Intact Audio (Dave Slage) Autoformer Vol Control

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Nick
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#1 Intact Audio (Dave Slage) Autoformer Vol Control

Post by Nick »

Well, not wanting to run it in for Colin (but I am going to anyway), I got my AVC's this morning (after having to go and collect them after Parcel Force forgot to put the box on the van).

First impressions are very positive, the volumn steps ar a bit course as its the cheaper 14 step ones, and its just clipleaded after the d3a buffer at the moment. I expected a lot of hum given the lash-up, there is a little bit, but only at ear by speaker levels.

As to the sound, well, there maybe something going on in the lower bass I need to look at, but that could just be because I know spice predidcted a peak in that area, but ther mids and top sound great, very natural and unforced, its the sound (or lack off) that I am starting to associate with systems that match impediances, instead of loosing energy.

It does (to my ears anyway) show some of the greayness and rolled off top that I have suspected the dale attenuators have (even with a shunt in place). Paul may remember how much that affected the 211 some time ago, when his px4 showed me what I was missing.

Simon is coming over next week to colled a transformer, so hopefully he can supply a second opinion.

I will try it without the buffer stage later, but this weekend is a bit hectic, as Kaye is away at a show in Peterborough, so I have just the 20 dogs to look after :-).
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andrew Ivimey
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#2

Post by andrew Ivimey »

better by the dozen and a half eh!

TVCs on their own IMHO are decidedly weird - they really do do odd things, none of which are actually unpleasant though, to the music.
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Toppsy
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#3

Post by Toppsy »

Nick,
Interesting your initial impressions compred to the Dale attenuator. It'll be even more interesting if the sound changes during the bedding in period.

I'm looking forward to hearing this coupled the D3a buffer through my gm70 amps and ESL's, especially how loud it is between steps with there being only 14 and stepped down to -42db in 3db increments.

I doubt very much of getting my remote volume kit from Welborne Labs and expect I'll go this route. But whether the 14 steps are enough for my setup that's the big question and whether I need to go for the 28-step version with 2db steps? Still I have decided for now to give Ron Welborne a couple more days to get back me before I take further action my order.

Do you plan other experiments with the Dave Slagle units, Nick?

Colin
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Nick
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#4

Post by Nick »

Do you plan other experiments with the Dave Slagle units, Nick?
Ithink the first thing I will do, is build them into their own box so they are not held together with clipleads. Then I need to decide if they need the buffer or not, and if they do what the difference is.

Though there is the option of restacking them to change the inductance.
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#5

Post by Andrew »

Nick wrote:
Do you plan other experiments with the Dave Slagle units, Nick?
Ithink the first thing I will do, is build them into their own box so they are not held together with clipleads. Then I need to decide if they need the buffer or not, and if they do what the difference is.
With the S&B I found there was a difference to be heard between the LCR, which has the Aikido on the output, and the Thorsten & Cascode which have a Zout around the same ballpark as your LCR, which I guess is somehwere just less than 2k.

I'm contemplating an Anode Follower to drive my S&B thus reducing the need for the souce components to have a low Zout, thus mypot-in-a-box will become an all in one/standalone work anywhere solution.

cheers,

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#6 Re: Intact Audio (Dave Slage) Autoformer Vol Control

Post by simon »

Nick wrote:Simon is coming over next week to colled a transformer, so hopefully he can supply a second opinion.
Looking forward to it! I'm really interested to hear how much better it sounds than the Vishay Dale steppers I currently use.
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