[CopperFox]

I picked up a second hand Little Dot mk VI+ from Ebay last month.

It had nasty transformer hum/buzz, which surprisingly was eliminated pretty much entirely by removing the transformer covers. Some people had similar problems earlier in the thread, but had had problems removing the covers due to the screws being installed so close to the raised part of the capacitor cover. I managed to unscrew them by first using a small flat head screwdriver at an angle to the Philips-head screws and then using pliers to do the last few spins.

So the hum/buzz issues that some have had seems to be due to the toroidial transformers' magnetic effects moving the covers.

Now I've been considering what to do next: try to install some damping material for the covers and put them back, find some different covers of another non-magnetic material, or just leave them unattached. Any tips will be welcome.

The screwdriver I used had head size of about 3mm x 0,5-0,7mm. The only text on it says "Made in West Germany" so it's probably not a current model.

Are there any recommendations for quiet replacement fans? I think I'll need to have them on in the summer.

 

[CopperFox]

My LDmkVI+ is looking excited about its new drawer-top placement.



Replaced the stock fans with Noctua NF-A8s and a 3-pin Y splitter cable so it' quite quiet now.
Still considering whether or not to reinstall the transformer covers.

 

[ViperGeek]

Are there any recommendations for quiet replacement fans? I think I'll need to have them on in the summer.

Congrats on the new tube amp.

I replaced the stock fans with two Noctua NF-R8 80mm Fans. The original URL from Amazon now points to dog collars, but I found these:

https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-Bearing-Cooling-NF-R8-redux-1200/dp/B00KF7T9MI/

plus the splitter wire required:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LPE1DDS/

Double-check whether the Mk VI+ takes 3-pin or 4-pin fans before ordering. From what I recall, the replacement was very easy.

- Dave

 

[Taz777]

Is anyone using the Little Dot Mk VIII SE with a pair of beyerdynamic T1.2 headphones? I'm looking for a tube amp for these that can drive them easily. Also, any concerns about reliability? Finally, as I'm in the UK, is there a recommended place to purchase this amp? Any advice greatly appreciated as I'm eyeing up the Pathos Aurium at the moment but the price of that has gone up a lot recently.

 

[Yaska729]

Is anyone using the Little Dot Mk VIII SE with a pair of beyerdynamic T1.2 headphones? I'm looking for a tube amp for these that can drive them easily. Also, any concerns about reliability? Finally, as I'm in the UK, is there a recommended place to purchase this amp? Any advice greatly appreciated as I'm eyeing up the Pathos Aurium at the moment but the price of that has gone up a lot recently.

My current setup is pretty much what you're talking about, and MK VIII SE drives the T1 perfectly. I actually bought an used machine, and serial number is 008, all I had to do was purchase the tubes (the previous owner took all of them and sold with no tubes on it). The machine was produced in 2011, so I don't think reliability would be a concern. Mr. Yang (owner of Little Dot) post in his QQ group chat that they have a new international distributor that actually speak English, so I guess you could go check out their site https://littledotus.com , hopefully this helps.

 

[vaduz488]

I am considering the Little Dot MK VIII. Here is my question. Will this amp power planar headphones? I have heard tubes usually don't go well with planars. Why is this?

 

[Saturnian]

it will drive them easily and tube amps are generally considered to have a warm sound and so do planars so this is probably why people think they are not
compatible

 

[nsgarch]

Drives all my power-hungry old Yamaha ortho dynamics just fine…

 

[CopperFox]

Mk VI has more power/current than mk viii so it would be better for the most hungry planars.

Edit: I hear the reason why tubes and planars are not the easiest mix is that tubes have relatively low current drive (current roughly means continuous power flow) compared to solid states and planars need current. Tubes have far higher voltage output than solid states (meaning maximum shorter term power flow potential afaik) though.

 

[greenkiwi]

On a random note - I've heard that people have liked using the small Emotiva A-100 speaker amp with the HE-6's

 

[AngryTank]

So I just bit the bullet on a mk8 from Apos, hopefully I enjoy it on my current headphones while I wait for my Auteurs to come in.

 

[Nooborghini]

I just received my LD MK8 SE from Apos and the right screen light is dimmer than the left and it's not matching with the current going through it.
I messaged Apos for a follow up but I'm not sure what to do. Any ideas? Just replace tubes?

 

[chezzer]

I had the same problem and it was the tubes, change the front tubes over left to right and see if the problem moves with the tube, I swapped tubes and now its okay but
I also had a problem where my single ended output was wired wrong so I had to do it properly myself, QC is terrible

 

[AngryTank]

Yea I had the same issue, I got mine through Apos (not their fault) but yea it’s 100% the tubes, mine would read over 120 on the right and the very right tube is glowing the surface of the sun.

 

[Nooborghini]

I see, Atleast the current imbalance is fixable.
The dial’s LED is dimmer than the left, can’t fix that unless I solder it off and add my own backlight on it right?