Hi soongsc,
- The double bottom is inserted in the aluminum profile and the LM3886 is fixed with a screw. The whole system will be secure when front panel and rear panel will be mounted.
EPCOS B41505 (105 ºC).
Then you need a DC blocking.
If you buy a PCB I strongly advise you to use capacitors EPCOS B41505 (105 ºC).
-> http://media.digikey.com/pdf/Data Sheets/Epcos PDFs/B41505__B43505.pdf
Then you need a DC blocking.
If you buy a PCB I strongly advise you to use capacitors EPCOS B41505 (105 ºC).
-> http://media.digikey.com/pdf/Data Sheets/Epcos PDFs/B41505__B43505.pdf
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Forgive me for not being sufficiently jaded.
Ignore Soongsc, he has spent too long with Reviewers and Golden ears and hears mythical Aether. Any expectation bias aside, if you think your Mod-86 sounds better than the other systems in your house, its all good
I also get a little troubled when using a modern computerized source, most of which usually manage to distort itself if cranked up over 2/3rds.Not quite. A number of my recent audio dabblings have not had enough gain for some recordings, and this has been a bit frustrating. There are recordings out there that have been mastered at very low average levels - nothing from the last twenty years, of course!!
Listening to an album with volume at maximum, and getting sound levels about that of a TV set adjusted for average viewing is not helpful - a bit more adjustment in reserve should not be discarded lightly ...
However, there is a goal to get the gain as low as possible so as to maximize imaging/soundstage/realism. In this case, the gain is not necessarily missing, but rather it is employed for a different purpose.
Therefore, I'd like Tom's suggestion as to what preamp is good enough to add in front of his power amp?
Or maybe there's an option to boost the Modulous86 for a bit higher gain, for a more streamlined approach that may be cleaner than adding another (pre) amp in front of it?
Which way should we go?
Directions please?
If you wanted to use a linear supply for audio amp in that particular upstairs room, it may be possible to (with great care and/or electrician) move the circuit breaker for that room, either up or down a space in the panel, thereby using the other channel, which might be cleaner.
I use a balanced version of Bent Audio's TAP-X. The measurements are here:TAP-X measurements. Those measurements are a worst case scenario.
Maximum gain available is +7dB. Since my system is high sensitivity and since have decent output from my DAC as well as vinyl sources, I never have to go past unity gain.
For me, the measurements above and my sonic appreciation of this unit, match completely. For those who do not need or will ever use extra gain, i.e. only need unity gain, I would recommend a balanced build of Tortuga's LDR. I do not have any measurements on that unit, but my audition put it on par with the TAP-X unit which is great, more options! The Tortuga LDR is cheaper to build DIY however. The fully built version of the balanced Tortuga LDR and fully built Bent Audio TAP-X are about the same (~$2K-$3K, depending on options).
I did a diy build of the Bent TAP-X, seen here and called Poseidon's Voice Lazarus.
Until there is a preamp (with or without gain) that has distortion levels lower than the Modulus 86 or lower than my current Bent TAP-X, I am going to stick with the TAP-X.
You certainly don't want to build a preamp that measures much worse than the Modulus 86. What would be the point of that?
Best,
Anand.
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I'd use a THAT1646. If you need more than its 6 dB of gain, add an LME49710 in front with a little gain.
~Tom
An LDR preamp is a great way to substitute one minor issue (potentiometer tracking) with a whole range of new issues (noise, distortion, non-linearity, to name a few).
If you want stellar channel-to-channel tracking, use one of the many PGAs out there. THAT has a nice all analog one. The PGA2320 from TI is pretty good too.
~Tom
Member
Joined 2006
DACT CT101
About active preamps, what do you think about this?
Line stages / linear preamplifier modules
Data sheet for DACT's CT101 line stage / linear preamplifier module
About active preamps, what do you think about this?
Line stages / linear preamplifier modules
Data sheet for DACT's CT101 line stage / linear preamplifier module
Member
Joined 2006
Other active preamp, build by the same person of my two DC blocking:
Preamplifier Headamp with JFET Frontend Diamond Buffer Output Fully Populated | eBay
Changing ALPS by DACT.
Preamplifier Headamp with JFET Frontend Diamond Buffer Output Fully Populated | eBay
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Changing ALPS by DACT.
Tough job. Somebody's gotta do it...
I've learned long ago that a thread drifts off topic on occasion. After about ten pages of OT, it gets right back on track. I will occasionally try to nudge the thread back on topic, but I don't see any reason to lose sleep over a little OT.
~Tom