[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Stuart /img/forum/go_quote.gif NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN (yeh,yeh I know James Bond and all that). I'm not finished with the Bada, I left out modding a whole set of components, namely - the resistors. In the process of replacing ALL the components in the original Lehman Black Cube phono stage, I seriously began to research resistors. Couple this with lots of emails between myself and Beau of Moskido fame (he raves about Vishay S102s) and a whole new ballpark opens up. I'm going to use 'naked Vishays' for the signal path but I'm not sure about what to use for those resistors not in the signal path. I would have liked to use Reidon/Powertron thin film Rs in these positions but there is a conflict of interest as explained to me by the European sales manager for Powertron (Germany). I cannot send emails to Reidon in California, they just get bounced back. This maybe my computer or it maybe like the Eichman bullit plug) site that automatically refers you to some company that sells their products in your geographical zone. Can anyone help me out with getting prices for the Reidon series of - USR 2-0808 & USR 2-1510. I'll bet that the USA prices are much cheaper than European ones (how much can we rip them off for). Already after some mods on the phono stage I can clearly hear noise and I'll bet that's from the cheap metal film 1/8th W resistors. So, if anyone in the States can send an email to get pricers on the series quoted, I would be grateful.

Stuart,
Regarding the Riedon resisitors, I e-mailed you, via hotmail, a week or two ago. Please tell me the quantity of each that you need. The Riedon website had a default 1000 piece order(!). Let me know, and I'll continue the process of getting the quote. If there are few enough, you might qualify for a sample order.

Digikey is an authorized distributor for Riedon resistors in my (New York State) area.
Patrick

EDIT: Stuart, I just put in an RFQ with Digikey for 25-50 each of the Reidon resistors you denoted.

 

[drarthurwells]

Email received: "I was wondering if you still feel as strongly as you did in your review of the Bada PH12, or if a new option has come along since that you would consider if you were in the market for a headphone amp."

Answer: I have been looking for a better amp than the Bada 12 for years, but all-tube amps seem to lack the sharp transient attacks and tone resolution (both tone edge and tone body resolution) afforded by the mosfet output and tube pre-amp of the Bada 12.

I use a Chinese NTA 6922 tube pre-amp with a Classe' solid state amp in my home system and love the sound of a tube preamp with a SS amp. This is what the Bada 12 gives me with its tube pre-amp and SS amp combination in one headphone amp.

 

[pataburd]

I, too, enjoyed a tube pre-amp (the Kora Triode) with a SS amp (the Plinius SA-100, Mk.II) back in days gone by.

Since owning and appreciating the PH-12, and especially with the last two rounds of mods, I have no desire to experiment with other headphone amps for a good long while.

I'm solidly with the good doctor on this one! : )

 

[Black Stuart]

I agree with everything Art & Pataburd say.

There is just something intrinsically right about a valve/tube pre coupled with a mosfet o/put or maybe a classD o/put.

I have a lovely modded KT88/6550 valve power amp but it just can´t match the bass detail/slam and timbre that I get from The Bada.

I don´t like the look of the all singing and dancing Bada - too much crammed into too small a space and with only 2 valves, they will need to be truly balanced or you will hear the differences in the channels.

A healthy New Year to all dedicated Headfiers´.

 

[nae45ro]

Finally replaced my M-audio firewire audiophile with Benchmark DAC-1 USB and wow...what a change. All the agressivity is now gone. The noise I was hearing is also gone and the level of micro details is outstanding. Finally the Bada can now benefit of one great source !

 

[Black Stuart]

Well,
I managed to get some samples of the Vishay Z foils for my Lehman phono stage mods.

As they included 2 x 47K, I just had to try them as shunts with the Alps Blue in the Bada.

I replaced the Welwyn RC55Y with these not knowing quite what to expect.

For the first 2-3 hours whilst there is a delicate softness to the sound these Z foils are undoubtedly a big improvement on the Welwyns but after this time the difference can only be described as 'a whole order better'.

As my beloved KD990 is out of action until I can source new transistors and diodes, I have had to fall back on my 63KI CDP.

These Z foils surpass the difference made by my hand made silver coupling caps and ERSE caps put together.

It's as if they have hosed away the 'grime' of noise that overlaid everything from the existing Welwyn shunts.

How to describe the sound - at a stroke it has removed the digital hardness of CD leaving a beautifully clear, liquid soundstage. It's as if I have been pushed much closer to singers and musicians. Piano has all the timbre and depth and decay of notes that one hears at a live concert. I could almost reach out and put my arm around Natalie Merchant/Ophelia. I've never experienced being able to almost visualise the faces of singers. Voices have become almost 3D.

This has to be the easiest mod for anyone to do. Just desolder the signal wires from the pot at the PCB and solder the resistors between signal wire and PCB. Yes there will be a 6dB drop but for those who only use CDP/DVD this is no bad thing as 2V maybe a tad too much for the Bada anyway.

