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Moved into a new listing room...

86.206.120.171
Posted on November 18, 2015 at 10:03:11
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 Hi All,

I just moved into a new listening room. It was a good time to take some pictures of my DIY all DHT SET amplifier with LCR RIAA phono stage.

TT is an Audio Note TT-Three V2 (Voyd Reference) with a Kondo IO-J. I use (modified) Auido Note AN-E loudspeakers with Alnico drivers and external crossovers.

Its sort of a 'breadboard' so all 'modules' which make up the amp are easy removable to test and improve. 5 stages in total with low DCR / Zout PSU's. One PSU per stage for the LCR RIAA and one per channel and stage for the voltage/driver/power stages.

Audio Note, Silk and Slagle signal Iron. MQ and AE-Electric power transformers and chokes.

Let me know if you want to know more...

Nickel Core

























 

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Your An speakers look to be horn loaded by the room, posted on November 18, 2015 at 11:06:51
Chip647
Audiophile

Posts: 2653
Location: The South
Joined: December 24, 2012
 Careful bending over the amp to flip the LP. :-)

At least lean a book up to cover the sockets of the GZ37s, that is too scary (even for me.)

 

RE: Your An speakers look to be horn loaded by the room, posted on November 18, 2015 at 11:28:12
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 Just feeling the love and warmth of my amp when I flip a LP :)

 

RE: Your An speakers look to be horn loaded by the room, posted on November 18, 2015 at 11:47:18
Chip647
Audiophile

Posts: 2653
Location: The South
Joined: December 24, 2012
 Awesome. My room is full of Mercury and transmitter tubes. Some teflon tape and the St. Christopher's medal keep everyone safe.

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 18, 2015 at 18:45:22
ahendler
Audiophile

Posts: 5151
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Joined: January 24, 2003
 Really nice.
I have always thought Audio Note stuff is very special although somewhat pricy
Enjoy
Alan

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 18, 2015 at 18:52:22
Donald North
Manufacturer

Posts: 1296
Joined: February 8, 2001
 Very interesting design - congratulations! I owned a few Voyds back in the 90s. What input and driver DHTs are you using?

Which cores are you using in the AN transformers: 50% Ni? Are the windings copper or silver?

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 18, 2015 at 19:36:26
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
 Wow, that looks seriously impressive.

You must have different electrical codes and/or insurance requirements in the US - that would never fly down here in Oz.

thanks for sharing!

Cheers,
91.

"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 18, 2015 at 23:55:49
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 I use Audio Note stuff (and Kondo) stuff for years now.

I owned and had access to their most expensive stuff.

Yes its pricy, but its worth it...

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 19, 2015 at 00:12:16
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 Hi,

Voltage is a Siemens Sif Ba, Driver is a Taylor Globe VT25 and I use new production WE300B's as Power tube. Unbypassed cathode bias on the Ba and fixed bias for the Driver and Powers stages whereby the bias voltage is generated by dedicated tube rectified power supplies.

I use AN transformers as step up (super mu-metal 250 core all silver wire -their S8 cans directly mounted on the RIAA chassis), and as driver transformer I use 55% nickel with copper primary and silver secondary

The OPT's found their way to me via PQ years ago, but are not AN made transformers. They are huge double C-cores with extremely low insertion loss. They are with me already for many years, just because I find them so exceptionally musical. Copper windings on a HiB core.

Hope this helps,
NC

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 19, 2015 at 00:17:41
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 The nice thing about DIY is that you don't have to follow any codes.

I realise that commercial manufacturors have to comply with all kinds of codes (including RoHS which made the Lyra Connousseur unavailable), so they are always somewhat limited. I owned a Kondo Kegon once and had acces to a Kondo Ongaku and Gako-Ons for some months and I can say that my DIY comfortably outperforms these amps also due to the fact I don't have to adhere to any codes.

My DIY amp sounds more like a higglest-end 211, but with the 300B midrange sweetness. Its amazing...

