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L5 Signature Phono Stage

Construction Manual

Version 3.00, October 2019

1-613-822-7188

Summary of Contents for L5

Page 1: ...L5 Signature Phono Stage Construction Manual Version 3 00 October 2019 audionotekits rogers com 1 613 822 7188 ...

Page 2: ... 1 4 7 Hardware Mechanical 11 1 4 8 Wire Stripping and Tinning 11 1 4 9 Wire Color 12 1 4 10 Optional Finishing Touches 12 1 5 Build Process 12 1 5 1 Some Good Rules of Thumb for Building Your Phono Stage 12 1 5 2 Organization of this Manual 13 1 5 3 Electrical Safety Warning 14 Section 2 Mechanical Assembly and Initial Mains Transformer Wiring 15 2 1 Overview 16 2 2 Installing the Feet 17 2 3 Ins...

Page 3: ... Installing the PCB Resistors 37 5 4 Installing the Capacitors 39 5 5 Installing the Bridge Rectifiers 40 5 6 Installing the Regulators 41 5 7 Installing the Shunt Resistor 42 5 8 Preparing the LED Installation 42 Section 6 Power Supply Interwiring 43 Section 7 Phono Board Installation 52 7 1 Overview 52 7 2 Parts List 53 7 3 Installing the Resistors 54 7 4 Installing the Valve Bases 55 7 5 Instal...

Page 4: ...e Check 67 9 6 Sound Check 67 Section 10 Finishing Touches 68 10 1 Installing the Front Faceplate 68 10 2 Installing the LED 68 10 3 Last Looks Inside 68 10 4 Installing the Chassis Top 68 Section 11 Final Thoughts 69 11 1 Congratulations 69 11 2 Cables 69 11 3 Tube Rolling 69 11 3 1 12AX7 70 11 3 2 6922 70 11 3 3 5U4G 70 11 4 Thanks 71 Appendix 72 Resistor Color Code Reference 73 Wiring for 240V ...

Page 5: ...t will surely become a showpiece of your sound system We re excited that you ve chosen to join us in enjoying and appreciating superb audio and we ve created this manual to help guide you through each step of the assembly process with as much detail and clarity as possible To facilitate the build process the manual has been divided into a number of sections each focusing on a separate aspect of th...

Page 6: ... during the 2000s with development assisted by Audio Note UK engineering Audio Note UK parts were used throughout the kits depending on the various levels and budgets By 2013 ANK Audio Kits as it came to be called had developed a wide product range covering all areas of two channel audio a single ended 300B product line an EL34 Class AB and single ended product line digital to analog converters pr...

Page 7: ...ck in the early days of the kit business Peter Qvortrup once mentioned to me we still don t know how much information is in those grooves Maybe we now know Experience the magic yourself with the L5 Signature Phono Stage in either DIY kit form or as a Professional Series build 1 2 2 Specifications Input Tube 1 x 12AX7 Output Tube 1 x 6922 Rectifier Tube NOS 5U4G Outputs 1 x SE Pair RCA or Balanced ...

Page 8: ...in analog reproduction Phono Board A new Phono board has been designed to take advantage of the very latest in modern grounding techniques We are using two massive 47uf Mundorf EVO Oil film capacitors situated in the center of the board for maximum silence Rel Cap RIAA Capacitors x 4 on Phono Board Audio Note UK Copper Foil Capacitors x 4 on Phono Board Mundorf EVO Oil film capacitors on Phono Boa...

Page 9: ...ughly it will give you a good idea of what s ahead and help ensure your success 1 4 1 Soldering We highly recommend using lead based solder with some silver content1 on the build You should use lead free ONLY if you are experienced using it and confident Lead free solder requires a higher melting temperature and thus is more difficult to use We don t recommend lead free solder for first time build...

Page 10: ...rent at times With regard to voltage ratings normally the voltage rating of the supplied capacitors will be exactly what you see on the parts lists Occasionally a part may be supplied with a higher voltage Think nothing of it 1 4 5 Electrolytic Capacitors For those who have not built a piece of electronics before here is a little lesson on capacitors There are basically two types of capacitors tha...

Page 11: ... a transformer So if you are asked to use an M3 16mm CSK screw this is an M3 size obviously which is a thinner shaft diameter than an M4 16mm is the length of the shaft and the head type is CSK which is a countersunk or flat head screw Once you have the screws mastered look at the matching nuts such as M4 nut or M3 nut and corresponding washers Standoffs are common in the kits again they are eithe...

