New D-lator build 3 test configurations

[erwin_ve]

Just tested them at moderate volume.
First impression: They sound/feel very different.

Xicon MPP; couldnt get it smooth, maybe at higher volumes. Lows were not tight.

Orange drop 6PS/225P: Lower volumes were same as Xicon MPP. At moderate volume lows got more tight and highs were smoothed out. Nice mid range!

Cornell Dubilier CDE DME: Smooth at all volumes, these caps produced the most tight lows. Less pronounced mids compared to the Orange drops. Did I mentioned these caps are really smooth?

Coming weeks I'm gonna test them in real life. Keep you posted

[bluesfendermanblues]

Really exiting research. It will be interesting to see how they differ after burn-in period is over.

[erwin_ve]

I have a bad day: turns out on 2 dlators the bright switches at the output section were shorting, I had to disconnect them otherwise the bright caps are constantly on.
The dlators affected: with Xicon and with Orange drops.

Xicons are smooth now too
Orange drops still got the pronounced nice midrange.
The CDE are the closest to the Orange drops but still have the tightest bass response

[talbany]

Erwin

Hey I see you stole my name .... Percolator!!! I expect royalties!! LOL!! Just kidding.. Very nice builds!!


Tony VVT

[erwin_ve]

Erwin

Hey I see you stole my name .... Percolator!!! I expect royalties!! LOL!! Just kidding.. Very nice builds!!
Tony VVT

Hi Tony,

I thought that was a funny name; for a real brown sound
A while ago there was a topic where the name "Percolator" was dropped, kudos to you Tony

[talbany]

Yeah! it is a funny name and glad you used it.. Thanks and good luck with all your builds...



T

[dave g]

Are you using three different 12AX7s (one for each Dlator)? You should use only one tube and swap it out between each loop.

Also, did you measure the pots and make sure they were all very close? Same with caps, resistors, transformer voltage, and lead dress

If you did all that, then great! I am excited as well to hear about the differences. But unless the make of the capacitors is the ONE and ONLY variable, the results of this experiment are pretty meaningless...

[Zippy]

Are you using three different 12AX7s (one for each Dlator)? You should use only one tube and swap it out between each loop.

Or swap all your tubes around and see whether the character of each varies.

Even if you don't have everything within 1%, I would not call this a meaningless effort. Quite the contrary. It just needs a lil' more exercise.

[erwin_ve]

Are you using three different 12AX7s (one for each Dlator)? You should use only one tube and swap it out between each loop.

Also, did you measure the pots and make sure they were all very close? Same with caps, resistors, transformer voltage, and lead dress

If you did all that, then great! I am excited as well to hear about the differences. But unless the make of the capacitors is the ONE and ONLY variable, the results of this experiment are pretty meaningless...

Hi Dave,

Thnx for your input; I did measure all resistors. I did with some caps, but not all Tranny voltages are going to be measured. Tubes are all JJ, because they have a certain constant quality.
You are right ; I should measure all variables.

Meaningless; I understand you have a good experience in building amps; is the soundcharacter of a cap not recognisable to you?

[jelle]

The only way to do this is to test the caps in the same dator. Your leaddress varies a lot too.

So use one dator.
One amp and one recording set.

Do not touch the amp and recorderset.

Only change the caps. Do not even change the settings on the Dator.

Then do tests and record this with all 3 caps in place.

Compare the recordings. And do not forget to blind yourself.

This is the only way to do this reliably. Yes, I'm a scientist!

Good luck!

Jelle

[erwin_ve]

Lead dress is exactly the same on all 3, the gut shots were taken right after soldering.
I stand corrected . This is not a test anymore. Iwill sell them asap.
Why on earth do you guys use a certain brand of coupling cap?

[dave g]

I don't use the word "meaningless" to offend you - I use it to illustrate the fact that if all other variables besides the brand of cap used are not properly controlled, then any sonic differences that you perceive cannot be confidently attributed to the caps. So in that case you would really have no idea if the differences you hear are actually due to the caps or due to other factors - hence, your conclusions would be just that: meaningless.

To answer your other question, in all honesty I hear just as much variation between caps of the same manufacturer as I do between different manufacturers. If you actually open up any old orange drop cap you will see that they are actually pretty shitty in construction quality. Most caps do not have the leads soldered on; rather, a bit of foil sticks out on either end of the film, and it is then crumpled up and the lead just jammed into the foil.

I have given a lot of thought to making my own caps.

[erwin_ve]

For now I have my own conclusions. But to make sure if my perceptions are right, I will do as Jelle suggested.

In about 2 weeks I have a spare day where I will abuse just one of the Dlators; recording, desoldering, resoldering, measuring with all of the 3 caps mentioned.

[Structo]

Yes, but you will have to measure the weight of the solder on each joint to rule out any conduction enhancement in the joints.

Just joking, you are doing a splendid job.

Do you have any spring clips? or Fahnstock clips you could solder to the board then just clip in the various resistors without soldering them.

[jezzbo]

Erwin,

Great project, very nice!
Did you made those eyeletboards yourself?

Uw zuiderbuur,

Jesse