DIY Audio Ottawa 21-22 Feb 2015

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#163
My notes from this year’s get-together were not so easy to get together. I managed to spend a good amount of time there (but not as much as Mark) and saw/heard/discussed a lot of the equipment (and processes), but I also feel like I missed out on hearing/discussing a bunch!
Some of the highlights (for me):
- Pierre set up 2 turntables that I brought;
- Mark &/or Dave tested a couple of the speakers that I brought, and I had a brief discussion with Dave w.r.t. my intended overhaul of the vintage Noresco bookshelves.
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- Lectures/presentations were interesting & informative. I’ve got to give a shout-out to John ’s presentation - especially the part where he talked about the template for the front baffle of the Napoleon speaker (because he knows I have the drivers, etc., but haven’t built my pair yet);
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- I finally got to hear multisync’s hpa/pre-amp based on the Wire circuit; John has brought the (2-box) unit in previous years, but I think that this is the first time I got to hear it. (I know there’s some pictures somewhere, but can’t find them to link). I can remember it being set-up at the headphone table one year, but I also recall that headphone listening was not a viable option with other system(s) playing loud in the same room; however, in 2015, the unit was in use as a pre-amp, with a tablet as the source. Owen’s write-up for the Wire HPA PCB mentioned “I didn't want it to impart anything at all to the source signal”, and I could see that multisync’s pre-amp probably follows that philosophy (caveat: I was listening to a “system”, not just a pre-amp, so some speculation is involved).
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- Also from multisync were some Cornu Spiral speakers (c/r posts above, incl. 101 & 137, for John’s version). I was going back & forth between the 2 “rooms” at the venue, and although I don’t think I was that impressed when I heard them the 1st time, I was quite impressed when I went through the 2nd time. I know the music changed, but I don’t know if/what else in the system changed. In any case, I had been following the thread before our get-together, and the 2nd listen confirmed that the Cornu Spirals should be on my “to build” list.
 
#165
Hi Guys,

I'm doing a big basement clean-up and I'm getting rid of a bunch of items from projects I never got around to, and know I won't get around to!

Here's a brief list:

- Very nice tube power and output transformers from a pair of Heathkit monoblock amps. P/N 51-29 and 54-63 suitable for EL-84 tubes. $20 takes the lot (this is giving them away)

- Plenty of old tubes... some old, some new, some unknown. The whole box is free to a good home.

- large power transformers 500VA - 900VA - suitable for Pass Labs amp builds or high power class AB. Free to a good home.

- Chassis - two chassis suitable for preamps or class D power amps. Free to a good home.

- Computer water cooling stuff - two 120mm rads, 1 pump, 1 reservoir, lots of waterblocks. Free to a good home

- Various pieces of wood and other assorted aluminum chassis. All free

Everything is local pickup only which is why I'm posting it here. I'll keep everything until Wednesday when it's all either going in the garbage, or getting sold on ebay!

Send me a PM if there's something you want, and you can come get it!

Cheers,
Owen
 
#175
This post isn’t exactly “on topic” w.r.t. the 2014 Ottawa DIY, but it may be interesting to past attendees, and specifically those who went to the 2012 Ottawa DIY.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/clubs-events/199025-diy-ottawa-winter-2012
I’ve occasionally wondered “whatever happened to?” some very impressive speakers that Mark Kravchenko built & brought to our 2012 Ottawa DIY, and maybe other attendees did, too (since we were under the impression that this was leading towards a “kit” or some sort of commercial product offering). Each speaker used one planar tweeter + four mid-woofers (MMTMM) in a fairly large, but rather sleek horn-loaded (vented to rear) floor-standing box.
I don’t know that I can get the links to specific posts (e.g. #267 & #277) pasted into this comment, so I’ve copied a couple of excerpts from my write-up:
“We were all impressed.” “Ultimately, I know that these speakers are still under development, but I heard enough to suspect that these speakers will be “keepers” once they are available. “
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/clubs-events/199025-diy-ottawa-winter-2012-a-27.html
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/clubs-events/199025-diy-ottawa-winter-2012-a-28.html

(That’s the set-up… now on to the news)
While trolling the internet recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see an “update” mention of The Ultra horn-loaded two-way speaker in Mark’s blog on his website:
http://www.kravchenko-audio.com/blog
I expect that the current version/speakers are configured much like the prototype we saw, but use different drivers i.e. drivers designed and custom-built to Mark’s spec’s. Further info will have to wait on Mark’s post(s), of course. Nevertheless, I thought that I should share the news with a wider audience. Based on the progress he’s mentioned in his blog, I’d say that come our next meeting (i.e. 2016), Mark might actually be able to bring along a ready-to-audition pair! I, for one, look forward to hearing them.
- Ron
 
#176
Fall socializing

Hi guys,
There's a hobby CNC router project that meets at Maker Space North (MSN) on Sundays at 11:30.
inventorArtist CNC613: A Shared CNC Cutter (Ottawa)
Makerspace North
I haven't been to MSN for a few months (Owen and I dropped in but didn't get to see much at that time), so I'd like to check it out, as well as the Ottawa City Workshop.
Art-is-in Bakery is downstairs, so who's up for breakfast before MSN (around 9:30), or lunch after, this Sunday. Post your preference!
John
PS. Just saw the pricing for the CNC project, had thought the Sunday sessions were free to drop-in. I will check on that with the organizer.
 
#180
I'd opt for breakfast as Art Is In gets a little nuts later in the day on Sunday. All the hipsters wake up around 11:00 and make their way over there for brunch, so it can be a long wait unless you get there early 😉
 
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