recstar24

I believe that you kept it plugged in. When not in use, the batteries recharge. When an input signal is detected, the amp shunts off the AC recharging the batteries and the DC is used to power the circuit

The fact that it is cleaner power is only the first part of it. Really big, beefy power supplies have huge capacitors rated at very big values, filtering, inductors, so on and so forth. A lot has to happen to convert the AC to DC and even more to keep it clean and regulated. Those capacitors and inductors have a large effect on the sound. Using batteries its pure clean DC right there so you can avoid those issues with it sounding better and being cheaper to boot. Both parties win. However, it apperas Craig has found a way other than using batteries to power the JFETS without impacting the sound signature and sounding just like the battery supply with a normal AC-DC power supply. Can't wait to hear it myself personally

No, the Zana as far as I know is definitely going ahead. Craig is pretty hardcore about it and is working his butt off to get a production model ready for the stereophile show. He has set the price firm at 1800 and seems keen to let it go ahead.

Sorry guys, but I got bad news for you all. The EC-H is on hold. Craig had developed a stripped down version of the EC-H that didnt use lead acid batteries to power the JFET or the special coupling caps, which he would retail at 395. In his words, the version that 909 heard with the special coupling caps and battery power on the power JFET sounds "first cabin", and that the Zana was only slightly better for a grand more (Craig's words). Also, the stripped down version at 395 was superior by far to the EC-01, and would essentially kill it. Craig wanted to send me the hybrid to compare against my HD25, but that was put on hold... ...for a solid state amp Craig said he wanted to compare the hybrid to his all solid state design before going further with the hybrid. Well, he seems pretty keen about the solid state and should be sending it to me pretty soon to test drive. Here is a copy of the email Craig sent that highlights what it has to offer: "The problem with the JFET is getting it to work as a power device for audio service. np as he signs his emails makes his F3 with a slightly different approach than me. The problem I had was the power supply sonic signature. The current source np uses to get the JFET to work has a bad power supply rejection ratio, so you will hear it. I came up with DIB today, dual isolation buffer, for the power supply. It works well, and the battery supply sounds like the solid-state supply now. This means the amp can be all solid-state. I grew up in the sixties, and I had an LSD flash back listening to this all solid-state amp tonight. It is very good. The cool thing when you get the EC/DC is that the whole amp will fit in the same chassis. I need to try one more thing, and then I will layout a pcb and make a real sample. If I was np this would be in a hogged out solid aluminum chassis bla bla and sell over the pond for $3500.00. But because I'm EC it will be around $300.00. The topology is SE class A. It has gain with no feedback, and it is DC coupled on the input. " FYI, "np" is Nelson Pass. Craig got wind of the power jfet he has been playing around with through him, they live pretty close by and Craig has visited him and they have a pretty good relationship. Craig has told me personally that he has a lot of respect for Nelson Pass, which means a lot because Craig is traditionally a tubes guy and hardcore about it. The JFET that Craig uses is the same I believe in the FirstWatt F3. You can go to the Nelson Pass website under the FirstWatt banner and read all about the power JFET, sounds very promising. Will post here again when I have a chance to listen to it. I think its a good move. Not much available in terms of single ended class A solid state, which has some inherent advantages over a tubed single ended class a design. Exciting stuff nonetheless and for 300.

mmmmmm.....bunnies...... I mean.....ummmm...speakers

vinyl....yummy. Vinyl just can't be beat. The question for me is whether I get into vinyl first or speakers first. I am leaning a bit towards speakers of course, especially when my fiance and I move to a new house, but the lure of vinyl is calling, I am just worried that shopping for vinyl will be like crack - cheap, dirty, so much good shit available for dirt cheap, and such a good high too. Next thing you know I will run out of money and will have to suck dick for vinyl on the corner of Clark and Belmont or something. The best thing about vinyl? Unlimited dynamics, unlimited extension without ever feeling harsh or strained, and smooth and warm as apple pie. The comparison between vinyl and digital is like tubes to solid state - with digital and solid state it always seems like there is a ceiling to the music, where the music can't expand above or reach you. Vinyl grabs you by the balls and really reaches you from a musical standpoint, the air is breathtaking and it sounds so open and dynamic like there is no ceiling to the music, the closest I heard to vinyl is Meridian G08 but I have my eyes on a VPI Scout and I can tell you I would be listening to the Scout much more than the G08. As for the inconvenience of vinyl? No one said you didn't have to work to get closer to the music

congrats man, we are all proud of you! please let us know your future plans and update us on the job search

Actually your fine - I remember seeing that eric had measured the CNR on his TDR and it did not have any extraneous reflections, I believe according to his graph it was identical to his Nitrogens, so I believe you can assume the CNR has a very constant impedance down the entire length of the cable

How do you ensure the security of the connection of the resistor from signal to ground? I am a bit concerned with my soldering skills and maintaining that connection through repetitive plugging in and out. Do i just need to heatshrink the shit out of it to ensure the connection doesnt get jolted and broken off?

Thank you for your comments and your time for reading, I appreciate it. In fact, if you read a bit further, I mention that the sound with the senns was easily superior to the sound with the grados, and that i suspected it was a current issue. With the senn 600's the sound was very beautiful, and I made sure to comment on that pairing.

Have been

Ray Samuels and Tyrion

Hey guys, Check out my review if you have the time, just got put up couple of days ago: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/headroom2/desktop.html

Hugo, Cool to hear from you, it will be nice to read more posts from you again, even though your asylum posts are very nice too. But damn you for selling that Airsine before I could get my hands on it jk This is a pretty cool site you guys, I am glad I'm here