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  »  New  Super Melquiades Amplifier...  About the Super Melquiades Bass....  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     29  268566  07-16-2005
  »  New  Fun with transformers?..  Re: An amplifier is not a subject but a service.....  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     7  93223  10-21-2005
  »  New  Building Melquiades: Chronicle of full-range..  VR2 issue leading to jump in current on 6C33 tube...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     44  411245  06-09-2006
  »  New  5 Channel Version of Melquiades..  Very easy....  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     21  240760  07-23-2006
  »  New  RAAL “Water Drop” tweeter for Macondo...  Your comment takes me by surprise...  Horn-Loaded Speakers Forum     77  892612  02-16-2007
  »  New  The one-stage Melquiades...  It's time, what amorphous opt...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     74  654122  04-21-2007
  »  New  The single-stage Milq and power Supplies...  Just the tank...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     10  95555  05-03-2007
  »  New  A DSET is better then an expensive SET..  DIY Stradivarius...  Audio For Dummies ™  Forum     41  374057  09-21-2007
  »  New  Amplification and Consciousness...  Freedom of expression vs. something to say...  Playback Listening  Forum     15  108493  01-07-2008
  »  New  My (Amplification + Acoustic System): what is next?..  Macondo and Melquiades in the NEW room....  Audio Discussions  Forum     41  300966  01-10-2008
  »  New  All Active! A DSET and multi-way acoustic system...  Hahaha...  Audio Discussions  Forum     14  119434  01-31-2008
  »  New  The Melquiades' "Remote Biasing"..  The Melquiades' "Remote Biasing"...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     0  22211  02-05-2008
  »  New  A proper implementation of low-pass filters..  Low Pass...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     4  50694  02-18-2008
  »  New  Incorporating active crossovers into DSET..  Thanks...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     2  43916  07-22-2008
  »  New  Single-stage Melquiades vs. DHT amps..  A hallucination?...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     397  3494166  11-22-2008
  »  New  If you’re multiamping then use passive-line lever cross..  Crossover and DSET?...  Audio For Dummies ™  Forum     3  52379  01-21-2009
  »  New  The DSET perspective examines the Herb Reichert article..  Are you still in Reutlingen, Germany?...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     5  93789  07-01-2009
  »  New  Training amplifiers..  The Milq's demands for burning...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     16  118198  03-20-2006
  »  New  Think ahead how to measure the DSETs gain...  The calibration mode is for DSETs not for SET....  Audio For Dummies ™  Forum     2  30273  09-17-2009
  »  New  Amplifiers heat… a real-estate solution?..  I have seen this simular concept...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     1  24258  09-18-2009
  »  New  About DSET-driven multi-way acoustic system maintenance..  About DSET-driven multi-way acoustic system maintenance...  Horn-Loaded Speakers Forum     0  24803  11-01-2009
  »  New  Thomas Mayer’s Triamp..  It is much more then juts "properly calculated and...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     2  38308  03-03-2010
01-28-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,049
Joined on 05-27-2004

Post #: 121
Post ID: 6473
Reply to: 6404
The ridicules Nichicon capacitors.

Here is a stupid need of DIY audio level. As many of you know am big lover of Nichicon electrolytic capacitors, even their lowers grade sounds right to me and never made to think about anything better. Still the Nichicon never stopped to surprise me.

In Super Milq I have a first caps in the B+ of the first stage supply. It is 100uF, nothing special. I use usually regular LK line, which is base commercial grade. However, I make a stupid mistake and instead of 450V put there 250V/100uF cap. The voltage after the bridge is 440V with 115V on primary. Now I have much high voltage in mains that make on secondary 475V… and it is all loaded after a choke with 73 DCR to a …250V capacitor? So, what do you think happed when I connected it? Well, it is not only nothing happened but…. I realized that it was running like this for a week!!!! Wow!!! The heat off to the Nichicon Corporation and their capacitors!

The caT


"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
01-28-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Paul S
San Diego, California, USA
Posts 2,570
Joined on 10-12-2006

Post #: 122
Post ID: 6474
Reply to: 6473
Great, yes, but hardly a "sleeper"
Of course you know,Romy, but others may not know/remember that Nichicon have always had great specs, and years ago they were a "secret weapon" in the high end.

