B'ASS Current Amplifier

[PeterSt]

So ... Being on the verse of diving deep into MQA, today just in time we achieved something based upon this :

But also this, which now was a matter of one attempt only, which is a bit different from the 6-7 weeks of the 3.0 version :

Ha !

Oh, if you see some "square" bends ... this is just the board separations you see. So, as told earlier (IIRC), this is actually 4 separate boards in one, with the power regulation separated from the consumers of it and left and right channel fully separated as well.

With an other tweak in mind as well now, I am going to listen to this version from now on.
Anyway, this time all worked in one go and it just felt decent right from the start.
What's also good is that all three ("G3") configurations measure exactly the same and as good.

I promised myself to give PCBWay a heads up because of the good price, and at the same time solving my most crucial problem after making a mistake myself : this arrives within a week from China ! If PCBWay read this themselves : keep up this quality and speed please !

Below a few more higher resolution pictures just because I like very much how all looks like and that it is clear that their machines can cope with much more (for precision) than I here utilized.

Peter

[CoenP]

Looks great Peter,

Unfortunately no sexy white ones so we will have to keep the lid on the NOS !

Let's put PCBWay first!

regards, Coen

[PeterSt]

Thank you Coen.

I stepped away from the white (and other colours) because I (finally) found that generally a PCB manufacturer has difficulties with colours different from the standard (green). Well, I'd have to put it like this : envision your best machines and everyting and what would you produce on those ? ... what's most asked for. You also have other machines but they are less used, and therefore also less expensive (with less capabilities).

Funny (or stupid actually) thing is that you learn such a thing from (in our case) European manufacturers of which by now a few exist as well with web ordering, which are more clear with their specs or maybe better put : more cautious. Once you know this and dig deeper in the far east producers, they too have their specs but are in the open with them or not. Fact is also that you only learn about it implicitly (end thus in the end your own fault) when you exceed the capabilities. But of course it is obvious that when you imply e.g. track spacing of 0.15mm while machines allow for 0.3mm only because of their tolerances, you are asking for trouble. So ...
From one of the European sites I learned that colours other than green are not only more expensive (this is almost always the case - btw not so with PCBWay), but have way lesser specs. And I just never knew that. But to be honest, I see no manufacturer but one write about such thing and it is only the (my own) logic which makes me think that this will be normal; I am not going to buy another 100K machine for those few who like the white better and make that a 20K machine with lesser specs (higher tolerances, thicker drilling bits, etc.).
Now I know this, it is easy to see everywhere (with automated web ordering), without reading into specs.

In the end it is even more complicated because I think that at the higher level it is about "companies" doing white or not. You might investigate "pooling". OK, I just Googled, and you might like to read this : http://www.eurocircuits.com/blog/173-The-history-of-order-pooling
Now my message : what happens behind the scenes of especially your web order, can not be seen. But for example, order something in the UK and 9 out of 10 times the order goes to China without you knowing (without deeper investigation). Anyway it comes down to the same story : the big pile of orders (now from different customers) can go to the fastest and highest capability machines. Again the (my) logic : of course this is so or otherwise the company can not receive the large "pools" because of 10% of the orders having too high specs otherwise.

As we tend to say in Dutch "hierop kan je afstuderen" (which reads something like : you can get a scholarship degree over finding this all out).

So we faught for 7 weeks with the 3.0 version, but I learned more than ever in that "short" period of time.

Regards,
Peter

[Scroobius]

There is a saying in English that most older mothers would know when choosing colour schemes in fashion or in the home and that is "Blue and Green Should Never be Seen".  MMmm ah well Coen has the answer that we will have to keep the lid on. Or maybe it is time to paint the NOS1!!

Maybe

Paul

[doublelife]

Peter,

I must admit, I'm confused! Is the B'ASS 4.1 an ongoing upgrade to the G3, or are they two different options? Also when is the ETA for the first batches of G3/4.1?

