@@CarlVanDoren61 If it has a low output impedance and a gain control that does not mess with the frequency response, go for it. Most goods DACs will fit that bill.
Michael, thank you for your common sense approach to audio. I have been designing this stuff for decades and I am in agreement with your analysis. The thing is, and it's quite a thing, that people want to be fooled, PT Barnum would have a field day with audio enthusiasts. Here's the rub, we can test on the bench amps that look wonderful in every respect but we don't really want precise and accurate in equipment, it can sound dry and flat, Nelson Pass proved this. He sat down bunches of people and found that they very much prefer second harmonic distortion. He built his amps with that distortion and the audio community loves his amps - including me. Well almost, I prefer to do it with tubes and not FETs like Nelson did and while they both clip very closely it's just a matter of what you like designing with and playing with. So I think if you haven't you might want to experiment with second harmonics and see what your ears like because the truth of it is that distortion and accuracy don't always equate to enjoyable sound.
@@CarlVanDoren61 I'm not so sure that class A is the big deal it's made out to be. Crossover distortion or as it's called notch distortion was a big deal back when we couldn't make great amps without it. Sure the old A/B tube amps and complimentary / supplementary transistors ran into crossover distortion but today we have conquered it. In fact the most accurate amp you can get today is class D. Class A is not any more or less neutral than A/B it's how we drive it and what preamp we drive it with that defines the sound. Yes, we can make class A very warm but we can make class A/B very warm too. Class D on its own is dry to me, I prefer class D with a tube preamp because it is the preamp that gives amps character. Maybe because my life is so efficient that I don't like class A, it's like a radiator that plays music, we can do better without burdening the planet any more than we have to with our excesses. So I disagree - sorry Nelson.
Hi Michael, my name is Mohamed from Egypt and I watched most of your videos, thank you so much for all of this useful informations and I wish you all the best 😊
I am using your sound effect at 1:32 for the ring tone of my mother-in-law. Also, I’m very glad you could ‘keep it clean’ at the end of the video! A rare thing today!
Hi, finally received the kit and after the first test I am so happy with the results. Sound superb on my sundara headphones. Awaiting the bluetooh module, case and selector to join it all. Thanks Michael, I am having a lot of fun and hope to get a nicely sounding preamp at the end of the adventure (at least it looks like that). Have a very nice day mate! keep the humour up!
@@yellow_noise3 The sense is there, you just don't see it. Plus there's a selector so using the BT is not a must, ..but we love to have it so we can play more widely in our little social club :)
Hi Michael, I am happy to see you have new DIY project and I also bought the kits for US$15. After implantation and listening, compare between this one and the one you introduced three years ago, I have to say, it is day and night difference. Three minutes during the first listening session, I switch back to the older machine to verify nothing wrong with my other equipment. Major difference during listening is the width of the sound field. The cheaper one, during some classical music passage, is lacking low-mid range, thus the sound field shrink significantly for short oeriod of time. The reason could be the big smooth capacitor : the US$15 one uses 1000uF and the 3 year old one is 10000uF. And the real manufacture product uses 6 10000uF for each side, 12 10000uF total. I think this could be the major difference. I can not install 10000uF to replace the original 1000uF capacitor, the space is not big enough. I am still looking for other reason why there is such a big difference. It will be fun if I can make this 15 one same as the expensive one. Take time to figure out though. 9/9 update. Found the problem : after cross check between this us$15 and the three year old one, the volumn control has to be 20K VR, not 50K VR mentioned in the video. After correction, sound field with mid to high range comming back. Low frequency, due to the smooth capacitance value, I can not create magic. However, not bad for us$15. If you use 50K VR, you should try the 20K VR due to the small capacitor value designed for the pot value. Also, the 0.1uF decoupling capacitor next to IC do not exist on the 3 year old board. By removing it, the music has the authority now.
Sir, great video again. I've purchased and assembled the cheap kit. Waiting for the transformer to be delivered. I have a potentiometer ready to wire for the input. Can't wait to finish and test I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work. Good luck and good life.
Just a further update, capacitors swapped to recommended values and resistors changed to 221 ohms for about 9db gain (from your charts). Using a Cambridge audio cxn100 DAC/Streamer. I can say without any doubt this preamp board out shines the built in pre of the Cambridge, night and day difference much better all round.
Hi Michael, I have built this amp after watching your videos, swapped out the caps and resisters as suggested and also fitted a TI5532, with a 3 input selector switch it sounds really nice. Thanks for your video.
@@jungtarcph the preamp out performs the in bulit pre of the dac, so just running as dac now through this preamp, its really good, well worth the money
Hi Michael, Always enjoy washing your videos for the entertainment and advice and have even backed up several for future reference like the L12-2 with mods. After watching your video (many times) on the L12-2 I purchased them and built as mono blocks and they sound better than my Quad 3030 with Dada boards. I had no luck with the previous MX50 boards after buying 2 sets and they kept blowing the inline fuses, so they were binned. Stay healthy Michael and I look forward to the next project. Regards from United little china kingdom UK.
I also really like the L12-2v4 boards (with a few simple mods). I listen through them all the time and they sound better than anything else I have tried. However, they need to be driven from a low impedance signal sources (DAC or preamp or whatever) or they will experience heavy HF roll-off. This is because of their input shunt capacitors. I changed mine from their original values (680pF) to 220pF and it helps quite a lot. FWIW...
Wow, that's dedication Jesreb. I've never been archived before. one of my first projects here was the MX50. Cost a few pennies and performed really quite well. In fact, a friend still uses it today some 6 years on. Did you mean the Quad 303?? If so, almost any amplifier sounds better. Looks good, reliable but sounds lifeless and lacking in almost all respects, as you have noticed.
@@MichaelBeeny Yes 303 typo error. I'm also using a pair of KEF Cadenza speakers which I have lined with dead sheets but also now use rebuilt KEF 104AB crossovers fitted inside the cabinets, so I think of them as 104's in bigger boxes which sound amazing. Regards Phil.
20 minutes of pure enjoyment. You bring it always to a (the) point. But the audio industry and the colour magazunes want glitter and brand names as do all the enthusiasts with no engineering background. I now will enjoy a good Cd and will not forget to demagnitize this before....
A full day of catching up on videos over the last year. What a great Sunday! As a video recommendation to tackle the high cost of chassis for these units my I request or recommend any ideas about building one of these chassis out of wood and then using local available materials like wood varnishes of some kind or whatever they're called to make your preamplifier case look fantastic? I mean at the cost of shipping and taxes it almost makes sense to locally source a fully custom case. You know what would be a really cool idea if there was any kind of IKEA furniture or accessories that could be used in over to make one of these amplifier or pineapple fire cases.
