KGSSHV Carbon Build Thread

[sorenb]

1 hour ago, insanity said:

@mwl168 What kind of insulating washers are you using for the 10m90s? They look unfamiliar.

What kind of heatsinks are you using? What is their thermal rating?

for the amp @20mA they seem to be a bit on the small'ish side

[johnwmclean]

Very nice work Michael, but I do agree that those sinks may be undersized, especially when cased up.

 

[kingofsnake]

nice work mwl168. thanks for sharing.

Edited November 30, 2015 by kingofsnake
brain fart!

[mwl168]

Thanks guys!

@insanity: the insulation pad is the Aavid 4170G. These are wider and longer than the 4171G but slightly thinner (1.57mm vs 1.77mm). I just happen to have them on hand. These won't work for the 10m90s on the GR HV PS board because they are too wide. For the GR HV PS I use 4171G.

The heatsinks are sourced from heatsinkusa. They are the 8.460 width one cut to 4 inch long. I don't know what's their spec (did not find the information on the website). I bought them for testing purposes like what I am doing here. On the hind sight, I wish I had opted for larger ones.

@Sorenb and John: yes, the heatsinks are too small for the HV Carbon @ 20mA - after 20 minutes or so of powering on, they got very warm to the touch. I was a bit surprised. I have picked out a few possible chassis for the HV Carbon already but will need to re-evaluate after this empirical experience.  

Edited November 30, 2015 by mwl168

[mwl168]

I have music!

Rigged up some rough wiring and pluuged in my Mac and TPA Buffalo DAC, I've been listening to music through my 007 Mk2.9 for the past hour or so. 

As Soren and John called it, my test heatsinks are too small for the Carbon. I had to dial the output current back to 17mA. Even so, at full warm-up, the heatsinks are very hot to the touch. I may order some larger heatsinks so I can dial them back to 20mA as intended while I decide on a proper chassis.

Thanks again to Kevin, Kerry, Jim and many others that make this possible. 

Edited February 25, 2016 by mwl168

[GeorgeP]

That is great news!

[Pars]

Congrats Michael!

[johnwmclean]

Job well done!

[purk]

Thanks to Steve & Andy.  I've been listening to the KGSSHV Carbon with the Golden Reference psu for the last three or four days now.  Here's my take on the Carbon against the BHSE and DIY T2 which was in response to Muveling's take on the trio on headfi:

You memory is nearly spot on Mike.  I commend you!  I personally will rate the T2 as the best amp among the T2, KGSSHV Carbon, and BHSE.  The BHSE and KGSSHV Carbon are equally excellent in my book with the Carbon having considerably grander musical presentation with noticeably wider and slightly deeper soundstage than the BHSE.  Spatial imaging are about on par but the wider soundstage does allow the Carbon to produce a more enveloping musical experience.  Musical details just floats from the background with better layering compared to the BHSE.  On the other hand, the BHSE does offer a more intimate presentation with smoother and more liquid tones from top to bottom especially in the midrange region.  Bass doesn't quite hit as hard and authoritative as the Carbon but nonetheless is still very much satisfying to my ears.  The SR009 out of the Carbon is actually quite a bass monster surpassing the Hifiman HE1000+Susy Dynahi setup on both texture & details and matching its output.  The DIY T2 loose out to the Carbon very slightly on the width of soundstage but does make up in the depth department.  It is able to render sweeter musical presentation (yes, even more than the BHSE) and about on par at resolving musical details.  Bass output is slightly less than that of the Carbon but the T2's bass has more bloom while the Carbon's bass is tighter and come at you at greater speed.  This is my take on three amps with the SR-009 so your mileage may vary. 

 

Anyway, I now have the KGSSHV carbon for several days now.  Mike and I are quite blessed to have the same builder who executed the build to perfection.  Both of our units come with the "Golden Reference " power supply.  My unit uses a custom build Khozmos 48 steps attenuator while he goes with the Goldpoint stepped attenuator with exotic resistors.  So far my amp has been nothing but pure audio bliss to listen to.  It runs cooler to the touch compared to the T2 but definitely warmer than my 500V KGSSHV.  Listening to Carbon really make me appreciate how much KG, Birgir and the team continue to push the design envelope.  I sure wish the Carbon was there at Tyll's Big Sound Event.  I don't see how the HE1000 and HD800 can even come close to the SR009 if the BHSE and KGSSHV Carbon were there at the event.  IMO, of course.  

