Having fun trying to amuse myself since the lock down started. Figured I was line stage poor so I started drilling holes and putting stuff together or I should say mocking it up. Waiting for parts to arrive but I can share what I have so far for your criticism.
Aikido 6Au6/5687 And Aikido 6SJ7/6SN7 with 5693's and 5692's in the sockets.
Aikido 6Au6/5687 And Aikido 6SJ7/6SN7 with 5693's and 5692's in the sockets.
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I'll also mention that being retired and cheap everything is used that is going into the projects with the exception of a few resistors and jacks.
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Nice build looks awesome. Is the top plate copper? I myself have bullt an Aikido preamp utilising a pair of 6dj8 input and a pair of 5687. Oh man what a great sounding preamp nice tight lows with lots of tone nice soundstage imaging on point a very lush sounding preamp overall. This was my very first attempt at tube equipment diy build.
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Top plate is copper. It was black when I started working on it. It took some time to clean it and put a grain on the finish. I will finish wiring it and then pull the tubes clean the copper with lacquer thinner followed by alcohol and finish up with 3 or 4 coats of clear lacquer once I cover up the tube sockets, jacks, and VC.
I have a group buy diy audio set of Aikido 9 pin boards that I have 5687's for the 2nd tube. I have a dual mono setup and it sounds very nice.
I'm not even going to show my underneath after seeing your fine work. I'm not a wood worker so I don't have a nice base for the plate to sit on.
I have a group buy diy audio set of Aikido 9 pin boards that I have 5687's for the 2nd tube. I have a dual mono setup and it sounds very nice.
I'm not even going to show my underneath after seeing your fine work. I'm not a wood worker so I don't have a nice base for the plate to sit on.
Still waiting for my RCA jacks to arrive. I did resort to temporarily using some used jacks in order to fire it up and take a listen. The results were better than the one I made back around 05. Plenty of gain which I like even if some here think its too much. The 6Au6 delivers a clarity and presence I haven't heard from other configurations.
Unlike the first go around where I couldn't get rid of the noise this one has only a slight hiss when the input is cranked to the max with my Allen model 75 mono blocks and my Klipsch Cornwall Clones.
Running about 32VDC into the center tap of my 6.3 heater winding. I realize its not the suggested 1/4 of the B+ but it works.
I'm amazed that with the capability to drive a 10K load at over 30 volts RMS its very easy to adjust. Everyone says that's too much but if it can be adjusted who cares? My 6SN7/6SN7 Aikido only delivers 7.5 volts into a 10K load and I find myself with the gain control turned up quite a bit when listening to the classic rock from the 70's.
Unlike the first go around where I couldn't get rid of the noise this one has only a slight hiss when the input is cranked to the max with my Allen model 75 mono blocks and my Klipsch Cornwall Clones.
Running about 32VDC into the center tap of my 6.3 heater winding. I realize its not the suggested 1/4 of the B+ but it works.
I'm amazed that with the capability to drive a 10K load at over 30 volts RMS its very easy to adjust. Everyone says that's too much but if it can be adjusted who cares? My 6SN7/6SN7 Aikido only delivers 7.5 volts into a 10K load and I find myself with the gain control turned up quite a bit when listening to the classic rock from the 70's.
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Nice looking job! Would love to see the final coats on the copper. Close-up then, please.
I noticed you had previous thread(s) about the 6au6/6sn7 input for the Aikido, but I got to ask, why doing the pentode input, rather than the “standard” double triode Aikido input?
The copper top plate looks awesome neat,sleek and clean with the wooden sides. Cant wait to see some more into it bro. Keep up the good work
I guess I have several reasons for going with the pentode. First is I like the challenge of putting it together being its capable of high gain and therefore noise will be a challenge to get out of it.
Secondly, I absolutely love the sound of it. This is my second go around with this Aikido design. I first put one together back in about 05 when the design came out on John's site. I couldn't get the noise out probably due to my construction techniques. This particular unit is hum free and a joy to listen to.
My second project will be a 6SJ7/6SN7 line stage which I assume hasn't been tried yet by anyone. The 6SJ7 is another great pentode and is available in the RCA Special Red Tubes a special long life low noise tube.
I'd probably have a fairly decent looking unit if I only worked with wood. The copper plate was a item that was in my dads garage when I was a kid and when he passed I found it while going thru his stuff. I guess its kind of my tribute to him to try to make something out of it that he never got around to doing. I kept some of the dings and scratches in it while giving it a grained appearance kind of like stainless steel. To me its nostalgic to have copper and try to give it a 1900's try appearance.
I've gotten three pieces out of the piece I got from the garage. The first was put into service in my 6SN7/6SN7 Aikido which I will post a picture of. Note that in moving to AZ it was damaged the top piece of wood that serves as a picture frame piece over the copper plate was broken apart at the joints. Being I know absolutely nothing about wood I tried to glue it but the results are less than optimum.
Several picture of the first Aikido I made using copper plate.
The wood base wasn't made by me but rather a wood worker that had a floor standing radio that i fixed for him. It turned out good for me as I got a wood base that I didn't mind looking at instead of something that I tried to make.
The wood base wasn't made by me but rather a wood worker that had a floor standing radio that i fixed for him. It turned out good for me as I got a wood base that I didn't mind looking at instead of something that I tried to make.
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Just curious : in the second picture, why did you use shields for the two tubes in the front?
Actually there are two reasons I'm using shields on the 6AU6's. 1.) I thought maybe they would help cut down on noise which I believe they have. 2.) The sockets with shields were the only ones I could find from the supplier I dealt with and I thought they looked kinda nice.