• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

AD797 Phono Stage Build and Help Desk Thread

HypnoToad said:
Great build, glad you got it working.

And a testament to Omishra and Sachin with the OPS, give it a week or two to burn in for it to sound it's best.

What did you use to make the hole for the XLR socket?
Click to expand...

Thank you again for your support. I now have your preamp, a MM phono pre and two of your MC pres in the rotation. :yes:


I used a multi-sized step drill bit to get the correct diameter, then used a small file to round out the "notches" at the top and sides (if you look at the inside of the XLR, it's not really a cylinder but has small notches at 3,9,12 o'clock). Once I got that to fit I laid it in, marked the screw holes and drilled to the appropriate size. I'm sure there is a much easier way to do it but those were the tools I had. With these Hammond/aluminum enclosures I find it best to cover the panel with blue painters tape, mark all the drilling locations, then use a center punch to indent where to start. I usually start with my tiniest drill bit, work up 2-3 more sizes, then go to work with the stepped drill bit.
 
I have been using mine every day in my bedroom system, we like to go to bed early and listen to music and read.

I must say out of all the phono stages I have had this one always surprises me how much detail you can hear, the guitars on Money For Nothing stand out so much I think I am at a live performance. They have this 3D effect that makes me think I am listening to my Polk SDA's.

In all honesty I thought this stage would be good but it never ceases to amaze me how good it is for such a simple design.
 
I think I reached new levels of sonic excellence last night, and the AD797 phono stage was a big part of it. I am a subscriber to the Music Matters 45 rpm Blue Note reissue series (the only reissue series I've ever subscribed to btw). While they are all excellent in their own way, last night I listened to the recent Andrew Hill reissue "Judgment!" which I don't think I've listened to since I built this phono stage.

I had listened to several other 45 rpm jazz reissues right before it, including the ORG reissue of Gerry Mulligan's "What Is There To Say?" which was astounding. But the Andrew Hill took it to another level of immediacy, transparency and detail. It is a quartet with Elvin Jones on drums, Richard Davis on bass, Andrew Hill on piano and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. The drums were about the best I've heard, with a resonance and depth beyond anything I've heard. I could really feel the tautness of the drum heads. I've found when you get a really well recorded drum kit, the snare has a lot of low-end punch, which this did. But when the vibes came in I nearly jumped off the sofa, they were so real and metallic -- I thought it was something in the room with me. It was spooky-real. If you want to hear some ridiculously good stuff, get this album and play it through this phono stage!
 
jimreeves said:
Nice work Dodog! What are you using for a cart with it? What gain and load have you settled on?
Click to expand...

I have a Yamaha MC-7, which is rated at 0.3 mV output voltage. It mates really well with my Yammie PX-3 linear tracker. I haven't had time to tinker so I went with some pretty vanilla settings; impedance at 100 Ohm, gain at 1k.

This stylus still has some life left in it and sounds really nice. Much better than the Shure V15 IV I was using before (and that was no slouch). I'm in a bit of a pickle though. Get a mid-level retip from Soundsmith or go for at AT OC9 MK II or III.
 
I do like the combo a lot tho' it is best used for really good records both cdx and recording technique. It can sound very analytical on records that lean toward what might be termed "solid-state sound", that is 'hard' and 'edge-y'. On the 'good stuff' it's glistening superb detailing thru this set-up is revelatory and gratifying. 'Lesser' recording may be better served with a more forgiving arrangement, perhaps the Russian coupling caps mentioned in a previous posting or a 'smoother' cart or preamp. I wouldn't want less than what this arrangement can deliver with recordings that are worthy of the best reproduction, other recordings definitely not so will boldly display their shortcomings thru it. The good stuff, any well-recorded/ well produced live ensemble recording like jazz or Sheffield DD, good studio crafted productions from pretty much any Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours' is another great recording that only sounds better thru this. OTOH, the production stuff on Kate Bush 'The Kick Inside' for instance is a distraction thru this, rather better served with something less "honest". You will find your own examples as you gain ear-time with this incredible pairing. I have my Mitz LT-30 with a composite blade headpiece as the mechanical end for mine, the 'kinder & gentler' player is a Denon DL-110 riding a Pioneer PL-L1000 and feeding a Rod Elliott P-06 phono stage thru the same system. I highly recommend the DL-110 for the Pioneer LT.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Pio1980:
I have my Mitz LT-30 with a composite blade headpiece as the mechanical end for mine.
jimreeves said:
Have you mentioned this elsewhere Steve? Sounds very interesting! :scratch2:
Click to expand...
Pretty sure I have, here's some pix of it playing a "composer-approved" DGG recorded performance of Carmina Burana a few minuits ago.
 

Attachments

  • OC9a.jpg
    OC9a.jpg
    47.7 KB · Views: 249
  • OC9b.jpg
    OC9b.jpg
    57.5 KB · Views: 157
  • OC9c.jpg
    OC9c.jpg
    50.3 KB · Views: 158
Last edited:
Well, good or bad, I have one of the OC9ML/II's on the way. I figure, even if I don't like it, I should be able to resell it fairly quickly and use the money to retip the Yamaha. The price was just too good to pass up.

