I like loose twist and no shielding. It opens up the top register. My interconnect cables are not shielded either. You can use a differential microphone cable (110ohm impedance) if you wish... The 13 ohms vs 10 ohms is the resistance difference between two CL60's at room temperature + additional wiring...
RCA input => use ground-lift (10-15 ohm) resistor. This will sort out the buzz/hum.
See the photo attached
It is an AC path for (any eventual) noise that may be entering the amplifier from the DAC and associated interconnect wiring... I could tell the difference in sound - the high frequencies sounded more natural, pleasing and better extended with the capacitors (2 X 10nF silvered mica).
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In case you don't know how to insert the ground-lift resistor... you can test it first - see the first photo (before) and the second photo (after).
If all good and you can't hear the buzz any more, you can modify the PCB and provide a "permanent" solution - see the third photo (the copper trace).
If all good and you can't hear the buzz any more, you can modify the PCB and provide a "permanent" solution - see the third photo (the copper trace).
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Thanks so much! Gonna try swapping out the XLRs. Then the "central" ground. Then speaker return to PSU ground; see how it goes. Thing is, I listen to this a lot- so I'm loathe to have it down too long ;-)
And I'd love to build a 2nd PSU for it, but I have space in a 4U case. The Meanwell SPMSs are certainly intriguing.
And I'd love to build a 2nd PSU for it, but I have space in a 4U case. The Meanwell SPMSs are certainly intriguing.
Aleph J with XLR's will work reducing-the-buzz wise, but only if the input JFET transistor pair seas equal noise on their gates; this will happen only if the source is equally loading XLR + and -, i.e. only with a true XLR source... If you are planning to use XLR sockets (input), and then use RCA's (link pin 1 and pin 2 on the XLR, you will still need a ground-lift resistor.
You could just install the ground-lift resistor anyway, and then short it out with a piece of wire if you move to true XLR topology. It's a safer option.
You could just install the ground-lift resistor anyway, and then short it out with a piece of wire if you move to true XLR topology. It's a safer option.
As do I. Are you dual mono, or monoblocks?
AJ was very good with single PS, but when I went dual mono, ooh-la-la.
I've got boards, components, Cinemags and all for M2x and ZM SissySIT, but the dual mono AJ is so good, motivation to build either has been lacking.
Absolutely wonderful.
I'm running dual mono in a 5U case. Everything is as separated as I can get it short of sharing an earth ground. 
I'm certainly glad I made that decision. I'd never heard one with a single PSU, so don't have a point of reference. Only that mine is bee-yoo-tee-ful!
I'm certainly glad I made that decision. I'd never heard one with a single PSU, so don't have a point of reference. Only that mine is bee-yoo-tee-ful!
I am going to need a matching 5U-something to keep things symmetrical
C'mon in, the water's nice.
Two 5Us? I don't have a space that could locate both of them. I never actually put sizes into perspective, and now with the (much) smaller VFET case, even the 4U would be trouble, the 5U would be simply un-sellable to my wife and to my own aesthetics in our living room.
You guys either live in bigger spaces or have less constraints in general! Lucky you!
You guys either live in bigger spaces or have less constraints in general! Lucky you!
Ha! Truth on every level!
I do have a dedicated space to listen, but would have to reorganize some things to fit all that! I do have some equipment on evaluation loan from a friend (F4, Aegir, Korg B1B, and a truckload of headphones), so I’ll have to time it just right.
I do have a dedicated space to listen, but would have to reorganize some things to fit all that! I do have some equipment on evaluation loan from a friend (F4, Aegir, Korg B1B, and a truckload of headphones), so I’ll have to time it just right.
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I'm in the same boat.
"Another amp? What for??"
"Oh, well... that was for my office at work... But office is closed, and we're working from home, so here it is" And quite frankly I listen to it every chance I get.
Ergo, the chances of another amp showing up in the TV room: <5%. I also' I wonder if I could sneak in a Decware triode amp some day...
"Another amp? What for??"
"Oh, well... that was for my office at work... But office is closed, and we're working from home, so here it is
" And quite frankly I listen to it every chance I get. Ergo, the chances of another amp showing up in the TV room: <5%. I also' I wonder if I could sneak in a Decware triode amp some day...
LOL! No, in my case, my wife is worth a thousand 5Us. Hope that never changes. Still, even without wife, I think two 5Us is bordering the need of a dedicated room and a much better system all around, including room treatment. I'm keeping my wife for the foreseeable future!
While I do quite enjoy the sound of the Aegir, the Aleph J and F4 honestly walk all over it in terms of spaciousness and “layering”. Hard for me to put it into words since I’m just now learning how to “listen” to music instead of just passively consuming it. But it’s really amazing the distance between them in terms of sound quality. Reviews of the Aegir say it takes on a different life when bridged, but I have only one on loan, and I really don’t think I’ll go out of my way to find a second one. 
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Ha! Truth on every level!
I do have a dedicated space to listen, but would have to reorganize some things to fit all that! I do have some equipment on evaluation loan from a friend (F4, Aegir, Korg B1B, and a truckload of headphones), so I’ll have to time it just right.
Great looking room, man.
6L6's recommendation for the AJ to follow up my ACA project worked out so well, now he's on my shoulder whispering "M2X, M2X......".
So, does anybody have a line on mono block chassis with adequate heat sinks?
Maybe I'll go with 2 diyAudio store 4U's, each containing an M2X and SissySIT board. Have to do some measuring and see if they would fit into my IKEA towel shelves/stereo rack.
So, does anybody have a line on mono block chassis with adequate heat sinks?
Maybe I'll go with 2 diyAudio store 4U's, each containing an M2X and SissySIT board. Have to do some measuring and see if they would fit into my IKEA towel shelves/stereo rack.