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Offline ebag4

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Reply #30 on: May 27, 2011, 06:46:02 AM
Ed,

If the AmpOhms are burned in then you can clip them in with jumpers, you ought to have a dozen, just to check easily and quickly.
Hi Grainger,
I should have been more clear.  The Ampohms are 2.2uF caps that are about the size of a red bull can.  I would install these in place of the 2.2 uF Obbligatos that I am currently using.

Best,
Ed   

GO CARDS!!!


Offline ebag4

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Reply #31 on: May 29, 2011, 02:37:08 AM
Hey guys, I have made some progress on my build.  I have also ordered a JJ ECC81 Gold pin matched triode tube and a pair of Mundorf .1 uF caps for the coupling cap position.

Here are some pics of the build, now I need to take it apart and put a finish on it.

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Famp_complete_unfinished_top.JPG&hash=78bdf742025e54a1df7473512119ee3ac9ead077)

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Famp_complete_unfinished_top_front.JPG&hash=c98d89b280ab8487e7e9ca8dd03e250e8a070b43)

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Famp_complete_unifnished_side.JPG&hash=1d17ece986c926f54fce8529859b7e7149d7f6ff)

Best,
Ed

GO CARDS!!!


Offline InfernoSTi

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Reply #32 on: May 29, 2011, 11:12:25 PM
Ed,

That cover is really looking good.  Very creative and excellent craftsmanship. I like the clever use of the BH logo to cover the volume pot hole, too!  I can't tell what the little wood part is on the left covering the selector switch hole (old eyes).

This is really coming together.  I noticed a pretty big performance swing or two during burn in...more than I had found with the SPUD project.  It really settled down for me after about 120 hours and is even smoother after about 250 hours (YMMV).

Thank you for posting photos of the progress as you go!

John

John Kessel
Hawthorne Audio AMT K2 Reference Speakers
Paramount 300B w/MQ All Nickel Iron,  Mundorf S/G 5.5 uF,  and  Vcap Teflon .1 uF
Auralic Taurus Preamp/Auralic Vega DAC/Auralic Aries Streamer
and lots of room treatments!


Offline ebag4

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Reply #33 on: May 30, 2011, 12:33:01 PM
Thanks John.  I started applying the finish today, it shuld really bring out the character in the wood.  The lttle block was something I was experimenting with, I am trying to figure a way to engrave or apply the words "Bottlehead Stereomour" on it but I don't think my woodburning skills are up to the task. 

With regard to the sound it is really starting to smooth out today, much better with a little over 60 hrs on it.

I'll post again once it is complete.

Best,
Ed

GO CARDS!!!


Offline InfernoSTi

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Reply #34 on: May 31, 2011, 01:40:48 AM
That makes sense on the piece of wood.  How about the piece of wood but with a pilot light so you can tell from a glance it is powered on? 

Enjoy the music....

John

John Kessel
Hawthorne Audio AMT K2 Reference Speakers
Paramount 300B w/MQ All Nickel Iron,  Mundorf S/G 5.5 uF,  and  Vcap Teflon .1 uF
Auralic Taurus Preamp/Auralic Vega DAC/Auralic Aries Streamer
and lots of room treatments!


Offline ebag4

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Reply #35 on: June 01, 2011, 11:39:51 AM
Hey guys, the amp is complete!  I have about 90 hours on it now and it is really coming into it's own, it is really sounding fantastic!  I have swapped out the stock 12A7T with a JJ E81CC gold pin, that made an improvement but I really think the hours are starting to add up and the amp is setteling in.  I have some Mundoerf Silver/Oil .1 uF on the way that I will be switching into the coupling position. 

Here are a few pics of the amp and system:

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2FBase_and_cover_finished.JPG&hash=90bf24b4f41a6e639ac6f669b00e9e9c5da6bb12)
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Ffinished_amp_front_1.JPG&hash=745f227bae593effb9d541c6061181f1f5714fa5)
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Ffinished_amp_side.JPG&hash=2e34a04b62b1ba80dbad801bcedc191377ceee27)
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Ffinished_amp_top.JPG&hash=7ef4d84d8f59dc5c165a18350c207781c1b6ddb6)
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Fequipment_front.JPG&hash=93a9acaf9583ff654fe1f63f4286030da056c5da)
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Fsystem_2.JPG&hash=24446b276f74a43d2559ded0c30177b65399cb81)
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Fsystem_3.JPG&hash=99b24ea53f6d668e732072dbdd6efca967b793df)


Please excuse the mess and unfinished acoustic treatment projects.

Best,
Ed

GO CARDS!!!


Offline InfernoSTi

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Reply #36 on: June 01, 2011, 03:19:54 PM
Gorgeous!  And  like those speakers. And the Dodd Audio.  And the curved diffusion wall.  And the gnome....

John Kessel
Hawthorne Audio AMT K2 Reference Speakers
Paramount 300B w/MQ All Nickel Iron,  Mundorf S/G 5.5 uF,  and  Vcap Teflon .1 uF
Auralic Taurus Preamp/Auralic Vega DAC/Auralic Aries Streamer
and lots of room treatments!


Offline ebag4

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Reply #37 on: June 01, 2011, 04:07:27 PM
Gorgeous!  And  like those speakers. And the Dodd Audio.  And the curved diffusion wall.  And the gnome....

Thanks John.  The speakers are GR Research V1's, full OB.  Each speaker has 2 12" servo woofers and a servo amp for 200 Hz and down.  The Stereomour is hi-passed at about 140 Hz feeding the coax.  3.5 watts is PLENTY of power for these speakers!

That's not just any gnome, that is a University of Louisville Cardinals gnome!!

Best,
Ed

GO CARDS!!!


Offline InfernoSTi

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Reply #38 on: June 01, 2011, 05:23:04 PM
It's funny, I have a set of Danny Ritchey designed (box) speakers that I use with a P-P Jolida on my HT set up (two channel old school).  I don't care what folks may say, I love Danny's taste in crossovers and speakers. I guess it just works for me.

And it's even funnier that I have been in a gnome war for about 8 years with a former co-worker and we are still at it even both having moved to different cities.  No lawn or office is safe between the two of us!

John

John Kessel
Hawthorne Audio AMT K2 Reference Speakers
Paramount 300B w/MQ All Nickel Iron,  Mundorf S/G 5.5 uF,  and  Vcap Teflon .1 uF
Auralic Taurus Preamp/Auralic Vega DAC/Auralic Aries Streamer
and lots of room treatments!


Offline ebag4

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Reply #39 on: June 02, 2011, 03:57:47 AM
Guess I haven't heard what folks say but the V1 is my third (second actually, my first was a hybrid of Danny's OB MTM and an Augie for bass duty) speaker build designed by Danny.  The second was a pair of his N3s for my sister, excellent speakers.  I really enjoy the speakers I have heard that were designed by Danny, the V1s are outstanding and incredibly dynamic which is a great segway to my next point regarding the Stereomour.....low level dynamics!  I have never heard an amp sound this good at low levels.  You still get the entire sound spectrum even when you are playing at levels less than 60dB, incredilble!!

Best,
Ed

GO CARDS!!!


Offline Doc B.

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Reply #40 on: June 02, 2011, 04:28:18 AM
Yes, that low volume level tonal balance and resolution is a strong characteristic of parallel feed single ended triode amps.

Dan "Doc B." Schmalle
President For Life
Bottlehead Corp.


Offline Jim R.

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Reply #41 on: June 02, 2011, 04:37:47 AM
Ah, Doc, just posted almost exactly the same thing but it got eaten.  Anyway, I said something very close to the following:

Ed, yes, those low-level dynamics are very nice, and what I feel is the combination of great engineering, but also the parafeed topology, right-sized iron, and the magic of 2a3s and DHTs in general...

Then I went on to say:

I told you this BH stuff was addictive, didn't I? :-)

And Ed, when you get those JJs in there andsome time on them, fasten your seatbelt -- IMO they can make things just that much nicer.

I'm really glad to hear that you're liking this so much -- one never knows how somebody else is going to react to a piece of gear in their own system.

BTW, are those the same coax drivers Danny used in the Super Vs I heard at RMAF last year?  Those were some really nice speakers, as was the rest of the system.

-- Jim

Jim Rebman -- recovering audiophile

Equitech balanced power; uRendu, USB processor -> Musette DAC -> 5670 tube buffer -> Finale Audio F138 FFX -> Cain and Cain Abbys near-field).

s.e.x. 2.1 under construction.  Want list: Stereomour II

All ICs homemade (speaker and power next)


Offline ebag4

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Reply #42 on: June 02, 2011, 04:46:15 AM
Well the low level dynamics are icing on the cake for me, I had no idea.

Jim, the speaker I built is the V1 which was the first of this series Danny designed.  The diference between the V1 and Super V is the P-audio coax used, the V1 has a 1" tweeter and I beleive the Super V has a 2" tweeter.  Both coaxes are 12", of course the crossover for the coaxes differ from each other with the Super V being considerably more complex I believe.

Well, I have felt the amps I have been using were the bottlenecks in my system but no longer, I am really starting to love the sound I am getting from this amp!

Best,
Ed

GO CARDS!!!


Offline ebag4

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Reply #43 on: June 05, 2011, 11:57:02 AM
One last set of pics with the chassis holes covered.

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Famp_complete.JPG&hash=1749875b8cf6ccbfb4aef310b3755071a2572d2e)
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Famp_nameplate.JPG&hash=7a645e270ffccb8984a871c9e52dedbc0aa87548)
(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Fsystem_final.JPG&hash=3a9ef013d5ae2ea11814782026fa580e46dc248a)

Best,
Ed

GO CARDS!!!


Offline ebag4

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Reply #44 on: June 08, 2011, 10:43:56 AM
I received my parafeed bypass caps (Obbilgato Premium Gold) within two days of ordering them (Thanks Diana!!), great service.  I added them to the amp, no big change like there was going from the Sovtecs to the JJs, of course the caps have zero hours on them.  More as things develop.

*UPDATE*
5 hours on the new caps.  I sat down to listen and I found that things are sounding quite a bit better, soundstaging and imaging are better, music has better separation between instruments, music seems to have gained texture for lack of a better term.  A worthwhile upgrade!  Of course everything on this amp is still breaking in so I can't be certain this is all due to the caps but the improvments are a bit different than the improvements I experienced when I changed to the JJs. 

Edit 2*Nice improvement in the sustain of cymbals!!



(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hawthorneaudio.com%2Fphotos%2Falbums%2Fuserpics%2F10060%2Fparafeed_bypass_caps_2.JPG&hash=7523f5e236736bf39ad8f33136919d065b79e264)

Best,
Ed
« Last Edit: June 08, 2011, 02:15:54 PM by ebag4 »

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