A lot depends on your system sensitivity about the diodes and any of the power supply choices actually but your speakers are pretty revealing so expect a noticeable change in the sound - it's just a slightly smoother sound that seems to bring out more small signal detail (IMO, naturally!)
I've spent innumerable arrangements with diodes & bridges, but mainly using the single devices + heatsinks and many diy people end up using the MBR diodes but I found the "softer" MSR (Soft Recovery) diodes sounded better to me and the Schottky ones were about the same - more fiddling around, mind you, and they get a lot hotter but I was into "changing the easy/small items" at that time - they add up ...
I was sent me some of the 6A and 10A Shindengen bridges (flat packs with 4 wires) and these were about the same sound as the Schottky and MSRs but they seem to have disappeared - you might find them over there as you have a much wider component base.
Having said that, I generally use either Japanese and/or European caps (Nichicon, Elna, Pana, Siemens/Epcos, BHC, etc) and have little experience with the US caps (CDE, for example) but I just found the similar difference in the sounds.
Your problem with 'hum' caught my attention as we've all been there at some point (and creates so much irritation) so I'm rather interested in your resolution - I tend to use the "ground lifting" resistors in my preamps and sources too to avoid ground loops and this makes it simpler to find the sources of unfortunate 'hum'
The 'collection point' (often called "Star Point" Ground) of the speaker return, power ground 'busbar' idea seems to be very effective especially with the addition of Vbe/Cap Multipliers on the supply rails that can be quite problematic with grounding 'loops' as the late "AndrewT" used to reiterate so often
I've read that the IXYS block bridges are quite good for sound but no actual experience - perhaps some user could adds comments about these ...
I've spent innumerable arrangements with diodes & bridges, but mainly using the single devices + heatsinks and many diy people end up using the MBR diodes but I found the "softer" MSR (Soft Recovery) diodes sounded better to me and the Schottky ones were about the same - more fiddling around, mind you, and they get a lot hotter but I was into "changing the easy/small items" at that time - they add up ...
I was sent me some of the 6A and 10A Shindengen bridges (flat packs with 4 wires) and these were about the same sound as the Schottky and MSRs but they seem to have disappeared - you might find them over there as you have a much wider component base.
Having said that, I generally use either Japanese and/or European caps (Nichicon, Elna, Pana, Siemens/Epcos, BHC, etc) and have little experience with the US caps (CDE, for example) but I just found the similar difference in the sounds.
Your problem with 'hum' caught my attention as we've all been there at some point (and creates so much irritation) so I'm rather interested in your resolution - I tend to use the "ground lifting" resistors in my preamps and sources too to avoid ground loops and this makes it simpler to find the sources of unfortunate 'hum'
The 'collection point' (often called "Star Point" Ground) of the speaker return, power ground 'busbar' idea seems to be very effective especially with the addition of Vbe/Cap Multipliers on the supply rails that can be quite problematic with grounding 'loops' as the late "AndrewT" used to reiterate so often
I've read that the IXYS block bridges are quite good for sound but no actual experience - perhaps some user could adds comments about these ...
I still haven't resolved the issue with them yet.
I got JPS to do a new rectifier board with some additional features, hope this might help resolve the problem.
I will get back to fixing it later.
I am interested in new rectifier board too!
I have been testing some fancy parts because
bass sounding boomy and louder.
Yesterday I was watching Zen mod blog then I saw
using coin to hold mosfets.
Today I changed to brass screw and coin.
Sound surprisingly changed.
I believe it's not easy to make tabla bass (Baya)
sound clear.
I have some msr1560 stock so I will try tomorrow.
I have been testing some fancy parts because
bass sounding boomy and louder.
Yesterday I was watching Zen mod blog then I saw
using coin to hold mosfets.
Today I changed to brass screw and coin.
Sound surprisingly changed.
I believe it's not easy to make tabla bass (Baya)
sound clear.
I have some msr1560 stock so I will try tomorrow.
IMO, the 'daya' and Baya' are both percussive instruments and difficult to record well - if you're getting a 'boomy' sound that can be attributed to the amplifier and not the room acoustics, maybe changing the caps in the power supply might be worth considering, perhaps something like the BHC ALS caps or even the Rifa PEH, (both now known as Kemet) for example, or maybe Epcos/TDK too.
The MSR's should give a slightly different sound (depending on current diodes, mind you) particularly if you've included snubbers for the secondary windings - it's essential to keep the MSTs cool (heatsinks).
