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Thread: STEREO COFFEE LDR PRE-AMP. Battery op; Remote control For Sale

  1. #1
    Join Date: Apr 2010

    Location: Bristol, since 1978. Current house since 1996!

    Posts: 909
    I'm Chris.

    Default STEREO COFFEE LDR PRE-AMP. Battery op; Remote control For Sale

    STEREO COFFEE LDR PASSIVE PRE-AMP
    The start of a serious reduction of hi-fi related stuff in my house, as age creeps up on me. No more clambering down into the basement to get to my hi-fi (visitors will recall this vertiginous stairway?)
    The main hi-fi is going to be up for sale, including the lovely Ocellia Calliope .21 Grandis Silver Signature speakers, The Dave Hewitt made Pass F3 amp, etc.. (http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/ocellia/ocellia.html)

    First to go.
    The Stereo Coffee is a lovely pre, as regular readers/users will know. I’ve had several pre-amps, but this one has stayed. Being remotely operated helps, if you recall my listening seat-which hangs from the ceiling!
    Battery powered-chargable; with Remote control.
    A lovely sounding Pre-amp, put together by Richard (‘Awkward by Design’), who regular AOS folk will know well. You can tell by the enclosed advert link where he describes the workings. Never one to scrimp on stuff!
    Message me if you’re interested. I’m in Bristol, (close to M5 J18) and collection preferred, though I CAN post it, well padded.
    £180 plus postage, as before.
    It’s very well made, comes with extras as mentioned in Richard’s original ad.
    Chris Skelton

    https://theartofsound.net/forum/show...=stereo+coffee
    Here's the ad I bought it from -it has a pic!
    https://theartofsound.net/forum/show...=stereo+coffee

    (Annoyingly, picture files won't load at the moment. Will try soon..done.......thanks to Jerry for assistance on this! Apologies for hurried 'back' picture!)
    Message me an e-maill address in meantime.......moderators; I'm trying to get pics on!
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by hornucopia; 08-08-2019 at 19:32.
    Chris.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: gone

    Posts: 11,519
    I'm gone.

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    This is the item for sale - Contact Chris via the 1st post if interested!



    Last edited by jandl100; 08-08-2019 at 19:24.
    .

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2010

    Location: Bristol, since 1978. Current house since 1996!

    Posts: 909
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    For the lazy ones, here's Richard's description.
    It has five inputs, one line out and a monitor out connected to the input I use for phono (I bought a CD recorder, so I wanted to hear what I was doing).
    After making it as a manual pre, I bought a remote control kit on ebay, put it all in a bigger aluminium case, and now it has remote volume and source switching.
    I have made it battery powered, with an internal charger; flick a switch once a week and recharge. There is also a digital voltmeter display on the front panel, switched, so it won't drain the battery.
    As I rather like the look of Albarry amps, it has a transparent red Perspex front panel, and champagne gold knobs, with a balance control between them. As all this switching is done via the control board, there are no switches or pots in the signal path. The rhodium plated input and output sockets are silver wired directly to the LDRs, and they are turned on or off by the LEDs in the sealed packages.
    Chris Daly (who makes the boards) has sent me a series of control boards to try, and I will include them. You can have fun changing them to find the sound you like. And they make a surprising difference!
    The five inputs are connected to two piggybacked boards, with one control board. A (linear) PSU feeds that, with a separately rectified charging circuit. The battery is a 12V 1.3Ah sealed type from RS, and the Valab rhodium plated RCA sockets alone cost about £60! The signal earthing uses a high current ground lift connection.
    I leave it connected permanently, but there is an on/off switch at the rear, and charging is initiated by a front panel switch, as is the voltmeter display.
    I won't go on about the sound quality, there are enough threads on this forum doing that already, but you can modify the performance by changing control panels; I don't understand why they make such a difference, but they do! And you will get another four different versions to play with.
    I will include documentation and instructions on operation for those who want such things, but as long as it is kept charged between 12.3V and 11.9V it just works! Chris uses a Quad 306 with these, which has a 33k input impedance, but I wouldn't advise going lower; after all it is a resistor attenuator.
    Chris.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: West Sūžsēaxe

    Posts: 2,015
    I'm Edward.

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    What a bargain!

    I have an LDR pre (with remote) and it simply just delivers. It does not give or take anything away.

    Whoever buys this will be pleasantly surprised.
    Current: [P20] Roon/Tidal > Custom PC> Chevron Paradox NDF16 > Phast Pre > Neuro. 686 > Tannoy Berkley (RFC tweaks)


  5. #5
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

    Default

    I can't see Jerry's photos, all I can see is a chair suspended from the ceiling in the original post!

    Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: gone

    Posts: 11,519
    I'm gone.

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    OK, how about these?



    .

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2010

    Location: Bristol, since 1978. Current house since 1996!

    Posts: 909
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    That's because the Stereo Coffee just disappears in the sound chain? (AS do the speakers here.....) (-:
    Chris.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

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    Lovely see them now thanks. I love that voltage display so you know if it needs recharging.

    Sent from my POT-LX1 using Tapatalk

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jan 2012

    Location: Exeter

    Posts: 93
    I'm Paul.

    Default

    Could the monitor out RCAs be used instead for a second normal output by simply connecting to the exsting outputs? Would it drive a sub amp lke this?
    Paul

  10. #10
    Join Date: Apr 2010

    Location: Bristol, since 1978. Current house since 1996!

    Posts: 909
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    The readout isn't always on-it's switched. As Rich said, just needs charging up once a week. The Battery in INSIDE (that's NOT the battery pack behind it in the picture! It's the Pass F3 amp!
    Pre is 43 X 30 x 7 cms.
    Chris.

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