Arkless Electronics
Trade: Amp design and repairs.
They look Chinese to me... that shiny metal band suggests it anyway...
You don't need a converter, just an adapter. Your balanced preamp can drive standard RCA input with half of it's balanced signal.Hello again Gents,
Has anybody ever come across (or made) a balanced-to-line convertor?
I'm thinking of moving my AI second Audios off my hifi stand and close to my speakers, and using long interconnects. I tried this ages ago with standard interconnect, and the hum it picked up was a disaster. My pre-amp (Audio note M3 phono) has balanced outs, but the 2nd Audios don't have balanced ins. I'm wondering if I can repeat the exercise, but this time go balanced.
I could get a cheap stereo DI box, but that doesn't seem commensurate to the calibre of the hifi. Does anybody have a view, or some experience of trying this?
As ever, and advice gratefully appreciated.
Craig
AI amplifiers can be serviced by David Wright (via the Sound Practice) although any competent tech could do it given a schematic. The circuits weren't especially complicated. I have all of the schematics should anyone need one.
Thank you very much. I'm new to the forum and will check out to PM a member .Hi Piero, PM Guy known as Pure Sound on this forum. He was very closely connected to AI. Suspect will be along soon anyway but worth PM just incase.
All the best.
Hi Piero, Let me have an email address and I'll send schematics. If a 200 pre does not power up you should first check that the fuse has not blown. It will either be in a drawer that is part of the mains socket. This draw can be levered out with a small bflat bladed screwdriver. If not in a drawer it'll be in a fuse holder near to the power socket. Check that this fuse has continuity. Replace it if necessary. If the fuse if good but the tubes don't light up it then suggests the power transformer is dead.In this days of COVID quarantine, I finally had the time to get my AI 200 preamp + AI 800 amp out of the closet, after almost 20 years of inactivity. Unfortunately, the preamp does not switch on, it seems a failure in the power supply unit. I would be grateful if someone could provide the schematics, because service is hard to find in Italy. Thanks!
In this days of COVID quarantine, I finally had the time to get my AI 200 preamp + AI 800 amp out of the closet, after almost 20 years of inactivity. Unfortunately, the preamp does not switch on, it seems a failure in the power supply unit. I would be grateful if someone could provide the schematics, because service is hard to find in Italy. Thanks!
Dear Guy, very kind of you. My email is [email protected]. Yesterday I cleaned up the contacts with a deoxidizer spray cleaner and now the passive part works. The CD input is fine. So it seems not to be a PSU failure. Now my next suspect is the frontal ECC82 valve, which may have burnt. I will continue investigating.. Lamentably I have little experience and no electronic equipment at home and we cannot go out and buy. So it will be a little empirical. I may order a replacement valve and hope that delivery is not shut down... Thank again to all of you for your prompt support!Hi Piero, Let me have an email address and I'll send schematics. If a 200 pre does not power up you should first check that the fuse has not blown. It will either be in a drawer that is part of the mains socket. This draw can be levered out with a small bflat bladed screwdriver. If not in a drawer it'll be in a fuse holder near to the power socket. Check that this fuse has continuity. Replace it if necessary. If the fuse if good but the tubes don't light up it then suggests the power transformer is dead.
Rgs
Guy
The first Series 300's were supplied in the case Moko's has. This was a very basic design with a sloping front and large rectangular ventilation slots. Despite the low price of £299 (the cheapest new valve amp you could buy in 1986) and fine sound, it took a fairly committed enthusiast to buy and own one. Fairly soon afterwards AI commissioned Rod Keith (now of Stands Unique) to design a more appealing case which would allow the existing innards to be fitted. He came up with a softer and more attractive case design which was available in cream/grey and later in black.
the internals were identical with transformers from Hinchley in Devizes.
Later in around 1990 the 300 Mk2 was launched with some circuit modifications and was built into the casework with 4 corner pillars that was also used for the 200 series, L2, P2 and 400 integrated.
Hinchley had stopped making audio transformers by this time so transformers came from SP Wound components in Christchurch, Dorset.
Yes it is passive. One question: does a PSU problem affect all inputs ? Is the fact that the regulation (volume, balance) of the non-phono inputs works fine an indication that the PSU is working too or they would function also in case of PSU failure?as far as I know the S200 is a passive pre, only the phono section's powered. so if the valves don't work and it's not the fuse you may have a PSU problem
The amp is freshly serviced and modded, the speakers are in fine condition, look almost new, they are 90s J type Bs though, i tried the amp with my other speakers and it was the same. I spend a bit on the mods, and the results aren't good, after a quick listen anyway, push the volume past 12 o'clock and things start to distort. I'd like to try another valve amp to rule out this one being dodgy, but that's expensive after just spending out on this one.Hmm. Not my recollection, although in truth I always thought the AI stuff was as much 'right time right place' rather than being as exceptional as hyped at the time in some quarters.
But more pertinently, both these products must be positively geriatric by now. Presumably hard to tell if what you're listening to is anywhere near original spec?