[mjf2u]

I recently purchased a "previously owned" N0RH SE-18 and it initially had some low-level noise. I was a kind of worried if I had made a good decision as this was my first "audiophile" quality amp and here I was jumping in with tubes instead of something simple like solid-state.

Did a lot of searching on groups like this one, but there is almost nothing out there on this model. I did find one old post that suggested changing out the phono circuit tubes, which I did. I then cleaned the pins on all the tubes with contact cleaner and coated them with some "contact enhancer" that a tech at work had a sample bottle of.

After doing some more searching on the net it appeared that this same amp was posted for sale a few years back and that owner had spent a few dollars on upgrading it with better wiring and caps, RCA connectors and eliminating the balance control form the circuit. I don't know how the stock units sound, but I am absolutely loving every minute that I spend listening to mine. It is so clean and warm with the pair of 4 ohm Mordaunt-Short Carnival 8 speakers that I bought along with it.

I had not touched my vinyl collection in at least 10 years, but after picking up a used Technics DD turntable, LPs are pretty well all I play these days on this system. Been buying lots of used Jazz albums. Man... can't believe I wasted 10 years listening strictly to CDs and MP3s.

If anyone has a schematic for a N0RH SE-18 or owns one of them, please feel free to contact me.

Mike

[Johng316]

Wow, it is nice to see some buzz on a nOrh product.  I'm so glad you were able to sort out the noise issue.

I don't have a requested schematic on the SE-18.  I'd love to own an SE-9 or 18 myself as part of a dream bedroom system. 

What is the major difference you perceive between CD and your vinyl collection?  The loss in MP3 is noticeable to me on a good system.

What are you running for speakers in the system?  I have nOrhs and love 'em.  The only nOrh amps I have are a pair of the MB-100's (not tube).  REALLY wanting some tubes in my music system!

John

[mjf2u]

I am running a pair of 4 ohm Mordaunt-Short Carnival 8 speakers with a Mordaunt-Short Carnival 9 sub-woofer.
http://www.mordauntshort.com/ranges.php?RAID=11

Because there is some damage to my hearing, I need to run at low volume and this system allows me to do that and still have clear, clean and beautiful sound with the vinyl.

CDs have been a whole different story. I was using an older Pioneer 5 disc unit with early-style DAC built into it. This was OK until I was given an early Rega and a Shanling CDS100 MK II to demo.

The Rega was an improvement over my Pioneer but was a dozen years old technology. The Shanling had an amazingly wide palette of sound but had a boomey bottom end. Plus it gave me "CD fatigue". My ears hurt after a few songs.

Right now I am trying out a Jolida CD100. It has a tube (2x AX7) output and I think this is going to be the one. It is way more money than I can really afford, but I do own several hundred CDs, so....

There is still some digital feel to the sound of the Jolida. It is very clean, but not sterile. The tubes seem to add a little bit of warmth, plus I can try some different tubes to see what they do to the sound.

Mike