swt61 Posted October 4, 2009 Author Report Posted October 4, 2009 (edited) I'm on pins and needles for news of the Raven! Have fun guys and take a few pics while you are at it. We thought we had it up and running for a minute. Then Marc plugged in one side of the source RCA IC and BAM! We should note that we used an XLR-RCA adapter, but I think we're still baffled as to how plugging in a source could blow a cap in the PSU, but seeing Marc move that fast was entertaining. Impressions of F5 or ban. I'll copy and paste from the 'What are you driving your K1000 with?' thread... Alex Cavalli stopped by Marc's place yesterday. What a cool guy, I wish I'd have had more time to talk with him. Unfortunately I was knee deep in a workbench project for Marc's very nice, new Jet drill press (bastard!). Marc and I did manage to get The Pass F5 up and running Friday evening. We had a short litening session with a few phones, the K1000 being one of those. I do believe that the F5 will indeed be a really top tier amp for the K1K. We ran into what seems to be a connection issue of some sort Sat. morning, so the F5 is still with Marc for the moment. But what we heard in our brief session impressed us both. However, I think that even Marc may have to admit that it did not slay the mighty β22. In fact I think Marc was fairly impressed with the β22/K1000. The F5 was a formidible challenger, but what we really concluded in our brief time was that they both brought a different flavor, while both being very suitable K1000 amps. The β22s sound is very neutral. That can have a tendancy to sound boring when you say that, but the β22 is anything but boring. It just gets it right IMO. Marc was impressed by not only the wide soundstage (unnaturally wide he said at one point, due to his unfamiliarity with the K1000), but he noted how vertically expansive the soundstage was as well. We used the term 'tall soundstage' to describe it. Also, I need to admit to being a dumbass once again. I had previously commented on the β22 being possibly underpowered for some that listen at higher volumes. It had enough gain for my listening levels, but was at the 3:00 mark for what I qualified as a comfortable level for me. Well my assumtion was that the knob would bottom out at around 5:00. I did not test this theory at the time. In fact what happened was that Nate had sent the amp back without the knob (something he'd already made me aware of), and I had decided to use a knob I'd bought from Justin (which I like better anyway). The knob from Justin has an indicator indentation mark, where my previous knob had none. So when I installed the knob, the mark was at 7:00 at zero volume. That's what made me assume that 5:00 would be full volume. Well it's not. The knob wraps around to almost 7:00 again (Joshua Tree ladder type attenuation). So to make a short story even longer, the β22 does in fact have plenty of gain at a gain setting of 10, balanced. A big shout out to Nate here, as the β22 is sounding the best she ever has! Also I should note that my source has an even lower output than I had realised. Once the new DAC is in the chain, I'll have gobs of headroom. The F5 has a bit more of a flavored sound sig. That's not to say it's highly characterized, it's not, but compared to the neutrality of the β22 you get the impression just a pinch of spice was added in. It's a good spice though, and the F5 brings a slightly warm lushness, somewhat reminiscent of a tubed sound quality. Although top end is extended like a good solid state. The F5 seems to have some real grunt at the bottom too, and that can only be a good thing with the K1000. Unfortunately I didn't have much of a selection of music with me. The hope is that Marc can find the connection issue, and resolve that by the Houston meet on the 17th. Then we can get a whole host of impressions to Pass along (pun intended). extremely smooth, insane low end authority of the non-NoNoNoNoNoNo variety, very musical. Very different flavor than the beta22 offers. A man of few words, but I'd have to concur. Also of note, NoNoNoNoNoNo is a complete sentence in Texas...Meaning - 'Is that you?' We need pics! I brought my camera, but never got it out of the case. Edited October 4, 2009 by swt61
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 I think the tube comparison with the F5 is a pretty fair one. A lot of people bi-amp with multiple First-Watt amplifiers, and it seems that the F5 is pretty much the go to for the mid-high duty. Specifically, the F5/XA30.5 combo was one NP was using for a long time. I think this says a lot about the mids and upper range of the F5 for NP to choose this combo. It's a very liquid sound with amazing speed. I'm looking forward to listening to it more. With the beta22 I was sorta like "yeah, this sounds like it should, ... yeah, nice....". With the F5 I was more like "this is different... very different than the beta22.... hm... wow, yeah wow."
Nebby Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Wish I could've been there, esp. for the workbench session!
pabbi1 Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 We need pics! Pictures in a classified location are sometimes hard to come by... to be fair, we spent almost ALL the time working - really. Listening time was truly less than 30 minutes, and sadly Marc got zero listening time. In fact we were so pressed for time, I didn't even leave Austin until after I was supposed to be HOME, and, I am paying dearly for that today. Anyhoo, this is the data we have: Blue Hawaii on the bench, Steve is slaving on the F5, Vulcan and Raven on the lower right in queue. Working Beta22, eXStata and Bijou on the table, bagging for someone to give them a listen.
shellylh Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Looking forward to whatever makes it down to Houston alive. Sorry to hear about the Raven.
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Wish I could've been there, esp. for the workbench session! I'll post a pic, once my wife gets back with the camera. Spent some time measuring and organizing 7 sets of allen wrenches and one case of drill bits. Dunno why, just seemed pretty fun. Dunno if my drill press table is supposed to rotate out of the way, seems it should...but. Steve and I talked about using my drill press as a make shift vertical mill. Check out Ebay "slide vise". Everyone says it's a bad idea (for obvious reasons) and everyone says these vises suck. I still want one for some reason.
