Guy
Thanks for this but being the newbie I am i don't understand much of it except for the bit about fuses. The whole house is protected by and RSB and they'll be a 3amp fuse in the mains plug.
Testing the voltages I guess means connecting a meter to the + side of the PS and the ground pin ( or do you mean the casing?)
when you say "Don't ever work on this without discharging the power supply" do you mean disconnecting the power supply and if so will pulling the plug from the mains will do?
I'm a bit confused about this DC business. As I'm only running two channels the HG diagram suggests i can connect a lead to the + side of the speaker binding from the HG. however when I build the other half i'll be running 3 UcD from one HG.
Are you say I apply my meter to the speaker binding and test for a DC current? I know I'm being dim, but please bear with me. It'll be worthwhile '
'
Ian
Thanks for this but being the newbie I am i don't understand much of it except for the bit about fuses. The whole house is protected by and RSB and they'll be a 3amp fuse in the mains plug.
Testing the voltages I guess means connecting a meter to the + side of the PS and the ground pin ( or do you mean the casing?)
when you say "Don't ever work on this without discharging the power supply" do you mean disconnecting the power supply and if so will pulling the plug from the mains will do?
I'm a bit confused about this DC business. As I'm only running two channels the HG diagram suggests i can connect a lead to the + side of the speaker binding from the HG. however when I build the other half i'll be running 3 UcD from one HG.
Are you say I apply my meter to the speaker binding and test for a DC current? I know I'm being dim, but please bear with me. It'll be worthwhile '
'Ian
"they'll be a 3amp fuse in the mains plug" 3 amp seems a bit low but it depends on your transfo, how many VA is your transfo?
"Testing the voltages I guess means connecting a meter to the + side of the PS and the ground pin " yes
"pulling the plug from the mains will do" yes, when the UcD is/are connected to the PS, but not for the first time when you connect the PS to the mains without a load on them.
"Are you say I apply my meter to the speaker binding and test for a DC current? " Yes, I think you understand well enough, somebody helped me back then so it seems fair that I help you now.
"Testing the voltages I guess means connecting a meter to the + side of the PS and the ground pin " yes
"pulling the plug from the mains will do" yes, when the UcD is/are connected to the PS, but not for the first time when you connect the PS to the mains without a load on them.
"Are you say I apply my meter to the speaker binding and test for a DC current? " Yes, I think you understand well enough, somebody helped me back then so it seems fair that I help you now.
one last dumb question
Guy
One last dumb question. Fixing the speaker posts onto the case.
do you not have to take great care to ensure the actual post doesn't touch the casing. I've got different designs in front of me and both are essentially just a threaded bar. I can't see any insulation material to prevent the posts shorting onto the case.
somethings wrong but what am I missing?
Ian
Guy
One last dumb question. Fixing the speaker posts onto the case.
do you not have to take great care to ensure the actual post doesn't touch the casing. I've got different designs in front of me and both are essentially just a threaded bar. I can't see any insulation material to prevent the posts shorting onto the case.
somethings wrong but what am I missing?
Ian
Speaker binding posts "usually" have nylon or other type of insulating washer that stops electrical contact.
Some binding posts are designed for wooden speaker enclosures and are not insulated.
Make sure you have "insulated " posts or the isolating washers.
Some binding posts are designed for wooden speaker enclosures and are not insulated.
Make sure you have "insulated " posts or the isolating washers.
Yes they must be insulated. The ones you are looking at must be for use in the cabinet of a speaker which is made of wood and therefore don't need more insulation.
I bought the SPC-02B from http://www.vt4c.com/shop/program/main.php?cat_id=8&group_id=2&hit_cat=
They also have RCA sockets such as the RCA-805FG at http://www.vt4c.com/shop/program/main.php?cat_id=25&group_id=2&hit_cat=
Guy
I bought the SPC-02B from http://www.vt4c.com/shop/program/main.php?cat_id=8&group_id=2&hit_cat=
They also have RCA sockets such as the RCA-805FG at http://www.vt4c.com/shop/program/main.php?cat_id=25&group_id=2&hit_cat=
Guy
Guy
Just thought you'd like to know I put it all together today.
Having checked, then rechecked, then had lunch and checked again I switched it on (running like hell out the back door)
Nothing, no bangs, just a couple of blue lights.
Having connected it up to a couple of old speakers it all worked. Into the lounge I hooked it up to my music server, Tag preamp & B&W 802s and pressed play.
Absolutely fantastic, huge sound stage, plenty of tight bass, clear as a bell. A big improvement on my Cyrus amps.
Guy, I wouldn't have got this far without your help. Thanks enormously.
I'll let it run in over the next few days, while I try and find a decent case. That HK site you sent me to has a couple of interesting items and with the strength of the £ right now very cheap.
