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Courtiestown - Naim Amplifier (Avondale) Upgrade Project

Good Afternoon All,

Well the NCC300 boards arrived back from Graham at lunchtime so I've re-installed them.

Powered up via the Variac this time and was, essentially, seeing the same result so bailed out at 10V offset showing.

I had raised the issue of connecting the two 0V points on the CAP6/ MiniCap6's but hadn't realised it wasn't an option, they need to be connected together.

3bnMPPc.jpg


Both offsets less than 10mV - :)

I'll drag it in to the Hi-Fi Room later and get it tested using the Exactbox and test speaker before connecting it to the Sara9's.

Regards

Richard
 
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Good Evening All,

I've been doing some listening of recent and still can't get my head around how well the Sara9's are performing especially as I've spent no time "Tune Dem'ing" them. Using them with one set of boards is producing a sonic performance which is simply in a league of its own, one which the Naim amplification I had previously wasn't even touching.

Going back to the old Quad advert describing the perfect amplifier as being a piece of wire with gain has me pondering how devices which are 'simply' amplifying a signal can sound so different.

I tend to steer clear of cable threads if only because I don't think they actually go anywhere. I certainly don't subscribe to the thinking that all cables sound the same and nor do I reject 'out of hand' that such as mains cables or transformers can make a difference. The problem is how you would make accurate determinations of all the possible variables let alone how, I, as the listener feel on any one day.

The use of different components on the same amplifier board will change the sound.

If only there was a simple formula...........

Regards

Richard
 
..'simply'...

..in your 3rd para, is the key word in that post: what is actually going on, internally, is quite different.

Yes, it leads to different results. And - it's the result of total-circuit-behaviour, engineering-based choices - not the parts alterations (which are there to support those ... engineering choices - and long-term reliability.)

What you hear is determinate behaviour, is not ' oh colour x sounds better than figgy-feeling Y in this position!' alchemy; no, that's not the basis at all...
 
Richard Lines said:
I've been doing some listening of recent and still can't get my head around how well the Sara9's are performing especially as I've spent no time "Tune Dem'ing" them. Using them with one set of boards is producing a sonic performance which is simply in a league of its own, one which the Naim amplification I had previously wasn't even touching.
Click to expand...
Yup, the NCC300 is something special!
 
Good Evening All,

Well this should be the last amplifier build I need to do:-

g29hgKV.jpg


Depending on whether or not the input signal cabling attracts 'noise' I may have to change the type of RCA sockets I use from straight through to something which I can simply solder a cable to.

Regards

Richard
 
Funnily enough my missus suffers the same: kitchenalia and electronics. :D
Don't get the methylated spirits mixed up with the squash or the cooking oil... :confused:;)
 
Good Evening All,

I'm currently residing in a B&B 20km south of Haugesund, it seems the firm responsible for the booking weren't looking at a map as the vessel I'm here to inspect is some 4km east of the airport and clearly visible as you come in to land and was even more visible as went around the roundabout (Park Inn Hotel on said roundabout) and headed off down south. No evening meal available unless one braves the gale force wind to the nearby town (Åkrehamn) at least 1 mile away......... One is not amused. The proprietor was surprised to see me arrive in a taxi as most guests are in hire cars................ It would probably have been cheaper to have hired a car from Bergen in the first place. It is only 85 miles and, from my perspective, preferable to sitting at Bergen airport for the best part of 6hrs or, as my proprietor suggests, take the bus................

Reference the methylated spirits that was out for cleaning the anti-vibration feet before sticking the felt pads on and is now back in the Utility Room cupboard. The two cooking oil bottles are for waste cooking oil for recycling.

On the subject of cooking oil I see the Ukrainian war is going to increase the cost of sunflower oil by some degree...............

I have no idea why the insulated mug is there and the black treacle tin could also be put away as Kate had it out to coat the bit when she put the bridle on the foal the first time......., the water is for bread making and sitting at room temperature...... the plastic lid is hiding the box with the remnants of a chocolate cake and, if you look very carefully you'll note the wine bottle is empty (isn't it Kate???).

Keen to get back and finish/ test the current builds.

Regards

Richard
 
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Good Morning All,

I see there are a couple of threads on Avondale stuff running at the moment which prompts me to add to this thread rather than divert those others.

I think I have commented previously in this thread regarding trying out assorted options, the problem is the number of options available expand very rapidly when faced with NCC200v1.3, NCC200v1.4, NCC200v1.5, NCC220 and NCC300 boards on which individual components can be altered such as C6 or the input capacitor (or none) or whether you power them via a regulated or unregulated power supply or go the Voyager route. What size transformer(s) do you use. CAP6/ HackerCap with or without inductors/ resistors? Quality of wiring used.

TBH I can't even begin to contemplate the enormity of the task involved in trying out every possible combination.

I have come to a conclusion here at Courtiestown and do not intend spending too much more time on 'developmental' work.