Having built the version that uses three input switching relays I can confidently say that the sound of this preamp is excellent, I installed it into my vinyl record system between the RIAA amplifier and the power amplifier. It's inexpensive because it uses inexpensive components but what matters is the design of the circuit and in this instance the design is quite unusual because it's symmetrical. Modern power amplifiers are often symmetrical but rarely preamplifiers. The only way the kit could be improved on would be to use something like Dale 1% tolerance low noise resistors and audio grade electrolytics in the signal path. Fortunately there's just one electrolytic in the signal path and it connects through a resistor to 0 V. You could also try swapping the NE5532 for a better quality opamp but the chances are you won't hear any difference partly because NE5532s are used in studio mixing desks. The kit comes without instructions and relies on the user having prior knowledge of electronics and electronics assembly, the board is clearly marked with resistor values and transistor type numbers. If you have metalworking skills and tools this preamp kit is excellent value for money, I built mine into a Hammond die cast box. Thanks for the video, Mike.
I'll add that unless we know very well what we are doing, it's risky to swap the op-amp with another type in this case, because the transistors are part of the feedback loop, making the transfer function of the op-amp (and hence its type) rather critical.
I love watching your videos because your bring a sense of honesty, common sense and realism. I agree, but it is hard to accept...but it is the truth. Love your work.
Great video. I enjoyed watching it. Maybe in the future a video of power amplifier? The way you explain things are fantastic. It would be great to get some pointers from you regarding power amplifier. It doesn’t have to be a class Amplifier, even though these are fun, but yes, I see the “no point in class a, argument “, . Maybe a low noise ab amplifier? I am no fan of class d amplifiers, , but it would be cool if you made an amplifier-
Hi. Actually, Mike has done quite a number of videos on power amps, including many class AB versions. The one he currently likes best is a dual-7293 setup with a simple mod or two. It still needs a preamp like this to properly drive it though. A close second (and my personal favorite) is the L12-2 version 4 with a simple mod or two, which he also reviewed in detail about 1.5 years ago. It depends upon what you are after, but those two are very close to one another in performance. Either of them are heads above things like NAP250, Quad405, MX50 and other cloned boards, some of which can be rather dreadful. Yes, Mike has a great way of explaining things. 😀 P.S.- I am no fan of class D amplifiers either. They do have their applications of course, but not in any HQ audio system I would care to listen to for any length of time.
I am enjoying your video, it's true the casing cost the most and it is better to build my ourself who have basic electronic knowledge, but for me I'm retire soon and thinking spend time for build one for myself in near future. Stay healthy and look forward for your next video.
I like the board with transformers and pot, Mike. But as you said, it doesnt make it sound better. But it goes to show that you could put say a TDA7293 amp board in a nice box, with a SM or linear PSU, and sell it for thousands. As a matter if fact, i think Jeff Rowland did exactly that at one time.
Hi Michael I bought the MOFI C-3850 pre amp kit and the MMCF01 RIAA kit. Checking the supplied transistors with a cheap TC1 tester the BC550C all test over 500 hfe however the BC560C test between 18-20 hfe. I found some branded BC547C / BC557C so I have ordered these as replacements. The RIAA board went together well, a couple of components had been substituted but they all tested ok and I have high hopes.
Just got my Mofi pcb. BC550/60's all measure fine. Tbh can't trust cheap components. It's a lucky dip. I will be using new onSemi BC's or some old telefunken BC560/50's I've been saving up for a special occasion.
Excellent video and as far as I am concerned you are the only person that I know of who explain a product in an no nonsense way.I am planning to build that so called cheap pcb pre amp and for longevity i will get the Nichicon caps and wima input cap ,i can swap out the op amp later if i want to ,found a small toriodal 15-0-15 at work when they were getting rid of old stuff .may source a box locally and have old Qed phono switch boxes, so i can connect my vintage cassette decks/mindisc/cd player etc .what pot did you recommend ,i believe 50k log or lower ? Thanks Michael for your videos ,it really give us poor people to build decent hifi that don't cost thousands .
Generally, the lower value pots give a better high frequency response within reason. A 50k is easy to get but if you can find a 20 or 25k go for it. Watch the Q and A video, I explain and show traces of different value pots
Esa es toda la verdad, quien tiene el dinero paga por la prestaciones extras. Y quien no lo tiene como dice Sr Michael lo contruimos con nuestros recursos, yo hoy en dia he traido muchos amplificadores y pre y tarjetas de procesadores de audio y ahora le digo tengo un equipo que suena y se escucha bien. Gracias siempre por sus consejos.
Well, I've seen 2 videos now and I'm very interested in the C3850 clone. I built a The Elektor Pre-amp kit in the mid 80´s for about €600,- and I still use this preamp after all these years in combination with a modified Quad 405 and KEF CS7 loudspeakers which I built in 1988 🙂. Still happy with it and I never changed this combination. But now I want to build this preamp based on the C3850 because you made me very, very curious. I´ll let you know. Thank you for your videos, I like them very much!
I also checked on the Complete Clone unit with nice case from China some were right at 45 U.S. Dollars but the Shipping was 50 Dollars or more to ship the item.
@@johnnystoka6625 - If you Google or whatever search engine you use try typing in Accuphase C3850 and it should provide you with the links you are looking for.
After seeing your videos I bought two c3850clone pcbs, one of this preamp, and the other one with regulated PS. Regulated PS plus matching transistors should allow to minimize offset. I'll use one as a preamp and the other as a headphone amp may be with somewhat more powerful output transistors. It will be interesting to compare these with preamps I'm currently using. Balanced inputs in suburban NZ or Australia make sense only with MC phono preamps and sometimes with MM phono. But in high density Asian or European cities in apartments where there is a lot of electromagnetic noise balanced preamps and amps might be needed. Great thanks for your videos on available audio kits.
Michael, your explanation is welcome, i suppose the real fact of using mass production of cheap Chinese components is the life of the components, the quality is based on the cheapest materials, my experience is a lot of Tv breakdown due to capacitor issues on the switch mode power supply, in the early days prior to the mass production from china, you only had a few manufacturer, but saying that as things get smaller this will give the manufacture a bigger challenge for smaller components and the heat dissipating in them, but well done Michael nearly falling of your chair with the excitement!!
This is the point really as you can take the PCB and mount it in a cardboard Rice Krispies box and people will call you 'cheap arse' but its gonna sound the same !
I don't have any Krispies Andy, but I do have a box of corn flakes. Maybe I should do a video and compare the differences. I would think the Signal to noise is probably worse on the Krispies!
