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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 16:06:35 GMT
I have never forgotten the first time that I went flying. Scared the bejaysus out of me. Actually thought I'd died. Ian (Toad), it is absolutely spot on with the K701. It's one combination that I've really latched on to for its warmth. (Something I never felt the K701 would give) plus the bonus of the laser like qualities of the 701 resolution. I really love this amp and the superb control that it brings to the AKG. It has also made me realise how much control these headphones need and also how much power. They are really lazy so and so's but once they are given something substantial, they are absolutely spot on. I can understand now why so many people rave about them, while also sympathising with people who find them thin and unengaging. I can reproduce both ends easily just by changing amps. Also, I'm getting snobbish - whereas before, I would tolerate the K701 even on a portable amp, now, I find it slightly nasty!! The bass vanishes. On the Panda, it rumbles very deep. It's the K701 in particular that in my mind has been improved to the point of outstanding. The other headphones have also scaled up but you know, the funny thing with the K701 is I feel that it could get even better - it seems streets ahead of other headphones on the Panda and at the same time, it's way behind on many other amps. Perhaps when we recommend headphones, we also need to recommend amps or perhaps amp types in combination in order to get the best from the headphones. It really has focussed me in to the idea that you need to look at the combo and not merely buy a headphone because everyone says how good it is. Some of the combos I've seen mentioned however just don't work for me. The K701 communicates big time with the Panda driving it. With the Senn 250, it's insane. HUGE low bass. Also with 600 and 650 - they both scale up but not to the same level imo as the AKG. Even the Beyer DT770 pro (80 ohm) seems to perk up and the mids appear. I've often felt them to be sucked out in the middle with a slightly strident treble; but on the Panda - they behave much better. More relaxed and much easier to listen to for long periods. You don't feel as though you're missing something. It's a brilliant sounding amp and I'm glad you could get one to try Ian because I know that you've been a fan of the K701 for a long time. For me, it's been a journey of like/hate and finally accept it and what I felt were serious faults, until the Panda landed. If I had to buy one; boxed like a retailed amp, I would be prepared for a large bill if I had heard it first. One thing I did was to pay fairly big money for an amp that I had previously (Two actually and one was a valve amp) and the Panda is way ahead of both. Here's one that it easily surpasses: www.stoneaudio.co.uk/ that I got rid of. That one was near enough £800. I won't mention the other one .... They both live in China now. I can't wait for mine to return. There's a real synergy.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 17:10:06 GMT
Thanks Will,
Much appreciated.
Mick.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 17:14:53 GMT
Ian, do you happen to know what output resistors are fitted to your HP socket, so i can fit the same value ones to other Ian`s for best results with his 701`s. Thanks Mick. PS. Yes flying still scares the sh"t out of me to, should be getting used to it now with just over 13000 hrs in 35yrs, most of it during my time in the forces.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 18:09:40 GMT
Mick, I'm not absolutely sure but Mike will know for certain. To raise output impedance to 120 ohms Mike made me a 38 ohm adapter but differences in sound are very subtle with it in. Just checked; it's at 82 ohms on the output. Mike will let us know later I'm sure. He's now upped the gain since I don't know whether you've tried it with the K701, but that takes some driving and if you listen to orchestral which tends to be recorded much lower, it just needed a small amount more. Have you got the gain in yours raised? It sounds as though it's going to really drive hard now he's altered the output. The thing is that it also sounds so clean that you tend to up the volume without realising it. There's absolutely no signs of stress in the sound; it just scales up. It's kind of effortless in sound which makes you think it's lower than it actually is. Have you ever taken off/landed at Biggin Hill? There's a bloody great fence in the way as you go up/down and it's a bit like running at a wall or skipping the wall when you come down. A lot of well known musicians use the place and I tend to meet all kinds of people there. Elton John was having a paddy which was funny. That run towards the fence always worries me. Especially when the weather's not the best!!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 19:08:16 GMT
