Warpspeed Optocoupler

Rclark · « **Reply #220 on:** 30 Nov 2011, 12:00 am »

I just tried it plugged in and unplugged and didn't notice a difference in SQ. I think the Ctek is fine. And my speakers are Magnepans, very revealing of such noise.

My speakers I just shipped off to be modded. They will come back much higher resolution and much higher in efficiency. If anything changes, I will report it. But for now, seems fine to leave them plugged in.

Warpspeed CE · « **Reply #221 on:** 30 Nov 2011, 12:38 am »

Quote from: Rclark on 29 Nov 2011, 11:36 pm

I think thats what I'll do, since it's now permanently attached. I'll run it off charger, and simple matter to plug the charger in at night.

I think that's a better way to go...turn the charger OFF when playing music. I think your Ah capacity right now is enough to keep you smiling all day?

Here's what I was talking about re chargers connected while the Warpspeed is ON... http://www.energymatters.com.au/images/ctek/XS800.pdf. Page 2 shows the pulsing and spiky charge voltage/currents after absorption. This happens when the CTek detects the voltage has gone down, and is a way for it to maintain the nominal battery voltage value and current capacity. I'd rather not have the 'squid fed with sea urchins, you know it might bleed black ink!:)

Thank y'all for your inputs!

Early B. · « **Reply #222 on:** 30 Nov 2011, 01:31 am »

Can someone explain in layman's terms how the Warpspeed works? I read all of the related AC and DIYaudio threads, but the explanations are very technical. Explain it as though you're speaking to someone who is no smarter than a fifth grader. Why is an LDR superior to a typical resistor? What makes this thing sound so damn good?

Thanks.

wilsynet · « **Reply #223 on:** 30 Nov 2011, 02:29 am »

Quote from: Rclark on 29 Nov 2011, 10:52 pm

Who's using a depleted battery? I don't wanna repeat all that over again for a third time.

Oh, I see! You're on your fourth battery. I thought you ran down three batteries and was using the third even though it was depleted. I didn't know you had a fourth that was in good shape.

Rclark · « **Reply #224 on:** 30 Nov 2011, 03:41 am »

Yeah, I managed to catch my mistake before wasting another $20

Rclark · « **Reply #225 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 01:18 am »

Quote from: praedet on 29 Nov 2011, 02:29 am

For an elegant solution, make a 2 into 1 connection so that you have a harness on the battery that has 2 + and 2 - coming out of it. Put connections on the end for the warpspeed and the charger. I would just reterminate the charger with a connection that is better for your situation...

In my case I terminated the charger cord with a neutrik powercon to go to my battery box...

perfect, and thank you.

roymail · « **Reply #226 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 04:06 am »

I'd like to know what amps you guys are using with your Warpspeed? Regardless, everyone seems very pleased with it's performance.

I've been told that the Warpspeed seems to work well with amps whose input impedance is lower than what is normally considered passive friendly.

Tube amps will usually be 100K ohms or higher and should easily be compatible with the Warpspeed. However, I'd like to hear from those of you who are using SS amps with a lower input impedance in the 20K's or 30K's. Of course your IC's will need to have low capacitance and not be very long. I use one meter or less.

Thanks for your input.

Rclark · « **Reply #227 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 04:08 am »

Virtue 2.2 highpassed with ClarityCaps on batteries. The combo is beyond superb.

usp1 · « **Reply #228 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 04:26 am »

I have an emotiva mps-1 which I am using with the traveling WS neutrino since my Rogue tube amp developed a problem. The mps-1 has 20K ohm input impedance. The WS has no problem driving this.

InfernoSTi · « **Reply #229 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 06:49 am »

Bottlehead 2A3 amp with no volume pot (uses 100K resistors to ground). Amp lightly modified with Mundorf silver/oil caps at parafeed and coupling. Lovely.

John

roymail · « **Reply #230 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 08:01 pm »

Quote from: usp1 on 1 Dec 2011, 04:26 am

I have an emotiva mps-1 which I am using with the traveling WS neutrino since my Rogue tube amp developed a problem. The mps-1 has 20K ohm input impedance. The WS has no problem driving this.

Were you using the Emotiva amp with or without the Dodd buffer? If you have a chance, see what difference you hear with and without the buffer in place. If the Warpspeed is driving the 20K Emotive without a buffer and still gives the same amazing results, that is awesome!

Quote from: InfernoSTi on 1 Dec 2011, 06:49 am

Bottlehead 2A3 amp with no volume pot (uses 100K resistors to ground). Amp lightly modified with Mundorf silver/oil caps at parafeed and coupling. Lovely.
John

John, I would expect that your tube amp would be a perfect match for the Warpspeed... and lovely, too!

Quote from: Rclark on 1 Dec 2011, 04:08 am

Virtue 2.2 highpassed with ClarityCaps on batteries. The combo is beyond superb.

