The Music

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FraserSoft

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Joined 2012
frasersoft.com
#1
I have been a member now for a couple of months and done a lot of reading around many of the forums.I have come to realise that most of the time discussions center around the components and theoretical calculations and very little about how the music sounds.
I recently modified three Musical Fidelity Dr Thomas amplifiers so that they are now effectively all mono blocks (seperate power supplies for each channel) and find the result very acceptable. I have spent the last few weeks listening to the music rather than worrying if my inter connects are the right way around or if the speakers (home made) are in the exact place for the volume of my room.
I realise that diyaudio is by Fanatics for Fanatics but is there an area for people who just enjoy the music and aren't obsessed by the technicalities of the hobby or have I joined the wrong group ?
Alec
 
#2
For many of us, yes music is the driving force. But we are DIY which means we want to fiddle inside. This means we have to learn what we are doing, or at least enough to accept the help from those who really do. Most of us believe if we do hear a difference, there is a good technical reason and we want to reproduce it. That is how the state of the art is raised.

Hang around, we'll corrupt you yet. So, modified MF's and DIY speakers. Do tell.....
 
#3
The 3 Dr T's amplifier boards now have their own 500VA toroidal transformers and 2 times 22,000uF caps and a 25amp bridge. The home made speakers took nearly 18 months to get right and have a KEF B110 mid range unit and a High power B200 bass unit and the HF is taken up with a Scanspeak D2010.
The cabinets are made from 25mm MDF and the dimensions of which were designed on a computer system at Newcastle University to fit in with the parameters of the drive units. The mid range driver is in it's own cabinet also made from 25mm MDF with sculptured internals and shaped front panel.
I have numerous B&K response plots done in the anechoic chamber at Northumbria University which I can scan in and post if anyone is interested. The crossover was also designed at Newcastle Uni again taking into account the drive unit parameters and the cabinet internal dimensions, and the coils for the bass unit part of the crossover were custom made and because of their very low resistance present a virtual short to the voice coil. This gives the bass an amazing amount of control and tightness that stops when it's supposed to.
I could go on but I reckon that's enough for now, the rest of my system in part 2....
 
#5
Just my thoughts,

I think you have made the number one mistake..Its been raging for ages sound quality and measurements..

Ie does every one like the same sound<<<I guess not because people buy different equipment..And some build different equipment..

Thats the number one interest...The rest is all just preference..and its not just the idea of what sounds the best but who likes the sound..

Regards
M. Gregg
 
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#8
You are not in the wrong forum..

The fact that you are asking questions is the reason you are here..

There are some real fanatics here both for music and equipment...

Some just want to build every type they can because they can..and I know the help that is here is second to none..


Regards
M. Gregg
 
#9
Music

Thanks for the explanation I'll get the hang of all this Forum stuff soon. I was starting to think there were a lot more fanatics than people like me. I suppose being a service engineer nearly all my life made me a bit cynical when it comes to what I got used to calling hype.
There must be a point I suppose where the money runs out or you can't hear the difference. The cost of some the components on sale is completely crazy and I wonder if the manufacturer knows about all these fanatics and charges what they think they can get away with. I can't see how anyone can justify paying nearly £100 for a 330uF 250vw Mundorf capacitor !!!!!
 
#10
The parts you refer to,

Usually referred to as snake oil<<ie how much difference do they make..
I guess thats the point of DIY you can make your own cables etc and see what happens without spending over the top..

It comes down to if you can hear a difference or is that measurable..Trouble is it can cost a arm and a leg to try such things...so most don't.

I think up to a point there is a difference <<thats just my thoughts

However it seems to have different impact on different types of Kit..valve/tube or SS..I guess the main thing is to get the most "bang for the buck"..things like obbligato coupling caps are quite cheap and I think sound quite good..others will always use standard parts..however they will choose selective standard parts..
Engineering things like Hex diodes etc to reduce noise..You can bypass PSU caps with other caps of higher quality to reduce cost..the type usually polypropylene at audio grade...You can also by pass chokes as long as you don't make the amp etc unstable..

The difference between Choke PSU and cap only PSU is different and there is a cost difference also.. The current delivery to the speakers can have an effect and damping factor of the amp<<ie the control over the voice coil. This goes on welcome the wacky world of DIY audio.. 😀

Regards
M. Gregg
 
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#11
Thanks for the thoughts I'll get the hang of this forum before too long. I have recently replaced the very cheap (LF353) op amps in my Musical Fidelity Pre Amp II for some Analogue Devices AD823's. These seem to have a bit more grunt than the old ones or it could be they have a bit more gain as it seems a bit louder for the same volume setting.
The cables between pre and power amps are made from some very cheap twin screened and I am open to suggestions as a replacement as long as I can afford it out of my old age Pension !. 🙂
Cheers
Alec
 
#14
#17
Ok I see where you are comming from,

Yes if used in a PSU it can make a difference..however either very good quality Elec caps with good esr and bypassed with good quality audio paper in oil or polypropylene low value caps is very good..

I have known people use motor run caps as reservoir..
are you thinking about life span or audio quality?
sometimes just polypropylene on there own can sound a bit strange..just my experience..others may have had better experience.

I also like Hovland coupling super caps..I have tried quite a few...some on here have gone to real high end and back again..I like jupiter, however they can be a bit fragile 😀

I have also used new old stock polycarbonate coupling caps to good effect in output stage coupling..

I like hexfred diode bridge with High voltage disc ceramic snubbing..I prefer them to schottky, however thats just a personal preference.


Regards
M. Gregg
 
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#20
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