Mick, I'm not absolutely sure but Mike will know for certain. To raise output impedance to 120 ohms Mike made me a 38 ohm adapter but differences in sound are very subtle with it in. Just checked; it's at 82 ohms on the output. Mike will let us know later I'm sure. He's now upped the gain since I don't know whether you've tried it with the K701, but that takes some driving and if you listen to orchestral which tends to be recorded much lower, it just needed a small amount more. Have you got the gain in yours raised? It sounds as though it's going to really drive hard now he's altered the output. The thing is that it also sounds so clean that you tend to up the volume without realising it. There's absolutely no signs of stress in the sound; it just scales up. It's kind of effortless in sound which makes you think it's lower than it actually is. Have you ever taken off/landed at Biggin Hill? There's a bloody great fence in the way as you go up/down and it's a bit like running at a wall or skipping the wall when you come down. A lot of well known musicians use the place and I tend to meet all kinds of people there. Elton John was having a paddy which was funny. That run towards the fence always worries me. Especially when the weather's not the best!! I have not tried my 701`s yet, sounds pretty damned good with my Senn 250`s (my personal favourites) but will give the 701`s a go tomorrow, thanks for the info regarding the resistors unless i hear different will fit 120 ohm ones. How much have you raised the gain on yours? Only landed there in a rotary wing, just a case of dropping in, well a bit more to it than that, but no worries where the fence is concerned. Keep my fixed wing take offs and landings to club facilities most of the time,( landing fees are extortionate at most of the well know and larger airports) apart from Lydd which i frequent on quiet a regular basis, this is also a well used facility for the rich and famous, had a nice chat with Michael Shumacher there,(well just had to get his autograph) he had landed and was on his way to the Goodwood Festival of speed, to name but one, there have been others i have seen but not spoken to. Mick.
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toad
Been here a while!
I am the Super Toad, the Original Toad, the Whole Toad and nothing BUT the toad.... don't forget it!
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Post by toad on Oct 31, 2010 19:08:34 GMT
Can't wait to plug my K701's into the Panda. Yes Ian, I've been a fan of the 701's for a long time and unlike some, I've not found them lacking in bass. For me it was always there (well, after several hundred hours bedding in) and sometimes deep and powerful but a smigeon understated, so if the Panda can bring out just a little bit of warmth I am going to love it The K701's were the first headphones that showed me that a full orchestra could sound full and powerful at home on modest gear not just live. Orchestral bass through the 701's has always blown me away. Ian, it's interesting about your comment re the K701s and portable amps because I've never really liked my 701's with my portable amps. I never really thought they had enough oomph on a portable. They were, to quote you "thin and unengaging" Ian
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 19:29:51 GMT
Mick,
the gain is up by 6db. Mike has highlighted further back in this thread how to do it. It's to do with two 300 ohm resistors where he recommends putting another two on the opposite side of the board so in parallel gives 150 ohms. This ups the gain 10 times. You can use a different value which he puts in that post so that the gain is raised 3 db.
My memory is actually working!! Unusual for me.
It was driving Senns easily and I guess I had the volume set at roughly 50 - 60%. It was a different story with the AKG. It needed more in reality. It was driving the K701 beautifully and effortlessly but orchestral stuff needed a little more oomph. Especially with orchestral stuff not so heavily compressed and the wider dynamic range so Mike suggested he had a play to get the gain up.
He says it has a lot of power now and will drive the K701 at 50% very loud. So the power is there but with the 300 ohm resistors in situ, the gain is set lower than I would prefer for the AKG.
I'll have a look through all my ranting (sorry) and see if I can find it for you.
Ian, once you get it from Mick (Beautifully made btw!!) you will find the AKG to be positively mellow and detailed. I have never heard such a large change in a headphone caused by an amp.
I hadn't really found what I felt was a good (real) match for the K701. The closest I got was the Aune which was a 'nice' listen and the Presonus HP4 which has kick ass power. The reason I preferred them to better amps was tonal. I was uncomfortable with the 'tone' of the headphone but loved the detail. So for me, it was a love/hate thing, depending very much on what I was listening to.
I would say that the Panda brings the detail of the X-Can V8 and the warmth of the Aune and the power of the Presonus together in one hell of a package. For me (at the moment) it's honestly the best I've heard.
In spite of the added warmth of mosfets or whatever technical faults it has inherited, it has this gobsmacking sound with the K701 that smacks you in the face from first listen. You also realise just how low the K701 goes in the bass region. It is VERY low.
I couldn't believe it. At first, I thought I had a fault on the headphones. (A good fault!!) Especially after the battle I had with the first K701 that I got. It had problems which I was not really aware of but it was admitted in the end and they were changed. I kept quiet because I think it was a one off and not typical. As luck would have it, I got them from a private dealer who was more than happy to prove and fight my case - he won!! AKG coughed up a new headphone which worked much better.
The Panda and K701 is a lovely combo. Mind you, so is the Senn 250. Totally different presentation but my god, the bass really kicks butt on them.
You'll be delighted when Mick's finished with it. It's stunning. In fact, the more I listened to it, the more special I felt it was.
You'll never accept the sound of the K701 on a portable or lesser amp again once you've heard it.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 19:41:17 GMT
Mick, the gain is up by 6db. Mike has highlighted further back in this thread how to do it. It's to do with two 300 ohm resistors where he recommends putting another two on the opposite side of the board so in parallel gives 150 ohms. This ups the gain 10 times. You can use a different value which he puts in that post so that the gain is raised 3 db. My memory is actually working!! Unusual for me. It was driving Senns easily and I guess I had the volume set at roughly 50 - 60%. It was a different story with the AKG. It needed more in reality. It was driving the K701 beautifully and effortlessly but orchestral stuff needed a little more oomph. Especially with orchestral stuff not so heavily compressed and the wider dynamic range so Mike suggested he had a play to get the gain up. He says it has a lot of power now and will drive the K701 at 50% very loud. So the power is there but with the 300 ohm resistors in situ, the gain is set lower than I would prefer for the AKG. I'll have a look through all my ranting (sorry) and see if I can find it for you. Ian, once you get it from Mick (Beautifully made btw!!) you will find the AKG to be positively mellow and detailed. I have never heard such a large change in a headphone caused by an amp. I hadn't really found what I felt was a good (real) match for the K701. The closest I got was the Aune which was a 'nice' listen and the Presonus HP4 which has kick ass power. The reason I preferred them to better amps was tonal. I was uncomfortable with the 'tone' of the headphone but loved the detail. So for me, it was a love/hate thing, depending very much on what I was listening to. I would say that the Panda brings the detail of the X-Can V8 and the warmth of the Aune and the power of the Presonus together in one hell of a package. For me (at the moment) it's honestly the best I've heard. In spite of the added warmth of mosfets or whatever technical faults it has inherited, it has this gobsmacking sound with the K701 that smacks you in the face from first listen. You also realise just how low the K701 goes in the bass region. It is VERY low. I couldn't believe it. At first, I thought I had a fault on the headphones. (A good fault!!) Especially after the battle I had with the first K701 that I got. It had problems which I was not really aware of but it was admitted in the end and they were changed. I kept quiet because I think it was a one off and not typical. As luck would have it, I got them from a private dealer who was more than happy to prove and fight my case - he won!! AKG coughed up a new headphone which worked much better. The Panda and K701 is a lovely combo. Mind you, so is the Senn 250. Totally different presentation but my god, the bass really kicks butt on them. You'll be delighted when Mick's finished with it. It's stunning. In fact, the more I listened to it, the more special I felt it was. Ok thanks Ian, will try to locate Mikes post. I must admit Ian, my 701`s have been on a back burner for some time now, sounds like this Amp will fetch them out of semi-retirement, will have a good listen tomorrow albeit without the best resistance or gain on the Panda. Will let you know my impressions. Mick.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 19:42:30 GMT
Mick, P53 of this thread. He's also included a photo to show it. rockgrotto.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=m&action=display&thread=5700&page=53(Bottom of the page) Just to let you guys know.... I have adjusted the gain on Panda 1 and 2 to +6db and I much prefer the action of the pot now.... more "oomph" and, I don't know why but, I believe it also sounds slightly better!
It's a BITCH removing the two 300 ohm resistors from the through hole plated board so if you are going to try this I suggest you solder on an additional 300 ohm resistor on the underside of the board and this will give you the 150ohm you need. 300 + 300 = 150 connected in parallel.
Here's where they are:
This image is reduced by 22%, click it to view full size.
Just flip the board over and solder another 300 ohm resistor on the underside.... a standard 0.25W metal film type will be fine.Mick, Mike's done mine so it has 6db more gain and he's also removed the connecting rod and hard wired the volume pot so it's smoother. (I think it bothered Mike more than me!!) He's now looking at getting the offset to be slightly calmer so that it fluctuates as little as possible with heat buildup, without affecting the sound quality too much. So he's keeping it for a little while longer to get that sorted. (As well as building a Mk3!!!) I've found the whole thing fascinating but the combo with the 701 is a very lifelike experience. It's not as 'glitzy' as the HD250 but you can really hear into the music since the tone of the amp allows you to really drive the K701 without that edge that it has the tendency to exhibit.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 20:59:40 GMT
Mick, P53 of this thread. He's also included a photo to show it. rockgrotto.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=m&action=display&thread=5700&page=53(Bottom of the page) Just to let you guys know.... I have adjusted the gain on Panda 1 and 2 to +6db and I much prefer the action of the pot now.... more "oomph" and, I don't know why but, I believe it also sounds slightly better!
It's a BITCH removing the two 300 ohm resistors from the through hole plated board so if you are going to try this I suggest you solder on an additional 300 ohm resistor on the underside of the board and this will give you the 150ohm you need. 300 + 300 = 150 connected in parallel.
Here's where they are:
This image is reduced by 22%, click it to view full size.
Just flip the board over and solder another 300 ohm resistor on the underside.... a standard 0.25W metal film type will be fine.Mick, Mike's done mine so it has 6db more gain and he's also removed the connecting rod and hard wired the volume pot so it's smoother. (I think it bothered Mike more than me!!) He's now looking at getting the offset to be slightly calmer so that it fluctuates as little as possible with heat buildup, without affecting the sound quality too much. So he's keeping it for a little while longer to get that sorted. (As well as building a Mk3!!!) I've found the whole thing fascinating but the combo with the 701 is a very lifelike experience. It's not as 'glitzy' as the HD250 but you can really hear into the music since the tone of the amp allows you to really drive the K701 without that edge that it has the tendency to exhibit. Ok Ian, thanks for that, seems straight forward enough to do, just need to get 4 more 300ohm resistors and do mine as well as Ian`s. You really seem to be enjoying your 701`s now, thats great as i always thought them to be very nice cans, just in need of the right driving force behind them. Mick.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 31, 2010 21:35:10 GMT
Mick, the gain is up by 6db. Mike has highlighted further back in this thread how to do it. It's to do with two 300 ohm resistors where he recommends putting another two on the opposite side of the board so in parallel gives 150 ohms. This ups the gain 10 times. You can use a different value which he puts in that post so that the gain is raised 3 db. My memory is actually working!! Unusual for me. It was driving Senns easily and I guess I had the volume set at roughly 50 - 60%. It was a different story with the AKG. It needed more in reality. It was driving the K701 beautifully and effortlessly but orchestral stuff needed a little more oomph. Especially with orchestral stuff not so heavily compressed and the wider dynamic range so Mike suggested he had a play to get the gain up. He says it has a lot of power now and will drive the K701 at 50% very loud. So the power is there but with the 300 ohm resistors in situ, the gain is set lower than I would prefer for the AKG. I'll