Ian
Just thought you'd like to know I put it all together today.
Having checked, then rechecked, then had lunch and checked again I switched it on (running like hell out the back door)
Nothing, no bangs, just a couple of blue lights.
Having connected it up to a couple of old speakers it all worked. Into the lounge I hooked it up to my music server, Tag preamp & B&W 802s and pressed play.
Absolutely fantastic, huge sound stage, plenty of tight bass, clear as a bell. A big improvement on my Cyrus amps.
Guy, I wouldn't have got this far without your help. Thanks enormously.
I'll let it run in over the next few days, while I try and find a decent case. That HK site you sent me to has a couple of interesting items and with the strength of the £ right now very cheap.
Ian
Congratulations! Yes they seem to have some nice cases right now, 1mm bottom plate may be a bit thin but maybe the transfo cold be attached to the 2mm plate although I have never heard of a hanging transfo.
Another thought: you should bolt the "T" of the UcD to a metallic plate for heat dissipation, this is important. A 2mm aluminum or more would be ideal.
Guy
Another thought: you should bolt the "T" of the UcD to a metallic plate for heat dissipation, this is important. A 2mm aluminum or more would be ideal.
Guy
Guy
I agree about the cooling. I box I bought to 'get things going' had both a grill in the base and the lid ( as can be seen in the crappy picture attached) While i thought would aid ventilation it's actually made construction very difficult as I had nothing to screw anything to.
However you'll see I put a piece of 2mm aluminium plate under the 180s. Whether it's because of this, the vented floor or just the ambient temperature (spring) the case (and plate)hardly produces any heat at all.
What I like about the boxes from VT4C is that all the connectors are fitted already. What's really dumb is that i've spent $100 on the 'temporary' case when I could have spend a lot less on a finished product 😡
Next up is 5 channels. The HG has DC protection for 2 channels which i duly connected. I'm not sure what I'll do for the other 3 channels. A second HG will afford protection for 2 of those channels, but I don't suppose I could simply wire two together?
I did have a bit of trouble with secondary wiring. I'd seen somewhere a recommendation to use 3mm cable. I used 2.5 but even so was hard to route easily. thinking about it now is any reason why 1.5mm wouldn't suffice?
Ian
Ian
I agree about the cooling. I box I bought to 'get things going' had both a grill in the base and the lid ( as can be seen in the crappy picture attached) While i thought would aid ventilation it's actually made construction very difficult as I had nothing to screw anything to.
However you'll see I put a piece of 2mm aluminium plate under the 180s. Whether it's because of this, the vented floor or just the ambient temperature (spring) the case (and plate)hardly produces any heat at all.
What I like about the boxes from VT4C is that all the connectors are fitted already. What's really dumb is that i've spent $100 on the 'temporary' case when I could have spend a lot less on a finished product 😡
Next up is 5 channels. The HG has DC protection for 2 channels which i duly connected. I'm not sure what I'll do for the other 3 channels. A second HG will afford protection for 2 of those channels, but I don't suppose I could simply wire two together?
I did have a bit of trouble with secondary wiring. I'd seen somewhere a recommendation to use 3mm cable. I used 2.5 but even so was hard to route easily. thinking about it now is any reason why 1.5mm wouldn't suffice?
Ian
Ian
Attachments
Looks good!
Layout is important and I think you did a good job of separating the different wires into a logical path, avoiding any unecessary criss-crossing.
Yes 1.5 mm is good enough. It is recommended to twist these DC wires together.
I have no experience with DC protection since I don't have this on my amps.
Guy
Layout is important and I think you did a good job of separating the different wires into a logical path, avoiding any unecessary criss-crossing.
Yes 1.5 mm is good enough. It is recommended to twist these DC wires together.
I have no experience with DC protection since I don't have this on my amps.
Right, you cannot.
Guy
Hi there,
The other day I was wondering what's best as far as power is concerned.
So far I've been switching on and off the PS, then the /On button. I do listen to music almost everyday. Maybe it would be safer to always leave the PS on, for the sake of the reservoir capacitors? Would this raise my electricity bill very high?
Edit : my PS is the basic of basics : 300 VA trafo, couple of bridge rectifiers, 2*10 000 µF (per channel)
The other day I was wondering what's best as far as power is concerned.
So far I've been switching on and off the PS, then the /On button. I do listen to music almost everyday. Maybe it would be safer to always leave the PS on, for the sake of the reservoir capacitors? Would this raise my electricity bill very high?
Edit : my PS is the basic of basics : 300 VA trafo, couple of bridge rectifiers, 2*10 000 µF (per channel)
Many people leave the PS always on. The consumption with /On disconnected is very minimal (Datasheet states 10 mA in standby so if your PS is 45V it would be 0.45W).
