Not really, having designed and built many.
Grand Veteran
Location: Happy Cheshire
Posts: 675
I'm Duncan.
Not really, having designed and built many.
Trade: RFC
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 3,377
I'm Paul.
Please name these "functional" advantages Duncan.Originally Posted by tubehunter
I'm with Tom. It has no bearing on how something sounds plus components are PROPERLY supported on all of Will's builds. The PCBs are also of the heavy duty, high quality variety. Wouldn't you agree that it seems disingenuous to cast such dispersions on Will's work? He is a true professional who knows his stuff, not some amateur DIYer.
Senior Member
Location: Glasgowshire
Posts: 9,663
I'm Gary.
Not sure he was Paul?
Just offering an opinion, which is ok I'd have thought.
He said it was a lovely amp...and it is.
Enjoying the build thread Will, keep it up!
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables
Audio Engineer; Moderator
Location: South Wales
Posts: 9,151
I'm NotTakingLifeTooSeriouslyTheseDays.
Printed circuit and hardwired amps with the same design can indeed sound, and perform diffrently, however, a lot will depend on the layout, and type of board material used, I designed, and built amps using both technologies over the 20 odd years I have been in business, and I can say that done right, both topologies can perform exceptionaly well, however; some will undoubtably prefer the one method over the other, nothing wrong with that.
A...
"Today scientists have substituted mathematics for experiments, and they wander off through equation after equation, and eventually build a structure which has no relation to reality"
Nikola Tesla
Its now a conspiracy theory to believe that the Immune system is capable of doing the job it was designed to do.
A fish is only as healthy as the water its swimming in ! [Dr Robert Young]
www.tubedistinctions.co.uk
Matthew 5:10
Senior Member
Location: Charente, France
Posts: 3,531
I'm Nodrog.
So long as it sounds good, who cares?
Trade: Radford Revival
Location: South West of England
Posts: 263
I'm Will.
Well, I've been told! Time to re-do Paul's circuit boards in point-to-point, sorry Paul, the waiting time just went up by 6 months. Don't worry, the amp will be more functional
Radford Revival
www.radfordrevival.co.uk
Senior Member
Location: The Black Country
Posts: 6,089
I'm Alan.
Moderator
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 9,251
I'm Josie.
After owning Andrews Radford and various other amps since I prefer point to point.
There is nothing wrong with PCB's per-say and I'd be quite happy with both but point to point IME does sound better but we are all different.
..in addition. The Radford is a very well made/designed thing and I've no doubt it will be stonking. This could very well be a 'final' amp for Paul.
It's also great to see it getting made. Great pics.
Ultrafide U500DC power amplifier - Croft Vitale )highly modified) - TRIO L-07D Turntable - Denon DL103C1 - Funk Firm Houdini - Lentek MC head amp - 15" Tannoy Monitor Gold Loudspeakers in Lockwood Major cabinets (From Trident Studios) - Tannoyista SPEC 3 Custom Crossovers - VanDamme Black Speaker Cable
Tannoyista.com - Audio Equipment Reviews
Trade: RFC
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 3,377
I'm Paul.
All I asked was to name the "functional advantages". It was an opinion, which is fair enough, but the inference was that a "lovely amp" had somehow been spoiled, (a la "ship hull ruined for the sake of a halfpenny worth of tar") or short-changed by using a PCB, the design and specification of which, Duncan has no knowledge of whatsoever.Not sure he was Paul?
Just offering an opinion, which is ok I'd have thought.
He said it was a lovely amp...and it is.
Enjoying the build thread Will, keep it up!
As Anthony suggests, properly done, and using well thought out topology, there's little reason for hard-wired to sound any better or be any more functional. The expectation amongst enthusiasts is for P-T-P everything because it looks nicer and takes longer, ergo must be "better" which is not always the case.
Don't worry Will, I'm perfectly happy to slum it and accept one of your PCB versions...after all, the Emille was an inferior PCB design too
Trade: Radford Revival
Location: South West of England
Posts: 263
I'm Will.
A brave man to deal with such hardshipDon't worry Will, I'm perfectly happy to slum it and accept one of your PCB versions
Radford Revival
www.radfordrevival.co.uk
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