PSA - NOS MN3005

[madbean]

If you are hunting for NOS MN3005 here's your chance. Synthcube has a small lot. IMO, they are overpriced a $49 each (I think $35 maybe $40 is more reasonable) but we are probably past the days of spending $100 and pulling 2 genuine NOS off an old pedal.

I bought two of them. I tested them against 4 brand new Xvive RI in a delay circuit. The 4 Xvive all pretty much swapped out with a fixed input bias point. However, the two MN3005 had to be adjusted slightly from the Xvive to pass delay. That leads me to believe they could indeed be the real deal (not that implying synthcube isn't legit in their claim - it's just fakes do happen and these aren't cheap). FWIW.

https://synthcube.com/cart/mn3005-bucket-brigade-delay-analog-ic

[jimilee]

Nice, I just built a setback with an xvive, sounds great. Really clean repeats IMHO.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[benny_profane]

Haven't those been for sale for a bit? Beyond the change in bias, did you notice any appreciable difference between the originals and the RIs? I've done side-by-sides with originals in vintage Maxon AD-900 and DMM units vs the MBP counterparts, but there are far too many variables to call that an objective A/B test.

[madbean]

Haven't those been for sale for a bit? Beyond the change in bias, did you notice any appreciable difference between the originals and the RIs? I've done side-by-sides with originals in vintage Maxon AD-900 and DMM units vs the MBP counterparts, but there are far too many variables to call that an objective A/B test.

I don't regularly order from synthcube so that may be. I don't remember seeing anyone mention it and I wanted to test a couple before saying anything about it.
I agree, there may be very minor differences between the OG and RI in terms of sound but nothing that jumps out as WOW THAT'S SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!!!11venty, haha.

The OG might be ever so slightly hotter or perhaps a tiny bit cleaner, but I'll have to do more substantial listening. Today I was testing out 6 chips in a row so I didn't have time to dawdle. I do plan on recording some samples comparing both at proper bias and let ppl decide for themselves at some point. Just not today.

[benny_profane]

That sounds good. Thanks for the initial thoughts. I'm looking forward to the comparison (however underwhelming it may be!).

[fig]

Right on Brian! I've got some of each and was planning the same comparison at some point, but now I can scratch it off the list. I look forward to your findings.

[madbean]

Right on Brian! I've got some of each and was planning the same comparison at some point, but now I can scratch it off the list. I look forward to your findings.

Yeah, I'm thinking maybe a spectrum analyzer and/or FFT? It would be a good opportunity to practice at that. I've got a mastering buddy I can get help from.

[jimilee]

Haven't those been for sale for a bit? Beyond the change in bias, did you notice any appreciable difference between the originals and the RIs? I've done side-by-sides with originals in vintage Maxon AD-900 and DMM units vs the MBP counterparts, but there are far too many variables to call that an objective A/B test.

I don't regularly order from synthcube so that may be. I don't remember seeing anyone mention it and I wanted to test a couple before saying anything about it.
I agree, there may be very minor differences between the OG and RI in terms of sound but nothing that jumps out as WOW THAT'S SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!!!11venty, haha.

The OG might be ever so slightly hotter or perhaps a tiny bit cleaner, but I'll have to do more substantial listening. Today I was testing out 6 chips in a row so I didn't have time to dawdle. I do plan on recording some samples comparing both at proper bias and let ppl decide for themselves at some point. Just not today.

Playing in front of an audience of anyone, no one will ever know. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone.

[madbean]

Playing in front of an audience of anyone, no one will ever know. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone.

Yeah, no doubt! All this fretting and fawning when that guitar solo is digitized into a computer, compressed to shit, and beamed to your iPhone speakers while you (well, not Jimi specifically) browses Reddit for pics of dogs wearing berets.

[jimilee]

Playing in front of an audience of anyone, no one will ever know. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone.

Yeah, no doubt! All this fretting and fawning when that guitar solo is digitized into a computer, compressed to shit, and beamed to your iPhone speakers while you (well, not Jimi specifically) browses Reddit for pics of dogs wearing berets.

Bwahahahahahahahaha

[Scruffie]

According to the Xvive datasheet, under 'Electrical Characteristics' (the graphs are just copied from the original MN3005) it has higher THD (2.5 - 4% vs 1 - 2.5%) 100mV less signal swing and 0.8 vs 0.4 mVrms noise voltage at the specified test conditions.

[fig]

Haven't those been for sale for a bit? Beyond the change in bias, did you notice any appreciable difference between the originals and the RIs? I've done side-by-sides with originals in vintage Maxon AD-900 and DMM units vs the MBP counterparts, but there are far too many variables to call that an objective A/B test.

I don't regularly order from synthcube so that may be. I don't remember seeing anyone mention it and I wanted to test a couple before saying anything about it.
I agree, there may be very minor differences between the OG and RI in terms of sound but nothing that jumps out as WOW THAT'S SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!!!11venty, haha.

The OG might be ever so slightly hotter or perhaps a tiny bit cleaner, but I'll have to do more substantial listening. Today I was testing out 6 chips in a row so I didn't have time to dawdle. I do plan on recording some samples comparing both at proper bias and let ppl decide for themselves at some point. Just not today.

Playing in front of an audience of anyone, no one will ever know. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone.

You know it! Now, if I could just get someone to listen....

[jimilee]

Haven't those been for sale for a bit? Beyond the change in bias, did you notice any appreciable difference between the originals and the RIs? I've done side-by-sides with originals in vintage Maxon AD-900 and DMM units vs the MBP counterparts, but there are far too many variables to call that an objective A/B test.

I don't regularly order from synthcube so that may be. I don't remember seeing anyone mention it and I wanted to test a couple before saying anything about it.
I agree, there may be very minor differences between the OG and RI in terms of sound but nothing that jumps out as WOW THAT'S SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!!!11venty, haha.

The OG might be ever so slightly hotter or perhaps a tiny bit cleaner, but I'll have to do more substantial listening. Today I was testing out 6 chips in a row so I didn't have time to dawdle. I do plan on recording some samples comparing both at proper bias and let ppl decide for themselves at some point. Just not today.

Playing in front of an audience of anyone, no one will ever know. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone.

You know it! Now, if I could just get someone to listen....

My audience of one is nice, but I'm a jerk and heckle myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[madbean]

Heads up: synthcube is running a 25% discount store-wide starting today. This brings the cost of their MN3005 to about $36. This is a VERY GOOD price.
You need to be registered for an account and enter MV25 as the coupon code to get the discount. I just bought another batch. This is probably my final MN3005 acquisition

To be be clear: I am not affiliated with them in any way.

[jessenator]

If you aren't afraid of pulled specimens and long delivery times, UTsource hasn't done me wrong so far for other things like long-out-of-production Motorola 680x0 PLLs and ancient J-package VRAM chips for vintage Macs

Looks like they're going for $20 with quantity of scale getting as low as $17.70
https://www.utsource.net/sch/MN3005.html
It's kind of marketplace-ish, so make sure the seller is actually utsource (just below the package type)

edit: by long shipping times, I mean, typically 7-14 business days. At least my VRAM didn't take longer than that. YMMV.