"Shortest Way" SW51 Amp Impressions (Simple SET Amp)

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Hands, Jul 12, 2019.

  1. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2018
    Likes Received:
    10,517
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Palms Of The Coasts, FL
    Quick Q @Zampotech, will you let us know when someone's amp is ship out via email?
     
  2. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    4,195
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Moskou
    Home Page:

    Yes, of course, I always send track codes
     
  3. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2018
    Likes Received:
    10,517
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Palms Of The Coasts, FL
    Cool, in the US anything with EMS requires a signature and the local Post Office is having a field day due to Covid-19. Thanks!
     
  4. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    4,195
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Moskou
    Home Page:
    Overall status of the SW51 project

    Dear friends, today I conducted a General analysis of the state of the SW51 project

    Conclusions:

    1. All paid amplifiers are manufactured and awaiting shipment
    2. All new, but not paid orders are taken into account and will be manufactured
    3. Potentially free amplifiers can be 22 pieces. After that, the production of the amplifier in this version will be discontinued. Reason: the company that produces the housing is not able to produce caps for transformers. Their specialized machines are busy making something very important until November 2020.
    4. Technical support and warranty service of the amplifiers will not be discontinued.
    5. Unpleasant moment. The production time of new amplifiers after payment increases to 8-9 weeks.
    6. Amplifiers of previous batches have knobs of this type. They are not available to me now.


    [​IMG]

    New amplifiers will have knobs of this type. I already have samples, they are similar to the knobs of ZDT-Jr, but a little smaller.

    [​IMG]

    Possible directions for continuing the SW51 project:

    1. Changing the housing, without changing the electrical part. Probably the cost will not differ much from the basic SW51+
    2. Production of SW51 in a new housing and with new transformers. The new transformers will have new cores with high-line magnetic material. Such an amplifier will be noticeably more expensive.

    I will be glad to hear your opinion.
     
  5. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2018
    Likes Received:
    10,517
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Palms Of The Coasts, FL
    How much more if you decide to go with the second option?
     
  6. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    4,195
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Moskou
    Home Page:
    Not ready to answer. I don't know three factors: the cost of a new case (I assume using wood), the cost of magnetic cores (the supplier of cores asked to wait for an answer before opening the enterprise) , and the cost of winding transformers (the method of winding these transformers is more complicated than usual)

    So far this is just a project
     
  7. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2017
    Likes Received:
    10,961
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Philippines, The
    I'd be sad to miss this model, which seems increasingly likely given how things seem to be running around madly lately, but a potentially improved version down the line for more money seems... fair! Excellent even! Given how some of the harder to please ears around here have given this box high praise, comparing it to kilobuck models, then I'm excited to see how much more can be eked out with tweaked components.
     
  8. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    4,195
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Moskou
    Home Page:
    There is no bad without good. A year after the end of production of the basic S W 51 on the secondary market their value will soar and they will be auctioned in Sotheby's

    This is of course an immodest joke:)
     
  9. Brian D

    Brian D Facebook Friend

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2017
    Likes Received:
    175
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Arizona
    I've actually been kicking around the idea of buying a second SW51, I just haven't settled on it. It's safe to say I would absolutely be very interested in further developments of this design, with a desire for the second option preferred. As far as I can see anything up to a doubling of the price would still be a very good deal. This amp is a stone bargain.
     
  10. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,750
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Calgary, Alberta
    Home Page:
    I know this is a budget amp so this might not make sense or not make a markedly large improvement over the current SW51+...but what about Lundahl transformers for this application?
     
  11. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    An option to upgrade an existing SW51+ to the newest transformers would be great as well.

    Any estimate for pricing regarding the cost of the new transformer?
     
  12. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    4,195
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Moskou
    Home Page:
    Not yet. The manufacturer of cores is now stopped. I hope to get all the information from them after may 12

    Lundahl are excellent transformers, but they are extremely expensive. Their product range does not include a transformer suitable for SW51. I tried to contact the American firm Edcor, but they did not respond.
     
  13. FatCat

    FatCat New

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2018
    Likes Received:
    54
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    Massachusetts
    Since there will already be a price increase and new transformers, would the addition of a constant current source in the SW51 be a viable upgrade option?
     
  14. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    4,195
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Moskou
    Home Page:

    Do you mean the DC bias protection filter? If so, you've given me a great idea.
     
  15. FatCat

    FatCat New

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2018
    Likes Received:
    54
    Trophy Points:
    13
    Location:
    Massachusetts
    I mean something similar to Bottleheads Camille Cascode Constant Current Source in the Crack, although I'm excited to hear your idea if I understand what you are suggesting. Are you thinking about adding more voltage regulation?
     
  16. Zampotech

    Zampotech Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2018
    Likes Received:
    4,195
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Moskou
    Home Page:
    I understand you. There is no need for a current source in the amplifier. It is built so that the sound passes only the tube and the transformer. It doesn't even have pass-through capacitors.
     
  17. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,750
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Calgary, Alberta
    Home Page:
    Dang that's too bad. Might be worth checking in again. Cinemag, Jensen, Sowter, Triode Electronics are other good brands but I honestly don't know if they'd be an improvement. Course you could go super baller and spring for Hashimotos ha
     
  18. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2015
    Likes Received:
    5,773
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    small island claimed by China
    This gives me a great idea for what to do with the rubber sheets I got for my HD800 mod ... Thanks!
     
  19. Mordy

    Mordy Acquaintance

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2015
    Likes Received:
    63
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Have you looked into getting transformers from Poland? -Just a suggestion......
     
  20. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,750
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Calgary, Alberta
    Home Page:
    Agreed. TOROIDY.PL would definitely be worth investigating.
     

Share This Page