Description

This system has been a true labor of love. Building many of the components from scratch partially as a form of meditation, partially as heck this is kind of fun”

It all started with a pair of full range transmission line speakers which opened up the door to the joy of cross over less speakers and low power amps.

I have built a range of amps from Class D, to Chip amps (think gaincard) to my all time favorite, Nelson Pass’s Zen V9 (F3) 15 watts of pure clean class a power with the sweetness of tubes.

This amp matched with a pair of Druids and Tube pre (eastern electric’s minimax) evokes pure sonic bliss.

The trials and tribulations of my various DIY projects can be found on my blog:

http://web.mac.com/noteldov

Please take a look and let me know what you think.

This system is still very much in progress so any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks

Neil
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Components Toggle details

    • Linn LP-12 Sondek Ittok
    Custom LP 12. I rebuilt the LP 12 replacing the Valhalla power supply and motor with a DC controller board and Maxon motor. Battery powered
    • ZU DL-103
    ZU modification of classic denon MC cartridge
    • Linn LP-12 Valhalla
    Replaced Valhalla power supply and AC motor with DIY DC controller board and Maxon motor. Amazing stability and runs at 0.03% accuracy
    • First Watt F3
    The commercial version of the Zen V9.
    • Pass Labs Zen V9 (F3)
    Pass DIY Zen Version 9. Custom Built Pass amp based on the low wattage First Watt F3. Fully independant pure Class A monoblocks
    • Benchmark DAC Pre1
    Replaced NOS DAC
    • Apple ATV
    Apple TV jacked to add 1TB of storage. Digital output to Benchmark DAC. Goodbye Slim devices hello apple
    • Apple IPhone
    USe the remote application on the iphone to control Apple TV transport. Brillaint interface
    • EAR USA 834P
    Finally a phono section to help make the Blackbird Sing
    • Integrated Gainclone w/ NOSDAC .
    DIY gainclone. This integrated gainclone consists of the following components: 1. Gainclone using LM3886 chip 2. Audio Sector NOSDAC 3. Mark Levinson based op amp 4. Digital reciever- hacked slimp3
    • DIY Class D Charlize based Tripath amp
    DIY class d Charlise amp with seperate SMPS power supply
    • Zu Audio Druid MK IV
    Full range cross over less speaker. 101 dB
    • DIY Transmission Line Jordan 92's
    Full range transmission line speakers using Jordan 92's drivers
    • PS Audio P-300
    .
    • Speltz Anticables .
    .

Comments 31

Showing all comments by darkmoebius.

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Love your sense of style and wish I had 1/10th the taste. Unfortunately, bare, unbroken, surfaces can be a system's worst nightmare.

That shiny table has to be causing one hell of a 1st reflection problem when listening to music. (unless you move it for music)

Don't know if it's convenient, but try covering the table with a thick comforter or something acoustically absorbent to see if it makes a difference. Same goes for the bare wall/monitor between the speakers and behind the couch. Just as an experiment - might make a big improvement.

Then again, the Druids may already be super-directional in nearfield listening in which case those reflections do not really matter.

darkmoebius