Sometimes a 'softer' diode sound won't be an improvement to suit some speakers, room, music, etc but it's easy to try them
The MSR's should give a slightly different sound (depending on current diodes, mind you) particularly if you've included snubbers for the secondary windings - it's essential to keep the MSTs cool (heatsinks).
Sometimes a 'softer' diode sound won't be an improvement to suit some speakers, room, music, etc but it's easy to try them
I feel bass sound is good since I changed to brass coins.
I have add 2mH air inductors, it makes little better sound.
I am considering mono blocks later so I would
mix with kemet caps.
I was looking snubber but looks difficult to adjust
R and C value for me.
Also I will make relay for bleeder resistors.
@picodumbs, Psu PCB sounds interesting.
But I can not leave my fancy Superthrough caps
And inductors lol.
I wonder if I could add essence of your PCB...
I have add 2mH air inductors, it makes little better sound.
I am considering mono blocks later so I would
mix with kemet caps.
I was looking snubber but looks difficult to adjust
R and C value for me.
Also I will make relay for bleeder resistors.
@picodumbs, Psu PCB sounds interesting.
But I can not leave my fancy Superthrough caps
And inductors lol.
I wonder if I could add essence of your PCB...
Thanks, but I don't need another giant power supply!
I've still got a box of those huge Sikorels cannisters in the cupboard sitting next to those huge Siemens Teflon caps!
I went thru a period when I used large capacity caps in class A amp power supply and wondered why I couldn't reach 'audio nirvana' - at one point, my F5 had 8 x 22,000uF caps (4 per channel), all Mundorf too!
This was the beginning of the power supply obsession and I tend to use a mixture of caps <10mF these days, along with cap multipliers, active bridges, and so on.
I'm reading Jen Lancaster's "The United States of Anxiety" - it applies to us the same, I think - have a look …
I asked Optus 'tech dept' (a long wait!) why the slow speed on the recent "NBN upgraded system" and it magically improved immediately! How about that!
I've still got a box of those huge Sikorels cannisters in the cupboard sitting next to those huge Siemens Teflon caps!
I went thru a period when I used large capacity caps in class A amp power supply and wondered why I couldn't reach 'audio nirvana' - at one point, my F5 had 8 x 22,000uF caps (4 per channel), all Mundorf too!
This was the beginning of the power supply obsession and I tend to use a mixture of caps <10mF these days, along with cap multipliers, active bridges, and so on.
I'm reading Jen Lancaster's "The United States of Anxiety" - it applies to us the same, I think - have a look …
I asked Optus 'tech dept' (a long wait!) why the slow speed on the recent "NBN upgraded system" and it magically improved immediately! How about that!
Hey Tamra, I replaced my Superthrough caps with smaller 2 x 6,800 ones then changed those out to the "for Audio" Elna 12mF ones in the F5 amp - big improvement in clarity - just saying …
The snubbers are actually pretty simple - the default caps are 10nF, 150nF and the chosen resistor that's generally somewhere around the 10- 25R for a 300VA transformer for our FW amps.
The snubbers are actually pretty simple - the default caps are 10nF, 150nF and the chosen resistor that's generally somewhere around the 10- 25R for a 300VA transformer for our FW amps.
James,do you mean you changed last large cap to
12uF elna eventually?
I tried bypassing with small caps like 10uF film but
I feel something hashness so I tend to avoid small caps.
Probably changing last 15000uF to 6800uF then keep
them for mono blocks.
I have 400VA 18x2 Rcore.
Any change value from 10nF and 150nF + 10-25R?
12uF elna eventually?
I tried bypassing with small caps like 10uF film but
I feel something hashness so I tend to avoid small caps.
Probably changing last 15000uF to 6800uF then keep
them for mono blocks.
I have 400VA 18x2 Rcore.
Any change value from 10nF and 150nF + 10-25R?
I meant to ask that I think you're using one of Troel's medium efficiency speakers, yes? A reasonably damped listening room?
I'll tell you a story about chasing your tail in power supply caps. The F5 amp (yes, that one!) was a bit too aggressive for my Coral beta 8 speakers, even from >150Hz, so after playing around with Kao and Manganin resistors, Elna Silmic and Cerafines and so on, I got into diodes and power supply caps to match up to the huge 400VA EI transformer.
First for the C-R-C was Nichicons, the great standby, with the Phillips BYV29 soft diodes and then Mundorfs, etc, etc - the usual dance. Eventually, I ended up using the old Siemens Sikorels as the charge cap next to the diodes, and the Elna 12,000uF LAO after the 0.1R - during this journey I tried 15,000uF Superthroughs, was a bit disappointed in them, changed them to 2 x 6,800 ones and then went to the Elnas. This was for the FullRange use.
