Posted on Friday, 1st May 2009 by Auw Jimmy
I digged my old boxes and found this old vintage capacitor, Nippon Chemicon RWE 820uF/550VDC. Very big in size (a little bit bigger than my ASC 40uF/440VAC and surely a giant compared to AA battery). This electrolytic capacitor is a legend one, made for inverter application. Equipped with screw type terminal, this capacitor is really ready to rumble.
Tags: ASC, Audio, Capacitor, DIY-Audio, nippon chemicon
Posted in Collectible Stuff | Comments (5)
Posted on Sunday, 8th March 2009 by Auw Jimmy
Since tomorrow is holiday, so I take this Sunday as a “long holiday”. So I pay a visit to my good friend, Mr. Paul a.k.a PJ. I also bring my DIY Speaker and my DIY Aikido.
I don’t remember the way to PJ’s house (been there once), so I fire up my GPS on my Asus P835. I search location of Cipinang and trace down a little bit. I mark the location on my Google Earth and put coordinate on my GPS. I’m ready to go.
After 1 hour of traveling time, finally I arrive. My suggestion, don’t trust 100% with a gadget named GPS. It’s good, useful, but you need a brain with good logic to make it perfectly usable 
Just use it, and you will understand my point.
Here is PJ’s system. A nice floorstander speaker from ProAC (R3) and a bookshelf R1S also from ProAc. You also can see his 2A3 amplifier and 112A Pre-Amplifier there. A nice system as reference.
Tags: DIY-Audio, speaker, tube
Posted in DIY Audio, Personal | Comments (1)
Posted on Wednesday, 25th February 2009 by Auw Jimmy
Mercury: a heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element. That’s what I get from Google or common dictionary. Well, as long as it has good sound, it’s deserved to be auditioned.
Presenting, JAN/RCA NOS 83 Tube Rectifier. Thanks to my friend, Mr. A who allows a nice exchange of this nice tube with over a dozens of my Black Gate (that what’s friends are for)
Tags: Audio, DIY-Audio, rectifier, tube
Posted in Collectible Stuff | Comments (2)
Posted on Sunday, 22nd February 2009 by Auw Jimmy
Some of people on the net says that Gainclone is one of the shortest amplifier in the world. Some people could make it less than 32 mm on the signal path. Check it here! But I don’t have any intention to match or compete with them. Remember, I do what people don’t, so don’t bother with what they are doing
The parts, most likely, are my old stock. Most of the time, I use what I have on hand (and also buy some if I do really need that). So you can see a lot of mixed brand here. I try to pick the best from what I have.
The first thing that I do is, to install the input ground resistor. Not just because this is the most important, but simply because I need to put two resistor in a “not common” way. The picture below will explain more than what I can say. It’s Vishay S139 (similar with S102) Ultra-High Precision Bulk Metal Foil Resistors. It’s 0.01% tolerance 
So 11K is 11K, not with additional value behind the dot. I need to use 22KOhm, but only have 11KOhm on hand, so I use two.
Not a genius job, just put two in series and they will do the job perfectly.
Tags: Capacitor, DIY-Audio, gainclone, LM1875, resistor
Posted in DIY Audio | Comments (29)
Posted on Friday, 13th February 2009 by Auw Jimmy
Was a tough and tiring Friday. I want to listen some music (but I need to tweak some). Ok, fire up my iron and start to cook it right away.
If you don’t have any idea about my DIY speaker, feel free to visit here and here.
Ok, basically I just add 0.47uF K40Y-9 capacitor on my high pass filter. Current configuration is a little bit too bright on the tweeter, so I need to lower the F3 of my high pass filter. So here it is…
The high pass is 2rd order, combination of Siemens PIO and K40Y-9. Also Sfernice resistor used there. The inductor is Alpha Core Foil Inductor. Bought it few years ago, not the price is getting high and higher!
