PJCCS vs. choke - ok now I get it!

[earwaxxer]

I've only been using the Quickie as my go to preamp for a few years, so I guess I'm a little slow on the uptake, but I think I have "discovered" the sound differences between the three options for plate resistance! I have had the PJCCS in and out many times vs. the chokes, and I always settle on the chokes, for some reason. I'm usually not happy with the "for some reason part" for very long. If I dont know "why" then I cant claim its real (at least to myself, because I'm the only one who cares).

Well, I went back to square one to find out why.. Put the resistors back in and have a listen. Thats right, stock el-cheap-o resistors. Its funny what can happen when you try different types of audio parts, to do the same thing. You tend to learn something! The nay sayers quickly chime in that "its all the same", "it cant make a difference etc". Anyway thats another topic...

It was pretty obvious right off, the resistors reduced the size and stage and "sterilized" the tubiness. Good "sound" none the less. The soul was not there. Put the chokes back in. Now that was interesting. For the first time I "heard" the chokes. IMO, they added a sort of artificial "reverb", almost like a SRS digital type of enhancement. Wow! I would have never heard that. I'm not a fan of any kind of digital sound processing by the way, just for the record.

Now the PJCCS. Ok now I get it! I was seduced away from what the PJCCS does by the "largeness" of the chokes. The PJCCS has some very nice characteristics. Much more realistic, IMO than the chokes. Not quite as seductive thought. Thats ok. The bass is better, its all a bit tighter. If you want trippy I think the chokes are good. I'm sticking with the PJCCS. Of course, theres the option of modding the PJCCS parts. See, theres always something! - My headstone is going to read "Wait.. Just one more mod!"

[corndog71]

Nice Breakdown, Eric.  I never did pick up those chokes to try.  The quickie definitely loses some resolution without the PJCCS but I could still easily live with it in a pinch.  I'm super tempted to go for the BeePre but I have other projects to build first.

[Paul Joppa]

One thing we have never tried is a full C4S in the Quickie. The PJCCS runs perhaps a few hundred Kohms impedance, vs. ~5Meg for the C4S - all compared to the 4K resistor.

The problem with the C4S is it does not have the ability to adapt to falling battery voltages. So it would basically only work well with a NiCd, NIMH, or other rechargeable battery with fairly constant discharge voltage. And of course the C4S eats up several volts of battery (around 3v) so you'd need a real 36v (30 NiCd cells). And it consumes more current to keep the LEDs well lit. And the improved PSRR shouldn't make any difference since the battery itself is very quiet. But that's all theory; nobody knows until someone tries it.

Just sayin' ...

[Paul Birkeland]

One thing we have never tried is a full C4S in the Quickie. The PJCCS runs perhaps a few hundred Kohms impedance, vs. ~5Meg for the C4S - all compared to the 4K resistor.

There's a line powered, shunt regulated, C4S'd Quickie in one of the display cases at the office

[earwaxxer]

Hey PB, any idea how it sounds with the C4S? Just curious...

[4krow]

  I'm the guy that wants an instant way to compare w/o all the soldering. I too, have heard the difference with the chokes, and I will confess that I like the PJJS better because of it's resolution. With that being said, I'm sure that it would vary from one recording to another, and sure, the ability to switch on the fly is the thing I can think of. Any suggestions? Maybe buy 2 Quickies and switch between them? ha!

[Doc B.]

  Any suggestions? Maybe buy 2 Quickies and switch between them? ha!

That's how we do a lot of evaluative listening here.

[4krow]

Ok, so now, I'm thinking that I will build a little Quckie rack.

[earwaxxer]

That would be cool! You could quickly switch the quickies. You would be the Q mod expert!

[4krow]

And, annnd , make a place on the side where you could just plug in any cap you want. Eric, this would be considered special order for you.

[earwaxxer]

Greg, who are you? I feel like I just dont know you anymore... Have you been taking the pot?!

[aragorn723]

And, annnd , make a place on the side where you could just plug in any cap you want. Eric, this would be considered special order for you.

Maybe you could use a breadboard for that!

[Paul Birkeland]

I you have a Q 1.0, you could solder in 4 alligator clips into the circuit - just use some heatshrink on the ones soldered to the tube socket.  (To get the alligator clip to solder to the tube socket, solder a little bare wire onto the pin, then solder the alligator clip onto the bare wire.

I suppose Q1.1 would take the modification a bit better.

-PB

(For anybody else reading this, this is not applicable to any other kits)