have a look through all my ranting (sorry) and see if I can find it for you. Ian, once you get it from Mick (Beautifully made btw!!) you will find the AKG to be positively mellow and detailed. I have never heard such a large change in a headphone caused by an amp. I hadn't really found what I felt was a good (real) match for the K701. The closest I got was the Aune which was a 'nice' listen and the Presonus HP4 which has kick ass power. The reason I preferred them to better amps was tonal. I was uncomfortable with the 'tone' of the headphone but loved the detail. So for me, it was a love/hate thing, depending very much on what I was listening to. I would say that the Panda brings the detail of the X-Can V8 and the warmth of the Aune and the power of the Presonus together in one hell of a package. For me (at the moment) it's honestly the best I've heard. In spite of the added warmth of mosfets or whatever technical faults it has inherited, it has this gobsmacking sound with the K701 that smacks you in the face from first listen. You also realise just how low the K701 goes in the bass region. It is VERY low. I couldn't believe it. At first, I thought I had a fault on the headphones. (A good fault!!) Especially after the battle I had with the first K701 that I got. It had problems which I was not really aware of but it was admitted in the end and they were changed. I kept quiet because I think it was a one off and not typical. As luck would have it, I got them from a private dealer who was more than happy to prove and fight my case - he won!! AKG coughed up a new headphone which worked much better. The Panda and K701 is a lovely combo. Mind you, so is the Senn 250. Totally different presentation but my god, the bass really kicks butt on them. You'll be delighted when Mick's finished with it. It's stunning. In fact, the more I listened to it, the more special I felt it was. Ok thanks Ian, will try to locate Mikes post. Mick.... it's in the "build" thread that you started
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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 31, 2010 21:36:40 GMT
Ian, do you happen to know what output resistors are fitted to your HP socket, so i can fit the same value ones to other Ian`s for best results with his 701`s. Thanks Mick. PS. Yes flying still scares the sh"t out of me to, should be getting used to it now with just over 13000 hrs in 35yrs, most of it during my time in the forces. Mick, I am expecting a batch of 75R Kiwame resistors any day now, would you like me to put you down for a couple?
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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 31, 2010 21:47:57 GMT
Mick.... that is a lovely build, superb job! Just one thing I noticed... you appear to have used wirewound resistors on the output?? If so, remove them ASAP as they are inductive and probably the worst possible type of resistor to use in the signal path.... I may be wrong but, from looking at the pics, they appear to be wirewound types? If Rick was still here he'd be telling you all about the "house sound" of resistors The Kiwame types I am using on the output are made in Japan, they have lower noise than metal film resistors and they have a lovely organic signature. They are expensive @ 70p each but worth it IMO... if you want to buy them direct you can get them here: www.hificollective.co.uk/components/kiwame.htmlMike.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 31, 2010 22:19:16 GMT
Mick, P53 of this thread. He's also included a photo to show it. rockgrotto.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=m&action=display&thread=5700&page=53(Bottom of the page) Just to let you guys know.... I have adjusted the gain on Panda 1 and 2 to +6db and I much prefer the action of the pot now.... more "oomph" and, I don't know why but, I believe it also sounds slightly better!
It's a BITCH removing the two 300 ohm resistors from the through hole plated board so if you are going to try this I suggest you solder on an additional 300 ohm resistor on the underside of the board and this will give you the 150ohm you need. 300 + 300 = 150 connected in parallel.
Here's where they are:
This image is reduced by 22%, click it to view full size.