As a music lover and diy enthusiast I will prefer to buy diy pre amp and amp to have hifi quality audio gear,also I'm not rich to spend big amount of penny to purchase expensive hifi equipment...just spend hard earned money wisely
I have the ready built version in black case as in your video. Good sounding but I find it has a pretty high gain as well when hooked up in balanced xlr mode. Regular single ended rca is fine. Installed a remote control to the volume pot. Had to drill a tiny hole in faceplate to fit the infrared receiver. Need to reduce the gain in order to make it better. Sound is very neutral I'd say going into my 4 units of class d mono blocks
@@MichaelBeeny yes. That's correct as I'm running balanced connectors. I would one day wish to reduce it as I hook up the system balanced from DAC onwards
This basically confirms my idea that most the clone chinese stuff like the wonderful amplifier i got that is a clone of the dartzeel 108 will sound the same as the real one that costs 50k$ lol my clone cost 550$ and what a deal it is i love it.
always. it's always a pleasure to watch your videos. always. i am very grateful for your content. thanks. please tell us more about the amplifiers. if possible about the class A. thanks.
There's always a problem of grounding the circuit and chassis. Most completed machines do it well. Otherwise the humming sound blows the brand. Customers will not be happy to see as they pay a lot on a fancy case with a small circuit. The manufacturers fit the case with more stuffs and then the interference of components get more serious and the consumers are persusaded to pay more to get 'better sound'.
I would imagine that, all other things being equal from one pre-amp to another, even the very best Super-Duper-Uber Cartridge & Stylus handmade by Elves in the workshops of Faerie itself is going to be the limiting factor as far as Signal to Noise, Channel Separation, Harmonic Distortion and frequency response. A low ripple and low noise power supply is likely more important than "Audiophile" (?) grade capacitors and separate Op-amps. Proper attention to layout of components on the circuit board is certainly more important. These are audio frequency devices, and low power at that. You'd get better results matching impedences between the cartridge and the preamp inputs than you'd think.
My only objection is that I have to match the gain of the transistors (NPN and PNP Hfe). So I have to buy 100pcs from each type and do the job very carefully.
It is not really necessary to match the gains because the actual gain of those stages is quite small. Matching them will in the real world make almost zero difference, we tried it. The test results given were the parts as supplied.
I understand your point, it's a great preamp, but you owe it to us to show a cheap power supply, potentiometer and connector before your print can be used.
@@MichaelBeeny Wish I had some way of sharing a photo with you! The preamp is a bit “cowboyed” together. Looks bizarre with a 300va transformer powering it - but it’s all I have :) I have the preamp going into a Single Ended DIY VFet power amp (From DIYAudio) and it is driving some DIY Olson/Nagaoka Manifold Horns / 6’ tall double backloaded horns. Have to let it run for a bit so it both comes up to temperature and the caps have some time on them. But wow. It never ceases to amaze me just how little it takes to get really nice sound - talking about the preamp, not the supporting gear. So far, so good So happy you brought this to our attention.
There is one version that has 4 sections of the Clone and is called a Balanced Pre-Amplifier seems like the PCB was about the same as the other Clone Boards.
I don't think many people would really like the measurements and test results I would find. I did build and test a low cost one about 6 years ago, see it here. ua-cam.com/video/ZpdBQ-MwqrM/v-deo.htmlsi=OTkuQ73-mJW29h0U I even built a VALVE amplifier here. ua-cam.com/video/4WFCfLvLZqs/v-deo.htmlsi=OZrcPSrWKPXQSHHE
Hi, thank for another great video, exept the c5 and c8 mods for best sound performance what you recomend ? LM4562 or 5532, i tend to think that this circuit with 5532 is on the safer zone in terms of functionality..i could be wrong. regards
Well that depends on the amperage available ...And how clean the P.S.is . I would go for Musical Paradise MP-701 MK2 and now Mk3 ... Tough to beat under 1000CDN$
I can respond on Mike's behalf (I think). The volume control needs to be connected to the INPUT of the preamp (which is the high impedance portion), *not* the output. The preamp output needs to directly drive a power amp or other stage that follows with as little as possible in between. As for value, the rule of thumb is that lower values will have less effect upon the signal (particularly HF) as long as you do not overload whatever the signal source is. This is because the volume control and any capacitance at the input to whatever follows it form an R/C filter network that will inevitably cause some degree of HF roll-off or another. Mike made a nice video about this where he proved this to be true. In normal situations a lower limit of around 10K ohms is good, however 20K and 50K are far more common and therefore more easily obtained. Anything from 10K to 50K should work well (I use 50K pots in most builds for example). You do *not* want to use anything higher than 50K ohms in typical modern solid state amps. This is again because of the capacitive loading at the inputs of the preamp. I hope this helps you. 😀
Good to see you looking well Michael, yes the world of hi fi bull shite, people just convince themselves that they can hear more just to qualify spending more cash , keep up the good work. 😀😀😀😀 Regards Dave Fletcher.
You can actually hear a difference but not necessarily more. The gains in performance if any is very very little but the expenditure is a whole lot more. Comes to a point where the marginal gains does not justify the spending unless you have money and nowhere else to spend it
The problem with the kit is the PSU for me. I can't just order a torroid transformer with 2x16-18v and that's it? What is about Fuses, will the boord fail safe when one of the components become faulty, e.t.c.
You are right of course. I tend to assume, possibly incorrectly, that most of my viewers have a basic knowledge of electricity and audio. When I show things on the bench, I always use a current limited supply, JUST IN CASE. We still, on occasions get a puff of magic smoke!! So yes, please use fuses, one on the primary and a couple on the DC side just prior to the module.
As Mike indicated, any small transformer with outputs of say 15-0-15 will suffice. You can go higher. The regulators can take up to 35volts, but anything from 14 to 18 is ideal. The current draw is very low. There is of course the onboard ps, so nothing else is needed, except that putting fuses on both + and - dc supplies to the board is a good idea. Saved me from blowing up an output stage more than once!
@@sinsemilladrone7721You can look at a sale photo from the same model. In the back panel where fuse is installed, it will spcify the current for 120v/240v region
I ordered the kit. I'm not sure how much it will degrade the sound, but I would like to try connecting a Bluetooth receiver to the inputs of the preamp.
Why do you think if will degrade the sound? The preamp itself has almost no effect on the sound, it's very natural. It will make the amplifier sound better because it provides it with the correct impedances. The limiting factor will be the Blu Tooth. Not very HiFi really.
Very nice man… if you can build one of these,you should be able to build a cabinet ? With free wood or metal that’s around you ? Or for the price of Ali Express cabinets,you can go to a carpenter and have something made very nice for less than A.E ? Also we have to start relying on human skills and not acquiesce to A.I ! And anything Artificial? Human Intelligence!
I built an enclosure for an A/V amp that I built using the dual-7293 boards Mike reviewed and a preamp that he will hopefully review soon. I used some sheet metal from a scrap metal center, a pair of heat sinks I had up in the attic for a couple of decades, and a piece of scrap laminate flooring as a cosmetic front panel. Total cost out of pocket for the enclosure- about $20. 😁 Another option that most people overlook is to re-purpose the enclosures from old electronics such as CD or DVD players, VCRs, or satellite boxes that can be had for very little money, if not free.
But this is a cheap version of the same preamplifier that you already demonstrated and tested 3 years ago ua-cam.com/video/WLf5a7raPJo/v-deo.html. Which one is better and why?
They are much the same, it's only cheaper because it does not have a switch and relays on it. I did not know they were very similar until reversed engineered. I had forgotten the original one, long since sold. Your choice really.
@@MichaelBeeny Two years ago I bought the version with three inputs that you tested a long time ago. I hadn't opened the amp box in over a year but today I decided to replace the NE5534 with an OPA1611. I listen to the preamplifier for several hours, but I don't think there is an audible difference. (Google translated)
@@silverchesnov5247 The difference between the 5532 and others really is hardly noticeable audibly. You can measure a slight difference, but it's mostly slew rate and overall bandwidth. None of them really are at least very good. I'm not surprised at your comments. It's more the way they are used within a circuit. This circuits uses the 5532 in a way that offers better permeance than the 5532 on its own.
The three year old kit has different decoupling scheme on IC. It has 100uF and 10uF on it while the newer one has one 0.1uF only. Assuming you can tell the difference, you can try to remove the 0.1uF and see whether it improve, than add 100uF and evaluate the new sound. Also, the regulator output cap are different. You can parallel 10uF on top of the existing 100uF on the new PCB. Signal path without capacitor should sound same. However, amplifier circuit is not just a cupper wire. Difference will come from the power supply.
@@ylou2876 Decoupling capacitors make a big difference in the sound of IC Op Amps. Choosing the exact type and value of decoupling capacitors is beyond my modest knowledge of electronics. A typical example is the selection of the correct decoupling capacitors for the lm1875. My few days of experiments have shown that these capacitors are the key to how an lm 1875 amp sounds. I continued the tests on my preamplifier and put back the NE5534 on the left channel and the opa1611 on the right. I ran a mono signal on both channels and I can very quickly switch between channels with different op amps. After quite careful listening, I came to the conclusion that the channel with the OPA1611 sounds slightly better than the channel with the NE5534. However, the difference is really, really small.
Hi Michael. I see a high level preamp useful only in a situation where I have a source with an output stage that either does not provide enough voltage to drive the amp, or has a very badly engineered output stage (high ouput impedance and ringing with capacitive impedance are the most likely examples here). I would say that the latter is very seldom the case, considering that 99% of the times the power amp has a relatively high and resistive input impedance, not difficult to drive even for a badly designed output stage. So apart from the case in which some gain is needed or we have a very badly designed output stage of the spurce coupled with a badly designed input stage of the power amp, adding a preamp could only deteriorate the sound quality, or at best keep it equal. I say this because I am a technician, but would like like to hear your opinion because actually I have never done any experiment with preamps, let alone any measurement. Cheers, Luca
Hear the poor pensioner from the other side of the globe: a nice aluminum case from China, preferably with a couple of uv meter will make every simple diy kit sound fantastic!! And, for a negligible amount of money you can buy a motorized decent potentiometer with a cheap plastic remote control that will make you stay in your armchair for good! Thank you, I do enjoy listening to your videos
I will be devastated if you don't give me a LIKE! I doubt I will ever be happy again!
DAC Direct, no preamp 😊
Discrete class A output stages
@@CarlVanDoren61 If it has a low output impedance and a gain control that does not mess with the frequency response, go for it. Most goods DACs will fit that bill.
Thankyou
Michael, thank you for your common sense approach to audio. I have been designing this stuff for decades and I am in agreement with your analysis. The thing is, and it's quite a thing, that people want to be fooled, PT Barnum would have a field day with audio enthusiasts.
Here's the rub, we can test on the bench amps that look wonderful in every respect but we don't really want precise and accurate in equipment, it can sound dry and flat, Nelson Pass proved this. He sat down bunches of people and found that they very much prefer second harmonic distortion. He built his amps with that distortion and the audio community loves his amps - including me. Well almost, I prefer to do it with tubes and not FETs like Nelson did and while they both clip very closely it's just a matter of what you like designing with and playing with.
So I think if you haven't you might want to experiment with second harmonics and see what your ears like because the truth of it is that distortion and accuracy don't always equate to enjoyable sound.
@@CarlVanDoren61 I'm not so sure that class A is the big deal it's made out to be. Crossover distortion or as it's called notch distortion was a big deal back when we couldn't make great amps without it. Sure the old A/B tube amps and complimentary / supplementary transistors ran into crossover distortion but today we have conquered it. In fact the most accurate amp you can get today is class D.
Class A is not any more or less neutral than A/B it's how we drive it and what preamp we drive it with that defines the sound. Yes, we can make class A very warm but we can make class A/B very warm too.
Class D on its own is dry to me, I prefer class D with a tube preamp because it is the preamp that gives amps character.
Maybe because my life is so efficient that I don't like class A, it's like a radiator that plays music, we can do better without burdening the planet any more than we have to with our excesses. So I disagree - sorry Nelson.
Hi Michael, my name is Mohamed from Egypt and I watched most of your videos, thank you so much for all of this useful informations and I wish you all the best 😊
I am using your sound effect at 1:32 for the ring tone of my mother-in-law.
Also, I’m very glad you could ‘keep it clean’ at the end of the video! A rare thing today!
Hi, finally received the kit and after the first test I am so happy with the results. Sound superb on my sundara headphones. Awaiting the bluetooh module, case and selector to join it all.
Thanks Michael, I am having a lot of fun and hope to get a nicely sounding preamp at the end of the adventure (at least it looks like that).
Have a very nice day mate! keep the humour up!
Where can one buy the kit?
You want to add BT functionality which is lossy to make sound worse? Complete nonsense
@@yellow_noise3 The sense is there, you just don't see it. Plus there's a selector so using the BT is not a must, ..but we love to have it so we can play more widely in our little social club :)
Hi Michael, I am happy to see you have new DIY project and I also bought the kits for US$15.
After implantation and listening, compare between this one and the one you introduced three years ago, I have to say, it is day and night difference. Three minutes during the first listening session, I switch back to the older machine to verify nothing wrong with my other equipment.
Major difference during listening is the width of the sound field. The cheaper one, during some classical music passage, is lacking low-mid range, thus the sound field shrink significantly for short oeriod of time.
The reason could be the big smooth capacitor : the US$15 one uses 1000uF and the 3 year old one is 10000uF. And the real manufacture product uses 6 10000uF for each side, 12 10000uF total. I think this could be the major difference.
I can not install 10000uF to replace the original 1000uF capacitor, the space is not big enough.
I am still looking for other reason why there is such a big difference.
It will be fun if I can make this 15 one same as the expensive one. Take time to figure out though.
9/9 update. Found the problem : after cross check between this us$15 and the three year old one, the volumn control has to be 20K VR, not 50K VR mentioned in the video.
