Aleph J illustrated build guide

Just finished putting together an Aleph J. Not quite finished, with a few remaining things to sort out including wiring up the speaker turn on delay circuit and making a face plate for the front of the chassis.

Started out planning a dual mono configuration but ended up using this 650VA R-Core feeding dual PSU boards.

Listening to a DSD of Cannonball Adderly - Somethin’ Else playing through a tube output DAC into some Fostex Sigma full range drivers in large horns.

It sounds absolutely stunning! Thank you Papa, 6L6, Didiet78, Laverda and all the great knowledge offered throughout this thread!

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Nice!
Cool looking transformer🤘🙂🔥
Seems that you opted for fancy C1 caps👍


Aleph J number two, coming up! 😇
 

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I have made ventilation mods in the bottom plate for enhanced transformer cooling, as a safety margin on those really warm summer days ☀️🙂🔥

Will post the new temperature readings in 24+ hours.

Picture shows, before ventilation mod, that even the transformer got himself a rubber foot🙃

——-

I mailed Toroidy about transformer temperatures:

” Hello, how high temperature is highest recomended/safe to run the Toroidy transformer? What temperature leads to faliure?

In my class A amplifier the transformer reaches 65C after 48 hours on time. Is that way to high, should i add more cooling vents? It is a 300VA transformer and i am pulling 190W continous power from the 230V grid. ”

They answered:

” Dear Jonas.

Normal operating temperature is up to 70*C.
Temperature above 90*C may lead to failure.

Best Regards / Serdecznie pozdrawiam,
Tomasz Lachowski ”
 

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10 Hour warmup🙂
Both channels driven.

27C ambient besides the Aleph J on the stereo/Dolby Atmos bench. Since 7 other channels, besides the Aleph is warming the room 🤗
And More channels on the build!

53,4C at the warmest part of the heatsinks.

59,9C at the transformer. I am at this point not even the slightest worried about the temps. 🤘🙂🔥


Insanely tight and funky version of Michael Jacksons classic masterpiece - Thriller. Remember. Crankit up!!!



Note the added ❄️ventilation❄️ holes around the transformer:
 

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In my class A amplifier the transformer reaches 65C after 48 hours on time. Is that way to high, should i add more cooling vents? It is a 300VA transformer and i am pulling 190W continous power from the 230V grid.

Hmmm.. can we adapt what Papa wrote about toroidal transformes in his Power Supply article?
If I try to scale those values you would need 570 watt transformer. :spin: Three times of drawn watts.
Even if we scale those values to two times of drawn watts, you would still need 380 watt transformer.
Just a food for thoughts. :unsure:
 
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Hmmm.. can we adapt what Papa wrote about toroidal transformes in his Power Supply article?
If I try to scale those values you would need 570 watt transformer. :spin: Three times of drawn watts.
Even if we scale those values to two times of drawn watts, you would still need 380 watt transformer.
Just a food for thoughts. :unsure:

You are asking exellent questions. Simply exellent!

But ponder this. Do not overkill the amplifier if it sings. Just dont. 🙂

Because in my humble opinion: the strive for the higest possible perfection from a measureable ”objective” standpoint results to:

Play only Diana Krall recordings.

And i love the lady and many of her songs 🤗

But it is a predictable and a somewhat sterile desert. To be honest 🥰

In my opinion. Not newbie, but a highly non important personal. OPINION.

🤗
 
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Hmmm.. can we adapt what Papa wrote about toroidal transformes in his Power Supply article?
If I try to scale those values you would need 570 watt transformer. :spin: Three times of drawn watts.
Even if we scale those values to two times of drawn watts, you would still need 380 watt transformer.
Just a food for thoughts. :unsure:
He dis write that. Later he wrote that he routinely maxes his transformers VA rating at the mere cost of mechanical noise. And also the FW’s use 300vA. So all in all he shouldn’t worry, is my opinion.

We are FAB. We aren’t scared of a little heat :rofl:

Plus, he lives in northern Sweden, just east of my home town. I wouldn’t worry too much about summer temps either :)
 
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He dis write that. Later he wrote that he routinely maxes his transformers VA rating at the mere cost of mechanical noise. And also the FW’s use 300vA. So all in all he shouldn’t worry, is my opinion.

We are FAB. We aren’t scared of a little heat :rofl:

Plus, he lives in northern Sweden, just east of my home town. I wouldn’t worry too much about summer temps either :)


Okey.

Listen to this:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1d...w&context=spotify:show:07l62eudxtdIc6e1K1qeYs
 
I oversize too/run dual mono. But not because I am afraid of temp, mostly because my old tranny sucked and sent all kinds of crap into the audio chain. Wanted silent trannies with low load.

I have the same trannies as JeyDee, but two for one AJ, so double up. I’ll measure temps and post some time, for comparison.

Regards,
Andy
 
Another one singing.
I add a picture of transformer temperature for compare (4 hours in closed 4U/400mm) . Those are 300VA donuts from local manufacturer. They are wind on the bigger core as " audio" feature.

Amp is dead quiet.
 

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Another one singing.
I add a picture of transformer temperature for compare (4 hours in closed 4U/400mm) . Those are 300VA donuts from local manufacturer. They are wind on the bigger core as " audio" feature.

Amp is dead quiet.


Looking great! Only 47,5C - thats chilled tranformers. So. Time to Let the good times roll, and play some music! 🙂

 
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