The DIY'rs Cookbook

[johnjen]

So tonight I had an addendum to the addendum to the above post about some of the previous ones…

These latest changes to the cohesiveness and the compelling nature of the acoustic presentation, has condensed down to this…

The SQ has reached to such a degree, where the playback of any track is so focused, that the ongoing now moment, as the music plays in real time, captures my full attention to the point that the any diversion away from this focus on the music, AS IT PLAYS, detracts from the direct involvement of being in the music itself.

IOW the playback has reached a point where it has a 4D presentation (with image Length, Width, Depth, and passage thru time) that has fully stabilized and remains consistent to the degree that nothing else matters.
The dynamic experience leaves no room for any other mental activity, nor any desire to even attempt such distractions away from the music itself.

This was and is an unexpected development, though in hindsight it seems like a 'natural progression' from the previously noted SQ improvements.

SDSG++++ (SuperDuperSuperGlue)
Indeed.

JJ

 

[gefski]

So tonight I had an addendum to the addendum to the above post about some of the previous ones…

These latest changes to the cohesiveness and the compelling nature of the acoustic presentation, has condensed down to this…

The SQ has reached to such a degree, where the playback of any track is so focused, that the ongoing now moment, as the music plays in real time, captures my full attention to the point that the any diversion away from this focus on the music, AS IT PLAYS, detracts from the direct involvement of being in the music itself.

IOW the playback has reached a point where it has a 4D presentation (with image Length, Width, Depth, and passage thru time) that has fully stabilized and remains consistent to the degree that nothing else matters.
The dynamic experience leaves no room for any other mental activity, nor any desire to even attempt such distractions away from the music itself.

This was and is an unexpected development, though in hindsight it seems like a 'natural progression' from the previously noted SQ improvements.

SDSG++++ (SuperDuperSuperGlue)
Indeed.

JJ

Our very own Rod Serling! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[bcowen]

Our very own Rod Serling! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

ROFL!!! But that's nothing....we've discovered petrified aliens over in the Darkvoice thread.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dar...erolling-partii.348833/page-551#post-16235465

 

[johnjen]

In previous posts, as in way back, I had talked about the observable sonic trait of needing a certain amount of continual listening time in order to get the music to 'click into place' so to speak.

I had noticed intervals of 15-30 minutes and 45min to 1.25hrs, and even at 2hrs ± 0.5hrs where the SQ seemed to just 'leap ahead' as if all of a sudden the music just came into a finer focus and everything took a mutha may I step up.

It was surprising and sometimes startling how quickly this transition could happen.
Like in the few seconds between tracks, seemingly all of a sudden, the SQ just bellied up to the bar and said 'howdy is this better?'

This 'trait' never fully went away, but did recede while I was dialing in the Purp-Amp.
But recently this 'trait' has returned to prominence, but is manifesting differently now.

Before, it was as if the focus was on individual 'voices' as they became more sharply defined and more detailed.
Now, it's the entire presentation with everything contained therein that becomes more 'alive' and REAL.
As if the the focus has shifted from hearing down into the music and it's various parts, to hearing the whole of the music along with all of it's parts intact as a whole and not a collection of 'parts'.

And currently as a result of these latest changes, I'm thinking that this SQ shift for the better, after a certain amount of time, is actually a 'natural' brain function as it 'learns' how to interpret the incoming auditory data feed, and seemingly like an iterative loop, coalesces into a more refined auditory experience.

I was curious about this sonic trait and it seemingly falling into the background for a while, but now it has returned and the % of change to the overall SQ has risen and in a more 'compatible' way.
By that I mean the changes are not about the improvements themselves (Hey look at me…!), rather they manifest as the SQ of everything has risen seemingly equally in all of those acoustic and sonic attributes and aspects I have come to 'key on'.

To me this is yet another 'consequence' of this amp getting out of it's own way and letting more of the REAL SQ thru.
IOW it has had sufficient time to fully settle in and is able to deliver SQ that has pushed its high water mark of SQ to within heavy breathing distance of the very best I have ever heard.
And there is that one last remaining mod to make which could close the gap on this scant distance…

But in the mean time I continue to be surprised by what I'm hearing, from music I am VERY familiar with…

Just like I like…

JJ

 

[johnjen]

So it's been awhile since I fussed with the setup and just spent this last month listening.

It has been ever so revealing as my 'A' list albums get cycled thru my day to day play list and the net changes to the SQ have revealed themselves.
The satisfaction of listening to these most highly rated tracks has raised the bar such that, as I stated before, I don't mind the occasional 'circuit noise' that tries to intrude in the quiet passages.
But I have implemented yet another experiment to see if I can quell the nuisance of the 'circuit noise' which thus far seems to be helping, but as usual this latest tweak will need more time to 'prove itself' or not.

