"Say Hello! to my new little friend"

[OLK]

Replacing the 0.47uF just opens the tonality for more bass. IMHO definitif not the reason for your "humming-loop".
Sounds rather like a grounding issue too me, or perhaps a "cold" soldering spot. Check the pcb. Try to turn your electricity plugs (of all devices ps1/guanzo/main-amp) by 180 deg. one by one and check every time for humming.

Also reverse the AC voltage for the guanzo at the screw-clamps (first the two 170v then check for hum, then the two 6.3V heater). [Just swap the right with the left cable of same voltage in the according voltage clamps.]

I had this humming issue exactly one time. That was when i fed the heater volts externally according to printing on pcb for rectifier. This was wrong because it gave plus to the guanzo's ground. After having reversed polarity (see photo on page 25) the humm was gone, perm.

 

[OLK]

Now with 2 x JJ ECC83-S

Max volume at 3 o'clock.
The highs softened a bit compared to the 5670 - ECC83S combo. Good and comfy easy listening.
The mids very present and a little more bass showed up ... hmmm so far so good.
Recommandable for those who like a dry stiff bass. Let's see how this develops over time.
Ideal for Santana and Dead Can Dance style or Jazz music and everything that has dominant voices and/guitars. (Not so good for GOA/House/Trance

 

[MCM_Fan]

I had this humming issue exactly one time. That was when i fed the heater volts externally according to printing on pcb for rectifier. This was wrong because it gave plus to the guanzo's ground. After having reversed polarity (see photo on page 25) the humm was gone, perm.

I was wondering if having the rectifier in wrong, from the factory, with the + pin connected to ground could be causing noise on the ground plane. Even if it isn't, all that excess heat can't be a good thing. So, this weekend, I'll get out the soldering iron, pop the rectifier off the board, move it to the back of the board and install it the correct way to see if it makes a difference.

I'll also remove the stock 0.47uF input caps and replace them with the 2.2uF Clarity Caps (also on the back of the board). Eventually, I want to get all the tall parts moved to the back of the board, but I still need to order the replacement electrolytic caps for the supply.

 

[OLK]

Before you unsolder the rectifier, have a look on the bottom side of the pcb, if you start following the conductor path from the plus-pin of the rectifier (towards the [small] electrolytic-cap of the heater), you will find the spot where PLUS meets GROUND of amp-circuit (somewehere beyond the small cap). Just cut/scratch (with a knife or screwdriver) the conductor path there. After the cut you can leave all as it is, because the heater circuit will then be independant of the amp-circuit.

 

[MCM_Fan]

Before you unsolder the rectifier, have a look on the bottom side of the pcb, if you start following the conductor path from the plus-pin of the rectifier (towards the [small] electrolytic-cap of the heater), you will find the spot where PLUS meets GROUND of amp-circuit (somewehere beyond the small cap). Just cut/scratch (with a knife or screwdriver) the conductor path there. After the cut you can leave all as it is, because the heater circuit will then be independant of the amp-circuit.

But, I don't want to leave it as is. I want to move it to the back of the board (along with all the other tall parts) so the tubes can full protrude through the top when I get around to putting it in a case.

 

[OLK]

Ah you want to put the guanzo in a case of it's own so that the entire tubes look like a chimney of a bungalow house.
Or do you want to keep the red v2.0 pcb with the 4 holes as "roof" ? then you better put 2 noval-spacers between the socket and the tubes for making them portrude fullsize...

 

[MCM_Fan]

Ah you want to put the guanzo in a case of it's own so that the entire tubes look like a chimney of a bungalow house.
Or do you want to keep the red v2.0 pcb with the 4 holes as "roof" ? then you better put 2 noval-spacers between the socket and the tubes for making them portrude fullsize...

Yes, in it's own custom made case - eventually. Yes, I want to move the electrolytics and all the other tall components to the back to allow the tubes to be fully exposed. So, no more red roof, a real case.

 

[OLK]

Hey MCM_Fan, i would like to ask you a favour, could you please measure the dc-voltage against ground on each anodes and kathodes (view from bottom clockwise starting left at 7 o'clock : k1 pin2, a1 pin 4 and k2 pin8, a2 pin6) and how much is your initial ac-voltage at the 170 V clamps ?