I am just about to order a whole batch of naked S102/0.05% tolerance. I have a gut feeling that I will gain nothing by paying a lot more for the Z foils.

I have since used 4 x 1K but need to use another 4 x 100K and 2 x 10K so that all the signal resistors are Vishay bulk metal foil.

Cheap they are not but are worth every penny and then some. I cannot rec. the use of these resistors enough.

I intend to change most if not all signal path resistors with these incredible components. If you google them you will find all those who have tried them to rave on - it is'nt hype or b/s it's for real. Good advice is never use all of one type of resistor - until now - these resistors are as close as you can get to using a piece of wire.

Vishay naked S102/0.05% @ $9.79 each from Texas Instruments have to be outstanding value for the wonderful difference they make to the overall sund of your Bada - buy qwith confidence.

 

[tourmaline]

I have some change of planes, not really a change, i am continue-ing the upgrades to the bada but i plan some more things to be done.

I plan on getting two very nice all alluminium cases and put the amplifier section with new teflon sockets and some new chassis headphone plugs (neutrik) in the new case and the other case seperately for the powersupply and powersection!

This way i have much more room for larger components, might be able to cool the mosfets passively and upgrade the standard transformer for a custom one in future that suppose to bring the bada even to a higher level of realism.

I have to replace the chassis headphone plugs anyway, so doing so with a new chassis is much easier! Also more room to try out much larger caps etc.


pataburd, i haven't been here for a while but i figured you would have finished your second mod allready!

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by drarthurwells /img/forum/go_quote.gif Email received: "I was wondering if you still feel as strongly as you did in your review of the Bada PH12, or if a new option has come along since that you would consider if you were in the market for a headphone amp." Answer: I have been looking for a better amp than the Bada 12 for years, but all-tube amps seem to lack the sharp transient attacks and tone resolution (both tone edge and tone body resolution) afforded by the mosfet output and tube pre-amp of the Bada 12. I use a Chinese NTA 6922 tube pre-amp with a Classe' solid state amp in my home system and love the sound of a tube preamp with a SS amp. This is what the Bada 12 gives me with its tube pre-amp and SS amp combination in one headphone amp.

Exactly, i've heard much more exensive amps, also loads of really high end amps and some are not even close to the sound the bada is portraying...the sound of the instruments is really organic and real...especially after the mod!

Re fast speed and transients...this suppose to be possible in a tube amp, but you need very, very expensive transformers for that. Most of the time tube amps seems to be slow, not so with the bada!

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Stuart /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, I managed to get some samples of the Vishay Z foils for my Lehman phono stage mods. As they included 2 x 47K, I just had to try them as shunts with the Alps Blue in the Bada. I replaced the Welwyn RC55Y with these not knowing quite what to expect. For the first 2-3 hours whilst there is a delicate softness to the sound these Z foils are undoubtedly a big improvement on the Welwyns but after this time the difference can only be described as 'a whole order better'. As my beloved KD990 is out of action until I can source new transistors and diodes, I have had to fall back on my 63KI CDP. These Z foils surpass the difference made by my hand made silver coupling caps and ERSE caps put together. It's as if they have hosed away the 'grime' of noise that overlaid everything from the existing Welwyn shunts. How to describe the sound - at a stroke it has removed the digital hardness of CD leaving a beautifully clear, liquid soundstage. It's as if I have been pushed much closer to singers and musicians. Piano has all the timbre and depth and decay of notes that one hears at a live concert. I could almost reach out and put my arm around Natalie Merchant/Ophelia. I've never experienced being able to almost visualise the faces of singers. Voices have become almost 3D. This has to be the easiest mod for anyone to do. Just desolder the signal wires from the pot at the PCB and solder the resistors between signal wire and PCB. Yes there will be a 6dB drop but for those who only use CDP/DVD this is no bad thing as 2V maybe a tad too much for the Bada anyway. I am just about to order a whole batch of naked S102/0.05% tolerance. I have a gut feeling that I will gain nothing by paying a lot more for the Z foils. I have since used 4 x 1K but need to use another 4 x 100K and 2 x 10K so that all the signal resistors are Vishay bulk metal foil. Cheap they are not but are worth every penny and then some. I cannot rec. the use of these resistors enough. I intend to change most if not all signal path resistors with these incredible components. If you google them you will find all those who have tried them to rave on - it is'nt hype or b/s it's for real. Good advice is never use all of one type of resistor - until now - these resistors are as close as you can get to using a piece of wire. Vishay naked S102/0.05% @ $9.79 each from Texas Instruments have to be outstanding value for the wonderful difference they make to the overall sund of your Bada - buy qwith confidence.

Stuart, what you did with your shunted pot, i allready got with the high end pot! Also beware that the resistors in another place might not yield as great an effect!

