With Sound Files -- hello, my name is FELiX ... FELiX 2 that is ... New Preamp Day

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Cuki, I see some makers are manufacturing preamps and effects pedals with good, old germanium transistors and diodes! Don't germanium components have the potential to give audio signal-processing devices a more pleasing, warmer, quasi-tube-like tone compared to silicon-based components? Your input and that of other AGFers are most appreciated!

I have a Chandler Germanium EQ in a vocal channel rack that I set up, and it sounds great.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

I have a Chandler Germanium EQ in a vocal channel rack that I set up, and it sounds great.

Nice, Rockabilly, Very Nice, Indeed! I hope more folks chime in on Germanium!

[SpruceTop]

Attention Electrical, Electronic, Audio Engineers: Some audio devices include a grounded, three-prong electrical cord, with a three-prong receptacle on the device, e.g., Sarno Musical Solutions Steel Guitar Black Box Preamp. Some maker's devices don't and these devices come with a two-prong electrical cord and power-supply receptacle. Is it because it's assumed that the devices that don't have a three-prong, grounded cord/receptacle will be plugged into a grounded electrical power supply such as a power-conditioning strip? Is there a way of incorporating grounding into a two-prong electrical cord and power supply receptacle?

The following is from the Grace Design FELiX 2 User's Manual:
• Careful power supply design and grounding for
professional level headroom and line driving ability
• Dual ground isolated DI outputs with high quality, low
distortion, fully shielded transformers
• Universal 100-240 AC power supply with standard IEC
cable – works anywhere in the world!

My Question: Why doesn't Grace Design include a typically grounded, three-prong electrical cord/three-prong receptacle for the power supply on the FELiX 2?

[Dean Riley]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Attention Electrical, Electronic, Audio Engineers: Some audio devices include a grounded, three-prong electrical cord, with a three-prong receptacle on the device, e.g., Sarno Musical Solutions Steel Guitar Black Box Preamp. Some maker's devices don't and these devices come with a two-prong electrical cord and power-supply receptacle. Is it because it's assumed that the devices that don't have a three-prong, grounded cord/receptacle will be plugged into a grounded electrical power supply such as a power-conditioning strip? Is there a way of incorporating grounding into a two-prong electrical cord and power supply receptacle?

The following is from the Grace Design FELiX 2 User's Manual:
• Careful power supply design and grounding for
professional level headroom and line driving ability
• Dual ground isolated DI outputs with high quality, low
distortion, fully shielded transformers
• Universal 100-240 AC power supply with standard IEC
cable – works anywhere in the world!

My Question: Why doesn't Grace Design include a typically grounded, three-prong electrical cord/three-prong receptacle for the power supply on the FELiX 2?

This is interesting, so I had to send my first one back to Grace for a faulty dip switch, I ordered that one from a retailer and it came with the 2 prong power cord, but the replacement that Grace sent me had a 3 prong cord... I found that interesting.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Dean Riley

This is interesting, so I had to send my first one back to Grace for a faulty dip switch, I ordered that one from a retailer and it came with the 2 prong power cord, but the replacement that Grace sent me had a 3 prong cord... I found that interesting.

I'm assuming a three-prong power cord will work on two- and three-prong power receptacles? Does the power-cord receptacle on your replacement FELiX 2 actually have three prongs to mate with the three female slots on the power cord? Mine doesn't.

[SpruceTop]

Further photo research shows that the FELiX 2 does have a three-prong grounded power cord and receptacle. Go to the Grace Design website and view the photos and videos on the Grace FELiX 2 and they show the three-prong power receptacle. The original FELiX User's Manual also shows a three-prong power setup. FELiX 2 Web Page

MY CONCERN HAS BEEN RESOLVED BY A PHONE CALL TO EBEN GRACE OF GRACE DESIGN & THE TWO-PRONG POWER SUPPLY IS FOR THE INTENDED CLASS II DESIGN OF THE FELiX 2 & IT'S A GROUNDED POWER SUPPLY AND AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE ORIGINAL FELiX DESIGN

[Dean Riley]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Further research shows that the FELiX 2 does have a three-prong grounded power cord and receptacle. The last four digits of my FELiX 2 serial number are 0032 and the unit is likely an early version. Go to the Grace Design website and view the photos and videos on the Grace FELiX 2 and they show the three-prong power receptacle. The original FELiX User's Manual also shows a three-prong power setup. My FELiX 2 is going back to the seller and they can send me a REAL FELiX 2 and not some quickly cobbled together early production unit. My opinion of Grace Design has been somewhat diminished. FELiX 2 Web Page

Just checked and mine only has 2 prongs... but this was directly from them so if you send yours back for another I bet you get one with only 2 as well.

[Dean Riley]

Just to add to this, the manual shows only 2 prong power supply so it's by design.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Dean Riley

Just checked and mine only has 2 prongs... yea idk what's up with that, but this was directly from them so if you send yours back for another I bet you get one with only 2 as well.

Ah Ha! All it took was a phone call to Eben Grace and guess what? The two-prong power supply is the intended design and it's called a Class II Power Supply and is designed to resolve some of the few reported ground-loop issues that the original FELiX had. I feel better already, how about you?

[Dean Riley]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Ah Ha! All it took was a phone call to Eben Grace and guess what? The two-prong power supply is the intended design and it's called a Class 2 Power Supply and is designed to resolve some of the few ground-loop issues that the original FELiX had. I feel better already, how about you?

Sweet :-) so I bet the pics on their site was a prototype then.

And they probably just sent a generic IEC cable (manual states any one should work).

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Dean Riley

Sweet :-) so I bet the pics on their site was a prototype then.

And they probably just sent a generic IEC cable (manual states any one should work).

I'm keeping mine and my opinion of Grace Design has returned to holding it in high esteem but what an emotional roller-coaster ride in the space of 15 minutes or so!

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

Cuki, I see some makers are manufacturing preamps and effects pedals with good, old germanium transistors and diodes! Don't germanium components have the potential to give audio signal-processing devices a more pleasing, warmer, quasi-tube-like tone compared to silicon-based components? Your input and that of other AGFers are most appreciated!

No idea. I did not study that question. I usually try to make electronics with the least distortion from the transistors... so I guess there would be no difference between Germanium or transistor in my case.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

I'm keeping mine, and my opinion of Grace Design has returned to holding it in high esteem but what an emotional roller-coaster ride in the space of 15 minutes or so!

I have had ground loop problems with my original Felix which I break if the problem arises (very few times), with a Ebtech hum eliminator that I carry a pair of in my gig bag. Kudos to Grace for fixing this. Maybe I will send mine in for an upgrade if possible.

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

No idea. I did not study that question. I usually try to make electronics with the least distortion from the transistors... so I guess there would be no difference between Germanium or transistor in my case.

I remember the old crystal "rocket radios" from my youth circa 1959 sounding wonderful and warm given the low volume through the single earpiece. These devices were just a variable tuning-coil inside the rocket body with a screw-in/screw-out nose cone atop the body that tuned an iron-core in-and-out of the inside coil--mine had a little Sputnik-like thingy inside its transparent nose-cone enclosure atop the rocket-looking body--and also inside the rocket's body was a germanium diode that stripped away the AM carrier signal and left the station's pure audio signal to hear through the attached earpiece. What you did was attach the alligator-clip ground wire to a cold-water pipe or other sought-out grounded attachment--you quickly gained a sense of what was and wasn't grounded--and tuned the nose cone to hear your local AM stations. Mine was similar to this one:

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

I have had ground loop problems with my original Felix which I break if the problem arises (very few times), with a Ebtech hum eliminator that I carry a pair of in my gig bag. Kudos to Grace for fixing this. Maybe I will send mine in for an upgrade if possible.

It can't hurt to contact Grace Design with your problem. Eben Grace was most gracious with his time in explaining to me that what I thought was a concern was really a design fix. Give It A Go Rockabilly!