The Ultimate DIY Part 2 ? The KGITSOJC

[guzziguy]

Count me in though, because other than build something for SWT61 all I have to do is move sand around the middle east for the next year.

What about all those sight seeing-flights over Syria?

[kevin gilmore]

Output impedance is less than 1 ohm. Should drive anything.

[kevin gilmore]

I've been looking at various different interfaces (knobs, buttons, remote control...)

and i think i have decided on this as the complete interface. With the remote control

and touch options.

SparkFun Electronics - Active Matrix OLED 2.4" with Touchscreen

Reasonably priced, active matrix OLED, built in i2c drivers for the preamp control stuff,

and IR input. Single part complete controller.

Any comments??

[falkon]

That looks great and it would give the front panel a nice, clean look. Since I would be mostly using a remote, I prefer it this way but I know others that prefer physical knobs and buttons.

Anyway, what's the timeframe for one of these? If it'll be after June, I'm definitely in for one.

[kevin gilmore]

I still have to get T2 chassis parts done... Did another 20 fronts and backs on friday, will do another

20 or so this week, still waiting for top/bottom material.

This is easily another 8 month project. Although the first one will be going inside that monoblock chunk

of aluminum. Definitely NOT going to be done for CJ.

The touch screen makes all the sense, and would be completely reprogrammable.

By the time i would add all the buttons and knobs, and the circuit board for them, plus

all the extra machining time on the front panel, the display ends up costing less.

I believe that this is the first of many new things from me that will have OLED controllers.

[luvdunhill]

interesting idea!

[deepak]

Very interesting

I prefer the old school aesthetic of the original CTC, so I would probably go with Shalco switches for attenuation and source selection.

[kevin gilmore]

The amp boards will be available seperately so you can build a preamp using all mechanical switches.

[Craig Sawyers]

They won't do any higher than 15k, I spoke with the US distributor about this last year when researching stuff for the T2 project.

Well, I got a response from the P&G factory - the guy I've been dealing with is called Steve Collard. He checked their manufacturing system, and they have no record of ever having made any 20k or 50k audio taper RF15's. The practical limit of 10k is down to their manufacturing process.

So no different alas to the response you guys have got via the US distributor.

[morphsci]

Hmm, I guess my RF15/2/20K/A was actually a unicorn.

[Craig Sawyers]

Hmm, I guess my RF15/2/20K/A was actually a unicorn.

If you have such a unicorn, send me a pic and I'll send it to Collard. See what he says....

[morphsci]

It has already been installed in my balancing act by Craig and has been doing an exceptionally fine job. I can probably forward you the email from the US distributor if you want.

[Craig Sawyers]

It has already been installed in my balancing act by Craig and has been doing an exceptionally fine job. I can probably forward you the email from the US distributor if you want.

That would be a help - but no great hurry - we're off on a week vacation, so I'm taking a computer break. Going cold turkey

[manaox2]

cool. Cannot wait! Oh, and Mr Hansen seems to always be raising the bar as well

Just saw this. That is just sick!!

[deepak]

Well, I got a response from the P&G factory - the guy I've been dealing with is called Steve Collard. He checked their manufacturing system, and they have no record of ever having made any 20k or 50k audio taper RF15's. The practical limit of 10k is down to their manufacturing process.

So no different alas to the response you guys have got via the US distributor.

Hmm, I guess my RF15/2/20K/A was actually a unicorn.

I don't know how to word this properly, but I'll give it a shot- where does the RF15 (log) begin to ease off from max attenuation? ie with most pots it's immediately after the 0 position which often leads to channel imbalance at low volume.

[swt61]

Just saw this. That is just sick!!

To say the least! I'm not that well versed in electronics, but I'm assuming that's a dual mono pre-amp (in a way badass solid billet aluminum chassis)? I'm also assuming that those are servos controlling volume and input?

[luvdunhill]

NO knobs on the blowtorch. Just a touch panel and a remote.

so, assuming such a touch panel showed up... would the designer be able to commission an "at-material-cost" billet titanium remote? heh

[deepak]

so, assuming such a touch panel showed up... would the designer be able to commission an "at-material-cost" billet titanium remote? heh

Excellent, I like the way you think. I was thinking aluminum remote too. One that would be a menace to hard wood floors, small children and pets.

edit: my Audio Space integrated has a really nice remote. I don't know if it's aluminum, but it's 2 pieces of heavy metal. We could probably find something similar from China.

