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Post by PinkFloyd on Mar 11, 2015 8:07:35 GMT
Appearing soon...... the "Dinky Pinkie"...... more to follow  |
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bullpup
Been here a while! 
How much is that doggy in the window?
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Post by bullpup on Mar 11, 2015 9:15:47 GMT
You seem to be on fire at the moment!
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jc
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Post by jc on Mar 11, 2015 21:36:53 GMT
Ooh, yer big tease ya! Spill the beans, show the pron!
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Post by PinkFloyd on Mar 12, 2015 21:09:54 GMT
Ooh, yer big tease ya! Spill the beans, show the pron! Well, Chris, the idea is to make a smaller Pinkie than the Little Pinkie and to make it a cheaper alternative whilst retaining all of the features of the Little Pinkie, Hence..... the Dinky Pinkie. Remember the smaller black enclosures I used to use? They were fine but you couldn't get a decent sized toroidal transformer inside them. I had a word with the company that makes my transformers for me and they have managed to come up with a 20VA toroidal that will fit inside the enclosure so I am in the process of planning out the best way to incorporate everything into such a small enclosure. The Pinkie SE is 130mm long and the Dinky Pinkie will be 100mm long so only 30mm difference in length BUT, side by side, the Dinky Pinkie is considerably smaller than the Little Pinkie  The Little Pinkie SE will still be my "main" Pinkie and the Dinky Pinkie will be a more affordable "condensed" version of everything the Little Pinkie does best. There will be no illuminated rocker switch, this will be replaced by a damned good quality non illuminated type with a red indicator (on the switch) which indicates the unit is on (Has a red marking which is clearly visible when switch is in the 'on' position)...... these switches have a nice positive action to them and are extremely durable in service...... the same switch as you have on yours (but black and red instead of white). The rear panel will accommodate a top quality rhodium plated contact IEC socket, the 12V (cable clamped) output lead and a screw lock 20mm fuseholder. The toroidal will be bonded to the chassis with an industrial grade MS polymer, flexible, sealant adhesive which will serve two purposes..... it will provide an extremely strong bond (this stuff will bond a piano onto a wall / no sh1t!) and it will also provide excellent damping / isolation between the transformer and the enclosure. I've been testing this stuff with an old 15VA toroid on one of the enclosures and, believe me, the bond is absolutely INCREDIBLE! You would need to use a crowbar to separate the toroid from the enclosure so I am 100% confident that this fixing solution is not only the best to isolate the toroid from the enclosure but also the best to ensure that once in place, it stays in place. The curing time (full strength reached) is 24 hours but it will go "off" after an hour or so. Every Dinky Pinkie will be allowed to cure for the full 24 hours. The Dinky Pinkie is, essentially, a condensed version of the Little Pinkie. The toriod is smaller and is 20VA, rather than 30VA, but that is MORE than enough juice to supply any of the small X-Series MF products. I'll provide more details shortly...... I aim to finalize the design / prototype phase shortly. Mike. |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Mar 12, 2015 21:26:55 GMT
If my new Dremel arrives in time This hand made Artisan lark is all well and good but when your Dremel shaft goes tits up you're pretty much forced into beetroot pickling duty (and selling Lidl "value" eggs as "Free Range hen" eggs) |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2015 21:45:23 GMT
But will the 20VA transformer sound quite as good as the 30VA transformer?
I always felt that a 20VA transformer never sounded quite as good as a 30VA transformer, and despite the price advantage of a 20VA, standardised on a 30VA unit for relatively low current applications . |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Mar 14, 2015 22:25:04 GMT
But will the 20VA transformer sound quite as good as the 30VA transformer?
