Acurus RL-11... Upgrades anyone?

mjstriker

mjstriker

Journeyman
#1
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
155
Location
San Antonio, Tx
Tagline
I love the sound of WOPL in the morning
#1
So I just recently purchase an Acurus RL-11 preamp and am loving it. Not looking to mess around with it anytime soon as I have other projects to tackle. But I can't help perusing the internet looking for ideas about what can be done to possible improve the sound. From what I have found people have done standard stuff like upgrade power supply caps, upgrade circuit electrolytics, replaced 10uf film with higher quality, upgraded signal resistors and upgraded rectifier diodes. This all seems pretty straight forward.

On the other hand I have come across some pretty crazy upgrade descriptions. One website (http://www.kenealeyaudio.com/AcurusPreamps.asp) has a guy doing a complete overhaul of the power and audio circuitry. Definitely above my pay grade of understanding but an interesting read. Another guy over at AK focuses mainly on an outboard power supply modification. That definitely seems intersting as moving the power supply away from the signal may have benefits (at least from what I have read).

All in all I find it mostly interesting and wondered what others think or have possible done to their preamps. I think for me I would be interested down the road in replacing the electrolytics and the 10uf film cap.Right now I am going to try and just enjoy the preamp although it is tough to not tear something apart to see what I can do to make it better
 
laatsch55

laatsch55

Administrator,
Staff member
#2
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
74,912
Location
Gillette, Wyo.
Tagline
Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
#2
With only 20 micro volts of residual noise I would say the power supply is just dandy..now that one site that upgrades the amp section with FET devices may be on to something. I really like it the way it is. Let us know what ya do and how it turns out.
 
mjstriker

mjstriker

Journeyman
#3
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
155
Location
San Antonio, Tx
Tagline
I love the sound of WOPL in the morning
#3
laatsch55 said:
With only 20 micro volts of residual noise I would say the power supply is just dandy..now that one site that upgrades the amp section with FET devices may be on to something. I really like it the way it is. Let us know what ya do and how it turns out.
Click to expand...
With that noise I agree the power supply will do. Some have upgraded to higher current. That website is defintely interesting to read. Really don't know enough to deduce most of what he is talking about but maybe down the road I will know more. Found a yahoo group that talks about a few changes here and there. One day I'll look into a couple of these changes. You happen to have a schematic?
 
laatsch55

laatsch55

Administrator,
Staff member
#8
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
74,912
Location
Gillette, Wyo.
Tagline
Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
#8
Oh....so it's gonna be like that tonight eh?? That's actually fuuny shit there Joe!
 
laatsch55

laatsch55

Administrator,
Staff member
#10
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
74,912
Location
Gillette, Wyo.
Tagline
Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
#10
Ursula Undress ya mean.,..she was a hottie, in the finest Nav tradition....IIRC didn't Playboy finally get her to take it off...
 
NavLinear

NavLinear

Veteran and General Yakker
#11
Joined
Apr 12, 2012
Messages
6,059
Location
SoCal
#11
Posed for Playboy in June of '65. Don't you have a copy?

She was dubbed the most awesome piece of natural Swiss architecture since the Alps.
 
Last edited:
laatsch55

laatsch55

Administrator,
Staff member
#12
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
74,912
Location
Gillette, Wyo.
Tagline
Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
#12
Why yes, yes I do Nav, just needed the date from the MAN!! Thanks to Rick, I have that whole library at hand.....so to speak...!!
 
mjstriker

mjstriker

Journeyman
#17
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
155
Location
San Antonio, Tx
Tagline
I love the sound of WOPL in the morning
#17
For all the ambihandreous...

Found a nice guy on AK that provided a schematic for the Acurus. Only correction per him-

Q10A/B are the TIP31's and Q9A/B should be the TIP32's.

He had some pretty interesting stuff to say about changes he performs mostly involving the power supply. He builds external supplies but also talked about putting a higher current transformer where previous one is. He also talked about adding a CRC filter but that involved cutting traces. I am not about to do that but interesting.
 

Attachments

You must log in or register to reply here.
Top