I found this review on the below site:
http://diyaudioprojects.com/Forum/vi...t=127&start=20
In it, is says that the Aikido is too bright for many peoples tastes. I was wondering what you all thought about that? Those that own Aikido's do you think that it lacks bass?
Thanks,
Stan
http://diyaudioprojects.com/Forum/vi...t=127&start=20
In it, is says that the Aikido is too bright for many peoples tastes. I was wondering what you all thought about that? Those that own Aikido's do you think that it lacks bass?
Thanks,
Stan
I would call mine clean, or detailed. With so many tubes to roll through the circuit I'm sure you could get the full range of sound qualities from Dark to bright. I'd look to the synergy of someones entire system rather than one element.
Athos
Frequency response depends more on capacitor values than exact circuit topology, so all they are saying is that one particular person's build of the Aikido circuit happens to have capacitor values which produce a frequency response which some people find subjectively too bright when compared with the response produced by someone else's capacitor value choices in some other circuits. This actually tells you almost nothing about the Aikido circuit!
I second to Athos, clean and detailed. I breadboard two Aikido, one with 5687 as the output. I keep the one with 5687 and ordered the Aikido 5687 board from JB. You may consider the Aikido Cathode Follower board if you don't need a lot of gain.
Just my 2 cents
Sidney
Just my 2 cents
Sidney
I have 2 aikidos running ECC86 tubes on 24V supply and they sound pretty neutral - definitely not bright.
Sadly the ECC86 are unobtainium or $$$ - must look up what he is doing with the ECC99
Fran
EDIT: what I really must do someday is set up a shunt reg supply for the aikido and separate out the heaters from the main B+. It would be a very interesting build I think.
Sadly the ECC86 are unobtainium or $$$ - must look up what he is doing with the ECC99
Fran
EDIT: what I really must do someday is set up a shunt reg supply for the aikido and separate out the heaters from the main B+. It would be a very interesting build I think.
Great help, thanks! I have one question, why should I consider the cathode follower version of the Aikido??
Thanks,
Stan
Thanks,
Stan
Use the CF only aikido if you don't need gain. If you do use the regular which has a gain stage in front of a CF.
Ok, so I'm sold. I'm going the Aikido route. With some pointers from your guys:
--> If it's to 'bright' then I can tweek the output capacitors for the CF; or I can get different tubes.
--> If the gain is to much, then I can tweak the amp section.
It seems like a no brainier to me. I've got surgery next week, and will be out on my back for a while, but afterwords, I'm looking forward to the project.
Best Regards,
Stan
Best Regards,
Stan
--> If it's to 'bright' then I can tweek the output capacitors for the CF; or I can get different tubes.
--> If the gain is to much, then I can tweak the amp section.
It seems like a no brainier to me. I've got surgery next week, and will be out on my back for a while, but afterwords, I'm looking forward to the project.
Best Regards,
Stan
Best Regards,
Stan
You have plenty of options with the Aikido circuit:
GlassWare Line Stage & Headphone Amplifiers Kits and PCBs
Broskie has some PCBs where there's room for two output capacitors for each channel. So depending on your mood/preferences you can choose which output capacitor will be used.
GlassWare Line Stage & Headphone Amplifiers Kits and PCBs
Broskie has some PCBs where there's room for two output capacitors for each channel. So depending on your mood/preferences you can choose which output capacitor will be used.
Sorry, not sure what your saying about: "Broskie has some PCBs where there's room for two output capacitors for each channel." I this means that the desired capacitor can be selected via a front panel switch, correct?
Thanks,
Stan
about 10 different versions, and with possible different tubes, even more
personally, I think I would choose one of the later and simpler designs
you also should look at which kind of power supply is needed
from your questions it sounds like you havent looked at it very much
you should not choose from what is said here, only
study the different options, to know better what options you have
its equally important to know much more about the rest of your gear
personally, I think I would choose one of the later and simpler designs
you also should look at which kind of power supply is needed
from your questions it sounds like you havent looked at it very much
you should not choose from what is said here, only
study the different options, to know better what options you have
its equally important to know much more about the rest of your gear
Here's an extract from the Octal_Aikido_PCB.pdf:
Dual Coupling Capacitors
The boards hold two coupling capacitors, each finding its own 1M resistor to ground. Why? The idea here is that you can select (via a rotary switch) between C1 or C2 or both capacitors in parallel.
Why again? One coupling capacitor can be Teflon and the other oil or polypropylene or wax or wet-slug tantalum…. As they used to sing in a candy bar commercial: “Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't.”
Each type of capacitor has its virtues and failings. So use the one that best suits the music; for example, one type of coupling capacitors for old Frank Sinatra recordings and the other for Beethoven string quartets.
Or the same flavor capacitor can fill both spots: one lower-valued capacitor would set a low-frequency cutoff of 80Hz for background or late night listening; the other higher-valued capacitor, 5Hz for full range listening.
Or if you have found the perfect type of coupling capacitor, the two capacitors could be hardwired together on the PCB, one smaller one acting as a bypass capacitor for the lager coupling capacitor.
