I’m still happy with Antek and Triad power transformers. Currently using a pair of Triads in the external PSU for my VFET amp, and just ordered another, larger, pair for an upcoming LuDEF build. After that will be a big Ankek 30 + 30 for my take on an N-channel SIT variation of the VFET pt 2.
AVEL LINDBERG made some nice stuff for MARK LEVEINSON - but much of what I see from them is not impressive. Their standard stuff looks less impressive to me that what ANTEK offers. They cannot be too bad - My SIT 1s came with ANTEK. My J2s came with PLITRON.
Of course, ZM is not impressed with TOROIDY (as if I have ever held one of their transformers) if he elects to disclose the source of his, ALL will be understood.
Everyone used to say nice things about PLITRON - but it seems they are moving away from any involvement with audio kookery.
Of course, ZM is not impressed with TOROIDY (as if I have ever held one of their transformers) if he elects to disclose the source of his, ALL will be understood.
Everyone used to say nice things about PLITRON - but it seems they are moving away from any involvement with audio kookery.
I wrote several times - my source is Trafomatic ( their sister firm is Trafomatic Audio)
I did ask Sasa Cokic (main Honcho) - are they willing to sell their power xformers for customers abroad ( so I can say few words about them on this very board), but they politely replied that hassle involved in shipping those out of Serbia is just too much
I reckon - those troubles well worth when speaking about Trafomatic Audio products
I did ask Sasa Cokic (main Honcho) - are they willing to sell their power xformers for customers abroad ( so I can say few words about them on this very board), but they politely replied that hassle involved in shipping those out of Serbia is just too much
I reckon - those troubles well worth when speaking about Trafomatic Audio products
Connected power to amplifier number four with the "purple" wire disconnected : the LEDs light and the bias supply shows 20 mV
Got the replacement MOSFET in a moment ago and am going to install it as soon as I get home.
So, maybe my SINGING BUSH CHOIR will entertain me tonight? Well, it should!
Got the replacement MOSFET in a moment ago and am going to install it as soon as I get home.
So, maybe my SINGING BUSH CHOIR will entertain me tonight? Well, it should!
I think success is at hand.
Then Saturday to replace the power transformer and rectifiers in Ol' Buzzy and hear if that is what I hope is the problem.
Then to install ZM CAP BANKS in #2 and figure the project is basically done.
By the way, has anyone here ever used STABILANT? I have a Canadian audio kook friend who swears it is worthwhile. Michael Wright of DAYTON WRIGHT fame was involved in it and i have long admired his thinking.
Thinking about using it on the MOSFET "pads" and the SITs mounting stud and the drain connection since I have all of that taken apart already. Everything else is soldered on this amplifier.
I tried this stuff decades ago on interconnect connectors and did not like what happened. Made a mess. I do not think it is needed on connections that get cleaned often with simply being removed and replaced but for places that will HOPEFULLY never again be disconnected it might be a good idea.
My friend says it makes a significant sonic difference and he is a reliable reporter.
Then Saturday to replace the power transformer and rectifiers in Ol' Buzzy and hear if that is what I hope is the problem.
Then to install ZM CAP BANKS in #2 and figure the project is basically done.
By the way, has anyone here ever used STABILANT? I have a Canadian audio kook friend who swears it is worthwhile. Michael Wright of DAYTON WRIGHT fame was involved in it and i have long admired his thinking.
Thinking about using it on the MOSFET "pads" and the SITs mounting stud and the drain connection since I have all of that taken apart already. Everything else is soldered on this amplifier.
I tried this stuff decades ago on interconnect connectors and did not like what happened. Made a mess. I do not think it is needed on connections that get cleaned often with simply being removed and replaced but for places that will HOPEFULLY never again be disconnected it might be a good idea.
My friend says it makes a significant sonic difference and he is a reliable reporter.
Not yet - I am still at work.
i will go home and see what happens in another hour or so.
If it makes beautiful noises you will first detect the waves of ethereal sonic pleasure ensuing from my room and psyche and then I will write a post verifying what you thought you had detected was actually what it seemed to be.
i will go home and see what happens in another hour or so.
If it makes beautiful noises you will first detect the waves of ethereal sonic pleasure ensuing from my room and psyche and then I will write a post verifying what you thought you had detected was actually what it seemed to be.
As always but with good reasons I took my time.
Could not do it Friday - I got home later than I had wanted to so I started Saturday morning at the kitchen table which has not been eaten upon in over a year.
I adjusted Vds and the Iq a little low since this was using the regular AC. Everything came up fine. Then inserted it into the system. Speaker wires, bleeder resistor always take more time than yu expect and adding extension wires from the fan power supply to the fans.
Got it in place - once in place I took the measurements again - Vds - 36.25 volts and the recommended Iq. Let it sit idle for 30 minutes to make sure all was stable. As one would expect tiny adjustments were needed.
Then to play some music.
All comparisons to SIT 1 are to be taken as MY SIT 1 which is not as it was delivered to me. This one uses a choke input power supply that goes like this lcrc. It very well does NOT sound like the amplifier is supposed to sound.
After a few seconds it was obvious the levels were not the same - so thought I should check the EQ. I had gone through this with the other channel and wanted to make sure both channels were as similar to each other as possible. Always a good idea ...
So now to actually listen to some music.
Sounded quite glorious from the beginning but as time went by and they settled in along with my ear/brain (both sides of the equation need breaking in) there is no question stereo speakers sound better with both channels driven by the same amplifier so that is one quick reason for the superior sound quality. In addition, and this is where my expectation bias enters in, with the Synergy setup allowing very linear phase characteristics I figured this would be magnified by all of the amplifiers being the same - top and bottom.
