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Post by shark3r on Dec 30, 2012 20:08:10 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2012 20:23:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2012 21:26:07 GMT
As Chris says. Most are lucky to last any warranty period before excessive heat eventually causes them to fail.
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pingu
Been here a while!
Reallising what has been taken on with the GB
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Post by pingu on Dec 30, 2012 23:56:01 GMT
Try this one www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Valve-Class-A-Tube-Headphone-Amplifier-pre-Bravo-V2-UK1-/251206789367?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3a7d1768f7Do not pay a lot for one they get VERY hot as standard and are not really good at all. As everyone else has said. BUT if you get a cheapy and go to solderdudes web site there has 12 pages of detailed mods with pix too, then you have a good little amp. Little Bear is another of the G2 clone, you can usually pick these up for less than £10.00 plus about £10.00 postage. Go to an auction late bid a few pounds they come up all the time, just be patient. Mine cost less than £5.00. You MUST do the mods to get anything acceptable tho, if you can solder it is fairly simple, few caps a resit or two, smpsu and a couple of heat sinks. Radio Spares will send you the bits post free with no min order if you open an account. This is a link to solderdudes articles in English The G2 or Bravo are the ones you are looking for but the actual amps/clones have lots of names. Solderdude is a nice guy go and email him if you get an amp he will help you. hoved-fi.dk/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=2335 Hope that helps you get something for less than £18/20.00 all up Martin
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Post by outdoorguy on Dec 31, 2012 15:50:32 GMT
Have two of the Bravo 12au7's coming in today, will leave them oem until they settle in.
Going down Fran's list of mods it's hard to find the parts.... irl510a/530a and irf510a/530a, "obsolete", as Mouser calls it, caps are out of stock or back ordered.
Oh well, it may be for the better. I'm ok with most things mechanical, give me a pile of motorcycle parts and I can build you a motorcycle. Give me a pile of electronics... I'll scratch my head, maybe my bum, but the pile of parts will still be there.
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Post by shark3r on Dec 31, 2012 17:32:22 GMT
Have two of the Bravo 12au7's coming in today, will leave them oem until they settle in. Going down Fran's list of mods it's hard to find the parts.... irl510a/530a and irf510a/530a, "obsolete", as Mouser calls it, caps are out of stock or back ordered. Oh well, it may be for the better. I'm ok with most things mechanical, give me a pile of motorcycle parts and I can build you a motorcycle. Give me a pile of electronics... I'll scratch my head, maybe my bum, but the pile of parts will still be there. Ditto!
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pingu
Been here a while!
Reallising what has been taken on with the GB
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Post by pingu on Dec 31, 2012 18:15:24 GMT
Radio Spares have all the parts in stock for next day delivery. My neighbour had delivery of them this morning. Just checked all in stock except the irl's which will be in in three weeks. If you are in the UK it will be post free. Please bear in mind these bits will make it a passable amplifier and good valve for the money if you only paid a few puonds for it they will not become a "giant killer" to rival a Slee or a JLH. HappyNew Year Martin
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Post by outdoorguy on Jan 1, 2013 3:08:22 GMT
First impression, not too bad, muuuuuch better sounding than the headphone output on the desktop, iphone or the sony mp3 player, no hiss, upper mids seem a little congested, very bottom mia, generous mid bass, dynamics good, vocals smooth. So far they are very easy to listen to.
This with line out from the iphone running Pandora or Jango with an old set of Grado sr60's. Impressions may very well change with the source.
Have noticed the irf630 closest the power input runs ~185f while the other ~149f, the other amp ~176f/156f, bias off?
I'm sure they're nothing like the real good stuff, (I can't afford so I don't really know) If, like me, you are used to using the headphone 'out' on the iphone/laptop/mp3 player...well, I think you'll love 'em.
Time to mod.....
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2013 8:52:38 GMT
I have found heat build up is quite an issue for these in the long term and also noise levels can be very high.
They sound impressive though.
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pingu
Been here a while!
Reallising what has been taken on with the GB
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Post by pingu on Jan 1, 2013 12:07:20 GMT
Hi, Glad you like them and they arrived fairly quickly too. Pls don't missunderstand me as you say they are a big improvrment over the cooking hp amps on any stereo, music player. It is just I have seen reviews claiming things far beyond thier capabilities. They are good and I enjoy mine very much. As you say you can toast bead on it and that is what will kill it eventually. Have you checked the bias? It may that which is giving the diffrent temps on either side of the amp (whole string on here about bias checking/setting it up). If you don't want to put extra heatsinks on them at least take off the top plastic lid/cover it will let it run a few degrees cooler at least. Enjoy Martin
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2013 13:06:57 GMT
You can take the heat down though, by adding an extra heatsink to the existing one. That'll extend its life.
I have a double sized heatsink on the more expensive Horizon for that reason. It really pulls the temperature down.
Martin - taking the top plate makes a difference? I'd never have thought that with the sides missing so there is space for free flowing air.
With two heatsinks on each side, I can leave my hand on them whereas before, it would have burned.
Specifically for Shark3r - you may not get on with a tube amp due to your hearing. They produce more 'even' harmonics and so give the impression of being fatter in the bass. If you find those Sonys too thin, then a tube amp could help but it may actually make things slightly worse for you.
As far as volume goes though, these things go insanely loud, but they can increase the noise floor.
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pingu
Been here a while!
Reallising what has been taken on with the GB
Posts: 332
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Post by pingu on Jan 1, 2013 13:49:29 GMT
Hi Rabbit, Taking the top off .... well it may only be marginal but as heat rises why have an insulated top? The convection currents can then flow upwards unhindered without a top. An ally top would also help some I suppose, but as you say size matters . There is no substitute for bigger/better/more heatsinks. Got mine on the sides , normal straight finned ones I had around in the parts box, not as flashy as Solderdudes ones Martin
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2013 13:57:11 GMT
I have two on each side, put on top of each other so I have like 'Twin Towers'. I reckoned if it still gets hot, I'd just stick more on top until it stays cool. However, two on each side is enough. (I was thinking of painting little windows on them.... )
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Post by outdoorguy on Jan 1, 2013 16:15:50 GMT
Oh no, not saying they're better than any stereo music player, didn't mean it that way, just... 'better than any mass market stereo music player within my realm, within my normal operating budget', think WalMart not Macy's. They get my feet tapping, keep them tapping for hours, although they certainly are not very accurate, it's just... they make it easy to enjoy my music. How to describe??? Maybe I'm just an easy drunk, it is what it is. On this v2 model they did away with the bias adjustment, thinking the bias pot will be one of the first mods along with the crosstalk mod and larger heatsinks. Took a listen to the boy's headphones, utter compete junk! They made everything sound like that little toy monkey in the old commercials that beats on a toy cymbal and drum. Trash can'ed them, the 681's should be here Friday.
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Post by shark3r on Jan 1, 2013 16:47:38 GMT
"Specifically for Shark3r - you may not get on with a tube amp due to your hearing. They produce more 'even' harmonics and so give the impression of being fatter in the bass. If you find those Sonys too thin, then a tube amp could help but it may actually make things slightly worse for you.
As far as volume goes though, these things go insanely loud, but they can increase the noise floor. "
Yes, thanks, I understand. May not be the best idea then, I would end up blowing an eardrum lol! And probably end up perceiving a muddier sound.
On the subject of cooling these beasts, from my limited PC modding hobby experience, would a Peltier cooler be an option, or would that cause RF interference, or perhaps watercooling?
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