A misunderstanding on my part. I thought the members were able to place an order at any time and the start time a few minutes ago was for customers.
Thanks
Thanks
Yeah, the countdown was really stressful but it ended with joy!
It was weird... the clock was off by one hour this morning.. so when I refreshed the page it got fixed.
Woohoo... THANK YOU.
Woohoo... THANK YOU.
OK, a crass question...how many watts is this bad boy 🙂 My Zu's will be fine with anything, just curious.
I run a pair of Dayton Audio MKSX4 with a Parasound Z amp and a Rolls SX45 crossover. Just to add a little bit of oomph to the monitor speakers. I've found those shallow boxes fit nicely within the posts of the Target 28" speaker stands and a little bit of oomph does fill in whatever issues the amp might have.
The Sony VFET N channel drives even a pair of 85db/w monitors nicely in a small room. It does lack a little bit of deep bass, but the midrange and treble and soundstage are very good. You can listen to it for hours with no fatigue.
Not crass... great question... it's in a few articles. So, a bit of homework / math.
If it reaches voltage clipping at ~11Vp, and it doesn't run out of current at 11Vp into an 8ohm load. What's the power in Watts (rms) into 8 ohms?
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Homework!? I'm a paying customer, you can't make me do homework!
Would the answer be:
V²/R = P
11^2 / 8 = 15.125 watts?
Would the answer be:
V²/R = P
11^2 / 8 = 15.125 watts?
But no fret, I know I'm not worthy
to clarify things ......... of course that I was joking
though, Jason (DiyA main Honcho, for uninitiated Greenhorns) contacted me, explaining that - even if I have all benefits and rights of Eternally VIP DiyA Member (whatever that means), my badge of Official Court Jester is so much outa system, that it's simply impossible to make it functional in any sort of automated e-mail communication
Go figure ....
It can't be better ....... All the Glory, Zero Responsibility
It's OK.... I hear they want to make me the Official DIYAudio Pest with no rights of distribution whatsoever and all the responsibilities of explaining exactly what my verbal vituperations consist of...
Oh well... It's OK, I'm up to 42 amps now.
I had a dream.... about finding some kind of cage system where the FE for amps could be retrofitted into amps. Then, you'd get a chassis with OP and power supply and just plug and play your FE into it. The input connectors would be part of the "rear plate" of the slide in tray. Then there would be some kind of a standard plug schema at the back of the "rail".
I wonder if someone makes something like that.... or perhaps Gianluca could come up with such an option?
Meanwhile, I got my P Channel amp with Marauder. What me worry?
This is me today... really...
Oh well... It's OK, I'm up to 42 amps now.
I had a dream.... about finding some kind of cage system where the FE for amps could be retrofitted into amps. Then, you'd get a chassis with OP and power supply and just plug and play your FE into it. The input connectors would be part of the "rear plate" of the slide in tray. Then there would be some kind of a standard plug schema at the back of the "rail".
I wonder if someone makes something like that.... or perhaps Gianluca could come up with such an option?
Meanwhile, I got my P Channel amp with Marauder. What me worry?
This is me today... really...
OK I am totally cheating, which might bury me even deeper...
Does the Vp 11 need to me converted to Vrms first?
11
Sqrt(2) = 7.78 volts RMS
7.78^2 / 8 = 7.56 watts?
Does the Vp 11 need to me converted to Vrms first?
11
Sqrt(2) = 7.78 volts RMS
7.78^2 / 8 = 7.56 watts?
FE2022 does not include an Edcor step up transformer. Dreadnought and Marauder also do not include an Edcor step up transformer.
Bulwark does include an Edcor.
This might perhaps be significant, for people who have strong opinions about the sonic benefits or detriments of an Edcor transformer. The very same Edcor transformer which gives the M2 / M2x its unique sonic signature. Note well: there are three ways to get not-an-Edcor front end. There is one way to get with-Edcor front end. And then the Big Questions, which I'm confident different listeners will give different answers to: Which has greater influence, using a VFET follower output stage, or using an Edcor in the front end? Do they add synergistically? Or is it disastrous to have both in the same amp?
Another way the front end options differ from one another is:
FE2022 can swing its output about 34-35 volts, peak to trough. That signal drives the VFET output card.
Dreadnought and Marauder can swing their output about 56 volts, peak to trough. But, but, how is that possible when the VFET amp's power supply is only 36 volts? Answer: both Dreadnought and Marauder include a DC-to-DC converter, to generate a high voltage on-card supply. Their amplification circuits run from the high voltage supply, whose signal name is "POS_BOOSTED" on the schematics posted to diyAudio. Have a look, it's kind of slick, in my opinion.
Bulwark is capable of a ridiculously large output swing; I estimate it's greater than 100 volts, peak to trough (!). How does that work? Easy: the Bulwark electronics can swing >20V peak-to-trough, and then the Edcor transformer steps it up 5-to-1. 100 volts peak to trough would, of course, send the VFET output card into serious clipping and you should avoid that. But it's amusing to know what Bulwark can do, if you ask it to. I'm pretty sure the reason why Nelson Pass included an Edcor on the original VFET front end cards, was because the step up transformer allows extremely large output swing, waaaay beyond the supply rails, from a single component. Minimum complexity.
