# Post pics of your builds....



## kramer5150

Im not sure if this has been done before....

 Post pics of your projects...

 Build-up pics, completed projects, work-in-progress, valve, solid state anything goes.

 Garrett


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## Garbz

yay project **** i'll start:

 Gilmore Amp:






 Gilmore PSU closeup:





 Time Delayed Relay:





 Hacked up CMoy:





 Modded M-Audio Transit:





 Unfortunatly no pics of the Cmoy / Fan controller inside my computer, and no camera either.

 Oh well. I offically declare this 56k death.


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## pabbi1

I hate it when my cats tags hit those exposed transistors...

http://home.swbell.net/pabbi/hpa1.jpg

http://home.swbell.net/pabbi/hpa.jpg


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## jasonhanjk

My portable amp.


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## Earwax

It seems like there was a rash of negative posts about CMOY amps over in the amps forum, so I decided to see how far I could take a simple wall-powered cmoy. I also wanted an excuse to use one of the aluminum stomp box cases. With a 24V wall supply and OPA627s, it packs a little more punch than your average battery powered cmoy. 

 Nothing extravagant, but I like it.


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## MisterX

Subsonic Gilmore with Elpac power supply in a black Hammond. 
 This is one very nice entry level amp for Grado users. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Thanks Mark. 

 PPA + STEPS + G/M diamond buffer (not pictured) in a custom Par-Metal case. 
 Awesome amp for HD600's/650's

 Pics removed


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## drewd

*Work sounds so good!*





















*And for home, a PPA with STEPS:*


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## brschmid

hmmm, ok. 

 MINT and little mini-mini cable...





 MINT




 MINT





 1/4" -> 1/8" adapter...







 and my favorite...The Millett Hybrid 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












 Bias adjusters remotely located.


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## DIAR

My DACT CT2 passive preamp.

http://kotiweb.kotiportti.fi/audiovideo/DIY/preamp1/






 My first post 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hi everybody !


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## sft

WOW...impressive....

 -----
 Sorry for no pics to post....


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## drewd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DIAR* 
_My DACT CT2 passive preamp.

http://kotiweb.kotiportti.fi/audiovideo/DIY/preamp1/






 My first post 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hi everybody !_

 

Beautiful - I'm a big fan of minimalism!

 Edit: Anybody interested in building their own enclosure really ought to take a look at DIAR's web link. It is one of the finest descriptions of how to build a case that I've ever seen!

 -Drew


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## Megaptera

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DIAR* 
_My DACT CT2 passive preamp.

http://kotiweb.kotiportti.fi/audiovideo/DIY/preamp1/_

 

Beautiful work, Diar -- do you get any crosstalk between the inputs at all?


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## amb

DIAR, beautiful work there, congratulations. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 One question: why such a big case and extension shafts? It seems that for just two switches and an attenuator you could have made it much smaller. Did you simply want something that looked more substantial?

 Anyway, welcome to head-fi and sorry about your wallet.


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## amb

I've posted about my amp some months back, but here it is again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 Full info here: http://www.amb.org/ti/audio/beta18.html


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## DIAR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* 
_DIAR, beautiful work there, congratulations. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 One question: why such a big case and extension shafts? It seems that for just two switches and an attenuator you could have made it much smaller. Did you simply want something that looked more substantial?

 Anyway, welcome to head-fi and sorry about your wallet. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks for kind words 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Great designs here. I really like the caramel box enclosure 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 No crosstalk. Not one bit. I did the wiring the hard way and used coaxial cable to prevent any crostalk or interference. It was worth it.

 I made the enclosure a bit bigger than was necessary for a few reasons:
 1. If I feel the need for volume remote control, there is enough room for Bent Audio remote control unit. Unfortunately the system is very expensive.
 2. It looks better 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 3. I'm working on a tube preamp and I wan't all my enclosures to be pretty much similar also in the future.

 This seems to be a great forum. I've been mostly on Finnish forums and in DIYAudio. At the moment I concentrate on modding my CDP and. I'm building two different regulators for Tentlabs XO clock next week. Modding would be impossible for me without these forums.

 So much to do and so little time


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## skyskraper

maybe its time to finish my cmoy's and case em up


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## DaKi][er

Pimeta with internal psu 









 mints


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## skyskraper

hey dakiller, what psu are u using, and how's it affected the sound by keeping it internal on the pimeta???


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## seiko_citizen

whoa! how many more mints do you need there DaKi][er *big grin*?


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## DaKi][er

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_hey dakiller, what psu are u using, and how's it affected the sound by keeping it internal on the pimeta???_

 

its a 30v ac transformer (5va i think from memory), through a full wave bridge with just 1n4007 diodes (i got 100's of them in my box of bits) a 2200uf cap, then an lm317t voltage regulator set to 24v
 this thing is dropping 17-18v on the regulator, which isnt too efficient and gets fairly warm but not hot and the whole design is really just tangents STEPS psu with some of the extra 'stuff' cut out

 i cant get the standard Elpac wallwarts that everyone seems to use here in 240v versions so i make my own
  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *seiko_citizen* 
_whoa! how many more mints do you need there DaKi][er *big grin*?_

 

well there is another 2 that are in penguin lights tins that arnt in that pic


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## Edwood

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *drewd* 
_*Work sounds so good!*






_

 

Hey, that's the same extrusion that Headroom uses for their Little Amp's and PSU's. Nice. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 -Ed


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## skyskraper

the transformer, is it a jaycar or altronics part? if so whats the code for it?

 edit: also, how do you get the top off with the hammond? just cut it off????


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## DaKi][er

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_the transformer, is it a jaycar or altronics part? if so whats the code for it?

 edit: also, how do you get the top off with the hammond? just cut it off????_

 

Jaycar 

 the top of the hammond isnt fixed, it just slides off


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## skyskraper

oh cool, i was wondering what the story was with them


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## Dreamslacker

The first complete build of an amp of my own design, named BBamp Rev. 2 (Rev. 1 never was completed with casework):

 The amp:







 Powersupply unit:







 Another view:


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## Dreamslacker

The net version based on the similar circuit design as above; BBamp Rev. 3.






 Innards:














 RC filtered + Filtered zener power supply:


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## PinkFloyd

Here's a few.......





 WNA I have just completed





 2 more WNA amps... one big one small 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 Another view





 Chiarra / Andante





 Chiarra under the bonnet





 Andante under the bonnet





 Standard Chiarra board populated





 Supa Chiarra






 Supa Chiarra 2





 Chiarra / Andante guts





 Pink turbo X-Can V2 





 Pink Mint





 Black Mint





 Turbo V2 rear view





 Funky modded B-Tech 928





 Crossfeed





 Crossfeed





 Crossfeed





 Crossfeed with bypass





 Ugly crossfeed





 Yet another crossfeed!





 And another 





 Minty crossfeed





 Silver interconnect





 Silver interconnect 2





 Headphone extension leads





 X-Can V2 PSU





 V2 PSU under the bonnet

 Oh well.... that's enough for one day


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## adhoc

holy moley pinkie, that is a* hell* of a spread!


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## flecom

still working on my millet a bit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 big: http://flecom.fragmachines.com/1D/E5DD8080t_big.jpg


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## sft

I enjoy the great shot !


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## flecom

glad you do 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 here is another






 big: http://flecom.fragmachines.com/1D/E5DD8072t_big.jpg

 shots taken with a Canon 1D w/70-200 f4L @ 200mm & ISO 200


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## PinkFloyd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adhoc* 
_





 holy moley pinkie, that is a* hell* of a spread!










_

 

Plenty more where they came from  Didn't you know that I spent time soldering as well as farting?


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## PinkFloyd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *flecom* 
_still working on my millet a bit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 big: http://flecom.fragmachines.com/1D/E5DD8080t_big.jpg_

 

I could eat that! beautiful image 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (who needs women with pics like that?)

 Pinkie.


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## The Speaker Guy

Here's a plot of my current project. It's a discrete amplifier. JFET input, diamond output stage. Targeting peak output of 1W into 8 ohms. Designed for ±8V power supplies.

 The bias is very squirrely. I need to go back to my sims to find a less sensitive operating point.


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## Rotareneg

Here's my Corda HA-1 DIY kit, taken with a Kodak DC3700 that I borrowed from my mom. Unfortunately it's an entirely point and shoot camera and thus has no proper photographic controls at all, the pictures arn't all that great.


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## Todd R

Wow, some of you guys make some real works of art. I'm just happy when mine work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Here are my humble projects so far:
 Millett amp that was my first attempt.








 A Bottlehead Seduction Phono stage.








 A Mint amp my Son & I made.








 My latest Project A Morgan Jones Earmax Clone. 

 I will be building a Bottlehead S.E.X. amp next.


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## MisterX

Pictures removed.


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## Dreamslacker

More of the stuff I've built. Lost many older pictures of stuff I've built when my previous harddisk crashed. I don't think I need to explain what amp this is.


 Front:













 Rear:







 Side:


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## Dreamslacker

Performed some modifications on the Corda HA1 MKI for a friend.

 Solens in the x-feed circuit, OPA637's, Cascode Jfets Class A biasing, Blackgates in power supply etc...


 Pre-mods:








 Just the opamps and buffers swapped. Along with Class A biasing.







 The power-supply caps swapped out. Bridge rectifier changed to discrete Fast-recovery diodes:







 Completed:







 Another view:


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## Dreamslacker

My very first amp.. Based on the Meta42 schematic. I didn't even have proper interconnects (and still don't) or a desktop CDP then.

















 A massive mess on the inside:


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## boodi

my compliments to many of you , this thread is higly informative for a want to be diyer 
 there's some _very_ gorgeous pictures too


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## shiggins

Well, I might as well join in:

 My first bit of DIY, a Pimeta with crossfeed:





 Next was the Scott Nixon TubeDac:





 Then on to a PPA/Steps/Glassman diamond buffers combo:





 The PPA & TubeDac where they are living happily together:





 That's all for now. Need to resist building another amp (though my Etys keep asking me for a tube amp, grrr).

 Steve.


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## skyskraper

shiggins that tubedac and ppa combo is simply gorgeous........amazing....


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## BradJudy

Yeah shiggins, those are beautiful. Nice work.


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## Nisbeth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *shiggins* 
_Need to resist building another amp (though my Etys keep asking me for a tube amp, grrr)._

 

If looks anything like your first efforts I think we all look forward to seeing it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


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## purk

I would like to give you guys 2 thumbs up!! Amazing, I might need to start doing this myself.


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## rickcr42

Quote:


 Im not sure if this has been done before.... 
 

tried but for some unknown reason no one took the bait.I then proceeded to cull pics from various threads and insert them into a sticky but that task became way too big of a deal and was also scrapped.

 so here is "round ll" which i am making a sticky hping it becomes _THE_ Head-Fi DIY Gallery for everything not cable related which has it's own sticky

 Rickeraptor


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## erix

There are plenty of pics on my website (see my sig) but this one isn't on there yet.

 This is a work in progress, a scratch-built Pete Millett hybrid. I've spent aboput 100 hours engineering the case machining and circuit board layout. My goal was to build the amp in the Olde School Way with Sprague Orange Drops, Atoms, Carbon Comp resistors and other old parts. I even thought about point-to-point but I'm not THAT crazy. The other goal was to capture the look of motorcycles built by Russell Mitchell's Exile Cycles (as seen on TV!) Just a raw, muscular, no bull**** piece of machinery that does it's job well and happens to look good at the same time.

 The case - a Hammond 1590N1 die-cast aluminum. Lots of machine time here. Finish is brushed aluminum covered with matte clear. Earwax - Hammond Cast Boxes Rawk!





 The Mock Up:




 The big cap in the back has it's plastic coating cut off and lightly brushed with a scotchbrite pad. The knob is Davies, the jack is Switchcraft. The gloss black-painted covers over the buffers+heatsinks are drawn steel boxes from LMB (Mouser).

 The Back Side:




 Power switch, power jack, Nickel-plated Swicthcraft jacks.

 The ****:




 The board is designed so that the tube sockets mount to the copper side. The side in this view will be populated with the above-mentioned Olde School parts. The board is held on by battery nuts and stainless-steel button-head screws.

 The Board:




 LOTS of layout time in this one (which is the second version - don't ask) and then three attempts at etching the board before I got Press-N-Peel Blue to work. Note the violet LED's in the middle of the sockets - should make 'em look like gas tubes!

 The Parts:




 Nothing fancy here! 

 Hope to populate the board this week - I'll let you know.

 ok,
 erix


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## Nisbeth

Well, these are all "old news" but since this thread is now a sticky I just have to post them again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My first PPA. v1.0 board, eurocard-sized case, laser-cut, bead-blasted aluminium front and rear panels, transparent top, OPA627 and a pink LED
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
















 My old META42: v2.1 board, standard Hammond case, AD8620 on browndog and one very bright blue LED 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
















 My new "Disco"-MINT: Standard MINT with AD8620 in a Hammond 1455C801-enclosure. A flashing RGB-LED from www.lsdiodes.com means there's no mistaking when the amp is on 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
























 My very first headphoneamp: A buffered CMoy-design with on-board PSU (based on 78L09-regulators). The volume pot is an Alps RK09. The front and rear panels are laser-cut, bead blasted aluminium 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












 My Non-OS DAC with CS8412/TDA1543. Mainly built as an experiment to see if it worked. It did work and surprisingly well at that. The design is the NONOZ-II from www.fedde.tk and the PCB layout is my own. The LED on the front is a signal-lock indicator.









 I have more pics and information on these on my homepage (see my sig) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


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## brschmid

i think i need a new case for my millet.....


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## Mpemba Effect

My vanilla szekeres


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## Pars

SOme kinda oldies... not particularly impressive versus others in this thread, but my first builds.

 Yet another MINT in a Hammond, this one is powered by a +/- 12V Elpac, and has additional filter caps mounted on a RatShack protoboard, along with a couple of 1n4002 diodes. All power connections are connectorized. Amp is housed in a J1201 1455 Hammond case (this size is only available from Allied).












 Front view






 Rear view, showing DIN connector for Elpac, mini and RCA inputs






 Inside, showing MINT board and additional cap board. 470uf Cerafines on MINT board, 2x1000uf Nichicon Muse KZ per rail. Connectors are HRS DF1B series from Digikey, allowing both inline and board header connections from the same connector series.

 Amp uses BC resistors, Panasonic coupling caps, and is CRD-biased. 221 ohm R11s for the BW resistor.






 This shows a CMoy built per Tangent's tutorial on the left. It has been converted to an Apheared A47, and uses a Sijosae discrete rail splitter. Amp on the right is the MINT that my son built.


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## setmenu

Some great stuff in this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here's a couple of my efforts.

 Planar/ribbon headphones:


http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/attac...tachmentid=632


 And, portable dac amp combo.


http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/attac...achmentid=3340



 Setmenu


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## BradJudy

Here's a few pics of my CMOY and META42. I'll post PPA pics in a couple of weeks when it's done.

 Basic Tangent style CMOY:

http://s94266093.onlinehome.us/head-...Y_altoid_1.JPG

http://s94266093.onlinehome.us/head-...Y_altoid_2.JPG

 First revision of my META42:

http://s94266093.onlinehome.us/head-...TA42_front.jpg

http://s94266093.onlinehome.us/head-...ETA42_open.jpg

 The second version of the same META42:

http://s94266093.onlinehome.us/head-...a42b_front.JPG

http://s94266093.onlinehome.us/head-fi/meta42b_open.JPG


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## comabereni

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *setmenu* 
_Some great stuff in this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here's a couple of my efforts.

 Planar/ribbon headphones:


http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/attac...tachmentid=632


 And, portable dac amp combo.


http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/attac...achmentid=3340



 Setmenu_

 

Now *THAT* is some serious DIY'ing. 
 Love those headphones. C3PO needs a pair.


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## MdRex

Used a 3-AA battery compartment because 3 1.5v alkaline battery makes up 4.5V, just right for me 5V MuVo. No soldering, just lots and lots of taping. 

 Smaller form factor than its 4-AA cousin. The DC plug(which I ripped from a car cigarette lighter adapter) has interchangable plugs, which can be used with other appliances as well.


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## MaxW

Here's my Pimeta:















 I plan to upgrade it with OPA627 soon.
 More details here:
http://max8888.orcon.net.nz/pimeta.htm


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## drewd

Here's my latest PPA. Switchable between XLR and RCA inputs (with a balanced to single ended opamp-based converter circuit inside) and RCA passthrough. Adjustable/defeatable bass boost.


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## leftbldg

MaxW--
 Dude, where did you get a chromed Hammond? Plated it yourself? And I like the clear front panel--what did you use for it?


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## MN Ham Phones

drewd:

 Unusual, and nice, case. Make/model?


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## Voodoochile

Looks like a Lansing Instruments Graybox in 1/4 rack width?
 Nice work, Drew!


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## MaxW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *leftbldg* 
_MaxW--
 Dude, where did you get a chromed Hammond? Plated it yourself? And I like the clear front panel--what did you use for it?_

 

leftbldg, I used mylar which basically just a plastic wrap which covers it.
 See details here
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=70895


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## drewd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MN Ham Phones* 
_drewd:

 Unusual, and nice, case. Make/model?_

 

Voodoochile got it right. It's a Lansing Graybox, 1/4 rack and (I think) 2U high. The PPA circuit and battery boards are a perfect fit inside.

 -Drew


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## bg4533

A few pics of the Pimeta I am currently building. It isn't quite finished yet, so the components on the case aren't tightened down and are a bit crooked. I just ordered an EMU 1212M for the computer, so I should have a pretty awesome setup in a few weeks.


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## drewd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bg4533* 
_



_

 

Yeah, baby! Look at those buffers!!! Whew! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 -Drew


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## digi01

my DIY ALBUM 

 ENJOYS


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## leftbldg

My humble A47 in a Hammond "J":












 Yes that's a PS/2 keyboard connector for the battery charging (and polyurethane glue seeping out around the connector)...long story...




 And here with my first DIY, the CMOY:


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## ITZBITZ

Here's my latest PPA:


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## Voodoochile

Nice, Chris! I always wanted to do one with all rotaries. So far all I have is the knobs I want. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Is that a Par chassis with FPE face on it? Very sharp looking.


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## brschmid

i have always wanted a PPA, but i cant justify building one. I like my millet and i can only listen to one amp at a time anyway.....


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## rsaavedra

Though not finished yet (have to put power supplies in separate enclosure), here pics of my Dynahi. 

 Rear:






 Heatsink assembly up to the transistor sandwich:












 A few more pics of the transistor sandwich assembly.


 Elma Ladder attenuator:













 [Edit]Pictures rehosted[/edit]


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## digi01

great works rsaavedra 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I will do a p2p version Dynahi.

 this my humble A47 in a tin.


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## kloan

My 1st (successful) Cmoy, in a [edit: stainless steel] enclosure. Red interconnect. iPod. Sony EX71.


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## steel




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## Guust-Fi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kloan* 
_My 1st (successful) Cmoy, in a chrome enclosure. Red interconnect. iPod. Sony EX71. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Very stylish. Nice job.


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## Nisbeth

Kloan, where did you get that enclosure? It looks seriously sexy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






 /U.


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## Earwax

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kloan* 
_My 1st (successful) Cmoy, in a chrome enclosure._

 

Wooah! What is that chrome case? Very cool.


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## kloan

oops, sorry.. stainless steel.. ya, its nice!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_Kloan, where did you get that enclosure? It looks seriously sexy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U._

 

got it in a small shop.. its a cigarette case


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## comabereni

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kloan* 
_oops, sorry.. stainless steel.. ya, its nice!


 got it in a small shop called "barfly".. its a cigarette case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Neat. It looks like the dashboard of a 1960's pickup truck, minus paint. Very stylish.


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## drewd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *comabereni* 
_Neat. It looks like the dashboard of a 1960's pickup truck, minus paint. Very stylish._

 

Hey! Somebody stole the dashboard from my truck!


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## MisterX

Some Pimeta action. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 See if you tell whats "wrong" there.


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## Thaddy

Reverse mounted Neutrik


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## MisterX

Thats a standard "feature".....
 The caps give it away pretty fast.


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## Nisbeth

They look like Cerafines. What's wrong with that? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


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## bg4533

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_They look like Cerafines. What's wrong with that? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U._

 

I just noticed it, but it took me a while. 2 of the caps are mounted backward. The 2 caps at the front of the board should be mounted with their gold strips facing the board. The 2 in the back should be mounted with the gold strips facing out.


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## comabereni

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *drewd* 
_Hey! Somebody stole the dashboard from my truck! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












_

 

The similarities are definitely noticeable. I thought of my '65 Ford when I saw it. Now I want a chrome amp case.


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## flecom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bg4533* 
_I just noticed it, but it took me a while. 2 of the caps are mounted backward. The 2 caps at the front of the board should be mounted with their gold strips facing the board. The 2 in the back should be mounted with the gold strips facing out._

 


 yep... better question... why?

 nevermind, pimeta v1.1 PCB i see... some other changes on there too


 other thing thats wrong is that Mr X's camera has loads-o-barrel distortion


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## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kloan* 
_My 1st (successful) Cmoy, in a [edit: stainless steel] enclosure. Red interconnect. iPod. Sony EX71. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

What is that enclosure, it looks GREAT!


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## skyskraper

i too demand this enclosure!


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## Budgie

That is the best looking pocket amp I have seen yet!


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## comabereni

I did a search and couldn't find the exact chrome cigarette case kloan used, but there are several nice ones that would probably work. Some are too thin, I think, but cases like this one should do nicely. You could hide the knob and jacks beneath the hinged lid to protect them when not in use.







 You'd still have trouble taking it on an airline, but I like the cigarette case idea better than using mint tins. Plus, Altoids is getting touchy about selling amps housed inside their tins anyway.


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## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *comabereni* 
_Plus, Altoids is getting touchy about selling amps housed inside their tins anyway._

 

You're kidding, right?


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## kloan

wow, a lot of positive feedback on my amp enclosure.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 id point you in the right direction on where you could get them, but so far i havent managed to find a good source for them.. it was my plan to find out who the distributor was so i could get them wholesale, because id like to make these with pcbs and sell them on ebay, just to get a little bit of income, since im self-employed and need the cash..

 btw, it costs $30 cdn at the store i bought it at..


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## flecom

my K1k amp, caseless atm 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



















 to get an idea of its size, inside the K1k's (K1k's modded with silver cable)






 this thing is as minimalistic as it gets, and man does it sound good!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 in each channel its basically just a BurrBrown OPA548 and four resistors... and then for the whole deal a TLE rail splitter and two caps as power filter caps (one for + and one for -) and a heatsink i pulled out of a busted comptuer PSU... they dont get hot at all, the heatsink feels maybe one or two degrees above room temp directly behind the OPA548's

 here is the schematic even tho it isnt anything groundbreaking lol...






 im still tweaking the circuit, and im thinking about perhaps getting some PCB's printed and selling them as a portable K1k amp if there is any interest... dunno


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## llmobll

I just started to print my own boards, and rather than waste parts on a CMOY i did a Pimeta as my first.

 There is something not quite right with the circuit though. Either the gain or some resistors are wrong. It doesn't amp very much. I have to double check the values.


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## was ist los?

I finally took some pics of my TPA6120 based amp and my Elma attenuator i use as a passive preamp for the speaker rig. 

 P2P lives:










 The Elma that took so very long to build. Let's not do this again. All Beyschlag resistors.


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## Kadail

My PPA


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## ble0t

Very nice! Any internal shots?


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## Earwax

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *flecom* 
_my K1k amp, caseless atm 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



















 to get an idea of its size, inside the K1k's (K1k's modded with silver cable)






 this thing is as minimalistic as it gets, and man does it sound good!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 in each channel its basically just a BurrBrown OPA548 and four resistors... and then for the whole deal a TLE rail splitter and two caps as power filter caps (one for + and one for -) and a heatsink i pulled out of a busted comptuer PSU... they dont get hot at all, the heatsink feels maybe one or two degrees above room temp directly behind the OPA548's

 here is the schematic even tho it isnt anything groundbreaking lol...






 im still tweaking the circuit, and im thinking about perhaps getting some PCB's printed and selling them as a portable K1k amp if there is any interest... dunno_

 


 Flecom, your pictures don't load, but I am intrigued by the description. I'd like to see pictures and schema.

 [edit: now they're up -- someone must have kicked the server
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ]


----------



## Thaddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kadail* 
_My PPA








_

 


 Did you do that yourself or is that some kind of case wrap? If it's all DIY, congrats, it looks pretty nice. Talk about a design thats a blast from the past


----------



## dip16amp

Here is my X32 amp (balanced KG dynamic) with DAC1 combo.
 More photos on my web photo page.
http://geocities.com/dip16amp/


----------



## drewd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dip16amp* 
_Here is my X64 amp (balanced KG dynamic) with DAC1 combo.
 More photos on my web photo page.
http://geocities.com/dip16amp/_

 

Awesome, as usual! And it looks heavy enough to use as a doorstop for a bank vault!

 -Drew


----------



## doobooloo

the dblab ppa and the dblab hp-100a:


----------



## scottder

doobooloo,

 All I can say is, DAMN that is pretty!


----------



## comabereni

Gorgeous, doobooloo. Love that in-the-dark shot. Great work on the amps--very clean wiring and simply unbelievable casework--you are _*the*_ plastic and LED master.

 -coma


----------



## boodi

doosik , as i yet said your full size ppas have an *outstanding* look
 ..I'd really love you to say something to know what you think about their tonal behavior , when you come comparing them with other amps - other term of comparison you can recall in mind..


----------



## thrice

Well, it's not nearly as pretty an amp as Doobooloo's but here's a thread for my new PIMETA:

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=93324


----------



## MisterX

Pimeta Version 1.1A in a Translucent Serpac H series case with a Switched ALPS pot and some Black Gates NonPolars just for kicks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Edit: pics removed


----------



## was ist los?

doo, i've seen your progress of that case work for your amps. The look absolutely gorgeous!


----------



## JHouser

Doob, what guage of silver wire is that?

 j- thanks


----------



## JHouser

double post :|


----------



## doobooloo

Thanks for all your kind comments!

  Quote:


 Doob, what guage of silver wire is that? 
 

The wires are 22AWG with clear teflon sleeve.


----------



## strohmie

Here's what I've been working on recently...a TDA1541A based DAC.






 Closeup of the output buffer for the DAC:






 Power supply regulator (Jung superregs):


----------



## Dreamslacker

Nice.. Should be a NOS DAC i guess? I'm thinking of building a similar DAC soon. Should be using the CD8412/ 8414 with TDA1543 unless I can get hold of the TDA1541A chip. Probably throw in a reclocking circuit (either Tent XO or Kwak Clock 7) to reduce/ remove jitter as well.


----------



## strohmie

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Dreamslacker* 
_Nice.. Should be a NOS DAC i guess? I'm thinking of building a similar DAC soon. Should be using the CD8412/ 8414 with TDA1543 unless I can get hold of the TDA1541A chip. Probably throw in a reclocking circuit (either Tent XO or Kwak Clock 7) to reduce/ remove jitter as well._

 

I've got a spare 1541A if you want it -- I'm planning on building a Kwak Clock 7 as well. Parts are on the way, though it might take a while for me to get to building it.


----------



## Dreamslacker

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *strohmie* 
_I've got a spare 1541A if you want it -- I'm planning on building a Kwak Clock 7 as well. Parts are on the way, though it might take a while for me to get to building it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That's cool. If it's still available when I'm finally free to start on the DAC project, I'll buy it off you. Thanks for the offer. Good luck on your project. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 BTW, what are those red resistors?


----------



## skyskraper

argh. so frustrating. waiting for parts to arrive or come in to stock. 

 pimeta, without pot (ahem robzy), and c4 (taking rs ages to get in to stock).

 mint (opa2107), sans pot.

 filters, without transistors (in the mail)

 psu's, without transformers (waiting til im not lazy and go out to get some 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## Nisbeth

Skyskraper, could you post links to the schematics of the filters and PSUs? They look interesting 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## skyskraper

no probs. 

+/- dc psu
steiner synthacon voltage control filter
my panel layout for filter in 1ru case

 with the vcf's ive hand matched the parts on both boards to be identical, and will be handmatching transistors too, so hopefully i can get a stereo operating unit. ive been told it is still VERY hard to get them to work identically as a stereo pair. so im prepared for it to not work out and just be mono. used panasonic m electrolytics, avx caps, opa227's (on loan til i buy some nice single channel opamps of my own). i'll be using alpha 9mm sealed pots for both cheapness and because their feel is what i am looking for, great pot for little money. toying with lm3915 circuits atm 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the psu's just use lelon electrolytics, standard 78/79 series regulators to give up to +/-15v.

 here's hoping this project works out as i planned 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 if i am not happy with the stereo operation i'll put the second one in a hammond desktop console enclosure for taking with me to gigs. i basically got these pcb's to somewhat give the functionality of the filters on the allen and heath dj mixers. the rack one will live in the rack in my dj studio, the desktop one will be for taking with us to gigs


----------



## skyskraper

oh a couple of notes on how i am setting up the filter. instead of manually patching in signals with leads, i am using toggle switches to feed the signal in to the circuit, and the bypass switch will be another toggle to hard bypass the signal through to the main output. i have an aux out that is permanently bypassed for daisy chaining the filter in an fx rack. once i figure out a good xfader circuit for rotary pots (im assuming they work on the same principles as balance pots) i will probably ditch the rotary switch on the right for input selection and implement a wet/dry control 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 one step at a time though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 future plans for it would include, perfecting stereo performance, integrated phono pre amp, and a head amp. so it would be a complete pre mixer unit for dj'ing with


----------



## Nisbeth

Thanks! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






 /U.


----------



## skyskraper

ok we're glowing and working






 just waiting for my jacks to arrive and to choose an enclosure. mmm stock standard hammond


----------



## skyskraper

and my battery pack for it is done 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 got to go get a case for the pimeta this week. 




 mmm 18v on the road


----------



## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_and my battery pack for it is done 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 got to go get a case for the pimeta this week. 
 mmm 18v on the road 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

18V for what though?


----------



## skyskraper

my pimeta


----------



## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_my pimeta 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Ah, plenty of juice for on the go, neat.


----------



## cottonbuds

Just a Funky Choo (Chu) Moy, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have decided not to use it. Since it's a bit cruel, cos whenever I need to listed to music I have to poke the Choo Moy's eyes


----------



## scottder

OMG, that's too funny 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Troll Amp!


----------



## bg4533

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cottonbuds* 
_
 Just a Funky Choo (Chu) Moy, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have decided not to use it. Since it's a bit cruel, cos whenever I need to listed to music I have to poke the Choo Moy's eyes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That is awesome!


----------



## seiko_citizen

Where is the mouth on that thing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 or maybe a tail?


----------



## cottonbuds

Quote:


 Where is the mouth on that thing... 
 

It's a "cMoy", normally it's sounds comes through the headphones. I Just plug the 3.5mm into it's eyes then I can hear the tunes playing in my head. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


 ...or maybe a tail? 
 

Well it doesn't need one. Use your imagination, think of the headphone cable as the tail.


----------



## skyskraper

pimeta cased up in a temporary case (cbf adding the power regulator and putting it in a hammond before i go) ready to fly me across to london. the battery pack is sitting on top. the input is the connector on the right, output on the left. since non of my interconnects have right angle plugs on them, though this would be the easiest way. plus i can switch between ipod and inseat movies really easily. if my mouser order arrives, this will change to a 1/4" socket for output and ill move the 1/8" to the back or side or top. really happy i found nice chrome toggle switch noses too. can't really see it in the pic but they look well cool.


----------



## llmobll

What type of case is that? I"m looking for something that size. (The big one)


----------



## skyskraper

im in australia and bought it from a local store altronics. its just called "slimline instrument case" the link is http://www.altronics.com.au/index.as...=item&id=H0472


----------



## tess

Just thought I'd show my Zippo lighter tin cmoy amp, wanted to use something different to a mint tin.
 Fits well into the Zippo, the PCB design was originally by Guzzler, built using a home etched PCB, with rail-splitter and opa2132pa op-amp.


----------



## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tess* 
_Just thought I'd show my Zippo lighter tin cmoy amp, wanted to use something different to a mint tin.
 Fits well into the Zippo, the PCB design was originally by Guzzler, built using a home etched PCB, with rail-splitter and opa2132pa op-amp.
pic 1 
pic 2 
pic 3_

 

Those links aren't workin.


----------



## Haoleb

Heres a couple of my RA1 clone. The case i designed and fabricated myself from scratch. The PCB i also designed most of the artwork and built. 


















 Heres my website page for more info about it also. Headphone Amp


----------



## Selexus

Hi everyone,

 Well after a little trouble with the volume led ring (my fault) my PPA is up and running. 
 Once it's run in i'll think about diamond buffers, biasing and crossfeed.










 I'm really proud of the case, it's the first one i've made and nearly turned out as i'd intended. I'm currently running it from the onboard sound of my pc and it sounds great. The next stage is to build a custom pc into a similar chassis with an RME soundcard, mount a behringer dcx2496 into another similar box and finally build some similar looking gainclone power amps. I'll finally have the system i'll be happy with (i think 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).


----------



## MisterX

Wow. 

 My compliments on a truly unique amp.


----------



## cottonbuds

Selexus...
 The case looks cool, but the middle knob reminds me the 
 Griffin PowerMate 




 Nice though?


----------



## Selexus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cottonbuds* 
_Selexus...
 The case looks cool, but the middle knob reminds me the 
 Griffin PowerMate _

 

I wondered if anyone would pickup on that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I had a couple of the powermates (in silver) floating around. After disassembley i found that the only part that i could use was the clear diffraction ring. So i made the Ali/copper knob and base, and cut some prototyping board to fit and soldered the leds in.

 I was given a metal forming machine last Xmas (tools for Xmas...yes please), it cuts folds and rolls sheet up to 1.2mm. The case lid is my first results from it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 cheers


----------



## cottonbuds

It looks cool though... better than my fluffy... Wonderful fit for a volume knob on your amp...


----------



## BradJudy

I'll echo the 'wow' - that's a badass amp.


----------



## Selexus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cottonbuds* 
_It looks cool though... better than my fluffy... Wonderful fit for a volume knob on your amp... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hey, i really liked the Fluffy ! Anything but a straight silver box


----------



## thrice

Damn...that looks fantastic man...Bravo. I like the copper look against the black...is the black finish a powder coat or paint?


----------



## ble0t

That's some beautfiful work...have any pictures of the inside?


----------



## Selexus

A quick peek inside for the those that are curious...


----------



## Selexus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *thrice* 
_Damn...that looks fantastic man...Bravo. I like the copper look against the black...is the black finish a powder coat or paint?_

 

I had some black left over after spraying my bike so i used that. I'm really unhappy about the primer though. I didn't have any etch primer, so i used regular...big mistake. It flakes of realy easily, so i might have to strip it and do it properly


----------



## doobooloo

VERY nice!!!


----------



## amb

Very exotic casework there, Selexus. Congratulations. Are those two copper-colored tubes strictly cosmetic? Do they contain anything?

 The power transformer looms rather close to the input circuitry on the PPA board, though. Do you notice any induced hum?


----------



## Selexus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* 
_Very exotic casework there, Selexus. Congratulations. Are those two copper-colored tubes strictly cosmetic? Do they contain anything?_

 

The tubes are 16swg copper polished and then laquered, and yes just cosmetic. I had to fill the gaps with something 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Quote:


 The power transformer looms rather close to the input circuitry on the PPA board, though. Do you notice any induced hum? 
 

Not at normal levels. If i turn things to max with no source playing i can hear a faint hum. Not enough to ever worry about. My hearing is so shot these days that it wouldn't make a lot of difference to me anyway


----------



## Juergen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Selexus* 
_... I had a couple of the powermates (in silver) floating around. ..._

 

Do you have any more floating around that you might want to sell? I always wanted to try one out but not at the $40-$50 pricetag. Awesome casing btw! Are those cones Vibapods (or something similar) or home grown?


----------



## Selexus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Juergen* 
_Do you have any more floating around that you might want to sell? I always wanted to try one out but not at the $40-$50 pricetag._

 

I've got one left that i'm going to use on the HTPC. I would recomend them, they're well made, stylish and practical.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Juergen* 
_ Awesome casing btw! Are those cones Vibapods (or something similar) or home grown?_

 

The feet are turned on the lathe by me, from the same bar as the rest of the turned parts. There is an allen bolt coming up from the foot through the copper and into an ali ring inside the long copper tube. This clamps the foot assy to the tube. A rubber blanking grommet is then fitted into the "point" of the cone to blank off the hole and provide a soft insulating foot.


----------



## Onix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Selexus* 
_





 Hi everyone,

 Well after a little trouble with the volume led ring (my fault) my PPA is up and running. 
 Once it's run in i'll think about diamond buffers, biasing and crossfeed.










 I'm really proud of the case, it's the first one i've made and nearly turned out as i'd intended. I'm currently running it from the onboard sound of my pc and it sounds great. The next stage is to build a custom pc into a similar chassis with an RME soundcard, mount a behringer dcx2496 into another similar box and finally build some similar looking gainclone power amps. I'll finally have the system i'll be happy with (i think 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )._

 

I bet you could sell those things. It looks really neat.


----------



## Selexus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Onix* 
_I bet you could sell those things. It looks really neat._

 

Do you think so 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I really enjoyed making it and am really looking forward to makeing a matching PC, power amp, and Xover. 
 I'd be more than happy to make something similar for anyone who wants one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## Onix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Selexus* 
_Do you think so 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I really enjoyed making it and am really looking forward to makeing a matching PC, power amp, and Xover. 
 I'd be more than happy to make something similar for anyone who wants one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ._

 

Well, just check this page:

http://www.elvencraft.com/ppa/

 Here you find the information regarding the development of the PPA and a list of builders. Believe me, if I had the money I would ask you for an amp rigth now. Your work is really nice looking. And a matching PC would appeal to many here. Think about it, really.


----------



## bhd812

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Selexus* 
_





 Hi everyone,

 Well after a little trouble with the volume led ring (my fault) my PPA is up and running. 
 Once it's run in i'll think about diamond buffers, biasing and crossfeed.










 I'm really proud of the case, it's the first one i've made and nearly turned out as i'd intended. I'm currently running it from the onboard sound of my pc and it sounds great. The next stage is to build a custom pc into a similar chassis with an RME soundcard, mount a behringer dcx2496 into another similar box and finally build some similar looking gainclone power amps. I'll finally have the system i'll be happy with (i think 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )._

 


 What is that?

 I must have!


----------



## scottder

He said what it was, and amp


----------



## Onix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bhd812* 
_What is that?

 I must have!_

 

Well, I hope Selexus is reading. I insist, it looks really neat.


----------



## Selexus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Onix* 
_Well, I hope Selexus is reading._

 

Yeah i'm here.
 I'm trying to decide whether to offer this chassis and similar models to people ! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Maybe if anyone who is interested could drop me a line i'd have an idea if it was something worth persuing. 

 PM me if your interested 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .

 Cheers


----------



## skyskraper

oh wouldnt it be amazing if it had the thermal conductivity that you could use the copper tube as a heatsink that was good enough for a dynahi. coz thats the perfect sort of enclosure for such an amp!


----------



## Selexus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_oh wouldnt it be amazing if it had the thermal conductivity that you could use the copper tube as a heatsink that was good enough for a dynahi. coz thats the perfect sort of enclosure for such an amp!_

 

The Gainclone power amp i'm planning has just that funtionality, although the copper bars are central and the enclosures are mounted outboard with the chips mounted in such a way that the copper tubes cunduct heat away from them. I've not looked at the dynahi but i'm sure it's do able 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cheers


----------



## zhoufang

the design is basically a Pimeta clone, a pimeta in a MINT!
 it is not fully completed yet since the volume control pot is by-passed, the CRD for biasing op-amp into class-A is not installed, and most importently the thing is not put in a mint casing yet.











 the surprising thing is that it runs on the first try! (although I have tested and corrected multiple error b4 acutally running it, including a spoiled OS-con).

 This amp is actually my warm up for the coming PPA clone.
 I was thinking of trying something easier first b4 actually solder the PPA, my PPA layout is already standing by...
 As I progress I believe this amp can actually be more difficult to solder due to the density and the number of cross junctions.


----------



## JHouser

My Mint shoehorned into a hammond 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	













 J-


----------



## Bassivus

My WNA headamp


----------



## UserNotFound

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tess* 
_Just thought I'd show my Zippo lighter tin cmoy amp, wanted to use something different to a mint tin.
 Fits well into the Zippo, the PCB design was originally by Guzzler, built using a home etched PCB, with rail-splitter and opa2132pa op-amp.













_

 


 I am in the proccessing of making a cmoy amp in a zippo tin, as well. I unfortunately have terrible soldering skill when it comes to close quarters like that, so i decided to go sans-volume control and use an input pigtail to make it easier, but then i've come down with mono and can't really work on it anymore 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 i could always put my all-radioshack amp in there, but it picks up the local AM radio station


----------



## scottder

Bassivus,

 Nice spin on the Hammond there!


----------



## __redruM

Here's my brand new pimeta. I used the 8610/8620 OpAmp and the 634 buffer. Also, I used the Serpac case with the belt clip. I got the PCB from Tangent's site, and the build was very easy. As long as you have soldering down, building a pimeta on the PCB is almost easier than building the Cmoy on a generic board.




 The board in the case





 The Assemble Amp





 The Amp in use

 Now I'm ready to start my PPA


----------



## Toody

Here is my first atempt to make a cMoy amplifier.

 I didn't find any mint tin i the size i wanted so it had to be small.


----------



## kloan

whoa, for your first amp that's done really well.. it's so small! i tried really hard to make a small cmoy.. must've worked 5 hours on it.. kept soldering things in the wrong place.. finally finished it and it was horribly out of balance..

 anyhoo, good work! i love small amps like that.. just need an inline volume pot now


----------



## Toody

from the begining i planed for a crossfeed filter, volyme pot, output buffer... 

 But when i didn't find any cases with the right size i just stayed with the basics. I could not even fitt a led telling if the power is on in that case.

 I am happy with the sound but there is some white nosie when using high sensetivity headphones. I dont know if is becouse the input offset currents are not properly balanced but is something to work on for the next version.

 Next version will probably not be portable and will include all the gadjets i could not fitt in this tiny case.


----------



## setmenu

Here are some pics of my latest creations, two made for presents and one
 for myself.

 They are basically three channel amps based on the pimeta schematic.
 Opamps are Ad8620 and 8610, the buffers EL2001.
 All amps are biased into class A with cascodes.
 The batt monitor shows 5 levels and is switch operated.
 The battery packs are 8x 300mah 2/3 aaa nimh cells.
 The amps quiescent current draw is a about 14.5 ma.
 the power indicator led fitted to the amp module is a 
 Luxeon item and is very efficient producing a high levels
 of illumination at .5ma, the colour is cyan, very nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Additional features are the inclusion of jumper positions in
 the feedback network to add bass boost modules and
 further jumper positions on the buffer outputs to adjust
 source impedance.


 Setmenu


----------



## ble0t

Wow 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That is some very nice work as well as some skilled soldering!


----------



## Tim

Here are some pictures of a meta42 that I built about two years ago.


























 The enclosure is a tin that Fossil watches come in. This is the second tin I used. I drilled the holes all wrong on the first one.


----------



## pne

here is a cmoy i just finished over the holiday break. My first amp build, definately wont be my last.


----------



## strogg

the K-12M from S5 electronics in a custom aluminum enclosure painted... an odd color and then clearcoated. even though the electronics part took me just one day to complete, the case and some tweaks/improvements took the whole holiday break!!! 

 the amp drives my akg's like a dream. it put enough bass in those things to make me completely satisfied with both the quality and the volume of bass! unbelievable, no? 

 the power recepticle is a 5 amp EMI filter i picked up at hsc, which goes to shielded (thanks aerius) transformers to a cheaply tweaked out board in triode mode, then out again on the cheapest rat shack jack i can find (yeah... i'm cheap) with a pair of 5 ohm wirewound resistors to sort of match the impedence. all of this is switched on and off by a heavy duty 15 amp switch (just so it can make a loud clicky sound
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## Edwood

Mint 
















 This is an external PSU only Mint. 

 I just wanted one in a tiny case. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 -Ed


----------



## individual6891

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Edwood* 
_Mint 

 This is an external PSU only Mint. 

 I just wanted one in a tiny case. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 -Ed_

 

Can the MINT fit in that Hammond (I presume the smallest version?) without cutting?


----------



## philodox

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Edwood* 
_This is an external PSU only Mint. 

 I just wanted one in a tiny case. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 -Ed_

 

You could always get another one of those tiny hammonds and make it into a battery pack. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice work BTW!


----------



## __redruM

Here my pimeta, I used my printer to add labels:


----------



## Edwood

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *individual6891* 
_Can the MINT fit in that Hammond (I presume the smallest version?) without cutting?_

 

Yes, but you will have to use smaller caps. I used 470uF Panasonic FC's, and they are too tall to fit. 220uF will definitely fit, but not sure about 320's.

 Also, wiring will be more of a challenge as there will be less room.

 -Ed


----------



## __redruM

Over Christmas, I put these two amps together.

 My new mint, I put together in 1 evening, case work and all:





 It has the 8620 with the 634s and has been biased into class A using the CRD. I also used a 220Ohm resistor for R11

 The PPA took a lot longer:





 I added the Bass Boost, and the crossfeed. I'm probably going to get a new volume knob, and another switch to make all three switches identical, but it's working great.






 I used 6 of the 5002 buffers and the 8610s





 The most difficult part was the crossfeed. It had 16 wires and it was large enough to make mounting difficult as well.


----------



## Guust-Fi

Here's my pc switch box. I know, this is my first soldering project and the pictures suck. I made them with a friends crap digital camera and yes, I know I need to buy one myself these days 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Anyway, it just a simple box and it switches between a cdp or pc as source and my headamp or speakers as output. I might add the buttons to mute my mic later but that means I need to go to the shop... man, vacation makes you lazy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Btw those wires are solid and I believe I won't be using them in the future anymore. They leave to much stress on the soldering and they are just too difficult to work with.


----------



## individual6891

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Guust-Fi* 
_Here's my pc switch box._

 

Case is massive!


----------



## Nisbeth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *individual6891* 
_Can the MINT fit in that Hammond (I presume the smallest version?) without cutting?_

 

Yep! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 From: http://www.nisbeth.dk/uffe/pages/gallery/mint.html


 /U.


----------



## digitaldave

I built my first DIY project today, a CMOY headphone amplifier. It proved a little more difficult than using tangent's guide, as I had to use regular strip board, not the fancy stuff that you guys in the US have access to 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Also, I had problems soldering, as my iron is a cheap one from Maplin, and it probably needs either a new tip or thowing in the bin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Also, I don't have anything to hold things whilst soldering, so that was fun 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







.

 Anyway, here's a pic:






 Tomorrow's project - see if it will fit in the case I have put aside for it...

 Dave.


----------



## Guust-Fi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *individual6891* 
_Case is massive! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I know, and you haven't even seen it wit the lid on


----------



## halman

Here is my implementation of the SDS-labs headphone amp. njoy


----------



## boodi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *strogg* 
_the K-12M from S5 electronics in a custom aluminum enclosure painted... an odd color and then clearcoated. even though the electronics part took me just one day to complete, the case and some tweaks/improvements took the whole holiday break!!! 

 the amp drives my akg's like a dream. it put enough bass in those things to make me completely satisfied with both the quality and the volume of bass! unbelievable, no? 

 the power recepticle is a 5 amp EMI filter i picked up at hsc, which goes to shielded (thanks aerius) transformers to a cheaply tweaked out board in triode mode, then out again on the cheapest rat shack jack i can find (yeah... i'm cheap) with a pair of 5 ohm wirewound resistors to sort of match the impedence. all of this is switched on and off by a heavy duty 15 amp switch (just so it can make a loud clicky sound
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)














_

 

I'm kind of impressed ( I like it , it's very beautiful to me )
 I really wonder how it sounds on akg k501..
 It could need some covering lid though on the front to prevent damages..didn't you think about building one for it?


----------



## strogg

i'd build a lid cover thing for it but A: i'm too lazy, and B: much of it will be exposed anyway due to ventilation. in retrospect, that case i chose wasn't the best choice, considering i spent a grand total of 5 seconds thinking about it. anyhow, i figure that as long as i'm careful and i put a warning sign up, everything will be hunky dory. 

 as for the sound, it's hard to compare since the best headphone amp i've ever used is a go-vibe. but first impressions on it is pretty much really really good. the detail is immense, and i wish i had a better source to compare it to (emu0404 is the best i have). the headphones also sound very dynamic, adding a bit of extra depth to a not-so-deep soundstage. but the thing that hit me the most is the bass. it's there, rearing its head very prominently. it's tight and it's detailed. i am very impressed and quite happy with it overall. 
 as for the highs, it did something to it that's hard to describe in words. for some reason, listening to the headphones with the govibe made the highs fatiguing to me; it made me want to stop listening to it after an hour. with these headphones, the highs are... just right. no fatigue. it's detailed and crisp as it should be. 
 to the mids, vienna teng never sounded so good. but uh... that's all i can say about it for now. 
 i'm not sure, but the overall sound may have ended up faster, ie, the thumps of a drum or the strumming of the guitar begin and finish without me thinking it's sluggish. 

 i personally think the k-12m is well worth the investment if you are willing to tweak the electronics a bit.


----------



## Cordmore

Finished this CMoy the other day and I'm pretty happy about getting it to work. Like daveabrey, I had to use a regular board and thinking through how to connect all the things was the most fun part of the project.






 Those white wires were as difficult to use (due to their stiffness) as they are ugly


----------



## chillysalsa

Finally! Finished the Dynahi last week. It's sounding incredible! DC offset is 5 and 6 mV cold, and falls to <1mV when warmed up. Here are the pics:

 Par-metals, 20-series cases, deep blue LED and illuminated power switch, Neutrik 1/4" jacks (Mouser P/N:550-NMJ6HCS), Alps 23Pos stepped attenuator w/ Holco resistors.
 I am still waiting for the diycable volume knob, I don't really like the feel of that one, and want one a little bigger diamater.





 LEDs - I sanded it down flat and mounted it directly into the front pannel. 





 Back panel: gold plated RCA or 3.5mm inputs. DIY power cable with techflex. 





 Inside: massive 10x4x3.5" heat sink with a thick base plate. The trasistors and bolted directly to it, with pure silver paste for thermal contact. Temp is <60ºC after several hours.









 2 power supplies, rated at 30V @ 4A, with <1mV ripple, in separate enclosure:


----------



## dgardner

Very, very nice. What's going on with those output stage transistors? Looks like jumper wires there.


----------



## chillysalsa

The transistors are bolted directly to the heat sink base, I didn't want to use the L-bracket, because this should have better heat transfer. Yes, I am using pure silver jumper wires. I couldn't figure out any other way to do it without positioning things really awkwardly inside the case. It works quite well, the heat conducts very evenly across all the fins in no time at all.

 Waiting to replace the volume knob with this one:


----------



## sft

Great job!
 Now i know why you say you are a purist.


----------



## Dreamslacker

My amp on the top and the one I built for my friend on the bottom. The knobs on the lower amp are Suzurando brushed aluminium knobs. Very nice feel and build although slightly more costly than the average alu. knobs. =)










 A single level X-feed I built for my friend. It's based on the Meier bass-enhanced X-feed. The 0.22uF caps are Multicap RTX whilst the 47nF cap is a Rel-cap RT. All 3 are polystyrene film and foil. The resistors are Riken RMA resistors.








 2 inputs selectable using an Augat switch with silver-plated contacts and gold-plated lugs. Available from Welborne Labs (About US$14).








 Very tightly packed on the inside. The crossfeed board had to go under the PSU board (sadly, since the crossfeed looks better through the ventilation slots). The Hovland Musicaps are DC blocking caps. The bridge rectifiers built using HEXFRED's coupled with Evox MMK caps. Transformer is a Nuvotem Talema.








 I'm sorry if anyone wants to know where the case can be bought online. However, I have no idea as I bought it from an electronics shop in Singapore. I don't even have a clue as to who the manufacturer is. 
 It's a very nice case with a 1.5mm - 2mm thick brushed aluminium faceplate. 
 There is another 1mm steel plate behind it and makes a bitch of aligning holes on both panels.


----------



## doobooloo

dblab USB DAC based on guzzler's rev.A board:































 I had a Hammond case lying around from previous PPA projects, so I decided to use it for the DAC. I coupled the output Black Gate NX Hi-Qs with some Angela/SCR 0.33uF tin foil caps. This coupling quite significantly brought out the mids and highs compared to BGs alone, and I'm very pleased with the results.

 I currently have two amps connected from the DAC, I put three pairs of RCA outputs (paralleled) just because there was just enough space for three. I had the two amps previously connected with an RCA splitter, it should be better that the splitter is now eliminated from the chain.

 All internal wiring is 22AWG teflon sleeved silver. Battery holder is Bulgin 4xAA tray type, and it's connected in parallel internally (2 x 3V).

 Anyway, the DAC sounds excellent, a substantial improvement over my bypass/blackgate modded OptoPlay.


----------



## scottder

*bows to doobooloo*


----------



## Syzygies

Your casework is stunningly beautiful. A general cry went out in our house, _You've got to see this!_


----------



## chillysalsa

Doobooloo: that is really nice! You're the master of acrylic work there.. And so neat and tidy, sets a new benchmark!

 You've got to give more details on how that's done - the etching of lettering on there and stuff.


----------



## doobooloo

Thanks for all your kind words!

  Quote:


 You've got to give more details on how that's done - the etching of lettering on there and stuff. 
 

I laid out the design in Pro/ENGINEER (made a 3D model to make sure everything would fit), then exported the part drawings to AutoCAD and plotted the design directly to a laser cutter in the machine shop at school. The etching is done the same way, using slightly higher speed so that the laser only cuts through halfway.

 If you have access to a laser cutter at school or work, it's a nice, fast, cheap way to get good looking results!


----------



## individual6891

That looks wicked, I was hoping to do something similar with a PPA in a hammond 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Unfortunately, laser cutters aren't generally put in every college! </dremel action>


----------



## __redruM

Here's my PPA, it's amost 100%. I need a better volume knob and I need to put the NIMHs in. Otherwise, it works great from wall power.

 My switches allow me to Change Gain from roughly 6 to 12. I have a crossfeed switch, and of course the Bass Boost.





 Here's the back:


----------



## chillysalsa

__redruM: Very neat and tidy! Where you get the lettering done on the panels?


----------



## __redruM

Label maker at work. It prints Text on Clear plastic stickers. Which I applied.
 Thanks for the comment...


----------



## Oink1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *doobooloo* 
_Thanks for all your kind words!_

 

You are indeed a DIY god - the quality of your work never ceases to amaze me.


----------



## skyskraper

if you guys want custom labelling you should check out local decal places, i got a quote on a project from one near me, and it was really cheap and u could choose whatever font you wanted. just apply decal then clearcoat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 also check local industrial engravers, my local one turned out to be dirt cheap and my friend at an engineering firm says they do a grade work.


----------



## Secret Squirrel

I finally finished my 2nd pimeta that I rebuilt with an Alps stepped attenuator. It sounds brilliant. I did not think that it would make such a difference. It was my first stepped attenuator, so I decided to socket all of the resistors in case the attenuation curve was not to my liking. I also had to learn how to deal with momentary switches and debounce. All in all, it was a satisfying educational experience. I will now try to determine were to put it.


----------



## boodi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Oink1* 
_You are indeed a DIY god - the quality of your work never ceases to amaze me.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

My portable ppa ( that doobooloo builded a while ago for me ) share the look of his last project 
 beige case + transparent faceplate .. very beautiful togheter


----------



## kloan

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Secret Squirrel* 
_I finally finished my 2nd pimeta that I rebuilt with an Alps stepped attenuator. It sounds brilliant. I did not think that it would make such a difference. It was my first stepped attenuator, so I decided to socket all of the resistors in case the attenuation curve was not to my liking. I also had to learn how to deal with momentary switches and debounce. All in all, it was a satisfying educational experience. I will now try to determine were to put it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








_

 

whoa! that is a really nice enclosure.. what kind of button is that and where did you get it?? very slick..


----------



## Secret Squirrel

The switch was the 2nd most expensive component. The stepped attenuator was only 2 dollars more. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?hand...oductid=566895


----------



## skyskraper

which stepped attenuator is that and where did you buy it from?


----------



## Secret Squirrel

The attenuator is available from Triode Electronics. 
http://store.yahoo.com/triodeel/4pol24posals.html


----------



## __redruM

I Think I'm finally done with my PPA. I changed to a larger volume knob that looks alot better.


----------



## kloan

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Secret Squirrel* 
_The switch was the 2nd most expensive component. The stepped attenuator was only 2 dollars more. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?hand...oductid=566895_

 

holy cow $20!! well, at least it looks cool... how does it actually work? is it a push button that pops out when off or is it a digital button?


----------



## Secret Squirrel

I had to use a " Flip flop " latch circuit to turn the pimeta on and off.
http://www.discovercircuits.com/PDF-FILES/4013cir.pdf
 It was definitely a complicated route to add an on/off switch. I ended up using a max6816 to " debounce" the switch and make it much more reliable.
http://www.maxim-ic.com/appnotes.cfm/appnote_number/609


----------



## kloan

looks complicated.. 

 red wire goes here...... red wire goes there.... that's the scope of my expertise...


----------



## DarkEternal

some pics of my stuff...just a cmoy














 added a window and an led which pulses along with the volume of the music

 plus some pics of some random gear


----------



## individual6891

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Secret Squirrel* 
_I had to use a " Flip flop " latch circuit to turn the pimeta on and off.
http://www.discovercircuits.com/PDF-FILES/4013cir.pdf
 It was definitely a complicated route to add an on/off switch. I ended up using a max6816 to " debounce" the switch and make it much more reliable.
http://www.maxim-ic.com/appnotes.cfm/appnote_number/609_

 

The switch if of a standard vandal resistant type switch which you can find in most places.

 Regarding the debouncer - A simple capacitor and schmitt trigger could have done it for a lot less in price 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 - Case and wiring look nice though (silver wires a teeny bit overkill on pimeta? - or never too OTT?!)


----------



## Secret Squirrel

Tried the Schmidt trigger, but I found that the MAX6816 was much better to deal with switch bounce. As far as being over the top, this amp was more of a learning exercise than the final goal. Plus, I did not want to practice on my PPA.....yet


----------



## dgardner

Gilmore Dynamite

























one amp board closeup (jpg)

rear jacks inside closeup (jpg)

front jacks inside closeup (jpg)


----------



## chillysalsa

Wow! What a beauty! Sure looks like a powerhouse.. does it sound like it looks?


----------



## ble0t

Impressive work! Looks like a power house


----------



## eastside504

OMG that is sexy! Wish i had one to place my hd650 on top too!


----------



## Turing

nice amp!

 uh...how do you turn it on?


----------



## Dreamslacker

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Turing* 
_nice amp!

 uh...how do you turn it on? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

I believe it's power on through the mains switch. =)

 A really beautifully crafted set..


----------



## dgardner

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Turing* 
_nice amp!

 uh...how do you turn it on? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

gotta use the power strip switch to turn it on till the dynahi psu box gets built...


----------



## doobooloo

So... I had this CK watch case lying around...














































 And with some other spare parts, a nice PIMETA is born!

 The board is a pretty maxed-out PIMETA with 12 stacked BUF634Ps and OPA637BPs on signal channels and OPA627BP on ground. DC offset is at 4.7mV on each channel. Teflon coated silver wiring is used for signal paths. The board by itself looks like this:
















 As you can see, the amp runs off 2 9V batteries. Hopefully I'll get some nice rechargeables soon. No other fancy features, just one pair of RCA inputs, one 1/4" output, and power on/off.

 Soundwise, I'm very impressed! In comparison to my vague memory of my old maxed out META42, the sound is much more lively and dynamic. Compared to my maxed-out PPA, it's slightly less refined but somehow it's got a good dose of fun factor in its sound. Sub-bass isn't as powerful as my PPA either but it's still very good.

 Anyway... I'm happy I have a decent battery-powered transportable amp now. With my battery powered USB DAC, I can now go anywhere with my music! Not that I'm going to do that often, but at least I have a nice amp that I can perhaps lend to people and bring them into this evil hobby.


----------



## doobooloo

Wow, the dynamite is one amazing piece of work. I can only imagine how it sounds... mmm... Beautifully crafted!


----------



## individual6891

Very impressive Dynamite amp! The thing is huge - what's the power consumption with those fets?


----------



## dgardner

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *individual6891* 
_Very impressive Dynamite amp! The thing is huge - what's the power consumption with those fets?_

 

At idle, the top box throws a grand total of about 80W. Each output BJT idles at 85mA.


----------



## amb

doobooloo, you are the headphone amp meister. The way you just crank out one interesting amp after another never ceases to amaze me. Keep up the good work!


----------



## __redruM

Here's my pimeta in a Hammond J case. It just fit with 4 1000uf Caps and the panasonic pot.





 Here it is with the cover on:


----------



## n_maher

redrum,

 Well done! What input jacks are those? I've been looking for some smaller ones like that for a little side project I've got going.


----------



## __redruM

161-7300 from mouser. I've always used the mini plugs, to match my source and my headphones. Also they seem to take up less space than rca jacks or a 1/4" jack would.


----------



## Nospam

I finally got around to finding a free hosting service, so here are a few pics of my first amp. Unfortunately, I was rushing to finish it, so I don't have any pictures of the board by itself.

 (click on the thumbnails for a larger picture)

 Top view of the Penguin tin




 View of the sides




 Here's the inside




 A closeup of the board




 The other side




 As I mentioned, I rushed the final stages of the build, because I wanted to finish it in time to give to a friend as a gift. She likes penguins, thus the choice of tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Unfortunately, rushing anything means things usually don't go quite as planned. For instance, I only had the large thickness cutting wheel for my Dremel, so the board wasn't cut as cleanly as it could have been. Actually, it looked pretty ugly, and I did cut slightly into one of the traces 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I also didn't have time to replace the switch wires with longer ones, so I simply routed them over the board. However, since I cut so much of the board away with the Dremel, I was still able to close the lid 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The most interesting mistake was that I used the wrong resistor for the RLED; I didn't notice it until I had already cut the board and soldered it together. The blue LED is so bright, when the amp is turned on, you can use it as a flashlight 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If it bothers my friend enough, I figure her husband can take it apart and replace the resistor.

 Overall, I had the most problems with the casework, since I really don't have a proper setup (vise, drill press, etc) to do a precise job. The soldering part (even the SMD stuff) was fairly straight-forward. I really with I had taken pictures of the board, because I'm actually quite proud of the soldering job. I even positioned the resistors with the values facing up in the same direction 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Most importantly, it sounds great 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Anyway, next up is a Mint for myself, to replace my Go-Vibe (I need a higher gain for use in my car). Then, I plan to build a couple more to try out different op-amps and other options. I'll probably end up giving those away to family as gifts.

 After that, I'll play around with a PIMETA or two (or more?), before I tackle the Dynahi


----------



## Earwax

Just another cmoy...


----------



## headchange4u

Where did you get the CMoy PCB?


----------



## Earwax

Made it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I started with the Eagle layout file guzzler posted a few months ago. I enlarged it for the Solen input caps, and changed the pot to the alpha 16mm and added a couple more bypass caps. I etched it using the toner transfer method with supplies purchased from web-tronics.com 

 I finished off building the amp last night, it's powered from a 16V AC/DC wall wart (no batteries), RCA inputs, 1/4 inch output, small black metal case. I'll post pictures (not that the outside is anything special) once we get a nice sunny morning for good lighting again. The sound is very impressive for just a single opamp. Don't let anyone tell you a cmoy can't power HD600s well.


----------



## llmobll

Mint:







 Edit: Other side of the MInt Board.







 Diamond Buffer (Still tweaking)








 I'm super happy with the Mint, sounds awsome, far better than I thought.(AD8066 is a great amp)


----------



## doobooloo

Wow! The etching pros are here!

 Wonderful work guys. The etched boards look great!


----------



## eastside504

6 months ago --> there's headphone amps? what?! You mean my ipod earbuds are not the best sound i can get out of headphones?

 My second DIY ever (pratice on a cmoy first). PPA 1.1b board with STEPs. Finished the amp a few weeks ago, but just finished casing it up today. Also made a crossfeed but decided not to install it. Next up hopefully a tube amp or a balanced dynahi/dynalo!


----------



## scottder

eastside504,

 Wow, that is quite a jump in 6 months, really sucks one in, doens't it.


----------



## eastside504

scottder, DIY is so addictive! I stop playing video games on my free time and now just read stuff about DIY electronics.


----------



## __redruM

Here's my latest hammond case amp. I used the long version of the smallest hammond 1455C1201BK. In it I put a mint with 1 9V battery, I really wanted 2 9v, but not possible in this case. At the end, there was 25mm left over. I may use a metal saw to get those 25mm, and make the case even smaller. 







 This is outside the case.





 Inside the case

 And finally, all three of my tangent amps







 top to bottom: Mint, Pimeta, PPA


----------



## TrevorNetwork

Are manufacturers able to post up build pics, or...?


----------



## dsavitsk




----------



## skyskraper

pimeta i built last night, for use only in the even of nuclear holocaust, if you are trapped in a fallout shelter.... only then can you break the glass. 






 pics of the inside when i make a few modifications....


----------



## __redruM

I've cut my 1455C1201bk hammond case to 95mm so its 95X54X23. Still a little longer than the 80X54X23 smallest hammond. But still very small.
 Inside is a Mint and a single 9V battery with room left over for a charging circut.




 Can anyone recomend a way to add labels to the case?


----------



## Edwood

Just another Pimeta.



























 -Ed


----------



## Vadi

Where did you get these nice battery drawers, Edwood?


----------



## skyskraper

bulgin make some and u can get them at farnell amongst other places.....


----------



## Vadi

Thanks a lot skyskraper!


----------



## eric.w

Here's pictures of my first tube.. well, hybrid amp.
 Sijosae over on headwize designed it... it runs on as low as 24 vdc and can use either a 6922, or the mini 6111 tube I chose, and is really inexpensive.. as in <$70 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm loving the sound.. it's hard to describe. Yes, it has output capacitors (1000uf!), it has a $4 panasonic pot, but yet it sounds better to my ears than my gilmore. 

















 Oh, the front panel was inspired by Bassivus' WNA amp on page 9 of this thread


----------



## scottder

eric.w,

 $70, wow....a danged cheap way to get a taste of the tube sound.


----------



## doobooloo

Very nice! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Looks like a fun little amp to build, I'm glad it sounds so good!

 Well done!


----------



## eric.w

Thanks guys 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Apparently one of the amps Sijosae built cost him, in Korea, $16 USD!
 Headwize is down right now (bandwidth exceeded..), but it was a really cool thread.

 I hope this amp becomes popular, because I think it''s really innovative, and I would reccomend it to any diy newbies


----------



## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *eric.w* 
_Thanks guys 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Apparently one of the amps Sijosae built cost him, in Korea, $16 USD!
 Headwize is down right now (bandwidth exceeded..), but it was a really cool thread.

 I hope this amp becomes popular, because I think it''s really innovative, and I would reccomend it to any diy newbies_

 

Wow, sounds cool, will have to check it out when headwize is back.


----------



## Nisbeth

Cool amp Eric! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I hope to have my 6922-version running in a week or so, I really want to hear how it sounds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /U.

 PS: Scott, the schematics and PCB-layout is available from here http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/bbs/zb...sijosae&no=207 so you don't have to wait until headwize is back up


----------



## individual6891

Mini-tube-amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 very cute


----------



## chillysalsa

And you say you are liking that mini tube amp better than your Gilmore? Which one, the Lite, V1, V2? 

 It's very cute anyway!


----------



## eric.w

Well.. my gilmore is DIY.. so it doesn't really fit under one of the lite/v1/v2 categories, but it does have Gilmore's PSU so it would be close to a V1 I guess.

 As for the comment that i like the tube amp better than my gilmore, I should explain.

 My personal preference in sound is a bit warm, deep bass, clear but not bright, and big soundstage. Any difference between amps I find pretty subtle, and I haven't heard any other than my own, but I think I could hear that the gilmore was very revealing of the CD I was listening to. It did have very tight, deep bass, everything was perfectly clear. Quite a few of my CDs sound harsh or compressed through it, because that's what was on the CD.

 My impressions after a day and a half are: the mini tube amp is a tad more relaxed sounding, probably more "colored", slightly less defined bass.. but it has a really natural quality that I like. So for me, the tube amp's more fun to listen to, and plus, it looks cooler 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nisbeth: hope you enjoy it! Are you doing a PCB, or point to point wiring? It was my first point to point, hence the mess underneath, but for a simple circuit like this, it worked well. Everything worked on the first try!


----------



## jerb

Eric.w...
 [size=xx-large]YOU ARE MY HERO![/size]
 that is the COOLEST amp i have seen! i definatly starting a fund for one of these


----------



## miketriple

i finally put my mint in the case tonight! it's up and running perfectly. this is my 2nd diy.. the first was a practice cmoy that was never completed, just made sure that the circuit could come to life before i did my mint.


----------



## JHouser

I'm still deciding on how i'm going to do the faceplates. BTW, Eric, where did you get the knob for your mini-tube? I love those. Thanks to everyone for helping me on my 2nd project!


----------



## intlplby

hahahah that's actually really funny JHouser because that is exactly where i am right now...... 

 finished my Steps and PPA last week and i have it sitting open exactly like you have it without the front faceplate and with the jack out wired up and my HP-1's connected to it........

 only difference is your black hammond enclosure and i got a silver one..... i am probably gonna go by my dad's place of work to drill out the faceplate on the drill press there.


----------



## JHouser

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *intlplby* 
_hahahah that's actually really funny JHouser because that is exactly where i am right now...... 

 finished my Steps and PPA last week and i have it sitting open exactly like you have it without the front faceplate and with the jack out wired up and my HP-1's connected to it........

 only difference is your black hammond enclosure and i got a silver one..... i am probably gonna go by my dad's place of work to drill out the faceplate on the drill press there._

 

Hmm.. Drillpress acesss... I think I'm going to go the FPE route. They are located 5 minutes away from me so i might head down tomorrow and see some of their stuff. I've lost track of how much i've spent on this thing so what's another $50? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I used the wire from the silver GB. I'm really happy with it. It's easy to work with and i like that it is a bit thinner so if i need to i can just string 3 together. Looks pretty to!! I ordered 150 feet of it and i'm already worried about not having enough for my Interconnects and my Dynahi. I wouldn't suppose you would be interested leading another Group buy? I'm sure the wounds on your hands have healed by now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Good luck on your faceplates. Keep me posted.

 J-


----------



## intlplby

i was looking into organining another one to do last month, but when i made the decision to move to China on February 24th that idea went out the window..... i can still get the same price for future purchases, but someone else would have to organize the buy and wrap and ship everything...... i'm more than willing to go through as a middle man just to ensure getting the same purchase price per roll


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JHouser* 
_



_

 

Am I the only one that thinks this might not be a good idea?


----------



## JHouser

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dsavitsk* 
_Am I the only one that thinks this might not be a good idea?_

 

Are you referring to the XLR Power umbilical? What do you think is unsafe about it? If the other side had balanced XLR outs that would be a bit sketchy. I don’t have anything that I uses XLR other than power, so it does not seem like an issue to me. Is XLR unfit or unsafe to run 24VDC?

 EDIT : I guess 4 pin XLR might be a better choice.


----------



## Voodoochile

XLR jacks are okay for power, but do be sure to orient the gender properly so you don't have a male plug with hot pins sticking out to short on anything.


----------



## chillysalsa

I think the only bad idea that I see there is having it hanging out like that - risk of shorting your power supply. But if you're careful and only doing it for a short time during testing, no big deal...


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JHouser* 
_Are you referring to the XLR Power umbilical? What do you think is unsafe about it? If the other side had balanced XLR outs that would be a bit sketchy. I don’t have anything that I uses XLR other than power, so it does not seem like an issue to me. Is XLR unfit or unsafe to run 24VDC?_

 

Oops, I didn't look close enough. I thought that it was the straight AC.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Maybe I need to wear my glasses more often. Sorry for the criticism.


----------



## JHouser

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dsavitsk* 
_Oops, I didn't look close enough. I thought that it was the straight AC.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Maybe I need to wear my glasses more often. Sorry for the criticism._

 

OY! That would be a smoke show!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Voodoochile* 
_XLR jacks are okay for power, but do be sure to orient the gender properly so you don't have a male plug with hot pins sticking out to short on anything._

 

Yea, I thought i did that but after looking closer then realized that both my PPA and PS have females. So the XLR on my ps when plugged in is male. I guess ill order place an order for a female line and a male panel. That should make everything safe. Thanks for bringing that to my attention!! 24V on the pinkie wont kill me but dosn't sound like a kiss to the cheek either!


----------



## tangent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Edwood* 
_Just another Pimeta._

 

Yeah, me too. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 It's in black and white, it must be Aaaaaart. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's the first I've seen to use PIMETA v1.1's ALPS RK09x pot pads. This gives the centered knob, and it includes a power switch so the front panel is cleaner. It shortened the build time, too.

 It's one of the few I've seen to use the expensive ($3.69) CUI Stack jack (Digi-Key CP-43502PM). I expect long life out of these guys.

 The dime glued to the inside of the case makes the LED light up the inside of the amp rather than shine in your eyeball. I'm not wild about the esthetic, so I may change that aspect.

 Lovin' my new iPod Photo 60GB, too! This little dude _thumps_! Watch for-sale forum for my PJB-100 setup.


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


 It's the first I've seen to use PIMETA v1.1's ALPS RK09x pot pads 
 

Have you seen page 8? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...&postcount=108

 Same jacks to. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What case did you use? ..... umm nevermind the dumb question. 
 I seen the other thread.


----------



## Voodoochile

That's nice looking, Tangent. The switched pot does make it nicer- not only is the panel cleaner, but good looking tiny switches are scarce. What op-amps did you choose?

 If you want to ditch the dime, you might consider gluing a single silver sequin to the top of the LED. You could test it with some (kids) glue stick, or even chap stick. Have it cup-side up, like a birdbath, so the bottom acts like a convex reflector.
 No, I've never tried it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.

 Another thought would be to trim a small piece of dynamat to replace the dime. Smaller in diameter, shiny foil on the underside, and black on the side facing the case lid.


----------



## Nisbeth

Nice job Tangent. You're not the first to build a Pimeta with the RK09, but you're the first one to post pics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (I just took pics of mine yesterday and they are on my home computer so I can't post them until later today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) Another idea for the LED (and the one I have used) is to use an SMD-LED instead. These have a wider viewing angle, so they light up the case better. A 0805 fits beautifully across the existing LED pads 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.

 EDIT: Hadn't seen Mr. X post. Looks like I wasn't first either


----------



## Nisbeth

My take on the Pimeta-in-translucent-H65 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 As mentioned in my last post, the LED is a high-bright blue 0805 from www.lsdiodes.com which gives better illumination of the case due to the wider viewing angle of SMD-LEDs. I've used switchcraft jacks for input/output and a 2.5mm jack for DC-in. The input is on the right because this is intended for use with an ibook which has its output on the left 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The pics:































 /U.


----------



## MisterX

Nice work Nisbeth... 
 I like the way the knob sits higher up on the front of the case like that.
 Did you do that on purpose or? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 It's kinda ironic cause I was working on this amp when Tangent posted his---> 

 Edit: Pics removed

 The use of dry transfers to label the IO jacks was a natural.


 My props to you Warren... the addition of the alps switched pot lends a much more polished feel to the amp when you the Serpac case. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Not to mention they tracks better then the EVJ's do.


----------



## Nisbeth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_I like the way the knob sits higher up on the front of the case like that.
 Did you do that on purpose or? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

You obviously have no idea how much planning went into that little detail 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Seriously, I don't think it matters because it makes it easier to position the amp the right side up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## thrice

Nice job Nisbeth, looks great!!!!


 MisterX: Yeah the new pads for this pot/switch combo make things a lot easier to layout in the Serpac cases.

 Now, if only we had pads so we could board mount 1/8" I/O jacks.....tangent?


----------



## Nisbeth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *thrice* 
_Now, if only we had pads so we could board mount 1/8" I/O jacks.....tangent? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks thrice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 IMO, board-mounted jacks are good right up until you have to fit the pcb in the case, then it is an absolute PITA, because you have to drill everything absolutely perfect 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_You obviously have no idea how much planning went into that little detail 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

lol, smart a**

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_Seriously, I don't think it matters because it makes it easier to position the amp the right side up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Agreed... that is what I like about it. 
 It doesn't look the same from both sides so you are not turning the knob the wrong way and blasting the volume



  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *thrice* 
_MisterX: Yeah the new pads for this pot/switch combo make things a lot easier to layout in the Serpac cases._

 

Yes sir it does. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks a bunch for doing the grunt work on that whole deal.


----------



## thrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_Thanks thrice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 IMO, board-mounted jacks are good right up until you have to fit the pcb in the case, then it is an absolute PITA, because you have to drill everything absolutely perfect 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U._

 

Yeah that's true, plus there really isn't any room on the PCB for them (or at least it would be awkward to try to put them there).

 I like the SM diodes...I too order from LSDiodes...Robots _will_ kill you!


----------



## tangent

Quote:


 Have you seen page 8? 
 

No, I haven't been watching this thread at all. Just thought I'd drop my beauty shot in here.

  Quote:


 What op-amps did you choose? 
 

Ye olde 8610/20. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is nearly the ideal battery-powered op-amp. Works fine on 9V, reasonable quiescent current, good bass, low distortion.... Its main flaw is its brightness, but the BUF634 tames that.

  Quote:


 single silver sequin to the top of the LED 
 

Great idea! Aside from being less obtrusive than the dime, it will be closer to the light source, so smaller is okay. It might also be interesting to leave the center hole of the sequin unblocked in order to get a small dot of light on top.

  Quote:


 You could test it with some (kids) glue stick, or even chap stick. 
 

I'll use what I did on the dime: rubber cement. It's sticky enough to hold long-term, but you can still pull it apart later.

  Quote:


 use an SMD-LED instead....A 0805 fits beautifully across the existing LED pads 
 

Interesting! Only thing keeping me from trying it is that I bought a bunch of these T-1-3/4 white LEDs back when we added a centered LED to the META42. The amp I just built is close to the ideal we had in mind when we made that feature in the first place.

  Quote:


 My take on the Pimeta-in-translucent-H65 
 

Nice amp, Nisbeth!

  Quote:


 the addition of the alps switched pot lends a much more polished feel to the amp when you the Serpac case 
 

Yeah, toggles aren't the most beauteous things in the world. And, having one less hole to drill really helps with the time. You still have to run two wires with PIMETA v1.1 though.

  Quote:


 it makes it easier to position the amp the right side up 
 

The asymmetry of my front panel takes care of that for me, too, in a different way. I put the input jack on the right side of my case because this amp will be going into a Headroom Mini bag along with the iPod, and I'll be using a right angle end on the amp side of the cable.

  Quote:


 if only we had pads so we could board mount 1/8" I/O jacks 
 

As Nisbeth indicated, the rule in my amps is only one board-mounted panel component, and the natural choice is the pot, as it has the most pins. To add more would pretty much demand custom cases, and at that point I might as well start selling kits or making assembled amps, neither of which appeals to me. I'm just a DIYer, here trying to make more DIYers.


----------



## Syzygies

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tangent* 
_It's one of the few I've seen to use the expensive ($3.69) CUI Stack jack (Digi-Key CP-43502PM)._

 

That looks very nice, I'd like to use them. Can't find information anywhere on the contacts, are they silver? I had the impression silver and gold matched different usage patterns, but that either was vastly superior to neither. I've had contact-induced distortion on my CMoy, solved by replacing interconnect, so I'm not just being fussy...

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tangent* 
_Lovin' my new iPod Photo 60GB, too! This little dude thumps!_

 

It took me several tries to find a line out that sounded better than headphone out at 85% volume, be patient if you go down this road.


----------



## tangent

Quote:


 Can't find information anywhere on the contacts, are they silver? 
 

In all likelihood, they're nickel. The thing that makes these jacks nicer than average is just build quality. One gets the impression when inserting the plug than the contacts' springiness won't weaken as much over time. But, the DIY community here has only known about them for a fairly short time, so we don't really know how well they'll hold up over the long term.

  Quote:


 I had the impression silver and gold matched different usage patterns 
 

Gold is a soft metal, so it really isn't the right thing for this sort of jack. If you were going to plug it in and leave it that way, you'd have a good argument that gold is better than silver or nickel, but that's not how people use phone style jacks. Gold's real advantage is one of perception: it's common to see phone jacks with a gold flash ring around the nose, but no gold on the contacts, which you can't see!

 Silver is much tougher than gold. Not sure if it's tougher than nickel, but it is much more conductive than nickel. The main disadvantage is corrosion, but there's a lot of friction when inserting a phone plug, and silver oxides aren't very tough to cut through. (Not like aluminum oxide, for instance.)

 Nickel is a good workaday material. Very low corrosion, decent conductivity, cheap. 99% of all jacks have nickel contacts.


----------



## skyskraper

skyskraper grumbles about the incompetent and disinterested local serpac distributor. all we have is a knock off in black but at least its a short drive away and cheap.

 edit: because i have to mount the led on the panel. 

 also edit: for the price you'd hope those jacks would be really good. theyre a fair slice more then other 1/8" jacks and a bit hard for most to justify the expense on. but the solid contacts sound appealing. in oz farnell sell a tube style jack by multicomp for not very much. i think ill pick some up for my personal portable pimeta


----------



## tangent

Quote:


 all we have is a knock off in black 
 

Not a knock-off, that's a genuine H-65. It comes in black, gray, "almond", and clear blue, gray, green and red from the factory.


----------



## skyskraper

i don't actually have one on me atm, but its slightly different around the battery compartment from what i can tell from pics of the genuine thing. here's a pic of it in grey. but i havent seen many (if any) close ups of naked h-65's so i can't really say. its a bit of a pig to get the battery in to and out of as its for AA, and to make the 9v not move around i installed one set of the AA battery clips so the spring would hold it in place....


----------



## tangent

Quote:


 its for AA 
 

That doesn't make it not-Serpac. Check this out. Look familiar?


----------



## GWN

My latest PPA complete with STEPS PS, DACT attenuator, Glassman buffers and Cross 1 crossover circuit. Everything housed in Lansing enclosures.

 Click on thumbnails for larger view.

 GWN


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GWN* 
_My latest PPA complete with STEPS PS, DACT attenuator, Glassman buffers and Cross 1 circuit. Everything housed in Lansing enclosures._

 

Very nice looking. It is always nice to see one of these amps wearing something besides the standard hammond.


----------



## GWN

Thanks, it does make for a larger footprint. The first photo shows another PPA and Steps in silver Hammond cases. Much smaller. But the Lansing cases are very nice.


----------



## dsavitsk

Hagtech Bugle phono stage:


----------



## skyskraper

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tangent* 
_That doesn't make it not-Serpac. Check this out. Look familiar?_

 


 hehe that aint it either. im picking up another one soon, ill check out the brand and take some close up pics, but i was assured that the company doesnt deal with serpac. the serpac aussie distributors are lazy tools only interested in dealing with industrial and resource/mining fit out.


----------



## individual6891

That lunchbox casing is awesome dsavitsk. How old school is that? =)

 I like what you did with the Jan's crossfeed there gwn =)


----------



## Nisbeth

Here's a pair of custom Pimeta's I finally managed to finish. Pretty standard stuff, so no inside pics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


























 /U.


----------



## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_










_

 

I love this one!


----------



## Nisbeth

Thanks! I hope the new owner feels the same way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






 /U.


----------



## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_Thanks! I hope the new owner feels the same way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Indeed, that volume knob is pretty slicks. Some day I really want a Maxed out PIMETA or PPA. Some day.


----------



## activemx

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scottder* 
_Indeed, that volume knob is pretty slicks. Some day I really want a Maxed out PIMETA or PPA. Some day._

 

Thanks to tangent, My first DIY cmoy. I personally preffer the 170 over 150. Im working ona new layout for 170. 
 oh yea, any suggestions on what I should do next?

 here are the pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amx/sets/110675/


----------



## Voodoochile

Nice little amp, activemx, thanks for the pics also. How are you liking it so far?

 [size=xx-small]Obligatory fine print: Welcome to Head-Fi, sorry about your wallet. Your wallet is your sole responsibility. If you have a checkbook, you ought to hide it now. And maybe cancel any credit cards you have before they hit limit.[/size]


----------



## individual6891

My first DIY headphone AMP.

 Mint in smallest hammond with internal PP3..

 AD8620, 1.5mA CRD bias, gain 4.2, 0.22uF Wima MK4 input caps, 0.1% 15ppm TruOhm resistors, PTFE silver plated copper wire, Energizer powerrr 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 More pics here:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1223902


----------



## spongezone

My insanely cheap CMOY that I stayed up til 6:30AM building... It gets sort of difficult to solder a socket to a pcb when you cant see the iron...


----------



## Daroid

Recently finished this. It's an SDS Labs MOSFET headphone amp featuring some slight modifications from the original layout:

 - PCB modded for dual mono op-amps
 - Some electrolytics were moved slightly to allow space for a 470 uF 16 mm one instead of a 330 uF 12.5 mm one which I couldn't find very easily.
 - Lone JFET class A biasing. Although the mosfets already are "biased" to about 70 mV, the op-amp biasing was still implemented using BF245A which gives the op-amps 3.85 mA per channel at positive rail.
 - PCB was changed to fit the longer and larger diameter RN60D resistors.

 Component values changed compared to Sheldon's own guide:
 Output mosfets are IRF9620/IRF620 P- and N-channel, and where Sheldon wanted to use 4700 uF, it has been swapped out with 1000 uF electrolytics. Four electrolytics were stepped up to 470 uF instead of 330 uF. No polyester caps in signal path, only 2x Wima 1.0uF MKS4 series for de-coupling to ground (in PS section), polycarbonate caps from Evox Rifa, also 1.0 uF were used in signal path.


----------



## primer

shiggins,

 I like the looks of your wooden panels (PPA/Steps/Glassman diamond buffers combo), which enclosure do you use? It looks quite wide.

 Cheers


----------



## tangent

Since my last pics, I replaced the dime reflector with one that fits over the top of the LED and modified a compact camera bag to hold all of it:






 The LED reflector is a crimp-on stud used on costumes. (Kind of like a convex chrome sequin without the facets.) It fits 5mm LEDs directly, just a dab of rubber-cement and you're done! I've seen these before in craft stores, so they're probably kind of common.






 There's the stuff in the bag. I've added extra padding made of black terry cloth towels, folded over and sewed into pads.






 The belt loop on the back is exactly the right size to hold the small neoprene Etymotic ER-4 bag.


----------



## activemx

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Voodoochile* 
_Nice little amp, activemx, thanks for the pics also. How are you liking it so far?

 [size=xx-small]Obligatory fine print: Welcome to Head-Fi, sorry about your wallet. Your wallet is your sole responsibility. If you have a checkbook, you ought to hide it now. And maybe cancel any credit cards you have before they hit limit.[/size]_

 

I am really enjoying it. I cant wait to move on to my next project.


----------



## slr001

Nisbeth,

 Do you have a part number for that nice little black round rocker switch you used on your amps??


----------



## Nisbeth

The switches are from www.apexjr.com (don't remember which page exactly, but they're there somewhere 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


 /U.


----------



## Anthrax

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *eric.w* 
_Here's pictures of my first tube.. well, hybrid amp.
 Sijosae over on headwize designed it... it runs on as low as 24 vdc and can use either a 6922, or the mini 6111 tube I chose, and is really inexpensive.. as in <$70 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm loving the sound.. it's hard to describe. Yes, it has output capacitors (1000uf!), it has a $4 panasonic pot, but yet it sounds better to my ears than my gilmore. 






 Oh, the front panel was inspired by Bassivus' WNA amp on page 9 of this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

that looks easy to build and cheap, were can i find a guide ?


----------



## Nisbeth

http://headwize.com/ubb/showpage.php?fnum=3&tid=5395 (schematic and PCB layouts for this version is on page 6 I think, but the entire thread is quite informative 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


 /U.


----------



## shiggins

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *primer* 
_shiggins,

 I like the looks of your wooden panels (PPA/Steps/Glassman diamond buffers combo), which enclosure do you use? It looks quite wide.

 Cheers_

 


 He-he, a question on something 13 pages back, wasn't expecting that.

 Good old hammond 1455 series, R22 and T22 I think. Each big enough for two Eurocards side by side. The end panels are made out of some oak I found laying around. Completely unfinished - Didn't fancy taking out all the panel-mount compenents to stain/wax/polish the wood so left it bare.

 s.


----------



## primer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *shiggins* 
_He-he, a question on something 13 pages back, wasn't expecting that.

 Good old hammond 1455 series, R22 and T22 I think. Each big enough for two Eurocards side by side. The end panels are made out of some oak I found laying around. Completely unfinished - Didn't fancy taking out all the panel-mount compenents to stain/wax/polish the wood so left it bare.

 s._

 

Thanks shiggins, I was thinking of recasing my amp into a wider case with wooden panels but can't find any retailers that sells the R22 and T22. Did you get yours in the UK or ?.

 Cheers


----------



## looser101

(Double post)


----------



## looser101

Hey Tangent,

 When you have a chance give us a picture of the headamp lit up (new setup). I'd love to see it. BTW it looks sweet....nice job. Also can you tell us what caps you used that fit so nicely in the H65.


----------



## tangent

Quote:


 give us a picture of the headamp lit up 
 

The first page does show it. Keep in mind, the LED is stuck between one C4 and the pot. It isn't exactly going to make the whole case glow like it's been nuked. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Quote:


 can you tell us what caps you used that fit so nicely in the H65. 
 

The only trick is using 10mm diameter caps, so you can get them short enough. I probably used 470/16s in the Panasonic FC line, 12.5mm high. C4 is present, and isn't tall enough to be a problem. If I used the recommended MKP 416 C1 caps, they would probably fit, too, but I didn't need 'em.


----------



## tyre

TPA6111A2 based amp. Runs off of two AA batteries.


----------



## kloan

It runs off 2 AA?? No frickin way! That's wicked... can you share the plans on it? I'd love to make one..


----------



## jerb

thats awsome... please post plans


----------



## tyre

My only plan so far was to build something that was very inexpensive and low voltage. So far, I've only spent about $7 on parts. I haven't found a a case for it yet though. I was thinking of adding a Maxim MAX712 NiMH battery charger and maybe a MAX1722 DC to DC converter to step up the voltage to 5V. Then I could run it off of only one AA battery and just recharge it instead of using alkalines. 

 I have mine set to a gain of 5 and I can hear a slight hiss when using low impedance headphones, so you might want to try 4 or lower. I didn't bother using the Shutdown function. I just wired it to the ground pin and used a switch in between the batteries. Otherwise just follow the schematic in the datasheet and it works fine. I used low impedance electrolytics, metal film resistors and a really cheap $.95 100K Bourns pot from Allied. Unfortunately, the TPA6111a2 only comes in the SOIC package so you would have to use a Browndog or DIY adapter.


----------



## kloan

plans, as in a how-to 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 im really only familiar with the cmoy and mint..


----------



## tyre

Oh. That kind of plan. Well here's a basic protoboard layout I threw together with expresspcb since I have no idea how to use Eagle.

layout

 Here's the schematic that I copied and pasted from the datasheet.

schematic


----------



## shiggins

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *primer* 
_Thanks shiggins, I was thinking of recasing my amp into a wider case with wooden panels but can't find any retailers that sells the R22 and T22. Did you get yours in the UK or ?.

 Cheers_

 

I ordered them from the "UK" Farnell, but were delivered from the US. Not cheap either.


----------



## skyskraper

we have a new colour!


----------



## uzziah

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PinkFloyd* 
_I could eat that! beautiful image 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (who needs women with pics like that?)

 Pinkie._

 

someone needs to quit soldering and get OUT


----------



## was ist los?

Not really headphone related, but i just built my preamp for my speaker rig. Based on a 12BH7A dual regulated PSUs and all the boutique parts. 






http://photobucket.com/albums/v234/was_ist_los/


----------



## skyskraper

what circuit is that? is it a pcb based one? im looking for a nice not too expensive phono pre circuit...

 edit: i see now its p2p but is it a line pre or phono?


----------



## phobus

I saw this thread on headwize which looked interesting...












 hehe need to trim the wires.. the two 9v batteries fit perfectly in the lid of the case (made for storing rings). btw I'm using 3 opa227s


----------



## doobooloo

Wow! That looks awesome. Where did you get the case?


----------



## thrice

I'll second that! Great job, very nice case.


----------



## helb

I want that case. It looks nice!


----------



## phobus

Thanks! I found the case at the mall, I was browsing the "make-up" cases for a while... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The case cost $10.99 canadian.


----------



## miketriple

my 2nd mint, after frying the op-amp and ripping up the pcb, i decided to get a different case.. went with the standard hammond. crds, r11s, gain 5.16.


----------



## BrokenEnglish

ok... here's my first step into diy, a simple 12-30v psu using lm317 as regulator. 








 hm... ugly case. the successor i'm building now will get a metal case that also will be used for cooling the lm317. it took me a while and 3 unsuccessful trials (first two times i used the wrong trimmers, last time the trimmer was not working... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) to build a working unit. and hey... it works fine! don't ask for pictures of the downside...


----------



## amb

AMB's M³ and modded SDS Labs amps, side by side.


----------



## steinchen

Intersil buffers are hard to get here, so I had to pick opa633 buffers for my PPA which get very hot and heatsinking them became necessary





 my two sweeties next to each other





 my pimeta is maxed out with 4 buffers for each channel, each in high bandwidth mode. Therefore vented tops are obligatory for the cases of my amps


----------



## BrokenEnglish

nice builds, steinchen! tell me instantly, where to get those custom front panels over here in germany.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 btw... i'm using the same proma-cases... they are a little wobbly, aren't they?

 oh... i could sell you my intersils, as soon as the glassman-buffers will be out...


----------



## Magsy

Awesome Ste! Look like a few great builds there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What are the cases?


----------



## BrokenEnglish

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Magsy* 
_What are the cases?_

 

proma cases


----------



## steinchen

basically the cases are standard euro aluminum cases from Proma, http://www.reichelt.de carries them for 8.25EUR (part# "GEHÄUSE EG 2"). Tops are cut from perforated metal plate from the DIY store next corner. Front panels are cnc machined by http://www.schaeffer-ag.de (partner of http://www.frontpanelexpress.com ). They are 103 x 56 x 3mm in size, with that amount of breakouts, holes and engravings they cost around 20 to 25 EUR each plus shipping. Schaeffer has significant price breaks at 4, 10, ... pieces. Screws are A2 Torx from http://www.online-schrauben.de

 edit
 the link privided by BrokenEnglish refers to "GEHÄUSE EG 1" which has a height of 43mm, the "EG 2" is 56mm high. Both are Euro-size.
 /edit


----------



## BrokenEnglish

thanks for the hints!


----------



## Magsy

Thanks, that front panel software is addictive, I've got something to do tonite


----------



## cottonbuds

My evilfire cMoy in Altoids GUM tin


----------



## n_maher

It started not long ago, Nov. 27th to be exact. It began as most journeys do with a Cmoy:
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And quickly moved to Cmoy #2: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Next up were 5 MINTs:





 And today, my first PIMETA:













 Next up to bat is a MMM w/ built in STEPS.

 Nate


----------



## kloan

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cottonbuds* 
_My evilfire cMoy in Altoids GUM tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	

















_

 

that's awesome! where'd you get the PCB??

 EDIT: just realized this was built by someone else.. this thread is actually for posting amps you've made yourself..


----------



## phobus

Following in the footsteps of all the others who built Hello Kitty amps before me, I present my new Cmoy. I might never actually take this one out in public, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.






 I like it because it looks like Hello Kitty is flipping me the bird.






 The tin is a bit smaller than the round Altoids, and I couldn't fit a volume knob in it.


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phobus* 
_Following in the footsteps of all the others who built Hello Kitty amps before me_

 

ador·able
 Pronunciation: &-'dOr-&-b&l, -'dor-
 Function: adjective
 1 : worthy of being adored
 2 : extremely charming


----------



## Magsy

Omg awesome! I'm on ebay looking for that kitty tin right now...


----------



## individual6891

Good job you didn't put the LED on her nose. Would have completely made her unattractive and scream-worthy by young teenage girls.


----------



## Syzygies

Pimeta (AD843's, 2-2-2 buffers, Etymotic 4p-to-4s out), 10 NiMH AAA cells, charging circuit in Hammond J16 case. Bloodwood end panels.






 I've been laying out the essential components of the PPPv2 schematic to fit a 5" Lansing DN2, 1 1/2" shorter, would fit _nicely_ in a pocket. Key is to design in 3D, put all the thin components over 6 of the 10 AAA cells. Dunk it in water, if any pours out, design it again to waste less space. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*Edit:* The entire _university_ where my pictures are hosted is presently unreachable. Should be fixed soon, for better reasons than this post?


----------



## scottder

Syzygies, no picture showing.


----------



## headchange4u

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scottder* 
_Syzygies, no picture showing._

 

I see his pic just fine.


----------



## scottder

Syzygies,

 Wow and it all fits in your pocket. Would love to see another picture so we can get a better look at the amp (and the bloodwood ends).

 Scott


----------



## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *headchange4u* 
_I see his pic just fine._

 

He fixed it before your post


----------



## Syzygies

Ok, this is clearly my experimenter's amp, I've reworked the output twice now, and it's back in the shop for a retrofit to 12 AAA cells. Here's a "Hawaiian Airlines" shot of the bloodwood front panel, rubbed with almond oil (a nut oil I happened to have in my kitchen; I'm a minimalist for wood finishes):






 I made the end panels as fast as I could, I wanted to case this puppy so I wasn't pinned to my bench to listen to it, and I figured I'd remake the panels when I worked out the best approach. In any case, I like the rustic look that is inevitable in a rush. What went on behind the panels to get the jacks to seat took me by surprise; lots of beveling and sanding to cajole enough room for the panel component threads. I'd mulling how to proceed next time. The Unibit worked wonderfully, for drilling the holes.

*Edit:* I've put up more pictures and comments in the thread My Bloodwood Pimeta.


----------



## scottder

I think it look great! Congrats!


----------



## phobus

The wood looks so nice!


----------



## Porksoda

Finally decided on a final configuration for my PIMETA, so I figured I'd post it!

 After some listening comparisons, I decided to go with:
 2x AD843 for L/R
 AD8610B for G
 2-1-2 Buffers in High BW mode

 It is powered by 8x AA NiMH batteries w/ an internal fast charger.
























 Up next: a Dynamid w/ LED level indicators. Hmmm... batteries or no?


----------



## tess

Hi,
 Just thought I’d show the latest Zippo amp I have built.

 It's based on Guzzlers original Cmoy design, but altered to use the new Alps RK097 volume control with internal switch.

 Saves a lot of space and extra wiring needed for the switch.

Size Difference to Altoids Tin 

 Tess.


----------



## BrokenEnglish

just finished my new sv-psu. because i wanted to use the transformer flexible for different purposes, i gave him his own home. basically this is again a simple lm317-schematic, very similar e.g. to tangent's steps (starting from C4A/D1A). since i'm a beginner and since it is not so easy to de-/resolder those p2p-cards i had to use, i decided to make it modular. here you'll see the single modules (from right to left):




 - the rectifier (4x byv29f low drop, fast switch, soft recovery diodes + 4x wima mkp .047µf "snubbers")
 - smoothing (11x 470µf/100v rubycons + 11x 1µf/63v mks as bypass caps)
 - regulator (1x lm317) with some post-reg capacitance (220µf/63v) followed by some descending arranged mkp bypass-caps. i separated the regulator-stage to the top, to use the encasing itself (proma cooling-rip case) as cooling device for the lm317. 

 between the smoothing- and regulator-stage there's another module:
 - electronic ripple- and hum-reduction. it is based on a swiss project of thomas schaerer ("Spannungsregelschaltung mit elektronischer Brummsiebung", same babelfished). one pnp transistor (here: MJE2955) and one npn (here: BD239B) form a "complementary darlington stage" that allows a huge first order rc low pass filter (with r1 = 1k2, c5 = 470µf) via current-amplifying (if i got it right there..):




 (c3 = 10nf ceramic, r3=470 ohm)
 theoretically this will reduce the overall-noise of the circuit to the (very low) inherent noise of the lm317 itself. additionally you'll get a nice slow turn on effect. well.. there's one drawback at least: another voltage drop of 2v (this psu is really not very effective: 2v drop for rectifyer, 2v for lm317 and now...). with bigger transformers you could flip the coin and take it as a benefit, because you'll get lower temperatures on the regulator. skip it, if you need high voltages (with best regards to head-fier steinchen... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ). 
 the transistor coolers i used most likely are oversized: they got not even warm with 250mA dummy-load. the compl. darlington is followed by another pair of 470µf rubycons with their 1µf foil partners. 






 i made some mistakes with parts-arrangement and therefore had to place the regulator-stage directly above the rectifier-diodes. an argument could be made, that there's too much rfi in that particular place. i'll test the acoustics. i plan to build a new regulator stage using the lm317a anyhow, as soon as parts arrive. most likely it will be placed above the transistors. 

 altogether i realized some basic psu-design ideas:
 - use hand-matched discrete rectifyer diodes (i have to concede, that hand-matching with my cheap dmm was not very reliable...)
 - use many smaller caps instead of few big ones
 - use hi-spec parts (e.g. 105°c, low esr, oversized voltage caps)
 - bypass electrolytics

 hm... and i disfigured the case with my dilettantish freehand drilling of the mounting hole for the regulator. so further casework (backplate design) has to wait until better tools arrive.

 has anybody ideas, how to fix cards inside the case? they tend to slide a bit for- and backwards now. also i'd appreciate some advice on how to cut cards.. what are you using for this purpose?

 [more pics here]


----------



## steinchen

nice build 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *BrokenEnglish* 
_has anybody ideas, how to fix cards inside the case? they tend to slide a bit for- and backwards now._

 

you can fix the board with a screw through the lower side of the case and the card. Or mount the card on 4 spacersto the case. Or use hot glue or some kind of instant glue.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *BrokenEnglish* 
_also i'd appreciate some advice on how to cut cards.. what are you using for this purpose?_

 

For cutting cards before assembly you can use a simple small handsaw. For cutting an assembled card a multitool (Dremel, Proxxon) maybe better, you can use it for milling, drilling, brushing, ... also. You get no name clones on ebay for about 25 to 30 EUR. They are crappy but sufficient for small jobs on plastics or aluminum.


----------



## tobias_svensk

Hello there, well I made this one about 11 months ago but it never gotten any case (and still don't) Will build either a schaeffer/frontpanelexpress case or just a Hammond.




More pics here 

 /Tobias


----------



## BrokenEnglish

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tobias_svensk* 
_Hello there, well I made this one about 11 months ago but it never gotten any case (and still don't) Will build either a schaeffer/frontpanelexpress case or just a Hammond._

 

i'd definitely like to hear one of those peranders-amps. they look neat. but you seem to be one of the few people who ever built them. so please comment on some auditive attributes.


----------



## tobias_svensk

Sorry to say but I can't give it a "fair trial" yet.

 I have only listen to it thru my PC audio card (wich is a motherbord integrated) and with all sunky cables. But even then it was a big change to the usual "plug in my 580's in the PC sound) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Gonna order a Hammond 1455K1601 now so soon I can tell you.

 On this board there isn't any holes for a vol-pot so would a ALPS RK09 2x50k log. do the job (or should i take another value).

 Regards


----------



## tobias_svensk

I can also tell you that the PCB-boards are excellent quality and the SMD-stuff isn't That hard to solder as some people thinks.


----------



## BrokenEnglish

the alps rk27 series is the most recommended mid-price pot around here. some prefer 10k ones, most 50k.


----------



## tobias_svensk

Yeah I know that but the 27 is to big i think so are the RK09 "ok" until maybe i get another one?


----------



## sTaTIx

Here's a modified cmoy amp I built like 2-3 years ago. Not the neatest thing on the inside, but hey, it's the first thing I ever built, and it works. I think I did a pretty good job with the case, though.


----------



## peranders

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *BrokenEnglish* 
_i'd definitely like to hear one of those peranders-amps. they look neat. but you seem to be one of the few people who ever built them. so please comment on some auditive attributes._

 

That's right! If I want to get popular, stop immediately with all this SMD stuff. This design isn't particulary hard to solder so why don't you try it?

 BTW: Good job Tobias!


----------



## BrokenEnglish

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *peranders* 
_This design isn't particulary hard to solder so why don't you try it?_

 

believe me... i'd love to do so, peranders. be patient... i'm a bloody beginner, who uses a 15w-solder iron with quite average results (s. above), even with simple "through hole" soldering. i'd need to get more eperience and buy some equipment (solder station, tweezers"...) for smd.


----------



## tobias_svensk

The iron i was using was way to big (the tip) but it was easy anyway, and if you would have a friend that could push down the smd pieces down so that they wont move so easy then the smd soldering would be like twice as easy/fast as normal soldering.


----------



## thrice

Just a little something:



















 STEPS set at 24V
 C7: 330µF/50V Panasonic FM
 C4/5: 100µF/50V Panasonic FM
 Op amps: AD8065
 Heatsinks: 1.5"
 Mosfet bias: 120mA
 Bunch of Wima and BC caps, unfortunately the colors clash...what I really need is some green one's to bridge the gap 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 NKK illuminated pushbutton
 DACT CT2 50K Stepped Attenuator
 ALPS "Blue Velvet" on the variable bass boost
 0.33µF caps for Bass Boost
 One non-dinky champagne colored knob courtesy of strohmie (from THL Audio I think)
 Par-Metals case (12"W X 8"D X 3"H)
 The knob for the bass boost is temporary...I've got another champagne knob on the way.


----------



## individual6891

Made another Hammond MINT based on the (imo better sounding) OPA2132 chip.











 (AD8620 opamp above OPA2132)


----------



## cetoole

Well, I got that urge to build again, so here is my Pimeta for your viewing (my listening) pleasure. This is my second amp, first was a Cmoy, and I have a mint in the works.


----------



## phobus

I pronounce it Mmmmm


----------



## individual6891

Aww cool 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I like it


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phobus* 
_I pronounce it Mmmmm 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

We're starting a club http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=104700





 I think a whole lunchbox stereo system is in order.


----------



## Haoleb

Well, here we go again. This is my First amplifier, rebuilt. Basically the only similarities it has with my first one is a couple of the parts like coupling caps and headphone jack are the same. the rest is basically a clone, of my second version. But i decided to make some improvements on the case, piano black finish which is 2 coats of flat black, then 5 coats of clear. Both the chassis are made of stainless steel and the covers are aluminium.

 All the basics, gold rca jacks, high quality parts inside and out. The accent peices down the sides of the covers are stainless steel which is just sanded to achieve the brushed look. Overall im quite pleased with this amp, it sounds great and i believe is the best thing i have made yet, considering its all from scratch. PCB, Chassis, everything i have made.

 And yes this is an RA1 clone, just with a few improvements. There is no LED for power indication because i dont need it, it just wastes battery power. And i happen to like my case a bit better than theirs. 

 Hope the pic isint too big. I optimized it and made sure it wasnt gonna be any bigger than anything else thats been posted.


----------



## individual6891

Nice Case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 custom built?


----------



## amb

haoleb, great casework! It's exotic-looking enough that I think it deserves a better circuit than the RA-1 clone.


----------



## digitaldave

I finished off my PIMETA over the weekend. There are some pitures in my gallery. Some brief specs:

 ALPS 'Blue Velvet' pot
 AD8610/8620 op amps
 24v DC wall wart power
 White LED - I don't think it's actually white, just a veeeery pale blue 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.

 The rear panel looks a bit dodgy around the DC socket, as I had to drill to the largest bit I had, then hack the rest out with a knife 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Also, I had to mount the front most capacitor horizontally in order to fit the output socket on the front panel 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. 

 Thanks to all those who helped with the construction, particularly Magsy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## phobus

Wow nice photography (nice looking amp too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )... Digital SLR? The depth-of-field doesnt seem doable with a regular digicam.


----------



## digitaldave

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phobus* 
_Wow nice photography (nice looking amp too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )... Digital SLR? The depth-of-field doesnt seem doable with a regular digicam._

 

phobus,

 Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I'm pleased with how the amp turned out (eventually 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), it loooks pretty good. I think the all-black look works quite well. 

 Yep, DSLR - Canon 10D with a 50mm f1.8 lens @ f1.8 - I wanted to take the shots in natural light (i.e. without flash), and I couldn't be bothered to set up the tripod 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Maybe I should make the effort and do some proper shots, but that will have to wait for next weekend.


----------



## drubrew

Here are some pics:








 The rest Are big so here are the downloadlinks:
http://www.moon-audio.com/Images/Dynahi/Dynahi1.jpg 
http://www.moon-audio.com/Images/Dynahi/Dynahi2.jpg 
http://www.moon-audio.com/Images/Dynahi/Dynahi3.jpg 
http://www.moon-audio.com/Images/Dynahi/Dynahi4.jpg 
http://www.moon-audio.com/Images/Dynahi/Dynahi5.jpg 
http://www.moon-audio.com/Images/Dynahi/Dynahi6.jpg 
 Enjoy Drew


----------



## Dreamslacker

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phobus* 
_Wow nice photography (nice looking amp too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )... Digital SLR? The depth-of-field doesnt seem doable with a regular digicam._

 

A little OT here but since you asked..

 If your compact allows you to change the aperture settings, it is doable. You may need a tripod though.

 DoF reduces with:
 1) Larger aperture (lower F no.)
 2) Magnification

 What you need to do is to zoom in on the object to reduce DoF.

 Most compacts will have an increasing aperture as you zoom-in. Therefore, you may find that you need a tripod as the shutter speed decreases. 

 Also, with longer zoom, you'll need a tripod to counter hand-shake.

 If you feel particularly rich (you shouldn't once you're in Head-fi, LOL), buy a teleconvertor to increase magnification and reduce DoF.


----------



## Haoleb

Quote:


 Nice Case custom built? 
 

Yes, I designed and built the case The smaller thickness case on the left is the power supply portion that has the batts and switch in, and the other side is the amp portion with just the amp. Its all connected with a sortof umbilical cord.


  Quote:


 haoleb, great casework! It's exotic-looking enough that I think it deserves a better circuit than the RA-1 clone. 
 

Thanks, Probbly so true as well, But the ra1 circuitry is the first amp i have built and its so simple and easy to build. It is a step above my soundcard output and i can also hook up phones to a regular line source through the rca jacks. Im not going for super fidelity in this thing but its certainly decent enough. 

 I'll tell you that paint job was the most stressfull part of the whole thing. One slip up and the whole dang thing is ruined. The time it takes for that lacqure to harden seems to take forever, sorta is too. about a week. I was originally going to make those side things out of polished copper but after i had the rest done i decided to go with the stainless instead since it would match everything else, and the copper wasnt polishing up the way i wanted it to look. Im pretty happy with the stainless though.


----------



## psilosome

Here are some passable pictures of my modest PIMETA in a die-cast aluminum enclosure. I included a small switching circuit as well.
http://exogenous.org/archives/2005/0...meta-finished/


----------



## Secret Squirrel

Well it took a little while, but I finished the Multi-hybrid amp. I determined that I didn't have a good wall wart, so I built something from some surplus parts. The Multi-hybrid amp is the version 2 with a 6922 tube. The power supply is a variant of the Velleman lm317.


----------



## Carbonman

"If you feel particularly rich (you shouldn't once you're in Head-fi, LOL), buy a teleconvertor to increase magnification and reduce DoF."

 Using a teleconverter lets you keep the depth of field of the prime lens. What you do give up is a signifigant amount of light striking the film/CCD and decreased angle of view.


----------



## doobooloo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Secret Squirrel* 
_Well it took a little while, but I finished the Multi-hybrid amp. I determined that I didn't have a good wall wart, so I built something from some surplus parts. The Multi-hybrid amp is the version 2 with a 6922 tube. The power supply is a variant of the Velleman lm317. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That looks very nice! How does it sound?


----------



## Secret Squirrel

The sound is very nice. This is my first tube amp. I really recommend this configuration. Thank you Sijosae for you help. I adjusted the image. It was too dark.


----------



## Dreamslacker

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Carbonman* 
_Using a teleconverter lets you keep the depth of field of the prime lens. What you do give up is a signifigant amount of light striking the film/CCD and decreased angle of view._

 

Erm... Not talking about the extension tube kind of telecon you mount between the lense and the body of the slr..


----------



## individual6891

_Another Pimeta build:_

 4xBUF634, OPA637BP L/R, Gain 7.5
 2xBUF634, OPA627AP G

 Using a 24VDC wallwart, using LM317. Modded it with UF4002 rectifier diodes, STMicro branded LM317, 3300uF/35V Panasonic FC and Wima MK2 film caps.

 Also decided to add in an internal LM317 regulator for more noise regulation 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 , with 2x1800uF FCs /Wima Films outputting 20V into the circuit.


----------



## phobus

Its hard to focus on those pics with that new avatar of yours


----------



## individual6891

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phobus* 
_Its hard to focus on those pics with that new avatar of yours 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

lol 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ... I have more but it would be getting a bit off topic.. "post pics of your builds", not "post pics of lesbians in headphones"..


----------



## Hooligan

http://hooligan.wz.cz/dac.htm

 DIR1703 & PCM1730 based DAC with opa627 opamps in I/V stage and differentially driven TPA6120A2 headphone amp in old Toshiba tapedeck chassis 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 sounds great 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 step attenuator for 25cents )


----------



## individual6891

Cool case


----------



## steinchen

finally got my PPA v2.0 cased up


----------



## Quacker

Wow that front pannel is hot. Great job.


----------



## phobus

sweeeeeet


----------



## Secret Squirrel

Included is my second attempt at the 6922 Multi-hybrid +matching power supply. This version I used Central Semiconductor 1N5298 as a Constant current source rather than CRD E-701. The sound is brilliant. I really like the way tubes sound. I still need to complete my 6111 v1.0, but my wife is getting irritated with this “Midnight Science”


----------



## Jaypetermen

steinchen, nice panels. What FPE tool did you use to make the headphone symbol?


----------



## phobus

Secret Squirrel, that looks awesome. What did you use for the cage?


----------



## Secret Squirrel

I used a 1960-1970’s power supply that I found at a nearby surplus store. It was left over from an aerospace company. It was really well made and easily modified.


----------



## steinchen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jaypetermen* 
_steinchen, nice panels. What FPE tool did you use to make the headphone symbol?_

 

the frontpanel is designed with the german version of http://www.frontpanelexpress.com, the symbols are handmade by myself with Corel Draw, you can download them from http://stonerain.homepage.t-online.de/hpgl.zip and import the symbols into the fpe program


----------



## Secret Squirrel

I finished a gift CMOY that found its home in a Candy Box Lunchbox. I had a switched pot for the power, so I made the LED output adjustable for no real reason.


----------



## drewd

Here's the last prototype of the Millett Hybrid amp, a revision of board from Pete's website. The panels are poplar, the case is a leftover from another project that never went anyplace and it's time for some new sawblades.

 n_maher is going to coordinate a group buy for the PCBs for the amp, I think starting next week.







 -Drew


----------



## RnB180

beautiful amp! care to show us pics of it in action


----------



## drewd




----------



## RnB180

sweet, as mentioned earlier, I think you should add it to your amp line 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 good job!


----------



## yhmzzz

Good job..
 I like wood case..
 Tube + Wood = Beautiful ..


----------



## Banfi T.

Well, the leatest one, the first published here. Essentially an AD797 followed by a single-ended class A bjt output stage. Apart from the transformator, the whole construction is dual mono, the stabilization was done using LM337/317. The quiscent current of the output stage is about 100mA, enough for my 600 Ohm Beyer DT-880. Previously I tried the AD797 on its own and it had no problem driving this high impedance can. It had a very a transparent sound, but sometimes I thought, that it is a bit shy on the bass. Everything was OK, but I missed some drive from the lower registers. Well, this problem is solved, with the output stage and transparency remaind a same. The assembly took two days (friday - 4 hours, saturday - 10 hours (that was a bit too long though)). Anyway, some pictures.

 Circuit/1:






 Circuit/2:






 Audition:






 And yes, this thing is HOT!


----------



## Gmd

Don't have any pics online right now of the headphone amps I have built but here are some of the speakers I just finished.

http://gmd.shackspace.com/Speakers/SpeakersAmp.jpg

 (note my amazing tv in this picture)
http://gmd.shackspace.com/Speakers/TempSpeakerSetup.jpg


----------



## dsavitsk




----------



## Magsy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gmd* 
_Don't have any pics online right now of the headphone amps I have built but here are some of the speakers I just finished.

http://gmd.shackspace.com/Speakers/SpeakersAmp.jpg

 (note my amazing tv in this picture)
http://gmd.shackspace.com/Speakers/TempSpeakerSetup.jpg_

 

Awesome work, you should be very very proud! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Few questions if you don't mind? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What design are they? (url?)
 What are they finished in? 
 How did you cut the large speaker holes (with recess)?
 Do they sound as good as they look?


----------



## steinchen

tight fit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but no problem since the mosfets are installed with isolating high performance kapton sets on the 1.5" heatsinks, the smaller film caps (0.1uF, 0.068uF, 0.01uF MKS/MKP types) are mounted "subterrestrial" to leave the place on the upperside for the big film caps (4.7uF, 3.3uF, 0.68uF)





 at 80mA bias the 1.5" heatsinks are getting significant warmer than the 2.5" heatsinks in my "maxxed" M³, but I wouldn't call it hot though, still on the safe side





 nothing special on the frontpanel, the same design like on my other amps. Since the M³ is THE amp for driving my K1000 I installed an additional dedicated 4pin XLR K1000 jack


----------



## amb

steinchen, very nice!


----------



## MisterX

Banfi T. : 
 That is pretty slick.... would you care to post the schematic?


----------



## dsavitsk

I have built a lot of things at this point, but for some reason I had never built a CMoy. Needing something quick to take to my office, I built one out of spare parts with a built-in Guzzler USB DAC and a Velleman. The cases are the plastic boxes that the Vellemans ship in. 

 The pictures really don't do this amp justice. It is really ugly. I am hoping that it looks sufficiently dangerout to keep my office mates's hands off of it


----------



## Ob3ron

Quote:


 Don't have any pics online right now of the headphone amps I have built but here are some of the speakers I just finished.

http://gmd.shackspace.com/Speakers/SpeakersAmp.jpg

 (note my amazing tv in this picture)
http://gmd.shackspace.com/Speakers/TempSpeakerSetup.jpg 
 

 Those speakers are beautiful!

 PS: Gmd: hi2u and how ur job?


----------



## phobus

wow great job!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* 
_tight fit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but no problem since the mosfets are installed with isolating high performance kapton sets on the 1.5" heatsinks, the smaller film caps (0.1uF, 0.068uF, 0.01uF MKS/MKP types) are mounted "subterrestrial" to leave the place on the upperside for the big film caps (4.7uF, 3.3uF, 0.68uF)_


----------



## Gmd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Magsy* 
_Awesome work, you should be very very proud! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Few questions if you don't mind? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What design are they? (url?)
 What are they finished in? 
 How did you cut the large speaker holes (with recess)?
 Do they sound as good as they look?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I didn't use a premade design I kinda just picked some drivers (dayton silk dome tweeter and dayton 7 inch aluminum woofer) and used a 4th order Linkwitz Riley crossover at 2KHz with the tweeter padded 4 dB so it matched the woofer. The finish is the 1 cu ft MTM cabinet from partsexpress, they are $99 a piece and very nice, they don't look nearly as good in the pictures as they do in person. For the holes I used a plunge router from craftsman and the jasper jig from partsexpress. The jasper jig makes it extremely easy to cut the holes and flush mount drivers (even for an idiot like me !). As for the sound I am quite pleased. I originally was testing them on a friends 110x7 watt home theater receiver and for some reason the bass was very lacking, we had to up the bass like 10 dB to get anything from the woofer, however when I hooked them to my jolida 102B amp they sounded wonderful, much better than the $200 (excluding tools) a piece they cost to build.


----------



## Gmd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ob3ron* 
_Those speakers are beautiful!

 PS: Gmd: hi2u and how ur job?_

 

Sup man, it's good, making money so I can't really complain.


----------



## Jaypetermen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* 
_*M³ cased up*_

 

Very nice work. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Are those couplers on the ALPS pots to connect the knobs or alignment bushing?

 Thanks for sharing our fp symbols.


----------



## steinchen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jaypetermen* 
_Are those couplers on the ALPS pots to connect the knobs or alignment bushing?_

 

They are to connect the knobs. I moved the pcb to the rearpanel to get enough space for the headphone jacks for heatsink and electrolytic cap clearance. I had to file the couplers down 1.5mm to make them fit into the case. I even had to cut out a little piece from the pcb (on the front left corner near the led pads) The case is a really tight fit in height and length. Did I mention that I hate doing the case work ? :X

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jaypetermen* 
_Thanks for sharing our fp symbols._

 

np, you're welcome


----------



## Ob3ron

Quote:


 Sup man, it's good, making money so I can't really complain. 
 

 haha okay those are just a couple of shack catchphrases i tossed out as a nod to a fellow shacker. I guess I was being too subtle 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Again nice job on the speakers. I'd love to get in on the fun of building speakers but I don't have the room and am too considerate to annoy other members of the household with my music.


----------



## Gmd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ob3ron* 
_haha okay those are just a couple of shack catchphrases i tossed out as a nod to a fellow shacker. I guess I was being too subtle 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Again nice job on the speakers. I'd love to get in on the fun of building speakers but I don't have the room and am too considerate to annoy other members of the household with my music. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Word, I am apparantly too cool for the shack now (aka still banned lol). Yeah space and money were pretty much the two factors holding me back from building my own speakers, I was pretty much all talk for about 2-3 years. Now that I graduated and have some free time I finally decided to make them.


----------



## wistily

Nice work Steinchen 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 What case did you use for your M3 ? Where did you buy it ?


----------



## steinchen

I got it from http://www.segor.de , part# "001.07.L.SW" (50mm x 160mm x 200mm) for 20 EUR = $26

 The case is a little wobbly and not as solid as the Proma cases I usually pick, sufficient for a headamp though. I picked it in the first line for it's ventilated top.


----------



## wistily

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* 
_I got it from http://www.segor.de , part# "001.07.L.SW" (50mm x 160mm x 200mm) for 20 EUR = $26_

 

Danke, but i have little difficulties to understand their online calalog, although i speak german a little bit.


----------



## individual6891

steinchen how does your PPAv2 compare to your PPAv1?


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* 
_I got it from http://www.segor.de , part# "001.07.L.SW" (50mm x 160mm x 200mm) for 20 EUR = $26

 The case is a little wobbly and not as solid as the Proma cases I usually pick, sufficient for a headamp though. I picked it in the first line for it's ventilated top._

 

Looking at your case, I think it looks similar to the Hammond 1455T220 series (except the Hammond has a one-piece extrusion for the bottom and sides, and a non-ventilated slide-off top cover). Thus the Hammond would be nice and sturdy, and one could replace the top cover with a perforated metal sheet for ventilation... Just an idea for people who are building the M³ and looking for case alternatives.


----------



## philodox

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dsavitsk* 
_




_

 

I cant believe that nobody has commented on your nice work here. The wood housings look great on your PIMETA and DAC. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The seethrough plastic case for your cmoy is very neat looking as well.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *philodox* 
_I cant believe that nobody has commented on your nice work here. The wood housings look great on your PIMETA and DAC. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

There is a separate thread where these received lots of positive comments 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## philodox

Well that makes me feel better. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks, I'll go have a look.


----------



## steinchen

made some dummy loads (33 / 120 / 300 Ohms) for amp breaking in and output voltage measurements. Thought of building a switchable box like tangent but decided to put 2W resistors into jacks since it's cheaper and more flexible this way





 I'll need the Y-splitter for A/B-testing my amps





 and finally an ioBox 
 the outer side of the rearpanel is anodized, the inner side is chromated, therefore conductive and acts as a big ground plane.










 who said that you cannot use a frontpanel program for rearpanels


----------



## philodox

That input/output box looks great. I hope to eventually make something similar, but with a stepped attenuator and preamp functionality instead of the crossfeed.

 Nice work!


----------



## ub312g0d

@ steinchen :That has to be the nicest switch box I have ever seen. Ever. It just looks flawless.


----------



## individual6891

wowch steinchen


----------



## BrokenEnglish

steinchen... i think you'll get the golden schaeffer card quite soon... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 very nice work, indeed... what a monster! i'd like to see more innards, especially the rotary switches you used, if possible...


----------



## ~n00beR

WOW!

 Nice design there steinchen, what kind of crosfeed design do you use?

 Nice clean front panel design. Keep up the good work


----------



## phobus

wow... what everyone else said


----------



## steinchen

thanks everyone

 the rotary switches are encapsulated standard parts for about 3 EUR per piece with contacts made of brass and silver afaik. I didn't want to spend 100 EUR on Elma switches. Cable is silver plated copper interconnect from van den Hul, though I doubt the 10 EUR are worth the difference.

 The crossfeed is the modified Linkwitz crossfeed fom tangent in silent and high-Z configuration.

 My cam is already stored in my luggage, I'll take detailed shots from the switches and wiring when I'm back in about 2 weeks.

 I rushed the design out of a mood and didn't take a night to sleep over it. Therefore I overlooked one flaw: I should have placed the crossfeed between input and output, coupled with a switch to bypass it. On such a configuration the crossfeed could be applied to every output and not to output-5 only. Next time I'll think twice.


----------



## phobus

Found a perfect size tin


----------



## art633

oh Phobus WHERE did you get that "perfect size tin" it's gorgeous !

 Amp pretty neat too......


----------



## phobus

It only cost $2canadian at the Japanese $2 store.


----------



## digitaldave

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phobus* 
_Found a perfect size tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




..._

 

phobus,

 I just realised that's a PIMETA in there, not a CMOY or Mint 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Good work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## MdRex

First attempt. Need to learn wire management.


----------



## oematoema

Nothing special, but this switchbox is my first finished & working DIY project, so I just HAD to post here! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	













 Sorry for the crappy pictures, but I've got nothing better than a webcam to make them...

 I guess I'll wait until my Par-Metals enclosure from the group buy arrives, so I can finish my M³. Patience is a virtue...


----------



## art633

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oematoema* 
_Nothing special, but this switchbox is my first finished & working DIY project, so I just HAD to post here! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Patience is a virtue..._

 

nb edits are mine

 hi oematoema never say nothing special, if it's your first complete project IT IS SPECIAL because it's yours - best wishes with the 'M' cube'd

 M


----------



## n_maher

So, I got a bit frustrated last night with the fact that my M3 was still just a tangle of wires waiting for my case from the group buy. That and I wanted to be able to loan the amp out while I'm on vacation next week and didn't want my friend's loopy cat to eat it and meet with an untimely demise.

 So I wandered around the house looking for something, heck anything that looked like it would work. Here's what I found:












 Link to all the pics


----------



## mudlouse

i couldn't find a case for my cmoy so i ended up salvaging a Video8 cassette case


----------



## philodox

What a great idea for an amp case mudlouse!


----------



## EdipisReks

that is pretty cool!


----------



## The Monkey

Very clever, Mudlouse.


----------



## mudlouse

thanks for that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 i actually tried fitting the damned thing into a computer mouse, which would have pretty lush but the enclosure was too small.

 now, if i can mount some internal LEDs the whole thing should look pretty neat... at night! haha


----------



## The Monkey

Mudlouse, what did you use to make the holes for the panel components?


----------



## mudlouse

i'm sounding dumb but do you mean the holes on the circuit board or in the case?

 the board i bought from some electronics shop, i don't live in the US so couldn't get the fancy one from radio shack 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 for the case, i used my trusty dremel tool. this was actually a bitch because i had to use one drill bit to make a hole, then widen it. the bit was coated with a thick layer of plastic afterwards.

 the components and battery aren't attached to the case, this is because it's such a tight fit that they won't move anyway when the lid is closed


----------



## The Monkey

Thanks, and sorry I was not clear. I did mean the holes in the case. I also use my dremel and have had the same problems with the plastic coating the bits.


----------



## mudlouse

not to mention the fumes, that was fun 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 i can get rid of the melted plastic by drilling into a piece of MDF (or anything that's dense).


----------



## skyskraper

really bad lighting tonight, will take some nicer shots in the light tomorrow. 













 more info and pics here: http://users.bigpond.net.au/xpander/mmm/


----------



## tangent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mudlouse* 
_the bit was coated with a thick layer of plastic afterwards._

 

You're melting the plastic...slow down the spindle speed a bit.


----------



## skyskraper

in use and rocking nicely. still need to up the gain a touch too


----------



## mudlouse

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tangent* 
_You're melting the plastic...slow down the spindle speed a bit._

 

i was using a dremel-type tool, even at minimum setting, the speed is still a few thousand rpm.

 cordless drills can spin at lower rpm but the whole thing is too clunky and not as versatile to work.


----------



## skyskraper

i find hand cranked drills to be the best for plastic work if you dont have specialised plastic bits. plus they come in handy for regular Al and steel work too


----------



## phobus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_in use and rocking nicely._

 

Nice! I really like the leds on the inputs. Any pics of the inside?


----------



## chillysalsa

Nice build skyskraper!

 Where did you buy the enclosure? What make/model is it?

 I tried to find that in your build diary, but the link isn't working at the moment.


----------



## skyskraper

phobus: pics of the inside today, the light in my room at night is really poor, and my photography skills cannot compensate for it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 chillisalsa: whoopsy, build link is busted, anyway the case is this link. the only bummer is the panel is raw, not raw anodized like i had believed so is a bit fragile. the up side is that replacement panels (including black anodized) are only a few bucks. i might take my existing panel to get anodized a nice colour and then engraved though


----------



## skyskraper

taken some more shots, including ones on the inside, and theyre on my site 
http://users.bigpond.net.au/xpander/mmm/


----------



## strohmie

Just posted this in my CD player thread, but it's just as applicable here..


----------



## individual6891

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *strohmie* 
_Just posted this in my CD player thread, but it's just as applicable here..




_

 

WoW, philips pro2m transport and dynahi


----------



## philodox

Nice work Strohmie, that looks great!


----------



## bg4533

Dynalo
 Hammond case, Elpac WM071 PSU, Alps Blue Velvet pot, Cardas GRFA RCAs, Elna Silmic 2 electrolytics.


----------



## The Monkey

Nice. What model is the Hammond case?


----------



## bg4533

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_Nice. What model is the Hammond case?_

 

The case is model 1455N1601BK.

 This amp puts off out a lot of heat.


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bg4533* 
_The case is model 1455N1601BK.

 This amp puts off out a lot of heat._

 

How do you like the sound compaired to your PPA?


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bg4533* 
_The case is model 1455N1601BK.
 This amp puts off out a lot of heat._

 

I would suggest either using it with the top cover off, or substitute the solid top cover with a perforated metal sheet. You can paint the sheet satin black to match the rest of the case.


----------



## skyskraper

i found my dynalo got warm but never hot, not anywhere near m3 heatsink temperature.


----------



## bg4533

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *[AK]Zip* 
_How do you like the sound compaired to your PPA?_

 

Another member just asked me this in PM. Below was my response:

 "My PPA has a Steps PSU and Glassmans new buffers. I use OPA627s. It probably cost twice as much as the Dynalo to build.

 I have only listened to the Dynalo for about 2 hours so far.

 My PPA has a darker sound, but that is of course changable by opamps. There seems to be a little more space around everything and a bigger soundstage. The Dynalo seems puchier all around. Everything has more of an edge to it. The highs are a little different than the opamp based amps I have heard. It seemed bright at first, but the treble is growing on me.

 So far I prefer the PPA, but I have not heard the Dynalo enough to say for sure. I think this Dynalo is probably similar in performance to a basic PPA (Elpac and intersil buffers)

 I am currently working on a nicer Dynalo. The plan is for a Dynahi PSU, nicer pot, preamp fuctionality and a few other upgrades. I probably won't finish it for a while though."

 I will also add that detail seems similar so far with the PPA probably a little ahead. Both amps seem to emphasize different detail.

 I don't know the exact cost of this Dynalo, but it is probably close to that of a decent Pimeta. The Dynalo is definately better than the fairly high end Pimetas I have built.
 ----------------------
 edit:
 Since I brought up the Pimeta I should mention that the Dynalo is a bit more complicated to build. Experienced DIYers should have no problem, but I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner. I still think the Pimeta is a nice amp, especially if you want something battery powered.


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bg4533* 
_Another member just asked me this in PM. Below was my response:

 "My PPA has a Steps PSU and Glassmans new buffers. I use OPA627s. It probably cost twice as much as the Dynalo to build.

 I have only listened to the Dynalo for about 2 hours so far.

 My PPA has a darker sound, but that is of course changable by opamps. There seems to be a little more space around everything and a bigger soundstage. The Dynalo seems puchier all around. Everything has more of an edge to it. The highs are a little different than the opamp based amps I have heard. It seemed bright at first, but the treble is growing on me.

 So far I prefer the PPA, but I have not heard the Dynalo enough to say for sure. I think this Dynalo is probably similar in performance to a basic PPA (Elpac and intersil buffers)

 I am currently working on a nicer Dynalo. The plan is for a Dynahi PSU, nicer pot, preamp fuctionality and a few other upgrades. I probably won't finish it for a while though."

 I will also add that detail seems similar so far with the PPA probably a little ahead. Both amps seem to emphasize different detail.

 I don't know the exact cost of this Dynalo, but it is probably close to that of a decent Pimeta. The Dynalo is definately better than the fairly high end Pimetas I have built._

 

Thanks you. You have just pushed me away from building another Pimeta and I will not look into a Dynalo amp. Always nice to try something new.

 -Alex-


----------



## bg4533

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_i found my dynalo got warm but never hot, not anywhere near m3 heatsink temperature._

 

It isn't really hot. The transistors are hot to the touch, but I doubt they could ever burn me. The case gets warm to the touch. I am used to opamps which put out very little heat.


----------



## Vadi

Finally I finished my Pimeta! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I found a nice shop where you get custom made batteries. In my case there are 8 2100mAh Ni-MH cells (I destroyed my first 8 2300mAh 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ). 

 It's got a deep discharge protection too (behind C4).


----------



## Aye75

Although a bit late from the rest of the pack ... here's some pics of my almost completed PPA V1

 Top view :





 External :










 Internal :





 Still have to work on the STEPS which ain't finished yet at the moment ... and havent really decided on the power & bass boost switch ... was thinking either stick with the squarish power button you see in the first pics matched with a black dpst toggle switch or either a pair of matching bulgin swithes for both the power and bass boost button (which should cost me a lot more) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Hrmmm decision decisions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ... also planning to upgrade to glassmans buffers in the future ... 

 Ohh and before someone asks ...the blue stuffs in the last pics are blutacks ...most of the caps are dampened with blutack on the underside...not sure of the effect it adds tough since didnt test it without em 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 enjoy !


----------



## bg4533

I guess I never posted pics of my PPA either. I finished it up a few months ago.

 PPA V1.1
 Steps PSU
 Par metals case
 Elna Silmic 2 electrolytics
 Glassmans diamond buffers

 The knob on the left is a rotary switch. Furthest left the amp is off. Next click the amp is on and output is sent to the RCAs on the back. Next click output is to the headphones. This also prevents any turn on/off thump from hitting the headphones.


----------



## phobus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bg4533* 
_So far I prefer the PPA, but I have not heard the Dynalo enough to say for sure. I think this Dynalo is probably similar in performance to a basic PPA (Elpac and intersil buffers)._

 

The dynalo (djgardner's layout) for me is definately the price/performance winner, as it only cost me about $80usd to build including the Elpac. I used a Panasonic EVJ pot in mine, and no Vishay Dale resistors, but hey if its good enough for the Gilmore Lite 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



















 Oh I also put together a diyparadise Monica 2 NOS dac with a 9v TREAD. The TREAD is so handy!


----------



## EdipisReks

bg4533, i thought your dynalo sounded very nice. i wish i could have listened to your PPA with something other than the SA5000's, but with the tower of Singlepower and the Moth taking up all the listening time, what are you gonna do?


----------



## skyskraper

aye75, i like that enclosure with two front panels, very clean. which one is it?


----------



## individual6891

How does the monica sound? I'm interested in a new DAC.


----------



## Aye75

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_aye75, i like that enclosure with two front panels, very clean. which one is it?_

 


 Ohh thanks ...
 Sorry If I misunderstood your question ... but are you asking about the brand/manufacturer of the enclosures ?

 If yes, then my answer would be , I'm not sure of the brand/manufacturer since I bought these locally in a electronics shop near my place .... one thing for sure they aren't Par-Metal cases tough 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 There were a couple of sizes available and the price I bought them for an enclosure sized 17 X 8.5 X 2.5 is roughly around USD 39 (after converted from my country's currency) .. and IMHO it's well worth my money spent on it.


 BTW nice wood case there Phobus ...quite unique


----------



## skyskraper

which part of my?


----------



## Aye75

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_which part of my?_

 

Err you mean the location of the shop ??

 somewhere near Kuala Lumpur or more specifically Jalan Pasar


----------



## skyskraper

cool just curious


----------



## phobus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *individual6891* 
_How does the monica sound? I'm interested in a new DAC._

 

Its pretty good, definately a bit different that what I'm used to. My initial impression with battery power was that I liked the modded 0404 better. Its improved with the TREAD, but I have to do more listening.


----------



## headchange4u

My PIMETA:


----------



## headchange4u

My first amp! Cmoy.


----------



## The Monkey

headchange4u, how did you go about making the the hole for the battery tray in the Hammond?


----------



## ToddW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *headchange4u* 
_My PIMETA:_

 

Which hammond case is that?


----------



## headchange4u

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_headchange4u, how did you go about making the the hole for the battery tray in the Hammond?_

 

A Dremel, an aluminum nibbler, a lot of time, and a couple of blisters.

  Quote:


 Which hammond case is that? 
 

1455N1201BK from Mouser. It's the smallest case you can get that will hold the battery tray and the PCB, I think.


----------



## phobus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *headchange4u* 
_My PIMETA_

 

Nice wiring job


----------



## cetoole

Well, I got bored the other night, so finished stuffing my Mint. Not cased or split yet, and I want to take the gain down when I get some different resistors (currently at 11, want it around 4), but it works, has only 1-2mV DC offset, and makes the E2c's sound much better. I don't have any good 9v batteries (though I had one but its down to about 4.5v, really scared me when I tested DC offset and it was several hundred mV, but I ghetto rigged it with a spare Fortron 300 watt ATX PSU, running the mint off the 12v rail, and it is fine. Actually sounds better than I was expecting.


----------



## rreynol

This is (hopefully) the last pimeta I build.





















 OPA637's on left and right channels / OPA627 on ground channel
 Double stacked buffers on left and right channels / Single on ground channel
 Class A bias 
 1000 uF Panasonic FM power supply caps.
 Alps "Blue Velvet" 
 Vishay Dale resistors
 0/75 Ohm impedance switch for output
 PPA style bass boost implemented on a dip20 socket.






 After listening to it all weekend, I am extremely satisfied with how it turned out.


----------



## strohmie

Alive and kicking...


----------



## n_maher

strohmie,

 One word, *WOW!*

 It has to feel good to have it working 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, well done you!

 Nate


----------



## strohmie

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_strohmie,

 One word, *WOW!*

 It has to feel good to have it working 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, well done you!

 Nate_

 

Definitely glad to have it up and running -- now all I have to do is get the Dynahi power board to stop exploding and I'll be golden.


----------



## cetoole

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *strohmie* 
_Definitely glad to have it up and running -- now all I have to do is get the Dynahi power board to stop exploding and I'll be golden. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Come on man, thats just a normal part of burn in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. The cd player looks great, and I bet it sounds even better. What are you doing to hold the disk?


----------



## strohmie

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cetoole* 
_Come on man, thats just a normal part of burn in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. The cd player looks great, and I bet it sounds even better. What are you doing to hold the disk?_

 

Yes, a normal part of *burn*ing-holes-*in*-my-wallet.

 Take a look at the little deelie in the lower right hand corner of the picture that looks like a flying saucer. That's a magnetic puck that keeps the CD in place on the transport. Handy device and lovely too...definitely didn't make that myself.


----------



## drewd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *strohmie* 
_Alive and kicking..._

 

Holy smokes, strohmie! I've been waiting to see this for a long time! Fantastic!

 -Drew


----------



## skyskraper

bow down to strohmie, that is a real monster 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 will you be updating your cd player thread or consolidating all the info on putting it together an dgetting it running in to a single post/webpage?


----------



## strohmie

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_bow down to strohmie, that is a real monster 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 will you be updating your cd player thread or consolidating all the info on putting it together an dgetting it running in to a single post/webpage?_

 

I've been updating the first post in that thread sporatically over the last couple weeks, mainly because I'm actually using the result of this as a paper for an audio engineering course. I have to polish that off by Thursday or Friday, so hypothetically I'll be able to have the thread itself almost finalized by then.

 This is ongoing, though, because there are a few tweaks I want to try. After the Dynahi gets finished I'm going to think about cleaning up the clock signals for the DAC and transport. Eventually I might get into damping as well, depending on how much buzz/hum I get from the power box.


----------



## fr4c

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *strohmie* 
_Alive and kicking...




_


----------



## ben.phelps

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rreynol* 
_This is (hopefully) the last pimeta I build.





















 OPA637's on left and right channels / OPA627 on ground channel
 Double stacked buffers on left and right channels / Single on ground channel
 Class A bias 
 1000 uF Panasonic FM power supply caps.
 Alps "Blue Velvet" 
 Vishay Dale resistors
 0/75 Ohm impedance switch for output
 PPA style bass boost implemented on a dip20 socket.






 After listening to it all weekend, I am extremely satisfied with how it turned out._

 



 if you dont mind me asking, what case is that?
 thanks


----------



## rreynol

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ben.phelps* 
_if you dont mind me asking, what case is that?
 thanks_

 

Hammond 1455N1201


----------



## individual6891

That CD Player's a bit
*[size=x-large]Yummilicious?![/size]*


----------



## tyre




----------



## Banfi T.

I like it!


----------



## chillysalsa

Clean layout, tyre!

 Is there any reason you chose the opa2107? It's on the pricey side, but the specs don't look like anything spectacular... is the sound worth the cost?


----------



## tyre

Quote:


 Is there any reason you chose the opa2107? 
 

I just wanted to try something other than the usual opa213x.

  Quote:


 It's on the pricey side, but the specs don't look like anything spectacular... is the sound worth the cost? 
 

Well, I've heard people say that it's almost like a dual version of the opa627 because they are both Difet opamps. I think that's why it costs so much. As far as sound goes, my headphones are crap so I probably couldn't tell the difference between an opa2107 and a tl072.


----------



## rickcr42

Nice job tyre.reelly good to see someone "wing it' and do their own layout for a change

 Kudos from the rickmeister


----------



## tyre

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rickcr42* 
_Nice job tyre.reelly good to see someone "wing it' and do their own layout for a change

 Kudos from the rickmeister 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks. It's definitely more fun to do it without a pcb. I plan on making most of my amps on protoboard if possible. Sijosae's amps are pretty inspiring.


----------



## Banfi T.

I never saw that site before. Quite impressing...


----------



## Anthrax

the multi-hybrid, heres my go at sijosaes tube amp.







 and the in the dark shot, which every tube amp needs


----------



## cetoole

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Anthrax* 
_the multi-hybrid, heres my go at sijosaes tube amp.


 http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~robert1234/tubeamp1.jpg/IMG] 

 and the in the dark shot, which every tube amp needs [img]http://www.head-fi.org/forums/images/smilies/smily_headphones1.gif

 http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~robert1234/tubeamp2.jpg/IMG][/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


Looking good, what tube is that?_


----------



## Anthrax

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cetoole* 
_Looking good, what tube is that?_

 

from OCAU arnt you? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 its a EI 6DJ8 with gold pins


----------



## luften

I´m pretty new to this forum, but I thought I could post you some pics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 To begin with, my OPA627 + BUF634 headphoneamp, built almost as the sample in the BUF634 datasheet.

*Front picture:*





*Rear picture:* 





*Internal amp:* 





*Internal powa:* 





*And at last, a picture with my Senns: *


----------



## ~n00beR

Nice layout luften 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I've been working on something similar using the BUF634T as a preamp, i havent got round to making some boards up yet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, and was thinking of using a 3rd channel as a ground.

 Anway back on topic, nice layout, well done 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *luften* 
_I´m pretty new to this forum, but I thought I could post you some pics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 To begin with, my OPA627 + BUF634 headphoneamp, built almost as the sample in the BUF634 datasheet.

*Front picture:*





*Rear picture:* 





*Internal amp:* 





*Internal powa:* 





*And at last, a picture with my Senns: *



_


----------



## luften

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *~n00beR* 
_Nice layout luften 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I've been working on something similar using the BUF634T as a preamp, i havent got round to making some boards up yet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, and was thinking of using a 3rd channel as a ground.

 Anway back on topic, nice layout, well done 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thank you!

 If someone is interested, I also have a couple of measurements performed with an AudioPrecision 2522. The load at measurement time is 300ohm, to show how they work with Sennheiser HD650.

Frequency Response
 This is measured at two different levels, and as you can see, one channel is a little bit higher than the other, because of the Alps RK09 potentiometer.
 At 20khz, the signal is at -0.3 dB.

THD + N and N
 Here you can see that THD+N (yellow line) is lesser than 0.003% from 10hz - 20khz. The red line is only N, wich shows a little peak at 50hz.

THD vs Power in 300ohm
 This shows that the THD+N is very low all the way until ~290mW where the clipping point seems to be. 

 Conclusions, it could be done better, but, this is good enough for me at this time!


----------



## ~n00beR

Quote:


 Originally Posted by *luften* 
 This shows that the THD+N is very low all the way until ~290mW where the clipping point seems to be. 
 

Isn't the maximum continuious output current for the 634 250mA, and the short circuit current is 350mA.

 The clipping is probably because you are driving it beyond the max cont current recomendations 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, you've done pretty well to get it to run at that level 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Just a thought

 n00b


----------



## Shosta

I take the basic design from Tangent. it's basically a PIMETA with OPA627 and two 634 buffers per channel. 
 Power is two 9V batteries in series (18V)

 almost finished





 amp&buffer 'section'





 Reversed view - i'm not very good soldering - Thanks to tyre's photos i used wires to connect a lot of pins.





 Into the cards box (I like this box. Look at the picture, they must be the girl's parents and look at the way he look at she. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )





 Front view





 Testing with Richter





 Firsts impressions: 
 If I noticed an improvement coming from my previous cmoy (OPA134) when compared to the standard headphone jack of the Marantz Amp, now the improvement is more noticeable. Bass are extended and controled, mids are liquid and warm and treble is cristaline. But the most important improvement comes from the separation of instruments. A lot of air between instruments, a lot of space.
 And the improvement it's very, very important with HD600s. The grado 225s are good headphones but now i know why HD6X0s are so praised. The bloated bass they exhibit with the standard headphone jack is lost now.

 In near future I plan to bias the opamps in class A. But for now I'm going to enjoy with the music.


----------



## luften

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *~n00beR* 
_Isn't the maximum continuious output current for the 634 250mA, and the short circuit current is 350mA.

 The clipping is probably because you are driving it beyond the max cont current recomendations 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, you've done pretty well to get it to run at that level 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Just a thought

 n00b_

 

Actually, the clipping comes when the voltage swing cant go any higher. 300mW in 300ohm equals ~32mA, so the buf has a lot more to give. 

 I did not run this in to my headphones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, it is a resistive load (300 ohm) used to test the power I could get out.


----------



## luften

I just built myself another one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This one is running on batterys, and is a lot smaller. I meant to use it with my laptop while being abroad this sommer. 

*Sideview:*





*Endview:*





*Insideview:*


----------



## ~n00beR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *luften* 
_Actually, the clipping comes when the voltage swing cant go any higher. 300mW in 300ohm equals ~32mA, so the buf has a lot more to give. 

 I did not run this in to my headphones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, it is a resistive load (300 ohm) used to test the power I could get out._

 

Oh, OK

 Glad someone set me straight about that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Makes more sence now, lol


----------



## MaxW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *luften* 
_I´m pretty new to this forum, but I thought I could post you some pics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 To begin with, my OPA627 + BUF634 headphoneamp, built almost as the sample in the BUF634 datasheet.
*Internal amp:* 



_

 

Hi Luften,
 Very nice. Would you share the design files for your layout?
 I ask because I was never happy with my layout for the DIP version of the BUF634: http://max8888.orcon.net.nz/preamp.htm
 and yours looks nice


----------



## luften

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MaxW* 
_Hi Luften,
 Very nice. Would you share the design files for your layout?
 I ask because I was never happy with my layout for the DIP version of the BUF634: http://max8888.orcon.net.nz/preamp.htm
 and yours looks nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thank you for your kind words! I´ll drop you a pm.


----------



## Onix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Shosta* 
_I take the basic design from Tangent. it's basically a PIMETA with OPA627 and two 634 buffers per channel. 
 Power is two 9V batteries in series (18V)_

 

The box is beautiful. Felicidades.


----------



## pburke

Here some quick pictures of a recent project. This is a pretty modified DDDAC1543 (16 instead of 8 parallel DACs), sporting custom power regulation for the XO clock, as well as several other circuit modifications over the original design. The most obvious one is the direct headphone output (i.e. the headphones are directly driven by the DAC, no opamps, no tubes, nothing but a pair of blackgates beween the DAC output and the Neutrik jack. There's also a stepped attenuator that is outside of the signal path, which doubles for headphone and line-out volume control. The DAC is essentially a passive preamp for the digital sources, although it's a little loud for that right now - I will need to add a toggle with a single high grade series resistor to match my amps better. That'll be in the next build which will also have a modded M-Audio USB input inside the box. The thing plays for well over 18 hours before you need to recharge (8 hours for a full recharge). Just about all the components used are highest grade available: Silver wiring, Stillpoint ERS paper lining, Auricaps and Blackgate N/Nx caps, etc.

 Sorry for the big pictures - there'll soon be a web page with more info and with big images linked from thumbs

 Finished DAC:





 Inside:





 The Elma switch 24-step stereo attenuator - just because it looks so cool 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 Backside - top left are the main battery and charger connections. The weird plug below came with the enclsosure and powers the fan only. Inputs are toslink and SPDIF via proper 75 ohm Neutrik BNC connector.





 18ah SLA battery with smart charger: you'd never know this thing runs on batteries. Portable? No 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 This is the batch I built for a few head-fi'ers - no, there are currently no plans to do this again. This thing isn't cheap (over $600 in parts alone), and the time that went into each of them.... don't ask.





 Anyway, folks with AKGs need not apply - this thing won't drive them. Works fine on Sennheiser 650s and Grados and other less difficult to drive headphones. 

 Peter


----------



## steinchen

awesome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 what kind of enclosure is this ? looks like the case for an external harddrive.


----------



## jerb

those were my thoughts aswell it defiantly looks liek an external hard drive but ive never seen that particular model


----------



## pburke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* 
_awesome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 what kind of enclosure is this ? looks like the case for an external harddrive._

 

how'd you guess that ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 hit newegg.com and search the external enclosures they offer - about 150 varieties to pick from. I got these directly from the importer because it was impossible to get the mesh screen from newegg at the time. Now I think they have it available, but the price went up, too. This enclosure is made by "Mapower"

 The enclosure is great looking, but you better know how to cut the holes into relatively soft sheet metal. I spent hours with a dremel cutting tool to get the 5 front faceplates I had to cut looking ok, messing up about 2 in the process (I have an enclosure graveyard now...). The rear hole cutting is easier, as long as you don't need anything special beyond a round hole.

 I priced some custom Frontpanelexpress plates to fit the rear of the enclosure, but the extra $50 were just beyond my pain threshold, especially since I would have lost some mounting holes for the fan power pcb and the toslink board.

 I'm currently in the planning stages of a two chassis Bottlehead Foreplay that will use the same enclosure for the head-end. That'll be a nice looking combo when done - tube glow coming through the mesh and all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Peter


----------



## rjkdivin

For those of you who have been following the M3 Head Amp Build thread, you know that completed projects are beginning to appear on that thread:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...0&page=1&pp=20

 I have completed three M3s....two using STEPS power supplies, and one with a Welborne PS-1. The following pictures show the first one using Silverstone Nano ITX cases, the second one using Par Metals cases obtained through a group buy. The silverstone cases were very expensive, but did contain some salvageable power supplies I intend to use on an upcoming project. That eased the pain a bit.


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rjkdivin* 
_I have completed three M3s....two using STEPS power supplies, and one with a Welborne PS-1._

 

How does the welborne compare to the steps?


----------



## rjkdivin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dsavitsk* 
_How does the welborne compare to the steps?_

 

The Welborne Labs PS-1 is a dual rail unit, and comes as a complete kit with or without the off-pcb toroid. It is available with output voltages between +-5 volts to +-24 volts. Since the M3 likes about 24v, I ordered it for +-12volts and just powered from the + and - rails without using the ground. It is very stable and runs very cool with generous heat sinks. Only disadvantage is a lack of trim pots to fine tune the voltage....but my 24v unit outputs a rock solid 24.2v.

 The Steps is a single rail unit with pcb only (not a kit) from Tangentsoft (Tangent), and does have provision for a trim pot to fine tune the voltage. It runs pretty warm, but is very stable and also has an optional choke for additional line filtering. To keep it running cool it is a good idea to select a transformer pretty close to your desired output voltage so you are not dropping too much voltage. Because I wanted 24v for the M3, I currently have a transformer with 15v +15v outputs, and am waiting for a 12v +12v that was on back order at Digi-Key. I also upgraded the voltage regulator IC from the recommended LM317 to the LM338T which has a current limiting feature and higher current rating to handle current spikes without frying.

 The Steps will fit in a slightly smaller case due to the on-pcb toroid. Both are very well documented and have well layed out pcbs. Tangent even has a Power Supply Parameter utility on his website to help with transformer selection.

 I like em both.


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rjkdivin* 
_The Welborne Labs PS-1 is a dual rail unit, and comes as a complete kit with or without the off-pcb toroid. ...

 The Steps is a single rail unit with pcb only (not a kit) from Tangentsoft ..._

 

That much I know.

  Quote:


 I like em both. 
 

Sorry to not ask a clearer question. This is what I'm interested. To build from parts on proto board, the welborne is only slightly more expensive than the steps, so I am curious whether you notice a difference in the sound?


----------



## rjkdivin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dsavitsk* 
_That much I know.
 Sorry to not ask a clearer question. This is what I'm interested. To build from parts on proto board, the welborne is only slightly more expensive than the steps, so I am curious whether you notice a difference in the sound?_

 

Oh....sorry. No difference in sound. I have all of my M3s set up to AMB's recommended specs and I am using the AD8610 opamps in all of them. I have powered both separate M3s with both separate PSs, and they both sound identical to me. I have a third M3 cased up with a Steps in a single case. It also sounds wonderful.

 I posted a review of the M3 in the Amplification forum some weeks ago:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=117384

 At the time I was using the STEPS only, but the PS-1 has made no noticeable difference in the S/N (the M3 is extremely quiet), imaging, or tonality. It is very comfortable listening with either PS.


----------



## Fresno Bob

rjkdivin Could the STEPS power supply or the ps1 there in your pics be used to run a DIY dac??


----------



## rjkdivin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fresno Bob* 
_rjkdivin Could the STEPS power supply or the ps1 there in your pics be used to run a DIY dac??_

 

Both PSs are comfortable with up to 1amp or so current draw and can be set up for different voltages by changing resistors. This should be ample for any solid state DAC, but I'm not sure about tube DACs. I have a Rockna Dac-1 on order now, but it has not arrived yet. I'm planning to run an M3 and the DAC-1 on one PS with a CD transport on a separate PS, all in one case. I haven't worked out all the details yet.


----------



## Banfi T.

Well, this is the latest. After the buffered AD797 I wanted to build something more exotic.


----------



## Banfi T.

The external PSU.


----------



## Banfi T.

The headamp.


----------



## Banfi T.

And the two together.


----------



## Banfi T.

A picture from the headampm up side down.


----------



## Banfi T.

And a picture about the LEDs I used for current source reference (red) and cascode reference (blue).


----------



## fr4c

very nice Banfi T. it looks very impressive.


----------



## chillysalsa

Banfi: What is it, and how does it sound? Looks really awesome!


----------



## Banfi T.

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chillysalsa* 
_Banfi: What is it, and how does it sound? Looks really awesome!_

 

It is an own design. About its SQ I will ask Feanor to evaluate it on the upcoming Hungarian meet next week. I am really interested in an objective opinon...(but I must admit that I like it so far 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)

 Oh, and thanks for the kind words!


----------



## Fresno Bob

Banfi T. thats one heck of a psu. great build..


----------



## TURBO

This was my first Cmoy amp. Since I didnt have any case around, I did it in a minidisk case and cat5 network cables


----------



## jerb

well the case is unique


----------



## Twombly

That's so badass.


----------



## BrokenEnglish

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Banfi T.* 
_The external PSU._

 

holy goly... that's indeed the fattest smoothing stage i've seen for headamps... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ...but where are the regulators?
 very nice built, banfi! could you please elaborate on your p2p-technique: why did you solder each and every point of your wires to the board?


----------



## Banfi T.

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *BrokenEnglish* 
_holy goly... that's indeed the fattest smoothing stage i've seen for headamps... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ...but where are the regulators?
 very nice built, banfi! could you please elaborate on your p2p-technique: why did you solder each and every point of your wires to the board?_

 

The PSU's capacitors are not really for smoothing, rather for energy storage to bypass any power fluctuation common in domestic power networks. The headamp has 4700uF puffers and stabilzers quiet enough to power MC headamps (for vinyl playback I mean) I doubt that any ripple rejection is gained by using that many capacitor in the external PSU. On the other hand you can now disconnet and reconnect the mains cable without hearing it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Anyway, the stablizers are on the same board as the headamp, the four smaller heatsinks are for them. (The regulators are also non-feedback discrete designes.)

 As for the p2p...Untill recently I did work with pcbs, but I had to realize that for prototypes the protoboards are much more suitable. The first headamps I built this way were done in a traditinal way, I used the legs of the components to make connections. Many times even the components themselfs were at the downside of the panel. While this certainly worked for smiple circuits this can be rather messy with more complicated projects. I ended up using more and more wires which were crossing other tracks and I did not liked this. On the other hand, if you use the leg of a part, so that you bend it and solder it to an other part it is not too easy to remove that part if you want to. (With prototypes it happens all the time). So, instead this I figured that I put every component in as they were in a real PCB, so I cut down their legs. Then I use the legs as connections, but this time I build up the track like if it were a real PCB. In this way I could do a much cleaner board with less cross wires and the parts can be easily changed. The following picture illustrates the headamp + regulator board having one side done in the old way and the other in the new. I think the picture speaks for itself. (Note, that the side done in the new way is more complete having the output stage also almost completely connected)


----------



## BrokenEnglish

transformer with netfilter separately encased. 2 of tangent's TREADs as regulators with discrete rectifying diodes, offboard smoothing stage and complementary darlington stages for each rail:


----------



## BrokenEnglish

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Banfi T.* 
_The PSU's capacitors are not really for smoothing, rather for energy storage to bypass any power fluctuation common in domestic power networks. The headamp has 4700uF puffers and stabilzers quiet enough to power MC headamps (for vinyl playback I mean) I doubt that any ripple rejection is gained by using that many capacitor in the external PSU. On the other hand you can now disconnet and reconnect the mains cable without hearing it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Anyway, the stablizers are on the same board as the headamp, the four smaller heatsinks are for them. (The regulators are also non-feedback discrete designes.)_

 

ah... i see... interesting concept, but most likely lots of stress for the transformer. do you use regular fuses on the primary and/or secondary side?

  Quote:


 As for the p2p...Untill recently I did work with pcbs, but I had to realize that for prototypes the protoboards are much more suitable. The first headamps I built this way were done in a traditinal way, I used the legs of the components to make connections. Many times even the components themselfs were at the downside of the panel. While this certainly worked for smiple circuits this can be rather messy with more complicated projects. I ended up using more and more wires which were crossing other tracks and I did not liked this. On the other hand, if you use the leg of a part, so that you bend it and solder it to an other part it is not too easy to remove that part if you want to. (With prototypes it happens all the time). So, instead this I figured that I put every component in as they were in a real PCB, so I cut down their legs. Then I use the legs as connections, but this time I build up the track like if it were a real PCB. In this way I could do a much cleaner board with less cross wires and the parts can be easily changed. The following picture illustrates the headamp + regulator board having one side done in the old way and the other in the new. I think the picture speaks for itself. (Note, that the side done in the new way is more complete having the output stage also almost completely connected) 
 

i understand exactly what you mean and switched myself short time ago from simply connecting parts to pre-wiring some sort of traces before i solder in the main components. but i guess, it'd be better to reduce the solderpoints to the necessary minimum for optimal current-flow... well... just a guess.


----------



## Banfi T.

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *BrokenEnglish* 
_ah... i see... interesting concept, but most likely lots of stress for the transformer. do you use regular fuses on the primary and/or secondary side?


 i understand exactly what you mean and switched myself short time ago from simply connecting parts to pre-wiring some sort of traces before i solder in the main components. but i guess, it'd be better to reduce the solderpoints to the necessary minimum for optimal current-flow... well... just a guess._

 

I did use fuses during the tests, but not in the version I listen to. That toroid can handle the surge and I don't do power up/downs too often. (Heck, there is no on/off switch 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )

 As for the solder points: you could be right, but could you please define what is the "optional current-flow"? As long there is a stable and good electrical contact between two points with a proper current handling capacity (often a problem with PCB tracks) it is fine for me. Anyway, I did solder down those points because some of the parts moved during assembly, and with them the lines too. After a while a lot of unused joint posts were used and I couldn't move the legs to their posotion without reheating them. To solder all the points was just a little cosmetics


----------



## BrokenEnglish

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Banfi T.* 
_[...]but could you please define what is the "optional current-flow"? [...]_

 

 ok... i'll try it... but i meant "optimal", not "optional" current flow: there should be small stray capacitances at each solder point. so most likely current flows without further (small!) degradation if you leave the wire as it is: without additional solder. maybe some educated diyers could explain the matter better...


----------



## Banfi T.

On the other hand nice work with that amp, BrokenEnglish. As far as I can see it the external PSU doesn't has any puffering/filtering and the amp has the puffer/regulator sections as well. Am I right?

 I did a few years back a phone preamp with such an arragement and it worked fine until for some reason I crossed the input cable coming from the pick-up with the cable going from the external PSU. I was welcommed instantly with a strong hum. If I crossed the input cable with the mains I heard nothing. (Crossing means that the two cable lies in each other in some angle). The reason was (of course) that the secondary voltage of the PSU is much lower (if we speak about solid state designes) than the mains voltage. If you pull 200mA for the secondaries and you have 22V DC, then you are pulling 20mA from the 220V (such is the ideal transformator with no loss). The 200mA together with the cable going from the secondary did presented a much higher 50Hz energy emittion as the mains cable. Of course it was with a high level MC pick-up (max. 3mV voltage) and the phone amp has a much higher gain then any headphone amp. But since then I either filter the voltage in the external PSU or I don't use a separate case.


----------



## Banfi T.

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *BrokenEnglish* 
_ok... i'll try it... but i meant "optimal", not "optional" current flow: there should be small stray capacitances at each solder point. so most likely current flows without further (small!) degradation if you leave the wire as it is: without additional solder. maybe some educated diyers could explain the matter better..._

 

Thanks, I wanted to write optimal of course, not optional. I also heard about high frequency "edges" regarding connection points but I never saw any measurement underlying this theory, nor couldn't I hear any difference when I tried. But could be true...

 On the second thought (if it really an existing effect) it could be dangerous, since random capacitances everwhere in the circuit could result to unwanted oscillations in feedback based circuits. It seems plus one point to have NFB designes


----------



## BrokenEnglish

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Banfi T.* 
_On the other hand nice work with that amp, BrokenEnglish. As far as I can see it the external PSU doesn't has any puffering/filtering and the amp has the puffer/regulator sections as well. Am I right?_

 

no... that's just a regulated dual voltage psu. i separated the transformer mainly because my initial goal was to use it for different psus. so far i can't comment on the sound, because (a) i'd need my reference phones (dt880) and (b) those caps are heavily breakin' in (sound changed markedly over the few hours i listened to some music). there's no hum, no audible noise so far, even with my low-impedant cans (dt440) on the wna. small hiss at max. volume with paused source and the dt440, but it is lower than with my other psus.


----------



## AtomBoy

I'm so excited about the Millett Hybrid group buy I can't stand it. I'm in for a few boards, but I couldn't wait two weeks with those tubes staring at me so I made one without the PCB.












 The power LED is in a hole halfway through the half inch thick milky plastic. I wanted a color like an old neon pilot lamp. My 10 year old digital camera doesn't do it justice. Hey, the Kodak DC-50 was the best for about a week in the '90s!





 I used as many parts from the surplus store as I could. The pots- volume and bias were $.99 each. I think the knob was $.35 and the power sw was a buck. They had the teminal strips too (unbelieveable!).





 The top plate is a piece of .125 Al I cut from a plate with a saber saw and drilled and tapped for the 4-40 screws. The bottom and the rollbar for the tubes is made of some machinable plastic I've had kicking arround for ten years. Its tapped and screwed together with 4-40 screws as well. The hole to the left of the vol was a mistake. I'll think of something to put in it. I ran out of 4-40s before I could fill in all the plate to base holes so there are some unfilled holes on the top right now.

 The little proto board for the buffers is the unused half of a CMoy project (Tanget, you rock!). The switch on the board is to change the bandwidth mode of the buffers. I'm hoping to learn what the heck that means. The bundle of white wire is the tube bias test points so I can pull it out and clip the multimeter to them.

 I've been curious about what kind of difference the parts quality really makes, so I built this one as the low buck (gumwrappers and spit) version. The caps are mostly the values Peter Millett calls for and are the less pricy Panasonics. I also skipped all the film caps except on the output stage. The pots are all probably 20+ years old from the magical wonderland we call Surplus City on route 66 here in Albuquerque. The power suply is the 6 clam wall wart from Digi-Key.

 It took me about two solid days to put it together and it worked the first time 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It was making a distinct 60hz buzz that went away after I shoved the input cable in harder. I haven't listened to it with the good phones yet, but it sounds as good as the 'go ahead and blow these up' phones are capable of. Right now I'm just happy it hasn't burned the garage down. The real critical listening will come after I build one with spendy bits on the PCB from the group buy (Nate and Drew- you rock too!). This is the second amp I've made after a couple of very fun CMoys.

 Thanks to everyone who has been answering my questions and everyone who makes this site such a fun place. Thanks Rick and Pete for pointing me at enough tube wisdom of the ancients to keep me busy for a few years.

 Oh, look! It flew over to the bird feeder!


----------



## drewd

Great job AtomBoy! Point to point wiring will make Rick so darned happy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The case is a great idea, too! It looks very retro!

 -Drew


----------



## Twombly

It'd be cool if you got an upper panel to match the rest. That would rock hard.


----------



## Edwood

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* 
_awesome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 what kind of enclosure is this ? looks like the case for an external harddrive._

 


http://www.mapower.com/


 -Ed


----------



## Jaypetermen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Edwood* 
_http://www.mapower.com/-Ed_

 

Nice enclosures.

 Do you know who sells these enclosures?

 I could not find a distributor from there web site or through an internet search.


----------



## bg4533

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jaypetermen* 
_Nice enclosures.

 Do you know who sells these enclosures?

 I could not find a distributor from there web site or through an internet search._

 

Newegg sells a few.


----------



## skyskraper

finally finished with my dynalo


----------



## MisterX

LMAO. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 I have been there a few times and I know how it feels.


----------



## Edwood

ROFLMAO!

 Oh boy. 

 -Ed


----------



## skyskraper

well i finally decided to wire up my second dynalo board and it was all working nicely then after an hour it started oscillating again at a high frequency in the right channel again. it's been put aside again until i can find a better power supply solution (read: when i can be bothered with a dynahi psu modified) and ordering a couple of hundred of transistors to get the best match i can,


----------



## meat01

Skyskraper, that is hilarious! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I like your enclosure and your huge tubes


----------



## The Monkey

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_finally finished with my dynalo











_

 

I like the enclosure, too.


----------



## phobus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_I like the enclosure, too. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Nice! Looks like you modded it with tubes!


----------



## fr4c

haha nice


----------



## thrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyskraper* 
_finally finished with my dynalo











_

 


 Best amp EVER!


----------



## ben.phelps

damn! i knew i should have copyrighted my new and most used enclosure


----------



## Tomo

Hey,

 Lookie this. It's a YAHA amp. ... Sorry didn't know how I am supposed to load it up. It's in my document folder.







 Here it is ... Sorry for the file problems

 T


----------



## AtomBoy

My first version of the Scrappy Millett had an annoying buzz due to a sub-optimal grounding scheme. Here's take two:






 Per Rick's advice, I used a star grounding scheme which meant adding another terminal strip which meant a new base plate and new plastic, so there's not a lot of parts cary over from the first one. I had to do another proto board to split the left and right ground.

 It's an inch deeper and 3/4in shorter. I'm liking the lower profile.






 This one has a much quieter buzz in both ears instead of the louder buzz in one ear the old one had. I haven't put it on the good power supply yet, but I'm betting that will take care of the buzz. I'm looking forward to building one on a PCB and see if that buzzes as well.






 Cheers!


----------



## digi01

mine lately design,guess what is it?


----------



## redemption

Just finished my first DIY project:
 Fisherman's Cmoy!


----------



## digi01

Hello redemption,your frist amp looks good!
 I have make a cmoy use the same case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




LINK1 

LINK2


----------



## redemption

Thanks! And WOW! That's a nice amp you got there. It looks like the tin was designed for that amp.


----------



## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digi01* 
_mine lately design,guess what is it?

 637preamp-1.jpg
_

 

I'd guess a preamp!


----------



## digi01

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scottder* 
_I'd guess a preamp! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

hehe~the file name let out the answer!


----------



## tobias_svensk

With your discreet buffer card


----------



## The Monkey

Just a blue cmoy, nothing fancy:


----------



## Tomo

Hey,

 That CMOY Chasis looks better than this.






 Tomo


----------



## The Monkey

Whoa! Industrial strength Cmoy!


----------



## Tomo

You will pass out if you see it from its side. The front plate is slighted dent-in. And the edges the back plate is stumped-in. This amp has survived Tomo.


----------



## shiggins

Not a picture of any DIY electronic gubbins, but a TNT-Flexy rack:






 Wobbles a bit, but hey, it is called a flexy. I ran out of paint which it why it looks a bit patchy but it's good enough for me for now. The edges of the MDF board are really hard to paint - It just soaks right in. That Marantz amp gets really hot; too hot to touch for long. I didn't like my CD player sitting on top so built this rack. It's big and it's red. The shade is called wine red. Yummy.


----------



## MaxW

Nice one Shiggins! Looks like mine:









 I hear you about the edges soaking the paint in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 We should have used primer first.
 I used stain in the end. More pics:
http://max8888.orcon.net.nz/rack.htm


----------



## dgardner

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *shiggins* 
_Wobbles a bit, but hey, it is called a flexy._

 

Some Large Flange Nuts might help the wobble.


----------



## shiggins

MaxW - Nice work, looks very pro. Good work with the rounded edges. I like the struts you have to hold your vinyl in place. Thought about that myself but didn't have any spare MDF handy. I'll leave that for a future "mod" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . Domed nuts - I need some of them too.

 dgardner - Yup, I'll keep an eye out for some of them or larger washers. It doesn't help that I'm using thinner MDF and narrower rods than TNT suggest. Currently the nuts are only finger-tight but I can only push the top and inch or so forwards or backwards. After I dismantle it to finish the paint job I shall user larger nuts/washers and torque the nuts right up. Oh, and level the shelves 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 There's a whole lotta nuts to undo first tho.


----------



## dgardner

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *shiggins* 
_Domed nuts - I need some of them too._

 

Chromed Acorn Nuts to be precise


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TURBO* 
_This was my first Cmoy amp. Since I didnt have any case around, I did it in a minidisk case and cat5 network cables
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

that build is HAWT.

 i liek the clear cases, and butting the thing in a "recycled" box is very cool.


----------



## Jaypetermen

Attached are a couple pictures of my first DYI amp project. 

 Sorry, just trying to figure out how to post a image. Recieved message that: File Too Large. Limit for this filetype is 25.0 KB. Your file is 1.16 KB.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jaypetermen* 
_Sorry, just trying to figure out how to post a image. Recieved message that: File Too Large. Limit for this filetype is 25.0 KB. Your file is 1.16 MB._

 

For images larger than the head-fi attachment maximum size, ou need to host the image yourself elsewhere and link to it. That said, you should scale-down/crop the size and reduce the jpeg image quality to make it more web-friendly. You'd be surprised at how little apparent loss of quality there is on photos.


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jaypetermen* 
_Sorry, just trying to figure out how to post a image. Recieved message that: File Too Large. Limit for this filetype is 25.0 KB. Your file is 1.16 MB._

 

Please don't put a 1.16MB image in this thread.


----------



## stewtheking

Well, I finally got around to pinning my dad into helping me make a Cmoy. We decided to board-mount everything to make the internals more secure, which unfortunately made the layout in this tight enclosure a little tricky. But, it all fitted, and looks quite neat to be honest. A few pokes with a meter and all was well... anyway, piccies.

http://photobucket.com/albums/y171/stewtheking/

 Apologies for the somewhat scary vast size of these images, I can't find any way to shrink them. 

 Stew

 EDIT: Right, I've removed the images themselves and posted a link to the thumbs. My computer didn't like trying to shrink them.


----------



## MaxW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *stewtheking* 
_Apologies for the somewhat scary vast size of these images, I can't find any way to shrink them. _

 

Just use it, your life will be better:
http://www.irfanview.com/





 Good job on your Cmoy too.


----------



## The Monkey

Nice work Stewtheking. Are you happy with how it sounds?


----------



## Tomo

Haw! Your amps are not ugly enough to be called amps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Kidding. I think I should mod my chasis.

 T


----------



## stewtheking

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_Are you happy with how it sounds?_

 

 Yeah, I am quite surprised as it goes. The main thing that seems to be improved is the bass response, big and phat and solid. I had kind of thought that the noise created by any dodgy bits of wiring would kill any increase in quality, but this doesn't seem to be the case. I've tried it with my sister's shure e2c, and it seems to be rather good with that too, but mainly used as an attenuator to be honest!

 Looks as if I'm going to be doing some more of this nonsense soon enough!

 Stew


----------



## jerb

The pictures! Their big and menacing (even worse for those few 56k'ers floating around) please make them smaller. use photoshop or powertoys image resizer (google it)


----------



## JWFokker

I rather like the pictures. What camera did you use to take those? Those close ups look quite sharp. Do you have a macro lense?


----------



## Quacker

My first amp a humble pimeta


----------



## jerb

upload the pictures to imageshack, i cant access you geocities account


----------



## Jaypetermen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jaypetermen* 
_Attached are a couple pictures of my first DIY amp project._

 

This time without the attachements.






 My DIY Cmoy in Penguin mint can.






 With Sennheiser PX-1000 portable headphones.






 Out of focus interior.


----------



## The Monkey

My first cmoy with a pot. Sorry for the lousy pic.


----------



## palchiu

Finally, I finish my first DIY headamp Dynalo. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Front





 Rear





 Inside





 Thanks for your looking.


----------



## Thaddy

What kind of volume pot is that? Your amp looks very nice!


----------



## Tomo

Wow,

 Look at em. I call that "tantalizing." 

 Fine finish and wiring. Not to mention well placed vent holes that are aethetically cool yet practical. 

 A+ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 T


----------



## palchiu

The POT is Cosmos Japan, it bring some warm sound.


----------



## Thaddy

Sorry to be off-topic, but how can a pot have an effect on the sound?


----------



## palchiu

Thanks! Tomo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I believe pot will effect the sound, as resistors and wires did.

 Sorry, that's only my personal feeling.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Wow great work Pal! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Very nice organized wiring in there. I'll have to do some research on the Cosmos, it looks quite unique.


----------



## palchiu

Thanks! Highflyin9 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cosmos are same price with Alps, some DIYer in Taiwan likes them.

 I'll try this one later, only double price then Cosmos in Taiwan.


----------



## steel

palchiu, 
 congratulations... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 a very impressive AMP ...


----------



## Tomo

Will you look at that?

 That look like an engine from an airplane. You know, propeller. I can hear the "hum" of the powerful engine. ... So far from the image of stepped attenuator. 

 But I must say my stepped attenuator is definitely bigger. It's made of ceramics. 






 It was too big I had to put in a chasis.

 T


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *palchiu* 
_The POT is Cosmos Japan, it bring some warm sound._

 

Hello 

 could you post the site of the company or from where yo got it?

 Thanks


----------



## philodox

My Veda Audio Dynahi has a Cosmos potentiometer in it and it is awesome.


----------



## pho_boi

Hey all!!

 my first time posting on this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 well this is my multi-hybrid tube amp using the 6922 tube. powering it is a regulated 24v regulated supply from a 7824 regulator and some capacitors. At max volume and nothing playing there is a VERY SLIGHT audible hum. At the moment the amp is still without a case but still useable 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 will get a mate to make me a case soon though.

in the dark 
	


second pic 

third pic


 [EDIT]
 no more hum now! it seems my AC power cable was close to the input signal and was causing a bit of hum. Just moves the power cable further away from the input signal wires and everything is hum free


----------



## MaxW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pho_boi* 
_Hey all!!

 my first time posting on this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 well this is my multi-hybrid tube amp using the 6922 tube. powering it is a regulated 24v regulated supply from a 7824 regulator and some capacitors. At max volume and nothing playing there is a VERY SLIGHT audible hum. At the moment the amp is still without a case but still useable 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 will get a mate to make me a case soon though.

in the dark 
	


second pic 

third pic


 [EDIT]
 no more hum now! it seems my AC power cable was close to the input signal and was causing a bit of hum. Just moves the power cable further away from the input signal wires and everything is hum free 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Good work! Dont the LM317 and IRF's get far too hot with those tiny heatsinks??


----------



## Twombly

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pho_boi* 
_in the dark 
	


second pic 

third pic_

 

For the love of God, please resize. Or whatever other deity you happen to believe in.


----------



## rjkdivin

I finally got back to my second M3 housed in the large group buy case to add the Crossfeed from Tangentsoft. It fit in easily and works very well. I used Tangent's rotary switch (4pole/3pos) with silent wiring option so I could line up the rotary with the M3 pots. The listening effects are pleasing with most sources I have tried. It is a fairly subtle amount of crossfeed when you listen to a full stereo signal. To see how much crossfeed you are getting (and to test your assembly), try unplugging one channel input at a time....it is surprising.

 This M3 also uses Tangent's STEPS set to 24.9vdc, using the Amveco 70062 transformer and substituting in the LM338T regulator.

 The M3 build discussion thread is located at:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...0&page=1&pp=20


----------



## en480c4

Well, I finally got my PPAv2 cased up in my 20-series Par-Metal case and it's good to go.

 A HUGE "Thank You!!!" goes out to my good friend Nate (n_maher), who spent the evening with me wiring components, helping with the casework and most of all, that early birthday present also known as a fully-populated STEPS!

 Specs:
 PPAv2.0
 STEPSv1.0
 Par-Metal 20 Series Case
 THL Audio 50mm Knob
 NKK Push-Button Switch
 Cardas Female RCA's
 Switched & Fused Power Inlet
 Silver-Plated Copper Wire w/ Teflon Housing


















 As you can see, there was plenty of real estate in that case, but I wanted something that would match the rest of my stereo components with respect to width. And yes, I swapped out all of the silver hardware for black hex pan-head bolts. It's not 100% yet... it's going to get a few additional interior LED's, the NKK switch is going to be swapped out for the next size up once the drill bit that's big enough arrives, and while the rig runs dead quiet with my 650's, there's definitely buzz with low-impedence cans like my 325i's that we have to track down. But with the 650's, this thing really sounds amazing.

 Keep an eye out for a fairly maxed Millett Hybrid in a matching Par-Metal case to complete the stack soon...


----------



## igid

mine new system.


----------



## pho_boi

Ok, because I'm on holidays at the moment I decided to build another multi hyrbid. But this time I reduced it size by quite a bit, the board also has a power regulator circuit also.


----------



## blueworm

Sorry ISP nuked by web page.


----------



## Secret Squirrel

I am glad that I only purchased 2 boards, I could not let the 2nd board sit withour building it.


----------



## Blooze

Just finished my first DIY audio project. CMOY of course. I learned a lot of what not to do and how to do things easier (use less ground wires -looks like a mess, huh?) with this project. Great learning experience. A few more and I'll be ready to tackle my Millet Hybrid.













 To see my other DIY stuff goto: http://photos.yahoo.com/bloozestringer


----------



## MaxW

Good job Blooze. Thats an LED an a half innit?


----------



## Blooze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MaxW* 
_Good job Blooze. Thats an LED an a half innit? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks!

 It's really not as bright as it looks, My camera seemed to of exaggerated it quite a bit. Looks like a signal beacon for a lighthouse in that picture! I debated just drilling a hole and sticking the LED through it, but didn't like the unfinished look of the hole.


----------



## Shosta




----------



## Kenny12




----------



## fr4c

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Shosta* 
_




_

 

nice name


----------



## headchange4u

May latest:

 MINT w/ OPA2227
 Clear Blue Serpac case
 using 2x 9v batteries (Accu 270mah)
















 I had a time getting this amp cased up. The Serpac case is a tight fit with 2x 9volt batteries. I knew from the start that I wanted to mount the power switch on the side of the case. I also used a wide angle LED mounted directly to the PCB to give the inside of the case a little illumination. You can see the LED on in a couple of pics there. Looks cool in the dark.

 The MINT itself was a really easy, quick build (except for case work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) but I don't really care for the sound that much. I assume this is due to the OP Amp I am using. Almost has a muddy sound with no real punch in the bottom end. I have not tested it with all my headphones yet. I will change the amp at a later date.


----------



## bundee1

Anyone have pics of a modded t-amp?


----------



## moeburn

Where do you guys get your nice fancy aluminum knobs? I can't find any here, and I just ordered some but they're not as nice as these ones i'm seeing.


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


 Where do you guys get your nice fancy aluminum knobs? 
 

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/622/1233.pdf


----------



## moeburn

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_http://www.mouser.com/catalog/622/1233.pdf



_

 

Ah, $10 USD is a bit expensive for one knob.

 Anyone with experience in using pocket amps, where should i put my exterior components? Is a switch/knob/socket on the side fine, or should they all be on the ends?


----------



## rjkdivin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *moeburn* 
_Where do you guys get your nice fancy aluminum knobs? I can't find any here, and I just ordered some but they're not as nice as these ones i'm seeing._

 

Besides Mouser, ere are a few more knob sources:

http://www.thlaudio.com/indexE.htm

http://www.okwenclosures.com/catalog...uning.info.htm

http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalo...sandknobs.html


----------



## MaxW

I finished my Multi-Hybrid. See here for the design:
http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/bbs/zb...sijosae&no=217
 I designed my own PCB, used Panasonic FC caps bypassed with 100nF caps, 1% matched resistors, Alpha pot, IRF610s and a 6922 tube lit with a UV LED. I got it into the same hammond case my PIMETA fits into. It draws about 500mA at 24V. I used 20VA toroid and made my own regulator PCB based on the TREAD
 I really like it and it is now the main amp I use. You can see more pics and get Eagle files on my page here:
http://max8888.orcon.net.nz/hybrid.htm


----------



## moeburn

Finished my first build, or at least the first one I'm keeping. I wasted my time with an LM386 amp and a plain-parts Cmoy. I designed this circuit myself, but it may as well be an A47 without the buffered rail splitter.

 In use:





 Oh sexy:





 I forgot to calculate the pot in my measurements, so I was actually yelling "oh thank god it actually fits!"





 Schematic: (power caps are 600uf 16v)



 PCB:




 Until I learn how to adapt the AD8620s, I'm using two OPA2111s as the next best thing. Output resistors are four 240ohm, they provided the best balance of volume loss vs clipping, and there is no clipping whatsoever and its still way too loud


----------



## rjkdivin

I just got around to casing up my fourth M3. It's in a Lansing B2H08-V02B case that I was planning to use for just an M3 without a power supply. However, due to its height of 3 1/2", I found it would fit the Welborne PS-1 if I angled the transformer on a custom bracket and mounted the two PCBs at different heights so they could lap over a little. I was a bit concerned about EMI due to the cramped quarters, but it is as clean sounding as my other three, two of which have the PS in a separate case.

 Now, since there is room, I'm considering larger heatsinks for the PS-1 since it is running a little hot with a 15v + 15v toroid.


----------



## igid

opamp with diamond buffer output.
 thanks sijosae and ppl for theirs great help
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 more photos below:

LINK1

LINK2

LINK3


----------



## nitsujH

My very first DIY amp. Just a plain CMoy with a blue LED to match the screen of my Dell DJ. Also I made a stand out of wood to hold both the DJ and the amp upright together. Next I just need to make some cables for this thing. 

http://www.freewebs.com/nitsujh/angled.jpg 
http://www.freewebs.com/nitsujh/front.jpg
http://www.freewebs.com/nitsujh/side.jpg

 Links don't work, so you might have to copy paste links.


----------



## The Monkey

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nitsujH* 
_My very first DIY amp. Just a plain CMoy with a blue LED to match the screen of my Dell DJ. Also I made a stand out of wood to hold both the DJ and the amp upright together. Next I just need to make some cables for this thing. 

http://www.freewebs.com/nitsujh/angled.jpg 
http://www.freewebs.com/nitsujh/front.jpg
http://www.freewebs.com/nitsujh/side.jpg

 Links don't work, so you might have to copy paste links._

 

Nicely done. The stand is a great idea.


----------



## amb

Here are a few pics. As you can see the styling follows the tradition of my previous headphone amp builds. For more see my Millett page which also has extensive test results:
http://www.amb.org/ti/audio/millett.html


----------



## rjkdivin

Hey AMB....very nice looking build as usual. Is this physically the same size case as your M3 Prototype?

 In listening trials, how does the 'ease of listening' compare to the M3 which I find wondefully non-fatigueing for extended listening periods.

 Does the revised PCB incorporate the Diode modification to protect against polarity reversals discussed at the DIYForum.org ?


----------



## rreynol

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rjkdivin* 
_Hey AMB....very nice looking build as usual. Is this physically the same size case as your M3 Prototype?

 In listening trials, how does the 'ease of listening' compare to the M3 which I find wondefully non-fatigueing for extended listening periods.

 Does the revised PCB incorporate the Diode modification to protect against polarity reversals discussed at the DIYForum.org ?_

 

It looks smaller than the M3 proto. The revised PCB he used is the same one outlined at diyforum.org.


 Nice work, Amb. The acrylic end panels are pimp.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rjkdivin* 
_Hey AMB....very nice looking build as usual. Is this physically the same size case as your M3 Prototype?_

 

The Millett is smaller than my M³ proto. It is just a bit taller, but the width and depth are both smaller. Here is a pic of three of my amps together showing relative sizes (from left, clockwise: Modified SDS Labs amp, Millett Hybrid, M³).







  Quote:


 In listening trials, how does the 'ease of listening' compare to the M3 which I find wondefully non-fatigueing for extended listening periods. 
 

I haven't done much comparisons yet, should be interesting to do that. I'll be bringing all these amps to the San Jose meet so you could have a listen yourself.

  Quote:


 Does the revised PCB incorporate the Diode modification to protect against polarity reversals discussed at the DIYForum.org ? 
 

No. The "revised" refer to the board design from n_maher and drewd rather than the original one from Pete Millett (which is sold via diycable.com). The circuit already has a form of reverse voltage protection. If you look at the schematic, there is a self-resetting fuse at the DC power input, and then there is an protection diode across the supply. This diode normally has no effect, but will conduct and cause a virtual short if the input DC is reversed in polarity or if the voltage is too high, and that will in turn cause the fuse to open.


----------



## Otaku11

hehe homemade phones!


----------



## Pars

This is a Gilmore Dynamic that I finished other than the faceplate last spring. I am very pleased with the sound of this, driving a pair of AKG 401s predominately, and also some Grados. I think that it compares quite favorably with the Dynahi's that I have heard, as well as other amps (Raptor, etc.). Parts include a mix of Roederstein and PRP resistors, Nichicon Muse FX and Wima caps in the PSU and a TKD 2CP2511 pot. Jacks are Cardas; phone jack is a Neutrik ReAN. The PSU portion of the pic also shows the two PCBs I designed and etched to replace the packaged rectifiers used with 31DQ10 Shottky's. I'm still trying to decide on how I want to do the faceplate, so I just cut a piece of plexiglass to use for the time being. I am also going to add more inputs with selector switch, and an Amb relay board to mute the preamp output.


----------



## James281

here are my first build Steps + Millett Hybrid come to the final stage completed.


----------



## Thaddy

James281...that Millet + STEPS looks _really_ sweet man...but uh...you kinda spelled 'Hybrid' wrong


----------



## philodox

Very nice work James, I especially like the curved silk screening around the Headphone out. The clear tops look great.


----------



## grandenigma1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_James281...that Millet + STEPS looks really sweet man...but uh...you kinda spelled 'Hybrid' wrong 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

hahaha


----------



## MisterX

removed.


----------



## grandenigma1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_At least he got the Millet part right. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 I was going to say something about that the other day when I saw a pic of that amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 atleast it is a funny typo... well atleast mullets are funny


----------



## James281

haha i can't believe i screw that up, ohh well i can still redo that


----------



## silmaauki

My first Chu Moy has finally got a smaller brother. The big brother is broudly in the first picture. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





















 It's less than 60x60x20 millimeters (exluding the knob).

 Unfortunately I made a small mistake with it. The input jack is too close to the knob (even though I did try to plan it). Luckily it's pretty easy to have another case.


----------



## jamayfie

After solving my STEPS problem, I've done some heavy testing and casework, and here's the build at a soon to be complete stage.

 The Millett board is the original board, with a few alterations in components. Caps are Blackgate standard series (Welborne was out of the Elna's, so I had to upgrade 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), input jacks are Cardas cheapies (relatively), I have a neutrix headphone jack not wired up yet. The Linkwitz board uses Roederstein resistors and Wima caps. The case is an old Appletalk case I found walking home from work. I cut an aluminum bar for the jacks on the back.

 Once I get it all put together, I'll post the finished pics.

 Hey, anyone else with this build: do you need to run a wire from the Millett board to the case ground?

 Cheers


----------



## Nisbeth

The result of this weekend's labour: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 PPA v1.1 with copper front panel:






















 Guzzler's USB-SPDIF board:
 I couldn't decide on an enclsure for this one, so I took the easy route 











 With power on. They weren't lying when they said this LED was "hi-bright" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 /U.


----------



## jerb

Great Idea with the Guzzler DAC, been meaning to get around to mine but theres no way I could solder the little chips


----------



## MaxW

Great work Nisbeth 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 You should put some clear coating on the copper if you havn't already as it will tarnish very quickly


----------



## Nisbeth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jerb* 
_Great Idea with the Guzzler DAC, been meaning to get around to mine but theres no way I could solder the little chips 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Follow the guide which Guzzler links to on his website and you should be fine. It isn't that difficult. You can use an alligator clip to clamp the chip in place on the board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## Nisbeth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MaxW* 
_Great work Nisbeth 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 You should put some clear coating on the copper if you havn't already as it will tarnish very quickly 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I've done that already. "Unfortunately" my first "test-coat" of lacquer turned out to be perfect so I didn't dare sand the panel down to remove the last scratches (visible in at least one of the pictures) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## MIKEp

I just finished my first ever DIY project, i've never even soldered before 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I made a CMOY, it was reaally annoying because I snapped my dad's pencil type soldering iron in half (20 years old). From then on I was forced to use a giant one(below). It was very difficult to use with the rat-shack board, but it worked ... eventually. 




















 I went a little nuts with the electrical tape /\


----------



## The Monkey

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MIKEp* 
_I just finished my first ever DIY project, i've never even soldered before 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I made a CMOY, it was reaally annoying because I snapped my dad's pencil type soldering iron in half (20 years old). From then on I was forced to use a giant one(below). It was very difficult to use with the rat-shack board, but it worked ... eventually. 
 I went a little nuts with the electrical tape /\_

 

Wow. Congrats on your first build. That couldn't have been easy with that soldering gun. How long did it take? More importantly, are you pleased with the sound?


----------



## MIKEp

Well it took about 12-14 hours (maybe more) I could build one in like 3 now that i know how. 

 I love the sound of it on my cheapish sony headphones, unfortunately I haven't been able to try it out on better ones. Tiger Direct seems to be taking their sweet time on shipping my Senn HD201's it's been 3 days and it's still not out of their factory! 

 and the worst part of all is my zen micro broke so i cant even listen on a portable source


----------



## bhjazz

It's done! After fiddling with some tiny details, it's exactly how I wanted it to turn out. Big thanks to the easy going and helpful people here at Head Fi. All the frank answers and the wealth of knowledge here encourages me to make another...and another...

 So here are some photos. Yeah, they're not great. Too bad I can't DIY a digital camera.... Many of you will find your own design cues reflected on my design. Thanks for the ideas! 

 The no-nosense front. Output, power indicator and volume control.






 The rear end. RCA inputs, 1/8" input and power switch. I spaced out the RCAs quite a bit to make sure I could get even the fattest interconnects connected. 






 The inside. I added a lining of some stuff called Foamies from a craft shop. It's 2mm thick and has a sticky back. I cut a square out and just peeled back the backing and stuck it in. I splurged on the battery snaps by getting something that would give some added protection should the unit get shaken and the battery leads moved towards the board! The black strip protecting the rear jacks is cut from plastic and shaped to stay in place. I obtained the plastic from...an old floppy. Really easy to work with! 






 A view towards the front. Nothing special here, save for the extra plastic I trimmed to go below the Mint board. It's glued in, and there just to keep the board from shorting itself out on the aluminum. 






 View towards the side rear. All cabling is routed in the grooves and covered with heat shrink. I saved some real estate doing this, and battery changes are pretty quick.






 I was showing a family member this unit recently. He looked at it up, down, and upside down. When I got inside to show him what made it tick, the battery was laying on the board. Very close to disaster! So I headed down to the fabric store and grabbed some foam rubber. While it looks less than professional, it will easily keep one or two batteries from moving and burning my new baby up. 












 Finally, a shot of my Mint and his new buddy...





 And a shot of my Mint, and two of his new friends. 





 Notes:
 My Miny worked from the start. I had no problems and didn't have to resolder any connections or tear what's left of my hair out. The offset is good, although with certain material there is a subtle lean to the left. Very subtle. The offset turned out to be 1mv on the right and 1mv on the left. The only thing I noticed was that for the right channel my Fluke would nail 1mv, but on the left would flash 2mv then settle on 1mv. It happened really fast, so it's obviously just a hair more than 1mv. Not a huge thing, but I sure would like to figure out which resistor I could tweak to get it just right. I bought four or five of each and measured each one to get values that were as close as possible for the two channels. 

 In hindsight, the case took the longest. Far more head scratching than I would have expected!

 Listening:
 OK, this thing sounds better than the hundred bucks or so it cost me. Quite amazing. I have the AD8620 and it really is a great match for the HD600s. I also biased it into Class A. I am really impressed with it, and can listen for quite a long time with no fatigue. That's pretty cool. 

 At first, I was unimpressed with the bass. It seemed a little loose and tubby. But that was with it connected to my computer with a bland AD1985 onboard sound chip. I should have known better. Listening to the same tune (in wav format) on my iPod produced a far better sound. The bass was smooth and clean, and had good definition and weight. Cool! 

 Some Jeff Beck tunes really sound great with the Mint. Psycho Sam, for one. I think my feet were moving with this one. A great pulse going on, quite musical. The slapback echo really snaps. 

 For the iPod in general: I could have built this with more gain. I calculated a gain of 7, but the iPod headphone output really needs some juice. I suppose I'll need to build a line-out cable now to see what that can deliver for me. 
 On the other hand...
 For my DVPS9000 player downstairs: the gain is perfect. Running the big Harmonic Tech Pro Silway IIs directly to the Mint was pretty awesome. One, because I have never heard a direct connection to an SACD player, and two, because the cables weigh more than the Mint. The little bugger was doing a wheelie! I look forward to spending some time going back through my music collection and hearing things again. 

 Once I get some dollars saved, I'll start thinking about a Pimeta...then a PPA...then a Millet...geez, I already have a list ready....! 

 Now let's all recite the chant: "Welcome to Head Fi. Sorry about your wallet!"


----------



## Shosta

After a pair of cmoy (one the playmoy) and a pimeta I have finished a RA-1 Clone. 
 I'm impressed with the change in the sound of my SR225. I never thought it could be so different from the Pimeta. 
 The PiMeta (OPA627s) sounds very, very well with my HD600s but it's too bright with the sr225s. 
 Until now i was using at home a cmoy with the SR225 but now this new amp get lush and warm sound. More balanced bass (not very tight), richer mids, less bright and less pace. For me, after one week listening, the overall sound it's the best i listened from the sr225. 
 That's said, With this amp the HD600s needs up the volume. And sounds muffled. I'll keep it with my pimeta-clone.


----------



## tess

I've been building my Zippo Amps again, thought I would try and make it outwardly as neat as possible by getting rid of the Toggle switch and using the Alps RK097 On/Off volume pot that Tangent sells on his site.

 I had the boards specially made up and are a double sided design curved on one corner so that they fit neatly into a Zippo or Altoids tin.

 The original design is one Guzzler posted a while ago and I have altered a couple of times along the way.


----------



## t10

Here is a little mod I did to an old set of Panny cans that I had layin' around.

 Before:






 After:










 The extra long cord was useful for watching a movie late at nite, but the fact that it was attached directly all the way through sucked big time. So I split it. 
 The Volume knob is fairly useful, so I left the 3d surround b.s. housing, insteasd of completelly getting rid of it.


----------



## [AK]Zip

I have no idea why it took me so long to get around to posting pictures of my amp's, but here is one of them. This is a mint amp which was cut in half and put into an altoids tin.
















 More to come soon. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 -Alex-


----------



## xchagg

My MINT (Meta42 In A Tupperware 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## jhawk22

Dynalo.......wima caps, elna cerafines, vishay resistors, alps blue velvet, hammond case.

 Have a little tweaking left to do. Offset settles in at 1-2mv. It drives the sony mdr-3000's effortlessly. 

 Heres a front view of the case and and the amp itself. I'm still working on the top of the case. 


 "Stealth" mounted neutrik 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Little headphone logo
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 power off


----------



## Thaddy

Nice logo! Also, how did you mount the Neutrik like that?


----------



## jhawk22

thanks, I cut an identical size faceplate and placed it in the backside of the hammond plastic frame, then sandwiched the neutrik between the two, then screwed both into the case. It creates enough pressure so the jack doesnt move and the base plate of the neutrik jack is the perfect size(1/8'' i think) so it doesnt make the faceplate bow out or flex. 
 hope this makes sense.


----------



## robzy

Which hammond are you using there?

 Rob.


----------



## jhawk22

546-1455N2201, its 8'' long. I had tried the 6'' model but it seemed too cramped. The dynalo gets pretty hot.


----------



## DolbyR

The Board:

 CB inside the enclosure:







 and the CMOY...














 The big hole on the amp was supposed to be for the pot that in the end couldn't fit in the enclosure.

 The enclosure will change soon as the setup will become with 2 9v bats in series, better opamp, pot, different switch and led.


 EDIT: Pics moved to http://www.halmetaudio.cjb.net/Cmoy1.html


----------



## retaeht

Nice work with your CMOY DolbyR. 

 I suppose the sound is great with your new headphones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Good luck with the next one.


----------



## bg4533

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jhawk22* 
_546-1455N2201, its 8'' long. I had tried the 6'' model but it seemed too cramped. The dynalo gets pretty hot._

 

I fit a Dynalo in the 6" model and it was a tight fit. It has a Alps blue pot and a Neutrik Chrome nose jack. I doubt I could have fit the locking jack in. The case does get really warm. I replaced the top panel with a metal grill.

 Where did the headphone logo LED come from?


----------



## jhawk22

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bg4533* 
_I fit a Dynalo in the 6" model and it was a tight fit. It has a Alps blue pot and a Neutrik Chrome nose jack. I doubt I could have fit the locking jack in. The case does get really warm. I replaced the top panel with a metal grill.

 Where did the headphone logo LED come from?_

 

I was able to fit the dynalo in the 6'' hammond but with the pot and jack mounted off center. 


 I made the headphone logo with acrylic and photoshop, its one of a kind. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Here are some pics of the top(tinted) and back.


----------



## rjkdivin

Very nice looking build jhawk22!!!!! How does it sound?


----------



## jhawk22

Compared to a ppa with glassman's diamond buffers, it sounds brighter, more impact in bass, the treble seems a little more edgey. Some recordings sound truely horrible, its not very forgiving. I notice sounds not heard on the ppa.

 I prefer the warm sound of the ppa with opa627, but the dynalo seems to be growing on me


----------



## Xakepa

-2x2227PA
 -TLE2426+BUF634 on the ground channel
 -Gain 3
 -Matched resistors
 -Socketed input caps (jumpered for no DC offset soundcard)
 -In, out, switch, diode

 Hope you like it...sorry for the crapy quality (25K)


----------



## shplorgh

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jhawk22* 
_I was able to fit the dynalo in the 6'' hammond but with the pot and jack mounted off center. 


 I made the headphone logo with acrylic and photoshop, its one of a kind. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Here are some pics of the top(tinted) and back. 

 -snip-_

 

Beautiful! o.o


----------



## stewtheking

Ok, so I thought I'd post a few piccies of my lovely new millet hybrid. I have chucked them all into photobucket, after a bit of squashing, but they are still a little large... If anybody needs any a bit smaller, then PM me and i'll squash 'em a bit more. 

 Firstly, My new amp, kicking it on my desk. Note the funky switch i found with built in LED, kinda looks like a dalek weapon i recon.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17.../AMP1small.jpg

 Second, a pic of the back, showing my (soon to be replaced) interconnects, and the power input. I decided to go for a DIN connector here, so that it would be lockable and not fall out.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17.../AMP2small.jpg

 Next, the obligatory internals. Glare from the top of the caps meant this was the best shot i could get of the inside, but it gives a rough idea of the inside.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17.../AMP3small.jpg

 Here is a shot of the slight modification i made to the design, because my power supply was having kittens, a resistor in line with the power in, to load the supply whilst the caps/tubes are charging/warming up.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17.../amp5small.jpg

 And last but not least, my millet rocking out with his new pal, mr RS-1. Life is sweet. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17.../AMP4small.jpg

 Hope you guys like the pics as much as I like my new amp, and cheers for all the help.

 Stew


----------



## rickcr42

nice deal but this part surprising :

  Quote:


 showing my (soon to be replaced) interconnects 
 

Why ? I see no reason these are inadequate unless the cable itself very poor sounding.
 Don't fall into the _that pretty means better_ trap.That you need to spend a fortune on heavy metal "plugs as jewelry" and "pretty colors" cable coverings.Down that path leads _good to look at_ but not to better sounding cables.In fact usually far worse sound and problems getting the suckers to make an actual good connection though you will never hear the cable manufacturers say that (how else could they charge you thousands per connection ?)

 nice tidy amp though


----------



## stewtheking

Nonsense, everybody knows a prettier cable sounds better. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 No, the "soon to be replaced" was a bit of a mis-nomer. I am planning to build some cables to replace some other ones elsewhere in the system that aren't as nice, so if I build some pretty ones, they are going to be stuck into my pretty amp on my desk, and the other ones moved to behind the stack, where they'll never get seen, as opposed to hiding my nice new ones. If that makes grammatical sense.


----------



## MdRex

RA-1 Deriavative.


----------



## rickcr42

Quote:


 If that makes grammatical sense. 
 

Makes sense.Asking the wrong guy about grammer though


----------



## steel

Dynahi


----------



## steel

finished


----------



## chillysalsa

Very nice thermal management on that Dynahi!


----------



## palchiu

Nice job!!! another great Dynahi ~


----------



## saturnine

Just thought I'd post my PPA, built by MisterX. No I didnt build it, but it is still a DIY design...






 More pics can be found here:
http://www.members.aol.com/x86inside/PPA/31/


----------



## steinchen

finally got my tpa6120 cased up: http://stonerain.homepage.t-online.d...o.html#tpa6120

 my ISP changed the URL to the webspace domain, therefore all previous posted links are broken :/ 
 maybe I'll have to change my webspace provider in the future again, if links don't work have a look at my head-fi profile and follow the hp URL given there


----------



## [AK]Zip

I finally got around to taking pictures of my PPA amp with Glassman Diamond buffers, and STEPS PSU.





















 -Alex-


----------



## n_maher

That my DIY habit has gotten entirely out of control...






 Or a sign that i just need to start finishing a few of these things eh?


----------



## dan1son

You can mail any one of those over here, I'll case em up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## benton

If you need to get some off your hands, I would be more than happy to buy some as I am lookng for an amp


----------



## rreynol

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_That my DIY habit has gotten entirely out of control...

 [/IMG]http://www.pbase.com/n_maher/image/50494992.jpg[/IMG]

 Or a sign that i just need to start finishing a few of these things eh?_

 


 come on man, get on it already!


----------



## Thaddy

Nate how is that stepped attenuator working out? It sure looks like you've been busy!

 If I know you...there are twice as many parts and pcb's laying around waiting to be built


----------



## n_maher

Hehehehe, I'm not selling any of that blood sweat and tears. Each one of those stepped attenuators takes about 4 hours. And case work will begin on at least two of those amps this week. I've had my group-buy Par Metals cases for waaaaay to long. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_Nate how is that stepped attenuator working out? It sure looks like you've been busy!_

 

 I've only listened to the M³ so far but it sounds great in that application. I can't wait to hear the PPA V2 with it. And I'll send you a PM on the Millett with the diamond buffers in a couple of days 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_If I know you...there are twice as many parts and pcb's laying around waiting to be built_

 

Well, I've been trying to cut down on the number of projects but I've still got 2 or 3 big ones planned for this winter. The big push right now is to get all of these done for the upcoming Boston meet. 

 N


----------



## en480c4

Considering that 2nd M3 is mine, I'd say this thread proves nothing more than this simple fact:

 You 'da MAN!!!


----------



## Nisbeth

Heh, you think that's bad? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If you want to turn this into the "look why I need more money and a long vacation"-thread, I'll be happy to post a few pics of what's lurking in my boxes of "almost-completed" projects 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_If you want to turn this into the "look why I need more money and a long vacation"-thread, I'll be happy to post a few pics of what's lurking in my boxes of "almost-completed" projects 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 /U._

 

Please do, always interested to see what other folks are building! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And I know, I know, I should be banned until I finish my Millett...

 Nate


----------



## Nisbeth

Just one (slightly blurry) pic for overview at the moment. 






 I didn't want to scare anyone (including myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), so I just opened the boxes. Not shown are a few more power amp projects in various stages of undress, my M3-board (which I still need a few components for) and a number of other things. I'll be adding more to the "collection" in a week or so after I get another shipment of parts from www.reichelt.de





 It's been a while since I realized that this stopped being about "good sound" a long time ago 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.

 EDIT: Oh, and I have speaker parts/projects as well


----------



## n_maher




----------



## rickcr42

success ! 


 {merged thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## pho_boi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_Just one (slightly blurry) pic for overview at the moment. 






 I didn't want to scare anyone (including myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), so I just opened the boxes. Not shown are a few more power amp projects in various stages of undress, my M3-board (which I still need a few components for) and a number of other things. I'll be adding more to the "collection" in a week or so after I get another shipment of parts from www.reichelt.de





 It's been a while since I realized that this stopped being about "good sound" a long time ago 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.

 EDIT: Oh, and I have speaker parts/projects as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hello,

 Was wondering what project that is with the 3 tubes on that PCB??


----------



## doobooloo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pho_boi* 
_Hello,

 Was wondering what project that is with the 3 tubes on that PCB??_

 

Looks like the mini tube amp that digi01 put together a while ago. No? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 BTW, amazing set of DIY projects you've got there, Nisbeth!


----------



## Thaddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *doobooloo* 
_Looks like the mini tube amp that digi01 put together a while ago. No? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 BTW, amazing set of DIY projects you've got there, Nisbeth! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 I'm also interested in the amp with 3 tubes, mind shedding some more light on this mystery?


----------



## Nisbeth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *doobooloo* 
_Looks like the mini tube amp that digi01 put together a while ago. No? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Well, no! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It is a Morgan-Jones, but I didn't think digi's layout was compact enough so I did my own 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a half-eurocard (8x10 cm) because that's what I had to work with in the free version of Eagle. The board is finished but not tested. I haven't had the PSU-board made yet and my original plan was to use a custom transformer for it (mainly to keep the small size and because it was necessary to connect the heaters in series so it requires 19V instead of 6.3V). Unfortunately my transformer-source dried up and so the project is at a bit of a stand-still while I consider alternative PSU-options 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## pho_boi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_Well, no! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It is a Morgan-Jones, but I didn't think digi's layout was compact enough so I did my own 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a half-eurocard (8x10 cm) because that's what I had to work with in the free version of Eagle. The board is finished but not tested. I haven't had the PSU-board made yet and my original plan was to use a custom transformer for it (mainly to keep the small size and because it was necessary to connect the heaters in series so it requires 19V instead of 6.3V). Unfortunately my transformer-source dried up and so the project is at a bit of a stand-still while I consider alternative PSU-options 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U._

 

Would you still have the Eagle files on hand, and maybe like to share with me


----------



## Nisbeth

Sure, PM me an email address and I'll send them to you later today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## en480c4

Well, I figured I'd post up in here again...

 The Twins are done!

 Here's a shot w/ Nate's NAD CD player for some testing after wrapping up the case work...
 The top:
 PPA v2 + STEPS
 The bottom:
 M3 + STEPS
 Both in ParMetal 20 Series cases, NKK switches, Cardas RCAs & (temporary) THL knobs.






 And many thanks to Nate for everything he did to make this happen 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 All that's left is to find a permanent home for the Millett and I'll be in business!


----------



## n_maher

Hehehehe, what's 5 hours between friends? And I can't believe that you didn't post a pic of the diy-**** shot?!??! I'm not shy:


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_Hehehehe, what's 5 hours between friends? And I can't believe that you didn't post a pic of the diy-**** shot?!??! I'm not shy:




_

 


 Are those Par-Metal cases 12x8x3?


----------



## en480c4

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Teerawit* 
_Are those Par-Metal cases 12x8x3?_

 

Nope, 16x12x3 so they stack well w/ standard components.


----------



## jerb

I like the beanie Babies in the background!

 and so this post actually has some meaning, why is there a "floating" orange led comming off the PSU?


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jerb* 
_ I like the beanie Babies in the background!_

 

Side effect of having a wife my friend. Kindly note that they (along with me I might add) have been banished to the attic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 . 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jerb* 
_and so this post actually has some meaning, why is there a "floating" orange led comming off the PSU?_

 

Oh come on now, you don't give your amps internal illumination? I like basking in the warm glow even if it isn't a tube amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . It's a lot more fun when they glow like this:






 Nate


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *en480c4* 
_Nope, 16x12x3 so they stack well w/ standard components._

 

Ah. Makes sense


----------



## Rav

My Oxo tin C-Moy, made from a kit a friend put together:


----------



## Buzzerbro

Hello, I built this mint amp a while ago and finally got around to posting the pics. It is Bias to class A and it has stacked buffers. It can be battery powered or wall powered depending on the position of the switch. It’s fitted into the smallest Hammonds case.











Stacked buffers (SMD soldering is easy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )










I ran a file across the bottoms of the PCBs so they can be pressed close together.


----------



## 98venom

My first build! I got this thing done today.....Pimeta, nothing special. This is my first introduction to DIY audio and I am hooked. This thing sounds nice.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My next builds are the M3 and the Millet Hybrid........


----------



## mrdon

Still have a few screws to put here and there but here's my MJ amp all boxed up with custom oak and bird's eye maple case with black old school bakelite ham radio knob. Parts consist of Nichicon FG Caps, Nichicon VX Caps, Reliable PPMFXCaps, Cornell Dubilier Caps, UF4007 Diodes, Holco Resistors, Kiwame Carbon Film Resistor, ceramic tube sockets, Amperex (HP version) 6dj8's, Alps Pot, and Allied 6K49VG Transformer (Rebadged Hammond). This was a real challenge for me and I enjoyed every minute of construction. The end results sounds just spectactular. For DIY, this amp is highly recommended.


----------



## amb

mrdon, gorgeous wood finish and the knob is way cool. Congrats!


----------



## Edwood

LOL, is the pot that hard to turn that you need a hand crank? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 -Ed


----------



## rjkdivin

mrdon,

 That is a great implementation....very original. You might consider a retro looking power level meter in place of the pilot LED.....just a thought....it looks great the way it is.


----------



## 98venom

Now that is a conversation piece. Awesome craftsmanship.....


----------



## Oink1

That volume knob looks like a car seat back adjuster! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice work


----------



## darkisz

That is quite a classy casing job, mrdon. It puts my amp to shame. 

 However, here's some pic of my Pimenta/Tread in a hammond case:
















 Inside:











 Sounds good, too


----------



## 98venom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *darkisz* 
_However, here's some pic of my Pimenta/Tread in a hammond case:_

 



 I need to try stacking the buffers on my pimeta to hear how it changes the sound......


----------



## meat01

.


----------



## Nisbeth

I have now completed two versions of the updated Millet Hybrid headphone amplifier.

 I call them the "Blue" and the "Red" amplifier. This has nothing to do with the colour of the enclosure, but rather with the colour of the components inside (should be evident from the pictures below). The Blue amplifier uses Panasonic FC and Rifa MKP capacitors whereas the Red uses Elna Cerafine and Wima MKPs. The component values are the same, so these two amplifiers provide a good platform for testing the sonic differences between components.

 Apart from the slight component differneces, the only real difference is that the Blue amp sports a set of pre-amp outputs. I've gotten excellent results using the Blue amplifier as a preamp for my Class-D poweramps.

 Overall I am very happy with these 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 PCBs before they were cased up:





 "Blue" amp










 "Red" amp











 /U.


----------



## rjkdivin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_I have now completed two versions of the updated Millet Hybrid headphone amplifier.

 Apart from the slight component differneces, the only real difference is that the Blue amp sports a set of pre-amp outputs. I've gotten excellent results using the Blue amplifier as a preamp for my Class-D poweramps.

 Overall I am very happy with these 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 /U._

 

Very nice job Nisbeth!......but what of the A-B comparison results....can you hear a difference with the more boutique components?


----------



## Nisbeth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rjkdivin* 
_Very nice job Nisbeth!......but what of the A-B comparison results....can you hear a difference with the more boutique components?_

 

Thanks! As a matter of fact I do hear a difference between the two. It's not great, but it's there. The "Red" amp has slightly more resolution and detail and is just a tad more pleasing to listen to. I am mainly attributing the difference to the Cerafine output caps, which I belive are the most critical in this design. The PSU caps should have less of an impact (indeed that FC's may be better here due to lower ESR) and I'm honestly not sure how much the quality of the bypass caps matter vs. the quality of the output electrolytics. I know the Wima caps are considered "boutique" in the US, but I believe that's mainly because they are "Made in Europe" and hard to get 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The Rifa's should have at least equivalent specs and IME they are generally considered superior to the Wimas over here.

 Overall conclusion is that these are both great amps although the "Red" has a slight edge over the "Blue". However, as the "Blue" has preamp outputs, that's the one I'll normally be using 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_ I know the Wima caps are considered "boutique" in the US, but I believe that's mainly because they are "Made in Europe" and hard to get 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The Rifa's should have at least equivalent specs and IME they are generally considered superior to the Wimas over here._

 

I think that depends whether they are MKP's or FKP's.


----------



## Jaypetermen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_I have now completed two versions of the updated Millet Hybrid headphone amplifier.

 PCBs before they were cased up:





 /U._

 


 Very impressive builds. 

 Have you had a chance to perform an A/B comparison on the two boards?

 With the on board LED in place, where did you wire the under-tube LEDs?

 Did you wire them in series or parallel?


----------



## ryanjun

hi, this is my second post ever in headfi..

 (the first one's deleted hours ago b'c they thought it was commercial.. so as a matter of fact, am posting a same article all over again. 
 I'M JUST AN AMATURE, AND THIS AMP IS A SINGLE BUILD WHICH IS *NOT COMMERCIAL * AT ALL.)

 i've built a *YAHA*, a hybrid amp for low voltage operation, and applied the 'voltage inverter' tweak of _Sijosae _ which adds -10VDC to cathode-gnd path thus virtually making [12-(-10)=22VDC] tube operation possible with a single regulated 12VDC supply. 































 the huge(?) black input caps are some high-end film caps from korea, and pink ones are korean version of sanyo oscon(oem). i tried numbers of ops and finally settled down on opa627 (and jan 6922).

 it's been my first tube experience.. a cute amp, ist'it?


----------



## Thaddy

Very nice work, that looks *very* professional! One thing though, that little tube seems to be sweating quite a bit in it's attempt to drive those K501's. Is your volume nearly maxed out or do you just listen _really_ loud?


----------



## ryanjun

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_Very nice work, that looks *very* professional! One thing though, that little tube seems to be sweating quite a bit in it's attempt to drive those K501's. Is your volume nearly maxed out or do you just listen really loud?_

 

hi, thaddy thanx for a compliment~ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the reason i pumped it up was b/c at that time i was getting the source directly from a mod optoplay(a usb-dac) which is the weakest source i have.
 the gain of this tube is around 20 (which is pretty high) so normally u don't have to worry about how much loudness it could deliever. i've even seen some people add 47k resistors to reduce the input level from large sources.

 there are threads about YAHA at headwize diy forum u might wanna look for it. it's basically a simplified version of pete millet hybrid (just my opinion). major differences are that it employeed double-triode tubes (such as 6922 or ecc88) and an opamp instead of buf634s -- i've seen a variant version of YAHA with buf634 tho.


----------



## DolbyR

Here's the v.2 of my Cmoy

 specs (EDIT: and pics) can be found at http://www.halmetaudio.cjb.net

 please criticize as much as you can


----------



## Kippei




----------



## .: ZMN :.

A big thank you to the people that designed the things I build or otherwise helped me (with advise or parts) while building amps during the past twelve months!







 In chronological order:

 An *OTL Tube Amplifier*, with ECC82 tubes. It is a DIY thing I found in a magazine.














 The housing was cheap but looks quite nice: a recycled plexiglass CD rack with two nice pieces of cherry wood.


 Second came a *Pimeta* to replace a Cmoy as portable amp.











 With a little extra work on the larger capacitors (Panasonic FCs) the board just fitted a 1 inch high enclosure. The potentiometer doubles as ON switch. Diodes make sure the power source with highest voltage is selected, so the internal two 9V batteries are saved when an external powersupply (STEPS or NiMH battery board) is connected.


 And then, a * PPA v1.1 with Glassman Buffers * and STEPS Power Supply. 








 There are several options to rearrange the setup. BTW two of the enclosure (double blue stripes) are used for a DIY DAC (DDDAC) and it's 12V battery. 





 I tried to keep things simple at the back. 









 Pieces of aluminium make sure the Glassman Buffers stay cool. On the PPA I used Elna Silmic II capacitors. I am curious how OPAMPs other than the AD8510s sound - will probably try some soon. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 To my suprise the SMD LEDS can be seen from outside the enclosure through the jack output. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Together with the DDDAC or not I think the PPA with Glassman buffers and STEPS sounds stunningly detailed. This is currently my preffered amp.


----------



## rjkdivin

Very nice projects ZMN! Very creative! What are you planning to put on top of your OTL AMP....what are the stand-offs for?


----------



## .: ZMN :.

Thanks!

 The standoffs were to protect the tubes when I had to move the amp in a box. 

 I know, I really should get some nice looking M3-size screws to replace them with.


----------



## nikongod

i finally finished my millet.

 of course a baby picture.




 hmm, where to start. 
 output caps are elna tonerex 470uf 100V
 psu caps for tube are rubicon black gate 220uf 100V
 psu caps for the buffers are nichon muse 470uf 50V
 main (large single cap shared for both chanels) cap is a nichon fine-gold 1000uf, 35V
 cathode bypass caps are elna cerafine 220uf, 16V (due for upgrading i can get better...)
 c4 position is not used, all other film caps are vishay mkt 1uf, 63V
 pot is an alps blue velvet.
 input jacks are cheap cardas rca's
 output is a neutrik 1/4" locking.
 power switch had a very cool blue led that was bright untill just before i realised that i still cant read resistor bands, and used a 47ohm resistor on its psu line. oops.


----------



## diablo9

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* 
_i finally finished my millet.

 of course a baby picture.




 hmm, where to start. 
 output caps are elna tonerex 470uf 100V
 psu caps for tube are rubicon black gate 220uf 100V
 psu caps for the buffers are nichon muse 470uf 50V
 main (large single cap shared for both chanels) cap is a nichon fine-gold 1000uf, 35V
 cathode bypass caps are elna cerafine 220uf, 16V (due for upgrading i can get better...)
 c4 position is not used, all other film caps are vishay mkt 1uf, 63V
 pot is an alps blue velvet.
 input jacks are cheap cardas rca's
 output is a neutrik 1/4" locking.
 power switch had a very cool blue led that was bright untill just before i realised that i still cant read resistor bands, and used a 47ohm resistor on its psu line. oops._

 

seems so many people are using this case, what's the model # of it?


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *diablo9* 
_seems so many people are using this case, what's the model # of it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hammond 1455N1601 and 1455N1602.


----------



## diablo9

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Teerawit* 
_Hammond 1455N1601 and 1455N1602._

 

thanks!


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *diablo9* 
_thanks!_

 

You thinkin about building a Millett too?


----------



## diablo9

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Teerawit* 
_You thinkin about building a Millett too? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

it's definitely on my list, probably top 5 of totally 20 of them


----------



## grasshpr

Had too much free time on my hands so I decided to build a Tic-Tac CMOY with TLE2426 virtual ground.


----------



## virax

Wow grasshpr, I'm impressed with how small of an enclosure you were able to use!!

 <bows to your greatness>

 I'll post pictures of my stuff up soon. Just two CMOYs - Pocket and desktop.


----------



## grasshpr

I was worried whether I could get an alps pot in that thing, but luckily it worked out! Anyway, I'm looking for a nice 9V battery holder for this build. Anybody have suggestions?


----------



## MaxW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grasshpr* 
_I was worried whether I could get an alps pot in that thing, but luckily it worked out! Anyway, I'm looking for a nice 9V battery holder for this build. Anybody have suggestions?_


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grasshpr* 
_I was worried whether I could get an alps pot in that thing, but luckily it worked out! Anyway, I'm looking for a nice 9V battery holder for this build. Anybody have suggestions?_

 


http://www.mouser.com/access/?pn=12BH9V/CS


----------



## grasshpr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_http://www.mouser.com/access/?pn=12BH9V/CS_

 

Thanks MisterX, I was just looking at that case a few minutes ago. Its got a power switch as well. I don't know what I'll do with it since I'm using an alps 10k pot with a switch. I guess I'll have to be a little creative... Thanks again.


----------



## MisterX

Agreed, the switch is pretty redundant. 
 Doesn't radio shack offer something very much like that one from Mouser? 
 I could have swore they did but.....


----------



## grasshpr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_Agreed, the switch is pretty redundant. 
 Doesn't radio shack offer something very much like that one from Mouser? 
 I could have swore they did but....._

 

I only know of the 9V clips. I'll have to check the local radio shack with a fine tooth comb next time


----------



## MisterX

Think you could fit the cells from that bettery in one of those tic tac cases? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 The question is... are you willing to cut it open to find out?


----------



## grasshpr

Nope MisterX, doesn't fit unless I make a really big cut off the wide side of the tic-tac box. It will look rather bad... 

 I was initially going to put some velcro on the side of the tic tac box and on the 9V battery, buts that may look kindof ugly. 

 However, a few AAA batteries will fit in the Tic-tac box. Maybe a really small DC-DC converter circuit in the box will work, I'll think about it for a later revision (gotta get some more tic-tacs in order to have some more fun 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).

 Thanks for the ideas MisterX


----------



## MisterX

That kinda sucks because a matching battery pack would have rocked.


----------



## The Monkey

Just a cmoy I built a while back...in the ubiquitous Altoids tin:






 The guts (I need some work on my wiring 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ):






 Pimeta on deck...


----------



## ble0t

Finally got the case work done on my DAC (Monica 2). Thought I'd share some pics...

 Overall






 DAC





 Charger





 Toggle Switch





 Basically, the toggle switch either connects the battery to the DAC and disconnects power from the charging circuit or it connects the battery to and applies power to the charger.


----------



## Teerawit

Very nice! A portable DAC, gotta love it!

 I like the big heatsink too


----------



## ble0t

Yea...it actually is portable and would be able to run for a good week before needing a charge too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 As far as the heatsink is concerned...the charger puts a solid 1A into the battery, so the heatsink gets pretty warm when in full charge...


----------



## GregVDS

I posted some pics of my M³ and STEPS finished in the M³ discussion on Headwize DIY workshop.

 Here my files are too large, sorry.

 Go there, and give me your comments,

 Sorry about the pics quality, poor camera, poor photograph, poor resolution due to compression!

 Al the best,

 GregVDS


----------



## MaxW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GregVDS* 
_I posted some pics of my M³ and STEPS finished in the M³ discussion on Headwize DIY workshop.

 Here my files are too large, sorry.

 Go there, and give me your comments,

 Sorry about the pics quality, poor camera, poor photograph, poor resolution due to compression!

 Al the best,

 GregVDS_

 

At least give us a link!


----------



## Teerawit

http://headwize.com/ubb/showpage.php...=5863&fpage=12

 Bottom of the page.


----------



## GregVDS

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Teerawit* 
_http://headwize.com/ubb/showpage.php...=5863&fpage=12

 Bottom of the page._

 

Thanks Teerawit, I just have the link in my clipboard, ready to paste it here, but you were faster!

 Have fun,

 GregVDS


----------



## MisterX

A buffered cmoy amp built from one the boards eyevancsu was selling.


----------



## dsavitsk

NSSPS (Not So Simple Phono Stage.) This is based on the VSPS, but built with a CCS for class a bias of the opamps + buffers. The amp is dual mono. The PS is quasi-dual mono.

 front: Sides are walnut.





 back





 inside: It's hard to see in the picture. The resistors are mostly Riken, with a few draloric thrown in as well. The output caps are Solen bypassed by Vitamin Q's. The opamps are opa627's. PS caps are mostly panasonic FM's, though most of this amp was built with stuff I had around left over form other projects.









 amp schematic (that top V- should be a V+)





 PS schematic


----------



## pho_boi

Just finished this hybrid tube amp


----------



## jboehle

That looks like the bottom half of a cigar box, am I right? Either way, very nice looking!

