It's not strange...because those pads are both on a groundplane so an high temperature is actually needed to molt the solder completely.
As you want but you can do as I wrote, I've had my case 3 years and 3 versions after but soldered LM3886 before that.
Absolutely... you should try to be quick AFTER solder is molten on both sides of the PCBs... 4/5seconds on those groundplane pads is not enough for sure.
IMHO it's better to raise temperature to 380/390°C and do it quickly than appling 330° for 30 seconds. 😉
Alright, thanks so much for that valuable information. As you can see I don't have a lot of experience. In my last project I never had to apply heat for that long, so I was hesitant... Will try again later 🙂
yay, your tips worked perfect 🙂 R11 is fixed. Is the mcacp this way right?
i also bought a crimp tool.. smallest specified size is awg 22 ... but my rca cable is awg 24 ... do you think i could simply put a little bit of metal on the bottom of the tool (to compensate...) to get a working result? Or is this a no no?
i also bought a crimp tool.. smallest specified size is awg 22 ... but my rca cable is awg 24 ... do you think i could simply put a little bit of metal on the bottom of the tool (to compensate...) to get a working result? Or is this a no no?
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🙂
Yes, the the MCAP seems correctly oriented.
Really don't know but it doesn't sound good to me..
All built up and working great! Sounds wonderful. Lots of gain. Runs cool. DC offset measured at 0.3mV and 2.0mV. I was a little apprehensive about potential hum due to proximity of the 2x 200VA trafos, but all is well and there is NO issue there. Below is my testing setup with 4 (!) recent builds including a Pass M2 Clone. Speakers are diy full range LGK from GR Research. Source is AMB gamma-3 via USB. Will do critical listening after I have some hours on the amp.
BK
BK
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ME TOO 😀
Looking great BK. Nice speaker build thread also.
HEY Ya'LL
Listening to Al Jarreau on my monoblock FEs as I paint the kitchen. Thought I better check in and end the long absence from my favorite thread.🙂
I've been inhabiting the other side of the moon for many months, but there is very little music there, no flux fumes and definitely no sawdust, so I hopped a passing satellite and headed home.
So glad to see the FE community very much alive and still growing. As I update I can't decide if Dario is the embodiment of a Timex Watch: "Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking"😉 or the Eveready Bunny. Fantastic ongoing support and development Mr.D
Have to switch to Stan Getz now and go finish painting, but it's nice to be back !!!
P.S. Hey Sargent Andrew
. I see you are still keeping the traffic moving in a safe and forward direction.
😉
P.P.S Been occupying many hours flying around the world with Prepar3D and playing the geezer
role on World of Tanks. Two offerings with absolutely gorgeous graphics and realistic game play. Check 'em out if you have a minute.
Looking great BK. Nice speaker build thread also.
HEY Ya'LL
Listening to Al Jarreau on my monoblock FEs as I paint the kitchen. Thought I better check in and end the long absence from my favorite thread.🙂
I've been inhabiting the other side of the moon for many months, but there is very little music there, no flux fumes and definitely no sawdust, so I hopped a passing satellite and headed home.
So glad to see the FE community very much alive and still growing. As I update I can't decide if Dario is the embodiment of a Timex Watch: "Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking"😉 or the Eveready Bunny. Fantastic ongoing support and development Mr.D
Have to switch to Stan Getz now and go finish painting, but it's nice to be back !!!
P.S. Hey Sargent Andrew
. I see you are still keeping the traffic moving in a safe and forward direction.😉 P.P.S Been occupying many hours flying around the world with Prepar3D and playing the geezer
role on World of Tanks. Two offerings with absolutely gorgeous graphics and realistic game play. Check 'em out if you have a minute.
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Very good, clean and elegant job, BK 😎
Just two notes:
- the sides of your HiFi 2000 case can be used as heatsinks and they're good enough for the FE
- The Nichicon KZ will change a lot with burn-in and it will take forever...
HEY Ya'LL
Listening to Al Jarreau on my monoblock FEs as I paint the kitchen. Thought I better check in and end the long absence from my favorite thread.🙂
(...)
As I update I can't decide if Dario is the embodiment of a Timex Watch: "Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking"😉 or the Eveready Bunny. Fantastic ongoing support and development Mr.D
Welcome back Bob! 🙂
It's nice to read you again here 😎
I'm glad you hopped that satellite 😉
Hi all, yup nice build BK.
FE's seem to get even better with time, maybe down to those wee black gate caps i fitted, who knows eh. I moved back to where i grew up recently, got a bigger listening room too which seems to have boosted the bass a fair bit. Sounding dam fine these days Dario, thanks again for all your effort developing these amps.
FE's seem to get even better with time, maybe down to those wee black gate caps i fitted, who knows eh. I moved back to where i grew up recently, got a bigger listening room too which seems to have boosted the bass a fair bit. Sounding dam fine these days Dario, thanks again for all your effort developing these amps.
Black Gates, when available at reasonable price are still the best caps.
With Cerafines 50V and Silmic II Black/Gold 50V we have some interesting alternatives and a decent cap from Mouser, Nichicon KZ.
All those caps, including Black Gates are colored and will somehat 'voice' the amp.
