Those Aphex exciters were more complicated, and I am not sure they defined a harmonic palate. I think they probably compressed and juiced the upper midrange to klang and bite a bit.
Adding second order harmonics with NuTube is likely more subtle. I think the comment has been made that with amplifiers with predominantly third order harmonics, it can provide some enhancement.
I am curious to try it out with commercial First Watt M2.
Adding second order harmonics with NuTube is likely more subtle. I think the comment has been made that with amplifiers with predominantly third order harmonics, it can provide some enhancement.
I am curious to try it out with commercial First Watt M2.
ZM, you were sceptical from the beginning, tell me something to make me ditch this whole idea and go for big tube preamps and possibly a sad and untimely demise.
Maybe that is what is "wrong" with the Firstwatt F5, too much third order harmonics, and this is just ploy to make us fix the problem without realising that there was a problem from the beginning. Ingenious.
nope , I wasn't skeptical in general ..... if nothing else - I believe in Pa's choices - when he thinks that something is worth making , it's worth making , and there is certainly enough souls to make a targeted group
I was (sort of) against , specifically not seeing it (funny tube ) as interesting for my own needs , from several reasons :
- I have my own sweeteners in entertaining systems I have ;
- I like my tubes glowing
-I like my tubes pumping some current, being on verge of Berserk
so , even if tripled "my" , I can be (just) Greediest Boy , but not all Greedy Boyz
🙂
I gave you my reasoning , choice is yours .....
(besides all that , you can notice that I became hysteric lately regarding volume pots , doing everything possible to squeeze as many functions in least number of stages , I can manage ........ but , again - that's just Mighty Moi)
I have to build it. If he said it will make my F5 sing, I will listen. I even dreamt up an idea to reduce microphonics involving some hooks and ropes.
P3 (in latest rev. of F5) is making all the difference
Pa gave us that as tool to make it either Munchmellow or Screaming Eagle , according to our personal liking
so , no need for Korg B1 there , except as patch for incompetence
(either of someone not able to make proper F5 , or someone able to buy ML amp , needing some sugar
)
P3 (in latest rev. of F5) is making all the difference
Pa gave us that as tool to make it either Munchmellow or Screaming Eagle , according to our personal liking
so , no need for Korg B1 there , except as patch for incompetence
(either of someone not able to make proper F5 , or someone able to buy ML amp , needing some sugar
I built the first version... stupid technology keeps evolving.
aha
so you were fully in power of randomness , combining random xconductance and Idss of P channel JFet with random xconductance and Idss of N channel JFet with random xconductance and Idss of P channel Mosfet with random xconductance and Idss of N channel Mosfet
including P3 in V1 pcb is trivial thing , and even semi-decent sound card , hour of reading , is enough to do some THD analysis/setting work
🙂
ok , now that's a Blasphemy ..........
I have already tried it with a 26 based, tube rectified driver stage. It pushed the M2 maybe 30 percent toward VFET sound, which is an awfully good place to be, poised between organic and energetic (M2) and a bit of the spooks (VFET).
I find the Korg triode a fascinating object, and this project with my limited DIY skills is probably one of the first I think I can actually build and deploy.
My review
I dont read audio reviews 🙂. And dont think I'm qualified to give them. The most important thing I think I could say is this: in our house a stereo is an appliance. It runs almost constantly. Like the air conditioner ( we live in texas ). So I dont need, or want, it to be a reproduction machine like would be wanted for a recording studio. I need it to be comfortable for hours of listening. Almost daily. The nutube driving the vfet does that really well.
FWIW- when I built the F4 I ended up biasing it lower than the instructions because it sounded "dead" to me at higher bias. So maybe I just like distortion 😉
I dont read audio reviews 🙂. And dont think I'm qualified to give them. The most important thing I think I could say is this: in our house a stereo is an appliance. It runs almost constantly. Like the air conditioner ( we live in texas ). So I dont need, or want, it to be a reproduction machine like would be wanted for a recording studio. I need it to be comfortable for hours of listening. Almost daily. The nutube driving the vfet does that really well.
