I wrapped up the measurements of the Modulus-286 Rev. 2.0 before Christmas. You can find them here: Modulus-286 Description. The THD measured -119 dB with "Victor's Oscillator". I'm working on a distortion magnifier design that should extend the range of my AP by up to 40 dB, so I might get better numbers in a bit.
Meanwhile, the Modulus-286 Kit will be a Limited Edition. And, no, not limited to as many as I can sell...
There will be a total of 28 made. Five have sold and the sixth will be underway to Amir over at Audio Science Review tomorrow. The remaining are available at $1450/each while supplies last. They're available here: Modulus-286 Kit Limited Edition. I expect the kits to ship by the end of January. The stock indicators on my website reflects the number of kits ordered, thus, if the kit option of your choice is indicated as In Stock, I will have one for your by the end of January if you place your pre-order now.
The reason for the Limited Edition is that the project hinges on a single vendor for the power supply: Connex SMPS300RE. The technical performance of the SMPS300RE is fine, but Connex have chosen some rather cheap terminal blocks for the mains input. They are prone to breaking as you tighten the screw. This is simply not up to western quality standards, so I will replace the terminal blocks before I ship the supplies for the kits. Needless to say, this is not a production flow. In addition, I have had significant issues with Connex's customer service on this order, so I have chosen to move on.
Tom
Meanwhile, the Modulus-286 Kit will be a Limited Edition. And, no, not limited to as many as I can sell...
There will be a total of 28 made. Five have sold and the sixth will be underway to Amir over at Audio Science Review tomorrow. The remaining are available at $1450/each while supplies last. They're available here: Modulus-286 Kit Limited Edition. I expect the kits to ship by the end of January. The stock indicators on my website reflects the number of kits ordered, thus, if the kit option of your choice is indicated as In Stock, I will have one for your by the end of January if you place your pre-order now.The reason for the Limited Edition is that the project hinges on a single vendor for the power supply: Connex SMPS300RE. The technical performance of the SMPS300RE is fine, but Connex have chosen some rather cheap terminal blocks for the mains input. They are prone to breaking as you tighten the screw. This is simply not up to western quality standards, so I will replace the terminal blocks before I ship the supplies for the kits. Needless to say, this is not a production flow. In addition, I have had significant issues with Connex's customer service on this order, so I have chosen to move on.
Tom
Connex
As discussed in other threads, that really sucks. Will those lucky 28 be seeing your signature and serial# written on the back panel?
Presuming there is a Meanwell product model for builders happy with performance of SMPS, would its footprint require a larger chassis size than the custom unit into which you were able to shoe-horn the Limited Edition? Of course, there are probably lots of folks wanting to build with linear supplies, of which you have a couple of choices as well.
As discussed in other threads, that really sucks. Will those lucky 28 be seeing your signature and serial# written on the back panel?
Presuming there is a Meanwell product model for builders happy with performance of SMPS, would its footprint require a larger chassis size than the custom unit into which you were able to shoe-horn the Limited Edition? Of course, there are probably lots of folks wanting to build with linear supplies, of which you have a couple of choices as well.
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I've considered that.
I can certainly do that upon request.See, that's the thing. There is not a good Mean Well option. I need ±36 V. Mean Well has very few 36 V options. The RPS-series would be the most obvious choice. It's available in 24, 27, and 48 V, except for the 400 W RPS-400-36(-C), which won't fit in the chassis. The RPS-400-36 also has issues with audible whine at light load, so I don't recommend it.
I'll have to do the math, but a kit based on a Power-86 (or -686) with a transformer might be a better option - at least from a business perspective. It would have to be in a larger chassis, which would leave enough room in the chassis that I can add mounting holes for the Guardian-86 and ISS. That would make for a super nice kit. The question is whether people would be willing to pay for it.
I did my absolute best to keep the cost down on the MOD286 Kit LE and it's still quite expensive. I will not promise that I can make another kit happen. I'll have to see what the MOD286 Kit LE will sell for and gauge whether making more kits available makes sense or whether I should focus my efforts on bringing a commercial product to market instead.
At the current pricing for the Kit, you buy the Kit for about the same cost as you'd pay if you were to order the parts individually. The main value proposition there is that you get all the parts you need in one package and all you have to do is to put it together.
Tom
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The manufacturing of the Modulus-286 Kit (Limited Edition) chassis is nearing completion. ModuShop reports that they expect to be able to ship by the middle of next week. This will allow me to start shipping the kits by the end of January as promised. It may take me until the first day or two of February to get all the pre-ordered kits boxed up and off to the post office, but right now it looks like my end-of-January promise will hold.
I'm looking forward to reading about everybody's build experiences and listening impressions.
You can still get in on the Limited Edition deal. Preorder your Modulus-286 Kit here: Modulus-286 Kit Limited Edition (PREORDER) | Neurochrome :: Audio
Tom
I'm looking forward to reading about everybody's build experiences and listening impressions.
You can still get in on the Limited Edition deal. Preorder your Modulus-286 Kit here: Modulus-286 Kit Limited Edition (PREORDER) | Neurochrome :: Audio
Tom
With any luck mine should be one of the earlier kits to ship - Tom don’t forget to autograph them with something indelible - even etching with a Dremel engraver would be fine with me. I’ll try to remember to snap some photos of the assembly process, hopefully with less bother than during a speaker enclosure build when my hands are grubby with glue or funishing materials.
LOL. Signing each kit would be a bit of a pain. The kits come from ModuShop in a nice shrink wrapped package so the panels don't get scratched in transit. I'd hesitate to break that open.
If you'd like me to sign yours, I can certainly pick up a paint marker. If anybody else wants theirs signed, I'll be happy to. Just let me know when you order. I'll put the production number (#/28) on the signed ones.
Tom
If you'd like me to sign yours, I can certainly pick up a paint marker. If anybody else wants theirs signed, I'll be happy to. Just let me know when you order. I'll put the production number (#/28) on the signed ones.
Tom
Yeehaw! I love when vendors keep their promises. The silver chassis are scheduled to arrive Jan 30th and the black ones Jan 31st. As soon as I see how the chassis are packaged, I'll be able to order shipping boxes for the kits. Thus, I should be able to start shipping Jan 31st as promised.
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's builds.
Tom
I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's builds.
Tom
Amir at Audio Science Review has completed his review of the Modulus-286 Kit. He measured the first (arguably prototype) build (#1/28). You can find his review here:
Review and Measurements of Neurochrome Modulus-286 Amp | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum
Tom
Review and Measurements of Neurochrome Modulus-286 Amp | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum
Tom
So I got started on my Kit assembly this afternoon, but have already sent Tom a message with couple of questions before I can post any photos that will be more detailed than his own of the mock-up, sans wiring.
The 3D assembly for which Tom elected to keep the chassis width to the minimum is a very tight squeeze indeed, and if all models ship with the same machine screws for mounting amp board modules to heatsinks as mine, you’ll need a log shafted 2.5mm Allen key for those, and #2 Phillips driver for attaching the heat-sink modules to front panel.
The 3D assembly for which Tom elected to keep the chassis width to the minimum is a very tight squeeze indeed, and if all models ship with the same machine screws for mounting amp board modules to heatsinks as mine, you’ll need a log shafted 2.5mm Allen key for those, and #2 Phillips driver for attaching the heat-sink modules to front panel.
A few snapshots
As I mentioned in previous post, very tight fit - particularly area of the PSU wiring harness and speaker wire outputs under the mezzanine.
Rear panel speaker wiring is before connecting jumpers for combined L & R output on 4 pole Speakon.
Hard to estimate total build time a fresh build would require as I had several interruptions, and my chassis came completely assembled, so several of the steps in the preliminary instructions Tom supplied were redundant.
Initial smoke test - none, and DC offset below my cheap meter’s threshold, so now just need to round up some XLR connectors for cabling, then test drive. That’ll be later this afternoon.
As I mentioned in previous post, very tight fit - particularly area of the PSU wiring harness and speaker wire outputs under the mezzanine.
Rear panel speaker wiring is before connecting jumpers for combined L & R output on 4 pole Speakon.
Hard to estimate total build time a fresh build would require as I had several interruptions, and my chassis came completely assembled, so several of the steps in the preliminary instructions Tom supplied were redundant.
Initial smoke test - none, and DC offset below my cheap meter’s threshold, so now just need to round up some XLR connectors for cabling, then test drive. That’ll be later this afternoon.
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Chris' chassis was the photo model for the pictures of the black chassis on my website. Rather than tearing the chassis down for shipping, I just gave Chris a head start. Everybody else will received the kit as a flat-pack. ModuShop does a superb job at packing these things. You can see their packaging job here.
The front, rear, and bottom panels are assembled first. The LED is epoxied in place in the front, the standoffs and grounding lugs populated on the bottom, and all the connectors are added to the rear. Then the wiring as shown above.
I give all the measurements for how to make the wiring harnesses, so the Kit should come together pretty easily, though the tight squeeze will challenge some I'm sure. You'll need your brain surgeon skills for the assembly.
Chris - thanks for posting. I appreciate it.
Tom
The front, rear, and bottom panels are assembled first. The LED is epoxied in place in the front, the standoffs and grounding lugs populated on the bottom, and all the connectors are added to the rear. Then the wiring as shown above.
I give all the measurements for how to make the wiring harnesses, so the Kit should come together pretty easily, though the tight squeeze will challenge some I'm sure. You'll need your brain surgeon skills for the assembly.
Chris - thanks for posting. I appreciate it.
Tom
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In her natural habitat
Yeah, Tom is good at what he does, and while the 286 sounds big enough for its modest footprint, it ain’t no Tardis.
Just installed in the upstairs system, and makes the amp stage of the Marantz CR611 sound like exactly what it is.
Dead quiet, no warmer than ambient temp at current operating level, very detailed, open, much tighter and deeper bass. Definitely worth the wait.
Got me thinking about what 3@286 & 4@186 might do for the HT rig - nah, that’d be silly.?
If not brain surgery, at least dental hygienist tight space for swinging some of those tools around.
Yeah, Tom is good at what he does, and while the 286 sounds big enough for its modest footprint, it ain’t no Tardis.
Just installed in the upstairs system, and makes the amp stage of the Marantz CR611 sound like exactly what it is.
Dead quiet, no warmer than ambient temp at current operating level, very detailed, open, much tighter and deeper bass. Definitely worth the wait.
Got me thinking about what 3@286 & 4@186 might do for the HT rig - nah, that’d be silly.?
If not brain surgery, at least dental hygienist tight space for swinging some of those tools around.
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Awesome. I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the synopsis.
To borrow a slogan, "Just do it!"
That'd be an incredible HT rig.Tom