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tourmaline /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have some change of planes, not really a change, i am continue-ing the upgrades to the bada but i plan some more things to be done. I plan on getting two very nice all alluminium cases and put the amplifier section with new teflon sockets and some new chassis headphone plugs (neutrik) in the new case and the other case seperately for the powersupply and powersection! This way i have much more room for larger components, might be able to cool the mosfets passively and upgrade the standard transformer for a custom one in future that suppose to bring the bada even to a higher level of realism. I have to replace the chassis headphone plugs anyway, so doing so with a new chassis is much easier! Also more room to try out much larger caps etc. pataburd, i haven't been here for a while but i figured you would have finished your second mod allready!

Tour,
Fitz just fitted the Elma switch for the 3-level Meier crossfeed circuit. And there are some other "surprises" in store. . . ? ? ? It's gone beyond the scope of the Level 2 mods, and is venturing into the Fitz-Max Bada PH-12 "ULTRA"! : )

PAB

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pataburd /img/forum/go_quote.gif Tour, Fitz just fitted the Elma switch for the 3-level Meier crossfeed circuit. And there are some other "surprises" in store. . . ? ? ? It's gone beyond the scope of the Level 2 mods, and is venturing into the Fitz-Max Bada PH-12 "ULTRA"! : ) PAB

Why do you want crossfeed on the bada? You know it generates fake 3d image effect!

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tourmaline /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why do you want crossfeed on the bada? You know it generates fake 3d image effect!

It's defeatable, Tour. Crossfeed is a nice option once in a while, especially for older stereo recordings with stark channel separation, at least for me. And, like I mentioned earlier, it is defeatable. : )

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tourmaline /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have some change of planes, not really a change, i am continue-ing the upgrades to the bada but i plan some more things to be done. I plan on getting two very nice all alluminium cases and put the amplifier section with new teflon sockets and some new chassis headphone plugs (neutrik) in the new case and the other case seperately for the powersupply and powersection! This way i have much more room for larger components, might be able to cool the mosfets passively and upgrade the standard transformer for a custom one in future that suppose to bring the bada even to a higher level of realism. I have to replace the chassis headphone plugs anyway, so doing so with a new chassis is much easier! Also more room to try out much larger caps etc. pataburd, i haven't been here for a while but i figured you would have finished your second mod allready!

I'm finally in the process of reassembling my Bada with the new output stage, and if all goes well I'll have it running within a couple weeks (by the end of the week if I'm lucky) able to drive a fair bit of power into speakers with entirely passive cooling. I don't really want to say much more than that until I've done some actual real world tests with it, just in case I've gone and wired something up backwards and let the magic smoke out when I first turn it on. Gonna finish up most of the soldering on it tonight, and then wait for the remaining odds and ends to arrive.

If you're sticking with the stock output stage, you'd do well to get some better cooling on the mosfets' source resistors too, as they're dissipating more heat than the mosfets. I really don't know what they were thinking with that... 45V supply on a headphone buffer, and most of the heat dissipated in resistors that get no real cooling at all.

 

[tourmaline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm finally in the process of reassembling my Bada with the new output stage, and if all goes well I'll have it running within a couple weeks (by the end of the week if I'm lucky) able to drive a fair bit of power into speakers with entirely passive cooling. I don't really want to say much more than that until I've done some actual real world tests with it, just in case I've gone and wired something up backwards and let the magic smoke out when I first turn it on. Gonna finish up most of the soldering on it tonight, and then wait for the remaining odds and ends to arrive. If you're sticking with the stock output stage, you'd do well to get some better cooling on the mosfets' source resistors too, as they're dissipating more heat than the mosfets. I really don't know what they were thinking with that... 45V supply on a headphone buffer, and most of the heat dissipated in resistors that get no real cooling at all.

Also planning on getting 3 new tube sockets as well. Beginning to collect the needed components for the 3rd step of modding.

these suppose to be the best around, expensive but apperently worth the money! if you want to change them for others, why not get these and be done.

Yamamoto teflon tube sockets.


As for the heat, i use 2 x 12 cm papst fans, remember?! Everything is ice cold after 3-4 hours of operation!

While you're at it, change the very cheap headphone chassis sockets for some neutrik ones. Mine is gone loose...i can swirl the peahphone plug around in it...no contact as well! They are not really that expensive at all, some 12 euro's a piece and much better build.

The bada is a nice sounding amp, but the lack of quality components is really showing through.

re source resistors: i use welwyn 24 watts resistors in that position. One long resistor completely repalces those 4 ones close together, much better heat dissapation!

 

[Black Stuart]

Fitz,
looking forward to your input on the Bada's o/put stage and I can't agree more about waiting till you can post something conclusive - it's easy to get lost in euphoria.

Re. the M/source resistors - could'nt agree more and that's why MrT and I use fan cooling.

I had hoped to have built a house here in Spain using an alternative to air-conditioning, no matter I'll do that in France and use the same simple system to cool all my hi-fi gear.

Do think about buying a pair of Vishay S102 for shunts. If Mr T could hear the shunted Alps Blue, he would never have spent serious money on the Dutch linear pots.