Post photos of your systems/rooms here! (Part 15)

Listening Space Makeover:



Featuring three recently completed projects:

DIY CNC Phono Stage:

 

Refinished 1957 Davis Cabinet Company Tea Cart Server:

Before:


After:

 

And four coats of matching Danish oil on the JBL 4301B Control Monitors (as well as previously completed recap and refoam):

Before:






After:

 

what in the world is going on with the old crossover capacitors?

 

Improper storage - about 20 years in an uninsulated attic. They got hot enough that the wax in the capacitors melted and leaked out. It was also hot enough to melt the glue that held the inductors in place. They were just dangling by their wires.

 

ok tell us (me) a little bit more about this phono stage

 

More than you'll ever want to know can be found here:

Another Super High End Phono Stage! No expense spared...

It was based on a National Semiconductor app note for their LME49720 opamps. Yes, it's an opamp based design (gasp!), but it sounds great and is very affordable. The design has been refined and improved over time. High quality PCBs are available (either assembled, or bare) at very reasonable prices. It can be run off batteries, or a very high quality linear regulated power supply board is also available (the PCB on the left in my photo). DIP switches are provided for changing the input load resistance, and the input capacitance can also be tuned by swapping caps if desired. I have compared it side by side with the internal phono stage in my Yamaha A-1000 (a highly regarded discrete design) and the CNC wins. It's quieter, has more detail and just a more dynamic overall sound. Part of that is, I believe, due to load matching. The Yamaha has two options for input capacitance (220pF and 330pF) and I can tweak the load resistance using a set of loading plugs, but the CNC is a better match for carts that require capacitive loading in the 100 - 200pF range. With the right cart, the Yamaha still sounds very good. The CNC is more flexible and can be adapted to a wider range of cartridges.

 

Oops, forgot to mention I am using Burr Brown OPA2134 opamps in mine and like the way they sound. They are socketed, should I get the urge to do a little opamp rolling in the future.

 

I have posted some more cartoons and other stuff here if someone's interested

Audio/music cartoons, jokes, anecdotes etc..

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Rearranged my office setup. Added a new CD player and a little Schitt switch (SYS) - works like a champ.

 

Great job with the restoration all around everything looks brand new! And cool looking phono stage I don't know enough to comment on the circuit but I love the burlwood top. I wish I was that handy!

 

I bet you were going to post it on another thread..
Not that I have any problem with that..

 

Sweet!

 

Finally had time to finish this headphone amp while quarantining.

 

Got any pics of the insides? Silk screening on the face plate and jewel light are tops.

 

I have one under construction, before everything was connected. I started it about two years ago, then it sat waiting for a proper case.

 

Yep. Can't believe I did that! I was about to drop it on the classical thread and pulled up this one by mistake. Sorry!
Maybe I can get a Gort to delete it.

 

Super nice man! Makes lockdown less of a drag I bet

 

My latest jones is a console. Love em

 

The Quarantine 1000
Love it. Reminds me of my little tube amp.
Love the art on the wall.. and the monkey.

 

Thanks bud! Well, sort of lol. The wife's working from home, and she's putting in a lot of hours, so I'm not getting as much quality time with them as I'd like, but with the limited time I've gotten to crank them, HOLY CRAP!!! These things are pretty awesome. No buyers remorse here...

 

Hey man it happens I discovered a good jazz album on a miss-thread post once.

 

After almost two weeks of waiting, my new upgrade has arrived two Rel t5i's

WHAT A UPGADE THIS IS!!!! this is so amazing!!! what a difference this makes....maybe a little more tweaking in the next few day...

I think anyone who says the 50's don't need a sub, are totally not know what they're talking about.
I don't have a large living room but this is the must have combination with the 50's.
Crossover at 22 clicks (75hz) and level around 10 o'clock works perfect for my room for now....maybe I'll have to lower it later.

SOOOO HAPPY!!!!

 

Nice. Been contemplating either the 5's or 7's. Do you have them connected via high-level (speaker terminals) or an RCA subwoofer out?