Yep 6L6 Jim thanks mate, got it pumping right now.
Sounds pretty damn good.
All in all, a pretty easy thing to achieve if you pay attention.
I'll make another the same to give to loved one but I want another preamp because I'm using the line out from my cheap Monoprice little hybrid thing and I'm sure a better preamp will carry this Spanish Caravan to greater heights.
Thanks all who bothered and cared, this is a great forum.
43Cdegrees so far.
Sounds pretty damn good.
All in all, a pretty easy thing to achieve if you pay attention.
I'll make another the same to give to loved one
Thanks all who bothered and cared, this is a great forum.
43Cdegrees so far.
Last edited:
Glad to hear your project is going well.
Recently cobbled together a couple of ACA's, and now have the Class A bug.
Pondering my next Pass to try. Would like to hear how your system with the Aleph J in it does with with late '60s/early 70's rock, my main jams.
Initial recording quality is not always so great on many of my favorites, but hey, those were the sounds of my formative years and I love them.
Accordingly, I want a system that will bring out the best that is in them, without ruinng the vibe by being uber resolving.
Need to "Accentuate the Positive" as Dr John said.
"Spanish Caravan" was in my initial LP collection I started gathering as a teenager, and is, of course, in my CD collection now.
Well I'm currently listening to the second side of LA Woman and it's as good as it gets.
I have it flat out with this little preamp from the monoprice thing that I have to say is a very nice thing for $199 . It has this valve preamp and a line out that I'm using right now which is really cool with no rubbish in between.
Hey man Riders on the Storm just came on. It's got a whole lot more than it had last time I heard it. Yep. Heaps.
I have it flat out with this little preamp from the monoprice thing that I have to say is a very nice thing for $199 . It has this valve preamp and a line out that I'm using right now which is really cool with no rubbish in between.
Hey man Riders on the Storm just came on. It's got a whole lot more than it had last time I heard it. Yep. Heaps.
As Mazeppa suggested, just listen to the A-J for a while and enjoy its
beauty.
As for preamp, one question is whether you really need gain or not.
And if you have an LP setup, and depending on what you're currently
using, a new phono stage might be very rewarding.
Cheers,
Dennis
Pass DIY Addict
Joined 2000
Paid Member
As Mazeppa suggested, just listen to the A-J for a while and enjoy its
beauty.
As for preamp, one question is whether you really need gain or not.
And if you have an LP setup, and depending on what you're currently
using, a new phono stage might be very rewarding.
Cheers,
Dennis
Roger that. Poked an inexpensive Schiit SYS passive pre in my setup to hear if I wanted some gain. Only way I can tell the Sys is in there is when the volume goes up or down.
Don't think I need any gain, but decided I do miss that bit of tubey-ness my trusty 'ol Tubedac 09 provided, so the Saga was ordered.
The way my ears hear, it seems I always need to bias my systems to the left side, be it in my car or home.
Not exactly a purist notion, but I may try inserting the SYS in the channel going to the right side ahead of the Saga for balance control.
Apologies as I seem to be wandering off topic, just got to thinking......
I've got a Linn Turntable with a Garret cartridge going through a little Rega phono preamp that works but it could be better.
My missus had a husband who built speakers , he was the W in AMW Colin Wait RIP and we have one large set and a small bookshelf set . Before the Aleph I preferred the old large set but after listening to them for 10 minutes I plugged in the alternative Jensen SPX-9 set and I'm liking those for the first time. They are strangely rated as 6ohms. They are towers with what looks like 4 x 4" drivers with a tweeter between the top and the next down. Weird scanderhoovian stuff. [I have a bookshelf set to match if they ever come back from a loan.]
They were brittle compared to the AMW but now they just work while the big AMW are muddy. I'm getting a very nice spectrum, solid bass through to clear tops. I'll have a listen to the bookshelf set later.
