sailor
25-05-2025, 09:06
I built this about 12years ago on an old and ugly chassis with separate power supply which went through 4 iterations and then lay dormant for some time. I compared it to many including my DIY Aikido, Conrad Johnson, Manley Labs, Quick Silver and Bryston.
With only 5 components there is so little to get in the way, the only way to describe its performance is uneditorialised. It sounds energised and relaxed at the same time with weight and power. It may lean a little to the warm side but there is no loss of detail. I left it with a friend for a while who would not return it but wanted it rebuilt it into something better looking. Below are photos of that attempt. It uses output transformers wound by Eletraprint USA and will drive any power amp.
The schematic
https://i.imgur.com/y4S82pB_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
The build, chokes nearby, I love chokes
https://i.imgur.com/JhjESsh_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
The power supply with choke input, cap then splits to 2 more chokes.
https://i.imgur.com/Lmj8srY_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
Finished
https://i.imgur.com/CrOeydy_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
The listening test being fed by a Wadia DAC and driving my Mark Levinson 23.5 power amp before being delivered to its new home in a system with Musetec DAC (awesome) driving Mark Levinson 33H mono amps into Magico 5 speakers. Simply beautiful.
https://i.imgur.com/k8WjA1C_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
I have a pair of these transformers, exact same colour which is one of the Ford reds for sale in the classifieds.
With only 5 components there is so little to get in the way, the only way to describe its performance is uneditorialised. It sounds energised and relaxed at the same time with weight and power. It may lean a little to the warm side but there is no loss of detail. I left it with a friend for a while who would not return it but wanted it rebuilt it into something better looking. Below are photos of that attempt. It uses output transformers wound by Eletraprint USA and will drive any power amp.
The schematic
https://i.imgur.com/y4S82pB_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
The build, chokes nearby, I love chokes
https://i.imgur.com/JhjESsh_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
The power supply with choke input, cap then splits to 2 more chokes.
https://i.imgur.com/Lmj8srY_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
Finished
https://i.imgur.com/CrOeydy_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
The listening test being fed by a Wadia DAC and driving my Mark Levinson 23.5 power amp before being delivered to its new home in a system with Musetec DAC (awesome) driving Mark Levinson 33H mono amps into Magico 5 speakers. Simply beautiful.
https://i.imgur.com/k8WjA1C_d.jpeg?maxwidth=520&shape=thumb&fidelity=high
I have a pair of these transformers, exact same colour which is one of the Ford reds for sale in the classifieds.