[soren_brix]

Sorry again for double posting!

I asked my father, who is an electrical engineer, advice about amplification. He had a look at mjolnir audio and recommended me getting the DIY parts, but he said it would take quite some time to fix it, and with no guarantees on it working. But he also acknowledged that I could save a lot of money going that route.

What are peoples general thoughts on the DIY kits from mjolnir? Would a complete idiot such as I benefit from just purchasing one of the cheaper amps for my 007 or "risk" getting a KGSSV DIY kit?

There are a Group Buy going on at the moment at the other site.
You can also find link's for Mouser BOM's, and get appropriate help the same place.
Several not so experienced people have succeeded building Kevin's amps, just look through the threads over there.

 

[JimL11]

Sorry again for double posting!

I asked my father, who is an electrical engineer, advice about amplification. He had a look at mjolnir audio and recommended me getting the DIY parts, but he said it would take quite some time to fix it, and with no guarantees on it working. But he also acknowledged that I could save a lot of money going that route.

What are peoples general thoughts on the DIY kits from mjolnir? Would a complete idiot such as I benefit from just purchasing one of the cheaper amps for my 007 or "risk" getting a KGSSV DIY kit?

The prices appear fair, but be aware that the kits are not complete - not only do you have to order many resistors, capacitors, and transistors from a BOM (list of required parts), but you have to supply your own chassis/cabinet, volume control, input jacks and output sockets, wire to connect it all together, as well has hardware to mount the circuit boards such as stand-offs, screws, nuts, etc. And of course you'll need tools such as a good soldering iron, drills, screwdrivers, etc. And you'll have to drill the chassis to mount everything. So it really depends on how willing you are to do DIY. There are certainly people who have completed such as project as their first DIY, but you may want to start out with a more simple project where all the parts including drilled chassis and hardware are provided so that all you have to do it solder the circuit board and mount everything, to see if you like doing that sort of thing.

 

[AudioThief]

The prices appear fair, but be aware that the kits are not complete - not only do you have to order many resistors, capacitors, and transistors from a BOM (list of required parts), but you have to supply your own chassis/cabinet, volume control, input jacks and output sockets, wire to connect it all together, as well has hardware to mount the circuit boards such as stand-offs, screws, nuts, etc. And of course you'll need tools such as a good soldering iron, drills, screwdrivers, etc. And you'll have to drill the chassis to mount everything. So it really depends on how willing you are to do DIY. There are certainly people who have completed such as project as their first DIY, but you may want to start out with a more simple project where all the parts including drilled chassis and hardware are provided so that all you have to do it solder the circuit board and mount everything, to see if you like doing that sort of thing.

Maybe I should outsource the project. That sounds much harder than what I can do personally

 

[SeaWo|f]

That is a route you can take, but given the voltages that these amps run at you need to have a very competent builder. They are out there but they dont exactly run ads.

 

[AudioThief]

That is a route you can take, but given the voltages that these amps run at you need to have a very competent builder. They are out there but they dont exactly run ads.

My father is an electrical engineer and a lot of his colleagues have extensive backgrounds in electrical engineering, but I have no idea how complicated it is. Basically what he said is he told me how it worked and the differences between electrostatic and normal amps, but he could not guarantee that he could make a DIY kit would work, and his main worry was actually the case/cabinet and making it look competently made and functioning nicely.

And on top of that I guess whoever made it for me would have to be compensated so then it might be better to just buy a stax amp ???

 

[SeaWo|f]

Yea no one is likely to build you an amp free of charge.

You could talk to people you know and see if anyone is good with case work. Then your dad can stuff the boards, get everything together and tested. But he won't have to worry about drilling tapping etc. on case.

 

[AudioThief]

Yea no one is likely to build you an amp free of charge.

You could talk to people you know and see if anyone is good with case work. Then your dad can stuff the boards, get everything together and tested. But he won't have to worry about drilling tapping etc. on case.

He works with a bunch of other engineers with access to equipment, 3d printer etc maybe if I buy them some beer they will hook me up lol

 

[Allegroz]

Interesting. Do you have a schematic?

No, I Dont... It created custom built by DIYer Home audio in my Country. Ilusion Audio. It using 2x 6L6, 4x EL84, 2x 12AX7, 1x 12AT7, 4x E88CC

Socket made out of wood ?

Ali

Yes, Custom Special built Socket

 

[JimL11]

No, I Dont... It created custom built by DIYer Home audio in my Country. Ilusion Audio. It using 2x 6L6, 4x EL84, 2x 12AX7, 1x 12AT7, 4x E88CC


Yes, Custom Special built Socket

So, are the 6L6's part of a regulated power supply, the 12AT7 used as the input tube, and the EL84's used as output tubes?

 

[Muffinhead]

Sorry again for double posting!

I asked my father, who is an electrical engineer, advice about amplification. He had a look at mjolnir audio and recommended me getting the DIY parts, but he said it would take quite some time to fix it, and with no guarantees on it working. But he also acknowledged that I could save a lot of money going that route.

What are peoples general thoughts on the DIY kits from mjolnir? Would a complete idiot such as I benefit from just purchasing one of the cheaper amps for my 007 or "risk" getting a KGSSV DIY kit?

Get a placeholder amp as has been suggested, or just splurge on a mega-top of the line-silver wires-unobtanium coated amp. You seem to be heading toward the latter, so I'd say if you can afford it do it. DIY's a whole nother realm of not just money but also time.

 

[DJ The Rocket]

he could not guarantee that he could make a DIY kit would work, and his main worry was actually the case/cabinet and making it look competently made and functioning nicely.

IME getting it to work isn't a problem, if you're organized and reasonably careful (for example, double checking before soldering anything, following proper ESD prevention procedure, etc.).

I too was intimidated by the prospect of making things look nice as well as function, and not too surprisingly, my first attempt wasn't particularly impressive. But it was easier than I thought, and mistakes in this arena are easy to identify and learn from.

I don't think you'll regret trying yourself, but I don't know you and I don't want to push you into doing something you have a good reason not to try. But IME, not trying, and just buying from someone else, has been a source of regret for me. And you're not without resources if something does go wrong, far moreso than most of us it seems.

 

[AudioThief]

If you know you want a new amp later then without question I vote for the better transducer -sr007

SR 007 mk1 are in the house and I thank you very much for this advice, as it swayed me towards purchasing these.

I am in heaven through 252s

 

[SeaWo|f]

If you're very happy now save and get a kg amp when you can

 

[Muffinhead]

I have a question about preamps. Is there any reason why I would want to use an amp with preamp outs (Lyr 2) with another amp (the T1)? I've heard it just adds more tube flavor to the sound, but IDK for sure. Also, what is the use for the parallel RCA's on the T1?

 

[JimL11]

I have a question about preamps. Is there any reason why I would want to use an amp with preamp outs (Lyr 2) with another amp (the T1)? I've heard it just adds more tube flavor to the sound, but IDK for sure. Also, what is the use for the parallel RCA's on the T1?

The only reason to use a preamp is if you like the sound of the two together better than the T1 by itself, or for convenience, e.g. if you have different sources that you select with the Lyr2, and you want to select those different inputs for the T1 and you don't want to be plugging and unplugging cables.

The parallel RCAs on the T1 are a loop-out. In other words, an input signal goes into the T1 through one set of RCAs and out through the other set. The output signal is there regardless of whether the T1 is on or off. So if you have a cable going from source to preamp, or preamp to amp, you can splice in the T1 with another set of cables.

So for example, if you splice in the T1 between a source and the Lyr2, then you can listen to that source by the T1, or leave the T1 off, and listen to it through the Lyr2 and onto the speaker amp and speaker.

OTOH, if you splice in the Lyr2 and the speaker amp, you can select any source going to the Lyr2 and listen to it with the T1, or leave the T1 off and listen to the speaker amp and speaker.