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DECEMBER 2007
I have finished my article on HiFi Tuning’s audiophile fuses. It is on the
website.
I have my new DAC. It is a Cullen Level III Signature Mod of the PS Audio
III DAC. I will explain more about what this mod involves in a review of the
DAC itself. At this point, I am just beginning to listen to the new DAC. I
received it on November ninth, the same day that my system developed a
hum problem, so I have been repairing rather than listening over the past
couple of weeks.
When I turned my system on, I heard the hum through the Magneplanar
MG 10s. It had not been there during my listening session two days
earlier. The hum did not seem to affect the sound of the system but was
audible at my listening position between CD tracks. This was Friday. I
spent the next Sunday afternoon tracking down the source of the noise.
It ended up being the Audio Experience +R preamp.
As soon as I removed the preamp’s cover, I could see the problem. One
of the power supply capacitors was clearly leaking. This was a little
upsetting as the preamp is only about fifteen months old. Click here for a
photo.
I spent most of the following Monday trying to find some replacement caps
here in the St. Louis area. I do not know what possesses me to do this.
I always end up having to order them from someone out of town. This
time was no different except that it had the added irritation of actually
finding them at an audio repair store which refused to sell them to me.
Why? They “don’t sell parts” is why. The next day, I ordered them from
Mouser Electronics. www.mouser.com
The cap that leaked was a 47 uF 450 Volt capacitor. The power supply
uses four of them so I ordered six as I had no idea how close to their
nominal value they would be. These are +/- 20% electrolytic capacitors.
I had the caps only two days later and found them to be very tight in their
tolerances, all six ranging between 49.4 and 50.6 uF. I used the four
lowest value caps, all in the 49 uF range.
Replacing the capacitors on the power supply board was fairly easy; I only
had to desolder two small wires to be able to lift the board enough to
work on it. I emailed YS-Audio to let them know about the problem. I got
a nice email back saying they were aware of the problem and that different
capacitors are now being used. Disappointingly, they did not offer to fly in
a technician from Hong Kong to fix the preamp for me.
I tested the four caps that I removed and two of them, the leaker and the
cap next to it, tested as open. What surprises me is not so much that
the preamp hummed as that it worked at all.
The new capacitors have lowered the noise level of the system noticeably.
I spent most of the next week just re-adapting to the way it was
sounding and then it was Thanksgiving and we were on the road again. In
the meantime, I plugged in my new DAC figuring that having it turned on
might do some good toward breaking it in.
I finally put the new DAC in the system on the 27th. I hope to have an
article on the new DAC done fairly soon. It really depends on what sort of
break-in time it requires.
HEARTWORN HIGHWAYS
I mentioned this CD in the November 2007 article. It was very highly
recommended in the current issue (here in America) of Hi Fi + magazine,
Issue 53. I found a copy of the CD at my local Borders, amazingly, and
had a 30% off coupon as well. The coupon made it a good deal, around
$13. I was pleased that I did not have to mail order it too. Maybe
Borders can start carrying electronic parts. Click here for a photo.
(Hacktone Records DK 37457) www.hacktone.com
It is a great CD. The more I have listened to it, the more I find compelling
in it. Most of the songs I like best are by Guy Clark but hearing a young
Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, and Townes Van Zant is remarkable as well.
The sound quality is extremely good and serves to make the connection
with the music that much more direct.
As I listened, I wondered how Guy Clark’s 1997 live CD Keepers compared
in terms of sound quality, so I got it out to listen to. I have not listened
to Keepers in a long time. It is interesting to hear how the twenty years
between recordings had taken some of the edge off of Guy’s voice but
otherwise he sounds exactly the same. Both are great CDs if you like
acoustic country music. (Sugar Hill SHCD-1055)
THE LIVING ROOM SYSTEM
I have finally set up the living room system with the VTL 50-50 amp and
Audio Experiment preamp. I am also using a Sony SCD-C333ES
SACD/CD player as the source. The sound is very good. Having used the
same equipment in my main system, though, it is very noticeable how the
Infinity Primus 360 speakers lack the transparency and detail that I am
used to from the Magneplanars. Once you go Maggie, you can never go
back.
I have decided that I want a pair of MG 12s for the living room and am
now plotting how to make that possible. I will be selling the Perpetual
Technology pair eventually, so that should make things easier. Or maybe
Santa will come through. We shall see how December goes.
I noticed the other day that Holiday Inn is out on DVD. I think it has just
been released this fall. At least this is the first Christmas that I have seen
it available on DVD. It is one of my favorite holiday films. Now I need
another Borders coupon.
Hope you have a Happy Holiday Season.
