One of the early diamond cantilever cartridges is the Sony XL-88D from 1980
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Latest attempt to kill phono stage hum is in the heater supplies and cabling. Need a few R values in big wattages that I don’t have in stock to calibrate the output voltage, but for now the “throw iron at the problem approach” hasn’t caused more problems.
Note: previous approach was LM337 regulated stuff, the pre still has that as there are relays which need a proper voltage but I wonder if given a smaller output cap on those circuits the wiring was picking up something and coupling it.
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Update: supply for 2 ECC88s and an ECC81 (cascodes and cathode followers so raised 50V above ground) is now set at 6.2V, the supply for the other ECC81 (second gain stage) came out lower than expected at 5.6V so the R in the CRCLC needs a lower value which I don’t have in a high enough rating. It will dissipate pretty much 2W so I will spec at 5W minimum.
Does mean that if I swap out any valves (and I am wondering about the second gain stage being a 6SL7) we will go through this again.
Allows the gimp in the padded cell next door to switch their light on and off using just the inch or so of cord that loops in and out at arm’s length above head height ?
Letting the gimps control their lighting?!
What do you think I am, some kind of fucking Casual? 
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Maybe of interest to some of you.
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It is gonna happen. At some point. Probably. Well maybe.
It’s not really is it?
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The kuzma cartridges are made by excel, I have a few here and are loved by many. The presentation is very different in every way but are very good.
And we have a power supply for the line stage so I can separate the existing one out for the currently divalike phono stage.
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Recent readings on phase issues in crossovers lead me to full range drivers. Every full range driver I heard sounds pretty crap, no bottom end, cuppa mid, no top etc. Obviously I have not heard every full range driver but came across these.
The curve looks not too bad as does the efficiency. So driven by the desire to hear something without a crossover I decided to knock something up using these drivers.
I made the cabinet to large on purpose the idea being to reduce the volume in steps until I found a good point. However as soon as I plugged them in I was very pleasantly surprised. Very. They sound completely ‘normal’ they have bass, transparent mids and top end. I really was scratching my head. I have now been using them for a couple of months and cannot fault them. The transparency and imaging is incredible, they have been favourably compared to electrostatics but with grunt. I borrowed so AN Type E’s to compare and to my mind there was no comparison. To be fair I have never really liked Type E’s, just not my sound I guess. I found them bloats, fuzzy and slow in comparison ( and yes I do know how to set up Type Es)
I am surprised that they work so well with an obvious box volume deviation and am loathed to play with them but in the interest of science I will shortly try inserting an internal panel to reduce the volume.
Chuffed. £400 in total, the E’s I borrowed (base model) are £3.5k not incl stands.
In absolute terms they are a tad dry sounding but I forgive them this as they are so much fun.
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You’ve made a very decent job of putting the cabs together.
Having had a pair of single driver speakers in the past without crossovers, I can well imagine how they sound based on what you’ve said.
Nice work, congrats.
Not just me then, I found the bass to be really boomy and slow. Was it you or your brother who built those Type Cs in the factory, was impressed with them.
Quite like full range for what they can achieve, nice even sound for low level listening.
I’ve got some Omega CAM standmounts or Pensil 12 you’re welcome to borrow for comparisons
Would adding bags of sand or bricks etc. work to reduce the volume?
Might order a pair to play with, thanks for the info.
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While there is no electrical crossover, there is a mechanical crossover from the main driver to the whizzer cone. In some ways this is less easy to control than a passive XO, let alone an active one.
I think that much of the benefit of these single driver systems, like my Lowthers, is in having a nice free, undamped, efficient driver. The dynamics make you happy to ignore some of the ups and downs.
It does seem hard to knock off the rough edges at the top and bottom without losing half the good stuff, I found. Certainly my attempts at using a REL Stentor with the Lowthers was hilarious!
Cheers, going to veneer the cabinets next which should finish them nicely.
These speakers showed me that one of the issues with the Type E is that the leading edge of bass notes is just not there, I guess this is the root cause of the Es slow bass?
Cheers for the offer of the loans, I’ll let you know if that’s ok?