 

[TomTB]

Today, I got my Guanzo V2.2, without LED's.
I already own a 2.0 with the (not so nice looking) green LED's so I decided to buy some low output, amber coloured LED's to put in this version.

Has anyone tried this mod before and have pictures of it?

 

[OLK]

Today, I got my Guanzo V2.2, without LED's.
I already own a 2.0 with the (not so nice looking) green LED's so I decided to buy some low output, amber coloured LED's to put in this version.

Has anyone tried this mod before and have pictures of it?

You can take the voltage from heating and add a 220-270 ohm resistor per led.

If I were you, I would use JAN GE-5670W tubes, they glow much brighter than the chineze or 6n3p-(ev) comrades. No need for an idiot LED. lol ...

 

[z0mb1e84]

Hello there.

 

[OLK]

View attachment 634617

Now with 2 x JJ ECC83-S

Max volume at 3 o'clock.
The highs softened a bit compared to the 5670 - ECC83S combo. Good and comfy easy listening.
The mids very present and a little more bass showed up ... hmmm so far so good.
Recommandable for those who like a dry stiff bass. Let's see how this develops over time.
Ideal for Santana and Dead Can Dance style or Jazz music and everything that has dominant voices and/guitars. (Not so good for GOA/House/Trance

EDIT: After a week burn-in the bass starts to develop towards pretty dry and crisp (not flabby/muddy at all), the mids still dominant and the highs crystal clear. For those who prefer a clean non-fatigueing sound and have mid/high speakers with sensitivity over 100 dB/W/m. The volume-pot goes easy until 4-5 o`clock now without distortions, very nice.

Big Fat Warning: Those tubes are NOT pincompatible with the noval sockets on any v2.0/v2.1/v2.2 Guanzo-XY. Please use a "12ax7 -> 6n3p" socket-converter (available as ready-to-use or make your own) !!!

 

[OLK]

New Tubes new fun ?
Hmmm ... got a couple Genalex Gold Lion ECC83 (12ax7) for our little friend today

My first listening impression (according to seller the tubes were only used about 20 hrs) :
Whoaahh there is the bass! Not bad after 4 different tubes now we are getting somewhere, cool.
The mids are clear, also highs are present.

Maybe a bit early to say after one day listening but i am not really satisfied. The Gold Lion sound pretty sterile, the mids and especially the highs lack detail.
Is not easy to describe, a close approach would be to say that some frequencies seemed to be canceled out (missing). The Gold Lion sound a bit too cold to me, maybe this tube finds it's home in some other amp

So for the moment the JJ for 10 eur a piece outperform Gold Lion for 30 eur ...
I was keen to follow the hype which maybe is not allways the best idea, LOL.

My personal hitlist so far :

1. JAN GE 5670W
2. JJ ECC83 S (*)
3. Genalec Gold Lion ECC83 (*)
4. 6n3p (rus.mil.grade)
5. 6n3 (suplied chineze with the Guanzo)

Warning: The (*) marked tubes are NOT pincompatible with the noval sockets on the Guanzo (v2.0/v2.1/v2.2). You have to use a 12ax7 -> 6n3p adapter !!!

 

[OLK]

Today i have some new "friends" for our "new-little-friend"
A couple nos 6n2p-eb found they way to the playground.

From the first moment on (.. and over the whole day) they made a good impression and sound not bad at all, nice. They also glow quite bright, nice eye-candy.
The bass has big punch and is very dry, the mids are oky (could be more) and the highs are crystal clear.

Though the 6n2p (and -e -eb etc. variants) belong to the 12ax7 / ECC83 family, they fit in quite well sonicwise ...
Again i have to STRESS that the pinlayout of the 6n2p DIFFERS from the 6n3p socket on the Guanzo.

The layout of the Guanzo is so universal - that one can use virtually any triode available, of course YMMV...
Against all odds, the first results are quite good - well the big question is now:
How to find a more correct "working-spot" for the tubes, which voltages and resistors to use for anode/cathode etc..

