AKSA

ASSEMBLY

OVERVIEW

These assembly instructions initially describe the recommended power supply for the AKSA
55 amplifier. Note: Exactly the same principles apply to the AKSA 100, but the voltages are
slightly higher, and parentheses will indicate the values for this amplifier.

Following the Power Supply section is a SAMPLE of the assembly instructions supplied with
A SUPERSEDED VERSION of the AKSA 55. You are strongly advised NOT to purchase
power supply components in advance of ordering the kit, since the documentation, for
commercial reasons, differs slightly from that given here for public display. These website
instructions are provided as an illustration of the detailed instructions you will receive with
your kitset and may not be precisely the same.

DISCLAIMER

All reasonable care has been taken in the design of this kitset amplifier to ensure that it neither
causes electric shock nor damages any loudspeaker or other transducer to which it is
connected.

In normal, routine operation with both 8R and 4R speaker loads, and providing all assembly
instructions have been followed carefully, no faults should cause any damage either to the
amplifier or any connected transducers.

However, since both the assembly and operation of the kitset are beyond the control of Aspen
Amplifiers, neither Aspen Amplifiers, its agents nor its employees take any responsibility
whatever for any damage resulting from the use or abuse of this amplifier by any person or
persons to any product to which it is connected or otherwise attached.

Once the product is purchased and the packaging opened, goods are deemed non-returnable,
and by your action you agree to be bound in law by this disclaimer.

WARNING:
Mains wiring must be performed by a qualified electrician - Do not attempt the power supply
unless suitably qualified. Faulty mains wiring may result in death or serious injury. All local
regulations pertaining to mains wiring must be rigidly adhered to.
POWER SUPPLY:
The amplifier is NOT supplied with a power supply. The 55W AKSA is designed for a 36V
rail voltage; that is, a bipolar supply of +36 volts and –36 volts, giving a rail to rail voltage of
72V. The 100W AKSA is designed for a 49V rail voltage; that is, a bipolar supply of +49 and
-49 volts, giving a rail to rail voltage of 98V. THESE VOLTAGES SHOULD NOT BE
EXCEEDED TO INCREASE POWER OUTPUT.

The recommended power supply uses two separate mains transformers and two independent,
full wave rectifiers, one for each amplifier, preferably using ultra-fast, soft recovery diodes
such as GI's UG10DCT, or the SBYV28-200. This DUAL supply requires four [8] 4,700uF
capacitors, two [four] for each full wave rectifier, and gives superior electrical separation,
conferring strong immunity to crosstalk. Use of two, independent supplies confers palpable
mage depth, a quality often absent with solid-state amplifiers and a hallmark of tube (valve)
amplifiers. Full schematics of these two power supplies appear below (NOTE: this is for a
55W AKSA).
 Preferred Power Supply

Suitable transformers for both the 55W AKSA are made by the Avel Lindberg company of the
US, Antrim of Ireland, and a variety of manufacturers right around the world. The 55W AKSA
requires two 160VA transformers, and the 100W AKSA requires two 230-330VA
transformers. Both can be toroids, an ideal choice for this application as they are relatively
inexpensive, and slimline.

Both power supplies must use star earthing, with ALL power earths returned to this single
point, shown as a triangular earth symbol in both schematics. Loudspeaker 'cold' terminals are
also returned to this point, but the signal earth for the input is connected to the signal ground
pin on each amp module.
The best rectifiers are ultra-fast slow recovery types, which greatly reduce switching noise.
Surge rating on these devices is 55A [100A], which suggests it would be difficult to destroy
them in normal amplifier service.

ASSEMBLY
Assembly is best performed in steps. Before commencing, read these instructions very
carefully. This will ensure you follow a disciplined sequence, which almost guarantees you
get it right first time. Re-works in electronics are nearly always costly, particularly if they
result in destroying the output stage – very easy with a solid state amplifier. Make sure you
are comfortable, all tools are to hand, and arrange adequate lighting. Directions given here are
for ONE pcb; assembly for the other board is identical. Assemble one pcb at a time to avoid
duplicating a mistake, and check each and every component carefully before and after
installation. If it is incorrectly installed, wait one minute to allow it to cool, desolder and
remove the component, then re-fit a second time.

