Introduction

I began my "audio adventure" in 1990, after reading 3 issues of ‘Stereophile,’ and stopping by a local high-end store. To say that I was taken back would be an understatement; My ‘hand-me-up’ SoundDesign rack versus Thiels, Music Reference amplifier/ preamplifier and Sota turntable, turned my system into a place on which to put my beer. My only musical experience to that point was a Gilbert and Sullivan show, a Triumph concert, and some church music. My only recorded piece of music was a ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ tape. After a short trip to New York (and Stereo Exchange) I had myself a system; Audionics CC-2 amplifier, Proton 1000 preamp, Boston Acoustics A40 speakers, and a bottom of the line JVC CD player (nor I forget the 12 gauge car audio speaker wire.) Needless to say, budget, but satisfying, for the moment.

Later that month, whilst working one of my many "spare" jobs (and trying to pay for my new system,) a customer gave me an EICO HF85 preamp and tuner. I took it home, plugged it in. It didn’t work. But after adding new volume pots, new RCAs, and a cap; Viola; Magic! For the first time I realized that Lou Reed was snapping his fingers on the beginning of a CD. Out went the Proton, and so I began on the yellow-brick-road of upgrades?!

It wasn’t before long, that I realized having a bunch of hardware and a few borrowed CDs wasn’t cutting it, and like a lot of 30-something novus hominis audiophiles/ techno-dweebs, I realized that I could buy 10 to 20 records for the price of a CD. Now all I needed was a record player, and thanks to a rather soon to be bloated credit card, I had myself a 1984 Linn Sondek/ Grace arm/ Denon 103 cartridge/ Verion transformer (Unfortunately both the Verion and Denon DL103 met their demise by my clumsy hands.)

1) The majority of LPs sound better than CDs (specifically processed in the 80s, and early 90s), and that although it is hard to do side-by-side comparisons, because of the different masterings/ editing; that from the lowly, "Bat Out Of Hell" (bite my tongue), to "Trinity Sessions" (even digitally sourced,) elektra's Queen albums, the Impulse Jazz albums, Three Blind Mice albums (transistors in the signal path?!), and on and on; That the CD counterparts just don’t stand/ sound up.

2) I prefer vacuum tubes. I can’t say that transistors are bad (Use a Transistor; Go To Jail), but rather I like tubes. I lived with a pair of Audionics amplifiers for 6 years. Battery powered transistors find their way into the signal path of my moving coil pre-amplification. A pair of solid state buffers found their way into the signal path of my preamplifier (thanks Corey Greenberg.) But now I have a bunch of reference tube gear!

4) Finally, the first part of my building exploits will involve a better moving coil preamplifier. I wanted to start here (probably one of the hardest things to do right in audio) because it usually involves a few parts (after the power supply), and I couldn’t afford a bunch of SE transformers and tubes at $180 a piece. The tubes are matched (the hand-me downs from my preamplifier RM5) and the caps are Solens or MIT wonder caps (I wish REL-CAPs.) I present a few links of what I have found and built (mainly because I only had 1 Megabyte of space on my server.) I tried numerous power supplies, solid state as well as tube preamplification (I did not match my own transistors – don’t even ask.) I suggest that you buy a box big enough for the power supplies, and then plan on using some kind of umbilicated leads to the actual preamplifier circuit. In presenting this information I tried to bridge the gap between true designers, FOR-SALE kits, and beginner’s corners.

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My Building Ideas

The following are some of the things that I do. I am an amateur (actually, a beginner just out of the gates!) and as such a lot of why I do things may be unknown to me, nor on this web site. I have looked inside a bunch of components, copied bits and pieces from here and there, feel I have some right to hack components that I own, read at a 6th grade level, and usually shock myself 3 or 4 times a year (adds meaning to EST - electric shock therapy.)

2) Generally, the power path starts with a power cord, into a IEC socket, into a ground rosette ferrites structure (even Roger A. Modjeski uses ferrites), into a EMI filter, some fuses (very noisy!), into the transformer, to the power board, and finally either umbilicated to the circuit in the final version of some projects, or at the front of the box. I’m going to try more large passive R-C circuits after the solid state supply in the future.

3) Yes, I really built 6 different 6V/6.15V/6.3V filament/heater circuits. The boards are on 3 x 8 inch one sided copper. I built them all, they all work. Some have two power supplies on the board, others I inverted in the box. I exchanged them with the project of the week/month for listening pleasure and evaluation. Yes, you can do the same! Just learn about connecting lugs early.

4) One of the power supplies involves a Linear Technology chip – not all chips are created equal – the reason you can buy a LM317 for 65 cents, or a LT1085 for $8 to $15. I used it for the 30V supply in the ECC88 (unknown origin.) I would suggest that if you want to use it for purely a solid state device, that you follow the topography used in the AcousTech Stereophonic Phono Preamplifier (look at their ads.)

1) Capacitors make a huge difference in the signal path. If you don’t believe me, buy a couple of MITs, Sprague or Wima, and compare them to the Brown droppings from Radio Shack (Not to be confused with Orange drops.) You can always exchange them back.

2) I point-to-point wired the capacitor/ RCA jacks/ tubes in the MC head preamplifiers, but board etches are provided for those that want to just "plug-in" the components. Of course, any of the heater supplies will work, and you can modify most for the Standby/ On circuit.

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Schemes and Diabolical Plans

Filament/ Heater Supplies (6/ 6.15/ 6.3 volts)

High Voltage Power Supplies

Moving-Coil Head Preamplifier

RIAA Equalized Moving-Coil Preamplifiers

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