Your 2007 botchings please
- Thread starter zener
- Start date
aardvark101
Audio Bully
Replaced the laser in a Rega Planet, thats about it though, however i really want to get into bodging this year so watch this space, and be prepared for a few "Help" posts.
1. NAC62:
12. January: FoilCaps (SMR, MMK),
19. January: Linniks X mas Mod
10. May: Jiiims LED Current source mod
12. June: all new. 20 Fet Gyrators, new Linniks star earth incl the earth from the gyrators
Autumn: Blue Alps Balance Pot replacethe old original cheap Pot
2. NAXO 'recappt' with Foil Caps
3. NAP135/ NAP250: all Resistors new (RN60 or RC55y), BC106 Caps, Evox Rifa MMK and SMR, later Rons JFED Mod with MilSpec Tantals
4. HeadLine: EVOX Rifa SMR and MMK, BC128 and 1000µF Silmic II
5. CDPS: Recappt with BC106
6. Start of the Starfish project
7. PTFE/Pure silver interconnects
Ronald
12. January: FoilCaps (SMR, MMK),
19. January: Linniks X mas Mod
10. May: Jiiims LED Current source mod
12. June: all new. 20 Fet Gyrators, new Linniks star earth incl the earth from the gyrators
Autumn: Blue Alps Balance Pot replacethe old original cheap Pot
2. NAXO 'recappt' with Foil Caps
3. NAP135/ NAP250: all Resistors new (RN60 or RC55y), BC106 Caps, Evox Rifa MMK and SMR, later Rons JFED Mod with MilSpec Tantals
4. HeadLine: EVOX Rifa SMR and MMK, BC128 and 1000µF Silmic II
5. CDPS: Recappt with BC106
6. Start of the Starfish project
7. PTFE/Pure silver interconnects
Ronald
Some very interesting projects here! And descriptive language as well 
Spent most of the year molesting (hehe, sorry to borrow that one) my Rotel RCD855 CDP.
First was a Flea/XO, with onboard /2 for direct clocking the BCK on the DAC chip.
Next was a discrete I/V stage for it... actually built two, one which I haven't gotten around to listening to yet. Both real winners sound-wise. The I/V stage is still in proto mode... I'll get around to having a board done for it, currently on a home-etched board. I'm having too much fun listening to this and can't seem to get back to finishing it...
Spent most of the year molesting (hehe, sorry to borrow that one) my Rotel RCD855 CDP.
First was a Flea/XO, with onboard /2 for direct clocking the BCK on the DAC chip.
Next was a discrete I/V stage for it... actually built two, one which I haven't gotten around to listening to yet. Both real winners sound-wise. The I/V stage is still in proto mode... I'll get around to having a board done for it, currently on a home-etched board. I'm having too much fun listening to this and can't seem to get back to finishing it...
- Shottky PSU diodes (11DQ10 player, 31DQ10 σ22)
- Tentlabs XO on a PFM Flea board (my own layout), modified to provide /2 direct DAC clocking
- Tread board taking ~25Vdc down to 18-20Vdc for the Flea
- home layout of an amb σ22 PSU for the discrete stage (I needed a smaller board than the σ22 at 3.5" x 6.5")
- rbroer's less simple I/V for TDA1541a, modified to use 2SA970/2SC2240 transistors, and muting relay (not put in yet)
- home-etched double-sided PCBs (I used tinnit for the first time on these, works pretty well)
I built a WD pre3/phono3/psu kit which replaced an EAR 834p/Glasshouse tvc.
I then did some bodging inside my Glasshouse 300b amp- lots of blackgates/AN copper caps, AN tantalum and Mills resistors.
Swapped the resistors in my IPL speakers to Mills.
Attacked the WD kits and fitted Soniqs PIO coupling caps, AN tants, silver mica caps, did the 3.18us mod to the phono and the shunt mod to the volume pot. Changed the internal wiring to Soniqs ICT.
I then did some bodging inside my Glasshouse 300b amp- lots of blackgates/AN copper caps, AN tantalum and Mills resistors.
Swapped the resistors in my IPL speakers to Mills.
Attacked the WD kits and fitted Soniqs PIO coupling caps, AN tants, silver mica caps, did the 3.18us mod to the phono and the shunt mod to the volume pot. Changed the internal wiring to Soniqs ICT.
OK, I've lurked on PFM for long enough, I'd better post something....
2007 Bodgings:
New PSUs for AKSA Lifeforce 55w amps.
Various mods (Mostly Cap changes) on AKSA GK-1 Preamp.
Built a Marc Heijligers/Guido Tent/et al DIY DAC with valve output stage.
Built some Pos/Neg star earth Teddyreg boards for the AKSA Pre (Not implemented yet).
Cheers,
RonR
2007 Bodgings:
New PSUs for AKSA Lifeforce 55w amps.
Various mods (Mostly Cap changes) on AKSA GK-1 Preamp.
Built a Marc Heijligers/Guido Tent/et al DIY DAC with valve output stage.
Built some Pos/Neg star earth Teddyreg boards for the AKSA Pre (Not implemented yet).
Cheers,
RonR
martin clark
pinko bodger
Nice!
Ron - Please tell us more about the AKSAs, I've heard very good things of them and it'd add variety
Dik - ditto, good to see some valve DIY here. One of those things I've been intending to paly with forever.
Ron - Please tell us more about the AKSAs, I've heard very good things of them and it'd add variety
Dik - ditto, good to see some valve DIY here. One of those things I've been intending to paly with forever.
James Evans
Bedroom Bodger
1. rebuilding both channels of OA21 after acccidentally frying one side (oops..)
