Babelfish XA252 / Babelfish XA252 SIT / Babelfish XA252 SET

Hence why the DPA-300B and RTP3D preamp is the only thing I would need. I also have the option of trying the PP-2C which is Allan's KT88/6550 version of the DPA platform. The PP-2C never made it into production since the DPA-300B sounded better according to him. Its basically Triode vs Pentode.

For now, SS together with a magnetic preamplifier, possibly Iron Pumpkin.
 
Not to sidetrack the thread too much, but sometimes its good to backtrack to get a better perspective and since there is a clear lineage of the amps being released and worked on, I went over your threads and ordered them based on the date their thread was generated and I came up with this list.
  1. PAPA'S KOAN ....... was Papa's Surprise .............................................................was released 2010-10-02
  2. Babysitter for Papa's Koan .................................................................................... was released 2011-04-07
  3. Official M2 schematic ............................................................................................. was released 2015-10-25
  4. Most Greedy Greedy Greedy Boy (of them all) ............................................ was released 2017-11-14
  5. Babelfish M25, AKA M2 on steroids, AKA M2-XA25 bstrd ...................... was released 2018-07-14
  6. SissySIT ......................................................................................................................... was released 2018-08-24
  7. LuDEF ............................................................................................................................ was released 2021-03-26
  8. SissySIT R.3 ................................................................................................................. was released 2021-04-21
  9. Babelfish M25 R.2/SET amp ................................................................................. was released 2021-04-27
  10. Babelfish XA252 ........................................................................................................ was released 2021-06-11
  11. Scryer ..... or how F8 met Mighty SissySIT ...................................................... was released 2022-07-22
  12. Steeplejack ..... or how F8 met Mighty Babelfish M25 (& Schade) ....... was released 2022-09-05
While I am working on some general stuff for the XA252, the idea of a fully differential version of the LuDEF came up - as THE solid state replacement for the DPA-300B, which is kinda similar to what I want to the XA252 as well. Ofc, atm, I am just throwing ideas in the air since I want to go over the list of threads and collect information to better understand what both unites and separate them.
 
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She is alive again and has been playing for about 5 hours. 😀
 

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Found this at a shop the other day... Most of the time I'm not in the way...

:joker:
i have thr LP, CD and HiRez Tidal of that. Simply terrific playing.

"...they used to heed the words he said, but that was yesterday"

simply awesome...

How about Cecilio and Kapono? 1974. Sunflower, Loving in your eyes...

Simply awesome music to be a teenager...

Soon, I need to settle with an amp and speakers and go back to music.. my stereos, thank to you nuts, are beyond awesome now... I"m listening now a lot and simply loving it...

Hawai'ian country... All is fair in love.. stated with a Marantz 2220B... never thought it could sound so good....

And then Loogins and Messina, Live on Stage... the LP Nelson had in that picture with his Plasmatronics... I got the LP, CD and HiRez download...

Angry Eyes.. on my IEM right now .. on a trip right now... trip within a trip...

Danny's Song...

Dark Star coming...

Damn.. I love good music My portable audio blows 99% of everything..

I think ZM needs a reeducation.. .Bridged 252s WTH? Bruddah... when do we settle this?
 
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^ Garcia and Grisman together always make me smile. It took me a while to find a decent used copy of that on vinyl. I just happened across it on a trip. I got that that, a nice copy of Joni Mitchell's Blue, and a few other fun ones including a very reasonably-priced copy of PPL's Bustin' Out.

I think I'm in the mood for some breakfast Pizza Tapes. 🙂 I'll have to get the tissues ready for Amazing Grace.

When I lived in Asia and was travelling most every week, I went down the rabbit hole of portables. There is some great stuff out there. I don't travel nearly as much any more, so I haven't looked into portables for about 5 years. From a DIY perspective, if you haven't seen it/tried it, XRK's pocket Class A amp is pretty fantastic. I got some funny stares plugging my IEMs into an Altoids box, and a few airport security people were curious...

