Hi All
Having another look at my old Rotel RB981s with a view to a few more resistor replacements
Here is the schematic
http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/2shedz/?action=view¤t=RB981.jpg
so far have replaced C601,C607 and C611 with black gate NX and NX-HQ
and have replaced R601,603,605 and 613 and 651 with Vishay VSRJs with a good effect.More transparency and sweeter treble.
Does anyone think anymore in the circuit are worth replacing?
Thanks for any help
Smiffy
Having another look at my old Rotel RB981s with a view to a few more resistor replacements
Here is the schematic
http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/2shedz/?action=view¤t=RB981.jpg
so far have replaced C601,C607 and C611 with black gate NX and NX-HQ
and have replaced R601,603,605 and 613 and 651 with Vishay VSRJs with a good effect.More transparency and sweeter treble.
Does anyone think anymore in the circuit are worth replacing?
Thanks for any help
Smiffy
Yeah, those amps are great! As a matter of fact they are even better than later designs. The Stereophile magazine had been testing RB-991 that has almost the same design as 981 and its replacement RB-1080. I've compared the test results and RB-991 comes as a clear winner. Look at the distortion spectrums and corresponding power levels: 268W for RB-991 and 153W for RB-1080.
But as I recall there are no NX caps 4.7uF/50V, 10uF/50V, and 100uF/25V. So what NX cap have you used?
I am planning to get some N/NX caps for my RB-981, 971 and other Rotel gear in the nearest future while I still can. But I got stuck on choosing values. I've already bought some BG N 4,7uF/50V, but I think it might be better to replace those 4,7uF and 10uF with film caps. Besides BG N of those values aren't longer available. But for 100uF there is no choice but only BG N or NX. Type N 100uF/50V I have found only in one store and its price went up from $12 to $18. But there are NX 680uF/35V still available for $14. It should be even better as it's more compact than 100uF/50V, has even higher voltage rating than the original cap and finally it's NX. See, that cap sometime might get the whole power supply voltage on it: 56V. So to be on the safe side it should be rated above that. But Rotel put there 25V cap so I guess they consider it acceptable risk. But I don't feel comfortable to place there cap with lesser voltage rating. What do you think?
BTW regarding emitter resistors: I've seen on the eBay regular sales of MPC-74 that are the same low distortion resistors as MPC-78 but just slightly taller and have 5W rating. However 5W in this application might be even better than 2W used in RB-991.
But as I recall there are no NX caps 4.7uF/50V, 10uF/50V, and 100uF/25V. So what NX cap have you used?
I am planning to get some N/NX caps for my RB-981, 971 and other Rotel gear in the nearest future while I still can. But I got stuck on choosing values. I've already bought some BG N 4,7uF/50V, but I think it might be better to replace those 4,7uF and 10uF with film caps. Besides BG N of those values aren't longer available. But for 100uF there is no choice but only BG N or NX. Type N 100uF/50V I have found only in one store and its price went up from $12 to $18. But there are NX 680uF/35V still available for $14. It should be even better as it's more compact than 100uF/50V, has even higher voltage rating than the original cap and finally it's NX. See, that cap sometime might get the whole power supply voltage on it: 56V. So to be on the safe side it should be rated above that. But Rotel put there 25V cap so I guess they consider it acceptable risk. But I don't feel comfortable to place there cap with lesser voltage rating. What do you think?
BTW regarding emitter resistors: I've seen on the eBay regular sales of MPC-74 that are the same low distortion resistors as MPC-78 but just slightly taller and have 5W rating. However 5W in this application might be even better than 2W used in RB-991.
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Hi
I replaced nearly all the resistors with Caddock MK132s.I have sinced with other mods picked up a noticeably flabbier bottom end but I put that down to either changing the input caps from 4.7uf to 47uf or the bypass caps I put on the main power caps.I will remove the bypass caps first then change the input caps to see if that helps.Thats my fault for doing all the changes at once but time was an issue.Or maybe the caddocks are just more revealing of the rotels slightly uncontrolled bottom end.I will see soon how the RB981s fare with a pair of Pro Ac Studio 140s MkII
I replaced nearly all the resistors with Caddock MK132s.I have sinced with other mods picked up a noticeably flabbier bottom end but I put that down to either changing the input caps from 4.7uf to 47uf or the bypass caps I put on the main power caps.I will remove the bypass caps first then change the input caps to see if that helps.Thats my fault for doing all the changes at once but time was an issue.Or maybe the caddocks are just more revealing of the rotels slightly uncontrolled bottom end.I will see soon how the RB981s fare with a pair of Pro Ac Studio 140s MkII
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