It's running flat out at the moment and is totally pleasant, yes I'll make another preamp for a bit more gain though this is loud enough, it will definitely be too loud when the missus gets home. For the main preamp I'm running through the preamp of the $199 Monoprice hybrid which has a valve preamp with line out and 50watts a side solid state output. As you'd expect [and hope]it is muddy compared to the Aleph and a lot less information in every way.
We are a bit challenged with the room as it is because it's long and narrow and the only space for the system is in the middle on one side, totally the wrong position acoustically.
Trouble is either end is taken by doors and furniture that 'has' to be there.
There's a new room planned but yes, I have to build it.
O yes it does sound beautiful turned down as well.
Cheers.
I recommend to buy the EEVBlog Brymen BM325 True RMS DMM from
EEVblog BM235 Multimeter – EEVblog They are located in Australia.
I bought one and for AU$130 (ex GST) it's a steal!
If you decide to buy one, better also buy the fuse pack from
Multimeter Fuse Pack – EEVblog
as these fuses are hard to come by in this quality.
You will not regret this purchase: the DMM is auto-ranging, and it can also measure µAmps, resistance, capacitance, temperature, continuity etc.
User manual at http://www.eevblog.com/files/BM235-Manual-EEVblog.pdf
It’ great to hear you got your J up and running. Broken test equipment can sure ruin your day. I have found that class A amps in general sound good at lower levels. Just got an ACA up and running last night. 5 watts! Who cares, I forgot all about the power rating and just enjoyed the music, which is what it’s about in the end.
There are some nice diy preamps out there but it sounds to me like that little hybrid amp with pre out is a great place to start until you get a better feel for what you will ultimately need. That’s a nice little piece of kit for the $$. IMO every integrated amp should have a pre out.
Happy Listening
There I was enjoying the amp immensely when all of a sudden one channel cut out.
I've been monitoring the temp which was running at a max of 48C at the mosfet connection points.
It didn't make any nasty sounds, just cut out.
I checked the bias and offset and they had both changed a little but adjusted up easily.
Lights are still lit but no sound coming out. Damn! There's nothing that looks burnt .
Any suggestions for trouble shooting this? I imagine the most likely suspect will be the Jfets.?? Not sure how to test them. Using the diode function? Can that be done in situ?
What tests need to be done while it's powered up?
I've been monitoring the temp which was running at a max of 48C at the mosfet connection points.
It didn't make any nasty sounds, just cut out.
I checked the bias and offset and they had both changed a little but adjusted up easily.
Lights are still lit but no sound coming out. Damn! There's nothing that looks burnt .
Any suggestions for trouble shooting this? I imagine the most likely suspect will be the Jfets.?? Not sure how to test them. Using the diode function? Can that be done in situ?
What tests need to be done while it's powered up?
Sounds like a bad connection. First thing is to power down and check your external connections. Make sure speaker onnections have not come loose. Switch the input signal cables and see if the problem stays with the dead channel or moves. If it stays with the same channel, switch the speakers and repeat the test to make sure they are ok.
If these tests indicate a problem in the J then power down, pull the plug out of the mains, remove the cover and give it a good visual inspection, looking for bad connections or missed solder joints etc. Look closely for mechanical problems like shorts between circuit board solder joints and the chassis or heatsink etc.
I would then check the input signal connections from the rca input to the amp board input using an ohm meter. Ditto for the output connections. Since the LEDs have remained lit and bias/ offset is good it looks like the power is getting to both the amp channels.
The simplest explanation would be a bad connection for signal to or from the amp.
Let us know what you find
Brian
If these tests indicate a problem in the J then power down, pull the plug out of the mains, remove the cover and give it a good visual inspection, looking for bad connections or missed solder joints etc. Look closely for mechanical problems like shorts between circuit board solder joints and the chassis or heatsink etc.
I would then check the input signal connections from the rca input to the amp board input using an ohm meter. Ditto for the output connections. Since the LEDs have remained lit and bias/ offset is good it looks like the power is getting to both the amp channels.
The simplest explanation would be a bad connection for signal to or from the amp.
Let us know what you find
Brian