Recent Posts

81
Moreplay / Re: Moreplay add ons - were there still any upgrades planned?
« Last post by Bateman147 on November 13, 2024, 03:48:07 PM »
No worries Dan - we can wait.  You guys definitely made the right decision putting out the first ones you had.

Looking forward to hearing reports from those that got in on this batch!
82
Moreplay / Re: Moreplay add ons - were there still any upgrades planned?
« Last post by Love Rhino on November 13, 2024, 03:14:07 PM »
Sigh, that moment when you realize the thread you've been following for months has gone into junk, along with the newsletter.

Thanks, microsoft outlook, I love you so. 

What's another few months?
83
Crack / Re: "Ticking" interference
« Last post by mcrushing on November 13, 2024, 03:00:37 PM »
Resolved.

The screws were already mighty tight and all the joints and wiring looked fine. But you were right on the money...the culprit was a mesh router, about 4-5 feet away.  Like I said, this is a temporary configuration. The Raspberry Pi feeding the amp was hard wired into that, so I dug up the longest Cat5 I could find and moved the amp an additional 10 feet from that router.

Tomb-like silence. Thanks for your help. 
84
Moreplay / Re: Moreplay add ons - were there still any upgrades planned?
« Last post by Doc B. on November 13, 2024, 08:32:00 AM »
There were plenty in stock at our distributor for an initial run when we were first getting ready to write the manual. Unfortunately by the time we actually found time to write the manual and pull the parts list together for an initial parts order the supply had been depleted. We could have made the decision to put the release on hold until the next round of pots came in, but there was so much buzz about this kit that we thought it best to release what we could. Delivery times are often pretty conservative from that distributor. Hopefully we will see the pots before their ETA.
85
Eros Phono / Re: Eros 2 Step-up Transformers
« Last post by Paul Joppa on November 12, 2024, 06:19:21 PM »
To amplify (sic) PB's points, Jensen warns that for best performance the secondary load must have very low capacitance - a couple feet of coax (100pF) is more than enough to harm the high frequencies. Eros is especially well suited to use transformers, because it uses a pentode input tube with about 4pF input capacitance.

This is different from moving magnet carts, most of which are designed for 100-500pF in parallel with the 47K input resistor. A 3 to 6 foot cable accounts for about half of that, and the typical triode input stage Miller capacitance accounts for the rest.
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Eros Phono / Re: Eros 2 Step-up Transformers
« Last post by Paul Birkeland on November 12, 2024, 05:10:22 PM »
Wouldn't the external SUT be easier to shield? I'm thinking about using an external SUT instead of the Sowter/Jensen/Cinemag to avoid shielding issues.
I would suggest considering that we have tested the placement of the Sowter transformers on the Eros 2 to verify appropriate placement and that they don't interact with the power transformer.  You also won't need to deal with another set of interconnects and another drain wire to connect the Eros to the separate box that holds the transformers.
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Eros Phono / Re: Eros 2 Step-up Transformers
« Last post by maarten on November 12, 2024, 04:10:26 PM »
Shielding is key.  I had external SUTs and a gen 1 Eros prior to the Eros 2 with Sowter transformers, and I had a very difficult time getting things quiet with my original setup.

Wouldn't the external SUT be easier to shield? I'm thinking about using an external SUT instead of the Sowter/Jensen/Cinemag to avoid shielding issues.
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Crack / Re: "Ticking" interference
« Last post by Paul Birkeland on November 12, 2024, 03:05:48 PM »
The cap provides a path from your cable shielding and the input audio ground to earth that's very short and keeps it out of the input of your amp.

Problems like these are almost always just proximity to a Wi-Fi/cellular equipped device that's overly noisy.

You'd have to do more experiments to see if metal is doing a better job at eliminating whatever issue you're having compared to your watery appendages.  These situations can be very difficult to predict with much certainty unless you kinda go all the way (a full aluminum box with RF tape.
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Crack / Re: "Ticking" interference
« Last post by mcrushing on November 12, 2024, 02:45:10 PM »
Cool, thanks Paul.

I'll do screws first, and also check the joints while I'm under the hood.
Just for my own electronics enrichment, I have a few questions when you get a minute.

1. It occurred to me to blame the input wiring because it's the closest thing in proximity to my hand when I placed it on the side of the wooden case. But if those wires were picking up noise and I'm hearing it on the output, it seems to me the volume would affect it...which it doesn't. Did you not mention it because you'd already ruled it out? 

2. What's the cap actually doing in this application? My assumption is decoupling AC to break a possible ground loop. Why that location, though?

3. Why do body parts effectively shield electronics from RF even when they don't have an obvious path to ground? If putting my hand against the wooden side panel stops the amp from picking up interference, why wouldn't putting a hunk of permeable metal in that same spot work?
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Moreplay / Re: Moreplay add ons - were there still any upgrades planned?
« Last post by Bateman147 on November 12, 2024, 01:25:17 PM »
Well - the rest of us will just have to wait til then - and be envious of all the reports of greatness !  😁

This morning I thought I'd better order an upgrade kit today in case they sell out - doh!!

I'm glad for you guys that there's that much demand, but...