• Update on trouble-shooting my kit 1 - Vincin 03:16:00 03/09/06 (1)
  In Reply to: My PQ kit 1 is done... posted by Vincin on March 6, 2006 at 07:03:28:

  Anyone have any experience with the cathode caps on the 6SN7 and 5687?

  According to the schematic, the blackgate caps are 100uf/10v on 6sn7, and 220uf/16v on 5687. The caps I receive (also same on the manual) are different: 220uf/16v for 6sn7 and 470uf/16v for 5687.

  My friend thinks that the gain maybe too high (which is causing the cracking noise/ distortion etc.), so we took out the 220uf/16v on the 6SN7 completely (=reduce gain) - distortion is gone.

  Any thoughts? What caps do you have in your amp?

  And I seem to have been able to fixed the power supply board also, no more hum.

  So the amp is cranking out good music, but I currently need to turn the volume over the 12o' position as there is less gain.

  Some people has mentioned this and its true - making it work is half the fun! Im beginning to get hold of how this thing work and have learned a great deal about electronis during the past few days.

  Thanks - Vi
  
  
  

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  • Re: Update on trouble-shooting my kit 1 - GTCharlie 16:52:13 03/24/06 (0)
    In Reply to: Update on trouble-shooting my kit 1 posted by Vincin on March 9, 2006 at 03:16:00:

    Hi Vincin. I use BG FKs for cathode in the 6SN7 (100uf) input tube and the 5687 (220uf) driver (btw, you might want to try the E182CC, in lieu of the 5687). Just get 16v ratings. And I use the BG WK 220uf/200v for cathode in the final (300B). 470uf as cathode by-pass capacitor in the driver stage of the Kit One could cause distortion, I think. Have a nice weekend.
    
    

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• Re: My PQ kit 1 is done... - Vincin 22:11:51 03/07/06 (0)
  In Reply to: My PQ kit 1 is done... posted by Vincin on March 6, 2006 at 07:03:28:

  Thanks for everyone response, just a question on the main transformer, I notice that it gets very hot after about 20 - 30 minutes - more than 50 degrees, is this normal?

  I figure the culprit is the power supply PCB, as hum are coming from both channel and doesnt go up with volume. Will rewire the whole board this evening.

  regarding the blown cap, its the 47uF/400v on the power supply board. I replaced both caps with a used and cheap pair of 47uF/450v, could this be the reason why I get this cracking / distorted noise in the upper midrange?

  Thanks - Vi
  
  
  

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• Re: My PQ kit 1 is done... - BillEpstein 05:26:08 03/07/06 (1)
  In Reply to: My PQ kit 1 is done... posted by Vincin on March 6, 2006 at 07:03:28:

  You've got DC on the filaments so there shouldn't be any hum at all. And caps and resistors don't just blow-up.
  The Celius should be an easy, if not quite efficient load for the Kit. The Onkyo's didn't have enough efficiency or resolution to show the problems.
  Break-in and power conditioning won't fix wiring/soldering problems but making it work is half the fun!
  There's a cold solder-joint or two somewhere, probably in the grounding. Does the hum go up with volume? It's the signal hook-up.
  Switch tubes. Does the hum follow the tube from one channel to the other? It's the tube.
  Does the hum move to the other channel when you switch speaker leads? It's that channel.
  Is the hum in both channels and not volume dependent? Prolly the power supply.
  Trouble-shooting is all about isolating the problem to a particular sub component. Do that, then go back over each assembly step, re-heating each connection as you go. Make sure you can see the shape of the wire in the solder. Cold solder joints love to lurk in great big solder globs. It may mean disconnecting and removing a board but has to be done.
  One WAG: the ground at the speaker posts is always a likely suspect.
  
  

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  • Re: My PQ kit 1 is done... - Vincin 07:05:44 03/07/06 (0)
    In Reply to: Re: My PQ kit 1 is done... posted by BillEpstein on March 7, 2006 at 05:26:08:

    some encouragement there - thanks. Will spend sometimes this weekend to trouble shoot.

    Vi
    
    

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• Re: My PQ kit 1 is done... - Rune 00:18:46 03/07/06 (0)
  In Reply to: My PQ kit 1 is done... posted by Vincin on March 6, 2006 at 07:03:28:

  As AN stated in their description of the kit 1; "its some of the cleanest power you'll ever hear" is quite true.This means that it will more clearly show the quality of the rest of the gear in your audio chain.
  First of all you should absolutely give the amp time to settle before any judging at all.I don't have any experience with Black Gates other than in my new balanced line kit,and the line amp certainly sounds different now on the fifth day than on the first.Transformers also take a long time to be their best.
  I've also heard that BG can be a pain in the ass and according to Peter Q ,for maximum performance one should leave the gear with BG on 24/7. And thats not very good economy with expensive 300B tubes......
  My next thought was what CD player you have?
  If you have the chance to borrow some other equipment I would have done that,and I think you will hear bigger differences between different brands than you've ever heard before.

  Sincerely,
  Rune
  
  
  

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• Re: My PQ kit 1 is done... - GTCharlie 20:00:21 03/06/06 (0)
  In Reply to: My PQ kit 1 is done... posted by Vincin on March 6, 2006 at 07:03:28:

  Hi. First the hum, - there'd be a bit of hum with triodes. unless you're willing to max out capacitance in your 300B heater supply. But it won't fit. You'd have to have a separate box. This is the 5v - diode-capacitor-regulator-capacitor assembly leading to the two big legs in the 300B. Black Gates, especially the WKZs, do sound a bit thin in the beginning. I assume the PQ uses BGs in the cathodes - in the 6SN7, the 5687s and the 300Bs. A little patience ... this is probably one of the best amp there is. BTW, Kit One gets out something like 6-7 wpc only. This requires 90db up speakers. With benign impedance. Hope this helps
  
  

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