Just flip the board over and solder another 300 ohm resistor on the underside.... a standard 0.25W metal film type will be fine.Mick, Mike's done mine so it has 6db more gain and he's also removed the connecting rod and hard wired the volume pot so it's smoother. (I think it bothered Mike more than me!!) He's now looking at getting the offset to be slightly calmer so that it fluctuates as little as possible with heat buildup, without affecting the sound quality too much. So he's keeping it for a little while longer to get that sorted. (As well as building a Mk3!!!) I've found the whole thing fascinating but the combo with the 701 is a very lifelike experience. It's not as 'glitzy' as the HD250 but you can really hear into the music since the tone of the amp allows you to really drive the K701 without that edge that it has the tendency to exhibit. Ok Ian, thanks for that, seems straight forward enough to do, just need to get 4 more 300ohm resistors and do mine as well as Ian`s. You really seem to be enjoying your 701`s now, thats great as i always thought them to be very nice cans, just in need of the right driving force behind them. Mick. Mick, It's a lot easier just to solder on another 300 ohm resistor across the 300 ohm resistor that's already there to give you 150R..... these boards are a BITCH to desolder and it would take you a lot longer removing the 300 ohm resistor (per channel) and fitting a 150 ohm in it's place. Frans makes it sound "easy" desoldering through hole components.... yes, it is BUT it is NOT easy getting the solder out of the hole! If you don't know what you are doing you can end up doing catastrophic damage to the pad. I said it earlier in this thread and I'll say it again..... double check and then TRIPLE check every part before you solder it into position.... don't go at the build like a headless chicken.... do everything step by step and take your time! If you start getting frustrated or tired then down tools and return to it the following day. Most mistakes are made because people are eager to get the thing up and running as fast as possible.... bad move! Take your time (even if you have been building amps for years)..... every extra minute you take ensuring that you are fitting the correct part (the right way round) is saving you HOURS (and maybe even weeks) faultfinding. I can tell you this, and I'm sure that most of the experienced builders will agree, there is NO simple way of faultfinding (unless you have some seriously expensive test equipment AND know how to use it)..... it may take you only an hour to populate the board but it could take you a month to find out you've fitted a diode the wrong way round It's not a race, take your time. Lay all the parts on a tray (check them against the parts list)..... measure them (resistors) and measure them again before fitting into position..... Those of you who have a multimeter that can measure hfe... Measure the 2SK246 transistors and try to match them as close as poss, they supply 10 in the kit and you only use 6 so there are 4 to play with..... It is not "easy" putting one of these together for the first time, mainly due to NO instructions provided with the kits but I hope this thread has made it more easy to put one together. If there was a concise, to the point, instruction manual with the Panda kits then you would be looking at a LOT more money for the kit What you are getting, basically, is a TOP quality kit amp minus instructions..... the guys at HiFiDiyNet can't translate a full instruction manual into English (I certainly couldn't translate one over to Chinese) so this thread is the best we can do. I will add to this thread when I can rockgrotto.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=m&action=display&thread=5931 and if any of you guys have any tips or tweaks to add then please do so. All the best, Mike.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 22:20:23 GMT
These resistors are flame retardent MIL spec ( MIL-R-22684B) 3W metalfilm resistors of excellent quality and low inductance made by TruOhm. They sure do look like wirewounds don't they ? in fact they are a high quality replacement for wirewounds.
Low noise figures are only important for higher resistance values as noise is linear with the resistance, temperature and bandwith. The difference between a kiwami and metal film will only be noticeable in MC or microphone input stages ate extremely low signal levels and even then is overwhelemed by the noise of the amplifying devices. Also we are talking about values of 50k or higher. In an output stage and low values there are no measurable differences as the noise floor of these resistors will be below 160dB or so, the amps noise figure will be thousands of times higher then the noise of output resistors.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 22:24:13 GMT
Whoooops, i stopped looking in there Mike, because it seemed i was the only one posting.
Mick.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 31, 2010 22:24:45 GMT
Ian,
I have got a bit more "class A" out of your amp.... having a listen right now, will report back tomorrow with my findings.
