Warpspeed Optocoupler

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 115825 times.

InfernoSTi

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #80 on: 10 Oct 2011, 02:58 pm »
Where is your email listed?   :scratch:

I think if you "click" the small envelope under his name/icon, that will bring up a option to e-mail him. 

jtwrace

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 11415
  • www.theintellectualpeoplepodcast.com
    • TIPP YouTube Channel
Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #81 on: 10 Oct 2011, 03:02 pm »
I think if you "click" the small envelope under his name/icon, that will bring up a option to e-mail him.

Gotcha.  I've never used that before. 

Warpspeed CE

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #82 on: 10 Oct 2011, 03:10 pm »
Thank you all for the great feedback...but alas, these getting built revolves more around my free time and parts availability rather than demand. There might be some requests getting turned down or delayed so an abundance of patience is highly appreciated.

Coming up with the other sub-options are in response to requests and also to quench my curiosity on its performance -like the V12.

V4 - 1-Input/2-Output(paralleled) stereo Unbalanced only
V4x2 - 2-Input/2-Output(paralleled) stereo Unbalanced only
V4x3 - 3-Input/2-Output(paralleled) stereo Unbalanced only

V8 - switchable Unbalanced (1-In/2-Out paralleled) or Balanced (1-In/1-Out) stereo; No Unbal/Bal conversion
V8.1 - 1-In/1-Out Balanced only stereo with single level control
V8.2 - 1-In/1-Out Balanced only stereo with dual L/R level control

Yes, technical info is already at diyA. For availability and other questions please email or pm.

Those 3 got built for a rare "together" photo:)

 

gooberdude

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #83 on: 10 Oct 2011, 11:30 pm »
InfernoSTi - according to the Sony manual, the SCD-C2000ES puts out 2Vrms (at 50 kilovolts).  The load impedence is over 10 kilohms.

Tranquility puts out 2V as well, but less than 50 ohms impedence as stated before.


Letitroll98

  • Facilitator
  • Posts: 5583
  • Too loud is just right
Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #84 on: 13 Oct 2011, 01:37 pm »
Yes guys, please, Warpspeed has been very good about not violating manufacturer's posting rules about promoting his products on open circles.  So please keep the questions to technical or operational ones about the Optocoupler.  Pricing, availability, ordering, basically anything to do with commerce has to be done privately.  And thanks to Warpspeed CE for being such a gentleman throughout.   

konut

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1574
  • Came for the value, stayed for the drama
Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #85 on: 13 Oct 2011, 02:42 pm »
I would REALLY appreciate if Warpspeed CE posted a complete price list of all the permutations in the Industry ads circle.

usp1

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 620
Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #86 on: 14 Oct 2011, 09:08 pm »
Send him an email...he is good about replying.

gooberdude

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #87 on: 15 Oct 2011, 04:48 pm »
Very cool johnnycopy.   I've always wanted a Carina.

I only have the opto a few more days, but expect delivery of a V4 soon & am excited to pass the opto along to others. 

Does your Carina power Hawthorne Sterlings?   I read your posts on their forum re: the opto but don't recall your set-up. 

Warpspeed CE has been researching the issue with my Tranquility dac. He found a thread at a difft forum on the subject, and changing a capacitor value was the trick to get it to work.  Good news, and refreshing that the vendor is taking time to research compatibility. 

matt

johnnycopy

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 49
Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #88 on: 15 Oct 2011, 06:37 pm »
I’m posting this both at Hawthorne forum and at the AudioCircle forum.

System used:
DENON 2930 CD/DVD player with The Upgrade Company’s Reference Upgrade, feeding the Warpspeed V4 (via unbroken-in MAC Silver interconnects). The V4 feeds an Eddie Vaughn CARINA EL84 tube amplifier (point to point wiring, NOS Mullard and Amperex Bugle boy tubes, running in ultralinear mode) via MAC Reference interconnects. The Carina speaker outputs feed Hawthorne Audio Sterling Silver Iris mid’s and tweeters. The Carina speaker outputs also feed into two 370 watt Rhythmik plate amps. These plate amps feed four 15 inch Hawthorne Audio Augie bass drivers (2 per side).  All drivers are open baffle on baffles built by Darrel Hawthorne of Hawthorne Audio.

