ANK L4 EL34i Construction Manual

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L4 EL34i Integrated Amplifier

Construction Manual

Version 2.13, June 2019

audionotekits@rogers.com

1-613-822-7188

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Page 1 L4 EL34i Integrated Amplifier Construction Manual Version 2.13, June 2019 audionotekits@rogers.com 1-613-822-7188...
Page 2: Table Of Contents
Table of Contents Section 1 — Introduction 1.1 About ANKits ………………………………………..……………………………………………..…………………….. 1.2 Evolution of the L4 EL34i Integrated Amplifier ……………….…………..…….…………………….. 1.3 Overview …………………………………………………………………………………….….…….…………………….. 1.4 Basic Operation of the Amplifier ……………………………………….….………………………………….. 10 1.5 Equipment ………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………… 11 1.5.1 Overview of the Kit .………………….……………………………….…….....…………………….. 11 1.6 Tips and Suggestions ………………………….………………………………...….….……….…………………..
Page 3 Section 5 — Choke installation 5.1 Choke Installation ….……………….……………………………………………..…………………………….….. 29 Section 6 — Power Supply PCB Installation 6.1 Overview ….………………………………………………………………….….………………….…………………….. 30 6.2 Parts List ………………………………….….………………………………….………………….…………………….. 31 6.3 Building the Power Supply PCB ….………………………………….………………….…………………….. 31 6.4 Mounting the Power Supply PCB ….…….………………….……………………………………………….. 32 Section 7 —...
Page 4 Section 11 — Interwiring 11.1 Power Supply PCB Interwiring …….……………………………………….……………………………….. 61 11.2 ECF80/EL34 PCB to 12AU7 Input Buffer PCB Interwiring …….…….……….………..……….. 61 11.3 Mains Secondary Interwiring ….….……………………………….………..………….………….……….. 62 11.4 Output Transformers Interwiring ……….…………………….…………..…….……………………….. 62 11.5 Speaker Posts Interwiring ……….………………………………..……………………….………………….. 62 11.6 Volume Pot and AN-A Cable Interwiring ….….………………………..…………..…………………..
Page 5: Section 1 - Introduction
Section 1 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the DIY version of the ANKits L4 EL34i Integrated Amplifier. This is very high end and sophisticated piece of audio equipment that will surely become the showpiece of your sound system! We're excited you have chosen to join us on the path of audio superiority, and we've created this manual to guide you through each step of the assembly process with as much detail and clarity possible.
Page 6: About Ankits
Kits began offering this service for Level 4 and 5 products so that a significant investment in a kit could be turned into a work of art! Since ANK Audio Kits was born in 2004, over 2,500 kits have been shipped to customers worldwide. Clearly, there is a real demand for high end audio kits and ANK Audio Kits has been delivering the goods now for 15 years.
Page 7: Evolution Of The L4 El34I Integrated Amplifier
PCB and enhanced the power supply. The amplifier runs in class AB1 mode providing about 35W of pure EL34 power! The new L4 EL34i Integrated Amplifier is born! The amplifier has the detail of a single ended amplifier and the slam of push pull – ideal for all sorts of music, especially guitar dominated rock! It's also gorgeous on female vocals and really brings drums to life –...
Page 8: Overview
Overview Welcome to the L4 EL34i Integrated Amplifier Manual – the manual will guide you through the complete build and test of the amplifier. Please remember, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact audionotekits@rogers.com. Above you can see the general layout of the amplifier: this includes, starting from top right and...
Page 9 The other parts of the kit are shown in this picture 12AU7 Input Buffer PCB on front of chassis  Volume Pot and PCB  Extension kit for selector switch  Before we begin let's familiarize ourselves with the basic operation of the amplifier. Copyright ©...
Page 10: Basic Operation Of The Amplifier
Basic Operation of the Amplifier The Audio Signal enters the amplifier via the RCA sockets in the back of the unit - the right (R) and left (L) audio go directly to the selector switch along with 2 other pairs of RCAs. The Ground from the RCAs are all connected together and go all the way to the GND connection on the Volume Pot PCB via a solid core Black wire.
Page 11: Equipment
Equipment Here is the list of equipment that will be required:  Philips screwdriver  A pair of quality wire strippers  A large, organized work area  Soldering iron station with wet sponge  Lead-based solder (4% Silver is recommended) 1.5.1 Overview of the Kit In your kit you will find a series of kit bags containing all the hardware, wire, and parts for the...
Page 12: Resistor Sizes
