@mhenschel: no three scientists yet but will look for it...do, however, listen to Sturgill Simpson (Metamodern Sounds...).
Happy to report that my nuts are now glued to the rails, that didn't come out quite right 😅 Since I was very frugal with the Gorilla Glue I decided to use a bit of Super Glue to hopefully lock the nuts in permanently. Before applying the S G I took some longer M3 screws, waxed the threads and screwed them into the nuts.
A little effort to save me from dealing w/ trying to get the nuts lined up in the opening, well worth it!
A little effort to save me from dealing w/ trying to get the nuts lined up in the opening, well worth it!
You haven't tried it with different preamp yet? That would be first thing, then different power amp. People ask me "why a dozen power amps and preamps".....this is a good reason.
Everyone needs at least one pre and one power that are known good non humming pieces. My first diy here, F5 was very quiet. When I finally actually put dual power cords and power con fittings, I would occasionally get hum.
At one point I wanted to add a Roku and monitor to the rig (why I have no idea) but hum hum hum. I couldn't find it.
One day I decided to add power switches, instead of plug in/unplug for on off. Looking at power on for one channel, I HAD ALL three of the wires to power con off by one! Restoring proper connection there not only much safer, but no hum.
My pearl3 is very quiet. At first it had no scratching to ground panels. Last time top off, I scratched the top and sides since I was in there.
I suspect your problem is with the pre. Cobble a volume pot (say 10k or so) cheapie into a passive unit, or have a friend haul a pre over. Or best yet build one of the ones here. Or Salas DCG3
Or, take your pearl to friends house and try in their system? Or bring their pre over.
While playing with it, be very careful switching. I had DCG3 powered up, Xa252 powered up and flipped on pearl. Dummy me didn't have pre set to mute or another in. Set right on phono. Pearl3 makes a mighty turn on transient that blew resistors and small transistors!
Everyone needs at least one known good power amp/preamp set for switching things in/out for testing. Get to building. $2500 cartridge and no known good pre is sin of cart and horse positioning.
Me, I would sell Naim. Never did understand their design philosophy myself. Obviously many do, but not many here?
If no moving unit around, taking top off, doing what needs done, place top back on. Nuts still in position. No glue squirted here and there. If moved, line them up using top as guide, put top on and tighten. Oh well, to each, their ownmy nutz are not glued to rails. luckily
Its 1 of those things, balancing the effort with plans for the system, the plan has been to replace the Naim as soon as I get my SP14 working, or if no joy there an IP, and ripping the system down yet again
.As to Naim's design choices, my understanding and, experience, indicate that they do make some different choices than other designs. IIRC, they use a "Class G" design which attempts to avoid notch distortion, and for some reason(?) they are pretty sensitive to inductance. My technical chops are far less developed than my listening skills, so I necessarily judge by listening 😱
I spent a lot of time w/ the SN3, as well as some other well regarded brands, at the store, and like the sound/feature/ value of the Naim. Bear in mind that I can buy these products at very good pricing, and resell for about what I paid.
"passive" preamp is worthy and very useful tool in every DIY stable ........... in case of hum problems, it really can be a problem solver, helpful to localize Gremlins
even as partial absolute reference - ignore lows and highest highs (loss of energy and problematic capacitances), but in mid range - if (possible candidate for proper) preamp is not near (sound quality wise), better ignore it
even as partial absolute reference - ignore lows and highest highs (loss of energy and problematic capacitances), but in mid range - if (possible candidate for proper) preamp is not near (sound quality wise), better ignore it
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I only have one, the B1. I don't know about SP14, clone or real McCoy? I haven't had a lot of luck with tube preamps and First Watt clones. I kept tubes with tubes and solid state with solid state.
If I'm going to mix, tube amplifier and solid state
Preamp. When I used tube pre with my F5, bias roamed around, just seemed less stable.
You need a known good preamp, not another guessing game. B1 is cheap and cheerful. My suggestion, and if not B1, build Iron Pre. Can a pre be borrowed from where you are getting deals on stuff?
If I'm going to mix, tube amplifier and solid state
Preamp. When I used tube pre with my F5, bias roamed around, just seemed less stable.
You need a known good preamp, not another guessing game. B1 is cheap and cheerful. My suggestion, and if not B1, build Iron Pre. Can a pre be borrowed from where you are getting deals on stuff?
Here:
https://www.parts-express.com/ALPS-...-Potentiometer-Solid-Shaft-023-204?quantity=1
Couple pairs of rca plugs and cigar box...or no box
https://www.parts-express.com/ALPS-...-Potentiometer-Solid-Shaft-023-204?quantity=1
Couple pairs of rca plugs and cigar box...or no box
I've been selling audio, Toys4Boys 😉, for decades, I generally purchase direct from the vendor.
@T4B: Just purchased the Emotiva XDA-3 preamp for a bedroom system direct from vendor. It is an interesting topology: has completely analog (and differential) preamp with a DAC feeding it. Ladder volume control and a useful remote. It is completely quiet and would show any hum issues with your P3 immediately. Not very expensive ($700) and Emotiva is a reputable company. I highly reccomend it. For those using the XLR P3 output, it might be of interest.
Thank you, @Craigl59, I may have stumbled upon the issue. As stated it comes and goes, and sometimes turning off the Aleph clears the problem. Currently the top panel isn't screwed down on the AJzm and it almost seemed that if I leaned on the top a little the noise would quickly dissipate. The problem arose again earlier and I tapped on the same side of the Aleph, and the noise immediately vanished. Got to pop it on the work bench 😞
Regarding preamps, the Advent in a pinch, and my Bluuesound Node, which I probably should have tried but.......
Regarding preamps, the Advent in a pinch, and my Bluuesound Node, which I probably should have tried but.......
Tapping on Aleph caused noise? Possible cold solder joint in power supply? I have a bluesound node 3. Mine has volume up/down. Don't know how you utilize pearl with it.
I'm confused now, if tapping on Aleph had effect, may be in there?
I'm confused now, if tapping on Aleph had effect, may be in there?
Third rca from top, red on next to ground on back panel. Is that a little strand of wire ina loop? Kind of looks like it's from a ground, touching anything?
The growth continues.
Thanks to 6L6 and rhthatcher, the beast has grown a second heart - Dual PSU.
I had to finish my Burson v7 review (I will post it soon) before I built this, so it's just done.
I'm still listening to it, so I'd have to evaluate it more carefully, but I can say that it sounds better.
There has been a subtle change, with more precise placement of instruments and a little more clarity and precision, but we cannot be certain.
Definitely a change in tone, and I have to figure it out.
So much fun building it.
r27 report - Left: 575ohms giving 4.989mA
Right: 581ohms giving 4.869mA
Thanks to 6L6 and rhthatcher, the beast has grown a second heart - Dual PSU.
I had to finish my Burson v7 review (I will post it soon) before I built this, so it's just done.
I'm still listening to it, so I'd have to evaluate it more carefully, but I can say that it sounds better.
There has been a subtle change, with more precise placement of instruments and a little more clarity and precision, but we cannot be certain.
Definitely a change in tone, and I have to figure it out.
So much fun building it.
r27 report - Left: 575ohms giving 4.989mA
Right: 581ohms giving 4.869mA
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@PhopsonNY: Congrats and hello to the Dual PSU world! Your comments are excellent and you might want to compare my thoughts above, #3839. Timbre is a definite improvement -- first I found this to be fuller and more secure realism. After turning my entire chain into separate PSUs for each channel, this trend continues and I am listening to both vinyl and digital sources with the "turtle" chain intact. Beyonce, for eample, sounds throatier and darker now with the Dual PSU approach added to Wayne's linestage. Have decided that what we are doing is making each channel more accurate and powerful with a discrete power supply and this brings out more of the original studio sound and intent.
Looking forward to your additional analysis of timbral changes.
BTW, see that you have added a second Pearl PSU that doesn't have the regulators. For this reason, you might not notice as much noise improvement as those of us that are using Dual PSUs with regulators. Randy has referred to this as "pre regulation" and notes it improves the noise floor.
Looking forward to your additional analysis of timbral changes.
BTW, see that you have added a second Pearl PSU that doesn't have the regulators. For this reason, you might not notice as much noise improvement as those of us that are using Dual PSUs with regulators. Randy has referred to this as "pre regulation" and notes it improves the noise floor.
@T4B: There could well be but that is not my area. I measure and maintain tape machines and the Aleph builds but am not a specialist in the electronics field. My background is as a musician, musicologist, conductor, and instrument builder. I use my developed aural memory along with my audio listening, to compare what I know with what I hear. It is accurate within these limitations.
Studio folks have used the "turtle" approach since the 1940s so there is nothing new in seeing the advantage of having a dedicated PSU for each circuit board. This is one of the reasons why the Columbia jazz recordings done in the 1950s are still so well thought of today and why new audio formats keep returning to the original masters to get "better." Seems they got quite a lot right by following the simple approach of one PSU for one circuit board.
Studio folks have used the "turtle" approach since the 1940s so there is nothing new in seeing the advantage of having a dedicated PSU for each circuit board. This is one of the reasons why the Columbia jazz recordings done in the 1950s are still so well thought of today and why new audio formats keep returning to the original masters to get "better." Seems they got quite a lot right by following the simple approach of one PSU for one circuit board.
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