EC Aficionado (was: The Studio Jr.)

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by AppleheadMay, Nov 10, 2015.

  1. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    You saw the accuracy page which only specified accuracy below 500Hz and 500 to 1000Hz. The meter has ability to make frequency measurements to 100KHz while simultaneously measuring AC voltage. Requires digging to find on page 111 the specifications that INFER the meter will work to 50 KHz. I'd still feel better if the accuracy had been explicitly stated above 1 KHz.
     
  2. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    @Jokerman7 thanks, it's helpful to know where to measure!

    @atomicbob given i can't check the accuracy of the meter, should I go ahead and do it anyway, or buy something that does state accuracy at 40khz? If so, can you recommend something affordable?
     
  3. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    Teardown evaluation claims AC accuracy is good to 100 KHz:
    https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/agilent-u1231a-teardown/

    Give it a try, provided you are safety conscious working around high voltage DC. Not knowing your skill level at this I'd recommend reviewing high voltage safety procedures. If you don't feel comfortable, don't do it. Touching the high voltage might only produce some excitement or a shocking experience. It could also result in death.
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    That's ridiculous. Tubes don't die because of under voltage unless excessive.

    That's one option, but tubes are ancient tech typically run from unregulated power supplies. +/- 5% is a reasonable amount. The AF HF filament heater amp is regulated. On the 2A3, the mains would have to sag to 15% or more to see the heater amp start to clip.

    --

    The HF filament heater frequency should be somewhere between 45-50kHz. Suggest a fancy DMM capable of measuring AC up to 100kHz. Should run about $200 for cheapo brand.

    The proper way to do the measurement is to have the tube partially inserted and to attach alligator clips to the big pins of the 2A3. Make sure the clips do not touch the chassis. Measurements taken without a load will be incorrect and show above 3V. Also, measurements taken with different tubes may differ slightly, but as long as +/- 5%, should be fine.

    Per @atomicbob, take precautions so that you don't die.
     
    Last edited: Apr 3, 2019
  5. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Nope.
     
  6. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    My terminology was incorrect. I'll quote jac here, I think that's OK?

    My power is pretty shit here - in a small town, on a mountainside that is on the sea in the countryside - but I have a voltage regulator so I don't think it ever strays from 230v for long, or by much.
     
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    LOL, that sounds like audiophool nonsense and lame explanation for what otherwise is a bad tube or a filament that wasn't properly doped at the factory. A tube filament isn't that much different than a light bulb filament.

    The mains could sag to 180V and the HF heater amp could still output the proper 2.5V.

    I like EML tubes, but anecdotally, a good percentage of them die. The good thing is that they die early if they die, so past a certain point, we don't need to worry.
     
  8. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Allright, good to know, il stop worrying then :)
     
  9. raif

    raif Man made lobster/plankton

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    so, I was eyeing that Massdrop Ether CX sideways...

    Did we ever get a final verdict on how planars do with the Aficionado? I've read around that some like the sound, especially leaner planars with the aficionado, but was curious if folks with experience would like to chime in.
     
  10. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    In general, I find Aficionado softens the leading edge, adds some richness and subtle bloom to the lower registers while creating an expanded 3D sound stage. There should also be at least 1 watt available at most planar impedances so power shouldn’t be an issue except for the hardest to drive planars.

    I enjoy Verum 1 driven by Aficionado and even HE-6 when I wanted a smoother sound. As long as the planar isn’t warm and thick to begin with and it’s not hard to drive you should get good results.
     
  11. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Finally got around to swapping the 0.22uF Audiocap PPT Theta with the 0.1uF PPT Theta and the increase in clarity and detail is very welcome.

    I previously had 0.22uF Jupiter caps installed and wanted to try something else since I found them to be pretty bright and lacking in bass.

    The 0.1uF Theta's are exactly what I was looking for.

    Here's a scale of brighter>warmer:
    0.22uF Jupiter Copper Foil>>>>>>>>>>>0.1uF PPT Theta>>>0.22uF PPT Theta

    Another thing I noticed between the different caps was how each shaped the sound stage. The Jupiter create a large 3D sound stage by bringing some aspects of the sound forward, highlighting room ambiance and other dimensional cues such as air. After a while this became more of a party trick or one trick pony and became fatiguing.

    The 0.22uF PPT Theta caps gave DAT BASS I was yearning for coming form the Jupiter caps but they also pushed the sound stage back quite a ways, similar to what HD800 does, which again is fun for a bit but I sometimes wished for a more intimate sound depending on recording.

    0.1uF PPT Theta caps are a perfect middle ground. Take the clean presentation of the Jupiters, add some warmth and bass from the PPT Theta and keep the sound stage as presented on the recording, large and 3D when called for or small and close if need be.

    I should be in bed as I write this but what's one more song...
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2019
  12. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Interesting!

    I'm very happy with my 0.1 jupiters, but I agree with you about the treble - back when the Af was on the way, @Melvillian recommended swapping the 2A3 bypasses for a specific audio note cap if the treble bothered me ... I did end up doing so.

    We're not really comparable otherwise due to feedback.
     
  13. Overkill Red

    Overkill Red Friend

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    Can anyone comment on the EML 2A3 Solid & Mesh for the Vérité on AF? Vérité finally shipped and I'm looking to expand my tube selection a bit.
     
  14. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    I would say wait until you try Verite on your current setup and then come back with what you might like to change that way we can better direct you to the tubes you’ll like.
     
  15. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    And please burn them in for a week before seriously evaluating that. Verite needs the most burn in of any headphone I have ever experienced, ever.
     
  16. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    I wonder why that would be?? Honest question.
     
  17. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    tension. materials. beryllium jelly. physical molecular breakdown. gnomes.
    sound requires the movement of air - let the physical medium optimize.
     
  18. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Dunno man, but all-metal drivers tend to have long-ass mechanical break-in and apparently plasma-deposited-metal on polymer is the same.

    We won't really know until some science type gets fed up of the vodoo and decides to measure the whole process with lasers so we can see all the modes change over time.

    I mean, if you work with physical things you can figure out how a single section of the spider might change over break-in easily enough, but the effect on all the weird ways a driver behaves over its range is pure supposition for now.
     
  19. gaspasser

    gaspasser Flatulence Maestro

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    I just received my Af last week and it seems the 2A3 sockets came loose during shipping. Per Craig's suggestion, I tightened the screws and nuts after opening the case and one of the sockets is stable and tight, but the other is still loose and wobbly. The tubes seat fine, but I would like to get the other socket more stabilized. Any suggestions will be helpful, thanks.
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2019
  20. Carlos CPA

    Carlos CPA Friend

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    Is is possible to run dual Vidars in monoblock configuration out of the Af’s balanced outputs?
     

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