Posted on Sunday, 28th June 2009 by Jimmy Auw

Just returned from a tired yet “deadly poisonous” DIY Gathering. We held an extra session with RGN 1054 Mesh Plate Rectifier and Duelund Capacitor installed on Aikido Pre-Amplifier (6N1P and 6N6P tubes). Before, the Aikido used Obbligato Capacitor bypassed with K72 Russian Teflon and 5U4G-B Sovtek Rectifier.

The result of this “simple” modification? A deadly Aikido Pre-Amplifier, even dare to compare with DHT Pre-Amplifier. Sweet, liquid, transparent, tight bass, and excellent speed. If before you have to choose between speed/dynamic (Aikido) and sweet vocal (most DHT), now you can get both on this!!!

Absolutely amazing. The test system supported with Audio Aero Capitole CD Player and 17W Class A MOSFET DIY Amplifier.

Tags: Aikido, Duelund, RGN Rectifier
Posted in Collectible Stuff, DIY Audio | Comments (3)

Posted on Wednesday, 24th June 2009 by Jimmy Auw

I will continue my journey assembling the Mini Regulator. Now it’s the time for easiest part, the resistors and capacitors. To be honest, it’s not that easy - I mean, not as easy as I thought before

After around 1hour, I finish my job. Ta daaa… as below

I start to learn that DIY is not a matter of good sound, but also “eye catching” appearance. Well, I start it now. I “polish” the heatsink so it shines a little bit (rather than “dull” appearance). Then, I continue with picking colorful components. To be honest, it’s a little bit overkill to use Black Gate NX Series in this application. But I love the color combination and I believe you to. So? Just put it all down there.

The components are combination between Black Gate FK, Black Gate K, Black Gate NX, Black Gate N, and some resistors from Kiwame on most parts and one red one from PRP. Those Kiwames are carbon film, while PRP should be metal film. I pick PRP (despite of its red color) because this position is to set the maximum current of this regulator. Since PRP should be the regeneration of Holco, the most famous precision metal film resistor, so I do really can count on him. Oh, I also use old “dull color” green LED. This “dull color” LED should produce less noise than the newer “bright” LED.

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Tags: Black Gate, Kiwame, Mini Regulator, PRP
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Posted on Sunday, 21st June 2009 by Jimmy Auw

Although Guido from TentLabs said his XO2 Reclock Module already equipped with “enough” power supply filtering, but I insist to use extra regulator. Double filtering should be better than one (I hope so).

So here is a regulator module from Taiwan.

The PCB is called Mini Regulator. I bought it from a person named Coffin in DIYAudio.com. Nice built PCB, double layer with good layout.

I have free time this afternoon, so I decide to solder it with some components from my drawer. The first is the diodes. I use Vishay Telefunken SF5407 as primary rectification part.

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Tags: regulator
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Posted on Sunday, 21st June 2009 by Jimmy Auw

After some “crazy” capacitors here, I keep adding some more items on my collections. I call it, rest of my life collections.

First, some N and NX series Black Gate. Best located at tube Cathode/Feedback position, since it’s only rated at 6.3V. Nasty and lazy 200 hours break-in time is killing me

Ah my new long awaited collection, the Duelund Carbon/Silver Resistor. Best used at speaker crossover. Unique design and quite expensive. Before I prefer Mills on crossover, but we’ll see how this will perform against Mills.

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Tags: Components, Hammond, jensen, mundorf, Solen
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Posted on Sunday, 21st June 2009 by Jimmy Auw

I plan to separate my system volume control with dedicated passive preamp. Before, I planned to take one attenuator from Goldpoint but due to some reason, I changed my mind and took one from DACT.

A stepped attenuator has advantage over typical potentiometer, especially for sound quality and attenuation precision. But do mind that most attenuator is expensive.

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Tags: DACT, Kimber Kable, Stepped Attenuator, WBT
Posted in Collectible Stuff | Comments (0)

Posted on Sunday, 14th June 2009 by Jimmy Auw

I need some touch for my old Toshiba SD-2960 DVD Player. So here is the TentLabs XO2 @ 27 MHz, a perfect yet affordable reclock solution for my wallet.

This is actually a simple PCB. Not all parts used, since this PCB actually “upgradeable”. I bought the XO2 version (Clock Upgrade + Low Noise PSU). If in the future, I wish to upgrade to XO3 (XO2 + S/PDIF reclock), I just contact Guido Tent @ TentLabs to put more components on this PCB.

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Tags: DVD, PSU, Reclock, TentLabs, XO2
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Posted on Saturday, 13th June 2009 by Jimmy Auw

Most of the time, money could buy anything - except time (and sometime, love ). Like this Duelund CAST-PIO capacitor. You have the money, but you have to wait around 6-8 weeks (not including shipping time), before you could get it on your hand (even if you could pay more, it won’t arrive faster). Well, it happens on me. After a long time waiting for this, finally it arrives today - the current most praised and perhaps most expensive capacitor (I’m not saying it’s the best sound one - not yet), Duelund CAST-PIO Copper (Cu) capacitor. I bought the copper foil version. The most expensive (and not reasonable from my point of view) is the silver foil, but that one should be completely out of my imagination (and budget).

Handmade in Denmark? Some say you can’t rush the Danes and yes you can’t. Just wait 6-8 weeks before they will finish your order. This Duelund VSFCu-PIO/CAST is rated at 630VDC or 300VAC.

Suffix CAST means this is the highest grade compared to VSF version only (without CAST). According to Duelund, as below:

The Duelund CAST Capacitor is our no holds barred flagship capacitor.

The construction builds on the foundation of our Virtual Stack Foil design but does so with the addition of a proprietary WPIO dielectricum which necessitates several days of impregnation under high pressure.

Hope they are right, otherwise I shall regret for the rest of my life for buying this capacitors

I plan to run some benchmarking from these capacitors below, to get the “King of Capacitor” title of my version. Please be noted that the best for my ears doesn’t have to be the best for your ears to. YMMV!

The contenders:

• Duelund VSFCu-PIO/CAST -  1uF/630VDC/300VAC
• Mundorf Silver/Gold/Oil - 1uF/1200VDC/800VAC
• Jensen Copper Foil Paper Tube - 0.47uF/630VDC
• VCap TFTF - 0.47uF/600VDC
• Jensen Copper Foil - 0.47uF/630VDC

I remove Audio Note Capacitor from my list, since I hate its leakage issue. Good capacitor but less durable is simply out of the league (well, at least for me). I hear the new Oil Filled Mylar from Audio Note is better and safer. Will try if I have chance later.

It’s also interesting to see the battle between Jensen Copper Foil (old one) vs Jensen Copper Foil Paper Tube (latest generation). Just like Audio Note with its new Mylar Filled Oil, Jensen also update their premium capacitor line-up with its Paper Tube version. This Jensen Paper Tube version priced around 2.5 times more expensive compared to the standard Copper Foil.

Now, it’s break-in time!!!

Tags: Capacitor, Duelund, jensen, mundorf, v-cap
Posted in Collectible Stuff, DIY Audio | Comments (10)