Home of unbiased, detailed HW reviews & mods. Where the iron meets the pad!
Literally just posting some new pictures because I had a few people asking to see what this looks like with the high end discrete op-amps, so here you are! Thanks … Continue Reading Pictures of ES9038Pro DAC w/ Burson Audio V5-OPA and Orange Amplification’s discrete design!
Just a few pictures of the 95% finished ES9038Pro + Amanero DAC build and a few words on why it took so long!
I have the ES9038Pro DAC playing both DSD/DSF and the more well known, high res capable codec, FLAC. Except on this DAC it goes up to 32 bits and 384 … Continue Reading Procedure For Mounting Transformers (One of Many Ways) for ES9038Pro DAC + Amanero
Finally have the DAC OLED screen coming on and the Amanero is recognized in Windows!
Thanks to Hifiengine.com I was able to get my hands on the official service manuals and the owners manuals + every schematic!! HiFiEngine is free to register and after that … Continue Reading Sansui AU-517 Works!! (Schematics & More Inside)
For being 39 years old, this amp is nearly spotless inside. I’d venture to say it may have been opened once before I inspected it myself. Keep in mind that … Continue Reading More Sansui AU-517 Internal Shots
To my surprise someone donated a Sansui AU-517 to me for free, thanks again for that! Here we have a stereo amplifier that weighs in at 40lbs! This behemoth is … Continue Reading First Amp Donation! Sansui AU-517
Once again the values needed for the power to the DAC have changed, waiting yet again on the correct transformer.
Various high quality pictures of this rare Amperex Holland 7308 Bugle Boy
“In 20 years of tube collecting and tube selling, this is the FIRST real Bugle Boy 7308 I have ever seen! It appears your tube was originally imported into Canada, as it has HOLLAND etched into the glass at the top. This was standard for all Philips/Amperex tubes that were imported or sold in Canada. It is just possible that for some reason the Bugle Boy labels were only sold in Canada? The Holland name sandblasted into the glass is only seen on Dutch Philips or Amperex tubes coming out of Canada.
I think, due to the extreme rarity of a real Holland made and date coded 7308 Bugle boy, that 99% of those you actually encounter are fakes from Richardson Electronics. Your pictures do reinforce some facts that still tell the real thing from the fake: The fake 7308 or 6922 tubes NEVER have date codes or production codes on them. Yours does, so I will concede that you have one of the very few real Bugle Boy 7308 tubes in existence.” – Brent AudioTubes.com/6dj8.htm
LCD module for Q8 v2.2 ESS ES9018-9038 DIY board had the header pins break during a fix. In the end my fix is more stable than that plastic/metal combo.
Here is my first try at a meaningful picture collage to give viewers some update on my progress. However, my work has passed the points shown here now, but you … Continue Reading Pic of Preamp Demolition. Also the ESS ES9028Pro DIY build + Amanero (DSD512 I2S native) Arrived!
Updates on both my custom/DIY amplifier AND DSD capable DAC w/ DSD512 Native (Amanero + TCXO). This will be the hardware I am using to do my reviews for Burson Audio and Orange Amplification (mainly the DAC due to 4 positions open for op-amps). Stay tuned for incoming full reviews (after I build the DAC 100%).
10x J.W. Miller 10mH Inductors (Extech 380193 LCR Meter) + Avel 160VA Transformer arrives!
Project MXercury-Lindberg 50SE/160VA: At this point I can’t comment on the functionality/performance of the NobSound™ MX50 SE kit, but I wanted to make sure to post a few pictures that … Continue Reading 100W Power Amplifier x2 Design (Mono-block style) + Toroidal Transformer
What a fellowship of harmony it is! These discrete designs from Orange Amp just BARELY fit side by side in the Creative ZXr. Initial Impression: I heard an obvious tone change … Continue Reading Orange Amp + Burson Audio V5-OPA
