You can never imagine how my DIY PV3 sing. It is sweet, musical and lively. With only one piece of AX7 and AT7 (only default EH), it can already deliver superb sound quality and plunge. I have lent it to my brother who is also totally shocked by its performance.
To me, it is really a good experience, like going into the heart of music. I am a new DIYer and am very happy to come up with this first baby.
Thanks to K.K. and William sirs for your patience and experience. The diagram is really difficult to me but I did manage to tackle it.
It is worthwhile for every music lover to do one piece for yourself. It is really fun and exciting (when your completed product sings sweetly).
I did have some upgraded components. I dare to say that my preamp has even more high-end components in its cabinet than some other branded preamps asking us for more than HK$30k. I am also confident that my preamp beat the default version in your office.
RMG resistors - to give clean and precision sound Tango choke - it worths more than double of its price. It gives me silky-smooth and vivid sound like some expensive milk tea in a high-class restaurant. It might be the heart of good sound. Hovland capacitors - from the front-end 0.1uf to the last output of 2.0uf. I didn't use Jensen due to the price range and I used to love the sound of Hovland.
I didn't upgrade my attentuator to RMG since I believe Dale is also a good choice.
I totally spent about HK$5.5k but my preamp sounds like HK$40k (when compared to the Hovland preamp I listened to in Central). To me, the HK$5k is valuable because I have now got:
1) a high quality preamp I long for;
2) the knowledge and experience in DIY;
3) the sense of achievement when it sings;
4) the confidence in DIYing another M7/Matisse/GG since the power board is universal.
To me, the HK$50k is not 'small' money. However, I would save it from lowering my expenses in lunch, dinner and other entertainment since DIY the preamp gave me a new experience in music. I think this principle will be agreed by many other music-lovers.
