Snip!

Posted by: Duncan Fullerton on 04 October 2001

A quick question for you electronics gurus out there. I have a 32.5 in my 2nd system in my bedroom. Trouble is the LED glows like a lighthouse in the dark. Am I safe to snip one of the leads? I.e. is the LED in parallel with the main "doings" of the circuit or in series?

And I know a bit of card in front of the 32.5 would save me the hassle, but then I wouldn't be able to look at it!

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Matt worlock
Dunc mate,

I'm no electronics expert but this 'snipping' of the cable sounds a little too risky to me. Hope you get an experts view on this soon before you fcuk it up!!

Cheers Mad Matt

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Justin
My recollection is that the LED is parallel with the DC. Accordingly, you can snip it with no ill effects. Nevertheless, I'd just experiment with resister values until i found a brightness I could live with.


Judd

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Nigel Cavendish
Put a bit of black tape over it

cheers

Nigel

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Andrew Randle
wear shades... it'll put a whole new light on the music.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by BrianD
quote:
Put a bit of black tape over it

I've covered mine with red tape. If you cut it carefully around the bulb it looks like it's off.
I experimented and found that black tape sounds worse than red. Naturally, if your 32.5 has a green led you'll have to use green tape. I don't know how the green tape sounds. wink

Brian

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Duncan Fullerton
quote:
Naturally, if your 32.5 has a green led you'll have to use green tape. I don't know how the green tape sounds. wink

Hmmm. Maybe Peter Belt has some Quantum Doppler Foam Film (tm) that will shift the LED from glaring green to relaxing red. This may also rid my poor old 32.5 of any nasty morphic resonances it has from being fed by a Linn CD player in an earlier life!

But seriously ... Justin, I presume you are talking about a shunt resistor. What sort of values should I start with? I'm no good at electronics, but I can solder.

[This message was edited by Duncan Fullerton on THURSDAY 04 October 2001 at 17:42.]

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Greg Beatty
Duncan -

If you DO snip, try out your 32.5 with the light snipped. And by all means let us know if there is a sonic difference.

- GregB

Insert Witty Signature Line Here

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by Allan Probin
quote:
Perfectly safe
But tidy-up any loose-ends eek

Allan

Posted on: 04 October 2001 by sceptic
You want a series not shunt resistor to dim it. cool

[This message was edited by sceptic on THURSDAY 04 October 2001 at 20:02.]

Posted on: 05 October 2001 by Martin Payne
My old-style NAXO has the LED poking through a hole in the front panel.

The leads could easily be bent so it was hidden behind the front panel.

Don't know if the 32.5 would be the same.

cheers, Martin

Posted on: 05 October 2001 by bam
The LED isn't integral to anything and is not connected to the mains, only low Vdc. Just snip one of the leads. If you want to dim it try starting with a 4k7 resistor in series with either of its leads.
Posted on: 05 October 2001 by BrianD
I wonder why someone from Naim hasn't stepped in with a *definitive* bit of advice?

Brian

Posted on: 05 October 2001 by Duncan Fullerton
... for your replies and advice. I will snip this weekend and if it all grinds to a halt, I will start with a 4K7 in series.

Greg, if I can hear a difference I will hire myself out as a "Golden Ears"! smile

Posted on: 05 October 2001 by Chris Dolan
Greg

Don't snip it.

If you think it is better it will be illusory, and it will look limp, lifeless and disappointing.

....and it won't improve your preamp either!

Chris wink

Posted on: 07 October 2001 by NAIM-Collector
The LED can be replaced,
They can be purchased in difference brightness, they range from 5-15 mCd right through to 6,500 mCd.

The other option is to change the value of the series resistor.

Naim Collector....

Posted on: 07 October 2001 by sceptic
Yes you can certainly change the LED,and it doesn't have to be green! roll eyes red or orange are possible red face, but in a musical context I would have to say "blue is the colour!" eek .

If you change the led, bear in mind they come in many types, transparent, translucent or cloudy; narrow or wide beam;low/med/high/v.high brightness, as well as different sizes.
In this case, keep pliers on the led lead out wires between the led and the heated tip to act as a heatsink while soldering in the new led.
Keep the original so that it can be returned to original condition to preserve resale value.