[beto1]

Hi,
now I'm researching about my budget for the Cornet 2 kit and I like to upgrade some of the stock parts listed on the manual. First, the signal caps C200,206,208 and 203 to auricaps or Jensen aluminium. I like to ask to the forum about the convenience of upgrading also C202 and 204, because I'm not sure if this caps are in the signal path.
About resistors, which ones are on the signal path and in the RIAA eq?

Regards,
Beto

[beto1]

Hi again,
I have looking the circuit plan to determinate the resistors in the signal path, but since I'm not too much involved in electronics, just a little experience building a kit amp, I'm still not absolutely sure about some of them:
R201,204,208,212,214,219
R202,206,209,211,216 (are this O.K.?)
My idea is to get stock parts everywhere, except the signal path.
Since 206 are a signal cap, acording to the manual instruction, are R221 and 220 also in the same signal road? Also electrolitic C207 and 201?
I like to detereminate my budget for this, before I get the half-kit.
Thanks a lot in advance.

[DeadFish]

Hi Beto,
Just from the point of view of someone not unlike yourself, with little experience.  When researching kits, like Hagerman and Bottlehead, I came across the opinion again and again to stay close to 'stock' on first build, just to make sure you get the darned thing going.  If it *doesn't work*, the troubleshooting remains only the original design and not thinking twice of whatever 'mod' might have been introduced.
When I assembled the Hagerman Clarinet, I too wanted my first decent piece to be all that it could be, but did only the upgrades suggested in the manual, by the person with the most experience, Jim H..
I figured (for me) that once I knew more, I could tinker more, once it was working.  
Lets see...about 11 months now and I haven't had a reason to change any parts other than the ones suggested to upgrade in the manual....
And I am still happy.

I don't mean to ruin your plans, but I figure once you hear it stock, if you *do* buy other parts and introduce them, you can tell if it WAS an upgrade, and not just a waste of money on esoteric boutique parts.

Important part is to get it built and enjoy!
Good luck!!

Best Regards,
DeadFish

[beto1]

Hi DeadFish,
thanks a lot for your advise.
Yes, I think almost the same of you. Actually my idea is to get the stock parts, with no mods, just with the suggested upgrades, but, also I'm trying to understand the circuit, its signal path, finally, how it works (I can read the circuit just with common sense, but I don't know all). You are right, maybe I'm trying to go a little further as a first stage geting a few more upgrades (resistors in the signal path). That's why I'm writing to this forum, determining if there are some "official"upgrades and I suposed that they are in the signal road like in my amplifier, AN kit One, where tantalums resitors,AN Copper PIO caps, and Black Gates are improves. Still I have my standard kit for the same reazon that you advise me and still sound awesome for me, but the stock parts includes Jensen signal and Elna Cerafine caps and Beyschlag resistors.
At all events, also I read the Cornet2 review and this phono stage seems that realy sings with the stock parts!!!
Thank you again.
Kind regards,
Beto

[DeadFish]

Glad to be of some help at the discussion end of things, Beto!
You and I haven't thought much different in this.  When I stared at my nude, new Clarinet board and hadn't ordered parts, I talked to lots of friends about favored parts to introduce instead of suggested ones.
I got as many answers as friends.  
That was when I decided to trust the design and see how good it was and go from there.
If you *do* come up with a magic combination of novel parts though, do let us know!
I've been wanting to order a Cornet 2 for a while now...
 
Good luck!
DeadFish

[randytsuch]

Hi,
I am in the process of buying the parts to build the cornet now.
There are two 1uf and two .1uf caps in the signal path.  The other four 1 uf caps are filtering power, so there are not in the signal path.

So far, I spent about $100 at digikey buying the parts there, and I bought basically exactly what Hagerman calls out.  Only exception was I bought panasonic FC's for the 10,000 uf cap.

I bought 4 auricaps from Percy, cost about $45 shipped.

I need to still order the stuff from antique, and the chassis.

Good luck

Randy

[beto1]

Thank you Randy,
You mean that C206 and C200 are power filters? (I'm suppose).
This way R201,R204,R208,R212,R214 and R219 are in the signal path?
Sorry about my ignorance.
Regards,
Beto

[randytsuch]

OK, looking at the schematic
Signal path starts in J200,in
Goes through R201, V200A (12ax7), R204, C203, V201A (12ax7), R212, R14, V202A, R219, C208 and out.

I also recommend buying extra resistors, so you can match them.  You want the resistors you use for the left and right circuits to match each other as closely as possible, I try to match within one at the third significant place on my meter.  IE, for a 100K resistor, I would want at maybe one of them is 101K and the other is 102K.  In that case they would be with 1%,and that is the farthest off I ever allow, and I try to get better.

Randy

[beto1]

Thank you again Randy!
It is similar to my list, but I didn't know about the external to signal path; the power filters.
I have read on the auricap page about capacitors matched pairs, but they say that improve is not audible in the signal path, just in the RIAA eq. I didn't know, that there will be an improve with matching resistors pairs. Thank you for your advises.
Regards,
Beto

[beto1]

Hi,
does somebody thinks that if I upgrade with tantalums or other just this signal path resistors: R201, R204, R208, R212, R214 and R219 will get a significative upgrade or it's a waste of money?
Thanks in advance.
Beto