I had the F4 built, fixed, biased bla bla bla and now working with the AudioResearch SP9 whose 20db output doesn't really make it, the BA-3 based preamp done but has to be fixed in a hum affecting it but off of testing doesn't seem to add much juice to drive the JBL L220 (90dbW/m) to their fullest, I love those speakers even tho I am a bass reflex fan and they are huge and looking like caskets (...), the easiest would be to give them away and get something smaller and a little more efficient to live happy with the F4 but, just in case, wondering if the DIY thing rises again, what would the F5T sound like compared to the F4? I gotta admit I miss the tube harmonics a bit...
Thanks
Thanks
after entire story about your amps - F4 finished in several attempts, BA3 FE not yet finished - my advice would be - build only what you can try in your system*** and you're satisfied with
do not build by recommendation, without listening test
anyhow, sort your BA3 FE and try F4 driven with that
then decide do you need something else
***inquire around, maybe some DiyA guy is close to you, so you can borrow some interesting amp
F5T is amp for experienced builder; anyone who made it without having proper mileage simply had a luck; even then it certainly isn't tuned intentionally ( THD SPectra) but rather randomly
do not build by recommendation, without listening test
anyhow, sort your BA3 FE and try F4 driven with that
then decide do you need something else
***inquire around, maybe some DiyA guy is close to you, so you can borrow some interesting amp
F5T is amp for experienced builder; anyone who made it without having proper mileage simply had a luck; even then it certainly isn't tuned intentionally ( THD SPectra) but rather randomly
Returning to the idea of F4 balanced monoblocks might answer the need for more power whilst minimizing risk. This depends on having the proper balanced source. A Benchmark DAC 3 driving a pair of F4 monoblocks driving 89dB efficient Halcyons drive me out of the room. Not sure how easy it is to fit a second BA3 board in the chassis and add XLR jacks but if I recall correctly, there is a second PS available to power it up.
Well as of now it's just a curiosity about the F5T and it won't be me to try such a thing, I have a very skilled friend who's got plenty of experience and instruments (spectrum analyser etc etc as he been working on microwaves transmitters for ages), in my case the best route could be to add another F4 and use them as monoblocks but that would mean to modify mine (which is a dual mono build with two transformers etc) and then bridge the output etc etc, dunno if worth the pain.
Whatever it is going to be it will be next fall/winter
Grazie
Whatever it is going to be it will be next fall/winter
Grazie
I built F5, partly because it's more modest to build than F5T. I would think an F5 would be plenty for your JBLs. FWIW, here are some good calculators that may help: https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes