Rush Cascode Headphone Amp + JLH Output Stage

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Okay, the sound was more or less awful.

I ripped a PCI512 out of an old computer and put that in. Much better!

The unfortunate side-effect is that my screen resolution decreased (from 1280/960) and won't return. Perhaps it will fix itself in a few resets.

- keantoken
 
I run XP and Ubuntu dual boot. So far I haven't needed XP save for a few instances. Despite the trouble, using Linux is actually kindof fun. It is also faster.

The amp seems to sound harsher, so I will replace the orange Nichicon and try something else, to see if that's it. I'm feeling goofy, how about a photoflash cap?

- keantoken
 
On a side note, I'm testing out a super-compact schematic drawing style! Well actually I'm really lazy and this looks the best with the fewest mouse clicks. I wonder if there could be problems copyrighting a schematic drawn using LTSpice.

Cool, huh? I could fit the entire schematic in my avatar!!!

- keantoken
 

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If you didn't catch that, here it is blown up. 😀

I was fascinated with pixel art for a small time, which produced my avatar. It is incredibly hard to draw the number 2, 3 pixels high.

I don't think I will test the capacitor today, not enough time.

- keantoken
 

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Well, the photoflash cap has had an interesting effect on the sound. However, I will test out the 6.3V 3300uF cap again, because it seemed to have better treble.

Overall, the cap change seemed to have a negative effect on the SQ, despite sounding different (the bass is different, not as deep but drums seem softer and more detailed, but can't say if it's just EQ differences. Treble is not as harsh, but it is more or less dead sounding). Interesting; perhaps low voltage, high capacitance is the way to go as far as the feedback cap is concerned? I will test a tiny 6.3V 100uF cap now.

- keantoken
 
I take that back, the photoflash cap is better, it's my ears that have changed. The need has just been made clear for more rigorous testing...

Drums and guitar are better with the photoflash for some reason.

I just tested several caps, one after the other. The lower ESR caps sounded the worst, tended to be harsh which overwhelmed the mids and bass. I also tested a higher ESR and much higher ESL cap of the same value, to see if there was a correlation between ESR or ESL and SQ, but while some aspects were there it still didn't sound as good as the photoflash.

So my conclusion is that photoflash caps are not bad for the feedback path. Mids and bass sound better, the upper midrange I think sounds smoother as well which is unusual.

All tests were done using a 1uF mylar bypass. The photoflash capacitor is marked NBC 330V 200uF.

- keantoken
 
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