My Aleph5 has been working fine for quite some time, however I was irritated by a slight buzz from the toroid, so I decided to replace the 650VA unit with 2 x 500VA units.
After turning-on the mains fuse blew, then on repeat power-up the left channel was gone. (I had to do some drilling and I think a filing may have found its way under the PCB).
Anyhow, I'm now at the hair-pulling frustration stage. Basically I get about 3-4V under the positive rail at the output.
Removing the PCB so all of the output devices are free they all check OK (measuring Vgs per Nelson's article). I have replaced all other semiconductors on the boards (even though they measured OK in situ ....... I was getting desperate!)
My questions, for those with better EE theory than me (which is >90% of the list):
1. Is it possible for the output devices to be blown but still give a correct reading on Vgs using the set-up in Nelson's article?
2. Can anyone think of another reason we might have 30V at the output?
Thanks
Mark
PS: And yes .....that slight buzz really wasn't that bad
After turning-on the mains fuse blew, then on repeat power-up the left channel was gone. (I had to do some drilling and I think a filing may have found its way under the PCB).
Anyhow, I'm now at the hair-pulling frustration stage. Basically I get about 3-4V under the positive rail at the output.
Removing the PCB so all of the output devices are free they all check OK (measuring Vgs per Nelson's article). I have replaced all other semiconductors on the boards (even though they measured OK in situ ....... I was getting desperate!)
My questions, for those with better EE theory than me (which is >90% of the list):
1. Is it possible for the output devices to be blown but still give a correct reading on Vgs using the set-up in Nelson's article?
2. Can anyone think of another reason we might have 30V at the output?
Thanks
Mark
PS: And yes .....that slight buzz really wasn't that bad
Hi Mark,
I´m feeling verry sorry for you 🙁 .
If you´ve got 30 volts plus on the output the fets are probably allright (otherwise it would be 34 volts)
If you have replaced all other semiconductors you must check the sense connections from the active current source. When this is disconnected in any way you will get your 30 volts.
hope this helps,
william
I´m feeling verry sorry for you 🙁 .
If you´ve got 30 volts plus on the output the fets are probably allright (otherwise it would be 34 volts)
If you have replaced all other semiconductors you must check the sense connections from the active current source. When this is disconnected in any way you will get your 30 volts.
hope this helps,
william
The "thot plickens" ......
Measuring circuit voltages:
Z5 = 9V / R11 = 5.2V
Q1/Q2(S) = -5V to ground (cf +4V)
dV across R14 = 0
Checking R14 = open circuit !!!
I have never seen a metal film resistor blow without any visible sign of stress externally.
Checking other resistors, R19 is also open circuit.
Off to the shop tomorrow
You see something new every day!
mark
Measuring circuit voltages:
Z5 = 9V / R11 = 5.2V
Q1/Q2(S) = -5V to ground (cf +4V)
dV across R14 = 0
Checking R14 = open circuit !!!
I have never seen a metal film resistor blow without any visible sign of stress externally.
Checking other resistors, R19 is also open circuit.
Off to the shop tomorrow
You see something new every day!
mark
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Mark, sorry to hear of your troubles! While I was working on my a40, I managed to toast several Mills wire wound resistors that showed absolutely no outward signs of trouble. When they failed, they formed an open circuit also. I never thought to check them until I tracking down the source of some distortion...
Hi Mark,
Sorry to hear about you amp.
Have you try to put the 600VA transformer back in?
I have no idea what could be the problem.
I hope you'll find out soon.
All the best.
Audiofanatic🙁 
Sorry to hear about you amp.
Have you try to put the 600VA transformer back in?
I have no idea what could be the problem.
I hope you'll find out soon.
All the best.
Audiofanatic🙁
Aaarrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!
Thanks for those who replied. All is now well after 4 days of hell!
I ran around in circles unable to make head nor tail of the problem and wound up at the point where I had floating DC at the output, ranging from -2 to +3V.
All of the input voltages were OK - I-source / diff pair / R19.
Output FETs Vgs = OK. dV across the bias resistors also varying erratically over time, like the dV at the output. It was as though the sense circuit was having intermittent trouble picking-up input.
could there be a dry solder joint, or could there be a microscopic flaw in one of the PCB tracks.
In absolute desperation I resoldered every joint and tinned every track on the PCB so it is now a shiny silver ......... CURED !!!!!