Dual Coupling Capacitors
The boards hold two coupling capacitors, each finding its own 1M resistor to ground. Why? The idea here is that you can select (via a rotary switch) between C1 or C2 or both capacitors in parallel.
Why again? One coupling capacitor can be Teflon and the other oil or polypropylene or wax or wet-slug tantalum…. As they used to sing in a candy bar commercial: “Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't.”
Each type of capacitor has its virtues and failings. So use the one that best suits the music; for example, one type of coupling capacitors for old Frank Sinatra recordings and the other for Beethoven string quartets.
Or the same flavor capacitor can fill both spots: one lower-valued capacitor would set a low-frequency cutoff of 80Hz for background or late night listening; the other higher-valued capacitor, 5Hz for full range listening.
Or if you have found the perfect type of coupling capacitor, the two capacitors could be hardwired together on the PCB, one smaller one acting as a bypass capacitor for the lager coupling capacitor.
Stanley: There are spots on the PCB for two different sets of coupling caps; you can switch them via front panel, etc if you want, I ended up running each out the back of the chassis with 2 pairs of RCA's. When I feel like using the other set, I move my interconnects.
I used Bas Horneman's power supply PCB in mine. It looks like Broskie now has loads of power supply kits also.
Bas' PS PCB uses tube rectification (6X5), or check out geeks olde PCB shoppe in the vendors section for another generic PS PCB that would work.
Geek's link below also has Bas Horneman's Aikido PS PCB
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vendors-bazaar/153142-geeks-olde-pcb-shoppe.html
I used Bas Horneman's power supply PCB in mine. It looks like Broskie now has loads of power supply kits also.
Bas' PS PCB uses tube rectification (6X5), or check out geeks olde PCB shoppe in the vendors section for another generic PS PCB that would work.
Geek's link below also has Bas Horneman's Aikido PS PCB
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vendors-bazaar/153142-geeks-olde-pcb-shoppe.html
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as far as I can tell, that may have affect on the signal, in some way
its like loose hanging components
and yes, I have experienced ill effects from that in speaker xo's
and if you want optimum quality, leave out all kinds of switches in the signal chain; one source, straight in straight out
unfortunately often impractical, but it gives the best result
some tubes or curcuits may be microphonic, which might be part of the reason
could be that its an improvement in some amps, and less in others
you could instead solder print pins with pin connectors on amp board, to make for an easy change of caps
cost next to nothing, even in silver
cost next to nothing, even in silver
Hello All,
Aikido too bright? No! Use the Aikido as a reference to test output capacitors. Too bright try new capacitors.
I use an Aikido to drive a pair of Single End Triode power tubes for a pair of headphones (highly recommended). I just swapped out a pair of boutique polypropylene capacitors for NOS Russian paper in oil capacitors. Wow the results were eye popping. I was looking all around to see where the new sounds were coming from.
DT
All just for fun!
Aikido too bright? No! Use the Aikido as a reference to test output capacitors. Too bright try new capacitors.
I use an Aikido to drive a pair of Single End Triode power tubes for a pair of headphones (highly recommended). I just swapped out a pair of boutique polypropylene capacitors for NOS Russian paper in oil capacitors. Wow the results were eye popping. I was looking all around to see where the new sounds were coming from.
DT
All just for fun!
many builders may not know that output cap should be calculated accordingly to power amp input impedance
if used with SS amp, cap may need to be bigger, or there could be loss of low end
could that be what its about
but it is well known that Aikido is very accurate and clean, of birth
other parts of a setup may not be up to it, speakers most likely
many will probably be better off with the more forgiving 2-tube designs
Broskie actually says so himself
You guys are great!!
I wanted to summarize all that I've been told so far:
--> Aikido is a very clean and neutral design.
--> If people think the system is to bright, then the problem is the output capacitors need to be changed. This will have a huge effect in the voicing of the amp.
-- Output caps should be calculated accordingly to power amp input impedance
if used with SS amp, cap may need to be bigger, or there could be loss of low end loss.
--> Need to tune the Aikido with the rest of the system. This is a huge advantage of the DIY preamps. Instead of striving for synergy at a macro level (e.g. boxes), you can strive for synergy at a micro level (e.g. components)
--> There are spots on the PCB for two different sets of coupling caps. This can be used to swap on the fly capacitance according to your mood (e.g. some time you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't).
Best Regards,
Stan
I wanted to summarize all that I've been told so far:
--> Aikido is a very clean and neutral design.
--> If people think the system is to bright, then the problem is the output capacitors need to be changed. This will have a huge effect in the voicing of the amp.
-- Output caps should be calculated accordingly to power amp input impedance
if used with SS amp, cap may need to be bigger, or there could be loss of low end loss.
--> Need to tune the Aikido with the rest of the system. This is a huge advantage of the DIY preamps. Instead of striving for synergy at a macro level (e.g. boxes), you can strive for synergy at a micro level (e.g. components)
--> There are spots on the PCB for two different sets of coupling caps. This can be used to swap on the fly capacitance according to your mood (e.g. some time you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't).
Best Regards,
Stan
Isn't two pairs of RCA jacks on the back panel equivalent to Broskie's output selector switch? If one were to use the switch, the non-used caps output is also just dangling there...............
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