I will be looking to sell some of what I have over a period of time although clearly Avondale related stuff doesn't seem to be selling currently. The stereo NCC200 Voyager will definitely be going. I haven't been able to try out assorted component substitutions

I have found 300uF wet tantalum as feedback capacitors are a definite step up in terms of bass extension and in revealing detail.

The jury is still out on BC128's or film capacitors on the input.

Linn silver cables are 'better' than the cables I've had made recently in that more detail comes through.............. but of course much more expensive.

Regards

Richard
 
Richard Lines said:
Alan,

Indeed - anybody know what's on the output of an Exactbox???

Regards

Richard
Click to expand...

I don't know about the Exactbox but easy to check just run a multimeter on the phono outs and check for any dc out. If your happy there's nothing there then short the input cap. With no speakers or inputs connected check the DC offset. Note shorting the input will change the offset from what it was before, how much will depend vary from board to board. If your happy with that then repeat with the Exactbox connected. Depending on what's at the end of the Exactbox it may change again but if its all less than the standard 50mv you should be ok

Final check switch the exact box off and on and and check for any DC spikes. If thats all ok then your good to run. Taking out this cap is clearly (and I mean clearly) audible (in a good way :))

But if your doing this long term probably best to have a speaker protection board that checks for large DC offset just to be safe.
 
Good Afternoon All,

The Isobariks are dormant at the moment and I'm still listening to the not 'Tune Dem'd' Sara9's and a single pair of Avondale boards.

Curiosity has gotten the better of me and I've just bought Simon's NAXO and a TPR4 regulator and suitable transformer off Graham (to jury rig the power supply to get the NAXO working) as I want to try the Sara9's actively.

I am prompted to write this having read the thread on Kan's.

I do wonder if some of the bad press some devices get is simply because things haven't been set-up properly or the package as a whole has been 'less than ideal'.

I am finding the Sara9's very engaging which has come as a big surprise given I know what the Isobariks are capable of.

As I mentioned above I'm listening to the Sara9's driven by Tidal through a MacBook as the Klimax System Hub doesn't have an analogue output, if only Linn had created filters for the Sara9's!!!!!!!! I would very much like to hear what these speakers might sound like driven by the Hub.

That's the last NAP250 now sold so all Naim gear has 'left the building'.

Regards

Richard
 
Good Morning All,

I see I haven't had a great deal of response to my enquiry about genuine Ferranti ZTX653/ 753's so far - well naff all actually.

I have found some genuine ZTX753's from a supplier in the USA and they should be here next week but am still looking for the ZTX653's.

I now have a Naxo 2-4 but need to build a power supply from the bits provided by Graham and am also waiting on Naim reverting with a cost for modifying the NAXO.

Regards

Richard
 
Sorry you're experiencing those speed bumps, Richard. Sometimes the world isn't as expedient as one would like it to be.
 
Mike,

There is a well known saying - 'Everything comes to he who waits'. Whilst there is an element of truth in this if nobody knows what you want they don't know to tell you! More than once in life I've had a discussion with somebody to be told they recently had what it was you wanted but got rid of it and if only you'd let them know...........

Regards

Richard
 
Good Morning All,

Been having problem with a board here and I've been avoiding dealing with it. Finally got time off from land maintenance and horsey things and decided to start stripping the board. All semiconductors tested fine - hmmmm!!!! OK so start stripping capacitors, electrolytics OK, inlet BC128 OK, tantalum OK, to find the brand new quality 68pF silver mica part sourced from Farnell is reading 0pF no matter how many times I test it. Note to self - test ALL components before insertion!!!!!! Will check other parts before re-assembly.

In the meantime I see being a muppet is a worldwide phenomenon in that despite submitting RFQ's specifically asking for Ferranti only ZTX devices I get quotes back for ZETEX parts. I still haven't located any genuine Ferranti ZTX653's and am keen to see the alleged Ferranti ZTX753's which arrive next week.

Regards

Richard
 
The Ferranti factory(ies) in Oldham became Zetex after a management buyout in 1989.
Are you really looking for pre '89 devices? Or just pre-Diodes Inc (2008)?

The best place to find pre '89 ones is probably in old Naim amps ;)
 
Good Afternoon All,

That's a second, polystyrene, capacitor testing at 0pF. It isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that I damaged it by spending too much time soldering it in but I've been soldering for over 50yrs and know how to avoid damaging delicate parts like this. I am now going to have to check all such parts before inserting them in to the board.

Regards

Richard
 
Richard Lines said:
Good Afternoon All,

That's a second, polystyrene, capacitor testing at 0pF. It isn't beyond the bounds of possibility that I damaged it by spending too much time soldering it in but I've been soldering for over 50yrs and know how to avoid damaging delicate parts like this. I am now going to have to check all such parts before inserting them in to the board.

Regards

Richard
Click to expand...
Richard I have has similar experiences, so now I always check every new comp before installation, old saying the offshore QA/QC industry- "don't expect, Inspect"
Alan
 
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