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| Re: Johnny5's four Pi build [message #81653 is a reply to message #81424] |
Tue, 03 November 2015 05:33   |
johnnycamp5
Messages: 354
Registered: June 2015
Location: NJ
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Grand Master |
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Hey Wayne.
Im sorry I'm  not versed in understanding all the differences in capacitors like you are.
The 4 laid over caps on the driver board read "M caps" or "Mundorf supremes".
The four smaller ones are- rubycon black gates (two closest together on driver board) and the two farther apart on the board just have an "M" on them.
Honestly, when I ordered, I wasn't sure what to request as far as cap upgrades,but Brian offered an "oil and paper caps" upgrade.
Perhaps those are the upgraded caps?
I'm having trouble with an extra bag of components (attached pic)that came with the kit, that is not illustrated or described in the build manual.
When I opened the box upon delivery, this bag was ripped open, and its contents were strewn throughout the "popcorn packing" within the box.
I think I was able to recover all the components, although they are quite small  .
I have tried to communicate with Brian (through e-mail) from Audionote kits about if I have lost any of the parts, or how to implement them, but I have not gotton a response.
He did say he was going away last week, would be back Monday (yesterday),
so hopefully he can help me out.
The extra bag contains another pcb, with some extra resistors and a few caps. I believe it is for the "power amp" version of the kit (the one I ordered), where no volume knob is used, but I'm not sure.
Regards!
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| Re: Johnny5's four Pi build [message #81713 is a reply to message #81424] |
Fri, 04 December 2015 07:33 |
johnnycamp5
Messages: 354
Registered: June 2015
Location: NJ
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Grand Master |
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Been rather busy, haven't updated in a while.
My kit-1, 300B set amp has been completed for more than two weeks now.
The pcb and extra tiny caps (in post/pic above) were all part of the attenuator (volume) knob which I did not need.
When I checked voltages (carefully!) with Brian from Audio note kits, he said all was well.
When checking voltages, I would hear a slight high pitched sound coming from the regulator/filament board. Then tiny amounts of white smoke would come from one of the bridge rectifiers .
It ends up one of the leads that stick out through the bottom of the pcb had laid over and contacted the next lead. I suppose this happened when I cut these leads off the bottom of the board. Time for me to wear my magnifiers every time I do electronics/soldering!
I explained this to Brian, and he sent me two new Bridge rectifiers right away, so I replaced the one that was shorting (and splitting!) and now all is well.
Ive only been using the amp for a couple of weeks, so this is an early response to how it sounds.
My first general impression is- like Wayne has said, the differences between amplifier topologies seem stark.
The "magic midrange" that a set amp is supposed to provide seems true, though not as paradisical as some set fanatics would have you believe.
The high end is nice, while not having the "etched" sound I might describe of my ss amp.
My impressions of the bass are what you might expect when going from a ss amp to a tube amp. It has a fuller, more "round" sound to it, yet at the same time sounds a bit "loose" compared to my ss.
After a few more weeks of becoming accustomed to the way this amp sounds, I intend to switch back to my Adcom 555, and give my final impressions.
Regards!
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