Page 12: ...ders who want to incorporate some of these finishing touches should feel free to do so While we don t officially support or supply parts for these optional enhancements there s no reason why you couldn t or shouldn t do them if you want to and feel that you can handle them Without getting into the details you re on your own here what you ll want to get hold of are heatshrink to bundle wires cable ...

Page 13: ...l Assembly and Initial Mains Transformer Wiring 3 Choke Installation 4 Power Supply Board Installation 5 Super Regulator Board Installation 6 Power Supply Interwiring 7 Phono Board Installation 8 Interwiring 9 Testing 10 Finishing Touches 11 Final Thoughts Appendix This manual is an early version Please provide any feedback to ANK Audio Kits via phone or email audionotekits rogers com at any stage...

Page 14: ...fety There are sufficient voltages in this kit to give you a very nasty and harmful shock so be very careful when powering on debugging and probing around Please contact ANK Audio Kits via phone or email audionotekits rogers com to discuss any precautions necessary when building the kit if you feel unsure about what you are doing at any stage of the build ...

Page 15: ...ollowing parts 1 Mains Transformer PLPT A 2 4 Pole Chokes DCH01 and DCH02 1 Gold Shunt Resistor The kit bags will have a complete list in each bag that you can check the parts against Hardware Kit Bag All hardware in individual bags corresponding to each section IEC Bag Rocker Switch etc Power Supply Kit Bag PCB and all associated parts and tube Super Regulator Kit Bag PCB and all associated parts...

Page 17: ...make it easier to work with as we install the transformers Choke etc Turn the chassis upside down Take a foot and insert an M4 screw with washer into it it might be tight but just push it in Install each foot in the hole in the chassis closest to the corner and secure it with an M4 nut on the inside of the chassis Don t over tighten the screw you could damage the foot ...

Page 19: ...e bottom Use M3 10mm CSK flat head screws and nuts to secure it Have a look at the picture below Note the orientation of the Rocker Switch with the smaller pair of tabs towards the side of the chassis and the larger pair towards the middle Install the self locking Rocker Switch by pressing it in from the back of the chassis it will snap into position The correct orientation of the IEC and Rocker S...

Page 20: ...its www AudioNoteKits com audionotekits rogers com Page 20 2 4 Installing the Chassis Ground Screw Insert the M4 16mm Chassis Ground screw from underneath into the unpainted position near the corner of the chassis as shown below ...

Page 21: ...e rubber strips on the chassis where the PLPT A Mains transformer will go Next have a look at the picture below and position the Mains transformer in the chassis such that the two White two Black and the one Green wires go towards the back of the chassis These wires are the Primary Secure the Mains transformer to the chassis using the M4 10mm screws washers and nuts provided ...

Page 22: ...t cool When you are done you should have a nice smooth solder joint This manual was developed while building the first post prototype unit The wire lengths suggested for the Mains and Choke wires and the interwiring between boards and components is based on the positions of those elements at that time As with all products over time there will be revisions most likely to boards occasionally to the ...

Page 24: ...the 4 solder tabs you use We suggest that when you cut these wires give yourself a little slack then tin the ends by adding solder to the exposed wire so that the solder melts to it and clip the tinned wire to a length of about so that it can fit through the hole Obviously you will want to make these connections while the Board is NOT secured to the rear of the chassis We also recommend that you s...

Page 25: ...h the IEC board when it s situated on the rear of the chassis as shown above Note you can connect the wires from the top or the underside of the board as you prefer In the picture on the previous page they are connected from the top side Strip and tin the ends You can add some heatshrink if you like Connect these four Primary wires to the IEC board as shown below Cut off the excess wire 2 The wiri...

Page 26: ...Copyright 2019 AudioNote Kits www AudioNoteKits com audionotekits rogers com Page 26 Add the two jumpers as shown You can use some left over Black Primary wire or bare wire as you prefer ...

Page 27: ... Solder the Red and Black wires from the Rocker Switch to the front through the plastic insulating board by drilling 2 holes in it3 The choice is yours If you haven t done so already peel off the paper covering on the plastic insulating board Tin and solder the unprepared ends of the half prepared Red and Black4 wires in the IEC bag onto the IEC board as shown 3 Peel off the cover first There s a ...

