Allow me to nag a little bit: in the last foot, the wires from the left connector ...
make sure they are fixed, and avoid visible copper...
Allow me to nag a little bit: in the last foot, the wires from the left connector ...
make sure they are fixed, and avoid visible copper...
I agree. Those are the switch wires, conducting only small voltages. I think I allready improved that a bit agter the shot, but surely more to go on. Good eye, man =) Thanks!
Just to be sure some questions before I order the kit.
At this moment I am using a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ as pre amp, balanced out to my Holton NXV500r2 power amp. The Brooklyn is a dac pre amp, just a tiny bit clinical and the soundstage could be just that little bit better. The Korg B1 pre is nice but different. The good things I like about the KB1 is warmth and soundstage. But... the warmt is a bit too much to my taste, a bit too "wooly". It loses the detail in the music for me. My question is will the BA2018 give just that bit warmth more than my Brooklyn and a better soundstage? Would be nice if someone is able to say something about this.
When I decide to build the BA2018 it will be a balanced version.
At this moment I am using a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ as pre amp, balanced out to my Holton NXV500r2 power amp. The Brooklyn is a dac pre amp, just a tiny bit clinical and the soundstage could be just that little bit better. The Korg B1 pre is nice but different. The good things I like about the KB1 is warmth and soundstage. But... the warmt is a bit too much to my taste, a bit too "wooly". It loses the detail in the music for me. My question is will the BA2018 give just that bit warmth more than my Brooklyn and a better soundstage? Would be nice if someone is able to say something about this.
When I decide to build the BA2018 it will be a balanced version.
I can't respond regarding the BA2018, although it is likely to be more "neutral" than the B1K but then who knows if warm enough to your ears for the DAC+...
Have you first tried to play with the adjustement? I like the B1K with less distorsions than the recommended starting point, really changes the sound a lot. The beauty is the B1K can be adjusted so you keep most of the B1K benefits while having "less wool" as you say... on the other hand there is nothing wrong trying also the BA2018, seems to be a fun project!
Enjoy music
Claude
Have you first tried to play with the adjustement? I like the B1K with less distorsions than the recommended starting point, really changes the sound a lot. The beauty is the B1K can be adjusted so you keep most of the B1K benefits while having "less wool" as you say... on the other hand there is nothing wrong trying also the BA2018, seems to be a fun project!
Enjoy music
Claude
I run it with a Bryston BDA-1. no distortion or warmth there, very neutral, so in my view it needs a bit of sugar. In my opinion the WLS is just what 6L6 says it is, perfect balance, and gives my setup what it needs. Wayne said in his presentation at BAF it is 2nd order dominant, but run balanced it is 3rd dominant. That might change the character a bit. But who knows, best try it. I love mine, though it is just one channel for now, and one day old =D Haha
Absolutely agree with 6L6. I have found that I really like circuits such as the BA2018 that can handle "busy" music and do it well. Not "warm" in my opinion, but very accurate with great control. Pairs well with an amp that gives you some of that warmth, if the gain structure works out ok, from a system standpoint.
I have it fed with a simple quite good miniature dac (forgot the brand) from a mac (with bitperfect) feeding my f4 feeding some small kef speakers... very pleasant, vivid musical sound!
This is actually my favourite combination at the moment as well - Wayne's BAF 2018 into an F4 biased slightly hot.
For me, a very attractive combination of clean and detailed on the one hand, no matter the musical complexity; and very musical, 3D and involving on the other hand.
Speakers are Jericho Horns with the original Fostex 208 Sigma.
Sources are a Mytek 192-DSD DAC (fed by a Squeezebox Touch from a Synology NAS), my Linn LP12, or at the moment a very nice and musical old Sony ST-4950 tuner that I got for next to nothing, and only had to spent a few afternoons cleaning and adjusting
Best regards,
Claas
For me, a very attractive combination of clean and detailed on the one hand, no matter the musical complexity; and very musical, 3D and involving on the other hand.
Speakers are Jericho Horns with the original Fostex 208 Sigma.
Sources are a Mytek 192-DSD DAC (fed by a Squeezebox Touch from a Synology NAS), my Linn LP12, or at the moment a very nice and musical old Sony ST-4950 tuner that I got for next to nothing, and only had to spent a few afternoons cleaning and adjusting
Best regards,
Claas
I just finished this yesterday, but already can agree with 6L6. Put it in place of the Korg B1 driving my F6. Much fuller soundstage and more detail. Loving it
Attachments
This thing also makes a really nice balanced to SE converter as I've mentioned before. Obviously plenty of folks won't need / care about that option. But my source is a natively balanced DAC so I take full advantage of this feature. There are plenty of gain stages around that are fantastic, but SE input only by design.
I tried to play with the adjustment. I like the KB1 but for me it is not my final pre amp.
I saw one can use balanced input and SE out bus my power amp is balanced so that is why I would like BA2018 balanced out as well.
I don't know the effects of 2 vs 3 harmonics as Andynor wrote.
Quite a few people say it is a very musical pre amp with a 3D soundstage. I guess I will buy 2 kits and try both balanced and SE.
Thanks everyone!
I think the distortion is very low anyways, not sure you can hear any difference between 2nd and 3rd on this particular circuit, but that may depend on your amp.
Like I said, I just had a first listen and only on one channel. Can therefore not comment on soundstage. Wrt sound, preliminary impression is transparency, but at the same time not clinical. It is on the contrary very musical. I actually listened to Guns N’ Roses on it today, and even that sounded nice. Seducing voices, beautiful treble, and good bass, punchy and dynamic on all the music I have tested. Sounds wonderful.
I’d run it balanced to take advantage of your other components balanced circuitry. If the 3rd harmonic is not deafened by the thd of your poweramp, it is quite ear friendly, and is said to provide a quite detailed and tall, if not as wide, soundstage. Many of Nelsons circuits are 3rd dominant at high output levels, mine included. I like your idea of trying both SE and bal, what better way to choose what you like best.
Regards,
Andreas
Like I said, I just had a first listen and only on one channel. Can therefore not comment on soundstage. Wrt sound, preliminary impression is transparency, but at the same time not clinical. It is on the contrary very musical. I actually listened to Guns N’ Roses on it today, and even that sounded nice. Seducing voices, beautiful treble, and good bass, punchy and dynamic on all the music I have tested. Sounds wonderful.
I’d run it balanced to take advantage of your other components balanced circuitry. If the 3rd harmonic is not deafened by the thd of your poweramp, it is quite ear friendly, and is said to provide a quite detailed and tall, if not as wide, soundstage. Many of Nelsons circuits are 3rd dominant at high output levels, mine included. I like your idea of trying both SE and bal, what better way to choose what you like best.
Regards,
Andreas
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