[PoMarantz]

Yeah…I “thought” I could solder…but I had never dealt with printed circuit boards before. I had the biggest issue removing the old components.. The capacitors went fine..tedious but OK…but on my 1st resistor removal I tore the circuit off the board when I tried to remove the old resistor GULP cause I got it too hot….a video of my face at that moment may have been a keeper. So I stopped and called a friend who knows more…sent him photos of my carnage….first he LAUGHED LIKE HELL at my FOLLY …which I kindof enjoyed, too!….and he said that sometimes the leads on the thru-hole components are fatter than the hole and that they are wedged in there and then soldered..making them difficult to remove.,..So he was like…no problem…just solder a piece of wire to the torn circuit and run it to its destination and solder it there. (It was one of the pin receptors for one of the tubes), I stayed calm and did that. I could have made it a whole lot worse at the moment of my mistake trying to repair it, but I stopped and got help. PHEW! Then for the rest of the Resistors I just made an executive decision. I snipped them all off and left their leads hanging out of the board and soldered my new Audio Note resistors to the old leads. ! …Saved a LOT of time, was less invasive and worked out fine. I was a little more than nervous when I fired that bad boy up for the first time! LOL!
Doing the vents was waaaaaay more in my wheel house…tedious though…I got out the wide blue tape and taped the whole top up so that I did not scratch it. Finicky…slowly removing the metal in the curves after cutting them out…Doing the layout and getting it perfect before cutting took patience…but I was soooooo thrilled when I seated those vents. FUN STUFF!

 

[ihavet0es]

Try to work with a high temp when desoldering. The heat stays localized and you don't have to stay on the components as long.
Here's photos of my board with the film caps removed. See how each pair's traces go into the relays series arrangement. Also my board came with surface mount resistors.
How does the Audio Note resistors sound/perform?

Below are the micas on all 450V caps. I have a resistor with alligator clips on the bulk filtering cap. The small coffins are on the low voltage bulk caps. The lugs on the bottom of the board helps drain heat to the enclosure.

These are the .01uf films I soldered to the leads of the ceramic bypass caps. I wrapped them in Kapton tape since one of the leads runs the length of the cap. I think I should have put the shorter lead to ground.

 

[PoMarantz]

OH…..so THAT is why they have different temperature/watt soldering irons and variable irons!
I did not know that….i cant believe how clean your removals look. NICE WORK! I had residual solder in my holes after removing the old caps… I read up on solder wicking etc. and it looked too complicated "to me"…so…I just put a tiny drill bit in my Dremel and very carefully drilled all the holes out. It was fast and I was working with a tool that I was more familiar with and comfortable. It worked perfectly.
I attached pics of my mistake and how I fixed it. I forgot that I able to push the very-long lead from the resistor thru the hole and it was long enough to reach the pin receptor, so it was a really clean fix with no extra wire. …
I also included the audio note resistors compared to the originals. I did all the change-outs together…so I did not have a listen for just changing out the resistors.

 

[ihavet0es]

I'm glad you were able to fix the lifted trace and pad. Nice jumper job. Wick can be used to remove the intial amount of solder. Move from one component lead to another component to to prevent overheating. Clean your tip and apply more flux as needed. I like wedge tips becuase I can keep it flat against pads and in contact with the lead from several angles. Follow up with a solder sucker. At this point the component should fall out on it own or with minimal effort (as long as the installer didn't bend the leads when initially assembled). I primarily use a solder sucker since the silicone tip creates a good seal against the soldering iron tip and PCB. The suction can get solder pulled from the length of the lead through the other side of the pad. I can get most solder out in a couple of passes.
After several power cycles my freya with the new output caps is sounding pretty sweet. Lows don't sound as boomy. Definitely more atmosphere. Ride cymbal bell strikes sound more accurate. Cabasas sound like cabasas, can hear the beads rolling "around" the body. Totally worth the mod.
I may add the second set of duelands this weekend. Maybe in a month try the V-caps then resistors. I also have some 6guz tube and 9pin adapters from valvesnmore due this weekend. Hope they work. I'll keep you posted. I'll also take some pics of my pamp's internal carnage.