 What hybrid amp is that? One of your own design, or something else? Schematic?


----------



## pho_boi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jboehle* 
_That looks like the bottom half of a cigar box, am I right? Either way, very nice looking!

 What hybrid amp is that? One of your own design, or something else? Schematic?_

 

Nope it was a sold piece of wood, and I used a drill press to hollow out the inside 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and then used belt sander to do the sides.

 The design is sijosae's from headwize.

 edit: here is the schem


----------



## jbloudg20

Sijose has version 3 out,


----------



## ChrioN

pho_boi: Sweet looking amp you got there. Really innovative design! Hope it sounds as good as it looks


----------



## darkisz

I just finished casing up my 4th amp thanks to you guys. 

 M³/Tread in a Hammond

 Parts from n_maher's BOM, nothing fancy. Still, it sounds marvelous.


----------



## Teerawit

Hey darkisz, that was one quick build! It seemed just yesterday when we talked about the TREAD fitting in that case


----------



## The Monkey

I like it, darkisz. Please tell me how you made the top.


----------



## darkisz

Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm kind of 'between jobs' right now, so I have too much free time.

 It's perforated steel sheet. I picked it up here a year or so ago. I just trimmed it to size and it fits in the normal lid mounting rails. You probably want to have some metal snips around, but other than that, quite simple.


----------



## Thaddy

A STEPS power supply in a matching case/top would look wicked with that M3...


----------



## Jaypetermen




----------



## Jaypetermen




----------



## Jaypetermen




----------



## Jaypetermen




----------



## Teerawit

Yowza! Very nice!

 Did you use Front Panel Express? Also what cases are those?


----------



## Jaypetermen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Teerawit* 
_Yowza! Very nice!

 Did you use Front Panel Express? Also what cases are those?_

 

Thanks, 

 I have attached a BOM for the STEPS and Millett-Hybrid. I am trying to attach a BOM for the M³, however it's 25.4 KB and the limit is 25 KB.

 Yes, the front panels are from Front Panel Express and the case for the STEPS and M³ where from the Par-metal MMM case Headfi group buy. Say that three times fast.

 The Millett-Hybrid case is a Hammond. I tried to find a couple more of the Par-metal MMM cases for this and other builds, without any luck.


----------



## GuffMorgan

Jaypetermen, those are some great looking amps, how're they sounding?


----------



## Jaypetermen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GuffMorgan* 
_Jaypetermen, those are some great looking amps, how're they sounding?_

 

I just finished the Millett-Hybrid this week, so unfortunately I have not listener to it much. I need to start listening to both amps more now that I am 95% complete with them.

 From my first impression the Millett-Hybrid sounds great. It has a lot more output then I would have thought. The MAX volume I have achieved is about 35% on the volume knob, with the HD-650s and that’s loud enough. Above that it seems to distort a little and become bright (for a lack of a better word). I may need to adjust the bias. I am currently running the amp from the STEPS outputting 27VDC and biased to 13.5V, per AMBs site.

 The M³ is amazing. When I auditioned it for the first time, I used the Nomad Zen DAP as the source and I was a little disappointed with the amp. I then switch the source to the Arcam DV-78 and the amp blew me away. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am amazed how clean the M³ and STEPS combo is. With the source off and the M³ volume turned full MAX, there is no noise at all...just black. The M³ and HD 650 symmetry it outstanding and seems very neutral. I would like to audition either the Beyer DT880 or one of the new AKG offerings with this amp in the future.

 With the M³ / HD 650 as my headphone reference setup, I think that I am going to start looking for some rock cans, which will have better symmetry with the Millett-Hybrid. Maybe the Grado SR225s. Any recommendations are welcome.


----------



## virax

How do so many of you get away with one battery in a CMOY? When I use one battery, I get a lot of distortion at decent volumes. Two batteries in series and it works fine.

 Yes, I did build a portable CMOY a little while ago, but I don't use it, so I put it inside a larger enclosure (just like this one) since he purchased the same headphones as me (Sennheiser HD-280 Pro), and wanted an amp of some type at this desk. Here's what both his and my own look like.





















 I'm using Bulgin battery drawers on both units so pulling out the batteries to recharge them isn't a pain. Sounds and works great, but I'm looking into a different way to label things, as the crooked cut white labels look slightly tacky.


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


 I'm looking into a different way to label things, as the crooked cut white labels look slightly tacky. 
 

Handmade sells dry transfers that would work good on your case. 

http://www.hndme.com/storemiscellaneous.html

 You could also reprint the labels and then get busy with the exact knife to make a stencil... a little white paint and poof. 
 Instant labels.


----------



## ttr

Next pic deserves a gore warning 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






 Powered by 8xAA 2400mAh cells (two seems to be improperly attached when taking a pic, whoops), battery-life about 3 weeks with 4-8hours daily listening.




 Hmm, the led isn't really THAT bright.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 stupid camera


----------



## The Monkey

very cool, ttr!


----------



## Nisbeth

Birch plywood? Very original for someone from Finland 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			









 /U.


 Seriously, that's very nice work ttr


----------



## ttr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nisbeth* 
_Birch plywood? Very original for someone from Finland 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





_

 

Touche 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks!


----------



## Twombly

Is the CMoy-in-a-wood-enclosure-with-a-pretty volume knob a coquettish jab at the RA-1?


----------



## saab

Thought I would put up the Millet Hybrid I am finishing. All I have left to do is get the AC socket permantly installed in the back of the power supply box (it is hanging out like a little tail.)

 Here is the amp sitting on the power supply.





 Just the amp





 Glamour tube shot 





 I sounds wonderful. It is too bad that I already have it traded.

 -John


----------



## Oink1

Nice work saab - I think you should stain/varnish the exposed wood in the lid where the tube holes are


----------



## strogg

Cmoy-in-women's-deodorant!: 
















 It uses an OPA4227PA as the opamp. the reason why i used a 4 channel rather than the 2 channel is to utilize one of the channels as sort of a buffer for the rail splitter (rather than using the TLE). it works very well and sounds pretty nice. Best of all, it fits perfectly in one of them portable deodorant packs stacked on top of 2 9v batteries
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the wires coming out are the in-line input and output jacks. one is a neutrik 1/4" in-line jack and the other is a 1/8" neutrik male connector. the white cable is a starquad with a strain relief inside that i made with hot-glue and a ziptie (hot glue gluing on the zip tie that's wrapped around the wire).


----------



## Lavalamp

strogg said:
			
		

> Cmoy-in-women's-deodorant!:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## rreynol

Definately do not try to board a plane with that cmoy.


----------



## chillysalsa

Please tell me, does the thumb-wheel to dispense deodorant act as the volume knob???


----------



## strogg

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rreynol* 
_Definately do not try to board a plane with that cmoy._

 

I'll make sure to put some more frayed wires first 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chillysalsa* 
_Please tell me, does the thumb-wheel to dispense deodorant act as the volume knob??? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

it dispenses great sound
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 seriously, i was going to do that, but there is no pot small enough or flat enough to fit in there


----------



## GuffMorgan

Strong enough for a Senn, but made for a Grado?

 Edit:
 I'm sorry, I'm sorry, that was really really bad


----------



## blueworm

Just finished millet Hybrid (sitting on a pimeta with a steps to its right.)


----------



## till

This is a CMoy in a blue translucent Hammond case:
blue CMoy 
 The 9 V battery slider is made by Bulgin; the amp also has a DC plug. The opamp is socketed (OPA2227). The ground channel contains a TLE2426 and a BUF634 in a TO220 case through which I stuck the blue LED. The circuit (straight from Headwize, gain of 5.5, with Meier bass-enhanced crossfeed after the input jack) was soldered on breadboard. The caps are 1500 µF Nichicon PF(M). The pot is an Alps RK097 from Tangent. The knob is available at reichelt.de, the case at conrad.de. 

 I also made a PIMETA in a silver aluminum case:
silver PIMETA 
 ATM, it sports an AD8620 and dual BUF634s on the L and R channels, and an AD8610 and a single BUF634 on the ground channel. Alps blue velvet pot, Elna Cerafine 470 µF caps, Wima 10 µF bypass caps. Bulgin dual 9 V battery slider. The power switch is made by Marquardt (1802 series, available from Conrad). The case (made by Isel) is available at reichelt.de, but I used black M3x20 screws from Conrad. The knob is a "dome speed" type for electric guitars.


----------



## MisterX

Nice pimeta till.

 Are the grounds on the jacks in the Pimeta isolated from the case? 
 If not they essentially short out the ground channel.....


----------



## till

Whoops! No, the jacks are not isolated. I have to admit that I totally forgot about the ground channel. OK, I guess I'll look for new jacks... thank you for the hint, MisterX!


----------



## en480c4

A little different than a lot of the builds in this thread, but here are the DIY woody cups I made for my HF-1's.

 I turned a 4x4 section of Mahogany on a lathe into these:

















 They came out great, and initial sonic impressions are very positive. I'll keep the thread in the Headphone Forum updated with back-to-back comparisons with stock HF-1's.


----------



## jerb

did you turn those on a lathe? I was going to try making some out of a chunk of bloodwood/paudak I have sitting in the garage but I havent gotten around to it yet.


----------



## en480c4

Yup, a lathe it was. It went really well for my first woodworking project like this. It was definitely time well spent.


----------



## doobooloo

Very nice lathe job!

 Do you hear any increased bass extension or upper midrange resonance from the longer chamber? I ask because I remember those two to be what were so staggeringly different about the MS-Pros compared to the "regular sized" Grados...


----------



## en480c4

I would have to say there is an increase in bass extension. The treble seems to have smoothed out a bit, too, but without a loss in detail. I haven't noticed any change in the mids, but I'm going to be doing a direct comparison to the stock HF-1 soon and will let you know.

 [edit]

 From my thread in the Headphone Forum:
  Quote:


 The sound of the woodied HF-1's is definitely different than the stock ones. I had a chance to sit down with Nate's stock HF-1's and my modded ones. There's definitely more bass extension and seems to be more bass detail as well. The treble has smoothed out considerably, and while they definitely don't have any less detail, there seems to be a little less treble "sparkle." They are definitely a little easier to listen to. And the mid-range is fuller with more body. I find the biggest difference in male and female vocals, and thick walls of heavy, distorted guitar. So I would have to say I'm very pleased with the changes made. 
 

So 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 sums things up pretty well!

 [/edit]


----------



## ryanjun

i've built a PPA with a diamond buffer module plus bass extension and gain switches.. the buffer module is basically Walt Jung's discrete buffer circuit. the output stage is pretty much stacked - 6 rows of BC327/337 transistors each channel - full A class operation even with low impedence cans.

 unlike the original PPA, it's got no ground channel b/c it's powered from external discrete dual pwr supply unit(semi-Kubota ps). i think this can drive some efficient speaker units, but i haven't tried yet.


----------



## Banfi T.

Nice work!

 (Those BJTs wouldn't survive the current demand (and the resulting heat dissipation) of a speaker, so do not try that configuration...)


----------



## ryanjun

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Banfi T.* 
_(Those BJTs wouldn't survive the current demand (and the resulting heat dissipation) of a speaker, so do not try that configuration...)_

 

thanx for compliment as well as warning..


----------



## boodi

nice faceplate design .. congrats on the choice

 does it make justice to the hungry k501 ?


----------



## amb

ryanjun, congratulations on a nice and professional looking amp. While you may have gotten your inspiration from a PPA, your amp is not built on a PPA pcb, nor does it have 3 channels which is an important defining characteristic for the PPA. You had not published a schematic so I don't know how else your amp deviates from that of a PPA, but from just those things alone I'd call it something else rather than a PPA.


----------



## ryanjun

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *boodi* 
_nice faceplate design .. congrats on the choice does it make justice to the hungry k501 ?_

 

i've made several other amps w/Jung's discrete buffers and tried many kinds of TRs for output stages and various resistor values for biasing currents.. mje15030/mje150331 pair was among them.. and these can draw current up to about 1.2W(just on paper). the current spec of BC337 and BC327 is 800mA, so it's 4.8W total. (just on paper spec) the result i got is paralleling output trs gets more dynamics with K501 - i am not sure why; could be more A-class bias current or less impedence. with a decent powerful power supply(it's not a good idea to run this with batteries) i think this one pulls most of the potential K501's got. what i like the most is that it drives K501 right whatever the source is - portable, wall-wart CDP, or whatever.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* 
_ryanjun, congratulations on a nice and professional looking amp. While you may have gotten your inspiration from a PPA, your amp is not built on a PPA pcb, nor does it have 3 channels which is an important defining characteristic for the PPA. You had not published a schematic so I don't know how else your amp deviates from that of a PPA, but from just those things alone I'd call it something else rather than a PPA._

 

You're right. as i mentioned, it's pretty far from original in terms of pwr supply. unlike the original, this one has neither a virtual gnd circuit nor a gnd channel to isolate the power rails completely.

 people in HAS, a Koream head-fi DIY forum, thought if the amp could be supplied from a dual supply, while the original gets powered from a single DC supply(STEPS), those components could be omitted. in fact, a discrete pwr supply has more performance in terms of ripple current than STEPS, which employs a regulator, and with a dual DC supply unit which has a FIRM ground, u don't need to add a gnd channel to stablize the gnd circuitry.

 well, for these reason, when this first came out, members of HAS called it 'JPPA' b/c it was first revised by Jee. but now most people call this a revised PPA or just PPA b/c giving credits to the PPA team is more appropriate in this case. btw, i think the source of PCB has nothing to do with the identity of this amp, b/c PPA is an open scheme.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ryanjun* 
_... with a dual DC supply unit which has a FIRM ground, u don't need to add a gnd channel to stablize the gnd circuitry._

 

This is not the right place to discuss the technical merits, but suffice to say that I have done much exploration and testing in this area, and that "firm" ground you speak of in a dual supply is not as firm as you might think, when the headphone load return current is dumped into it.


----------



## ryanjun

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* 
_This is not the right place to discuss the technical merits, but suffice to say that I have done much exploration and testing in this area, and that "firm" ground you speak of in a dual supply is not as firm as you might think, when the headphone load return current is dumped into it._

 

when ppl built this amp, it was portable in nature at the first place. i think wall-walt operation w/dual pwr supply can be different.. but as you said, this is not a right place.. so why not leave it controversial? all i was trying to do was to explain the reason i think this is a PPA, not something else. btw, i have a PPA with a gnd channel as well.


----------



## Banfi T.

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* 
_This is not the right place to discuss the technical merits, but suffice to say that I have done much exploration and testing in this area, and that "firm" ground you speak of in a dual supply is not as firm as you might think, when the headphone load return current is dumped into it._

 

I rarely discussed (or mentioned) merit of having a balanced drive. No common ground, no common return path. Very important indeed! (Think again dual mono with common ground...)


----------



## ryanjun

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Banfi T.* 
_I rarely discussed (or mentioned) merit of having a balanced drive. No common ground, no common return path. Very important indeed! (Think again dual mono with common ground...)_

 

well, i've discussed about this in HAS and still think ground channel is not necessary with dual pwr supply (on the other hand single pwr supply such as STEPS + virtual gnd will benefit from gnd channel circuit, and i have one with it.) this doesn't mean i disrespect the philosophy of gnd channel - i'm rather following it in my own enthusiastic way. thank you all for kind advices tho. i'll try to look up more discussions later on.


----------



## strogg

this is my kwak clock with uh... "high grade" components. this is going into my cd player. hopefully it'll make the sound better. i gotta tune it first:-/






 i put a 12 gauge 00 buck shotshell in there as size comparison


----------



## shplorgh

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *strogg* 
_this is my kwak clock with uh... "high grade" components. this is going into my cd player. hopefully it'll make the sound better. i gotta tune it first:-/






 i put a 12 gauge 00 buck shotshell in there as size comparison
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That's a clock?


----------



## Nisbeth

Somehow I don't think this is the optimum way of laying out a high-speed digital circuit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## The Monkey

A little cmoy in a big cigar box:






 Opening it's mouth:






 Guts:


----------



## steinchen

finally I got my first Dynalo cased up: (click on pics for full scale images)



 

 



 I picked 2SB 647 / 2SD 667 in place of the 2SA 1015 / 2SC 1815. The power con jack is a 4pol microphone jack. What a waste of space and money, but I couldn't fit headphone jack and volume pot in one eurocard-sized enclosure :/


----------



## Blooze

Here's the new CMOY I made for my son for Xmas. I was going to put a low voltage shutoff on it, but there's just not enough room in a round altoids can. It's got the TS922AIN opamp in it. It sounds pretty good for just one 9V. It's very comparable to the B-B 2132, but I think I like the 2132 better as it seems a hair bit smoother to me. Not near as much difference when running two 9V though.


----------



## steinchen

finally I got one my MHs cased up: (click on pics for full scale images)

 Aluminum frontpanel and acrylic top-panel are made (as usual) by Frontpanelexpress.com (though I'm still waiting for my golden FPE customer card)



 




 Holes straight above the trimpots give direct access for tube "bias" adjustment from outside the case with a small screwdriver. The bias testpoints are socketed (break off dip strips) and airwired to small 2mm laboratory jacks on the top-panel. 




 This way tube rolling and bias adjustment works like a breeze, the case doesn't need to be opened or disassembled. (If you wanted it even easier you'd have to order a servant to do it for you. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )

 Such a beautiful sounding and looking amp needs some decent lighting, of course. I installed 3500mcd ultrabright LEDs into the tube sockets, even at daylight the lighting is easily visible.




 At darkness the tubes look like powered by serious 2kV plasma technology


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* 
_Lengthy Picture Post_

 

Very nice planning! I think it's about time I used front panel express!


----------



## VR6ofpain

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* 
_bad@$$ millet_

 

Wow, you should sell these. I'd buy one.


----------



## blueworm

@steinchen
 I heard there was a frontpanelexpress service in germany, but cant find it in google.
 I'm begining to think that the title may be in deutch. My german really sux 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Do you have a link?
 Very nice build BTW.


----------



## Juergen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *blueworm* 
_@steinchen
 I heard there was a frontpanelexpress service in germany, but cant find it in google.
 I'm begining to think that the title may be in deutch. My german really sux 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Do you have a link?
 ...._

 

http://www.schaeffer-ag.de/index.php...age&Itemid=205


----------



## [AK]Zip

steinchen: More info on the diamond buffers I see there please.

 -Alex-


----------



## jboehle

Front Panel Express in Germany: http://www.schaeffer-ag.de/


----------



## blueworm

Thanks juergen. It in english too


----------



## grasshpr

Hey guys, just wanted to share my first try at a 10k stepped attenuator. The switch is from triode.com.

 Over 200 solder joints later...


----------



## ScubaSteve87

Thats nice, approx how much did it cost you to make? I am going to do alps pots in my next M3 amp unless I can get some decently cheap stepped attens


----------



## grasshpr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ScubaSteve87* 
_Thats nice, approx how much did it cost you to make? I am going to do alps pots in my next M3 amp unless I can get some decently cheap stepped attens_

 

Damn cheap compared with goldpoint attenuators. I spent 25 for the switch, 2 dollars for the proto boards and approximately 35 dollars for the resistors (bought resistors in bulk of course, enough to make 3 more attenuators). So about 37 dollars total for one attenuator. Now for the amp...


----------



## Brian Donaldson

Here's my first born head phone amp. It is loosly based on this http://headwize.com/projects/showfil...ammer2_prj.htm But different tubes voltages and power supply and ...well, it's a long tailed pair driving 4 paralleled cethode followers. Sounds great. Gain is about 4 and drives my Sennheiser HD570's to tears. I'm also including RCA outs for use as a preamp.

 On to the pics

 First is self evident
 Second is the bottom view of the circuit board. I used the laser printer transparency iron on method
 Third is a close up of the front. I have seperate heater, B+,mute switches, Then Input select, crossfade, volume (all left to right)
 And of course, the glowing view. The switches are in polished copper, and the knobs mounted in sanded plexiglass back lit with red LEDs. I'm also waiting for a piece of glass to mount under the top plate that will hang out over the tubes and be edgelit with red LEDs.

 I need to draw up the schematic to share and learn how to link images.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Brian Donaldson* 
_Here's my first born head phone amp._

 









 That's some mighty fine looking work you've done there Brian! 

 Nate


----------



## Blooze

Finally finished my Millett tonight! Got the knobs in the mail today which were the finishing touch. The top is zebrawood and polished aluminum, while the box is bamboo. Hope ya'll like it!


----------



## The Monkey

Blooze, all I can say is, "wow!" Beautiful work.


----------



## The Monkey

A couple of cmoys I built for the stockings this Christmas:


----------



## ScubaSteve87

Millet has been done for a while, but just haven't got around to posting pics.....


























 Its my first DIY amp and it turned out great, but I also messed up quite a bit

 a few notes: The top was not ment to be raw aluminum....the dremel slipped....so I was forced to make a design change

 The 1/4 jack and pot are down a little from center, because I have a tread kit inside the case up against the right side

 I also accidentaly switched the front and back panels around on the hammond....they should be switched

 Its got Cerafines in the C2 postion, white LED's under the tubes. Ihave 12fk6's in there right now, I prefer there larger sound stage and more laid back vocals to the 12AE6. Well thats about it....next up is a modified linkwitz crossfeed and an M^3 hopefully in 3-6 months


----------



## The Monkey

Very cool, Scubasteve. What power switch is that? I like it.


----------



## ScubaSteve87

http://www.mouser.com/index.cfm?hand..._pcodeid=54002

 that one on Mouser


----------



## ericj

This is my first take on Sijosae's iHybrid Nano - in an Altoid Sours tin. 

 It's not a bad little amp. His suggested 100k trimpot may be too low of a value. I ended up settling on a Philips NE5532 for the opamp. jrc4580 and opa2111 also sounded pretty good. 














 Sorry, no obligatory glowey picture. The 6111 is barely two dots of red in the dark anyway, and since it's inside the tin i made no effort to illuminate it. 

 Perfboard is from some one-horse outfit called Measure Explorer. It's very good pcb material and has a masked groundplane. 

 Also slightly proud of my wallwart hack. $2 thrift store 12vdc 500ma wart, replaced original 470uf cap with a 1000uf cap, 1n4001 diodes with 1n5817, added snubbers (possibly not needed with schotts), and bolted in an LDO 12v regulator. 






 Regulator is a Sanken SI-3122V. TO-3P formfactor, it's rated at 2 amps with a minimum voltage drop of 1 volt. It's performing very well. Unlike a 7812 or lm317, when it's only asked for 350ma it doesn't get hot enough to require a heatsink. Plus since the legs are fairly far apart, it was very easy to solder the protection diode and input and output caps directly. The package also electrically insulates the bolt that fixes it to the inside of the wallwart. 

 The datasheet called for "approximately .33uf" of ceramic caps between input and ground to prevent oscillation. I don't have any .33uf ceramics and the .33uf film caps i have are enormous, so i used approximately three .1uf discs. Ugly, but it works. 

 This amp runs fairly hot. the heatsink on the 7806 gets up to about 65c.


----------



## Blooze

Here is a crossfeed a'la the Meier Corda Cross. All carbon films and the knobs on the front are recessed into the panel.


----------



## Dvenosa

Well..... I have been thinking about a crossfeed filter design for a long time. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 The years have passed and I continued to develop my studies about it...

 I had too greatest inspirations Alexander Calder circus and Jason's friday 13th....and NOW I'am gonna show you guys the results!!!
 (not for the faint hearted)
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Functionalaty+design+modern art+design+portability = Ven/kwitz Filter





















 now i consider myself a master diy builder heheheheh




 It's a Meier Bass Enhanced Crossfeed made with the parts I had here....I made it just to spend my night doing something, kind of a therapy....look at the output ( its a cheap phone directely soldered)


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Dvenosa* 
_Well..... I have been thinking about a crossfeed filter design for a long time. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 The years have passed and I continued to develop my studies about it...

 I had too greatest inspirations Alexander Calder circus and Jason's friday 13th....and NOW I'am gonna show you guys the results!!!
 (not for the faint hearted)
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Functionalaty+design+modern art+design+portability = Ven/kwitz Filter

 now i consider myself a master diy builder heheheheh




 It's a Meier Bass Enhanced Crossfeed made with the parts I had here....I made it just to spend my night doing something, kind of a therapy....look at the output ( its a cheap phone directely soldered)
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








_

 

Its a work of art!


----------



## Mod_Evil

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Blooze* 
_Here is a crossfeed a'la the Meier Corda Cross. All carbon films and the knobs on the front are recessed into the panel.









_

 

Is this wood encluse not getting noise?


----------



## Blooze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mod_Evil* 
_Is this wood encluse not getting noise?_

 

Doesn't seem to be. At least I haven't noticed any yet, course my hearing pretty much sucks after years of playing in a rock band with no ear plugs.


----------



## grasshpr

Just finished a new Dynalo with an LMB case. It is powered by dual treads.

 Front:





 Back:





 Dual Tread Back:





 Dual Tread Front:





 Dual Tread Top:





 Dynalo Front:





 Inside Dynalo:


----------



## Predator88

lets give it up for the modest cmoy (my first one). Not pretty, but perfectly functional. Next step in DIy audio, better amps and some lessons in aesthetics.


----------



## ntrl

One layer pcb PSU Tangent's TREAD


----------



## skudmunky

My brand new CMoy. Took me a while, and there's still a kink or 2 to work out, but it sounds great. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 All I had was pink 18 gauge wire, so that's what I used. I managed to hook everything up correctly on the first try too! Also, the amp was built blind, I didn't have any circuit testers or anything. It worked perfectly the first try, so I guess I followed the instructions pretty well.


----------



## DigiPete

Here is half the Dynamite (dynahi)
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Need a real digital camera though...






 Here is the psu











 Inside the Amp (still need to finish building the other 2 channels)







 DigiPete


----------



## The Monkey

To grab your photo, right click on the actual jpg and select Properties, copy the URL, then paste into your post and use the


----------



## DigiPete

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_Is this it? 

 To grab your photo, right click on the actual jpg and select Properties, copy the URL, then paste into your post and use the  tags.[/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


Man thanks! I was loosin' it there for a minute..._


----------



## philodox

DigiPete - Looks great, but isn't it Dyna*might*?


----------



## DigiPete

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *philodox* 
_DigiPete - Looks great, but isn't it Dyna*might*?_

 

According to Dan Gardner's informative little website, its been spelled Dynamight and Dynamite, and since there is no 'official spelling' I chose the latter 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now I just need some time to sit down and do some more soldering...


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *philodox* 
_DigiPete - Looks great, but isn't it Dyna*might*?_

 

Come on, this is DIY, he can name it however he wants


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


 Come on, this is DIY, he can name it however he wants 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 

In that case I can call this a dantanalo.


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_In that case I can call this a dantanalo. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



_

 

Snazzy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks great!


----------



## switch32763

My sad little CMoy (first one, sound quality so-so)


 


 I might do a better CMoy and then do MINT or I might just do a MINT next

 My headphone stand for my DT770s (still needs to be stained and I might straighten and paint the wire)


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_In that case I can call this a dantanalo. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





_

 

Slick! What kind of case is that? I assume that's a pair of Treads in there also? Nice job (as usual).


----------



## doobooloo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* 
_Slick! What kind of case is that? I assume that's a pair of Treads in there also? Nice job (as usual)._

 

Looks like the Lansing MicroPak C style enclosure.

 Nice job on the Dantalano (did I spell that correctly?)!


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *doobooloo* 
_Looks like the Lansing MicroPak C style enclosure._

 

Roger that. 
 CW2 to be specfic. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





  Quote:


 I assume that's a pair of Treads in there also? 
 

Correct. 

 That is where the tan in the dantanalow name came from.


----------



## doobooloo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_Roger that. 
 CW2 to be specfic. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Do you have pics with the top cover on?


----------



## MisterX

Yea, there are a couple pics with the top on in my Head-Fi photo gallery. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Speaking of Lansing C series enclosures..... why just order one when two is twice as fun?


----------



## Computerpro3

Hey! Mister X is posting pics of my amp (yes, the exact one) topless!


----------



## steinchen

finally, after some delays, I finished my Dynahi. Due to the limited and simple tools I own casework has been hard this time.




 


 


 


 




 The heatsinks (0.45K/W) are a little oversized, it takes about 30min for the amp to warm up, but that's better than running too hot.

 I'm absolutely stunned by this amp. I expected it to sound similar to my Dynalos but the Dynahi is even far better. It has an amazing clearity, detail and soundstage. Everything is well defined, tight and under full control. Last but not least I got an amp that is capable of seriously driving my K1000. And the Ultrasone HFI-700 really shine now. I am seriously exited.

 Thanks to Kevin Gilmore for sharing this excellent design and to Dan Gardner for the boards. Special greetings to ble0t, thank you for the "kit"


----------



## Nisbeth

Very, very impressive work Steinchen 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How big is the case?


 /U.


----------



## steinchen

it's 45x33x8 cm (18x13x3 inch), basically it's a 19" case, 2 units in height
 weight of the finished amp is 7.6Kg


----------



## grasshpr

Your casework is wonderful. BTW, how did you get the heatsinks to fit nicely onto the case, or did it come like that?


----------



## EdipisReks

that looks really nice, steinchen!


----------



## steinchen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grasshpr* 
_BTW, how did you get the heatsinks to fit nicely onto the case, or did it come like that?_

 

The case came like that. It has been designed with small power amplifiers in mind. I just had to drill the holes for the mounting brackets.


----------



## Pars

Very nice job Steinchen! That case appears to be absolutely perfect for a Dynahi. Was the front panel done by Front Panel Express? The power switch looks like the Bulgins but I didn't spot any additional circuitry? At any rate, it is a nice and clean design.


----------



## steinchen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* 
_Was the front panel done by Front Panel Express?_

 

yup, front- and rearpanel are made by FPE

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* 
_The power switch looks like the Bulgins but I didn't spot any additional circuitry?_

 

correct again. It's a Bulgin like vandal proof switch. But it's a 2x2 pole toggle switch, not a momentary push button, so no extra circuitry is needed.


----------



## doobooloo

Not yet cased, will get a few Lansing eurocard cases later to house them up. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 doublemint:




































 double-t:


























 As you can see, both exhibit excess. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I love how the caps add so much weight (literally!) to the amp. Hehe...

 The double-t is my first serious attempt a complete DIY (no professional PCBs), and while I am pleased with the result I hated the process. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 So cumbersome...

 The doublemint is composed of two MINT boards, and takes balanced inputs for balanced output. The opamp used is the AD8066, with double-stacked buffers (8 total used). The doublemint is powered from a single +24V source. 

 The double-t is a start-from-scratch double-TPA6120 amp, arranged so that it takes unbalanced inputs and produces a balanced headphone output. It takes power from a +/-12V dual power supply (actually, for now, just a simple wallwart with a TLE2426 integrated into the DIN plug 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).

 For both, gain is about 2.8 in balanced mode.

 How do they sound? Fantastic! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 They share a similar in-your-face, very detailed and neutral presentation, with the TPA6120 being slightly less clinical.

 I'll post some more pics when I finally get them cased up!


----------



## Juergen

Just got the last part (toroid) for my DynaHi. Now time to case her up.


----------



## afxdave

Cassette adaptor for my car's cassette deck. The original cable was too long and flimsy, so I put in more rugged cable and a Neutrik plug. Not too fun taking the original adaptor apart, but it was a good challenge and the results made it well worth the trouble.


----------



## afxdave

Switch box for my laptop. This has a DP3T toggle, where the center position is "off," so that I can mute the music in case of a phone call. My set-up is such that I either use headphones at the desk, or feed music to the stereo for the room.


----------



## shiggins

Here's my M3 - What can I say, she sounds awesome. Compared to my PPA, the bass is stupendous. So much bass in fact I can't listen with 650's for that long. But, paired with my Ety's at work the match is great. Unfortunately, now I've heard the M3, my home PPA is sounding a little sterile. The M3 is pretty much stock build with no boutique parts at all - The first project to come in on budget!!

 The outside. Didn't fancy another Hammond 1455 case so got a plain old cast aluminium box and painted it with hammerite:





 And the insides - Nothing too fancy here and a reasonably tidy build for me:





 More pics here.

 PS. Gawd bless stepped drill bits.


----------



## Xakepa

Tangent's PIMETA Breadboard

 -Socketed IC's, resistor block, bandwidth and cascode resistors.
 -Molex KK pins - tin for PS, switch and LED; 20um gold plated for the signal pins.
 -Soldered - caps, pot, R1/R2 divider, LED resistor

 Pls notice that cascode resistor sockets are mounted low with respect to the OPALR socket and transitors are firmly pressed to the board so there's enough clearance for a resistor to fit below (dual) BrownDog.

 And same PIMETA - mounted in a wooden box











 Here's the final configuration (for the relatively blant Sennies 580)

 -AD8620/8610
 -Diamond buffers (MJR243)
 -4x1000uF Panasonic FM + 2x3.3uF Illinois Capacitor film caps
 -Gain is 6.78
 -Class A casscode
 -10K pot/100K ground res
 -24V regulated PSU (30V/400mA wallwart + "drop-in" LM7824)


----------



## n_maher

Well, this is really the combination of a couple of things, but what the heck I feel like I haven't completed something in a long time so this is therapy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .

 The enclosure for the Pinebox PPA was built as a result of prototyping a case for a friend's Millett which is languishing at my dad's shop as I continue to work like a madman. The amp section is a fairly maxed PPA V2 with Elna Silmic II PS caps, class A, OPA627s, gain of 4, bias blah blah, etc. etc. Power comes via a fully populated STEPS using Nichicon Muze caps and running a healthy 28V. Best part of the amp is the stepped attenuator which aside from the 4hrs (or so) it takes to build is the best sounding $40 volume control I've heard. Enjoy the pics and sorry for the marginal quality had to use the backup cam as the D70 is out getting cleaned.


----------



## cook

Didn't think I'll need more inputs, still missing input switch. But "completeness" of this thing is entirely based on the fact that I finally made that square hole for snap-in IEC socket 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That was the biggest problem in this project. "Illumination" comes from two standard STEPS and M³ PCB leds. Enclosure is PAR-METAL 20-12082N. Thin HDPE sheet isolates whole top cover and sides.


----------



## FritzS

Hi,






 I publish this on my homepage:
http://www.stockhammer.at/hifi/

 WNA 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



http://www.stockhammer.at/hifi/wna.php

 Philips CD650 tuning
http://www.stockhammer.at/hifi/cd650.php


----------



## hypophysis

This is my first selfbuilt piece of electronics:
 A wallwart with a 15 VA toroidal transformer and a TREAD board. As you can see it fits very nicely (and tight!) into the walwart casing. I used the wallwart casing because it cost me only EUR 4,50 and there is no need for an IEC inlet and fuse.


----------



## 69CamaroSS396

I love this DIY hobby. It's something I've had in my mind for many years but didn't act on. Now that I have started, I can't stop. HELP!!!!!

http://www.imagecabin.com/?view=9462613tDt6fj0cyCb68m3

 The Marilyn Monroe is not my build. It is a PA2V2 that I removed from the plastic enclosure that it came in.

 Superman mini lunch is a MINT. Elvis tin, Altoids tin, and Ohio State mini lunch are CMoys. I built another MINT in a New York Rangers mini lunch for my son. I have a James Dean tin and numerous Ohio State(GO BUCKS!) tins and mini lunches yet to use. Anxiously waiting for recently ordered CMoy2 pcbs(I despise the Radio Shack board) and the soon to be released PINT and Mini(cubed). My longterm ideas are to build up(pun intended) to higher end head amps and eventually build some very nice home audio(2 channel) for serious listening when I retire within the next few years.


----------



## ntrl

Hi All!

 One of these days has completed Pimeta. Many thanks to Tangent's and all head-fier's. 
 Now I think what to build: M3 or PPA? 




















 Pop blue lights 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Full work log in here


----------



## Foolproof-Jean

Nice work


----------



## Pars

I finally got around to casing up a Dynalo that I've had built for quite some time. I didn't feel like using the normal Hammond, etc., so I grabbed cigar box. After drilling/cutting all the holes, I put 3 coats of semi-gloss lacquer on it. This is built on a Rev. B dgardner board from the group buys. It uses std. Vishay-Dale resistors, Pana FM and Evox MKP caps, Alps Blue pot. Also has an Amb e12 board (v1.1 from Guzzler), Neutrik output and Switchcraft mini input jacks.


----------



## palchiu

My Millett






 Before


----------



## Thaddy

So what happened to the DAC-Ah?


----------



## hoosterw

A nice blue one to match my new polo T-shirt's colour


----------



## palchiu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_So what happened to the DAC-Ah? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I just only buy a chassis, not a DAC-AH.


----------



## Blooze

Finished my SOHA "Stoopid" last night. Switch on the right is for the Meier Bass enhanced Lite Xfeed (Thanks Jan and PinkFloyd!).


----------



## shplorgh

WOW blooze, that's probably the best looking DIY amp I've ever seen. Good job man!


----------



## jerb

where'd you get those tube protectors?


----------



## Blooze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hungrych* 
_ WOW blooze, that's probably the best looking DIY amp I've ever seen. Good job man!_

 

Thanks. The finish isn't like what I wanted as I just can't seem to find a place that is dust free, so it has some small specks when up close, but from a couple feet away it looks OK. There are also some swirls on the zebrawood finish you can see in reflecting light that I can't figure out how they got there. I've never had it happen before, but oh well---lived and learned some more things during the build. 





  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jerb* 
_where'd you get those tube protectors? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MakeTrack=true

 Shipping was fast, inexpensive, and the quality is very good. This guy should give me a discount for the referals.


----------



## The Monkey

Just echoing the other comments...Blooze, your casework is stunning. That is really a piece of art. Well done!


----------



## Blooze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_Just echoing the other comments...Blooze, your casework is stunning. That is really a piece of art. Well done!_

 

I like it and it sounds very good for the money. Very comparable to my Millett and much more fun if your into tube rolling for different sound. *People really should give this amp a go!*. You could build one for about $75 finished. Heck, I only have about $100 in mine. 

 The one thing about the casework that I don't like is the panels on the sides for adjusting the bias. The jacks aren't evenly spaced within the hole because I had a small mishap cutting the holes and had to make do with my mess up within the confines of the inside.

 I really need to do a metal industrial tube amp next. Got a 6EM7 amp I'm starting to collect parts for.


----------



## 69CamaroSS396

Blooze, That enclosure is way cool. Gets me to thinkin', which is dangerous. This hobby is addictive as it is. Then to see work like this really turns it up another notch. By the way, I had BLOOZE as my license plate here in Ohio a few years ago. Couldn't get BLUES, so I opted for that. Anyway, thanks for your example of fine workmanship. Makes me want to try that much harder to improve my casing/enclosure work, which is not my favorite thing to do thus far.


----------



## Buzzerbro

I finished this PPAV2 amp this morning. It looks funny because it doubles as a headphone stand. Volume control is with a Alps RK40 pot.


----------



## amb

I have finished building my Dynahi. The casework of my build follows the same theme as my other headphone amps, except this time it's bigger and bolder with Conrad MF30-75 heatsinks serving as the side panels. Separate cases house the amplifier and power supply.

 I'll post a photos here. Further details and more photos are at my Dynahi page. I am not sure about the brushed aluminum volume knob yet, and might switch to a matte black knob instead (to match my other amps).






 I will be bringing this amp and my other amps to the NorCal meet (in Saratoga) next weekend.


----------



## n_maher

^
 |
 |

 OH MY!

 Very well done amb.

 Nate


----------



## PsychoZX

That has to be some of the finest case work I've seen on a DIY amp yet. Nice job!


----------



## The Monkey

good lord! These last few pages have showcased some excellent work. Nice job everyone.


----------



## Teerawit

amb, do you cut those acrylic panels yourself?


----------



## Blooze

AMB- very nice! I wish I could do work that clean and nice.

 Buzzerbro- I love the way you have the amp standing on edge. Very distinctive. Nice work!


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Teerawit* 
_amb, do you cut those acrylic panels yourself?_

 

Got some help from my local Tap Plastics store.


----------



## MisterX

Nice job Ti. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And FWIW I agree about the knob.


----------



## rreynol

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Buzzerbro* 
_I finished this PPAV2 amp this morning. It looks funny because it doubles as a headphone stand. Volume control is with a Alps RK40 pot. 



 

 

 

 

 

_

 

I like the vertical arrangement. I've seen the knobs before but I can't remember where. Where'd you get them?


----------



## Thaddy

Looks like the knobs that thrice of Rockhopper Audio uses...


----------



## Blooze

Look like the knobs from THL audio.


----------



## Buzzerbro

Thats right, I got the knobs from THL audio. I am torn between putting a clear panel on the side or putting the stock black panel on.


----------



## Dave_M

amb, is the right heatsink in your Dynahi PSU connected or is it just there to make it look symmetrical?


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Dave_M* 
_amb, is the right heatsink in your Dynahi PSU connected or is it just there to make it look symmetrical?_

 

There are no devices attached directly to the right PSU heatsink, but since the two heatsinks are connected via a fairly stout aluminum base, over time the heat conducts throughout and the right side heatsink actually warms up. So, even though the right heatsink was primarily to serve a cosmetic and structural purpose it actually contributes to the overall heat dissipation capability.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* 
_There are no devices attached directly to the right PSU heatsink, but since the two heatsinks are connected via a fairly stout aluminum base, over time the heat conducts throughout and the right side heatsink actually warms up. So, even though the right heatsink was primarily to serve a cosmetic and structural purpose it actually contributes to the overall heat dissipation capability._

 

Ti,

 Have you taken any internal temperature measurements? I've got a suspicion that you've got one of the cooler running Dynahi's ever 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.

 Nate


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_Have you taken any internal temperature measurements? I've got a suspicion that you've got one of the cooler running Dynahi's ever 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




._

 

I don't have a thermocouple to measure the devices directly, but I did put a thermometer into each of the amp and PSU cases with all covers closed (note that there are no ventilation holes or slots in my cases, I rely on the big external heatsinks to do all the cooling). The amp case internal air temp stabilized to 107F (41.7C) and the PSU case was 125F (51.7C). The PSU was warmer because the power transformer produces a fair amount of heat too.

 Touching the LM338s, OPA541s, and output power transistors show that they are not likely to be in any danger of overheating. They feel hot but never to the point of causing discomfort. My M³'s MOSFETs feel about as hot to the touch. The heatsink fins feel warm, not hot. The vertical fin arrangement really works. You can actually feel warm air convecting upwards above them .


----------



## ayt999

Ti - I can't wait to see and hear your new amp next week at the meet. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 it looks great.


----------



## MASantos

Finally some pics of my PIMETA and TEPS. The pimeta is cased in a temporary cigar box and will in a near future be recased inside a hammond case with a USB DAC, batery(around 18V using AAA's) and charging circuit(still to be built). The TEPS is just "cased " in a sort of enclosure
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 I will go inside a custom made(by me) wood enclosure. My soon to be build MIllett will also get a custom wood enclosure. I will post pics eventually


----------



## headchange4u

My Sexy CMoy.


----------



## firefox360

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *headchange4u* 
_My Sexy CMoy.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

Where did you get that CMoy PCB?


----------



## amb

I wrote about my newly-built Dynahi in this post, where I mentioned that I wasn't 100% happy with the brushed aluminum volume knob. I thought that it stood out too much and clashed with the all-black theme.

 Anyway, I have made a modification to the knob. The center flat portion is now matte black (same finish as the front panel), but I retained the brushed brightwork at the bevel and finger-grab areas of the knob. I like this much better... it provides just enough accent to complement the headphone jacks, but blends better with the rest of the case.


----------



## Juergen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* 
_I wrote about my newly-built Dynahi in this post, where I mentioned that I wasn't 100% happy with the brushed aluminum volume knob. I thought that it stood out too much and clashed with the all-black theme.

 Anyway, I have made a modification to the knob. The center flat portion is now matte black (same finish as the front panel), but I retained the brushed brightwork at the bevel and finger-grab areas of the knob. I like this much better... it provides just enough accent to complement the headphone jacks, but blends better with the rest of the case.




_

 

When I saw your Dynahi I couldn't imagine anyone topping your casework. Well someone did.......you


----------



## doobooloo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Juergen* 
_When I saw your Dynahi I couldn't imagine anyone topping your casework. Well someone did.......you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That sounds like a love song...


----------



## headchange4u

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *firefox360* 
_Where did you get that CMoy PCB?_

 

From the FS forum.


----------



## The Monkey

Good job, amb. You're absolutely right the matte black/silver knob makes a nice transition between the case and the jacks.


----------



## z2trillion

Two six step attenuators. Going to use them in a ppa at some point.


----------



## xluben

My latest project:

 DIY Subwoofer Remote:






 See more details here:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...98&postcount=6


----------



## BradJudy

I finished building out my Millet Hybrid, although I haven't finished the casing work yet (working on a simple Hammond 1444 case). 

 I used the under-socket LED technique to light up the tubes and picked up some orange LEDs that have just the right color to give a nice tubey glow.


----------



## n_maher

Well, it started snowing like crazy here so I figured if I was going to be shut in the house for the afternoon (parking bans = no car) I might as well temporarily case one of my Monica2 DACs so that I could listen to it. Seeing what time of year it was I decided that I would use a case similar to one that I used last year around this time. Temporary power comes from a 12V TREAD, eventually she's either going to have 2 TREADs or a 12V STEPS. I actually have the second TREAD all ready to go but I'm all out of 2.1mm jacks so that will have to wait for another day. So here's Monica, the _mint_ DAC. 











 She sounds pretty great so far but I'm sure the Blackgates need a lot more time to burn in before she's at her best.

 Nate


----------



## jbloudg20

Nate, where can I find info and a PCB on the DAC you just built? Thanks a lot.


----------



## grasshpr

Info on Monica2 PCB's can be found on DIYparadise:
http://diyparadise.com/dackit/1545bdackit.html


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grasshpr* 
_Info on Monica2 PCB's can be found on DIYparadise:
http://diyparadise.com/dackit/1545bdackit.html_

 

Thank You.


----------



## BradJudy

Finished the casing on my Millett from a few posts back:


----------



## NeilR

Some images of my Pimeta here.

 And my Millet here.

 I like shooting night photos. Almost as fun as building amps!











 And the Pimeta with Bass Boost and built in charger:


----------



## fr4c

very nice Neil. looks awesome.


----------



## bperboy

NeilR, do you have a picture of your millet from directly top, because I'm also building one. I am using the locking neutrik jacks, but I think they'll interfere with the board being four slots from the bottom in the hammond case. Thanks.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* 
_NeilR, do you have a picture of your millet from directly top, because I'm also building one. I am using the locking neutrik jacks, but I think they'll interfere with the board being four slots from the bottom in the hammond case. Thanks._

 

Taken from Neil's Millett gallery linked to in his post:







Click here for the full sized version.

 Nate


----------



## NeilR

pberboy,

 Are you using an RK27 pot?

 You may have a problem if you go four slots up. I used the 2nd slot because that is where the RK27 centers (vertically) on the panel.

 Because I put the jack plate behind the panel, I had to cut out a small slice of the front board to make room for the bottom of the jack plate. If I had put the plate in front, I would not have had to do that.

 If you try to go four slots up, the top of the jack plate may interfere with the cover slot. This is an issue of a millimeter or so; you will have to size it out with your parts. Or, you will have to move the jack closer to the center (and presumably the pot knob). You will also want to pay attention to whatever you are doing on the back panel because it is surprisingly cramped, simply because the board runs right to the panel. I had to do a lot of thinking to get everything where I wanted it and to make it fit with the board parts (using the lower 2nd slot).

 Regards,
 Neil


----------



## NeilR

pberboy,

 P.S. if you go four slots up, your jack will be well above the panel centerline. Just FYI in case you have not considered that. If you use the 2nd slot, and position the jack as close to the board as possible, it will be centered (with the RK27 if you use it).


----------



## bperboy

I am using the blue velvet, (THank god!) and all the questions I'm asking are because I haven't recieved my pcb yet. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I was planning to get all the casework done before I actually got my pcb, but I decided to wait. The only thing I have in right now is the locking 1/4 neutrik jack which is on the left side of the front plate, halfway up. I think I should be able to work around it. Hopefully.


----------



## NeilR

pberboy,

 I don't think you want to start drilling your case until you get the board fully assembled. For one thing, the pot hole has to be PERFECT since you have no wiggle room once you select a slot.

 The Millet was my first real case job (other than mint tins) where I had a board mounted panel part and I was very nervous about mis-placing the pot hole. I laid out the panel in Front Panel Express, printed it out, carefully cut out the panel outline and the holes and taped it on the case with the board in place. Then I could place the Neutrik jack in it's hole and see exactly how it fit relative to the board parts. That jack can be very tricky to place because it is a huge 15/16" cylinder sitting inside the case on top of the board. It may not be obvious from my picture but the solder tabs on the jack can encroach on the cap immediately behind it, especially if you use a Cerafine or other large cap that fully fills the board outline. The neutrik is a nice jack (I like the locking feature myself) but it is tough to place on a panel. I am about to case up an M3 and I am going thorugh the same exercise because I can't put it exactly where I want it and I will have to work through a paper panel exercise to get it right.

 Another thing you cannot see on my images is that the Neutrik jack sits within 1/8" or so of the board if it is vertically aligned with the pot. If you are off even a little bit, you will have a problem. If you line them up exactly on a horizontal axis, it should fit.

 If you want the pot knob centered vertically on the panel, as I did and most people do, you have to use the 2nd slot. The pot is soldered to the board so it's elevation is a fixed distance above the board.

 You probably want your tubes to stick out further than mine, for example. You cannot do that without either placing the pot and HP jack well above center OR you need to somehow raise the tube sockets. I thought about that myself, because I think it would be neat to have most of the tubes exposed, especially since the internal tube parts block most of the light from the LEDs that we put under the sockets. I gave up because I wanted the get the thing built, and built right without some weird hack to raise the tubes. 

 If I were going to raise the tubes, I think I would get some very stiff insulated solid core wire- the thickest wire that will fit in the tube sockets, which have very large pad holes. I would make 1 - 1.5" lengths (however it measures out) and solder one end to the tube socket and one end to the corresponding board pad. I don't know if there are any adverse consequences to doing this, but I think I would try it if I ever make another one (and I have a couple spare boards). I don't recall anyone else doing that with a Hammond case.

 Even on the back panel, where the panel parts are floating, you have to work around the caps and other parts on the board. I had to do a lot of planning (after the board was stuffed) to be sure nothing interfered. I had a particularly difficult time placing the three probe sockets (which is at least somewhat unique to my own build) because the layout dictated the placement, which was not where I really wanted them.

 One other suggestion.... I sucked it in and bought a 15/16" Greenlee socket punch. It cost me about $40 from Mouser, I think. That punch fits the standard Neutrik "fat jack" holes and if you ever decide to use their RCA jacks or Powercons, you have the punch. I also used the Greenlee to punch the tube holes in the top panel. I think it was recommended in the build instructions to make a 1" hole and if I had a 1" punch I would have done that. I measured very carefully, setting up a template in Front Panel Express software (which I use for every case panel I have drilled) and I was right on the money. It is a very tight fit. I could have tried to enlarge the holes a bit but that would have hacked the perfectly smooth holes that the Greenlee made. It is expensive but it is a very nice tool. If you mount the Neutrik like I did, with the plate inside the panel, you will want a very smooth 15/16" hole. That is tough to do with a hand drill.

 I also used the Greenlee punch to cut a vent hole over the regulator heat sink on my Steps case. I punched two holes, such that the edges of the holes just touched. I then ground down the "points" where the circles met. By doing that, I only had to make flat edges and I was able to leave the rounded edges of the oval as punched. It is much easier to file down a flat edge than to try to make a nice smooth oval. It would have worked great if I had not slipped and marred the surface with the spindle of my Dremel, which I used to flatten the edges. I did get a decent oval and I think the concept is sound. Eventually I hope to source some acrylic and replace the top, and include holes over top of the bias pots. It is a PITA to have to remove the cover every time I roll tubes and rebias. If you want to expend gray matter doing something fancy with the case, spend your time thinking about how to best roll the tubes and rebias.

 I kept my FPE diagrams for the top, back and rear panels. I would be happy to email them to you if you think it might help. As far as I can tell, I drilled my case exactly per those diagrams and I was happy with the results and everything fits.

 Regards,
 Neil


----------



## bperboy

I've only put in the neutrik jack, but the plate part is on the outside so my somewhat rough hole is covered up. That's the only casework I've done so far, and I have also taken the resolution to wait another week or so for my MH board. Hopefully my jack placement will work out, otherwise, I'll use it for the back plate, because I'm also using 1/4 jack for the input. I'm not using RCA because all my sources are computer based so they're 1/8 anyway. I've made a 1/8 to 1/4 cable, and I figured that even though its pretty unorthodox, it fits my needs the best.


----------



## jbloudg20

All you have to go to get fully exposed tubes is buy panel mount tube sockets, and run jumper wires from teh socket to the board. Beware: it can get messy as seen in this picture of my Morgan Jones:


----------



## NeilR

pberboy: If you drilled it dead center (on the vertical axis), you are probably ok. According to my FPE layout, I drilled it about one millimeter below dead center. 

 bloudg20: that would require very long wires in a Hammond case since the top has to slide back at least 6.5 inches to remove it. You would end up with even more wire 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It would be much cleaner to create "risers" with some stiff wire and essentially air wire the sockets. The wire would have to be stiff enough, though, to stand up to the pressure of inserting the tubes after the cover is replaced. A variation on this would combine the two methods, where a panel mounted socket was air wired with fairly stiff wire, stiff enough to stay in place until the cover was slid into position. Then the sockets could be screwed into the top. That would require tapped socket holes though, and that could be tough to work out. One solution would be to epoxy nuts onto the underside of the socket holes. I only mention these ideas because I am still trying to figure this out. If I found a solution I thought would work, it might tempt me to build another one.

 Since everyone builds these to play with tube rolling, whatever solution is attempted either has to allow easy removal of the cover, or something has to be done to allow the bias to be set without removing the cover. I personally don't like the idea of blindly fishing around with a screwdriver, trying to find the bias pot screw, which is why my next cover will probably be acrylic.

 P.S. am I the only person who has slavishly set my bias, removed the tubes, replaced the cover, and then mixed up the tubes???? That is why I added the test probe ports. At least I can retest with the cover in place to make sure I really didn't get confused again


----------



## n_maher

Well, this technically isn't a build but is close enough that I'm posting it here. My 3950 decided to force my hand the other night and die. So with some guidance from a fellow modder I went about taking apart the unit last night. I discovered that the primary PS cap had blown so tonight I decided I'd do all of the PS mods to the player and see if she'd come back to life.

 Stock 3950 PS 









 Modds Complete






 And I decided to do one mod just slightly different. I'd seen others try to cram the big Panny filter caps on top of the board with the stock caps, which just didn't make any sense to me. So, I decided to remove the stock caps and move them to the bottom of the board. Much easier install IMHO than others that I've seen.






 Note the yucky fluid on the bottom of the PCB from the previous cap going boom (most of which has now been cleaned off).

 Anyway, the 3950 is a pure transport for me as I've got it coupled to the subject of my post 2-25-06 and it sounds great. I'll be diving back into the chassis at some point to do some strategic dampening but otherwise my rig is finally taking shape!

 Nate


----------



## Blooze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jbloudg20* 
_All you have to go to get fully exposed tubes is buy panel mount tube sockets, and run jumper wires from teh socket to the board. Beware: it can get messy as seen in this picture of my Morgan Jones:_

 


 That's what I did with my Millett. But I got around the long wiring by making the top panel in three pieces, so the tube sockets never need moved. Here's the pics in an earlier post. Takes all about 1 minute to remove the top panels.

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...&postcount=861


----------



## blueworm

little gainclone in a par-metals case.


----------



## Twombly

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_Note the yucky fluid on the bottom of the PCB from the previous cap going boom (most of which has now been cleaned off).
 Nate_

 

*IMPORTANT: Make sure you get it all off before turning it on.* Chances are it's the electrolyte from the cap and may still be capacitative.


----------



## Polaris111688

PIMETA before completion (At that point, I just needed the AD8610 on ground and AD8620 on RL):





 PIMETA after completion in a case that looks like a 1990 cell phone (those are the big square ones). The case also functions as a holder for my Grado SR-225s:


----------



## Twombly

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_PIMETA before completion (At that point, I just needed the AD8610 on ground and AD8620 on RL):





 PIMETA after completion in a case that looks like a 1990 cell phone (those are the big square ones). The case also functions as a holder for my Grado SR-225s:
 [Picture clipped]
 [Picture clipped]_

 

Rock on! Nice jewel thingy. :3


----------



## Polaris111688

Hehe, thanks. It was my dad's idea. We went to Home Depot and got those faucet knob covers to do that.


----------



## darkisz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Hehe, thanks. It was my dad's idea. We went to Home Depot and got those faucet knob covers to do that. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I KNEW it looked familiar.


----------



## Polaris111688

Lol, we make due with what we can get. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm going to add a power regulator board that I just ordered from tangent (TREAD). I want to jack the heatsink off of an old graphics card for the regulator board for 2 reasons. 1. It's a pretty blue color and it's tiny, and it looks cool. 2. It'll make for some uber and overkill heat control. Any suggestions on how to jack the thing off of the graphics processor chip without damaging the chip or the heatsink? lol


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Lol, we make due with what we can get. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm going to add a power regulator board that I just ordered from tangent (TREAD). I want to jack the heatsink off of an old graphics card for the regulator board for 2 reasons. 1. It's a pretty blue color and it's tiny, and it looks cool. 2. It'll make for some uber and overkill heat control. Any suggestions on how to jack the thing off of the graphics processor chip without damaging the chip or the heatsink? lol_

 

Just take it off. All video card heatsinks are not glued down. Best way is 1 of 2 things. 1 heat up the heatsink with a hair dryer or 2 turn the video card on and don't turn the fan on if it has one and let it heat up and then pull it off.

 -Alex-


----------



## AtomBoy

Dad has taken up woodwork in his retirement so I sent him a Millett Hybrid for him to case up. I thought I might get a nice little box...






 The little window is the tuning window from his aunt's old radio. You can make out the tuning dial in the drawer. The knob is also from the old radio. The drawer is to keep the minidisc player in and the door is for the cans.






 The amp slides out of the back for tuneups in its own little drawer. The shelf up top fits an extension cord and wall wart.






 The amp is a middle spec Millett with a dead-bug voltage reg on the al plate in the back and sounds fantastic.

 The details are realy well done- everything is dovetailed, the latch on the door is scratchbuilt and works perfectly, the drawer is very smooth, and the finish is very nice. I don't know what the wood is. It's probably from a tree that was blown down in the hurracane that hit Virginia last year.






 Like I said, I was just after a simple box. I told Dad to have fun, make two, and he could keep the amp I sent him, but he said he didn't want to make annother. 

 I'm hoping he forgets that by the time my Dynalo is ready to be cased up!


----------



## Polaris111688

Thanks, Alex.

 Atomboy... I have to say... That's hot....


----------



## Blooze

Atomboy - just too cool! Very nice!


----------



## skudmunky

Wow, atomboy, that is one sexy amp case. So functional and beautifull at the same time!


----------



## Fisk

This is my first CMoy.

 Some info:

 TLE2426 Rail splitter
 Elna 1000µF
 SCR mkp 0.47µF input cap
 OPA2134PA


----------



## Polaris111688

Wow... Very neat layout.. Nice case and panel layout too.


----------



## familyman

Almost done this one... just have to figure out where to put the last component....


----------



## Polaris111688

LOL, A Lego case? Sweet!


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_LOL, A Lego case? Sweet!_

 

It was a [bad] joke


----------



## familyman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Teerawit* 
_It was a [bad] joke 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

or maybe you have a [bad] sense of humor?


----------



## Polaris111688

Hehe, I'm slow with these things... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But in any case, a LEGO case might be a pretty interesting idea..


----------



## familyman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Hehe, I'm slow with these things... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 But in any *case*, a LEGO *case* might be a pretty interesting idea.._

 

very funny...


----------



## philodox

LEGO case... bamaslama... nah! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Still, I don't think it would be a horrible idea for a design with not all that much heat.


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *familyman* 
_very funny..._

 

O RLY?? O_o


----------



## familyman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Teerawit* 
_O RLY?? O_o_

 

RLY


----------



## Polaris111688

Hehe, guess I should've added No pun intended.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I will be posting pics later next week of my updated PIMETA with TREAD regulator and the oversized heatsink.


----------



## hoosterw

I thought that when talking about black, it should be black.
 So I needed a black shielded iPod dock connector. And in the end I got it!

 So here are my last builds.
















 I am kind of proud about them.

 Any comments? and yes I do build them myself.

 Rgds Hans


----------



## goalie35

Hey all,

 Here are some pics of my first build, a simple CMOY. Pretty messy with the wiring inside, but hey I'm just glad it worked on the first try. Oh, and just wanted to thank everyone on the board because without all of the information here there is no way I would have been able to build this. Thanks.

 Aaron


----------



## Jwags818

Here is a pic of my Cavalli-Lovell MK2 headphone amp.

 Tubes: 6922 Holland Bugle Boys
 5687 Tung Sol Black Plates

 Negative Feedback controlled by a stepped attenuator.

 CCS circuit was replaced recently with a Servo design, no more adjusting trimpots!

 Slow Start Circuit

 Super Fast and Powerful Power Supply.

 Stepped attenuator for Volume Control

 Headphones: Sennheiser HD600's
 CD Player: NAD C542

 All electronics were designed by RuneEight and MainsHum from HeadWize. Excellent documentation provided by Batman, Also from HeadWize.

 Custom Copper and Black Walnut Chassis designed and built by myself.

 Performance: I thought I knew what HiFi was before I built this amp. But I was wrong. This is the most incredible sounding stereo system I have yet to listen to. The dynamic range and tonal accuracy are incredible. It reproduces strings and horns so well it gives you chills. Bass is tight and deep. The sound is effortless due to the oversized power supply and clever circuit design. The distortion is inaudible with the NFB adjusted correctly and it has plenty of power to destroy even the most robust audiophile's hearing 
 I know this is the same thing everyone says about thier amp. But this one really performs that well.


 There is detailed instructions and parts list over at Headwize.

 Nice to meet everyone over here and I look forward to expanding my online group of audio nuts.

 Jwags818
 Corvallis Oregon


----------



## familyman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hoosterw* 
_





 I am kind of proud about them.

 Any comments? and yes I do build them myself.

 Rgds Hans_

 

deeeaaad sexxxy!


----------



## Polaris111688

Updated PIMETA with TREAD regulator inside. TREAD board is bolted to the heatsink you see there. The LM317AT, specifically, is bolted on with a self-tapping screw.


----------



## vixr

here is a buffered amp I built, based on CMOY plans... biased to class A and buffered from Tangent's articles


----------



## Polaris111688

Hehe, nice. Must've took a bit of redesigning.


----------



## pipo1000

Hello,

 Here some pictures of my M3 headphone amp. I have used the normal parts from the BOM on the amb website. The headphone amp sounds great with my HD580 ! I have used an amplification of 5 (4k resistor) which is plenty for any PC and CD source with my HD580 to have a good range for the volume level pot. I have placed the transformer (I bought a normal pcb transformer from mouse instead of the fancy toroidal pcb version from digikey) in an old walwart housing from an old zip drive, because when it was next to the headphone amp pcb I had a little hum. 

 Before the amp was in a housing it had a little noise and hum, but now in his housing it is dead silent even with open volume (with nothing connected to the amp rca's). If you connect a dac you will hear the noise from the dac a little bit (NOS DAC).












 Have fun,

 Edwin


----------



## blueworm

Nice M^3

 Welcome to Head-Fi sorry about your wallet


----------



## Thaddy

How about some pictures of that nice M^3 all buttoned up? That looks like a nice case...


----------



## Polaris111688

Wicked...


----------



## hoosterw

I had been brooding on it for sometime now and finally got the stuff I needed, white shrinking tube.

 Techflex although only one strand braided, but that is improvement for the next version. For now I am happy.

 Two hybrid silver High-OFC copper cores, and braided outer also silvered High OFC copper multi strands.

 And of course the finishing touch WBT next gen 0110 Cu.









 And now ----> Burn In.

 And then ----> Enjoy.

 Rgds Hans


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hoosterw* 
_I had been brooding on it for sometime now and finally got the stuff I needed, white shrinking tube.

 Techflex although only one strand braided, but that is improvement for the next version. For now I am happy.

 Two hybrid silver High-OFC copper cores, and braided outer also silvered High OFC copper multi strands.

 And of course the finishing touch WBT next gen 0110 Cu.









 And now ----> Burn In.

 And then ----> Enjoy.

 Rgds Hans_

 

Looks nice, but your posting in the wrong section. That is supposed to go into the "DIY Cable Gallery!!" thread.

 -Alex-


----------



## pipo1000

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_How about some pictures of that nice M^3 all buttoned up? That looks like a nice case..._

 

Here some pictures of the back and the front:











 E.


----------



## philodox

Nice case, what is that?


----------



## Paragon

Hammond 1458?


----------



## en480c4

Well, my PPA got a makeover today...
 Gone is most of the 20-Series ParMetal case. All that's still being used is the metal base. In is 1/2" Zebrawood & 1/4" Finland Birch.
 It took longer than expected, though when doesn't it? But I'm pretty pleased w/ how it came out.


----------



## PsychoZX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *en480c4* 
_Well, my PPA got a makeover today...
 Gone is most of the 20-Series ParMetal case. All that's still being used is the metal base. In is 1/2" Zebrawood & 1/4" Finland Birch.
 It took longer than expected, though when doesn't it? But I'm pretty pleased w/ how it came out.




_

 

Wow. Nice Job! All it needs is a wooden knob.


----------



## en480c4

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PsychoZX* 
_Wow. Nice Job! All it needs is a wooden knob. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks... Though I don't think I'll be going with a wooden knob. I heart my *huge* THL knob, and the Zebrawood is very difficult to match.

 Here's a better pic...


----------



## Thaddy

Maybe Larry can hook you up with some knob lovin'?


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_Maybe Larry can hook you up with some knob lovin'?




_

 

Have no fear, we have access to a lathe 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 !


----------



## Polaris111688

Hehe, love the wood.


----------



## Valens

Is there a video of making a cmoy amp?


----------



## Paragon

Not a video but a good tutorial. Search aroudn his site for other stuff like video tutorials on soldering.
http://www.tangentsoft.net/audio/cmoy-tutorial/

 Probably not the best place in the forum to ask.. but there it is.


----------



## threepointone

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_LOL, A Lego case? Sweet!_

 

Hmm. . .I've got loads of lego parts lying around--I might actually try doing that!


----------



## Polaris111688

Do it... lol. I've gotta see this.


----------



## firefox360

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hoosterw* 
_I had been brooding on it for sometime now and finally got the stuff I needed, white shrinking tube.

 Techflex although only one strand braided, but that is improvement for the next version. For now I am happy.

 Two hybrid silver High-OFC copper cores, and braided outer also silvered High OFC copper multi strands.

 And of course the finishing touch WBT next gen 0110 Cu.










 And now ----> Burn In.

 And then ----> Enjoy.

 Rgds Hans_

 


 I think that could be one of the most expensive DIY iPod Line-Out cables ever... Now we just need to use the Next Gen Silver instead... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 p.s. that cable should be in the DIY cable gallery


----------



## Tsappis

Finished this A47 recently. It's the second amp I've built. Nothing fancy so no inside pics. The only thing to inform is the potentiometer which is an Alps RK18 (never heard?). The two 2134's are fed by 12 batteries located in a different enclosure (not shown). Power is transferred via 4-pin mini-DIN.

 I built this to power my 595's but I still prefer my stereo amplifier so I'm planning to sell this one (send a PM if interested, Scandinavia preferred). Next up, Dynalo. Everything is already planned, only the money is needed... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	

















 This was my first post but I've been reading Head-Fi for 8 months. It's been a fantastic source of information (but a nasty thing for my wallet).


----------



## firefox360

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Tsappis* 
_Finished this A47 recently. It's the second amp I've built. Nothing fancy so no inside pics. The only thing to inform is the potentiometer which is an Alps RK18 (never heard?). The two 2134's are fed by 12 batteries located in a different enclosure (not shown). Power is transferred via 4-pin mini-DIN._

 

Why did you use 2 OPA2134's? Wouldn't 2 OPA134 be same and perhaps suck less power at the same time?


----------



## Voodoochile

The A47 uses an opamp in each stage, so you need either four single channel, or two dual channel op-amps.

 That's a very clean-looking case job, Tsappis. Very nice!

 Welcome to Head-Fi, and I was going to say sorry about your wallet, but when your first post is in the DIY gallery, you clearly are already on the road to financial ruin. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks for sharing the nice pics.


----------



## gaplessophile

Finished my Cmoy a couple of months ago, I designed the layout with the aim of fitting it into the smallest enclosure I could (a cigar tin) with a 9V battery. It has two circuit boards, one on top of the other. It's a standard cmoy but without the input caps. Opamp is socketed and there's a zener diode for low power LED shutoff.





 The paint has got a bit scratched











 Edit: The designs for this amp are now at http://www.rohan-amped.net/compactMoy/


----------



## firefox360

Wow! Thats a might fine job you've done there!! How big is the whole thing when its inside the cigar tin? 2 times the size of a 9v or something?


----------



## gaplessophile

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *firefox360* 
_Wow! Thats a might fine job you've done there!! How big is the whole thing when its inside the cigar tin? 2 times the size of a 9v or something?_

 

Thanks! The cigar tin is a bit less than twice as long as a 9V. The dimensions of the tin are about 3.2" x 1.2" x 0.9". The cigar brand is "Cafe Creme". If anyone's ever interested I'd be happy to share the layout.


----------



## thenewguy

Yes please do!


----------



## K2Grey

That is quite impressive size 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Bigger isn't better!


----------



## skudmunky

Wow, very impressive. Now I want to do something like that!


----------



## RsConqueror

Oddly enough, I just finished this build a little less then an hour ago over at Skudmunky's house. (He's the only person I know with a soldering iron).
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



















 My very first audio DIY and it works, what shocks me to no end. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 There is only one problem with it, I don't have a bloody male-to-male 1/8th inch connector cable anywere in my entire apartment!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 So I'd better get out to you-do-it and get some parts soon.

 ~ Rs


----------



## skudmunky

Yeah, turned out quite well. His entire build is a heck of a lot cleaner than my first. I had a ton of wire mess, chopped up the tin with scissors since I didn't have a dremel, and I still loved it.


----------



## gaplessophile

Nice work, RsConqueror! What sort are those long red caps?

 Thanks for all the positive comments about my Cmoy, I will get the layout into a viewable form as soon as I can and post a link to it here.


----------



## RsConqueror

You know, I honeslty I have no idea what those caps are. I was expecting to get a set more like these but ended up with the pair you see in the pictures. Its the same model number and specs from mouser electronics, just twice the size. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But the amp works, so no complaints.


----------



## 98venom

Just finished burning in my Ultimate M3 preamp. I sourced the case from DIY fidelity. I used a DACT CT3 source selector for handling my inputs. I used a 50k stepped attenuator from DIY fidelity which I assembled. I installed two switched headphone jacks which terminate to two preamp RCA outputs. I used a fully populated STEPS power supply set at 30V. My M3 is populated with vishay dale metal films, Nichicon Muse caps, etc. The gain is set at 7.5 but I installed Sip pins for gain adjustment. OPAMPS are BURR Brown 637au and 627bp for the ground channel. All wiring is 24 gauge silver tinned copper wire. 

 This is one sweet sounding headamp/preamp. I connected it to my HYPEX power power amp and was rewarded with the M3 sound that I am familiar with, tubey, quick and impactful. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I never knew that a stepped attenuator could have such an impact on the sound. Much more transparent than the alps blue velvet.


----------



## Polaris111688

Wow.... Didn't visit this thread in a day and look at all the amazing works that came up.


----------



## darkisz

98venom: Great job on that M³!

 I started and finished a PINT today. My first SMD work, aside from the 627's I mounted on Browndogs before I started the PINT. Turned out pretty nice, and sounds fantastic. The Duracells will be replaced with 170mah's when they arrive.
















 Now to try to fit one in the small Hammond.


----------



## Polaris111688

Woah, nice SMD work.


----------



## The Monkey

Nice work Darkisz. What jacks are those. Also, what's the jack between the in and outs?


----------



## Polaris111688

It looks like a DC power jack.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *98venom* 
_Just finished burning in my Ultimate M3 preamp._

 

That is downright outstanding work! Nothing else can be said, WOW!

 Nate


----------



## 98venom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *darkisz* 
_98venom: Great job on that M³!_

 


 Thanks for the compliment....Good work on the pint! I may take on one for a portable. How does it compare to the mint?


----------



## n_maher

It occurred to me recently that it has been nearly a year to the day since I first posted looking for an alternate source for the Millett Hybrid PCBs. And until today I've never built one for myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I had a mostly finished amp that'd I started recently for no real reason other than the fact that I still have enough parts kicking around. So I set out earlier this week to finally build myself a Millett, even if it won't be the one that I end up with permanently, here are the results.





















 I like to think of it as pretty much as maxed a configuration that you can build in the smallest possible box. It runs a 24V AC wallwart into a TREAD running 28V DC into the amp. From there you've got all Cerafine and Silmic II caps feeding Tung Sol 12FK6's and diamond buffers all controlled by an alps pot. All housed in a hammond 1455T1602 (6.3 x 6.3 x 2.1") case. Sounds really good so far, and I think looks ok too.

 Nate


----------



## 98venom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_That is downright outstanding work! Nothing else can be said, WOW!

 Nate_

 

 Thanks Nate, your Millet preamp served as motivation for this build.....


----------



## firefox360

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_It occurred to me recently that it has been nearly a year to the day since I first posted looking for an alternate source for the Millett Hybrid PCBs. And until today I've never built one for myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I had a mostly finished amp that'd I started recently for no real reason other than the fact that I still have enough parts kicking around. So I set out earlier this week to finally build myself a Millett, even if it won't be the one that I end up with permanently, here are the results.

 [images removed]

 I like to think of it as pretty much as maxed a configuration that you can build in the smallest possible box. It runs a 24V AC wallwart into a TREAD running 28V DC into the amp. From there you've got all Cerafine and Silmic II caps feeding Tung Sol 12FK6's and diamond buffers all controlled by an alps pot. All housed in a hammond 1455T1602 (6.3 x 6.3 x 2.1") case. Sounds really good so far, and I think looks ok too.

 Nate_

 

I really like the way the amp looks. It has a simplistic, uncluttered look to it. I also like that plast (rubber?) ring you placed around the tubes. Overall, great job!


----------



## 98venom

Looking at this image has just reminded me that I need to build my diamond buffers for my Millet hybrid......


----------



## The Monkey

Nice work, as always, Nate. What headphone jack is that?


----------



## Samgotit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_It occurred to me recently that it has been nearly a year to the day since I first posted looking for an alternate source for the Millett Hybrid PCBs. And until today I've never built one for myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I had a mostly finished amp that'd I started recently for no real reason other than the fact that I still have enough parts kicking around. So I set out earlier this week to finally build myself a Millett, even if it won't be the one that I end up with permanently, here are the results.




_

 

OK, out with it. Where did you get the Tung-Sols? 

 ...Please...

 Sam


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_Nice work, as always, Nate. What headphone jack is that?_

 

Thanks! The jack is NYS212 from Mouser.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *98venom* 
_Thanks Nate, your Millet preamp served as motivation for this build_

 

Thaddy's amp was/is pretty sweet. What are your plans for its use as a preamp? My ultimate goal is to have a setup where I built 90% of the components. The only thing that I don't think is really practical to build is the transport although ideas have surfaced recently that make me think that might not be out of the question either 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. For now, I'm stuck with this...






 Nate


----------



## [AK]Zip

I never posted my MH here for some reason even though it has been done for some time now. Here is a pic of the inside. I will get more pics once I get my camera back. All wires are shielded and a whole bunch of other good stuff. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			










 -Alex-


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Samgotit* 
_OK, out with it. Where did you get the Tung-Sols? 

 ...Please...

 Sam_

 

Sam,

 I bought two pair of them over 6 months ago and haven't found any since, they were the last ones available from that source at the time. I gave one pair to a friend and kept one for me. I have to be honest though, to my ears I don't hear much of a difference between the different tube brands. Furthermore I've got a friend who has researched these things like crazy and most companies all purchased their tubes from the same manufacturer and just rebranded them. He has purchased Tung Sols and had the two, matched tubes, look completely different in terms of inner construction. So I don't put a whole lot of stock in the brand of a given tube anymore.

 Nate


----------



## 98venom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_Thanks! The jack is NYS212 from Mouser.

 What are your plans for its use as a preamp? 

 Nate_

 

 This is my current rig.....





 I built a HYPEX power amp using this case..









http://www.hypex.nl/

 I chose a pair of UCD-400's with the HG power supply and soft start module. It has a monsterous 625VA torroid. It is extremely powerful. I think I have to prepare a set of DIY loudspeakers to harness the potential of that amp.

 I will post up pics of that build soon...


----------



## shplorgh

98venom, what case is that and where do you get it?


----------



## darkisz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_Nice work Darkisz. What jacks are those. Also, what's the jack between the in and outs?_

 

The input/output jacks are the isolated ones from Tangent's Parts List. This one. Polaris111688 is right, the middle jack is for DC to the battery charging circuit.

 Nice Millets, Nate and [AK]Zip.


----------



## Thaddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *98venom* 
_Thanks Nate, your Millet preamp served as motivation for this build.....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








_

 

Hey...that amp looks really familiar...

 [size=xx-small]**turns around**[/size]

 Oh yeah, there it is


----------



## 98venom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hungrych* 
_98venom, what case is that and where do you get it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 The power amp case or the preamp case? I got both from DIY fidelity....

http://www.diyfidelity.com.au/index.php?cPath=36


----------



## TheMarsVolta

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *darkisz* 
_I started and finished a PINT today. My first SMD work, aside from the 627's I mounted on Browndogs before I started the PINT. Turned out pretty nice, and sounds fantastic. The Duracells will be replaced with 170mah's when they arrive._

 

Darkisz, nice work, that's the first completed PINT I've seen on the boards. Been waiting to hear feedback on this amp, how did you find the assembly (SMD etc)? Did you use part values shown on the schematics? 8397 op amps? Curious to hear what the battery life is using those...


----------



## gaplessophile

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gaplessophile* 
_



_

 

For those of you who were interested in my layout, I've just put it up at http://www.rohan-amped.net/compactMoy/


----------



## MisterX

.


----------



## skudmunky

Oooh, that is sexy MisterX. I'm gunna need to build a PINT in a few months.


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_.05 PINT action._

 

What case did you use?


----------



## n_maher

In my ever growing effort to get crap done before the national meet I decided that I'd build a switch box tonight so that my one, decent, source could feed the three amps that I want to feed with it. Total build time was between 2 and 3 hours, I stopped several times to eat, drink and be merry. The results - a switch box with a single input and three outputs controlled by a rotary switch which points to each output as it cycles through them.





















 Tested it tonight briefly and it works like a charm!

 Nate


----------



## Thaddy

Pretty sweet Nate! I'm assuming the three amps are a PPAv2, Millet (not sure which one though), and an M3?


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_In my ever growing effort to get crap done before the national meet I decided that I'd build a switch box tonight so that my one, decent, source could feed the three amps that I want to feed with it. Total build time was between 2 and 3 hours, I stopped several times to eat, drink and be merry. The results - a switch box with a single input and three outputs controlled by a rotary switch which points to each output as it cycles through them.

 Tested it tonight briefly and it works like a charm!

 Nate_

 

Lookin good! BTW: I'm at your table at the national meet!


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_Pretty sweet Nate! I'm assuming the three amps are a PPAv2, Millet (not sure which one though), and an M3?_

 

Thanks man, the list of amps is somewhat TBD but it'll definitely be my PPA (still in the pinebox 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





), Ian's Millett (in its real, final, non-$2-xxxxx case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) and probably the little Millett I posted pictures of a few days ago (see here). I may drag along a few other things, I may not, depends on how hard it is to find stuff after it's packed!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jbloudg20* 
_I'm at your table at the national meet!_

 

Just caught that the other day, welcome to lucky 13!


----------



## n_maher

Well, the drive towards the national meet continued last night. Up to bat this time was my Monica 2 DAC which needed a more permanent home than the oversized mint tin that she was currently residing in. Since post #954 she's had a bit of work done to her, primarily the addition of a second regulated power supply so that analog and digital pieces get their own clean power. The results:
 Front (power switch, signal lock led, power led)





 Back (analog out, digital in, DC in(s)





 Internal Wiring





 Shot next to matching Millett Hybrid


----------



## en480c4

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_



_

 

Lookin' good!!! You'll finish projects yet!


----------



## NeilR

Nice looking amps, Nate. I see you have a D70. When did you get it? Your images have improved with that camera (nice body).

 Regards,
 Neil


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *NeilR* 
_Nice looking amps, Nate. I see you have a D70. When did you get it? Your images have improved with that camera (nice body)._

 

I've had the D70 for about 2 years now so I guess previously I was just a crappy photographer 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Seriously though, some times I take the time to take decent shots of gear, other times I'm spent cause it's usually midnight when I finish projects, still need to clean up and I'm too lazy to setup the tripod and what limited lighting I have in the attic. Give me a month, when I finally get my real "shop" setup and I'll finally post decent gear images.

 Nate


----------



## NeilR

Takes a lot of work to set up good indoor shots, especially boards. I spent hours to get the shots I posted on my site. I ended up doing 10 second exposures with a 60MM Micro lens stopped way down....


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_I've had the D70 for about 2 years now so I guess previously I was just a crappy photographer 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Seriously though, some times I take the time to take decent shots of gear, other times I'm spent cause it's usually midnight when I finish projects, still need to clean up and I'm too lazy to setup the tripod and what limited lighting I have in the attic. Give me a month, when I finally get my real "shop" setup and I'll finally post decent gear images.

 Nate_


----------



## CedMan

Hey Nate, you have to finish off the collection with a Charlize!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm building my Millet + Charlize in the same case right now and it's looking good. 

 Having some problem with biasing the diamond buffers tho.

 -Ced


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *CedMan* 
_Hey Nate, you have to finish off the collection with a Charlize!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Ack, nooooooooo! I do have a chipamp project going though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. It's been back-burnered till I complete some other things, even after all this work recently the list is still long.

  Quote:


 I'm building my Millet + Charlize in the same case right now and it's looking good. 
 

Can't wait to see it! And shoot me a PM if you get too far stuck with the DB's and I'll see what I can do to help.

 Nate


----------



## jbloudg20




----------



## skudmunky

Nice, give us some pics of the internals!


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skudmunky* 
_Nice, give us some pics of the internals!_

 

just the completed board:





 SMD





 Wired... ready to go


----------



## mb3k

Awesome pics!
 The pint looks awesome in that case. Which mini jacks are those?


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Awesome pics!
 The pint looks awesome in that case. Which mini jacks are those?_

 

It looks like Mouser part no: 161-7300-EX

 -Alex-


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *[AK]Zip* 
_It looks like Mouser part no: 161-7300-EX

 -Alex-_

 

Wow, I keep noticing in a lot of posts you're a master at mouser part numbers


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Wow, I keep noticing in a lot of posts you're a master at mouser part numbers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It's on tnagent's part list


----------



## Pendergast

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jbloudg20* 
_just the completed board:






 SMD





 Wired... ready to go



_

 

This reminds me I should buy glasses.

 Great pics, great job as well.

 How does it sound like?


----------



## fivefanband

Finally "finished" my Cigar-Boxed Pimeta, I've still got a little case work to do, and the left and right channels are switched, but a little winamp plug-in will fix that until I get the nerve to solder again... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	













 Thanks to all Head-Fiers, without whom I would be lost.


----------



## ronstah

I've finished my first amp project.
 Wanted to do something simple and nice. So the CMoy was the choice but i wanted the nice box to put on the table or on top of the cd-deck. 
 Also it has some nice components and it sounds really great! Go check the pics ...




ron.msn.ee

 Greets, Ronald


----------



## silmaauki

Ronald,

 That is a nice looking amp! I love the PCB's.

 And your woodwork, that is lovely too. I looks like it would be carved out of one piece of wood.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Is it?


----------



## ronstah

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *silmaauki* 
_Ronald,

 That is a nice looking amp! I love the PCB's.

 And your woodwork, that is lovely too. I looks like it would be carved out of one piece of wood.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Is it?_

 

thanks! 
 nope it's not one piece of wood, its a oak-veneer on top of the plywood 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 greets, ronald


----------



## Juergen

My DynaHi is finally finished. It's been finished for a while but I was waiting to get the right knob. I want to thank all of the previous DynaHi builders ( I learned alot from everyone's 'adventures' with this project), Steinchen (for sourcing the power button), dgardner (for supplying the psu board after my first one blew up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), SFT (for building the amp modules) and of course Dr. Gilmore.






 more pics:
http://photo.head-fi.org/showgallery...00&ppuser=5969


----------



## Pars

Nice job Juergen, glad you got the PSU working. Ever figure out what the cause was?

 BW, what knob is that (looks like the ones on my Counterpoint preamp that need refinishing... if those were the right size I'd just replace them rather than have the originals redone).

 Chris


----------



## Earwax

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ronstah* 
_I've finished my first amp project.
 Wanted to do something simple and nice. So the CMoy was the choice but i wanted the nice box to put on the table or on top of the cd-deck. 
 Also it has some nice components and it sounds really great! Go check the pics ...




ron.msn.ee

 Greets, Ronald_

 


 Beautiful!!!!


----------



## Polaris111688

Nice case and board!


----------



## Juergen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* 
_Nice job Juergen, glad you got the PSU working. Ever figure out what the cause was?_

 

Thanks, I ended up getting a new board, lm338s and OPA541s and transplanting the rest of the parts to the new board. It's a complete mystery 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* 
_BW, what knob is that ..._

 

I got it off of Ebay ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll..._BIN_Stores_IT )


----------



## Michael Auchter

I just got done putting this together. It's two LH0033 buffers, simple but it sounds very good.


----------



## ntrl

Yet another M3 in classical case Hammond 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



















Here full mini worklog.

 PS. Big thanx to Amb, Morsel


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ntrl* 
_Yet another M3 in classical case Hammond 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









Here full mini worklog.

 PS. Big thanx to Amb, Morsel 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Cool, I've never seen that before (the M³ cutout)! Original


----------



## PinkFloyd

I've really got to start making "exotic" stuff.. these crappy Hammonds are embarrassing to show in such company as some of the DIY gear in this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My two latest "slot em in" to a cheap enclosure "team cheap knobs" fests are:











 and:


----------



## MASantos

Is the second one a HA-1 ? one of the boards Dr Meyer gave for free?

 Nice!!!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PinkFloyd* 
_I've really got to start making "exotic" stuff.. these crappy Hammonds are embarrassing to show in such company as some of the DIY gear in this thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My two latest "slot em in" to a cheap enclosure "team cheap knobs" fests are:











 and:














_


----------



## Polaris111688

Is that the WNA Mk II or MkIII?


----------



## Teerawit

Looks like the MkIII to me.


----------



## saturnine

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Juergen* 
_My DynaHi is finally finished.
 more pics:
http://photo.head-fi.org/showgallery...00&ppuser=5969_

 

Very nice & clean looking Dynahi you got there! 

 Those heatsinks do look a little small though, have you had any problems with overheating? The heatsinks on mine are quite a bit larger, but they still overheat after 5+ hours & cause a little distortion.


----------



## Juergen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *saturnine* 
_....
 Those heatsinks do look a little small though, have you had any problems with overheating? ...._

 

So far I haven't had any problems (knocking on wood). I haven't had it on for more than an hour and a half continuously though. The case is pretty big and has decent ventilation so hopefully that helps.


----------



## Haoleb

Heres my latest addition. If you cant recognize it off the bat, the circuit is based on the 4556 OP amp and runs off two 9v batteries. The resistors are all Vishay/dale metal films, pot is a (somewhat)cheapo Alpha 100k. Which seems pretty good for me. No need for a 40 dollar pot in this amp! 5.1uf Solens, Bulgin battery drawers which makes it SO much easier to change the batteries than with my old amp. Neutik jack etc.. Im pretty happy with the performance, extremely quiet. No trace of noise even at full volume. 

 The wood i used is african mahogany, which i just put a couple of coats of polyurethane on. Came out georgeous (the wood). The copper top and bottom covers along with the fascia and rear peices were originally going to be aluminum but i didnt have any that wasnt scratched beyond repair. I built it a bit bigger than i had to because i like the idea of a real clean open layout. Measures 8" wide by 10" deep by only an inch and 3/4 tall.

 I also added a white LED on the bottom under the volume control since i didnt have any real logical place to put it on the front. But it shines off whatever the amp is sitting on so it lets you know, Hey! Im on! Even with the LED, while the amp is playing music the total current draw is only 11ma. I built this one pretty much from scratch. Designed and Etched the PCB myself. Actually the artwork is my old design, i have a new one now which is less than half the size. 

 THE PICS!


----------



## Polaris111688

Wow... The case is totally beautiful, and the layout of the stuff inside is really neat.


----------



## hembergler

That's gorgeous! How does it sound?


----------



## Haoleb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hembergler* 
_

















 That's gorgeous! How does it sound?_

 

Well I havent anything to compare with.. But im guessing it sounds like an RA-1 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Seems like alot of people dog on the circuitry but i dont use it for some uber fidelity listening. Sounds good with my SR125's


----------



## PinkFloyd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Is that the WNA Mk II or MkIII?_

 

MKlll and probably one of a very few MKlll's as White Noise are closing their doors to business at the end of this month.


----------



## BradJudy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PinkFloyd* 
_MKlll and probably one of a very few MKlll's as White Noise are closing their doors to business at the end of this month._

 

Didn't you just buy White Noise? What happened?


----------



## PinkFloyd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *BradJudy* 
_Didn't you just buy White Noise? What happened?_

 

Deal fell through. I backed out for reasons I'd rather keep personal.

 Mike.


----------



## BradJudy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PinkFloyd* 
_Deal fell through. I backed out for reasons I'd rather keep personal._

 

Cool - we'll all just make up our own reasons for why. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 B: "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
 P: "I think so, Brain. But will anyone other than Eskimos buy blubber-flavored chewing gum?"


----------



## Polaris111688

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PinkFloyd* 
_MKlll and probably one of a very few MKlll's as White Noise are closing their doors to business at the end of this month._

 

Hmm, you got yourself a collectible.


----------



## PinkFloyd

Well, let's just say WNA is no more http://www.wnaudio.com/ Finished, finito, gone, no more 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I think I made the "correct" decision backing out of the deal by the looks of things.

 All the best to David White (wherever he is) and I hope he enjoys his retirement.

 Mike.


----------



## Polaris111688

The first of three identical set of boards of Diamond buffering as seen in the PPAv2 for the PIMETA:











 I used cheapo 22AWG speaker wire I had lying around, as I ran out of normal wire, and 18AWG normal wire was WAY too thick to use. I have not tested this board out yet. I will test it out when I finish the two remaining boards.

 I would like to thank Tangent for helping me out in shrinking board sizes. Bottom board is 1.1 inches by 0.8 inches. Top board is 0.9 inches by 0.8 inches.


----------



## The Monkey

It's been done for a while, but here's my Pimeta. Many thanks to Tangent, Nate, Garbz, Pars, and the rest of you fine folk who share your knowledge here every day.


----------



## palchiu

Sadly, no more WNA...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Some one can help me get one WNA MK3 PCB?


----------



## grasshpr

Just finished my PPA + Monica2. Its running off of a Steps and a Tread.


----------



## Polaris111688

Upgraded PIMETA buffers (Discrete Diamond buffers from PPAv2) on left and right channels. I didn't have enough room to fit the third board intended for the ground channel. I would like to thank Tangent again for both the PPAv2 schematic and his assistance in helping me shrink the board size.


----------



## jl123

I've been messing around with diy pcbs and this is my first final project. Not cased up yet but maybe one day.


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jl123* 
_I've been messing around with diy pcbs and this is my first final project. Not cased up yet but maybe one day. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 (image removed to save bandwidth, its the post above...)_

 

that is an AWSOME pcb. that looks nicer than some commercially built amps i have seen.

 keep up the good work!


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Upgraded PIMETA buffers (Discrete Diamond buffers from PPAv2) on left and right channels. I didn't have enough room to fit the third board intended for the ground channel. I would like to thank Tangent again for both the PPAv2 schematic and his assistance in helping me shrink the board size.









_

 


 The 10000000$ question: How does it sound compared to the buf 634?


----------



## Polaris111688

I find it to be clearer and more detailed. The difference isn't as dramatic as, say, an opamp swap, but it's there. The clarity is more prevalent in the midrange and highs.

 *EDIT* While I'm at it, upgraded case with improved ventilation (3 vent holes per side towards back) and completely clear 3/32in thick acrylic. This time, I owe a HUGE thanks to my dad for helping me with the acrylic.


----------



## ggta

Hello every one!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_.05 PINT action. 




_

 

Can somebody tell me more about this cabinet? Is it self made or can we buy it somewhere? It looks great


----------



## Polaris111688

Check Digikey.com, Mouser.com, or Newark.com for this case. I'm not sure, but I think it's a Serpac case.


----------



## jl123

Isn't that a hammond of some kind?


----------



## Polaris111688

Wait... Hammond, not Serpac, my bad.


----------



## MiRaCL

Just finnished my Millett Hybrid today,sounds awsome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Works well with DT-770pro.
 Here's som pics:

















 Ps: Thanks to N_Maher for great help


----------



## ggta

Polaris111688 and jl123, thanks you for the answer


----------



## cantsleep

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PinkFloyd* 
_



_

 

mmm... simcity


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MiRaCL* 
_Just finnished my Millett Hybrid today,sounds awsome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Works well with DT-770pro.
 Here's som pics:

















 Ps: Thanks to N_Maher for great help 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 Is that the hammond case with the plastic end panels? I made my MH with the clear aluminum and alum end panels, and it was hard to work with. I wonder if the black plastic would look good. I didn't think that the aluminum-colored plastic would look that good.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* 
_I didn't think that the aluminum-colored plastic would look that good._

 

They don't make aluminum colored plastic, all the plastic end panels are black.


----------



## MiRaCL

The Hammond cases i have used are all aluminum. 
 The case,the top,front & read are black anodized alu. The frame that sits around the front & read cover are black plastic. I was planning to go without the plastic frame,but the black cases came "factory scratched" ,so i didn't look nice


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jl123* 
_Isn't that a hammond of some kind?_

 

It doesn't look like it.


----------



## Pappucho

.


----------



## digitalmind

Had some stuff laying around, and finally picked up 2 switches. 3 inputs and 3 outputs, with Leds to tell me which I selected. It uses a 9 volt battery (slide out tray) to power the leds. Made a little mistake of using 10000mcd leds though, too bright. Gotta fix that sometime, this is quite annoying. Anyways, handy little bugger it is.


----------



## skudmunky

Nice, simple, functional, and shiny! Excellent switch man, how much did it cost to make?


----------



## digitalmind

Thanks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 All in all €50 something. However, I made a little mistake and ordered the wrong switches first time round, so eventually a bit more than that.


----------



## Armers

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digitalmind* 
_Had some stuff laying around, and finally picked up 2 switches. 3 inputs and 3 outputs, with Leds to tell me which I selected. It uses a 9 volt battery (slide out tray) to power the leds. Made a little mistake of using 10000mcd leds though, too bright. Gotta fix that sometime, this is quite annoying. Anyways, handy little bugger it is. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 photophotophotophotophoto_

 

You got a diagram for this or is it a simple pass through switch? 3 different inputs can be outputted to three different outputs depending on what switch is where?

 I've been meaingin to make one of these for a while. I love the look of this one. that'll look damn sexy on my desk.

 Cheers
 Armers


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digitalmind* 
_Had some stuff laying around, and finally picked up 2 switches. 3 inputs and 3 outputs, with Leds to tell me which I selected. It uses a 9 volt battery (slide out tray) to power the leds. Made a little mistake of using 10000mcd leds though, too bright. Gotta fix that sometime, this is quite annoying. Anyways, handy little bugger it is. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

May I ask, what case is that?


----------



## phobus

The regular mint tin is too small for my horrible hole punch skills 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 before changing to a larger power cap


----------



## digitalmind

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Armers* 
_You got a diagram for this or is it a simple pass through switch? 3 different inputs can be outputted to three different outputs depending on what switch is where?

 I've been meaingin to make one of these for a while. I love the look of this one. that'll look damn sexy on my desk.

 Cheers
 Armers_

 

There are 2 switches, one which chooses the inputs and the other the outputs. They are simple pass trough switches, it's a 4x3 switch. 4 channels, 3 choices. Respectively for Right channel, Left, ground, and the leds. 
 Diagram is in here: 

http://www.produktinfo.conrad.com/da...x3_CK-1052.pdf


----------



## 00940

At times I'm unfaithful to headphones amps and go see their older sisters 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Bad pics (but light!) for a surprisingly good little amp.
















 It is a "symasym", as per this website : http://www.lf-pro.net/mbittner/Sym5_...ymasym5_3.html . Mine uses a +/-29VDC supply, so it's around 50W into 8ohms. There's a simple preamp integrated (a pair of opa2132 in unity gains serving as buffers for the balance/volume controls). Total cost around 200€ in parts (the case was cheap 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and didn't use a lot of exotic parts, except for two alps pots).

 Extremely "clean" sound. It's fast and dynamic, not a lot of euphony to find in it (which is good because the wharfie 8.1 I'm using have enough of it). I'll need more time to evaluate it, but it beats the usual entry level amps with utter ease (nad 320bee, cambridge A300 and the like). PMA made a detailled review of it : http://web.telecom.cz/macura/review.htm


----------



## digitalmind

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jbloudg20* 
_May I ask, what case is that?_

 

It doesn't have a proper brand name, I ordered it from www.conrad.com. It's order number is 522945 - 8A (site doesn't allow deeplinking to content). It's a well built case, fairly heavy but easy to work on. Has a sloth for euro-type pcb cards. Should be good for a medium sized amp aswell.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_In my ever growing effort to get crap done before the national meet I decided that I'd build a switch box tonight so that my one, decent, source could feed the three amps that I want to feed with it. Total build time was between 2 and 3 hours, I stopped several times to eat, drink and be merry. The results - a switch box with a single input and three outputs controlled by a rotary switch which points to each output as it cycles through them.





















 Tested it tonight briefly and it works like a charm!

 Nate_

 

Nate,
 I'm looking to build a few different selector boxes to do some amp testing, and I was wondering what RCA jacks you used on yours. Thanks
 bperboy

 Edit: Also, did you tie together the grounds or use a 3p switch?


----------



## PinkFloyd

How's this for pug ugly? Sick of the crappy Hammond plastic end bezel I glued on a bit of dark veneer to take me back to the 70's...... <puts on medallion and gets down to the funky beat> Yeh baby, it's cheap, it looks cheap, the green LED is just so yummy and the brass screws just throw the aesthetics right out of the window.

 I love it!






















 <singing> Can you hear the drums Fernando? </singing>


----------



## The Monkey

Heck, I like it a lot Pinkie.


----------



## digitalmind

Looks sexy mike! 

 Thinking about buying another case of which I made the switchbox, and placing my Firestone Fubar and Cute Beyond in it. I just tested, and it should fit, as the case has pcb slots in both the top and bottom. If I flip one of the pcb's upside down, it'll fit perfectly. Would be a very sexy mod i think, and won't be anything irrevirsible. Might be possible to make a single psu for the both of them aswell, will definitly be giving this idea some thought. Might be some trouble with crosstalk though.


----------



## PinkFloyd

Changed a couple of things around, will lose the screws soon:

 Before: 





 After:















 It may look pretty prosaic but it don't half sound good and is one of the only WNA MKlll's in existence as far as I know. Considering WNA closed today it's certainly not something that will be churned out like hot cakes


----------



## [AK]Zip

I finally finished casing up my HA-1 Amp and it's now completely done. I am defiantly liking it.
















 -Alex-


----------



## Thaddy

Nice and clean Alex, I'm digging the 1/4th jack you're using too.


----------



## ggta

My first headphones amp, a Cmoy


----------



## Windchill

Basic STEPS











 And a PIMETA waiting patiently for its case


----------



## mb3k

I've never posted my CMOY before, here it is, it was built a while ago:




 Classic plain jane




 Not my greatest soldering but it was a long time ago


----------



## jl123

Made the board a while back and finally cased one up for my roommate. Need to find some foam to secure the battery.


----------



## joostoo

looks cool, especially the silkscreen. just wondering, why are there two diodes in the power supply?


----------



## jl123

Diodes are there to only allow one power source to power the amp. Notice another set of power source pads(for dc jack).


----------



## The Monkey

Diode OR bridge, yes?


----------



## jl123

yep.


----------



## joostoo

o ya, i read about that on tangent's site. i was considering putting it in my cmoy, but then i just decided on using a switching dc jack.


----------



## Pars

Well, is anything in DIY ever finished 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. This is the Dynalo (Gilmore Dynamic built on a Headamp V2 board) that I first posted about here. It was more or less done other than the faceplate, so I finally got around to finishing it. Par Metals 0.18" faceplate done by FPE. Amp is the same as before, other than I added an Amb e12 muting board (modified, home etched board).






 Front






 Front -- left side






 Front -- right side






 Front -- powered (muted)

 The selector knob is one I bought from Mouser, but will be changed out for a polished Kilo to more closely match the volume knob when I get around to ordering from Digikey the next time. The selector switch is not currently hooked up as I only have a single input on the back currently. The amp works and sounds great... now, what to build next?


----------



## The Monkey

I ike it, Pars. What volume knob is that. Also, what are you using to illuminate it from behind?


----------



## jl123

Ahh...followed your link. Nevermind.


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_I ike it, Pars. What volume knob is that. Also, what are you using to illuminate it from behind?_

 

The volume knob is from Welborne Labs (too bad he quit selling them as they are nice). Illumination is via LEDs. There is a 1/8" plexiglass plate behind the front panel. Everything except the output jack is mounted in it.


----------



## [AK]Zip

I finished a Mini³fied Pint amp. I am actually really enjoying it. Build time was pretty fast including the time it took to case it up.





















 -Alex-


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *[AK]Zip* 
_I finished a Mini³fied Pint amp. I am actually really enjoying it. Build time was pretty fast including the time it took to case it up.
 -Alex-_

 

Props! Looks good in the Altoids LE tin


----------



## amb

Pars, your dynalo looks great! Very clean and elegant. It definitely has that "high-end" aura about it.


----------



## Ballooshi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *[AK]Zip* 
_I finished a Mini³fied Pint amp. I am actually really enjoying it. Build time was pretty fast including the time it took to case it up.





















 -Alex-_

 

Looks great Alex, I love the Altoids tin. How does it sound? Where did you get the board, and what components are used? Surface Mounted? Would adding a second 9 volt give it some more kick?

 Last question: Do you ever sleep?


----------



## MASantos

Here are some pics of a custom build CMOY for a member here at head-fi. The amp PCB came from member tess and uses an switched Alps pot and TLE2426 as rail splitter. THe breadboard is a LM317 based regulated PS(with some ideas of the steps) to be used with an external 24v wallwart. 
 The box is a cigar box, sanded to remove the markings, varnished(5 coats
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) and polished with wood oil. Neutrik input and output jacks(except the mini) and SCP hookup wire.


----------



## Polaris111688

That's one sexy wood case!


----------



## MASantos

My Teps is finally in it's final enclosure. The Teps is fully populated and outputs 24v. It has an extra dual phase EMI/RFI filter from schafner on the AC side. The enclosure is made of plywood and was veneered with a black dyed wood(don't know which wood unfortunately).The interior is shielded with adhesive aluminium foil(which you can see in the second picture). Dimensions: 30x20x10(centimeters)

 NExt fabrication will be a enclosure for my Pimeta also veneered plywood


----------



## bperboy

MASantos, what power socket is that with the built in switch?


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ballooshi* 
_Looks great Alex, I love the Altoids tin. How does it sound? Where did you get the board, and what components are used? Surface Mounted? Would adding a second 9 volt give it some more kick?

 Last question: Do you ever sleep? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

This is my favorite portable amp of all that I have built or listened to. The board I bought from Tangent. You can find more info on Tangent's site. Most all parts are SMD.

 And no I don't sleep.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 -Alex-


----------



## FallenAngel

My multi-purpose TREAD in a little Hammond.
 It runs off a 24VDC 600mA WallWart and puts out exactly 24.0VDC
 I currently use it for charing my PIMETA, but hopefully will keep it around for the next projects too.

 Can you say huge heatsink for a tiny little TREAD 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, but it's more for looks anyway.


----------



## silmaauki

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* 
_The interior is shielded with adhesive aluminium foil(which you can see in the second picture)._

 

Where did you get the foil? And what did it cost?

 I have a project where I could use such foil. I found one small roll from one store, but the price was exceptional (70 euros). 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 No deal.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* 
_MASantos, what power socket is that with the built in switch?_

 

It's a Schurter power entry module. Mouser's part number 693-4302.2001

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *silmaauki* 
_Where did you get the foil? And what did it cost?

 I have a project where I could use such foil. I found one small roll from one store, but the price was exceptional (70 euros). No deal._

 

I bought it at a harware store(something like home depot) ware store and I believe it was about 8€.

 Manuel


----------



## digitalmind

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* 
_Here are some pics of a custom build CMOY for a member here at head-fi. The amp PCB came from member tess and uses an switched Alps pot and TLE2426 as rail splitter. THe breadboard is a LM317 based regulated PS(with some ideas of the steps) to be used with an external 24v wallwart. 
 The box is a cigar box, sanded to remove the markings, varnished(5 coats
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ) and polished with wood oil. Neutrik input and output jacks(except the mini) and SCP hookup wire. 

http://photo.head-fi.org/data/2/medium/P5060427.JPG

http://photo.head-fi.org/data/2/medium/P5060413.JPG

http://photo.head-fi.org/data/2/medium/P5060403.JPG_

 

Why is the volume on the back? That seems annoying. Nice case though!


----------



## Polaris111688

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* 
_My multi-purpose TREAD in a little Hammond.
 It runs off a 24VDC 600mA WallWart and puts out exactly 24.0VDC
 I currently use it for charing my PIMETA, but hopefully will keep it around for the next projects too.

 Can you say huge heatsink for a tiny little TREAD 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, but it's more for looks anyway.



_

 

I've got a heatsink like that for my beefed up PIMETA/TREAD combo.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digitalmind* 
_Why is the volume on the back? That seems annoying. Nice case though! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That was a request from the member I built the amp for. Actually it does create a very neat front panel.


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* 
_Pars, your dynalo looks great! Very clean and elegant. It definitely has that "high-end" aura about it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks Amb, coming from you it's a real compliment (with your really nicely done acrylic M3 and Dynahi!).


----------



## FallenAngel

Hey guys, just wanted to share a little knowledge regarding attaching thin wires like SPC or basically any combination of thin wires to the plug.
 Just recently I tried this and it worked beautifully.

 1) Run the wires through a short length of PVC tubing at the plug.
 2) Crimp down the plug around the PVC instead of the actual wires.
 3) Going from the outside of the plug in, use a hot gluegun to fill the PVC tube containing the wires with hot glue.
 4) Let this dry and you've got a strong seal between the PVC and the wires.

 With this you'll never have to worry about putting strain on the solder joints or eventually ripping the wires off the plug by pulling on the wires instead of the plug when unhooking from the jack.

 Have fun.


----------



## seanohue

finally, my millett is 100% complete. I must give credit to both Nate, for always having one extra dDB board me, and to Neil for pointing out my most careless of mistakes and explaining so much stuff that I would not otherwise know 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .

 (Pics removed)

 The adding of the dDB to the millett over the BUF634 was amazing. It completely gave my grados a new life.


----------



## jerb

could you resize those?


----------



## pddjsteve

Hi everyone! I've been reading for a little while, but this is my first post. This is my first DIY effort as far as audio goes (I've done some basic circuits work for school). It is a cmoy with a tle2426 and opa2227, pretty much just made following tangent's guide. I use it mostly with a 40gb Nomad. I made a 1/8" to 1/8" interconnect with starquad and neutrik plugs. I've got another small amp in the works to replace this one, reusing the case. Then I get to decide what to buy next. I'm leaning heavily toward a millett.


 The amp:





 The front. Lexan because I'm too scared to ruin the metal end piece:





 Quite by accident, I discovered a cool effect. It glows! See:





 Socketed resistors and opamp, and you can see the substitute capacitors (I had Panasonic FM but a noob soldering mishap ruined them):





 The really nasty looking soldering job:


----------



## Vul Kuolun

That one is beautyful, exactly my cup of tea. The enclousure´s realy cool, i like the front. 

 Time to show mine:

 It´s a 18V Cmoy, with switchable bassboost and strong Chu Moy-Crossfeed fixed build in.
 It runs my 880 perfectly. I wonder, why i´m building a smEaton right now
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	













 And yes, it had to be Neutrik. No doubt about that.





 Edit:Sorry, didn´t know it´s gona end THIS big.


----------



## bperboy

Okay guys, get ready for a slew of pics. I just now got a digicam, so I'm posting all my work from when I first hurt my wallet in appr. January!

 CMoy: The First Product

















 Okay, that was the first amp ever, a bit rough on the casework, but fully functional electrically-wise.

 Now, a step up: a CMoy in a nice plastic case, with a Modified Linkwitz Crossfeed of Chu Moy's design.


















 Okay, now that casework is a bit nicer, and soldering skills a bit improved....

 The Millett Hybrid with a STEPS, which a few threads started by me for troubleshooting:





























 ...and the NightShot!!





 ...and finally, some other accessories to match with everything, including the soldering rig, iPod TurboDock II, and a recabled HD580...

































 ...some of these shots should probably go in the cable thread, but I figured this is a major lineup of stuff from me, so I'll keep it together! Enjoy!

 EDIT: Sorry for the length, but I wanted to post the fruits of my labors!


----------



## Polaris111688

Is that a crossfeed linked to the Millet?


----------



## Lil_JV

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Is that a crossfeed linked to the Millet?_

 

What do you think? LOL!


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Is that a crossfeed linked to the Millet?_

 






 It's the Modified Linkwitz Crossfeed


----------



## tilt

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* 
_Okay guys, get ready for a slew of pics. I just now got a digicam_

 

What camera did you get?


----------



## bperboy

@polaris, yes that is one of Tangent's Crossfeed Boards.

 @tilt, its my mother's actually, but it's a Canon A620, 7.1mp and I know how to use manual mode!


----------



## Polaris111688

Heh, cool.


----------



## bperboy

Yeah, don't you just love diy!


----------



## bperboy

I really enjoy the way the Millett came out, especially with the top plate on. I had a guy I know drill the tube holes in the lid to fit the plastic rings. It has a nice finished look to it up on my desk!


----------



## Polaris111688

Heh, I'll actually be helping to build a Millet for a friend soon. He's going to have my implementation of Tangent's diamond buffers for the PPAv2 (same ones I mounted in my PIMETA) in his millet instead of BUF634Ps. I'll post pics when it's all done.


----------



## NeilR

My latest project was a PPA with 15xAAA rechargeable battery board. It is currently running OPA637/OPA627, although it may end up running AD8610's if I get around to browndogging them. The charging board is set for a 2.8 hr fast charge with temerature based backup charge termination. The buffers are MJE243/253 now biased to 20ma, with 3.3 ohm output resistors..












 A peek into thw back panel. It took a little thought to work all the panel wiring out so that it is easy to remove for tweaking and servicing.






 I rear mounted the 1/4" Neutrik locking jack, which turn out to be a game of millimeters to keep it from interfering with the battery board.









 More images here.


----------



## seanohue

Nice work neil 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and i did get that opamp and will finish the a47, thanks


----------



## [AK]Zip

Here is a Millett Hybrid I finished building last night.





















 -Alex-


----------



## cmirza

The rubber? rings around the holes for the tubes look great. Nice attention to detail.


----------



## NeilR

Alex, very nice build. Case looks familiar 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How does it sound? Thinking about the discrete buffers?

 Regards,
 Neil


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cmirza* 
_The rubber? rings around the holes for the tubes look great. Nice attention to detail._

 

Detail is very important to me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *NeilR* 
_Alex, very nice build. Case looks familiar 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How does it sound? Thinking about the discrete buffers?

 Regards,
 Neil_

 

Sounds very close the my other one. I do still prefer the one with the DB, Blackgates, and Steps. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 -Alex-


----------



## Filburt

Here's a PINT I built (mini^3ified, dual AD8397, 2x9v configuration)


----------



## NeilR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *[AK]Zip* 
_Detail is very important to me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






 Sounds very close the my other one. I do still prefer the one with the DB, Blackgates, and Steps. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 -Alex-_

 

Oh... so this one was just to pass some time. I like the isolation between the Steps and the Millet. 

 I like the rings too. I was thinking about researching the source, but I got to thinking that my holes are only 15/16" and I was sowndering if I even have room. My tubes are pretty well centered in the holes, but there isn;t much space.

 Regards,
 Neil


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *NeilR* 
_Oh... so this one was just to pass some time. I like the isolation between the Steps and the Millet. 

 I like the rings too. I was thinking about researching the source, but I got to thinking that my holes are only 15/16" and I was sowndering if I even have room. My tubes are pretty well centered in the holes, but there isn;t much space.

 Regards,
 Neil_

 

I believe my holes are only 3/4in and everything fits just fine. The tubes fit without any problems at all.

 -Alex-


----------



## NeilR

Thanks, Alex. That should work. Your 3/4" is pretty tight!


----------



## ronstah

http://ron.msn.ee


----------



## Polaris111688

That is an awesome case.


----------



## stewtheking

Absolutely stunning, supremely overkill for a Cmoy. i LOVE it!!!


----------



## ronstah

forgot to mention that irl it looks way better than on pics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 yep it's a little overkill for a cmoy but i like nice looking things in my hi-fi rack and i'm not so big headphone lover i dont use them much, i like more listening music from my t-line speakers and the cmoy works perfectly for my needs, and it was fun making that case


----------



## mb3k

That's really original, and you even have Cerafine caps


----------



## n_maher

Well, the last of the Millett's that I started building nearly a year ago is finally to the point where I can post a picture. Long story short I built a Millett for each member of my wedding party as a gift. The owner of this amp decided that he wanted to tweak it a bit from the base configuration 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, shocking seeing as he's a member of these forums. 

 Specs: Modified Millett Hybrid using all hand matched resistors, VD for non-signal path locations, Kiwame's for the output. All Elna SilmicII and Cerafine caps, Alps 50K pot, Cardas GRFA jacks, diamond buffers, STEPS power supply, etc, etc. The real "tweak" is that it's housed in a one-off custom wooden case that my dad and I built. I still have just a little bit of work to do on it but gave it to Ian last night so that he could enjoy it for a while.

 Looking decent





 Internals, wiring needs to be neater and slight ground hum addressed





 Good shot of the wood grain on the solid top





 Nate


----------



## cantsleep

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_Well, the last of the Millett's that I started building nearly a year ago is finally to the point where I can post a picture. Long story short I built a Millett for each member of my wedding party as a gift. The owner of this amp decided that he wanted to tweak it a bit from the base configuration 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, shocking seeing as he's a member of these forums. 

 Specs: Modified Millett Hybrid using all hand matched resistors, VD for non-signal path locations, Kiwame's for the output. All Elna SilmicII and Cerafine caps, Alps 50K pot, Cardas GRFA jacks, diamond buffers, STEPS power supply, etc, etc. The real "tweak" is that it's housed in a one-off custom wooden case that my dad and I built. I still have just a little bit of work to do on it but gave it to Ian last night so that he could enjoy it for a while.






 I'll upload a few more pictures tonight of the internals.

 Nate_

 

i should get married


----------



## ronstah

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_That's really original, and you even have Cerafine caps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

yep, cerafines. the pic of a board is here:


----------



## kin0kin

I bet that cmoy sounds better than the RA-1


----------



## cmirza

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ronstah* 
_forgot to mention that irl it looks way better than on pics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 yep it's a little overkill for a cmoy but i like nice looking things in my hi-fi rack and i'm not so big headphone lover i dont use them much, i like more listening music from my t-line speakers and the cmoy works perfectly for my needs, and it was fun making that case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

yeah, it looks way to good to just be a cmoy. are you going to put a finish on the wood or just leave it bare?


----------



## stewtheking

Yeah, any notes on the construction of the case.I fancy making myself something solid state sometime soon, and something like that would look pretty cool in my stack.


----------



## Blooze

Wow, both the CMOY and the Millett are absolutely stunning!

 Nice Work!!!


----------



## The Monkey

Wow, Nate and ronstah, those are really fine looking pieces.


----------



## ronstah

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cmirza* 
_yeah, it looks way to good to just be a cmoy. are you going to put a finish on the wood or just leave it bare?_

 

thanks. if you mean lacquer, then i already enameled it with half-matte marine lacquer.
 but if you mean some veneer on plywood then no, cause the stripe veneer looks awesome imo, thats what i wanted u know


----------



## Polaris111688

Something my friend and I have been working on for the last couple of months. It is an electrostatic loudspeaker. We built it for the Science/Engineering program in my school. The sound out of these speakers is excellent, but there's still a couple of problems. There is arcing in between the stators and diaphragm in the groove between the MDF frames. Also, the volume is audible, but kinda low, so we have to fix it up a bit. In general though, I'm quite happy with it. Suprisingly, there is bass as well, although it is not surprisingly slightly anemic. Oh yeah, the frame is medium density fiberboard. It's attached to the stators/insulator frames/diaphragm by double faced mounting tape and reinforced with hot glue. The diaphragm is attached to the insulator frames with double faced mounting tape. Quite effective, actually.


----------



## BradJudy

Ronstah,

 That's a sweet looking amp, nice job.


----------



## The Monkey

Very cool, Polaris! How was the project received by your teacher/classmates?


----------



## Polaris111688

Hehe, thanks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 My teacher went, "Steve. Don't kill yourself." But in the end, him and my classmates were quite impressed. The speaker's been de-virginized to AC/DC, Ozzy, Kansas, and other rock.


----------



## hembergler

That's awesome Polaris... how hard was it? I might force my dad to help me build a pair.


----------



## Polaris111688

The only annoying thing was finding Mylar, which we ended using some of my physics teacher's in the end. The steel stators are Modder's Mesh panels (thanks to two of my computer geek friends 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). The insulator frames are 3/32in thick acrylic cut to be a 1 inch thick border frames. The double-faced mounting tape is from 3M, I think. MDF came from Home Depot. Stretching the Mylar was the most annoying part. We had to build a stretcher frame, and initially, it came out kinda screwy, so we had to shrink it further with a heat gun. More to come with further fine tuning.


----------



## NeilR

Since this is the scene that motivated me to build this thing, here it is....

















 More pix here.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *NeilR* 
_



_

 

Are these the internals of the amp?


----------



## flecom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* 
_Are these the internals of the amp?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





_

 


 if they are i bet it sounds very open and airy... but perhaps a bit grany in the lows?


----------



## NeilR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *flecom* 
_if they are i bet it sounds very open and airy... but perhaps a bit grany in the lows? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

This morning the amp was sounding very dark and liquid. A few hours later that congestion cleared up and now it is very open and airy.

 Opening the back of the amp and looking in is like looking down Alice's Rabbit Hole...


----------



## seanohue

So that's what the beach in front of the golden sands looks like.....


----------



## NeilR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *seanohue* 
_So that's what the beach in front of the golden sands looks like....._

 

Yup. Probably a little narrower than 50th St. Especially after this winter.


----------



## hembergler

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_The only annoying thing was finding Mylar, which we ended using some of my physics teacher's in the end. The steel stators are Modder's Mesh panels (thanks to two of my computer geek friends 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). The insulator frames are 3/32in thick acrylic cut to be a 1 inch thick border frames. The double-faced mounting tape is from 3M, I think. MDF came from Home Depot. Stretching the Mylar was the most annoying part. We had to build a stretcher frame, and initially, it came out kinda screwy, so we had to shrink it further with a heat gun. More to come with further fine tuning. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hmm, doesn't sound too difficult... definately an option for a summer project.


----------



## Polaris111688

Heh, go for it. You won't be disappointed with the results.


----------



## MisterX

I should have known better.


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_



My  PPA2 + A baby STEPs. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

What case is that? Looks fantastic! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 -Alex-


----------



## dhp

here's my PINT:

 mini^3ified and using LM6172 in Ground and AD8397 in L/R channel
 sounds great and has better battery life


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DieInAFire* 
_here's my PINT:

 mini^3ified and using LM6172 in Ground and AD8397 in L/R channel
 sounds great and has better battery life 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Nice casing... any pics of the guts?


----------



## dhp

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Nice casing... any pics of the guts?_

 

check again


----------



## Windchill

Checking out an M^3 as a pre-amplifier with a cheap Sony DVD/CD player, a pair of *really* cheap JBL speakers (just in case, wouldn't want to fry the B&Ws), and the power amp section of an old Denon receiver. 

 Makes the JBLs sound like they cost.... oh $100 a pair. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




M^3 Pre-amp test.


----------



## TeeGee

Hello, here some pics of my first experiments:






 from left to right
 1. my second try, a smEaton with crossfeed in an USB-harddrive-case
 2. my first try, a RA-1-clone in the wooden box
 3. a simple switch for comparing the amps (here used with a Creek OBH21 SE)

 Actually I wait for some parts to complete my 4th project, a PIMETA





















 on this pictures the cables are just plugged for testing.
 They are replaced by better ones which are placed in a better looking way and have been soldered now.


----------



## cmirza

Nice idea with the external HD case...


----------



## Polaris111688

Yeah, the hard drive case is pretty!


----------



## robzy

_Very_ nice idea to use the external HDD case...

 Might borrow it for myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Rob.


----------



## Sonar

Hello! 
 I am sorry for my English 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have altered completely unnecessary device Musical Fidelity X-10D in system in the amplifier for headphones. 
 The applied military transistors allow to work to the circuit without negative feedback in a class A. 
 The circuit is thought up by Igor Semyninym from the city of Izhevsk. 
 It emitter the repeater with incredibly pure and transparent sound. 
 What say?


----------



## Polaris111688

That's quite an interesting case, but in a good way!


----------



## Windchill

A Pimeta in what is probably not the final case:






 And the guts, a lot of room left in there and it really needs some kind of battery holder.







 A Cmoy I did today for a friend to use on his motorcycle;






 He wanted a hole for DC in from his bike too. Unfortunately neither of us had a jack for it so for now it's just a gaping hole.


----------



## MisterX

Funny you mentioned battery holders and a PIMETA. 





 Cept this one has a twist. 






 (Alien USB DAC)






 Maybe some day I will learn to cut a square hole. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 And since I was bored I decided to jam a PINT into a ugly little Serpac case. 
















 And an old school CMoy as well.


----------



## Polaris111688

That PIMETA/Alien DAC combo looks wicked! I didn't know the Alien DAC was that tiny.


----------



## TeeGee

My Pimeta, not finished at all, but working fine for the moment:
















 I used the OPA 2604AP / 604AP OpAmps.
 The round hole in the backside is for the power switch I am still waiting for.

 ClassA, DIY PSU and double buffers will follow 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Many many thanks to Tangent who made it possible for me to build such a nice HeadAmp.

 Thomas


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_




 (Alien USB DAC)






 Maybe some day I will learn to cut a square hole. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 That was my original project!!! I wanted to build a transportable pimeta with dAc and 12AAA's battery pack to use at college. But then the PInt came out and the pimeta became a home amplifier. The Alien dac is in a cigar box, I still need a portable amp to use with my new old 4g Ipod. The Pint is gone so I am waiting for some of those nice mini amp some members are developing to be finished to get some boards. 

 Why????????????????????????

 Why did I start with DIY ?


----------



## Chriszuma

This has been my project for the last month or so. It's a dual-2227 "A47 Headphone Amp", based on this schematic that my friend pointed out to me. Coupled with my new Chaintech sound card and Grado SR-80 headphones, it sounds completely amazing. It also represents the first circuit that I've built from the ground up, and it looks sweet too.
 The two power jacks you see on the back are to accept either AC or DC, depending on which is available.


----------



## mb3k

That's so clean!
 Props on a great looking A47!


----------



## hembergler

That looks great! I like the clear front-panel. (or is it the back?)


----------



## fr4c

nice builds guys. keep up the good work!


----------



## mik000000

This is my CMOY. The case is from an old pen & pencil set. Fits perfect, although I had to do some cutting to make the sides thin enough for the connectors.


----------



## hembergler

What a great case.


----------



## ntrl

Tube amplifier. For the present without the case. 
 All is (practically) build on the Soviet components. Without the Japanese details 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 Tubes










Here mini worklog


----------



## Polaris111688

Remember when I only had one electrostatic loudspeaker? Well, now there are two. My friend spray painted both sides of the stators on the second one to prevent shorting to an even greater degree than seen in the first one. Now, I have stereo sound with these ESL babies. Bass, once again, is surprisingly present, even with electronic equalization off. Shorting is far less frequent now too, since I carpet-bombed the space between the MDF frames with hot glue (about 30-35 sticks of 4" hot glue). I'm going to take these home once I build my own 1.5kV power supply, since the school won't let me take home their 1500 dollar 5kV power supply.


----------



## ggta

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Remember when I only had one electrostatic loudspeaker? Well, now there are two. My friend spray painted both sides of the stators on the second one to prevent shorting to an even greater degree than seen in the first one. Now, I have stereo sound with these ESL babies. Bass, once again, is surprisingly present, even with electronic equalization off. Shorting is far less frequent now too, since I carpet-bombed the space between the MDF frames with hot glue (about 30-35 sticks of 4" hot glue). I'm going to take these home once I build my own 1.5kV power supply, since the school won't let me take home their 1500 dollar 5kV power supply.




_

 

Have detailed the construction on the forum or away on internet?


----------



## Polaris111688

I think I listed how they were built a little back in this thread. We have to keep track of everything we did in our "log" for that class, so it's also documented in paper. A few websites also helped in the construction.


----------



## ggta

Thanks


----------



## jonnywolfet

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ntrl* 
_



_

 


 erm, wow, that looks extremely sexy. and i think leave the case off!


----------



## maz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* 
_



_

 

Hey MisterX, what is that input jack you used? Do you remember the model number? I've seen it a couple of times and I like the look of it. Can you get it from Digi-Key?

 Cheers


----------



## flecom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Remember when I only had one electrostatic loudspeaker? Well, now there are two. My friend spray painted both sides of the stators on the second one to prevent shorting to an even greater degree than seen in the first one. Now, I have stereo sound with these ESL babies. Bass, once again, is surprisingly present, even with electronic equalization off. Shorting is far less frequent now too, since I carpet-bombed the space between the MDF frames with hot glue (about 30-35 sticks of 4" hot glue). I'm going to take these home once I build my own 1.5kV power supply, since the school won't let me take home their 1500 dollar 5kV power supply.




_

 

if you need a cheap HV supply you could always use the powersupply out of a helium neon laser, depeding on how much current you need... most of the ones I have around here are around 2150v... plus they are small and sealed, and most either take 120v ac or 12v dc


----------



## Polaris111688

Hmmm... Hey! Thanks for the heads up! I'm definitely going to look around for those now. Just out of curiousity though, do you have any supplies higher than 2150V?


----------



## bperboy

Here's some pics of my DAC201 from AudioDIYLab.com; enjoy! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






























 The power switch kind of just hangs out, and generally, it's not my best case job, but it's completely functional, and it sounds great!


----------



## mb3k

^ Nice DAC!

 Here's my build of the night.
 Modified linkwitz with a Lorlin rotary switch




 Casing it up later - not sure what enclosure to put it in.


----------



## GregVDS

Here is my last finished board: a simple Millett Hybrid, nearly ready to be boxed. Bias 12.5V, Diamond Buffered. In the pics, tubes are Sylvania 12FM6, but I intend to listen through 12AE6A.





















 I hope to be able to finish the box soon and show it here,

 All the best,

 GregVDS


----------



## GregVDS

Here are some pics of my finished tandem, M³ and STEPS I currently use all day long at work. Talk about portable gear! All this go in a laptop Crumpler bag, with a Grado SR-325i. Hopefully, I go with my car.

 the M³ incorporates a crossfeed board, hence the third left knob.
 dcV cable uses speakon connectors.

 Enjoy the pics.




















































 All the best,

 GregVDS


----------



## bperboy

Very nice Greg; I love that beefy power cable between the STEP and M3!


----------



## mb3k

^ Wow that's intense.
 Great work! I'm also getting my cases engraved, hopefully mine turns out as beautiful as yours. 
 Kudos!!!


----------



## flecom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_Hmmm... Hey! Thanks for the heads up! I'm definitely going to look around for those now. Just out of curiousity though, do you have any supplies higher than 2150V?_

 

highest I have seen is like ~5500v

 check out 
http://www.mi-lasers.com/cgi-bin/sho...s=power_supply

 but you can find them cheaper on ebay, even from mi-lasers ebay store lol


----------



## Polaris111688

Thanks, dude. I'm looking at one that costs about 200 bucks right now. It should be sufficient (4000V).


----------



## ntrl

Hi All!

 My One-layer PCB version of Modified Linkwitz Crossfeed. Blue Moon variant 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Lazer Transfer Method.
crossfeed.pcb (ExpressPCB format)









 Miniwork log here


----------



## GregVDS

Great work!

 I absolutely should try to do this kind of stuff.

 I'm a great fan of the crossfeed circuit, and was wondering why yours have only one double dual switch, you choosed the high or low effect and decided not to change?

 All the best,

 GregVDS


----------



## ntrl

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GregVDS* 
_Great work!
 I'm a great fan of the crossfeed circuit, and was wondering why yours have only one double dual switch, you choosed the high or low effect and decided not to change?_

 

Thanx *GregVDS*! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is High-Z version. I use only one double dual switch becase i want make switch "pure direct", without switch "Bypass" (but in this PCB exists holes for switchs "Perspective" and "Bypass").


----------



## Yikes

I posted this in the accessories forum, but since it is a DIY I thought that I’d post it here as well. It’s not as fancy as many of the projects that are shown here, but I am pleased with how it turned out. There’s also no doubt that it has improved the performance of my system.

  Quote:


 I've finally finished my custom Balanced Power Conditioner. I'm pleased with the way it turned out. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 The parts cost is about $750, using a 1.5 KV balanced power transformer. If you built one without the audiofool parts it would be about $350. The ACME outlets are $45 each, and the Siltech input power cable is $300.
 I'm very please with the sonic results. Dynamics have been improved and bass slam is dramatically improved.


----------



## Voodoochile

Looks nice, Yikes. How much does that trafo weigh? It's a biggie.


----------



## firefox360

Do you have a schematic for that power conditioner? I'de like to build one, once I get the reassurance of my soldering skill, and get pass the fear of working with 120V of electricity.


----------



## Yikes

I believe that it weighs 41 Lbs.

 I am not an expert; ok the truth is that I remember little of my electronics training (Navy 25 years ago). I asked for KG for a little input.

 Here is a little info on what’s going on in a Balanced Power Transformer.

http://www.equitech.com/articles/widescreen.html

 or another DIY possibility

http://www.geocities.com/jonrisch/catch2.htm


----------



## Voodoochile

Oh yes. I do recall Kevin having something of this nature implemented at his service entrance! Typical hardcore stuff for him... impressive to say the least. The toroid was gigantic.

 It's a nice looking project, and I'll bet it works well.

 I made a MUCH smaller isolation box for my transport using a Triad isoalation transformer. It's quite small by comparison, not suitable for an amp of any great power requirement.


----------



## Voodoochile

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *firefox360* 
_I'de like to build one, once I get the reassurance of my soldering skill, and get pass the fear of working with 120V of electricity. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

Yes, you will want to be well past the fear of working with mains current. And not through lack of fear, but through full understanding of it's potential to ruin both your gear and your cardiac functionality. It's not overwhelming, but it does demand absolute respect, as it is typically unforgiving if you test it's potential to finish you off.


----------



## philodox

Any comments on this:

 "Some might wish to use toroidal transformers instead of the recommended E-I core style transformers. DON'T! Toroidal transformers tightly couple the AC line to the secondary in a wideband manner, This means that more noise, not less, will get through to the secondary windings. Also, toroids tend to saturate much more abruptly than E-I core transformers, and need to be over rated by a much larger factor to avoid compressing the dynamic range of a power amp or other electronics."

 [Taken from the second link that Yikes posted]


----------



## Yikes

I read that as well. I think that it isn’t as cut and dry as the author claims. In my experience designing anything is an exercise in trade offs. The person who spec’d my transformer does know about such things and he chose this Toroid.

 Maybe tonight I’ll post that link elsewhere 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 so that I can get KG thoughts on the matter.


----------



## rokk

Here is my PIMETA in it's temporary casing and with temporary wiring, i think it turned out decently. 
 It's going to stay this way til my new casing/cabling arrives. 
 I used AD843 opamps for it.


----------



## seanohue

Ok, here is something different. I have put new pickups in my Les Paul. In the neck, I have a DiMarzio FRED and in the bridge I have a Seymour Duncan TB-10 Full Shred.




 and of course, the guts:


----------



## tubesmuggler

Here's a 6922/6N1P MJ style amp.


----------



## skyline889

Nice amp! Are you planning on making a cover for the top?


----------



## tubesmuggler

Yep, and thanks skyline889. I just was too excited to punch the holes in the cover once I finished it!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll try to get that done this weekend. Also I'm playing around a little with bypass caps on the PS and output caps so no need for the cover yet. I have some Solens I'm going to try.


----------



## digitalmind

Currently halfway creating a Frankengrado. 
 It was a SR-60 with a dead driver. It's currently sporting Phillips drivers, which, in the original Grado housing, sounds surprisingly good. I'll be trying various drivers though, any recomendations? 
 Anyways, some work in progress shots:









 Isolation tape around the housing is great, it'll keep the housing together tightly but still be easy to take apart when needed.






 Needs lots of bondo and paint. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 It'll become all black, with a metal grill instead of the SR-60's plastic one.
 More here: http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=187286


----------



## GregVDS

Here are some pics of my newly finished and boxed Millett Hybrid:

http://www.diyforums.org/phpBB2/view...hp?p=1814#1814

 Sorry, I was too lazy to post all these twice, so please follow the link, you'll not be disappointed!

 All the best,

 GregVDS


----------



## Teerawit

These grados aren't floating:


----------



## mb3k

Teerawit, I love that case! What's that small board in there?
 Looks like it'll get mighty hot in there.


----------



## GregVDS

Is it not an Epsilon12?

 GregVDS


----------



## Teerawit

Correct, it is an Epsilon 12. The MOSFETs are biased pretty low so it doesn't get hot.


----------



## ntrl

Hi All!

 My scary construction of PowerAmp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			

















 Here miniworklog http://linuxbox.spb.ru/gallery/poweramp

 More details here (babelfish from Russian)


----------



## JaGWiRE

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=187889


----------



## mb3k

I believe I was just in time to catch the very last two PCBs for the Corda Cross-1 from Jan Meier, but he did not have any faceplates remaining. I decided to engrave my own by modifiying the original Corel Draw files for the faceplates (again, provided by Jan Meier) for a Hammond 1455N1601BK enclosure. They came out wonderfully!





 6-32 tapped machine screws from Ebay





 Changed the Stereo/Crossfeed graphics. Notice the increasing size of the "dots" for the Bass and Treble





 I made it easier for myself by indicating which switch was which in plain english





 Long shot of the back





 I wanted to make it more of a Denon feeling for the back 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 More engraved cases to come...!


----------



## hembergler

I love it! Very very awesome work.


----------



## amb

mb3k, the panel lettering and graphics look very professional. Can you describe in more detail on how it was done?


----------



## Edwood

Looks like Laser Etching to me. Very nicely done.

 -Ed


----------



## JaGWiRE

God bless Canada.

 (Take that you Americans..)


----------



## mb3k

The post was worded a little misleading. I designed them with CorelDraw at home and then got them laser engraved at the University I attend.
 The process is very neat but simple, working just like a laser printer but with a 'welder-type' laser beam that just took off the thin layer of the black anodized alum. It was amusing when the operator engraved the wrong side of some of the faceplates - I even emphasized that she should only engrave the side where the countersunk holes are.


----------



## amb

Thanks mb3k, very cool! It definitely helps to have access to university facilities like that.


----------



## PinkFloyd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ntrl* 
_Hi All!

 My scary construction of PowerAmp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
















 Here miniworklog http://linuxbox.spb.ru/gallery/poweramp

 More details here (babelfish from Russian)_

 

That looks like it's going to one very nice amp


----------



## JLMaestro

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_I believe I was just in time to catch the very last two PCBs for the Corda Cross-1 from Jan Meier, but he did not have any faceplates remaining. I decided to engrave my own by modifiying the original Corel Draw files for the faceplates (again, provided by Jan Meier) for a Hammond 1455N1601BK enclosure. They came out wonderfully!





 6-32 tapped machine screws from Ebay





 Changed the Stereo/Crossfeed graphics. Notice the increasing size of the "dots" for the Bass and Treble





 I made it easier for myself by indicating which switch was which in plain english





 Long shot of the back





 I wanted to make it more of a Denon feeling for the back 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 More engraved cases to come...!_

 

Wow, I love the engraving! Any photos of the inside?


----------



## [AK]Zip

*REMOVED*


----------



## chillysalsa

Nice job, AK!

 What DAC kit is that?

 You have a shield between the transformer and the PCB, did your custom transformer cause any noise to be picked up when you remove the shield?


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chillysalsa* 
_What DAC kit is that?_

 

It's the DAC101, as listed in my sig. AK, did you get the board with the chips already on it?


----------



## [AK]Zip

*REMOVED*


----------



## [AK]Zip

*REMOVED*


----------



## Eokboy

My Sijosae Class AB amps:






 Black:


----------



## joostoo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Eokboy* 
_My Sijosae Class AB amps:





 Black:



_

 

Sweet, I havent seen too many of those in this topic. Im planning to build one of those after im finished with my Szkeres. Any chance of an internal picture, or the size of the amps? How do they sound?


----------



## Eokboy

The case is a Hammond 1593P/Q. It sounds better than a META42.





 Sijosae's push pull buffers.





 Good ol' donutboard. The 30 awg wire jumping is especially tedious.


----------



## Tedro

Oh God Kill me now, what have I done!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


















 I had some free time on my hand. This? This is nothing compaired to what I have already built.


----------



## nikongod

no caps?

 sweet amp. very very.


----------



## The Monkey

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* 
_no caps?

 sweet amp. very very._

 

I think I see a couple SMD caps, no?


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_I think I see a couple SMD caps, no?_

 

Yep. Looks like I see 2 SMD caps.

 -Alex-


----------



## Qsilver2001

This is my very 1st build of a DIY tube amp Millett Hybrid. The process was indeed very fun.


----------



## seanohue

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Qsilver2001* 
_This is my very 1st build of a DIY tube amp Millett Hybrid. The process was indeed very fun._

 

Wow, that is inginuity (sp?) at it's finest. Very nice work.


----------



## Voodoochile

Very original, quicksilver! I like the floating plate, especially.


----------



## Qsilver2001

Thanks all for the comments


----------



## mb3k

QuickSilver, I love how it's all displayed... and what a case too!


----------



## AtomBoy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *[AK]Zip* 
_8<---

 The transformer is DIY.

 -Alex-_

 

Nice! I'd love to hear more about how you made your transformer. I think it's silly how much transformers cost when we all have dozens of them kicking around.


----------



## JLMaestro

Qsilver how did you make the pattern on your case?
 Wow, these latest builds are blowing my mind! Good job everyone


----------



## mb3k

First I have to say a big thanks to Nate for organizing another group buy for the diamond buffer PCB's 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Here's my second DB build... my first one ended up in a real big mess when I soldered the solder pins upside-down and tried to desolder them. I physically ripped the trace off the board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But I learned the 2nd time and it went much quicker and prettier.










 Output resistors = 3.3R





 MJE243, and MJE253 ouput transistors










 Random tube shot... 12FK6 tubes


----------



## Qsilver2001

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JLMaestro* 
_Qsilver how did you make the pattern on your case?
 Wow, these latest builds are blowing my mind! Good job everyone_

 

Its front piece is plexiglass & the print is printed on thicker artcard with a colour laser printer I have access to.


----------



## Ferrari

Some pics of my M³


----------



## drubrew

Really like the case. Where did you get?


----------



## Nisbeth

Looks like a Galaxy Max model with the 10mm faceplate from www.audiokit.it or www.hifi2000.it





 (Ferrari, correct me if I am wrong here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


 /U.


----------



## Ferrari

@Nisbeth, you are right!
 The enclosure is indeed a Hifi-2000 Galaxy Max GX383 with a 10mm aluminum face plate.


----------



## firefox360

Very nice M3, love what you did to encase the PSU, and I'm really digging that volume knob.


----------



## drubrew

Wonderful. I wish we had access to good Chassis here in the states. All it seems we have is Parmetal Hammond and Lansing which I am all so tired of using. Looks like I will be doing some internation chassis shopping


----------



## Ferrari

Another manufacturer of beautyful chassis is probably ATI from Thailand.
 Due to the high shipping cost (all the way from Thailand), the final price of a chassis could be on the high side.

 I use this ATI-738U for my next build, it looks really great in real life 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* 
_@Nisbeth, you are right!
 The enclosure is indeed a Hifi-2000 Galaxy Max GX383 with a 10mm aluminum face plate._

 


 Could you post some mor pictures of the case? Possibly a picture that show the entire case, please


----------



## robzy

Excuse my ignorance Ferrari - but what is that blue thing? 

 Rob.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* 
_Could you post some mor pictures of the case? Possibly a picture that show the entire case, please_

 

You got it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





















*@robzy*

 The blue thing is the MKC filmcaps I use as output caps (C7L/R) for my Millett Hybrid. These MKC output caps are builded up from 30 x 6,8 uF = 204 uF per channel. Totally for 2 (L/R) channel: 60 x 6,8 uF on that separate board (blue thing) beside the MH board. It's a bit huge... but no regret 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## robzy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* 
_The blue thing is the MKC filmcaps I use as output caps (C7L/R) for my Millett Hybrid. These MKC output caps are builded up from 30 x 6,8 uF = 204 uF per channel. Totally for 2 (L/R) channel: 60 x 6,8 uF on that separate board (blue thing) beside the MH board. It's a bit huge... but no regret 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ._

 

:O Barvo!

 Rob.


----------



## Qsilver2001

That is really a uber C7(L/R)!


----------



## jbloudg20

Balanced "CMOY". It used two DRV134 chips to balance a single ended input, then runs them through four large Solen caps, and the rest of the circuit.


----------



## Thaddy

Haha nice CMOY jbloudg! I'll bet it would go perfectly with some balanced RS-1's


----------



## firefox360

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jbloudg20* 
_







 Balanced "CMOY". It used two DRV134 chips to balance a single ended input, then runs them through four large Solen caps, and the rest of the circuit._

 

Think you can post some pics of the internals? It looks really interesting, and a CMOY would be the last thing that I thought people would modify to be balanced.


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *firefox360* 
_Think you can post some pics of the internals? It looks really interesting, and a CMOY would be the last thing that I thought people would modify to be balanced._

 

Its technically not a CMOY, but a standard noninverting opamp circuit, that has been tweaked for a specific type of headphone. 

 Internals are not possible, as the bottom is all sealed up, and you wouldn't be able to see anyhting anyway. The circuit is fairly large, and it is a small wooden enclosure. Those 5uf Solens are pretty big, and taking up a lot of space, as well.


----------



## nikongod

is this the cmopy that always comes in a mahagony box, and uses a very specfic opamp?


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* 
_is this the cmopy that always comes in a mahagony box, and uses a very specfic opamp?_

 

Indeed it is.


----------



## tobias_svensk

Some very nice looking chassis are found here:
http://www.speakerworld.nl/indexENG.html

 A bit pricey perhaps


----------



## n_maher

I finally got around to casing up my PPA V2. It's a 2 box configuration that uses a Jung Regulated Power supply and a pretty maxed out PPA V2 w/ OPA637/627s, class A, and a stepped attenuator.

 Pics:


----------



## The Monkey

Well done, Nate. Nice clean lines, as always.

 EDIT: What kind of power switch is that, it's a little hard to tell?


----------



## Nisbeth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tobias_svensk* 
_Some very nice looking chassis are found here:
http://www.speakerworld.nl/indexENG.html

 A bit pricey perhaps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

These are the ones from ATI in Thailand mentioned above 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## mb3k

Hot damn Nate! The enclosure is beautiful.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_Well done, Nate. Nice clean lines, as always._

 

Thanks, it's not 100% done (the knob at least is getting changed) but I'm pretty happy with how it all came out. It was my first real adventure with drilling and tapping new holes in a case like that but I like the look a lot better than regular phillips head screws.

  Quote:


 EDIT: What kind of power switch is that, it's a little hard to tell? 
 

That'd be the big round pushbutton from NKK. It's a sweet switch and lights blue when pushed. I'll get a night time shot tonight if I can but my real digicam is in the shop so I'll see what I can get out of the P&S.


----------



## Thaddy

Nate that looks really nice! Is that a new table or have you moved your listening setup?


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_Nate that looks really nice! Is that a new table or have you moved your listening setup?_

 

Excuse the crappy pic, it's not really leaning... but it's a rack-based setup that I'm working on in the Library. I'll try to get a better picture of it later tonight as well. You'd be happy to know Zack that my Millett is now housed in your Millett's old case (the 2$ whore case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).


----------



## Thaddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_Excuse the crappy pic, it's not really leaning... but it's a rack-based setup that I'm working on in the Library. I'll try to get a better picture of it later tonight as well. You'd be happy to know Zack that my Millett is now housed in your Millett's old case (the 2$ whore case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).
_

 

I *knew* it! That whore just can't get enough of the Millet and it's hybrid goodness. Ugh, that case disgusts me...yet I can't look away


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_



_

 

Schwing! Industrial design (and probably industrial strength) goodness. Gorgeous! Looks like an amzing rig. Hope it sounds like a million bucks!


----------



## n_maher

Well, in a bid to build the most ridiculous volume control for a PIMETA I built this contraption last night.







 It's John Broskie's Stepped Attenuator and uses a combination of series and ladder attenuators to yield 36 volume positions. The outer knobs control the left and right individually in 6 small steps and the center knob controls both channels in 6 large steps. In truth the PIMETA was used only for testing and is certainly not the final resting place of this SA, I just though the picture was kind of funny considering that the SA is 3x the size of the PIMETA. And the build was very easy and well documented.

 Thanks for looking.

 Nate


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_Well, in a bid to build the most ridiculous volume control for a PIMETA I built this contraption last night.






 It's John Broskie's Stepped Attenuator and uses a combination of series and ladder attenuators to yield 36 volume positions. The outer knobs control the left and right individually in 6 small steps and the center knob controls both channels in 6 large steps. In truth the PIMETA was used only for testing and is certainly not the final resting place of this SA, I just though the picture was kind of funny considering that the SA is 3x the size of the PIMETA. And the build was very easy and well documented.

 Thanks for looking.

 Nate_

 

how do you like that "pseudo ladder/stepper"?

 i just bought 2 boards, i hope they woirk well.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* 
_how do you like that "pseudo ladder/stepper"?

 i just bought 2 boards, i hope they woirk well._

 

I listened to it for about an hour and a half last night. It's flexibility is great in terms of adjustment range and the fact that it uses so few resistors to get the job done is great. My only gripe is that the stock switches seem a bit noisy when you make an adjustment. That's pretty minor really and given the cost of this stepper vs. other options easily worth living with. 

 Nate


----------



## thrice

Now if you can just figure out how to get that into an ELPAC or mint tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sweet, I've got one of those built and waiting for a tube amp... So is it better than a typical SA?


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *thrice* 
_Now if you can just figure out how to get that into an ELPAC or mint tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I guess it would depend on the mint tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


 Sweet, I've got one of those built and waiting for a tube amp... So is it better than a typical SA? 
 

Better, that's a multi-faced question. On the one hand having 36 vs. 24 steps is very cool and it took all of a half hour to build. On the other hand having to adjust two knobs every time you want to change the volume is a factor and the pure physical size is certainly an issue. Not to mention that now I have to buy three knobs! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 . So in the end I'd say folks would have to carefully evaluate the situation before choosing this SA where as others that I've built are much more easily implemented. 

 N


----------



## thrice

Oh I just meant better sounding...the hell with ergonomics and convenience!


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *thrice* 
_Oh I just meant better sounding...the hell with ergonomics and convenience!_

 

Hehehe, it sounds great so far but it's been so long since I spent any meaningful time with a PIMETA that it's hard to say if it's _better_ sounding. Also, I have yet to build my PRP/Elma attenuator 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 which I hope will be the best sounding of the bunch. No doubt it'll be the most expensive 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## bperboy

Here are some pics of my uncased, but fully functional DAC101 as listed in my Sig.


----------



## motherone

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_I finally got around to casing up my PPA V2. It's a 2 box configuration that uses a Jung Regulated Power supply and a pretty maxed out PPA V2 w/ OPA637/627s, class A, and a stepped attenuator.

 Pics:




_

 

Are those large context engineering cases? They have the black versions at the Frys near my place, but they want $30/case!


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *motherone* 
_Are those large context engineering cases? They have the black versions at the Frys near my place, but they want $30/case!_

 

Yes, they are Context Engineering's and they aren't cheap but are much nicer (IMHO) then Hammond's stuff and made the size that I wanted. The only question now is what to do with the "spare" case that I have...


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


 The only question now is what to do with the "spare" case that I have... 
 

Gainclone.


----------



## motherone

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_Yes, they are Context Engineering's and they aren't cheap but are much nicer (IMHO) then Hammond's stuff and made the size that I wanted. The only question now is what to do with the "spare" case that I have..._

 

Did you purchase them at Fry's? Or another place? Also, what size are they? 

 Perhaps you should drop a Millett into the spare one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm sure you have plenty of boards to make 'em!

 I'll have to post my Pimeta, mint and monica 2 DAC builds of them when I have time to take the pics. I do like their black anodized ones more, but the natural brushed aluminum tends to show chips/dings/scratches much more easily than the hammonds.


----------



## quicksilver96

Just finished my millett w/ diamond buffer a couple days ago. Thanks goes out to those who helped me get the boards. Still haven't decided how I want to case it up though.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *motherone* 
_Did you purchase them at Fry's? Or another place? Also, what size are they?_

 

I purchased them from another location. They are the largest size (6x3x8.5), I had to go that big to fit the stepper in there comfortably and there may be a few extra add-ons that go in there eventually too that will take up more space (think switched inputs, output protection, etc.).


----------



## jcx

As seen at the NYC National meet

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2082883

 photos prompted by yet another thread saying it couldn’t be done – Class A Op Amp Headphone Amp - not the “usual Class A op amp bias with a Buffer” but Full Output Swing Class A Bias from Op Amps

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=190991

 OK a little “moonlite” photo session at work:












 The heat sink is a Zalman Golden Orb II, drilled and tapped for a ¼-20 ss socket head screw which protrudes from the center of the Cu slug bottom and to which the pcb carrying the TPA6120s is clamped

 The 6 TPA prints of Artic Silver are visible on the Cu slug of the Zalman

 The Al tripod has nylon pcb standoffs cut down to press on the pcb – the conical spring washers maintain clamping force

 The TPA6120 op amps were laid down belly up on the pcb and each leg was bent down and soldered (how? – very carefully, with the aid of optics) – You can see I didn’t bother to bend down all of the legs – some are not connected internally in the TPA

 The pcb turned out to be flat enough that even with the 6 packages there was only a few mil of unevenness – plenty small enough gap given the Artic Silver thermal conductivity (don’t get it on the circuitry – not formulated as a electrical conductor it still can be a problem)

 I’m sure there are simpler solutions possible but I wanted a “universal” proto amp +/-24 V swing for Hi Z cans and +/-440 mA pk Class A for Lo Z cans – these #s give ~ 25 W total power dissipation in Class A for the 2 channels/6 TPA6120s

 [heatsink discussion in "AD8397-class A?" DIY thread]


----------



## Qsilver2001

quicksilver96

 Any difference for C4 with solen?


----------



## steinchen

I wanted a Dynalo for my desktop rig and I wanted it to have the same length like my CDP, so I went for a "4 chamber" design: (1) transformer, (2) psu, (3) rca input + volume pot, (4) amp board. Each chamber consists of a standard eurocard-sized enclosure, tied together by a large front- and rear-panel made by FPE:











 (click on pic for full scale image)

 It would have been a shame to bury the precious amp board in a case and I wanted to admire the board from the outside while it is at work, so I implemented a window into the frontpanel. Additionally I always wanted an illuminated volume knob and finally made the present for myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Amp board and volume knob are illuminated by blue LEDs of 2000mcd.


----------



## FallenAngel

steinchen: That looks like one serious amp!


----------



## Citizen_Insane

Here's my SOHA that I just finished today!




Large

 With my HD555's:



Large

 I'll post inside pics later...I don't feel like disasembling it right now...I'm listening


----------



## gates_2

So, I built my first cmoy:






 But then, I decided to try and deck out a new one:






 The orange input caps are vishay/sprague 100V 1uF caps
 Power are your standard nichion 1000uF 35V

 Oh, and I'm using the Burr-brown 2232P op-amp

 Needless to say, the new amp sounds much better than the other one


----------



## mb3k

Just finished my PSREG from WelborneLabs.
 Set at 5.9VDC for my AlienDAC











 The regulator backed with Arctic Silver





 Comes with Cerafine electrolytics


----------



## robzy

Wow mb3k, that really has come out looking very elegant. However, you might want to check into the PCM2702 datasheet as it states the max voltage being 5.5v.

 Rob.


----------



## doobooloo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *robzy* 
_Wow mb3k, that really has come out looking very elegant. However, you might want to check into the PCM2702 datasheet as it states the max voltage being 5.5v.

 Rob._

 

Perhaps mb3k is going to use the onboard regulator to step down the voltage a bit further to around 5.3v? Just a speculation...


----------



## robzy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *doobooloo* 
_Perhaps mb3k is going to use the onboard regulator to step down the voltage a bit further to around 5.3v? Just a speculation... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

In which case - that would make a lot of sense  Feel free to ignore my comments mb3k, sorry.

 Rob.


----------



## doobooloo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *robzy* 
_In which case - that would make a lot of sense  Feel free to ignore my comments mb3k, sorry.

 Rob._

 

I'm wondering though... if the Welborne regulator is already pretty high quality, would there even be any benefit to running it through a second round of regulation?


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *doobooloo* 
_Perhaps mb3k is going to use the onboard regulator to step down the voltage a bit further to around 5.3v? Just a speculation... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yeah, I'm planning to use the on-board regulator. 

 EDIT:
 I will have to use at least one regulator to get 3.3V, so I might as well use the other regulator for the 5V and if I want I could use an adjustable reg to get 5.4V.
 Although I could set the PSReg to 5.4V, it's hard to find resistors with exact values to obtain 5.4 on the dot.


----------



## doobooloo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jcx* 
_As seen at the NYC National meet

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2082883

 photos prompted by yet another thread saying it couldn’t be done – Class A Op Amp Headphone Amp - not the “usual Class A op amp bias with a Buffer” but Full Output Swing Class A Bias from Op Amps

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=190991

 OK a little “moonlite” photo session at work:












 The heat sink is a Zalman Golden Orb II, drilled and tapped for a ¼-20 ss socket head screw which protrudes from the center of the Cu slug bottom and to which the pcb carrying the TPA6120s is clamped

 The 6 TPA prints of Artic Silver are visible on the Cu slug of the Zalman

 The Al tripod has nylon pcb standoffs cut down to press on the pcb – the conical spring washers maintain clamping force

 The TPA6120 op amps were laid down belly up on the pcb and each leg was bent down and soldered (how? – very carefully, with the aid of optics) – You can see I didn’t bother to bend down all of the legs – some are not connected internally in the TPA

 The pcb turned out to be flat enough that even with the 6 packages there was only a few mil of unevenness – plenty small enough gap given the Artic Silver thermal conductivity (don’t get it on the circuitry – not formulated as a electrical conductor it still can be a problem)

 I’m sure there are simpler solutions possible but I wanted a “universal” proto amp +/-24 V swing for Hi Z cans and +/-440 mA pk Class A for Lo Z cans – these #s give ~ 25 W total power dissipation in Class A for the 2 channels/6 TPA6120s

 [heatsink discussion in "AD8397-class A?" DIY thread]_

 

Wow. That's an amazing piece of engineering.

 How does it sound? Does class-A biasing make a clear positive difference in sound?


----------



## tomb

*[size=medium]PIMETA Pairs[/size]*
 A PIMETA pair designed and built with perfboarded, LM317 (TO-92) Trickle Chargers. Trickle charger is designed so that wall-power is always charging at a very low rate, with plenty of reserve to power the amp. So with batteries charged, plugged or unplugged makes no difference. Walwart is a Jameco #174861 24VDC@500ma linear, regulated wallwart through a standard 2.1mm isolated (plastic) socket in the rear. The trickle charger and battery/power leads are nestled between the batteries. Charged battery life is approx. 4-6 hours without the walwart.








 470uF Nichicon UPW (10x16mm shorty's)
 Double stacked BUF634, single on Gnd, Class A bias trannies
 AD8066/AD8065 in one, AD8620/AD8610 in the other
 Batteries are 8.4V, 250mah from the Shoreline Market on Ebay.
 Hammond 1455J1201 cases

 The design/build thread was most recently documented here:
Trickle Chargers

 P.S. Many thanks to Tangent and __redruM!


----------



## NeilR

Tangent recently made LNMP boards available. I have wanted one of these tools for some time now and found it to be a fun and interesting build. Pretty much stock except I added a trim pot to the 3rd gain stage to independently calibrate the 100 and 1000x gain settings.

I posted a number of images to my gallery since images of this project are very rare.


----------



## Towert7

Wow, it's not every day you see something with BNC connectors.
 Nice work NeilR.


----------



## Eric1285

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* 
_*[size=medium]PIMETA Pairs[/size]*
 A PIMETA pair designed and built with perfboarded, LM317 (TO-92) Trickle Chargers. Trickle charger is designed so that wall-power is always charging at a very low rate, with plenty of reserve to power the amp. So with batteries charged, plugged or unplugged makes no difference. Walwart is a Jameco #174861 24VDC@500ma linear, regulated wallwart through a standard 2.1mm isolated (plastic) socket in the rear. The trickle charger and battery/power leads are nestled between the batteries. Charged battery life is approx. 4-6 hours without the walwart.
 http://www.paintedpostcards.com/misc1/PIMETApairs1.jpg[/IG]
 [IMG]http://www.paintedpostcards.com/misc1/PIMETApairs3.jpg[/MG]
 470uF Nichicon UPW (10x16mm shorty's)
 Double stacked BUF634, single on Gnd, Class A bias trannies
 AD8066/AD8065 in one, AD8620/AD8610 in the other
 Batteries are 8.4V, 250mah from the Shoreline Market on Ebay.
 Hammond 1455J1201 cases

 The design/build thread was most recently documented here:
 [url=http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=187592]Trickle Chargers[/url]

 P.S. Many thanks to Tangent and __redruM![/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


Hey, what sorts of knobs are those? I'm getting the same enclosure and they look fantastic!_


----------



## xikteny

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Eric1285* 
_Hey, what sorts of knobs are those? I'm getting the same enclosure and they look fantastic!_

 

They look like these, from Radio Shack.


----------



## tomb

Yep - RatShack specials. I always thought they looked pretty chintzy in the store, but it seems to add the right touch with these. Thanks.


----------



## saturnine

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jcx* 
_The heat sink is a Zalman Golden Orb II_

 

That's actually a Thermaltake Golden Orb, a slight ripoff of the Zalman 7700 series 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Extremely nice work though, I'm very curious as to how it would sound..


----------



## flecom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Towert7* 
_Wow, it's not every day you see something with BNC connectors.
 Nice work NeilR._

 

hehe, real men use 7/16 DIN connectors


----------



## The Monkey

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *NeilR* 
_Tangent recently made LNMP boards available. I have wanted one of these tools for some time now and found it to be a fun and interesting build. Pretty much stock except I added a trim pot to the 3rd gain stage to independently calibrate the 100 and 1000x gain settings.
_

 

Neat. Thanks for including the link to the gallery. Very helpful. What kind of enclosure is that, by the way?


----------



## NeilR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *flecom* 
_hehe, real men use 7/16 DIN connectors_

 


 No... real SMART men multi-task their scope probes and interconnects


----------



## Towert7

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *NeilR* 
_No... real SMART men multi-task their scope probes and interconnects 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Tell me you don't have it connected to some medical/scientific grade oscilloscope.

 ^_^


----------



## NeilR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* 
_Neat. Thanks for including the link to the gallery. Very helpful. What kind of enclosure is that, by the way?_

 

Monkey, that is the 546-1455L1201, which is a very nice size case. I'd like to do an audio amp type project in that case some time. It was even worth a little pain and sufffering to lay out the panels and get all the tall parts packed in. I ended up just covering the entire inside top with teflon sheet rather than work out what might touch where. OneTO-220 chip is leaning backwards, for a reason 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. The other I bolted to the board so that I could heat sink it without cutting off part of the top and bottom of the sink.

 One mod I did do to the circuit was to use a thermistor for temp controlled backup termination. That worked out pretty well, although it is a close race as to what terminates fast charge - NDV or the thermistor because I used a very conservative value for the temp cutoff.


----------



## NeilR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Towert7* 
_Tell me you don't have it connected to some medical/scientific grade oscilloscope.

 ^_^_

 

No, just an HP 2235 and Fluke 97, but I've spent enough money and time buying and making probes and ICs


----------



## jcx

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *saturnine* 
_That's actually a Thermaltake Golden Orb, a slight ripoff of the Zalman 7700 series 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Extremely nice work though, I'm very curious as to how it would sound.._

 

re:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...postcount=1365

 You’re right - I don’t know where I got crossed up – possibly it was hanging among the Zalman’s in the store display

 I think you can see the edges of the “T” in the ThermalTake Tt logo on the steel heatsink mounting bracket in the photo below

 [side view shows thermal path, 6 TPA6120 op amps with their Power Pad belly patches pressed against the Copper slug of the Golden Orb heatsink]





 As for amplifier ”sound” I’m in a curious position since I really don’t believe 90+% of what I read here on op amp sound/rolling and audible differences between amplifiers can possibly be true of any decently linear, low impedance amp run within its Voltage and Current limits

 One possibility is that many times the amps here are clipping and there may be differences in recovery behavior that affects the sound

 Which is one motivation for building an op amp based amplifier approaching the Gilmore “Dyna” levels of output capability

 Otherwise we have to conclude that most people posting here are in ignorance/denial of well established psycoacoustic testing principles such as Fletcher-Munson curves and level matching requirements, our really limited audio memory and rapid perceptual accommodation as well as the unconscious biases from our inescapable mental processing that fits sensory data to our mental perceptual framework that make blind testing an absolute requirement


----------



## divie23

Standard PPAv2 with STEPS, Class A OPA627s at 2mA.

 I put a lot of work into the casing, The front panel is from FPE and was well worth the effort. Just listening to the amp right now.


----------



## phergus_25

HP stand... pardon the bad pics, i plan to get some better ones.


----------



## rreynol

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *divie23* 
_

_

 

It's a headfi requirement (at least it should be) that if you get a FPE panel done, that you have to get a nice clean shot of it. It's hard to even make out what you had engraved.

 Very nice work!


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phergus_25* 
_HP stand... pardon the bad pics, i plan to get some better ones._

 

That's a slick looking stand! I can't tell by the photo, but how tall is the stand?
 I'm thinking of making one for myself too


----------



## phergus_25

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_That's a slick looking stand! I can't tell by the photo, but how tall is the stand?
 I'm thinking of making one for myself too_

 

the base is ~1.5" with the total hight being around 11". I have to push in my A250s to make them fit, and even then its close, but with normal phones, ones that dont have 6" cups, it would work well. Im tryngto come up with some kind of wire managment system. What do most do in this respect?


----------



## gsteinb88

Soooo beautiful...





 At least i think so, having spent the last 4 days of my life laying out and soldering those 4 circuit boards...
 Thats the 4 stages of Kevin Gilmore's Current Domain Electrostatic Amplifier (AKA the KGSS). Ive got the power supply downstairs somwhere, but those four boards cover both the left and right channels of the circuit, as in its done, it just needs to be cased up (and every true DIYer should laugh at my use of 'just' in that sentence...). The fourth stage (the stage on the right) has those transistors sticking out because they will be dissipating a total of 40 watts, 5 watts per transistor, 4 transistors per channel, 4 channels.
 Anyway, these four boards are a marked improvement from the first layout:




 That was, ah, one channel, and was going to be my final arrangement, until i was informed that with all those wire jumpers and the messed up layout, i was setting myself up for some major oscillation issues. So, i tore down those 3 hours of work, and made these four boards. Each stage will be connected via a twisted pair (its a balanced signal) of wires, with a ferrite bead on them. That should take care of any signal and oscillation problems that i might have had. Plus, this way is 2/3 the size, and looks one hell of a lot better.
 So yea, im going to place the order for the case on mouser tomorrow, and i have some interesting things planned for the graphic layout...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 By the way, does anyone have reccomendations on high voltage wire?
 I'd love comments on this.


----------



## phergus_25

Its all way above my head, but a DIY electrostatic amp seems pretty awsome. All the ones Iv seen are Quite expensive. Cant wait to see the case work.
 -greg


----------



## bperboy

Final casing for my DAC101: Got it out of the tupperware that it was in previously!


----------



## mb3k

Ahh I remember the tupperware DAC 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 It came out pretty snazzy... did you mount the DAC to the enclosure on an angle like that, or have you not drilled it down yet?
 I think I might also do a DAC101... aghhh


----------



## mb3k

Slowly but carefully I got my millett done... most of it was the case work.
 Inside there's a diamond buffer, Cerafines caps & Silmic output caps, with pure silver hookup wire.

 The pics of the insides was posted in my diamond buffer post (check sig).
 Enjoy the pics: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 Moved the pot over and installed the Neutrik jack from behind without screws (if anyone can figure out how I did that!).





 Overview shot with the FK6 tubes





 Here's the test points for each tube and a hole to adjust the bias.





 Back overview 





 Made in Canada of course with a +'ve center power jack, Cardas RCA jacks


----------



## NeilR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_First I have to say a big thanks to Nate for organizing another group buy for the diamond buffer PCB's 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Here's my second DB build... my first one ended up in a real big mess when I soldered the solder pins upside-down and tried to desolder them. I physically ripped the trace off the board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But I learned the 2nd time and it went much quicker and prettier.
 <snip>_

 

Nice casework! Don't tell me you glued the Neutrik jack to the panel?????

 The only other way I've thought of doing that is to use a thick panel, maybe 1/4", and blind tap the screw holes from behind.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Ahh I remember the tupperware DAC 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 It came out pretty snazzy... did you mount the DAC to the enclosure on an angle like that, or have you not drilled it down yet?
 I think I might also do a DAC101... aghhh_

 

I mounted it like that because there wasn't a space constraint, and I thought it looked cool at the time!


----------



## bperboy

Very nice job on the casework mb3k! I like the extra touches, the biasing holes, test points, and the very nice printed panels!


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *NeilR* 
_Nice casework! Don't tell me you glued the Neutrik jack to the panel?????

 The only other way I've thought of doing that is to use a thick panel, maybe 1/4", and blind tap the screw holes from behind._

 

CrazyGlue to the rescue! You got it.
 I got fed up with the "how will I ever drill and countersink and still make it fit straight" anxiety.

 EDIT:
 I took out the locking mechanism of the jack, so I never really have to put pressure on it to unplug my headphones.


----------



## MrFaust

nothing too crazy, just took someone elses lead and modded some Grado SR-60's that I picked up check. Trick is to hide some stealth microphones in the cans 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Still waiting on them. Will post pics of that when done.

 bought the tray at wal-mart for $4.33. I think it worked great.


----------



## motherone

You can get that wire mesh stuff at Michael's hobby/craft's store. They usually have it under the name of "wire form" ... They have 'em in a lot of colors, too (silver, gold, black, copper).


----------



## mik000000

[/IMG]






[/IMG]


 I made this A/B switchbox based on several threads here. It can compare 2 sources, 2 amps, or 2 headphones at the same time


----------



## mik000000

how do you get pics to show in msg instead of as attachments?


----------



## skev13

Go to a website like imageshack.us

 Upload the picture

 Take the link, and stick it in  Code:


```
[left] [img] [/img][/left]
```


----------



## FallenAngel

Finally had a chance to close the lid of my Pimeta.

 AD8066/AD8065 (Finally settled on this combo, very nice sound)
 Class-A Bias
 Single BUF634P's
 2x 9V NiHM

 It's sitting on my desk beside an Independent Tread and my own little 2x 9V battery charger (inside a top and bottom part of a mini deodorant 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 )

 Please excuse the bad picture, it's from my phone, don't have my camera handy.


----------



## bperboy

Pic?


----------



## Fiola

My Alien DAC, uncased currently 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	

















 1st time SMD soldering, before this I built a few cmoys and A47 only. I have to say, SMD aint that bad at all! Steady hand, 0.015" diameter solder flux, desoldering braid and fine tipped tweezers, it's nothing to be afraid of!


----------



## mb3k

Nice Alien DAC!
 What are you going to case it in? I bet the square hole will be the toughest part. Kudos on the build!


----------



## philodox

MisterX built me an Alien DAC and it is currently floating behind my monitor in a ziplock bag. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am going to case it eventually once I get the rest of the stuff for my _crazy integrated computer setup_.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skev13* 
_Go to a website like imageshack.us

 Upload the picture

 Take the link, and stick it in  Code:



		Code:
	

[left] [img] [/img][/left]


_

 

Actually, if you use the Head-Fi attachments system, simply right click on the resulting hyper-link after you've uploaded a photo, "Copy the shortcut", and add that to your message between the  Code:


```
[left][img][/img][/left]
```

 tags.


----------



## mik000000

fixed it.. thankyou


----------



## rreynol

A SOHA I just finished.


----------



## phergus_25

I really like the looks of that SHOA. Is it basicaly just like on the Head-wize site? I am REALLY tempted to try my hand at one.
 -greg


----------



## mb3k

I like the nice off-board heat sinks on the SOHA. Great job!


----------



## vapman

I can dig it, mang.


----------



## Polaris111688

Sweet looking hybrid amp.


----------



## rockcod

I am new to this DIY forum. How did you mount the PCB to the chassis? I saw that there is some silver cloth-like material sitting under the PCB. Also, which power supply do you use?

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Earwax* 
_It seems like there was a rash of negative posts about CMOY amps over in the amps forum, so I decided to see how far I could take a simple wall-powered cmoy. I also wanted an excuse to use one of the aluminum stomp box cases. With a 24V wall supply and OPA627s, it packs a little more punch than your average battery powered cmoy. 

 Nothing extravagant, but I like it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



























_


----------



## quicksilver96

The amps I build for myself have a tendency to not ever end up in a case. Alas, since I have no current electronics DIY projects running, I took it upon myself to crate up one of my favorite amps. The wood is all solid maple with a nice figuring, though it doesn't show that well in photos. The finish is olympic plantation pecan with god only knows how many coats of minwax wipe on poly. The view slots have glass in them and the top is brushed aluminum.


----------



## phergus_25

NCE! is there plexi n the viewing windows?


----------



## quicksilver96

Actually I do quite a bit of picture/print framing and I cut some pieces of glass from scrap. The glass is very clear as it is meant to provide an undistorted view of the work behind it.


----------



## rreynol

Wow, I like it. Very nice work.


----------



## Pagail118

This is my first Cmoy. Next one will have biggers caps, and will fit in a smaller case and it will not be running of batteries.










 I didn't know the pot would be so hard to solder ! I broke one and I had to redo it! Cat5 cables are way to fragile!


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *quicksilver96* 
_The amps I build for myself have a tendency to not ever end up in a case. Alas, since I have no current electronics DIY projects running, I took it upon myself to crate up one of my favorite amps. The wood is all solid maple with a nice figuring, though it doesn't show that well in photos. The finish is olympic plantation pecan with god only knows how many coats of minwax wipe on poly. The view slots have glass in them and the top is brushed aluminum._

 

Nice! It seems like the Milletts here are getting most attention for unique casing.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pagail118* 
_This is my first Cmoy. Next one will have biggers caps, and will fit in a smaller case and it will not be running of batteries.










 I didn't know the pot would be so hard to solder ! I broke one and I had to redo it! Cat5 cables are way to fragile! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Congrats on the first build! The solder joints look a bit globby, but I'm sure it'll be much easier the second time around. How are you going to power the cmoy? Wallwart & tread?


----------



## Pagail118

Quote:


 Congrats on the first build! The solder joints look a bit globby, but I'm sure it'll be much easier the second time around. How are you going to power the cmoy? Wallwart & tread? 
 

Thanks! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It was hard to work on smaller parts because my soldering iron was too big. I will take a wallwart for my next project and I will try to find smaller sized cap. The .47uf at 250v is kind of useless... I will try to find some locally at lower voltage.


----------



## quicksilver96

Quote:


 Nice! It seems like the Milletts here are getting most attention for unique casing. 
 

I did notice that. Something about tubes maybe...

 Yours looks _very_ professional. If I were to ever purchase an amp from a company, I would hope that it has the attention to detail that your amp does. My case was rather constraintive on what components I could use to go through the panels as the front and back were rather thick (7/16) and I wanted a very minimalist number of protrusions through the wood and nothing but the tubes on top. Couple questions: What banana plug jacks did you use for those test points? Did you do the silkscreen on the outside of the case yourself? If so, how? If not, where did you have it done?


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *quicksilver96* 
_I did notice that. Something about tubes maybe...

 Yours looks very professional. If I were to ever purchase an amp from a company, I would hope that it has the attention to detail that your amp does. My case was rather constraintive on what components I could use to go through the panels as the front and back were rather thick (7/16) and I wanted a very minimalist number of protrusions through the wood and nothing but the tubes on top. Couple questions: What banana plug jacks did you use for those test points? Did you do the silkscreen on the outside of the case yourself? If so, how? If not, where did you have it done?_

 

The test probe sockets are from Digikey
Red: 105-1042-001
 Black: 105-1043-001

 My case was laser engraved which 'burned' the black layer off revealing the aluminum. It was done at a laser engraving center at the University I attend.
 Thanks for the kind comments.


----------



## palchiu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rreynol* 
_A SOHA I just finished._

 


 Dear rreynol,

 Where you got your transformer? That's really small, good for small headamp.


 Thanks!!!


 Best,

 Pal


----------



## rreynol

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *palchiu* 
_Where you got your transformer? That's really small, good for small headamp._

 

PM's work well for this kind of stuff also. Check digikey for part number 620053.


----------



## Fitz

Just finished this crossfeed module for another Head-Fier...


----------



## mb3k

Nice and clean Fitz,
 You even made it look like it was crossing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm lovin it.
 By the way, what design is that?


----------



## Towert7

Nice wood enclosure quicksilver96. I like the grain and the stain used.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Nice and clean Fitz,
 You even made it look like it was crossing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm lovin it.
 By the way, what design is that?_

 

Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's the modified Linkwitz crossfeed by Chu Moy, I didn't feel like buying the PCB and then also having to properly mount it, so I just did up one channel on stripboard and mirrored it to the other half


----------



## palchiu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rreynol* 
_PM's work well for this kind of stuff also. Check digikey for part number 620053._

 


 Thanks!!!


 Best,

 Pal


----------



## splaz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Nice and clean Fitz,_

 

Yeah but just looking at it sitting on the table don't tell me you didn't see it coming. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I agree very nice job on the casework and it's only a crossfeed. I'd love to see pics of some bigger projects.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *splaz* 
_Yeah but just looking at it sitting on the table don't tell me you didn't see it coming. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I agree very nice job on the casework and it's only a crossfeed. I'd love to see pics of some bigger projects._

 

You mean like this? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 The chassis isn't my creation, but 95% of what you see in the picture is mine.


----------



## ggta

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* 
_Just finished this crossfeed module for another Head-Fier...




_

 


 Looks great! how about the cabinet? What's the model?


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ggta* 
_Looks great! how about the cabinet? What's the model?_

 

Hammond 1455L1201


----------



## ggta

Thanks a lot


----------



## splaz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* 
_You mean like this?_

 

I meant something sexy, like the crossover....


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *splaz* 
_I meant something sexy, like the crossover.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I guess I shouldn't show you any pics of my M3 then. That's got some scary wiring in it from me putting the M3, crossfeed w/ rotary switch, and e12 into an enclosure barely big enough for the M3 by itself.


----------



## Xakepa

Caps used: Illinois Capacitor AFX/AFD (os-cons), 22uF/16V dip tantalum, 22uF/6.3V NX Hi-Q Black Gate

 LDO 5V regulator:
 -input (C11) - AFD 120uF/20V
 -output (C12, C13) - 2 x 22uF tantis
 LDO 3.3V regulator :
 -input (C14) - AFX 47uF/16V
 -output (C15) - 22uF/16V tant

 DAC powercaps:
 -AVDD - AFX 33uF/16V
 -DVDD - AFX 47uF/16V
 -AMID - AFX 33uF/16V

 Output caps:
 - 2 x 22uF/6.3V NX Hi-Q

 I soldered everything on the top side (except for a single BG cap) to avoid the ground plane, which is a heatsink. Desoldering of the original caps could be tricky - I used smallest 800F conical tip, and it takes 5-7 sec to melt the ground joint. Be cautious with the signal ouput caps - they have tiny bonds on both sides.

 Quality-wise, "The TotalCap" mod is a only a minor improvement over the (far more rewarding) simple output caps replacement. My guess is that the bass gets lower, but the overall difference is subtle.


----------



## skudmunky

Went to my favorite electronics store last night and bought 2 toggle switches and 4 1/8" jacks so I could make a switchbox.

 Here it is in action, sitting right next to my CMoy (the CMoy is velcroed to the side of my moniter stand, and the switch rubber banded to the amp.)






 edit, hit the enter button and it submitted the post. anyway, here's the obligatory innards shot:






 I might just start a whole line of Altoids audio accessories. I want a DAC in a tin now


----------



## mb3k

Here's the final product of my switchbox layout. Gave it the name SOCRAM because it switches between *SO*urces, *CR*ossfeeds, and *AM*ps. It can switch between 4 sources, 2 crossfeeds plus a bypass option, and 4 amps.

 It's enclosure is hammond's largest 1455 series, with Cardas CTFA RCAs, Lorlin rotary switches, and Canare starquad internal wiring.

 The layout schematic can be found here.





 Enjoy

*EDIT: The writeup can be found here: http://www.mb3k.com/socram.html
*


----------



## mb3k

I made a second Linkwitz crossfeed, this time I cased it up in a standard hammond. Nothing too complicated. I made the casing match the characteristics of my Cross-1. Soon I'll reveal the entire setup together...

 The rotary switch is hooked up the 'silent way' and of course the resistors are the high-z values. For now here are two pics of the linkwitz:


----------



## mikemacwillie

I love the look of those laser etched panels! Wish I could have that done!


----------



## gsteinb88

MB3K: Very nice job on the switchbox, i like it a lot. One question though: did you really need all those separate input/outputs for the crossfeed? Since you have an off position for the crossfeed you should be able to just go input (selected by switch) -> off crossfeed (which as no effect)-> output (selected by switch). Then, if you turn it on, it will crossfeed whichever input you have selected, rather than having to loop to the crossfeed input...
 Just a suggestion, i love the way it turned out anyway.


----------



## Fitz

Holy guacamole, that's a lot of RCA connectors. I wanna see what it looks like on the inside! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And SOCRAM is a nice name, sounds like a missile or something.


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gsteinb88* 
_MB3K: Very nice job on the switchbox, i like it a lot. One question though: did you really need all those separate input/outputs for the crossfeed? Since you have an off position for the crossfeed you should be able to just go input (selected by switch) -> off crossfeed (which as no effect)-> output (selected by switch). Then, if you turn it on, it will crossfeed whichever input you have selected, rather than having to loop to the crossfeed input...
 Just a suggestion, i love the way it turned out anyway._

 

Wow, that was confusing, I'm not sure what you mean. I have 2 sepearate crossfeed filters and the middle switch just switches between them (switching between both the R/L inputs and outputs at the same time). I know the off position on the switch is a bit redundant but I had room on the rotary switch so I just put it in.


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* 
_Holy guacamole, that's a lot of RCA connectors. I wanna see what it looks like on the inside! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And SOCRAM is a nice name, sounds like a missile or something._

 

Those RCAs are all Cardas ones, so it costed a pretty penny. The name... well it sorta sounds like SOCOM Navy Seals 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 maybe thats where you got the idea haha. For the inside, I used the StarQuad cables.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Those RCAs are all Cardas ones, so it costed a pretty penny. The name... well it sorta sounds like SOCOM Navy Seals 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 maybe thats where you got the idea haha. For the inside, I used the StarQuad cables._

 

Actually I was thinking more along the lines of the AMRAAM missile.


----------



## mb3k

One little thing about the switchbox is that if I have say one source connected to 'input from source 1' and one amp connected to 'output to amplifier 1' and I have the crossfeed section turned to off (bypass).
 Normal and proper operation would be to set the rotary switches to:
 S1, OFF, A1

 But if I set it to say:
 S2, OFF, A1
 Or even if I don't send the signal to amplifier 1:
 S1, OFF, A4
 I can still hear the music very faintly if I turn up the volume of the amp, even though there is no possible electrical connection (tested repeatedly with my multimeter)

 My intuition says it's some kind of wire-to-wire interference because the wires are so close to each other in the twisted pair cables. Or it may be the rotary switch leaking the signal, but I tried proving it with my multimeter and there is no electrical connection between the rotary switch lugs. Anyone else know why?

 I haven't tested it with a crossfeed in place because I haven't made enough interconnects, but when I think about it logically this "problem" is fine because I never usually have 2 amps on at once and there is no electrical connection so no unexpected ground loops should arise.

 Anyways, thanks for the compliments guys!


----------



## Fitz

That's not really too surprising, if you have the switches set so that the input into the amp is floating and not connected to any source. You're basically using the wiring inside the switchbox like an antenna at that point. I get the exact same results on both of my stereo preamps if I switch to an unused input and something is playing on another input.

 In other words: there's nothing wrong with your switchbox


----------



## gsteinb88

Okay, yea, reading over my post and it _was_ confusing...i was really tired. What i was trying to say was, it looks like you have separate inputs and outputs for the crossfeed. Is this correct?
 If so, that means that if you want to apply crossfeed to a signal you need to take the amp output from the back of the switchbox, use two interconnects to go to the crossfeed input, and then two more to go from the crossfeed output to the actual amp. 
 I am confused why you didnt just wire the crossfeed into the signal path between the source selector switch and the amp selector switch. Since you can turn the crossfeed off, you wouldnt be required to use it this way, but then you could use it without having to add a separate interconnect on the back. 
 Hope that was more clear!


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gsteinb88* 
_Okay, yea, reading over my post and it was confusing...i was really tired. What i was trying to say was, it looks like you have separate inputs and outputs for the crossfeed. Is this correct?
 If so, that means that if you want to apply crossfeed to a signal you need to take the amp output from the back of the switchbox, use two interconnects to go to the crossfeed input, and then two more to go from the crossfeed output to the actual amp. 
 I am confused why you didnt just wire the crossfeed into the signal path between the source selector switch and the amp selector switch. Since you can turn the crossfeed off, you wouldnt be required to use it this way, but then you could use it without having to add a separate interconnect on the back. 
 Hope that was more clear!_

 

I'm not entirely sure I understand what you're saying, but if I am understanding correctly, I think he's doing it differently than how you think he is. From the front knobs, it looks like he has it setup to select between two different crossfeed modules (since there's not a single definitive implementation of crossfeed), with a pair of ICs going to the inputs and outputs on each crossfeed module. The crossfeed switch just puts one or the other in series between the source and amp selection, or bypasses them completely if neither is wanted. This is actually a pretty cool way to do crossfeed, since rather than always being fixed in the signal path and having to be switched on a separate box, it uses the ideas behind tape and processor loops on stereo equipment.

 Feel free to correct me if this isn't how you're doing it, mb3k.


----------



## gsteinb88

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* 
_I'm not entirely sure I understand what you're saying, but if I am understanding correctly, I think he's doing it differently than how you think he is. From the front knobs, it looks like he has it setup to select between two different crossfeed modules (since there's not a single definitive implementation of crossfeed), with a pair of ICs going to the inputs and outputs on each crossfeed module. The crossfeed switch just puts one or the other in series between the source and amp selection, or bypasses them completely if neither is wanted. This is actually a pretty cool way to do crossfeed, since rather than always being fixed in the signal path and having to be switched on a separate box, it uses the ideas behind tape and processor loops on stereo equipment.

 Feel free to correct me if this isn't how you're doing it, mb3k._

 

Thats exactly what i was trying to say, and i was confused as to why he would do it that way, instead of just having the crossfeed selector fixed in the signal path. 
 I used paint to make a picture of the way i would have done it (not saying its better, just trying to figure out why he didnt do it this way):




 Hope this was clear....my writing skills are obviously lacking today
 EDIT: 'Straight wire' is the off position for the crossfeed switch


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gsteinb88* 
_Thats exactly what i was trying to say, and i was confused as to why he would do it that way, instead of just having the crossfeed selector fixed in the signal path. 
 I used paint to make a picture of the way i would have done it (not saying its better, just trying to figure out why he didnt do it this way):




 Hope this was clear....my writing skills are obviously lacking today
 EDIT: 'Straight wire' is the off position for the crossfeed switch_

 

Unless I'm missing something here, that's _exactly_ what I was just describing as how he has it already: the crossfeed switch in series with the source and amp switch.

 Edit: Here's my interpretation of how I believe it's hooked up


----------



## gsteinb88

Ah, i was under the impression (from the separate RCA jacks labeled crossfeed) that if he wanted to use crossfeed he would have to use an extra set of IC's going from the back to the top. I guess i was wrong. Makes more sense now.


----------



## mb3k

Yup exactly Fitz. You cant see it in the photo, but I have room for 4 Sources, 2 Crossfeeds, and 4 Amps.
 Here's the updated PDF file of the design, hopefully it'll clear it up.

 BTW Fitz, your Darkvoice is killer! Great job on it.


----------



## gsteinb88

Ooooh wonderful. PDF is great. Thanks for clearing that up...


----------



## Fitz

D'oh, I was looking at the picture with the knobs, didn't even notice it actually had four amp outputs. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'd love to do a passive preamp / AV switchbox someday, but I'd _never_ get that many connectors to line up straight. I have virtually no patience when doing casework.


----------



## flutie04

This is my first full blown amp project, besides the normal cmoy stuff

 Millet with Nichon Muse KZ, and Silmic II output caps + Tread


----------



## Thaddy

flutie04, getting back into headphone audio again?

 Good to see you around!


----------



## flutie04

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Thaddy* 
_flutie04, getting back into headphone audio again?

 Good to see you around! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

hey man, long time no talk, your in texas now?

 and yeah kinda stumbled back into the scene after a almost 2 year break


----------



## Thaddy

Yup, got a job here in Houston so help feed the addiction
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Glad to see your back!


----------



## flecom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gsteinb88* 
_Soooo beautiful...




 At least i think so, having spent the last 4 days of my life laying out and soldering those 4 circuit boards...
 Thats the 4 stages of Kevin Gilmore's Current Domain Electrostatic Amplifier (AKA the KGSS). Ive got the power supply downstairs somwhere, but those four boards cover both the left and right channels of the circuit, as in its done, it just needs to be cased up (and every true DIYer should laugh at my use of 'just' in that sentence...). The fourth stage (the stage on the right) has those transistors sticking out because they will be dissipating a total of 40 watts, 5 watts per transistor, 4 transistors per channel, 4 channels.
 Anyway, these four boards are a marked improvement from the first layout:




 That was, ah, one channel, and was going to be my final arrangement, until i was informed that with all those wire jumpers and the messed up layout, i was setting myself up for some major oscillation issues. So, i tore down those 3 hours of work, and made these four boards. Each stage will be connected via a twisted pair (its a balanced signal) of wires, with a ferrite bead on them. That should take care of any signal and oscillation problems that i might have had. Plus, this way is 2/3 the size, and looks one hell of a lot better.
 So yea, im going to place the order for the case on mouser tomorrow, and i have some interesting things planned for the graphic layout...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 By the way, does anyone have reccomendations on high voltage wire?
 I'd love comments on this._

 

very nice, you know you have to heatsink most of those transistors right?

 also what power supply section are you using? the original KGSS one?

 I was talking to justin from headamp and he suggested I use the blue hawaii power supply section for my KGSS since its a better design... but I have had a heck of a time finding the 200k 5w resistor for the power supply...

 I started on my KGSS but really havent done much of anything, still have to order most of the parts...

 also had a hard time finding a transformer so i kind of gave up for the time being...

 which sucks becuase I have a pair of HE60s that i cannot use since I have no other electrostat amp...

 man this post is too long, you should make a thread on your build or something


----------



## Heady

Nothing fancy, just two PINTs:


----------



## Whitewind

Battery powered 5.4v regulated Alien DAC.

 This is actually my second DIY audio project, first is my Millett (which still hasn't been cased yet)

 ERO MKC 4uF paralleled with polystyrene 0.091uF. I find this combination of capacitor types sound the best even when compared to polyprop.

 Happy DIYing


----------



## philodox

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Whitewind* 
_Battery powered 5.4v regulated Alien DAC._

 

Do you find battery power to make a large improvement over bus power?


----------



## mb3k

Wow, I really like that case!
 Great job on the DAC!


----------



## phergus_25

Two HP stands for fellow Headfiers, and a set of woodies for me.


----------



## mb3k

Pherg,
 DO you notice any sound difference with the woodies? Or is it mostly aesthetic?


----------



## phergus_25

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Pherg,
 DO you notice any sound difference with the woodies? Or is it mostly aesthetic?_

 

I cant say that I head any diff, not my main set of cans either tho. Some will tell you that the wood absorbs more sound so it has a more mellow sound, but to my ears there wasnt a diff. However, if I had two pairs, woodied and non to compare i would be able to say more difinitivly.
 -greg


----------



## The Monkey

Nice, whitewind. Please tell us about the case.


----------



## Whitewind

The tin is actually a mint tin (or that was what it was labeled as). I picked it up a couple years back at a fresh food market in downtown Toronto. It looks really nice with the white USB powered LEDs glowing inside. 

 philodox
 - I have never tried bus powered, but I can tell you as the supplied voltage drops the clearity will start to diminish.


----------



## applegd

My first PIMETA, I socketed almost everything by using 30u gold plated mill-max sockets, with OPA627s, it sounding is very good.

 For the RCA jacks on it, my solder iron is not powerful enough to solder the ground cable onto them, so I made washers for them by myself, they are working well.

 Now I can keep rolling my amp chips.....


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *applegd* 
_IMAGE

 My first PIMETA, I socketed almost everything by using 30u gold plated mill-max sockets, with OPA627s, it sounding is very good.

 For the RCA jacks on it, my solder iron is not powerful enough to solder the ground cable onto them, so I made washers for them by myself, they are working well.

 Now I can keep rolling my amp chips.....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








_

 

That's lookin great. From this angle I can see the twisted pair wires, I always forget to do that on the inside, so props to you for remembering to keep it tidy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Only if I had money/time left I'd do a Pimeta too...


----------



## pddjsteve

My Alien DAC - 3rd one made, 2nd one working, 1st one cased up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 In a 1455C801:





 Temporary plexi end panel:





 The inside - 680uF Panasonic FM layed on its side to fit the case:


----------



## phergus_25

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pddjsteve* 
_My Alien DAC - 3rd one made, 2nd one working, 1st one cased up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 In a 1455C801:





 Temporary plexi end panel:





 The inside - 680uF Panasonic FM layed on its side to fit the case:



_

 

I think the plexi looks awsome, much better than a metal end. KEEP IT!


----------



## pddjsteve

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phergus_25* 
_I think the plexi looks awsome, much better than a metal end. KEEP IT! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks! It was a rush job because I wanted to get the thing cased, so there is still some overlap on the edges and the usb port hole is not perfectly square. I like the way it looks too, not sure if I want to go metal eventually or not. If I take the time to do another, I'm pretty sure I could do a better job. So it would be either spend time making a really good one, or wait until I can afford front panel express.


----------



## quicksilver96

The PPAS is up and running!! Sounds incredible for the current consumed ~16mA (my diamond buffers in another amp waste more than that per channel). Stomp box lid clamps the batteries in place. That's a little charging circuit off to the right of the batteries (yes I know the ones in it now are not rechargeable).


----------



## EFN

Quicksilver96:

 Are those Hammond Diecast Aluminum 1590WS Enclosure? SWEET!!!!!!
 How hard to dig holes through them?

 Thanks!


----------



## quicksilver96

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *EFN* 
_Quicksilver96:

 Are those Hammond Diecast Aluminum 1590WS Enclosure? SWEET!!!!!!
 How hard to dig holes through them?

 Thanks!_

 

That box is made by Deltron, the mfg P/N is 459-0020. The aluminum is fairly easy to drill into. I tried to use a spade bit to make the 1/2" hole for the power inlet but that ruined one box as the bit caught the aluminum and ripped the box out from the clamp and gnarled it all up. I ended up using my largest standard drill bit (3/8) and using a dremel to open the hole up a little more. The brushed finish took a bunch of time to remove whatever finish was on the box by hand. I wouldn't have bothered removing the finish at all, but I will have my polishing tools back in a couple weeks to make it mirror shiney 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## EFN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *quicksilver96* 
_That box is made by Deltron, the mfg P/N is 459-0020. The aluminum is fairly easy to drill into. I tried to use a spade bit to make the 1/2" hole for the power inlet but that ruined one box as the bit caught the aluminum and ripped the box out from the clamp and gnarled it all up. I ended up using my largest standard drill bit (3/8) and using a dremel to open the hole up a little more. The brushed finish took a bunch of time to remove whatever finish was on the box by hand. I wouldn't have bothered removing the finish at all, but I will have my polishing tools back in a couple weeks to make it mirror shiney 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




._

 

Hehehe, Industrial look is my kind of thing. Thanks for the info!


----------



## pddjsteve

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *quicksilver96* 
_The PPAS is up and running!! Sounds incredible for the current consumed ~16mA (my diamond buffers in another amp waste more than that per channel). Stomp box lid clamps the batteries in place. That's a little charging circuit off to the right of the batteries (yes I know the ones in it now are not rechargeable)._

 

Nice! 16mA.. you must have waited for some Buf634 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I like the enclosure, too.


----------



## splaz

Why would you want the cold, calculating precision of a machine when you can have the warm, mellow dodginess of a human ? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm a bit of a perfectionist so it pains me to look at those wonky components...

 Ahwell I'll get over it, it is my first serious surface mount project and I got a bit frustrated at times so was just satisfied when I had it positioned for good joints but not necessarily to be asthetically pleasing. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sorry about the dodgy pics but this camera doesn't like focusing up close and it's old, so either it just sucks or I don't know how to use it properly. I'm guessing the former.

 Oh and it is a PINT mini^3ified with 2 x LM6172 as per Filburt's suggestion. I'm also doing a 2 x AD8397 in exactly the same config but I wrecked the chips with a rather stupid mistake so need some new ones before I start that. I'll get some pics up when it's cased up, most likely mint tins. At this stage just the board's been done, needs testing, wiring and casing still.


----------



## FallenAngel

Both HPDACs are finally done! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I replaced all the electrolytics with BlackGates here except for the one Elna Cerafine which is pretty damn good already. Stock gain of 6 (I think), 2x LM6172. Hammond 1455C802 enclosure.

 Insides:














 Cased:







 Twins


----------



## FallenAngel

My PINT (Tangent's Low-Noise Version)

 AD8397 on L/R
 LM6172 on Ground
 99.9999% Pure Silver Wiring
 DIY Mini-TREAD
 True 9.6V 200mAh PowerEx
 My little secret on what the case is


----------



## MASantos

Nice case. It looks like a case my father uses for fishing leads and other fishing thingies. Am I right?

 Where is the DC jack? I can see some wires coming out of that "tread" but no DC jack.



  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* 
_My PINT (Tangent's Low-Noise Version)

 AD8397 on L/R
 LM6172 on Ground
 99.9999% Pure Silver Wiring
 DIY Mini-TREAD
 True 9.6V 200mAh PowerEx
 My little secret on what the case is 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






_


----------



## labmat

I just completed the assembly of an AlienDAC and am pleased to say that it worked perfectly on the first try. I am a little un happy with the case work; the cutout around the USB port is a little crummy but other than that I'm very pleased with the way it sounds. I posted pics for all to see.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* 
_Nice case. It looks like a case my father uses for fishing leads and other fishing thingies. Am I right?

 Where is the DC jack? I can see some wires coming out of that "tread" but no DC jack._

 

The DC jack is in the top right corner of the pic, behind the PINT, farther away from the TREAD.

 And nope, the case is something different, but you might find it in the store.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *labmat* 
_I just completed the assembly of an AlienDAC and am pleased to say that it worked perfectly on the first try. I am a little un happy with the case work; the cutout around the USB port is a little crummy but other than that I'm very pleased with the way it sounds. I posted pics for all to see.














_

 

Nice work Mathew!!!! Those RCA's fit nicely!


----------



## quicksilver96

Yay, another Alien DAC in another Hammond case... Mines got an onboard tread (overkill) and I'm running the 5V side at 5.35V.


----------



## Polaris111688

Very sweet looking Alien DAC. I noticed the nice caps in there.


----------



## headphonejunkie

Here is my new chassis for my millet. I am going to mount the board upside down inside of the chassis. So, all you will need to do is turn it upside down change tubes. I am also mounting bias jacks on the back panel to make bias adjustments that much easier.


----------



## 00940

Let's show something different for once :

 Vifa P17WJ+D26TG in a transmission line :






 Powered by a Symasym 5.3 :


----------



## quicksilver96

Very sweet 940, my next DIY venture is going to be a set of speakers, if I can find something to my liking, and a tube amp.


----------



## efnord

Just a little cMoy, cased in a cheap fake Tupperware that was the smallest case I could find at the dollar store. I feel kinda ashamed posting pictures of it next to all the pretty stuff here, but hey, _es mi amplifier primero_. 







http://www.flickr.com/photos/efnord/253061811/






http://www.flickr.com/photos/efnord/253062376/

 Unwilling to pass up a deal and liking the idea of handmade gifts, I bought parts for five cMoys based on Tangent's $20 amp list, going with 470uf input caps 'cos they were about the same price. I ended up wiring on an existing 6' headphone cable (cut down to about 4') instead of buying a mini-mini cable. The Tupperware works nicely here; you can wrap the extra cable around the seal (see first pic) and tuck it behind the flap that pokes down (see second pic.)

 This thing *rocks*. I think a lawyer helped set the volume levels on my Dell DJ MP3 player. All the instruments are well-defined, but the OPA2132PA is pretty gentle to the lossy MP3 compression. No volume pot or switch, power switch stolen off old broken electronics.


----------



## ferros

Hello,
 @ days ago i built my first headphone amplifier (cMoy) which contains Alps RK097 pot and OPA2134 op-amp, powered by double 9V batteries. Built with help of tangentsoft cmoy tutorial. Sorry for ugly photos, but i can't make any better. Enjoy:
http://lo-zywiec.pl/~ferros/cmoy/1.jpg
http://lo-zywiec.pl/~ferros/cmoy/2.jpg
http://lo-zywiec.pl/~ferros/cmoy/3.jpg
http://lo-zywiec.pl/~ferros/cmoy/4.jpg
http://lo-zywiec.pl/~ferros/cmoy/5.jpg
http://lo-zywiec.pl/~ferros/cmoy/6.jpg
Any comments welcome (pw)


----------



## bhjazz

Hi ferros, 

 All of your links point to the same picture! The link displayed says one thing, but the url for them all goes to 1.jpg. Just thought you'd like to know. 

 Welcome to Head-Fi!

 Edit: Ah, there it is! I like the tin. Stylish!


----------



## SoundGoon

So a little background - I had had my Koss/RadioShack PRO 35's for about 6 years - used them for bus rides to track meets, working out, general listening, etc. (kinda abused'em, I know
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), and finally the headband broke and my first "good" pair and favorite pair of headphones were broke/not usable. So, my girlfriend bought me the HD-590's for Christmas, which lead my to all of this expensive goodness called head-fi. I was rumaging through some stuff and came across the ol' 35's, and decided that it was their time to be reborn. I had seen a decent amount of DIY stuff through pics and what not, and I have a pair of the KSC75's, and seeing as how the actual '35 phones worked, just not the head band, I resolved to figure something out so that they could be used again. So, I set at making some ear clips. It probably took about 2 hours to do and began with me cleaning up the titanium drivers with a q-tip (gently mind you), then removing the little dents that I made in the driver, then I put them back in their house, and had at it with a white shirt hanger (these are generally thinner and more flexible than the average clothes hanger). After some trial and error on the shape of the clips I ended up with something study and not too uncomfortable, and so made one for each side and put some black heat shrink on it to make it look a bit better. 
 So far so good, I just have to get new foam for them because it was disintegrated form sweat and age. Hope you enjoy, and thanks for the ideas all!!


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SoundGoon* 
_So a little background - I had had my Koss/RadioShack PRO 35's for about 6 years - used them for bus rides to track meets, working out, general listening, etc. (kinda abused'em, I know
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), and finally the headband broke and my first "good" pair and favorite pair of headphones were broke/not usable. So, my girlfriend bought me the HD-590's for Christmas, which lead my to all of this expensive goodness called head-fi. I was rumaging through some stuff and came across the ol' 35's, and decided that it was their time to be reborn. I had seen a decent amount of DIY stuff through pics and what not, and I have a pair of the KSC75's, and seeing as how the actual '35 phones worked, just not the head band, I resolved to figure something out so that they could be used again. So, I set at making some ear clips. It probably took about 2 hours to do and began with me cleaning up the titanium drivers with a q-tip (gently mind you), and removed and little dents that I made, then I put them back in their house, and had at it with a white shirt hanger (these are generally thinner and more flexible than the average clothes hanger). After some trial and error on the shape of the clips I ended up with something study and not too uncomfortable, and so made one for each side and put some black heat shrink on it to make it look a bit better. 
 So far so good, I just have to get new foam for them because it was disintegrated form sweat and age. Hope you enjoy, and thanks for the ideas all!!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Oh dude, those are some seriously ugly phones! Gotta hand it to you, if they sound good, do it... just not in public 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But then again, you'd probably get similar reactions if you wear the wood or aluminum grados outside.


----------



## ozshadow

I finished my PPAS and absolutely love it. Full review of the sound to come.

 OPA2107 on L/R
 OPA627 on ground
 Buf634's on all 3 channels
 Class A biased
 2x9v batteries in there, now 270 mah rechargeables.
 Trickle charger inside the amp fed by a tread.
 2x180uf Nichicon UPW caps, 2x330uf Panasonic FM's
 Kobiconn isolated jacks all around
 Tiny Hammond 4.7 X 2.1 X 0.91 Black Anodized Case


----------



## Pars

Nice job! What, no pr*n? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What kind of jacks are those, they look nice, especially on that case?

 Chris

 [Edit: oops, I see that you already said they are Kobiconn]


----------



## Heady

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* 
_Nice job! What, no pr*n? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What kind of jacks are those, they look nice, especially on that case?

 Chris

 [Edit: oops, I see that you already said they are Kobiconn]_

 

Very nice. I would like to also echo pars about the Kobiconn jacks but my question is, where did you get them? Any part number available?

 Thanks.


----------



## xelion

You guys all have awesome cases for your builds. Does anyone know what a good case would be for the SOHA? I'm going to build one soon..


----------



## ozshadow

Those are Kobiconn 161-7300-EX from Mouser. They're isolated too. Rear power jack's an isolated Kobiconn 163-4303-EX.


----------



## Heady

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ozshadow* 
_Those are Kobiconn 161-7300-EX from Mouser. They're isolated too. Rear power jack's an isolated Kobiconn 163-4303-EX._

 

Thanks.


----------



## MASantos

Just a little eye teaser:











 The first capacitors from the right are sweeet blackgates NX-High Q!

 These are parts for USB Alien DAC's!!!


----------



## mb3k

Hahah, crazy. How many ADAC boards do you have there?


----------



## bperboy

'gasp' the horror of SMD! I can do the simple ones fine, but the dac chips are a pain in the arse! I just avoid it like the plague when I can. Luckily, I've finished my dac already.


----------



## phergus_25

DELETE...


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Hahah, crazy. How many ADAC boards do you have there?_

 

 24 boards. Lots of work for the next month.


----------



## skyline889

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phergus_25* 
_Here are a few of the cups Iv been messing with:

 A dark stained Walnut:


 My originals with the new wire mesh


 A new design that Im really excited about with a contrasting wood on top. Next one will have alot more of a lip to show off the light wood.

_

 

The dark walnut looks nice. Aren't you still a mall-fi/member of the trade though?


----------



## phergus_25

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyline889* 
_The dark walnut looks nice. Aren't you still a mall-fi/member of the trade though?_

 

I recently saw someone from Qcables post up some new product pics, and there for though that it was acceptible to post if no discussion went on.But just to be 100% sure taht Im in the clear I'll edit.
 -greg


----------



## hoosterw

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phergus_25* 
_I recently saw someone from Qables post up some new product pics, and there for though that it was acceptible to post if no discussion went on.But just to be 100% sure taht Im in the clear I'll edit.
 -greg_

 

Well quite some time ago (before I became sponsor) I indeed used to post some product pics but mostly they got removed. It is not allowed if you are trading(i.e. selling other then your own used equipment), even if you are not named MOT-er. 

 pm jude or mbriant if you have any questions on the subject.


 Rgds Hans Oosterwaal


----------



## phergus_25

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hoosterw* 
_Well quite some time ago (before I became sponsor) I indeed used to post some product pics but mostly they got removed. It is not allowed if you are trading(i.e. selling other then your own used equipment), even if you are not named MOT-er. 

 pm jude or mbriant if you have any questions on the subject.


 Rgds Hans Oosterwaal_

 

Thanks for the info. I slipped up and posted those forgetting that I wasent going to post up woodworking pics. 

 Man this selling thing is alot more trouble thing than its worth.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 -greg


----------



## psilosome

I had actually ordered a PCB from amb for his epsilon 12 muting circuit but stupidly lost it. Since I was only building the simple single-supply version for my Millett, I decided to go "from scratch" following the schematic on breadboard before building on perfboard. It's ugly but it works. The 330uF capacitor gives a turn-on delay of about 8 seconds. Now I need to case up the Millett with this and a TREAD.


----------



## mb3k

Nice improvise.
 What case do you have in mind?


----------



## JohnFerrier




----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JohnFerrier* 
_



_

 

What is that?


----------



## Homeleet

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pho_boi* 
_Ok, because I'm on holidays at the moment I decided to build another multi hyrbid. But this time I reduced it size by quite a bit, the board also has a power regulator circuit also.









_

 


 Can you send the schema and all data on that headphone amp???


----------



## psilosome

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_Nice improvise.
 What case do you have in mind?_

 

I'm going with a Hammond 1455N2201. It's kind of a long case - I haven't decided how I will arrange the components but am leaning towards centering the Millett with the TREAD at the back and the e12 at the front. I'll post a picture when I'm done if it's not too ugly


----------



## ezkcdude

Here's a pic of my EZDAC that I finished last weekend.


----------



## phergus_25

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Homeleet* 
_Can you send the schema and all data on that headphone amp???_

 

X2!


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phergus_25* 
_X2!_

 

It's all available here


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phergus_25* 
_X2!_

 

For a second there I thought he (pho_boi) said it was a millett hybrid, my jaw came loose for a bit there until i read again... *Multi*-hybrid.
 I want to build it too!!!


----------



## SoundGoon

How difficult do you think that pho's amp would be to build? I'm new to DIY amps and such, but think that it looks interesting


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SoundGoon* 
_How difficult do you think that pho's amp would be to build? I'm new wil DIY amps and such, but think that it looks interesting
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I don't believe there's a PCB for it, so it'll have to be all on a perfboard, which can get stoopidly tedious and error prone. On the flipside, you can lay it out anyway you want


----------



## blueworm

Stoopid! no fuse


----------



## matthewcarlrose

This is my millett hybrid I built earlier in the year. My first diy project, next is a Pimeta and crossfeed and next? who knows!! 
















 Matt


----------



## bperboy

Is that two Milletts there?


----------



## matthewcarlrose

Yep 2 Millets. I built one for my brother while i was constructing my own, and for my efforts he sourced and supplied the Galaxy chassis from AudioKit in italy! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Little bit more info, they are both spec'd the same with Elna Silmic 2 / Cerafine Caps, Vishay Dale Resistors, Steps PSU and AMB Labs E3's configured for single supply.

 Matt


----------



## vixr

here is some stuff I've been working on...


----------



## Nordic




----------



## mb3k

Vixr, your work is always a joy to see.
 Where do you source your orange drops?


----------



## bperboy

Wow, so many great DIY projects. I'll have some cool stuff to post in a few days when I get one last shipment... I hope you;ll like it, but I'll leave you wondering what it is!


----------



## Haoleb

A few of my last build. Was a birthday gift for a friend, I wanted to keep her though.. Its hard to see em go! 

 Casework is milled from a solid block of african mohogany. ( I broke two before getting one good one) My metalworking has gone down the toilet since I no longer have acess to proper tools. Tin snips and drills dont quite do the work a turret punch and shear will do. This is my newly redesigned PCB which is smaller than the old one Ive used. Tried a few new things with this one, Like the push button switch. And satin finish rather than my usual High Gloss. Working with wood is pretty difficult when all your inputs and switches etc are made for panel mounting. Its means being creative. And having some super strong epoxy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 As you can see, On the back I sorta slipped with the dremel while enlarging the hole for the battery drawers. If it were the front I would have had to start over but I can live with it on the back. My last build is on page 55, It still resides right next to me at the computer serving as a preamp or headphone amp depending on if im using headphones or the stereo.


----------



## ntrl

Hi All!

 Maybe somebody be interested.
 This small and silent computer. Case *mini-ITX*, but motherboard *mini-ATX*.
 (I hate VIA chipsets and CPUs, but love Intel and AMD) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 CPU Athlon 3500MHz socket AM2, MB Asus M2NPV-VM, nforce 430.
 HDD hitachi 2.5" SATA
 DVD+RW Lite-On
 Case Morex. 
 For full silence necessary use CPU AMD with energy Efficient 35Watt (SDD part number). But it don't buy in Russia 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Maybe ALL advice where it buy (internet shops).









Here mini worklog


----------



## quicksilver96

Haoleb - what do you use to mill out the cavity in the block of wood?

 Nice looking, BTW.


----------



## Haoleb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *quicksilver96* 
_Haoleb - what do you use to mill out the cavity in the block of wood?

 Nice looking, BTW._

 


 Used a forstner bit or forsner not sure on the spelling. A router would have looked alot nicer inside but that worked fine for me.


----------



## abcheng

MH + Alien DAC












 wheeeeee


----------



## phergus_25

Thats pretty awsome. How much was the buid cost if you dont mind me asking.
 -greg

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ntrl* 
_Hi All!

 Maybe somebody be interested.
 This small and silent computer. Case *mini-ITX*, but motherboard *mini-ATX*.
 (I hate VIA chipsets and CPUs, but love Intel and AMD) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 CPU Athlon 3500MHz socket AM2, MB Asus M2NPV-VM, nforce 430.
 HDD hitachi 2.5" SATA
 DVD+RW Lite-On
 Case Morex. 
 For full silence necessary use CPU AMD with energy Efficient 35Watt (SDD part number). But it don't buy in Russia 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Maybe ALL advice where it buy (internet shops).









Here mini worklog_


----------



## gychang

many thanks to all of you and Bob Brines.

 To me, sounds excellent, but this is before burning in, just hooked it up yesterday, these speakers are cheap and out of production.

 Now I am trying to get ideas on my 2nd project, fullrange of course, small footprint, with good base and has to be driven by t-amp...

 gychang


----------



## stevodude

Woah, there are some incredible builds here, far supperior finishes to what I normally do 

 anyway, here's my first cmoy I build last week.

 2mm power jack in the back ( runs off a 16v DC wall wart when on the PC) also has a 9v battery inside it.
 The switch is a 3 way (Wall/off/battery). Reason I built it is because I got a new sound card (chaintech av710) and the analogue Hid-def rear outs can't pump out much volume, so decided to build a cheapo amp.

 internal specs is standard cmoy affair with an opa2134.
 case dimensions are width/depth/height - 50mm/50mm/45mm, slightly larger than 2 9v batteries.
 Reason I have a big arse volume knob is that the only pot I had lying around was a 16mm dual 50k log, so I used that in conjuction with a 470k R2.
 works great.
 input on left, output on right, volume/switch & led on front, power socket on back.

 don't know how to do thumbnails, but here yah go, I haven't taken any picks on the guts, but if someones interested I will... it's not pretty.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Camera photo's look shiet, but done with my phone camera in a not too bright room... might redo photo's, can't see my big knob clearly


----------



## blueworm

Stevodude: 
 Welcome to Head-Fi Sorry about your wallet!


----------



## hYdrociTy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* 
_here is some stuff I've been working on..._

 

Carbon fiber. Drool.


----------



## EFN

Stevodude:
 I love that Industrial look


----------



## GeWa

Quote:


 Wow, so many great DIY projects. I'll have some cool stuff to post in a few days when I get one last shipment... I hope you;ll like it, but I'll leave you wondering what it is! 
 

How long are you going to keep us in suspense 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Regards


----------



## McFortner

I'd post a picture, but my DIY projects look like a Cub Scout Camp DIY. Not quite much to look at, even though they do work and are pretty simple. All these good pictures make me wish I could do better. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Michael


----------



## bazmonkey

Pics o' the CMoy. She's my first DIY electronic undertaking. Sorry it's just another Altoids tin...


----------



## vixr

mb3k, I got the orange drops from digikey.
























 Here's my SOHA...


----------



## pipp

Modified awd3 usb dac. With all Black Gate caps, std, N and NX-HQ. Tantalum 2w. Auricap 450v 3.3uf for coupling. Power is pregulated 230->10vdc 10vcd->5vdc seperate rails for pcm2706 and tda section. No usb power.






 Oh and if anyone know where I can buy a USB connector for chassi mounting please let me know.


----------



## kin0kin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pipp* 
_





 Modified awd3 usb dac. With all Black Gate caps, std, N and NX-HQ. Tantalum 2w. Auricap 450v 3.3uf for coupling. Power is pregulated 230->10vdc 10vcd->5vdc seperate rails for pcm2706 and tda section. No usb power.






 Oh and if anyone know where I can buy a USB connector for chassi mounting please let me know._

 

what enclosure is that?


----------



## pipp

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kin0kin* 
_what enclosure is that? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Its from thlaudio.com, I dont know the exact model as I sourced it from a friend who ordered many at once.


----------



## EFN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bazmonkey* 
_Pics o' the CMoy. She's my first DIY electronic undertaking. Sorry it's just another Altoids tin..._

 

Very neat first attempt I have to say


----------



## tablekwan

a PPA2 build by my friend..


----------



## pho_boi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tablekwan* 
_a PPA2 build by my friend..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 ]_

 

wow very nice!!


----------



## stevodude

Ok, I've gone from 220u to 470u power caps, removed R5, put a dualgang switch in for my 2 headphones I use, removed 2x132-2132 adapter and put in a single 2132 chip.
 About all I have done and will do to this version, I have some hammon 1455 case's so might wip up a modified ppa & crossfeed or something to fit.

 any way here's the dodgy guts of my first cmoy, linked thumbnails




 show you my dodgey soldering, and also the gain switch thanks to tangent\'s idea, I have 2 gain settings.
 1 - circumnurals - using 1.269k ohm (parallel 1.8k & 4.3k) to get a gain of about 8.8
 2 - canal phones - using 4.7k ohm giving gain of about 3.13
 gives me about %80 for full volume for both headphones
 mini barrel power connector - powered by 16v dc





 Showing dodgey power caps, and wires floating around





 yellow switch is on/off/on, battery/off/wall power. currently only running wall power as this is for my chaintech av-710 at home, and wanted a cheap Headphone amp to power my mdr-cd470\'s
 Eten m600+ running Mortplayer with \'best of Sade\' ripped direct to wav, then oggdrop aoTuV version with Aoyumi\'s code, settings adjusted as here: http://jult.nl/printscreens/aotuv
 results in a variable bitrate around 224, with lowpass filter @21800Hz, scale factor %99, '7' quality - gives me about an average file size of 7Mb per song, and much cleaner than 196 mp3 that most of my media is (some are going to be redone from the cd's)


----------



## dbfreak

Pic of my first amp. A scaled down version (per Marcello Pellerano) of a Zen. Solid red oak with highly polished aluminum accents. Matched 610 MOSFETS, Vishay resistors, Cerafine/Nichicon Fine Gold caps, teflon coated silver wire (Wellborne Labs), Alps "blackbeauty" pot (buttery smooth
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), custom 2 inch aluminum knob with LED, all stainless steel hardware, Neutrik output, Cardas inputs and an Amveco power supply for each channel. Sorry for lousy pic, done with friends cell phone and the inside shots didn't come out. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue sounds like heaven through Grado 225's.


----------



## dbfreak




----------



## philodox

Absolutely gorgeous dbfreak!


----------



## MASantos

Very nice build. How long did you take to make that layout in the breadboard? That case is also very sleek, where did you get that knob?


----------



## dbfreak

Thanks for the compliments. Boards were purchased from forum member with most solder work done. I just needed to build the case, solder some diodes, a couple of resistors and match/solder the MOSFETS and heatsink them (Kapton tape works great by the way). I requested a sample from a tape company online and was sent enough for the project. Knob also came from forum member. I had to do the wiring for both AC/DC and probe/tweak it with a Fluke and friend's PC scope. No bread board used in project. Amp PCB's are from digi01 in Hong Kong. Total time was about three days (on/off/) to build. Most of the time was used sanding and polishing the aluminum. My local Lowe's aluminum is pretty scratched up when it hits their sales floor. My buffer saw some heavy work. Polishing wasn't too bad. I finished the wood with four coats of Minwax oil-based polyurethane - Clear Gloss. Nice durable finish and shinny like a fresh bowling alley lane. When I can get a decent camera, I will post inside pics.


----------



## Seaside

tablekwan, wow....

 As a purfboard with wrapping wire guy myself. your work is absolutely beautiful. I can see the amount of effort you put on it. Very nice.

 bazmonkey, you got nice cmoy there. Not too shabby at all. Yours make me thinking about getting another altoid tin.


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* 
_where did you get that knob?_

 

There are very similar knobs out at audiokit.it. You can get some sweet brushed or polished knobs that look verrrry close to that. Plus, shipping to the states is only about 10 days or so from Italy. They are great to deal with, in spite of the subtle language barrier.


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bhjazz* 
_There are very similar knobs out at audiokit.it. You can get some sweet brushed or polished knobs that look verrrry close to that. Plus, shipping to the states is only about 10 days or so from Italy. They are great to deal with, in spite of the subtle language barrier._

 

Thanks for that link! Like I said earlier, I don't know where the knob came from. I bought it here at Head-Fi from a forum member who described it as "custom." I will be building a SDS Labs (Sheldon Stokes) solid-state headphone amp and now know where to purchase a similar knob.


----------



## Ace o' Spades

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *matthewcarlrose* 
_This is my millett hybrid I built earlier in the year. My first diy project, next is a Pimeta and crossfeed and next? who knows!! 








_

 

That. Is. Beautiful.

 CMOY coming soon using tangent's design


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ace o' Spades* 
_That. Is. Beautiful.

 CMOY coming soon 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Indeed... aluminium is just too damn sexy.


----------



## elmer_dudd

that would look hot with a round pushbutton switch instead of a toggle.




 cut that pot shaft too man!


----------



## was ist los?

An Alien dac built on a protoboard in an Altoids chewing gum case. It was quite a squeeze to build. I've also got a copper plate ground plane on the bottom and i'm considering squeezing a 74HCU04 amp in that extra space.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *was ist los?* 
_An Alien dac built on a protoboard in an Altoids chewing gum case. It was quite a squeeze to build. I've also got a copper plate ground plane on the bottom and i'm considering squeezing a 74HCU04 amp in that extra space._

 

"Quite a squeeze" is an understatement! Nice work.


----------



## mb3k

Hmm, interesting Alien was.
 Maybe you can try the PCB this time


----------



## pheonix991

was ist los?:ygpm

 Very nice. I really like it.


----------



## Haoleb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* 
_Pic of my first amp. A scaled down version (per Marcello Pellerano) of a Zen. Solid red oak with highly polished aluminum accents. Matched 610 MOSFETS, Vishay resistors, Cerafine/Nichicon Fine Gold caps, teflon coated silver wire (Wellborne Labs), Alps "blackbeauty" pot (buttery smooth
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), custom 2 inch aluminum knob with LED, all stainless steel hardware, Neutrik output, Cardas inputs and an Amveco power supply for each channel. Sorry for lousy pic, done with friends cell phone and the inside shots didn't come out. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue sounds like heaven through Grado 225's.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 



 Very nice use of the Aluminm. Has given me a really good idea for using the Aluminum L channel they sell at the hardware store.. Hope you dont mind if i steal the idea sometime down the road


----------



## pop4

My first build, a CMoy:


----------



## mb3k

Congrats on the first build.
 I hardly see them in Penguin tins. I hardly see those kinds of slider switches too. How about quick shots of the inside?


----------



## Fitz

I think most people are too lazy to cut a hole to use a slider switch, than just drill a single hole and stick a regular toggle switch in. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks nice and professional that way though, you barely even notice the jacks and switch.


----------



## pop4

Here's the inside. Pretty messy.






 This is the electronics before I put it in the tin. I haven't cut down the prototype board yet, and the opamp isn't in yet either.





 Cutting out the hole for the slider switch was a pain in the arse, and I kind of messed it up. Note how my photos don't _really_ show the slider switch 

 If I build another one, I'll definitely stick to a toggle switch.
 I'll move the pot down to the side too; once I plug things into the input and output jack, the cables do get in the way of turning the pot.


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Haoleb* 
_Very nice use of the Aluminm. Has given me a really good idea for using the Aluminum L channel they sell at the hardware store.. Hope you dont mind if i steal the idea sometime down the road 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 Don't mind at all! After all, capitalization is the name of the game.


----------



## hembergler

My CMoy, rather messy but it's not too bad


----------



## ronstah

Hi again!
 My PIMETA is up and running! Lot's of time spent making the cases but the result was worth it, i guess 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Very happy with the results and thank you all who helped me and answered my questions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and ofcourse tangent!

 click on the image for gallery!




here is some other stuff i've done lately if you're interested

 Greets, Ron


----------



## MASantos

Those are nice enclosures! I really like the wood and metal combination.

 That power cord is definitely overkill, but looks great!


----------



## pho_boi

very nice work ronstah!!

 wish I could do casework like that


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ronstah* 
_Hi again!
 My PIMETA is up and running! Lot's of time spent making the cases but the result was worth it, i guess 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I know what you mean. Every custom idea I had in regards to my case has been a challenge. I'm getting them to work one by one, but the time factor is enormous.

 A nice look you've got there. Good job!


----------



## ATAT

Got bored, had a Hammond 801C lying around.. so I decided to make this beast using a bandsaw or two..











 This is a repost of that which is posted on the PPAS build thread..

 It charges off of 9v batteries and 12v wallwarts, and runs for about 24 hours.
 Heh. I think I have about 4cm^3 worth of volume left in there.. everything is jammed together.


----------



## Voodoochile

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ronstah* 
_Hi again!
 My PIMETA is up and running! Lot's of time spent making the cases but the result was worth it, i guess 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Very happy with the results and thank you all who helped me and answered my questions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and ofcourse tangent!

 click on the image for gallery!




here is some other stuff i've done lately if you're interested

 Greets, Ron_

 

Wow, that's beautiful, Ron! I love seeing silver anodized aluminum combined with light wood. It's like a cousin to walnut combined with black aluminum.

 Very very nice looking.


----------



## Seaside

Right after I saw the tread at DIY forum regarding this amp, the DIY bug kicked in. 
 Well, I already got some parts to spare... so, here it is.

 Quick inside shot.








 TRs I used are 2N3906 and 2N3904 instead of BC337 and BC327.
 Why? They are all i got in my drawer. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If you want to see the bottom. 






 Then, I put it in the can, mounted switch and things.






 And this is how the amp looks like when everything is done.






 How do you think?


----------



## Ace o' Spades

I think that is one of the best looking mint-tins I have seen on this board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Mine's still a work in progress...How did you all mount the circuit into the enclosures? Hot glue?


----------



## ronstah

thank you for your replies! glad you like my work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 amp also sounds gooooood


----------



## mb3k

Attack of the saturation slider, Seaside!
 It looks like a great amp, compact too


----------



## hoosterw

Seaside, that is one hell of an outstanding design. Really an eye teaser/candy.
 Really like it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .

 Rgds

 Hans


----------



## pheonix991

Snip*

 Didn't have the right pics., sry.


----------



## FallenAngel

Seaside, that looks like a great Sijosae Class-AB amp, very clean build, congrats!


----------



## Seaside

Ace, I did not glue circuit at the case.
 I placed thin sheet of clear plastic in the bottom of the can for insulation. I used solid 24aug LAN wire, so the circuit is kinda stay there without any glue.

 mb3k, I would rather say it little 'calibration'. The orignal pics were not bad tho, they had yelloish hue that I hate. And that should be taken care of. I thought little sharper image will not harm anything, ain't it?. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 hoosterw, and FallenAngel, thanks for the warm words.

 ***

 It runs 10+ hours with 9V 230mA rechargable battery (as you seen at the pic). I am sure it will run longer than that with alkaraine battery. That makes it pretty usable portable amp.


----------



## Ace o' Spades

Thats interesting...I would think that the battery inside would eventually move the circuit out of place if moved.

 Anyways, very, very clean design. Wasn't it a pain in the ass to drill into a round case like that?


----------



## cyclopia

I'm glad to see the seaside's attractive work in here....then i gather my courage and introduce this amp.
 The shematic of this amp is based on the sijosae's multihybrid headphone amp. 

shematic


 Custom made tube socket using hardboard paper and D-SUB female pin.








 Step-up DC to DC converter with CCS for plate power. It makes output voltage about 60v from 24v regulated PSU.








 Gross shot.








 Closed up~








 Cut out acrylic pannel and aluminum for case








 wiring on the aluminum base








 completion~~!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




















 Sound?....So Gooooood~ for me!! 

 Thank you~~!


----------



## philodox

Woah, nice work! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Kudos on the hand made tube socket.


----------



## SoundGoon

Wow. That's really beutiful. Great work - very elegant and clean. Hope it sounds as good as it looks
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Good listening

 Edit - How much did that cost you to build?


----------



## ggta

Hi cyclopia!

 Do you have more information about this amp? His there a website (in english) on it? Is it your schematic?


----------



## Seaside

Hi cyclopia.
 It's always good to see your beautiful work.

