Hello
First-time poster. I recently added a 23b to my system and have heard nothing but great things about the Lesbox conversion.
Unfortunately, I have no experience soldering and I would never attempt this mod as a first-time project.
I'm wondering if there is anyone in Canada or the US who would be willing to do the work on my behalf? I'm in Windsor, Ontario (across from Detroit).
Cheers!
First-time poster. I recently added a 23b to my system and have heard nothing but great things about the Lesbox conversion.
Unfortunately, I have no experience soldering and I would never attempt this mod as a first-time project.
I'm wondering if there is anyone in Canada or the US who would be willing to do the work on my behalf? I'm in Windsor, Ontario (across from Detroit).
Cheers!
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I'm in Brampton, ON and would have done it for you but I just joined diyaudio.
The yaqin was IMHO a half-hearted 12AX7 tube phono preamp implementation that used a negative feedback RIAA eq and BPT output buffer. The LesBox mods reverted it to classic passive RIAA and a cathode follower output buffer third 12AX7, making it genuinely all-tube and more importantly vastly improving the sound. In the budgie you bought I was wondering how output buffering was implemented in comparison. Are there solid-state components in the signal path/EQ? Would there be a DC-to-DC inverter within the box for supplying tube HT from the 12V external supply? It's expensive, as tube phono preamps go. Do you like its sound?
Hi Turk
Thank you for the offer. Had I kept it, I certainly would have talked to you about the conversion. I'm not certain how the internals work on the budgie. I bought it mainly on the large amount of positive reviews I read on the 'net. I purchased mine "NOS" so I saved some cash.
While I agree it's pricey, the sound blows me away. I'm running Amperex orange globes right now and the sound is head and shoulders above where my stock Yaqin was. The Budgie box looks better on my rack as well IMO.
Thank you for the offer. Had I kept it, I certainly would have talked to you about the conversion. I'm not certain how the internals work on the budgie. I bought it mainly on the large amount of positive reviews I read on the 'net. I purchased mine "NOS" so I saved some cash.
While I agree it's pricey, the sound blows me away. I'm running Amperex orange globes right now and the sound is head and shoulders above where my stock Yaqin was. The Budgie box looks better on my rack as well IMO.
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Hi all, after reading this thread in its entirety, I have just ordered an Ms-22B (mkii)?
The seller has upgraded the coupling caps only and supplied electrharmonics tubes.
I plan to start the LB conversion as soon as I get all the parts together. What impressed me most about this project is the devotion that Les Carpenter has put into the conversion and his unwavering commitment to helping others through the process. I must admit, it's the resounding praise of the resultant performance of the little preamp that has prompted me to search out the amp and perform the conversion, but I do want to thank Les in the first place for all of his amazing efforts.
The seller has upgraded the coupling caps only and supplied electrharmonics tubes.
I plan to start the LB conversion as soon as I get all the parts together. What impressed me most about this project is the devotion that Les Carpenter has put into the conversion and his unwavering commitment to helping others through the process. I must admit, it's the resounding praise of the resultant performance of the little preamp that has prompted me to search out the amp and perform the conversion, but I do want to thank Les in the first place for all of his amazing efforts.
Well, I sorted that issue last night. Got confused on the diagram and wired V3, against my best judgement, all weird. Redid the wiring there and now it's up and running. I am, however getting very low volume from the right channel compared to the left though. The resistance checks are all coming out fine still, and I checked to make sure I had the resistors on the output jacks in the right place. I feel like the v1 tube is not as bright as the other 2. This is my first run at the equipment, so maybe I'm just reading too much into that, but I'm wondering if I'm somehow not getting the same power through that channel. Any ideas?
I keep posting the correct link but this is changed to error 404, very strange.
Try this link to my main site page and select the second item:-
Page Title
Also check out the video link at the bottom of page 2 of the MS22/23 pdf.
Les
Try this link to my main site page and select the second item:-
Page Title
Also check out the video link at the bottom of page 2 of the MS22/23 pdf.
Les
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I'm sorry if this question has already been answered earlier in this thread but I didn't have time to go through all 38 pages of messages to find out. Ten was about my limit. ;-)
The original Yaqin MS23B appears to be rated for moving magnet cartridges only. Will it be capable of handling moving coil cartridge output after the Lesbox conversion? I would like to have that flexibility in my phono amp just in case I want to use a MC cartidge at some point in the future.
The original Yaqin MS23B appears to be rated for moving magnet cartridges only. Will it be capable of handling moving coil cartridge output after the Lesbox conversion? I would like to have that flexibility in my phono amp just in case I want to use a MC cartidge at some point in the future.
Good luck! I have done the occasional replacement of a cap here and there on guitar amps and wired up my fair share of guitars, but that's as far as my expertise goes. I managed to pull it off though. I made a mistake in wiring up the buffer valve at first, due to my lack of understanding in reading diagrams, and then broke lose a connection in one of the EQ networks while figuring out the first issue (which took me WAY too long to figure out), but I eventually got it sorted. Sent a message to Hi_Q after a few rounds of trying to sort it all out, and he was REALLY nice, helped me understand what was going on, and didn't give me a hard time for being a know-nothing. I popped on my mfsl copy of the Beatles White album when it was done, and it was musical bliss. Absolutely worth the trouble. Really cool project though if you are a nerd for this sort of thing. I'm actually thinking about making one from scratch now that I have a bit more understanding of how things work.
Glad you sorted it Ok Awesomo, well you could always try the LesBox Mk.3 and use the MS22 as a power supply only
http://www.g4cnh.com/public/Let_us_build_one.pdf
http://www.g4cnh.com/public/Let_us_build_one.pdf
No, It's still MM, but with most MM phono stages you can run a High Output MC cart, just not the medium and low output ones, need an extra gain stage for that. Head amp or SUT's (step up transformers) to place before the MM phono stage.
After the 22B Mkii sat idle since July, I finally got stuck into the Lesbox conversion whilst recovering from arthroscopy on my knee. I have been running it now for several days and like others have mentioned, it is a revelation. I have never had the vinyl bliss that I am now enjoying. Much kudos to Les for his work and support of all the others that have completed the conversion.
Hello everybody, I'm new to this forum. Firstly, sorry if my english is not very good !
Last summer, i have made the modification on my Yaqin MS-22B, following the Les Carpenter pdf file.
Everything went very well, but like Les says, if you check all twice, everything will be ok. I have not all the same component of the Les list but it's ok.
The results: All i can say, that this is night and day ! When you listen the unmodified Yaqin when you bought it, you say it's great and no need to change !
But once the modifications are done. It's , like Les Carpenter say, it's like you have removed a curtain from the front of the speakers ! All sounds are crisp and detailled, instruments are very well distinct and separed !
I'm very happy to have done this modification and I thank Les Carpenter for providing a very well detailled document.
I have made some photos of my modifications. There were some difference between my pre-amp and the picture of the document . I hope this can help .
Last summer, i have made the modification on my Yaqin MS-22B, following the Les Carpenter pdf file.
Everything went very well, but like Les says, if you check all twice, everything will be ok. I have not all the same component of the Les list but it's ok.
The results: All i can say, that this is night and day ! When you listen the unmodified Yaqin when you bought it, you say it's great and no need to change !
But once the modifications are done. It's , like Les Carpenter say, it's like you have removed a curtain from the front of the speakers ! All sounds are crisp and detailled, instruments are very well distinct and separed !
I'm very happy to have done this modification and I thank Les Carpenter for providing a very well detailled document.
I have made some photos of my modifications. There were some difference between my pre-amp and the picture of the document . I hope this can help .
Attachments
Here is the next pictures of the modifications:
