lets follow up on exact situation in adequate thread
if that's case of F4 amp, then F4 thread
if you can't find adequate, Da Pub is good place as any for random tech talk
^ Exactly... it's easy peasy for you or even me now... You make it look easy and give us greenhorns some confidence to try.
I haven't seen anyone cringing... just maybe wondering. Tony's been on about this for months. Holzarbeiter wouldn't have realized that maybe there's an issue with his F6 until we started looking at why it wasn't getting loud enough... he thought he may need more gain in his pre-amp, but maybe the amp isn't right. It'll be fun to see what is really happening.
I haven't seen anyone cringing... just maybe wondering. Tony's been on about this for months. Holzarbeiter wouldn't have realized that maybe there's an issue with his F6 until we started looking at why it wasn't getting loud enough... he thought he may need more gain in his pre-amp, but maybe the amp isn't right. It'll be fun to see what is really happening.
PC series, 600 Ohm to 5KOhm (1:5 ratio)
either 1/4W or 1/2W
1/4 was used in M2
either 1/4W or 1/2W
1/4 was used in M2
It seems I will not be able to get a balanced kit in "this round". Very few left. The chance of a "unbalanced" seems quite good.
My original reason to get a balanced kit was to use "balanced out" of my DAC. But "balanced out" does not mean that the DAC is "true balanced". I think that would require use of 4 ESS chips insted of 2.
Now if DAC is not "true balanced" then "balanced out" is some "pseudo made" where they use a kind of "phase splitter" to get the signal in inverse phase? .....maybe an opamp? .....just a guess. So maybe "balanced out" is not technical better then "SE out"?
Then "unbalanced" kit may be best solution 🙂
My original reason to get a balanced kit was to use "balanced out" of my DAC. But "balanced out" does not mean that the DAC is "true balanced". I think that would require use of 4 ESS chips insted of 2.
Now if DAC is not "true balanced" then "balanced out" is some "pseudo made" where they use a kind of "phase splitter" to get the signal in inverse phase? .....maybe an opamp? .....just a guess. So maybe "balanced out" is not technical better then "SE out"?
Then "unbalanced" kit may be best solution 🙂
as far as I know, all Sabre chips are having differential outputs
so, there is proper chance that your DAC is having proper differential output stage, not as some other are having - inherently SE with some glued on patch to perform inverting phase for XLR
so, there is proper chance that your DAC is having proper differential output stage, not as some other are having - inherently SE with some glued on patch to perform inverting phase for XLR
For those that need a balanced IP essential kit but are not so lucky to get one, there will be at least the possibility to have the bare PCBs ?
I know Greedy Boyz don't need any extra motivation to build Pass (and ZM) designs, but would those who have already built this one care to describe how it sounds and compares to say the B1, DCB1 and other pre's and buffers?
A few years ago, thanks to the Great Enabler(aka 6L6 aka Jim), I was very fortunate to have built an earlier prototype SE IronPre.
It's been a while since I've used it, and in anycase, I'm not good at sonic descriptions.
What I recall is that I used it in the 12dB mode with a DIY F4. It couldn't drive the F4 to its full output but within that limit, it worked very well. And at no point did I feel the need to switch back to my 'regular' preamps.
I believe builders of the kit will be very happy with the result.
It's been a while since I've used it, and in anycase, I'm not good at sonic descriptions.
What I recall is that I used it in the 12dB mode with a DIY F4. It couldn't drive the F4 to its full output but within that limit, it worked very well. And at no point did I feel the need to switch back to my 'regular' preamps.
I believe builders of the kit will be very happy with the result.
Thanks Dennis. That's valuable information.
I have a DIY B1, which has become my favorite since I've upgraded to boutique caps. The clarity is just amazing compared to other preamps I've heard. I'm hoping that the Iron Pre will be even better in the clarity department - if that is even possible, because I'm really chuffed with my B1. But I'm going to try the Iron Pre and compare.
