Audio HiFi

The EZ kit from Diy HiFi Supply is a a linestage pre-amp with an adjustable gain from 6, 12, 18, 22 and 30db. Input impedance is 400k+ depending on the gain setting chosen and consequently measurements vary with different tubes fitted. This is not my own unit but for Val I know who asked me to build this pre-amp with some special custom modifications.

Upgrades :-

Blackgate PSU Caps for HT and Heaters
Calrity Caps for Audio Coupling
Wima FKP Flim PSU By-Pass Caps
Gold Plated Silver Audio Wire in Teflon
Seiden Selector Switch
Japanese Step Attenuator
Silver WBT Style RCA Sockets
Custom Made Wooden Knobs
 

Sound

I was asked by a friend to upgrade his Havana DAC with some better capacitors and non magnetic resistors in key locations which he supplied. This is the result and these are Val's ideas for upgrades. Output coupling is now by Clarity caps with Glass based Russian silver mica and BlackGate caps used elsewhere except the power supply which keep the original Gold Muse caps. This DAC uses a classic Bur Brown PCM56P chip with a simple form of conversion using matched resistors in a ladder configuration. This results in less signal manipulation during the conversion process. Those clarity caps are huge and only just fit in the case and I had to fit them rotated 90 degrees compared to the originals. These would not be my choice for practical reasons of fitting as the unit is very compact.

If you do a quick search though the diyaudio.com forum you will come across an old thread that was once very active. It is based around building a 12B4A based pre-amplifier. The circuit given uses a regulator in the cathode for a constant current design but a resistor can be substituted in its place. The main circuit is very simple, easy to make which I always like. It was also getting quite favourable reviews from those who had built it so I decided to have a go myself. I wanted a pre-amp at the time to test with a 20W Mr Liang 845 SET, which although is an integrated, sometime needs a good pre-amp for a little more gain. I also later tested this pre-amp with the large Korsun (Dussun) V6i transistor power amp from China and a DIY 25W Nelson Pass F5 Class A power amp.

The problem with many china made tube amplifiers from the likes of eBay is the voltage requirement being 220V. Do not believe the voltage written on the back of most china HiFi. My now sold Mr Liang 845 SET amp was marked as a 240V unit but checking the 6.3V heaters showed them to be running high at 6.85V and the 845 heaters at 11V. This means all the voltages can be 10% higher including that HT !! A problem waiting to happen. A higher voltage may not be an issue for a transistor amplifier or CD player that is well made with over rated components. However with vacuum tube amps the heater voltage can be a problem in that it will shorten the tube life if they are running hot. Also the heat output can be an issue and the HT being higher may stress other parts.

The korsun / dussun v6i is a monster of a power amp costing around 800 usd. It really is a poor man's krell or Mark Levinson that is built like a tank with dual mono construction in a stunning but large aluminium chassis. It is kind of a class A build in that the first few watts are class A were then it slides into class AB mode as it is driven harder; with output powers of 2x300 W into 4Ω and 2x150 W into 8Ω.