New Smash

[Alonzo]

First of my 2015 projects done.  Mostly stock with a few changes that I had on hand (choke and bypassed last power supply cap, and upgraded Clarity caps).  Next in line is a Tode or SmashUp, which ever delivers first.
Happy New Year!

[Grainger49]

Nice work Alonzo!  But it is no surprise.

The combination of volume and balance is so rare these days.  I think balance controls are disappearing.

I had to smile seeing the Obbligato oil and polypropylene film cap.  They are so good and cheap.

Happy New Year to you and yours.

[galyons]

Nicely done!!  The 270 ohm PS resistor is just crying out to be replaced with a choke.  What did you use to bypass the last PS cap, the Obbligato value? My Smashup will likely be delivered today. (short hop from Seattle to SF Bay Area!)  I will get that in and then order the choke. 

Cheers,
Geary

[Alonzo]

Thanks Grainger,
Haven't decided on a stain for the base yet.  Lots of dyes to chose from.  It's sitting on a granite piece so almost no ringing from the tubes.  It has increased the hum in my systems, I've reset the hum pots and it's still there, I'll spend this weekend chasing that to roost.  Happy New Year and best of health for 2015!!!

Hi Geary, it's a 2.2 Obbligato oiler, I don't have a scope anymore to see if it made a difference but I've used them before and it's a cheap experiment. 

[gh0st]

My Smashup will likely be delivered today.

Your smashup shipped already? When did you order it? 

[galyons]

Your smash up shipped already? When did you order it? 

Yes.  Arrived last night. I ordered it when it was first put up on the products page in November. Hope to get it installed this week. Josh shipped it out New Year's eve. I really appreciate his dedication!!  I live in the SF Bay area, so not a long trek!

Cheers,
Geary

[gh0st]

I ordered it when it was first put up on the products page in November. Hope to get it installed this week. Josh shipped it out New Year's eve.

Maybe they're doing international orders in another batch, I ordered mine during Doctober

[Alonzo]

Currently it sounds like crap, expensive crap but crap still.  I have a low level hum and a scratchiness/spitting sound in both channels.  But it's brand new and will sound bad until the tubes and caps have had a chance to breakin.  I also believe the choke forms somewhat after it plays awhile and affects the sound but that may just be my unintelligent beliefs and not actually true.  So it's plugged in and Blue Note radio is playing thru for the next 100 or so hours.  We'll see how it sounds come Wednesday/Thursday.
I changed out the stock power cord for a bottlehead one and the hum decreased so a new cord is on order.   Looking at new interconnects, currently using various blue jean cables, are there any recommendations on better IC's?
Along with the SmashUp I'm going to put in this passive attenuator (modified BeeQuiet).  Will have to make some calculations and change some resistors, I think, but I don't need the balance pot after all and this was the passive I had in the system (reuse as much as possible or it just clutters up the garage).

[Alonzo]

First listen after running continuous from the 4th, definite improvement.  Picking up EMI or RFI from all the electronics in the room, moved the Sonos, modem, network switch and lifted the speaker wires off the floor.  This dropped the ticking/hash sound by 80%,  I will try more re-arranging this weekend and try to find and correct the low level hum I have.
Love the purple OD3 glow.

[Alonzo]

Found my electronic hash and ticking sounds.  I had the optical out of the Sonos to my Dac bundled with other cables to get a neat and clean wire bundle.  Took it out and coiled it up and "da da daaaa" no more interference.  Isolated my hum source to my tweeter amp, the Smash just elevated the hum that was already in my system.  Probably my grid chokes since it's not affected by the hum pots and the wiring placement is duplicate of another amp without hum.  I'll move them around this weekend...

Is the SmashUp install segmented enough for me to leave in the OD3 if I want?
Anyone have a source or size of gromments or O-rings to use under the Smash tubes or small weighted rings to fit over the tube? 
Thanks,
Alonzo

[galyons]

Found my electronic hash and ticking sounds.  I had the optical out of the Sonos to my Dac bundled with other cables to get a neat and clean wire bundle.  Took it out and coiled it up and "da da daaaa" no more interference.  Isolated my hum source to my tweeter amp, the Smash just elevated the hum that was already in my system.  Probably my grid chokes since it's not affected by the hum pots and the wiring placement is duplicate of another amp without hum.  I'll move them around this weekend...

Is the SmashUp install segmented enough for me to leave in the OD3 if I want?
Anyone have a source or size of gromments or O-rings to use under the Smash tubes or small weighted rings to fit over the tube? 
Thanks,
Alonzo

Pretty much the same for my Smash.  I had to move my Squeezebox Touch up three shelves to eliminate the ticking and digital hash that the Smash was picking up.   The DAC & PSU weren't a problem, just the Touch. 

The Smashup is segmented, but PB posted that there not enough current headroom to drive the C4S and the OD3.

The circuit is part of the kit, and is included with the manual.

There isn't really enough current available in the stock power supply setup to run the C4S boards and the 0D3.  You'd really want to replace the 1K 25W resistor with a 50mA C4S, and the thermal load on that setup would require a massive heatsink. (Just look at how massive that resistor is in the first place!)

-PB

Hope to get the smash-up built and installed this weekend!

Cheers,
Geary

[Alonzo]

Well, sh*%, I like my little purple bottle.  I'll enjoy it while I can, my SmashUp hasn't been shipped yet.

[corndog71]

Well, sh*%, I like my little purple bottle.  I'll enjoy it while I can, my SmashUp hasn't been shipped yet.

I feel the same way.  Almost makes me want to build something just for the OD3.  Just to have that purple glow. 

[Alonzo]

More use, more great sound.  I ordered a pair of 6db attenuators to use on the 2 outputs, it killed the liveliness of the full range horns but it's wonderful on my tweeter amp. Hum dropped to an acceptable range with the attenuators and new IC's.  I also found out that my meshplate 2A3's are prone to hum.  Still would like to get it lower but its going to be a long process I think.
I'm switching between silicon rings and gasket material under the Smash tubes to help in the microphonics and I have some small divers weights on top to help.  Both seem to help, no clear winner.
Waiting on the SmashUp and power cord delivery, that and replacing the balance/ volume pots should be the final changes.

[Paul Birkeland]

replacing the balance/ volume pots should be the final changes.

After DACs ship, we'll be working on the attenuator upgrade for the Smash.

-PB