Tweaking my Sunfire 2 channel set up and Beardfest

[tinpan]

After finally getting this system to where I really like it. I decided it was time to take it apart and try something different.


Here you can see my Dual TT feeding vinyl and my Eastern Electric Dac feeding my music server to the Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Pre-amp. That drives a Sunfire  Sig 2 x 600 amp which is hooked to a pair of Klipsch Epic CF-3's ( version 1's). I also have an Oppo 981 dvd player for cd's and dvd's.

This is how my system looked before I started disassembling it.

That system sounded perfect and I was quite contenet untill I found out that Eastern Electric quit producing the Tube Dac and released a new version on it. I also found out the old ones were selling for more than the original retail price...so I decided it was time for both of the ones I had, to go. That's what started thos whole mess...er...umm..opportunity.

I ordered a pair of Audio Note Dac 2.1's and an Audio Note L2 Pre amp with phono stage.This looked like a good opportunity to upgrade the DAC's and I also wanted to see if I could get a New Audio Note L2 pre-amp for around the same price as a used Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Pre-amp. I figured with all of the new Carver Tube amps hitting the market it would be nice to have an option to buy a reasonably priced Tube pre-amp for around the same price as a Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Pre-amp. That way someone cold buy an AN if the Sunfire wasn't available.


After waiting four to six weeks for the new amps, pre and Dacs to be built I started playing around with what was left of my system. I brought my Grant Fidelity Dac out of the bone yard. I also figured out that my Carver TFM 15 cb wasn't broken after all. I hooked it up to the Pinoeer Sub, also from the boneyard. The amp sounds wonderful, the sub sounds like, well, mud. It never did sound nice. The Oppo went to my garage system.


My Dac came in a couple weeks ago. I went with the basic build. I used Tin foil caps instead of the copperfoil and black gate caps used in my Dac 3.1. The only thing I added was the USB board. I wanted to keep the cost down and see if this was a reasonable upgrade to the EE DAC. It is shockingly good and everyone that has heard it agrees, it is one of the nicest DAC's we have heard...or didn't hear. It's hard to describe something you don't hear. Anyway, the EE DAC is $1,100, the AN, built is $1,690. I like it and to me it's worth the slightly higher price. I'm picking up my second DAC tomorrow when I pick up my Preamp at Beardfest.


Tomorrow is Beardfest and my new pre-amp is ready for me to pick it up. Course Pete won't give it to me untill he is done using it for his Beardfest gathering tomorrow. Functionally this is similar to a Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Pre-amp. It doesn't have the contour or bass treble adjustments, which is good. It's a straight shot through the system with only what is needed to function as a quality pre-amp. Again, I had Pete use Tinfoil caps instead of the copperfoil and Black Gates and I didn't use the Tantalum resisters like before. My goal was to keep the cost down and see how nice it sounds. The only option I added was the Phono Stage. A remote is available, but I didn't order it. Out the door was around $1,800. Without a phonostage this is $1,600. Pete did what I asked him to do, offer two AN kits built in the same price range as a Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Pre-amp.

So tomorrow is Beardfest, we all get to bring some finger food, listen to some good music, I'll meet a half a dozen new folks from the local DIY group and pick up my new toy.

We'll see if this turns out to be a nice alternate to hunting down a Sunfire Classic Vacuum Tube Pre-amp.

[SunnyDaze]

Every day is BeardFest.

[OconeeOrange]

I sure wish I lived near you.

Bill

[Kingman]

Very nice Robin!!! I now understand your direction.... slow guys like me need pics!

[tinpan]

I sure wish I lived near you.

I do too, it's just me and my kid living here and his idea of music is his ipod. You or anyone else is welcome to come on over for a weekend, or stop by if you are passing through Fredericksburg. I have plenty of room and I am only 5 miles off I95.

slow guys like me need pics!

Riiight, asking me for pics is like feeding crack to an addict...give me a few minutes

[tinpan]

So, like I mentioned, I went to beardfest, I think I was the only one with a beard though. Pete had everyone bring food and he laid out a nice selection of beers. It was a little early, however, that Magic Hat, was right tasty


Here is Pete's set up. A Sota Cosmos tunrtable, a playstation he modded ( he also showed us a maglite he modded that will make a piece of paper catch fire), My L2 preamp in the middle and another Dac 2.1 he built and was testing for another customer. Pete wouldn't let me take that Dac home, I had to wait for miine, which I'll get tomorrow


The amps you've seen before, they are Interstage Mono blocks in a single 300b configuration, his A7's he turned into A5's with the Manta Ray horns and his KCS Bass bins. He's trying to get me to buy his bass bins, we'll see if that happens.


Here's Gary proprietor of Capital Audiofest doing a little nearfield listening. The soundwaves coming off those bass bins is quite nice


The perfect listening position


Digital Pete looking focused, Matt in the background with the red plate he is responsible for turning me onto SET amps... bastard. Alex proprietor of Cathedral Audio is on the right. He wants to hear an Audio Note Kit 1 and I want to hear it on his Cathedral Speakers, so it look like a road trip is in order.


Rosco is a moving force in the DC DIY group, here he is queing up the Doors, the End.


Here's my L2 Preamp with the phono stage. On the upper side you can see the Tube rectified/tube regulated M2 Power supply (6X5/ECL82). On the right  is a dual 12AU7 Line Stage. Lower left is the newly designed L2 Phono Stage (12AX7 / 12AU7). You can also order the phono stage with a 6922/6DJ8 configuration. Basically the idea is to have a basic, simple preamp without anything to add to the sound. So there isn't a treble, bass or contour circuit and I didn't order the optional remote.


The Dac is the same way, pure and simple. YOu can see the big tinfoil signal AN caps I had used for this dac and preamp. My other dac and pre used Tantalum resistors, AN Copperfoil caps and BlackGate caps, they are very nice, but they added quite a bit to the cost.