EC Aficionado (was: The Studio Jr.)

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by AppleheadMay, Nov 10, 2015.

  1. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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  2. Thenewerguy009

    Thenewerguy009 Friend

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    This should be considered for amps makers that have a lot of DIY owners that like to mod
    https://i.imgur.com/EIdECjj.jpg
    Much easier to test out caps.
     
  3. Boops

    Boops Friend

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    Thought this might be of interest to other AF owners: a nice post on 2A3s by Thomas Mayer, amplifier designer/builder and owner of ELROG the German new production tube manufacturer. It's a brief overview with a lot of detailed photos of many of the different types/makes of NOS 2A3s.

    http://vinylsavor.blogspot.com/2018/03/tube-of-month-2a3.html

    His company, incidentally, doesn't make 2A3s but his other tubes are beautiful and expensive.
     
  4. raif

    raif Man made lobster/plankton

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    So.... not to make this a “other site” thread, but I am stoked, I have been eyeballing EC for over 10 years... finally pulled the trigger.

    Just put in my deposit. Now to start obsessing about toobz...
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2018
  5. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Ask Craig for to see if he can add the Jupiter caps for the interstage. Make it easy for him: buy the caps yourself and send them to him.

    This alone provides the best upgrade. More body, yet greater clarity, more impact, and better microdynamics.

    Leave everything else alone. Other tweaks to cathode bypass caps, etc. ruins the sound.
     
  6. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Do I need to send my Aficionado back for an Analog 2 upgrade?

    Can I just install them myself?
     
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Super easy to do yourself.

    IMG_20180406_200125.jpg
     
  8. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Well I'll be ordering some of those. Where is the best place to get them?
     
  9. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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  10. JoshMorr

    JoshMorr Friend

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  11. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Thanks guys. Is the price difference due to the tighter tolerance?
     
  12. JoshMorr

    JoshMorr Friend

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    Price difference is due to different sized caps
     
  13. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Different value. 0.022uf will not work. 0.1uF or higher is needed. 0.22uF is more than needed (already tried higher values, doesn't make a difference).

    The amp was always meant to have the Jupiters, that is until @Hands got me scared they they might melt. They won't. The internal temps are super cool (as we can see, there is a ton of room inside, and the caps are far away from anything that would generate heat.) Also, the Jupiters are super pricey - it would not have allowed Craig to hit the sub $3k price for the first run.
     
  14. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    Marv, have you compared Duelands, Jupiters or Audyn Copper Max?

    AFAIK, it was the older beeswax Jupiter’s that had melting issues. I don’t believe the new ones suffer from this problem.
     
  15. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Yup, so just the pair? Aficionado runs very cool by comparison to Zana Deux. I couldn't use that amp except in the winter.

    And should I bother with matching?
     
  16. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Only Copper, not Copper max. Hated the Audyn Copper on the AF. I didn't buy the Duelands because the equivalent part for CAST Cu/Ag is $250 a piece. You guys are free to try though. Keep in mind that mounting will probably require a 3M cable tie and base.
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2018
  17. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    Yeah Dueland pricing is absurd. Additionally, they're incredibly large for any application I would have likes to try them in, in the past (no idea how'd they'd fit in AF).
     
  18. BillOhio

    BillOhio Friend

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    Does anybody have an opinion as to if the Duelands sound any better?
     
  19. Druid

    Druid Hyperactive Tree

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    OMG I'm going to have to learn how to solder, aren't I. :eek:
     
  20. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    It's easy. Trust me.

    [​IMG]

    Don't get fancy with it. Some 60/40 solder and a cheap iron can get you by. YouTube vids for instruction. If you are going to be doing soldering all day, get a Hakko. Watch Tyll's Bottlehead Crack assembly video, it has good tips.
     

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