Kaiju wiring - basic tuning recommendations? Polypropylene cap replacements?

[fritzthecat]

Hi Chris. I can tell you what I did to my kaiju fwiw.

Moved RCA inputs to front of chassis. Used short runs of marigo copper wire with cotton insulation for input wiring
Marigo solder
Bypassed balance pots  I also added a volume pot since I don't use a preamp
Moved speaker terminals to side and mounted on wooden chassis. Output wire is marigo copper
Used vampire speaker terminals and rcas
Used vcaps for input and mundorf silver oil for 10us
Eml mesh plate 300bs. These required some mods to bias correctly. You can read my thread on this for more info
DC regulator

Many will tell you different wire is bs but I have rewired other amps with the copper/cotton wire with good results.

Be prepared for a rocky ride with the caps. Break-in is annoying.

Hi Drew

I just ordered 0.1uF cutf VCaps and the sillver oil Mundorf supremes - there are 10uF AN Copperfoils available as well I'll gibe them a try as well in the first kit later - Thel produces 0.1 uF and larger Silver Mica Caps - maybe these might do the input job as well. For all the wiring I got 0.5 and 1mm Solidcore silver wire and for the connection from the RCAs to the vol pots I got shielded neotech solidcore silver wiring. What do you think I could replace the volume pots with - the stock PEC I don't like that much - so the have to go - maybe TKD? Or what would you recommend. As I really want to go for a silver signal path (I'll replace all non silverleadouts of components through solid core silver like Kondo does - I had a chance to visit them in Japan so I saw how they do it - amazing! If I could afford massive silver foil caps I would even go for that option. I am very courious how the pimpee Kaiju will sound compared to the stock ones. I'll post some pictures as I go ahead... Thank you and have a great day, Chris

[drewh1]

Those are trim pots for the inputs. I bypassed them completely. I added the goldpoint volume control as I use my kaiju without a preamp. I use goldpoint so that I can add a remote servo motor volume control. If you use a pre with some balance control you won't likely need them.

Can't wait to hear your report on the sound. those caps take forever to reach their potential though so it might be awhile. Some people break them in prior to installing.

I am surprised you are not using katatsuki 300bs!

Drew

[fritzthecat]

Hi Drew

I actually never heard of katatsuki 300bs - do you have experience regarding these - just had a quick glance as I am sitting in the train travelling to work...

I am very curious to find out the difference between stock and "go crazy" Kaiju! I'll keep you up to date about the progress.

Actually I am using different preamps but none of them has a balance control (ANK L4 (pimped like crazy with lots of silver following advise from Peter Qvortrup) and a MBL sand preamp and soon a bee pre I am about to order within the next few days - what do you think about this one?

Got some more questions but have to jump out of the train - will be back soon...;o)

Thank you so much and have a great day,

Chris

[galyons]

snip....

I am surprised you are not using katatsuki 300bs!

Drew

I think they are Takatsuki TA-300B  Damn fine sounding tubes. But I have only heard them in a series feed amplifier, not a parafeed.

Cheers,
Geary

[fritzthecat]

I will see if I can afford them once I am finished with my "go crazy" Kaiju... At the moment I have a completely different problem as I just finished assembling my first build - stock version - checked everything - all connections should be fine (gonna recheck again) and then I should push the button and turn it on... This is my status for four days now! I just don't dare to, I am so f.... nervous and my heartbeat is pounding like crazy as if it wants to jump out of my chest - wuaaaah.... I am always so damn nervous - just hope I manage to do it tonite! And it is even getting worse as soon I am going to start my second build using pure silver solide core wiring and the caps mentionned above. I am just wondering if it would be possible to improve the stock resistors as well - what do you think? Should I give it a try? And if yes, what resistors to use in which place? Or would that just be crazy and useless? What do you think?

Another question: I'd like to have some chrome nickel steal top plates lasered by a friend - these are mirror quality and look absolutely amazing - is anyone out there interested in joining me so we could order some more? This would save quite some money and the top plates look great - maybe I can find a picture of something else he did for me. Will be back soon...;o)

[fritzthecat]

Just attached two pics - on one you see the mirror quality chrome nickel steel covers my friend lasered for my home made power strips (they are not yet finished but soon they will) - looking forward to use them in my main system (as I have a slight hum problem and maybe with the right cables, stargrounding, graphite shielded cables etc I might get rid of it completely in the end - but this is something diffferent.

I attached the picture because I am planning is to have Kaiju top plates lasered as they look amazing - maybe someone whants to join me? Bottlehead does not provide the cad files to have them lasered - I already asked Joshua, but this no problem, or not a big thing - it is easyly possible to transfer the measurements from a existing top plate to the laser to do some more.

The other pic shows my Kaiju build number 1 - the stock version. I'm happy - all tuning parts I ordered including VCaps, Mundorfs and solid core silver wiring with teflon sheeting just got dispatched today so soon I can start building my custom version. Expect everything to arrive by friday...

Another question: What do you think - is it okay to turn the amp on (actually I am using a big Variac to slowly raise the voltage) while it is standing upright like shown? I just thought like this I can see the assembled parts and if the magic smoke is about to leave the circuit I am able to react to avoid the worst!

I am so damn nervous right now again - just feel a bit childish at the moment but I am really scared to proceed an do the final checks! I just don't want to screw it up in the last moment just before crossing the finish line - maybe someone can come over to hold my hand while turning up the Variac...;o)

So, let's do this NOW!

Thanky you guys for helping and advising me - you are great!

[drewh1]

I think they are Takatsuki TA-300B  Damn fine sounding tubes. But I have only heard them in a series feed amplifier, not a parafeed.