 For those whom instereted in this amp he made...
 The amp itself is Sijosae's MHHA (Multi Hybrid Headphone Amp) version 2.0, I think. That is very smartly designed one hell of amp for sure. You can find bunch of information here at head-fi (some pics from other people), or at headwise (schematics and wiring info) by searching MHHA. 

 However, the best thing about his work is he added voltage converter to get higher plate voltage. That makes his amp pretty much unique, and it become more like a HAS groupbuy version of SHHA, which of course is a wonderful amp. That I think makes already great amp even greater.


----------



## dbfreak

cyclopia: Sweet! I know more work went into that than meets the eye and bet it does sound nice.


----------



## cyclopia

Thank you seaside~ and thanks for other comments of all..

 Sorry for my short english so... i expect seaside to reply for any other questions~
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Because he has more knowledge about this amp, a kind of MHHA.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 I'm just only able to copy of other member's works in HAS.
 The voltage converter come out from Ryanjun's idea~~.

 About the cost....hmmm...I can't remember exactly, but about $25 paid for case work.


----------



## mb3k

That's very cheap for the case work, and it looks superb! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Great work cyclopia


----------



## Ace o' Spades

I finished my first CMOY:





 The guts, nasty I know but it is my first amp.









 I used my favorite CMOY layout, input/output with switch in between and the LED on the side.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyclopia* 
_



_

 

Looks great!


----------



## Tsappis

My 3rd amp, a Millett Hybrid. Finished some weeks ago.
 [size=xx-small]Lately I took off those ugly bolts from the Neutrik combo connector (hp-out) and replaced them with fancy screws.[/size]

 Potentiometer is a 22-step "fake RK-27".
 All electrolytics are Sanyo MV-AX series.
 All film caps are Evox Rifa PHE 426 series.
 Resistors are standard (generic) blue ones.
 Just had to put some blue leds under the tubes... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 The amplifier board is fully detachable.
 Equipped with a TREAD and a Diamond Buffer.
 Power comes from a wallwart.

 The (4 pole 3 position) rotary switch on the right is the power switch. The red LED is connected to Tread and the green to the amp. When you turn the knob one step clockwise the Tread goes on and the red led turns on. When you turn once more the amp goes on as well (and both leds are on).

 Of course, this function is practically useless but I wanted to make it. I'm very fond of driving so you could consider it as a ignition key in a car 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 [size=xx-small]Off, power on, engine on[/size]

 I had a transparent plastic top on it but decided to remove it. After some hours of use I removed the top and measured DB's (bias)voltage. It was 100mV 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I had used default 2R2 resistors. Optimal would be 44mV and maximum 66mV. Luckily the transistors didn't fry...

 Some Pictures (had to include the compulsory night shot):
















 [size=xx-small]Soon for sale...[/size]


----------



## Ace o' Spades

Wow! Great work! How does it sound?


----------



## bhjazz

Cyclopia - did you do your own acrylic cutting? Between that and the silkscreening, it looks very professional. Beautiful work!

 Tsappis - great work as well. That case is a great size for the project!


----------



## Polaris111688

Woah... That's a pretty Millett. I'll have pictures soon of a new project I'm working on. PPAv2 amp with STEPS, Epsilon 12 protection circuit, and a VU meter board I designed (based off of a project online. I worked off of the schematic).


----------



## Dave_M

Tsappis, that case is very nice! Is that a hifi2000 model from audiokit.it?


----------



## bperboy

Here's my discrete Diamond Buffer that I finished today for my Millett, just now got around to it!

 EDIT: That's right, I've got the dDB, Millett, and a Tangent Modified Linkwitz PCB all crammed into that little Hammond case!


----------



## mb3k

That's some serious crammage. 
 How do you like the sound through the Linkwitz? I personally find it dulling to the music, but I'm interested in your opinions.


----------



## bperboy

I don't know that I can really tell the really subtle differences between these small system changes, as I can hardly tell the difference between my M3 and Millett, but, I feel that I could probably have gone without including the crossfeed and not miss anything. I don't want to take it out now, because it would be far too much work!

 EDIT: I actually ended up flipping the crossfeed upside down to get it in the case, I had to remove one of the tube rings temporarily to get the top on over all that stuff!


----------



## Tsappis

Thank you all for the compliments. I was thinking of getting some Black Gates to replace current capacitors...

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ace o' Spades* 
_Wow! Great work! How does it sound?_

 

Sounds good, especially with some 12FK6s. I very much prefer those over 12AE6s. Unfortunately I couldn't get any 12FM6s but I doubt they would have been better than those 12FK6s.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Dave_M* 
_Tsappis, that case is very nice! Is that a hifi2000 model from audiokit.it?_

 

I doubt. It's a Teko Dissipator series bought from a local distributor. I really recommend this case. It's a quality product and was very easy to work with.


----------



## The Monkey

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Tsappis* 
_I doubt. It's a Teko Dissipator series bought from a local distributor. I really recommend this case. It's a quality product and was very easy to work with._

 


 Very nice build. What are the approximate case dimensions?


----------



## phergus_25

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_That's some serious crammage. 
 How do you like the sound through the Linkwitz? I personally find it dulling to the music, but I'm interested in your opinions._

 

I agree that the x-feed kinda kills the dynamics alittle. I lie it on some recording but dont have it hooked up at all.
 -greg


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Tsappis* 
_




_

 

Probably this enclosure comes from the same factory as HiFi-2000 enclosures 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . It looks like the Galaxy GX247 (40x230x170)mm.


----------



## Tsappis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* 
_Probably this enclosure comes from the same factory as HiFi-2000 enclosures 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . It looks like the Galaxy GX247 (40x230x170)mm._

 

Yes, I think you're right. External diameters of Teko DS 2470 are 43x233x176mm. Don't you think even the model names are pretty much the same (2470 and GX247)? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Funnily though, I paid over twice the price of what audiokit.it asks... (Btw, my case was shipped to my local shop from the States)
 Well, now I know where to buy my enclosures next time.


----------



## mb3k

I've had my STEPS PSU built for a while now, but never got around taking photos. 
 I have set it to output 27V, and contains all standard parts. It does get quite hot when it powers my Millett (I've measured it at about 80 degrees Celcius with an infrared temp gun).
 Here's some shots of the innards and case work with the top off:


----------



## bperboy

mb3k, that's really superb casework! Good job!


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* 
_mb3k, that's really superb casework! Good job!_

 

Seriously... I wish I had access to the tools to do that.


----------



## nichifanlema

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Tsappis* 
_





 [size=xx-small]Soon for sale...[/size]_

 


 Nice...very nice.... but "soon for sale" ??


----------



## Tsappis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nichifanlema* 
_Nice...very nice.... but "soon for sale" ??



_

 

Yep. While this sounds very pleasant I think I still prefer SS. 

 That said I'm going tomorrow to listen to HD650's and I'm taking this along. I'll do a brief comparison with an X-can V3 and a Creek OBH21.


----------



## Haoleb

Time for a change of pace. Here's the Power strip I built to accomodate plugging my mono blocks directly into my single 20A dedicated outlet. Everything else is plugged into a Monster HTS5300. Both the wall plug and the power strip plug are hospital grade, The power strip plug is housed in a metal box, which was fastened into a african mohogany box. Coverplate is some fancy designer job from lowes. Cable is 14/3 (I tried using 8/4 but couldnt get it to safely work with the outlet) Cable strain relief is provided by a electrical tape plug on the inside of the metal box, which was then sealed off with epoxy normally used for gluing foundation bolts. Nothing fancy to it. Just a simple high quality power strip. Its a shame I took all that time to make it only to throw it behind my rack 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Ok, it only took me a couple hours. 

 Total cost about 35 dollars, I had the wood and finish on hand already though.


----------



## rreynol

Here's one of those "Extreme TDA1543 Kits" from us.hifidiy.net (ebay also) with some "modifications"

 Top 
http://www.parl.clemson.edu/~rreynol...a/AUT_5805.JPG

http://www.parl.clemson.edu/~rreynol...a/AUT_5806.JPG

http://www.parl.clemson.edu/~rreynol...a/AUT_5804.JPG

 Front
http://www.parl.clemson.edu/~rreynol...a/AUT_5901.JPG

 Back
http://www.parl.clemson.edu/~rreynol...a/AUT_5902.JPG


 -Output stage resistors are Rikens
 -Output coupling caps are Auricap 4.7uF
 -Output LPF OpAmps are OPA627 (with Blackgate power caps)
 -Digital input stage modified to include SS22083 pulse transformer
 -Wildmonkeysects PLL Filter mod (270Ohm + 22uF in parallel with a 3300pF)
 -All other resistors are PRP
 -Heatsinked all of the regulators (only 8V supply is spec-ed by default)
 -Digital power supply caps are Os-Cons
 -All other caps are Panasonic FMs
 -Same transformer as DAC-AH

 ...Now the fun part....listening to it.


 (I really need to get a new camera 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## dBel84

I have posted a few scattered images of some of the projects that I have built but thought I would post a selection of them here. I was bitten by the diy audio bug about 20 years ago when my girlfriends brother-in-law showed off his home built class A amp ( weighed an absolute ton) and speaker setup. It was incredible, I had some intro level audiophile gear and didn't think it possible to build anything that sounded so good. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 After building a few amps / refurbishing old tube gear and finally building the speakers I wanted, I found that I needed a new outlet for my restless fingers. I owned the original xcans and HD580's and didn't think I could beat that but when I moved and had to clear out a ton of my gear, I got rid of them in a moment of insanity?? GOK 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . I had built a dozen or so tinamp cmoy's for family and friends because they were cheap and easy to put together but never thought of them as worthy competition to the xcans. My first real attempt to challenge the xcans was a xfed opa627 based cmoy followed by a WJ diamond buffer which was powered by a regulated psu. I bought myself some SR60's and rediscovered the fun of headphones. This setup sounded good but it got me looking around at other options to build and earlier this year I found the time and inclination. I had this really thick file covering Gilmore's amp, the Morgan Jones, Borberely - too many bloody choices is what it was and then I stumbled across a few newer designs. In a matter of a few months I had built 3 amps and one of Alf's Alien Dacs. Feeding frenzy for the starved 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . The SOHA's were built as preamp/buffer stages for my AMP6 (41Hz) which form part of my lab music setup and they do a fine job at it. The build is mostly standard except that they use OPA627/BUF634 output. They sound great driving headphones too, a worthy consideration for anybody wanting to build a hybrid amp. (I built 2 as my brother was intersted too and it was easier to build them at the same time - named agent orange .) The cases are old switch boxes which I picked up for a dollar. Not as elegant as some of the builds I have seen posted here but they do the job superbly. 
 My current pride and joy is the Cavalli-Kumisa III. It is the best amp I have heard since the bug first bit! More info can be found on Headwize where Runeight has recently released the details of the amp and AMB is going to have boards made. I was lucky to have been involved in the prototyping and have been truly blown away by the control and depth of this amp. Again aesthetics are not my strong point, but it works for me and I thoroughly enjoy listening to it every evening. The final addition came about as a friend asked me to build yet another tinamp, I figured I could put something small on a circuit board and squeeze it into an altoids tin. The final result was a pretty superb sounding chipamp which uses a split supply, dual opa buffered VG, aph47 type dual opamp per channel and simple diamond buffer within the FB loop. I liked it so much that I built myself one while waiting on Uncle Phil's LisaIII to see the light of day...this madness never stops 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


----------



## kklee

I just finished building this for a friend.


----------



## mb3k

kklee, great work. It's very clean and the holes are precise!
 Where did you get those tube hole rings?


----------



## scottder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kklee* 
_I just finished building this for a friend._

 

Nice! Can I be your friend


----------



## Polaris111688

Here's the PPA I built. Tested it today in the USAFA electronics lab, and sound is good. Specs are Class-A bias of 1.2mA per opamp, 15mA bias per buffer, Vishay-Dale RN60 resistors (ordered the wrong ones, but I made them fit neatly), 6 Elna Silmic II 330uF/35V on primary power rails, 2 100uF/35V Elna Cerafines per opamp rail, and BD139/BD140 output transistors. PSU is a fully populated STEPs with a 25VA toroidal transformer and LM338 regulator. It even has a nifty VU meter (It's upside down in the pics). VU meter schematic is from Elliot Sound Products. The board design is my own.


----------



## kklee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* 
_kklee, great work. It's very clean and the holes are precise!
 Where did you get those tube hole rings?_

 

Thanks.

 A drill press comes in handy when it comes to precision (not to mention re-measuring many times before drilling). As for the rings, those are just some plain old rubber grommets I ordered from Digikey.


----------



## kklee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* 
_It even has a nifty VU meter (It's upside down in the pics). VU meter schematic is from Elliot Sound Products. The board design is my own._

 

I've been looking for something like this. I'll have to check it out.


----------



## kklee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scottder* 
_Nice! Can I be your friend 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

Sure you can, but the friendship doesn't come cheap
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I actually built two of these, one for myself using Elna cap's and one for my friend, who wanted Blackgate cap's everywhere on his build. I haven't tallied the final cost on his build, but it's probably going to be in the neighbourhood of about $350 in parts. There's about 8 hours of labour on the case itself, not to mention PCB assembly, testing and tweaking.


----------



## ronmtorres

guys, you are all very amazing!! i can't beleive you all made these! man, you guys are so good!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 good job friends!


----------



## ronmtorres

guys, can you tell me how to make an amp of my own? please.... thanks


----------



## Dave_M

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ronmtorres* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_guys, can you tell me how to make an amp of my own? please.... thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

try this... http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...e+Search&meta=


----------



## Polaris111688

Continuation of my PPAv2 build at USAFA. I finally got it all cased up and the interference problem fixed. It sounds wonderful.





 The amp in front of my issued tablet laptop. Look at that VU meter.





 I integrated a HPDAC dsavitsk built for me into the amp to function as a preamp. Basically, I can power a speaker amp and headphones simultaneously under different volume controls. The DAC's outputs are hooked directly to the PPAv2's inputs in the same case. The HPDAC is still in the hammond case it came in, but I routed wires out the rear to go to the PPAv2.





 One more shot of the amp from perspective.

 And here's something I caught today, just for fun:




 4 F-16Cs flew over the Terrazzo here at the Academy today. I was in the grass square when I took the photo.


----------



## Tsappis

I just re-cabled the amp's all signalpaths with PTFE-insulated silver-plaited stranded copper wire. These new cables are white.

 The wires from Neutrik's RCA-jacks to amp's inputs are coax cables with internal insulation by PTFE and sleeve of FEP. Shield and signal wire are both silver-plaited copper.






 Now it's far more better sounding. Really makes even my cheap 20e Sonys sing. That coax is now officially my new favourite cable


----------



## GeWa

Tsappis

 A very nice looking amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 The only thing I would have done differently is to solder the leads from the RCA jacks directly to the potmeter instead of going through the board, a lot less connections.

 Regards


----------



## ronmtorres

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Toody* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my first atempt to make a cMoy amplifier.

 I didn't find any mint tin i the size i wanted so it had to be small.












_

 

dude, how do you do this? i also want to do the same.. i really dunno how to make an amp, like the parts needed, wiring, circuitry, etc.. do you have like a dummies guide or something?


----------



## ronmtorres

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Dave_M* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_try this... http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...e+Search&meta=_

 

dude, your reply really gave me good excitement!!!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 thanks man!


----------



## jwb

Wow, you guys have totally blown me away with some of these builds. I see novel circuits, I see excellent quality. Tons and tons of good stuff.

 As the newbie here at head-fi I'll just throw out some photos of my current rig. You can't really see much, so I'll describe it. It's a balanced Aleph amplifier, taking after the Nelson Pass designs, but with a JFET input and super-regulated power rails (taking after Jung). The last photo is the attenuator.


----------



## mb3k

jwb, that looks like Sim City.
 Nice clean job


----------



## Polaris111688

That's a truly outstanding job...


----------



## Fitz

Awesome way to recycle that old sparcstation.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jwb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_




_

 

Nice work!


----------



## rsabo

kklee: what case is that? par-metal?

 nice job on the sparcstation jwb!


----------



## kklee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rsabo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_kklee: what case is that? par-metal?_

 

Yes, it's a Par-Metal.


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jwb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, you guys have totally blown me away with some of these builds. I see novel circuits, I see excellent quality. Tons and tons of good stuff.

 As the newbie here at head-fi I'll just throw out some photos of my current rig. You can't really see much, so I'll describe it. It's a balanced Aleph amplifier, taking after the Nelson Pass designs, but with a JFET input and super-regulated power rails (taking after Jung). The last photo is the attenuator._

 

How is it truly balanced with a 1/4" output?


----------



## jwb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jbloudg20* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How is it truly balanced with a 1/4" output?_

 

I think you're thinking of bridged, no? This design is definitely not bridged, but I would like to try that some day.


----------



## rsabo

but it has balanced inputs...jwb, would you mind posting some wiring diagrams?


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jwb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think you're thinking of bridged, no? This design is definitely not bridged, but I would like to try that some day._

 


 No, he clearly says it is balanced, but it cannot be if it has a 1/4" ouput.


----------



## jwb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jbloudg20* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No, he clearly says it is balanced, but it cannot be if it has a 1/4" ouput._

 

I think we're just differing over terminology here. The amp has a differential front-end and a single-ended output. The schematics are here:

http://saturn5.com/~jwb/headamp/schematic.png


----------



## rsabo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jwb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think we're just differing over terminology here. The amp has a differential front-end and a single-ended output. The schematics are here:

http://saturn5.com/~jwb/headamp/schematic.png_

 

ah, I may not totally understand, but I see. it's kind-of, sort-of a balun, right? in that, balanced ('hot' signal (S+), 'cold' signal (S-), & ground) is converted to unbalanced (signal & ground)?

 so it has no relation at all to balanced headphones. I think I understand now.


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rsabo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ah, I may not totally understand, but I see. it's kind-of, sort-of a balun, right? in that, balanced ('hot' signal (S+), 'cold' signal (S-), & ground) is converted to unbalanced (signal & ground)?

 so it has no relation at all to balanced headphones. I think I understand now._

 

Really nice job jwb!

 It is a balanced input, but single ended output (not balanced phones, as in a Dynamite, etc.).

 What attenuator is that? Also, is this the mini-Aleph board from diyaudio?

 Chris


----------



## flecom

some progress on my dynamight... finally casing it up properly now that i found some suitable power supplies and a suitable chassis... .. got them at a surplus place... new in box from 1983... amazingly they look exactly the same as some 2005 power-one power supplies i have, different specs obviously tho... my friend is helping me out with the drilling and such since work has been killing me lately and he has better metal working tools...

 overall overhead view











 close up of the boards






 4 channel series stepped attenuator... got it for $5 at a hamfest hehe... i populated it with resistors, they are RN55's






 wiring is under everything...


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *flecom* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_superawesomeness_

 

Very Impressive!


----------



## Fitz

That hidden wiring harness is teh tasty..


----------



## Polaris111688

*Drops Jaw* That's insane... I've never seen that sort of power supply before.


----------



## bhjazz

What a beast! Looks like you're really having fun with it. Excellent!


----------



## Yen

Here is some pics of my really cheap SOHA. Build in a key locker











The workspace, which is my kitchen. GF loves it when I spread my stuff around. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









Frontview of the amp. 






Everything except the toroid is attached to the door so opening and tweaking is easier. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 PCB. As you can see, every component was the cheapest I have found. I'll pimp other board with boutique parts next.






 Toroid, fuse and AC inlet.






 Finally a led picture.

 Compared to cmoy, this thing is a monster! I love it.


----------



## applebook

Outstanding work, Flecom. 

 Let us what you think of the Dynamite with the K1000.


----------



## SoundGoon

That's pretty nice Yen. Clever use for a case.


----------



## phasion

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *was ist los?* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_An Alien dac built on a protoboard in an Altoids chewing gum case. It was quite a squeeze to build. I've also got a copper plate ground plane on the bottom and i'm considering squeezing a 74HCU04 amp in that extra space._

 

Nice job fitting all the parts in this one.
 Still using the amp you built for me which sounds great!


----------



## flecom

was working on my dynamight with my friend merritt (hifihaxor) on friday before the south florida meet...

 pics:

 Front panel done...






 merritt... working on the amp... we worked on this thing for about 14 hours on friday... till about 4:30 AM... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 starting to add some boards... bottom right is an LED throbber, this is for the button on the front panel to indicate the amp is in standy or fail mode... bottom right is the relay board for the 110v going into the two power one PSU's... above that with the yellow tape on it is a small 12v 1A regulated supply that is always on, this powers all the logic electronics on the bottom for turning the amp itself on and off...






 the new board with the million wires is some relays and logic for the push on/push off and standby / fail






 blurry, its getting late... 3 fuse holders too... one for each supply... also on the top right you can see the vampire RCA's for the unbalanced in and the Neutrik XLR's for the balanced in... that toggle switch is to select which input you want to use... all gold contacts and connectors and very very old... that also came from a hamfest...






 wiring up the input/output wiring and AMB's DC-offset protection boards... all the wires are silver plated copper twisted pairs with a silver plated copper shield... all the shields were tied to DC ground on tab boards... DC ground is electrically isolated from the chassis... about 5~6MOhms on a meg-ohm meter...






 here it is at the meet... had to remove the AMB boards because one went crazy for some reason... you can see the shields grounded on the tab boards on the right and twoards the bottom next to the attenuator...






 all those loose wires are for the AMB boards...you can also see the button/LED wires going to the bulgin button...






 more wiring...






 sucess! its finally on! this after a tragic night of work... for some reason one of the trasistors became a short on my right cold board and smoked the resistors and the 7915... a quick trip to electronic equipment the morning before the meet and some soldering and the board came back up minus the exploded transistor (the missing one twoards the back)






 the dynamight at the south-florida meet...






 all i can say about this amp is wow! what an adventure... before this all i had as far as amplifiers was my pimeta and a millet hybrid (before DJGardner re-design...) and i decided when i saw the dynahi group buy i wouldent go upgrading my amps over time, i would just dive in head first and build a dynamight... and i couldent be happier with the results... the phasing and details on this amp are incredible... it has a beautiful sound that resolves detail without any harshness or grit... this is the king of solid state, i just havent heard anything better...

 the K1000's sound great on it, best solid state amp i have heard with them... but the K1000's really want a tube amp, they need that little extra warm sound that tubes create to sound really nice and relaxed... in the meet i really couldent listen to it, was too fatigueing... but then again, it was a very loud room so i had to have them very loud... when i got home and listened it was very different... very nice sweet sound... still a little bright for my tastes but that also might be the silver cable i used on my K1000's... i think im going to recable them again with some mogami quad neglex cable...


----------



## Duggeh

Not so much DIY as fiddling, I wanted to try and fit a T-amp inside my Ergo transformer. It turned out to be just a bit too cramped though. Not to be left with nothign to show for my time I wondered just how condensed you can get the little thing.





 Raisin for scale.

 I think that I sense the DIY bug starting to bite me. Ive already looked at buying a new soldering iron. ;D


----------



## applebook

Wicked, flecom! 

 If you want silver wires for the K1000, then consider solid silver, which shouldn't be overly bright like some stranded or plated silver conductors.


----------



## FallenAngel

Hey guys,

 I've been busy (as you can tell from my ridiculously elongated signature) so here is my AlienDAC that I'll be using as my primary source from Computer and finally get a chance to use the Audigy2 ZS only for games/movies in 5.1 speaker mode.

 Black Nate NX Hi-Q output caps
 Breadboard TREAD set at 6.0V to on-board REG102UA-A set at 5.4V to overclock the PCM2702.
 All fitting nicely inside of a Hammond 1455C802 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 The rest of my BOM is in the build thread, all parts from DigiKey except BlackGates from PartsConnexion and the Hammonds are from Newark since the price-break on them is 6 which makes it worth it.


----------



## FallenAngel

Next up on the list is my first completed SOHA.

 This one is on one of Digi's boards, done up with Panasonic FM's all round except for the 100uF/100V that I had to use Nichicon UPW's. Mundorf MCap ZN's in signal path, currently running a simple OPA2134 buffer with dual OPA551's, RuneRight's DB's and Steinchen's DB's hopefully done soon.


----------



## cgrums

Started with the CMOY: 











 Moved on to a class A PIMETA w/AD8620/10 and stacked buf634s:











 And just finished up a Millett Hybrid:





















 Used Elna Silmic IIs on all but C2 where I had to drop in a Nichicon Muse to let the diamond buffers fit.

 Next up will be two PIMETAs in H65s for Christmas presents and an Alien DAC to use with my laptop....


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* 
_Next up on the list is my first completed SOHA._

 

Hey, that looks great. That tube cage is sweet. Nice job! I am envious of you: I still don't have my Soha boards yet.


----------



## vixr

here is a few snaps of the buffer board produced by greg. its for the SOHA. sounds truly awesome...


----------



## GlorytheWiz825

Very nice projects I'm seeing here. I'll have to get started on my DIY projects this coming workterm. Hope to get some money from parents this Christmas so I can buy supplies and tools I'll need. Will post something in the near future.


----------



## Yen

Finished my first Alien DAC. It runs from unregulated USB. I think it will be given to my GF's bro as xmas present. Thank you, whiz, for selling me the SMDs and Alf (and Guzzler originally?) for the project. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll build next one maxxed with external PS running the chip @5,4V, Panasonic FC/FM and Blackgates NX Hi-Q.

 More pics in my sig.


----------



## ghosty

This is the 2nd cmoy that I have build. feels much better than the first one which follow exactly as the tangentsoft website, and the spacing only allowed me to have one 9V battery (talking about bad 1st tryout here)

 The 2nd one, I have re-arrange the component a little, to make it tighter, also, I use another OPA2134 as a rail spliter in series, which makes the +ve and -ve voltage much more balanced compare to the initial design. Well, I could use a real rail splitter, but since I have a few extra OPA2134 too many, I just use the extra instead.






 I just love the process of the making it


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ghosty* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is the 2nd cmoy that I have build. feels much better than the first one which follow exactly as the tangentsoft website, and the spacing only allowed me to have one 9V battery (talking about bad 1st tryout here)

 The 2nd one, I have re-arrange the component a little, to make it tighter, also, I use another OPA2134 as a rail spliter in series, which makes the +ve and -ve voltage much more balanced compare to the initial design. Well, I could use a real rail splitter, but since I have a few extra OPA2134 too many, I just use the extra instead.







 I just love the process of the making it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 The CMOY looks great, very clean! Congrats!
 Have you thought of using the second channel on that rail splitter to buffer the ground channel like in Tangent's PINT? Very quick mod and I think it should prove to be quite worth it.


----------



## ghosty

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The CMOY looks great, very clean! Congrats!
 Have you thought of using the second channel on that rail splitter to buffer the ground channel like in Tangent's PINT? Very quick mod and I think it should prove to be quite worth it._

 

Thank you for your pointer, it took me a while to understand what you mean by buffer the ground (very beginner DIYer here).

 I am guessing from the link you gave me, the first channel is to split the voltage, and the 2nd channel is the buffering part.

 I have something similar (but not sure if my implementation work as it should), I simplly have the output of first channel feed into the 2nd channel, without connect anything to the gound, like the picture below.






 I didn't know that is call buffering until now


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ghosty* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thank you for your pointer, it took me a while to understand what you mean by buffer the ground (very beginner DIYer here).

 I am guessing from the link you gave me, the first channel is to split the voltage, and the 2nd channel is the buffering part.

 I have something similar (but not sure if my implementation work as it should), I simplly have the output of first channel feed into the 2nd channel, without connect anything to the gound, like the picture below.






 I didn't know that is call buffering until now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That's exactly what it is, just make sure to take the *Input / Virtual Ground* between the opamps and connect the *Output Ground* at the output of it (right end of the circuit).


----------



## EFN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Duggeh* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not so much DIY as fiddling, I wanted to try and fit a T-amp inside my Ergo transformer. It turned out to be just a bit too cramped though. Not to be left with nothign to show for my time I wondered just how condensed you can get the little thing.





 Raisin for scale.

 I think that I sense the DIY bug starting to bite me. Ive already looked at buying a new soldering iron. ;D_

 

Well Duggeh you are always ahead of us in ghetto DIY


----------



## skudmunky

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *EFN* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well Duggeh you are always ahead of us in ghetto DIY
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

following the "some clear tape, some not so clear tape" line eh Duggeh?


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Duggeh* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not so much DIY as fiddling, I wanted to try and fit a T-amp inside my Ergo transformer. It turned out to be just a bit too cramped though. Not to be left with nothign to show for my time I wondered just how condensed you can get the little thing.





 Raisin for scale.

 I think that I sense the DIY bug starting to bite me. Ive already looked at buying a new soldering iron. ;D_

 

Ah ha! Not a prune but a raisin!


----------



## Ace o' Spades

My PIMETA:


----------



## pddjsteve

Pimeta in a 1455J1201. Powered and charged by an external TREAD set for 24V or a TREAD set to 12V (depending on the opamps). Will use either 8xAAA 700mAh for 9V, or 2x9V for 18V (again, depending on opamps). Right now it is set up with AD8058/AD9631/LMH6321 so it is 9V. I socketed pretty much everything so some resistors optimized for the bipolar opamps are on the way. I've got 75 ohm resistors on the outputs of the left and right channels (for my ER4P). 

 Reused the case from my cmoy and ppas:





 The guts:





 Size comparison:





 With the Alien DAC:


----------



## kristleifur

Here's my nearly complete TREAD. It's got a big switch that says ON on both positions - I got a discount. It's in an IKEA coffee tin that is *full* of TREAD and transformer. Weighs a comforting kilo!

 Cutting holes for panel components in this sort of can is easier than I thought. You just have to make the first hole somehow, and then you can sort of "curl" the metal up with pliers. Rather like opening a can of sardines. The process is quite controllable, once you get then hang of it.


----------



## esh0

Hi there, new here.

 My OPA2134+TPA6120 waiting for case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 And pcb:





 I think about putting RCA and jack sockets on pcb, maybe also input selector...


----------



## Dave_M

esh0, that amp looks very good. Is that TPA6120 soldered from behind for heatsinking?


----------



## ~n00beR

That's some nice work you have there esh0, I havent seen any TPA6120 designs for a while, and your one has given me insipration to try my own 

 I think the TPA is soldered on the bottom side ,as all the traces are on the bottom layer, and as the TPA is a surface mount device all the pads are on the bottom layer also.

 There is many usb dac designs out in the wild that use the same method of mounting sm parts.

 Congrats on your design, how does it compare to the usual suspects?


----------



## esh0

Dave_M, yeah - it is. Two pictures to show it better.

 Hole for power pad soldering.





 And TPA itself. Sory for the caps, i was testing sth


----------



## XFxGeforced

nice work, how does it sound? muct have been a bitch to solder the ic on like that on the back?


----------



## esh0

Well... to be honest: i've got 50Hz hum... My friend soldered this on the same board and he hasn't got it... I've changed stabilizers from LM7815/7915 to LM2940-15/LM2990-15 and nothing better, then i added some capacitors (2700uF at supply stage, and 100nF at legs od uC's) - still nothing changed, so at last i've added 68nF caps on Greatz brigde - guess? Yes, nothing - still hum... I think that something wrong is with that TPA i have... Well, i'll make another pcb and solder another TPA soon 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 btw. soldering TPA is a plasure. But soldering PCM2702... yeah, that is hard :]


----------



## mzperx

Here is attached my last poweramplifire design...

 Few features:
 Bridge tied output is driven by 20pcs TPA6120.
 Output power: 20W/8Ohm
 0,5Ohm output resistance.
 Due to voltage requirement of OPAMPs, Lead Acid batteries (12V/7Ah) can be applied.
 Except of 1st modul (symmetrizer) fully symmetrical design.


----------



## ~n00beR

I am speachless, that is a very impressive configuration you have there mzperx.
 Congratulations on the design and a very tidy build.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mzperx* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is attached my last poweramplifire design...

 Few features:
 Bridge tied output is driven by 20pcs TPA6120.
 Output power: 20W/8Ohm
 0,5Ohm output resistance.
 Due to voltage requirement of OPAMPs, Lead Acid batteries (12V/7Ah) can be applied.
 Except of 1st modul (symmetrizer) fully symmetrical design._


----------



## firefox360

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pddjsteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The guts:




_

 

I'm looking for those pins that you use for making the resistors removable. Do you happen to know what their specific name is? or atleast which category to look under at Digi-Key? Thanks!


----------



## pddjsteve

They were... um.. *looks up receipt*

 Mouser part #575-113164 
 Mill-Max SIP Sockets 64P SOLDER TAIL GOLD

 Digikey had them too I think. You might look for "breakaway sip strips".


----------



## VomitOnLino

Hello,

 my nth amp - I'm really getting into this. I also built an xinfeed plug (not pictured here) - I fear this is no longer about audio quality but about DIY addiction... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*Overview:*




*Closeup of the front panel:*




*The insides tucked up into the box, they will be fixed in position when I'm 100% satisfied...*




*The contents, an Sijosae AB, Op-Amp railsplitter, Battery monitor*





 Yeah yeah I know uA741... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But... I have an double ground buffered board lying around (0GND, VGND) but the OPA1232 on it draws too much current for my tastes, maybe the AD chips will help.

 Specs:

 Sijosae's class AB, using different buffer layout - with buffered Ground.
 OPA1232 to be replaced by an AD8620 / AD823. (Waiting for the mail...)
 1uF WIMA input caps - no other caps in signal path.
 2 x 220uF + 0.1uF Battery Filter
 1000uF Capacitance per rail
 +Extra 220uF directly on the amp board
 Hand matched %1 metal film resistors
 Hand matched transistor pairs
 Radiohm 10k pot (Yeah I know, but do you know how hard it is to get an alps pot here..?)
 Power LED, blue color = normal operation, purple = ~1h of playtime left, red = 10-20mins left then you should expect distortion.
 19-20mA total current draw - 35mA peak draw.


----------



## Ace o' Spades

^Very nice. How did you get the LED to work like that?


----------



## VomitOnLino

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ace o' Spades* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^Very nice. How did you get the LED to work like that?_

 

I am using tangents battery monitor circuit, it's here on this board - I found it via the search - I don't have the shematic on this pc or I would have uploaded it for you.
 I modified the resistor-values (180k,220k, and the 100k next to the NE385) so that it fit my personal preferences.


----------



## phergus_25

Great amp! the only thing i see is that you might want to space out the input and the output alittle.
  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *VomitOnLino* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hello,

 my nth amp - I'm really getting into this. I also built an xinfeed plug (not pictured here) - I fear this is no longer about audio quality but about DIY addiction... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*Overview:*




*Closeup of the front panel:*




*The insides tucked up into the box, they will be fixed in position when I'm 100% satisfied...*




*The contents, an Sijosae AB, Op-Amp railsplitter, Battery monitor*





 Yeah yeah I know uA741... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But... I have an double ground buffered board lying around (0GND, VGND) but the OPA1232 on it draws too much current for my tastes, maybe the AD chips will help.

 Specs:

 Sijosae's class AB, using different buffer layout - with buffered Ground.
 OPA1232 to be replaced by an AD8620 / AD823. (Waiting for the mail...)
 1uF WIMA input caps - no other caps in signal path.
 2 x 220uF + 0.1uF Battery Filter
 1000uF Capacitance per rail
 +Extra 220uF directly on the amp board
 Hand matched %1 metal film resistors
 Hand matched transistor pairs
 Radiohm 10k pot (Yeah I know, but do you know how hard it is to get an alps pot here..?)
 Power LED, blue color = normal operation, purple = ~1h of playtime left, red = 10-20mins left then you should expect distortion.
 19-20mA total current draw - 35mA peak draw._


----------



## picklgreen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *firefox360* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm looking for those pins that you use for making the resistors removable. Do you happen to know what their specific name is? or atleast which category to look under at Digi-Key? Thanks!_

 

You can get them at mouser. P/N 575-113120

 That is for 20 of them spaced .10" apart. They also come in other forms too.
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/628/1169.pdf


 They come all attached and I found little tiny tin snips work best to cut them.


----------



## cyclopia

Pimeta with discrete diamond buffer for Millett hybrid.
 It makes wounderful sounds for me....hhh
 (thanks Nate for DB board)

*The buffer board was divided into half for setting on each site. The lead soldered buffer board near the volume must be bent due to Alps blue velvet.*










*AD8620 with discrete buffer for R,L, and AD8610 with Buf634 for ground.*










*The wrong lettering 'PPA' 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 it will be changed later...
 This amp is good matching with my K-501, for me...more than RS-1.*


----------



## vixr

here is another Millett Ive been working on...


----------



## XFxGeforced

those are the same film caps im using on my millet, and nice purple resistors! you have any leds mounted under those tubes?


----------



## vixr

yes, ultra violet LEDs... that green wire wrap glows like crazy


----------



## XFxGeforced

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_yes, ultra violet LEDs... that green wire wrap glows like crazy_

 

yeah man, my other passion (even more so) is computers, and ive had a few uv setups ive done in the past. You could even mount some uv cathodes in the case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 *quick question, do all the .22uF film caps on the millet have to be the same voltage rating? I bought 2 too little and got some from ratshack, but they are 50v, and my 6 other ones are 100v.


----------



## vixr

read this... http://www.bcae1.com/capacitr.htm scroll down to the section 16volt caps vs. 20 volt caps


----------



## XFxGeforced

***56K WARNING**
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



*


 Finished my Millett Hybrid today. Right now i'm running it on a cd player and my ksc-75s for an hour or more to make sure it wont go haywire on my good phones. Seems to be working great so far though.

 heres some pics of it from its premature stage to finished:

 heres one of the caps and resistors, well most of them...i got delayed for a day because i bought two too little film caps, and didnt know what the rled resistor was 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 then i realized it was a normal resistor, they just made the price list funny.






 my tube socket leads didnt fit through the holes so i had to solder them ontop 






 and finished picture one






 and a full picture






 and the pot i settled on, which worked out even better imo. Not sure what the resistance is, but i tested it with my fluke and it was the most spread out of the ones i had.





 the bottom, only a few blobs on there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 and a picture of it hooked up (walkman > inter-connect i just built > amp > ksc75s)






 *I am currently using a 25v wall wart with it, but i plan on making a power supply soon, and i havent added leds under the tubes :-\ 

 **I made it for my computer, and i plan on making a nice wooden enclosure for it early next week before finals start. It's going to be AV710 > millet > hd580s

 ***Please tell me if you notice anything wrong with it, like missing components!

 -Thanks for looking!


----------



## Gontran

Just finished this today, didn't think it belonged it belonged in the alien dac thread...It's the same PCM2702 type circuit but on a smaller (1"x2") home made PCB with some of my own refinements. 

 Pictured here first (next to a CF card for scale) without output caps/connector, then in "action".


----------



## XFxGeforced

i did a 4 sec exposure of the tubes with the light on in the room for the first like 1/2 sec so you can see outside and tube light:


----------



## khbaur330162

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyclopia* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

That's a disgustingly sick case...


----------



## XFxGeforced

my millett hybrid makes the music worse :-\ is makes all the highs and louder parts crackly and distorted? do i have to set the taper pots or something or what?


----------



## ~n00beR

That is a nice layout gontran.

 I especialy like the creative layout for the output caps.
 Now we just need more and more amps of this size 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gontran* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished this today, didn't think it belonged it belonged in the alien dac thread...It's the same PCM2702 type circuit but on a smaller (1"x2") home made PCB with some of my own refinements. 

 Pictured here first (next to a CF card for scale) without output caps/connector, then in "action".








_


----------



## Ferrari

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/Ferrari_01/DIY/My%20MH/Afbeelding16.jpg[/IMG]]
	


http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/Ferrari_01/DIY/My%20MH/Afbeelding005.jpg[/IMG]]
	


http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i161/Ferrari_01/DIY/My%20MH/Afbeelding18.jpg[/IMG]]
	



 Happy new year everybody.


----------



## ggta

Where did you buy the cabinets? Directly at ATI? 

 Is it ATi which made the cuts? Is the power button also from ATI?

 The result is beautiful


----------



## Ferrari

ggta,

 I bought the enclosures directly from ATI. The power button on the upper enclosure is from ATI, and they indeed made the cut for the button. The cuts on top for the tubes are made by me. The cuts on the lower enclosure are also made by ATI. I'm going to use this one for my next project: the β22.


----------



## labmat

So I finally finished my switch box yesterday and thought I'd share the pics. The knob shown is only temporary I'm going to get a different one thats larger. It switches one input RCA to four outputs RCA + 3x1/8" Mini. I'm going to use it to switch the output of my alien DAC (MacBook) between my Little Dot II+ and my workstations line in which happens to be connected to my speakers.


----------



## Gontran

You could mount the DAC inside there and save the degradation of multiple connectors and cables...


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *labmat* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So I finally finished my switch box yesterday and thought I'd share the pics. The knob shown is only temporary I'm going to get a different one thats larger. It switches one input RCA to four outputs RCA + 3x1/8" Mini. I'm going to use it to switch the output of my alien DAC (MacBook) between my Little Dot II+ and my workstations line in which happens to be connected to my speakers.














_

 

Messy wiring but as long as it work well!!!


----------



## labmat

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gontran* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You could mount the DAC inside there and save the degradation of multiple connectors and cables..._

 






 You took the words right out of my mouth... I'm a little strapped for cash now but my plans are to mount an alien DAC and a tread to power it inside the box with another switch to switch between an external source and the alien DAC.

 I'm also going to tidy up the wires soon and re-heat shrink over the solder joints on the rotary switch. My main goal yesterday was to make sure it worked; I messed up the circuits several times.


----------



## MASantos

My PIMETA.

 Specifications:

 -Hammond 1455N1201 clear extruded aluminium enclosure.
 -Alps RK27 Volume pot, aka Alps "Blue"
 -Elna Cerafine rail capacitors
 -Wima MKS fast reservoir capacitors
 -Matched Vishay-Dale resistors
 -Socketed gain and buffer bandwith resistors, allows easy tuning
 -Class A biased using matched transistors
 -1 SMD buffer per channel (bottomside of the board) and 1 DIP8 buffer on the L/R channels
 -OPAMPS (in order of preference): AD8620/10, OPA637/627, OPA627 AD8066/65, OPA2227/227, OPA2134/134
 -Dual RCA inputs using Nkk switch (silver plated contacts)
 -1/4" Neutrik output jack
 -Kilo International Volume knob
 -24AWG Silver plated copper wiring(done on the underside of the board, allows easy access to the board for easy chip rolling)
 -Silver solder 

 I have built it about one year ago, but never finished the casework. I had some spare time last friday and this is the result (excuse my poor photography skills):

 Before:





 After:





 Front Panel:





 Back Panel:





 Detail of the dual imput switch:






 The LED and ON/OFF switch are not perfectly centered because the panel was not well secured and it moved while drilling, but overall I am pleased with the results. 

 The power jack wiring is still temporary because I will install a TREAD power supply to use with a external AC/DC wallwart, but I need to get some mounting hardware from my local store.

 The panels are not screwed in yet because I aparently lost the screws...


----------



## Heady

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *labmat* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So I finally finished my switch box yesterday and thought I'd share the pics. The knob shown is only temporary I'm going to get a different one thats larger. It switches one input RCA to four outputs RCA + 3x1/8" Mini. I'm going to use it to switch the output of my alien DAC (MacBook) between my Little Dot II+ and my workstations line in which happens to be connected to my speakers._

 

Looks real neat. Thinking of making a similar switchbox. Would you like to share what switch you used and also what did you use for the wiring.

 Thanks.


----------



## labmat

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Heady* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks real neat. Thinking of making a similar switchbox. Would you like to share what switch you used and also what did you use for the wiring.

 Thanks._

 

Yeah Sure, the switch I used is an Electroswitch brand 3P4T switch I ordered it from Digikey P/N: 451-1014-ND. The wire is brown teflon coated 20 AWG silver plated solid copper; I purchased it from John's Wire Shop he has a great selection of wire ad other doodads.

 Let me know if theres anything else you want to know.


----------



## The Monkey

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *labmat* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ The wire is brown teflon coated 20 AWG silver plated solid copper; I purchased it from John's Wire Shop he has a great selection of wire ad other doodads.

 Let me know if theres anything else you want to know._

 

Interesting, looks like "navships" is expanding his business, which is good news for us.


----------



## rsaavedra

Had forgotten about this thread, here's a couple of pics of my switchbox, 2 inputs - 2 outputs:


----------



## Ferrari

As requested, here is some pics of the internal of my MH. Build with Kiwame resistors, Nichicon Muse KZ and Black Gate electrolytics capacitors, 1% polystyrene bypass caps, MKC for the output capacitors and of course a DB buffer. An ε12 muting delay circuit provides protection for the headphones. The amp is powered by an 27V PS.






 The MH main board.





 The MKC output capacitors on a separate board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## Yen

WOW, absolute beauty! WOW! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Can we have a picture of the amp assembled and on?

 This is a true showcase of skills. Congrats! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_As requested, here is some pics of the internal of my MH. Build with Kiwame resistors, Nichicon Muse KZ and Black Gate electrolytics capacitors, 1% polystyrene bypass caps, MKC for the output capacitors and of course a DB buffer. An ε12 muting delay circuit provides protection for the headphones. The amp is powered by an 27V PS._


----------



## The Monkey

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Yen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_WOW, absolute beauty! WOW! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Can we have a picture of the amp assembled and on?

 This is a true showcase of skills. Congrats! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Previous page, post 1717.

 Stunning work, Ferrari.


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind comments, gents!


----------



## steinchen

just finished my beta22 today: 

front amp board psu

 not much different from my Dynahi casework except the lightened volume knob, nevertheless, if you are interested and want to see more pictures head over to the gallery of my hp


----------



## Ferrari

*steinchen*, you are much faster than me... and you go for a 2-channels version (not 3-channels ?). Your amp looks great btw 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ! 
 I still have to wait for some parts. How is the sound comparing to your M³ ?


----------



## steinchen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_and you go for a 2-channels version (not 3-channels ?)._

 

Initially I planned to build a 3 channel dual psu version but cut down my plans to reduce project costs.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How is the sound comparing to your M³ ?_

 

I posted a short review at headwize. The sound of amps with opamps in their voltage gain stage is strongly influenced by the sound of the opamp. Generally speaking I'm all but a fan of opamps in audio :X I'm rather a solid state guy


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just finished my beta22 today: 

front amp board psu

 not much different from my Dynahi casework except the lightened volume knob, nevertheless, if you are interested and want to see more pictures head over to the gallery of my hp_

 

That was fast steinchen. Looks very tidy and great as always.


----------



## SoundGoon

Ferrari, if you don't mind my asking, how much did this cost to build? and where did you get the cool case?


----------



## XFxGeforced

@Ferrari, do those fatty film caps make much of a difference in SQ over normal generic ones?


----------



## Yen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SoundGoon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_and where did you get the cool case?_

 

Read this recent thread and you will get many links and ideas. The cases are from ATI, and their prices are actually quite reasonable (equals with regular hammond 1455 in our local prices). Only think is (of course) shipping costs from thailand, so you need to order many to "share" the shipping costs.

 How much the shipping cost you Ferrari to Netherlands?


----------



## laxx

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_As requested, here is some pics of the internal of my MH. Build with Kiwame resistors, Nichicon Muse KZ and Black Gate electrolytics capacitors, 1% polystyrene bypass caps, MKC for the output capacitors and of course a DB buffer. An ε12 muting delay circuit provides protection for the headphones. The amp is powered by an 27V PS.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...H/IM000056.jpg

 The MH main board.
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...H/IM000054.jpg

 The MKC output capacitors on a separate board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...H/IM000055.jpg_

 

Wow, beautiful build. I wanted to build a MH, but I don't have the money to do it right now.


----------



## labmat

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just finished my beta22 today: 

front amp board psu

 not much different from my Dynahi casework except the lightened volume knob, nevertheless, if you are interested and want to see more pictures head over to the gallery of my hp_

 

That thing is Sick!

 P.S. I may have to steal the lit volume knob idea


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SoundGoon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, if you don't mind my asking, how much did this cost to build? and where did you get the cool case?_

 

Since I already have a box of MKC and polystyrene capacitors on hand (bought sometime ago from an electronics parts dump shop for a couple of € 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), the total cost of the build was quite reasonable. I don't count it exactly but it should be around €200, enclosure included. The enclosure is indeed from ATI (Thailand). 

*@Yen*
 If I can remember the shipment cost to the Netherlands was about €40 for 2 ATI-738 enclosures.

*@XFxGeforced*
 The MKC film caps at the ouput of the MH does make a (big) different in SQ comparing to generic electrolytics capacitors. Besides the tubes- and buffer types, the output capacitors (C7L/R) can make or break the sound of your amp. I have tried several types electrolytics capacitors from different brands (BC, Elna, Nichicon, Black Gate, Panasonic...) but only 2 types: Black Gate NX en Nichicon Muse ES//220nF MKP can deliver fairly good sound to my ear, however they are not at the same level. I know that this is a very sensitive subject and I do belief that the best cap is NO cap, but if when you have to use it, be selective! A good alternative at low cost is Nichicon Muse ES//small MKP cap, I think.


----------



## XFxGeforced

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Since I already have a box of MKC and polystyrene capacitors on hand (bought sometime ago from an electronics parts dump shop for a couple of € 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), the total cost of the build was quite reasonable. I don't count it exactly but it should be around €200, enclosure included. The enclosure is indeed from ATI (Thailand). 

*@Yen*
 If I can remember the shipment cost to the Netherlands was about €40 for 2 ATI-738 enclosures.

*@XFxGeforced*
 The MKC film caps at the ouput of the MH does make a (big) different in SQ comparing to generic electrolytics capacitors. Besides the tubes- and buffer types, the output capacitors (C7L/R) can make or break the sound of your amp. I have tried several types electrolytics capacitors from different brands (BC, Elna, Nichicon, Black Gate, Panasonic...) but only 2 types: Black Gate NX en Nichicon Muse ES//220nF MKP can deliver fairly good sound to my ear, however they are not at the same level. I know that this is a very sensitive subject and I do belief that the best cap is NO cap, but if when you have to use it, be selective! A good alternative at low cost is Nichicon Muse ES//small MKP cap, I think._

 

i wouldnt be against replaced the output caps if itll give me a noticeable difference in the quality of the millet, thanks!


----------



## HalfTwitch

I plan on a Mint Amp, here is my Mint case


----------



## Xakepa

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My PIMETA.

 Specifications:

 -Hammond 1455N1201 clear extruded aluminium enclosure.
 -Alps RK27 Volume pot, aka Alps "Blue"
 -Elna Cerafine rail capacitors
 -Wima MKS fast reservoir capacitors
 -Matched Vishay-Dale resistors
 -Socketed gain and buffer bandwith resistors, allows easy tuning
 -Class A biased using matched transistors
 -1 SMD buffer per channel (bottomside of the board) and 1 DIP8 buffer on the L/R channels
 -OPAMPS (in order of preference): AD8620/10, OPA637/627, OPA627 AD8066/65, OPA2227/227, OPA2134/134
 -Dual RCA inputs using Nkk switch (silver plated contacts)
 -1/4" Neutrik output jack
 -Kilo International Volume knob
 -24AWG Silver plated copper wiring(done on the underside of the board, allows easy access to the board for easy chip rolling)
 -Silver solder 


 The LED and ON/OFF switch are not perfectly centered because the panel was not well secured and it moved while drilling, but overall I am pleased with the results. 

 The power jack wiring is still temporary because I will install a TREAD power supply to use with a external AC/DC wallwart, but I need to get some mounting hardware from my local store.

 The panels are not screwed in yet because I aparently lost the screws..._

 

Congrats, Manuel! Enjoy!

 Now you have to go for DBs...


----------



## SoundGoon

Ferrari (or anyone else) dumb question time - what is an MH? I thought I knew what it was but I'm not sure


----------



## Azure

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SoundGoon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari (or anyone else) dumb question time - what is an MH? I thought I knew what it was but I'm not sure
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Millet Hybrid


----------



## ggta

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If I can remember the shipment cost to the Netherlands was about €40 for 2 ATI-738 enclosures._

 

Via express mail?


----------



## SoundGoon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Azure* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Millet Hybrid_

 

Thanks Azure


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ggta* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Via express mail?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

No, unfortunately not. It was surface shipment and it takes about 7 weeks to arive 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . Via express mail you can get it within 1 week but the cost is also higher.


----------



## Dave_M

Seeing some really nice stuff here. Keep it up!

 Ferrari, that neutrik headphone socket is a bit ugly. Did you know you can mount it from behind the front pannel?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Dave_M* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Seeing some really nice stuff here. Keep it up!

 Ferrari, that neutrik headphone socket is a bit ugly. Did you know you can mount it from behind the front pannel?_

 

Agreed, I know that the Neutrik headphone socket doesn't match well to the overal look of my amp. Mounting from behind is indeed a better option, I will modify it soon when time permits. Next time I will looking for another type headphone socket, probably somthing like the Neutrik NMJ6HC with chrome nose.


----------



## adfinni

Finally fixed my amp after a few teething problems, and modded it whilst it was apart. Here is the amp as i recieved it from 'Tsappis' (many thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ):






|
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now my mods. I will eventually create a separate thread with more details and a review of it compared to my standard arcam integrated amp used previously 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Firstly an overview. You might notice the much redder colour. Cerafine electrolytics, BG standards at C7 bypassed with 1uF NX HI-Q BG's, Wimas, and vishday dale reisitors.





 Close up of a BG. Unfortunately the legs are about 10-15mm long, and im not sure if that will have a detremental effect on the sound. THey are too tall to mount vertically without cutting the top panel.





 O Look he changed all the LED's to white, so it matches his PC's white cathodes and fans 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 I have a roughly cut top panel, but will eventually cut tube holes, DB ventilation holes, and possibly holes for the BG's if they stand up. Up until then itl run without a top.

 Finally, il be buying a locking neutrik socket as there is an annoying mark above the jack atm which will be covered up by the larger locking sockets surround.


----------



## laxx

wow, those white led's are gorgeous. =]


----------



## adfinni

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *laxx* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_wow, those white led's are gorgeous. =]_

 

Cheers mate 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Well i built my new pc this september with a black lian-li case, white cathodes, fans, and have replaced the fan controller LED's and Power + HDD LED's with white ones, and wanted my millett to match. 

 They are simple 3mm white LED's i got off ebay, with a forward voltage of ~3V if i remember correctly. The two front ones on my millett are only recieving 2V and are still brighter than the 5mm white LED's on my PC. Plus the ones under the tubes make the tubes look old withea softer, slightly more yellow light. I couldn't be happier, and am definately having a clear top on the amp now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here's another view for you:


----------



## kklee

I previously posted pictures of a Millett that I built for Beaglepod. Here are pictures of my own Millett. It has Diamond Buffers and uses a STEPS. It's mounted in a Par-Metal 20 series case. The tube guards are drawer handles from Home Depot.


----------



## Gontran

PCM2702 type USB DAC housed in a solid marble pyramid. Now my computer finally makes music, and looks cool doing it!


----------



## hYdrociTy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gontran* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_PCM2702 type USB DAC housed in a solid marble pyramid. Now my computer finally makes music, and looks cool doing it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










_

 

No way! Love the marble look! So 90's!


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gontran* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_PCM2702 type USB DAC housed in a solid marble pyramid. Now my computer finally makes music, and looks cool doing it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










_

 

Man, that is so damn cool...


----------



## jbloudg20

Very impressive! Can we see underneath? I assume that is where you were able to get the board inside?


----------



## Ace o' Spades

Wow, I think that is a first. Nice job, I bet it would be cool to do that with one of my quartz pyramids :gets idea:


----------



## Gontran

The base of The Mystic DAC is covered with a felt pad (made from blessed camel pubes... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) but here are pix of the first pyramid I broke while learning to sculpt marble with a chisel and dremel.













 Here is the board (from a previous post)


----------



## Ace o' Spades

Very cool man. I need to get a DAC soon, but only after I upgrade my cans a bit. Will it ever end?


----------



## ak622

Thats a nice looking build! How long did it take you to build one kklee? Maybe in the future you can setup a small meet to let other Vancouver members hear this build and others you have made too! 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kklee* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I previously posted pictures of a Millett that I built for Beaglepod. Here are pictures of my own Millett. It has Diamond Buffers and uses a STEPS. It's mounted in a Par-Metal 20 series case. The tube guards are drawer handles from Home Depot.











_


----------



## rsaavedra

A rather early post in this thread (post #71, in page 4) shows the first enclosure work I did for my Dynahi. Never thought it would take me more than two years and 85 more pages in this thread before I could submit pics of the new enclosure work. 

 My Dynahi remained stored in a storage unit for most of these past two years. Got it back this past summer, took it to a FL meet, sold the enclosure to Flecom on the spot, and brought my enclosureless Dynahi with me. Right now finally building the two separate enclosures, one for the power supplies and one for the main boards.

 Given the total lack of any decent aluminum enclosures locally, I decided to use wood to build the enclosures, using aluminum tape and screening to cover the inside walls and make it a Faraday cage. (This aluminum lining not only looks like a duct-tape approach, it is some sort of a duct tape approach, but honestly I like it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) Here a few pics:


 My dynahi main boards module, and the drilled base of the wooden enclosure:







 Base covered with aluminum tape:







 Holes cleared:







 Aluminum screening applied:







 Boards module on the base:







 Inside of top lid covered in aluminum already:







 Top lid and base ready:















 And here is something else I decided to do. Had an idle heatsink, so decided to build a heatsink "extension", if I may call it that way.


 Here's a copper sheet, the extra heatsink, and my original Dynahi boards module in the back:







 Folded the copper sheet onto itself two times (so it's 4x as thick as the original sheet). Removed one of the original heatsinks from the boards module to attach this copper belt to it. The white stuff is heatsink compound:







 And here's the heatsink extension finished and installed:







 Here's the boards module installed and closed, with power, input signal, and headphone out wires ready:






 [EDIT]Pics taken two months later, after finishing an improved heatsink extension:[/img]











 [/EDIT]



 More pics soon when hopefully I'll have finished the two enclosures. They will be basically identical except for the controls. The final look will be very much like this with the top in black, and without the little wooden brick under the faceplate:


----------



## FallenAngel

rsaavedra: That is absolutely gorgeous! Stunning attention to detail, with I had that patience, I can make stuff work, wish I would have the creativity to make it look good too


----------



## rsaavedra

Thanks FallenAngel very kind, more pics coming later.


----------



## j4cbo

Small.











 The wiring is temporary; pot, connectors, and case to come later.


----------



## Gontran

Nice! Small indeed! What chip is that? will it drive 32 ohms? What are you using as a power supply and what kind of swing do you expect?


----------



## Polaris111688

OPA2134U from Burr Brown.


----------



## pabbi1

Created the boards from files right befor Halloween, and she came to life this past Friday night. The cheapie HK attenuators were replaced with GoldPoints, and I'm burning everything in with some budget JJ EL34.

 Calamities:

 1) The cheapie attenuators off eBay are a bargain - because they are crap, at least the ones from HongKong (AcidMilk). Unfortunately, I ordered good MONO attenuators from Taiwan (sweet Holco units), but, alas, this needs dual stereo. GoldPoints to the rescue - at ~$300. Total right (and wrong) attenuators - $450 & 3 weeks lost to waiting...

 2) Finish the metal casework before mounting any electronics. In a panic, I had the wrong XLR connectors, and rather than pull the boards, I just drilled bigger holes, and vacumed out the shavings. WRONG! Some shavings mixed with a bit of excess thermal grease, and stuck to the bottom of a transistor - oh, well, nothing like 4 scorched 2sa1968, a handful of resistors and LEDs to take the wind outta the sails - well, and 20 fuses to help troubleshoot the problem.

 3) Have good fortune to ask the right question at the precise right moment. The board files have a quirk with one of the standoff routings, where, after an hour or so of operation, the trace running too close by eats away the seperation, and things go south, quickly. By the grace of God, Alex asked Justin, and he warned about this - mere hours before disaster. Fiber insulators were inserted, and apocalyptic doomsday averted.

 4) Have a good friend who is willing to QC your work and help determine What is wrong when all this happens. I was indeed lucky that Alex is close, and interested in this build. It really does take a village. 

 This was WAY more of a challenge than the Millett and m³ (x2) units I have built in the past, mainly because there was NO BOM (and yes, I do have a good one, finally), and the ultimate thanks go to Dr Gilmore for the fabulous tribute to the STAX T2, and to Justin, who stepped right to prevent a calamatous cluster with a boards design flaw. 

 Total cost: Well, for the parts actually used, ~$1500, and about $2k with fraud, waste, abuse, and rework.


----------



## [AK]Zip

Defiantly a long search processes of what went wrong it was. At least it was finished and completely working now. Having listened to the amp for 2 days after fixing it I am defiantly going to be ordering my parts soon to make the build for one of my own. Enjoy one of the best electrostatic amps out there!

 -Alex-


----------



## n_maher

I recently found myself in the position of needing to replace the amp in my office rig. While trying to come up with ideas I happened to look around my work bench and was staggered to find the pieces of several uncompleted projects. Shocking, I know! Looking at this pile of parts, pcbs and half-done builds I realized I pretty much already had everything I needed. So I set out this weekend to case it up and have it ready for my return on Tuesday. The result is a pretty neat little PIMETA with a few tricks up it's sleeve. Namely, switchable inputs (internal Alien DAC and 1/8" input), TREAD power supply, and 1/4 or 1/8" output. And here are the pics:

*Full View*




*
 Front*





*Back*




*
 Guts*





 I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out and can't wait to put it into service. Well, actually I can since that means I'll be back at work but it'll go a long way towards making work more bearable. And special thanks go out to MisterX without whom the Alien DAC would still be non-functional.


----------



## rsaavedra

More shots of my Dynahi's still undergoing enclosure work:


 Unlined interior of the PSUs enclosure: originally I had the aluminum screen attached with some U shaped nails, that's why there are those spider-like bites all over the place. The little blocks of wood are to lift the power supply units a bit from the bottom, so that the large transistors on their surface float and don't touch the bottom of the enclosure. (The transistors btw are covered with 4 layers of electrical tape to protect them from touching the grounded screen):







 Aluminum lining partially done. Before applying the aluminum tape decided to cut a few ravines between some of the holes, so as to have even more ventilation:







 Enclosure fully lined, with the screen placed and secured to the bottom. Connectors and gadgets in the box all ready:






 Glue in the aluminum tape is non-conductive, no surprise there. The cooper strips and green wires are for proper grounding of all the aluminum strips in all enclosure walls, top and bottom.


 The interior of all panels for the two enclosures. Three still to go, including the front panel of the amp, but getting close to done...







 Update II: The exterior of the enclosure now almost ready. Also have to clean some dirt on it, the black finish is unforgiving of any dust. Back panel needs painting still, and some minor points here and there need wood filler and paint. But PSU's enclosure 99.9% done:













 Never underestimate the saying "measure twice, cut once". Can you spot a couple of tiny holes that eventually weren't used? 







 Testing everything, umbilical cord connecting PSU box and rear panel of the main box.







 Update III: Final interior of the PS box, bolts+nuts attaching the PSU's to the base, some electrical tape placed on top of some electrical points, and some extra cable ties here and there:


----------



## rsaavedra

Here a few more pics of the progress in my Dynahi amp enclosure.

 First, a shot of a little board I put together to make the star ground point:







 Wired the connectors to the "root" connector" (center of the star) using solid silver wires laid out as diverging branches. Check the cuts on the boards' copper runs, in order to prevent lateral conductivity between the silver branches. The pic was taken before final version which had extra cuts between the outer-most branches and the attachment holes:







 Here's the little board attached to the enclosure base already, using bolts and nuts, and 0.5" nylon spacers:







 A closer look. That red cable (a shielded microphone cable) goes through a switch to power the LED. Going the purist way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Even though I added a 100K resistor in series with the Led to reduce its brightness to comfortable levels, decided to have that ability to turn off the LED completely, leaving all power feeding nothing but the sound circuitry:







 Back panel:







 Signal path between RCA ins and the Alps blue, shielded (and grounded) microphone cables inside a grounded steel jacket. The little blue wire is to ground the front surface of the Alps blue. I will probably add a copper shield for the Alps Blue btw:







 Rear view of all front panel components attached to it:






 And front panel view:






 Have to do some more drilling and painting, and attach the different panels of the enclosure, but it's basically done. No clicks when moving the pot (as opposed to when using the Elma) and now with this EMI rejection shielding of the input signal path, there's no humming whatsoever with player paused and volume at max. Even with the PSU less than a foot away, basically next to the input wires and RCA ins, while having the amp enclosure actually open (not fully assembled) as shown in the pics. This is quite an improvement over the PSU proximity sensitivity of my original enclosure. Listening to Brothers in Arms right now, sounding amazing...


----------



## Girlsound

Holy bananas, rsaavedra, that thing looks like it's going to be used for critical listening by the crew of a sun probe.  Are you shooting for a job at JPL or NASA?


----------



## Ferrari




----------



## rsaavedra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Girlsound* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Holy bananas, rsaavedra, that thing looks like it's going to be used for critical listening by the crew of a sun probe.  Are you shooting for a job at JPL or NASA?_

 

LOL, no not really, but hey you never know, some astronauts might like good sound


----------



## mb3k

That case looks very clean Ferrari!
 Where did you get those connectors for the inputs and outputs?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you get those connectors for the inputs and outputs?_

 

The audio inputs (L/R) and power connectors on the PCB are from the kit I bought from jrossel. This is the Molex KK 22-23-2021 0.100" header, 2-circuit (Mouser 538-22-23-2021; Digi-Key WM4200-ND) and the mating plug 22-01-3027 (Mouser 538-22-01-3027; Digi-Key WM2000-ND), as recommended at AMB CK2III website.


----------



## rsaavedra

And finally, I have finished the enclosures for my Dynahi after so long. Here some pictures.

 First, the final interior of the main and power supply boxes:













 More pics preparing the interior of the enclosures, and much earlier ones, assembling the transistor sandwich.


 Now about the exterior, here's the boxes right before a final application of paint. I used strips of that self-sticking vynil weatherstrip shown on the right as "feet" along the bases of the side walls. The boxes sit really comfortably anywhere with those as feet:







 The boxes seen from the bottom. They look like buildings of some sort, or some strange sculptures 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 Here's applying the paint. A can of the paint used (Krylon BBQ & Stove) is shown on the right. That paint can take up to 1200 F (649 C). Not that the amp is travelling in a sun probe, but doesn't hurt that it can withstand the heat. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now seriously, I really like the finish this paint provides when applied on wood.







 And here they are, at last!!! Well... that screw in the top middle needs a little retouching though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 Here's a view of the back panels. Some corner retouching also needed there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The Quail hospital grade power cord shown to the right. That's the one I got about 2 years ago from the group buy for my Dynahi, finally will get some frequent use. The umbilical cord to connect the two boxes is shown on the left, that one I made myself:







 Here's a few pics of details. You can spot that the finish is really a bit rough, not really incredibly polished, but I like to leave it at that level "hand-made" rough look. The rear corner retouching I'll take care of though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






























 Here's the setup singing, using a Bel Canto Dac2 (loaned by Gene) as source, Toshiba 3950 as transport, sounds great! The stuff in the background belong to my parents (went to their house to do the painting in their garden
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




):







 And a couple more pics for fun:






















 PS. Signature finally updated, with "Dynahi" linking to this post #1781. (To think I started my Dynahi more than two years ago, by the time of post #71 in this same thread).

 PS. II. Heatsink extension improvement.

 PS. III. Shortening the signal path (relocating the volume pot.)


----------



## luidge

This is a wonderfull Dynahi you've got there, you sure seem to have put lot of time on it, but in the end this is what separate great looking project to Ok project i think. Congratulation


----------



## rsaavedra

Thanks Luidge!


----------



## Buzzerbro

Hello, I recently cased up my PPAS amplifier. I added a Bass Boost circuit and used over speced caps.


----------



## Pars

rsaavedra,

 Nice job on the Dynahi! Did all your shielding help on the previous noise issue?

 Nice job also buzzerbro... looks good!


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Buzzerbro* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hello, I recently cased up my PPAS amplifier. I added a Bass Boost circuit and used over speced caps. 



 

_

 

Cool way to light up the jack. How was the SMD soldering?


----------



## SoundGoon

rsaavedra, beautiful work. I really like the look of that amp and all of the work and innovation that you have put into the cases. Awesome job and I hope that you enjoy it!! Congrats on a job well done


----------



## meta03

I built this phono preamp to listen to vinyl on my system (duh). It's based around ESP's multi-stage active/passive RIAA equalization scheme. I designed a toroidal transformer, regulated power supply. I based the layout around 4 single channel opamps, as this gives the greatest versatility for switching op-amps. Originally I had OPA134's installed in all four locations, however the LED power wire moved during testing and shorted to the incoming 120VAC power line, and blew a lot of stuff up, including the chips. The only other single channel op-amps I had were LM741's (I already slapped myself, don't worry), and CA3140's in the old school round metal cases, and used two of each in the meantime. Today I got 4 OPA228's and put them in. These are now pretty much my favourite op-amps ever. While proper implamentation makes much more of a difference than the opamps themselves, these are just fantastic chips. The sound isn't warm and tubey, or cold and analytical, it's clean, it's present and it's awesome.




 This of course is the inside. I don't mind vera board for one-off projects like this.




 The back, input/output through RCA jacks. These are insulated from the chassis ground, to ensure the prevention of ground loops. The switch on the rear panel is a ground lift switch. It's useful for different grounding scenarios, where being able to disconnect the mains ground becomes exceptionally useful to minimize hum. The ground connection is an insulated banana plug connector. 




 Professional 2U high panel front, for eventual rack mounting. Minamilist styling, with an LED rocker switch in the middle of the front panel. All in powder coated black. Anyway, thought you guys might like to see.


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Namely, switchable inputs (internal Alien DAC and 1/8" input), TREAD power supply, and 1/4 or 1/8" output. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hey Nate! Nice work, mate! You work pretty fast. For the Alien DAC, are you using power from USB? I did not see any direct connection to the Tread.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_And special thanks go out to MisterX without whom the Alien DAC would still be non-functional._

 

Well, who else would be so kind!


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bhjazz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey Nate! Nice work, mate! You work pretty fast. For the Alien DAC, are you using power from USB? I did not see any direct connection to the Tread._

 

Thanks! And yes, the Alien is USB powered - it's the easiest configuration as far as I can tell. 

 With a little luck you'll see some more pictures of a different, much larger project in the next couple weeks along with a few other smaller ones. I've been rather busy lately.


----------



## FallenAngel

The Soha is sold, all hail the Soha! The name of the new Soha is "When SOHA goes BAD!" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Terrible time casing it, but after hours of work, it looks nice and appropriate with the red lighting. Yes, that actually is a little screw at the top of the case beside the tube protector and yes, it's purely cosmetic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ELNA Silmic II and Mundorf MCap ZN's in signal path.
 Panasonic FM's power supply except for 100uF/100V Nichicon UPW
 Electro-Harmonix tube (Switching JJ & EI)
 Working on DB's at the moment so listening to OPA2107 as buffer.


----------



## sbyers77

Here is my first Alien DAC. It actually went together quiet smoothly, the trick was lots of flux, a fine tipped iron, and patience. I just checked for bridges with the DMM and cleaned them up with braid.






 The SMD also went well, but the 0805 size was intimidating to say the least. I've done 1205 size the Millett Diamond buffers, but these are tiny! It also didn't help that my tweezers were slightly magnetic, when I tried to let the part go, it would be stuck to the tweezers! Time for a nice pair for electronics I say.






 Then to case it up, I measured where the USB jack would be and scoured lines on the inside of the case to mark it's position. I drilled a round hole as large as I could, then used a file to make it square. As I got close to the lines, I just checked the fit with the board. Turned out great!






 And couple of jacks on the other side...






 There you have it, an Alien DAC. Thanks to all those who put so much work into this fun project! For more/larger pictures go here.


----------



## willmueller

well its my first, but i had to start somewhere.

 Its pretty simple, works great with my koss ktx pro's for portability, and the sound is soo deep i love it.
 (btw i made new interconnects that el-chepo one diddent sound good at all.)






 some high res shots

http://members.shaw.ca/willmueller/P1270010.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/willmueller/P1270019.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/willmueller/P1270020.JPG


----------



## FallenAngel

A new SOHA is made!

 I was so taken aback by the incredible casing rsaavedra did on his Dynahi, I was inspired to make something in a wooden box as well.

 This is my new SOHA. It's the same config as before (look 3 posts up), plus an AC power filter, same design as in Tangent's STEPS. I think it turned out very well. The insides of the box reveal some turmoil through the casing process, but who's looking inside anyway? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Without further ado, pics! With the size of the box, everything else has been moved from the desk and the AlienDAC hidden behind it. The photo on top of the box is my sweetheart, Violet


----------



## Yen

Welcome to the club! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Could you explain abit of that AC filter? How simple is it and how does it work. Our apartment's AC-line is really crappy, and I hear snaps every time the fridge starts and stops cooling itself. Sometimes even switching lights on creates audible distortion. I dont even want to mention the hum when the oven is on... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A new SOHA is made!

 I was so taken aback by the incredible casing rsaavedra did on his Dynahi, I was inspired to make something in a wooden box as well._


----------



## FallenAngel

The one I built was straight from Tangent's STEPS. A little more info here and I'm sure there are some better line filters, but I recently built a STEPS for the PPAv2 and had doubled of all the line filter parts (about $10). I used the second diagram, but put the transformer before the last 0.1uF cap and 100 Ohm resistor, exactly like in the STEPS schematic.

 It's really easy to build on breadboard, took about 15 minutes and that's including wiring the transformer.

 Since I have it right beside my computer, cordless phone, wireless keybaord and mouse as well as a really bad printer that always sets off my UPS power supply by adding noise to the line, I thought it would be a worthwhile build. I didn't need a surge suppersor (simply add 2 varistors into the circuit as per Jon Risch's schematic) because it's built into my UPS, but a DIY line filter is nice to have. I can definitely say that this one sounds better than the one a few posts back, but that's probably because I like the JJ tube more with my setup. It's darker and more relaxed unlike the EI tube that's very active.


----------



## Ferrari




----------



## Yen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_CK3_

 

OMG those ATI's cases are beautiful. Wish their shipping would be cheaper... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 EDIT: Yeah, and none taken away from the awesome building style you have Ferrari. Excelent piece!


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks Yen!

 Some details of my build: It's indeed housed in an ATI-735U enclosure while the 24VA power transformer, netfilter and fuse are housed in a separate "wallwart" to minimize magnetic field interference. Clip-on heatsinks are applied to the output transistors (Toshiba 2SC2238/2SA968) and the quiescent current was set to 40mA. The electrolytic capacitors are Nichicon Muse FX, FW and HN. Philips (BC) MKC/MKT film caps and polystyrene are used throughout. Vishay-Dale RN55D resistors are used in most part of the amp and the volume control is a blue Alps RK27.

 This CK²III is an easy to build but very good sounding amp. I love the sound this amp produces... it makes DIY so fun 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 !


----------



## amb

More pics at the CK²III gallery


----------



## .: ZMN :.

Wow!

 Rsaavedra, Ferrari and Amb - works of art! 

 @ Amb
 Did you use glass or plexi-glass as a cover for the amp? 

 @ Ferrari
 I very much like your sollution for the 'recessed' volume knob on the thick front panel. Could you give us some details? Also, where did you find that amazingly large knob? 


 Very inspirational.


----------



## Ferrari

.: ZMN :., Just as the enclosure, the knop is from ATI. The knop diameter is 44mm and the cut on the 6mm thick faceplate is 47mm diameter. The blue Alp RK27 is mounted on the sub-front pannel behind the 6mm faceplate (as visible on the pic below). The volume knop is therefore mounted about 4mm recessed. The drilling for the LED is 3mm from the front and 5mm from the back of the knop. The power wires for the LED used behind the knop have flexible silicon sheath to avoid that they will becoming tangled up as the volume knob is turned.


----------



## Pars

Amb and Ferrari:

 Very nice builds! I was going to ask you (Ferrari) about the knob and what looked to be an LED in it, but I see you already posted on how it was done.

 Congrats both of you!

 Chris


----------



## rsaavedra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *.: ZMN :.* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Rsaavedra, Ferrari and Amb - works of art!_

 

Gee that's flattering. Ferrari's and Amb's amps look absolutely professional, these guys are true pros in electronics and DIY. I do enjoy DIY, but honestly I am just an amateur, not in their league. Thanks!


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *.: ZMN :.* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_@ Amb
 Did you use glass or plexi-glass as a cover for the amp?_

 

It's clear acrylic.

 -Ti


----------



## DaKi][er

I've been building a pair of Aleph-X's class A monoblock amplifiers, runs nearly 50W into 8ohm and peaks at about 60W into 6ohm, 4A of bias and 16V rails dumping 130W of heat constantly 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I designed and etched the PCB myself, double sided pcb's are a pain in the arse to line up though 





















 Straight DC coupled input and momentary power on switch called for a separate circuit to provide DC offset protection in the form of a relay on the speaker terminals that cuts out if the relative DC offset is too high, the amp is balanced out by design and the absolute DC offset from +out and -out swing quite wildly by a volt or 2 between ground when fully warmed up, so differential input on the offset protection circuit was needed. As a bonus, adding in a delay in switching the speaker relay on after power on is easily achived, I've dialed it in for a 3 second delay which seems to work just perfectly. When switched off, a transistor shorts the capacitor feeding the relay driver, turning the speaker relay off instantly once powered down eliminating any strange hiss/hum/thump as the big capacitors drain

 A solidstate relay switches power feeding the main power transformer, inrush limiting is supplied with zero crossing built into the ss relay so the relay wont turn on until the mains voltage is at the 0V part of its sinewave cycle and the transformer and capacitors charge up at the same rate that the mains sinewave does, eliminating sharp turn on transients






 Built as a complimentary pair, the chassis's are a mirror image of each other
















 One is fully finished and working just great with the only thing missing is a top and bottom to the chassis, for which I have to source some nice perforated metal of some kind. the second amplifier is mostly done

 Not exactly headphone related but audio all the same


----------



## rsaavedra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not exactly headphone related but audio all the same_

 

Nice amps! Incidentally I just PM'ed Kevin Gilmore asking whether he finally designed a circuit for some 400w and 800w amps he had a couple of years ago among his future creations. A speaker amp is my next DIY project.


----------



## .: ZMN :.

@ferrari, @amb

 Great! Thanks for sharing the tricks as well as the pics.

 @rsaavedra

 Er, not professional? I bet that seeing all these creative designs, especially the ones build completely from scratch, will inspire many others to start sketching their own enclosure. It's threads like this (and posts like yours) that take away hesitations and motivate to be creative.


----------



## Polaris111688

Sweet amp, DaKiller.

 Where did you find/order that case? I'm interested in building a speaker amplifier myself.


----------



## DaKi][er

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sweet amp, DaKiller.

 Where did you find/order that case? I'm interested in building a speaker amplifier myself._

 

I built it myself

1 of these, cut off the holes on the ends and then cut the panels in 1/2 and you got your front and back, then carefully drill holes to bolt to the heatsinks that then become your side walls


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I've been building a pair of Aleph-X'sclass A monoblock amplifiers, runs nearly 50W into 8ohm and peaks at about 60W into 6ohm, 4A of bias and 16V rails dumping 130W of heat constantly_

 

Beautiful work, Ki][er. Wow. Taking on a project that big is just amazing. A project like that could easily eat a few years of my life. And they look great, too. Nice job!


----------



## wafflesomd

Can some please link me to where you buy your cases?


----------



## Eokboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wafflesomd* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Can some please link me to where you buy your cases?_

 

http://www.atiresearch-anodized.com/index.html


----------



## ferencvaros

Here is my millett with steps. Caps are orange drops 716P, front panels are from frontpanelexpress. I am planning same style casing for CK2III and soha (already built)






 Sorry for bad quality photo, photography isn't my hobby


----------



## t52

*totally headphone unrelated*

 some days ago i finally tested a new monitor box i designed for our home studio. it uses a tangband 3" fullrange and a tangband 6x9" woofer, actively crossed over and driven by two lm1876 gainclones. sound: sweeeeeet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












 full story and more highres images here: http://t5.by/DIY%20Projects/BB-Monitor


----------



## kklee

Two recently completed SOHA's:














 Just finished this CK²III today:


----------



## FallenAngel

Love the SOHA twins, here are mine 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Same config as before, Mundorf MCap ZN, Silmic II cathode bypass, power supply all Panasonic FM (except 100uF/100V Nichicon UPW). I started to use OPA2107 opamps as the buffer and I must say they sound very nice with the ElectroHarmonix tube. Makes the tube a little less bright, kind of mellows it out. Very nice.








 Nighttime shot of the 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 SOHA


----------



## kklee

Nice work! I picked up a couple of those tube guards, I haven't decided if I want to use them. It'll make it a little harder to do any tube rolling.


----------



## FallenAngel

Oh big time. Tube rolling on these is a serious pain in the ass like you wouldn't believe. With onboard sockets, it's already hard compared to the ease of case mounted sockets but with the tube protectors, it's even a little harder.

 One trick I learned is that the only way to effectively get the tubes in and out is to rock them back and forth while wiggling them out. It's impossible to push or pull the tubes, but maybe it's just the super tight sockets I use.


----------



## tomb

Better to roll when they're uncased. After you've gone through several brands/types, you end up settling on just one or two, anyway.


----------



## kklee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Better to roll when they're uncased. After you've gone through several brands/types, you end up settling on just one or two, anyway. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Another thought I just had is that you'd have to uncase anyways to adjust the plate voltage when tube rolling.


----------



## FallenAngel

Just sold my original AlienDAC because I build myself this new one with my newfound love for wood enclosures 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I totally love how it looks beside the SOHA.

 Mostly the same stuff as before with a breadboard TREAD set at 6.0V to on-board REG102UA-A set at 5.4V to overclock the PCM2702. Except this one has a new little change. Instead of the regular BlackGate NX-HiQ output caps I usually put in there, I put in a pair of 0.33uF Mundorf MCap ZN 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The sound is definitely different. The bass is let's just say A LOT more detailed. It's like those BlackGates were mixing some stuff together where it shouldn't have been and this has added a few notes I never heard before. 

*EDIT:* Had to edit this post once again, I can say this cap upgrade is SOOO worth it! The headphones have disappeared and I'm now sitting in a recording studio with Rihanna singing to me from my lap. It actually makes it hard to do anything other than lean back and just listen. I love those caps!








 The complete setup


----------



## AndrewFischer

My builds are functional, but not much to look at.

 I had my gear on the bench to tighten up a few loose connectors, so I took a few photos.






 Top to Bottom:
 Alien DAC. Panels from FPE are on the way and should be here soon. I've gotten used to looking at the open front, so I'm getting the DAC panels made in clear plexi.

 STEPS.

 PPA V1.1. 
 Senn HD-580s with the 650 cable. I'm not a big fan of cable upgrades, but this one is worth doing.






 The PPA front panel is really ugly. I wanted a lighted power switch so I'd remember to shut the thing off before unplugging headphones. Now that turning it off is 2nd nature, I want to get rid of that ugly toggle. A larger volume knob and maybe some graphics... eh. I'm just going to use the dremel and put in that other switch. 






 Rear view. Interconnects are Dayton Audio brand from Parts Express.







 Inside of my PPA V1.1 Wire is ultra-high end Alpha 1173C. 






 PPA rear panel. RCA jacks are Vampire. DC power is super high end audiophile Switchcraft. Wire is more of that Alpha 1173C.


 Whatever. I like the way this system sounds.


----------



## j4cbo

I've just been using this at home for now, so no further case is needed...











 (2x OPA2134 on opposite side of board)


----------



## palchiu

Finish a DAC kit for a friend.
 DA Chip is PCM1794, and with buffers for output stage.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





















 The sound is really good! Heating my iron and start working with mine.


----------



## ezkcdude

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *AndrewFischer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My builds are functional, but not much to look at.

 ...

 The PPA front panel is really ugly. I wanted a lighted power switch so I'd remember to shut the thing off before unplugging headphones. Now that turning it off is 2nd nature, I want to get rid of that ugly toggle. A larger volume knob and maybe some graphics... eh. I'm just going to use the dremel and put in that other switch. 

 ...

 Whatever. I like the way this system sounds._

 

Don't underestimate yourself. I appreciate the modest design. Simple, understated. I would recommend maybe identifying "L" and "R", though.


----------



## 98venom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *palchiu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finish a DAC kit for a friend.
 DA Chip is PCM1794, and with buffers for output stage.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





















 The sound is really good! Heating my iron and start working with mine. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Who makes this DAC, and is it available for shipment to the US?


----------



## seroxatmad

My Kumisa amp all the way from the UK.

 John

 P.S If anyone is after 1 building for them. I will be building during the next 2 weeks, my friend changed his mind even after hearing it!


----------



## n_maher

I finally finished wiring up my β22 tonight. Here she is.
















 It's the standard 3-channel, active ground configuration running a +/-30V σ22 power supply. It has two switchable inputs via a rear mounted switch and the chassis is a custom painted (by me) par metals 20 series case that is 16x12x5. And before someone accuses me of ordering a case that is way to big here's a shot of the internals before I completed the wiring.






 Not a whole lot of "extra" space if you ask me. Especially since eventually it will have rear panel speaker outputs along with a muting delay circuit. But I'm stuck waiting for back-ordered parts and wanted to have this amp in running form for the NYC regional meet next weekend. As far as I know it is perhaps one of four functioning amps and let me say that the effort and expense to build it was certainly worth it!

 Please note, there is no company named "Nugget Audio". It's a long running joke between my older brother and I and I decided on this amp I'd try out FPE's services. I really like how the badge turned out and it looks pretty neat when the amp is running since there are two blue led's behind the badge to set it off.

 Thanks for looking.

 Nate


----------



## Towert7

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finally finished wiring up my β22 tonight. Here she is.


 Nate_

 

Looks great Nate!
 Can't wait to see it in person... only about 2 more weeks.


----------



## thrice

Looks awesome Nate!


----------



## en480c4

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finally finished wiring up my β22 tonight. Here she is._

 

And it looks even better than I would've guessed. 

 You've out-done yourself this time!


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finally finished wiring up my β22 tonight. Here she is.
 I really like how the badge turned out and it looks pretty neat when the amp is running since there are two blue led's behind the badge to set it off._

 

Clean and professional looking as always, Nate. Nice work. Very nice!

 The badge really is a nice way to finish it off and looks great. I had a heck of a time getting some final photos of my Pimeta due to the LEDs: Color flare city! (photos coming soon). 

 Enjoy!


----------



## Voodoochile

Best effort so far, Nate- it looks pissah! Sorry, I just had to use that.
 The chassis looks huge at first, but under the bonnet, it appears you need that space.

 Nugget, eh? Is there a story behind that choice?


----------



## n_maher

Thanks for all the kind words guys. I'm really pleased with the way that it all came out, from the hammered black paint on the body of the chassis to the FPE panel at the front. I put a lot more time and effort into this case and I guess it shows. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And the story with Nugget is just that it's what my older brother decided to call me at some point while we were growing up and it stuck. When I did my first order for pcbs for the Millett group buy the fab house needed a company name so I came up with "Nugget Audio" as a joke.


----------



## laxx

I thought that's what the n in n_maher stood for. =]


----------



## beerguy0

My only build to date. This is a variation of the PRR-Tori amp from Headwize. I built this in a weekend, from parts readily available to me in our Engineering stockroom. I built it like I would any piece of lab gear, i.e., on double-clad Vector board. The opamp is socketed, and the R/C networks are built on headers and socketed, so I can ghange gain by plugging in a new header. It doesn't look like much, but it sounds pretty good, at least to my ears. The power supply is a Power One open frame PS, running at +/- 15V. A separate +5V supply runs the fan. (It's a 12V fan, running at about 4 volts, so it's pretty quiet.)

 This was my work amp for a long time, but it recently became my home amp, since I got an iPod and IEM's. My AKG K271s are now my home cans, and they sound sweet with this amp. Now that I have it at home, I may try to make it a little prettier.

 I wound up adding a Cmoy crossfeed, and adding a pair of J_FETS to bias the opamp into Class A operation. I'm currently using a AD826 opamp, but I have several other opamps on order so I can do a little opamp rolling.





















 J-FET mod


----------



## SoundGoon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *seroxatmad* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My Kumisa amp all the way from the UK.

 John

 P.S If anyone is after 1 building for them. I will be building during the next 2 weeks, my friend changed his mind even after hearing it!_

 

Looks nice, but what is the PS??


----------



## seroxatmad

Hi

 I bought extra PCB for a friend who has decided (cos he only listens to MP3's on his computer usualy) that he does not want me to build him one. 

 So I have an extra case and PCB sitting here. Going to order the parts soon and build it anyway and either sell on ebay or sell to anyone after one in the forums.

 John


----------



## ericj

Ladies and gents, i give you my SOHA!

 The whole bottlehead thing is so played out. I wanted something MUCH different. 













 The camera doesn't show it properly, but the tube is illuminated with a bright UV led:


----------



## SysteX

Eric--
 Looks awesome with that perforated front and the UV led! All these DIYs make me want to get out a soldering iron and make something.


----------



## ericj

Thanks! The aluminum is scrap from the recycling center - free even! I polished it up by wet sanding it with 1500-grit. 

 It's too thin to handle controls in a sheet that big, so there's a sheet of clear acryllic behind it -- which actually makes it look even better, somehow. 

 The enclosure is an old radioshack thing. No idea what the catalog number is, the box is long gone. 

 fwiw i bought the UV LED from Chi-Wing through their ebay store. 10 of 'em for $2 mailed direct from the factory iirc.


----------



## Ferrari

The results of a rainy sunday afternoon: SOHA output stage modification based on BUF634 + OPA627


----------



## bhjazz

Ferrari - that's some serious work! Gorgeous! Is this your own design?


----------



## bhjazz

Well, it's finally complete. My Pimeta journey took a surprising year to complete. No, there's no reason for that amount of time. I had many design decisions that I made on the fly which turned out to take far more time to execute than I imagined. I sourced parts from Mouser, obviously, picked up a few from some kind friends here on Head-Fi, a couple of items from Canada, and even some from our friends at Audiokit in Italy. Well, let's get started. Hope you enjoy the tour. 

 The look I wanted to obtain was rather monolithic. All silver, no black, no chrome, with blue lighting. Seems pretty simple, right? I settled on a Hammond 1455N1601, and sourced the largest knob I could from Audiokit in Italy. Here is a photo of the look I wanted and actually got. The knob is 40mm and is just what I wanted. 






 Inside you'll get an idea of where a lot of my time went. The blue lighting I had in mind was far more than an indicator light. I wanted enough lighting on the underside to give the impression that the Pimeta was floating. I settled on six LEDs from SuperbrightLEDs.com. Here is the initial configuration. 






 Mounting these lights was the beginning of a lot of planning and headaches. Drilling out the case was nothing difficult, but soldering the lights to each other with lots of heatsinks only cause me to lose a few LEDs... Here are the LEDs once they were connected together. 






 One complaint I had about my Mint was that I never knew where the volume was set. You know the story: end of a quiet song on a cd, then blasted at the beginning of the next. I wanted an indication of where my volume was. Drilling directly thorugh the knob was a good option, but I knew that these superbright LEDs would send a laser beam across the room, so I wondered if there was a way to mount the LED on the back of the knob: If the volume knob was turned, the light would go with it... I ground out a section of my volume knob with a dremel, making sure that the hole was deep enough to keep the LED from beaming.






 I knew securing the LED to the knbo would be pretty easy with epoxy, but had some planning to do with the wiring. It needed to avoid the shaft of the Alps Blue Velvet, not get wrapped around anything and hinder the use of the knob, and not uncoil and be in view at any time. Quite a large order there. I settled on some Cardas 30ga tonearm wire for the task. The LED leads were curved and the wire was attached. I also use some teflon tubing and a drop of glue to secure the ends as they needed to be quite permanent. 






 Then I glued the whole thing together, fingers crossed. I had curved the wire around a pen quite a few times to get the initial curl to it, so I knew could trust it would stay close to the knob when in use. There was a tradeoff for turns around the shaft, though: more loops would mean less wire would move outwards and risk being seen, but could more easily get tangled. I settled on just four turns. This pic also shows the access hole for the wire. I also smoothed out the conneting nut for the volume pot to ensure I would get no snags. 







 The logistics of the wiring inside was the next hurdle. I found that the two rear mounting holes for the Pimeta board were 1/4 inch away from where there was already an LED. I also realized that the Pimeta board was going to be mounted really low, and the change of shorting out the board on the LED leads was pretty good, so there needed to be some kind of divider. I settled on plexiglass from Tap Plastics and cut it to size. The problem of where the rear switches were sitting caused me to notch out a few more sections on the rear end without cutting to the whole thing too short and have it slide around. Here is a photo of the bottom of the case (covered with a sticky-backed product called Foamies), the bottom LEDs, the Tread, and the rear notches in the plexiglas. Oy. 






 The power for the volume knob LED came from the Pimeta board, and the power for the bottom LEDs came from the Tread. The power runs to switches on the rear panel so I can turn then on or off with the amp still on. Here is the rear panel with Cardas GRFA RCAs, the light switches, the power switches and the power input. 






 With the logistical problem of no bolts being able to go through the bottom to secure the Pimeta board, I had to find a way to keep it from bumping around. I decided that some kind of crossbeam would be necessary. With a few plastic spacers I would be able to suspened the board at the right height. A piece of aluminum L bracket was used and drilled out for the board connectors. To get it to have the fit I intended, I also carved out a section with a dremel near both sets of caps. I decided to polish the bracket prior to installing it as it gives a little flash to the works. 

 The interior is not as clean as I would like. Rev. 2 of this amp will include a pair of diamond buffers and some tech-flex on the wiring to clean it up a bit. Adding the diamond buffers will mean the polished support brace will need to be moved under the Pimeta board, and likely more head scratching to get it all to fit back toghther. 






 Finally bolted together, the final product honestly looks exactly how I wanted. I'm pretty proud! It looks especially great in the dark. And hey, who listens to music in bright light anyway 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ? With the underside lighting and the knob light on, my Pimeta takes on an etherial glow. In this shot, the volume is set at 1:00pm. How about that eclipse? 

 Thanks for looking.






 I have attached a URL to an AVI file of the volume knob in use so you can get an idea of the light moving with the knob. (The lighting did not fair as well in the avi...big color flares. It looks better in person!)

http://s93.photobucket.com/albums/l7...7_02080056.flv


----------



## The Monkey

Terrific build, bhjazz.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bhjazz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari - that's some serious work! Gorgeous! Is this your own design?_

 

The mini buffer board is designed by GregVDS (an Belgian Headwize fellow).
 It's very small comparing to the SOHA board ... 







 ... and I have to use a small heatsink to keep the temperature at a reasonable 46 degrees Celsius 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## LemonSmints

I decided since I was so excited about finally getting this project completed and my, surprisingly, *one* problem fixed I'd post a few shots of the completed amp. Unfortunately I haven't got an enclosure yet, so these just show the guts (which is what matters, right?)






 The board with all of the panel components laying about.






 Close-up of the whole board.






 An angled shot.






 More detail of the power supply circuit.

 Questions and comments are welcome! Thanks.


----------



## phergus_25

Austin 126A full range horn...




 Not Hp related, but one driver per ch, and pretty cool, IMHO.


----------



## SysteX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phergus_25* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Austin 126A full range horn...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...5/DSCF0396.jpg
 Not Hp related, but one driver per ch, and pretty cool, IMHO._

 

Looks awesome! Make sure you keep us posted on your progress.


----------



## phergus_25

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SysteX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks awesome! Make sure you keep us posted on your progress._

 

thanks. There are some more pics and explinations in my thread here in the DIY forum.


----------



## hYdrociTy

that looks like mc escher's coffin ('-' )


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Monkey* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Terrific build, bhjazz._

 

Thanks, man! I really cursed myself sometimes for getting my brain so far into an idea, but I learned a lot from this project that I can take to the next one!


----------



## seroxatmad

Hi all

 Is this a competition to see who can post the largest image?

 How about resizing to 640x480 as they seem fine.

 John

 P.S Not sure if its firefox but the images throw the text off!


----------



## jonnywolfet

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *phergus_25* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Austin 126A full range horn...




 Not Hp related, but one driver per ch, and pretty cool, IMHO._

 

so cool, i have allways been transfixed by the simple beauty of the horn design. a fullrange horn is something i will build in the future, a horn design just cries out to be done with artistic flair. cant wait to see your finished speakers!


----------



## phergus_25

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jonnywolfet* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_so cool, i have allways been transfixed by the simple beauty of the horn design. a fullrange horn is something i will build in the future, a horn design just cries out to be done with artistic flair. cant wait to see your finished speakers!_

 

I chose this design for the fact that its wall loaded, IE: fires against a wall. But the ones I like the look of the most are corner loaded, but have loads of room for flair:
http://www.frugal-horn.com/gallery.html


----------



## duck

Howdy, here's my first DIY project, recabling of my old abused grado SR-60's.

 I use these for work (I'm a "paper boy") so the cable is intentionally quite short. I'm a bit worried about the strength of the Y-split, I couldn't find any shrinktubes with glue (and forgot to order some)... hope it holds together.


----------



## heatmizer

Simple cmoy in a tin 












 sorry for crappy webcam pictures.


----------



## heatmizer

Sijosae class ab 2 with opa2227 and buf634 for ground













 This one is quite a powerhouse but no hiss or distortion.


----------



## heatmizer

Breadboarded pint/mini^3 using njm4556 for L/R and ground
 Seriesed a couple of resistors to get a gain of 7.

 this one is also no hiss will not go as loud as sijosae class ab above
 but is pretty good. much better than cmoy. Goes good with ksc75.


----------



## heatmizer




----------



## heatmizer

kramer modded
 Plantronic foams
 1/16 heat shrink
 1/8 techflex
 4 28 awg high strand conductors


----------



## Yen

My SOHA got partially recased.

 Originally I built it into a cheap key locker I found from local Home Depot type of store. Now it has acrylic top and bottom. Looks ok, but not yet nice. Maybe it deserve some ATI Research Anodidized.

_Before_

*Now:*





*Night view:* Sorry for the noise, I didnt have any noise reduction software in my laptop.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Yen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My SOHA got partially recased.
 ... Looks ok, but not yet nice. Maybe it deserve some ATI Research Anodidized._

 

Another nice enclosure to think about is probably HIFI-2000 GX283 (or GX288) with 10mm faceplate 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . The shipment cost is quite reasonable since we are in Europe.


----------



## Ferrari




----------



## hYdrociTy

Just using the opa134 right now in case it blows, don't take out the precious ad8610/20s... the usual, 2x buffers, dale vishays, blue velvet, and bg caps.. and d some very nice copper wire courtesy of parts connexion...





 lol.





 blackgates have never been so humiliated..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 hydrociTy
 (>'-')>


----------



## colonelkernel8

Ferrari, what kind of case and knob is that? Its gorgeous. I must have one.

 *edit* Nvm, found where you posted it.

 Just which knob?


----------



## phergus_25

I like it!
 You went all out on the BG caps didnt you.
 -greg
  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hYdrociTy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just using the opa134 right now in case it blows, don't take out the precious ad8610/20s... the usual, 2x buffers, dale vishays, blue velvet, and bg caps.. and d some very nice copper wire courtesy of parts connexion...





 lol.





 blackgates have never been so humiliated..
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 hydrociTy
 (>'-')>_


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *colonelkernel8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, what kind of case and knob is that? Its gorgeous. I must have one.

 *edit* Nvm, found where you posted it.

 Just which knob?_

 

The knop is from Diyrealaudio 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . 
http://shop.diyrealaudio.com/product...ada38e2cf8ac41


----------



## Yen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The knop is from Diyrealaudio 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . 
http://shop.diyrealaudio.com/product...ada38e2cf8ac41_

 

How much is their shipping costs for small packages like knobs. I am intrested in their Nichcons also. Man, I hate that these shops do not clearly express the shipping costs, or even rough calculations.


----------



## CyberDog

Here are some images from Headphone Amps i made, the Headphone Amps don't have in/out Capicitors or a Potentiometer for volumecontrol. The Headphone Amps are direct analog connected to an EMU1212M Sound Card. Volume and the optional DSP Equalizer is controled by the EMU1212M.

 The advantages of this kind of setup are, simple cheap design, optimal Rs (less distortion), Low noise with low R setup, it is relatively easy to use high DC offset Opamps (LM6172).

 The amplifer gain is +/- 3 and with medium/high R Headphones, no audible hiss, hum and/or RF is detectable.
 Headphones used: Sennheiser HD595(120 ohm), HD650 / Beyerdynamics DT990Pro.

 The Headphone Amplifer is a Class A (cascode jfet) biased double opamp, with integrated discrete Jung Diamond buffers in the feedbackloops. The buffers are overvoltage (Diode clamp) protected and have overcurrent protection with low parasitic capacitance Led (HLMP-K401) clamping.

 The opamp is bypassed with 100nF Wima Mks2's and 100uF Panasonic FC's. Buffers are bypassed with, 1uF low inductance - stacked metallized polyester film Caps and 470uF Panasonic FC's.

 Transistors used: BC337-40/BC327-40 complementair pairs for signal, BC550c/BC560c for currentsources. Transistors with Europeen (BC) and/or American (2N) TO-92 pin layout can be used.

 Tested with opamp: OPA234, OP275, NE5532AN, NJM5532DD, LM6172, NJM 2114D.

 Metal film Resistors are 0.6W MBB/Vishay.






 Triple Y -5D PCB design







 Triple Y -5D Headphone Amplifier







 External Power Supply
 I made an external (Voltage) adjustable symmetric Powersupply with ground loop breaker, Used parts: 8VA Transformer +/- 18V ,UF4002 ultrafast rectifier Diodes, 2x 2200uF Panasonic FC's Electrolytics per rail, LM317/337 Regulators + protecting Diodes + Voltage trimmer circuit, 330uF FC's / 100nF mks2's are used as out bypass Caps.The Case/Transformer/Heatsinks/Fuseholder/Cabels are recyceled from a old Lab. Powersupply.







 Triple Y -5D + External PowerSupply + HD595







 Space Invaders _4D Headphone Amplifier
 This Sound Card HeadAmp has only BD139/140 Transistors in the Diamond buffers, even the currentsources in the buffer are made from pairs "thermally bonded" BD140/139 Transistors. The orange Leds are used for overcurrent protection.

 All the single sided PCB designs are selfmade and with the help from Toner transfer process, FeCl3 etching and precision drilling fabricated


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The knop is from Diyrealaudio 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . 
http://shop.diyrealaudio.com/product...ada38e2cf8ac41_

 

Is it really $120 or does the NT represent a different currency?


----------



## Nisbeth

NT$ = New Taiwan Dollar. Exchange rate is app. 1:33 to US$ according to xe.com, which makes the know a little less than 4 US$ 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *colonelkernel8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is it really $120 or does the NT represent a different currency?_

 

Lol, what do you think?

 NT is New Taiwan Dollar, US$ : NT$ is around 1:33


----------



## Ferrari

*@colonelkernel8*
 Nisbeth and FallenAngel are right. The prices are in New Taiwan Dollar.

*@Yen*
 Their shipping costs depends on the actual weight/size of the package.
 They don't have a fixed shipment cost for international shipment like Mouser. 
 My experience with this shop is that the shipment cost to Europe never more than 20% of the order valued at approximately 100 Euro.
 (actually it varies between 17-19 % ... very reasonable comparing to Mouser or Digikey, for example)

 I really don't know what the shipment cost for 1 knop at ~ $4 is.
 Just shoot them an email 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 !


----------



## grasshpr

My nearly finished Dynahi. Still need to build and stain wood side panels and create a top vent. Maybe even get a bigger knob, but otherwise its finished


----------



## applegd

Two words to say for my Sigma22, SUPER and HOT..........
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
















 I am happy with the outcome!


----------



## mb3k

applegd, great sigma. What kind of connectors are those??


----------



## applegd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_applegd, great sigma. What kind of connectors are those??_

 

mb3K, these are SwitchCraft 5 pins DIN connectors/receptables. Their quality is very good.

 For my sigma22, I preplaned the front panel, so it can easily span to 4 receptables to match the 4 outputs from terminal blocks.


----------



## timmit

The other Cons out of sight are PHILIPS BC.
 Volume: ALPS Blue-case 50K
 RCA:CMC
 The power switch is made by C&C (Hard gold plated)
 The tubes: 1958 Mullard D 12AT7 X1 + AMPREX 6922 X2
 Power adapter: 50W "R" type inside with four-inner-cable aero conector(I don't think I've got the right names of the parts!)


----------



## griff2

*CyberDog wrote:*  Quote:


 Here are some images from Headphone Amps i made, the Headphone Amps don't have in/out Capicitors or a Potentiometer for volumecontrol. The Headphone Amps are direct analog connected to an EMU1212M Sound Card. Volume and the optional DSP Equalizer is controled by the EMU1212M. 
 

Very impressive, and very neat and tidy. But since it's a one-off why not just do a perfboard build?


----------



## j4cbo

Dynahi, up and running after almost six months:






 It still needs a case, decent connectors (I'm planning on Cardas CTFA and Neutrik NJ3FP6C), and fixed attenuators on the inputs. I'm not going to put in a volume knob, since I'll be controlling all the levels on the Transporter.


----------



## FallenAngel

j4cbo, that amp looks serious! How does it sound (no "amazing" answers please 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )?

 I just finally got everything done with my PPAv2 (aka the pressure cooker, read on).

 OPA637/OPA627 opamps
 Elna Silmic II everywhere
 Alps RK027
 MJE243/MJE253 and 2N5087/2N5088

 Cooking beautifully at 30mA per buffer per channel on 32V 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Of course, another great thing is the OPA637's are rock stable at a gain of 6


----------



## Eokboy

This is basically a PIMETA with discrete diamond buffers.




 Sijosae Class A buffers with hueg 1W resistors to prevent weird smell of molten silicon. 2000uF of Rubycon ZLs bypassed with 1uF metallized polyester. Rail divider is based on PINT. Board aesthetics ruined by having to bend caps to acommodate Hammond 1455J case. Oh, and those carbon zink 9Vs are for demo purpose only. The LM317LZ trickle charger will blow it up had I plugged in my 24V TREAD.




 Phew...


----------



## Kenny12

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *j4cbo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Dynahi, up and running after almost six months:


 It still needs a case, decent connectors (I'm planning on Cardas CTFA and Neutrik NJ3FP6C), and fixed attenuators on the inputs. I'm not going to put in a volume knob, since I'll be controlling all the levels on the Transporter._

 

i think the heatsink on the power supply isn't large enough, i ended up using one about 3x as large and it still hit 70-80C after a while

 the limit for the opa541s are only 85


----------



## j4cbo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kenny12* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_i think the heatsink on the power supply isn't large enough, i ended up using one about 3x as large and it still hit 70-80C after a while

 the limit for the opa541s are only 85_

 

What voltage transformer did you use? Mine's 30v AC, which gives about 39v after the rectifiers. I'm going to dial the LM338s down from 37v to 35v for a more even split, but even now the OPA541 case isn't hot to the touch. The power supply board is running much cooler than the amplifier channels.


----------



## Kenny12

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *j4cbo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What voltage transformer did you use? Mine's 30v AC, which gives about 39v after the rectifiers. I'm going to dial the LM338s down from 37v to 35v for a more even split, but even now the OPA541 case isn't hot to the touch. The power supply board is running much cooler than the amplifier channels._

 

i also used a 30V transformer


----------



## staytuned33

Finally, a slightly different looking Chu Moy. I finished my first amp not too long ago and I plan on building more complicated circuits in the future. I definitely had fun putting everything together.

 This CMoy is super standard inside. I basically copied and pasted Tangent's parts list while ordering components. I followed his assembly steps also, considering I had no clue what I was doing. I'm an engineering student at ODU in Virginia. I'm majoring in Mechanical though, not Electrical, but I'm learning. Anything that poses a challenge and rewards me in the end in right up my alley. Hence, my first Cmoy.

 Sorry about the crappy pictures, but i only have my phone here at school. It's not like you all haven't seen a Chu Moy before anyway. I just posted these pics because I've never seen this particular Altoids tin before. 


















 I'll probably start a PIMETA in the next month or so. I'll try to do cleaner job with my next amp. I'll have some better pics next time too hopefully.


----------



## hYdrociTy

nice on staytuned. neat wires, stylish case with the led at just the right spot, and nothing bent, not even a nick on the case. congrats! now get on to that pimeta
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.. and later on a dynalo..and finally the beta22
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 lol it never ends..

 ( '-')


----------



## CyberDog

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *griff2* 
_But since it's a one-off why not just do a perfboard build?_

 

Single sided PCB *versus* Prefboard (personal opinion).

*Pros*

 Lower parasetic values traces and there is a smaller chance for RF developing => shorter component leads and shorter/thinner PCB traces.

 More flexible and smaller design => you are not restricted by a static hole pitch/size. I work in a 0.079375mm. grid with mostly 0.6mm./0.7mm. wide component holes.

 It is Easier to obtain short signal lenght.

 Less soldering time.

 It is more easy to replicate the design/PCB.

 A nicer look.

*Cons*

 Higher investment in equipment because you need a good Drill/Drillstand + Laserprinter using the Toner transfer method.

 More learning and experimentation time to get good results.

 Longer designing time (for me that is a pro, because i love it).

 The use of etching acid (FeCl3).
 __
 Overall i think that single sided pcb process is "a little" more time consuming till the solder phase, but after that you will win some time back. I used aprox. 4-5 hours to produce (Toner transfer, Etching, Drilling) a single sided PCB, and the costs are minimal +/- 3.5 Euro for an eurocard format PCB.


----------



## dBel84

Thought I would post some images of my latest successful project. This is a tube based unity gain buffer which uses a 6922 tube. As Runeight described it" a unity gain low Zi high Zo switchbox capable of driving long cable runs" It has been a long time in the making as I kept allowing myself to be distracted. The disadvantage of it taking such a long time is that the final design evolved but I had already collected many of the parts and thus continued on the earlier version of the design. The design is one of Runeight's over at headwize http://headwize.com/ubb/showpost.php...=55702&fpage=1 . I have had it running for 2 days and it works like a gem. Not quite finished but good enough to get a taste as to what it sounds like..dB


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_a unity gain low Zi high Zo switchbox capable of driving long cable runs_

 

I think you got it backwards... it's high Zi low Zo. Otherwise it would be a bad load to the volume pot and can't drive a long cable...


----------



## dBel84

indeed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 , thanks AMB..dB

 should have been:
 " Occasionally we need a buffer between source and amplifier that has unity gain with a volume control and/or a source selector switch. People often use passive attenuators for this, but passive attenuators have problems because they generally have a high output impedance.

 What is needed in this situation is an "active attenuator" that has high Zi, low Zo, and unity gain. We want this buffer to have as little THD as possible and it has to be able to drive cables of reasonable length."


----------



## gates_2

A new pimeta- just finished up last night

 Panasonic fm rail caps
 OPA 637/627 combo
 2x stacked smd BUF 634's
 All vishay RN55
 Trickle charger(LM317) based on Tomb's thread
 2x 8.4V rechargable batts


 How does it sound? Awesome. Fitting in a pocket=even better. 
 I think I've found my new favorite portable amp.

 As for battery life, haven't done much testing yet, but it should be enough to last through the day with moderate use.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gates_2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A new pimeta- just finished up last night

 Panasonic fm rail caps
 OPA 637/627 combo
 2x stacked smd BUF 634's
 All vishay RN55
 Trickle charger(LM317) based on Tomb's thread
 2x 8.4V rechargable batts


 How does it sound? Awesome. Fitting in a pocket=even better. 
 I think I've found my new favorite portable amp.

 As for battery life, haven't done much testing yet, but it should be enough to last through the day with moderate use.







_

 

Hey! That looks familiar. Great job!


----------



## tomb

My recent work - Cetoole's new take on the familiar Millett Hybrid. The Millett Hybrid Max:


----------



## rsaavedra

Just finished improving the heatsink extension for my Dynahi.

 Here's the one I had built before:














 In that first version I used a folded-over copper sheet to connect the right front main heatsink to the extension.

 With that setup the two front heatsinks would get really really hot, while the extension would get just warm to the touch. A better heat-communicating path was needed, and that's why now I did this:






















 Believe it or not, those copper "belts" you see now connecting the two main heatsinks with the extension are (were) gas pipes. Got 3/4" diameter copper pipes from the hardware store (couldn't find larger), hammered the pipes down till they were flattened completely, and used them as shown.

 This new approach not only provides a better heat conducting path, it also connects both front heatsinks to the extension, so the heat will be spread more uniformly overall.


----------



## seroxatmad

Hi all

 @Tomb

 Can you direct me to a link/website where i can get info on your Millet Max and Pimita?

 John


----------



## pheonix991

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *seroxatmad* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi all

 @Tomb

 Can you direct me to a link/website where i can get info on your Millet Max and Pimita?

 John_

 

http://www.google.com/firefox
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/search.php


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *seroxatmad* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi all

 @Tomb

 Can you direct me to a link/website where i can get info on your Millet Max and Pimita?

 John_

 

Millet Hybrid Max:
http://www.diyforums.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=292

 The PIMETA is actually described in a thread I posted on Trickle Chargers


----------



## khbaur330162

rsaavedra: That's a really cool mod. My Dynahi runs pretty dang hot after about an hour of listening. I've got a big fan on it currently. Maybe some modding is in order.

 Thanks for the ideas!


----------



## RedBeardatXM

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *drewd* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*Work sounds so good!*


_

 

I love the enclosure, what was that extrusion for originally?

 Dan


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *RedBeardatXM* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I love the enclosure, what was that extrusion for originally?

 Dan_

 

If you're talking about this one, I believe it's an old HeadRoom amp case:


----------



## Tsappis

I made a simple switch box yesterday (3 in 1 out). 
 Hammond case, Alps switch, some cheap-ish connectors and teflon insulated silver plaited stranded copper wire. 
 A classic combination, as one might say


----------



## digi01

some work of last year.


----------



## odoe

I just finished my first cmoy. It's not housed yet, and there's a loose connections for the power (I broke a 9v clip and need to get a new one and poorman soldered it real quick) and the power cuts in and out if I move it around too much, but this was my first time soldering. I had to use braid quite a bit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 It sounds nice though. I'll do some troubleshooting this weekend and hopefully house it. But I'm pretty proud of my ghetto cmoy.


----------



## ekinwang

how do you like the sound of the h10? i am looking to pick one up as a backup.


----------



## odoe

unfortunately i don't have much to compare it to
 it definitely sounds better than my sansa e250r

 with this amp, i think it sounds great
 at least for me
 rockbox can have little hiccups on it, but it definitely sounds good, even unamped i was very satisfied with it

 also
 my cmoy has been cased, i went the traditional route













 i lined the sides with electrical tape and stuff, just to be safe

 this was a fun first build
 now i want to try some other stuff
 like a DAC and maybe a PIMETA


----------



## griff2

Well, here's a couple of pics of the just completed SOHA:











 I'm still waiting for a knob and will construct a tube protector, so will post pictures of the assembled casework later in the week.

 And how does it sound, through HD650s stupidly good


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *griff2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well, here's a couple of pics of the just completed SOHA:











 I'm still waiting for a knob and will construct a tube protector, so will post pictures of the assembled casework later in the week.

 And how does it sound, through HD650s stupidly good
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Nice work! Is that a hammond case that it'll go into? Looks like a nice clean design and build!


----------



## griff2

*bperboy wrote:*  Quote:


 Nice work! Is that a hammond case that it'll go into 
 

Yep, it's the case that came with the kit.

 For the price this an amazing sounding amp.


----------



## Joshatdot

Here's my CMoy; Burr Brown OPA2107AP, Panasonic 470uF & 0.22uF Caps, Vishay Dale-M RN55 resistors, Alps RK097 Pot, Mouser jacks


----------



## heatmizer




----------



## gates_2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *heatmizer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_











_

 

Nice casework!

 What case are you using? And did you construct the tube protectors yourself?


----------



## Yen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gates_2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice casework!

 What case are you using? And did you construct the tube protectors yourself?_

 

Nice casework indeed!

 Those protectors looks like door/drawer handles, am I right?


----------



## heatmizer

case is diy
 drawer pull is correct


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *griff2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*bperboy wrote:* 

 Yep, it's the case that came with the kit.

 For the price this an amazing sounding amp._

 

Hmm, was there a kit sold for it then? Where at? This interests me greatly!


----------



## a1rocketpilot

Finally, I have pics of my Darth HagUSB online!


























 For inquiring minds, resistors are PRP and RN55 (both C and D). Caps, Black Gate Standards for the 1uf caps and NX Hi-Q (in Super-E configuration) for the signal caps, silver mica's around the oscillator, Oscon reservoir caps, Solen 1uf cap for digital out, and .01uf polystyrenes for the signal bypass. Not cased up yet, still trying to figure that out, since I have covered all but one of the standoff holes with caps in my insanity...

 Aditya


----------



## FallenAngel

Aditya, that looks like a complete perversion of a cheap little USB DAC, I love it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Great job, good luck finding a case


----------



## sphinxllama

@heatmizer

 that soha looks great. the green leds are pretty cool too


----------



## Gross

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sphinxllama* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_the green leds are pretty cool too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

I dig the green. Everybody is blue these days.


----------



## mb3k

a1rocketpilot, that thing's a beast.
 Looks great, and nice photos.


----------



## rsaavedra

Amps to speakers switchbox. With this little box I'll be able to drive my front speakers (Paradigm Titans) with either my Marantz A/V receiver (for HT) or my Dynahi (for stereo listening.)
































 Dust still visible from drilling the holes


----------



## griff2

*bperboy wrote:*  Quote:


 Hmm, was there a kit sold for it then? Where at? This interests me greatly! 
 

It certainly was a kit heres the link.

 Here is the (nearly) completed casework - still thinking about the tube protector, although heatmizer has given me ideas
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Back:





 Front:


----------



## heatmizer

griff why don't you put the soha board on a higher rail so the tube sticks out more?

 and i think 2 small black metal drawer pulls would look nice on the top of that amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and i have to agree jeffs kit is very nice . ididn't get his enclosure though wanted to do my own


----------



## griff2

*heatmizer wrote:*  Quote:


 griff why don't you put the soha board on a higher rail so the tube sticks out more? 
 

The caps are too tall. I would have preferred to go up a few rails, not only for the tube, but so I could have lined the pot with the centre of the front panel.

  Quote:


 and i think 2 small black metal drawer pulls would look nice on the top of that amp 
 

I'm thinking along the same lines. I want this amp to be transportable, and accompany my iPod. So, on transportation I'll carry the amp in my personal baggage end keep the tube elsewhere in my personal luggage, well padded.

  Quote:


 and i have to agree jeffs kit is very nice . ididn't get his enclosure though wanted to do my own 
 

If I'd have built this for home use, I'd have got a separate case as well. My only minor gripe about the kit is that the supplied tube socket has a solid metal core, which seems to give the socket its integrity, but which precludes the placing of a LED under the socket. Otherwise this kit makes a very fine sounding amp.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *griff2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If I'd have built this for home use, I'd have got a separate case as well. My only minor gripe about the kit is that the supplied tube socket has a solid metal core, which seems to give the socket its integrity, but which precludes the placing of a LED under the socket. Otherwise this kit makes a very fine sounding amp._

 

I think LEDs under tube sockets look tacky anyways, so it's not much of a loss.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think LEDs under tube sockets look tacky anyways, so it's not much of a loss._

 

I thought I was the only one.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I thought I was the only one._

 

Oops. Guess I'd better take those ultrabright blue LED arrays back out of your amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (ps both front panels completely done now, about to go work out the layout on the rear with those pesky old RCA holes)


----------



## rb67

My first amp and USB DAC: CKKIII and AW-D3


----------



## Seaside

I was thinking like... 
 what I am going to use if all my bigger amps are not available due to power outrage or something like that? 
 Do I need a small amp in case of such emergency? 

 After a few second... I was like... what the heck I am thinking? 
 I already made at least couple battery operating small amps for that emergency, LoL.

 Yeah, I know I was bored. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 So I made this tiny Cmoy anyway... just for the heck of it.








 It's on my Zippo lighter. 
 You can see how small it is. 
 It's on 10 by 14 holes. It's about the size of 9V battery. 
 It could be smaller if I used smaller cap and took that power jack out at the end of circuit.









 Another shot.

 Don't want to show you pics of bottom, because there're 6 jumpers accross the board like crawling snakes.
 It looks not pretty.


----------



## pddjsteve

My third Alien DAC - a little different this time. The first was a learning experience, while it works great its just a little abused so its living in a drawer. The second is regulated USB in a 1455C801, been using it for the past 6 months or so. The new one isn't cased yet (it is going into a 1455J1201) and only has one output (it will switch between RCA and 1/8" once it is cased) but I just got it up and running tonight. It is powered by a TREAD running off a 6V wallwart and regulating to ~6V, then regulated to 5.4 with the onboard adjustable regulator. Output caps this time around are Aerovox AFPS (picked based on the reviews at http://www.ecp.cc/cap-notes.html).






 And this is the complete system, FLAC on the laptop out to the Alien DAC then through a homemade mini-mini (nickle plated neutrik jacks and canare starquad) into my Pimeta to my new toy, the DT770/80s.


----------



## MASantos

Looks nice! Why don't you solder the output wires directly to the legs of the output caps? This would remove a few solder spots from the circuit and maybe reduce inductance caused by the extra wire lenght.


----------



## pddjsteve

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks nice! Why don't you solder the output wires directly to the legs of the output caps? This would remove a few solder spots from the circuit and maybe reduce inductance caused by the extra wire lenght._

 

Hmm, I'll probably do that when I'm casing it up, thanks for the tip.


----------



## Joshatdot

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Seaside* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was thinking like... 
 what I am going to use if all my bigger amps are not available due to power outrage or something like that? 
 Do I need a small amp in case of such emergency? 

 After a few second... I was like... what the heck I am thinking? 
 I already made at least couple battery operating small amps for that emergency, LoL.

 Yeah, I know I was bored. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 So I made this tiny Cmoy anyway... just for the heck of it.








 It's on my Zippo lighter. 
 You can see how small it is. 
 It's on 10 by 14 holes. It's about the size of 9V battery. 
 It could be smaller if I used smaller cap and took that power jack out at the end of circuit.









 Another shot.

 Don't want to show you pics of bottom, because there're 6 jumpers accross the board like crawling snakes.
 It looks not pretty. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That CMoy is TIGHT!!!


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Seaside* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So I made this tiny Cmoy anyway... just for the heck of it.





_

 

Thats what I call a tiny amplifier. Great work!


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *griff2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_... snip ...
 My only minor gripe about the kit is that the supplied tube socket has a solid metal core, which seems to give the socket its integrity, but which precludes the placing of a LED under the socket. Otherwise this kit makes a very fine sounding amp._

 

Almost all of the ceramic ones are that way. The "solid metal core" is actually a couple of press-fit pins. You drill them out, then glue the two pieces of the socket back together.


----------



## Paavola

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks nice! Why don't you solder the output wires directly to the legs of the output caps? This would remove a few solder spots from the circuit and maybe reduce inductance caused by the extra wire lenght._

 

In my experience and knowledge, few solder joints doesn't make any difference. Also the stray inductance caused by capacitor leads is not a broblem on audio frequencies. At least you can't hear, or measure any difference. But if one needs to do so for the peace of mind...


----------



## amb

Finally, my β22 build is complete and ready for the 2007 Headfest.





 The β22 amp is in 3-channel active-ground configuration, mounted atop a ε22 backplane board which minimizes the amount of wiring in the case and makes things very tidy. An Alps RK40 "black Beauty" pot is used as the volume control. There are two front panel headphone jacks as well as rear panel binding posts for speakers. The rear panel also has RCA input and loop-out jacks.

 The σ22 PSU is in a separate case, with a standalone AC line filter and 80VA toroidal transformer. The heavy duty DC power umbilical cable is terminated with locking Amphenol 4-contact circular connectors on both ends.

 The casework is all-custom, fabricated using 1/8" aluminum sheets, aluminum angles, black and clear acrylic sheets. The styling follows the same theme as all my other headphone amp builds.


----------



## The Monkey

Stunning, amb. Simply stunning work.


----------



## FallenAngel

Wow amb, if that Amp & PSU was a girl, I'm be cumming in my pants, it's gorgeous work, congrats. Looks like you really put a lot of effort into it, looks worth it


----------



## laxx

Wow, that amp looks amazing. Too bad you don't sell it fully built in that case. =]


----------



## rjkdivin

AMB,
 Very very nice. I can't wait to see it in person! I'm going to start a three channel version soon, but I'm afraid it won't be ready in time for the meet.
 Robert


----------



## Ferrari

Chapeau... your builds are Masterpieces, amb 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
 (Hope to post mine soon)


----------



## griff2

*tomb wrote:*  Quote:


 Almost all of the ceramic ones are that way. The "solid metal core" is actually a couple of press-fit pins. You drill them out, then glue the two pieces of the socket back together. 
 

Ahh, I'll remember that for future tube-based builds.


----------



## pddjsteve

My tubes and tube sockets arrived for the SOHA. I have yet to get it cased up, or even test it... but I had to take a couple tube shots 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . Once I get it debugged I think I'm going to look for some of the GE ones tomb keeps talking up


----------



## BlizzofOZ

My first attempt at electronics and a CMoy to boot! Not too happy with the wiring... working out kinks on first model and I'll do better on the next attempt. Any suggestions on better wiring?

 Also not to happy where I scratched the paint of the tin around the jacks... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Followed Tangents tutorial, diverged to include TLE2426 rail splitter and bypass caps. using OPA2227 amp and ALPS RK097 pot...


----------



## Joshatdot

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *BlizzofOZ* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first attempt at electronics and a CMoy to boot! Not too happy with the wiring... working out kinks on first model and I'll do better on the next attempt. Any suggestions on better wiring?

 Also not to happy where I scratched the paint of the tin around the jacks... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Followed Tangents tutorial, diverged to include TLE2426 rail splitter and bypass caps. using OPA2227 amp and ALPS RK097 pot...




_

 

Dang those are big input caps! what are they? Your 1st CMoy build looks alot better than mine did. I had to scrap it, but I salvaged all the components off the board, and made one proper.


----------



## mb3k

Those caps would have to be the infamous Orange Drops.
 Congrats on the Cmoy!
 Now get sucked into more amps!!!


----------



## BlizzofOZ

mb3k is correct!!! When doing my research, I read about these orange caps, how some like, so dislike for various reasons. I put my order in, per Tangents tutorial... and low and behold, what arrives... big, huge orange caps. I figured, ok, whatever. Problem came when placing them on the board. They are so HUGE and bulky. When I ordered, I had no idea on these things being a total newbie...

 What caps can be used in place of these orange ones?

 Joshatdot, yeah, I was following your threads. I was worried I would have major problems. At the 2nd test phase (Tangent's), I was getting sound, but was very scratchy. I cleaned up the flux, cleaned some near bridging and then found I hadn't soldered a resistor. Bingo, it worked! Proceeded to cross my fingers and added the pot and jacks. Had some problems with bridging on the pot and fixed that. I don't know if you can see in the pictures, but I used type of rubber foam (tool drawer liners) that I stuffed into areas where I thought bridging might occur later. After that, I crammed into the tin and it worked! The next one I will tighten up the wiring now that I know how it fits.


----------



## Ikrit42

Ugh...

 I hate having to go after amb. Everything he does is so amazing...

 In any case, here's my newly completed Millett Hybrid, both with and without Diamond Buffers. 

 I haven't drilled the holes in the top plate yet, so that's why it's topless for now.






















 Came out pretty well, I think. 

 Now I'm working a custom Cmoy circuit board, so I can fit 2 9Vs in the altoids tin.


----------



## FallenAngel

As some of you might know, I'm unfortunately getting out of DIY soon and am finishing up with lots of projects around, these will be some of my last creations.

 For all the latest pics check out my Head-Fi photo album

 Some new stuff:
 Pair of maxed out PPAv2





 Recased PINT with Mini-TREAD









 DIY MisterX's XP Amp (Thanks buddy, it sounds even BETTER than a PINT 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )





 STEPS 1.0





 More stuff coming soon


----------



## TzeYang

^looks nice FallenAngel, i love your PPAs with Silmic IIs. What about your sijosae ABs? Did you finish building them? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 @Amb - Whoa amb's work is one of the main reasons why i chose the DIY path.










 Anyway i just finished building the amp above. It's a very simple 3 Channel Diamond buffers with AD744 as ground channel based off Sijosae's simple diamond buffers


----------



## rsaavedra

Finished modding the internal wiring in my Dynahi.

 Originally I had used microphone cables to connect the RCA inputs at the back panel to the volume pot attached to the front panel. Also inserted that in a steel pipe for EMI protection. 













 Since the power supply is not going to be close to the amp enclosure, the microphone cable + steel pipe was probably overkill. So I wanted to replace the microphone cables with silver plated stranded copper wire in teflon jacket (the kind of wiring I had before the microphone cable try,) and also wanted to reduce the internal signal path. In order to do so, the volume pot could be placed further back, much closer to the RCA inputs. After these latter modifications, and the recent heatsink extension mod, here´s how the results look:


----------



## kanamin

I was gonna wait till it was done but...




 here's my cmoy. I have yet to see another in a Panda black liquorice box, then again, it's not a very good box for a cmoy XD I don't have a drill, but I have three altoids tins (also black liquorice) waiting. The reason the panel mounts are on different sides of the box is because I got lazy and boxed up the second test setup.
 Innards (first test setup).




 And yes I'm going to upgrade those caps/that opamp, I really should have read more before placing that first order *sigh*


----------



## mb3k

kanamin, what a sleeper 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 And don't worry, in the future if you continue to DIY, packages will be coming every day, literally.


----------



## ericlikeseatin

kanamin: i strongly suggest the opa2227 for your cmoy. i only mention it because i saw it in your sig. it really takes a lot of the edge off of the high end and mellows out the sound a bit. i liked the change.


----------



## kin0kin

On the bench





 Completed earlier


----------



## lordvader

The term overkill comes to mind, but I did have fun building it !!!
 Sorry that some of the pics are darkish, but I don't have a digital camera of my own, and was borrowing a friends.

 I'm considering removing the preamp stage all together, as there is far too much gain as there is.

 Here's a lovely over head !





 ... and more specifically the amp/preamp modules ...





 ... a close up of the PSU for both the amps and preamp ...





 ... and a lovely closeup of the preamp and stepped attenuator.





 This is the right channel ...





 ... and this is the left channel !!!


----------



## rb67

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finally, my β22 build is complete and ready for the 2007 Headfest._

 

Absolutely amazing work!


----------



## kipman725

A Cmoy I just finished, sounds far better than expected and I plan on using it as my portable amp now. Electronically it wasn't a very advanced project for me but everything I have ever built before has been on breadboard and I have never built an amplifier. The case work was defiantly a learning curve having never rearly used power tools, I think it came out ok. The large size is due to my accidental ordering of some very large in size capacitors rated at much higher voltages than I needed. I went for 18v supply voltage (so +/-9v) so that the opamps inbuilt noise rejection features were fully utilised. 





 looking through this thread is a real education in making nice looking amps, something I need to work on


----------



## GarlicKnots

Seaside,

 I'd really appreciate if you could post the layout of your teeny cmoy.

 Thanks if possible, it's great.


----------



## kanamin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ericlikeseatin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_kanamin: i strongly suggest the opa2227 for your cmoy. i only mention it because i saw it in your sig. it really takes a lot of the edge off of the high end and mellows out the sound a bit. i liked the change._

 

Yeah, my first impression of the cmoy was a harsh high end, but I'll end up buying and trying all three opamps in my sig.


----------



## sebastian589

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ikrit42* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ugh...

 I hate having to go after amb. Everything he does is so amazing...

 In any case, here's my newly completed Millett Hybrid, both with and without Diamond Buffers. 

 I haven't drilled the holes in the top plate yet, so that's why it's topless for now.






_

 


 Ikrit42 what's the deal with what I am assuming is the power button on the front of your millet? I really like it, nice work!


 By the way if you want to build me one I wouldn't refuse


----------



## Seaside

edited.


----------



## amb

I added more pics of my β22 amp and σ22 PSU to the gallery section of the β22 website. Have a look and enjoy.


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finally, my ?22 build is complete and ready for the 2007 Headfest.





 <snipped>_

 

Really nice job Amb! Looks great (as always)... those cases have a really clean look to them.


----------



## kklee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I added more pics of my β22 amp and σ22 PSU to the gallery section of the β22 website. Have a look and enjoy._

 

Wow! It's a beauty!


----------



## Ikrit42

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sebastian589* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ikrit42 what's the deal with what I am assuming is the power button on the front of your millet? I really like it, nice work!


 By the way if you want to build me one I wouldn't refuse 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It's Digi-Key part CH873-ND, but with the lamp taken out, as I accidentally ordered one with 12VDC lamp. 

 The lamp runs off whatever you put through the switch (which in my case was 24V! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), so I almost melted it the first time I fired it up. 

 I had to perform I little surgery to get the lamp/resistor out, and it takes a ridiculously large hole to mount it on the panel, but it ended up looking nice. 

 The total parts for this one ended up coming to something like $150, plus a bunch more for some tools/supplies that I didn't have. 
 It's also not quite done: I still haven't drilled the holes in the top panel, butI kind of like it open, so I might just get some plexiglass to go there instead.

 I'm also in the process of adding leds to the bottom of the fron, so It glows from below as well.


----------



## dBel84

I seem to keep building tin amps and then giving them away, so I decided to build a slight adaption of the last one I built and separate the signal and power grounds. The plan is to keep this one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ( at least until AMB and MORSEL get the min3 sorted 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) It is a simple modification of Apheared's 47 using a transistor buffer in the feedback loop and a slight modification of Rod Elliot's Buffered ground. TLE virtual ground powered from 2 9V batteries. I have yet to squeeze it all into a tin but I know it can be done. 

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/dufniall...804323003731/8

 hmmm, can't seem to get the image to load ? the link should get you there ..dB


----------



## dubfire

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[/url][/IMG]


----------



## Polaris111688

Re-cased the PPAv2 with HPDAC:





 I modified the HPDAC dsavitsk built for me so that it could be used as a preamp for my Onkyo power amp. The new case has far better ventilation than the last one. The boards are actually secured very well inside the case now. I got rid of the "Christmas lights," as my roommate called them, so that it wouldn't keep him up at night. Yes, that's my desk in my dorm at the Air Force Academy. I'm pretty much the only one there that cares about hi-fi stuff.





 A shot of the front panel. I still need to remove that pencil mark I made for drilling holes.


----------



## kklee

Not as pretty as AMB's amp, but sounds great!

 Case is a Par-Metal 16x12x4 with a 3/16 custom front panel. This thing is huge!

 Three β22 amp boards in active ground configuration mounted on an ε22 backplane. Power supply is a σ22 putting out +/-30V. Amp includes an ε12 protection circuit.

 Front (Red LED is power, Blue LED is ouput enabled)





 Gold RCA Input jacks and Schurter Power Entry Module





 Plitron 120VA Toridal Transformer with aluminum shielding





 Backplane view





 Power side view





 σ22 Power Supply





 β22 Amp


----------



## lordvader

Love those cases !

 Question though, is the top panel attached to the side panels, or are they seperate ?


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *lordvader* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Love those cases !

 Question though, is the top panel attached to the side panels, or are they seperate ?_

 

Par-Metal 20 series cases have an inverted U-shape top cover which includes the side panels.


----------



## Pars

kklee,

 Very nicely done and executed, especially internally. Very clean layout.

 Chris


----------



## kklee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_kklee,

 Very nicely done and executed, especially internally. Very clean layout.

 Chris_

 

Thanks. AMB's backplane option made it much neater.


----------



## MoonHawk

awesome build kklee.


----------



## n_maher

Nicely done, kklee!


----------



## kanamin

Well, my cmoy is finally in a tin, which is great except now it looks like all the other cmoys lol. This was done without a drill...








 now to get more opamps/caps hehehe


----------



## odoe

Here is my new Alien DAC as of right now. Not cased yet, and I'm going to change out the radio shack stereo jack for 2 RCA connectors I'll be ordering with some other stuff next week, as well as adding a SPST switch for fun. I had to do quite a bit of searching as I was not familiar with SMD components, especially verifying that the SMD caps could go on in any direction. But after some homework, I got it done on my first try. This is only my second DIY, the first being a cmoy. I really had fun with this one!







 I have to thank the head-fi'ers here, because I did lots of rummaging through old threads and even referring to other peoples Alien DAC builds. I really am digging this DIY hobby!


----------



## kklee

I was inspired by the nice clean look of my β22 amp so I decided to re-do the front panel of my Millett Hybrid to match.

 Original Front Panel:





 New Front Panel:


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dubfire* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

Very nice dubfire! And a matching knob to boot! Beauty of a build!


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kklee* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was inspired by the nice clean look of my β22 amp so I decided to re-do the front panel of my Millett Hybrid to match._

 

Not that anything was wrong with the original -- it was very nice too. I actually like the larger, centrally-located volume knob and the black panel more...


----------



## Ace o' Spades

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_


















_

 

Mmmmm...

 Someone pick my jaw up off the floor.


----------



## mojo

My cmoy in an Altoids tin. Unusual because it has two 9V batteries. The improvement two batteries makes is substantial, especially with Sennies but also on easier to drive phones like ATH W5000s. With Shure E3Cs it's less noticable but still there.











 Tight fit!


----------



## sphinxllama

Finaly I finished my SOHA. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Here are some Pics:





































 Thanks to all you DIYERs!!! Without you guys I would have had a very hard time putting this together and figuring out some mistakes I made 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## Seaside

This amp is originated from the amp shown in this thread - 

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...threadid=50478.

 And based on the Sijosae's modified design of that amp above.
 I used Sijosae's SHA design as reference, with little change of my own.








 So.... here's the pic of the amp, top and bottom.









 I added simple 7812 regulation circuit on it, since this amp requires regulated power supply. some value of parts and wiring has been changed as the way I like.

 Size is little smaller than Altoid tin.


 ***


----------



## fortney

I like it, Seaside. 
 Is that like the Poorman's Zen by Sijosae?

 F


----------



## Seaside

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fortney* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I like it, Seaside. 
 Is that like the Poorman's Zen by Sijosae?

 F_

 


 Thanks fortney.
 Yup, you are right. I used his design as reference.
 I should have stated this at the posting above. (And I edited it accodingly) 
 I would say this amp is 85% the same with Sijosae's SHA with little touch of my own.

 I origianlly made two versions a few years ago. 
 one with the design in that thread, and the other with sijosae's design with exatly the same parts with the same value he suggested. I liked sijosae's better since it is easier and practical. But both were kinda big and messed up at the bottom due to my lack of soldering/wiring skill back then. So I recently decided make it again used sijosae's desgin as reference. Some parts have been salvaged from my old sijosae SHA, and some have been replaced with different value as the way i like. That's why I called it revised. Then, I wanted it small this time. As a result of that, the amp come out to be just like what sijosae made and I like it too.


----------



## fortney

Please don't think I was trying to correct you.

 I built the Sijosae model about 6 months ago and like it very much. 
 I used a 40 ohm power resistor and put bypass caps around the 1000uF caps. I think the bypass caps increased the treble output. 
 I heatsunk (?) the MOSFETs to the case bottom and everything stays pretty cool.

 My layout is mostly accidental parts placement. I think I will make another like yours: sounds great; looks great.

 F


----------



## Seaside

fortney, not at all. I should have mentioned that at the first place.

 I am actually happy to see someone who made the same thing. 
 That means I know someone who can share my feelings about this amp. 
 I was thinking about the same way you made yours, using case as a heatsink idea. But I throw that out, since I do not have a case and this amp is not gonna be a portable anyway. Actually almost all small amps I made are naked like that w/o case. In that way I can mod easily without taking case off, and I am not gonna carry my amps arround. Guess I like to see naked rather than all wrapped in or something. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If you do not mind, I would suggest some parts for your next build.
 This amp is sweet, but its bass tend to overshadow its treble sometimes, u know... so... 220~470uF instead of 1000uF bypassing if needed, 0.33~0.47uF polyprophilene caps, IRF510 rather than 610 would make sound little sharper without loosing its sweetness. And, please show me your next build when you are done.


----------



## fortney

TNX for the suggestions.

 F


----------



## DaKi][er

Casting back a few pages to my Aleph-x monoblock amplifier build, i've finally finished them off fully


----------



## Seaside

DaKi][er, Nice amp!

 Aleph is the monster. Very good amp indeed, and very good heater too.
 I like your case, especially the mesh part on the top.
 Too bad that you have tremendous amount of heat avaiable but not able to cook eggs on it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Take a look at the bigger monster when you have time - Aleph4 made by Mr. Kwon at HAS

 ***


----------



## amb

Housed in a shortened Hammond 1455C801 case. Switch-selectable USB power or external power.


----------



## ~n00beR

Nice work as ever amb 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




But how did you do the decals?

 Are they engraved, or did you employ another method?


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *~n00beR* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work as ever amb 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




But how did you do the decals?

 Are they engraved, or did you employ another method?_

 

No, nothing fancy. They are simply black-on-clear self-adhesive labels printed on a Brother P-Touch label maker machine. I sprayed a thin coat of matte clear over the labels so they're not shiny, and would better match the Hammond's finish.


----------



## Walie

amb: Is there a noticable improvement when the AlienDAC is powered by external power compared to usb power?


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Walie* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_amb: Is there a noticable improvement when the AlienDAC is powered by external power compared to usb power?_

 

Never tried Regulated USB vs External power at the same voltages, but 5.4V from a good external voltage regulator sounds better than 4.7V Regulated USB in my implementations using a simplified TREAD. The difference isn't large, but it's there.


----------



## odoe

Real nice casing. I like that you have it set up to switch from USB to external. Makes me want to rerig my dac for that purpose.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Walie* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_amb: Is there a noticable improvement when the AlienDAC is powered by external power compared to usb power?_

 

I did some noise floor measurements via RMAA looped back into my M-Audio Firewire Audiophile, and at 16b/44.1k, there is practically no difference between USB power or an external 9V battery (both regulated to a measured 4.77V by the REG101UA onboard). At 16b/48k, however, the battery gives approximately 2dB lower noise floor through most of the audio band. Not a huge difference, and since these are all well below -100dB it's not going to be audible.

 One thing I did observe, is that the noise floor is about 6dB worse when the board is uncased. Since I have very little RFI where I did the measurements, I think the extra noise is probably self-induced. Since the PCM2702 has the DAC and the analog output section built-in, and no provision for separate digital and analog grounds or other isolation between the two, there is probably noise crosstalk from the digital section into the analog section. By having the PCB encased in a grounded aluminum extrusion, the amount of radiated noise is partially absorbed.


----------



## philodox

As an added incentive to having it cased... I shocked mine to death the other day. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Back to using my onboard sound. Oh well, it's only for gaming anyways.


----------



## EnOYiN

So, here is what I build last - oh, I don't even know any more how long it took. I am not very skilled with any of these things so let's say that it took quite a while. It isn't completely finished yet, but I am getting there. 

 The amp is a Porta Corda USB originally so that part I didn't build. I've got Sir Meier to thank for that. I just made the wooden casing. On the back of the amp I also made a connection for a 24V adapter.

 I started out with this:





 After that I ended up with this:
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And right now I've got this:





 The drawing on the top has been burned in there. You might not be able to see it that well on the picture.

 I still want to get some kind of power supply in there, but I have no idea how I should get it in there or what kind of things are available. Suggestions are welcome.

 Edit: You are going to have to do with a crappy picture of the result until there is a better camera available here.


----------



## Freq Band

[size=medium]Here is my newest....Retro stylee...[/size]




Size: 8.5 inches x 5 inches x 6 inches deep. 
 Weight: about 15 - 20 lbs. 
 Contains: 
+15v (78/7915) regulated PSU. 
 Walt Jung's AD823/AD815 based Low Distortion Line Driver.
 50k dual step attenuator.
 Preamp out jacks (w/optional output caps, via a switch) connected to switching headphone jack (w/out caps).
 Switchcraft patchbay TRS jack.
 Relay based on/off muting circuit.
 Ground loop isolation.
 Exterior ground tap.

 [size=medium]I found this box at a junk yard, made of 1/2 inch thick aluminium...and went to work...[/size]













[size=medium]How about a tube shield used as a jack shield ????[/size]





 [size=medium]Just before final assembly:[/size]
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...t/DSCN2001.jpg

 [size=medium]Front and Back:[/size]








[size=medium]another view:[/size]
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...t/DSCN2002.jpg

 [size=medium]Sounds: neutral, not emphasized in any one area but still very detailed.
 I have not compared it to my other Hamps, yet.
 Offset around 1.7mv both channels.
 Completely silent at full volume.[/size]

 (no, really dude, my pot _is_ better than yours 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## rsaavedra

That retro/indestructible look is quite unique, awesome job!

 I wonder what such a thick aluminum box would have been originally for.


----------



## firefox360

The look of it sorta reminds me of a Geiger meter of sorts... If only you had a large meter at the front (perhaps make it show the sound levels)


----------



## Joshatdot

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Freq Band* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_[size=medium]Here is my newest....Retro stylee...[/size]




Size: 8.5 inches x 5 inches x 6 inches deep. 
 Weight: about 15 - 20 lbs. 
 Contains: 
+15v (78/7915) regulated PSU. 
 Walt Jung's AD823/AD815 based Low Distortion Line Driver.
 50k dual step attenuator.
 Preamp out jacks (w/optional output caps, via a switch) connected to switching headphone jack (w/out caps).
 Switchcraft patchbay TRS jack.
 Relay based on/off muting circuit.
 Ground loop isolation.
 Exterior ground tap._

 

Holly Cr*p! That is built for 40,000 ft drop!

 I was going for simple small case for my Desktop CMoy...


----------



## Joshatdot

amb;2890297 said:
			
		

> Housed in a shortened Hammond 1455C801 case. Switch-selectable USB power or external power.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Freq Band* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_[size=medium]I found this box at a junk yard, made of 1/2 inch thick aluminium...and went to work...[/size]_

 

That case is good enough for an aircraft flight/voice data recorder...


----------



## philodox

Freq Band - Incredible work. I am reminded of a line from Waynes World.


----------



## bperboy

I'm really diggin the retro look! Very stylish, and much better than any of my projects!


----------



## esh0

Simple and cheap 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Case price ~3 euro.


----------



## kklee

Looks nice, but what is it?


----------



## esh0

I think i've shown my amp here before... Well, i can do it again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's based on OP275 and TPA6120. Mess inside...


----------



## Seaside

esh0. is that some sort of uber Cmoy with dedicated power circuit?

 Oh... I see another chip in the bottom of the PCB, now it looks like TPA6120 amp using OP275 as a buffer. Am i right? 
 It looks great, good job.


----------



## esh0

Seaside - exactly. As we know, TPA6120 works fine with 2v/v gain (that's written in app note) - it's good for low imp. headphones. For higher imp. higher gain is needed. So that's why i used preamp before tpa. Another reason for this, is that TPA is some kind of "clean" headphone driver. It doesn't add anything from itself - so now, opamp can change sounding 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 OP275 is the best in my opinion.


----------



## Sherwood

Freq Band,
 What music did you use for your first test? I would have been unable to resist playing nothing but nine inch nails eternally.


----------



## mrbill

My Modified Linkwitz Crossfeed built around the PCB sold by Tangent.

 Click the picture for the full set @ Flickr.




 Enclosure is a cheap $2.50 plastic box from the local electronics parts store.
 I'll be using an identical enclosure when I can get a CMoy built that works
 properly (messed up the first one by being in too much of a hurry, ended up
 with a broken left channel).


----------



## kvant

... is my first DIY audio project. Well, it's not completely true, since I assembled one radio kit as a kid some 15 years ago. Anyway, a few shots of a somewhat ghettoish Millett: Panasonic pot, OPA551 for buffers, no bypass caps (neither films nor cathode bypasses), front and back panels by "Cardboard Panel Express" (top cover didn't arrive yet). Powered by Jameco linearly regulated wallwart it rocks pretty well.









_Edit:_
 Those who consider building one of these amps for themselves might like to know, what's the cost. In my case it was $94 in parts as shown in pictures (including PCB, the Hammond case, all connectors, volume knob and the wallwart). The capacitors I left out for now would add only some $8 more. So far so good, but I ended up paying $32 for shipping from 5 different places. Now, that sounds really silly, doesn't it? Well,
Mouser doesn't carry any appropriate volume pot (not really true, but I didn't find this post by tomb soon enough), also the Silmics at Digi-Key are so tempting for C7
Digi-Key has no phone jack to fit the pads on the PCB (of course, I could use some outboard jack and/or pot, but PCB mounting is way more convenient for me)
I couldn't find any 24V linearly regulated power supply at either Mouser or Digi-Key (that popular Elpac is discontinued and sold out and all new models seems to be switched)
vacuumtubes.net has 12FK6 tubes for just $2, but no PCB mount tube sockets there this time
Tube Depot has nice ceramic sockets but tubes itself twice as expensive as at vacuumtubes.net, that would still be favorable if one wanted only two tubes, but it is surely desirable to have at least a spare pair


----------



## Advil

I thought you DIY'ers would like this, It wasn't worth a whole new thread for so I'll just put it here.

http://lokiisyourmaster.multiply.com/photos/photo/3/10


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Advil* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I thought you DIY'ers would like this, It wasn't worth a whole new thread for so I'll just put it here.

http://lokiisyourmaster.multiply.com/photos/photo/3/10_

 

Haha nice one.
 I also have a wire-man but with techflex pants


----------



## Sonar

mb3k Wow. Not bad. DIY 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


http://lokiisyourmaster.multiply.com/photos/album/3


----------



## Polaris111688

Here's my latest DIY adventure, which took 4 months and costed $1000:










 In there is one of Welborne Labs' remote controlled stepped attenuators. It's powered by a 5V regulated power supply next to the power supply for the amplifier (47,000uF @ 10 x 4,700uF capacitors). The transformer is an Avel-Lindberg 530VA @ +/-40V AC. Through the power amp's supply, it delivers a +/- 55.7V DC unloaded. I cracked the acrylic in the back panel putting in the AC inlet... I felt stupid doing that. Originally, I planned on using relays to completely power on and off the amp, but for some reason, the relays fried (I know it wasn't the amplifier, because the sound coming out is extremely clean and undistorted). The relays were rated at 8A/250V. I was too lazy to make another board, so I left them in there. They're currently powering a pair of Yamaha NS-527 speakers.

 Oh yeah, a MAJOR thanks goes out to the USAFA electrical engineering department for providing me with the tools to make the amplifier.

 One more thing:




 I made that interconnect. The C-Store (where all cadets, including myself, buy stuff on base, pretty much) didn't sell a 1/8 mini to 1/8 mini stereo cable, so I made it.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my latest DIY adventure, which took 4 months and costed $1000:










 In there is one of Welborne Labs' remote controlled stepped attenuators. It's powered by a 5V regulated power supply next to the power supply for the amplifier (47,000uF @ 10 x 4,700uF capacitors). The transformer is an Avel-Lindberg 530VA @ +/-40V AC. Through the power amp's supply, it delivers a +/- 55.7V DC unloaded. I cracked the acrylic in the back panel putting in the AC inlet... I felt stupid doing that. Originally, I planned on using relays to completely power on and off the amp, but for some reason, the relays fried (I know it wasn't the amplifier, because the sound coming out is extremely clean and undistorted). The relays were rated at 8A/250V. I was too lazy to make another board, so I left them in there. They're currently powering a pair of Yamaha NS-527 speakers.

 Oh yeah, a MAJOR thanks goes out to the USAFA electrical engineering department for providing me with the tools to make the amplifier.

 One more thing:




 I made that interconnect. The C-Store (where all cadets, including myself, buy stuff on base, pretty much) didn't sell a 1/8 mini to 1/8 mini stereo cable, so I made it._

 

My hero. Beautiful.


----------



## FallenAngel

Just finished the first of my SERIOUS AlienDACs 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I knew that the AlienDAC could be a very serious computer-based source, it just needs a little work and thanks to Jeff Rossel for providing boards and kits, I got a chance to build another very special AlienDAC.

 I use one at home with 0.33uF Mundorf MCap ZN and it sounds fantastic, but I heard that these Audience AuriCap sound very good as well so I thought, what the hell, let's put a pair of these 0.47uF/400V caps with a Mini-TREAD into a Hammond 1455C1202. This is the result 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 More pics in my gallery, just follow the link.


----------



## mb3k

Fallen,
 Nice ADAC. Was there any particular reason to locate R15 & R16 at the jacks instead of smd resistors?


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fallen,
 Nice ADAC. Was there any particular reason to locate R15 & R16 at the jacks instead of smd resistors?_

 

Yep, otherwise I would have to run cables from the caps back to the PCB and then run another set of cables to the jacks. This way it's cleaner and has less unnecessary wiring.


----------



## Eokboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yep, otherwise I would have to run cables from the caps back to the PCB and then run another set of cables to the jacks. This way it's cleaner and has less unnecessary wiring._

 

Is 0.47uF sufficient? What's the corner freq?


----------



## FallenAngel

With my SOHA having a 50K pot, it's 6.7Hz. I use 0.33uF MCap ZN's with my regular one and the frequency is 9.6Hz, still very nice.


----------



## Eokboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_With my SOHA having a 50K pot, it's 6.7Hz. I use 0.33uF MCap ZN's with my regular one and the frequency is 9.6Hz, still very nice._

 

Thanks. I'll go with your method of using boutique film caps. Looks good.


----------



## Jrossel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished the first of my SERIOUS AlienDACs 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I use one at home with 0.33uF Mundorf MCap ZN and it sounds fantastic, but I heard that these Audience AuriCap sound very good as well so I thought, what the hell, let's put a pair of these 0.47uF/400V caps with a Mini-TREAD into a Hammond 1455C1202. This is the result 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



_

 


 Wow that is pretty slick. Nice job; shoot, I need to get off my duff and order AuriCaps. Which sound do you prefer, Mundorf or Audience? It really is neat seeing your DAC here, and fun thinking that I helped play a small part in making it happen. Thanks for posting the images of your work.

 JR


----------



## ferencvaros

Here are my toys all finished and together:




 Sorry for bad quality photo


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ferencvaros* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here are my toys all finished and together:




 Sorry for bad quality photo_

 

Very nice lineup there! I like the matching frontplates, very classy.


----------



## Ace o' Spades

I finally got around to recasing my PIMETA today...Its now in a black Hammond 1455N1602 with a TREAD.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jrossel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow that is pretty slick. Nice job; shoot, I need to get off my duff and order AuriCaps. Which sound do you prefer, Mundorf or Audience? It really is neat seeing your DAC here, and fun thinking that I helped play a small part in making it happen. Thanks for posting the images of your work.

 JR_

 

Well, thanks for the boards buddy.

 Hmm... Mundorf vs AuriCap, tough question, they're both extremely good sounding caps. The Mundorf are totally burned in and sound beautiful, a little warmer than the non-burned in AuriCaps. On the details, I'd say they're around the same, with the AuriCap maybe being just slightly more detailed, and being not even burned in, they sound very promising.


----------



## Grigori G.

Just finished my new USB DAC with headphone amplifier.





















 USB DAC: PCM2707->PCM1793->OPA2134 (all bus-powered, except OPA2134 - +/-11.5v from headamp)
 Headamp: Alps RK18->AD8620->THS6012
 Body made from old CD-ROM and black-painted.
 Sound is very good.


----------



## FallenAngel

Well Grigori G, that looks pretty serious and very impressive on the home made custom PCB which you actually managed to have purely in SMC. Congrats, it looks very cool, but what is it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And definitely what is the headphone amp?


----------



## Grigori G.

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well Grigori G, that looks pretty serious and very impressive on the home made custom PCB which you actually managed to have purely in SMC. Congrats, it looks very cool, but what is it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And definitely what is the headphone amp?_

 

Headphone amplifier part (many components on the other side PCB):














 P.S. Sorry my bad english...


----------



## Ace o' Spades

Wow, very nice etching work there. Did you etch at home or is that a ExpressPCB board?


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kklee* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not as pretty as AMB's amp, but sounds great!

 Case is a Par-Metal 16x12x4 with a 3/16 custom front panel. This thing is huge!

 Three β22 amp boards in active ground configuration mounted on an ε22 backplane. Power supply is a σ22 putting out +/-30V. Amp includes an ε12 protection circuit.

 Front (Red LED is power, Blue LED is ouput enabled)





_

 

Was that front panel prepared by Par-Metal or did you doit yourself?

 Nice casing!


----------



## Ace o' Spades

I got some more pics of my "new" PIMETA while I put in the heatsink...











 I found out that it is possible to slot-mount the PCB if you tilt it slightly downward, preventing the solder pads from contacting the case.


----------



## Grigori G.

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ace o' Spades* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, very nice etching work there. Did you etch at home or is that a ExpressPCB board?_

 

It's home made PCB


----------



## kklee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Was that front panel prepared by Par-Metal or did you doit yourself?_

 

The blank front panel came from Par-Metal as an option. I mounted everything myself.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice casing!_

 

Thanks!


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Grigori G.* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Headphone amplifier part (many components on the other side PCB):
 <snipped pics>
 P.S. Sorry my bad english..._

 

Very nice job, and nice etching job on the pcbs. You might want to take some alcohol or flux cleaner to them.

 Your english is just fine, btw.

 Chris


----------



## Grigori G.

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You might want to take some alcohol or flux cleaner to them._

 

Thanks for a good appraisal.
 It's a good idea to deflux PCB. But flux does not affects to characteristics, only to appearance 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 It might be a good to remove flux from PCB and coat it with special protection lacquer to protect scheme from humidity (and copper from oxidation
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Griogori G.* 
_Thanks for a good appraisal.
 It's a good idea to deflux PCB. But flux does not affects to characteristics, only to appearance._

 

Excellent work, Grigori. One thing you may consider about the flux. When it ages, it is possible that it _will_ affect characteristics - perhaps becoming conductive, eventually.


----------



## Polaris111688

I decided to replace the Lelon (a Taiwanese brand) capacitors in my DIY power amp with Panasonic FC (2x 330uF/63V), FM (1x 47uF/25V) and Nichicon Muse (2x 10uF/50V) capacitors.





 Unfortunately, after upgrading the amplifier boards, I managed to severely damage the case putting the amp back where it was on my desk. It slipped a little, and in the process of preventing it from hitting the floor, I banged it against the desk's edge in such a way that I completely split the top piece into two pieces and broke off a significant part of the rear panel. The AC inlet won't stay in place anymore. This really pissed me off, so when it happened, I proceeded to scream out a line of expletives. I need to go to Home Depot now and get another piece of acrylic to fix this.


----------



## cfcubed

Polaris111688 - Is that plexiglass (or similar) you are using? Quite ambitious of you to do the clear case thing, but have you considered Lexan instead? I've given up trying to get material like plexiglass to do what I want (brittle, etc.), but have had much better luck w/lexan (my HD sells it). It maybe be thicker & more expensive, but I find it cuts easier & hasnt shattered on me yet.


----------



## Polaris111688

I considered using Polycarbonate (Lexan, as you stated), but didn't know if it would be too difficult to work with. Also, the price tag was double. I think I'm going to go with Lexan this time.. Not worth the lack of durability to go with acrylic, especially since the amp weighs 20-30 pounds.


----------



## vixr

here is a PIMETA I finished a few days ago...


----------



## Ace o' Spades

Just out of curiosity, what is the deal with the multi-colored resistors?


----------



## threEchelon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_here is a PIMETA I finished a few days ago..._

 

Cool. What's the battery life?


----------



## vixr

I got the resistors from a guy on ebay that claimed they are vintage resistors from the '50s and '60s... they do have an effect on the sound, because listening tests Ive done compared to brand new resistors ordered from Mouser, installed in another PIMETA, sounded much brighter and colder, than those old ones, in the pictures. The battery life, so far, is over 15 hours... I havent done much testing yet, but it should last a good while... I built the trickle charger to allow for a very slow charge, since its primarily a desk amp...I am just going to leave it plugged in with the charger only outputting 10mA to the pack... according to my calulator it should take 240 hours to fully charge the pack. I use a fast charger to get them up, then plug in the wall wart to power it on the desk.


----------



## pkshiu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Seaside* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This amp is originated from the amp shown in this thread - 

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...threadid=50478.

 And based on the Sijosae's modified design of that amp above.
 I used Sijosae's SHA design as reference, with little change of my own.








 So.... here's the pic of the amp, top and bottom.









 I added simple 7812 regulation circuit on it, since this amp requires regulated power supply. some value of parts and wiring has been changed as the way I like.

 Size is little smaller than Altoid tin.


 ***_

 

A n00b question -- I have never seen this technique of laying out connections on the underside of the patch board like you did. It looks great, but isn't it very difficult to do? Do you tape down the connecting wires before soldering the component pin onto the hole+connecting wire?

 P.K.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I got the resistors from a guy on ebay that claimed they are vintage resistors from the '50s and '60s... they do have an effect on the sound, because listening tests Ive done compared to brand new resistors ordered from Mouser, installed in another PIMETA, sounded much brighter and colder, than those old ones, in the pictures. The battery life, so far, is over 15 hours... I havent done much testing yet, but it should last a good while... I built the trickle charger to allow for a very slow charge, since its primarily a desk amp...I am just going to leave it plugged in with the charger only outputting 10mA to the pack... according to my calulator it should take 240 hours to fully charge the pack. I use a fast charger to get them up, then plug in the wall wart to power it on the desk._

 

Great work as always, vixr! - very colorful and excellent photography - as usual - too.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_here is a PIMETA I finished a few days ago...





_

 

What value Cerafines are those? I want to put those in my Pimeta.


----------



## vixr

colonelkernal8,
 they are 220uF @35 volts, I have also used 470uF @25 volts... both are the exact same size at 1" tall and 1/2 " in diameter. Got em from welborne labs.


----------



## Polaris111688

In the interest to squeeze as much sound quality out of my power amp as possible, I decided to do a tiny mod suggested by Greg Ball (the designer of this amp) which would increase the already high power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) of the amplifier by 20dB. Here:





 I also upped the bias from about 70mA per channel to around 110mA, since I already have oversized heatsinks on this amp.


----------



## kipman725

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_In the interest to squeeze as much sound quality out of my power amp as possible, I decided to do a tiny mod suggested by Greg Ball (the designer of this amp) which would increase the already high power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) of the amplifier by 20dB.
 I also upped the bias from about 70mA per channel to around 110mA, since I already have oversized heatsinks on this amp._

 

Have you noticed any change in the sound?


----------



## Polaris111688

Yes, I have. The combined modifications (changing out the 5 capacitors and increasing the PSRR by 20dB on each channel) resulted in a more detailed amplifier. I heard a couple of echoes in one Iron Maiden song I never heard before on any system and certain details in numerous songs are new to me.


----------



## esh0

My new case


----------



## tobias_svensk

Wow esh0! really nice I must say!


----------



## Wildcard30

My Cmoy just finished and Dock Cable.


----------



## kipman725

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *esh0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My new case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






_

 

very nice wood working


----------



## Polaris111688

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *esh0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My new case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






_

 

Stunning work, esh0!


----------



## RasmusseN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ace o' Spades* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Mmmmm...

 Someone pick my jaw up off the floor._

 

If only you've heard it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I had a chance at the meet.... it's amazing in one word.


----------



## daveip

here's some pictures of my first DIY amp build.

 i was going to build the cmoy first, but i only just managed to pay zigis the other day for a cmoy pcb (i didn't want to do it on strip board ... *shudder*)

 rail caps are 6.3v 1000uf panasonic fms, matched wima poly caps for c4 and ad8260/8610 opamps.

 i have 2 634s on the L/R outputs and one on the ground. i've decided not to bias it into class-A to try save on batteries. overall gain is set to about 3.9 but i've kinda screwed the internal gain .... its at something like 300 .... so thats going to get changed soon =S

 only niggle i have with it is ... it needs a trickle charger attached to it =p i think i'll try squeeze one of these into the case some day.

 generally happy with the sound from the amp. but i've forgotten to bring my grados back from university from the weekend. =/ bummer

 thanks to warren for the quick delivery!!!

 got a cmoy and xp amp coming next in the portable area =)


----------



## Polaris111688

Pretty freaking nice job for a first amp!


----------



## headphonejunkie

Here is my soha ready for use.


----------



## fordgtlover

Here's my new M^3. Very unspectacular casing in the ubiquitous all black Hammond. I'll have to start getting more creative on the casing.

 The component list is fairly standard with the exception of the Electrolytic caps which are Elna Silmic (330uf) and Nichicon Muse KZ (100uf)

 I thought that I had made a mistake with the Elna caps. Because of their size I could only fit 6 x 330uf (total of 1980uf). I contacted AMB who assured me that it would be fine. After this I noticed that the schematic actually lists 2000uf for C7. So it was all good.

 The M^3 certainly sounds the business.

 Prior to this build I had built up a Pimeta, Steps and a couple of CMoys.


----------



## tomb

Simplicity can be very elegant, and your M3 is that, Fordgtlover.

 Question - it looks like you drilled cooling holes in the side. I've always wanted to do that. Can you tell us how many and how big? I suppose that combined with the case lid contacting the heat sinks makes thing pretty cool.


----------



## fordgtlover

^ 

 I'll post some pics tomorrow of my vent holes.


----------



## vixr

fordgtlover, a black sharpie covers the raw aluminum vent holes in a fairly acceptable way...


----------



## fordgtlover

Here are a couple of the vent holes. Since taking these shots I have spray painted the inside of the case, which leaves a much neater tiny silver ring around the outside edge of each hole. I'll post the last picture tomorrow.

 If I decide that the little silver ring is still no good, I'll try the sharpie idea - thanks for that.










 As Tomb noted, my case lid comes actually comes in contact with the heatsinks. This means that the whole case now dissipates heat. This, in combination with the vent holes, means that the case of my M^3 runs only slightly warm to the touch.

 Thanks to Tomb for the very kind words regarding the elegance of my build.

 Meanwhile, I need to find my next project. That is until the eagerly awaited Millett Hybrid MAX becomes available.


----------



## threEchelon

Action shots come when I figure out what exactly to put in front of the LED's.


----------



## TzeYang

echelon, that is simply stunning!!

 where did you get such amazing case?


----------



## threEchelon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_echelon, that is simply stunning!!

 where did you get such amazing case?_

 

I'm glad you like it! I did a lot of the layout, but I can't take much credit for the case since my father did all the construction and staining. As you might have noticed, he had to do a lot of recessing, because all the panel mount components were designed for thinner walls.


----------



## acold7dusta

DIY Headphone Stand...

 I built this for shop class, so most of this stuff was found around the shop. the base is 4" diameter, 1" thick stainless steel(S.S.). in the middle, a .5" hole was drilled and tapped all the way through. then a 10" S.S. rod was cut (.5" in dia) and threaded. i milled a flat spot on the top 1/8" deep, 1/2" down. i drilled a 7/32" hole (IIRC) in the middle of that flat section and stuck a hook (from home depot, the one thats 67 cents and has a yellow coating) in there, and since it had a wood thread on it, i trimmed it and epoxied it in. 

 Pics: 

 (dont mind the mess, i just did some rearranging and have yet to run wires)





 my diy A47 amp to the left of my laptop 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












 edit: hook might look crooked, but its just the pic angle, same with the headphones


----------



## odoe

Finally got my alien dac cased

 here is the before shot





 the after shots













 The only tough part was trying to dremel and file out the usb on the back. Not perfect, but it works.


----------



## Ace o' Spades

^Wow! looks like a wooden Hammond case. Great job.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fordgtlover* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here are a couple of the vent holes. Since taking these shots I have spray painted the inside of the case, which leaves a much neater tiny silver ring around the outside edge of each hole. I'll post the last picture tomorrow.

 If I decide that the little silver ring is still no good, I'll try the sharpie idea - thanks for that.

 As Tomb noted, my case lid comes actually comes in contact with the heatsinks. This means that the whole case now dissipates heat. This, in combination with the vent holes, means that the case of my M^3 runs only slightly warm to the touch.

 Thanks to Tomb for the very kind words regarding the elegance of my build.

 Meanwhile, I need to find my next project. That is until the eagerly awaited Millett Hybrid MAX becomes available._

 

Nice touch, Fordgtlover. I like the varying size of the holes - pretty cool - literally and figuratively. I don't think the silver looks bad at all. It probably shows up a lot more under camera flash. I'm going to try something like that on the Max (and my M3 if I ever get around to building it).


----------



## adfinni

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_echelon, that is simply stunning!!

 where did you get such amazing case?_

 

looks gorgeous echelon. Also, where did you get those knobs they look great !


----------



## threEchelon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adfinni* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_looks gorgeous echelon. Also, where did you get those knobs they look great !_

 

I got the knobs from vt4c.com; they're located in China, so be prepared for expensive and slow shipping.


----------



## Yen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *threEchelon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I got the knobs from vt4c.com; they're located in China, so be prepared for expensive and slow shipping._

 

Expensive and slow? 

 Ok, it isnt domestic trade, but around one week and 10$ usd shipping (mine were pots and tube protectors etc.) isnt expensive nor slow. IMO. I think that's pretty reasonable. Here within Finland it will propably cost the same, and the travel distance is hundreds of kilometers, not thousands...


----------



## rockcod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *threEchelon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I got the knobs from vt4c.com; they're located in China, so be prepared for expensive and slow shipping._

 

I ordered from them several times, they are usually very prompt (shipped to the States in approximately one week or less) -- one exception is during Chinese New Year and that's completely understandable.


----------



## threEchelon

I was just comparing it to shipping inside the US. C'mon, guys.


----------



## flecom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *threEchelon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_













































 Action shots come when I figure out what exactly to put in front of the LED's. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

excellent looking amp, glad to see im not the only crazy using 4 pin connectors for balanced headphones (besides the K1k obviously)


----------



## threEchelon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *flecom* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_excellent looking amp, glad to see im not the only crazy using 4 pin connectors for balanced headphones (besides the K1k obviously) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks! Yeah, I don't believe in following poor standards just because they're the norm *cough*3-pin XLR*cough*. 4-pin XLR makes much more sense.


----------



## naamanf

Here is my finished (for now) Millet Maxed Hybrid.


----------



## Lpe_91

Beautiful casing, the whole thing is beautiful!


----------



## naamanf

Thank you. That picture is my lame attempt at HDR. Here are some more pics.


----------



## laxx

Where is that case from?


----------



## naamanf

It's a stock Hammond that I made some cherry ends for. I wish I bought a black case so I could have used some darker wood. I made some lacewood pieces but they seemed a bit to dark for the silver case.


----------



## threEchelon

The second set of pictures look much better. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice job on the case!


----------



## naamanf

Yeah that's what happens when you let Photoshop do it's own thing.


----------



## heatmizer

Finally completed my motorcycle helmet amp thing
 basic function
 amp is sijosae ab 3 channel my current favorite.
 tread type regulator with spst relay input protection need to keep as much voltage as possible.
 5v regulator to charge phone ipod etc diode protection
 3.5 mm input for ipod
 2.5 mm jack for cell phone vox circuit overrides ipod through dpdt relay with 15 second delay
 3.5 mm switched jack for gps pluging in disconnects 2.5 cell phone input. did not relay this takes to much space 
 used 6 pin cb connector 1 straight at amp 1 angle at helmet for cable
 bare circuit board




 all hooked up









 the helmet Nolen n100e had a j&m intercom before i got it




 Ksc75 Kramer modded sounds real good. area behind and around drivers is open on this helmet its made for intercom units




 Custom 2.5 mm jack with nextel ptt




 Helmet cable


----------



## jonnywolfet

thats awesome, nice build!


----------



## FallenAngel

Very nice build heatmizer, great way to pull it all together to solve a very custom problem.


----------



## seanohue

A new M3 is born today! I started on this project about 2 weeks ago for school because my school lets me get out 2 weeks early for senior project so I decided to build an M3 and a STEPS. I was also required to choose a mentor for this project and I chose NeilR, who I would definitely not have finished this project without Neil's help. So Neil, I owe you a great deal of thanks in helping me on this project. This thing sounds amazing!


----------



## Bjornboy81

Hey guys, I'm new here...this is my fist post acutally. Anyways, I'm building a Morgan Jones amp (reversed engineered from an Earmax), not done yet, but here's some pictures of what I've done so far. I also have a CMoy in the works. 

 This seems like a great place, glad to be part of the crowd! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			








 Here's the cabinet made out of Mahogany.


----------



## Bjornboy81

oops.


----------



## Lpe_91

That seriously looks good! I like the polished caps.


----------



## platenspeler

Hello,

 This are some pictures of my tube amp "Martian" based on the 832A. 
 More photo's on my diy pages.. 

 Maarten






 The cooling is for the two 78S12 voltage regulators that regulate the heaters for the two 832A tubes.






 and another one when in operation, the blue LEDs are switched together with the heaters.


----------



## dBel84

Beautiful work all round..dB


----------



## mb3k

Wow platenspeler, that looks amazing. As well as the other DIY projects on your website. Good job


----------



## Bjornboy81

I agree, that looks fantasic! I love the look of those tubes, very different. The other stuff on your site looks pretty good too! Keep it up


----------



## sunnysocket

my ppa




 my dynahi


----------



## philodox

Wow, two VERY nice amps from folks with 1 post. Looks like another audio forum found out about head-fi? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Welcome, and sorry about your wallets.


----------



## Polaris111688

Woah!! What kind of power supply are you using to run that PPAv2?


----------



## hoosterw

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *platenspeler* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hello,

 This are some pictures of my tube amp "Martian" based on the 832A. 
 More photo's on my diy pages.. 

 Maarten






 The cooling is for the two 78S12 voltage regulators that regulate the heaters for the two 832A tubes.






 and another one when in operation, the blue LEDs are switched together with the heaters.




_

 

Hoi Maarten,

 Leuk om wederom een landgenoot hier aan te treffen.

 Very Nice amp!! I love the 'cool blue' light.

 Rgds

 Hans


----------



## sunnysocket

See this one!
 It's more clear 




 I didn't do a good job! In a mess ! 
 Ha! Ha! But I really got a high quality of voice .
 And , money ..... gone
 PSU of Dynahi


----------



## colonelkernel8

Wow. Astounding.


----------



## Seaside

sunnysocket, I like the way you placed parts and boards.
 It must be great sounding amp, little too big for my taste though.


----------



## kipman725

ouch those huge black gates must have cost a fortune :O (is your entire regulator supplyied by a huge capacitance multiplier? )

 Whats the circuit on the left of your PPA do? (some kind of input switching/volume controller? )


----------



## ferds

Hi guys

 I rarely post here but i would like to share some of my diy projects..

 My DIY headphone setup:
 MS-1
 PPAv2 (637/627 combo) w/ STEPS
 12chips Tower DDDAC w/ USB
 Pimeta
 TPA6120 amp







 Lets take a close look..

*12chips Tower DDDAC w/ USB*
 I dont have case yet so i put it on a piece of wood that i varnish.. And i like seeing them naked. = )









*PPAv2 (637/627 combo) w/ STEPS*
 I really like this amp, its just simply amazing.. 









*Pimeta (Bottom) and Tpa6120 amp (top)*









 SOrry for the crappy pictures guys..


----------



## Seaside

ferds, sweet looking amps you've got there.
 Did you etched those boards all by yourself?


----------



## odoe

those are really nice
 thanks for posting

 i finished my PIMETA earlier this week and cased it up
 i love the plastic front and rear panels
 much easier to work with than aluminum


















 The only troubleshooting I had to do was reflow the solder on one buffer stack that was running really hot. Thing works like a charm. I'm planning to replace the 220 caps with 470 caps when I order parts for my Millett. I need a knob too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have to admit, I was little nervous about the TREAD at first, but now that I've done it, I'm pretty comfortable with making another.


----------



## ferds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Seaside* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ferds, sweet looking amps you've got there.
 Did you etched those boards all by yourself?_

 

thanks.. yup i etched my own boards.. its fairly easy..


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *odoe* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_i finished my PIMETA earlier this week and cased it up
 i love the plastic front and rear panels
 much easier to work with than aluminum_

 

QFT! When I finished up my Millett Max, I used the plastic end version of the hammond. Much much easier to drill, and I didn't scratch or mar anything! Casework, at least for me, tends to be the most difficult part of a build, aside from the occasionally nasty ground loop!


----------



## Ace o' Spades

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *odoe* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_those are really nice
 thanks for posting

 i finished my PIMETA earlier this week and cased it up
 i love the plastic front and rear panels
 much easier to work with than aluminum










 I have to admit, I was little nervous about the TREAD at first, but now that I've done it, I'm pretty comfortable with making another._

 

nice job, it looks a lot like my PIMETA. What opamps do you have in it right now?

 I agree, the TREAD can be a bit nerve wracking. I built my first one for my PIMETA as well, and I was definitely sweating when I plugged it in for the first time.


----------



## odoe

I went with the AD8620/AD8610 combo. They drive my HD580s pretty good. I plan to make another one down the road, but try using sockets for resistors so I can try different opamps and tweak the resistors for fun.


----------



## qpoiz

Here's my first Cmoy built from scratch following Tangents tutorial. Im definitely going to figure out a tighter layout for the board because this one's just a waste of space.
















 I stripped all the paint and then buffed some shine into it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My very first cmoy was a half built kit from ebay. Nothing special about it, maybe except the Alps Pot and the case haha











 Im glad i found something to kill time with this summer. I'll build a few more Cmoy's, then i'll build some truly fun stuff


----------



## Bjornboy81

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *qpoiz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My very first cmoy was a half built kit from ebay. Nothing special about it, maybe except the Alps Pot and the case haha



_​
​
​


Where did you get that knob at? i like the case


----------



## qpoiz

The knob came with the kit i got on ebay. I have no idea where it came from.


----------



## bperboy

Thats a very nice and unique case for a CMoy tin! You could call it the Handyman's CMoy!


----------



## Tedro

Well, I round up enough courage to post pictures of my B22 that I finished a wile a go.









































 Im sorry the pictures are not very good, I dont have a digital camera so I had to take them with my camera phone. Please take it easy on me.


----------



## SysteX

^^ That's a sweet case. I like.


----------



## Captain ?degard

"build" might be exaggerating, but I re-plugged my beyer dt231 (cut the 3m cord to 130 CM)
 PIC: http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q...231neutric.jpg


----------



## TheRobbStory

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *qpoiz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my first Cmoy built from scratch following Tangents tutorial. Im definitely going to figure out a tighter layout for the board because this one's just a waste of space.








 I stripped all the paint and then buffed some shine into it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



_

 

Man, that looks a heck of a lot better than the one I threw together last night! 





 Started to case it up but my fat fingers kept getting in the way.


----------



## bperboy

Man, that Plexi case is nice! Especially the matching knob, I think it ties everything together very nicely! It probably looks even better in person too! Nice job!


----------



## Tedro

Goes along with my other adventures:












 M3, PPAv2, Millet Hybrid


----------



## colonelkernel8

Someone likes acrylic cases. Thats good man. I think I will be making the venture into wooden cases.


----------



## Bjornboy81

Tedro, those look great. Very well done! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here's a CMoy I just finished up. I bought the board from Zigis and put it in a Hammond Case. Sounds great!


----------



## Polaris111688

Extremely sweet case work, Tedro! I was never good at case work...


----------



## Ferrari

Not finish the case work yet, but here is some pics of the work in progress 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## colonelkernel8

That is so CLEAN! I love your work Ferrari, and I love that case.


----------



## A1095

I just completed the Ti Kan SDS upgraded amp. Installed in a salvaged Dynaco PAT4 preamp. All boards hard wired on RS perf boards. Matched output pairs ordered from AMB and most others from the usual... Digikey and Mouser. Alps Black beauty (100K) up front with a BB opa2134 socketed. I plan on trying the AD8066 opamp in the future. I'm running 80 mA. bias with +-15V. The LM317 and LM337 run on RS heatsinks. I was concerned, at first about the regulator temps., but the heatsinks measure just under 50 deg. C. Seems to be a safe margin.
 All I can say is that it is extremely clean and dead Quiet! I know this design is a bit dated, but it is quite capable and fit quite well into the old Dynaco chassis. Still need to figure out how to create some venting on the top cover.














 All the Pics: http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j7...adphone%20Amp/


----------



## bperboy

Very nice on the SDS! Did you do that all from the schematic?


----------



## A1095

Yes.......... all hard wired from the schematics. I wanted to seperate the supply sections from the audio board as far as possible. Supply noise is not an issue here.


----------



## bperboy

Very nice job! props to you for not using a PCB!


----------



## Bones55

Well, here is my first build. CMOY in an altoids case.






 Here is the amp during my first build, a jumble of wires and exposed connections. Worked beautifully, but looked like crap inside.






 So, i rewired and heatshrunk the whole thing.






 The finished setup, with my Zen and the Zen LOD I made.






 Now to move on to something more interesting.


----------



## qpoiz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bjornboy81* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Tedro, those look great. Very well done! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here's a CMoy I just finished up. I bought the board from Zigis and put it in a Hammond Case. Sounds great! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	













_

 

Hey bjornboy81,

 did the board you bought from zigis fit on the mounting holes of the hammond case? I was checking out the blank PCB for that case at Mouser and its $9...

 any pics of the inside?


----------



## Bjornboy81

qpoiz,

 No it doesn't fit the mounting holes. The board is held in place by the nut on the pot and connectors. I can get some shots of the inside later today for you.


----------



## vixr

here is my new Millett MAX (V.2 Proto) WOO HOO!!!


----------



## Bjornboy81

Vixr, Very hot! Looks great 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Are you putting a top on that? Looks like the caps would be poking out also.


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bjornboy81* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Vixr, Very hot! Looks great 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Are you putting a top on that? Looks like the caps would be poking out also._

 

you are right... the top plate will look like swiss cheese when I'm done...


----------



## tomb

I think I see some tube p*rn.


----------



## SysteX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think I see some tube p*rn. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Haha. I love it.


----------



## mb3k

Vixr, what Hammond case # is that one?
 Nice build.


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Vixr, what Hammond case # is that one?
 Nice build._

 

straight off of tombs BOM for the MAX... Mouser # 546-1455T1601
 thanks guys... it sounds so good its just sick.


----------



## daggerlee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bones55* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well, here is my first build. CMOY in an altoids case.






 Here is the amp during my first build, a jumble of wires and exposed connections. Worked beautifully, but looked like crap inside.






 So, i rewired and heatshrunk the whole thing.






 The finished setup, with my Zen and the Zen LOD I made.






 Now to move on to something more interesting. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That's a neat case! Where'd you get it?


----------



## Ferrari

Just finished the case work of my β22 and σ22...


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished the case work of my ?22 and ?22...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 <pics snipped>_

 

Very nice! ATI case on the right (amp)... what is the PSU case (left)?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice! ATI case on the right (amp)... what is the PSU case (left)?_

 

Thanks, Pars.

 The PSU on the left is housed in a HiFi-2000 Galaxy Max 283 (230mm x 230mm) with 10mm faceplate. Originally I plan to use an ATI-737U enclosure for the PSU (same as for the amp) but this enclosure is really too big for the PSU.


----------



## Lpe_91

Ferrari: Those look stunning! Excellent work!


----------



## colonelkernel8

Ferrari, can I have your casing skills? How do you mount your LED's?


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind words gents!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *colonelkernel8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How do you mount your LED's?_

 

The dimension of the drilled hole + heatshrink holds the LED in the faceplate.
 The LED hole on the faceplate is drilled 3mm on the front and 4.5mm on the back... precision drilling is necessary here.
 By doing this way, the LED with heatshrinks will fit tightly in the LED hole (see picture below).


----------



## dbfreak

Sweeeeet! I can see this being excavated in four thousand years with all the scientists scratching their heads.


----------



## dbfreak

Sweeeeet! I can see this being excavated in four thousand years with all the scientists scratching their heads thinking it must be from Los Alamos.


----------



## munchkin

Great looking amp ferrari, wish I had your case work skills..


----------



## thrice

It's been awhile since I posted in this thread:

 My contribution to the madness...just finished yesterday:

 Take one of these:







 Put one of these on it:






 Build this:






 and this:






 plug them in and....

 viola!


----------



## Icarium

Nice beta22/sigma22. I might need to talk to you about a balanced number in the future


----------



## mb3k

Wow thrice, very nice. Two ε22's also!
 What source are you feeding to the setup?


----------



## thrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow thrice, very nice. Two ?22's also!
 What source are you feeding to the setup?_

 

Wadia 23


----------



## n_maher

Looking very clean as usual Stephen, I like!


----------



## The Monkey

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *thrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's been awhile since I posted in this thread:
_

 

And a grand re-entry it is! Well done.


----------



## peelax

Wow that is impressive thrice, can I ask where you got the cases for it?


----------



## TzeYang

thrice,

 I'm quitting DIY. There's no way i can afford to achieve this.

 I QUIT!! THIS HOBBY IS INSANE!


----------



## thrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *peelax* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow that is impressive thrice, can I ask where you got the cases for it?_

 

It's a place called Context Engineering. Those are the 350DT cases 20 X 13 X 3.5


----------



## threEchelon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *thrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's a place called Context Engineering. Those are the 350DT cases 20 X 13 X 3.5_

 

Anodize or alodine finish?


----------



## thrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *threEchelon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Anodize or alodine finish?_

 

Anodize...clear.


----------



## Faust2D

Some pics of my hybrid E88CC/JFET integrated (20WPC) & headphone amp. It's a small one with wooden face plate. Power supply is separate box under the amp on the first shelf. It's all point to point and a mix of old USSR military parts and new hi-end parts. A good friend of mine made this one for me. He is a designer and amp builder with many years of experience in this type of thing. I love this amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





























 Power supply:


----------



## Lpe_91

That's a LOT of wires in there dude!


----------



## Faust2D

Yes indeed. That's what point to point is all about


----------



## Faust2D

The back of the amp:


----------



## kipman725

thats going to be hard to fix if it ever goes wrong


----------



## Faust2D

Not at all. I just give this back to my friend and he will take care of this. Life time warranty. I will NEVER attempt to touch this thing myself. LOL


----------



## laxx

What's the extra wire that's plugged in do?

 You got 4 speaker wires, pair of RCA's, and then 1 more. I'm guessing it's power, and if it is, what's the other 3 jacks for then?


----------



## Faust2D

Two speaker wires, 2 pairs of RCA (with a toggle selector), one power and ground.

 The red one is ground, but I don't use it, no hum, no hiss, so no need for it.


----------



## Seaside

Faust2D.

 Glad to see old style p2p amp, which is very rare in these days. 
 Oh... you said your friend made it for you?
 He must be very knowledgable person with great amount of love in him.
 You must be a lucky guy. It is not easy to have an amp like that. 
 I couild give out amps that made with PCB, but I ain't gonna give out my handcrafted p2p amp to anyone else even if a person is willing to pay 10 times price for that, unless I really value him as he deserves something like that.


----------



## KerryKing

Hi there,

 My first post in this thread, its a stand that my Father made for me, so its not really my DIY 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Well anyways here it goes.

 Seems its only posted as an attachment :/ but i have no host.

 Well anyways, thanks for a great page that makes a hole in my wallet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /Erik


----------



## rlanger

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KerryKing* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi there,

 My first post in this thread, its a stand that my Father made for me, so its not really my DIY 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Well anyways here it goes.

 Seems its only posted as an attachment :/ but i have no host.

 Well anyways, thanks for a great page that makes a hole in my wallet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /Erik_

 

Wow, that looks really gorgeous! I would love to see a bit higher res picture.


----------



## Faust2D

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Seaside* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Faust2D.

 Glad to see old style p2p amp, which is very rare in these days. 
 Oh... you said your friend made it for you?
 He must be very knowledgable person with great amount of love in him.
 You must be a lucky guy. It is not easy to have an amp like that. 
 I couild give out amps that made with PCB, but I ain't gonna give out my handcrafted p2p amp to anyone else even if a person is willing to pay 10 times price for that, unless I really value him as he deserves something like that._

 

Thanks Seaside! I like this amp a lot. P2p with JFET transistors was a hard thing to do as far as I know 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a pure class A design with local feedback only. Works great with my speakers as well as with my headphones, but I use another amp for headphones most of the time since this amp was made for my speaker rig and the headphones part is kinda a bonus.


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rlanger* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, that looks really gorgeous! I would love to see a bit higher res picture._

 

Thank you, i will see if i can take some higher res pictures as soon as i find some good place to upload it on.

 Regards
 Erik


----------



## user18

My first DIY amp, an Altoid CMOY. It was my first time soldering too. Things didn't go to bad until I tried to put it in the case. I couldn't get the volume pot in the right position. After a couple minutes, I forced it in, but in doing so, something shorted. Check several points, but I couldn't find the source. I had to yank the whole thing back out. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Turns out it was the black wire on the back; one of the ends came loose. All in all, it's nice to see it working.


----------



## bperboy

Man, those two batteries are really crammed in there! Nice job!


----------



## vixr

Well, it looks better than my first try... user18, don't believe these guys when they say solder fumes are addictive. I've been building for two years now and I can stop any time I want to...


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* 
_Well, it looks better than my first try... user18, don't believe these guys when they say solder fumes are addictive. I've been building for two years now and I can stop any time I want to..._

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Man, those two batteries are really crammed in there! Nice job!_

 

Yes, I agree! Most people take the easy way out and only put one battery in. It takes some special skill and determination to get two 9V's in a CMoy mint tin. It will sound better that way for most applications and will power a top-of-the-line Sennheiser fairly well. Good job!


----------



## KerryKing

I have uploaded 3 pics to imageshack now but i do not understand why they are so small...

 But anyways here they are.

[img=http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/6284/img1356tj7.th.jpg]
[img=http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9408/img1358wo4.th.jpg]
[img=http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/2575/img1359wb5.th.jpg]

 Hope it works,
 Best regards
 Erik


----------



## Lpe_91

To make them bigger: just remove the ".th" in the links!


----------



## Captain ?degard

This was going to be glass, hence why the hole in the back is larger than the wooden dildo thingy... but of course the purty glass tube broke 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 got pissed and just slapped together a wooden thing.
 EDIT: headphone stand is the new thing








 EDIT: looked to much like a penis


----------



## Seaside

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *user18* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first DIY amp, an Altoid CMOY. It was my first time soldering too. Things didn't go to bad until I tried to put it in the case. I couldn't get the volume pot in the right position. After a couple minutes, I forced it in, but in doing so, something shorted. Check several points, but I couldn't find the source. I had to yank the whole thing back out. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Turns out it was the black wire on the back; one of the ends came loose. All in all, it's nice to see it working._

 

Good to hear your first amp is working. In fact, it looks pretty good to me.
 Your cap looks like panasonic NHG, which is good one. But what jack is that? What OP is used? I can not see it clearly.


----------



## qpoiz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Captain Ødegård* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 EDIT: looked to much like a penis




_

 

And now it looks like the eagle's getting it...haha

 Maybe if you sanded the tip flat it would get rid of the pervert-effect


----------



## spongezone

Haha, wow, I imagine it would have looked even more perverted had you stuck with the glass rod.


----------



## kipman725

poor eagle :O


----------



## Faust2D

Actually with the headphones hanging from it it looks hilarious.


----------



## Ferrari

As requested here is some close-up of my β22 amplifier and σ22 PSU:






 ... and more here:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding215.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding219.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding216.jpg

 Enjoy


----------



## colonelkernel8

Ferrari, I hate you and your perfectly amazing work. (Just kidding)


----------



## Joshatdot

What are those screw down terminals? Got Digi-Key P/N?


----------



## pageman99

Ferarri, nice work!

 What kind of case did you use?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *colonelkernel8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_... I hate you and your perfectly amazing work. (Just kidding)_

 

Haha... thanks! It's better than that you hate me because of something else 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*@Joshatdot*:
 If you mean the 0.2" screw terminal blocks on the PSU... I don't know what the Digi-Key part numbers are since I buy these locally.
 But Digi-Key does carry a similar type terminal block: 3-circuit (Digi-Key 277-1248-ND) and 4-circuit (Digi-Key 277-1249-ND).

*@pageman99*:
 I use an ATI-737U enclosure for my β22 amplifier and for my σ22 PSU I use an HiFi-2000 Galaxy Max 283 (230mm x 230mm) with 10mm faceplate.


----------



## jonnywolfet

what sort of money are we talking for the ati cases? they are seriously slick!


----------



## Jam_Master_J

STEPs + TREAD
 Millet Hybrid /w DBs
 Monica 2 DAC

 All in context engineering enclosures


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jonnywolfet* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_what sort of money are we talking for the ati cases? they are seriously slick!_

 

You got PM 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## cyberspyder

How in the world do people purchase Context Engineering cases? I've been to their webpage, except it's all product info. These builds all look siiiiiiiiick!

 Brendan

 EDIT: Ferrari, is the 10mm faceplate larger than the stock plate (height wise)? I'm thinking of buying their smallest Galaxy case from Autocostruire along with the corresponding 10mm faceplate, but they say that it's 10mm higher than the original. Very confusing...


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyberspyder* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, is the 10mm faceplate larger than the stock plate (height wise)? I'm thinking of buying their smallest Galaxy case from Autocostruire along with the corresponding 10mm faceplate, but they say that it's 10mm higher than the original. Very confusing..._

 

The optional 10mm faceplate (50mm) is ~7mm higher than the stock faceplate (43mm).
 The 40mm high they provide at their site is the high of the case body, not the actual high of the faceplate 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 .


----------



## cyberspyder

Ahhh, thanks! Also, where does the 7mm height difference go? Bottom? Top?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyberspyder* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ahhh, thanks! Also, where does the 7mm height difference go? Bottom? Top?_

 

It goes to both top and bottom evenly.


----------



## ruZZ.il

since we're at it.. (some 100 pages.. ) 
 my cmoy, after some modifications, etc. I should have a decent pot. soon too.. had to use one of those generic ones in the meantime that seems to be.. ok.
 waiting for parts for my next builds.. my pimeta is half here.. just waiting for boards (thanks tang.)... will get there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 also shown there is my first ipod dock.. 3 strand 0.4mm silver braid, neutrik gold/nickel, blabla..


----------



## ruZZ.il

cool case man..


----------



## Jam_Master_J

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyberspyder* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How in the world do people purchase Context Engineering cases? I've been to their webpage, except it's all product info. These builds all look siiiiiiiiick!_

 

You can e-mail them for price quotes and then just call their number to order. That's how I do it anyway.


----------



## qpoiz

Cmoy Amp goes cute. I made this for my fiance. She requested a pink lid. The heart was all me.


----------



## TheRobbStory

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *qpoiz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cmoy Amp goes cute. I made this for my fiance. She requested a pink lid. The heart was all me. 





_

 

This reminds me of the time my dad bought my mom a drill press for Christmas


----------



## Dave_M

Ferrari, I really like your attention to detail. Where did you get those shiny feet for the cases from? Is that power button a Bulgin? the volume knob is very nice as well, is that polished stainless steel?


----------



## Ferrari

Dave_M, the feet of my σ22 PSU (Hifi-2000 enclosure) are from an electronic parts shop in Singapore, I bought sometime ago when I was there. These feet are made from plastic with sealed aluminum. The feet of my β22 amp are from ATI, made from solid aluminum. The volume knop is from DACT and is indeed polished stainless steel.

 About the power button, I'm not sure if it is a Bulgin button. I bought it from Conrad Netherlands, product code: 700652 - 89.


----------



## Seaside

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *qpoiz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cmoy Amp goes cute. I made this for my fiance. She requested a pink lid. The heart was all me. _

 

Cute it is. You fiance is a lucky girl to have a guy like you.
 Remind me of the fact that I never made anything for my wife. hehe.

 What case is this? Where you got?


----------



## qpoiz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Seaside* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cute it is. You fiance is a lucky girl to have a guy like you.
 Remind me of the fact that I never made anything for my wife. hehe.

 What case is this? Where you got?_

 

It's just a regular altoids tin. I stripped the paint off and buffed the bottom part. For the lid, i applied a few coats of pink spray paint. Then the heart is from our big box of scrapbooking stuff...er, scrapbook-fi, yeah...It's one of those rub-on stickers. Then I finished it with a couple coats of clear-coat. It goes well with her pink mini, although she's not allowed to put it on top of the amp haha.


----------



## funch

I've had my M^3/STEPS done for a couple of years now, so I thought I'd share some pix, now that have a digital camera.
 It's now in its final form, having been through a couple of changes from my original ideas, which is why there are so many extra holes in the baseplate. First, it had a crossfeed board with a rotary switch installed, but I didn't like the effect, so I removed it, hence the plug in the faceplate. Second, it had a Hagtech Bugle phono board installed, but after struggling with hum, I removed that also. I eventually solved the hum issue by moving the selector switch from the faceplate back to its current location to shorten the input wiring. Here's info on things not obvious in the pix:

 STEPS output @ 24VDC.
 Electrolytic caps are Muze KZ.
 Bass boost caps are Dayton (Parts Express) film and foil.
 Opamps are 637BP L/R, 627AP ground.
 Parmetal case 16x8x3, anodized front, painted top/bottom.
 The shaft extender was DIY, the parts sourced from Ace Hardware.


----------



## Captain ?degard

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *qpoiz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cmoy Amp goes cute. I made this for my fiance. She requested a pink lid. The heart was all me. 





_

 

Gotta be the most useful, nerdy and cool love gift in history


----------



## cyberspyder

Can't see pics, broken links.


----------



## el_matt0

which ones..i can see all of them i think...


----------



## cyberspyder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *el_matt0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_which ones..i can see all of them i think..._

 

funch's


----------



## CTY

Not really an audio build, but audio related, since my temperature regulated PSU now runs cooler and virtually noiseless and thus, my PC is now suitable for music listening (PSU was the only component which I could hear from my PC).












 As you can see, I still have to do the cosmetics, like painting the whole thing black (black PSU is already on the way).


----------



## mminutel

This was my first Tread. It turned out nice, but I wish I had mounted it in it's own case and used a transformer.





 My Pimeta. I should have used adapters, but you all know how it is when you are excited and want something done. I might go back and remount them with adapters later.





 Crossfeed! I really like this little thing.

 Action Shot:


----------



## bryerd

Here's some pictures of my 90% completed Dynalo. It's taken me over a year, but I'm having fun with it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





























 The case still needs to be powdercoated and will eventually match the Conrad heatsinks. Wiring was hooked up temporarily and it does sound nice. Final wiring will be shielded and routed under the two pcb's, almost to the point where it will not be visible.

 Looking forward to working on my Dynahi now. That one's also been under construction for over a year and is only about 50% done.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Dave...


----------



## mb3k

bryerd, looks like you have a vandal-resistant LED switch.
 Is it momentary on? The power rating of those type of switches arent usually that high, what's yours used for?


----------



## TzeYang

@mminutel

 I envy you guys who have the place to work on external cases. The place that i'm living in right now does not have this kind of privilege. I feel so sorry every time i saw my naked amps.

 Anyway, why is the legs of the film cap on your pimeta on the ground channel so long? XD


----------



## mminutel

Haha. I have no idea. I hadn't even recognized it. I will fix it when I get back home. Anyways, I don't care too much about what the actual circuit looks like. I care a lot more about the case. My grandfather has a workshop that we do all of this stuff in.

 It was my first attempt at casing an amp up properly. I think it turned out great. I will get better with practice.


----------



## bryerd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_bryerd, looks like you have a vandal-resistant LED switch.
 Is it momentary on? The power rating of those type of switches arent usually that high, what's yours used for?_

 

Yes, that's a Bulgin LED momentary switch. The main toroid is inside the black box in the middle of the amp along with a small 5V DC wallwart that's been taken apart for space savings. The 5V DC supply powers up the momentary on/off circuit that switches two relays turning the main power supply and LED's on and off. This is the same circuit that wooderson used in his PPA. 

 Also inside the black blox is a separate compartment that houses AMB's epsilon-22 muting circuit and the cross-feed circuitry. That's explains the three smaller knobs.

 Dave...


----------



## cfcubed

I posted around a bit about my SOHA & I guess its time for pics...

 I'd built the basic SOHA from JRoussel/GlassJarAudio's nice kit (w/a few upgrades) & used it a while. Because of very varied sources I wanted a tone stack so I put the one from the 2004 BCJ schematic in (black 4PDT relay switchable in/out):





 And because of the cheap jacks & me getting to old to remember to pull the phones, put in a 15 sec power on delay (little hokey breadboard thing in pic). Moved 150 ohm attenuators to the input tone defeat relay & jammed the delay relay (orange) where they were:





 Like the way it came out & its sound,,, Absolutely no humm & plenty amplitude. Very nice improvement for my iPod 256k bit rips. 
 Red LED on front comes on with power delay relay. Already went through one used tube in it
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 Of course, I owe thanks to a mess of folks here & at Headwize.


----------



## fortney

You've done a beautiful job, Cfcubed. 
 Would you share the schematic of the 15 second delay circuit? I have the same problem.

 TNX

 F


----------



## 1nf1n1ty

@cfcubed
 what Ipod case is that?...its sexy and I dont even have a ipod.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fortney* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You've done a beautiful job, Cfcubed. 
 Would you share the schematic of the 15 second delay circuit? I have the same problem._

 

I used this circuit w/a 220uf cap (in place of 100uf in schem) yields a 15-17 second delay as long as you don't short cycle the power on the SOHA.. Something like 180uf (12 secs?) might be enough tho. Power for it is from ver 3 board's 12v grd/+ around C7. You don't need the 10k bleed down resistor once the delay circuit is in the SOHA. Used a small non-latching 12v DPDT relay in place of the 150 ohm output resistors. 
 Works well for delaying power to output & drops output very quickly when the SOHA is turned off (a slight, short click in the phones when powering off) Perhaps not the great protection of a full e12 delay, but works well & I had all the parts already except the 2N3053.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *1nf1n1ty* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_@cfcubed
 what Ipod case is that?...its sexy and I dont even have a ipod._

 

It's a Belkin brushed alum acrylic I got from Apple "TL017LL/A BELKIN ACRYLIC BRUSHED MT". Wouldn't cushion a fall & not sticky like silicone types, but like the look.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bryerd* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's some pictures of my 90% completed Dynalo. It's taken me over a year, but I'm having fun with it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 <snip>
 Dave..._

 

Dave - That's one great looking piece... You can tell the ones that took a lot of care & time w/the build. Have fun!


----------



## 1nf1n1ty

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's a Belkin brushed alum acrylic I got from Apple "TL017LL/A BELKIN ACRYLIC BRUSHED MT". Wouldn't cushion a fall & not sticky like silicone types, but like the look._

 


 Ya I agree...it looks a little thin to be absorbing shock...


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyberspyder* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_funch's_

 

Thanks for the heads-up. Dunno what happened: they were still alive at photobucket. I've reposted them. Let me know if they come up now. Thanks.

 funch


----------



## Grigori G.

Some pictures of my PCM2704 USB Headphone DAC.
 Unfortunately sound is not so good as my previous headphone DAC PCM2707+PCM1793 and PCM2707+AD1852 with THS6012 headphone amplifier. PCM2704 headphone out less detailed, not so clear sound, less expression.
 Now using PCM2704 DAC as SPDIF source from PC.


----------



## SayNoToPistons

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bryerd* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's some pictures of my 90% completed Dynalo. It's taken me over a year, but I'm having fun with it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 The case still needs to be powdercoated and will eventually match the Conrad heatsinks. Wiring was hooked up temporarily and it does sound nice. Final wiring will be shielded and routed under the two pcb's, almost to the point where it will not be visible.

 Looking forward to working on my Dynahi now. That one's also been under construction for over a year and is only about 50% done.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Dave..._

 

Cleanest Dynalo i've ever seen! Nice!


----------



## naamanf

Here is my just finished M3. Not the best pics but it's late and I am tired.


----------



## Soymilk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mminutel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 Action Shot:
 [img]http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u294/mminutel/Picture142.jpg_

 

what case is that? (yes i realize there's two of em 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) could you give a picture of the pimeta inside the case so i can see how much space there is in there relative to the pimeta pcb? thanks


----------



## mb3k

Nice M3+σ11
 I see more people using RFI line filters... I think I'll take a look at them also


----------



## threEchelon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice M3+σ11
 I see more people using RFI line filters... I think I'll take a look at them also_

 

Meh. AMB said he couldn't measure a difference.


----------



## Ferrari

In "normal condition", you can indeed hardly measure or hear any differences between with or without an AC line filter in the power supply. 
 The added value of an AC-line filter become evident in environment where grumpy refrigerator or other pollutive devices (for the AC line) are used.
 When a grumpy refrigerator starts grumping/humming for example, the AC line filter is there to keep the pollution out of the power supply/amplifier 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
 (It's a kind of air bags built in cars for the case that ...)


----------



## Yen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The added value of an AC-line filter become evident in environment where grumpy refrigerator or other pollutive devices (for the AC line) are used.
 When a grumpy refrigerator starts grumping/humming for example, the AC line filter is there to keep the pollution out of the power supply/amplifier 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
 (It's a kind of air bags built in cars for the case that ...)_

 

Oh jeah, my case is 100% like you described. I do not have a line filter now, but definately will get one. Everytime the fridge start, I hear a loud snap etc. Also, when I put the oven on...


----------



## mb3k

What do you look for in a line filter? There seems to be many circuit variations.


----------



## Ferrari

However there are indeed some circuit variations for AC line filter, the basic circuit looks mostly like the AC line entree as implemented on Tangent's STEPS (the part before the transformer on the schematic). Same circuit can be seen on top of this AC line filter:

http://www1.nl2.conrad.com/xl/5000_5..._00_FB.EPS.jpg

 It's simply a network of inductors and capacitors (LC-network) which functions as a passive filter. The only thing you have to pay attention to when you are looking for one is the current rating of it. It should be rated higher than the expected current surge (at power on) that possibly flows through such a filter. Peak current surge is depending on the PS design (i.e. the main filter capacitors on the PS). For small amps like the SOHA is a regular AC line filter which often built in power switches, rated at 3-4A is more than adequate.


----------



## MrMajestic2

The UPS guy was here today:






 its the backpanels for my Darwin switchbox and Pimeta






 fully loaded 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 My Pimeta is almost finished, just waiting to finalize the front panel design and the Cascodes for Class-A biasing. Had to tip the caps as the Elna Cerafine 1000uf/35v were too big. Put pin headers on all in/outputs and socketed the R3-R8 block. Got 2 stacked buffers per channel and AD8610/AD8620 op-amps. Vishay Dale resitors all around except RLED. Love those scewered hot dogs 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sounds sweet indeed.


----------



## Soymilk

where can i get knobs similar to this one?


----------



## philodox

MrMajestic2 - Looks very nice. What is the Darwin Switchbox?


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *philodox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_MrMajestic2 - Looks very nice. What is the Darwin Switchbox?_

 

Its a 2 in/6 out relay based audio switch made by twisted pear audio:
http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/


----------



## Soymilk

mrmajestic: what're you doing with all that extra space in the case w/ the pimeta?


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Soymilk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_mrmajestic: what're you doing with all that extra space in the case w/ the pimeta?_

 

The cases has the same footprint as the Emu 1820 breakout box, so I can stack them. The extra room has no real purpose for the Pimeta or the Darwin.


----------



## rockcod

Here are some snapshots of β22. The σ22 PSU is housed in the same chassis as the amp, but the transformer is housed separately.


----------



## naamanf

That looks great. What case is that? Also what source selector did you use?


----------



## rockcod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That looks great. What case is that? Also what source selector did you use?_

 

Par-Metal case, Elma rotatory.


----------



## luidge

Good lord your amp is gorgeous! Look like a professional grade product, all is so well alligned and the case and knob metal just blend together nicely. Kudos for this great job my friend!


----------



## rockcod

Thank you all for the kind words!


----------



## MrMajestic2

My Pimeta build is almost finished. The only thing missing is a frontpanel. I got a question on PM about how the cabling was done so I thought I'd post some closeups of that too. All audiocabling is pure silver 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The case is a Hifi-2000 Galaxy GX243. 






 Cardboard Panel Express


----------



## TzeYang

there is so much space left, 

 Why not mount a transformer into it?


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_there is so much space left, 

 Why not mount a transformer into it?_

 

Thought about it, but decided not to. Also, the backpanel is finalized so its too late anyway


----------



## The Burn Pt.2




----------



## luidge

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_All audiocabling is pure silver 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

All silver! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I hope it will make a difference SQ and price wise hehe.


----------



## Soymilk

mrmajestic, how did you make the connector ends for the wires that plug into the headers? are those end pieces like a socket and you simply stick it in, or did you solder them in? also, whered you get them?

 thanks.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *The Burn Pt.2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_




_

 

It may be bootleg, but its a beta22!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *luidge* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_All silver! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I hope it will make a difference SQ and price wise hehe._

 

At least it looks cool right 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Bought the silverwire from www.wires.co.uk and the teflontubing from a local store. Much cheaper than buying it readymade. I have a 48 meter roll, so I dont have to be stingy


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Soymilk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_mrmajestic, how did you make the connector ends for the wires that plug into the headers? are those end pieces like a socket and you simply stick it in, or did you solder them in? also, whered you get them?

 thanks._

 


 Its a socket connector that is soldered onto the wire and then covered with heatshrink. Bought them at http://www.elfa.se/en/

 Socket connector: http://www.elfa.se/elfa-bin/dyndok.p...htm?_43_708_05

 Pin header: http://www.elfa.se/elfa-bin/dyndok.pl?dok=146717.htm

 The pin headers where a bit too long for the socket so I had to cut them. But it was worth it, its so much easier to remove the PCB or something else if I have to.


----------



## Mindless

Felt like I needed a new headphone stand so I threw a quick one together. Wood used is teak.






 Time spent (not including glue drying time): <40 minutes.

 Oh, and sorry for the crappy pictures, haven't been able to get a decent camera yet (too much upgrades) so the cellphone had to do.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Now bust out the sandpaper and go to town!


----------



## tomb

Finally cased up my second build of the Millett Hybrid MAXed. For some reason, the original Hummer comes to mind ...


----------



## SayNoToPistons

Looks awesome. What techniques did you use to drill those holes in such a perfect order?


----------



## amb

More pics are here.

 Black one is the "high performance" edition with AD8397+OPA690, silver one is the "extended runtime" edition with LMH6643+LMH6642.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_










 More pics are here.

 Black one is the "high performance" edition with AD8397+OPA690, silver one is the "extended runtime" edition with LMH6643+LMH6642._

 

Looking good, cant wait to build mine


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SayNoToPistons* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks awesome. What techniques did you use to drill those holes in such a perfect order?_

 

Thanks - just a handheld cordless power drill, and a lot of preparation. Details start here:
MAX casework


----------



## vixr

WOW! tomb... that looks fantastic... I really like the back panel layout


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finally cased up my second build of the Millett Hybrid MAXed. For some reason, the original Hummer comes to mind ... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





_

 

Wow Tom, well done!


----------



## nikongod

hello head-fi

 here is a small accumulation of projects:



 a bottlehead seduction MM phono stage. i sanded the case for about an hour gradually working to finer and finer sandpaper and then finished it with tung oil. the wood has a silky smooth look and feel. the luster of the finish is just right for the amp. not shiny and glaringly bright, but not dead and flat either it looks like the amp sounds. to the rear in the ugly black tin are a pair of cinemag MC stepup transformers. they are switchable for 37, 150, and 600 ohm use. there is a 4'th setting, but im not sure exactly what impedance it is. nothing fancy here, cardas input/output rca's, a nice binding post, and some 4pdt switches. i have plans to move the transformers into the seduction chassis in an effort to remove a cable but no time to do the work.



 my DIY pseudo-passive single ended to balanced transformer setup.
 i call it pseudo-passive because it has a buffer between the input and the transformer but all conversion from SE to balanced is done by the transformer. none of my sources can drive 600 ohms directly, so this is how it had to go. the transformers are cinemag's and the buffer is a buf-634. the output half of the transformer has a floating ground - what is a ground loop? the power supply for the buffers is a hopped up Ra-1 type system (2X9V, centere tapped for ground) with lots of elna cerafine caps. 



 this was today's project.
 a balanced mahogany cmoy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 some small liberties taken with all sorts of stuff, but it uses a jrc4556 dual opamp.
 the PSU is more along the lines of the classic cmoy than the traditional mahogany cmoy. it uses a resistor pair to split the rails, since this is a balanced amp and will never be run single ended there is no need for an active ground channel. there is a nichon fine-gold 1000uf/35V cap from rail to rail, and 2 elna cerafine 220uf/25V from rail to ground. there are also a couple tantalum and ceramic caps closer to the opamps.
 i deviated slightly on the resistors to get slightly lower gain for each half of the balanced pair but care was taken to minimize input offset currents. the overall gain of the circuit is about 8, but when you take the transformer into account i find it QUITE nice.
 the input caps are some craptastic 1.5uf/100v caps that came out of a melos headphone amp. they will be gone soon, but this amp was built on a whim with parts on hand. i will replace with auricap's the next time i need to put an order in with partsconexion.
 the pots are dual noble 10K units - one for each channel. i dont have good knobs for them at the moment, but they are QUITE smooth and easy to turn with just the shafts. im sure that with a proper knob they will be a joy to use.


----------



## fierce_freak

That headphone stand is sexy, Mindless. I don't have the tools to make such a thing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Beautiful amps, tomb and amb. I like the balanced mahogany cmoy, nikongod.


----------



## akgk1000

My CalimeroPhonePre With PSU


----------



## fierce_freak

Got my twistedpearaudio.com Opus DAC done and cased. It's pretty flippin' sweet, y0:


----------



## el_matt0

ohh mann, fierce that is on sick piece of work!! looks awesome. funnily enough, i was sitting here a couple days ago, looking at your beautiful b22 and the zhaolu that just DOESNT seem to "visually" match! only now do i understand... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




! brilliant looking pair..i was thinking of doing someting similar, maybe recasing a zhaolu + zapfilter into a matching case for the b22. u manage to sell urs yet? anyways, NICE


----------



## fierce_freak

Thanks a lot, matt0 ;D I was actually thinking of recasing the zapped zhaolu in something like this for some visual matching, but thought I'd try something new, test the waters for head-fi for once instead of letting everyone else do the work. I have someone that's asked me to hold the zapped zhaolu for them, so I'm holding onto it for now.

 Thanks again for the compliment 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll have to get a pic of the matching beta22 and opus together sometime (probably after this weekend, heading down to MD for a meet).


----------



## philodox

How does the opus sound? Significantly better than the zapfiltered zhaolu?


----------



## blackinches

This is a prototype cMoy PCB I designed last month that just now arrived. Features:

 -Bass Boost switch
 -Auto on/off
 -DC auxiliary power jack

 Ignore the crap components; I didn't want to waste anything good in case it didn't work.

 I have ~75 of my latest design on the way. It's a much improved circuit and is small enough to accommodate dual 9V batteries in an Altoids tin. The jacks will also match...

 They sent me 6 boards when I only wanted 3. I'd offer to sell the extras here, but I believe I need 50 posts before that's allowed. Without further adieu:


----------



## bperboy

^^^
 Very nice, I like the design!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *blackinches* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is a prototype cMoy PCB I designed last month that just now arrived. Features:

 -Bass Boost switch
 -Auto on/off
 -DC auxiliary power jack

 Ignore the crap components; I didn't want to waste anything good in case it didn't work.

 I have ~75 of my latest design on the way. It's a much improved circuit and is small enough to accommodate dual 9V batteries in an Altoids tin. The jacks will also match...

 They sent me 6 boards when I only wanted 3. I'd offer to sell the extras here, but I believe I need 50 posts before that's allowed. Without further adieu:_

 

Looks nice, I'd consider buying it at some point. Cant have too many portable amps


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *philodox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How does the opus sound? Significantly better than the zapfiltered zhaolu?_

 

Sacrilege...please have this man shot at once.

 Actually I'd like to hear your impressions too. Beautiful casework too freak! Congrats.

 I hope Matt enjoys the Zapped Zhaolu as much as I do.


----------



## blackinches

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks nice, I'd consider buying it at some point. Cant have too many portable amps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I've already sold 3 of the 6 boards in four hours. But, I will have at least 4 newer revision PCB's by Saturday (probably more since they doubled this order). I highly recommend waiting for my final board. It's wire-free, except for the 9V connector leads.

 I put an OPA2227 in and I've never heard a better cMoy


----------



## skudmunky

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *blackinches* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I've already sold 3 of the 6 boards in four hours. But, I will have at least 4 newer revision PCB's by Saturday (probably more since they doubled this order). I highly recommend waiting for my final board. It's wire-free, except for the 9V connector leads.

 I put an OPA2227 in and I've never heard a better cMoy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

why not move the toggle switch to the front? wouldn't want it snagging in your pockets mid-song


----------



## blackinches

Yep, that was sort of my original plan. I was going to use a bass boost potentiometer, but after trying four (an Alps 10k, a Vishay 50K, a Panasonic 50K, and some Australian 100K pot), I gave up because I hated the sound. Matched resistors and a switch sound much better, although the boost amplitude is fixed. I only mounted the switch on the side for this first build because the switches I have sitting around are too large.

 My final design utilizes an ultra-mini toggle switch mounted in between threaded 3.5mm jacks (no more hot glue):


----------



## Faust2D

Hybrid Ecc84 / MOSFET amp I made with my friend.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Faust2D* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 Hybrid Ecc84 / MOSFET amp I made with my friend._

 

Well, I really cant say clean work...heh. Does it sound good?


----------



## el_matt0

ya fierce, impressions on the opus compared to the zhaolu? if you dont mind me asking, what was the parts bill for the opus, just as a basis of comparison to zhaolu..(i cant seem to open the main twistedpear page for whatever reason lol). nice stuff tho, real nice stuff


----------



## Faust2D

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *colonelkernel8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well, I really cant say clean work...heh. Does it sound good?_

 

Yep, sounds great. "Circuit board" is there just to hold things in place, no traces, all connections are done with old Siemens & Grundig wire.


----------



## KerryKing

My fathers latest headphone stand he made for me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?i...dstand2we9.jpg

 /Erik


----------



## Seaside

Small desktop amp based on diamond buffer output stage combined with OP amp.

 As always, on purfboard. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Top view








 Buffer







 Bottom view








 Enjoy.


----------



## d0td0t

Seaside very nice soldering job, I tot its gonna get shorted. How it sounds like?


----------



## TzeYang

ah i see sijosae's simple diamond buffers with stacked output transistors.

 What transistor pairs did you used? The good ol BC3x7-25s?


----------



## MusicallySilent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KerryKing* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My fathers latest headphone stand he made for me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?i...dstand2we9.jpg

 /Erik_

 

I am not meaning this in a negative way

 But that is the strangest looking stand I have ever seen in both material and looks 

 I sat there just wondering what that thing is made of... It looks cool how it shifts from one color to the other and it just looks so different

 Mind telling us what it is made of?


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


 I sat there just wondering what that thing is made of 
 

I'll take a guess. It's branches that the builder picked up and played with until he found pieces that "fit" what he had is his mind to construct. 

 Your father has some skills / imagination.


----------



## Brian_the_King

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I am not meaning this in a negative way

 But that is the strangest looking stand I have ever seen in both material and looks 

 I sat there just wondering what that thing is made of... It looks cool how it shifts from one color to the other and it just looks so different

 Mind telling us what it is made of?_

 


 ; o x2


----------



## KerryKing

Well i am not quite sure what kind of wood it is made of 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But the dark part in the rear is part of a moose hipbone, well if you want to know the wood parts i can ask him next time i speak to him 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /Erik

 And what he gets the ideas from i have no clue


----------



## fierce_freak

Sorry for the late reply guys, I've been away from internets access. I'll certainly have impressions for you guys, soon, with perhaps some comparison to the Zhaolu.


----------



## swt61

I look forward to them, as long as you don't say it sounds better than the Zapped Zhaolu.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I look forward to them, as long as you don't say it sounds better than the Zapped Zhaolu. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Wipes the floor with it, it does.


----------



## Seaside

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *d0td0t* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Seaside very nice soldering job, I tot its gonna get shorted. How it sounds like?_

 

Thanks. I had to pack transiters that way in order to make whole amp out of that small purf board. It was kind of hard to solder, but that's the way I designed. It sound quite warm and nice.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ah i see sijosae's simple diamond buffers with stacked output transistors.

 What transistor pairs did you used? The good ol BC3x7-25s?_

 

You're quite right about it, except sijosae part. It's simplifed diamond buffer as you said, but I draw the layout all by myself without seeing his design. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 First pair of TR's are BC550/560, and stacked output TR's are 3904/3906.


----------



## TzeYang

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Seaside* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks. I had to pack transiters that way in order to make whole amp out of that small purf board. It was kind of hard to solder, but that's the way I designed. It sound quite warm and nice.



 You're quite right about it, *except sijosae part*. It's simplifed diamond buffer as you said, but I draw the layout all by myself without seeing his design. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 First pair of TR's are BC550/560, and stacked output TR's are 3904/3906._

 

Ah, I know. But it's much easier to refer this version of db (simple resistors as CCS) as sijosae's db lol.


----------



## MusicallySilent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KerryKing* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well i am not quite sure what kind of wood it is made of 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But the dark part in the rear is part of a moose hipbone, well if you want to know the wood parts i can ask him next time i speak to him 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /Erik

 And what he gets the ideas from i have no clue 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yea I was just wondering materials I don't need specific woods... That is creative using a moose hipbone in a stand..


----------



## rjkdivin

I finally got my Active Ground B22 with S22 from AMB cased up into an ATI 645T case. The case was several inches shorter than I would have liked, and resulted in a tight fit front to back, so I installed an EMI shield between the PSU and AMP sections. It is made from aluminum plate with grounded copper foil on one side, and Mu-Metal on the other.
 The heat produced is substantial, so I supplemented the stock corner slots with screened holes in the top....the combination of side slots and top holes works well.
 The sound is amazing, and has an absolutely black background like the M3.....very detailed and non-fatigueing listening


----------



## Towert7

Wow rjkdivin, so fancy!


----------



## The Burn Pt.2

dayum rjkdivin @_@ I might just copy that layout >.>


----------



## bperboy

Rjkdivan, thats FANTASTIC!!


----------



## neogersang

This is my 1st post...

 Coke DAC 





















 more pics below
http://blog.neochen.com/article.asp?id=407


----------



## Dual

That is awesome neogersang. I wish I had the skill to create stuff like this.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rjkdivin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finally got my Active Ground B22 with S22 from AMB cased up into an ATI 645T case._

 

Beautiful work, very clean!


----------



## fuzzy fuzzbucket

here's my porta headphone amp...



 the open view..


----------



## bperboy

Ahh, really big really fuzzy pics! Please resize or at least get a better camera


----------



## fuzzy fuzzbucket

my 10watts stereo amp...


----------



## Faust2D

Non-OS (CS8412 & TDA1541) DAC with p2p output (ECC88 & ECC83) stage and custom hand made transformers. This is something we planed with my buddy and he made for me.


----------



## Blooze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KerryKing* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well i am not quite sure what kind of wood it is made of 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But the dark part in the rear is part of a moose hipbone, well if you want to know the wood parts i can ask him next time i speak to him 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /Erik

 And what he gets the ideas from i have no clue 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 The bottom and top look a lot like part of a cypress knee or even a cottonwood or elm. The first part off the base to the bone part is diamond willow. fantastically beautiful stuff when a nice piece is carved into a wakling stick. Not bad to work with as well when carving. http://carverscompanion.com/Ezine/Vo...e/Article.html


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fuzzy fuzzbucket* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my 10watts stereo amp...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






_

 

I see why they call you fuzzy.


----------



## el_matt0

oh man...tooo funny!


----------



## fuzzy fuzzbucket

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Faust2D* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Non-OS (CS8412 & TDA1541) DAC with p2p output (ECC88 & ECC83) stage and custom hand made transformers. This is something we planed with my buddy and he made for me.














_

 

wow!!! your style of assembly reminds me of the age when PCBs aren't around yet. those like in early valve circuitry.... cool.... your E caps are WOW!!!!!!!!
 haha n i also like that core type transformer you have there...


----------



## thegeek

I've finally finished a few projects (the m3 and steps got tired of living in a cardboard box)
 Edit: forgot to say that I was (heavily) inspired by shiggins: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...5&postcount=42

 AMB m^3 Headphone Amplifier + Tangent STEPS psu:





























 Myref C stereo-amplifier + kookaburra preamp (kits from twisted pear audio):


----------



## fortney

Excellent work. You are an artist.
 Would you tell us what metal enclosure you used in the M3 amp? I have never been able to find any with a removable top. I will have to imitate your use of wooden end plates.

 F


----------



## thegeek

The metal case used for the m3 and steps is the biggest hammond (1455T2201BK)


----------



## sachu

This is my DIY DAC.
 Its an Elecktor Audio DAC 2000.


----------



## rsaavedra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *thegeek* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Myref C stereo-amplifier + *kookaburra* preamp (kits from twisted pear audio):_

 

Someone at Twisted Pear Audio has to be really twisted to name a component "kookaburra." That's a seriously bad-mouth sounding word in some Spanish speaking countries.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rsaavedra* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Someone at Twisted Pear Audio has to be really twisted to name a component "kookaburra." That's a seriously bad-mouth sounding word in some Spanish speaking countries._

 

I'd imagine that most people only know of it as the bird, not some foul word.


----------



## rsaavedra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'd imagine that most people only know of it as the bird, not some foul word._

 

Gee I'm the twisted mind then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Just searched the web and discovered there are tons of references for that word, even quite a few product brands using the bird as the brand logo. I'm amazed at my own vocabulary ignorance. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 "Kookaburra cricket bats", gee my evil self is laughing out hard just thinking about it...

 To be fair, the expression I was thinking of in Spanish has a different spelling, and has two words which I rather not write. But I'm pretty sure many Spanish speakers reading that very same spelling, "kookaburra", would think of what I'm thinking of. For sure anyone in my country would, plus anyone from a few other countries in Latin America.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rsaavedra* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Someone at Twisted Pear Audio has to be really twisted to name a component "kookaburra." That's a seriously bad-mouth sounding word in some Spanish speaking countries._

 

Its actually a bird: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kookaburra


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rsaavedra* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Gee I'm the twisted mind then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Just searched the web and discovered there are tons of references for that word, even quite a few product brands using the bird as the brand logo. I'm amazed at my own vocabulary ignorance. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 "Kookaburra cricket bats", gee my evil self is laughing out hard just thinking about it...

 To be fair, the expression I was thinking of in Spanish has a different spelling, and has two words which I rather not write. But I'm pretty sure many Spanish speakers reading that very same spelling, "kookaburra", would think of what I'm thinking of. For sure anyone in my country would, plus anyone from a few other countries in Latin America._

 

Well now you've made me curious about this mysterious foul-mouthed expression.


----------



## rsaavedra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well now you've made me curious about this mysterious foul-mouthed expression. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Ok, well let me try to give you a hint: "Burra" is a female dunkey in Spanish -exact spelling. That other part, "kooka" is the one that doesn't match the spelling of the other word in Spanish, but sounds very much the same. That other word I _can't_ translate without gettting in trouble though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I hope you get the gist of this poor translation.


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_@mminutel

 I envy you guys who have the place to work on external cases. The place that i'm living in right now does not have this kind of privilege. I feel so sorry every time i saw my naked amps.

 Anyway, why is the legs of the film cap on your pimeta on the ground channel so long? XD_

 


 Before purchasing anything else, the first task in DIY is to clear the area and claim you own personalized custom work/living space. Sometimes, one must run off the silly rule-laden undesriables to accomplish this. All the toys, parts, tools and gadgets follow.


----------



## ntrl

Hi All

 I build external storage on 1.5TB (RAID5) for music library and HDTV's files.




 MB Intel Q965, ICH8-R, 1GBIT lan, 4 HDD WD 500GB AAKS





 Gentoo Linux inside. Boot from USB Flash.





 Total space 1.5TB (Raid 5) or 2GB raid 0.





 Connect with my PC over 1GBIT LAN (iSCSI).
 Manage through web-interface.





 Speed 40-50 MB/sec.

 This box lays in other room. And my computer became noiseless 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



Here mini worklog, and here (use babelfish)

 Sorry for bad English.


----------



## bperboy

That is really cool! Did you have any instructions or anything to build that, or did you pretty much set it up on your own? I'm handy with a computer, and that might be a good idea, although I might prefer a regular External HD stack. How was the price on that?


----------



## ntrl

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is really cool! Did you have any instructions or anything to build that, or did you pretty much set it up on your own? I'm handy with a computer, and that might be a good idea, although I might prefer a regular External HD stack. How was the price on that?_

 

Adjusted independently. Instructions I shall write in the future. The price has made: MB 110 $ + CPU 90 $ + RAM 20 $ + CASE 50 $ + HDD $90 *4 + USBFLASH 20 $ = *Total 650 $*. For comparison BlueRay player at us costs 1000 $ and disks on 50 $


----------



## bperboy

Very nice! Its a good idea, especially now that I've passed 100gb of music.


----------



## KerryKing

Time for some pics on my Mini3










 Well there it is

 /Erik


----------



## rille2

Here are some pics of my M³:


















 The Knob is a "Star Knob" from the German company OKW. The red circle is illuminated by LEDs and the knob does not exceed the front panel.


----------



## MusicallySilent

That is a cool knob especially with the low profile

 Im guessing you could have made it in a smaller case if you felt like it?


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Im guessing you could have made it in a smaller case if you felt like it?_

 

I wanted some distance between the transformer and the audio circuit. The case is 43,5 cm wide, so it has the standard hifi format and is easy to integrate in a hifi system.


----------



## krmathis

rille2. Thats what I call a clean build!
 Nice work.

 ...and welcome to Head-Fi!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KerryKing* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Time for some pics on my Mini3










 Well there it is

 /Erik_

 

Nice work mate


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here are some pics of my M³:_

 

Beautiful work, rille2. Super clean looking, and that knob is definitely an eye catcher. Neat!


----------



## mb3k

rille2,
 The knob reminds me of the Xbox 360 power button.
 I love the attention to all the details.


----------



## rille2

Here another 2 pics with closed case. The perforated metal plate allows the heat to disappear from the case. The M³ produces quite a bit heat for a headphone amp.


----------



## akgk1000

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KerryKing* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Time for some pics on my Mini3










 Well there it is

 /Erik_

 

Do you have photograph of the insite of this Amp?
 Nice work


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *akgk1000* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you have photograph of the insite of this Amp?
 Nice work_

 

Thank you, here is some inside pictures.













 /Erik


----------



## bperboy

Oh jeese, I can't wait to build mine now! Nice work!


----------



## rjkdivin

I finally got my Minified Pints into their cases......designed for the desk top rather than the pocket. They sound great, and now I'm anxious to start on my Mini3s. One new thing I learned.....some foam rubbers are conductive, and should not be used as pads under a PCB


----------



## mb3k

Wow, you're one of the rare ones that have the PINT working w/out oscillation!
 Kudos, the casing is awesome BTW!


----------



## rjkdivin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, you're one of the rare ones that have the PINT working w/out oscillation!
 Kudos, the casing is awesome BTW!_

 

Thanks mbk3....I never had any issues with the pint when I built them last year. I used AMB's instruction sheet to Minify them; I used the AD8397 for L&R and the LM6172 for the ground channel; I installed all caps except C6; the gain is set to 6 on one and 11 on the other. I tested them at voltages from 9v up to 18v with my bench supply with no issues....I use Sennheiser 600 and 650 cans. With the two 9v batteries in series, or a 15v wallwart, the idle current is about 30mA, and the temperature of the 8397 only gets up to about 104deg F.

 I have a Hornet, a Minibox E, and will be building at least two Mini3s as traveling amps, so I decided to case the Pints up as desktop units.


----------



## jbloudg20

Same here. I've build a crapload of pints, and never had a problem, all confirmed with an oscope.


----------



## cactus friend

You guys and your amazing builds....

 I haven't seen any pics of the doublet amp yet, and I just finished mine on sunday after receiving the board from Sam at octopart.com.

 It's basically 2 cmoys with the rail splitter additions for the ground and also a protection diode. Sorry for the webcam quality of the pics:


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jbloudg20* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Same here. I've build a crapload of pints, and never had a problem, all confirmed with an oscope._

 

X3. I built well over 20 of them. None of them had any sort of problems. All of them were tested with an oscilloscope.

 -Alex-


----------



## Joshatdot

Joshatdot CMoy v1.01 - Panasonic FM 220uF 25v power cap, EPCOS Metal Poly Film 1.0uF input caps, OPA2227PA with dual 9v batts in series, Yageo 1% 1/4 watt resistors, Alps RK097 Pot/Switch.

 Three things I noticed when building this CMoy:

 1. I need a new corded or cordless Drill. My dads 15+ year old crafts man 9.6v took forever to charge, and was weak! So I tried to use my Dremel. But my Dremel went crazy and eff'ed my all my holes.
 2. I need a stepped uni-drill bit, hopefully one in metric. Standard metal/wood bits tore the thin Mint Tin metal.
 3. I need a complete hex/allen wrench set. I could not firmly attach the knob to the POT.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Joshatdot* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Joshatdot CMoy v1.01 - Panasonic FM 220uF 25v power cap, EPCOS Metal Poly Film 1.0uF input caps, OPA2227PA with dual 9v batts in series, Yageo 1% 1/4 watt resistors, Alps RK097 Pot/Switch.

 Three things I noticed when building this CMoy:

 1. I need a new corded or cordless Drill. My dads 15+ year old crafts man 9.6v took forever to charge, and was weak! So I tried to use my Dremel. But my Dremel went crazy and eff'ed my all my holes.
 2. I need a stepped uni-drill bit, hopefully one in metric. Standard metal/wood bits tore the thin Mint Tin metal.
 3. I need a complete hex/allen wrench set. I could not firmly attach the knob to the POT.



 

 

 

_

 

On the Unibit, it is a very nice bit, but I think it won't help a whole lot on the tin cans, as the aluminum is so weak it just bends in regardless. What needs to happen is a block of wood that is put up against the side of the container when drilling so that the metal doesn't bend in.


----------



## tomb

Use a standard paper hole punch - the kind with the plier handles. It punches the most beautiful, perfectly shaped 1/4" holes in mint tins. You can use it to nibble square and rectangular holes, too. It will even cut through the rolled lip on the sides of the top.


----------



## Joshatdot

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Use a standard paper hole punch - the kind with the plier handles. It punches the most beautiful, perfectly shaped 1/4" holes in mint tins. You can use it to nibble square and rectangular holes, too. It will even cut through the rolled lip on the sides of the top._

 

Sweet idea! I never would have thought of a Paper Hole Punch!

 Do they come in other sizes? Or will 1/4" be fine for all my holes? My IN/OUT jacks would fit nicely in a 6mm hole, and the Alps would fit in a 7mm hole.

 edit: Oh...how would you center these punches? eye ball it?


----------



## Joshatdot

I had one! And the paper hole punch works great! I just had to nip out the POT hole abit bigger, but the jacks fit perfectly!


----------



## tomb

Glad you agree! I can't take credit for the idea, though, someone else suggested it first - can't remember who. Anyway, I tried the hole punch on my recent Alien Dac's. I was surprised how well it worked:


----------



## vixr

WOW! Tom, awesome work... that colored foam really does the trick.


----------



## seldom_used

Yay, my first diy amp and the first post here, too. This thread is infectious!
 A $0 Cmoy, made entirely from parts that were kicking around.
 I took the schematic from tangentsoft's tutorial, my dad actually did most of the soldering. I added a led, switch, battery leads, and cased it up of course.
 The opamp is of a buck-a-dozen variety (ST TL072CN), left over from a guitar amp project. It sounds OK though not better than the stock Rio Karma I'm using it with. I think the next step is making a proper Cmoy with good-quality parts.
 Right now it's driving either Ety ER-6i or Shure E3 - I'm not sure yet which ones to keep and which to sell - the amp was meant to help me decide!


----------



## koike

Mini3 Fresh Off The Oven!


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *koike* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Mini3 Fresh Off The Oven!_

 

I like it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Makes me want to build my other one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Going to make your own faceplate or getting one in the group buy?


----------



## koike

making my own face plate but theres one problem
 the hammond 1455c801 had a defect.
 i cannot fit the pcb inside.
 i need to return it to farnell, have them ship another one from the US.
 before i can start milling the front panel!


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *koike* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_making my own face plate but theres one problem
 the hammond 1455c801 had a defect.
 i cannot fit the pcb inside.
 i need to return it to farnell, have them ship another one from the US.
 before i can start milling the front panel!_

 

Ouch, that is not good to hear. Hope you get it soon.
 Its a nice one to listen to...


----------



## koike

yeah im running the high performance version.
 its great.


----------



## Martin Lau

How nice your design is .I'm very interest in it.


----------



## blackinches

I'm 75% done with my Mini3, built with the "high performance" opamps. I'm waiting on a Mouser order (resistors, heh). It's going to be case-less for a while:


----------



## Joshatdot

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *blackinches* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm 75% done with my Mini3, built with the "high performance" opamps. I'm waiting on a Mouser order (resistors, heh). It's going to be case-less for a while:




_

 

Are the M^3 jacks CUI's SJ1-3533NG's?


----------



## blackinches

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Joshatdot* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are the M^3 jacks CUI's SJ1-3533NG's?_

 

Yes, check out the Parts List at AMB's site. The Mini3 can be built very cheaply.


----------



## koike

mm just my opinion but you shouldnt have done up the rest if you didnt have your resistors down. its gonna be a bitch to solder them down now.


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *koike* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_mm just my opinion but you shouldnt have done up the rest if you didnt have your resistors down. its gonna be a bitch to solder them down now._

 

Nah, that's an easy thing to do, they aren't smd.


----------



## koike

alright not that much of a bitch.
 maybe just a tad more troublesome.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *koike* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_alright not that much of a bitch.
 maybe just a tad more troublesome._

 

Ehh, not even a little bit!


----------



## cfcubed

blackinches - Nice looking Mini3... That's on my list to maybe do someday, but have to do something w/my MilletMax PCB 1st


----------



## blackinches

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *koike* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_alright not that much of a bitch.
 maybe just a tad more troublesome._

 

I'm with bperboy. Resistors have long leads, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm 21 years old and still have the advantage of good eyesight and steady hands. It'll be no more difficult than if I'd soldered them in after the opamps as AMB recommends.

 FedEx says my Mouser shipment will arrive tomorrow...as in Saturday. I've never received a FedEx Home/Ground package on a Saturday. Is that a status error?

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_blackinches - Nice looking Mini3... That's on my list to maybe do someday, but have to do something w/my MilletMax PCB 1st
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks. I can't wait to hear it!


----------



## Teerawit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KerryKing* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I like it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Makes me want to build my other one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Going to make your own faceplate or getting one in the group buy?_

 

Sorry I've been gone from Head-Fi for a while, but do you have a link for the faceplate group buy?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Teerawit* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sorry I've been gone from Head-Fi for a while, but do you have a link for the faceplate group buy?_

 

Unfortunately the Mini³ v2 front and rear panels group buy is closed for weeks.


----------



## rille2

Here is my newest headphone amp:























 It uses a TPA6120 and a LM4562, the board is from UB-Audio. The power supply is self developed. It uses 2 fixed voltage regulators in series for each rail (7815 and 7812) for improved supply voltage rejection and schottky diodes:


----------



## koike

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *blackinches* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_-snip-_

 

haha maybe because i have big hands and a bigger tip on my iron.


----------



## blackinches

Very nice amp, rille2.

 I finished my Mini3 (circuit-wise), and WOW, it sounds *great*.

 Edit: Ignore the alkaline battery; I haven't ordered a NiMHd battery yet. I'm also waiting on a bulk order of blue LEDs.


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my newest headphone amp:_

 

Nice work, rille! Welcome to Head-Fi and congrats on this post! Beauty!


----------



## Eokboy

SOHA:





 Built on perfboard, so it is easy for me to tweak component layout to fit the small case. The Hammond 1455L1202 is jam packed inside. Added tube LED and turn on delay relay. Transformer is in a separate, not-as-aesthetically-pleasing box, meant to be chucked under the table beside other wallwarts...

 PIMETA:




 Using Hammond 1455J1202. Built in trickle charger.


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Eokboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_SOHA:
http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1337/sohapw2.jpg
 Built on perfboard, so it is easy for me to tweak component layout to fit the small case. The Hammond 1455L1202 is jam packed inside. Added tube LED and turn on delay relay. Transformer is in a separate, not-as-aesthetically-pleasing box, meant to be chucked under the table beside other wallwarts...

 PIMETA:
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/6595/pimetavh4.jpg
 Using Hammond 1455J1202. Built in trickle charger._

 


 So nice and Slim, inside pictures wanted


----------



## Raikiri

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tess* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I've been building my Zippo Amps again, thought I would try and make it outwardly as neat as possible by getting rid of the Toggle switch and using the Alps RK097 On/Off volume pot that Tangent sells on his site.

 I had the boards specially made up and are a double sided design curved on one corner so that they fit neatly into a Zippo or Altoids tin.

 The original design is one Guzzler posted a while ago and I have altered a couple of times along the way.
















_*
*
*


Hi, could you supply a parts list for this amp? I am planning on making a cmoy at some point and it would be really useful. 

 I did have a look for Guzzler's post but couldn't find anything.

 Thanks!*


----------



## Eokboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KerryKing* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So nice and Slim, inside pictures wanted 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Sorry I didn't get to take internal pics. Borrowed someone's camphone only for a short while.

 All the B+ and voltage doubler 100uF 100V caps are soldered lying down, as well as the 1000uF rail and cathode bypass caps. At first I wanted to use taller 1455N, but it turns out the 30mm tall 1455L works out fine and is cheaper too.


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Eokboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sorry I didn't get to take internal pics. Borrowed someone's camphone only for a short while.

 All the B+ and voltage doubler 100uF 100V caps are soldered lying down, as well as the 1000uF rail and cathode bypass caps. At first I wanted to use taller 1455N, but it turns out the 30mm tall 1455L works out fine and is cheaper too._

 

To bad, would have been nice to view 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Sounds like a tight fit and a nice piece of work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /Erik


----------



## weeghel

It's the CK2-III

 I really wanted to build something, I haven't done anything with DIY audio in a long, long time. But I didn't want to design it myself and I also wanted a discrete amp. 
 I found AMB's pages on the web and the threads on head-fi and headwize. Easy choice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I re-used some parts that I had left-over from my failed tube-Szekerers hybrid amp (mainly the chassis and other mechanical parts). 

 It was easy to build (thanks to an excellent write-up by AMB) and it works great. I've been listening to it for a few hours now and I really regret not building something years ago


----------



## fuzzy fuzzbucket

fit an amp (FK673) in a card case with UM4 batt...


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my newest headphone amp:

_

 

This is exactly the way i wanted to do my case, were did you get those profiles????


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fuzzy fuzzbucket* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_




 fit an amp (FK673) in a card case with UM4 batt..._

 

That is a small and nice case


----------



## bearmann

Hi,
 it's my first time on head-fi.org ... hello to everyone. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Lurking around here since last year - but finally tried myself on diying a C-Moy. With the help of tangentsoft.net and some german hifi-members I've finished this weekend my C-Moy. 
 Nothin' eye candy, but it works and I'm really impressed. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Next step will be a decent psu ... then cables ... Alien DAC ... you know. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 So, here are some pics...












 the dirty pcb is my fault ... tried to clean it with isopropanol and after that this white clammy film was all over the pcb. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Will fix it up with some electronic-spray these days.







 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## Towert7

No, it's not Valve or Solid State. ^_^

 My new Design for headphone stands.

















 This design was inspired by old Japanese Architecture. I have tried many different variations on this shape, but I like this the best. This has been painted the colors of the origional piece, however I can also use exotic woods with this design.

 It's very sturdy. Can hold two full sized headphones eaisly, or three small size headphones. The wings are curved to keep the headphones from slipping off the ends.

 I'm going to donate two of my prototypes to the Boston/NE head-fi meet.


----------



## bearmann

Really nice stand, towert7. Love the asia-look! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## Towert7

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bearmann* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Really nice stand, towert7. Love the asia-look! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 best regards,
 bearmann_

 

Thanks Bearmann!


----------



## rjkdivin

I cased up a trio of Alien DACs last week.....all working great. I opted for the dual powered set-up and copied AMB's switch/power jack placement front to back. They work very well. I've been listening thru a Minified Pint and a pair of Senn HD-600s.


----------



## Gatsu

Towert7,

 Holy crap, that comes under the category of "I wish I had thought of that first!"

 Very nice, even when there is nothing on it, it looks good!


----------



## Joshatdot

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Towert7* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No, it's not Valve or Solid State. ^_^

 My new Design for headphone stands.

 ~snip~

 This design was inspired by old Japanese Architecture. I have tried many different variations on this shape, but I like this the best. This has been painted the colors of the origional piece, however I can also use exotic woods with this design.

 It's very sturdy. Can hold two full sized headphones eaisly, or three small size headphones. The wings are curved to keep the headphones from slipping off the ends.

 I'm going to donate two of my prototypes to the Boston/NE head-fi meet._

 

WOW!! Thats beautiful!


----------



## Gunsou

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Towert7* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No, it's not Valve or Solid State. ^_^

 My new Design for headphone stands.

















 This design was inspired by old Japanese Architecture. I have tried many different variations on this shape, but I like this the best. This has been painted the colors of the origional piece, however I can also use exotic woods with this design.

 It's very sturdy. Can hold two full sized headphones eaisly, or three small size headphones. The wings are curved to keep the headphones from slipping off the ends.

 I'm going to donate two of my prototypes to the Boston/NE head-fi meet._

 


 Awesome! Im very impressed! Can i copy you?


----------



## labmat

Can we seriously stop posting "quotes" with the original photos; it's not that hard to edit them out.


----------



## luidge

Great idea Towert7!
 So your father will be selling those? 
 If he got some cheaper prototype to sell i am interested


----------



## ferds

Hi guys,

 just want to post some pictures of the projects that i finished recently..


 I call this amp, HEPA Headamp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Hepa - Heaphone Enthusiast and Portable Addicts.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 . Basically its a TPA6120 based amp with OPA2107 as its driver.. it sounds very nice.. i built a couple of this amps for my friends.


















 and here my USB NOS dac..


----------



## luidge

Wow those cases look really sharp!
 Where did you get them from? It should be a good match for my upcomming Phono preamp


----------



## ferds

I bought them locally. for $5 each..


----------



## Joshatdot

What case did you use? I haven't seen a Hammond in that color.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ferds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi guys,

 just want to post some pictures of the projects that i finished recently..


 I call this amp, HEPA Headamp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Hepa - Heaphone Enthusiast and Portable Addicts.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 . Basically its a TPA6120 based amp with OPA2107 as its driver.. it sounds very nice.. i built a couple of this amps for my friends.





 and here my USB NOS dac.. 




_


----------



## ferds

HI Joshatdot,

 i dont know whats the name of the case.. i think they are only available locally.. they are very cheap.. you can get them @ $4 each if you buy more. i think they were made from china..

 tnx


----------



## DaKi][er

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *labmat* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Can we seriously stop posting "quotes" with the original photos; it's not that hard to edit them out._

 

Yea, please people, show some etiquette and edit out the image tags. On another forum I visit it is against the rules to quote images and they even hand out bans to people who repetitively offend


----------



## bearmann

second this!
 Especially if there are three ore more high-res pics... everybody knows which pictures/posts/people you mean - even if you quote without the images.

 @ferds: really nice stuff! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Are there schematics for your amp or dac? 

 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## en480c4

I just finished the new wood cups for my HF-1s...

 Before:





 After, before finishing: 





 Finished, with the flash:





 Finished, without the flash:





 Looking forward to getting them assembled tonight.


----------



## threEchelon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *en480c4* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just finished the new wood cups for my HF-1s...

 Looking forward to getting them assembled tonight._

 

I liked the cups better without the shiny finish.


----------



## fuzzy fuzzbucket

i think matt or waxed would be nice?? oh well, those cups are already finished... wonder how they'll look.... ok, built my FK676 today... no pics yet


----------



## en480c4

The problem with oils and waxes is the wood usually won't stay the color it starts at. They also don't do as good a job protecting the wood from dings and the like. These were already darker than I originally wanted after applying the tung oil, so I wanted to be sure to seal them to further darkening.


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *en480c4* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just finished the new wood cups for my HF-1s...

 Finished, without the flash:
http://pics.montypics.com/en480c4/20...nished_004.jpg

 Looking forward to getting them assembled tonight._

 

Love it with the deep finish you have on them.. Superb


----------



## adfinni

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *en480c4* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The problem with oils and waxes is the wood usually won't stay the color it starts at. They also don't do as good a job protecting the wood from dings and the like. These were already darker than I originally wanted after applying the tung oil, so I wanted to be sure to seal them to further darkening._

 

WOW, truly WOW

 Don't suppose you offer a service for modding HF-1's, or will do in the future. A serious contender compared to headphile.


----------



## labmat

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ferds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I call this amp, HEPA Headamp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. Hepa - Heaphone Enthusiast and Portable Addicts.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 . Basically its a TPA6120 based amp with OPA2107 as its driver.. it sounds very nice.. i built a couple of this amps for my friends._

 

Dude those look tight... did you spray paint the topside of the PCBs?


----------



## rb67

My Bijou (Cavalli Lovell Futterman)

 Yeah.. my woodworking skills are quite poor... but hey I did it all without power tools (except a drill). At least i'm not trying to sell it 

 Wood is african mahogany finished with tung oil.


----------



## luidge

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rb67* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My Bijou (Cavalli Lovell Futterman)

 Yeah.. my woodworking skills are quite poor..._

 

Well i find it astounding! It look vintage and i love it! Congrats


----------



## philodox

Nice amp! I used to have interconnects made from that wire and they were terrible, I hope your luck is better with it. Might be worth trying something else to see though.


----------



## Fred333

Very nice builds. I really like the Japanese design stand.


----------



## vixr

here is something I've been working on...its still a little rough. That is my second Millett MAX in there. The front and rear panels will be made of the same aluminum stock, painted flat black along with the side panels.


----------



## mb3k

Wow, how did you manage to cut it so cleanly? What tool?


----------



## vixr

just a standard jigsaw... I used one of those diamond impregnated blades. if you cut too fast, the blade just loads up with metal particles. The jigsaw has a trigger limit wheel that you can dial in the max speed of the saw. I just set it to a bit under medium speed.


----------



## en480c4

Got the HF-1s put back together... They came out pretty well. As usual, there was some adjusting to get everything to go together. And I'm still undecided about the grills I used and going buttonless. But for now they're friction-fit together until I decide on the screening, buttons and the recable that's been in the planning stages for the better part of 2 years! I'll be curious to get some sonic impressions after some people have had a chance to give them a listen at the Boston meet tomorrow.


----------



## ruZZ.il

vixr, wow. can't wait to see it finished!


----------



## Polaris111688

Hmm, after blowing my left speaker's woofer out of the water due to something stupid I did to my power amplifier (I built it), I decided to fine-tune my PPAv2 headphone amp.









 I decided to add three 10uF Nichicon Muse capacitors to the power rail in addition to the six 330uF Elna SILMIC IIs and the five 0.1uF film capacitors (yellow ones below the electrolytics). Total capacitance is roughly 2010uF.

 I also decided to up the bias on each output transistor from 30mA to 40mA. I also forced more class-A biasing onto each opamp (2.4mA for each opamp).


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *en480c4* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Got the HF-1s put back together... They came out pretty well. As usual, there was some adjusting to get everything to go together. And I'm still undecided about the grills I used and going buttonless. But for now they're friction-fit together until I decide on the screening, buttons and the recable that's been in the planning stages for the better part of 2 years! I'll be curious to get some sonic impressions after some people have had a chance to give them a listen at the Boston meet tomorrow.

 [http://pics.montypics.com/en480c4/20...phones_009.jpg_

 

This is among the best woodies i have ever seen. So gorgeous.....


----------



## Sathimas

I finally finished my SOHA, took me about 3 weeks.
 The casework started much earlier, since it was firstly meant to become the home of another amp.

























 Here's the real setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Usually my TV blocks the space where I fotographed the SOHA.





 Hope you like it.
 The SOHA finally makes my totally happy with my DT880, I won't change anything here the next years (or months 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )
 Next step will be the acoustic optimization of my room, maybe some speaker upgrade ...


----------



## KerryKing

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sathimas* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hope you like it._

 

How could we not.
 Wood is so lovely and when used as you do it is so beautiful....
 These and the woodiefied HF1 above is what i want 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /Erik


----------



## Ech0

Looks great Sathimas, the case is really nice.


----------



## kklee

Millet Max with MOSFET output stage.


----------



## tomb

Gorgeous, kklee - I'll post them on the website, first chance. Got more?


----------



## M_Bipartitus

Finally finished my first Tube (/ Hybrid) project. A p2p SOHA. The housing is wood (from an old Fourplay kit) and silver plated brass.











 Nothing too special inside. Using Musicaps for coupling and OPA551 for the opamp. Also have an EMI filter.






 After some short rolling, I'm using an RCA Cleartop 12AU7A


----------



## n_maher

My new DAC.





 What is it? It's the world's only (for now?) stand alone Headroom Balanced MAX DAC. The name, "Hertsens Signature DAC" was my idea and is just meant to accomplish two goals, one to give a hint at what's in the box and two to pay a small tribute to a guy that bleeds the headphone hobby. 

 Now there's a bit of a story behind how this came to be and of course more pictures so bear with me. Around two years ago I started a campaign of giving Tyll a ration of crap every time I talked to him about not building a high-end DAC when they'd already done the hard work and designed one. His response was always the same, "We're not a DAC company" etc, etc. So this winter/spring Headroom announced their plans to build the Ultra Micro and I changed my tune slightly to say that if they'd only build a balanced MAX DAC my source search would be over. In an effort to shut me up Tyll concocted a plan to sell me a balanced MAX DAC module and I could do the rest which meant providing a power supply, wiring and casing it all up, etc. So I called up Jamey and we set the wheels in motion. 

 The DAC uses amb's sigma22 for the power supply pumping out a super clean +/- 12V, a custom daughter board (designed by me) and will eventually be configured with a front panel input switch allowing me to switch between two coax sources which are my DIY transport and my Squeezebox3. I was originally thinking of retaining the USB input but this thing sounds so good it's never coming out of my main rig. But enough of my blabbering, MORE PICS!
















 Those images were taken during construction and I've still got some details to wrap up before I take the final glamor shots. The parts necessary to take care of that should be in before the end of the week.


----------



## swt61

OK now I get it. Glad you explained things. I knew that was Tyll's last name, but couldn't figure out what the deal was. That is such a slick unit! I'm assuming Tyll hasn't heard it yet?


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My new DAC.
 ..._

 

Absolutely pegs the cool-factor meter!


----------



## bperboy

Is this a one time project, or possibility of pcbs being made?


----------



## kvant

This weekend I added discrete buffers to my Millett. I am somewhat behind schedule, I know, other Millett builders are in the MAX mode these days...


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is this a one time project, or possibility of pcbs being made?_

 

As far as I've been told this is pretty much a one time thing. If your rig is single ended you certainly have the option of buying the Ultra Micro DAC, which is essentially half of the DAC circuit that I used and retains all 3 digital inputs. I can tell you that so far my hope that source search would end here is coming true. I listened to some pretty high-end rigs this past weekend and didn't find mine lacking in comparison.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_As far as I've been told this is pretty much a one time thing. If your rig is single ended you certainly have the option of buying the Ultra Micro DAC, which is essentially half of the DAC circuit that I used and retains all 3 digital inputs. I can tell you that so far my hope that source search would end here is coming true. I listened to some pretty high-end rigs this past weekend and didn't find mine lacking in comparison.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Actually, I've got a balanced DAC in the works! Not my own design, but it hasn't been seen on this forum as of yet. I will post somewhat soon...


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Actually, I've got a balanced DAC in the works! Not my own design, but it hasn't been seen on this forum as of yet. I will post somewhat soon..._

 

Looking forward to it!


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My new DAC. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

/bhjazz faints

 Nate, what can I say...while I'm here fiddling with lighting design for my CK2III, you're doing some very serious heavy lifting for our community. Amazing. 

 /bows


----------



## vixr

heres my new mini3... my cool meter is pegged.


----------



## n_maher

Sweet mini³ man, I just got some of my parts yesterday!


----------



## vixr

here is the latest on my MAX enclosure... those brass things are called a nutsert.


----------



## tomb

Very nice, Vixr - both the Mini3 and the MAX case!


----------



## MASantos

Amazing work Nate as always!
 how does it sound???

 I can imagine it in one of those sleep headroom cases.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Lol, nutsert. Say that out loud, and with "My" in front of it. I know, I know, juvenile.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *colonelkernel8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Lol, nutsert. Say that out loud, and with "My" in front of it. I know, I know, juvenile._

 

hahahaha!!


----------



## vixr

here is my latest MAX... Still have to finish the aft panel wiring.


----------



## Televator

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_here is my latest MAX... Still have to finish the aft panel wiring.(snip)_

 

wow... way too beautiful! Now I kinda feel ashamed to post my first stuff after this ... but here it goes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My very first ever Cmoy/DIY-project/solder-job/case-job/... (pure Tangent Cmoy, nothing modded/special)































 when putting it all together on my desk it went really smooth. I had a slight low-toned hum, but by lowering the gain from 11 -> 6 it disappeared. Still, once I started to try and get it to fit a mints tin, things got a bit difficult.

 My hook-up wire is pretty inflexible, which means hard to work with in small areas.

 Also, as I was very impatient and didn't have the correct tools nearby, I did the case-work by hand and I didn't really take too much care with filing etc. ... all (pos/neg) comments welcome

 I have everything needed for a second Cmoy and I will try and do a cleaner job on that one.

 After that I'll be moving on to other projects: Alien DAC, a bunch of DIY-cables, Pimeta or Mini3 or something and hoping for a new group-buy on the Max-boards so I have a goal to be working towards 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 PS: just wanted to add a small thanks to Tangent of course for his instructions, but also to all DIY'ers here for info/tips/advice and not in the least inspiration/spreading the bug with all those beautiful builds!

 *edit: pot wasn't dead, just mixed-up input and output when I shortened the cables 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 so as soon as I noticed that, I switched them and it works 100% now!


----------



## skudmunky

looks great! one thing I would suggest for ultimate portability is to put all the switches, knobs, etc on the top. it takes a bit of finagling to have it all fit comfortably, but it's worth it to not have the volume adjusting while it's in your pocket, or having it turn off on you mid session.

 that's some great soldering man, much much better than my first cmoy.


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Televator* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_wow... way too beautiful! Now I kinda feel ashamed to post my first stuff after this ... but here it goes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

thanks, but you should have seen my first CMoy (just awful)...my daughters boyfriend stole it from her, so I dont have to look at it any more...


----------



## Televator

thanks a lot guys...

 Indeed, skudmunky, the switch on the side is not ideal (though even the commercially made PengAmp I got as a gift once has this irritating feature)...

 To have a discrete switch was actually not my intention, but I accidentally got the the alps-pot without internal switch (the number in Tangent's BOM leads to the non-switched one and I didn't check sufficiently) and I had to make do with some switch from a brick'n'mortar store nearby. It was too big to fit on the front as well, but I have a couple of ideas for my next try (one of which is just to order the correct pot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).

 Soldering was a bit tricky at first, but I'm really enjoying it now. It seems to be working out ok, but then again, for a noob I'm using pretty decent tools I guess (a hakko 936-clone + 0.8mm chisel tip and 62/36/2Ag solder as that's the only eutectic sort readily available here).


----------



## applegd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
_ My new DAC.
 What is it? It's the world's only (for now?) stand alone Headroom Balanced MAX DAC. ...........................

 The DAC uses amb's sigma22 for the power supply pumping out a super clean +/- 12V............._

 

  Nate, very nice DAC!!

 For your sigma22, why not use +/-15V? I think you might build it before your DAC board arrive.


----------



## digitalmind

That's one sexy piece of work, vixr!

 I'm working on another pair of speakers. These are Buschhorn MKII TB's. Still plenty to do and I'm not satisfied with the sound yet. The mids and highs are beautiful but the bass is lacking in quantity. Placed close to the back wall (+- 15cm) they have some extra oomph but still not enough. 
 I currently have them on 23cm high feet. I'm thinking about putting an 8 inch woofer in them, side firing. Tang Band has a nice unit that is perfect for this small closed enclosure, the W8-740c. I'm not looking for something that shakes the room, but just something to fill in that 60-120 Hz field. If I can increase the bass output of these speakers, they'll be pretty darn good sounding. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





















 As you can see, they still need a lot of work. They aren't glued yet, nor are they sanded down.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *applegd* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nate, very nice DAC!!

 For your sigma22, why not use +/-15V? I think you might build it before your DAC board arrive. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks! I'm really happy with the way it came together and will be psyched when I finish the final details this weekend. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 There is no benefit to +/-15V for the DAC section, it has it's own on board precision regulators so the key is just giving it ripple free DC to work with. I specifically asked this question of Headroom's engineer, Joe.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Amazing work Nate as always!
 how does it sound???_

 

Thanks Manuel, it sounds very, very good. I'm really looking forward to getting it hooked up to a balanced amp soon.


----------



## Seaside

vixr, that's nice amp. So... i will gladly take it if you're willing to send me. hehe.

 digitalmind, those speakers are sexy. I envy skilled person.

 Televator, good to have frist cmoy. Hope it serves you well.

 kvant, nice buffer. show us your millet when it is done, ok?


----------



## bperboy

Here's my Mini³ v2.00. Nothing too special, clear Hammond case and the FPE panel set. High performance edition, sounds pretty darn good!


----------



## bperboy

My Mini wasn't what I had promised a few days ago though. I mentioned a brand new DAC that hasn't been seen on Head-Fi yet, and I will now present it. From AudioDIYLab.com, we have the DAC301! Has Headphone jack plus balanced outs! Now I need to build myself a balanced amp! Ouch for my wallet... The headphone out is actually more of a line out, as there is no onboard volume, and the DAC bypasses computer volume controls, at least in Mac. I would assume that it also bypasses Kmixer in windows, but I haven't verified this. 

 From AudioDIYLab.com:

 This is a new upgraded USB DAC kit. The main USB receiving chip PCM2706 will transits the I2S signal to an independent DAC chip PCM1798 in order to increase the sound quality. It has a on-board headphone amp using TI's high-end chip (TPA6102A2),on-board LPF (TI's OPA2227) and a pair of balanced signal output......

 Let me know how you like my photography please, on this and the Mini3 up above. I used a Canon Digital Rebel XTi & 100mm Macro.

 Stock Image





 My Images


----------



## cyberspyder

Sexy


----------



## Seaside

Made this yesterday. 
 I have made two of this amps (MHHA ver 2.0, and simple MHHA 12AU7 version) before, I have posted them in HAS, but not in head-fi. Unfortunately I dropped them from the book shelf to the floor while I was cleaning my stuffs, cracked tubes. No housing/case for those amps, the amp themselves are somewhat demaged by that, so I decided to make another one rather than repairing those. As always, I wanted it as compact as possible, and able to make it out of 24 x 37 holes. This amp looks quite cute, IMO.

 Lots of you (who's been in headwize for a while) have made Sijosae's MHHA of a sort before, so I don't think I need to say much about this amp. It just is very nice sounding amp without spending a lot. 

 Here's the image.









 Closeup shot.









 I made mistake while wiring, had to took it out and redo it. It's not clean as i thought it would be, so... no bottom image at this time.


----------



## skudmunky

i just gotta say, everything posted on this page is simply stunning. I want to build everything.


 gotta start makin more money!


----------



## n_maher

bper, I like the visual style. I think some of the images of the DAC could use a bit more indirect light but that could just be my monitor. And your pictures of the mini³ got me motivated when I got home from work...





















 Sounds great so far and all of amb's measurement tests check, wuhoo! Start to finish was under two hours, not bad at all.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_bper, I like the visual style. I think some of the images of the DAC could use a bit more indirect light but that could just be my monitor. And your pictures of the mini³ got me motivated when I got home from work...

 Sounds great so far and all of amb's measurement tests check, wuhoo! Start to finish was under two hours, not bad at all._

 

Nate, looks good! I like the all black. It took me only a few hours to build the mini3 from start to finish as well; I guess I'm getting the hang of this soldering business 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now if only I had moolah enough to build a balanced B22 to go with my new DAC...


----------



## Tomo

Hey I did a face lift for my OLD and UGLY THS4022 amp. So here goes:

 After:













 Not great. I haven't got all the ground problem solved yet. But considering how difficult a person I am, it is a good fit for me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Keep rocking, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .

 Tomo


----------



## applegd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_There is no benefit to +/-15V for the DAC section, it has it's own on board precision regulators so the key is just giving it ripple free DC to work with. I specifically asked this question of Headroom's engineer, Joe._

 

yeah, the +/-15V is for the OPA627s on your MAX DAC board, for the DAC directly related chips, they are using 3.3V, 5V on-board regulators. So Joe's comment means no benifit to increase 627 power supply from +/-12V to +/-15V.


----------



## Towert7

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gunsou* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Awesome! Im very impressed! Can i copy you? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks Gunsou! I actually plan to sell these, so I'm going to reserve all copyrights on it.


----------



## kvant

Somehow, both amps I have (rev. Millett Hybrid and oldish Creek) seem to have much more gain than I actually need (Fubar DAC on one end, Grado on the other end). I was thinking about Szekeres, but the regulated walwart I bought for the Millett is probably too weak for such a load. I also wanted to avoid heatsinks if possible, while still having quite a bit of class-A bias
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . So, here it comes...





 I am not sure if it will ever get some nice case. First, my mechanical skills are rather limited (one of the reasons to avoid heatsinks). Second, the little transistors might melt.




 (the blue part of the biasing network is common to both channels)

 I bet that for many head-fiers there are way too many capacitors along the signal. I could have added servo and virtual ground but after a while of considering it I decided that the AC coupling is enough for my first protoboard project ("CMoy"
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ). The thing is, I don't see much point in having discrete L/R buffers and monolithic virtual ground - and buffering the ground with a copy of the L/R buffer is not optimal due to it's (relatively) high output impedance. Putting the ground buffer inside feedback loop of an opamp would probably work, but it would also make the plan of just a unity-gain buffer rather (over)complicated, wouldn't it?


----------



## fergie232

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_








_

 

hey AMB, are those the switchcraft thick panel 1/4" jacks?
 i was considering using them, i like the look on the front of a panel, very clean
 also what knob are you using? its gorgeous 
 one more question lol, what material did you use for the panels? metal or acrylic?


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fergie232* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_hey AMB, are those the switchcraft thick panel 1/4" jacks?_

 

Yes. Keep in mind, though, they are not isolated, on most amps you will need to mount them on a non-conductive front panel, as I did.

  Quote:


 also what knob are you using? its gorgeous  
 

EPD 1.5" knob (Mouser 450-3825), filled from behind with epoxy resin to make it heavier.

  Quote:


 one more question lol, what material did you use for the panels? metal or acrylic? 
 

They are 3/8" thick clear acrylic, painted matte black but the edges are polished to look translucent.


----------



## fuzzy fuzzbucket

made an amp for my brother today. another card case head amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






 the silver one is his and mine the red



 673 and 676 circuits respectively


----------



## MusicallySilent

Yea your cases are a work of art AMB


----------



## bennet

these are really nice amps. can't afford one.


----------



## Polaris111688

I decided to re-case my PPAv2, since the last case was absolutely hideous.
















 A big thanks goes out to the electrical engineering department here for letting me use their tools. A big thanks goes out to my Dad as well, who came out to the Academy this weekend for Parent's Weekend and bought/properly broke the acrylic to the proper sizes. The acrylic is 1/4 inch thick.


----------



## rjkdivin

I just finished a quad of AMB Labs Mini3s. Two are 'performance' configured using AMB recommended opamps at U4 and U5 and Schottky diodes at D2 and D3. The other two are 'extended runtime' configured, again with AMB recommended components. They all run beautifully with absolute black background, great extended base and high end, but with a very neutral, easy to listen to sound. The overall sound is quite like the M3 to me. Here a few photos.


----------



## hellomai

PPAS
 BUF: LMH6321 OP_AMP: AD8620/10
 wrap some copper tape around the BUF as heatsink. I sound really great. I am going to case this up with my alien DAC.


----------



## odoe

That is an awesome little build

 My MAX is cased up, at least as best as I can do for now.














 I haven't used a dremel in a while and will work on a design to get the top of the case on in a way that won't be too messy I hope. Next MAX, I think I'm going to try the Gen II's for a good fit


----------



## applegd

Here are the photos for my new PPAV2. All the parts are extremely matched for same position across L, R, G channel, 0.1% Vishay-Dale resistors, ELNA SilmicII elect caps, OPA637BP for L&R, OPA627BP for G, SO8 TLE2426ID, KIMBER TCSS CABLE, NKK Switches, silver soldering......... Soon it would be modded into my own non-standard configuration.


----------



## skyline889

Nice work! That's a very clean build.


----------



## applegd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyline889* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work! That's a very clean build._

 

Thanks! 

 Originally I worried about too many internal cables as I need (Two sets of) INUPUTs and Power(Sigma22_DC_IN vs Future_Battery_IN) are selectable. Later it worked out nicely......


----------



## Ferrari

Hope you know what it is...


----------



## Listen2this1

Ferrari, Once again over the top.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Ferrari, I hate you. But in a good way.


----------



## MusicallySilent

Curse you Ferrari!


----------



## Polaris111688

Woah.. Where'd you get that case, Ferrari?


----------



## seldom_used

I've made a Cmoy to use with my Rio Karma. Since it has no line-out except through the dock, I had to think outside the box.


 

 

 

 
 It's a weird-looking device but I had to try it. I haven't seen any successful attempts to use Karma's line out in a portable setup.
 Normally the dock looks like this:


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Woah.. Where'd you get that case, Ferrari?_

 

The case is from ATI Thailand. Thanks for the kind comments gents.


----------



## kanamin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fuzzy fuzzbucket* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_made an amp for my brother today. another card case head amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			







 the silver one is his and mine the red



 673 and 676 circuits respectively_

 

Not a build but...
 OMG I saw the almost exact same card case in a Japanese store and thought THIS IS PERFECT FOR AN AMP.






 Where do I buy the boards???????


----------



## skyline889

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The case is from ATI Thailand. Thanks for the kind comments gents._

 

Those cases look gorgeous! About how much does shipping run?


----------



## philodox

seldom_used - That is awesome, very cool idea!


----------



## Gliding Dutchman

Ferrari;3264393 said:
			
		

> Hope you know what it is...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hope you know what it is... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	

















_

 

Are those the output caps???? WOW!!!


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skyline889* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Those cases look gorgeous! About how much does shipping run?_

 

I think its like $35 or something. You can contact the guy and he'll give you a quote.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are those the output caps???? WOW!!!_

 

Yes, those fat ladies are indeed the MKP output caps. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*@ skyline889*, the shipment cost depends on your destination and shipment method (surface, EMS...). Just shoot ATI an email as colonelkernel8 said.

*@ Gliding Dutchman*, bedankt voor de compliment!


----------



## MusicallySilent

Those caps give me a minor reminder of someones ipod line out dock with two huge caps in it going into their super micro amp... their name escapes me


----------



## cyberspyder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Those caps give me a minor reminder of someones ipod line out dock with two huge caps in it going into their super micro amp... their name escapes me_

 

efn?


----------



## ueyteuor

Here are 2 stands I just built.. (Small 1-can stand built this morning, 2-can stand built yesterday)


----------



## bperboy

Those stands look great! Especially that last one, I really like that design!


----------



## rsaavedra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Those stands look great! Especially that last one, I really like that design!_

 

x2, the wood finish gives them a sort of samurai look.


----------



## applegd

*First*, show the quality of my hand made front/end panel work(first two sets in the picture below). The last one set is FrontPanelExpress' commercial custom drilled ($40+shipping) panel set as reference to see how good my work is.






*Second*, I used AMB default part list and made the version what I called "Standard Version" of my Mini3V2.

























*Third*, the "Premium Version", exactly matched resistors across LRG channel and use the stock TO-92 package of TLE2426. Polyphenylenesulfide(Yes,NOT polyester film!) caps for bypassing, all metal film (no oversize) resistors on the circuit board....





*Fourth*, here is my extreme edition of Mini3V2 which I built long time ago. All resistors(Vishay Dale as first choice) position across LRG are matched to exact same reading on my B+K 2706A DMM, Switchcraft jacks, SO-8 TLE2426 for lower noise, polyphenylenesulfide(Yes, NOT polyester film!) caps for bypassing, all metal film (no oversize) resistors on the circuit board........ Oh, one more thing, don't forget file that damn battery clip as this happens to all my four 1455C801 cases and AccuPower battery.

 Nothing fancy frontview.





 Internal view.





 After couple hours burning this little baby, I admit its sounding is excellent!! My view it is on the performance par of USD$300 range commercial amp.

 I have looked into the details of the difference between SO8 TLE2426 and TO-92 TLE2426 . In Ti's datasheet it only says the SO8 version provides "The performance and precision of the TLE2426 is available in an easy-to-use, space saving, 3-terminal LP package. For increased performance, the optional 8-pin packages provide a noise-reduction pin.
 With the addition of an external capacitor (CNR), peak-to-peak noise is reduced while line ripple rejection is improved.".

*Fifth*, see my extreme edition Mini3V2 in action with Apple IPOD 4G, my hand made Orange IPOD LineOutDock(99.99% pure silver wire with top quality SwitchCraft 3.5mm plug) and Sennheiser HD650.


----------



## digitalmind

Cool stands! I like the used look of the woodwork. 
 Nice amp, applegd!

 My latest speakers are coming along nicely, if I may say so myself.


----------



## TzeYang

^

 I fell down from my chair when i saw that.

 Awesome!


----------



## digitalmind

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^

 I fell down from my chair when i saw that.

 Awesome!_

 

Thanks a lot. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 It's a slightly modified Buschhorn MKII TB. 

 I'll have them playing as full ranges for the time being, but I hope to add dual seperate subwoofers in stereo as well as tweeters on top of them. They are of course originally designed as a full range speaker (and sound great as one!), so this will give some trouble with actually making it sound good...

 Besides that, I have some nice ideas to do with the enclosure in terms of styling, but that's not very important.


----------



## swt61

Fantastic horn enclosures digitalmind!

 Since we're dealing with wood, here's some pics of my new Chocolate Donut MKII cups. Once the leather earpads arrive these will get put together and sent to Fitz for cables. I'll post some finished pics once they return home.
 The wood is East India Rosewood with an 1/8" inlay of Cocobolo.


----------



## Towert7

*swt61*, just out of curiosity, how much do you charge for a woody donut mod to the beyers, including fritz's cabling?

 They sure do look like donuts, haha.
 ^_^


----------



## swt61

The Donuts only use Beyer headbands, and the MKII use Beyer leather pads as well, but the drivers aren't Beyer's. They're Yamaha Orthodynamic drivers. HP-1/YH-1 in the Donut, and YH-100 in the higher end Donut MKII. Due to the fact that it takes two headphones to build one, and the labor involved they're not cheap. I'd pit the the MKII's against some pretty heavy hitters though.


----------



## Towert7

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The Donuts only use Beyer headbands, and the MKII use Beyer leather pads as well, but the drivers aren't Beyer's. They're Yamaha Orthodynamic drivers. HP-1/YH-1 in the Donut, and YH-100 in the higher end Donut MKII. Due to the fact that it takes two headphones to build one, and the labor involved they're not cheap. I'd pit the the MKII's against some pretty heavy hitters though._

 

Oh wow, I didn't know that. Thanks for the info.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...once they return home..._

 

Wow, you sure are presumptuous tonight!


----------



## swt61

Don't make me fly to Atlanta!


----------



## DaKi][er

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digitalmind* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cool stands! I like the used look of the woodwork. 
 Nice amp, applegd!

 My latest speakers are coming along nicely, if I may say so myself. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 http://www.iamrik.com/buschhorn/1.jpg[img]
 [img]http://www.iamrik.com/buschhorn/2.jpg[img]
 [img]http://www.iamrik.com/buschhorn/3.jpg[img][/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


You couldn't cut your panels to the correct angle? Would have been a much nicer_


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You couldn't cut your panels to the correct angle? Would have been a much nicer_

 

If you're refering to digitalminds enclosures that would really be wasted effort IMO. They're going to be hidden, and I doubt it would have a great effect on the sound.


----------



## DaKi][er

Just a little something I've been working on for a while. Just got some FPE panels last week so I finally got something that resembles an amp now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





























 Lots to do still


----------



## Blooze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You couldn't cut your panels to the correct angle? Would have been a much nicer_

 

Waste of time when they're on the inside. Just fill the gaps, smooth, and you're good to go as long as the dimensions are correct.

 Digitalmind--have you tried any full rangers in a PAWO design? I heard some of Dave Merrills 4" er's in a PAWO and they sounded very good crossed over to a sub at about 80Hz. I've heard his 5.5" drivers sound even better in this cabinet and really put out a good low end even without the sub addition.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just a little something I've been working on for a while. Just got some FPE panels last week so I finally got something that resembles an amp now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Lots to do still_

 


 Nice to see an amp of this calibre in the work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . To minimize magnetic field interference and to avoid the possibly hum problem (as this is an all-in-one enclosure), you might consider a potted and shielded transformer. Hee, don't forget to post the the final results.


----------



## DaKi][er

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice to see an amp of this calibre in the work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . To minimize magnetic field interference and to avoid the possibly hum problem (as this is an all-in-one enclosure), you might consider a potted and shielded transformer. Hee, don't forget to post the the final results._

 

I'll see how it goes and if it's a problem then I'll get my room mate to cut me up some steel to encase it. I've had one side running some phones and rotating the transformer seems to change the hum a bit.


----------



## digitalmind

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fantastic horn enclosures digitalmind!

 Since we're dealing with wood, here's some pics of my new Chocolate Donut MKII cups. Once the leather earpads arrive these will get put together and sent to Fitz for cables. I'll post some finished pics once they return home.
 The wood is East India Rosewood with an 1/8" inlay of Cocobolo.
_

 

Thanks. 
 Those donuts are incredible! Very nice. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You couldn't cut your panels to the correct angle? Would have been a much nicer_

 

I could have, but like the others said it's too much of an effort for no improvement. I've filled the gaps and sanded them down (not yet in the pictures). I might round the corners of the inner pieces off, but I doubt this will have an audible effect. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Blooze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Waste of time when they're on the inside. Just fill the gaps, smooth, and you're good to go as long as the dimensions are correct.

 Digitalmind--have you tried any full rangers in a PAWO design? I heard some of Dave Merrills 4" er's in a PAWO and they sounded very good crossed over to a sub at about 80Hz. I've heard his 5.5" drivers sound even better in this cabinet and really put out a good low end even without the sub addition._

 

No, I haven't yet. I am interested in building a PAWO though some time. I've really been bitten by the speakerbuilding bug, I already have plenty of schematics for the next speaker. I think I'll build one more speaker with the Tang Band W4-655SA that I now have in three speakers, and then move on to something else once I've gotten the best out of it. A PAWO is definitely a contender.


----------



## bperboy

Oh my goodness, that Dynamite is a feat! It looks b e a utiful!!


----------



## rsaavedra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digitalmind* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_




_

 

I really don't know much about the horn designs, but wouldn't that polyester fiber defeat the purpose of the port?

 Seems to me that fiber would muffle the lowest frequencies, which is what I understand the progressively larger port exit is for, to amplify the lowest frequencies. Please correct me.


----------



## digitalmind

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rsaavedra* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I really don't know much about the horn designs, but wouldn't that polyester fiber defeat the purpose of the port?

 Seems to me that fiber would muffle the lowest frequencies, which is what I understand the progressively larger port exit is for, to amplify the lowest frequencies. Please correct me._

 

Instead of muffling the lowest frequencies, it's the higher frequencies that are blocked with the fiber. The lower frequencies will pretty much pass through the fiber whereas the highs are hindered from traveling through the horn. 

 I'm not sure the above is 100% correct, though those is my findings by experimenting with the amount of fiber. More fiber equals relatively more bass output through the port compared to highs, less equals more highs mixed in with the lows through the port. I've spent a couple days playing with the amount and to me, this much is optimal as it removes the possible sibilance as much as possible without affecting the rest of the sound.


----------



## rsaavedra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digitalmind* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Instead of muffling the lowest frequencies, it's the higher frequencies that are blocked with the fiber. The lower frequencies will pretty much pass through the fiber whereas the highs are hindered from traveling through the horn. 

 I'm not sure the above is 100% correct, though those is my findings by experimenting with the amount of fiber. More fiber equals relatively more bass output through the port compared to highs, less equals more highs mixed in with the lows through the port. I've spent a couple days playing with the amount and to me, this much is optimal as it removes the possible sibilance as much as possible without affecting the rest of the sound._

 

Well if I put some polyester fiber in my speaker ports, it changes how boomy or clean they sound when placed near a rear wall. Also with my subwoofer ports, fiber on them definitely changes the speed of the air flow through the port, and you can tell just by putting your hand in front of the port. Without fiber any slamming thump is clearly felt in your hand, with the fiber blocking the port you can tell the air flow is greatly reduced as much as being hardly noticeable, depending on how dense the fiber is packed. Hence my wondering.


----------



## rockcod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *applegd* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my extreme edition Mini3V2 which I just finished last night. All resistors position across LRG are matched to exact same reading on my B+K 2706A DMM, Switchcraft jacks, SO-8 TLE2426 for lower noise, polyphenylenesulfide caps for bypassing, all metal film (no oversize) resistors on the circuit board........ Oh, one more thing, don't forget file that damn battery clip as this happens to all my four 1455C801 cases and AccuPower battery.

 Nothing fancy frontview.





 Internal view.





 After couple hours burning this little baby, I admit its sounding is excellent._

 

Very sensible upgrades. How did you convert the SOIC-8 TLE2426 to TO-92?


----------



## digitalmind

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rsaavedra* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well if I put some polyester fiber in my speaker ports, it changes how boomy or clean they sound when placed near a rear wall. Also with my subwoofer ports, fiber on them definitely changes the speed of the air flow through the port, and you can tell just by putting your hand in front of the port. Without fiber any slamming thump is clearly felt in your hand, with the fiber blocking the port you can tell the air flow is greatly reduced as much as being hardly noticeable, depending on how dense the fiber is packed. Hence my wondering._

 

You're right of course, the fiber will influence the lows as well as the highs. However, I think that the fiber has a greater impact on hindering the highs to travel through the horn than the lows. Either way, it's very common to place fiber or other dampening material in the first part of the horn, quite a few designs need this to sound optimal.


----------



## rockcod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just a little something I've been working on for a while. Just got some FPE panels last week so I finally got something that resembles an amp now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Lots to do still_

 

Nice job! Which macro in FPE did you use for the Outputs?


----------



## bearmann

Wow... you've quoted 6 images to write 2 sentences, rockcod. Impressive...
 Could we please stop quoting images?

 best regards,
 bearmann

 PS: Sry, rockcod I've nothin' against you... you were just the straw that broke the camel's back.


----------



## mb3k

Sigma22: a work in progress...


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sigma22: a work in progress...

 http://www.mb3k.com/hosted/forums/o.../hfimage.head-fi.org/smilies/tongue.gif[/img]_


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ahh, but what will it be powering? That is the real question! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

The answer is in the family. Is that a good hint?


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The answer is in the family. Is that a good hint?_

 

*B*erries are good, especially a *b*owl of 22 of them.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sigma22: a work in progress..._

 

σ22 PSU + β22 amp housed in HiFi-2000 enclosures 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
 Can't wait to see the end results.


----------



## Killercrush

I'm jealous.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_σ22 PSU + β22 amp housed in HiFi-2000 enclosures 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
 Can't wait to see the end results._

 

Well, maybe I didn't have the cool beta symbol in my post, but I did think it was funny 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Seriously, your casework is always so nice, I look forward to seeing it.


----------



## rockcod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bearmann* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow... you've quoted 6 images to write 2 sentences, rockcod. Impressive...
 Could we please stop quoting images?

 best regards,
 bearmann

 PS: Sry, rockcod I've nothin' against you... you were just the straw that broke the camel's back._

 

Certainly. Images removed from the quote -- sorry to break your back


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*B*erries are good, especially a *b*owl of 22 of them. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hmm... I have NO idea what you're talking about 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_σ22 PSU + β22 amp housed in HiFi-2000 enclosures 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
 Can't wait to see the end results._

 

You just spoiled the fun 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well, maybe I didn't have the cool beta symbol in my post, but I did think it was funny 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Seriously, your casework is always so nice, I look forward to seeing it._

 

It's been taking longer than I've expected, but thanks for the ego booster. I'm designing the faceplates right now, so hopefully things can get moving.


----------



## fordgtlover

mb3k

 Your presentation is so professional.

 How do you do those amazing graphics? Are they screen printed or some sort of decals?


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sigma22: a work in progress...




_

 

WOW! Those look massive. I'm having two built for my 4 channel β22, I didn't realise how large they really are.


----------



## philodox

They aren't that big, I think the picture is deceiving.


----------



## Ferrari

Definitely, sometimes pictures can be quite deceived.
 The first time I looked at the picture with the electrolytics on my σ22 PSU, I thought... they are not that big in real life 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## swt61

Well they'll be in a seperate case, so it'd be OK if they were large. It just looked huge in the pic, but come to think of of it I remember seeing internal pics of Thrice's cased up, and they weren't overly large.


----------



## thrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well they'll be in a seperate case, so it'd be OK if they were large. It just looked huge in the pic, but come to think of of it I remember seeing internal pics of Thrice's cased up, and they weren't overly large._

 

Mine were mounted in a case way to big for them. I just wanted the PS case to be the same size as the amp case..plus there's room for other stuffin there, it I wanted to put it in there (extra PS units, DAC...blah blah blah)


----------



## Polaris111688

I got bored and decided to play around with my PPAv2 some more. The latest iteration:





 An Epsilon 22 board was added (I got tired of hearing "pop" every time I powered on.), the wiring was secured with electrical tape and cable ties, and two of the Panasonic FC capacitors in the STEPS were replaced with two Nichicon Muse capacitors. Class-A bias for the opamps are set to 2.4mA each, and output stage bias is set to 40mA. The Epsilon 22 only provides muting delay.


----------



## bperboy

Here's my DAC301 with Sigma22 PSU in a Par-Metal case. I love it! Let me know what you think! There are a few scratches around the back holes, but I could touch up with some black paint, but overall, I'm very pleased with how it got finished up.


----------



## n_maher

Looks great man, how's it sound!??!


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks great man, how's it sound!??!_

 

Sounds great! Clear and a very black background. Absolutely no hiss on max volume with nothing playing!


----------



## n0ll4k

First Post and Fisrt Projekt.

 After i bought myself some cans for home use and some IEMs . I thougt it was time to build an amplifier. So i thought the CMoy is a pretty good start.







 but now i need an iPod LOD, this is definatly eating up my money


----------



## colonelkernel8

That is one nice looking cMoy.


----------



## ruZZ.il

yeah hah, if he's doing that now, I wonder what his PIMETA will look like.. keep us updated, and sorry bout your wallet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 edit: and if your cmoy is eating up your wallet... RUN!!!  (not really.. it is fun here.. well, it sounds good atleast 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## kpeezy

Just letting you guys know that I just finished my first soldering job ever!!! I fixed a pair of old Sennheisers and my brothers in ears 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			











 Awesome experience.


----------



## Televator

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n0ll4k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_First Post and Fisrt Projekt.

 After i bought myself some cans for home use and some IEMs . I thougt it was time to build an amplifier. So i thought the CMoy is a pretty good start.(snip)but now i need an iPod LOD, this is definatly eating up my money 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

nice first post and nice Cmoy... any pics of the inside? Looks quite a bit more pro than my first mint-tin Cmoy!


----------



## Bjornboy81

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n0ll4k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_First Post and Fisrt Projekt.

 After i bought myself some cans for home use and some IEMs . I thougt it was time to build an amplifier. So i thought the CMoy is a pretty good start.


 but now i need an iPod LOD, this is definatly eating up my money 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yeah, it'll get expensive, but just pace yourself and you'll do OK 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks great though!!!!


----------



## Polaris111688

Definitely gets expensive... I've spent over 1500 on DIY audio so far...


----------



## applegd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rockcod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very sensible upgrades. How did you convert the SOIC-8 TLE2426 to TO-92?_

 

The part size limitation is a pain in ass when building my mini3v2. I used a minimized version of adapter, the regular ADAPTEL is too big for my case....


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n0ll4k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_First Post and Fisrt Projekt._

 

Damn nice Cmoy, way better than my first attempt. 

 Caution! This stuff can get addictive.


----------



## rjkdivin

These are DAC/Headamps designed by Gary Marsh:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...0&pagenumber=1

 The signal path is as follows:
 CS8416 -> AD1896 -> PCM1792 -> OPA4134 I-V -> TPA6120 headphone output. The volume control is in the digital domain, as is the input sensing between coaxial and optical by way of an Atmel programmable controller.

 I just finished up my third one. I gave one away, so I now have a matched pair left....one black, one silver. I added a power switch and power LED that weren't on the PCB since I only use them occasionally.

 They sound very good. No audible noise, and very full sound. Some folks who attended the San Jose International Meet got to listen.


----------



## seroxatmad

Ello

 This is the front panel express finished article for my kumisa III from headwize.

 The front screws will have to be glued in unless anyone has any ideas...the 3mm are to smalll and 4mm to large. And no i can't get 3.5mm. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 John


----------



## digitalmind

Very nice stuff all! Love seeing those sexy, sexy amps and dac's.

 I spent some time with sandpaper tonight, and pretty much prepped my Buschhorn's for veneering. 

 I finally have them playing in their final shape. Though the drivers aren't broken in yet they sound quite promising. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 And here they are next to my earlier build, the Cyburg Sticks. As you can see, I hate the actual finishing stage, the Sticks are also still veneer-less. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 And oh, excuse the huge mess.


----------



## Fanatic

Very nice digitalmind!


----------



## seroxatmad

@ rjkdivin

 What size are the button head screws you used?

 Because I had used the original hammond screws the 3mm ones i used are no good and may have to glue them in 

 I bought some 4mm but they are 2 big.

 John


----------



## amb

seroxatmad, in the US it's more common to use imperial sized screws rather than metric, and 6-32 is the perfect size for the Hammonds. The closest metric is M3.5, but I reckon that's hard to find.


----------



## seroxatmad

@amb

 I have been trying to find some inserts to glue etc. into the hammond and then for the M3 screws to screw into. Any pointers would be appreciated then I can get onto my next projets, a Mini3 and B22.

 Oh the joys of DIY audio...

 John


----------



## amb

seroxatmad, I don't think gluing inserts and using undersized screws would be a good way to secure the panel. I recommend finding M3.5 or 6-32 screws and tapping the Hammond case to match.


----------



## vixr

go with longer screws... the area that could be tapped runs the whole length of the case


----------



## seroxatmad

Hi

 Thanks for the advice. I have 3 and 4mm but will try 6-32 (I cant get 3.5mm) with a tap.

 I cant use longer as I have a grill type top (off a magazine rack) and hence it won't be fully suported.

 John


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_go with longer screws... the area that could be tapped runs the whole length of the case_

 

Also, certain screws (ok, the ones I used, anyway) are just large enough that they also threaded into the removable top of a Hammond. In my case, this meant that I had to undo four rear screws and the top two in the front to just get the lid off. A few minutes grinding away 1 mm or two of the lid in this area will keep this from happening.


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rjkdivin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_These are DAC/Headamps designed by Gary Marsh:_

 

Hey Bob, nice work! I especially like your trademark fish on the rear side. Neat!


----------



## Joshatdot

*CMoy v1.01 PCB*:

 - Panasonic ECQ Poly Film 1.0uF 50V Input Caps
 - Panasonic FM 220uF 25v Power Caps
 - Yageo MFR 1% 1/4w Resistors
 - OPA2107 w/o R5 Resistors (but I might add 50ohm's)
 - Alps RK097
 - CUI 3.5mm Jacks
 - euromint peppermint Mint Tin (from Fry's Electronics)



 

 

 

 



 ----------

 I know the Dremel'ing looks horrible, I ran out of Sanding Drums & had to use grinding/honing bits. I need some kind of metal punch/press to cut the top lid part. An office/school Single Paper Hole Punch would be awkward with the rolled lip, I think.


----------



## funch

I just finished this little gem today. It's a tube buffer in a Hammond case. The assembled board came from DIYclub.biz. It's the model LS-29, and although mine came with tubes (Sovtek), I see that they now come w/o tubes. It runs off a 24VAC/2A wallwart. The only mod's I did to it were raising the tube sockets up .75 inch and installing the blue LEDs. It's connected to my modified Sony PS-1 playstation (model SCPH-1001) and it's sounding great. Very detailed and dynamic w/o being harsh, which is what I was looking for. 

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0481.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0479.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0478.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0477.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0476.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0475.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0474.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0473.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0472.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_0469.jpg


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just finished this little gem today. It's a tube buffer in a Hammond case._

 

Lookin good. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I'll have to check that item out as it looks quite interesting. Thanks for posting!


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bhjazz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Lookin good. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll have to check that item out as it looks quite interesting. Thanks for posting!_

 

Thanks. I think if I had it to do over, I would get just the board from the ebay store DIYGene (which looks identical to mine), and choose my own components. It's supposed to come with the schematic, which mine did not. Mine has Sanyo electrolytic caps, some kind of blue film caps made to look like Wima's, and the resistors look like Vishay-Dale RN series, but I don't think they are. My board seems well built, and only cost me $40 plus $16 shipping, so it's pretty cheap. According to the DIYGene store, it's based off the Musical Fidelity circuit, though I'm not sure which generation.


----------



## Mazuki

It's based on the V2 tube buffer. If you look at Pink Floyd's Rock Groto, you'll find the layout is essentially the same.


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mazuki* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's based on the V2 tube buffer. If you look at Pink Floyd's Rock Groto, you'll find the layout is essentially the same._

 


 Yah, I think you're right. I couldn't find the V2 buffer, but the layout does look like the X-Cans V2.


----------



## thebob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *seroxatmad* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ello

 Looks beautiful.

 This is the front panel express finished article for my kumisa III from headwize.

 The front screws will have to be glued in unless anyone has any ideas...the 3mm are to smalll and 4mm to large. And no i can't get 3.5mm. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 John_

 

Just buy a M4X1 spiral tap and go very slow with a flat tap handle. About an eighth of a turn in each time and a sixteenth of a turn out. 

 Or they do those threaded inserts you install with a pop riviter, but I dont think you will have enough to drill out.

 Here it recomends " You may use the self-tapping flat-head screws provided with the Hammond case, or tap the case and use imperial #6-32 or metric M3.5 flat-head machine screws. A minimum screw length of 0.375" (9.5mm) is recommended. "

http://www.amb.org/audio/mini3/

 Near the bottom!


----------



## MusicallySilent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digitalmind* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice stuff all! Love seeing those sexy, sexy amps and dac's.

 I spent some time with sandpaper tonight, and pretty much prepped my Buschhorn's for veneering. 

 I finally have them playing in their final shape. Though the drivers aren't broken in yet they sound quite promising. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 http://www.iamrik.com/buschhorn/buschhorn3.jpg[/img

 And here they are next to my earlier build, the Cyburg Sticks. As you can see, I hate the actual finishing stage, the Sticks are also still veneer-less. [img]http://www.head-fi.org/forums/images/smilies/http://hfimage.head-fi.org/smilies/biggrin.gif

 http://www.iamrik.com/buschhorn/buschhorn1.jpg[/img

 And oh, excuse the huge mess. [img]http://www.head-fi.org/forums/images/smilies/http://hfimage.head-fi.org/smilies/wink.gif_

 

I am highly tempted to build a pair of these... but first a few questions.

 A: About how much did it cost for all the parts
 B: What wood did you use
 C: Do they cover all the frequencies well that they would be a good replacement for some 3 way (short floor standers like 2ft or 60cm tall)


----------



## applevalleyjoe

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_bper, I like the visual style. I think some of the images of the DAC could use a bit more indirect light but that could just be my monitor. And your pictures of the mini³ got me motivated when I got home from work...





















 Sounds great so far and all of amb's measurement tests check, wuhoo! Start to finish was under two hours, not bad at all._

 


 Where do you buy the kit and parts? are the directions posted anywhere? Appreciate some info.


----------



## MusicallySilent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *applevalleyjoe* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where do you buy the kit and parts? are the directions posted anywhere? Appreciate some info._

 


 Its the mini^3 v2 amplifier

 Check out http://www.amb.org/audio/mini3/

 Also check out headwize.com


----------



## Captain ?degard

Been using the PSP for a media center at home (yes i dont need anything better  ) so I made this to holde it whil ethe TV cable is connected (you can see it stick out on the right)


----------



## digitalmind

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I am highly tempted to build a pair of these... but first a few questions.

 A: About how much did it cost for all the parts
 B: What wood did you use
 C: Do they cover all the frequencies well that they would be a good replacement for some 3 way (short floor standers like 2ft or 60cm tall)_

 

A: About €100. €35 times two for the drivers, €20 for wood, rest for internal wiring and connectors. 

 B: 15mm MDF. Very easy to work with, cheap, and solid. 

 C: That depends. Do you like a full bass, both in volume and in pressure? If so, skip the 4" fullrange speakers. However, the size you're talking about is rather small, and in terms of frequency plot, I think the W4-655SA will go along way in competing with them in the lower frequency. These speakers however are really all about midrange, and they do it very well. If you want a full-ish bass out of them, don't build the Buschhorns, but rather go with the Cyburg Sticks. Still though, don't expect something that shakes the house...

 These speakers however are great in midrange and highs. They are not a speaker that I'll be having for a very long time though... I'm looking for more slam and some actual bass pressure. It's a very fun and cheap build and if you can ignore their bass shortcomings (though mind you, their only shortcoming is the actual feeling of the bass, sound wise they are pretty good in the lows), you'll have plenty fun listening to them. 

 Also something to note: I'm running these speakers with well into €2k of electronics powering them, and I don't think that's out of proportion with these speakers. Very fun stuff!


----------



## applegd

STEPS boards have been sitting in my box for about 1 year, now it is the time to build one(nothing fancy, C5 Muse KZ, C8 220uF Silmic II, hand "laser cut" handmond case to gain 20mm more width than standard 1455N1201BK) for fun, mainly because I want to see its performance comparing to my non-standard version of Sigma22 for my super matched PPAv2. Initial impression is STEPS makes my PPAv2 sound little bit differently than Sigma22..... I got more "homework" to do.....


----------



## MusicallySilent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digitalmind* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_These speakers however are great in midrange and highs. They are not a speaker that I'll be having for a very long time though... I'm looking for more slam and some actual bass pressure. It's a very fun and cheap build and if you can ignore their bass shortcomings (though mind you, their only shortcoming is the actual feeling of the bass, sound wise they are pretty good in the lows), you'll have plenty fun listening to them. _

 

I dont exactly know the driver size of my current speakers, I think the size is about 4-5" in a mid range and low range with a 1" cloth dome tweater I believe

 I am not looking for house shaking bass, my speakers can do that to a small extent, you can feel the bass through the floor on occasion and can always feel it through the cabinet...

 I guess I was just wondering for a single driver solution do they cover the whole spectrum, or would I be better with the sticks?


----------



## mb3k

Just finished it up.
 Here's my CKKIII





 Front and back panels were engraved to get the silkscreen effect.





 Schurter power inlet with filter and dual-fuse.





 Added an ε12 muting circuit to the output.





 Plus a ground loop breaker.


----------



## devin_mm

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished it up.
 Here's my CKKIII

http://www.mb3k.com/hosted/forums/CKKIII01.jpg
 Front and back panels were engraved to get the silkscreen effect.

http://www.mb3k.com/hosted/forums/CKKIII02.jpg
 Schurter power inlet with filter and dual-fuse.

http://www.mb3k.com/hosted/forums/CKKIII03.jpg
 Added an ε12 muting circuit to the output.

http://www.mb3k.com/hosted/forums/CKKIII04.jpg
 Plus a ground loop breaker._

 

Very nice, are you bringing that to the meet in Edmonton?


----------



## Ferrari

Hi mb3k, gorgeous work as always 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 !
 ... wellcome to the HiFi-2000 club, btw.


----------



## smegger

cool was looking at that case today considering it for a max, did u pay them for any custom work?


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *devin_mm* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice, are you bringing that to the meet in Edmonton?_

 

Yep, for sure. Hopefully I can build some more goodies before the meet.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi mb3k, gorgeous work as always 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 !
 ... wellcome to the HiFi-2000 club, btw._

 

Cool, I'm always inspired by your style 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm imagining your amps are coming along very nicely... I can't wait!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smegger* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_cool was looking at that case today considering it for a max, did u pay them for any custom work?_

 

The front panels were custom milled/drilled. I did it in AutoCAD, but be sure to be VERY specific in your instructions if you do, because English isn't their forté. You don't want them making mistakes on your expensive panels, Ferrari and I can vouch for that.


----------



## amb

mb3k, it looks _very_ professional. Great job!


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished it up.
 Here's my CKKIII





 Front and back panels were engraved to get the silkscreen effect._

 

Nice work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Is that a knob from Hi-Fi 2000? What diameter, 29mm? 

 I'm planning to use one for my β22 and can't decide between 39mm and 49mm.


----------



## n0ll4k

I finally build a stationary amp for home use.












 It is a Eaton Amp which i found on Headwize, but mdifed for use with my 9V Power Supply which I had lying around.


----------



## smegger

so someone who could convert the instructions to french would be a good idea then thanks for the heads up, now first to afford the max then the case


----------



## Ferrari

smegger, you are kidding... French instructions for Italians guys at HiFi-2000.
 Most Italians are just like you in Ireland or England, they hate French like poison 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## cfcubed

Seen one, seen em all... But what really sets mine apart from most is the green power LED
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Just wanted to show you aren't obligated to use bright blue ones. The charge LED is red - They came in a bag of 20 for $3 from RatShack.
 After 1st putting it together removed the pot nut & washer. Put a trace of oil on the self-tap screws so they would survive openings. 






 Built from one of Jeff's kits (recommended). I did have trouble getting U5 going (could've been bad or faulty install), but its working well now. Used about 6 hrs or so & sounds a lot bigger than it is (not shy in bass or treble). Nice project.


----------



## smegger

ok my flag memory doesn't serve me to well but result i think the guy i live with speaks pretty good Italian result!

 i was feeling sick about ordering off a French company so even bigger result!(just kidding)


----------



## Monkeypillow

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_




_

 

If you don't mind me asking, where'd you buy that iPod case?


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished it up.
 Here's my CKKIII_

 

super, super, SUPER clean. I love it! Gawd, from soup to nuts, that is a sweet build! The text engraving on the front is a perfect touch. Where did you get the engraving done? Was it through HiFi2000? 

 I am nearly done with my own CKKIII....same case (the shorter one)...same wire covers...wow, I'm in good company!


----------



## monolith

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Monkeypillow* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If you don't mind me asking, where'd you buy that iPod case?_

 

The case is made by Belkin. It's one of these.


----------



## gates_2

mb3k- I'm impressed how you managed to take those botched panels that they sent you and turn them into something nice... very cool!


----------



## mb3k

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Is that a knob from Hi-Fi 2000? What diameter, 29mm? 

 I'm planning to use one for my β22 and can't decide between 39mm and 49mm._

 

It's actually the 39mm knob.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bhjazz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_super, super, SUPER clean. I love it! Gawd, from soup to nuts, that is a sweet build! The text engraving on the front is a perfect touch. Where did you get the engraving done? Was it through HiFi2000? 

 I am nearly done with my own CKKIII....same case (the shorter one)...same wire covers...wow, I'm in good company!_

 

I got the milling done by HiFi2000 but the engraving was done locally at an engraving center with a Versa VL-300.
 I can't wait to see your low-profile casing and goodies

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gates_2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_mb3k- I'm impressed how you managed to take those botched panels that they sent you and turn them into something nice... very cool!_

 

Hehe, if you notice you can see that I drilled new holes on the Neutrik jacks. No big deal - it gives it a unique mirrored screw pattern that nobody has 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thx for the comment


----------



## TzeYang

Pictures. No drills No manly tools to finish the case yet.


----------



## Captain

Built these Speakers last week.





















 Seem to have ended up wife friendly.

 Kit details LINK


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Captain* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Built these Speakers last week. Seem to have ended up wife friendly._

 


 Great looking speakers.....being wife friendly is always a good thing too.


----------



## Seaside

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Captain* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Seem to have ended up wife friendly._

 

The only speaker that is wife friendly is broken speaker. 
 If it sounds and still wife friendly, my hat off to you and your wife.


----------



## bearmann

Hi Captain ... do I really need to ask? Well then ... "How do they sound?" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I really love Ribbons!

 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## Captain

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bearmann* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi Captain ... do I really need to ask? Well then ... "How do they sound?" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I really love Ribbons!

 best regards,
 bearmann_

 

Hi Bearmann

 They sound very nice, smooth, fast and transparent. First time with ribbons and totally sold, this is a real bang for the bucks kit.


----------



## bearmann

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Captain* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi Bearmann

 They sound very nice, smooth, fast and transparent. First time with ribbons and totally sold, this is a real bang for the bucks kit._

 

Oh boy... I'm really jealous! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Congrats on those nice speakers!

 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## Ech0

Canare plugs on the interconnects.


----------



## adfinni

^^^^ 

 that partspipe guy in hong kong must be rubbing his hands with glee at all the knobs us head-fiers are buying. Sorry to our wallets 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks nice dude, im building my MAX atm and a switchbox too.


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adfinni* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^^^^ 

 that partspipe guy in hong kong must be rubbing his hands with glee at all the knobs us head-fiers are buying. Sorry to our wallets 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks nice dude, im building my MAX atm and a switchbox too._

 

It's too bad that no one in the USA makes a decent knob, at least at a decent price. We've got to go to China or Europe to find anything decently sized. The Kilo's at Digikey are nice, but not very big.


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* 
_It's too bad that no one in the USA makes a decent knob, at least at a decent price. We've got to go to China or Europe to find anything decently sized. The Kilo's at Digikey are nice, but not very big._

 

Yeah, I looked around and couldn't find anything either, at least nothing as nice as the knob I bought. The partspipe guy has some pretty decent stuff and a good selection as we all know.


----------



## MASantos

Do you have the link to the partspipe guy?


----------



## adfinni

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you have the link to the partspipe guy?_

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-30x22-Alumin...QQcmdZViewItem

 Great service from him too, did me a custom number.


----------



## tomb

Very nice, Echo!! Yes, I am sold on the Partspipe knobs as well.


----------



## Sathimas

While you're all talking about knobs ... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I'm looking for a knob with a LED in it.
 Like the cases made by ATI have it for example.
 (Wanted to give you the link here, but their website seems to be down.)


----------



## bearmann

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's too bad that no one in the USA makes a decent knob, at least at a decent price. We've got to go to China or Europe to find anything decently sized. The Kilo's at Digikey are nice, but not very big._

 

Ummm... Europe? Are you shure? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 So far I've found nothin' similar to the partspipe-knobs ... at least not for such a reasonbale price. Well, if you like to spend +20€ for one knob you'll find some for sure. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 @Ech0: Really decent design, like it a lot! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bearmann* 
_@Ech0: Really decent design, like it a lot! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 Thanks, But most of that's Tomb's doing (his design) so.... can't take credit for that.


----------



## Joshatdot

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *applegd* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_STEPS boards have been sitting in my box for about 1 year, now it is the time to build one(nothing fancy, C5 Muse KZ, C8 220uF Silmic II, hand "laser cut" handmond case to gain 20mm more width than standard 1455N1201BK) for fun, mainly because I want to see its performance comparing to my non-standard version of Sigma22 for my super matched PPAv2. Initial impression is STEPS makes my PPAv2 sound little bit differently than Sigma22..... I got more "homework" to do..... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Very nice, simple, clean, plain black


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

Looks really nice! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 If we all had the knowledge to build something like that...


----------



## applegd

Before upgrade, stock '04 Premium Module.






 One of the thing I can change at any time but not change is the 2134s. I still haven't upgrade them to OPA627 yet but I think it is not cost effective to me any way as it does not have dimond buffer as '06 MAX does.


----------



## Polaris111688

I decided to upgrade the loudspeakers I was using.




 Those are the old electrolytic capacitors they used in the crossover. I replaced those with a pair of decent Panasonic poly-film capacitors.




 The old wiring was some cheap 22AWG stuff. I replaced that with 18 gauge speaker wire.

 The end result:




 Oh, I also replaced the woofer with a 6 1/2" Vifa woofer:





 A power amp I'm working on to go with these speakers:


----------



## Glowing-Tube

Hi 
 Here a photo off my last creation, it's a otl head-amp that use one 6AS7G tube for each cannel, "not only one half". Most of the manufactures believe that one half of a 6AS7G is enough, to drive a headphone in a proper way, They are wrong. I have been building with tubes since the early eighties, so I know how to build a tube-amp.

 Best regards

 Torben


----------



## naamanf

Great looking amp! Care about sharing some of your designs with the rest of us?


----------



## gates_2

preview:




 Firstwatt F2 and B22


----------



## Ferrari

*Glowing-Tube*, very nice work! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Wellcome to Head-Fi... European brother.


----------



## Glowing-Tube

Hi 
 Here are a few more photos, of my homemade gear.

 Best regards,
 Torben
 32 watt push-pull using 6C33C-B output tubes




 The same amp




 20 watt OTL same tubes




 Heil-air motion tranformer




 9 tubes balanced pre-amp with riaa and motorrised volume control




 Same pre amp


----------



## naamanf

Wow. Super nice work. I notice the Audio Technology theme on a couple of the amps. Fan of their speakers or an employee? Also looks like your into control line airplanes


----------



## devin_mm

Ummm.... Glowing-Tube all I have to say is wow, those are some fantastic designs.


----------



## Glowing-Tube

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow. Super nice work. I notice the Audio Technology theme on a couple of the amps. Fan of their speakers or an employee? Also looks like your into control line airplanes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yes I have been knowing Per Skaaning the last 25 years or so, I'm passing his workshop every day, when I'm driving to work. You got me, I also like to build model airplane, control line and RC-controlled.

 Regards,

 Torben


----------



## Glowing-Tube

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *devin_mm* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ummm.... Glowing-Tube all I have to say is wow, those are some fantastic designs._

 

Thanks a lot devin.

 Regards,

 Torben


----------



## koike

Still one channel left to build as I'm short on 4 heat sinks.


----------



## funch

Thought I'd share a few pix of my PS1 mod's. So far I've bypassed the output stage using Vampire CCC wire through two 3.3uF Clarity Caps, installed better RCA's, and remote-mounted the power supply in a cast aluminum case. I've also installed the receiver for a remote in the #2 memory card slot.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow. Super nice work. I notice the Audio Technology theme on a couple of the amps. Fan of their speakers or an employee? Also looks like your into control line airplanes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

YES - it looks like a McCoy redhead - now tell me where you know that. Controliners are a rare breed.


----------



## Captain ?degard

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIdhCXydd-0

 lights lights LIIIIGHTS!


----------



## Glowing-Tube

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_YES - it looks like a McCoy redhead - now tell me where you know that. Controliners are a rare breed. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hi tomd

 You have right it's an old McCoy redhead from the sixties, I have become it and other old motors like Cox, Os Webra and a few more from my father. Are you into Controliners also?

 Regards,
 Torben


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Glowing-Tube* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi tomd

 You have right it's an old McCoy redhead from the sixties, I have become it and other old motors like Cox, Os Webra and a few more from my father. Are you into Controliners also?

 Regards,
 Torben_

 

Yes. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I've flown combat and precision stunt since the mid-to-late '60's. I still have a couple of Fox Combat Specials, a Fox 35, etc.


----------



## GeWa

Glowing-Tube, are you willing to share the schematics of your 6AS7G amp.
 I have a few of those tubes lying around for ages, maybe its time I can put them to use.

 Best regards


----------



## funch

This is a followup to my post 2570. I followed PinkFloyd's advice on his site, www.rock-grotto.co.uk, and replaced the caps on my tube buffer. I replaced the electrolytics with Pana FM's (had to use FC's for the little guys), and the film caps with Wima's. I put one of each of the old ones on top of a replacement to show the difference in size. 










 Pink wasn't kidding: it does make one heck of a difference. So far, I'm very impressed. For no more than I have invested in this (driven by my modd'ed PS1), it's soundin' astoundin'.


----------



## Glowing-Tube

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GeWa* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Glowing-Tube, are you willing to share the schematics of your 6AS7G amp.
 I have a few of those tubes lying around for ages, maybe its time I can put them to use.

 Best regards_

 

Hi GeWa

 Right now I'm not willing to share my schematics, because I will try to make a little production, just for fun. Perhaps I could be so lucky that I would be able to sell 10-50 of my amp. It have been up against the famous Rudistor RP-7, the sound of my amp was equal to the Rudistor, so I have hit the right design for my schematic. 

 Best regards,

 Torben


----------



## TzeYang

Cased up little portable amp. OPA -> Diamond buffers.

 last for around 8-9 hours on a single 170mAH 9V. Sounds pretty good.


----------



## Marzie

My modest efforts at making CMoys

 This was my first one. The two knobs are left and right volume because I couldn't find a double pot.






 This is after I borrowed the case for my third amp







 This is my second CMoy, I call it the DaftMoy. I found some rca's at radioshack that looked like a step up from their usual crap, so I gave them a try.






 Here's the inside






 Here's my latest, with 1/4 and 1/8 outputs, and rca and 1/8 inputs






 and the inside






 On the DaftMoy, I didn't use a switch between the 2 inputs, i just wired them in series. Any disadvantages to doing it this way? On the third amp, I did use switches for both the inputs and the outputs.


----------



## kanamin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Marzie* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...
 On the DaftMoy, I didn't use a switch between the 2 inputs, i just wired them in series. Any disadvantages to doing it this way? ..._

 

Don't you mean parallel? I hope you mean parallel, because I think with the inputs wired in parallel, as long as you only have one hooked up to a source, then the other shouldn't affect it, somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 Your multiple CMOYs make me want to make another (actually I've been meaning to), like a desk cmoy so I don't have to maneuver my fingers to get at the volume knob between the jacks, and so I don't have to worry about it falling off, and using a wall-wart so I don't have to worry about batteries, etc.


----------



## Marzie

Doh, yes I did mean in parallel. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kanamin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Your multiple CMOYs make me want to make another (actually I've been meaning to), like a desk cmoy so I don't have to maneuver my fingers to get at the volume knob between the jacks, and so I don't have to worry about it falling off, and using a wall-wart so I don't have to worry about batteries, etc._

 

That is kind of where I am at now. I built the last one because I had the gain of the first 2 at 11 and that was too high for my ZVM. It gave me an excuse to throw in the extra inputs and outputs, so unfortunately, now it is almost too big to be easily portable (I just bring it to work in a bag) although I made the circuit with the portable player in mind... Next I was thinking more along the lines of a desk Pimeta, though. Then I could leave the third cmoy at work, have a nice desktop for at home, and I was thinking of rebuilding the DaftMoy circuit to have a lower gain (or maybe adjustable?) The case is pretty portable, and my attempt at being artistic (lol 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) shouldn't be doomed to stay at home. I am dreading taking out the rca jacks, as I have to desolder them to remove the board from the case. I have seen a few nice jacks that allow them to be unscrewed from the outside, maybe I will try some of those while I have board out.

 On a side note, the case I used for the DaftMoy came with these nice rubber feet that hide the holes for the screws. Really keeps it stationary on the desk. A few gripes with the case though are the thick side walls, the 3.5mm jacks are just barely hanging onto the nuts (is that normal?), the split between the two halves of the case is practically right in the middle, so I decided to mount the board and components to the top half. Also, slot to pass the 9v clip through wasn't big enough for the heavy duty radioshack clips, so I had to file it to make it a little bigger.


----------



## kanamin

11 was too high for me too, but all I did was swap out two resistors to change it to 6...

 I'm also currently thinking about a desk PIMETA, but am also considering a SOHA (gotta love the fact it comes in a kit).


----------



## vixr

something I'm working on...


----------



## tyre

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_something I'm working on...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 [!IMG]http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m236/vixr/thisone.jpg[/IMG]_

 

Bijou?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_something I'm working on...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I spy the Bijou proto with Russian 6N6P double triode tubes, supplied by JeffR.
 It can work but, ... there are several things that really need to be modified/improved (with all respect for the designer).
 Most critical is the heatsink of Q2 on the PS, it's simply too small that probably not safe to use under full load 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .
 There is also no room on the board for a larger heatsink... so I think I go P-P.


----------



## runeight

Hi Ferrari. You might be right about the heatsink. One reason why we're only prototyping now.

 But, so that we don't miss anything, what else to you see? Better to fix now, if possible, than later.


----------



## Televator

Hi all... I have finished my first Millet Hybrid Maxed (or MAX as we know it better) built by me from a (very nice) Jrossel kit and I have made some pics...

 I'll just post thumbnails here, but feel free to click on them for larger pics!

 First some pics of the populated board and early biasing efforts... ah that feeling when first applying power and ... nothing blows, stinks or sizzles 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I managed to actually get my MAX right the first time and as I very carefully biased (following the instructions on Tomb's site), I didn't ruin anything afterwards either (well, except for one fuse, but I quickly ditched the fuse completely and haven't had any probs since)



 

 




 

 



 Some tube-shots ('cause I know y'all like 'em just as much as I do 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )





 




 



 PS: I liked that last 'nipple' so much it has become my avatar

 A decent amp deserves to be cased up nicely, so I decided to actually spend some work/time drawing out the layout and fitting it on the amp... I adapted Tomb's layout in Illustrator and pasted some printouts on cardboard, which leads to the OrigaMAX



 

 




 

 



 Of course this was only a test and I drilled the alu plates as well (the cardboard version was a bit too flammable for safe use 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) However I didn't really have the right tools for this and my work was a bit sloppy with some scuffing on the top plate as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






 



 But I still had some metal screen left from my SR-60 recable-rescreen (see link in sig) and I soon devised an idea to 'fix' the outlook.



 

 




 

 



 The screen wasn't completely flawless either and the sides of the top plate aren't as cleanly finished as I would have wanted, but in general it looks great and the flaws are only obvious from close-up. Also my IC's (while they work perfectly) look kinda bad from behind as I didn't have the right diameter heatshrink to finish them...

 The MAX sounds great (with 12FK6 tubes) and the test points on the back and biasing holes on the top make for easy biasing without opening her up...

 Thanks to all who had a part in bringing this project to life/making it accessible to me...


----------



## adfinni

Pics taken from the Millett MAX thread.

 Here are my first set of external pics. Unfortunately it was hard to get all the dust off the case, but il try again when i get the internal pics. 

 I think the bright sun gives some cool effects


----------



## adfinni

ahhh feck internet going wrong


----------



## philodox

Nice build, I like the window in the back.


----------



## adfinni

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *philodox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice build, I like the window in the back. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks. Ive decided to leave it as a gaping hole as any mesh or other window type material will impede heatflow, and the voltage regulator heatsink at the back is already nearly too hot to touch. The hammond case acts like a nice heatsink too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Il get some better pictures up in due course, especially of the internal parts as i really want o show it off. No expense has been spared and ive used boutique parts all around.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *runeight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi Ferrari. You might be right about the heatsink. One reason why we're only prototyping now.

 But, so that we don't miss anything, what else to you see? Better to fix now, if possible, than later. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Runeight, you are right… prototyping is indeed to discover things that we probably can modified/improved on a later version.
 I will PM you soon with a small list of things on the Bijou proto that need a bit more attention (in some case a byte).
 For now I can confirm that the Bijou proto works and sounds very good 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. 
 At some points, I deviate a bit from the original BOM..., however it also works with the original BOM.
 (Heavier transformer; On the PS: off board heat sinks for Q1+Q2, 2400uF totally for C4+C5; On the amp board: C3+C4 are PIO and output capacitor C5 = MKP).

 Unless the messy wirings and of course uncased (typical for proto works), It get more listening time than my recent built Millett Max... and you know why 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## Polaris111688

Completed speaker amplifier. It gets very loud, while staying clean.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Televator* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 ...Of course this was only a test and I drilled the alu plates as well (the cardboard version was a bit too flammable for safe use 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) However I didn't really have the right tools for this and my work was a bit sloppy with some scuffing on the top plate as well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



_

 

A small file and some patience will do wonders for that top panel! You could add some silver grid to the heatsink holes for the looks!


----------



## fordgtlover

Nice mesh concept.


----------



## funch

Here's my version of the Flexi rack. It's constructed of three-quarter inch mdf. The bottom three shelves are double thick. The second shelf is triple thick. The top, TT shelf is also triple thick, but with a twist. The center piece has 4 large cavities. There is a hole cut from the back into each cavity. I poured each cavity full of lead shot, then plugged each hole. The top shelf alone weighs probably 50 pounds. Needless to say, the whole thing is assembled in stages, and it must be in its final location before that top shelf is put on; there's no moving this thing once it's fully assembled. Of course, it's spiked into the concrete slab. It's finished with a base coat of brushed on water based white primer (Kilz 'cuz I already had it on hand), and then 3 coats of brushed on water based flat black, which makes touch-up easy. I guess you could say this is the Flexi rack built by/for the manic depressive.


----------



## el_matt0

just finished my b22 and its sounding fantastic!! got a custom faceplate on its way and still hafta finish up the rear casework as well as neaten up my wiring, but, it works, and thats always a good sign right! more pics to come once i "finish"!


----------



## el_matt0

few quick pics of a project i started and finished up last night. just needs some casework and then im good to go, sounds fantastic on my 325i though!! bass! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 AND the grado house sound 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 amazing!!!!


----------



## Mazuki

I was going to wait until I finished the casework, but here's a small preview:






 in low light with beautiful filaments






 Sonic impressions thus far indicate this to be one hell of an amplifier. I haven't listened to anything else in 2 weeks!


----------



## jbloudg20

Mazuki, what is it?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mazuki* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was going to wait until I finished the casework, but here's a small preview:

 Sonic impressions thus far indicate this to be one hell of an amplifier. I haven't listened to anything else in 2 weeks!_

 

Congrat with your proto, Mazuki !
 My proto is much messier due to the use of some off boards parts (large PS filter caps; on the amp, Russian K75 PIO for signal path (C3+C4) caps and huge MKP output caps...). Same impression here about the sound, it passes the "well known 2-tubes DIY hybrid amp" I also have easily 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ! I'm currenly on business trip and I really, really miss the sound of this amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jbloudg20* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Mazuki, what is it?_

 

It looks to be a Bijou.


----------



## Mazuki

Quote:


  Quote:


 Mazuki, what is it? 
 

It looks to be a Bijou. 
 

Yup, it's a Cavalli Lovell Futterman aka Bijou. 

  Quote:


 Congrat with your proto, Mazuki 
 

Thanks Ferrari! I've been thinking about changing C3, C4 and C5 caps as well. I'm going to wait until I get my case first. Also you are right about Q1, it does get extremely hot. I think I should be able to find another heatsink to squeeze into that slot though.


----------



## natumbri

Hi - attached is my first effort at a headphone amp. It is not quite finished yet - I have to mount the switch and power light properly, and would like to add DC in. I'm just pleased to have made it this far!

 People like the tin?

 I have been using the amp with my Alessandro MS-1 headphones - sounds pretty good to me!

 cheers,
 nik.


----------



## el_matt0

looks cool man. unique tin - i like it. congrats on getting into DIY, hopefully you'll have many more successful projects to come! oh and of course - welcome to head-fi!


----------



## koike

i have lift off!
 now to case it. *patiently waits for next month's pay*


----------



## MartinV56

Hi, My DIY Set amps:
 45
 2A3
 300B


----------



## Pars

Finished up the *prototype* for a discrete I/V stage in my Rotel CD. This player uses the standard Philips late '80s/early '90s players (SAA7210 / SAA7220B / TDA1541a). I was trying to get this finished for the Chiunifi meet last weekend, but hadn't had time to do testing, etc., so I wound up not going (should have anyhow...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) It sounds really good, much better than any opamps I have rolled through this player. I really wanted to compare it to a G08 or something at the meet.

 Mods include:

Shottky PSU diodes (11DQ10 player, 31DQ10 o22)
Tentlabs XO on a PFM Flea board (my own layout), modified to provide /2 direct DAC clocking
Tread board taking ~25Vdc down to 18-20Vdc for the Flea
home layout of an amb o22 PSU for the discrete stage (I needed a smaller board than the o22 at 3.5" x 6.5")
rbroer's less simple I/V for TDA1541a, modified to use 2SA970/2SC2240 transistors, FET buffer per cetoole's I/V stage (I removed this for the time being), and muting relay
home-etched double-sided PCBs (I used tinnit for the first time on these, works pretty well)


----------



## n_maher

Now that the cat is out of the bag about the amp that I brought to the NYC meet I'll post a few pictures here.

 Balanced mini3 w/ dual TREAD power supplies.
















 And an image stolen from the NYC Meet.


----------



## TzeYang

looks beautiful!!

 Tell me with those dual treads inside, how did you case the transformer? Are you using an AC adaptor with a centre tapped ground? Where can i get one?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finished up the *prototype* for a discrete I/V stage in my Rotel CD. This player uses the standard Philips late '80s/early '90s players (SAA7210 / SAA7220B / TDA1541a). I was trying to get this finished for the Chiunifi meet last weekend, but hadn't had time to do testing, etc., so I wound up not going (should have anyhow...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) It sounds really good, much better than any opamps I have rolled through this player. I really wanted to compare it to a G08 or something at the meet.

 Mods include:

Shottky PSU diodes (31DQ10)
Tentlabs XO on a PFM Flea board (my own layout), modified to provide /2 direct DAC clocking
Tread board taking ~25Vdc down to 18-20Vdc for the Flea
home layout of an amb o22 PSU for the discrete stage (I needed a smaller board than the o22 at 3.5" x 6.5")
rbroer's less simple I/V for TDA1541a, modified to use 2SA970/2SC2240 transistors, FET buffer per cetoole's I/V stage (I removed this for the time being), and muting relay
_

 


 Very interesting Pars. Nice PCB layout work too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_looks beautiful!!

 Tell me with those dual treads inside, how did you case the transformer? Are you using an AC adaptor with a centre tapped ground? Where can i get one?_

 

Thanks for the kind words, the treads are fed by the same trafo, which is simply a 12VAC wallwart.


----------



## TzeYang

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks for the kind words, the treads are fed by the same trafo, which is simply a 12VAC wallwart._

 

AH, silly me for thinking dual treads need a centre tapped trafo to work. I thought you were making a dual supply. turns out it's one tread for one mini3 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Whenever i see works like yours, it makes me so want to fab my own PCB. PCBs are soooo much elegant and beautiful.


 On the other hand i think it's time i share this:






 Sorta a modified adjustable diamond buffer with a improved stiffer wildar current mirror (think PPAV2), opamps used are AD744 with compensation pin as output. A capacitance multiplier is used to isolate the buffer and opamp rails 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Good thing about this layout is that it does not have any "hookup" wires beneath the board (everything is soldered on without underboard jumper wires). It will also accomodate JFET cascodes for class A biasing easily.

 Case work will be done after i receive my new pair of drills after being lost in transit T_T.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Whenever i see works like yours, it makes me so want to fab my own PCB. PCBs are soooo much elegant and beautiful._

 

You should know that the street goes both ways and that folks like me look at what you're able to do on perfboard and think it's pretty spectacular as well.


----------



## labmat

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You should know that the street goes both ways and that folks like me look at what you're able to do on perfboard and think it's pretty spectacular as well. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I agree I wish I had mad perfboard skills


----------



## diskostu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Good thing about this layout is that it does not have any "hookup" wires beneath the board (everything is soldered on without underboard jumper wires)._

 

That looks awesome, do you have a picture of the bottom? Do you mind posting it?

 Thanks

 -David


----------



## TzeYang

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *diskostu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That looks awesome, do you have a picture of the bottom? Do you mind posting it?

 Thanks

 -David_

 

ask and yer shall receive.











 Sigh, if perfboards can have full ground planes and dual traces, how nice would it be (dreaming)


----------



## bearmann

Man... this is sick! (in an absolute freaky but positive way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)

 Great work! 
 Are there schematices for your modified/enhanced buffer?

 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## FallenAngel

Hey guys,

 During this time that Head-Fi was down, I've been a little busy and had a chance to debug/case some amps on the table 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here are a few of my latest creations:

*Millet Max* - All out boutique 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Panasonic FM PSU
 BlackGate NX output
 Elna Silmic II cathode bypass
 0.47uF Vitamin Q bypass
 A great way to blow $50 on boutique caps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 MOSFET output stage








*SOHA* - My favorite parts 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Panasonic FM PSU
 Mundorf MCap ZN output
 Elna Silmic II cathode bypass
 OPA2107 buffer






*CKK-III* - Jeff's kit


----------



## Pars

Nice job on the amps! Good job on the casing... IEC and switch holes, etc. look good (as in pro). Are the RCAs the ones from Australia?


----------



## Heady

fallenangel,
 You have the exact amps which I would love to hear some opinions about, when compared to each other. Any comments about their sound quality and which you prefer?

 Thanks.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Heady* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_fallenangel,
 You have the exact amps which I would love to hear some opinions about, when compared to each other. Any comments about their sound quality and which you prefer?

 Thanks._

 

I can't speak for Fallen Angel, but keep in mind that's a MOSFET MAX. It's sort of like pairing a tube stage with a Szekeres (MOSFET buffer with no feedback). The BJT version, on the other hand is sort of like pairing a tube stage with a PPA. A strong effect in either case, depending on preference, but very different.

 You have to be specific when making comparisons with the MAX.


----------



## dBel84

I know this doesn't really qualify as new DIY but I am just so chuffed with this little beast and as I never posted images of the EHHA in the background I figured I may be excused by some of you more hard core law abiders. 

 It is a Samsung UMPC and is just so much fun to play with. I got it for a far more boring reason but it is going to feed my habit in many more ways . To keep this semi DIY oriented - the EHHA is runeight's Embedded Hybrid Headphone Amplifier, MOSFET output powered by AMB's simply beautiful S22. It will be available to all shortly and all I will say at this time is that it is Class A and happily shares the shelf alongside runeight's pride, the Bijou..dB


----------



## luvdunhill

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ask and yer shall receive.











 Sigh, if perfboards can have full ground planes and dual traces, how nice would it be (dreaming)_

 

I have tried this using lead-free solder and it just doesn't work. I was using FR4 perfboards and ended up having to use the component leads.


----------



## n0ll4k

You really have some mad perfboard skills I wish I could do something half that good.

 Mine always look creepy so I am glad that they are in enclosures


----------



## TzeYang

thanks guys, that was all kind words.

 If you're interested, all the bridges are done with a kester 245 and a Hakko 936 at 310 Celcius setting.

 I'd like to try some real manly professional PCBs much later. Perfboards are realllly fun to work with but they just don't give as much performance compared to PCBs 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (sadly, sadly).


----------



## Pars

That is really nice work... I don't think I could do that. You just bridge between the pads with solder? Handy skill to have for protos.


----------



## TzeYang

^yep, just bridge pads with solder.


----------



## el_matt0




----------



## ferds

my 2nd millett


----------



## vixr

here is an update on the prototype amp I'm working on... sounds simply fantastic.


----------



## joneeboi

I started DIYing about a year ago, so I have much to catch up on.

 [size=small]*ZVM LOD Cotton Dock*[/size]
 Here is a static absorber I made for my ZVM LOD. Eventually a coil of copper wire to ground would actually solve it.
















 [size=small]*CMoy
*[size=xx-small]Here is the very first CMoy. Would you believe it took me two whole weeks to complete? I never did listen to it much in the end.






 Along the way, a PIMETA was in the works but never ended up working. I didn't take pictures of it. I think I may have fried more than one trace.

 [size=small]*RA-1 Clone*[/size]
 I have SR60s, so I figured I'd find out what the John Grado sound was really like.

 Here is the first version that never ended up working. I never could figure out the layout.





 Working version. Oh yeah, that's a PINT trickle charger, baby.















 [size=small]*Alien DAC*[/size]
 This never did end up working. Do I have the energy to pick it up again?





 [/size][/size][size=small][size=xx-small]
 [size=small]*Jonathan Grado SR60*[/size]
 "Buy low, mod high," as kramer5150 once said (I think in those words).

 Thumb screws version 1.










 Thumb screws version 2. This time I used a tap.





 Third time's the charm.





 Dynamat-on-the-driver mod.





 Rescreening volume 1.





 Rescreening volume 2.










 [size=small]*Apple diyMod 4G click wheel*[/size]
 The caps I'm using are 220uF Nichicon UPWs, and until I feel I've listened enough to my diyMod + MHM Vol. 1 setup, I'll grab some Black Gates.










 [/size][/size]


----------



## joneeboi

[size=small][size=xx-small][size=small]*Millett Hybrid MAX*[/size]
 By the grace of God, I was able to pull this off. I was seriously considering pulling off a revMillett Hybrid when Colin posted this one fateful night. What amazing timing.

 I'll post the different versions along the way.

 It didn't work because I forgot a crucial resistor.





 Here I didn't solder the input jack correctly.










 Here are some extra 5.1uF Solens I bought for my RA-1 Clone. Also, 1000uF Panasonic FCs populate the boutique positions, CA2 and CA7. Not entirely boutique without a stretch, but I like how everything works together. I also received some Silpads to isolate the BJTs.















 Look at that little knob. It has since been transplanted to the RA-1.





 The source that I was going to use at the time.





 The partspipe knob came in. Huzzah! I think I also jumpered RB14 at this point.





 New tubes came in!










 I present my Millett Hybrid MAX Vol. 1. I like the way everything is in terms of sound, so nothing is changing for a while. Changes are new Kobiconn stereo mini jack, RCA inputs, Toshiba 2SC3422/2SA1359.
 The specs:
 27.0VDC
 12FK6 @ 13.5VDC
 BJTs - [/size][/size][size=small][size=xx-small]Toshiba 2SC3422/2SA1359 @ 110mV
 470uF Nichicon UPW @ CA4 and CA5
 1000uF Panasonic FC @ CA2 and CA7
 5.1uF Solen @ CA8 and CA9
 Otherwise it's fully BOM.
 [/size][/size][size=small][size=xx-small]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Warm, fuzzy wuzzy sound.





 Notice the juxtaposition of the stock Wimas on the left with the monster Solens on the right.





 [edit: Spelling. *sigh*]
 [/size][/size]


----------



## dBel84

vixr , truly awesome work. Looking forward to seeing the final product..dB


----------



## sunnysocket

my soha


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_here is an update on the prototype amp I'm working on... sounds simply fantastic.
_

 


 Nice wiring work vixr 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. My proto is very messy due to some off-board components and heatsinks.
 But who cares... it sounds amazingly good, it surpasses my MH MAX so easily... quite embarrassing to discover this 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice wiring work vixr 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. My proto is very messy due to some off-board components and heatsinks.
 But who cares... it sounds amazingly good, it surpasses my MH MAX so easily... quite embarrassing to discover this 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ._

 

Four dual triodes, a tube rectifier, and a big iron, 250V high-voltage supply transformer? The surprise is not whether it should surpass the MAX, but that the MAX was worthy enough that you considered the comparison in the first place.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	













 P.S. Yes - like you, Ferrari, Vixr does excellent work!


----------



## Ferrari

No offense tomb... not that I considered the MH MAX in the first place for comparision.
 It's just a result of extended listening test between the the amps I have built myself, accidentally. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 We all have the liberty to do that in a free world, don't we ?


----------



## Mod_Evil

It's mine Guitar Amplifier Based on "Fender Twin" with some mods.

 =D














 It uses potted xformers! And Two 6L6 in PP-UL configuration.

 A internal image:






 Best Regards,
 Felipe Navarro


----------



## CTY

My SOHA...








 Pretty much standard. Used Xicon resistors, Xicon caps for the power section and some Muse KZ and Panasonic FMs here and there. Opamp is an AD8512, tube... uh, I don't know, I used the one Jeff sent me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now looking forward to building some JISBOS... and of course to case it up!


----------



## kipman725

that Guitar Amplifier looks absolutly superb !


----------



## jamess71

How do you guys post pics larger that 19Kb? Do you have to be a paid member or something? I want to post pics of my newly finished CKKIII. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thnaks
 James


----------



## el_matt0

just host them through photobucket (free) and then use the "insert photo" feature to post the direct URLs to the photobucket hosted images when posting your replies on head-fi


----------



## jamess71

el_matto Thanks... I got it to work from my picassa web album. Very nice, just sold these BTW 

 james


----------



## stixx

My first effort in building headphone amplifiers...
 This one is using the C3g, a tube that was exclusively built for the german post in the 60's. A few years back hardly nobody knew this tube, now it's been used here and there...

  Quote:


 This really is the ULTIMATE preamp tube. If you want one of the quietest and lowest microphonics tube on the planet, this is your chance. 
 

 Quote found on tubedepot...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The schematic is simple and straightforward and uses minimal parts. Resistors are Allen Bradley, Morganite, Holco and Kiwame, bypass capacitors are Oscon and output capacitors Siemens MKV. The psu uses a 5R4GYB (for looks...and rectification), two chokes and mkp caps throughout.


----------



## jamess71

Stixx that is a real beauty. Did you do all the case work too?


----------



## stixx

@jamess71: err, sure...all from me...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nah, just kidding!

 The top plate is 8mm aluminum and was fabricated by a fellow colleague.
 The woodwork is veneer over cherrywood and was done by my favourite carpenter (and I nearly went broke over that...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)

 Thanks for the kind words!


----------



## TzeYang

wow, it looks both fantastic and expensive!!

 Sanyo OS CONS (intended for digital use) plus old analog tube circuitry = WIN!


----------



## Polaris111688

Continuation of work on my power amp.




 It's remote controlled (my roommate's universal remote controls it - remote controlled board is from Welborne Labs), has a soft-start circuit from 41Hz.com, 530VA toroidal transformer from Avel-Lindberg, a muting delay circuit I etched, and a VU meter (lowest two LEDs on left channel blew out on me...). The remote board is connected to a 5V power supply connected directly to the AC inlet. On power-on, the remote board sends 5V out to multiple relays to power on the amplifier and support circuitry.




 Buffer circuit I completed using perf-board. I did a PSpice analysis on the input sections of the VU meter and power amp, and it turns out that high-frequencies were attenuated (draws 65mA @ 20kHz) with the VU meter's input filters. I'm throwing in 2 buffer circuits (one for VU meter, one for power amplifier boards) based on the LM4562NA opamp (basically, the buffer circuits are CMoy amps (non-inverting amplifier) set to unity gain). The power supply for the buffer circuits will be two bridged TREADs from Tangent set to +/-12V DC. The primary buffer board has 2 solid-state relays that power the board on when the entire amp is powered on.




 Amplifier in action.


----------



## el_matt0

@ polaris. 
 very nice, and very clever work there my friend.


----------



## vixr

I've got the case work almost done on my proto amp...it generates alot of heat.


----------



## el_matt0

@ vixr, that looks wickedly cool man. kinda like an alien space ship 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







! is it a tube or SS amp?


----------



## vixr

el mattO,
 its a prototype tube amp by runeight...


----------



## Polaris111688

Sweet work, Vixr. I need to learn that sort of neatness with wiring and placement.

 The power amplifier is finally finished, after today's addition of the buffer circuits. No more modifications are in line.












 Now, there are a total of 8 relays that power on the amplifier/output. The yellow LED indicates that the buffers are on, the green super-brights indicate that the amplifiers are on, and the red LEDs indicate stand-by (twin TREAD power supplies creating a +/-12V supply). High-frequencies are notably improved with the buffers in place. Two LM4562NAs are used as buffers. Yeah... there's no room left in this sucker.


----------



## el_matt0

@ polaris. maaan hahaha i just love that thing every time i see it. i know ive said it b4, but very very cool man.


----------



## bearmann

@vixr:
 That's an interesting amp I'd say! Your case design reminds me a bit on a church - with these high (gothic?!) windows... really like it!

 It's this prototype a SUPER Bijou?!

 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## vixr

bearmann, its one just before the super Bijou...

 Done!!!


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_bearmann, its one just before the super Bijou...

 Done!!!_

 

Seriously sweet work, man!


----------



## dBel84

I'll second that Nate , really sweet vixr..dB


----------



## bearmann

third it... this is one extravagant piece of work, vixr! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 best regards,
 bearmann

 PS: I just saw Cavllis Homepage 'cause of vixr's link above... really like the bijou design! Could somene say how much this amp approximately costs?!


----------



## Polaris111688

Outstanding case-work, Vixr.


----------



## vixr

thanks guys...its easy to do nice work when you dont have a life


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks guys...its easy to do nice work when you dont have a life 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

i have no life, and my work dosnt look that good.

 very nice job.


----------



## mb3k

Oooh, all the amps are looking good gentlemen!


----------



## Jam_Master_J

2 matching Millets I built for a friend. 
 Basic setup with BUF634P, power supply is a TREAD at 27.00V.


----------



## MASantos

Outstanding craftsmanship vixr!


----------



## vixr

Jam Master J, very nice...what enclosure is that?


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Jam Master J, very nice...what enclosure is that?_

 

those look like context engineering cases, am I correct?


----------



## Jam_Master_J

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_those look like context engineering cases, am I correct?_

 

Yep, I'm a sucker for Context Engineering cases


----------



## SoundGoon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_bearmann, its one just before the super Bijou...

 Done!!!









_

 

Is this really necessary? Seriously  That's a tastefully over the top case! Nice work


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SoundGoon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is this really necessary?_

 

I figure anything worth doing is worth overdoing...wait till you see my balanced EHHA.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I figure anything worth doing is worth overdoing...wait till you see my balanced EHHA. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hehe, sounds like a good motto. Overkill is fun


----------



## Polaris111688

This deserves a Hooah (forgive me... I am part of the Air Force).


----------



## vixr

you guys have already seen all my tricks, so I will spare the construction photos...


----------



## stixx

very nice idea putting the whole thing straight up...!

 With buffed out edges it would look even better though...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 .


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I figure anything worth doing is worth overdoing...wait till you see my balanced EHHA. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Amen to that!


----------



## vixr

stixx, I tried to buff the edges on a scrap piece of plexi, but the old rouge on the buffer kept staining the edges. I even tried using a heatgun to sorta melt the edges, and it works, you just have to be super consistant with the heat to keep from blistering, it was too difficult.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_














 you guys have already seen all my tricks, so I will spare the construction photos...

 [IMG>http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m236/vixr/DSCN4889.jpg[/IMG]
 [IMG>http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m236/vixr/DSCN4884.jpg[/IMG]
 [IMG>http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m236/vixr/DSCN4885.jpg[/IMG]
 [IMG>http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m236/vixr/lighted.jpg[/IMG]_

 

That's just too cool, Vixr!


----------



## vixr

I forgot to show why I did this in the first place... I'm not real fast, just half fast...


----------



## Pars

Hehe... I LIKE IT! Very inventive!

 Next one you need to do in plate glass, however


----------



## Polaris111688

Woah, the vertical casing idea is sweet. Harder to do with a 55 pound power amp, but I wish I thought of that earlier.


----------



## gtp

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_stixx, I tried to buff the edges on a scrap piece of plexi, but the old rouge on the buffer kept staining the edges. I even tried using a heatgun to sorta melt the edges, and it works, you just have to be super consistant with the heat to keep from blistering, it was too difficult._

 

You could just wipe with acetone. That will smooth out the edges. Be VERY careful, though, as the acetone will attack any and all plexi that it touches. And wear gloves, too.


----------



## ishtob

That's one awesome stand! heh.. hope you won't mind if I incorporate something like that to my future builds.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gtp* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You could just wipe with acetone. That will smooth out the edges. Be VERY careful, though, as the acetone will attack any and all plexi that it touches. And wear gloves, too._

 

or flame the edge very carefully.  be careful with that too.


----------



## vixr

ishtob, I've stolen sooo many ideas from others, I would be flattered to see this idea on other work. Thanks for the tip on the plexi too.


----------



## gtp

My Mini^3 pair:

















 Both are G=2, black is "high-performance", silver is "extended-battery".
 Sorry, no internal shots.


----------



## franky_s

Hi folks,
 some time ago I built a PIMETA and I thought why not post here some pictures:

















 I then built the rev. Millet Diamond Buffers and I think SQ increased audible. There is more bass and the SQ is more detailed. I'm a big fan of classical music and enjoy hearing music with my PIMETA and my HD650 very much.


----------



## n_maher

Very nice work, franky!


----------



## franky_s

Thank you n_maher,
 unfortunatelly with the diamond buffers the case is now too small and the amplifier needs a recasement. But the buffers were worth the upgrade!
 In the next few weeks I will work on a Millet Max. A kit from Jeff Rossel is on the way...


----------



## n_maher

franky,

 If I may make another suggestion, you should check the DC offset of the various sources that you use. If none of them present a DC input to the PIMETA you could remove the input coupling capacitors which also might yield some improvement to the sound. I have checked many of my sources and none of them carry DC on the output.

 And yes, upgrade often have a way of causing problems like recasing an entire project!


----------



## franky_s

hi n_maher,
 thanks for the tip. I thought of not useing the input caps but I was a little bit afraid of doing that. 
 My source is a Onkyo CD-Player DX-7011 and I will now go and measure the DC-offset. I bet you are right and there will be only a few mV.
 And you think , SQ will improve audible? I used not the worst caps (WIMA) but of cause no cap is better than any cap.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *franky_s* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_no cap is better than any cap._

 

That was pretty much my line of thinking.


----------



## rille2

My beta22:












 The amp has a remote control for volume, power and switching between the two inputs. The selected input is indicated by a LED in the front panel. I used an extra transformer for the remote control. 


 Some more pics can be found here: Picasa Web Albums - rille - beta22


----------



## el_matt0

@ rille, beautiful work man, great job. did u do that front panel yourself, or FPE? out of curiousity how much did adding in the remote etc run you? PM me the answer if ur not comfortable posting it. anyways, again, COOL stuff tho nice work!


----------



## Pars

Very nice job! What case is that (looks nice).


----------



## Susilo

I would say, looks classy! Nice work there rille2!


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My beta22:
http://home.arcor-online.de/peter.ri...beta22_03a.jpg
]http://home.arcor-online.de/peter.ri...eta22_08a.jpg]_

 

Really nice looking amplifier. Well done!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My beta22:
 ...
 The amp has a remote control for volume, power and switching between the two inputs. The selected input is indicated by a LED in the front panel. I used an extra transformer for the remote control. 
 Some more pics can be found here: Picasa Web Albums - rille - beta22_

 

rille2, congrat with your very complete β22 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ! The optional 10mm faceplate makes the HiFi-2000 Pesante enclosure much cooler.
 Also, very wise to use the perforated bottom plate... this amp need it.
 I miss the groundloop breaker... or did you mount it at another place that is invisible for me?


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *el_matt0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_@ rille, beautiful work man, great job. did u do that front panel yourself, or FPE? out of curiousity how much did adding in the remote etc run you?_

 

The panel is from FPE (Schaeffer in Germany). The Remote1 from Dantimax costs 37 EUR. You also need a motorized pot (8 EUR more than the normal ALPS RK27) and a universal remote control (~ 10 EUR). You also need some other parts: a small transformer, relais, LEDs...


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice job! What case is that (looks nice)._

 

It's a Pesante 2U from Hi-Fi 2000 with 10mm front panel.


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_rille2, congrat with your very complete β22 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ! The optional 10mm faceplate makes the HiFi-2000 Pesante enclosure much cooler.
 Also, very wise to use the perforated bottom plate... this amp need it.
 I miss the groundloop breaker... or did you mount it at another place that is invisible for me?_

 

I didn't install it. I made the experience that it is better without the ground loop breaker.


----------



## MASantos

did you send them the panel that came with the case or did they start making 10mm front panels?


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_did you send them the panel that came with the case or did they start making 10mm front panels?_

 

I sent the panel from Hi-Fi 2000.


----------



## Polaris111688

Outstanding work, rille. Did you program/design the logic board yourself?


----------



## MusicallySilent

Very nice case and engraving including the font, the remote is a nice added touch, thats why we have long headphone cords so we can sit back a ways from the amp, at least you can control your amp remotely now.


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Outstanding work, rille. Did you program/design the logic board yourself?_

 

Do you mean this board?








 It's a kit, Remote1 from Dantimax. I only added some parts for the indication of the selected input. I'musing the mute relais for this. Dantimax has also other kits, e.g. relais attenuator or input bords for 3 or 5 inputs.


----------



## Bjornboy81

Here's my switch box with 5 inputs and three outputs. I'm waiting on knobs and I'm going to install DC blocking caps and eliminate the ones in the amps.



 





 







 This is my first real DIY build (from scratch that is)


----------



## FallenAngel

Bjornboy81 : That's a very clean and efficient job, I know how long and hard it is to wire rotary switches and that's a very impressive job. Congrats!


----------



## Bjornboy81

thanks! Yeah...serious PITA. with the right tools and some patience it wasn't too horrible.


----------



## jamess71

Picasa Web Albums - James - CK2III







 Here is my first "real" DIY amp. Getting ready to start on the Millet Max next. Yahoo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 James


----------



## jamess71

OK I just realized how big those pics are..... I'll get this posting pics thing down sooner or later. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 James


----------



## stixx

This is my 3rd attempt in building headphone amplifiers, the first solid state design for me and my most recent (finished) build...
 As has been said before the M3 is an awesome amp that easily shows the quality of source and recording. It is extremely neutral and very transparent and, after many hours of burning in, has almost entirely lost a certain edginess that I noticed in the beginning. 

 Thumbs up to Amb (and Morsel) who designed the amp...!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *stixx* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is my 3rd attempt in building headphone amplifiers, the first solid state design for me and my most recent (finished) build..._

 

Well done stixx 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ! Sehr schöne casework too, I like it !


----------



## vixr

WOW! stixx, that is one beautiful amp...I'm gonna have to try working with some wood.


----------



## vixr

I got a handle on the edges of the lexan...600 grit wet/dry sandpaper...I put a folded towel in the kitchen sink and got the lexan wet and sanded for hours...

 before...




 after...


----------



## Bjornboy81

beautiful work guys!


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I got a handle on the edges of the lexan...600 grit wet/dry sandpaper...I put a folded towel in the kitchen sink and got the lexan wet and sanded for hours...

 before...

 after..._

 

Nice work! Gives it a much better look, IMO. I never worked with plexiglass, how hard is it do cut and do curves all all that? I'm thinking about a headphone stand...


----------



## vixr

MASantos, its not hard to work with...it comes with a protective paper on both sides that you can write on or draw on your designs...just leave it on as long as you can, to prevent scratching


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_MASantos, its not hard to work with...it comes with a protective paper on both sides that you can write on or draw on your designs...just leave it on as long as you can, to prevent scratching_

 

I have tons of woodworking tools, can I use them for acrylic?


----------



## vixr

MASantos, I would say yes...I used a table saw to cut the panels and base for the CK2III, and a jigsaw for the cutouts and regular drill bits.


----------



## kklee

Bear in mind that there are two types of plastic sheeting that are generally available.

 Plexiglass (Acrylic) and Lexan (Polycarbonate) are somewhat different from each other, especially when you're drilling/cutting. I prefer Lexan since it's less prone to shattering (less brittle), but it does scratch more easily than Plexiglass.

 I use woodworking tools to do my plastic work, although you can buy specialized drill bits and saw blades for working with plastic.

 Here's a walk through of a Millett Max build I did using Lexan:
MAX Casework - Using Lexan


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kklee* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Bear in mind that there are two types of plastic sheeting that are generally available.

 Plexiglass (Acrylic) and Lexan (Polycarbonate) are somewhat different from each other, especially when you're drilling/cutting. I prefer Lexan since it's less prone to shattering (less brittle), but it does scratch more easily than Plexiglass.

 I use woodworking tools to do my plastic work, although you can buy specialized drill bits and saw blades for working with plastic.

 Here's a walk through of a Millett Max build I did using Lexan:
MAX Casework - Using Lexan_

 

Where did you get thatLexan from? Those texts on the white side are written in portuguese. pretty funny!

 There'sa local business which sells acrylics. I'll pay them a visit next week and see the prices and all!

 Thanks for the info guys


----------



## kklee

I bought it from my local Home Depot, they stock small pieces of both Plexiglass and Lexan. One other reason I ended up using Lexan was that Home Depot didn't have thin enough Plexiglass for what I wanted to do.


----------



## stixx

@Ferrari: Dank u well (or something like that...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)!!

 @Vixr: Thanks dude! With your skills I don't doubt we'll see another killer...


----------



## FallenAngel

vixr: Gorgeous work on the CKK-III case, totally beautiful. But... uhm... why pick such a off looking knob?


----------



## el_matt0

well, on the topic of plexiglass/lexan i am just doing some in-progress casework on a SOHA/Alien-DAC/JISBOS combo involving some plexi sheets. i WAS planning to use lexan but ended up going with plexiglass (due to unavailability of thick enough lexan in my area). thanks to a bunch of very helpful tips from vixr its well underway. the stuff isnt too hard to work with if uve got a decent workshop with tablesaw drill press etc. be warned, it just stinks a bit lol, keep a window or door open to avoid a headache. some of the fragments may melt and end up on your tablesaw blade or in your drill bit, but from what i can tell they are very easily removed and do no harm


----------



## Ech0

@Vixr

 Very, very cool. Unique is the word that comes to mind. 

 @el Matto

 Did you put your blade on backwards when you cut the Plexi? I'm about to start a case tomorrow and the top is going to be Plexiglass.


----------



## FallenAngel

Thanks to some nice people on this forum, I finally finished this amp. It's a simple opamp driving an NPN transistor biased in deep class-A. Similarly to the Heed CanAmp it uses a single DB139-16 transistor biased via 100R 5W resistor.

 That's when the similarities end, this one doesn't have a capacitor to ground forcing 100% negative feedback and this one runs off a dual regulated LM317 based power supply delivering +/- 12V off a 1A toroid (overkill but I like it
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), and yep, those two caps on the amp board are 470uF BlackGates. Surprisingly, this amp sounds very nice, even better than I expected actually.

 I haven't rolled too many opamps yet, just starting with the basic OPA2132 in there, but soon enough I'll try every opamp I own 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This thing runs HOT so the open case and computer heatsink is warranted. Actually, I'm not even sure how much heat those DB139's can dissipate with that heatsink, it gets too hot to touch!

 Final Schematic:




 Photos:


----------



## el_matt0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_@Vixr

 Very, very cool. Unique is the word that comes to mind. 

 @el Matto

 Did you put your blade on backwards when you cut the Plexi? I'm about to start a case tomorrow and the top is going to be Plexiglass._

 

no i didnt...why, is that standard practice for cutting plastics or something? i left the blade the right way on...figured using the cutting edge would be the best bet for cutting something - u know how it is. anyways, tablesaw scares me enough as is, id be too scared to fire the thing up with the blade on backwards! but seriously though, is that standard practice?


----------



## QQQ




----------



## TzeYang

lemme guess, a RA-1??

 Amazing wood work.


----------



## Bjornboy81

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks to some nice people on this forum, I finally finished this amp. It's a simple opamp driving an NPN transistor biased in deep class-A. Similarly to the Heed CanAmp it uses a single DB139-16 transistor biased via 100R 5W resistor.

 That's when the similarities end, this one doesn't have a capacitor to ground forcing 100% negative feedback and this one runs off a dual regulated LM317 based power supply delivering +/- 12V off a 1A toroid (overkill but I like it
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), and yep, those two caps on the amp board are 470uF BlackGates. Surprisingly, this amp sounds very nice, even better than I expected actually.

 I haven't rolled too many opamps yet, just starting with the basic OPA2132 in there, but soon enough I'll try every opamp I own 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This thing runs HOT so the open case and computer heatsink is warranted. Actually, I'm not even sure how much heat those DB139's can dissipate with that heatsink, it gets too hot to touch!_

 

75 ohm base resistor? that seems extreeeemely low. What's the maximum base current on the BJT? Looks pretty cool otherwise!


----------



## QQQ

TzeYang, yes, it has RA-1 concept and exact dimensions. But the electronics is totally different. It's composite AD815+2xOPA132 with separate PSU with bipolar feed.

 Here's some more pics:


----------



## ~n00beR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bjornboy81* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_75 ohm base resistor? that seems extreeeemely low. What's the maximum base current on the BJT? Looks pretty cool otherwise! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

0.5A according to the datasheet


----------



## Bjornboy81

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *~n00beR* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_0.5A according to the datasheet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'm gonna say the opamp probably won't source 0.5A though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Nice work QQQ


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bjornboy81* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm gonna say the opamp probably won't source 0.5A though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

the opamp dosnt have to source any current. its just there for voltage correction, and gain.

 i do agree, very nice work.


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *el_matt0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_no i didnt...why, is that standard practice for cutting plastics or something? i left the blade the right way on...figured using the cutting edge would be the best bet for cutting something - u know how it is. anyways, tablesaw scares me enough as is, id be too scared to fire the thing up with the blade on backwards! but seriously though, is that standard practice?_

 

I've just read some comments where people put blades on backwards when cutting certain materials. The practice from what I've "read" is reserved for thinner pieces of material (Plexi, Vinyl...) I simply was curious how you personally cut it.

 Standard practice? Beats the heck out of me. But, it seems people have done it before. 

 BTW, I wasn't trying to jerk your chain.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I've just read some comments where people put blades on backwards when cutting certain materials. The practice from what I've "read" is reserved for thinner pieces of material (Plexi, Vinyl...) I simply was curious how you personally cut it.

 Standard practice? Beats the heck out of me. But, it seems people have done it before. 

 BTW, I wasn't trying to jerk your chain._

 

seriously don't do it!!!!!

 I've lived around my parent's furniture woodshop where I've learned woodworking. Every manufacturer and supplier of saws and blades I've dealt with is very explicit about the operation procedures for their equipment. The blades are only to be used correctly assembled and that means rotating the right way! It is a very dangerous equipment with which can cause you letal damage if not operated correctly. I don't mean to scare anyone,but I've learned to deal with such machines with great respect!

 My 0.02€


----------



## kklee

I've used an 80 tooth combo blade as well as a metal cutting blade on my table saw and they both did a great job of cutting Lexan. No need to flip the blade around. As MASantos said, it's likely to be dangerous. Not to mention that you could knock the teeth off a carbide blade that way.


----------



## el_matt0

haha no i didnt think you were jerking my chain at all, but honestly im TOTALLY with MASantos and kklee. i have the utmost respect for these machines and i really dont like the concept of "messing around" like that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. my dads a surgeon and sees a lot of nasty-ass injuries from accidents involving powertools and conveyor belts and such and well, needless to say, its not pretty and id rather not have to experience anything like that personally. i need to switch the blade on my dads tablesaw over to a dato set so i can cut some grooves for a case tomorrow and god im nervous enough about just doing that (needless to say i will be putting the blades on in the right way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). anyways, on the topic of cutting lexan or plexi, like kklee said, just using a regular combo blade the right way should do the trick just fine. i was working with plexi personally, and the only thing i could think to complain about would be the smell


----------



## fuzzy fuzzbucket

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *QQQ* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

love the color


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *stixx* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is my 3rd attempt in building headphone amplifiers, the first solid state design for me and my most recent (finished) build...
 As has been said before the M3 is an awesome amp that easily shows the quality of source and recording. It is extremely neutral and very transparent and, after many hours of burning in, has almost entirely lost a certain edginess that I noticed in the beginning. 

 Thumbs up to Amb (and Morsel) who designed the amp...!
_

 

Nice build and very nice casework. 

 What camera did you use? Your pictures are very clear.


----------



## Pars

I built a Dynalo for my brother for Christmas and just finished casing it up today, so thought I'd share some pics. I used the board from my work Dynalo (cigar box, posted previously) and put a new board in it that I built up with Roderstein/PRP resistors, Pana FM and Elna Cerafines, etc. I used some Mill-Max flush socket pins to socket all transistors and FETs also.

 Here's my new board:











 And here is the amp for my brother:

















 Hope he likes it!


----------



## el_matt0

@ pars, it might just be my internet messing around, but none of those picture links are working.


----------



## Pars

No, probably comcast... someone told me they could see them as http instead of https, so I tried that. Apparently not...

https://home.comcast.net/~youngc1/My_dyna.JPG

https://home.comcast.net/~youngc1/My_dyna2.JPG

 And here is the amp for my brother:

https://home.comcast.net/~youngc1/Fr_dyna_lit.JPG

https://home.comcast.net/~youngc1/Inside_rear_dyna.JPG

https://home.comcast.net/~youngc1/Rear_dyna.JPG


----------



## Pars

double post


----------



## dBel84

I think your brother is very fortunate to have you as a brother. 

 pics work fine for me. A merry Christmas to all who celebrate..dB


----------



## jbloudg20

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GeWa* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Glowing-Tube, are you willing to share the schematics of your 6AS7G amp.
 I have a few of those tubes lying around for ages, maybe its time I can put them to use.

 Best regards_

 

Do not fret, that amp is a design that has been around for AGES. 

 See the VanWaarde Article on headwize. All you need to know, is to drop the cathoderesistor on the output stage in half, and parallel the output tube sections. Nice and easy, and nothing new that needs to be hidden.


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think your brother is very fortunate to have you as a brother._

 

Much agreed! X2.

 And I see a nice panavise in the pics as well. I have one under the tree (no I didn't snoop. I bought it and handed it to my wife!)

 Nice work pars!


----------



## stixx

Quote:


 Do not fret, that amp is a design that has been around for AGES. 
 

True...
 There also was the Wheatfield HA-2 (Pete Millet) a few years back that used a similar schematic (but with much higher B+), then there is a version with paralleled halves from megahertzaudio in Italy, and I think the current offerings by wooaudio and darkvoice might be based on something similar as well...


----------



## vixr

very clean work pars... awesome


----------



## naamanf

Here is my latest build...





 Pretty much a standard Blue Hawaii. It uses a pair of Twisted Pear Joshua Trees for volume control. Built the entire thing on my little desk here in Iraq. Makes me really appreciate a big work bench. I plan on doing some nice curly Koa accent pieces when I get home along with putting a nice high gloss black finish on the case.


----------



## vixr

naamanf, impressive build... how does it sound?


----------



## naamanf

Thanks. It sounds pretty darn good. Definetly a step up from the 007ta. I wish I had a "good" set of the tubes to try in it though.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my latest build..._

 

Well done!

 And completely unrelated but stay safe!


----------



## SoundGoon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well done!

 And completely unrelated but stay safe!_

 

x2


----------



## tomb

Oustanding, naamanf!


----------



## FallenAngel

Hey guys,

 After A LOT of work on my speaker amp project, I have finally finished it (at least for the moment). Since this was my first speaker amp project, I decided not to skimp out on parts and chose the Nichicon Muse lines for all electrolytic caps with all film caps by Solen and Holco / PRP resistors.

 To break it down, this is a CKK-III PreAmp with a simplified Epsilon12 muting circuit set to a 3 second delay, 2x LM3886 based GainClones running off snubberized, regulated LM338-based power supplies at +/- 31V. There is also a very nice AlienDAC wired into the source 4x selector with an RCA loop out.

 Power supply caps in the GainClone PSU are 3x 3300uF Nichicon Muse FX, all others are Nichicon Muse KZ.

 There is also a tiny and simple RFI power mains filter, as described here, only it's single stage and without the choke (top left of photo).

 All equipment is tied together to a star-ground before it goes through a ground loop breaker to the case.

 Insides:


 

 Input Wiring - input wires are 99.99% silver


 

 AlienDAC - 1000uF BlackGate power supply cap, 1.0uF AuriCap outputs 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 CKK-III PreAmp with 




 GainClone (a little messy) - output wires are 18AWG Cardas


 

 GainClne PSU




 The casework - Case from www.vt4c.com/shop, Vampire RCA, and a Neutrik switching headphone jack.


 




 Finally sitting on my desk with the speakers and my Millet MAX, hooked up with an Iron Lung Jellyfish power cord and my new 18AWG Cardas in Teflon RCA.




 Oh, and yeah, it sounds great driving my newly acquired Wharfedale 9.2 - thanks _Bryan - HiGHFLYiN9_!


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my latest build...
 <photo snipped>
 Pretty much a standard Blue Hawaii. It uses a pair of Twisted Pear Joshua Trees for volume control. Built the entire thing on my little desk here in Iraq. Makes me really appreciate a big work bench. I plan on doing some nice curly Koa accent pieces when I get home along with putting a nice high gloss black finish on the case._

 

Wow! Nice work, especially given the circumstances! Did someone do a group buy for BH boards (I don't recall one, but...)? Very nice job... can't wait to see it when you finish it.


----------



## bhjazz

naamanf, FallenAngel:

 WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 You guys are that sheeeet! Totally amazing builds. I'm always so very impressed with your work. Bravo!


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It uses a pair of Twisted Pear Joshua Trees for volume control._

 

Beautiful work naamanf! How do you like the Joshua Tree? I'm very impressed with it so far myself.


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow! Nice work, especially given the circumstances! Did someone do a group buy for BH boards (I don't recall one, but...)? Very nice job... can't wait to see it when you finish it._

 

I had my own boards made up. I also can't wait to finish it. I hate having an ugly amp. For some reason they sound better when they are pretty. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beautiful work naamanf! How do you like the Joshua Tree? I'm very impressed with it so far myself._

 

Thanks. The JT works pretty good. There are enough steps that you don't get stuck with one being too loud or quite. I plan on removing it though when Twisted Pear comes out with their Uber Controller. Then the volume control will be done digitally at the DAC.


----------



## joneeboi

naamanf, FallenAngel, you're giving the rest of us really tough acts to follow.

 Here's an RJM Audio Very Simple Phono Stage I finished yesterday. I haven't cased it yet, and plus I can't tell any difference in the sound quality with the phono stage in my ancient receiver. This is meant for the switchbox with which I intend to replace said receiver. Don't mind the mess.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Oh, and yeah, it sounds great driving my newly acquired Wharfedale 9.2 - thanks Bryan - HiGHFLYiN9!_

 

Very nice work Pavel! I'm sure those Wharfedales are very happy to have that gorgeous DIY integrated feeding them


----------



## steinchen

just completed my new switchbox:














 I documented the details of this build on my hp


----------



## ruZZ.il

Ummmmm.. Wow! Your whole collection....


----------



## fordgtlover

steinchen, you always do such nice work.


----------



## Pars

Really nice job Steinchen! Are those Bulgin switches? I can see why you would want PCB mounted next time, that had to be fun to wire those


----------



## steinchen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are those Bulgin switches?_

 

The pushbuttons are from APEM. I ordered a bunch of them a while ago. When I started to build the switchbox they had been discontinued, that's why I had to restrict myself to 6 in- and outputs and wasn't able to utilize the full capability of boards and software. The buttons of this size (AV-06 series) are still available with domed top but unfortunately not with flat top. The AV-09 series is available both flat and domed, but those would be too large. Btw, one button is aprox 6 EUR ~ $9.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I can see why you would want PCB mounted next time, that had to be fun to wire those 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

well, wiring them wasn't that bad but it looks like a real mess and that's what I hate in fact. But once the lid is closed the nice frontpanel is all you see


----------



## stixx

Herzlichen Glückwunsch!!

 I'd call that absolutely professional build quality...well maybe except for the wiring inside...but you explained that.


----------



## n_maher

Good gravy Steinchen, that thing is beautiful. 

 Here's my latest little project, it's a Hagerman Bugle mounted on a wooden base made by me out of Cherry.
















 My eventual plans include the matching power supply but I want to try dialing in the cart (and possibly replacing it) first to see if I'm in it for the long haul with vinyl.


----------



## naamanf

Steinchen that does look awesome!


----------



## Polaris111688

@ steinchen: FREAKING bad-ass. Very professional grade build.

 @ maher: I like the blend of modern and classical. Very creative!


----------



## joneeboi

n_maher:

 How are you going to case the rest of it, or are we looking at the final product? Also, I notice you only used white phono jacks on the output; is there any reason for that? And how will things work out with non-rechargeable 9Vs? I was considering the Bugle for my eventual switchbox project (nothing in comparison to Steinchen's though), but settled with the much simpler VSPS. Anyway, kudos on the build. You always have fine work and photography.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *joneeboi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How are you going to case the rest of it, or are we looking at the final product?_

 

That's all she wrote for now. And the inputs and outputs are labeled which negated the need to use color coded RCAs. 

 Also, as I said, eventually (read: soon) I'll build the matching power supply which will supplant the batteries. For now I'll burn through a set of batteries every ~15hrs or so which should serve as good motivation to get going on the PS.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just completed my new switchbox:






 I documented the details of this build on my hp_

 

HOLY COW! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That's absolutely gorgeous steinchen!

 Do you mind if I ask where you sourced those metal buttons?

 Cool build Nate! Mmmm Cherry!


----------



## Jam_Master_J

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just completed my new switchbox:














 I documented the details of this build on my hp_

 

You are a DIY champion.

 I was actually considering doing something like this. I have a processor left over from a robot. Don't suppose I could sneak a peek at your code
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If not, no problem. Great build


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The pushbuttons are from APEM. I ordered a bunch of them a while ago. When I started to build the switchbox they had been discontinued, that's why I had to restrict myself to 6 in- and outputs and wasn't able to utilize the full capability of boards and software. The buttons of this size (AV-06 series) are still available with domed top but unfortunately not with flat top. The AV-09 series is available both flat and domed, but those would be too large. Btw, one button is aprox 6 EUR ~ $9.
 <snip>_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_HOLY COW! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 That's absolutely gorgeous steinchen!

 Do you mind if I ask where you sourced those metal buttons?

 Cool build Nate! Mmmm Cherry! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'd asked him about the buttons already


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'd asked him about the buttons already 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Ooh, I'd missed that. Thanks!


----------



## dBel84

stunning as always steinchen, you of all people need one with the "meager" collection of amps..dB


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Good gravy Steinchen, that thing is beautiful. 

 Here's my latest little project, it's a Hagerman Bugle mounted on a wooden base made by me out of Cherry.
















 My eventual plans include the matching power supply but I want to try dialing in the cart (and possibly replacing it) first to see if I'm in it for the long haul with vinyl._

 

You deserve some kudos for your work too. Though that is a bad-ass switchbox Steinchen.

 My recommendation, put a polycarbonate or clear acrylic box over it.


----------



## Ferrari

Here is a pic of a balanced β22 I'm working on...
 Actually, I have been listening to it for months but couldn't find the time to do the casework.


----------



## tomb

Very nice, Ferrari! What kind of attenuator/pot is that? Are you going to shaft it to the front or is that a temporary position?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice, Ferrari! What kind of attenuator/pot is that? Are you going to shaft it to the front or is that a temporary position?_

 

The volume control is an old DACT CT2/4-channel version I have in my parts bin for a while, housed in a small metal case.
 I placed it near the input connectors to keep the signal paths as short as possible. 
 Extension shaft will be used to connect it to the volume knop on the front panel.


----------



## swt61

Absolutely gorgeous Ferrari. The cleanest β22 I've ever seen. Can't wait to see finished pics!


----------



## MASantos

Ferrari, is that the maggiorato version of the galaxy or the "regular" one?

 Looks really awesome! I have plans( in a distant future, when money allows...) to build a balanced B22. I'm studiing heatsinks and all because I want the full 50W per channel for speaker duty!

 Is the attenuator case DIY or did you buy it like that?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, is that the maggiorato version of the galaxy or the "regular" one?

 Looks really awesome! I have plans( in a distant future, when money allows...) to build a balanced B22. I'm studiing heatsinks and all because I want the full 50W per channel for speaker duty!

 Is the attenuator case DIY or did you buy it like that?_

 

MASantos, the enclosure is not from the Galaxy family. It's a Slim Line 2 Unit with 10mm faceplate.
 The small attenuator case is partly DIY. The top and bottom metal parts (a kind of U shape) are bought from an electronics dumpshop locally. I made the front and back plates out of 2mm aluminum to keep other parts of this small case together.

 If you go for the full 50Watt per channel for speaker duty, you should consider off-board heatsinks. It really needs that!


----------



## vixr

OMG! Ferrari...that is fabulous. That settles it. The b22 is my next build. It wont look as good as yours, though.


----------



## stixx

Err, Ferrari,

 do I spot the wrist band of a wrist watch there in the middle, hooked up to something, or what is that...?


----------



## naamanf

Looks to be a ESD grounding strap.


----------



## Mazuki

Let's see that front panel Ferrari, we gots to put a face on this beautiful soul!


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind words gents!

*@stixx*, LOL... that wrist band is my Super Breitling ESD ...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 naamanf is right, it's a ESD grounding strap. Same as my work place (table, chair), it's connected to ground.

*@Mazuki*, I will complete that amp in the coming weekend. Pics with the faceplate will follow in a couple of days.


----------



## n_maher

I finished recasing an M³ for a friend last night. It started life in pretty rough shape but thankfully the soldering work was good enough that all it required was all new hardware, wiring and a new chassis.


----------



## vixr

Wow! nice work Nate... Love the case, who makes that?


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow! nice work Nate... Love the case, who makes that?_

 

Thanks! It's a HiFi 2000 case and the shame is that it costs more to ship them to the US than the cases cost. I wish someone would work out a distribution scheme (like Parts Connexion or similar) to bring the cost down a bit.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks! It's a HiFi 2000 case and the shame is that it costs more to ship them to the US than the cases cost. I wish someone would work out a distribution scheme (like Parts Connexion or similar) to bring the cost down a bit._

 

The cases are really nice and even here in Europe shipping is sort of expensive(around 30%-50% of the cost of the case) . It's still a good deal though. Nice work, very clean looking!


----------



## J.D.N

Where do you guys buy those HiFi 2000 cases from? The site in the link? 

 You might be interested in this:

Audiokit Home Page

 Their shipping seems very reasonable. 

 BTW great work!


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *J.D.N* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Audiokit Home Page

 Their shipping seems very reasonable. _

 

I think you'll find (at least the last time I looked) that their shipping is reasonable for small, light packages and that if you're ordering a chassis you exceed the weight limit for affordable shipping.


----------



## Petri H

My first build: CMOY-amp











 You dont wanna see it from inside, because it's quite a mess


----------



## Ferrari

A point and shot pic of the WIP...


----------



## Mazuki

Wow, very nice and simple. Is that B22 an engraving?


----------



## bearmann

This pot isn't an ALPS, is it?! ... kinda big. 0.o

 Looks very nice, indeed.

 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mazuki* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, very nice and simple. Is that B22 an engraving?_

 

Yes, β22 is engraved. This build follows the same theme as used in my previous amps: "straight and simple", build pure for music. My aim was to do it a tad better than my previous amps, but to be honest... in a 4-channels amp -without the use of a backplane board- it's really hard to achieve.

 The pic above is a quick shot in the evening with quite poor quality, which does not reflect the real charm of the amp (sorry for that). I'm now busy with the casing for the other parts (transformers, AC line filter) which are not included in the amp.

*@bearmann* see post #2842





.


----------



## swt61

As usual Ferrari very clean and tasteful. The engraving is just right, the knob...perfect and the XLR jacks are also quite nice! I've never seen those particular jacks before. You really have a knack for finding first class hardware, and implementing it perfectly. Well done!


----------



## naamanf

Guts of my Opus. Still waiting on a key component to finish it up and make it pretty.


----------



## swt61

Nice!


----------



## bearmann

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*@bearmann* see post #2842





._

 

Ahhh... I see. Thank you. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 @naamanf:
 Very clean setup... looks nice! 

 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## Vergency

The infamous Tangent cMoy.


----------



## Ferrari

Here are some pics of my almost finished balanced β22.
 Still have to wait for some connectors to make the power umbilical for the right channel, but the case work is done!


















 ... and special for *naamanf* a pic with top cover.


----------



## J.D.N

Excellent work Farrari!

 If you don't mind me asking, how much did the whole project cost?


----------



## MASantos

Ferrari, what's the little board on the power supply enclosure, between the two filters?

 Also, are those feet in the big enclosure from hifi2000?


----------



## Bjornboy81

Amazing work Ferrari!!! Stunning. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, what's the little board on the power supply enclosure, between the two filters?_

 

It appears to be a power supply for the LED. Maybe a little overkill, but why skimp on such a beautifull build.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, what's the little board on the power supply enclosure, between the two filters?

 Also, are those feet in the big enclosure from hifi2000?_

 

MASantos, the little board between the 2 AC line filters is a 5V DC PS using for the LED (as Bjornboy81 suggested).
 The feet are not from HiFi-2000. these come from an old defect receiver I picked up from an electronics dump shop for Eur 5.

 @*J.D.N*, I didn't count it exactly, but it should be in a range of Eur 1200+ , all included. 
 (not forget to notice that I already had many parts on hand)


----------



## philodox

The amp looks great, but the placement of the balanced outputs is going to make it difficult to connect some headphones depending on how the recable was done.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *philodox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The amp looks great, but the placement of the balanced outputs is going to make it difficult to connect some headphones depending on how the recable was done._

 

My amp is intended to use mainly by me and sometimes my GF.
 Headphones (AKG K701 and Sennheiser HD650) balanced recabling are done by myself, so no problems at all ! (simply place the Y-splitter at > 25cm). Also, the design allows “drop-in” 4-pins XLR connectors (if necessary) without any modification of the faceplate.

 But you can be right if the amp is intended to serve the public and thus has to deal with everyone’s headphones.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_But you can be right if the amp is intended to serve the public and thus has to deal with everyone’s headphones._

 

And even then you could build a simple, short adapter cable that would allow folks with commercial cables to use the amp. That's what I did when I adopted the 4-pin configuration.

 And seeing your work inspired me, I had a busy day yesterday...


----------



## EvilJan

Finally managed to get my AlienDAC cased. This is some sort of "altoids box", only difference: it's from IKEA. Painting raises the WAF by 500% *g*






 Few more here: Index of /dac


----------



## Eokboy

AlienDAC and CMoy 

 Both in Hammond 1593K


----------



## joneeboi

PIMETA


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_And seeing your work inspired me, I had a busy day yesterday...




_

 


 Ah, back on track. Is that two of the four completed boards then?


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ah, back on track. Is that two of the four completed boards then?_

 

Alas no, that's 2 boards for someone else's amp. But it is one less project on the bench in the way of my stuff. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Speaking of more stuff done I banged this out last night.


----------



## Nisbeth

Switchbox?


 /U.


----------



## vixr

wow nate, you've been producing alot of great stuff lately...did you get divorced?


----------



## Bjornboy81

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Alas no, that's 2 boards for someone else's amp. But it is one less project on the bench in the way of my stuff. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Speaking of more stuff done I banged this out last night.




_

 

looks familiar 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 Very nice!
 What kind of knob is that? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 EDIT: Wait, are you tying all the grounds together at the jacks and running them to the switch???


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bjornboy81* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_looks familiar 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 What kind of knob is that? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 EDIT: Wait, are you tying all the grounds together at the jacks and running them to the switch??? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 Got the knob from Mouser, can't remember who makes it but if you search the catalog you'll find it pretty quickly. And yes, the ground scheme is unecessary but it should be a better safe than sorry approach.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_wow nate, you've been producing alot of great stuff lately...did you get divorced?_

 

Thanks for the kind words and nah no divoce. I just got motivated to get some stuff off my bench that had be languishing for a while.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Alas no, that's 2 boards for someone else's amp. But it is one less project on the bench in the way of my stuff. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Speaking of more stuff done I banged this out last night.




_

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you're switching the grounds, but the ground wires are already connected at the jacks. Doesn't this form a ground loop?


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you're switching the grounds, but the ground wires are already connected at the jacks. Doesn't this form a ground loop?_

 

It doesn't since they're all connected at the input jacks.


----------



## Bjornboy81

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you're switching the grounds, but the ground wires are already connected at the jacks. Doesn't this form a ground loop?_

 

He answered that same question two posts before yours. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's unecessary, but it won't creat ground loops. It's essentially just two grounds in parallel.


----------



## tomb

This is a Millett MAX that I built awhile back, but never posted any photos of it by itself. I played with pushing the photography a bit for a different effect. This one has Muse ES caps with Russian K42 PIO's and 2SC3421/2SC1358 BJT's in the diamond buffer.










 Here it is with the green leds amongst a bevy of other MAXes:


----------



## naamanf

Very nice! These things are turning into gremlins. Drop of water and they multiply. Just don't give them Blackgates at night.


----------



## heatmizer

I love metal drawer pull tube guards.


----------



## Fitz

I haven't made much lately, so I got bored and built this Stax amp:


----------



## TzeYang

schematics please /


----------



## swt61

Fitz that's awesome! How does it sound?


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I haven't made much lately, so I got bored and built this Stax amp:



_

 

More information please! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Like the small footprint, and would like to know how its constructed and how it performs...


----------



## rille2

A CK²III. The case is from Hifi2000 with the optional 10mm front panel. The front panel was milled by Schaeffer (Front Panel Express). The side panels are used as heat sink for the output transistors.


----------



## Pars

Nicely done rille2 and fitz!

 rille2: Is that some kind or interconnect cable you used for the input wiring to the pot? Also, what is the small board by the headphone jack? Some kind of Zobel network?


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_rille2: Is that some kind or interconnect cable you used for the input wiring to the pot?_

 

It's a normal shielded cable (SC-Isopod from Sommer cable sommer cable | SC-ISOPOD | Bulk Cables | Patch cable).

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Also, what is the small board by the headphone jack? Some kind of Zobel network?_

 

Yes, it's a zobel network. Without it the amp became instable at higher quiescent currents and no headphones connected.


----------



## cetoole

I have done a few projects since the last time I posted pics, so while this isnt all of them, it is a start.

 Balanced M³ amplifier with s11 power supply, cinemag input transformers. Built for a fellow headfier.










 Various pictures of my Millett Hybrid Max





















 Modded Samsung HD841 universal player, 8uf "ultracap" MKP Swenson mod, 200pf mica filter caps. Also upgraded a bunch of the PS caps, most notably the big one in the SMPS. Swapped in AD823 for the front channels output buffer/filter opamps.





 Mini³v2, AD8397 L/R - OPA690 GND, my boss asked me to build him a portable headphone amp for his Grado SR60 headphones


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A CK²III. The case is from Hifi2000 with the optional 10mm front panel. The front panel was milled by Schaeffer (Front Panel Express). The side panels are used as heat sink for the output transistors._

 

Well done rille2 ! Is that encapsulated transformer from Avel Lindberg?


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well done rille2 ! Is that encapsulated transformer from Avel Lindberg?_

 

It's from Nuvotem Talema: Nuvotem Talema Toroidal Power Transformers - Standards - Encapsulated 230V. You can buy it from RS Components.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cetoole* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I have done a few projects since the last time I posted pics, so while this isnt all of them, it is a start._

 

Cetoole, can you shrink the pics a bit? Some of them are impossible to see that big!


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cetoole, can you shrink the pics a bit? Some of them are impossible to see that big!_

 

If you are using Mozilla Firefox, install the Image Zoom extension which will allow you to easily resize images in the browser by holding down the right mouse button and spinning the scroll wheel. Very handy for pics like these.


----------



## cetoole

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cetoole, can you shrink the pics a bit? Some of them are impossible to see that big!_

 

Pics re-resized (they had been even bigger) for people with tiny screens. Didnt even notice on my home PC, 22" CRT.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If you are using Mozilla Firefox, install the Image Zoom extension which will allow you to easily resize images in the browser by holding down the right mouse button and spinning the scroll wheel. Very handy for pics like these.



_

 

Thanks for that link, Ti, that's a great add on!


----------



## MASantos

I'm using Opera, is there something similar for Opera?


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm using Opera, is there something similar for Opera?_

 

You can zoom in on the entire page.

 + will zoom in 10%
 - will zoom out 10%
 * will reset back to normal (100%)

 -Alex-


----------



## Gautama

Also, you can hold CTRL and use the mousewheel to zoom in and out.


----------



## Listen2this1

Colin those builds are impressive, you do some great work. Also I am glad to see the new site Beezar.com I am looking forward to doing a Max Mini.


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm using Opera, is there something similar for Opera?_

 

There should be a little eye glasses pic or similar all the way to the right on the address bar. Click on it, another bar will open up with "fit to width" button.


----------



## kipman725

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *[AK]Zip* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You can zoom in on the entire page.

 + will zoom in 10%
 - will zoom out 10%
 * will reset back to normal (100%)

 -Alex-_

 

isn't opera compatible with firefox exstentions now?


----------



## [AK]Zip

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kipman725* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_isn't opera compatible with firefox exstentions now?_

 

No clue. I haven't tried or looked into it. Would be nice though.

 -Alex-


----------



## Polaris111688

I threw in additional upgrades to my DIY integrated amplifier:





 Overhead shot of the preamplifier section and two power amplifier boards. I added 2x Elna Cerafine 470uF/25V power capacitors to the post-regulation power supply of the preamp. I threw the LM4562NA in the preamp into deep class-A operation (3.9mA/channel).




 Close up of said modified preamplifier section. The sound changed pretty significantly (for the better) with the addition of the 1N5312 CRDs to throw the opamp into class-A operation.




 Complete general shot.


----------



## kipman725

thats a huge toroid whats the VA rating?


----------



## Polaris111688

I used a 530VA Avel-Lindberg toroidal transformer.


----------



## Faust2D

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I haven't made much lately, so I got bored and built this Stax amp:
_

 

Very cool. What are the specs and how does it sounded compared to your SRM-1?


----------



## gates_2

SOHA w/ jisbos buffers- Sounds much better than my pimeta- I'm very impressed by Steinchen's buffers


----------



## steinchen

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gates_2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_SOHA w/ jisbos buffers- Sounds much better than my pimeta- I'm very impressed by Steinchen's buffers_

 

glad to hear you like them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but in fact they are AMB's buffers, I just did the prototyping and evaluation


----------



## jonnywolfet

a little pass-pre/switchbox i have been working on;




 and the back:




 its still not finished...


----------



## Polaris111688

I implemented additional upgrades to the power supply section of the preamplifier section in my DIY integrated amp:




 I added numerous capacitors ranging from 0.1uF to 1000uF to the post-regulator power rail (two TREADs create a +/-10.77V DC power supply) and added 2x 3.32K bleeder resistors.




 These are the remaining capacitors in the power supply of the preamplifier section. I had extra bipolar 4.7uF/50V BlackGates lying around, so I stuck those in next to the 470uF Cerafines and the 150uF Panasonic FMs.


----------



## dgbiker1

My setup, nothing fancy here. CMoy amp with a TLE power section. Enclosure is a $1.00 wood box from Michael's. Much better than the old plastic box from Radioshack. (Sorry about pic quality, I am completely battery-less so I had to use my iSight)


----------



## cgrums

Haven't had anything to post here in quite some time. A very belated christmas gift:
















 It's an optimized Cavalli Jones with variable feedback. I'd put it at 80% done; still needs the bottom plate painted, feet and the knobs bored out. Drives my SR225s better than anything I've heard.


----------



## PhaedrusX

my first foray into DIY audio:











 ...a Monica USB DAC.


----------



## bearmann

this is one extraordinary enclosure, PhaedrusX.
 Looks very nice! Is it all wooden?!

 best regards,
 bearmann


----------



## PhaedrusX

thanks, bearmann.
 yes, the case is all wood. i stumbled upon it in a local stationery store. when i saw it, i grabbed a ruler from another aisle, measured it's dimensions, and found it was the perfect size to house the board and all the connectors.


----------



## breakfastchef

New DIYer here showing off my first Cmoy-based amps. The first is called the Swiss Army Moy and the second is the Fat Boy Moy. Hope they are pleasing to you all.


----------



## Ech0

Very nice breakfastchef! Way better than my first Cmoy by a wide margin.

 My fav is the Fat Boy.


----------



## Joshatdot

Joshatdot CMoy v1.03
 OPA2107 on single 9v
 Panny FM 220uF PSU Cap
 EPCOS 1.0uF Input Cap
 Yageo 1/4w 1% Resistors
 TLE2426 Virtual Ground
 CUI 3.5mm In/Out Jacks
 LED 3mm Hi-Eff Red Diffused 20ma w/4.75k RLED
 Hammond 1455C801 Case


----------



## fordgtlover

Nice clean build Joshatdot.


----------



## Joshatdot

Thanks! I just wish the Hammond case was cheeper, it looks so much better than a Mint Tin.


----------



## Ech0

Ech0


----------



## Polaris111688

Absolutely gorgeous work. Beautiful blend of wood, aluminum, and acrylic.


----------



## fordgtlover

Nice job Ech0.

 I was just working on a plan for a similar casing.


----------



## PhaedrusX

that looks beautiful Ech0.
 interesting that you chose not to use RCAs.


----------



## TzeYang

WHOA ****, Ech0 that looks amazing!!!

 I like how clean and professional it looks.


----------



## n_maher

Echo,

 Beautiful work. If I may make one suggestion, it does not appear as if there is any fresh air intake for the chassis. You have vented the top plate but unless there is a way for cold air to be drawn in through the bottom of the chassis you aren't going to get much ventilation. I'd think a small pattern of holes in the bottom plate would be a good idea.

 Again, very nicely done.


----------



## Ech0

Hey all,

 Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. This doesn't come easy to me, but, I enjoy it.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PhaedrusX* 
_interesting that you chose not to use RCAs._

 

It simply fits with the interconnects I have at the moment.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* 
_If I may make one suggestion, it does not appear as if there is any fresh air intake for the chassis. You have vented the top plate but unless there is a way for cold air to be drawn in through the bottom of the chassis you aren't going to get much ventilation. I'd think a small pattern of holes in the bottom plate would be a good idea._

 

Thanks for the suggestion. It would be easy enough to add and makes sense to do so. I just never really thought about it. 

 Ech0


----------



## Lifthanger

Hey all,

 my first DIY build 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Big fun and I'm completely hooked.
 The case of the CKKIII is 1mm aluminium, while the psu case is brushed
 stainless steel.








 Guess which one I made first 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.

 The amp has some bad hum, but I'll take it to the appropriate thread.
 Surely a grounding issue, but I'm to tired to do anything about it today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## el_matt0

@ lifthanger : needs a knob! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 @ Echo : stunning work man, often its the most simplistic designs that are the most aesthetically striking!

 anyways, heres a quick teaser pic of my 4 channel b22. im in the process of recasing the transformers and adding a second sigma 22 (yes thats what the blank spot in the case is for 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) so more pics to come in awhile. for now:


----------



## dbfreak

Photos of PPA. Elna, Nichicon Muse caps, Dale-Vishay resistors, Cardas solder, Teflon coated silver wire and BB 627 OPAMPS. Finished in oak, stained and lacquered. Sounds great, has no noise issues (as mentioned in PPA build thread due to needing a massive metal chassis ground which is untrue). Steps power supply on top at 24V. Please excuse the wallpaper (not my doing).

 Thanks MisterX and others that guided me through!


























































 Top cover of finished cabinet:


----------



## Listen2this1

Here is my latest project finished. I was on the last step, polishing, and the plexi got caught and got a little chip. So when it warms up I will cut a new top.


----------



## gallardo88

the last two amps posted are really nice! great job.


----------



## QQQ

Listen2this1: wow, nice!!!!
 Where you guys getting such a nice volume knobs..


----------



## jamess71

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *QQQ* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Listen2this1: wow, nice!!!!
 Where you guys getting such a nice volume knobs.._

 

Check out partspipe store on ebay. I was just pointed to them last week thanks to this forum.


----------



## n0ll4k

Well after some trouble with some of the parts i finally finished by CKK III and it performs very well but I think I need some new cans right now


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *QQQ* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Listen2this1: wow, nice!!!!
 Where you guys getting such a nice volume knobs.._

 

I had it made with eMachineShop. A copy of one I already had. Still need to polish it.


----------



## dbfreak

Listen2This1: Gorgeous work of art! Looks like the Millett Max could of been from the Jugenstihl period.


----------



## RLembke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_




_

 

Mmmm...Cohibas. ISOMs?

 Gorgeous amp!

 Rob


----------



## SoundGoon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Photos of PPA. Nichicon Muse caps, Dale-Vishay resistors, Cardas solder, Teflon coated silver wire and BB 627 OPAMPS. Finished in oak, stained and lacquered. Sounds great, has no noise issues (as mentioned in PPA build thread due to needing a massive metal chassis ground which is untrue). Steps power supply on top at 24V. Please excuse the wallpaper (not my doing).

 Thanks Tangent and others that guided me through!




_

 


 On top of that amp looking ridiculously good, I must say that you sir have excellent taste in movies!


----------



## Bjornboy81

DP


----------



## Bjornboy81

Not necessary to include all the pics in your quote. Please *snip*.

 These builds are looking great guys!! I can't wait to finish mine and show it off 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (although it's not anywhere near the quality of some of these that I see)


----------



## Ech0

Edit: Regarding dbfreak's amp...

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SoundGoon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ I must say that you sir have excellent taste in movies!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I thought the same thing when I saw his pics. 

 I love the creative way he designed the amp too. Works equally well upright or flat. 

 Great work!


----------



## franky_s

My MHMax is alive!!! And I'm very, very happy with it. 
 It's a kit from Jeff Rossel . Thanks very much, Jeff, for that great service! These kits are very lovingly assorted. Hats off!
 And also thanks for all people involved in the MHMax and for shareing this knowledge. This is why I like DIY more and more...














 The top plate is so far only laid on top for the picture, because the voltage regulator is (hopefully still) getting very hot...
 for this see also my question in the MHMax-thread.


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Edit: Regarding dbfreak's amp...



 I thought the same thing when I saw his pics. 

 I love the creative way he designed the amp too. Works equally well upright or flat. 

 Great work!_

 

Thanks for the complements. I mainly, have the top 250 movies ever released (according to IMDb - Internet Movie Database).


----------



## digitalmind

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks for the complements. I mainly, have the top 250 movies ever released (according to IMDb - Internet Movie Database)._

 

All of them? Good stuff. I think I have about 100 which are in the top250. Not nearly enough!


----------



## Polaris111688

franky, I love the case! A mix of modern aluminum with tubes.


----------



## franky_s

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Polaris111688* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_franky, I love the case! A mix of modern aluminum with tubes._

 

Thank you, Polaris111688. 
 It is nothing special. The case is a standard hammond and the handholes are from IKEA (EUR 4,- for two).


----------



## MoodySteve

And to think, most people just throw their video card box in the trash...







 Don't worry, I'm not going to commit a sacrilege and keep it in there.


----------



## dbfreak

ModdySteve:

 Original!


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *franky_s* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thank you, Polaris111688. 
 It is nothing special. The case is a standard hammond and the handholes are from IKEA (EUR 4,- for two)._

 

IKEA is cool. So is your MAX.


----------



## MoodySteve

Just to show that I do have _some_ chops... my CK²III (w. Alien DAC) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 The two larger holes were drilled because I accidentally knocked the panel when it was on the punch, punching an off-center hole. Rather than having to live with this eyesore for the life of the amp, I enlarged the hole (centered properly) until it covered my mistake...then I made an identical large hole on the other side for symmetry. When people ask, I tell them it's an idealized perforation geometry for ventilation. Shhh... don't tell.


----------



## el_matt0

in the words of borat, "Very nice!!!"

 now that I have that off my chest, what case is that? what did you use to drill the top holes, i can barely see the inner edge of ur drill holes, it looks almost as if the inside edge is finished black as well....?


----------



## MoodySteve

Thanks very much! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That case is the DIY-0908 from DIY Enclosures.

 I used a chassis punch that I have access to at work. To get the tidy array, I generated a pattern in AutoCAD, printed it in 1:1, taped it to the top, and used a center punch to mark each intersection. Once that was done, I took my panel to the chassis punch and punched the holes. After that, I powder-coated the panel in black, which is why the edges of the holes are also black.

 Sometimes it's very nice to work at a place with a basic machine shop.


----------



## simcap

Hi,

 this is my new standalone audio player.
 Basically is a mini pc + an usb dac kit assembled in a single cabinet.






 Detailed presentation is here:

http://www.simonecapretti.eu/Audio/M.../MoSAP3_en.htm

 Simone


----------



## heatmizer

Finally got the BJTM3 cased up. Diy enclosure. Opamps biased to 5 mA. Buffers biased to 30 mA. Diy enclosures are a real pain.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/mod...please-278435/


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just to show that I do have some chops... my CK²III (w. Alien DAC) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 <IMG>http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p221/moodysteve/Picture009_1.jpg</IMG>

 The two larger holes were drilled because I accidentally knocked the panel when it was on the punch, punching an off-center hole. Rather than having to live with this eyesore for the life of the amp, I enlarged the hole (centered properly) until it covered my mistake...then I made an identical large hole on the other side for symmetry. When people ask, I tell them it's an idealized perforation geometry for ventilation. Shhh... don't tell._

 

Actually, you have the holes rather right for a Millett MAX. The tubes would stick out quite nicely from those holes. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice job - putting that many holes in a case lid is always a challenge.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *simcap* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi,

 this is my new standalone audio player.
 Basically is a mini pc + an usb dac kit assembled in a single cabinet.






 Detailed presentation is here:

http://www.simonecapretti.eu/Audio/M.../MoSAP3_en.htm

 Simone_

 

Sweet! Nice job!


----------



## Bjornboy81

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *simcap* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi,

 this is my new standalone audio player.
 Basically is a mini pc + an usb dac kit assembled in a single cabinet.

 Detailed presentation is here:

http://www.simonecapretti.eu/Audio/M.../MoSAP3_en.htm

 Simone_

 






 Hot! I love that front panel...did you make that or buy it somewhere? 

 Welcome to Head-fi BTW!


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *simcap* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi,

 this is my new standalone audio player.
 Basically is a mini pc + an usb dac kit assembled in a single cabinet.

 Simone_

 

Very, very cool. I'll show this to my IT buddy @ work. He'll love it. I like it too! I wonder what Linux programs could be used. Jinzora (spelling?) comes to mind, but, it might choke on the touch screen??


----------



## tharenth

Ech0, my CKK3 looks a bit like that Millett Max of yours.






 I used 5mm stainless steel and birch. Still some work to do, but I decided to share these pictures anyway. Parts inside kindly provided by Jeff Rossel from Glass Jar Audio.

 I'll brush the steel, trim the wood, buy a new on/off switch and do something for the transistors' heat-sinks. I'm hoping if you other diyers could give some suggestions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is my first post but I've been checking Head-Fi every now and then.
 I've also built few SOHAs and a Millett. They didn't have this nice enclosure, though.

 Sounds excellent with my HD580s. Beats the X-Can V2 (stock) hands down! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Of yes, forgot to mention: resistors are Vishay RNs, caps I don't remember, pot is an Alps RK27 and internal wiring is silver plated PTFE-insulated stranded AWG22 copper.


----------



## Eokboy

^You can trim the pot shaft so the knob sits tight


----------



## Bjornboy81

Looks like a good start tharenth! I agree with Eokboy...also you could go with a rocker switch instead of the toggle switch in the front. IMO they don't look too clean and takes away from it.

 Good luck and welcome!


----------



## cantsleep

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_And to think, most people just throw their video card box in the trash...






 Don't worry, I'm not going to commit a sacrilege and keep it in there. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

awesome


----------



## simcap

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bjornboy81* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 Hot! I love that front panel...did you make that or buy it somewhere? 

 Welcome to Head-fi BTW! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 Luckily one of my brother's hobby is woodwork , so he build a custom olive-wood new front panel for me...thanks Michele!!!


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tharenth* 
_Ech0, my CKK3 looks a bit like that Millett Max of yours.

 I used 5mm stainless steel and birch. Still some work to do, but I decided to share these pictures anyway. Parts inside kindly provided by Jeff Rossel from Glass Jar Audio.

 I'll brush the steel, trim the wood, buy a new on/off switch and do something for the transistors' heat-sinks. I'm hoping if you other diyers could give some suggestions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is my first post but I've been checking Head-Fi every now and then.
 I've also built few SOHAs and a Millett. They didn't have this nice enclosure, though.
_

 

I wonder sometimes that from a distance my MMax is a bit too monochromatic from the front view. The switches, knobs... blend in maybe a bit too much?? Just a thought for when you're putting the finishing touches on your CKKIII.


----------



## el_matt0

echo, thats an excellent point for all DIYers I'd say. not to say that your amp IS overly monochromatic (and hey, even if it KINDA is, still a damn sexy piece of work, dont get me wrong!) but yea, contrast looks nice ultimately in most cases I find. thats why I strayed away from the silver hammond cases with the silver knobs on my millet max, just a little too plain looking for my likes. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 im ALMOST finding the same thing with my b22 (check back a few pages for pics, p294 i believe). it almost feels "too" black. im getting silver feet for it I think, and because if that, im almost considering putting on a nice dark chromed knob or something a little more exciting than this flat black one...! suggestions more than welcome, LMK ur opinions on that


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_And to think, most people just throw their video card box in the trash...

 Don't worry, I'm not going to commit a sacrilege and keep it in there. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I hope your next case is larger. I suspect that if you listen carefully with sensitive headphones (even Grados) you'll find you're getting transformer induced hum do to the proximity of the trafo to the output wires on the left side of the e22.


----------



## MoodySteve

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I hope your next case is larger. I suspect that if you listen carefully with sensitive headphones (even Grados) you'll find you're getting transformer induced hum do to the proximity of the trafo to the output wires on the left side of the e22._

 

Indeed, I will somehow address the effects of the transformer's fields on my wiring. For what it's worth, the wiring is all insulated with teflon. I have some 3" x 9" hunks of 1/4" thick teflon (I work for a microwave company) that I was hoping to somehow implement as a quasi-enclosure around the transformer, as there's a lot left over. There's also the option of putting the transformer in a separate enclosure, if all else fails. Sure would be a shame to build this magnificent amp and forget to address a fundamental issue such as _e_ and _h_ fields!


----------



## Nebby

Does Teflon block EMI fields? From all my research into shielding transformers, I haven't seen anything about Teflon. Most recommendations have been for Mu-Metal and even straight steel.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Does Teflon block EMI fields? From all my research into shielding transformers, I haven't seen anything about Teflon. Most recommendations have been for Mu-Metal and even straight steel._

 

Not likely. If you guys are looking for a cheap source of Mu-Metal tough, check The Electronic Goldmine, they have a 9.5" x 12" sheet for $10. I used it to shield the transformer in my integrated amp, nice improvement.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not likely. If you guys are looking for a cheap source of Mu-Metal tough, check The Electronic Goldmine, they have a 9.5" x 12" sheet for $10. I used it to shield the transformer in my integrated amp, nice improvement._

 

Wow, that's a really cheap source for 'em! Thanks for the link.


----------



## MoodySteve

Teflon is one of the best dielectric materials out there, but we us them at RF/microwave frequencies. Maybe it's not as effective at low frequencies...oh well, at least those pesky radio towers won't mess up my signal!

 Thanks for the link by the way


----------



## tharenth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bjornboy81* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks like a good start tharenth! I agree with Eokboy...also you could go with a rocker switch instead of the toggle switch in the front. IMO they don't look too clean and takes away from it.

 Good luck and welcome! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks! I've been looking for a nice rocker switch but the problem is I want a round one (easier to make to round hole than a rectangular). A push button would also be nice but 2-pole on-off types are rare. Almost all they sell here are 1- or 2-pole momentary switches. And with my limited machinery it's a struggle to make >13mm diameter holes.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* 
_I wonder sometimes that from a distance my MMax is a bit too monochromatic from the front view. The switches, knobs... blend in maybe a bit too much?? Just a thought for when you're putting the finishing touches on your CKKIII._

 

You have a very good point there. I'll probably change the power switch and the volume knob to something nicer. I could also paint the screws... We'll see.

 A general question: Do I really need heatsinks at the output transistors (Q12/13, Q25/26)? My original idea was to attach those trannies to the back plate of the enclosure, but I have yet to find a nice and clean way to do it.


----------



## rhester

I am finishing my latest MH Max, but this one I included an Alien DAC in and a selector switch to choose between RCAs and the Alien.


----------



## rhester

Busy weekend. Finished most of my casing work before the reace starts. Can't sit and enjoy the race and some cool tunes also.

 Here is my Bijou build. Hope tocase it out better in nice wood soon.


----------



## Mazuki

Just finished my second beta22 build. The case is 3 inches high, but really a 2.5inch high case could work too. Shaft extender and knobs are from HiFi DIY Site - VT4C/211 Power Triode. This amp is configured with one pot attenuated input and another unattenuated input to use with a preamp. The internal divider has less-EMF shielding material taped to it.


----------



## OverlordXenu

Why are there two jacks?


----------



## Mazuki

Quote:


 Why are there two jacks? 
 

It's what the owner specified.


----------



## el_matt0

Mazuki, nice work man, great looking beta build. even with the emf shielding, im a little surprised u arent having any issues with the trafo being SO darned close to those beta 22 boards - no issues tho? what dimensions are that case, its a par-metal one right?


----------



## naamanf

Speaking of B22s, here is a teaser pic of things to come.....


----------



## Cankin

^OMG


----------



## Nebby

ok....what do you have planned there? o.O


----------



## n0ll4k

What? 

 What do you do with all these boards?


----------



## naamanf

It's for a sweet set of 5.1 surround headphones. Balanced. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's actually for 4 separate balanced B22s.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's for a sweet set of 5.1 surround headphones. Balanced. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's actually for 4 separate balanced B22s._

 

HOLY ****! YOu have lots of $$$ in all those boards? Are these all for you?


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's for a sweet set of 5.1 surround headphones. Balanced. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's actually for 4 separate balanced B22s._

 

Holy Cow, naamanf!!


----------



## TzeYang

ZOMGZ OMG ZOMG ZOMG ZOGMKDJ:FAKJGF:LKDJKAL:FGIUAOPGUIF:SDLJGKLs


 THAT IS SO SICK!!! BRB ORGASM.


----------



## Eokboy




----------



## OverlordXenu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's for a sweet set of 5.1 surround headphones. Balanced. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's actually for 4 separate balanced B22s._

 

...5.1 surround headphones?

 Do go on...


----------



## ethebull

They require 3 bionically implanted super ears.

 I'd be up for it, but the guys I've met who've had the procedure say they get a lot of strange looks.


----------



## naamanf

OKay okay. The 5.1 headphone thing was a bit of a joke. All the 5.1 headphones I have seen are way below 16 channels of B22 goodness. 

 I am actually building four balanced B22s for myself and a couple other head-fiers. Using two sigma 22s for power with the off board heat sinks for better heat dissipation. Still a lot more work to do but all the tedious part soldering is done. I think I am a bit loopy from all the flux vapor


----------



## kipman725

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_OKay okay. The 5.1 headphone thing was a bit of a joke. All the 5.1 headphones I have seen are way below 16 channels of B22 goodness. 

 I am actually building four balanced B22s for myself and a couple other head-fiers. Using two sigma 22s for power with the off board heat sinks for better heat dissipation. Still a lot more work to do but all the tedious part soldering is done. I think I am a bit loopy from all the flux vapor
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

*you want to use them to make some quadrophonic balanced powered speakers* - jedi mind trick


----------



## breakfastchef

The latest Boutique CMoy. I really need to stop building these and move on to something else.


----------



## Listen2this1

Naamanf, That is crazy. how are going to case it up? Something crazy as well?


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *breakfastchef* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The latest Boutique CMoy. I really need to stop building these and move on to something else.




_

 


 What is that? An urn or a martini jigger?


----------



## JSTpt1022

Wow breakfastchef, its so weird because I was just coming here to post this...













 My first CMoy. Uses 2 9v, discrete rail splitter, Burr Brown 2134, Alps RK097. Sorry for the bad photography.


----------



## colonelkernel8

The lids the pot right? If so, TOO COOL.


----------



## breakfastchef

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JSTpt1022* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow breakfastchef, its so weird because I was just coming here to post this...
 My first CMoy. Uses 2 9v, discrete rail splitter, Burr Brown 2134, Alps RK097._

 

Your CMoy is quite cool. I do not particualrly care if my amps are portable; only that they are different. Yours definitely fits that mold. My other CMoys include the Swiss Army and Fat Boy. I look forward to seeing your future builds.


----------



## JSTpt1022

Thanks for the kind words guys. I was blown away when I opened the page and saw that shaker/cmoy. It was such a weird coincidence. Anyway, looks great. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite threads to read through. Keep it up everyone.


----------



## willco007

Here's my second build which I though was worthy of posting here. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a modified CMOY design and an Alien DAC to top it off. Both are wrapped in Mahogany enclosures (inspired by the Grado RA1). I also custom built silver RCA interconnects because why not? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I must say, none of this would be possible without head-fi; so thank you all.

 Enjoy!


----------



## breakfastchef

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *willco007* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my second build which I though was worthy of posting here. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a modified CMOY design and an Alien DAC to top it off. Both are wrapped in Mahogany enclosures (inspired by the Grado RA1)._

 

Way cool, willco007! A few questions come to mind. First, did you have to countersink holes in the wood from the inside to accomodate the panel mount components? Seems to me there is a thickness issue you would have needed to tackle to make this work. How did you approach the problem?

 Second, most amps appear to be housed in enclosures that often are made fully or partially in metal. Do you have an noise issues with your build? I am interested if the mahogany box provides adequate isolation from external EMI sources.


----------



## willco007

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *breakfastchef* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Way cool, willco007! A few questions come to mind. First, did you have to countersink holes in the wood from the inside to accomodate the panel mount components? Seems to me there is a thickness issue you would have needed to tackle to make this work. How did you approach the problem?

 Second, most amps appear to be housed in enclosures that often are made fully or partially in metal. Do you have an noise issues with your build? I am interested if the mahogany box provides adequate isolation from external EMI sources._

 

The way I got around the thickness issue is I used a router to hollow out the inside of the block of wood, so the edges are only about 1/8-1/4 of an inch thick in places. For the DAC with the super tiny USB output lead, I did have to bevel the hole on the outside for the USB plug which I did with a palm sander and manual sanding. I could post a pict of that if you're interested.

 As for noise, I bought non-conductive EMI foil to line the inside of the enclosure to reduce interference.


----------



## SoundGoon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What is that? An urn or a martini jigger?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yes.


----------



## breakfastchef

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *SoundGoon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yes. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

There is a person that has enjoyed spirited libations (cocktails) in the past. Yes, it is a cocktail shaker or cockatiel urn.


----------



## QQQ

willco007, wow!! What a work. I've tried to do the similar RA1 design clone amp, but it's nowhere near your crafty work...
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/pos...ml#post3550707
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/3551043-post2791.html


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *willco007* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my second build which I though was worthy of posting here. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a modified CMOY design and an Alien DAC to top it off. Both are wrapped in Mahogany enclosures (inspired by the Grado RA1). I also custom built silver RCA interconnects because why not? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I must say, none of this would be possible without head-fi; so thank you all.

 Enjoy!

http://everydaysoftware.net/pictures/CIMG1908.jpg
http://everydaysoftware.net/pictures/CIMG1911.jpg
http://everydaysoftware.net/pictures/CIMG1912.jpg_

 

Nice woodwork. Well done!


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *willco007* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my second build which I though was worthy of posting here. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 It's a modified CMOY design and an Alien DAC to top it off. Both are wrapped in Mahogany enclosures (inspired by the Grado RA1)_

 

Cool. Don't know if you ever saw this project, but this was my "modified" RA-1. The amp was a Pimeta, the DAC was the Guzzler DAC which was the predecessor to the Alien, and the other box was a PS for the Pimeta. The Pimeta was pulled out, cased up and sold off a long time ago and was replaced by a Pint, which was also removed and sold. The DAC was replaced by my NOS USB DAC. So, the RA-1 box (as well as the PS box which was gutted for some reason I no longer remember) sits empty waiting for something else. I think the DAC probably still works, but it hasn't been on in a while. I guess one day I'll get inspired to do something with them again ...


----------



## Demix500

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dsavitsk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cool. Don't know if you ever saw this project, but this was my "modified" RA-1. The amp was a Pimeta, the DAC was the Guzzler DAC which was the predecessor to the Alien, and the other box was a PS for the Pimeta. The Pimeta was pulled out, cased up and sold off a long time ago and was replaced by a Pint, which was also removed and sold. The DAC was replaced by my NOS USB DAC. So, the RA-1 box (as well as the PS box which was gutted for some reason I no longer remember) sits empty waiting for something else. I think the DAC probably still works, but it hasn't been on in a while. I guess one day I'll get inspired to do something with them again ..._

 

nice work.


----------



## willco007

dsavitsk, I had seen your project and I was like, if he can do it, I can do it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My amp is just a lowly CMOY (which I beefed up a bit - and sounds really quite good) but how's your custom built NOS DAC compare to the Alien?


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *willco007* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my second build which I though was worthy of posting here. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a modified CMOY design and an Alien DAC to top it off. Both are wrapped in Mahogany enclosures (inspired by the Grado RA1). I also custom built silver RCA interconnects because why not? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I must say, none of this would be possible without head-fi; so thank you all.

 Enjoy!











_

 

Looks like a Grado amp. Nice job.


----------



## jolness

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *quicksilver96* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The amps I build for myself have a tendency to not ever end up in a case. Alas, since I have no current electronics DIY projects running, I took it upon myself to crate up one of my favorite amps. The wood is all solid maple with a nice figuring, though it doesn't show that well in photos. The finish is olympic plantation pecan with god only knows how many coats of minwax wipe on poly. The view slots have glass in them and the top is brushed aluminum. 



















_

 

beautiful amp wow.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Finished my Millet Max frontpanel today:





 Night shot





 Day shot


 Maroon Audio is my own "brand" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Both the panel and window were made at Front Panel Express. The case is a Galaxy Maggiorato from Hifi2000.


----------



## MoodySteve

Excellent casework! What did you use for the Millet Max logo?


----------



## J.D.N

That is a superb case!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Excellent casework! What did you use for the Millet Max logo?_

 

I converted a high-res version of the logo to HPGL using Corel Draw. Front Panel Express did the rest


----------



## MusicallySilent

That is probably one of the best millet max cases, in my opinion if you show off light from internal components it has to be done tastefully, tube lights and how yours lights up. I like that style of look and some of the very minimalistic box enclosures that b22s are often in along with wood enclosures


----------



## Pars

Very nicely done!


----------



## Gautama

About how much did that front panel run you?


----------



## GeWa

Are you willing to share those "Front Panel Express" files please?

 Regards


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gautama* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_About how much did that front panel run you?_

 


 About 130 Euro with the front, window, back and shipping.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GeWa* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are you willing to share those "Front Panel Express" files please?

 Regards_

 

Sure, PM me your email address and Ill send it to you.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Thanks for all your kind praise 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 There are more pictures in the Millet Max build thread.


----------



## GeWa

Thanks for the files! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Best regards


----------



## Marzie

Haven't posted in a while so here's

My PIMETA

 and here's

The early stages of a CKKIII

 and here's

A Playstation SCPH-1001 Laser Replacement and Power Supply Recasing


----------



## Nebby

Finally got around to stuffing a few boards 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Twisted Pear Audio TXO, a few sigma 11's, two TPA Ballsie PS's, and one Opus PS


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finished my Millet Max frontpanel today_

 

Absolutely amazing! Totally professional and gorgeous to boot! Excellent work. I'll be dropping you a pm about the front panel. Not that I want to copy it, but more in understanding how to work with FPE. I simply must use them for my next project!

 Thanks for posting!



 Post 900!


----------



## fierce_freak

Dual sigma22 power supply I finished a couple days ago. The balanced b22 that it's for will hopefully be done by monday.


----------



## swt61

Nice!


----------



## fierce_freak

The rig I built for you was so good, I just had to do something similar


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fierce_freak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The rig I built for you was so good, I just had to do something similar 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It's never leaving my rack either!


----------



## kugino

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fierce_freak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Dual sigma22 power supply I finished a couple days ago. The balanced b22 that it's for will hopefully be done by monday.














_

 

looks like a monster! nice job and i'm sure it'll kick some arse!


----------



## Nebby

fierce_freak, what's the third transformer for? Very nice build, I like the power-con umbilical connector!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_fierce_freak, what's the third transformer for? Very nice build, I like the power-con umbilical connector!_

 

Im guessing its for a Joshua Tree attenuator.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Im guessing its for a Joshua Tree attenuator._

 

Ah right, he did make mention of a JT in his beta22. Good catch.


----------



## swt61

Yep, that looks like the traffo he used in my dual sigma 22 PS as well, and it was for my JT.


----------



## Mr. Tadashi

Here is my very first build. The Mini ^3 

 I found the SMD soldering a bit nerve racking at first and found it was a lot easier when I did it and when it came to the testing stage I did half the test incorrectly at first(Critical reading is very important.)

 All I have left to do is sand off the annodizing in the slot of the case before it is all buttoned up.











 Note: The rear led had been properly positioned after the picture was taken.


----------



## strangedaze39

Cool Mini^3 looks very clean !! Hope you had fun building it.


----------



## Mr. Tadashi

I did but, I started to yell at it when it came to the testing since it was my first time using a multimeter.


----------



## FallenAngel

I just finished re-casing and modding this PPAS for a buddy here. Doesn't look as fancy as the Hammond 1455C80x case, but the advantage to this one is that there are 8x AAA batteries in there. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Sounds fantastic.




 Here is something made out of necessity - my girlfriend doesn't like the feel of KSC75 clips, hates the PortaPro headband and needs something for the buss. So she got a pair of free Labtec Elite 835 and I set to work. There is a pair of KSC75 drivers in there, modded with 75Ohm resistor and recabled in 24AWG SPC. It definitely sounds better


----------



## Marzie

Here is my Pimeta, I just biased it into class A, drilled holes and screwed down the tread and took out the quick connects that were on both sides of the tread. It just wouldn't sit right in there with those in. Earlier this week redid the input and output wiring with navships wire and shortened the leads on the power input and output and the power button, put quick connects on the power button and both sides of the tread (
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) and reglued the LED. I am still not happy with the ultra long wires on the LED, that may have to change.






 Here is my CKKIII. 












 I used any amphenol connector and put the transformer in a wallwart enclosure. I wouldn't hesitate to do this again on any of my future builds, although the male and female ends of the connector alone cost almost $20.








 I had some problems with it, I was test fitting it into the case and was using a slot midway up the Hammond and the covering outside the large caps got scratched; I may put some electrical tape over this. Also, I put the voltage regulator v1 in v2 slot and vice versa. That was a PITA to get out and it is pretty ugly now (I used a serrated needle nose rather than a smooth one.) These will be the first thing I replace if there are any problems. I haven't decided what to do about the LED, I am either going to use new LED and put it close to the board and use a plexiglass cover, or I am going to use a chrome bezel that I have, similar to many other CKKIIIs. I would like to get panels made by FPE, so if anyone has any templates that I could play around with (still not comfortable with my CAD abilities) I would love that. Otherwise if anyone has any autocad files, someone at my work has a CNC machine he would let me use.

 I also have to drill a hole for the star ground, I just scratched off a good deal of the powder coating and put the bare screw head against it. My pot ground is soldered to a washer that I clipped down to size so it (hopefully) wont make contact with any of the surrounding solder joints. It is tightened to the bottom of the board.


----------



## TzeYang

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just finished re-casing and modding this PPAS for a buddy here. Doesn't look as fancy as the Hammond 1455C80x case, but the advantage to this one is that there are 8x AAA batteries in there. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sounds fantastic.


_

 

Sexy case!!!

 I must know the name/model number of that beast!


----------



## Gautama

Looks like the same case the Go-Vibe uses.


----------



## FallenAngel

I think it's a Hammond 1593PBK. It's only just a little larger than the It's just a little larger than the 1455C80x in length and is about 1cm wider, exactly the same width as the 5G iPod Video. The size gives enough room for 4x AAA to be beside the amp and another 4x AAA behind it.


----------



## recordcousin

After sitting on the shelf for a year, I finally put the SOHA kit together. Here is a couple pictures of my build. I put the amp in an old Mac cd case. 

 Eric


----------



## recordcousin

Here are the pictures again.

 Eric


----------



## Bjornboy81

^looks great! what did you use for the case?


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Marzie* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I used any amphenol connector and put the transformer in a wallwart enclosure. I wouldn't hesitate to do this again on any of my future builds, although the male and female ends of the connector alone cost almost $20.

 <snip of casework fun>_

 

Hey Marzie,

 Adventures w/casework have been challenging for me too, but congrats on sticking to it... The results look fine & bet they sound good too.

 Sometimes I wish I had a casework/mechanical team I could just pass my work off to
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Ehh, not really, but the thought crosses my mind when its like 11pm & run into problems...

 Anyway I'm leaning toward external PSes now too, seems you eliminate one (more) source of hum in the case. To the point, in one of my SOHA builds I put the transformer & assoc fuse in a cheap case w/a center step-on power switch. So it sits on the floor & you just tap the pushbutton w/your foot.

 Used mouser connectors 171-0276 DIN 6 PIN BLACK, 161-0006 6 PIN DIN PANEL MNT < $2 the pair w/some shrink wrap for entry into headamp & 112-R13-40B-R SPST OFF-ON RED < $2. BTW, your connector look massive/military/heavy duty
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Have fun,
 Chris


----------



## joneeboi

Here is my portable rig. The reader will care to note the subtle contrast of light and dark.


----------



## Fitz

One channel built and tested for my new amp...













 Never really worked with protoboard much before, but coming up with the layout for how to put it all on the board was actually pretty fun. The leads extending on the sides are just temporary spots for me to connect power from my bench supply.


----------



## el_matt0

nice man, really nice. im nowhere near brave enough or adept enough to try that yet, but one day maybe....again...wow!


----------



## TzeYang

beautiful work Fitz 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I like how you bend the leads to form a bridge instead of using a direct solder bridge. I used to do that alot on my older builds but I thought it would be troublesome to desolder if i need to swap parts. XD


----------



## Eokboy

Everythings black... Extreme BoMming there


----------



## Marzie

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey Marzie,

 Adventures w/casework have been challenging for me too, but congrats on sticking to it... The results look fine & bet they sound good too.

 Sometimes I wish I had a casework/mechanical team I could just pass my work off to
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Ehh, not really, but the thought crosses my mind when its like 11pm & run into problems...

 Anyway I'm leaning toward external PSes now too, seems you eliminate one (more) source of hum in the case. To the point, in one of my SOHA builds I put the transformer & assoc fuse in a cheap case w/a center step-on power switch. So it sits on the floor & you just tap the pushbutton w/your foot.

 Used mouser connectors 171-0276 DIN 6 PIN BLACK, 161-0006 6 PIN DIN PANEL MNT < $2 the pair w/some shrink wrap for entry into headamp & 112-R13-40B-R SPST OFF-ON RED < $2. BTW, your connector look massive/military/heavy duty
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Have fun,
 Chris_

 

Chris, thanks, I apreciate it! After hearing how many do pass their work off to places like front panel express, as well as local machine shops and even carpenters I am strongly considering getting out the yellow pages...

 My "foot switch" solution is that the wall wart enclosure is plugged into a power strip and I flick the switch with my foot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The reason I went with the more expensive connectors is that I used those ones you posted a link to on my playstation 1 power supply recasing (I posted a link to the pics a few pages back) and the heat shrink did not adhere very well to the boot. It had too cheap of a feel to me. I bought a generic version from a local shop, but it doesn't look too different. On one side I forgot to slide the boot on first and had to do surgery on it so I wouldn't have to desolder all the pins, but the heatshrink problem happened on both sides. Also, the boot slides off on one side (the one i did correctly) because there is nothing other than a little tab securing it to the metal piece. If I would have filled the boot completely with hot glue, it might have been a little better. But after seeing some of these amphenol connectors, I thought they would be much more "heavy duty" which is exactly what I was looking for. I couldn't even use all the strain relief equipment they send with it, they are built to be waterproof, I believe. I couldn't get the end caps screwed completely down, either due to the way their strain relief/waterproofing mechanisms work. Once I get some better needle nose (either with no threads or wrap some in tape) I will try tightening it down all the way. I am really happy with them though and feel it was worth the price...

 Mike


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *el_matt0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_nice man, really nice. im nowhere near brave enough or adept enough to try that yet, but one day maybe....again...wow! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks man, I was just happy that it worked, since I found two errors in my layout when I was nearly done soldering. Fortunately they were both in places I hadn't finished soldering yet, because I noticed the connections I was about to make didn't look right.

 It's definitely a whole different level of time and effort than just stuffing a PCB, but it wasn't as difficult as I expected and feels a hundred times more rewarding. Just create or copy a circuit you like, get some graph paper, and start drawing a few parts, adding connections, drawing a few more parts, add even more connections, etc. I started with those eight resistors by the output transistors, then worked my way up doing the rest of the output buffer first, then the opamp section, and finally the power section. I'm sure there's an easier way to come up with the layout, but that's how I did it since I've never done this before and don't know any better. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_beautiful work Fitz 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I like how you bend the leads to form a bridge instead of using a direct solder bridge. I used to do that alot on my older builds but I thought it would be troublesome to desolder if i need to swap parts. XD_

 

Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I actually clipped the leads short before soldering everything down in one pass, then went back and added the jumpers by pushing them down into the solder until they made contact with the leads and followed up by tacking them down on all the intermediate pads. The pads were spaced too far apart to easily bridge several together with just solder (the surface tension of the solder kept pulling it into two-pad bridges).



  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Eokboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Everythings black... Extreme BoMming there_

 

Maybe even... Too Extreme? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But you wouldn't believe how hard that was! I still gotta replace the silver mica cap with a black one (it's brown, but looks darker in pictures), and order some black connectors to use instead of the white molex KK ones I already have.


----------



## Fitz

Second channel built... minor change to the layout that I'll need to go back and apply to the first one.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Second channel built... minor change to the layout that I'll need to go back and apply to the first one.



_

 

What will the power supply be?


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What will the power supply be?_

 

Dunno yet, I haven't really thought about it much since I was more concerned with the amp itself working. I'm just running it off my bench supply for the moment. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I made the changes to the original board and hooked everything up with alligator clips just minutes ago, and so far despite the juryrigged setup it still sounds great. Currently listening to the Afterglow Live CD by Sarah McLachlan, which was given to me yesterday as a gift.

 I realized used the wrong trimpots for setting the gain when adjusting everything though (works fine, just is more difficult to get it fine-tuned). I'll have to swap those out at some point.


----------



## dBel84

It looks great, particularly like the symmetry on the perfboard. Am I the only one who doesn't know what it is? It looks like a PPA type layout with a chip input and mirror bjt buffer ala ppa. Is there going to be a 3rd channel too? ..dB


----------



## swt61

I may be jumping ahead here, but how about "Total Eclipse" as a name for the Black beauty?


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It looks great, particularly like the symmetry on the perfboard. Am I the only one who doesn't know what it is? It looks like a PPA type layout with a chip input and mirror bjt buffer ala ppa. Is there going to be a 3rd channel too? ..dB_

 

The symmetry was my biggest goal, as I have a strong belief in balance and harmony, and just putting things in however (even if it led to more efficient use of board space) would've driven me completely insane. That's also why I ended up moving the power caps around (and added the third in the middle, because it looked a little sparse on that end otherwise). I'm glad somebody noticed it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And yeah, it's pretty much my take on the PPA. I was originally going to just do an ordinary PPAv2, but I was kinda worried about the stability of it when using certain opamps and some headphones. With the changes, I had it wired on breadboard with long wire jumpers out the wahoo, AD843 opamps, and 2 ohm output resistors, and it drove my "amp crusher" 8 ohm test phones to high volumes without oscillating. It would oscillate if I powered up the amp with the test phones connected, but would settle down as soon as I disconnected and reconnected them (it never had any problems with "real" phones in any situation). When I had things closer to a standard PPAv2, I got the same stability issues that some have reported when turning up the volume even on normal headphones, in certain amp configurations. _EDIT: Just tested the amp with the "amp crusher" phones now that everything is soldered up nicely, and it no longer oscillates on powerup with them._

 I'll probably be building a ground channel too, but I would need to order more parts as some got used up in the left and right channels due to the changes I made _after_ ordering parts. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Although the power supply is still undecided, I do know I'll also be using one of my Alps RK40 Black Beauty pots (not sure if I want to use a detented one or a smooth one), and build a protoboard version of the modified E12 muting / protection circuit I've used in the past, if I can actually remember the changes I made.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I may be jumping ahead here, but how about "Total Eclipse" as a name for the Black beauty?_

 

Works for me.


----------



## tomb

Nice work, Fitz! I remember when you were talking about this at the Atlanta meet. What you've done with it is not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions a protoboard project. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 That pic of the bottom with your solder joints is simply amazing!


----------



## Fitz

Thanks Tom 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Yeah, I can only imagine what you must've thought I had in mind when I said it was gonna be on protoboard. Nightmarish visions of parts soldered down randomly and wire jumpers stacked several layers deep, eh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I don't really feel confident designing my own PCBs, considering the added cost and my tendency to change things every other minute, which is why I just went with protoboard.


----------



## Fitz

edit: made some changes, fixing a possibly silly mistake. wanna test things more before deciding if it's better or not..


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, I can only imagine what you must've thought I had in mind when I said it was gonna be on protoboard. Nightmarish visions of parts soldered down randomly and wire jumpers stacked several layers deep, eh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 






 you mean something like this = no not mine 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 , somebodies DIY DAP ..dB

 I have kept this image to help keep me on the straight and narrow


----------



## cetoole

Did this last night, so I could actually get SPDIF output from one of my other comps. Ended up having to make a really ugly cable to use it though (no, you cant see it).




 Fuzzy little black thing is a PE-65612, 0.33uf Panasonic stacked film next to it, 75r RG-179, and a 75r rated bnc output jack. You cant really see much detail, but there is a series ~221r smd resistor on the pcb connected to the primary, and a pair of 220r 1206 resistors soldered directly to the transformer secondary in parallel. Assumed ~30r output z from the SN74F244 output buffer, that gives around 76.5r nominal impedance. I really need a TDR though to get this good. Meh, it sounds fine, and my DAC locks no problems. Next one I do, I am killing the input jack below the BNC, and mounting it lower, because it is a huge PITA to install or remove the card. Works good, using the kx drivers and ASIO4ALL.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_edit: made some changes, fixing a possibly silly mistake. wanna test things more before deciding if it's better or not.._

 

Yeah, this is why I don't do things on PCB. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Feedback loop has been redone differently (more like on the M3, but completely coincidentally), and I'll need to wait on the additional black resistors I ordered before I can make the changes final (of course today the black silver mica caps showed up, but then I go and do this). I also found I could still make the opamp oscillate in certain cases (not real world situations) when using the normal PPAv2 rail isolation configuration with PN4392s, but it works flawlessly so far using something more like that on the M3. So I think I will redo the power section of the board for that instead.

 Sitting on the table, I had the "amp crusher" frankenphones playing louder than I usually listen to my bookshelf speakers, running a little "stress test" by pushing the voltage and current way beyond any real headphone use. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Even sounded pretty decent from that distance (crappy SQ on those headphones up close), at least until I drove the amp into clipping. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (holy crap it is storming so hard now, better power off & disconnect the test equipment before any of it gets damaged or I get surprised by thunder and accidentally blow something up again)


----------



## Fitz

For a completely different kind of DIY, today I put up the additional bookshelves I had been planning, which is a large factor in allowing me to be able to keep my AKG collection (since it takes up so much space):





 Man I love these KV shelves so much. Next up is to put a few over my "workbench" so I can have better access to my tools and supplies when working on my silly little projects like that protoboard amp.


----------



## FallenAngel

Finally I am getting one project off the table and into my pocket 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is my 16GB solid-state FLAC playing (RockBoxed) diyModded iPod (Mini 2G) with a 26 hour battery life 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 No headphone jack, metal end-panel on top, all black 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 Unfortunately after painting it black (there was originally no black iPod Mini), I realized that the paint stuck to the inner part of the hole for the clickwheel and to get proper use of the clickwheel, I had to remove that, which chipped the case a little. Considering how hard it is to paint it properly, I'm thinking I'll leave it as is until I have lots of free time on my hands to do it meticulously.

 Oh, and the kicker is that the entire thing cost me about $100


----------



## MusicallySilent

I am really considering getting one of those, throwing in 16-32gb and rockboxing the thing to use as a source if i ever get an amp, I probably wont mod it for 100% line out just because I may want headphone jack at times, though if i get portable amp i will


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_For a completely different kind of DIY, today I put up the additional bookshelves I had been planning, which is a large factor in allowing me to be able to keep my AKG collection (since it takes up so much space):





 Man I love these KV shelves so much. Next up is to put a few over my "workbench" so I can have better access to my tools and supplies when working on my silly little projects like that protoboard amp._

 

On no Sister, this just won't do! Honey do you even own a color chart? Start all over, and organize darkest to lightest, then tallest to shortest. Some little doilies on the shelves under the books would do a whole lot of fabulousness child!

 And honey please...an Orange chair in a zen room?

 And who picked out that wall color... The Atlanta department of Corrections?

 And ...hey stop...sister please!...get the heck outa my...oh snap!

 Wow! I was channeling Richard Simmons there for a minute...Uh nice job Fitz.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_On no Sister, this just won't do! Honey do you even own a color chart? Start all over, and organize darkest to lightest, then tallest to shortest. Some little doilies on the shelves under the books wood do a whole lot of fabulousness child!

 And honey please...an Orange chair in a zen room?

 And who picked out that wall color... The Atlanta department of Corrections?

 And ...hey stop...sister please!...get the heck outa my...oh snap!

 Wow! I was channeling Richard Simmons there for a minute...Uh nice job Fitz. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

You almost made me spit out my drink. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Actually the walls do look better at jail... this place is pretty bad. The thumbtack holes and old anchors from _who knows what_ are like a decorative pattern on the walls. And in a white room, one wall is *purple*, just one, and for no apparent reason. I've never had the motivation to paint it myself, so I just live with it.


----------



## cfcubed

Not a headamp, but what with shelving DIY & all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Finished shoe-horning a rebuilt maggie console amp w/upgd OPTs and dual opamp tone stage into a salvaged Tivo S2 case tonight. Like how it turned out but took wwwaaayyy longer than I expected (what's new
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 sure learned a lot!) Did take a break to make a portable Tilt EQ and one or two other little projects....






 That's a little rebuilt/recased SI t-amp sitting on top of it... Progress is interesting here as both amps crank out within several watts of each other, yet somewhat of size, weight, and power requirements differences
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here's some other shots... The bottom one showing the tight fit in the the S2 case, the orig OPTs, the preamp/tone stage, etc. 














 BTW, my liking of SOHAs is sorta what spawned this adventure & with a little attention, these old maggies aren't a bad way to try out tubeness.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not a headamp, but what with shelving DIY & all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Didn't mean to offend, I'll restrict myself to only post amp DIY builds here from now on.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not a headamp, but what with shelving DIY & all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Who left the door open again?


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Didn't mean to offend, I'll restrict myself to only post amp DIY builds here from now on. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hey, *I* didn't mean to offend... I enjoyed the shelving thing & was cracking up at swt61's Simmons bit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 esp. the bit about the paint.

 Guess I have a twisted sense of humor, please don't take what I said wrongly... I was mostly making an excuse for me to post a non-head-fi based build (& an eccentric, wacky one at that
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 > Who left the door open again?

 Yeah, I don't get it.


 It's all fun man, and these are all builds


----------



## espadon_vn

It's my amp


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey, *I* didn't mean to offend... I enjoyed the shelving thing & was cracking up at swt61's Simmons bit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 esp. the bit about the paint.

 Guess I have a twisted sense of humor, please don't take what I said wrongly... I was mostly making an excuse for me to post a non-head-fi based build (& an eccentric, wacky one at that
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 > Who left the door open again?

 Yeah, I don't get it.


 It's all fun man, and these are all builds
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I liked it anyway, but the TIVO case makes it all that much cooler IMHO.

 What kind of rated power are we talking here?


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I liked it anyway, but the TIVO case makes it all that much cooler IMHO._

 

Thanks... There probably aren't /won't be too many like it at least... Thing was that a friend dropped the Tivo S2 off as it turns out they are useless w/o a subscription and Tivo is always offering package deals where you basically get the unit for free w/one year of service. So pulled the HD out & added it to my S2 DT & didn't want to just chuck the case... So it was a free case at least, well where my time is free anyway
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What kind of rated power are we talking here?_

 

Quotes say that Maggie amp-175s/185s put out something like 14 wpc, but its a "clean" 14 watts (having "less objectionable" distortion than same-rated SS amp so they say). The t-amp was billed as about the same but quotes say maybe 10 wpc for it w/a nice 3-5amp 12v PS.

 Need pretty efficient speakers w/either of them... Hmmm, smells like another project for me....


----------



## japp1egate

espadon_vn: That's a nice little setup! What amp is that? I'm still rather new to all this, so I don't know how to identify these things by looking at them yet.

 Also, I like your use of a jewelry case for the enclosure! Very classy!


----------



## espadon_vn

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *japp1egate* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_espadon_vn: That's a nice little setup! What amp is that? I'm still rather new to all this, so I don't know how to identify these things by looking at them yet.

 Also, I like your use of a jewelry case for the enclosure! Very classy!_

 

Thit's CMOY amp ! I'd just fininsh it last month....


----------



## TzeYang

ahhh good ol cmoys.









 I built this for a forumer from another forum i frequently visit. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 On board trickle charger and on board LM7812 Regulator.


----------



## TzeYang

Again realised how useful and awesome the KSC 75 is. Purposely built this amp just to pair with it.

 Diamond buffered design.


----------



## Gautama

Looks very nice Tze!


----------



## JSTpt1022

I guess asking how you solder so clean like that would be kind of a useless question Tze? Is the answer just practice or is there a trick to it?


----------



## DolbyR

Case shots:












 The tube actually sits slightly lower as here its not pushed down on its place in the socket.

 Finished front and rear panels:







 The case is a second hand casing from a satellite receiver. I got it very inexpensively from a local electronics store. All casework was done using a dremel knockoff and a powerdrill. 
 The big rectangular hole in the back is still open, I had planned on installing the RCAs in it, but the PCB is too close.
 The RCAs are uninsulated which is creating a ground loop, so that is the first thing I must improve. Just havent found yet from where to get the jacks.

 Inside shots:



















 Still a bit of space left in there for the AlienDAC in progress. If I ever decide to make Jisbos buffers, it might be a thigh fit though.


 The handmade circuitboard I made for mounting the transformer:













 Some shots while testing the voltages:







 The undertube-Led is the only indicator light I have, I wanted to keep the look of the front panel as clean as possible, although Im not satisfied yet of how it looks, I might have to redo it soon.


----------



## TzeYang

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gautama* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks very nice Tze!_

 

thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JSTpt1022* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I guess asking how you solder so clean like that would be kind of a useless question Tze? Is the answer just practice or is there a trick to it?_

 

again, thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hmmm, practice does make perfect but there's a small trick to it. Try trimming your leads FIRST before you solder. So instead of deformed blob with leads protruding out, you get a perfect round blob of solder joint.

 Oh and it pays using good solder wire. I'm using a Kester 245 for the job.

 EDIT: Kester 245 is an euthetic blend solder. It does not cost a lot of money. I got it for around RM25 per 1/2kg roll (Around 7USD) in my country.


----------



## Fitz

TzeYang, I'm still amazed by how cleanly you can bridge that many pads. I played around with it a bit when I was reworking one part of my amp, and I think I'm starting to get a feel for doing it without wire jumpers to support the bridging. Do you do each pad one at a time, letting the solder cool for a moment before moving to the next one? I was able to get results closer to yours doing it that way, as opposed to trying to do several at once while the solder was still melted.

 As an aside, today I finished applying the v3 revisions to both boards of my amp, and got things wired up temporarily for testing. Sounds great so far, and no more worries about bumping an alligator clip loose when I adjust the volume 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 I should have some more caps in on Tuesday so I can build the board for the ground channel.


----------



## swt61

Nice Fitz!


----------



## Fitz

Got all the parts for the ground channel, except for the electrolytics. Debating on whether I should go ahead and start on it now, or wait until Tuesday when I have everything...


----------



## nikongod

if you have time, start it now.

 even if you dont think you have the time later to add a few caps, you will find it...


----------



## TzeYang

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_TzeYang, I'm still amazed by how cleanly you can bridge that many pads. I played around with it a bit when I was reworking one part of my amp, and I think I'm starting to get a feel for doing it without wire jumpers to support the bridging. Do you do each pad one at a time, letting the solder cool for a moment before moving to the next one? I was able to get results closer to yours doing it that way, as opposed to trying to do several at once while the solder was still melted._

 

Pretty much depending on the mood or the tools I'm using. If i'm using my old Hakko Red 20Watt, yes i wait until the joints cool down a bit, but not too cold otherwise i'd have to reheat the joint again. Now however, since i've gotten the Hakko 936 i've been pretty lazy due to it's temperature control convenience. I just set it to 300 Celcius (the optimum temperature IMO for the solder wire i'm using) and bridging the joints have never been faster! 

 Oh and definitely do it one by one. (regardless of which tool you're using) If you try to bridge more than 2 joints at once, trust me, the bridges will look ugly.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Pretty much depending on the mood or the tools I'm using. If i'm using my old Hakko Red 20Watt, yes i wait until the joints cool down a bit, but not too cold otherwise i'd have to reheat the joint again. Now however, since i've gotten the Hakko 936 i've been pretty lazy due to it's temperature control convenience. *I just set it to 300 Celcius (the optimum temperature IMO for the solder wire i'm using) and bridging the joints have never been faster! *

 Oh and definitely do it one by one. (regardless of which tool you're using) If you try to bridge more than 2 joints at once, trust me, the bridges will look ugly._

 

Ah-hah! This is what my problem was. I normally work at 375 so I can get in and out quickly even when soldering big/difficult parts (which I do more of than stuff on PCB/protoboard), but at that temperature it heats up the bridges _too_ efficiently causing them to pull apart further down if I don't let it cool enough after each one. I turned it down to around 300 and it lets me chain them together much easier.

 Thanks a bunch, TzeYang.


----------



## ericj

Bijou streamlined futterman OTL - 6n1p + 6n6p. 














 CK2III, with sanyo 2SC2238 / 2SA968 output transistors. DIY wallwart, 'cause i wanted this one to be small:


----------



## funch

Someone had to do this sooner or later, right?
 Presenting the "Blue Bijou".

























 Kit from Jeff Rossell (thanks, Jeff). Front panel from FPE. First listen was impressive. Tube dampers are definitely in order. Dead quiet otherwise.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ericj* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Bijou streamlined futterman OTL - 6n1p + 6n6p. 

 <img]http://alhaz.fttp.xmission.com/img_1314-crop-shrink.jpg[/img>
 <img]http://alhaz.fttp.xmission.com/phones/img_1326-crop-shrink.jpg[/img>
 <img]http://alhaz.fttp.xmission.com/phones/img_1327-shrink.jpg[/img>
 </snip>_

 

Very cool retro case job you did on that Bijou, Eric!


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Someone had to do this sooner or later, right?
 Presenting the "Blue Bijou"._

 

nicely done funch, I like the angle of the amp boards and FPE panels always look great..dB


 .... ericj knows my thoughts


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_nicely done funch, I like the angle of the amp boards and FPE panels always look great..dB


 .... ericj knows my thoughts 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Actually, the angled boards are more functional than cosmetic. I did it that way to get the signal wires as close to the front (and as far away from the tranny and voltage carrying wires) as I could.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_if you have time, start it now.

 even if you dont think you have the time later to add a few caps, you will find it..._

 

Yeah... I decided to go ahead and do the rest of the board on Sunday, and it worked out well. I only had to spend a few minutes today putting the caps in, wiring it up, and adjusting the bias. Right now I'm just letting it run for a couple hours with the test phones before I actually put it to any use.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Someone had to do this sooner or later, right?
 Presenting the "Blue Bijou".

[amp pr0n edited out]

 Kit from Jeff Rossell (thanks, Jeff). Front panel from FPE. First listen was impressive. Tube dampers are definitely in order. Dead quiet otherwise._

 

I love that cage on top of the amp.


----------



## Gautama

No pics of your new and improved soldering Fitz?


----------



## ericj

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ Tube dampers are definitely in order. Dead quiet otherwise._

 

Nice build. But dampers? What's to damp? 

 Maybe I'm just lucky, but i can pretty much bang on my 6n1p-ev and 6n6p tubes with a chopstick and not hear any microphonics on the headphones.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gautama* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No pics of your new and improved soldering Fitz?_

 

Nowhere near as good at TzeYang, but it's the first time I've done a board entirely with solder bridges alone. There's a few dark/messy spots from where I haven't cleaned off the flux for today's work yet.


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ericj* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice build. But dampers? What's to damp? 

 Maybe I'm just lucky, but i can pretty much bang on my 6n1p-ev and 6n6p tubes with a chopstick and not hear any microphonics on the headphones._

 

Well, the first time I listened to the amp, it sounded like there was a microphone inside the cage. All I had to do was gently tap on the cage, and I could hear it very clearly. After I opened up the amp to redo some of the heater wiring so I didn't have to run double wires into the board connectors, the problem is gone. Maybe I released the 'microphonics monster'. Dunno.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nowhere near as good at TzeYang, but it's the first time I've done a board entirely with solder bridges alone. There's a few dark/messy spots from where I haven't cleaned off the flux for today's work yet.



_

 

WOW! Just WOW!


----------



## Fitz

Ok, so to take a break from all this custom amp and protoboard nonsense, I decided I wanted to do something else today that was trivially easy. So I built this Millett Hybrid only using parts I already had on hand in my normal supplies. I didn't have any appropriate CRDs for the tubes, so I made my own by using JFETs & resistors (scabbed underneath). Tubes are the 12FM6s I got with the board, wherever I got it from originally, and BUF634s for the buffers.





 Sounds alright... nice and smooth, although it's pretty hazy sounding. The custom amp I've been working on beats the snot out of it, but I pretty much know nothing about this amp or how it's supposed to sound (just looked up the standard component values and adjusted for what I had), so to be fair I doubt I've picked anything close to an optimal configuration of parts.

 It was fun to kill a little time this evening with an easy project though... a nice change of pace. I have a diamond buffer board for it too that I'll probably build at some point in the future.


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nowhere near as good at TzeYang, but it's the first time I've done a board entirely with solder bridges alone. There's a few dark/messy spots from where I haven't cleaned off the flux for today's work yet.



_

 

Nice job Fitz! I had talked to TzeYang in posts a bit on this awhile ago, and had tried doing it myself with zero success. Of course I was running the iron way too hot, using 60/40 instead of 63/37, trying to do more than one bridge at a time, etc. Nice job, and it was nice of TzeYang to share his techniques!


----------



## ericj

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well, the first time I listened to the amp, it sounded like there was a microphone inside the cage. All I had to do was gently tap on the cage, and I could hear it very clearly. After I opened up the amp to redo some of the heater wiring so I didn't have to run double wires into the board connectors, the problem is gone. Maybe I released the 'microphonics monster'. Dunno._

 

Interesting. 

 i've got some (probably chinese) 5963's that are very, very microphonic. but i don't believe for a second that rolling a big silicone o-ring over the glass envelope will fix a flimsy getter hanging off the top of the triode assembly.


----------



## nikongod

tube dampers are awesome.

 thick high-temp viton o-rings... nice and inexpensive.

 they wont make a hopeless tube work, but they can calm some down well enough.


----------



## ericj

I think people just like the oldtimey space-age look they give the amp.


----------



## Punnisher

I made an ipod docking station today, since there doesn't seem to be anything with a simple line out on the market.

 Total cost was about 15 dollars for everything including the ipod dock connector.

 The switch on the side is for selecting which 5vdc input you want, either ac adapter or USB. I'll add a usb port and a USB data on/off switch in the near future. Enjoy.















 A couple more:


----------



## ajames

Ooo! That is EXACTLY what i want/need. Great Idea.

 What exactly did you use for the dock connector?


----------



## Kerry

I just completed a build of the Kevin Gilmore All-Triode Tube amplifier. It's got a solid state power supply and uses PTP wiring for the tube section. The case was made from scratch using aluminum that I ordered online.

 This is my first amplifier project (besides the prototype for the same amp).

 I've still got some metal work to do and may try to anodize this myself. I'm also going to add some wood side panels. The hard part will be picking the color for the case and the type of wood to use on the sides.

 Here are some pictures (functional but not totally done).

 (These are higher res than the thumbnails below)
http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/ata001.jpg
http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/ata010.jpg
http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/ata014.jpg
http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/ata016.jpg
http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/ata018.jpg
http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/ata025.jpg
http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/ata026.jpg
http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/ata029.jpg


----------



## Punnisher

I used only the connector portion of a slim ipod plug from Qables.

 I put the plug into the ipod, slid the white adapter over it, then used hot glue to attach the plug to the adapter. This worked great, the plug does not move at all and is in the perfect position/depth.

 For this reason you probably can't use any other ipod generation, not sure though. Classics and 30/60 videos might work.


----------



## Bjornboy81

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just completed a build of the Kevin Gilmore All-Triode Tube amplifier. It's got a solid state power supply and uses PTP wiring for the tube section. The case was made from scratch using aluminum that I ordered online.

 This is my first amplifier project (besides the prototype for the same amp).

 I've still got some metal work to do and may try to anodize this myself. I'm also going to add some wood side panels. The hard part will be picking the color for the case and the type of wood to use on the sides.

 Here are some pictures (functional but not totally done)._

 

Lookin good! Is that the elctrostatic amplifier from Headwize? Welcome to the club!


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DIAR* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My DACT CT2 passive preamp.

index






 My first post 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hi everybody !_

 

very very nice!!!


----------



## fault151

Ha ha, quite a cheeky little design. Does the cmoy tin support the weight of the ipod ok?






			
				Punnisher;4006807 said:
			
		

> I made an ipod docking station today, since there doesn't seem to be anything with a simple line out on the market.
> 
> Total cost was about 15 dollars for everything including the ipod dock connector.
> 
> The switch on the side is for selecting which 5vdc input you want, either ac adapter or USB. I'll add a usb port and a USB data on/off switch in the near future. Enjoy.


----------



## fault151

Bloody Nora! looks like spaghetti!




 you mean something like this = no not mine 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 , somebodies DIY DAP ..dB

 I have kept this image to help keep me on the straight and narrow 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/QUOTE]


----------



## fault151

I've said it before and i'll say it again, this has to be one of the best diy cases out there!!!


 You really pulled it of well!


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finished my Millet Max frontpanel today:





 Night shot


 Day shot


 Maroon Audio is my own "brand" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Both the panel and window were made at Front Panel Express. The case is a Galaxy Maggiorato from Hifi2000._


----------



## Bjornboy81

no need to quote with _all_ the pictures. Perferrably none, but if you're quoting a post from a couple pages ago, please include only one. We've already seen them...no need to post them all again. thanks


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A point and shot pic of the WIP...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

very nice! what speakers you got in the background? The white ones.


----------



## Punnisher

Yeah it supports the weight of the ipod just fine, as it's centered over the tin nicely. Plus altoids tins are pretty tough. It's not a cmoy though, just a charging dock connector with line out.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Punnisher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah it supports the weight of the ipod just fine, as it's centered over the tin nicely. Plus altoids tins are pretty tough. It's not a cmoy though, just a charging dock connector with line out._

 

yeh i maent to write 'tin' but i wrote cmoy. Yeh good work!


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bjornboy81* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Lookin good! Is that the elctrostatic amplifier from Headwize? Welcome to the club! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yes. The amp is the Electrostatic all tube amp from Kevin Gilmore.


----------



## el_matt0

oh wow, im really interested in that electrostat amp! looks FANTASTIC man! how hard was the build? cost? what cans are you pairing it with right now? hell, shoot me a PM please!!! gorgeous build though, and im sure it sounds fantastic!


----------



## naamanf

Google is your friend. Try "Kevin" "Gilmore" and "Electrostatic". Hint: It's the second link that comes up


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_very nice! what speakers you got in the background? The white ones._

 

The white speakers in the background are my own design when I was still in electronics engineering school many years ago (young and wild 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





).

 This system features 10" bass drivers from Vifa (Denmark), 7" lower mid-range driver from Scanspeak (Denmark), 50mm dome mid-range from MB (Germany) and Panasonic (Japan) ribbon tweeter. The bass below ~ 200 Hz uses active filter while the remaining audio band uses passive filter.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A point and shot pic of the WIP...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

Wow! That one sure looks really nice.


----------



## skatewabbit

i finally finished me second amp, im excited.






















 ideas for a good third project??


----------



## el_matt0

millet max tube hybrid or something a bit more substantial.


----------



## el_matt0

you should try something other than scissors to cut your plexi too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







...but seriously..itll make for much cleaner results IMO. nice work though otherwise, looks solid


----------



## Gautama

Hey Fitz, plan on ever releasing the schematic for your amp so we, the community, can improve it and possible get boards and such out? I hear you are quite impressed with it.


----------



## skatewabbit

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *el_matt0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_millet max tube hybrid or something a bit more substantial._

 

you know i was actually looking at a millet last night, this would be a good project for my level then?

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *el_matt0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_you should try something other than scissors to cut your plexi too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







...but seriously..itll make for much cleaner results IMO. nice work though otherwise, looks solid_

 

heh, yeah i know the edges look less than perfect, i think i scored it with a knife then broke it over the edge of a counter, it was a while ago that i made the case, definately didnt come out as clean as i had hoped. whats the best way to cut plexi anyway, power saw?


----------



## Marzie

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just completed a build of the Kevin Gilmore All-Triode Tube amplifier. It's got a solid state power supply and uses PTP wiring for the tube section. The case was made from scratch using aluminum that I ordered online.

 This is my first amplifier project (besides the prototype for the same amp).

 I've still got some metal work to do and may try to anodize this myself. I'm also going to add some wood side panels. The hard part will be picking the color for the case and the type of wood to use on the sides.
 <snip></snip>_

 

That looks great! Your point to point wiring is excellent, I would love to try that on an amp someday. I think wood would look great, I think it looks great on almost any tube amp, so good luck with that. I wish my woodworking skills were better. It would be even better if I had somewhere other than my spare bedroom in my apartment to do my DIY projects... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I wonder what the downstairs neighbors think when I fire up the black and decker drill, or the ones across from me think when I solder with the windows open...


