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QUDOS - the brilliant new amplifier boards from Avondale

crap ... i seem to have acquired a buzz in my right channel now (with pre volume at minimum) ... i wonder what it could be
 
Check your wiring you could be picking up some noise from the smoother charging current pluses.

Pete
 
My progress over 12 months with the NCC220s (Avondale built):-
2 channels in a Naim shoebox using a 28v centre tap 150vA transformer - hot but sounded good
1 channel monoblock Naim shoeboxes with x2 28v 150vA transformers - sounded great, less heat and seemed to be cooler when run in
Monoblock RS Pro 35v centre tap x2 transformers 300va (I think) in Galaxy cases - Better, but transformer hum. Big heatsinks so very cool

Finally a Canterbury 35-0-35 x2 500vA with two Minicaps in a Pessante case. So Simple, but the the sound is sublime straightaway. The transformer is a step up and the NCC220s work to their full potential. You think "I can't believe it sounds this good", but it does. Day after day

The quality transformer and the increased voltage just do it! This beats a NAP250 easily (I have two of the best with with HF transformers and recently serviced). I am using a 52 and SBLs. I am astonished and don't think I need to look at NAP300s or DR upgrades

It has taken a while to dismantle what sounds so good at each stage to get to the final stage. But the advice has been really good
So thanks a bunch everyone here and especially thanks to Les at Avondale for being so patient and encouraging over the years (and my best set up is using Jamicons in the Minicaps too!)

Pictures to follow
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8pchg751mv9ks6b/P1000591.JPG?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/28hnbt8fi7jyfv0/P1000592 (edited-Pixlr).jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tm8vdbasyh20n8s/P1000593.JPG?dl=0
 
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Were the setups always 1 Mincap to 1 NC220? (I'm guessing yes).

Which leaves me surprised.

The RS Pro (this one? https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/toroidal-transformers/1233990/) has the same output voltages as the Canterbury, and two RS Pros have more power (2x300VA versus 1x500VA).

And (in generally) 2 transformers should give even less cross channel coupling than multiple secondaries on a single transformer.

So I'm baffled.

BugBear
 
There are a lot of other variables in a transformer design. "RS Pro" is their generic import line. Quality can be patchy.
 
Terry at Canterbury will make you whatever size Tx you want be it 300va, 500va or whatever. Tbh anything over 350va per board is overkill but it’s nice to know you have it if you want to! I have some very early NCCs each powered by one 200va Tx and I doubt you could tell by listening. These are using Cap 6 boards btw as are my NCC220s. The 220s are split front and back as per Voyager so use four in all. I will be using minicaps for the front end of my NCC300s just because I happen to have them.
 
The Canterbury item has x2 35-0-35v secondaries and is 500vA. I have compared it to a pair of RS items which are 35-0-35v 300vA. They sound pretty good (they are actually Nuvotem/Talema which I bought as a pair on here at a good price, so no problems there)
I used the same Minicaps, switches and even wires
The Canterbury item really is so much better (it did cost x3 the price for the RS pair)
The total cost of the parts (modules) was about the same as a used NAP250
 
i used a wet tant for both C6 and C11 ... I get the impression the best cap for C6 is no cap at all provided you have an output cap on your pre ... BC128 (as i recall) on C3 if you want to be 'by the book' - with either C3 or C6 any really good film cap will suffice though I guess I would try to encourage you to play around a bit with some different ones
 
I'm selling a pair of monoblocks with Qudos boards built by @laverda and have been asked about their suitability for driving Linn Isobariks. Are they suitable?
 
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