Still building and fixing?

[rabski]

I have just spent an entertaining few minutes scribbling down a list of all the part-finished bits that I hope will turn into completely finished bits by 14 March. It's a bit frightening. At the moment, it's a 5687-based preamp, a DHT preamp, an AD1865 DAC with valve output stage and another valve phono stage. Plus a heap of assorted interconnects and power leads to make sure I've got enough that are long enough.

And I need to strip down the 845 and pull the driver board out (yet again) because it's developed an intermittent faint crackling noise that I absolutely guarantee will turn into something that sounds like a pod of whales in full song if I don't fix it. And I want to move the loading resistors out of the existing phono stages and into the SUT. And change the coupling caps in the 845 and the existing phono and pre. And they're Russian teflons, so I'll need to run them for a while or they'll sound dire.

Please make me happy and tell me I'm not the only one who is likely to still be drilling, sawing, cutting holes and soldering a day or two before 'the day'

 

[Tony_J]

Hopefully I've done the vast majority of the sawing, drilling, soldering...etc., but I fully expect to be tweaking crossover settings, revising playlists and figuring out what front end(s) I will be bringing with me until very close to the show. Not to mention sorting out bits & pieces for sale.

 

[Lurch]

Whilst I'm not a DIYer, I still have my own problem to resolve. One of my 989s has developed an intermitant fault in that the right channel briefly cuts out. Sometime for half a second sometimes for upto 3 seconds, it may do it just the once or 5 - 6 times on the trot. I between times there is no sound degradation and the whole system sound great. Will nurse them through my next BO on 09/02 then it's yot another 320 round trip to OTA, so will leave it with them and pick up on the way to Keggy on the 14th. Hopefully not to expensive as Steve reckons it could be a dry joint making the protection circuit kick in..... Or it could be another panel, Arrgh! 

 

[dave]

Having joyfully decided to bring my Teesdale SP2s I have come to realise most likely the mids are shot. So that's been fun trying to find a work around.... hopefully fixed my other pair! Decided I am not going to develop a valve gain stage for my class a transistor amp, and just bring the Dynaco ST70, which still has some curious habits...... Can I get round to making the valve cassette deck work with chrome????? and will it work with the Dynaco and SPs??

 

[Lawrence001]

Having joyfully decided to bring my Teesdale SP2s I have come to realise most likely the mids are shot. So that's been fun trying to find a work around.... hopefully fixed my other pair! Decided I am not going to develop a valve gain stage for my class a transistor amp, and just bring the Dynaco ST70, which still has some curious habits...... Can I get round to making the valve cassette deck work with chrome????? and will it work with the Dynaco and SPs??

Aren't they the same mids you find in more common Wharfedales, the ones with the patterned holes in? It shouldn't be difficult to source replacements.

 

[dave]

Yes they are, but it is difficult to tell from a photo if it is working properly...

 

[orangeart]

I'm building some Linkwitz Orion speakers, got all the parts and most of the wood bits but still a way to go. I'd like to build a new phono stage before then to and I need to to rejig one of my Ma-01 amplifiers to power the Orions.

Stefan

 

[rabski]

I'm building some Linkwitz Orion speakers, got all the parts and most of the wood bits but still a way to go. I'd like to build a new phono stage before then to and I need to to rejig one of my Ma-01 amplifiers to power the Orions.

Stefan

That's more like it.

Six weeks to go and 'a little tweaking' isn't at all the spirit

 

[bencat]

I have just this week started working on making a stacked pair of KEF 103 speakers that will be for Kegworth . So far I have drivers out lying on the floor no additional binding posts in one speaker . Two partially painted cabinets then four cabinets that will need to be waxed and cleaned . Then I need to rewire two speakers , make a platform for them to sit on , then put them back together make some jumper leads from the top speaker to the bottom one. Complete the active crossover put all the equipment in the rack then run a full Dirac session in order to get them sounding as I would like . Frankly all of this while at the same time organising my sisters personal effects to the states is making me stress . I thought retirement was supposed to be quiet .

 

[orangeart]

That's more like it.

Six weeks to go and 'a little tweaking' isn't at all the spirit

I'll probably swing into gear about 3 weeks before hand

 

[MF 1000]

.....do we ever stop tweaking & building etc ?  :rofl:

i can remember driving back from Keggie last year thinking about the changes I needed to make to the bass/sub bass section of my kit.  Two weeks after I'd acquired the Volt 18 " drivers & cabs off eBay and have spent the last 11 months enhancing/reining their output and integration into my system.