----------



## dBel84

Well it's not often that I have a good excuse to build an amp ( not true - build and finish an amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ). My daughter's pre-school is fund raising and requested that people use their talents to help - no further motivation needed than that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I built up a SOHA and have put it up for sale for the cause. 

 Always a pleasure to listen to this amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 , a few pics 
















 should anyone wish to contribute to the cause - donations welcomed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gautama* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey Fitz, plan on ever releasing the schematic for your amp so we, the community, can improve it and possible get boards and such out? I hear you are quite impressed with it._

 

I doubt anybody would actually want to make boards of my changes to the PPAv2 circuit.


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Marzie* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I wish my woodworking skills were better. It would be even better if I had somewhere other than my spare bedroom in my apartment to do my DIY projects... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I live in NYC in an apartment. I know the feeling. Key tools for me are a drill, jig saw, dremel tool and a router. The jig saw can get loud and router is always loud. I try to keep the loudest stuff happening while it is still light out. Then again, there is always some construction going on so people are use to the noise.


----------



## Gautama

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I doubt anybody would actually want to make boards of my changes to the PPAv2 circuit. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

lol, I thought you were working from scratch


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gautama* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_lol, I thought you were working from scratch 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Not really


----------



## steinchen

just finished my largest project so far: a pga2310-based preamp with headphone stage. my main goal was to support blind A/B listening tests, hence I got to utilize a microcontroller and spend a large part of the effort on the software











 you can find more details about my build here


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just finished my largest project so far: a pga2310-based preamp with headphone stage. my main goal was to support blind A/B listening tests, hence I got to utilize a microcontroller and spend a large part of the effort on the software

http://www.diamondstar.de/nx1/nx1_front_on_800x600.jpg

http://www.diamondstar.de/nx1/nx1_overview_800x600.jpg

 you can find more details about my build here_

 

Beautiful work as usual.


----------



## Marzie

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just finished my largest project so far: a pga2310-based preamp with headphone stage. my main goal was to support blind A/B listening tests, hence I got to utilize a microcontroller and spend a large part of the effort on the software
 you can find more details about my build here_

 


 What.... No comment could do that justice. Great work!

 EDIT: I suppose it deservers more than that. I like the way it reminds me of an older piece of electronic equipment, almost studio-like, specifically the source selection/mute buttons. Not sure exactly what piece of equipment, but it looks excellent. Casework and internal wiring as well as layout are very nice as usual.


----------



## Polaris111688

Most impressive, Steinchen...


----------



## drizek

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_yeh i maent to write 'tin' but i wrote cmoy. Yeh good work! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

I heard this obscure british company called Altoids or something started shipping candy in CMOY tins. What will they think of next?


----------



## swt61

It's not an amp, but I'll post here at any rate.

 These are some 3 way speakers I'm building for Marc (luvdunhill).

 The baffles will slope back at the top, and are made of an MDF/Baltic Birch lamination. His design is pretty slick. They'll have magnets buried in the baffle for speaker grills ala Omega Audio. They will have Oak interior bracing, sonic barrier foam lining the panels and a rather good size port at the rear of the speaker, behind the tweeter. Spikes on the bottom, and nice binding posts at the rear.

 Marc is building some huge outboard crossovers that will probably be incorporated into some stands. 










 It looks like these will be covered in figured Makore veneer.


----------



## cyberspyder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's not an amp, but I'll post here at any rate.

 These are some 3 way speakers I'm building for Marc (luvdunhill).

 The baffles will slope back at the top, and are made of an MDF/Baltic Birch lamination. His design is pretty slick. They'll have magnets buried in the baffle for speaker grills ala Omega Audio. They will have Oak interior bracing, sonic barrier foam lining the panels and a rather good size port at the rear of the speaker, behind the tweeter. Spikes on the bottom, and nice binding posts at the rear.

 Marc is building some huge outboard crossovers that will probably be incorporated into some stands. 










 It looks like these will be covered in figured Makore veneer._

 

\

 Ehhh, first speaker build I've seen on these forums (except mines)! Going to be recessing those tweeters & midranges?

 Brendan


----------



## adfinni

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just finished my largest project so far: a pga2310-based preamp with headphone stage. my main goal was to support blind A/B listening tests, hence I got to utilize a microcontroller and spend a large part of the effort on the software

http://www.diamondstar.de/nx1/nx1_overview_800x600.jpg_

 

Looks alright I suppose 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Trust the germans to come up with a masterpiece, especially steinchen. Definately an old/new skool fusion there, and the overall quality gives it the appearance of expensive hi-fi equipment.

 I also loved your switchbox in the same type of case, and makes my current attempt look feeble in comparison. But I have gone all out on connectors and parts as my machining equipment for the case is limited.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyberspyder* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_\

 Ehhh, first speaker build I've seen on these forums (except mines)! Going to be recessing those tweeters & midranges?

 Brendan_

 

My idea would be to build a frame for the grills that was flush with the drivers and cut to fit snuggly around them, but it's up to the client.


----------



## fierce_freak

I can't wait to see the finished product, Steve! Your work is always so beautiful. I'll have to pick your brain at some point in regards to speakers, but that's still some months off.

 If I can defeat my laziness, I'll snap some pics of my recently completed balanced b22 tonight or tomorrow.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fierce_freak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I can't wait to see the finished product, Steve! Your work is always so beautiful. I'll have to pick your brain at some point in regards to speakers, but that's still some months off.

 If I can defeat my laziness, I'll snap some pics of my recently completed balanced b22 tonight or tomorrow._

 

Thanks! Looking forward to your pics Jim.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyberspyder* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_\

 Ehhh, first speaker build I've seen on these forums (except mines)! Going to be recessing those tweeters & midranges?

 Brendan_

 

Well, a subwoofer is a somewhat specialized speaker, so I guess it counts? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The finish was roughly 80% done when I decided to take it back home and use it for a while; well that while ended up being nearly a year and it's now back in the wood shop for a proper finishing job. Right now I'd say there's about 10 coats of spray paint on the top and rear 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/fir...ensive-244596/

 I've also contemplated building Zaph's SR-71 bookshelf since his crossover designs are rather amazing imho.

 I'm also looking forward to your pics fierce!


----------



## swt61

Very nice work Nebby! I love that you took the time to make panels to cover the driver flanges, that makes all the difference in the world. Can't wait to see it finished, and the Cherry looks gorgeous. How does it sound?


----------



## fierce_freak

Here are the pics. I'm already thinking of doing some mods, haha ;p Some nice front panels from FPE might be in the future, or maybe even some of Steve's awesome work.

 b22:
















 These cases are anodized all over. They pick up fingerprints like crazy, so they need to be cleaned. I couldn't be bothered before snapping som photos, though


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just finished my largest project so far: a pga2310-based preamp with headphone stage. my main goal was to support blind A/B listening tests, hence I got to utilize a microcontroller and spend a large part of the effort on the software

 you can find more details about my build here_

 

Very nice work Steinchen!

 Also, nice B22 fierce_freak! I like the case (what is it?)... but yes, it does show fingerprints!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *steinchen* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just finished my largest project so far: a pga2310-based preamp with headphone stage. my main goal was to support blind A/B listening tests, hence I got to utilize a microcontroller and spend a large part of the effort on the software
 you can find more details about my build here_

 

It's really nice to see professional work of this level. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Ausgezeichnet Werk, Herr Steinchen !


----------



## swt61

Lookin' good Jim! I see you liked the JT enough to use it in your own amp. I'm very pleased with it myself. 

 What phones are you driving with the amp these days?


----------



## fierce_freak

Completely defoamed HD650's. I really want a pair of RS-1's again, but I seem to keep spending money on amp projects, haha.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fierce_freak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Completely defoamed HD650's. I really want a pair of RS-1's again, but I seem to keep spending money on amp projects, haha._

 

I really liked the defoamed 650 out of the β22. I also listened to the 600 and 580, all of which had the APS defoamed mod. I bought the 580 on the spot.

 I was very surprised, as I've never cared for Senns. before hearing them through the β22.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice work Nebby! I love that you took the time to make panels to cover the driver flanges, that makes all the difference in the world. Can't wait to see it finished, and the Cherry looks gorgeous. How does it sound?_

 

To be honest the sub couldn't have been done without my friend Guido who did most of the hard work with the design actually, I was mostly learning from him and following his instructions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 The cherry panels have darkened a bit over time and have a much nicer color now imho:












 The sub sounds very good, my goal during the design/brainstorming phase was to have a fast, accurate sub that could go low, yet could also put out enough boom to be used as a HT sub. I'm thinking of building a small version to use for my bookshelf speakers I'm currently building.

 That's a very nice amp you have there fierce! Just one question: why are your rear xlr's mounted from behind the panel but your front jack mounted on the front?


----------



## FallenAngel

Wow, lots of completely beautiful stuff lately!

 I've recently had a chance to build an over-the-top transportable Pimeta with all the little additions I wanted.

 This Pimeta runs off OPA637/OPA627 opamps with Millet Hybrid Discrete Diamond Buffers on Left/Right and a Sijosae Class-A Diamond Buffer on Ground.

 There is a trickle charger for the 11x 650mAh AAA battery pack I soldered together. With the diamond buffers set fairly high (25mA each) battery life is about 10 hours. Of course, this could be lowered without much sound quality degradation. 

 This thing sounds fantastic and gives some chase to the PPA I'm using, but just can't catch up. I'll be finally having a chance to compare it to the PPAS, although I'm pretty sure which will win.


----------



## vixr

my beta22 coming along slowly...almost done though!






 powered up...


----------



## el_matt0

gorgeous work. what kind of stepper is that? A DACT?


----------



## vixr

its a black ops Elna I scored off an under-paid genius up in New Hampshire


----------



## djbob

After seeing all of the great builds in this thread I almost feel foolish posting my builds. But since I'm new to Amp building I'm still quite proud of my accomplishments. I built my first Cmoy 8 weeks ago and since then have completed those pictured, as well as another Mini^3 and JDS Cmoy not pictured.






[/url][/IMG]

 From L/R - Altoids Ipod Dock, JDS Labs Bass Boost Cmoy, Mini^3-High Performance version with custom panel by FPE, (Bottom) another Bass Boost Cmoy in Box Enclosure, Alien Dac, (bottom) Pimeta w/ Opa637/627.

 Now, off to source parts for a Millett Max....
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I can't stop!


----------



## vixr

oh yeah, djbob... you caught the bug. Sorry about your wallet


----------



## joneeboi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This Pimeta runs off OPA637/OPA627 opamps with Millet Hybrid Discrete Diamond Buffers on Left/Right and a Sijosae Class-A Diamond Buffer on Ground._

 

Don't you just love Sijosae's buffer? I've made a couple so far what with my stash of 2N5087/2N5088 and that BUF634 shortage (though I just picked up 6 the other day), and the whole thing can be done in 5 minutes without even having to turn on your soldering gun. Simple and elegant, won't break the bank, and it's currently in supply. Excellent. Enjoy your PIMETA.


----------



## regal

SOHA+Jisbos

 - Par metal enclosure 
 - NOS GE 6680 tube
 - 15V regulators
 - Solen 2uF coupling caps
 - Gain reduction wiring scheme set to gain of 8
 - 35VA transformer
 - 3422/1359 transistors
 - no LED's, for nightstand


----------



## bhjazz

djbob, I'm lovin the anodizing. Looks great. 

 As stated, yes, sorry to say, you've got the disease. Have fun. We all do here as well!


----------



## adamus

SOHA (standard Jeff build - thanks Jeff!) but with opa627's











 Also alien dac.


----------



## synaesthetic

That is probably the prettiest I've ever seen anyone make a Hammond enclosure! <3


----------



## adamus

cheers, i should thank the fiance's father for use of his workshop!


----------



## synaesthetic

Do you use a protection circuit for your SOHA or do you just be real careful with it?


----------



## adamus

so far just very careful, i will put one in there soon. going to either buy a e12 or build one


----------



## naamanf

Here is a little project I have been working on for the last couple days.


----------



## FallenAngel

naamanf : WOW! That's pretty much it, just WOW!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is a little project I have been working on for the last couple days.
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...f/IMG_0202.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...f/IMG_0207.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...f/IMG_0148.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...f/IMG_0159.jpg
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...f/IMG_0193.jpg_

 

Wow, that is really sweet looking. Reminds me that I have to finish my B22 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Do you have any conversion of unbalanced to balanced on the inputs? It looks like there are some boards under the JT but I cant make it out. Also, what brand are the headphone XLRs?


----------



## swt61

Beautiful work naamanf! I love all the inputs and outputs, and those heatsinks are huge!


----------



## RoosterX

Nothing you haven't seen before, my Pimeta in a cheap enclosure and missing my burned AD8620.


----------



## amb

Mighty impressive build, naamanf!


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, that is really sweet looking. Reminds me that I have to finish my B22 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Do you have any conversion of unbalanced to balanced on the inputs? It looks like there are some boards under the JT but I cant make it out. Also, what brand are the headphone XLRs?_

 

These are some boards I made up to to do the switching, power distro, and mounts for the Joshua Trees. 






 I am going to make a V3.0 of these and make it for PCB mounted XLR/RCA/Binding posts. Should save a lot of time in wiring. I feel stupid for not doing it originally. 

 I though about addind unbalanced to balanced conversion but didn't want to make it to complicated from the begging and figured it was really going to be for balanced use with a balanced source. I think for 3.0 I will look into 
 conversion. I know a Jensen transformer would work well but isn't the cheapest option. I am open for any good suggestions. 

 As for the front XLRs they are Switchcraft. I wanted a round XLR that didn't have any screws and it fit the bill. I don't think I would use them again because they are expensive and the locking mechanism sucks compared to the Neutriks. They were purchased from Mouser. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Mighty impressive build, naamanf!_

 

Thanks Ti. Just trying to do justice to a mighty impressive design


----------



## JSTpt1022

That is just gorgeous naamanf. Excellent work.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I though about addind unbalanced to balanced conversion but didn't want to make it to complicated from the begging and figured it was really going to be for balanced use with a balanced source. I think for 3.0 I will look into 
 conversion. I know a Jensen transformer would work well but isn't the cheapest option. I am open for any good suggestions. _

 

Looks like a lot of thought went into that board, nice work. On my b22 I will give Assemblycrafts BLD boards a go. They use DRV134/THAT1646 chips for the conversion, hopefully it will work ok. Im not shooting for tranformer-like performance, just an option to use SE input when needed.

 Also, I remember Amb recommending me a heavy duty relay to switch speaker outputs. What relays are you using for that?


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is a little project I have been working on for the last couple days._

 

That is beautiful work. You've motivated me on some of my projects. Very professional


----------



## CSO

naamanf;4049781 said:
			
		

> Here is a little project I have been working on for the last couple days.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Marzie

naamanf - Looks great, definitely first class work. What RCA jacks did you use?


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks like a lot of thought went into that board, nice work. On my b22 I will give Assemblycrafts BLD boards a go. They use DRV134/THAT1646 chips for the conversion, hopefully it will work ok. Im not shooting for tranformer-like performance, just an option to use SE input when needed.

 Also, I remember Amb recommending me a heavy duty relay to switch speaker outputs. What relays are you using for that?_

 

I am using Omron G6A relays.

 The DRV134 looks like a pretty simple circuit to use. I need breadboard a couple different options to see what sounds the best. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *CSO* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow. Really nice stuff. Can you give a link to those nice metal switches on your front panels. Thanks._

 

They are Bulgin anti-vandal switches from Mouser.


----------



## labmat

I got some DIY fever and decided to upgrade my switchbox at work. I was tired of having a separate box to house my AlienDAC as well as the extra 12" of RCA cable that ran between the two boxes. So I decided to stick it inside the switchbox and free up the RCA jacks as an addition input. I also added a DPDT toggle switch to switch between the AlienDAC and input RCAs. I also upgrade the switch knob to a larger diameter.

 I am very pleased with how it looks and works.


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I am using Omron G6A relays.

 The DRV134 looks like a pretty simple circuit to use. I need breadboard a couple different options to see what sounds the best. 
 They are Bulgin anti-vandal switches from Mouser._

 

Really nice Naamanf... what XLR jacks are those on the faceplate?


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Really nice Naamanf... what XLR jacks are those on the faceplate?_

 

Those are Furutech.


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Those are Furutech._

 

Actually Switchcraft. Furutech makes a similar one that mounts with three screws. I think they just re-brand the Switchcraft. 

 I with Neutrik made a round one like that. I have always found Neutriks quality to be above Switchcraft at a cheaper price.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Actually Switchcraft. Furutech makes a similar one that mounts with three screws. I think they just re-brand the Switchcraft. 

 I with Neutrik made a round one like that. I have always found Neutriks quality to be above Switchcraft at a cheaper price._

 

I stand corrected Sir. I didn't know Switchcraft made one like that. I also didn't know of the availability of those beautiful switches.


----------



## Marzie

Still wondering about the RCAs (or did I miss it?)


----------



## Fitz

I'd previously built a Millett Hybrid solely out of parts I had laying around in my supplies, and to go with it I built a discrete diamond buffer, again only out of my normal supplies. I didn't have any surface mount resistors for it though, so I had a bit of fun putting through hole resistors on the board. Just something I randomly decided to do last night while I couldn't sleep...









 I've looked and I haven't found anything good around here I can re-use as an enclosure for the MH (to keep with the $0 cost so far), so I'll probably just mount the amp on a piece of wood or something.


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Marzie* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Still wondering about the RCAs (or did I miss it?)_

 

Sorry, they are from Partsconnexion.


----------



## kvant

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...I didn't have any surface mount resistors for it though, so I had a bit of fun putting through hole resistors on the board..._

 

Sir, that shows some serious skill with tools like these:

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My soldering iron, solder, and wire cutter:


_


----------



## JackCrank

So I'm working on my first DIY amp with my friend (who I believe is also a headfi-er. It's an improved grado clone and since I'm a complete moron when it comes to electronics I worked on the casing. I just finished the cutting, routing, and first stage of stain and I'm totally stoked. here's what they looked like at first:





 And after a little elbow grease:

















 I'm so excited I didn't even let the tung oil dry before I took the pics. After this we gotta figure out what we're using for knobs and electronics layout but our first prototype sounded great when I heard it.


----------



## TzeYang

wow, that looks wicked!!

 Though i'd say slap in some hybrid tube circuit in it instead of an RA-1!


----------



## JackCrank

I'd love to but I'm not really the electronics ninja and the parts are already ordered. Also for a first amp build I'd be kinda nervous working with the kinds of voltages required to get a tube set up running. 

 Who know's though, if these go well maybe I'll throw a hybrid together, the dude I'm building with already did one.


----------



## el_matt0

yea, tube voltages can always be a little bit scary (not to mention dangerous if you dont know what your dealing with). however that said, I believe that the hybrid tube circuits are much safer to build for an inexperienced builder than an all-tube amp. i dont think something like the millet max hybrid would be too out of the question for a second or third build so long as you just do the necessary research first. after all there is a great support community here on head-fi (especially for the MHMAX)


----------



## JackCrank

Yeah I definitely wanna get to that stage anyway but baby steps my friend, baby steps. I'm generally a complete dumdum when it comes to math (although I did kick ass at the grade-school math section of bar-trivia the other day) so I'm kinda daunted by getting into anything more complicated than a cmoy at this point. To be honest, I understand about 1/199th of what's said here in the DIY section, I just think the pictures are pretty.


----------



## sunnysocket

My Millett Hybrid Maxed


----------



## el_matt0

sleek looking amp! always nice to see custom casework, congrats on the unique MH. I hope it sounds as good as it looks


----------



## vixr

got my 22 on the run now...I replaced the stock caps with some KZs. This amp sounds awesome.


----------



## dBel84

Inventive as always vixr - your B22 is looking great..dB


----------



## rhester

Vixr, is there any noise with everything in one case?


----------



## mnemonix

.

 I'll try again when I've got this image thing sorted out!


----------



## Mr. Tadashi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mnemonix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 My first build - an M3, perfect partner to my W5000's._

 

You need to take the parentheses out for the picture to show.

 Edit: Pic is not showing up at all.


----------



## el_matt0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mnemonix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_.

 I'll try again when I've got this image thing sorted out!_

 

in my experience by FAR the easiest way to host is to create a free photobucket account. from there, it will automatically copy the "image tags" to your clipboard when you click the appropriate place under the photo in your album, and you just need to copy that into your reply/post here on head-fi and it will automatically show up. either that or select the "Insert Image" button and then copy/paste the images URL in. using the quick image tag link (


----------



## JamesL

Panels laser etched at my school's workshop.







 ..

 ok lol, so the only thing I've built was a mini3.. which is like a toddler piecing together one of those 16-piece puzzles.
 everything but the table surface photoshopped. =P
 If only I knew what the hell I was doing, or got someone to guide me, I'd totally make one though.


----------



## el_matt0

james. i dont understand your post, are you saying you DID make that (if so, nice looking opus), or are those just randomly made up photoshopped photos? if so......you should spend your time learning to DIY better so that you can ACTUALLY make one lol, not just faking it!


----------



## JamesL

I spent about 2 hours reading and searching, and got bored.. so I fooled around for another 15 minutes. =P

 Theres a ton of stuff about audio that confuses me, and I don't wanna butt my head in too much with stupid questions...


----------



## dBel84

I thought I would post pics of my Stacker, have had it running for over a year and I can honestly say that this amp is one of the finest sounding amps I have had the pleasure of listening to. The details can be found here. I started a thread on HeadFi too, looking forward to the evolution of this next breed of hybrids. 






 Just briefly , it is a hybrid that uses B+ of 210V, regulated dual supply for a PPAesque buffer, AMB's e12 output protection can role a fair number of tubes because the heater supply is switcheable between 6.3V and 12.6V. ..dB


----------



## mnemonix

My first amplifier build - an M3. Given more experience & foresight I might have notched the LED to match the Arcam. Kind of a poor mans HA-5000 given it's MOSFET design, it pairs wonderfully with the W5000's.


----------



## MASantos

Shouldn't be too hard to reduce the brightness on that LED. Changing the LED resistor value should be quite easy.


----------



## el_matt0

@ mnemonix (or anyone that knows) : what case is that your using on the M3 there?


----------



## fierce_freak

Looks like it's probably a hifi2000 galaxy maggiorrotto (or however it's spelled ;p)


----------



## Ferrari

Most likely a HiFi-2000 Galaxy Maggiorato GX288 (80mm x 230mm x 280mm) or GX283 (80mm x 230mm x 230mm).
 This type enclosure is twice as high as the GX248 (40mm high) I'm using for my modified Kumisa III in the pic below.
 (basically a Cavalli-Kan/Benny Jørgensen Kumisa III but feeding by ±24V DC).


----------



## mnemonix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fierce_freak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks like it's probably a hifi2000 galaxy maggiorrotto (or however it's spelled ;p)_

 

HiFi2000, Galaxy Maggiorato GX283, yep. The quality is a bit variable with these, there were several flaws and fettling marks on this one.


----------



## Gautama

Ferrari how much does the GX248 cost, I'm guessing its out of my price range.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gautama* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari how much does the GX248 cost, I'm guessing its out of my price range._

 

Gautama, The Galaxy GX248 cost Euro 25 at Modushop.biz. 
 But the shipping cost to the US is relative high, it's wise to check the shipping cost too !


----------



## Nebby

I spy some beta24 pcb's in your pic Ferrari, when are you going to start working on those?


----------



## synaesthetic

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Gautama, The Galaxy GX248 cost Euro 25 at Modushop.biz. 
 But the shipping cost to the US is relative high, it's wise to check the shipping cost too !_

 

Do you know of any US vendors that sell these enclosures? They are MUCH more attractive than the extruded Hammond cases everyone uses. =/


----------



## JamesL

I'm also trying to find some of these for round $60-70 a piece. The shipping itself for the galaxy maggiorato's come out to about $70. The case itself $30.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *synaesthetic* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you know of any US vendors that sell these enclosures? They are MUCH more attractive than the extruded Hammond cases everyone uses. =/_

 

As far as I know there are no vendors in the US that sells all HiFi-2000 lines of enclosures.
 Only Teko seems to sell some very limited types. The Galaxy Maggiorato GX248 can be found there under part nr. DS2480.18.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I spy some beta24 pcb's in your pic Ferrari, when are you going to start working on those? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

My two σ22 PSU for this proto are up and running. For the β24 boards, I am still waiting for the customs to release my orders from Mouser and Digikey.

 In the mean time, my attention is fully on the casework. Since the enclosure for my β24 is a custom made one, based on these heatsinks, it will required lots of attention on the details.


----------



## TheRobbStory

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My two σ22 PSU for this proto are up and running. For the β24 boards, I am still waiting for the customs to release my orders from Mouser and Digikey.

 In the mean time, my attention is fully on the casework. Since the enclosure for my β24 is a custom made one, based on these heatsinks, it will required lots of attention on the details. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I am so eager to see your build on this!


----------



## OblivionLord

me too


----------



## Ferrari

I will post pics when the build is complete. 
 But my guess is that ... Amb, the maestro himself will get this beauty beast up and running fisrt, before me.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TheRobbStory* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I am so eager to see your build on this!_

 

Ditto. Those are some serious heat sinks. And with your talent for casework it should be an eye feast for certain.


----------



## naamanf

Another B22 down! 





 Can't wait to build a couple B24s!


----------



## strangedaze39

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another B22 down! 
 Can't wait to build a couple B24s!_

 

Beautiful, couple Q's. On a one to ten how hard are these to build? And how many of these things have ya built?! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks and keep on building,

 Cody


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another B22 down! 






 Can't wait to build a couple B24s!_

 

Looking really nice! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 If I were into dynamic headphones I would certainly get myself a β22


----------



## swt61

Well as of today I can confirm that the β22 makes a wonderful speaker amp as well.

 It's driving my new Omega Grande 6 speakers beautifully, with no heat issues whatsoever. The sound is organic and liquid, and oh so lovely!

 Beautiful work naamanf! As always.


----------



## nikongod

I wasnt sure if this belonged here, or in the source forums but they dont have a builds thread.
 Rega planar 2 with RB-250

 mods to date:
 upgraded ball bearing.
 cork "dot" platter mat
 1000cst silicon oil in bearing well.
 Teflon taped tonearm
 counterweight setscrew modified to lock onto tonearm
 Grado Red with longhorn mod
 squash-ball suspension with a fluid damper made from a bottle-cap.


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another B22 down! 
 Can't wait to build a couple B24s!_

 

Perfection. 

 Beautiful symmetry, solid looks. Excellence.


----------



## nikongod

My dynomat extreme came for my D5000's, but my D5000 are in Florida (I think)

 so I dynomatted the undercarriage of the Rega.


----------



## Ferrari

Just finished this little baby for office use: a modified Kumisa III @ ±24V DC (with a couple of traces cut and some resistors changes).






 ... heavily heatsinking on the bottom, which allows quiescent current biasing at 60mA,





 ... and the guts





 I'm not good when it comes to describing the sound, but in short... a very musical, laid back sounding amp without any sign of distortions, noise, hiss or hum.
 It makes this hobby (DIY) so fun.


----------



## Pars

Very nice Ferrari! The usual: case I assume is the Italian Galaxy (sorry, forget the brand)? Nice use of the interconnect cabling for the input wiring... was it much of a problem soldering to the pot?

 Nice job on the knob backlighting as well!


----------



## GeWa

Indeed, yet another beautiful build from the Dutch guy.

 What's the use of the small blue PCB?

 Regards


----------



## dBel84

another jewel in the crown of the master craftsman..dB


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind words, gents! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*Pars*, the case is a HiFi2000 Galaxy GX248. Using the interconnect cabling for the input wiring requires a bit creativity and precision work, but it's do-able.
 (however... 10mm too long or too short and you are (I am) in trouble)
 The knob backlighting still needs some modification to let the blue light up surrounding the knop, as a blue ring... but that is for later, when time permits.
 I have too much work in the queue: lots of work on my β24 proto is waiting, also the casework for the Bijou proto I made months ago still needs to be done.

*Gewa*, the small blue PCB is a custom made ±15V power supply for the DC servo circuit.
 The amp itself is running at ±24V and that is out specs of the OpAmp used in the DC servo circuit (max OpAmp supply is ±18V), therefore the small PS was added.
 I let the Kumisa running at ±24V to give it some extra voltage swing (not that the original CK²III was too bad or something... it more likely that I am a tinkerman, in one or other way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...also the casework for the Bijou proto I made months ago still needs to be done._

 

I was going to ask but am aware that you have your hands full 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was going to ask but am aware that you have your hands full 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB_

 

If all things are going according to the planning, that Bijou will showing up here next month, same date (hopefully 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished this little baby for office use: a modified Kumisa III @ ±24V DC (with a couple of traces cut and some resistors changes).

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding443.jpg
 ... heavily heatsinking on the bottom, which allows quiescent current biasing at 60mA,
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...I/RIMG0148.jpg

 ... and the guts
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...I/RIMG0147.jpg

 I'm not good when it comes to describing the sound, but in short... a very musical, laid back sounding amp without any sign of distortions, noise, hiss or hum.
 It makes this hobby (DIY) so fun. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Awesome build as always 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I like the idea with the heatsink on the bottom. Where did you get that one? I can never seem to find a good source for heatsinks.


----------



## J.D.N

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished this little baby for office use: a modified Kumisa III @ ±24V DC (with a couple of traces cut and some resistors changes).

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding443.jpg

 ... heavily heatsinking on the bottom, which allows quiescent current biasing at 60mA,
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...I/RIMG0148.jpg

 ... and the guts
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...I/RIMG0147.jpg

 I'm not good when it comes to describing the sound, but in short... a very musical, laid back sounding amp without any sign of distortions, noise, hiss or hum.
 It makes this hobby (DIY) so fun. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Great Build! 

 You have obviously tweaked with the basic amp quite a lot, but can you give a rough estimate as to the cost of a CK2 III build?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Awesome build as always 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I like the idea with the heatsink on the bottom. Where did you get that one? I can never seem to find a good source for heatsinks._

 

MrMajestic2, I bought the heatsink at Conrad Netherlands. Type SK 105, Rth = 2,5 K/W, available at Conrad under product code: 188476 - 89


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *J.D.N* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Great Build! 

 You have obviously tweaked with the basic amp quite a lot, but can you give a rough estimate as to the cost of a CK2 III build?_

 

A standard CK²III in a HiFi2000 enclosure can be done for ~Eur 150. A standard CK²III kit from Jeff Rossel cost ~ US $90 if I can remember. Of course you still have to add a decent enclosure, knops, connectors, ect. in order to make a working amp.

 But the cost will rise up very fast when extra things like milled front panel (Eur 33), adding a custom made ±15V power supply (Eur 22) and boutique parts are used.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_MrMajestic2, I bought the heatsink at Conrad Netherlands. Type SK 105, Rth = 2,5 K/W, available at Conrad under product code: 188476 - 89_

 

Ah cool. Conrad sweden is a royal pain to find anything in. Sometimes its in swedish, sometimes in english, once in while in german or in this case swedish jibberish. I would never have guessed that it was called "cooling body"!! Hey conrad, we have a word for heatsink already, you dont have to make up your own.

 Anyway, its even nicely priced too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Is this where you got the heatsinks for you b24 build also?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ ... Is this where you got the heatsinks for you b24 build also?_

 

Yes, I got 4 of these giant heatsinks last year from Conrad Netherlands, but now I can't find them at their website anymore. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 2 pieces were used for my Super Leach power amp, the remaining 2 pieces will find its destination in the β24 proto.


----------



## J.D.N

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A standard CK²III in a HiFi2000 enclosure can be done for ~Eur 150. A standard CK²III kit from Jeff Rossel cost ~ US $90 if I can remember. Of course you still have to add a decent enclosure, knops, connectors, ect. in order to make a working amp.

 But the cost will rise up very fast when extra things like milled front panel (Eur 33), adding a custom made ±15V power supply (Eur 22) and boutique parts are used._

 

Cheers, thats great. Not too expensive really, especially from the reviews it gets. 

 MrMajestic2: I lived in Lund last year, shame i wasnt into head-fi back then, could have learnt so much!


----------



## naamanf

Ferrari- Another great looking build! Looking forward to seeing some B24s.


----------



## kanamin

Yaaaaaayyy, after I thought I destroyed my pcb, it turns out the tab I ripped off has no importance and instead of studying for finals I've built and cased myself a fine DAC.

 the ghetto-mounting onto my cmoy during testing (the 9v is for the cmoy, couldn't fit 2 in the tin since I mounted the panel components kinda weird)














 sounds GREAT!


----------



## FallenAngel

I built this little amp for someone else, but I couldn't resist posting it because it's just so damn cute 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a PPAS with no internal battery (requested) to be powered by outside batteries or power supply, but it turns into a cute little 6cm x 6cm box


----------



## Lpe_91

That's really cute!


----------



## Fitz

Internal power cable for my tiny fanless file (& music) server:





 It'll be a while before I want to crimp another damn molex connector.


----------



## swt61

Sweet!


----------



## MoodySteve

Fitz, do you have the Molex crimping tools or do you just use pliers? I still haven't figured out how to crimp them so that they stay in securely once inserted.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fitz, do you have the Molex crimping tools or do you just use pliers? I still haven't figured out how to crimp them so that they stay in securely once inserted._

 

I just use a cheap generic crimping tool... it isn't a "perfect" crimp but it's a hell of a lot more secure than just using pliers. I trimmed about 1/16" off the wings on them to get a better crimp... though I don't know if it's just the mini-fit pins I have or if they're all like that. The only ones that were actually hard were the double-stacked ones for the SATA power connector, talk about an exercise in patience.

 Got the cable installed and it works fine... what a relief!









 (there's also a lot of other custom/DIY stuff going on in there, but the power connector was enough of a frustration to make me want to post it)


----------



## MoodySteve

Wow, looks cool! Do you know where you got your tool, or who makes it?


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, looks cool! Do you know where you got your tool, or who makes it?_

 

I'm talking the cheap crimper you get at any hardware store, not a molex-specific one.


----------



## dBel84

This exercise was inspired in part by Fitz's previous "no cost" build, however looking at the lack of frugality in his latest work , I was hesitant to share the progress with y'all. The idea is to have a desktop amp with a small footprint and after seeing the little dot micro tube amp , the cogs started grinding. It is essentially a micro stacker, but with a different power supply (built and tested but yet to find a home for it).






 grand total thus far = zero 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


----------



## synaesthetic

Whoa dB, that is truly DIY style!

 Be sure to show us the finished product. =D


----------



## sid_

Fitz: I'm interested in the specifics of your music server. 

 What case and power supply are you using?
 Do you use that machine for playback or for pure file serving?

 If it handles playback:
 - Is the onboard optical-out bit-perfect? How does it sound?
 - How do you interface to the machine to control song choice?

 I ask as I'd like to build a 24/7 dedicated digital media store / player with a touchscreen interface to a full-screen foobar2000 (or perhaps a custom application), ideally with no operating system visible.

 [size=xx-small]An embedded system with built in hardware FLAC decoding would be nice, but that's probably far more of a challenge. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





[/size]


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *imported_sid_* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fitz: I'm interested in the specifics of your music server. 

 What case and power supply are you using?
 Do you use that machine for playback or for pure file serving?

 If it handles playback:
 - Is the onboard optical-out bit-perfect? How does it sound?
 - How do you interface to the machine to control song choice?

 I ask as I'd like to build a 24/7 dedicated digital media store / player with a touchscreen interface to a full-screen foobar2000 (or perhaps a custom application), ideally with no operating system visible.

 [size=xx-small]An embedded system with built in hardware FLAC decoding would be nice, but that's probably far more of a challenge. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/size]_

 

Information about the case is in this post, but I don't do playback directly from the server. I use slimserver with a Squeezebox 3 for the music playback side of things, as the only thing connected to the server is power and network.


----------



## nickyboyo

My first zero defect and tidy cmoy build. It's so much tidier using pcb's than protoboard, this unit looks like a good diy amp rather than a bad diy bowl of spaghetti (my efforts with protoboards never did end up looking too pretty)





















 Thanks to Joshatdot for supplying me with a great board and a great kit


----------



## webbie64

Nice, clean build nickyboyo.

 Glad you're enjoying the move from protoboard to pcb's.


----------



## earthflyer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished this little baby for office use: a modified Kumisa III @ ±24V DC (with a couple of traces cut and some resistors changes).






 ... heavily heatsinking on the bottom, which allows quiescent current biasing at 60mA,





 ... and the guts





 I'm not good when it comes to describing the sound, but in short... a very musical, laid back sounding amp without any sign of distortions, noise, hiss or hum.
 It makes this hobby (DIY) so fun. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 WOW...nice DIY amp u got there.


----------



## fiddler

Ok, totally ordinary compared to whatever posted above, but I was bored and it was still nice and fun to wire up an old-fashioned CMOY. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I call this "the Brick". Kinda crude, I like it. At least it's very well shielded! The idea was, I've got a spare enclosure here, and look, an old 24v power supply from a printer! Let's stuff an amp in there. Power switch is built into the headphone jack, found a nifty one at a surplus store. I couldn't find it on Switchcraft's site, maybe it's discontinued? Plug in headphones to turn it on... Oh, and it sounds pretty good too!


----------



## agutt

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished this little baby for office use: a modified Kumisa III @ ±24V DC (with a couple of traces cut and some resistors changes).






 ... heavily heatsinking on the bottom, which allows quiescent current biasing at 60mA,





 ... and the guts





 I'm not good when it comes to describing the sound, but in short... a very musical, laid back sounding amp without any sign of distortions, noise, hiss or hum.
 It makes this hobby (DIY) so fun. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

WHERE DID YOU GET THIS CASE?!?! I love it!


----------



## Ferrari

agutt, the case is a HiFi-2000 Galaxy GX248 with 10mm (optional) face plate I got at their webshop: Modushop.biz.


 Edit: In the US, this case can be found at Teko under part nr. DS2480.18.


----------



## agutt

Thanks ferrari!


----------



## deeplove

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fiddler* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_











_

 

I love that INDUSTRIAL feel to it. Throw some NIN and Beers in to really appreciate it. I like it. Good job.


----------



## lordvader

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_agutt, the case is a HiFi-2000 Galaxy GX248 with 10mm (optional) face plate I got at their webshop: Modushop.biz.


 Edit: In the US, this case can be found at Teko under part nr. DS2480.18._

 

What about the feet ?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *lordvader* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What about the feet ?_

 

The feet are made by Mitron in Taiwan.
 In the US, these feet can be found at this shop.


----------



## Ech0

I looked for feet similiar to these in US. Tough to find for me anyway. 

 If you follow the link they're "out of stock" w/good reason. Look great @ reasonable price. 

 BTW Ferrari, fabulous casework. 

 Edit: oops, my bad, they have others similiar in style.

 Ech0


----------



## Beefy

Photos of my M^3 and S11, finally, with front and back panels completed. Here it is still naked from the front:





 From the top:





 From the back:





 And also my Millett Hybrid Max. It wasn't quite finished in these shots; just needed some more wiring and casework which is now done:





 And the obligatory night tube shot:





 Both amps all hooked up, with Big Daddy on guard duty:





 And from the top:





 Last thing to do is shorten the volume pots a little so that the volume and gain knobs fit flush with the front panels.


----------



## agutt

Very nice Beefy


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Photos of my M^3 and S11, finally, with front and back panels completed. From the top:




_

 

Don't mean to be harsh, but it looks like you are attaching the ground from the AC line filter to your toroid transformer mounting bolt (entree module mounting on the aluminum back plate as far as I can see on the pic of the σ11 (?). If this is the case, it will defenitely resulted in a closed/completed conductive loop passing through the center hole of the toroid (starting from the outside of the toroid), which in turn resulted in a _"short-circuited turn"._

 To avoid the _"short-circuited turn", _the ground from the AC line filter should NOT be connected to the toroid center mounting bolt.


----------



## adamus

a self tapping screw in the bottom right angle works in the hammond case if you dont want to drill another hole.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Don't mean to be harsh, but it looks like you are attaching the ground from the AC line filter to your toroid transformer mounting bolt (entree module mounting on the aluminum back plate as far as I can see on the pic of the σ11 (?). If this is the case, it will defenitely resulted in a closed/completed conductive loop passing through the center hole of the toroid (starting from the outside of the toroid), which in turn resulted in a "short-circuited turn".

 To avoid the "short-circuited turn", the ground from the AC line filter should NOT be connected to the toroid center mounting bolt. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

No, be harsh, I wouldn't post it if i didn't want feedback! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Do you have a link handy that explains this? Googling the term doesn't quite lead me to toroids for dummies. I fail to see a problem, since the centre screw isn't actually electrically attached to anything in the transformer. Or is it an EMI thing?

 Cheers!


----------



## DaKi][er

That is very much a shorted turn you've created. You should never have anything conductive that creates a loop through the centre of the toroid. Move the grounding wire to anywhere else and you're fine. DO NOT TURN THE AMP ON BEFORE DOING SO!!!

 It's briefly illustrated at the bottom of this page -http://www.bicronusa.com/tpt_designenhancements.html

 Edit: to further see, stick a multimeter set on ACV between the top mounting plate and the chassis and you'll see that there is a small voltage, this is equivalent of a secondary winding of 1 turn


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is very much a shorted turn you've created. You should never have anything conductive that creates a loop through the centre of the toroid. Move the grounding wire to anywhere else and you're fine

 It's briefly illustrated at the bottom of this page -http://www.bicronusa.com/tpt_designenhancements.html_

 

Yes, I suppose now that I think about it I've essentially added another secondary to the transformer, haven't I? Hooray for decisions made for convenience!

 The amp is entirely isolated from the power supply case, so I can't imagine that it is 'hurting' anything..... but I'll fix it as soon as I get home 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 [EDIT] I was too quick for your edit. The amp has been turned on many times over the past few weeks with it hooked up like that. No problems like I said, because the amp chassis is only grounded through the signal ground.


----------



## Gross

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is very much a shorted turn you've created. You should never have anything conductive that creates a loop through the centre of the toroid. Move the grounding wire to anywhere else and you're fine._

 


 Hmm, this is an issue I havn't seen/encountered before, But it makes sense. Learn something everyday.


----------



## Ferrari

Good to see that things are cleared up now, after a long sleep 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Shorted turn does not necessarily lead to a defect directly. 
 The result of shorted turn can be quantified as high(er) circulating currents and more heat which can degrading the performance of the tranformer (PS => amp).


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Good to see that things are cleared up now, after a long sleep 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Cheers, Ferrari.

 To be honest, I probably don't even need the earth wire at all now. The body of the IEC receptacle/filter is connected to the earth pin, and fairly well connected to the chassis through the mounting screws. I'll check the resistance of the case to ground and see whether I need it, or just drill a hole for a ring terminal.


----------



## Beefy

I ended up removing that earth wire entirely. There is no resistance between the case and earth, thanks to the way I mounted the IEC receptacle/filter.

 Thanks again for the advice, Ferrari and DaKi][er 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 [EDIT] Removing the earth wire allowed me to move the toroid a couple of centimeters away from the DC power lines. This has reduced the noise floor of the amp quite considerably. Not that there was anything audible below half-volume - let alone with music playing playing - but it is even less now. Such a simple thing.....


----------



## labmat

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Photos of my M^3 and S11, finally, with front and back panels completed.
 From the back:



_

 

Awesome amps; I love the volume knobs. Just out of curiosity what kind of connectors are those that you used for the power umbilical?


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *labmat* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Awesome amps_

 

Thanks labmat! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


 I love the volume knobs. 
 

They are from eBay Store - PARTSPIPE: SWITCHES, Electronic accessories, Plugs Connectors
 The Millett has a 30x22 black aluminium knob, the M^3 has two 24x25 knobs.

  Quote:


 Just out of curiosity what kind of connectors are those that you used for the power umbilical? 
 

They are Amphenol Ecomate from Mouser. Pricey, but worth every cent! They are configured so that you can never touch a live wire.....
 Socket out of PSU: C016 20G003 100 12
 Plug PSU side: C016 20H003 100 12
 Plug amp side: C016 20D003 100 12
 Socket in to amp: C016 20C003 100 12
 The datasheets at Mouser are incorrectly linked. Just remove the '1' after the www to get to the right page.

 I have them wired with 3x 17AWG standard hookup wire. Only two of those are actually connected on the sockets, the third is just for strength.


----------



## labmat

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks labmat! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 They are Amphenol Ecomate from Mouser. Pricey, but worth every cent! They are configured so that you can never touch a live wire.....
 Socket out of PSU: C016 20G003 100 12
 Plug PSU side: C016 20H003 100 12
 Plug amp side: C016 20D003 100 12
 Socket in to amp: C016 20C003 100 12
 The datasheets at Mouser are incorrectly linked. Just remove the '1' after the www to get to the right page.

 I have them wired with 3x 17AWG standard hookup wire. Only two of those are actually connected on the sockets, the third is just for strength._

 

Thanks Beefy! I think I going to have to use these on my next project.


----------



## dgbiker1

Hurray! I just got my Mini^3 faceplates from Front Panel Express! I definitely got a laugh out of the complimentary bag of gummi bears with plate purchase 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I apologize for the terrible picture quality, maybe I'll buy a new camera this decade.


----------



## DaKi][er

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dgbiker1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hurray! I just got my Mini^3 faceplates from Front Panel Express! I definitely got a laugh out of the complimentary bag of gummi bears with plate purchase 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I got the same gummi bears in the panels I ordered, adds a nice personal touch to the company


----------



## amb

Yeah, I get the gummy bears from FPE too. I have spoken to them on the phone numerous times with questions, etc., and they have always been super helpful. Definitely top-notch service and a great asset to our DIY community.


----------



## swt61

Yep, I like the gummy bear addition. 

 I'm having fierce_freak build me a Darwin source selector, and he's ordering the faceplates this time. I wonder if he'll forward my gummi bears?


----------



## Ferrari

Gummy bears from FPE… that seems to be north americans thing.
 I placed an order of ~ €400 at FPE Germany lately, but heck… no gummy bears! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But totally agreed with amb about their top-notch service and indeed… a great asset to our DIY community.


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Gummy bears from FPE… that seems to be north americans thing.
 I placed an order of ~ €400 at FPE Germany lately, but heck… no gummy bears! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I got gummy bears from Schaeffer (FPE Germany)


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I got gummy bears from Schaeffer (FPE Germany) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Arrr...rg, that must definitely be a Germans thing. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Didn't know that the Germans hate the Dutch that much !


----------



## TheRobbStory

No Haribos?!


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TheRobbStory* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No Haribos?!_

 

I got mine from FPE.

 Advanced Circuits gave me microwave popcorn.


----------



## FallenAngel

With so many projects ahead, I'm very glad to finish with this one. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My new CKK-III for work. It has an integrated AlienDAC and also accepts RCA input (my first time using these copper/teflon RCA jacks, so far they're great).

 Both the amp and the AlienDAC are modified kits from Jeff @ GlassJarAudio.

 Finally, I get some good non-portable music at work for my new AKG K240 Sextetts EP 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Oh, and I really like the knob


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My new CKK-III for work. It has an integrated AlienDAC and also accepts RCA input (my first time using these copper/teflon RCA jacks, so far they're great).

 Both the amp and the AlienDAC are modified kits from Jeff @ GlassJarAudio._

 

I'd love to see some nude shots of that, and some info on the mods, if you don't mind!


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_With so many projects ahead, I'm very glad to finish with this one. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My new CKK-III for work. It has an integrated AlienDAC and also accepts RCA input (my first time using these copper/teflon RCA jacks, so far they're great).

 Both the amp and the AlienDAC are modified kits from Jeff @ GlassJarAudio.

 Finally, I get some good non-portable music at work for my new AKG K240 Sextetts EP 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Oh, and I really like the knob 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








_

 

Hey this is a Gummy Bears discussion, let's try to stay on topic huh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Very nice work!


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'd love to see some nude shots of that, and some info on the mods, if you don't mind! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Sorry, no amp **** allowed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Only mods are that I like to use different output caps on the AlienDAC as well as slightly lower valued Panasonic FM on the output of the regulators. I didn't have any good film caps for the AlienDAC so I just threw in some BlackGate NX series.


----------



## dsavitsk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, I get the gummy bears from FPE too._

 

I get those, but I also got a chocolate front panel from them last December. Delicious.


----------



## OverTork

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fiddler* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

Those aluminum enclosures clean up nicely too. This is one I did a few months ago, also for a simple CMOY amp.


----------



## jonjon0nline

^Whoa! How long did that take to polish?


----------



## agutt

^and how did you polish it?????


----------



## OverTork

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jonjon0nline* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^Whoa! How long did that take to polish?_

 

A couple of hours. Longer than it took to build the amp actually.
  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *agutt* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^and how did you polish it?????_

 

Very fine sandpaper, up to 600 grit.


----------



## fiddler

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *OverTork* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Those aluminum enclosures clean up nicely too. This is one I did a few months ago, also for a simple CMOY amp.





_

 

Ok you've inspired me, gonna have to find me some sandpaper...


----------



## amb

If you really want to make it shine like a mirror, go up to 1200 grit and wet-sand it, followed by some fine-polishing compound (like those used for automotive finishes).


----------



## MisterX

Fine steel wool also works well for polishing aluminum.


----------



## FallenAngel

Something a little different. I got my hands on a ChainTech AV-710 that I briskly modded as much as I could in one sitting 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The mods:

 1) 3.3V regulator bootstrapped to 5V regulator.
 2) Regulator input caps are 220uF Elna Silmic II
 3) Regulator output caps are 10uF Tantalum, and 10uF Elna Silmic II bypassed by 1uF Tantalum
 4) DAC PSU caps are Nichicon UHE 100uF bypassed by 0.22uF Wima MKP-2
 5) DAC Output caps BlackGate NX 47uF/6.3V

 Photots:






 There is definitely a great improvement over stock in sound quality, and yes, this thing now beats my extreme boutique AlienDAC with BlackGate PSU and AuriCap output! Now I'm already thinking of ordering a pair of 1uF Sonicap Gen 1 to replace those BlackGates


----------



## Ech0

Power supply for the Beta22 I'm working on. I'm probably 3/4's the way done with the Beta22 itself unless something goes sideways on me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Matt


----------



## Beefy

Nice, Ech0.

 Is the B22 going in the same size/style case? Two of those stacked would look pretty speccy.


----------



## J.D.N

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *OverTork* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Those aluminum enclosures clean up nicely too. This is one I did a few months ago, also for a simple CMOY amp.




_

 


 That looks great, and im betting it would look very swish with some tubes sticking out of it... hmmm, i wonder how big they come! 

 I think you may have started something here OverTork!


----------



## Ech0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is the B22 going in the same size/style case? Two of those stacked would look pretty speccy._

 

Hey Beefy,
 Thanks! The other case is going to be the same style, but, size slightly deeper than this one to fit everything in. It's a 20 series Par-Metal case. 

 Now, please tell a middle aged man what the heck "speccy" means. 

 Ech0


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Now, please tell a middle aged man what the heck "speccy" means. 

 Ech0_

 

Aussie slang for special......


----------



## Ech0

Thanks for the explanation / definition. I didn't even have a guess. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Done w/the B22 we'll see tomorrow how it does w/the initial setup (fingers crossed).


----------



## dBel84

for anyone who happens to be following along 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


----------



## ericj

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_for anyone who happens to be following along 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB




_

 

heh heh, i didn't think that design was that far along


----------



## dBel84

it just sorta happened, starts off with idle chat and then momentum interferes ..dB


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_for anyone who happens to be following along 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB_

 

Forgive my ignorance.... but what exactly am I looking at?


----------



## Ferrari

Most likely, we are looking at a Stacker II prototype, a new Hybrid amp which allows rolling many *audio tubes*.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Most likely, we are looking at a Stacker II prototype, a new Hybrid amp which allows rolling many *audio tubes*. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Cheers...... I must admit, I visit Headwise frequently, but only for the featured topics. I should really scroll down every now and again!


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Most likely, we are looking at a Stacker II prototype, a new Hybrid amp which allows rolling many *audio tubes*. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

aaah fair guess, but perhaps not  ..dB


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_aaah fair guess, but perhaps not  ..dB_

 

Well, since we know that Runeight is hoping you'll soon finish with it, I'm guessing SOHA II.


----------



## nikongod

hello head-fi

 I was bored (the real reason this happened), and frustrated with the difficulty and expense in finding good 6dj8 tubes for my phono stage so I built a small opamp based passive RIAA EQ.

 here is the basic circuit:
link

 I took the liberty of DECREASING the gain a little because my amps (SP supra or millet hybrid) all have enough gain already and opamps work better at lower gain levels. I also added bandwidth limiting caps across R2&R4 to overcome the problems of clicks on the record running the opamps into their slew-rate. 

 All of the resistors are matched to the limits of my multimeter channel to channel, with the RIAA resistors conforming to the calculated values by a fraction of a percent. The RIAA caps all conform to the calculated value within 1pf and are channel matched to that limit. The board is the radio-shack perf-board tangent recommends for building the cmoy.

 I dont have any really quiet dual opamps at the moment, so I used what I had on hand (jrc4556, I have a bunch from building a balanced mahogany cmoy) and the sound is much better than I expected from this chip. Every mahogany cmoy I have ever heard has a persistent hiss which disappears under the music in the amp the chip is most known for of course, but I wasnt sure how it would work in a phono stage... The amp is quiet as a church mouse, at least as good as an average 6dj8 for noise.

 The PSU is 2X9V batteries in a separate case set up like the grado RA-1. Very simple. I built this thing modularly so that I can build a better PSU later on. There is also enough room left on the board for a pair of discrete output buffers, which I will probably build in when I get "better" opamps which dont have the output power of these.

 So far it sounds pretty good, although I have only played a few sides. Its too hot here to be getting up to flip records, or wear headphones.



 A REALLY junky photo. You would think with a name like mine I would have a decent digital camera.... I'l try to get a better photo over the weekend if anyone wants to see.


----------



## FallenAngel

After much anticipation (on my part), I have finally finished my maxed out SOHA + JISBOS! Oh how I love this amp! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I've got GE 6680 in there now, but still have GE 5963, JJ ECC82 and ElectroHarmonix 12AU7 to play with.

 Fancy parts: CMC pure copper with Teflon RCA, stepped attenuator, Elna Silmic II where I could fit them, Mundorf MCap ZN coupling caps, oh and of course JISBOS, it's SO worth it, thanks Steinchen for such a wonderful design!


----------



## jarpy

Here's my first amp. It won't excite anybody I'm afraid, but I have a certain pride at having begun this journey 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a desktop cmoy, with an improvised power supply using knowledge from Tangent and Dejan Veselinovic.

 I learned a lot building this; my first electronics project with more than 5 components 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Huge thanks to Chu Moy, Dejan and Tangent for sharing the knowledge.

 Sound wise, I'm enjoying a lot of detail in my AD700s, but feel like I'm missing transients... a lot.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jarpy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my first amp. It won't excite anybody I'm afraid, but I have a certain pride at having begun this journey 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's a desktop cmoy, with an improvised power supply using knowledge from Tangent and Dejan Veselinovic.

 I learned a lot building this; my first electronics project with more than 5 components 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Huge thanks to Chu Moy, Dejan and Tangent for sharing the knowledge.

 Sound wise, I'm enjoying a lot of detail in my AD700s, but feel like I'm missing transients... a lot._

 

Why did you use that HUGE transformer? That is certainly overkill!


----------



## Daveze

You could say the same thing about the case...there's plenty of real estate in there.

 I'm thinking something along the lines of upgradability...cmoy => cmoy+active ground => onwards and upwards, ever twirling. There's space for just about anything you want in there.


----------



## Alcaudon

Hi FallenAngel, just a question......... how's that stepped attenuator working? Do you recommend it? I've seen one like this (maybe the same?) on eBay, and i was thinking of getting one for my second MilletMax, but the low price scares me a bit.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Alcaudon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi FallenAngel, just a question......... how's that stepped attenuator working? Do you recommend it? I've seen one like this (maybe the same?) on eBay, and i was thinking of getting one for my second MilletMax, but the low price scares me a bit._

 

Works great, sounds fantastic, I'm using another one for a Beta22 and will likely be using the same type when I go balanced Beta22.


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Works great, sounds fantastic, I'm using another one for a Beta22 and will likely be using the same type when I go balanced Beta22._

 

Great! Many thanks for the info, I'll be ordering one then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Btw..... did you get yours on eBay?

 Thanks!!!!!


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Alcaudon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Great! Many thanks for the info, I'll be ordering one then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Btw..... did you get yours on eBay?

 Thanks!!!!!_

 

Yes, order a few, trust me.


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yes, order a few, trust me._

 

Don`t worry, I'll do 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks again!!!


----------



## fault151

Just thought id contribute to the builds, here's my Aikido headphone amp, designed by John Broskie. It's not finished yet but so far it sounds great, im very happy with it! My friend helped me to make it as i have never built a full amp myself. I learned a lot building this!

 I just want to get it boxed up at some point and design a panel at FPE.
 The amp uses 9pin mono boards, JJ and Electro Harmonics valves and a shunt pot for the volume control.

 Here's a few pics. It will be boxed soon (hopefully!).


----------



## cetoole

Few pics of a MOSFET Max I recently finished:


----------



## jarpy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Daveze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You could say the same thing about the case...there's plenty of real estate in there.

 I'm thinking something along the lines of upgradability...cmoy => cmoy+active ground => onwards and upwards, ever twirling. There's space for just about anything you want in there._

 

Absolutely. I'm thinking of it more as learning platform for electronics than a finished product. The parts could end up anywhere.

 I was thinking about replacing the amp board with a PIMETA next.

 The transformer seemed like a good deal, but I must admit to being suckered by the aesthetic appeal of the over-sized toroid 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The case is the coal-tray from a portable barbeque. I can't believe how expensive "real" cases are. (At least where I live).


----------



## mojo

Lovely job cetoole, what sort of paint is that?


----------



## Pars

Nice job fault51 and colin!

 fault51: is the cable you are using the 2 conductor shielded teflon wrapped stuff? If so, how is your experience working with it? I always seem to have fun stripping the jacket without tearing up the shield!


----------



## ls206

Hey!
 not much compared to the builds I've seen, but my first DIY amp.
 Big thank you to Chu Moy, here's my 18V Cmoy






 Got some new headphones today!?! (they sound great - can't wait for them to burn in!!)


----------



## deeplove

And no picture of the GUTS!?!






 Nice box. What type of box did you use?


----------



## ls206

thank 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 sorry..
 here's a shot of the "bottom" i can't get the top because it's held in place by the pot. Batteries are stuck using double sided tape.
 Is it clear enough to see my shoddy soldering? never done any like it before, and the board absorbed all the heat! 







 The box is a plastic enclosure by maplin
One of these...


----------



## breakfastchef

I completed my 4x2 Passive Audio Switch this week. Labeling scheme has yet to be implemented. There was a ton of hum on the first test. I reviewed the useful comments by FallenAngel and AMB on my initial plans, and saw that I was having an obvious problem with the grounds. Fixed it a few minutes ago and it works as good as a Radio Shack unit!


----------



## bperboy

^^^^

 What RCA jacks are those? Do you have a PN at Mouser or Digikey?


----------



## breakfastchef

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^^^^

 What RCA jacks are those? Do you have a PN at Mouser or Digikey?_

 

I ordered them from Antique Electronic Supply (Antique Electronic Supply). P/N S-H267B & S-H267W @ $2.95 each. Also ordered the knob and switch from them. Excellent ship times and outstanding customer service.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *breakfastchef* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I completed my 4x2 Passive Audio Switch this week. Labeling scheme has yet to be implemented. There was a ton of hum on the first test. I reviewed the useful comments by FallenAngel and AMB on my initial plans, and saw that I was having an obvious problem with the grounds. Fixed it a few minutes ago and it works as good as a Radio Shack unit!_

 

I am sure with the nice connectors and switch, yours is much better than a Ratshack unit.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice job fault51 and colin!

 fault51: is the cable you are using the 2 conductor shielded teflon wrapped stuff? If so, how is your experience working with it? I always seem to have fun stripping the jacket without tearing up the shield!_

 

hey sorry for the slow reoply, yeh it is the cable you mentioned. Its a bloody nightmare to strip (Well it was at first!). In have developed a more gentle approach as i worked on the amp. 

 cheers


----------



## adamus

Soha + jisbos + e12 + e24


----------



## adamus

I have a 10mm panel with lovely milled corners, its too thick for me to work on but i will sen it of to FPE, have a recessed know and jack etc. Its going to look good. 

 By the way, i did the case work with a $10 drill and step drill bit. They are a must have for all DIYers.


----------



## m0b1liz3

Where did you get the power button from? Very nice.


----------



## adamus

its a bulgin illuminated.


----------



## Gautama

Another lives...


----------



## jonjon0nline

^Sweet. I just built mine too. Looks pretty much identical but with a blue LED.


----------



## rockcod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Soha + jisbos + e12 + e24_

 

Nice build. Where did you source the case and what is it?


----------



## adamus

it is a galaxy m 230 from hifi2000 (italian). Only cost £30 but apparantly shipping to the states is prohibitavely expensive.


----------



## amb

It's alive and ready for this coming weekend's NorCal meet! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 A lot more pictures and details are at headwize:
HeadWize: View Post [DIY Workshop > β24: A discrete, cascoded, fully-differential power amplifier]


----------



## cyberspyder

Looks sexy!


----------



## Listen2this1

AMB Purely Amazing. Great clean work. I would like to hear this amp.


----------



## adamus

I just did a small unintentional wee.

 looks awesome amb.


----------



## GeWa

C'mon man, how can anyone of us ever top that!!!!

 No seriously, that's an absolutely fabulous job.
 Where did you get that transformer from or did you paint it yourself?

 Regards


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GeWa* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you get that transformer from or did you paint it yourself?_

 

It's a Plitron 7391-B2-00 and it comes that way.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's alive and ready for this coming weekend's NorCal meet! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 A lot more pictures and details are at headwize:
HeadWize: View Post [DIY Workshop > β24: A discrete, cascoded, fully-differential power amplifier]_

 

Absolutely gorgeous, I can't wait to hear this thing; and probably try to convince you to sell it


----------



## penger

Now that is cool, amb. Great work!


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's alive and ready for this coming weekend's NorCal meet! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 A lot more pictures and details are at headwize:
HeadWize: View Post [DIY Workshop > β24: A discrete, cascoded, fully-differential power amplifier]_

 

Excuse me while I go change my underpants.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Fantastic work AMB, truly inspirational.


----------



## synaesthetic

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Excuse me while I go change my underpants._

 

What he said.


----------



## soloz2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's alive and ready for this coming weekend's NorCal meet! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 A lot more pictures and details are at headwize:
HeadWize: View Post [DIY Workshop > β24: A discrete, cascoded, fully-differential power amplifier]












_

 

Simply Stunning!


----------



## swt61

Ti that's at least as beautiful as any Krell I've ever seen. Just a stunner!


----------



## synaesthetic

That amp looks so incredibly masculine... it's like it's powered by pure testosterone. So bulky, so chunky and industrial. But it's also so professional-looking even I like it, and I've never been a fan of the overbuilt-industrial look.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *synaesthetic* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That amp looks so incredibly masculine... it's like it's powered by pure testosterone._

 

I hope you don't mind, I'm going to use that phrase in my sig now, I just love that


----------



## synaesthetic

*dead from laughter*


----------



## MusicallySilent

That thing is beautiful, and it looks like a Professionals work, I would be honored to have one of those in a equipment rack.

 Sorry if it is in the headwise thread but from curiosity, what is the cost of each of these

 Amp only, more or less barebones build without super high quality componenets
 Amp only, the way you built it (no case)
 Finished product (including any milling fees for panels).


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sorry if it is in the headwise thread but from curiosity, what is the cost of each of these_

 

This is the first ever completed build of this amp. It will be a long time before average build costs are known.


----------



## MusicallySilent

Even just an estimate based on if you used all boutique caps or resistors, the price inflation of those vs non boutique etc.

 You and Ferrari always have works of art.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Even just an estimate based on if you used all boutique caps or resistors, the price inflation of those vs non boutique etc._

 

I haven't built one, and there isn't even an official/final BOM yet. But I believe AMB was allowing for at least $1200 for parts - and none of that is boutique.


----------



## Mazuki

I recently built this Beta22 + Opus DAC for another HeadFier. It's got the an Opus module, plus Metronome and Ballsie output. There's a Joshua Tree Attenuator as well. This took way too long to assemble and too much time on a drill press. The case is from HiFi2000, with custom milled 10mm front panels.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mazuki* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I recently built this Beta22 + Opus DAC for another HeadFier. It's got the an Opus module, plus Metronome and Ballsie output. There's a Joshua Tree Attenuator as well. This took way too long to assemble and too much time on a drill press. The case is from HiFi2000, with custom milled 10mm front panels. 

http://mzhang.ipsodox.com/feel/beta22/b22_iw_1.jpg

http://mzhang.ipsodox.com/feel/beta22/b22_iw_2.jpg

http://mzhang.ipsodox.com/feel/beta22/b22_iw_3.jpg

http://mzhang.ipsodox.com/feel/beta22/b22_iw_4.jpg_

 

Nice work Mazuki, looks really good. May I ask what power connectors you used?


----------



## Mazuki

They're Neutrik DIN connectors. I was originally planning to use the PowerOn series, but the Opus DAC needed too many separate power connections.


----------



## Akabeth

^I love the clean black look of that Beta22 Mazuki


----------



## ls206

Just finished another cmoy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 sounds good, looks good!


----------



## Hellesoe

nice Cmoy you got the ls206 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 quite cool mint can


----------



## franky_s

After a very long timne of waiting for my Jeff Rossel kit, finally I made it. My CK²III is completed. 
 And I must say, the sound is wonderfull! I will give him some hours of burning in and then I will try to decide which amp I love more - the CK²III or my Millett Max. I am not sure untill now.


----------



## oMBuTTSMaN

ok, i'm a little shy to post my build, but here it goes anyway:

 it's a meta42/pimeta based headamp, and it has a buffered ground.

 buf634 for ground buffer. a pair of el2001 for the left and right channel buffer. opamp is opa2227. everything fitted inside an altoids tin, as you can see.

 at first i wanted to build a mint or a pint, but some of the required parts were discontinued, so i decided to build this inspired by sijosae's work!

 thought of making it work in class-a, so i soldered the required wires, but because it runs off 9v batteries, i gave up this this idea. anyway, if i change my mind, the connectors are there ready to be used.

 thanks sijosae for the inspiration!!!


----------



## Pars

Nicely done! Cramming that much stuff in on protoboard, AND fitting 2 batteries into a mint tin isn't easy.


----------



## oMBuTTSMaN

thanks pars! 

 it's not a piece of art like some amps posted here, but i am very satisfied with the results achieved with this amp, specially considering its size!


----------



## patton713MW

Really nice looking! Might I ask what kind of run time you get with the rechargable 9 volts?


----------



## Gautama

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *franky_s* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After a very long timne of waiting for my Jeff Rossel kit, finally I made it. My CK²III is completed. 
 And I must say, the sound is wonderfull! I will give him some hours of burning in and then I will try to decide which amp I love more - the CK²III or my Millett Max. I am not sure untill now.











_

 

Does Jeff's CKIII kit include the chassis, jacks, and everything required to make and case the amplifier?


----------



## synaesthetic

I thought GJA didn't do the CKIII kits anymore.


----------



## oMBuTTSMaN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *patton713MW* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Really nice looking! Might I ask what kind of run time you get with the rechargable 9 volts?_

 

sorry, but i still don't know how long it runs with a pair of 9v rechargeables, because i started listening to it recently and i am looking for a good charger and good batteries (the ones i got are pretty low quality).

 i'm having problems with my internet connection right now (it took ages for me to post this message!), but i'll find the el2001cn, opa2227 and buf634 spreadsheets and calculate approximately how long it would run off 9v batteries and write the results here!


----------



## UglyJoe

Here's my as yet uncased Millet MAX along with a iMod LOD --> RCA IC.






 The Max is HOT.


----------



## el_matt0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *synaesthetic* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I thought GJA didn't do the CKIII kits anymore._

 

his *main* website isnt quite updated, and only includes some of his offerings. what isnt there, is covered *here*, although there is some overlap. I believe the pricing on his "main" site is his current pricing, if there are any discrepancies.


----------



## el_matt0

oh ya, and @ ombuttsman: No reason to be shy man! Thats a fantastic build there, especially if its one of your first! Work quality looks stellar, and as was mentioned above, good job on fitting it all in there - I definitely had NO hopes of getting 9V#2 in there when I built my first cmoy (although god knows I tried in vain!)!


----------



## Daveze

UglyJoe, I like the music selection there. Coheed + Max + Grado's = magic...


----------



## UglyJoe

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Daveze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_UglyJoe, I like the music selection there. Coheed + Max + Grado's = magic..._

 

Heaven


----------



## franky_s

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gautama* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Does Jeff's CKIII kit include the chassis, jacks, and everything required to make and case the amplifier?_

 

Yes, the chassis and everething else is included - execpting the volume knob, the wires and the screws.

 I also added a small selfe-etched PCB for mounting the Alps-pot. I don_t know, if you can see it in my pictures...

 @synaesthetic:
 If you are asking Jeff allmost everything is possible. He is a very kind man.


----------



## el_matt0

x2, jeff is the man when it comes to ordering up kits. Super friendly - great to communicate with, and best of all has no problems customizing kits/orders to peoples certain specifications. If you dont want a chassis with the kit, simply say so and its not a problem. Ive actually done the math, and somehow I'm 99% sure its cheaper to get the components from him than by actually ordering them yourself via mouser and digikey etc after you factor the taxes and shipping etc.


----------



## GeWa

My first finished headphone amp. Still in the setup/adjusting phase.






















 Regards


----------



## franky_s

congrats GeWa!

 Very nice and clean work. Is the small PCB for the pot self-etched? And what transformer is that?
 And this is really your FIRST amp? Then I am really looking forward to see your next amps...


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *franky_s* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_congrats GeWa!

 Very nice and clean work. Is the small PCB for the pot self-etched? And what transformer is that?
 And this is really your FIRST amp? Then I am really looking forward to see your next amps...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I think the pot board is the E27 from Amb.


----------



## GeWa

*@franky_s*

 It's my first "headphone" amp that get finished. Still have a lot of projects that needs to get finalized (SOHA, Millett Max, Bijou and some various solid state amps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). The small pcb underneath the Alps pot is indeed the E27 from AMB as MrMajestic2 already noticed. The transformer is something standard from Farnell.

 Regards


----------



## el_matt0

great looking CKKIII gewa, fantastic neat work, keep it up and I look forward to seeing some of your future builds!


----------



## patton713MW

Looks nice, GeWa!

 My CMoy, which has kept me company for several years.
















 Soon to come: Millett Hybrid MAX. My new Hakko 936 arrived yesterday, it's itching to solder something cool!


----------



## Ech0

Gewa, nicely done! Neat and tidy work for sure. Congrats.

 Nice work patton713MW, make sure to post pics of that MMax when you get it done.


----------



## oMBuTTSMaN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *el_matt0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_oh ya, and @ ombuttsman: No reason to be shy man! Thats a fantastic build there, especially if its one of your first! Work quality looks stellar, and as was mentioned above, good job on fitting it all in there - I definitely had NO hopes of getting 9V#2 in there when I built my first cmoy (although god knows I tried in vain!)!_

 

i appreciate your kind words!

 but i hope someday i can build a hi-end amp, it's a shame here in brazil these high quality parts are REALLY expensive and hard to find. 99% of them have to be internationally bought via internet. even a simple TLE2426 is almost impossible to find here, that's why i used a simple resistor divider in this altoids amp.

 but while i can't afford a hi-end amp, i'll keep appreciating yours here! keep up the good work!!!


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *patton713MW* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks nice, GeWa!

 My CMoy, which has kept me company for several years._

 

Nice work! I used a mint tin too, but am considering other options now. I need two batteries but like your design, mine has the audio jacks near the volume control which is a bit of a pain. The cables and jacks get in the way of my fingers...

 I don't think it's possible to do any other way in an Altoids tin...


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I don't think it's possible to do any other way in an Altoids tin..._

 

u can squeeze quite a lot into an altoids tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 ..dB


----------



## ~n00beR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_u can squeeze quite a lot into an altoids tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 ..dB_

 

I recognise that layout dB


----------



## hardnrg

my first amp... I'm quite pleased how it turned out 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








































 edit:

 So it's the M³ amp using 627s at the moment, the power is a s11 @ 36V, so I have some 637s on the way to try 637/627 on 36V, the main toroid is a Block 25VA 2x18V, I have a 25VA 2x12V on the way too so I can set the sigma11 @ 27V to try 8610/8610 and 637/8610...

 The momentary to latch is an e24, powered by a mini 2x12V toroid... the M³ output goes via a simplified e12 muting circuit... as I have some polycarbonate caps on the input signal, I took out the DC offset protection part of the circuit and therefore the need to connect it to a +/- supply, so it's connected to the +/0 output of the s11 with a 7812 to provide 12V

 The case is a Hifi2000 Galaxy Maggiorato GX283 with the optional 10mm thick panel, ordered from Italy, sent back to the continent to Schaeffer to get the front and rear panels milled as I didn't fancy even attempting to cut the rear panel with handheld powertools as it's anodised.

 It strays a little from the M³ spec in that I have a more "commercial" bass shelf, using 0.047uF caps instead of 0.1uF so the difference is quite strong, and solves the anaemic upper bass of the K701 I tend to find for some music I listen to, the spec'd bass shelf is quite subtle and very low frequency

 Building the M³ in such a small case was always going to be a bit of a challenge to fit it all in whilst keeping the power away from the input signal and the pots are off-board, so I kept all the audio cables ultra-low capacitance and silver-plated OFC / OFC mix to minimise the likelihood of signal loss or warping.

 AMB/Ti, Ferrari/Duc, and Dougigs have all been very patient and helpful during my build


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hardnrg* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my first amp... I'm quite pleased how it turned out 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Nice colorscheme, I like it. Good job


----------



## FallenAngel

Very nice looking build _hardnrg_, but you might need to elaborate on a few things. I don't recognize the PSU, what is it? You also look like you're using a monetary switch, is that the _e24_ there?


----------



## hardnrg

ah cool, 2 points for looks then lol... thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I've updated my post with some explanation on the internal goings on


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hardnrg* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my first amp... I'm quite pleased how it turned out 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

Very nice build! Where did you get the black switch?


----------



## synaesthetic

Looks like a Bulgin illuminated pushbutton switch.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *synaesthetic* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks like a Bulgin illuminated pushbutton switch._

 

Bulgin doesnt make black ones. Its probably this one:
Delrin Vandal Resistant Illuminated Switch Black - Red Ring Products Model: VSW-BK-RING-RD [VSW-BK-RING-RD] : Performance-PCs.com, ... sleeve it and they will come


----------



## hardnrg

Yup, that's the one, and that's where I got it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (Made by Lamptron), I also got the case feet from the same retailer, Performance PCs, I shop there for computer modding parts so I kinda new about the range of parts they do - quite handy for audio equipment as well as computers


----------



## holland

Nice build. Extremely nice for a first build. Please tell me you've got experience building other things, otherwise I'll faint in astonishment.


----------



## holland

Those are nice feet, aren't they. I've got a few myself.


----------



## hardnrg

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *holland* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Please tell me you've got experience building other things, otherwise I'll faint in astonishment._

 

Modding computer cases (more than just LED fans lol) helps. I did a fair bit of metal cutting and some fabrication on my current main rig, so I have some experience with getting things to work with a given case...









































 I still need to finish the side and front panels though lol


----------



## penger

Wow... that case looks like a MONSTER.


----------



## Ech0

That friggin PC case is cool. Is that a radiator at the bottom of the last pic (a close up)? 

 The amp is cool too. You've got some skills going....


----------



## hardnrg

The radiators are the black external thing at the back, and the blue internal one with the fibreglass duct.

 The shiny metal things in the foreground in the last pic are the air heatsinks that I was using on the CPU (Noctua NH-U12) and DFI 680i NB (it's the stock one).

 Heh, you can see a bit of a black/red theme going on with my PC case too I guess


----------



## Ech0

Well I finished up my Beta22 a couple of days ago. It was definitely worth the effort (and money). I hit a couple of bumps in the road but made it through....





















 Right off AMB's parts list. Added an e12 and allowed for two inputs. Wire is from navships and canare starquad for the longer run (front to back). 

 Ech0


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well I finished up my Beta22 a couple of days ago. It was definitely worth the effort (and money). I hit a couple of bumps in the road but made it through....






 Right off AMB's parts list. Added an e12 and allowed for two inputs. Wire is from navships and canare starquad for the longer run (front to back). 

 Ech0_

 

Well done Ech0 ! 
 What is the headphone connector type you are using?


----------



## Ech0

Thanks Ferrari, it's a Switchcraft Thick Panel jack. It's inserted in the middle of a rubber grommet. I put a larger washer behind the grommet to give it some extra strength. 

 BTW, I copied the light in the panel idea from you. Always enjoy looking at your builds. Oh, the feet come from you too!! You posted a link awhile back.

 Ech0


----------



## cyberspyder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hardnrg* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The radiators are the black external thing at the back, and the blue internal one with the fibreglass duct.

 The shiny metal things in the foreground in the last pic are the air heatsinks that I was using on the CPU (Noctua NH-U12) and DFI 680i NB (it's the stock one).

 Heh, you can see a bit of a black/red theme going on with my PC case too I guess 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Nice Thermochill


----------



## hardnrg

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well I finished up my Beta22 a couple of days ago. It was definitely worth the effort (and money). I hit a couple of bumps in the road but made it through...._

 

Nice matching set there, is that how the case come stock or did you add the front panel?

 Looks like Ferrari's blue LED idea gets around (me too)


----------



## Ech0

Thanks, it's a par-metal case. Front panel comes w/it. 

 Ech0


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well I finished up my Beta22 a couple of days ago. It was definitely worth the effort (and money). I hit a couple of bumps in the road but made it through....

 IMG]http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/3930/frontlx7.jpg[/IMG

 IMG]http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/1892/backga7.jpg[/IMG

 IMG]http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/5813/sidezy1.jpg[/IMG

 IMG]http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/3179/front2ud8.jpg[/IMG

 Right off AMB's parts list. Added an e12 and allowed for two inputs. Wire is from navships and canare starquad for the longer run (front to back). 

 Ech0_

 

Great looking amp. I like the clean front and back panels!

 Cudos to you!


----------



## Ech0

Hey MASantos, thanks for the kind words. 

 I'm still toying with changing the switch on the Sigma22 to a vandal switch. The vandal switch may tie in better with the amp with everything being round rather than a toggle switch. 

 I built this amp with a gain of 5 and it still is more than enough to power both the K701's and HD650's that I use. It will drive either headphone to volumes that I will never listen to. This surprises me a bit as I thought I was choosing a fairly conservative gain. 

 Ech0


----------



## Pars

Nice job! I would agree that the vandal switch would look better. Just be careful if you need circuitry to run a momentary switch like the Bulgins.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey MASantos, thanks for the kind words. 

 I'm still toying with changing the switch on the Sigma22 to a vandal switch. The vandal switch may tie in better with the amp with everything being round rather than a toggle switch. 

 I built this amp with a gain of 5 and it still is more than enough to power both the K701's and HD650's that I use. It will drive either headphone to volumes that I will never listen to. This surprises me a bit as I thought I was choosing a fairly conservative gain. 

 Ech0_

 

Im most likely going with the vandal switch on my b22 as well. AMB has really nice board for this purpose.


----------



## Eokboy

Hay guys I just got this AD8616 CMoy done:















 1455C801


----------



## G-man

nice and clean, i like it.


----------



## bhjazz

And rechargeables as well! Nice job!


----------



## Alcaudon

Very nice Eokboy!!!!!

 Where did you get those jacks???


----------



## Eokboy

Thanks for the kind comments 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Alcaudon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you get those jacks???_

 

I got them Kobiconns from Mouser, part number 161-7300-EX 

 Farnell has them too: 1267396

 One of tangent's recommendations for 3.5mm sockets.


----------



## TzeYang

XD

 A challenger appears:






 Some old cmoy i built for a user on my local forums. ( i think i posted this picture before lol )

 CMOY with OPA2227 + TLE2426 + Trickle Charger + LM7812 Regulator.


----------



## Eokboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_XD

 A challenger appears:


 Some old cmoy i built for a user on my local forums. ( i think i posted this picture before lol )

 CMOY with OPA2227 + TLE2426 + Trickle Charger + LM7812 Regulator._

 

You should try the AD8616. With 150mA output current capability, it gives big sound from a small package. 

 I'm testing the battery. Still going after 14 hours. It should do 30 hours at least. This is the biggest advantage of the low voltage CMOS opamp.


----------



## m0b1liz3

*Amp6 Basic:*







 Well it isn't a HP amp but I plan to use a tube hp amp as a pre-amp for this. Still have to case it. Next will build a millet starving student.


----------



## vvs_75

This is Morgan Jones amp that I built few years ago: 

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f42/wi...5/#post3150838

 And this is the same amp but dressed few years latter in a new case.


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Eokboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hay guys I just got this AD8616 CMoy done:
















 1455C801_

 

What size is that capacitor? It look huge.


----------



## vixr

here is my new Millett SSHHA...It was waaaay fun to build.


----------



## scompton

vixr, is that heat shrink on the wires to the mosfets? I'm asking because I'm about to start building one myself and it'll be my first build.


----------



## vixr

scompton, yes, heat shrink. I did that because I drilled the thru hole just big enough to get the wires/heatshrink to fit. Plus it added a bit of rigidness to the whole thing.


----------



## -=Germania=-

Millet Min/SS


----------



## gz76

*Alien '2600' DAC*











 I could probably have mounted the RCA outs on the back if I'd changed the original cartridge flap for a new flat faceplate, but I wanted to keep it as original as possible, which makes it a bit awkward fitting them there.


----------



## m0b1liz3

Haha, that is awesome. I was really young when the 2600 came out. Now I feel old when I mention it to people I know. I might build one of those soon. Did you find an Aussie source for the inter connect parts?


----------



## JSTpt1022

What have you done to space invaders!
 Seriously cool, but makes me hurt inside


----------



## Eokboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fordgtlover* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What size is that capacitor? It look huge._

 

25V 1800uF, though supply never exceeds 6V.


----------



## jamess71

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gz76* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*Alien '2600' DAC*





_

 

Man I remember getting the 2600 along with Space Invaders, one of the best christmas ever. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The good old days. it really is amazing the changes in electronics in 30 years. So they make Space invaders for the PS3?


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jamess71* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ So they make Space invaders for the PS3? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

For the PSP, it's called Space Invaders Extreme 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 really really funny


----------



## tomb

A recently finished LNMP:













 Many thanks to Tangent for providing the design for such a valuable instrument.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A recently finished LNMP: ......
 Many thanks to Tangent for providing the design for such a valuable instrument.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Nice! You need to sell those screws on Beezar......


----------



## bperboy

So can you describe how you're going to use that instrument?


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice! You need to sell those screws on Beezar...... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks - I do sell them on Beezar ... since day one!?
  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* 
_So can you describe how you're going to use that instrument?_

 

It's a Low-Noise Measurement Preamplifier. It allows you to measure AC leakage/ripple in a Power Supply down to MicroVolts. At Colin Toole's direction, I'm testing/measuring various improvements to the MAX/MiniMAX power supply designs. We're pretty excited at what we've come up with already. Stay tuned ... we haven't been hibernating during the summer.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks - I do sell them on Beezar ... since day one!?_

 

Oh crap...... right above the mounting kits. I can't believe I missed them?!?


----------



## soloz2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_. Stay tuned ... we haven't been hibernating during the summer.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

still waiting on that Mosfet site...


----------



## swt61

Below is my Twisted Pear Audio balanced Darwin source selector that fierce_freak just built for me.

















 While not overly complicated, it must have been quite tedious.

 Jim also designed the front and back plates, and I love the simple elegance of it.


----------



## GeWa

Are you sure that that case is big enough? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Regards


----------



## malldian

It just barley fits the connectors width wise ;p


----------



## ruZZ.il

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GeWa* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are you sure that that case is big enough? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Regards_

 

I think that nothing else goes in there  maybe it's where he plans to hide a secret stock of toshiba transistors!


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ruZZ.il* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think that nothing else goes in there  maybe it's where he plans to hide a secret stock of toshiba transistors!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

As has already been mentioned the case had to be sized for the connectors, not for what's inside of it. I doubt a smaller case would have had enough room for all the XLR connectors.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_As has already been mentioned the case had to be sized for the connectors, not for what's inside of it. I doubt a smaller case would have had enough room for all the XLR connectors._

 

Oh, I bet you could've done it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Just mount those things on top!


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_As has already been mentioned the case had to be sized for the connectors, not for what's inside of it. I doubt a smaller case would have had enough room for all the XLR connectors._

 

Just put some lead weights inside it and leave the cover on... people will be doubly impressed by it at meets that way.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just put some lead weights inside it and leave the cover on... people will be doubly impressed by it at meets that way._

 

What about a little device with a recorded loop that says in a sweet female British accent "changing sources now Mr. Tice".

 And where do I find self sticking lead weights?


----------



## n_maher

Not to mention that if you used some dinky case the weight of all the cables would bring the whole thing crashing down.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_<snip>And where do I find self sticking lead weights?_

 

Associated Factory Team Chassis Lead Weight 1/4 oz (12)


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swt61* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What about a little device with a recorded loop that says in a sweet female British accent "changing sources now Mr. Tice"._

 

Wow, does a British accent sound cool to Americans or something? 'Cos it doesn't to us


----------



## scompton

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, does a British accent sound cool to Americans or something? 'Cos it doesn't to us 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Last time I was in London, a local thought my accent was cool sounding


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, does a British accent sound cool to Americans or something? 'Cos it doesn't to us 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I could listen to Elizabeth Hurley talk all day long, couldn't you?


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I could listen to Elizabeth Hurley talk all day long, couldn't you?_

 

Not really... maybe because her accent has become associated with various political and social things. Patrick Stewart perhaps...


----------



## keiths




----------



## V-DiV

Nice job keiths! Neat - and colorful too! What is the case?

 I have my parts ready to go. I just need a case. I was looking in thrift shops for something interesting to use, but nothing yet. But your case is really nice.


----------



## keiths

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *V-DiV* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice job keiths! Neat - and colorful too! What is the case?_

 

Thanks! The case is this: Rapid Electronics - Steel cases but I'm using it upside down! The feet are off my home cinema amp which doesn't fit into my rack with them on, so I fitted smaller ones. It's mandatory to utilise at least one recycled part in a Starving Student!


----------



## V-DiV

Thanks. Is it the smallest one (125 X 150 mm; no. 30-0230)?


----------



## keiths

It's the next size up:
 125 X 200 X 70 STEEL CASE (RC) 30-0235
 but I'm sure the smaller one is plenty big enough.


----------



## rille2

A headphone amp for Stax headphones:
















 It's the HybridAmp from high-amp.de with some modifications. Therefore I made new PCB layouts. It uses two regulated power supplies (high voltage and heater voltage). The amp has a switchable gain, balanced (XLR) and unbalanced (Cinch) inputs. The circuit for the (momentary) switches was inspired by the epsilon24 from AMB.


----------



## Ferrari

rille2, Congratulations! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Nice work on the PCB's, really impressive! HiFi-2000 enclosure with 10mm face plate?
 Good to see such a great build!


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_HiFi-2000 enclosure with 10mm face plate?_

 

Yes, its a Pesante 3U with the 10mm face plate. I also used the optional pierced base and vented cover.


 Edit: More pictures: Picasa gallery


----------



## Ferrari

Nice pics!
 HiFi-2000 optional parts for their enclosures are really great.
 For my β24 power amp (WIP), I'm also using 10mm front and back panels, a pierced base, milled handles... you name it.


----------



## user18

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *GeWa* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

Anybody know what brand of wire that is? I like the semi-translucency look of it.


----------



## JamesL

Looks like stranded copper with teflon tubing. Or maybe its just stranded wire with clear teflon insulation. Theres a lot of places that sell it, so I can't really pinpoint a particular brand.
 IIRC, the following places carry some clear teflon - home grown audio, diyaudiostore, vt4c, parts connexion -


----------



## Lil' Knight

It looks more like solid than stranded.
 And those places above sell solid. I can't find stranded with teflon there.


----------



## ruZZ.il

Solid core silver in semi-transparent teflon. available in a bunch of places...


----------



## scompton

My first build, a Starving Student
















 The inside is even more of a tangle of wires now. I fried both mosfets so added extra wire to make them easier to rewire and I rewired all of the electrolytic caps so I could put them in the bottom of the case before closing it.

 I fried the first mosfet when I tried closing the case the first time and something shorted. Fried the second one trying to figure out what was wrong.

 BTW, it sounds great. I wanted to try tubes for a while, but didn't want to spend a lot of money. Then this design came along and I felt the need to do it.

 Now I just need to figure out what to build next.


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scompton* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first build, a Starving Student ....Now I just need to figure out what to build next._

 

congrats , it looks great. 

 I would whisper that last comment as you will be inundated with many superb recommendations 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ..dB


----------



## m0b1liz3

Scompton, what are the dimensions of the box for your build?


----------



## scompton

I'll measure it tonight, but if memory serves 5 x 3 inches. I screwed up the first box by drilling the wrong sized holes. I didn't realize how the tube sockets worked and drilled holes so big they fell though. I ran out to Radio Shack and bought a box that looked about the right size. Fortunately, it came with 2 lids, because I proceeded to screw up drilling the first lid. The other lid was black plastic. I thought it would be easier to work with, but I like the look of the metal lid better, so it worked out in the end.

 The one thing I don't like about this box is that it's ribbed. It makes it hard to tighten some of the jacks. If I'd realized ahead of time, I would have drilled in different places. All but one of the holes I drilled in the sides are on a rib. The only thing the rib helps is the little tab on the pot that keeps it from turning sits right in the middle of the rib.


----------



## scompton

The top of the box is 4x6 inches. It tapers in slightly so the bottom is slightly smaller. With my skills, I couldn't imagine making it smaller. A little heavier would be nice. It moves a little to easily. I may need to put some type of rubber feet on it.


----------



## amb

The first ever audio DIY project I did back when I was 14 years old (circa 1977) was to make a VU meter box for my parents' stereo. Sadly, I don't have any pictures of that contraption and it has long since been dismantled and discarded.

 But I caught the DIY bug and began some pretty ambitious builds. Like many junior high school kids, I was going for as many switches and lights as I could possibly put in. The result was the AMB alpha1 preamp and beta1 power amp. You see, that greek letter and number scheme began a long time ago. As well as the logo!

 Like the VU meter box, these have been dismantled, but I do have pictures of them. Here are a couple of scans. Unfortunately, I only took exterior shots. I'd be embarrased to show the insides anyway, they are quite messy.

 First up, the alpha1 preamp. It has the usual RIAA phono stage, volume control and line stage, but also has a unity gain headphone amp, mic preamp with mixing capability, a separate continuously adjustable loudness contour knob, stereo/mono/reverse mode switches, low and high pass filters with switchable corner frequencies, high-blend switch, -20dB mute switch and even an output muting delay circuit with blinking LED status indicator. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 There isn't much to write about as far as the actual amplification circuitry is concerned. I used very simple two or three-transistor amplifier designs found in most early-to-mid '70s stereo receivers. Remember, those were the days when the schematic diagram came with the owner's manual.

 The casing is all-wood. It was major chore cutting those rectangular holes for the paddle switches. I took advantage of my school's wood shop and used this as my project. You can see, the black panel theme has stayed with me through the years until recently, my β24 power amp broke tradition with clear anodized alunimum instead.






 Next is the beta1 power amp. This was a 100W/channel beasty that could also be bridged to become a 300W mono amp (via a rear panel switch). There are a pair of input level knobs, two slanted rows of level meter LEDs (inspired by some Harman Kardon Citation amps of the time) which could be switched on or off, or into a test mode to turn all LEDs on. Two additional LEDs are used for clipping indication. There is active fan cooling inside, with thermal sensors that would switch the fan to high speed if the heatsinks' temperature exceeds a certain threshold. A switch on the front panel also allows manually setting the fan to high speed. LEDs also show power on, bridged, thermal (fan at high speed), delay/protection and speaker standby status.

 The amp circuit was based on a project published in a Taiwan audio magazine. It is all-discrete and employs bipolar transistors throughout, with a complementary differential input stage, complementary VAS stage and a darlington complementary push-pull output stage with two paralleled 30A transistor pairs per channel (a total of 8 output transistors). The power supply had independent transformers, rectifiers and capacitors per channel, with a total of 40000uF. There is a DC offset protection and muting delay circuit, a fan controller circuit, and the LED level meter driver circuit, which does not use the LM3915 chip. Instead, I built it with no less than _twenty-four_ 741 opamps, each serving as a comparator and LED driver. The clipping indicator LEDs are additionally controlled by a special circuit that would keep the LED illuminated for 2 seconds when such an event occurs.

 Tha casing again is all-wood, except the top cover is perforated metal. The underside of the perforated sheet is covered with a non-perforated piece with cutouts for the areas that need extra ventilation. The right quarter of the amp is actually a special air tunnel for the fan (entry in the back, exit at the side near the front), and the heatsink fins protrude into that tunnel. There is a separate top cover over the air tunnel.






 Sorry about the overexposed pics.

 This duo actually served me well for a number of years, but my philosophy in amp design and construction has developed such that I could no longer bear the thought of these monstrosities, so they got taken apart for parts and I went on to building newer and better amps. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is part 1 of (hopefully) a series of posts about my builds from the distant past.


----------



## Pars

And you were 14-15-16 when you built these? Very cool! I love the "Professional Series" on the preamp front... hehe

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_<snip>
 You can see, the black panel theme has stayed with me through the years until recently, my β24 power amp broke tradition with clear anodized alunimum instead.

 <snip>_

 

Yes, we all have to grow up sometime


----------



## koike

bijou!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_And you were 14-15-16 when you built these? Very cool! I love the "Professional Series" on the preamp front... hehe


 Yes, we all have to grow up sometime 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Indeed, we all have to grow up sometime... that's life! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But still... the sense for aesthetic and the exceptional level of precision on these vintage amps are still unchanged (thanks god !).
 I recognize the same sense for aesthetic and the exceptional level of precision on more recent amps (β24, β22...) built by Ti.
 The work of a high school kid on those vintage amps is really amazing. *"Respect"*.


----------



## -=Germania=-

What is a good place for knobs? I am having a hard time finding where to get some nice ones for not too much money.


----------



## amb

LOL, the level of precision has (thankfully) improved a lot over the years. As I post more, you'll also notice a sharp decline of the number of switches and knobs of my next builds, as well as decreased wordiness on the panels... Welcome to the 1980s.


----------



## JamesL

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What is a good place for knobs? I am having a hard time finding where to get some nice ones for not too much money._

 

I've been through all over the web, and I think ebay-partspipe , has the most variety, good prices and shipping on solid knobs.

 I can link you to several other places, but they all carry knobs $20+, and most of them are international.


----------



## Gautama

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_LOL, the level of precision has (thankfully) improved a lot over the years. As I post more, you'll also notice a sharp decline of the number of switches and knobs of my next builds, as well as decreased wordiness on the panels... Welcome to the 1980s. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

One Question:

 Does it go to eleven?


----------



## nikongod

The ITVR turntable.


----------



## amb

nikongod, what's that contraption at the front of the cartridge?


----------



## soloz2

it reminds me of steer horns on a cadilack!


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_nikongod, what's that contraption at the front of the cartridge?_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *soloz2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_it reminds me of steer horns on a cadilack!_

 

It is the van-alstein "longhorn" mod. 
 Its a small u-channel glued to the front of the cart, and partially filled with solder. It is supposed to reduce cartridge "wobble" and adds some mass to the cart. 

 The biggest downside is that it hits most record clamps/weights. I really liked it on my rega, which I run without a clamp, but I am going to switch to a different cart so I can use a clamp.


----------



## amb

After alpha1 and beta1 I had several other projects on the drawing board, most didn't see the light of day. Meanwhile a bunch of friends were begging me to build them stuff, so here is alpha7 and beta7, a preamp and 40W/ch power amp (bridgeable to 120W mono) I built for one of my best friends in junior high and high school. This was around 1979-80.

 I used an aluminum enclosure that Radio Shack offered at the time to make the job easier. The boxy shape was a bit odd but it actually turned out looking better than I expected. The preamp was in one box, but the power amp was a two-box configuration because there was no way everything was going to fit in one. As I eluded to in part 1, the front panel was no longer loaded with a million knobs and switches. However, at the request of my friend I retained an LED level meter on the power amp, this time in a more conventional vertical arrangement.

 The preamp had a power switch, an input selector, a volume control, a continuously-variable loudness contour knob, and a headphone jack. The power amp had a power switch, level control knob, the aformentioned LED meter, a switch to select normal/standby/bridged modes, and some status indicator LEDs.

 The preamp was an all-opamp circuit using NE5534s, which was _the_ audio opamp of its time. The power amp topology was similar to the beta1's (complementary differential input stage, complementary VAS, darlington push-pull output), except for lower rail voltages, smaller power supply, and only one pair of TO-3 output BJTs per channel. No fan-cooling this time, the heatsink was mounted on the rear panel. A relay-based muting delay/DC offset protection circuit similar to the one in beta1 was also used.

 Again, sorry about the poor quality photos.

















 More of my vintage builds to follow soon...


----------



## procalli2007

"starving student" build


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...






 More of my vintage builds to follow soon..._

 


 Defenitely not your style nowadays, but the excellent work of a high school kid almost 30 years ago (with the limited resources at that time) keeps fascinating me.


----------



## kipman725

your early amps are quite interesting amb. I find it strange that you were known as amb at 14 though, how did that come about?

 anyway this is a little bit of a strange project that I built that is actually best illustrated through a video. It's my first bit of SMD soldering (that worked) and also my first pcb. I made a few layout mistakes but nothing too serious and surprisingly it worked first time. There are a few design flaws (I overestimated the audio signal amplitude) making it hard to sweet spot on the pot so it actually works: 






 (caution don't watch the video if STROBE lights cause you problems)
 [YOUTUBE][<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9fngCGdILNM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9fngCGdILNM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>][/YOUTUBE]
 *note the music in the background is not the music input to the device (hence lack of sync ).
 anyway an interesting experiment I doubt I will use it due to the before mentioned design flaws and having no need for such things. I have also built a headphone amp:






 it's a simple follower but works quite well, I am using my 18V supply I built a while ago to power it.

 for my next project I feel like a complete usb>headphones dac amp combo all in one box as I go to uni soon and my current set up is not portable (and my sound card is a POS and I feel like designing a more complex amp). I will probably aim to make all signals in the unit differential and use one PCB.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kipman725* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_your early amps are quite interesting amb. I find it strange that you were known as amb at 14 though, how did that come about?_

 

It's a long story and not all that interesting...


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's a long story and not all that interesting... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I just love how the '70s style amps perfectly match the '70s style carpet


----------



## amb

LOL, how true.


----------



## cobaltmute

Just finished my Pimeta for the most part. Waiting on my PCBs from BatchPCB to put in the Monofied Sijosae Buffers. 

 Pretty standard build. It has OPA2227 as the dual op-amp with OPA227 as the ground amp. Battery power is 12x 800mAh AAA battery (from 4x 3cell telephone battery packs). The power jack is run through the side of the case and the trickle charge sits between the wall of the case one of the capacitors.











 Wall power is current coming through a Tread I build on a breadboard. It is regulating down the 48v from a Cisco PoE adaptor down to 20v. You'll notice two capacitors have been cut out of the circuit - I have to replace them. I blew them when I attached the wall power to the wrong end of the Tread.


----------



## rjad

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cobaltmute* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished my Pimeta for the most part. 



_

 

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2...ainsidenf0.jpg
 What are the resistor values you are using for R4-R8?


----------



## cobaltmute

R3=1k
 R4=10K
 R5=jumper
 R6=open
 R8=jumper

 This makes it a gain of 11. It is the same single feedback loop as Tangent's Cmoy tutorial. When I get my buffers done, I'll replace the R5 jumper and add R6 as per Tangent's schematic


----------



## dgbiker1

My new Opus DAC w/ IVY output stage. The only thing left to do is build the "convertible" top. I have a servo & gearbox that will open a hole in the top to see inside.

 Nothing like a blackberry trackball to clean up the front of a panel
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Right now it's programmed to switch inputs (toslink, spdif), switch outputs, and adjust lighting brightness.













 Nude shot:


----------



## Beefy

That is awesome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What are you using for the control gear?


----------



## dgbiker1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is awesome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What are you using for the control gear?_

 

Thanks
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's an Arduino microprocessor (the blue board that's floating around loose in the case
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) getting inputs from the blackberry trackball and displaying on a 16x2 character serial enabled LCD. It's an open source platform, so there are tons of libraries available for programming, and it ended up being extremely easy to program compared to something like a Motorola HC11 that has to be coded in assembly.


----------



## Pars

Very cool!


----------



## Budgie

Very cool dgbiker1. (I drove thru Issaquah on thursday. Did ya hear me honk?)


----------



## J.D.N

That is a very sweet build, loving the look!


----------



## dgbiker1

Thanks for the kind words everyone
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Budgie* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_(I drove thru Issaquah on thursday. Did ya hear me honk?)_

 

 Ohh yea, that was you?


----------



## rds

Pimeta with Tread power supply. 
















 AD843 and LMH6321


----------



## FallenAngel

Very clean looking build _rds_, but don't you need to cut off a pin off the LMH to make it work properly in the Pimeta? Pin 5, I think, but double check on the forum or compare the board layout to the datasheet.


----------



## Tedro

Pin #2?

 Fake edit: the LMH6321 rocks!


----------



## FallenAngel

Nope, Pin 2 isn't connected anywhere, it's Pin 5 that you must remove in Pimeta.










 If you look at the Pimeta board, Pin 5 (internal LMH6321 ground) is connected to output on the ground buffer and to V- on the right buffer. Neither is a good idea and will likely result in the buffer getting hot and misbehaving.


----------



## dBel84

I thought I had better get my SOHA II cased up before the rest of the prototyping team caught up with me. 

 The amp has an alien dac within the enclosure and an option to switch between usb and RCA. I added a quiet running fan to keep the heat under control but have not needed to use it as yet. 

 The probe points on the back are to set the SE BUFFER bias current. 

 It sounds fantastic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Front











 Back











 ..dB


----------



## fishski13

PACE


----------



## TzeYang

^probably being an ass but

 If you switch the positions of the input and the power socket, you can get a shorter and neater input wiring.

 Other than that, ZOMG THAT"S BEAUTIFUL!


----------



## cobaltmute

^ if you really wanted to be an ass you couldv'e just said:

 If you switch the positions of the input and the power socket and use a pot extender shaft to put the pot at the back of the case, you can get a shorter and neater input wiring.

 But yes, it is a beautiful build.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nope, Pin 2 isn't connected anywhere, it's Pin 5 that you must remove in Pimeta.










 If you look at the Pimeta board, Pin 5 (internal LMH6321 ground) is connected to output on the ground buffer and to V- on the right buffer. Neither is a good idea and will likely result in the buffer getting hot and misbehaving._

 

It's pin 1 that need to be lifted. On the BUF634 it is the bandwidth control pin (page 8 of the datasheet) and on the LMH6321 it is the Error Flag pin (see page 18 on the datasheet)

 Maybe you're looking at the op-amp rotated 180 degrees?


----------



## rds

Quote:


 It's pin 1 that need to be lifted. On the BUF634 it is the bandwidth control pin (page 8 of the datasheet) and on the LMH6321 it is the Error Flag pin (see page 18 on the datasheet) 
 

Pin 1 doesn't need to be cut. You just leave out R11. The problem is pin 5 is NC on BUF634 and therefore what it is connected to was not considered in the board design. So the changes for LMH6321 are:
 1. Leave out R11
 2. Cut pin 5
 ...and you're good to go. 
 Thanks for the heads up on that FallenAngel.


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^probably being an ass but

 If you switch the positions of the input and the power socket, you can get a shorter and neater input wiring.

 Other than that, ZOMG THAT"S BEAUTIFUL!_

 

thanks - no offense taken! constructive criticism is important in DIY.

 yes, that was my intent when cutting the rear panel, but i had a huge brain fart, kicked myself for a few minutes, and just left well alone. it was also my first time wiring, designing and casing an enclosure. also, working with solid core copper wire (i used Kimber Kable) is a total bitch. i'm also not too happy about the overall "neatness" of the internals, but it does look pretty cool cased and lit up. my M3 enclosure went much more smoothly.

 PACE


----------



## fishski13

i may design some face-plates from FPE down the road, but for right now, i'm putting together funds for a beta22
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. i think my Cayin HA-1A may go up for sale pretty soon.

 PACE


----------



## rds

Alien DACs in large cases.


----------



## Ech0

@ fishski13, 

 Nice, clean builds. I like the "full moon window" on the ck2III. It reminds me of a 1960's sci-fi show for some reason.


----------



## edart

Don't know if there is a thread for this bu I want to build one like this, how much will it cost (UK £'s) and where to get the parts?








YouTube - The Amazing Altoids Can!


----------



## FallenAngel

It'll cost a couple of dollars (or pounds), not very expensive. Parts list and guide here - MintyBoost - Process documentation.


----------



## edart

Thanks for the link, Very usefull


----------



## digger945

rds, very nice dac, let us know how it sounds. 

 What's next, Buffalo??


----------



## rds

Quote:


 What's next, Buffalo?? 
 

That was the plan, but now it's a question of whether I can order it before classes start. Once school's in session all this stuff goes on hold.


----------



## Ech0

Finished an Opus build up last night. SE DAC w/S/PDIF in. I brought the Gen_Flag and Non-Audio Flag (LED's) to the front of the case.


----------



## diego

Very nice build Ech0! That's almost what I had planned for my future Buffalo.

 Could you tell me what size and finish is that Par Metal case?

 Diego


----------



## dgbiker1

Very nice build echo. If you don't mind, may i ask where you got those RCA and spdif jacks?


----------



## Ech0

Thanks guys.

 @ diego

 It's a 20-12122G, clear anodized front and gray paint for the case. It's 12x12x2. Inside clearance isn't quite two inches but you can stack the modules. 

 @ dgbiker1

 RCA's from parts-express (house brand? "Dayton") and the yellow rca is a neutrik jack. I like the one's from parts-express, good value vs quality type thing. 

 dgbiker1, my Opus isn't as cool as yours that's for sure.

 Edit: I realized after taking the pics that the tab on my power switch was off center and I had to take the case apart to straighten it up.


----------



## fishski13

Ech0,
 love the LEDs - very discrete. you have a part #, and what size hole did you drill?

 PACE


----------



## MusicallySilent

Very nice build, I love the way you have the leds mounted, the only thing I would probably do different personally if I created that is try to find something for the fuse that doesn't protrude as much and a different front switch (doesnt look quite as clean as everything else, maybe something like a bulgin illuminated push switch (or non illuminated but same style)) Otherwise great build Ech0


----------



## Ech0

@fishski13,

 I used a 5/64 bit for the thru hole then followed that up on the back side of the panel w/a 7/64 bit part way through. I made the bigger hole just deep enough to hold the LED by the tension created from the wires. No glue. 

 The LED's came w/the S/PDIF kit from Twisted Pear. The LED they were using was "Mouser 604-WP937EGW". A BiColor LED. Red when no signal is present & green when signal is good. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_<snip> the only thing I would probably do different personally if I created that is try to find something for the fuse that doesn't protrude as much </snip>_

 

Radio Shack "fuse holder special" = bad! Agreed! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks for the comments guys.

 Ech0


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finished an Opus build up last night. SE DAC w/S/PDIF in. I brought the Gen_Flag and Non-Audio Flag (LED's) to the front of the case._

 

Nice looking, and probably sounding, DAC you got there.
 Well done!


----------



## heatmizer

My Starving Student






 Bud enclosure. 4.5 "x 4.5"x2.5". What a pain to polish.Was not able to all scratches out even with 1200 grit paper. Aside from the tubes and sockets everything was around the house. Heatsinks are cut down cpu heatsink. Don't know if it works, still waiting for power supply.


----------



## mb3k

Not a new amp, but a new photo. I'm getting back into the amp routine again so I thought I'd post something


----------



## Killercrush

Your stuff looks awesome mb3k, as always! I love how you installed those Neutrik jacks.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not a new amp, but a new photo. I'm getting back into the amp routine again so I thought I'd post something




_

 

Nice to see you back into DIY. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 How is your β22 build going?


----------



## wiatrob

Got her 80% done, standard case options. This was a great amp to build and sounds oh so fine! Still need to finish the PS and some finishing touches such as tube bushings (or perhaps a short tube cage...)


----------



## dBel84

that looks great wiatrob, good idea to vent the bottom too ..dB


----------



## jantze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished this little baby for office use: a modified Kumisa III @ ±24V DC (with a couple of traces cut and some resistors changes).




_

 

How did you implement that back light and what are those audio jacks? I would like something similar to my balanced B22 as well. If you ordered your front panels from FPE, do you still have the files?

 I'm still wondering which audio jacks and XLR connector should I use. Either Neutrik XLR's and the same audio jack as you have or then I just put Neutrik XLR Combo Series connectors, since I don't use SE when I would be using balanced connectors.

 I'm going to use HIFI2000 slim line 2U casing for the build and I'm sending my front panels to Front Panel Express.


----------



## fault151

That amp looks well nice! I love the back light. The feet are cool too. Anyone know where you can get these from and an oversized volume dial too!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jantze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How did you implement that back light and what are those audio jacks? I would like something similar to my balanced B22 as well. If you ordered your front panels from FPE, do you still have the files?

 I'm still wondering which audio jacks and XLR connector should I use. Either Neutrik XLR's and the same audio jack as you have or then I just put Neutrik XLR Combo Series connectors, since I don't use SE when I would be using balanced connectors.

 I'm going to use HIFI2000 slim line 2U casing for the build and I'm sending my front panels to Front Panel Express._


----------



## jantze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That amp looks well nice! I love the back light. The feet are cool too. Anyone know where you can get these from and an oversized volume dial too!_

 

I ordered 3 sets of those feet's from here. They have a cool push buttons, too


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jantze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I ordered 3 sets of those feet's from here. They have a cool push buttons, too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 


 Cheers, is your panel done at fpe? If so how did you get around the fact that when you cut a recess in the black panel, silver raw aluminium shows through?


----------



## jantze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cheers, is your panel done at fpe?_

 

No panels yet. Still trying to find out the right parts and design tips. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If so how did you get around the fact that when you cut a recess in the black panel, silver raw aluminium shows through?_

 

No idea how the panels will come out. More experienced builders, please inform us 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I need to finish my Buffalo and I'm not building the B22 myself


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cheers, is your panel done at fpe? If so how did you get around the fact that when you cut a recess in the black panel, silver raw aluminium shows through?_

 

I think you need to point your question to Ferrari who built the amp in the picture, not jantze. Its easy to mix up the all the quotings though


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think you need to point your question to Ferrari who built the amp in the picture, not jantze. Its easy to mix up the all the quotings though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Crap, i didn't realise i quoted the wrong person. Ha ha. 

 Doh!


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jantze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No panels yet. Still trying to find out the right parts and design tips. 



 No idea how the panels will come out. More experienced builders, please inform us 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I need to finish my Buffalo and I'm not building the B22 myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Well going on the one i got done at fpe, it left raw aluminium sides. I get its a similar thing, but hopefully some one will tell me a way to solve it?


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_that looks great wiatrob, good idea to vent the bottom too ..dB_

 

Necessary, as you know, they get a l little warm


----------



## MrMajestic2

The panels for my b22 arrived today from Front Panel Express:


----------



## naamanf

Very nice! Looking good.


----------



## penger

SWEET! Loving the huge beefy volume knob. The back panel is also very nicely done. Great job!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 Very nice! Looking good._

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *penger* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_SWEET! Loving the huge beefy volume knob. The back panel is also very nicely done. Great job!_

 

Thanks guys 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The knob is the biggest that Hifi2000 has, 50mm. I've been designing those panels for a long time now. At the last minute I change the backpanel completely, throwing out my original design. I think the Maroon Audio logo turned out really well, just the way I wanted it. Sort of like the Krell logo, deep and heavy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Its not fully wired up yet, since I changed my umbilical connectors to 8-pole speakons, which by the way cost a fortune. Also no leds yet either.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The panels for my b22 arrived today from Front Panel Express..._

 

A pleasure to see such a great work at this place... now and then.
 Two HiFi-2000 Slim Line 2U enclosures? Are the back panels FPE materials or are these the original back panels of the Slim Line enclosures?
 And the engraving text, is it white painted or is it just non-painted aluminium? Looking forward to see the final results!


----------



## dBel84

excellent work once again ..dB


----------



## fault151

[size=xx-large]SWEET![/size]You did a very nice job of them!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_excellent work once again ..dB_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_[size=xx-large]SWEET![/size]You did a very nice job of them! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A pleasure to see such a great work at this place... now and then.
 Two HiFi-2000 Slim Line 2U enclosures? Are the back panels FPE materials or are these the original back panels of the Slim Line enclosures?
 And the engraving text, is it white painted or is it just non-painted aluminium? Looking forward to see the final results! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thank you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Yeah, two Hifi2000 enclosures, they are really great to work with. The backpanels are from FPE, its just easier than sending the original panels. Might be worth it if you buy the 10mm one though, they will look better than FPEs. The engraved text is painted white.

 The power supply is supposed to have Hifi2000 feet and the amp itself will have spikes to rest on. I just havent gotten that far yet. Now all I need is the Buffalo DAC


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jantze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How did you implement that back light and what are those audio jacks? I would like something similar to my balanced B22 as well. If you ordered your front panels from FPE, do you still have the files?

 I'm still wondering which audio jacks and XLR connector should I use. Either Neutrik XLR's and the same audio jack as you have or then I just put Neutrik XLR Combo Series connectors, since I don't use SE when I would be using balanced connectors.

 I'm going to use HIFI2000 slim line 2U casing for the build and I'm sending my front panels to Front Panel Express._

 

The back light is implemented as follows: the volume pot is mounted on a piece of plexiglass behind the face plate while the face plate cut out surrounding the volume knop is a bit larger than the volume knop itself. Then use one (or a couple of) super bright LED behind the face plate to create the blue light, which is visible on the front via the plexiglass. The headphone jacks used on my amp are from Neutrik, as visible in the pic below. 

 If you prefer a clean implementation of the face plate and also want to have unbalanced headphone jack for the convenience, then the Neutrik XLR Combo connector is a better choice.


----------



## jantze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The back light is implemented as follows: the volume pot is mounted on a piece of plexiglass behind the face plate while the face plate cut out surrounding the volume knop is a bit larger than the volume knop itself._

 

Did you glue the plexiglass behind the face plate?

 And thank you for your excellent tips and builds! After drooling over most of your builds, I'm getting a balanced b22 myself.

 If the builder is wiling to reveal himself, I don't mind


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jantze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Did you glue the plexiglass behind the face plate?

 And thank you for your excellent tips and builds! After drooling over most of your builds, I'm getting a balanced b22 myself.

 If the builder is wiling to reveal himself, I don't mind 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

If its anything like my Millet Max window, it will be stuck in there without the use of glue.

 And yes, Im the builder


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jantze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Did you glue the plexiglass behind the face plate?

 And thank you for your excellent tips and builds! After drooling over most of your builds, I'm getting a balanced b22 myself.

*If the builder is wiling to reveal himself, I don't mind*



_

 

*You got PM.*





 Regarding glueing the plexiglass behind the face plate?
 No, it was not necessary since the piece of plexiglass was cut to fit very tight in the cavity and...
 it just stuck in there without the use of glue as MrMajestic2 experienced.


----------



## Ech0

@ MrMajestic2

 Truly a superior build! The Hi-Fi feet would be a nice finishing touch.


----------



## rockcod

MrMajestic2, awesome looking!

 BTW, what font did you use for the β22 and σ22 logos? I am having tough time getting the letters "β" and "σ" display correctly.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rockcod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_MrMajestic2, awesome looking!

 BTW, what font did you use for the β22 and σ22 logos? I am having tough time getting the letters "β" and "σ" display correctly._

 

They are made in CorelDraw and exported to HPGL format. I had trouble doing it with the built in fonts in FPD as well. If you want the files, just pm me your email address.


----------



## rockcod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_They are made in CorelDraw and exported to HPGL format. I had trouble doing it with the built in fonts in FPD as well. If you want the files, just pm me your email address._

 

Ah, nice. Thanks for the generous offer. But I will try something w/ Adobe Illustrator first. I will certainly let you know if I fail.

 Edit: Does CorelDraw has the capability of exporting to HPGL? Or do you need a separate converter? If so, what is it?

 Adobe Illustrator lacks such capability and I am looking for a converter.


----------



## dgbiker1

Couldn't resist posting this after living a childhood dream
 My Mini^3 while flying texas-washington on a private jet (Dassault Falcon 50)


----------



## MusicallySilent

Too many good builds, I love the accenting around the knob ferrari. Some day if I finally have the money to do so I will probably build something like MrMagestic, a very nice Beta22 in enclosure with speaker binding posts too so I can use it as a speaker amp for low power bookshelves. I forget, about how much does the average Beta22 have the potential to put out, without needing huge beefy heatsinks like the B24?


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Too many good builds, I love the accenting around the knob ferrari. Some day if I finally have the money to do so I will probably build something like MrMagestic, a very nice Beta22 in enclosure with speaker binding posts too so I can use it as a speaker amp for low power bookshelves. I forget, about how much does the average Beta22 have the potential to put out, without needing huge beefy heatsinks like the B24?_

 

A balanced B22 will put out around 2x50W, unbalanced 2x18W. Not sure if the stock heatsinks will handle it though, only one way to find out


----------



## jantze

Edit:
 wrong thread


----------



## threEchelon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dgbiker1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Couldn't resist posting this after living a childhood dream
 My Mini^3 while flying texas-washington on a private jet (Dassault Falcon 50) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






_

 

I'm guessing your dream was to be able to bring a DIY amp onto a plane without it being stolen by security.


----------



## MusicallySilent

So as long as you have it cooled well, it should be a very capable amplifier?

 Just curious, I couldnt remember reading it anywhere, how much did AMBs B24 put out?


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just curious, I couldnt remember reading it anywhere, how much did AMBs B24 put out?_

 

HeadWize: View Post [DIY Workshop » β24: A discrete, cascoded, fully-differential power amplifier]
 Read the 3rd paragrah under "Output stage modification".


----------



## kingbuzzo

My first build.

 Bought this assembled pcb from Lee's Electronics in Vancouver for $40. Just had to supply it with a transformer, make some molex connectors, do some soldering, and case mounting. 

 Turned out alright. Wish I had known how hard it would be to put holes into anodized metal...



 

 



 nothing impressive here. Seemed like a good easy start for my first build. Transformer is in the smaller case. Sounds decent to me, though I don't really have any high end phones to tell much of a difference, sounds punchier than my D2


----------



## Seaside

This is almost identical copy of the diamond buffer amp I made before.
 BC327/337 pair TR used instead of 3906/3904 pair, CDE caps ericj gave me a while ago are used, increased idle current... two more jumpers *sigh* that's about it.
 That was not my original plan though, I had to scrap the plan and go back to what I already made to salvage the board and the work because of design mistakes on my part. Hate when that happens... anyway, I am posting the pics here.


 Top:







 Bottom:







 Now... what am I going to do with this?


----------



## dBel84

Frame it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 always a pleasure to see examples of your work ..dB


----------



## mojo

Really nice Seaside. Can I ask how you get the bottom side wiring so neat?


----------



## dgbiker1

Second time posting the opus, but I just added some decoration (a window) to the top of the case.








 With the lighting on:








 In the dark:


----------



## Ferrari

Still far from completed, but here is a primarily picture of my most recent work.
 Apart from a flaw on the faceplate (made during production at PFE 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) and the lighting for the VU meter, everything turns out as I thought how it should be.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Still far from completed, but here is a primarily picture of my most recent work.
 Apart from a flaw on the faceplate (made during production at PFE 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) and the lighting for the VU meter, everything turns out as I thought how it should be. 




_

 

Nice case dude 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Love it. 

 Hey, if there is a flaw on the panel you can make a claim to Schaeffer. I had some scratches and inkspots on my B22 panel and I got a new one. So now I have two front panels


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the tip, MrMajestic2.
 I was just thinking of sending Schaeffer an email to notice them about this.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks for the tip, MrMajestic2.
 I was just thinking of sending Schaeffer an email to notice them about this._

 

I had no problems with them after I confirmed the errors with a few photos. Very supportive and helpful bunch.


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Still far from completed, but here is a primarily picture of my most recent work._

 

That is looking great , I particularly like the level meter ..dB


----------



## dgbiker1

Latest Mini^3


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is looking great , I particularly like the level meter ..dB_

 

Thanks, when back lighted it's much nicer.
 I still have lots of work to do since these guys have to be on top.


----------



## davidfmartin

Check out my SOHA build from the glassjaraudio.com kit:

My SOHA Headphone Amp Build


----------



## Sathimas

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Still far from completed, but here is a primarily picture of my most recent work.
 Apart from a flaw on the faceplate (made during production at PFE 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) and the lighting for the VU meter, everything turns out as I thought how it should be. 




_

 

Could you tell us how you managed that cool iluminated volume knob?

 Looks really nice, VU-meters also a nice idea


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sathimas* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Could you tell us how you managed that cool iluminated volume knob?
 Looks really nice, VU-meters also a nice idea 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Sathimas, I have pointed that out in some posts back. I prefer to do it my way, with one single LED. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 There is also a recent thread about Knob Backlighting where some HF-members discussed about it and provided some ideas on how to do it.


----------



## kuroguy

I'm sure you can guess what this is. My three year old (and I) had a great time helping tighten screws.

 Kuroguy


----------



## Seaside

Kuroguy, that's cool amp, nicely done.

 And... what's that UFO at second pic?


----------



## Seaside

Made this last weekend just for heck of it.








 You can see the size of it. It's roughly 80% of cigarette box.

 Bottom looks like this;








 This is my 5th class AB amp. Just not in the altoid tin.
 I like this little amp. Small, cheap, as generic as it can be and quite nice to listen.

 I tried 4 different TR combinations so far, and I think BC337/327 combo is quite good at this amp. FYI, TRs used at this amp are generic 2N3906/3904.


----------



## stixx

Quote:


 Made this last weekend just for heck of it. 
 


 Cute!! 

 Just hope it's not gonna go up in smoke...


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Seaside* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Made this last weekend just for heck of it.


 You can see the size of it. It's roughly 80% of cigarette box.

 Bottom looks like this;

 This is my 5th class AB amp. Just not in the altoid tin.
 I like this little amp. Small, cheap, as generic as it can be and quite nice to listen.

 I tried 4 different TR combinations so far, and I think BC337/327 combo is quite good at this amp. FYI, TRs used at this amp are generic 2N3906/3904._

 

Nice job! Resistor leads for the traces?


----------



## Seaside

I use resistor leads / TR pins for the traces if that's possible. 

 Most parts I used there were taken off or left overs, the leads are too short to be used as traces. 

 The traces you're seeing is 24GA tinned copper wire from radioshack, which I found quite adequate for this kinda job, has about the same thickness with resistor leads.


----------



## Uncle Erik

A work in progress:






 I did quite a bit of work on it this weekend and just did a quick "dry fit" to see if everything did. It didn't, of course, but nothing I can't fix with a drill and a little work.

 Had to make sure the tubes fit (
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) and thought I'd put a picture up.

 This is Eric Barbour's "Brute Force" amp (HeadWize - Project: Brute Force In A Line Stage by Eric Barbour) and I am building it with the tube regulators.

 The top is a 3/8" aluminum plate where I've recessed the strips for the tubes and fuse. I did this because I really wanted to use the 3/8" plate, but there's no way to use a chassis punch on something that thick. So I decided to suspend thinner plates below it, which would add interest and also allow me to quickly make new ones if I screwed one up. I'm going to have to remake the plate for the four tubes up front because there's not enough room for the outermost socket mounting straps. No biggie, I figured in extra room on all the dimensions because I was sure I'd do something like that.

 The front and back strips are 3/4" by 2" strips of aluminum. What a pain in the posterior to cut. I still have to put a hole in the front one for the Neutrik jack and a hole in the back one for the IEC jack. Not looking forward to it, but I should be able to do it next weekend.

 I haven't cut the sides yet, but each side gets four horizontal Art Deco-style fins. I've got a 1/4" x 1" strip of aluminum I'll cut up for that next weekend. Also have a thin aluminum plate I'll cut to size for the bottom plate next weekend.

 Haven't decided on a color yet, but once I get everything roughed in and fitting correctly, it's headed over to the local powdercoater. I'll have the top, plates, front and back, bottom plate, and transformer covers powdercoated. I'll put a brushed finish on the aluminum fins and spacers and use stainless socket cap screws for everything.

 Construction will be entirely point-to-point with Teflon wire and spaghetti on all leads. It will have a star ground, too. That's Hammond iron and all the caps and resistors are from Michael Percy Audio. In the background, you'll see the RCA jacks right behind the shaft for the pot. I decided to do that because I wanted the inputs to go right into the pot. You can't see it, but underneath, I ran two pieces of the 3/4" x 2" aluminum to completely isolate the amp circuit from the power supply.

 Not in the photo are a nifty vintage aluminum knob I got from Nevada Surplus and a red glass indicator lamp from an old Drake radio. The indicator lamp will go just to the right of the toggle switch.

 If all goes well, I should have this wrapped up in time for the LA meet on 10/18/08. If not, I'll dry fit everything and bring it along anyway. Though I'd love to have it ready to listen to.

 Also, I've been taking photos of every step along the way. When I'm done, I'll write up a long post with photos on how I built it.


----------



## philodox

Wow, very cool! I look forward to seeing pictures of the finished product.


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Uncle Erik* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A work in progress: ....This is Eric Barbour's "Brute Force" amp ...._

 

kudos for taking this one on, it is rather a brute with fine reward..dB


----------



## Seaside

Erik, that's cool amp. Can't wait to see finished product.

 What transformers you use?


----------



## bidoux

Are you, American guys more DIYers than French ?


----------



## MoodySteve

I don't have any 'internals' pictures or even pictures from other angles, but here's a picture of a CK²III that I just made for my girlfriend for her birthday (she needed something to drive her HD580s). The case is a wooden music box that I found at TJ Maxx.






 I call it the CK²-III: WAF Edition. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Unlike my own CK²III, this build went without so much as a hiccup. I really like the way that it came out, and as a bonus, it allowed me to continue my mindless indulgence in gold-plated hardware.


----------



## philodox

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I call it the CK²-III: WAF Edition. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Sweet! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Is there a volume knob?


----------



## MoodySteve

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *philodox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sweet! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Is there a volume knob?_

 

The volume knob is the gold knob with the abalone cap. I got it on eBay.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I call it the CK²-III: WAF Edition. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That is awesome. Very creative!


----------



## FallenAngel

Just recently finished the Starving Student Millet Hybrid. This one is more of a "Feasting Student" since I maxed it out a bit, but to make sure it looks like a "Starving Student", I messed up on the heatsinks and had to reverse them, which obviously looks very amateurish.

 Parts Used:
 Alps RK27 POT
 Sprague Vitamin Q Coupling caps
 Nichicon KZ 470uF Output caps
 Nichicon UHE 470uF PSU caps

 Damn this thing runs HOT! Even with the large heatsinks it's VERY hot. I torture tested it for about 16 hours straight, it lives, but definitely warms up the place. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 At the price, it's a very nice map, I like it.


----------



## m0b1liz3

I finally cased up my Amp 6 basic. Planning on building a Starving Student Millet to match this one.


----------



## adamus

looks great, is that a latching switch or did you use a circuit for momentary


----------



## FallenAngel

Awesome looking case _m0b1liz3_! What is it?


----------



## m0b1liz3

The case was custom made basically. I took rough looking aluminum corner pieces and polished them and then had some wood cut. I needed some guys to help at work so it took a while to put it all together. Couldn't have done it without the help since the majority of my tools are back in Canada.

 It is a vandal switch.


----------



## adamus

latching or momentary? did you build a circuit to use it?


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m0b1liz3* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finally cased up my Amp 6 basic. Planning on building a Starving Student Millet to match this one.

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/516...0b1liz3xv4.jpg
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/707...0b1liz3iw5.jpg_

 

Really great looking case! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Metal and wood sure match up nicely.


----------



## m0b1liz3

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_latching or momentary? did you build a circuit to use it?_

 

I think it is momentary. I didn't need to build a circuit. As it happened, I got a SMPS from someone that had a broken ext HD. When I cut off the end plug that was also broken, I found 4 wires. 2 gave me the 12v power for the amp and another 2 gave off 5v so all I had to do was add a resistor in line. When the switch is pushed in, it is much less bright so I just made it so the pushed out position is on. Basically the LED is always on when the amp is plugged in. 

 I like how the case turned out but it seemed to take a long time to make it. In the future I probably won't spend the same time on a case. Too bad my next builds will likely house better stuff electronically. I plan on making a SOHA II and gainclone. I think I will just get a black hammond case and a black vandal switch. It should still look nice but not as work intensive.

 When I wire up my Starving Student Millet, I will have to do it differently. There is a pic on the bottom for the wiring tabs. Here is the link for it:
http://www.gammods.com.au/store/inde...roducts_id=355


----------



## mwofsi

Stereo buffers on a protoboard. Simple stuff with BD139/140 outputs and diode biasing. There is an attempt at a DC offset servo in between. Can you spot the deliberate mistake(!) in this pic?






 Anyway tried it out as a Soha (mk 1) buffer and it sounds pretty good, quite bright but not unpleasant. A bit of extraneous/stray noise mind you.

 Funny thing about the servo, once I'd wired it's inputs and outputs the right way round. With it offset is 30+100mV. Without it it's 1+3mV.


----------



## rds

Millet Starving Student Hybrid Tube Amp


----------



## kuroguy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Seaside* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_... what's that UFO at second pic? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

since you asked, it is an 832 and here is a photo of the amp:






 Here's one of my 6AU6/6AQ5 amp too:


----------



## Faust2D

Cool amps!

 There was a talk about MOSFET amps and orthos in this Ortho thread awhile back so I figure I can showoff my new MOSFET amp in this thread as well. It sounds awesome with all of my headphones, but my YH-1, HP-50S and surprisingly QP85 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 really wake up with this amp. I good friend made it for me, as I am not very handy with the soldering iron. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









Linky to pics and simplified schematic


----------



## dBel84

F2D , you are leaving out all the juicy tidbits - folk want to know about the gold nuggets in your mosfets  ..dB


 ps said this before , but seriously cool. Those transistors alone command respect


 @ kuroguy - excellent craftmanship


----------



## Faust2D

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_F2D , you are leaving out all the juicy tidbits - folk want to know about the gold nuggets in your mosfets  ..dB


 ps said this before , but seriously cool. Those transistors alone command respect_

 






 Thanks a ton. The transistors are indeed very interesting, but most importantly they sound great.


----------



## jordanross

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Millet 'Starving Student'
















_

 

Nice! I really want to build one of these guys.


----------



## Ferrari

My most recent work in progress… 
 I just did a quick try to see if everything fit in my favourite enclosure.
 Luckily... so far, so good.


----------



## MoodySteve

Very elegant as always, Ferrari. I'm a huge fan of the rounded corners.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very elegant as always, Ferrari. I'm a huge fan of the rounded corners._

 

Thanks MoodySteve.
 There is indeed something with the rounded corners, which I also like it a lot.


----------



## Myrdin

Hello,
 Forum newbie here. I've been on headwize for a long while so it's about time I posted here. Some of the beautiful amps in this thread really make mine look basic. 

 Ruggedized SOHA:













 See-through CMoy:









 A few of my tubes. The 6067 is compatible with the SOHA and sounds quite nice.


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My most recent work in progress… _

 

Wow. Beautiful as always, Ferrari. Such clean work!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bhjazz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow. Beautiful as always, Ferrari. Such clean work!_

 

Thanks bhjazz!
 I was manage to complete the case work & re-testing of this amp today.
 It sounds by far superior to any hybrid amps I have ever built in the past. 






 a pic during testing





 ... and a night shot.


----------



## Daveze

I know its been said before but, geez you do some beautiful work. You are an inspiration to do the job properly.


----------



## nsx_23

That casing turns me on.....


----------



## xTr3Me.aka.Chris

@ferrari
 looks great. especially the night shot but what do you think about one light-colour? I think I would only use red leds

 greetings


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind words gents !

*@xTr3Me.aka.Chris* 
 This amp is a birthday present for my GF, the colors used is her preference. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 However I can understand your personal preference.


----------



## xTr3Me.aka.Chris

Quote:


 @xTr3Me.aka.Chris
 This amp is a birthday present for my GF, the colors used is her preference.
 However I can understand your personal preference. 
 

Well the amp is looking very nice anyway. I guess she will be very happy with it !


----------



## adamus

The bijou is finished











 The obligatory night shot


----------



## stevenkelby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_..._

 

Adam, let me be the first to say, Wow. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Pm me when its for sale!


----------



## Uncle Erik

Time for a progress report. Had to work last weekend so I didn't get to play with the amp. But had a free day today, so I got some work done.

 Oh, someone asked about the iron - it's all Hammond.

 Here are the pics:






 I managed to cut the side fins and have them temporarily stacked in the sides. Had to balance them to get them to stand up, but they will stick out 3/4" after drilled and mounted. The fins' corners will get the same radius as the sides, bottom plate and top.

 You'll also see that I cut the bottom plate to size, shortened the front and back pieces a touch and put a radius on them.

 By the way, I've been tracing around a penny for the radius on every corner! It was handy and easy to scribe around, and I've used one everywhere for consistency.






 Here you can see the inside with the top off. I cut the two inside barrier strips from the same 3/4" aluminum. The amp circuit goes inside the part in the far right corner, the power supply in the rest. 3/4" is complete overkill for RFI shielding, but I had a 7' piece and plenty left over.






 Side with the top on. All those spacers will line up - I need to drill the mounting holes next weekend.






 Overview with the top on. It's hard to see, but in the far side of the largest cutout, there's a piece of 1/2" angle aluminum. I wasted a lot of time trying to file the cutouts square. It was working, generally, but took a whole lot of time and never really looked right. So I found a strip of 1/2" x 1/2" angle aluminum. I cut all the pieces today, but didn't have time to file and fit them in place before it got dark. Anyhow, each cutout will have a surround of the angle aluminum so they will be square.

 Of course, that means I have to make new mounting plates for everything, but that isn't so bad. I screwed up one of them already, so I had to do one. Also, I found the perfect Greenlee punch that will let me hang the sockets under the plates - like I originally wanted to.

 I am hoping to get the casework finished up by next weekend and off to the powdercoater the Monday after next. That will give me a fighting chance to have it ready for the LA meet. And I hope to have more pictures and progress next Sunday!


----------



## dBel84

That case work is just fantastic. Looking forward to seeing the completed. I am speechless ..dB


----------



## MartinV56

My Diy headphones amp over Morgan Jones design

 I call "The ugly duckling"


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MartinV56* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 My Diy headphones amp over Morgan Jones design

 I call "The ugly duckling"_

 

that looks AWESOME!

 very nice.


----------



## jaizm

My first post here and second DIY project - LT1210 headphones amp


----------



## cyberspyder

I've always wanted to ask this...why is there a pot shaft? What's the use of it? Can't you mount the knob directly to the pot, without an extension rod?


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyberspyder* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I've always wanted to ask this...why is there a pot shaft? What's the use of it? Can't you mount the knob directly to the pot, without an extension rod?_

 

Is to keep the wiring as short as possible between the input on the pot. It will minimize the risk of interference.


----------



## cyberspyder

I see, thanks!


----------



## willco007

Hi All,
 My latest build, a couple of SOHAs. I made the enclosures out of Walnut and went for a bit of a retro feel. One has a Alien DAC built in, the other doesn't. Turned out pretty well and sound great.


----------



## nickyboyo

Not quite up to the usual standard's of some of the superb valve amps you folks post here, but i've just started playing with these handy little Leica boxes i found laying around in work. 









 The next step is to build a valve amp in one of these cases.


----------



## m0b1liz3

Millet Starving Student:


----------



## TzeYang

NICE!!

 I really like the subtle glow of the tubes.

 Any chance i get to peek at the internals?

 Oh and i'm curious how you guys mount the LED with the default socket on Pete Millett's BOM.


----------



## m0b1liz3

There is no LED on my tube sockets. I was trying to figure out how to wire up the LED on my vandal switch. I thought there would be another way either than taking it off the 48v at the jack but it looks like that is how I will do it. BTW, the internals are a big mess of wires! Not as pretty as some of the more experienced builders here. I think the only thing I did that was unique was to put the heatsinks inside the case and to use nicer materials than typical for a "student" build.


----------



## -=Germania=-




----------



## FallenAngel

That looks very cute Germania, wine-case 3-channel SSMH?


----------



## -=Germania=-

Bamboo Stack-able Drawers actually. 
 Yes, it is a 3 channel SSMH. It isn't concrete as I still need to scope it out, but I am definitely satisfied at the moment.

 BTW: Thanks for the compliment - I was going for something on the cute side - just not too girly. I mean, it will soon have QP85's plugged in (and those need all the help they can get).


----------



## cyberspyder

Hey those look very similar to my speakers (see sig!), MCM woofers?


----------



## -=Germania=-

VERY SIMILAR INDEED


----------



## ltmon

Starving Student, for my first build.






 It's all pretty standard, in a Hammond enclosure. I built it with a star-ground, which created a bit of a tangled mess of wires internally (my design looked better on paper). I'm very happy with the sound however, and having a working build first time is a welcome suprise.

 @Germania: What do you do with a 3-channel amp btw? What does the extra channel drive?


----------



## cyberspyder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_VERY SIMILAR INDEED_

 

LOL


----------



## -=Germania=-

ltmon, very nice looking first build!

 I, for one, and perhaps many others wished our first efforts looked that good.


----------



## ltmon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I, for one, and perhaps many others wished our first efforts looked that good._

 

There's a reason I didn't post a picture of the internals 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Did you see my question in the last post? Just wondering what you use a 3-channel amp for is all


----------



## chobint

My most recent build: TPA Buffalo


 

 


 

 


 



 My first build: Cavalli Bijou










 edit: found an old broken Emerson and a working JVC JR-S400 in the dumpster next to my house...so now I have an excellent radio tuner and some vintage aluminum knobbies for my amp lol...


----------



## -=Germania=-

ltmon, it is an active ground channel. 
 Though, still count it as a WIP for reasons explained earlier.


----------



## m0b1liz3

chobint, what will you do with those towers? will they be mounted vertically?


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj257/childofthehorn/Head-fi/9.jpg?t=1223516738
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...g?t=1223516740
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...g?t=1223516746
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...g?t=1223516743
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...g?t=1223516736_

 

Really great work! Both wood, and I am sure internal work..
 Go Girl!


----------



## chobint

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m0b1liz3* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_chobint, what will you do with those towers? will they be mounted vertically?_

 

Ya, the original design concept was intended purely for fashion and not so much for performance or functionality. I wanted to make something unique and vertical, but tall and skinny didn't work very well in that regard so they just sit flat on the table. If I had a chance, I would redo my Bijou in a more typical, symmetrical fashion. That design, subsequently, ended up being a match made in heaven for the Buffalo. The stacking mounting plates in conjunction with stacking PCB's allows for the shortest signal path possible, less than the short side of a dollar bill.


----------



## linuxworks

lots of pics of my build. hope you enjoy or find them useful.

 the parts arrive: 






 I do a test placement to see if the board will really fit: 






 sort out the parts before we begin assembly: 







 some fine soldering has to be done, though: some surface mount chips need to be soldered to their chip-carriers. I'll do these in a little while:






 first stuffing: place all small height components on first, bend leads, clip and solder:






 check underneath for solder bridges and cold joints: 






 now solder the rest of the board components: 






 we still need to solder those REALLY tiny chips to the chip carriers. we start by tinning one lead on the board and moving the chip (by hand) over that wire and joining them iwith the iron (upper left 'elevated' chip platform with silver colored solder near the yellow circle, index-mark):











 and now, one chip is fully soldered: 






 and now the last one is soldered in place in a similar fashion: 






 another check to see if the box still fits around everything: 






 and we do a test run after power it on: 






 I am using this usb-spdif dongle to feed audio from my pc:






 and here's my work-at-home setup with my old trusty DAC and the new pimeta on top.






 construction took about 5 hours for the first time, which included a lot of photo taking, double-checking parts and being extra careful about neatness whenever possible.

 a really enjoyable project that went together flawlessly and worked the first time!

 cheers,

 -- 
 /bryan

Flickr: linux-works' Photostream


----------



## Beefy

Welcome to Head-Fi linuxworks, and an awesome first post. Your photography skills are fantastic, and your organisation skills are just as good


----------



## FallenAngel

Very nice and clean looking build, nice photos as well.


----------



## nsx_23

Hey linuxworks, where did you order all the parts and casing?

 Also, would that be a difficult build for a beginner?


----------



## Lil' Knight

Soldering SMD chip is not a good start for beginner.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Soldering SMD chip is not a good start for beginner._

 

No need to do SMD to do a Pimeta.


----------



## linuxworks

thanks beefy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I took twice as long building this since I had to setup the camera on a tripod, play around with lighting (such as it was) and do a few test/review shots. part of the fun *was* the photography 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /bryan


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice and clean looking build, nice photos as well._

 

thank you


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey linuxworks, where did you order all the parts and casing?

 Also, would that be a difficult build for a beginner?_

 

the lower 2 bags in silver are from tangent (one is a crossfeed kit that I have yet to even build). the other contained an order that included a couple of pimeta boards, a pair of the $3 volume controls (that are meant for this board; or vice versa) and a bunch of chip carriers. also, important, was the matched set of 'it just works' transistors. they were cheap ($2 or less) and so were a no-brainer and obtainable via tangent's shop.

 it looks like I got the last (boo, hiss!) of the buf's from digikey. I went to place another order today and they are out ;( I'm going to try using that LM part and see if its usable. I hate the fact that parts go in and out of stock - that's just nuts.

 other than the BUF chips, the rest was standard stock digikey. even the case is digikey standard. (my next one will be the same case but in translucent blue or red or something - they now have that style - and so I can hide the 'power-on' led behind the bezel and have the whole case light up (slightly) as a power=on indication) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 as to how hard it was - the info on tangent's site is *very* good. it really is all there, but you have to look a few times and keep a few browser windows open to make your way thru assembly. I've been building electronic diy things for almost 40 yrs now but I don't do hardware for a living, if that means anything 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the surface mount stuff was not super easy, to be honest. but you don't *need* to use the soic parts - I just did since it was the easiest and 'most known' config to start with.

 .bl


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cobaltmute* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No need to do SMD to do a Pimeta._

 

for the very first build, I followed tangent's instructions exactly. down to the set of chips to use. they seemed to be only in soic form, though.

 what would the next pick be, in dip8?


----------



## nsx_23

Are all the parts on tangent's website? I only see the boards, volume knobs and a few other bits and pieces.

 I want to start learning DIY audio builds once I finish my uni exams, and was considering building a home amp since I need something to drive my K601s properly. Then again, I could look at a high gain mini3 if they aren't too hard.

 Parts sourcing is an absolute bitch in Australia though......


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are all the parts on tangent's website? I only see the boards, volume knobs and a few other bits and pieces._

 

that's about it - mostly the boards, volume pots and for me, chip carriers are slightly of interest. the rest comes from elsewhere (all else came from digikey, in my case).

  Quote:


 Parts sourcing is an absolute bitch in Australia though...... 
 

I was looking at some boards for an active filter and its sourced from oz. I decided not to go for it due to expense of shipping, so I hear you ..


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_for the very first build, I followed tangent's instructions exactly. down to the set of chips to use. they seemed to be only in soic form, though.

 what would the next pick be, in dip8?_

 

You may want to check the lists here and here

 I just switched over to the OPA2107 from the OPA2227 and am finding the sound quite nice out of my Pimeta.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_it looks like I got the last (boo, hiss!) of the buf's from digikey. I went to place another order today and they are out ;( I'm going to try using that LM part and see if its usable. I hate the fact that parts go in and out of stock - that's just nuts.
 .bl_

 

The BUF634's have been on backorder with most suppliers for several months. In July, Digikey seemed to have the stock coming in that just came and went, Mouser is listing next April as the next available stock (they used to be listing it as February. It just seems to be that TI is not meeting demand on this chip. 

 There are a few different ways to deal with it if you want to go discrete.


----------



## Beefy

I took some photos of my pile-o-DIY last night......

 The wide case at the bottom is my Buffalo DAC. It gets coax from a Cambridge Audio 540Dv2, and optical from my Xbox 360.

 The left and right cases at the top are my S11 power supply and MMM headphone amp. The MMM receives unbalanced output from the Buffalo.

 The middle case at the top is my Millett Hybrid Max. It is fed from the Rec-Mon of my 540Av2 speaker amplifier.


----------



## _atari_

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_the lower 2 bags in silver are from tangent (one is a crossfeed kit that I have yet to even build). [...]

 other than the BUF chips, the rest was standard stock digikey. even the case is digikey standard.
 [...]


 .bl_

 

What are the blue resistors (with the number code - not the color code? The smaller ones?) The look interesting.

 thanks

 _atari_


----------



## Ferrari

The casework for my proto Bijou has come to an end, about 10 months after the amp was playing music for the first time. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












 Amp at day light










 ... the internal






 ... and a night shot.


----------



## Lil' Knight

I can't say any word ....


----------



## J.D.N

Farrari, that is one hell of an impressive amp. Don't supposed you'd mind giving us a rough run of costs would you? And some internal shots maybe?


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind words gents!

*J.D.N*, I haven’t keep track of the cost, but it’s probably in north region of US$1000. 
 Since this amp was built with a personal touch, the cost is a bit higher than all the (more or less standard) Bijou amps you often see around here. BTW, I have added a couple of internal pics here.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The casework for my proto Bijou has come to an end, about 10 months after the amp was playing music for the first time. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Great work!
 Looks like a well made and solid amplifier.


----------



## jordanross

*Ferrari* Nothing can come out of my mouth, just drool...
 Simply beautiful.


----------



## -=Germania=-

Those film caps had to have been a few hundred....plus those nice transformer and those other large caps. I can see where that number came from!

 Ferrari, your builds are actually nicer than quite a few professional outfits. A little glitzy, but extremely well done inside and out. 

 Wow - ever think of building a SSMH? It would be interesting to see your take on it.


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The casework for my proto Bijou has come to an end, about 10 months after the amp was playing music for the first time._

 

About bloody time, you lazy ****. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ( and yes I am allowed to say this as the proto in my closet is finally finding a home too - not a Dutch palace, more of a homey cottage 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) ..dB


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The casework for my proto Bijou has come to an end, about 10 months after the amp was playing music for the first time. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yeah, nice one Ferrari, nobody is ever going to build a Bijou after that...... everyone now knows they will only hit disappointment when compared to your efforts!


----------



## Ech0

Ferrari, always enjoy seeing your work. This my be my favorite amp build of yours since coming to Head-Fi. Looks fantastic. 

 A different style of case this time perhaps?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, nice one Ferrari, nobody is ever going to build a Bijou after that...... everyone now knows they will only hit disappointment when compared to your efforts! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

LOL, I was just hoping for the opposite to be happen… the same way it was happened to me a couple of years ago, before I joined Head-Fi in 2006.

 At that time, I didn’t know any thing about this DIY-legend, but his marvelous Dynahi has inspired me to try some DIY headphone amps. Of course, not to build a Dynahi and to copy his build, but to do something I truly belief in, to _create good sounding and looking amps_ to listen to music the way I want to… just enjoying music at its best (or as good as it can get).

 It’s a great honor to know that some people like my style, however I really hope that it will not influence anyone in a negative way!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_... ever think of building a SSMH? It would be interesting to see your take on it._

 

Maybe if I was a student. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Actually, I have tried my best to get my hands off from too many builds lately and to focus mainly on my β24 power amp, which has been waiting too long to be completed.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, always enjoy seeing your work. This my be my favorite amp build of yours since coming to Head-Fi. Looks fantastic. 

*A different style of case this time perhaps*?_

 

Thanks! Regarding a different style of casing... not really, it's one of my favourite enclosure from HiFi-2000 with a 10mm silver faceplate, milled by Schaeffer AG (PFE Germany). The back-lighting knops jazz the amp up a bit.


----------



## tomb

This was posted in the "Comments on my PCM2702 DAC Layout?" thread - a Cable DAC version I built of the new BantamDAC (BantamCableDAC):


----------



## m0b1liz3

cool, shall that be available as a kit soon??


----------



## Fitz

Nice one, Tom. That's a good idea to eliminate a few unnecessary connections.


----------



## gorgak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Proto Bijou_

 

My god, its....beautiful.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *_atari_* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What are the blue resistors (with the number code - not the color code? The smaller ones?) The look interesting.

 thanks

 _atari__

 


 those are vishay's in 1/4w 1% size from digikey. rn55 size.

 sample: cmf4.32kqfct-nd (digikey #)

 they sure look nice, don't they? I was careful to align them with all their labels facing up as best I could. takes more time but you build it once and listen to it (sometimes look at it) many times 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 they are about $0.29 each. not cheap but not anything to break the bank.


----------



## cobaltmute

As the CMF50's as opposed to the CMF55. They do look nice in blue.


----------



## linuxworks

here's tonite's build, fresh off the soldering iron:











 its a pimeta (still; but its my 2nd one) with the soic buffers soldered underneath (with NO 220ohm resistors and with 'leg 5 lifted' since this is not a BB BUF chip but the actual BUYABLE parts, lol).

 it has the class-A mod, as well.

 the rail caps are some nice pany caps that I found at a local surplus shop. almost all caps I use these days say 'japan' or have the 'M' logo on them.

 the volume pot is stolen from a 15 yr old broken sony cd player. the pot and motor are still good and the pinout was exactly what the pany 'inline' style called for, so ribbon cable made easy work of it.

 I also used one of tangent's power supply modules. the torroid is a dual 12 and I'm using 1 winding for this (so far).

 its still far from complete but the guts of it are there and it sounds quite good.

 the fun is when I add an IR receiver board and some relays to move that motor/pot. that will be a kick 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .bl


----------



## linuxworks

what it looks like at this point:






 been testing the analog section (PS and amp) and it sounds really great to me. I have no complaints about its sound quality - and so the next step is to install an IR rx module and some switching relays or transistors for the motor. and one more hole to drill to let the IR in. kind of messes up my nice front panel but I need an IR window and so what can I do .. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .bl


----------



## Mazuki

Nice case, where did you get it?


----------



## amb

Looks like an LMB enclosure, commonly available from electronics parts stores. I've used them quite a bit in the past for small projects. They come in various sizes and shapes.


----------



## linuxworks

yes, its LMB:

 cr 632 (crown royal)

 6.25" length
 3.5" width
 1.125" height

 probably in the $15 range (mine was $10 but it was a few years old and these things go up *insanely* in price).


----------



## linuxworks

in action, in one of my equipment shelves:






 the setup is a 'mocha' DTS/DD5.1/spdif DAC going into my new pimeta phones amp. from there the audio either goes to the phones or if you unplug the phones, the audio continues on to the behringer a500 amp. that amp drives some maggies (the cheap mailorder $500 pair ones).

 I used to have a boring old yamaha 'all in one' box that did all this. now, I have a better DAC, no real preamp (no need), no tuner (no need), all my sources are now digital - and once they get converted to analog they go to my stereo amp or to my headphones. pretty simple. I run in 2.1 mode with a velo. as a sub off in the corner somewhere.

 when I added the 'cut the spkrs/amp out' switch to my phones DIY box, I could get rid of the last ugly switchbox I had and now my 'stack' is simpler and less cluttered.

 the IR remote in the phono was from an online kits place (I forget the one) and it included the prebuilt IR sender and a bag of parts (not even a pc board) and preprogrammed chip for receiver. that remote has the bottom 2 buttons mapped to the motorized pot for volume up/down. sort of a waste of a multi-button remote, but hey, all it NEEDED was vol up/down 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 not pictured: a popcorn hour box. its one of the spdif sources to all this and its on the shelf above. also not pictured is a DTV tivo with opto spdif out. that's my other digital source going into the DAC box.


----------



## Fitz

Two Alps RK40s modified into a single 4-gang potentiometer for a balanced amp.


----------



## MASantos

Fitz, would you mind sharing some details on how you did this mod?


----------



## FallenAngel

This was a very busy weekend for me, lots of modding and building. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 For the building, it'll have to wait a couple of weeks to finish some casework, but the modding I can share now.

 I modded both of my DACs, NorthStar m192 and Forte F-50a. I rewired the coax S/PDIF input with real coax cable and replaced one of the RCA inputs with a real 75-ohm BNC.
 The analog output stage of the Forte-F50a (which is truly balanced, with the unbalanced output directly running off the balanced outputs) has 4 single-channel opamps in it. I replaced them all with socketed OPA627s (the funniest story, I had 5 OPA627s arrive after being in the mail system for over 2 years!)

 NorthStar m192 DAC






 Forte F-50a DAC






 The BNC was to be used with an EMU 0404 PCI that I planned to mod with a hard-wired coax cable with BNC termination. This mod unfortunately didn't work out. The coax cable was so stiff (20awg solid wire) that when I soldered the it to the card, it lifted the trace and took out two SMD parts (a resistor and a cap). 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now I'll be on the hunt for another cheap card with pulse transformer coupled S/PDIF output. That also means I have an "analog-only EMU 0404 PCI" left around, that I'll post for-sale for cheap.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fitz, would you mind sharing some details on how you did this mod?_

 

Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the process, as I did it on a whim and wasn't entirely sure if it would work out, but I'll try to explain how I did it, which may not be the best or most efficient way since I was making it up as I went along.

 First you need to dismantle both of the RK40s, which involves removing the back cover piece and grinding down a lip on the main shaft, so that you can pry off the retaining ring and break everything down into its basic components. You can test fit the metal shell to get an idea of how long the shaft will need to be, using the front panel, four middle sections, and one back cover.

 Cut the shaft off the extra front panel, and notch it so that it can fit over the tapered end of the other shaft. Use some slow setting epoxy (like JB Weld) to attach the two pieces together, and set them as perfectly straight as possible (you'll have to get creative here, I ended up using a variety of things to adjust the angle of the pieces including pieces of paper and guitar picks). This is the most important step, as even a slight misalignment will result in problems getting the wipers to line up with the tracks properly, which is why I recommend using a slow setting epoxy that gives you plenty of time to make minute adjustments until it's as perfect as you can get it. Once the epoxy has set enough to handle, file or grind it down to match the shape of the shaft, and test fit it in the metal shell (but without the back cover). Be careful when handling it as it has very little mechanical strength at this point. As you turn the shaft from the front, the back end with the extension should stay pretty well centered over the entire rotation. If it's moving all over the place, go ahead and snap the two pieces apart and redo the process. If it stays perfectly centered, or is only very slightly off, you can proceed with strengthening the extension on the shaft.

 What I did to give the joint some actual mechanical strength was to cut a groove lengthwise on one of the flat sides of the shaft, most of the way down the length and about halfway deep. Then I put a small steel rod (actually a tiny drill bit, very cheap and the perfect size) inside the groove and epoxied it in. Let the epoxy cure fully before moving on, and once it has file or grind it down flat so the wipers will still be able to slide onto it.

 Before you can reassemble everything, you also have to create a spacer to go between the front two and back two wipers. There's two kinds of wipers, differing by how the spacers are on them, and I'll call the one on the front by the knob A and the one on the back B. You'll end up assembling them A, B, A, B, like two pots sitting in line with each other. If you hold the wipers together by themselves, you'll see the middle two are much closer, and you need to make the spacer thick enough to increase the gap to match the others. This can be done however you like, but what I did was wrap some tape around the shaft of a drill bit, and smeared some quick setting epoxy around it. Once it set for a bit, I put the drill bit in my drill press backwards, and held a file to it while it spun, to make the outer edge nice and round. Then I pulled it off the drill bit and tape, and filed the top and bottom edges down until it was the right height.

 With the spacer made (and test fitted), you can start assembling the new pot. This is also a perfect time to clean the wipers/tracks and add some faderlube. Assembly should be very straightforward, as everything fits together in a fairly obvious manner. On the back two wipers, as you put them on spin the shaft back and forth a few time to observe the alignment. If the shaft wasn't perfectly straight, you may need to bend the prongs on the wiper assembly to one side or the other (just a gentle nudge with a small screwdriver will usually accomplish it), although it shouldn't need more than 1mm of adjustment.

 When you finish putting it all together, you can optionally add a dab of epoxy to lock the last wiper in place against the shaft (in lieu of the original retaining ring), although it's not strictly necessary since the wipers stay in place pretty good on their own. Now you only need some longer screws to close the shell back up, and I chose to retap the back piece for 4-40 screws instead of whatever was originally used, as they'll be much easier to find in such a long length.


----------



## swt61

Can you translate that into Portuguese for me?


 Very clever work Fitz, but I'm not the least surprised.


----------



## Fitz

Well, I'm trying to just get this damn amp finished already, and I really wasn't thrilled with the added time and cost to design a relay-based volume control like I was planning, not to mention it would take up a lot of valuable space in the enclosure I want to use (read: the enclosure I bought cheaply a long time ago). You'd be amazed how creative you can get when you have motivating factors like those.


----------



## ls206

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_

_

 

Very nice


----------



## bhjazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The casework for my proto Bijou has come to an end, about 10 months after the amp was playing music for the first time. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

Wowzers! Totally amazing. Who wouldn't want to see that beauty every day? 

 Excellent!


----------



## FallenAngel

I have been doing some modding to my PC transports. Here is is insight into the journey.

*ChainTech AV-710*
 This is a great budget soundcard. It offers bit-perfect optical S/PDIF and sports a Wolfson WM8728 DAC.

 Lots of mods, mostly input/output regulator caps, DAC PSU caps. The best is obviously the DAC output caps - Muse ES bypassed by Vitamin Q.







*EMU 0404 PCI*
 This card is said to have a very good implementation of coax S/PDIF (nice 75179 pulse transformer). I ripped out the DB15 connector and hard-wired a real coax S/PDIF cable to the output, terminated with BNC.





*ESI Juli@*
 This card has one awesome trick - it allows you to disconnect the DAC board and get direct access to the output of the PCI interface (VIA Envy24HT-S / VT1721). I cut a Cat5e cable and tapped the I2S output from the card. This is now my main transport driving the I2S input of the North Star m192 DAC.





 If anybody has an ESI Juli@ and NorthStar m192 DAC, I strongly recommend this as connection. I have an extra breakout cable that I will send to whoever has this combo.


----------



## TzeYang

CMOY with internal regulator and trickle charger I built for a user in my country's local forum.


----------



## S3am

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_CMOY with internal regulator and trickle charger I built for a user in my country's local forum.



_

 

Impressive! What opamp did You use?


----------



## TzeYang

OPA2227 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I don't know if there's anything better for the CMOY. Any suggestions? I'm usually very impatient when it comes to listening to opamps critically to find out which one's good lol.


----------



## -=Germania=-

Nice work FallenAngel!


----------



## linuxworks

and to show that it works under linux, here's a 'lsusb -v' (list usb verbose) output:







 I am SO surprised that I was able to build this! my eyes are not what they used to be (I'm middle-aged) and it was really challenging to solder this with almost no SMD work experience. I've been doing thru-hole work for over 30 yrs but not really any SMD until right now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 plugged it in, looked at my opcom terminal and I see 'burr brown japan' saying hello. hey, that must be my new dac! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 thanks to the project team for putting this together. very cost effective DIY.

 /bryan


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bhjazz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wowzers! Totally amazing. Who wouldn't want to see that beauty every day? 

 Excellent!_

 

Thanks! I do enjoy my Bijou everyday.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_OPA2227 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I don't know if there's anything better for the CMOY. Any suggestions? I'm usually very impatient when it comes to listening to opamps critically to find out which one's good lol._

 

I put 2x OPA227 into my first cmoy and then put OPA2227/OPA227 into my Pimeta. When I put an OPA2107 in to replace the OPA2227, I've been amazed.

 I found this list but you always have to weight someone comments with compared to your own impression of the same op-amps.


----------



## ls206

Nice going linuxworks, how does it sound?


----------



## TzeYang

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cobaltmute* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I put 2x OPA227 into my first cmoy and then put OPA2227/OPA227 into my Pimeta. When I put an OPA2107 in to replace the OPA2227, I've been amazed.

 I found this list but you always have to weight someone comments with compared to your own impression of the same op-amps._

 

thanks

 The OPA2107 is too unforgiving due to it's high voltage requirements.

 I'm looking for a single 9V solution, which apparently, not many opamps give that kind of luxury.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks

 The OPA2107 is too unforgiving due to it's high voltage requirements.

 I'm looking for a single 9V solution, which apparently, not many opamps give that kind of luxury._

 

I forget about that. My CMOY is 2x9v and my Pimeta is 12xAAA


----------



## PhoxHound

Ferrari, may I please buy your life (and your amp)


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ls206* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice going linuxworks, how does it sound?_

 

no real complaints so far


----------



## ls206

cool stuff 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Those close up pictures always make the soldering look a lot easier than it is! very deceiving


----------



## DaMnEd

My first DIY job:


----------



## sandbasser

DaMnEd - 

 Looks great. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

 I just finished a Mini3 myself. And I have a couple of questions (PMing them to you).

 Regards,


----------



## Lil' Knight

Your mini3 looks really clean and neat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Very nice first job!


----------



## japc

@DaMnEd:

 Those anoying lens shadows on SLR flash pics... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Great setup anyway.


----------



## linuxworks

advice on those shadows:

 1) remove lens hood or shade
 2) step back more and use the lens zoom feature to get closer. that way you let more light in and let the camera block light LESS
 3) don't use flash. use a tripod and put the camera on self-timer to get a clean shot.
 4) process 'the rest' out using some kind of shadow/highlight tool (most photo editors have something that does this)

 hth.


----------



## DaMnEd

Thanks guys,

 I didn't pay much attention/care to the shots (obviously ), didn't use a SLR btw, just a Canon SX110 (serves me well just the same 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).

 Next project will be the MiniMAX, I'll post a few shots as I'm building and when finished, I promise better ones!


----------



## MusicallySilent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaMnEd* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks guys,

 I didn't pay much attention/care to the shots (obviously ), didn't use a SLR btw, just a Canon SX110 (serves me well just the same 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).

 Next project will the the MiniMAX, I'll post a few shots as I'm building and when finished, I promise better ones! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I have the S3IS, its half-sibling those cameras are like mini SLRs with how their flashes pop up over the thing itself, you should be able to get comparable shots at full zoom and about 36' away with less lens shadow, they are practically like slrs, the flash pops up lower, and the lens is a little shorter.

 Nice shots never the less.


----------



## vattern

Another Bantam lives :


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_no real complaints so far 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

been using the bantam dac the last few days.

 I have not found a foolproof and easy way to disable windows kmixer and so I am not convinced I'm getting 'bit perfect' sound from this usb dac in xp. last time I tried removing kmixer, I borked my win-xp box's sound subsystem and it would never come back. it would see devices (like this) but some wdm middle layer is now gone and not (soon) coming back ;(

 otoh, linux audio via usb is actually quite simple and good 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 no '48k rule' on linux like there is on windows so no fear of resampling 'because bill says so' (grin). I can trust the unix drivers not to fark with me (lol).

 so I've been booting back to linux on my workstation just to test this dac out. its funny to see it keep coming up as 'burr-brown japan speakers' but that's how it id's itself to usb hosts 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 other than having a lower than normal line-out level (I bet its meant to be buffered?) I have no complaints about the hardware device. just beware that if you're listening to this via windows, you are probably NOT getting 'your bits worth' unless you really know windows kernel-audio (asio?) config magic and bypass kmixer. fwiw.


----------



## bperboy

^^ 
 I'll be building one of these in the next few weeks, and I'm pretty sure usb dacs like the PCM2702 usually are bit-perfect in Mac OS as well.. TomB or anyone else please correct me if I'm wrong...


----------



## linuxworks

yes, mac-os will also NOT resample all things to 48k like windows does.

 not sure if it was a creative (invented) thing or an MS mixer thing but its a known 'wart' about windows and their 'resample to 48k' pain-in-the-*****.

 since its pretty much a 'windows thing' to do forced resampling, all unix and mac should be free of this.


----------



## ls206

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_yes, mac-os will also NOT resample all things to 48k like windows does.

 not sure if it was a creative (invented) thing or an MS mixer thing but its a known 'wart' about windows and their 'resample to 48k' pain-in-the-*****.

 since its pretty much a 'windows thing' to do forced resampling, all unix and mac should be free of this._

 

Is there a way to bypass windows' re-sampling?


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ just beware that if you're listening to this via windows, you are probably NOT getting 'your bits worth' unless you really know windows kernel-audio (asio?) config magic and bypass kmixer. fwiw._

 

Just installed the ASIO4ALL install on Windows and setup with foobar2000 is trivial.


----------



## mojo

The Kernel Streaming plug-in for WinAMP works very well too, and requires almost zero effort to set up.


----------



## linuxworks

the thing is, you need PLUGINS for your clients. things don't 'just plain work' when you move away from kmixer. apps have to 'know' about asio.

 how do I get my fave client (MPC) to work with asio? that is what I've not been able to find out. I use the latest 'cinema' MPC if that matters. I've also tried VLC but again, its a different client and so it needs diff hacks to work with asio and I don't know those.


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


 the thing is, you need PLUGINS for your clients. things don't 'just plain work' when you move away from kmixer. 
 

Pick the right client and it will. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





foobar2000: Download foobar2000 and optional components


 ls206: your X-Fi card has native support for ASIO, you don't need ASIO4ALL, in fact you could even skip ASIO because Kernal Streaming gets you to the same place with even less eforrt.


----------



## ls206

ah, thanks MisterX, didn't realise. Would I have to use winamp to make use of the kernal streaming?
 I guess ASIO is the way to go with iTunes?


----------



## mojo

WinAMP can use ASIO or Kernel Streaming, there are plug-ins for both.

 iTunes is generally rubbish for sound quality, and does not support ASIO or Kernel Streaming at all. If you like the interface Media Monkey is somewhat similar and uses WinAMP plug-ins, or if you like pain there is always Foobar2000.


----------



## ls206

Cheers mojo, I actually use it because of my iPod...I had to update it and kinda just stuck. Is it just the playback that is worse quality? I've imported a lot of through iTunes...


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ls206* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cheers mojo, I actually use it because of my iPod...I had to update it and kinda just stuck. Is it just the playback that is worse quality? I've imported a lot of through iTunes..._

 

I use my iPod with WinAMP. You used to be able to do software updates without iTunes, but I think you have to use it now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Mine is a 3rd gen though so the last update was many moons ago.

 iTunes is really bad in a lot of ways. Playback quality is much worse. It's bloated and slow. The AAC format it uses by default is not as good as LAME encoded MP3s or FLAC, and the MP3 decoder is not as good as the ones available for WinAMP.

 The sound levelling feature, whatever it's called, is crap too. ReplayGain is much better and with WinAMP it is supported on the iPod too.

 There are also annoyances like not being able to copy music off the iPod, or iTunes deleting music off the iPod because it's no longer in the library, or having to laboriously select all the stuff you want synced from a large library and unselect stuff when you want to remove it etc.

 Tagging features are also rubbish compared to WinAMP, or even better a power tool like Tag&Rename.

 There is a way to make iTunes output via Foobar, but it's a hack and you might as well just use WinAMP.


----------



## linuxworks

PPA v1 in-progress:






 missing some resistors (I think that's all I'm missing from my parts bin for this project). can you believe it - waiting on stupid old resistors... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 maybe they'll be in tomorrow's mail.

 (photo: oly e330, zuiko 50mm f2.0 macro lens, raw capture, PSE6 for PP)

 added: behind-the-scenes shot showing the vise and magnifier that I now use.






 still very much a 'kitchen table' effort, LOL.


----------



## bmwpowere36m3

Not much, but my first DIY amp build. A CMoY that I slightly deviated from tangent's original plans...











 I'm pleased with this build, but already looking for the next better build. Any recommendations, I only use IEM's currently?


----------



## rockcod

Here are some picts of a fully balanced Beta 22 w/ Sigma 22 I just finished for someone.

http://ybmaudio.com/images/beta22/beta22.16.jpg
http://ybmaudio.com/images/beta22/beta22.13.jpg
http://ybmaudio.com/images/beta22/beta22.14.jpg
http://ybmaudio.com/images/beta22/beta22.10.jpg
http://ybmaudio.com/images/beta22/beta22.9.jpg


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rockcod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here are some picts of a fully balanced Beta 22 w/ Sigma 22 I just finished for someone._

 

super nice!

 what's the rough cost (or price - your choice) on that?


----------



## rockcod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_super nice!

 what's the rough cost (or price - your choice) on that? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

Sorry, I cannot reveal the price.


----------



## linuxworks

for your viewing pleasure I present to you a work-in-progress.

 my first PPA(v1) amp:






 details:











 and this is how that old box started out in life:






 I went to a used music store and they had this semi-cheap rackmount there that I thought I might be able to use. this was something like $15 (they said it was working but the unit didn't work when I tried it at home).

 no matter, I used the box 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and some of the nice red wima's - I stole those from the board, and those nice TRS jacks, too. stole all I could from that board and then left it for dead 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I don't have the bass boost hooked up yet on the PPA. there's a control for it, as you can see, but nothing connected. there's also MOTOR POTS but no motor control. yet. and that would also mean some kind of remote control. soon...

 there aren't even rear jacks mounted yet. just pigtails of rcas in fake gold 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but its 100% functional and sounds great!

 the power supply is a TREAD and its using some overkill of a torroid. found it at a local junk shop for a song (ha, that was a joke). its 17vac per winding and I'm using 1 winding to get a bit over 20v into the PPA.

 oh, there will also be a crossfeed board installed. somewhere. eventually.

 the box was used except for the front panel. for that I removed it, took it to TAP plastics and had them cut a few 1U rack sized fronts from cheap easy-to-work plastic. its VERY easy to work. shows no fingerprints and even hides a lot of mistakes. good for prototyping. the panels costed me $1 each and they cut them to size while I wait. eventually I'll go with front panel express but for now, $1 plastic fronts are just fine.

 what really amazed me was how the PPA fit into this 1U pro-audio rack box with NO room to spare. wow.

 the pot wiring was kept short. I lucked out with my knob positioning. the power supply is also very short as I put the TREAD close to the power-in of the PPA.

 the case is set at audio-in ground even though I have a green-wire (3rd wire) ground available thru that IEC socket. not sure what to do but my gut says to float all connectors and green-ground the chassis. I might do that.

 all that took me the better part of today. I had the PPA assembled a day before (took most of THAT day, too).


 update: new status:






 its not at v1.0 level (by my version numbering). all manual features work, including volume and bass. I love that bass control - it changes enough of the lower end to really balance out my hd-580's and give a lot more warmth to them!

 there are now gold rca jacks on the back instead of the wire hanging out the rear 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 these were MTG-12 and were directly chassis mounted (to metal). I decided to go for audio-in as chassis ground.

 so, currently, v1.0 is a basic PPA. all boxed up and wired and fully working.

 v1.1 will have a crossfeed board (tangent's) installed.

 v1.2 will have some kind of motor control over IR or possibly RF.

 so, stay tuned for more... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 update again: cut down the pot shafts so they don't stick out and the knobs now hide the mounting nuts.

 also did some hand lettering (datak rub-on dry transfer letters) just to dress it up a bit. each letter was transferred one by one! quite laborious. I really wish the labelling part was a bit easier..

 shown in my stereo cabinet along with my re-faced behringer a500 amp (bottom) and not-yet-refaced rane active crossover.


----------



## joneeboi

Why does it seem I always post right next to the giants? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My Millett Starving Student built as a cathartic distraction from school.






 Notice the fine attention to detail and overall neatness of the layout.


----------



## dBel84

This is the proto Bijou finally cased up. I second linuxworks approach for re-using chassis and picked up a router case from a surplus store, harvested the perforated section from a power supply which I hacked up and it just took me an awful long time to give this gem it's dues. 

 Still a little work to be done but this is the general idea






 PSU section open






 back






 innards






 - stepped attenuator wrapped in rubber sheet to prevent unwanted shorting with the case which is not very deep.


 ..dB


----------



## chobint

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is the proto Bijou finally cased up..._

 

The wood is a nice touch. Got any bigger pics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




?


----------



## philodox

I think you should just leave the PSU naked on that Bijou. Did you consider staining/finishing the wood?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is the proto Bijou finally cased up._

 

no its not. that's my soldering iron in the background!

 yeah, I noticed that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 also, mine was having a lot of intermittent problems. replacing the pot was cheap and easy to do. and no, no audio-taper is needed on the LED soldering iron pot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 just wish that iron was more reliable - I have to fight with it all the time. price was right, though, on that iron.

 as for your build (grin) - I agree, add some stain to the wood. I assume you plan to?


----------



## malldian

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_for your viewing pleasure I present to you a work-in-progress.




_

 

AWESOME!


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *philodox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think you should just leave the PSU naked on that Bijou. Did you consider staining/finishing the wood?_

 

Wood has already been stained in light oak - last thing I did last night. 

 as for leaving the psu open - not likely with those voltages floating around. Kids and pets don't get that some things shouldn't be touched. The amp is is also not going to be staying with me, it is for a friend who has been patiently waiting while I got my act together. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_no its not. that's my soldering iron in the background!.... mine was having a lot of intermittent problems. replacing the pot was cheap and easy to do. and no, no audio-taper is needed on the LED soldering iron pot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 just wish that iron was more reliable - I have to fight with it all the time._

 

curious - mine has been a solid performer for the past 5 odd years. The tip is finally showing signs of wear but other than that, I have had no problems with it at all. 

 ..dB


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is the proto Bijou finally cased up.
 ...dB_

 

Finally there is someone who is slower than I am in finishing the casework for his proto Bijou. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Well done, BTW.


----------



## grendel23

I just finished my SOHA II. I used the straight BOM, no boutique parts. I used a hammertone paint. I didn't expect the birdseye effect, but I liked it once I saw it.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grendel23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just finished my SOHA II. I used the straight BOM, no boutique parts. I used a hammertone paint. I didn't expect the birdseye effect, but I liked it once I saw it._

 

Wellcome to Head-Fi. A bit unsusual but very nice painting work.
 Hope you enjoy the SOHA II sound too.


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grendel23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just finished my SOHA II. I used the straight BOM, no boutique parts. I used a hammertone paint. I didn't expect the birdseye effect, but I liked it once I saw it._

 

congratulations, I too like that paint effect..dB


----------



## nikongod

I finished my project.









 This amp has been "brewing" in my mind for quite some time. I finally decided to build it, and am happy with the hour or so of music it has put out thus far. 

 It is fully balanced from input to output. The pot is a 2-deck noble in a balanced shunt configuration. I finally got the attenuation "right" and can swing the pot way past 9'o-clock comfortably. pots are not well balanced chan-chan below 1/3 swing...

 The gain stage is a long-tail-pair with a CCS for the tail. At the moment, the plate resistors are SLIGHTLY lower impedance than what I should have used.

 The output stage is a white-cathode-follower with external phase splitter. 

 For various reasons the amp MUST have at least 1pr of 6sn7 in it (the tubes in the way back) but there is some flexibility for the others.

 The power supply has a big-fat 20 henry choke in it, and is a fake-dual-mono, with many duplicated stages.

 EDITED:
 all of the output jacks work.
 the 4-pin for those of us with the superior connector
 2X3-pin for those of us with the "other balanced connectors.
 the "left" 1/4" TRS is straight, 0-ohm output.
 the "right" 1/4" TRS is a 120-ohm output.


----------



## n_maher

Congrats Ari, looks GREAT! I hope to give it a listen in NYC in a month or so.


----------



## cobaltmute

gamma1 prototype - usb lite configuration

 dac board:






 USB board





 need to get some flux cleaner to get that flux off, isopropyl alcohol does not take this flux off worth crap.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *malldian* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_AWESOME!_

 

thanks man


----------



## JamesL

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cobaltmute* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_gamma1 prototype - usb lite configuration_

 

Another one - full configuration. 









 Ti and Marshall really put together some amazing work.


----------



## Uncle Erik

After doing a lot of nitpicky (but necessary) little things the past few weeks, I got around to an early dry fit of the Brute Force tonight:




































 There's still more work to do. A Neutrik jack is going on the front panel and the IEC jack will go on the back. I still need to drill and tap the holes to screw the top, sides, interior, and bottom together. And you might have noticed that the four tubes up front are just set in there. The hole saw cuts a 1" hole which is just barely not enough for the sockets to fit. I only had time to trim out the other four before it got dark.

 Changes from the last photo set include moving the tube plates up top. I tried to make them recessed into the top, but that just wasn't going to look right. I initially cut the holes out with a jigsaw, then spent several hours trying to square them up with files. That was going to take way too long, so I recut all the mounting panels from 1/16" aluminum and put them up top.

 The good news is that everything fits and I didn't screw up anything I can't fix.

 I'm busy next weekend, but should be able to finish the minor casework then. After that, I'll spend a weekend sanding, detailing and polishing the case. I've been experimenting with ways to inexpensively polish aluminum by hand.

 Anyhow, I'll post pics as I go along. I'm hoping I can use it to provide extra heat in the bedroom by December!


----------



## dBel84

Kudus to you, Uncle Erik, that is an absolute work of art..dB


----------



## TimJo

Boy oh boy, Uncle Erik, that amp looks great. The stack of venting plates on the sides turned out really nice. It kind of has an art deco look to it. Great work!


----------



## malldian

Erik, if you dont mind, where will that be in your set up and how much did it cost?


----------



## Lil' Knight

Erik, it does look awesome!


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Uncle Erik* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After doing a lot of nitpicky (but necessary) little things the past few weeks, I got around to an early dry fit of the Brute Force tonight:_

 

Yeah, what a great looking amplifier.


----------



## Uncle Erik

Malldian - I'll put it in the headphone amp rack, which will be the next project. I've had a big stick of Purpleheart in the garage for a few years, looking for a project. I think I'll use it for the amps as well as pick up a Shallco selector switch so I can switch between amps.

 The cost hasn't been that bad. That's Hammond iron (I repainted the covers) and was about $150 for the three. The main aluminum plate was a 3/8" thick offcut I found on eBay for $35. Probably another $100 for the rest of the aluminum. The caps and resistors are from Michael Percy and cost around $75, though you could get good ones at Digikey or Mouser for $30. Then another $100 for the Alps pot, Cardas jacks, knob, fuse holder, IEC jack, switch, lamp, and Neutrik jack. Maybe another $50 for screws, bolts, threaded rods and other parts. So not too bad.

 Oh, the tubes are pretty common and run $6-$12 NOS. Can't remember exactly what I paid, because I bought a number of them in bunches at swapmeets and old electronics stores.

 I've been documenting the build along the way. I have photos of most of the layout, cutting, drilling, and shaping. I'm going to take photos of the wiring step-by-step, too.

 The plan is to do a writeup from start to finish with the dimensions and instructions. Most tube amp projects just have the schematics and circuit description, the only full build guides (that I know of) are for the CMoy and Dynalo. There should be a build guide for an all tube amp. While not inexpensive, Hammond iron is reasonable and available. The tubes are reasonable and easy to find. Of the DIY plans I've gone through, this is one of the few that has reasonable, accessible parts and a pretty straightforward circuit. I'd like to see more people build amps like this, so a writeup might help.


----------



## MusicallySilent

Very nice amp Erik, I really couldnt picture it when you had just cut the venting holes.

 Personally not my style, but that is in no way saying it looks bad, it is very nice looking and excellent work, just not what trips my trigger. (excuse the cliche)


----------



## FallenAngel

Just finished the first of the two SOHA II prototypes I have been playing with; both with the updated HV supply. Only thing left is waiting for the metal screen for the top. This one is a dual case solution so as to fit a beefy IEC inlet with built-in AC line filter and to keep the transformer as far away from the amp as possible. Fairly standard build, just tagged on a stepped attenuator and Vitamin Q coupling caps. It sounds really good.


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished the first of the two SOHA II prototypes_

 






 oh jeez. I was still going to etch up those HV boards - just as well you were not waiting on me. 

 Great work BTW - it all finishes up so neatly..dB


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 oh jeez. I was still going to etch up those HV boards - just as well you were not waiting on me. 

 Great work BTW - it all finishes up so neatly..dB_

 

Thanks

 No worries about etching the board, at least for me, I got the layout to be as simple as possible.


----------



## FallenAngel

Just because I rearranged my desk and system today, I wanted to take a photo and share it since it'll likely never be this clean again. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The result (maybe for another few months) of 2 years of Head-Fi - my current system (and cleanest desk in ages).

 Source: ESI Juli@ with custom I2S breakout cable
 DAC: North Star m192 DAC
 Amp #1 : Beta22 for MarkL Denon D5000 & Sennheiser HD650 with Jena cable
 Amp #2 : Heavily modded Melos for Grado RS-1
 DIY integrated GainClone for Omega Grande 6R speakers

 *Speakers not hooked up yet, just rearranged system and my Cardas speaker cables no longer reach.


----------



## qusp

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JamesL* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another one - full configuration. 


 Ti and Marshall really put together some amazing work._

 

wow i'm so keen on this Y1 its not funny; it should be ready for full relese just after i've finished my bantam project and everything associated with that. cant wait its just what i've been looking for. Any impressions as yet? how does the dac board perform?? the spdif is what i'm most interested in. looks real slick BTW


----------



## linuxworks

more bantam dac photos. this is my 2nd bantam dac build.


















 I'm now using a 'wipe solder across leads with hot solder wick' technique 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 seems to give a nice uniform coating of solder, almost machine like. but it really was done by hand with a big clumsy soldering pencil tip.

 I also defluxed the board - found some spray stuff in a can at my 'tronics store and it seems to work well. I guess I'll deflux from now on since it seems pretty easy to do.


----------



## rhys h

Very nice soldering! I still prefer the toaster oven


----------



## Nebby

Finally got around to putting the side panels on for a quick test fit since I'm having some difficulty with the paint (damn Krylon for changing their paint formula while I was in the desert!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) Reason the spacing doesn't look very even is because the panels are literally laying against the sides, being held up by friction alone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Right side:





 Left side:





 Cherry Figure:


----------



## onform

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finally got around to putting the side panels on for a quick test fit since I'm having some difficulty with the paint (damn Krylon for changing their paint formula while I was in the desert!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) Reason the spacing doesn't look very even is because the panels are literally laying against the sides, being held up by friction alone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

What drivers are those??


----------



## swt61

Very nice work Nebby. That really looks fantastic!


----------



## RuiCanela

My first DIY, so please be gentle!............and it works quit good for a total of 28€ of material.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *onform* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What drivers are those??_

 

They are the Apex Jr. 8" subs. I've been listening to them last night, and they're amazingly musical, with pretty decent output no less. Can't wait to finish up the paint, do final assembly and get some measurements of 'em.

 swt61: Thanks! Coming from you it makes me feel like I did alright with the woodworking


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *RuiCanela* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first DIY, so please be gentle!............and it works quit good for a total of 28€ of material._

 

Nice work!

 I suggest trying two batteries as it should make a significant difference with your phones.


----------



## Arkku

My first DIY amp; the SOHA II and (slightly modified) power supply, and optional crossfeed filter. The four toggles on the right are for controlling the crossfeed (a true bypass, perspective control, treble compensation and bass compensation). The other toggles are for input/output selection and active/passive mode (the box can be used as a passive volume control and optional crossfeed filter when unpowered).






 Rear panel has two selectable inputs, using switched jacks so that the left can be used alone for stereo or together with the right for mono, and also an alternative miniplug input for convenience on the other input. There are also outputs for pre-amp use (selectable with a front-panel toggle, the headphone output is on the front), and a heater voltage toggle. The power supply case also has a ground lift switch for connecting the audio ground to the mains ground (not at all, through a ground lift circuit or directly—note that the power supply case is always connected to mains ground for safety reasons).






 Before case perforations:





 The large toggle on the power supply is the on/off switch, the first small one toggles power to the tubes (B+ and heaters, for testing and possible future use as a ±15 V supply for something else), and the second small toggle enables operation with higher current tube heaters by eliminating a resistor in the circuit (normally installed to keep the heater regulator from running quite as hot).

 The text on the case is still handwritten, I don't know if I'll do something about that or just leave it.


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 swt61: Thanks! Coming from you it makes me feel like I did alright with the woodworking 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'd say a lot better than just alright!


----------



## linuxworks

hey now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 here's an *application* of a build of mine:






 I built a pimeta a few weeks ago, but just recently got a sandisk sansa e250 (and an 8gig msd card). 

 to customize this to the player I shortened the line-in cable and made it just long enough to fit the line-out of the sansa (phones out, actually). the whole package is pretty tidy in its current form. given that its a flash *card* based player, 'bolting' it to an amp isn't such a big deal - I'll copy songs over via a card reader when I pop the card out.

 its running rockbox and so it plays flac files.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 amp is a basic pimeta with TI buf chips inside. it will probably be another 6mos before I see more new BUF chips (sigh) but this unit has 3 of them


----------



## sandbasser

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_hey now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 here's an *application* of a build of mine:






 I built a pimeta a few weeks ago, but just recently got a sandisk sansa e250 (and an 8gig msd card). 

 to customize this to the player I shortened the line-in cable and made it just long enough to fit the line-out of the sansa (phones out, actually). the whole package is pretty tidy in its current form. given that its a flash *card* based player, 'bolting' it to an amp isn't such a big deal - I'll copy songs over via a card reader when I pop the card out.

 its running rockbox and so it plays flac files.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 amp is a basic pimeta with TI buf chips inside. it will probably be another 6mos before I see more new BUF chips (sigh) but this unit has 3 of them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

linuxworks -

 Very impressive Pimeta (excellent photo + the photos in your sig link are great too)!!! 

 How do you like your Sansa??? 

 I've got a Sansa Fuze (8g + 8g on µSD card), imho very impressive sound quality. I'm gathering parts for a Pimeta and look forward to the build. I'm thinking about building a LOD cable for my Fuze (cannibalizing a spare cable for the connector) to use with the Pimeta and a Mini³ that I recently built. I 'm hoping sound quality will be even better.

 A couple more questions: what are the tie-wraps connecting through in the clear sansa case??? and, where did you find your BUF634s???

 Thanks,


----------



## linuxworks

an RF remote controlled volume control (motor driver):





















 very simple circuit:












 the small pc board and 4button remote come as a pre-built kit from ebay/china. I bought those a few years ago for another project (wireless focus/shutter control of my camera). the modules use 5vdc and give 4 TTL outputs that go to logic-TRUE on button press. real simple stuff.

 on the test setup I have, there's an rca plug for +5vdc power and another for a motor pot (already installed in another piece of audio equip). I was 'testing' it all last nite while listening to music and trying the remote (such fun!) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 later I plan to replace the RF remote and use an IR version. this was mostly a proof of concept for me, though - testing my h-bridge circuit and learning about the whole h-bridge motor control thing (which was brand new to me before I tried this project).


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sandbasser* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks -

 Very impressive Pimeta (excellent photo + the photos in your sig link are great too)!!! _

 

thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote:


 How do you like your Sansa??? 
 

ordered a few more. there are blow-outs on refurbs right now and they seem to be the v1 model which takes rockbox, so its the One To Get(tm) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 when they are gone, I bet they are gone - so if you want one look for one in the next few weeks on sales (online). I check 'fatwallet' and 'slickdeals' (google for the real addr's) and there they announce which vendors have the best sales 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 check it out.

  Quote:


 A couple more questions: what are the tie-wraps connecting through in the clear sansa case??? and, where did you find your BUF634s???

 Thanks, 
 

black wire-wraps. radio shack (etc) has them. they are plastic and not grippy, though but they do hold the unit in place until I can find better things for the job.

 I got the bufs at digikey (not even knowing they were 'rare') and when I tried ordering again, the computer just laughed at me. which is strange since I don't even have my soundcard plugged in (LOL).

 the buf replacements are the discrete diamond circuits. there is a group buy on boards going on now - check it out.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Arkku* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first DIY amp; the SOHA II and (slightly modified) power supply, and optional crossfeed filter. The four toggles on the right are for controlling the crossfeed (a true bypass, perspective control, treble compensation and bass compensation). The other toggles are for input/output selection and active/passive mode (the box can be used as a passive volume control and optional crossfeed filter when unpowered).






 Rear panel has two selectable inputs, using switched jacks so that the left can be used alone for stereo or together with the right for mono, and also an alternative miniplug input for convenience on the other input. There are also outputs for pre-amp use (selectable with a front-panel toggle, the headphone output is on the front), and a heater voltage toggle. The power supply case also has a ground lift switch for connecting the audio ground to the mains ground (not at all, through a ground lift circuit or directly—note that the power supply case is always connected to mains ground for safety reasons).






 Before case perforations:





 The large toggle on the power supply is the on/off switch, the first small one toggles power to the tubes (B+ and heaters, for testing and possible future use as a ±15 V supply for something else), and the second small toggle enables operation with higher current tube heaters by eliminating a resistor in the circuit (normally installed to keep the heater regulator from running quite as hot).

 The text on the case is still handwritten, I don't know if I'll do something about that or just leave it._

 

Very impressive! The panel work looks great and well thought of!

 How does it sound?


----------



## kuldeep1

Naked Cmoy...











 Searching for a case...


 -------------------------------------
DIY Gainclone Amplifier Blog


----------



## Gross

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kuldeep1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Naked Cmoy...

 Searching for a case...
_

 

Dude, great job. We do not see very many home etched PCBs around here. Exceptional first post


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kuldeep1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Naked Cmoy...

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ff7S7z_e7b...0/DSC01218.JPG
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ff7S7z_e7b...0/DSC01223.JPG

 Searching for a case...


 -------------------------------------
DIY Gainclone Amplifier Blog_

 

Nice work!
 Find a suitable case and it will be even nicer.

 Welcome to Head-Fi!


----------



## fishski13

arkku,
 beautiful! hope you enjoy the tunes.


----------



## RuiCanela

My last build with help from some friends
 A Staving Sudent Headphone Amp.


----------



## mb3k

Looking good Rui!


----------



## RuiCanela

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mb3k* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looking good Rui!_

 

ThankS Mb3k
 It works really good! And it can drive my AKG K701 quite well!


----------



## -=Germania=-

where did you get those socket covers? 

 BTW: Nicely done.


----------



## RuiCanela

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_where did you get those socket covers? 

 BTW: Nicely done._

 

 Those came from here Tube Socket 7-pin, w/shield :: Other Sockets :: Sockets - Tubes :: Interconnects :: Electronic Parts :: Banzai Music GmbH

 But one came a bit like Pizza Tower!

 Cumps
 Rui


----------



## nikongod

If your tubes run hot be VERY careful with tube shields. They can hold heat in.

 For preamp tubes, no worries (generally) but using them with power tubes (or small tubes used to power headphones...) can get sketchy quickly.


----------



## RuiCanela

Yes, but I never use them, just for transportation.


----------



## J.P.6

Some pictures of my Starving Student. Sounds great, first every DIY/audio project too. 





















 Compulsory dark shot:


----------



## scompton

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_where did you get those socket covers? 

 BTW: Nicely done._

 

When I was ordering parts for mine back in July, sockets with covers were easy to find. I had a hard time finding ones without covers.


----------



## nsx_23

my first every DIY: a cmoy!
















 Case work being done atm.


----------



## RuiCanela

Which opamp did you use?


----------



## nsx_23

For that first build, OPA2134PA

 For my second build, which I've just finished, I used the same op-amp, but opted to run 2 9V batteries and a higher gain instead. 












 Big thank you to Fred_fred2004 for sending me the board and parts for this 2nd CMOY. 

 Now I have to try and case the 2 CMOYs, but my stupid little drill can't even drill through plastic takeaway containers..........


----------



## RuiCanela

what are the main differences in terms of sound quality? 9V versos 18V?


----------



## nsx_23

Hmm, I find that the 18V one drives my Proline 550s much better than the 9V one. Better treble and bass. 

 Need some more time to listen to them to really tell the difference.


----------



## JackCrank

So my friend and I just finished putting together our modified grado copies. It was my first project and I still feel like I don't know crap from shineola about it but damn was it fun! All I need now is a knob, a baseplate, and to figure out one little grounding issue and it'll be perfect. Sorry about the shoddy phone pics, I'm just super stoked to have this thing up and running. Next up, something with tubes!


----------



## Arkku

Hi,

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fishski13* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_arkku,
 beautiful! hope you enjoy the tunes._

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very impressive! The panel work looks great and well thought of!

 How does it sound? _

 

Thanks guys! I did prototype the panel with a couple of cardboard models to determine how to best place so many toggles. The spacing is a bit tight with the crossfeed if the lower toggles are turned up and upper ones down at the same time, but in practice it doesn't seem to be a problem.


 As for the sound, I'm still waiting for my new AKG headphones to arrive, but testing on my old MB Quart QP-280's has been a pleasure; I find the sound much more “open” and “airy” than the headphone output on my mixer, and there's much less listening fatigue regardless of volume. (Crossfeed helps even more, but mostly I've been listening without it for now—it's great for background music, though.)

 I've also been using the SOHA II as a pre-amp for my trusty old Creek A52 power amplifier, and it definitely adds a lot of depth and liveliness to the sound. Unfortunately, there's an audible hiss in this use (but not with headphones!)… as the hiss is independent of the volume control's position, I'll probably deal with it by padding the signal somewhat for the pre-amp outputs. (There's too much gain for pre-amp use, anyhow, so that should give a better volume control range as a bonus.)

 The bottom line is: highly recommended; a very nice and versatile project, and not too difficult even as a first DIY amp. =)


----------



## Fred_fred2004

My daughter said we couldn't fit any thing into this little tin.
 I used a surface mount TPA6111A2 on one side of the board and through hole componants on the other. Gain was 5 but its way to high and will make your ears bleed 
 Its got a temporary inpout socket I'll wire the input direct to the board I just wanted to hear it work. Sounds very nice and powerful


----------



## FallenAngel

Full info here.

 3-channel modified Sijosae Class-A push/pull diamond buffer amp with stronger PSU.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Daughter seen running away with it, these may be the only pictures I ever get


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I used a surface mount TPA6111A2 on one side of the board and through hole componants on the other. Gain was 5 but its way to high and will make your ears bleed _

 

SWEET! Very nice work. 
 gain of 5 is way a lot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_3-channel modified Sijosae Class-A push/pull diamond buffer amp with stronger PSU._

 

Also very nice work. 
 Which transistors did you use? I have been planning to add the Sijosae class-AB (its just driving cables, and SHOULD stay in class-A) output buffer to the passive EQ phono stage I built a while ago.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_SWEET! Very nice work. 
 gain of 5 is way a lot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Also very nice work. 
 Which transistors did you use? I have been planning to add the Sijosae class-AB (its just driving cables, and SHOULD stay in class-A) output buffer to the passive EQ phono stage I built a while ago._

 

Since I really like the Class-AB, I have TONS of BC327/BC337 around, so I used them.

 I built a few Class-AB amps, they're totally awesome - huge battery life with proper opamps and sound great.


----------



## bmwpowere36m3

Just finished building my first 'real' amplifier and modified my old iPod Mini as my standalone DAC.





 ^^^Millet "SS" Hybrid & iModded Mini together at last...


----------



## Beefy

The design of that starving student is absolutely outstanding. Well done!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Really impressive, wish I could do case work to that standard, top job


----------



## linuxworks

nice job, e36! you gonna add a 'dinan' badge to it?


----------



## linuxworks

this is a work-in-progress but I've got the front panel completed and only the rear panel is TBD (waiting on some parts).

 lettering is old school 'datak' rub-on letters. these were left over from about 20 yrs ago and I'm surprised they even still work.

 plastic panel is some thin cut-to-size stock at my local plastic (TAP plastic) store. its easy to work, it shows NO fingerprints (lol) and its forgiving if you slip up. not really strong but its strong enough for a poor man's 'FPE' sort of 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 neutrik all-black socket from parts express. I went out of my way to find a black/black neutrik and PE had it all along 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the PPAv1 normally has no bass 'control' but it was easy to add. you can see the wima's sitting directly on the bass control (rear view).

 for the phones-out, I snaked the 3 needed wires from *under* the board thru a drilled rubber grommet up front. its a bit neater that way, I think.

 I used machined pin ic sockets to make a quick-release interface for all the front panel controls. now I can unhook the front panel for service and that was worth the extra effort (soldering, heat-shrink tubing and all that). some more still has to be done before I'm really finished, and then the whole socket bundle (per group) has to be tape insulated or something, for when you stuff the wires inside the box.

 there are 4 buffers per channel (fully maxed). these are the buffers you CAN buy (ahem! cough.) but they still aren't cheap (about $5 each chip).

 the op-amps are very old samples (again, maybe 10 yrs old) of BB opa627 chips with the center being an ad8610 on a browndog adapter.

 resistors are vishay. caps are generally whatever I find at my local surplus shop 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 pics follow-





















 update: added a bantam dac 'plugin' for fun


----------



## bmwpowere36m3

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The design of that starving student is absolutely outstanding. Well done! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Really impressive, wish I could do case work to that standard, top job 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It's not too bad, spent a little time laying everything out and then took my time with a drill press. But having the tools or knowing how does really helps.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_nice job, e36! you gonna add a 'dinan' badge to it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





_

 

Haha, DINAN... just like AMG. A little HP and a lotta $$$


----------



## linuxworks

in a past lifetime, I was heavily into the dinan m3 thing. dinan is a few miles away from where I live... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 you think high end audio drains wallets? pffft! start modifying CARS and then you see what real wallet-emptying is all about. custom suspensions at dinan were in the $1000+ range, just to start. and lets not even talk about dinan custom exhaust prices..


----------



## thelast

I finished this mini3 a couple days ago. 
 Front




 Back


----------



## bmwpowere36m3

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_in a past lifetime, I was heavily into the dinan m3 thing. dinan is a few miles away from where I live... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 you think high end audio drains wallets? pffft! start modifying CARS and then you see what real wallet-emptying is all about. custom suspensions at dinan were in the $1000+ range, just to start. and lets not even talk about dinan custom exhaust prices.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yea, I'm already in the dog house with my M3, but every time I take it to the track I'm reminded that I'm not completely crazy.... yet!


----------



## chobint

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The design of that starving student is absolutely outstanding. Well done! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

x2

 I think I saw a similar design a while ago in the SS thread and was floored by it. The tubes inside the heat sink is such an elegant way to present a nice compact package. edit: question retracted. Just noticed your BOM was up on SS page.


----------



## fordgtlover

Here are a couple of Bantam DACs


----------



## linuxworks

I finished my PPA v1 and also customized a Bantam DAC to fit it in a special way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





























 I first converted my 'cable DAC' to having 2 gold rca jacks. that was a feat in itself given the tiny clearances in using the 'supplied' box. I did find 2 'odd' positions to place the rcas in the bantam and that basically determined where my rca's would go on the PPA chassis back.

 the whole idea, as you can see, is to have a 'pluggable module' that reduces cable length and almost eliminates cables entirely 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 just a male-male rca barrel adapter is used as the 'wiring' between the PPA and the DAC.

 kinda cute, no?


----------



## tomb

Looks great - a neat idea for the Bantam!


----------



## linuxworks

thanks tom 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 did you notice that I used 'felt pads' (sticky round things you buy at hardware stores) under the metal nuts (need to find black ones) as a non-scratch support attempt 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 even still there isn't enough height to make it sit flat with the PPA hammond box. the dimensions just didn't work or I'd have the rca jacks hitting the PPA pc board. but it would have been neat to have them both sit on the table, flat, which was my intention.

 NO one can complain about 'analog cabling' since there really isn't much to complain about (heh)


----------



## -=Germania=-

Preview of things to come....


----------



## J.P.6

Nice


----------



## kuroguy

Working on a line preamp. Here's the main board in progress. will have 7 digital inputs and 7 analog inputs as well as a 64 step relay volume control an LCD display and NOS DAC onboard. Using ULN2001 relay driver, 2x74145 3 bit to 8 line relay drivers, and a BasicX24 microcontroller to power the whole thing.

 Any thoughts?


----------



## Captain ?degard




----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Captain Ødegård* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cptnodegard/ipoddock.jpg_

 

Nice wooden iPhone stand Captain!


----------



## -=Germania=-

Finished it. 

 UPOCC two strands internal wiring, Gold plated copper RCA's, and Charging. It is wood dock with plastic top insert.


----------



## n_maher

Is that for personal use or a future product?


----------



## Punnisher

That's pretty cool.

 I made one with an altoids tin that does the same thing.

 However, I used the USB power input pins to apply 5 volts. The problem is my 5.5g charges fine but I tried a friends classic and it didn't work. Which pins did you use for 5 volts/com?


----------



## -=Germania=-

Its personal use. 

 I got sick of using the cable solution and couldn't find any nice looking docks in my price range. The charging is a major plus and one drawback I always had with the iPod > RCA solution.

 I used the firewire power pin for charging. 12V gets it done faster and is on pins 19+20 here and 12V power supplies are a dime a dozen with most being the connector size I need. It uses an angled iPod dock with PCB spreader so it can handle more abuse rather than just using the pins directly.


----------



## J.P.6

Wicked, that looks really nice.


----------



## scompton

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Its personal use. 

 I got sick of using the cable solution and couldn't find any nice looking docks in my price range. The charging is a major plus and one drawback I always had with the iPod > RCA solution.

 I used the firewire power pin for charging. 12V gets it done faster and is on pins 19+20 here and 12V power supplies are a dime a dozen with most being the connector size I need. It uses an angled iPod dock with PCB spreader so it can handle more abuse rather than just using the pins directly._

 

Do you have a link to the dock?


----------



## -=Germania=-

You can get spreader PCB's, DC jacks, and angled iPod connectors from Ridax

iPod/iPhone Dock Connector ordering


----------



## Captain ?degard




----------



## -=Germania=-

Nice!


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You can get spreader PCB's, DC jacks, and angled iPod connectors from Ridax

iPod/iPhone Dock Connector ordering_

 

Which parts did you use from Ridax? "U" and "RD", or a "SK

 I don't want to build this exactly, but I want to incorporate an iPod dock into an amp case.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Captain Ødegård* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_








_

 

Look neat!
 But is that a stand or a dock?


----------



## El_Doug

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Captain Ødegård* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q187/Cptnodegard/beddock1.jpg

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q...d/beddock2.jpg_

 

lovely 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 how are you going to stain it?


----------



## -=Germania=-

The combo you would need is U. in combination with Ma.

 Though if you want a more featured board setup with possible USB connection get their Dev board for an extra $5.


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The combo you would need is U. in combination with Ma.

 Though if you want a more featured board setup with possible USB connection get their Dev board for an extra $5._

 

Thanks, I wasn't sure if MA would work. I like the looks of the RD board. It offers a lot of potential. Remote control might be useful, but my intended application is just sitting on my desk, so I'm unsure how useful. It might put less strain on the dock then having to push buttons on the iPod to change music though.

 And was the plastic insert just scavenged from another dock?


----------



## -=Germania=-

Just use the dock adapter that came with your ipod or take apart one of those cheap docks from fleabay.


----------



## cotdt

Glad to see you've returned, Captain Ødegård!


----------



## Hayduke

I just realized I've never posted on this thread. Since it's the only project I've taken pictures of, here's a pic of the Millet Hybrid Starving Student amp I built recently.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I found a thread for a Cmoy2 on SGheadphones it was the subject of a lot of discussion, and had some very favourable comments. Basically a A47 with a buffered ground, I found the schematic, made up a board and gave it a try. I used 2x OPA2132PA for the audio and a NE5534 for the buffered ground, (I only had OPA134 or the NE5534 in single op amps) I may experiment but it sounds superb at the moment. I think I'll keep this one


----------



## fishski13

i think the Millett SS that various head-fiers are building look stunning.


----------



## fishski13

my balanced Bijou. took the better part of 3 months to finish. this is the most musically satisfying hi-fi i've ever experienced, and well worth the effort. a really fun and challenging build. 

 nothing real $$$ re: parts selection. just wanky wire from Oyaide for signal wiring, some Sonicaps here and there, and homebrewed ground-shunt attenuators with: Electroswitch D9 23 pos rotary switches, Kimber wire, Vishay RN60D for ground-shunt resistors, and KOA Speer SPR2 (aka Kiwame) for I/O resistors.






[/IMG]


----------



## J.P.6

That is really nice. Love it


----------



## Captain ?degard




----------



## nsx_23

Just finished casing my first ever build: 2 CMOYS.

 The casework was more difficult than I expected, but I'm still pleased considering its my first effort.











 One quick question: How do I mount LEDs onto the tin?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_One quick question: How do I mount LEDs onto the tin?_

 

there used to be things called 'clip-lites' that either fit over the led or around it, like a ring.

 alternately, some kind of rubber grommet. those are easy to find and cheap. leds just press-fit inside them if you pick the right led and right 'donut' size


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Captain Ødegård* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

I'm not sure I'd spend effort copying a corporate logo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 what purpose is that?

 you did a nice job; but I'm curious why someone would care about spending actual effort on what corporations use for advertising, ie, logos?

 is that apple icon THAT much of an 'art' symbol? boggle...


----------



## JamesL

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_there used to be things called 'clip-lites' that either fit over the led or around it, like a ring.

 alternately, some kind of rubber grommet. those are easy to find and cheap. leds just press-fit inside them if you pick the right led and right 'donut' size 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I like to just drill a 1mm hole through the panel, create a 2.8mm blind hole from the back, and just press-fit the LEDs, and perhaps tack it down with a a small dab of glue or epoxy if it's too loose.

 On a thinner panel where you can't drill blind holes, I would just drill a 2mm hole, and just bend the LED leads so they align in place.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I use clips from Jaycars (HP1102) or a blob of hot glue. Well done with the first cases, I find if you leave the washer off the switch they close better.


----------



## nsx_23

Yep, I had quiet a few leftover washers and other bits and pieces left over after casing....

 I had actually stuffed up the input/output socket holes when trying to case the PCB build, hence a bit of tape with white out over it to hide the mistakes. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hmm, looks like I'll need a small drill for the LEDs. I've been using a plier punch so far for the pots and sockets....

 Now I need a new project. I've caught the DIY bug quiet badly. As much as I'd love to build a starving student, thats probably a bit off limits for me right now. Fred_fred2004, where did you get the PCB for the CMOY2? I'm reading SGheadphones atm, and can't seem to find anything.

 Perhaps mini3 or Pimeta? I'm worried about burning through a million op-amps with the mini3 though............


----------



## Fred_fred2004

If you use the jaycar clips the paper punch hole is the perfect size so you won't need a drill.
 The Cmoy2 board is home made using the good old toner transfer. I found the schematic and worked from there


----------



## nsx_23

Where did you get the schematic?

 Also, the LED I used is 3mm (The LED is for the casing of the tangent build). Those clips should still fit right even using the 6mm hole punch?

 As for making my own boards, would this work: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView...Max=&SUBCATID=


----------



## pabbi1

And another balanced Bijou...


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fishski13* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_i think the Millett SS that various head-fiers are building look stunning._

 

Most are quite tasty, but there are abominations, at least in spirit:


----------



## fishski13




----------



## Fred_fred2004

Keep trying to get smaller and smaller 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sounds just like a cmoy (OPA2132UA) brilliant little toys


----------



## -=Germania=-

Pabbi, 

 What case is that? 

 I have been looking for really nice cases and a good transformer cover. Ideally all aluminum with good lines. Right now I am looking at using AL-420S from V4TC. If there are cheaper options that are just as nice, that would be awesome!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Keep trying to get smaller and smaller 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sounds just like a cmoy (OPA2132UA) brilliant little toys_

 

yay for home etching!!


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Keep trying to get smaller and smaller 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sounds just like a cmoy (OPA2132UA) brilliant little toys_

 

That's pretty small!

 You've probably seen this, but in case you haven't, here it is:
http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/ftp/sijosae/Gallery/
 Maybe it will provide some inspiration!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Yes I've seen it before he does incredible work, to a very high standard.


----------



## flecom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Its personal use. 

 I got sick of using the cable solution and couldn't find any nice looking docks in my price range. The charging is a major plus and one drawback I always had with the iPod > RCA solution.

 I used the firewire power pin for charging. 12V gets it done faster and is on pins 19+20 here and 12V power supplies are a dime a dozen with most being the connector size I need. It uses an angled iPod dock with PCB spreader so it can handle more abuse rather than just using the pins directly._

 

just a note for anyone thinking of building you own dock, you cannot charge the iPhone 3G via the firewire pins


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's pretty small!

 You've probably seen this, but in case you haven't, here it is:
http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/ftp/sijosae/Gallery/
 Maybe it will provide some inspiration!_


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bperboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_

_

 

smd cmoy with TLE (I'm guessing). I like it. are any pcb's available?


----------



## bperboy

^^ doubt it.. this was from quite awhile ago. If you click thru the pic though, the pcb file is available for download, so you could get some made without much difficulty.. problems arise when casing this thing though; it's quite difficult to do wiring and such.


----------



## Hayduke

and no volume control


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_and no volume control 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

those are not needed. I always hardwire mine to 11.

 (there's a joke in there somewhere)


----------



## Killercrush

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_those are not needed. I always hardwire mine to 11.

 (there's a joke in there somewhere) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Spinal Tap's Marshall stack!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I etched this last night going to use 805 resistors and opa2132, There is no room left on the board this may be the limit for home etched single sided boards. No drinks Friday night I will need a steady hand to do this


----------



## linuxworks

a Partial Pimeta(tm) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 still need to build the buffers.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Those resistor sockets are they from an ic socket? they look very useful


----------



## linuxworks

yes, they were painfully yanked out from a plastic IC socket


----------



## chobint

do there exist single sockets directly from the suppliers? I have always wondered this, as I have often heard people say "why don't you just socket resistor-x, and substitute resistors to your liking".


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chobint* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_do there exist single sockets directly from the suppliers? I have always wondered this, as I have often heard people say "why don't you just socket resistor-x, and substitute resistors to your liking"._

 

the "center part" on the pimeta is designed to accommodate a (dont remember how many pins) socket directly.

 If you use smallish (RN55 or similar) resistors they fit right in there. 

 There are some drawbacks, but it allows you to experiment with different multi-loop ratios. I have never done that, but gather it could hold some sonic gems.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chobint* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_do there exist single sockets directly from the suppliers? I have always wondered this, as I have often heard people say "why don't you just socket resistor-x, and substitute resistors to your liking"._

 

Yeah, you can buy SIP sockets and cut off one or more as you need them. I haven't ever seen single ones before, and they'd probably be more expensive than the same number in a long strip anyways. If it's not going to be in a row with others, I usually break the plastic off the pins (just a good squeeze with some pliers and it cracks right off) so they end up looking just like the ones in linuxworks' photo.


----------



## MisterX

Example with break away, machined SIP Sockets. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Edit:

 Here is a better pic:


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_the "center part" on the pimeta is designed to accommodate a (dont remember how many pins) socket directly._

 

it works. I actually used a SIP socket with every other hole filled in (just as a 'key'). you can see it, to some degree, here:






 I used one sip socket below and one above connected to the cable to form a 'connect' 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 here's another shot of where I'm at right now with this. it works REALLY REALLY WELL. I might say it sounds better than my PPA V1 but that just can't be....






 I'm using the LMH6321 part here (damn, that thing gets hot to the touch during use!) on 'poor mans browndogs' (lol).

 did I say it works well? man, it works really well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and now my pimeta is a 'module' with all the ins, outs and power quick-disconnect. me likes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 note that I cut off part of the PCB near the pots since I was not board mounting them and might need the extra box room, inside. I mounted a 3 term molex post for the audio-in (coming from the pot on the panel) and one way in back standing on its own 2 legs, for power. kind of resting near that zener, like its a park bench (lol).


----------



## rds

Quote:


 I'm using the LMH6321 part here (damn, that thing gets hot to the touch during use!) on 'poor mans browndogs' (lol).

 did I say it works well? man, it works really well 
 

Yeah, the lmh6321 are great chips. 

  Quote:


 and now my pimeta is a 'module' with all the ins, outs and power quick-disconnect. me likes 
 

Looks like a pimeta build by someone who's spent too long doing OOP. How many classes do you have there?
 ...I do like that kind of modularity too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks great.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, the lmh6321 are great chips. _

 

I wish I could make use of the metal heatsink area under the LMH chips.

 I also would like to find out what the 'thump' is all about on these. I kinda like it but tangent thinks it may be unnatural or actually a distortion. I'll try to find out since I'm now curious.

  Quote:


 Looks like a pimeta build by someone who's spent too long doing OOP. How many classes do you have there?
 ...I do like that kind of modularity too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks great. 
 

I hate c++ though - I still prefer regular old ansi C 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 my building style has changed over the years. it used to be all about the outside panel and the inside would be 'demons' but now I try to make the inside as nice as I can, too. after you've removed things so many times, quick-connect style is a must-have!


----------



## 00940

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_and now my pimeta is a 'module' with all the ins, outs and power quick-disconnect. me likes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It's nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm experimenting in my last build with jumpers and pins headers to achieve similar things.


----------



## linuxworks

more detail on the line-in offboard connector. I lucked out that things 'worked out' 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 there was a strong ground on top (to solder the middle wire to) and that also makes it strong enough to support itself. the other 2 meet at traces that used to go to the line-in pads but that part of the board was cut of (by me) to make the board physically smaller.


----------



## Pars

Nice job... I should have used some of the KK connectors on the Pimeta I built for my son.

 BTW, what are the blue resistors? I thought they were Vishay CMF, so ordered some from Mouser but got tan resistors?


----------



## linuxworks

thanks. yes, they are vishays from digikey. they're pretty, huh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 that was a previous build and I used almost entirely just that R series. had to go with a 'vishay equiv' for the 1M since that's not in the shiny-dark-blue series, it seems ;(

 I think they were not too cheap - over a quarter each. for a resistor, that seems obscene to me, but I don't use *that* many of them.


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks. yes, they are vishays from digikey. they're pretty, huh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






 that was a previous build and I used almost entirely just that R series. had to go with a 'vishay equiv' for the 1M since that's not in the shiny-dark-blue series, it seems ;(

 I think they were not too cheap - over a quarter each. for a resistor, that seems obscene to me, but I don't use *that* many of them._

 

Do you remember what series they are (PN, Mouser PN)?

 Thanks


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks. yes, they are vishays from digikey. they're pretty, huh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 that was a previous build and I used almost entirely just that R series. had to go with a 'vishay equiv' for the 1M since that's not in the shiny-dark-blue series, it seems ;(

 I think they were not too cheap - over a quarter each. for a resistor, that seems obscene to me, but I don't use *that* many of them._

 

Do you remember what series they are (PN, Mouser PN)? The CMFs that I bought were all 1%, such as 71-CMF5510K000FHEK.

 Thanks


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you remember what series they are (PN, Mouser PN)?

 Thanks_

 

I think I simply followed tangent's part #'s literally on digikey. on my first build I didn't know what parts to order so I took his list very literally 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and the blues are what I got. oh wait - well - you know what I mean 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 here's a link to one of them:

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/Dk...MF3.32KQFCT-ND

 CMF3.32KQFCT-ND


----------



## Fitz

I'm pretty sure I've used some blue Vishay/Dale CMFs like that that were 0.1%.


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *-=Germania=-* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Pabbi, 

 What case is that? 

 I have been looking for really nice cases and a good transformer cover. Ideally all aluminum with good lines. Right now I am looking at using AL-420S from V4TC. If there are cheaper options that are just as nice, that would be awesome!_

 

The tranny cover is from vt4c - about 2x too tall, but I'll chop it down eventually. The case is navy surplus, and I got two for $40 shipped off eBay. Just a once in a year find.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you remember what series they are (PN, Mouser PN)?

 Thanks_

 

The blue ones are CMF50

Digi-Key - CMF10.0QFCT-ND (Vishay/Dale - CMF5010R000FHEB)

 or that is at least how I got them.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Finally home made buffers and stupid mistakes aside it works and don't they sound good!!
 The blue led's a little aggressive but I really know its on


----------



## nsx_23

Are you going to case it?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finally home made buffers and stupid mistakes aside it works and don't they sound good!!
 The blue led's a little aggressive but I really know its on 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I can't quite tell - what chips are you using for buffers? those are home etched adapters?

 looks good.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

using OPA633's on home etched adapters, I had to make a right hand and left hand version because of the layout. They sound great and run cool.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_using OPA633's on home etched adapters, I had to make a right hand and left hand version because of the layout. They sound great and run cool._

 

Pics?


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Attachment 11511Here are the boards sorry about the quality I use PCB Artist but you get the idea, because they are home etched single sided and very small I soldered the pins first from the top then put on the chip and sort of surface soldered it from the top.
 On the OPA 633 pin 6 needs to be tied to ground or (-), pins 2, 3 & 7 are not connected and on the BUF634 Pins 5 & 8 are also not used so I was able to use those positions to help with the routing.

 Anyway bottom line they work a treat.

 If you want to use the design to become a multi-millionaire feel free


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If you want to use the design to become a multi-millionaire feel free 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'd be happy to be a thousand-aire


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_using OPA633's on home etched adapters, I had to make a right hand and left hand version because of the layout. They sound great and run cool._

 

hmmm, I'd be careful - left-hand and right-hand things tend to cancel, no?


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Sorry wrong picture now corrected
 cheers


----------



## nsx_23

Is the pimeta a good step up after a CMOY?


----------



## ruZZ.il

Depends what you want from your amp. It's definitely a right way to go if you want to learn about the components of amps, their function, etc. Don't overlook the mini^3 though. Or some desktop amps...


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is the pimeta a good step up after a CMOY?_

 

I found it easy and actually fun to build. its nice and compact (which I like) and sounds very very close to the bigger amps.

 its not expensive to build. its good experience. go for it


----------



## nsx_23

Is there anyplace that sells a complete kit? 

 I'm looking at Pimeta or mini3, but worried about SMD.


----------



## rds

guys, this is a gallery.


----------



## nsx_23

Yep, and I was waiting for my damn photos to finish uploading.

 Managed to find a case big enough to mount 2 9V batteries for another CMOY build. 3 CMOYs in, I think I'm ready to build something else now. Going to add a DC jack to one of my earlier single 9V builds as well.


----------



## Bomo.is.ooc

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yep, and I was waiting for my damn photos to finish uploading.

 Managed to find a case big enough to mount 2 9V batteries for another CMOY build. 3 CMOYs in, I think I'm ready to build something else now. Going to add a DC jack to one of my earlier single 9V builds as well. 






_

 

Any reason for orienting your batteries on their sides? It seems you could have flattened them down and moved the power switch to the left just a tad bit. But I dunno...

 They look good though. I'm thinking of making another Cmoy, just so I can have it in a mint tin. I feel like the serpac enclosure I use is a bit overkill/big for the size of the amp. Maybe I'll just move it to another case...
 I'll post my pictures as soon as I've got a digi cam available (i.e. when I get home next week).


----------



## nsx_23

I'm considering adding a DC jack opposite to the power switch. Also, the switch helps keeps the batteries down one end, and having them in that orientation allowed more room to work with for future upgrades/repairs.


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm considering adding a DC jack opposite to the power switch. Also, the switch helps keeps the batteries down one end, and having them in that orientation allowed more room to work with for future upgrades/repairs._

 

you should save your money and build a PIMETA. Its like the next step...here's one I built a couple of years ago. It features a top secret fast charger board and the amp sounds _fantastic..._ there is a few more pics in my sig


----------



## linuxworks

my first AMB gamma1 DAC is built:


----------



## vixr

linuxworks,
 beautiful work...thanks for the excellent photographs


----------



## nsx_23

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_you should save your money and build a PIMETA. Its like the next step...here's one I built a couple of years ago. It features a top secret fast charger board and the amp sounds fantastic... there is a few more pics in my sig



_

 

I want to build one, but would rather buy a complete kit since parts sourcing is a bitch in Australia.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my first AMB gamma1 DAC is built:


 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3132/3114862602_721e09da13_o.jpg[/img

 [img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/3114049007_c1024a9743_o.jpg[/img

 [img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3099/3114048997_38cdfd7d67_o.jpg[/img

 [img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3155/3114929460_0d7a25bc08_o.jpg[/img

 [img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/3114929452_7dff9b2cbb_o.jpg[/img

 [img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/3114929446_608997aacc_o.jpg[/img


 [img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/3115089192_4ec8a12de8_o.jpg[/img[/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


Wonderful pictures,

 what camera do you use?_


----------



## DaMnEd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wonderful pictures,

 what camera do you use?_

 

You can see the camera used in the EXIF info: Olympus E-3 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*linuxworks*, great pics, as usual!


----------



## linuxworks

thanks guys.

 yes, I shoot oly gear these days. e3 for my main body and sometimes e510 or e330 for backup.

 that lens is one of the sharpest in any brand (the zuiko digital 50mm f2.0 macro).

 I do quite a bit of PP (post processing) to clean up light levels, sharpening and sometimes even noise reduction (neatimage).

 cheers.


----------



## linuxworks

pic of the AMB gamma1 driving my PPA v1

 (alphabet soup, both in english AND greek!) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			











 the green bat handle on the mode switch is very cute and shows 'oper status' of the incoming signal.


----------



## linuxworks

another angle (compare shot) of the bantam dac and gamma1 dac:






 hey, can I make quadraphonic sound from having 4 channels of output?


----------



## fordgtlover

Nice work and very nice pictures.


----------



## nsx_23

I wish I could build something like that....


----------



## fordgtlover

^

 The outcome is worth the practice


----------



## Heady

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_another angle (compare shot) of the bantam dac and gamma1 dac:
_

 

Aren't you going to put on record your opinions of the sound quality from both?


----------



## ShinyFalcon

Oh wow, a fully built γ１! It looks very nice... can't wait to scrounge up another $100 or so. Hurry up and give us your impressions!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I don't think I can get any smaller, including input and output sockets, 

 Next I'll etch one on the head of a pin should have it done by April 1st 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Anybody wants the layout drop me a PM I'm happy to share the insanity


----------



## TzeYang

wow that looks cool.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Heady* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Aren't you going to put on record your opinions of the sound quality from both? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

as is sometimes said, "I dont speak audiophile" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 what I can say is that I'm quite happy with the sound of the gamma1. its hard to compare the two since I rarely use usb-audio for anything 'serious'. when I'm near my computer, its rarely a 'serious' sitting and listening situation and I also have the noise from the computer to distract me. I wish there was an easier way to a/b the 2 of them and even if I a/b compared the usb sides of things, that isnt' as valid since the gamma1 (in my config) goes from usb to the pcm chip (to create spdif) and then onto the xtal chip to convert to i2s and then FINALLY onto the dac. the bantam has only 1 chip and does not 'convert and convert' like this one does.

 one thing I noticed is that linux can see the mixer (vol control) on the bantam and yet linux can't see the vol control on the gamma1. probably a linux bug, though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 both do sound very clean and I might find it hard to tell them apart. 

 if I needed ONLY usb-audio the bantam was cheaper and actually easier to build (less parts and less soldering). but the gamma1 is a full featured dac that is my first choice when I have to feed the spdif output of my popcorn hour or slimserver box.

 in short, I'm not sure there is much to complain about on either dac! they are both excellent sounding with no 'issues' that I can point to, sound-wise.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I don't think I can get any smaller, including input and output sockets, _

 

excellent effort! I like that quite a lot


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I don't think I can get any smaller, including input and output sockets, 

 Next I'll etch one on the head of a pin should have it done by April 1st 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Anybody wants the layout drop me a PM I'm happy to share the insanity_

 

Looks about the size of the Master's ( b, c, d ) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And he did it without SMD on perfboard.


----------



## sandbasser

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_pic of the AMB gamma1 driving my PPA v1

 (alphabet soup, both in english AND greek!) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 the green bat handle on the mode switch is very cute and shows 'oper status' of the incoming signal._

 

Is the "green bat handle" is VERY COOL!!! Is it part of the std BOM or something you added - if you added it, would you care to share a PN etc.

 Most excellent!


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sandbasser* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is the "green bat handle" is VERY COOL!!! Is it part of the std BOM or something you added - if you added it, would you care to share a PN etc._

 

Standard BOM. Taken from the Headwize thread:

  Quote:


 SW1D / NKK G13JVCF bicolor illuminated toggle switch / Digikey 360-1772-ND; Mouser 633-G13JVCF-RO; RS 453-7893
 *
 The selector switch SW1D is a bi-color illuminated miniature toggle. It serves as the power-on indicator as well as CS8416 status. Normally, it glows green. If the datastream is not audio, or if there are errors, then it changes to red. The status is taken from the NV/RERR and -AUDIO pins of the CS8416, and the NOR gate chip U8D plus two 2N3904 transistors (Q1D, Q2D) drive the two LEDs in the switch.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cobaltmute* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks about the size of the Master's (_

 


 INSIDE a battery (container) !

 pure genius. just amazing.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sandbasser* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is the "green bat handle" is VERY COOL!!! Is it part of the std BOM or something you added - if you added it, would you care to share a PN etc.

 Most excellent!_

 

thanks. yes, pure BOM. I often deviate from the bom but in this case I went pretty much by the book 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 on a very very tight board, you really want to try to get the right parts.

 and when the 'right parts' are SO classy like this one is.... JUST GO BY THE BOM.






 you will LOVE that green/red switch. its the cutest thing (LOL). not cheap but you aren't buying lots of them so splurge a little 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ...and if you time your spdif sources right, you can make the switch blink red and green just in time for st. nick!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Colbalt - you're a real put down merchant arn't you, the "master" is brilliant but if you take the time to compare my board is smaller. by a good margin


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Colbalt - you're a real put down merchant arn't you, the "master" is brilliant but if you take the time to compare my board is smaller. by a good margin_

 

It was not meant as a put down on your work - it is a very nice board. However, when you make small boards it will inspire comparisons to Sijosae's work as small through-hole work was something he seems to have done a lot of.


----------



## ludoo

My second YAHA using recycled/leftover parts, and intended to be a portable






 I still have to finish casing it in the tin cigarette box you see in the background, and the LED is still missing (the white wire that goes towards the batteries is for the LED, nothing to do with the batteries).

 I don't have a clear idea yet how to fix the batteries so they don't bounce inside, space is really really tight and the box opens only from the top. Any suggestions?


----------



## linuxworks

my hammond box arrived and this is the gamma1 dac inside the box (no custom bezels yet - just held in place by the factory bezel frames)


----------



## rds

I find it's handy to have an adjustable DC power supply around. So I made this Tread with socketed R1 and R2. With this setup I can easily get any voltage between 12V and 35V using tangents resistor table (taped to the top of the case with the extra resistors.
 I also added a header so I can connect wires directly if that is more convenient.


----------



## rjad

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I find it's handy to have an adjustable DC power supply around. So I made this Tread with socketed R1 and R2. With this setup I can easily get any voltage between 12V and 35V using tangents resistor table (taped to the top of the case with the extra resistors.
 I also added a header so I can connect wires directly if that is more convenient.



_

 

That is a top idea.


----------



## rds

Quote:


 That is a top idea. 
 

Thanks.
 I wanted to mention that since I'm using a 24V ac wall wart I can only get about 32V max. 
 Also, I can get voltages as low as about 2V.
 So it is very handy.


----------



## mb3k

...now for the dreaded case work

 Here she is naked





 Mundorf ZN bypassers for Blackgate Standards. I know many will disagree with that combo but it sounds very very nice with 12AE6A's (12FK6's sounded a lot better on the classic Millett)


----------



## n_maher

Tube Lab SimpleSE

 It started life as this:





 Slowly progressed to this:










 and finally became this:


----------



## linuxworks

nice and clean.

 I like the drive vibration grommets (blue) for isolation of hum


----------



## nsx_23

I wish I could do casework that neat.....looks fantastic.

 The YAHA looks very interesting, but I still can't read schematic properly yet.......Might look into it.


----------



## lordvader

What sort of case is that ?

 Can it handle the weight of all that iron ?

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *lordvader* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What sort of case is that ?

 Can it handle the weight of all that iron ?_

 

It's a Hammond steel chassis and yes, it can handle the weight. You'll notice that all of the iron is located on the perimeter where the chassis has the most stiffness, it would have been a very bad idea to locate any of it out in the middle. That said it is a boat anchor and probably weighs the better part of 40 to 50lbs, just the way I like it.


----------



## rhester

Just wanted to show off one of the first cased MiniMAX amps.


----------



## linuxworks

and is that a bantam in the round wood thing?

 I'm expecting my metal cases this week (maybe). the build will have to wait until later, though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 yours came out well! everything fit ok?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I find it's handy to have an adjustable DC power supply around. So I made this Tread with socketed R1 and R2. With this setup I can easily get any voltage between 12V and 35V using tangents resistor table (taped to the top of the case with the extra resistors.
 I also added a header so I can connect wires directly if that is more convenient._

 

for extra credit, why not take a small cheap lcd DMM, hack it apart, and hard wire it to voltage, 50v scale (say). then cut a rectangle opening in the plastic and hot-melt the lcd behind it. then you can KNOW, always, the exact DC output.

 sometimes I see small 'cheap' DMM's at dollar store prices which would suit something like this just fine. small size is key, so that it would fit inside your box; but I've seen plenty of $5 voltmeters that are very tiny and might.


----------



## cetoole

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_and is that a bantam in the round wood thing?

 I'm expecting my metal cases this week (maybe). the build will have to wait until later, though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 yours came out well! everything fit ok?_

 

Looks like, and another under the table. I have said it before, but it bears repeating, good work Max.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

It took me so long to get it built I didn't have the heart to put it in a box, just bending the metal has given me a new respect for all you case builders


----------



## linuxworks

I had the urge to do some mini-soldering work, so I build a TinyLatch(tm) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





























 the top part is a 'module' that has 4 pins that the user would care about: pushbutton, power, ground, output. that's it - that's my latch 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 yes yes, its just a D-flipflop but I needed a latch to hold a push on/push off switch for my dac/amp project.

 a surface mount cd4013 is soldered to a DIP8 socket with some wire-wrap wire connecting the right pins (R,S,gnd). that's the basic module.

 that module is plugged into a 'test socket' that simulates a real world circuit. it has a debounce cap (.1uF, one of the red ones), a normal chip bypass (that other red cap), a led and resistor to show the Q or ~Q state of the latch and a button for testing.

 no circuit board was used - just regular old air 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 and so ends my edition of the Sunday Sircuit(tm).


----------



## Captain ?degard

What is that? o__0


----------



## shortkidsrus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ its just a D-flipflop but I needed a latch to hold a push on/push off switch for my dac/amp project._

 

Are you going to use a transistor switch or a relay to switch the power on your dac/amp?

 Edit: Just realized it wouldn't be practical for switching power. What are you going to use it to switch? Sources?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *shortkidsrus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are you going to use a transistor switch or a relay to switch the power on your dac/amp?

 Edit: Just realized it wouldn't be practical for switching power. What are you going to use it to switch? Sources?_

 

I'm planning on a few toggle buttons for some features:

 - crossfeed on/off
 - mega-bass (bass boost) on/off
 - mute on/off
 - input select (toggle: spdif, analog)

 maybe more, if I think of them.

 so you can see having a toggle button with a push on/off feature will be useful. these will all trigger relays, so in the crossfeed option the relay will close the 'enable' pads on the pc board. on mute, the relay will change the gain by switching in or out an extra resistor. on bass boost, it will add a parallel R/C in series to the feedback resistor like the PPA series does.

 I could have gone with mechanical switches - BUT - a goal is to have my box be IR remote controlled. each push of an IR button will be a momentary pulse (or steady on, for volume up/down) and so I did need something that would capture single button presses and keep the state. I can then just wire in parallel the front panel push buttons and the IR remote control pins and they both will have the same interface.


----------



## linuxworks

here's a shot of my 2nd build of the gamma1; this one is meant for 'permanent mounting' inside a home preamp. I didn't need the usb board for this and also wanted to off-board mount the goodies. here's an angle shot of some of the essentials:






 I (re)used the gold rca jack AND the toslink receiver module from the ebay 'noodle dac' board (just unsoldered both and wired them onto my custom wires).

 what I found is that some toslink modules need 5v (mine) and some need 3.3v (the gamma1 default torx module) - and so I had to 'left a leg' (lol) of my red offboard connector and shortcut that wire directly to the +5vdc line, which is what the DAC takes as its B+.

 that was enough to make my 'generic' toslink module work with the AMB gamma1.

 all connectors on the gamma1 are now 'hacked' with molex connectors; so this module can now just drop-in on a suitably wired preamp and if/when I want to swap in a different DAC I just have to follow the same general kind of offboard pinouts.


----------



## liltehood

If you want your amp Remote Controlled i would by a Receiver and the controller. The Receiver should be connected to an mirco prozessor (Atmel AVR f.e.) and the microcontroller could be installed in the signal pathes. the only problem is the poti. youll need a digital...

 hood


----------



## linuxworks

I'm going to use motorized pots and an h-bridge. so all I need is a constant volume-up and volume-down signal.

 I decided to buy one of these:

TinyIR2 Learning IR remote control receiver

 I'll report back with my success (or not) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 that one looks really good to me, as its 'learning' ! I could use my tivo remote's up/down volume buttons and 'hijack' them for this preamp. that scores extra extra points in usability, in my book 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 then I can tie some of the pin outputs to relays for mute, crossfeed and so on.


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm going to use motorized pots and an h-bridge. so all I need is a constant volume-up and volume-down signal.

 I decided to buy one of these:

TinyIR2 Learning IR remote control receiver

 I'll report back with my success (or not) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 that one looks really good to me, as its 'learning' ! I could use my tivo remote's up/down volume buttons and 'hijack' them for this preamp. that scores extra extra points in usability, in my book 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 then I can tie some of the pin outputs to relays for mute, crossfeed and so on._

 

That thing looks cool! You're making me want to build an amp for my living room 

 So far I've only been thinking along the lines of home/work office and semi-transportable types. If I can make something that is remote control and can select inputs via the remote, I might have to pursue that. Of course, that project would be way way down the road. There are lots of things I want to build before that.

 I'm excited to see your end result Linuxworks.


----------



## linuxworks

progress on my combo 'everything in one box' box 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 maybe I'll call it....

*"Greater Than Zero(tm)"*






 left to right: gamma1 DAC from amb labs; pimeta from tangentsoft; TREAD power board also from tangetsoft. the 2 torroids are dual 12v and dual 5v (effective). one 12v rail is for the pimeta (its actually measuring at 20v, which is ample for me); one 12v rail can be used for motors; one 5v rail is used for the DAC and another can be used for the IR remote/processor (tbd). neither heatsink runs hot to the touch (finally).

 gamma1 is configured (right now) for opto-in, only. I have a wire and jack for coax-in but since I have not settled on front panel jacks or IR remote yet, that is still tbd. the led for 'lock' on the DAC also needs to come to the front panel.

 since the IR remote will be learning, I'll need a led for it, a hole for the receiver and a push button to 'learn'.

 cable wiring is 'working ok' but not really final. I can't hear any hum at all, or noise, so the routing seems ok enough.

 front panel is reused and needs to be replaced when its finalized. in fact, this 1U rackmount box used to be a pro audio thingie before I gutted it and stuck my own plastic front panel on it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 its already a zero-killer (so to speak). greater than zero, in more ways than one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 still a WIP, though, and more left to be done before its finally done. it is listenable and useful now, though.


----------



## mattcalf

Wow that is awesome!!
 DIY All-in-one to a whole new level.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mattcalf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow that is awesome!!
 DIY All-in-one to a whole new level._

 

thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I was joking with cetoole that this 'looks like what a software guy would do' 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am a software guy by trade and we 'think' in terms of modules and little blocks of functionality. and so when I build hardware it often is an exercise in integration more than outright design. little things wired together.

 it looks a bit silly and for a pure hardware POV, it sort of is 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 otoh, each part can be swapped out and some other newer toy could be put in its place without ripping up whole main boards. so I like the piecemeal approach when I'm designing-as-I-go.

 it really sounds good. kudos to tangent for the pimeta and amb for the dac. those guys did the real work - I just glued their stuff together!


----------



## FallenAngel

very nice linuxworks, like the cases, where did you get them?


----------



## FallenAngel

Ok, I haven't posted in a bit, so here is a sneak peak into a few projects.

 First I've built a simple 2x LM317 PSU (yes, not LM317/LM337 dual LM317) with outputs tied to make a ground. LM317 has nicer specs. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 It's +/- 24V to use for an Aragon D2A DAC.





 To fit a buddy's request for a "ghetto on the outside, nice on the inside" Starving Student Millet Hybrid, this is what I came up with. I really love how this turned out! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 Something a little more "professional" but same parts for someone else.







 Last but not least is something on the table at the moment, a standalone 4x JISBOS buffer with 2SC2344/2SA1011 output transistors powered by a Sigma22.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_very nice linuxworks, like the cases, where did you get them?_

 

you'll laugh. used audio stores sometimes have 'junker' 1U rackmount boxes. this one was some EQ that never worked and I bought to use the box, only. I think it was under $20 from 'starving musician' store in the south bay. 

 now... don't go there and scarf up all MY good boxes, m'kay?!


----------



## linuxworks

linksys box - LOL 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 talk about re-using boxes!

 can the plastic take the heat of the tubes?


----------



## FallenAngel

Awesome, my girlfriend works in mountain view, gotta send her on a scavenger hunt for those. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The tubes don't get that hot and the MOSFET heatsink is HUGE, gets warm but nothing bad. I'll run it for a day straight, see how it likes it.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Awesome, my girlfriend works in mountain view, gotta send her on a scavenger hunt for those. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

dammit.

 its true: a good deed never goes unpunished!

 enjoy


----------



## FallenAngel

Now for something more to my tastes... hmm... looks like a Zhaolu 2.5A... 





 Except, what's that? Is that a 4-pin XLR headphone output jack and are those hard-wired XLR outputs too? Yes, they are! But how can that be? Lets take a look.





 Inside I tossed out the stock output stage and headphone amp. Output is passive using 4x 4.7uF Sonicap Gen1 caps and the headphone amp is a balanced buffer using 4x JISBOS boards at 25mA Class-A with a 100K balanced stepped attenuator for volume control. The buffer runs off the stock +/- 15V supply

 It sounds pretty good and drives all of my headphones short of the K340 quite nicely. It gets the K340 loud enough but they feel very constricted. Not the case with my Grado RS-1 and the Sennheiser HD650 sound pretty nice too.


----------



## FallenAngel

One more since I've already got the camera out. This little beast is waiting for a case (and FPX work once it arrives).


----------



## ruZZ.il

wow. great σtuff. I want to be that βusy!


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ruZZ.il* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_wow. great σtuff. I want to be that βusy! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I built another cmoy, discrete rail splitter and switchable gain (2 or 7.66) it's nice to be able to use the whole volume control I paid for it all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I can only do single sided thermal transfer but I got the board fairly small and like all cmoy's it sounds great.

 cheers


----------



## nsx_23

Ooh, the switchable gain thing looks pretty neat.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Using my UE's a gain of 2 is more than enough, so its nice to have the option of switching. I'm going to try and fit the feature into my 3 channel cmoy.


----------



## Hayduke

What pot is that Fred?


----------



## cetoole

Looks like a 10k Alpha, maybe from Jaycar.


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cetoole* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks like a 10k Alpha, maybe from Jaycar._

 

I believe that Colin is on the money. It is a Jaycar pot, and can be found here.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Dame you've found my secret supply, it is a Jaycar 10k log 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Merry Christmas


----------



## krmathis

Some great DIY work going on in here! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Keep it coming...


----------



## linuxworks

a new kit, for me. called 'tiny IR2' it is a learning (!) IR receiver/decoder that can learn 12 IR commands (can be from diff remotes if desired) and assign them to 12 output pins:






 cost was in the $25 range for the programed (locked) PIC, pc board and parts shown.

 setup was easy - you program what features you want via some hard-soldered diodes. that configures which buttons or pins are toggle vs momentary style. you get 'free' latches that way (for on/off, or mute or crossfeed or bass-boost).

 2 of the pins will be used for motorized volume control.

 the button on the board is the 'learn' button; you press that while powering up and then you go thru the 12 IR commands you want and on the 12th one the LED turns out to tell you it learned all 12 and learning is now done.

 the output are high-going on button presses.

 I plan to integrate this in my 'all in one' preamp/dac/etc box.

 product url:

TinyIR2 Learning IR remote control receiver


----------



## TimJo

^^^^

 Pretty cool. Thanks for the tip...


----------



## dBel84

Probably not your most typical build but I thought I would post a few of the images here. 

 The first pair I made as a Christmas gift and can take all credit for the gruelling work , the second was much easier as Smeggy kindly sent me unfinished cups some time ago and with the recent stormy weather and inability to move about easily, I had some time to finish them up. 

 They are SFI based headphones - details on the ortho thread for anyone not intimidated by monster threads.

 Grado SFI


















 Smeggy cups - audio technica frame, mogami cable


----------



## krisjan

hi all - so here's my first 2 amps - first did a cmoy in an old ferrero rocher see-through case (no drilling needed), then one in an old Dysan stiffy disk box...
 both are pretty close to tangent's original schematic, cept for some improvement to caps values, etc. I use wallpower for both - and the second i fine-tuned more to my purposes - gain of 5.7, 1/4 inch output jack. Both use the opa2107 and sound really good - enjoying them...


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Never would have thought of the old disk box. I'm sure I've still got some, (somewhere) 
 Glad the amps are working well, they always sound better when you build them yourself.


----------



## Muzica

A pic of the work in progress... this is my very first DIY project.
 I'm working on it under supervision of a Dutch electronics engineer/designer.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Muzica* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A pic of the work in progress... this is my very first DIY project.
 I'm working on it under supervision of a Dutch electronics engineer/designer. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://i498.photobucket.com/albums/r...lding588-1.jpg_

 

Looks really nice! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 You say its a work in progress, if so I can't wait to see the end result.

 Welcome to Head-Fi!


----------



## linuxworks

my first (ever) toner transfer pc board! its a control board for IR remote control (it does 'radio button' selector so that when you select 'toslink' it 'pushes out' the spdif and analog inputs and so on):






 its just a large OR gate going into 3 d-latch flipflops but it does hold the last pushed button state and 'pops out' all the others.

 I used eagle and some photo paper to iron on the pattern to board before I etched it.

 one thing, though; always remember to mirror-image the graphic or you'll end up soldering and placing parts on the opposite side of the board (doh!) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 this is probably the first home-etched pc board I've made in perhaps 30 years! and I think my radio shack etchant was THAT old, too.


----------



## Muzica

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *krmathis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks really nice! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 You say its a work in progress, if so I can't wait to see the end result.

 Welcome to Head-Fi! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks. And yes, it’s still work in progress. Not sure when this amp will be completed but I think more likely early in the New Year. 

 Basically it's a SOHA II, revised by a friend (knowing as Ferrari here at HF) and is building by me.
 Actually, there are 2 amps in the making at the same time. Ferrari’s amp differs from mine by some special parts.
 In any case, I need his help to round up the measurements of my amp (not because I’m a woman 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, but because I’m using his oscilloscope and audio analyzer) and of course, for the parts of the circuits that were revised by him. 

 Undoubtedly, his amazing style is also visible on my amp. DIY-gurus like amb and Ferrari are really the inspirations for many of us.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Muzica* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A pic of the work in progress... this is my very first DIY project.
 I'm working on it under supervision of a Dutch electronics engineer/designer. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

that's a very clean looking front panel and layout.

 well done. not over-done, either


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Muzica* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...... revised by a friend (knowing as Ferrari here at HF) and is building by me._

 

That is funny as I was going to ask you if your friend was well known to us 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Very good looking build, I am sure it will perform admirably too ..dB


----------



## onform

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is funny as I was going to ask you if your friend was well known to us 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Very good looking build, I am sure it will perform admirably too ..dB_

 

As soon as she said a dutch.... etc i knew it was going to be Ferrari then i read the next post...lol 

 I could see the masters influence in the case design. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Welcome to headfi.


----------



## ludoo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Probably not your most typical build but I thought I would post a few of the images here. 

 [...]

 They are SFI based headphones - details on the ortho thread for anyone not intimidated by monster threads._

 

And my version of the same, just finished and sweet sounding.







 Next to one of the damped drivers, and the additional damping materials that will go inside the cups.






 Finished, with pads from small Pioneer DJ headphones.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Home etching is not easy on a double sided board but my son was thrilled to get this (nice to give a gift you had to make)


----------



## kuzzz

^omg nice


----------



## fishski13

Fred,
 that looks awesome. Mick is lucky to have such a cool dad.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Thanks for looking it was fun to do, and very satisfying to give it


----------



## nickyboyo

Yes, very nice work Fred. It has been very interesting to see your designs develop over the last couple of months. Keep it going champ


----------



## Captain ?degard




----------



## krmathis

Clean iTouch stand!


----------



## Captain ?degard

itouch, but still, thanks. This was a "prototype" to see how the varnish i got looked after drying. I really need to stop making **** i dont need, i already got a wooden dock for connecting to the computer, one for the bed which i now dont use because i got an alarm dock and this one that has no actual use whatsoever


----------



## bmwpowere36m3

Recently finished up my SOHA II build, I'm impressed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and here are some pictures of it cased up for now, it'll stay like this till I get some more time to finish it up with a top. Also the knob is temporary, scavenged from my "SS"...


----------



## liltehood

very good job and nice pictures.

 hood


----------



## Beefy

Photos of my completed Millett Hybrid Mini Max. This is pretty much as deluxe a build as you can get, while still being somewhat sensible...... Vishay Dale resistors, Panasonic FM for all power caps, BlackGate NX and Sprague VitQ coupling caps, genuine Toshiba 2SC2238/2SA968 output transitors. It is set up for very sensitive ESW9, so is using 12FK6 tubes and has 33R Kiwame output resistors.





















 The last pic is my first deliberate attempt at bokeh 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 There are naked amp pr0n shots of this particular amp on the left in this post and in progress construction shots on the Mini Max construction page.


----------



## Oink1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Photos of my completed Millett Hybrid Mini Max. This is pretty much as deluxe a build as you can get, while still being somewhat sensible......_

 

Wow! - Thats gorgeous!


----------



## ccontreras

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Photos of my completed Millett Hybrid Mini Max. This is pretty much as deluxe a build as you can get, while still being somewhat sensible...... Vishay Dale resistors, Panasonic FM for all power caps, BlackGate NX and Sprague VitQ coupling caps, genuine Toshiba 2SC2238/2SA968 output transitors. It is set up for very sensitive ESW9, so is using 12FK6 tubes and has 33R Kiwame output resistors._

 

looks wonderful! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 what is the cost of a minimax? 
 works well with Grados?


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The last pic is my first deliberate attempt at bokeh 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I was actually going to ask why you used such a wide aperture, and therefore shallow depth of field 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice photos. I just wish folks would stop those lenses down so the whole amp is in focus. At least yours was intentional


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ccontreras* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_looks wonderful! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 what is the cost of a minimax? 
 works well with Grados?_

 

About $150 for the basic parts. The case shown was manufactured for the recent group buy. For the group buy, they ran about $55 on average, but selling price outside of the group buy is TBD.

 The Millett Hybrid, MAX, and now the MiniMAX have a great heritage of pairing with Grado's. They can really dish out the current to a low impedance phone. Plus, the tube sound is a perfect complement to the Grado's signature. I use the HF-1's with mine and they sound wonderful.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Oink1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow! - Thats gorgeous! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks! Most of the credit goes to tomb for the cases though......

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ccontreras* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_looks wonderful! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 what is the cost of a minimax? 
 works well with Grados?_

 

Cost can vary a fair bit depending on part selection. Not sure how much the cases will be when they go for general sale either...... my cases were bought as part of a group buy. Should sound great with Grados 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice photos. I just wish folks would stop those lenses down so the whole amp is in focus. At least yours was intentional 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

The first 3 pics I've deliberately set the minimum aperture for maximum depth of field. The last, I just wanted the front panel text in focus


----------



## fordgtlover

I have just finished my new AMB y1 DAC.

 Nice build and sounds great. I'll case it up shortly. 

 Sorry that my photography skills are not quite as good as a few others here, but you get the idea.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Nice job you have a steady hand, put up pics when its cased.

 by the way my camera is so simple it has a button labled PHD stands for

 Push Here Dummy


----------



## fordgtlover

I'm using my daughter's new camera. It's not great but it has the same same PHD button 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I should probably say that the camera is still better than my photography skills.

 Here it is all cased up.


----------



## MisterX

Nice job with the SMDs. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 The silver screws don't look bad at all, in fact they work pretty good with the silver and black theme on the panels.


----------



## fordgtlover

Thanks. And of course thanks to you MisterX for the great project with AMB Labs.

 The silver and black theme does work pretty well.


----------



## Menisk

Holy crap, I'm not the only Canberran around here \o/


----------



## fordgtlover

Nope. There are a few that come and go, but I'm here most of the time. I just don't post so much these days.


----------



## amb

Very clean build, fordgtlover. If you run the edges of the panels against a sandpaper or flat file, you can clean up the small imperfections to make it look even nicer.


----------



## fordgtlover

Thanks AMB. 

 I'll give the panels a bit of a tidy up.


----------



## fordgtlover

Last picture of this - I promise.


----------



## amb

Excellent, just like how it should look!


----------



## nsx_23

That is damn awesome fordgtlover, if only I had skills like that......

 Might hone my SMD soldering up a mini3 before trying something like this though. Where did you get those frontpanels?


----------



## fordgtlover

Thanks AMB. I was going to polish the edges, but I liked them just as they are. Although it doesn't show too well in the picture (crappy photographer), I finished the front faces of the cap screws to match the brushed finish.

 Thanks nsx_23. A bit of practice and some patience pays off. DIY audio has certainly taught me patience. As for the panels, AMB has them available.


----------



## Menisk

Question for AMB quickly, I'm looking at building a balanced b22. I won't have the money to build one and get a balanced DAC and some 650s. But I can probably grab 650s and build one. Would a mock balanced y1 (feeding the inverted signal of the channels to the active grounds) be an alright temporary DAC, would it do justice to the amp or should I wait around a little while and get the whole lot all at once?


----------



## amb

Menisk, Not sure what you mean... The γ1 does not have balanced outputs.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Menisk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ Would a mock balanced y1 (feeding the inverted signal of the channels to the active grounds) be an alright temporary DAC, would it do justice to the amp or should I wait around a little while and get the whole lot all at once?_

 

you do realize that the dac chip (wolfson chip) is SE and that its not a native balanced output?

 if you 'add' a stage you are not increasing sound quality!

 the main reason why balanced audio is better is that for pro audio application needing 'long cable runs', balancing helps with common mode noise pickup. are you SURE that a balanced dac output is needed in your application? if so then the gamma1 is not the right solution.

 using a balanced (differential mode) technology for the wrong reason makes little sense to me. why do you think you need to be 'all balanced'?


----------



## Menisk

That's why I said a mock balanced out. Basically using an unbalanced signal in a balanced amp. I'm just not going to have the money straight away to get something like a DAC1 or Even a DACmagic. Just want a temporary measure that'll still be nice until I have the money for a real DAC.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Menisk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's why I said a mock balanced out. Basically using an unbalanced signal in a balanced amp. I'm just not going to have the money straight away to get something like a DAC1 or Even a DACmagic. Just want a temporary measure that'll still be nice until I have the money for a real DAC._

 

The gamma1 is a real DAC the last I checked. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Definitely not vaporware.

 And it sounds pretty good too.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Menisk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's why I said a mock balanced out. Basically using an unbalanced signal in a balanced amp. I'm just not going to have the money straight away to get something like a DAC1 or Even a DACmagic. Just want a temporary measure that'll still be nice until I have the money for a real DAC._

 

You could simply connect the balanced β22's inverting inputs to ground and only drive the non-inverting input with the unbalanced DAC. In this mode, the headphone will not see differential signals, but each side's + and - will still be actively-driven, in a 4-channel active-ground configuration.


----------



## Eagleboy

Hey all, I've been away from this place for quite a while... largely due to lack of money. Heh.

 Anyway, I just shot my portfolio for grad school, and I shot this for it - while I have a somewhat formal picture of the build, I figured I would share it with the bunch of you. These are my Grado SR-225's, recabled with Canare Starquad, Neutrik 1/8" plug, a brown lambskin leather band from Fatman 711, and all woodied up in Lacewood. Possibly to come will be Lacewood caps for the adjustment poles, and I might replace the semi-circle of plastic holding the cups with something to the tune of stainless steel.






 I only request that you do NOT PM me asking me to make you a pair. I'm a very busy guy right now, and can't possibly fill any kind of requests. But please feel free to PM to chat about how I made them, if you're curious.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Eagleboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey all, I've been away from this place for quite a while... largely due to lack of money. Heh.

 Anyway, I just shot my portfolio for grad school, and I shot this for it_

 

since you are into photography, its fair game to comment on the photo, itself? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the shadow is very strong. maybe it could be softer?

 (pm me if you want to discuss the boring details)


 ...sorry for the non-audio content


----------



## rille2

A amp for electrostatic headphones:

















 It's based on the design from this site. The bias is switchable for (mostly) all kinds of electrostatic headphones.


----------



## Ferrari

You are not posting at this place very often, but every time you come back… wow. 
 A really great amp to see, very well constructed. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Is the enclosure a HiFi-2000 Pesante Dissipante 2U, with 10mm faceplate milled/engraved by Schaeffer?


----------



## Captain ?degard




----------



## TheRobbStory

What's inside?


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is the enclosure a HiFi-2000 Pesante Dissipante 2U, with 10mm faceplate milled/engraved by Schaeffer?_

 

Yes


----------



## Captain ?degard

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TheRobbStory* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What's inside?_

 

Just a fiio e3, aka my frankenfiio v2 resurrectedinto a wooden case:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/qui...17/index2.html

 Just had to take a few pics before applying varnish. Took 4 failed attempts before that one held together. Its 60x75x18mm, so its not very thick, had to do everythign that much more careful.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A amp for electrostatic headphones:

http://www4.picfront.org/picture/qX7...amp_13.jpg.jpg
http://www4.picfront.org/picture/rjj...amp_08.jpg.jpg
http://www4.picfront.org/picture/hSr...amp_01.jpg.jpg

 It's based on the design from this site. The bias is switchable for (mostly) all kinds of electrostatic headphones._

 

Awesome build! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Looks very well constructed and laid out. Tidy and clean.
 ...and with both Normal and Pro (adjustable) bias output. Thats certainly give a lot of flexibility when it comes to picking 'phones.


----------



## naamanf

Wow! Great job. Definitely one of the nicer builds I have seen. Did you make all the boards yourself?


----------



## spritzer

Very nice ES amp you've got there, not that I haven't been following the build on hifi-forum.de. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 One thing to note is that the normal bias voltage is 200-230v and not 260v but that shouldn't make much of a difference.


----------



## adelias

rille2, very nice work! Is that a softstart you are using, which one is it?


----------



## liltehood

where to get the schematic for the e3 by the way?

 nice case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 hood


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Did you make all the boards yourself?_

 

I made the layouts only. The PCBs were made by a professionel manufacturer.


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You are not posting at this place very often, but every time you come back… wow. 
 A really great amp to see, very well constructed. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

X2 professionally done all round. thanks for sharing with us over here ..dB


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adelias* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_rille2, very nice work! Is that a softstart you are using, which one is it?_

 

There is no softstart. It's not necessary for the 100VA transformer. But I used a solid state relais (Sharp S202) for switching the primary voltage of the transformer.


----------



## Pars

Very nice job rille2!


----------



## Captain ?degard

Varnished!


----------



## liltehood

now it looks really nice. where did u get the schematic?

 Hood


----------



## iareConfusE

Are all of the DIY project I see that have pre-fabbed circuit laid out for them in the circuit board coming from kits that you guys buy? Surely not everyone in this thread can be an electrical engineer... Are you guys just following a diagram that tells you what goes where, or do you actually know exactly which resistors/opamps, etc you need for every component?... I'm blown away by most of these projects and I'm not sure if these are kits or complete start-from-scratch DIY's.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *iareConfusE* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are all of the DIY project I see that have pre-fabbed circuit laid out for them in the circuit board coming from kits that you guys buy?_

 

The majority of DIY that I have seen on Head-Fi comes from bought circuit boards and parts self-picked from a bill of materials. Not much comes in a full kit.

 Here's some links for projects commonly seen on Head-Fi:
AMB Laboratories DIY Audio Site
DIYForums.org
Cavalli Audio


----------



## Captain ?degard

Finally done. Fiio E3, Koss KSC 75


----------



## 00940

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *iareConfusE* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are all of the DIY project I see that have pre-fabbed circuit laid out for them in the circuit board coming from kits that you guys buy? Surely not everyone in this thread can be an electrical engineer... Are you guys just following a diagram that tells you what goes where, or do you actually know exactly which resistors/opamps, etc you need for every component?... I'm blown away by most of these projects and I'm not sure if these are kits or complete start-from-scratch DIY's._

 

It really depends. Some of us design our own boards and/or circuits. I do and I studied political science/european law, not electrical engineering 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Sometimes all it takes is putting together the typical circuits shown in the datasheets.

 Some designers also provide the PCB electronic files for projects and you just have to get boards done (or etch the boards yourself).

 And finally, many people build stuff from kits (ranging from a bare pcb + instructions to full kits).

 This said, some "kits" require quite a deep understanding of what each component does. I wouldn't want to start an expensive beta22 build if I don't know how to troubleshoot it. On the other hand, some people do make pcb for circuits they don't really understand... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Btw: i'm always amazed by how nice and neat some amps look. Casing is my absolute nightmare. Some people might "only" build amps from kits but their metalworking/woodworking skills are really amazing.


----------



## matthewcarlrose

Finally built a RevMH DB - after having the PCB's for near on 18 Months! 

 Not had the balls to test it yet! Any tips!??


----------



## linuxworks

the AMB.org epsilon12:







 assembly and photo by linux-works 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 this is a turn-on delay (about 3 secs) and also a DC voltage protection checker. if the voltage across the circuit's input ever get to 'dangerous DC' for too long, the relay takes the headphones out of the circuit. there is also a turn-off non-delay (grin) that tries to remove the phones from the amp before the amp has a chance to send out any close-down squeals or pops 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 this is a very tight/small circuit - meant to be included in existing amps. I haven't decided which of my amps will get this, yet


----------



## Sherwood

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_this is a turn-on delay (about 3 secs) and also a DC voltage protection checker._

 

 Pardon me, good sir 'Works, but why socket opamps in a turn-on delay circuit? Rather, what benefit would be gained by swapping them?


----------



## linuxworks

the default decision is 'always socket unless you are sure. and even then, socket'










 would sockets hurt here? nothing is high speed, so, no harm.

 is cost an issue? ha! this is head-fi (lol).

 can the installer (me) make a mistake and have to unsolder things? yup - likely!

 judges decision: install sockets!

 ..so there you go


----------



## Sherwood

Alright, pretty straight-forward. Though I must say, from the look of those solder joints I doubt you spend much time huddled over an opamp with a braid...


----------



## linuxworks

thanks.

 when I know something is going to be photo'd, I'll dress with extra solder even though its not electrically needed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 that means fluxing the top layer and touching it a bit for extra fill-in and niceness. of course that makes removing things harder so you HAVE to be sure before you do this.

 some of the fancy shiny blue vishays were not so shiny this time around ;( digikey, you get a B- on the 10k vishays but A+ on the rest of them (lol). I do like it when the parts come out nice and shiny. today's stuffed boards can be so colorful - and I find that cool, actually.


----------



## Pricklely Peete

I was gonna say nice job on the solder puddling but then you cheated and fixed her up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I bet the job would have been sound from the get go...what you did takes skill.

 Nice job on the delay BTW 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Peete.


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sherwood* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Pardon me, good sir 'Works, but why socket opamps in a turn-on delay circuit? Rather, what benefit would be gained by swapping them?_

 

Linux gave acceptable reaoning, but I'll add to it. What if you fry the opamp somehow? They are a fairly sensitive device, so a good static shock could kill it. Then it's a pain to replace. If it's socketed, replacing it is simple.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks.

 when I know something is going to be photo'd, I'll dress with extra solder even though its not electrically needed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 that means fluxing the top layer and touching it a bit for extra fill-in and niceness. of course that makes removing things harder so you HAVE to be sure before you do this.

 some of the fancy shiny blue vishays were not so shiny this time around ;( digikey, you get a B- on the 10k vishays but A+ on the rest of them (lol). I do like it when the parts come out nice and shiny. today's stuffed boards can be so colorful - and I find that cool, actually._

 

Those blue resistors are Vishays? Mine are always that redish brown rust color. A different series perhaps?

 I do agree that the blue ones are more more pleasing to the eye. I'm gonna be building another amp soon, so I'd like to use those.


----------



## cetoole

Yeah, the blue resistors are Vishays, CMF50 I believe. They are great looking parts, and good performance, about the same as RN55, but much more expensive. 

 Linux, you seem to be setting a trend for good soldering and photography. Keep it up, looks great!


----------



## _atari_

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_the AMB.org epsilon12:

 this is a turn-on delay (about 3 secs) and also a DC voltage protection checker. if the voltage across the circuit's input ever get to 'dangerous DC' for too long, the relay takes the headphones out of the circuit. there is also a turn-off non-delay (grin) that tries to remove the phones from the amp before the amp has a chance to send out any close-down squeals or pops 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Hi be sure to check G1/G2 again. I had massive problems with bad sound, offset and stuff like that. Until I realised that G1 ist connected to G2 and vice versa (at least in the version I own). And from your pictures I ca see that you are only use G1. 

 But apart from that: I am just jealous (build & photo quality)!

 Best regards

 _atari_


----------



## linuxworks

hi atari,

 the version I have has the fixed pc board. I'll doublecheck though - thanks for the tip 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 in fact I'm going to be using all 4 inputs. I spoke with AMB and wanted to have a poor man's mute button leveraged from this mute-relay board. the trick is to use the 4th ground wire (they are ALL the same, no difference between 'hot' and ground on this voltage-summer) and send something 'high' (like a TTL 1) and that will 'tip' the circuit and cause a muting effect. I'm planning on just having a toggle on my IR receiver that goes to this 4th gnd pad. a real cheap and simple mute on/off via remote - using the protection circuit for double duty!

 btw, I used no flash on the photo - my lighting style is to put the camera on a tripod, use selftimer (to trigger itself shake-free) and give it a long exposure (high f-stop number) which lets me THEN wave lights around from different angles - illuminating the subject 'evenly' before the shutter finally closes up again. I call it 'flying lights' for obvious reasons 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 even a flashlight (in motion, never stopped) will do if you have a several second long exposure time. and be sure to set the EV to the minus direction since you are flooding the subject with more light than the light meter had 'planned' on.


----------



## fordgtlover

linuxworks

 your photography is amazing. I'm going to stop posting photos of my builds. My poor photos feel embarrassed near yours.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

linuxworks

 Any hints about how to get such good photos without having to spend a fortune, because they are truly fantastic quality


----------



## amb

linuxworks, The input G1 is connected to the output G2 (and vice versa) on all ε12s. See the schematic. I should fix the silkscreen labels but it's much easier to change the schematic.


----------



## grawk

A picture of the balanced m3 cetoole is repairing for me. Such a work of art.


----------



## MASantos

What are those round thingies near the pot? Input caps?


----------



## grawk

Transformers to balance unbalanced inputs.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks

 Any hints about how to get such good photos without having to spend a fortune, because they are truly fantastic quality_

 

thanks for the kind words.

 I will write-up some kind of tutorial; its been long overdue. I'd like to share the 'secrets' I've picked up over the years on product photography.

 the summary, though:

 - tripod and self timer to avoid shake

 - preview the image to verify the depth-of-field (stop down view or live-view)

 - use the largest number f-stop you can but try not to go past '3/4' of your total range (larger f-stop number is 'more front/back in focus' but also you lose sharpness due to 'diffraction' with TOO much stop-down).

 - try to get 5-10 seconds of exposure (long, not short). this will happen when you use a large f-stop and you may still need to use a ND (neutral density) filter to slow things down even more. or maybe a polarizer.

 - when the camera goes off on self-timer, you have that 5-10 secs to do my 'flying lights' trick, as I call it. take a flashlight and wave it around, keeping it in motion, trying to hit the subject with light from 'many angles'. this is a poor man's 'soft box' 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 but do this on a SOLID floor as any bounce on the floor will cause the tripod to shake and lose sharpness.

 that's the main idea on the shoot. there is about half (more) in technique in PP (post processing). I'll cover that in my more formal write-up (short hint: the 'shadow/highlight' tool is worth its weight in gold in 'fixing' a lot of unbalanced lighting. no, it does not convert from single end to balanced - lol). another hint is to always work on the image at full size (1:1 pixels) and ONLY resize down at the FINAL step before you are about to 'print' or save-for-web. and right after you resize, THAT is when you do your single sharpening pass (unsharp mask).

 hth a little. I'll write a bit more later on the whole process with screen shots of photoshop, etc.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks, The input G1 is connected to the output G2 (and vice versa) on all ε12s. See the schematic. I should fix the silkscreen labels but it's much easier to change the schematic. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

oh darn...

 well, I still have something to work on for this, then. too bad, since the offboard connectors were so nice and happy there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 btw, I have low voltage going into the pimeta and this board (not even 20v, more like 17v). should I change the zener out - or do I have to do more to make this circuit run at that lower voltage?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks, The input G1 is connected to the output G2 (and vice versa) on all ε12s. See the schematic. I should fix the silkscreen labels but it's much easier to change the schematic. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 






 doh!

 sigh. yes, I missed this. thanks for both of you catching it!

 I'll 'edit' the circuit board underneath. the silkscreening is something I want the user to 'trust' when debugging this years from now


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_btw, I have low voltage going into the pimeta and this board (not even 20v, more like 17v). should I change the zener out - or do I have to do more to make this circuit run at that lower voltage?_

 

Just swapping the zener isn't enough. The relay is a 12VDC unit, and we have the power supply split in half to run it (24V / 2 = 12V). You can't run this circuit at anything less than 24V unless you change to a lower voltage relay in addition to changing the zener.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just swapping the zener isn't enough. The relay is a 12VDC unit, and we have the power supply split in half to run it (24V / 2 = 12V). You can't run this circuit at anything less than 24V unless you change to a lower voltage relay in addition to changing the zener._

 

I didn't catch this detail.

 perhaps I'll re-do my PS (yet again) and try for something closer to 24v. I am betting the relay will latch in at 10v (maybe?) and so if I'm at least 20v I'm hopeful it will work. but I will try for a 'full' 24 if I can.

 also, since my source stage is a pimeta with its own (single) rail splitter, would it actually be better to tap into this as my zero-point instead of splitting it 'yet again' in the epsilon board? I wonder if, in this case and config, using the definitive/actual 0v point from the pimeta would be simpler and actually more accurate? the 2 splitters could actually be 'arguing' about who has a better idea of (x/2), so to speak


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_also, since my source stage is a pimeta with its own (single) rail splitter, would it actually be better to tap into this as my zero-point instead of splitting it 'yet again' in the epsilon board? I wonder if, in this case and config, using the definitive/actual 0v point from the pimeta would be simpler and actually more accurate? the 2 splitters could actually be 'arguing' about who has a better idea of (x/2), so to speak 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

The ε12 was designed to be adaptable to many classes of amps, from those with real dual rails, split-rail virtual-ground, single-rail amps, passive or active output ground, unbalanced and balanced, etc., thus it cannot rely on the topology of any one of them. Hence the design to make its own virtual ground that's adjustable.

 Btw, since this is a "Post pics" thread, we've gone way off-topic. Please continue any similar discussion in the official ε12 thread at headwize.


----------



## WilCox

I finished my two MiniMAXes over the New Year's holiday. 

 Thank you Colin and Tom for making these wonderful amps available to us DIYers.


----------



## linuxworks

an external power supply was needed, so I hacked one together from mostly spare parts:






 the pc board is tangentsoft TREAD. the transformer was from the hk/ebay noodle-dac (as it seems to be called). the ugly mess on the right is a lead-supported (lol) lm7805 for my utility 5v supply (IR receiver board, local DAC, even motorized pots). the TREAD gives me a cleaner 20-24v for just the amp section (oh, and the e12 too, I guess) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the rear has an IEC power connector and line filter combo (might actually help and can't hurt). the case was a spare switching supply that I removed and discarded.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *WilCox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finished my two MiniMAXes over the New Year's holiday. _

 

nice. you even matched colors on details.

 I have my minimax box and I'm planning on building one, soon, too


----------



## lordvader

Wow !
 I was a bit sceptical about LEDs under the tubes, but the blue LED and the black case look HOT !!!!

 Can't wait for my gear to arrive !!!!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *WilCox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finished my two MiniMAXes over the New Year's holiday. 

 Thank you Colin and Tom for making these wonderful amps available to us DIYers.




_


----------



## WilCox

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_nice. you even matched colors on details.

 I have my minimax box and I'm planning on building one, soon, too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'm looking forward to your excellent photos of your fine craftsmanship. I'm sure you will enjoy the Mini.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *lordvader* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow !
 I was a bit sceptical about LEDs under the tubes, but the blue LED and the black case look HOT !!!!_

 

As a stuck-up tube purist, I didn't use tube LED's on my earlier MAX Hybrids. However, for the MiniMAX I decided it was time to move into the 21st century and gave it a try. I'm glad I did!


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *WilCox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finished my two MiniMAXes over the New Year's holiday. 

 Thank you Colin and Tom for making these wonderful amps available to us DIYers.




_

 

They look awesome


----------



## Ech0

@ WilCox,

 Nice work and coupled w/some nice headphones I see. Makes me wish I would've got in on the build. 

 Very professional,

 Matt


----------



## nsx_23

Ooh, I want that millet. Badly.


----------



## Beefy (May 18, 2021)

Photo spam of my completed and fully functional y1 DAC. Awesome project from AMB and MisterX, and big props to fordgtlover for making up the kits


----------



## alwayshungry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *WilCox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finished my two MiniMAXes over the New Year's holiday. 

 Thank you Colin and Tom for making these wonderful amps available to us DIYers.

 snip_

 

Nice work. Can you tell me where you got the knobs from? I'm trying to track down a black aluminum knob for my miniMAX. Thanks.


----------



## WilCox

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *alwayshungry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work. Can you tell me where you got the knobs from? I'm trying to track down a black aluminum knob for my miniMAX. Thanks._

 

Thanks! I used Audio Note knobs from Parts Connexion. They are very heavy brass with a plated finish and fairly expensive at $22.95 each, but they sure look and feel nice.

http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalo...sandknobs.html

 However, as TomB and DaMnEd suggest, PartsPipe on eBay is probably the best way to go.

eBay Store â€“ PARTSPIPE: Search results for 24x25.

 These are solid aluminum and much cheaper.


----------



## MoodySteve

I used the same knob for my ß22 build, albeit in polished brass finish.

 I just discovered that VT4C sells the 30mm polished brass knobs for about $12.00. Good deal if you're getting more than one.

 Very nice builds, by the way.


----------



## patton713MW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Photo spam of my completed and fully functional y1 DAC. Awesome project from AMB and MisterX, and big props to fordgtlover for making up the kits 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Where can I find more information on those kits?


----------



## WilCox

Deleted - Double Post


----------



## WilCox

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Photo spam of my completed and fully functional y1 DAC. Awesome project from AMB and MisterX, and big props to fordgtlover for making up the kits 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Your DAC looks fantastic! Love the lighted power switch. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I see the boards and panels on AMB's site, but it appears that the SMD's are not pre-soldered. Did you do the surface mount work yourself or is there a way to get the boards with these chips pre-installed?


----------



## amb

There is currently no pre-soldering of the SMD parts available. So far (from the prototype program to all the new builders), our experience shows that most people have little or no trouble with the soldering. Have no fear. All you need is some soldering experience, patience and care, proper tools, steady hands, and good vision aid.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *patton713MW* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where can I find more information on those kits?_

 

It was for Australians only, and the group buy finished a couple of weeks back.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *WilCox* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Your DAC looks fantastic! Love the lighted power switch. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks! The lighted switch is indeed awesome. Glows red when there is no input/lock, green when everything is OK, and switches the inputs. Great use of parts by AMB 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


 I see the boards and panels on AMB's site, but it appears that the SMD's are not pre-soldered. Did you do the surface mount work yourself or is there a way to get the boards with these chips pre-installed? 
 

Did it myself - first time I have done anything smaller than a SOIC-8 OPAMP. I did the most difficult part first, the PCM2707, and once you get the hang of the technique it is surprisingly 'easy'. I used this guide, as recommended by AMB.


----------



## nsx_23

Ooh, I wish I could SMD solder.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ooh, I wish I could SMD solder._

 

Why "wish"? Why not just DO? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Many of us had to take that leap at one time or another...


----------



## MisterX

Ecxatly... how are you ever going to know what you are capable of doing if you don't try?


----------



## Sherwood

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ecxatly... how are you ever going to know what you are capable of doing if you don't try?_

 


 That one's easy: ask people on head-fi what you're capable of


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Why "wish"? Why not just DO? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Many of us had to take that leap at one time or another..._

 

I've found that 'a series of little successes' is a good way to work your way up. going right for the intermediate ones might be a hurdle.

 if its your first smd project, you might want to practice on something to build confidence and get an 'easy goal' that will be more motivating once its complete.

 the gamma1 isn't hard but it might be a good idea to start with a true starter project if you are really scared of smd work.

 work your way up a little at a time. that way you build confidence at your own pace and that's mostly what its all about.


----------



## nsx_23

So something like the hohodiy mini3 kit?

 Reading through headwize, it seems most people are frying the AD op-amps. Why?


----------



## Punslayer

I've been meaning to post pics of the stuff I've been working on for a while, but laziness always gets the better of me. I'll do this chronologically starting with me Meta42, which I recently re-cased and added a battery-pack.


















 Then the Mini^3 I built recently.













 and finally the JaM Box. I didn't actually build any of the parts for this one, just gave them new homes.









 From the bottom, this is the Ack! dAck!





 And this is a Graham Slee Solo in the middle.





 The top is an old Discman, along with an M-Audio Co3 to convert the optical output to coaxial for the dAck! to digest.




 It's kind of a mishmash, but I think it's pretty cool and it sounds really nice with the PFR-V1.


----------



## Sherwood

Punslayer, your DIY projects are beautiful, unique and charming.

 I am especially impressed with the JaM box, even if you didn't actually construct any of the innards. Many DIYers here are stymied by case work, but clearly you have risen above that.

 I see a lot of you in your projects. Great work.


----------



## Punslayer

Sherwood,

 thank you very much! My goal in DIY is not just to get good sound, but good sound that reflects my character so your words mean a lot to me. I'm quite an amateur at all this and I can understand why people are daunted by casework (I really need to get some proper tools) but I think that the reward is well worth the effort.


----------



## dBs

Id be worried about those plastic cases having or forming static charges in them =X


----------



## Sherwood

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBs* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Id be worried about those plastic cases having or forming static charges in them =X_

 

I wouldn't imagine it would be a problem, so long as the equipment is grounded properly, which it appears to be. Am I wrong here?


----------



## Punslayer

I haven't had any trouble with static electricity with any of these amps, but it's something I'll keep an eye out for.

 But I tell you, the JaM Box sounds way better all put together than my system every did as separate pieces 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I think maybe it's the new cables


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Reading through headwize, it seems most people are frying the AD op-amps. Why?_

 

To say that "most" people are frying opamps is a huge overstatement. Most people are successful at first try. You read about the problems because that's why they post there.

 There are a couple of reasons why blown opamps happen in the Mini³. First, there is an onboard battery and reservoir caps that store charge. Some newbies don't treat this as a "live circuit" and give it due respect. When making measurements or otherwise mucking with the board, a wayward meter probe or other object could make undesirable short circuits. The second reason is that AD8397 has no internal output current limiting protection, so it's easily blown by a short circuit to certain pins. There are Warnings and Notices in the "initial setup" section of the Mini³ website to remove battery and discharge caps, but they sometimes go unheeded. Third, the simplicity and low cost of the Mini³ attract many first-time or newbie builders, which compounds the situation.

 Follow all instructions on the website, build/test it with care, and there is no reason why it shouldn't work at first try.


----------



## dBs

Might be ok with any possible static build up in the cases. I thought about it a bit more after making the post and the only time static charge is a problem is when it contacts a lower potential difference or a ground. In the case of the mini^3 case the entire case has the same potential and if the ground plane on the board is tied to that case it has the same potential. Thus the battery is supplying the potential+battery voltage at all times. In effect its still acting as a ground. 

 Now I dont have enough real world engineering experience to know if this situation could cause problems in other situations, like if the case were to discharge suddenly (or not suddenly enough), or something else.

 Either way, if its been working for you so far, Im sure youll be fine =D


----------



## adamus

not strictly a headphone amp. 

 Its a 12 wpc el84 pp amp with ecc803s drivers. 

 Each tube has its own cathode css, el 84's are at 34ma 340v B+, ecc803s has 1ma at 163 on the anodes. 

 sound? new toy effect hasnt worn off yet but its very promising!


----------



## nsx_23

That is incredible.


----------



## linuxworks

I wanted to add an alignment/test point post to the e12 that I recently built.
 I had to hack things a bit but I think I did achieve my goal.

 the board after I unsoldered the 2 caps that 'had to be moved', along with the new test post I'll use:






 this is with transistors 'moved' a bit to make room, and the test post surface-s
 oldered to the board:











 and the final shot, showing the tantalum (orange) now put back and bent over slightly; along with the bypass blue (small) cap hiding behind the test post and the trimmer pot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 the point of this was to expose the calibration points so that I can *safely* an
 d easily align this thing for a nice zero-point ground reference and not have to
 worry about probes slipping. even though you only align things once, its nice
 to have proper support for it, so to speak


----------



## linuxworks

here's a bass boost mod to a pimeta. a daughterboard sits on top with a relay and an R/C combo. the relay either shorts out the R/C or lets it be in-circuit; when its in-circuit you get extra bass.

 the 2 blue 'vertical' resistors are the normal gain controlling R's used in the pimeta. if the bass boost circuit was not being used, those R's would be in the 2 machine pins on the main pc board, below; but since the bass-boost is a series circuit, I got double duty from those R's as physical supports and also keeping the feedback-control loop physically/electrically short.


----------



## Forte

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 not strictly a headphone amp. 
_

 


 That looks stunning... Any shots of the internals?


----------



## MrSlim

sorry, duplicate post.


----------



## adamus

heres one channel 






 The red caps are obbligato's, with an red shrink wrap to insulate (vibration) as they are pressed firmly against the case. Resistors are kiwame or trueohm. lytics are blackgates.


----------



## V-DiV

Here is my wrinkle on the Millett Starving Student Hybrid. Sounds pretty darned good for $40 dollars in parts. 
 Now I want to build a Max or MiniMax. 
 Thanks Pete!

 I have a blue diode to light up the window but I need an easy/cheap way to put a
 design or logo in it.


----------



## compuryan

my balanced β22 w/ σ22 power supply


----------



## nsx_23

If I could read schematic, I'd so build a starving student.


----------



## linuxworks

gamma1 on top of pimeta:


----------



## rhys h

How does it sound?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rhys h* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How does it sound?_

 

mine? the gamma1 or the pimeta?

 I can't complain about either. both are highly recommended, both for building and for using


----------



## rhys h

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_mine? the gamma1 or the pimeta?

 I can't complain about either. both are highly recommended, both for building and for using 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yes the gamma, im thinking about building one. Impressed?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rhys h* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yes the gamma, im thinking about building one. Impressed?_

 

quite. best bang for the buck dac that I know of 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm using one as an 'embedded dac' in a home preamp I'm building. it tests well, is small sized, has flexible i/o and sounds great.


----------



## alwayshungry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *V-DiV* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my wrinkle on the Millett Starving Student Hybrid. Sounds pretty darned good for $40 dollars in parts. 
 Now I want to build a Max or MiniMax. 
 Thanks Pete!

 I have a blue diode to light up the window but I need an easy/cheap way to put a
 design or logo in it.

 snip_

 

I love that repurposed case. I like the way you laid out the heatsinks, tubes and power button and volume knob on it.


----------



## V-DiV

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *alwayshungry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I love that repurposed case. I like the way you laid out the heatsinks, tubes and power button and volume knob on it._

 

Thanks. I wanted to do something fun with this. Standard cases are a little boring. I'm not smart enough with electronics to do anything creative with the circuit, but I can play around with the casework and layout.

 Now what's next, hmmm? Maybe a Yu-Gi-Oh! MiniMax.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I decided to experiment with crossfeed, I found the circuit from build your own crossfeed 2
 I wanted to make a simple inline crossfeed adapter so I didn't have to build it into an amp, it came out fairly small so I just used heat shrink to protect it.

 I'm undecided about the effect, it changes some music more than other, it'll be a while before I can commit to using it full time but it's an interesting experiment.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Chuffed with the sound 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 would have been easy if I didn't make stupid mistakes


----------



## digger945

^Chuffed eh.
 Did you make the pcb yourself Fred?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I decided to experiment with crossfeed_

 

I am allowing for the tangent pcb in many of my builds. a down side is that you need a lot more gain from the amp. but the crossfeed effect is worth having. note that its also worth being able to bypass/disable it. I use relays (of course)


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *digger945* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^Chuffed eh.
 Did you make the pcb yourself Fred?_

 

Yes I use toner transfer for all the stuff I do


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I am allowing for the tangent pcb in many of my builds. a down side is that you need a lot more gain from the amp. but the crossfeed effect is worth having. note that its also worth being able to bypass/disable it. I use relays (of course) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

Your relay idea is clever it cuts down on wiring to dpdt switches which is a pain


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Your relay idea is clever it cuts down on wiring to dpdt switches which is a pain_

 

thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 here's the next evolution. TWO relays:






 the schematic and layout:











 you can turn off both relays, just one, just the other or both. one of those states is 'flat' and the other 3 are diff levels of bass boost. all relay controlled! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I home etched this one (painfully) from toner method. I hate that method, I really do... I must try the photo method some time.

 still, it did make an ok board:











 it sounds great, btw! I've been listening to it with various relays on and off. the default is both off and that gives a good amount of 'default' boost (as I like it both in my spkrs and phones). one setting is pure flat (one relay on and one off) and the other settings also involve at least 1 relay on. it happened that way because the traces 'told' me to do it that way (lol).

 this thing sits on top of the pimeta and I meaured the holes so it fits exactly over the pimeta R4 holes. I used IC socket pins to hold the resistors since they might need to be 'tuned'.

 its a hack, but it was a fun and productive hack.

 the next part is to create a 2-bit latch to hold the 4 states, some 4 LED driver and more interestingly the interface to the IR receiver/decoder.


----------



## vixr

linuxworks...wow! that is awesome.
 here is my gamma1


----------



## sandbasser

linuxworks - 

 Once again I'm totally blown away by your work (DIY work AND photography); I look forward to your postings. Your latest is totally amazing.

 A question: why did you 'socket' the resistors instead of just soldering them directly to the board???

 Thanks for the inspiring work!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sandbasser* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 A question: why did you 'socket' the resistors instead of just soldering them directly to the board???

 Thanks for the inspiring work!_

 

thanks!

 I need to be able to change the R's out if I didn't guess or pick the right values.

 I wanted to have 3 steps: 1 low R, 1 medium R, both in series (adding to more than either of them) and then both of them out of the circuit.

 to 'tune' that means I have to find some low R's that give 'just enough' bass but still when added to the larger R gives another level.

 rather than unsolder to tune or change the values, I just decided that a home made pc board won't survive repeated unsolderings so sockets come to the rescue 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 plus they look nice, those wire-wrap socket pins sticking up high like that (lol). I had a bunch of old wire-wrap sockets and those are actually pretty easy to cut apart and steal their pins from.

 I'm using this preamp for both my main spkrs and headphones. a bass setting that is right for my spkrs is too much for my phones, so having settable levels for bass really is a usability feature I'm glad I stumbled on. sitting back in your chair, with a remote, clicking 'bass flat,hi1,hi2,hi3' is a neat thing to have!


----------



## ruZZ.il

hey cool idea there with the relays. you could squeeze more out of it if you hook them up in parallel though (rather than the serial like hookup).. shorter signal path and less interface transitions.. Also, I'm not sure why you'd want to use a state machine.. you'd need to use gates, clocks, flip flops.. unless you program a chip to cut down parts.. not sure its worth the bother with just a few options anyway.. ah.. for a remote.. well.. then you almost may as well program something.. even if just a PLD....


----------



## linuxworks

I'm not sure what you mean by hooking the relays in parallel. do you mean physically next to each other or do you mean *electrically*? I do need to be able to switch each on and off, by itself, of course.

 edit: oh, I just realized, you mean programming the total R value by paralleling instead of going in series.

 not sure its a win either way; they both could have 2 R's in at a time (causing noise) either in series or parallel. I guess to take one relay R 'out of the path' the relay simply opens and there are no extra contacts to travel thru - that must be what you mean. with my circuit you always go thru TWO sets of relay contacts and you way you would possibly (at times) go thru only 1. you only get 2 golden '1 contact' settings, though (lol).

 perhaps if I re-do the circuit I'll try a parallel config. thanks for the idea.

 my keyboard mapping is going to be easy because I have a trick in mind 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the mapping of the 4 states to either 4 buttons on a remote or maybe just 1 button cycling around to the 4 states. I may run short of buttons and so I might not want to 'waste' 4 on this and maybe only use 1 (cycling) or 2 (direct binary selection via 2 toggles).


----------



## thetelevisi0n

My first DIY project. I probably could have improved the wiring a bit more and the soldering too... But I'm super happy with it!


----------



## mattcalf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *thetelevisi0n* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first DIY project. I probably could have improved the wiring a bit more and the soldering too... But I'm super happy with it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














_

 

Awesome stuff!
 Nice build, I hope my Cmoy turns out that clean.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Well done, it looks a lot better than my first effort 
 cheers


----------



## -=Germania=-

I am seriously waiting for digital out from the iPod just to use a gamma1 with a battery pack. 

 The iPod analog outputs are the limiting factor in my portable setup. It is very irritating when you know its not the files, the amp, cables, or headphone...its the iPod. lame.

 Great work AMB!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

OPA2132U
 Discrete rail splitter
 decoupling caps as suggested (thanks)
























 just wanted to show somebody 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 cheers


----------



## thetelevisi0n

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_OPA2132U
 Discrete rail splitter
 decoupling caps as suggested (thanks)

http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/q...4/CIMG2880.jpg

http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/q...4/CIMG2875.jpg

http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/q...4/CIMG2871.jpg

http://i460.photobucket.com/albums/q...icsdiscret.jpg

 just wanted to show somebody 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 cheers_

 

That looks amazing. Now I'm really ashamed of the wiring in my CMoy. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That interconnect is cool, did you make it yourself? I think that's gonna be my next project.

 And a random pic of my CMoy on a breadboard:


----------



## Fred_fred2004

The hardest part of the interconnect is learning how to plait 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 you'll have no problems

 cheers


----------



## apatN

Nice CMoy's in here. Keep them coming!


----------



## Scy

Millett Hybrid MiniMax and a BantamDac


----------



## rhys h

Very creative DAC Scy!


----------



## tk3

That is a really beautiful case, great work.


----------



## m11a1

God, I so want to try out that amp.


----------



## rhys h

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m11a1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_God, I so want to try out that amp._

 

Isnt there an old phrase, dont judge a book by its cover


----------



## m11a1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rhys h* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Isnt there an old phrase, dont judge a book by its cover 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Assuming from your statement that you are displeased with the performance of the MiniMax?


----------



## rhys h

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m11a1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Assuming from your statement that you are displeased with the performance of the MiniMax?_

 

Its not really my cup of tea but that is just one beautiful amplifier!


----------



## mattcalf

Scy thats an awesome lot of builds! I especially like your Bantams clear case, original!!


----------



## Beefy

Today is a day of mixed emotions - the end of the first chapter of my DIY story. I'm moving to Halifax, Canada for work in a couple of months and leaving my soldering station behind. I am also selling one of my DIY creations for the first time today...... to a fellow Head-Fi'er no less, who is picking up my Millett Max this afternoon.

 So here is the last DIY photo I will post for many months, even years, depending on how much spare time and money I find myself with in my new job. A huge thanks to everyone who provided help and inspiration. It has been a blast! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Top: γ1 DAC x2, Millett Mini Max x2
 Middle: σ11 PSU, Millett Max, MMM
 Bottom: Buffalo DAC


----------



## FallenAngel

Beautiful stuff _Beefy_, congrats!


----------



## mattcalf

Congrats beefy on those beautiful builds!


----------



## rds

Quote:


 Today is a day of mixed emotions - the end of the first chapter of my DIY story. I'm moving to Halifax, Canada for work in a couple of months and leaving my soldering station behind. 
 

I hope you're taking that equipment with you. Best of luck with your move.


----------



## Beefy

Thanks for the kind words 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 rds: the Millet Max is essentially sold. The black Mini Max will be sold once I have done some more stress testing on it. One of the y1 will be sold. The other y1 and silver Mini Max are *definitely* coming and will become my work/desk rig.

 The MMM and Buffalo I would dearly love to keep as a home rig... but I'm just not sure if it is practical yet. Desperately trying to talk the missus into letting me bring them


----------



## Lil' Knight

wow, I didn't know the Buff is that longggg!
 Very nice stuffs indeed


----------



## FallenAngel

Since I play games, I didn't want to miss out on all the fun effects the X-Fi engine offers, but I didn't want to sacrifice sound quality much either.

 My main music setup utilizes the ESI Juli@'s direct I2S output to my DAC, but for gaming effects, I needed to use a Creative X-Fi card (as they are the only ones that pass 3D-CMSS through S/PDIF). Now I didn't really like the weird and overdone S/PDIF implementation of their cards so with the wonderful help of Colin Toole (_cetoole_ on the forum), I tapped the S/PDIF output straight off the X-Fi card (before it gets multiplexed and messed around with), installed a pulse transformer, 75 Ohm wiring and a BNC jack output that now runs to my DAC. Needless to say, it works wonderfully and passes all the gaming effects.

 Thanks goes out to Colin for all his help. I now get called a cheater in CounterStrike source because I hear everybody moving around behind walls, can tell where they are because of the great positioning and of course get freaked out when I hear things behind me and turn around.


----------



## cetoole

Scy, awesome build! Very, very nice.

 Beefy, you will certainly be missed in the DIY world, but congrats on your new job.

 Pavel, nice work. Its a very busy board, and it looks like you did a good job of making this modification, especially since that wire looks a bit thick and cumbersome for this. Guess this is one of those times that 1600x1200 isnt even close to high enough resolution to tell what is going on.


----------



## cobaltmute

Beefy, congrats and you should take your station along with you for the times when you get snowed in.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cobaltmute* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beefy, congrats and you should take your station along with you for the times when you get snowed in._

 

Fair point...... but from all reports, Halifax has _great_ pubs. It will be a tough decision!


----------



## NajoBB

Wow...i just ran trough this thread and I'm simply amazed by talent (and will power) of people here. This is gonna be awesome read. Just wanted to say, one of the best threads I've found here and i hope to join with some projects myself one day.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fair point...... but from all reports, Halifax has great pubs. It will be a tough decision! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

True, but you have to get out the door to get to them.


----------



## apatN

Wow it keeps getting better here. Great work people.


----------



## patton713MW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I needed to use a Creative X-Fi card (as they are the only ones that pass 3D-CMSS through S/PDIF). Now I didn't really like the weird and overdone S/PDIF implementation of their cards so with the wonderful help of Colin Toole (cetoole on the forum), I tapped the S/PDIF output straight off the X-Fi card (before it gets multiplexed and messed around with), installed a pulse transformer, 75 Ohm wiring and a BNC jack output that now runs to my DAC. Needless to say, it works wonderfully and passes all the gaming effects._

 

Which flavor of X-Fi card did you use? Do you think you could go into a bit more detail on the modification? Parts used, etc...


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *patton713MW* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Which flavor of X-Fi card did you use? Do you think you could go into a bit more detail on the modification? Parts used, etc..._

 

X-Fi XtremeMusic (retail, not OEM, make sure! If it doesn't come with the retail box, don't buy it! I cannot stress this enough).

 Newava S22083 pulse transformer, 0.1uF cap to ground, 300R inline with S/PDIF signal, 97.6R across output of transformer.

 The harder part (if you already had Colin recommend you the parts and how they work together of course 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) was finding where the S/PDIF signal comes from and finding where to tap it. It ended up being the 74F125D buffer, before the multiplexer. As you might can see from the photo, pin 4 was used for ground and pin 6 for S/PDIF output.


----------



## digger945

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Today is a day of mixed emotions - the end of the first chapter of my DIY story._

 

Look forward to chapter two.

  Quote:


 I'm moving to Halifax, Canada for work in a couple of months ... 
 

So if your in North America that means we could get together for a meet!!!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





  Quote:


 A huge thanks to everyone who provided help and inspiration. It has been a blast! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 

If you only knew how many times I picked up a tip from reading your posts, not to mention many many laughs.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I certainly hope to see you online from time to time.
 Wouldn't be the same without ya.


----------



## vampalan

Not as flash as some of the amps I have seen so far, but here is mine:





 Actually its a kit from zigis. Had lots of fun building it.


----------



## adamus

7 minutes work produces... an input selector with rotarty encoder, the start of a preamp.


----------



## digger945

^Can't wait to see what your attenuator looks like adamus!


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_7 minutes work produces... an input selector with rotarty encoder, the start of a preamp._

 

Looks great adamaus! Is it a kit? if so.... where did you get it?


----------



## adamus

Its a kit, diyzone, or ebay, several of the chinese diy shops stock something similar. 

 its just a rotary switch with a few diodes to open one relay at a time. 

 the LEDs arent moutning yet, i will be running them on the front pannel.


----------



## linuxworks

these are just work-in-progress photos but the concept seems to work and so I wanted to share it before the project is fully done.

 the idea is to have a pimeta board be the center of a home preamp. that's not all that unusual but what's a bit different is that I've 'stolen' the 3rd 'ground channel' and used it for a bass channel! or rather a subwoofer amp mono channel.

 I was willing to let go of the 'high end' virtual ground buffer channel and use that set of opamps/buffers for driving my subwoofer. all I had to do was rewire the pimeta board a bit and instead of the ground channel taking its input from 'ground', I let the input of that single mono channel come from a summed (left+right) that came from 2 resistors from L and R. since I wanted the bass channel to be based on the main 2 L,R channels, the input to the bass channel comes from the output of the L,R and so when you vary the volume on the L,R pair, the input to the bass channel also goes louder, as you'd want.

 I have a volume pot on that point, between the L,R outputs and the bass channel input. that lets me 'trim' the bass amount as you would normally do on a home theater stereo or a preamp with a bass level control.

 pics:











 first photo shows the area of the pimeta board that needed modifying. in the center where its marked C6G is where a new resistor (1M) goes which is the feedback loop, as the other 2 L,R stages have. there's a 15k R on its side (marked 15) and that's similar to the R4 gain setting resistor in the L,R channels.

 a leg on the R3G spot is lifted and similarly one is lifted on R1G. a new R is added on its end in the R4G spot and a new junction is soldered 'on top' in place.

 all this is to replicate as closely as possible the same topology of the circuit as the L and R has. the ground channel was always a little different (unity gain, etc) but I wanted to convert it to being the same as L and R so that my bass channel was as closely matched as possible.






 the orange wire going into and out of the pot on the far left is the bass wire. you can see the 2 temporarily mounted (!) resistors on the 2 gold rca output jacks that form a summing network that just combines both channels into a mono single channel, ready to send into the bass-volume control pot. the long thick green wire is a ground bus.


----------



## Beefy

Great idea!

 I really don't think that the loss of the active ground is particularly important for pre-amp duties. You'll never be moving large amounts of current or big voltage swings, and (just guessing) it probably isn't as reactive a load as headphones can be.


----------



## linuxworks

thanks beefy.

 even for my hd650 use (!) I honestly can't tell that I'm 'missing' a ground channel. I hear all the fullness I used to hear in 3ch mode but using only 2 'normal' amp sections.

 my preamp will be probably 3/4 used for speakers and the 1/4 time on phones duty but the times I use phones, I did want it to sound good - and it doesn't seem to have degraded at all, to my ears.

 before I made the mod, I listened with the 3rd channel disabled and just could not hear any 'problems' so I decided to donate that channel to something more useful 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I know it will annoy the purists but I really can't hear any improvement in 3ch 'active ground mode' vs old school 2ch mode.


----------



## soloz2

My latest creation:






 Millet Hybrid Max, Can't Miss #1 with an OptiVol, pre-out and enclosure to accommodate future upgrades.


----------



## rjkdivin

I finished up this set of Gamma One DACs. Very nice SPDIF/USB 24/192 DAC using piggy-back DAC and USB boards.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *soloz2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My latest creation:

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5627/img4347ch7.jpg

 Millet Hybrid Max, Can't Miss #1 with an OptiVol, pre-out and enclosure to accommodate future upgrades._

 

Looks nice, from what I can see.
 Do you have more pictures, in better lighting conditions?


----------



## onform

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *krmathis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks nice, from what I can see.
 Do you have more pictures, in better lighting conditions? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I was just about to ask that, then I scrolled down..lol


----------



## soloz2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *krmathis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks nice, from what I can see.
 Do you have more pictures, in better lighting conditions? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *onform* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was just about to ask that, then I scrolled down..lol_


----------



## rds

Wow, that is one camera shy amp. But from what I can see of it lurking in the shadows it looks great!


----------



## soloz2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, that is one camera shy amp. But from what I can see of it lurking in the shadows it looks great!_

 

LOL. My camera won't take picures w/o a flash unless I have it on a tripod otherwise they turn out blurry. I should really try no flash with the lights on though


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *soloz2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_LOL. My camera won't take picures w/o a flash unless I have it on a tripod otherwise they turn out blurry. I should really try no flash with the lights on though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

you don't WANT flash. flash ruins photos most of the time (unless you diffuse or bounce it, which most seem to not do..)

 you want a tripod and use the self-timer on the cam. they all have a self timer. get the lighting as close to what you want, press the shutter and stand back and let the camera fire itself. if you got anything usable in an exposure, you then go on to step 2.

 step 2 is mostly the magic tool called 'shadow/highlight'. or its known as something similar in name. its purposes is to lower the overly bright areas (compress them down) and bring out detail in the darker 'shadow' areas (compress them 'up').

 that's about 3/4 of what you need to know to get usable photos, even of dark objects. the shadow/highlight tool is your biggest bang for the buck after the tripod/selftimer bit.

 HTH.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *soloz2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_LOL. My camera won't take picures w/o a flash unless I have it on a tripod otherwise they turn out blurry. I should really try no flash with the lights on though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

How about sliding the red curtain aside? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Looks to be light outside


----------



## Robin W.

This is the first version of a small desktop amp, first try at cnc machining all of the panels, and first enclosure I designed from scratch. (the knob was bought instead of made though) More pictures to come when I get a chance.


----------



## grawk

Interesting heat sink design.


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Captain Ødegård* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_








_

 

Sort of an old post, but can't resist.

 It looks as if the iTouch pooped its pants, and the poop is dripping down the stand.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rwaudio* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is the first version of a small desktop amp, first try at cnc machining all of the panels, and first enclosure I designed from scratch. (the knob was bought instead of made though) More pictures to come when I get a chance._

 






 Nice little case, I like the originality! What kind of amp are you going to put in there?
 If you get a chance, please post some larger pics.


----------



## Robin W.

Hi Ferrari, here's a bigger version of that pic.
 The amp is similar to a pimeta, but instead of buffers it uses parallel op-amps, along with the TLE and an active ground channel. There is a preamp out that is controled by the main vol, which is only active with the headphones removed (like your average receiver) There are switches on the back to select high/low gain and to use or bypass the input coupling caps depending on your source.


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for sharing! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Don't forget to post pics when your amp is completed.


----------



## iareConfusE




----------



## diddy1234

Hi all

 here's my attempt to build a slimline amp.
 I originally wanted to build a Cmoy amp but here in the UK its almost impossible to get the op amps.
 I could have brought one from Ebay but where's the fun in pre built. I wanted to build my own.
 So searching around I found a stereo amp based on the TDA2822 chip.

 specs :-

 TDA2822 stereo amp (complete amp kit from Quasar Electronics(
 Case, LED, knob from Maplin electronics
 power supply 3.6volt ni-cad rechargeable, 330ma
 Output impedance 4 - 32 Ohm
 Freq. response ~ 30 Hz to 100 kHz, 16 ohm
 S/N ratio > 80 dB

 I have not measured the power output yet but it is really loud
 The biggest problem with building this amp was that the internal case size is 11mm.
 The circuit hight is 10mm (without solder connections) so everything had to be shoe horned in.
 I also had to insulate the circuit board as well from the ali case.
 Also the volume control is actually 16mm diameter so I made a small cut out in the bottom of the case below the volume control to enable the volume to fit the case.

 The sound quality is very good (to my ears at least) and is slightly bright on the higher frequencies but then this compliments my Schenniser IEM's very well.

 The sockets on the back are power on/off, and a USB pass through using two USB sockets.
 This is also how the battery is charged up.
 This allows me to plug my mp3 player into the back of the amp and then use one USB lead to charge my mp3 player and charge the amp.
 The charge current is about 25ma for the 330ma battery, so about 10 hours of charge time is needed.
 the amp lasts about 6 hours of listening before charging is needed.

 Overall this is the smallest amp that I have made (without going to surface mount building) and works very well. 
 Total cost was around £40 including the battery and all leads.
 I would only recommend the brave try to build something this small.


----------



## adamus

finishing touches applied to the speaker amp.


----------



## rhys h

Very nice adam. Do you have a schematic?


----------



## adamus

yes - its based on this, but with a few mods thown in, e.g i am running at 340v B+ so i had to change the CSS (the square labelled 'bias') to a reduced current (to keep withint the 12w maximum dissapation of the el84). 

 I also removed NFB (just get rid of the 12k). I also had a play with the 16k shunt feedback resistor, and settled on 22k. 

 Credit for the schematic goes to gingertube (very helpful chap on DIYaudio).


----------



## rhys h

Thanks, looks great! Can i ask where you managed to find the output transformers?


----------



## adamus

bluebellaudio.co.uk

 the guy that runs it is probably the most helpful man on earth too.

 I used the hammond 1650e.


----------



## rhys h

Cheers, any idea on the total build cost? Also do you know the power output?


----------



## adamus

total cost... about £290

 power output is just over 12 watts per channel.


----------



## onform

I went down to my local plastic suppliers today to see if I could find a surplus piece of clear perspex, (they have cages full of different plastics just sitting outside that is going to be dumped), for something i'm trying out before i buy a decent piece. And I found this sitting on top of one of the cages...!











 It turns out that this inconspicuous company churns out the cases for a small but well respected audio company..

 Now some of the print is a bit dodgy and there is a slight scuff on the face plate but I don't care... I just got to figure out what to put in it!

 I think I may pop in there again to see what else they decide to throw out!


----------



## V-DiV

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_finishing touches applied to the speaker amp. 




_

 

That's pretty 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. I like the nice simple look of your amps. I'd love to build a transformer-coupled headamp for my K701 eventually. I love the look of all the tubes and iron. I'll proudly display the tubes and transformer on the Bijou I am preparing to build.


----------



## adamus

cheers mate. Its a heavy beast that one!


----------



## -=Germania=-

Onform, what size is the case? 

 A nice, free case like that might just be worth throwing a custom front panel on like those from Front Panel Express.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

This is based on a TPA6111A2 it's very similar to the PA2V2 amp, the trick to decent sound is the capacitors it needs a large output capacitance with a smaller fast acting cap across the large one, it uses a charging capacitor to delay the sound turn on and thus avoids and clicking or popping the headphones the sound takes about 1/2 a second to build up and so its very gentle on the headphones. Set to a gain of 5 its sounds very good and rich with a solid bass. 
 I put the chip on a small dip adapter and that allowed some of the circuitry to be under the chip and also a decoupling capacitor under the chip.























 I'll get it in a case tomorrow 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Thanks for looking
 cheers


----------



## Beefy

Looks good fred! But what are you bothering with those dinky toys for, now you've got a _real_ amp? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But seriously, how is the Millett treating you?


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Hi Beefy,

 The BIG amp is great I use it while building the baby ones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 You were right it sounds super with the AD700's

 Its one of the best buys I've ever made

 cheers


----------



## Beefy

Glad to hear it mate


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is based on a TPA6111A2 it's very similar to the PA2V2 amp_

 

do you have more info on this? schematic, etc? looks interesting.

 great job on the build. all home etched I assume?


----------



## Ferrari

Enclosure for my PPA + γ1 DAC combo (WIP), made from €1 aluminum profile and FPE faceplate.
 This combo will serve as my office amp.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_finishing touches applied to the speaker amp. 

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/9...eyfinalpx0.jpg_

 

Dang! That one sure looks nice... 
 Well done!


----------



## adamus

cheers Krmathis, twas a satisfying build. It sounds much better than it looks!


----------



## J.D.N

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Enclosure for my PPA + γ1 DAC combo (WIP), made from €1 aluminum profile and FPE faceplate.
 This combo will serve as my office amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 


 Very nice indeed, don't suppose you'd like to share some pics of the internals and rear panel?


----------



## apatN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Enclosure for my PPA + γ1 DAC combo (WIP), made from €1 aluminum profile and FPE faceplate.
 This combo will serve as my office amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..._

 

Wow very clean. You do great work!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *J.D.N* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice indeed, don't suppose you'd like to share some pics of the internals and rear panel?_

 

Thanks for the kind words gents! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Sure, I will post more pics when completed. I still have to wait for a shipment from Digikey to complete the γ1 DAC, before integrating the DAC into the amp. 

 For the moment, I still have another amp to complete.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_do you have more info on this? schematic, etc? looks interesting.

 great job on the build. all home etched I assume? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yes all home made, here is my drawings they are not the best I don't really go for schematics, I roughed out the circuit on scrap paper and fleshed it out when laying out the board, so I added decoupling caps under the little board and additional decoupling at the power connection. It works on very low voltages the 3v I'm using gives a savage output. C3 is the startup cap too large a value and it takes minutes to start too low and it'll pop the earphones. Gain is set by R3/R4 I'm using 5, input caps are film my mistake on the drawing. Battery is permanently connected the switch on pin 5 puts the chip to sleep and it draws a few uamps. 

 I use PCBartist (free) so if you want the layout let me know
 cheers


----------



## Sodacose

Here's a lamp:






 Here's a CMOY:






 Here's my Starving Student (currently hungering for tubes):


----------



## cfcubed

Proto PCB build of a Compact Tube Hybrid (CTH? CHAmp? ask runeight
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Sounding great.... Done except for gray vinyl dye for the black endplates (this summer), and I won't get away without some ventilation holes in the top (or use that nice perforated alum). Big thanks to runeight for making this amp possible!


----------



## tomb

Very nice, cfcubed! That's one cute tube hybrid!


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice, cfcubed! That's one cute tube hybrid!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

Thanks TomB! Appreciate the regards on this again
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Just an FYI... Without top holes the case does get warm (not hot), but I will be drilling some fancy-pants vent holes in the top, then calling it done:





 Not Ferrari league for sure (not even the same sport
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), just some time w/a drill press on this like $15 USD hammond...


----------



## Hayduke

Where did you pick up that little chrome bezel ring you're using?


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you pick up that little chrome bezel ring you're using?_

 

I _think_ I ordered one as a protector from vtc.com here with an order for a few alps RK27s & their stepped pots in the RK27 case... Use only 1 ring on the tops so I can easily roll tubes.

 Pretty happy with the stuff.... They do show up on ebay too.


----------



## hardnrg

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Enclosure for my PPA + γ1 DAC combo (WIP), made from €1 aluminum profile and FPE faceplate.
 This combo will serve as my office amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 


 how did you do the illuminated ring around the volume knob?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hardnrg* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_how did you do the illuminated ring around the volume knob?_

 

I have pointed this out a while back, somewhere in this thread. The illuminated ring around the volume knob is implemented as follows: 

 the volume pot is mounted on a piece of sanded plexiglass behind the faceplate while the faceplate cut out surrounding the volume knop is a bit (3-4mm dia) larger than the volume knop itself. A super bright LED (12000 MCD, 120 degrees angle) is mounted behind the faceplate to create the illuminated ring, which is visible on the front via the plexiglass. 

 Instead of a 120 degrees LED (sometimes hard to find), a couple of regular bright LED's (~30 degrees angle) can be used.
 The head (top) of these regular LED need to be sanded up a bit to create a wider view angle.


----------



## wiatrob

Love that backlighting! I'm going to try it when I case up my M^3. Got the power supply cased up tonight - 36V AMB Sigma 11


----------



## FallenAngel

My second SOHA2 prototype. The case is one of the large NABU boxes (weighs about 20 lbs of heavy-duty steel). No air circulation but it's big and after running it for about 6 hours of use the top is warm, but not hot.

 No internal shots as I've already moved it to the office and don't feel like taking it apart again. Tubes are GE 6680, Teflon FT3 coupling caps, HV supply on perfboard. As with my first one, there is a slight hiss with super-low impedance, highly sensitive headphones - basically only the Denon D5000; even in Grado RS-1, I can't hear anything.


----------



## Ferrari

Another SOHA in the making...


----------



## J.D.N

Yet again, very, very nice! 

 Where did you get those volt meters for the front? They are an excellent touch!


----------



## MoodySteve

I believe those are from vt4c.com


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another SOHA in the making...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding607.jpg_

 

And what looks like another nice build.


----------



## TzeYang

I'm getting the feeling that almost everyone is getting numb from Ferrari's consistent quality build. I think he's building too many beautiful stuffs. He's got better and more emotional praises back then.

 You should try building something ****ty and counterbalance it.

 Yeah. I see your picture. I know it's beyond impressive, yet I cant find the motivation to go all crazy like how it used to be.

 PROTIP: Amb builds once in a while.


----------



## apatN

Prachtig Ferrari! Geweldig werk!


----------



## MrSlim

Clearly someone has Waaaaaayyy too much time on their hands.. a long with more than his share of expendable cash.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Beautiful as usual Ferrari..

 Unfortunately you are setting a very high standard here..


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrSlim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Unfortunately you have set a very high standard here.._

 

FIFY


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind words gents! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





*@J.D.N.* the current meters on the front are indeed from vt4c.com.


----------



## oneplustwo

This probably isn't a very exciting pic for you all, but I just finished my my minimax. Loving it! (Still need a knob though.)


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This probably isn't a very exciting pic for you all, but I just finished my my minimax. Loving it! (Still need a knob though.)




_

 

It is more exciting if she takes her clothes off......


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm getting the feeling that almost everyone is getting numb from Ferrari's consistent quality build. I think he's building too many beautiful stuffs. He's got better and more emotional praises back then._

 

As long as he doesn't start stepping in on our turf trying to make sexy protoboard work too, I'll be happy.


----------



## Sherwood

Every Millett is exciting, 3. Every one of them.


----------



## chiefroastbeef

woooooow, that mini max is the most beautiful amp I've ever seen! I really need to get my stuff together and start a project like that. Is reading schematics absolutely necessary to work on that? Can a mini3 builder without schematics knowledge step up to the minimax, or will he poop his pants?


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chiefroastbeef* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_woooooow, that mini max is the most beautiful amp I've ever seen! I really need to get my stuff together and start a project like that. Is reading schematics absolutely necessary to work on that? Can a mini3 builder without schematics knowledge step up to the minimax, or will he poop his pants?_

 

The only building difficulty with the MiniMAX is a number of small parts and biasing. You've got the small parts licked if you've built a Mini3. Hopefully, our documentation at the MiniMAX website will take care of the bias adjusting required. So, yeah - we've always recommended it as a _second_ project.


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Excellent, thanks for the reply tomb, I was looking at the mini max thread, but couldn't find where to purchase the case(I see that you were in charge of it.) Or is it sold on already on a group buy? That is just a gorgeous amp. If you don't mind, how much did that amp cost with the case? Thanks!

 Anyways, here is the mini3 I built. It worked the first time, but stopped working a couple days ago, AMB helped me narrow it down to a possible smoked AD8397 op amp. Another one is on the way.


----------



## nsx_23

Ooh, looks nice. 

 I'll be building the exact same thing soon


----------



## chiefroastbeef

You're going to have loads of fun man, until you turn it on and it doesn't work... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 *edit* I assume you are talking about the mini3 and not the mini millet? If so the mini3, did you order the kit from hoho? Best deal ever, casing included.


----------



## Owen Bartley

Ferrari, those are beautiful! Love the illumination.


----------



## kingbuzzo

where would one order such a kit?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ So, yeah - we've always recommended it as a second project._

 

good thing I bought enough for 2 builds!

 (lol)


----------



## -=Germania=-

Great looking Mini3!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Owen Bartley* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, those are beautiful! Love the illumination._

 

Thanks!


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kingbuzzo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_where would one order such a kit?_

 

The Mini³ Portable Stereo Headphone Amplifier

 I am going to order one myself I think. I love my cmoy and this looks like a nice upgrade. It's a shame the case parts are so expensive but I suppose low volume manufacturing is.

 It will be interesting to see how it sounds with one 9V battery. The cmoy definitely sounds better with two.


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Yep, the mini3 is a worth while amp for diy beginners, Glass Jar Audio : Home has a great kit, though I ordered mine through Hohodiy.com, which offers a fantastic kit.


----------



## nsx_23

I think glassjar is a lot more expensive than hohodiy. 

 Anyway, chiefroastbeef, mind shedding some more light on why your mini3 stopped working? I'm trying to do as much reading as possible before assembling the kit (which I'll order next week).


----------



## sandbasser

Here's a link to a great thread on Mini^3 on the HeadWize forum:

HeadWize: DIY Workshop > Mini³ v2: A portable headphone amplifier (part 2)

 Meanwhile, Let's get back on topic - this is supposed to be a thread with pics of our builds...


----------



## chiefroastbeef

amb helped me narrow it down to an op amp, only right channel was playing music. I'm not sure how I blew the op amp, because it worked the first time I switched it on, and quit working two weeks later without me fondling it.

 I ordered a new op amp(ad 8397), soldered it, and it worked again.

 I also just finished building the alien dac from glass jar, didn't work first time, but reflowed some joints and worked. 

 I'm very happy to have both boards working!


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think glassjar is a lot more expensive than hohodiy. 

 Anyway, chiefroastbeef, mind shedding some more light on why your mini3 stopped working? I'm trying to do as much reading as possible before assembling the kit (which I'll order next week)._

 

amb helped me narrow it down to an op amp, only right channel was playing music. I'm not sure how I blew the op amp, because it worked the first time I switched it on, and quit working two weeks later without me fondling it.

 I ordered a new op amp(ad 8397), soldered it, and it worked again.

 I also just finished building the alien dac from glass jar, didn't work first time, but reflowed some joints and worked. 

 I'm very happy to have both boards working!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

As soon as I see a tin I have urges 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			

























 Thanks for looking


----------



## nsx_23

That is awesome.


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Sweet tin and sweet amp!


----------



## S3am

Regulated PSU for my next (and first :lol: ) headamp:
 +9V 0.8A.


----------



## chews89

Howard, awesome tin/build, but what's inside?


----------



## Fred_fred2004

It's a Texas Instruments TPA6111A2 similar to the chip used in the PA2V2 headphone amp, its very nice but it loves capacitors or it looses the bass, runs down to 2.5volts so very suitable for AA batteries 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Hows the Cmoy coming ?
 cheers


----------



## Beefy

Really nice build, Fred_fred2004. Great novelty and function!


----------



## chews89

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's a Texas Instruments TPA6111A2 similar to the chip used in the PA2V2 headphone amp, its very nice but it loves capacitors or it looses the bass, runs down to 2.5volts so very suitable for AA batteries 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Hows the Cmoy coming ?
 cheers_

 

Ah well I've done the Jumpers and soldered them in but I think there might be solder bridges so I'll upload some pictures sometime soon. I'm holding off moving to the power supply because the wire strippers and multimeter that I wanted at Jaycar were out of stock, so I'll have to go in on tuesday or wednesday


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Here are my diy projects, finished the alien dac last week.


----------



## bperboy

^^

 I like the LEGO enclosure!


----------



## n0ll4k

Me too, especially the Use of the seats to hold the Mini^3


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Hehe thanks guys, I used what I had, let's just say a couple of my dump truck and fire truck drivers are sitting on the cold hard floor!


----------



## TzeYang

I don't think I've ever posted these 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 These are built quite some time ago. I'm now more into doing theoretical work as opposed to practical work.


----------



## nickyboyo

Ok, not my work, but you have to start them young these days to give them a healthy interest for future hobbies. Fred_fred very kindly put together a kit based on his TPA6111A2 amp for my son to assemble as a birthday gift- you just got to love watching a 10 year old soldering 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




...





































 Cheers Fred, great kit to get him started mate


----------



## chiefroastbeef

That is awesome! Would you happen to have bigger pictures of the finished amp? The tin looks interesting, looks a little pokemon-like.


----------



## TzeYang

Darn, why didnt my father poison me with lead fumes when I was young. I could have started much earlier and master the arts of analog electronics sooner. (my father is a pharmacists, he does biology related work more than anything else.)


----------



## nickyboyo

Here we go chief, a bit larger...


----------



## chiefroastbeef

ahh Madagascar tin, that looks awesome! What phones does your son run it with?

 Are those his swimming googles by the way?


----------



## nickyboyo

At the moment he's tuned into my MS-1's and eyeing up my er-4's, but he can have the freebie Sony's i got with the S639 i recently treated myself to. As for goggles- free set with a discover science kit he also had for his birthday, so between me poisoning him with lead fumes and him covering himself with bicarbonate of soda and a few other very mild chemicals found in the science kit- i don't know what to do, it seems if you want to stimulate youngsters lives you unfortunately have to put them at slight risk


----------



## apatN

Wow lucky kid. I am jealous.


----------



## nsx_23

Fred_Fred also kickstarted my addiction with DIY amps by helping me out with my CMOY builds. Awesome head-fi member!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Nick, I'm impressed he's made a really nice job of the amp, I hope he gets a lot of pleasure from it


----------



## Gautama

Should tell him to solder with a shirt on. I've made that mistake before.

 One wrong flick of the wrist and solder jumps onto your chest and burns burns burns.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gautama* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Should tell him to solder with a shirt on. I've made that mistake before.

 One wrong flick of the wrist and solder jumps onto your chest and burns burns burns._

 

Nah, a little burn will only bring him closer to manhood. Unless he gets solder on his manhood which will bring him closer to womanhood.


----------



## MisterX

Been there, done that.
 I had a big blob of solder run right down the inside of my shirt and into my pants while I was sweating copper pipes in my brothers basement last year.


----------



## Tedro

I have been known to solder without a shirt and pants on, then again I have been known to fry bacon up without a shirt or pants on either....


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Been there, done that.
 I had a big blob of solder run right down the inside of my shirt and into my pants while I was sweating copper pipes in my brothers basement last year. 



_

 

That is like diy audio erotica right there, a little too dirty for head-fi mister x.


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Tedro* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I have been known to solder without a shirt and pants on, then again I have been known to fry bacon up without a shirt or pants on either...._

 

I solder in my boxer briefs too, I feel safe as long as the special place is safe and okay. Chicks ask me what them burn marks are from, I tell em "solder and flux baby, solder and flux."


----------



## fzman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chiefroastbeef* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I solder in my boxer briefs too, I feel safe as long as the special place is safe and okay. Chicks ask me what them burn marks are from, I tell em "solder and flux baby, solder and flux."_

 


 gives new meaning to the phrase "well-done roast beef" !!!!!!!!


----------



## chiefroastbeef

So delicious... gahhh


----------



## thedips

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nah, a little burn will only bring him closer to manhood. Unless he gets solder on his manhood which will bring him closer to womanhood._

 

LOOOOOOLLLLL


----------



## MrSlim

Discount Work Gear, Inc. :: Welding Garments :: Bib Style Welding Apron
 You can decide what to wear underneath.. (or not)


----------



## Fitz

Nah, what's really fun is when the solder gets flicked up towards your face and goes into your eye before the blink reflex kicks in.


----------



## Juaquin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nah, what's really fun is when the solder gets flicked up towards your face and goes into your eye before the blink reflex kicks in._

 

Another reasons geeks (who wear glasses) are better adapted to survive in their environment.


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Juaquin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another reasons geeks (who wear glasses) are better adapted to survive in their environment._

 

I really need a pair.... I do wear goggles when soldering though!


----------



## mojo

I have some soldering gloves and find them invaluable. Don't use gloves that can melt and stick you your skin.


----------



## rhys h

Wow i see people soldering with lead free solder, goggles, fume extractors, all the windows open and gloves!

 I use lead solder with no other protective gear, and i have never had a serious burn!


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rhys h* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow i see people soldering with lead free solder, goggles, fume extractors, all the windows open and gloves!

 I use lead solder with no other protective gear, and i have never had a serious burn!_

 

x2 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Although when I built my SOHA recently, I fashioned a little thermal insulator for one finger. I was holding parts in while soldering the other side of the board, and some were getting hot enough to be uncomfortable. I used to use the logic that I should be able to hold them. If it's too hot for my finger, it's too hot for the part. After a lot of parts though, my finger was getting too sensitive to the heat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The thought of solder in the eye got me a little scared though. I might consider getting some safety glasses. I've never liked them though. They always seem to affect my vision detrimentally.


----------



## patton713MW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...They always seem to affect my vision detrimentally._

 

Not quite as detrimentally as solder! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Honestly, I know exactly what you're saying. Though the thought of solder in the eye doesn't sound fun, I might have to dig out my safety glasses... 

 To get this thread (somewhat) back on track, I present to you a MiniMAX in the larval state:


----------



## linuxworks

nice pre-build photo.

 I'm ALSO working on my minimax. as soon as the mou^H^H^HUPS delivery guy comes, I can get started


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Although when I built my SOHA recently, I fashioned a little thermal insulator for one finger. I was holding parts in while soldering the other side of the board, and some were getting hot enough to be uncomfortable. I used to use the logic that I should be able to hold them. If it's too hot for my finger, it's too hot for the part. After a lot of parts though, my finger was getting too sensitive to the heat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

How much heat a part can take depends on the type of part, but most are pretty resilient. Typical through-hole discreets like resistors are usually rated at 480C for 10 seconds.


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *V-DiV* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my wrinkle on the Millett Starving Student Hybrid. Sounds pretty darned good for $40 dollars in parts. 
 Now I want to build a Max or MiniMax. 
 Thanks Pete!_

 

That's way cool V-Div! 

 I stuck with the 'Starving and Simple' theme so here's my Millett SSH all boxed up sporting scrap/leftover maple wood


----------



## Emooze

That has got to be the sexiest looking wood case I have seen so far.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's way cool V-Div! 

 I stuck with the 'Starving and Simple' theme so here's my Millett SSH all boxed up sporting scrap/leftover maple wood 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Wow! That's gorgeous woodwork! Uhm... want to make me a box too (not same amp, a bit bigger, but hopefully as nice looking)?


----------



## V-DiV

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's way cool V-Div! 

 I stuck with the 'Starving and Simple' theme so here's my Millett SSH all boxed up sporting scrap/leftover maple wood 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

Wow zkool, that's beautiful. Nice work. I love wood. I almost bought a piece of maple at Home Depot the other day to build a frame for the Bijou I'm preparing to build, but thought I'd go look elsewhere for some cherry or something else dark. I may have to rethink that.

 Did you countersink the back side of the front plate to be able to mount jacks, etc?


----------



## Hayduke

I sooo want a pana vise. I used to look at them (and the premium prices) and think it wasn't worth it. I think I'm going to pick one up when I decide on my next project.


----------



## Bomo.is.ooc

Recently finished my Alien DAC

 Here it is from the outside. 




 The altoids tin is semi-temporary. Until I get a dremil/drill, I'm pretty constrained on what I can put stuff in (i.e. must be thin metal)

 Her guts:





 It was an overall fun build. I was kind of worried about the whole surface mount thing, but it wasn't nearly as hard as I was afraid it would be.


----------



## zkool448

Thanks guys 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Uhm... want to make me a box too (not same amp, a bit bigger, but hopefully as nice looking)? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Why sure, I'd love to! Want to help me build it in my shop here in Toronto? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *V-DiV* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I almost bought a piece of maple at Home Depot the other day to build a frame for the Bijou I'm preparing to build, but thought I'd go look elsewhere for some cherry or something else dark. I may have to rethink that.

 Did you countersink the back side of the front plate to be able to mount jacks, etc?_

 

I think any type of wood you choose would look awesome, do it! From here on I think I'll build all my cases with wood (cheaper and more custom look) and add some alum trims here and there. I'll also be experimenting with different stains or wood type and see how they turn out.

 Yes countersink behind the panels to get the jacks in. You can go as deep as long as you leave about 1/8" of wood surface for mounting the connectors.


----------



## Fitz

Heavily modded Bada PH-12, converted into a speaker amp...


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Why sure, I'd love to! Want to help me build it in my shop here in Toronto? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Maybe, was just there over new year and might just be back in a few months. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But seriously, I'd love some to have a nice little amp box made for me, if you're interested, I'd gladly pay you for the time/materials.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

Just awesome


----------



## zkool448

Thanks Lil' Knight : )

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Maybe, was just there over new year and might just be back in a few months. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But seriously, I'd love some to have a nice little amp box made for me, if you're interested, I'd gladly pay you for the time/materials._

 

FallenAngel, sorry I didn't take you seriously about getting a case built for your next amp. 

 If you've got shop tools, it's not that difficult at all..., ok let's see if we can make it happen, just pm me


----------



## oneplustwo

i built my minimax after building a JDS cmoyBB. thanks to Tomb's patience and quick responses, I finished it with no probs in 4 hours. Maybe 5 with biasing.


----------



## Nocturnal310

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just awesome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

X2

 amazing craftsmanship.


----------



## soloz2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I sooo want a pana vise. I used to look at them (and the premium prices) and think it wasn't worth it. I think I'm going to pick one up when I decide on my next project._

 

worth every penny. I have 3


----------



## ph33lix

Wow, all your builds look very sharp, snazzy and professional. :O
 And boy is zkool's build super duper cool!

 Allow me to post my humble and nondescript build.















 That extra board to the left of the power cap is a discrete version of the TLE2426 (by Sijosae) -> OPA134PA VFB buffered (discrete Jung diamond buffer by Sijosae again) opamp ground channel.


----------



## gore.rubicon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6322/daymssh3gl9.jpg_

 

Thats no starving student! looks too good to be true


----------



## Fitz

Finished making some 6F8G => 6SN7 adapters for the modded Bada...


----------



## -=Germania=-

That Modded Baha is HOTTTT!

 Probably both figuratively and literally if you are double duty as speaker amp. 

 Sweetness.


----------



## Maxvla

Fitz, that amp certainly has a different look than the standard box with tubes/transformer. I like it a lot. It has a bit of sleek 'marble stainless steel kitchen' action as well as some very slight steam punk also.


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Both the Bada and the Maple wood amp are ridiculously good looking, very chiseled. 

 Thank you for sharing.


----------



## Pars

Really nice work zkool and Fitz! I think the maple case is also my favorite wood amp case I have seen.. really clean lines and well done.

 Really nice work on the Bada Fitz.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's way cool V-Div! 

 I stuck with the 'Starving and Simple' theme so here's my Millett SSH all boxed up sporting scrap/leftover maple wood 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/8946/daymssh1uz3.jpg
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/827...aymssh3gl9.jpg_

 

Wow! Impressive woodwork. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Looking good..


----------



## zkool448

Thanks a lot guys/gals!


----------



## Fitz

Thanks everybody... surprisingly the amp actually runs at fairly low temperatures with how everything's set right now; the chassis gets just slightly warm after being on for a while. Based on how it is now, you'd never guess that it suffered extensive heat damage while still just a headphone amp.

 It's capable of a fair bit of output power all things considered, but I haven't measured exactly how much yet. I put somewhere between 15-20 watts into a dummy load while doing some initial tests, but didn't really have everything setup to properly measure based on 4 and 8 ohm loads.


----------



## smrtby123

Just a TLE2426 Cmoy with an OPA2132 chip running off 8xAAA NiMH's


 Many thanks to everyone on the DIY forum who put up with my dumbass questions and gave me sensible answers.


----------



## Bomo.is.ooc

posted in wrong thread, lol


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I may have hi-jacked the name 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is the story my daughter has been a medical student for ever!! and during her studies she used her ipod to listen to medical podcats in the car and when studying in the library, the problem with these podcasts is they can be very low level with questions from the audience and responses from lecturers being inaudible. This design is very good at making the podcasts easy to hear. It also has the advantage of the students earphones and IC cable fit inside the tin.
 So not much of a hi-fi amp but sounds pretty good and serves a useful purpose. It's very cheap and easy to build.


























 Thanks for looking
 cheers


----------



## nsx_23

Ooh, I need one of those. My online lecture recordings are rubbish.


----------



## linuxworks

first of all, I don't like tubes. I think they're silly.

 ....that said- 

*I built myself a minimax today!!*





 LOL!!












 this thing sounds VERY good. took me all day today (noon till 8pm).

 one superbright red led under each tube socket and a 'slow color changing led' in the center position (think xmas tree usb gadget; which is actually where I stole that poor LED from!)


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* 
_<snip>this thing sounds VERY good. took me all day today (noon till 8pm)._

 

Glad you like the MiniMAX, linuxworks! Yours looks great and I like that idea of the changing color LED in the middle.

 I'm also glad you like the sound. One of the best kept secrets around here is how good the MiniMAX sounds. It's really quite an improvement over the regular MAX, which was no slouch. The MiniMAX adds quite a bit of detail and transparency by comparison.

 Now really, tubes aren't silly in the least.


----------



## linuxworks

I never heard any of the other tube variants; this was my first listen AND build.

 it seems the glue I used did hold the socket well enough. its balanced on top of the (overly large) sub-socket leds and I was worried that it might sit too high up but it was not a problem at all. there wasn't a lot of gold tab going into the tube solder holes because the LED was holding the whole socket up higher than it should have been. still, it worked out well enough - I was careful to make sure solder got in all the right places and gave enough physical support.

 re: the color changing led; they don't synchronize and so using 2 would have made it really really 'wrong'. but having one in the center gives nothing out of sync and the 2 constant-red leds kind of mellow out the color changing effect. I'll take an .mpg of it or something - its subtle enough that I just might leave it on all the time like this 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (its GREAT for pink floyd music)


----------



## tacitapproval

Here are the Soha II and y1 DAC I built. My casework needs improvement, but they are functional and sound fantastic.


----------



## fzman

i'm stuck at the functional and not too gross looking stage, but here are some of mine....

 linear 12v and 5v psu for my xonar essence psu -- the case is a plastic bud 2u chassis from mouser....

 same circuit, as psu for my phono preamp in metal chassis

 some shots of my headphone amp, with the big caps-- and the external psu with lots of extra space. couldn't figure out how to add them inline with the text but did figure out how to add as attachments.

 comments welcome


----------



## Fitz

Finished drilling all the friggin holes to finally move the Total Eclipse into a proper chassis. All that's left is to finish the power supply and make the board with the muting + input selection relays.


----------



## TzeYang

Fitz, that's some epic win you've got thar.


----------



## nsx_23

Mini3 I just finished:


----------



## swedishhatfaction

This is my first C-Moy. It has hideous cable management, does not close on it's own, doesn't have a functional hinge, and I love it. It sounds phenomenal. I suppose my next trick is to actually make one that looks good.


----------



## linuxworks

I'm no expert, but looking at the middle picture, I *think* the reason it won't close is because those 2 rubber bands are in the way...






 oh, and welcome to headfi


----------



## mojo

Nice work, especially for a first effort! It is hard to pack a cmoy into an Altoids tin if you want two batteries, but it's also definitely worth having two batteries.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Hey well done my first cmoy wasn't as good as that!!
 glad you're enjoying it, welcome to the forum


----------



## nsx_23

I did 1 CMOY for a friend with 2 9V batteries. Managed to get a tin which was like the altoids tin but taller.

 Either way, nice build.


----------



## chiefroastbeef

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm no expert, but looking at the middle picture, I *think* the reason it won't close is because those 2 rubber bands are in the way...






 oh, and welcome to headfi 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

linux... I think you are on to something...


----------



## linuxworks

more color shots of my millet minimax. I am lovin' this thing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 look for the LEDs right under the tube sockets. there are holes in the sockets (you have to remove a metal pin and then glue the socket halves back together) and that's what transmits the bright red light into the tubes.

 in the middle led location, there is a 'slow color changing' led that cycles with some really cool purples and greens, amongst other rogybivs


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_first of all, I don't like tubes. I think they're silly.

 ....that said- 

*I built myself a minimax today!!*



_

 

said the man about to change his mind... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_oh, and welcome to headfi_

 

He meant to say, "Welcome to head-fi. Sorry about your wallet" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_more color shots of my millet minimax. I am lovin' this thing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

see!!!! Glad you're liking it linuxworks. I'll build a B22 someday, but after the MHSS and the SOHA II, I'm pretty hooked on tubes. A Max variant is definitely gonna happen sooner then later


----------



## nsx_23

My RA1 Clone:

















 Still waiting on a power switch.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fitz, that's some epic win you've got thar._

 

Thanks man.


----------



## cfcubed

Color this done & me happy
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Used water slide decals & _could_ have went with a sexier vinyl dye color but very happy w/how it turned out...


----------



## TzeYang

Any guide on how to print the dye colour on your panels?


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Any guide on how to print the dye colour on your panels?_

 

Decals maybe covered & you can PM me, but briefly I used Super Cal Water Slide Decal # SP3077 "Clear Refill Paper". Printing was easy (pick "glossy"/photo paper in setup). It says inkjet but worked well in a laser, likes to be applied on glossy surface, needs clear spray after printing & after applying. _Edit: You can use most any clear spray for all - I used a matte/flat finish._
 Somewhat tricky to apply, esp. the larger decals.... Make extra copies
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 WRT Vinyl dye - There are guides around - its a PC modder thing. Make sure to spray thin coats in 70F+ temps & dust-free ventilated (outdoors?) location.


----------



## wiatrob

OK CF - I'm nearly 'done' with my Cavalli Compact Tube Hybrid- just need to fix the e12 indicator 'lightpipe' to something mellower.. Hopefully it won't get too hot...

 Don't harsh my woodwork, it's a first attempt and I learned a lot


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_OK CF - I'm nearly 'done' with my Cavalli Compact Tube Hybrid- just need to fix the e12 indicator 'lightpipe' to something mellower.. Hopefully it won't get too hot...

 Don't harsh my woodwork, it's a first attempt and I learned a lot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






_

 

wiatrob, nice job! I think it looks great, love the wood touch


----------



## shellylh

Very nice!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Color this done & me happy
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Used water slide decals & could have went with a sexier vinyl dye color but very happy w/how it turned out..._


----------



## malldian

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My RA1 Clone:

 Still waiting on a power switch._

 

Did you get that in a kit form?


----------



## nsx_23

Yep.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *shellylh* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice!_

 

Thanks!

 wiatrob - Love the woodwork... You won't see woodwork on my builds because I stink at it... Do think wood trim, esp on tube amps, looks great.
 Cool LED light pipe
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Getting creative there... I just did the under-the-tube bit.


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 Getting creative there... I just did the under-the-tube bit._

 

Thanks. I'm going to fill the hole with an opaque piece of plastic that's the same height as the case. I miss the tube light but couldn't do green... Suppose I could have made LE1 and 2 red and orange...


----------



## V-DiV

Hey cfcubed, nice work. Where did you get the tube surround?

 Wiatrob, nice touch with the wood panels.


----------



## wiatrob

Audio Catalog

 Or sometimes on ebay...


----------



## Sherwood

Good work, Bill. Maybe you'll finally get some respect now


----------



## V-DiV

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Audio Catalog

 Or sometimes on ebay..._

 

So you just used one of the rings from the protective cage.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *V-DiV* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So you just used one of the rings from the protective cage._

 

Yes (thanks waitrob), since you can roll a lot of tube types in this amp, only using 1 of the 3 rings in a protector (to not inhibit tube rolling).


----------



## linuxworks

here's an AMB gamma1 usb driver board, configured as a usb to spdif (both opto and coax) converter.

 its self powered (usb bus) and both outputs are active at the same time. it supports up to 16bit/48k rates (usb1.1).


----------



## poo

^ Very nice work indeed!


----------



## wiatrob

Alright, I couldn't stop messing with it. Now it's really, really done. I swear.

 Switched out LE2 to be an amber tube uplight, fab'd opague window over LE1, attached tube 'rollbar.'






 Done. Really!






 Promise, last you'll see!


----------



## rds

A single ended Opus DAC. Cost just under $300 (keep in mind I burned $50 on two Sonicaps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A single ended Opus DAC. Cost just under $300 (keep in mind I burned $50 on two Sonicaps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )_

 

Looks nice, congrats, but GET THAT GROUND WIRE AWAY FROM THE CENTER PIN OF THE TRANSFORMER!


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Alright, I couldn't stop messing with it. Now it's really, really done. I swear._

 

Looks very good , especially like the wood and the "e12" indicator - nice touch ..dB


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks nice, congrats, but GET THAT GROUND WIRE AWAY FROM THE CENTER PIN OF THE TRANSFORMER!_

 

Never fear, that is just a convenient way to ground the case


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Never fear, that is just a convenient way to ground the case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It also creates a shorted turn for the transformer and that's NOT GOOD.


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It also creates a shorted turn for the transformer and that's NOT GOOD._

 

It does look suspiciously close, but only one end of the "loop" is connected to ground


----------



## onform

I think he means if grounded at both ends, which it is!!!, the bar through the middle is acting as a winding in the transformer creating a potentially dangerous situation! IE: only one end should be grounded and as the case is grounded no other connection should be made... well that's how I understand it but I may be wrong!!


----------



## Nebby

As I understand it, rds is safe as long as his cap for the transformer is separated from the transformer by a gasket. The location of the connection is not optimal nor recommended IMO, but it's not a shorted turn from what I can see (and assuming that gasket material was used).


----------



## MoodySteve

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_As I understand it, rds is safe as long as his cap for the transformer is separated from the transformer by a gasket. The location of the connection is not optimal nor recommended IMO, but it's not a shorted turn from what I can see (and assuming that gasket material was used)._

 

Maybe so, but there are several other places that he could have grounded the IEC to the chassis without using the transformer bolt. For instance, any of the standoffs.


----------



## Hayduke

Even if it isn't a shorted turn. Using the transformer's mount as the connection spot usually adds noise to the signal. If he used an insulator in the mounting hardware, so there isn't a shorted turn, and he can't hear any noise, he should be fine.

 If it was me though, I would find another spot to ground the power plug.


----------



## rds

It doesn't matter how you ground the case - you will always end up with a partial loop through the transformer. The reason for grounding to the transformer bolt is that it creates a lower resistance connection to ground than a standoff.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Even if it isn't a shorted turn. Using the transformer's mount as the connection spot usually adds noise to the signal._

 

In any build you will have the transformer bolt grounded (if the case is grounded the bolt is too). How does this add noise?

*EDIT moved this topic here*.


----------



## Eagleboy

I'm almost done with a new case for my Millet Hybrid. I messed up the DC jack, so I have to order another one.
 The volume control is recessed and the hex nuts for the 1/4" jack and the power switch are inlaid. I made this out of Lacewood and Walnut.
 I put in a sliding cover for when modifications must be made or tubes have to be changed.







http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...a/IMG_1156.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...a/IMG_1158.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...a/IMG_1160.jpg


----------



## vvs_75

Nice work! But I think you want to keep you sliding cover open every time you use amp more than 10min.


----------



## Eagleboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vvs_75* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work! But I think you want to keep you sliding cover open every time you use amp more than 10min. _

 

Nah - the last case was a closed case, heat wasn't an issue at all. Thanks though!


----------



## V-DiV

Nice woodwork Tom. Wood seems to be the current thing in amp cases. I'm (slowly) building a Bijou with a wood framed case. 
 Vic


----------



## Hayduke

Amazing woodwork Eagleboy!

 I wish I could have watched to learn some techniques.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

When I woke up this morning as the hangover cleared I realise I needed a Bass Boost Cmoy so I made one, sounds great once I sorted my silly mistakes.


























 I'm getting too many of these I might have to sell some off to feed the addiction

 Oh well back to work tomorrow, 
 Thanks for looking


----------



## nsx_23

Do you build anything else besides cmoys? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Maybe give me the bass boost CMOY......


----------



## rjad

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Eagleboy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm almost done with a new case for my Millet Hybrid. I messed up the DC jack, so I have to order another one.
 The volume control is recessed and the hex nuts for the 1/4" jack and the power switch are inlaid. I made this out of Lacewood and Walnut.




_

 

That looks really nice. That lacewood looks like what we call silky oak in Australia, I have used it in casework I have done (only not so nice). Lots of silky oak furniture still lying around in second hand shops. I made my case out of drawer fronts from an old wardrobe.


----------



## isao2k8

This is my first DIY headphone amp, originally by Peruke. This simple FET Differential Amp is well-known and popular in Japanese DIY scene.
 I made many mistakes during the building... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But anyway, hello world, the DIY amp world!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It also creates a shorted turn for the transformer and that's NOT GOOD._

 

+1 point for fallen angel.

 he's right!

 check this out:

Nuvotem | Transformers | Transformers | Toroid Transformers | Toroidal Mini Open Style 115-230Vac Primary 1.6VA to 7VA

 look at the warning at the bottom:

*Under no circumstances should both ends of the fixing bolt simultaneously contact the metal chassis or framework as this would create a potentially dangerous 'shorted-turn'.*

 I learned something new!

 and I won't feed ground 'looped thru' the center on any future project.

 thanks for catching that FA. I never heard of 'shorted turns' before.


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_+1 point for fallen angel.

 he's right!

 check this out:

Nuvotem | Transformers | Transformers | Toroid Transformers | Toroidal Mini Open Style 115-230Vac Primary 1.6VA to 7VA

 look at the warning at the bottom:

*Under no circumstances should both ends of the fixing bolt simultaneously contact the metal chassis or framework as this would create a potentially dangerous 'shorted-turn'.*

 I learned something new!

 and I won't feed ground 'looped thru' the center on any future project.

 thanks for catching that FA. I never heard of 'shorted turns' before._

 

In my case it is not a shorted turn, but it does create a dangerous situation that (at least to me) was not at all obvious. The potential danger was stated explicity here by nikongod


----------



## Fitz

Stealing Asr's pic of my amp finally completed:


----------



## TzeYang

need more info on the regulator


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_need more info on the regulator 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

A pair of LM317s with one configured as a tracking pre-regulator. Basically right out of the datasheet (just added the adjust pin bypass caps), with a 7812 after it for the additional 12V supply. Nothing fancy at all; I wanted to stick with something fairly easy and bullet-proof with the limited time I had to finish.


----------



## Gatsu

Fitz,

 What power switch is it that you are using? It looks like a Bulgin but I haven't been able to find anything about black ones on their website.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Stealing Asr's pic of my amp finally completed:





_

 

It’s surprising me time after time how you guys (Fitz, Seaside,TzeYang...) can make beautiful amps on perfboard like this.
 Congrat Fitz, very sexy in black. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 This is an example of… totally out of my ability.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gatsu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fitz,
 What power switch is it that you are using? It looks like a Bulgin but I haven't been able to find anything about black ones on their website._

 

Maybe these Those are momentary so maybe there is a latch hiding somewhere in the build? Great perfboard, wiring & casework for sure!
 Got that site from someone here... They have nice feet too.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Stealing Asr's pic of my amp finally completed:

 <img]http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/Asrale/CanFest%202009/cf09_12.jpg[/img>_

 

Very, very nice, Fitz! We know those boards look just as great underneath, too!


----------



## mojo

Do you guys use software to plan your stipboards, or do you just wing it?


----------



## onform

I can assure you Mojo there was no winging going on in Fitz's house that weekend!!! lol 

 That build was meticulously planned and tested then planned some more. Notice the fact that every component is black!!! No mean feat in it's self. 

 Ask fitz to show you a picture of the under side.. A work of art is all I can describe it as!


----------



## mdabro

isao2k8;5450891 said:
			
		

> Hi Isao2k8 ! Where have You bought this nice golden input stereo jack?
> 
> Marek


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gatsu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fitz,

 What power switch is it that you are using? It looks like a Bulgin but I haven't been able to find anything about black ones on their website._

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Maybe these Those are momentary so maybe there is a latch hiding somewhere in the build? Great perfboard, wiring & casework for sure!
 Got that site from someone here... They have nice feet too._

 

Yep. I got it from Performance PCs. The PSU is always on when the switch on the power inlet is on, burning only a minimal amount of power. The switch triggers the a toggle circuit based off Winfield Hill's schematic (basically the same as amb's e24), which in turn triggers a relay feeding power to the amps and begins the power-up muting delay. I can also turn it back off by touching the right spot on the board holding the toggle circuit. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It’s surprising me time after time how you guys (Fitz, Seaside,TzeYang...) can make beautiful amps on perfboard like this.
 Congrat Fitz, very sexy in black. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 This is an example of… totally out of my ability._

 

Coming from you thats quite a compliment. I promise not to try competing with you on casework if you don't take up doing perfboard designs. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very, very nice, Fitz! We know those boards look just as great underneath, too!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

You better be sure to show up at the next local meet and listen to it again, it sounds much better without all that power supply noise the temporary setup had. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you guys use software to plan your stipboards, or do you just wing it?_

 

Graph paper, pencil, and a lot of eraser. I start out by placing any big parts or components with a lot of connections (ICs, relays, etc), and draw partials of the circuit separate from my main drawing to figure how much space roughly each section is going to need. My layouts are a little more difficult than necessary since I refuse to use any wire jumpers on the underside of the board (for no particular reason, just a stylistic choice). After I have a general idea how it's going to flow... opamp stage here... rail splitter and isolation here... buffer here... feedback loop comes back around here... etc, I just start drawing the components that connect directly to the big ones serving as anchors, and work along the circuit from there. Sometimes I'll paint myself in a corner so to speak, and just have to erase and redo that section. After it's all drawn up, I go back over each connection one by one to make sure it's right and double-check all my pinouts for ICs and transistors, then solder it up.

 I should actually take a picture of one of my sheets I use for drawing the layout, they can look quite the mess by the time I'm done.



  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *onform* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I can assure you Mojo there was no winging going on in Fitz's house that weekend!!! lol 

 That build was meticulously planned and tested then planned some more. Notice the fact that every component is black!!! No mean feat in it's self. 

 Ask fitz to show you a picture of the under side.. A work of art is all I can describe it as!_

 

Heh, you might be surprised. The amp itself got proper planning and testing, but the power supply and board with the power switch circuit + input/output relays was done right at the last minute and only casually tested before I started assembling it 2 days before the meet. Had to fix a couple dumb mistakes with my layout (well it was quickly drawn up in the middle of the night after all), as well as figure out that a supposedly non-polarized Omron relay actually was polarized (those dirty liars), and it just so happened the correct polarity it would trigger with was opposite of how I had it connected. You're right about the black components, that had me banging my head on the wall at a few points; I had to scavenge the depths of NOS parts on the innerwebz to find some of them. I was planning to have this eventually serve as a preamp to a pair of monoblocks, I can't decide if I want to do the same all black theme or not for that too.


----------



## Hayduke

What are the black resistors? link please 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The blue Vishay's are nice, but I really like your black ones. That really is a beautiful build.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What are the black resistors? link please 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The blue Vishay's are nice, but I really like your black ones. That really is a beautiful build._

 

IRC RC55LF 0.1% metal film from Mouser... just search for "rc55lf". Cost about a buck each.


----------



## linuxworks

a dollar each R. wow. and I thought *I* was taken to the cleaners at 29cents per R with the blue/purple vishays.

 I enjoy nice parts, but a dollar per R? wow.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_a dollar each R. wow. and I thought *I* was taken to the cleaners at 29cents per R with the blue/purple vishays.

 I enjoy nice parts, but a dollar per R? wow. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yeah no kiddin'. The good old Irish CGW resistors I have thousands of are more of a dark blue/purple than black, otherwise I would've just used them. I think I've ended up with a couple dozen or so extra of the black resistors too, from various changes during development of the amps. =/


----------



## Beefy (May 18, 2021)

I originally posted pics of this amp way back in May last year, but I've finally got around to finalising a few changes yesterday, and couldn't resist taking new photos with my new camera......

















σ11 is at 27V with a 30VA toroid. Filtered, double-fused, DPDT switched IEC inlet. Amphenol umbilical connectors. Neutrik RCA and headphone jacks. MMM has AD8610 all round, biased to 4.5mA. Output stage biased to 100-105mA. All electrolytics are Nichicon UHE/UPW. Pot on the left is configured as variable gain (2-12), but is currently shunted out of the circuit as I never use higher than 2 with my phones. Teflon SPC input wire, bog-standard copper hookup elsewhere.

And it is finally _exactly_ how I want it!


----------



## linuxworks

good job, beefy.

 a hint, maybe: place something 'pure white' nearby (even if outside the normal frame, once you crop). then you can use that white area as a whitebalance calibration area (use the 'levels control' in pshop) and that will ensure your colors don't have a cast to them.

 that PSU is quite dense. such a huge trafo, too! any hum induced at all? did you rmaa test it?

 also, what is the red on the browndog-style chip carriers. are those your own carriers?


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_a hint, maybe: place something 'pure white' nearby (even if outside the normal frame, once you crop). then you can use that white area as a whitebalance calibration area (use the 'levels control' in pshop) and that will ensure your colors don't have a cast to them._

 

At this early stage, I'm just happy when I get the DOF v diffraction right. Playing with the whitebalance always seems like too much effort...... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 And aside from the top-down shot, which was hand-held with a lamp very close and thus a bit over-baked, I kind of like the warm look for amp photos 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


 that PSU is quite dense. such a huge trafo, too! any hum induced at all? did you rmaa test it? 
 

My ears are the only test equipment that I have. There is some hum with the volume control at max, particularly at maximum gain, but I don't notice any hum at levels well above normal listening volumes with my sensitive AD900. I have actually used this amp with my Super.Fi 5Pro and it has a much lower noise floor than any of my other amps ever did including an Arietta, 2Move and various Millett Maxes.

 When I am finally in Canada, I am going to investigate getting a custom potted and fully shielded torroid from SumR. I will probably do the same for my Buffalo DAC.

  Quote:


 also, what is the red on the browndog-style chip carriers. are those your own carriers? 
 

Aries socket adapters from Digikey.


----------



## linuxworks

ouch, $7 for those aries sockets. but the red does look good there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 re: whitebalance, its one-click. ok, a little more than 1 click but almost. here's the summary (just for you, mate):
















 that's the basic idea. I intentionally mis-set the white balance a bit on the green side for the demo photo. I placed a white piece of paper just out of range of the final crop (zoom in, get a feel for what you want to keep in the frame, then zoom out a bit and place the paper JUST out of camera reach but DO include it in the shot).

 all photo tools have some kind of levels control and some 'eyedropper' that lets you tell the program what a 'good white' is and also what good 'black' and 'grey' would also be, but I usually just want to tell it what an absolute white is, in my photo, and it will auto-snap the colors to make the white as neutral as possible.

 HTH


----------



## Fitz

Here's an example of doing protoboard layout on graphing paper for those interested. I use solid lines for component leads and jumpers, with squiggly lines for the connections underneath the board...





 This was the rather rushed one for the PSU in my amp... so please forgive some of the nonsense that's in it. A lot of stuff could be repositioned to make it simpler, but I'm not going to redo it at this point. And yes, the 2nd big filter cap is actually connected, I just forgot to draw it on the layout.


----------



## cfcubed

It may warrant a sep thread in DIY, but I did have some fun with DIY Layout Creator early on in CTH prototyping...


----------



## sandbasser

FYI - My anti-virus software (NOD32 from ESET) detected the presence of "a variant of Win32/Packed.Themida" when I downloaded the AVSDVDAuthoring.exe file from the link on the page referenced immediately above by "cfcubed"... NOTE: this is NOT the "DIY Layout Creator" download... just a freebie...

 I have no idea how serious this is. I'm going to notify the webmaster at the site I downloaded from.


----------



## ShinyFalcon

Themida is just a tool to prevent cracking, and NOD32 detects it as a false positive. Or so this link otherwise states... Link

 Virtual machines are useful, but my processor doesn't have virtualization =(.


----------



## scompton

You downloaded from a banner ad, not that they shouldn't know that their banner ad points to a virus download.


----------



## mojo

VirusTotal says the two programs linked to are okay:

Virustotal. MD5: 09eb0fabf494864a998eddf03f27119a
Virustotal. MD5: 277f432fde6f3b571a5d4a8676374a79

 Thanks for the pointer cfcubed, I have been looking for a good and free stripboard layout program for a while.


----------



## kansei

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It may warrant a sep thread in DIY, but I did have some fun with DIY Layout Creator early on in CTH prototyping...


_

 

I used the java (multi-platform) version for a few hours, it works very well. Still coming up to speed on some features.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I second the DIY Layout Creator, I've been using it for some time its very useful


----------



## linuxworks

a group shot:






 today, the attendees were the minimax and the gamma1. headphones came late and so they didn't make the group shot, today


----------



## wiatrob

Someting I've been working on and has come together. Sounds great, but it's no tube amp!

 M^3 with OPA637s, Nichicon Muse (sized for driving speakers), mica caps, 36V Sigma11. Ferrari style knob backlighting...


----------



## linuxworks

looks good! can we see an inside shot of the led backlighting situation?


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Someting I've been working on and has come together. Sounds great, but it's no tube amp!_

 

not everything has to glow outwardly to sound good. Very clean build and nice finish on the vents ..dB


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Someting I've been working on and has come together. Sounds great, but it's no tube amp!

 M^3 with OPA637s, Nichicon Muse (sized for driving speakers), mica caps, 36V Sigma11. Ferrari style knob backlighting...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

What are those monstrous caps at C1?

 And what terminal blocks are you using on the inputs of the amp board? I could never find screw terminals small enough, and really dislike Molex pins......


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What are those monstrous caps at C1?

 And what terminal blocks are you using on the inputs of the amp board? I could never find screw terminals small enough, and really dislike Molex pins......_

 

For the speaker amp option: "It is also recommended to increase the total C7 rail capacitance to 6000µF..." Those are 1000uF Muses in case I decide to attach speaker terminals...

 The connectors are Phoenix #1725656 mouser and newark have them in the states.


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_a group shot:

 today, the attendees were the minimax and the gamma1. headphones came late and so they didn't make the group shot, today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

Ahh, precision machining!


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_not everything has to glow outwardly to sound good. Very clean build and nice finish on the vents ..dB_

 

Thanks. I agree, there is something to be said for Solid State...


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_For the speaker amp option: "It is also recommended to increase the total C7 rail capacitance to 6000µF..." Those are 1000uF Muses in case I decide to attach speaker terminals..._

 

Not C7, but C1. They should be a 10-47pF (default 33) ceramic multilayer cap in the feedback loop of the OPAMP. In my build they are a tiny little thing, but yours are massive.

  Quote:


 The connectors are Phoenix #1725656 mouser and newark have them in the states. 
 

Excellent


----------



## SpudHarris

Lets take it back a little to where most of us started, ahhhh the good old Cmoy.

 I've got some whacky ones of these!


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not C7, but C1. They should be a 10-47pF (default 33) ceramic multilayer cap in the feedback loop of the OPAMP. In my build they are a tiny little thing, but yours are massive._

 

Those are silver mica capacitors.


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Those are silver mica capacitors._

 

For 500V. There are smaller ones for 100V available.


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not C7, but C1. They should be a 10-47pF (default 33) ceramic multilayer cap in the feedback loop of the OPAMP. In my build they are a tiny little thing, but yours are massive.



 Excellent 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Silver Micas I had on hand...

 OOPs, didn't see that everybody else had responded!


----------



## Beefy

Thanks people


----------



## mojo

Can I make a request? I'm sure many others, as well as myself, would love some tutorials on building a pretty looking objet d'art 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Case work is the most obvious area, but layout and component work too.

 My own personal tip for getting components to sit flat and in position while you solder them is to get something to hold the PCB (e.g. helping hands or PCB holder) and some soldering gloves. The gloves basically need to be moderately heatproof. You can get ones designed specially for soldering (which I use all the time to protect my hands from (more) burns) but ordinary cotton ones are generally fine. That way you can hold the component and the solder with one hand, and the iron with the other.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Can I make a request? I'm sure many others, as well as myself, would love some tutorials on building a pretty looking objet d'art 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Case work is the most obvious area, but layout and component work too.

 My own personal tip for getting components to sit flat and in position while you solder them is to get something to hold the PCB (e.g. helping hands or PCB holder) and some soldering gloves. The gloves basically need to be moderately heatproof. You can get ones designed specially for soldering (which I use all the time to protect my hands from (more) burns) but ordinary cotton ones are generally fine. That way you can hold the component and the solder with one hand, and the iron with the other._

 

I just bend the leads on the solder side so it holds it in place good enough 90% of the time, and the other 10% of the time I'll solder it anyways, and then heat each joint and push that side of the component down flat (no gloves necessary). For things like DIP sockets or relays, I'll hold it down and dab just enough solder on opposite corners to temporarily hold it in place, then go back and solder down the rest of the pins, with the original two being properly soldered last. You could always just go and buy one of those PCB vises with the little arm that presses down the component for you, but this works well enough for me.


----------



## TzeYang

^masking tape ftw.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Solder lowest to highest and I use a small piece of wood that I press the board onto while soldering.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_

_

 

The volume knob looks really nice.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^masking tape ftw._

 

You can find where you last left the tape? I never can!


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^masking tape ftw._

 

x2


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I finally managed to fit it in, it uses OPA2134/OP134 and HA3-5002's as the buffers I rearranged the circuit because buf634's are totally out of reach in Australia, the 5002's need decoupling but seem very stable. The sound is really good


 It starts






 Nearly there





 Ready for testing





 In its new home











 Ready for serious listening






 Very Chuffed with this one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks for looking
 cheers
 Fred


----------



## FallenAngel

Very nicely build Fred!

 Want to make me a circuit board for another amp? I'm PCB-challenged but have a wonderful design in mind.


----------



## TzeYang

^and here you are not sharing it with us? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Post schemes!!!!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Sorry I didn't think, here is the layout its taken straight from the Pimeta schematics on Tangent's site. The main changes are the HA-5002 buffer layout. 
 I'm doing one at the moment using diamond buffers but the board is getting a little complicated.






 If you want the layout for printing, let me know and I'll PM you the Pcbartist files.

 cheers
 Fred


----------



## tomb

Very cool, Fred!


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just bend the leads on the solder side so it holds it in place good enough 90% of the time, and the other 10% of the time I'll solder it anyways, and then heat each joint and push that side of the component down flat (no gloves necessary). For things like DIP sockets or relays, I'll hold it down and dab just enough solder on opposite corners to temporarily hold it in place, then go back and solder down the rest of the pins, with the original two being properly soldered last. You could always just go and buy one of those PCB vises with the little arm that presses down the component for you, but this works well enough for me._

 

That's pretty much what I do. I have arthritis in my hands and have managed to burn myself a couple of times (only tiny spots luckily) so I just use gloves now.

 I find that some components, particularly things like resistors and diodes, often won't stay flat if you bend the legs, but rapidly get hot if you hold them. I'm anal enough to try and make all my resistors "face" the same way so the bands line up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Solder lowest to highest and I use a small piece of wood that I press the board onto while soldering._

 

I used to do that, but switched to working on one section at a time when using stripboard. That way I can concentrate on each section as a small circuit that can be tested individually and checked before moving on to the next part. It helps when using stripboard because you usually don't have any kind of markings or silk screen like a PCB.


----------



## MASantos

Im not sure Tangent still has the info about the MEta42 in his website.

 The meta 42 was the predecessor to the pimeta and used those buffers.


----------



## linuxworks

for grins and giggles, I modified my 'boxed bantamDAC' so that it now fits my minimax as a 'plugin module':











 it used to match my PPA in a similar fashion; here's how it started out life:






 this explains the empty hole. or even 2 of them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but for now, its a 'bamtamized minimax'. (I guess....)






 at least I don't have to 'worry' about which high-end cable to use for the analog interconnect. there ain't none!


----------



## Fitz

Just gotta worry about using a high-end gender-changer now.


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I finally managed to fit it in, it uses OPA2134/OP134 and HA3-5002's as the buffers I rearranged the circuit because buf634's are totally out of reach in Australia, the 5002's need decoupling but seem very stable. The sound is really good


 It starts





 Nearly there


 Ready for testing


 In its new home





 Ready for serious listening



 Very Chuffed with this one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks for looking
 cheers
 Fred_

 

Very nice job Fred. Do you use toner transfer, light on pre-sensitized boards, or ? for you PCBs? The traces seem quite sharp (better than mine usually turn out).

 Chris


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Hi yes I use toner transfer, just on single sided copper board

 My process is
 1. Print the layout (DUH) most of the time I use coated matt paper but for this I found some kodak everyday glossy paper and it worked very well.





 2. Fine steelwool on the copper, you've got to make a key for the toner to grab





 3. Plastic kitchen scouring pad to get rid of any iron filings from the steel wool





 4. Clean with acetone using a tissue until the tissue is clean then I dont touch the copper again





 5. Iron on max (dry setting) press down fairly hard and *don't move the iron* for about 30seconds I find this allows the toner to lockin to the copper, then I start ironing leaning in to the tip and covering the edges. I go over it several times.

 6. I like to get it into cold soapy water quickly I like it to hiss (don't know if it helps but I like it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)

 7. after a few minutes I peel off the top layer of the paper and it leaves a thin paper layer which I let soak for 10-20mins.





 I can then remove the rest with a plastic scouring pad (GENTLY) Paper off 





 Etched






 Drilled and Toner removed





 Last job will be to cut the boards apart with a dremel, the very thin line around the board is used as a guide for cutting out the board and will be removed with by shamfering the edge on a piece of flat sandpaper. That can wait for tomorrow I've got a beer calling 

 For what its worth thats the way I do it, I stick to this because it was a long learning curve and alot of mistakes along the way. I think the most important is the steel wool and cleaning

 Hope its useful

 cheers
 Fred


----------



## kansei

Fred, that rocks! Your explanation makes it look easy.


----------



## TzeYang

I would suggest putting a layer of grounded copper pour over the circuit to make etching easier and adds protection to noise.

 EDIT: also lesser copper etched away, meaning more goodness for the environment.


----------



## Hayduke

Nice write-up Fred. Thanks!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I would suggest putting a layer of grounded copper pour over the circuit to make etching easier and adds protection to noise.

 EDIT: also lesser copper etched away, meaning more goodness for the environment. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Can you post a picture? I'm not sure I understand what you're recommending.


----------



## linuxworks

maybe what I have been doing wrong is that I don't get the copper THAT sparkling clean. I do the steel wool part (equiv) but not the acetone. and I do have problems getting the ironed on toner to stick with very fine trace detail. all the touch-ups I had to do made the whole process a net-loss to me, sort of ;(


----------



## Fred_fred2004

When I first did it I was amazed how much dirt was still on the copper after the steel wool and scourer, I'm sure it makes a big difference just don't snife in too much acetone


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice write-up Fred. Thanks!
 Can you post a picture? I'm not sure I understand what you're recommending._

 

Just imagine that the exposed areas inbetween traces are filled with copper (of course not touching the traces) and you use it like ground plane 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Not sure if it will work fine with this method (I've never done it), it means a lot of toner and may not stick well.


----------



## TzeYang

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice write-up Fred. Thanks!



 Can you post a picture? I'm not sure I understand what you're recommending._

 


 it means a ground plane.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...g/P1000826.jpg

 This is a buffer I etched last month.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Just so you know how it ended up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





























 You know what it is but it's

 [size=large]IN AN ECLIPSE TIN ! ! ![/size]

 and it took some doing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 thanks for looking
 cheers
 Fred


----------



## fordgtlover

crazy cmoy guy


----------



## Fred_fred2004

bet your bum


----------



## nickyboyo

Go the Eclipse tin buddy. I have had an Eclipse tin sitting on top of my toolbox for over a year just waiting for an amp to be put inside it. I have a nice Glenfidich miniature bottle tin just screaming out for an amp to be put inside it mate. Fred, amazing work once again- expect the Glenfidich tin in the post, just to see what you can fit inside it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ( I will post a picture of my main tool box just so you can see that i am not telling porkies- i am serious need of a shed clear-out )


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I like a challenge, how your sons amp ? all good ?
 cheers

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nickyboyo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Go the Eclipse tin buddy. I have had an Eclipse tin sitting on top of my toolbox for over a year just waiting for an amp to be put inside it. I have a nice Glenfidich miniature bottle tin just screaming out for an amp to be put inside it mate. Fred, amazing work once again- expect the Glenfidich tin in the post, just to see what you can fit inside it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ( I will post a picture of my main tool box just so you can see that i am not telling porkies- i am serious need of a shed clear-out )_


----------



## apatN

Aww. People.. Please.. Clean your iems before posting pictures!!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Don't see a problem


----------



## apatN

^ Ah so you found it?


----------



## Fred_fred2004

found what


----------



## apatN

I have no idea _what it was._ You tell me. 
 BTW, it looks like one of your pictures is cropped.


----------



## FallenAngel

My new M^3 + Sigma11. The chassis is all-aluminum from VT4C, cost $60 + shipping which can be a bit expensive. I think it's worth it for looks and ease of build (though I did break a stepped attenuator and a volume knob because it's very tight-fitted).


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome stuff FallenAngel!
 Really beautiful build.


----------



## zkool448

Really nice FallenAngel!

 Here's my most recent build. I can't come up with a name for this 'thing' but internally it's my second Millett Starving Student : ) 
 Enclosure is mdf material primed then sprayed with textured metallic paint.

 cheers. zk

 (front view - yellow glow is from camera, it's strictly red)





 (back)


----------



## wap32

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Really nice FallenAngel!

 Here's my most recent build. I can't come up with a name for this 'thing' but internally it's my second Millett Starving Student : ) 
 Enclosure is mdf material primed then sprayed with textured metallic paint.

 cheers. zk_

 

Wow!
 First that amazing wood enclosure, and now this!
 The plexi bottom really creates a nice effect, although I might have gone with blue leds. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Truly an example of great craftsmanship!


----------



## Fitz

Oh my...


----------



## cobaltmute

zkool448,

 that is awesome


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my most recent build. I can't come up with a name for this 'thing' but internally it's my second Millett Starving Student : ) 
 Enclosure is mdf material primed then sprayed with textured metallic paint._

 

car audio but with tubes??






 unique and nicely done.

 it does look a bit like car audio amps, no?


----------



## linuxworks

the beginning of a pair of beta-22 boards:






 using the digikey 'small purple vishay' 1/8w resistors (can't seem to find these anywhere else).

 next comes the diodes, transistors, caps and the big heatsink transistors. still waiting on some parts, though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 update: transistors and most of the diodes now soldered on:


----------



## rds

Awesome build! It looks like it's going to lift off and go on an interstellar voyage


----------



## bperboy

^^

 To the OP, that is absolutely fantastic casework. I like it very much!


----------



## forsakenrider

That is totally stellar.
 Diy stompbox guys do that acrylic trick to make some "trippy" pedals. I was gonna do it to a wah pedal with a circuit to change a few colours....

 Where does one get that acrylic/plexiglass stuff, a glass shop?


----------



## scompton

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *forsakenrider* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is totally stellar.
 Diy stompbox guys do that acrylic trick to make some "trippy" pedals. I was gonna do it to a wah pedal with a circuit to change a few colours....

 Where does one get that acrylic/plexiglass stuff, a glass shop?_

 

You can get it at Home Depot around here.


----------



## zkool448

Thanks everyone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wap32* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...The plexi bottom really creates a nice effect, although I might have gone with blue leds. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

wap32, I know... I had blue first, then orange, then went to red and got sick of switching LEDs so I'm going to leave the reds for now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_car audio but with tubes?? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 ..it does look a bit like car audio amps, no?_

 

Now that I think of it.... yes, that's what it looks like 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_..It looks like it's going to lift off and go on an interstellar voyage 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

rds, it was your LED and R source tips that got this unit glowing the way they do - thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 You should see it in the dark, it looks like it's about to burn a hole on top of my desk 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *forsakenrider* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...Where does one get that acrylic/plexiglass stuff, a glass shop?_

 

forsakenrider, yep home depot carries them and make sure to check your local hobby shops as well. 

 This is how it glows in the dark:


----------



## apatN

Beautiful.. Congratulations!


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A single ended Opus DAC. Cost just under $300 (keep in mind I burned $50 on two Sonicaps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )




_

 

So does it make much of a difference with them big caps?


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My new M^3 + Sigma11. The chassis is all-aluminum from VT4C, cost $60 + shipping which can be a bit expensive. I think it's worth it for looks and ease of build (though I did break a stepped attenuator and a volume knob because it's very tight-fitted)._

 

Really clean looking amplifier.
 /me like!


----------



## limpidglitch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Really nice FallenAngel!



_

 

for some reason I came to think of Dr. Who, don't know why, but the tune just suddenly appeared in my head


----------



## MoodySteve

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scompton* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You can get it at Home Depot around here._

 

I would avoid the plex from Home Depot. I found it to be pretty low quality compared to what is available industrially.


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *limpidglitch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_for some reason I came to think of Dr. Who, don't know why, but the tune just suddenly appeared in my head_

 







 now i'm worried the tune will be stuck in my head whenever I sit next to it.
 zk


----------



## Gautama

Looks like zkool will be giving Ferrari a nice bit of competition in beautiful casing..


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My new M^3 + Sigma11. The chassis is all-aluminum from VT4C, cost $60 + shipping which can be a bit expensive._

 

Do those cases come with panel holes pre-punched or completely blank?


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do those cases come with panel holes pre-punched or completely blank?_

 

Could have just looked for yourself, would have taken you just about the same amount of time as posting the message and you'd have gotten an instant result. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The case does come with pre-punched holes, a volume and power knobs, an IEC inlet, some terrible RCA's, terrible rubber feet and a decent push-button switch. Beware that the volume knob is counter-sunk - that means your volume control must be 100% straight or you'll run into problems (like I did and ruined a knob as well as a stepped attenuator though the second was by bashing it with a big set of pliers).


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Could have just looked for yourself, would have taken you just about the same amount of time as posting the message and you'd have gotten an instant result. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

 At least I got a smiley face with that spanking! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have looked, and seen the pics, but still couldn't quite decipher if ALL the cases came punched or there were different options... That's settled, thanks!


----------



## Wilf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 (front view - yellow glow is from camera, it's strictly red)



_

 

Stunning.

 Looks Art Deco to me, and I like the way the case picks up on the heatsink.

 You do know that you have a gift, don't you?


----------



## zkool448

Thanks for all the compliments guys, i'm overwhelmed by the comments and really means a lot. 
 I for one am very flattered that one would dare say 'Ferrari' and 'zkool' on the same sentence... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 zk


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Well I finaly made a mini^3 I used small adapter boards to raise the chips so I could fit components underneith to save space, un fortunately the only LMH6642's I could get were the five pin version so I knocked up a little adapter board. It works very very well, it has no detectable noise with the source disconnected even at full volume, the sound is rich, full and warm a real pleasure to listen to. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Plenty of decoupling caps keep it very stable no signs of oscillation 




































 Anyway the work bench looks like a bomb's hit it and I have a beer waiting so I'm calling it a night
 Thanks for looking
 cheers
 Fred


----------



## TimJo

I just finished a prototype build for the new Compact Tube Hybrid Amp developed by Runeight and Cfcubed. You can read about it here: Cavalli Compact Tube Hybrid

 The board is only 75mm x 120mm, and I chose to house mine in the Hammond case that is 3 x 6 inches. I populated the board with the taller components on the bottom, so that the tube socket was just below the top plate of the case. The casing was a bit tricky based on this idea, but I am quite happy with the results. The sound quality is superb, and the amp itself is ridiculously portable. I included a photo of next to my iPhone to give you an idea of how small it really is.

 Thanks go out to Alex and Chris for a great design...


----------



## mb3k

I can't wait to see more on this Tim!


----------



## nickyboyo

Fred, fantastic work on the mini3 clone, looks kick ass mate. I have a big thing for miniturisation, pack as much in the smallest possible space- i think that's why i love watches so much, watchmakers truly are the most masterful of craftsmen. Anyways, sorry for digressing. Just been listening to the amp you sent my son to build, and it is definitely rocking. Great when used near the bbq, into a set of speakers, using the amp to boost the signal from a measly mp3 player. It also pairs up nicely with my Alessandro 'phones- now i know why my 10 yr old has been hanging onto them for so long.

 Great amp mate, i will dig out that whisky miniature this weekend to bud for you to look at


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Thanks Nick, it was a squeeze but I must admit I do like the sound, The tin sounds great I'm looking foreward to it
 cheers


----------



## nsx_23

Where the heck do you get so many Altoids tins? I can never find one.

 Speaking of which, how do you etch PCBs? I'd love to build that Pimeta in a tin from earlier.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I put the methods I use on
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/pos.../index298.html
 and I use Ammonium Persulphate (jaycars) as the etchant. Its easy give it a try
 As for the tins you have to get them from ebay and wear the huge postage 
 cheers


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where the heck do you get so many Altoids tins? I can never find one.

 Speaking of which, how do you etch PCBs? I'd love to build that Pimeta in a tin from earlier._


----------



## sachu

A few pics of my Compact tube hybrid prototype build..

 Need to still drill a hole for the tube on the top plate..




















 Top toggle switch is for amp turn on and off..lower toggle switch is for heater voltage selection


----------



## kansei

Here's a pic of my 6dj8 "super simple". 







 More pics:
6dj8 Headphone Amplifier pictures by kansei13 - Photobucket


----------



## linuxworks

FINALLY - after much debugging and several weekends of building, the 2 channel beta22 lives to eek out some sounds. here it is in true breadboard form, waiting for a case to design itself (lol):






 gain set to 8 to drive hd580/650.

 the power supply is a remote toroid that supplies dual winding 30vac via the silver microphone plug (rear).

 this was quite a challenging build. there were a LOT of connections to solder!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_FINALLY - after much debugging and several weekends of building, the 2 channel beta22 lives to eek out some sounds. here it is in true breadboard form, waiting for a case to design itself (lol):


 gain set to 8 to drive hd580/650.

 the power supply is a remote toroid that supplies dual winding 30vac via the silver microphone plug (rear).

 this was quite a challenging build. there were a LOT of connections to solder!_

 

Beautiful job, I think they look better when you can see the electrons flying around. I'm jealous


----------



## nems

PIMETA


----------



## Fred_fred2004

What board is that it looks different to my pimeta ?


----------



## Fred_fred2004

made some little boards to mount the soic's in a SIP layout to try and simplify the construction, works great 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 cheers
 Fred


----------



## linuxworks

hmmm, 'spider soics'.

 lol


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_hmmm, 'spider soics'.

 lol 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I never noticed they do look like a spider, I need a spidey mask to paint on them


----------



## oneplustwo

_*The biggest CMoy ever.*_

 Ok, it's not a CMoy but it is a beta 22 in a tin. I still have to wire in the headphone jacks when I get them, but it works with the speaker jacks already. I also will probably mount the tin on a piece of wood or fiber board. It's actually pretty stiff with the lid on, but it's really flexy with the lid off. I'm not too worried about it since the boards are mounted about 1/2" above the surface, but I don't want the boards to be subject to any twisting forces either.

 The tin itself used to hold a bunch of Chinese style cookies. Also, I put most all of the wiring at the front of the tin to stay away from the transformer and hopefully get away from any transformer hum. I haven't listened to it with headphones yet so I don't know if I was successful or not, but I don't hear any while listening through speakers.

 Besides, I wanted everything up front because I hate reaching in the back of stuff to hookup things. And I figure this will only be used occasionally for speakers and will likely have different inputs relatively frequently so having those connections in front makes sense. It's not as elegant looking, but I figure form over function. I also put the power button on the right side vs. the rear for easier access.

 Amb - not sure if you have seen any samples like this one, so if you'd like pictures for the website, you can grab them from flickr or I can email them to you. Thanks for all your help!

 Here's the full amp in all it's cookie tin goodness:





 The front "panel":





 The back right:





 The guts:


----------



## Beefy

That is one of the most unique builds I have ever seen. Well done!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Good luck fitting that in your pocket 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Very cool build.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

He's made a basic mistake there's no room for two 9volt batteries 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Really nice work 

 love the tin
 cheers


----------



## nems

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What board is that it looks different to my pimeta ?_

 

^^


----------



## TzeYang

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*The biggest CMoy ever.*

 Here's the full amp in all it's cookie tin goodness:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3364/...c4566372b4.jpg

 The front "panel":
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3402/...3c57abf2a5.jpg

 The back right:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3392/...3833850730.jpg

 The guts:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3345/...1680dae39a.jpg_

 

/win

 any larger pics though?


----------



## oneplustwo

Here's a link to the Flickr set: 2009 02 28 beta and sigma build - a set on Flickr


----------



## grawk

the beta in a tin is awesome


----------



## oneplustwo

Thanks grawk... I was trying to do something unique, cheap, but still functional. And it doesn't look half bad either I don't think.


----------



## funch

This has to be, hands down, the absolute ultimate transportable amp, with
 bonus points for being in a tin! Just pack it in a laptop case, and off you
 go. Fabulous idea!


----------



## kansei

Here's my newly (re)built Starving Student. 







 More pics:

Millett Starving Student hybrid tube amplifier pictures by kansei13 - Photobucket


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This has to be, hands down, the absolute ultimate transportable amp_

 

I *dare* you to take that on any passenger plane, today (lol).

 (in fact, its a sore subject since I would guess a lot of us have to leave our DIYs at home during plane travel).

 but its funny to imagine putting THIS thru the security scanner. "but officer, its my POCKET amp, that's all!". ha ha


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kansei* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my newly (re)built Starving Student. _

 

and empty tube cartons in the background of the photo. +1 bonus point for that


----------



## Juaquin

I brought a Cmoy tin through security both times on a recent trip. No problems either way. If all else failed I was wearing my UCLA sweater and had multiple EE texts in my backpack so it shouldn't have been too hard to explain.


----------



## linuxworks

I once brought a car audio amp board from germany to the US thru my check-in luggage. it freaked the airline security guys out (it was just the populated circuit board). they had me unpack my stuff, they insisted on 'swabbing' the board and checking the swab - all over some car audio stuff that they simply didn't understand ;( I would not want to go thru that again (and actually, I haven't taken a flight since then). so, yes, I am very concious of being detained over electronics that 'security' doesn't understand.


----------



## Juaquin

Yeah, I can see that.

 I forgot to mention that I did get stopped by security on the outbound trip. They pulled me and my bag over to the side and rifled through it. Eventually they asked if I had a calculator in the bag (my TI-83), I said yes, and they closed up my bag and sent me on my way. Sad that they were more suspicious about the common calculator than the unspecified cmoy and those books with all those circuits. Knowledge is a dangerous thing, or at least the TSA thinks so.


----------



## patton713MW

Haha, I once was stopped so they could check my backpack. If I remember correctly, I had a TI-83, Walkman, CMoy, digital camera, and a large assortment of batteries for all of the different devices. That was fun...


----------



## oneplustwo

I'm pretty sure I won't be bringing this thing on any airplanes any time soon. That's what the mini3 is for... if I can ever get it to work. Or I guess my Cmoy in the meantime.

 That being said, just for kicks, I tried and it fit in my messenger bag quite nicely! But if I follow through on my plans to mount the tin on a wooden base, what little portability it had is pretty much out the window.


----------



## Hayduke

@oneplustwo

 That looks great. I love it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Is there a headphone jack there somewhere? If there is, I missed it


----------



## chews89

Alright, here's my first ever DIY build: A basic cmoy (Altoids tin courtesy of fred_fred2004 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)










 I'm kinda embarrassed by the ghetto LED mounting but it functions and looks fine from the outside 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. As for my next project, do you guys think I should get more practice from another Cmoy, or should I move on straight to a mini^3?


----------



## TzeYang

^try building a cmoy without the need of tangent's layout.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Chews
 I think the pure diy etch your own board and make it from scratch nothing feels better when it works. 
 YGPM


----------



## nsx_23

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chews89* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_do you guys think I should get more practice from another Cmoy, or should I move on straight to a mini^3?_

 

I did, and it was fine. The mini3 SMD just takes patience. Get the full kit from hohodiy.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nsx_23* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I did, and it was fine. The mini3 SMD just takes patience. Get the full kit from hohodiy._

 

Mini3 smd? 

 AMB never released an smd version of the mini3.


----------



## bperboy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Mini3 smd? 

 AMB never released an smd version of the mini3._

 

I think nsx is referring to the opamps.


----------



## oneplustwo

Hayduke - I'm still waiting on the headphone jacks from glass jar audio... It's killing me having to wait! I'm planning on wiring two of them up in series so my buddy with the same headphones I have can try it out too. Also, it will help with A/B comparisons.


----------



## fzman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hayduke - I'm still waiting on the headphone jacks from glass jar audio... It's killing me having to wait! I'm planning on wiring two of them up in series so my buddy with the same headphones I have can try it out too. Also, it will help with A/B comparisons._

 

do you mean parallel?


----------



## oneplustwo

Oops, yes, in parallel. I guess the wiring itself "looks" like it's in series since a wire will go from one jack to the next.


----------



## DKJones96

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_and empty tube cartons in the background of the photo. +1 bonus point for that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

I say +2 for being old stock RCA.


----------



## linuxworks

this is audio related even though its not passing signal, yet:






 I've been playing with the 'arduino' micro-controller system. a small demo break-out board, a vishay IR detector, a simple hitachi style LCD and you can play 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 to develop you need only the chip. the free software and some way to load code into it (I picked a usb devel board so that problem is solved).

 I plan to have it do input selection (analog and spdif), volume control and some other TBD things.

 source code will be provided if anyone cares 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but for now, its in simulation mode. or debug mode, as you may alternately refer to it


----------



## -=Germania=-

LinuxWorks, 

 Have you tried the MatrixOrbital LCD's? 

 I LOVE them. You feed it the I2S or RS232 signal and it does all of the decoding and has the drivers built in. Super simple to code for with a PIC Chip. Plus, many of them have built in keypad controllers that makes your life even easier. Though, if you use one that isn't quite the right size, you will need to write a simple translator. The cost in many cases is the same as if you bought the drivers and the LCD itself and built it from scratch. Can't say enough about these displays.


----------



## linuxworks

I bought an old rs232 one years and years ago. it was expensive but nice.

 they have lower cost versions by other kit makers, now. one is:

wulfden::shoppe::k107::about

 I lost track of all the others I've found in my search. compressing down the 6 or more wires into fewer makes sense. for now, I have 20 digital pins on the arduino and so I can spare enough for a 4bit hitachi interface.

 this display was very cheap. here's where I got mine:

http://massmind.org/techref/io/lcd/panel1.htm

 something like $8 for it! for someone who might want 4 buttons, 3 leds and a 16x2 lcd (not backlit) display, its hella cheap.


 I may not even use any front panel buttons other than maybe a rotary encoder. most of the features will be IR button-able. makes my front panel work a LOT easier (lol).

 matrix orbital is good but they just cost too much! and I don't like seeing their logo at power up, either, to be honest 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 also, since I'm starting out (re-starting, really) - I've been advised to put my attention toward the atmel chips and the arduino dev system. it seems to let people ignore a lot of the messy details and it really did let me rapid prototype in no time flat. I wrote almost no new code, just integrating bits and pieces from others that I found on the net. from never touching the atmel chips before to getting this working - it has been less than a week. I don't know if I could have done that with the PIC series.

 I know C and the chip is programmed over regular usb. the startup costs are almost nil!


----------



## -=Germania=-

That is WICKED CHEAP. That would be great addition to something like a Twisted Pear DAC with a Darwin and Joshua tree. Great looking and great function for a DAC. 

 Yeah, The projects I have use the MatrixOribital Displays for were pretty large scale, hence the PIC chip. The ability to have buffer on the display for interface and set debouce and all of that is blissful to not have to make some complicated thing for.The Atmel stuff is super easy and if you were just doing something like you are, I couldn't see a reason to go PIC. Maybe if you were looking to do something more complicated further on...

 Oh, BTW - you can change the logo pic on startup. You just need to hook up the Display to a computer and make the settings in RS232 and then switch it to whatever you want ...TTL...I2S (which is what I have used primarily). It is nice when you can make a project and write everything for I2S and deal with the stuff that needs serial individually. 

 Can't wait to see how that turns out!!!!!


----------



## wiatrob

Linuxworks - nice work - If you're clever you can squeeeeze a bunch of that arduino functionality into a Picaxe (but you'd revert to basic...)


----------



## linuxworks

there are too many controller brands and families. unless you have tools for them all and time to get into it, I am going to just have to pick one to learn and the arduino seems to be the 'in' thing (seems to be, to me).

 there are so-called 'shields' that fit on top of the base proto board. there are touch sensitive shields (with color below them), slider/pots, buttons, you name it.

 a few years ago, the PIC was the thing to use; but now, I'm not so sure.

 there's an ethernet (wiznet) IP stack for this in a single chip. imagine having the tiniest of webservers in your stereo gear that you configure to do what you want. (yeah, I got one; haven't connected it yet.)


----------



## zkool448

My new '3rd/4th/5th... or 6th hand tool'. It's not really a "build" build per se... but really helpful when doing builds! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 zk


----------



## mojo

I feel compelled to post an old project of mine:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/usb...5/#post4034939







 It all works perfectly now, including the Winamp plugin. I am looking at doing a new version using an LCD though. Might look at adding source selection too, or possibly a motorised pot but I think the IC is probably more accurate and of course it can change volume instantly.

 I was looking at doing kits but the problem is that one of the ICs is not available in a DIP package so I have been looking at other options.


----------



## Fuzzy OneThree

Just finished my Millet Hybrid Starving Student


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It all works perfectly now, including the Winamp plugin. I am looking at doing a new version using an LCD though. Might look at adding source selection too, or possibly a motorised pot but I think the IC is probably more accurate and of course it can change volume instantly._

 

want to share code? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have the lcd stuff working just fine on the arduino. the IR reading works well (sony only, so far) and local buttons are also easy. all the basics are there. I just need to interface to the PGA (or relays) for the real-world connection.

  Quote:


 I was looking at doing kits but the problem is that one of the ICs is not available in a DIP package so I have been looking at other options. 
 

which?


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_want to share code? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Sure, it will all be GPL when I am finished anyway. I'm away from home at the moment though so it will have to wait until I get back.

  Quote:


 I have the lcd stuff working just fine on the arduino. the IR reading works well (sony only, so far) and local buttons are also easy. all the basics are there. I just need to interface to the PGA (or relays) for the real-world connection. 
 

The PGA is really easy to use. As for IR stuff, I was planning on having it learn codes by itself for universal compatibility. A rotary encoder will provide manual control.

  Quote:


 which? 
 

The TPS60403. I'm not sure what I will replace it with. Power is very important for audio quality... Probably the best thing would be to use a dual +/-5V supply, but it would be nice to allow it to be USB and single +5V powered as well. I think what I might do is make the PSU a separate board, and then offer a reference design. That way anyone can use their own PSU and tweak to their heart's desire.


----------



## linuxworks

from what I can tell, the 5v version of the chip might be easier to integrate than the 12v version. if you have a 12v source, you can always derive dual-5 from that and still not resort to 'switching'


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_from what I can tell, the 5v version of the chip might be easier to integrate than the 12v version. if you have a 12v source, you can always derive dual-5 from that and still not resort to 'switching' 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I am using the 5V version. Line levels are only +-2V anyway. That is a very good idea though... 10V might be better though, and if you wanted USB power as well then it would mean having to build in power switching.

 Other options include using the pin compatible CS3310, which is supposed to be even better than the already pretty good PGA chip, or using an entirely passive attenuation method. I already mentioned a motorised pot, but a set of switched (e.g. relays) and resistors could be used, especially if you are only going to need a relatively small range of attenuation values for ReplayGain. You could be clever and use a ladder to get any value but more resistors means more noise. The nice thing about these methods is that the audio side can be completely isolated from the digital stuff and noise becomes almost a non-issue.

 Another interesting option would be to use an op-amp with a digital pot to set the gain. That's basically what the PGA/CS chips are, but you could use a separate op-amp to give people the choice of which one they prefer to use.


----------



## adamus

Remote controlled, unity gain buffered preamp. Uses an R2R network for the the volume control, vishays in the signal, 64 steps. 

 for the buffers the pedja rogic buffer cicuirt, but may try the pass labs buffer b1 in there. There is a good quality discrete regulator in there for the +/- 15v for the buffers. 

 Shaeffer (euro FPE) used for the faceplate. the two knobs on the right will have the same surround as the power knob, but i need to figure out how to extend the shafts, or reduce the depth of the knobs... ideas welcome.


----------



## rhys h

Nice pre Adam.

 To reduce the depth of the knobs, you could allways get them on a metal lathe.


----------



## adamus

cheers rhys, looking forward to trying the b1 in it too.


----------



## rhys h

You know what, ive organised the bloody group buy for the B1 now im switching my system over to balanced.

 Time to think of a new volume control...


----------



## adamus

try BBP on diyaudio forums, i got the R2r from him, and its cheap to make it balanced (just another relay board, adds another $20 or so. that and 2 B1's wouldnt be that expensive. 
 The only issue with the r2r is the current draw, it needs @5v it wants 0.5amps for the relays.


----------



## rhys h

Thanks, i will take a look. The current draw isnt really a problem. The problem is i dont really want to start paying for panels etc. I may stick with the digital volume control on the squeezebox for now...

 I am selling the gamma so i can get hold of a dacmagic, too lazy to build an opus (i need the balanced outs).


----------



## rhys h

Adam, problem solved with the volume control.


----------



## mojo

The only other issue with R2R is that it has to be switched some way. If you have a manual volume control that is usually fine, but it can be more of an issue if you want to do it digitally and instantly (so it can be done between changing tracks on the PC for ReplayGain). It's something I'll look into though.


----------



## linuxworks

more talk of volume controls 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 I changed my lcd for one with a backlight. it was surplus from my local junk store.

 there is now a new UI that I'm trying out; input selector name on top left, attenuation in DB on top right and volume 'graph' on bottom line.

 as you change inputs, the 'memorizes' the last value you used for that input and restores it.

 at power up, it restores the last input and last volume for that input (as you'd expect).

 still no active volume element - just playing around with pure code right now and tinkering with different user interface styles.


----------



## TheRobbStory

Looking good, man. What are you using for control, rotary encoder or pot?


----------



## adamus

got a better pic (in the light of day!). Very pleased with this build. I really tempted to build the compact hybrid and stick that in there too!


----------



## mattcalf

Looks amazing amadus, really high quality stuff!!


----------



## adamus

thanks matt. 

 I am suprised by the difference the buffer has made to the sound. i's be suprised if my cable runs has signficant capacitance to roll off the highs, but i do appear to be getting better treble extension. 

 The R2R vol control is also a step up from the alps pot, so it could be that adding to the benefits too.


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_got a better pic (in the light of day!). Very pleased with this build. I really tempted to build the compact hybrid and stick that in there too!




_

 

Very nice adamus!!! Can I ask why have you buffered the volume control? Impedance matching? Which amp are you connecting this to? Would this volume control work with a CTH without buffering?

 Sorry, a lot of questions


----------



## adamus

yes, impedance matching. The R2R has an ouput resistance of 10k, which is not ideal for my valve amp, imho it needs buffering.


----------



## Pars

Really nice job adamus! Looks good.


----------



## S3am

deleted


----------



## linuxworks

hey adam, I saw the r2r post from the person you bought your lcd/relay kit from.

 I was about to buy one as well but then decided 'why not try my OWN version'. I was asking the seller if he could change the device names and then I decided that diy'ers really do deserve to have control over their own UI.

 the interface from my lcd project will support both the 6-8bit relay parallel protocol as well as the PGA volume control chip serial protocol, so if you wanted, you could simply swap out his controller for one like mine, load my code and you'd be able to change things around all you want.

 ie, rather than ask that guy for a dot-graph volume control display, I just wrote my own.

 anyway, if anyone wants to mix/match, this should be possible. I will be providing source and instructions on how to customize this, once things are worked out and demo-able.

 btw, could we have an inside shot of the gear? you did a nice job on the outside - I'd like to see the inside too, if possible


----------



## rhys h

Adam, can you point me to that volume knob?

 linuxworks, im intrested in your project, im just stupid when it comes to programming these microcontrollers from scratch.

 Let us know once you have got somewhere becuase im definatly intrested in using the source code.


----------



## adamus

rhys

2,38x27 Solid Aluminum Volume Tone Knob for ALPS Audio on eBay, also, Preamplifiers Tube Preamps, Vintage Electronics, Electronics (end time 17-Mar-09 17:32:08 GMT)

 Linuxworks, I'll post a pic of the insides tonight maybe, got to tidy up the wiring behind the rack, so will have it out. Also, re your controller, i was very tempted to do it myself too, but for the price i paid BBP, I couldnt have made it myself for less, bad times in the uk, our currency appears to be ill!


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_got a better pic (in the light of day!). Very pleased with this build. I really tempted to build the compact hybrid and stick that in there too!_

 





 adamus, that's such a beauty!


----------



## smeggy

zk, based on your advise I went to the hardware shop and picked up a MDF stair, 1.5" thick and about 1.5' x 5' very dense and heavy so that should make for quick and easy casings along with some hammered black spray paint. Should make life a lot easier for a lot of things thanks.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_rhys


 Linuxworks, I'll post a pic of the insides tonight maybe, got to tidy up the wiring behind the rack, so will have it out. Also, re your controller, i was very tempted to do it myself too, but for the price i paid BBP, I couldnt have made it myself for less, bad times in the uk, our currency appears to be ill!_

 

if you're interested at some point, we should try to retrofit my controller/code to your relay stepper and lcd. you should not have to change the lcd or stepper - but just install a new atmel chip and board and of course tap into the 6 or 7 control wires for the relay addressing and the lcd, too. I don't remember of that uses 4bit lcd interfacing, 8bit or if its serial (do you know)?

 here is a series of lcd 'screen shots' showing what happens when you change input selectors (the volume auto-resets to last value for THAT input device). new bargraph style display, too (trying different ones out for size)


----------



## rhys h

Linuxworks, what microcontroller are you using? Im intrested in re rigging your setup to have maybe 2 balanced inputs, 2 single ended inputs and a balanced output, all with invidividual volume controls like the above.

 How are you controlling the volume for the coax?


----------



## adamus

that is certainly more functional than the code in my unit. no idea on 4bit/8bit. I'll drop you a line if fancy a play with your driver. i'm impressed! 

 I'll have to have a bash at this programming, did it take you long to pick it up?


----------



## linuxworks

it took me something like 2-3 days to pick this up. what made it go FAST was working examples!

 I started from this project. I still plan to build it, too (tom is a friend of mine from photo forums):

AI-1 ("All-in-one") Remote

 that got me mostly going with lcd i/o, button i/o and general startup.

 then I found this for the IR bits:

Arduino Forum - Arduino infrared problems

 I mostly pieced them together and got a baselevel going.

 the development is free and all you need is a computer (pc, mac, linux - they all work) and an arduino board. the atmel chip is $5 or so, the firmware for arduino is free and once you have the bootloader (arduino) code loaded, from then on you simply use the free development tools to edit and test your code!

Arduino - Windows

 even if you don't have any programming experience, ANYONE can certainly find the strings like 'toslink' and replace it with 'bedroom/dac' or whatever you want! press the download button on the arduino gui, it sends the code to the board via standard usb, the leds blink a bit for 10 seconds or so and after that the code auto-runs and you should see a hello message (if you wrote one) on the lcd.

 I'm hoping that people will be able to re-own their control UI's with this kind of project. I've always wanted to customize my lcd outputs and NOW its really easy and cheap to do that!

 also to add, later: I plan to have this toggle on/off my bass-boost from my pimeta 'preamp board' and also a crossfeed on/off from tangent's board. I'm thinking of some single character icons that would be turned on/off for those 2 features. crossfeed is an on/off things the way I have it wired but bass-boost has 3 levels in my config, so I might have 3 levels of BB icon to show the status. again, if you own your own GUI you can change all this anytime you want (talk about upgrade-itis, lol!)


----------



## rhys h

Are there any schematics available for the input selection, connection to PGA etc?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rhys h* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Linuxworks, what microcontroller are you using? Im intrested in re rigging your setup to have maybe 2 balanced inputs, 2 single ended inputs and a balanced output, all with invidividual volume controls like the above.

 How are you controlling the volume for the coax?_

 

I am using the atmel mega328 but the older 168 should work too.

 the toslink and coax are a little misleading. what I intend to do is have an analog bus and a digital bus and all the toslink/coax stuff is just to spdif switch which digital input goes to a dac (a front-end to any off-the-shelf dac). then the dac sends its analog out and THAT's what I grab (in my box) to switch between (this and the single analog-in).

 think of it as 2 relays: one selects the analog-in from the rear panel, one select the DAC analog-out (also on the rear panel). the 2nd relay simply selects which digital input the DAC gets (could be pure relays if you convert toslink to coax, first, then switch either of those 2 coaxes) or it could be a more proper spdif switch.

 so, no, I'm not doing digital atten or anything like that! all volume control will be analog via relays (one plugin) or PGA style chip (alternate plugin). the 2 digital inputs are mostly a convenience for the user but no real magic is done, if you see what I'm saying.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rhys h* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are there any schematics available for the input selection, connection to PGA etc?_

 

right now, I'm only doing the pure software/firmware testing and devel.

 initially, I think I'll do the bank of relays since its simple, it means ordering no parts (I have them all onhand) and its the 'highest end' way to do vol control (from general concensus).

 however, once I get some PGA samples in the mail, I'll give that a try, too.

 once the firmware is done and I have examples on both types of controls, I'll post schematics and if there's a board (maybe) I'll post that too. I'm lousy at board design, though and my first proto will be handwired...

 when things are done, I would envision the user could go into the source, change 1 value (I'll document what to do) and they'll be able to use either of the 2 volume atten methods.

 I'm planning on using a simple rotary encoder (click up, click down style) for 'local' front panel control. most of the rest will be via some IR remote (currently using sony style since it was easy to program).

 also, a tickler: another software feature I'm planning on adding is 'volume memories'. set your volume to some level then press 'memory' button and then 1 of 3 or 4 'assignable buttons' and the current volume level will be memorized and saved in that 'slot'. then to quickly get back to that 'bookmarked' volume setting, simply press the assigned button you picked.

 maybe I'm having more fun on the GUI than the actual circuit (lol). but I -am- a software person, first and foremost


----------



## rhys h

Meet XAR. My simple volume control with no display. Its a volume control, not a preamp or anything else


----------



## linuxworks

rhys, it looks like you have the chocolate and I have the peanut butter (old old tv commercial reference, sorry if its obscure) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 we should design (or use an existing) serial protocol so that my display can control your board!

 do you have wires and code-space left for tx/rx or something?


----------



## rhys h

I didnt write the firmware, i stole it from someone else, so to modify the design the firmware would need to be re-written. The other I/O pins are shorted as jumpers for various reasons.

 The microcontroller im using is also full, but im happy to adapt your design into mine, im just controlling the PGA the standard 4/5 wire route. I dont mind changing microcontroller and adding a header for an LCD.

 We could be on to somthing here, if you can pull out some firmware that can control the PGA with remote AND rotary encoder whilst displaying on a VFD then im happy


----------



## linuxworks

I have some sample code (error401 has written one of these) for the PGA but I don't have the PGA to test with, yet.

 I have TONS of code space left (I'm using only 4k out of 30k or so, right now) and so it could be easier to add the extra PGA logic to my source and have it talk to your board via a header.

 if you're using standard wiring to the PGA, it should 'just plain work' when we go to integrate.

 maybe its time to start a new topic of its own for it, though


----------



## rhys h

The source code i am using also belongs to error401. I am using standard wiring to the PGA so its nothing special, take a look at error401's minivol, my project is related.


----------



## MrSlim

I used the larger 160X hammond case, with aluminum end panels to be able to fit in the RCA's, 1/4 inch Jack and RK27 I wanted to use.


----------



## oneplustwo

A number of days ago, I posted my CMoy/Beta 22. Well, I was getting some transformer hum problems despite my best efforts to keep the signal wires on the opposite end of the enclosure, so I ended up moving the toroid into it's own enclosure but still keeping all the wiring, IEC, and on/off switch in the original tin.

 As luck would have it, I had a round cookie tin lying around so I put it to good use! As such, I present to you the cookie tin/beta 22 hybrid:














 I just need to trim and mount everything to that board (scrap piece of shelf from IKEA) and then it should be completely finished.


----------



## smeggy

That is the coolest concept evar, by far the most awesomest beta 22!

 My SS build


----------



## kansei

That's really cool, Smeggy.


----------



## chews89

Wow Smeggy, talk about unique!


----------



## Ishcabible

Pretty wood!
 Wait, it's a solid state amp? Are the tubes decoration or is it a hybrid?


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My SS build





_

 

Great looking amp. Can we have shots from underneath as well? I am really interested to see that stand (or what looks like a stand).

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ishcabible* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Pretty wood!
 Wait, it's a solid state amp? Are the tubes decoration or is it a hybrid?_

 

It's a Millett "Starving Student" hybrid amp.


----------



## kuroguy

That base looks like a pair of black Aluminum drawer pulls. Am I right?


----------



## Twiek

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is the coolest concept evar, by far the most awesomest beta 22!

 My SS build

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9977/95532318.jpg_

 

Nice use of a Slot 1 heatsink


----------



## linuxworks

aha! old cpu heatsink. funny!


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is the coolest concept evar, by far the most awesomest beta 22!

 My SS build

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9977/95532318.jpg_

 

Looks great! Really like the wood texture... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 You refer to beta 22, so I guess the tubes are there just for the bling-factor...


----------



## oneplustwo

Thanks Smeggy!

 krmathis - I think he was referring to my cookie tin/beta 22 in the previous post.


----------



## smeggy

Yeah, it was oneplustwo's awesome beta I was referring to.

 Mine is a Millet Starving Student hybrid so yes, actual tubey goodness along with sexy mosfets 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The 'feet' are steel door or drawer handles from Lowes, old pc heatsink and a rat shack project box with some wood bits.


----------



## Fitz

I don't see your measuring hair anywhere on the MH Starving Smeggy, so I can only conclude this photo was shooped.


----------



## smeggy

Oh no, I've been rumbled!!

 erm, it's on the other side, honest!


----------



## Ishcabible

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fordgtlover* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's a Millett "Starving Student" hybrid amp._

 

It is? Oh, well sorry. I didn't read that. Where did he state that?
 I've been wanting to build those for the longest time, but never got the parts.


----------



## smeggy

My bad, I was being lazy in my post with descriptions


----------



## linuxworks

this is going to be in some kind of audio gear, soon. perhaps my preamp. not sure yet. but I did build it and it IS going to be controlling some audio gear, so here 'tis:











 and a proof screen shot, showing that this module really is connected on my network and responds to ping as well as simple web 'get' requests:






 anyone here have an IP-connected preamp? (anyone? anyone? bueuller? anyone?) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I may soon have one. web-connected volume control and input selector.

 sounds crazy, but that never stopped anyone before (bwahahaha!).

 also, notice that I'm using panasonic FM caps there, on the green board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 5-cent caps were spec'd but I only had these in my parts box, so in they went.



 (ref for webserver code: Arduino - WebServer )


----------



## sachu

Uber cool.. ^^^..second time I have come across arduino in the last 3 days


----------



## smeggy

very nice


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ishcabible* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It is? Oh, well sorry. I didn't read that. Where did he state that?
 I've been wanting to build those for the longest time, but never got the parts._

 

an idea: seek out a 'well fed student' and I bet he has an extra set of parts.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Based on LM4881, same as PA2V2 has a rechargable battery pack If your in Australia the box is from Jaycars, and the ultimate in sound quality improvement 

 A colour changing LED 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 just sad really
































 Sounds great
 thanks for looking
 FRED


----------



## smeggy

Hah, I have color changing LEDs in a small lamp, I should find somewhere to plug it in an amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Nice and clean looking. I actually like the nekkid look.


----------



## MACDRU

Clean!


----------



## linuxworks

I put a 'slow color change' led in my millett minimax (center led location).

 also have one in my bantam dac.

 they're trippy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 (the leds, that is).


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, it was oneplustwo's awesome beta I was referring to.

 Mine is a Millet Starving Student hybrid so yes, actual tubey goodness along with sexy mosfets 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I see!
 That what not easy to understand since there were no quote or reference. And that the sentence flowed into that you actually talked about the picture below.


----------



## smeggy

yes, my little brain is scattered like that..


----------



## smeggy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fordgtlover* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Great looking amp. Can we have shots from underneath as well? I am really interested to see that stand (or what looks like a stand)._

 

No probs, I finished the top rings last night and took more pics


----------



## zkool448

smeggy.. again it's lookin really sweeeeeeeet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 zk


----------



## scompton

I'm curious how you attached the bottom box to the wood? It's gorgeous


----------



## smeggy

Rubber glue for easy removal and the legs are superglued in place, same as the heatsink


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Rubber glue for easy removal and the legs are superglued in place, same as the heatsink 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

You still forgot to shoop in the rapunzel hair.


----------



## v3nom

Do u have 2 headphone outs?


----------



## smeggy

Dammit Fitz... ok, will add Rapunzel hair tonight.

 V3nom, yes. The 1/4" socket is a breaker so when anything is plugged into it the mini socket gets disconnected. Seemed easir than adapters, especially at meets.


----------



## sachu

Final pics of my prototype (Compact Tube Hybrid) CTH build..

 Isn't it puurty


----------



## Ishcabible

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_an idea: seek out a 'well fed student' and I bet he has an extra set of parts.





_

 

I think I'll build a balanced one for the heck of it. I plan on balancing all my full sized headphones sometime, so why not?


----------



## MACDRU

Love that crazy big Knob! Its huge!


----------



## smeggy

It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it..

 First time I saw the pictures I thought sachu was drunk when drilling vents. It wasn't until later I found out they are letters.. clever!


----------



## sachu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's not the size that matters, it's how you use it..

 First time I saw the pictures I thought sachu was drunk when drilling vents. It wasn't until later I found out they are letters.. clever!_

 






 remmeber all that talk about wanting to get into wood working..(between you and Don I think I will go broke faster than I thought I could 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), I will be making custom front and back panels aka Naamnaf style for the CTH sometime soon..


----------



## smeggy

Ah, cool. That should be sweet. I'm already making mental plans for how mine will look


----------



## ThePredator

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_this is going to be in some kind of audio gear, soon. perhaps my preamp. not sure yet. but I did build it and it IS going to be controlling some audio gear, so here 'tis:


 and a proof screen shot, showing that this module really is connected on my network and responds to ping as well as simple web 'get' requests:

 g]

 anyone here have an IP-connected preamp? (anyone? anyone? bueuller? anyone?) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I may soon have one. web-connected volume control and input selector.

 sounds crazy, but that never stopped anyone before (bwahahaha!).

 also, notice that I'm using panasonic FM caps there, on the green board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 5-cent caps were spec'd but I only had these in my parts box, so in they went.



 (ref for webserver code: Arduino - WebServer )_

 


 Arduinos are great. I have been wanting to get one but I can't really justify it since I have an FPGA/board.


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So does it make much of a difference with them big caps?





_

 

Those are 12uF caps, which results in a very low corner frequency (~0.3Hz @ 50k input impedance). In comparison to 5uF caps (~.70Hz @ 50k input impedance), the difference would be very very small and arguably indiscernible.
 So why'd I do it? Cause they're the biggest caps I could fit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I can't comment on any difference I heard as I didn't try smaller caps. And if I did comment on a difference that I heard rather than read off a scope you can bet I'm full of crap.


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sachu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 remmeber all that talk about wanting to get into wood working..(between you and Don I think I will go broke faster than I thought I could 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), I will be making custom front and back panels aka Naamnaf style for the CTH sometime soon.._

 

You never know how fast you can go broke unless you try


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sachu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...remmeber all that talk about wanting to get into wood working..(between you and Don I think I will go broke faster than I thought I could 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), I will be making custom front and back panels aka Naamnaf style for the CTH sometime soon.._

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ah, cool. That should be sweet. I'm already making mental plans for how mine will look 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'm gonna get on this as well as I love wood 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Will definitely keep in mind good ventilation as i keep seeing how important cooling is for these units (so as the soha ii).

 P.S> sachu, I missed your build post -- luv the knob and top ring, it's sweeeet looking 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 rds, i can;t identify that amp.. which is it? looks very clean as usual 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 zk


----------



## smeggy

That looks like the TP Opus DAC if I'm not very mistaken.


----------



## Forte

A few shots of my CTH (Compact Tube Hybrid) and Bantam DAC build.





















 Can highly recommend both the CTH and Bantam and while they make a great transportable combo the CTH also could serve as a great desktop amp. It has a very big sound for such a small amp and would be the perfect intro to tubes.

 For those who want to know more the CTH thread is here http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/ver...id-amp-398839/ and the Bantam thread here http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/com...layout-190876/


----------



## fordgtlover

Here are some pictures of my desktop Gamma 1 (aka Y1). Given that I have no need for it to be portable, I decided to build one into a Hammond 1455N1201 case. This allowed me to include a TREAD to provide regulated 5V. I didn't worry about the optical connector. 

 Here is the obligatory inside shot:





 Here is the rear panel, the toggle switch selects the input (USB or Coax S/PDIF):





 And, the next two are of the front panel with the dual colour LED, Red and Green. The pictures make the LED look a bit anemic, but it is the right brightness to be noticeable, but not overly distracting.


----------



## MusicallySilent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fordgtlover* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_<snip>
 Here is the rear panel, the toggle switch selects the input (USB or Coax S/PDIF):



_

 

Interesting choice to use a USB A port as opposed to a USB B port (conventional on printers) or a mini port. It seems to me that USB A - USB A is a rather uncommon cable


----------



## linuxworks

I'm guessing he picked that cable type due to having a spare usb connector from a motherboard (?)

 either way, its not too hard to find an A-A cable. my old archos jukebox (10 yrs ago) used an A-A cable.


----------



## Peyotero

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No probs, I finished the top rings last night and took more pics

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/6103/dsc7836.th.jpg[IMG][/url]

 [url=http://img256.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc7837.jpg][IMG]http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7088/dsc7837.th.jpg[IMG][/url]

 [url=http://img21.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc7833.jpg][IMG]http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9955/dsc7833.th.jpg[IMG][/url]

 [url=http://img21.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc7831.jpg][IMG]http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1894/dsc7831.th.jpg[IMG][/url]

 [url=http://img256.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc7840.jpg][IMG]http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/5320/dsc7840.th.jpg[IMG][/url]

 [url=http://img21.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc7839.jpg][IMG]http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/6940/dsc7839.th.jpg[IMG][/url]

 [img]http://www.head-fi.org/forums/images/smilies/smily_headphones1.gif_

 
 


Man, I know nothing about electronics but I'm a wood finisher in proffession and that amp is outright gorgeous!
	


 Looks like some kind of a root. What is it?


----------



## MrMajestic2

Got the panel for my Buffalo build last week. There are no LEDs in the holes, but you get the idea of it:






















 The Hirez input is for DSD from a modded Denon DVD.

 I apologize for the messy and dirty table


----------



## smeggy

Thanks Peyotero, it's Poplar Burl.






 Forte,
 how did you squeeze both of them in that tiny case.... impressive. The CTH is my next projet


----------



## smeggy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Got the panel for my Buffalo build last week. There are no LEDs in the holes, but you get the idea of it

 The Hirez input is for DSD from a modded Denon DVD.

 I apologize for the messy and dirty table 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Dang, that's pretty!


----------



## oneplustwo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Got the panel for my Buffalo build last week. There are no LEDs in the holes, but you get the idea of it:_

 

MrMajestic - That looks awesome! I'm thinking about building the next gen Buffalo to go with my b22 once it's available but haven't figured out the details yet. Care to share your thought process for yours? And maybe a peek at the inside?


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_MrMajestic - That looks awesome! I'm thinking about building the next gen Buffalo to go with my b22 once it's available but haven't figured out the details yet. Care to share your thought process for yours? And maybe a peek at the inside?_

 

Thank you. Well, its nothing special inside, but I will post pictures when its 100% done. Right now there are stuff missing and everything is bluetacked in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Its a basic Buffalo kit with an OTTO thrown in for DSD switching and the SPDIF mux for, well, SPDIF switching. If you have any questions feel free to PM me about it.


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Interesting choice to use a USB A port as opposed to a USB B port (conventional on printers) or a mini port. It seems to me that USB A - USB A is a rather uncommon cable_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm guessing he picked that cable type due to having a spare usb connector from a motherboard (?)

 either way, its not too hard to find an A-A cable. my old archos jukebox (10 yrs ago) used an A-A cable._

 


 Both points are correct. 
 It is a bit unusual to use a USB A these days, but as correctly pointed out by linuxworks, it's what I had. Panel connectors for USB are quite uncommon, and I couldn't find a USB B panel connector, and I didn't want to use one of the bulky switchcraft passthrough connectors.

 USB A to A cables are not that difficult to find.


----------



## fixit5561

Hey everyone,

 I just finished up my first cmoy,couldnt have ever done it wit alot of help from Fallenangel, tomb, and many others that have put up with my questions lately and aswered them! Thank you to you all. The cmoy took me about 8 hrs to build total but alot of "figuring out" took place over the past few weeks. (I like to do things only once and work out all the kinks before attempting something) Just my nature I guess.

 Anyways below is a link to the pics.
cmoy

 Thanks for all your help guys.
 Now Im gonna build another one and use all parts from the supply houses instead of a mix with radio shack.

 Brian


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Sorry I'm not seeing the pics


----------



## fixit5561

I had to make a webpage on my website so I just added a link . I didnt know how to add pics to the text area, I tried but I think they were either named wrong or too large.
 I havent pugged in the charger yet to it to see if the trickle charger will work properly, but I did test it with my DMM and it semed to be all working as it should.
 That link now will work.

 Brian


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Mate thats a top job, well thought out


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fixit5561* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey everyone,
 The cmoy took me about 8 hrs to build total but alot of "figuring out" took place over the past few weeks. (I like to do things only once and work out all the kinks before attempting something) Just my nature I guess.

 Anyways below is a link to the pics.
cmoy

 Thanks for all your help guys.
 Now Im gonna build another one and use all parts from the supply houses instead of a mix with radio shack.

 Brian_

 

That's very precise work. Nicely done!
 I have a feeling we'll be seeing many more amps from you


----------



## linuxworks

more software updates to my LCD volume control project. trying a diff bar-graph style now:






 putting the selector name on top, the db number on bottom right and graph on bottom left. graph also is styled to have 'fat bits' on the left eat up the tiny bits to the right as you increase the volume level 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 you can't see it from a static pic, but there are 2 speeds to the volume; normal up/down by 1 when you use the regular volume buttons on your sony tv remote; but I've also assigned 2 other keys (up/down arrows for lack of others) to speed-up and speed-down so that volume jumps up and down by 4 or 5 incr points instead of just 1. all keys auto-repeat (same rate, no such thing as 'acceleration' in this UI design) and so if you press and hold the 'fast up' button it climbs almost by the character cell size instead of the bit size (5 vertical bits per character in the graph). the fast and slow modes let you quickly and precisely get to where you want without having an actual knob.

 still playing; just software right now, but I do finally have some PGA2310 chips to play with. and relay-banks as well, as an alternate option.


----------



## nsx_23

fixit5561, that is way neater than my first CMOY build. Good job! 

 Now build a mini3


----------



## ruZZ.il

linuxworks: awesom


----------



## nickyboyo

Ok folks, scha finished. latest spec as per Alex K at rockgrotto. Sounds fantastic, even with the everything still burning in.













 Final testing...




 Final resting place...


----------



## fordgtlover

^

 Great job nickyboyo. The case looks fantastic.


----------



## nsx_23

Hmm, I really should consider that Jaycar amp, but I have no one to show me how to work with 240V 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Nice case though.


----------



## scompton

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fixit5561* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I had to make a webpage on my website so I just added a link . I didnt know how to add pics to the text area, I tried but I think they were either named wrong or too large.
 I havent pugged in the charger yet to it to see if the trickle charger will work properly, but I did test it with my DMM and it semed to be all working as it should.
 That link now will work.

 Brian_

 

When you're editing your post, there's an image icon on the tool bar. I think it's supposed to be a post card of mountains. When you click it a popup prompts you for the url of your image. I think you can also upload images via manage attachments, but I've never done that.


----------



## Ech0

@ linuxworks, I like the "Fat bits" / "tiny bits" version on your LCD better than previous somewhat "graph like" style. Definitely more visible. I've ran across some of your other work with IR remote volume control when searching this site. I'm on the hunt and deciding which way to go for a remote control / motorized pot for my Beta22. Getting up and walking across the room to adjust volume sucks. I'm surprised I didn't see more stuff here in that regard. I surely am not the only lazy person here.

 Nice job nickyboyo. Casework is cool.


----------



## fixit5561

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scompton* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_When you're editing your post, there's an image icon on the tool bar. I think it's supposed to be a post card of mountains. When you click it a popup prompts you for the url of your image. I think you can also upload images via manage attachments, but I've never done that._

 

scompton,

 Yes I tried the little mountain looking button, it still didnt work. I think the pics were too large as I had to shrink them when I added the pics to the webpage. 

 I dont know maybe there is a size restriction.

 Thanks
 Brian


----------



## scompton

I've never had a problem even when I forgot to resize down from 2000x3000 pixels. Maybe it was some issue with where ever you're hosting. Who knows.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ech0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_@ linuxworks, I like the "Fat bits" / "tiny bits" version on your LCD better than previous somewhat "graph like" style. Definitely more visible. I've ran across some of your other work with IR remote volume control when searching this site. I'm on the hunt and deciding which way to go for a remote control / motorized pot for my Beta22. Getting up and walking across the room to adjust volume sucks. I'm surprised I didn't see more stuff here in that regard. I surely am not the only lazy person here._

 

there are TONS of amps and even quite a few dacs around here.

 but not a lot in terms of volume control or input selecting or other preamp kinds of things.

 very few provide source and so if you don't like what 'they' did you are stuck.

 when my project has something working more than just the IR and LCD logic, I'll post the code and give a quick howto on getting source to go into the controller chips 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 at that point, if there are names or strings that you, the NEW owner, would want, you simply edit the source, press a few buttons on the gui and watch the red led blink on the target controller board. it then runs - and its just that simple.

 so, maybe this could be a part of preamps that people WON'T have to keep reinventing over and over again. or buying closed-source chips with the 'readme' fuses blown ;(

 thanks for the comment about the graph style. its challenging to get stuff done with only 16chars by 2 lines


----------



## zkool448

linuxworks, great work on the display and effort putting your source into the controller chips -- I've been following your updates and find this stuff really interesting, however i know very little about this technology but I'm looking forward to see some tutorials (perhaps a tangent-like style) in the future 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 zk


----------



## Pars

Sigma22 I built for another HF'er. Set to +/-15Vdc, 80VA Avel transformer, kit from GlassJar Audio (awesome service, thanks Jeff!).

 Front:





 Top:





 Rear:


----------



## smeggy

Mmmm, pretty, just wish they were cheaper.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sigma22 I built for another HF'er. Set to +/-15Vdc, 80VA Avel transformer, kit from GlassJar Audio (awesome service, thanks Jeff!).

 Front:
http://home.comcast.net/~youngc1/sigma_front.JPG

 Top:
http://home.comcast.net/~youngc1/sigma_top.JPG

 Rear:
http://home.comcast.net/~youngc1/sigma_back.JPG_

 



 Welcome to the HiFi-2000 club. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Very nice σ22 in a Galaxy Max GX283, one of my favourite enclosure.


----------



## fzman

nice chassis, pars -- what is it?


----------



## linuxworks

I have seen a lot of the hifi2k boxes in photos but I worry about shipping.

 roughly, how much does one of those cost to ship to the US? and how many bent/DOAs occur?

 that's all that's stopping me from 'going hifi2k'


----------



## cyberspyder

Teko enclosures is the USA distr. for Hifi2000, search them up, but they don't have all the cases.


----------



## scompton

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyberspyder* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Teko enclosures is the USA distr. for Hifi2000, search them up, but they don't have all the cases._

 

Their web site doesn't show any of them, if I have the right web site TEKO Enclosures, Inc. - Electronic Enclosures


----------



## amb

If you want a model that Teko doesn't carry, you'd have to order from modushop, which ships from Italy. All panels are shipped knocked down (flat) with plenty of styrofoam/bubblewrap so the chance of a damaged panel is slim, but they use FedEx so the cost is high. Even so, the quality is excellent and worth the price.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scompton* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Their web site doesn't show any of them, if I have the right web site TEKO Enclosures, Inc. - Electronic Enclosures_

 

That's the correct site. However Teko doesn't call the "hifi2000" cases by that name, and use their own model numbers. For example, the Teko "Dissipator" series is actually made by hifi2000.


----------



## cyberspyder

Teko Enclosures, Inc. - 19" enclosures

 They're not all 19, just look at the width.

 HOWEVER, the cost in securing one from Teko is ridiculous. The HiFi2000 cases ship flat, so damage is unlikely. I would rather get them from http://www.modushop.biz/ecommerce/index_l2.php or http://www.autocostruire.com/.

 Brendan

 Bah, 2 minutes too late with all the same info amb told ya!


----------



## linuxworks

some shots of my temporary transformer housing for my sigma22/beta22.

 its a $10 alum box from mouser and I would NOT recommend it since the metal flexes and bends in your hands! ;( even unplugging the IEC cord bends the metal. yuk! but for now, it keeps the trafo away from my audio guts and it does its job as long as I leave it alone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			















 the switch is a LED latching pushbutton and I'm tapping into the ac secondary as my 'on' indicator with a 10k (about that) R in series. this switch was a bit cheaper than the silver 'vandal' switch and for such a cheap box, this mated well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the back has a combo iec socket, fuse, line filter. saves on space. I still have to ground the chassis (doh!).

 the ac-out is simply the 3 wires from the trafo with the center-tap connected locally.

 the beta22 is in it own 'ugly duckling' box for now - pics of that to come later.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If you want a model that Teko doesn't carry, you'd have to order from modushop, which ships from Italy. All panels are shipped knocked down (flat) with plenty of styrofoam/bubblewrap so the chance of a damaged panel is slim, but they use FedEx so the cost is high. Even so, the quality is excellent and worth the price._

 

cool! the biggest thing I was worried about is shipping damage. flat pack sounds fine to me.

 thanks for the info.


----------



## ludoo

If an hf2k enclosure weighs less than 2kg and is 90cm max total dimensions, I could probably get it for you and ship it by registered mail. it should be about 10 euros from them to me, and 19.50 from here to the USA. It's slower and I don't know how much they charge to ship by fedex so it might not be worth it.


----------



## linuxworks

I wonder how much insurance and trackability costs? some countries are harder than others and -perhaps- fedex gives the most reliable delivery from italy?

 I've been eye'ing that line of cases but held off buying. they do look nice


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ludoo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If an hf2k enclosure weighs less than 2kg and is 90cm max total dimensions, I could probably get it for you and ship it by registered mail. it should be about 10 euros from them to me, and 19.50 from here to the USA. It's slower and I don't know how much they charge to ship by fedex so it might not be worth it._

 

One thing to keep in mind, is that modushop will add a VAT if the destination is to another EU country. No VAT is added for USA and elsewhere. So, any savings in shipping to EU may be negated by the VAT.


----------



## ludoo

Oh, right. I did not think about VAT good point.


----------



## Forte

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pars* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sigma22 I built for another HF'er. Set to +/-15Vdc, 80VA Avel transformer, kit from GlassJar Audio (awesome service, thanks Jeff!).

 Top:




_

 

Very nice. 

 What is mounted on the rear of the case between the IEC socket and the power umbilical?


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Forte* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice. 

 What is mounted on the rear of the case between the IEC socket and the power umbilical?_

 

Indeed very nice.

 Looks like a ground loop breaker. Not sure why it's necessary with a dual-chassis solution though.


----------



## amb

Yeah, that ground loop breaker is not needed.


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, that ground loop breaker is not needed._

 

I was debating whether to put it in or not and decided to do so since I already had everything. I assume that it will not hurt anything?

 EDIT: The connected device's signal ground = its power ground, so I thought it was a good idea (and still do).


----------



## amb

There may be an opportunity for AC earth ground noise to intrude into the device signal ground through the ground loop breaker in this way. I wrote about the benefit of separate PSU chassis on headwize (in the dynahi thread), one of which is to avoid this. But headwize is now down so I can't find the link to it.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Here is my first Starving Student, I made a simple board with built in deliberate mistakes so I could have hours of fun debugging 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now if I can just get it into an Altoids tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	































 works a treat and a very good learning curve, thanks to all those who have already built one your questions and answers solved all my problems.

 thanks for looking
 cheers
 Fred


----------



## smeggy

Thats a very nice and neat build Fred! Mine looks like a complete rats nest inside.... complete with rats.

 congrats.


----------



## ueyteuor

does anyone know the answer to this problem? i just built my first mini3 today, did everything accordingly, except i set the gain to 2 instead of the regular.. then i power it up, the power led turns on real quick, then dims down and the amp works but very weak and all distorted... its really weird... i cant figure any reason as to why...

 i also have a silly question, can not cleaning the flux be bad? i mean if the flux is spread all over touching contacts and it is not cleaned, can this be a problem?


----------



## amb

Dead battery?

 Clean the flux off. The gunk acts as extra dielectric between traces/components, and could upset circuit stability, especially in a wideband, high speed amp like the Mini³. Also, a messy, flux encrusted board is difficult to examine for potential solder bridges, cold joints, etc.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thats a very nice and neat build Fred! Mine looks like a complete rats nest inside.... complete with rats.

 congrats._

 

Thanks, it took a fair amount of swearing at times to get it all in, now I'm scared to open it again


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my first Starving Student, I made a simple board with built in deliberate mistakes so I could have hours of fun debugging 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now if I can just get it into an Altoids tin 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 thanks for looking
 cheers
 Fred_

 

Fred, your SS is soooo nice and neat and well thought out. It looks like you spent many hours building it, I can tell from the small details in your wiring, the heatshrinks, techflex, etc. and especially your very own custom PCB -- very professional. Great job!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 zk


----------



## smeggy

Yeah, I keeps staring at it in wonderment that it's the same amp I have.


----------



## kvant

A common emitter gain stage combined with a source follower, in other words, Szekeres with a little bit of gain. Special thanks go to *PRR* for showing bare bones of this circuit at headwize.com and to *tangent* for his tutorial #9 (Professional Circuit Board Manufacture with EAGLE).


----------



## Fitz

Tired of hauling the K1000 to meets in its wooden case that can easily get scratched/nicked, I made some new foam cutouts for an AKG mic case to hold the K1000 instead.


----------



## krmathis

^ Great idea! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Especially with the matching AKG flight case.


----------



## apatN

Very nice Fitz! Excellent idea.


----------



## linuxworks

more work being done on my 'mother of all digital volume control' project:






 I have a lot working, to date. some stuff is not shown in this photo. what IS of interest is a little x10 device called a 'firecracker'. it sits on your db9 (serial connection, remember those?) and you twiddle some bits to turn on/off/dim some 16 devices on your home wiring.

 the arduino has support for the x10 thing! so I integrated the code and added a sleep timer so that after 60 minutes (or whatever) it sends a wireless 'firecracker' command to device E3, (say) which might be my speaker amp - and then turns itself off (its display and backlight). when you press the IR power-on button (on the sony remote) it then sends out an x10 burst to turn that designated device on again (after some muting delay, all done in software).

 code is still in development but things are looking good. early support for an alpha style rotary encoder is also working right now. the volume control engine is the burr brown PGA chip and here's a really ugly build of that board (chip not present in socket, though):












 nasty huh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I used solder wick to form a ground plane of sorts. I really wanted to get a sample going of this PGA volume control chip and so I had to build this thing up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 it uses a 3pin 'spi' interface and it was actually pretty easy to get the arduino to talk to the PGA chip. I will follow this up with a relay-attenuator when time permits. (I'm actually QUITE happy with the PGA chip, though, to be honest). the pga chip also allows a slow ramp up and down of volume and when I power on the system, it slowly ramps the volume up for you, for free 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I hope to release project details soon. still designing and testing things out. making huge progress pretty much every day.


----------



## MusicallySilent

I saw that last pic and I thought to myself

 "Oh dear god, surely he can solder better than that if he can design his own volume control, and a digital one at that..."

 Then I saw the caption, explains it, but still scary lol.


----------



## linuxworks

hey, that is a home-made THREE LAYER board.

 here's the top layer:






 I followed the combo of the cirrus data sheet and the burr brown one. they wanted a top layer so I made one from wire wrap wire and soldered directly to the socket. then took THAT and mounted that to the perf board and did 2 layers below that (the 'foil' layer and the raised wire layer, blue for the SPI data control bus and red for the 2 pot outputs (input, wiper, common)).

 given that its a 3 layer board, its actually not too shabby. it just LOOKS aweful


----------



## shellylh

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MusicallySilent* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I saw that last pic and I thought to myself

 "Oh dear god, surely he can solder better than that if he can design his own volume control, and a digital one at that..."

 Then I saw the caption, explains it, but still scary lol._

 

LOL, that is exactly what I thought!


----------



## linuxworks

do you know how LONG it took to layer so much solder down on cheap-ass radio shack can't-drill-straight-holes-to-save-their-lives perfboard? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I never spend THIS amount of time (or molten solder) but the spec sheets really insisted I create a ground plane. who am I to argue with a spec sheet?

 of course, having that much mass (in solder) gives the board much more mass. that means its better, in a high-end sense. right? riiight?


----------



## MusicallySilent

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_of course, having that much mass (in solder) gives the board much more mass. that means its better, in a high-end sense. right? riiight?_

 

Of course more mass is always better, helps with the vibrations


----------



## Hayduke

I don't think you need to defend your projects Linux-works. I'm always impressed with the stuff you post here. If you ever do gather up all the data on what you've done, maybe you could put up a website somewhere? I'm certain there would be others that could benefit from what you're doing.

 I've stumbled upon Arduinos several times when reading about various project ideas. Everytime I do, I think it would be fun to learn, but I'm just not sure I have the time/motivation to work through that learning curve 

 So is the "3rd layer" of your board the little red and blue jumper wires?


----------



## linuxworks

yes, that layer is the red and blue jumpers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I tried to get some clearance to keep things away from each other as much as possible. the wires really are at a different 'layer' or plane. fwiw 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I do plan to document this controller stuff. as I'm just learning it now, I'll try to make some HOWTOs when things are at a 1.0 kind of state.

 I added the x10 controller stuff in like 10 minutes (that included soldering into the db9 to tap its 3 lines). I copied the code from the net, changed the pin #'s to how my board was laid out and ran the program. the relay in the other room went CLICK! a very very satisfying and rewarding CLICK 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 controllers are very friendly to use, now. and the amount of code that is already out there is astounding. I didn't have to write the IR detector stuff or the LCD char display stuff. the PGA code was easy with some examples from error401's code. I wrote a bit of code, too (the image is now 2000 lines of C code!) but I had HUGE jump-starts from bits and pieces that were already on the net as examples.

 today, a lot of software is just 'glue-ing things together' and writing the missing bits in between.

 however, I did add some nice features based on how I plan to *use* this device in the real world. a sleep timer is one such thing (I'm serious).

 I'll post a topic on its own when the DIY stuff is ready to be built and all the details have been at least initially alpha tested.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I don't think you need to defend your projects Linux-works. I'm always impressed with the stuff you post here. If you ever do gather up all the data on what you've done, maybe you could put up a website somewhere? I'm certain there would be others that could benefit from what you're doing.</snip>_

 

Agreed! linux-works comes up with some interesting things all the time. We need as much of that as we can get around here.

 I'll volunteer with putting up a website somewhere if he wants (when I have time).


----------



## Robin W.

The linux-works software makes quite a nice platform!!
 Here's my hardware version for developing and tweaking the software.






 Main input is a Sony remote, the platform is used daily to actually listen to music and test new hardware configurations and software revisions.

 This will be great when it's done!!!


----------



## smrtby123

^^The far left side of that breadboard shows that thing has had its share of projects lol.


----------



## MisterX

Gamma Lite + Mini3.


----------



## -=Germania=-

Linuxworks, 

 That looks GREAT! 
 I cannot wait for the true end result and it would be useful in so many projects. 

 Seriously though, does anyone still do wire wound connections?


----------



## Juaquin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I never spend THIS amount of time (or molten solder) but the spec sheets really insisted I create a ground plane. who am I to argue with a spec sheet?_

 

Superman?

 I argue with spec sheets all the time.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Juaquin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Superman?

 I argue with spec sheets all the time. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

And you know it's time to call it quits for the night when they start arguing back.


----------



## v3nom

oops


----------



## linuxworks

another peek at my 2nd 'test bed':






 this is a cheaper chip (atmel mega168) but its still an arduino. this one is pretty bare min; not even an onboard usb chip so it needs a helper cable to do upload and test. (cable is $20 so not a big deal). on board is the cpu chip and a crystal (cerm resonator, less than a buck). that's all you need to get it going! aren't controllers amazing for the minimum parts-count it takes?

 the proto board has an IR detector on it and some dummy leds so I can 'know' that a relay was activated or not. the PGA volume control chip board still is another tiny add-on thing that connects thru a 3pin cable (that's all, just a 3 pin so-called SPI interface).

 here, I have my sleep timer enabled and counting down (it was down to 15 at the time I took the photo). analog input is selected (just a relay contact, really) and the volume level is what is shown. all that works for real, right now


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_And you know it's time to call it quits for the night when they start arguing back._

 

that only defers the problem. that's no good.

 what if, when you wake up the next day, they're *still* arguing back?


----------



## Cankin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 Gamma Lite + Mini3. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Beautiful!


----------



## apatN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Cankin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beautiful!_

 

x2. Clean work!


----------



## danobeavis

My current "compact" platform


----------



## linuxworks

I like that setup, but you have to admit, it has an extremely low WAF factor (lol!)


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Gamma Lite + Mini3. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

gamma lite, I understand.

 mini3 in such a large box? THAT I don't quite get. or maybe its just an 'all AMB' build? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 m3 would have been so much nicer in that combo, no?


----------



## malldian

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danobeavis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My current "compact" platform 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

A quick write up of what you have going on there perhaps?


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_gamma lite, I understand.

 mini3 in such a large box? THAT I don't quite get. or maybe its just an 'all AMB' build? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 m3 would have been so much nicer in that combo, no?_

 

An M³ board is 5" x 7". It would have requires a much larger case than that.


----------



## scompton

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I like that setup, but you have to admit, it has an extremely low WAF factor (lol!)_

 

Does any workbench have WAF? If so, you have a much more understanding wife.


----------



## v3nom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danobeavis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My current "compact" platform 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

hey man, i like your knobs


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *v3nom* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_hey man, i like your knobs 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I like that 'scope!

 I have been thinking about getting one for ages. In the end though I will probably get a cheaper logic analyser instead.


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danobeavis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My current "compact" platform 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I have the same scope, an absolute bargain for it's price I must say


----------



## danobeavis

Help the noob out, what's a WAF?

 The general stuff on the table is a custom JFET preamp I'm building, a stereo VU meter under development, an opamp buffer proto, and a buttload of hacked-together breakout boxes


----------



## smeggy

Wife Acceptance Factor. WAF


----------



## linuxworks

more progress on my DIY volume control (_Volumaster_, if you will) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 this is how life starts when you are in test-bed mode (lol). the boards are glued (hot melt is your friend!) to the chassis just to keep things in place, for now. the lcd display hole was cut, by hand, with a nibbling tool. ouch. chassis work is painful ;(

 things are going to look rough until I get a better feel for how much space I need inside and how many controller pins I can 'do things with' that make sense in a preamp/switcher context.

 the case was from some old video switcher or something; I bought it just to take its aluminum chassis and throw the rest out 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 what is in the circuit: the arduino in the blue larger size board near the lcd. I have fitted the amb y1 dac board behind it but its not connected yet.

 the power supply is providing +5v for the arduino and other logic (vol control chip, included). PS also provides a 10v from a TREAD that I am rail-splitting with a TLE chip. that split 5 is going into the PGA2310 volume control chip.

 there are 2 PGA circuits here but only 1 is being used. the one I built on perf board is on the rear center and is not hooked up. what IS hooked up is the board from ERROR401, his 'minivol' board. I converted that to work with my arduino software. it was not a problem 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 his board is the one connected to the dual red shielded rca cables, sort of dangling in air, supported by the cables, themselves.

 the db9-db9 thing is a 'firecracker' from x10 that gives wireless power control over appliances. I am using x10 things to turn various stereo devices on and off (for example, as I switch my output from 'speaker' to 'headphones' it knows that speaker is x10 code 'E1' and my beta22 amp is on code 'E3'. so it sends an E1,OFF to the speaker amp and an E3,ON to my phones amp, just by switching outputs from speaker to phones).


----------



## Hayduke

linux-works, you must have some very well stocked electronics supply houses where you live! Living in a small town definitely has advantages, but it's a HUGE handicap to do those sorts of projects. I have to ship everything and those shipping charges add up quick


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linux-works, you must have some very well stocked electronics supply houses where you live! Living in a small town definitely has advantages, but it's a HUGE handicap to do those sorts of projects. I have to ship everything and those shipping charges add up quick 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Indeed he does (as I do, since he lives just a few miles from me). We're lucky to be in the middle of Silicon Valley, and Halted Electronics is _the_ place to get stuff. See a recent New York Times video about it:

Halted: The Last of a Dying Breed - The New York Times


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 Gamma Lite + Mini3. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Nice.


----------



## sedan delivery

Very nice,indeed.


----------



## linuxworks

here is the actual volume control engine, the PGA2320 (surface mount, 12v version). ERROR401 made these boards and I bought one from him along with a chip. I had to do the soldering 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I adapted his board so that my arduino could control it, bypassing his PIC chip.


























 I didn't provide a dual 12v to this chip for its analog section (I might, later) but for now I took a regulated 10v and split it with that TLE rail splitter chip (3 terminal chip that has heat shrink tubing on 2 of its 'crossed over' leads). that gives me a nice virtual ground for the analog section. the digital section is driven by its own private 5v coming in to the white angled 2-connector molex on the corner of the board.

 the ribbon cable with 3 wires are the 3 lines you need to digitally talk to this chip (clock, data and 'chip select'). basically, you bring the chip-select down to say 'hi, I want to talk to you' and then you send 'byte byte' down the serial 'data' wire, alternating clock every pulse, and when 16 bits (2 channels of 8bit each) are received, on the 16 bit the volume change occurs for both channels. just like magic. once you are done, you release chip-select to say 'bye' and the volume control engine keeps that level until told other wise.

 I didn't have surface mount caps (for the bottom of the board) so I trimmed some small .1uF's and 'made' them surface mount 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 there was a trace short (I think) near one of them and I had to take a knife to the board. I did teach that board a lesson but it wasn't without a fight 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the 2 red foil shielded cables are the line-in and line-out (pretty obvious).

 other than the short from b+ to ground (doh!) things went as planned. oh, and you DO have to connect the 'not MUTE' wire to plus (not let it float) or your circuit will power up in mute and not get OUT of mute. that's the 'blue bridge wire' that you see going to the far corner on something called pin-1. that is the hardware mute 'disable' and muting now happens when I send a string of 0's to the device (16 of them) to set the vol level to zero.


----------



## Llama16

WOW!!! I feel so humble when looking at all these homemade amps. I hope to one day be able to get the parts together to build myself one hell of a nice amp and have the right to post here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.

 Well currently I'm building 2 cmoy's at once. As this is the first time I ever came in contact with soldering and handling electronics on this level please excuse me of my o so sloppy work, I'm really just getting into this.

 I made the one from tangentsoft, justa cmoy to be able to run my HD650's of my ipod for now, later on I will build some more dedicated ones as soon as I finish this cmoy with succes.

 On the left is the practice one, and on the right I am trying to clean it all up. I'm still waiting for my opamp and input jacks:





 On the back thee practice one is even more sloppy (I still need to make the connections on the clean one, so I'll only upload the practice amp)... don't freak out!!:





 I still don't have a clue how to connect these:






 As I already said: this is my evry first contact with soldering, electronics, ....
 I hope to learn alot more this easternholiday because I've already got big plans...I hope to sell some later on, make some small profit, and buy parts for a PIMETA.

 Great job to all of you, I am astonished and hope to be able to know as much as you all do one day.


----------



## Tridacnid

The switch looks like it can flip between two sets of inputs, which is a little bit more than you need simply for power, but it will work. Unless you're building a multiple input CMOY.

 If you just want to do power, connect the wire from on of your battery leads to the center row (you chose which side), then attach another wire running to the CMOY on either the top or the bottom row, in the same column as the other wire. That way, it will leave an open connection when it's flipped one way, and will close the connection when it's flipped the other way. I hope that made sense.


----------



## Llama16

yep that made alot of sense, so I'll just leave the second row untouched.
 yep I understand the logics behind it... the second row just confused me


----------



## DaKi][er

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_WOW!!! I feel so humble when looking at all these homemade amps. I hope to one day be able to get the parts together to build myself one hell of a nice amp and have the right to post here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.

 Well currently I'm building 2 cmoy's at once. As this is the first time I ever came in contact with soldering and handling electronics on this level please excuse me of my o so sloppy work, I'm really just getting into this.

 I made the one from tangentsoft, justa cmoy to be able to run my HD650's of my ipod for now, later on I will build some more dedicated ones as soon as I finish this cmoy with succes.

 On the left is the practice one, and on the right I am trying to clean it all up. I'm still waiting for my opamp and input jacks:
 http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/5412/1013238.jpg[IMG]

 On the back thee practice one is even more sloppy (I still need to make the connections on the clean one, so I'll only upload the practice amp)... don't freak out!!:
 [IMG]http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/861/1013243.jpg[IMG]

 I still don't have a clue how to connect these:
 [IMG]http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/853/1013245m.jpg[IMG]


 As I already said: this is my evry first contact with soldering, electronics, ....
 I hope to learn alot more this easternholiday because I've already got big plans...I hope to sell some later on, make some small profit, and buy parts for a PIMETA.

 Great job to all of you, I am astonished and hope to be able to know as much as you all do one day.[/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


What you are doing here is absolutely great work, you are already ahead of a lot of people on here.

 Keep using those protoboards, you'll learn a lot with them_


----------



## elliot42

Here's my Jaycar headphone amp that I finished about a week ago. It's all stock at the moment but I plan to put in a number of upgrades. I have a stepped attenuator on the way already


----------



## Laika

My first post and my first Cmoy build 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
























 Pretty much a stock cmoy build, power caps are 470uf and the sockets are for the optional output resistors. Since the pics were taken I have socketed the gain resistors (now @ 6x) and after some reading I may increase the value of the input caps for better bass handling. It turned out better than I had hoped


----------



## Forte

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_WOW!!! I feel so humble when looking at all these homemade amps. I hope to one day be able to get the parts together to build myself one hell of a nice amp and have the right to post here.

 Well currently I'm building 2 cmoy's at once. As this is the first time I ever came in contact with soldering and handling electronics on this level please excuse me of my o so sloppy work, I'm really just getting into this.
_

 

Great work, can already see the improvement from the practice build, Keep at it.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Laika* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first post and my first Cmoy build 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Pretty much a stock cmoy build, power caps are 470uf and the sockets are for the optional output resistors. Since the pics were taken I have socketed the gain resistors (now @ 6x) and after some reading I may increase the value of the input caps for better bass handling. It turned out better than I had hoped 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Very nice job, and for a first build staggeringly good, well done
 cheers
 Fred


----------



## Forte

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Laika* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first post and my first Cmoy build 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Pretty much a stock cmoy build, power caps are 470uf and the sockets are for the optional output resistors._

 

Wow! Great layout and attention to detail, especially the wiring of the jacks, pot and switch. 

 Great photography too.


----------



## linuxworks

adding a new feature to my VoluMaster volume control.

 it now has a notion of a min and max 'allowable' volume level. here's the setup screen for it:






 you go into this mode with a keypress of the IR remote. it then throws you into this 'editor' where you can use 4 buttons to move the lower ('mute') and upper (max) levels around. these are like safety 'stops' that won't let you exceed the ranges. you exit this mode with a 'return' IR button. as you move the 2 'stops' around, the vertical bars move bit by bit to show the result, graphically. both 'stops' move independently.

 then it goes back to the main screen. here are 2 screens showing what happens when you run into the limits that I just set:











 and if you are in the middle of some setting, such as:






 and you hit the MUTE button, it slowly fades down to the lower volume 'stop' setting which is your mute setting you just defined:






 this is becoming useful to me, now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I can change, at any time, the min and max and I can create a 'commercial mute' so that I can still hear the TV over a commercial but not enough to actually *hear* the commercial (lol). similarly, if I'm listening late at nite or early in the AM, I might want to set a max volume level. or, another use-case is where you switch outputs from a speaker amp to a phones amp and they have different sensitivities. you will want to have a different 'stop point' in turning up the volume on amps with different gains.

 another use-case is for when people 'object' to the volume control chip running in gain-mode (more than 0db). some circuits have a pin where you can limit the gain to stop at zero. I was about to do something like that but then decided this 'window' approach is more flexible and general.

 the scale on the setup screen runs the full limits of the native device (0..255, in 1db steps = 0..127). the 0db point is about at 96 and so if you go above that, the display changes from a leading minus sign to a space (implied plus sign). if you WANT to use the full range of the device, you can.


----------



## Laika

Thanks Fred and Forte, I've built a couple of guitar effects before so I'm getting better at keeping things tidy.


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Laika* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks Fred and Forte, I've built a couple of guitar effects before so I'm getting better at keeping things tidy._

 

Laika, welcome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Very pristine! I couldn't believe at first that this is your first build, it all makes sense now that you've explained it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 zk


----------



## Llama16

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DaKi][er* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What you are doing here is absolutely great work, you are already ahead of a lot of people on here.

 Keep using those protoboards, you'll learn a lot with them_

 

Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 As soon as I get the opamps, I can test them out. If (hopefully 'when') one of them works, I'll see if I can change the layout a bit to save space, and also replace components with better ones (maybe I can already optimise it for my HD650, but for that I do not really know where to start).

 I'll keep you all posted if they work.
 I'm pretty impatient so i already can't wait until I can start on my first PIMETA....while I didn't even test these out hehe


----------



## elliot42

Let me try that again, this time with some more reliable image hosting:


----------



## Beefy

That is a really nice case, elliot. Got a link to where you grabbed it from?


----------



## nickyboyo

Very nice Elliot, looks nice and clean. Great sounding amp to


----------



## elliot42

The case is from Jaycar, catalogue number HB5462. I can't find it on their website, but it's in the 2008 catalogue, perhaps it's discontinued. I believe johnwmclean used the bigger version of it (HB5466) for his Jaycar amp. I like the smaller case, but there isn't much extra room inside.

 The attenuator arrived today and I put it in this evening as well as removing some components at the HP out as per the AK mods, but now it's hissing and whooshing randomly 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I must have made a dodgey solder joint...

 Otherwise, yes, it does sound great.


----------



## travisg

very nice indeed


----------



## Llama16

Hey all me again

 just wanted to show of my solderbridges, hoping they are ok. As soon as I got the parts I'll move on and test the whole thing.


----------



## danobeavis

Here's the finished version of the Little Lebowski Urban Achiever Mark I power amp. It is a dual LM386 amp, very close to the datasheet example, but tweaked to drive a pair of 8 ohm speakers and pad the input from the Ipod to minimize distortion.






 More about it here: 
Beavis Hi Fi


----------



## Llama16

Quick question:
 The 100nF capacitors (the yellowish caps) I used where the ones from the alternatives list from Tangent. Will they still do well? or should I really try (I know that they don't have those bigger ones in a store closer then 100km 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) to get those bigger ones... or isn't that really worth the effort?

 hehe srry for this maybe foolish question, but I was also wondering why the 'bigger' ones are better?


----------



## linuxworks

I have a transplanted rackmount 1U box working now as my preamp.






 its using the VoluMaster code base I'm working on (I'm about 3/4 done in coding it) and its just the PGA volume control chip/board, a 'boarduino' from lady ada (a kit maker), a radio shack cheap IR receiver module, a hitachi 16x2 backlit lcd, and not much else (other than a sony cd player IR handheld remote control).

 I have quite a bit implemented so far. what's new is that I added named inputs and outputs, so you can see I've selected 'popcorn' (popcorn hour, which is a media streamer or set-top box networked player) as the input and the beta22 as my output. I also have 'speakers' programmed as an alternate output. the x10 integration part is what really makes it unique, I think: when you change output devices (from speaker amp to headphone amp) it does a whole script of things, such as muting the amp that's currently on, powering it off (via the x10 firecracker module and some plugged in appliance relay modules), powering ON the new amp, keeping that one on mute and waiting for a 'turn-on delay' period. once that expires the volume is ramped up slowly to the last saved full setting. switch back and you get a ramp down, power click, another power click (other amp coming on), turn on delay and slow fade up of volume.

 the software is up to almost 3000 lines of C code. it does quite a lot but there's still more to be done before its ready for release. but I am able to use this thing, now, and its now a total replacement for my previous preamp and 'home stereo' setup.


----------



## kansei

^ that's a seriously serious setup. Seriously. 

 Love the wrinkled black finish. I also never thought that the rackmount enclosures would work so well.


----------



## linuxworks

thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the neat thing about that crinkle stuff is that its very cheap at my plastics store (TAP plastics), its workable by hand tools (almost a butter knife will cut thru it) and if you make a mistake, it only makes it look BETTER (LOL!). fingerprints on surfaces? what are those? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 can't beat this stuff for rapid prototyping. not for finished goods, its too soft, but its great to get a feel for things before you send out for front-panel express or similar.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I have quite a bit implemented so far......_

 

I'd buy that for a dollar. Nice work!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'd buy that for a dollar. Nice work! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

you won't have to - the code will be released in source form, free. as soon as it makes sense to (when its not going thru so many re-do's).

 hardware was also cheap, at this point. arduino was $25 for the board and chip, volume control was in the $20 range for both chip+board, case was a throw-away (almost), lcd was $10, IR receiver is a dollar and if you have a sony cd or dvd player, you have the sender already 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 what is that - $50 or less? in that range. tools to take source and shove it down your usb pipe are also free 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 you run a free windows or linux program, load the source, press 'download' and watch das blinkenlichten for about 10 seconds, then the lcd reboots and you have the new firmware on the box.

 when the source is ready and released, I'll write up some tutorials on how to customize it and that will be a whole project in itself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but the point is to LET people customize it, change the look around, change the names (even translate to local language) and all that can be done since the tools are free, source will be available and you only need a usb1.1 port to do the firmware upload.

 so, stay tuned, if you want to build one


----------



## Juaquin

I recently bought an arduino (currently working on controlling a tri-color LED matrix, hopefully eventually using PWM to mix colors nicely) so I'm psyched to see this in schematic/code form.


----------



## Heady

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Quick question:
 The 10µF capacitors (the yellowish caps) I used where the ones from the alternatives list from Tangent. Will they still do well? or should I really try (I know that they don't have those bigger ones in a store closer then 100km 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) to get those bigger ones... or isn't that really worth the effort?

 hehe srry for this maybe foolish question, but I was also wondering why the 'bigger' ones are better?




_

 

I don't think those yellow caps are 10uF capacitors. Haven't seen 10uF caps so small. At least not those I have seen. Would you like to take a closeup of the caps?


----------



## Llama16

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Heady* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I don't think those yellow caps are 10uF capacitors. Haven't seen 10uF caps so small. At least not those I have seen. Would you like to take a closeup of the caps?_

 

ow... my apologies, those are 100µF caps... edited.
 Sorry

 I've heard that those small polyester caps are worse then the bigger ones. (100µF as well)


----------



## 00940

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ow... my apologies, those are 100µF caps... edited.
 Sorry

 I've heard that those small polyester caps are worse then the bigger ones. (100µF as well)_

 

I'd bet they are 100nF...


----------



## Llama16

...

 *goes into shame*

 GODD*****!!! 

 yeah ofcourse, hummmmmm.... 
 nano= 10^-9
 micro=10^-6

 Now I am really ashamed... but do believe me when I tell you I wasn't really thinking. I follow math so I know those things, or should know them 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.... sigh sorry


----------



## dude_500

Never got around to posting pictures of my whole setup:


----------



## linuxworks

^^ nixie clock??


----------



## oneplustwo

A buddy of mine has one of those clocks! He bought his though... DIY is much cooler!

 dude500 - is all your casework totally custom with stainless sheet? Is that something you can do without a break or do you have access to one?


----------



## dude_500

The clock was a fun project, I designed it using 6 steps of cascading 4017 chips. Still need to get around to putting a crystal in though because right now it's on a pot adjusted 555 which is nearly impossible to get a good speed on.

 Cases are just aluminum enclosures made by Hammond that I got from Antique Electronic Supply. They work great for tube amps since they are a good thin form at 2".


----------



## linuxworks

the clock is powerline powered, right? you have 60hz that 'works great' right there.

 short term its not good but long term, its excellent. no reason not to run a clock off the local 60hz.


----------



## Beefy

I *HAVE* to have a nixie clock


----------



## v3nom

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I *HAVE* to have a nixie clock 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

people tend to have that reaction when people first see lol


----------



## pabbi1

Raven variant...






 Lundahl iron, Mundorf, Obbligato and Russian K75-10 caps, 6bw4 rectifier, 6n23-ev inputs, 6h30-DR output tubes.