After correction, sound field with mid to high range comming back. Low frequency, due to the smooth capacitance value, I can not create magic. However, not bad for us$15.
If you use 50K VR, you should try the 20K VR due to the small capacitor value designed for the pot value.
Also, the 0.1uF decoupling capacitor next to IC do not exist on the 3 year old board. By removing it, the music has the authority now.
Sir, great video again. I've purchased and assembled the cheap kit. Waiting for the transformer to be delivered. I have a potentiometer ready to wire for the input. Can't wait to finish and test
I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work. Good luck and good life.
Just a further update, capacitors swapped to recommended values and resistors changed to 221 ohms for about 9db gain (from your charts). Using a Cambridge audio cxn100 DAC/Streamer.
I can say without any doubt this preamp board out shines the built in pre of the Cambridge, night and day difference much better all round.
Hi Michael, I have built this amp after watching your videos, swapped out the caps and resisters as suggested and also fitted a TI5532, with a 3 input selector switch it sounds really nice. Thanks for your video.
do you hear any difference from straight from DAC or via Preamp?
@@jungtarcph the preamp out performs the in bulit pre of the dac, so just running as dac now through this preamp, its really good, well worth the money
Another cracking video and yes, I like the way you think. Thanks for the entertainment.
What a great video full of truth and practical advice. I enjoy your presentstiom syyle which has a calming effect 😊
Thankyou William, I appreciate your kind words.
It’s hard to convince people price and quality are not necessarily correlated, but it’s true. Thanks again!
Hi Michael, great work with your video. I'm always Happy to hear testimonies who demystify the good sound by simply telling the true.
Hi Michael, Always enjoy washing your videos for the entertainment and advice and have even backed up several for future reference like the L12-2 with mods. After watching your video (many times) on the L12-2 I purchased them and built as mono blocks and they sound better than my Quad 3030 with Dada boards. I had no luck with the previous MX50 boards after buying 2 sets and they kept blowing the inline fuses, so they were binned. Stay healthy Michael and I look forward to the next project. Regards from United little china kingdom UK.
I also really like the L12-2v4 boards (with a few simple mods). I listen through them all the time and they sound better than anything else I have tried. However, they need to be driven from a low impedance signal sources (DAC or preamp or whatever) or they will experience heavy HF roll-off. This is because of their input shunt capacitors. I changed mine from their original values (680pF) to 220pF and it helps quite a lot. FWIW...
Wow, that's dedication Jesreb. I've never been archived before. one of my first projects here was the MX50. Cost a few pennies and performed really quite well. In fact, a friend still uses it today some 6 years on. Did you mean the Quad 303?? If so, almost any amplifier sounds better. Looks good, reliable but sounds lifeless and lacking in almost all respects, as you have noticed.
@@MichaelBeeny Yes 303 typo error. I'm also using a pair of KEF Cadenza speakers which I have lined with dead sheets but also now use rebuilt KEF 104AB crossovers fitted inside the cabinets, so I think of them as 104's in bigger boxes which sound amazing. Regards Phil.
@@Jesreb I remember the Cadenza, very well, I owned a pair for a couple of years. Sounds best on low stands if I recall.
@@MichaelBeeny Yes indeed, I use Atcama stands full of lead shot.
20 minutes of pure enjoyment. You bring it always to a (the) point. But the audio industry and the colour magazunes want glitter and brand names as do all the enthusiasts with no engineering background. I now will enjoy a good Cd and will not forget to demagnitize this before....
clear words, I completely agree with you, respect
A full day of catching up on videos over the last year. What a great Sunday!
As a video recommendation to tackle the high cost of chassis for these units my I request or recommend any ideas about building one of these chassis out of wood and then using local available materials like wood varnishes of some kind or whatever they're called to make your preamplifier case look fantastic?
I mean at the cost of shipping and taxes it almost makes sense to locally source a fully custom case.
You know what would be a really cool idea if there was any kind of IKEA furniture or accessories that could be used in over to make one of these amplifier or pineapple fire cases.
Having built the version that uses three input switching relays I can confidently say that the sound of this preamp is excellent, I installed it into my vinyl record system between the RIAA amplifier and the power amplifier. It's inexpensive because it uses inexpensive components but what matters is the design of the circuit and in this instance the design is quite unusual because it's symmetrical. Modern power amplifiers are often symmetrical but rarely preamplifiers.
The only way the kit could be improved on would be to use something like Dale 1% tolerance low noise resistors and audio grade electrolytics in the signal path. Fortunately there's just one electrolytic in the signal path and it connects through a resistor to 0 V. You could also try swapping the NE5532 for a better quality opamp but the chances are you won't hear any difference partly because NE5532s are used in studio mixing desks.
The kit comes without instructions and relies on the user having prior knowledge of electronics and electronics assembly, the board is clearly marked with resistor values and transistor type numbers. If you have metalworking skills and tools this preamp kit is excellent value for money, I built mine into a Hammond die cast box.
Thanks for the video, Mike.
I'll add that unless we know very well what we are doing, it's risky to swap the op-amp with another type in this case, because the transistors are part of the feedback loop, making the transfer function of the op-amp (and hence its type) rather critical.
Thanks for the info Steve, very pleased your pleased with the performance, I told you, you would like it lol
Just discovered your channel, thanks algorithm 😊 SUBSCRIBED!!
I love watching your videos because your bring a sense of honesty, common sense and realism. I agree, but it is hard to accept...but it is the truth. Love your work.
I’m very happy, I accidentally found your channel! Great information with logical explanations.
Thank you, Alan, you are very welcome here.
Thank you for your very clear explanation.
Every thing you said is absolutely tru.👍
I woke up this morning a felt like there would be a new video today and here it is!
I wake up thinking, ohh no, another 2 days trying to make a 15 min coherent video. lol
@@MichaelBeeny it’s much easier to watch them than it is to make them!
For what it’s worth, I’d be perfectly happy watching an incoherent video.
As always a great video Michael with very good content. Keep up the good work and stay safe and take care.
Very useful explanation. Thank you.
Great video. I enjoyed watching it. Maybe in the future a video of power amplifier? The way you explain things are fantastic. It would be great to get some pointers from you regarding power amplifier. It doesn’t have to be a class Amplifier, even though these are fun, but yes, I see the “no point in class a, argument “, . Maybe a low noise ab amplifier? I am no fan of class d amplifiers, , but it would be cool if you made an amplifier-
Hi.
Actually, Mike has done quite a number of videos on power amps, including many class AB versions.
The one he currently likes best is a dual-7293 setup with a simple mod or two.
It still needs a preamp like this to properly drive it though.
A close second (and my personal favorite) is the L12-2 version 4 with a simple mod or two, which he also reviewed in detail about 1.5 years ago.
It depends upon what you are after, but those two are very close to one another in performance.
Either of them are heads above things like NAP250, Quad405, MX50 and other cloned boards, some of which can be rather dreadful.