Page 28: ...cker Switch Blue on top Brown below Again apply the pressure necessary to position the crimps correctly onto the lugs Take the Green wire that is prepared at one end with a ground lug and at the other end with a crimp Attach it to the bottom lug of the IEC socket Next let s test these important connections Using your multimeter s Continuity setting verify the following IEC Socket Ground to Chassis...

Page 29: ... make two Chassis Ground connections Retrieve the Green Mains Ground wire and the Green IEC Ground wire and using a nut loosely secure the two grounds to the Chassis Ground Screw as shown below Take the prepared 10R Ground cable and attach it as well to the Chassis Ground screw We ll attach the other end to the Phono board later ...

Page 30: ... with the raised ring facing inwards into the hole The RCA jack Attach from the inside onto the protruding jack The other white insulating washer The ground lug The nut don t immediately tighten this more than one or two turns Bend the ground lug up about 30 degrees and position at about 2 o clock Make sure it is away from the chassis Tighten the jack such that the inner lug is facing up open it l...

Page 32: ...this section we ll install the 2 4 pole Chokes A Choke is an inductor that is used to smooth the Power Supply voltage 3 2 Installing the Chokes Install the larger Choke DCH02 in the position shown above with the wires coming out of the Choke towards the center of the chassis Secure with 4 M4 10mm pan screws and nuts Similarly install the Smaller Choke DCH01 into position as shown again with the wi...

Page 33: ... Kits www AudioNoteKits com audionotekits rogers com Page 33 Section 4 Power Supply Board Installation 4 1 Overview Here s a view of the Power Supply board showing the 5U4G rectifier tube placement and the 2 4 pole capacitors ...

Page 34: ...can fill up the entire valve base hole Be very careful not to let any solder bridge to the next pin as this will cause a short If you wish to or think you need to you can touch them up from the top then back once again to the bottom and all should be well When you do the touch ups just give them a very short bit of heat and a tiny bit of additional solder Install the 8 pin valve base Be very caref...

Page 35: ...npainted in order to ensure a good grounding of the shield when installed in the chassis Here you can see the correct positioning of the shield You ll also see several holes in the shield panel these will be used in the interwiring to route wires from one side of the Phono Stage to the other Install the supplied grommets in the shield and secure it in place using 3 M4 10mm screws and nuts place in...

Page 36: ...ation 5 1 Overview Here s a picture of the completed board in the chassis This board takes the AC from the Mains transformer and supplies the 6 3V AC for the filaments for the Phono board It uses super quiet 5 pin regulators Some pictures show a section that is not used In fact it will be used later for the LED installation ...

Page 37: ... 2 7K ohms K multiplied by 1000 but it s shortened to 2K7 Another example is the 1M resistor which is 1 Mega ohms Use an ohmmeter to measure each resistor to verify its correct value We ve included a resistor chart in the Appendix It s a good idea to orient your resistors so that the color codes can be read from left to right it makes it easier to spot any issues It s also a good idea to not have ...

Page 38: ...o keep the clipped lead from flying off and you can wear protective glasses Hopefully we didn t make any mistakes and you got all the right resistors If not just drop me an email audionotekits rogers com and we ll get it straightened out ASAP Definitely take your time on this board be patient and do not rush as there is some tight soldering that is required Quantity Designation Description Part Nu...

Page 39: ...tic Capacitors Reminder Electrolytic capacitors are polarized which means they have a POSITIVE and a NEGATIVE lead and need to be installed correctly or else they will likely blow up Most electrolytic capacitors will have a wide stripe on the NEGATIVE side When they don t they ll have some other indication of the POSITIVE and NEGATIVE leads Always ensure that this stripe NEGATIVE is positioned cor...

Page 40: ...pts an AC voltage and generates a DC voltage which in the Phono Stage is used as the filament voltage You ll see a notch on the Bridge Rectifiers part number GBU4M match the notch with the POSITIVE stencil on the board The Bridge rectifier has an edge notched on it that lines up with the board Install the 2 GBU4M8 Bridge Rectifiers at B1 and B2 8 The picture actually shows a slightly different par...

Page 41: ... heatsink is the same front and back Insert a regulator and heatsink into the board at IC1 Make sure that the regulator is inserted straight by doing the final tightening of the screw while holding the regular and heatsink in position on the board where it will go Solder the 3 pin regulator and the heatsink from underneath the board Again use whatever props you need to get it straight Follow the s...

