Moreplay Newbie questions

[erick.lehnert.baron@gmail]

Hi all,

Just finished my Moreplay. Really enjoyed the experience and sound. It sure warms up my solid state system.


A few questions...
- Is it safe/advisable to leave the pre-amp on while not using it?
- What are some good, mid price range, RCA cables available? I don't want to use $600. cables on a $600. system.


Currently..
- Moreplay pre-amp
- Yamaha SS amp
- Old donated Axiom speakers
- Computer or phone for source.

This set up actually sounds good, but obviously upgrades are in the que...

Thanks,
Erick

 

[Doc B]

Yes, you can leave it on. Tubes will last longer if you turn it off. It will usually take about 20 minutes to warm up and sound its best.
Blue Jeans Cable makes great affordable cables.

 

[erick.lehnert.baron@gmail]

20 minutes to warm up makes sense. that was how long is took to hit its stride.

Thanks

 

[debk]

Nice job on the build

Debra

 

[erick.lehnert.baron@gmail]

@debk,
Thanks. This was my first build since I was a kid. Definitely not my last. I am mapping out a system in my head now. I am sure it will change along the way...


EB

 

[Karl5150]

I like your take on the base.
"Definitely not my last." BH kits are like Lays potato chips...
Karl

 

[erick.lehnert.baron@gmail]

"BH kits are like Lays potato chips..."

Ha - Same can be said about motorcycles. Thanks for noticing the base. 5 minutes on the router gave it some shadow lines.

Erick

 

[HTSkywalker]

Hello, been looking for a good preamp to give some warmth to my Mcintosch 5200 Integrated Amp which is warm by nature.
Since I already have the Darkvoice 336, I did use it as a preamp. while it give a nice tubey touch, there is a slight hum at a certain volume setting and up.
Would the Moreplay give as much warmth as the DV ? how about any humming or hissing ? my DAC is the Cambridge Audio CXN and am using a variety of tubes with the DV ranging from Svetlana 6080, Sylvania Winged C, RCA 6AS7G and a big variety of 6SN7 tubes like Melz, Sylvania, Raytheon T Plate, RCA dark glass, dual RCA and Sylvania 6J5 with adapter etc.
Does the Moreplay comes with tubes ?
Thanks

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Yes, the Moreplay comes with tubes.  If you feed the Moreplay into your power amp input on the 5200 that should work nicely.

 

[HTSkywalker]

Yes, the Moreplay comes with tubes.  If you feed the Moreplay into your power amp input on the 5200 that should work nicely.

Thanks Paul, I would be looping it between the DAC and the Aux input of the 5200 same as am doing with the Darkvoice and not directly to the power amp in as it’s looped to the Pre-amp output of the Mcintosch. Would that affect anything ?
And sound warmth wise and signal cleanliness, works it be a better combination than the Darkvoice?

Thanks

 

[Paul Birkeland]

You're piling up a lot of gain by doing things that way.  I would use the 5200 as a power amp and not use the preamp section for these types of configurations.

 

[HTSkywalker]

True but don't like to interfere in the short 5200 loop as any Y cable would work as an antenna for interference. I respect your will not to comment on other manufacturer products compared to yours but i just want to know if I will hear an audible difference with the Moreplay.
Thanks

 

[Paul Birkeland]

True but don't like to interfere in the short 5200 loop as any Y cable would work as an antenna for interference.

Huh?  You are just plugging the cables from the output of the Moreplay into a different set of jacks on the 5200...  You'll be shortening the signal path considerably by doing this.  There's no Y cable required for this.  Also it's completely free to try.  If we assume that your cabling is picking up interference, you'd also be amplifying it less in this configuration.

I respect your will not to comment on other manufacturer products compared to yours but i just want to know if I will hear an audible difference with the Moreplay.

I think you're maybe not understanding what I'm saying.  If you put 70dB of gain after pretty much any tube preamp, you're going to hear something coming out of your speakers (especially if they are reasonably sensitive).  This is very likely why a headphone amp that is otherwise quiet on headphones may seem to be noisy with what you're doing. 

 

[HTSkywalker]

I got your point, The 5200 only have 1 power amp in which is shorted directly to the pre-amp out with a direct solid jumpers.
Only available RCA INs are either CD, AUX etc. and I really like to keep this direct link possible as an option without any interference in between due to the perfect sound it produces as an SS amp.
My concern was the audible difference advantage of the Moreplay over the DV pre-amp section regardless of my setup.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Why don't you give the Dark Voice a try feeding the amp in on the Mac. 

 

[HTSkywalker]

Why don't you give the Dark Voice a try feeding the amp in on the Mac.

Will do thanks

 

[HTSkywalker]

Just tried the DV direct to power amp and it sounded good, thanks.
Still am interested in the Moreplay, is it possible to configure it as a tube buffer only bypassing its preamp section (gain & volume control)?

 

[Paul Birkeland]

is it possible to configure it as a tube buffer only bypassing its preamp section (gain & volume control)?

To make the Moreplay into a unity gain buffer, you would need to redesign the circuit.