Pass F5 ready to power up

[anilva]

Folks,

My Pass F5 amp is ready for power up. It has been a journey over 6 months long. From boards to components to reading over 800 pages of postings on diyaudio to heat-sinks to toroids. It has been a very enriching one.

I am going through a complete double check from PCB correctness to component placement, solder quality, calibration sequence etc. I would need atleast 3 DMMs to set this up correctly. I am borrowing few from my friends to be able to do that.

Will keep you posted with pictures, experiences and finally my impressions on the listening tests.

Of all the things, the most challenging one is the amp chassis. I think I am close to cracking this one.

Fingers crossed.

Cheers.

 

[gobble]

Folks,

My Pass F5 amp is ready for power up. It has been a journey over 6 months long. From boards to components to reading over 800 pages of postings on diyaudio to heat-sinks to toroids. It has been a very enriching one.

I am going through a complete double check from PCB correctness to component placement, solder quality, calibration sequence etc. I would need atleast 3 DMMs to set this up correctly. I am borrowing few from my friends to be able to do that.

Will keep you posted with pictures, experiences and finally my impressions on the listening tests.

Of all the things, the most challenging one is the amp chassis. I think I am close to cracking this one.

Fingers crossed.

Cheers.

Are you pumping in 230V straight at first try or using a Variac to check things ... ?

Are you using a passive load circuit on the speaker side? Or cheap speakers?

Good luck!! I would love to be there to watch, learn and experience really ... I am in line too, waiting for the parts and kit. Me too reading the diyaudio threads regularly!!
This is hopefully going to be my final amp!! :licklips:

:clapping:

cheers

 

[digitalv]

All the best Anilva.. Keep us posted on the results!
Someday my friend, I too will have to embark on a similar journey...Its been more than a decade that I really held a soldering iron with passion considering that it used to be my best friend before. Damn these IT jobs...They are only good for amplifying the middle spectrum....lol

 

[keith_correa]

Damn these IT jobs...They are only good for amplifying the middle spectrum....lol

And the wallet hyeah:

 

[anilva]

Are you pumping in 230V straight at first try or using a Variac to check things ... ?

Are you using a passive load circuit on the speaker side? Or cheap speakers?

Good luck!! I would love to be there to watch, learn and experience really ... I am in line too, waiting for the parts and kit. Me too reading the diyaudio threads regularly!!
This is hopefully going to be my final amp!! :licklips:

:clapping:

cheers

Thanks. Under the pretext of making a F5, I have acquired everything short of a Lathe machine I guess. I am not going to buy a variac now. I am going to use a light bulb in series with the mains. I am stocked up on parts. Few smokes are not going to deter me. Initially no load, just open. Later some dumb discarded speakers. After some stability and certainty, my speakers will connect up. I am covered on lot of things, except faulty/flaky semiconductors which would be sheer bad luck.

Cheers.

 

[anilva]

All the best Anilva.. Keep us posted on the results!
Someday my friend, I too will have to embark on a similar journey...Its been more than a decade that I really held a soldering iron with passion considering that it used to be my best friend before. Damn these IT jobs...They are only good for amplifying the middle spectrum....lol

I have already amplified the middle spectrum But continuing with DIY.

 

[gobble]

Thanks. Under the pretext of making a F5, I have acquired everything short of a Lathe machine I guess. I am not going to buy a variac now. I am going to use a light bulb in series with the mains. I am stocked up on parts. Few smokes are not going to deter me. Initially no load, just open. Later some dumb discarded speakers. After some stability and certainty, my speakers will connect up. I am covered on lot of things, except faulty/flaky semiconductors which would be sheer bad luck.

Cheers.

Please keep a diary and take very brief notes like a log book and post with snaps. Will be useful for the followers and DIY'ers ...

Few smokes are not going to deter me.

Please also note down the quality of pot you rolling in the joint hyeah:
This one will be even more keenly followed by an "interested" audience

Cheers

 

[doors666]

congrats man, great effort. so apart from 8 months of effort, how much did it cost?

 

[keith_correa]

Pics! Pics! :licklips:
Without pics, we believe nothing hyeah:

 

[anilva]

Pics! Pics! :licklips:
Without pics, we believe nothing hyeah:

Will post the pictures shortly. Patience please. I do not want to post pictures of a unit, which has not been tested yet.

 

[anilva]

Please keep a diary and take very brief notes like a log book and post with snaps. Will be useful for the followers and DIY'ers ...



Please also note down the quality of pot you rolling in the joint hyeah:
This one will be even more keenly followed by an "interested" audience

Cheers

I don't do pot. Restrict myself to C2H5OH, usually from highlands of Scotland.

 

[doors666]

I don't do pot. Restrict myself to C2H5OH, usually from highlands of Scotland.

Sounds like some heavy duty designer drug:lol:

those oak barrels will do nicely for some spkr cabs

 

[Rajiv]

those oak barrels will do nicely for some spkr cabs

Hi,

Check these speakers from Pioneer.

Pioneer USA - S-A4SPT-PM - Enjoy the sound that took 50 years of maturating whiskey to develop

Rajiv

 

[anilva]

Hi,

Check these speakers from Pioneer.

Pioneer USA - S-A4SPT-PM - Enjoy the sound that took 50 years of maturating whiskey to develop

Rajiv

Trust you to dig out these rare things Were they successful with those designs?

 

[Rajiv]

Were they successful with those designs?

Hi

@Anil,I think it started of as a limited edition,Japan only or far east only kind of product,which was later sold in the USA and Europe.

The speakers have quite a few fans in HK and the far east. I first heard of them on the reveiw33 and hktubeaudio forums

Stereophile: The Fifth Element #45

Regards
Rajiv

 

[iaudio]

RAjiv, anil Unleash_me had posted the same oak barrel Pio speakers up for sale along with a Peachtree Nova a while back on behalf of a friend in the US. He has heard them methinks.

 

[anilva]

My F5 amp is powered up today. Everything fine as per the play book of Mr. Nelson Pass.

Bias stable, DC offset virtually non-existent. Heatsinks HOT. Cannot put my hand for more than 5 seconds after 1 hour of burn-in.

Tested so far with input shorted and no speaker load. Will start listening tests in next few days. Will post pictures shortly.

Cheers.
Anil

 

[anilva]

Here are the pictures of the amp during set up phase. All things running normal as supposed to be. Will update on listening tests later.

Cheers.

 

[cmsajith]

Congrats, great going.

BTW, from where did you buy the heat sinks and how much does it cost? Is the same available in black color?

 

[anilva]

Congrats, great going.

BTW, from where did you buy the heat sinks and how much does it cost? Is the same available in black color?

Thanks. Heatsinks of this size are not standard supply. You can custom order them from Amar Radio Corp in S Road, Bangalore. Takes a week.