Back to the Future: AR XA + NAD 3020

Whenever I find them at reasonable prices, I re-acquire audio components I owned and enjoyed in the 80s. I started my quest with the Grace G707 tonearm, a TDA1541-equipped Magnavox CDB 473 CD player and the dynakit stereo 35 PP EL84 power amp. I also tried to rekindle my affection for the BBC LS3/5A monitor and my MC SUT collection now includes a pair of Sony HA-T10s. Meanwhile, I've been hunting for an AR XA turntable and a first generation NAD 3020 to complete my journey back in time.

A Visit to VAS Audio - SPU-G, Miyabi & Ikeda

 

During a recent visit to Steve and Ray at VAS Audio, my attention was caught by an amplifier I built in the early 2000s. This is one of the very few I released into the wild.

AliEx amorphous, Hashimoto HL20K6 + Sony TamRadio line output transformers

L>R: 6AH4 + AliEx, 12B4A + Sony/Tamradio and 6AH4 + Hashimoto HL20K6

The last time I saw my buddy J-Rob was pre-COVID, but we keep in touch via email and text messages. During one of those hello/how you doin' moments, the chat progressed to line preamp transformers and how the $100/pr. amorphous jobs from AliExpress perform. 

I used to own a pair of Tango/Hirata NP216N nickel line OPTs, which were featured in my Sound Practices issue 17 homebrewer article. In hindsight, I don't think I gave them a fair chance so this was a good opportunity to revisit the topology.

Lycan3R WP12024 Horn

A couple of months after I blogged about the 3D printed prototype of the WP12024 horn, Trieu sent a pair of these beautifully finished cast aluminum production versions. Included in the package was a set of parts for a horn stand patterned after the Western Electric original I've only seen in Stereo Sound Tube Kingdom.

Two RCA derived octal phono preamps

Keen-eyed readers and visitors to my YouTube channel may have noticed the two octal phono preamps I've been using in my recent uploads. I built them for the following reasons:

1. Although the Loctal EAR 834P had no problems driving the Intact Audio nickel autoformers, the 5k Ohm output Z of the Shure M65 phono preamp sounded very anemic.
2. In the spirit of not leaving stones unturned and my curiosity for other sonic flavors notwithstanding, I looked back to passive RIAA EQ phono circuits I've been wanting to build, which have low enough output impedance to drive an Autoformer Volume Control.

Shielded Finemet FM-MCT1 MC Step Up Transformers

 

It's been almost a year since my favorable review of this Finemet MC step up transformer. Overall, it has given me great musical pleasure! However, when tasked to amplify MC phono cartridges with lower output than a typical Denon DL103, in particular the Ortofon SPU and Fidelity Research FR1 MkII, hum could be intrusive in softer passages of classical music, especially when not carefully sited away from motors and power supply transformers.

As I had suspected in my initial review, the FM-MCT1 wasn't as well shielded as the Hashimoto HM7, Tamura TKS83, Altec 4722 and other vintage MC SUTs in my collection.😔 Now, I had no recourse but to compromise my aesthetic preference for an open chassis in favor of an enclosure to provide additional shielding.