But lots of the DIY guys are computer geeks in their day jobs, and The Story is that Nichicon had a couple of bad batches of caps that fried some serious computers, in fact whole lines of computers, and that has hurt their reputation and their sales, to this day.

The irony is that one never knows how much substance there really is to such stories.

Still, ripple specs for their top caps are off the charts, so it's not like you're using cheap-o, off-brand stuff from a surplus store, like those old motor run caps, etc.

BTW, I admit that I also went off them after "The Troubles".

And when I finally took the lid off the iDAT 44+, what do you think John Wright uses? (one guess)

Best,
Paul S
01-31-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,049
Joined on 05-27-2004

Post #: 123
Post ID: 6513
Reply to: 6416
The “new” Melquiades Sound

I am kind of at lost, as what is doing on with my playback is surprising to me. With a pair of new 6-ch Milqs, more or less acceptably calibrated (but not perfectly), the system begin to throw some very astonishing effects, so astonishing that I am very convinced that had I never heard Sound like this nether from my playback nor from any other playbacks . The “new Sound” is not “goo electricity” related as I know what comes from electricity – what I am getting now is not that.  The new 12 channels of dedicated amps, direct driving Macondo’s channels made some extremely profound “strategic” advancements within Second Level of listening perception:

 http://www.GoodSoundClub.com/TreeItem.aspx?PostID=59 

I do not know what responsible for it – lowering of intermodulation distortions or anything else but the fact of recent huge positive changes is undeniable. I will post in future some thoughts about some specifies of that “new sound” but for now I would like to chew upon what I am getting from the playback.

The caT


"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
02-02-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,049
Joined on 05-27-2004

Post #: 124
Post ID: 6536
Reply to: 6513
The New Milq DSET, some comments about Sound

Something had changed very positively with multi-amping. I am not quite sure if it is because the full multi-amping of the specific of the implementation but it is what it is. The entire dynamic relationship between volume of a given tone and the tone’s vibrant properties become much more remarkable. There are many other inversing observations about the new Milq sound, and they relay keep me in unexpectedly-delighted state, but at this point I would like to accent this one: Melquiades got smarter.

If you read the few comments below (let try my new search engine):

http://www.romythecat.com/GetPost.aspx?PostID=4247

http://www.romythecat.com/GetPost.aspx?PostID=3207

http://www.romythecat.com/GetPost.aspx?PostID=6048

http://www.romythecat.com/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?postID=672

http://www.romythecat.com/GetPost.aspx?PostID=2091

http://www.romythecat.com/GetPost.aspx?PostID=1816

..and many other comments from the period when I was discovering Milq’s sound then you remember that one of the most remarkable and distinctive characteristic of the Melquiades amplifier I consider something the I called Milq’s “Dynamic Viscosity” and the “Volume Intelligence”. It means that Melquiades has own intellect that knows how to react to soft and to loud passages differently. It is all comes from the bias of 6E5P/6E6P but the technicalities are not subject of this post. So, Milq’s driver stage kind of self-adjusts itself and reacts differently to loud and soft moments of music and the driver stage somehow implements the velocity of changes of loudness VERY differently than any other amplifier I am familiar.

I have to make a comment here. I certainly can say any BS about Melquiades. Very few people ever heard driving properly loaded and practically no one build Milq out there. So, I can go away with any of my drooling, even foolish, about actual or imaginary advances of Melquiades Sound. Well, whatever it is. The Milq is publicly available, feel free to accuse me in laying. However, do not approach Milq from the position of senseless stupid engendering of from a position of DIYAudio counselor – I will send you to fuck yourself and it will be the only activities you will be qualify to do in audio. Many of you have been doing it for years, despite of “30 year of experience” and own sense of audio pretentiousness…

So, the “Dynamic Viscosity” and the “Volume Intelligence” is the very kinky keys of the Melquiades sound but what have happened with it in the 6-Chennal Melquiades DSET?

