Yes, Hakuin is in my shop. If you don’t feel like making a big complicated Yarra main board to go with it, make the preamp with the breakout board.
Hakuin DB for Yarra | Etsy
M2X/Yarra Format Breakout Test Board | Etsy
Your Pioneer speakers sound like they are great. Andrew Jones designs nice speakers. I recently got the JBL Studio 530’s for $250 a pair direct from JBL. Sale is not on anymore but they sound great. Horn loaded tweeter. Despite JBL calling them bookshelf speakers, they are quite large and sized more like stand mounts. Nice stereo image and bass goes surprisingly deep for a 5.25in woofer. They seem to go for $400 on Amazon now.
JBL Studio 530 2-Way 5.25-Inch Bookshelf https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00622STI0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_NSHTREM1AJN8ZB4N857N
Hakuin DB for Yarra | Etsy
M2X/Yarra Format Breakout Test Board | Etsy
Your Pioneer speakers sound like they are great. Andrew Jones designs nice speakers. I recently got the JBL Studio 530’s for $250 a pair direct from JBL. Sale is not on anymore but they sound great. Horn loaded tweeter. Despite JBL calling them bookshelf speakers, they are quite large and sized more like stand mounts. Nice stereo image and bass goes surprisingly deep for a 5.25in woofer. They seem to go for $400 on Amazon now.
JBL Studio 530 2-Way 5.25-Inch Bookshelf https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00622STI0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_NSHTREM1AJN8ZB4N857N
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I have no excuse as to why it has taken me this long to hook my amp up to my main rig ( well , despite the fact that the amp was at my work office for the majority of the time ) but I finally hooked up the FH9HVX to my main rig - tube preamp with Maggie .7i - it does them justice. Easily powerful enough to drive them and it pulls out all the same level of detail that a beefy class A amp does. I am going to leave it doing main amp duty for a while ( especially nice as a summer amp option ) to get a better feel for it compared to my M2X.
I think more people need to build this amp !
..dB
I think more people need to build this amp !
..dB
Thanks for trying it out on your main system, dBel84! As I have said before (somewhere), if this was the only amp I could have for the rest of my days, I would not be unhappy. It's darn good. Give it a nice SE Class A preamp like PCA, ACP+, H2, Hakuin, or a SET tube, and it will have a sweeter sound yet have the bass and muscle of a powerful Class AB.
couldn't agree more. My preamp is a hybrid Tube/ClassA - just enough sweetness to compliment the fast paced AB power..dB
Tube warmth
Hi,
I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner
but today I inserted this little gem between the Akitika PR-102 preamp and my fh9hvx. Wow!
For what's supposed to be a buffer, it sure added quite a boost of creamy tube goodness into the signal chain. Later I may move it ahead of the pre to see what that sounds like but for now I'm really enjoying the sounds.
It's too bad this FX Audio tube buffer is no longer available because at about $ 38.00 it's another of my bang for the buck recommendations. If you can find a used one, grab it & swap out the Chinese 6J1 tubes for some matched GE JAN 5654W tubes for a vast audible improvement of the stock tubes!
Hi,
I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner
but today I inserted this little gem between the Akitika PR-102 preamp and my fh9hvx. Wow!
For what's supposed to be a buffer, it sure added quite a boost of creamy tube goodness into the signal chain. Later I may move it ahead of the pre to see what that sounds like but for now I'm really enjoying the sounds.
It's too bad this FX Audio tube buffer is no longer available because at about $ 38.00 it's another of my bang for the buck recommendations. If you can find a used one, grab it & swap out the Chinese 6J1 tubes for some matched GE JAN 5654W tubes for a vast audible improvement of the stock tubes!
Attachments
Unfortunately that (original) model is no longer made and finding used ones is rare on EBay. Dang…
Hi Legis, glad you got to try the tube buffer. Nice combo of warmth and bass grip all at the same time.
There are a lot of similar things around for budget tube buffers. The trick is finding one that is quiet. I have tried at least 4 of them in the $40 to $70 range and all had some noise. I finally had to ask Jhofland to design one for me - all DC/DC converters and powered from a 12v wallwart. It sounds superb. Basically an ECC88 interstage buffer inside a BTSB.
This will be available soon as a commerical product.
However, in my search for a quiet tube buffer, this one came close - and has a basic DAC and Bluetooth as well.
There are a lot of similar things around for budget tube buffers. The trick is finding one that is quiet. I have tried at least 4 of them in the $40 to $70 range and all had some noise. I finally had to ask Jhofland to design one for me - all DC/DC converters and powered from a 12v wallwart. It sounds superb. Basically an ECC88 interstage buffer inside a BTSB.
This will be available soon as a commerical product.