Please be assured that all resistors supplied with ANK Audio Kits are rated at least per the specified wattage: in some cases, a higher than specified wattage may be supplied.
Page 13: Hardware/Mechanical
1.6.7 Hardware/Mechanical Not all of us are mechanically oriented. So, the kit is well laid out such that all the hardware is provided and bagged in individual sections, so things should make sense. Start thinking mechanically because about a third of the kit is mechanical. The first thing to remember is that good hardware is beautiful: we use all stainless steel metric hardware in the kits.
Page 14: Wire Color
1.6.10 Optional Finishing Touches From time to time we get asked about some of the build details of the ANK Finished Products that you can see in the pictures in the "Assembled Kits Gallery!" (https://ankits.smugmug.com/) on our website. It's...
Page 15: Organization Of This Manual
1.7.2 Organization of this Manual We have divided the build up into the following sections: Section 1 Introduction Section 2 Feet, IEC and Rocker Switch Installation Section 3 Mains Transformer installation Section 4 IEC PCB Installation Section 5 Choke installation Section 6 Power Supply PCB Installation Section 7...
Page 16 Here's another way of looking at how the manual is organized and how the sections fit into the 'big picture': the main sections are mapped so that they mirror how the components will be positioned in the amplifier chassis: Copyright © 2018 AudioNote Kits www.AudioNoteKits.com audionotekits@rogers.com Page 16...
Page 17: Electrical Safety Warning
There are sufficient voltages in this kit to give you a very nasty and harmful shock, so be careful when powering on, debugging, and probing around. Please contact ANK Audio Kits via phone or email (audionotekits@rogers.com) to discuss any precautions necessary when building the kit if you feel unsure about what you are doing at any stage of the build.
Page 18: Section 2 - Feet, Iec And Rocker Switch Installation
Section 2 Feet, IEC and Rocker Switch Installation Overview In this and the following three sections we will install the feet, IEC socket and PCB, rocker switch, Mains Transformer, and the Choke, as well as make the important initial connections to the Mains transformer.
Page 19: Feet Installation
Feet Installation Our first task is to install the 4 rubber feet into the holes in the 4 corners of the chassis – using the provided hardware in the “Feet” bag in the big Hardware bag. Use an M4 screw along with the big washer on the outside of the foot and then a M4 nut and M4 black serrated washer against the chassis on the inside of the chassis! Might be handy to use an M4 nut driver or something similar to tighten the nuts for the feet on...
Page 20: Iec And Rocker Switch Installation
IEC and Rocker Switch Installation Let's install the input AC receptacle (IEC plug) and rocker switch in the rear of the chassis. Here you can see the correct installation of the IEC plug in the rear of the chassis along with the rocker switch.
Page 21: Section 3 - Mains Transformer Installation
Section 3 Mains Transformer Installation Mains Transformer Installation Let's position the Mains transformer now. It uses 2 rubber strips to isolate it from the chassis. Lay down the two rubber strips so that they are over the correct holes in the chassis – these holes are about 100mm apart from each –...
Page 22 The provided hardware in the bag marked “Mains transformer” will be used to secure down the Mains transformer. Prior to securing the transformer in place we will hook up the IEC section and PCB with the provided parts and cables found in the “IEC” bag. Copyright ©...
Page 23: Section 4 - Iec Pcb Installation
Section 4 IEC PCB Installation IEC PCB Wiring The IEC PCB makes wiring the Mains transformer for your world voltage a little easier — it is mounted on the rear of the chassis in a horizontal position above and to the left of the IEC and rocker switch.
Page 25 120V Operation ONLY Add the two jumpers as shown. Be sure to allow Complete the wiring for the rocker switch, IEC and grounds as shown. sufficient length for all wires – it's a good idea to 'lay it all out' first before cutting the wires to the appropriate length.
Page 26 240V Operation ONLY Add one jumper as shown. Be sure to allow Complete the wiring for the rocker switch, IEC and grounds as shown. sufficient length for all wires – it's a good idea to 'lay it all out' first before cutting the wires to the appropriate length.
Page 27: Mounting The Iec Pcb
