[adfinni]

No inside pics until i can be bothered to take the top off the case. il explain later on when i get the main pics up why it's such a PITA

Here's the first one shot in a dark light on purpose. Il get the other ones up later or wait until daylight tomorrow and take my sisters better digi camera.

 

[Televator]

I just added some 25 pics of my Millet Max (as thumbnails of course

) in the DIY gallery thread here: link

some of the pics have been posted in this thread as well, but there are quite a couple extra (including from case design and of my final version) and behind the thumbnails are high res versions as well...

@ Tomb: feel free to add them to your MAX-pages if you want to

BTW: typing these words while enjoying Puscifer (with Maynard James Keenan) through my NAD C542 -> MAX -> 75Ω adapter -> MS2i ... the only thing humming here is me

 

[amphead]

Pabbi, now I can check out the other Max board that you sent. More info later. I want to get these boards shipped back asap.

Thanks Televator, I'll probably do a pro bono repair again. If anyone else gets into a similar fix.

 

[pabbi1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amphead /img/forum/go_quote.gif Pabbi, now I can check out the other Max board that you sent. More info later. I want to get these boards shipped back asap. Thanks Televator, I'll probably do a pro bono repair again. If anyone else gets into a similar fix.

I am just simply astounded with the overwhelming generousity of this community. There are simply not words to express my gratitude to Ron for bailing me out - no other way to put it.

We can only hope no one else has a cluster like this - mostly preventable by RTFM, and not wicking on too much solder.

Let's hope the other board is less problematic. Oh, and Ron, let me know your Paypal to cover the shipping back when that is applicable. Finally, keep all the extra parts in case a pro bono pops up - or, you wanna do another personal build - I'll certainly not be using them.

 

[joneeboi]

Well, I have some bad news to report.

I biased up my dBs as per the past two pages and things were going great for a while. The left channel actually would only go up to 230mV (~104.5mA) while the right could go right up near 300, but I decided they should probably be equally biased. At any rate, I unsuspectingly put even more strain on an already struggling wallwart which died on me not more than 10 minutes ago. I will be putting a rush on the mpja wallwart, as I want my music and I'm having a mini-meet this Saturday just to showcase the MAX. *sigh* AND I was listening through the very annoying humming. I'll take those pictures and what not eventually, Tom, don't worry

 

[ruZZ.il]

did you hear much difference? I'm really not sure how much difference there really is.. also, not that I'm familiar with the other side, but if you bias too much, you could be dropping out of linearity as the transistor reaches its saturation current (which may be a lot more than we're using anyway.. I haven't looked at the specs too much ). I still think you should look into getting better transistors. They may satisfy your need to push more. When I changed my BD139/140's to the 3422 pair (I think), it was like taking a pillow case off my head.

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joneeboi /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, I have some bad news to report. I biased up my dBs as per the past two pages and things were going great for a while. The left channel actually would only go up to 230mV (~104.5mA) while the right could go right up near 300, but I decided they should probably be equally biased. At any rate, I unsuspectingly put even more strain on an already struggling wallwart which died on me not more than 10 minutes ago. I will be putting a rush on the mpja wallwart, as I want my music and I'm having a mini-meet this Saturday just to showcase the MAX. *sigh* AND I was listening through the very annoying humming. I'll take those pictures and what not eventually, Tom, don't worry

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruZZ.il did you hear much difference? I'm really not sure how much difference there really is.. also, not that I'm familiar with the other side, but if you bias too much, you could be dropping out of linearity as the transistor reaches its saturation current (which may be a lot more than we're using anyway.. I haven't looked at the specs too much ). I still think you should look into getting better transistors. They may satisfy your need to push more. When I changed my BD139/140's to the 3422 pair (I think), it was like taking a pillow case off my head.

-Sigh-
Yes, ruZZ.il is correct to question whether it would make a difference in sound, although I think the MJE's can take 15W under the right scenario and max collector current is 4A.

Regardless, I think the thing to say is to repeat that there's something more going on - especially with your onboard PS. This may not be the time to tread untested ground by seriously hiking up the current bias on your transistors. In any case, I had thought that perhaps my recommended limit was 100ma - even before we confirmed that you have a problem in the PS. Yet, you went to ~136ma on the right channel.

There is another transistor that is probably more of a limiting factor than the output trannies - the JFETs at QB1 and QB2. I'm not entirely certain what they can take or support in terms of current. It's quite possible that they reach a saturation current as ruZZ.il describes. As a lowly TO-92, that may not be much and heat sink options are certainly limited. As we've all seen when matching trannies, the ratings (as in current saturation) can also vary from one TO-92 to another, which probably explains the difference in adjustment range you noticed between channels. The DB current mirror is actually setup as a current multiplier, so the JFETs see much less current than the output trannies. That means only a small variance in current saturation at the JFETs might result in the 30-40ma difference betwen channels. Still - it's probably certain that those are the limiting devices in this whole experiment.