I always felt that a 20VA transformer never sounded quite as good as a 30VA transformer, and despite the price advantage of a 20VA, standardised on a 30VA unit for relatively low current applications . Hi Alex, The Dinky Pinkie is intended to be a smaller version of the Little Pinkie and a more affordable version. There are some people who say the Little Pinkie is "far too expensive" and there are others who say "it is far too cheap" (for a hand made power supply)..... the people who have actually bought one tend to say "it is far too cheap considering the major improvement it makes to the SQ"...... I have never been a great believer in a "range" of power supplies with power supply one being "OK", power supply two being "superb" and power supply three being "mind blowing". The Little Pinkie SE performs EXACTLY the same as the Special edition Pinkie (in every respect) but comes in a more affordable package. Little Pinkie SE:  Little Pinkie Special Edition:  Both do the EXACT same job and both have the EXACT same internal components, the only difference with the Special edition being the price. I shouldn't say this but I LOVE the "look" of the Special Edition Pinkie but I wouldn't buy one as there is no need for a power supply to look pretty, it's what it does that matters and not how it looks. Remember the first Pinkies?  Holy crap! who would want that breeze block of a thing And these Pinkies:    A couple of other types that I can't find but they will be here if you can be arsed trawling through thousands of photos s157.photobucket.com/user/pinkfloyd2007_bucket/library/?sort=3&page=1Sure, 30VA is 10 more VA than 20VA Alex BUT to cram a 30VA toroidal into a small "Dinky" enclosure is not possible. I totally disagree with you regarding the SQ, the 20VA is more than juicy enough to supply the small X-series components and any differences in sound quality could only be heard by a guide dog. You know what I'm like mate, I don't bullshit and "increase" prices, I prefer to keep it real and attempt to provide the best possible SQ at a price level that most people will not find cost prohibitive. I can assure you that the Dinky Pinkie will do the same job as the Special Edition / SE pinkies and will be pitching it at the £95 price point. It will feature a custom wound (13.6V no load / 12V load) toroid, fully fused, MOV (after the fuse) surge protection, class X2 across the line filtering and a whole lot more. Full details to follow........ the custom wound transformers are on their way. All the best. Mike. |
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jc
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Post by jc on Mar 14, 2015 22:55:42 GMT
Jeeesuz! Before my time here, that's huuuuge. The "MCG" eh (after nearly 5 seconds of research). Your first baby was a biggun but must of made you proud. I must admit the Special Edition DOES look pretty damn swanky!  |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Mar 14, 2015 23:09:24 GMT
The 275VAC varistor (after the fuse) is something that I fit to all my gear now..... any "surge" and it will take out the fuse and protect anything further along the line...... belt and braces is always the best approach. One leg connected to L (after the fuse) and the other connected to N....... I only use EPCOS varistors in my power supplies, they are damned good quality. Just thought I'd share that Varistors explained: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varistor47nF class X2 across the line Alex (Philips) it's the best value for the 20VA to my ears. Belt and braces ferrite beads on the output leads, you can never go wrong factoring in any eventuality, Evolution Pro OFC output cable, rhodium plated IEC socket............ I'm starting to get turned on Hold on........ just received a message........ "£95 is a joke Mike, a hand crafted power supply? You're underselling your talent"....... OK.... let's call it £95.99 All joking aside, I paid £12 (yes, TWELVE pounds) for a beefburger this evening...... it was a damned nice burger but TWELVE pounds?!!!! I'm still thinking 70's prices Back in the day twelve quid would have bought you a burger, a hooker, a night in the Disco, a weekend in Rio (with three hookers) AND you'd have change left over for a packet of fags. Off to listen to some Floyd (Meddle) with my prototype Dinky Pinkie / X-Can V2 / V3 / V8 / Senn HD-600 / HD-250 linear........ Will report back as and when. Have a nice weekend geezers |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Mar 14, 2015 23:15:39 GMT
Jeeesuz! Before my time here, that's huuuuge. The "MCG" eh (after nearly 5 seconds of research). Your first baby was a biggun but must of made you proud. I must admit the Special Edition DOES look pretty damn swanky! MCG being my initials Chris.... Michael C Grierson..... they were a BITCH to ship (postage costs) and I made about 40 of them and helped Rick / Jude get Head-Fi off the ground and god knows what happened after then........ damned good times |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2015 23:22:42 GMT
Hi Mike I can only compare the 20VA and 30VA toroidals that are available here over the counter, that are cheap Asian imports. A custom wound 20VA toroidal with high quality iron may very well outperform even an over the counter 30VA available here.
The best toroidals that I have tried, such as that used in my Class A amplifier are made locally by Harbuch, but are more expensive. They make toroidal transformers under licence from ILP in the U.K.
Kind Regards Alex
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jc
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Post by jc on Mar 14, 2015 23:33:46 GMT
Yep, twigged that one. Which led me to look up male western names starting in C...how many...crikey. I'm guessing of gaelic origin so about Colin? I'll show you mine if you if you show me yours...snarf, snarf.  |
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mrarroyo
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Our man in Miami!
