Wayne, I am not attacking the XP-30, but comparing its mass and complexity with the CTC Blowtorch.
I should remind you that there are actually really good reasons to have such material thickness in a preamp. Thicker makes a BETTER shield. Just look it up on the shielding tables. Thicker, from experience is not as susceptible to 'ringing', and it tends to keep air currents contained inside, and not leaking out through 'cracks' or breaks in the surface continuity. IF you are ONLY making it thick to impress your customers, well that works too! '-)
I should remind you that there are actually really good reasons to have such material thickness in a preamp. Thicker makes a BETTER shield. Just look it up on the shielding tables. Thicker, from experience is not as susceptible to 'ringing', and it tends to keep air currents contained inside, and not leaking out through 'cracks' or breaks in the surface continuity. IF you are ONLY making it thick to impress your customers, well that works too! '-)
GMTA. I've seen cast aluminum parts with terrific finishes.
And, of course, with decent machining, one can use plate stock, as apparently Nelson did. No good for us thermionic types...
No, thanks!
(Judging by the transom it's an oldish design. What is she, Jacco?)
Wayne, before this goes any further, I want to congratulate you on your successful preamp design. You KNOW what it takes to make a 'world class' product, and you are exceptional in that respect. Most here appear to think that it is 'really easy' with a few IC's and an aluminum foil lined box, and there you go! Yeah sure! '-)
Does MLB 6010D with AD 797 and normal metal film resistors in a better case than qualifies ring a bell. Always sounds great with big MBL power amps and and speakers at a show , but for $100 - 150k worth of gear it ought to. Never had the chance to compare it in a system I know, but I'll get to when my Nigerian bank transfer comes in next week.
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You rather than me, the chrome polishing of my BT preamp clone (1988, all-side chromed panels on a welded chassis) drove me mad.
The reason I'm bothering you folks.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/atta...099489659-pass-monster-24-x-300va-toroids.jpg Upper left corner.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/soli...ds-improvements-stability-14.html#post2348433
Aesthetically, the CTC preamp still ranks No1 for me.
Thank you John as it comes from the real deal. Probably 25 years ago you gave advice to me at a NS seminar on audio design and Audio Amateur. It's been downhill since or is it uphill. Keep sharing.
Wayne, I really like the way you attached your panels together.
A few years ago, a friend, a mechanical engineer, designed a box for us, but wound up costing plenty and the machinist said that it took over 50 different operations and why not just 'hog it out'? And that is where we have left it, until now.
A few years ago, a friend, a mechanical engineer, designed a box for us, but wound up costing plenty and the machinist said that it took over 50 different operations and why not just 'hog it out'? And that is where we have left it, until now.
Don't know just how he designed it, but I used a similar slab construction for my preamp back in the late 80's. It was certainly more costly than a sheet metal chassis, but it was far less costly than hogging out of solid billet.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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Jacco,
I was just kidding but it is a way to achieve a pretty finish if that is what you are really after and not the electrical and mechanical properties that is really the end result wanted. I have seen some really nice cast aluminum but the ideal in audiophile finish has just been a very high polish or even a brushed and plain or anodized finish for a long time. Some like hard anodized clear finishes and some would just leave a bare aluminum finish. Just wasting all the aluminum you have to in-order to hog out a solid billet is something you would do in a cost no object design. Now as for an air leak I don't see why you would ever care about a thermal leak, isn't that something that would be an advantage in any electronics to remove heat? What is a finned aluminum heats sinks purpose besides doing that in every other instance?
I was just kidding but it is a way to achieve a pretty finish if that is what you are really after and not the electrical and mechanical properties that is really the end result wanted. I have seen some really nice cast aluminum but the ideal in audiophile finish has just been a very high polish or even a brushed and plain or anodized finish for a long time. Some like hard anodized clear finishes and some would just leave a bare aluminum finish. Just wasting all the aluminum you have to in-order to hog out a solid billet is something you would do in a cost no object design. Now as for an air leak I don't see why you would ever care about a thermal leak, isn't that something that would be an advantage in any electronics to remove heat? What is a finned aluminum heats sinks purpose besides doing that in every other instance?
Neither he pretend abuse of expensive metal brings anything to audio quality.
I consider this kind of pure marketing waste of material and energy, this abuse of resources in a breathless world, as morally unacceptable.
The world is walking on its head, like when people are changing their cell phones every six months for pure fashion purposes.
Mhmmmm, la faute à qui ?!
Anyway , as previously said, any luxury good needs luxury packaging , for shoes, clocks, and even jewelry ....
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