 I may have reached the end of the sonic journey but now have the start of the aesthetic journey in enclosing them in a suitable designed cladding to cover the extra bracing/wall thickness upgrades etc that has enabled me to realise their full potential.  

At Keggie whilst they will will definitely look a 'work in progress', if people listen with their ears etc I hope to overcome their obvious looks with various nuts on the outside from the internal bracing rods.   I had hoped to have finished the 'cladding' for this years show but my time away from home (currently in Belgium all week) does eat into tweaking/build time and it's best to take your time for a good finish than rush it etc.

 

[Lawrence001]

.....do we ever stop tweaking & building etc ? 

i can remember driving back from Keggie last year thinking about the changes I needed to make to the bass/sub bass section of my kit.  Two weeks after I'd acquired the Volt 18 " drivers & cabs off eBay and have spent the last 11 months enhancing/reining their output and integration into my system.
 I may have reached the end of the sonic journey but now have the start of the aesthetic journey in enclosing them in a suitable designed cladding to cover the extra bracing/wall thickness upgrades etc that has enabled me to realise their full potential.  
At Keggie whilst they will will definitely look a 'work in progress', if people listen with their ears etc I hope to overcome their obvious looks with various nuts on the outside from the internal bracing rods.   I had hoped to have finished the 'cladding' for this years show but my time away from home (currently in Belgium all week) does eat into tweaking/build time and it's best to take your time for a good finish than rush it etc.

Just out of interest, how big is your listening room? I take it it's not 12' x 12' [emoji23]

 

[MF 1000]

It's about 21 ft wide and 11ft deep I have the speakers either side of the fireplace on the long wall firing across the room ...can be a challenge getting good soustage with speakers 12ft. apart  tho 

 

[lostwin]

.....do we ever stop tweaking & building etc ?  :rofl:

i can remember driving back from Keggie last year thinking about the changes I needed to make to the bass/sub bass section of my kit.  Two weeks after I'd acquired the Volt 18 " drivers & cabs off eBay and have spent the last 11 months enhancing/reining their output and integration into my system.

 I may have reached the end of the sonic journey but now have the start of the aesthetic journey in enclosing them in a suitable designed cladding to cover the extra bracing/wall thickness upgrades etc that has enabled me to realise their full potential.  

At Keggie whilst they will will definitely look a 'work in progress', if people listen with their ears etc I hope to overcome their obvious looks with various nuts on the outside from the internal bracing rods.   I had hoped to have finished the 'cladding' for this years show but my time away from home (currently in Belgium all week) does eat into tweaking/build time and it's best to take your time for a good finish than rush it etc.

Have you considered a felt or suede covering, a bit like some pro equipment? Possibly then just veneering the front face might make a good combination.

 

[Ed Howarth]

I think gear with bolts sticking out and bits of gaffa tape on looks brill. I used to be a radio ham and you weren't a real enthusiast unless there were dangerous high voltage (with RF) bits sticking out.

My preps for Kegworth are less hardware related. Trying to get my music database and files on an external hard disk to be consistently recognised by a player, without messing up all the formatting and lyrics that's taken ages to perfect. 

 

[MF 1000]

Have you considered a felt or suede covering, a bit like some pro equipment? Possibly then just veneering the front face might make a good combination.

As my Kef 104/2 are black ash I've had one idea to clad the sides & top in another layer of MDF then use a black ash vinyl wrap to match them up.  The front baffle I think could be waxed or satin finished birch ply which would give a nice framing to the matt black cast from chassis of the Volt 18" driver.

 

[lostwin]

As my Kef 104/2 are black ash I've had one idea to clad the sides & top in another layer of MDF then use a black ash vinyl wrap to match them up.  The front baffle I think could be waxed or satin finished birch ply which would give a nice framing to the matt black cast from chassis of the Volt 18" driver.

Suggested the cloth as it might be quicker and easier than veneering all over. Also, was thinking of my Snells which are pretty big too. The top half is covered in black cloth, this has a softening effect on their look  which I like and kind of disguises their bulk.

Good idea on the veneered natural wood front, love the black and wood finish combination.

 

[bencat]

Keith just a polite sugestion . Blackboard paint as a finish and then coloured wax  if you have a buffer this will bring the finish up to a nice mellow shine and it also shows any texture and wood grain that is is beneath .

 

[divedeepdog]

Didn't know where else to put this question,  seems as good a place as any?

My sub (Velodyne) does its DSP thing using the TV as screen,  can anyone remember if the TV's in the room had (RCA) video input?