Yes, Mike has a great way of explaining things. 😀
P.S.-
I am no fan of class D amplifiers either.
They do have their applications of course, but not in any HQ audio system I would care to listen to for any length of time.
Thank you Michael 🙂
Just discovered your channel: love it! Tnx for your efforts...
I am enjoying your video, it's true the casing cost the most and it is better to build my ourself who have basic electronic knowledge, but for me I'm retire soon and thinking spend time for build one for myself in near future. Stay healthy and look forward for your next video.
I like the board with transformers and pot, Mike. But as you said, it doesnt make it sound better.
But it goes to show that you could put say a TDA7293 amp board in a nice box, with a SM or linear PSU, and sell it for thousands. As a matter if fact, i think Jeff Rowland did exactly that at one time.
Your exactly right
Thanks! You made my day 😄 Cheers!!
Hi Michael I bought the MOFI C-3850 pre amp kit and the MMCF01 RIAA kit. Checking the supplied transistors with a cheap TC1 tester the BC550C all test over 500 hfe however the BC560C test between 18-20 hfe. I found some branded BC547C / BC557C so I have ordered these as replacements. The RIAA board went together well, a couple of components had been substituted but they all tested ok and I have high hopes.
Just got my Mofi pcb. BC550/60's all measure fine. Tbh can't trust cheap components. It's a lucky dip. I will be using new onSemi BC's or some old telefunken BC560/50's I've been saving up for a special occasion.
Excellent video and as far as I am concerned you are the only person that I know of who explain a product in an no nonsense way.I am planning to build that so called cheap pcb pre amp and for longevity i will get the Nichicon caps and wima input cap ,i can swap out the op amp later if i want to ,found a small toriodal 15-0-15 at work when they were getting rid of old stuff .may source a box locally and have old Qed phono switch boxes, so i can connect my vintage cassette decks/mindisc/cd player etc .what pot did you recommend ,i believe 50k log or lower ? Thanks Michael for your videos ,it really give us poor people to build decent hifi that don't cost thousands .
I think the opamp is purposed for control the DC offset of the output. Don't drop it.
Generally, the lower value pots give a better high frequency response within reason. A 50k is easy to get but if you can find a 20 or 25k go for it. Watch the Q and A video, I explain and show traces of different value pots
My new kit has just arrived thank you hope to use it as an headphone amp
Esa es toda la verdad, quien tiene el dinero paga por la prestaciones extras. Y quien no lo tiene como dice Sr Michael lo contruimos con nuestros recursos, yo hoy en dia he traido muchos amplificadores y pre y tarjetas de procesadores de audio y ahora le digo tengo un equipo que suena y se escucha bien. Gracias siempre por sus consejos.
Well, I've seen 2 videos now and I'm very interested in the C3850 clone. I built a The Elektor Pre-amp kit in the mid 80´s for about €600,- and I still use this preamp after all these years in combination with a modified Quad 405 and KEF CS7 loudspeakers which I built in 1988 🙂. Still happy with it and I never changed this combination.
But now I want to build this preamp based on the C3850 because you made me very, very curious. I´ll let you know.
Thank you for your videos, I like them very much!
Thankyou Anton, yes please report back after completion. I'm sure everyone would like to hear what your conclusions are.
I also checked on the Complete Clone unit with nice case from China some were right at 45 U.S. Dollars but the Shipping was 50 Dollars or more to ship the item.
Do you have any links to.these please ?
@@johnnystoka6625 - If you Google or whatever search engine you use try typing in Accuphase C3850 and it should provide you with the links you are looking for.
After seeing your videos I bought two c3850clone pcbs, one of this preamp, and the other one with regulated PS. Regulated PS plus matching transistors should allow to minimize offset. I'll use one as a preamp and the other as a headphone amp may be with somewhat more powerful output transistors. It will be interesting to compare these with preamps I'm currently using.
Balanced inputs in suburban NZ or Australia make sense only with MC phono preamps and sometimes with MM phono. But in high density Asian or European cities in apartments where there is a lot of electromagnetic noise balanced preamps and amps might be needed.
Great thanks for your videos on available audio kits.
Michael, your explanation is welcome, i suppose the real fact of using mass production of cheap Chinese components is the life of the components, the quality is based on the cheapest materials, my experience is a lot of Tv breakdown due to capacitor issues on the switch mode power supply, in the early days prior to the mass production from china, you only had a few manufacturer, but saying that as things get smaller this will give the manufacture a bigger challenge for smaller components and the heat dissipating in them, but well done Michael nearly falling of your chair with the excitement!!
Very interesting - thanks a lot! 👍🍀😊
Great video. Thank you
....and thank you for watching.
This is the point really as you can take the PCB and mount it in a cardboard Rice Krispies box and people will call you 'cheap arse' but its gonna sound the same !
I don't have any Krispies Andy, but I do have a box of corn flakes. Maybe I should do a video and compare the differences. I would think the Signal to noise is probably worse on the Krispies!
@@MichaelBeeny :)
@@MichaelBeeny well of course, it's the "snap crackle and pop" degrading fidelity !
for those old enough to remember the (UK only ?) adverts on TV
@@englishsteve1465 Sadly, I do remember, only to well. Cannot remember yesterday however!
This guy is awesome. 🎉
You cannot mean me surly?
@@MichaelBeeny yes you. Thank you for testing and sharing your vast knowledge. Saving us $$$ and getting us great sound!
As a music lover and diy enthusiast I will prefer to buy diy pre amp and amp to have hifi quality audio gear,also I'm not rich to spend big amount of penny to purchase expensive hifi equipment...just spend hard earned money wisely
I have the ready built version in black case as in your video. Good sounding but I find it has a pretty high gain as well when hooked up in balanced xlr mode. Regular single ended rca is fine. Installed a remote control to the volume pot. Had to drill a tiny hole in faceplate to fit the infrared receiver. Need to reduce the gain in order to make it better. Sound is very neutral I'd say going into my 4 units of class d mono blocks
You do tend to get a 6dB increase in gain over the unbalanced input.
@@MichaelBeeny yes. That's correct as I'm running balanced connectors. I would one day wish to reduce it as I hook up the system balanced from DAC onwards
@@MichaelBeenyHi, I just ordered this preamp balanced. There is a 100k potentiometer, do you suggest changing it to 50k?
@@robertwyczokowski9343 I don't know why they are using a 100K pot. I would be inclined to leave it and only change it if you fine an issue.
@MichaelBeeny thanks for the answer. But I will change the 100ohm resistor to 1kOhm and the 100pF capacitor to 47pF as you suggest
I agree that the extra $480 is largely taken in the box and postage
It is for the novice or the impatient
This basically confirms my idea that most the clone chinese stuff like the wonderful amplifier i got that is a clone of the dartzeel 108 will sound the same as the real one that costs 50k$ lol my clone cost 550$ and what a deal it is i love it.
