I spent most of yesterday finishing my Cornet2. The connectors were a pain in the neck, and my new crimper really sucked on the lugs.
Anyway, I got everything installed and with the recitifer plugged in, I flicked the switch on my creation. NOTHING!
Well that was good - no smoke, flashes and whatever. I got around 380VDC as B+. However, when I measured at the other points, I was even getting 350VDC at the 150VDC test points. This worried me a little. As I hadn't got the other tubes plugged in, I guessed that their absence was causing these strange voltage readings. Once they were plugged in, the voltages measured pretty close to what is indicated on the PCB.
I then went and plugged the Cornet2 into a replaceable amp and speakers, but I did not get any sound. After a couple of minutes, I realized that the PCB sits up-side-down in the chassis, so the input and output RCA are reversed between the PCB diagram printed in the manual and reality, unless you read the manual upside-down! After switching the input and output, I got clear, hum-free, although rather bass heavy sound from my iPod.
Today, I cleaned the PCB with 100% isopropanol and replaced all the connectors with hard-soldered connections. I feel better about this, the connections can be unsoldered, and I feel more secure knowing that they a soldered, especially all the ground wiring.
Connected between my Rega P3 and Aikido 6SN7 preamp, my vinyl has been sounding great. My previous phono stage was purchased a few months ago. I cost $30 new. The Cornet2 immediately sounds more defined, but less congested than the cheap phono. Bass seems a little shy, but it may simply be less boomy. Highs aren't harsh at all. Of course, things need to warm up yet. The parts are as the manual, except for the following caps:
C200, C206 - Auricap 1uF 400V
C202 - Sonicap GenII 0.001uF 600V
C204 - Sonicap GenII 1nF 600V
C203 - Sonicap Platinum 0.1uF 400V
C208 - Dynamicap 1uF 400V
Tubes are:
Sylvania 5Y3GTA NOS
Sylvania 12AU7 / 5814A NOS
Tung-Sol 12AX7 new production
I'll post a couple of pics very soon.
I'd appreciate any feedback.
Charlie
