What's Next Amplifiers

Basking in the beauty of my Aleph J but being a greedy boy, I can't not be looking toward a future build. That being said I still have a few projects in the que including a FM5, but there's always bigger, better, faster or just different waiting to be enjoyed. The problem, there are so many options out there I haven't a clue where to start?

Any insights/suggestions are welcome as long as there is some explanation as to why.
 
Did a quick search, looks intriguing. Took a quick look at Jim's post w/ BOM, do you know if there is reasonable availability to parts, I still don't have much of a grasp regarding various JFETs. I could probably find this info with more digging but, since the transformer inverts phase does that mean the speakers get connected in reverse as well?
 
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Aleph is at one end the spectrum. F5 / F5M is at another end of the spectrum. There are many options in between that can use the same chassis and power supply. Then it's a matter of swapping the amp boards. I'd suggest some run time with your AJ and the F5. Write down what you're enjoying (or not) and then ask again. Looking for more power? Like the H2? What do you like about Bass/Mids/Highs for each amp? 3D? Imaging?

Look at all the First Watt amps
Look at the ZM amps, too: https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/list-of-zm-projects.375782/
 
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When you say "at one end ..." what spectrum?

Jim "6L6" shared this with me a few years ago when I was building the F5. Prior to that I had an Aleph 3, then Aleph J.

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Jim "6L6" shared this with me a few years ago when I was building the 5.
Thus spoke Zenathustra! Has anyone else seen a cockroach smile? :unsure:

That makes it sound like the 2 amps are similar sonically but that the Aleph is more transparent. I had purchased the F5M before I was given the opportunity to build the Aleph, does it make sense, from a sonic stand point, to build the F5?
 
Interesting, I have been thinking that the Aleph isn't as transparent as the ACA Mini but hadn't felt the desire to swap it out yet to experiment ;). I was pondering what correlates to my impression, lovely soundstage but kind of like in a smokey room. Was wondering if it has something to do w/ 2nd order distortion but I'm just a Bozo on this bus!

Yeah, I think the F5M is a good choice for next but then...........
 
The F5m has proven to be a wonderful amplifier, and a good use for the FQA28N15. I built mine using standard F5 boards, with selective population of components to realize the F5m design. The complementary P-type FETs were IXTQ26P20P, which are much more available than the FQA36P15.

My next new build will be the ZD25 Mini, also using the FQA28N15 / IXTQ26P20P and a chassis that can handle 26V rails and around 1.5A bias.
 
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