 

[PoMarantz]

You seem to have a LOT of experience soldering…I understand some of of what you are talking about and some, not…. So…right now you have some temporary caps in place? You are having the same new sound perceptions that I was after my mod. The other thing that must be in this conversation is "tubes". The sound quality coming out of this preamp is greatly affected by those choices, as well. Also…each individual sound system will have magnitude in how these tweaks are amplified thru a certain set of speakers, etc… Have you mentioned that rest of your system in this thread?

 

[ihavet0es]

Post 3238 describes my setup. Primarily I use my PC USB as source through a holo audio titanis isolator (power is blocked off signal with power coming off USB C hub). USB signal and power is again split w/linear powered 5v going into D1se2 DAC. Balanced output from DAC to the Freya using blue truth cables. Then it's single ended with Silver serpent air RCAs into my Valahalla 2+. Headphones are 470ohms ATH-R70x. My tube preference while doing the internal Freya mods are new production EH gold in gain with Psvane UK golds in cathode. Tubes sound very good while testing my incremental internal upgrades. No sibilance but the top end is very clear and atmospheric, very detialed. Lows are balanced and unmuddied, lots of texture especially bass guitars (listen to PRISM-Uncovered(1995) Deja Vu track or W.I.N.S. Dance of the Harlequin). I have a pair of Shugang WE6sn7 Pluses I will test once satsisfied with modifications. I'm waiting for a set of NOS 6gu7 tubes and 9pin adapters ordered from ValvesnMore. If there's an appreciable difference with the tubes I may try some NOS GTA/GTB W tubes. Though I hope more people support new production tubes so manufacturers are motivated to produce tubes comparable/exceeding NOS (with reasonable cost). Anyone try the Northern Electrics from thetubestore?

 

[PoMarantz]

Post 3238 describes my setup. Primarily I use my PC USB as source through a holo audio titanis isolator (power is blocked off signal with power coming off USB C hub). USB signal and power is again split w/linear powered 5v going into D1se2 DAC. Balanced output from DAC to the Freya using blue truth cables. Then it's single ended with Silver serpent air RCAs into my Valahalla 2+. Headphones are 470ohms ATH-R70x. My tube preference while doing the internal Freya mods are new production EH gold in gain with Psvane UK golds in cathode. Tubes sound very good while testing my incremental internal upgrades. No sibilance but the top end is very clear and atmospheric, very detialed. Lows are balanced and unmuddied, lots of texture especially bass guitars (listen to PRISM-Uncovered(1995) Deja Vu track or W.I.N.S. Dance of the Harlequin). I have a pair of Shugang WE6sn7 Pluses I will test once satsisfied with modifications. I'm waiting for a set of NOS 6gu7 tubes and 9pin adapters ordered from ValvesnMore. If there's an appreciable difference with the tubes I may try some NOS GTA/GTB W tubes. Though I hope more people support new production tubes so manufacturers are motivated to produce tubes comparable/exceeding NOS (with reasonable cost). Anyone try the Northern Electrics from thetubestore?

For my tastes..(all gain side) I arrived at NOS GTBs....Just Tried RCA GTBs, found them too bright on the top end "for me" ...I also regetably recently bought a pair or Grant Fidelity Treasure Globes...and even after 200hrs. of burn-in..they were too bright on the top end. as well "for me"...they were EXPENSIVE....so I have them up on U.S. Audio Mart for sale. LOL! I also tried some New Production Tung-Sol GTBs and I kind-of had a favorable experience with them. I am going to pop them back in this weekend and listen some more. They are a bit less "muddy" than the GE GTBs..have a clarity and openess to them, but not as bright as the other tubes that I mentioned above. To complicate matters...I want to try another firmware version offered for my DAC which will also significantly affect my madness! LOL!....in the end ...its all FUN!!!!

 

[ihavet0es]

Audio is expensive and I hope your tubes sell! Also if the firmware yields "better" sound try it out. Can you revert to a previous version if needed?
I won't buy extremely expensive gear in fear of modding destruction. Though, I do respect their design, implementation and quality. My high comes from audible changes with modifications (good or bad!). It's close enough to buying a new piece of kit for the fraction of the price

Here's the latest on my Freya (internal carnage) mods all done at different times.
I added the 2nd set of Deuland .01uf copper foil bypass caps. Leads are long and I used 999 silver wire when needed. I'll shorten everything up once I finalize experimentation.
On the underside of the board I changed the micas paralleled to films to Charcroft 1nf mica caps. Their leads are non inductive. What I used previously were 1nf CD19s with copper clad steel leads. I left CD19s on the bulk caps since they are snap in types.
I pulled the 4x 10uf 400v electrolytics and paralleled with .01uf poly film caps, CD 942c. (I kept the 1nf CCS micas paralleled underneath). This change was dramatic. At first everything sounded farther away and atmospheric. Highs were bordering sibilant with high frequency details moving forward in the sound stage. Vocals sounded distant and diffused but not in a negative way. I've since powered cycled a few times and things are sounding very very nice. High frequency details still sound forward but no longer sibilant. It's hard to describe the vocals. They no longer sound out in the distance but not as focused before the caps, I prefer this. There's a much greater sense of depth after this mod. While the signal stage mods are worthwhile, in my setup, power stage mods yielded most appreciable and desirable changes.
Next I'm going to change out the 10ufs electrolytics to film. Kemet has a 10uf 400v 2.7mOhm ESR film I think I can stuff into the case.

 

[PoMarantz]

Audio is expensive and I hope your tubes sell! Also if the firmware yields "better" sound try it out. Can you revert to a previous version if needed?
I won't buy extremely expensive gear in fear of modding destruction. Though, I do respect their design, implementation and quality. My high comes from audible changes with modifications (good or bad!). It's close enough to buying a new piece of kit for the fraction of the price

Here's the latest on my Freya (internal carnage) mods all done at different times.
I added the 2nd set of Deuland .01uf copper foil bypass caps. Leads are long and I used 999 silver wire when needed. I'll shorten everything up once I finalize experimentation.
On the underside of the board I changed the micas paralleled to films to Charcroft 1nf mica caps. Their leads are non inductive. What I used previously were 1nf CD19s with copper clad steel leads. I left CD19s on the bulk caps since they are snap in types.
I pulled the 4x 10uf 400v electrolytics and paralleled with .01uf poly film caps, CD 942c. (I kept the 1nf CCS micas paralleled underneath). This change was dramatic. At first everything sounded farther away and atmospheric. Highs were bordering sibilant with high frequency details moving forward in the sound stage. Vocals sounded distant and diffused but not in a negative way. I've since powered cycled a few times and things are sounding very very nice. High frequency details still sound forward but no longer sibilant. It's hard to describe the vocals. They no longer sound out in the distance but not as focused before the caps, I prefer this. There's a much greater sense of depth after this mod. While the signal stage mods are worthwhile, in my setup, power stage mods yielded most appreciable and desirable changes.
Next I'm going to change out the 10ufs electrolytics to film. Kemet has a 10uf 400v 2.7mOhm ESR film I think I can stuff into the case.

Hey….Looks like a traffic jam in Downtown Manhattan! (One actually will be paying an extra fee to experience that in the near future.). I am totally LOST with the mods you are doing. I am not an electronics engineer…(you obviously are)… I am just an adventuresome handyman…who wanted to have a little risky adventure, a challenge and an experience, whilst (possibly) improving the sound of my gear. My close brush with disaster made it all the more enjoyable and worthwhile…AFTER the mission was accomplished.
So…you know the mods that I did (caps & resistors in the tube stage)…Anything that you are doing outside of the scope of my mod (8 components), you have completely lost me.
So…when you say "While the signal stage mods (my mods?) are worthwhile, in my setup, power stage mods yielded most appreciable and desirable changes". Can you describe that more in layman's terms?…and are all of your listening impressions done thru the tube stage???