NC

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 19, 2015 at 00:35:16
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
 I hear ya - it looks like you have avoided component-chassis coupling nicely. :) Still, I'd be concerned about insurance... but hey, that is my stuff to deal with, not yours!

Question - where did you source those sweet looking silver knobs in the second photo from the top? Are they machined metal?

Cheers,
91.

"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 19, 2015 at 03:16:38
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 No, its a stock item, similar like this one :

Machined metal yes.

NC

 

Insurance, posted on November 19, 2015 at 05:04:28
Chip647
Audiophile

Posts: 2653
Location: The South
Joined: December 24, 2012
 It is only an insurance problem when your house burns down and the fire inspector comes though and finds your burned out husk of non-UL approved electrical equipment and says that is the cause of the fire. Other than that, what's to worry? :-)

Does OZ have actual insurance inspections? Here they just roll by in their car to make sure that there is actually a house at the address (sometimes).

 

RE: Insurance, posted on November 19, 2015 at 05:17:22
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 I once tired to insure my EUR 500K+ Audio Note UK/Kondo set. Different guys came, they all went heads shaking. Its just impossible or offensively expensive.

NC

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 19, 2015 at 05:23:51
GEO
Audiophile

Posts: 4749
Joined: April 7, 2000
Contributor
  Since: September 9, 2000
 But what color wire did you use and is it oriented in the right direction!

Nice gear....

 

RE: Insurance, posted on November 19, 2015 at 06:51:15
Chip647
Audiophile

Posts: 2653
Location: The South
Joined: December 24, 2012
 The great thing about DIY is that to get up to the investment where you want to take out a special insurance rider to cover the value, usually the men in white coats come and take you away first.

Keep listening for the idling truck outside your house.

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 19, 2015 at 06:51:28
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005

Yep, red shifted, exactly 90 degrees perpendicular on time axis...

These kind of mistakes I don't make anymore ;)

NC

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 19, 2015 at 09:54:06
GEO
Audiophile

Posts: 4749
Joined: April 7, 2000
Contributor
  Since: September 9, 2000
 Very nice stuff you have there. Enjoy it!

 

Funny, but true! nt., posted on November 19, 2015 at 15:32:09
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
 .
"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

RE: Insurance, posted on November 19, 2015 at 15:34:15
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
 Not sure, but I would not want to test it. Insurance companies here are forever creating ways to avoid paying... I don't want to help them! That is why I try to have my builds comply (to the best of my knowledge).

Cheers,
91.

"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

Thanks! nt., posted on November 19, 2015 at 15:36:07
91derlust
Audiophile

Posts: 1101
Joined: December 25, 2014
 .
"Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems to characterise our age." Albert Einstein

 

Thanks...., posted on November 19, 2015 at 17:11:14
drlowmu
Manufacturer

Posts: 9730
Location: East of Kansas City
Joined: January 10, 2005
 Lots of fun to view and contemplate. Likely lovely to hear !! Very good NC !! Bravo.

Jeff Medwin

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 19, 2015 at 17:35:05
xaudiomanx
Audiophile

Posts: 3647
Joined: August 16, 2004
 Hi,

What LCR phono did you build? I built(with help) the Thorsten Loesch LCR phono and it sounds awesome. I'm always interested in others designs.

Thanks!

 

I'm very scared and, posted on November 19, 2015 at 19:11:19
jefe
Audiophile

Posts: 1869
Location: rocky montains
Joined: December 29, 2000
 in awe. The wires, the wires. All kidding aside looks and I'm sure sounds fantastic. Very nice work.

 

Yes, Music DOES transport us to other places... {smile}~nT, posted on November 20, 2015 at 02:39:11
Cleantimestream
Audiophile

Posts: 7551
Location: Kentucky
Joined: June 30, 2005
 ~!
The Mind has No Firewall~ U.S. Army War College.

