Quote:
Originally Posted by biovizier
Great - any idea of what the residual offset remaining and the drift were? Hopefully I can take the caps out of my phono too and replace LM6171 with ad843 and trimpots if they are low enough.
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Hi Nick,
No need for trimpots, output caps or input caps with the AD-843. The offset is very low (mine measured 0.08mV and 0.1mV) so you can plug them in naked and they should be fine.
You're possibly best trying the headamp with the LM6171 for starters and then experimenting with other opamps after you get used to the LM6171 sound. After much beating about the bush with caps in, caps out, trimpot in, trimpot out, 330K in, 330K out etc. I must confess the best combo (to my ears) has to be LM6171 with input cap, no 330K (in your case you may however prefer it with 330K as it smooths the sound out a touch) no output caps and 10M and trimpot in place.
This opamp rolling can be fun but after a while it gets pretty tedious continuously replacing resistors and caps and I always seem to find myself back where I started with the LM6171 on board which kinda suggests to me that it is the best overall opamp for the WNA...... I know I seem contradictory one day saying LM6171 the next day praising the AD-843 only to go back to the LM6171 a few days later but, as you know, It's not straightforward evaluating "sound"... one day you could be in the mood for music and even the ****tiest of opamp could sound out of this world.... the next day you may not be "tuned in" and the
best op amp could sound like mud to your ears.... there are so many variables to contend with but I find the weakest link in the chain to be the human mind... you really have to be in the mood for music to truly get into it and feel it washing over you and those instances are pretty few and far between and It's not possible to condition your mind to enjoy music It's something that happens naturally.
Sometimes you have a "magical moment" when listening to music where the hairs on the back of your neck stand out and you really are at one and part of the event.... that's got nothing to do with the equipment that's all down to the state of mind you're in when you're listening..... try listening to music standing up with a toothache, it sounds *****..... find yourself in a dimly lit room, totally relaxed with you eyes closed and sometimes the music is so palpable you think you're on stage with your favourite band and can walk about on that stage and around the musicians homing in on each individual element........ when you get a moment like that you expect it to sound like that every time you listen to it but it doesn't work that way.. you have to be in the right surroundings and in the right mood...... It doesn't matter what equipment you have, if you're not conditioned to receive music no amount of opamp rolling or upgrades will make it sound good.
I've tried placebo mood conditioners like rainbow foil, purple LED's, Interconnects, plasma balls, ambient lighting etc. and I have also tried mind altering drugs such as alcohol etc. but none of these will ever come close to a totally natural musical experience / magic moment..... placebo used to get my creative sub conscience salivating and I'd buy a piece of equipment after firstly reading a what Hi-Fi write up and then listening to it in my local Hi-Fi dealers listening room.... I'd get it home and be amazed by the sound (for about 48 hours) only to be unsatisfied with the sound after a couple of days...... those days are long gone and I learn't quite some time ago that the most important part of the chain (or the weak link) was myself..... Music will not be magical unless you're in the state of mind to totally relax and get into it and you can't condition yourself into that state of mind.
I've had about 30 magical moments with the WNA, a few of them with the LM6171, a few with the AD-843 and a few with the AD-8605. They were all pretty intense moments but the intensity was always "more" with the LM6171 and I found myself able to explore the tapestry and structure better with the LM6171...... this is when I really am able to sort the wheat out from the chaff....... when I experience an intense magical moment I can not only explore every aspect of the sound but I can also visualize and paint a colourful tapestry to accompany the music... the music quite literally acts as a mind altering drug.
As I say, these moments are few and far between and for everyday listening the LM6171 / AD8065 / AD843 will do the job but whenever you find yourself at one with the music you really do want to be on the business end of the LM6171..... It really stands out when you're naturally conditioned to receive.
Mike.
) should arrive early this week, all the other stuff is in the box...
