Transcendent Sound Masterpiece.

[Cressy Snr]

Putting this together for Nigel.
This is the third Transcendent product, I’ve built for him. Previous ones were:

Original 300B OTL with 25Hz AC heater supplies.
Minibeast SEOTL.

The Masterpiece is a three stage linestage/headphone amp using 2 stages of 12AU7 into 300B cathode follower output per channel. As with all Bruces products, it has a very low output impedance, made even lower with the use of feedback.


Fingermarks will be cleaned off.


Insides are about 3/4 done.

This unit has the $30 ALPS Blue pot upgrade offered on Bruce’s website.

[Ray P]

The Masterpiece is the basis of the HPA I'm (very) slowly scratch building - it's a Masterpiece with a Soekris R2R DAC integrated into the chassis. One day I'll be able to use it via my mobile phone (lossless FLAC output via USB OTG connection) or by connection to the home network for streamed music.

I designed some PCBs for the Masterpiece amp sections and I have a pair of Andrews DHT filament supplies for the 300Bs. The rest I've still to work out.

http://www.audio-talk.co.uk/phpBB3/view ... =11&t=7124

Ray

[Cressy Snr]

The Masterpiece is the basis of the HPA I'm (very) slowly scratch building - it's a Masterpiece with a Soekris R2R DAC integrated into the chassis. One day I'll be able to use it via my mobile phone (lossless FLAC output via USB OTG connection) or by connection to the home network for streamed music.

I designed some PCBs for the Masterpiece amp sections and I have a pair of Andrews DHT filament supplies for the 300Bs. The rest I've still to work out.

http://www.audio-talk.co.uk/phpBB3/view ... =11&t=7124

Ray

Interesting

[Cressy Snr]

The hard wired “Rozenblit neat” Masterpiece is all done and dusted, apart from taking off the fingerprints.


Sounds excellent and adds a bit of dynamism and punch to the proceedings.
It was a little bit thin for my liking when it was first powered up, but the sound is warming through nicely as I write this.

[Wolfgang]

The "thin" impression comes mainly from the NFB, the LM 317, and the CCS. Same thing with the 300B SE OTL.300Bs should sound fuller and warmer in the midrange. Less "glassiness" can be achieved by using star grounding with as short as possible wires replacing the "ground plate grounding" which is used in this preamp. At least to my ears it had this effect. The ground return path goes through the cheap solder terminal strips and screws to the amp housing. But with some room acoustics /speakers and OPT amps it might just sound right as it is. I don't think B. Rozenblit uses very linear HQ speakers and an acoustically treated room for fine tuning his amps.

[Cressy Snr]

Aye, we’ve got ground buses, a star-point between the CCSs, mixed in with ground plane earthing in this preamp. It’s very, very quiet though. I have built it as standard because it’s not mine. Having listened to five and built three of his amplification products now, I think Bruce has a definite penchant for a preternatural clarity to the presentation; it seems to be his signature sound.

I’d reduce the feedback if it were mine, but as we know, from building OTLs and suchlike, these things ideally need to be adjusted individually, to suit your own particular system. That avenue is not an option in this case. However I’m sure Nigel will be well pleased with The Masterpiece as is.

[Ray P]

The hard wired “Rozenblit neat” Masterpiece is all done...

Good to see you ate all your dinner too Steve.

[Ray P]

Did you try listening with headphones?

[Cressy Snr]

The hard wired “Rozenblit neat” Masterpiece is all done...

Good to see you ate all your dinner too Steve.

That’s my water bowl.
Yes, I tried it with headphones and it’s really, very good. Excellent value for money.

[Ray P]

Yes, I tried it with headphones and it’s really, very good. Excellent value for money.

Good to hear, that's my hope/expectation...

[Ali Tait]

Sounding any better with more listening Steve?

Might get one of these to go with the Pinnacles.

[Cressy Snr]

Yes, it warmed up quite nicely over the eight or so hours I soak tested it. The top end is delightful and the mids are more fleshed out now it’s been running a bit. It would IMO be well worth experimenting with different 300Bs to tune it to your own tastes.
Feeding a Transcendent sound power amp I reckon it will be the biz. Certainly worth the money.

[Ali Tait]

Ok thanks Steve. Probably worth fiddling with feedback and a pair of Andrew’s supplies on the 300b’s too.

[Abime75]

Thnks !