[baronbeehive]

  This should not be an issue for you @baronbeehive as you're not removing the board completely, only tilting it down leaving all wires attached, correct?

 
Yes that's right. But I assumed that this connection between board and chassis was the only grounding.
 
Also I will be rewiring it as well!

 

[SonicTrance]

Yes, just make sure that connection stays intact and you're all good. And all other connections obviously.

 

[Maxx134]

When board is out, I only test connections with continuity testing...

I never test it live until the board is in place .

I never tested my amp with the board out.

I do not advise that.
I like everything to be in place and ready to close up before I test.

That way I know everything is positioned in place, with tubes inserted properly,
and nothing is touching the wrong things.

 

[SonicTrance]

When board is out, I only test connections with continuity testing...

I never test it live until the board is in place .

I never tested my amp with the board out.

I do not advise that.
I like everything to be in place and ready to close up before I test.

That way I know everything is positioned in place, with tubes inserted properly,
and nothing is touching the wrong things.

This is good advise! 
I too have never power ON with the board out. It is possible though if you're really careful.

 

[baronbeehive]

It's entirely possible that nothing bad will happen if you don't connect that part to ground. The black wire that leads from the transformers to the capacitors in the power supply is also connected to ground through some sort of tap in the transformer, but this tap is a mystery to me. It's certainly not a normal ground point as I've blown a few fuses while using it as one.
The grounding hole that I spoke of near the input stage put supply is required for the rectifier operation and bad things can happen if it isn't grounded. I wouldn't risk it.

 
Do you mean the hole on top right next to the power socket? That one and the other one on the top left are the only ones disappearing into the transformers which I haven't looked in. The others do not appear to have any associated circuitry or connections on the board or chassis to ground so using any of those as ground would not appear to make any difference.
 
Quote:

When board is out, I only test connections with continuity testing...

I never test it live until the board is in place .

I never tested my amp with the board out.

I do not advise that.
I like everything to be in place and ready to close up before I test.

That way I know everything is positioned in place, with tubes inserted properly,
and nothing is touching the wrong things.

 
I see your point but providing I can be sure of the ground connection I will probably try it because I can't see any problem apart from the ground connection. The board in appears to be exactly the same as the board out regarding touching things, so long as it is resting on something non conductive and not touching any bare connections.

 

[Maxx134]

When you grab the board you tend to touch things,
and things get bent out of position.

Also this amp does not have a normal power supply.
If using the "ground" or center, you will be able to measure both positive and negative power supply to the tubes.

The driver stage is a different, "normal" power supply though.

The issue is that they are totally separate power supplies.

Also coin, you asked what where the differences between the MK6&MK8.

The tube pin sockets make the board traces different, but so far,
Other than the tubes,
I see the power resistors the and transformers as the obvious things.
Most of the design is similar.

 

[coinmaster]

The hole next to the input stage power supply rectifier is connected to the ground plane of the pcb. The ground lug on the transformers that is connected to chassis and the chassis is connected to that hole, therefore that hole is the link to ground for the amplifier.
The black wire that leads into the large capacitor section is kind of a mystery, it's sort of ground but it sort of isn't. Moral of the story is keep the hole next to the input stage power supply connected to chassis.
If you are unsure where it is use a continuity test on the screw holes until you find one that links to the ground plane on the PCB.

 

[SonicTrance]

Guys, finally got my LCD-3's today! Man, these are great headphones! Just start listening now.

 

[baronbeehive]

  Guys, finally got my LCD-3's today! Man, these are great headphones! Just start listening now.

 
Fantastic! I believe they're a bit better balanced between bass and treble than the LCD-2's. Every LCD is a bit different from the last one too. Are you keeping the LCD-X's now? I really don't know what I would get to replace the HE-500's I've got, the LCD's have a totally different sound. I don't think the Ether's are the ones yet!
 
I'm OK I'm listening to the speaker amp ATM!
 
Happy listening

.

 

[SonicTrance]

 

  Guys, finally got my LCD-3's today! Man, these are great headphones! Just start listening now.

 
Fantastic! I believe they're a bit better balanced between bass and treble than the LCD-2's. Every LCD is a bit different from the last one too. Are you keeping the LCD-X's now? I really don't know what I would get to replace the HE-500's I've got, the LCD's have a totally different sound. I don't think the Ether's are the ones yet!
 
I'm OK I'm listening to the speaker amp ATM!
 
Happy listening

.

Yes, I'm keeping the XC's as I need closed cans too. And from what I've heard so far they complement each other nicely. The LCD-3's being slightly warmer/darker sounding but with amazing soundstage and detail. I think I'll buy a Silver Dragon cable for the 3's though. I'm using Custom Cans Litz copper cable for the XC's which is nice but the 3's would benefit from a silver cable I think.

 

[baronbeehive]

I see you had Audio Technicas btw, what did you think of them, I loved the ones I had.
 
People seem to fall into the LCD camp or the HiFiMan camp in terms of the type of sound you get......... then there's the Sennheiser sound!!!!