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 oh, and I officially have one stamp on my man card for the drill press. Four more stamps to go, but hey it's a start.
swt61 Posted October 4, 2009 Author Report Posted October 4, 2009 (edited) I tried to get you to make a cut with my worm drive saw, but you went all girlie. That would have been two manpoints. Al pulled up at the start of the workbench project, and jumped right in. 5 manpoints for Al! Wish I could've been there, esp. for the workbench session! Marc now has the only workbench covered with Birch plywood as far as I know of. That's all Lowes had, but it makes a really nice, smooth work surface. In Marc's defense, he did manage to get his soldering iron into places Al and I couldn't even see, and saved both our butts in the process. 2 manpoints! Edited October 4, 2009 by swt61
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 oh one more thing. The deburring system I got is absolutely amazing. Check out Noga: Deburring Systems By NOGA I'd like to get one for our resident circle hole tech, if anyone wants to pitch in a few dollars, let me know.
digger945 Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 I'll post a pic, once my wife gets back with the camera. Spent some time measuring and organizing 7 sets of allen wrenches and one case of drill bits. Dunno why, just seemed pretty fun. Dunno if my drill press table is supposed to rotate out of the way, seems it should...but. Steve and I talked about using my drill press as a make shift vertical mill. Check out Ebay "slide vise". Everyone says it's a bad idea (for obvious reasons) and everyone says these vises suck. I still want one for some reason. I already have the table top drill press(Delta) and a few end mills. I'm gonna pick up one of those cheap cross slides at the local Harbor Freight and give it a go. Also want to try a rotary table. Agreed, everything I read about it says it isn't a good idea, but I think if the slide is properly secured to the drill press table then nothing should go too bad with sharp mills cutting aluminum. I like the deburring system. I'll pitch in for one for the hole tech.
swt61 Posted October 4, 2009 Author Report Posted October 4, 2009 I'd like to get one for our resident circle hole tech, if anyone wants to pitch in a few dollars, let me know. Absolutely! I'll send a PM, but he's gonna whine about this! Just ignore him.
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 until this point, I've just used an Xacto knife, because I'm too anal to use a small file, as it usually mars the surface and makes the hole wobbly. In general, if I was rear mounting something on a panel, I never had much luck cutting the hole myself and having it look really nice... however, I have a feeling this tool is game changing in that respect I'll see if I can do a before and after pic, as now I'm looking around for random holes to clean up
swt61 Posted October 4, 2009 Author Report Posted October 4, 2009 as now I'm looking around for random holes to clean up Dusty, surely you can understand my frustration at holding back here, but I'll take the high road.
spritzer Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Does it work better then simply using a larger drill bit to deburr? A stepped drill does this beautifully most of the time but I'm all for some new toys. Btw. The F5 is alive but fuck this thing runs hot!! I measured 70
digger945 Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Dusty, surely you can understand my frustration at holding back here, but I'll take the high road. Your tongue must be bleeding. Does it work better then simply using a larger drill bit to deburr? A stepped drill does this beautifully most of the time but I'm all for some new toys. I do this all the time with IRWIN step bits. Makes a beautiful bevel, but still leaves just a tiny bit of burr on the edges sometimes.
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 (edited) I think the main advantage is that it's a hand tool. Most of the holes I was cleaning up fit #4 or M3 screws, so depending on the size of your stepped drill bit, the above method might now work as good as a dedicated tool. Also, in the case of tapping a heat sink with a blind hole, I think that the bevel might not be ideal, as it would create a gap. Also, one of the heads I have cut cleanly through that nasty vinyl clad steel that the stepper just totally obliterated. Noga also has a tool for cleaning up threads that looks useful as well. In my (limited until now experience), I'd say yes it works better than a stepped drill bit, especially if you have to turn the piece over and use the stepper on both sides. I think we need to put one in the hands of an expert to really tell Edited October 4, 2009 by luvdunhill
Pars Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 oh one more thing. The deburring system I got is absolutely amazing. Check out Noga: Deburring Systems By NOGA These look interesting, but having a hard time figuring out what is what, or which one(s) to get?
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Check out the MSC catalog starting here: Browse the MSC Big Book oh, and win for having a product called "The Teddy Burr" I have this one: http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/GSDRVSM?PACACHE=000000110958799
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Btw. The F5 is alive but fuck this thing runs hot!! I measured 70
Pars Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Check out the MSC catalog starting here: Browse the MSC Big Book oh, and win for having a product called "The Teddy Burr" I have this one: MSC Google Search Results Bad link on your second one. Yeah, I noticed the "Teddy Burr" and started laughing as well. I thought possibly the Burr 5 set might be good?
spritzer Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 adjust the bias according to the manual. After one hour, you should be able to keep your hand on the heat sinks for 3 seconds before you have to pull it away. If you have properly sized heat sinks, this should result in around 0.6V across the appropriate resistor. I couldn't get the R channel to reach 0.6V, topped out at 0.35V on both resistors so I'll have to take it apart and check what is wrong. The other one came up on spec almost instantly but there is no way in hell that this chassis is large enough for the amount of heat it needs to dissipate. It also started to smell a bit after a couple of minutes but that can be normal with thermal paste or at least I sure hope it was the past. \ Does anybody have a link to the Hi-fi 2000 Pesante Dissipante specs?
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 I thought possibly the Burr 5 set might be good? gr. MSC part number 05752506. The S10 blade is the one I prefer so far for aluminum. Depending on what angle I can add a very slight bevel. It even works when there was a large burr and you just said f-it and torqued the screw down hard enough that the burr flattened.
luvdunhill Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Does anybody have a link to the Hi-fi 2000 Pesante Dissipante specs? don't even go down that rabbit hole of fail, trust me just under bias the thing. For the "bad" channel, what is the drop across R3 and R4 (2.2K)?
Dusty Chalk Posted October 4, 2009 Report Posted October 4, 2009 Dusty, surely you can understand my frustration at holding back here, but I'll take the high road. ...(wince)...(flinch)...(sweat)...(lemon face)...
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