Well, the amplitude of the Milq’s Viscose Intelligence got wider and the Volume Intelligence have increased it’s range. Before Milq was able to cared loud passages with force and aggressiveness if the music called upon the aggressiveness but at the same time Milq was able to be very gentle and very considering when music called for placidness and softness. Now, with 6-Chennal Milq DSET the forcefulness of the higher dynamic range got multiplied by a very large number. That is itself is a phenomenal think but along with advances in vigor at upper dynamic range the amp go absolutely stunning sense of effortless of getting there. The musical crashes got cleaner, less confusing but at the same time much more intense and more passionate. Perhaps it relates to loosing intermediations via multi-amping of perhaps it is because the way “cleaner” sound from upper channels… I do not know. It is kind of interesting, the upper channels during loud passages sound almost “thin” but as soon I inject more second harmonic into them I realized that it is not “thinness” but a very new level of cleanness. Balancing that new “clean” MF/HF sound with proper lower MF and Fundamentals super I got so slick sound at orchestral crashes that I make me audio-ecstatic…

OK, from another side there are low-level soft signals… I have no idea why but the low level discrimination of details went way over the roof. Even at 16 bit if I go for -50-60dB signals they suddenly became to sound with unseen character and unseen temperament. It looks like Milq, even at the level where  16 bit begin to bare itself into nose grabs the information and pamper it with some kind of special attention. I found myself during the last few days to drive my high voltage output DAC to drive wide opened New Milq and playing music recorded at very low level (opening of Pathétique, opening of the Saint-Saëns last symphony, some Mahler, etc…). I was surprised again and again how Milq could dive into depth of dynamic range and search there for even of its attention…

However, the most stunning thing is HOW Milq moves across the dynamic range – it does it in a way how it wants and I love each second of it. It is hard to explain and it needs to be experienced. It does not do it too fast (typical for OTLs and another crap) or too slow (typical for DHT with overloaded driver stage). Milq does it with own pace, the pace that Milq chose for itself at given moment… according to the current musical volume and the dominating frequency range. Absolutely amassing feeling, particularly taking in account the Macondo/Milq tonal pyrotechnics…

Let me in the end give you an association about the Melquiades “Dynamic Viscosity” and “Volume Intelligence”. Pretended that you are at the bottom of a tall building and somebody throws a very fragile glass vase to you. The mass of the vase is 1Kg, you need to catch and your task is to ketch it at minimum distance from ground. If you catch it too high then the vase will be stopped to high ground and it you catch it too low than you will have too little space to apply the necessary contra-inertia movement and the vase will be cracking in your hands. You have eventually figure out how to catch the vases and how slow down their fall in order to keep them from cracking and in order to stop them as close to ground as possible. Now it is not just 1Kg vase is thrown but many different vases with different masses. This time you need to moderate dynamically the elevation where you catch the vases and the strength you need to apply in your hands in order to compensate the mass inertia, still keeping the slowing down of the vases with the acceptable G- acceleration             that the fragile glass would be able to survive. Now, If you got what I meant and understood all my misspellings, then you have a basic understanding how Melquiades “Dynamic Viscosity” and “Volume Intelligence” might sound.

Rgs,
Romy the caT


"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
02-02-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Paul S
San Diego, California, USA
Posts 2,570
Joined on 10-12-2006

Post #: 125
Post ID: 6537
Reply to: 6536
Multiple Sweet Spots = 1 Big One

Well, as I understood it the strategy from the beginning was to use a number of specialized/optimized "channels" working together as opposed to the usual single amp or two amps for FR, and from your descriptions above it seems like you're getting what you sought, along with some bonuses.  No doubt the specialization has factored large, but in looking at the schemos for both the amps themselves and their power supplies, they are pretty sophisticated, as well.  Nor did you stinge on transformers...

Not to rush your exposition, but how are LF and HF now, and how is channel/channels integration?

What are you using for pre-amp chores?

Have you tried phono sources yet?

BTW, Congratulations!

Best regards,
Paul S

02-02-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,049
Joined on 05-27-2004

Post #: 126
Post ID: 6538
Reply to: 6537
Nope, it's just digital so far.

 Paul S wrote:
What are you using for pre-amp chores?

Have you tried phono sources yet?

I do not use analog for now, since my preamp is being rebuilt, I hope I will have it back this week. Well, I was listening today the life MET’s broadcast of Die Walküre with Lorin Maazel conducting (it was very good BTW) but it was as much “analog” as I can afford now. The New Milq DSET is 5K load and very complex load, my phonostage can’t drive it. My 7788 phonostage is around 1K output impedance and the “End of the Live Phonostage” is about 300R. They are both capacitance-coupled with 2uF… My digital on the other hands can handle the New Milq. Bidat has 40R out impedance, Lavry is somewhere there as well, and the Pacific is 20R. Ether of them drives the bid Milq with no problems.