I was about 5 nanoseconds from making a whole new PCB from scratch 😱
cheers
mark
PS: Yeah ...... I've been watching the X-threads with great interest. Though, I'm cured from tinkering for a little while, I might just sit back (with a nice glass of red) and listen to some music 😎
Thanks for those who replied. All is now well after 4 days of hell!
I ran around in circles unable to make head nor tail of the problem and wound up at the point where I had floating DC at the output, ranging from -2 to +3V.
All of the input voltages were OK - I-source / diff pair / R19.
Output FETs Vgs = OK. dV across the bias resistors also varying erratically over time, like the dV at the output. It was as though the sense circuit was having intermittent trouble picking-up input.
could there be a dry solder joint, or could there be a microscopic flaw in one of the PCB tracks.In absolute desperation I resoldered every joint and tinned every track on the PCB so it is now a shiny silver ......... CURED !!!!!
I was about 5 nanoseconds from making a whole new PCB from scratch 😱
cheers
mark
PS: Yeah ...... I've been watching the X-threads with great interest. Though, I'm cured from tinkering for a little while, I might just sit back (with a nice glass of red) and listen to some music 😎
Mark,
Good for you! I was shure you would be able to repair it.
I'm happy for you. (I'll take a white one tonight)
Audiofanatic😉
Good for you! I was shure you would be able to repair it.
I'm happy for you. (I'll take a white one tonight)
Audiofanatic😉
Better Sound
Hi Mark,
I am just curious, does the amp better after you tinned the PCB or is it the same? What kind of Solder are you using? Silver? THanks.
Hi Mark,
I am just curious, does the amp better after you tinned the PCB or is it the same? What kind of Solder are you using? Silver? THanks.
Yea, how does it sound now? I have been toying with the idea of doing that same thing to my 2's..... or possibly throwing the PCB away completely and giong P to P.
Mark
Mark
Mark,
glad to read that you've fixed it 🙂
I'd like to use this thread to publish my problem :
Aleph 5 one channel completed and put on the test bench.
Problem is that the DC offset is about 100 mV. What's the best thing to tweak here ? The voltage over the source resistors is almost the same ( less than 40 mV difference)
Should i change the value of the base resistor of Q5 (Nelson's schematic)
Or modify R20 (1k) to another value....
Please help me out, i want to start listening asap 😉
Grtz,
Nick
glad to read that you've fixed it 🙂
I'd like to use this thread to publish my problem :
Aleph 5 one channel completed and put on the test bench.
Problem is that the DC offset is about 100 mV. What's the best thing to tweak here ? The voltage over the source resistors is almost the same ( less than 40 mV difference)
Should i change the value of the base resistor of Q5 (Nelson's schematic)
Or modify R20 (1k) to another value....
Please help me out, i want to start listening asap 😉
Grtz,
Nick
Hi Nick,
just try another (better matched?)pair of input fets. This will solve your problem.
william
just try another (better matched?)pair of input fets. This will solve your problem.
william
Don't know, i bought them matched.
After building it on the PCB i measured voltages over the fets. The were allmost the same. Less than the DC offset on the output...
Grtz,
Nick
After building it on the PCB i measured voltages over the fets. The were allmost the same. Less than the DC offset on the output...
Grtz,
Nick
Put a pot. in place of the differential pair drain resistor. Then you can adjust the output offset to your liking.
BDP
BDP
Yes, I used a 1K ohm resistor in parallel with a 2k ohm pot. Just be sure to set the paralleled resistance to 390 ohms before you fire up the amp. Then from there after warmup you can adjust the pot. to null the output. With the ability to adjust the output offset you could remove the capacitor from the negative input, I think it is C5, The only draw back is the initial output offset is larger until things warm up.
On the Aleph I built I used this pot. and one on the output current source to adjust for higher or lower bias.
BDP
On the Aleph I built I used this pot. and one on the output current source to adjust for higher or lower bias.
BDP
Hi Guys ...... sorry for being slack getting back to the thread.
Sonically it is very hard to tell any difference, but I haven't actually run a mono source from 1 channel to the other to compare.
Offset dV has been adequately answered above. My preference would be to re-match the FETs but the variable resistor option is quick and easy.
cheers
mark
Sonically it is very hard to tell any difference, but I haven't actually run a mono source from 1 channel to the other to compare.
Offset dV has been adequately answered above. My preference would be to re-match the FETs but the variable resistor option is quick and easy.
cheers
mark
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