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Post by pinkie on Jul 21, 2015 17:11:16 GMT
I'll bring a couple of rib-eyes  |
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Post by ChrisB on Jul 21, 2015 17:33:20 GMT
Can you even get close enough to cook anything on it? It may have to be marshmallows on very long sticks!
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Post by Eduardo Wobblechops on Jul 21, 2015 18:20:47 GMT
Nice one Sov!
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Post by Sovereign on Jul 21, 2015 18:35:42 GMT
Cheers Ali
It's really not that hot, I would say it's just very warm.
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Post by Sovereign on Jul 22, 2015 16:27:24 GMT
Here is a funny one, I have just finished a day of solid work at my desk, as I was tying up a few emails I put my hifi on which is at 90 degrees to my left. Turned it up good and comfortably loud, and I was immediately impressed with all the texture, the solidity of the sound and the beautifully controlled bass.
After I was done, I turned to my left and saw only one speaker cable was plugged in!!!! plugged in the two speakers and almost blew me self to the back of the room, well thats what it felt like
Truly incredible amp, people you have to hear this thing !
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Post by pinkie on Jul 22, 2015 17:02:38 GMT
Benchmark claim the THX technology which reduces crossover distortion to "vanishingly low" levels accounts for the sweetness and detail of sound in the AHB2 - so I guess a good class A design like this is going to have similarly low distortion levels in that region, and a similar natural open sound.
Fancy seeing how the 2 amps compare?
Do you have any measurements for your build of the SECA?
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Post by Sovereign on Jul 22, 2015 17:38:03 GMT
Yes of course bring your amp round, what amp do you have again ?
Colin will need to comment on measurements as I only bake the cake, Colin has the recipes.
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Post by steveeb on Jul 22, 2015 17:59:51 GMT
Here is a funny one, I have just finished a day of solid work at my desk, as I was tying up a few emails I put my hifi on which is at 90 degrees to my left. Turned it up good and comfortably loud, and I was immediately impressed with all the texture, the solidity of the sound and the beautifully controlled bass. After I was done, I turned to my left and saw only one speaker cable was plugged in!!!! plugged in the two speakers and almost blew me self to the back of the room, well thats what it felt like Truly incredible amp, people you have to hear this thing ! Well done mate! It's just that level of attention to detail that is essential when building a powerhouse like that. Nice knowing you!  |
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Post by pinkie on Jul 22, 2015 19:54:15 GMT
James. It's just a little thing. The size of a shoe box. If nothing else we must take a little and large photo  |
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Post by Sovereign on Jul 22, 2015 20:51:29 GMT
James. It's just a little thing. The size of a shoe box. If nothing else we must take a little and large photo Ok, it will be running off a balanced toroidal though, you love my system I know, nothing is quite normal |
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Post by MartinT on Jul 23, 2015 5:23:14 GMT
I will be interested in the outcome of that comparison.
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Post by pinkie on Jul 23, 2015 5:44:37 GMT
It would run equally well off a small petrol generator, although the fumes and background noise might not be so good. I could bring an extension lead and we can run it off your bench socket if we don't get a ground loop problem. I take it the output of your toroidal is grounded to the incoming earth in the consumer unit in the corner of the room. But it will be happy with the balanced supply. I might bring the pip as well just in case the balanced output makes a difference. It can operate as a passive pre (proper passive buffered preamp- not wires and a volume control, so no treble attenuation regardless of which it's we use) But knowing us we won't have anything compatible with each other between us. Looking forward to it  |
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Post by Sovereign on Jul 23, 2015 7:06:15 GMT
All sounds good, remember to bring what cables you need for the pip, or let me know what you need and I may have something
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Post by pinkie on Jul 23, 2015 7:50:46 GMT
The leads from the Benchmark to the pre-amp or Dac - whatever you are plugging into your SECA are regular RCA's - about 1m long (I have a 2m set I can bring if needed)
If the output from the DAC, preamp, whatever, is balanced, then it is a balanced connection. Depends on the grounding arrangements in the output device. I seem to remember you had transformers fitted to the output of something, so unless I've completely lost the plot, that should give a balanced output.
But the Pip2 is all regular rca's - so should enable us to hook anything up. If you have a couple of spare kettle leads it would save me bringing those.
The Benchmark takes Neutrik Speakon terminals as its preferred connection, but can accomodate bananas or spades.
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Post by Sovereign on Jul 23, 2015 8:18:06 GMT
All I can remember is that there was a critical lead for the lip that I didn't have. Was it not the signal out of the pip into the pre? I can't remember.
I don't use IEC leads but I do have one on the printer I could pinch and I could lash up another, so maybe bring what you have.
And of course bring some music, the only source I use is a MacBook Pro lap top so it will have to be riped cd or streaming
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Post by pinkie on Jul 23, 2015 8:27:14 GMT
You ripped most of my cd's last time I came round - Have you deleted them? - otherwise they should be fine. As you know from your visit here, I mostly listen to records. Pip 1 is all Din sockets except for the phono input. That was the problem I think - I had assumed you would have a record player and we could plug that into the RCA phonos. The phono stage is what really makes Pip special. Pip 2 is good old reg'lar RCA's. I'll bring a couple of kettle leads. With luck, we can leave pip out of it and plug your source direct to the Benchmark. I'll bring some croc clips in case we need to connect chassis grounds (not ideal I know), as I am a bit reluctant to take any sort of tool to the Benchmark, when its not mine. See you Monday - what time? |
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Post by Sovereign on Jul 23, 2015 8:48:30 GMT
The source is USB out, how about 7:00?
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Post by pinkie on Jul 23, 2015 9:04:45 GMT
7.00 is fine
When you say "USB out" - you are not plugging a USB into the SECA surely
(USB was the problem I recall now). Surely the USB from the laptop plugs into a DAC which outputs through RCA's. I see no USB socket on the photos of the SECA
Edit: I think I remember now. Your DAC only took a USB in and I had bought DaCapo with me which didn't have a USB input. There are 2 RCA's on that steak barbeque of yours, and I presume they connect to something with an RCA to RCA ic lead. The input to the Benchmark is balanced XLR sockets. I have a set of leads which are XLR to RCA so we should be fine with those.
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Post by Sovereign on Jul 23, 2015 10:21:36 GMT
When you say "USB out" - you are not plugging a USB into the SECA surely (USB was the problem I recall now). Surely the USB from the laptop plugs into a DAC which outputs through RCA's. I see no USB socket on the photos of the SECA Edit: I think I remember now. Your DAC only took a USB in and I had bought DaCapo with me which didn't have a USB input. There are 2 RCA's on that steak barbeque of yours, and I presume they connect to something with an RCA to RCA ic lead. The input to the Benchmark is balanced XLR sockets. I have a set of leads which are XLR to RCA so we should be fine with those. Yes mate your quite correct, sorry I was in a rush when I made my last post. My laptop and DAC are connected by USB only, DAC output is through RCA to LDR pre amp via RCA IC's which connects to the SECA via RCA IC's Actually my LDR is fried as I kind of ran 240vAC into it's 12vDC out terminal, don't ask what happened, but needless to say it didn't like it  Because of this I have temporarily lashed up a TOCOS carbon pot to act as an attenuator until I have time to fix my poor pre amp  |
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Post by pinkie on Jul 23, 2015 10:29:51 GMT
I'll definitely bring the Pip!!  |
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