 Waiting for the hd800. Final QC, then fire it up this weekend. I would make the case smaller, but I might yet add an e12 circuit.


----------



## dude_500

Since people seem interested in the clock here are some picts of that
















 60hz powerline clocking is a possible solution that I also considered, I'm not sure how reliable the clocking is on the mains here though. I read in other countries it's based on an atomic clock for longterm but I couldn't find anything about the US 60hz base


----------



## TimmyMac

4-channel beta22 with an Opus on top


----------



## Redcarmoose

Didn"t build this one but I want one.1 of a kind Stereo Jukebox!


----------



## rds

My friend has a set of MK2s. I thought they were dj equipment... Didn't know they're appreciated by audiophiles.


----------



## dude_500

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My friend has a set of MK2s. I thought they were dj equipment... Didn't know they're appreciated by audiophiles._

 

They're probably not optimal but I don't have the money to buy super expensive audiophile turntables and it's one of the best DD units from what I read. I just need to get a new cart for it because it has a DJ cart right now which sounds pretty old also.


----------



## chews89

Hey dude_500, I'm considering building one of those nixie clocks. 

 Does it require a lot of DIY experience to be able to build one of those? Is the soldering tricky? Or anything in particular that I should watch out for? I'm thinking about getting a full kit off ebay. I currently only have experience with a cmoy and a mini^3. Thanks


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Chews that kit didn't include the tubes


----------



## chews89

^ Yeah I noticed that, thanks for pointing it out. But I did find other kits that had tubes included as well. I guess it's just a matter of how hard the project will be. Does anyone have a ballpark figure on how much I should spend on all the parts? Some full kits are going for about $80USD, is this good value?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dude_500* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 60hz powerline clocking is a possible solution that I also considered, I'm not sure how reliable the clocking is on the mains here though. I read in other countries it's based on an atomic clock for longterm but I couldn't find anything about the US 60hz base_

 

I was building clocks from discrete ttl (is that a valid thing to say, lol) back in the early 80's. and back then I wanted to know if crystal timebases were better.

 the answer I got back was that power line 60hz in the US is VERY accurate long term. they make adjustments to the freq so that it DOES make sense to use it as a year long clock. short term, it will vary but by the end of the day, they'll have corrections in the line so that it will average out.

 use powerline if you want to have noon be at noon a year later


----------



## FallenAngel

So I finally got a chance to finish my next amp for myself - a Kevin Gilmore Dynahi with AMB Sigma22 PSU. This monster runs HOT! I took it to work today along with the NorthStar m192 as my new office system. After 8 hours at work, the bottom of the chassis was too hot to hold.

 All Dynahi parts are by original design except feedback resistors 1K2/300R for a gain of 5.
 Par-Metal chassis steel chassis.
 I went with a DACT 50K pot here, decided for such a kick-ass amp, might as well splurge on a great stepped attenuator. (Thanks Justin of HeadAmp).
 Sigma22 running at +/- 28V.

 It sounds absolutely fabulous. I'm really unsure which I like more, the Dynahi or the Beta22. Both are great. I can't wait to have my balanced versions of both complete for a real Head-to-Head!


----------



## amb

FallenAngel, a gain of 5 is too low for a dynahi. I originally built mine to a gain of 7 and it was borderline unstable -- the frequency response rises above 500KHz (and continues to rise at 4MHz, the bandwidth limit of my function generator), and there is ringing on square wave edges (see here). Increasing the 33pF compensation cap value alters the behavior but never really tamed it satisfactorily. I eventually increased the gain to 11. A bit too much gain for anything but high-Z headphones (the _raison d'état_ of the dynahi is high-Z headphones anyway), but for stability that's the best solution.


----------



## FallenAngel

Thanks for the advice, I guess it has lived in the office long enough, time to take it home and fix. It does sound great, so if it's unstable I can't "hear" it, but I'm always a fan of "better safe than sorry". I'll change the 300R back to 100R - guess this thing is insane for low-z, sensitive headphones).

 Scared to find out how it will be balanced


----------



## hakjk

Here is my second woody job for grado 225.


----------



## danobeavis

19 dollar portable cd-player:


----------



## onform

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danobeavis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_19 dollar portable cd-player:_

 

Please please please do me a favour and don't take that contraption within a ten mile radius of any airport's that thing will set alarm bells ringing at hundred paces....lmao


----------



## linuxworks

beta-testing the pimeta-v2 !!

 (this is serial # 00002 - but sadly, the serial # wore off when I defluxed the board)











 I went with an almost all surface-mount install, just for fun. (yes, it was all hand soldered. yes, it took a long time since neatness counted on this one) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 it worked the first time, on power-up, today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 currently there is no class-A biasing yet - I'm testing this with the base config, first.

 8610 and 8620 are the op-amps on brown-dog adapters. the buffers are mounted under the board directly to the board and are the ones called out in the BOM (LMH buffers).

 edit: I moved the pimeta-v2 off the breadboard and into my 1U rackmount recycled cabinet:











 I have a new amber/orange backlight (controllable!) lcd for my VoluMaster. it was $10 from mouser. I can vary the brightness thru 255 levels.

 the pimeta is on the left/front. the far left (hidden) is the error401 minivol pc board that does the actual volume control for this preamp.


----------



## funch

A couple of my latest:

 PPAv2

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_1791.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_1792.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_1793.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_1794.jpg

 Sigma Eleven
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_1784.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_1789.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_1795.jpg

 The PPA has the battery board, hence the second LED on the
 faceplate.

 The faceplates are FPE in raw aluminum, then 'brushed' by me.


----------



## amb

funch, you might want to consider enlarging your sigma11's rear panel DC output wire hole and put a strain relief there. The sharp panel edges may eventually cut through the wires and cause a short.


----------



## funch

I thought about that, but the wire fits pretty snug, so it shouldn't move around
 and wear a hole in the insulation, plus I used a small file to take the sharp edge 
 off of the opening on both sides. I'll keep an eye on it, though. Thanks.


----------



## oneplustwo

linux works - why not install the volume pot? planning on working some of your arduino magic?


----------



## fishski13

o.k., so it's not a HP amp - it's a High Octane 10W SE guitar amp project from AX84.com - The Cooperative Tube Guitar Amp Project i built for a friend. 







[/IMG]

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...isbuild035.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...build003-1.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...isbuild005.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...isbuild007.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...isbuild015.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...20HO/006-2.jpg

 - DIY aluminum chassis and boards.
 - variable cathode bias pot with RCAs for the test points.
 - paralleled octal tube socket to roll a variety of PTs other than the EL84.
 - DC supply for filaments and LEDs. 

 my friend runs a CNC machine at a cabinet/mill and will be enclosing it in a proper cab made out of birds eye maple and sapele, with an acrylic window to show off the blue tubes. i think we're going to name it "SaFire".


----------



## V-DiV

Hey Fishski, nice amp. How does it sound? I might like to build myself a sweet little tube guitar amp one day. Is the case self-fabricated or commercial? I'm still slowly working on the case for my Bijou. One of these days I'll be able hear sweat music through the Bijou, but it will be someone else's guitar, not mine.


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *V-DiV* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey Fishski, nice amp. How does it sound? I might like to build myself a sweet little tube guitar amp one day. Is the case self-fabricated or commercial? I'm still slowly working on the case for my Bijou. One of these days I'll be able hear sweat music through the Bijou, but it will be someone else's guitar, not mine._

 

i don't play guitar. i have an old G&L ASAT bass that i've been plucking out in the upper frets. 

 i did all the chassis work with a 10" non-ferrous blade from Freud in a table saw and a chop-box. getting the 6 sides flush and cutting/mounting the brackets was A LOT of work. a decent heavy removal person file was handy.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linux works - why not install the volume pot? planning on working some of your arduino magic?_

 

volume pot? there's no pot anymore! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the burr-brown pga23xx chip is doing that, now. it drives the pimeta as well as any amps I have connected (those 2 1/4" jacks in the rear are 2 parallel line-out jacks in 1/4" TRS stereo).

 since I've been potless, things have been more fun (lol).


 (anyone want any motor alps pots? I don't think I'll be using those kinds of things anymore now that I'm a PGA kind of guy, grin).


----------



## calico88

SR60


----------



## dazzer1975

sr60's? wow man you've gone to town on those, they look incredible, very good job.

 How do they sound, if you can compare them to others in the grado line that would be cool.

 Also, any info on where you got the cups from?

 cheers


----------



## Griffster

funch, lovely build! Where are those knobs from?


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Griffster* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_funch, lovely build! Where are those knobs from?_

 


 Thanks. The knobs are Kilo, from Digikey. Here's the listing for the larger
 one.
Digi-Key - 226-2119-ND (Kilo International - OESL-90-1-7)

 The smaller one is .75" diameter.


----------



## dbfreak

Some pictures of completed σ22. Sigma22 soon to power Beta22 (in the works).


----------



## linuxworks

just built this spdif switcher, on-the-cheap (total cost was less than $20. way less.)











 I used a circuit I found on the net as an idea. they used this chip for an analog stereo switch:

http://web-ee.com/images/VSwitch_Connectors.gif

 but I wanted to see if I put 5v ttl toslink 'direct' on the wire, would this chip switch it. more importantly, would the toslink coming after this repeat the signal so that a dac can lock on.

 it did. tested it with the gamma1 (2 of them, actually).

 the 2 white molex connectors are 5v power (near the regulator chip) and 'address select' which is a 2 bit binary code of 00,01,10,11. each of those 4 combos pick the toslink block that would get mapped (or switched) to the output one (the one without a shutter, on the end). I initially did install 4 of them but then decided I only really needed 3 so I unsoldered one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 this will get integrated in my preamp and the main idea is that it will 'front-end' any dac that I happen to want to use at the time. I will be able to select 3 or 4 digital inputs and send that to my dac, have that convert to analog and then have THAT come 'back' into my preamp so I can deal with it and route it to the right stage that comes next (volume control and final amp selection).

 there is no reason why you couldn't just hang a fixed switch or set of switches on this and manually select the spdif-in. but I'm going to add my IR remote control to this. later on.

 this board may go into a box on its own and have a 4 connector jack on the back (2 for power and 2 for 2bit address). then I can dangle this box 'in the back' somewhere (lol) and it really does not have to be human-facing - its JUST a remote controlled selector box for spdif - no big light show or anything to see 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but the circuit seems to work. I have not tried with 96k or higher but I'm sure it will work at 44/48 just fine.


 details on the circuit coming up later, in a HOWTO of its own...


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Some pictures of completed σ22. Sigma22 soon to power Beta22 (in the works)._

 

nice and clean on the wiring and chassis. well done.


----------



## zkool448

My current project the SOHA II is about to get cased up...

 To those perplexed or stumped with casework to house your DIY creations, don't count out wood. Compare to the popular (and pricey) Hammonds cases, wood are much cheaper, accessible, and easily 'shapeable' to any custom size and shape your heart desire 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This one is ready to receive a deep red cherry stain then will be sealed in clear lacquer (thanks smeggy!).


----------



## Emooze

Internet Handshake for that one.

 That is GLORIOUS


----------



## dbfreak

_[size=x-small]





			
				zkool448;5608151 said:
			
		


			My current project the SOHA II is about to get cased up...

 To those perplexed or stumped with casework to house your DIY creations, don't count out wood. Compare to the popular (and pricey) Hammonds cases, wood are much cheaper, accessible, and easily 'shapeable' to any custom size and shape your heart desire 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This one is ready to receive a deep red cherry stain then will be sealed in clear lacquer (thanks smeggy!).[/size]
		
Click to expand...

_


			
				zkool448;5608151 said:
			
		

> I built a PPA v2 out of oak and finished it with lacquer. I polished it first with pumace, next with rottenstone and what really brought the brillance and depth out was Mcguire's Scratch X. It's posted somewhere in the middle of this thread (posted about a year or so ago). I like how the case ventilation was implemented on your build.


----------



## Forte

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My current project the SOHA II is about to get cased up...

 To those perplexed or stumped with casework to house your DIY creations, don't count out wood. Compare to the popular (and pricey) Hammonds cases, wood are much cheaper, accessible, and easily 'shapeable' to any custom size and shape your heart desire 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 This one is ready to receive a deep red cherry stain then will be sealed in clear lacquer (thanks smeggy!).
_

 

Looks great, can't wait to see it stained up.

 Just how did you shape the top and make the recess for the Vol knob?


----------



## oneplustwo

Nice! Do you make the cuts for the sides with a miter saw and then just wood glue them together? Also, is the profiling with the top done with just a router?

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My current project the SOHA II is about to get cased up...

 To those perplexed or stumped with casework to house your DIY creations, don't count out wood. Compare to the popular (and pricey) Hammonds cases, wood are much cheaper, accessible, and easily 'shapeable' to any custom size and shape your heart desire 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This one is ready to receive a deep red cherry stain then will be sealed in clear lacquer (thanks smeggy!).














_


----------



## zkool448

Thanks guys. The case was mitered cut on the table saw. I'd use a miter saw but I much prefer the table saw because it cuts cleaner and more accurately. 

 All recessed holes were cut with forstner bits, and lastly the top/bottom mdf 'lids' were machined on the router table -- the tube holes still need to be cut.


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


 the tube holes still need to be cut. 
 

Pfew... you had me wondering about that for a second there. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Edit: what's the metal piece on the bottom? 
 (kinda looks like the bottom off an old cdrom drive)


----------



## zkool448

The tube holes will be oversized a little bit for added ventilation. More holes will be added also for the bottom lid to help vent air through the case.

 I am using a couple of socket savers to make the tubes stick out taller (thanks to adamus for the tip). The savers add an additional 20mm or 0.80" to the height of the tubes if you want them to stick out like I do. This is a very good alternative to air-wiring the sockets to the top lid.

 EDIT: Yes! that's exactly what the metal ground plate is from


----------



## dude_500

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chews89* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey dude_500, I'm considering building one of those nixie clocks. 

 Does it require a lot of DIY experience to be able to build one of those? Is the soldering tricky? Or anything in particular that I should watch out for? I'm thinking about getting a full kit off ebay. I currently only have experience with a cmoy and a mini^3. Thanks_

 

If you get a kit it wouldn't be hard at all, there's no surface mounting in most sets. I did everything myself which is a bit more difficult since you have to work out bugs as you're going. I ended up putting in a few unplanned logic gates to get the base-12 handler working. If you don't know much about digital logic it would be a good idea to at least look up schematics and then it shouldn't be bad.

 I spent about $200 on mine, $80 for the tubes (I didn't want to wait for Russian tubes to arrive so I ordered IN-14's locally for 10x the price) and the rest from mouser and some extra PCB's. It could be done a lot cheaper. Also my powersupply is somewhat overkill using a full c-filter isolation transformer for the 180V supply where an inductive resonance system would work fine.


----------



## oneplustwo

i just bought a kit from tubeclock.com. I got the 4-tube version with the pre-milled Hammond case for $99.

Nixie Clock Kits

 Not as cool as dude_500's but probably safer with the kiddies running around.


----------



## fishski13

zkool,
 love the top-plate. i hope to have a table for my router in the next copule of weeks. i bought a chamforing and biscuit bit set yesterday in anticipation for the new table.


----------



## smeggy

Cool, I have a small router table that I still need to learn. Luckily over the years I've amassed a bunch of stuff like table and mitre saws, drill presses, routers and dremmelly type things along with the lathe. 

 I still haven't had time to get familliar with them all. I'd love to get good with the router but for some reason it still eludes me as I'd love to do some nice routed enclosures and routed cups. Especially oval cups, I'd _love _to do that. One day perhaps....

 Nice work as always zk


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My current project the SOHA II is about to get cased up...

 To those perplexed or stumped with casework to house your DIY creations, don't count out wood. Compare to the popular (and pricey) Hammonds cases, wood are much cheaper, accessible, and easily 'shapeable' to any custom size and shape your heart desire 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That wooden is simply stunning! Great work!


----------



## tubesmuggler

Here's my first start to finish DIY "design". Not even burned in yet, but no problems at first start up and the sound is very nice. It's a SE 6G6 output tube with a CCS loaded 6SN7 input/preamp tube. 














 Using killer AmpOhm Polyester (Mylar) in Oil/ Aluminium Foil coupling caps (a poor mans alternative to the AudioNote Tin/Mylar caps), JJ and Solen PS caps, and JAN-Sylvania 6SN7WGTA Chrome top, RCA 6G6-G power tubes, Tungsol 6AX5GT rectifier tube. The output transformers are custom Edcor GXSE's. 

 It's not *dead* quiet, but it's very quiet, just a little hiss you'll hear if you're in a quiet room. Certainly nothing I will be trying to eliminate because it's just so subtle.

 All I need now is a knob for the volume pot!!


----------



## adamus

looks great mate, i love seeing amps like this. got a schematic? how are the output biased?


----------



## tubesmuggler

The 6G6 output tubes are cathode biased. I used carbon-film resistors, bypassed with Nichicon Muse KZ caps. Each 6SN7 triode has a CCS load and is biased by a red LED.

 I don't have a schematic yet because I don't have software to produce one. I suppose I could draw it up.


----------



## ephrank

awesome mogwai album!


----------



## linuxworks

another ugly-build, demo'ing my spdif input selector switch:






 this shows the ugly side to prototyping and testing out circuit ideas 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 see that nasty socket hack to the right? it started off being a 74hcu04 driver chip to import coax spdif. that didn't work for me, so I reverted to an older design (differential receiver chip) and that worked! rather than unsolder the socket, I 'adapted' the top socket module so that its pin compatible (lol) with the 'interface' below.

 it saved me having to rip up that bottom socket. that's a win 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 this is showing a coax-out coming from half a gamma1 (the usb-spdif part), out thru the yellow video cable (sssh, its really an spdif cable) and into my switch. I temporarily set the input to the switch via that center white molex connector with the yellow/green wires going under (they are tied to +5 and ground to create a '10' in binary for this input #). then finally, opto-out is routed from the single output toslink block to the input of another gamma1 dac, this time its a full gamma1 build and it takes opto-in and gives good sounding music out the other end 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 at least at this point, bits are flying and the sound seems ok to me. I'll do more testing of course, but I'm thinking this may be a really cheap poor-man's spdif input front-end to a dac, to add MANY more inputs to any old dac via this circuit.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_another ugly-build, demo'ing my spdif input selector switch: < snp >_

 

Boy howdy you are one prolific DIYer... Makes one wonder if LinuxWorks works
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





... At a paying job that is.

 Anyway know I'll want to incorp at least a couple of the bits you've made into some of my later builds... Do you have a homepage/website of all your goodies (yet)?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Anyway know I'll want to incorp at least a couple of the bits you've made into some of my later builds... Do you have a homepage/website of all your goodies (yet)?_

 

I don't have it organized yet. still working on the tech ideas, keeping notes and will 'html it all up' once I get all the components working and controllable the way I want.

 you know how it goes: write/build it first, have fun listening/testing, THEN document the code and design 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the next phase is to scale things down in size and see if I can make the 'generic i/o modules' concept really work. at the very least, some simple media converters (coax to opto and opto to coax) will come out of this


----------



## linuxworks

next stage in switch: added coax-out for a full complement of media i/o types.

 it can now send AND receive on both coax and optical. here it is receiving spdif from my 'popcorn hour' media streamer (it only has coax-out, no toslink). the output of the switch is both media formats at the same time, so I could have tapped the single opto-out or the single coax-out; and I used the coax out since my DAC 'prefers' coax (it powers up in coax-in mode).

 forgive the dust on the table (lol)


----------



## spritzer

I approve of the Popcorn Hour...


----------



## cms5423

Well, this is my intro to DIY audio. Just a basic cmoy, opa2132pa. I am going to build a better cable in the next couple days, just waiting for plugs. Then once I get more money, going to build this again, just better, and then hopefully a y1 dac after that.

 -Sorry for the terrible quality of the pictures.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

well done, looks better than my first attempt 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 enjoy it

 cheers
 FRED


----------



## nux

My Compact Tube Hybrid cased up (you can see three more in the background to be cased too!).

 First amplifier I've made too.


----------



## wiatrob

Speaking of prolific DIY'ers... I see at least three of the other boards in the background. Congrats - not the easiest first build! looking good too...


----------



## smeggy

Yeah, that's just crazy business right there. I wish my eyes were better....


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, that's just crazy business right there. I wish my eyes were better...._

 

Maybe you could just make wood end panels for 'em? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 EDIT: The amp, not your eyes...


----------



## smeggy

hehe


----------



## sid_

linuxworks: I've noticed you've been doing some prototypes of various types of controller, such as volume, source switching, etc. all of which look quite interesting. What is the overall aim of your experiments? i.e. What find of functionality are you looking for from for the finished product? Do you intend to eventually get a signle PCB made that will handle all of these tasks and can be used alongside an amplifier board?


----------



## cfcubed

@ nux - Yes nice job... Was going to ask how how you like it but see that goodness here





 Good reach on a 1st amp project for sure!
 BTW if that's std/small case you may need vent holes (talk on other thread if necessary I guess).

 @ sid - Yes, maybe linuxworks should start his own project(s) thread in DIY until he has a website.... Info is scattered about tho....


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sid_* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks: I've noticed you've been doing some prototypes of various types of controller, such as volume, source switching, etc. all of which look quite interesting. What is the overall aim of your experiments? i.e. What find of functionality are you looking for from for the finished product? Do you intend to eventually get a signle PCB made that will handle all of these tasks and can be used alongside an amplifier board?_

 

I'm making baby-steps on point-projects until I have anough things working that I can make a more integrated system. but for me, integrated doesn't mean 'one big box'. it will be a bunch of smaller things that work together to make the same funct as a larger box.

 one of my goals is to entirely replace my yamaha home stereo 'receiver'. that had a sleep timer and I used it a lot - so I added sleep-timer to my preamp. I wanted to be able to switch spdifs (my home theater does that) and so I did the spdif switch so I can replace that functionality in the yamaha.

 I also wanted some subwoofer controls and that will be coming, soon, too.

 I needed to be able to switch output devices (very few amps let you really do this well). I have speaker amps and a bunch of headphone amps. so I had the idea of using x10 wireless remote power switches to turn amps actually on and off under software control ALONG WITH switching output relays (as needed).

 I hated how the dimming function worked on my yamaha, so I wrote my own for a nice backlit lcd 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and many home stereos don't have enough spdif inputs or even a good way to name the input, textually, so I wrote code to do that on my system.

 I hated how most displays want to FLASH and BLINK and SCROLL at you. feh! my stuff won't do that. nothing distracting on my displays while you are trying to watch a movie 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 so really, it all came bit by bit by being frustrated with off-the-sheld store bought gear and wanting to take TOTAL control over as much of the user interface as I could.

 I plan to release working parts as DIY designs but probably not 'one single large pc board'. that limits too much what your build options are. what I plan is a bunch of smaller boards that do focused things and are bulding blocks that you can combine to make your dream preamp.


----------



## shldn

Hello All, 

 Here's my M3 build which is just cased up. Forgive the bad pics, i'll have better ones up once its fully finished.


























 This M^3 has a sigma11, epsilon 24 & an Alien DAC in the same chassis. Opamps used are AD8065 with R3/R4 values of 5.6k/10k which work just right with my D2000 cans. 

 The case is made of 0.8mm MS with a powder coated finish and is hand fabricated from scratch. Front panel is laser cut 2mm SS with a light brushed finished. 

 To be added ( once i take a break from listening 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) are case feet, RCA inputs & outputs, a gain switch (for preamp use) and lettering/legends.


----------



## FallenAngel

Looks like a very cool build. Just REALLY recommend going with better output caps on that AlienDAC.


----------



## zkool448

Hi everyone, I finally got my SOHA II wood case stained, panels painted, internals all wired up. 

 Here are some pictures, I hope you like it and thanks for looking.

 -zk


----------



## Logistic

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi everyone, I finally got my SOHA II wood case stained, panels painted, internals all wired up. 

 Here are some pictures, I hope you like it and thanks for looking.

 -zk
_

 

Amazing, just amazing. What a beautiful job zkool448. I wish I had your casework skills.


----------



## zkool448

thanks logistic


----------



## Nebby

Very nice zkool! I've been trying to figure out my own DIY case, so it your build gives me ideas 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What did you use for that top plate? Pretty interesting looking piece. Also, how is the top piece mounted? I didn't see any mounting points for the apparent screws on top to grab into.


----------



## smeggy

Great case/build as usual. Congrats on another fine amp


----------



## cegras

shldn: Really fantastic build.


----------



## sachu

stupendous work Zkool


----------



## shldn

zkool, that is top stuff.

 Thanks cegras & fallenangel.


----------



## Lil' Knight

The amp is just stunning 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It follows Ferrari's works as my favorite


----------



## pabbi1

Just makes me wonder why I bother... maybe we need a seperate forum for casing... <sigh>

 Dude, just fabulous, though, with talent like that, I'd love to see you work with some more exotic woods - they are worth your ability.


----------



## Juaquin

I _knew_ I should have taken woodshop in high school!


----------



## elliot42

That case is truly beautiful, zkool.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi everyone, I finally got my SOHA II wood case stained, panels painted, internals all wired up. 

 Here are some pictures, I hope you like it and thanks for looking.

 -zk

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/6159/zksohaii1.jpg
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/8457/zksohaii2.jpg
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/913/zksohaii3.jpg
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4792/zksohaii5.jpg_

 

Fantastic! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Really love the dark wood with the silver knob and top lid.


----------



## mattcalf

You and Ferrari should go into a DIY buisness. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Congrats on your awesome build.


----------



## apatN

Fantastic work!


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi everyone, I finally got my SOHA II wood case stained, panels painted, internals all wired up. 

 Here are some pictures, I hope you like it and thanks for looking.

 -zk
_

 

That is fantastic. You sure do have some skills.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just makes me wonder why I bother... maybe we need a seperate forum for casing... <sigh>_

 

ha ha 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 yes, it seems that casing is a 'big thing' on the forum. I wish I had good machines so I could also make nice cases like that.

 zcool, you should make them for sale - they are certainly good enough!


----------



## soloz2

I can't wait till I have room for a shop. The few tools I have now stay in storage as I only have room for my drill press to remain out.

 I love the case zkool


----------



## mojo

zkool448, that really is amazing. It's not just that the wood looks lovely, but the metal work is flawless and perfectly suits the design too. The recessed volume knob is a really nice touch too.

 Cases almost demand a forum of their own. I'd love to see some tutorials and information on making them, because it's something I'm neither good at nor know much about. There is plenty of info on the electronics side, but case work is neglected IMHO and it's a shame because it can really elevate a project from DIY electronics to an objet d'art !


----------



## zkool448

Hi everyone, wow... truly overwhelmed by your responses. I read each of your post and really means a lot to me guys. Thank you. 

 Special thanks to Alex Cavalli for designing and producing such a great sounding amp. 

 cheers -zk 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 In response to the questions/comments, the mounting bracket for the headscrews aren't installed as I wanted to monitor the cooling first. I'm happy to report that the tapped L-brackets will be added permanently -- the amp has been burning in for 10+ hrs without any heat issues! The top/bottom lids which appear 'metal' is really mdf wood machined using a table router.

 Casework felt like it took forever, won't be selling them but more than happy to help if you're looking for sme wood design ideas (ex. #1, #2), cutting tips, shop tools, etc. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Smeggy, I know nothing about hooking up a potted torroid (or any electronics for that matter), that option would've been awesome if I knew how to. Your woodwork finishing tips is what inspired the finish 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Adamus, the socket savers works well indeed. Really helps in the cooling department since the tubes are fully (or almost) exposed.

 Thanks again to all DIY'er out there for their help, inspiration, tips ,and amp designs. It's now time for a nice break to enjoy the amp!


----------



## Pars

shldn: Nice job on your M3

 zkool: amazing, really nice case and alot of thought going into this


----------



## zkool448

thanks Pars


----------



## nkd

I love that wood case zkool. Have you considered dyeing the red catch on the headphone socket? The red looks a bit out of place on a case that nice!


----------



## danobeavis

You guys are so inventive and obviously good craftsmen. I'm getting loads of inspiration from your efforts and pics! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 Here's my work-in-progress Tripath amplifier I'm building for a bookshelf speaker systyem.






 More build pix and info here:
Class D Stereo Amplifier-The Chairman Mao


----------



## smeggy

Wow, where did that come from danobeavis? Looks very cool and very different from every other tripath board I've seen.

 Very cool, I still have a soft spot for the t-amps


----------



## zkool448

dano you have some pretty cool projects 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 BTW, I enjoy reading your colorful commentaries in your diy articles posted on your site 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 @ nkd, thanks. not quite sure how to 'dye' the red tab but if you've got any tips pls pm me.


----------



## smegger

Nothing too exciting just a little switch box i made up so i can switch between my alien and an external output and between my soon to be cased millet max and my speakers.
















 Nothing too exciting but my millet will hopefully look pretty cool soon as i can afford the panels for it!


----------



## danobeavis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, where did that come from danobeavis? Looks very cool and very different from every other tripath board I've seen.

 Very cool, I still have a soft spot for the t-amps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It is a Tripath TA2024 board from ebay. The seller is s8 audio.


----------



## oneplustwo

Hey folks,

 I finished the boards for my M3 and S11 build. Now I'm getting ready to tackle the casework. The amp and power supply are going into their own Hammond cases. So I was thinking about milling out three M's on top of the amp case right above the heat sinks (one "M" for each pair). (I just picked up a mini mill from Harbor Freight for all of my miscellaneous projects.) I was also going to try some semi-fancy slotting on the sigma. Anyone have any creative ideas I can steal? I haven't seen too much in the area of custom milled casework/vents so I thought I'd poke around for some inspiration.


----------



## Beefy

I would think that an M right over the top of each pair of MOSFETs would be entirely appropriate


----------



## linuxworks

putting some case on my spdif switch (not very fancy but it was all done by hand tools) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 it supports 4 inputs (currently, 1 coax and 3 opto) and 2 outputs (both kinds).

 the red button on the left is actually a radio shack LED assembly that I cut apart just to take the red 'jewel'. I glued the IR receiver module behind the jewel opening.

 the thing to the far right is a neat new LED/pushbutton that I got from digikey. haven't connected it yet but its just a momentary PB with an LED you can control independently. this switch will probably cycle around between the inputs.

 the lcd display is kind of special; its an RGB display and is really a 4 wire LED, 3 for the R/G/B led parts and one for common. you simply send 2 or 3v to the right r/g/b wires, in combo, to get the color you want. they make them in 'transmissive' (dark background, light letters) and 'transflexive', which is what this is - a solid color background with black letters. this kind (flexive) is intended more for mostly-daylight use (it seems).

 anyway, there's a small 4-port spdif switch running on 5v dc (same power supply I use for the gamma1).


----------



## nkd

That's so retro I want it!


----------



## Juaquin

So I saw linuxwork's PGA volume control module and decided to make my own. It's nowhere near as fancy (just volume control - no source selector, wireless control, etc), but it does what I need. So I hacked it together and wrote up some really basic (pretty bad) code. Here it is on a breadboard:




 From left to right:
 Arduino
 LCD on breadboard
 Volume Up/Down buttons on mini breadboard
 PGA chip (next to LCD)
 Audio jacks, Shuffle input
 Rail splitter and decoupling caps
 Tread (supplying +10, broken into +/-5 by the rail splitter)

 It's incredibly messy right now - I'm trying to figure out if I can fit it onto an Arduino protoshield for compactness, or maybe eventually put it into a case. It started as a proof of concept, but it actually sounds really great, even at this raw stage. Some people may object to going into positive gain (as it's amplifier is almost certainly worse than, say, a Pimeta), but it certainly sounds as good as my CmoyBB.

 Anyways, PGA volume control is awesome. I look forward to seeing a cleaned up, professional version from linuxworks.


----------



## KevCanHead

Finally got around to posting some pictures of my SOHA

 Was a Kit from Jeff At GlassJar Audio and worked a treat from the start and I am still loving it, literally a I type 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Attachment 16261

 Round the Back

Attachment 16260

 And the Insides. I put all the tall components on the bottom of the board so that I could have the valve showing out the top.

Attachment 16259

 Tis a great amp and really love it. It was the first bit of hardware that really made me understand what people were going on about when they said 'it puts space around the singer' it really does do that.

 As you can see I run it from the Line out of my Iriver H140 (modded to 60Gb) and used typically with my Sennheiser HD340 headphones, which while being a bit old now (15years) sound so nice with this amp.

 I have a few valves to play with, my favourite is a 1968 Mullard sweet sounding, but with loads of definition in the bottom end, followed by a 1970's Telefunken, RCA Clear Top and then the generic new (which is awful but good to test it with!)


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey folks,

 I finished the boards for my M3 and S11 build. Now I'm getting ready to tackle the casework. The amp and power supply are going into their own Hammond cases. So I was thinking about milling out three M's on top of the amp case right above the heat sinks (one "M" for each pair). (I just picked up a mini mill from Harbor Freight for all of my miscellaneous projects.) I was also going to try some semi-fancy slotting on the sigma. Anyone have any creative ideas I can steal? I haven't seen too much in the area of custom milled casework/vents so I thought I'd poke around for some inspiration._

 

I like the 3 M's idea. I'm doing something similar with my SOHA II (once my friend that offered to do the machine has time).

 If you're looking for ideas for the sigma's enclosure, how about a sigma symbol then 11? Seems appropriate and in keeping with the M3's theme


----------



## nsx_23

KevCanHead, did the casing come with the panels drilled already?

 Also, is your H140 painted by any chance?


----------



## Forte

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KevCanHead* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finally got around to posting some pictures of my SOHA

 Was a Kit from Jeff At GlassJar Audio and worked a treat from the start and I am still loving it, literally a I type 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




_

 


 Looks great, How easy is it to change tubes with the tube protector in place?


----------



## KevCanHead

Quote:


 *NSX 23* - did the casing come with the panels drilled already? 
 

No did them myself with a hand drill and a file. Tip is to mark what you want to do on paper, stick it on the front of the plastic and then mark and drill through it.
  Quote:


 *NSX 23* - Also, is your H140 painted by any chance? 
 

No the black paint started to peel off so I just rubbed it all off with some fine wire wool, the magnesium alloy underneath then slowly greys with time.

  Quote:


 *Forte *- Looks great, How easy is it to change tubes with the tube protector in place? 
 

Thanks as for the tube swapping, pretty easy as your finger can fit between the plates. Just needs a little wiggle and out they pop.

 Kevin


----------



## oneplustwo

I think I might do the uppercase backwards "3" looking sigma (since it's straight lines). I might just do two of those, one for each heat sink. Just because I think the layout makes it look cleaner vs. using an 11.

 Also, for the "M" I'm just going to use the font that amb used on the PCB itself. Thankfully, it's also made up of straight lines. I may fatten it up a little bit, but hopefully it stays recognizable as the same font.

 I'll try to get to some of it tonight so I have pictures to show.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I like the 3 M's idea. I'm doing something similar with my SOHA II (once my friend that offered to do the machine has time).

 If you're looking for ideas for the sigma's enclosure, how about a sigma symbol then 11? Seems appropriate and in keeping with the M3's theme 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *KevCanHead* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finally got around to posting some pictures of my SOHA

 Was a Kit from Jeff At GlassJar Audio and worked a treat from the start and I am still loving it, literally a I type 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



_

 

Nice Job Kev..

 It's nice to see someone else still doing SOHA's.. I've got a couple of them on the go myself +JISBOS and E12.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think I might do the uppercase backwards "3" looking sigma (since it's straight lines). I might just do two of those, one for each heat sink. Just because I think the layout makes it look cleaner vs. using an 11.

 Also, for the "M" I'm just going to use the font that amb used on the PCB itself. Thankfully, it's also made up of straight lines. I may fatten it up a little bit, but hopefully it stays recognizable as the same font.

 I'll try to get to some of it tonight so I have pictures to show._

 


 Good to have vents on top of your amp and PS, right above the heatsinks, and vents that reflect the name of the amp is of course a big plus! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But better is also to have some vents (ordinary holes) beneath the heatsinks to provide good air convection.

My σ11 PS is housed in an enclosure with good air convection, straight and simple as usual.


----------



## Nebby

Hi Ferrari, those buttons look very nice, what are they?


----------



## oneplustwo

Ferrari, I was thinking about holes directly under the heat sinks, but the board is in the way so I wasn't sure it was going to make a big difference if they were directly under the heat sinks or off to the side a bit (or even there at all if the slots on top were pretty big.) I guess more venting couldn't hurt anyway. I might as well do both the top and bottom at the same time... just clamp it all in the mill together.


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Good to have vents on top of your amp and PS, right above the heatsinks, and vents that reflect the name of the amp is of course a big plus! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But better is also to have some vents (ordinary holes) beneath the heatsinks to provide good air convection.

My σ11 PS is housed in an enclosure with good air convection, straight and simple as usual. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I think Ferrari has a frequent buyer card with FPE 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, I was thinking about holes directly under the heat sinks, but the board is in the way so I wasn't sure it was going to make a big difference if they were directly under the heat sinks or off to the side a bit (or even there at all if the slots on top were pretty big.) I guess more venting couldn't hurt anyway. I might as well do both the top and bottom at the same time... just clamp it all in the mill together._

 

I don't think the bottom needs to mirror the top, but a few plain old round holes right under the heatsinks *will* help. You get airflow through natural convection (I think it's a convection transfer hehe), so the cold air comes in from the bottom and the hot goes out the top. Having the holes in the bottom panel too, right under the heatsinks, will help cool the warmest part of the board.


----------



## kanamin

I'm in an introductory circuits class, and we got breadboards for our projects.

 What's the first thing I do with mine?

 Another cmoy using an opamp as power supply rail splitter (I think, it's on Tangent's web site).






 It sounded ok, nothing to write home about.

 Then I tried the Very Simple Phono Stage, using the same power supply because I got lazy.









 I can hear so much more from my vinyl now, a little too much more D:
 I know the power supply is holding it back though.

 This is the third Spring in a row I've posted in this thread. It's always in Spring. And it's always during the time I should be studying for finals lol.
 Now, I need to get on that PROJECT.


----------



## hakjk

This is modified grado sr225..may be I should call it ps225?


----------



## apatN

^ Nice. Are those the cups from that guy from Spain?


----------



## hakjk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *apatN* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^ Nice. Are those the cups from that guy from Spain?_

 

I gave the drawings to machine shop guy and he made it for me.


----------



## smeggy

Nice! 
 Prices charged for those beauties?


----------



## hakjk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice! 
 Prices charged for those beauties?_

 

Actually we worked together, he did main parts and I did easier parts like drilling.
 His hourly rate is $35/hour and he spent good 4 hours to finish it, but I also put more than 10 hours of my time to do little touch up job. So, basically it is priceless LOL.


----------



## smeggy

Heh, the good things usually are


----------



## InSides

Took me a while, sigh - started thinking about this last March when the HD 990 was announced - started building in January.






 My first attempt at wood finishing - case is an old DVD player back in the day when composite was the only output option.

 Feet are Vibrapod cones.






 Balanced and unbalanced output, balanced XLR input for the H/K 2 x AD1955 output.






 Four ECC83/12AX7 in a zero feedback differential circuit. Wiring point-to-point, protoboard there only for it to have a neater layout.






 PSU end, custom potted transformer from Trafomatic.






 And another view.






 And another view.






 And the money shot.


----------



## zkool448

clever and clean! 

 nice touch with the wood and the money shot haha


----------



## smeggy

Nice plan and execution.. and that transfo look huge!


----------



## oneplustwo

I got a little done on my M3 case tonight with the new mini mill:










 I'm sort of happy with it. It's been a while since I've touched a mill so there are a couple minor issues that I can fix for next time.

 Gotta set it up for the diagonal parts of the "M" and then figure out the Sigma for the PSU case. The sigma will basically be a sideways "M" though now that I think about it. There will be a little embellishment at the ends, but otherwise, it should be pretty straight forward as well.

 I still haven't decided on any other slots. I might just put slots in the side or maybe the back panel. Or maybe even some sort of decorative slits on the front panel.


----------



## InSides

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_clever and clean! 

 nice touch with the wood and the money shot haha 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

You wouldn't believe the ugliness of the original plastic front. Since there are no knobs, I thought - why not - it should blend in with my other wood paneled components.

 I might need to redo the front with a different type of wood. It was a first attempt anyway.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice plan and execution.. and that transfo look huge!_

 

Thanks. Yeah, the transformer can is 5 inches in diameter, albeit the actual transformer is slightly smaller. It is 100VA, with 250V/0.1A + 50V/0.1A + 2 x 14V/2A secondaries.

 The guys that built the transformer suggested the slightly larger potting canister for better cooling.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

A fellow Head-fier bribed me to assemble a starving student for him ( by offering me spare 19J6 tubes), he already had most of the parts but didn't have the time to assemble them, I just added a few touches of my own and we ended up with a very compact and nice sounding amp. 

 The bare circuit board 





 filling the board





 Starting to take shape





 Not much room





 Finally in the carnage that I call a work bench a Starving Student comes to life













 I think its cute and sounds great

 Thanks for looking
 cheers
 FRED


----------



## smeggy

Very nice circuit board! Fred, you have a nack for this stuff


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Thanks for the kind words, its very satisfying to make the boards

 cheers


----------



## onform

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *InSides* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Took me a while, sigh - started thinking about this last March when the HD 990 was announced - started building in January.







 My first attempt at wood finishing - case is an old DVD player back in the day when composite was the only output option.
_

 

That little black knot in the wood really is cryng out for a led power indicator!


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A fellow Head-fier...._

 

You do great work, fred_fred. I would love to see you turn your hand to some high end projects one day!


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A fellow Head-fier bribed me to assemble a starving student for him ( by offering me spare 19J6 tubes), he already had most of the parts but didn't have the time to assemble them, I just added a few touches of my own and we ended up with a very compact and nice sounding amp. 

 snip...

 I think its cute and sounds great

 Thanks for looking
 cheers
 FRED_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You do great work, fred_fred. I would love to see you turn your hand to some high end projects one day! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

x2


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Thanks guys,

 very much appreciate the comments 

 cheers
 FRED


----------



## InSides

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *onform* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That little black knot in the wood really is cryng out for a led power indicator!_

 

You are correct sir. But I wanted to avoid having anything on the panel.


----------



## sugrhigh

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *InSides* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You are correct sir. But I wanted to avoid having anything on the panel._

 

I agree, I like the simplicity of the look.
 I love mixing wood with metal (like woodied grados and such) but I love the flat wood panel as it is


----------



## oneplustwo

Here's my M3 and sigma 11 build:













 The millwork went pretty well considering I haven't had my hands on a mill in more than a decade. Made some small errors here and there. For example, the IEC hole is square to itself, but it's at a slight angle to the case. Oops. Some of the surface finishing was sub par until I figured out I was running the RPM too slow. And finally, I actually was planning on just having the "M" vents but I f'd up and they turned out "W"'s. So I just turned the case around and put in some more vent holes. This also made me feel like I didn't need additional vents along the sides or bottom. As it is, the amp runs barely lukewarm so I think there's plenty of air flow. 

 The sigma case just has a large rectangular window above the heat sinks. I was going to put an actual sigma above them, but I figure you wouldn't be able to see it anyway with the amp case above it so I just took the lazy way out.

 The umbilical is just an old laptop power cord that I cut and strain reliefed into each case. There's enough slack for the two cases to sit side by side. 

 OPA227 opamps, no bass boost, 24V toroid, otherwise standard BOM.

 As for the sound, so far so good! It does remind me of my B22... like about 80% of the way there. Sounds good with both my Grado SR-80s and Senn HD650's although it doesn't quite eliminate the HD650 veil nearly as well as my B22 does. Maybe a little break in will get it even closer. Also, not sure what different opamps would do, but I hear the 8610's are good. So that may be a tweak in the future if I don't sell it off first.

 Cheers!


----------



## jinp6301

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's my M3 and sigma 11 build:
 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3305/3475217946_8b2525c6e1.jpg[IMG]
 [IMG]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3627/3474408611_3d37059b4d.jpg[IMG]
 [IMG]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3327/3474408217_ab8ef2ba5f.jpg[IMG]

 The millwork went pretty well considering I haven't had my hands on a mill in more than a decade. Made some small errors here and there. For example, the IEC hole is square to itself, but it's at a slight angle to the case. Oops. Some of the surface finishing was sub par until I figured out I was running the RPM too slow. And finally, I actually was planning on just having the "M" vents but I f'd up and they turned out "W"'s. So I just turned the case around and put in some more vent holes. This also made me feel like I didn't need additional vents along the sides or bottom. As it is, the amp runs barely lukewarm so I think there's plenty of air flow. 

 The sigma case just has a large rectangular window above the heat sinks. I was going to put an actual sigma above them, but I figure you wouldn't be able to see it anyway with the amp case above it so I just took the lazy way out.

 The umbilical is just an old laptop power cord that I cut and strain reliefed into each case. There's enough slack for the two cases to sit side by side. 

 OPA227 opamps, no bass boost, 24V toroid, otherwise standard BOM.

 As for the sound, so far so good! It does remind me of my B22... like about 80% of the way there. Sounds good with both my Grado SR-80s and Senn HD650's although it doesn't quite eliminate the HD650 veil nearly as well as my B22 does. Maybe a little break in will get it even closer. Also, not sure what different opamps would do, but I hear the 8610's are good. So that may be a tweak in the future if I don't sell it off first.

 Cheers![/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


Awesome casework! Almost as good as the beta in a tin [img]http://www.head-fi.org/forums/images/smilies/smily_headphones1.gif_


----------



## linuxworks

why not go around the metal-cut edges of the case with a 'sharpie' marker and black that out? sharpies aren't 100% black but they come close and its one quick way to cut down the metal 'cut' shine.

 (I did that on the amb y1 panels; used a sharpie to reduce the metal shine on the milled-out square and round holes)


----------



## oneplustwo

Thanks jinp! I'm actually thinking about recasing my B22 in a tin. I'm a bit torn. On one hand, I like that it's unique and still sounds fantastic. On the other hand, it would be nice to have a nicely cased amp. I'm also thinking about building a 2 channel beta (properly cased) to see if it actually sounds very different from the 3 channel. The other option would be to go 4 channel for the same reason.

 linuxworks - thanks for the tip, I'll give that a shot.


----------



## linuxworks

alright, enough PRETTY shots. time for some ugliness. yes? time for ugliness? ok, here it goes:






 don't laugh. hey, I told you!

 but it is functional and that counts for something, yeah?

 on top, in green and insulated (insulted?) by special high-end electrical tape (in fact, a whole roll!) is a new project I'm toying with. it is an IR and LCD (of course) thing that has an ethernet jack and connects to your regular IP home network. with it you can control mp3 player back-ends, such as the 'mpd' (music playing daemon) system. mpd is VERY cool and I just learned about it recently (like, this week). 

 the idea is that its just a back-end server and it has a sound card (gamma-1, in my case) and the user controls what comes out of the sound card via 'remote interfaces' such as the web. well, the arduino ethernet board can act like a web client. so I wrote some code that listens to your IR remote control key presses and if you press PAUSE, I send a pause web CGI request to the 'mpd' daemon on my sound-card system. when I press SKIP it goes to the next song, via the same kind of message exchange. and each time you send a request to 'mpd' you get back the current song status (play/elapsed time and all that) and so I display what I get back, formated, to the lcd. in effect, its now a small appliance that lets me control (to a primitive level) my music player system. that's the whole job of that top green display box. its ugly since its not even an alpha-test yet - its just a 'will this even work at all' kind of thing - and yes, it actually does work. just got it working today, in fact.

 the other boxes I've posted about. the lower orange one is my VoluMaster volume control project, still in progress and development.

 the orange box to the right is a recent build and its an spdif 4-in 2-out switch. it has an RGB controllable (255,255,255) backlight. great fun. really great fun (lol).

 all 3 are arduino based systems. they all run on 5v and in fact, 2 of them are stealing power from my popcorn hour media streamer box 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 so .... that's my 'ugly, but it works!' offering for today. I call it _'a trio of arduino'_. what else COULD I call it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






 update:

 I found an old 20x4 display and so I updated my code to take advantage of the larger screen space. its now more 'customary' in its playback display screen.


----------



## danobeavis

Tripath PCB rehoused with better parts:











 Project info here: DIY Class D Stereo Amplifier


----------



## MrSlim

Very Nice Dano.. I've got one of those tripath boards myself I intend to play with at some point.. Couldn't resist for the $20 it cost including shipping.. I also like the fact that you have kept the mods simple.. there are some out there that have gone nuts with them.. What are you using for a PS?


----------



## fishski13

excellent stuff oneplustwo and danobeavis.

 1+2,
 any impressions of the M3 vs. B22 via PM would be appreciated. thanks!


----------



## FallenAngel

_*danobeavis*_ - that looks absolutely awesome! Love the look! You're evil, seriously evil I tell you! Now I'm even more inclined to get a Class-D TriPath amp to compare to my high-end GainClone.

_*linuxworks*_ - I won't say much above the simple fact you're serious about digital displays/controls. Looking good as usual. Nice work.


----------



## danobeavis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrSlim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very Nice Dano.. I've got one of those tripath boards myself I intend to play with at some point.. Couldn't resist for the $20 it cost including shipping.. I also like the fact that you have kept the mods simple.. there are some out there that have gone nuts with them.. What are you using for a PS?_

 

I found a 12vDC 2A switching supply at the local computer parts store. Works like a charm.


----------



## hakjk

Here is my creation modified sr225 with hp1000 style look.
 I post this before, but I did some more detail for better look.


----------



## krmathis

^ Great metalwork!


----------



## apatN

Yep, absolutely beautiful!


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *onform* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That little black knot in the wood really is cryng out for a led power indicator!_

 

I honestly thought the knot was actually an led power indicator


----------



## kuroguy

onform could certainly cut/sand the round part off an appropriate LED and install one flush to the wood surface. One might not even be able to tell it is there unless the amp is on if he chooses the LED carefully.


----------



## onform

I didn't make the case ; ) I was merely commenting on (insides) build here http://www.head-fi.org/forums/5631908-post4898.html


----------



## PJPro

A few photos of my Novo...
















 The documentation of the build can be found here.


----------



## jbusuego

Amplifier stand/platform
 Materials: Paduk slab rubbed with several coats of tung oil and Dayton cone spikes from Partsexpress.
 Pics:


----------



## apatN

^ That looks super classy. Me likey likey.


----------



## EFN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *apatN* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^ That looks super classy. Me likey likey. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

2X. Woodies are candies


----------



## jbusuego

Thanks guys.


----------



## chaospanda

I did not build the circuit but I did build the cardboard cases and the front face.


----------



## oneplustwo

Wow, and I thought my B22 cookie tin was "budget." More power to you though. Just be careful around water and open flames! Also, is the a permanent solution? Just wondering if it will hold up to repeated plugging/unplugging of the headphone and patch cables.


----------



## linuxworks

what next? a cmoy in a mcdonalds/burgerking whopper box?


----------



## Emooze

I think I've seen one in a chinese take-out box...


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_what next? a cmoy in a mcdonalds/burgerking whopper box?








_

 

B22 stacked on end in a KFC bucket? 
 With the S22 in a Chip box...


----------



## linuxworks

I've been told that such bits are 'finger lickin' good'.

 maybe its true. you can know your amp is warmed up when you smell the fried oil wafting thru the air


----------



## zkool448

Why not ask Geckoslayer? A true Starving Student amplifier..


----------



## apatN

Haha I knew I have seen a McDonalds kind of enclosure. Very funny.


----------



## zkool448

Very funny indeed, I have that link permanently bookmarked under my "A Smile A Day" folder


----------



## chaospanda

Thanks for the comment. I did not see the kfc build before I build mine, but it is very funny. I build this because I did not want to buy and wait for the case to come.


----------



## linuxworks

we've all been there - and used temp boxes until our real case arrives.

 no worry. we're just having a little fun in commenting 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 on the safety side, though; I really can't recommend paper products for things that may overheat. even the battery itself can do 'bad things' (I had a 9v alkaline EXPLODE on me once!) and its just not a good idea to user paper 'kindling' for boxes, long term.


----------



## Baird GoW

someone needs to make one with legos.


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Baird GoW* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_someone needs to make one with legos._

 

Why do Americans use Legos as the plural form, when by all logic it should be just Lego?


----------



## danobeavis

Ipod dock made from junk bin bits:


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danobeavis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ipod dock made from junk bin bits:_

 

Hey, I'll take your junk bin builds off your hands no problem
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 IOW, very nice. And I bet it doesn't have the problem most all other iPod docks do - can't use 'em when iPod has a case on it


----------



## Baird GoW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danobeavis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ipod dock made from junk bin bits:









_

 

im a little confused it looks like you have only 1 ground cable to only one of the rca plugs. Is this correct.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Baird GoW* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_im a little confused it looks like you have only 1 ground cable to only one of the rca plugs. Is this correct._

 

Ground is shared with unbalanced cables, it wouldn't matter much. The cable also looks like it's a Mini-RCA so it makes even less sense to keep more than one ground.


----------



## .Sup

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PJPro* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A few photos of my Novo...
















 The documentation of the build can be found here._

 

PJ I'm thinking of building a NOVO myself but I have never done anything like that before? You think I could manage in making my very first amp?


----------



## danobeavis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Baird GoW* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_im a little confused it looks like you have only 1 ground cable to only one of the rca plugs. Is this correct._

 

Yep, only one ground cable. The chrome finish makes the entire chassis thing conductive so the second RCA jack grounds to the "chassis".

 Standard RCA jack size.


----------



## Baird GoW

ahh i see


----------



## Bonthouse

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danobeavis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ipod dock made from junk bin bits:

http://www.beavishifi.com/projects/M...dock_3_300.jpg

http://www.beavishifi.com/projects/M...dock_4_300.jpg_

 

Whoaaa dude! You should make those commercially! It looks too awesome for words to describe it


----------



## smeggy

Yes, very cool indeed. Nice job


----------



## Sync

Well it's finally finished...five years after I first started. It is an original Millett Hybrid, from back in 2002. There was a short on the board that I couldn't locate so I threw it in a box and put it in a closet for five years. I finally dug it out and it was Nikongod who saved the day. He is the one who found the short and actually built the board, I just cased the thing up (Your the man Nikongod!). I've never really built much of anything before so building the case and troubleshooting the darn thing was a real learning experience. Now....where do I sign up for another crack at it....

 EDIT: Sorry about the crappy pics...I'm no photographer.






 Just got to find a better knob







 That hole is a finger hole to pull the top up, along with providing a little ventilation.







 Those two black circles on the corner posts are magnets, they have partners in the top and together they keep everything nice and snug.


 Thanks to everyone on Headfi who helped me build this thing; couldn't of done it without you.


 Colin


----------



## chobint

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danobeavis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ipod dock made from junk bin bits:









_

 

I agree, very cool. By far my favorite DIY dock I've seen on here.


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome stuff Dano!

 Sync; I too got my tube amp build not long ago. Awesome to see it living!


----------



## jdkJake

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smegger* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nothing too exciting just a little switch box i made up so i can switch between my alien and an external output and between my soon to be cased millet max and my speakers.
















 Nothing too exciting but my millet will hopefully look pretty cool soon as i can afford the panels for it!_

 

Nice idea. What are you using for the actual switches?

 jk


----------



## Forte

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sync* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well it's finally finished...five years after I first started. It is an original Millett Hybrid, from back in 2002. 

 Thanks to everyone on Headfi who helped me build this thing; couldn't of done it without you.
 Colin_

 

Great to see you persevered with it and got it finished. How does it sound?


----------



## Sync

Quote:


 Great to see you persevered with it and got it finished. How does it sound? 
 

Sounds great to me. No hum or noise anywhere and I love what it does to my music but my entire "hifi" audio experience could probably be compressed to about 20 hours of listening; experienced my ears are not.


----------



## hakjk

X2.. billiant idea..

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *chobint* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I agree, very cool. By far my favorite DIY dock I've seen on here._


----------



## Fred_fred2004

This came out very neat TPA6111A2 in a Hammond box

 The hammond case is neat and very sturdy










 Not bad for a home made board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	

















 I tucked the input and gain resistors under the DIP8 board and use 1/8 watt metal film to make them fit
 I like it it feels good 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks for looking 
 FRED


----------



## kanamin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_what next? a cmoy in a mcdonalds/burgerking whopper box?







_


----------



## sachu

My Cavalli Audio Compact hybrid tube amplifier collection..Boards can be acquired from Sprucecanyonlabs












 Messed up the back plate on the little silver one in the middle. Easily fixed with a round file. I believe mine is the only one with a full size headphone jack on the smaller case.


----------



## PJPro

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *.Sup* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_PJ I'm thinking of building a NOVO myself but I have never done anything like that before? You think I could manage in making my very first amp?_

 

I assume that you've seen my build thread? If not, take a look here. If you are uncertain of your soldering skills, I'd recommend buying a cheap electronics kits from Maplins to hone your skills. But yes. With basic soldering skills, attention to detail and a little care and patience and I would have thought most people would be able to complete the kit.

 Whether it is the best kit for a beginner, I don't know. I built Tangent's variant of the CMoy as my first "kit". I found this quite difficult as the tracks/pads on the protoboard are pretty close. I also used a part silver solder which was too tricky for me as an absolute beginner. For the Novo I went for a tin/lead (63/37) mix....much easy to work with than the silver stuff!

 The build thread for my Tangent CMoy can be seen here.

 Hope this helps.


----------



## Ferrari

Almost completed, here are a couple of pics of my über SOHA II under test this afternoon.


----------



## Emooze

Very nice!

 Where did you get those meters and how are you using them?


----------



## Listen2this1

Ferarri, Just when I thought I have seen the best work, you always up the standard. Just amazing pieces. What do you do with these amps you build. Is your house a gallery of works of art like this?

 Good work!


----------



## Lil' Knight

Ferrari, your amps look more like commercial than DIY ones. So sweet.


----------



## mb3k

Ferrari, that's HAWT. Good job man


----------



## mattcalf

I'm so glad I looked at this page, between RSA and Ferrari I can find enough beautiful amps to make me teary.


----------



## dbfreak

Beta22 ready for case work:


----------



## FallenAngel

Beautiful work as always _Ferrari_! You certainly intimidate most of the DIYers with your gorgeous casework.

 Nice and clean looking build and wiring _dbfreak_, hope to see the complete build soon.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Almost completed, here are a couple of pics of my über SOHA II under test this afternoon. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...I/Pic633-1.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding638.jpg_

 

/me really like! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 You certainly put a lot of effort into it all, including the casework.


----------



## Llama16

Woot! I just finished my first cmoy with succes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 After screwing up this stupid starterkit, my confidence was really down but now I'm thrilled 
 Up to pimeta


----------



## Duggeh

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Almost completed, here are a couple of pics of my über SOHA II under test this afternoon. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












_

 

Why is the balanced socket male?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Listen2this1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What do you do with these amps you build. Is your house a gallery of works of art like this?
_

 

I keep some of them to enjoy the music. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 For the remaining of my builds, there is always someone in the family or friends who can use an amp… time by time (birthdays, X-Mas...).


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Duggeh* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Why is the balanced socket male?_

 

Simply because my headphones are re-terminated to use with my amps and I prefer the quality and the better looks of this 4-pins connector above several other female types.

_(My amp doesn’t need to serve the public as commercial gears have to)._


----------



## Nebby

Ferrari, any chance you could take a picture of the backside of the front panel? I'd like to see how you did the various mountings and what not


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, any chance you could take a picture of the backside of the front panel? I'd like to see how you did the various mountings and what not 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Some pics of the backside added. 
 More pics will follow when I complete the modifications and test.


----------



## sachu

A progress report...Almost there with the EHHA...

 Nowhere as beautiful as Ferrari's creations..but at a total cost of 200$ I don't think its too bad. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			


















 You can see the timer based relay board in the last pic near the bottom left of the case. To the right of the relay board I will have the heater transformer. I just removed it since it was not working.


----------



## apatN

Great work here in this thread as usual. You are a real inspiration, especially Ferrari.


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind words, gents.


----------



## zkool448

Once again Ferrari, another fabulous looking build! I’m sure it sounds as amazing as it looks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Question for you, it’s obvious that you put tremendous amount of detail and attention to your casework. I'm not familiar and have never worked with aluminum cases before, I've always wondered what sort of tools and machineries do you use/own to get your cases so professional-looking?


----------



## zkool448

dbfreak, sachu, can't wait to see the complete build -- looking good!


----------



## rush340

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beta22 ready for case work:
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Wow, so clean! Great job!


----------



## Kerry

I just finished building a power supply for a Blue Hawaii amp I'm working on. HeadWize - Project: Blue Hawaii Hybrid Electrostatic Amplifier for Stax Omega II Headphones by Kevin Gilmore

 I hand etched the boards...














































 Here's the parts going in...


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just finished building a power supply for a Blue Hawaii amp I'm working on. HeadWize - Project: Blue Hawaii Hybrid Electrostatic Amplifier for Stax Omega II Headphones by Kevin Gilmore

 I hand etched the boards..._

 

..... just..... wow. Fantastic work!


----------



## digger945

^x10.
 The ultimate in DIY!
 Thanks for taking the time to post the beautiful pics.


----------



## Tridacnid

Bah, posting after Ferrari is bad timing, but this project needs to go up now or it never will.

 My L'espressivo, based off of Doug Savitsky's design.

 About halfway:





 The rat's nest is finished:





 On the shelf:





 Front Panel looks crooked, but it's not:


----------



## adamus

superb mate, love p2p builds.... a whole lot more satisfying.


----------



## Llama16

Hey all, I just finished my first CMoy, and I'm thrilled that bit works pretty fine.
 I'm starting to understand the schematics so I really learnt alot. so now is the time to do some experimenting.











 I was thinking of increasing the caps values (220µF power caps, and 100µF sound caps). And I liked to improve them and see what it gives to the bass. Now I only have some 220µF and 100µF spares left, so I was thinking of putting those 220µF I got left, which worked as the power electrolytic caps in the first cmoy. So I was wondering would the electrolytic caps do good, or not (because they're electrolytic and I heard they would cause distortion).

 Also i was looking around about putting caps in series, and when neglecting the resistance, they also even reduce the caps value. so that wasn't an option. Is there any way I can increase the value of the 220µF caps I use for power, and this with only using the 220µFcaps I have left?

 I know if these sound very dumb questions, though it's just a while since I started with this new hobby.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just finished building a power supply for a Blue Hawaii amp I'm working on. HeadWize - Project: Blue Hawaii Hybrid Electrostatic Amplifier for Stax Omega II Headphones by Kevin Gilmore
 <snip>_

 

Some DIY skills I must say! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Now idea what takes of time, tools and skills to etch a board like that, but it certainly looks impressive.


----------



## dbfreak

Thanks all for the complements. Waiting for enclosure supplies. Another teaser:


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Once again Ferrari, another fabulous looking build! I’m sure it sounds as amazing as it looks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Question for you, it’s obvious that you put tremendous amount of detail and attention to your casework. I'm not familiar and have never worked with aluminum cases before, I've always wondered what sort of tools and machineries do you use/own to get your cases so professional-looking?_

 


 ZK, thanks for the nice comment. I have spent some hours listening via my HD650 and this amp really can sing. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 For the casework, I don’t have many tools as some of you guys here have. I have a drill press and it stops more or less there.
 I wish that I had a small workshop (like you have) to play with. 

 The casework starts with selecting my favorite enclosures from HiFi-2000 or ATI (ATI is unfortunately out of business).
 I prefer metal enclosure to other materials due to the better RFI shielding.
 For all of my build, I spend lots of time in the logical placement of the PCB and wiring with consideration towards EMI/cross-talk, then designing the panels.

 The placement of the internals is for the lion share responsible for how the front and back panels look like.
 Depending on the available free time, I do the panels myself using drill press (β22, Kumisa III and my SOHA II prototype) 
 or send the FPE file to Schaeffer to let the panels done by them (what I did with my more recent SOHA II).


----------



## El_Doug

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I just finished building a power supply for a Blue Hawaii amp I'm working on. HeadWize - Project: Blue Hawaii Hybrid Electrostatic Amplifier for Stax Omega II Headphones by Kevin Gilmore_

 

wow Kerry, that's REALLY impressive! can't wait to hear this amp at the next meet!!!


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *krmathis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Some DIY skills I must say! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Now idea what takes of time, tools and skills to etch a board like that, but it certainly looks impressive._

 

The boards can be made in a few evenings. I made this board in two days, just working at night. The research on the otherhand took months.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *El_Doug* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_wow Kerry, that's REALLY impressive! can't wait to hear this amp at the next meet!!!_

 

Me too!


 Thanks.


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...For all of my build, I spend lots of time in the logical placement of the PCB and wiring with consideration towards EMI/cross-talk, then designing the panels._

 

Thanks Ferrari. 

 Wow. Your casework are absolute inspiration to me, and to many other builders based on all of the comments. I wish that you'll continue to build these slick, top notch cases -- they're just absolutely wonderful works of art and deserve to be showcased regularly. 

 Ferrari Collection:


----------



## digi01

p2p synth:





















 pcb based,lm4562 headamp:


----------



## M3NTAL

First - how do we hire Ferarri to build us something.... DROOOOOOOOLLLLL

 Second - digi01, the noise synth is SWEET! The little amp came out looking great too! The layout and soldering = top notch!


----------



## iamwhoiam

Wow, awesome work Ferrari!

 Where did you get those enclosures from?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *iamwhoiam* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you get those enclosures from?_

 

The enclosures are from HiFi-2000 (Italy) and ATI-Research (Thailand).
 ATI is unfortunately out of business last year.


----------



## Nisbeth

Some of them are from Modushop.biz, some are from the now defunct ATI Research in Thailand.

 /U.

 EDIT: The man beat me to it himself


----------



## kernel_rulez

Sorry for my english, I'm french


 Finished :

 -Black-blue Cd3000











 -120gb Cowon X5 Running time +90hours (7000mAh) with carbon fiber back cover

















 In progress : (Waiting a cnc )

 -Rockboxed X5 line out 120GB + headamp pico in a carbon fiber case (running time +100hours)
















 -Diy 2x Sony MDR-R10 Bass light and heavy, Full carbon fiber (with carbon case)


----------



## naamanf

Finally finished up a couple projects.

 B22 with remote control






















 Bijou


----------



## adamus

i recognise that remote control, i use it in my preamp. 

 good bit of kit from BBP - noticebly better than a pot.


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Bijou



_

 

Tiger maple wood? That looks amazing, beautiful naamanf


----------



## -=Germania=-

BBP? 

 I would be very interested. Could you post a link?


----------



## Nisbeth

This one? diyAudio Forums - NEW Remote Volume Controller- 10 SETs - Page 1

 /U.


----------



## adamus

same guy, but he does an r2r attenuator, so relays and resistors instead of a pot. 

 I use a buffer after mine (currently pedja rogic buffers, but have just built up a pass B1 to try) to lower the output impedance.


----------



## adamus

Pics of the preamp, external and internal. 

















 The R2r is the circuit at the rear


----------



## individual6891

Looking amazing there!.. Got any details:

 Pot/Relay switches?
 Amp?
 Casing?


----------



## adamus

I used an R2r with remote controlled from BBP off Diyaudio. (diyAudio Forums - New project : R-2R Attenuator With Remote Control V2 - Page 1)

 Pedja rogic buffers (Justblair's Audio and Electronics Pages: Building the Pedja Rogic Buffer)

 very low noise regulator (large board in the middle) to feed the buffers

 Sonicaps for output caps. 

 case is a modushop.biz 

 front panel i designed and had done by Shaeffer (Front panel express europe_


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Tiger maple wood? That looks amazing, beautiful naamanf 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yeah it's curly maple, which I also think is called tiger.


----------



## danobeavis

I needed a simple two pole speaker selectors, so back to the parts bin:


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah it's curly maple, which I also think is called tiger._

 

I’m jealous! Wish I knew where to source such exotic wood locally.

 BTW, my CTH amp enclosure is nearly done. To those interested in seeing how the case is made, you can see my build from this LINK.

 ~zk


----------



## individual6891

Wow! Brilliant casework there!!! What's it made out of?


----------



## justblair

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I used an R2r with remote controlled from BBP off Diyaudio. (diyAudio Forums - New project : R-2R Attenuator With Remote Control V2 - Page 1)

 Pedja rogic buffers (Justblair's Audio and Electronics Pages: Building the Pedja Rogic Buffer)

 very low noise regulator (large board in the middle) to feed the buffers

 Sonicaps for output caps. 

 case is a modushop.biz 

 front panel i designed and had done by Shaeffer (Front panel express europe__

 

Really nice to see those buffer PCBs alive in the wild. Brilliant looking amplifier well done!


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_BTW, my CTH amp enclosure is nearly done. To those interested in seeing how the case is made, you can see my build from this LINK._

 

That is an amazing build. The recessed knob is an original and really good looking idea.

 Personally I am a fan of recessed knobs (at least that's why a tell my girlfriend, boom boom). How do you find it in practical terms?


----------



## zare

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I’m jealous! Wish I knew where to source such exotic wood locally._

 

You may want to try this guys. I have good experience with them and there prices are OK.


----------



## zkool448

Thanks guys 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *individual6891* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What's it made out of?_

 

Enclosure is made of wood, chassis is poplar and the top is MDF (build here)


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The recessed knob is an original and really good looking idea. Personally I am a fan of recessed knobs (at least that's why a tell my girlfriend, boom boom). How do you find it in practical terms?_

 

Hahaha. The knob works quite well surprisingly, can be turned with one finger from top or just grab/turn it from the front.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zare* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You may want to try this guys. I have good experience with them and there prices are OK._

 

Cool, will check them out.


----------



## smeggy

zk, where abouts did you get your CTH tube extender thingy? I need one for mine as I start my chassis.


----------



## zkool448

hey smeggy, got a pair of them from eBay. They're great, no noticeable effect in quality, it was adamus who fed the idea.


----------



## apatN

No way. I keep repeating myself. You are a true artist!


----------



## zkool448

lol, thanks apatN 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (_*blush*_)


----------



## kuroguy

My point exactly. the machining doesn't look too difficult. the form is what has me hooked. This is art in the true sense of the word. I am humbled by your artistic vision and skill.


----------



## zkool448

Thanks again gentlemen, appreciate all the kind words 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_(*blushes some more*)_


----------



## mbd2884

Thanks to all who posted here. Incredible work from everyone! Been back tracking through this thread, only at page 315.


----------



## anthonyhong

This has absolutely nothing to do with audio, but its a build, and according to OP on page one, anything goes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. This is more practical use, it gets moved around and all, and its not very pretty but its my first real build project. Hopefully I'll learn a thing or two about working materials to make some pretty enclosures before I build some audio equip 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.










 Its an ATX power supply load tester. A number of huge power resistors are mounted on the back of those heatsiks, switches turn them on and off, those sexy gold binding posts (unneccesary, but they are pretty sexy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) are for measuring Vs. Nests of wires hanging out is to attach to power supply being tested and the one mounted in the chasis (or frame) is for powering the cooling on the rig.


----------



## Twiek

Anthony, Looks good (and functional) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 What's the maximum load it can produce?


----------



## anthonyhong

The unit itself there, 1kW, I have another 500kW in attachments  (ran out of space with that setup), but the again, I have never had to use 1.5kW yet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## Juaquin

Some high-end PSU's run over 1KW (think Quad graphics cards). I run an 850W and probably only draw 300-350 under load - but it's always good to give yourself a lot of room, especially with capacitor aging and future components drawing more and more power.


----------



## amc

My first CMOY following tangent's excellent articles. Now working on one that uses a TLE railsplitter, and adds DC wall power. if that works out on the radioshack board I will try my hand at etching my own boards - 1 for an altoids tin and one for an extra small "Meko" mint tin. This is more fun than I imagined - a big thanks for all the great info to all.


----------



## anthonyhong

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Juaquin* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Some high-end PSU's run over 1KW (think Quad graphics cards). I run an 850W and probably only draw 300-350 under load - but it's always good to give yourself a lot of room, especially with capacitor aging and future components drawing more and more power._

 

Oh for sure, I test power supplies thats why I built it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. The vast majority of the units I deal with are 1kw units. What I was saying is I haven't needed to use the extra 500W.


----------



## chews89

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amc* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first CMOY following tangent's excellent articles. Now working on one that uses a TLE railsplitter, and adds DC wall power. if that works out on the radioshack board I will try my hand at etching my own boards - 1 for an altoids tin and one for an extra small "Meko" mint tin. This is more fun than I imagined - a big thanks for all the great info to all.

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...o/DSC_6937.jpg

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...o/DSC_6936.jpg

http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/u...o/DSC_6945.jpg_

 

Congrats on your first build, AMC. Those are some really nice pictures 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Especially the last one.


----------



## Juaquin

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *anthonyhong* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Oh for sure, I test power supplies thats why I built it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. The vast majority of the units I deal with are 1kw units. What I was saying is I haven't needed to use the extra 500W._

 

Ah, no quad-SLI double-quad-core machines around who's power supplies need testing? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 A man can dream.


----------



## naamanf

Buffalo32


----------



## naamanf

I suck. Double post.


----------



## linuxworks

I can't really call this DAC a 'build' - I just hooked up some power transformers to it and off it goes:






 (I did build the minimax - a few months ago).

 the dac is a new toy from ebay in the $100 range. does 24bit and 192k via upsampling daughter card (vertical plugin). the dac chip is on a socket adapter as well as the receiver chip. it supports toslink, coax and usb (via a BB pcm chip onboard). 

 sort of a (noodle_dac)++

 sort of


----------



## prinz

nice bulid of minimax!


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Buffalo32

_

 

Very nice build.. bet it sounds sweet too..


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Buffalo32




_

 

Nice. Best part is... it goes to 11


----------



## wiatrob

naaman,

 Nice work as always. I thought you might have one of the first '32s 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll have to hit you up for some Par-metal templates now that you're going 'woodie!'


----------



## smeggy

beautiful as always Naaman.

 I just bought some 6N6P tubes to try in my CTH.


----------



## danobeavis

Jeez guys, you keep posting the most amazing looking stuff. Top marks all around.

 Here is my humble latest, a simple passive attenuator A/B box I built for a guy to switch between his phono and ipod. His amp is a ZVex imamp which is little 1 watt tube amp with only a single set of input jacks. Hence the need for an switcher. 






 Here it is in action with the zvex on top:


----------



## Xan7hos

Beautiful face plate design naamanf , I dig it!

 EDIT: Which 1/4" phone Jack did you use?


----------



## sentinl

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Xan7hos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beautiful face plate design naamanf , I dig it!

 EDIT: Which 1/4" phone Jack did you use?_

 

Thats the buffalo DAC so there is no headphoen jack. Instead I think that is a Bulgin Vandal switch, you can get them at performancepc.com and other places around the net.


----------



## Llama16

danobeavis, seems like a very helpfull guide you have lying there. Just visited the site, you made it?

 Any chance there are some more guides like that which can help me around in this DIY world while learning me what I am actually doing while building amps


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_danobeavis, seems like a very helpfull guide you have lying there. Just visited the site, you made it?

 Any chance there are some more guides like that which can help me around in this DIY world while learning me what I am actually doing while building amps _

 

Google "Millett Hybrid MiniMAX" or "BantamDAC".


----------



## Llama16

Thanks, I never actually thought about bigger projects yet then a cmoy or MINI³; but what I'm really looking for is some VERY detailed info about every resistor, component,... and what it does.

 I haven't really deeply looked at the sites you gave me but they seem very helpful and informative, I like them. I think I'll put these two on my projects list as soon as I get a bit more familiar with all this 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Dries


----------



## Nebby

edited into later post further down


----------



## Xan7hos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sentinl* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thats the buffalo DAC so there is no headphoen jack. Instead I think that is a Bulgin Vandal switch, you can get them at performancepc.com and other places around the net._

 

Ah! Great call, sorry I wasn't familiar with the B32, from my perspective it looked like a gold 1/4" jack haha


----------



## zkool448

Nebby, very nice opus 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I finished this project sooner than I thought -- here's my most recent build. (CTH - Compact Tube Hybrid). 


















_(see the case build log)_


----------



## Llama16

Wow, amazing. I wish I had the tools, time and money to do that. But as I'm a student living in the middle of nowhere with no acces to shops or supplies and the finals coming up... I think I'll have to wait a while

 BTW: that Millett Starving Student Hybrid, how much did the parts cost (parts for the amp + the wood you use and heatsinks)

 Dries


----------



## individual6891

Yeah that's pretty ace.Did you spray the MDF to look metallic?


----------



## kuroguy

zkool. Awesome (as usual). Can you tell us what you use to finish that wood? In particular, what did you use over the MDF? How many coats, primer, sanding, etc. I've experimented with many finishing materials in the past. for clear coating I've settled on Lacquer applied with an air brush. In my opinion, finishing is the most difficult part and where a great design can go terribly wrong.


----------



## zkool448

Thanks folks!

 kuroguy, pls see finish details under the casework build


----------



## naamanf

Very cool build Z!


----------



## Nebby

Very nice build Zcool! 

 Rush job on the opus, so the faceplate isn't nearly as nice as I'd like it to be:
















 it was a bit of a tight fit


----------



## mojo

Nebby, if that's your rush job... Well, puts me to shame!


----------



## Llama16

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice build Zcool! 

 Rush job on the opus, so the faceplate isn't nearly as nice as I'd like it to be:
_

 

Waw very nice, seems like a very neat case you have there.
 Maybe if you cut away a little of the side edges of the faceplate, it'll look less 'seperated' from the rest of the case.

 Very nice, you got a look of the inside? Wish I had the skills 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Dries


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Rush job on the opus.._

 

Nebby, can only imagine what happens when you take your time 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 rush jobs but wary around serious power tools is all good


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Waw very nice, seems like a very neat case you have there.
 Maybe if you cut away a little of the side edges of the faceplate, it'll look less 'seperated' from the rest of the case.

 Very nice, you got a look of the inside? Wish I had the skills 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Dries_

 

The extra wide front faceplate was a design decision I made halfway through making it, I actually like the extra wide look 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 As for the inside picture, it is a few posts above the main post but I'll edit it to be included in the main post.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nebby, can only imagine what happens when you take your time 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 rush jobs but wary around serious power tools is all good 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




_

 

I'm always careful when working on the power tools, I see enough stupidity by other folks working in the wood shop to be less than wary around power tools. By rushing I was speaking of the finishing of the wood and mounting/wiring the components.


----------



## Kawai_man

nice builds


----------



## danobeavis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_danobeavis, seems like a very helpfull guide you have lying there. Just visited the site, you made it?

 Any chance there are some more guides like that which can help me around in this DIY world while learning me what I am actually doing while building amps _

 

Yeah I made it for a friend. I'm always working on more DIY guides for hifi stuff and guitar stompboxes.


----------



## Llama16

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The extra wide front faceplate was a design decision I made halfway through making it, I actually like the extra wide look 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 As for the inside picture, it is a few posts above the main post but I'll edit it to be included in the main post._

 

Thanks for the pics. I went through the whole thread already but I haven't kept track of it lately.


----------



## rds

Full Featured Balanced and Single Ended Opus


----------



## SACD-Man

That's smokin'


----------



## kuroguy

RDS,
 A suggestion, try shooting with a higher f-stop to increase the depth of field in your photos.


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kuroguy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_RDS,
 A suggestion, try shooting with a higher f-stop to increase the depth of field in your photos._

 

Lol, yeah tell me about it. I only had couple minutes to get some shots, so they were rushed and hand held. Wish I had had more time.


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Lol, yeah tell me about it. I only had couple minutes to get some shots, so they were rushed and hand held. Wish I had had more time._

 

I thought you were purposely using selective focus to emphasize that nice panel work!


----------



## linuxworks

at the risk of staring another long one (lol) - is it actually ok to stack transformers like that? we already talked about the 'shorted turn' thing - but is there any issue with stacking toroids?


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I thought you were purposely using selective focus to emphasize that nice panel work! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

...yeah, that's what I meant 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_at the risk of staring another long one (lol) - is it actually ok to stack transformers like that? we already talked about the 'shorted turn' thing - but is there any issue with stacking toroids?_

 

Let me take me usual position of 'What, no way'. But seriously I'm pretty sure this one is ok


----------



## Nebby

From what I remember reading the only "harm" of stacking toroids is the larger magnetic field. But what do I know


----------



## manaox2

That is an awesome build, very nice job!


----------



## kuroguy

Oh yeah, forgot to say, Nice work RDS.


----------



## Kerry

Here is my KGTT + DAC (based on TwistedPearAudio.com OPUS DAC).

 I just completed the case work for the DAC so that it matches the KGTT. The DAC has a USB input and Balanced and Single-ended outputs. The filter converts the balanced outputs to single ended by summing the inverting and non-inverting inputs.

 KGTT + DAC - Front and back













 Inside of DAC. From right to left is the USB input module (outputs I2S), OPUS DAC (WM8741), Filter, and Power Supplies.
 These boards were all hand etched base on the TwistedPearAudio OPUS DAC. The WM8741 pads are about 12 mils (I'm surprised I was able to do this). I did the filter layout based on the Mfg spec for the WM8741. I'm thinking of putting a Dynalo in the front of the DAC. Not sure yet.





 Here is the bottom of the KGTT. I put I gave it plenty of ventilation.





 Here are three shots of the PTP wiring. I used silver solder on the connections. For better or worse, I connected the ground to the chassis earth. The DAC is not so I should not have ground loop issues.













 Here is the top without the cover on. You can see the PS is mounted to the bottom and that there is a plate that I used to mount all the tube sockets / wiring that sits under the top cover.





 I'm now working on a BHSE. I've complete the power supply and I'm working on a delay relay for the HT at the moment. I'm hoping to have this built in the next couple of months (just not enough time in the day).


----------



## pabbi1

Outrageously nice, Kerry.

 WRT to stacking toroids, it actually helps reduce the magnetic interference, making one field, rather than 2. I always stack mine when using multiples, or a dedicated shielded cavity.


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Outrageously nice, Kerry.

 WRT to stacking toroids, it actually helps reduce the magnetic interference, making one field, rather than 2. I always stack mine when using multiples, or a dedicated shielded cavity._

 

Thanks. I'm really enjoying myself.

 I didn't know about stacking the toroids. That's a good idea. The height on this case might prevent it. What else would you recommend for magnetic shielding?


----------



## Hayduke

Beautiful builds RDS and Kerry!

 I'm going have to go look at the Opus again. My current system sounds wonderful, but that evil little voice in the back of my head keeps asking, "what would a balanced system sound like with these 650s?" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 RDS, what are those knobs for?

 Kerry, what's the KGTT amp? Looks like an all tube amp? I've been eyeballing a Bijou, but I doubt that will be the last amp I build 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If either of you are so inclined, could you post or PM any helpful links to the balanced DAC?


----------



## fishski13

a simple Gainclone i built for a good friend. 

 -LM3875 chips soldered P2P with terminal strips and the PS on Vectorbord. 
 -schematic is Peter Daniel's of Audiosector.com, with obvious aesthetic influence from PD as well.
 -chassis is DIY with sanded aluminum and tung oiled cherry wood.


----------



## fishski13

Kerry,
 absolutely beautiful!!! elegant layout as well.


----------



## Llama16

Kerry, amazing? What an awesome p2p wiring, lots of work gone it to that I'm sure


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fishski13* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_-chassis is DIY with sanded aluminum and tung oiled cherry wood._

 

Very nice fishski13, you always do an excellent job with brushing your aluminums, plus the wood touch looks very elegant.


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks. I'm really enjoying myself.

 I didn't know about stacking the toroids. That's a good idea. The height on this case might prevent it. What else would you recommend for magnetic shielding?_

 

The Millett Max in my sig has the venerable Nabu case, with the shield wall, as does the Millett Hybrid (a plate of steel), and to a lesser extent the Sun cases on my m³. Not that you will ever really notice the difference, but if the case allows, it's some limited shielding assurance. As always the case height really determines if you can stack, or not.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my KGTT + DAC (based on TwistedPearAudio.com OPUS DAC)._

 

Looking really nice. Well done!


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beautiful builds RDS and Kerry!

 I'm going have to go look at the Opus again. My current system sounds wonderful, but that evil little voice in the back of my head keeps asking, "what would a balanced system sound like with these 650s?" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 RDS, what are those knobs for?

 Kerry, what's the KGTT amp? Looks like an all tube amp? I've been eyeballing a Bijou, but I doubt that will be the last amp I build 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If either of you are so inclined, could you post or PM any helpful links to the balanced DAC?_

 

The KGTT is the Kevin Gilmore designed "All-Triode Direct-Drive Amps for Electrostatic and Electret Headphones". The schematic is available at HeadWize - Project: All-Triode Direct-Drive Amps for Electrostatic and Electret Headphones by Kevin Gilmore. 

 Woo Audio also makes this amp and I believe it is called the GES.

 This amp is single ended, which is one of the reasons I'm now building the balanced Blue Hawaii (available at the same site or commercially through HeadAmp). It's amazing how a simple DAC upgrade caused a whole new amp build. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 As for the Balanced DAC, I really lilke the work that twistedpearaudio.com is doing. They have three DACs that are all balanced. Definitely worth a look.

 I have to say I absolutely love the KGTT and I'm loving the build of the Blue Hawaii.


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice fishski13, you always do an excellent job with brushing your aluminums, plus the wood touch looks very elegant._

 

thanks. i'm nearly done with an identical chassis that will match a partnering preamp/CK2III/y-1 DAC.

 received my router table the other day - i can't wait to get started rebuilding my Bijou.


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beautiful builds RDS and Kerry!

 ...
 RDS, what are those knobs for?_

 

Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The knob on the left is for source selection (MUX 4:1) and the knob on the right is for volume control (the volumite)


----------



## rshuck

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A fellow Head-fier bribed me to assemble a starving student for him ( by offering me spare 19J6 tubes), he already had most of the parts but didn't have the time to assemble them, I just added a few touches of my own and we ended up with a very compact and nice sounding amp. 
 The bare circuit board 
 filling the board
 Starting to take shape
 Not much room

 Finally in the carnage that I call a work bench a Starving Student comes to life
 I think its cute and sounds great

 Thanks for looking
 cheers
 FRED_

 

This build has convinced me to make the Starving Student my next DIY project. This is outstanding!


----------



## mattcalf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rshuck* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This build has convinced me to make the Starving Student my next DIY project. This is outstanding!_

 

I was on the receiving end of that amp, sounds absolutley amazing and the build quality is second to none.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mattcalf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was on the receiving end of that amp, sounds absolutley amazing and the build quality is second to none. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I agree


----------



## tomb

I hadn't yet posted these builds to this thread, so thought it might be time.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is the Dsavitsk-designed PCB solution for the Starving Student Millett Hybrid:







 This shows the custom case solution using the Dsavitsk PCB and top-lid-mounted components (disassembled amp is upside down). It means the 48V parts are completely enclosed within the case. No ventilation is required with the heavy-duty TO-3 style heat sinks mounted directly to the case lid and the MOSFETs underneath. The MOSFETS and a center standoff (see screw in lid between the tubes) locks everything in place to the top lid. Simply leave the lead lengths to the back plate long enough to swing the back plate up and over and the entire assembly slides out of the case:


----------



## Lil' Knight

wow, the heatsinks look freaking awesome. Very neat, tomb!


----------



## scootermafia

I love those heatsinks...never seen anything like it...


----------



## Llama16

Does pics look really professional. And it's kinda weird looking at the first post of pmillet with an easy DIY amp, then looking at these professional commercial amps a year later.
 WAW great work


----------



## Draconis

Really, a lot of these builds put commercial gear to shame!


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Draconis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Really, a lot of these builds put commercial gear to shame!_

 

i agree...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## Llama16

Well I still need to convinced as I still have not yet heard alot of amps (commercial as DIY).
 But I'm about to order the rest of the parts for this SSMH, can't wait after all I hear about it


----------



## oneplustwo

Work in progress...

 Balanced B22 and dual Sigma 22 PSU's
 Parmetal 20-series cases (12x12x4 and 12x8x3)
 Twisted Pear Joshua Tree Attenuator










 Waiting for the Buffalo kit to arrive. That will go in a matching Parmetal case.

 I still have the shell of my cookie tin 3 channel beta as well. Might have to build that up again someday too.


----------



## linuxworks

ah! you decided to go with the low-power version; by leaving the final transistors and their heatsinks out.

 pretty clever.


----------



## oneplustwo

That should work fine with my low impedance Grado's right? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I actually have 24 heat sinks in front of me but I didn't want to tap 48 holes so I ordered some pinned heatsinks instead.


----------



## amb

Using a portable electric drill and a 4-40 tap, it takes only a few seconds to tap each one...


----------



## oneplustwo

Hmm... ok. I was afraid of stripping them with a drill and doing it by hand was painful, literally. I already ordered the pin mount ones but I guess I'll try threading these while I'm waiting for parts to arrive anyway.


----------



## Nebby

If your drill has a clutch, use it on the lowest torque setting and go at a reasonably slow speed; I had no problems drilling and tapping the heatsinks for my sigma11/22 builds that way.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Haven't posted my finished Buffalo here yet, so here it goes:


----------



## FallenAngel

Beautiful work buddy!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beautiful work buddy!_

 

Thanks, I'm very happy with the way it turned out.


----------



## mattcalf

All these builds make me so jealous, I get worried when I see them FS aswell. But then I realise they're DIY. Then I think 'what if the creators render the project obsolete', then I figure it won't become redundant without a succesor!

 Long live (amazing) diy!!!


----------



## individual6891

Wooooah! Nice Buffalo. How much was that in total? And how does it sound?


----------



## manaox2

Please stop spamming this in every thread I like to read! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 EDIT: Wow, the quote was deleted before I could load my post. Very nice build Majestic!


----------



## M3NTAL

Mr. Majestic - very nice buffalo you got there! Can't wait to hear impressions on it!


----------



## SoapSeller

Mr. Majestic - Amazing build, it look perfect.
 I really like the encapsulated trafos, where did you got those?


----------



## zkool448

oneplustwo and mrmajestic2, nice builds!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Thank you all for your kind words 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I haven't added up every little item, but I have passed €800 Euro easily.

 The encapsulated trafos are made by Toroid and bought locally at ELFA -- Elektronikdistributör i norra Europa. Next time I will use Amvecos because they have dual primaries and are more standard than these.


----------



## Hayduke

MrMajestic2, was that a kit of some sort?
 I'm wondering about the casing. It's very well done. Did you have the panels custom made or is Maroon Audio someone you bought the case from?


----------



## tobias_svensk

It's FPE/Schaeffer.. the front and backpanels.

 Wow MrMaj, i'll have to find some time to listen to that Buffalo next time..

 /Cheers


----------



## Kerry

Nice build Mr. Majestic!!!

 I love the case work.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_MrMajestic2, was that a kit of some sort?
 I'm wondering about the casing. It's very well done. Did you have the panels custom made or is Maroon Audio someone you bought the case from?_

 

The case is from Hifi2000 and the panels are designed by me and manufactured by Front Panel Express. Maroon Audio is my own fake brand


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The case is from Hifi2000 and the panels are deisgned by me and manufactured by Front Panel Express. Marron Audio is my own fake brand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Ah thanks. That was actually my suspicion, but I wanted to make sure


----------



## stew1234

Looks great.


----------



## pabbi1

And, another electrostatic - Vulcan. Seperate 350-450v adjustable psu, with paralleled 6s4a tubes. The 15v supply (mounted upside down on the top panel) is compliments of TwistedPear Audio (since the shunt regulators are, well, still vapor), and the adjustable bias supply (front center) has up to 5 selectable bias settings, courtesy of Naamanf. The potted toroid is a custom wind from SumR. Case is primarily koa, with some walnut support (bar and back), and rosewood accents.

 Compliments to Marc (luvdunhill) for the design.


----------



## fishski13

excellent pabbi1. how does it sound?


----------



## Kerry

Hi Pabbi1,

 Nice work. I guess this is the result of the "enhanced" runeight design thread. I'd love to get your impressions on the sound.


----------



## spritzer

That's not the PoorMan amp or anything close to it. This one is rather more expensive and much more powerful.


----------



## dean0

Jaycar SCHA build


----------



## Llama16

Very neat, nice cable management you did there. Is that a wooden know? It seems so from here. You made it yourself as well?


----------



## dean0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very neat, nice cable management you did there. Is that a wooden know? It seems so from here. You made it yourself as well?_

 

thanks bud, its a metal *knob* from hifi2000 as is the case, and yes built by me


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *spritzer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's not the PoorMan amp or anything close to it. This one is rather more expensive and much more powerful. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I knew there was something more exotic going on. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Here's the relay I just built for my BHSE. I can set the delay between about 10 seconds to just under 2 minutes.

 I etched the boards and put it together and got lucky. No smoke. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here is the board being etched. You can see I really need to get a better setup. But with a bit of patience it all works out. The biggest issue is keeping the bath warm. I've been slowly documenting the full etching process I use and when I get it done, I will post another thread with it.









 Here is the finished board.









 I added some outputs for the Ground, Power (6V), and Switch. This gives me some options for displaying the power on state. I have a couple of LEDs hooked up here just to test.


----------



## Llama16

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks bud, its a metal *knob* from hifi2000 as is the case, and yes built by me_

 

Woops, I didn't mean to ask if you made the amp... I meant the knob (that's the right word no?)


----------



## Rayko

Just finishing up my CKK3...


----------



## MoodySteve

Sexy looking front panel, Rayko. FPE? Got some internals pics to share? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The CK²-III is such a great amp, especially for its price.


----------



## Rayko

I did the front panel with an electric drill and a step bit.

 The labels were done with a laser printer and bake on water slide decals. With shipping, tt was about $20 for ten 8.5x11 sheets. They come in clear or white background.

Water Slide Decal Papers ::...

 Never used this stuff before but the results were quite good for the price.

 Here's another pic with lighting to make the decal as visible as possible. Its not 100% transparent but, for my desktop its just fine.

 Be sure you're satisfied with the placement before heating it. Once its baked, it becomes quite tough and adheres tightly.


----------



## linuxworks

decals!!

 wow. nice job. I never would have guessed.

 got to get me some of those, to try


----------



## oneplustwo

Rayko - although a little wasteful, do you think it would look better if you covered the entire front panel? Or is it really as subtle as it is in the first pic you posted?


----------



## linuxworks

in fact, one way to hide the 'film' is to have it cover the whole front and then put a thin layer of clear acrylic or p-glass over it as well.

 it can come off nice if done well. plus, no seams to see.


----------



## Rayko

I considered using FPE for the front panel, looks like they do some very nice work but, $20 only gets you to the front door.

 The unique thing about this product is that you bake it after applying. As an experiment, I applied a decal to the back of my faceplate, baked it, then let it cool. Scraping with the edge of a screw driver, using moderate preasure didn't make it budge. I was able to scrape it off using more force, but that was also enough to scar the aluminum.

 The decal material is fragile once its loose from the paper. Spend a couple more dollars and get a bottle of their decal mounting fluid. It helps avoid tears when manipulating the decal.

 The techique that finally worked for me was to make a rectangular decal large enough for both the small knobs on the faceplate. The decal was placed over the holes, smoothed into place, heated in the oven, finally the holes were opened with razor knife.


----------



## jordanross

Don't think it was asked yet, who makes that enclosure Rayko?


----------



## Rayko

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jordanross* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Don't think it was asked yet, who makes that enclosure Rayko?_

 

It came from Hong Kong via ebay.

Mini Aluminum Case for DIY D-amp and T-amp & LM3886 - eBay (item 310133420567 end time Apr-12-09 01:26:23 PDT)


----------



## Rayko

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Rayko - although a little wasteful, do you think it would look better if you covered the entire front panel? Or is it really as subtle as it is in the first pic you posted?_

 

Great idea. That would make it disappear, provided it didn't tear or wrinkle. 

 You can send it through the printer more than once to use the unprinted portion. I just trimmed it square and reused the same stock. It did seem to take more time to separate from the backing though.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Rayko* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finishing up my CKK3...

http://members.verizon.net/~rayko/pic/ckk3-1.jpg_

 

Looking good!


----------



## Rayko

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *krmathis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looking good! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks, this forum has rekindled my interest in DIY audio.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Rayko* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It came from Hong Kong via ebay._

 

I've seen that on the bay but not via the angles you have shown it. your photos are better 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 what made you decide to put the 2 middle controls above a center line? I'm curious (about that kind of thing).


----------



## Llama16

Yep I actually like it better that way. it has something more modern to it.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_in fact, one way to hide the 'film' is to have it cover the whole front and then put a thin layer of clear acrylic or p-glass over it as well._

 

I use crystal(?) clear or satin krylon or similar over faces that I put water slide decals on... Pins them down & sort of equalizes/blends the finish across the surface.
 But you may give up a bit of the original brushed aluminum look doing this...


----------



## Nebby

I agree with the giving up a bit of the original brushed aluminum look when painting. If you do a very carefully thin coat you can lose a minimal amount of brushed texture, but there's no room for error 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I use crystal(?) clear or satin krylon or similar over faces that I put water slide decals on... Pins them down & sort of equalizes/blends the finish across the surface.
 But you may give up a bit of the original brushed aluminum look doing this..._


----------



## smeggy

I recall as a kid that they used to sell 'letraset' water slide decals everywhere over in the UK in all sorts of typedaces, sizes and colors. I want to find some gold lettering


----------



## linuxworks

here's my latest 'build':






 its called an 'xbee modem' and its a wireless link that small controllers (cpus) can use to communicate. not very long distance or very fast, but I think its goal is ease of use and low power. its a semi-standard and you may see these kinds of things show up more and more in CE equip.

 I plan to play with it and see if its useful. for something. eventually, something audio 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the top module (with the antenna) is bought pre-made and found at places like digikey, mouser and so on. the bottom board was what I soldered, from a kit from 'lady ada' (adafruit.com). look for her 'tweet-a-watt' article to see one application of these wireless links.

 one down, one more to solder before I can see if they even work


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I recall as a kid that they used to sell 'letraset' water slide decals everywhere over in the UK in all sorts of typedaces, sizes and colors. I want to find some gold lettering 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I used to use that 'datak' stuff ALL the time, as a kid. I still have some 30 yr old pkgs of dataks.

 I ask around, at art supply and craft supply places for rub-on decals. I get blank stares back. apparently, this concept is lost on the current generation 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 no one I ever run into has heard of the 'dry transfer' things.


----------



## Llama16

Srry to interrupt 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 First I thought it was a robot with a camera on it...silly me.
 But what was its use? to make wireless communication possible between small controllers, but what controllers do you mean by that (just to give me an idea 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)

 This goes far beyond my knowledge about such things. But it's never to late to learn.


----------



## kuroguy

got a package of dry transfer labels in my briefcase. I doubt my set has enough "D", "A", "I", and "O" to label all the digital and analog inputs and outputs on my line preamp project, but it works well, esp. if you coat it with lacquer after application.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_But what was its use? to make wireless communication possible between small controllers, but what controllers do you mean by that (just to give me an idea 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)_

 

well, one possible use could be for a smart remote control. instead of just sending button-press and button-release codes, a really interesting remote could do other things. in theory 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I think I saw a slashdot article somewhat recently about the xbees and how they'll start showing up in industrial control applications and I got to thinking if some 'box to box' comms (communications) would be interesting. suppose you had a feature or setting in a device that you want to change. suppose you want to coordinate things among many boxes. suppose you wanted a way to transmit to a virtual 'bus' and have various devices listen for when its their turn to say something.

 networking applied to 'stereo racks'. but now, wireless instead of some proprietary vendor box-to-box cable.

 IR blasters are a low tech one-way (not ACK'd) way to try to control a system. but much better to have elements (boxes) that can reply back or give status.

 these peer-to-peer mini wireless boards are just building blocks.

 oh, they also have analog sensors on them, so you can take remote readings (temp, volts, etc) and send THAT data back. somewhere. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 stuff like that.


----------



## Llama16

I think I get the picture, pretty interesting and I see it having some nice applications as well. Now it's up to you to 'invent' some, keep us posted 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Dries


----------



## _atari_

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_well, one possible use could be for a smart remote control. instead of just sending button-press and button-release codes, a really interesting remote could do other things. in theory 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I think I saw a slashdot article somewhat recently about the xbees and how they'll start showing up in industrial control applications and I got to thinking if some 'box to box' comms (communications) would be interesting. suppose you had a feature or setting in a device that you want to change. suppose you want to coordinate things among many boxes. suppose you wanted a way to transmit to a virtual 'bus' and have various devices listen for when its their turn to say something.

 networking applied to 'stereo racks'. but now, wireless instead of some proprietary vendor box-to-box cable.

 IR blasters are a low tech one-way (not ACK'd) way to try to control a system. but much better to have elements (boxes) that can reply back or give status.

 these peer-to-peer mini wireless boards are just building blocks.

 oh, they also have analog sensors on them, so you can take remote readings (temp, volts, etc) and send THAT data back. somewhere. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 stuff like that._

 

I am in for an 'intelligent remote control'. I am currently planning something similar for my DAC (hope to got it finished until next winter).

 currently I am thinking about:
 - On/Off switch
 - Volume control
 - Switching of an 'slave' device (i.a. old pre-remote-control-amp)
 - some fancy visualisation.

 You probably know my stuff from Interactive Matter. PM me if you are interested in a joint project.

 Still got some xBees lying around, waiting for a problem


----------



## linuxworks

hey atari - didn't I just add you as a flicker contact? small world, isn't it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 which xbees do you have, the lower power of the 'pro' ones?

 what kind of distance/range can you get? I have read its 100meters or something like that.

 well, here's one more shot of its belly:






 no, I didn't deflux it. yet


----------



## _atari_

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_hey atari - didn't I just add you as a flicker contact? small world, isn't it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 which xbees do you have, the lower power of the 'pro' ones?

 what kind of distance/range can you get? I have read its 100meters or something like that.

 well, here's one more shot of its belly:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3392/...9e7a278b_o.jpg

 no, I didn't deflux it. yet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yep, especially the boundaries between head-fi and lady ada are a small world 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But nice to see that lady ada is using blue PCBs - looks great. I am SO tired of green 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But to answer your question: I got the '2.5er' normal ones. Sparkfunnish. But that should not make so much difference if you do not want to build mesh networks and stuff like that - I assume.

 But I would really like to see an xBee remote control.


----------



## linuxworks

I just got a dc boarduino from lady-ada and it was white.

 much easier to see the traces. black is hard to see, of course, and white is very easy.






 (dc 'boarduino' from lady-ada)

 ...I do like white pcbs


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *_atari_* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_But nice to see that lady ada is using blue PCBs - looks great. I am SO tired of green 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

lol, but green is the standard soldermask process color for most board fabs. A different color costs more.


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I used to use that 'datak' stuff ALL the time, as a kid. I still have some 30 yr old pkgs of dataks.

 I ask around, at art supply and craft supply places for rub-on decals. I get blank stares back. apparently, this concept is lost on the current generation 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 no one I ever run into has heard of the 'dry transfer' things._

 

I use to use dry-transfer lettering all the time. It wasn't in the context of electronics, though. Does that count?


----------



## Nonchalance

My first build, CMOY, lol.

 Pretty damn noob compared to the DIYs you guys do.


----------



## smeggy

heh, I guess it is a different generation. I always had Letraset as a kid, and meccano 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Anyway, here's my latest failure at making an amp, my new non-working Cavalli EHHA 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 Next on the list of non working amps will be a Starving Student...

 hehe.


----------



## adamus

d1 is backwards on both channels unless the silkscreen is wrong?


----------



## smeggy

Yep, D2 as well but you can't see it


----------



## oneplustwo

A few more pics of my balanced beta in progress. Things are kinda messy still. And I screwed up on the holes for the combo jacks (measured the wrong piece for the wrong hole). But I'm about ready to start wiring up the beta so I can begin testing.


----------



## smeggy

That's gonna be one sexy amps!

 Very nice


----------



## Lil' Knight

Looks great, Jason!


----------



## danobeavis

Finally getting a free evening to work on the FrankenMoy. It is based on the cmoy but has a slightly modified gain structure. I've also added switches to the input caps so I can bypass them depending on the input source. There is a ZIF socket making it quite easy to change opamps. Work in progress, but getting closer!


----------



## DoYouRight

nice would like to see the frankenmoy at the end. Are you going to stack the 2 boards?


----------



## cerbie

Where did you get those boards for this "FrankenMoy"? I rather like their look as proto boards.


----------



## rille2

I made a little switchbox for 4 inputs and 4 outputs. There's also the possibility to loop-in an equalizer or any other device. This can be bypassed. All inputs and outputs are balanced. The PCB was designed by me. I used Neutrik jacks (NSJ12HC) and Takamisawa relays (NA12W-K).


----------



## Ferrari

Very nice and clean construction in that mini HiFi-2000 Galaxy enclosure, rille2.
 (Only the 3rd picture is visible for me, however).


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_(Only the 3rd picture is visible for me, however). 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I changed the links for the pics.


----------



## jdkJake

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rille2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I made a little switchbox for 4 inputs and 4 outputs. There's also the possibility to loop-in an equalizer or any other device. This can be bypassed. All inputs and outputs are balanced. The PCB was designed by me. I used Neutrik jacks (NSJ12HC) and Takamisawa relays (NA12W-K)._

 

Wow, that looks great! Very clean and neat.

 How many of the circuit boards did you have made? I think more than a few folks here would be interested in them.

 jk


----------



## mattcalf

The franken-moy, B22 and switchbox are all amazing builds! Thanks for posting. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Is that the Joshua Tree attenuator on the Beta?


----------



## oneplustwo

^ Yes it is. I just tried powering it with the 30+/Gnd DC from the sigma 22 but it doesn't seem to be working (I think I should hear the relays clicking). I thought it would based on feedback I got from the twisted pear support forums (although it would run hot) so I might need to get some help with it.


----------



## alwayshungry

hey oneplustwo, try flipping the dip switches on the JT control board. I had the same problem recently. Beautiful build BTW. I really liked you B22 cookie tin and was sad to see it go.


----------



## oneplustwo

I'll give that a try... flip all three of them?


----------



## rille2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jdkJake* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How many of the circuit boards did you have made? I think more than a few folks here would be interested in them._

 

I ordered only one. But you could get the layout files for the board.


----------



## linuxworks

my hack-it-cheap case for my 2-ch beta22:












 a $15 pc 'router' (some corp firewall device that had a pc motherboard inside) case, some ABS plastic (that crinkle finish stuff) and a 2 board beta22 and single board sigma22 power supply.

 works just fine for headphones and spkrs. the switch on the front is the spkr/phones selector. phones go up front, spkr wires in back (of course). also in back is the dual AC 30v input (silver connector, mic plug, actually) and for line-in I use 1/4" TRS jacks just for ease of mounting.

 the case is shielded only at the entrance where the line-in touches the metal.

 on the front phones jack is a zobel network (the spkrs needed it but I located it there since its the same wiring and easier done up front).

 the rear spkr jacks are making use of what used to be a PCI card opening 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 its grungy on the inside (lots of torn out metal supports, lots of drill holes from the previous occupant), but when you put the metal cover over it, you don't even know it was a recycled case.


----------



## odoe

very nice work
 the mesh is a nice clean touch


----------



## alwayshungry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'll give that a try... flip all three of them?_

 

yup. flip all 3. Brian and Russ answered my original question here.


----------



## oneplustwo

got it to work... thanks! those relays really make a racket, don't they?!


----------



## FallenAngel

It's been almost a year in the planning, making and configuring this monster, but it is finally complete. May I present my Balanced Beta22 (aka a tribute to Jena cables).

 The PSU is a dual Sigma22 running off a pair of 225VA Plitron transformers.

 As I'm a cable lover, all of the wiring is Jena (with minimal exceptions in PSU where toroid wiring is used, plus a short length of solid-core Cardas for the power switch).

 Sigma22 Internal




 Beta22 Internal - A LOT of Jena cable, 4-pin XLR, 2x 3-pin XLR and 2x 1/4" outputs are wired in 22awg, speaker outputs are wired in 2x 18awg, power wiring is Jena AC power cord wire.




 Front:




 Back:




 Back with all _necessary_ accessories:
 22awg Jena XLRs
 18awg Jena RCA
 Jena DIY AC power cord
 DC umbilical uses same wire as AC power cord




 In the tower - yes, I love the blue LEDs





 Special thanks to:
 AMB for making the krmathis panels public so I had a fantastic starting point
 Justin of HeadAmp for offering an awesome deal on the balanced DACT
 Michael of Jena Labs for putting up my constant requests for different wires in random lenghts.

 I won't get too much into how it sounds, so I'll just say it's fantastic with my Jena cabled HD650 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and drives my Omega Grande 6R single-driver speakers amazingly.


----------



## mattcalf

I'm so jealous of all these Beta builds.

 FA, simply beautiful! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





  Quote:


 AMB for making the krmathis panels public so I had a fantastic starting point 
 

If possible could you please link me?


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mattcalf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm so jealous of all these Beta builds.

 FA, simply beautiful! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 If possible could you please link me?_

 

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/let...ml#post4874943

 It's about $400 for the 4 panels.


----------



## DoYouRight

Very nice I might try to save up for those for my b22.


----------



## smeggy

That's a beauty FA, very nice indeed!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's about $400 for the 4 panels._

 

I think (just guessing) that's about what I paid for my complete b22, with the 'ugly but functional' case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 some day, I may try FPE panels; but - man! - are they super expensive for what you get! ;(

 if I was building for a client, I'd use something good. for myself, I can make-do with cheap abs plastic


----------



## rds

blue in green for me - this is my favorite jazz amp


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my hack-it-cheap case for my 2-ch beta22:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3643/...6d7fa463_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/...e5026c4f_o.jpg

 a $15 pc 'router' (some corp firewall device that had a pc motherboard inside) case, some ABS plastic (that crinkle finish stuff) and a 2 board beta22 and single board sigma22 power supply... <snip>_

 

This build looks so clean even if it's a repurposed case. The way the wires are routed looks so neat and very professional. Good job B. 

_edit:_ cool CTH's rds.


----------



## cfcubed

@ FallenAngel - Very, very nice! 

 @ rds - Very nice, clean builds. And we know more than the LED color differs.

 @ linuxworks - I say again, you need a website of your own for all your creations
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I know, easy to say, harder to do. But you must have a room full of goodies by now.
 And re-purposing, re-using boxes is environmentally friendly as well as cheap:



 Heck I've got another expired/useless TiVo box waiting. Maybe for my Beta22


----------



## smeggy

looks awesome!


----------



## AGTCooke

Beaten and battered, I'll claim victory over my first build: A not-so-pocket CMoy. I'd never _really_ used a soldering iron before, and I _really_ snoozed in the electrical portion of physics. Ohm? Kirchhoff? Gauss? Pffft.... <_grabs book_>

*Special thanks to Tangent.* His website was instrumental in this build, and I'm very grateful for the time he's put into it. Now if I had only followed his layout diagram one of the first three times 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm going to enjoy this build for a while (and get some abandoned household projects done 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) and then start in on v2 of my CMoy. I hope to include a charging circuit w/some form of of "charge status" indication and trimmers for R5. Then I'll be off to find a good followup amp... Starving Student? Millet Hybrid? (I'm interested in listening to some tubes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ). A "full" (integrated PS, DAC, IO switching, etc...) PPA is the end-game... I think. Is there an end?


----------



## Good Times

Hey RDS, do you mind if I ask what sized Hammond you went for on your fully featured Opus? I'm building a low-spec version but want to case it in something that I know will fit the complete 'suite' down the track - and yours looks well suited. Thanks.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Good Times* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey RDS, do you mind if I ask what sized Hammond you went for on your fully featured Opus? I'm building a low-spec version but want to case it in something that I know will fit the complete 'suite' down the track - and yours looks well suited. Thanks._

 

If you're planning to go that route, make sure to size and space out everything as if it's a complete suite, otherwise you will have issues with placement with such a tight fit. Don't ask how I know that


----------



## Good Times

Ha love it - yes that's the plan. Although planning is one thing......


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Good Times* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey RDS, do you mind if I ask what sized Hammond you went for on your fully featured Opus? I'm building a low-spec version but want to case it in something that I know will fit the complete 'suite' down the track - and yours looks well suited. Thanks._

 

That case is the Hammond 1455T2201, but like Nebby says to fit everything in that case careful planning is required.

 I am using Amveco 7VA transformers that are stacked for example. That back panel had to be drawn in CAD as there is no way that would have worked with a hand drawing (some places the margin of error was max. 1mm).

 The board stacking and standoff length was all carefully planned as well.

 If you want to be able to add stuff later a bigger case is the only sensible way to go.


----------



## Forte

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_And re-purposing, re-using boxes is environmentally friendly as well as cheap:


_

 



 Looks impressive, what amp is that?


----------



## Nebby

RDS,

 How did you cutout the USB port? Drill + file?


----------



## DoYouRight

LOVE THAT CTH!

 FallenAngel, did you make them to his specs or did he make you similar panels?


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_LOVE THAT CTH!

 FallenAngel, did you make them to his specs or did he make you similar panels?_

 

I started off with AMB's front panels then modified them to fit the IEC, fuse holder, power switch and RCAs I used.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I started off with AMB's front panels then modified them to fit the IEC, fuse holder, power switch and RCAs I used._

 

Just to clarify in case it's not obvious... I didn't provide any actual panels. Just the FPD files from the krmathis group-build balanced β22.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's been almost a year in the planning, making and configuring this monster, but it is finally complete. May I present my Balanced Beta22._

 

Congratulations, that’s the best beta22 I’ve ever seen. If you take quality of parts into consideration you have the number one build of all time. Your wallet must be considerably lighter. I’d been watching out for this, I knew it would be a stunning build. 

 Have you compared it to similar builds without Jena cabling?

 I hope it gives you years of enjoyment


----------



## DoYouRight

I will be using them as well. Need to figure out the Nobs and Power Button used. Please post if you know for my build in progress. (so far just collecting parts, and beginning!)


----------



## El_Doug

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I will be using them as well. Need to figure out the Nobs and Power Button used. Please post if you know for my build in progress. (so far just collecting parts, and beginning!)_

 

power button looks like a bulgin


----------



## alwayshungry

Congrats on finishing up your B22 FallenAngel. When I first saw it at CanJam, I thought KRMathis' B22 somehow made it to LA. Also thanks for hooking it up for me to give a listen. My faceplates will be here tomorrow so hopefully I will have a post in this thread soon.


----------



## FallenAngel

Bulgin only makes 3A latching switches, I went with 693-1241.6824.1124. You can easily go with amb's power switch driver, but I prefer a mechanical switch to a relay for power (don't ask why 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





).


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *alwayshungry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...When I first saw it at CanJam, I thought KRMathis' B22 somehow made it to LA._

 

You sure weren't the only one


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's been almost a year in the planning, making and configuring this monster, but it is finally complete. May I present my Balanced Beta22 (aka a tribute to Jena cables).

 The PSU is a dual Sigma22 running off a pair of 225VA Plitron transformers.

 As I'm a cable lover, all of the wiring is Jena (with minimal exceptions in PSU where toroid wiring is used, plus a short length of solid-core Cardas for the power switch).

 Special thanks to:
 AMB for making the krmathis panels public so I had a fantastic starting point
 Justin of HeadAmp for offering an awesome deal on the balanced DACT
 Michael of Jena Labs for putting up my constant requests for different wires in random lenghts.

 I won't get too much into how it sounds, so I'll just say it's fantastic with my Jena cabled HD650 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and drives my Omega Grande 6R single-driver speakers amazingly._

 

Awesome build FA


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Forte* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks impressive, what amp is that?_

 

It's a Magnavox console amp rebuild that got out of hand. One of my 1st builds since getting back into DIY/electronics. Sounds pretty nice tho & is ready for another 50 years of play


----------



## oneplustwo

FA - How many amps will your amp draw? I was thinking about using the 3A bulgin latching switch and figured 3A would be fine as I'm just using it with 2 50VA toroids.

 Anyway, great build! Maybe when I get mine done we can have a little Beta-off since we're so close to each other! My panels won't be as fancy nor will I have the fancy wires, but I do have a joshua tree attenuator!


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You sure weren't the only one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Even I jumped a little bit when I saw the picture(s) from CanJam. Although I did knew better...
 Great work indeed!


----------



## dbfreak

Wow! Another half dozen pages of awsome builds. Love the B22 and those tube amps!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Bulgin only makes 3A latching switches, I went with 693-1241.6824.1124. You can easily go with amb's power switch driver, but I prefer a mechanical switch to a relay for power (don't ask why 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)._

 

why? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I recently started playing with 'solid state relays' of the dc-control ac-switch kind. (thing of things: its a tech that is used inside espresso machines in DIY 'pid' upgrades!).

 one thing I learned about them is that they do zero cross detection and so when you ask the little epoxy box to switch the 'contacts', it waits until the ac wave crosses zero. this also puts slightly less spikes on the ac power 'bus'.

 seems like win/win to me.

 I don't think they wear out, they have low closure resistance and are noiseless.


----------



## rille2

Switching a trafo at 0V is AFAIK not the best. This produces the highest switch on current.


----------



## El_Doug

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_why? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I don't think they wear out, they have low closure resistance and are noiseless._

 

Why would you want a noiseless relay!? I rather prefer my tiny little bulgin seemingly creating a gargantuan clicking noise


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_FA - How many amps will your amp draw? I was thinking about using the 3A bulgin latching switch and figured 3A would be fine as I'm just using it with 2 50VA toroids._

 

Speaker duty as well, might go up above 3A, maybe 4A 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_why? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'm old-school, I like physical switches.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_FA - How many amps will your amp draw? I was thinking about using the 3A bulgin latching switch and figured 3A would be fine as I'm just using it with 2 50VA toroids._

 

While the steady-state draw of the β22 from AC mains might be much less than 3A, the turn-on surge current (from the toroid as well as the reservoir caps charging up) can be much more than that. Using an inadequately rated switch will cause its contacts to wear out prematurely.


----------



## linuxworks

fyi, I connected a kill-o-watt meter to my 2ch b22 and it varies from 30watts (nothing playing) to about 36w while filling the room with sound. that's one 60va avel toroid, one s22 PS and 2 B22 boards.

 I was surprised, it was 'only' 30 watts or so. I thought it would be a lot more than that.


----------



## DoYouRight

I tried to modify the text on the AMB plate files and it wouldnt let me type in new words. how do I do this?


----------



## Good Times

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I tried to modify the text on the AMB plate files and it wouldnt let me type in new words. how do I do this?_

 

Have you got Photoshop or Illustrator?


----------



## Good Times

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That back panel had to be drawn in CAD as there is no way that would have worked with a hand drawing (some places the margin of error was max. 1mm).

 If you want to be able to add stuff later a bigger case is the only sensible way to go._

 

Thanks for the info - with this advice I'll go one up on that size, since I don't have the skills or software for CAD action


----------



## DoYouRight

Photoshop, GoodTimes


----------



## Good Times

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Photoshop, GoodTimes_

 

In that case you can simply 'text box' in or over whatever sections you need to customise it. PM me if you need specific help with this - happy to help out.


----------



## Llama16

Hey all

 Talking about CAD, I desperately need a very good simulation software (I'm trying to simulate with some humbuckers and switches, to make sure it works)
 Anyone had any preferences? The easier to use the better.


----------



## Mr.Duck

Hey c'mon... this is ment to be "Post pics of your builds", not a discussion forum. Already 2 and a 1/2 pages of chit chat with virtually no pics at all. I want to see more of these builds!


----------



## Emooze

Well here's my Sigma 11






 Giving me issues because I didn't catch that I had CR2 in the wrong way.


----------



## linuxworks

two boxes: on the left is an arduino project that uses an ethernet 'shield', an lcd display and an IR receiver chip. there's also provision for volume control via SPI bus.






 on the right is the week old beta-22 in its new case/config. still running it skinless on top for extra cooling.

 also in the left lcd box (but not really related to the lcd) is the 'noodle dac++' from ebay/china. not shown, but its inside, believe me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the arduino thing takes commands from the user via a handheld sony IR remote control and when the user says to PAUSE, an IP/web packet is sent to a linux back-end box (a fanless one, at that) and that is the system that connects its spdif-out to the input of the noddle-dac++ board. that packet says 'PAUSE' and so the music player (mpd daemon) pauses. when the user says PLAY, a play IP packet is sent to the webserver and the spdif starts squirting out song bits again. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 there is no music decoding going on in that 'blue' box; just IR receiving and WEB sending/receiving. the arduino polls the webserver every 3 seconds and updates its progress bar to show how far along the song is, etc.


----------



## bobfig

hay guys i just finished my millet SS with a wooden case. here it is:















 BTW i call em' "Old Happy Guy" lol


----------



## Oya?

I've got my first DIY project build ever coming in the mail (I bought a META42 board and some chips from Voodoochile, who was very helpful by the way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). I know it's usually reccomended to try the CMOY for a first-time build but even simple CMOY parts are hard to find locally, and I really won't have a use for it. I wanted to do an SSMH but I couldn't find a reasonable price on the hard-to-find 19J6 tubes, even 12SR7 tubes are still too pricey for my liking, I can't read schematics... etc. etc. and I've already got a Millet Hybrid anyway. Plus the META42 looks really simple and fun to make.

 I really don't want to mess it up so I decided to do a warm-up exercise and recase the Alien DAC I bought a while ago, Bantam CableDAC style.





 Here's the original board. First time I opened it up so I was surprised at how the oil caps have been mounted, really funny looking.





 I was sure I'd damage or burn something but to my relief everything works. Desoldering the USB jack was such a traumatizing experience that I decided to socket the USB inputs, the L/R/G outputs, and the LED to make dismantling easier if I ever have to. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








 Mounted in a cheap little plastic case from DSE!





 The casework...





 ...and all the cables plugged in.





 Final test run. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 Was a very fun project and I learned a lot. Now I really I can't wait for the META42 parts to arrive!

 And I take back what I said about the Neutrik RCA plugs being horrible. I widened the ring sleeves a bit and now they don't fit so tight anymore to jacks. The black paint on the metal barrels is still pretty bad though, scratches WAY too easily.

 Thanks for reading.


----------



## mattcalf

Very nice, especially the casing bobfig.

 Linux, that arduino setup looks awesome. I'm going to try and learn about it next xmas holidays.


----------



## cerbie

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bobfig* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_hay guys i just finished my millet SS with a wooden case. here it is:
 (images)
 BTW i call em' "Old Happy Guy" lol_

 

Nice.


----------



## diff_lock2

My first cmoy that didn't look like crap, can you imagine how bad the other ones looked like?

 My main desktop amp, powering a pair of dt770 250ohm.

 It is set at a gain of 5, that is too much with a line level input. But for weaker sources this should be good.


----------



## onyu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *diff_lock2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first cmoy that didn't look like crap, can you imagine how bad the other ones looked like. 

 My main desktop amp, powering a pair of dt770 250ohm.

 It is set at a gain of 5, that is too much with a line level input. But for weaker sources this should be good. 
_

 

I love your casing skills. Good to know someone else uses plastic boxes. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here is my aliendac in a plastic case that contained fish.


----------



## linuxworks

a peek inside my 'noodle dac++' setup. it has the ebay/HK dac board, a metal box that contains an arduino and ethernet shield, an extra extra large front lcd panel, and an IR receiver module:











 the power is via a brick that gives +/- 12vac and +5vac. the arduino/etherboard steal power from the unused pcm usb chip's power supply (one of the many 5v's that are on the red dac board).

 things are still in 'test bed' mode as I have no rear panel at all and only the front lcd opening cut out, so far 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but it gives me IR remote (sony handheld from a dvd player) control over volume and prev/next/pause of the music files (on a remote linux/mpd box).

 today's progress was to cut holes in that aluminum box and get the usb/ethernet square holes cut out. I'm assuming I'll get some benefit to shielding and grounding the alum box and keeping all the digital evils in there.


----------



## Audiotodd

What kind of source is feeding that DAC? It looks great but I'm curious as to how that lcd works.


----------



## linuxworks

they are not integrated or 'tightly coupled' in any way other than being in the same case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 the lcd and IR are in the front and go to the arduino (cpu). it has an ethernet board on top of it. that ethernet goes to my house network switch where there is a linux box that is also reachable via IP. it has a webserver running and controls the mpd music player daemon. the daemon has a connection to the local (usb) sound card.

 finally (grin) that usb sound card (which is a y1-lite usb-spdif converter) goes to the DAC's coax-in. the DAC sends out 2 rca line-outs (seen in the photo as a dangle wire and connectors) and that goes to a volume control box (not shown). that has a line-in and line-out and the line-out goes to my amp chain (b22 box).

 it sounds more complicated than it is 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 next stage is to move that vol control box (its active element) into this big plastic box and run some SPI wires from the arduino (3 more wires from the alum box) to a vol control module and that will 'intercept' the line-out of the dac and give a 'new' line-out that is digitally vol controlled.

 the logic and code are already in the arduino to do both ethernet-based music playback AND local SPI-bus based vol control using the PGA vol control chip.


----------



## Baird GoW

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_they are not integrated or 'tightly coupled' in any way other than being in the same case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the lcd and IR are in the front and go to the arduino (cpu). it has an ethernet board on top of it. that ethernet goes to my house network switch where there is a linux box that is also reachable via IP. it has a webserver running and controls the mpd music player daemon. the daemon has a connection to the local (usb) sound card.

 finally (grin) that usb sound card (which is a y1-lite usb-spdif converter) goes to the DAC's coax-in. the DAC sends out 2 rca line-outs (seen in the photo as a dangle wire and connectors) and that goes to a volume control box (not shown). that has a line-in and line-out and the line-out goes to my amp chain (b22 box).

 it sounds more complicated than it is 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 next stage is to move that vol control box (its active element) into this big plastic box and run some SPI wires from the arduino (3 more wires from the alum box) to a vol control module and that will 'intercept' the line-out of the dac and give a 'new' line-out that is digitally vol controlled.

 the logic and code are already in the arduino to do both ethernet-based music playback AND local SPI-bus based vol control using the PGA vol control chip._

 

WOW...


----------



## diff_lock2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *onyu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I love your casing skills. Good to know someone else uses plastic boxes. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here is my aliendac in a plastic case that contained fish.


 [img][/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


Once I find a better case, I will transplant the amp. The the plastic works just as well. I would like a wooden box, personal preference._


----------



## 32y0

One of my first builds.
 Not the most beautiful build, but it works for me.


----------



## FallenAngel

Looks pretty cool... now what is it?


----------



## Llama16

My guess is... a headphone amp
 JK,


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks pretty cool... now what is it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Exactly the thought that immediately came to my mind as well. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My guess is... a headphone amp
 JK, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

lol


----------



## smeggy

Yeah, I wanna know too.


----------



## motherone

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *32y0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_One of my first builds.
 Not the most beautiful build, but it works for me.




_

 

You will want to make sure you have an earth-ground on the chassis so nobody gets electrocuted if something goes wrong. I couldn't tell in the pictures if you have one on the IEC input, but just wanted to point it out if one isn't already there!


----------



## 32y0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks pretty cool... now what is it? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I started with this scematic of the amp, but the local audioshop didn't have the tubes. So we used EBC91 and PCC84 tubes, and they helped me to modifie the scematic.
 So it's basically the amp from the link, but with some modifications.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *motherone* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You will want to make sure you have an earth-ground on the chassis so nobody gets electrocuted if something goes wrong. I couldn't tell in the pictures if you have one on the IEC input, but just wanted to point it out if one isn't already there!_

 

It is allready there if I understand you correctly.


----------



## rds

In the picture it appears that nothing is connected to the IEC ground.


----------



## motherone

The Earth Ground is usually the center tab of the IEC connector (power input connector):

http://www.electronics2000.co.uk/ima...ta/iecdiag.gif

 The earth ground needs to be tied to the chassis so that if there is stray high voltage, a person doesn't complete the path to ground and get electrocuted. Also, you should make sure that the power input is fused! Without one, you have a serious fire hazard. Unless the fuse is integrated into the IEC jack, I didn't see one in there, either.

 Sorry if it seems nitpicky -- I don't want to rain on your project, but I do want to make sure if there's a fault, you and/or your house are still around to enjoy it!


----------



## 32y0

Ah, now I get it.
 Thanks for letting me know, I'll take a look at it.


----------



## FallenAngel

You might have misunderstond _motherone_, the center pin (ground) on the IEC power socket should be connected to the metal case. If something catastrophic happens (like a power wire getting loose or those capacitors touching the case, it will put full AC line voltage through the case (and anybody touching it). You seem you have connected the the signal ground to the chassis; this is OK, but would be better done through a ground-lop breaker (10R 5Watt wirewound resistor in parallel with 0.1uF / 250VAC capacitor).

 A fuse in there will help as well.

 EDIT: Wow, took me too long to post, most of it was answered above.


----------



## dbfreak

For additional safety on all mains wiring, I'm in the habit of making the earth ground wire longer than the neutral and positive wires so that in the event the cord is yanked hard enough that it becomes disconnected, the earth ground is the last wire that would become detached from the circuit/enclosure.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_For additional safety on all mains wiring, I'm in the habit of making the earth ground wire longer than the neutral and positive wires so that in the event the cord is yanked hard enough that it becomes disconnected, the earth ground is the last wire that would become detached from the circuit/enclosure._

 

I LIKE that kind of thinking.

 well done, sir. THAT is design work for the real world!


----------



## dbfreak

I should say, significantly longer (and also near the entrance of the mains cord to the chassis) allowing the hot and neutral to clear the enclosure before the earth ground could ever become detached.


----------



## linuxworks

more progress on my 'combo box' system:












 still in a plastic box with ABS plastic end plates 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 its a lot easier to try things out and then throw away $1 worth of plastic panel than to go the metal CNC route 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 what's new on this build: I have the PGA chip volume control integrated internally, now. its the small green board with the 2 red shielded cables (line in and line out, in fact). that board is from ERROR401 (on this forum) and its modified by me for use with the arduino and my software.

 also new is an x10 'firecracker' interface that lets the arduino control remote x10 relays, which I use to turn my amp (beta22) on and off. when I use the IR remote to turn this big box on, it first turns on the b22 (at mute level), waits a few seconds for warm-up and then slowly unmutes via a volume 'ramp-up'. the reverse happens when you power down, it ramps down in volume, unclicks the power relay and then turns off the lcd display (but sits in standby, of course).

 there's 2 remoted spdif i/o ports now (coax and opto). both are properly treated with caps and inductors (good practice and yet both were omitted from the red ebay DAC board). right under the silver rca connector is a pulse transformer for isolation. under that, in the photo, is the db9 connector for the x10 firecracker module.

 to the rear/right are 2 line-out jacks, in somewhat typical pro audio form (one is wired as TRS for stereo and one is TS for the other channel). the idea is that you can use a single TRS plug for stereo or a pair of TS plugs (1/4" mono) for the same thing and the panel jacks give you more flexibility in what wires you can use to connect.

 finally, the arduino selects between coax and opto via that lone blue wire going from the metal box to the red board. setting that jumper to 0 gives coax and 1 gives opto. it was just 1 bit (pin) on the arduino, so it was an easy win 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have my PC setup to supply toslink and my popcorn-hour streamer to supply coax. that is my 2 sources and this box does pretty much all I need now (input selection, volume control, mp3 playback over ethernet/web and power on/off.)

 almost forgot: I added a 60minute sleep timer via software, so after that time expires, it ramps down in volume and shuts everything off (lol). yes, I'm completely serious 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 and a shot of the front, for completeness:


----------



## ezzieyguywuf

My humble little CMOY that I just built. First build!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Nothing humble about a first build, well done


----------



## AGTCooke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ezzieyguywuf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My humble little CMOY that I just built. First build!​_​
​
​


What's up with the crushed cap?​


----------



## DoYouRight

ya does it sound alright with the dented in capacitor? you should probably swap that out! asap!


----------



## mojo

Yeah, even if the cap still works it's probably best to replace it as it may leak. The stuff inside is not nice.


----------



## ezzieyguywuf

Hmph I been debating over wether or not to swap it. It sounds fine and hasn't given me any problems but this is like the 10th time I've heard that I should replace it. So what was the website, digi-something...


----------



## linuxworks

digikey or mouser.

 REPLACE IT.

 those things are not to be messed with (ie, abuse). even low voltage ones can pop if abused. that one is as abused as I've ever seen!


----------



## ezzieyguywuf

Will a radioshack cap suffice? That way I don't have to wait for it to ship?


----------



## Stevesebastianb

Here is my recent build:


























 Project link: VR2XMQ - Steve's Blog AF through SHF: The Homebrew 6DJ8 Single Tube Headphone Project.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ezzieyguywuf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Will a radioshack cap suffice? That way I don't have to wait for it to ship?_

 

if RS makes something close, same voltage or even a little higher, that's fine.

 get 2 so they match.


----------



## DoYouRight

very nice single tube there, never seen one before. how does it sound?


----------



## Stevesebastianb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_very nice single tube there, never seen one before. how does it sound?_

 

^^^ It sounds actually quite good ~ fairly well balanced and good soundstage, of course need to play around with caps to tailor the sound you want. Works well with Beyers. The 6DJ8 tube is NIB NOS Tungsram.


----------



## ezzieyguywuf

Quote:


 if RS makes something close, same voltage or even a little higher, that's fine.

 get 2 so they match. 
 

I just went ahead and got another one from digikey. Shipping was horrible compared the the price of just the cap, but I wanted to do it right. Ah, the things we do for audio... :-D


----------



## linuxworks

if shipping was bad, then why not just get two at the same time?

 or, did you order the exact same model/partnum?


----------



## Ynis Avalach

Here's my finally finished CTH. It's pretty stuffed and some parts are definatly overkill, I know
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Build number 3 that is after a B22 and a Mini³.




bigger




bigger




bigger




bigger




bigger

 please feel free to comment/criticize

 Ava


----------



## ezzieyguywuf

Quote:


 if shipping was bad, then why not just get two at the same time?

 or, did you order the exact same model/partnum? 
 

I did get two, but its the same exact part number. I'm only going to replace the bad one and keep the other as extra.


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Stevesebastianb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^^^ It sounds actually quite good ~ fairly well balanced and good soundstage, of course need to play around with caps to tailor the sound you want. Works well with Beyers. The 6DJ8 tube is NIB NOS Tungsram.




_

 

Where did you get the case? It looks like it might be great for an EHHA build I am contemplating.


----------



## smeggy

My combo AMB Beta 22 and Cavalli EHHA.


----------



## oneplustwo

I'm in the midst of working on three betas (2 active and 1 passive ground) at the same time. I've been doing them in a sort of assembly line which has actually worked out pretty well. (Sorry for the cell phone pics... I'm lazy.)






 Here's another pic with my own 4 channel in progress. It's been neglected while I work on these other guys.






 Waiting on some backordered parts from mouser and then it's time to do casework. I'll have one housed in a single par-metal enclosure with a sumr shielded toroid, one in dual par-metal enclosures, and one with dual custom wooden enclosures.


----------



## El_Doug

wow, bro - you have a lot of patience (not to mention time)!!! 

 jealous, indeed


----------



## smeggy

Very cool, and I had no idea what a glutton for punishment you were


----------



## Llama16

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *El_Doug* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_wow, bro - you have a lot of patience (not to mention time)!!! 

 jealous, indeed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

and money!!


----------



## oneplustwo

It will only be punishing if they don't work. If there's not too much trouble shooting, then all is good! Same thing on the patience side... I actually find my impatience helps me get things done. I'll have to use my patience for the casework and trouble shooting. As for money, these aren't all for me obviously, so that's not really relevant. Of course, if I break something, then it will come out of my pocket so maybe I should reserve judgment on that!


----------



## DoYouRight

wow Smeggy, EHHA and B22 in one case! That is magical! So you can easily switch from tubes to SS. Do they interfere with each other?


----------



## smeggy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_wow Smeggy, EHHA and B22 in one case! That is magical! So you can easily switch from tubes to SS. Do they interfere with each other?_

 

They run together at the same time, no switching. Eventually they'll have seperate inputs but now they share PSU, input and volume pot.


----------



## mattcalf

Interesting.

 Which is first in line?

*Edit:* Silly question.

 Beautiful builds smeggy and oneplustwo!


----------



## n_maher

A friend needed a switch box so I did some scrounging around to see what I could find for spare parts. An hour or so later and we had this:












 It's a 3:1 design with a common ground (unswitched). The switch and knob are from Mouser, the chassis from Ebay and the RCA's are from Headamp's DIY Store. Total construction cost was ~$70 or so, not bad.


----------



## ruZZ.il

not bad for spare parts. looking good.
 What's the deal with common ground having its own cable, and not in the RCA? is it for coax cables, trying to keep better symmetry ?


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ruZZ.il* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_not bad for spare parts. looking good.
 What's the deal with common ground having its own cable, and not in the RCA? is it for coax cables, trying to keep better symmetry ?_

 

I'm not sure what you mean about the common ground having its own cable? What I mean by common ground is that in this switch box the grounds of all of the RCAs are shared and not switched. The are tied together at the jacks and the only switched component are the L and R signal lines.


----------



## ruZZ.il

DOH. And the other 2 are outputs.
 My mind is not where I'd prefer it to be. I had no clue what you were talking about, but it turns out I just had no clue what I was thinking about. Damn exams. I need to build an amp


----------



## Stevesebastianb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrSlim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you get the case? It looks like it might be great for an EHHA build I am contemplating._

 

^^^ You can find it on ebay:

Hi Fi DIY Audio headphone chassis/case /D-Head - eBay (item 250426687063 end time Jul-16-09 15:29:20 PDT)

 Good luck with your build.


----------



## ShinyFalcon

My almost finished uncased Opus:


----------



## smeggy

My BEHHAta 22


----------



## MrSlim

Brilliant Name Smeggy.. 

 Next up: the BeStacked II ?


----------



## smeggy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Stevesebastianb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^^^ You can find it on ebay:

Hi Fi DIY Audio headphone chassis/case /D-Head - eBay (item 250426687063 end time Jul-16-09 15:29:20 PDT)

 Good luck with your build.




_

 

That looks like it could be a nice size for the EHHA with external psu (in a second case the same)


----------



## Oya?

Officially my first DIY build. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 Somehow I didn't have any issues with the amp itself, all systems go from the first try. But I the casework gave me a lot of grief since it was so cramped and I burned an EVJC pot and lifted its solder pads and traces. I wanted to mount it on the panel and soldering the wires to the tiny pads was really annoying. Luckily the electronics store had mini 50k pots in stock, and I popped that one right in. Also I ended up using a plastic knob because I couldn't ground this pot properly.

 There's a TREAD board peeking out of the corner as well, which I just put together from a kit, I'm going to use it with my Millet Hybrid. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 EDIT: Went back to the aluminium knob, managed to ground it properly this time.


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My BEHHAta 22 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 






 Very nice builds smeggy and oya!


----------



## mattcalf

Haha brilliant smeggy. Again, a beautiful build!


----------



## fishski13

here's a CK2II/preamp/y-1 DAC i built for a friend. it will be used in front of a Gainclone i recently built.

 -i DIYed the chassis with aluminum, flanked with tung-oiled cherry wood.
 -the source selector has green LEDs for input indicators. the speaker muting switch has an amber/on to indicate muted. my friend decided he wanted a blue LED "somewhere", soooo...power/on Scotty.
 -off-board PS with an additional LM7805 to provide the 5V DC for the y-1 DAC - all done P2P.
 -every thing "stock" per AMB's BOMs, including, jacks from Switchcraft, switches from TOCOS and Grayhill, and a PEC carbon pot.

 things i would have done differently:
 -i would have added an 1" to the chassis all the way around. it was a tight fit...or, instead, i would also reconsider removing the y-1 and building a separate chassis for it.
 -in hindsight, i should have just gone with the on-board PS for the CK2III - the off-boarding was probably unnecessary. it wasted some space-maybe an "1 all the way around. i could have easily tapped off the CK2III board for the LM7805 - it was my first gut idea, but instead opted for the off-board design. we'll have to see how this CK2III compares to the other one built for him a year ago though.
 -i would like a simpler DIY chassis design - cutting all the the brakets and drilling with precision is difficult and time consuming. i have a nice router and table that i will be using on my next build, a 2-channel B22...for myself. 

 the combo of this preamp/DAC build and the 50Wish Gaineclone shows my 200W Krell 400xi a thing or two, even driving the horribly ineffcient load of my ATC 12scm loudspeakers. they will utlimately be paired with a pair of full-range Fostex FF85K loudspeakers my friend and i are building.

 we DIYers are a lucky group of audio/music lovers. thanks to Alex, Ti, Mr. X and anyone else who made this project possible.


----------



## Sathimas

cool build fishski13

 Could you post some details on the rotary switch for the inputs
 and how you connected that with the indicator LEDs?
 Maybe some shematic?

 I'm planning something like this for my M³ too.


----------



## mugdecoffee

Looks awesome fishski123! I've been thinking about building a similar metal/wood case for by bijou but I don't know where to begin with the aluminum. What tools did you use? Where did you get the aluminum pieces?


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sathimas* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_cool build fishski13

 Could you post some details on the rotary switch for the inputs
 and how you connected that with the indicator LEDs?
 Maybe some shematic?

 I'm planning something like this for my M³ too._

 

i used this 2-deck, 2-poles per deck rotary switch: Digi-Key - GH7104-ND (Grayhill Inc - 71BD30-02-2-AJN)

 sorry no schematic, but will try to explain as best i can. 

 i wired L and R channels on separate decks - each on 1 pole of the separate decks. the LED and DAC (selecting between optical and coax) are on the remaining separate 2 poles, one pole on each deck. you would only need a total of 3 different poles without a DAC output selection.

 the LEDs are soldered onto a Vector perforated prototyping board, mounted on the back-side of the face-plate. my original design was to include diodes so that if #4 source (top most LED) was selected, all 4 LEDs would be illuminated from bottom to top, and if the #3 source was selected, 3 LEDs would be illuminated etc....well, it didn't work out, so rather than ripping everything out, i just sniped out the diodes and left it with a single LED per source selection. with all 4 LEDs illuminated, it looked a bit OTT anyway.

 what i would do for your M3 is socket the LED resistor on the board. take the + wire and run it to the "common" lug on one of the switch's poles. run wires from each "selection" lug on the corresponding deck to each LED +. connect all of the (-) leads of the LEDs together and run a wire back to the (-) on the M3 LED pad.

 if your chassis isn't thick enough for tapped blind holes for LED mounting, then you're going to have to secure/mount each LED individually on the face-plate and "air-wire"; or better yet, mount an L-bracket on the bottom of the chassis that will serve as a place to mount the perfboard, just behind the face-plate.

 PM me if this doesn't make any sense or if you have any other questions. it's pretty easy to do.


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mugdecoffee* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks awesome fishski123! I've been thinking about building a similar metal/wood case for by bijou but I don't know where to begin with the aluminum. What tools did you use? Where did you get the aluminum pieces?_

 

i'm fortunate enough to have these guys a couple of miles down the road: Discount Steel - The widest selection of steel, aluminum and other metals at discount prices.. i can get "drop" scrap pieces dirt cheap - the most i've paid is $3/lb, and the last time i was there, i stocked up when it was $1.50/lb. they can do custom cuts, but at a price...check out their website to get a quote.

 you need a decent non-ferrous blade, chop-box and table saw (if cutting larger pieces) - a person file and many clamps will be you're new best friends as well if you're not buying custom cuts. i use a blade by Freud - it cuts through 1/4" aluminum like butter as long as you use cutting lubricant: Freud 10 Ultimate Nonferrous Metal Blade [FR-LU89M010] - $81.99 : Seven Corners Hardware, The finest quality tools, accessories, and hardware at the lowest prices

 my next build will be a B22. another DIY chassis, but i hope to be simpler. i'm going with a traditional tube design wrap-around wood, with top and bottom aluminum. you can easily get by with only a chop-box and a much cheaper wood blade if ordering custom aluminum top and bottom-plates. i've completed 3 DIY chassis now and have learned a lot. 

 DIYing a chassis is WAY WAY more work and time consuming than stuffing a PCB, running wire, and drilling out a pre-fab chassis...way more. but it's rewarding if you enjoy working with metal/wood. tapping the top brackets supporting the top-plate and getting everything lined up was a total bitch the first time around with the Gainclone - much easier the second time around with this project. i would encourage any DIYer with the space and means to give it a go.

 PM me with any questions.


----------



## Ferrari

Fresh from the workbench, here is a picture of my Buffalo32 DAC.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fresh from the workbench, here is a picture of my Buffalo32 DAC. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding669.jpg_

 

Great work as usual 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Any inside pics?


----------



## wiatrob

I hate following Ferrari! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice looking build as always...

 Almost finished casing my high-current version SOHAII (need to score some more black socket cap screws and engrave the nameplate...)


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Great work as usual 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Any inside pics?_

 


 More pics will follow soon, after I clean up the internal wiring a bit, probably next weekend. 
 Don’t know how the weather is in the Nordic countries but in the Netherlands it's really too hot today to do anything.
 I just sit back and give this DAC a listen, using my old Marantz CD-63KI as transport. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 How is your Buffalo32 DAC going, btw?




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Almost finished casing my high-current version SOHAII (need to score some more black socket cap screws and engrave the nameplate...)

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/4770/sohaiifront.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/1769/sohaiirear.jpg_

 

Funny perforated enclosure, it definitely provides very good ventilation for your SOHA II.
 Well done wiatrob!


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Funny perforated enclosure, it definitely provides very good ventilation for your SOHA II.
 Well done wiatrob! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It's a 'Crop Circle' Motif! Surplus case, hammered-metal rattle can finish...

 Gratuitous LED bling shot:


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Fresh from the workbench, here is a picture of my Buffalo32 DAC. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding669.jpg_

 

Oh my, oh my! What a clean looking DAC...
 Well done!


----------



## FallenAngel

Beautiful looking builds guys!

 Can I add my personal Buffalo32 DAC 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I use it for music and gaming so I run I2S from an ESI Juli@ for music and coax S/PDIF from a Creative XtremeMusic for games. Internal power wiring is a bit of a mess. I use a single power supply for both analog sections of the Buffalo32 and a single supply for the digital section. The other "half" of a dual LM317 PSU runs both the S/PDIF reciever and OTTO (through an inline-wired 7805 regulator). The input selector switch actually feeding power to the OTTO vs S/PDIF receiver. OTTO has power (switched), I2S input is used, S/PDIF has power (which means OTTO is un-powered and closed), S/PDIF is used. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












 My "final" setup


----------



## Sherwood

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Gratuitous LED bling shot:_

 

Just because they called you tripod in college doesn't mean you can handhold macro shots in low light, Bill


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sherwood* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just because they called you tripod in college doesn't mean you can handhold macro shots in low light, Bill 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Haha- BTW, it WAS shot on a tripod, slow sync, rear curtain shutter. It was such a looong exposure that he earth rotated and caused motion blur 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks like I am going to have to step up to the FPE club here soon!


----------



## DoYouRight

Wow FallenAngel, with your Buffalo now that silver sex matching rig is what Im working on but slightly different, and from that Rig picture, I am SO EXCITED!

 Great job and you truly do amazing work. How does it sound!?


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Can I add my personal Buffalo32 DAC 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Sweet! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Buffalo32 DAC with matching chassis to the β22 and α22...


----------



## oneplustwo

Fallenangel, looks awesome! I'm trying to finish up my balanced B22 and I'm waiting on my Buffalo parts to arrive (any day now) so hopefully I'll have a setup very similar to yours soon. Mine won't be nearly as pretty though. I am using the same par-metal cases but I'm too cheap to use FPE. Looking at the results and realizing what a pain in the butt panel work is may change my mind shortly though.


----------



## FallenAngel

Thanks guys. That's the main reason I switched to FPE, at about $100 per panel after shipping, it's just worth it considering looks and the considerable amount of time I save by skipping "casework".


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks guys. That's the main reason I switched to FPE, at about $100 per panel after shipping, it's just worth it considering looks and the considerable amount of time I save by skipping "casework"._

 

Is that with you supplying the panels?

 I am going to re-case my Buffalo into a HiFi 2000 Pesante 2U case with 10mm thick aluminium panels front and rear...... I have ordered a new stepped drill bit, but was NOT looking forward to actually doing the casework.

 $100 a panel is fairly attractive......


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is that with you supplying the panels?

 I am going to re-case my Buffalo into a HiFi 2000 Pesante 2U case with 10mm thick aluminium panels front and rear...... I have ordered a new stepped drill bit, but was NOT looking forward to actually doing the casework.

 $100 a panel is fairly attractive......_

 

It's actually not that much different price wise if you supply your own panel vs. buying material in my experience. The reason is that they generally tack on an extra setup fee if using the customer's material. Also, I'd highly recommend that anyone thinking of using FPE at least check out Front Panel Design and Fabrication Custom Front Panels - similar service, can accept FPE files, turn-around is half the time and for those of us on the East Coast shipping is way faster and less expensive.


----------



## Beefy

I've seen you mention them before. Might check it out.

 But realistically, I don't need engraving done - just the panel cutouts. Perhaps I should just be looking at local machine shops to save myself some money and the hassle of postage......


----------



## JamesL

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Also, I'd highly recommend that anyone thinking of using FPE at least check out Front Panel Design and Fabrication Custom Front Panels - similar service, can accept FPE files, turn-around is half the time and for those of us on the East Coast shipping is way faster and less expensive._

 

Thanks for that! It's the first time I've heard of them, but they seem like a great alternative since I can appreciate the faster turnaround and cheaper shipping.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JamesL* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks for that! It's the first time I've heard of them, but they seem like a great alternative since I can appreciate the faster turnaround and cheaper shipping._

 

I forgot to mention that they are generally 10 to 15% cheaper than FPE on their prices as well!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is that with you supplying the panels?

 I am going to re-case my Buffalo into a HiFi 2000 Pesante 2U case with 10mm thick aluminium panels front and rear...... I have ordered a new stepped drill bit, but was NOT looking forward to actually doing the casework.

 $100 a panel is fairly attractive......_

 

not to me its not!

 I must be alone here, in a way. I'm cheaping out with 'crinkle finish' ABS plastic that is cut to size at my local TAP plastics shop. its about a dollar panel! no labeling but that can also be done on the cheap in a few ways. all the cheap ways do *look* somewhat temporary, but then again, its a dollar or so instead of 100x that! geeze.

 do all builds have to be a show of how much you've spent on metal????

 come on. come on back to earth, everyone. please. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 it just seems that the cost is getting out of hand and no one is pulling the stop cord.

 continuing the 'image' that heavy and fancy engraved metal is a proof of what's inside really is kind of getting old. to be honest.

 sorry, but had to be said, I think.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Also, I'd highly recommend that anyone thinking of using FPE at least check out Front Panel Design and Fabrication Custom Front Panels - similar service, can accept FPE files, turn-around is half the time and for those of us on the East Coast shipping is way faster and less expensive._

 

Thanks for the link ... **Bookmarked**
 Might come handy some day, as an alternative to FPE.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_do all builds have to be a show of how much you've spent on metal????_

 

Not at all. But I intend for this case to be the home of my primary DAC for many years to come. I am investing fully shielded and encapsulated transformers, going to build an E24, and spending a great deal on getting a very nice HiFi 2000 case - not to mention all of the money and time invested in the components.

 So for all this time and money, why skimp out on the panel work? Why not let it look the part to match its performance?


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_do all builds have to be a show of how much you've spent on metal????_

 

I think there's a happy medium to be found and can't imagine spending $100 on a single panel. On the last amp that I built I ordered 4 panels and the total with shipping was less than $100 so at $25 per panel I think it's very worth it. It also depends on what you're building. I'd never both with machined panels on a starving student but for something nice it's little touches that go a long way towards making something look less like a home-built amp and more like something you'd proudly display in an office. Mind you, I build things both ways and have no problem with folks that don't go the pre-fab route and think that those builds can be every bit as attractive as those that do.


----------



## linuxworks

I can see spending some money on a set of panels if this is going to be on display and around 'for a long time'. I really do wonder, though, what the lifetime of many of these 'expensive builds' are. the days of having gear around for 10+ years is mostly over, isn't it? tech moves on and if its DIY, why wouldn't that, also, move on?

 how many 'build it yourself' projects are really just becoming 'BUY it yourself'. if you know what I mean...


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I can see spending some money on a set of panels if this is going to be on display and around 'for a long time'. I really do wonder, though, what the lifetime of many of these 'expensive builds' are. the days of having gear around for 10+ years is mostly over, isn't it? tech moves on and if its DIY, why wouldn't that, also, move on?_

 

If you plan the casework correctly, it can last several incarnations of the gear inside. Power inlet, power switch, selector switch, 'standard' Neutrik jacks - all of these things will last for a very long time and support almost any internal equipment.

  Quote:


 how many 'build it yourself' projects are really just becoming 'BUY it yourself'. if you know what I mean... 
 

You paying $1 for your panels is still having someone else build it for you......


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_If you plan the casework correctly, it can last several incarnations of the gear inside. Power inlet, power switch, selector switch, 'standard' Neutrik jacks - all of these things will last for a very long time and support almost any internal equipment._

 

that's utilitarian thinking that I like 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 FEELS more like DIY.

  Quote:


 You paying $1 for your panels is still having someone else build it for you...... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 

I think its mostly material, not labor. they charge labor for 'fancy things' (internal cuts or cut-outs) but I get just rectangles, same as any lumberyard would do if you asked for a piece of wood.

 there used to be a cooking show on PBS a long time ago called 'frugal gourmet' (I confess, I did like that show) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 his focus was to create good food that didn't cost a lot or didn't *need* to cost a lot. that feels a lot more like DIY to me than simply choosing the most expensive design and throwing more money at it via panels. again, that seems more like a buy-it-yourself effort.

 the trend of over-spending on jewelry just seems wrong. I'm probably in the minority, I realize that; but it seems WRONG for DIY to become another jewelry contest.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm probably in the minority, I realize that; but it seems WRONG for DIY to become another jewelry contest._

 

I didn't realise it was a competition.

 I just want something clean and without mistakes, and don't have the tools to do a proper job myself.


----------



## El_Doug

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_the trend of over-spending on jewelry just seems wrong. I'm probably in the minority, I realize that; but it seems WRONG for DIY to become another jewelry contest._

 

i take it youre not married? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 if i had a roughly cut plastic box showing, there'd be hell to pay


----------



## linuxworks

there's certainly a competitive nature to this, you have to admit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 just seems like a fine line between building and simply having all the hard parts done for you.

 I am envious of those that have good tool shops (and access) but to be honest, I'm less impressed with a showy front panel when the assembler did not do it *himself*. I'd rather see something 'personal' than just an 'orderable'. if its just a matter of ordering parts, its just less impressive of an effort even if it does have gold engraved panels, filled with jewels 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 if you DID the work, overall, its an impressive effort. sub-contracting out work is less impressive. who cares how much money you have to spend - that is just NOT the point, here, I don't think!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *El_Doug* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_i take it youre not married? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 if i had a roughly cut plastic box showing, there'd be hell to pay 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

or maybe you need to retrain your wife?

 (sorry but you asked for it!)


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I didn't realise it was a competition._

 

Agreed. I do things the way that I do because that's the way that _I_ like it. Whether or not that works for anyone else isn't much of a consideration, if any. 

 And linuxworks, having the panels cut for you is hardly sidestepping "hard work". I'd say I put in as much time or more in designing the panels I use as I would if I just fab'd them myself. I'd also suggest you stop taking liberties with what is or is not someone's motivation for doing something. No one that I can see is thinking less of you because of your choices but you certainly seem to be doing that to others. So how about getting off that high horse and just having a little fun? If you don't want to get panels made, good for you, but stop chastising people for deciding that's the way they want to do it.


----------



## adamus

part way through a balanced build. An offering from russ white (TP), a group buy organised by mrmajestic from diyaudio.


----------



## DoYouRight

The pride of building something that sounds and looks better than retail products is the reason, these B22s or what have you with FPE panels rival many retail amps costing 2x+ or more.


----------



## oneplustwo

This seems like a very personal decision with no right or wrong. It's your time and your money and your priorities. Do what works best for you.


----------



## rds

I can see something to what Linuxworks is saying. It seems that as commercial offerings imitate diy circuit designs, diy projects imitate commercial looks.
 There is a nice aesthetic to something that is clearly built by hand rather than looking like it may have rolled off an assembly line. 

 I do like real jewelry btw... and just a note, the best jewelry is made by hand


----------



## linuxworks

"having a little fun", nate? huh?

 whatever. yes sir, moderator sir.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 whatever. yes sir, moderator sir._

 

Generally speaking what I have to say has nothing to do with the bold title under my name. Going back 5 years these "what is _real_ DIY" debates seriously rub me the wrong way. Especially when folks start leveling judgments about what other people are doing and its "value" as a build (not in the monetary sense). There's plenty of room for everything and nothing needs to be put down.

 So like I said, quit trying to interpret what the point is around here, do your own thing and when you like what you see comment. If you insist on putting down other people's work then yes, you might warrant attention from a moderator.


----------



## linuxworks

and so, when something rubs you the wrong way, you comment.

 I am not allowed the same?

 that's all I'm saying, nate.

 seeing all the sub-out'd panels, as a trend, made me want to comment. it wasn't an attack but truly a comment on what people are valuing in a build and why.

 you started with this 'high horse' stuff, not me. I was making comments *about* what the DIY values are. seems like a valid comment, to me. I'm seeing more and more 'panel jobs' and it seems comment-worthy. its a trend and I wonder if its a good one.

 I did not need your 'high horse' comment. I reacted to that. anyone would. this subject matter - prettiness on the outside - is a valid subject to talk about, especially on a DIY subforum.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_and so, when something rubs you the wrong way, you comment.

 I am not allowed the same?_

 

Please check your PM's and please, let's allow this thread to get back on topic.


----------



## Beefy

...... aaaaanyway......

 I had no idea that the Bulgin illuminated switches so many people use with the E24 were so expensive


----------



## nsx_23

Damn I want to get back to building amps and things.....haven't whipped out the soldering iron in almost 4 months now...


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...... aaaaanyway......

 I had no idea that the Bulgin illuminated switches so many people use with the E24 were so expensive 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Start looking for computer parts stores online, you can find some very attractive much less expensive momentary switches. Ebay also has had some decent switches in the past as well.


----------



## fzman

i guess i didn't know there had to be a "diy value" structure which had to be followed.

 i think there are lots of points being made here in this thread, and many of them have merit. people here do some amazing stuff, both technologically (linuxworks!!!) and casework, creative design -- too many to be named. in an electronic format, pride can come off as bragging, and when people, myself included, are confronted with some of the amazing projects displayed in this forum, it makes for feeling like you;ve done a crayon drawing that a 14 month old would do, and your parents put it on the fridge out of pride....... i know i feel that way sometimes, lacking some of the skills, budget, expertise, patience, time, tools, whatever to do this level of craft.

 these feelings, at the end of the day, are one's own responsibility. i don't feel like anyone here is being a bully, or a blow-hard. i learn a lot here, and want that to continue.

 lastly, i think people come here for a variety of reasons, and build for a variety of reasons. questions are politely asked and answered, tips shared, and it's fun........

 just my 2 cents!


 mark


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fzman* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_i guess i didn't know there had to be a "diy value" structure which had to be followed.

 i think there are lots of points being made here in this thread, and many of them have merit. people here do some amazing stuff, both technologically (linuxworks!!!) and casework, creative design -- too many to be named. in an electronic format, pride can come off as bragging, and when people, myself included, are confronted with some of the amazing projects displayed in this forum, it makes for feeling like you;ve done a crayon drawing that a 14 month old would do, and your parents put it on the fridge out of pride....... i know i feel that way sometimes, lacking some of the skills, budget, expertise, patience, time, tools, whatever to do this level of craft.

 these feelings, at the end of the day, are one's own responsibility. i don't feel like anyone here is being a bully, or a blow-hard. i learn a lot here, and want that to continue.

 lastly, i think people come here for a variety of reasons, and build for a variety of reasons. questions are politely asked and answered, tips shared, and it's fun........

 just my 2 cents!


 mark_

 

x2. in the end, the DIYer has to look at the project day in and day out. whatever floats your boat. that being said, and after DIYing 4 different chassis, i have a huge amount of respect for those that choose to do so, both artistically and the amount of time and skill required.

 to be honest, i feel a bit lazy going with an FPE face-plate with my Bijou re-build, but i know it will look gorgeous.

 hats off to all DIYers!!!


----------



## funch

x3. No one should ever feel like their creation is too unworthy to post
 them here.

 I can't tell you how many times I've stolen, er.., I mean, borrowed ideas
 from pix of someone's efforts. We all have something to share, so let's get
 to it, shall we?


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I can't tell you how many times I've stolen, er.., I mean, borrowed ideas from pix of someone's efforts. We all have something to share, so let's get to it, shall we? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

okidoki then, ..here's my face plate for my Bijou (WIP) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 The vu meters in the picture will be replaced by this one:


----------



## sachu

dude..that is just OFF THE HOOK!! That is just sick man...sick i tell you!!


----------



## grawk

Oh, don't replace the classic one with the awful blue one


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grawk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Oh, don't replace the classic one with the awful blue one_

 

no way...+1 for blue.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Start looking for computer parts stores online, you can find some very attractive much less expensive momentary switches. Ebay also has had some decent switches in the past as well. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

The ones from PerformancePC are actually pretty good. The black ones look amazing on a black panel too.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The ones from PerformancePC are actually pretty good. The black ones look amazing on a black panel too._

 

*bookmarked*

 I am actually wondering whether it is possible to use a Bulgin dual illuminated switch, to use one LED for power good from the E24, and the second LED for SPDIF lock from the TPA MUX.

 My front panel would then be the ultimate in simplicity..... a single button for power, single knob for digital input selection. But I'm not sure that there is any way to do it with how the LEDs are wired 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 [EDIT] Hmmm, but then again, I will have a spare OTTO when I buy a MUX. I wonder if I can power the relay from the lock light on the MUX?


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The ones from PerformancePC are actually pretty good. The black ones look amazing on a black panel too._

 

I have no idea what you could be talking about...


----------



## DoYouRight

sessy


----------



## Lacroix

Hello all
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Over the last few days I've been reading and thoroughly enjoying looking at all the fine DIY projects that grace this thread. 

 This is my first completed DIY piece of kit:






 Fairly standard build with the exception of some Nichicon FW for rail filtering. Drives the HD650s superbly


----------



## DoYouRight

great job 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Any other extensions? or external psu maybe?


----------



## adamus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lacroix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hello all
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Over the last few days I've been reading and thoroughly enjoying looking at all the fine DIY projects that grace this thread. 

 This is my first completed DIY piece of kit:






 Fairly standard build with the exception of some Nichicon FW for rail filtering. Drives the HD650s superbly
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

looks good.

 As a quick tip, to clean up the input wiring slightly, if you have power one side (say move the transformer to the left, and have the IEC socket on the left) then have the RCA's on the right, you can run the input wires further away from the transformer, less interference


----------



## Lacroix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_great job 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Any other extensions? or external psu maybe?_

 

Thanks
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The case was a little rushed out of anticipation of listening, so in the future I would like to re-case it in something more classy than a Hammond, and also provide shielded cable for the signal, instead of the twisted generic hookup wire that's in there now.

 External transformer would be nice also, but at this stage zero trace of mains hum so I'm happy with it all being in one box. 

 Some heatsinks for the output devices are also on the list so I can wind that quiescent current up a little too
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Great sounding little amp, and not to harsh on the wallet either.


----------



## Lacroix

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_looks good.

 As a quick tip, to clean up the input wiring slightly, if you have power one side (say move the transformer to the left, and have the IEC socket on the left) then have the RCA's on the right, you can run the input wires further away from the transformer, less interference_

 

Just saw your post as I finished mine
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks for the complments
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 When it all goes in the new, larger case, the wiring should be optimized due to increased space that the new case will bring.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*bookmarked*

 I am actually wondering whether it is possible to use a Bulgin dual illuminated switch, to use one LED for power good from the E24, and the second LED for SPDIF lock from the TPA MUX._

 

Should be possible, but they cant be on at the same time.


----------



## Beefy

Yeah, I worked that out pretty quickly 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 But please correct me if I am wrong...... there are just two terminals and voltage in one direction lights up one LED, in the other direction the other LED? So what I plan to do is power the LED from the E24 board, into an OTTO, to the LED. Default state, it will light up red. I will wire it so that triggering of the OTTO will reverse the polarity of the supply to the LED, changing the colour to green or blue (depending on switch model of course).

 But this is all dependent on the MUX LOCK pads being sufficient to trigger the OTTO. I have asked the TPA boys this question on the DIY Audio forums......


----------



## tintin47

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lacroix* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hello all
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Over the last few days I've been reading and thoroughly enjoying looking at all the fine DIY projects that grace this thread. 

 This is my first completed DIY piece of kit:






 Fairly standard build with the exception of some Nichicon FW for rail filtering. Drives the HD650s superbly
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Nice build. It looks very similar to my CK2III. I did almost the same thing with casing that you did -- rushing to get a listen. That will all change on my next build (beta). Now that I have got some projects under my belt, I fully expect to spend more than 50% of my time casing.


----------



## smeggy

EHHA amp and Pico DAC in the case, partially wired











 hope to fire it up tonight.


----------



## n_maher

Very cool Gary.


----------



## DoYouRight

Where is the stuff on the pico dac???? All i see is connectors and a pcb nothing else?

 BTW Very sexy! Im thinking about throwing an emu 0404 into my buffalo chassis to make it easier to just plug the usb of the buffalo and not have 2 things dangling together.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_EHHA amp and Pico DAC in the case, partially wired

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9421/dsc8059.jpg
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2530/dsc8062.jpg

 hope to fire it up tonight._

 

Pico DAC built into another unit. /me really like the idea...
 Looks great as well.


----------



## smeggy

all the teeny chips are on the other side.

 It's cool as I just have a flying USB and optional RCA inputs.


----------



## El_Doug

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_BTW Very sexy! Im thinking about throwing an emu 0404 into my buffalo chassis to make it easier to just plug the usb of the buffalo and not have 2 things dangling together. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

as opposed to a simple usb->spdif or usb->i2s pcb? sounds kinda silly to me


----------



## DoYouRight

decided on a Bel Canto USBLink 24/96 converter, it has no drivers and outputs 75 ohm BNC.

 Finally, have that all behind me and can just work on getting my stuff built


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...it has no drivers..._

 

In the context it seems that you're saying that's a good thing. Maybe you really enjoy writing and debugging drivers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Also the challenge of implementing 24/96 or 24/192 usb is writing the drivers, the rest is just a straightforward circuit and off the shelf micro controller.


----------



## smeggy

Hah, she's all wired up and sounding glorious again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 nice and simple having the DAC inside as well. I have a very short length going from DAC to pot.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, I worked that out pretty quickly 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But please correct me if I am wrong...... there are just two terminals and voltage in one direction lights up one LED, in the other direction the other LED? So what I plan to do is power the LED from the E24 board, into an OTTO, to the LED. Default state, it will light up red. I will wire it so that triggering of the OTTO will reverse the polarity of the supply to the LED, changing the colour to green or blue (depending on switch model of course).

 But this is all dependent on the MUX LOCK pads being sufficient to trigger the OTTO. I have asked the TPA boys this question on the DIY Audio forums......_

 

Correct on the LED voltage direction. The purpose of the dual LEDs is to indicate when the thermal breaker is engaged. Not sure how to use the dual LED for other purposes, I guess AMB can answer that for you. The TP guys have already answered your question on their forum about the MUX LED triggering the OTTO.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The purpose of the dual LEDs is to indicate when the thermal breaker is engaged. Not sure how to use the dual LED for other purposes, I guess AMB can answer that for you._

 

I don't intend on installing the thermal breakers, so realistically, the LED pads should just be a 12V supply behind a resistor.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I don't intend on installing the thermal breakers, so realistically, the LED pads should just be a 12V supply behind a resistor._

 

Yes, but I'm unsure how the switching of the LEDs actually works. I suck at reading diagrams so I'm not the right person to answer this in detail


----------



## Beefy

Ah, I see 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 [EDIT] Huh. When the thermal breakers trip, it flips a relay - EXACTLY what I want to do with the OTTO on a separate board. This gives me an idea......

 No, idea is gone. Doesn't seem possible to separate the LED relay action from the power relay action.

 [EDIT 2] Actually, I might be able to do it. I could just wire up the 'trigger' from the MUX to Q1 on the E24.


----------



## eventpc

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Also, I'd highly recommend that anyone thinking of using FPE at least check out Front Panel Design and Fabrication Custom Front Panels - similar service, can accept FPE files, turn-around is half the time and for those of us on the East Coast shipping is way faster and less expensive._

 

I used FPE till I found your post. FPE is quite expensive, and I was always looking for a solution that has the same opportunities as FPE.
 Then I wanted to use Cam Expert's service to see what they can do, and I can say that they have the same quality. The pricing (10% – 16% cheaper then FPE), service, shipment and the communication is better than FPE. Also I noticed that Heinz who worked by FPE, now works for Cam Expert. I was surprised where he was gone, but as I called Cam Expert I was happy to have him back, because he really does his work well. I know that he worked there a long time and as he was gone FPE wasn’t the same. Cam Expert gives you a quote on the same day! 

 I just wanted to let you guys know about that and you should think of using them as well. 

 And if you have a problem, they really try their best to help you. 

 They have many options of reading your files, you don’t need the FPE Designer, also if you can use that as well. And not only that, the options they have are all great!

 Just have a look at their page and give them a call Front Panel Design and Fabrication Custom Front Panels


----------



## malweth

This is my first. A CMoy 18v, though the second 9v battery doesn't fit in the case (I thought it wouldn't be a problem until I finished wiring)!

 I misread the phono jack data sheet and tied the right channel to the shield jack, but it was an easy find and fix. It's amazing how much better the iPod sounds through this thing!

 My next build planned is the Millett's SS. I'm waiting for the tubes to arrive, though I think I'm going to wait a while (I have to finish my degree first -- hopefully defending my M.S. in December)!





 Sorry for the poor picture - I took a few quick ones without much light this morning.


----------



## sachu

3 brand spanking new CTHs tested and ready.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





















 They all feature Janzten audio 0.22uF crosscaps for the coupling caps.
 The middle one in the long case has preouts and a shunted ALPS RK27, while the leftmost small one has a mini out which is switched by the neutrik1/4 inch jack.

 The 4th one needs an inductor and the 5th one (mine) needs a splitter section transplant
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## Hayduke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *malweth* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is my first. A CMoy 18v, though the second 9v battery doesn't fit in the case (I thought it wouldn't be a problem until I finished wiring)!

 I misread the phono jack data sheet and tied the right channel to the shield jack, but it was an easy find and fix. It's amazing how much better the iPod sounds through this thing!

 My next build planned is the Millett's SS. I'm waiting for the tubes to arrive, though I think I'm going to wait a while (I have to finish my degree first -- hopefully defending my M.S. in December)!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/malweth/3701128798/

 Sorry for the poor picture - I took a few quick ones without much light this morning._

 

Nice work. Since nobody else has said it yet...

 Welcome to head-fi, sorry about your wallet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sachu,

 Where do you get that perforated metal for the tops of the amps?


----------



## sachu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hayduke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sachu,

 Where do you get that perforated metal for the tops of the amps?_

 

They were bought from wiatrob @ sprucecanyonlabs.com


----------



## jdkJake

Hello all,

 Nowhere near as exciting (or pretty) as some of the stuff being posted recently, but, I am still happy with the results.

 If you are interested, full details (and more picture) here:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/pas...ke-1-a-433648/

 jk


----------



## n_maher

jk,

 Functional is always good in my book.


----------



## ezzieyguywuf

Quote:


 My next build planned is the Millett's SS. I'm waiting for the tubes to arrive, though I think I'm going to wait a while (I have to finish my degree first -- hopefully defending my M.S. in December)! 
 

Where did you get your tubes for the SS from? I been searching for weeks!


----------



## KWS




----------



## fishski13

KWS,
 excellent. what's the brand of the SA?


----------



## Lil' Knight

The attenuator looks great.


----------



## malweth

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ezzieyguywuf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you get your tubes for the SS from? I been searching for weeks!_

 

I e-mailed a number of tube sellers (there are a ton on the internet) and was able to find a set from Bob Dobush. Unfortunately I purchased his last few.

 They arrived very nicely packaged yesterday... Next I need to get the rest of the components!


----------



## 32y0

Allright, I have added a fuse to my build and now I'm wondering if and how I can make the amp sound even better.
 Here a link to the page I showed my amp: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/pos.../index350.html.
 I don't know, maybe some better capacitors? please let me know what you think can improve the amp.


----------



## qkizz

Hello,
 Always under construction, still improving and it's getting prettier.
 Beta22 completed a few years ago and since than went through transformation from 3ch to 5ch. All I can say is that wiring is my achilles heel. I have to work on it harder. Also FPE for Beta22 is kinda "beta" version 
 This stuff sounds fantastic. Much worth the effort of "creation".


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *qkizz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hello,
 Always under construction, still improving and it's getting prettier.
 Beta22 completed a few years ago and since than went through transformation from 3ch to 5ch. All I can say is that wiring is my achilles heel. I have to work on it harder. Also FPE for Beta22 is kinda "beta" version 
 This stuff sounds fantastic. Much worth the effort of "creation".

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/5421/all2h.jpg
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/9278/b24.jpg
http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/412/b22.jpg
http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/59/b22inside.jpg_

 

Massive drool factor! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Nothing short of impressive looking builds.. Really like the black and silver front panels. Well done!


----------



## Sherwood

My word, what pretty boxes!

 I bet they get even prettier when you turn them on


----------



## Lil' Knight

Those betas are freakin' amazing!
 I love your front panel design, simple but elegant.


----------



## FallenAngel

Looks nice, congrats. Now what about shots of the B24


----------



## danobeavis

Here is my latest "re-house a Class D" cheap amp project.
















 I've posted an in-depth article with loads of pictures and ideas so if you are looking to put something fun into an enclosure, give it a look:

Let's Build a Class D Amplifier!

 Happy Wednesday!


----------



## DoYouRight

that is insane, 2 b24s?


----------



## linuxworks

nice write-up, dano.

 I also have one of those class-D amps. I should case mine up, too. mine was $15


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_that is insane, 2 b24s?_

 

qkizz's β24s are monoblocks -- a separate chassis for each channel.


----------



## mojo

qkizz, I like what you have done with the front panel. By using a smaller bit of metal for the odd shaped bits and logo it keeps the costs down and saves doing the whole front part.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *danobeavis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

is that power connector a 1/8" audio jack??

 tell me it isn't.


----------



## danobeavis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_is that power connector a 1/8" audio jack??

 tell me it isn't._

 

Yep, but it is there because I didn't have enough room to do my standard kobiconn insulated part.


----------



## linuxworks

you do realize that if it comes out while the power is on, its *shorting* right?

 audio alchemy designed gear like that. not a good idea, especially on production gear.

 I would really suggest getting a non-shorting barrel style connector.


----------



## danobeavis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_you do realize that if it comes out while the power is on, its *shorting* right?

 audio alchemy designed gear like that. not a good idea, especially on production gear.

 I would really suggest getting a non-shorting barrel style connector._

 

Yep, as mentioned I nomrally use plastic kobiconns. On this particular build, I underestimated the part size when I drilled the back panel. Rather than scrap the enclosure, I decided to forge ahead with the parts available. I actually pull the wallwart out of the socket before switching of before unplugging. As for production gear, I've built 20-40 unit runs of guitar effects before, so I wouldn't take that shortcut on a production unit.

 BTW, I've dug out my arduino and some relays, going to work pushbutton source switcher. Your pics have had me itching to go back to MCU stuff for a while...


----------



## sw1tched0n

Hello everyone,

 I just wanted to say that seeing all these pictures and reading about everyone's projects is incredibly motivating. I'm pretty much just starting to get into these kind of things and it is awesome that so many people are this talented at it. Hopefully before too long I'll have something of my own to share.


----------



## liltehood

i'd suggest u start with a cMoy amplifier. you can get all infos u need here: Tangentsoft Lookin' forward to see ur first project.


----------



## linuxworks

2 'mad scientist' (bwahahaha!) pics showing a test bed, quite unfinished, but slowly getting there:











 trying out a slightly different take on the old relay attenuator thing. and trying to keep the software so that it works for both the PGA style volume control chips as well as relay methods. I'm trying out 7bit relays here, so that goes from -127db to 0. the PGA chip 'only' goes from -95db but also gives gain and goes to +31db, if called upon.

 this was a lot of soldering, these 2 boards. I would not recommend this (lol). but it also gave me some insights on trace layout, so it was not a total waste. sometimes you can really appreciate some geometry or layout when you've had to manually solder things over and over again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 like this:






 lol!

 again, not recommended. it was very frustrating trying to solder this.


----------



## n_maher

Very cool stuff, linuxworks!


----------



## linuxworks

another mad scientist board: this time its a front-end to an spdif switch. it adds 2 coax-in ports that are fully transformer isolated. I'm trying out a new chip (for me), the 9637 diff driver chip that I'm hoping will work as well as the 3486 that I was using before (but takes up less room).







 bottom side:






 and the parts as a 'before' shot:






 so far, the circuit has not been tested but I believe it will work. (famous last words..) power-on test will happen later this weekend. I never breadboarded this - THIS is my breadboard test 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the inputs are just floating rca jacks (or bnc, if you want) and the outputs are TTL level based (ready for 'import' into a dac or switch).

 edit: it works 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 I'm using junk wiring - but spdif still works. my dac is locking on just fine and things sound fine as well.

 I tested both ports. when I move one wire over, the sound follows it. seems to work!


----------



## fsrick

Hi all,
 i am wondering where do you guys customize your front panels. I plan to buy some cases from hifi 2000, but customizing one panel costs more than the case already. is there any better place to do the panel work in the U.S? Thanks.


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fsrick* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi all,
 i am wondering where do you guys customize your front panels. I plan to buy some cases from hifi 2000, but customizing one panel costs more than the case already. is there any better place to do the panel work in the U.S? Thanks._

 

By "customizing" are you referring to machining work, or to marking the front panels?

 k


----------



## mattcalf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fsrick* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi all,
 i am wondering where do you guys customize your front panels. I plan to buy some cases from hifi 2000, but customizing one panel costs more than the case already. is there any better place to do the panel work in the U.S? Thanks._

 

I haven't used them personally, all though I hope I will eventually. But Front Panel Express seems to be very popular among Fiers.


----------



## guzzler

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_another mad scientist board: this time its a front-end to an spdif switch. it adds 2 coax-in ports that are fully transformer isolated. I'm trying out a new chip (for me), the 9637 diff driver chip that I'm hoping will work as well as the 3486 that I was using before (but takes up less room).

 so far, the circuit has not been tested but I believe it will work. (famous last words..) power-on test will happen later this weekend. I never breadboarded this - THIS is my breadboard test 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the inputs are just floating rca jacks (or bnc, if you want) and the outputs are TTL level based (ready for 'import' into a dac or switch).

 edit: it works 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ]

 I'm using junk wiring - but spdif still works. my dac is locking on just fine and things sound fine as well.

 I tested both ports. when I move one wire over, the sound follows it. seems to work! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Nice work as always; quick question though, what's the point of it? If you want balanced inputs to your DAC, you could simply use single gate 74HCU04s with enable pins and a common output? Then your control lines are however many bits you have inputs, and a single output to your S/PDIF receiver.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fsrick* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi all,
 i am wondering where do you guys customize your front panels. I plan to buy some cases from hifi 2000, but customizing one panel costs more than the case already. is there any better place to do the panel work in the U.S? Thanks._

 

Another alternative is to draw up all holes in cad/drawing program from your component panel spec sheets. Get a local shop to cut them for you, it’s a very cheap alternative compared to FPE.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fsrick* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi all,
 i am wondering where do you guys customize your front panels. I plan to buy some cases from hifi 2000, but customizing one panel costs more than the case already. is there any better place to do the panel work in the U.S? Thanks._

 

You probably mean customizing front panel service by HiFi-2000?
 Yes, they can do that but it’s quite expensive and their (technical) ability is quite limited.
 An additional problem is their limited English, that makes communications a real PITA… never sure what they are doing.

 Get the local shop to do the front panel can be very cheap as mentioned by johnwmclean.
 Another way to do it is probably buying an optional 10mm faceplate from HiFi-2000 and ship it to Front Panel Express (PFE) or Cam Expert in the US for milling and engraving.
 Of course you have to use their software to make the design yourself. Still not cheap but it’s ways better than the service by HiFi-2000.

 Some folks at this place don’t design anything themselves but just take the easy way and _“borrow”_ other people designs, which results in all the _“Gremlins”_ looking amps recently.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another way to do it is probably buying an optional 10mm faceplate from HiFi-2000 and ship it to Front Panel Express (PFE) or Cam Expert in the US for milling and engraving._

 

I was going to do that, but 10mm thick panels make optical and USB inputs a LOT more complicated. Thinner is definitely better for some connector types!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *guzzler* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work as always; quick question though, what's the point of it? If you want balanced inputs to your DAC, you could simply use single gate 74HCU04s with enable pins and a common output? Then your control lines are however many bits you have inputs, and a single output to your S/PDIF receiver._

 

the point is that I'm putting together the building blocks of an spdif switch. there seems to be some need for this (I needed one, myself).

 my first version worked and I'm trying some variations on the circuit to see if I can make it smaller and cheaper/easier to build.

 here is the current prototype:






 it needs to support both coax and opto in and both for output. it also has remote control ability and an lcd display which the user can put names of his devices, on.

 this coax board is just one module in this system.

 yes, there are a few ways to gate digital pulses from one input port to an output port. 74hcu04 is often used as the output driver more than an input driver, though.

 the design for using differential rs422 receiver chips dates back at least 15 yrs now, its a time proven design, so I liked staying with it. 

 when I can get all the functional parts wired the way I want, I plan to have a DIY article on how to build it and program it. part of the goal is to make a 'how to work with controller chips' mini series of articles. the spdif switch is just one of the apps that lent itself to this task


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was going to do that, but 10mm thick panels make optical and USB inputs a LOT more complicated. Thinner is definitely better for some connector types! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'm talking about front panels for amps in general. For DAC optical and USB connectors you are better off with the 3mm (or thinner) 
 stock back panel which come with HiFi-2000 enclosures (Slim Line, Galaxy (Max), Pesante). 
 Spending on expensive (optional) 10mm back panel for a DAC is not useful for some connector types and is wasting money to me.
 However, you have all the liberty to do that in a free world!


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Spending on expensive (optional) 10mm back panel for a DAC is not useful for some connector types and is wasting money to me._

 

I reached the same conclusion!


----------



## fsrick

Thanks for all the information. yes, i meant the customizing front panel service by HiFi-2000. It seems that the better option is to go for local shop or Front Panel Express.


----------



## linuxworks

arduino LCD 'backpack' board, work-in-progress:




































 and its welcome banner at power on (lol)






 (note, I stopped the photos at the point where I was *about* to do the lcd wiring. I wanted to grab photos before the board got too cluttered up. I'll show the lcd wiring in another post).

 I did all that work today (took all day, too). one annoying thing about arduinos is that they have 'logical pins' and 'physical pins' (atmel ones). when you wire up an arduino entirely by hand, from scratch, you must deal with the atmel physical pins and know that when the software does a 'digitalWrite(9)', which REAL pin is this going to have to be wired to? its not real pin 9, that's a safe bet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 this arduino sandwich (lol) just needs an IR 3-term module and it will have all the I and O it will need to be a general purpose front-end. leds and buttons can be added via i2c chips (just tap into 2 pins on the old arduino, which I've left open, for this very purpose).

 its first job is to be the front-end for an spdif switch that I'm working on. the software is done and I'm re-working the switch hardware to try a few more things out.

 at least the backpack board is now working. its kind of fun bringing a whole cpu up from scratch. its not hard, either, as you can see from the soldering. you don't even need a real pcboard or any kind of fancy wiring. these things only run at 16mhz, so its nothing really fast or requiring special building tech.


----------



## linuxworks

as promised, the back side of the board. a 3pin molex header is installed to allow the IR module to be easily disconnected.

 all the wiring is done and the lcd 'talks' fine. there are 2 groups of lcd wires; one group handles the 4 bits of parallel comms and the other bundle is power, contrast, and 2 more control lines (6 total needed to talk to an lcd in 4bit mode).






 the silver box is a 10 yr old (at least) radio shack part that I found lying around. even ancient low-grade IR modules are fine and they directly plugin to any digital-pin with no interfacing complexity.

 the pot hanging out on the far left is for lcd contrast (its typical to have a pot do this and let the software dim the backlight via a 0..255 pwm value signal).


----------



## KCT

Well, here is mine...


















































 Cheers


----------



## johnwmclean

KCT, Congrats - love the panels and enclosure, real nice tidy building.


----------



## linuxworks

more spdif switch stuff (a work in progress):











 partial wiring is done; power is there and 3 bits of control (A0,A1,A2) on the switch chip. this allows up to 8 ports of input even though I'm only soldering enough connectors for 4 ports 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 those are the red molexes on the edge.

 the white molex on its own is going to be the single output (at TTL level).

 the 5pin molex comes from the cpu (arduino board) and that has the 3 address lines and 2 wires for power.

 when you select a remote input, the arduino will program the A0..A2 lines is binary based, so input 1 is 000, input2 is 001, input 3 is 010 and so on. if you build only a 4 port version (like me) you can cut one line out and just use 2 bits.

 hopefully I can get the entire thing done soon and then I'll try to write the whole project up.


----------



## ezzieyguywuf

Quote:


 hopefully I can get the entire thing done soon and then I'll try to write the whole project up. 
 

I'd like to see some sort of write up. From thee few skims I've given it it looks like a pretty neat project and something that I could even maybe do. 'Course, I'm not sure exactly what your doing, hence the write up... :-D


----------



## MASantos

I finally finished this one! It was "housed" in a wood base temporarily for the last year...

 revMillett Hibrid, here shown with Elna Cerafine's all around and Blackgates as output caps.
 IEC, RCA in and Loop out in the back, Jack, Led and Volume in the front.
 Steps configured for 25v.

 Sounds great and not noise or hum with the 701's 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It will replace the PIMETA in the rig as soon as I doublecheck all the biasing!












 And here a CKKIII I built for a friend. AMB's standard parts list, with heatsinked output trannies and home made wallwart to keep the trafo away from the amp.


----------



## Voodoochile

Finally finished casing up my balanced power unit. I built the basic unit over a year ago, 
 but it was just bolted into the case and the back panel was done. No on/off switch or 
 indication of power on.





 Finally settled on a toggle switch, and added a pair of handles to help shield the bat of 
 the toggle. Also, I tapped the panel hole for the toggle to avoid having a nut on the front. 
 The switch is threaded directly into the panel, with a jam nut against the back side. 





 The power indicator is a small right-angle amber unit mounted through the base of the 
 unit at the back, so it illuminates a soft glow from underneath. I might rip that out and 
 just put a small amber LED in the faceplate.





 There is a small 12v PSU inside to power a TDR for the amplifier socket, the other two 
 sockets are fed through noise filters for a transport and dac. The toroid is an 800VA piece, 
 which is far more current than I need, but it has tighter regulation than a smaller unit.


----------



## n_maher

That's some nice clean work there Mark!


----------



## MASantos

What's a TDR?


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What's a TDR?_

 

My guess would be Time Delay Relay.

 k


----------



## Voodoochile

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Koyaan I. Sqatsi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My guess would be Time Delay Relay.

 k_

 

Correct, sorry about that.
 There is no time domain reflectometer in there.
  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's some nice clean work there Mark!_

 

Thanks! Nice to finally finish up some of these stray projects.


----------



## linuxworks

a single shot for today:






 its a realtime clock chip that I will integrate in, well, almost everything. you can see the small watch crystal hanging on its leads. the black cylinder in the middle is a 'supercap', 0.022 farads at 5v. this clock chip (ds1302) has a built in trickle charger to keep this supercap charged, so that you can lose power to the circuit and not lose time/date keeping functions.

 as they say, "all products expand in functionality until they have a clock". my spdif switch will soon have a clock feature (for when the switch is not in use, or even on an idle timer).

 the ribbon cable goes back to the arduino (or any processor) and you talk to it via a 3 wire SPI-like interface.


----------



## guzzler

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_a single shot for today:

 its a realtime clock chip that I will integrate in, well, almost everything. you can see the small watch crystal hanging on its leads. the black cylinder in the middle is a 'supercap', 0.022 farads at 5v. this clock chip (ds1302) has a built in trickle charger to keep this supercap charged, so that you can lose power to the circuit and not lose time/date keeping functions.

 as they say, "all products expand in functionality until they have a clock". my spdif switch will soon have a clock feature (for when the switch is not in use, or even on an idle timer).

 the ribbon cable goes back to the arduino (or any processor) and you talk to it via a 3 wire SPI-like interface._

 

 Seems a bit like feature creep! You can write code that will do it on the uC itself - no need for the external clock. Assuming the Arduino will do a proper, low current sleep that is. Should do?


----------



## KCT

@johnwmclean

 Thanks mate.

 @linuxworks

 Great build and great camera work, awesome pictures.


----------



## linuxworks

when you remove power (you've just downloaded new firmware over the FTDI cable) and then you move the device back to its normal location - it loses power. if you have a clock, you do want it to keep going even when power is off. 

 with a hardware clock, you won't care about software timing and can just 'ask the clock' whenever the polling loop reaches that point again. I can get the mm:ss value and if the old ss is different from the current ss, its time to redraw_clock().

 it also knows about 30/31 day month stuff, so it keeps the calendar really simple, in your own code. 

 for a few dollars (that's all it costs) I think its worth it. my cpu can then use a very cheap ceramic resonator and you just don't care about cpu timing anymore.


----------



## zkool448

I wish I could take pics like linuxworks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Anyway, at last my Bijou is done. Here are some pics to share, hope you like it and thanks for looking!

 cheers -zk

 Top view, really tried to keep the wires as neat as I could but it's just not my stong suit.





 Shot of a pair of vu meter buffer/divers from JLM audio





 Finished the top lid with plenty of vents, and it also fits nicely! Time to put my tools away and take more pics.





 Closer look at the top lid, my hymble attempt to mimic that aluminum “brushed” look





 View from the back, installing the neutriks are so painless, I think I’ll keep using them





 ..and finally enjoying some music. Cheers!


----------



## Lil' Knight

wow. just wow, zk!


----------



## zkool448

thanks lil' knight


----------



## ezzieyguywuf

+1 zk. That is tres cool. Those little volt meters are functional or decorative? Functional=awesomeness/must-make-one-for-myself :-D


----------



## zkool448

yes they work indded -- looks really cool when them needles are a-bouncing


----------



## ezzieyguywuf

*drool*. I didn't notice them part of the orig design. I guess it's pretty easy to install them in-line to your output?


----------



## jbusuego

zkool : nice work man
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 can i commission you someday?


----------



## gore.rubicon

amazing work once again, nice zk


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_yes they work indded -- looks really cool when them needles are a-bouncing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

can you add double-duty to them? like, using them to tune bias or watch the power rail voltages? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 that will be v2, maybe.


----------



## FallenAngel

Beautiful work as usual _zkool448_


----------



## manaox2

zk, I can't believe your work. That is just awesome.


----------



## balderon

ZK, nice clean lines with soft edges and classic styling. Very nice indeed!


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I wish I could take pics like linuxworks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Anyway, at last my Bijou is done. Here are some pics to share, hope you like it and thanks for looking!

 cheers -zk_

 

You have unprecedented talent.


----------



## smeggy

Joel, you suck!


----------



## Llama16

Jezus christ!! zkool, hwo do you keep doing it. So clean.


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I wish I could take pics like linuxworks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Anyway, at last my Bijou is done. Here are some pics to share, hope you like it and thanks for looking!

 cheers -zk

 Top view, really tried to keep the wires as neat as I could but it's just not my stong suit.


 Shot of a pair of vu meter buffer/divers from JLM audio


 Finished the top lid with plenty of vents, and it also fits nicely! Time to put my tools away and take more pics.








 ..and finally enjoying some music. Cheers! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






_

 

[speechless]


----------



## grawk

That is very nice. Is that a stock case, or did you have it machined?


----------



## Sherwood

Oh my goodness, ZK. Oh. My. Goodness.


----------



## zkool448

You guys are much too kind. It's so rewarding to read all your nice compliments. 

*THANK YOU!*


----------



## DoYouRight

Grawk, he carved it from wood and build from scratch, the silver is metallic paint I think.


----------



## uberburger101

@zkool448: That is stunning. Just, wow.


----------



## Voodoochile

Beautiful, zkool!
 Is that aluminum, or painstakingly thorough prep on MDF?
 Amazing craftsmanship, but that's stating the obvious.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You guys are much too kind. It's so rewarding to read all your nice compliments. 

*THANK YOU!*




_

 

people can tell when they see visually stunning AND well conceived work.

 you got both right


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Anyway, at last my Bijou is done. Here are some pics to share, hope you like it and thanks for looking!_

 

Thanks for posting! Any chance of some videos?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks for posting! Any chance of some videos?_

 

its a stereo amp, it can't do 5.1.

 oh, wait. you didn't mean that.

 nevermind.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grawk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is very nice. Is that a stock case, or did you have it machined?_

 

No stock case for sure, he talks about techniques, etc here.
 So how about going into production for some of your gorgeous amps?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Or opening a headamp art studio or something.. I kid, I kid.


----------



## diego

Here are some pictures of a build I just finished. It is a MAD Ear + HD version I built from scratch using the schematics generously provided by Dr. Peppard. The amplifier section is exactly the same as an Ear + HD or Super, operating at roughly the same voltages as the Super. The PS is different than the Super however. It is full wave rectified by a 5AR4 or 5U4G tube and uses a choke instead of a resistor in the second stage. Also, the last filter stage is separated in right and left channels. Finally, it uses AC instead of DC for the tube heaters.

 Although it's too early to compare the sound to my B22, so far it sounds great.


----------



## dean0

looks superb


----------



## jdkJake

zkool, I think you can safely update your signature.

 That is no longer "casework in progress"!

 Amazing work. Well done indeed!

 jk


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grawk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is very nice. Is that a stock case, or did you have it machined?_

 

The coolest thing: it's _MDF_! Great work as usual Joel, enjoy your vacation!


----------



## cetoole

Just finished a few Denon DVD-2900 mods. Only listening SE right now, as I sorta made a bit of a mistake and ordered the wrong XLR jacks. Still sounds pretty awesome to me.


----------



## Pars

Nice job zkool!

 Colin, looks great. Looking forward to further impressions.


----------



## sachu

Colin..congrats on getting the I/V going...look forward to more impressions and actually building one.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *zkool448* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I wish I could take pics like linuxworks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Anyway, at last my Bijou is done. Here are some pics to share, hope you like it and thanks for looking!

 cheers -zk_

 

Stunning! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I really like the silver painted chassis.


----------



## elliot42

That's some absolutely amazing work there zkool! I haven't been here all week and it's nice to come back to something so awesome.
 I'm still inspired to do some woodworking, it'll happen eventually


----------



## grawk

Wonder if vlad has the right connectors, since we'll be seeing him tomorrow


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Voodoochile* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is that aluminum, or painstakingly thorough prep on MDF?_

 

It's the latter





  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks for posting! Any chance of some videos?_

 

Actually I’m thinking about posting a youtube clip, perhaps I will when I have some free time and post one. BTW, anything in particular you’d also like to see on the video clip besides them needles a-bouncing? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cfcubed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No stock case for sure, he talks about techniques, etc here.
 So how about going into production for some of your gorgeous amps?
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Or opening a headamp art studio or something.. I kid, I kid._

 

Production you say? We’ll have to see lol 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jdkJake* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_zkool, I think you can safely update your signature. That is no longer "casework in progress"!_

 

jk, updated thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wiatrob* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The coolest thing: it's MDF! Great work as usual Joel, enjoy your vacation!_

 

 Will do Bill, thanks! It’s a well-deserved break with the family and looking forward to this two weeks off!


----------



## linuxworks

a new build!

 the y2 prototype lives. it works!!






 that's the y1 'receiver board' (for spdif and i2s) on top and the y2 board, below.

 some stages in the pcb build:












 and the guy who actually does the real business, here; the DAC chip:






 I confess, I used 'flood and suck' method to solder these high density surface-mount chips. throw extra solder on all the pins and then wipe off with solder wick pressed by the tip of the iron as you swipe across the pins. leaves just a bit of solder behind and usually (hopefully) clears all bridges.

 began the build early in the AM today. missed some parts, so ran out during the day for them. finished the build. it didn't work ;( amb suggested I connect the data wire. doh! that worked 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 build complete by dinner time.

 update: I have a GUI for the gamma2 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 here's a sneak peek:






 its showing which input to the DAC is selected (both a short name and a 16 char max longname on the bottom); it also shows the type of port (coax/opto), its port number, and 2 weird settings that this DAC supports: an anticlipping on/off switch and a filter a/b/c switch. that's the dot thing and the Fa (filter A).

 you can control this with an IR remote (sony dvd, etc) and each button on the keypad (1..3, 4..6, etc) can be assigned one setting, so pressing 4 gets filter A, pressing 5 gets filter B and so on. there's enough spare keys to give each function its own button and area on the display 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 arduino based and using that lcd backpack I built a few days ago. running new code (just wrote it today) that managed the wolfson dac chips at the so-called hardware-mode level.

 edit: adding inside view shots with more final mounting/wiring:


----------



## zkool448

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_a new build!

 the y2 prototype lives. it works!!
 update: I have a GUI for the gamma2 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 here's a sneak peek:





_

 

Now that is cool. 

 I gotta get one.. or perhaps get linuxworks to build me one.. lol (j/k)


----------



## Voodoochile

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *diego* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here are some pictures of a build I just finished. It is a MAD Ear + HD version I built from scratch using the schematics generously provided by Dr. Peppard. The amplifier section is exactly the same as an Ear + HD or Super, operating at roughly the same voltages as the Super. The PS is different than the Super however. It is full wave rectified by a 5AR4 or 5U4G tube and uses a choke instead of a resistor in the second stage. Also, the last filter stage is separated in right and left channels. Finally, it uses AC instead of DC for the tube heaters.

 Although it's too early to compare the sound to my B22, so far it sounds great._

 

Looks really nice, Diego. Are those large electros from JJ? I like how you removed the labels from the trafo and choke and reapplied them to the chassis under their respective footprints. Nice touch.

 Looking forward to reading a full review sometime soon!


----------



## Voodoochile

Linuxworks- great pics as always. That front panel came out great- both from a fabbing standpoint, and the functionality. Nice...


----------



## diego

Yes, they are JJ but there are other options in that same size. You can use Mundorf and Jensen among others. I thought I'd build it using less expensive caps first and upgrade it later.

 I'm not a reviewer but I may write a few comments after some time listening to it.

 Regards.


----------



## El_Doug

Linuxworks, your work on control is (and has been for the past several months) really really impressive to me. I just keep telling myself that my mechanical volume and input adjustments are adequate, since they are more old-school, have awesome a physical click is, and are cheaper...

 ...but I'm not fooling myself. I wish I had the expertise!!!


----------



## Voodoochile

I thought they looked familiar. I bought one to go in my HP signal generator, they are pretty nice caps.

 The amp came out great!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *El_Doug* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Linuxworks, your work on control is (and has been for the past several months) really really impressive to me. I just keep telling myself that my mechanical volume and input adjustments are adequate, since they are more old-school, have awesome a physical click is, and are cheaper...

 ...but I'm not fooling myself. I wish I had the expertise!!!_

 

thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 not to worry, the code, schematics and plans will be released. I've given out some snapshots of the code and soon hope to have some stable hardware layouts. my focus was to try to establish some building blocks that are generic enough to be useful in rapid prototyping (or 'building' as we say here) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 once you build one and go thru the source code (there will be tutorials, once I write them) you'll see that its not all that hard. having a framework to start with is the hard part and that's the part I'm trying to get 'clean' so that its most understandable by people other than me 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. making it user-customizable (source code and compilers are all free) and making the code easy enough *to* modify is a goal of mine. that way people can adapt the code to do what they want; and that's *really* the fun part of a project like this. 

 I'm just learning this stuff, myself, so I'm taking notes to save others time on the confusing parts


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Voodoochile* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Linuxworks- great pics as always. That front panel came out great- both from a fabbing standpoint, and the functionality. Nice... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

thanks. fabbing was just a hand drill and an x-acto knife. the good thing about abs plastic is that its hand workable, so you can literally slice thru plastic and get square toslink cut-outs and lcd cut-outs pretty square.

 the IR receiver is behind the single hole to the left of the lcd. I could not find a nice bezel for it, so its just a bare hole. since all functions are on the IR remote, there's no need for more front panel drilling or holes. kind of minimal


----------



## Uranus

My work... USB/SPDIF DAC with Volume Control and Headphone Amplifier... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 DAC Picardian chord v1.0 - SPDIF receiver WM8804, DAC PCM1794, I/U THS4131, Output on NE5534P (Designed by Nazar, Ukraine, Lvov).

 USB to SPDIF converter on PCM2706 (Designed by AAL, Russia).

 Headphone amplifier on AD825+AD815 (Designed by Vidalgo, Israel, Jerusalem).

 Volume control based on PGA2311UA with OPA2132P on input buffer, controlled by rotary encoder via PIC16F628A.


----------



## grawk

very nice


----------



## linuxworks

I like the rotary encoder you used. I didn't see the schematic for that and the PGA chip. can you give a link to more info on this?

 I liked your casing, too. you put a LOT of stuff in that box! nice wire dress, also.


----------



## Uranus

*linuxworks*, i dont have full schematic of this Volume Control.

 It's my own design based on this project, but i dont use relay for mute and use OPA2132P as input buffer.

 I have only montage schematic and program for PIC.

 All SMD components are 1206.

 0,1 - 0,1 uF 25V C0G Murata Ceramic Capacitor.
 0,47 - 0,47 uF 250V WIMA MKP4 Polypropylene Film Capacitor.
 240, 715, 10K, 100K - KOA Thick Film Resistors.
 Electrolitic Capacitor on Digital power is Nichicon VY.
 Electrolitic Capacitor on Analog power is Nichicon KW.
 Rectifiers-Bridge on Analog power is Schottky Rectifiers 11DQ10.
 DB101 is Rectifiers-Bridge 1A 50V.
 7805 is NJM78M05FA Integral Power Regulator 5V 0,5A.


----------



## Uranus

It's my another work - PCM2702 based BUS Powered Double DAC... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I connect his to PC via my self made USB HUB (Based on TUSB2046 Texas Instruments Microchip)... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 With this DAC i have 2 different stereo outputs in my PC...


----------



## Listen2this1

This is my Millett SS. not quite done with the paint. I am going to have a friend do some lettering and pin striping. Sounds good especially for the price. Will take better pics after the lettering.


----------



## royalflush

That looks great! Seeing that red makes me think of fire engine and some nice flame decals (hot rod style).


----------



## adamus

my balanced 'diamante' build is coming along slowly... board stuffed, biased, offset zero'd. I just need to case it up and buy a pot. 

 boards are being mounted vertically stacked on the side panels of a hifi2000 case. 






 power supply


----------



## dbfreak

Not completed but here goes my B22:


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I confess, I used 'flood and suck' method to solder these high density surface-mount chips. throw extra solder on all the pins and then wipe off with solder wick pressed by the tip of the iron as you swipe across the pins. leaves just a bit of solder behind and usually (hopefully) clears all bridges._

 

The best way I have found of doing it is with a bit of solder flux. You can get applicator pens or just squirt it from a bottle. You need a fair bit for it to work some times, but it's good stuff. When doing TQFP chips I sometimes end up with the odd bridge, and find that a desoldering pump works much better than solder wick. Aside from anything, it needs a lot less heat to work too.

 BTW, your project looks similar to mine that I posted about ages ago. Never did get around to properly documenting it, mainly because I decided to change from an LED display to a graphic LCD but never quite finished the code. The original idea was to do just a volume control with USB interface for a pure analogue implementation of Replay Gain, and an LED display would be ideal for that, but then I starting thinking about more stuff I could add...

 Well, anyway, the point is, I wrote a WinAMP plugin to control the hardware based on Replay Gain data in the file tags. The USB interface was a simple two byte HID report (one byte command and checksum, one byte volume level) so is pretty easy to implement. I don't know what your plans are with respect to the software side but if you think it would be useful I can see about releasing it under the GPL.


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not completed but here goes my B22:_

 

That's a really nice looking case. I love the piano black finish. Did you paint it?


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my balanced 'diamante' build is coming along slowly... board stuffed, biased, offset zero'd. I just need to case it up and buy a pot. 

 boards are being mounted vertically stacked on the side panels of a hifi2000 case. 

 power supply_

 

Looks a very neat build, looking forward to impressions and pic’s of the finished version. I’ve never seen or heard of this build before now!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not completed but here goes my B22:_

 


 dbfreak, that’s awesome, love to see the psu as well though.


----------



## dbfreak

No paint. It's black acrylic (plexi glass)

 Will show them together when finally completed (the PSU is a Galaxie Headfi2000 case).


----------



## M3NTAL

dbfreak - where did you get your Alps Pot at?


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *M3NTAL* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_dbfreak - where did you get your Alps Pot at?_

 

It's number two of two black beauties I had in the parts bin.


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_No paint. It's black acrylic (plexi glass)

 Will show them together when finally completed (the PSU is a Galaxie Headfi2000 case)._

 

Interesting. It looks like the knob has the same finish, so is that acrylic too?


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Interesting. It looks like the knob has the same finish, so is that acrylic too?_

 

Yes, it's also acrylic that I cut into circles, glued them together, sanded and polished them into the appearance of being one piece (with a set screw to hold it firmly to the volume shaft).


----------



## linuxworks

the pimeta-v2.

 - uncased?
 - anti-cased??
 - de-cased???
 - sub-cased????

 something like that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 here's my pimeta-v2 boxed up (boxed under?) sitting next to the gamma-1:






 the pimeta-v2 by itself, alternate angle:






 mostly a surface mount build. buffers are under the board and op-amps are on top. most R's and C's are surface mount, below with only a few on top.

 yes, its funny looking but it works quite well, the wiring is kept away 'from things' in the right ways and there's even a sub-floor (not yet shown) inside the box. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 (dark lines near wire grommets are shadows, not pencil marks, lol)

 the way the pimeta is laid out, the output wires don't come together neatly in a central area. in my config, they go straight down into the box and across to the output jack.

 kind of a 'mad scientist' install, but then, again, I don't disagree (bwahahaha).


----------



## Mr.Duck

Jesus! Your pictures look better than real life LOL


----------



## linuxworks

thanks mr duck 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 just finished another stage in a continuing project of mine (spdif switch). here's the finished perf-board switch 'fabric' that supports up to 8 inputs and 1 output. I have 4 ports populated with headers (all I care about is 4. drilling 4 holes in chassis is PLENTY for me, lol).

 top and bottom board views:











 its really simple. TTL level switch with 3 address lines (3 bits = 8 inputs possible). I only care about 4 inputs so I only need to supply 2 wires to give 00, 01, 10, 11 to select from which of the 4 inputs is chosen.

 what's kind of neat is that the input ports have +, - and signal on those 3 pins. but if you route those same 3 pins to another board, similar to this one:






 then you can choose to use opto parts OR coax parts for any/all of the input ports. I use the same pinout and so if I have 3 toslinks and 1 rca or 2 and 2 or whatever, its all the same to the main 'fabric board'.

 that small photo is an older one, before I settled on the '3 pin standard' (lol). that is a 2 port coax-in board. I also plan to build a 2-port coax-out board and a mixed 1in, 1out coax combo board. opto ports are always floaters, like this:






 since those 'mount themselves' I didn't see the need for boards, for them.

 just 1 or 2 more steps before the build is complete


----------



## Llama16

such beautiful soldering work and pictures of it. Gives me the chills


----------



## jdkJake

Linuxworks,

 The macro mode on your camera is outstanding. What are you using in terms of equipment (if you do not mind me asking). I realize lighting plays a big part, but the lens you are using is superb at close range.

 jk


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jdkJake* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Linuxworks,

 The macro mode on your camera is outstanding. What are you using in terms of equipment (if you do not mind me asking). I realize lighting plays a big part, but the lens you are using is superb at close range._

 

thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I shoot olympus slr bodies (e3, mostly) and oly lenses. the last set were from the zuiko (oly branded) macro 50mm f2.0 lens. its one of the sharpest lenses you can get for an slr.

 basic idea is to use a tripod and self-timer for the shot and use available light, never flash! use live-view on your camera (a must-have for this kind of work)a and move the lighting around while watching for 'bad reflections' in the subject. 

 set the f-stop to the highest numbered one then back off 1 or 2 clicks. that gets you a good depth-of-field (but in these shots I *wanted* the background blurry, so I picked a middle f-stop).

 don't over expose! if anything, under expose by .3 or even more.

 fixup a lot of the lighting in a 'shadow/highlight' tool (cs2 has a good one). that will tone down or compress the highlights so they 'fit' inside a normal lcd screen's limits. if you didn't get enough light on dark areas, use the s/h tool and open up the shadow areas slightly. if more work is needed, use dodge/burn tool.

 most images can benefit from de-noising. I use neatimage as a visual noise killer.

 finally, after you resize to 'print' or web display, THEN you want to do your final sharpening pass. I sometimes use unsharp mask or 'smart sharpen'.

 an advanced tech (somewhat tricky) is to set an intentionally slower shutter speed and then do 'light painting' with a handheld flashlight or some light soruce and while the shutter is open, move the light around to 'hit' the hard to see areas. you can also use this to soften shadows by keeping the 'flying lights' (as I call it) moving. note, make sure you don't have a bouncy floor or all the 'activity' would cut down on the sharpness of the image (shaking of the tripod).


----------



## linuxworks

alright, my spdif switch is now fully prototyped and boxed up. really inside a box, this time 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I had some fun with clear plexiglass (polycarb, actually). I had the plastic shop (TAP) make me a top clear panel and a bottom slide panel, also clear (2 diff sizes, though). the front and rear caps were ABS crinkle finish plastic. with cut charges, it came to be about $12 total (plastic+labor). hard to complain about that, and I walked out that day with the cut plastic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	








































 there are 3 input ports on the rear but the main switch board allows for 4. I didn't need 4 and didn't want to cramp the rear panel, so I went with 3. in fact, the chip supports 8 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 1 of the opto blocks is different (sharp brand instead of toshiba). I wanted to see if it mattered and it didn't; the size is about the same and its an 8mhz 5volt part and so its fine for spdif. not sure about 192k but I think it will do 96k.

 I also opted to have a single toslink output instead of a dual tos/rca out. I only needed one and again, didn't want to clutter up the rear panel more than needed.

 once the schematic is drawn up, I'll post that. you can see its meant to be modular, with the user picking what kind of ports they want and then 'patch paneling' them in via those ribbon cable jumpers. in fact, if you goof up (nah, never happens) you can 'renumber' the ports this way (lol).

 my spdif switch. I call it SPDIFmaster


----------



## mp101

Nice work linuxworks, I'm going to try something siliar, I'm also looing at the Arduino for aquarium control.

 P.S. where do you get your cable from (the ribbon cable 3 wire one)

 Cheers


----------



## dean0

wow very neat & tidy, wish I had your skills


----------



## jdkJake

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I shoot olympus slr bodies (e3, mostly) and oly lenses. the last set were from the zuiko (oly branded) macro 50mm f2.0 lens. its one of the sharpest lenses you can get for an slr.

 basic idea is to use a tripod and self-timer for the shot and use available light, never flash! use live-view on your camera (a must-have for this kind of work)a and move the lighting around while watching for 'bad reflections' in the subject. 

 set the f-stop to the highest numbered one then back off 1 or 2 clicks. that gets you a good depth-of-field (but in these shots I *wanted* the background blurry, so I picked a middle f-stop).

 don't over expose! if anything, under expose by .3 or even more.

 fixup a lot of the lighting in a 'shadow/highlight' tool (cs2 has a good one). that will tone down or compress the highlights so they 'fit' inside a normal lcd screen's limits. if you didn't get enough light on dark areas, use the s/h tool and open up the shadow areas slightly. if more work is needed, use dodge/burn tool.

 most images can benefit from de-noising. I use neatimage as a visual noise killer.

 finally, after you resize to 'print' or web display, THEN you want to do your final sharpening pass. I sometimes use unsharp mask or 'smart sharpen'.

 an advanced tech (somewhat tricky) is to set an intentionally slower shutter speed and then do 'light painting' with a handheld flashlight or some light soruce and while the shutter is open, move the light around to 'hit' the hard to see areas. you can also use this to soften shadows by keeping the 'flying lights' (as I call it) moving. note, make sure you don't have a bouncy floor or all the 'activity' would cut down on the sharpness of the image (shaking of the tripod)._

 

Thanks for tips! Some good stuff here.

 Now I need a new camera.... 

 jk


----------



## MisterX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ I'd highly recommend that anyone thinking of using FPE at least check out Front Panel Design and Fabrication Custom Front Panels - similar service, can accept FPE files, turn-around is half the time and for those of us on the East Coast shipping is way faster and less expensive._

 

Unless they take some major steps to improve their quality control I would strongly suggest avoiding Cam-Expert. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is the best panel of the batch I received today----> 





 The other panels were somewhat less then...... 











 Nice huh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Edit: In case you are wondering this is the third (and last) time I have received panels that look like this from them.


----------



## sachu

wow..that looks quite ghetto for something that comes off a cnc machine.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Unless they take some major steps to improve their quality control I would strongly suggest avoiding Cam-Expert. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Edit: In case you are wondering this is the third (and last) time I have received panels that look like this from them._

 

That is really unfortunate. I was seriously considering them for my Buffalo panels


----------



## Emooze

This is my M3 as it stands right now







 Kind of a dark picture but so's my room this time of night. Still have to put in a power light and the uneven finish on the box is giving me an itch. Still, sounds good.


----------



## Bounty

Hi MisterX,
 Cool down, my company is ordering an regular base 300 panels and more, since they are in business and we never had a complain.
 Maybe they had a bad day, ask for a replacement.


----------



## Bounty

Hi MisterX,

 cool down.
 My company is ordering on a regular base 300 panels at a time and we had never faced a complain in all this years.
 Maybe, they had a bad day.
 Ask for replacement and see what comes out.
 Don't act as a child and scream.


----------



## sachu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bounty* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi MisterX,

 cool down.
 My company is ordering on a regular base 300 panels at a time and we had never faced a complain in all this years.
 Maybe, they had a bad day.
 Ask for replacement and see what comes out.
 Don't act as a child and scream. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

wow..for someone who just started out here, you call an established builders here a child for posting about the crappy quality of the panels, and he even has photos to prove his point. 

 Quite rude.


----------



## Sherwood

Seriously -- who the _hell_ are you, bounty?


----------



## Voodoochile

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_In case you are wondering this is the third (and last) time I have received panels that look like this from them._

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Bounty* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Maybe, they had a bad day._

 

Marshall- maybe they just had three bad days, and you happened to order from them on all three days? It's possible.


----------



## MisterX

Not nearly as bad of a day as they had today.


----------



## Beefy

Don't be such a tease...... elaborate!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Voodoochile* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Marshall- maybe they just had three bad days, and you happened to order from them on all three days? It's possible._

 

why would a company SHIP product like this, though?

 I can see that a cnc could be 'off' on a run, but isn't there anyone doing QA who would say 'hmm, given how much we charge for these, these are not gonna fly for our customers. we better redo them.'

 no one said that? they let flaws like this pass?

 that WOULD be a show-stopper for me. not that they made bad panels on a machine but that they let them ship to customers that way.

 the whole POINT of a cnc panel is to be perfect. if its not, sheesh, why even be in the business?


----------



## MoodySteve

If I had to guess, I would say that they used a plasma or laser cutter and didn't use high grade aluminum - doing so produces a similar appearance to Mister X's panels (rough, uneven edges and surfaces). Yet another reason I like mills the best.


----------



## n_maher

Sorry that you had a bad experience with them Marshall. I've ordered from them 4 times (or more) and have never seen anything like that. I'd love to hear what Heinz had to say if you'd be willing to send me a PM.


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_why would a company SHIP product like this, though?

 I can see that a cnc could be 'off' on a run, but isn't there anyone doing QA who would say 'hmm, given how much we charge for these, these are not gonna fly for our customers. we better redo them.'

 no one said that? they let flaws like this pass?

 that WOULD be a show-stopper for me. not that they made bad panels on a machine but that they let them ship to customers that way.

 the whole POINT of a cnc panel is to be perfect. if its not, sheesh, why even be in the business?_

 

Agree - maybe the machine was off, but to let this through, the machine operator, QC staff and the packagers must also have been having a bad day.

 If I wanted wonky cutting, I'd do it by hand.


----------



## CrystalSoundGroup

My headphone amplifier...
 This amp based on AD815 and OPA627.


----------



## CrystalSoundGroup

AMP in case...


----------



## Nisbeth

That looks very nice. Any more info (schematic, pcb layout etc) available?


 /U.


----------



## CrystalSoundGroup

Shematic...


----------



## CrystalSoundGroup

Case dimension
 7.09" L x 6.1" W x 2.04" H (180.09mm x 154.94mm x 51.82mm)


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I was asked to build a new desktop cmoy.......










































 Sounds a treat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Thanks for looking
 cheers
 FRED


----------



## Llama16

You got some pics of the bottom side as well?
 Looks very neat.


----------



## atkinsonr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was asked to build a new desktop cmoy.......





 Sounds a treat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Thanks for looking
 cheers
 FRED_

 

Neat. Is that your own PCB layout?

 ... and what's the voltage out of the LM317T?

 Very tidy.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Hi, yes I do my own layouts and etch the boards, the voltage from the LM317 is 9.79volts I wanted to run off 12-16volt supplies


----------



## JamesL

Where did you get that enclosure for the cmoy? I've been looking for something exactly like that except maybe bigger.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JamesL* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you get that enclosure for the cmoy? I've been looking for something exactly like that except maybe bigger._

 

The bad news is I'm in Australia 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 heres the link, good luck

Altronics - Your One Stop Audio Visual & Electronics Supplier

 cheers
 FRED


----------



## linuxworks

I always like seeing your projects, fred 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 home etching is something of a lost art. lately, I've stopped even trying and just pt-pt wire stuff on perf boards but I wish I could get into home etching with less hassle.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I always like seeing your projects, fred 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 home etching is something of a lost art. lately, I've stopped even trying and just pt-pt wire stuff on perf boards but I wish I could get into home etching with less hassle._

 

Ditto with your photography, you do stunning work
 cheers
 FRED


----------



## zatra

Hi there, this is my first post here so .. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 after almost two years waiting in my drawer i'm finishing my gc ..
 i'm waiting only for transformers

 bests
 alan


----------



## Fred_fred2004

very neat , good work


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was asked to build a new desktop cmoy.......

 Sounds a treat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Thanks for looking
 cheers
 FRED_

 

Lovely neat build Fred, congrats.


----------



## jtostenr

Just finished populating 4 Beta 22 boards the other day. Well, except for the MOSFETs, since I don't have the heatsinks yet. Still need to clean the bottom of the PCBs, but haven't decided what cleaner to use. Is there any reason to clean off the flux residue besides the fact that it looks a bit messy?

 Never uploaded pics before, so I hope this works....

 Jeff


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jtostenr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished populating 4 Beta 22 boards the other day. Well, except for the MOSFETs, since I don't have the heatsinks yet. Still need to clean the bottom of the PCBs, but haven't decided what cleaner to use. Is there any reason to clean off the flux residue besides the fact that it looks a bit messy?

 Never uploaded pics before, so I hope this works....

 Jeff_

 

Messy, corrosive (depending of the type flux) and conductive. By the way, I just finished my B22 and it sounds primo! You won't be disappointed with your build.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jtostenr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished populating 4 Beta 22 boards the other day. Well, except for the MOSFETs, since I don't have the heatsinks yet. Still need to clean the bottom of the PCBs, but haven't decided what cleaner to use. Is there any reason to clean off the flux residue besides the fact that it looks a bit messy?

 Never uploaded pics before, so I hope this works....

 Jeff_

 

Looks good, cleaning flux off also removes solder splutter that gets caught up in the flux. Depending on the severity of the mess, pieces of solder could cause a minor solder bridge.

How to Clean Circuit Boards


----------



## mp101

I hope when I eventually build any of my audio kis they look half as good as any of these here


----------



## Steve Eddy

Looks great!

 Where'd you get that nice phenolic board stock? 

 I can't find that stuff anywhere here in the States anymore.

 k


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Is that what its called 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I got it from ebay a while ago


----------



## Emooze

I finally got around to putting the LED's in my M3:






 Can't quite get the effect of having the lights off but I did my best:






 I assure you, the whole piece of plastic lights up, I just never wanted it that bright.


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is that what its called 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I got it from ebay a while ago_

 

Yup. It's made from laminated sheets of paper with a phenolic resin binder. Personally I much prefer it to the fiberglass/epoxy based FR-4 which has become de rigueur these days.

 Sadly, I contacted a circuit board manufacturing house a while back asking if they could do some boards for me using that material. They didn't even know what I was talking about. 

 *sigh*

 k


----------



## balderon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Koyaan I. Sqatsi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yup. It's made from laminated sheets of paper with a phenolic resin binder. Personally I much prefer it to the fiberglass/epoxy based FR-4 which has become de rigueur these days.

 Sadly, I contacted a circuit board manufacturing house a while back asking if they could do some boards for me using that material. They didn't even know what I was talking about. 

 *sigh*

 k_

 

I have dealings with San Diego Plastics a long time ago. I don't know if they offer anything of PCB quality but it might be worth the time to give a call to sales.


----------



## FooTemps

is that a 00 gundam? or maybe the master grade exia?


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *balderon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I have dealings with San Diego Plastics a long time ago. I don't know if they offer anything of PCB quality but it might be worth the time to give a call to sales._

 

Thanks.

 It's easy enough to find phenolic laminate here in the US. In fact, the Garolite brand sold by McMaster-Carr is even made here in the US.

 It's finding it copper clad that's the problem.

 Though I have had thoughts of doing my own circuit boards by using some LE grade, which is like the paper version but instead uses fine weave cotton cloth and phenolic resin.

 Then I'd have the individual circuit board traces photochemically machined from some 0.01" thick copper sheet, which would then be attached to the laminate using PCB eyelets. 

 How's that for crazy? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 k


----------



## Edwood

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Unless they take some major steps to improve their quality control I would strongly suggest avoiding Cam-Expert. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is the best panel of the batch I received today----> 
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/IMG_5349.jpg

 The other panels were somewhat less then...... 

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/IMG_5358.jpg






 Nice huh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Edit: In case you are wondering this is the third (and last) time I have received panels that look like this from them._

 

Wow, What, Marshall?

 Did they use a monkey to dremel those by hand using a paper print out of your FPE file?

 -Ed


----------



## MisterX

They said there "was a mistake in the machine software" but they didn't really offer much of an answer when I asked if the machine software was responsible for packing and shipping panels with obvious visual flaws. 

 To their credit they were pretty prompt about sending replacements so..... 


http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/IMG_5377.jpg


----------



## nickyboyo

Those replacement panels look fine, nothing a bit of emery paper wouldn't make more than acceptable. The first pieces provided are shockers, a decent miller would never release those as a final product.


----------



## DKJones96

With the USB socket in the hole I bet 99% of customers wouldn't even notice that flaw. Not saying that makes the quality okay, just saying the vast majority of people wouldn't even notice it with the unit built.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_To their credit they were pretty prompt about sending replacements so..... 
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/IMG_5377.jpg_

 

Those sure look a lot nicer than the previous ones.


----------



## Mr.Duck

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_They said there "was a mistake in the machine software"_

 

Even so, if I had produced somthing like that, I would be so pleased with myself


----------



## Emooze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FooTemps* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_is that a 00 gundam? or maybe the master grade exia? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

HG Exia, want the 00 Raiser but that's wayyy too much.


----------



## cetoole




----------



## skudmunky

Well, I know it's not directly headphone related, but I thought you all might be interested in seeing this. I have been designing and building my own 5 string electric violin (C G D A E - overlapping the Violin and Viola ranges) for most of the summer now. I cut the main body pieces on a CNC router where I work, bought a few other parts online, and just today I was able to string it up and play it. This is the first instrument I have ever built, and I'm extremely happy with how well it turned out.

 Let me tell all you people with regular violins - using guitar style machine head tuners instead of friction pegs is so much nicer! Much easier to tune.

 The next step is to reshape the bridge a bit, (the bridge is shaped for 4 strings, need to round it a bit more with the 5 strings I have on it) and then paint it up! I'm also designing and winding my own electro-magnetic pickups for the violin, which will be an interesting change from the standard piezo-electric pickups that electric violins tend to come with.

 Anyways, here are the links to the galleries, plus a picture showing you what I played earlier today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Putting the first few pieces together

Adding the neck

Playable!

 The (kind of) finished violin!






 For paint, I'm thinking of doing a red sunburst lacquer type of job. Probably going to order a bunch of aerosol lacquer cans in various black / red colors, as well as sanding sealer and clear coats. I want this thing to look as professional as possible - gotta paint it right!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm mega impressed thats a seriously good piece of kit
 cheers
 FRED


----------



## manaox2

That is plain awesome. Seeing it makes me want to hear it now.


----------



## luvdunhill

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not nearly as bad of a day as they had today. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'm a little peeved at them as well, as there was an issue with some anodizing I had them do. Unfortunately, bitching about won't really help, as it was customer provided material and they can't simply rerun a panel for me. Oh well live and learn.


----------



## balderon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Koyaan I. Sqatsi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks.

 It's easy enough to find phenolic laminate here in the US. In fact, the Garolite brand sold by McMaster-Carr is even made here in the US.

 It's finding it copper clad that's the problem.

 Though I have had thoughts of doing my own circuit boards by using some LE grade, which is like the paper version but instead uses fine weave cotton cloth and phenolic resin.

 Then I'd have the individual circuit board traces photochemically machined from some 0.01" thick copper sheet, which would then be attached to the laminate using PCB eyelets. 

 How's that for crazy? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 k_

 

Sorry I misunderstood you were talking about CCB 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Have you looked at MG Chemicals 675? It's single sided, presensitized, 0.8mm paper phenolic laminate with 1 ounce copper? I found it at Digikey.


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *skudmunky* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well, I know it's not directly headphone related, but I thought you all might be interested in seeing this. I have been designing and building my own 5 string electric violin (C G D A E - overlapping the Violin and Viola ranges) for most of the summer now. I cut the main body pieces on a CNC router where I work, bought a few other parts online, and just today I was able to string it up and play it. This is the first instrument I have ever built, and I'm extremely happy with how well it turned out.

 Let me tell all you people with regular violins - using guitar style machine head tuners instead of friction pegs is so much nicer! Much easier to tune.

 The next step is to reshape the bridge a bit, (the bridge is shaped for 4 strings, need to round it a bit more with the 5 strings I have on it) and then paint it up! I'm also designing and winding my own electro-magnetic pickups for the violin, which will be an interesting change from the standard piezo-electric pickups that electric violins tend to come with.

 Anyways, here are the links to the galleries, plus a picture showing you what I played earlier today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Putting the first few pieces together

Adding the neck

Playable!