The caT


"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
07-02-2009 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,049
Joined on 05-27-2004

Post #: 127
Post ID: 10965
Reply to: 6422
The 6-Ch Melquiades DSET full circuit updated
fiogf49gjkf0d
 Romy the Cat wrote:

Here are the basics of the 6-Chennal Melquiades DSET Amplifier complete, without secondary features.

http://www.RomyTheCat.com/PDF/6-Chennal_Melquiades_DSET_Amplifier.pdf

The pre-final version of the 6-Ch Melquiades DSET if modified from former version to embrace the DHT double-stager for MF, HF modification, changes in power supplies and a few other minor changes. Still, am looking for bugs on the drawing before I convert it into a final PDF format.

6-Chennal_Melquiades_DSET_Amplifier_Rev3.jpg




"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
12-08-2014 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
anthony
Posts 335
Joined on 08-18-2014

Post #: 128
Post ID: 21381
Reply to: 10965
Upperbass crossover
fiogf49gjkf0d
Romy, I appreciate that this is an old thread now and that you may not remember everything from your time developing these amplifiers, but I have a (hopefully) simple question about the upperbass crossover in the schematic above.  All other channels have crossovers that are rather straight forward: bass is a low pass RC filter; Fundamentals is a RCL bandpass filter; MF is RL high pass filter; HF is a third order T Section high pass filter; but the Upperbass Channel as I read it is a RC low pass filter only (bandpass is required) within the first stage bias.  Are you relying on the coupling cap (0.022uF) to act as your high pass filter for Upperbass? 

Regards,

Anthony

PS: I am a newcomer to amplifier circuits, but several things have fallen into place reading through your site, and I much appreciate your efforts in making this all public.
12-08-2014 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,049
Joined on 05-27-2004

Post #: 129
Post ID: 21382
Reply to: 21381
The Milq upperbass crossover.
fiogf49gjkf0d
 anthony wrote:
Romy, I appreciate that this is an old thread now and that you may not remember everything from your time developing these amplifiers, but I have a (hopefully) simple question about the upperbass crossover in the schematic above.  All other channels have crossovers that are rather straight forward: bass is a low pass RC filter; Fundamentals is a RCL bandpass filter; MF is RL high pass filter; HF is a third order T Section high pass filter; but the Upperbass Channel as I read it is a RC low pass filter only (bandpass is required) within the first stage bias.  Are you relying on the coupling cap (0.022uF) to act as your high pass filter for Upperbass? 
 
Yes, Anthony, the upperbass crossover is bandpass. The filters that is integrated with bias is low pass with voltage divider (effectively a resistor) and cap to ground. This filter squeeze the range from 500Hz and above.  Generally using this filter the upperbass that I have (Fane Studio 8M in 36" Tratrix)  and in context presents of Fundamental Channel is now a good idea as Fane will drive HF too much over this very shallow filter. However, it would be the care of passive filters and the inductance of Fane would compromise the filter. My filter is line-level filter and even if I use a series indictor (I would not use it as I like subtraction filters that I use all over Milq) then the indictor will not "see" the speaker coil. Ideally I would like to see in there slightly sharper crossover at upper knee. I did experiment in there a second order and it was too not bad. However, on the long run I felt that the slower filter would be more suitable. I think if we were talking about rock-n-roll-type crap then probably I would stick to second order. Anyhow, as you said, the coupling cap is high pass, unloading the unwanted LF from the horn. It is controversial if a second order would be better choice for this high pass. I can argue both sides. In context of my relatively large room I do not think it is practically critical.


"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
06-10-2015 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,049
Joined on 05-27-2004

Post #: 130
Post ID: 21696
Reply to: 4973
Super Milq 6 channels diaries: 8 years later.…
fiogf49gjkf0d
Last night I push the pedal on my left channel Milq and it was no invents. I tested the voltage and it was up, the fuses are also in place and operational. So, I presume that my left Milq is sick, probably something in PS section. That sucks at so many levels! Since the fuses are alive I presume that the pulse relay that serve the pedal went down… I can express how much I do not have time to deal with it….
 


"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
06-11-2015 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
rowuk


Germany
Posts 438
Joined on 07-05-2012

Post #: 131
Post ID: 21699
Reply to: 21696
Alligator clips will do in a pinch....
fiogf49gjkf0d
Many things in life are solvable by short circuiting them.


Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.
08-06-2017 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree
Romy the Cat


Boston, MA
Posts 10,049
Joined on 05-27-2004

Post #: 132
Post ID: 23358
Reply to: 4973
The first Milq screw up.
I am looking at my posts at the forum and am trying to figure out when the 6-ch Milq as made. I think it was during the late 2007 beginning of 2008. Well, the Super Melquiades then is 10-year-old then…. 
 
One way or another I got my first screw up a couple of week back. A local guy to listen my playback and informed me that my right tweeters is not working. It was working 2 weeks before but not then. It took for a while to figure out the it was the fault of my assembling. The FH filter, a big and bulky was soldered to a contact of the step attenuator and was left is a stressed position. The gravity over the years broke down the soldered connection and the filter just lost the connection with the signal path. A good lesson. 
 
The interesting part is that I have noted that somehow, I have HF deficiency but since I know that nothing change I attributed my feeling to sleep deprivation or sonic paranoia… At the very same time I was shocked how stunning Macondo suddenly begin to image. They all are very connected things…


"I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche
Page 7 of 7 (132 items) Select Pages:  « First ... « 3 4 5 6 7
   Target    Threads for related reading   Most recent post in related threads   Forum  Replies   Views   Started 
  »  New  Super Melquiades Amplifier...  About the Super Melquiades Bass....  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     29  268566  07-16-2005
  »  New  Fun with transformers?..  Re: An amplifier is not a subject but a service.....  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     7  93223  10-21-2005
  »  New  Building Melquiades: Chronicle of full-range..  VR2 issue leading to jump in current on 6C33 tube...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     44  411245  06-09-2006
  »  New  5 Channel Version of Melquiades..  Very easy....  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     21  240760  07-23-2006
  »  New  RAAL “Water Drop” tweeter for Macondo...  Your comment takes me by surprise...  Horn-Loaded Speakers Forum     77  892612  02-16-2007
  »  New  The one-stage Melquiades...  It's time, what amorphous opt...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     74  654122  04-21-2007
  »  New  The single-stage Milq and power Supplies...  Just the tank...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     10  95555  05-03-2007
  »  New  A DSET is better then an expensive SET..  DIY Stradivarius...  Audio For Dummies ™  Forum     41  374057  09-21-2007
  »  New  Amplification and Consciousness...  Freedom of expression vs. something to say...  Playback Listening  Forum     15  108493  01-07-2008
  »  New  My (Amplification + Acoustic System): what is next?..  Macondo and Melquiades in the NEW room....  Audio Discussions  Forum     41  300966  01-10-2008
  »  New  All Active! A DSET and multi-way acoustic system...  Hahaha...  Audio Discussions  Forum     14  119434  01-31-2008
  »  New  The Melquiades' "Remote Biasing"..  The Melquiades' "Remote Biasing"...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     0  22211  02-05-2008
  »  New  A proper implementation of low-pass filters..  Low Pass...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     4  50694  02-18-2008
  »  New  Incorporating active crossovers into DSET..  Thanks...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     2  43916  07-22-2008
  »  New  Single-stage Melquiades vs. DHT amps..  A hallucination?...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     397  3494166  11-22-2008
  »  New  If you’re multiamping then use passive-line lever cross..  Crossover and DSET?...  Audio For Dummies ™  Forum     3  52379  01-21-2009
  »  New  The DSET perspective examines the Herb Reichert article..  Are you still in Reutlingen, Germany?...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     5  93789  07-01-2009
  »  New  Training amplifiers..  The Milq's demands for burning...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     16  118198  03-20-2006
  »  New  Think ahead how to measure the DSETs gain...  The calibration mode is for DSETs not for SET....  Audio For Dummies ™  Forum     2  30273  09-17-2009
  »  New  Amplifiers heat… a real-estate solution?..  I have seen this simular concept...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     1  24258  09-18-2009
  »  New  About DSET-driven multi-way acoustic system maintenance..  About DSET-driven multi-way acoustic system maintenance...  Horn-Loaded Speakers Forum     0  24803  11-01-2009
  »  New  Thomas Mayer’s Triamp..  It is much more then juts "properly calculated and...  Melquiades Amplifier  Forum     2  38308  03-03-2010
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