Thanks,
Paul

[PeterSt]

Paul,

The 4.1 is only the 4th (+1) attempt to get the PCB right (and B'ASS is the same as G3). And now it is working ...

Upcoming week we start production (soldering) of the PCB's and together with the other upgrades there's a LOT of work ahead for us.
ETA I did not really calculate yet, which is also related to a small pile of new DAC's which have priority over the upgrades (I hope this is logic). They are prepared as much as possible all right, but still they need their last treatment with the upgrades and testing and such.

Luckily it is really something to look forward to !

Regards,
Peter

[doublelife]

I'm sure it is something to look forward to, as I am doing now! Thanks for the update Peter.

Paul

[CoenP]

Hi Peter,

Even in 2017 you cannot treat production has an afterthought. That second industrial revolution still needs a lots of kicking in.

If green is better so be it. Looking forward to the upgrade!

regards, Coen

[JohanZ]

Hi Peter,

Waiting is difficult. Can we get an update?

Best regards Johan

[PeterSt]

Hi there Johan,

With now the backlog (of new stuff) behind us and with one more week to produce some more PCB's so we have a bit of stock off half products, coincidentally right at this moment I am arranging for the very first couple of NOS1's to upgrade which is going to happen in the course of end of next week and the week after.

And Johan, I notice that you are not on the list yet. I suppose I better do that now, right ?

Kind regards,

[PeterSt]

And Johan, I notice that you are not on the list yet. I suppose I better do that now, right ?

No, that obviously is not right, because I did not trust it and searched my emails. You ordered for an upgrade all right ...

Peter

[PeterSt]

Something else for people to remember during the waiting :

By a bit of accident, I set the SFS to 4.00 and kept the Q1=14 and xQ1 at 10. Q1 is not related much I think, but to me it is evident that this lower SFS bring "infinitely" more bass power.

Let's say that I got used to the (Q1=14 and xQ1=10 and) SFS=120 as Coen and I determined it, and it is not super obvious that you'll lose the bass to some degree. This probably is because something which doesn't jump out, also doesn't come to you as being a most clear change. The other way around does though.
Funny thing is that this change-back was incurred for by us here finding a voice not being so clear (or more strange) while the SFS=120 was applied just for that same reason (better understandable lyrics). However, today's more strange voices was in W10/10074 so we tried to get that right. Also I thought it would not matter much because it was 10074 anyway and I tested something else. Next I thought that 10074 surely must carry much more bass ... and when back in 14393.0 I started to miss that bass and thought of the SFS being set to 4.00 in 10074. So did that now in 14393.0 as well.

I can't be sure whether this makes as much difference without the B'ASS setup as well, or whether it is even more crucial - so you could try it. Thus :

Q1=14
xQ1 = 10
SFS = 4.00
ClockRes = 1
Core Assignment 3-5 (this will depend on the processor used)

Peter

[JohanZ]

You ordered for an upgrade all right ...

I certainly did!

Best Regards Johan

[Robert]

Q1=14
xQ1 = 10
SFS = 4.00
ClockRes = 1
Core Assignment 3-5 (this will depend on the processor used)

No one seems to have noticed this reply, but I have tried it and it does lift the bass as you describe. Certainly changes things tonally but dulls the sound slightly. Takes some life out of cymbals and even bass. I think its a backward step worth trying. I need to try different settings myself with SFS.


Robert

[manisandher]

The design
...
The output level is now 1dB more.

Peter, I've just bought a new pair of tube amps which I'm quite prepared to say are the best sounding amps I've ever owned. However, they have very low gain. With my B75 connected directly to them, I'm playing music anywhere between -6dB and -1.5dB, and that's with my 109dB/W horns. I have a few tracks that I'm currently not getting as loud as I'd like.

The extra 1dB you mentioned will be very welcome, but an extra 6dB would be ideal in my case. Is there any chance this might at all be possible (obviously without a total redesign of any boards or anything like that)?

Mani.