For 5 buckazoids or less per tube you get much fun

Here my fav. list (seems to match the overall hearsay)

1. JAN GE 5670W
2. 6n2p-eb (rus.mil.grade) (#)
3. JJ ECC83 S (*)
4. Genalec Gold Lion ECC83 (*)
5. 6n3p (rus.)
6. 6n3 J (chineze, suplied with the Guanzo)

Warning:
The (*) marked tubes are not pincompabtible with the noval sockets on the Guanzo (v2.0/v2.1/v2.2). You have to use a 12ax7 -> 6n3p adapter !!! (available as ready-to-use or make your own)
The (#) marked tubes have a similar pinout as the 12ax7 tubes but the heating pins differ and they need 6.3V heater voltage.

 

[MCM_Fan]

Currently traveling with my little friend and my even smaller TPA3116 amp. No access to soldering irons and desoldering stations. So, no mods in progress, but I noticed another assembly error with my Guanzo 2.2 board a while back and thought I'd share it in case anyone else has a similar board. The RCA input and output jacks on my board are installed incorrectly. More accurately, they don't match the silk screen labeling on the top red cover PCB. They also don't match the photos on the auction listing for the seller I purchased the board from (Laserworld2014), or other photos I've seen in this thread and elsewhere. Here's the photo from the auction listing with the RCA jacks installed correctly:

Here's a photo of my board with the RCA jacks reversed:

Not really all that big of a deal. The electrons don't care about the color of the jacks, or the color coding of the cables, and I suppose even if you did lose the top cover PCB and installed them relying on the color coding, it wouldn't matter as you would have both the inputs and outputs backwards, it cancels out. Still, sloppy workmanship and quality control. Ultimately, I plan to put mine in a case and replace the board mounted jacks with the same REAN/Neutrik panel mount RCA jacks I used on my TPA3116 amps. They're good quality RCA jacks and less than $2.00 each when you buy them 10 at a time. I'll fix the color coding error when I move my little friend into a permanent home/case.

 

[OLK]

C O L O R B L I N D N E S S

I have the same v2.2 like you do (with red and white reversed and a v2.0 cover).

Let's bring this issue a little bit more ad adsurbum


Here a v2.0 - All correct :







Now v2.1 - All correct :






Now a SPECIAL VERSION of v2.1 !!!! hahahaha quality control my ass




OMG !!!


And last a correct v2.2 - yeh it really exists :






Result : wangjunglong for teh win !!!!!1111111oneoneone

 

[MCM_Fan]

Yeah, what's weird is the first photo I posted is the 2.2 board from the same eBay seller I bought mine from. So, I don't think it's seller dependent. I'm sure they are all assembled in the same factory, by the same people. Mine must have been put together by someone having a bad day - perhaps the Monday morning blues.

 

[MCM_Fan]

My original plan with this Guanzo was to just put it in a small black metal case to match one of the TPA3116 amps I'd previously built (to the right of the Guanzo in the photo below), but now that I've been playing around with it on the test bench:

I think I'm going to make an integrated amp using the 4-input selector board on the left, the Guanzo and the final TPA3116 board I modified a year and a half ago. I also plan to recase the Sony PS1 I've been using as a Redbook CD player. So, perhaps matching cases lie ahead. Should make a great sounding little system.

 

[OLK]

Watching your setup i have a suggestion:

Since you have a sort of "cubed" setup, i would put the guanzo + TPA + input-selector into the wooden box. Then carve a small front window for showing the tubes (have look at a luxman lv-105 amp to get the idea what i mean), then you put the PS1 in the box, in a way that the top-loader lid is flush-mounted with the wooden box, eg. like a lid of a tank or a submarine. If you want it to match with the rest of your 80's style equipment then use a black metal box instead of wood.

I have similar plans for myself, except that i will put my USB-DAC inside, in place for the PS

 

[MCM_Fan]

Watching your setup i have a suggestion:

Since you have a sort of "cubed" setup, i would put the guanzo + TPA + input-selector into the wooden box. Then carve a small front window for showing the tubes (have look at a luxman lv-105 amp to get the idea what i mean), then you put the PS1 in the box, in a way that the top-loader lid is flush-mounted with the wooden box, eg. like a lid of a tank or a submarine. If you want it to match with the rest of your 80's style equipment then use a black metal box instead of wood.

I have similar plans for myself, except that i will put my USB-DAC inside, in place for the PS

Yes, I do plan to make wooden cases with silver/gray tops (this will be a different system than other items shown in my test bench photo). I do plan to mount the transformers on the top of the cases and have the tubes protruding through holes in the top of the case. Something similar to this Bottlehead amp: