DIY Audio questions and answers - Question about Novo kit performance

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Question about Novo kit performance

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Topic: Question about Novo kit performance

Posted By: blazingtortoise
Subject: Question about Novo kit performance
Date Posted: 31 Oct 2009 at 10:01pm

Hi there, I have just finished assembling my Novo headphone amp kit. I've tested all of the voltages as described in the instruction manual and they are all OK. Whilst the level of detail from the amp is incredible I find the sound a little light in the bass department. Is it possible I have made an error or have a dodgy component? Or is this a chacracteristic of the amp?

I am using a pair of Sennheiser HD595 headphones and a Squeezebox Receiver running through a Cambridge audio DACmagic.

Thanks in advance.

Simon.

Replies:

Posted By: mrarroyo
Date Posted: 31 Oct 2009 at 10:26pm

Simon, while the Novo does not have an exagerated bass it is good bass. However it takes a few hundred hours to burn-in, so use it for at least 350 hours and hear how it improves.

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Miguel

Posted By: Graham Slee
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2009 at 8:20am

We have covered burn-in numerous times and it contributes highly to the 600 plus topics on this owners forum. There is a search facility in the navigation bar above.

When I was nothing but a teenage novice I remember things could sound great at switch-on then after a hour or two I would get bored - the sound had changed for the worse...

That's why the things I design today are designed to sound better with time, and therefore do the "flipside" of the equipment I bought in my teens.

The trouble with electricity is it's invisible so nobody sees the moving parts - electrons.

"...blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20: 29)

In my Austin Metro van many years ago I knew there were moving parts (the engine) and that it was new, so it didn't do top speed easily. After using it for several weeks it achieved XXmph!

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That none should be able to park up and enjoy the view without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps

Posted By: blazingtortoise
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2009 at 11:19am

Thanks for the replies, I suspected that would be the sugestion after reading the other threads about burn in, I just wanted to make sure I hadn't done something wrong in the assembly.

Also the amp that I have been comparing the Novo to is a Roksan Kandy, which I think has a very warm sound whick makes it easy to listen to but some of the detail is lost. After using the Novo only for a couple of days, Kind of blue (Miles Davis) and Wish you were here (Pink Floyd) sound absolutely stunning!

Looking forward to the next few hundread hours of burn in.

Simon.

Posted By: mrarroyo
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2009 at 2:09pm

Enjoy your new amp Simon. BTW, if you are using the switching psu do ground it using the post on the back of the Novo. Cheers.

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Miguel

Posted By: blazingtortoise
Date Posted: 01 Nov 2009 at 2:18pm

Thanks Miguel, I've connected the earth post on the back of the Novo to the earth post on the back of the Roksan that is marked phono. Is this the right thing to do?

Simon.