Pio- What settings are you using on this pre with your AT cart?
 
I see the OC8 is making the rounds

Glad to see...

I find it beautiful on most everything (I have the III) and been telling folks about the LPGEAR deal...wonder how much they have left ?

What Pio said about Rumors is a godo example...I have many..but there are certain pressings by artists that almost need a dull cart...A lot of Bob Seger can sound a bit screechy or Bryan Adams...But they sort of sound edgy with any cart...

But play something like Pink Floyd, Elton John, Herb Alpert, Fleetwood Mac, Gordon Lightfoot, the Beatles...and WOW

If there was no restriction on clips (copyright) I would record one from the Herb Alpert Magic Man album that would floor you in terms of soundstage and separation...
 
Well im about to start ordering stuff for this build, i'm thinking about one enclosure with the ad797 with ssp and ldr volume control and a second input for the tubedac with dual outputs for amp and sub. Think i could get away with the battery power or should i build an OPS in a seperate enclosure? i'm really liking the idea of batteries :)
 
Phantom said:
Well im about to start ordering stuff for this build, i'm thinking about one enclosure with the ad797 with ssp and ldr volume control and a second input for the tubedac with dual outputs for amp and sub. Think i could get away with the battery power or should i build an OPS in a seperate enclosure? i'm really liking the idea of batteries :)
Click to expand...

I have an OPS and it is dead quiet. As quiet as batteries and sounds every bit as good. It has two outputs, one specifically for the SSP and another +/g/- that can be used for the AD797 or whatever else you need. You're losing nothing in sound by using the OPS so why bother with batteries, a charger and having to worry about whether you left your unit on or if the batteries are drained too low? Too many have tried a Hagerman supply or a wallwart and given up and said that batteries are the only way but they're not. I speak from experience.
 
dodog said:
I have an OPS and it is dead quiet. As quiet as batteries and sounds every bit as good. It has two outputs, one specifically for the SSP and another +/g/- that can be used for the AD797 or whatever else you need. You're losing nothing in sound by using the OPS so why bother with batteries, a charger and having to worry about whether you left your unit on or if the batteries are drained too low? Too many have tried a Hagerman supply or a wallwart and given up and said that batteries are the only way but they're not. I speak from experience.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input! I already have the board and transformer for the ops, I might just do both and see which I like better for this application. I haven't updated my sig yet but I'm breaking in a zyx bloom, and at .24mv output, I'm gonna need 60db or so of gain, so while ops is dead quiet for MM type, the battery operation might edge it out at a high gain structure. Only one way to find out right? :)
 
Phantom said:
Thanks for the input! I already have the board and transformer for the ops, I might just do both and see which I like better for this application. I haven't updated my sig yet but I'm breaking in a zyx bloom, and at .24mv output, I'm gonna need 60db or so of gain, so while ops is dead quiet for MM type, the battery operation might edge it out at a high gain structure. Only one way to find out right? :)
Click to expand...

I posted about this one page back. I'm using the OPS with an MC cart at 0.3 mV output. DEAD silent. I have to turn the volume to near speaker (and ear) destroying volumes to hear anything. OPS is perfectly fine for MC.
 
Oops! My appologies I sure missed that. I was basing that comment from looking at your sig. That's very promising, I will definitely build it then, batteries are definitely one more thing to futz around with, and I'd rather be listening than futzing :) thanks again!
 
Phantom said:
Oops! My appologies I sure missed that. I was basing that comment from looking at your sig. That's very promising, I will definitely build it then, batteries are definitely one more thing to futz around with, and I'd rather be listening than futzing :) thanks again!
Click to expand...

My sig is terribly out of date. I'm not sure that 75% of what is on there is even at my place anymore. I should change that....

If you already have the parts for the OPS then why not build it and at least give it a try? The R-core transformer and the case are the priciest parts of it all and, I think, you already have those, no? I'd be curious to hear your impressions. At the very least, you could always *just* use it for your SSP. FWIW, I used a 5-pin XLR cable out from my power supply. This goes into my SSP case. Two pins go to SSP (+V/G), the other 3 go to a typical 3-pin XLR out, which then piggies to my phono pre.

My only point to all this is that it's, in my mind, being portrayed that batteries are the only way to go and this simply isn't the case. I nice, well designed power supply can actually work as well as batteries. Kudos to Omishra and Sachin for getting it right. :thmbsp:
 
dodog said:
My only point to all this is that it's, in my mind, being portrayed that batteries are the only way to go and this simply isn't the case. I nice, well designed power supply can actually work as well as batteries. Kudos to Omishra and Sachin for getting it right. :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

I recommended batteries as you are assured of good performance, a PSU like the OPS with a good quality R-Core transformer works fine as you have found.

I tried a couple of different PSU's and found their performance was vastly inferior to batteries. However I was only using a wallwart to power them and obviously that was the weak link in the chain.

It's good to know that others can build the OPS and get the best out of their stages.:thmbsp:

Can you post some pics of your PSU?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom