No, it is not a matter of DIY or not (my amp is old and I have a replacement tranny ready).
It is a matter of 50 Hz buzz or 400 Hz buzz demonstrated in the video from Andy Cine. I cannot imagine why an amp should produce 400 Hz buzz.
In my opinion, this is fake and I cannot believe this thread.
It is a matter of 50 Hz buzz or 400 Hz buzz demonstrated in the video from Andy Cine. I cannot imagine why an amp should produce 400 Hz buzz.
In my opinion, this is fake and I cannot believe this thread.
There are questions that need resolving but that is outside the scope of the average home user.
A diy amp has the possibility to far exceed anything commercially available and conversely a diy amp can also fall way short of the performance of even a mediocre commercial amp. Without being there and hearing all these it becomes totally subjective.
The 400Hz is a mystery but the other side of the coin is that the buzzing could be because of that component.
400Hz is an exact multiple of 50Hz. Had the frequency been some non related figure... but its not.
The bottom line is we just don't know what is happening here.
For comparison this is your clip swiped into Audacity.
No, it is not a matter of DIY or not (my amp is old and I have a replacement tranny ready).
A diy amp has the possibility to far exceed anything commercially available and conversely a diy amp can also fall way short of the performance of even a mediocre commercial amp. Without being there and hearing all these it becomes totally subjective.
It is a matter of 50 Hz buzz or 400 Hz buzz demonstrated in the video from Andy Cine. I cannot imagine why an amp should produce 400 Hz buzz.
The 400Hz is a mystery but the other side of the coin is that the buzzing could be because of that component.
In my opinion, this is fake and I cannot believe this thread.
400Hz is an exact multiple of 50Hz. Had the frequency been some non related figure... but its not.
The bottom line is we just don't know what is happening here.
For comparison this is your clip swiped into Audacity.
Hi Guys,
Sorry for the wait. I have an update. My dealer Audion Emotion in Scotland, eventually agreed to collect the "sensitive" Pass Labs INT-25 and the huge and very heavy Mains Regenerator, which failed to fix the Pass Labs sensitivity issues. I have now been refunded in full.
I hope to update you guys once I sort a replacement amp out.
Thanks again for all your advice. You're a great bunch!
Sorry for the wait. I have an update. My dealer Audion Emotion in Scotland, eventually agreed to collect the "sensitive" Pass Labs INT-25 and the huge and very heavy Mains Regenerator, which failed to fix the Pass Labs sensitivity issues. I have now been refunded in full.
I hope to update you guys once I sort a replacement amp out.
Thanks again for all your advice. You're a great bunch!
That's excellent news, a full refund was the best outcome here 👍
Although they don't sound nearly as detailed and dynamic as the amp he is returning (outside of the transformer hum) they would be a great first build.Build a couple pf ACAs and a Starving Student II preamp. They both uses SMPS and won't hum 🙂
They are also easy to build.
If he has efficient speakers, I would add the ACA Mini to the list. 🙂
You guys think that someone spending that much on a ready made amplifier is into DIY?
You guys think that someone spending that much on a ready made amplifier is into DIY?
You might be surprised. And as an electrical engineer, I've also owned rather costly commercial equipment, by choice.
Well, quite a bit back in the day, none recently (not including speakers, since I don't build speakers):
Electronic Industries (pre-ARC) D100, M60
Audio Research D51, D76A, SP3A, SP2C, D150, ST70C3.
Theta preamp
Conrad Johnson PV2, MV50
GAS Ampzilla, Thaedra, Son of Ampzilla
Luxman MB3045, CL35, CL32
complete Quad tube system
Electronic Industries (pre-ARC) D100, M60
Audio Research D51, D76A, SP3A, SP2C, D150, ST70C3.
Theta preamp
Conrad Johnson PV2, MV50
GAS Ampzilla, Thaedra, Son of Ampzilla
Luxman MB3045, CL35, CL32
complete Quad tube system
Last edited:
I've always wanted to learn how to upgrade capacitors, volume pots, etc—but never got around to learning.You guys think that someone spending that much on a ready made amplifier is into DIY?
@Mooly I would have been interested in Sugden, but they have outrageously increased their price these last few years so that they are now selling a £4000 amp for around £7000, whilst other manufacturers have increased prices by a few hundred. Despite almost doubling their prices, Sugden is still using brown capacitors from Samsung rather than black hi-fi capacitors! So on a matter of principle: I will avoid them, and they are well known to have incredibly noisy transformers!
Last edited:
Let’s suggest another expensive amplifier with issues. LOL 🙂
Brown capacitors are not done in 2023. It should be black HiFi capacitors -> It does not suprise me that you choose equipment for somewhat dubious reasons. Maybe you could try out a cheap amplifier with black capacitors. Just a suggestion. The challenge to find “cheap but very good” can give much joy. When it is a failure you just try the next one. No harm done.
Brown capacitors are not done in 2023. It should be black HiFi capacitors -> It does not suprise me that you choose equipment for somewhat dubious reasons. Maybe you could try out a cheap amplifier with black capacitors. Just a suggestion. The challenge to find “cheap but very good” can give much joy. When it is a failure you just try the next one. No harm done.
Last edited:
- Home
- Amplifiers
- Pass Labs
- Noisy Transformer