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Avondale SE200 Announcement on FB

They do, if the SE is better than the 220 I am listening to currently then it must be a fine thing indeed. Very happy with the 220 as is.
 
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say it as it is said:
Is my ncc220 and WH phoenix redundant now lol
Not even been fitted and out of date lol
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Interesting. I just returned my Phoenix boards to WH and I've been running with the NCC220's for over a year now.
Be interested to hear your thoughts on the WH boards when you finally get them?
 
say it as it is said:
Did you not take to the WH boards then or what made you return them?
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For me they weren’t better than what I already have here.

I compared the WH to the amplifier in my Naim Atom, pretty easy to do an A/B comparison using line out on the Atom straight into the Phoenix boards. Apart from the bass which was better with bit more extension and detail, the Atom produced a more convincing presentation, with a wider sound stage, more detail, and overall a more enjoyable listen.

Comparing both with the NCC220, the Avondales have more top end energy and more nuance in the mid range giving more ‘presence’ than either the Phoenix or the Atom. So here I generally prefer the presentation of the Avondales to the Atom although I regularly listen to both

So for me the Phoenix’s didn’t quite do it, hence the return. At the same time I also ordered their Phantom cables which I instantly fell in love with, but not the Phoenix boards sorry to say
 
Good Morning All,

LesW seems to be in overdrive at the moment with another two products being promoted on his FB page.

He certainly doesn't seem to lack get up and go since he came out of hospital.

J87Z6Fx.jpg


These don't seem to be readily available capacitors????? This is the 'new' shunt regulator.

LmW5nTT.jpg


Regards

Richard
 
Never seen a Samsung capacitor before. These look to be 25 years old.

Good to see Les is still busy.
 
Does the Se200 exhibit the start up thump as exhibited in the NAP and NCC200/220 designs. Do you need speaker connection delay with these boards?
 
OzBrit Audio said:
Does the Se200 exhibit the start up thump as exhibited in the NAP and NCC200/220 designs. Do you need speaker connection delay with these boards?
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Laverda's monoblocks (posted upthread) have a transformer, a rectifier/smoother board and a se200. Nothing else.

BugBear
 
OzBrit Audio said:
Does the Se200 exhibit the start up thump as exhibited in the NAP and NCC200/220 designs. Do you need speaker connection delay with these boards?
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There is a slight 'pop' on power up but nothing that bothers me. Naim (and many manufactures) didn't use any de-thump devices/circuit on any of their power amps for decades but if you feel you need to protect your speakers from the thump its an easy-ish implementation if you have the space within your cases work. I do use a inrush currant inhibitor CL60 (NTC)

 
say it as it is said:
the thump is less with smaller transformers in mono blocks rather than a larger transformer in a stereo amp is it not?
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I dont think that is the case. The thump in the RCA/NAP design is the circuit stabilising on power up. I doubt if a smaller transformer will make much difference to this.

Sounds like the SE boards are much better than the standard NAP circuit though which is good to hear. The start up thump in the NAP design is something which always irritated me although the NCC220’s improved this a little (balancing the collector currents on TR1/TR2 perhaps)
 
In my experience the NCCs and NAPs can thump the same on startup. It's not helped by the current source for the LTP being fed via the input signal ground. I believe Witch Hat fixed that on the phoenix boards.
 
I replaced the 22k resistor that feeds the dual diode voltage ref. on my ncc200 boards with a 2mA CRD after @martin clark suggested this. It stops turn on thump. I can only assume it's because the current sources on the LTP and VAS are energinesed faster. I will do the same on my modified boards soon. Although these don't suffer turn on thump (they have a current mirror on the pos rail) they make a funny slight 'raspberry' sound about 10s after turn off.
 
MJS said:
In my experience the NCCs and NAPs can thump the same on startup. It's not helped by the current source for the LTP being fed via the input signal ground. I believe Witch Hat fixed that on the phoenix boards.
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Afraid not. The Phoenix boards have the thump as well. As a.palfreyman sais best way to fix is to employ a current mirror on the LTP
 
Had a listen to the SE400 the other day, playing off a 10 year old iPad and just into the amp then into a battered pair of Revelation speakers in the workshop. Its going to be something special. Once I realised what I was hearing from such a "basic" setup, I know its going to be very impressive in a proper system. Music was "dense/full saturation" to my ear, in the sense of "having substance" and making other amps seem "flimsy" and thin. So it wasnt heavy or slow, quite the opposite. This wasnt a tonal thing like bass being over emphasised, more of an overall feel of the the whole music piece having "body".

I realise this is a bit vague, but it was a non optimal setup I heard for a few minutes so detailed thoughts are hard. Detail was great, instrument separation impressive, tonal balance was good. Pacy. Great stereo image. Les describes it as powerful. I think its the fact it makes other amps seem "thin" as I say without being a tonal balance thing. Its gonna be good. I currently have a grad1 and NCC300 monoblocks which I have put up against a Vitus R101mk2 integrated amp (£13.5k). Preferred the Avondale kit. This will take it to a new level.
 
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