From the wife:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not much this year but not too bad 🙂

Presents from my 2 teens 💗 they're not so bad after all

Received the Oppo UDP-203 a couple of days ago. Will set it up today while the interstate visitors are away for a cpl of days and I have my music / spare room to myself again. 
 

Christmas brought me a little time and most importantly motivation! Took the poor old Sumo off the shelf of shame, only been there 5 years   Stripped it down and started the fault finding process, found a shorted rectumfrier in the main power supply, had blown apart one of the original small bias circuit supply caps. Luckily had not damaged the amp modules or the unobtainium Sanken 2SC1831 transistors!

Rebuilt the power supply with all new rectifiers, Pana FC caps in the bias supply, some cardas RCA to finally replace the old factory ones, and she is singing like a SUMO again!  a most satisfying xmas present to be sure...

Xmas morning was spent on another problem child, the noisy humming Electrocompaniet EC4.5 preamp.... Santa had brought me a nice shiny ALPS RK27 blue velvet volume pot, and some more MUR120 diodes.

 

I have been fighting with this pre all year, strong AC hum mostly on the balanced input, strange readings across the balance pot and circuit, and a worn crackly volume pot. EC used the little 16mm ALPS motorised pots in this model, extremely hard to find. Their techs did suggest they have replaced them with RK27 in the past, with a few mods.

 

Adjusting the pin rows  so they lined up with the narrower RK16 was the first task, then bending one rear gearbox tab flat allowed it to sit over the earth rail that the original pot was earthed to, so that was a win! It went in with minimal pain. I had already replaced all the electro caps so replaced the rectifier diodes in the 3 power supply bridges (EC actually do this as an upgrade kit with MUR120's) and I wanted to try their gain reduction mod swapping out 8 resistors, only had 1w beschlag on hand but they fitted ok for testing purposes

 

Last task and maybe the key to much of the hum, some new contact cleaner/conditioner I got into the workshop, used it on the balance pot, it reduced the DC offset swing through the balance pot hugely, now zero in one channel and minimal in the originally noisy one.

 

End result, minimal noise/hum! And once it had a day of burning in on it, the sound is superb! very extended both ends, sweet top end, and real slam in the bass, it works well with the AW100 dual mono power amp, but works reeeeally well with the SUMO, such a happy Christmas of audio achievements this year...

Edited December 26, 20223 yr by SonicArt

@SonicArt-you've resurrected the basis of a great system👍👍

On 25/12/2022 at 7:05 AM, cazzesman said:

 

A fully tiled toilet you can wash down with a pressure hose.    🙉

 

The Curry's at your place must be brutal.  Yikes.

 

GLWT Reno.

 

Regards Cazzesman

 

 

Not a silly as it might appear.  All my loos are the same.  Fully tiled floor to ceiling.  

6 minutes ago, Monkeyboi said:

 

Not a silly as it might appear.  All my loos are the same.  Fully tiled floor to ceiling.  

 

I think its a great idea.

Perhaps we can call it the "Vindaloo Room"

5 hours ago, Monkeyboi said:

 

Not a silly as it might appear.  All my loos are the same.  Fully tiled floor to ceiling.  

Handy in case you ever need to get the hose in there for a full wash-down…

Arcade Fire Reflektor from my daughter. She has no idea who they are, but thinks Primal Scream Screamadelica sounds too heavy, even though she has never heard them. 
plus a stack of vinyl from @Be Quiet...Listen ordered on Chrissy day. 

Fostex FE103s, FE83s, Jigsaw and circular saw for current speaker project. Busch horns. Cut all internals and sides. Now it's glue, clamp, wait, glue clamp, wait, repeat, repeat, etc. 🤣 Slow but hopefully worth it. Also looking at spiral horn enclosures for fun/challenge with FE83s

Edited December 26, 20223 yr by BRS

However, my GoldenAgeAudio Reference phono amplifier has given up so no record playback for me until it’s fixed. 

pressie from me to me 🤓.  A durty dozen of Cee Dees purchased new and NM in a few batches earlier this month so they'd arrive in time for post chrissy listening

6 minutes ago, 2Brix said:

pressie from me to me 🤓.  A durty dozen of Cee Dees purchased new and NM in a few batches earlier this month so they'd arrive in time for post chrissy listening

Good looking and very diverse selection there. I can see a few names I don't know that look interesting. Always up for something new to listen to.👍👍👍

30 minutes ago, 2Brix said:

pressie from me to me 🤓.  A durty dozen of Cee Dees purchased new and NM in a few batches earlier this month so they'd arrive in time for post chrissy listening

 

Enjoy the Massive Attack. I saw them live in Melbourne many years ago, been a huge fan then and ever since. I'm sure you'll enjoy them all.

On 24/12/2022 at 7:34 PM, Peterbean said:

Just what I needed 

Be a collector's item in 30 years time.

10 hours ago, SonicArt said:

Christmas brought me a little time and most importantly motivation! Took the poor old Sumo off the shelf of shame, only been there 5 years   Stripped it down and started the fault finding process, found a shorted rectumfrier in the main power supply, had blown apart one of the original small bias circuit supply caps. Luckily had not damaged the amp modules or the unobtainium Sanken 2SC1831 transistors!

Rebuilt the power supply with all new rectifiers, Pana FC caps in the bias supply, some cardas RCA to finally replace the old factory ones, and she is singing like a SUMO again!  a most satisfying xmas present to be sure...

Rectum fryer. Sounds a painful expensive refit. 

Santa brought me the final piece of my HiFi puzzle. Integrates very nicely with the rest of the system and sounds superb. Last gift under the tree. Our cats of course were more interested in playing in the empty boxes.

Please excuse the dangling wires!! I am playing around with different cable options and will tidy them when I get the right combination.

Wow very tidy system (and no doubt sounding system)appeals to my ocd - Out of interest what racks are you using? 

That ec gear is beautiful. Great system 

5 minutes ago, cafe67 said:

Out of interest what racks are you using? 

 

Theyre SolidSteel racks

 

On 25/12/2022 at 3:36 PM, Hydrology said:

From the wife:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And built! She works!