Do you happen to have any specs with the Virtue amp that gives the input impedance? That would be helpful. Of course, it is a mute point if the signal is also going through the Dodd buffer.

usp1 · « **Reply #231 on:** 1 Dec 2011, 10:45 pm »

Quote from: roymail on 1 Dec 2011, 08:01 pm

Were you using the Emotiva amp with or without the Dodd buffer? If you have a chance, see what difference you hear with and without the buffer in place. If the Warpspeed is driving the 20K Emotive without a buffer and still gives the same amazing results, that is awesome!

Yes. I tried it both ways and the WS sounds terrific. I still like it paired with the Dodd because of the slightly warm mids and a little tamed highs.

Rclark · « **Reply #232 on:** 2 Dec 2011, 12:02 am »

"slightly warm mids and a little tamed highs"

Hmm, that's what Trung said too. Sounds like the WS pretty much gets you where you need to be.

Not sure if adding the buffer would be worth another $300 + another $100 for a tube + $85 for battery and charger, not for minor changes in sound. Good to know, I feel like I can pass on it and am not missing out on anything.

Think I'll go another route and try the battery buffer on my WS and amp instead. Maybe have a Bybee Rail done with the batteries too. Make quailitative changes, lower the noise floor, increase dimensionality, not merely add flavor.

usp1 · « **Reply #233 on:** 2 Dec 2011, 12:37 am »

Rclark,

Gary has a more basic buffer which is a lot less- $150! Check it out. Plus you can use the same battery for both!

Rclark · « **Reply #234 on:** 2 Dec 2011, 01:49 am »

That's the one I was referring to. Ok so 150 instead of 300.

usp1 · « **Reply #235 on:** 3 Dec 2011, 03:03 am »

So i have been playing with a number of amp, buffer, WS neutrino combinations for a couple of hours now. (I got my tube amp back on with a different set of power tubes). Only one CD was used.... Eva Cassidy - Songbird.

So first I tried the neutrino with the emotiva mps-1 (SS, 200w at 8 ohm, Class H). As i reported before no problem driving the amp. Very nice overall but just a little harsh on the treble. Particularly noticeable on the track "Wade in the Water". The emo mps-1 is a mellow solid-state ...I used to own an emo xpa-2 and the mps-1 is just so much more refined. Perhaps the extra detail from the WS was too much for this amp. While I loved listening to the detail it was a bit fatiguing.

Next up was the neutrino with the Rogue 88 tube amp. The Rogue 88 is not a very tubey amp ..just a nice touch of warmth in the mids. And sure enough the WS and Rogue combination was more pleasant than the emotiva amp. The difference was more noticeable at higher volumes.

Next I added the Dodd buffer between the cdp and the WS. And the magic was back. I am not sure why but the buffer added just that little bit more weight to the mids and took the edge of the highs. All the detail is still there but now it just sounds so much better. Nothing fatiguing about the sound. Even the highs seemed to have more body.

I then tried the Dodd-WS-Emo combination. Still very nice. I liked the rogue 88 in the chain better but the difference is subtle. With the emo amp a bit of the treble harshness was back, but not as fatiguing as before.

Lastly, I went back to the Dodd-Rogue combo without the WS. Still beautiful sound but a little less detail and clarity. Both the WS and the Dodd are dead quiet...possibly because the are both battery powered.

One other interesting thing I noticed using the WS. For some reason the soundstage height using the neutrino is much higher than without. I noticed it when I first got the tour unit and plugged it in but now when I took it out of the chain it is even more apparent.

I have the WS for the weekend, and after playing audiofool for the last couple of hours, I am going to put the Dodd-WS-Rogue combo back together and enjoy music the rest of the time.

roymail · « **Reply #236 on:** 3 Dec 2011, 05:25 am »

USP, great post with very helpful information about how the WS, amp, and buffer
interact. Thanks for taking the time.

Rclark · « **Reply #237 on:** 3 Dec 2011, 05:27 am »

Huh. You might want to try a different amp, because magic is the only way I would describe it, and I don't have any tubes. Emotiva though, that makes sense. I just sold my XDA-1 dac to step up to something better. Not familiar with Rogue, but sounds like you should stick with that one.

Warpspeed CE · « **Reply #238 on:** 9 Dec 2011, 06:49 am »

Some models to look forward to this coming year...for those using common power amps both for music and for HT (L/R fronts) thru a multi-channel processor/receiver:

V4bp - 1-In Line, 1-In Bypass/2-Out(paralleled) Stereo Unbalanced only
V4x2bp - 2-In Line, 1-In Bypass/2-Out(paralleled) Stereo Unbalanced only

Credit goes to clearlight for asking me to develop these...Thanks David!

bpape · « **Reply #239 on:** 9 Dec 2011, 01:48 pm »

Will be watching. Sorry I had to hop out of line on the tour. Life just kind of got in the way and didn't want to hold things up. Since there's one convert in town now, I'll have the chance at some point to hopefully have it in my system to try.

Bryan