Alpha Nirvana 39w 8ohm Class A Amp

And yet neutrality vs musicality are really 2 different things. Not to mention synergy with the rest of the system.

No replacement for the “Audition.” No single best. Must build all. Must listen to all.

Best,
Anand.
Oh I agree. I love the transparency of my (very neutral) Neurochrome amps, but there is also something really appealing about that 2nd harmonic dominant sound. A well designed SET driving high sensitivity speakers can be magical, but if you were to measure the distortion . . .
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
And yet neutrality vs musicality are really 2 different things. Not to mention synergy with the rest of the system.

No replacement for the “Audition.” No single best. Must build all. Must listen to all.

Best,
Anand.
Indeed Anand!
Single choice is imposed here like in beauty pageant contests. If you ask me, I would like very much to have them all.

I mean, why not if all have passed all basic tests.

In fact, mathematically speaking there are necessary and sufficient conditions. Here, in this particular case, necessary conditions are empirical tests i.e. measurements, sufficient test is aesthetical.

I personally discard all that do not pass measurements, before aestethical testing. Why bother?
 
Yup, it makes perfect sense to my mind, and I’m sure I’m not alone. It makes you think about what the ultimate amp would sound iike. For me it would have the outstanding clarity and transparency of Tom’s amps but with that added magic that a good SET brings to the party. Maybe those two things are mutually exclusive, well at least to some degree?
 
@Studley
Perhaps you need this: LJM's P9 preamplifier with dominant 2nd harmonic. Observe the attached FFT graph.
Others: please excuse me for this digression. I couldn't leave this unanswered.
 

Attachments

  • H540712dfaed14359938bc3e65a4f1060X.jpg
    H540712dfaed14359938bc3e65a4f1060X.jpg
    107.1 KB · Views: 30
music soothes the savage beast
Joined 2004
Paid Member
My approach is clean amp and musical pre. Its easy to find pre with just second harmonic. Here is hamptone circuit for instance. I have tube pre study somewhere too.
On the other hand, you do not want to overdo it with too much second harmonic either.
Thats why i say: right amount of proper harmonics is best.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/hamptone.405097/
 

Attachments

  • 20231204_092216.jpg
    20231204_092216.jpg
    348.6 KB · Views: 49
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Small steps each time....Heatsinks for the power supply were placed on the main transistors and diodes .Temp on it 38C and 40C.
Ambient temp 28-29C .
The heatwaves have already started in Greece.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20240618_174646.jpg
    IMG_20240618_174646.jpg
    502.6 KB · Views: 51
  • IMG_20240617_212204.jpg
    IMG_20240617_212204.jpg
    371.6 KB · Views: 51
  • IMG_20240617_211856.jpg
    IMG_20240617_211856.jpg
    330.5 KB · Views: 54
  • IMG_20240618_174635.jpg
    IMG_20240618_174635.jpg
    438.9 KB · Views: 54
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Hi Andy
Can i ask you something ?
Which is the bias Ampere that you set your amp?

Hi Nikos,

You later asked whether the reduction in bias from 3a to 2.5a (by changing R141 & R142 from 0.12R to 0.15R) changed the sound.

Hugh came over yesterday (with a friend who wanted to hear the Class A amp) and he felt there was no degradation whatsoever. (y)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Hi Nikos,

You later asked whether the reduction in bias from 3a to 2.5a (by changing R141 & R142 from 0.12R to 0.15R) changed the sound.

Hugh came over yesterday (with a friend who wanted to hear the Class A amp) and he felt there was no degradation whatsoever. (y)
Thanks my friend Andy..
Πολυ ζεστη εδω.
As for the quiescent current to achieve 2.5-2.6 I put in parallel the 0.15 resistors and a 1 ohm resistor..
 
No, not needed, just start at half voltage and check that the output current is close to your selected current. For that 8R version, that is about 1.7A, so check it's starting at around 1.6A. If yes, increase the supply voltage then be sure output is still around 1.7A and then adjust LTP stage current to get offset below 10mV.

HD
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Thanks Anand
Thanks also for your assistance .
Yes they are 3way speakers Kevlar .....Crystal audio Twin 1000. Jws inside speakers Denmark...i think...

They are 20 years old speakers. 4R /300W 92 db.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20240623_142229.jpg
    IMG_20240623_142229.jpg
    472.6 KB · Views: 11
  • IMG_20240623_142216.jpg
    IMG_20240623_142216.jpg
    433.8 KB · Views: 10
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user