STEP 1 - Check the Printed Circuit Board ('pcb')

Check the printed circuit board for damage in transit; cracks or abrasive damage which might
cause assembly problems. Carefully examine each hole; from time to time solder can block
component holes and must be cleared. Correct this with a compass point; if a hole is missing
altogether (check first!), carefully drill it out manually with a handheld 30 thou (0.8mm) drill.
Compare the board with the overlay diagram included; it should be 86mm deep and 75mm
wide.

STEP 2 - Fit the four (4) spade connector tags

Insert the four spade tags, in the positive, earth, negative and output positions. The power
supply tags are easily inserted from the component side into the two drilled holes. They are
pressed into place with a pair of long nosed pliers straddling the pcb and tag and squeezing
firmly into the board.

STEP 3 - Fit the four (4) fuse clips

Insert the four fuse clips on the left and right component side of the board marked FUSE 5A.
First push each clip hard and flat against the board. Heat the fuse holder prongs with a hot
iron, then solder to the board ensuring that solder covers the full distance between the prongs.

STEP 4 - Fit the 15 resistors and one preset (bias) pot

Fit all resistors except R13, R14 and R15. These are R1 through R12 on the component (non-
copper) side. R13, R14 and R15 are fitted on the COPPER side at completion of step 6 and
not before. Note that these three resistors require no lead holes. Note that R6 (82K), R7
(2K2), and R8 (120K), are mounted vertically on the component side; the top lead is bent
around with the finger from the lead end so that it is 5mms separated from, and parallel to, the
bottom lead.
Colour coding with 1% resistors works this way; the first three bands give the first three
digits, the fourth band gives the number of zeroes following the three digits, while the last
band is much thicker than the rest and gives the tolerance, in this case brown – 1%. Thus a
12K 1% would be brown, red, black, red, BROWN. When decoding, always orientate the
thickest band on the right.
It is a good idea to actually measure each resistor with a multimeter prior to fitting. This
guarantees you install the correct components. Here is the standard resistor colour code:

Black Brown Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Violet White Grey
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 0

A gold band before the last band means that the resistor value lies between 1 and 99 ohms.
Use the overlay diagram enclosed to identify the various component positions. The overlay
diagram is viewed from the component side.
Dress all leads so that they are bent neatly to line up with the holes in the board. This means
they can then be fitted without stressing the leads, improving reliability. After soldering the
resistor leads to the circuit board, trim them flush with the soldered joint using suitable side
cutters.

Note that R13, R14 and R15 are mounted on the copper side. R15 (10R) should be mounted
betweeen the pads marked 'X' on the copper side only when Step 6 is complete.

Now fit the 25 turn trimmer pot which controls bias, P1 (100R). This is a three terminal,
vertical device, with a small brass adjusting screw on top. This screw adjustment, located on
the left towards the centre of the circuit board, must be wound counter-clockwise at least 20
full turns before assembly.

DANGER: Failure to wind back the bias pot fully may seriously damage the output stage
upon initial switch-on due to severe overbias. Take care!

------------------------------Some steps removed from this sample for

brevity------------------------------------------------

SETTING UP AND TESTING

Now both channels are assembled, move the completed power supply close to the stereo
module for setting up the bias and testing.

STEP 11 - Attach the power supply leads to each channel in turn

There should be three duplicated output leads from a SINGLE power supply; two positive
(red), two earth (green), and two negative (black). Each complete set connects to the pcbs. If
you are using a DUAL power supply, ie one (or two) transformer(s), with two rectifier blocks
and two pairs of reservoir capacitors, then there will also be a pair of each; ie positive left
channel and right channel, earth left channel and right channel, and negative left channel and
right channel. In both cases the earth terminal(s) from the power supply should be connected
to a sturdy star earth, with the earth connection to each channel also taken to star earth. This
approach minimises hum.

