I'll have to write a story ,Owen.This is what it's in!

Photo won't upload.Try again.

OMG neilsan - you got the LDR inside a vintage Leak preamp case?

Actually, not a bad idea if you're using it as passive preamp into say a super-sensitive Leak Stereo 20.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

I pondered(!) for months on whether or not to use the Leak,seeing it was so mint. But it was just sitting in a cupboard.At least this way I see it every day!Also have an earlier one (gold) that I fitted a Goldpoint MiniV attenuator and Goldpoint 6 way selector sw into.
So I went ahead and did it!
Fitted another goldpoint selector sw and Chris Daly's LDR setup into it,battery fed.He was busy refining the unit when I first got one,just the control boards.Guess he still is-time for another email to Chris!
So my first couple were rather piercing in the treble until that came right with another board.
The Goldpoint MiniV was a lot better than any pots I'd tried.Still is a very nice sound.But the LDR certainly sounds better,more dynamic and open,relaxed.
It can feed my Perreaux 2150b(modded) or my Radford STA25/3 (modded) or my Leak Stereo 50 with no problems.(Sold the Stereo 20 to buy some new speakers,sorry!)

Very nice job

Manager & Product specialist at Rapallo AV & HI-FI

As much as love vintage restoration, the Leak preamps are not the best sounding, so that's a clever conversion!

Someone's put Columbus vintage radio knobs on it

A DACT attenuator, also built around a Swiss Elma switch & with SMD Rs, is the best resistor attenuator I've used.
(The Goldpoints appear to be not dissimilar...but of course a lot depends on the Rs.)

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Am I correct in thinking that the Stereo Coffee design by Chris Daly (of Masterton?) is similar to the Java passive preamp launched via Kickstarter last year?

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Sounds like he designed them as well.Not enough in my piggy bank otherwise............
The vintage radio knobs are there because they fit the modern pots, better than damaging the originals!!Which I've put away safely.....somewhere!
And if,if, my wife wants to use it there are only 2 that do anything!!
Where did you find your smiley?

Feb 1, 2017 12:01:24 GMT 12 Owen Y said:

Am I correct in thinking that the Stereo Coffee design by Chris Daly (of Masterton?) is similar to the Java passive preamp launched via Kickstarter last year?

Thats correct as far as im aware he is there engineer

Manager & Product specialist at Rapallo AV & HI-FI

Chris now sells assembled preamps but the casework is far more basic. The Java is undoubtedly gorgeous but possibly not quite as gorgeous as the price-difference.

I wonder how a Coffee LDR going into my QUAD IIs would sound? Currently I use an SRPP valve-pre.

Does anyone have any advice around compatibility?

Cheers, Dom

Singer/songwriter at: www.dominicblaazer.net
180g album, "The Lights of Te Atatu" released 2018

Thats a great idea, I love the look of those early Leak and Quad pre amps.

A response to Dom about using a LDR with his Quad 11s. Yes it would work (I have reservations about channel balance with LDRs) and bear in mind that the Quad needs only 350mv for full output. Although I had a basic wall-wart powered LDR (I didn't like it that much) I am more familiar with other types of passive preamps. The general equation is that you need a low output impedance from your source (CD player, external dac, preamp etc) and a high input impedance in what you are playing into (preamp, power amp). The problem with the typical 'wiper' volume control (e.g. Blue ALPS) which is the output stage in a passive device, is that it's impedance is the lowest whilst turned up say past 3 o'clock. Conversely a discrete resistor based volume pot has it's lowest impedance when turned down, say below 9 o'clock. So one doesn't necessarily sound better than the other (I generally prefer fixed resistors) as it depends on the gain of your source device and hence how much you need to turn the wick up. The best of the bunch is a TVR (transformer volume control) which doesn't have a varying output impedance but these are expensive. I'd stick to your srpp preamp part of the function of which is presenting a low output impedance to your Quad 11s - and providing gain which you don't need and have to bleed off.

The Quads are very sensitive. You’d need to watch for channel matching issues at low volume levels. Otherwise the input impedance of the LDR is quite low - less than 10k at low volume from memory. A valve source would find that difficult to drive without bass rolloff and/or added distortion. Solid state drive would be best to drive the LDR passive volume control.

AMR-iFi R&D

Just a quick note to say that the Leak Point One Stereo has Uriah Daley's Clone Note "passive" inside it now.Uses one LDR per channel.
Haven't heard Chris Daly's latest.

My pre is similar to the OP's, in a stealth QUAD box, so quite lovely to look at

I have no idea why I find it impossible to load images here, sorry.

Singer/songwriter at: www.dominicblaazer.net
180g album, "The Lights of Te Atatu" released 2018

Dom - are you using a third party host eg Imgur ?

Singer/songwriter at: www.dominicblaazer.net
180g album, "The Lights of Te Atatu" released 2018

Nov 10, 2020 9:17:35 GMT 12 michaelw said:

Dom - are you using a third party host eg Imgur ?

I am, imgbb though. Of course, it has worked now. My internet has never been more erratic since getting fibre a few months back.

Singer/songwriter at: www.dominicblaazer.net
180g album, "The Lights of Te Atatu" released 2018