DIY-Racked DR-609 build...

[TubeMonkey]

you need the 340 sub board as it's the discrete amplifier driving the output transformer. Not sure what "problem" you are talking about unless i've missed something....

 

[Bemelodic]

Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to DIY and after reading the threads on this board, It will likely be the last project I get from DIY-RACKED since they don't answer email support requests.

I'm stuck on the PSU. The PCB for the PSU is v1.0, I have 2200uf capacitors, all else is per the BOM. I'm getting a short somewhere in the PSU. Anyone encounter this problem before?

Also, I noticed that the toroid provided, is only putting out 15v per secondary rather than 25v it is supposed to. I don't believe this would impact the unusual draw the PSU is experiencing.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[MonoCutter]

Hi Bemelodic,

i don't have experience with this psu, but component placement looks right according to the diy-racked manual.
Did you use isolation material when you screwed on the voltage regulators to the heatsinks or is there a connection to the case somewhere?

eBay isolation pads

 

[ron_swanson]

Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to DIY and after reading the threads on this board, It will likely be the last project I get from DIY-RACKED since they don't answer email support requests.

I'm stuck on the PSU. The PCB for the PSU is v1.0, I have 2200uf capacitors, all else is per the BOM. I'm getting a short somewhere in the PSU. Anyone encounter this problem before?

Also, I noticed that the toroid provided, is only putting out 15v per secondary rather than 25v it is supposed to. I don't believe this would impact the unusual draw the PSU is experiencing.

Any help would be appreciated.

Hello Bemelodic,

Yeah, my experience with DIY-RACKED was also less than stellar as I have posed earlier in this thread ( elsewhere within this forum? ).

Not to defend, if you are a very experienced builder their kits may be acceptable. I too won't be purchasing any further kits from DIY-RACKED for a myriad of reasons.

The above aside, your photos look ok, but... here's a shot of my PSU from the same view that your photo shows.

I measured my AC input at the terminals on the PSU = 27VAC-ish on both legs. +24/-24VDC at the output terminals. US120VAC input.

I'd disconnect the PSU from the I/P transformer, test and verify. If that's outputting 25-ish volts, then something on your PSU is miss wired. As mentioned above, make sure your voltage regulators are isolated from the heatsinks.

Good luck!

 

[Bemelodic]

Hi Bemelodic,

i don't have experience with this psu, but component placement looks right according to the diy-racked manual.
Did you use isolation material when you screwed on the voltage regulators to the heatsinks or is there a connection to the case somewhere?

eBay isolation pads

I do have the ground going to the star ground on the case. The star ground is connected directly to the IEC ground.

 

[Bemelodic]

Hello Bemelodic,

Yeah, my experience with DIY-RACKED was also less than stellar as I have posed earlier in this thread ( elsewhere within this forum? ).

Not to defend, if you are a very experienced builder their kits may be acceptable. I too won't be purchasing any further kits from DIY-RACKED for a myriad of reasons.

The above aside, your photos look ok, but... here's a shot of my PSU from the same view that your photo shows.

I measured my AC input at the terminals on the PSU = 27VAC-ish on both legs. +24/-24VDC at the output terminals. US120VAC input.

I'd disconnect the PSU from the I/P transformer, test and verify. If that's outputting 25-ish volts, then something on your PSU is miss wired. As mentioned above, make sure your voltage regulators are isolated from the heatsinks.

Good luck!

The toroid has no markings identifying the primaries (ABCD) and secondaries (X1 X2 X3 X4). So I routed them based on where they are coming out of the core per the manual.

I retested my secondaries on the toroid. That's with the secondaries not connected to the PSU and with the source power feeding 124VAC input.

Here's what I'm getting:
Blue X1: 18VAC
Blue X2: 0VAC
Red X3: 0VAC
Red X4: 18VAC

I have my primaries connected as follows:
Black A + White C connected to IEC "N"
Black B + White D connected to power switch.

 

[Bemelodic]

I was able to find out that my output terminal block was defective and was internally causing a short. Problem solved.

 

[HerbertR]

I ve finished the DR 609. Fat sounding piece!

I ve decided to try Igors UTM / IGS Transformers. They are fantastic! These UTM Industry transformers have an expensive character, they are transparent, similar known from Lundahls. Airy highs, warm clean analog lowend, not overdrawn, transparent mids. Very cool.....

I used:
Input Line Transformer is UTM 2546 = Carnhill VTB 9046 = Marinair 31267

Interstage Transformer is UTM 2545 = Carnhill VTB 9045 = Marinair 10468

Output ungapped Transformer is UTM 3556 = Carnhill VTB 9056 = Marinar LO1173

The price is for all two channels / 6 Audio Transformers were under 250 Euros incl delivery in EU for all...

I have no original 33609 by the hand and so I could only compare with my AML Diode bridge 54F20 pair, equipped with Carnhills. Generally said the character of both units is really close in my opinion. The AML 54F20 shows a little bit more color in the sound image, more saturation, especially in the lower mids and low end. The High end is a little bit smoother and "ducked" from the Carnhill AML Diode Bridge Compressor compared to my UTM "airy" DR609. The results of the AML are sometimes a little bit more of a 'Diva', a little bit more "washy" and really thick. The AML 54F20 can do an nicer thing for tracking, my DR609 is fantastic on Bus apps and Sum. More Air and more dense. It does not change the Lowband as much the AML does.

