FrankenZERO - A bang for buck exploration with a DIY Heart !

[ccschua]

Oops. Item removed.

[okifaro]

Dear All, I can not find on ebay .047uf 160V or .033uf 500V PIO's, what do you think, can it be replace with 0,047uF 250V PIO K42Y2?

[Coreyk78]

Originally Posted by bundee1

does anyone know of a seller who sells the zero dac board seperatley? I might have fried mine. also can you replace a lifted pad with a ring made of clipped leads? in other words will the solder and ring continue the circuit?

I did the same thing.
I found a source for the mainboard, and I know he isn't everyone's favorite lately, but I've been talking to LC and he is going to sell me one. I haven't heard from him in a week, so I'll be sending him another email tomorrow to check on status, I think he was waiting to get some in stock.

[bundee1]

Update:

I get no sound when the headamp board is plugged in. Everything lights up but no sound. Even when the preamp is switched off the DAC wont work, but when I unplug the headamp board, the DAC works alone. Any ideas on fixes?

[Pricklely Peete]

Originally Posted by okifaro

Dear All, I can not find on ebay .047uf 160V or .033uf 500V PIO's, what do you think, can it be replace with 0,047uF 250V PIO K42Y2?

Nope...they (.047uf 250V) are too big in diameter (anything over 8mm will not fit). I wasn't kidding when I said it's getting harder to source the PIOs. I have some more kits in stock so anyone wanting one drop me a PM.


Parts changes to the next lot of 10 kits.

All PIO's are now .1uf 250V , this IS an upgrade(same diameter as previous .033uf 500V). Power supply section uses all Nichicon PW (1200uf 16V uprated to 1500uf 16V) Panasonic 330uf 25V FC/FM caps subbed for better Nichicon PW 330uf 16V

Phase 2 changes: Panasonic FM's upgraded to 330uf 16V FC

Phase 3 : Panasonic FM to FC

Peete.

[ccschua]

I thought FM is better than FC since FM has a lower ESR ?

[isao2k8]

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete

Nope...they (.047uf 250V) are too big in diameter (anything over 8mm will not fit).

According to ussr-tubes.com, .047uf 250V K42Y-2's diameter is 7mm. So I think it can work.

[les_garten]

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete

Nope...they (.047uf 250V) are too big in diameter (anything over 8mm will not fit). I wasn't kidding when I said it's getting harder to source the PIOs. I have some more kits in stock so anyone wanting one drop me a PM.


Parts changes to the next lot of 10 kits.

All PIO's are now .1uf 250V , this IS an upgrade(same diameter as previous .033uf 500V). Power supply section uses all Nichicon PW (1200uf 16V uprated to 1500uf 16V) Panasonic 330uf 25V FC/FM caps subbed for better Nichicon PW 330uf 16V

Phase 2 changes: Panasonic FM's upgraded to 330uf 16V FC

Phase 3 : Panasonic FM to FC

Peete.

RATS! And I just got mine!

[isao2k8]

Btw did anyone feel that original 47uF 10V SilmicII x 4 caps as coupling capacitors are better than 47uF 25V SilmicII x 4 in terms of SQ? I felt so...um...

[Pricklely Peete]

Originally Posted by isao2k8

Btw did anyone feel that original 47uF 10V SilmicII x 4 caps as coupling capacitors are better than 47uF 25V SilmicII x 4 in terms of SQ? I felt so...um...

I dunno....I didn't swap those out ...they are bypassed with PIO caps though as per the mod.

I doubt they have any sonic variation isao...they are the exact same build recipe.

Peete.

[Pricklely Peete]

Originally Posted by isao2k8

According to ussr-tubes.com, .047uf 250V K42Y-2's diameter is 7mm. So I think it can work.

Those should be fine.....my mistake...the .047uf 200V K40Y-9's are too darn big and that is what I was thinking of with the previous reply.

Les...not to worry, the difference in sound quality between the latest kits and the previous 12 will be minute if at all noticeable.

It really doesn't matter what size the bypass cap is as long as it's a high quality cap and it fits on the underside of the pcb. There is little to separate between Panasonic FC/FM and Nichicon PW....now if you went with the far more expensive Nichicon KG/FG or Elna Cerafine/Silmic/Silmic II then the differences might be easily picked out.

That's a huge jump in price though....for example 2 x Nichicon 4700uf 25V KG/FG might be 16-20 US for a pair. Add to that another set of 1500uf 16V and your at 30 US. That's nearly 2/3's of the cost of the mod wrapped up in only 4 caps.

The main reason the parts line will change is the fact that the original preferred value caps were not in stock and wouldn't be for another 5 weeks ( Nichicon 1200uf 16V PW's) so I had to go with the next best option, the 1500uf 16V PW. I don't want to make anyone wait that long if another suitable part will do the job

Anyway....I hope I can stick with .1uf 250V PIO for some time to come since that value is also the value used in the H/Amp ...makes life for me easier that way. I haven't been able to find .047uf 160V K42y-2's for quite sometime now. I guess they are all gone ? I couldn't source enough .033uf 500V K42Y-2's either....(back on Nov 12 when I placed the large order for 150 caps).

Peete.

[okifaro]

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete

Those should be fine.....my mistake...the .047uf 200V K40Y-9's are too darn big and that is what I was thinking of with the previous reply.

Les...not to worry, the difference in sound quality between the latest kits and the previous 12 will be minute if at all noticeable.

Peete.

Thanks folks.
I've already ordered all first FrankenZero's specyfication caps with follow modyfication (problem with available some parts), do you think is that ok:
CAP 4700UF 25V ELECT PW RADIAL NICHICON
CAP 330UF 25V ELECT FM RADIAL PANASONIC - ECG
DIODE ULT FAST 1A 1000V DO-41 MICRO COMMERCIAL CO (VA) V
CAP ELECT 47UF 25V FM RADIAL PANASONIC - ECG
CAP 100UF 25V ELECT AUDIO RAD ELNA AMERICA INC
CAP 1500UF 16V ELECT PW RADIAL NICHICON
0,1uF 160V PIO Capacitors K42Y2

[Pricklely Peete]

Originally Posted by okifaro

Thanks folks.
I've already ordered all first FrankenZero's specyfication caps with follow modyfication (problem with available some parts), do you think is that ok:
CAP 4700UF 25V ELECT PW RADIAL NICHICON
CAP 330UF 25V ELECT FM RADIAL PANASONIC - ECG
DIODE ULT FAST 1A 1000V DO-41 MICRO COMMERCIAL CO (VA) V
CAP ELECT 47UF 25V FM RADIAL PANASONIC - ECG
CAP 100UF 25V ELECT AUDIO RAD ELNA AMERICA INC
CAP 1500UF 16V ELECT PW RADIAL NICHICON
0,1uF 160V PIO Capacitors K42Y2

Looks good to me...keep us up to date how things pan out for you okifaro

Your in for a pleasant surprise when all is said and done !!!

Make sure you use 1/16 th inch or the metric equivalent shrink tubing for the PIO cap leads. No need to use it on the cap bodies themselves. PM me with your email address and I will send you the full instructions with all the hi rez photos showing the bypass cap orientation you'll need to follow among other things.

Good luck !!!

Peete.

[Pricklely Peete]

Any updates from those with kits...etc...? Come on guys fess up

Peete.

[les_garten]

Hi Peete,
Haven't installed my Kit yet, but I do have a question. I posted a link here with a Vol POT that looked just like my Alps from LC. It was Poo Poo'd as not the same. Any idea where you can get a good Pot to fit the Zero?

Les