My New Preamp!!

[BlazeES]

I think your expectations are well founded. Will be interesting to see the comparisons once you gin up the balanced connections & retest.

 

[laatsch55]

Factory specs show 12 microvolts residual noise at 20 to 20 k bandwidth, nothing said about weighted or not...

 

[laatsch55]

So , at the worst case, 16 microvolts is damn close....we're talkin DEEP IN THE WEEDS here...

 

[derek92994]

Hey Lee, I'm absolutely stoked for ya!! On the edge of my seat waiting for the big day where you connect and listen. First name basis with the cops ok?

 

[derek92994]

I need to google Balanced XLRs, heard them mentioned through the years but know nothing about them, apart from the fact that a lot of live pro gear setups use them.

 

[grapplesaw]

I need to google Balanced XLRs, heard them mentioned through the years but know nothing about them, apart from the fact that a lot of live pro gear setups use them.

Here is a good review on cabling. Balanced vs unbalanced and some ideas on twisted shelled. A long.

 

[Gepetto]

I need to google Balanced XLRs, heard them mentioned through the years but know nothing about them, apart from the fact that a lot of live pro gear setups use them.

The primary reason for XLR is balanced differential output and input. Both conductors hot in other words.

 

[derek92994]

The primary reason for XLR is balanced differential output and input. Both conductors hot in other words.

Can 1 XLR serve as a line in and out?

 

[laatsch55]

No...

 

[laatsch55]

Correction, there can be multiple wires in an XLR connection, I've seen 5 on one connection but it was used for a power supply connection.

 

[laatsch55]

I dont believe you would want two stereo wires running parallel to each other...inductance leading to crosstalk..

 

[laatsch55]

Hookay, in batt mode and the phase inverter kicked in on Heart Shaped World...Wicked Game.....damn it's like you were in the studio...
Sibilance is greatly reduced.....its cool that I can tell.
To be brutally honest guys....if your system's resolution isn't really good, it would be a waste of money. Idon't think it's 3700.00 better than the Acurus for most folks.
For me, I love it.....the phase inverter switch is almost worth it alone..

 

[Dchristie]

Hi Lee, congrats on your new toy. I am very familiar with Jeff' s equipment ( I believe I have had about 2 dozen various JR amps and preamps over the past 3 decades or so) . Met Jeff when I lived in Colo. before he started Rowland Research building amps and preamps back in the early 1980s. Got to play with a lot of his early stuff before he started selling it as a business. (I still use his 501 mono blocs and Concerta preamp daily in one of my systems). If I am not mistaken, I believe the front of your control preamp chassis can be disconnected from the main chassis on your preamp. Kind of a nifty way to have a remote. Also, regarding the purple tint, it is not a result of heat. There were some of his preamps and amps that had a batch of anodization that was not quite right and they started displaying a purple tint over time. One of my 501 amps and also one of his strain gauge phone preamps have turned black/purple over time. It never seemed to get any worse from the onset so yours is probably as bad as it will ever get. Jeff is a really good guy and if you ever call JRDG, there is a good chance that you can actually talk to Jeff directly. Your preamp was a statement piece of equipment that along with his matching assortment of amps at the time really got Jeff established in the High End. I am not surprised that it sounds fabulous with the WOPL amps.

Dean

 

[MarkWComer]

I dont believe you would want two stereo wires running parallel to each other...inductance leading to crosstalk..

Correction, there can be multiple wires in an XLR connection, I've seen 5 on one connection but it was used for a power supply connection.

DIN connectors would probably be the nearest approximation to an XLR combination in/out. You’d see them on European tape decks, Grundig, Tandberg, or Philips for example. I had a Philips open reel deck once, had to find a DIN to RCA cable to connect it. The deck had DIN only. Sounded horrible.

 

[laatsch55]

Hi Lee, congrats on your new toy. I am very familiar with Jeff' s equipment ( I believe I have had about 2 dozen various JR amps and preamps over the past 3 decades or so) . Met Jeff when I lived in Colo. before he started Rowland Research building amps and preamps back in the early 1980s. Got to play with a lot of his early stuff before he started selling it as a business. (I still use his 501 mono blocs and Concerta preamp daily in one of my systems). If I am not mistaken, I believe the front of your control preamp chassis can be disconnected from the main chassis on your preamp. Kind of a nifty way to have a remote. Also, regarding the purple tint, it is not a result of heat. There were some of his preamps and amps that had a batch of anodization that was not quite right and they started displaying a purple tint over time. One of my 501 amps and also one of his strain gauge phone preamps have turned black/purple over time. It never seemed to get any worse from the onset so yours is probably as bad as it will ever get. Jeff is a really good guy and if you ever call JRDG, there is a good chance that you can actually talk to Jeff directly. Your preamp was a statement piece of equipment that along with his matching assortment of amps at the time really got Jeff established in the High End. I am not surprised that it sounds fabulous with the WOPL amps.

Dean

Thanks Dean, yeah it does sound fabulous with a WOPL...

 

[laatsch55]

DIN connectors would probably be the nearest approximation to an XLR combination in/out. You’d see them on European tape decks, Grundig, Tandberg, or Philips for example. I had a Philips open reel deck once, had to find a DIN to RCA cable to connect it. The deck had DIN only. Sounded horrible.

Amen Mark...

 

[derek92994]

For me, I love it.....the phase inverter switch is almost worth it alone..

What does the Phase Inverter Switch Do?

 

[laatsch55]

Inverts the phase of any incoming signal. Ya just never know when someone recorded, mixed or processed in the correct phase. Sometimes makes a helluva difference...

 

[derek92994]

I have heard a track off a Frank Zappa LP that was way out of Phase.

 

[laatsch55]

Channel to channel, or ground to hot?