Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,063
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 5, 2021 17:49:01 GMT
At volume I'm not getting quite the breathing 3D rendering of instruments I'd like, so am planning to change the signal input and output connections on the amp board to soldered and remove the plug modules. I might as well subsitute OCC for the speaker output while I'm at it, so ordering that for next weekend's project. This of course makes future disassembly more work, but if this is the solution it will be well worth it. BTW: I found a video with a hack for desoldering multipin components, so will give that a try next weekend. What did have before,? |
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Post by brucew268 on Jun 5, 2021 19:25:28 GMT
At volume I'm not getting quite the breathing 3D rendering of instruments I'd like, so am planning to change the signal input and output connections on the amp board to soldered and remove the plug modules. I might as well subsitute OCC for the speaker output while I'm at it, so ordering that for next weekend's project. This of course makes future disassembly more work, but if this is the solution it will be well worth it. BTW: I found a video with a hack for desoldering multipin components, so will give that a try next weekend. What did have before,? What speaker output wire before? ...the JST pre-crimped 14AWG that fits the JST Plug housing. Nothing special about the wire itself. But if this change solves my problem, I'd assume the soldering makes the bigger effect than the wire, though both should reveal themselves as worthy changes. |
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,063
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Post by Bigman80 on Jun 5, 2021 19:25:58 GMT
What speaker output wire before? ...the JST pre-crimped 14AWG that fits the JST Plug housing. Nothing special about the wire itself. But if this change solves my problem, I'd assume the soldering makes the bigger effect than the wire, though both should reveal themselves as worthy changes. No, what amp sorry lol |
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Post by brucew268 on Jun 5, 2021 20:18:25 GMT
What speaker output wire before? ...the JST pre-crimped 14AWG that fits the JST Plug housing. Nothing special about the wire itself. But if this change solves my problem, I'd assume the soldering makes the bigger effect than the wire, though both should reveal themselves as worthy changes. No, what amp sorry lol LOL. It's a Classe Audio Model Seventy from 1991. |
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Post by antonio on Jun 6, 2021 4:41:34 GMT
Your doing well so far Bruce, but come on, pull your bloody finger out, I can't wait to read another 686 review  |
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bigbird
Regular
The Racing Snake
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Post by bigbird on Jun 7, 2021 0:21:10 GMT
That’s odd. Mine was pretty incredible from the get go but really came on song after a few weeks of constant playback
If I’ve learnt anything this past week , it’s to give things time . My denafrips terminator 2 was no way near my vinyl for a few days , now it’s better
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2021 6:23:37 GMT
That’s odd. Mine was pretty incredible from the get go but really came on song after a few weeks of constant playback If I’ve learnt anything this past week , it’s to give things time . My denafrips terminator 2 was no way near my vinyl for a few days , now it’s better Is it time to upgrade the vinyl now then? |
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bigbird
Regular
The Racing Snake
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Post by bigbird on Jun 8, 2021 1:54:54 GMT
That’s odd. Mine was pretty incredible from the get go but really came on song after a few weeks of constant playback If I’ve learnt anything this past week , it’s to give things time . My denafrips terminator 2 was no way near my vinyl for a few days , now it’s better Is it time to upgrade the vinyl now then? It is mate but I don’t think I can afford what needs to be done to match this level . I just don’t think the Art 9 I have is capable . My TT is already end game and we’ve got a few ideas for my phonostage but my cart is going to need something a lot more expensive to get to this standard |
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Post by brucew268 on Jul 15, 2021 9:30:52 GMT
Soldered connection with OCC copper wire was my choice I'll be pressing ahead doing OCC wire and soldered connections (as opposed to my now spade connectors) in the not so distant future also, so will be interested to see the results Bruce. Nice build, very nice. Optical, any chance you've made the changeover to OCC and soldered conncections yet... and anything to report from listening? |
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optical
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Post by optical on Jul 15, 2021 9:36:31 GMT
I'll be pressing ahead doing OCC wire and soldered connections (as opposed to my now spade connectors) in the not so distant future also, so will be interested to see the results Bruce. Nice build, very nice. Optical, any chance you've made the changeover to OCC and soldered conncections yet... and anything to report from listening? Not yet Bruce, it's on the 'do to' list . . . . it's quite a long list haha. I would imagine it is certainly worth doing though but as my system is in use practically every day and it is indeed the heart thereof, I'm a bit apprehensive to take it out of action . . . . I've got some nice OCC hook up wire coming next week though so maybe that will be the time to go for it. |
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Post by brucew268 on Jul 15, 2021 12:29:20 GMT
Optical, any chance you've made the changeover to OCC and soldered conncections yet... and anything to report from listening? Not yet Bruce, it's on the 'do to' list . . . . it's quite a long list haha. I would imagine it is certainly worth doing though but as my system is in use practically every day and it is indeed the heart thereof, I'm a bit apprehensive to take it out of action . . . . I've got some nice OCC hook up wire coming next week though so maybe that will be the time to go for it. Same here with the long list and daily use. But I am thinking of some 22ga OCC hookup wire for the impending conversion of my preamp to balanced, so considering whether to add some 14ga OCC to that order. But then I'm also considering an over-spec'd transformer for the preamp (move from 40VA to 100VA), way more than the numbers would indicate. |
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bigbird
Regular
The Racing Snake
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Post by bigbird on Jul 16, 2021 2:37:54 GMT
Bruce, how are you getting on with the 686 now it’s had some time to open up??
