Bottlehead Forum
Bottlehead Kits => Legacy Kit Products => Quickie => Topic started by: 4krow on March 15, 2013, 02:53:41 PM
-
I've been a bad bad boy. I didn't pay thaaaat much attention to the instructions. So I wasn't very surprised when things weren't right at the 'checkout'. So, let's get right to my case. I plead guilty to the charge of arrogance. And now, here are the findings:
Per Quickie voltage readings(w/PJCCS installed)
1) Terminal 1=39V, 5=23V
2) Terminal 2(OA on PJCCS board)=38.8V, 6(OB)=22.6V
3) Terminal 5=0V, 10=0V
4) Terminal 4=4.6V, 9=1.9V
5) Rotary C=3.2V, D=5.1V A,B=0V
Per PJCCS voltage readings
1) 1A=39.6V, 1B=39.6V
2) A6=24.6V, B6=38.9V
3) A5=1.9V, B5=3.84V(not good for the filament, I'm sure!)
Checked what I could and before these readings, I did correct a few errors. Now, at this point, it is time for educated help. I am still shaking my head as to why I think I can just slap it together because it's so simple.
Your thoughts people.
-
Strikes me that the B tube cathode is not connected to the 1K cathode resistor, or maybe it's the wrong resistor. Check resistance B5 to ground; the bypass capacitor will make that reading take a long time .... I guess "time served" making the measurement is your sentence, if my guess is correct.
-
Hey Greg - what I would do is take out the PJCCS, put the resistors back in, and go from there. I dont know, just simplifies things. Now, I hope you were a good boy and used the stock parts first right?
-
Ok, guys, I get it. Square one, here I come.
Paul, I was thinking the same thing about the cathode resistor being the wrong, but it was ok. I'll keep looking.
And Eric, yah, good point. I'll take out the 'PJ' tomm. I've been mixing it up a bit and working on the base. So far there, I've learned that you can't cover up ANY mistakes with a coat of paint. It actually amplifies it! Damn..
-
im contemplating putting thje pcjj in today, but i like the sound so much why do it?
-
I am about to find out. The last 'Q' I built also had the PJCCS and I just can't tell you how happy I was with the sound. I have decided to try this one W/O the upgrade to compare. Of course, in the meantime, I will trouble shoot the 'PJ' to see what I did this time that was wrong. To help answer your question though, the upgrade is to help maintain current flow to the 'Q' as I understand it. It is considered a good upgrade for the Q, but I also would like to try the choke upgrade. SO many options. Even battery choice can have some effect on the sound as batteries can have a sort of noise of their own due to discharge. I never had thought of that sort of thing till it was mentioned in one of these forums. It is so cool to learn here. I had worked with very large batteries for years, and thought that a battery was a battery until my company started to try other types. Wet cells are still the best in my opinion. ANYWAY, I'll keep you posted.
-
I tried few different batteries and settled on enercell by radio shack, alkaline batteries.
-
Hey Greg - I tend to believe that there may be some truth to the 'wet cell' theory. Batteries are not free from 'noise'. Its worth experimenting. I was surprised to find that I liked high power NiMH over lower amperage LiPo4. Not sure though. Lots of psycho wacko shit here.
-
Update, I have removed the 'PJ' and the Q works fine. Being the experimenter that I am, I have ordered two chokes to drop in. In the meantime, I will take a closer look at the PJ to see what I might have miss-wired. Assuming that I did make some mistake, could the transistors or voltage regulators be damaged?
-
It is possible of damaged to silicon parts but if you can use an ohm meter, pull the parts and check them, if you have a diode tester on your meter you can check diodes and transistors, most fluke meters have this option.
-
HA HA HA-HA-HAHA! I just installed those Hammond chokes that I threatened to try earlier. On the onset, I like the soundstage that is deepened by them. It is a darker sound, and the only complaint is that I might have to move the Q up onto the roof, where there may be no hum.
-
I solved the hum by grounding the Quickie to the DAC/amp etc.
-
HA HA HA-HA-HAHA! I just installed those Hammond chokes that I threatened to try earlier. On the onset, I like the soundstage that is deepened by them. It is a darker sound, and the only complaint is that I might have to move the Q up onto the roof, where there may be no hum.
What output caps are you using?
-
Update, I have removed the 'PJ' and the Q works fine. Being the experimenter that I am, I have ordered two chokes to drop in. In the meantime, I will take a closer look at the PJ to see what I might have miss-wired. Assuming that I did make some mistake, could the transistors or voltage regulators be damaged?
Greg,
What chocks did you order and where did you order from?
Cheers,
Stephen
-
Well, I have installed Solen caps. That is hard to say what/if they affected the sound to the dark side since they were installed at the same time as the chokes.
I chose Hammond chokes, and wonder if Magnaquest makes chokes with the same values. I got them from a place in N.Y. called ....dam, Eric, what is the name of that place?
Interesting thing, last night as I was messing around with the Q hum, I discovered two things: The Q is NOT responsible for all the hum. An old Carver unit is part of it, and to a much snmaller degree, my integrated amp has a little. The Q itself may be only amplifying the existing hum when turned up. ALSO, I have to tell you guys, I just HAD to see what was inside my old Yamaha SACD player. Good lord! No wonder it sold for $1,000 new. Pretty impressive innards.
-
Yeah, the Quickie doesn't really have a way to generate it's own hum since it uses batteries. Hum problems are due to ground loops betwen the Quickie and some other gear, or the Quickie picking up stray fields from other gear. So the usual solutions are improved grounding between the pieces of gear and increased distance from gear with strong radiated fileds.
-
I changed IC's and shielded ones are better for reducing hum in this case. Once that was taken care of, I began listening to Elton Johns' 'Tumbleweed Connection'. Now that all noise is gone, I heard something that surprised me. On songs like Amoreena, I could hear the vibration of the strings on the honky-tonk piano. Just another benefit of getting it right.