 

RE: Thanks...., posted on November 20, 2015 at 05:03:50
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 Thanks Jeff,

You where a big inspiration for the PSU's. Non critical (flywheel) 1st choke and very low DCR chokes and power transformers.

For the Voltage and Driver Stages I couldn't to with only LCLC (ripple), so there are more cells there though using only 4uF (Russian PIO) caps in the first LC sections.

The RIAA supply is a bit more conventional, although I hardly ever see a PSU per stage instead of per channel (which has merits IMHO). The motorrun caps only for the RIAA makes the PSU kind of big though... ;)

NC

 

LCR Phono, posted on November 20, 2015 at 05:20:51
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 Hi,

Its largely my own design, but I studied all LCR designs I could take my hand on, including the one of TL so I've suddenly been inspired by other designers.

Its: 1:45 step-up -> 6C45P -> 1:1 IT -> 10K LCR ->WE437A -> 1:1 IT -> (AVC).

I use filament bias for both stages which keeps Zout of the first stage < 1K in order to drive the 10K LCR (On the back of the RIAA you see a pair of (silver) wire wound filament resistors made by Audio Consulting).

I use a tube (GZ37) rectified PSU per stage and only ASC motorrun caps and 6 chamber, low DCR chokes. The last set of 4 caps is bypassed with a 10uF V-cap OIMP. All my PSU's have a resistor to ground bleeding about 40-50% of the standing current as this 'stiffens up' the supply.

The filament supplies are rather 'extensive' as I use a VCCS per tube, each fed by an extensive DC supply using chokes in common-mode canceling setup and ultra fast diodes.

The sandwiched chassis keeps the current loops short and the last caps close to the tubes.

Hope this helps,
NC

 

Sure don't see something like that everyday, posted on November 20, 2015 at 07:00:03
rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com
Audiophile

Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta
Joined: December 15, 2003
 A magnificent effort. Since I cannot hear it all I can think is to estimate the massive amount of time involved in those amplifiers.

One great thing about massive DIY amplifiers is you NEVER have to worry about someone stealing them. They could not carry it away and, even if they managed to do so, can anyone, other than you, turn the things on?

On a much smaller scale my system would be impossible for anyone other than myself to operate. Not intentional, but that is how it is.

NC, I never doubted your credibility and now NO ONE can.

An inspiration ...

 

So, true. The one that can steal this amp, deserves to have it :) (nt), posted on November 20, 2015 at 07:41:43
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 .

 

huge double C-cores?, posted on November 20, 2015 at 07:56:13
Frihed89
Audiophile

Posts: 15703
Location: Copenhagen
Joined: March 21, 2005
 May I ask where you sourced them from? PQ is pretty adamant that HIS are by far the best. Does he know a transformer builder he isn't telling us about?

 

RE: huge double C-cores?, posted on November 20, 2015 at 08:28:16
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 Hi,

The C-Cores of Peter ARE the best IMHO.

However, these transformers found my way long time ago via an AN dealer in The Netherlands which got them from PQ. I remember PQ told me these where salvaged from something, or maybe they where an early prototype AN made LONG ago, can't remember it clearly...

NC

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 20, 2015 at 09:02:47
vinnie2
Audiophile

Posts: 4481
Location: North Carolina
Joined: September 28, 2013
 Very impressive effort. Do you have any idea of how mnay hours it took you to build?
I really like the idea of the modular construction as it gives you such flexibility for modifications later on.
Going to go to an all dht set up soon myself, so I can understand why you did. Mine won't be anywhere near as mind blowing as this one though.
Nice job!

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 20, 2015 at 10:10:36
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 HI Vinnie!

I really don't know how many working hours it took. I was busy with it off and on over a period of 4 years or so. The actual building effort wasn't that long, but a lot of time was spend with design (electrical using LT spice, and mechanical using emachineshop.com).

Also the sourcing of components and waiting for the custom made parts/iron took some time...