FWIW- when I built the F4 I ended up biasing it lower than the instructions because it sounded "dead" to me at higher bias. So maybe I just like distortion 😉
To add onto delecoy's comments, I am running my B1/Korg through an F5 to a pair of LSA-1s in a very small second listening room, which is my DIY rig. I initially was using a BA-3 FE as the preamp and am now listening with the B1/Korg. The B1/Korg blows my BA-3 away in terms of soundstage and imaging. The BA-3 surpasses the B1/Korg in bass accuracy and extension.
While this isn't a reference system by any stretch, the B1/Korg made the LSA's disappear in a way that the BA-3 did not -- and it does so in a very rich, organic way that keeps you listening. I'll take that transparency over bass any day.
The BA-3 measures with extremely low distortion, and I haven't taken the time to adjust P3 to get the 2nd harmonics in the same range as the B1/Korg for an even match in the distortion department. Not sure I will -- I like the B1/Korg too much.
While this isn't a reference system by any stretch, the B1/Korg made the LSA's disappear in a way that the BA-3 did not -- and it does so in a very rich, organic way that keeps you listening. I'll take that transparency over bass any day.
The BA-3 measures with extremely low distortion, and I haven't taken the time to adjust P3 to get the 2nd harmonics in the same range as the B1/Korg for an even match in the distortion department. Not sure I will -- I like the B1/Korg too much.
Late thanks to qwertyl N1 korg board and fets has arrived.will now start to assemble the parts required.Also a big thank you to Nelson Pass for his generosity very much appreciated.Regards spades
Thanks! Looks like my nightly rants inspired you to write some good reviews of the B1 Triode. I can now sit back and wait patiently for the parts.
Korg preamp board with jfet's Idss = 4.5mA are received. Yoopy Hooray make me joyful! Incredible !
Thanks for efforts to Mr. Pass aka Papa aka Wiz and All Elves Volunteers Sir Dewdrop, Gary S, Dennis Hui, Bk856er and Qwertyl
highly appreciated help work to distribute Christmas Santa Nelson gift.
Thanks one more time to All Diyers for the kindnees and constructive thinking and sharing
Thanks for efforts to Mr. Pass aka Papa aka Wiz and All Elves Volunteers Sir Dewdrop, Gary S, Dennis Hui, Bk856er and Qwertyl
highly appreciated help work to distribute Christmas Santa Nelson gift.
Thanks one more time to All Diyers for the kindnees and constructive thinking and sharing
Attachments
The vfet part 2 amp, from the kit. Single pair. Thank you for that as well 🙂. I have boards and parts for the CSX1 version also. Just havent gotten around to building it, yet.
In a document none of you have read yet, but will soon, Papa said "As I write this he is putting one together..." And here are the first photos of that build. 😀
This is the CHRISTMAS version, put together in an evening by me using parts and pieces I had on hand. There will be a store version of the PCB that's just a touch different and most likely a full kit with a chassis. This is not the kit nor an official build guide.
Shown using a small 1U Galaxy chassis I had on the shelf, it's almost the perfect size. Galaxy 1U w/Steel Covers – diyAudio Store
The black pot is a long discontinued 50K Noble, the rotary switch a 3-position Grayhill. Other random bits from my coffee cans of parts. It's quiet, small, and sounds fantastic. This will be a very popular project, and you guys are on the leading edge.
I will have photo of the PCB being stuffed as well, although there's really nothing to it...
Stuffed PCB
This is the CHRISTMAS version, put together in an evening by me using parts and pieces I had on hand. There will be a store version of the PCB that's just a touch different and most likely a full kit with a chassis. This is not the kit nor an official build guide.
Shown using a small 1U Galaxy chassis I had on the shelf, it's almost the perfect size. Galaxy 1U w/Steel Covers – diyAudio Store
The black pot is a long discontinued 50K Noble, the rotary switch a 3-position Grayhill. Other random bits from my coffee cans of parts. It's quiet, small, and sounds fantastic. This will be a very popular project, and you guys are on the leading edge.
I will have photo of the PCB being stuffed as well, although there's really nothing to it...
Stuffed PCB
Attachments
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