Truth!if you want it louder, the only thing that will make a difference will be a different preamp that has more gain.
But, which one???
Building slowly each and every one offered here.
To hit full power, you need a gain of about 20 and the ability to swing +/-24V. Even more if you are driving the F4 bridged. That is a very tall order. Impasse, Pumpkin, are tailor-made for the job, many tube designs have gain and swing, or just add a 1:2 or 1:4 transformer to the input if the F4 and use your current preamp.
@skrifa
If you’re at all concerned about having 9240/240 in one amp and 9140/140 in other (new build), you could buy a set of the 9240/240 from @rhthatcher:
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...-irfp9240-mosfets-and-irfp240-mosfets.365386/
If you’re at all concerned about having 9240/240 in one amp and 9140/140 in other (new build), you could buy a set of the 9240/240 from @rhthatcher:
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...-irfp9240-mosfets-and-irfp240-mosfets.365386/
I'm in the middle of putting in an Edcor 600/15K on Zen's Iron SE on the output. Which is better to boost in or output?a 1:2 or 1:4 transformer to the input
I will look at Impasse and Pumpkin. All tube solutions are out of stock it seems and/or$.
Thanks 6L6!
running F4 monsterblocks with balanced input, they are very, very neutral. So neutral, I'm building various preamp circuits as stand-alone front-ends/gain stages to play with flavor. Although, I have to rethink this as, after moving, the listening space is much smaller and the Benchmark DAC will drive them quite handily into hurty volumes.
How much voltage does the Benchmark swing?
To hit full power, you need a gain of about 20 and the ability to swing +/-24V. Even more if you are driving the F4 bridged. That is a very tall order. Impasse, Pumpkin, are tailor-made for the job, many tube designs have gain and swing, or just add a 1:2 or 1:4 transformer to the input if the F4 and use your current preamp.
Get a used Conrad Johnson preamp.... I looked at the specs for both of mine and they both put out a max of 20Vrms with a gain of 25db... they both drive the F4 handily. Unfortunately they are both single ended...
To be honest.... if I had to get off this merry go round, one of the CJ preamps. the F4 and some of my speakers would make a fantastic system... but then, what I would I do with the other equally fantastic stuff?
Will the Iron Pre balanced drive a pair of F4?
In my case defeats the purpose of needing to build. I'm not building to an end. Or buying to satisfy a need.Get a used Conrad Johnson preamp....
Per Stereophile's JA, balanced out produces 18V @ 1kHz.How much voltage does the Benchmark swing?
https://www.stereophile.com/content...preamplifier-headphone-amplifier-measurements
I understand your point... but sometimes you need to realize that what you build may not be as good... I'm after the best sound so I admit that some people do know better than me... and sometimes the market is upside down...
When a CJ preamp sells for less than a Marantz 2325 with "new LEDs" then...
And then sometimes... well, you just have to have both something that was custom built and something that was strictly commercial..
The only limitation is the size of your house and your wife's patience. ;-)
When a CJ preamp sells for less than a Marantz 2325 with "new LEDs" then...
And then sometimes... well, you just have to have both something that was custom built and something that was strictly commercial..
The only limitation is the size of your house and your wife's patience. ;-)
Per Stereophile's JA, balanced out produces 18V @ 1kHz.
https://www.stereophile.com/content...preamplifier-headphone-amplifier-measurements
Interesting... my RME ADI FS Pro is spec'd at +22dbu max output... that's just a hair under 10Vrms.
So, per P = V^2/R.... into 6 ohm speakers... a single F4 should put out ~17watts...
https://www.rme-audio.de/ADI-2-FS.html
http://www.uneeda-audio.com/images/dbtbl.pdf
Nope. You don't.I understand your point... but sometimes you need to realize that what you build may not be as good...
I don't care if I can't build as good. I need to build.
I am doing this to keep what skills are left viable to be able to get back to playing with big boy toys in the Maschine Shop - or not.
It is NOT a hobby. It was decades ago.Do BOTH.
It's a hobby.
Now it is a means to keep what "skills" I had from degenerating further to be able or NOT leave this bedroom 'maschine' shop to get back to building/restoring what I used to be able to do. In a real Maschine Restoration Shop.
This was mentioned to you in a PM you sent months ago.
Peace...
Try cranking the volume, but make sure it's not the Macho252SIT... not until we figure out why it smoked... twice...
Try cranking the volume, but make sure it's not the Macho252SIT... not until we figure out why it smoked... twice...
@KevinHeem
thanks, good to know@Zen Mod
I can solve the mosfet issue by buying paired ones,I'm more concerned about whether the dual power supply (four rails) in each amplifier will cause problems with connection and produce noise later. Does everything connect in the same way as when it is a single power supply (two rails) if I run them as parallel monoblocks and later as bridged via balanced inputs. Does anyone have this experience?
just chill
academically speaking, when bridging, better to have one set of references (common PSU for one case) but in praxis - go for it
if you made them proper (meaning, both channels in one case equally good) no reason to fret
as bonus - you'll always be happier when you use them in usual (one case stereo) way, knowing that you did best possible
academically speaking, when bridging, better to have one set of references (common PSU for one case) but in praxis - go for it
if you made them proper (meaning, both channels in one case equally good) no reason to fret
as bonus - you'll always be happier when you use them in usual (one case stereo) way, knowing that you did best possible
What do you mean, specifically?Will the Iron Pre balanced drive a pair of F4?
^ Yes. The Iron Pre can safely handle enough voltage swing to drive a typical F4 to beyond voltage clipping.
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