Something is at work - the system had sounded quite incredible with the lone SIT 1 but with the choir of SINGING BUSH there is something extra that i attribute to using the same amplifiers for the bottom and top of the Synergy - actually more like a UNITY since it is a two way. Then there four woofers from 80 Hz down - RYTHMIK placed in each "corner".
As an aside I read the review of the $130,000 WILSON loudspeaker with the latest jumble of a name and the reviewer says it is "profoundly full range" while the graph shows the thing is down 10 dB at 20 Hz. I guess you get what you pay for.
The WILSON are much smaller than my speakers but I have to place mine in a corner and those things are out in the room. And the added benefit of an impedance plot which spends lots of time around 2 ohms. Not to say those things probably do sound quite good within their limitations but it points out (I have only recently subscribed to the magazine after they were almost giving it away) that the DIYer can come up with music in the home (to quote Voight) as good as those expensive baubles. Of course, most do not have the time and I guess if you have that kind of money - Fremer makes mention he just purchased, and we know at a price that has nothing to do with what others would pay, the $300,000 plus WILSON. I cannot imagine those going to 20 Hz either.
I admire their explorations of materials. I would have liked to be able to use some kind of phenolic material to build my boxes but the cost is immense and the fabrication beyond my abilities. Had to settle for Baltic birch plywood and lots of it.
See what happens when my silence is noted? You get more than you ever wanted.
And so have I with these amplifiers. Of course a few weeks are needed to really make a good assessment but that could go just as easily higher as lower.
Sensitive loudspeakers, mine are not super sensitive, with solid state triodes is the key to honest music in my most unhumble opinion.
Many still scoff at DSP - my system would be impossible to equalize passively and then you would need a very different amplifier than an SB. I know the thing is full of ICs - I have never opened the box so I can pretend there are not as many as I think - but the trade off from that versus what can be done to make the loudspeaker work with your room makes up the difference.
Wanted to give context to why I love these amplifiers as much as I do.
Now to make another attempt at calming Ol' Buzzy.
My sincerest thanks to ZM and his beneficent Pa for this great pleasure and entertainment.
Could not do it Friday - I got home later than I had wanted to so I started Saturday morning at the kitchen table which has not been eaten upon in over a year.
I adjusted Vds and the Iq a little low since this was using the regular AC. Everything came up fine. Then inserted it into the system. Speaker wires, bleeder resistor always take more time than yu expect and adding extension wires from the fan power supply to the fans.
Got it in place - once in place I took the measurements again - Vds - 36.25 volts and the recommended Iq. Let it sit idle for 30 minutes to make sure all was stable. As one would expect tiny adjustments were needed.
Then to play some music.
All comparisons to SIT 1 are to be taken as MY SIT 1 which is not as it was delivered to me. This one uses a choke input power supply that goes like this lcrc. It very well does NOT sound like the amplifier is supposed to sound.
After a few seconds it was obvious the levels were not the same - so thought I should check the EQ. I had gone through this with the other channel and wanted to make sure both channels were as similar to each other as possible. Always a good idea ...
So now to actually listen to some music.
Sounded quite glorious from the beginning but as time went by and they settled in along with my ear/brain (both sides of the equation need breaking in) there is no question stereo speakers sound better with both channels driven by the same amplifier so that is one quick reason for the superior sound quality. In addition, and this is where my expectation bias enters in, with the Synergy setup allowing very linear phase characteristics I figured this would be magnified by all of the amplifiers being the same - top and bottom.
Something is at work - the system had sounded quite incredible with the lone SIT 1 but with the choir of SINGING BUSH there is something extra that i attribute to using the same amplifiers for the bottom and top of the Synergy - actually more like a UNITY since it is a two way. Then there four woofers from 80 Hz down - RYTHMIK placed in each "corner".
As an aside I read the review of the $130,000 WILSON loudspeaker with the latest jumble of a name and the reviewer says it is "profoundly full range" while the graph shows the thing is down 10 dB at 20 Hz. I guess you get what you pay for.
The WILSON are much smaller than my speakers but I have to place mine in a corner and those things are out in the room. And the added benefit of an impedance plot which spends lots of time around 2 ohms. Not to say those things probably do sound quite good within their limitations but it points out (I have only recently subscribed to the magazine after they were almost giving it away) that the DIYer can come up with music in the home (to quote Voight) as good as those expensive baubles. Of course, most do not have the time and I guess if you have that kind of money - Fremer makes mention he just purchased, and we know at a price that has nothing to do with what others would pay, the $300,000 plus WILSON. I cannot imagine those going to 20 Hz either.
I admire their explorations of materials. I would have liked to be able to use some kind of phenolic material to build my boxes but the cost is immense and the fabrication beyond my abilities. Had to settle for Baltic birch plywood and lots of it.
See what happens when my silence is noted? You get more than you ever wanted.
And so have I with these amplifiers. Of course a few weeks are needed to really make a good assessment but that could go just as easily higher as lower.
Sensitive loudspeakers, mine are not super sensitive, with solid state triodes is the key to honest music in my most unhumble opinion.
Many still scoff at DSP - my system would be impossible to equalize passively and then you would need a very different amplifier than an SB. I know the thing is full of ICs - I have never opened the box so I can pretend there are not as many as I think - but the trade off from that versus what can be done to make the loudspeaker work with your room makes up the difference.
Wanted to give context to why I love these amplifiers as much as I do.
Now to make another attempt at calming Ol' Buzzy.
My sincerest thanks to ZM and his beneficent Pa for this great pleasure and entertainment.
Changed out the power transformer and the rectifiers - the transformer no loner buzzes but the amplifier does. Cleaned up the wiring to match what I have learned with the other builds.
Going to switch outputs from each DSP box and hear if that makes any difference.
It is a puzzle that must be solved!
Going to switch outputs from each DSP box and hear if that makes any difference.
It is a puzzle that must be solved!