Dreadnaught Avel-Lindberg 1000VA Transformer Group Buy?
Comments
-
Ok now for a very important question as I seem to have misplaced the link. Which 4 wires do I connect to the speakons?
-
This the one???
forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/129829/the-ai-1-dreadnought-project-pt-2-upgrade-to-1000va-transformer/p7"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." -
Ah wow, I hadn't even realized they had shipped! Good for you guys, glad to see they're starting to arrive!!!Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
-
I wonder if mines going to get shipped to me or GlennDog first????"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." -
I thought it might be useful in the interests of drumming up more participants to put up a good post explaining what this group buy is all about, with a few links to some highly useful threads.
The original SDA design worked only with common ground amps. Some non-common ground amps allow you to strap the negative poles together, essentially making it a common ground amp, without a problem. Others do not, and very very bad things can happen if you do. You certainly couldn't use mono blocks with SDA's. Polk's later design iteration of the SDA's allowed for the use of a new cable they sold called the AI-1. You can still find them for sale on occasion on eBay or they come up here every now and then. The AI-1 allowed the SDA signal to pass between the speakers without requiring the grounds to connect by using an isolation transformer. However, like other parts of the crossover design, this cable was manufactured to meet a price point by using less expensive (i.e. inferior) components. It worked, and allowed you to use SDA's with non-common ground amps, but it didn't sound as good as using a straight cable.
Enter DarqueKnight and his research into using much better isolation transformers. His original intention was to replace the original AI-1 he needed in a scenario where he was not using a common ground amp. He researched several different transformers and settled in on an 800VA transformer from Avel Lindberg for his original Dread:
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?73304-AI-1-Dreadnought-Preliminary-Results
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?74472-The-AI-1-Dreadnought-Project-Pt.1
DK later discovered that improvements continued using an even bigger 1000VA transformer from AL, however these were not a stock part and required a minimum purchase of 10 units, hence these group buys:
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?131537-Plitron-1000VA-Transformer-Evaluation
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?129829-The-AI-1-Dreadnought-Project-Pt.2-Upgrade-to-1000VA-Transformer
Somewhere along the line, he experimented with the Dread using a common ground amp, and discovered that when built with a boutique audio grade transformer like we're ordering here, the original AI-1 design actually sounds considerable better than a straight SDA connection when used with a common ground amp as well. That's when a lot of interest in these transformers came about, a lot of people including myself are using a Dreadnaught (either 1000VA or 800VA) with common ground amps and are loving the results.
So this group buy is for the transformer. Sounds expensive for a transformer, but this thing is a massive hunk of audio grade copper. You'll need a case to mount it in. Save yourself time and get Larry's. You'll need to consider what kind of connectors you'll need. Save yourself time and get Speakons:
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?142058-A-slightly-different-take-on-the-Dreadnought
Finally, you'll need to consider cables, and how they terminate on the speaker side. Personally, I replaced my pin-blade SDA connector with a Speakon and haven't looked back. You can also use a single binding post, connect the positive Dreadnaught cable, and connect the negative to the same negative post that you connect the negative speaker cable coming from the amp. Helps to use both a spade and a banana on the same terminal. I'd recommend going Speakon though!
Hopefully I'll get paid three times today and we'll be at 15 paid units. Then we try to recruit 5 more over the weekend and get to 20!
Here are all the cleaned up links from my above post:
http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/73304/AI-1-Dreadnought-Preliminary-Results
http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/74472/The-AI-1-Dreadnought-Project-Pt.1
http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/131537/Plitron-1000VA-Transformer-Evaluation
http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/129829/The-AI-1-Dreadnought-Project-Pt.2-Upgrade-to-1000VA-Transformer
http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/142058/A-slightly-different-take-on-the-DreadnoughtGood music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance. -
Yes; thanks that's the one; and thanks to Jesse also for posting the pic of how it should be wired. -
I wonder if mines going to get shipped to me or GlennDog first????
Remind me which city, state you're in?
Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance. -
Waterford WI 53185
Waterford WI 53185
"Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." -
I had thought that they were being wound at Avel's here in the states (not that it really matters). Now I know why it took all this time but I'm betting it'll be well worth the wait
-
I don't have a Waterford WI address on my list. Did you guys ask me to change that address or did you go straight to Melanie? I know Glen had originally ordered three, but then changed to two.Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
-
I'm not sure what Glen did about shipping address changes. If he didn't contact you odds are it's being sent to him first and he'll send it to me. He did have Larry send me the case for it directly to me. I'll have to send Glen a message."Make a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light
a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life." -
Did you consider adding a switch to the case to bypass the transformer? That way you could do an A/B test without swapping cables.
1. Adding another connection increasing the likelyhood of more noise on the line.
2. Not one person that has added the transformer has gone back to using their SDA's without it, so there really is no point.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Thanks F1.
- SDA 2BTL · Sonicaps · Mills resistors · RDO-198s · New gaskets · H-nuts · Erse inductors · BH5 · Dynamat
- Crossover upgrades by westmassguy
- Marantz 1504 AVR (front speaker pre-outs to Adcom 555)
- Adcom GFA-555 amp · Upgrades & speaker protection added by OldmanSRS
- Pioneer DV-610AV DVD/CD player
- SDA CRS+ · Hidden away in the closet
- SDA 2BTL · Sonicaps · Mills resistors · RDO-198s · New gaskets · H-nuts · Erse inductors · BH5 · Dynamat
-
Did you consider adding a switch to the case to bypass the transformer? That way you could do an A/B test without swapping cables.Did you consider adding a switch to the case to bypass the transformer? That way you could do an A/B test without swapping cables.
1. Adding another connection increasing the likelyhood of more noise on the line.
2. Not one person that has added the transformer has gone back to using their SDA's without it, so there really is no point.
A/B not really the purpose.
1) First, at one point I thought I'd have my Speakon connector on the speakers before the transformer arrived, and I wanted a cable so I could still listen.
2) If I opt to get different SDAs later on down the road, I'd like to be able to sell mine with an interconnect, so I have that in reserve.
Looking forward to doing the last bit of work when my shipment comes in!Jay
SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0 -
Hey, Neil,
My Avel-Linberg 1000VA transformer arrived a few minutes ago.
Again, many thanks for executing this group buy for us.
PS: It almost gave the USPS delivery woman a herniated disc!
PSS: I didn't post a picture because mine looks just like motorstereo's, including the "Made in Sri Lanka" sticker!
Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One. -
Mine just arrived - thanks Neil - man - I have SOOOooo much more SDA work to get completed, (rings to install, spikes to install, toroid to figure out), time to get crankin!VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000
Polk SDA1c modded
Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
SACD Marantz DV8300
Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
Yamaha YP-D6
Soundcraftsmen PCR800
Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
Pho-700 Phono Pre
Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's -
Neil,
My tranny was sitting at the garage door when I arrived home today. Got my Hepta Litz inductors earlier this week. Need a few more bits and pieces and I'll be ready to finish my CRS+ upgrades."Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer -
Got mine too! Thanks nspindel.Main-Carver TFM35(2),Carver C11 ,Carver SD/A 360 CD,Carver TX11 ,Grace Digital Tuner, Pioneer PL707 TT,Polk SDA1C
Downstairs -Carver M1.5t, Carver C1 Pre, Carver TX10 Tuner, Carver TL3200 CD Player, Dual 1009 TT,Polk SDA SRS 2.3tl
Study - Carver AV634 Amp, Carver CT7 Pre, Carver DTL50 CD Player, Polk RTA12c -
Jay
SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0 -
Moose68Bash wrote: »PSS: I didn't post a picture because mine looks just like motorstereo's, including the "Made in Sri Lanka" sticker!
Somehow despite the picture I didn't realise the magnitude of this transformer until it arrived. I would suggest a banana for scale but that wouldn't help convey the weight! Time to finally get around to ordering the speakons and misc. hardware...
-
crispybrown wrote: »Somehow despite the picture I didn't realise the magnitude of this transformer until it arrived. I would suggest a banana for scale but that wouldn't help convey the weight! Time to finally get around to ordering the speakons and misc. hardware...
Good idea!
A banana for the dimensions, and sitting on a scale to show the weight!Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.
Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One. -
I have seen it somewhere but I cannot find it again. Can anyone explain the origins of the name Dreadnougt? I understand the historical significance, I mean as relates to the AL-1.Main-Carver TFM35(2),Carver C11 ,Carver SD/A 360 CD,Carver TX11 ,Grace Digital Tuner, Pioneer PL707 TT,Polk SDA1C
Downstairs -Carver M1.5t, Carver C1 Pre, Carver TX10 Tuner, Carver TL3200 CD Player, Dual 1009 TT,Polk SDA SRS 2.3tl
Study - Carver AV634 Amp, Carver CT7 Pre, Carver DTL50 CD Player, Polk RTA12c -
IIRC Darqueknight came up with the name."Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer
-
An awesome choice, whoever came up with it.drumminman wrote: »IIRC Darqueknight came up with the name.
Home Theater/2 Channel:
Front: SDA-2ATL forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/143984/my-2as-finally-finished-almost/p1
Center: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/150760/my-center-channel-project/p1
Surrounds & Rears: Custom Built forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/151647/my-surround-project/p1
Sonicaps, Mills, RDO-194s-198s, Dynamat, Hurricane Nuts, Blackhole5
Pioneer Elite VSX-72TXV, Carver PM-600, SVS PB2-Plus Subwoofer
dhsspeakerservice.com/ -
I have seen it somewhere but I cannot find it again. Can anyone explain the origins of the name Dreadnougt? I understand the historical significance, I mean as relates to the AL-1.DarqueKnight wrote: »I called it the "Dreadnought" because the user would not have to be afraid of using any high powered non-common ground amplifier with their SDA's.
Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
Thanks DarqueKnight for the response and the research.Main-Carver TFM35(2),Carver C11 ,Carver SD/A 360 CD,Carver TX11 ,Grace Digital Tuner, Pioneer PL707 TT,Polk SDA1C
Downstairs -Carver M1.5t, Carver C1 Pre, Carver TX10 Tuner, Carver TL3200 CD Player, Dual 1009 TT,Polk SDA SRS 2.3tl
Study - Carver AV634 Amp, Carver CT7 Pre, Carver DTL50 CD Player, Polk RTA12c -
Today I wired up my transformer as listed in F1nuts thread.
Red/yellow right plus
Black/orange right minus
Grey/brown left plus
blue/ violet left minus
No sound from sda drivers. Double checked continuity of cables....ok
I have no contunity from left to right coming out of the box
BUT, I do have contunity between the plus and minus on each side.
Is that normal? I have checked and rechecked but I am afraid I have made some stupid oversiteMain-Carver TFM35(2),Carver C11 ,Carver SD/A 360 CD,Carver TX11 ,Grace Digital Tuner, Pioneer PL707 TT,Polk SDA1C
Downstairs -Carver M1.5t, Carver C1 Pre, Carver TX10 Tuner, Carver TL3200 CD Player, Dual 1009 TT,Polk SDA SRS 2.3tl
Study - Carver AV634 Amp, Carver CT7 Pre, Carver DTL50 CD Player, Polk RTA12c -
Based on your description you have the AI-1 wired correctly. Sea, have you changed any of the wiring at your binding posts, or from the binding posts to the Xover ?
Which SDA speakers are you connecting the Dreadnought to?
"Science is suppose to explain observations not dismiss them as impossible" - Norm on AA; 2.3TL's w/sonicaps/mills/jantzen inductors, Gimpod's boards, Lg Solen SDA inductors, RD-0198's, MW's dynamatted, Armaflex speaker gaskets, H-nuts, brass spikes, Cardas CCGR BP's, upgraded IC Cable, Black Hole Damping Sheet strips, interior of cabinets sealed with Loctite Power Grab, AI-1 interface with 1000VA A-L transformer -
Yes, But it was working before. I put speakons in and made a cable a few weeks ago. It has worked fine. Today, I cut that same cable in half and put another pair of speakon connectors on. I wired the speakons at the binding posts like before. The blade to negative and the pin to positive on the speakon female.Main-Carver TFM35(2),Carver C11 ,Carver SD/A 360 CD,Carver TX11 ,Grace Digital Tuner, Pioneer PL707 TT,Polk SDA1C
Downstairs -Carver M1.5t, Carver C1 Pre, Carver TX10 Tuner, Carver TL3200 CD Player, Dual 1009 TT,Polk SDA SRS 2.3tl
Study - Carver AV634 Amp, Carver CT7 Pre, Carver DTL50 CD Player, Polk RTA12c -
Great to hear that everyone is finally receiving their transformers! Happy to have been able to help you all out.Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
