diyAudio group buy Paradise R3 phono stage boards

[Markus S]

I'm just crazy busy with work right now (sitting in my office, printing out some things for a big meeting tomorrow ...).

 

[sq225917]

Markus, I think you're scared of it. There's I've said it, secrets's out. ;-)

 

[Markus S]

Awww, it's such a cute cuddly little thing, how could I be afraid of that?

 

[martin dawson]

Having lived with the Paradise phono stage for some 6 weeks and used the 3 settings of resistors provided by Simon I've eliminated one of them.
I found the 121ohm resistors had elevated the treble and the bass had virtually disappeared.
I had the 330 ohm resistors at first for about two and a half weeks then swapped them for the 220 ohms. I've found a certain sweet spot with the 220 but will revert to the 330 before buying the Charcroft resistors on Simon's advice.

To think I was going to upgrade from the Whest Audio 30R to the 30 RDT SE at nearly £4 or trading my 30 R plus £2.5 K. So glad I got in touch with Mark and Simon who was kind enough to build the Paradise for me.

Regards,

Martin

 

[sq225917]

Paradise pre-reg psu group buy, kits or pcb only

Just a note to anyone who's interested, all of you who may have a half finished Paradise but are waiting on the suitable PSU solution. Have no fear PSU pre-reg group buy V2 is here.

 

[chiily]

Coming back to this project after a long while away...

I need to buy a couple of 18v transformers, one for each channel. What's the recommended VA for these please?

Ta.

 

[sq225917]

18v might be a little low, the bom spec is 2x 12v/14va per channel. It'll depend if you running the 40 ohm Hammond chokes or not.

 

[chiily]

I'm just going to run a pair of hackercaps, nothing special to start with. I have a pair of 2x12v transformers.

Slowly getting there...

 

[sq225917]

My own Paradise uses a pair of hacker with a single 18v 50VA transformer for each channel. You need a bit more if you're fitting big chokes. Mine is CLCLCR with 30,000uf per rail and a 10 ohm 3 watt resistor, gives me 27v out the back which is bob-on.

 

[df_genius]

To be safe I'd recommend 20V secondaries if possible, 18V AC might not give you much headroom, I only get 26V DC out of my 18V AC transformers, if I remember 26V is on the low side of the voltage needed for optimum regulator performance. If you can get 20V secondaries it gives you more leeway for reducing ripple with a CRCRC supply.

 

[chiily]

Kk...a pair of these 2x20v 75VA ones?

 

[df_genius]

Yes those should do fine, if you fancy toroids, how about these:

http://www.airlinktransformers.com/...roidal_transformers_standard_range/CM0050220/

 

[chiily]

Well, what can I say...I thought my, modded to hell Naim323s were good, with two ALWSRs each, this Paradise phono stage is just something else...I keep having to stop typing just to listen to things that I've never heard. Amazing, detail, drive with that balance of delicacy, small things matter...dear me.

I've still the Calvin.boards to fit...you say it will get better, jezzz I'm in for a real treat.

And, I can finally try the B4 pre and swap out the Starfish as the Paradise boards have tonnes of gain.

I still don't think I have the earthing right as the only connection to earth is through the Linn, coming up through the tonearm earth lead. Should I really run the earth from the PSU, to middle of the cap boards...but where to attach the earth from the tonearm?

The Paradise really draws out real dimensions to music, layered, separate, but the music whole ...you have to hear one....Si, I can understand your passion to build Paradise boards more and more matched.

 

[sq225917]

Google Image search 'paradise phonostage' and you'll see how I do mine.

Basically a four wire connection, but nothing from psu pcb back to mains earth. Signal 0V from main amp boxes is returned to psu chassis earth.

If you like how it sounds now wait until your dc drift settles. Usually 70-100 hours as the electrolytic caps in the main boards form.

 

[chiily]

Like a Phoenix my B4 pre amp has risen, cobbled together with a hackercap board, a few caps in the bottom of my bits box, some nice diodes, in a RCRCRC combination, cheap phone wire to my Voyagers ...and wow, I've just realised how much the Starfish added to the sound, the B4 is sublime, really lets those Paradise boards shine right through ...

What I'm loving is that moment when the music grows, complex, just when my old 323s would resort to "shouting" the Paradise boards just keep on going, nothing seems to unsettle them at all. Amazed, worth all that pain and grief and soldering and matching and boxing up ...

Just need to box that B4 up with a remote volume control for the lazy people in the house

Si, I'll check out your earthing ta. The hissing I was hearing is dropping away now, and there's only hum with the volume cranked up full.

I'm running a AT33PTG with a loading resistor of 470R (Dale RN55 of course, love these little brown resistors) .

More listening to come...

 

[sq225917]

A bit of noise until the caps form ain't unusual

 

[grazie]

Which transistor(s) was it that needed to be Hfe matched on this build? I've searched through the thread and found lots of hits on 'matched', but could find the actual transistor device name(s).

 

[sq225917]

Grazie the 327 and 337 in the input stage needing matching. That's the row of eight across the board. Truth be told they sound better if you match them all, but they are the most important. See pic, to follow.

 

[grazie]

Thanks for that. No need for a photo. I need some matched pairs of transistors for something else and I know I've of got some of these spare somewhere. Now need to check if BC327 or BC337 will be suitable. I don't think they will.

 

[sq225917]

Ah ok, here it is anyway.