 

[Mogos]

I did have Sennheisers HD800 for long time. They was from early production. The serial number was something around 1340. In this time I have been auditioning many different headphones including Stax 009 plus their solid state amp. But I have had  never been impressed to the extent that I would like to change my beloved Sennheisers. Mostly the sound stage of the competitors was inferior and other qualities like speed and impact could not match Senk's performance.
I was pleased with them but I knew from the sound signature of the other headphones that some things can be done better. For example they could be a little warmer and giving more engaging timbre of the instruments.
But I have used them with the standard LD and I know now for sure they will sound different with SMLD. Maybe I will have to tray them again. I have never herd the LCD-3's. Maybe beacause I am totaly not interested in headphones  tend to the warmer/darker side. The Stax Omega II had such a characteristic with some details jumping out of the heavy dark abyss . Quite pleasant but far from a live sound you can experience going for concert or chamber live performance.
With HEK and SMLD I have no space for any complaints like above. Could that be the end of the road? No more imagination running wild

?. I will miss it. And you are saying that the tube can make huge difference to what I am already hearing. Hard to believe. But the last mod (still in testing stage) shows that you shall never say never or that some things are not possible. Can I be suprised again? Do I?

 

[SonicTrance]

  I see you had Audio Technicas btw, what did you think of them, I loved the ones I had.
 
People seem to fall into the LCD camp or the HiFiMan camp in terms of the type of sound you get......... then there's the Sennheiser sound!!!!

I loved the sound but the fit was awkward with those 3D wings. I also didn't like that they were so damn sensitive, picking up every little noise from tubes etc. And once I got the XC's, there was no point in keeping the AT's.
 
I've only had the 400i's from Hifiman, and to me they are way to warm sounding. These LCD-3's are bright in comparison IMO. I guess it's fair to say I'm in the LCD camp now, lol.

 

[SonicTrance]

  I did have Sennheisers HD800 for long time. They was from early production. The serial number was something around 1340. In this time I have been auditioning many different headphones including Stax 009 plus their solid state amp. But I have had  never been impressed to the extent that I would like to change my beloved Sennheisers. Mostly the sound stage of the competitors was inferior and other qualities like speed and impact could not match Senk's performance.
I was pleased with them but I knew from the sound signature of the other headphones that some things can be done better. For example they could be a little warmer and giving more engaging timbre of the instruments.
But I have used them with the standard LD and I know now for sure they will sound different with SMLD. Maybe I will have to tray them again. I have never herd the LCD-3's. Maybe beacause I am totaly not interested in headphones  tend to the warmer/darker side. The Stax Omega II had such a characteristic with some details jumping out of the heavy dark abyss . Quite pleasant but far from a live sound you can experience going for concert or chamber live performance.
With HEK and SMLD I have no space for any complaints like above. Could that be the end of the road? No more imagination running wild

?. I will miss it. And you are saying that the tube can make huge difference to what I am already hearing. Hard to believe. But the last mod (still in testing stage) shows that you shall never say never or that some things are not possible. Can I be suprised again? Do I?

I might have said this before but...
To me, the biggest difference in sound signature you can make if you want clarity and detail, is to put in some 5998's or WE421A's as power tubes. I promise you Mogos, you will not be disappointed. Just make sure you get NOS tubes or tubes that tests good.

 

 

[baronbeehive]

  I did have Sennheisers HD800 for long time. They was from early production. The serial number was something around 1340. In this time I have been auditioning many different headphones including Stax 009 plus their solid state amp. But I have had  never been impressed to the extent that I would like to change my beloved Sennheisers. Mostly the sound stage of the competitors was inferior and other qualities like speed and impact could not match Senk's performance.
I was pleased with them but I knew from the sound signature of the other headphones that some things can be done better. For example they could be a little warmer and giving more engaging timbre of the instruments.
 
............

 
Interesting comments guys. Yes the soundstage is the key to the Senns popularity. I found that with my HD600's you could be very impressed with the way they produced the music, technically but  it was totally lacking in emotional engagement and warmth as you say. Exactly!
 

............
 
But I have used them with the standard LD and I know now for sure they will sound different with SMLD. Maybe I will have to tray them again. I have never herd the LCD-3's. Maybe beacause I am totaly not interested in headphones tend to the warmer/darker side. The Stax Omega II had such a characteristic with some details jumping out of the heavy dark abyss . Quite pleasant but far from a live sound you can experience going for concert or chamber live performance.
.............
 

 
Yes, I agree with you again out darker sounding cans, although I don't like bright sounds either.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mogos /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
............
With HEK and SMLD I have no space for any complaints like above. Could that be the end of the road? No more imagination running wild

?. I will miss it. And you are saying that the tube can make huge difference to what I am already hearing. Hard to believe. But the last mod (still in testing stage) shows that you shall never say never or that some things are not possible. Can I be suprised again? Do I?

 
The end of the road........ Nirvana is at hand, lucky person

.
 

  I loved the sound but the fit was awkward with those 3D wings. I also didn't like that they were so damn sensitive, picking up every little noise from tubes etc. And once I got the XC's, there was no point in keeping the AT's.
 
I've only had the 400i's from Hifiman, and to me they are way to warm sounding. These LCD-3's are bright in comparison IMO. I guess it's fair to say I'm in the LCD camp now, lol.

 
Yes, they were sensitive, but the very forward mid range was superb and involving for me, but the HE-500's with the copper cable, not the silver one, improved in every way, and were also very musical sounding and easy to listen to.
 

  I might have said this before but...
To me, the biggest difference in sound signature you can make if you want clarity and detail, is to put in some 5998's or WE421A's as power tubes. I promise you Mogos, you will not be disappointed. Just make sure you get NOS tubes or tubes that tests good.

 
Yes, I agree the tubes make a massive difference............ maybe Nirvana is not here yet Mogos

.