AliExpress / eBay JL Hood 1969 Class A Amp

Small update:

I decided to use it in my work place since it's awesome with ATH MSR7 cans, but the gain was still too much, despite it being practically silent in residual noise front.
Whoever gets one and wants to use it with headphones the feedback resistor (2.7k) is the way to change gain. Easy.
1k there will lower gain around 6.5 dB. In my case it went from 21.5 db to 15 dB, very close to what my EC has.
At some point I might evaluate gain impact on sonics, if I get bored again.

Another thing: most eBay builds have 2 pots per channel. Whoever has build with pot mounted before upper output transistor/current source (680 ohms in below diagram) can tweak quiescent current. Headphones probably don't need 2 A of current to behave. I found 1 A to be sweetspot, but that's probably because my psu filter capacitance is limiting ripple (that's trash bin build with limited parts, I'm ultra cheap when I can). You'll need multimeter tho to measure current draw. Usually bias voltage drifts after messing with it so compensate to half of psu voltage difference from input bias network.

2SC5200 can handle way more with my beefy heat sinks, when I get to the point I have speakers ready, I will squeeze all the juice out of these and overkill the psu side like I always do.
Anyways I'm gonna build couple of more of those magnificent amps. Search for solid state office hp amp is pretty much over for me this time.
With recent tweaks it's certainly my fav solid state that I have tried, and not by a hair. Actually, it leaves many reasonable tubed amps to dust for my sensibles.

 

Contacted the seller and was recommended this one instead of two separate power and headphone amps.
This one seems copied version of Krell KSA-5 and has different internal parts and structure all together.
Good thing is that it comes with both headphone & power amp combo but not sure how it compete with JLH1969 Hood as Power Amplifier

 

If it is indeed KSA-5 clone then it's very different amp. I suspect it sounds different too being what I can see a Class A-B output, servo-ed dc-coupled amp with regulated psu-s. Much more complex.

 

It's not a clone, because the PCB layout is different. I can't also tell if they're using the same parts. Overall the original KSA-5 and the Gilmore Klone were pretty good amps which could go toe to toe with best in solid state. I do remember KG saying that driving speaker loads with them wouldn't be too good.

 

Toe-to-toe is kinda overstating it IMO. It is a decent bargain, but it lacks in a number of areas to really pretend to the status of TOTL (which it doesn't anyway).

It is a rather soft sounding amp, for starters and that reflects on its microdynamics capability for example.

 

Description seems similar to the Sugden A21 I've used, which is also a JLH derivation. Not the last word in clarity or bass control, but the amp just seemed to say I'm here to let you enjoy music. Temperature wise it was the hottest running solid state amp I've ever used.

 

Mine was the version before that one, it was 25 watts, paid 1500 new. The Chinese one seems like an affordable way to get a taste of the classic class A sound.

 

I'm thinking of acquiring this amp and I found a different version of the nobsound/breeze audio Aliexpress one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/132235881648
Was this one ruled out because of the sound or because nobody knew about it?
If nobody heard it but people with the habit of making amp/diy are seeing this post, I'll love to hear their input between the two amps, components wise.

 

It likely uses fake output transistors. Most of the famous 'audio grade' Japanese transistors have been counterfeit, so be vary. Kit that uses TTC5200 or any of the updated ones is probably less likely faked, so maybe try one that uses those, or the 2N3055 version. Even with the fakes it probably still sounds good, it's not super picky about the op transistor with that little power.
(When soldering iron is not too scary you can always order genuine parts and replace, a few $ + few tens of $ for good input caps and you've got a world class amp for almost pocket change.)

 

Is this an integrated with one input or a power amp with Pot? Can you use a preamp with It?

 

On my radar for measurements.

 

I'm going to get the dedicated headphone amp because it's too cheap to pass up.

Does anyone know anything about the following design though?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Sin...-32-300-ohm-headset-3W-Class/32826509989.html

 

Are you familiar with the sound of the original?

 

This 1969 Amp is getting evolved. Just found the latest version.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Lat...32814687981.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.pxv8Fv

Is it just me that this reminds me Schiit Vidar with volume knob in terms of look?

 

A lot of amps have heatsinks on the sides with an aluminum front plate.

 

Would be interested to try one for giggles but $70 shipping for $180 amp? Does China not subsidize large parcels..