Winter is coming!

[Ivan303]

Time for a new project.

And soon, before I get too old and/or go blind.

Eros 2 seems a good project, depending:  Will I like the sound?  Certainly a circuit created for tape playback would seem a good start. 

Over the years Bottlehead kits have moved up the audiophile 'sound chain' quite a bit. Make that a whole lot!

If my recently built 'MonAmours' are a fair representation of what Bottlehead is capable of putting together today, likely not a problem. They are so far above and beyond the original 'Paramours' of a couple decades ago in SQ as to seem from a different audio manufacturer.  Even the S.E.X. kit has advanced to acceptable audiophile levels (at least for a 'spud' amp) as a pair of them sound quite decent when bi-amping my EdgarHorns.

But one can go TOO far.  I feel the BeePre 2 sounds almost solid state!  Decent solid state, but still... And with 300Bs yet!  Even WE 300Bs! 

I'd be replacing a two-decade-old DIY HIFI Supply 'Cole' phono -pre.  It was a kit I build 20 odd years ago and based on an Opera Audio design with internal step-ups.  Built with silver mica caps in the RIAA plus upgraded resistors and ridiculous cryoed, triple-mica, black plate GE 5751 tubes.  Pic below doing duty as the shoot-out winner phono pre of choice at the first RMAF in the Teres/Cogent room.  That's it with the wooden front on the stand next to Chris Brady's 'Cocobolo Wedding Cake' TT.

Just bought a new/old Lenco in a near 50 lb. plinth (pictured below).  The Lenco guts were rebuilt with a bunch of upgrades, added a Sorane arm/Hana 'Umami' Blue cartridge and a cover.  Amazing what a properly set up idler table can sound like and it's deserving of the best in a tube phono.  At least that's my thinking. and...

Winter is coming!

It would be my intention to install Cinemag step-ups, custom-wound for 100 Ohm load and matching the Hana Blue, plus any recommended upgrades (and maybe one or two that are not recommended?). .

Most of the reviews compare the Eros with earlier Bottlehead offerings.   While I believe them and have no doubt the Eros 2 would be way above the level of a seduction (no slouch in its day), I wonder if anyone has compared the Eros to current commercial tube offerings of other manufacturers?

Also guessing NOTHING under $1,000 needs to be mentioned in the same sentence?

Thoughts of all visiting this board much appreciated.

Thanks!

[Paul Birkeland]

For that cartridge, a 1:12 step-up would be a nice choice. 

[Ivan303]

Currently using a Cinemag 3440A at 1:20 (Cinemag claims 150 Ohms) in a eBay kit box made for Cinemag step ups. Poor man's Bob's devices.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/276408327532?_skw=cinemag&itmmeta=01JA1HB1WREH11J2Q1KBEZY5C0&hash=item405b385d6c:g:essAAOSwyLtmC0Ld&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKnbqgcd4Emy2uiHVw6zw6jaikNxHcIklr9B2dNQ%2FvvxOxTMVAT52ON23ntSpGh09%2F60R4T%2BCxCv4Cc19PaAfalbRDvJ9CKhGbllAGl1S9WtY%2BA6U59oiT5cmJSJaYkIWyUtbtR2%2Bui2JS1OzYhiFx732GGay1%2BVUvnloPGE49Sc9gBPfNCwO3DNnq3Q9X7vo5AVHKwsXSKno6BoMBmIpRYgcuWouO1RPcAMxnCce4UFbGHVEfFI%2Bs40fOCZNKRGx38cpEer8RLd8ijphAKeY5FP%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8CerLHQZA

$30 for the box plus the transformers and it sounds great.  And no hummmmm.

Would prefer step ups built into phono stage and maybe the 'better' Cinemag CM-1254.  Looks to be an easy task as the hole size is just right in the Eros 2.

Looks to be an easy, straight forward kit compared to others I've built.  I'm good with populating circuit boards, it's attaching all of those stacked transformers and plastic grommets in small spaces as in the two S.E.X amps that are a pain.

[Paul Birkeland]

For a 1:20 step-up, you'll step down the 47K resistors across the RCA jacks by a factor of 400, which is about 120 ohms, plus some copper in there, so the 150 ohm rating seems reasonable.

[Ivan303]

Yep, that's what my math says as well. 

For some reason the Cinemag site claims 150 Ohms using the 1:20 taps and 37.5 ohms using the 1:40 tap (my math says 29.3 ohms).  Transformer losses? 

But for sure the Hana 'Blue' sings at 150 ohms (as does a 20 yo Shelter 501 mk II at the same load) and it's enough 'step up' for my current phono preamp.

I added a switch to the front of the 'poor man's Bob's devises' so I could use both. 

Anyone wishing to make their own high quality step up box using Cinemag ore even Octal  plug-in step-up and maybe even the Sowters should check up the offerings at the ebay seller at the above post and link.  $30 for everything you need except the transformers themselves.