I appreciate the offer.
I am waiting for Neil to let us know what LEDs he used and we can go from there.
Hope this is the biggest problem that we will encounter
Not bloody likely, but you have some good heads working on it.
Neil is a machine with all the testing and stuff you guys have been throwing at him. We need to send him a case of whatever he likes.....
For those excitedly following this thread feel free to weigh in on my transformer question as it continues to develop. I don't want to clog up this thread so started a separate one. Appreciate any feedback.
NAD transformer config for new Wolverine?
NAD transformer config for new Wolverine?
Here is an update...
Prototype testing is going well. We currently have 3 working prototypes with these outputs NJW0281/0302, NJW3281/1302, and 2SC3264/2SA1295. Everything works well with KSC3503/KSA1381 predrivers. We are in the middle if testing TTC004B/TTA004B predrivers. We are also working on getting some distortion measurements but distortion is quite low so trying to get a reliable measurement takes time. Getting parts for testing had been hard since they scarce right now.
Jeremy
Prototype testing is going well. We currently have 3 working prototypes with these outputs NJW0281/0302, NJW3281/1302, and 2SC3264/2SA1295. Everything works well with KSC3503/KSA1381 predrivers. We are in the middle if testing TTC004B/TTA004B predrivers. We are also working on getting some distortion measurements but distortion is quite low so trying to get a reliable measurement takes time. Getting parts for testing had been hard since they scarce right now.
Jeremy
How does it sound
Cut to the end of the story..... how do they sound? Many an amp can be found that measure great but sound terrible. It seems we as a group have been striving only for great distortion numbers. Good numbers are a noble goal. What the mass of builders want is a great sounding amp if I am not mistaken. We have all been weaned on building low powered Pass designs which sound for the most part very pleasant. You really need high efficiency speakers to live with them however. At home I have a 43 year old Threshold I bought brand new that still sounds superb even with spec of 0.1% THD. I have never felt the need to replace it as it is the least fatiguing amplifier I have ever tried. There is a lot more to an amplifier than measurements. So, how does it sound?
Cut to the end of the story..... how do they sound? Many an amp can be found that measure great but sound terrible. It seems we as a group have been striving only for great distortion numbers. Good numbers are a noble goal. What the mass of builders want is a great sounding amp if I am not mistaken. We have all been weaned on building low powered Pass designs which sound for the most part very pleasant. You really need high efficiency speakers to live with them however. At home I have a 43 year old Threshold I bought brand new that still sounds superb even with spec of 0.1% THD. I have never felt the need to replace it as it is the least fatiguing amplifier I have ever tried. There is a lot more to an amplifier than measurements. So, how does it sound?
At this point of testing, it really sounds great. I've listened to it with the spec build NJW 0302/0281 outputs, which provided a rich bass and extended high frequencies with no harshness. I was really impressed by its overall sound quality. I never realized how good a set of cheap test speakers could sound. I later listened to it using the Sanken 1295/3264's and was blown away by its effortless presentation. The overall sound was softer, richer with a little less brightness on the top end. I'm now testing using NJW1302/3281 and the scope tells me that its an excellent performer, but I haven't listened to it yet.
The best way to summarize is that it's delivering the goods, but the test team and designers are still working to identify anything and everything that could be an improvement to the overall product in terms of physical layout and performance. The issue of parts availability is high on the list, so a great deal of time is being spent on testing different combinations to ensure that builders will have options for an excellent outcome. Stay tuned....
The best way to summarize is that it's delivering the goods, but the test team and designers are still working to identify anything and everything that could be an improvement to the overall product in terms of physical layout and performance. The issue of parts availability is high on the list, so a great deal of time is being spent on testing different combinations to ensure that builders will have options for an excellent outcome. Stay tuned....
Perhaps kit once optimum configuration of parts
I really hate hunting from multiple vendors for parts. There is always a few parts that delay a build for months. Once we figure a great or even ideal combination of parts could we attempt to make it either a group buy or put parts in a kit in the store which could be purchased with the boards. I got so frustrated with the bagger board waiting months for parts, finally getting everything needed to start only to find I could not even get my resister legs in the baggers freakishly small through holes. I just tossed it aside in frustration after spending hundreds of dollars never even making a single solder
I really hate hunting from multiple vendors for parts. There is always a few parts that delay a build for months. Once we figure a great or even ideal combination of parts could we attempt to make it either a group buy or put parts in a kit in the store which could be purchased with the boards. I got so frustrated with the bagger board waiting months for parts, finally getting everything needed to start only to find I could not even get my resister legs in the baggers freakishly small through holes. I just tossed it aside in frustration after spending hundreds of dollars never even making a single solder
2 questions about the connector
Hi,
I had a short look to the PCB's and I have 2 questions about the connector:
1. Why was the order (V+,PD+,ND-,GND,V-,Glft,NFB) choosen for the connector, and not the obvious order (V+,PD+.GND,ND-,V-,NFB)?
2. What is the reason of the new GLft Pin?
best regrads Chris
Hi,
I had a short look to the PCB's and I have 2 questions about the connector:
1. Why was the order (V+,PD+,ND-,GND,V-,Glft,NFB) choosen for the connector, and not the obvious order (V+,PD+.GND,ND-,V-,NFB)?
2. What is the reason of the new GLft Pin?
best regrads Chris
Hi Chris,
The order was really determined by the availabilty of those nodes in a very tight layout. Its the best we could do at least initially but also supports optimum separations elsewhere on the board.
Glft is the inbound signal ground and is isolated from the power supply ground by back to back diodes in parallel with 4R7 in order to break any potential ground loop hum.
The connector of course is to facilitate different input modules as future options.
Regards
The order was really determined by the availabilty of those nodes in a very tight layout. Its the best we could do at least initially but also supports optimum separations elsewhere on the board.
Glft is the inbound signal ground and is isolated from the power supply ground by back to back diodes in parallel with 4R7 in order to break any potential ground loop hum.
The connector of course is to facilitate different input modules as future options.
Regards
Hi everyone… It’s a good time for an update…
The design and test team is continuing extensive testing to evaluate various component combinations. This has been a huge effort to ensure that the BOM allows builders to have some flexibility with the selection of components, provide validated guidance for the combinations and know that the combinations will work to everyone’s expectations. Several variations have been successfully tested and listened to. It won’t be long before the members declare it to be ready for release.
I’ve been listening to it in stereo for a few weeks using a couple different combinations and configurations. It continues to blow me away with the rich bottom end all the way to the crisp top end…. And this is through a couple bench test speakers. They never had it so good. For those of you interested in hearing one of the test boards, Thimios has posted a Youtube video of his initial test.
HTTPS://youtu.be/wZX_-FyVNg
The design and test team is continuing extensive testing to evaluate various component combinations. This has been a huge effort to ensure that the BOM allows builders to have some flexibility with the selection of components, provide validated guidance for the combinations and know that the combinations will work to everyone’s expectations. Several variations have been successfully tested and listened to. It won’t be long before the members declare it to be ready for release.
I’ve been listening to it in stereo for a few weeks using a couple different combinations and configurations. It continues to blow me away with the rich bottom end all the way to the crisp top end…. And this is through a couple bench test speakers. They never had it so good. For those of you interested in hearing one of the test boards, Thimios has posted a Youtube video of his initial test.
HTTPS://youtu.be/wZX_-FyVNg