[tyrion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think nobody doubts his powers to BS and spin anything in his favor. That's certainly what happened the last time I posted about this, he spun some story for Jude claiming that the design was his own and all the usual BS. You'll be the judge whether that is true or not.

Do me a favor, don't make a comment that sounds like HF is some how involved with Mikhail in preventing criticism from being posted when you have no basis. This was your comment. I think it goes a little further than, the "last time I posted..."

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer Mikhail has also made damn sure that all attempts to post threads like this have been shut down.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Spritzer, are these the original schematics or the corrected version?

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyrion /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do me a favor, don't make a comment that sounds like HF is some how involved with Mikhail in preventing criticism from being posted when you have no basis. This was your comment. I think it goes a little further than, the "last time I posted..."

Fair enough but my point wasn't to implicate HF in any way. The point is that every time somebody asks for advice to open up the amps or something like that, Mikhail has jumped in promising to fix the amp in a week or something like that. That's certainly my experience and what I meant by shutting down any attempts. There was another thread a while back discussing a broken down ES-1 which is still open AFAIK. That said I could have made my point clearer so I'll change it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif Spritzer, are these the original schematics or the corrected version?

This the original version as the amps are today. There is indeed a fixed schematic but since it hasn't been tested I would like to hold off posting it until I have made the necessary changes. That was going to be today but I couldn't get the necessary pots locally so I need to order them in which will take a week or more. It also gives me a chance to get the really expensive stuff...

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by squall343 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am wondering Singlepower have been around for a few years but no one ever realize the terrible inside of the amp until now?

If you conduct search you will find that the build quality and potential for problems were discussed at length as far back as 2004. People had paid enormous amounts for these amps and I do not think they could look at the facts clearly. Further clouding the picture were some amps that by all accounts truly sounded great. This has been a long time coming.

 

[n_maher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by john_jcb /img/forum/go_quote.gif This has been a long time coming.

And I fear it is only going to get worse for quite a while.

 

[ironbut]

Great thread spritzer!

If I could make two suggestions though;

You really need to add a high voltage warning in your original post! You and I know just how the lethal the voltages commonly found in these amps are and the precautions that need to be followed, but for the majority of SP owners, this may not be true.
Troubleshooting these amps are not something to be attempted by someone who isn't at least somewhat experienced with working on tube amps.

Since this thread could very well be used by a tech who knows nothing about electrostatic headphones/amps, or electrostatic amps, it might be useful to give a little primer to them, on their operation in general and what sets them apart from tube driven speaker amps.

That said, I'm delighted that you are the one that was chosen to receive this amazingly generous gift! I think that this thread is ample proof of that. I look forward to the next installment.

 

[spritzer]

Goop points and espcially about the high voltage. I'm so used to it these days that I don't even think about it.

This is definitely not a project for a novice though the amp chassis is pretty safe once the umbilical is disconnected as the only caps in there are the coupling caps and low voltage cathode units on the first stage. Still, I never touch anything inside a chassis without going over it with the DMM.

Right now I'm waiting for more parts to arrive so that I can do the full mod on the amp but it shouldn't take long. Mouser treated me to some free Fedex International Priority.

 

[neilvg]

If this all works out I'm going to fly you out to my place so you can stay with me for a few days, get a vacation out of it.... oh, and fix my amp

Neil

 

[immtbiker]

Thanks for taking the time and effort to do this Spritz.

I was chastised for years for warning people about Singlepower and it's immoral path to hell, some saying that I had an agenda.

I now feel somewhat vindicated.

Of course this doesn't help those who have sunk large amounts of money into the money pit. Perhaps it will help future members from falling into the same pothole.

 

[elrod-tom]

Yes, thanks. This has been as depressing as anything I've seen in a while. Hopefully some good comes out of this whole sorry mess.

 

[jgazal]

I think it is almost impossible to moderate the avalanche of information available at head-fi (that happens on every internet forum).

If people were here reading excellent reports from other users, moderators were not obliged to employ independent electronic engineers to test each and every amplifier.

I presume this role is assigned to an independent product safety certification organization (such as http://www.ul.com), Federal Communications Commission (About the Federal Communications Commission) or at least U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC Home Page - About Tab).

Just observe any electronic equipment in your house and you are going to see that all of them have several certifications and notes of compliance with international standards.

Having said that, I think moderators should not in any way criticize the noble attitude of the author of this thread.

Although the vast majority of head-fi users will not fully understand how an electronic circuit works, neither learn how to repair it or deal with high voltages, it helps to put trust again in the user related information head-fi makes possible to transmit.

All in all, these are the cons and pros of free speech...

 

[h.rav]

One of the worst wiring job I've seen. No wonder the amp failed..

 

[Icarium]

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilvg /img/forum/go_quote.gif If this all works out I'm going to fly you out to my place so you can stay with me for a few days, get a vacation out of it.... oh, and fix my amp Neil

Man if you do that'd be awesome. Maybe he can bake us some bread too

 

[spritzer]

Due to lightning fast Fedex shipping I have all the parts to do the necessary changes but I mostly lack the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icarium /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man if you do that'd be awesome. Maybe he can bake us some bread too

That wouldn't be a problem.

 

[mrarroyo]

Very nice thread indeed, although I do not own an electrostatic set up spritzer should be commended for this huge undertaking.