I built a bunch of them for gifts, and mine is never far away. He's got a new design, the Hakuin, with a LiPo battery and charging / monitoring circuit. I built a few test sets of that. I hope it will make it further along in the design cycle. It's wonderful!

One of mine... this one has been around ...
IMG_3563[18027].jpg
A set I did a few years ago for holiday gifts.
IMG_1687.JPG
Hakuin test boards
IMG_2498.JPG

Oh... I guess I should mention that I really, really need to build one or more of the 252 variants to keep this on topic. :joker: wdavis009 is showing me the way with the 4U/500 chassis for this and the Alephs ... 🙂
 
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So, how is life with the XA252... I'm a junky and must get my daily review ... 😆

This is an amazing amp. Currently running my Benchmark DAC directly into the amp via XLR interconnects. The transparency of this amp is breathtaking. Easily the most neutral, transparent amp I have tried, including all the commercial amps I have own/tried. Will put the preamp into the chain today and listen to some vinyl.
 
post #624 - you have separate schmtcs for all 3 options - full mos, SET, SIT

R29,30,39,40 are smd resistors, already on pcb, part of current mirror biasing network

R53 is part of Schade circuit, populated only if you're building Schade/SET option; it is "just" ommited from schematic for full mos option, same as several other parts




babelfish-xa252-sch-png.1120728
Searching schematic with old eyes I do no locate R50. Is this another position left blank in mosfet version? checking the other two schematics now to see if only used in those versions.
 
^ Garcia and Grisman together always make me smile. It took me a while to find a decent used copy of that on vinyl. I just happened across it on a trip. I got that that, a nice copy of Joni Mitchell's Blue, and a few other fun ones including a very reasonably-priced copy of PPL's Bustin' Out.

I think I'm in the mood for some breakfast Pizza Tapes. 🙂 I'll have to get the tissues ready for Amazing Grace.

When I lived in Asia and was travelling most every week, I went down the rabbit hole of portables. There is some great stuff out there. I don't travel nearly as much any more, so I haven't looked into portables for about 5 years. From a DIY perspective, if you haven't seen it/tried it, XRK's pocket Class A amp is pretty fantastic. I got some funny stares plugging my IEMs into an Altoids box, and a few airport security people were curious...

I built a bunch of them for gifts, and mine is never far away. He's got a new design, the Hakuin, with a LiPo battery and charging / monitoring circuit. I built a few test sets of that. I hope it will make it further along in the design cycle. It's wonderful!

One of mine... this one has been around ...
View attachment 1190666
A set I did a few years ago for holiday gifts.
View attachment 1190665
Hakuin test boards
View attachment 1190670

Oh... I guess I should mention that I really, really need to build one or more of the 252 variants to keep this on topic. :joker: wdavis009 is showing me the way with the 4U/500 chassis for this and the Alephs ... 🙂
What did you do with all the Altoids? LOL.

Russellc
 
Searching schematic with old eyes I do no locate R50. Is this another position left blank in mosfet version? checking the other two schematics now to see if only used in those versions.

it can't be easier

either form list of parts you need to populate for chosen variant, or

form list of parts not needed fro chosen variant

that later one you can make comparing cumulative schmtc (most likely in post #1) vs. schm of chosen variant (post #624)

I despise generated BOMs; best way of learning is when one is making own BOM, from actual schematic and presented graphical files; if help of unfortunate designer is on disposal, even easier and better :rofl:
 
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Zenmod, Could not find R23, 120R. Confounding the problem for me, there are two 120K which I quickly and mistakenly thought were for R23. Remembered where they were last time I asked, sure enough, in little lettering in silk screen was "R23" on back of board..... Old dog here can at least learn easiest of new tricks. Newer stuff is getting tiny. I need either one of those hot table things and a hot air set up, or go back to big easy to see tubes.

Russellc