Once the ground lugs have been secured and the crimped connections have been made to the rocker switch and the IEC, secure the Mains transformer to the chassis using the supplied hardware. Mounting the IEC PCB Peel off the paper covering on the plastic insulating board, then, using the IEC hardware, mount the IEC PCB to the back of the amplifier as shown in the picture below: use 2 standoffs, then the PCB, 2 more standoffs, and finally the plastic insulating board.
Page 29: Section 5 - Choke Installation
Section 5 Choke Installation Choke Installation Install the large Choke – called the CH-100W (which you will see marked on the underside of the unit). Note that the 2 black wires exit the Choke nearest the side panel of the chassis. Here's a picture: Copyright ©...
Page 30: Section 6 - Power Supply Pcb Installation
Section 6 Power Supply PCB Installation Overview In this section we'll be building the Power Supply board, which is situated next to the Choke. Copyright © 2018 AudioNote Kits www.AudioNoteKits.com audionotekits@rogers.com Page 30...
Page 31: Parts List
Parts List The Power Supply PCB will be populated with the parts from the Power Supply bag. Quantity Description Designation 1000V 3A Fast Diode D1 D2 D3 D4 .01uf 630V C18 C19 30uf 600V Square Mundorf 220uf 450V 2A – 3.15A Slow Blow FUSE FS 1A fuse clips FS 1A...
Page 32: Mounting The Power Supply Pcb
Have a look the following picture, and Populate the board. Mounting the Power Supply PCB Install the four standoffs onto the board from the hardware bags, position it as shown in the Choke Installation section above, and secure to the bottom of the chassis with M4 10mm screws.
Page 33: Section 7 - 12Au7 Input Buffer Pcb Installation
Section 7 12AU7 Input Buffer PCB Installation Overview Next, we'll build the 12AU7 Input Buffer board. This is the board that will be mounted on the front of the chassis. Copyright © 2018 AudioNote Kits www.AudioNoteKits.com audionotekits@rogers.com Page 33...
Page 35: Parts List
Parts List Description Designation 12AU7 Input Buffer PCB Tubes 9 pin valve base 12AU7 tube Resistors 470K R1-1, R1-2 R2-1, R2-2 R3-1, R3-2 470K R4-1, R4-2 Capacitors .22uf film C2-1, C2-2 100uf 16V C3-1,C3-2 33uf 350V Before we begin, let's talk for a moment about installing valve bases. The key is to Use some masking tape to secure the valve base to the board prior to soldering.
Page 36: Mounting The 12Au7 Input Buffer Pcb
Populate the board. Mounting the 12AU7 Input Buffer PCB You can mount the 12AU7 Input Buffer PCB on the front of the amplifier – you may later want to wire under the board but it is easy to unhook when this is necessary. Use the countersunk screws on the front to that it is FLAT and then the PAN head screws on the inside of the chassis along with the 10mm standoffs.
Page 37: Section 8 - Ecf80/El34 Pcb Installation
Section 8 ECF80/EL34 PCB Installation Overview This is the large PCB that we will start to populate and verify. Quite a bit of work but we can take it one step at a time. We will divide up the board into several sections and take our time! Building the ECF80/EL34 PCB The ECF80/EL34 PCB will be populated with the parts from the ECF80/EL34 bag.
Page 38 We start with the PCB itself: We have two 9 pin valve bases and four 8 pin CMC black valve bases. The 9 pin valve bases only the 8 pin valve bases have a key or slot on them that you must match up to go in one way BUT the PCB for correct installation .
Page 39: Resistor Installation
8.2.1 Resistor Installation Let's start by installing all the resistors correctly and verifying. Quantity Designation Description R1-1,R1-2 470K 1/2W R2-1,R2-2 1/2W R3-1,R3-2 330K 1/2W R4-1,R4-2 100K R5-1,R5-2 470R 1/2W R6-1,R6-2 100R 1/2W R7-1,R7-2 1/2W R8-1,R8-2 1/2W R9-1,R9-2 1/2W R10-1,R10-2 270K 1/2W R11-1,R11-2 270K...
Page 40: Capacitor Installation
Another point to remember, it’s a good idea to keep the resistors at least 1-2mm off the PCB. This is for two reasons: first being heat related and the second is that in some places on the PCB you will see large traces running underneath a resistor on the top of the board; for example, R28, R11, R12 , R13 , R25 and R30.
Page 41: Final Assembly Of The Ecf80/El34 Pcb
Film capacitors Designation Description C4-1,C4-2,C5-1,C5-2 .22uf 630V These film caps can also go into the board without an orientation. Some people feel that paying special attention to a film capacitor's 'outside foil' can make a difference – feel free to learn more: Google "film capacitor, outside foil".
Page 42: Section 9 - Speaker Posts, Selector Switch, Rca Jacks Installation
Section 9 Speaker Posts, Selector Switch, RCA Jacks Installation Speaker Posts and RCA Jacks Installation At the rear of the chassis let's install the RCA jacks and speaker posts. The RCAs install into the 6 holes in the center with the RED on top if you wish – and the speaker posts install to the left and right with Red Black from top to bottom.
Page 43 Before you wire up RCA jacks, let's discuss how to do it: When working with the RCAs jacks, we recommend the following procedure: Tin the RCA ground lead and put a puddle of solder in the center of the RCA ...
Page 44: Installing And Wiring The Volume Pot Pcb
Installing and Wiring the Volume Pot PCB Once these are installed we are going to install the Volume Pot PCB and wire up the RCAs. Copyright © 2018 AudioNote Kits www.AudioNoteKits.com audionotekits@rogers.com Page 44...
Page 45 Install the Volume Pot PCB in the position on the front RIGHT of the chassis as well. You will see from the graphic above the 6 RCAs in position at the back of the chassis, the selector switch, and the ALPS volume pot – these three sections are tied together as we will explain.
Page 46 Feel free to look at the higher quality PDF file on the disk to view these diagrams. The following slides show how we will connect up the RCAs to the selector switch and then have the output of the selector switch go to the volume pot: you will want to route these wires along the left side of the chassis and then across the front of the chassis and up to the volume pot! Copyright ©...
Page 47: Left/Right Channel Orientation
9.2.1 Left/Right Channel Orientation You can choose which RCA inputs and which side of the ECF80/EL34 PCB are to be the Left Channel and the Right Channel. This manual and the pictures associated make these designations as follows: Looking from the front of the amplifier towards the front: Left Channel –...
Page 52 Using the bracket provided you will want to mount the selector switch into the bracket and screw it into position and then mount in the chassis in the 4 holes provided. You can position the ECF80/EL34 PCB and then install the extension kit using the bushing! Copyright ©...
Page 53: Section 10 - Output Transformers Installation
Section 10 Output Transformers Installation 10.1 Output Transformers Installation Copyright © 2018 AudioNote Kits www.AudioNoteKits.com audionotekits@rogers.com Page 53...
Page 54 The IE core transformers install with the Red, Black, and Yellow wires facing the ECF80/EL34 PCB. The build below positions is for the integrated amp, but the transformer positioning is the same. (The unusual orientation of the transformers is not an issue; you can position them either way.) Copyright ©...
Page 55 Examine the C core transformers closely. On one side you will see Red, Black, and Yellow dots and lugs. On the other you will see Green (larger), Blue (smaller, in the middle), and Purple (larger). Orient the transformers so that the Red, Yellow, and Black lugs face the center of the chassis.
Page 56: Wiring The Speaker Posts
10.1.1 Wiring the Speaker Posts Here's a diagram of what we're going to do next: Note: The following wiring instructions use only Red and Black wires as your kit may be supplied with only Red and Black wires, in lieu of the Red, Black, Blue, Green, and Purple shown in the diagram above.
Page 57 Twist one end of the 7" and 9" Black wires together, tin them, and solder them to a Black speaker post. Do the same for the other Black speaker post. Now prepare the following Red wires: 4 Red wires of approximately 7". These MUST be long enough to reach from the middle and upper Red speaker posts to the Blue and Purple lugs on the Output Transformers.
Page 58: Initial Wiring Of The Output Transformers
10.1.2 Initial Wiring of the Output Transformers Position and secure the Output Transformers with the supplied hardware. For each transformer, Solder the 7" wire from the Black speaker post to the Green lug on the transformer. Solder the 7" wire from the middle Red speaker post to the Blue (middle) lug on the transformer.
Page 60: Section 11 - Interwiring
Section 11 Interwiring At this stage of the kit we should have completed the major tasks of the kit build and we can now look at hooking everything up together – this is considered the INTERWIRING STAGE. This guide explains the interwiring – best to look at the higher resolution version of these slides on disk to show the details! The slide below shows the interwiring connections between the four boards.
Page 61: Power Supply Pcb Interwiring
11.1 Power Supply PCB Interwiring Looking at the slide on the previous page: Connect the Blue and Yellow wires from the Mains Secondary to the Power Supply PCB AC/HT – this is the 275 AC which creates the B+ (HT) DC voltages. The orientation does not matter –...
Page 62: Mains Secondary Interwiring