Page 42: ...stall the 10K 50W Gold Shunt Resistor into the chassis There are holes pre drilled in the chassis at the front of the chassis in front of regulator board 5 8 Preparing the LED Installation Refer to the LED installation package to install the LED wiring on the Super regulator board Congratulations That s it for this section Another cup ...

Page 43: ...g The information needed to complete the Power Supply interwiring is contained in the PDF file Power Supply Interwiring As appropriate in the this section and in the later interwiring route wires through the grommet in a way that makes the most sense in terms of neat routing The picture below shows one way of doing it ...

Page 51: ...ge 51 At this point we suggest you just solder the twisted Red and Black wires to the Super Regulator board and later we will connect to them the Phono board For now leave them quite long Well done if all that is done You ve completed the wiring of the Power Supply Congratulations ...

Page 52: ...rd along with the 2 filament voltages that s a lot of building just for those 3 things The circuit uses a 12AX7 input tube and a 6922 output stage a lot of careful grounding has been performed on the board and the large EVO oil capacitors are a big part of the grounding strategy And here s a shot of the completed early stage Phono board There will be a few differences between what you see above an...

Page 53: ...c 1W 4 68R Takman non magnetic W 1 15K Takman non magnetic 1W 2 39K 39K2 Takman non magnetic 1W 2 33K Takman non magnetic 1W 2 470R Takman non magnetic 1W 2 1M Takman non magnetic 1W 2 270R Takman non magnetic W 2 2M2M2 1M82 1W 2 330K Takman non magnetic 1W Capacitors 2 100uf 10V electrolytic capacitors 2 470uf 16V electrolytic capacitors 2 22 uf Audio Note UK Copper Foil capacitors 2 1uf Audio No...

Page 54: ...ttage 2 47K Takman non magnetic 1W 4 1K Takman non magnetic 1W 2 1K2 Takman non magnetic 1W 2 100K Takman non magnetic 1W 4 68R Takman non magnetic W 1 15K Takman non magnetic 1W 2 39K 39K2 Takman non magnetic 1W 2 33K Takman non magnetic 1W 2 470R Takman non magnetic 1W 2 1M Takman non magnetic 1W 2 270R Takman non magnetic W 2 2M2 1M82 1W 2 330K Takman non magnetic 1W ...

Page 55: ... 9 pin valve bases they only fit in one way so you can t go wrong 7 5 Installing the Capacitors Quantity Value 2 100uf 10V electrolytic capacitors 2 470uf 16V electrolytic capacitors 2 22 uf Audio Note UK Copper Foil capacitors 2 1uf Audio Note UK Copper Foil capacitors 2 47uf Mundorf EVO Oil film capacitors 2 Rel Cap RIAA Capacitors 2N7 2 Rel Cap RIAA Capacitors 8N2 Install the 2 100uf 10V electr...

Page 56: ...film capacitors so there is no polarity but we suggest you install them with the writing as shown These capacitors are connected between the High Tension HT voltage and Ground The capacitors goes into the board and then are soldered on the underside of the board the lead on the top now must be connected to a specific ground point on the PCB as shown in the picture on the next page ...

Page 57: ...low Take a wire and extend it from the capacitor lead using a ground lug on the end this should be prepared and part of your kit if not it d easy to make one The correct orientation of the grounding connections Take 2 M4 screws and nuts and connect the ground lugs to the correct locations as shown ...

Page 58: ...rs com Page 58 Section 8 Interwiring 8 1 Overview With the Phono board completed let s tackle the interwiring between the Phono board and the input and output shielded wiring along with the Power Supply and the Super Regulator boards and the Chassis Ground 8 2 Interwiring ...

Page 59: ...the HT on the Phono board Similarly use 18g Black PTFE wire to connect the B on the Power Supply board to the location beside the HT on the Phono board Next connect the DC filament voltages for the Phono board tubes You can see the additional little holes on the Phono board for this wiring so take the twisted Red Black 22g wire that is connected to the output of the Super Regulator board and conne...

Page 61: ... the first would be the Chassis Ground wire with resistor and capacitor attached this is the prepared wire with a ground lug that we connected earlier to the Chassis Ground Screw near the Mains transformer Take this wire and connect it to one of the IN grounds marked COM on the board this is basically where an RCA Signal and Ground would connect to the board and this Chassis Ground wire will conne...

Page 62: ...When working with the RCA jacks we use the following procedure Tin the RCA Red signal and Black ground leads Put a puddle of solder in the center of the RCA jack Tin the ground tab on the RCA jack Heat the solder puddle and slide the Red tinned lead into the center of it it should adhere immediately Heat the tinned Black lead as it makes contact with the ground tab on the RCA similarly it should a...

Page 64: ...been correctly wired and that things are working the way they re supposed to Our plan is as follows With no tubes installed power the Phono Stage on to verify that the fuse does not blow Install the 12AX7 and 6922 then power on to make sure that the tubes glow Install the 5U4G rectifier and measure a key DC voltage Test for sonics and hum If all is well play in a proper system enjoy ...

Page 65: ...he IEC bag If the fuse holder is already installed in the IEC plug use a screwdriver a flat edge or your fingers to pull it out you may need to squeeze it to completely remove it Install the fuse in the small plastic fuse holder and insert it into the IEC You can ignore any lettering like 240V only there is only one fuse holder type for all world voltages Turn the Phono Stage on If the fuse does n...

Page 66: ...9 4 First Power Up IMPORTANT NOTE Follow the turn on procedure carefully DO NOT AT ANY TIME ONLY INSTALL THE 5U4G RECTIFIER TUBE WITHOUT ANY OTHER TUBES INSTALLED The reason for this is that the rectifier is counting on having a specific load to drive If the rectifier is used without other tubes installed then the unit will see significantly higher DC voltages which can overextend the Power Supply...

Page 67: ... audionotekits rogers com before proceeding We ll be happy to provide you with advanced troubleshooting advice Note we may ask that you send us high quality digital pictures of the internals of the Phono Stage Make the following measurement On the Phono board measure the HT and you should have about 260V DC Turn the Phono Stage off Well done if all these checks are good Let s move on to the sound ...

Page 68: ...lly trim the LED leads so that they are not exposed Glue or attach with some Blu Tack the LED holder to the front panel so that the LED protrudes through the designated hole as shown below 10 3 Last Looks Inside Before you close things up it s not a bad idea to do a final visual inspection particularly to assure yourself that none of the interwiring is too close to things that get hot like the tub...

Page 69: ...les In our experience a high quality power cable and good interconnects should make a noticeable improvement to the sound 11 3 Tube Rolling We feel that the sound of the ANK Audio Kits L5 Signature Phono Stage is truly sublime It provides a highly detailed and transparent presentation with gorgeous sonics Rolling some quality new production tubes and or some nice NOS tubes in the 12AX7 6922 and 5U...

Page 70: ...ble 6DJ8 at very reasonable prices Before considering any tube substitution other than a 6DJ8 please mail me at audionotekits rogers com to discuss it 11 3 3 5U4G The directly heated 5U4G full wave rectifier is a 1930s design and there are classic era NOS 5U4G tubes available at reasonable prices Of course audio lore is that the one to have is the Western Electric 274B rectifier if you can find on...

Page 71: ...nual or instructions parts lists etc Your ideas regarding greater clarity or tweaks will also be truly appreciated If you have some suggestions that you feel would help other kit builders please also let us know We can put them on a support page for other users We d also like to see some great pictures of your build process or your final build We can post them on our website or on our Facebook pag...

Page 73: ...Copyright 2019 AudioNote Kits www AudioNoteKits com audionotekits rogers com Page 73 You can also find an Interactive Resistor Color Code Calculator on our website available from the Links page ...

Page 74: ...nt to accomplish Cut the four wires White White Grey Black and Black Grey coming out of the Mains Primary to the lengths you ll need to reach the IEC PCB when it s situated on the rear of the chassis Note you can connect the wires from the top or the underside of the board as you prefer In the picture above they are connected from the underside Strip and tin the ends You can add some heatshrink if...

Page 75: ...m audionotekits rogers com Page 75 Connect these four Primary wires to the IEC PCB as shown in the diagram below Cut off the excess wire Add the jumper as shown below You can use the left over end of the Black Primary wire or a bare wire as you prefer ...

Page 76: ...ed and Black wires from the Rocker Switch to the front through the plastic insulating board by drilling 2 holes in it10 as shown in the picture above The choice is yours If you haven t done so already peel off the paper covering on the plastic insulating board Tin and solder the unprepared ends of the half prepared Red and Black11 wires in the IEC bag onto the IEC PCB as shown or in an electricall...

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