 

[jlemaster1957]

I'm waiting for a set of NOS 6gu7 tubes and 9pin adapters ordered from ValvesnMore. If there's an appreciable difference with the tubes I may try some NOS GTA/GTB W tubes.

Jim and Charles at VnM are great people. You will not regret your choice I think. I have their Canadian Gold Freya+ set which is 2 GE GTA NOS and 2 Marconi GTB NOS- great air on top, smooth mids, punchy but textured low-end. Not the cheapest but the quality and service is good. Pls they have their own DIY 6Sn7 pre-amp worth considering for those inclined to solder -which seems to be most folks on this thread.

 

[PoMarantz]

Jim and Charles at VnM are great people. You will not regret your choice I think. I have their Canadian Gold Freya+ set which is 2 GE GTA NOS and 2 Marconi GTB NOS- great air on top, smooth mids, punchy but textured low-end. Not the cheapest but the quality and service is good. Pls they have their own DIY 6Sn7 pre-amp worth considering for those inclined to solder -which seems to be most folks on this thread.

Can you provide a link to VnM? I have done some searches and am coming up empty. THANKS!

 

[ihavet0es]

Can you provide a link to VnM? I have done some searches and am coming up empty. THANKS!

https://valvesnmore.com/

There's a YT channel also, Tube Lab. It's the guys from ValvesNMore. Very informative with descriptions of tube qualities. Watch it through the end to get a discount code.

 

[PoMarantz]

https://valvesnmore.com/

There's a YT channel also, Tube Lab. It's the guys from ValvesNMore. Very informative with descriptions of tube qualities. Watch it through the end to get a discount code.

Thanks! I love to poke around!

 

[ihavet0es]

@jlemaster1957
The guys at VnM seem to be good guys. When I ordered my 6GU7 tubes I forgot to add the 9pin adapters. They contacted me the same day verifying if I needed the adapters so I could save on shipping. I like that attention and will definitely use their services again. They also state in one of their videos that they'll match tubes (best they can). Most vendors charge extra for this service which is another plus on using VnM. I'm extremely interested in their DIY cable kits. I think one of their more recent YT posts talks about two different types they'll be soon releasing. Looked really nice from what I remember and I believe they have capacitance and inductance measurements.
@PoMarantz
I'm definitely not an engineer but I like to tinker. There are so many more experienced and knowledgable people on this forum. I just lurk sites similar to head-fi and read manufacturer spec sheets/application guidelines while listening to music. I'll experiement in an existing piece of equipment incrementally. Sometimes reworking the same area several times over.
Regarding the power/signal stage. I consider power any component in the circuit powering the tubes. I think this area yields the biggest benefit because it'll allow the tubes to perform better than what's provided due to manufacterer's cost limitation. If interested try adding a .01 film cap to the ceramics. They're easily accessible and don't even require removing the board from the bottom chassis. You can bend the ceramic caps and solder directly to the exposed leads. On Sunday I added copper clad steel silvered 1nf mica caps to the ceramics and the previously added .01uf film. It was horrible! Highs got screechy. I changed the micas to the the Charcroft silver leaded 1nf micas and no more screech.
Signal is any componenent directly in the signal path. The coupling caps block DC and are directly in the signal path. The size, type, manufacturing process of a capacitor directly impacts the "sound". The Vcap poly/oils are smartly designed! Try paralleling those with copper or silver foil .1uf or .01uf caps.

My Freya is sounding extremely good. Completely different from original. Right now running the Shugang WE6sn7 plus in gain and EH in cathode. The Shugangs sound much better after the mods. Top end isn't as bright as the EH and the low end has more presence while still airy. I miss the definition of the EH but the overall balance of Shugangs are keeping them in the gain. I got the 6gu7s today and will be trying them out soon. My 10uf films are on order also! Maybe I'll try this first before messing with the new tubes.

 

[ckc527]

Are there any comparisons between the Wathen Cryotone tubes vs USA Premium set from VnM?