Comparing to the reference (plain copper wire) I'll try to describe their coloration:
Black Gates
Very clean sounding and balanced, slightly bolder and warmer than reference, let's say a tiny bit laid back.
They somewhat 'simplify' a tiny bit sound, AKA cleaner than life, the most balanced but not so neutral.
Best choices are PK and Standard.
FK aree too warm and laid back for my taste and NX even more.
Cerafine
Clean, more balanced than BG apart medium frequencies where they're more upfront than reference, 25V ones are, instead recessed.
Compared to a BG they will sound a tiny bit less delicate but more alive, after all the most neutral but not completely balanced.
Nichicon KZ
Clean and pleasing will hide some detail, dynamics and sparkle, they have a soundstage larger than life and are pretty more laid back and reverberant than the reference.
They have a very long burn-in, they will start bold and somewhat restricted, after some tens of hours they will open up but, surprsingly, while more balanced for bass they also reveal a strange medium freqs coloration.
They're still the best sounding cap from Mouser but using one of the alternatives is, IMHO, higly recommended.
Silmic II Black Gold
Clean, balanced and pleasing will hide some detail, dynamics and a tiny bit of sparkle. Colored but in a nice and musical way.
A very good alternative for whom liked the KZ but want to get rid of that annoying 'bathroom' coloration (exagerrated to make it clear) and get more presence and sparkle.
Brown/white ones have a STRONG medium frequency coloration that will make them sound distant and nasal, for my taste unbearable.
Your description of the BG v/s the standard cap is spot on Dario, i can't comment on the rest because i have not tried them. I like the slight warmth the BG imparts, it seems to compliment my current DAC very well.
I like your description of the bathroom effect, that made me laugh but i know what you mean'
It's great to see that there is still a lot of interest in the FE, but then a genuinely affordable high-end amplifier is a rare thing. I'll take my FE mono-blocks over a 47 labs gain card any day.
I like your description of the bathroom effect, that made me laugh but i know what you mean'
It's great to see that there is still a lot of interest in the FE, but then a genuinely affordable high-end amplifier is a rare thing. I'll take my FE mono-blocks over a 47 labs gain card any day.
One additional underside pic showing more construction details.
PCB is mounted by the 4x screws with washers. I drilled/tapped the heatsinks and securely screwed them to the case bottom. These are the three screws without washers. I scribed the heatsink pattern on the other side and drilled vent holes between the fins. I know the case walls are sufficient for the chip, but I'm all about the overkill. Heatsinks are the 5.375" profile from HeatsinkUSA and are quite nice/heavy/well made. The large bolts secure the 2x24V 200VA shielded Antek transformers.
The Neutrik RCA connectors are back-mounted after punching holes with a Greenlee 7/8" punch. The IEC is a beefy 5A filter unit from a local surplus place.
BK
PCB is mounted by the 4x screws with washers. I drilled/tapped the heatsinks and securely screwed them to the case bottom. These are the three screws without washers. I scribed the heatsink pattern on the other side and drilled vent holes between the fins. I know the case walls are sufficient for the chip, but I'm all about the overkill. Heatsinks are the 5.375" profile from HeatsinkUSA and are quite nice/heavy/well made. The large bolts secure the 2x24V 200VA shielded Antek transformers.
The Neutrik RCA connectors are back-mounted after punching holes with a Greenlee 7/8" punch. The IEC is a beefy 5A filter unit from a local surplus place.
BK
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Nice work BK, i did wonder why you had the heatsinks mounted inside the case but as my FE's never seem to get very warm i thought it was probably not that important.
Then again you do have a hotter climate than the west coast of Scotland.
Then again you do have a hotter climate than the west coast of Scotland.
Are there reputable sources for BG, Cerafine or SII black/gold? Or known sources to AVOID? It's unfortunate there are so many shady operators and counterfeit parts.
BK
BK
😉
Sometime an example or a metaphor could work pretty well 😉
And it's getting better too 😀
Impressive, BK 😎
You can buy, as indicated in BOM, 220uF 4V Black Gate PK from Parts Connexion, Cerafine usually can be bought from Parts Connexion and Hifi Collective but both don't stock the needed 220uF 50V, they have 220 25V which sound different and not a god match.
The only source for Silmic Black Gold is eBay, so far all the Silmics and Cerafines I've bought on eBay were genuine but it's possible to get a fake...
I've bought the 220uF 50V Cerafines, genuine, from:
VISHAY ERO, XL Timing Pulley Belt items in Family Happy Day store on eBay!
For Silmics II Balck Gold the ebay seller forexmen have the real thing, bought from him several times.
4pcs Japan ELNA 220uF 50V SILMIC II Series High End HiFi Audio Capacitor Cap | eBay
The BG PK from PCX is a safe bet and cheap too, it will work flawlessy and sound incredibile.
I always read these capacitor sound effect reviews and repeatedly ask myself if the capacitors are leaking.
Have they been reformed? Almost every "sound" review never mentions reforming of the electrolytic capacitors.
Yet without reforming the leakage can be a thousand to a million times higher than for a reformed capacitor.
Are you listening to the sound effects of leakage?
Have they been reformed? Almost every "sound" review never mentions reforming of the electrolytic capacitors.
Yet without reforming the leakage can be a thousand to a million times higher than for a reformed capacitor.
Are you listening to the sound effects of leakage?