I also enjoy seeing different ideas about building here. Using a different enclosure for a project is, well, educational sometimes. Especially when you have realized that the enclosure that you are using is too small. Sometimes, that is the reason I end up using a separate power supply. Indeed, one wire at a time.
Guys, I can tell you that the RCA jacks that I am using are temporary! I do not like them at all. Neutrik costs more for a reason apparently. These are cheap Chinese copies. How many times must I learn this lesson!?
It's ok, but that is a lot of wires to be disgusted at one at a time.
I will finish up and listen for an initial audition. Having said that, one of the most important aspects of a build to me are connections. So then, if started out with questionable connections, the audition is already colored in my mind. We'll see.
Guys, I can tell you that the RCA jacks that I am using are temporary! I do not like them at all. Neutrik costs more for a reason apparently. These are cheap Chinese copies. How many times must I learn this lesson!?
It's ok, but that is a lot of wires to be disgusted at one at a time.
I will finish up and listen for an initial audition. Having said that, one of the most important aspects of a build to me are connections. So then, if started out with questionable connections, the audition is already colored in my mind. We'll see.
Yes, I've long ago given up on cheap RCA jacks. I find that REAN is also a good-quality product and I've used probably a hundred of each color now.
My chassis is so tight front-to-back that the boards only fit because they are on spacers, and so just barely clear the front and rear panel flanges.
I agree about connections, particularly with small signals. They require the most direct connections that won't degrade over time - same reasoning with using high-quality relays with contacts that have very low resistance.
My chassis is so tight front-to-back that the boards only fit because they are on spacers, and so just barely clear the front and rear panel flanges.
I agree about connections, particularly with small signals. They require the most direct connections that won't degrade over time - same reasoning with using high-quality relays with contacts that have very low resistance.
I basically agree to this. However, knowing myself, I prefer to keep the capability of removing the main PCB until I'm sure everything is fine. I can always replace the (gold-plated) contacts of the small signal lines with soldered connections.
In this case, it showed not to be necessary, as the only mistake I did was to use the switcher PCB the wrong way around (that was before the guidelines were available).
In this case, it showed not to be necessary, as the only mistake I did was to use the switcher PCB the wrong way around (that was before the guidelines were available).
Man can I relate. There is nothing more invasive than resoldering your soldering. I am about to find that out, since I hate the RCA jacks that used for this unit. Fortunately, there is slack enough in the wiring to do this. And for what it's worth, I already had to resolder the incoming AC on the board. Yup, I soldered underneath the board to look neater. WTH?
Because the actual barrel size of RCA jacks is all over the place, I had to increase the size of the hole in order for the Manley step washers to fit (that may not be needed with other jacks). Manleys are larger than others out there and so you end up with a 1/2".
So to answer your question, no these were not blanks (though I wish they were). These came with installed jacks that are junk. Yup, the ones that will take solder very poorly before melting the inside insulation of the jack. So they all ended up in the trash, and that is where the drilling began. Pretty soft metal. With a drill press and vise, it is child's play, but watch for wandering of the step bit anyway.
When it is all said and done, each Manley/Chinese drilled blank jack will run $8-10 each. >>If instead, you order Neutrik jacks in the first place, they run between $6-8 each, depending on color. For a guy like me, only black oxide bolts will be used (they do not come with either brand of jacks), and adding to that the cost of hex nuts and internal star washers, the total cost is more but i haven't calculated it in.
So to answer your question, no these were not blanks (though I wish they were). These came with installed jacks that are junk. Yup, the ones that will take solder very poorly before melting the inside insulation of the jack. So they all ended up in the trash, and that is where the drilling began. Pretty soft metal. With a drill press and vise, it is child's play, but watch for wandering of the step bit anyway.
When it is all said and done, each Manley/Chinese drilled blank jack will run $8-10 each. >>If instead, you order Neutrik jacks in the first place, they run between $6-8 each, depending on color. For a guy like me, only black oxide bolts will be used (they do not come with either brand of jacks), and adding to that the cost of hex nuts and internal star washers, the total cost is more but i haven't calculated it in.
Check out X's XSD speaker build. Hugh soundstage, (open baffle) reasonable efficiency, I believe 92 dB. Most revealing speaker I have heard in a while.
You will love your Iron pre, seriously.
Russellc
I'll check them out! Thank you 🙂
I cant wait to finish the Iron Pre. Have to tee up one more Mouser order to get a few things to round it out.
I cant wait to finish the Iron Pre. Have to tee up one more Mouser order to get a few things to round it out.
It's tough when you get this close, right? I got mine up and running, yet the LED's need to be connected. Then there are the little things that you forgot about.
I am already getting parts for the next one to build. It becomes quite a list.
I am already getting parts for the next one to build. It becomes quite a list.
I even organized all the other projects ( new ones and spares for old ones ) into plastic baggies so I could order across projects to minimize shipping....and still missed a few. 🤦♂️
On the bright side, Mouser has a warehouse in central TX and organizing gave a good inventory of truly spare parts so I now know I can build a couple more simple regulated bipolar power supplies for other pre's that are already built, but homeless, ( DIY FE 2022, B1K, BA3-FE, etc. ) with very few additional purchases.
On and on it goes!
On the bright side, Mouser has a warehouse in central TX and organizing gave a good inventory of truly spare parts so I now know I can build a couple more simple regulated bipolar power supplies for other pre's that are already built, but homeless, ( DIY FE 2022, B1K, BA3-FE, etc. ) with very few additional purchases.
On and on it goes!
I agree. My solution is to have 5 projects going at one time so I can move from one to another while waiting for parts I forgot to order!
That is so freaking true! But then I get lost in it all and forget stuff. I am NOT an organized person and there is nothing to be done about that.