Bottleneck Linestage Competition and Audio Meet - June 18

dbishopbliss · 9324

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Offline dbishopbliss

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The MD/VA/DC/DE/PA/NJ Bottleneck Linestage Competition will be on Saturday, June 18 in Reston, VA.  Private Message me for the exact address.  The competition is to build a line stage under $100 that uses Russian tubes. This time, the chassis needs to come from Target. The rules are at the link below.

http://829b.com/LineStageCompetition.aspx

As an added bonus, Bottlehead's own Paul Joppa is planning on attending. 

Remember, you do not have to submit an entry to participate in the judging so please do not hesitate to join us!

David B Bliss
Bottlehead: Foreplay I, Foreplay III, Paramour I w/Iron Upgrade, S.E.X. w/Iron Upgrade
Speakers: FE127E Metronomes, Jim Griffin Jordan/Aurum Cantus Monitors, ART Arrays
Other: Lightspeed Attenuator, "My Ref" Rev C Amps, Lampucera DAC


Offline RayP

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Reply #1 on: May 15, 2011, 06:32:50 AM
Finally this morning I got rid of the buzz / hum from my 6N6P linestage. It has been bugging me for some time and I've been re-soldering, rewiring, changing layout etc to no avail. Finally changed the power transformer and that did the trick. Initially it sounds pretty good but quite different to the 6S17K-V.

How about a car pool for those who are north of North East, MD who would come down on I-95. Any takers?

ray

Ray Perry


Offline dbishopbliss

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The VA, MD, DE, PA, NY and WA (Paul Joppa is attending) Bottleneck meeting is this Saturday, June 18.  People should start arriving around 10:00 so we can officially kick things off around 11:00 AM.  We will be conducting our $99 linestage competition, but we may also have time to listen to other equipment that people would like to share.  Even if you do not have an entry, please feel free to join us with your ears.

Before I was building audio equipment, I was entering chili competitions.  I won the Washington D.C. competition in 1998 and went to the national competition in Terlingua, Texas (where I didn't even place in the top 100).  I plan on making a pot of chili and having some other snacks as well. 

Send me a private message for the address if you want to attend.

David

David B Bliss
Bottlehead: Foreplay I, Foreplay III, Paramour I w/Iron Upgrade, S.E.X. w/Iron Upgrade
Speakers: FE127E Metronomes, Jim Griffin Jordan/Aurum Cantus Monitors, ART Arrays
Other: Lightspeed Attenuator, "My Ref" Rev C Amps, Lampucera DAC


Offline RayP

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Reply #3 on: June 12, 2011, 08:22:32 AM
I've updated the website with some photos of my replacement for the blue bowl. Go about two thirds of the way down. There is also a photo of my 6N6P entry and a photo of a failed bucket.

http://829b.com/russianlinestage.aspx

By the way, I will be driving down from North East, MD. If anybody wants to ride with me, let me know.

ray

Ray Perry


Offline debk

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Reply #4 on: June 12, 2011, 09:50:29 AM
Looking forward to the competition.  See you all on Saturday

Deb

Debra K

Eros 2Phono amp
BeePre2, Psvane ACME 300b
Kaiju, Linlai Elite  300b
Monamour 2a3 amps various tubes
Sota Sapphire, Pete Riggle Woody Tonearm, Kiseki Purpleheart Cartridge
Rega P6 Ania Pro cartridge
Roon Nucleus
MHDT Labs Orchid DAC
Jager speakers


Offline dbishopbliss

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Reply #5 on: June 15, 2011, 03:25:09 AM
Bump.

Please send me a PM if you need the address or directions of the meet on Saturday.

David

David B Bliss
Bottlehead: Foreplay I, Foreplay III, Paramour I w/Iron Upgrade, S.E.X. w/Iron Upgrade
Speakers: FE127E Metronomes, Jim Griffin Jordan/Aurum Cantus Monitors, ART Arrays
Other: Lightspeed Attenuator, "My Ref" Rev C Amps, Lampucera DAC


Offline 2wo

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Reply #6 on: June 15, 2011, 05:40:08 PM
Looks like I can come. I have no entry but I will bring my SR-45 and maybe a DAC or 2.

Ray, you spoke of car pooling. I will be going down I95 I could pick you up and Fritz as well if he is coming. Send me a note...John 

John S.


Offline RayP

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Reply #7 on: June 16, 2011, 08:19:38 AM
Great. I've sent you a pm. My suggestion is Lot 2 at Cecil College at 8am.

http://www.cecil.edu/about/map/northeast.asp

ray

Ray Perry


Offline 2wo

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Reply #8 on: June 16, 2011, 11:38:30 AM
OK, sent you one back. How much stuff do have to bring?...John

John S.