However, in my search for a quiet tube buffer, this one came close - and has a basic DAC and Bluetooth as well.
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The Pass B1 Korg Nutube DIY buffer/preamp (diyAudio store) is an interesting tube-kinda system. P Millett also designed a preamp based on the Korg Nutube. It generates an (adjustable) second harmonic which provides a warm and wonderful soundstage. The flat Nutube is microphonic so some care has to be taken for it’s build (soundproofing and anti-vibration schemes) and it inverts phases (so you have to switch your speaker leads out of your amp) but it’s really hypnotic sounding. I’ve built one and it really is pleasing to listen to.
Cheers,
Pete
Cheers,
Pete
I think I’m done with with transistor based or chip-amps legis31, whether they be Class A, AB or D. My last frontier is a tube amp, probably an Elekit TU-8200R just so I can say, for certain, that "it sounded like a tube amp" when I refer to any of the aforementioned amp’s sounds. LOL
Cheers, Pete
JZ,
You will find links in this post:
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/gro...-100w-class-ab-lean-times-10.html#post6198185
You will find links in this post:
https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/gro...-100w-class-ab-lean-times-10.html#post6198185
I was able to connect the SFP soft start and one of the Fo-Felix emi filter on each channel. i am playing music and letting the amplifier stabilize. I will then wire up the "instant off" module's and the SSR's for speaker protection.
I notice some hum coming from both speakers, so once I get connections soldered rather than using alligator clips, I will try to chase the hum down.
So far so good and learning a bunch, thanks everyone.
MM
I notice some hum coming from both speakers, so once I get connections soldered rather than using alligator clips, I will try to chase the hum down.
So far so good and learning a bunch, thanks everyone.
MM
Congratulations!
Hi to all builders. I have been having a hum problem when testing my FH9 amp. I think I have it isolated and have an idea of what causes it. Just need to know if I am trouble shooting correctly.
I installed a good ground post and removed the paint from where the post is attached to the chassis ( see pic below).
When powered, I have hum. I can grab the dirty power wires and touch my hand to the chassis and the hum quits. Also the hum quits if I touch the either heatsink.
I believe that I forgot to remove the paint from the chassis where my heatsink bolts attach to the chassis. (see pic below)
I think if I remove some paint it should solve the problem. Does this make sense?
Thanks for the help,
MM
I installed a good ground post and removed the paint from where the post is attached to the chassis ( see pic below).
When powered, I have hum. I can grab the dirty power wires and touch my hand to the chassis and the hum quits. Also the hum quits if I touch the either heatsink.
I believe that I forgot to remove the paint from the chassis where my heatsink bolts attach to the chassis. (see pic below)
I think if I remove some paint it should solve the problem. Does this make sense?
Thanks for the help,
MM
MM…it’s always a good idea to remove chassis paint for the screws that attach structures (like heat sinks) to the general earth ground (if it’s necessary to do so for hum elimination). You can test if items are connected to the earth ground by using the continuity setting on your meter. Hold one end on the earth ground of the IEC (power line disconnected of course) and then touch everything else you want to make sure is grounded.
Cheers
Pete
Cheers
Pete
Thanks turion64,
I am back to basics, One channel connected. I checked for continuity with the multimeter and got constanr beeps everywhere I checked (HSink, main ground with PE and IEC ground, HSink ground, etc.
Powered back up with same results: I can place my hand on the chassis, the ground post, the HSinks, the PS board, the amp board, the transformer, basically any item attached to the chassis, and the hum is drastically reduced.
I thought it might be the mains line, so I unplugged a lot of the items on the lines, but no change.
I also disconnected the soft start and the emi filters, but no change.
The only thing I have not done is sand the paint of the chassis where I attach the heat sinks. I did not do this yet due to their being continuity at all points on the heatsinks, including the bolt that attaches the heat sink to the chassis.
Any idea's as to why touching the chassis or anything attached to the chassis would lessen the hum?.
MM
I am back to basics, One channel connected. I checked for continuity with the multimeter and got constanr beeps everywhere I checked (HSink, main ground with PE and IEC ground, HSink ground, etc.
Powered back up with same results: I can place my hand on the chassis, the ground post, the HSinks, the PS board, the amp board, the transformer, basically any item attached to the chassis, and the hum is drastically reduced.
I thought it might be the mains line, so I unplugged a lot of the items on the lines, but no change.
I also disconnected the soft start and the emi filters, but no change.
The only thing I have not done is sand the paint of the chassis where I attach the heat sinks. I did not do this yet due to their being continuity at all points on the heatsinks, including the bolt that attaches the heat sink to the chassis.
Any idea's as to why touching the chassis or anything attached to the chassis would lessen the hum?.
MM