The three leads of the power supply connect directly to the amplifier power connectors.
Looking at the amplifier module so that all overlay writing is legible and the output devices
appear at the top, the positive (red) lead connects to the left connector, the earth (green) to the
centre connector, and the negative (black) to the right connector. The leads may be attached
using a standard 6.3mm female spade connector, or (preferably) by soldering the lead directly
to the spade at the board.
STEP 12 - Set up protection and wind back bias
In the two fuse holders, wire two 100R 0W6 resistors by winding the leads around each
holder clip. There is no requirement to solder these resistors; they are used only for protection
in the event the amplifier is incorrectly biased during initial setup.

To ensure there is almost no bias drawn upon switch-on, use a jewellers screwdriver to wind
the bias pot adjustment fully counter-clockwise until a clicking sound is heard each time it is
turned. In any event, the adjustment must be turned counter-clockwise at least 20 full
revolutions.

STEP 13 - Switch on and adjust initial bias

Plug in the power supply, and switch on the mains. Taking the multimeter, immediately
measure the voltage across the positive rail 100R 'fuse' resistor. It should be just under 2
volts, and should not exceed 5 volts. Check the 100R resistor on the negative rail; the
voltage drop should be almost the same; just under 2 volts. More than 5V may indicate
the output stage is biased on; wind back P1.

Now measure the voltage across the rails. From the positive rail to earth should be 42 +/-1
volts; the figure should also be 42 +/-1 volts (negative) between negative rail and earth. In
both cases place the common terminal at the earth point, so that true polarity is indicated on
the meter.
With the multimeter set to the 20V scale, measure the voltage between the speaker output and
earth. It should be less than 50 millivolts. If this is so, set to the 2V scale and confirm. If it
exceeds 100mV, R2 (68K) may need to be increased or reduced empirically. Gross voltages
approaching the rails indicate a circuit fault; check all semiconductors have betweeen 0.4V
and 0.6V across base and emitter. Then switch off, check all soldered joints and output stage
transistor junctions.

Measure the voltage between R4/R5 (each of 2K7) and earth. It should be approximately 20
volts. If this voltage is less than 12, replace capacitor C4 before proceeding.
Now adjust the bias with a jewellers screwdriver. With the multimeter probes across the
positive rail 100R resistor, slowly turn the adjusting screw on the bias pot clockwise until the
voltage drop across the 100R resistor is 3 volts. Be very careful as the rise in quiescent
current through the output stage is abrupt. Under no circumstances should this voltage exceed
7 volts.

Confirm the voltage between output and earth remains less than 100mV. Switch off the
mains.
The initial bias has now been set to 20mA. The amplifier is viable, and will function as
designed.

STEP 14 - Fit fuses and check audio output

Remove the 100R resistors from the fuse holders of each channel and insert the two 5A fuses
supplied.
Connect an RCA socket via flying leads to the input terminals,ensuring the pcb terminal
closest to the star earth point (signal earth) is connected to the outer earth terminal of the
RCA.
Connect the 'hot' lead of a loudspeaker to the output terminal spade located close to the
heatsink ledge; the other terminal should be connected to earth. Take great care when
attaching this lead, as any short to the body of the heatsink or supply rails may destroy the
output stage devices.

With a standard RCA audio connector, connect a CD player with variable output to the RCA
input of the amplifier module. Arrange the heatsink for airflow so that the amplifiers cannot
overheat.
Switch on the mains power. There should be a barely discernible switch-on pulse at the
speaker.

Ensure room temperature is a pleasant 20C, or 68F. Start the CD, adjust volume to an
acceptable level, and play music for 15 minutes at moderate volume so that the amplifier
heatsink warms appreciably.
Now stop the CD player, carefully place multimeter probes between the two right hand
terminals (emitters) of each output transistor on the 200mV range, and check that the
measured voltage is less than 90mV. If it is, do nothing. If it is not below 90mV, reduce the
bias to read 90mV. This procedure ensures the 'warm' bias current does not exceed 95mA.

STEP 15 - Audio test and set final bias

Now you know the amplifier functions correctly, you are now ready to test the amplifier on
music.
Again ensure room temperature is 20C or 68F. This is important because it strongly
influences heatsink cooling, which affects bias setting. Switch on the mains power. Start the
CD, adjusting volume to a high level, and play music for twenty minutes. There should be no
distortion, with excellent dynamics and a strong sound stage.