Very inspiring, you are waking up a DIY bug inside me.
Michael, thank you for your videos. What gain for this preamp did you finally end up with?
always. it's always a pleasure to watch your videos. always. i am very grateful for your content. thanks. please tell us more about the amplifiers. if possible about the class A. thanks.
Thank sir
There's always a problem of grounding the circuit and chassis. Most completed machines do it well. Otherwise the humming sound blows the brand. Customers will not be happy to see as they pay a lot on a fancy case with a small circuit. The manufacturers fit the case with more stuffs and then the interference of components get more serious and the consumers are persusaded to pay more to get 'better sound'.
👍👍 as always..! 😁
My Green Boards like the first you built with the 3 relays is printed to use 2SA733 and 2SC945 Transistors but also shows optional Transistors to use.
I would imagine that, all other things being equal from one pre-amp to another, even the very best Super-Duper-Uber Cartridge & Stylus handmade by Elves in the workshops of Faerie itself is going to be the limiting factor as far as Signal to Noise, Channel Separation, Harmonic Distortion and frequency response. A low ripple and low noise power supply is likely more important than "Audiophile" (?) grade capacitors and separate Op-amps. Proper attention to layout of components on the circuit board is certainly more important. These are audio frequency devices, and low power at that. You'd get better results matching impedences between the cartridge and the preamp inputs than you'd think.
My only objection is that I have to match the gain of the transistors (NPN and PNP Hfe). So I have to buy 100pcs from each type and do the job very carefully.
It is not really necessary to match the gains because the actual gain of those stages is quite small. Matching them will in the real world make almost zero difference, we tried it. The test results given were the parts as supplied.
Wow very nice ❤❤❤
View the original video of 3 years ago of the C-3850 clone pre-amp with relays, here
ua-cam.com/video/WLf5a7raPJo/v-deo.htmlsi=JGjMZ08qcnF-eRUV
hi michael great video, please could you make a video explaining the difference in circuitry in balanced/unbalanced
I understand your point, it's a great preamp, but you owe it to us to show a cheap power supply, potentiometer and connector before your print can be used.
My Accuphase clone preamp has arrived! (Prebuilt) Just need to find a moment to get it up and running.
Don't forget to tell us all how you get on and what you think of it.
@@MichaelBeeny Wish I had some way of sharing a photo with you! The preamp is a bit “cowboyed” together. Looks bizarre with a 300va transformer powering it - but it’s all I have :) I have the preamp going into a Single Ended DIY VFet power amp (From DIYAudio) and it is driving some DIY Olson/Nagaoka Manifold Horns / 6’ tall double backloaded horns. Have to let it run for a bit so it both comes up to temperature and the caps have some time on them. But wow. It never ceases to amaze me just how little it takes to get really nice sound - talking about the preamp, not the supporting gear.
So far, so good
So happy you brought this to our attention.
an excellent video.
They probably used that pot mike because it was a readily available 4 gang unit.
Exactly.
There is one version that has 4 sections of the Clone and is called a Balanced Pre-Amplifier seems like the PCB was about the same as the other Clone Boards.
Très content de te revoir, excellente chaine Merci !
Good to see you here again, thank goodness for Google translate lol
Hi Michael, been enjoying your videos.. wondering if you can add links to the preamp kit as well as the pot/relay board that you mentioned?
If anyone owns an ADA4610-2BRZ just pop that chip into the preamp and give it a go
Thanks, always on the lookout for decent sounding opamps!
@@peterlarkin762 I've tried a bunch of op amps but this one sounds great to me
WHERE do I get this for $20?
Michael, any plans on reviewing a tube preamp kit?
I don't think many people would really like the measurements and test results I would find. I did build and test a low cost one about 6 years ago, see it here.
ua-cam.com/video/ZpdBQ-MwqrM/v-deo.htmlsi=OTkuQ73-mJW29h0U
I even built a VALVE amplifier here.
ua-cam.com/video/4WFCfLvLZqs/v-deo.htmlsi=OZrcPSrWKPXQSHHE
Hi, thank for another great video, exept the c5 and c8 mods for best sound performance what you recomend ? LM4562 or 5532, i tend to think that this circuit with 5532 is on the safer zone in terms of functionality..i could be wrong. regards
Well that depends on the amperage available ...And how clean the P.S.is . I would go for Musical Paradise MP-701 MK2 and now Mk3 ... Tough to beat under 1000CDN$
i think aiyima t8 beats it
Sir , where should we connect the volume control to this pre amp?
How to choose the value of the volume pot?
Please reply
I can respond on Mike's behalf (I think).
The volume control needs to be connected to the INPUT of the preamp (which is the high impedance portion), *not* the output.
The preamp output needs to directly drive a power amp or other stage that follows with as little as possible in between.
As for value, the rule of thumb is that lower values will have less effect upon the signal (particularly HF) as long as you do not overload whatever the signal source is.
This is because the volume control and any capacitance at the input to whatever follows it form an R/C filter network that will inevitably cause some degree of HF roll-off or another.
Mike made a nice video about this where he proved this to be true.
In normal situations a lower limit of around 10K ohms is good, however 20K and 50K are far more common and therefore more easily obtained.
Anything from 10K to 50K should work well (I use 50K pots in most builds for example).
You do *not* want to use anything higher than 50K ohms in typical modern solid state amps.
This is again because of the capacitive loading at the inputs of the preamp.
I hope this helps you. 😀
@@ronschauer839 thank you sir
@@pristineaudio5642 You are most welcome.😁
Good to see you looking well Michael, yes the world of hi fi bull shite, people just convince themselves that they can hear more just to qualify spending more cash , keep up the good work. 😀😀😀😀
Regards
Dave Fletcher.
Thank you, Dave, good to see YOU returning to my channel also, many thanks.
You can actually hear a difference but not necessarily more. The gains in performance if any is very very little but the expenditure is a whole lot more. Comes to a point where the marginal gains does not justify the spending unless you have money and nowhere else to spend it
The problem with the kit is the PSU for me. I can't just order a torroid transformer with 2x16-18v and that's it? What is about Fuses, will the boord fail safe when one of the components become faulty, e.t.c.
You are right of course. I tend to assume, possibly incorrectly, that most of my viewers have a basic knowledge of electricity and audio. When I show things on the bench, I always use a current limited supply, JUST IN CASE. We still, on occasions get a puff of magic smoke!! So yes, please use fuses, one on the primary and a couple on the DC side just prior to the module.
As Mike indicated, any small transformer with outputs of say 15-0-15 will suffice. You can go higher. The regulators can take up to 35volts, but anything from 14 to 18 is ideal. The current draw is very low. There is of course the onboard ps, so nothing else is needed, except that putting fuses on both + and - dc supplies to the board is a good idea. Saved me from blowing up an output stage more than once!