Then when I fired the darn thing up for the first time, the whole shebang sort of exploded due to heavy oscillations as a result of a gross earthing problem. Then when had it working again, I still had HUM which eventually was tracked down to a miscalculation of current capability of one of the filament power trannies.

Its was a long but very very satisfying road.

Wait till you see my next project that I'm working on which makes this effort looks like a breeze.

It aims to be a joint audio community effort and I'm working full time on it now. You will hear from it the coming months ;)

Cheers,
NC

 

Documentation, posted on November 20, 2015 at 12:30:05
Charlie8521
Audiophile

Posts: 914
Location: South East Michigan
Joined: October 2, 2004
 At the moment I know of now one that belongs more in the Asylum than you, except for an old article I read where I guy built a folded horn into the side of his house! There might be value to other over the top Inmates in seeing the documentation of your work so that they can duplicate it, to include the next project you referenced (maybe you can sell your current design to fund that). On a side note, it looks like your system is an attic space. Did someone commit you there?

 

In defense of Nickel Core,..., posted on November 20, 2015 at 19:19:33
Lew
Audiophile

Posts: 10912
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Joined: December 11, 2000
 his speakers are rather modest in size and pretension. Evidently you've never seen a 3-way horn system (although you do mention the horn woofer); I have an acquaintance whose horn system is positively frightening to sit before. You get the feeling it is straight out of Jurassic Park and about to devour you. More than half the listening room is "speaker".

Then too, my own system includes 8-foot tall ESLs, massive OTL tube amplifiers, and three turntables all set up and ready to use. So I am a poor judge of what is sane and what not.

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 21, 2015 at 01:01:29
shane.
Audiophile

Posts: 394
Location: S.A.
Joined: March 27, 2004
 Awesome to me how you've gone your own with respect to form following function without the BS of conventional construction. I'll take your approach as inspiration for what I'm assembling, nice to know I'm not the only one. 10 points.

 

Thanks! :) nt, posted on November 21, 2015 at 01:27:00
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 .

 

RE: Moved into a new listing room..., posted on November 21, 2015 at 01:42:59
shane.
Audiophile

Posts: 394
Location: S.A.
Joined: March 27, 2004
 Nah man, thanks to you.. and all the more to the cause.

I got 12 damper diodes split rail, multiple supply, battery this and that to all DHT and with relays to control switching with warm up, its beyond convention. I run PP and also PSE and thought/think to mount them in figure-8 (one tube inverted and directly below).

You are my new breath of fresh air - and for that, I thank you !!

SXC

 

Some more pics..., posted on November 21, 2015 at 06:53:57
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005

Hi All,

As I noticed my amps inspired some of you, here some more pics...


Sorry for the bandwidth,
NC



It begon with a bunch of parts...





And woodwork...












Small solder work. Here some the VCCS's





Phono PSU final caps






Mounting the step-up transformers (in mu-metal cans) close to the input tubes. VCAP IOMP as bypass of the last B+ PSU caps.





Wonder what goes where...





Building the LCR RIAA.








Lotsa cable thingies..





Phono PSU ready. HT PSU per stage and 4 PSU's for the VCCS's.





One of the HT PSU's. Left voltage, middle power, right driver B+.







Backside...





Low voltage chassis. 4 x filament PSU for driver and power tubes, 2 x PSU for VCC's feeding the voltage stage tubes, and the bias supply for both the driver and power stages. Note that I can adjust ALL filament/heater voltage in the complete amp to play with filament starving.

On the right 2 time delay relais for the B+.





Detail of bias supply.





Lotsa soldering...






Low voltage chassis front view. The dials are for setting the filament voltage of the driver and power tubes. The big clock is a hour meter.





And nerve breaking suff. Here the AVC's from Dave Slage... On the back the output from the RIAA is connected via RCA so that I also can use other input (no input switches). As you see all the metal parts are brass.