For just mid/tops use, the Elna 12,000uF replaced the Sikorels next to the diodes and the BHC used after the 0.1R (Elna, 0.1R, BHC)- the BHC was again upgraded to the BHC Slit Foils and it now drives the smooth El Ciao 8" Fr driver >120Hz in another house.
Now, the F6 is a much more musical amp for sure, but the power supply caps will still exhibit the similar characteristics - the trick is to get the balance right so I'd suggest doing just one thing at a time and take your time with changing things - nearly all of the caps take quite a while to settle down and you get used to the 'new' sound.
Snubber: there is a really well written lot of posts and info about the snubbers here - the cap values stay the same at 10nF and 150nF, the resistor is the thing that changes and for the 400Va R-Core, it'll be around the same value, start with a 16R and see if it makes any difference and play around from there.
I hope this is of assistance - my opinions here too, keep in mind...
I'll tell you a story about chasing your tail in power supply caps. The F5 amp (yes, that one!) was a bit too aggressive for my Coral beta 8 speakers, even from >150Hz, so after playing around with Kao and Manganin resistors, Elna Silmic and Cerafines and so on, I got into diodes and power supply caps to match up to the huge 400VA EI transformer.
First for the C-R-C was Nichicons, the great standby, with the Phillips BYV29 soft diodes and then Mundorfs, etc, etc - the usual dance. Eventually, I ended up using the old Siemens Sikorels as the charge cap next to the diodes, and the Elna 12,000uF LAO after the 0.1R - during this journey I tried 15,000uF Superthroughs, was a bit disappointed in them, changed them to 2 x 6,800 ones and then went to the Elnas. This was for the FullRange use.
For just mid/tops use, the Elna 12,000uF replaced the Sikorels next to the diodes and the BHC used after the 0.1R (Elna, 0.1R, BHC)- the BHC was again upgraded to the BHC Slit Foils and it now drives the smooth El Ciao 8" Fr driver >120Hz in another house.
Now, the F6 is a much more musical amp for sure, but the power supply caps will still exhibit the similar characteristics - the trick is to get the balance right so I'd suggest doing just one thing at a time and take your time with changing things - nearly all of the caps take quite a while to settle down and you get used to the 'new' sound.
Snubber: there is a really well written lot of posts and info about the snubbers here - the cap values stay the same at 10nF and 150nF, the resistor is the thing that changes and for the 400Va R-Core, it'll be around the same value, start with a 16R and see if it makes any difference and play around from there.
I hope this is of assistance - my opinions here too, keep in mind...
Hmm, the Alpair 10p, about 90dB efficiency, with plenty of detail - if you can find the Elna LAO 10,000uF caps, I would consider changing the Superthrough caps after the 0.1R and see if the result suits the Alpair drivers. If so, consider changing the other Superthrough caps also. [ie S/Thru, 0.1R, Elna then (maybe) Elna, 0'1R, Elna]
And build the MSR bridge too - there's some simple pcbs with heatsinks available on eBay that're okay - no bypass caps on the diodes.
Planet 10 are keen on the Alpairs
I don't think the BHCs will suit your Alpair 10p drivers as they'll make them sound 'thin' - reduced in the bass (my opinion again, that's what happened here) but excellent in mids.
I assume that the F6 is biased up around the 1.5A so the power supply, if for both channels, will be drawing around 3A on reach rail of the supply so the 35 or 50 volt caps will be okay for that.
From limited experience of Satori drivers, they seemed similar sound to the Scan-Speak with perhaps a bit more detail - long running thread - I have modded the L C Audio electronic Xover from them and upgrading to the NP xover here when available.
And build the MSR bridge too - there's some simple pcbs with heatsinks available on eBay that're okay - no bypass caps on the diodes.
Planet 10 are keen on the Alpairs
I don't think the BHCs will suit your Alpair 10p drivers as they'll make them sound 'thin' - reduced in the bass (my opinion again, that's what happened here) but excellent in mids.
I assume that the F6 is biased up around the 1.5A so the power supply, if for both channels, will be drawing around 3A on reach rail of the supply so the 35 or 50 volt caps will be okay for that.
From limited experience of Satori drivers, they seemed similar sound to the Scan-Speak with perhaps a bit more detail - long running thread - I have modded the L C Audio electronic Xover from them and upgrading to the NP xover here when available.