It was not easy to get this piece running. My boards are V1.1!!!

The building instructions for wiring are not fully correctly in the DIY-R instructions. There are some tricky things I want to mention:


-setting up the Unit -> turn the Bias down on the 340 Amp - CCW before first time supplying the boards with Voltage to set the bias to about 260-280mVDC. With over 400mV you can cook Eggs on the BC441, BC461 and will easily damage them. This is not mentioned in DIY Racked instructions and very important....!

-you can use for sure IC1+2 TL072 Opamps, the 24V rail is stepped down to +-15VDC via 78L15 and 79L15 Regulators on the Mainboards, as direct drop-in replacement is an OPA2604 a great sounding option for these IC1+2s, they are also suitable for other 24V operations, compared to 16V TL072's, these OPA2604 sound audible a little bit better ...

-PWR/LINK Led connections 1+2 are wrong - reversed - > the Leds are feeded from the -24V rail/potential, not from the positive +24V rail/potential

-Meter 1+2/+- and MTR LED 2+1 are both wrong - reverse them compared to the pictures in the DIY Racked instructions

-The calibration with DIY Racked instrucions is not always correctly. I took also IJ Research Igor Kapelevics 33609 instructions from Group DIYPost in this thread
'Official 33609 builder's tread
https://groupdiy.com/threads/offici...ad-see-1st-page-for-updates.26218/post-321447As example on Page two in the DIY Racked Instruction like "Limiter and Meter Calibration point 12" does not show -10dBu 0.0775VAC,.... Like mentioned - use both Instructions! And you can also use the original Neve one. Then you will get light into this great piece. Btw....
->Jumper JP1 on the DIY Racked Mainboards is to connect the Power Supply for generating the DC Voltage with the TL071 for 3VDC calibrating the diode bridge VCA .... Read Section 4, 4.1 and 4.2 in Igors instructions.
->the JP2 on the mainboard describes the same as in Igors Instructions the term "connecting the crocodile cable" ...

I hope it can help you bit.... Awesome sounding piece,....freu...

 

[scott2000]

Heroic...Very nice

 

[Jase_Sanderson]

Here's one of the wiring issues / conflicts with the schematic that i spotted... not sure if it matters or not.

 

[HerbertR]

View attachment 100640

Here's one of the wiring issues / conflicts with the schematic that i spotted... not sure if it matters or not.

Hi Jason, absolutly right! .... Theoretically the shield represents the conductor, the core represents the shield. My cables in my build are very short and so they do not lead over any critical components. So I did not notice any unintentionally induction into the Signal. It is easy to switch them. Thanks to eagle eye Jason. Great man ....

 

[Jase_Sanderson]

@HerbertR just wondering where you measured this?

set the bias to about 260-280mVDC

I know in Igor's docs he says R44, but could be different on these i guess?

Cheers mate.
Edited - never mind, Test point A & B- being stupid. duhhh

 

[Jase_Sanderson]

Ahh crap I have got R44 shooting out smoke whenever I plug the amp340 in. I've done as suggested, ccw turn on the trimmer installed on the amp340 board (all the way left - maybe I need to bring it up a little??). Or is it a trimmer elsewhere on the board that I need to sort too? Damn I'm all out of 10r resistors now haha

 

[HerbertR]

Ahh crap I have got R44 shooting out smoke whenever I plug the amp340 in. I've done as suggested, ccw turn on the trimmer installed on the amp340 board (all the way left - maybe I need to bring it up a little??). Or is it a trimmer elsewhere on the board that I need to sort too? Damn I'm all out of 10r resistors now haha

Hi Jason, the testpoints are TP A and B.

 

[Jase_Sanderson]

Thanks mate, yeah that's where i was checking and even though i'd turned the bias down i was getting smoke out of r44, but don't have the same issues when the 340 isn't installed, so need to do a bit of troubleshooting.

 

[phelar]

Hi!I just opened a package from TP which contains a kit from the first batch of dr609. It has therefore been unopened since 2018 I then discovered that both "amp340" cards were missing. Have contacted diy-racked's support, they refer to tat purusha which I also emailed. He doesn't answer and now neither does the support I guess I have myself to blame...but I really want to get my hands on these cards. Want to check with you what you think my possibilities are. Are there other BA340/440 diy pcb's available in the community?

 

[JMan]

I really wish we had a better option available to us than Purusha's kit (most everyone knows the issues there, I think). Igor's version seemed great but was already a legacy project by the time I came around. I wish I had the skills and expertise to create a version and offer it to the community here, but alas...

 

[scott2000]

I really wish we had a better option available to us than Purusha's kit

You definitely wouldn't hate Heikki's transformerless diode comp.... Guessing his newest version is even better.

 

[JMan]

You definitely wouldn't hate Heikki's transformerless diode comp.... Guessing his newest version is even better.

I'm still slowly putting together his transformerless varimu, and haven't really spent much time looking at the diode comp, but I'll definitely keep that in mind. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Jase_Sanderson]

I'd also be interested in other BA340/440 pcb's out there.

@phelar - Maybe try Tat on Facebook, he's quite responsive there