I should also mention that all four of these front end boards are normal DIY projects whose schematics, PCB manufacturing Gerber files, and detailed parts lists are publicly available with free download. You can build any and all of them yourself, just like other DIY projects: Order the boards from a fab, order the parts from Mouser/Farnell/DigiKey, and build away. It's not required that you must purchase kit(s) from the diyAudio Store. You are free to D.I.Y.
And if you're adventurous you can explore the seven additional "Ship Of Theseus" front end cards, which are mechanically and electrically interchangeable with the VFET front ends. They are called Nimitz, Hornet, Kitty Hawk, Missouri, Pequod, Lexington, and Bon Homme Richard. All seven of them are publicly available with free downloads of schematics, Gerbers, Parts Lists. Lexington is the only one with no Edcor; it contains a DC-to-DC converter. The other six include an Edcor transformer and have ridiculously large maximum output swings, like Bulwark.
Bulwark does include an Edcor.
This might perhaps be significant, for people who have strong opinions about the sonic benefits or detriments of an Edcor transformer. The very same Edcor transformer which gives the M2 / M2x its unique sonic signature. Note well: there are three ways to get not-an-Edcor front end. There is one way to get with-Edcor front end. And then the Big Questions, which I'm confident different listeners will give different answers to: Which has greater influence, using a VFET follower output stage, or using an Edcor in the front end? Do they add synergistically? Or is it disastrous to have both in the same amp?
Another way the front end options differ from one another is:
FE2022 can swing its output about 34-35 volts, peak to trough. That signal drives the VFET output card.
Dreadnought and Marauder can swing their output about 56 volts, peak to trough. But, but, how is that possible when the VFET amp's power supply is only 36 volts? Answer: both Dreadnought and Marauder include a DC-to-DC converter, to generate a high voltage on-card supply. Their amplification circuits run from the high voltage supply, whose signal name is "POS_BOOSTED" on the schematics posted to diyAudio. Have a look, it's kind of slick, in my opinion.
Bulwark is capable of a ridiculously large output swing; I estimate it's greater than 100 volts, peak to trough (!). How does that work? Easy: the Bulwark electronics can swing >20V peak-to-trough, and then the Edcor transformer steps it up 5-to-1. 100 volts peak to trough would, of course, send the VFET output card into serious clipping and you should avoid that. But it's amusing to know what Bulwark can do, if you ask it to. I'm pretty sure the reason why Nelson Pass included an Edcor on the original VFET front end cards, was because the step up transformer allows extremely large output swing, waaaay beyond the supply rails, from a single component. Minimum complexity.
I should also mention that all four of these front end boards are normal DIY projects whose schematics, PCB manufacturing Gerber files, and detailed parts lists are publicly available with free download. You can build any and all of them yourself, just like other DIY projects: Order the boards from a fab, order the parts from Mouser/Farnell/DigiKey, and build away. It's not required that you must purchase kit(s) from the diyAudio Store. You are free to D.I.Y.
And if you're adventurous you can explore the seven additional "Ship Of Theseus" front end cards, which are mechanically and electrically interchangeable with the VFET front ends. They are called Nimitz, Hornet, Kitty Hawk, Missouri, Pequod, Lexington, and Bon Homme Richard. All seven of them are publicly available with free downloads of schematics, Gerbers, Parts Lists. Lexington is the only one with no Edcor; it contains a DC-to-DC converter. The other six include an Edcor transformer and have ridiculously large maximum output swings, like Bulwark.
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Thanks Mark, super helpful. I chose the Bulwark for that reason (it used the Edcor and was the most 'different' from the stock FE2022 that comes with the amp).
I understand the sound aspect is subjective, but any more context on the differences between the cards, anything to be aware of?
I understand the sound aspect is subjective, but any more context on the differences between the cards, anything to be aware of?
How "interchangeable" are they?
The same wiring and electrical characteristics?
Does the OP need rebiasing when swapping them?
Could they be plug and play?
The front ends are voltage gain circuits. If you package them with a power supply and volume pot, and input and output jacks and a source selector, you have a high gain preamp.
The output stage does not need any changes when switching front ends. The output stage can be used as a standalone amplifier. When a follower amplifier output stage (which has no voltage gain) is used as a standalone amplifier the preamp needs to provide enough signal voltage, hence the high gain preamp or front end.
The output stage does not need any changes when switching front ends. The output stage can be used as a standalone amplifier. When a follower amplifier output stage (which has no voltage gain) is used as a standalone amplifier the preamp needs to provide enough signal voltage, hence the high gain preamp or front end.
Pretty much back to what I started thinking a couple of years ago.
Sort of like driving an F4?
This is what I keep thinking of... this is a DAC, but you get the idea. The line connectors on the left would be the FE for the amp.
I suppose you could throw a volume control in the front panel and make it an integrated but that would mess the wiring big time.
At its simplest, the amp would have straightforward wired through from the back panel to the OP.
To change FE, you'd shut down the power, slide out the old FE, slide in the new FE, power up and move on.
Sort of like driving an F4?
This is what I keep thinking of... this is a DAC, but you get the idea. The line connectors on the left would be the FE for the amp.
I suppose you could throw a volume control in the front panel and make it an integrated but that would mess the wiring big time.
At its simplest, the amp would have straightforward wired through from the back panel to the OP.
To change FE, you'd shut down the power, slide out the old FE, slide in the new FE, power up and move on.
Attachments
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