Second Pearl 3 singing on the test bed.
Now this is my favourite, connected to ZM's Iron Pre Balanced, driving Aleph JZM.
Of course there are things must to do.
I don't know yet what will be with case.
I need to build another PS.
I need to bulid Mark Johnson's UDP3 Umbilical Cable Driver for Pearl 3 boards.
Without that Carl Zeiss I couldn't work with SMD.
It is just inconvenient to change glasses to it while working.
Now this is my favourite, connected to ZM's Iron Pre Balanced, driving Aleph JZM.
Of course there are things must to do.
I don't know yet what will be with case.
I need to build another PS.
I need to bulid Mark Johnson's UDP3 Umbilical Cable Driver for Pearl 3 boards.
Without that Carl Zeiss I couldn't work with SMD.
It is just inconvenient to change glasses to it while working.
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So that measurement is even weirder: 6.5 on the left board, 6.8 on teh right. And I notice a very slight burning smell that seems to be coming from the phono side.
I'm afraid I've mucked this up substantially, and with this retreating eyesight, it may be hopeless.
Oh, that's bad. Could you make many-many pictures in good resolution, so that we can check every detail of your boards and parts, from both sides of both boards (separate posts for left and right)? This way we may find the issue(s). Further, I don't know how robust the 7815/7915 are, but due to the wrong polarity they may be toasted. But first things first - make many-many good pictures.
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I will...though a school holiday for my kid means travelling. Probably won't get to it until next week. In the meantime, i will order some new 7815/7915s anyway.
Cool. Have a nice holiday, and then we'll make your Pearl shine.
Hi Gyuri, I get nada...zeros all the way. I'm going to pull this thing apart, go over every solder joint, and replace the 7815 s and 7915s that i probably frazzled. I do so appreciate the continued help from so many of you all, and I also look forward to hearing the Pearl 3 sometime before next winter.
Hi everyone.
I'm currently trying to build the wolverine amplifier in it's own case and now I've purchased the Pearl 3 phono kit.
I've not decided on a case yet, but I'm thinking of turning it into a full preamp, in a full-width case. I'm looking to buy the Iron pre when it gets released again. Will the Pearl be ok in an enclosure with the iron Pre and PSU's or is the Pearl Phono way too sensitive?
I do have scatter brains and it's everywhere and my memory is slowly failing me LOL So this whole thing ( including the Wolverine), will be a very slow process LOL.
Thanks - Tony
I'm currently trying to build the wolverine amplifier in it's own case and now I've purchased the Pearl 3 phono kit.
I've not decided on a case yet, but I'm thinking of turning it into a full preamp, in a full-width case. I'm looking to buy the Iron pre when it gets released again. Will the Pearl be ok in an enclosure with the iron Pre and PSU's or is the Pearl Phono way too sensitive?
I do have scatter brains and it's everywhere and my memory is slowly failing me LOL So this whole thing ( including the Wolverine), will be a very slow process LOL.
Thanks - Tony
Hello Tony,
it is for sure possible to include the PEARL 3 into a preamp - case.
I would try to seperate the phonosection from the preamp by seperating the case into two sections. Could be done
by a metalsheet for shielding.
Getting it low noise could become a bit challenging - but not necessarily. Done in so many preamps over the decades.
Getting the PSU away from the PEARL 3 circuit would be the main goal for me. And the grounding should be well thought out.
Only my way of thinking.
Happy Easter!
Dirk
it is for sure possible to include the PEARL 3 into a preamp - case.
I would try to seperate the phonosection from the preamp by seperating the case into two sections. Could be done
by a metalsheet for shielding.
Getting it low noise could become a bit challenging - but not necessarily. Done in so many preamps over the decades.
Getting the PSU away from the PEARL 3 circuit would be the main goal for me. And the grounding should be well thought out.
Only my way of thinking.
Happy Easter!
Dirk
in the disassembly process discovered yet another screw-up: one one board, I had TTA004B and TTC004B reversed...and backwards as well. So they're now in the trash, and another set on their way. Mouser just loves my ineptitude.
Great find @spoiler
You see?........ You are slowly getting there. Plenty of light and magnifiers will get you there eventually.
And....... you´re NOT alone. My working conditions nowadays include 2 magnifier lamps and +4 "reading" glasses.
That was not at all neccesary 10 years ago 🤣
Wishing you good luck while crossing my fingers.
And happy Easter btw 👍
Yep: i looked like a miner, but with extra lighting - one of those military flashlights. 4x reading hlasses and a huge magnifying glass from the Oxford English Dictionary...And i still had trouble. But i figured that since i'd messed up the others, might as well check out the TTAs and TTCs.
So next weekend, when the parts arrive from Mouser, i'll go back to it.
And probably discover another screw-up!
Thanks for being supportive, Boydk!
So next weekend, when the parts arrive from Mouser, i'll go back to it.
And probably discover another screw-up!
