[L0rdGwyn]

Some progress after assembling the chassis and mounting parts.





I'm pretty wiped out from a long work week, probably won't finish today, tomorrow or Sunday more likely.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Now with transformers.





Have to run some errands, will pick back up in a few hours.

 

[henrix]

Now with transformers.





Have to run some errands, will pick back up in a few hours.

Nice colors

 

[Toonartist]

Flip ... you'll need a small crew to get that on the rack! Some serious looking amp, love it!

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Yep Halloween themed

It's heavy but that's the price of using all nanocrystalline signal transformers!

 

[heliosphann]

Now with transformers.





Have to run some errands, will pick back up in a few hours.

Holy CHUNGUS!

So basically you asked @zach915m, "How crazy do you wanna get with this amp?" and his reply was, "YES."

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Holy CHUNGUS!

So basically you asked @zach915m, "How crazy do you wanna get with this amp?" and his reply was, "YES."

It's a wild one! It's essentially a refinement of the 45 amp I built him, but using 2A3 and nanocrystalline core signal traffos. To me, this is the peak of two stage SET topologies - LED bias transformer coupled input stage, fixed bias DHT output stage. Other than the power supply, there are no caps in the signal path. Each channel also has it's own dedicated B+ and bias regulators, keeping channel crosstalk to an absolute minimum. I wanted custom transformers for the power supply and signal path, which leaves few options. Monolith Magnetics could provide, and we decided to go all in on the nanocrystalline core traffos. They are high permeability cores, as such they need to be quite large to prevent core saturation, which means a big ol' amp. But hey, probably worth it if it's the best amplifier you've ever heard.

 

[heliosphann]

It's a wild one! It's essentially a refinement of the 45 amp I built him, but using 2A3 and nanocrystalline core signal traffos. To me, this is the peak of two stage SET topologies - LED bias transformer coupled input stage, fixed bias DHT output stage. Other than the power supply, there are no caps in the signal path. Each channel also has it's own dedicated B+ and bias regulators, keeping channel crosstalk to an absolute minimum. I wanted custom transformers for the power supply and signal path, which leaves few options. Monolith Magnetics could provide, and we decided to go all in on the nanocrystalline core traffos. They are high permeability cores, as such they need to be quite large to prevent core saturation, which means a big ol' amp. But hey, probably worth it if it's the best amplifier you've ever heard.

I translated this as:

To make sound real good, must spend mo money and make big.

 

[AnyDave]

I translated this as:

To make sound real good, must spend mo money and make big.

I think you and Google translate use the same algorithm.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

I translated this as:

To make sound real good, must spend mo money and make big.

LMAO 100% nailed it.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Have most of the parts mounted, except for the filament and B+ regulators which have FETs that will be heatsinked to the chassis. Input stage ClarityCap power supply caps are chunky and float above the 9-pin sockets, so need to wire up the sockets before they go in. Have the impedance selector shaft coupler in place, will mark it and cut down to size.

 

[Zachik]

Have the impedance selector shaft coupler in place, will mark it and cut down to size.

... or just leave it as-is and let Zach control it from his lazy boy 6ft away

 

[L0rdGwyn]

... or just leave it as-is and let Zach control it from his lazy boy 6ft away

Good idea, you can't tell in the photo, but the rod is 12 feet long

That's all I'll be getting done for the day, had too much stuff going on, but tomorrow is going to be a serious build sesh.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Alright, been working for a few hours, time to take a break, exercise, eat some lunch.

Got the rest of the parts mounted, wired up the mains, wired the output transformers and output switch, as well as some of the interstage and bias wiring. I targeted getting most of the free wires out of the way to tidy up so I can wire and test the power supplies.

Next I will do the heater and filament supplies.

 

[L0rdGwyn]

Okay, here's where I'm stopping for the day.

I wired up the input tube sockets, the heaters, did the I/O wiring, got the ClarityCaps in. I usually do the power supply wiring and testing first, then the signal wiring, then the I/O. Decided to do the opposite this time. Usually once I've tested the power supply and confirmed everything is working, I'm excited then immediately disappointed I can't listen right away since I have to do the I/O wiring. So tomorrow moring, I'll wire and test the power supply, then it will be done! Besides cutting the impedance selector rod.

Anyway, almost there, should be done by noon or so tomorrow.