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Naim Armageddon Question

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pfm Member
Hello, I just had the Valhalla yanked from my 1978 Sondek, TT was all just rebuilt and tweaked up by friend Linn tech and on my wishes an old but fine functioning Basik PS installed. I could rebuild the Valhalla but decided no more soot producing, grommet cooking, energy wasting, fire hazards inside my TT. In time I’ll source a used Mose, Heed, or old Lingo but meantime I thought about building an Armageddon clone, figure about 100€ in parts from RS, but it occurs to me, why is an Armageddon all that different from using a 500VA isolation transformer and plugging the TT with the Basic PS into it, other than not looking as intentionally spiffy as a Naim olive box on your rack with your old olive Naim gear?
 
Armageddon is also step down, so avoids having an attenuator (usually done with another capacitor in fact) in the phase shift circuit.

You may find a building site type isolation transformer and setting your Basik to 110v gives you most of it.

IMO none of these supplies are particularly satisfactory, but YMMV. I think the Norton approach used two transformers so that the motor ended up with the same voltage on both phases, so that's an improvement.

See https://lnantispam.wixsite.com/norton-technologies/airpower
 
I currently have a Lingo on the LP12/Kore I have upstairs, but I also have a Norton AirPower sitting about & one of these days, when I have the time, I'll get around to comparing the two.
 
Paul R said:
You may find a building site type isolation transformer and setting your Basik to 110v gives you most of it.
Click to expand...
I knew the Armageddon had a resistor in it and dropped down to around 80V, bit of a brain fart, but yes, what I was really wondering was if a straight up isolation transformer would get me some of the benefit with as little commitment as possible. I mess around w/ tube amps so always good to have a nice isolation transformer around. Just realised I now have a Basik LP12, I'm in Italy so I'm OK now but if/when I return to the States I'll have a problem, so best bet is to go for Lingo 1, something 120/240V in, 50Hz out, not sure if the Mose has dual primaries. After seeing my own and a good pile of toasty Valhallas in friend's shop I'd just as soon stay from such junk which is why the Armageddon had an appeal, haven't looked inside a Lingo yet probably same toaster circuit, sure glad my Valhalla didn't burn down my old NYC neighborhood. I'd go away for two months at a time with that damn thing roasting away.
 
Lingo is completely different from a Valhalla and much better engineered. Although I don't think the Valhalla is a fire risk.
 
There is no resistor in an armageddon ,the motor gets about 110 v on the unshifted phase. Also a lingo has a transformer and not the voltage dropping resistors as in a hercules/valhalla so it runs nice and cool.
 
30 years late but I'm inspired on a Lingo 1 now, always thought it was a Valhalla in a box, so good to know it's a bit better than that, and I recall criticism that it dumped noise into the mains, but probably so did the Valhalla, as does my fridge... Friend here has little regard for Naim inventions for the Sondek, which is why I've been torn about what to do with my now primitive Basik TT - his advice, don't worry be happy, but I see a temp solution of a DIY geddon or an 500VA isolation trannie. If true the Naim has no resistor I think an isolation trannie will be good enough.

So, the schematics out there for DIY Armageddons are interpretations/mods? All I've seen have a 3.3K 3-5W on one side.

https://www.gb2001.it/sez/area51/sondek-LP12/?page=geddon
 
  • The armageddon has a resistor in it and according to Naim website gives out 85 vac. So similar to valhalla. It would be worth repairing the valhalla and switching off at the wall when not in use but best option is Lingo.
 
When my Valhalla went kaput (and I didn't like the idea of something getting so hot in a wooden box), I replaced it with a Heed Orbit. Very pleased with the Heed (and I managed to fit it myself despite being an electronics numpty ).
I felt the Heed sounded better defined/more solid, although to be fair the Valhalla had possibly been on the way out for quite some time and memory for sonic attributes may well be flawed. However, I have had the Heed for quite a few years now (15 or so?) and it never gets hot and hasn't "missed a beat".

Strangest thing in my opinion is that I only recently sold the burnt out Valhalla for £50 - it had been sitting in a cupboard and I thought it was time for a clear out.
 
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