I found mine to be only a tiny bit better than my Croft monos to begin with but after a few weeks burn in I plugged the Crofts back in and couldn’t listen to them any more . It wasn’t subtle
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Post by brucew268 on Jul 16, 2021 8:37:21 GMT
Bruce, how are you getting on with the 686 now it’s had some time to open up?? I found mine to be only a tiny bit better than my Croft monos to begin with but after a few weeks burn in I plugged the Crofts back in and couldn’t listen to them any more . It wasn’t subtle Yes, after 3-4 weeks it opened up and I wasn't slightly nervous about the amp any more. The really difficult bit in regards to a review is that I also changed speakers about that time which also required a change of speaker cables, and the speakers (Maggie .7) needed and still need some more tweaking to meet my expectations. A lot of good going on but a bit that could still use further improvement.
So it's been a moving target and not enough consistent to make a firm assessment. At this point I think the 686 is at least as good as what it replaced, which was a Classe Seventy I was pretty happy with. I'm thinking of pulling the old speakers & cable out of the box room tomorrow to listen for a bit. Then I'll have only the 686 as the new kid on the block. |
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Post by brucew268 on Jul 17, 2021 13:49:26 GMT
Bruce, how are you getting on with the 686 now it’s had some time to open up?? I found mine to be only a tiny bit better than my Croft monos to begin with but after a few weeks burn in I plugged the Crofts back in and couldn’t listen to them any more . It wasn’t subtle ...I'm thinking of pulling the old speakers & cable out of the box room tomorrow to listen for a bit. Then I'll have only the 686 as the new kid on the block. That was fun! I put the Proac’s and MIT cables back in play, and… The Neurochrome Modulus-686 takes all the things I like best about my old amplifier and just pushes the needle qualitatively.
Wide open soundstage with excellent separation. In loud, busy passages it is the speakers that become the limiting factor rather than the amp.
I find it interesting that people call the Modulus 686 a tonally neutral amp and the Classe Model Seventy as a tonally warm amp. While true I suppose, I found both to present the tone along with the leading and trailing edges of notes all in their rich complexity and nuance.
There is grunt and PRAT where needed and delicacy and nuance where needed, but without appearing to put its thumb on the scale or give everything a certain feel. Your room, placement, and other components will be influencing this too and they will be the limiting factor here, probably not the amplifier.
The 686 for me pushes the needle on the qualitative measures of reproducing music musically. No trade-offs that I've found so far... well it is a little tall!
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,063
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Post by Bigman80 on Jul 17, 2021 16:57:42 GMT
...I'm thinking of pulling the old speakers & cable out of the box room tomorrow to listen for a bit. Then I'll have only the 686 as the new kid on the block. That was fun! I put the Proac’s and MIT cables back in play, and… The Neurochrome Modulus-686 takes all the things I like best about my old amplifier and just pushes the needle qualitatively.
Wide open soundstage with excellent separation. In loud, busy passages it is the speakers that become the limiting factor rather than the amp.
I find it interesting that people call the Modulus 686 a tonally neutral amp and the Classe Model Seventy as a tonally warm amp. While true I suppose, I found both to present the tone along with the leading and trailing edges of notes all in their rich complexity and nuance.
There is grunt and PRAT where needed and delicacy and nuance where needed, but without appearing to put its thumb on the scale or give everything a certain feel. Your room, placement, and other components will be influencing this too and they will be the limiting factor here, probably not the amplifier.
The 686 for me pushes the needle on the qualitative measures of reproducing music musically. No trade-offs that I've found so far... well it is a little tall!
Yeah, that's pretty much much what happened here. The 686 went in and straight away it showed up the rest of the kit. I've rebuilt my system around the amp. |
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