 

Edited December 3, 2015 by purk

[kingofsnake]

mwl168 Congratulations nice one.

I look forward to seeing what it looks like all cased up with a few topless shots for good measure.

 

purk:

  That sure is a mighty fine looking Carbon you have there 2xPro Bias AND HE90 sockets Yummy!

Edited December 3, 2015 by kingofsnake

[sorenb]

13 hours ago, mwl168 said:

I have music!

Fiat lux ... Fiat musica

[purk]

3 hours ago, kingofsnake said:

purk:

  That sure is a mighty fine looking Carbon you have there 2xPro Bias AND HE90 sockets Yummy!

That way I can entertain Mulveling at any time.  However, he does listen at louder level than me.

[GeorgeP]

46 minutes ago, purk said:

That way I can entertain Mulveling at any time.  However, he does listen at louder level than me.

since this is a DIY thread, care to post some internal pics. Interested in seeing how the caps are mounted given the size of the chassis.

[purk]

1 hour ago, GeorgeP said:

since this is a DIY thread, care to post some internal pics. Interested in seeing how the caps are mounted given the size of the chassis.

I'll check with Steve and see if he is okay with it.  If so, I'll post it tonight.

[blubliss]

Post whatever you want purk.

[Laowei]

Great! More practical ideas!

[purk]

I can take better pictures if needed.  Thanks to Steve for the awesome build and Andy for help with voicing the amp as well as running mine in.

Edited December 4, 2015 by purk

[spritzer]

A lot of this amp is an example of how not to wire any electrostatic amp.  There is so much fail in there but lets start off on the big stuff, how the caps are mounted...  Never do something like that!!!  Uninsulated spades on all of the AC input wiring when they clearly should be insulated.  Input wiring runs right under the transformer when it should be kept as far away from it as is possible.  Last but not least, the output wiring.  Twisting it like that is bad idea as it adds to the output capacitance of the amp. 

[sorenb]

12 hours ago, purk said:

I can take better pictures if needed.  Thanks to Steve for the awesome build and Andy for help with voicing the amp as well as running mine in.

Nice build you've got there Purk :o)

Un-twisting the output wires, isolating the AC wiring and some hot snot to further secure the caps would be an easy fix.

[purk]

1 minute ago, sorenb said:

Nice build you've got there Purk :o)

Un-twisting the output wires, isolating the AC wiring and some hot snot to further secure the caps would be an easy fix.

Thanks Birgir and sorenb for your input.  It sounds pretty spectacular.

[sorenb]

Just now, purk said:

Thanks Birgir and sorenb for your input.  It sounds pretty spectacular.

I'm sure it does ... a pretty fine amp that is ;o)

Have you notice any change in how the Carbon presents the deep end during the time you've had it? 

[kevin gilmore]

I would mount the caps on the board, and punch holes in the top panel.

 

[purk]

Just now, sorenb said:

I'm sure it does ... a pretty fine amp that is ;o)

Have you notice any change in how the Carbon presents the deep end during the time you've had it? 

The biggest advantages so far has been bass output  & quality of the low frequency in general.  However, I'm more impressed at how the amp is able to portray the soundstage.  Exceptionally in width and depth.  It just sounds a lot more "real" and 3-D than any KGSSHVs that I've auditioned before.  

[sorenb]

Just now, purk said:

The biggest advantages so far has been bass output  & quality of the low frequency in general.  However, I'm more impressed at how the amp is able to portray the soundstage.  Exceptionally in width and depth.  It just sounds a lot more "real" and 3-D than any KGSSHVs that I've auditioned before.  

Appriciate your description, thanks.

In terms of change in sound, have you noticed any difference during the time you've had it?

[purk]

4 minutes ago, sorenb said:

Appriciate your description, thanks.

In terms of change in sound, have you noticed any difference during the time you've had it?

It  opens up even more last night.  The depth of the soundstage more or less matched my T2 but the width is wider.  The T2 still sound more fluid and sweeter to my ears.  I still prefer the T2 overall.