My hifi is a disaster 1 problem at a time .

All general audio posts go here.
Daniel Quinn
Posts: 8586
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:16 am
Has thanked: 24 times
Been thanked: 399 times

Re: My hifi is a disaster 1 problem at a time .

Unread post by Daniel Quinn »

As I am busy doing nothing I’d thought I evaluate phono stage builds.

Firstly I looked at the innards of every commercial phono stage. I discounted any the rely on valves.

Then I set about seeing what secrets they gave away. The first thing I noticed is that an awful lot of them don’t advocate for the power supply. They use a tiny 12v plug in power supply.

Second thing was op amp versus discrete . I familiar with op amp I have a few here including the nva. Although the docs phono stage is unique in the op amp dept commercially .

So I’d try discrete. I looked around and settled on a Chinese clone naim stage line. It arrived fairly quickly . First thing to do was build a suitable power supply once I’d figured out how to run 2 positive rails instead of usual positive and negative.

Well this morning figured it all out wired the board to some power and fitted the RCA’s.

It’s good, very good. No direct comparisons yet but I could definetly live with it. And at moment it’s only using 160va transformer

You buy the board either mm or mc . It cost £50 populated , you have to supply the rest .
These users thanked the author Daniel Quinn for the post (total 2):
slinger (Mon Nov 22, 2021 3:55 pm) • CycleCoach (Tue Nov 23, 2021 3:46 pm)

User avatar
karatestu
Posts: 5945
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 4:40 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Has thanked: 1865 times
Been thanked: 1378 times
Great Britain

Re: My hifi is a disaster 1 problem at a time .

Unread post by karatestu »

I've got an original stageline in my stash. I can't remember what it sounds like. Maybe one day I will compare it to the nva. The stageline is just a single pcb version of the old Naim cards that they put inside the NAC pre amps.
DIY FREE ZONE

Daniel Quinn
Posts: 8586
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2012 7:16 am
Has thanked: 24 times
Been thanked: 399 times

Re: My hifi is a disaster 1 problem at a time .

Unread post by Daniel Quinn »

It’s laughable what’s in a phono amp for the money they all charge.

When I was evaluating power amp boards ,those with op amps in the circuit all sounded worse than those without. I wondered if the same was true of phono stages

User avatar
karatestu
Posts: 5945
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2017 4:40 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Has thanked: 1865 times
Been thanked: 1378 times
Great Britain

Re: My hifi is a disaster 1 problem at a time .

Unread post by karatestu »

Daniel Quinn wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 7:23 pm It’s laughable what’s in a phono amp for the money they all charge.

When I was evaluating power amp boards ,those with op amps in the circuit all sounded worse than those without. I wondered if the same was true of phono stages
I can't really comment on the differences between the two because I have no idea. Opamps contain many tiny components. Not all opamps are created equally, not all discrete circuits are created equally.

I've burned out with this hifj job. I have little interest in comparing stuff anymore and just want to assemble what I've got and then sit back and relax with music.

I will be interested in your thoughts if you manage to come to any conclusions.
DIY FREE ZONE

Post Reply