New LDR preamp-Lighter Note

bikerboy

Hi,
I finished building a LDR preamp from a kit I got from http://www.buildanamp.com/ and it sounds great. Its patterned after the Lightspeed passive pre. Uriah did a great job creating a very easy way to get matched LDRs and boards to make this preamp. It sounds very open and quiet. Bass is very good, tight and full. Imaging is very good. Listened to Bettye LaVette-Scene of the Crime last night and that cd has always been a tough one. The edge on her voice has always been a little hot, too much ssss. With the Lighter Note pre it is easy to listen to. Not blurred or soft but clear and real. Just right. Listening to Ray Charles and is is sweet. This pre is a great match with the TPA Buffalo24. Incredable dynamics and focus. This pre will only get better as I built it out of crap parts just to make it work. With this and the new TPA BuffaloII that I will get soon the system is sounding great. I will have to have some of the seattle polkies that are interested over after the new dac is up and running.

bikerboy

I have been listening to this pre for a week and all I can say is WoW. Chemical Brothers -Tweekend is so much better than I imagined. I hear way more into the mix. Theres a pic of the rough build. I received the reed relays for input switching yesterday but I ordered the wrong kind. New ones on the way.

bikerboy

I have been able to listen to the new pre amp with the new TPA BuffaloII that I built this last weekend. I feel like I have a new system. The dac is great sounding, better micro detail and dynamics. I am going to upgrade one of the power supplies as soon as parts arrive. So the dac will be even better. The pre amp is so not there its crazy. The listenablity of the polks is off the chart. I cant believe this power amp can be this quiet. Ray Charles never sounded as clear and real.

praedet

Really cool!

I have been looking at the TPA DACs for awhile, but since I have never built a component, I am worried.

I did upgrade my LSi7 crossovers though...

bikerboy

I finally got around to finishing the face for the LDR preamp. I used scraps of wood left over from other projects. It still sounds great. I found some gold contact reed switches and made an input selector. So I think its done except for the cover. I really like how this preamp sounds and now it looks good also. Maybe I will make a wireless volume control for it later.

bikerboy

Praedet,
TPA will have a new batch of the dacs for sale soon. If you can solder and follow their mostly complete instructions you will be able to build one. This is the third dac I have bought from them. Probably the last because it sounds very good. Any cd I play sounds better! Details in bass or highs that I never heard before and no listening fatigue. I have never had a system that sounds this easy to listen to with this much detail.
The 4 light dependent resistors are the only components in the signal path in the preamp. This preamp is so simple and sounds very good. Just need to order some rca jacks and make the top and the preamp is done. I may make a balanced Lightspeed LDR preamp in the future but then I will need a balanced amp also. Someday.

jrgoswick

Dude, that rack pic is SEOUXY! Kudos. Good to hear that you've had success with a DIY!

bikerboy

Thanks for noticing the fine rack. The curly maple is beautiful. I have found diy gives me the best quality audio for the money. Its also fun to take up the challenge to design good looking and functional stuff. The shigaclone transport was a lot of fun and sounds very good. The pre amp is sounding very good also. Fun stuff and sounds good.

ben62670

I'll be fallowing this thread;)
Thanks
Ben

bikerboy

I rewired the reed switches with silver plated cooper wire and installed better rca jacks. I now have 4 inputs. That was a job! It sounds really good. I have made a bunch of upgrades recently and the system sounds great. Let see: Gold Lion kt-88 re-issues for the Jolida.
New TPA BuffaloII dac-Second generation ESS 9018
LDR preamp
The sda speakers still amaze me. CDs sound great. No digititus.

ben62670

Looking good. I may do one myself.

bikerboy

So I rewired the reed switches to the input jacks with silver coated cooper wire and the bass sounds boomy and the highs are spashy and edgy. I have only played it for a couple of hours. I will give it a week before I change anything but I think the cat-5 wire sounded better. I know many people will think I am nuts but thats what I hear. The only other thing I changed was the ground wireing. So I will let it be for a week and think about it then. Just 2 2" pieces of wire!

ben62670

It takes a while for silver to burn in. Give it a few weeks.

bikerboy

Thermionic emissions rule! So I couldn't wait weeks for the wire to settle in so I just swapped a pair of tubes in the jolida power amp. Replaced the telefunken 12at7 pair with a pair of EH 12at7 tubes. Sounds much better. Did I say "I love tubes". Tubes rock! You can't fine tune the sound of a solid state component ever. But with tubes many variations are available.

ben62670

Any idea where to get the boards for non balanced LDR's?
Thanks
Ben

bikerboy

Hi Ben,
I got the boards along with the ldrs so I wouldnt solder and resolder them. They dont like being heated and the boards were cheap. I am liking it a lot.

http://www.buildanamp.com/2-Light-Dependent-Resistors-LDRs_c2.htm

ben62670

Well the $45 kit is no longer:frown:

ben62670

Well I have ordered the parts. I hope they ship soon.

bikerboy

What did you order? Did you get the ldrs from Uriah? I have silver wire and no input switching just one input and love it.

ben62670

Sure did. I spoke to him on the phone today. Seems like a nice guy. 4 matched LDR's on the way with all the parts except the PS and volume pot. I have a 100k remote Alps pot that I am going to use with the Lighter Note.

heiney9

bikerboy wrote: »

Thermionic emissions rule! So I couldn't wait weeks for the wire to settle in so I just swapped a pair of tubes in the jolida power amp. Replaced the telefunken 12at7 pair with a pair of EH 12at7 tubes. Sounds much better. Did I say "I love tubes". Tubes rock! You can't fine tune the sound of a solid state component ever. But with tubes many variations are available.

Try another pair of TFK's............I simply love Telefunken tubes, among the best 12AT7's I own.

H9

bikerboy

I will have to fix the jolida before I can hear the tube sweetness again. I'm working on it.

ben62670

Hey BB guess what I have

bikerboy

Have fun. Don't overheat the ldrs! Thats why I used clips between the ldr and the board to keep the heat away from the ldr. You will love it. Ask if you have any questions or ask Uriah. He is very helpful and way more knowledgable.