Hi Grataku,
my intention is for us to share the happiness of music reproduction.
Please have a try to use a device which reduces jitter and noise when feeding a DAC. E.g. Ian Canadas devices, or PI2AES or some commercial reclocker, something like this.
Then find someone who lends you a Yggdrasil, Holo May, Denafrips Terminator (or smaller), Mola Mola Tambaqui, or go crazier.
I jumped into the cold water and bought my second "big" DAC and it IS cleary different, easy and quickly perceivable. You even don't have to sit in the perfect spot for it. (And my room is far, very far from good or optimal acoustically, the placement of the speakers are a compromise as the listening room is, when you ask the other family members, our living room...)
My plan is to build a better reclocker/transport for the DAC (I have the PI2AES now), and try to listen to a (cheaper) Holo May, and build of cause Ben Mah's amp, and then a new preamp.
And it's bugging me to find out how much money I have to spend to reach the same level of audiophile enjoyment with vinyl playback. Wish I had more time...
I can vouch for Holo May. It is a step up from the average DACs, especially playing DSD. Not cheap alas.
And indeed vinyl is a money pit, but if cost is not a factor then vinyl remains untouchable IMHO. Even DSD on Holo May sounds flat to me compared to a good vinyl rig, but the latter costs more
. Sorry I am going off topic here.@grataku
(I'll stop polluting this beautiful thread after this)
Which DAC was it? I imagine to see that reviews are very manipulative, even if they are honest, as we interprete what the reviewer says, and second our acoustic perception is not the same as someone elses.
Right now I'm not sure if I'm in audiophile heaven or there is something missing with the Mola Mola Tambaqui now. Maybe it is so resolving, that I'm missing now some warmth in some recordings.
I would love to have the chance to compare few over some weeks.
And an equivalent (which makes me smile, not necessarily objectively) vinyl rig (money sink hole).
(I'll stop polluting this beautiful thread after this)
Which DAC was it? I imagine to see that reviews are very manipulative, even if they are honest, as we interprete what the reviewer says, and second our acoustic perception is not the same as someone elses.
Right now I'm not sure if I'm in audiophile heaven or there is something missing with the Mola Mola Tambaqui now. Maybe it is so resolving, that I'm missing now some warmth in some recordings.
I would love to have the chance to compare few over some weeks.
And an equivalent (which makes me smile, not necessarily objectively) vinyl rig (money sink hole).
you're right ......... I wasn't sure so I wrote thatStereophile's measurements of XA25: Stereophile XA25 Measurements
It looks like mainly third harmonic at 1000Hz, nearly equal second and third at 50Hz.
I am in agreement with ra7. Keep those higher order harmonics out of the music. I have gone lower and lower with distortion and for me, the sound and music have improved at each step.
One way to keep the higher harmonics out of the music is to have a combination of power amplifier and speakers that allow the amplifier to operate at low power output at normal listening levels. Many people believe in low, low powered amplifiers for high sensitivity speakers. That may not be the best if it forces the amplifier to operate at its upper limit of power and distortion at normal listening levels.
And distortion at all stages of the music reproduction chain matters.
anyhow, my intention while making Bastard of mine was to have dominant 2nd, through (more or less) entire power range
all Roads are leading to Rome .... but less bumpy are preferred when you're older
One of the reasons for me to build this amp is that I see it as higher power VFET alternative. I am hoping it addresses the main drawback of the VFET follower amp: the excessively romantic lows.you're right ......... I wasn't sure so I wrote that
anyhow, my intention while making Bastard of mine was to have dominant 2nd, through (more or less) entire power range
all Roads are leading to Rome .... but less bumpy are preferred when you're older
Waiting for the gainstage to be back in the store...
As an update.... BA-3FE (with sigma22 PS +/-32v ) is driving the amps now. The system sound seems to have a bit more authority but similar character to the previous set up. I'm still a happy listener. Unit built as a front end in a box....just in and outs...no volume or switching....running wide open after the Srpp tube preamp and 6-24 cross.
I missed the 2022FE somehow, but have the mouser parts bag on the shelf for when the next run hits the store.... I will eventually give it a shot but my gut is telling me the the 2022FE might be a sideways move to the BA3-FE.
It's serendipitous that the conversation on this thread swung into Reclocking as I am just now dipping my toe into that stream as well.
Eagerly waiting for other builds to be completed and posted along with the porn.....
Take Care All...
I missed the 2022FE somehow, but have the mouser parts bag on the shelf for when the next run hits the store.... I will eventually give it a shot but my gut is telling me the the 2022FE might be a sideways move to the BA3-FE.
It's serendipitous that the conversation on this thread swung into Reclocking as I am just now dipping my toe into that stream as well.
Eagerly waiting for other builds to be completed and posted along with the porn.....
Take Care All...
Glad that you are still enjoying the sound. I don't get tired listening to music through my Tokin follower amps.
I have been reclocking my digital data for a while now. I started many years ago reclocking with digital flip-flops in my diy copper foil/Veroboard TDA1541A dac, and then I went with IanCanada's FIFO and clock when it first came out.
Here is my digital source as it now stands:
I have been reclocking my digital data for a while now. I started many years ago reclocking with digital flip-flops in my diy copper foil/Veroboard TDA1541A dac, and then I went with IanCanada's FIFO and clock when it first came out.
Here is my digital source as it now stands:
Here is IanCanada's FIFO thread that started in 2011 (it's really long): IanCanada FIFO
The Odroid C2 is a single board computer (SBC), similar to a Raspberry Pi, and it is set up as a music player. Music in digital form is in a hard drive. There is much information on the web on music players/streamers based on SBCs.
Rahul, Until recently veroboard, perfboard, and stripboard were my canvas, and prior to building solid state, most of my tube projects were on MDF. They were in perpetual state of upgrade. But I have finally graduated to printed circuit boards.
The bottom of my old Copper foil/Veroboard DAC, with power supply components and TDA1541A decoupling capacitors:
The Odroid C2 is a single board computer (SBC), similar to a Raspberry Pi, and it is set up as a music player. Music in digital form is in a hard drive. There is much information on the web on music players/streamers based on SBCs.
Rahul, Until recently veroboard, perfboard, and stripboard were my canvas, and prior to building solid state, most of my tube projects were on MDF. They were in perpetual state of upgrade. But I have finally graduated to printed circuit boards.
The bottom of my old Copper foil/Veroboard DAC, with power supply components and TDA1541A decoupling capacitors:
Last edited:
Hi Ben,
Nice project. I have built a number of FW amps, and a Mofo, and I'm thinking to try a SIT that everyone is talking about.
I have built a single channel PS with multiple 10mF caps and a 48V transformer and without much load on it, it is outputing 66V which I think is in the right region of 60-62V once loaded.
I understand your design, but was reading the ZenMod thread on SissySIT and found his design has a prefered Ugs. I can't find any mention of a requirement for matching or a Ugs suggestion in your design.
Can you confirm that matching or Ugs is not a problem or suggest what Ugs for the THF-51 I should be shooting for.
Thanks in advance,
G
Nice project. I have built a number of FW amps, and a Mofo, and I'm thinking to try a SIT that everyone is talking about.
I have built a single channel PS with multiple 10mF caps and a 48V transformer and without much load on it, it is outputing 66V which I think is in the right region of 60-62V once loaded.
I understand your design, but was reading the ZenMod thread on SissySIT and found his design has a prefered Ugs. I can't find any mention of a requirement for matching or a Ugs suggestion in your design.
Can you confirm that matching or Ugs is not a problem or suggest what Ugs for the THF-51 I should be shooting for.
Thanks in advance,
G