What have I done now?
Well, I've installed a very low speed, low cfm, low noise, small fan which is blowing on the 'hot spots' of the circuit.
It has bigly dropped the temperature of the top plate which the 71A's cathode resistors use as a heatsink, as well as blow over the CCS regulator heatsinks and other heat generators.

So I had to also fuss with the voltages and bring them back into the 'tweak zone' and while I think there has been a SQ change for the 'better' it's rather subtle, at least at this point anyway.
I would think reducing the temperature of the hot spots should yield a SQ improvement, just because, but the circuits may need their usual settling in time, much like a parts swap etc, in order to tell.

Still these sorts of tweaks can initially be more difficult to tell if a net SQ improvement can be heard, unlike the more direct parts swap mods.
Fortunately all I have to do is unplug the fan for a session or 2 to find out if I can hear an improvement, while ignoring the primary reason for this experiment in the 1st place.

JJ

 

[johnjen]

So I recently found a tweako matched pair of nearly new 1933 Arcturus 071A blue tubes.



If you squint and put on your polarized shades it might help to read the very faded date code of APR 20 1933, which makes these tubes 88 years old.
And judging by their measurements and looking at the wear on the pins, these tubes are nearly new and are rated at 115% & 116% of new.

I win BIGLY…

More pics later.

JJ

 

[bcowen]

I win BIGLY…

Or did you?

 

[johnjen]

Well I certainly know these tubes are not Fkd …
hahahahahahahahahahaha



But the substitution process is far more complicated now that the tubes in use have been hard wired in place.


A close up of the internals that can be seen.

These Blue Tubes are rather rare for a whole bunch of reasons but oh so worth it…

JJ

 

[BIG POPPA]

Right on JJ!!

 

[johnjen]

So I'm in the middle of the 1st of a couple of tests using the Purp-Amp as a test mule.
I've pulled my SR (Synergistic Research) SR20 fuse and Shinyata power cable and replaced them with a SR Red power cable and a beeswax fuse.
I cooked the Red SR power cable on the cable cooker for ≈72 hrs and now have about 72+hrs on this power delivery setup and I must say I'm impressed.

Enough so that I've re-cooked my modded Shinyata power cable and I'm in the process of rounding up a 3 more fuses to test and compare to the beeswax fuse in the amp right now as I type this.

I've been holding off on diving head long into the top tier of SR's fuses mostly because they are absurdly/stupidly expensive, and especially since they are an expendable component.

But the amp is ready to reveal VERY subtle differences such as those provided by such final tweaks as fuses and power cables.

So I'm gunna get one each of a SR Black & Blue & Orange fuse and test them with 5 different power cables just to see what I can determine.

The power cables are SR red, SR orange, Shinyata power cable with tweaks, a Zaphino Ultimato, and one of my home made power cables using 2 single strand solid core (14awg) wires per circuit (6 wires total).

So the adventure continues as further tweaks get evaluated.

JJ

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

But the amp is ready to reveal VERY subtle differences such as those provided by such final tweaks as fuses and power cables.

So I'm gunna get one each of a SR Black & Blue & Orange fuse and test them with 5 different power cables just to see what I can determine.

Psssssst. Psssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssst.

You do realize upgrading your power transformer is a thing right? In fact getting a larger VA transformer will do a LOT more to lower your PSU impedance than the power cable or a fuse.

Just saying.

 

[johnjen]

Ouuuuuu another line of experimentation into optimizing this amp.

Now I just need to figure on the sizing to see if I can shoe horn a bigger torroidal mains xfmr inside the 'allotted space'.

JJ

 

[gefski]

Ouuuuuu another line of experimentation into optimizing this amp.

Now I just need to figure on the sizing to see if I can shoe horn a bigger torroidal mains xfmr inside the 'allotted space'.

JJ

Just build a bigger room...

 

[Tjj226 Angel]

Ouuuuuu another line of experimentation into optimizing this amp.

Now I just need to figure on the sizing to see if I can shoe horn a bigger torroidal mains xfmr inside the 'allotted space'.

JJ

Sure. But getting copper foil caps throughout the amp is probably even better.

Or even better yet would be a power regenerator. If we could get a reliable and stable wall voltage throughout the day, we could reduce the complexity of the psu by quite a bit.

 

[johnjen]

Just build a bigger room...

NOW we're talk'n
MOAR POWR!!!!!
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

JJ