Exposure

[Ben&Ted]

You have a really good set up there.

The VII pre you have is the best of all the iterations with better regulation on the boards ( see the feed form the back-plane to additional regulation prior to the phono stage)

The VIIIs is a lovely power amp.

The weak point is the single six PSU, this is the limiting factor and although not many come up for sale often look for another VI to have separate psu for each channel or a XII psu (or two) or a IX psu will bring major improvements.

 

[PerF]

Those older amps are/were really good.
I would think they all need a service/recap by now.

I think Vereker of Naim and Farlowe did some exchange of experience.

I am a big fan of Onix

I was too, that's until they screwed many people with a scam/fraud event, by a crook which name is banned here I believe.

 

[Tonewheelkev]

Wow....orange tantalum caps...and R77 hasn't charred!!

 

[contarex56]

You have a really good set up there.

The VII pre you have is the best of all the iterations with better regulation on the boards ( see the feed form the back-plane to additional regulation prior to the phono stage)

The VIIIs is a lovely power amp.

The weak point is the single six PSU, this is the limiting factor and although not many come up for sale often look for another VI to have separate psu for each channel or a XII psu (or two) or a IX psu will bring major improvements.

I also have the pre amplifier XI and it is really different. It has a wider range - on the positive side - but the bass seems to lack a little. Compared to the ONIX which nearly never change from the early 21 to the OA24/401 combo EXPOSURE VII and XI are really different - I prefer the VII.

 

[contarex56]

You have a really good set up there.

The VII pre you have is the best of all the iterations with better regulation on the boards ( see the feed form the back-plane to additional regulation prior to the phono stage)

The VIIIs is a lovely power amp.

The weak point is the single six PSU, this is the limiting factor and although not many come up for sale often look for another VI to have separate psu for each channel or a XII psu (or two) or a IX psu will bring major improvements.

I d look for a second PSU VI ..

 

[MarkL56]

Having liked Farlowe amps since the 90's.
From integrated right up to IVDR, not heard a bad one apart from a noisy X.

Not sure I would buy any Farlowe vintage today unless serviced.

I had an X, bought new late 80s/early 90s. I remember it for a few reasons, I chopped in a Quad 34 & 303 for it, it sounded great but the thump through the speakers when you turned it on was unreal and the permanent hiss ver annoying. But mostly because the dealer told me I would have to replace perfectly good speaker cable with exposure or it would invalidate the warranty.
Young and naive!

 

[cj66]

If you do manage to improve the power supply arrangement, try the XI again...

 

[contarex56]

Pre amp Exposure XI

 

[contarex56]

Wow....orange tantalum caps...and R77 hasn't charred!!

What do you mean by this comment... I m not a technician... What are the orange tantalum caps , never seen. There is a single version of this preamplifier and it looks nearly empty inside.. Exposure inside seems like new.

 

[Tonewheelkev]

What do you mean by this comment... I m not a technician... What are the orange tantalum caps , never seen. There is a single version of this preamplifier and it looks nearly empty inside.. Exposure inside seems like new.

Didn't mean to alarm you!!
I've 2 of the VII pre-amps....both of them had the Orange (or Blue) Tantalum bead capacitors, and some of these had failed on each of the PCBs. This resulted in R77 burning out on each board.
I've now replace all the Tants with Electrolytic caps....so this shouldn't happen again!

 

[peelaaa]

I'm currently using the vi psu, vii dual pre amp and viii power amp.
Happy enough with it but may need some maintenance as sometimes the right channel breaks up.

 

[contarex56]

You have a really good set up there.

The VII pre you have is the best of all the iterations with better regulation on the boards ( see the feed form the back-plane to additional regulation prior to the phono stage)

The VIIIs is a lovely power amp.

The weak point is the single six PSU, this is the limiting factor and although not many come up for sale often look for another VI to have separate psu for each channel or a XII psu (or two) or a IX psu will bring major improvements.

For sale on ebay: There is a PSU VI for sale. Could you tell how to connect my pre amplifier VII to the two PSU VI - do I have to connect with the connection at the bottom or up. ..

 

[peelaaa]

I am sure you need a dual vii pre amp for 2 psu's. You seem to have the single so you only need one vi psu unless you got the vii upgraded to a dual

 

[Ben&Ted]

Buy a 5 pin domino socket which fits where the plastic blanking plug is above 5 pin domino socket already fitted on the VII.

Inside the VII you will need to carefully de-solder the wires from the bottom 5 pin domino socket and ensure the wires are now split and soldered to each 5 pin domino socket, wires from lower pcb to bottom one and top pcb to top one.
Ensure you have noted the correct wire to socket pin ( note cable colour and pin )

You can now power one pcb with a single output from one VI psu and the other from the second VI psu.

You have successfully created a dual mono VII pre amp.

If you have a VII from the earlier photos then this has the two independent psu inputs on the back already.
Either top or bottom of the VI is fine, it used to be use the bottom first and the top output for another use ie V active crossover.

 

[contarex56]

Buy a 5 pin domino socket which fits where the plastic blanking plug is above 5 pin domino socket already fitted on the VII.

Inside the VII you will need to carefully de-solder the wires from the bottom 5 pin domino socket and ensure the wires are now split and soldered to each 5 pin domino socket, wires from lower pcb to bottom one and top pcb to top one.
Ensure you have noted the correct wire to socket pin ( note cable colour and pin )

You can now power one pcb with a single output from one VI psu and the other from the second VI psu.

You have successfully created a dual mono VII pre amp.

If you have a VII from the earlier photos then this has the two independent psu inputs on the back already.
Either top or bottom of the VI is fine, it used to be use the bottom first and the top output for another use ie V active crossover.

Thanks.The idea is to connect the pré VII from prévious post which is dual to 2 PSU VI. if I understand well the Last chapter of your answer it is OK.I could do the same with my pre XI. and it would improve the sound ?

 

[Ben&Ted]

Having looked at the adds on ebay and having no connection to any of the sellers.

The units you show photos above; the VI is an old version and has very very old capacitors.

This may be a better buy especially for the VI which is a newer version and has better Exposure caps than the unit you show above.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/31378429...d=link&campid=5338728743&toolid=20001&mkevt=1

 

[peelaaa]

What would be the main sign of the power amps capacitors failing? As in the audio quality?

 

[Wilson]

Hum and/or loss of frequency extremes.

 

[peelaaa]

Hum and/or loss of frequency extremes.

I'm running a vi,vii,viii. All original and the early type. I can hear hum when putting ear close to amp, but not through the speakers. On dynamic tracks, the peaks can appear strained, can that be a sign of weak capacitors?

 

[rashers10]

I am still running my 17/18 combo bought from mad scientist years ago. Still sounds sublime and will never sell it!
Hours of musical heaven!