Abbas phono

[Walter66]

Well, I've learned my lessons.
I don't have written that only point to point wiring sounds good.
What I've written was, that, compared between those two methods, hardwiring is always preferable.

That's just a little different, but it makes all the difference.
I've compared identical amps, both methods.
Did you do that, too? I's very hard to do if you are just a plain audio product consumer. There are no choices where one can compare.
You have to be a DIY and design your own gear, to be able to do so.

And if you have done it and came to a different conclusion, that's personal experience. It's highly subjective.
We all tell in forum's about our personal experience, don't we?

 

[ledoux1238]

I am an audio product consumer, not a DIY builder, so strictly from the outside looking in....

I bought a used MFA Luminescence preamp many years ago. It was an all octal tube design with separate tubed power supply. The preamp was entirely hand soldered and a thing of beauty even to an electrical-design-illiterate like myself. After my purchase I brought the unit to a local technician for wiring and capacitance upgrade. Even before any upgrade, just by playing around with new solders on the various connections, we heard improvement in SQ. That was an educational experience for me. I realize that usage and wear are part and parcel of a particular design. And for this vintage product, the point to point wiring may be a superior design technique, but it may have contributed to its own sonic degradation. I enjoyed my time with the Luminescence, especially its phono section, despite leaving the existing soldering points alone.

I live in a very humid part of Asia, +90% humidity for weeks on end. While I appreciate superior design, I am not too hung up of whether a product involves point to point wiring. From where I am, I may enjoy the benefits of such design for only a short while before the soldering joints are corrupted.

In any case, I very much enjoy the discussions on Abbas phonos and DACs'.

 

[jespera]

I did a comparison between different step up transformers for my ortofon sl15ell cartridge.

Cinemag (by ptp audio); warm cosy pleasant musical sound. Not the last word in clarity and details.

Ortofon verto, 30db mode, lundahl made: very clear and detailed presentation. Tecnically adept but also a cooler character. Ive had this impression before with lundahl products.

Abbas 1:10 (20db, normally used with denon 103): abbasque sound. Open detailed and, importantly, very natural tone. Bass is good too. These traits in combination lead to balance and resolution. So if the others were too warm and too cold, this is just right. Only trouble is that the gain of the abbas is too low for the ortofon sl15.

Conclusion: ive ordered two 1:25 (28db) step ups from Abbas. Then I can possibly use one of them on my spu. Until they show up i’ll be using the cinemag for the sl15.

 

[christensenleif@msn.com]

a friend here in Norway had a Graaf GM-20 which burned up on the pcb´s around the 6C33 tubes
he got the insurance co to pay for a rebuild; the GM-20 was rebuilt with hardwiring by a local pro tubetech from Kongsberg Weapons
same layout and components
the difference in sound was HUGE. drive, tone, transparency etc
I also once built a hardwired leg to leg ss ELF generator for a sub system based on a Rod Elliot design from down under and it also sounded great
so I tend to agree...avoid pcb´s if possible

 

[charles1dad]

@jespera
You have owned a number of different Abbas components over a period of years. Have you experienced any problems with their PCBs?

As with everything, there are good examples and poor examples, PCB quality, implementation and reliability is no different.

Point to point wiring is an excellent method if done to a high standard (My preamp and mono block amplifiers). I just don’t believe that one can summarily dismiss all PCB efforts. There are distinctions that exist.
Charles

 

[jespera]

@jespera
You have owned a number of different Abbas components over a period of years. Have you experienced any problems with their PCBs?

As with everything, there are good examples and poor examples, PCB quality, implementation and reliability is no different.

Point to point wiring is an excellent method if done to a high standard (My preamp and mono block amplifiers). I just don’t believe that one can summarily dismiss all PCB efforts. There are distinctions that exist.
Charles

No, no problems with my abbas gear.
I had a 3rd reich valve that blew but thats it.

Abbas used point to point on my crossovers but his dacs and phono are boarded. He puts s lot of attention to those boards. Layout, gilding, varnish. I dont see that anywhere else tbh.

You can ask abbas why he does it how he does. You can probably also ask to have your signature ultra phono done hardwired. And if he thinks its worth it.

Hardwring is possibly probably better than boards. In general at least. But theres costs and benefits to everything. And frankly, i own and have owned several hardwired products that id happily swap for boarded abbas counterparts.

Meanwhile let me remind you how some well reputed phono stages look inside:

Omdirigering

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[jespera]

Oh and btw: abbas showed me photos of a prototype of a hybrid power amp earlier this year. It was hardwired. So he does work with point to point on occasion.

 

[charles1dad]

I believe that his SET amps and preamplifier builds are P-P wired. He puts considerable thought and effort into his PCBs and probably believes that this is preferable choice for his DACS/phono stage. Anyway, the final arbiter is the sound quality produced.
Charles

 

[charles1dad]

In case anyone may be interested/curious, some interior photos of the Abbas 3.2SE DAC. I have one being built for me and awaiting shipment next month.