Kent Johnson
December 2, 2007
I have finished my article on HiFi Tuning’s audiophile fuses. It is on the
website.
I have my new DAC. It is a Cullen Level III Signature Mod of the PS Audio
III DAC. I will explain more about what this mod involves in a review of the
DAC itself. At this point, I am just beginning to listen to the new DAC. I
received it on November ninth, the same day that my system developed a
hum problem, so I have been repairing rather than listening over the past
couple of weeks.
When I turned my system on, I heard the hum through the Magneplanar
MG 10s. It had not been there during my listening session two days
earlier. The hum did not seem to affect the sound of the system but was
audible at my listening position between CD tracks. This was Friday. I
spent the next Sunday afternoon tracking down the source of the noise.
It ended up being the Audio Experience +R preamp.
As soon as I removed the preamp’s cover, I could see the problem. One
of the power supply capacitors was clearly leaking. This was a little
upsetting as the preamp is only about fifteen months old. Click here for a
photo.
I spent most of the following Monday trying to find some replacement caps
here in the St. Louis area. I do not know what possesses me to do this.
I always end up having to order them from someone out of town. This
time was no different except that it had the added irritation of actually
finding them at an audio repair store which refused to sell them to me.
Why? They “don’t sell parts” is why. The next day, I ordered them from
Mouser Electronics. www.mouser.com
The cap that leaked was a 47 uF 450 Volt capacitor. The power supply
uses four of them so I ordered six as I had no idea how close to their
nominal value they would be. These are +/- 20% electrolytic capacitors.
I had the caps only two days later and found them to be very tight in their
tolerances, all six ranging between 49.4 and 50.6 uF. I used the four
lowest value caps, all in the 49 uF range.
Replacing the capacitors on the power supply board was fairly easy; I only
had to desolder two small wires to be able to lift the board enough to
work on it. I emailed YS-Audio to let them know about the problem. I got
a nice email back saying they were aware of the problem and that different
capacitors are now being used. Disappointingly, they did not offer to fly in
a technician from Hong Kong to fix the preamp for me.
I tested the four caps that I removed and two of them, the leaker and the
cap next to it, tested as open. What surprises me is not so much that
the preamp hummed as that it worked at all.
The new capacitors have lowered the noise level of the system noticeably.
I spent most of the next week just re-adapting to the way it was
sounding and then it was Thanksgiving and we were on the road again. In
the meantime, I plugged in my new DAC figuring that having it turned on
might do some good toward breaking it in.
I finally put the new DAC in the system on the 27th. I hope to have an
article on the new DAC done fairly soon. It really depends on what sort of
break-in time it requires.
HEARTWORN HIGHWAYS
I mentioned this CD in the November 2007 article. It was very highly
recommended in the current issue (here in America) of Hi Fi + magazine,
Issue 53. I found a copy of the CD at my local Borders, amazingly, and
had a 30% off coupon as well. The coupon made it a good deal, around
$13. I was pleased that I did not have to mail order it too. Maybe
Borders can start carrying electronic parts. Click here for a photo.
(Hacktone Records DK 37457) www.hacktone.com
It is a great CD. The more I have listened to it, the more I find compelling
in it. Most of the songs I like best are by Guy Clark but hearing a young
Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, and Townes Van Zant is remarkable as well.
The sound quality is extremely good and serves to make the connection
with the music that much more direct.
As I listened, I wondered how Guy Clark’s 1997 live CD Keepers compared
in terms of sound quality, so I got it out to listen to. I have not listened
to Keepers in a long time. It is interesting to hear how the twenty years
between recordings had taken some of the edge off of Guy’s voice but
otherwise he sounds exactly the same. Both are great CDs if you like
acoustic country music. (Sugar Hill SHCD-1055)
THE LIVING ROOM SYSTEM
I have finally set up the living room system with the VTL 50-50 amp and
Audio Experiment preamp. I am also using a Sony SCD-C333ES
SACD/CD player as the source. The sound is very good. Having used the
same equipment in my main system, though, it is very noticeable how the
Infinity Primus 360 speakers lack the transparency and detail that I am
used to from the Magneplanars. Once you go Maggie, you can never go
back.
I have decided that I want a pair of MG 12s for the living room and am
now plotting how to make that possible. I will be selling the Perpetual
Technology pair eventually, so that should make things easier. Or maybe
Santa will come through. We shall see how December goes.
I noticed the other day that Holiday Inn is out on DVD. I think it has just
been released this fall. At least this is the first Christmas that I have seen
it available on DVD. It is one of my favorite holiday films. Now I need
another Borders coupon.
Hope you have a Happy Holiday Season.
Kent Johnson
December 2, 2007