chiily
18-04-2017, 11:57
Where to start..
First thing I hacked, local regs (McBride style) (http://www.neilmcbride.co.uk/preamp.html), my NAC 32.5.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/32-5/dsc00144_zpsffa3be6b.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/32-5/dsc00144_zpsffa3be6b.jpg.html)
Includes a Noble pot, OSCON power rail decoupling caps to various boards.
I moved on to updating(?) a pair of Naim MC boards
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2008_07130160-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2008_07130160-1.jpg.html)
BC128 caps input and output, (Avondale style), Dale RN55 cartridge load resistor, Zener reg removed, transistor ladder replaced with SD278s with matching Dale RN55 15R resistors, etc... I did put them in a box with a couple of ALWSRs.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2008_03150320.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2008_03150320.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2008_03150319.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2008_03150319.jpg.html)
Feedback caps now 47uf films. Beware the earth wiring is incorrect from the BNCs.
I've built and boxed a PFM Starfish. Which is based on Naim ccts, but with plenty of regulation and symmetric PSU from a DC/DC convertor.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/IMG_2725.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/IMG_2725.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/IMG_2715.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/IMG_2715.jpg.html)
I used this pre-amp for years. A great sound, lots of drive...only to be replaced by a PFM Bootstrap pre; fabulous cct, such a fluid pre.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Bootstrap/20160422_201507_zps4kokusbd.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Bootstrap/20160422_201507_zps4kokusbd.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_213852_zpsxympu347.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_213852_zpsxympu347.jpg.html)
Huge great 1uF Russian polystyrene caps on the input. Since those pictures were taken I've removed the output cap and added nulling pots to the cct.
Power amps wise I built a pair of Avondale Voyager mono blocks about 5-6 years ago and have never changed them.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Avondale%20Voyager%20Copy/DSCF5861.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Avondale%20Voyager%20Copy/DSCF5861.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Avondale%20Voyager%20Copy/20140313_160538_zps0de4obge.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Avondale%20Voyager%20Copy/20140313_160538_zps0de4obge.jpg.html)
I have modified my Acram Alpha 5 CD player. Updated various caps, disabled the output muting ccts and fitted a Flea PSU and clock.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/DSCF5900.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/DSCF5900.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/DSCF5885.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/DSCF5885.jpg.html)
And I've had the privilege of replacing the CD mech too..such a pain..
Oh, and I've built and use a Paradise Phono amp from DIYAudio. It replaced the 323 boards in a flash.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Paradise/20170124_122327_zpsabxsil3c.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Paradise/20170124_122327_zpsabxsil3c.jpg.html)
A bit dirty then, but much cleaner now.
And finally I built a pair of speakers from a PFM design put together by James, who has built various stunning and great sounding speakers.
Pinky and Perky...
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/img_0678.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/img_0678.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/img_0677.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/img_0677.jpg.html)
The paint is not that pink tbh...
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2007_09130428.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2007_09130428.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2007_09130429.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2007_09130429.jpg.html)
They are a hybrid OB design. There's more info in my signature link.
Just remembered I built an AC PSU for my LP12 based on Avondale's TAPS cct.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/dsc00370.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/dsc00370.jpg.html)
And a Moth RCM
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/side_reduced.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/side_reduced.jpg.html)
And a Flexi-rack
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2008_03130314.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2008_03130314.jpg.html)
First thing I hacked, local regs (McBride style) (http://www.neilmcbride.co.uk/preamp.html), my NAC 32.5.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/32-5/dsc00144_zpsffa3be6b.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/32-5/dsc00144_zpsffa3be6b.jpg.html)
Includes a Noble pot, OSCON power rail decoupling caps to various boards.
I moved on to updating(?) a pair of Naim MC boards
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2008_07130160-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2008_07130160-1.jpg.html)
BC128 caps input and output, (Avondale style), Dale RN55 cartridge load resistor, Zener reg removed, transistor ladder replaced with SD278s with matching Dale RN55 15R resistors, etc... I did put them in a box with a couple of ALWSRs.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2008_03150320.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2008_03150320.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2008_03150319.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2008_03150319.jpg.html)
Feedback caps now 47uf films. Beware the earth wiring is incorrect from the BNCs.
I've built and boxed a PFM Starfish. Which is based on Naim ccts, but with plenty of regulation and symmetric PSU from a DC/DC convertor.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/IMG_2725.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/IMG_2725.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/IMG_2715.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/IMG_2715.jpg.html)
I used this pre-amp for years. A great sound, lots of drive...only to be replaced by a PFM Bootstrap pre; fabulous cct, such a fluid pre.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Bootstrap/20160422_201507_zps4kokusbd.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Bootstrap/20160422_201507_zps4kokusbd.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_213852_zpsxympu347.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20160416_213852_zpsxympu347.jpg.html)
Huge great 1uF Russian polystyrene caps on the input. Since those pictures were taken I've removed the output cap and added nulling pots to the cct.
Power amps wise I built a pair of Avondale Voyager mono blocks about 5-6 years ago and have never changed them.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Avondale%20Voyager%20Copy/DSCF5861.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Avondale%20Voyager%20Copy/DSCF5861.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Avondale%20Voyager%20Copy/20140313_160538_zps0de4obge.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Avondale%20Voyager%20Copy/20140313_160538_zps0de4obge.jpg.html)
I have modified my Acram Alpha 5 CD player. Updated various caps, disabled the output muting ccts and fitted a Flea PSU and clock.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/DSCF5900.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/DSCF5900.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/DSCF5885.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/DSCF5885.jpg.html)
And I've had the privilege of replacing the CD mech too..such a pain..
Oh, and I've built and use a Paradise Phono amp from DIYAudio. It replaced the 323 boards in a flash.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/Paradise/20170124_122327_zpsabxsil3c.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/Paradise/20170124_122327_zpsabxsil3c.jpg.html)
A bit dirty then, but much cleaner now.
And finally I built a pair of speakers from a PFM design put together by James, who has built various stunning and great sounding speakers.
Pinky and Perky...
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/img_0678.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/img_0678.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/img_0677.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/img_0677.jpg.html)
The paint is not that pink tbh...
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2007_09130428.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2007_09130428.jpg.html)
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2007_09130429.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2007_09130429.jpg.html)
They are a hybrid OB design. There's more info in my signature link.
Just remembered I built an AC PSU for my LP12 based on Avondale's TAPS cct.
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/dsc00370.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/dsc00370.jpg.html)
And a Moth RCM
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/side_reduced.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/side_reduced.jpg.html)
And a Flexi-rack
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t169/Chiily/2008_03130314.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/Chiily/media/2008_03130314.jpg.html)