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Post by mrarroyo on Mar 29, 2015 14:13:21 GMT
I love the older style black enclosures since to me they looked the part. The newer version with the larger toroidal transformer are the bomb and sound even better.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Mar 29, 2015 19:58:51 GMT
I love the older style black enclosures since to me they looked the part. The newer version with the larger toroidal transformer are the bomb and sound even better. Hi Miguel, I've completed the first Dinky Pinkie and will take some photos and upload them to the forum in the next few days. The Dinky comes housed in the older style black enclosure (the one you like) but this time with a toroid under the bonnet, anti surge protection, across the line class X2 filter, rhodium plated IEC socket and a chassis mount fuse holder. There are no external screws or fixings, the toroid is held in place with MS polymer and the center of the toroid is also infilled with MS polymer which, effectively, provides a cushion between the toroid and the enclosure which totally eliminates any perceivable mechanical hum. It would be a lot easier, and cheaper, to mount the toroid with the bolt, rubber discs and metal top plate as these come already supplied with each toroid....... I originally thought it would take 24 hours for the MS polymer to cure but the "infill" in the center of the toroid takes a lot longer so these guys will have to sit "curing" for a good 5 days before they are at full adhesion strength. Do you still have your V2 Miguel? If so, I'd like to send you over a 115V version to try. I've been having a damned good listen, with the Dinky powering my X-CAN V2, and it's damned good compared to the stock wallwart (Miles better) but I am not yet convinced that it is as good as a Little Pinkie..... it's such a close call that I need a fellow "ear" to comment on it. It was never intended to be "better" than the Little Pinkie (sonically) and was going to be a more affordable version of the Pinkie in that black box quite a lot of people seem to like. What is it with this "black" preference BTW? I don't "look" at my gear when I'm listening to music so if the Little Pinkie was, in fact, "Pink" it would be of no concern to me...... it's a power supply, if you don't like the colour then hide it behind the sofa Jesus, us "Artisans" in the UK don't give a toss about colour co-ordinating power supplies, we (me) concentrate on what matters most..... the sound quality and work with the materials they have to hand. |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 3, 2015 19:54:54 GMT
What a job finding decent switches these days! The blue ones I used on the Special Edition Pinkie are "no longer available", the green ones are no longer available and the damned red ones are also no longer available. I'm down to my last 15 red switches but will keep them as "spares" and now start using a different switch. The new ones have a really positive action and afford a reassuring "clunk" when actuated, they come with an integral blue LED which is subtle yet effective. I've been sitting watching TV for a good 4 weeks with one in my hand (not continuously) and have been doing my best to try and break it by constantly cycling the switch (on / off) and it's pretty much bullet proof so I'm happy to use these switches on all future Pinkies. The last thing you want / the customer wants is the hassle of having to ship a power supply back across the globe to get a broken switch replaced so choosing the best switch for the job takes a lot of time and research.
I tried a few from a company called "SCI" and they were absolutely horrendous...... so much as sneeze at them and they would fall apart internally..... the simple slotting on of a 6.3mm female connector was enough to make their innards fall apart...... if any of you are ever looking for a switch then avoid SCI like the plague, from my experience their switches are pretty poor.
Mike.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 25, 2015 20:15:47 GMT
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 25, 2015 20:31:48 GMT
By the way........ "1" means ON and "0" means OFF Much the same way that a blue LED means "on" and a green light means "GO"...... the red light means STOP at a traffic light but indicates GO on an X-CAN V2..... it's all so confusing, I nearly crashed into a bus the other day because I mistook the red traffic light for an X-CAN V2  |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 25, 2015 21:10:28 GMT
Looking at your standard "on / off" button you would think "0" means on? Where does "1" come into play? Oh yes, I'm designing a switch so it will be a simple switch to understand, "1" will be the on position and "0" will be the off position..... let's do it!
I have a much better idea...... "on" will be 759 and "off" will be 362..... the higher number means "on" and the lower the number indicates "off". 1 and 0 are too confusing..... "0" can be confused with "On"....... the 759 / 362 system would be a lot easier to understand.
Quite a few switch manufacturers have attempted to simplify things by marking their switches with and "On / Off" marking but I don't trust that type of switch..... you could flick to ON and actually turn OFF...... you just don't know where you stand with the ON / OFF system these days.
I strongly believe that my 759 / 362 switch will become the global / industry standard (and a global standard of "excellence") within the next 3 years.
There is a company who are (reputedly) developing a 763 / 363 switch (ON / OFF for the 22nd century system) but my team of experts / legal boffins etc. assure me that my 759 / 362 "on / Off" switch is the way of the future.
On / Off is a thing of the past, get ready for the 759 / 362 state of the art power up / down solution!"
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 25, 2015 21:28:55 GMT
...................... I'll get my coat AND hat..........
Have a nice weekend xx
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jc
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Post by jc on Apr 25, 2015 22:35:11 GMT
Seems pefectly logical to me Mike, I'm sure all the big manufacturers will be bidding like mad for the patent! Maybe another type for the DIY community, marked OFF and DUCK!  Or for the more confident folks Zero and Hero. p.s. Like the new Dinkie and the switch looks nice and solid. |
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Post by alan on Jun 26, 2015 16:39:12 GMT
Hi
Is the Dinky available to buy yet? I can't see it in the store.
Thanks
Alan
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Post by alan on Jul 14, 2015 6:52:36 GMT
The answer to my question above is yes - I know because I just bought one, and it's a doozie!
It runs silent and cool in my system, whereas the wall wart got noticeably warm. In terms of sound quality it's a huge improvement on the wall wart, but also on the early Little Pinkie I'd been using up until recently. The most noticeable improvements are in the bass, where it seems to go lower but with more control, and in an overall sense of focus to the music. I use my X-Can V3 with Grado 325is and a very old pair of Beyer 990 600 ohm 'phones. The improvement is very noticeable on both pairs, but it's breathed new life into the Beyers which can sound a bit soft if they're not driven well.
So, overall I'm extremely happy, and at the price it's a bargain.
Thanks Mike.
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