Little Dot MkVI balanced tube amp?

[JimP]

Originally Posted by laxx

Are the fans installed with pins or are they directly soldered? Replacing them with much quieter fans would be good.

I've yet to open mine, but PKJames on head-fi has already completed a successful fan-echdectomy. Honestly, without that precedent, I would have canceled my order or returned the product. The fan noise is that bad.

[Hopstretch]

Originally Posted by JimP

Les Yeux sans visage!

[JimP]

Originally Posted by Hopstretch

Les Yeux sans visage!

sorry I don't understand spanish...

[GPH]

Originally Posted by JimP

sorry I don't understand spanish...

That's French man, not Spanish!

It means "Eyes without a face".

[JimP]

Originally Posted by GPH

That's French man, not Spanish!

same difference to me...

[Fungi]

Has the Little Dot always been this un-little? Because that thing is huge.

[n_maher]

If you feel up to emptying your wallet Jim I think that amp should be able to run 5998s on the output without modification and they should sound quite a bit better than just about any 6080 variant you'll find. The 6080, in my experience, is a pretty tubby sounding tube. Another "leaner" option would be the 7236, but again I'd have to scour datasheets to make sure you wouldn't be overloading the heater power supply.

[Dusty Chalk]

Originally Posted by JimP

OK the following items arrived today:



--build quality is excellent
--heat issue: not bad

Okay, but how's the amp?

[Hopstretch]

I can think of some design issues with putting a fan in there!

[n_maher]

Originally Posted by Hopstretch

I can think of some design issues with putting a fan in there!

Joke aside - what happens when one of the invariably shitty computer fans fails and the temps skyrocket? I wonder if there are any thermal protection devices outside of the 2, $3 fans?

[guzziguy]

Originally Posted by Hopstretch

Les Yeux sans visage!

'ya un pif aussi.

[EdipisReks]

Originally Posted by n_maher

what happens when one of the invariably shitty computer fans fails and the temps skyrocket?

you get a thermal bloom visible from orbit, would be my guess.

[crappyjones123]

i very common practice amongst diyers over in the extremeoverclocking.com forums is to put a relay or some kinda time delay so that the processor can be put under some kinda load and then the phase cooling unit would start. if both were started at the same time, the processor would be too cold to even start functioning. (im talking about temps below -50C). in response to nate's question, couldnt one put a similar mechanism in place in series with the fan and see if the fan is getting power or not. if it is, then everyone gets cake, if not then it turns off the amp. im assuming its a lot easier saying it than actually doing it, but regardless of the amount of work, couldnt something like this be done? just as a safeguard.

ps. jimp, thats a pretty looking amp. :drool:

[n_maher]

Crappy,

The problem is that the fans aren't fed from the same power supply as the B+ and to make everything contingent upon the fans starting up would probably mean rewiring the whole amp, which isn't even an option with the pcb. Or if it is an option it's one hell of a coincidence.

What might be more appropriate is to have some sort of thermal fuse on the AC inlet, but I'm not sure they much such a device that would be sensitive enough yet not too sensitive.

Bottom line, if it were my amp I'd take the occasional casual glance inside the chassis to see how the caps were fairing at a minimum.

[tkam]

7236's should be fine they have pretty much identical specs as the 6080 and 5998. They might have a different amplification factor though.

I actually kinda the look of this amp, but yeah I have to question how they ever thought they could get away with just passive cooling in a case that small. There's a lot of watts that need dissipated in that thing.

[Torpedo]

On tube gear, I'd be more concerned for the vibration coming from the fans than for the noise. I don't think I'd ever buy a tube amp needing fans for cooling. Seems like a very compromised solution to me. The cheap way to fix a serious design flaw on the chassis and board

I hope it sounds heavenly

Rgrds

[Dusty Chalk]

Originally Posted by crappyjones123

if both were started at the same time, the processor would be too cold to even start functioning.

Is that true? I didn't think there is a 'too cold to start functioning', short of being so cold that any moisture in the vicinity instantly crystallizes and indirectly causes problems that way. Or too large a temperature gradient too fast, which might crack something.

Which, admittedly, -50C would be. But I don't think the processor itself would have a problem with it.

Is that what the overclockers are saying? I'll wander over there and look around, I'm curious what the reasoning is.

[JimP]

Originally Posted by Dusty Chalk

Okay, but how's the amp?

hehe that made me LOL

[JimP]

Originally Posted by n_maher

Joke aside - what happens when one of the invariably shitty computer fans fails and the temps skyrocket? I wonder if there are any thermal protection devices outside of the 2, $3 fans?

I absolutely agree - you can just tell this thing would be a sizzler w/o the fans. This is one you don't leave unattended, like leave the house or go to sleep. Had it going 4-5 hrs straight yesterday, and - again with the fans - the overall heat was acceptable to me.

[philodox]

Very cool, with some vibration control and better [and bigger maybe] fans it should be an excellent budget balanced amp.