Please let me know which upgrade parts you want
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/elekit-tu-8900-with-audio-note-upgrade-parts.384001/
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/elekit-tu-8900-with-audio-note-upgrade-parts.384001/
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An ideal DAC will depend on the speakers/headphone you will be using and your preferences.
Thanks and so noted. I can find options (in Norway) for under 70 USD; after that, it looks like the best available for under $1000.00 would be the denafrips Ares II <https://www.denafrips.eu/ares>. My question: with a relatively modest speaker set (Bowers & Wilkens 686), would I be able to hear the difference for all that extra money - or would a speaker upgrade (long overdue and in the works) be necessary first?
One of my friends owns a 686 S2 and we have tried many DACs on it and it is resolving enough to show the differences between DACs. But it does have a performance ceiling. Ares2 should be fine. But if its price is not within your comfortable budget, something like an iFi Zen DAC Signature should do the trick. Very cheap DACs are going to be compromised in many ways. Better to look into at least a Schiit Modi 3E if you don’t want to spend a lot right away.
I’ll also be concerned about using the 8900 to drive the 686. Unless you are in a fairly small to medium sized room, the amp is going to run out of steam pretty quick. Even in a small room and near-field listening position, the dynamics are going to be quite compromised. You really need a high sensitive speaker to get the most out of the 8900. And you need at least 20-30W power to do justice to the 686.
I’ll also be concerned about using the 8900 to drive the 686. Unless you are in a fairly small to medium sized room, the amp is going to run out of steam pretty quick. Even in a small room and near-field listening position, the dynamics are going to be quite compromised. You really need a high sensitive speaker to get the most out of the 8900. And you need at least 20-30W power to do justice to the 686.
Thanks much on all fronts - most helpful. FWIW, the 686s are in a small-ish room, and while I'm pleased and satisfied with them as driven by an 8200, I appreciate the tip towards more highly sensitive speakers: any more specific suggestions?
Likewise thanks for the tip re. iFi Zen DAC Signature which is available here at a reasonable price.
Again, thanks. I'm looking into a pair of Totem speakers, either the Sky or Signature One: both have slightly better sensitivity than the 686s:
The B&Ws are rated at 84 dB (2,83 V/1 m); The Totem Sky are rated at 87 dB/W/m - as are the Signature Ones. I have a family member who has been selling high-end audio equipment for decades to people with a lot of money to spend - he recommends these as the best in their price range, partly as they use Dynaudio (Made in Denmark) bass drivers that have been used in many reference speakers for over 30 years. Will see what I can come up with.
The B&Ws are rated at 84 dB (2,83 V/1 m); The Totem Sky are rated at 87 dB/W/m - as are the Signature Ones. I have a family member who has been selling high-end audio equipment for decades to people with a lot of money to spend - he recommends these as the best in their price range, partly as they use Dynaudio (Made in Denmark) bass drivers that have been used in many reference speakers for over 30 years. Will see what I can come up with.
Just a small, but I hope ultimately helpful comment on this setting. Victor's photos and comment here are very clear - and I wish I had paid closer attention to them when putting my kit together. I set the jumper on CN303 as shown on the Elekit assembly instruction manual, p. 12, element 44. The manual, however, so far as I can see, doesn't clarify these settings until p. 23, section 9. Connections. I do not use a pre-amp, so the setting should have been as shown above for NON-NFB. In my case, the first try sounded like a disaster. The amp passed all the operation checks (p. 22): but when I reattached the transformer cables, connected speakers, and turned the amp - a terrifying noise erupted. It sounded as if something were terribly wrong. But changing this setting to the NON-NFB position was all that was needed - turning on the amp the second time resulting only in superlative music, no noise or hum even at highest levels, etc.
I hope this is not everyone's experience who gets it wrong for their set-up. It would be helpful if Elekit made much clearer the importance of getting this setting correct when showing the installation of the jumpers on p. 12. It would have saved me, at least, a considerable amount of unnecessary concern and anxiety over what might have gone wrong with such an expensive piece of kit.
Apart from that: the instructions are uniformly clear and excellent, and the build was straightforward. An occasional soldering hiccup as a component would slip out of position, but nothing that couldn't be fixed with desoldering, repositioning more firmly, and then re-soldering. The amp is still burning in, but it is already a great joy to use and listen with.
And a thousand thanks to Victor for his help with making some decisions about upgrades for this model, and for his very quick service and shipping of the desired components.
I also had the 2A fuse blow after 20-30 hours of good use. I had moved the amp to a different location and apparently in the process the impedance switch was knocked from top position / 8-16 ohm to bottom position, 4-6.3 ohm. I've read that sending current out of an amp to a lower impedance in fact doubles (approximately) the wattage the amp draws, so perhaps this is the reason the fuse blew?
In any event: you're saying that it's safe to use the 4A fuses that were included in the kit if this happens again - even though those are included for wiring at 100/120 V, not 220-240V?
The wiring used for Phono and Pre-Amp is too thin. I have replaced with Connex 22awg, Mil-Spec, Silver-Plated, Stranded Copper, PTFE Dielectric wire.
thanks - I'm planning to build the 8500 in the coming week or two: is this the phone / pre-amp you're referring to? If so: can you be more precise about what you have replaced where? Thanks in advance!
For Pre-Amp SV-PRE1616D and Phono Amp. The thread on my PRE1616D build. Again the wire for PRE1616D and SV-EQ1616D (Phono) is too thin.
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/sunvalley-sv-pre1616d-diy-build.947999/
Thanks for always doing your very best to keep prices reasonable Victor! Yup, these are expensive, and if you don't have the money to spend for that last percentage of clarity (and the compulsion to chase it), the Audio Note coppers perform very well.
Silver is just crazy expensive these days. I recently traded a pure silver litz headphone cable for a couple pure copper cables, adaptors, etc.
Silver is just crazy expensive these days. I recently traded a pure silver litz headphone cable for a couple pure copper cables, adaptors, etc.