11.3 Mains Secondary Interwiring Looking at the slide at the beginning of this section: The orientation of the Mains Secondary wires does not matter. Either wire in a twisted pair can go to either of the designated pair of lugs. Connect the remaining wires coming from the Mains Secondary as follows: From Orange &...
Page 63: Volume Pot And An-A Cable Interwiring
11.6 Volume Pot and AN-A Interwiring The slide below shows the connections from the 12AU7 Input Buffer PCB and the AN-A cable from the Selector Switch to the Volume Pot PCB. Connect the Volume Pot PCB Left and Right OUTs to the Left and Right Inputs on the 12AU7 Input Buffer PCB.
Page 64: Led Installation
11.7 LED Installation The LED holder is attached to the front panel with a little adhesive (Blu-Tac) or epoxy and the LED is wired to the EL34 LED/PL, either way. Copyright © 2018 AudioNote Kits www.AudioNoteKits.com audionotekits@rogers.com Page 64...
Page 65: Interwiring Chart
11.8 Interwiring Chart -------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- From -------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- Mains Transformer T-190 Twisted Yellow and Blue PS PCB AC/HT Orange & Orange/White ECF80/EL34 PCB 6V3 3A/LOOP OUT Purple CT/6V3 Red & Blue/White ECF80/EL34 PCB 6V3 6A Brown & Black/Green ECF80/EL34 PCB 6V3 6A -------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- Choke 100W...
Page 66: Section 12 - Testing
Section 12 Testing OK! Your amplifier is built – take a deep breath and well done! The first thing to do is to check – and check – and check again your work! No need to insert any tubes at this point! Let's go through a series of Ohm checks to make sure the amp is more or less constructed correctly! Go through the Interwiring chart and visually inspect everything.
Page 67: Ac Voltage Checks
12.1.2 AC Voltage Checks As long as the fuse has not blown then you are in business. With no tubes – let's check some AC voltages first. On the ECF80/EL34 PCB check the 6V3 6A filaments. Look for 6V3 6A on the ECF80/EL34 PCB near the Output Transformers –...
Page 68: Install The Tubes
12.2 Install the Tubes Install the tubes and power on again. If everything is OK and no fuse is blown then you can check the Test points on the ECF80/EL34 PCB – these are the cathodes of each EL34 and will tell us a few things.
Page 69: Checking Amplification
12.2.1 Checking Amplification If all your AC and DC conditions are correct then let's do an AC amplification test as a final check. Install the DUMMY 8 Ohm 10W resistors across the 8 Ohm speaker posts – then power on the amp and play an audio CD test through the amp.
Page 70: Section 13 - Finishing Touches
Section 13 Finishing Touches 13.1 Installing the Front Faceplate Remove the protective films from the front and back of the front faceplate. Install the front faceplate using four Black M4 CSK flat head screws. 13.3 Installing the Chassis Top Install the chassis top using the provided hardware. Copyright ©...
Page 71: Section 14 - Congratulations And Final Thoughts
NOS 6BL8 and E80CF/7643 tubes and there are many NOS and new production EL34/6CA7 types available. 14.1.2 Thanks Thank you for investing in the ANKits L4 EL34i Integrated Amplifier and for working your way through the assembly. Please email us your thoughts to audionotekits@rogers.com and let us know how everything went –...
Page 72: Appendix
Appendix The appendix contains auxiliary information. That is information that is either common to most project manuals or any last minute pieces of information that did not make it into the manual in time. It may also contain pull-out circuit diagrams that may be handy to have outside the manual etc. Copyright ©...
Page 73: Resistor Color Code Reference
Resistor Color Code Reference You can also find an 'Interactive Resistor Color Code Calculator' on our website (available from the Links page). Copyright © 2018 AudioNote Kits www.AudioNoteKits.com audionotekits@rogers.com Page 73...

ANK L4 EL34i Construction Manual

Section 1 - Introduction

Section 2 - Feet, IEC and Rocker Switch Installation

Section 3 - Mains Transformer Installation

Section 4 - IEC PCB Installation

Section 5 - Choke Installation

Section 6 - Power Supply PCB Installation

Section 7 - 12AU7 Input Buffer PCB Installation

Section 8 - ECF80/EL34 PCB Installation

Section 9 - Speaker Posts, Selector Switch, RCA Jacks Installation

Section 10 - Output Transformers Installation

Section 11 - Interwiring

Section 12 - Testing

Section 13 - Finishing Touches

Section 14 - Congratulations and Final Thoughts

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