Прототип новой модели DAC3.2 SE TDA1541 — Abbasaudio

 

[Artnet]

It’s a great product. Very clear and punchy sound with a dose of natural warmth. Smooth musical big bottle presentation.

By Coincidence I was having a listen to an audiophiles system on the search for some cables and tucked away with its lid off a Abbas RIAA preamp. Had to get up and have a look and then we just listened to vinyl. There wouldn't be many of these were I live which I was impressed enough by but the sound was fabulous. The owner commented on all the other phono stages he has had in his system some very expensive and this was his proffered.

 

[Artnet]

Oh and btw: abbas showed me photos of a prototype of a hybrid power amp earlier this year. It was hardwired. So he does work with point to point on occasion.

Another thread? please share when the time is right.

Abbas used point to point on my crossovers but his dacs and phono are boarded. He puts s lot of attention to those boards. Layout, gilding, varnish. I dont see that anywhere else tbh.

That is the point (no pun intended) it is no ordinary board! Certainly not for the cost against Point to point, and I proffer point to point wiring.

I have no bad experience or reservations when such care and work has been done to finish a component

Living in a warm climate to keep heat of the board I use Socket savers vintage build preferable.

 

[charles1dad]

@Artnet
"That is the point (no pun intended) it is no ordinary board! Certainly not for the cost against Point to point, and I proffer point to point wiring.

I have no bad experience or reservations when such care and work has been done to finish a component"

No ordinary board. This is correct and in truth, an understatement.
Charles

 

[jespera]

Despite playing through a riffraff sut and a boarded abbas phono stage, i think julie london sounds ok:

My kids in the background.

 

[Artnet]

ive ordered two 1:25 (28db) step ups from Abbas.

Look forward to hearing about these!

 

[vinhxn]

@charles1dad Have you received your Abbas 3.2 SE DAC yet? He only made 6 in the first batch. It took him almost a year to build and test it. I finally received mine. I don't care much for the casing but inside (IMO) is a piece of art. You can see in the pic that he paid a lot of attention to the details. Everything is done by hand. I'd say he shares the Audio Note philosophy. Audio Note components do not measure well but they sound wonderful and so is the Abbas DAC.

 

[charles1dad]

@charles1dad Have you received your Abbas 3.2 SE DAC yet? He only made 6 in the first batch. It took him almost a year to build and test it. I finally received mine. I don't care much for the casing but inside (IMO) is a piece of art. You can see in the pic that he paid a lot of attention to the details. Everything is done by hand. I'd say he shares the Audio Note philosophy. Audio Note components do not measure well but they sound wonderful and so is the Abbas DAC. View attachment 102331

Hi,
Congratulations!!! It looks like you have the Signature version (Ei power transformers). I ordered the SE version (Toroidal transformers) of the 3.2. Yes, the exterior is perhaps plain Jane industrial. But I am with you, it is what’s inside that matters most (By far) to me and of course the sound quality. I know that the 3.2 DAC is “very “ labor intensive and I sincerely appreciate and admire that.

Abbas sent pictures of my just completed DAC quite recently. I hope to receive it within the next couple of weeks. Does the sound quality/sonic performance meet your expectations? Are you using CDs or audio streaming?
Charles

 

[charles1dad]

Here’s one view of my new 3.2SE. Note that in your DAC you have the wood bead wire insulation that’s used in the Signature DAC. My wires have his regular insulation.

 

[jespera]

@charles1dad Have you received your Abbas 3.2 SE DAC yet? He only made 6 in the first batch. It took him almost a year to build and test it. I finally received mine. I don't care much for the casing but inside (IMO) is a piece of art. You can see in the pic that he paid a lot of attention to the details. Everything is done by hand. I'd say he shares the Audio Note philosophy. Audio Note components do not measure well but they sound wonderful and so is the Abbas DAC. View attachment 102331

Congrats! Very much looking forward to reading your review. Please post in the abbas dac thread.

 

[mtemur]

Congratulations!!! It looks like you have the Signature version (Ei power transformers). I ordered the SE version (Toroidal transformers) of the 3.2

Both SE and signature version looks great. I bet they sound great too. Does TDA1541 configured to work as NOS? Is there any analog filtering or just tubes’ natural filtering is used IOT get rid of sampling frequency?

 

[charles1dad]

Both SE and signature version looks great. I bet they sound great too. Does TDA1541 configured to work as NOS? Is there any analog filtering or just tubes’ natural filtering is used IOT get rid of sampling frequency?

Abbas approach is definitely NOS. To the best of my knowledge, he does not employ any filtering. You could email him for verification. He responds very well.
Charles