After receiving the V4 yesterday, I  bypassed the PEC volume control in my CARINA  and inserted the Warpspeed into the chain.

Matt, I had no problem running the plate amps off of the speaker outputs of the CARINA. After reading your post, I was prepared to have to run interconnects from the second RCA outputs of the Warpspeed V4 to the RCA inputs of the Rhythmik, but didn’t have to. In fact I listened for about an hour without any of the 15 inch bass Augies connected (it was very good that way as well).

I played 4 artists last night:
John Lee Hooker
James Taylor
Neil Young
Roger Waters – Amused to Death (Qsound recording)

My conclusion (in my system) is…  conventional volume controls are a place to look for improvement.  Why else could you add this many more parts (virgin MAC Silver interconnect with its RCA ends, all the components in the V4) to the signal chain, and still get more resolution, transparency, and detail without added stridency.

Highlights of listening experience last night…
-Hey, there’s a banjo off to the side in one of the Neil Young songs. 
-Listening to that guitar makes me unconsciously feel the player moving his hands around the instrument.
-I asked my son if it sounded more like live music over where he was sitting by the computer, cause it did where I was on the couch.
-I don’t remember ever doing this, but when the horse and sleigh danced across the top of my wall from right of the right speaker to left of the left speaker on the Roger Waters album, I grinned (honest).  Not cause the horse and sleigh hadn’t appeared there before, but because they filled the room, it was like I was wearing headphones and there was improved DEPTH and dimensionality to the soundstage.
-On the same album, a man chops wood repeatedly outside. I always loved the attack of each hit (with good sounding equipment) cause it hit’s hard (testing the dynamic capability of the music chain), but what caught my attention, after each chop of wood, was the scattered sprinkling of a bunch of individual wood chips hitting the ground after each crack. What was subtle, in the background, or unrealized before, became a highlight and an enjoyable part of the listening experience. And these experiences repeated on other cuts.

This change is more than a little bit of sparkle added to the treble end of the spectrum.  It is, to date, an enjoyable improvement to music on my system. 

No old school LDR balance drift issues, the volume goes down to dead silent,  and it runs on batteries (mine is currently running on 12 D cells). The finished V4 that I bought has a beautiful rosewood faceplate, very well finished chassis, was double packed for shipping, and I felt personally well cared for. Allan watched the parcel through Customs, notifying me of its progress, etc. Overall, very similar to the wonderful service I’m so used to from the Hawthorne’s. 

I want to thank Allan for producing this product at an affordable price that allowed me to try something I’ve been thinking about for some time now. IMHO and in my specific system (I recognize this type of product may or may not work in yours), this was an improvement beyond its price point.

Update today.

Metallica – Black Album
Kraftwerk – Dance Mix

Started with Metallica. Yelled up to my wife upstairs that she may not like the next few songs that much. I didn’t mention the bass yesterday, but it is just better integrated into the whole presentation, faster, lower, and less overhang, kinda driving the music instead of waiting for it. Moved onto Kraftwerk and partway through Radioactivity I heard a banging upstairs. I turned it down asking her if she wanted me to turn it down. She was dancing. :)

I (we) really like this thing.

gooberdude

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #89 on: 15 Oct 2011, 07:31 pm »
That's an excellent statement about the bass driving the music, rather than waiting for it.  Deep, low & fast is what i experienced.  Never heard my auggie's perform like this before.

Rclark

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #90 on: 15 Oct 2011, 08:30 pm »
Im glad others have reports similar to mine. I was worried that as a noob with this stuff, that my little review would sound too good, too over the top, but no, the device just really is that good and my view on it is valid. I can't wait to have my own. Combined with my now upgraded amp I think I might pass out with how devastatingly good it will be.

Warpspeed CE

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #91 on: 15 Oct 2011, 09:13 pm »
English being a language of hyperbole and cliches, this is neither and very refreshing to read. Thank you John for taking the time to share your thoughts in a very straightforward, well-detailed fashion.

I am quite humbled by all your positive responses...

usp1

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 620
Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #92 on: 15 Oct 2011, 10:39 pm »
I know these devices are relatively new but any idea about what kind of reliability can one expect?

Warpspeed CE

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #93 on: 16 Oct 2011, 05:20 am »
I really don't know but I'm hoping forever...these LDRs are operated below their 50mW spec. Barring random part failure and the warping of our solar system I hope it can be an heirloom for our kids  8)

Rclark

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #94 on: 17 Oct 2011, 05:49 am »
Well I just bought mine  :green: :green:. It's built by someone who shall remain nameless out of respect for his personal freetime  :thumb:

 Can't wait!

MarkR7

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #95 on: 17 Oct 2011, 03:59 pm »
I thought I'd chime in here, since I have built / owned one of these LDR volume controls for over 6 months now....

I don't have the Warpspeed, nor have I heard it, but I did build Uriah's kit, so my comments / impressions will revolve around the Lighter Note LDR.

I have been thru many, many preamps, some of them quite $$, and I also have also used the Axiom passive, a DACT attenuator on the source, and Rothwell attenuators.

To keep this short an to the point, to my ears, the LDR is the closest I've heard to a straight wire with signal attenuation.  There is no sonic coloration whatsoever, and all the dynamics, bass, airiness, and soundstaging of the original signal are there in spades.  With the other passives, I've noticed some degree of compression, and also some coloring of the signal, in most cases making it more "polite" than the original. 

With all the actives I've tried, which ranged from excellent to just plain mediocre or bad, I noticed that they tailor the sound somewhat, so that no matter what you play, there were similarities in the sound that really shouldn't be there.

With the LDR, I am hearing more of the characteristics of the recording, whether good or bad, and that makes for much more engaging listens.

If you have favorable conditions that mate up well for one of these LDR passives (e.g. source output and amp input impedances, low capacitance ICs, etc.), I encourage you to try one.  My only drawback to the Lighter Note is that is doesn't go down to 0 volume when the vol control is all the way down.... but oh well.... I can live with that. :green:

WC

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #96 on: 17 Oct 2011, 05:03 pm »
So could the warpspeed unit replace the volume pot on a preamp? I realize it is a kit that can go in any enclosure, but what would be involved?

Can it run 4 analog outputs to 3 different amps and a sub?

Rclark

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #97 on: 19 Oct 2011, 09:24 pm »


got mine, minutes ago. I'll make it all look pretty later. It's the kit version of the V4, not the retail unit that gaces page 1. The look suits my system. A sleeper. Like having a 600 horsepower all wheel drive mid engined 1981 VW GTI. I'm hearing my modded, battery powered Two.2 with the Warpspeed together for the first time. It is utterly sublime  :green:. It's the best sound I've both ever had, and ever heard. My Magnepan MMG's love me right now. Sonic heaven.
 
I'm either going to ship my dac out to see if it can be improved with music rails, new capacitors, etc... Or I'm saving my pennies for a wicked new battery powered dac.

To its builder, thank you. You do AC a great service by being here, you know who you are  :D :thumb:

And Allan, thank you for creating such a giant slayer of a device that mere mortals can afford. Even your retail unit is not really very expensive at all considering the preamps it has defeated. I've read the DIYaudio threads. There is no shortage of praise for this device, not even a hint of dissatisfaction. And on an audio forum that is extremely hard to pull off. It's the real deal.

bpape

  • Industry Participant
  • Posts: 4465
  • I am serious and don't call my Shirley
    • Sensible Sound Solutions
Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #98 on: 19 Oct 2011, 09:55 pm »
So could the warpspeed unit replace the volume pot on a preamp? I realize it is a kit that can go in any enclosure, but what would be involved?

Can it run 4 analog outputs to 3 different amps and a sub?

You're reading my mind......

WC

Re: Warpspeed Optocoupler
« Reply #99 on: 19 Oct 2011, 11:50 pm »
Rclark,

Looks good, but it seems like I have seen it before.  :green: