Thank you to DIY Audio Store (and probably Mr. Pass) for obtaining this definitive information. I think this puts to bed the issue about grading of the NuTube which I raised.
Accordingly, it seems that DIY constructors should consider following the steps I suggest testing of Zener Diodes and resistors), and careful review of electrolytic PS capacitors, to reduce the possibility that construction error will result in damage to an otherwise functional NuTube.
Accordingly, it seems that DIY constructors should consider following the steps I suggest testing of Zener Diodes and resistors), and careful review of electrolytic PS capacitors, to reduce the possibility that construction error will result in damage to an otherwise functional NuTube.
This addresses all concerns for me too. Thanks Jason for your attention and follow-up on these concerns.
BUT, it appears Korg mounts their units with a ribbon cable to allow suspension. Are those cables available?
BUT, it appears Korg mounts their units with a ribbon cable to allow suspension. Are those cables available?
Yes you can actually buy these mounting kits but i had to order them from England. You get everything pictured (except that little raised mounting stem shown in the bottom picture) . I'll have to look up the ordering info and send it along
Cheers, Pete
Cheers, Pete
I am using the "carrier PCB" listed here and used rubber isolator stand-offs. I hard-wired it to the main board, but used the technique described earlier in this thread about coiling the fly wires a few times to absorb any vibrations and that seems to work well. I have a Korg Nutube overdrive pedal kit I built that uses the carrier PCB and their ribbon cable set. The board has two pieces of typical window insulation grey foam taped to the top/bottom and incredibly in a stomp box on the floor in front of a guitar amplifier I get no microphonic issues there either.
NuTube
--Tom
Chanthing: just to make you aware of a socket for the Nutube. It’s made by Korg as part of a kit you can buy. You’ll have to use a thicker piece of foam to support the Nutube onto the PCB but makes changing a snap. True, it’s a bit ridge of a structure and may lead to vibration transmission but the socket will accomplish what you seek and the male pinning fits the B1K exactly.
I posted the info on the kit recently in this forum so I won’t do it again.
Cheer, Pete
I posted the info on the kit recently in this forum so I won’t do it again.
Cheer, Pete
Attachments
I thought I would build the B1 Korg next but the Completion Parts portion of the kit in the store is out of stock. I understand there are significant supply shortages across the component supply line but is there the intention to stock the full kit again or am I better off ordering the components individually myself? I assume there is a BOM somewhere although I haven't stumbled across it yet.
Wow. Cool. Thanks for the pointer. When I went looking, I only found things that looked like breakout boards where the NuTube still had to be soldered in.
-- Thing
Look to post #s 5010, 5038 and 5092 for (unofficial?) BOMs.
Cheers,
Pete
Thanks Pete. That was very helpful. Still no input on whether the full Korg B1 kit/completion parts was just a one off or something that will be restocked if/when the store can get parts. I know timing is probably very uncertain but it would be nice to know what the intention is.
We're waiting for it to be restocked by our supplier.
To date all our kits have been put together by friendly and dedicated DIYers like yourself, generous with their time, and literally on their kitchen benches.
This usually works great for the first round or two but then typically "life gets in the way" which is totally understandable and just how these things go. I'm extremely grateful for all the help we've had from many passionate DIYers on this front to date, which has allowed us to get this far.
Our plan for this in the medium term is to bring production in-house to solve availability and QC issues created by the current ad-hoc nature of things and create the best experience for the customer possible, but right now we're focused on urgent forum and store platform migrations and don't have time to address this yet.
Once those are out of the way, we will be addressing the issue of assembled kit availability and continuity as a priority. Probably Q4 2021.
To date all our kits have been put together by friendly and dedicated DIYers like yourself, generous with their time, and literally on their kitchen benches.
This usually works great for the first round or two but then typically "life gets in the way" which is totally understandable and just how these things go. I'm extremely grateful for all the help we've had from many passionate DIYers on this front to date, which has allowed us to get this far.
Our plan for this in the medium term is to bring production in-house to solve availability and QC issues created by the current ad-hoc nature of things and create the best experience for the customer possible, but right now we're focused on urgent forum and store platform migrations and don't have time to address this yet.
Once those are out of the way, we will be addressing the issue of assembled kit availability and continuity as a priority. Probably Q4 2021.
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Thanks for that clarification. I have an Elekit preamp coming next week but assuming that doesn't sate my need for new audio equipment I'll start ordering the parts for a B1 Korg on my own.
Two tube preamps. That should be interesting. It will be interesting to hear your listening impressions between the two.
Ha, I sometimes think I like listening to the gear more than I like listening to the music. I've built five FirstWatt amps so far and have really enjoyed spending the last couple of weeks listening to the M2x with all of its daughter cards and opamp variations. Once you start throwing in a few preamps the number of permutations seems endless! I just wish I had golden ears and perfect aural memory.
Yeah, I’d be interested in hearing his opinion on the Elekit vs the B1K…of course the Elekit allows tube rolling which complicates things but gives it a versatility edge?
Pete
Pete
If you’re asking about the resistor used for the LED on the power switch, the one shown in the build guide looks to be a 10K (brn, blk, blk, red, brn). I used a 3.3K since it gave a bit more brightness to the LED that I used. I didn’t buy the kit or the finishing kit so I picked my own components.
Is that what you were addressing?
Cheers
Is that what you were addressing?
Cheers
I am vacillating on whether or not I will actually build the B1K. Right now I am pretty happy with the Waynes BA2018 Linestage which seems to be beating out the Elekit TU-8500DX on my system. The BA2018 has this crazy level of separation, detail and purity along with excellent dynamics and drama. The Elekit has a much more laid back presentation, kind of smoother and more mellow. The BA2018 is a bit bright while the Elekit is on the warm side. Both have a very good soundstage although I think I would give the edge to the BA2018. The Elekit has a 2 dB imbalance between the left and right channels which is irritating and I haven't figured out what is causing that. It is easily corrected with Roon for streaming but ... Also, I did put in Sylvania tubes which made a modest improvement, but the Elekit really isn't suited to tube rolling. At least with my fat fingers replacing the tubes is time consuming and stressful.
I am using the preamps with the First Watt M2x with the Tucson daughter board and Burson V6 Classic opamps and the source is a SMSL-SU-9 DAC. The Tucson/Burson combo is by far and away my favorite input stage for the M2x and that has become my favorite amp out of the 5 First Watt amps I have built. I will say that with some of the other daughter cards and opamps I tried with the M2x the BA2018 was too much and I was getting some glare or shoutyness in the midrange with female vocals and things like saxophones. I haven't run into that with the Elekit but the Elekit gives up some of the dynamics the BA2018 brings. My speakers are the Tekton Moabs which are a tad warm and not quite as detailed as I would like so the BA2018 is a really good combo for my system right now but if you have bright speakers I bet it would seem fatiguing and the Elekit wouldn't.