Millet Hybrid MAX (Millett Max) - Post your listening impressions (w/ pics)

[fordgtlover]

I finshed my Millet Max on the weekend and I thought I would post my initial listening impressions and also seek impressions from others.

My build is the mosfet version using mostly standard parts with a few 'boutique' components, namely Elna Silmic caps at CA2/7. I have the voltage set at 27V, and I am using GE 12FM6 tubes with the mosfets biased to 200mV, and standard WIMA MKP capacitors at CA8/9.

Comments are based on my listening experience with my K701 and about 15 hours on the amp.

I don't have much experience with tube amps. My point of reference for these listening impressions is my M³.

It's a very musical amp that allows considerable enjoyment of a broad range of music from vocal, through blues, and hard rock.

This amp absolutely excels at rock music with distorted guitars - huge, fat chunking guitar sound. It is smooth with male vocals but there is some graininess in some female vocals (Alison Krauss). The bottom end is weighty and solid, but not boomy in any way. The upper mids and highs are mostly clean and pleasant (some graininess).

It is worth noting that this amp can be quite sensitive to the quality of the source. On well recorded albums it is very pleasant, but poor quality source (bad recordings or poor files) it may well expose more flaws than other amps.

These are my initial impressions. I will update this view when I have a few more hours on it and the parts have settled in a little more.

cheers

 

[Deftoned]

Interesting, thanks! I'm thinking of getting someone to build one for me.

Please post pics if you have the opportunity.

 

[n_maher]

Here's what a mostly populated pcb looks like.

 

[Ferrari]

fordgtlover, the graininess you heard in some female vocals is most likely caused the use of electrolytics capacitors on the output of the amp. Elna Silmic (II) is very good for audio applications. But, in the signal path... it's a completely a different story, in my humble opinion.

With my 2 channel MH Max, both male/female vocals sound very clean and absolutely no graininess.
Also via my (uncased) balanced MH Max where "lower" quality output capacitors (BG NX) are used, male/female voices are free from graininess. Balanced MH Max does sound different (in a good way) comparing to 2 channels configuration.

 

[GAD]

How long did it take to build? I'd love to build one.

GAD

 

[fordgtlover]

Gad

My build took about 10 or so hours with double and triple checking parts. I haven't yet done the casework. Probably another few hours in that.

 

[fordgtlover]

Ferrari

I am waiting on some Russian K42 PIO capacitors from an ebay ebay seller for CA8/9. By all accounts these are nice, and hopefully will address the graininess.

I haven't discounted the possibility that the Silmics are just not so good as output caps on this amp (regardless of their reputation), or perhaps they just haven't burned in yet. Unfortunately, Silmics were all I could get for this purpose.

I would like to try the recommended Nichicon ES or other well regarded caps like BGs, but buying only two of each is problematic. I have some Panasonic FMs, so when the PIO caps arrive I will try a few combinations.

 

[truant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ferrari /img/forum/go_quote.gif With my 2 channel MH Max, both male/female vocals sound very clean and absolutely no graininess.

The best looking Millet Hybrid MAX I've ever seen!!

 

[n4k33n]

What would be a fair price for someone to build me a millet max for? I was quoted $350 with muse es caps.

 

[fordgtlover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by truant /img/forum/go_quote.gif The best looking Millet Hybrid MAX I've ever seen!!

Ferrari sure does do nice work.

 

[Ferrari]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordgtlover /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ferrari I am waiting on some Russian K42 PIO capacitors from an ebay ebay seller for CA8/9. By all accounts these are nice, and hopefully will address the graininess. I haven't discounted the possibility that the Silmics are just not so good as output caps on this amp (regardless of their reputation), or perhaps they just haven't burned in yet. Unfortunately, Silmics were all I could get for this purpose. I would like to try the recommended Nichicon ES or other well regarded caps like BGs, but buying only two of each is problematic. I have some Panasonic FMs, so when the PIO caps arrive I will try a few combinations.

Russian K42 PIO capacitors are much better choice than the usual Wima, Ero, Roe... MKPs for CA8/9.
I have tried K40Y-9 PIO with very positive results at these positions.

Some capacitors indeed need some time to burn in, you can try to let your amp playing for (for example) another 100 hours and see if anything changes then.

 

[fordgtlover]

Thanks Ferrari. I'm pleased that I am on the right track. I have ended up with quite a few of the K42 caps.

What are you impressions of the Millett MAX sound?

 

[Ferrari]

I'm not good when it comes to describing the sound of an amp. But in short... it's a warm, powerful sounding amp with both MOSFET's and BJTs outputstages. Although the 2 channel version sounds quite good, I prefer the sound of the balanced version... much beter soundstage, definition and a slightly beter resolution and details.

In my opinion, the sound signature of the MH Max is much depending on various factors: the tubes used, BJTs or MOSFETs output buffer, the DC voltage level applied on the output buffer, the quality of the cathode bypass- and output capacitors... The result is that there is not one universal MH Max sound since there are simply too many ways to construct this build.

One thing is sure... the standard 2-channel MH Max is a fine sounding amp, relatively inexpensive, easy to build, lots of amp for the buck and, last but not least... the unique sense of tubes nostalgia. As I said earlier in the MH Max thread, the MH Max performs very good in its own sort and price class but we can't compare it to "la crème de la crème high-end" , ... just like we are not going to compare a good Volkswagen Golf to a Porsche.

 

[tomb]

Thanks for being diplomatic, Ferrari. Yes, the problem is that as soon as someone starts making comparisons, very often the first question out of the box is, "How does it compare to the B22?"

Well, OK - how does an amp in this price range compare to one that may cost $1000 before it gets done and happens to be the best thing Amb has offered to the DIY headphone community? I submit the question is unfair.

However, having said that, I think the MAX can easily hold its own against the PPA, M3, PIMETA, SOHA, etc. - perhaps with a slight edge with "musicality" as fordgtlover suggests, but maybe with not as low as a noise floor. (It blows the PIMETA and SOHA away, IMHO.)

Certainly, it soundly beats the original Millett Hybrid with DB's and that amp is no slouch.

I've built a couple now and have five more going on my kitchen table in stages somewhat similar to Nate's pic up there (lookin' good, Nate!). The Nichicon Muse ES with 0.22 Wima's are very luscious with no hint of graininess that I can tell - and very cheap. As fordgtlover says, it's a very musical amp. If you haven't experienced an excellent tube hybrid such as the MAX, you should. It combines a luscious warmth with plenty of detail, along with a very hard-slamming rocking totally discrete output stage.

 

[fordgtlover]

Wow - the balanced version has a better soundstage than the standard 2 channel version! It must be huge. My 2 channel version has a very impressive soundstage as it is.

I have absolutely no problem with the Max's noise floor. I don't know how is measures, but I certainly can't hear it.

The Max is a nice sounding amp. It is quite adifferent sound to my M³, as you would expect. If I am able to reduce the graininess it will be a wonderful all round amp.

I will try my other set of tubes tonight to see if that settles the graininess, but otherwise - on with the journey of discovery. This is why I enjoy DIY amps. The ability to tweak and try new component combinations.