Edited August 13, 2010 by deepak

[qusp]

why not just write an Ipad (or other VNC capable device) app for the remote

[deepak]

why not just write an Ipad (or other VNC capable device) app for the remote

Because I don't want a dumb ipad. I want a badass remote. All the remote has to do is change source selection and volume. Not tell me about the weather and crap.

[qusp]

Because I don't want a dumb ipad. I want a badass remote. All the remote has to do is change source selection and volume. Not tell me about the weather and crap.

haha, theres always someone wanting to hate (love the smileys here)

I guess you missed the content of the brackets in my post (specifically inserted to circumvent a post like yours), ipad just happens to be IMO the most suitable platform, due to the excellent screen, speed and size of it; but if you write it for jailbroken ipads etc. you can do so in an open format than any VNC, WPD or SSH capable device can use.

The ipad is THE BEST remote i've used, I can have my music playing before I walk in the door (even continue with the SAME music I was listening to on the ipad); expediting the time it takes to destress from the insane bus people . its like flipping through a record shelf; soon I will be able to change HW/SW settings on my ackodac directly, including volume, samplerate and even ESS9012 registers/filter modes if I like.

so you could have something like the blowtorch LCD, but larger and higher resolution; then you could order a pizza on it. thats another thing I like about it is that it ISNT yet another remote, but one of many things on the same device. so only one remote needed to perform every task to get music playing at the right level

but hey its just a suggestion, I can appreciate the want for a dedicated thing too, but you could bet making a custom sexy billet Ti one would cost you almost as much as an ipad and you would still need another one for the source

Edited August 14, 2010 by qusp
more ipad babble

[deepak]

haha, theres always someone wanting to hate (love the smileys here)

I guess you missed the content of the brackets in my post (specifically inserted to circumvent a post like yours), ipad just happens to be IMO the most suitable platform, due to the excellent screen, speed and size of it; but if you write it for jailbroken ipads etc. you can do so in an open format than any VNC, WPD or SSH capable device can use.

The ipad is THE BEST remote i've used, I can have my music playing before I walk in the door (even continue with the SAME music I was listening to on the ipad); expediting the time it takes to destress from the insane bus people . its like flipping through a record shelf; soon I will be able to change HW/SW settings on my ackodac directly, including volume, samplerate and even ESS9012 registers/filter modes if I like.

so you could have something like the blowtorch LCD, but larger and higher resolution; then you could order a pizza on it. thats another thing I like about it is that it ISNT yet another remote, but one of many things on the same device. so only one remote needed to perform every task to get music playing at the right level

but hey its just a suggestion, I can appreciate the want for a dedicated thing too, but you could bet making a custom sexy billet Ti one would cost you almost as much as an ipad and you would still need another one for the source

How is an iPad going to do all those things with a preamp? A preamp is not a music playing source. It might make more sense to code this program for a DAC or music server.

Sorry I don't buy into iPad hype for a second. I've used one for a few hours. It has a blown up low resolution screen and can't multi task. Not impressive at all.

I don't care if the billet aluminum remote costs more. The KG Blowtorch isn't a budget preamp.

[Craig Sawyers]

Sorry I don't buy into iPad hype for a second. I've used one for a few hours. It has a blown up low resolution screen and can't multi task. Not impressive at all.

I don't care if the billet aluminum remote costs more. The KG Blowtorch isn't a budget preamp.

I'm with you on this deep - I'm not a luddite, but there is something so "right" about a hefty remote - like the Meridian one that they ship with their high end 808.3 CD player. You wouldn't want to leave it on the floor, because you'd break a toe if you caught it wrong.

[deepak]

I'm with you on this deep - I'm not a luddite, but there is something so "right" about a hefty remote - like the Meridian one that they ship with their high end 808.3 CD player. You wouldn't want to leave it on the floor, because you'd break a toe if you caught it wrong.

Yeah as much as Meridian gear gets a bad rep around here, I do like their remotes as well. Overkill no doubt for the simple things that a CDP needs to do, but the remote is still built well.

Anyway I'm concerned about sound quality first and foremost. Which is why I was considering an RK50 or P&G and didn't mind not even having a remote. I was skeptical a touch screen would be completely transparent to electrical noise, but if it's good enough for KG, it's good enough for me

[luvdunhill]

Yeah as much as Meridian gear gets a bad rep around here, I do like their remotes as well. Overkill no doubt for the simple things that a CDP needs to do, but the remote is still built well.

Anyway I'm concerned about sound quality first and foremost. Which is why I was considering an RK50 or P&G and didn't mind not even having a remote. I was skeptical a touch screen would be completely transparent to electrical noise, but if it's good enough for KG, it's good enough for me

What if the remote controlled a servo that that rotated the pot?