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SJS resuscitated

Newly completed and ready for delivery, three SJS Model 9 SUTs
  • Hashimoto HM-7 transformers
  • pure silver wire with ptfe insulation
  • Dual primaries can be switched for high/low impedance carts
  • Ground connection on the primary can be isolated for floating the MC coils
  • MuMetal lined aluminium casework
  • WBT NexGen sockets and WBT silver loaded solder

M9%20SUTs_3.jpg


M9%20SUTs_4.jpg
 
getting my first listen to Audio Note Non-Magnetic Silver Tantalum resistors and Dueland Hybrid copper/silver capacitors in one of the copper cased SJS Arcadia Model 2 preamps back in for some tlc


SJS_Model2_newcaps.jpg


too early to make any detailed appraisal, as there are number of other changes:
  • new first HT cap and shunt resistor
  • new silver tantalum film resistors
  • new Dueland silver/copper hybrid capacitors
  • new phono sockets
  • new valves
I find the Dueland caps take at least a couple of days before they really settle down into what they do, but early signs of the whole shebang are really rather nice :eek:
 
An original Voyd turntable from about 1986 back in for repair. the psu had dead and needed all the voltage regs, darlingtons and fets replacing before it was up and running properly, then I replaced all the electrolytic caps to help it last the next 30 years

Voyd-1b.jpg



next up is this second Voyd turntable, which is one of the later units with the smaller sized Split Phase PSU, however this has 2 motors which have seized up. A full strip down and thorough clean up should see then right

Voyd-2b.jpg
 
A friend of mine brought the Arcadia phono and matching line pre amps, round one evening many years ago, they were superb.

Didn't know you serviced Voyd turntables, another friend has one in need of some TLC .
 
A friend of mine brought the Arcadia phono and matching line pre amps, round one evening many years ago, they were superb.

Didn't know you serviced Voyd turntables, another friend has one in need of some TLC .

Chris

I have been a long time Voyd owner, from Valdi in the early 90s through to a Reference now. I have got a few Voyd TTs back up and running over the years. The most common problem is a stuck motor, they generally need a strip down and clean up and all is good again, but the early model above also had a completely fried psu, which was a bit more challenging ;)

All the best
Simon
 
Hi Simon
I used to have a voyd .5 reference ,but sold it regrettably , it was a fabulous deck .

My friend has an earlier voyd with a psu like the top one, it's stopped playing at 45 rpm.
 
The original Model 1 and 2 preamps, and the newer Model 7 preamp were all designed to work with valve power amps with a 100 kOhm input impedance.

They can be used successfully down to 50 kOhm, but I wouldn't recommend them for amps with a 20 kOhm or 10 kOhm input, which is now typical among a lot of solid state power amps.

This recently led to a challenge being presented when I was asked to develop a line stage preamp which could be used with a 10 kOhm input solid state power amp. Having thought about this I came up with two prototype amps rusttled up from parts left over form other amps, including a pair of rejected top panels from the Oyide headphone amps.

The first one uses a triode strapped 8608 pentode, to give a low plate impedance high gm triode, using custom made double C-core output transformers with a centre tapped secondary to provide a balanced or single ended output.

Proto-line_2.jpg


The second amp uses a 6EW7 double triode. The two triodes are dissimilar, and this uses the 2nd triode which has a mu of about 8 and plate impedance of less than 800 ohms. It is used with a choke load on the anode and output coupling caps.

Proto-line_1.jpg


In the interest of fairness, both use the same mains TX and psu choke, both use a 5Y3 rectifier, with choke input and Mundorf HV+ cap, followed by an LC filter to each channel.

They have many similar characteristics, but also interesting differences.
 
Hi Simon
I used to have a voyd .5 reference ,but sold it regrettably , it was a fabulous deck .

My friend has an earlier voyd with a psu like the top one, it's stopped playing at 45 rpm.

I used a 0.5 for years before I got my Reference :D

Interesting problem with the psu, hopefully he doesn't have a massive collection of singles :eek:
 
He has a number of excellent 45 rpm lps, so is sending it off for repair.

Lovely looking amps those, I really fancy getting a triode amp again this year.
 
He has a number of excellent 45 rpm lps, so is sending it off for repair.

Lovely looking amps those, I really fancy getting a triode amp again this year.

Hope he gets it sorted and can listen to his singles.

Glad you like the look of the amps, thanks
 
This year marked the debut of SJS Electroacoustics Arcadia amplifiers at the Munich High End show, probably the largest high end audio trade fair in Europe.



