Carl, welcome to our family.
This is a great group of helpful folk you will come to know like family members! I cannot tell you how much I learn on user sites.
Basically you can build your C2 in any way your budget and system requires.
Want a warm presentation? Perfer something crisp and clean? Need wider soundstaging or better imaging? We can point the way to some decent passive parts to make your build less expensive.
The C2 is one superb platform for the money.
I think I started all the talk about resistors in the direct signal pathway. Jim Hagerman has stated here many times that EVERY component on the board is going to impact the sound and I fully and completely agree. However these S102 nude Vishays are 11.95 each! And they are rated at only 0.60 watts so you cannot use them everywhere on the board. That's because as the current rises the .6 watt resistors will become noisy as they reach their limits.
For expense sake and for reasons noted above, I am using nude Vishay S102 resistors in the direct signal pathway only. They give me detail and clarity I am not willing to give up. Luckily these are assembled in Texas so you can buy them a couple bucks cheaper directly from their source. I think the company's name is Texas Components and their equivalent resistor is about 9.75 or so from what I remember.
I would use Kiwami 2 watt carbon comps everywhere else other than using a Mills 20 watt resistor for the heater voltage step down. I like the heater voltage to run between 6.05 and 6.15 volts in my system.
If the Vishays are too pricey, I recommend the 1 watt PRP resistors, but for anything feeding or grounding the B+ I also suggest Kiwami's because these guys are tough and as the current rises they have more headroom. That can make for a quieter background.
As for cap selection, you need to let us know what you love to play music wise, what size room, what speakers and amplification. This will help us point you to some good caps so you don't spin a half dozen like I did!
Cheers!
Pat, I ended up listening mostly to CD's for 10 years when I lived close to the country radio station in Portland Oregon. That was 10 years of hell by the way. Gorgeous home, neat system in custom cabinetry and country music in the background when playing LP's. Basically I had 75 kilowatts slamming into the phono source and no matter what I did Randy Travis was there to console me.
My PF C7 was a fully enclosed case and the grounds were nice and tidy. The arm tube on the tonearm was a high nickle stainless, and I double shielded every cable.
Luckily the cdp, radio, and surround sound were perfect. At least I had music.
Hummmmm, What to try?
Pat did you twist all the line and neutral pairings off the transformer?
You might want to try some double shielded IC's and power cords.
Ferrite beads come in handy, perhaps Win can send you some. He collects them from what I understand
. Tell him to send me some too!
Run those on your phono input leads on your output leads to the Clarinet and on all your power supply cords.
I understand that the power of a major market FM station can be 100 kilowatts.
Perhaps using sheet rock with lead (used in xray room construction) is the way to go. Expensive but would likely make for a very quiet room and protect you during a nuclear attack.
If its hum, then perhaps the SUT is at fault. I had to use a Piccolo here in Reno to get my phono really quiet. My Cinemag was not quiet enough.
Have you tried a HOMC or MI/MM cartridge?
Cheers!