Offline RayP

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Reply #9 on: June 16, 2011, 12:22:02 PM
The 6s17k-v and the 6n6p.

ray

Ray Perry


Offline rock4016

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Reply #10 on: June 17, 2011, 04:29:17 AM
Looks like I won't be able to make it, say hi to everyone for me.

-Joel



Offline RayP

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Reply #11 on: June 19, 2011, 03:10:21 AM
We had a great time listening to the entries.
Ray's 6N6P
Davids Light Speed (a ringer)
Deb's 6N6P
David's 6N23P (correct me if I am wrong)
Ray's 6S17K-V

After the first round, the 6N23P and 6S17K-V entries were tied and well ahead in the scoring. They went thru to the final round where David's 6N23P beat my 6S17K-V by one vote so congratulations to David who also won the prize for best use of the container from Target. I will post photos later and Paul J took a bunch on photos as well.

I took a look at the scoring sheets that I picked up yesterday and though the final scores show two groups of scores (12, 12) (21, 22, 23) (lower is better), the individual voting patterns were all over the place. For example, I really liked Deb's 6N6P.

We had very different opinions on the lightspeed, it ranked 1st or 2nd or last with quite a few lasts. It looks like we all pick on different aspects and some mean more to us than others.

One thing we might think about next time is to have two rounds for the entire group of entries. The 1st round would have just one track so that we can have a more recent aural memory to compare against, particularly with unfamiliar music. Then have a 2nd round (same order) where first impressions can be updated. The 2nd round could have more tracks. Then move on to the final round.

Incidently, we are thinking of a speaker competition for next year. Steve will pick a four inch driver that is not too expensive and you can only use that driver. No $$ limit on the box. We haven't set the rules yet but I was thinking that if you decide to enter you will need to specify the design so that we don't get 3 frugel horns (version 3) turning up. We would want all designs to be different.

So many thanks to David for hosting and for providing the excellent chili. His listening area makes me jealous, especially having a separate work room.

We were also very pleased to talk to Paul J and of course drink the west coast beer he brought along.

And of course, I thank John for driving me back and forth to the meet.

ray


Ray Perry


Offline dbishopbliss

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Reply #12 on: June 19, 2011, 06:24:50 AM
The tube I used was a 6N3P.  I will send you the circuit and BOM soon.  As I mentioned during the meet yesterday my original design was a bit more complicated.  I wanted to have a regulated power supply and constant current sources on the VA stage (I think I have my terminology correct). Not to mention, I wanted to have those large 10uF film caps in the power supply. 

However, I could not get rid of the bad hum so I simplified by having a CLCRC power supply using all electrolytics.  That didn't get rid of it all so I replaced the constant current source with an LED.  Then I couldn't fit the film caps in my enclosure. 

In the end, the circuit was very similar to a Foreplay I with some very minor adjustments.

Lots of fun yesterday!  Thank you all for coming.

David B Bliss
Bottlehead: Foreplay I, Foreplay III, Paramour I w/Iron Upgrade, S.E.X. w/Iron Upgrade
Speakers: FE127E Metronomes, Jim Griffin Jordan/Aurum Cantus Monitors, ART Arrays
Other: Lightspeed Attenuator, "My Ref" Rev C Amps, Lampucera DAC


Offline debk

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Reply #13 on: June 19, 2011, 02:26:07 PM
Just got home to Northern NY.  Had a fantastic time! It was great to meet everyone, and thank you David for hosting this.  Looking forward to the next competition.

Deb

Debra K

Eros 2Phono amp
BeePre2, Psvane ACME 300b
Kaiju, Linlai Elite  300b
Monamour 2a3 amps various tubes
Sota Sapphire, Pete Riggle Woody Tonearm, Kiseki Purpleheart Cartridge
Rega P6 Ania Pro cartridge
Roon Nucleus
MHDT Labs Orchid DAC
Jager speakers


Offline 2wo

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Reply #14 on: June 19, 2011, 03:40:29 PM
Thanks David for hosting and for the great chili. Congrats on winning, I must say it was hard to pick, there was one I liked for it's image another it's drive and so on. I think the difference could come down to caps and break in. Also I found it hard to remember what #1 sounded like by the time #5 was played.

In retrospect I wonder if we should have had, 2 at a time go head to head, switched back and forth a few times. then the winners of each heat go to the final.   

I was great to see everyone and it was nice of Paul to make a special trip all the was out here, just to be on the panel ;)...John 

John S.