Can you tell me one thing? If you switch your PS off while the /On button is still on, do you get a little singing noise when the PS runs out of power? Mine do that so I wanted to check.
Guy
Can you tell me one thing? If you switch your PS off while the /On button is still on, do you get a little singing noise when the PS runs out of power? Mine do that so I wanted to check.
Guy
Ok Guy, I'll try that 🙂
The fact that the UCD differenciates the PS and the amp powering is a real plus. The rest of my system will be turned off anyway - I can't see the point leaving these switched on for one hour sessions everyday!
The fact that the UCD differenciates the PS and the amp powering is a real plus. The rest of my system will be turned off anyway - I can't see the point leaving these switched on for one hour sessions everyday!
Always ON makes better sound...no matter what other think 😀
My maid is my blind test specimen...she doesn't know the music (well, now she knows a little) but has good taste and ear...
I use PS ON and module ON/OFF, with a toggle switch. Very practical. I used to have 100W class A amps so power bill is not a concern now 😀 (my NOS DAC gets hotter than the UCD400!)
My maid is my blind test specimen...she doesn't know the music (well, now she knows a little) but has good taste and ear...
I use PS ON and module ON/OFF, with a toggle switch. Very practical. I used to have 100W class A amps so power bill is not a concern now 😀 (my NOS DAC gets hotter than the UCD400!)
Hi all,
too lazy to read the 212 pages... I received all my parts to make mono amp with :
- Softart
- HG PS
- UCD 180 std
- trans 160 VA
All items from Hypex.
My question is : what value of fuse must i put before softart ????
I rode many threads on french forums but nothing.....
Thanks a lot guys !
Olivier
too lazy to read the 212 pages... I received all my parts to make mono amp with :
- Softart
- HG PS
- UCD 180 std
- trans 160 VA
All items from Hypex.
My question is : what value of fuse must i put before softart ????
I rode many threads on french forums but nothing.....
Thanks a lot guys !
Olivier
guyv:
yes, the noise is normal when /on is still connected.I measured it and it there's no dc offset present. Not harmful for your speakers.
As I still haven't got a good psu my /on is always connected.
breizhau:
the specs of you transformer usually recommend a value for the primary fuse.
yes, the noise is normal when /on is still connected.I measured it and it there's no dc offset present. Not harmful for your speakers.
As I still haven't got a good psu my /on is always connected.
breizhau:
the specs of you transformer usually recommend a value for the primary fuse.
Yep, saw it after....
So, with the 160 VA transformer from Hypex plugged on 230 V on primary means i have to put a 1.6 A fuse..?🙄
So, with the 160 VA transformer from Hypex plugged on 230 V on primary means i have to put a 1.6 A fuse..?🙄
Hi Olivier, Matjans,
The question is not trivial.
I think everything, be it power or signal paths, influences sound ...since you have sofstart (do you really need it with a 160VA TX?) it will probably protect your fuse. If you are confident with your build quality you could, as I always wanted but did not have time to, compare different fuse sizes soundwise. (or even short it with a big copper wire
)
Have you seen the diameter of a 1.5A fuse? it is ridicoulously thin.
Obviously this test is potentially dangerous and I would do it only for a short time to discard obvious sonic differences.
I use 5A fuses on primaries of my 500VA TX's.😱
What do the experts think?
M
PS: I hope
do not delete my post 😀
The question is not trivial.
I think everything, be it power or signal paths, influences sound ...since you have sofstart (do you really need it with a 160VA TX?) it will probably protect your fuse. If you are confident with your build quality you could, as I always wanted but did not have time to, compare different fuse sizes soundwise. (or even short it with a big copper wire
) Have you seen the diameter of a 1.5A fuse? it is ridicoulously thin.
Obviously this test is potentially dangerous and I would do it only for a short time to discard obvious sonic differences.
I use 5A fuses on primaries of my 500VA TX's.😱
What do the experts think?
M
PS: I hope
do not delete my post 😀Hi M,
thanks a lot for your reply. I sent mail to Guyv who replyed (in French😀 ). In the transformer datasheet, it's written that if i use a 230 input, i should use a 1.6A fuse. I bought different values (1.5, 2, 2.5, 5 and 6) juste to try !!!!😎 But i am an electrician and will never link with a single wire......
Cheers !
thanks a lot for your reply. I sent mail to Guyv who replyed (in French😀 ). In the transformer datasheet, it's written that if i use a 230 input, i should use a 1.6A fuse. I bought different values (1.5, 2, 2.5, 5 and 6) juste to try !!!!😎 But i am an electrician and will never link with a single wire......
Cheers !