While you're waiting for that MPJA walwart, let's figure out what's wrong with your PS. You should never have blown your first walwart in the first place. My guess is that your LM317 is bad, and is not regulating at all - just passing through the voltage with a sizable drop. In that case, the 4000uf caps may not be enough to absorb all the hum and ripple. Just a guess, but there's something wrong (sorry for being redundant).

 

[amphead]

Pabbi, don't worry about the shipping. I'll just set aside 2 silmic IIs,2 cerafines and a single 12ae6. You have a nice sound going with silmic II(CA2) and cerafine(CA7).

TomB, what are your thoughts regarding those caps in those positions? I like Pabbis configuration.

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amphead /img/forum/go_quote.gif Pabbi, don't worry about the shipping. I'll just set aside 2 silmic IIs,2 cerafines and a single 12ae6. You have a nice sound going with silmic II(CA2) and cerafine(CA7). TomB, what are your thoughts regarding those caps in those positions? I like Pabbis configuration.

It probably makes an oustanding configuration. I don't often recommend them for two reasons:
1. I try to adhere to the 1" height and the board in the 3rd slot. That pretty much limits things to the ES's, Black Gates, or a normal cap bypassed with the Wima's such as an FM, UPW, etc.
2. The Cerafines are particularly hard to find these days - probably Welborne is the only place anymore, and they've been sold out of the 470uf 35V for a long, long time. They've also had a number of bad reports lately.

You can see that none of those reasons have anything to do with sound.

Pabbi's configuration completely does away with the typical casework for obvious reasons (balanced amp), so reason #1 doesn't apply. As for the Cerafines, that's the book choice given his reasoning about liking Black Gates but not being able to tolerate the repeated break-in cycle.

Most likely his Vitamin Q's have as much do with the signature as anything else. As we've learned, they may be much more linear and uncolored than the typical blooming-mids boutique film cap, which is the important thing for the MAX - especially in that position near the tubes. The Vitamin Q's may be safest bet for the MAX other than Wima's - and considerably better. The catch again that doesn't apply to Pabbi - is fitting them in.

These Russian caps that Fordgtlover has found on e-bay have a lot of potential. They're only 24mm long without the nipples, but the nipple fits perfectly (maybe some sanding) in the tombstone spot on the output positions and they fit horizontally back by the tubes, anyway. I'm going to test them, too, and will report back.

 

[tomb]

Just to reiterate until I get a chance to update the website:

1. CA9 (film cap position by the tubes): Either something very linear like Vitamin Q's, Wima's, or NOTHING.

Beware the use of commonly accepted boutiques with blooming mids - they will destroy the MAX's frequency response in the CA9 position

2. CA8 (film bypass on the output caps): whatever you like that sounds best. A blooming-mids boutique can sound very good here, but be mindful of the degradation to the frequency response.

The MAX has a tremendous bass slam that may be adversely affected by blooming-mids film caps, especially in the CA9 position.

 

[adfinni]

Here are my first set of external pics. Unfortunately it was hard to get all the dust off the case, but il try again when i get the internal pics. I think the bright sun gives some cool effects

 

[joneeboi]

Nice pictures, adfinni. That PSU window is pretty snazzy

tomb: I didn't actually bias the right channel all the way up to 136mA, I just meant that it could go up that far to show the strange difference between the channels. They were both sitting right around 230mV give or take a few mV when the wallwart exploded. I only crossed the line by a tiny bit

In any case, I was about to checkout my order at MPJA when I read their international shipping policy. I have to order a minimum 100USD before shipping which is totally bunk. I only need about 20USD worth of stuff, but I can't exactly get it without an American address. Is there someone who's willing to purchase my stuff for me (after I send some dough through Paypal of course) and send it to my location? I think you may need an American billing address too, but we can talk about that if anyone is willing to do it for me. Pretty please?

Cherries, whipped cream and sprinkles included with pleading.

 

[pabbi1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amphead /img/forum/go_quote.gif Pabbi, don't worry about the shipping. I'll just set aside 2 silmic IIs,2 cerafines and a single 12ae6. You have a nice sound going with silmic II(CA2) and cerafine(CA7). TomB, what are your thoughts regarding those caps in those positions? I like Pabbis configuration.

Oh, and there are plenty of VitQ in case you want a few of those - I had to buy 25, and unfortunately, also bought 25 of the 1.5" size as well.

 

[ruZZ.il]

sweeet case, adam!

 

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adfinni /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here are my first set of external pics. Unfortunately it was hard to get all the dust off the case, but il try again when i get the internal pics. I think the bright sun gives some cool effects

yes, very nice case indeed, prolly the nicest utilization of the stock Hammond case I've seen yet. How'd you make those rails? And that big hole in back? U using a machine shop?