The actual amp (bottom view). Last PSU caps for the voltage stage with plate resistor. OIMP's last caps for bias voltage, MQ grid chokes an the driver transformers.

Aslo visibel the VCCS for the voltage stage and the bias adjustment knob for the driver stage.

Neutrik connectors for bias and driver filament voltage and the ground returns for the HT PSU.





Power amplifier top view. AVC for volume nicely covering the voltage tubes (Here Bas tubes which have a metal paint sprayed over it which act as a shield. I build the AVC as a 'bridge' over the tubes to further reduce hum.). VCAP coupling caps (now replace by the Cu versions) an WKZ as finals B+ caps close too the tubes (too close, the caps are shielded now against heat from the tubes.)

The front dials are for the bias adjustment for the power tubes, The Amphoral connector connects the output of the tube to the OPT.







Mount the whole shebang via rubber dampers on the chassis and play some music! :)



 

Big Horn Systems ...yeah..., posted on November 21, 2015 at 09:32:30
drlowmu
Manufacturer

Posts: 9730
Location: East of Kansas City
Joined: January 10, 2005
 Lew,

Know what you mean, about a big horn system For the last month, I have been testing amp prototype on a K.C. friend's ALTEC A-4 system, and you are 100% correct about a BIG horn system.

His ALTEC A-4 uses the dual 15 inch bass horn ( 210 ) enclosures, which weigh 440 pounds each, UNloaded. Dual 515Cs drivers each channel . He uses fairly large ALTEC multicell high frequency horns, and 288 compression drivers, in a 25' by 45' by 14' high room ( 1911 historic KC firehouse ).

His system needed help when I arrived a month ago. ( AMP AND WIRE ). We are totally rewiring amp to speakers, crossovers, and his speakers internally. And he will use a 45 amp design from me, and sell-off his Yamomoto A-08.

It is AMAZING listening experience to me, to sit before such a system, very clear and dynamically uncompromised. "A horse of a different color." I love it. VERY easy to evaluate my amps on it !! ALTEC has SUCH clarity, throws in your face ill-conceived triode amps, electronics and user implementations.

In eight more days we rewire to the four 515C drivers from his crossover, with, effectively 9 AWG ( 4 Xs 12 AWG, two 12 AWGs to each woofers' terminal ) - and.............. I just can't WAIT to hear that !!

Oh well, I have a A-7 system in a modest apartment living room.

Jeff Medwin

 

Non-Critical L1 ... very good NC ., posted on November 21, 2015 at 12:14:46
drlowmu
Manufacturer

Posts: 9730
Location: East of Kansas City
Joined: January 10, 2005
 NC,

Thanks for telling me that. I am honored. Nice of you to show photos.

In the end folks, we all listen to a modulated power supply. How good is yours ??

Jeff Medwin

 

RE: Some more pics..., posted on November 21, 2015 at 12:28:36
Donald North
Manufacturer

Posts: 1296
Joined: February 8, 2001
 Who makes the (what appears to be a) multi-section chokes in the top photo and how do you use it in your phono PSUs?

 

RE: Some more pics..., posted on November 21, 2015 at 13:34:57
Nickel Core
Audiophile

Posts: 870
Joined: February 11, 2005
 Hi,

These where made by Automatic Elecctric here in The Netherlands. They also made the C-core chokes.

They are used just as chokes in the LCLCLC HT PSU (one per stage) of the Phono pre-amp

NC

 

Thanks, posted on November 22, 2015 at 02:53:48
Stephen R
Audiophile

Posts: 1428
Joined: January 11, 2002
 Really enjoyed looking at your work. Great stuff!

cheers,

Stephen

 

RE: Some more pics..., posted on November 25, 2015 at 18:56:53
A.Wayne
Audiophile

Posts: 2527
Location: Front row center
Joined: November 30, 2011
 NC, I'm not sure what it is you have built , it looks , well , the talk ..! What i do know , if and when the aliens come, i want you representing us ....



:)


 

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