The official G9 help thread

[Stagefright13]

Don't worry about people trying to test it on analyzers. All the drum overheads on the CD I am making now are G9. And the drummer is freaking out. He said he never sounded that good. And he is understating that LOL. There is a pre for everything. But the G9 is on it's own. Use it where it belongs and it makes everything BIG.

BTW I didn't use any EQ on those tracks just 2 compressors...

And Congrats on your build!!!

John

 

[Stagefright13]

Wow that's one of the nicest builds I have ever seen! Great job!

 

[bpucekov]

wooow that looks nice

 

[audiophreak]

Thanks !    ;D

  I'm sure some of you can see, I was inspired by others who have posted pics of their builds, Thanks to all.

I really love the way this thing sounds, and I had a lot of fun. I'll be tracking an acoustic Bass next week..DI and mic....I can't wait...  

 

[1954U1]

Congrats..
super-accurate building!

About the bass roll-off..

- I've verified that with OEP input transformers [thats not your case, you've Lundahl]:
50 Ohm input impedance is ok,
but if the impedance increase, there is a noticeable bass roll-off, starting at 200-300 Hz, using Mic/Line inputs.
With 600 Ohm input impedance, this roll-off is very big.

Other people are trying to improve the bass response focusing on output stage.

I for now I'm trying to better understand this issue, because I love so much the sound of the G9 [yes, its HUGE!],
and dont want to have bad impedance-related surprises in future,.

 

[audiophreak]

Thanks !

I for now I'm trying to better understand this issue, because I love so much the sound of the G9 [yes, its HUGE!],
and dont want to have bad impedance-related surprises in future,.

I too am watching this closely, I purchaced two G9 sets from Gustav and when buying the componants I got two sets of verything except case,audio and power transformers, so this outcome will influence the second build.

      Big Props to all those guys over there figuring this stuff out,

  Thanks again,
                      Chip

 

[mihailojocic]

Hello,

my name is Mihailo. First of all I want to thank everyone in this forum, specially to you Jakob!!! I spend hours and hours building this beautiful thing and this evening I finished my first G9. Until now i never heard any TRUE TUBE mic preamp, so you can imagine how much I'm happy. My home studio is know almost complete. Just few more things. ;-) Lots of parts has been hard to find, but there is a good people in all parts of the world. Also I had all kind of HUM, BUZZ an..., but thanks to this forum and all of you, my troubles is gone now. I have one quiet TRUE TUBE preamp. WOW!!! I would post my pictures but firs I must do some cosmetic stuff.

greetings from Serbia

 

[mihailojocic]

And now question.

whether the quality of some parts, if exclude tubes and transformers, can directly affect the quality of sound?

 

[gyraf]

whether the quality of some parts, if exclude tubes and transformers, can directly affect the quality of sound?

The other components, polyester capacitors and resistors can off course affect sound quality, but in real-life not by very much. The reason is that we use only polyester-type capacitors in the signal path, and these are order of magnitude better than electrolytics when it comes to variation in sound.

The electrolytics are only in powersupply - with the execption of the cathode DC bias bypass capacitor at the output tube stage. But at this point, it's influence on the units sound is marginal - even with it completely removed, there is just a slight change in the units' sound, which is why we think it's allright having it there, although it's technically part of the audio path.

Jakob E.

 

[mihailojocic]

Thanks again Jakob,

I asked this because the capacitors that I used is from unknown manufacturer. Prior to soldering I checked all parts values and it was in the limits of tolerance. I used metal film resistors (1-5%). I am very setisfied but I wonder what the difference in sound would be that I used paper capacitors as audiophreak (I think this is the paper) or that I used a polyester blocks from trusted manufacturer (that is in my country hard to find) :-(

one more qouestion:

fantom power is on 48V, but when I plug microphone voltage drop to 42V. Is this normal?

 

[gyraf]

yes, phantom is meant to drop with mic in - that's why the two 6K8's are there.

 

[Stagefright13]

Here's a sample of the G-9. All the drum overheads are G9. With no paralleled compression on drum buss yet. And no EQ on the G9. And also the bass guitar is G9 with a gentle plugin eq. Almost done mixing this. Hasn't been mastered yet and is just a low mp3 version...

Oh almost forgot it is Lundahls and Wimas and Gyraf!. And the Bass guitar went DI. Also I don't record with anything I am unsure of. After I screw around with a project I may use it or more frequently just wait 'till I know if or when it can or not go somewhere. G9 is a weapon. And I thank Gyraf again! He rocks.

John

www.stagefrightrecords.com/No Doubt.mp3

Sorry it's not disco or classical. I don't go that way. At least at normal pricing LOL.

 

[mihailojocic]

there is cheap but good toroid transformers here in Serbia

30VA is about 10 euro

http://www.trafco.co.yu/torusni.htm

if you have language problems just let me know

 

[audiophreak]

G9 is a weapon. And I thank Gyraf again! He rocks.

  I totally agree with Stagefright13, the G9 is awesome, I'm hearing detail and textures I haven't heard before. Mind you that I am VERY new to DIY and recording, I'm a live guy by trade.

I wonder what the difference in sound would be that I used paper capacitors as audiophreak (I think this is the paper)

     
  The Dynamicap,Auricaps, and Sonicaps I used are metalized polypropylene constructions, and put them in the areas I thought they would have the most influence,  I searched and searched, ( in all the wrong places )  for the corect values in WIMA, but couldn't find a source in the USA, in searching I found this article http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Cap.html and found that these caps rated the same or a little better than the WIMAs and  the cost was not that much more.
  Now I don't want to spark a discussion about caps, but I just got tired of trying to find the correct WIMA type,value and voltage rating, I figured that if I was going to spend all this time finding these caps, I might as well try some mildly exotics. when I checked into the other brands, the values and Voltage ratings were right there so I bought them.
  I have recently ordered a bunch of PCBs from Gustav, and am getting a couple more G9 sets, I now found THE WIMA site so I will build an all WIMA G9, as Jacob and Gyraf endorse, then I will have both flavors.

  Thanks again for the kind words guys, I hope one day to be able to contribute to this wonderful community, this is a great experience and I'm hooked for good now.    ;D

 

[flavio]

Hello I have just finish to build my g9 pre, i have some little problem, the first is that I need the screening cans for the oep 262 trafo, and the other, more serious is that the channel 1 works lower than channel n. 2, I have try to change the position of the tube from channel one to two... but the problem remain... what I can do?

Thanks for all!!!

Flavio :-D

 

[mihailojocic]

Hello I have just finish to build my g9 pre, i have some little problem, the first is that I need the screening cans for the oep 262 trafo, and the other, more serious is that the channel 1 works lower than channel n. 2, I have try to change the position of the tube from channel one to two... but the problem remain... what I can do?

Thanks for all!!!

Flavio :-D

Are you sure that all parts is in the good place? Check your OEP-s position than GAIN resistors on small PCB.

 

[Mike D]

Here's a sample of the G-9

I like this track a lot. Thanks for posting it!
What were you using on bassdrum?

 

[mihailojocic]

Some pictures of my first G9

 

[mihailojocic]

one more

 

[mihailojocic]

another