Firefox 0 Report post Posted January 8, 2005 (edited) Enjoy.. hehe.. Crossfeed components; Rel & Multicap Polystyrol Film and Foil caps and Riken Ohm resistors: The Rel-cap cost $16.50 whilst the Multicaps are $26 a pop. Riken Ohm resistors can be had for $1.50/ pc. Very reasonable prices. Initially considered the Rel-cap Exotica Teflons at $165/ pc just to go a little insane. =) Crossfeed completed: The same Hovland Musicaps and Noble pot: The Hovlands at ~$26 a pop bring the film caps costs for this amp above $100. But all well worth the sonic transparency. The Noble used to be available locally from Well Audio Labs at $50. They're no longer stocked by any local shops. Output jacks wired with 99.99% pure teflon insulated silver wire: The PSU has received an upgrade from 3,300uF general purpose caps to 4,700uF Ultra Low ESR caps: Edited January 8, 2005 by Firefox Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Q00 0 Report post Posted January 8, 2005 Would this be an upgrade to an amp or a new beast all together? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Firefox 0 Report post Posted January 8, 2005 It's both actually. An aesthetics and features upgrade that turns the amp into a beast. I had a hard time lugging this around on public transport largely because it weighs some 7.5Kg to 10Kg. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Firefox 0 Report post Posted January 8, 2005 My BBamp Rev 3 on top of the re-cased Rev 2 which is the star of this issue of MAD MOD WORLD!: The 2 knobs (Naz: Yes, the notched knobs) are Suzurando Knobs and coincidentally are the last 2 pieces ever sold in Singapore. The silver matt was the last piece from Well Audio Labs and the pale gold also the last display piece from Larry Hi-fi. They cost $15 each. The knob on the left is for toggling the crossfeed and the other is for volume control. 4 output jacks on the front; 2 XLR's for av98m's re-wired DT-880's. The 2 Neutrik Locking Jacks are with the gold-plated contacts (list price: $12.75). 0 ohm on the left and 120 ohm output on the right. There are 2 inputs selectable via an Augat switch. The switch has silver-plated contacts and gold-plated lugs. Available online from Welborne Labs for US$14.00 a piece. The amp is very tightly packed on the inside. The crossfeed board had to go under the PSU board. This is very sad since the crossfeed caps look wicked through the ventilation slots. The Hovland Musicaps are DC blocking caps. The bridge rectifiers are built using HEXFRED's coupled with Evox MMK caps. The transformer is a Nuvotem Talema encapsulated model. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 (edited) I'll have to post another pic of the amp once I get my camera back. The very pale gold knob ended up looking like an ah beng yellow gold color in your photo! Yeech! (must be the lighting) Other points of interest: The rotary switch for the crossfeed is a Lorin, same as those used in the Corda amps. The black hex screws for the case ended up costing about $40 (there are more than 40 of them all over the casing. the price of vanity!). Edited January 9, 2005 by av98m Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N@Z 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 ... The black hex screws for the case ended up costing about $40 (there are more than 40 of them all over the casing. the price of vanity!). I will quote you on that the next time you say, "it's only about the sound quality" or something to that effect! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Firefox 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 I'll have to post another pic of the amp once I get my camera back. The very pale gold knob ended up looking like an ah beng yellow gold color in your photo! Yeech! (must be the lighting) I told you Ram' lighting was screwed up.. Tungsten White Balance couldn't even compensate for it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Firefox 0 Report post Posted January 9, 2005 ... The black hex screws for the case ended up costing about $40 (there are more than 40 of them all over the casing. the price of vanity!). I will quote you on that the next time you say, "it's only about the sound quality" or something to that effect! "If it looks better, it must sound better!" - av98m LOL.. I think my amp sounds clearer now cuz of the new knob.. Hrmm.. Anyone wants to buy the C37 wooden knob? hehehe.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted January 10, 2005 Ahhh...but Naz, you have to get the sound right first, before messing with asthetics. The whole object of this exercise was not to get the amp to sound better(it already sounds very, very good, beating every other solid state headphone amp I've ever tried), but to make it look better, and add a few extra functions while we're at it (crossfeed, multiple inputs, 120ohm jack, that sorta thing). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2005 Some further comments: The Rev 2 amp really shines at lower volume settings. That is when the reason for the use of the noble pot becomes clear, cheaper or lower quality volume pots tend to exhibit channel imbalance at low volumes (below 9 o'clock or other positions, depending on the gain). With the recasing, some other minor changes were done to further facilitate low level listening(the gain remains unchanged, at 3). I can now listen to grados out of the 120ohm jack with the knob at the slightly over 8 o'clock position (the zero position is at 7 o'clock) without any loss of detail or soundstage. The snap and impact of instruments remain, even at such a low volume setting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mackie 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2005 Crossfeed....this piques my interest. Firefox/av98m: How does your crossfeed sound compared to that integrated on a corda HA1/HA2? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2005 I think Ben based the crossfeed on the Jan Meir bass enhanced crossfeed, set at medium level (I initially wanted a multi-level crossfeed but we later decided that wasn't necessary). The effect of the crossfeed is very subtle, so I honestly cannot tell you how it sounds like, because the only audible change in sound I can hear, switching the crossfeed on and off, is the very slight reduction in volume when the crossfeed is switched on. Even so, this is audible only at higher volume levels. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mackie 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2005 Good enough dude! I'm actually pondering on whether to purchase the Corda Cross-1, which still amounts to about $300 despite the low exchange rate now. If Ben can replicate this unit at a fraction of the price and yet looks and sounds good (confident of it!), I'll be damned!. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2005 (edited) Well, as long as you forgo the MIT and REL caps, you should be able to hit your budget. Don't forget you have to pay for labour though. PM ben and see what he says. You are welcome to listen to the amp if you're willing to drive down to my place. Edited January 12, 2005 by av98m Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mackie 0 Report post Posted January 12, 2005 I already have an impression how the crossfeed sounds in your amp based on past experience on HA-1 and also my current Porta Corda. Thanks, shall follow thru once I've decided. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
