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Post by Slinger on Feb 26, 2017 18:56:37 GMT
...turn this... into this... I built this in precisely the time it took England to beat Italy in the 6 Nations this afternoon, and that includes the time I spent trying to work out where the spare capacitor and diode in the kit went, before I realised they were spares. I still can't quite believe it worked first time though. If you haven't guessed it's a valve buffer and is supposedly based on the Musical Fidelity X10-D although that's probably a bit like saying "this is a horse, it's based on a giraffe" or something similar. Having said that though it certainly seems to have given the bass a bit more presence and generally rounded out the Class D's sound, if that makes sense. B.B. King is currently sounding rather good...silky I'd say. Oh, and the cost? £10.75 for the kit, including postage from China via eBay. So, if you've always wanted to play with a valve buffer and can use a (very fine pointy-tipped) soldering iron, what are you waiting for?
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Post by MartinT on Feb 26, 2017 19:57:07 GMT
Nice little kit.
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Post by John on Feb 26, 2017 20:32:47 GMT
Nice work. Glad it is doing it job well
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Post by ChrisB on Feb 26, 2017 22:04:24 GMT
Good job!
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Post by pinkie on Feb 27, 2017 6:30:43 GMT
Nice project. But I wanted to watch rugby. Instead I was in a French bar watching some odd netball hybrid while the French chuckled at their ref telling the England captain he was a referee and not a coach.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2017 9:45:20 GMT
Nice idea, but me and electronics don't mix, I'd have probably blown up the house I'd love to put something like that together though.
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Post by julesd68 on Feb 27, 2017 12:40:18 GMT
I actually had to google what a tube buffer is I'm ashamed to say ...
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Post by Sovereign on Feb 28, 2017 0:10:00 GMT
I'd say that's a top effort with the top result well done mate glad you're enjoying it .
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Post by Slinger on Feb 28, 2017 1:10:11 GMT
I'm still trying to get over the fact that it worked at the first time of asking, even after I'd tempted fate by putting it into the case before I'd even chucked any music through it. Oh, and I suppose I really should add that it came with zero instructions other than the components being marked up on the PCB.
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Post by MikeMusic on Feb 28, 2017 8:09:30 GMT
Well done that man. Not something I would try due to poor soldering and other skills. Like the price a lot
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Post by MartinT on Feb 28, 2017 8:35:33 GMT
I'm looking at it trying to ascertain whether the PSU is low voltage and a voltage stepper is used on the board, or whether the PSU provides the HT for the valve?
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Post by Slinger on Feb 28, 2017 15:04:10 GMT
I'm looking at it trying to ascertain whether the PSU is low voltage and a voltage stepper is used on the board, or whether the PSU provides the HT for the valve? The PSU is a 12v AC wall wart Martin.
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Post by MartinT on Feb 28, 2017 17:04:56 GMT
Must be a small transformer or diode chain there somewhere, then.
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Post by Slinger on Feb 28, 2017 19:19:24 GMT
Well there was definitely no transformer in the kit, so that rather narrows the options, especially as there were half a dozen diodes, even though one of them was a spare. Oddly enough they show six in the pic on their eBay listing, but there are definitely only 5 diodes in the circuit. Mind you, they show 2 LEDs but only sent one.
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Post by Slinger on Mar 4, 2017 22:47:50 GMT
So this is how it starts then, is it? I've just ordered a "Matched pair GE 5654W ruggedised pentode Valves" to swap with the 6J1s that came with the kit. Valve rolling. Me. Who'd have thunk it? Next thing you know I'll actually understand what I'm doing. OK, that last bit was definitely a joke.
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 5, 2017 8:14:33 GMT
What brought this on, has the missus been feeding you strange food ?
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Post by Slinger on Mar 5, 2017 12:41:52 GMT
What brought this on, has the missus been feeding you strange food ? When did you taste her cooking? Joking apart, I've been reading about the 6J1 valves that the kit came with and the general consensus seems to be that they're easily bettered, especially by their military spec cousins. For a very tiny outlay I've decided to test that out.
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Post by MikeMusic on Mar 6, 2017 8:45:17 GMT
If the sound improves then great, if not, nothing ventured...
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Post by Slinger on Mar 6, 2017 12:39:54 GMT
If the sound improves then great, if not, nothing ventured... Precisely Mike, and if this swap proves positive I'll most likely order up 2 more pairs to replace the 6J1 valves in my other buffer and the phono amp in my second system. Most annoyingly I've finally got all of the bits to put that second system together now (except for some nylon bolts to finish the rack) and we've got family staying with us for a few days. I've also got 2 UPSs to install. [EDIT] Just plugged the new valves in. Much too early to judge yet but bloody Hell, the heaters are bright.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 6, 2017 15:00:01 GMT
Well, you've already got the shades...
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