Cheers,
Geary

thanks for correcting my dyslexic spelling! All reviews of these tubes are excellent.  I ended up with EML Mesh plate 300b's although still quite expensive, not nearly so as the Takatsuki's.

Don't know much about pre-amps, have never used one.

[Jay]

Chris,
Did you burn your house down? Or did your Kaiju work?       

Jay

[fritzthecat]

Hi Jay - I only burned the 1.5 A fuse so far - in the evening I gonna burn the resrt of the amp...

[fritzthecat]

Regarding the manuals - it is my opinion that if we condensed the instructions to a diagram like some have suggested to me we would lose 85-90% of our customers, including most electrical engineers. But my experience in this is limited by the fact that I have only been selling kits for 21 years.

I will defend one thing - traces will lift off of anyone's PC boards with too much heat, including ours. PC boards were never intended to be reworked. That has been their Achilles' heel since they were invented.

Hi Doc

I would never suggest to condense the manuals to just a diagram as the Manuals are really great and very well written - compliments to Joshua! I just thought it would be practical to have just an overview at the end of each chapter before test procedures to make it a bit easier to recheck all connections to be made before turning up variacs or pushing switches... Never ever condense these great manuals!

Only 21 years, actually I thought you got a bit more experience...;oD

Regarding traces coming of I have to say something as well: I had to resolder on yours as well as on many of the pcbs provided by DIYaudio - and never managed to overheat them in a way that traces lifted off from the board - but the ANK ones are really bad regarding this - they eben came off while just soldering components the first time - cannot tell why but maybe Imjust got boards from a faulty production batch - who knows and I don't care anymore as now I found my favourite tube kit suppliers.

Anyway, thanx for the great kits and the great forum and the chance to learn something here!

All the best,

Chris

[fritzthecat]

Hi Chris. I can tell you what I did to my kaiju fwiw.

Be prepared for a rocky ride with the caps. Break-in is annoying.

Hi Drew

yesterday I got some parts for Kaiju number 2 and I am about to order a Bee Pre - but first I want to be on the safe side that at least one Kaiju is running smoothly - not there yet - I did not have the time to do some final checks and just turn it on - only variaced it up so far... Anyway - the Mundorfs arrived and I wonder how you got them in there they are about 4 to 5 mm longer than the space between the solder lugs - I thought of building a wooden support that allows as well to remove them again (no glue and no cableties) for them and just raise them in height so I can easily solder them. May I ask how your solution looks like? Or did you buy the EVO types which are much shorter while the diameter is higher? Would be great if you had some pics?

Thank you and have a great day,

Chris

[fritzthecat]

Hi Chris. I can tell you what I did to my kaiju fwiw.

Used vcaps for input and mundorf silver oil for 10us

Hi Drew

I just made a picture quickly to show what I mean regarding caps size.

Another possibility to solve the space issue would be to have my own top plates lasered (already mentionned in another post) and move the solder lugs a little bit -  a friend of mine - it is actually my neighbour living in the next house down the street - used to work in the lasering departement of a coffee machine company where they work a lot with chrome nickel steel in mirror quality and he still has the connections there and is able to draw the files needed for the lasering process - but this would really be a RR solution - but it would look very nice - if I go for an option like this it would be great to have a group together cause for one or two pieces it is not worth to start that laser.

What is the next project you are planning? What speakers do you actually use / own - you mentionned "your speaker developper" - I am just very curious as I am thinking about some open baffle designs - but I'm not so sure if this would work in my rooms (I have two listening rooms at the moment - maybe soon three as there are still some unused rooms in the house I live in).

And I am just thinking back and forth about ordering a bee pre as mentionned - but decided now that first the Kaijus have to be up and running. It would be great if you could share a bit of your experience regarding mods though I know you do not use a preamp at all.

Anyway - please tell me how you got the mundorfs fixed inside the Kaiju...;o)

Thank you so much, cheers

Chris

[drewh1]

I merely removed the original cap and place the mundorf inline, hanging from it's connection wires. I didn't have a problem getting under it to solder the leads. I was careful to allow as much air space between the cap and the resistor as possible.  In another post, I measured the temperature of this cap while running.

I am sure you could attach a support of some sort if you wanted but I have never had a problem with mounting caps this way. I do not move my equipment and it certainly doesn't get a lot of vibration.

I use Green Mountain speakers with my set up. Have used them for years and find they are the closest to electrostats in terms of imaging etc. Roy has been great over the years in terms of upgrading his products and has another secret upgrade in the works. they are a fabulous match with the Kaiju.  I also just purchased a set of Blumenstein Orcas to use in a bedroom system with my Stereomour.

I do encourage you to check out Ron at Marigo. I use his wire for DIY interconnects and also for my speaker cables as it matches the wiring inside the speakers. He has a helix braided copper wire that is awesome for speaker cable although he has to tin the ends as the wire is so fine it will dissolve if overheated in the solder pot. 

Really just enjoying listening so much right now, I don't feel the need for any other changes.

[Paul Birkeland]

I just thought it would be practical to have just an overview at the end of each chapter before test procedures to make it a bit easier to recheck all connections to be made before turning up variacs or pushing switches... Never ever condense these great manuals!

See pages 31, 35, 36, 38, 45, and 63. 

If you have performed these checks, then you have turned your amplifier on before, several times.

-PB

[fritzthecat]

See pages 31, 35, 36, 38, 45, and 63. 

If you have performed these checks, then you have turned your amplifier on before, several times.

-PB

Hi Paul

sure - I did - but me, being overcautious as usual always used a variac to slowly raise the input voltage...;o) But anyway - up to now I just pushed the button until installing the DC Filament upgrade - to check if everything works I'll use the variac again.