Tags: crossover, DIY-Audio, speaker, tweak
Posted in DIY Audio | Comments (18)
Posted on Sunday, 8th February 2009 by Auw Jimmy
It was a nice day, a little bit rainy at the morning. I went to Bintaro (Mr. Didik home) to enjoy a Solid State Blind Test session. After around 1.5 hours traffic, finally I arrived there.
We used equipments as follow:
The contenders (first session)
The contenders (second session):
It was a long sesssion. Although the session was ended at around 17:00, we still continued with some extra session, like loudspeakers and Pre-amp testing. We finally ended the session at 21:00.
Here is some photos. Enjoy!
“Filled the tank” before we started the session.
Tags: Audio, audiophile, Blind Test, DIY-Audio, gainclone, LM1875, LM3875, MOSFET, pre amp
Posted in DIY Audio, Personal | Comments (2)
Posted on Monday, 19th January 2009 by Auw Jimmy
Actually, I don’t do iPod. But just for fun, why not?
This is actually an “old” audio tweak, by using this “stuff” below. You can buy it at local bookstore.
This removable adhesive could be place above your components, like capacitor, resistor, or even DAC and Crystal (Clock). The effect? Taste yourself, as I did on my iPod below.
Tags: Audio, DIY-Audio, ipod, tack-it, tweak
Posted in DIY Audio | Comments (17)
Posted on Saturday, 13th December 2008 by Auw Jimmy
A Gainclone challenge? Why not? Solid state? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Wise man says ask “Why” five times. But I think I will end up with same answer Sorry! Just consider this as a small killing time, boredom destroyer project uh…
But remember, we are on crisis, so no budget!!! So, I also don’t want to spend any budget… Well, small budget is ok, but really-really small.
Let’s straight to the point and back to the topic: I want to try a LM1875 Gainclone Amplifier. This is not my first time building a Gainclone, but first time with LM1875. Gainclone becomes famous because this “simple chip amplifier” could sound beautiful – in 47 Laboratory 4706 Gaincard (retail price near US$ 3000) and Jeff Rowland Concentra (retail price around US$ 6500). FYI, Gainclone family has some models, like LM1875, LM3875, LM3886, etc. Each has different specifications, especially for power rating and speaker load impedance – but all amplifier with this chip will be called as “Gainclone”.
I’ve received the PCB from my friend at local DIY forum. Now, it’s time to pick my “agents” – I mean my components
“As always, should you or any of your IM force be caught or killed,, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Jim.”
Well, just suddenly remember those classic Mission Impossible warning on every end of its mission tape. Now I’m starting to pick my agents. Let’s open my shelves and see what I can find. A Gainclone only need very small amount of components, around 10 pcs each channel. I think I still have some in my drawers.
Some capacitors on my drawer. Umm… I’ve collected these for quite long time.
Tags: Amplifier, Audio, Capacitor, DIY-Audio, gainclone, resistor
Posted in Collectible Stuff, DIY Audio, Personal | Comments (99)
Posted on Monday, 8th December 2008 by Auw Jimmy
Finally, I put my Aikido Pre Amp on the chassis. Well, was a tough job since normally I didn’t do such thing (e.g. putting my DIY work on “little bit” neat chassis).
I separated inside the chassis into 3 chambers. The first one was for the main transformer, the second was for the power supply unit, and the last one was for the Pre Amp parts itself. I used 5 mm MDF wood covered with thick aluminum foil. The foil then grounded to minimize the interference.
Actually, I planned to put this Pre Amp to the Blind Test Session last week. But, the White Cathode Follower used in my Pre Amp seemed have some trouble when connected to higher impedance load (e.g. the input volume control on amplifier). I need to check it to find and confirm the problem later.
Tags: Aikido, Audio, chassis, DIY-Audio, pre amp, tube
Posted in DIY Audio, Personal | Comments (8)
Posted on Wednesday, 1st October 2008 by Auw Jimmy
Just take a shoot of my Aikido Preamp (6N1P, 6N6P, and 5U4C/5Z4 rectifier). Will upload the details later. Enjoy this cute pics. Beautiful, isn’t it?
Tags: Aikido, DIY-Audio, preamp, preamplifier, tube
Posted in DIY Audio, Personal | Comments (17)
Posted on Monday, 14th July 2008 by Auw Jimmy
Usually, I never care about the theory behind all of my DIY project. Just plug it, hear it, like it, and finish it. But now, due to some reason (though somehow I also don’t know the exact reason why), I want to do it from scratch and want to be backed-up with some theory and calculation behind it.
My next project (again could be the last one) is a high end power supply for my Aikido pre-amplifier. I think I’ve mentioned about this project before.
This is the first part discussing about the theory behind my next DIY project (about the tube rectifier IFRM and capacitor/choke input). Next part will come soon.
Prologue:
I’m considering the usage of tube rectifier (I have Svetlana 5U3C or 5U4-GB on hand). So far, I only used to play with silicone rectifier where I don’t have to care about the size of filtering capacitor. Now, with tube rectifier, I have to learn the theory back again.
Tube rectifier, in this case my 5U3C or 5U4-GB, has only 1 Ampere of IFRM (Repetitive Peak Voltage Current) and 99 Ampere of IFSM (Peak Forward Surge Current). FYI, most silicone rectifier like IN4007 has both 99 Ampere of IFRM and IFSM. So any size of capacitor will be ok for this silicone rectifier (it won’t stress the rectifier, 99 Ampere is a huge number!).
The low capacity of IFRM of the tube rectifier makes the usage of big first capacitor is impossible. If you use big size of capacitor on the first stage after the rectifier, then this capacitor will stress the rectifier due to high load of current. Bigger capacitor will pull a lot of current. If this amount of current is bigger than the rectifier limitation (IFRM), then you probably could damage the rectifier. Please check the rectifier datasheet before you plug any big size capacitor (over 30uF) as your first filtering.
As you can see from the picture above (I use PSU Designer II from Duncan). With a too big first capacitor (errrr, 220uF is not that big, right?), you will put too much stress on the rectifier exceeding its IFRM. The big capacitor will need a big current to charge itself. If it exceeds your rectifier maximum IFRM value, then it may cause trouble. The result? I don’t think you want to know (or see) the effect
But I need a big capacitor to give smoother filtering… Then continue reading
Tags: DIY-Audio, power supply, Pre Amplifier, theory
Posted in DIY Audio, Personal | Comments (0)
Posted on Monday, 7th July 2008 by Auw Jimmy
After here and here, well seems not enough, I have ordered some more components for my next DIY project. Just arrive today. The target is clear. This could be my last so should be my best DIY project. So, I’m gonna be serious… gotta be…
A bunch of Elna Silmic, around 16.000+ uF each channel for heater power supply? Are you serious, Jimmy?
Tags: Capacitor, DIY-Audio, power supply, resistor
Posted in Collectible Stuff | Comments (2)
Evening Soldering Practice: LME 49720HA
Asus Xonar Essence One (E1): Finally
Asus Xonar Essence One (E1): Almost
Asus Xonar Essence One (E1) Audio Board
‘No Name’ Capacitor Rev. 2![Reviving Old Capacitor in 5 Minutes [Quick Reforming Capacitor Guide]](http://jimmyauw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/1-Meter-150x150.jpg)
Reviving Old Capacitor in 5 Minutes
A Troop of Capacitor
A Greeting from Warsaw, Poland
Demystifying Asus Xonar Essence One![Tracing Asus Xonar Essence One PCB [Deeper and Deeper]](http://jimmyauw.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Capacitor-150x150.jpg)
Tracing Asus Xonar Essence One PCB
Tracing Asus Xonar Essence One PCB
Disassembly Asus Xonar Essence One