lentek head amp upgrade
#16 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
Thanks for understanding vibes above.
See, whatever crap I spout, it's up to you *at the time* with the gear you own and use and how you use it. The MC's I have here offer rather more hf than a 'typical' 103 and from old memories, a 103 'typically' has a more velvet beefy sound rather more like the Entre as I remember. I did own a 103D for some months and used in a selected early Mission 774 (early ones needed the bearings checking) but the 'D' was a differently set up and tipped animal and wasn't thought of as well long term as the original and the 774 was replaced with an Ittok on my downward spiral for a few years (looking back it was a downward spiral if not at the time).
Somewhere, now hidden in the loft, is a basic project case I got ready to take a pair of Sowter transformers I was going to buy (Sowter are just a few miles down the road from here). I should pull my bloody finger out and make it up, but that's me all over
Well done for having a go with your various projects!
See, whatever crap I spout, it's up to you *at the time* with the gear you own and use and how you use it. The MC's I have here offer rather more hf than a 'typical' 103 and from old memories, a 103 'typically' has a more velvet beefy sound rather more like the Entre as I remember. I did own a 103D for some months and used in a selected early Mission 774 (early ones needed the bearings checking) but the 'D' was a differently set up and tipped animal and wasn't thought of as well long term as the original and the 774 was replaced with an Ittok on my downward spiral for a few years (looking back it was a downward spiral if not at the time).
Somewhere, now hidden in the loft, is a basic project case I got ready to take a pair of Sowter transformers I was going to buy (Sowter are just a few miles down the road from here). I should pull my bloody finger out and make it up, but that's me all over
Well done for having a go with your various projects!
#17 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
If you want to try suts, cant go wrong with sowter suts.
I listened to sowter and llundal suts back to back at simons old gaff ( remember that simon? when that jvc dd pissed all over that idler thing id built )
It was difficult to choose between them. Used the sowters for years.
I however went over to an active mc head amp with a battery powered ortofon mca 10 which was lovely with the red body mc10 but abit crap with most other things, then a denon ha500 wot I got off our Ali that most certainly isnt crap with anything ive used.
Lovely with an sl15, mc10, atf7 ( very lovely with that) denon 103 as you would expect, although I am not a 103 fan, and really lovely with the eroica.
I prefer the denon to any passive step up ive used. I cant afford tributes ect, but cinemags used to be fairly affordable. Cant describe the difference, frequency extremes seem better with the denon than the sowters or the llundahls, no softening if that makes any sense. More solid.
Transformers are bloody expensive for the seriously good uns though
I listened to sowter and llundal suts back to back at simons old gaff ( remember that simon? when that jvc dd pissed all over that idler thing id built )
It was difficult to choose between them. Used the sowters for years.
I however went over to an active mc head amp with a battery powered ortofon mca 10 which was lovely with the red body mc10 but abit crap with most other things, then a denon ha500 wot I got off our Ali that most certainly isnt crap with anything ive used.
Lovely with an sl15, mc10, atf7 ( very lovely with that) denon 103 as you would expect, although I am not a 103 fan, and really lovely with the eroica.
I prefer the denon to any passive step up ive used. I cant afford tributes ect, but cinemags used to be fairly affordable. Cant describe the difference, frequency extremes seem better with the denon than the sowters or the llundahls, no softening if that makes any sense. More solid.
Transformers are bloody expensive for the seriously good uns though
#18 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
cheers ant,
yes the denon 500 and 1000 sut's are most definitely on my radar.
yes the denon 500 and 1000 sut's are most definitely on my radar.
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#19 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
I do and I don't! I don't remember the TT comparison, but I do remember the SUTs. Overall I thought the Lundahls were more neutral, but the Sowters really suited classical. Can't remember which models they were no though.
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#20 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
I was going to say, that thing they do with the letter making it also work like a decimal point.
Well that told me then.Mike, medium power transistors can make good low noise devices, the large die size means a low current density.
Can't remember seeing that anywhere.
"No matter how fast light travels it finds that the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."
#21 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
I also have the Ortofon cheapie twin sut's (T5?) in Sony badging and rather better, the AT630 SUT in Dual badging (Dual did have a Dual-badged version of the AT30 MC) - neither are state of the art in sut's but the AT630 was good lower cost all-rounder I remember. When I get the chance, I'll try it all again - My Phono 2 is MM set with soldered-to-the-board resistors and lacks the easier change-over of current ones (solder posts to fit whatever gain and load the user needs without removing the board)...
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#22 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
Vivitur ingenio, caetera mortis erunt
#23 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
ive been doing a bit more digging on line and the tin can type resistors can be bought new,i believe they are called a tq-39 can.
https://www.silicon-ark.co.uk/bc461-sil ... arch=Bc461
https://www.silicon-ark.co.uk/bfx85-sil ... arch=BFX85
is there any point changing these out for new?
https://www.silicon-ark.co.uk/bc461-sil ... arch=Bc461
https://www.silicon-ark.co.uk/bfx85-sil ... arch=BFX85
is there any point changing these out for new?
#24 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
It would be interesting to make an entirely new head amp using the other transistors and new caps and see how they sound in comparison.
Whenever an honest man discovers that he's mistaken, he will either cease to be mistaken or he will cease to be honest.
#25 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
Hagtech used jfet input op amps and a PP9 battery to solve the problem. Clive kindly loaned me his for a listen, I seem to recall it was a bit dry or clinical compared to SUTs, which presented a more organic flowing sound, it was several years ago now, I don't recall it being noisy.
Andrew
Andrew
Analogue, the lost world that lies between 0 and 1.
#26 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
ive been using a denon ha-500 headamp so the poor little lentek hasn't had a look in,today i recapped it though which is a start
does anyone know if the wilmas are bipolar?
does anyone know if the wilmas are bipolar?
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#27 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
WILMAS ? They must be stone age. (Flintstones)
Wima's like you have used are bipolar.
Wima's like you have used are bipolar.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
Edmund Burke
G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
#28 Re: lentek head amp upgrade
sweet as! or should i say yabba dabba dooooooo!