Mike.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 22:29:15 GMT
Ian, I have got a bit more "class A" out of your amp.... having a listen right now, will report back tomorrow with my findings. Mike. OK Mike. No hurry. Please, take your time. It's getting better all the time.... beatles!!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 22:56:35 GMT
Yes i agree Mike, the only ones i got wrong were the ones with the different color rings round them, my eyes are not brilliant these days, and although i did check them with a meter i still managed to get two wrongly positioned on my first PCB, but got them all positioned correctly on my second. I think i should get the slowest builder award for construction of my first kit, in regard to hours spent in relation to progress made. Second one went a lot quicker. Reading Frans reply seems my output resistors are ok to use, which is nice as i bought 4prs of different values. Yes please Mike 75 kiwame for me, can you get 120 ohm versions as well for Ian`s(toad) Panda as other Ian is pleased with the results using these with the 701`s. I wondered why i had received 4 spare 246`s on both of my kits, silly me thought they were spares until Frans told me it was probably for matching purposes"" Eh right, how do i do that then, i am pushing the boundaries now Mike Next i will do your gain mod which you have posted in MY thread, that I stopped reading because nobody was posting there. ;D
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 23:09:14 GMT
My volume controls are as smooth as a babies bum. The PCB has to be perfectly aligned to achieve this, off sets on mine had to be precisely 14.7mm long and the PCB positioned slightly left of center in the enclosure. Mick.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 31, 2010 23:38:35 GMT
These resistors are flame retardent MIL spec ( MIL-R-22684B) 3W metalfilm resistors of excellent quality and low inductance made by TruOhm. They sure do look like wirewounds don't they ? in fact they are a high quality replacement for wirewounds. Low noise figures are only important for higher resistance values as noise is linear with the resistance, temperature and bandwith. The difference between a kiwami and metal film will only be noticeable in MC or microphone input stages ate extremely low signal levels and even then is overwhelemed by the noise of the amplifying devices. Also we are talking about values of 50k or higher. In an output stage and low values there are no measurable differences as the noise floor of these resistors will be below 160dB or so, the amps noise figure will be thousands of times higher then the noise of output resistors. Yeh.... I prefer to use my ears mate
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Post by PinkFloyd on Oct 31, 2010 23:46:56 GMT
My volume controls are as smooth as a babies bum. The PCB has to be perfectly aligned to achieve this, off sets on mine had to be precisely 14.7mm long and the PCB positioned slightly left of center in the enclosure. Mick. Ian's "rod" was also as smooth as a baby's bum but it took a knock in the post and it has become necessary to relocate the pot to the chassis.... the "knock" actually fekked the pot AND the pads...... I think it actually sounds better now with the input straight to the pot via shielded cable
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2010 23:58:28 GMT
That's a great build Mick. Thing about a build going a bit wrong at the start, you appreciate it all the more when it starts to deliver quality sound, which Panda surely does.
One thing I wonder, I see the legs on your Varistor etc are not insulated. Are they not a risk? I don't mean this negatively, I haven't fitted any to mine yet and it would be easier if they could be left like that.
Syd
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Post by PinkFloyd on Nov 1, 2010 0:02:41 GMT
I have been feeling like shite the past few weeks so "Panda Three" has been on the back burner.... I felt a lot better today and am 90% toward completion of the Panda three.... I hope to complete the build in the next few days and will upload pics as soon as it's done.
This version is "bypass city"! For example, let's look at the 3300uF power caps.......
OK, as "stock" you have a 3300uF electrolytic bypassed with a 100nF metallized polyester.
I have bypassed that same 3300uF 'lytic with a 3.3uF WIMA metallized polyester, an EVOX PMR 100nF polyprop, a 100nF Wima polyester and a 470pF polyester..... can't wait to hear how my blunderbuss approach sounds!
All of the 22pF ceramic caps have been replaced with silvered mica variants (70 pence each ffs!).....I hope to fire Panda three up next weekend, I will report back.
Mike.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2010 0:03:33 GMT
That's a great build Mick. Thing about a build going a bit wrong at the start, you appreciate it all the more when it starts to deliver quality sound, which Panda surely does. One thing I wonder, I see the legs on your Varistor etc are not insulated. Are they not a risk? I don't mean this negatively, I haven't fitted any to mine yet and it would be easier if they could be left like that. Syd I thought that too. I've used these with a little insulation stripped from a small gauge mains lead, which then fits snugly enough on any, otherwise, exposed component legs. I can't say that without also agreeing it's a very smart looking build. Chris
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