2. OA21 MM card - all 7 10uf caps swapped for those dinky little wimas (oof, what a difference!)
3. OA21 vol pot rewired as shunt
4. Big green ERO 10uf coupling caps in cdp, then removed, then back, then removed, then....
5. opa2604 back in cdp
6. separate rectifier, caps, regs for opa2604s
7. kendeil 10000uf caps in obelisk 3 as output coupling
8. 47uf MMKs for feedback in OA21
2. OA21 MM card - all 7 10uf caps swapped for those dinky little wimas (oof, what a difference!)
3. OA21 vol pot rewired as shunt
4. Big green ERO 10uf coupling caps in cdp, then removed, then back, then removed, then....
5. opa2604 back in cdp
6. separate rectifier, caps, regs for opa2604s
7. kendeil 10000uf caps in obelisk 3 as output coupling
8. 47uf MMKs for feedback in OA21
Hi Martin,
All my gear is made from kits, the Glasshouse 300b SET amp from http://www.hificollective.co.uk/ the preamp/phono/psu from http://wduk.worldomain.net/acatalog/index.html
and the IPL S3 speakers were from http://www.iplacoustics.co.uk/ (my particular speaker kit is no longer available)
The amps and preamp/phono kits were designed by Andy Grove who also designs for AudioNote I believe. I have no knowledge of electronics apart from a few basics- I certainly couldn't hope to design anything remotely as good as the kits.
They are all sold by companies that seem to go that extra step to ensure happy owners. I have nothing but praise for the way all 3 companies held my hand and gave tons of support and advise as I was building them.
I know I am biased (these bits were born from my own blood sweat and solder) but I think they really are fabulous. Combined they do everything that I want and need from my hifi. I may experiment more with different valve makes or capacitors etc, but that will just be a bit of fine tuning. I can't see me ever replacing them now (famous last words).
I just wish that SME sold turntable kits=)
All my gear is made from kits, the Glasshouse 300b SET amp from http://www.hificollective.co.uk/ the preamp/phono/psu from http://wduk.worldomain.net/acatalog/index.html
and the IPL S3 speakers were from http://www.iplacoustics.co.uk/ (my particular speaker kit is no longer available)
The amps and preamp/phono kits were designed by Andy Grove who also designs for AudioNote I believe. I have no knowledge of electronics apart from a few basics- I certainly couldn't hope to design anything remotely as good as the kits.
They are all sold by companies that seem to go that extra step to ensure happy owners. I have nothing but praise for the way all 3 companies held my hand and gave tons of support and advise as I was building them.
I know I am biased (these bits were born from my own blood sweat and solder) but I think they really are fabulous. Combined they do everything that I want and need from my hifi. I may experiment more with different valve makes or capacitors etc, but that will just be a bit of fine tuning. I can't see me ever replacing them now (famous last words).
I just wish that SME sold turntable kits=)
Hi Martin,
To give you some background on things Aspen (AKSA=Aspen Kit Set Amplifier):
Power Amps:
There are 2 basic variations of the original power amp kits, 55W and 100W.
These amps were voiced to sound somewhat tube-like.
Much like the Naim gear, the topology looks quite conventional, but the magic comes in the implementation. There were 2 major improvements that were worthy of "upgrade" status:
Nirvana - Component changes
Nirvana Plus - Component changes, small topology change plus PSU change
All of the above are still available as kits.
In 2006, a major redesign led to the Lifeforce amps, again there were 55W and 100W versions, but the design goals this time were resolution and sound stage amongst others.
The Lifeforce is only available as ready-built modules, and was originally made available only to existing AKSA owners, although that restriction has now been lifted.
Late 2007 saw the launch of the first retail power amp, the Soraya. Only available in 100W form, it's a further development of the Lifeforce idea.
I've not personally heard this one, but reports I've seen so far are good.
PreAmps:
GK-1: Solid state input stage, valve output stage Preamp kit. Was available in Manual or Remote control versions, although the remote was discontinued on release of the Swift.
Swift: Retail version of the GK-1, with remote control.
My own AKSA kit consists of a GK-1R and Lifeforce 55W (upgraded from 55W Nirvana Plus). This replaced a 32.5, Hicap and 250.
Cheers,
Ron.
To give you some background on things Aspen (AKSA=Aspen Kit Set Amplifier):
Power Amps:
There are 2 basic variations of the original power amp kits, 55W and 100W.
These amps were voiced to sound somewhat tube-like.
Much like the Naim gear, the topology looks quite conventional, but the magic comes in the implementation. There were 2 major improvements that were worthy of "upgrade" status:
Nirvana - Component changes
Nirvana Plus - Component changes, small topology change plus PSU change
All of the above are still available as kits.
In 2006, a major redesign led to the Lifeforce amps, again there were 55W and 100W versions, but the design goals this time were resolution and sound stage amongst others.
The Lifeforce is only available as ready-built modules, and was originally made available only to existing AKSA owners, although that restriction has now been lifted.
Late 2007 saw the launch of the first retail power amp, the Soraya. Only available in 100W form, it's a further development of the Lifeforce idea.
I've not personally heard this one, but reports I've seen so far are good.
PreAmps:
GK-1: Solid state input stage, valve output stage Preamp kit. Was available in Manual or Remote control versions, although the remote was discontinued on release of the Swift.
Swift: Retail version of the GK-1, with remote control.
My own AKSA kit consists of a GK-1R and Lifeforce 55W (upgraded from 55W Nirvana Plus). This replaced a 32.5, Hicap and 250.
Cheers,
Ron.
martin clark
pinko bodger
Thanks Ron!