Aleph 2 monos are off the bench and playing music! These are using 5U deluxe chassis and the internals match the build doc in post #1. I know a few of you fearless builders have Aleph 2’s in your plans, go forth with confidence.
These run at 44-45v rails and 3A bias. Fantastic sound.
Note: blue tape is to prevent scratches on the bench, not a secret mod...
First play is French NWOTHM band Herzel - Le Dernier Rempart LP on red vinyl. One of my favorite 2021 releases. Next up: several Midnight Oil LP's to prepare for their concert tomorrow night. Final Oils tour is upon us!
These run at 44-45v rails and 3A bias. Fantastic sound.
Note: blue tape is to prevent scratches on the bench, not a secret mod...
First play is French NWOTHM band Herzel - Le Dernier Rempart LP on red vinyl. One of my favorite 2021 releases. Next up: several Midnight Oil LP's to prepare for their concert tomorrow night. Final Oils tour is upon us!
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Here I sit, in my home office, enjoying my F6 and a martini as the kids play Mario Kart downstairs with sound provided by a pair of Aleph A60 monoblocks.
Sigh
Sigh
^ But, papa - the mids are sublime when I wipe out my opponent with the banana! Moreover, you should hear the authoritative bass when I use the bombs!
Poor little younguns.... 🙂
Poor little younguns.... 🙂
The fireworks that go off as you take that final hairpin on Mario Stadium do have a palpable presence.
But seriously, the attention to detail in the game (visually, sonically, game play) really is astonishing. I'm guessing the R&D budget for a mainline game like that rivals that of an auto maker bringing a new car to market: billions.
But seriously, the attention to detail in the game (visually, sonically, game play) really is astonishing. I'm guessing the R&D budget for a mainline game like that rivals that of an auto maker bringing a new car to market: billions.
(1) Playing that kind of music to break in those fine amplifiers is mean. What next? David Hasselhoff singing in German?
(2) I saw Midnight Oil back when they weren't famous in the US, I think it was '84 or so. KROQ used to sponsor up and coming bands.
(3) 55F heatsinks... I need to measure the A5 monos. SoCal Edison charges 22 cents per KwH so running the AC can get pretty pricey to keep the room cool.
(4) Is that a JBL L100 in the background?
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sayin' nuttin' about rhthacher's choice ...... but this ...........
can imagine only listening R. Cleiderman is worse experience
We rebuilt the house about 22 years ago. I paid a lot of attention to wiring, room size, wall materials, etc... except for one little detail... the sound travels from the den to the living room across the dining room and hallway... it's not an open concept but the traffic flows well.
So now my wife has a habit of watching Korean Soap Operas, subtitled.. in the den, and I can't play the stereo in the living room. And since we both work from home, when she's in her office at the back of the house, half the time on a conference call, I can't play the stereo in the living room.
I'm stuck with a NuForce DDA100 driving the AE1s in my office. Not bad, but definitely not the A5s or F5 in the living room.
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My audio test tracks include:
- Melody Gardot - Your Heart is as Black as Night
- Maria Taylor - Time Lapse Lifeline
- Amy Macdonald - This is the Life
- Bela Fleck - Flight of the Cosmic Hippo (bass test)
- Black Sabbath - Sign of the Southern Cross (RIP Ronnie James Dio)
- Black Sabbath - Children of the Sea (again, RIP RJD)
- Emiliana Torrini - Hold Heart
- Jablkon - Na Jednom Svete
- Ladytron - Black Cat
- Johnny Cash - Solitary Man
- Natalie Merchant - Motherland
- Metric - Speed the Collapse
- Neko Case - Hold on, Hold on
- Plus some songs from: Rush, Iron Maiden, Hour of 13, Cake, Decemberists, Judas Priest, Witchcraft, Charles Mingus, Dead Can Dance, Jimmy Cliff, Blood Ceremony, Lenka, R.E.M., and The Lord Weird Slough Feg.
These are all well and good. But I need to share a test my wife invented when I was testing a pair of ACA's. How do I test both channels are working properly? She suggested playing the music of David "The Hoff" Hasselhoff. And now test is called "The Bilateral Hoff Test." All amplifiers built or repaired in my house are subject to this rigorous check.
It goes without saying that the sound of The Hoff's golden voice is a true test of quality. It can be a rocker like "Hot Shot City", a party favorite like "Do the Limbo Dance", or the sweet serenade "Du" (auf Deutsch) - these all prove the quality of the audio chain. If we're feeling particularly saucy, we might go for "True Survivor", which was featured in the Swedish film masterpiece "Kung Fury". I offer my highest recommendation of this Hoff track and the movie. Seriously, watch this movie.
And the speakers are JBL 4410 monitors. Which, I should note, bring out the richness of The Hoff's voice.
For the record: These Aleph 2's did use the tracks "Du" and "Looking for Freedom" in a double dose of the Bilateral Hoff Test.
This video says it all. Enjoy!
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That Hoff is so cheesy... I love it. I don't get why the Germans are so taken with that guy, But now I'll just have to try the BHT ( Bilaterial Hoff Test ) too, Handy to test the system balance.
Ohio has lots of people with German descend.... maybe that explains it. ;-)
I was playing Yello on the A5 and Maggies today. The left heatsinks were at 98F, the right at 90F. I'm not quite sure those measurements were, though, I was using one of them fancy laser shooting gizmos my daughter bought me and I'm not quite sure how well they measure those heatsinks.
At not very loud levels, playing Traffic, my Rat Shack power meters were showing 10 watts ( the new "First Ten Watts" applies for Maggies ).
This is probably a question for Randy or Ben. What type of wires do you use to allow you to twist them so tightly together?
Totally off topic: We used to have someone in the office who's a dead ringer for the Hoff.
Thanks,
Dennis
Totally off topic: We used to have someone in the office who's a dead ringer for the Hoff.
Thanks,
Dennis
mains: 14 ga THHN
DC, umbilical, speaker: 16 ga stranded hookup wire
Input: 22 ga stranded or Ethernet cat6
I put one end of the 14/16 ga wire in my bench vise and the other end in a drill. Then spin it to make a nice twist. For the signal wire I use the drill and hold the other end in my hand.