I have a DIY B1, which has become my favorite since I've upgraded to boutique caps. The clarity is just amazing compared to other preamps I've heard. I'm hoping that the Iron Pre will be even better in the clarity department - if that is even possible, because I'm really chuffed with my B1. But I'm going to try the Iron Pre and compare.
shunt regs, no caps, everything on one pcb?
should there be a difference?
will you like that difference?
oh, yeah, and JFets being from and matched personally by Big Honcho
should there be a difference?
will you like that difference?
oh, yeah, and JFets being from and matched personally by Big Honcho
Thanks for that, ZM. I'm not always sure what you mean, but I deduct that the Iron Pre is special. Is that special kind of special due to all the goody matched parts only, or due to the iron also?
So, I wonder what the effect of the autoformer is, sonically? Does it impart any kind of signature or artefacts to the sound? I’m assuming that apart from the “iron” (autoformer), the Iron Pre is similar to a Mesmerize, which I believe is a DCB1 with multiple inputs.
Does the iron perhaps add some kind of tubey sound at all? I’d be happy if it does, but also wouldn’t mind if it doesn’t.
So, I wonder what the effect of the autoformer is, sonically? Does it impart any kind of signature or artefacts to the sound? I’m assuming that apart from the “iron” (autoformer), the Iron Pre is similar to a Mesmerize, which I believe is a DCB1 with multiple inputs.
Does the iron perhaps add some kind of tubey sound at all? I’d be happy if it does, but also wouldn’t mind if it doesn’t.
xformer will add, if anything, some 3rd harmonic
but, on these levels that addition is not exactly significant
Iron Pre is nothing special/new conceptually, it's just pretty decent package of all necessary sub-blocks
with added autoformer you get some gain and some Voodoo pretty much not explainable with words and logic and that's it
build it, try it, enjoy
even if you don't find it working wonders for you, you'll easily find new home without loosing a penny
but, on these levels that addition is not exactly significant
Iron Pre is nothing special/new conceptually, it's just pretty decent package of all necessary sub-blocks
with added autoformer you get some gain and some Voodoo pretty much not explainable with words and logic and that's it
build it, try it, enjoy
even if you don't find it working wonders for you, you'll easily find new home without loosing a penny
anecdote:
eons ago, when I was young and cocky**, really not even slightly knowing how nothing I know - I obtained newest bling - Technics CD player
after some time enjoying in shiny lights and precision, realized that something is fishy there
soon I found a remedy - to make it at least somewhat enjoyable to listen to - connected decent repeater coils ( Yore Title for 600:600 jobies) ditto to RCA outputs ...... so CD output was simply galvanically isolated
isolation wasn't a goal, what was is "rounding" as I understood it then
what I didn't know, learned few years later - damn cd blingie had a series (protection) resistor of no less than 1K, so punny OP in output stage was safe but also didn't had any cojones
driving 600R coils with 1K?
OK, there was no 600R as effective load, but impedance mismatch must result in at least some loss in bass and more
who cares, it was sounding better
**now old and not cocky and I have a slight idea how nothing I know
eons ago, when I was young and cocky**, really not even slightly knowing how nothing I know - I obtained newest bling - Technics CD player
after some time enjoying in shiny lights and precision, realized that something is fishy there
soon I found a remedy - to make it at least somewhat enjoyable to listen to - connected decent repeater coils ( Yore Title for 600:600 jobies) ditto to RCA outputs ...... so CD output was simply galvanically isolated
isolation wasn't a goal, what was is "rounding" as I understood it then
what I didn't know, learned few years later - damn cd blingie had a series (protection) resistor of no less than 1K, so punny OP in output stage was safe but also didn't had any cojones
driving 600R coils with 1K?
OK, there was no 600R as effective load, but impedance mismatch must result in at least some loss in bass and more
who cares, it was sounding better
**now old and not cocky and I have a slight idea how nothing I know