted to learn from your experience and wisdom before I order them. What series of caps would be appropriate here, Silmic or etc?

2. Please share your thought about the PSU. The Triad option seems easy and simple. But should there be a better option I would love to learn.

3. This question may not belong here. But has anyone built F5 or F6 amps? I am wondering which amp would match better with the B1.

Thank you!
 
#4,775
ClaudeG said:
TVC always intriguing me, not just because of Luxman, should also give it a try one day... so many things to try ;-)

Soundhappy, looks like your treasured B1 Korg will be kept in... a safe 🙂)
Click to expand...

😀 Yes B1K is a treasure :treasure:
My AVC + Elma etc. total cost ~ 500$.
Need jfet buffer as well..
TVC of good quality is hard to make and can be x2~3 times price of
autoformer volume control
 

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#4,777
It looks indeed very nice and shiny...

It is all probably very good sounding, but I must confess I am rather old school and resistors are probably the parts that colour less the sound... plus I (very personaly) consider that volume function has to be in line with the other costs, and that's 2 figures only (as far as I am concerned of course, that's personal).

Claude
 
#4,778
ClaudeG said:
It looks indeed very nice and shiny...

It is all probably very good sounding, but I must confess I am rather old school and resistors are probably the parts that colour less the sound... plus I (very personaly) consider that volume function has to be in line with the other costs, and that's 2 figures only (as far as I am concerned of course, that's personal).

Claude
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Can get quite expensive.. Lol

Should ask zenmod for the iron pre.. Tvc + output transformer

I heard some stuff like that... I can say it meets almost every need dreamt off.. Just not cheap. But diy is only a fraction.
 
#4,779
Yaho said:
Hi,
I just ordered a board and a tube. A thought of building an amp designed by Mr. Nelson is just so unreal to me. I am so appreciative of his generosity.
Please allow me to ask 3 questions to begin with.

1. Ordering parts from "D-key", I 've noticed that the Nichicon KAs (1000uf) are in back order. I am thinking of going with the FG series. But I wanted to learn from your experience and wisdom before I order them. What series of caps would be appropriate here, Silmic or etc?

2. Please share your thought about the PSU. The Triad option seems easy and simple. But should there be a better option I would love to learn.

3. This question may not belong here. But has anyone built F5 or F6 amps? I am wondering which amp would match better with the B1.

Thank you!
Click to expand...
Caps... Buy Panasonic NHG..and or nichicon pw. Surefire. Coupling silmic 2
There is a crc... So smps also is fine.. If you want to use a better linear.. Take out part or all the crc.. Then there is a diff
Never liked nichicon KA.. It sounds washed out
Fg is fine.. Sounds clean.. If u like clean
It works great with power follower


Also F5... Have fun
 
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#4,780
ClaudeG said:
..and resistors are probably the parts that colour less the sound...
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Yes but volume potentimeters resistive elements are not neutral.
ALPS is less transparent was instant conclusion,
after my positive experience at B1K input I do use more precision wirewound type
of potentiometers together with 10 tours vernier dial in the future.
Vishay/Spectrol is another excellent choice
534B1503JC Vishay / Spectrol | Mouser France
 
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