Seventh Circle Audio success

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Sonic Idiot

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Today, I finished four SCA pres. www.seventhcircleaudio.com

For anyone looking for top notch pres who is inclined to build them, my experience was nothing but positive. I started with zero knowledge - I'd never built anything, ever. No soldering - no electronics, no nothing. The kits are wonderful. Tim (the SCA maestro) grants excelent support. I highly recommend SCA. I'll post examples later, but these suckers are beautiful.

I have absolutely no connection with SCA. I'm just an extremely satisfied customer.
 
I have an A12 being built by a guy right now. I think we got a bad opamp though, so its on hold.
N72 is next. Cant wait.
 
I'm building my 312 from scratch being the crazy guy I am. :D

I want to try there N72 though, maybe later, one project at a time.
 
can you build one of those thigns, and not get their chassis and PSU?

what could you use for the PSU instead? building a chassis wouldnt be too bad.
 
thanks for sharing, I've been looking into something like this for a while now. Does it actually sound decent too? I'd do it for the experience either way though.
 
I built an N72 and compared it to the 1272's we have lunchboxed at work. Its not identical but VERY dam close! I will be building more of these.


Just my 2 cents.


Randy W.
 
I built two A12s and two N72s. Since they are brand new, I haven't run them through the ringer, but my first impression is extremely positive. I had previously been using an RNP, which is great. The thing the SCAs seem to do - again, on first impression - is make things big sounding - fat. Both are just fatter. And compared to each other, they are definately different, but I haven't yet used them enough to describe very well.

If you're thinking about the kits, go for it. I really have nothing bad to say about SCA. One of the kits was shipped with one incorrect part. Tim at SCA sent out the right one immediately - no questions - and threw in another part I needed because I destroyed it in the building process.

The kits are extremely well thought out and easy to negotiate. If you're an audio nerd, you'll have a blast. You'll futz around with the components everyone on boards like this are always chirping about. And I must say, when you're done building, and they're working, and they sound great, you are very inspired to record - I'm so pleased with myself I pee'd my pants a little bit.
 
so what about my PSU question!!!!

can i just rig up something with another PSU and a DIY chassis?
 
i'd love if someone could post a little photo journal of the building process...so i can see how extensive it really is
 
TragikRemix said:
so what about my PSU question!!!!

can i just rig up something with another PSU and a DIY chassis?
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Not sure about the PSU, I guess it's just a +/- supply with 48v for phantom so theoretically it should be doable. I'm a bit of a newb to electronics myself though so not sure how you'd implement it to be honest.

The case should be easy though, just buy a 19" case and have the front panel made at par metal. I think they take designs made with Schaeffer's front panel designer utility:

If you're looking at the N72 then you probably won't fit it into a 1U case because of the height of the transformer.
 
Cruise the forums at www.seventhcirlceaudio.com - there are a number of people that have posted photos of their work. The kits are extensive - you solder every singe piece to what starts as a blank circuit board. Soldering is 95% of the work. You need not know much about electricty. Now I've just got to write some songs...
 
I found this thread at group diy where they discuss a PSU for one of the Seventh circle pres:

http://www.prodigy-pro.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14848&

If you contact the guy who started this thread he'll probably sell you a PCB and parts kit for the green PSU:

http://www.prodigy-pro.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?t=7192

I know that thread just talks about parts kits but I know he's etching PCB's too.

Only thing is you might need to source 7818/7918 voltage regulators to get +/- 18v (the green runs off +/- 15v so Bryan may only have 7815/7915). Not difficult parts to get though.

eg. and eg.

And you'll need a toroidal transformer too.
 
You need not know much about electricty.
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Ok, that is the WORST ADVICE EVER

If your messing with mains voltages and dont know about electricity you can DIE. 600 mA across your heart is fatal. A standard wall socket on a normal breaker is about 5-15 amps.

Anything with a mains transformer is not a beginners kit and starting there is plain dangerous and stupid. Want to learn soldering? Take a class and buy some kits with wall warts. Anything with super expensive components is not something you want to experiment on.
 
altitude909 said:
Ok, that is the WORST ADVICE EVER

If your messing with mains voltages and dont know about electricity you can DIE. 600 mA across your heart is fatal. A standard wall socket on a normal breaker is about 5-15 amps.

Anything with a mains transformer is not a beginners kit and starting there is plain dangerous and stupid. Want to learn soldering? Take a class and buy some kits with wall warts. Anything with super expensive components is not something you want to experiment on.
Click to expand...

I must either be a cat or I should be dead. :D I can't count how many times I've gotten buzzed by 110.........last time was a couple of days ago actually. :D

I've gotten me some 220 too. That's the good stuff.
 
All I'm gonna say is PAIA

Probably a better starting place for the beginner. No sense dropping a decent amount of money on an SCA kit without knowing what it takes to make one.

PAIA makes some DIY Preamp kits. I made their TMP (Tube Mic Pre), and with the addition of some mods, sounds pretty good, considering the price. That was an excellent way to gauge myself and really grasp the concepts.

Of course, the SCA stuff is higher quality and grade, but it costs signifigantly more.
 
Oh yes, in leu of being shocked, I've been shocked various ways by mains.
It's definatley a suprise, but not fatal. I suppose with wet hands it could be intensified. Then again, if you're messing with a wall outlet with wet hands, one must question your sanity and will to live. :D
 
Oh I have gotten hit by mains also, I didnt say that you will die, I said that you can and the chances of serious getting hurt go up exponentially if you dont have a clue what you are doing.

I do recommend the paia kits also, the documentation is top notch and explains more than just the how, but also the why
 
Yeah, mains can kill you, a 9v battery can kill you if you know what to do with it.

With these types of kit you don't need much knowledge of electronics theory, I'd guess that's what Sonic idiot was getting at.

Of course you need to be very aware of the dangers of electricity.

I know very little about electronics relatively speaking but I managed to build a high voltage tube pre without killing myself.
 
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