After twenty minutes of loud playing, stop the CD player, again place multimeter probes
between the two right hand terminals (emitters) of each output transistor on the 200mV range,
and if necessary, carefully reset the bias with a jeweller's screwdriver so that the reading does
not exceed 120mV. This procedure guarantees that under continuous, heavy loading the bias
will not rise above 130mA. Watch the meter for a few seconds; now the amplifier is idling,
the output stage quiescent current should begin to drop, settling after 10 minutes or so at
around 80mV or less. This is normal.

The stereo amplifier module is now complete and tested. You can now set about mounting it
in a well ventilated cabinet with a power supply, and finishing the complete unit.
Congratulations! You will derive many hours pleasure listening to this superb amplifier…

© Copyright Aspen Asmplifiers P/L

2000-2005 All rights reserved

Hugh R. Dean
Aspen Amplifiers P/L
All rights reserved
Reproduction in any form is prohibited
 Tube Line Preamplifier

The AKSA TLP is a unity gain, vacuum tube line pre-amplifier module
to couple input sources to the AKSA power amps.

Its purpose is strictly to add that indefinable tube romance to a spectacular, solid state
amplifier. It is a very real alternative to a large, expensive and costly to maintain tube
amplifier. Like the AKSA power amps, the TLP is designed with premium sonics in mind. It
offers an easily configured volume control, tube magic, and permits use of very long
interconnects whilst preserving full compatibility with the AKSA power amps. The TLP adds
that mystical "warmth" associated with tube audio equipment, and turns wonderful sound into
sublime music.

A Nirvana upgrade using carefully selected premium components and a change of circuit
dimensions is offered for those audiophiles who wish to take this innovative design to the
max.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Frequency Response: -3dB points at 12Hz and 420KHz

Second harmonic: -42dB , Third Harmonic: -54

Harmonic Distortion:
dB.

Configuration: Self-biased Cathode follower.

Gain: 0.95, or insertion loss of 0.44 dB.

Tube, and B+: ECC 189, 138-144 volts.

Filament: 365mA at 6.3 Vac.

The TLP is interposed between the line source and amplifier. Its sole purpose is to enhance the
sonics of the system, as it offers no gain.

The TLP adds that indefinable 'tube sound' to SS muscle and slam. It softens the AKSA
without costing detail or slam, and adds a marvellous quality of humanity to recorded music,
particularly vocals. Music has emotional impact; it tickles our soul, and this is what the TLP
brings out in Spades.
It must be emphasized that THD is not a particularly relevant specification with tubes; these
figures are normally much higher than solid state circuits, and reflect the fact that the tube
operates in single ended mode without negative feedback. Of far greater significance is the
high order distortion composition, which is negligible with tubes and primarily responsible for
their very musical presentation.

The TLP is a premium high end design, and with matching sonics. It compares more than
favourably with the true high end US tube preamplifiers, and offers an incomparable sonic
overlay on all musical material regardless of source.

BUILDING THE TLP:

WHAT'S INCLUDED?

The kitset comprises:

A high grade PCB, the tube (valve), all components, its own power supply, including a high
quality, grain orientated E.I. transformer, four gold RCA sockets for inputs and output.,
extensive and detaied instructions, and full support and backup.

WHAT YOU HAVE TO SUPPLY:

There are a number of essential components that you need to supply.

Because the AKSA kitset has been concieved as "high end audio for everyone" the choices
you make for these are dependent on your preferences and budget. We can offer some as
options when you purchase. (See OPTIONS below)

YOU WILL NEED:

A case to mount the components in, a volume control, and internal wiring of your choice

Tools and facilities:

A Workbench of some sort, A fine Soldering Iron, Long Nosed Pliers, fine Side Cutters,
Multimeter, Reading Lamp, Philips Screwdriver, Moist Sponge, Sharp Razor, Jeweller's
screwdriver, Superglue sachet, School compass.

SOURCES for other components can be found at CONTACT/SUPPLIERS

OPTIONS:
Volume pot

We can supply a high quality ALPS 20K audio taper dual gang potentiometer as an option.