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Thread: COVID 19 - Hifi Projects

  1. #1
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default COVID 19 - Hifi Projects

    I'm still working as a Key worker but I have more time on my hands which means I've been concentrating on what I want to do with my systems. Currently I'm not buying anything new until this whole thing blows over. I've been sorting out excess bits and pieces and having fun trying cartridges on various tonearms. It certainly focusses the mind. I've been researching new record labels and bands, clearing out old magazines, redesigning my hifi racks and all sorts of stuff that I've been putting off for ages. I've already (in my head) spent this years hifi budget several times over on new TT projects, cartridges, DAC's, let's see how much of this comes to fruition!! I've decided to put more of an emphasis on lateral thinking in a bid to spend less and do more. So, what are you lot getting upto?
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,087
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    I've been doing a lot of gardening but also busy with mail order. Seems to be a lot of people buying to improve their system during the 'lockdown'.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default

    These great news Dave, at least your still in business!
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  4. #4
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,087
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    Very low overheads, so I can keep going for a couple of years without a customer but I do miss seeing people.

    The majority of my suppliers are still producing but the larger ones have shut down for the foreseeable.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    I have been investigating an alternative 'Line controller' approach using of all things a solid state volume control chip.

    With my long time involvement in electronics I was still under the impression that analogue multiplexers or chips that included them were very inferior, with very imperfect 'on' resistances that were far from linear with varying signal levels.

    How things have come on now with modern CMOS processing . The Burr Brown digitally controlled analogue volume chips PGA2310/2311 have staggeringly low published distortion figures of 0.00002%

    I have acquired a slightly older ready made volume control unit from Mshow:



    Construction is reasonable but one omission is a mute relay, as there is a pronounced click at turn off.

    This is the internal shot after certain modifications:




    To glean the ultimate performance from these chips needs consideration of the operating conditions with regard to noise and impedances.
    Both regulators feeding the supply to the chip have been replaced with low noise regulator modules and a buffer stage has been fitted driving the input pins.




    The buffer stage can be seen in the foreground and the mute relay has been fitted directly to the output sockets.
    The unit came without a remote control but I have been able to adapt one to work.

    Performance you ask? Stunning, really transparent

    Leading on from the Mshow experiments I ordered a new unit along the same lines, this time under the Weiliang Audio name.
    It is from China of course so availability now may be a bit delayed due to the current situation.

    Part 1.



    The pcb is very well done with some quality caps fitted, Elna and Silmic. It also has a mute relay included on board.
    I have fitted a buffer stage which improved on the as built performance but am still waiting to receive some low noise regulators.

    Compared to the Mshow it is only a few percent behind, hopefully with low noise regulators fitted it will have equal performance.
    The soundstage and spacial clues come though exceedingly well, this is in use at the moment.

    Part 2.

    I have received the low noise regulators and have now fitted them.
    Wow this is now very open, looks like I have two equally as good solid state volume controllers.

    Putting a buffer before the control chip and substituting low noise regulators really does get the best out of these chips.

    Today.

    Whoahh am I enjoying this combination.




    The performance off vinyl is stunning, the sheer transparency of the modified Weiliang line controller is allowing such detail and depth through that it is like hearing different records



    Just listening to Annie Lenox 'Diva'. I have not heard all the subtle mastering before, it's fantastic.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default

    Looks like a very interesting project.
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  7. #7
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: West Yorkshire

    Posts: 1,796
    I'm Stephen.

    Default

    Deoxit all my cable plugs and bought/ordered a Fidelity Audio LPSU for my Rothwell Simplex phono stage.

    Oh and nudged the Deca Supegold a smidge nearer to "perfect setup" - Dream on with that
    Always a little further

  8. #8
    Join Date: Nov 2013

    Location: HAMPSTEAD

    Posts: 1,156
    I'm brian.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by worrasf View Post
    Deoxit all my cable plugs and bought/ordered a Fidelity Audio LPSU for my Rothwell Simplex phono stage.

    Oh and nudged the Deca Supegold a smidge nearer to "perfect setup" - Dream on with that
    lol.Had some of that with my Decca. Get it perfect, get it perfect, then try for absolute PERFECTION and then it goes titties up. There good though

  9. #9
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Galashiels

    Posts: 13,669
    I'm inthescottishmafia.

    Default

    Looks good Alan, look forward to hearing it sometime.

    Projects for myself include fixing my S6, gone dodgy one one channel, something to do with the volume pot PCB. Bought some 20 gauge Duelund cable to make some IC’s- bought some of the speaker cable which seems to suit the Bastanis very well, so thought it worth a go.

    Also have a WAD Kit 88 amp belonging to another member which requires some new caps fitting.

    After some help and advice from Alan, might do some mods to my Son Of Beast OTL, he gave me some good suggestions to try.
    “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”

    Hunter S Thompson

  10. #10
    Join Date: Mar 2008

    Location: Galashiels

    Posts: 13,669
    I'm inthescottishmafia.

    Default

    Have to go back to work tomorrow though lol, so all that will have to wait a bit.
    “Music has always been a matter of energy to me, a question of fuel. Sentimental people call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. I have always needed fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio”

    Hunter S Thompson

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