Two SJS Arcadia Model 3 Enhanced MM phono stage amplifiers were present, one in the Living Voice room and the other in the Engström room.

The Living Voice room featured the Vox Olympian and Vox Elysium loudspeakers, partnered with vintage Kondo M77 and Gakuoh amplifiers. the vinyl front end was the Grand Prix Audio Monaco 2.0 turntable, with a Kuzma 4-point tonearm, and a Fuuga MC cartridge connected via a Living Voice step-up transformer to the Model 3 in oak with natural aluminium panels.



The Engström room featured the Vox Palladian & Palladiam Basso loudspeakers, partnered with Engström Monica and Lars pre and power amp combination, or the new Arne 300B integrated amplifier. The vinyl front end was a Kuzma Stabi M turntable, with Stogi S 12 VTA tonearm and Van den Hul MC catridge with a Kondo SFz step-up-transformers to the Model 3 in walnut with black aluminium panels.



Both Model 3 phono stages used in Munich were a customised version of the Enhanced Model 3. They were voiced in collaboration with Kevin Scott of Living Voice ahead of the show and feature NOS Shinkoh tantalum film resistors and Duelund Audio CAST copper coupling capacitors.

SJS Arcadia Model 3 phono amplifiers are available for demonstration at Definitive Audio in Nottingham, or here in Manchester.
 
A couple more Voyd power supplies that were in need of some tlc.

On the left a late version split phase PSU which had failed on one phase. As it is about 30 years old, all the electrolytic caps were replaced, along with the darlington outputs and the small FETs. A couple of the resistors have a tendency to overheat, so they have also been replaced with higher power types.

Voyd_psu_4.jpg


On the right is a very old PSU, about the oldest type I have seen to date. The design and layout are both very different from the later units, but unfortunately it had a history of failure so it was decided to rebuild it as close as possible to the final design, like the unit on the left.

This meant a new mains tx to reduce the rail voltages, replacement of all the old electrolytic caps, the addition of voltage regulators for the oscillator and preamp stages, and a complete rebuild of the power stage.

The confined space and design of the original layout made it an interesting challenge, but all seems to have worked out nicely. :D
 
It is two years since the first of the new SJS Arcadia Model 7 linestage preamplifiers were developed.

During this time we have continued with research and development to further refine the musicality of the amplifiers, as well as offering both a Standard and Enhanced version of the design.

The Standard version has carbon film resistors and an RC couple gain stage:

SJS_Model7_Std_line_7.jpg


SJS_Model7_Std_line_6.jpg


The Enhanced version has tantalum film resistors, a choke loaded LC couple gain stage and enhanced psu choke:

SJS_Model7_Enh_line_8.jpg


SJS_Model7_Enh_line_5.jpg


Both versions feature 6111wa NOS military twin triode valves in the gain stage, Duelund Coherent Audio copper foil coupling capacitors, and the common SJS design elements:

  • Single Ended circuit topology
  • Pure Class A operation
  • Zero negative feedback
  • Valve rectification and choke-input HT power supply
  • Custom made HT T-network power supply capacitors with silver leads
  • Point-to-point circuit wiring without PCBs
  • Hand built
  • PTFE board for component mounting
  • High quality components throughout
  • Custom made aluminium chassis

Each amplifier comes with 2 years parts a labour warranty, except for the valves which have a 6 month warranty.

SJS Arcadia amplifiers are available from Definitive Audio in Nottingham.
 
Five armboards for Voyd turntables waiting to be dispatched

Voyd-armboards.jpg


Four standard armboards in 3mm anodised aluminium for Fidelity Research FR-64fx or s, Kuzma Stogi Reference, Helius Omega and SME

plus a 10mm "reference" armboard for FR-64fx or s in black powdercoat finish
 
I've just acquired a nice voyd in mahogany with a mid period psu in white, around 1989-90.
Can't wait to get it up and running but I know that the psu will need attention so will not be at it's best.
 
Best of luck with the Voyd, if you need any help drop me a pm.

I currently have the following Voyd armboard designs which can be made to order:
  • Audio Note AN-1s v2
  • Fidelity Research FR64 s or fx at 231.5mm or 230mm
  • Helius Omega
  • Helius Orion 2
  • Helius Scorpio 4
  • Kuzma Stogi Ref
  • Linn/Jelco
  • Rega / AN Arm 1 mk2
  • SME
  • Wilson Benesch Act 2
if you have an arm not covered by the above, let me know the details and I can design the cutout to suit.
 


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