Btw, the transformer doesnt have to be toroidal! Any little EI core will do. Theyre usually very inexpensive.
@@billkalina3089 Thanks for the info. It shows like 0.350a peak on boot, would a 0.5a fuse be ok?
@@sinsemilladrone7721You can look at a sale photo from the same model. In the back panel where fuse is installed, it will spcify the current for 120v/240v region
Does this preamp sound better than just using the NE5532 on its own?
Watch this space, I have such a simple preamp on its way. Doing listening tests right now.
Love it
The voice of reason.
Regarding those 500 buckaroos - take out a dealer margin, mfg margin and you'll end up with 100 - more than enough for all those parts.
I ordered the kit. I'm not sure how much it will degrade the sound, but I would like to try connecting a Bluetooth receiver to the inputs of the preamp.
Why do you think if will degrade the sound? The preamp itself has almost no effect on the sound, it's very natural. It will make the amplifier sound better because it provides it with the correct impedances. The limiting factor will be the Blu Tooth. Not very HiFi really.
@@MichaelBeeny I meant using bluetooth for the signal to the preamp vs using RCA or other hardwired methods.
Very nice man… if you can build one of these,you should be able to build a cabinet ? With free wood or metal that’s around you ? Or for the price of Ali Express cabinets,you can go to a carpenter and have something made very nice for less than A.E ?
Also we have to start relying on human skills and not acquiesce to A.I ! And anything Artificial? Human Intelligence!
I built an enclosure for an A/V amp that I built using the dual-7293 boards Mike reviewed and a preamp that he will hopefully review soon.
I used some sheet metal from a scrap metal center, a pair of heat sinks I had up in the attic for a couple of decades, and a piece of scrap laminate flooring as a cosmetic front panel.
Total cost out of pocket for the enclosure- about $20. 😁
Another option that most people overlook is to re-purpose the enclosures from old electronics such as CD or DVD players, VCRs, or satellite boxes that can be had for very little money, if not free.
I have shown some of my metal and woodworking skills on my channel in the past. Some people are STILL laughing many years later!
Is there a valve section version can it be converted to valves?
What a terrible thought, why add noise, distortion, poor bandwidth. A slew rate so slow, enough time to make a cuppa T?
@@MichaelBeeny that's not necessarily true what you're saying and people like the sound of valves distortion is good in audio in the right way
@@jedi-mic Well, we all have a choice. If you think HiFi is about adding distortion, be it selective or otherwise. I respect your opinion.
But you didn't show us any tests? Where are the proofs they sound the same?
Of course they sound the same, it's the same circuit with extra nonactive parts.
Can we hear it please? Thx.
Not really. All you will hear is your equipment and UA-cams very compressed audio. Not a very valid demonstration.
Sir, can you suggest a pre amp for class D? I'm a novice at component hifi.
A preamp is a preamp. It does not care what class of amplifier you connect it too.
@MichaelBeeny thank you for that. I watched interest your video, can you tell me the preamp you reviewed please?
Unfortunatly they never offer board kits with case
Hi, op amp is single o dual?
Dual
@jungtarcph gracias!
5532 is dual, 5534 is mono
Could be the $20 if you put it into the $500 box.
Like at bit of fun?? ua-cam.com/video/rfWpXVSGho4/v-deo.htmlsi=jVH5wPRMMfNtr5X0 Hope you get it!
The 80s called. Says a remote control should be standard
But this is a cheap version of the same preamplifier that you already demonstrated and tested 3 years ago ua-cam.com/video/WLf5a7raPJo/v-deo.html.
Which one is better and why?
They are much the same, it's only cheaper because it does not have a switch and relays on it. I did not know they were very similar until reversed engineered. I had forgotten the original one, long since sold. Your choice really.
@@MichaelBeeny
Two years ago I bought the version with three inputs that you tested a long time ago. I hadn't opened the amp box in over a year but today I decided to replace the NE5534 with an OPA1611. I listen to the preamplifier for several hours, but I don't think there is an audible difference. (Google translated)
@@silverchesnov5247 The difference between the 5532 and others really is hardly noticeable audibly. You can measure a slight difference, but it's mostly slew rate and overall bandwidth. None of them really are at least very good. I'm not surprised at your comments. It's more the way they are used within a circuit.
This circuits uses the 5532 in a way that offers better permeance than the 5532 on its own.
The three year old kit has different decoupling scheme on IC. It has 100uF and 10uF on it while the newer one has one 0.1uF only.
Assuming you can tell the difference, you can try to remove the 0.1uF and see whether it improve, than add 100uF and evaluate the new sound.
Also, the regulator output cap are different. You can parallel 10uF on top of the existing 100uF on the new PCB.
Signal path without capacitor should sound same. However, amplifier circuit is not just a cupper wire. Difference will come from the power supply.
@@ylou2876 Decoupling capacitors make a big difference in the sound of IC Op Amps. Choosing the exact type and value of decoupling capacitors is beyond my modest knowledge of electronics. A typical example is the selection of the correct decoupling capacitors for the lm1875. My few days of experiments have shown that these capacitors are the key to how an lm 1875 amp sounds.
I continued the tests on my preamplifier and put back the NE5534 on the left channel and the opa1611 on the right. I ran a mono signal on both channels and I can very quickly switch between channels with different op amps. After quite careful listening, I came to the conclusion that the channel with the OPA1611 sounds slightly better than the channel with the NE5534. However, the difference is really, really small.
👍♥️🫂
Which sounds better, not which sounds best
Whichever way you would like to say it, the point of the video is/was that they do sound the same.
@@MichaelBeenyrather, they should to sound this same
Hi Michael. I see a high level preamp useful only in a situation where I have a source with an output stage that either does not provide enough voltage to drive the amp, or has a very badly engineered output stage (high ouput impedance and ringing with capacitive impedance are the most likely examples here). I would say that the latter is very seldom the case, considering that 99% of the times the power amp has a relatively high and resistive input impedance, not difficult to drive even for a badly designed output stage. So apart from the case in which some gain is needed or we have a very badly designed output stage of the spurce coupled with a badly designed input stage of the power amp, adding a preamp could only deteriorate the sound quality, or at best keep it equal. I say this because I am a technician, but would like like to hear your opinion because actually I have never done any experiment with preamps, let alone any measurement. Cheers, Luca
Cheap is the best, I like cheapie 🎉🎉🎉I love the fact🎉🎉🎉
Merci pour le magasin ASYPDZSW HIFI DIYer Store, j'adore vos vidéos 👌
Hear the poor pensioner from the other side of the globe: a nice aluminum case from China, preferably with a couple of uv meter will make every simple diy kit sound fantastic!! And, for a negligible amount of money you can buy a motorized decent potentiometer with a cheap plastic remote control that will make you stay in your armchair for good!
Thank you, I do enjoy listening to your videos