Feeler: Nelson Pass Balanced Zen Line Stage

zingo
zingo Posts: 11,258
edited March 2013 in For Sale (FS) Classifieds
This is a feeler for an almost complete Nelson Pass Balanced Zen Line Stage preamp. This was the best preamp I've used, and sounded fantastic when coupled with my old BAT VK200 and B&W speakers. However, the preamp is not a good pairing with my powered speakers as they are fairly sensitive to input voltage. I'm moving to a Nelson Pass B1 buffer which provides unity gain, so I'm staying in the Nelson Pass family. The preamp is complete except for wiring extra inputs to the switch and a second set of outputs. It is a native balanced preamp, but does have unbalanced inputs and outputs also. I'm unsure on price since it is a custom build, but I can't seem more than a couple hundred dollars... Let me know if you're interested, and I'll post some pictures later.

Details:
Two chassis preamp with separate power supply and signal boards; detachable power umbilical.
Three balanced/unbalanced inputs, two unbalanced inputs, two balanced/unbalanced ouputs.
Balanced four deck stepped attenuator using discrete resistors.
IEC power input with primary power switch; secondary, blue lighted power switch on the front.
Both power supply and signal circuits built on boards and are Nelson Pass approved. :)
Class A circuit that runs warm with a nominal power supply of +/- 60V DC.
Jake
Post edited by zingo on
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Comments

  • blairfrischx
    blairfrischx Posts: 259
    edited February 2013
    I may be interested, but I'd like to see pictures. Since it's a DIY kind of thing, there aren't a lot of pictures to go off of online.
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited February 2013
    The only ugly spot on it as you can see it where the IEC jack has been installed. It's a clean looking set of chassis', with plenty of connections for just about anyone. I also realized I need to label everything; including the inputs on the left knob and the volume knob.

    photo (2).JPG
    photo (1).JPG


    Sorry for the crappy iPhone pictures.
    Jake
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  • Toolfan66
    Toolfan66 Posts: 17,340
    edited February 2013
    How much?
    Polk Audio SDA 2.3tl Fully Hot Rodded. 😎

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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited February 2013
    Like it currently is, $300. It will even come with an extra power supply board to use as a replacement, or to make a dual-mono power supply. FYI, it currently uses TWO torroidal transformers to supply plenty of voltage and current. You can brag to your friends that your preamp has more transformers than their amp. :)
    Jake
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  • blairfrischx
    blairfrischx Posts: 259
    edited February 2013
    Do you have any pictures of the innards?
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited February 2013
    photo (2).JPG
    Jake
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited February 2013
    photo.JPG
    photo (1).JPG
    Jake
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited February 2013
    Capture.JPG
    Jake
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2013
    Been working on this preamp some and have labeled everything and continued the wiring. Still the best sounding preamp I've ever owned, but you Nelson Pass fans already know that... :cheesygrin:

    Willing to let it go for $200 as is or $400 as I'll finish wiring the extra inputs for you; does not include shipping.
    Jake
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  • PolkMaster1
    PolkMaster1 Posts: 847
    edited March 2013
    zingo wrote: »
    You can brag to your friends that your preamp has more transformers than their amp. :)

    Not my amp!!!

    Nice looking preamp!!! GLWTS!!!
    Statistics show that 98% of us will die at some point in our lifetime.

    The other 2% will work for WalMart.
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2013
    Forgot to mention that the power umbilical and XLR jumpers are also included.
    Jake
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,513
    edited March 2013
    I'll take it in as is.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2013
    Sale pending.
    Jake
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  • Blownrx7
    Blownrx7 Posts: 137
    edited March 2013
    Arggghhh! Awesome deal for SCompRacer. Late again...
    If anything changes, I'll take it as is as well.
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2013
    Sold
    Jake
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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited March 2013
    Nice grab Rich!
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited March 2013
    Yeah Rich, great grab! Please describe the sound when you receive it and hook it up.
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2013
    headrott wrote: »
    Please describe the sound when you receive it and hook it up.

    It sounds like the perfect match to your BAT amp when it was in my system. :)
    Jake
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  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited March 2013
    zingo wrote: »
    It sounds like the perfect match to your BAT amp when it was in my system. :)

    You should not have said that! Now I want to build one!!:smile:
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,513
    edited March 2013
    headrott wrote: »
    Yeah Rich, great grab! Please describe the sound when you receive it and hook it up.

    Will do!
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
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