Here is a test report of Allens preamp.
6moons audio reviews: Vacuum State RTP3D
When you look inside you can see the white Rifa PPS SMD.
6moons audio reviews: Vacuum State RTP3D
When you look inside you can see the white Rifa PPS SMD.
Wima makes PPS SMD too :
WIMA SMD-PPS Kondensatoren
Usually they are less expensive as RIFA.
I have not ried them but i can see no reason why they should not be as good.
WIMA SMD-PPS Kondensatoren
Usually they are less expensive as RIFA.
I have not ried them but i can see no reason why they should not be as good.
It is a complex animal. I had it ones in my system.
Allen brought it to me shortly before he died.
It had a very particular, airy and delicate sound.
I have also experience with his smaller preamp.
That also has the PPS.
Allen brought it to me shortly before he died.
It had a very particular, airy and delicate sound.
I have also experience with his smaller preamp.
That also has the PPS.
Here you can see some, the white blocks in the back :
http://www.vacuumstate.com/fileupload/SVP_2.pdf
http://www.vacuumstate.com/fileupload/SVP_2.pdf
looking at Polystyrenes
The ones I mentioned were just a few examples.
There are/were much more comparable types from other manufacturers.
As e.g. RiFa (PFE-216) in Sweden, Suflex (SUF677, SUF710) in England, Mial in France.
Some switched hat over the years, e.g. the boxed Siemens KS, became S+M KS manufacture (Siemens + Matsushita).
At a later stage, the technology plus the machinery was sold off to EMZ, who manufactured the exact same KS parts with an EMZ logo for a number of years.
What all these types and brands differ in, is not just the technology, but the manufacturing tools.
The German cap winding machinery is/was SOTA, and as you heard from Stuart, tightness of winding the foils (and variations) is half the story.
Not merely the choice of dielectric.
Main and only reason why the boxed Siemens polystyrenes could also be ordered in 0.1% and 0.05% accuracy, straight from the production line (see the link I posted for you).
Difference between a Chevy small block, and one by AMG (with an individual engine computer data file).
Doesn't mean you shouldn't try newer foil cap types, it's the continuous change in technology that makes audio so fascinating.
(and sometimes, a step back can become a step forward)
Ever seen a 0.5uF polystyrene ?

Attachments
There was a German company, i forgot the name, that made even bigger ones.
Always the biggest. Sorry, I could not resist 😉
Big car with Big engine.
Big one with Small motor.
Small car with a Huge engine.
Small car with Small propulsion unit.
Or go Small & Large with Hybrid drive.
So many choices, and so little time.
Think I'll go for the Tallest Small car, with the Highest torque Small engine.
Big one with Small motor.
Small car with a Huge engine.
Small car with Small propulsion unit.
Or go Small & Large with Hybrid drive.
So many choices, and so little time.
Think I'll go for the Tallest Small car, with the Highest torque Small engine.
Wankel has lousy SFC & LO numbers.
(only interested in a '77/'78 Van Veen OCR-1000, sentimental reasons. Just 39 made, think >$50k collector's)
Speaking metaphorically, btw.
(only interested in a '77/'78 Van Veen OCR-1000, sentimental reasons. Just 39 made, think >$50k collector's)
Speaking metaphorically, btw.
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The balanced input is working !
Gain is a little low so i think i can reduce the emitter resistors to 5 Ohm.
I will tell you more soon but i already measurewd frequency response and it goes to 7MHz.
I had to ground the negative side for this because my generator and scope share the same ground. The 100kHz square looks clean, no overshot.
I will measure the offset and check noise but what i hear sounds good.
Why a guy that starts with an S said that this circuit brings trouble i do not now.
I just works fine.
Gain is a little low so i think i can reduce the emitter resistors to 5 Ohm.
I will tell you more soon but i already measurewd frequency response and it goes to 7MHz.
I had to ground the negative side for this because my generator and scope share the same ground. The 100kHz square looks clean, no overshot.
I will measure the offset and check noise but what i hear sounds good.
Why a guy that starts with an S said that this circuit brings trouble i do not now.
I just works fine.
This is how the setup looks. I play a Spiral Groove turntable with Centroid tonearm.
The cartridge i am playing at the moment is made by a master craftsmen that lives close by. It uses a samarium cobalt magnet, aged silver wire, hybrid aluminum tube - carbon rod cantilever and special quality Shibata needle. It does not have the typical peak of 6dB at 20kHz that many modern MC cartridges have.
After the balanced Paradise input it goes into my MM "House" RIAA.
I call it that way because it should never leave the house like the other stages.
Usually what i can build goes out fast.
Then i play into my floating preamp and then into my 20W class Latfet amp.
The cartridge i am playing at the moment is made by a master craftsmen that lives close by. It uses a samarium cobalt magnet, aged silver wire, hybrid aluminum tube - carbon rod cantilever and special quality Shibata needle. It does not have the typical peak of 6dB at 20kHz that many modern MC cartridges have.
After the balanced Paradise input it goes into my MM "House" RIAA.
I call it that way because it should never leave the house like the other stages.
Usually what i can build goes out fast.
Then i play into my floating preamp and then into my 20W class Latfet amp.