Thanks for being supportive, Boydk!
Hi Everyone! Would appreciate some opinions - I have all the necessary bits and pieces to build a Pearl3 and am debating on the layout. In an ideal world, I'd like to have the front face of the Pearl be the same width to match my ZenMod iron pre (340mm). I'm on the fence with either custom ordering a pair of 170mm wide chassis and do the Pearl boards in one and duel mono power supply in the second like how the Pearl custom chassis is but change the layout so its 2 boards deep instead of side by side.
Option B is to do the whole build in a single 330mm x 280mm chassis. I mocked up the layout and would have 5cm between power and pearl boards, 3cm from the rear and 1cm from sides and front. A thought was to add a second extruded aluminum or steel panel between the boards for some isolation from the power or other shield type of set up. I'm wondering how sensitive the Pearl3 is to power supply interference and if this idea would be a recipe for noise / disaster.
Option B is to do the whole build in a single 330mm x 280mm chassis. I mocked up the layout and would have 5cm between power and pearl boards, 3cm from the rear and 1cm from sides and front. A thought was to add a second extruded aluminum or steel panel between the boards for some isolation from the power or other shield type of set up. I'm wondering how sensitive the Pearl3 is to power supply interference and if this idea would be a recipe for noise / disaster.
Hello blue360cuda,
I was in a similar situation like you. Thinking about how many cases, layout,...
I think most important is to get the transformers as far away from the PEARL 3 -circuit as possible.
If you put it in one case, a steel panel between PSU-boards and PEARL 3 boards is recommended.
If you choose a two case setup - I would use one case for the PSUs with transformers and the other case for the
PEARL 3 -boards.
I used a 'crazy' 4 case setup. My Pearl 3 -cases are often positioned directly on top / byside of the PSU-cases. No problems.
Cheers
Dirk
I was in a similar situation like you. Thinking about how many cases, layout,...
I think most important is to get the transformers as far away from the PEARL 3 -circuit as possible.
If you put it in one case, a steel panel between PSU-boards and PEARL 3 boards is recommended.
If you choose a two case setup - I would use one case for the PSUs with transformers and the other case for the
PEARL 3 -boards.
I used a 'crazy' 4 case setup. My Pearl 3 -cases are often positioned directly on top / byside of the PSU-cases. No problems.
Cheers
Dirk
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I don't see the internal dimensions on your diagram. You may have it factored in, but the "working" width / depth of the chassis is not 330x280. When you're counting every cm, it may or may not matter.
As you lay out your chassis in various configurations, consider the transformer placement and wire routing (AC including the switch, DC, and I/O) as part of your overall plan. Maybe sketch them in your diagrams to help with your decisions. Also, don't forget ... height. You didn't mention if you were restricting yourself to 1U, or if you could perhaps do 2U, or maybe even 3U as long as the width was the same. Adding some height could open up possibilities.
Last, but not least, if you were considering putting the P3 directly under or on top of your Iron Pre (without a shelf in between), I'd personally avoid that if it's practical for you. I'm not sure if you wanted the width to be the same for aesthetics in that configuration.
Enjoy!
As you lay out your chassis in various configurations, consider the transformer placement and wire routing (AC including the switch, DC, and I/O) as part of your overall plan. Maybe sketch them in your diagrams to help with your decisions. Also, don't forget ... height. You didn't mention if you were restricting yourself to 1U, or if you could perhaps do 2U, or maybe even 3U as long as the width was the same. Adding some height could open up possibilities.
Last, but not least, if you were considering putting the P3 directly under or on top of your Iron Pre (without a shelf in between), I'd personally avoid that if it's practical for you. I'm not sure if you wanted the width to be the same for aesthetics in that configuration.
Enjoy!
Thanks @ItsAllInMyHead and @cubicincher
It was my plan to make a "stack" with the Pearl3, IronPre and a Aleph30 all the same faceplate width. Was planning to incorporate some active cooling into the Aleph so didn't think heat would be an issue but do you feel electronic interference would be a problem doing that?
I like how many custom options are out there and need to think about it. Would like the some sort of cohesive aesthetic theme with the projects.
One crazy left field idea . . . I'm in the process of restoring a sweet vintage Thorens TD124 turntable and thought it would be cool to incorporate a phonostage into the plinth. Maybe not the most practical but would be clean and minimalistic which I prefer.
It was my plan to make a "stack" with the Pearl3, IronPre and a Aleph30 all the same faceplate width. Was planning to incorporate some active cooling into the Aleph so didn't think heat would be an issue but do you feel electronic interference would be a problem doing that?
I like how many custom options are out there and need to think about it. Would like the some sort of cohesive aesthetic theme with the projects.
One crazy left field idea . . . I'm in the process of restoring a sweet vintage Thorens TD124 turntable and thought it would be cool to incorporate a phonostage into the plinth. Maybe not the most practical but would be clean and minimalistic which I prefer.