Custom Edition Darkvoice THA336FM arrived [56K warning]

[Roasty]

wow i had no idea the LDII was so small compared to the darkvoice! that single big tube just dwarfs the LDII!

love the faceplate man, i think it looks better than the stock one.

 

[symbiosis10]

So what level of experince would you suggest someone have with tinkering with electronics if they were thinking about attempting the mods you made? Advanced? Novice? Could someone without years of tinkering experience do it or would they just be headed for disaster?

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by symbiosis10 So what level of experince would you suggest someone have with tinkering with electronics if they were thinking about attempting the mods you made? Advanced? Novice? Could someone without years of tinkering experience do it or would they just be headed for disaster?

Depends on which mods you wanted to do. There's nothing particularly challenging about most of it on an absolute scale, but it's all done in tight quarters and point-to-point, so it's really more about how steady your hand is.

I think most of it, except perhaps the sockets and point-to-point crossfeed, could be done by anybody with a moderate amount of DIY experience.

 

[raylpc]

Hi Fitz, my Darkvoice's power switch broke. I just took the DV apart and unsoldered and took out the switch. However, I can't take out the front panels. I noticed that there are four screws holding the panel from inside. How did you get off those screws? And what tools did you use? Do I have to disassemble my DV to take off the front panel?

Since I have already opened the case, I might as well do some mods. I'm interested in changing the volume pot. Can you give me the exact model of the Alps R27k pot that you used. (Could you PM me where you got it if possible?) And I want to do the Output Coupling Capacitors mod as well. Could you give more details on the mod? Thanks!

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raylpc Hi Fitz, my Darkvoice's power switch broke. I just took the DV apart and unsoldered and took out the switch. However, I can't take out the front panels. I noticed that there are four screws holding the panel from inside. How did you get off those screws? And what tools did you use? Do I have to disassemble my DV to take off the front panel? Since I have already opened the case, I might as well do some mods. I'm interested in changing the volume pot. Can you give me the exact model of the Alps R27k pot that you used. (Could you PM me where you got it if possible?) And I want to do the Output Coupling Capacitors mod as well. Could you give more details on the mod? Thanks!

I used an extremely long and skinny screwdriver to undo them, and I've since left off the two upper ones (which are the lower ones when you're working inside the amp), because they're such a pain in the ass to get to. I think they did the front panel (and panel-mounted parts) before actually putting everything inside the amp, which is why it's so hard to get to after the fact.

And YGPM on the rest.

 

[jamato8]

For the bypass cap of the cathode the mids will normally be better with around 200uF to 400uF's. I use BlackGates for this. If you ground back to the negative side of the power caps this normally gives the best grounding scheme, which is along the idea of star grounding but to the power caps. I have found this to work the best for grounding hum and ultimately, sound.

For capacitor coupling I use the Blackgates pos to neg (two per channel) with around 300 uF's the bass is good and the output impedence is low.

 

[philodox]

That sucked so much that your switch broke just as I was about to listen to your amp with my K340s.

Oh well, there is always next time.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox That sucked so much that your switch broke just as I was about to listen to your amp with my K340s. Oh well, there is always next time.

I'm surprised how many people are pairing their DV with K340s, when I don't think I've ever actually listened to the combination.

 

[penguindude]

Fitz,

I demand an in-the-dark picture.

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penguindude Fitz, I demand an in-the-dark picture.

I think I have some somewhere, but they look unnatural, because my camera is IR sensitive and makes them look bluish-white instead of orange.

 

[Elephas]

We need a Darkvoice THA336FM vs. AT-HA5000 comparison with the W5000, W2002 and AD2000!

 

[raylpc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox That sucked so much that your switch broke just as I was about to listen to your amp with my K340s. Oh well, there is always next time.

I'm looking forward to the next meet

Fitz, I'm about to order the blue velvet. Will it fit the DV's volume knob? Also, I notice that there are eight wires going to the volume pot PCB. Are the two extra wires just grounds? Thanks!

 

[Fitz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by raylpc I'm looking forward to the next meet Fitz, I'm about to order the blue velvet. Will it fit the DV's volume knob? Also, I notice that there are eight wires going to the volume pot PCB. Are the two extra wires just grounds? Thanks!

No and yes. You'll need a knob with a set screw to go on the Alps. The other two wires are connected to ground as shields for the very short wires going to the tube socket. If you can't get them on the Alps easily, then don't even worry about them.

 

[phergus_25]

I was just skimming old posts that I am subscribed to and I rembered that it might be worth while to say that the last time I went down to Fitz's he modded my amp. The same kind of caps used in his output upgrade now rest in my amp! The effects were basicaly the same as his, my amp went from a average at best amp at driving grados and ATs to doing a pretty great job.
-greg

 

[scootermafia]

This sure is a nice mod,

I wouldn't mind a full update on how it's sounding after months of use. I mainly saw this because I was looking for how others fixed the hum issue with 336's. I have three tubes now that hum and only 1 (stock tube) that doesn't, preamp tube wise - so I've ebayed 3 more tubes, some 60s RCAs that Skylab told me to go after.

Is everyone on this darn board an electrical engineer or something? I've told a friend of mine who's getting started on college to go E.E. just so he can learn how to design amps...stupid Microbiology degree isn't going to help me mod my tube amp.