 The (kind of) finished violin!_

 

That is SPECTACULAR! Totally cool! 

 you have provided the normal photos, but this is a post and thing worth more. Since there is no cheexy banner I will simply type:
 [size=large]This post is worthless without *clips*[/size]
 I gotta hear that thing ! Whatever you want to play, and I suspect others think the same. 
  Quote:


 For paint, I'm thinking of doing a red sunburst lacquer type of job. Probably going to order a bunch of aerosol lacquer cans in various black / red colors, as well as sanding sealer and clear coats. I want this thing to look as professional as possible - gotta paint it right! 
 

That is certainly something to be proud of, I bet it looks amazing all finished up.

 The lead violinist for the NJ orchestra (I think lead) plays a 5-string electric violin (as well as standard and theramin), and actually composes for it as well. His electric violin is bright white. An instrument this cool deserves to be totally unmistakable for something ordinary.


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *balderon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sorry I misunderstood you were talking about CCB 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Have you looked at MG Chemicals 675? It's single sided, presensitized, 0.8mm paper phenolic laminate with 1 ounce copper? I found it at Digikey._

 

Thanks.

 Yes, I'm familiar with the MG Chemicals 675.

 It's too thin though. It's only 1/32". I need 1/16" material.

 MG used to make a 1/16" version but it's been discontinued. 

 k


----------



## linuxworks

build in progress of tangent's 'young jung power supply" (YJPS). in glorious red and gold (was almost a shame to take soldering iron to such a board, lol):











 there's a single surface mount chip on the board and these are 2 before/after shots.

 some bulky items were installed in the back, for ac powerline filtering.

 I'm building this exactly to the schematic at tangent's site (Young-Jung Power Supply). his is pre-calculated for 24v and so I went for that, as well (too lazy to vary the right variables, lol).

 more to follow as I complete the board.


 update: its now working and inside a hammond box. some angle shots:
















 my snap-in IEC socket didn't hold on its own, so glue came to the temporary rescue. the back panels (and front) are just plastic but they should be metal for the real build.

 for some reason, a jumbo green led called to me and told me to use it on this project. so I did 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 as tangent designed it, ac power enters from the back and regulated DC comes out the front. I don't have remote sensing supported since my power jack is only 2 wires. you'll see 2 jumpers on molexes inside; those are what you have to install if you don't plan to use remote sensing.

 the heatsinks are the largest that will fit this hammond. I tested this power supply with a PPA v1, fully loaded (ie, 4 buffer chips per channel; 3 channel mode) and the heatsinks didn't get overly warm.


----------



## Steve Eddy

Sweet!

 Though I wonder why Tangent chose to gold plate the pads. Gold plating's fine for contacts, but not good at all for solder pads (the gold can dissolve into the solder and embrittle it).

 k


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cetoole* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ gda600.jpg_

 

I used to have one of those! so what's goin on, inside? your i/v board?


----------



## ShinyFalcon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Koyaan I. Sqatsi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sweet!

 Though I wonder why Tangent chose to gold plate the pads. Gold plating's fine for contacts, but not good at all for solder pads (the gold can dissolve into the solder and embrittle it).

 k_

 

I remember from his PM to me that it is to comply to lead-free standards, since he does ship them overseas; Europe doesn't like (or banned?) importing Pb-containing products.


----------



## cetoole

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I used to have one of those! so what's goin on, inside? your i/v board?_

 

Yup, I ripped out the stock opamp I/V and wired the current output of the PCM63 DACs to my discrete I/V converter board. Tapping the unregulated supply, which is about +/-25v, and feedng that into the onboard shunt regs. Works nice.


----------



## sandbasser

linuxworks - (anyone else - chime it too)

 Nice work on the YJPS - BOTH the unit and photos... As always... I always look forward to your posts and photos.

 Please do NOT take this as criticism of your work. 

 The heat sinks appear to be 'screw-mounted'; is it your personal preference to use that type instead of the 'solder-pin' type??? 

 The tall (50 mm, I guess) heat sinks appear to be a very close fit in the spec'd case. Are heat sinks that big required??? (I didn't see any real recommendation on Tangent's website, although 3 sizes are listed in the parts list.)

 Thanks,


----------



## linuxworks

they are screw mounted.

 for the amb b22, I had to buy a tap and die kit to put threads into the HS.

 solder pins really suck (lol) since they are impossible to remove (well) once soldered in. really bad idea for prototyping. I much prefer the 2 minutes it takes to tape the HS's and then there's no soldering or unsoldering headache.

 those HS's were the ones tangent spec'd and they worked out well with the tap that I already had. even a cordless screwdriver makes an ok tapped hole, so its really a matter of minutes, that's all.

 re: sizes, he does spec 3 sizes. I bought all 3 (lol) just in case. these were the middle ones; the small ones looked too small (maybe for less than 20 or 50ma on the supply, I'm guessing). the large ones would not fit with a cover on the case so I simply went with the middle ones. they JUST clear the plastic cover I have for my case. after a few hours of beating on it with a PPA amp and some hd650 phones, the HS's got only slightly warm. I could hold my hand there and not get even slightly burned; so for my app, those HS's are ok. I probably could downgrade to the smaller ones (and again, if I had solder-posted them in, that would be hard to do).


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ShinyFalcon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I remember from his PM to me that it is to comply to lead-free standards, since he does ship them overseas; Europe doesn't like (or banned?) importing Pb-containing products._

 

Yes, Europe is part of the RoHS (Removal of Hazardous Substances) initiative which among other things bans the use of lead. However if gold plating the pads is the only way his board house knows how to make circuit boards that meet RoHS requirements, then he needs to find another board house. Every other board house out there is able to do this, typically by hot air leveling the pads using one of the lead-free solder alloys such as SN100.

 k


----------



## Sathimas

Here are some pictures of my finally finished AMB M³.
 Took me about one and a half year to finish it because I just didn't have the time.

 Front:



 Front:


 
 Back:


 
 M³ and his companions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			








 Material is walnut wood and stainless steel.
 The front panel was done on a cnc machine, some of the wood-work was done by a carpenter.
 I am working in the workshop of my grandfather, his machines aren't accourate enough sometimes.
 If I had the machines I would have done all of the woodwork, there's nothing really difficult about it.

 The SOHA II you see is only a guest, it belongs to my father and came here for some repair.
 (But it's also built be me.)

 I'm still having problems with the knob backlight.
 The holes are drilled through, behind the knobs is sanded plexiglass.
 The light of the LED is still too much concentrated on one point.
 I drilled a fitting hole in the back of the plexiglass and sanded off the round
 tip of the LED - maybe I have to use different LEDs.

 I'll post a shot of the light later this day.


----------



## fishski13

Sathimas,
 gorgeous!!! love the LEDs on the selector knob 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.

 i have no idea about your back-lit knob. i know Ferrari has some pretty examples. try a search for his posts.


----------



## bidoux

Just for fun:
 [Edit: I have no idea how to resize them, I'll post links, sorry for the troubles everyone]
 images : 1 2 3 4


----------



## bperboy

^^ 

 Resize please. Way too big for the screen.


----------



## dbfreak

I have to stand across the street to be able to focus on the last picture.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Holy crap! Those pics are huge for my laptop.


----------



## onyu

woot nice hi-res pics!
 /me loves hi-res


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sathimas* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here are some pictures of my finally finished AMB M³._

 

Gorgeous! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Not much more to say about that...


----------



## lynxkcg

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sathimas* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here are some pictures of my finally finished AMB M³._

 

Thats beautiful, exactly what I had in mind for my build. I love those cooling holes in the top.


----------



## zkool448

The hole pattern is also what caught my eye the most. very original - excellent build sathimas!


----------



## Sathimas

This pattern took me about ... don't know ... at least 10 hours with solid works.
 I tried at least a dozen differenz patterns.

 I wanted something that contains the number 3 and also expresses the M-"cubed".
 I think nobody except me will get the idea when looking at it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Last but not least - it had to look good


----------



## apatN

Sathimas.. Wow.. Beautiful!


----------



## DoYouRight

more pictures!


----------



## TeraHz

Inspired by linuxworks' spdif master. I created my own optical-only version:

 Top View:






 Top View Without LCD:





 Bottom View:





 Uncased, next to my y2:





 In the hammond case:









 Next to my y2, cased and on a nice stand:






 Thanks again linuxworks!


----------



## DoYouRight

HOW DO I MAKE ONE OF THOSE?


----------



## ramenmeal

i'm going to make some stands for my floorstanding speakers (huh?) for reflection purposes. So i thought what is trendy, cinder blocks came to mind, but then i thought of using a tree stump. genius! I think the look of having some skinny peg legged stand under a large speaker would look silly. Any way, do you guys think it matters what type of wood? I've already found a tutorial on how to make them, but it didnt specify if the wood mattered.


----------



## nattonrice

That last pic looks fantastic! good work!


----------



## linuxworks

cheers, terahz 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 enjoy the spdif switch.


----------



## commandercam

I've been considering a DIY amp project for about a year now and decided enough-is-enough, I should just order the parts and get something started. It's been a few years since I've done any electronics so the CMoy seemed like a good choice for my first amp project. All I can say is *I'm so glad I did it! *Tangent's tutorial is great and I had a blast putting it together. I'm looking forward to trying a few different opamps and I have an AD8620 on its way from BrownDog. What should I build next? It doesn't have to be a portable so I'm considering a PPA or maybe a Starving Student Millet Hybrid. Thoughts? Anyway this thread is about photos so here you go.

 Cam


----------



## funch

Great job! Enjoy.

 I especially like the hand-painted (I'm assuming) labels. Very cool!


----------



## commandercam

The faceplate is 1/8" clear acrylic. The labels are hand painted on the backside of the faceplate and then covered with several layers of black gloss spray paint.

 Cam


----------



## DoYouRight

those handpainted labels are teh sex


----------



## bhack101

Longtime lurker finally getting my feet wet in the DIY scene. The last of my parts and tools came in for my Mini³ and I got it up and running tonight.
















 More photos of the in-between steps at my flickr page: The Mini³ Portable Stereo Headphone Amplifier - a set on Flickr

 Thanks to great instructions from the AMB site as well as a ton of posts here on Head-Fi I was able to build and troubleshoot this and it went extremely well. I'm looking forward to my next project (whatever that may be)!


----------



## jazzist

Today I thought it was time to resurrect my 7-8 month stagnent B22 build and check it plays music OK with no funny noises or problems before picking up the project again and ordering the other (mirror) backplane (design already done) for the other 3 channels..
 Only tested with a cheapo sennheiser headset and westone um2 (on vol setting 1!) but seems to play music fantastic with no problems..already got the other b22 boards assembled from long ago.
 The e12 is not working well but I know how to fix, going to try a bit of this.. to get the rekay turning on reliably.. HeadWize: View Post [DIY Workshop » ε12: A muting delay / DC offset protection circuit for headphone amps]

 Hope to get it done before xmas and take some nice photos for AMBs gallery on his site.
 cheers.
















 Some older photos from when I was working on it hard:

 match those babies





 shout to AMB





 first b22 in place





 some connectors


----------



## linuxworks

I'm not a fan of black pcb's (hard to see and debug) but I do like the contrast you get from the green daughter cards and the darker base-board. nice effect


----------



## Beefy

Oh, I remember from ages ago that you were designing your own backplane. Nice to see it come to fruition!


----------



## Oya?

I loved my first build so much (a META42, you can see it in the third pic) that I bought another board and put this together. My Millet Hybrid died recently so this'll keep me very happy until the new MAX boards come out.

 A really modest amp in a really modest enclosure but it sounds so 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Had some issues but all the awesome DIYers here helped me through them all!


----------



## FallenAngel

Nice clean build _Oya?_, congrats.


----------



## chobint

Well I haven't built any headphone gear of late, but I have been using my buffalo/bijou combo as the source/pre for my facewoofer and recently these new speakers.

 They were built from a PE kit based on the fairly popular Tritrix MTM DIY speaker design. Overall I am very pleased with the sound considering the price (~$220 built). For my tastes, they seem capable of covering the entire range of music. The biggest surprise was the low end output. I expected punchy/tight but rolled off bass b/c of the driver size, but these things sound downright cavernous for 5" drivers. I guess that's the magic of a well designed TL box...


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome builds jazzist and chobint!


----------



## jazzist

nice looking speakers chobint.
 thanks to all for your comments on my build.
 hi beefy


----------



## chobint

Thanks as well for the comments. Jazzists I agree that the black backplane and green baby-boards looks great. It's too bad that it will probably be encased in steel, because I think that amp would be a great candidate for a clear lexan case.


----------



## jazzist

It will have a clear top


----------



## chobint

: D


----------



## DKJones96

Not headfi but stage 2 is almost complete. Just a little glitch with the tube stage to work on. The tube stage splits the incoming signal for AB duty in the power stage and amplifies the signal.

 Solid state with single ended input sounds great even at +-12v using a single pair of IRF630/IRF9630. The final build will be 2 pairs at +-36v which should give me ~160 watts per channel(I'll need more heatsinking!) Two power supplies, one is all sand and the other has none at all.


----------



## Nisbeth

Glad there's no high voltage on that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 /U.


----------



## sandbasser

HI DKJones 96 -

 Very interesting... 

 Nice little heatsinks on the perfboard in the 2nd picture. What are they and where did you get them???

 Thanks,


----------



## DKJones96

The tubes will run at 90v(0B3) so I don't exceed the heater-cathode voltage rating of the 6SN7s. I was running it at 165v while testing with 12SN7s tho(pictured).

 The heat sinks I got out of a junk monitor. Sorry. I've been looking for more since they are perfect for a lot of prototyping stuff being that they are small. I end up taking them off of previous ptypes to make new ones.


----------



## luvdunhill

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DKJones96* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The heat sinks I got out of a junk monitor._

 

I'd bet they are made by Fischer. If anyone is interested, their catalog is usually pretty decent and comprehensive. The only problem is, they are hard to get this side of the pond.


----------



## linuxworks

more progress on my 'LCD backpack' module. this time, I moved the lcd off the arduino's main pins and onto an i2c 'port expander' chip. this frees up many pins that I can use for other things (digital/analog i/o).

 still doing it on perfboard and kynar wire-wrap wire 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I just feel more confident and in control with this form than with home etching. maybe soon, there might be a pc board but right now its still fully 'made by hand' (lol).

 early shots, with only the arduino wired in:












 and now all the parts are wired in and the unit is working on its own. the green/white pair (on top of board) is the i2c clock+data pair.





















 and saying hello in its self-test 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 you can see that by putting this controller stuff right behind the lcd, you save a LOT of space inside the chassis for 'other things'. I finally got rid of the white breadboad that was holding the previous pcb-based usb boarduino (that used to be in all my rackmount lcd photos) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am using these displays and controllers so much these days, I'm trying to get this to the point where its generic and re-usable for any project that needs IR, lcd display and simple controllers.


 edit: don't confuse "i2c" with "i2s". i2c is for control of devices and has nothing to do with DACs. i2s is a data hauling protocol with clock and data kept separate and *is* mainly a digital audio thing.

 edit2: sourcecode up on my site, for the 'driver' and a demo calling app:

Index of /arduino_libs/i2c_lcd_backpack

 just grab the non-txt things (.txt is just so browsers can view it).


----------



## kuroguy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_edit: don't confuse "i2c" with "i2s". i2c is for control of devices and has nothing to do with DACs. i2s is a data hauling protocol with clock and data kept separate and *is* mainly a digital audio thing._

 

It is strictly for sound. I2S = IIS = Inter-IC Sound


----------



## TeraHz

Well the parts for my b22(click for larger version):




 Are starting to take shape now (click for larger versions):








 Still waiting for my transformers and 4-40 nuts to arrive so I can start mounting the MOSFETs and do some testing.

 PS: Many more pics here. I am taking a photo for almost every item that I put.


----------



## linuxworks

do I see mechanical thermostats in the far right (parts photo) ?


----------



## TeraHz

These are Stancor STO-170s, as suggested by Ti for the ε24 board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 You always notice the interesting parts


----------



## linuxworks

those mech tstats look a LOT like the ones I bypassed in my espresso machine, when I added a hardware PID controller to it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 if the tstat 'trips' is it going to just cut power to the amp?

 would be kind of neat to have as small cpu fan near the HS's and so if the tstat tripped, it would shut down the amp and also engage the cooling fan


----------



## TeraHz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_if the tstat 'trips' is it going to just cut power to the amp?_

 

Yes, it will kill the power.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_would be kind of neat to have as small cpu fan near the HS's and so if the tstat tripped, it would shut down the amp and also engage the cooling fan 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Actually I was thinking of using these fans (if I have pins left on the arduino) to kick in before the breaker kills the power (something like 5C before that). I assume that for the heatsinks to become hot enough it would mean I'm listening quite loud, so the noise from the active cooling will not be an issue, and it is better to have sound with a bit of noise vs no sound 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. 

 Fist things first, I have to build the amp


----------



## DKJones96

How large is the case? If the case has enough room you can use something like this and have it on all the time.

 I have that fan in a few things and wouldn't replace it with anything else. If you vent the fan out the bottom you won't be able to tell it is even there except for the air blowing.

 I've considered building that amp but I'd want a 3 channel and I don't have the patients to fill the same board 3 times. Not with that parts count anyways...


----------



## linuxworks

tera, I think you have it backwards.

 what you want is to monitor the volume level (acoustic) of the fans and then, if they are 'too loud' increase the volume (atten level) of the amp, to cover the fan noise!

 lol. I'm kidding


----------



## TeraHz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DKJones96* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How large is the case? If the case has enough room you can use something like this and have it on all the time._

 

DKJones, the case is still of unknown size, based on what I end up putting together. However I'm considering a custom case (acrylic glass, mdf, wood not sure yet) so I might be able to put a 120mm fan. And that is the fan I was considering to begin with. I've read very good things about it.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* 
_what you want is to monitor the volume level (acoustic) of the fans and then, if they are 'too loud' increase the volume (atten level) of the amp, to cover the fan noise!_

 

Lol, that is a good one


----------



## cobaltmute

PimetaV1 and PimetaV2


----------



## DoYouRight

excellent. Whats the DAC?


----------



## cobaltmute

My design for the DAC. Slowly working on tweaks to it. Laying out the next revision PCB now.


----------



## gore.rubicon

MSSH without working LEDs, gonna work on it tomorrow


----------



## linuxworks

another arduino hi-fi project 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 going really simple, here. returning to my roots (lol).

 a motorized volume control using a simple analog stereo pot, an IR receiver module (that small metal box) and a spare sony DVD IR remote control (any sony IR will do since the aruduino can learn keypresses).






 the white sticker is kind of neat; 'todbot' designed a .pdf file that you simply print and stick onto the chip as a key to which logical pins map to which physical pins 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the black chip is an 'h-bridge' that turns the motor CW or CCW based on 1 of 2 logic inputs.

 pressing the volume-up on the remote turns the pot one way and volume-down turns it the other way. what's novel (I think) is that my code supports 2 speeds in the up and down directions (mapped to 4 arrow keys on my dvd remote). I can 'zoom' the pot fast-up or fast-down with the up and down arrows; or I can move the pot much more slowly with the left and right arrow keys. I have been doing this on the LCD remote controls using the PGA chip and also relay attens. I really like the 4-speed style of doing volume control, it really helps usability, I think.

 code can be found at:

Index of /mvc-master/firmware/arduino


 here are some work-in-progress shots that I took before adding the h-bridge chip; showing the arduino board in its 'minimal state':











 I don't have a schematic drawn (yet); PM me if you want to build this before I finish the documentation 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 also to be supported in the code: power relay, mute relay and input relay selection.


----------



## DKJones96

Gotta love doing projects on protoboard.

 Where do you get your protoboard?


----------



## linuxworks

there's a small shop near me (halted.com) that has cheap surplus parts. I go there in person and buy things, sometimes once a week 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 they are really cheap, though; on some of my photos you can see the curve in the board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the holes are not punched centered, well; and they are not plated thru either. don't put much force on the pads or they will come off.

 other than that.....


----------



## DoYouRight

linuxworks you gotta make me some of your magician gear to help sort my buffalo32 and b22, you are a mad scientist to the max!


----------



## DKJones96

Ahh, they are like the chinese boards I already get... nevermind!

 Mine just look different because the flux they dip the entire board in turns the color. I like the easy soldering from the flux but solder sticks toooo easily sometimes.


----------



## linuxworks

this circuit is really really simple. no LCD stuff, no strange square metal panel cutouts (lol), just nice and easy stuff.

 I don't have pc board layouts (yet) but I might eventually. for the time being, you'd have to build this point-to-point. it took me about 2 or 3 hours to solder it together (going very slowly, to make it look clean, btw) and so it shouldn't take more than half a day to build, now that its all designed and developed.

 parts list (off the top of my head):
 - 16 mhz ceramic resonator (less than a dollar)
 - arduino 328 chip ($5)
 - h-bridge chip (few dollars)
 - 10k and 1k resistors (few pennies)
 - pushbutton switch (not strictly needed)
 - 6 pin header (a dollar, maybe)
 - IR module (vishay TSOP, a dollar)
 - molex connectors and IC sockets (not very much)
 - motor pot (this is where you spend your money) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 - spare sony IR remote, handheld (hopefully free)
 - 2 caps, a bypass and a filter (less than a dollar)
 - usb/serial cable (ftdi brand; $20 from adafruit.com, item 'FT232RL')

 you do need the cable to be able to program the part. the software is free:

Arduino - Software

 and it runs on windows, linux and mac. all bases covered 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 you could also take a short-cut and buy an arduino kit that gets you up and running faster, such as this one:

USB Boarduino (Arduino clone) Kit w/ATmega328 [v1.0] - $25.00 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits

 ('USB Boarduino' from lady ada. in this case, you don't NEED the 6pin cable; you use any old usb cable since the boarduino thing has the usb/serial converter built-in).

 if you build the usb boarduino, you only need to add the h-bridge chip:






 (rough idea of how to use the chip).

 if you want more info, just PM me. I'll be glad to help you get started


----------



## Fitz

So I heard some of you guys might enjoy pics of big trannys


----------



## linuxworks

is that a 'potted' transformer?

 lol


----------



## linuxworks

here's a pair of JISBOS (unity gain discrete buffer) boards:











 one board does not have the 2 trimmers installed (I left them out for the photo, actually)


----------



## TeraHz

My first try at LCD dB meter:






 Here is a short flash of it in action + arduino code:

Arduino LCD dB meter


 It is not too accurate, but not bad either. I'm using a regular 3.5mm in connected to analog pin on the arduino and just sample that and apply a 
 20*log10(sample/300) on the number to get the dB. That 300 is the 0dB signal level. The rest is just mapping the dB to one of the 13 positions of the 'bar'. I've added 2:1 smoothing because it looks nicer and same thing repeats for L and R.


----------



## DKJones96

That's cool! I'll have to try adding that to my hybrid power amp!


----------



## elpechos

This is my first audio related build
 I used toner-transfer method to make the PCB
 its a basic cmoy with slight upgrade to the virtual ground circuit.
 Thank you


----------



## Voodoochile

Nice looking board there.
 Welcome to Head-Fi (sorry about your wallet).

 I take it you did not have any trouble matching resistors!


----------



## elpechos

Thanks, -- I bought that 3000 pack of different sized resistors from ebay for 20 bucks or so. I get most my basic components in big lumps from ebay like that.


 The little cmoy is standard using opa2132 except with
 polypropylene input caps
 -OPA633 buffered virtual ground

 I haven't turned it on yet but I think it will work.


----------



## DKJones96

Got a seller name for that resistor pack?


----------



## elpechos

I got a seller name for the resistor pack

 I'm pretty sure this was the guy

eBay Seller: apmmall.engineering: Business, Industrial, Computers items on eBay Australia


----------



## TeraHz

Holy cow that's a lot of resistors! You need to fix the date on your camera. The pic says 2000 but the seller on ebay is from 2007


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TeraHz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first try at LCD dB meter:_

 

pretty good. I've been wanting to do that and you beat me to it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 did you front-end the ard's analog input with a LP filter to smooth things out a bit? maybe a buffer, then rectifier and filter cap - that would be it. filter cap would determine the time constant. then the ard would not have to 'check' as often or it would not get false readings. the cap also gives you a bit of a peak hold (sort of).

 re: log function; ard math *has* that? I would not have guessed that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I wonder how many cycles it takes to run log(x). if its slow, you could create a lookup table (precompute it) and save it in flash as a 'constants' table.

 next upgrade: use the 5 horizontal segments inside the character cell block to get more meter resolution 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 you can use my bargraph code for that.


----------



## TeraHz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* 
_pretty good. I've been wanting to do that and you beat me to it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks. There is much room for improvement.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* 
_did you front-end the ard's analog input with a LP filter to smooth things out a bit?_

 

Nope, I was doing more of a feasibility test. As you can see on the video the bars are quite energetic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I will definitely add a LP filter because I get readings from from -50dB to 2dB too often and it doesn't look as nice. Also when the music stops, for some reason the signal doesn't die, but starts to slowly decrease till 0.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* 
_next upgrade: use the 5 horizontal segments inside the character cell block to get more meter resolution 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 you can use my bargraph code for that._

 

I had the character in, but started to get late (too early?) and had to go to bed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Anyways, regarding characters on these displays, this is what I use to create my chars:
HD44780 LCD User-Defined Graphics

 I really want to do a FFT for a real spectrum analysis but that's not as straight forward. Still, after my b22 is finished (just fixed one of the sigma boards I managed to kill during wiring) I will focus on nice things to do with the ard.


----------



## sachu

The Blue Beast - EHHA (end panels are still out in the shop)


----------



## gore.rubicon

Wow, Sachu what did you use for the casing? or is that some custom work? and that left tube looks like it needs to be realigned?


----------



## sachu

It is the perforated sheet..I need to move it down one row...too lazy to do it now.

 It was something that I picked up at a surplus electronics parts store..I had the case powdercoated. It used to look like this.






 And this is how it was when i picked it up from the surplus store..


----------



## dBel84

now that's what I call a transformation 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


----------



## Uranus

*elpechos*, can you check resistor lead for magnetizing?


----------



## smeggy

Looking cool sachu.

 My ongoing tweakfest with the CTH


----------



## DKJones96

Now that's a tube amp!


----------



## adamus

smeggy...... what on earth is that!!!


----------



## Wilf

More audio joy, built by me, but from the Guru behind the modified Jaycar amp.





















 Pure Class A. It sounds absolutely sublime.

 More details Here


----------



## nattonrice

Looks awesome! 
 That blue cable is crazy thick O.O


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Very nice, congrats


----------



## BIG Dave

Here is a CMOY I built years ago. It's built into piece of furniture for a doll house I picked up at a crafts store for about a buck...


----------



## Wilf

Nice work, Big Dave!

 Thanks for the compliments, guys, very much appreciated.
 The PSU is my design, nothing special just +/- 15Vdc via LM317/LM337 on a home etch board. The pcb after it is a JLH PSRR, which detects noise on the DC and then cancels it out, followed by a cap. multiplier. Used in the AK-SCHA, and also used here, it makes a huge difference. I was part of the team that made the professional boards, with me doing the layout. The main board is a modification of an australian version of the classic Class A amplifier. It's been modified by SandyK, and can now be used with headphones, but with further improvements to the SQ via a modification to the input LTP. Board home etched by me.

 The nice chunky cable is Van Damme classic XKE instrument cable. Very flexible and nice to work with. The stepped attenuator is due to be replaced by LDR's (Lightspeed) when they arrive.


----------



## Ferrari

Here are some pics of my most recent work… a single ended transformer coupled one-stage tube amp.
 It’s a kind of tinkerman project, intended to try out some good sounding tubes with high Gm and high Mu like D3a, Russians 6J52P, 6S45P-E and 6N30P-DR.







 On the picture are D3a tubes with a level meter tube in between, the Sowter OPTs are on the back.
 The power supply is housed in a separate enclosure.






 ... a glance at the back





 ... inside the power supply






 In the middle is an ε24 circuit driving a Sharp solide-state relay.
 Thanks Ti (amb) for this handy circuit!


----------



## TzeYang

OMG.

 EDIT: How do you find time to build everything?! I'm a student (not working yet) and I cant even find the time to sit down and build something.


----------



## Sherwood

Ferrari,

 Beautiful, inspiring work yet again. Who do you use for panel work again?


----------



## Beefy

That is an *awesome* little SSR - much more casework friendly than the big puck style.

 Where did you buy it? Any modifications to the E24 to accommodate it?


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind words gents!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TzeYang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_OMG.

 EDIT: How do you find time to build everything?! I'm a student (not working yet) and I cant even find the time to sit down and build something._

 

I have done everything besides my busy work… bit by bit, mostly in the weekend.


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sherwood* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari,

 Beautiful, inspiring work yet again. Who do you use for panel work again?_

 

The panels are done by Schaeffer AG Germany (Front Panel Express in Europe).


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is an *awesome* little SSR - much more casework friendly than the big puck style.

 Where did you buy it? Any modifications to the E24 to accommodate it?_

 

Yes, a SIP-4pin device is much more compact comparing to common type relays. 
 I have a box of these SS relays from the local surplus. It works at 6V, therefore the 12V regulator of the ε24 circuit need to be replaced by a 6V version.
 It surprised me a bit when I discovered that this type of relay is rated at 16A/600V and it’s zero-crossing type.
 A bit overkill for my application (~1A), but heck… it’s dirt cheap!


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yes, a SIP-4pin device is much more compact comparing to common type relays. 
 I have a box of these SS relays from the local surplus. It works at 6V, therefore the 12V regulator of the ε24 circuit need to be replaced by a 6V version.
 It surprised me a bit when I discovered that this type of relay is rated at 16A/600V and it’s zero-crossing type.
 A bit overkill for my application (~1A), but heck… it’s dirt cheap! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yeah, I found a datasheet...... it seems to forgo a few functions of the larger relays, like a snubber circuit on the output and flexible switch-on voltages, so it wouldn't be suitable for everything. But a fantastic option nevertheless!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Title says it all






















 Cheers
 FRED


----------



## Listen2this1

Ferrari, amazing as always


----------



## Fitz

After working on it for a while in my spare time on weekends, I finally finished my new workbench:









 Still have to run power over to it, add decent lighting, and move a bookshelf full of parts & tools from upstairs though.


----------



## Pars

Oooh, looks like I need to stop by and borrow some test gear 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice job on the bench!


----------



## FallenAngel

That is WAY too clean Fitz! Take a photo of how it actually looks under "normal conditions"


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here are some pics of my most recent work… a single ended transformer coupled one-stage tube amp._

 

Simply stunning. Your works are in their own class.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is WAY too clean Fitz! Take a photo of how it actually looks under "normal conditions" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Notice there aren't any hand-tools, PCBs, etc in sight. I only brought down the heavy stuff today.


----------



## dBel84

Now that is what I need Fitz, when you comming west side to set me up? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


 Oh and Duc, you are a sic sic man indeed


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, I found a datasheet...... it seems to forgo a few functions of the larger relays, like a snubber circuit on the output and flexible switch-on voltages, so it wouldn't be suitable for everything. But a fantastic option nevertheless!_

 

It indeed requires a bit thinking job and certainly not a drop-in replacement for the common Omron or Panasonic relays.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Listen2this1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, amazing as always_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Simply stunning. Your works are in their own class._

 

Thanks gents!




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 ... Duc, you are a sic sic man indeed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_


----------



## apatN

Nice work Ferrari (and others)!


----------



## balderon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here are some pics of my most recent work… a single ended transformer coupled one-stage tube amp._

 

I have often wondered the same thing as TzeYang! How to find the time to consistently develop so many superb projects! Nice work Ferrari!


----------



## balderon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After working on it for a while in my spare time on weekends, I finally finished my new workbench:_

 

Hummm... All that equipment and not a single antistatic mat. Is there something wrong with these pictures? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Seriously - nice workbench! I am sure many of us are very jealous.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After working on it for a while in my spare time on weekends, I finally finished my new workbench:

http://img34.imageshack.us/i/newworkbench1.jpg
http://img171.imageshack.us/i/newworkbench2.jpg

 Still have to run power over to it, add decent lighting, and move a bookshelf full of parts & tools from upstairs though._

 

Impressive workbench! Nice work...


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *balderon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hummm... All that equipment and not a single antistatic mat. Is there something wrong with these pictures? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It's not an integrated part of the workbench if that's what you mean, the test equipment isn't in need of it, just the DUT which uses a smaller mat.


----------



## DoYouRight

fanstastic Ferrari, what are those plugs inside the tube amp that appear to be like usb connectors.


----------



## pixeljedi

Hi All,

 I've been reading through this site for awhile now and finally decided to show what I've been working on. I built a few CMoys over the last few months, but this weekend I put together my first mini3 and am totally loving the sound. Huge massive thanks to everyone on here - you guys are such a great inspiration for doing these projects. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 CMoy's
















 mini³


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *apatN* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work Ferrari (and others)!_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *balderon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I have often wondered the same thing as TzeYang! How to find the time to consistently develop so many superb projects! Nice work Ferrari!_

 

Thanks gents!




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_fanstastic Ferrari, what are those plugs inside the tube amp that appear to be *like usb connectors*._

 

Eehh… USB 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ??? 
 Besides the RCA input connectors, there are 3/4-pins Neutrik connectors, used for the DC power supplies (6.3V, 160V and 250V).
 The small switch on the right of the connectors allows a manually delayed power-on of the high voltage section (160V and 250V).

 In other words, when the regulated power supply box is switched on, only the 6.3V heaters supply is activated. 
 The high voltage section will be manually switched on later, after the tubes are warm up.
 It’s better for the tubes to implement the PS this way.


----------



## drizzt

I love the coleman's mustard PixelJedi. Defenitly one that I have not seen yet.


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *drizzt* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I love the coleman's mustard PixelJedi. Defenitly one that I have not seen yet._

 

Thanks drizzt. I needed more room for some bigger caps, and that one gave me plenty of extra space. Definitely sparks conversation at work too - People walk by and ask me why I have a tin of mustard on my desk


----------



## johnwmclean

My Buffalo



 

















 My other goodies


----------



## mattcalf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My Buffalo...
 ...My other goodies..._

 

You'd better hope you have them locked up good next time I'm in NSW. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Seriously jealous, that is what I'd describe as a dream rig! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Beautiful work! Congrats.


----------



## elliot42

Very nice, John.
 Good to see it all finished, much better than the Just Right box


----------



## wink

It has me buffaloed as to why I haven't built one yet.....


----------



## johnwmclean

^^ Thanks guys, do you like the selector knob? LOL. It’s temporary.

 Does any one know a good knob shop? So to speak hahaha...


----------



## wink

Altronics on page 223 of their catalogue have some.
 I seem to remember that on either the headphonic or rock grotto forum about a month or so ago there was a few posts with suppliers of these items.
 Sorry I can't be more specific. Must be Old Timers catching up with me.
 You could also look up the Jaycar website as well as RS Components or Farnell


----------



## nattonrice

THL audio has a good selection and is cheap shipping to AU


----------



## wink

John, The post was Headphonic Forums, Sources and Headphone Amps,Beefy's DIY Headphone Amp on page 15, back in June 29.
 The two links were:-
knobs
eBay Australia Shop - PARTSPIPE: SWITCHES, LED's Downlight Bulbs Bezels, Plugs Connectors


----------



## Beefy

Yeah, the Partspipe knobs are dirt cheap considering how good quality they are.


----------



## elliot42

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^^ Thanks guys, do you like the selector knob? LOL. It’s temporary.

 Does any one know a good knob shop? So to speak hahaha..._

 

Yeah... I wasn't too sure about the knob 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Thanks for the links to the knob shops, I have some shopping to do now.
 Also, where did you get that front panel done, John?


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *elliot42* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Also, where did you get that front panel done, John?_

 


 Engraving:

Godfrey Engraving

 The front panel is engraved then back filled with black, the back is engraved and back filled white.

 Laser Cutting:

Excel Laser Cutting

 Godreys can also laser cut, but I only got the engraving done there. They seemed more specialised in finer work - I think their laser cutting would be better than excel.


----------



## nattonrice

I just contacted the engraving guys and they have awesome communication compared to others I have tried to talk to recently.


----------



## dhaninugraha

my latest build:











 monstrous caps compared to the board size? you bet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 based on the tangentsoft.net schematic.
 specs are:
 * 1/2W Riken resistors (overkill? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
 * BlackGate F (not FK) 470uF 35V power supply capacitors
 * Wima MKP10 0.22uF 160V input caps
 * gold-plated DIP socket
 * Burr-Brown OPA2134PA opamp
 * cheap 3.5mm jacks (they're only like, what, $0.2 each? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
 * unknown-brand 10Kohm volume pot
 * Canare L2T2S hookup wires (from/to board, jacks, volume pot)
 * silver-coated copper as hookup wires for the PS and input caps

 and now suddenly I'm just too lazy to burn those BG caps in...
 (200 hours, mind you...)


----------



## elliot42

Thanks, John. I'll have to contact them about some panels for my amps... if I ever get around to doing the woodwork.

 dhaninugraha, why go all out on the components but cheap on the in/output and pot? May as well go all the way


----------



## dhaninugraha

@ elliot:

 it's terribly difficult to locally source good quality chassis-mount 3.5mm jacks and ALPS pots here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 can get them online though, but customs tax are just simply unbearable


----------



## dbfreak

*ε12*


----------



## dbfreak

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dhaninugraha* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_@ elliot:

 it's terribly difficult to locally source good quality chassis-mount 3.5mm jacks and ALPS pots here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 can get them online though, but customs tax are just simply unbearable 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Those middle men, always with the hands out...


----------



## Pars

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dbfreak* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*ε12*




_

 

Nice job on the e12. I especially like the connector you are using for the signal wiring (and kick myself in the ass for not having thought of that)


----------



## dbfreak

_I don't make a lot of the products I build. I make a lot of the products I build better._





 Thanks!


----------



## TeraHz

Well there it is, about a month later:































 All 137 shots: 
Georgi's Pics - b22 Class A Amp

 Sounds great with both my uFonken speakers and SR80 phones.


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TeraHz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sounds great with both my uFonken speakers and SR80 phones._

 

Awesome job, looks great!


----------



## linuxworks

over the weekend I put together an AMB m3 amp. here, its on a wooden mdf breadboard (in standard green) along with the tangentsoft YJPS (in striking red) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 YJPS is configured for default of 24.0v dc. its actually double filtered (at the ac level) with the onboard choke as well as one inside that metal power iec box.

 there's no volume control on this board; I'm doing the VC remotely via my usual burr-brown PGA vol control chip.

 on the alps pot pads, on the m3, I have 2 header blocks and 2 shorting jumpers. this lets me install a pot (later, if I want) and also have an easy way to jumper the input to ground (for bias calibration) and also to connect wiper to input lines for 'direct connect' regular use.

 the boards are just hot-melted (lol) to the mdf board. once I find a box big enough, it will all get moved.

 or not (lol) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 this is an extremely low noise amp system. I can't hear any amp noise at all, even with the volume pot (that isn't there) set on full


----------



## Beefy

Very nice Linuxworks! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I'd love to hear some listening impressions compared to your B22. I'm currently torn between building a second M3 and re-casing it with my current one to go balanced, or building something entirely new......


----------



## linuxworks

would I be tarred and feathered if I said I liked the m3 as much as (or more) than the b22?

 the 'build JUST enough to do the job' engineer in me likes the m3 better. I think its JUST enough for a phones amp and not an obscene amount of overkill (lol).

 the m3 also allows more 'on the fly' gain setting. that's VERY practical! on my photo, you can see some small red and white jumper shunt blocks in the middle of the m3 board. that's an intercept point for bass boost OR variable gain! what I'm thinking of is having some latching relays (1 or 2 bits worth) to select 2 or 4 levels of gain. true gain settings; in addition to a regular attenuator for input. that really lets you tune the S/N based on whether you're driving high-z or low-z cans. will probably have a controller cpu do the setting for me, too (lol).

 I may end up using the b22 as dual monoblocks for my spkrs (only) and this m3 for phones listening.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_would I be tarred and feathered if I said I liked the m3 as much as (or more) than the b22?

 the 'build JUST enough to do the job' engineer in me likes the m3 better. I think its JUST enough for a phones amp and not an obscene amount of overkill (lol)._

 

Not at all! You hear what you hear, and you build whatever floats your boat. My practical nature tends to agree, and I seriously wonder whether my ears are good enough to tell the difference - or whether I would care anyway.

 Mind you, in my case building a balanced amp doesn't exactly fall into the non-overkill camp......


----------



## grawk

I preferred my balanced m3 to any b22 I'd heard, too


----------



## rds

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TeraHz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well there it is, about a month later:
 ...
 Sounds great with both my uFonken speakers and SR80 phones._

 

Why did you decide to add the zobel?


----------



## Emooze

Dramatic pause, makes everything better


----------



## TeraHz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rds* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Why did you decide to add the zobel?_

 

It is advised by the designer:
  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *http://www.amb.org/audio/beta22* 
_... if the amplifier is intended to drive speakers, the Zobel networks ... should be connected across the output binding posts of each channel to compensate for the inductive speaker load. Without the Zobel network, the amplifier may become unstable under certain conditions._

 

On a side note, my dpdt switch stopped working on the headphone side after the second switch now I only have speaker output working...


----------



## linuxworks

zobels can only help and not hurt, right? I have one on my b22 and I do drive spkrs with it, but when I'm driving phones I don't notice any 'bad' effect. I think it can only help, so why not add it.


----------



## MisterX

Twins? 
 (there is a Mini3 in the "other" case)


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome build TeraHz and MisterX.

 I find all this talk of the M3 being liked better intriguing.. still I don't think I could resist a B22.


----------



## ShinyFalcon

Indeed! I have the sudden urge to revisit the M³, now that I have a σ22.

 I really like those γ2 panels. All the ports on the front makes the γ2 look strange, but now maybe my leftover γ1 board will have a purpose after all


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Twins? 
 (there is a Mini3 in the "other" case)_

 

γ2! Drool! Very nice! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Out of curiousty, how did you mount the Mini³ board in that larger case?


----------



## ShinyFalcon

There is one hole for a screw where the battery lies. I'll say that he placed the board into a slot for support, and held the board in place using the hole where the battery lies. You could probably use the hole on the LM317L as well.


----------



## MisterX

The circuit board is held in place on the front by the nut on the pot. 
 I cut a piece of flat aluminum stock that fits in the top slot of the enclosure to support the back and then drilled a pair of "mounting holes" in the circuit board. 
 Attached the "bracket" to the board with a couple of screws, nuts and standoffs and the whole thing slides right in. 
 It was kind of a PITA but I did not have to drill any holes in the extrusion that way. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Maybe will take some pictures the next time I remove the panels...


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I cut a piece of flat aluminum stock that fits in the top slot of the enclosure to support the back and then drilled a pair of "mounting holes" in the circuit board._

 

Very creative. I like. How much room in the back did you end up getting with that extra space? enough for RCA input?


----------



## Sathimas

Not completely finished, but already more beautiful than I expected them to be:

 Wooden sidepanles for my Subwoofer:



 



 

 This subwoofer really sounds great, but it looks awful...
 With those sidepanels both look and sound are high-end 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 This is german appletree, again a treasure found on the attic of my grandfather.
 (Like the walnut wood I used for my M³ - some pages back in this thread)
 I'll apply one more layer (maybe two) of clear laquer, not satisfied with the gloss yet.


----------



## Nebby

Quite a nice design! What subwoofer is it? Interesting isobaric design.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grawk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I preferred my balanced m3 to any b22 I'd heard, too_

 

I much preferred my balanced Beta 22 compared to my balanced M3. As nice as the M3 is, the Beta22 to my ears has more of everything, the differences were not at all subtle.


----------



## grawk

your m3 and mine are probably different


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sathimas* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not completely finished, but already more beautiful than I expected them to be:

 Wooden sidepanles for my Subwoofer:



 



 

 This subwoofer really sounds great, but it looks awful...
 With those sidepanels both look and sound are high-end 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is german appletree, again a treasure found on the attic of my grandfather.
 (Like the walnut wood I used for my M³ - some pages back in this thread)
 I'll apply one more layer (maybe two) of clear laquer, not satisfied with the gloss yet._

 

looks beautiful to me. your walnut M3 inspired my to use the same for my B22 chassis.


----------



## Sathimas

The subwoofer is a KS Digital Qsub2.

 KS Digital is a German studio monitor builder, this subwoofer is the only existing "Ripol" develloped as monitoring subwoofer.
 Precision and speed of this subwoofer can almost match with headphones - in my acoustically untreated room!

 @fishski13

 Can't wait to see your B22!


----------



## skyline889

That sub is gorgeous!


----------



## Ferrari

A couple of snapshots of something in the making…


----------



## mattcalf

As always, a work of art Ferrari! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Thanks for sharing.


----------



## sachu

wicked!!...stunning work Ferrari.


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A couple of snapshots of something in the making… 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

very sleek , not sure if you have mentioned this already but I am assuming that this is to bring out the best in your K1000 ..dB


----------



## SaxonFSU

the first setup, after getting the parts for my cmoy, and building it, the classic altoids look, not bad, just too plain






 the second fase, the next day lol






 the final variant. decided to go with a desk rig, uses AA rechargable batteries. much cheaper and easier. also added 2 inputs and a selecter knob. this change happened a week later and i am much happier. not gunna carry it around, but then again my ultra portable rig(ipod and shure scl2's) doesnt need an amp.






 not a bad rig for real. all music i care about is ALAC. gotta save the rest of my college budget for my speakers and amp haha


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks gents!


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_very sleek , not sure if you have mentioned this already but I am assuming that this is to bring out the best in your K1000 ..dB_

 

Yes, I have indeed quite high expectations of this amp when I started.
 Just get it up and running this evening and the sound it produces via my K1000 is really impressive... very fast and powerful. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Maybe still a bit too early to draw conclusions, but I think that this baby is very likely in the same league as my KG Dynamite and balanced β22.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A couple of snapshots of something in the making… 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding701.jpg
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...eelding691.jpg_

 

Looking really great! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 You most often (always?) seems to put quite a bit of effort into the chassis as well. /me like...


----------



## dbfreak

More great builds!


----------



## apatN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks gents!]_

 

Nice! Is that a silver/white led behind the volume knob? Looks ice cold. Nice work!


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks gents!

 A turquoise (blue/green) LED is used for the volume knop ring to match the tone of the tube level meter… a kind of blue-greenish. 
 It seems a bit lighter on the pic due to mixing with daylight.

 Actually, I have made the LED circuit exchangeable and can change it in red or blue when desired.


----------



## DoYouRight

omg bonerrific


----------



## Henrik Nordberg

I finished a s11 + m3 build last night and have been listening to the combo the whole day. It sounds wonderful. Haven't really heard some of the music like this before. It brought out elements I hadn't noticed in music I have heard hundreds of times before. Thanks to AMB for continuing to make this possible.

 After I had completed measurements and biasing I hooked it up to the not-very high-end output of my laptop and was amazed by what the amp did to the poor source. The first music I played was a FLAC file of Kraftwerk. I then decided I had to bring the amp to work the next day that I might enjoy it the whole day. So I looked around for a box suitable for high-speed installing... this is what I came up with (a moon cake box from Yummy Foods Co, San Francisco -- fitting since it soon is that time of the year again).













 The build went smoothly. Next up is the y2, for which I received the parts today (Monday) after having ordered them late Friday night. Nice work, Ti. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Today I had it hooked up to my Philips DV-588A SACD + DVD-A player. Listened to a whole range of hi-res disks, from Channel Classics's Beethoven sonatas (SACD), to Depeche Mode's Violator (SACD) and Randy Newman's Little Criminals (DVD-A). 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cheers,
 - Henrik


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome casing Henrik Nordberg





 The M3 is such a nice amp, and yours is a nice build!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

That'll show Hammond we don't need their expensive cases 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 great work 

 cheers
 FRED


----------



## Henrik Nordberg

Thanks!

 This was my first build in 22 years. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But now I am excited to get going with the y2. Will be a good companion to the m3.

 Also, perhaps the most striking high-res disk I enjoyed today was the Flaming Lips _At war with the mystics... _DVD-A (24-bit/88.2 kHz).

 Though I have a feeling the DAC in the cheapo Philips 588A is no match for the y2, even if it is "24-bit/192kHz".


----------



## Jerrycan

That's a real nice looking cooky tin.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fred_fred2004* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That'll show Hammond we don't need their expensive cases 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'm wondering when we'll see hammond cases with cookie graphix (decals?) on them, just as a 'reply' back


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm wondering when we'll see hammond cases with cookie graphix (decals?) on them, just as a 'reply' back 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Better yet; cookies in 'em.


----------



## applegd

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Henrik Nordberg* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_


_

 

Henrik, nice moon cake case....


----------



## Lyel

Hello everyone. I finally got around to finishing re-casing my most recent project (a TREAD powered CMOY). I'm a little apprehensive to post these because my case skills leave a LOT to be desired, but hey, you have to start somewhere. I'll include a before and after shot.

 Before:





 After:





 Ok, back to drooling over the other builds in this thread.


----------



## Jerrycan

Very nice and original, just art


----------



## gabriel-dan

Hi,
 Here are a few pics of a M3 I built sometime ago. It is housed on an ATI research chassis ( I think they went out of business because their website has been offline for sometime now). I have been rolling between AD8610, 
 AD845 and OPA627, I've found with my HD650, I prefer the AD845 sound over the other two.
 Recently a motorized pot from Dantimax was added. 
 gabriel


----------



## Ferrari

Very nice M3 in that ATI Research enclosure. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I still have a couple of ATI Research enclosures around, maybe I will build something with it soon. 
 ATI Research is indeed out of business a while back unfortunately.


----------



## apatN

^ You can fill that enclosure with a nice M3 for me if you want.


----------



## johnwmclean

^^ I like the finish, looks very smart. Congrats.


----------



## linuxworks

a JISBOS pair of buffer boards, mounted onto ABS plastic to create a sort of 'module'.






 green block is for power supply. each board has a white molex connector; one for input and one for output. the power supply wires run from the board, straight down thru the plastic (thru a grommet) and then to the green term block. an attempt to keep power and signal away from each other.

 the 'module' is supported by 4 standoffs that extend from the 4 corners.


 not sure what I'm going to do with this, yet; but I'll find some app for it


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *apatN* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^ You can fill that enclosure with a nice M3 for me if you want. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 







 Not a bad idea at all, but my ATI enclosures have dated with something else, unfortunately.


----------



## soloz2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 Not a bad idea at all, but my ATI enclosures have dated with something else, unfortunately. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I've already tried that that too!


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm wondering when we'll see hammond cases with cookie graphix (decals?) on them, just as a 'reply' back 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

be a "green" DIYer and recycle those "chassis". 

 L.W., when are we going to see an Apple IIc box from you?


----------



## Ferrari

As many other projects I have done in the past, it has to be started somewhere. 
 This is the kick-off of a new SET amp for my AKG K1000 base on some Russian “craps” from my parts bin and a couple of custom made OPTs. 
 Still a long way to go through the proto phase, but here is the first pic…


----------



## Daveze

Good golly Miss Molly. That's two very large tubes.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Daveze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Good golly Miss Molly. That's two very large tubes._

 

Naahh, those tubes are not very large, this is a large tube... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 but it is for my next project that runs in the range of 1100V DC and will certainly not work in this design @ approx. 250V.


----------



## dBel84




----------



## the_equalizer

Nice looking 6C33C-B's Ferrari! What is the larger tube ? I'm asuuming it's a power triode ?

 cheers!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *the_equalizer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice looking 6C33C-B's Ferrari! What is the larger tube ? I'm asuuming it's a power triode ?

 cheers!_

 

It’s a copper plate version of the Russian GM70 power triode.


----------



## pistolsnipe

love the towels covering the mess


----------



## Daveze

Planning to energise the side of your house for use as an ESL subwoofer?

 I'm going to keep my yap shut about things that are big and not so big...


----------



## ShinyFalcon

Here's my y2 which is almost working, short one voltage regulator. It's sitting on top of my β22's transformer box, which also happens to be a Box Enclosures variant.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Daveze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Planning to energise the side of your house for use as an ESL subwoofer?_

 

More likely a "central heater" for the cold winter days. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 I was busy with testing the DC heater circuit this afternoon and have to say that these big ladies generate lots of heat under duty.


----------



## smeggy

my latest thingy. Hybrid amp (not all done by me) cased in an 'exploded view' design. Not complete yet, but almost there.


----------



## sachu

holy smokes..very nice Smegster.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Ferrari..that thing is just insane...me wants it bad now


----------



## Sherwood

Gets better-looking every time i see it, Smeg. You really do some excellent work with wood


----------



## logwed

Beautiful casing, smeggy.


----------



## linuxworks

a proof-of-concept build showing the newly announced (but still on a proto board) LCDuino-1:






 the LCDuino-1 announcement: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/lcd...cessor-447607/

 I couldn't wait for the pcb house boards to arrive so I installed another perf-board version, along with a perf-board PGA volume control sub-board in my M3 amp. its taking 24v (dual rail) from the 'host' (m3) and needs only an extra logic 5v supply to be able to run.

 casework still done by hand with metal file and xacto knives. thankfully the bezels were plastic so it wasn't too hard (but I still hate doing casework!) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 production (beta test) boards should arrive any day now. this may be the last perf-board arduino I built and all new ones should be using the LCDuino-1 doublesided pro-made boards.

 for now, I at least get to enjoy a remote controlled M3. and when not in use as a headphone amp, its a very bulky and expensive digital clock (lol).


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my latest thingy. Hybrid amp (not all done by me) cased in an 'exploded view' design. Not complete yet, but almost there.


http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3553/stacker.jpg_

 

Holy! That woodwork is sexy... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Excellent!


----------



## S3am

linuxworks,
 Great build, as always!

 p.s. What hammond case is it?

 Confirm please, that this one have detachable cover too:
Hammond 1455-N2202 :: Hammond 1455 Series :: Enclosures / Boxes :: Electronic Parts :: Banzai Music
 I'm realy tired searching not expensive case for my future zen headamp project. And this hammond is the best i can buy... But I was very upset because today i "realize" that this hammond has solid structure and only front and back panels are datachable...

 Thanks.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sachu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 Ferrari..that thing is just insane...me wants it bad now _

 

This hobby is sometimes insane, but the fun is priceless. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*@smeggy*

 Really cool woodwork man, I'm going to ask you to make a wooden faceplate for my amp someday (if you don't mind).


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *S3am* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks,
 Great build, as always!

 p.s. What hammond case is it?

 Confirm please, that this one have detachable cover too:
Hammond 1455-N2202 :: Hammond 1455 Series :: Enclosures / Boxes :: Electronic Parts :: Banzai Music
 I'm realy tired searching not expensive case for my future zen headamp project. And this hammond is the best i can buy... But I was very upset because today i "realize" that this hammond has solid structure and only front and back panels are datachable...

 Thanks._

 

Actually, on the 1455 series, one of the top/bottom plates slides out, so you can take it out to install everything, and then slide it back in after(and make whatever holes in it you need..). Or even replace it with a vented panel (check out the CTH thread for example).

 Check out the top left drawing here: http://www.hammondmfg.com/pdf/1455L2201.pdf, and you will see that it is a separate piece (describe below in the next drawing).


----------



## sachu

something I cased up over the weekend.


----------



## S3am

MrSlim

 Thank You! Then it's exactly what I need. I Hope I will have some photos to post here a couple month later


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my latest thingy. Hybrid amp (not all done by me) cased in an 'exploded view' design. Not complete yet, but almost there._

 

The quality of the work people do here with wood never ceases to amaze me!

 I just wish there was somewhere round here I could do to learn, but none of the local colleges teach it. Not being able to make cases for stuff is my big weakness.


----------



## Emooze

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my latest thingy. Hybrid amp (not all done by me) cased in an 'exploded view' design. Not complete yet, but almost there.


http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3553/stacker.jpg_

 

Loving the exploded view, you should just leave it like that. Reminds me of some really nice buildings.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *S3am* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks,
 Great build, as always!

 p.s. What hammond case is it?_

 

this one: 1455T2202BK

 8.66 in L x 6.3 in W x 2.1 in H


 it has black plastic single-piece end panels. I was expecting metal end pieces as inserts but I ordered the plastic version, instead.


----------



## dBel84

nvm ?? pc failure


----------



## DoYouRight

wow smegg's thats fantastic!


----------



## cobaltmute

Carrie with a GrubDac.





 Panels are on order for the casing.


----------



## Atilla

Here is what I had built before I started visiting those forums more regularly:







 Inside an old wine box, a PIMETA is hidden, with a recyced power supply, TREAD PSU and a crosfeed at the input. Featuring a laquered and sanded cork for a volume control : 






 The rest of the images can be found here: 

Picasa Web Albums - Atilla - Blandy


----------



## cobaltmute

Cool.


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Atilla* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is what I had built before I started visiting those forums more regularly:_

 

Cute!

 What's that they say? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 By the way, where'd you find that switch?

 k


----------



## InSides

This is an update to a previous post:

Harman Kardon HD 990 Output Stage

 Having lived with the thing for almost half a year now, after mild tweaking, I decided it was time to recase it into something a bit nicer. An added benefit is the physical separation of the PSU into a separate box.

 Boxes are from the Galaxy series by HiFi2000 with the optional 10mm front panels.

 Front View - PSU chassis on the left:






 Back View - Umbilicals Installed [Speakon + AQ Power Cable]:






 Connector View - 2 SpeakOn for Power, 2 pairs of XLR for input/output and 1 pair of CMC sockets for unbalanced output:






 Back View - Umbilicals Removed:






 Front View - Top and Fronts Removed:






 Frontal View:






 This time no _money shot_ - she's at work.

 P.S. Feet are again Vibrapod cones - this time three pieces on each box.

 P.P.S. I realize the photos aren't up to snuff... but I only had a kit lens at hand, and the lighting wasn't good, and my stomach hurt... you get the idea.


----------



## Atilla

The switch is from a manufacturer called "APEM" and I found it on the site of a Scandinavian supplier - ELFA -- Elektronikdistributör i norra Europa while looking for some capacitors.


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Atilla* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The switch is from a manufacturer called "APEM" and I found it on the site of a Scandinavian supplier - ELFA -- Elektronikdistributör i norra Europa while looking for some capacitors._

 

Thanks!

 k


----------



## grawk

I love people who use found materials for cases (and other useful functions). Reuse is definitely my favorite ecologically beneficial practice. Repurposing what would otherwise be thrown away is awesome.


----------



## j4cbo

Something new I'm cooking up... still very much a work in progress.


----------



## grawk

that looks very symmetrical


----------



## j4cbo

You could even say it's... _super_ symmetrical.


----------



## Atilla

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grawk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I love people who use found materials for cases (and other useful functions). Reuse is definitely my favorite ecologically beneficial practice. Repurposing what would otherwise be thrown away is awesome._

 

Yes, in the true spirit of DIY - recycling is awesome. I got a perfect filtered AC with fuse and a good trafo by using the Dremel on an old modem from the scrapheap. I would probably have a worse supply if I had bought the parts really. 

 The case is scarier. I didn't have *any* tools, don't ask me how I've made those holes on the front "panel"


----------



## DoYouRight

I love those galaxy cases! are those custom sized ones?


----------



## Ferrari

As far as I can see from the pics, those enclosure are Galaxy Max GX183 (124mm x 230mm) and GX283 (230mm x 230mm) with optional faceplates.

 Well done InSides!


----------



## InSides

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I love those galaxy cases! are those custom sized ones?_

 

Ferrari was right on the money. Those are GX183 and GX283 with 10mm faceplates.

 I was lucky that the protoboard was sized exactly like the smaller enclosure with room to spare for connectors.

 This way, I can place them side by side on a standard rack, and still have two boxes.

 I wish HiFi2000 did these case in another, larger depth. Would work wonders for monoblocks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_As far as I can see from the pics, those enclosure are Galaxy Max GX183 (124mm x 230mm) and GX283 (230mm x 230mm) with optional faceplates.

 Well done InSides! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Much appreciated, especially coming from you, Sir. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 You must have been using a lot of HiFi2000 cases to spot the exact sizes from the photos.


----------



## DoYouRight

just fit perfectly tight! awesome! the more I see them the more they destroy par-metal cases. Especially the sides. Do the indents on the sides serve any purpose or purely aesthetic?


----------



## InSides

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just fit perfectly tight! awesome! the more I see them the more they destroy par-metal cases. Especially the sides. Do the indents on the sides serve any purpose or purely aesthetic?_

 

The sides are indented on the inside as well, and can server for mounting rectifiers / regulators, like I've done on the PSU side. Per the creator of the enclosures, the 10mm thick sides [alu profiles] are good for dissipating up to 20W of heat.

 They come in very handy when you need something more than a PCB mounted heatsink, but not really finned size like in class A amps. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am now waiting on a second set for my PhonoClone 3 build. The indents will be wonderful for mounting the Cinemag line transformers I want to add for SE-to-balanced conversion.


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *j4cbo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Something new I'm cooking up... still very much a work in progress.




_

 

Ok.. Details please.. Inquiring minds want to know.. 

 At least mine anyway.. 

 Or maybe I'm just out of the loop..


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrSlim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ok.. Details please.. Inquiring minds want to know.. 

 At least mine anyway.. 

 Or maybe I'm just out of the loop.._

 

a Nelson Pass design?


----------



## Daveze

Super Symmetry would certainly point towards a Nelson design...


----------



## nattonrice

The dac is done before the amp as I am too lazy to reterm my headphones lol.
 Ignore bad photo quality + the crap on top that I didn't clean.


----------



## DoYouRight

very ice build what kinda case? also, what is that perf board?


----------



## Emooze

Looks like an Arduino controlling the inputs, very nice.

 And have agree, a very sleek and beautiful build indeed.


----------



## nattonrice

Thanks dude.
 The cases are from Context Engineering although it is a non-stocked size (built to order).
 Very well built (solid) cases but the finish is an acquired taste =]

 The perf board holds a small ardiuno uC. 
 It is what controls those two relays and the leds for source selection using the 4:1MUX.
 It also remembers the last source selected before turn off so that it is auto selected at next power on... a bit of a gimmick but coding that is easy given the onboard EEPROM so I thought why not?
 It could have been wired direct to the MUX but I had the 5v relays already and the 5v supply is right next to it so this was easiest for me.


----------



## DoYouRight

I cant wait for one of those so I can rock a remote. Just waiting for linuxworks' pcbs


----------



## nattonrice

Yeah having that around back when I thought of using it would have made things sooooo much smoother.


----------



## j4cbo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrSlim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ok.. Details please.. Inquiring minds want to know.. 

 At least mine anyway.. 

 Or maybe I'm just out of the loop.._

 

It's a hybrid opamp/discrete design, using the output stage from an M^3 and a THS4131 SuSy opamp. There's also an onboard Jung Super Regulator and 128-step balanced logarithmic relay attenuator. I'm not done with the attenuator yet, since I missed some parts in my last Digi-Key order. Once it's all up and running, I'll post a thread.

 That said, it sounds damn nice


----------



## Nisbeth

Can't wait to hear more about that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /U.


----------



## linuxworks

arduino for the win! lol.

 say goodbye to discrete latches and gates and things. its a software world, now!

 in a few years, there will be 'class S' amps (software based).

 ok, so I'm half kidding.

 maybe not as long as a few years.

 lol.


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome build. Very clean and sexy.

 Congrats!


----------



## Dougie085

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just fit perfectly tight! awesome! the more I see them the more they destroy par-metal cases. Especially the sides. Do the indents on the sides serve any purpose or purely aesthetic?_

 

Sure they are much nicer then Par-Metal but at a much higher cost. Unfortunately with shipping charges we could end up spending 3 times more then a par metal enclosure of the same size.


----------



## johnwmclean

Bloody beautiful Tom, Casing looks so good! The ardiuno is a very sexy thing.


----------



## nattonrice

Thanks John!
 You get a lot of the thanks for all the general and machining house advice! ... and getting my eps files for me


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The dac is done before the amp as I am too lazy to reterm my headphones lol.
 Ignore bad photo quality + the crap on top that I didn't clean.













_

 

Great job


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The dac is done before the amp as I am too lazy to reterm my headphones lol.
 Ignore bad photo quality + the crap on top that I didn't clean.

http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke...%20DAC/off.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke...20DAC/back.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke...20DAC/open.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabookers/ESS%20DAC/on.JPG_

 

Really beautiful.
 So minimalist and clean looking casing.


----------



## elliot42

Oh, wow! That looks awesome, Tom.


----------



## nattonrice

Thanks guys~
 Here's the rest:
 Sorry bout the spam of pics but perhaps someone can get ideas from it.

 ...and yes I stuck when it comes to wiring lol


----------



## S3am

Excellent! 
 What headphones do You use with it? And what is the source?


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks guys~
 Here's the rest:
 Sorry bout the spam of pics but perhaps someone can get ideas from it.

 ...and yes I stuck when it comes to wiring lol

http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke...2/thestack.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke.../b22inside.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke...a22/b22top.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke.../b22bottom.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke...22/b22back.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke.../s22inside.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke...a22/s22top.JPG
http://members.iinet.net.au/~wabooke.../s22bottom.JPG_

 

Even more goodness for the eye! ..and ears I am sure.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



Really nice β22, σ22 and ESS Sabre rig.


----------



## j4cbo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_arduino for the win! lol._

 

No Arduino, just a solitary ATtiny24.


----------



## johnwmclean

Tom, you deserve a metal - that’s up there with the best Beta22’s and Sabre32 combo’s I’ve seen in these forums.


----------



## Lil' Knight

nattonrice, that's an amazing setup 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I love how you do the air vents.


----------



## smeggy

just gave my top wood panels and tube surrounds a going over with Micromesh abrasives to buff up a nice shine.


----------



## sachu

love them both smeggy


----------



## Nebby

The micromesh stuff sure makes it easy to sand! Before I started using it as the final sanding step, some days I felt like I lost my identity when I couldn't feel my fingerprints anymore from the sanding


----------



## smeggy

yeah, I'd never heard of micromesh before today. One of the guys at the woodshop suggested it and blam! instant awesome. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now I have to dismantle the front panel to give that a treatment too.


----------



## Nebby

if you have the finish sealed really well you can go for the full piano gloss finish by continuing on to rubbing compound and a polisher


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome build Nattonrice, the β22, σ22 and ESS Sabre rig seems to be the 'reference' in DIY at the moment. And yours is absolutely amazing!

 Congrats on the beautiful build. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



*
 EDIT:* Natton, is that a 4pin XLR output?


----------



## nattonrice

Thanks guys 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Yep it is a 4-pin.
 I originally designed for dual 3-pin (I think i still have the 3d render from sketchup) but progressively moved towards the nice aesthetic of a single jack... that and xlr are heavy mofos. One is bad enough lol.

 I currently use dt880pro which is a little low on the price wow scale. I was thinking of going a little more extravagant but now have a couple of other things I have my eyes on so we'll see ^^


----------



## nikongod

Sweet work on the B22/S22/DAC setup, that thing looks great!

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I currently use dt880pro which is a little low on the price wow scale. I was thinking of going a little more extravagant but now have a couple of other things I have my eyes on so we'll see ^^_

 

Have you tried the DT-880 from an amp with a 120-ohm output impedance? They are a different beast that way I tell ya.

 It will take you all of a moment to build an adapter cable to try it. If you still dont like them thats cool (and you should get more headphones even if you do like them because thats what we do), but their sonic character changes a LOT depending on source impedance.


----------



## nattonrice

Hmmm that's interesting! I've never heard them like that.
 I throw an adapter in the mix later on to see what happens ^^


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yep it is a 4-pin.
 I originally designed for dual 3-pin (I think i still have the 3d render from sketchup) but progressively moved towards the nice aesthetic of a single jack... that and xlr are heavy mofos. One is bad enough lol._

 

Yaaaaayyyyyy!

 Dual 3 pin (a/k/a goat testicles) should have never got off the ground in the first place and really needs to die a miserable death! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Great build by the way!

 Oh, and if you don't already know, you can get female XLRs that don't have that push tab on them. 

 se


----------



## wink

Great setup Tom, all you need now is a Senn HD800.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wink* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Great setup Tom, all you need now is a Senn HD800._

 

..or a K1000. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	






 With a quad-board β22 and a dual-board σ22 I would assume it can handle one without muss stress. He even have the corresponding 4-pin XLR..


----------



## mike410

Mini^3 that I finished earlier this weekend. It was easy for a first DIY and sounds great too!

 Bad cellphone pics











 Dont have any pics of the inside but I will take some when I put the new cap in (put it in backwards, oops)


----------



## smeggy

Congrats. The mini is a great little amp.


----------



## rds

^yep, I just built one of these yesterday and it's great with my shure se530. Finally these damn phones are hiss free!
 Nice job on the front panel


----------



## stew1234

Very slick combo. Did you have context engineering do the engraving work on the DAC also?


----------



## nattonrice

Context engineering supplied the cases only, no machine work.
 All the laser cutting and engraving was done locally in Sydney.


----------



## ivxoome-fi

well something glowing I made in 0.5$.. smd LEDs,front printed on sheet


----------



## cobaltmute

GrubDAC as a cable dac in a Hammond 1551HTBU. I'm surprised that I haven't seen a Bantam in the case (but maybe I'm not looking hard enough).


----------



## DoYouRight

that is sick!


----------



## calico88

what da ya think ?


 C


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *calico88* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_what da ya think ?_

 

Sweeeet!

 How did you do the headband?

 se


----------



## manaox2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *calico88* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_what da ya think ?


 C_

 

I really like.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *calico88* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_what da ya think ?_

 

I think you have done some really nice woodwork there. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Especially getting the headband going...

 Sweet!


----------



## smeggy

very cool phones. Like everyone else... wondering about the headband. We want names and addreses!


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *calico88* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_what da ya think ?
 C_

 

that is really well done, all questions as above 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


----------



## liltehood

Got my CMoy case drilled yesterday:









 Sorry for the cam pics, my cam broke.

 If you want more information on this build go here:
My Projects


----------



## unl3a5h3d

What did you use to make the case? I want a nice case to build a cMOY in but I don't want to have to spend $60 on just a case?


----------



## liltehood

its a case called fisher akg. its made out of aluminium and looks pretty neat. i payed 7.95€ for it.


----------



## nems

My Pimeta


----------



## apatN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *calico88* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_what da ya think ?


 C_

 

That's pure win! I guess the headband doesn't go through all the way and that only ~2cm was glued in. Am I right?


----------



## AGTCooke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cobaltmute* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_GrubDAC as a cable dac in a Hammond 1551HTBU. I'm surprised that I haven't seen a Bantam in the case (but maybe I'm not looking hard enough)._

 

I *almost* ordered the translucent case for my upcoming Bantam. I wound up with Hammond 1551KBK instead, which is also slightly larger. 

 1551H: 23.5x60x20
 1551K: 28.5x80x20

 I was concerned that the board would fit, hence the slightly larger box. We'll see, pics to come in the next few weeks (as soon as I get the rest of my parts! <nudge::tomb> 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *AGTCooke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I *almost* ordered the translucent case for my upcoming Bantam. I wound up with Hammond 1551KBK instead, which is also slightly larger. 

 1551H: 23.5x60x20
 1551K: 28.5x80x20

 I was concerned that the board would fit, hence the slightly larger box. We'll see, pics to come in the next few weeks (as soon as I get the rest of my parts! <nudge::tomb> 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)_

 

It shipped today.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 BTW, the reason we didn't pick the case that cobaltmute used is because as you've all noticed, he had to cut some sizable notches (relatively speaking) out of the board to make it fit. We chose the tiny Box enclosure instead, because the entire board just clears all the case posts and offers enough height for the 1000uf - 1500uf Pana FM/Nichicon UHN/UHZ. The Box enclosures are available at the same place as the Bantam DAC(
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ), at Allied Electronics, Newark, and you can order them directly from Box Enclosures themselves. Granted, that's still not Mouser and DigiKey, but it's not like they're hard to get.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Kudos to cobaltmute for getting his GrubDAC to fit in the Hammond, though!


----------



## cobaltmute

The extra room in length of the Box enclosure probably gives you a bit more working room to get the cables in. That was a pain.

 Using that box also means modifying the box (removing the bosses and some trimming on the posts as well). But I still got a 1500uF cap in there...


----------



## unl3a5h3d

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *liltehood* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_its a case called fisher akg. its made out of aluminium and looks pretty neat. i payed 7.95€ for it._

 

Could I get a link please?


----------



## thefallenangelx

Thats mine:
 DIY cmoy amp in DIY "british covered" case
 Amp: AD8620 with DIY browndog adapter
 Power cap 470uf
 Bypass Cap
 Gain 5.7


----------



## gabriel-dan

Pics of a k272 in a tupperware box.."tupperamp", for $27AUD it sounds Ok.


----------



## TzeYang

Back to hometown, not where I live, so I don't have a good camera 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Oh I suck at taking photos too so I need something that is idiot proof which is the one i'm using back at my apartment.


----------



## pabbi1

Tube eXStata


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Tube eXStata

 ..._

 

Nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Is this a version of the poor man's amp?


----------



## cobaltmute

Two finished Carries:


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome system cobalt. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 @Kerry: eXStata is the DIY electrostatic designed by runeight (Alex Cavalli) I believe.


----------



## AGTCooke

Nothing quite like realizing that you forgot a critical component for your latest build when go to reach for them. You get two guesses:

Attachment 21857

Attachment 21855

 Also, from the "Holy **** SMD soldering takes mad patience" department:

Attachment 21856


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *AGTCooke* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nothing quite like realizing that you forgot a critical component for your latest build when go to reach for them. You get two guesses:


 Also, from the "Holy **** SMD soldering takes mad patience" department:
_

 

Well, I guess from the titles of the pic jpeg's, you forgot the JFETs? Looking good on both so far, though.


----------



## Gatsu

AGTCooke,
 if you are considering doing more surface mount soldering you may want to take a look at using solder paste and a hotplate.
 This page has quite a good guide to hotplate soldering.

 Its also possible to use a skillet, Sparkfun have a pretty good tutorial on how to do it as well.


----------



## johnwmclean

I’ve got a new camera and I’ve finalised my Sabre32 with a Dact CT3 selector switch


----------



## dbfreak

Sweet!


----------



## nattonrice

That looks fantastic John! 
 Good work =]


----------



## smeggy

Very nice john 8)


----------



## mattcalf

That is too damn nice John, congratulations on such a professional looking '32.


----------



## fordgtlover

Nice work John. You are setting the bar waaay too high for the rest of us Aussie Diyers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My next build might just go in a cardboard box or something.


----------



## nattonrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fordgtlover* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My next build might just go in a cardboard box or something._

 

Haha after my current bout of diy that sounds like my budget as well


----------



## Beefy

FINALLY getting my feet wet again in the world of DIY with a couple of small items - a y1 USB to SPDIF converter, and an E24 relay driver - towards a more significant build......











 I can't believe how cheap the y1 is compared to commercial products


----------



## Jerrycan

Nice job, certainly for the first time!


----------



## AGTCooke

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Gatsu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_AGTCooke,
 if you are considering doing more surface mount soldering you may want to take a look at using solder paste and a hotplate._

 

Very interesting. I guess I don't want to pony up for a hot plate, and would like to learn to make due with what I have.

 My first couple of surface mount solders look like a train wreck (okay most of them), but towards the end of this Bantam the started looking all right. Basically:

 1) I was applying solder to both pads instead of 1, and in turn could not get the part to lay flat.
 2) I was applying way to much solder. I think the spool I have is too thick for the application, but I got decent results (I think) from dropping the solder on, and then sucking most of it off

 Of course, in the end it's a wash, because Windows reports that it stopped the device because it was having problems. At least it lit up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now I'm debating troubleshooting vs. ordering another board and parts and giving it another go, mostly due to how I feel about the quality of my soldering and its improvement. Big PITA pulling this board out, and with the miniMAX still benched waiting on parts....

 Even without success (yet), I should thank TomB and Tangent for their tutorials on the topic. Very helpful.

 Now, back to beer....


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Jerrycan* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice job, certainly for the first time!_

 

Heh, no, getting back into it _again_ after a 9 month break


----------



## fordgtlover

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_FINALLY getting my feet wet again in the world of DIY with a couple of small items - a y1 USB to SPDIF converter, and an E24 relay driver - *towards a more significant build*......


 I can't believe how cheap the y1 is compared to commercial products 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Do tell...


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fordgtlover* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do tell..._

 

Just re-doing the Buffalo24 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 HiFi2000 case, FPE panels, shielded transformers, MUX for inputs, shunt power supply for analogue. It is being planned such that I should be able to drop in _any_ DIY DAC in the future with little to no case or power supply changes being necessary.


----------



## DoYouRight

why use the y1 usb > spdif instead of twisted pears?


----------



## Beefy

Because it was less than half the price, and I believe better designed: better power filtering, discrete power regulator rather than the PCM270x built in regulator, buffered and transformer coupled SPDIF output, and the ability to easily supply power from an external linear regulator rather than USB power (which I intend to do).


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks guys for the nice comments, sorry about my late response.

 Beefy, I wonder how a single shunt will compare against dual LCBP's for analogue duties. Are you going with LCDPS for digital? An upgradable DIY DAC sounds like incredible foresight, good luck with the build - I can't wait to see your pics.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beefy, I wonder how a single shunt will compare against dual LCBP's for analogue duties. Are you going with LCDPS for digital? An upgradable DIY DAC sounds like incredible foresight, good luck with the build - I can't wait to see your pics._

 

I recall that Russ claimed on the TPA support forum that switching to Placid was a bigger improvement than dual mono. I honestly don't know that I will be able to tell the difference...... so my rationale for a single supply was a potential future DAC that has only one set of analogue power inputs.

 Yes, I will be running two LCDPS (4 rails) for digital power. One for USB and TOSLINK receivers, one for the MUX, one for VD and one for VA. I would have considered something like Placid for these as well, but I am already running low on upgrade room in a 2U, 300mm rackmount (!). The shielded transformers take up a lot of space, and heat production might begin to be a big consideration if I have too many shunt supplies in there.

 The most difficult part is what to call it on the front panel. I don't want to label it as a Buffalo if I am going to switch out the Buffalo for something else!


----------



## johnwmclean

Hehe cheeky! Well I've racked my brain with trying to come up with a front panel name for your build, how about 'Beefys FOTM DAC' followed by 'look under the hood for updates'...


----------



## Lil' Knight

Your B32s looks so amazing, John! Drool.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Your B32s looks so amazing, John! Drool._

 

Thanks Tran, your HD800's are really humming nicely now - I'm planning a balanced EHHA for my next project as a contrast to my Beta22.


----------



## wink

Beefy said:-

 "The most difficult part is what to call it on the front panel. I don't want to label it as a Buffalo if I am going to switch out the Buffalo for something else!"

 How about "UPGRADEITIS DAC"....??


----------



## Beefy

Heh, not a bad idea wink


----------



## johnwmclean

I done a little more design work Beefy...


----------



## apatN

^ Call it "FOTM DAC"!


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *apatN* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^ Call it "FOTM DAC"!_

 

That might just work......


----------



## metro_ear

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *UserNotFound* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I am in the proccessing of making a cmoy amp in a zippo tin, as well. I unfortunately have terrible soldering skill when it comes to close quarters like that, so i decided to go sans-volume control and use an input pigtail to make it easier, but then i've come down with mono and can't really work on it anymore 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







 i could always put my all-radioshack amp in there, but it picks up the local AM radio station 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





_

 

wowwwww...nice zippo


----------



## Oya?

Sorry for dumping my ghetto build here but I'm just completely stoked with it and wanted to share. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
















 Alex at Rock Grotto forums was super helpful!


----------



## mattcalf

Sweet build oya? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Always been interested in the Jaycar build, but can't seem to find it instore or online (at Jaycar).


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Oya?* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sorry for dumping my ghetto build here but I'm just completely stoked with it and wanted to share. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 Alex at Rock Grotto forums was super helpful!_

 

Alex is a top bloke all right, and your build looks absolutely brilliant! I like the layout, all lined up very nicely from IEC to headphone jack.

 Congratulations is must sound fab with all the mods


----------



## nattonrice

Looks Great Oya? !

 LOL those panels are pure win.


----------



## dean0

looks great, what op-amp you using?


----------



## nightanole

Heres My gamma2 lite with a Carrie on top. It only sucks 250ma...




][/url]


----------



## Oya?

Thanks guys. It sounds great and I had fun building the JLH on protoboard (even though I had lots of problems but Alex sorted me out).

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_looks great, what op-amp you using?_

 

It's an LM4562.


----------



## fishski13

oya,
 ghetto my ass. looks great and a solid build.


----------



## rille2

My Bijou:












 It was inspired by Ferrari's build. I made a little PCB for all the cables (some of them not used) from the transformer.


----------



## Rescue Toaster

That looks really sharp, rille2.

 Can I ask you what kind of cable that is, both the audio to the RCA's and the internal hookup stuff? Really nice wiring job.


----------



## rille2

It's nothing special. The NF cable is Sommercable Onyx 2025 MkII and the other is a silicon insulated wire from Lappkabel. Both are quite inexpensive


----------



## DoYouRight

rille im loving those knobs!


----------



## johnwmclean

rille2 that’s so gooOOood!


----------



## AGTCooke

Thanks to everyone who made this project possible:

Attachment 22043


----------



## aj-kun

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *smeggy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just gave my top wood panels and tube surrounds a going over with Micromesh abrasives to buff up a nice shine.




_

 

those tubes look like miniture bongs (well it did when i was scrolling down)


----------



## manaox2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *aj-kun* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_those tubes look like miniture bongs (well it did when i was scrolling down)_

 

Smeggys actual ones are much darker then that. The psychedelic glass and ash catcher with lid next to it probably helped add to your imagination.


----------



## wui223

My try on Diamante, a fully discrete class A headamp.






 Perfboaring such an amp is a great pain..


----------



## n_maher

General point of clarification: the intent of this thread is to post pictures of your own builds that you yourself built. Not builds you might pay someone else to build, regardless of how nice and regardless of whether or not you steered the aesthetic portion of the design. This is the DIY forum.


----------



## spritzer

...and to get the thread back on track, here is the a Blue Hawaii I finished last week. 











 The tubes are biased for full power and it uses the stock BH power supply with dual Plitron transformers and a delay timer to preheat the tubes for 30 seconds. All the resistors on the amp boards are 1/2W PRP's save for a couple of Holco's in a spot where they will never see the full voltage from the PSU (Holco's should never see more then 100v). The volume pot is an Alps RK40 but it will be replaced with a 4-gang unit soon.


----------



## johnwmclean

^^ Holy Cow 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That is absolutely stunning.


----------



## Emooze

Very nice!

 Did you find using multiple transformers was a better solution than getting a single one with all the windings? And where did you get the boards from?


----------



## spritzer

The amp was built from scraps so to speak, hence reused chassis (notice the extra holes inside the amp) and yes, the multiple transformers. It does make fitting a delay timer for the tubes a bit easier but this layout just fitted the chassis I had at hand. I have a whole pile of KGSS/BH parts here and though it was about time I cased one up to make it presentable so I gutted my first KGSS to fit this instead. I had the amp PCB's made and got the PSU board from Headamp.


----------



## cetoole

Got a bit of work to do still since there is a bit of visible oscillation, probably more aggressive grid stoppers, but it is functioning and sounding quite good. Currently set up to use E810F/7788, though it can and will be modified to run some D3A, just to try it out. Custom 7200:32ohm 2w ungapped Electra-print OPTs, 5.6uf ICW ClarityCap SA parafeed coupling caps, Pimm Self Biased Cascoded MOSFET plate loads, OPT wired for Western Electric connection (bottom returned directly to cathode), and 75ohm unbypassed cathode bias resistor. This is based off dsavitsk's ongoing l'espressivo project.


----------



## Beefy

Looking great, Colin


----------



## Rescue Toaster

Is that solid state rectification, cetoole? I can't see the diodes.


----------



## luvdunhill

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Rescue Toaster* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is that solid state rectification, cetoole? I can't see the diodes._

 

eeeh, but can you see the tube?


----------



## Rescue Toaster

Obviously not...


----------



## cetoole

Sand rectifiers, using a pair of UF4007. I gave a bit of thought to using a 6by5, but that obviously would not have fit this case.


----------



## fishski13

my B22:
 -DIY mahagony/aluminum chassis with custom face-plates from FPE.
 -100VA 30V+30V encapsulated TX from SumR.
 -PEC pot and Cardas signal wire.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...13/B22/037.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...13/B22/041.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...13/B22/042.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...13/B22/043.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...13/B22/047.jpg






[/IMG]


----------



## rhester

very nice


----------



## Steve Eddy

Beautiful!

 se


----------



## aloksatoor

pretty


----------



## OutdoorXplorer

nice. care to replicate another set for me....


----------



## mattcalf

Stunning build mate!
 I really like the hard-wired Sigma22, not sure why. 





 Thanks for sharing.


----------



## fishski13

thanks everyone.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mattcalf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Stunning build mate!
 I really like the hard-wired Sigma22, not sure why. 





 Thanks for sharing._

 

it's cheaper
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fishski13* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my B22:
 -DIY mahagony/aluminum chassis with custom face-plates from FPE.
 -100VA 30V+30V encapsulated TX from SumR.
 -PEC pot and Cardas signal wire._

 

Looking really nice!


----------



## apatN

Lovely design! Very clean. I like it a lot.


----------



## fordgtlover

Nicely done


----------



## johnwmclean

fishski13, now that's craftmanship - I like the wood and metal combination - the design has worked exceptionally well. It is clearly evident that a whole lot of planning has gone into this built. How long overall did the process take, say from initial planning - in regards to the custom chassis work? Very pro mate, hope it gives you years of pleasure.


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_fishski13, now that's craftmanship - I like the wood and metal combination - the design has worked exceptionally well. It is clearly evident that a whole lot of planning has gone into this built. How long overall did the process take, say from initial planning - in regards to the custom chassis work? Very pro mate, hope it gives you years of pleasure._

 

thanks. total execution, from start to finish, was about 6 wks. the chassis work consumed about 4 of those weeks. i also made 2 different proto-type face-plates before ordering the custom ones. 

 i have no idea how many hours i put into planning before hand. my previous 2 builds were a bit more involved and difficult - i learned a lot and it made this build that much easier. the fact i really enjoy the creative aspect of planning and creating something from scratch with DIY means i spend a lot of time thinking about it before i build it. Ti also made life easier by designing the B22 boards to be flexible with respect to lay-out and wire routing options. 

 and of course, i get a lot of inspiration from all the excellent DIYers here!


----------



## Adapada

I feel so noobish!

 I'm currently working on an E3 mod (Odegard Franken Fiio)

 I'm trying to find good parts, in stores preferably. Any suggestions? (i need a Potentiometer (dont know what size though)


----------



## InSides

Here is my PhonoClone [details here]:
















 Standard BOM. HiFi2000 cases, Trafomatic potted transformers. Neutrik SpeakOn + AQ power cable for umbilicals.

 Mundorf MCap on outputs. I have ZN coming soon...

 ...what is not standard is my contraption for easy loading. I attached a small PCB with 300, 400, 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 CNF55 resistors [or close enough values].

 Using MB style jumpers, I can select any combination of those in parallel and get a much larger degree of loading steps. Current combination yields ~170ohm which seems quite suited to the Ortofon Rondo Red I have installed.

 Initial Thoughts

 No perceivable hum or noise on normal listening levels. Some noise after 2PM on the volume dial... still quite negligible. Will give it a few days and see what happens. Happy happy right now.

 P.S. Wen't in to install my freshly nuded DL-103 last night. After fiddling with the wires, I realized I broke the cantilever off. Oh well, another hit to the wallet is not really surprising here, is it? For the time being, back to the Rondo.


----------



## pila405

WOW! It looks amazing! Beautiful job!


----------



## nikongod

This amp started life as a base model SinglePower extreme, which had to have some mods done for safety, others for my own curiosity, and others for the sake of other reasons.

 For safety:
 The power transformer was replaced with an antek in a cool looking cover because I have plitron envy. The stock transformer was being used in an unsafe fashion, as detailed elsewhere on this site.
 All parts were checked for power/voltage rating: with the exception of 1 resistor which was being run slightly above rated power, all were within safe limits. The bad resistor was replaced and a few others that kind of got in the way of my mods were as well. The output caps were also upgraded just because.

 For my curiosity:
 I replaced the plate resistors and cathode resistors for the gain triodes with CCSs and LEDs. 
 I augmented the cathode loads in the output stages with CCSs.
 Nice stuff. 

 For other reasons:
 I added a transformer coupled output. It drives low impedance headphones MUCH MUCH better than the OTL output. 
 Anyways, the transformer coupled output goes in the "left" open hole (since filled and currently in use with my Grado HF-2). the right headphone jack is OTL, and the transformer is hooked up to the switched output on it: when the OTL jack is in use, the transformers have exactly 0 effect on the circuit. cool, hunh?








 No, I will not work on your SinglePower amp.


----------



## FallenAngel

We demand photos of insides!


----------



## limpidglitch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





_

 

That is hot, even got a matching tube damper.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *InSides* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my PhonoClone [details here]:

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/313/dsc0085l.jpg
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/589/dsc0089.jpg
http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/4102/dsc0088x.jpg_

 

Clean build! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 /me like


----------



## mmayer167

here's a low cost build that sounds really decent if you would like a warmed up hd201, bass extends much, clarity increases. Detail and separation doesn't really get much better. The cables are Acoustic Research performance balanced directional cable. They started out as a male to male rca interconnect and i just hacked the destination plugs off and wired em up. cables can be had for around $10. only real drawback i can see is the stiffness of the cable... oh well they weren't really all that portable before anyway. To connect to ipod/portable amp ie 3.5mm jack i use an adapter that looks like a molded headphone splitter. If you are wondering about the hole in the ear cup, its an experiment that took place before the re-cable. There is that hole and two more of the same size in the plastic driver cover inside that was a bear to peel off when getting to the drivers. im sort of a noob when it comes to posting so sorry for breaking any rules if i did. cheers, happy listening


----------



## scootermafia

We all have to start somewhere. $20 ebay CMOY kit on its way. I'm incredibly lazy and totalling up all the parts on Mouser would have taken several minutes. I also would have had to purchase the board separately, adding a second shipping charge. This one was $20 shipped.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *scootermafia* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_We all have to start somewhere. $20 ebay CMOY kit on its way. I'm incredibly lazy and totalling up all the parts on Mouser would have taken several minutes. I also would have had to purchase the board separately, adding a second shipping charge. This one was $20 shipped._

 

All the best with it scoot!


----------



## fishski13

scooter,


----------



## DoYouRight

welcome to the end of your wallet scooter, I see you trading in a phoenix for a b22 just like ipod!


----------



## Anonanimal

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *DoYouRight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_welcome to the end of your wallet scooter, I see you trading in a phoenix for a b22 just like ipod! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Too true... looks like once you get bit by the DIY bug, the b22 is the inevitable end result.


----------



## grawk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Anonanimal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Too true... looks like once you get bit by the DIY bug, the b22 is the inevitable end result._

 

and then there's the dynafet, the kgss, and the blue hawaii, and then there's designing your own gear, and then there's handwinding your own transformers...


----------



## diego

I saw a video of a guy making his own tubes.


----------



## dhaninugraha

ladies and gentlemen, I present you my latest build: a *dual-mono discrete CMoy*.

 I followed the original Chu Moy schematic which I found at Headwize, except that I'm using discrete Audio-gd Moon OPAs to drive both channels.
 other specs include: Dale RN60 resistors, Elna Cerafine 1000uF 25V rail caps, Wima MKP10 0.22uF input caps, 24ga silver teflon wiring, 1/4" headphone jack, RCA input jacks.

 power comes from wallwart only, I'm not planning to power it with batteries, since I'm gonna be strictly using it as a bedside setup anyway.
 currently I'm using my laptop's 19.6V 3.42A DC adaptor for testing purposes, LOL 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 pictures:


----------



## Koplimi

Here's my first post on this forum as well as the first photos of my finished Spdif-switch.

 The switch has 6 inputs (2 coax & 4 optical) and two outputs (coax/optical).

 It can switch any of the six inputs to both outputs individually. Meaning that it can switch input 1 to the coax output, and input 4 to the optical output at the same time.

 It has taken influences of off *Linuxworks spdif-switch's hardware* and has its own software(which is still being "developed").

 To control the switch I have a knob and 6 dual color led's (amber/blue). The leds are of the size 0603 and were a royal pain to solder. But the result was very pleasing. I still have some IO-pins to use and might be implementing an IR-receiver to control the switch in the near future.

 Cheers! Pictures galore! (And sorry for the pictures quality)


----------



## bidoux

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dhaninugraha* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_that I'm using discrete Audio-gd Moon OPAs to drive both channels._

 

Any idea of the schematic ?


----------



## dhaninugraha

bidoux,

 The schematics to the amplifier can be found at Headwize, while the schematics for the OPAs can be found at Audio-gd's website. I beg your apologize for not being able to provide you with links at the moment, I'll get you the links and add them to this post as soon as I have access to my computer (I'm online through my blackberry at the moment).

 Basically the amplifier follows exactly Chu Moy's schematic, except that instead of using OPA134s which Chu specified at his schematic, I'm simply using the discrete opamps from Audio-gd. I bought them for about $13 each (directly from Audio-gd), they're single-channel opamps, and I used two of them to drive L and R channels. Just plug and play


----------



## balderon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MisterX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Unless they take some major steps to improve their quality control I would strongly suggest avoiding Cam-Expert. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 This is the best panel of the batch I received today----> 

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/IMG_5349.jpg
 The other panels were somewhat less then...... 
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/IMG_5358.jpg
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...e/IMG_5357.jpg
 Nice huh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Edit: In case you are wondering this is the third (and last) time I have received panels that look like this from them._

 

I received my front panel from Cam-Expert today and I am very pleased with the quality of their work. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The 14.5"x4.5" panel had a fair amount of machining on the front and back of the panel including a cavity around the entire outside perimeter of the panel. All milled edges were clean and the panel was manufactured precisely to my drawing.

 Communications was great. I was quoted just 1 week to make the panel. A couple of days after I pulled the trigger I received an email informing me of an unexpected 3 day delay because of material shortage. 1 week following I received shipping notice, right on time.

 I hope my experience was not unique and Cam-Expert has corrected the issues others have had.


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dhaninugraha* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ladies and gentlemen, I present you my latest build: a *dual-mono discrete CMoy*._

 

Looks cool dhaninugraha! How does it sound?


----------



## dhaninugraha

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pixeljedi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks cool dhaninugraha! How does it sound?_

 

It sounds... Very lively, fun, musical...
 It is dynamic, makes you go headbanging and toetapping, but it delivers the sound in a rather smooth manner... It is never lethargic, sterile, nor dull in any way.
 It has good low end extension; full, smooth, and slightly laidback mids; treble is detailed but without any stridency.

 It even drives HD580s and HD650s effortly. Both sang out loud with the volume knob at 9 o' clock, and at 10 o'clock they sound overly loud.
 The HD25-1 was VERY loud at 8 o'clock, and at 9 o'clock it began to distort. Ouch.
 (I suspect that the amp's monstrous gain of 11 has something to do with this. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )

 And it only costed me around $60 to build it


----------



## bidoux

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dhaninugraha* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_(I suspect that the amp's monstrous gain of 11 has something to do with this. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )_

 

Gain of 11 is way too much for most headphones. Thanks for your answer, I didn't know Audio-gd give their schematic away.


----------



## dhaninugraha

bidoux, here's the link to Audio-gd's page regarding the OPAs:

ÐÂ½¨ÍøÒ³ 1


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *balderon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I hope my experience was not unique and Cam-Expert has corrected the issues others have had._

 

It's not, I've had nothing but excellent service from them and I believe that they rectified Marshall's situation swiftly and to his satisfaction as well. My latest order from them turned out great.


----------



## Brian2006




----------



## sachu

just amazing...i am in awe..love the VU meters..

 Care to share some info on your design?


----------



## Brian2006

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sachu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just amazing...i am in awe..love the VU meters..

 Care to share some info on your design?_

 

The amp is developed by my friend from the circuit, PCB to case. 

 It is using 12AX7 tube for preamp stage and soild state as power stage. One 12AX7 tube is used for both balance/unbalance input. 

 This is the finalized version as you can see there is a bigger amp in pic which is an early version using two 12AX7 tube per balance input.


----------



## balderon

Nice build! Where did you find the case or did you build from scratch?


----------



## OutdoorXplorer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Brian2006* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The amp is developed by my friend from the circuit, PCB to case. 

 It is using 12AX7 tube for preamp stage and soild state as power stage. One 12AX7 tube is used for both balance/unbalance input. 

 This is the finalized version as you can see there is a bigger amp in pic which is an early version using two 12AX7 tube per balance input._

 

An awesome masterpiece. Wanna take in some bulk orders?


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Brian2006* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...occare/111.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...Toccare1-1.jpg
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h1...e/Toccare1.jpg_

 

Really nice build! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Both internally and externally...


----------



## Anonanimal

That's an awesome-looking amp, Brian2006. Nice job! How does it sound?


----------



## Mr.Mantas

Sexy looking!
 I hope sexy sounding to?


----------



## oneplustwo

Twisted Pear Buffalo 32S:










 1. toslink, USB, and coax inputs
 2. k1000, XLR, RCA, and TRS output
 3. e24 on/off circuit
 4. dual mono power supply
 5. custom birch front panel with rounded edges and different color stain stepped center hole
 6. Par metal case


----------



## johnwmclean

Good work oneplustwo, congrats. I’m loving the wood panel. Any internal pics?


----------



## oneplustwo

Doh! Forgot to take one on the inside. All I have is this in progress pic.






 The inside is not very pretty. Too many inputs and outputs and transformers plus the volumite, momentary switch, input selector, and e24 circuit. I did my best to keep the power wires away from the signal wires and such. It sounds great regardless!


----------



## johnwmclean

oneplustwo - It's a tough one alright with all the inputs and outputs, I'd still like to see the final version though. Don the screwdriver and camera, come on!

 As alot of us are now finishing our sabre32 builds, the guys at TPA are finalizing a new dac.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_oneplustwo - It's a tough one alright with all the inputs and outputs, I'd still like to see the final version though. Don the screwdriver and camera, come on!
_

 

If he can't, I'll try to do that when I get my hands on it.


----------



## oneplustwo

LK will have to do it. It's already packed in umpteen layers of bubble wrap and on the way to UPS.


----------



## cfcubed

Nice looking builds guys. This really isn't one of those. But it's working perfectly & I'm quite happy with it.














 I talked about it in the B22 Roll Call thread (wallwarts + 7924/7824 PS, cost, etc.).
 Good stuff & as always we owe guys like Ti a great debt of gratitude.


----------



## MrSlim

CF, thats a nice looking build regardless of what you spent. It's nice to see what can be done at the other end of the spectrum. 

 I'm a big proponent of "Bang for the Buck", and it's a credit to your ingenuity to be able to bring a B22 in for such a low price. 

 Congratulations


----------



## SoapSeller

cfcubed,
 Very nice build.

 Where did you get this case?


----------



## cfcubed

@ MrSlim - Thanks... I appreciate the comments. I _think_ my cost came in just below $350USD, partly due to getting the 2 wallwarts for $15 shipped. Some details in this post. Note that although the Beta18 used a similar PS design, this represents a compromise compared to σ22 of course (see "High performance but modest cost" in σ22 tech highlites). Should find out @ NYC meet this weekend if the compromise is audible to _me_ as MoodySteve will have his very nice 3-ch "full-blown" build to compare to.

 @SoapSeller - Thanks... The case is the fleabay HB-350 one for $45USD shipped. Note though that it IS very cheap (very thin panels, only front one is decent thickness), but serviceable.


----------



## mattcalf

Great builds guys, a US$350 beta22 is really awesome. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 And oneplustwo, your Buffalo looks amazing!

 I can't wait to be able to make a real contribution to this thread (posting my Christmas DIY endeavours 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)!


----------



## oneplustwo

Thanks... the build took quite a bit more time than I anticipated. The board stuffing only took a day. But the wiring, trouble shooting, case work, and wood work and even the layout planning took friggin' forever. On to the next projects!


----------



## Anonanimal

My apologies for those who have already seen this, since I have a couple pictures already in the β22 thread. I borrowed my dad's digital SLR and tried to get some better pictures so that anyone else currently building can check it out. I know looking at others' builds was one of the biggest helpers I had.

 Here's a small list of what's used! It's pretty easy to see much of my inspiration came from the Krmathis group build. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 3-channel β22 with σ22 power supply.
 Par-Metal 20-series chassis in black anodized.
 Front+Rear panels from Front Panel Express.
 Neutrik jacks front and back.
 Amphenol Eco-Mate connectors for the DC umbilical.
 Alps 50k pot with Goldpoint knob.
 Lian Li computer case feet from Performance-PC.

 Thanks for looking, and many thanks to all in the community who've shared their experiences and allowed me to build such a fun project!





http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VQQAX5iIQL0/Sv...0/IMG_2496.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_VQQAX5iIQL0/Sv...0/IMG_2499.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_VQQAX5iIQL0/Sv...0/IMG_2500.JPG


----------



## apatN

^ Beautiful Beta!


----------



## pila405

WoW! Such a clean work! truly amazing.

 What case/chassis is that?


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Anonanimal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My apologies for those who have already seen this, since I have a couple pictures already in the β22 thread. I borrowed my dad's digital SLR and tried to get some better pictures so that anyone else currently building can check it out. I know looking at others' builds was one of the biggest helpers I had.

 Here's a small list of what's used! It's pretty easy to see much of my inspiration came from the Krmathis group build. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Really great looking amplifier. Well done!


----------



## Anonanimal

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pila405* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_WoW! Such a clean work! truly amazing.

 What case/chassis is that?_

 

They are both Par-metal 20 series cases. I think the part number was 20-12123 for this exact size. I borrowed some dimensions from amb's generously-shared files for Krmathis' group-build edition and saved money by ordering the cases from Par-metal without front/rear panels.


----------



## j4cbo

Progress:


----------



## Beefy

BAM! And Jacob slaps down a huge e-penis......


----------



## j4cbo

One at a time, ladies.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *j4cbo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_One at a time, ladies._

 

HEH! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Got any listening in yet? And perhaps an explanation of the photo..... I bet there are a mountain of people here who don't even know the significance of what you just posted......


----------



## j4cbo

I have, in fact, done some listening. Eighteen of the boards are under construction; not pictured are the two boards that are completed and hooked up to temporary heatsinks, a σ22, and my source.

 It is, to put it mildly, pretty damn good. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 For the uninitiated: the above is a whole batch of DynaFET boards. These are a custom board layout that I'm in the process of building for a few people. Besides the actual amplifier, each has onboard monitoring of voltage, current, output transistor temperature, case temperature, and output offset servo position, and a relay for selecting between the two options for feedback point from the original design.

 Each board has 24 BJTs, four input FETs, eight output FETs, seventeen caps (a few in the monitoring circuit and servo, one compensation, the rest power decoupling), about 60 surface mount resistors, fourteen through hole resistors, a pot, four LEDs, three ICs (microcontroller, sense opamp, servo opamp), four connectors, and... a partridge in a pear tree. The feedback loop resistors are 0.5% low-tempco thin film. The input JFETs are a matched quad, and the input stage BJTs are in matched pairs, thermally bonded into custom dual-TO-92 heatsinks.

 Multiply all that by four boards per (balanced!) amp, and five amplifiers that I'm building.

 And that's not even getting into the master control system...


----------



## nattonrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *j4cbo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_a partridge in a pear tree_

 

...and there's the secret sauce right there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Crazy amount of stuff for a single board that size, looks great!


----------



## johnwmclean

Wow j4cbo, such control and convenience in a DIY amp. The Uber-Controller and DynaFET build has come to light, congrats to the 5 very lucky people.


----------



## PScal

I have been following this thread for a while. I now have a contribution to make! This MiniMax is my very first build. My sincere thanks go out to TomB for the excellent service and instructions on his website! 

 I went with blue LEDs in the tube sockets, and an orange on/off light. Then I disconnected the tube lights for a nice warm subtle orange glow that (imo) complements the tubes nicely.

 In the first pic, the BJTs are on backwards. Rookie mistake.


----------



## logwed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_BAM! And Jacob slaps down a huge e-penis...... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That pic made my jaw drop.


----------



## johnwmclean

PScal, congrats on a very clean build - looks fab.


----------



## fishski13

Anonanimal,
 beautiful and yet dangerous/stealthy looking at the same time with the LEDs illuminated from the sides.


----------



## Anonanimal

@ fishski- thanks!
 @ PScal- great work on the amp, it looks awesome!
 @ j4cbo- ... so yeah I was speechless on that one...


----------



## regal

SOHA II with K40 coupling caps, 4 mA tail current, Mullard 12AU7's, and sounds terrific. Thanks Runelight !



 .


----------



## skyline889

Nice work! I like what you did with the top panel.


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_SOHA II with K40 coupling caps, 4 mA tail current, Mullard 12AU7's, and sounds terrific. Thanks Runelight ![/i]
 [/td] [/tr] [/table]


Awesome job Regal! I'm looking into one of these for my next build._


----------



## pixeljedi

I wish every day was new panel day


----------



## TzeYang

COOL PANELS BRO.


----------



## liltehood

you etched them urself?


----------



## pixeljedi

Thanks TzeYang


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *liltehood* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_you etched them urself?_

 

I designed them in Front Panel Designer and then sent them off to Front Panel Express. They did a great job and I'm happy with the experience. These are 3mm thick, so I had to do a bit of countersinking to ensure all the plugs would fit.

 I work as a technical artist, so if anyone needs help in this area, let me know, I'd be happy to help.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pixeljedi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks TzeYang




 I designed them in Front Panel Designer and then sent them off to Front Panel Express. They did a great job and I'm happy with the experience. These are 3mm thick, so I had to do a bit of countersinking to ensure all the plugs would fit.

 I work as a technical artist, so if anyone needs help in this area, let me know, I'd be happy to help._

 

I like the effect the countersink gives to it, very nicely done. FPE is great! Gotta love the gummy bears.


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m1abrams* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Gotta love the gummy bears._

 

haha, yeah whats with that? I thought maybe they dropped them in there by accident. Maybe they like creating cartoon clouds above peoples heads filled with 'What' when they open there shipment. Random stuff like that is just awesome.


----------



## nems

My Dac End (AD1865)
DAC End - the AD1865N-K with single ended vacuum output stage


----------



## regal

Nems, nice work, how do you like the sound of your DAC ?


----------



## swedishhatfaction

Pixeljedi, that is a beautiful exterior. The panel etching and countersinking came out awesome. Do you have any pictures of the inside?


----------



## swedishhatfaction

So these are some pictures of my Millett Starving Student Hybrid amp. The outside looks alright but as you can see the inside is an embarrassing mess. I really need to work on my cable management skills. It works but since there is a significant amount of noise and hiss in it, I may just redo the internals on perf board to make troubleshooting a bit easier. We shall see.


----------



## Parafeed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swedishhatfaction* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

LOL! That makes my wiring look neat!


----------



## Lou Erickson

The wiring may be a little tangled, but I love the case on that Starving Student. The heat sinks and metal tubes look great out of that box.


----------



## Lil' Knight

That's a hilarious (brief)case!


----------



## FallenAngel

Nice looking case, hope the tubes don't get too hot.


----------



## Anonanimal

I'm loving that case!


----------



## swedishhatfaction

I appreciate the compliments on the case. External beauty is half the battle. At least I did something well there.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Parafeed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_LOL! That makes my wiring look neat! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yeah, like I said, embarrassing mess. I kind of have a "just solder it all right now and see if it works" mentality. With that, it either looks bad, doesn't work properly, or breaks something important... I should really start testing as I go. Don't worry, though... the bird's nest will be fixed soon enough.


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...hope the tubes don't get too hot._

 

The tubes get warm but not hot by any reasonable definition of the word. However, since the original design was modified to accommodate the 12SR7's, the MOSFETs see a larger voltage and the heatsinks get purdy toasty. Don't think its hot enough to cause alarm, though.


----------



## Parafeed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swedishhatfaction* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_External beauty is half the battle. At least I did something well there._

 

Yes, you did. It looks great from the outside.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swedishhatfaction* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Don't worry, though... the bird's nest will be fixed soon enough._

 

Good! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I shouldn't be throwing stones in any case. Most of the time, my designs never make it past the messy wiring "breadboard" stage.






 Although every now and again I produce something that I'm proud of.


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swedishhatfaction* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Pixeljedi, that is a beautiful exterior. The panel etching and countersinking came out awesome. Do you have any pictures of the inside?_

 

Thanks swedishhatfaction. I didn't take any pics of the inside, as it doesn't differ much from the inside pics on AMB's site (with the exception of a different battery).

 Your Millet Briefcase Amp is off the chart - Talk about ultra-portable awesomeness 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I probably would have left the handle on the front, just so I could carry it into work - haha


----------



## swedishhatfaction

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pixeljedi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks swedishhatfaction. I didn't take any pics of the inside, as it doesn't differ much from the inside pics on AMB's site (with the exception of a different battery).

 Your Millet Briefcase Amp is off the chart - Talk about ultra-portable awesomeness 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I probably would have left the handle on the front, just so I could carry it into work - haha_

 

Thanks pixeljedi. I wasn't too familiar with the Mini3 or with much of anything AMB did so I took a look at it on their site. I want to give the guy who designed the layout of the Mini3 a congratulatory handshake. It's an impressively compact pcb.

 And about the handle... sadly my box did not come with one. I agree that that would have been a nice bit of portable flair for it if it did.


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Parafeed* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 ...Although every now and again I produce something that I'm proud of.




_

 

That is most excellent! Does she have a name?


----------



## apatN

Wow, that's a beauty Parafeed!


----------



## Parafeed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *swedishhatfaction* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is most excellent! Does she have a name? _

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *apatN* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, that's a beauty Parafeed!_

 

Thanks. If it had a name, it'd be a pun on "pain"! Something to do with pain anyway, on account of the fact it took a year and the expiry of one of my last stashed pair of 3A/167M's to come up with a 6C45 design that was at least as good as, or better than the amp it replaced - basically the Gary Dahl Espressivo design on steroids - series and shunt regulated (each channel) after the choke input power supply, and using a choke load rather than the hybrid Pimm pentode CCS load.

 I could waffle on about how the Miller capacitance seems to affect the 6C45 SQ (bandwidth) more so than with the WE437A and STC 3A/167M, even using a low value input pot. (So drive it from the cathode and ground the grid.) Or how they love to oscillate given half a chance. (Never believe anyone who tells you that the 6C45 sounds solid-state or has "glare" unless you've 'scoped it in the circuit! Stopper resistors are not a luxury, they are a necessity! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) 

 Anyway, it's a very good sounding amp and I've built two more based on the design for other people. One, same as pictured, no expense spared with the BG WKz, (every other cap is poly), MQ (Peerless) TL-404 autoformers and the other, a budget version (relatively speaking), using Sowter 8665's at the output transformers, dropping the shunt regulators and skimping on the parts quality a little. But to be honest, SQ wise it didn't make a lot of difference.


----------



## Llama16

Parafeed, that is one hell of a gorgeous amp.
 I just fell in love with the way the headphone jack is placed vertically, gives it such a nice look.


----------



## sachu

Just got done with this...as much as i would love to sit here and listen to it all night i got o head ff for a dinner of sorts 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 For your viewing pleasure, my reference amplifier, The Cavalli Audio Stacker 2. Still got one bit left to do..the heater switch wiring.


----------



## MrSlim

OK Sachu, fess up, how did you get a Stacker 2? Is someone doing boards for it? 

 And the big question, has it supplanted the EHHA as your Fav?


----------



## Spasticteapot

I've been thinking of making up a batch of enclosures to sell for money (I'm broke, I'm in college, and I have arthritis - as such, I have to get creative.) The format is pretty simple - I'm taking sections of 12" x 8" structural steel square tube and plating them with nickel, then putting a piece of mesh, sheet metal, or exotic wood on the top and bottom. The tube has 1" roundovers on the corners and 3/16" thick walls (overkill much?), and after nickel plating it I could either polish it, copper plate it and apply an antique patina or a polished finish, or give it a nice coat of paint. Prices would start at $100 for a basic model to over $200 with a polished finish, hidden screws, predrilled holes, and a top piece with an exotic wood veneer. I'm also looking into making custom knobs by electroforming (a process by which a thick layer of metal - in this case, copper - is plated over a nonmetallic object.)

 Two questions, though:
 1. Will people buy these? 
 2. Considering that these are 8" x 12", how tall should they be? I was thinking about 5" - not only is this just high enough for most EI transformers and tubes, but it also leaves the small ends with a width to height ratio of 1.6 - "The golden ratio."


----------



## johnwmclean

Spasticteapot, The chassis market for DIY at the moment is a pita, done right you’d make a killing. I think your on the right track, but you’ve really limited yourself to one size, imo you need to cover a far few sizes to attract a wider audience.

 BTW this not the right thread to discuss your topic, I suggest you seek a Mods advice as well.


----------



## Nebby

Not quite an amp, but it's definitely DIY!


----------



## cyberspyder

Nice ZBM4's!


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome work Nebby, love DIY speakers. Can't wait to get mine finished.


----------



## cetoole




----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not quite an amp, but it's definitely DIY!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2623/...fab0548e93.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2681/...1327854994.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2802/...4922705aba.jpg_

 

Niiice!


----------



## FallenAngel

Oooh


----------



## manaox2

Those speakers are awesome Nebby, congrats.


----------



## regal

Cetool, incredible! Where in the heck did you find a PMD200 ?

 Edit, I guess that is a 100, looks different than most I've seen, what are the DAC chips ?


----------



## cetoole

That is a PMD100-4x PCM1702. PMD200 is in a completely different package, and believe me, it is hard to find. I have been looking, and the only ones I saw were on some chinese auction site. I didnt think of this, but it is difficult to make out. That is an Adcom GCD-750 I modded, new analog power transformer, rectifier diodes (wanted lower dropout of schottky), replaced all of the ~15 year old 'lytic caps, and discrete I/V.


----------



## Anonanimal

Beautiful speakers, Nebby- nice work!


----------



## pabbi1

41 step balanced (4 deck, dual differential, whatever) stepped attenuator.







 Ok, not a build per se, but I did have to work up the attenuation curve, get the right resistors (Dale and Xicon, nothing exotic), but anything bigger that RN55 would not fit, and really should have been smaller. Quite a bit tougher 'build' than it looks. Wanted to use Takman REY, but scared they wouldn't fit - nothing worse that plunking $100 on resistors for a one shot build - done that.

 No, I don't know where to get one - these guys don't do DIY, but, someone made 'em a deal that they felt obligated to honor.

 Oh, and delrin knob courtesy of luvdunhill. Total spend, with knob, $145.

 A couple of faux pas, hopefully in places rarely visited, but it looks like this:






.


----------



## Nebby

very nice pabbi and Cetool!


----------



## johnwmclean

Nebby, cetoole, and pabbi1 - very nice work congrats.

 Nebby - those are really lovely speakers, do you mind if I ask what the cost was - and what components were used?


----------



## Nebby

Zaph|Audio - 4" Bargain Mini pretty much all you need to know about parts. It's a bargain speaker so I went with the suggested parts in terms of crossover items and what not.

 $59.48 for the pair of tweeters and woofers
 $48.30 for crossover components, ports, and Binding Post.
 $20 for enough veneer to do eight speakers

 The polyfill and sonic barrier I already had, though I would figure about $20 for that.

 Total cost would be roughly $150 for the pair. That's not including the tools required....we all know how that goes in the world of DIY


----------



## sachu

Got back my main headphones today..also got the stacker working right..figured it'd be a nice time to post a pic.. the top plate hasn't been screwed in yet, hence the reason why it is bending under the weight of the phones..just need to install some threaded inserts..will be doing that tomorrow.

 But I can safely say this is my final reference rig.


----------



## achristilaw

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sachu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just got done with this...as much as i would love to sit here and listen to it all night i got o head ff for a dinner of sorts 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 For your viewing pleasure, my reference amplifier, The Cavalli Audio Stacker 2. Still got one bit left to do..the heater switch wiring.




_

 

Whoa...beautiful case work my friend. Just took delivery of dBel84's Stacker, and I'm a Stacker backer now!! The most astounding circuit I have heard!


----------



## sachu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *achristilaw* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Whoa...beautiful case work my friend. Just took delivery of dBel84's Stacker, and I'm a Stacker backer now!! The most astounding circuit I have heard!_

 

Thanks!!..It has been a long and arduous journey with this particular amplifier personally..but am reaping the fruits of my labor so to speak. As much as it pains me to admit it, this is a superior sounding amplifier to the EHHA and that is saying something.

 The stacker is easily the best amplifier I have heard in the 5-6000$ range.

 The musicality of this amplifier is just something else. I feel privileged to own one of these fantastic amplifiers as am sure you feel too.


----------



## dBel84

@ Nebby - just superb workmanship

 @ stacker clan - Great chassis and build sachu, the TP's look a perfect match 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. achristilaw, only pleased to have been able to spread the love. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


 edit - my little soha ii looks diminutive next to that beast


----------



## johnwmclean

My new psu under progress, all rails are around 29.3 - 29.7 V


----------



## boinger

My buffalo 32s

 did the case work myself from a bare par-metal chasis


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_


 [/url]

 My new psu under progress, all rails are around 29.3 - 29.7 V 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Looks good, like the heatsinks. Just a suggestion but it may make sense to mount the V+ V- terminals on the underside of the boards for cleaning case wiring.


----------



## FallenAngel

Looks nice, just make sure you attach those heatsinks to the board (more than just by the MOSFETs).


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m1abrams* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks good, like the heatsinks. Just a suggestion but it may make sense to mount the V+ V- terminals on the underside of the boards for cleaning case wiring._

 

m1abrams, that's a great idea as there's a fair bit of real estate under the boards.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks nice, just make sure you attach those heatsinks to the board (more than just by the MOSFETs)._

 

Thanks FallenAngel, the bolts run through the accomodating holes on the boards, it's very secure.


----------



## Beefy

It is fantastic work...... but my concern is how are the heatsinks attached to each other? If you were to pick one up, would the weight of the other put strain on the S22 boards?


----------



## johnwmclean

Beefy, there's enough remaining thread on each bolt to secure to chassis base, via standoffs, there should be no flex issues.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beefy, there's enough remaining thread on each bolt to secure to chassis base, via standoffs, there should be no flex issues._

 

Thinking about it and Beefy has a valid concern even if you bolt each heatsink to the chassis through the board. If/When the case is lifted by the heatsink then the force will still go through the board. The chassis would have to be extremely stiff to prevent any flexing since it would only be secured from the bottom end and the board as the top member.

 Now If you check out Balanced β22 by naamanf build in the B22 gallery he has a similar setup to yours. If you case yours like his it should not be an issue since it appears the heatsink itself rests on the chassis such that the fins are supported by the chassis. If the heatsink is the bottom of the chassis you will have issues and would need more bracing. Even in naamank build I would tap the heatsink fin (he might do that can not tell from photo) and bolt it to the chassis to make sure the force goes into the chassis and not the board.


----------



## johnwmclean

m1abrams, just like naamanf’s build it will be housed in another chassis, I plan to have the heatsinks resting on the base and secured with standoffs, all up there’ll be 4 standoffs for each heatsink, and 4 standoffs securing each board. Sorry Beefy I miss understood your meaning.


----------



## Spasticteapot

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not quite an amp, but it's definitely DIY!





_

 

Nice woodworking!


----------



## apatN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *boinger* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My buffalo 32s

 did the case work myself from a bare par-metal chasis 


 <snip>_

 

Nice. How are you liking your Buffalo? I should have one by this weekend!


----------



## boinger

I'm loving it, it sounds absolutely amazing... I can honestly say i have never heard music so clearly... You can differentiate each and every note and instrument in the music, its resolving power is amazing, its really like opening up your ears and letting more detail in... I recommend giving it a run with shpongle - behind closed eyelids... This is my first dedicated processor for sound so I cant really compare it to others... I have mainly listened from high end computer sound cards... But this goes well beyond those... One thing i noticed is that in foobar i can really tweak the eq a lot more than i could with computer sound, as in the sound doesnt distort if i pump up the treble / bass whereas with my previous setup i had a very limited range before i got distortion in the sound...

 I recently got the hd800's as well those are simply breathtaking.


----------



## apatN

Thanks! So far only good stories. Can't wait to have it here.


----------



## j4cbo

Cases in today.


----------



## aloksatoor

wow is that for the b24?


----------



## Beefy

No, its a balanced DynaFET.


----------



## johnwmclean

j4cbo, coming along nicely, the cases look great are they totally custom?


----------



## j4cbo

No, they're HiFi2000 Pesante Dissipante with custom milling/drilling on the front, back, and heatsinks.


----------



## Nebby

They're also damn beautiful


----------



## j4cbo

Indeed. The photo doesn't really do them justice.


----------



## apatN

My audio rack:


----------



## Llama16

I dig the glass head 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 Makes it look like an awesome shrine.


----------



## boinger

ya i must say that looks awesome i been trying to find something to hang my headphoesn on for years..

 cant seam to find anything useful


----------



## Llama16

I made a very easy one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Just a wooden plank, tape cloth around it, put it on my bookshelve (+-top of screen hight), put some heavy books on it and tadaaaam a headphone stand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Though It's just temporary, I'm looking for a nicer one. If I got the material, I'll definately make it


----------



## apatN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Llama16* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I dig the glass head 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Makes it look like an awesome shrine._

 

I know! It looks way better in person. It is really hard to get a good picture of it.
 Though this was a gift you can easily get them for cheap from Marktplaats.nl or your favourite Belgium Marktplaats. They cost around 5-15€.


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sachu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Got back my main headphones today..also got the stacker working right..figured it'd be a nice time to post a pic.. the top plate hasn't been screwed in yet, hence the reason why it is bending under the weight of the phones..just need to install some threaded inserts..will be doing that tomorrow.

 But I can safely say this is my final reference rig. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	







_

 

How did you import the Cavalli Audio symbol to an FPE file? I tried, but cain't
 figger' it out. 

 BTW, there ain't no such thing as a 'final reference rig' for a DIY'er.
 Yer delusional!!


----------



## Llama16

I just checked, wow that's alot of glass heads 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 If I didn't bring up the idea of making a stand myself, I'd definately buy one.


----------



## sachu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How did you import the Cavalli Audio symbol to an FPE file? I tried, but cain't
 figger' it out. _

 

SEnd me a PM with your email will send the necessary macro over to you.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_BTW, there ain't no such thing as a 'final reference rig' for a DIY'er.
 Yer delusional!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

sigh..its a friggin disease.


----------



## Pars

Not a build per se, but I modified the output stage on my Rotel RCD-991 (PMD-100, 2xPCM63) with a pair of THS4031s on Aries adapters for the I/V section, and a pair of AD8599s on Browndogs for the buffer/SE->bal conversion. All have Pana FM 100u added bypass from V+/V- to ground. The THS4031s are very touchy so had to go right into the board, with all caps as close to the pins as physically possible.

 It sounds much better than the stock NE5534/NE5532/OPA2604s. I did not replace or use the NE5532s (empty socket) which were for an anti-aliasing filter. I'll still probably put in a discrete stage this winter, but I had wanted to try these before I completely give up on opamps for I/V use.

 I also replaced all 12 rectifiers with Shottkys and removed the snubbers for the stock 1n4003s, and replaced the bypass caps for the stock BG output caps with MKP1837s. Pic is an earlier version before I removed the sockets for the buffers.


----------



## funch

sigh..its a friggin disease.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/QUOTE]

 That it is, my friend. I've had a terminal case since 1977.


----------



## nightanole




----------



## ntrl

Another Bijou born.

 Transformer custom ordered (In 220V, Out: 260V .15A x2 and 6.3V 3.5A).
 Temporary Case is ikea's foodsaver. 
 Jeff's kit. 






























 Ventilation holes





 Ventilation holes





 Temp of near tube





 Temp of 6Н6П (6N6P)





 Case temp





 Heater

 Thanks to authors of Bijou, Jeff and head-fi community. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 PS. Where in Ebay buy good chassis for bijou < 40$ ?


----------



## sachu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ntrl* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another Bijou born.

 Transformer custom ordered (In 220V, Out: 260V .15A x2 and 6.3V 3.5A).
 Temporary Case is ikea's foodsaver. 
 Jeff's kit. 

 Thanks to authors of Bijou, Jeff and head-fi community. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	









 PS. Where in Ebay buy good chassis for bijou < 40$ ?_

 

wow..that is a toasty foodsaver you got there..

 Spend a little bit more and you could get a par metal case on ebay for about 60$. Enjoy the amp..innovative case, just a dangerous proposition to me.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ntrl* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another Bijou born.

 Transformer custom ordered (In 220V, Out: 260V .15A x2 and 6.3V 3.5A).
 Temporary Case is ikea's foodsaver. 
 Jeff's kit. 




_

 

Please cover those exposed mains leads! That is just an accident waiting to happen. I would get some insulated crimp-on spade connectors that are designed for that IEC. You can get these for cheap at any hardware store. Short of that heatshrink em, but the connectors are probably a better choice.


----------



## johnwmclean

ntrl, very neat build - watch the heat till you have your new chassis. Congrats.


----------



## kb1gra

My Mini3 is done!

Mini3 Project - a set on Flickr

 I have more pics of the build process coming.

 I made a few changes...instead of the standard boring ones on the AMB build sheet.

 Enclosure is a Box Enclosures BEX Series one, model B1-080.

 In order to make the PCB fit, solder lugs were fabbed along one side to give a tight fit in the slightly wider enclosure.

 The panels were hand machined with a drill press. My father did the engineering and building on this (my contribution was "I picked a new case, you can make this fit right??") so a big thanks to him. I do have assembly and engineering pics if anyone wants to see those as well.

 I think it came out pretty well!


----------



## Llama16

That's an incredibly nice case.
 Especially that retrolike-button 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 that's the advantage of DIY, you can pick the case. The downside is that you actually ahev to DIY, but you got around that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.

 Naah, just kidding, for me it's solely the fun of making something work out of 'materials'


----------



## nattonrice

That looks very well done.
 How did you label the panels? Some sort of transfer?


----------



## sachu

Taken me a year to get this thing finished..mainly cause of slacking on my part. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Elektor Audio DAC 2000 with Pass Labs D1 clone JFET I/V output stage.
 Only has a Coax input. Thinking of switching that to a BNC input.






 Simple face plate..just a power indicator. 






 The wiring needs to squared away a little..Add heatinks on the regulators..thinking of going for a better power supply board for the DAC..might get to it or just leave it at that as the JFET boards have a very good regulator section on board and so do the DACs on the DAC board.
 Only thing I might want to add is a 5 volt Super Jung regulator supply for the digital section.


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m1abrams* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Please cover those exposed mains leads! That is just an accident waiting to happen. I would get some insulated crimp-on spade connectors that are designed for that IEC. You can get these for cheap at any hardware store. Short of that heatshrink em, but the connectors are probably a better choice._

 

Nah, leave them as is - if somebody is foolish enough to reach in and touch the IEC of an amp that's plugged in, just give them the Darwin award.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nah, leave them as is - if somebody is foolish enough to reach in and touch the IEC of an amp that's plugged in, just give them the Darwin award. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Because you never work on your amp when it is powered?


----------



## FallenAngel

Totally, I just don't stick my fingers into the IEC... well, sometimes, but not often.


----------



## kb1gra

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That looks very well done.
 How did you label the panels? Some sort of transfer?_

 

They are done with matte clear shipping labels actually...cut veeeeeery carefully.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kb1gra* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My Mini3 is done!

Mini3 Project - a set on Flickr

 I have more pics of the build process coming.

 I made a few changes...instead of the standard boring ones on the AMB build sheet.

 Enclosure is a Box Enclosures BEX Series one, model B1-080.

 In order to make the PCB fit, solder lugs were fabbed along one side to give a tight fit in the slightly wider enclosure.

 The panels were hand machined with a drill press. My father did the engineering and building on this (my contribution was "I picked a new case, you can make this fit right??") so a big thanks to him. I do have assembly and engineering pics if anyone wants to see those as well.

 I think it came out pretty well!_

 

Great job! I like it a lot and will probably steal your address label idea later down the line.


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ntrl* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Another Bijou born.



_

 

Very nice knobs, I like them, are they custom made?

 Great build, btw


----------



## Zerotohero

Very nice build sachu 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I love watching your progress

 How would you say it compares in sound to the assemblage dac?



  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sachu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Taken me a year to get this thing finished..mainly cause of slacking on my part. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Elektor Audio DAC 2000 with Pass Labs D1 clone JFET I/V output stage.
 Only has a Coax input. Thinking of switching that to a BNC input.






 Simple face plate..just a power indicator. 






 The wiring needs to squared away a little..Add heatinks on the regulators..thinking of going for a better power supply board for the DAC..might get to it or just leave it at that as the JFET boards have a very good regulator section on board and so do the DACs on the DAC board.
 Only thing I might want to add is a 5 volt Super Jung regulator supply for the digital section._


----------



## linuxworks

a 3channel (active ground) beta-22 in progress:






 ..using the 'group-buy' motherboard (really makes the install a lot neater).

 still have to match the 550/560 transitors and install the mosfets and heatsinks. but thought this might be a good time to snap a progress shot before the camera-blocking heatsinks move in


----------



## EddieE

Have been looking through this thread and can I just take my hat of to all contributers - the amount of creativity, ingenuity and hard work on display here is great to see.

 Was particuarly blown away by the exterior design of zkool448's amps - beautiful stuff.

 I feel inspired and it looks like a really rewarding hobby. When I can afford it in early next year I'm going to get some tools and start work on a little cmoy of my own and take it from there.


----------



## ntrl

Hi All!

 Thanks for all replies and advices. This is temporary case. Now i find in ebay
 aluminum gold chassis 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Knobs from ebay.


----------



## KWS




----------



## dean0

very neat build, what chassis are you using?


----------



## johnwmclean

KWS awesomeness right there.


----------



## Lil' Knight

wow, excellent build on the PPA, KWS!

 Did you sleeve all the resistors on the attenuator with teflon? It looks so beautiful.


----------



## Beefy

Wow, never seen anything like all those tin-can OPAMPs and buffers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 *

 A little something towards my next build...... my first set of FPE panels. I'm absolutely thrilled with how they turned out


----------



## aloksatoor

v pretty what font is that? I am ordering up my panels in the next few weeks


----------



## nattonrice

That ppa is win.

 Beefy, using the led-lit ring for the lock is a great idea! 
 It's gonna look very slick =)


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *aloksatoor* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_v pretty what font is that? I am ordering up my panels in the next few weeks_

 

Thanks! The font is Helvetica Light 1-stroke in the FPE design software.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beefy, using the led-lit ring for the lock is a great idea! 
 It's gonna look very slick =)_

 

It is actually a dual-colour switch. If everything works as planned, it will be one colour for power-on and change colour when lock is achieved.


----------



## johnwmclean

Beefy, your choice of typeface is very tasteful, congrats. Are they going on a modushop case?


----------



## Beefy

Yep, in a HiFi2000 Pesante. I got two cheap as part of a group buy...... they are OK, but I would have been disappointed paying full price and full shipping. The black paint finish scratches far more easily than my el cheapo Altronics unit, tolerances are not great, and it is difficult to mount the FPE panels on the back due to the way the top and bottom wrap over the edges of the stock back panel.

 I think HiFi2000 really shines more in the Dissipante and Galaxy lines......


----------



## TheShaman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think HiFi2000 really shines more in the Dissipante and Galaxy lines......_

 

SlimLine ones have the best quality, actually, but they're expensive.
 I find Galaxy to be a good compromise.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *TheShaman* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_SlimLine ones have the best quality, actually, but they're expensive._

 

Ah, I've never even looked at those 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Still, the Pesante are solid enough, HUGE internal space, and I'm hoping people are too busy looking at the pretty panels to notice the scratches on the top


----------



## nattonrice

The Galaxy I have here is built like a rock.
 I really like the 10mil front panel options.

 I have to pic up a Dissipante soon so it'll be interesting to see if they have the same solid feel.


----------



## spritzer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_...it'll be interesting to see if they have the same solid feel._

 

Far from it actually. I put 25+ 4mm extra screws in every Pesante chassis I use just to make it not fall apart. With the dissipante I go even further then that...


----------



## Beefy

I think 25+ might be just a touch of overkill...... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The one area that really needs improvement is attachment of the bottom panel - it really needs to screw up into the bottom edge of the back panel for extra support. But considering I am not using the back panel, I don't have the option for extra screws there.

 I might just pop an extra couple along the sides to attach the base......


----------



## spritzer

With me, everything is overkill... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 You also need some way of adding strength to the front of the bottom panel so either fix it to the front panel or add a 90° aluminum angle over the middle section.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *spritzer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You also need some way of adding strength to the front of the bottom panel so either fix it to the front panel or add a 90° aluminum angle over the middle section._

 

I don't plan on risking attaching anything to my new front panel 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ...... maybe a strut attaching the bottom and top panels?


----------



## nattonrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *spritzer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Far from it actually._

 

LIES ='(


  Quote:


 I put 25+ 4mm extra screws in every Pesante chassis I use 
 

Hehe I knew there was a reason I bought that new drill press~


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *spritzer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_With me, everything is overkill... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

After seeing your column of the t2 bom... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have lots of corner extrusion here as I was counting on having to re-enforce the bottom. Guess that's a given now


----------



## spritzer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I don't plan on risking attaching anything to my new front panel 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ...... maybe a strut attaching the bottom and top panels?_

 

I wouldn't either but with a 10mm front panel there is enough material to drill and tap some holes to provide extra support. I did this with Duggeh's old F5 which I'm rescuing and it worked well even with the rather large transformer a couple of inches from the front. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hehe I knew there was a reason I bought that new drill press~_

 

I couldn't live without mine. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After seeing your column of the t2 bom... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 






 I'm easing up a bit with older age though so I can live with RN60's.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *spritzer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I wouldn't either but with a 10mm front panel there is enough material to drill and tap some holes to provide extra support. I did this with Duggeh's old F5 which I'm rescuing and it worked well even with the rather large transformer a couple of inches from the front._

 

Well I have worked out that I can use a 1.5" and a 1.625" standoff mated together to provide almost the exact internal height of a 2U chassis.... should help couple the top and bottom nicely.


----------



## spritzer

That should certainly help.


----------



## stew1234

I have a question about the parmetal cases someone here might be able to help me with. If you look at the group build here (The &beta;22 Stereo Amplifier) the parmetal case has a detachable front and rear panel. But when I look at other builds using parmetal cases like on page 403 of this thread (Boinger's silver case) the rear is just part of the case. Maybe I'm missing something obvious but I'd like to know what case the group build used because I'd like to FPE a front and read panel. Thanks.


----------



## johnwmclean

It’s a custom order the inside support piece for the front and rear has a rectangular cutout (as per the standard front). Doesn’t cost much either, mainly the extra front panel for the rear.


----------



## linuxworks

next level of progress on my 3ch b22:






 I have some gold molex connectors up front. I wasn't even aware they were gold until after they arrived (I went with amb's bom and didn't think twice about it) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 there's still some sticky tape residue on 1 or 2 heatsinks. all boards have been flux-cleaned, though.

 last step is to build 3 wire harnesses that connect to the gold molex headers and a calibration run to set bias, offset, etc.


----------



## mattcalf

That is darn scrumptious linuxworks, such a straight up and clean build so far.. I guess that's what the backplane was designed for though. 

 What I'm trying to say is nice work and thanks for sharing.


----------



## johnwmclean

linuxworks, looking forward to a comparison between your 2 channel.


----------



## ShinyFalcon

I visited the M³ during spring break, but buyer's remorse got the best of me and I have sold it. I am revisiting it again, and I have casework and some bridges to fix before I'm up and running. Q6- is a concern, but I think I'll be just fine.


----------



## dhaninugraha

just finished building this CMoy yesterday night, shipped it this afternoon:
































 pardon the ugly pictures


----------



## OutdoorXplorer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_next level of progress on my 3ch b22:






 I have some gold molex connectors up front. I wasn't even aware they were gold until after they arrived (I went with amb's bom and didn't think twice about it) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 there's still some sticky tape residue on 1 or 2 heatsinks. all boards have been flux-cleaned, though.

 last step is to build 3 wire harnesses that connect to the gold molex headers and a calibration run to set bias, offset, etc._

 

The work is great.. I always want to build a amp for myself but I am electronic idiot... I wonder how much will it cost to get someone to build this awesome amp for me..


----------



## linuxworks

thanks for the nice words, outdoor 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 fwiw, those 3 boards took me 2 full weekends to build. its a LOT of little things that add up. the time really gets away from you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 add in even more time if 'looks matter'. I tried to keep the resistors all pointing the same way with readable value/lables on the top of the part. I tried to make all the top and bottom solder pads look nice and shiny. I did at least 2 full passes of defluxing and board cleaning. I must have desk-checked the board for a total of half an hour, each board, just total 'staring time' to visually inspect things.

 I'm not sure how fast one can be built, but on the 'take your time' scale, I'd figure 2 full weekends of JUST soldering and assembly of the raw boards. I have no idea what I'll do (yet) on casing it up but just the soldering, itself, takes a lot longer than I expected.

 then again, no one builds a b22 as a 'slam job'. *everyone* takes their time doing a build like this. rushing it could mean an expensive lesson (been there before, myself!)


----------



## OutdoorXplorer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks for the nice words, outdoor 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 fwiw, those 3 boards took me 2 full weekends to build. its a LOT of little things that add up. the time really gets away from you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 add in even more time if 'looks matter'. I tried to keep the resistors all pointing the same way with readable value/lables on the top of the part. I tried to make all the top and bottom solder pads look nice and shiny. I did at least 2 full passes of defluxing and board cleaning. I must have desk-checked the board for a total of half an hour, each board, just total 'staring time' to visually inspect things.

 I'm not sure how fast one can be built, but on the 'take your time' scale, I'd figure 2 full weekends of JUST soldering and assembly of the raw boards. I have no idea what I'll do (yet) on casing it up but just the soldering, itself, takes a lot longer than I expected.

 then again, no one builds a b22 as a 'slam job'. *everyone* takes their time doing a build like this. rushing it could mean an expensive lesson (been there before, myself!)_

 

WOW is the only word that can come out from my mind.... Keep me in mind when you are letting this awesome amp away... I am the second owner as long as I can get a 230VAC/50Hz PSU to go with it..


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *OutdoorXplorer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_WOW is the only word that can come out from my mind.... Keep me in mind when you are letting this awesome amp away... I am the second owner as long as I can get a 230VAC/50Hz PSU to go with it.._

 

Hey all you have to do to make the PSU work is rewire or replace the transformer depending on the type used so please do not let that stop Linuxworks from donating that amp to you


----------



## Kerry

So this is not really electronics, though it will help my hobby 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 The problem was no space to work on projects without my wife looking to kill me. So I'm building this piece of furniture that goes in my dinning room (city living). It will make a nice serving table, but underneath...

 It is a place for me to work (daytime - computers / nighttime - electronics).






 Yes, that is my DIY Blue Hawaii on the left of the shelf 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Early photo just after I glued the main pieces together (no screws - I used buscuits and glue to join all the wood).






 Here's a shot from the back. The back panels were glued into 1/4" groves that I routed in.





 It's not finished yet, but you can start to get the idea. The front will have doors on either side and the center contains 4 pull out filing draws. There is a 6' work shelf that pulls out 20". It is supported down the center when it is pushed in. Seems rigid enough for now when it is fully extended (as long as there is nothing too heavy in the center).

 It's far enought along to be functional. I should finish it up in the next week or two.


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks for the nice words, outdoor 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 fwiw, those 3 boards took me 2 full weekends to build. its a LOT of little things that add up. the time really gets away from you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 add in even more time if 'looks matter'. I tried to keep the resistors all pointing the same way with readable value/lables on the top of the part. I tried to make all the top and bottom solder pads look nice and shiny. I did at least 2 full passes of defluxing and board cleaning. I must have desk-checked the board for a total of half an hour, each board, just total 'staring time' to visually inspect things.

 I'm not sure how fast one can be built, but on the 'take your time' scale, I'd figure 2 full weekends of JUST soldering and assembly of the raw boards. I have no idea what I'll do (yet) on casing it up but just the soldering, itself, takes a lot longer than I expected.

 then again, no one builds a b22 as a 'slam job'. *everyone* takes their time doing a build like this. rushing it could mean an expensive lesson (been there before, myself!)_

 

x2. are you planning on driving efficient speakers as well? i think the B22would sound great with FR speakers.


----------



## Beefy (May 18, 2021)

This has been a very long time coming, and I am absolutely thrilled with the final results...... so apologies for the photo spam, especially if you end up seeing this exact same post on several different forums!

I have just finished up a complete re-case and upgrade of my Buffalo DAC, originally posted here. This is my best attempt at a no holds barred build, while still trying to be a little bit sensible. While it is comprised exclusively of cookie-cutter DIY parts, I would like to think that everything is implemented quite well; I designed it to be clean, functional, and above all, upgradeable.

First some pictures......

















Tech highlights:
HiFi2000 Pesante 2U 300mm deep case
FPE panels front (6mm) and back (4mm)
Integrated IEC inlet with DPDT switch, double fused and filter
AMB's E24 with SSR for mains power switching
Two fully shielded and encapsulated 30VA transformers from SumR
Two TPA LCDPS providing four separate power lines for the digital components
One TPA Placid BP with 2.5" sinks providing power for the I/V and linestage, set at ±15V
TPA SPDIF MUX for input switching
USB input provided by AMB's Gamma1 USB/SPDIF board
TPA Toslink input module
Two additional RCA coax inputs
DAC is an original TPA Buffalo24, fed by I2S from the MUX
I/V and linestage is an TPA IVY with the most recent parts recommendations
1pr each XLR and RCA out

Of everything that went into this build, the thing I am most proud of is the Power/Lock light, as shown below. When power is first switched on, the switch lights blue. When SPDIF lock is obtained, the switch changes to red. It is controlled by the LOCK led from the MUX board triggering an OTTO relay wired to reverse the polarity of voltage fed to a Bulgin dual-colour illuminated switch. Such a simple premise, but I absolutely love the functionality it provides, and the cleanliness of the front panel from not needing separate lights. The only problem with this scheme is that when using ASIO through the USB input, the relay clunks around a lot when pausing/resuming and switching tracks. Certainly something I can live with though.

Silence......




Music playing!




I still need to add a couple of finishing touches, namely a selector knob, connecting the IEC GND to the chassis, replacing the fasteners with socket head screws, and installing 'struts' that connect the top and bottom plates for better structural rigidity - I'm just going to use a 3" long 6-32 standoff for this, but can't justify the Mouser order for just these, so they will have to wait. I would also like to get a shorter internal USB cable.

Now with respect to being upgradeable, I have tried to keep the power and input system very flexible...... any DAC that takes SPDIF or I2S should drop right in, and the power supplies should be able to handle up to 9V for digital and anywhere in the range of ±12-18V for analogue. And there is an absolutely huge amount of room for new DAC, I/V or linestage boards.

Thanks for looking!


----------



## logwed

Amazingly clean build, Beefy, that really looks beautiful!


----------



## aloksatoor

that is some slick work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 @beefy great job


----------



## pimfram

Beefy - that is truly an amazing job. Looks much better than nearly anything on the market, despite being homemade.


----------



## pixeljedi

Beefy that is very clean and super awesome. Lovin' the panel work - congrats!


----------



## johnwmclean

Congrats Beefy, amazing work. Is there an improvement with the Placid?


----------



## Beefy

Thanks John and everyone else 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 To be honest, its been so long since I listened to my old LCBPS version I couldn't tell you the difference the Placid makes


----------



## sachu

Great build Beefy..that's some sweet work.


----------



## linuxworks

beefy posted some really PRO level work. it took him a lot of time to design and build that chassis. (and it really looks good, too).

 me, otoh, I have not quite gotton into the FPE thang quite yet. but the price was right (free chassis from an old TIVO box, series-1 tivo, to be precise) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I might use it as a base and dress it up (and then mount things for real) or I might abandon it and find something a little nicer for the innerds. but for now, it keeps the power supply from sliding into the amp modules and I suppose that's kind of a good thing.






 yes, that really is hot-melt glue holding the standoffs to the chassis. it will hold long enough for me to decide on a final layout (that's what I'm fussing about at the moment). I might go with this layout but I also want to reserve room for 'control things'. this has no volume control and it will need one... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but for now, it lets me play with it and that's always a nice middle stage to be at.


----------



## Spasticteapot

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Of everything that went into this build, the thing I am most proud of is the Power/Lock light, as shown below._

 

Where did you get the awesome switch?


----------



## Beefy

I think I picked that up at Newark.

 Mouser has plenty of the single colour variants (I bought another plain red one for another build), but doesn't seem to stock the dual colour ones.


----------



## apatN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks for looking! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks for posting. Such a clean build! I am still debating on what to do with my Buffalo. I want something cheap for the time being.


----------



## OutdoorXplorer

The Bulgin switches can be easily found from Farnell and I am considering installing it on the Havana with a customized front panel, replacing the acrylic panel with aluminum and windows for the 4 LED indicators and tubes displays.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks, looking forward to a comparison between your 2 channel._

 

finally hooked it up to both phones and spkrs via an A/B switch.

 I had a bit of a problem with one board (shorted trace!) and I had to bypass it with a 'greenwire' (blue, really) but now all is well and all 3 modules are tuned/tweaked.







 it sounds nice. I can't hear any diff between 2ch and 3ch mode (that's good, it means that the 3rd ch is not 'in the way' at all). I'm also willing to bet my hearing is not personally good enough to tell between that 3rd buffer channel being in or not. but I can say, its transparent and seems to 'do no harm' (lol). and its supposed to help, so I guess I'll leave it in (double lol).

 also, with the baseboard that I'm using (the nmaher group buy one) its quite noise free (hum free). with the layout I'm currently using, keeping the s22 in the same box but a few inches away - that seems to keep things VERY quiet. like, really really quiet. turn the vol control all the way up and there's no hint of noise or hum. glad I got that baseboard, actually. next time there's another group-buy, I may just get another to keep on-hand


----------



## johnwmclean

thanks linuxworks for the impressions, the macro photography is very detailed, very clean work indeed.


----------



## amb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Spasticteapot* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you get the awesome switch?_

 

Those in North America can check Allied. Look here for info about the switch and its variants/options/part numbers. The red/blue dual-color ring illuminated version with solder tabs (Bulgin MPI002/28/D4, Allied 566-0027) is currently out of stock but they have some stock of the same switch with screw terminals (Bulgin MPI002/TERM/D4, Allied 566-0028).

 I used the solder tab version on my β24 power amp.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *amb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I used the solder tab version on my β24 power amp._

 

...... and that is exactly where I got the idea 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I loved the idea of the switch for use with the E24, but had no need for overheat protection in a DAC so was just going to get a single colour version. But my mind drifted towards what else a second colour could be used for. So thankyou for the inspiration - not just for the switch, but for driving me to do better work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now I just need a Gamma3 DAC worthy of putting in the case!


----------



## nattonrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Gamma3 DAC_

 

This would be very excellent


----------



## fishski13

come on guys...i just ordered parts for a y-2.

 linuxworks,
 kudos to recycling chassis. your layout looks fine - i'm assuming you're keeping the TX in the separate/original chassis? 

 EDIT: you should also treat yourself to an FPE faceplate. it's a B22 fer christ sakes.


----------



## n_maher

I haven't posted anything in a while and figured I might as well share this. Several years back I built a balanced mini³ and the idea occurred to be to do something similar again with a bunch of parts I had laying around doing nothing. 

*
 Mostly Finished*




*
 Guts*




*
 Front*





*Back*





*Finished*





 Still have to decide if I want the back panel XLRs to be a preamp out or a simple loop-out, but there's no rush on that. Also, careful watchers will note that one board is class-a biased and the other is not. That was just a temporary situation caused by the first right channel board being flakey and being replaced with another completely new board. I installed the new FET cascode last night and it's all working perfectly. Special thanks go out to MisterX and Voodoochile who helped getting some of the misc. parts needed to build the replacement right channel.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fishski13* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks,
 kudos to recycling chassis. your layout looks fine - i'm assuming you're keeping the TX in the separate/original chassis? 

 EDIT: you should also treat yourself to an FPE faceplate. it's a B22 fer christ sakes._

 

the tx is kept in a 'floor box' to save on weight, size and hum/noise. win/win.

 I will be doing SOMETHING nice looking for this, dont' worry 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 first I need to run it in 'breadboard mode' for a while before deciding on a final layout. then the alum cut front panel will be done.

 for the time being I put an alps motorized pot in the box just to have something for v.c. but even odd things like the wiring to the motor was causing some significant amount of hum as I rotated the pot to midway. I thought my pot was not grounded but that wasn't the problem. the problem went away 100% when I rerouted the power wires to the dc motor on the pot! even when idle (no current thru the motor) the location of the wires STILL mattered.

 its stuff like this that make me want to take extended 'trial periods' on wire layout and even board location before paying the $100 or whatever for FPE panels.

 I could not believe the day/night diff it made as I simply moved the aligator clips over from one side to the other. hum competely totally went away, even when volume is at full max. wire routing MATTERS!!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_




_

 

Why the side panel of the little HiFi-2000 (Teko) is mounted inside-out ???


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Why the side panel of the little HiFi-2000 (Teko) is mounted inside-out ???_

 

I'm lazy? When I do final assembly it'll go back together correctly.


----------



## Sathimas

What volume pot value are you using?

 I am looking for a 50K 4channel pot for my exstata but could not find one yet


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Sathimas* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What volume pot value are you using?

 I am looking for a 50K 4channel pot for my exstata but could not find one yet_

 

10k 4ch Alps RK27, I'm not sure I've ever seen a 50k version. I think that 10k is fine for the eXStata though.


----------



## spritzer

The 10k is fine for a most sources but some have a 2k+ output impedance and then 20K or more is needed. I did see a 4 gang 50k RK27 for sale somewhere but it had the motor attached. These are very thin on the ground though.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *spritzer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The 10k is fine for a most sources but some have a 2k+ output impedance and then 20K or more is needed. I did see a 4 gang 50k RK27 for sale somewhere but it had the motor attached. These are very thin on the ground though._

 

They're available if you know where to look. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Forgot about the motorized option, which I generally abhor for it's space sucking properties but it is more readily available in the 50k spec.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*Guts*



_

 

Very clean, I like it.


----------



## funch

A few quickies of my EHHA I. MOSFET version.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2036.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2033.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2032.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2035.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2034.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2039.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2037.jpg


----------



## w1pf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That looks very well done.
 How did you label the panels? Some sort of transfer?_

 

Sorry it took me so long to wrote in, lots on my plate 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Anyway, the panels were shot on Avery clear shipping labels, and then another blank label applied over for protection. 

 These were done on a color laser (the print is blue), though you have to be careful because apparently some clear labels do Bad Things in color lasers. I haven't heard any such problems with monochrome lasers, but dunno.

 I used DesignCAD 3DMax to translate the original Hammond panel locations to the panels for the B080 and generate the drill templates on paper. Lauren and I cut out the proposed holes and fitted the paper to make sure everything was right before shooting the final templates.. which were then stuck to the panels with double-sided tape and drilled through. 

 Then, the legends were done on a separate layer, with the corner holes pulled up onto the legend layer so that I could register the labels (I printed each in the middle of the label), and then trimmed to the panel edge with a sharp xacto knife. 

 It isn't perfect, because (a) the B080 panels are textured, which makes for a kind of frosty background, and (b) I wasn't hyper careful about dust, so I trapped a couple things between the layers. 

 Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 ...tom


----------



## sachu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A few quickies of my EHHA I. MOSFET version.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2036.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2033.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2032.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2035.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2034.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2039.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2037.jpg_

 

Sweet looking build funch..


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A few quickies of my EHHA I. MOSFET version.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2036.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2033.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2032.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2035.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2034.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2039.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2037.jpg_

 

Cool select AC selecter! So there’s a switch at the back fro the heaters? Build looks fabulous congrats funch!


----------



## funch

Thanks. It's this switch:
New AC Selector Switch


----------



## funch

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sachu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sweet looking build funch.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks, sachu.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks. It's this switch:
New AC Selector Switch_

 

Thanks funch, that is nice solution.


----------



## johnwmclean

With budgets in mind here’s a little killer...

 The Jaycar packs a big punch when it comes down to dollars and performance ratio, it drove my HD800’s exceedingly well.

 The build is not all my work, mattcalf stuffed all the boards, I did the internals and wiring, enjoy the pics...


----------



## mattcalf

Quote:


 enjoy the pics... 
 

Oh I did, looks awesome John (read your PM).

 Can't thank you enough!


----------



## wiatrob

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *funch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A few quickies of my EHHA I. MOSFET version.
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x...d/100_2039.jpg
 ]_

 

So THAT'S how you wire that switch! Made my night! Nice build too!


----------



## wink

John, where's the JHHA low ohms module?


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wink* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_John, where's the JHHA low ohms module?_

 

Slow and steady, one solder pad at a time. Isn’t it bedtime in Cabramatta?


----------



## wink

it's the same time as in the lower blue mountains.
 I'm on hols until Jan 11th.
 No more late nights - it's all early mornings....


----------



## nattonrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Isn’t it bedtime in Cabramatta?_

 

If you like Pho then Cabra never sleeps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That's a nice wiring job on Matt's Jaycar.
 I remember being really impressed by Owen's~


----------



## sandbasser

Question for johnwmclean: - what kind of case did you use for the "Jaycar" amp??? and, do you know if it's available in USA???

 Oh, by the way, very nice work.


----------



## johnwmclean

sandbasser, thanks for your nice comments the case is from Jaycar locally:

Pro Quality Instrument Case - 260 x 190 x 80mm - Jaycar Electronics

 I’m not sure of where in the State’s you’d get one of these from.


----------



## linuxworks

a very simple but still satisfying build (lol).

 the AMB sigma-25:












 simple 7805 (or 7800 series, you pick what you want) regulator.

 worked on the first try (LOL!)


----------



## ShinyFalcon

Indeed, quickest five-minute populating I have done... and to top it off, Arctic Silver 5! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 But boy does it get hot... (~300mA)





 Tantalum... *shudder*


----------



## linuxworks

I was ready to use a tantalum (calls for it in the project) but I ran into this gang of purple oscons at the store and they forced me to give in.

 plus they were cheap and I grabbed a lifetime supply


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_a very simple but still satisfying build (lol).

 the AMB sigma-25:_

 

I bet the photoshop work took longer than the build


----------



## Jonothon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_SOHA+Jisbos

 - Par metal enclosure 
 - NOS GE 6680 tube
 - 15V regulators
 - Solen 2uF coupling caps
 - Gain reduction wiring scheme set to gain of 8
 - 35VA transformer
 - 3422/1359 transistors
 - no LED's, for nightstand




_

 

nice. reminds me of cambridge audio styling.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I bet the photoshop work took longer than the build
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

he might've been fancy and used a lightbox, in which case there would've been very little pshop work


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_he might've been fancy and used a lightbox, in which case there would've been very little pshop work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Check the drop shadows in the vacate pcb holes, there’s a hint


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I bet the photoshop work took longer than the build
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 






 I did have a small lightbox. technique was to put camera on tripod, use self-timer to trigger and leave shutter open for several seconds while you 'light paint' with something (in this case, I fired a flash manually at 3 angles before the shutter closed). there was no cutting/pasting done; the background was a white piece of foam and the image was auto-leveled with the eyedropper tool to define the background as pure white. that makes it fully disappear (but it was already white to start with).


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Check the drop shadows in the vacate pcb holes, there’s a hint 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 I did have a small lightbox. technique was to put camera on tripod, use self-timer to trigger and leave shutter open for several seconds while you 'light paint' with something (in this case, I fired a flash manually at 3 angles before the shutter closed). there was no cutting/pasting done; the background was a white piece of foam and the image was auto-leveled with the eyedropper tool to define the background as pure white. that makes it fully disappear (but it was already white to start with)._

 

*cough* 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Btw, nice job on the build and photography as always, linuxworks


----------



## linuxworks

thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 this is roughly the kind of setup I used (old pic and old cam but same lightbox, actually):






 this time instead of using cold fluorescent screw-base bulbs I used a handheld flash and fired it 3 times in place of those 3 bulb locations. less setup and tear-down that way (was lazy tonite) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 also get a better white out of it (fluorescent is a real PITA to color balance back to neutral).


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_*cough* 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Btw, nice job on the build and photography as always, linuxworks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Never shy to be wrong 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 smartie


----------



## Nebby

Sorry, couldn't resist since I'm very rarely right


----------



## johnwmclean

No worries the glories all yours Nebby enjoy, I’m a photo retoucher and I could have sworn if the light source was from below it would not have cast such a shadow. Lucky I don’t gamble.


----------



## linuxworks

happy new year! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have an arduino project to show, today. this is the LCDuino-1 cpu module (sans LCD) plugged into a baseboard that I made from perf board.

 its only job in this very simple application is to be a motorized volume control with IR input. that's all.

 here's the finished product:






 and alternate views:
















 it will sit inside my B22 and just listen for volume-up/down commands from my sony remote and then send a 5v normal or 5v reverse voltage to the motor to spin it left or right. press/hold the IR button key and the motor keeps spinning until you release the button.

 soon there will be a 'learn mode' where you press the top grey button in the first 3 seconds of power-on and you can set all 4 push buttons on whatever remote you have handy at home (define volume fast-up, slow-up, fast-down, slow-down).

 to program the LCDuino-1 just pop it out of its motherboard, connect the inline 6 pins to the standard arduino usb cable and download the code. current code is here:

Index of /mvc-master


----------



## nattonrice

Bulk oscon purchase ftw? =D


----------



## linuxworks

I found a bunch of those little purple guys at a surplus shop. came for some precision resistors and wire-wrap wire but left with some oscons, as well, that day


----------



## linuxworks

here is the next clean-up of my 3 channel beta-22, with sigma-22 and LCDuino-1 controlling an ALPS motorized 50k log pot. the speaker binding posts are new (parts express 'dayton' gold banana jacks) and I found some blue tech-flex at the frys, near me, and decided to give it a try 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 thin sheets of ABS black plastic (cuttable with scissors, as I discovered) line the inside panels and the outside, as well. screws and some glue hold the ABS to the steel metal frame (which came from an ancient analog TIVO box).

 still more dressing up to do (need to ABS the inside front panel) but its mostly there. the wiring is now safe and tied down and the system is as quiet as can be (gain of 5).

 I can sit back in my chair and use my IR remote to vary the volume. spent 2 days getting just *that* part of the project done 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but it was worth it.







 btw, I'll have this with me at the next norcal / bay area meet (in feb, I think?)


----------



## fishski13

linuxworks,
 WOW! that B22 looks great!!!


----------



## Ferrari

After tinkering with the circuits for about an half-year and tried out various tubes (D3a, Russians 6J52P, 6S45P-E and 6N30P-DR), I decided to settle on a pair of D3a. The other tubes are OK but, the D3a gives the best performance in my application… a single ended transformer coupled one-stage headphone amp.

 To my ears, this is the reference amp from all the tube/hybrid amps I have made until now... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





*the amp & PS front...*





*the amp internal...*





*and a night shot...*


----------



## Emooze

That's exceptional Ferrari!

 Is the circuit something of your own design?


----------



## Ferrari

It’s actually based on an existing schematic from K&K. 
 I have added some modifications to make it suitable for the various types of tube with slightly different characteristics and pins layout, while using Sowter output transformers.

 Furthermore, regulated power supplies are used for both B+ and heaters voltages instead of (more noisy) unregulated PS.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Here's my offering


----------



## apatN

Great work and that middle tube looks absolutely ace! Very nice.


----------



## pixeljedi

That looks absolutely fantastic! That center tube is sensational - straight out of Star Wars


----------



## regal

Ferrari, what case is that? Good to see someone build a nice OPT, everyones buying the Woo6 but nicer ones can be built.


----------



## natty135

[image removed by moderator--the photo was too huge]

 UM3x  haha
 sorry for big picture, idk how to shrink it. hopefully you won't see too much grainy stuff from my D90 haha


----------



## kuroguy

holy crap. not only is your photo way too big, but you didn't even build those. Way to make friends.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, what case is that? Good to see someone build a nice OPT, everyones buying the Woo6 but nicer ones can be built._

 

Those enclosures are from HiFi-2000, with optional 10mm front panel (Galaxy GX248 for the amp and GX288 for the PS).
 The front panels are milled/engraved by Schaeffer AG Germany (Front Panel Express in Europe). 

 This is my first attempt on a SET OPT’s amp and I must say that it’s a real pleasant experience. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 The only unpleasant thing is probably the cost of a good pair of OPT’s, since good sounding OPT’s are usually relative expensive.

 Btw, Thanks for the kind words gents!


----------



## FallenAngel

As always, absolutely stunning build Ferrari. Congrats!


 natty135 : please scale down your photo


----------



## jageur272

Late Christmas present for the girlfriend:












 They sound darn good too!


----------



## luvdunhill

Finally, a build worthy of Neutrik CrystalCON!! Go balanced man!

Neutrik - Audio - crystalCON - NC3MXX-B-CRYSTAL


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After tinkering with the circuits for about an half-year and tried out various tubes (D3a, Russians 6J52P, 6S45P-E and 6N30P-DR), I decided to settle on a pair of D3a. The other tubes are OK but, the D3a gives the best performance in my application… a single ended transformer coupled one-stage headphone amp.

 To my ears, this is the reference amp from all the tube/hybrid amps I have made until now... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





*the amp & PS front...*
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...p/9a93a620.jpg

*the amp internal...*
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...p/323f257e.jpg

*and a night shot...*
http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i1...p/359c9a6d.jpg_

 

Out-of-this world build, as always. Sweet!


----------



## FraGGleR

Here is my first "build" although I am not sure it counts since there are no electronics in it, but we all have to start somewhere.

 Altoids audio switch:













 Components:
 Altoids tin (formerly used to carry my IEM's)
 Gold plated RCA jacks (chanler.young on ebay)
 24 awg SPC (Navships on ebay)
 Micro-mini DPDT switch (Radio Shack)

 It turned out about as well as I had hoped once I corrected my ground on one jack. Big thanks to linuxworks for teaching me some of the basics. As nice as the jacks look and feel, I will probably go with something else for future builds, as there were some inconsistencies in the tightness of the jacks. Some were so tight a fit I started to warp the Altoids tin trying to disconnect. In particular the center pins of the basic Rean/Neutrik's are nearly too thick to fit at all. Some of the nicer RCA males I had fit just fine. When cheapness collides, I guess. Not too big a deal for this since it will be a semi-permanent installation, but if I build an amp or dac later down the line, I will want something with tighter build tolerances. 

 Thanks to everyone in this thread who have inspired me to finally break away from cables and into more complicated things (although technically, this is just an extension of my cables).


----------



## FallenAngel

Good start.


----------



## linuxworks

if you can remove those white insulators, you'll perhaps get even better grounding.

 and there's no need (or even benefit) to twisting left and right together like that. you introduce a little extra capacitance and reduce channel separation (very slightly). so I wouldn't twist them.

 twist signal and ground if you have to; but you don't have to in THIS circuit, either.


----------



## balderon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Good start. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

x2

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FraGGleR* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my first "build" although I am not sure it counts since there are no electronics in it, but we all have to start somewhere._

 

Why wouldn't it count?

  Quote:


 (Excerpt from DIY RULE #1): This forum is meant to be a place to share information pertaining to the building and modification of headphone related audio equipment


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_if you can remove those white insulators, you'll perhaps get even better grounding.

 and there's no need (or even benefit) to twisting left and right together like that. you introduce a little extra capacitance and reduce channel separation (very slightly). so I wouldn't twist them.

 twist signal and ground if you have to; but you don't have to in THIS circuit, either._

 

Ok, thanks. I am a learn by doing type of person, so I will admit I sometimes don't research enough before starting. I twisted more for tidiness than anything else. Currently this is running to some Logitech computer speakers (to switch between my PS3 and my Total Bithead) so any degradation in sound will likely be unnoticed. I will rewire, possibly with nicer jacks in a proper box once I am able to upgrade to better speakers.

 And thanks, Fallenangel and Balderon


----------



## pixeljedi

Hey Fraggler, to prevent warping you could try JBwelding some braces in there


----------



## Kerry

So here is my Blue Hawaii build. There are maybe too many pictures here, but it's been a long process.

 There are still a number of things to complete (powder coating amp, wood side panels for the PS, additional connectors and flex braid for the umbilical cords, feet, etc., etc...)

 The chassis for the PS is a split level. It worked out pretty well. Heat is not an issue and it is dead quite. I'm going to redo the delay relay to add some additional protection circuitry (prevents power supply from turning on if umbilical cord is disconnected) as well as clean up for the wiring.

 All the metal work was done by hand with a metal punch and drill. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




alm: I've become very good at tapping the screw holes (there were a lot).






















 Here is some of the metal work for the top of the amp that I just finished up. About 120 vent holes (there are also about 120 holes on the bottom as well). 

 The technique was to rubber cement a pattern onto the aluminum sheet, use a metal punch to center each hole, drill a starter hole (not all the way through), drill through with the final sized bit and then finish by deburring (using a metal counter sink bit).





















 The sound is remarkable


----------



## FallenAngel

Now that's something. I hope to have decent success with custom heatsinks soon too.


----------



## pixeljedi

I'm blown away by all those holes you drilled. Excellent work.


----------



## nattonrice

Kerry that's fantastic!
 I love the ventilation work =)


----------



## johnwmclean

Remarkable work Kerry!


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So here is my Blue Hawaii build. There are maybe too many pictures here, but it's been a long process.

 <snip>_

 

Fantastic work!


----------



## Kerry

Thanks everyone for the kind words


----------



## djmx121

Simply beautiful! Nice design.


----------



## Ferrari

FallenAngel and krmathis, thanks for the kind words gents!

*@ Kerry*, your DIY skills on the enclosure (also your DIY PCBs earlier) are excellent, chapeau !!!


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_FallenAngel and krmathis, thanks for the kind words gents!

*@ Kerry*, your DIY skills on the enclosure (also your DIY PCBs earlier) are excellent, chapeau !!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thank you. I've always admired your work. It is always first class!


----------



## Ant1Xr1st

My OCL Bijou project. Electolytic caps was used only after rectifer - all other are paper-foil type 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Dual mono psu. [size=xx-small]Yes, i know, it's a bit overkill, but i can't find the one trafo with voltages i need, thats why i bought 2 small.. xD[/size]
 Tubes are 6N1P & 6N6P. Tests will be as soon as i will finish the fault protection board


----------



## fault151

Here's a guitar pedal I built and I Designed the case and had it engraved.


----------



## fault151

@Ant1Xr1st;6294873

 Nice! How does it sound? I have thought about building one. I am currently building an Aikido valve amp.


----------



## Ant1Xr1st

*fault151*, i haven't try it yet, i must finish the dc-protect board first))


----------



## fault151

Cool, look forward to hearing your impressions on it. Is it a fairly straight forward build?


----------



## Ant1Xr1st

'fairly straight forward build' - do u mean that it is exactly as on Cavalli's circuit? No, the main difference that there is no output electrolytic capacitor.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ant1Xr1st* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_'fairly straight forward build' - do u mean that it is exactly as on Cavalli's circuit? No, the main difference that there is no output electrolytic capacitor._

 

Right I see, you did it different. I may eventually have a go at he Bijou. I just too many things im building. Got to get some finished first.


----------



## linuxworks

rewired my gamma-2 DAC, LCDuino-1 and SPDIFmaster. (its an AMB.org DAC, an spdif coax/opto switch and IR/LCD remote controller for the switch as well as a wireless X10 'firecracker' for power (AC) on/off/sleeptimer mgmt:





















 also new is the AMB sigma-25 7805 linear power supply board (smallest green board in the box). that has 'star topology' power cabling (lol) coming from its DC-out molex. an AC 7v or 9v wallwart is used (keeps the trafo away from things and keeps the DC cabling, post regulator, short.

 the perf board is the spdif switch using an analog cmos switch chip that the arduino controls (2 bit addressing for 4 input spdif ports). the small chip is a differential line receiver which is pretty ideal for spdif input work. all coax ports have pulse trafos mounted directly to the coax jacks. the toslink blocks have the proper cap/chokes as per typical design. the 3rd chip on that switch board is a serial i2c port expander so that i2c is used as a standard (in my code) for controlling 'application modules' (such as the spdif board).

 note: on the lcd display, I picked the bottom line to show the user-definable/settable port name and the top line to show a physical kind of port map with a 'c' for coax and 'o' for opto (you can change it in the code if you like some other scheme). also the port # is shown in parens and since I used 4 ports I was able to spread them across the lcd display in a left-right kind of way. so if you press the remote button for port 1, that would be o(1) for 'optical port1' and it would be on the far left of the display. it helps to be able to see the port name AND the port location (on the back panel) when selecting which input jack you want to connect to the DAC.


----------



## pila405

WOW! Amazing work linux!


----------



## mattcalf

Yuppo, very jealous Linux. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Nice work!


----------



## nattonrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ant1Xr1st* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My OCL Bijou project._

 

I followed this in the Bijou thread.
 Very impressive to see it bought to fruition.
 With toner transfer no less =)


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_rewired my gamma-2 DAC, LCDuino-1 and SPDIFmaster. (its an AMB.org DAC, an spdif coax/opto switch and IR/LCD remote controller for the switch as well as a wireless X10 'firecracker' for power (AC) on/off/sleeptimer mgmt:_

 

I love the progression of this project. Great work!


----------



## linuxworks

thanks for the nice comments, everyone.

 and again, the code is available for free at my 'audio' website and once the LCDuino is at the next pcb rev it will be a regular stock item at AMB's store.

 I may offer pcb's for the spdif switch part but there's more development still in store for that part of the project (new feature planned: autoscan to find the next 'populated' port and skip over the non-plugged ports or quiet ports. also thinking of hacking in a samplerate display (I have a trick in mind for a cheap way to get the 44.1k or 48k or whatever to display on the lcd). so stay tuned for when we finally move out of the proto stage for the LCD and my spdif switch


----------



## TheShaman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I may offer pcb's for the spdif switch part_

 

That would be most interesting!


----------



## forumid123

Thanks For Sharing


----------



## regal

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ant1Xr1st* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My OCL Bijou project. Electolytic caps was used only after rectifer - all other are paper-foil type 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Dual mono psu. [size=xx-small]Yes, i know, it's a bit overkill, but i can't find the one trafo with voltages i need, thats why i bought 2 small.. xD[/size]
 Tubes are 6N1P & 6N6P. Tests will be as soon as i will finish the fault protection board 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 



 Anti, what kind and size caps are you using for the cathode bypass caps on the first tube stage?


----------



## Ant1Xr1st

it's jamicon 10v 1000u, it will be replaced by 2200u 6,3v OS-CON SA soon))


----------



## fishski13

y-2 with o-11.


----------



## m1abrams

I see a BNC connector on your gamma2. Did you use a BNC on the Gamma2 or do you have an adapter in there and I just can not see it?

 P.S. Still looking for your thread on the comparison between the sigma11/gamma2 and a switching wallwart/gamma2


----------



## johnwmclean

fishski13, your systems looking fabulous - congrats.


----------



## fishski13

thanks.

 it's a Stereovox IC that comes with BNC/RCA adapters.


----------



## pila405

What 6.3mm jack the Gamma2 uses?


----------



## amb

Standard γ1/γ2 uses 3.5mm jacks (and RCA jacks). There are no 6.3mm jacks on it.


----------



## djmx121

fishski, the system is looking great! Thanks for sharing!


----------



## HiljaisuudenMeri

Finally finished my CMoy, Tangent schematic on wooden circuitboard.













 This was my secont DIY. First one was last winter made speakers with wooden tube.













 Sorry about bad quality photos.

 Tmu


----------



## HecksN

Hello everyone!

 This is my first post in the diy section. There are many brilliant builds in this thread, I really enjoyed watching them.

 Even though my projects are not that perfect, I wanted to post them anyway.
 My first project was a CMoy (Tangent shematic), built on a perfboard:













 My recent project is the JFET-MOSFET driver from Richard Murdey ( HeadWize - Project: A JFET-MOSFET Headphone Driver by Richard Murdey )













 It's already working, but I need to build an enclosure for it some time soon


----------



## ChrisX

After half a year lying naked on my bench waiting for an enclosure I finished my SOHA II today. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Still to do is painting the top cover, what I will do in summer when I can spray outside (my wife will kill me if I try this in the kitchen, and rightly so 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ). And the potentiometer shaft has to be cut, but I will look for another knob first, this one appears to be a bit huge for the small enclosure.
 Right now I'm listening happily to Ms. Lodwick's Feelings. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Chris


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ChrisX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After half a year lying naked on my bench waiting for an enclosure I finished my SOHA II today. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Congrats Chris, looks great! This really makes me want to finish my sohaII asap!


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ChrisX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After half a year lying naked on my bench waiting for an enclosure I finished my SOHA II today. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Still to do is painting the top cover, what I will do in summer when I can spray outside (my wife will kill me if I try this in the kitchen, and rightly so 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ). And the potentiometer shaft has to be cut, but I will look for another knob first, this one appears to be a bit huge for the small enclosure.
 Right now I'm listening happily to Ms. Lodwick's Feelings. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Chris_

 

Very Nice Job! I've been debating whether a SOHAII should be my next build. Where did you get the cool top grill? And of course, How does it sound?


----------



## ChrisX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrSlim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very Nice Job!_

 

Thanks. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrSlim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you get the cool top grill?_

 

It's standard perforated aluminium sheet. Luckily I live in a bigger city here in Germany, so I have two professional aluminium vendors nearby, in the usual corner shops it's hard to find.

  Quote:


 And of course, How does it sound? 
 

I'm satisfied. Absolutely no noise in every pot position. Clear in detail but not too analytical (in combo with the K240MKII). And it made even my crappy test phones sound bearable. 

 Chris


----------



## vixr

just finished my gamma2...


----------



## dhaninugraha

my latest CMoy build:

















 sorry for the ugly pictures, was taken with a MacBook Pro camera 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 specs:
 * TLE2426
 * Panasonic FM power supply caps, 470uF before the TLE and 2x 1000uF after the TLE
 * generic 1/4W 1% gain resistors, Vishay-Roederstein input grounding resistors
 * ADA4627-1ARZ opamps
 * vintage ALPS 10K stereo pot
 * Neutrik NMJ6HCD2 headphone jack
 * 1/8" and RCA inputs
 * no input caps
 * Canare L4E6S wiring


 it sounds pretty neutral IMO, transparant too (the virtue of not having input caps?)... the ADA4627-1 doesn't color my MS1i like the AD825, but it isn't dead or lifeless sounding either... how would I describe it? both (fairly) neutral and yet lively at the same time, I guess. air, separation, and detail is awesome.


----------



## linuxworks

getting some gear ready for the upcoming bay area (norcal) meet.

 the lineup, so far, left to right: 

 - power supply box (sigma-11, sigma-25, TREAD)
 - DAC box (gamma2, SPDIFmaster switch, LCDuino-1)
 - amp box (M3, LCDuino-1, motor/linear pot)






 I drilled some holes in the clear plexiglass covers and then lined the holes with rubber grommets. all 3 boxes follow that theme, now. its not a great/expensive look but its a little better than undressed drill holes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 seems to let enough heat out.

 the M3 box has a relay to let the box function as a preamp (its current setting) or a headphone amp. when you switch between the 2 outputs, the volume control updates to the last-used value (that logic will change, though; but this is what it currently is). there is also a motor-pot in the amp box, linear taper. its used as a 'servo' so that when you use the IR to change volume, the motor pot will 'servo over' to the correct angle and then halt there. the pot's wiper goes to an arduino analog-in and the motor on the pot is controlled by 2 logic wires on an h-bridge chip. the pot 'chases' the volume setting in the background but the setting takes effect immediately (PGA burr brown chip or equiv).

 both units have built-in digital clock/battery systems that show time-of-day when the system is powered off (and the displays all dim).

 a big change I'm making to my M3 box is to move the volume control chip system out of the box and into its own smaller box (yet to be installed). the M3 will control this small 'slave box' via a 2 wire i2c connection and that cable will have 4 wires: power, gnd and 2 for i2c. I'm going to see if I can 'remote' the volume control subsystem into its own box and run a semi-long i2c cable to it. that will be the next part of this project


----------



## gore.rubicon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_getting some gear ready for the upcoming bay area (norcal) meet.

 the lineup, so far, left to right: 

 - power supply box (sigma-11, sigma-25, TREAD)
 - DAC box (gamma2, SPDIFmaster switch, LCDuino-1)
 - amp box (M3, LCDuino-1)

 I drilled some holes in the clear plexiglass covers and then lined the holes with rubber grommets. all 3 boxes follow that theme, now. its not a great/expensive look but its a little better than undressed drill holes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 seems to let enough heat out.

 the M3 box has a relay to let the box function as a preamp (its current setting) or a headphone amp. when you switch between the 2 outputs, the volume control updates to the last-used value (that logic will change, though; but this is what it currently is).

 both units have built-in digital clock/battery systems that show time-of-day when the system is powered off (and the displays all dim).

 a big change I'm making to my M3 box is to move the volume control chip system out of the box and into its own smaller box (yet to be installed). the M3 will control this small 'slave box' via a 2 wire i2c connection and that cable will have 4 wires: power, gnd and 2 for i2c. I'm going to see if I can 'remote' the volume control subsystem into its own box and run a semi-long i2c cable to it. that will be the next part of this project 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Damn


----------



## naamanf

Really cool Linux. Any suggestions on a easy place to start on the programming side for us illiterate types?


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *gore.rubicon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Damn_

 

x2


----------



## drizek

_Hot_ Damn.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Really cool Linux. Any suggestions on a easy place to start on the programming side for us illiterate types?_

 

I think the quickest and easiest is to have something that already works and does something close to what you want, then modify it very slowly (incrementally). the LCDuino code base will have a few varied examples of how to talk to our standard hardware so that users should be able to download the code and get things working without too much fuss.

 this is how I started with the arduino; learned how to read input (IR), print to output (lcd) and then added frills here and there over time. 

 having the sourcecode to the examples as well as free tools to devel/test/run made all the diff in getting up to speed quickly with this platform.

 my code is still changing quite a bit so I'm not ready to declare anything 'vee one point oh' yet (lol) but I'll post when its time to declare the APIs stable.


----------



## FallenAngel

Haven't posted here for too long. I've always enjoyed Sijosae's work so here is something I built for fun last night and finished today.

 It's called the Poorman's Zen (SHA).

 Most parts are re-used including chassis (missing lid), used heatsinks, transistors, pot and most caps. It runs off a 15VAC wallwart I found in an e-recycle dumpster, rectified with MBR360 Schottky diodes bypassed by 100pF ceramics going to a simple LM317 circuit. Yes, those are Elna Cerafine output caps and a BlackGate in the PSU. Hey if you're using salvaged parts, salvage the good stuff. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














 I think it sounds great, especially since it cost me nothing in new parts and probably $40 in what I originally paid. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I think it'll be a present for somebody at the office, I'm slowly converting them to audiophiles too. (veryevil)


----------



## ShaneP

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_a big change I'm making to my M3 box is to move the volume control chip system out of the box and into its own smaller box (yet to be installed). the M3 will control this small 'slave box' via a 2 wire i2c connection and that cable will have 4 wires: power, gnd and 2 for i2c. I'm going to see if I can 'remote' the volume control subsystem into its own box and run a semi-long i2c cable to it. that will be the next part of this project 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I was looking at something similar for a thermostat project. Found some good information here: http://www.standardics.nxp.com/suppo.../pdf/an255.pdf


----------



## linuxworks

I'd like to know more about the i2c repeater stuff. right now, I'm not exactly sure how far I can run the wire and how I need to treat the wire. I was going to experiment and find where the 'reliability length' ends (lol). I bet a repeater chip would be very useful for 'out of box' comms. do you have experience with these?


----------



## ShaneP

I2C does not have a set length: bus capacitance is the limiter. IIRC, this is around 400pF.

 In the past, since I only needed to run one segment of cable, I used Texas Instruments P82B96 on each end. 

 Page 55 of that application note I linked shows a different arrangement that may be suitable for your application (I'm thinking a centralized controller). 

 There's a good bit of info out there, and I might want to do something similar soon.

http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/p82b715.pdf (P.8 buffered bus)
http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/pca9517.pdf (p.10 series repeater)


----------



## dean0

RCA Switchbox I made earlier
 -2 Inputs
 -4 Outputs


----------



## grawk

I love chickenhead bakelite knobs


----------



## dean0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *grawk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I love chickenhead bakelite knobs_

 

thanks!


----------



## linuxworks

not quite a full build, yet, but its somewhat new.

 the old arduino is now controlling 2 digital pot chips!






 yeah, I know, ugly rat shack knob. I'll replace it some day (lol).

 what's going on in the pic is that the arduino is reading the value from the ugly blue knob and scaling it to an 8bit value (0..255) and showing this in dB. that dB value is then sent out to a port expander chip (phililps dip16 in the perf board) via i2c (blue and black twisted wire). from THAT, we get bunches of 3bit SPI data that is sent to both digital pot chips (the pot chips speak SPI even though the chip above it is i2c). its confusing but I do prefer i2c for doing all my 'control' things and yet the i2c native chips are all tsop and/or use ugly ways to talk to them over i2c. the spi based chips, for some reason, come in soic8 and also dip8 and their software interface is much simpler.

 what I plan to use this in: basically anywhere a real pot would go, this thing may be able to fit, also. as an input attenuator before an amp; as a gain setter (feedback R in op-amps), as computer-controlled bass boost (in the amps that have dual pot based BB features) and maybe even auto calibration of bias and offsets in trimmer-settable amps.

 the 3 leds are there for debugging; the red one is 'power=ok'; green=global chip-select and orange is global clock.

 firmware will be uploaded (source) shortly in case anyone wants to try to replicate/experiment with this.


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_not quite a full build, yet, but its somewhat new.

 the old arduino is now controlling 2 digital pot chips!






 yeah, I know, ugly rat shack knob. I'll replace it some day (lol).

 what's going on in the pic is that the arduino is reading the value from the ugly blue knob and scaling it to an 8bit value (0..255) and showing this in dB. that dB value is then sent out to a port expander chip (phililps dip16 in the perf board) via i2c (blue and black twisted wire). from THAT, we get bunches of 3bit SPI data that is sent to both digital pot chips (the pot chips speak SPI even though the chip above it is i2c). its confusing but I do prefer i2c for doing all my 'control' things and yet the i2c native chips are all tsop and/or use ugly ways to talk to them over i2c. the spi based chips, for some reason, come in soic8 and also dip8 and their software interface is much simpler.

 what I plan to use this in: basically anywhere a real pot would go, this thing may be able to fit, also. as an input attenuator before an amp; as a gain setter (feedback R in op-amps), as computer-controlled bass boost (in the amps that have dual pot based BB features) and maybe even auto calibration of bias and offsets in trimmer-settable amps.

 the 3 leds are there for debugging; the red one is 'power=ok'; green=global chip-select and orange is global clock.

 firmware will be uploaded (source) shortly in case anyone wants to try to replicate/experiment with this._

 

i would love to _attempt_ to integrate the LCDuino-1 with my B1 buffer.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_RCA Switchbox I made earlier
 -2 Inputs
 -4 Outputs_

 

Very nice! Is that a copper plate for ground and rigidity? I am thinking about a similar setup, just housed within the same case as my dac and amp.


----------



## sam_cat

My 3rd build, a cmoy with voltage divider:

 TLE2426CP chip (voltage divider)





 TAKMAN metal film Resistors:





 Finished article:







 More to follow, just building a gainclone/starfish combo at the moment.


 Linuxworks, Lovely work with the Arduino intergration.. Just got one myself, learning the basics on it at the moment (nice and easy isnt it!) before worrying about intergrating it..

 Thanks,
 Sam C


----------



## Kerry

Here is my latest creation. It is a relay with a delay for the HV so the filaments can heat up first. I'm putting in my Blue Hawaii. 

 It has two indicators, one for the power and one for the HV on. I added some additional functionality so that if the umbilical is not connected it will not turn on the HV and just flash the power indicator. This could also be used for thermal sensors too. 

 Here are the boards. One is the relay and the other is a new version of the BH PS (you gotta tweak 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




).





 Here's the build progress...




















 I'm not done yet but I've tested the critical parts and it works. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Always a concern with new boards.


----------



## johnwmclean

Wonderful Kerry.


----------



## fishski13

Kerry,
 that's hardcore. please post more pics of your build as you progress.


----------



## nattonrice

Kerry as always... damn O.O
 Very awesome!


----------



## Kerry

Thanks guys.

 I will definitely post more pics as I progress.


----------



## El_Doug

Wow Kerry, you sure copped out by not etching these yourself! Shame on you


----------



## spritzer

I'm at least somewhat to blame there...


----------



## Kerry

I'm about to etch another board next week just for the fun of it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I was waiting on some more resist and have it now.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *spritzer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm at least somewhat to blame there... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Through some helpful pointers (thank you), I was able to find some great deals. Imageering has a new customer special of $25 per board (no minimum).

 A board takes me about a day or two to make. I figured I was worth it.


----------



## Emooze

So I bought a Twisted Pear USB receiver/DAC to hold me over until I can afford an Opus or (hopefully) a Buffalo. I originally had it in a cardboard box:






 I didn't like this. I decided to go with the board on a sort of plinth of some sort. Turns out the school machine shop has aluminum stock for the taking:






 Whole thing weighs ~2 pounds now. It doesn't move. Fantastic.


----------



## kshelton

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After tinkering with the circuits for about an half-year and tried out various tubes (D3a, Russians 6J52P, 6S45P-E and 6N30P-DR), I decided to settle on a pair of D3a. The other tubes are OK but, the D3a gives the best performance in my application… a single ended transformer coupled one-stage headphone amp.

 To my ears, this is the reference amp from all the tube/hybrid amps I have made until now... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




*and a night shot...*



_

 

Damn that is sexy!


----------



## simwells

My first project here and a Mini^3 very impressed with it and it's been free, doing a starving student now, and that lets me play around a lot more which is good.


----------



## AffeX

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A couple of snapshots of something in the making… 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	












_

 

Ferrari, I know this is an old post of yours, but I must say I am swept away by your fabulous builds. They are great samples of design and craftmanship!

 I'm planning a build myself for my HD-800 and I think EHHA would be a good match. This may be a noob question, but you have to tell me, what is that 5.th tube for in the balanced EHHA build?


----------



## ShaneP

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *AffeX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ferrari, I know this is an old post of yours, but I must say I am swept away by your fabulous builds. They are great samples of design and craftmanship!

 I'm planning a build myself for my HD-800 and I think EHHA would be a good match. This may be a noob question, but you have to tell me, what is that 5.th tube for in the balanced EHHA build? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It is for a "Magic Eye" level meter.

Here is a link to the circuit I think he used.


----------



## Ferrari

*Affex*, it's a "Magic Eye" level meter as ShaneP said, and the link to the circuit is indeed what I have used in my amp. 
 It's not a 100% accurate measuring device (as LEDs or LCD designs) but I think it looks cool in a tube/hybrid amps.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Emooze* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So I bought a Twisted Pear USB receiver/DAC to hold me over until I can afford an Opus or (hopefully) a Buffalo. I originally had it in a cardboard box:


 I didn't like this. I decided to go with the board on a sort of plinth of some sort. Turns out the school machine shop has aluminum stock for the taking:


 Whole thing weighs ~2 pounds now. It doesn't move. Fantastic._

 

That's really cool. I really need to look into finding a local woodworking shop as well as a machine shop. Radio Shack hobby boxes aren't cutting it for me anymore.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *simwells* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My first project here and a Mini^3 very impressed with it and it's been free, doing a starving student now, and that lets me play around a lot more which is good.
_

 

Cool acrylic face plate. How did you make it?


----------



## AffeX

@ShaneP and Ferrari
 Thanx for the explanation and fast reply, even if it was a total noob question 

 Ferrari, could I get you to describe some details in your build, such as:
 - What tubes did you use - and what tubes do you prefer for the build?
 - What did you use for heater supply, and where did you put it? I don't see room for much more than the EHHA boards.
 - What gain did you choose for each board?
 - What solution did you choose in terms of power delay, allowing heaters a head start?


----------



## simwells

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FraGGleR* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cool acrylic face plate. How did you make it?_

 

It's laser cut out of 2mm acrylic, quick and easy!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *AffeX* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_._

 

 Quote:


 Ferrari, could I get you to describe some details in your build, such as:
 - What tubes did you use - and what tubes do you prefer for the build? 
 

I have tried NOS 6GM8 and Sovtek 6N30P (new production) but finally settle on a pair of 6N30P-DR.
 The 6GM8 is a fine tube for the money but I prefer the 6N30P-DR.


  Quote:


 - What did you use for heater supply, and where did you put it? I don't see room for much more than the EHHA boards. 
 

There are indeed no power supplies inside the amp enclosure. The power supplies are housed in a separate enclosure (as all other balanced amps I have build so far).
 For 6.3V heater, I use a DIY PS based on a 2 x 9V (50W) toroidal transformer and 2 LT1083 regulators, thus separate 6.3V DC heater suppies for L/R channels. 


  Quote:


 - What gain did you choose for each board? 
 

About 7.5x per board, thus effective gain in balanced mode is ~15x which fine for my AGK K1000.


  Quote:


 - What solution did you choose in terms of power delay, allowing heaters a head start? 
 

At power up, only the 6.3V heater PS is on. The other PS can be manually switched on later, using a simple mechanical switch.


----------



## AffeX

@Ferrari: Thank you. It's info of great value for me.


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *simwells* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's laser cut out of 2mm acrylic, quick and easy!_

 

That's a really good idea. The face plates are very expensive but laser cut acrylic or wood is very cheap.


----------



## revolink24

I just took this picture a while ago, it looks like all the other Starving Student PCB builds, but whatever. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 Anyone care to enlighten me on how everyone seems to be getting custom faceplates for their builds? Local machine shops?


----------



## funch

Here:Front Panel Express - Custom Front Panels with free Front Panel Designer*-*Home


----------



## balderon

Cam Expert has had problems in the past with quality. I believe they have worked out most of the issues. I have been happy with their panels and the cost is a little cheaper than Front Panel Express. Cam Expert accepts FPE files. Front Panel Design and Fabrication Custom Front Panels


----------



## wap32

Been a little busy since I received my package from BatchPCB.

 A simple LM317/337 dual supply, based on Tangent's STEPS.








 A solid-state amp I've been working on, started as a Szekeres VE but ended up as something a little different, based on AMB's M^3.












 And some input/output control boards for a gainclone and head amp I'm building.


----------



## luvdunhill

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wap32* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A simple LM317/337 dual supply, based on Tangent's STEPS._

 

Looks more like a TREAD than a STEPS to me...


----------



## FallenAngel

Uhm... they're the same thing essentially.


----------



## .Sup

Where can one buy the blue led on/off button I'm seeing on beta 22s?


----------



## pila405

Illuminated Vandal Resistant switches - Stainless steel switches by Bulgin Components


----------



## OutdoorXplorer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *.Sup* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where can one buy the blue led on/off button I'm seeing on beta 22s?_

 

In fact I have one with Red/Green switch to go as per my signature...


----------



## Magsy

Damn I like that M3 copy, you have slimed that down nicely. Removed the VG and using a dual psu? Awesome!
 With a little tweaking and another channel that would make a very small balanced amp, I want...


----------



## JulioCat2

Attachment 25323

Attachment 25324

Attachment 25325


----------



## MASantos

Nice work there, what are the main features of that minus3 amp?

 And what's the difference between the first volume board (with 5 relays) and the 2nd?

 Greetings from Portugal!

 Manuel

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wap32* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Been a little busy since I received my package from BatchPCB...._


----------



## wap32

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work there, what are the main features of that minus3 amp?_

 

I'd like to say that it has a new, totally awesome design...but it doesn't.

 Basically it's an opamp with global feedback and a CCS for class A biasing, followed by a MOSFET buffer, most of the schematics were based on existing projects.

 Nonetheless, it allowed me to learn more about current designs and create something I could call "my own", even if it has nothing new.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_And what's the difference between the first volume board (with 5 relays) and the 2nd?_

 

First board will be used with a gainclone, 4 inputs, 2 ouputs.

 Second board will be used inside a head amp to select between DAC and analog inputs, controlled by PCM2702's suspend pin.
 It also has some vregs for the relay and DAC, saves me from doing another board.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MASantos* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Greetings from Portugal!

 Manuel_

 

Um abraço e um queijo da Serra


----------



## dvdt

I'm new posting at head-fi but have been reading/learning here for awhile. This is my first build (of anything electronic) and is pretty simple by comparison to what some of you have built. But hey, you have to start somewhere. Thanks to all of you for posting your building experiences - your comments are valuable to newbies like myself.

 This is a bass boost cmoy built from parts from mouser and digi-key. The plans are at JDS Labs and were very easy to follow. Plus it sounds really good through my old HD-570s. Triple Fi's sound good too but would not be my first choice compared to the 570s. The HD-7000s reveal too many of this amps shortcomings as they seem to resolve every little detail (much better plugged into the predator but that's another post).

 I added a Panny 50kΩ potentiometer for the bass boost control but have found that it's too much bass and sounds better set to min with the 570s. 

 With cheapy ipod earphones, the bb actually makes them sound like they have a ton of bass when you crank the knob. They did start to crackle after a few minutes of Samantha Jones - sounded like the voice coil was going to spring into my ears so I figured I'd stop before critical meltdown occurred.

 For the opamps, I have both the OPA2227PA and OPA2604PA for a little rolling. The 2604 sounds a little warmer and presents music with larger, more laid-back spatial staging than the 2227. The 2227 is more direct and is the pick for listener demonstration - but would be fatiguing to listen to for long periods.

 Source is iPod 5g with RSA LOD.

 Here are the pics:


----------



## mugdecoffee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wap32* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Been a little busy since I received my package from BatchPCB..._

 

That looks really impressive and well put together. What are the two smaller boards with relays for? Relay volume attenuator?


----------



## S3am

mugdecoffee
  Quote:


 What are the two smaller boards with relays for? Relay volume attenuator? 
 

Looks like output (speaker) protection module.


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dvdt* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I added a Panny 50kΩ potentiometer for the bass boost control but have found that it's too much bass and sounds better set to min with the 570s._

 

It is worth trying it set up with two 9V batteries. On bigger phones like the 570s I find it helps give a fuller sound and is particularly helpful on the bass end of the scale.

 It has the advantage of not changing the sound per-se, it just allows the cmoy to drive the 'phones a bit better. A lot of bass boost circuits fall into the same trap that yours apparently has - increase the bass signal but not the ability of the amp to delivery it through the 'phones.


----------



## Voodoochile

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *luvdunhill* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks more like a TREAD than a STEPS to me..._

 

True.
 Nice little layout, wap32


----------



## dvdt

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A lot of bass boost circuits fall into the same trap that yours apparently has - increase the bass signal but not the ability of the amp to delivery it through the 'phones._

 

Thanks for your explanation! That makes alot of sense.

 I'll probably sit this one on the shelf since I just finished the Mini 3 and it is a big improvement over the Cmoy.


----------



## wap32

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mugdecoffee* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That looks really impressive and well put together. What are the two smaller boards with relays for? Relay volume attenuator?_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *S3am* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_mugdecoffee

 Looks like output (speaker) protection module._

 

See my reply to MASantos above.
 They're just simple I/O switchers, nothing fancy.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Voodoochile* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_True.
 Nice little layout, wap32_

 

Thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I say based on the STEPS because it pretty much has the same parts list, even if it does not have an on-board transformer.


----------



## Kerry

Next step in my build is the Power Supply. Here's the build progress. I need a couple more parts, but should have them early next week.


























 I just ordered a custom wound transformer from SumR. Very nice and great prices. Can't wait to get it in and test this puppy


----------



## immtbiker

Looks awesome Kerry. 
 And after 6 years of electrical engineering (the equivalent of a very nice, hard earned Associate's Degree) at community college after a day of work, you could tell me those boards are for a new generation Microwave Oven, I'd trust you.


----------



## K3cT

A typical ghetto build for typical poor student like me. Behold! 











 The little guy on the top is the *SOUL Mini*. It's a DIY 3-channel active-ground amp designed by our own psychoaudio which has undergone heavy modifications from the original design. The big guy below should be no stranger to you guys as it's the very popular *σ11*. Together they form a very musical combination which is very hard to beat at their price range. 

 I thank Ti, Dhaninugraha and Psychoaudio for making this happen.


----------



## sam_cat

My Dual mono gainclone build, based around a kit from www.chipamp.com.

 Not finished yet, need to hook the power boards to the amp boards and fit a slo-blow fuse for v1, then adding a smaller toroid, suitable relays etc for the soft start with a power button on the front (power/standby) and fit a suitable temperature based fan controller to the cooler if needed.


















 And will be making a very nicely finished bit of walnut for the front panel...

 (I know this has very little to do with headphones, that comes next with the Pimeta in with the Starfish based pre)


----------



## oneplustwo

sam_cat - looks nice! Do you mind if I ask how much you ended up spending and what you ended up choosing for trafos? I'm building a B24 at the moment but want to build one of these as well just for fun. Also, are those heat sinks standard fare that come with the kit? I don't remember seeing them on the website.


----------



## sam_cat

Case was around £35, and the trafo's were about £30 each. Connectors came to around £25 (mains in, switch, 4 speaker binding posts and 2 phono connectors, all of good quality) All the wiring etc was stuff I already had.

 Trafos were from http://www.airlinktransformers.com/t...ansformers.asp, specifically the 300VA 230V 2 x 22V toroidal transformer (part no 0300222).. Went overkill to allow for future plans (something that requires more power than a gainclone)

 Heatsink is from an old computer, its a P2 slot cooler... Can get them off ebay for a few quid, and they came with a fan installed, so easy to improve cooling if needed. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cheers,
 Sam


----------



## forsakenrider

An updated picture of my CTH (#2 of the proto builds) in action now with acrylic panels!

 I love this amp


----------



## tintin47

Beta-22 case during creation. Picture is terrible but I just happened to have it on my phone so why not. They are 3/8" aluminum with 1/16" L bracket to hold them together. The random holes on the sides are to become ventilation slots. Hope to be finished within the week, when better pics, and pics with pretty LEDs will be coming down the pipe.


----------



## linuxworks

slightly audio related: a delay ('staggered') startup sequencer for 4 disk drives in my networked disk server:






 very simple idea (still has yet to be wired to my pc, though, lol): you want to stagger the load on the power supply if you have a semi-cheap (we all do, sigh) power supply and too many drives connected. on some power supplies, even 1 drive is 1 drive too many (I'm not kidding; I wish I was). so this device sees the system start to power on, it immediately presses and holds the pc's reset button and then starts to sequence the 4 drives, one by one, giving them power and waiting 5 secs to let them spin up. do that for all 4 drives (4 orange relays) then finally you release the reset button (top relay, red LED) and let the poor pc finally POST (boot). that's the theory, at least.

 the board works and the lights come on and go off at the right times. controller is the usual arduino 328 chip. the smaller chip is a relay driver, uln2003. the small jumper shunts select between programmed spinup and forced spinup on a per-drive basis. the leds are in molex connectors so that they can be left there, removed or even remoted to the front panel.

 just a half day project but one that I hope will save my NAS's power supply next time the system has to go from power-off to power-on (rebooting after a power outage, etc).

 edit: it made MAKE magazine! their flicker blog, at least:

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/201..._hard_dis.html

 I have full source code and schematic up at my project area: http://www.netstuff.org/spinmaster/


 it even has a serial command-line interface (just added this today, 1-feb-2010)






 you can turn drives on and off at will via a usb port, after the computer has booted and the o/s is running.


----------



## balderon

I have finally completed the casework on my Bijou. I tried many times and could not get a decent shot without the the blue illumination washing out. My original front panel design had included a thin white inlay around the outside perimeter of the panel. My wife suggested I illuminate the border instead. (She strongly recommended I publicly give her credit for that idea! Thank you sweetie 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)











 Case is a custom Par-Metal gold anodized enclosure. Black powder coated once I completed fabrication.
















 Please PM me if you have any tricks or suggestions to help improve the night shot.


----------



## Jerrycan

Wow!


----------



## pixeljedi

Wow balderon, that's amazing!


----------



## John E Woven

I don't think your capacitors are big enough.


----------



## MomijiTMO

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *John E Woven* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I don't think your capacitors are big enough._

 







 I'm glad someone said that.


----------



## MoodySteve

balderon,

 Your Bijou looks gorgeous and well laid out. Congratulations! I'd say your wife's idea worked out pretty well! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm still getting over how great this amp sounds (and I didn't even spring for the Coke can output caps) but will not be able to post pics until a headphone jack issue gets resolved (the gold jack I designed the case around seems to be have been manufactured so badly that both that have been shipped to me had no right channel).


----------



## apatN

That is one hot Bijou!


----------



## TimJo

Wow, that's beautiful Balderon! Very clean build internally as well. Nicely done...


----------



## srserl

Wow! Excellent looking Bijou! I like how the tubes are arranged by angling the boards.


----------



## dvdt

Balderon, is that clear plexi a solid panel or formed? Great effect - kind of reminds me of McIntosh look.


----------



## igor0203

@balderon: Very nice! How does Obbligato cap sound?


----------



## funch

Wow!!! Fabulous build. Congrat's.


----------



## logwed

You're so beautiful!


----------



## balderon

Thanks everyone for the nice words. 

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'd say your wife's idea worked out pretty well! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks Stephen. I'll be sure to mention that to my wife. It may help when I start my next project! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dvdt* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Balderon, is that clear plexi a solid panel or formed? Great effect - kind of reminds me of McIntosh look._

 

The front panel is solid 6mm aluminum.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *igor0203* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_@balderon: Very nice! How does Obbligato cap sound?_

 

My ears heard very little difference from the stock electrolytic.


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Next step in my build is the Power Supply. Here's the build progress. I need a couple more parts, but should have them early next week.






 I just ordered a custom wound transformer from SumR. Very nice and great prices. Can't wait to get it in and test this puppy 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

That is simply beautiful work. Would love to build one... since I already have the SumR for it.


----------



## fishski13

balderon,
 OMG!!! looks stunning!!! i like the M-caps in my Bijou too.


----------



## oneplustwo

This isn't really head-fi, but I will be driving them with my beta so it's sort of related. My first pair of DIY speakers. It's the zaph audio SR71 design. The cabinets are african mahogany on the front, top, and rear. The rest is birch plywood.


----------



## fishski13

oneplustwo,
 beautiful work. the 2 different grains complement each other very well.


----------



## balderon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fishski13* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_balderon,
 OMG!!! looks stunning!!! i like the M-caps in my Bijou too._

 

Thanks fishski13 for your kind words!


----------



## Steve Eddy

oneplustwo, beautiful work!

 Er, where's the headband? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 se


----------



## oneplustwo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Koyaan I. Sqatsi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_oneplustwo, beautiful work!

 Er, where's the headband? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 se_

 

Waiting for my neck muscles to bulk up a bit. The plywood sides are 1" thick and the Mahogany pieces are 3/4" thick even though they look thinner since I rabbeted the edges. Then of course, there's the drivers/crossover/etc. I think they weigh about 20 lbs each... maybe a little more.


----------



## wap32

Amazing job oneplustwo, those look really nice!


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This isn't really head-fi, but I will be driving them with my beta so it's sort of related. My first pair of DIY speakers. It's the zaph audio SR71 design. The cabinets are african mahogany on the front, top, and rear. The rest is birch plywood.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/...9832760a_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/...4b45f199_b.jpg_

 

Beautiful woodwork!


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Waiting for my neck muscles to bulk up a bit._

 

HA! Good comeback!

  Quote:


 The plywood sides are 1" thick and the Mahogany pieces are 3/4" thick even though they look thinner since I rabbeted the edges. Then of course, there's the drivers/crossover/etc. I think they weigh about 20 lbs each... maybe a little more. 
 

Nice!

 Perhaps a shoulder mount solution would be the way to go. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 se


----------



## oneplustwo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Koyaan I. Sqatsi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 Perhaps a shoulder mount solution would be the way to go. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 se_

 

I'm going to market them as K1000000000's.


----------



## jp_zer0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *K3cT* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A typical ghetto build for typical poor student like me. Behold! 











 The little guy on the top is the *SOUL Mini*. It's a DIY 3-channel active-ground amp designed by our own psychoaudio which has undergone heavy modifications from the original design. The big guy below should be no stranger to you guys as it's the very popular *σ11*. Together they form a very musical combination which is very hard to beat at their price range. 

 I thank Ti, Dhaninugraha and Psychoaudio for making this happen. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

You girls and your fancy tupperware cases. Us of the p****-wielding sex just TAPE THE ***SUCKERS WHOLE:


----------



## manaox2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jp_zer0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You girls and your fancy tupperware cases. Us of the p****-wielding sex just TAPE THE ***SUCKERS WHOLE:_

 

WARNING: Do not let p**** come in contact with said ***sucker.


----------



## ruZZ.il

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jp_zer0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You girls and your fancy tupperware cases. Us of the p****-wielding sex just .._

 

Ahh I love DIY spirit


----------



## immtbiker

Sort of gives a new meaning to a "Tupperware Party". Suburban ladies, move over!


----------



## tintin47

Finished beta-22 + sigma-22. This thing dwarfs my dorm room. The whole thing is made from 3/16" scrap aluminum that I rescued from the shop at school. It was a little beat up, and has some dings that I couldn't sand out, but that adds character. The finish is just 600 grit with an orbital sander. It is and is held together with aluminum L-bracket at the corners. 

 I have a Valab stepper, and amphenol jacks, with a neutrik powercon umbilical. The switch is a bulgin latching model, and is connected to a relay. 

 The amp is 3 channel, not balanced even though it has a 4pin xlr jack. I just used xlr to negate the short problems with TRS and 4 pin so I don't have to recable my phones again or make new cables if I go balanced.

 I will post better pics when I can borrow someones camera.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Balderon: Your caps scare me!!


----------



## Kerry

Here's the birth of a Power Supply. I got my transformer in and hooked it up. It outputs +/-400V and +/-15V. So far so good. The initial tests went well. Hopefully, I'll get it hooked up to the amp tomorrow.

 Here a pic...






 PS Nice construction job tintin47. Was that done with a CNC?


----------



## tintin47

^ Thanks. No CNC. Just carefully measured and milled. The shop that I have 24 hr access to has a CNC but it isn't one of the nice ones that takes cad/solidworks drawings, so just went manual. Took a while , but when I put the case together for the first time it fit like a dream.

 What are you going to power with that there supply? It looks nice and very well built. It is just reminding me that I need to clean up all of my wiring, though.


----------



## Kerry

It's for a Blue Hawaii. It has +/-400V and +/-15V outputs.


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's the birth of a Power Supply. I got my transformer in and hooked it up. It outputs +/-400V and +/-15V. So far so good. The initial tests went well. Hopefully, I'll get it hooked up to the amp tomorrow._

 

Drop.dead.gorgeous! BTW, does it have bias (500-620v?) power as well?


----------



## spritzer

Yup, bias is on board. Just look at the pot and two Wima caps.


----------



## dvdt

Mini Tube Headphone Amp
 Kit by Oatley Electronics

 About a month for the package to arrive from Aus. and 2 hours to build including "case work" 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's very smooth sounding. I would describe it as laid back but detailed. Not enough power to drive the K702 but plenty for the AH-D7000.

 It rings if you tap even the table it's sitting on. Will have to get some grommets for the tubes next time I'm at the auto parts store to replace the rubber bands.


----------



## PScal

Group shot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 minimax + gamma2 + sigma24 + 25


----------



## immtbiker

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dvdt* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_.It rings if you tap even the table it's sitting on. Will have to get some grommets for the tubes next time I'm at the auto parts store to replace the rubber bands.]_

 

For ~ $13, how's about these (Herbies):

Preamp UltraSonic Damping Instruments


----------



## OutdoorXplorer

I have all my tubes with Herbies Audio Labs tube dampers... No regrets.


----------



## alex223

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PScal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Group shot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 minimax + gamma2 + sigma24 + 25
_

 

Very nice setup !


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PScal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Group shot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 minimax + gamma2 + sigma24 + 25

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4068/...f807e9c5_b.jpg_

 

Looks sweet! Well done.


----------



## cfcubed

Nice builds guys.
 My newest CTH. It's my quietest to date, maybe b/c used shielded cable for everything & angled 24V reg away from things. Has 2 source INs & makes a nice pre-amp as well (w/300Rs in series w/Neutrik-jack-switched outs).












 Tech note: This build also has a DPDT pwr switch that interrupts both 24VAC & e12/output relay pwr... This eliminates the slight "click" heard @ turn-off w/o it. This is more important for its use as a preamp then as a headamp.


----------



## dvdt

Quote:


 For ~ $13, how's about these:

 Preamp UltraSonic Damping Instruments 
 

$13 would be almost half the price of the total amp parts on this mini tube setup! Still might have to get those because this thing sounds pretty sweet without the ringing. I've got to decide what "real" tube headphone amp to build next. Then I can just order Herbies dampers for both...


----------



## dvdt

It's great to see all of the awesome builds from everyone here - very inspiring for a newbie diy'er like me. Way more fun to listen to something I built


----------



## Kerry

Here's the Blue Hawaii power supply coming together. It's now wired up in the chassis. Still have some more to go, but it's just about functional.


----------



## El_Doug

aww, no backlit momentary switch? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 it looks lovely Kerry! I can't wait to hear it


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *El_Doug* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_aww, no backlit momentary switch? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 ..._

 

I have a design I'm working on for that. I've got to just integrate the flashers into a previous design. One step at a time


----------



## unl3a5h3d

I want to build a Gamma 2 but I want to buy it all as a kit. Where can I get one? Or can I? Thanks.


----------



## the_equalizer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *PScal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Group shot 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 minimax + gamma2 + sigma24 + 25
_

 

Oh my... ! What a cleanly built and cool looking setup you have there ! great shot!

 cheers!


----------



## simwells

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *unl3a5h3d* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I want to build a Gamma 2 but I want to buy it all as a kit. Where can I get one? Or can I? Thanks._

 

Almost certain that there isn't anywhere that sells kits, glassjar don't and they're about the only one's I know of doing amb kits.


----------



## dvdt

Quote:


 I want to build a Gamma 2 but I want to buy it all as a kit. Where can I get one? Or can I? Thanks. 
 

I'm a completely new at DIY electronics. A kit would have been convenient, but the education I gained from buying all the parts from various sources was priceless. The build was easy once I had all the right tools.


----------



## vixr

here is a CMoy I helped my son build...He did most of the work and I was really happy it turned out well. Its a simple OPA2132 chip with a TLE2426 splitter and tomb's trickle charger...


----------



## logwed

Really neat idea for the case! It looks great.


----------



## pojk3n

My Second Cmoy using Opa2134 and TLE2426 splitter with 2 extra output caps so it can drive my Ms1 a little better at higher volume.
 It also contain a low-pass filter/bass boost and adjustable gain on each channel. Tried to get it as compact this time, but there is room for improvement.

 Right now it starts to distort @ 26ish mA but can handle peaks up to 30ish mA.
 I'll guess bigger output caps would let it go higher at peaks but the constant current is limited to the bandwidth of the splitter, right?


----------



## Magsy

Hehe that joypad cmoy is wicked! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I had one of those tins for Christmas and I held onto it thinking it could house something....


----------



## MoodySteve

After over 2 years, and several mishaps, my Bijou is finally done. All casework was done by me, except for the large holes on the top plate, which were cut by a CNC plasma cutter by my good friend Dennis over at O&M Engineering. More details and images will be posted in the Bijou thread.

 My Bijou follows the 'Regal Mod' BOM, 410µF photoflash output caps bypassed with 1µF Obliggato golds. I used Solen polypropylenes for C1. The attenuator is Alps RK40 and all signal wiring is shielded.

 The sound is as good as advertised - lush, lively and grand.


----------



## PScal

Beautiful amp!


----------



## tintin47

Nice gold hardware. It really helps the amp live up to its namesake. How are the sides finished? Are they wood or metal?

 It looks like a good companion for your beta. That'll be a nice stack.


----------



## immtbiker

Hey MoodySteve,
 you bringing that beautiful amp to the NYC Meet, or are you going to hog it all to your self


----------



## johnwmclean

MoodySteve, good things take time and this is proof in the pudding. Congrats on a wonderful amp.


----------



## simwells

Just finished my second project (first was a Mini^3) and it's a little SSMH.


----------



## Helmore

Do you have a name for your SSMH? I was thinking you should call it the 'tubefish'


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *immtbiker* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey MoodySteve,
 you bringing that beautiful amp to the NYC Meet, or are you going to hog it all to your self 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 

I agree. Would love to hear it at the NYC meet. Beautiful work.


----------



## simwells

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Helmore* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you have a name for your SSMH? I was thinking you should call it the 'tubefish' _

 


 Haha not yet no but it does look somewhere between a fish and a boiled sweet!


----------



## balderon

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Balderon: Your caps scare me!!_


----------



## MegabytePhreak

My first build:




 Clearly a Mini3, but there's something odd about it...




 It has 2 inputs, and they're on the back.





 Nothing particularly special, just a high-performance Mini3 without the battery charging circuitry. As you can see, vertical space is a little tight. 





 Thanks to this guy. A simple little 2-channel active mixer I put together. The parts here are very plain, just TL072s in fact. I figured that since I wasn't going to be working them very hard they should probably do the job, not to mention being cheap. A bank of 1uF Metallized Polyester caps provides for AC coupling, since I don't trust one of my sources (A Zotac MAG nettop) which gives me 50mv of DC offset just to start with. Longer term I plan to build a DAC for it, and maybe my laptop as well. 

 In reality the mixer was the main motivation for the build, since it ends up being a bit more convenient than my previous approach of running a pulseaudio server on my laptop when I want to watch movies on my nettop (which has hardware decode). It's not like my cans are anything to write home about or anything ( Razer Carcharias ), but they are comfy and durable. 

 PS- Please excuse the poor photos, all I had available was my cellphone.


----------



## linuxworks

another case update (major one) for my beta22 and arduino 'volumaster':



























 I had some very good help from 'oneplustwo' (jason) who has a pretty neat woodworking shop at his place 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 he did the cutting on the 2 end pieces as well as the MDF base. we also made a slide-in top but its not vented yet (top will have holes and mesh/screen to let heat out). for now, it runs topless 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the bottom base is lined with plastic ABS, as is the front and back panels. I had TAP plastics cut some dollar panels for me and also do the 1/2" radius on the corners. the round holes for jacks were done by me.

 features: the arduino (half of an LCDuino-1) controls the IR receive (that's the red jewel-like thing on the front panel, 2nd from left) and sends PWM voltage to the motor pot. the arduino also does the latch control for the front bulgin pushbutton (that $25 button!). it debounces the button (won't let you press faster than once a second, for safety) and also maintains the latch for the relay and the led color (the bi-color led in the bulgin goes to blue for speaker-out and red for phones-out; yes, its an output selector). you can also change the output selector via the IR remote control.

 naturally, there is a nite-mode where you can turn all lights out (on the front panel). the IR remote controls this, too.

 oh, and the volume pot has a led in it that I (laboriously) mounted myself. took a radio shack knob (sorry!) and drilled a hole thru it, then opened up some room in the back and hot melted a led in there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ran some wires thru a hole in the front (right above the pot shaft) and that goes to a PWM signal that my arduino sends out. when you vary the volume, the led blinks but can also be dimmed if you want. when you turn the lights out, the blue (or red, if phones-mode) light and the knob led both go out.

 I will have this with me at the bay area meet, coming up in one week.


----------



## MASantos

I really like the casework, but why ABS and not aluminium? 

 Nice features with the arduino! 

 ps: you could build a cmoy with that pushbutton! LOL

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_another case update (major one) for my beta22 and arduino 'volumaster':



 I had some very good help from 'oneplustwo' (jason) who has a pretty neat woodworking shop at his place 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 he did the cutting on the 2 end pieces as well as the MDF base. we also made a slide-in top but its not vented yet (top will have holes and mesh/screen to let heat out). for now, it runs topless 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the bottom base is lined with plastic ABS, as is the front and back panels. I had TAP plastics cut some dollar panels for me and also do the 1/2" radius on the corners. the round holes for jacks were done by me.

 features: the arduino (half of an LCDuino-1) controls the IR receive (that's the red jewel-like thing on the front panel, 2nd from left) and sends PWM voltage to the motor pot. the arduino also does the latch control for the front bulgin pushbutton (that $25 button!). it debounces the button (won't let you press faster than once a second, for safety) and also maintains the latch for the relay and the led color (the bi-color led in the bulgin goes to blue for speaker-out and red for phones-out; yes, its an output selector). you can also change the output selector via the IR remote control.

 naturally, there is a nite-mode where you can turn all lights out (on the front panel). the IR remote controls this, too.

 oh, and the volume pot has a led in it that I (laboriously) mounted myself. took a radio shack knob (sorry!) and drilled a hole thru it, then opened up some room in the back and hot melted a led in there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ran some wires thru a hole in the front (right above the pot shaft) and that goes to a PWM signal that my arduino sends out. when you vary the volume, the led blinks but can also be dimmed if you want. when you turn the lights out, the blue (or red, if phones-mode) light and the knob led both go out.

 I will have this with me at the bay area meet, coming up in one week._


----------



## linuxworks

I did not need another metal base (and I didn't like the shine from metal on the base) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the backplane has all the grounding I need. its pretty hum-free.

 the base is MDF wood and that looked ugly. a very thin (dressing only) sheet of abs helped with visual contrast (imho). and its very very easy to work with.

 btw, firmware is at: http://www.netstuff.org/mvc-master/f...r_1_10.pde.txt


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I did not need another metal base (and I didn't like the shine from metal on the base) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 the backplane has all the grounding I need. its pretty hum-free.

 the base is MDF wood and that looked ugly. a very thin (dressing only) sheet of abs helped with visual contrast (imho). and its very very easy to work with.

 btw, firmware is at: http://www.netstuff.org/mvc-master/f...r_1_10.pde.txt_

 

I think his comment was more in regards to the faceplate and not the base. I think your response speaks loudly about your priorities in your builds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_another case update (major one) for my beta22 and arduino 'volumaster':_

 

A really nice build! so amazingly neat! would love to see some nice aluminum panels mounted on to the wooden case. Great work!


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_here is a CMoy I helped my son build...He did most of the work and I was really happy it turned out well. Its a simple OPA2132 chip with a TLE2426 splitter and tomb's trickle charger...

_

 

Nice i want one! Beats my cmoy in my altoids tin.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_After over 2 years, and several mishaps, my Bijou is finally done. All casework was done by me, except for the large holes on the top plate, which were cut by a CNC plasma cutter by my good friend Dennis over at O&M Engineering. More details and images will be posted in the Bijou thread.

 My Bijou follows the 'Regal Mod' BOM, 410µF photoflash output caps bypassed with 1µF Obliggato golds. I used Solen polypropylenes for C1. The attenuator is Alps RK40 and all signal wiring is shielded.

 The sound is as good as advertised - lush, lively and grand. _

 

Wow, love this amp! I'm really tempted to make one, must complete my aikido amp first though.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m1abrams* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I think his comment was more in regards to the faceplate and not the base. I think your response speaks loudly about your priorities in your builds 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ._

 

oh, I didn't catch that. 

 I might replace this with alum. first, we prototype and live with it for a while 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 if that passes, then we can see about throwing a c-note at FPE or equiv.

 I'm not sure I like the jack placement, though. its logical and wire-route optimized but the phones jack placement seems 'off', to me. not sure if I'll keep it that way or center it next time around.

 also, this was just built in the last week and so I had no time to do FPE things; and I wanted this to be done in time for the meet next week.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *balderon* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I have finally completed the casework on my Bijou. I tried many times and could not get a decent shot without the the blue illumination washing out. My original front panel design had included a thin white inlay around the outside perimeter of the panel. My wife suggested I illuminate the border instead. (She strongly recommended I publicly give her credit for that idea! Thank you sweetie 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)





_

 

Wow! amazing build! The insides look so neat! Good work!


----------



## oneplustwo

linuxworks - looks good! I actually quite like what you did with the plastic panels as a short term fix. Also, for the top, as I was looking at your semi-finished product, it occured to me that we could do a solid wood top that has a rabbet to go in the groove that also allows the top to be flush with the top of the sides. It would be much cleaner this way compared to how we were thinking about it before. Also, this would get us out of the 1/4" plywood issue as we could use 1/2" and be less worried about tearout problems while making the vent holes. Solid wood is an option as well although it would be pricey. (Or solid aluminum for that matter.)


----------



## francisdemarte

Very McIntosh-ish!


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ it occured to me that we could do a solid wood top that has a rabbet to go in the groove that also allows the top to be flush with the top of the sides._

 

ok, lets try it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 the only down side is that it makes things heavier and the holes for venting will be a little harder (maybe) to make well.

 but sure, lets give it a try.


----------



## unl3a5h3d

@linuxworks

 Your Beta22 is gorgeous but I would definitely look at getting a new knob. You have a magnificent case with a knob that looks like you took it off a dryer. (No offense) I would just suggest getting a new one. Maybe even having a custom one made, there is a guy in the DIY section that is making some beautiful ones. Great job none the less.


----------



## linuxworks

well, the knob was plastic and easy for me to drill a hole in 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have a nice metal knob from digikey but I didn't even try drilling that solid metal thing out.

 yes, I know about the guy from estonia (Viljo) who makes knobs; he does really nice work, too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 we're actually discussing some ideas along the lines of embedding leds in them. so, stay tuned; maybe something cool will come from this r/d work.

 I also thought about getting a wooden one that would be cut from the same kind of wood as the side pieces. maybe I'll try that (if jason is up for it)


----------



## pixeljedi

Awesome build Bryan! Very clean job.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ took a radio shack knob (sorry!)_

 

haha... Next time I'm ordering more knobs I'll pick up some extra black ones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




_*Friends don't let friends use Radio Shack knobs*_


----------



## xTr3Me-aka-Chris

Quote:


 I also thought about getting a wooden one that would be cut from the same kind of wood as the side pieces. maybe I'll try that (if jason is up for it) 
 

that would have been my idea. i think that would fit very well to the the sidepanels. 
 but anything else looks very good


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *unl3a5h3d* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_@linuxworks

 Your Beta22 is gorgeous but I would definitely look at getting a new knob. You have a magnificent case with a knob that looks like you took it off a dryer. (No offense)_

 

but my drier is flat to 40khz! so I thought its knob was worthy!


----------



## oneplustwo

Wooden knob would be easy enough. Just need to know the diameter and depth. (At most the thickness of the side panels.)


----------



## linuxworks

another neat thing about the wood idea is that we can hollow out the middle part (somewhat easily, I would think) to allow for the led and wiring, or some concentric discs for electrical contacts.


----------



## marozie

Just put the finishing touches on my PPA / y1 desktop combo. PPA was made with 8x220 Cerafines, class A biased AD8610 op-amps, there's also a 24V TREAD and crossfeed board in the case. y1 is full configuration, standard parts. The interconnect was made with Neutrik 3.5mm plugs. The wood is cherry veneer with natural stain and a couple coats of polyurethane.


----------



## Fitz

Not sure if this belongs here or not but I wasn't sure where else to post it, so Nate or any other mods feel free to relocate it at your whim. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I was doing some extensive repairs on a K1000 for a friend, and had to repair the voice coil wire as part of the process. Thought some people might find this interesting:











 I feel like I've levelled up as a headphone geek in the process.


----------



## hembergler

Another MiniMAX to add to this thread:






 Night shot (it doesn't actually glow this much... long exposure)






 And since the Internet doesn't have enough animated GIFs:


----------



## johnwmclean

hembergler, I love it! animated GIFS rock!


----------



## linuxworks

nice nite exposure.

 do a double with a night and day, then 'stack' the images, for higher dyn range.

 yes, photos can be high dynamic range, too


----------



## fault151

Hi guys here is my B22 Balanced Headphone Amplifier. 

 Features of the amp are:
 Balanced headphone amp/Single Ended
 6mm thick panels
 Joshua Tree stepped attenuator
 Custom switching board for headphones/speakers (by MrMajestic)
 Bulgin switches (1 illuminated, 2 for switching headphones/speakers, balanced/unbalanced)
 Dual PSU
 Conrad Heatsinks
 Custom Volume knob
 Illuminated countersunk volume knob


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi guys here is my B22 Balanced Headphone Amplifier. 

 Features of the amp are:
 Balanced headphone amp/Single Ended
 Joshua Tree stepped attenuator
 Custom switching board for headphones/speakers (by MrMajestic)
 Bulgin switches (1 illuminated, 2 for switching headphones/speakers, balanced/unbalanced)
 Dual PSU
 Conrad Heatsinks
 Custom Volume knob
 Illuminated volume knob
_

 

Nice work man, really nice.


----------



## fault151

Thank you! Took me long enough to make it, didn't it! ha ha


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi guys here is my B22 Balanced Headphone Amplifier._

 

Mighty fine build! Well done. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 To be used with balanced HD600?


----------



## fault151

Ok heres another amp I have built recently. It is a Jaycar KC5417 headphone amp. It is by far one of the cheapest amplifiers to make but boy does it sound good when modded. This thing really does give my B22 a run for its money! It is a bit of a David and Goliath of the amp world in a comparison of the two.

 The amp has been talked about a lot on the Rock Grotto Forum. All the mods on the amp were first created by SandyK and Pink Floyd on the Rock Grotto forum. This amp is well worth looking at for a very cheap but well performing amp. 

 Anyway, here are my pics:
























 Hopefully you will notice a bit of a pattern in style and looks of my amps.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *krmathis* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Mighty fine build! Well done. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 To be used with balanced HD600?_

 

Thank you, Im using it with balanced hd650's. Sounds great.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi guys here is my B22 Balanced Headphone Amplifier......_

 

Pure awesome. I absolutely love the simple, elegant and functional silver look. Much better than over the top bling.

 And the rest of the construction is just top notch. Well done!


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Pure awesome. I absolutely love the simple, elegant and functional silver look. Much better than over the top bling.

 And the rest of the construction is just top notch. Well done! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thank you, I always believe keeping the design simple really works. Plus it makes it easier to create


----------



## Gilly

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi guys here is my B22 Balanced Headphone Amplifier. _

 

Wow, that just looks amazing! How does it sound?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thank you, I always believe keeping the design simple really works. Plus it makes it easier to create 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

looks good, man! very nice job.


----------



## fault151

Thanks guys it sounds great. Really happy with it.


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi guys here is my B22 Balanced Headphone Amplifier._

 

Dude... that is not DIY, but, rather, DIBTAE (Do It Better Than Anyone Else). You have set the bar.


----------



## Mr.Sh0eWax

Wow, that beta is sick. Pro quality indeed.


----------



## El_Doug

I have never seen a more beautiful B22, inside or out. Fantastic work!


----------



## fault151

Hey guys thanks a lot, that really put a smile on my face. Really pleased you like the design.


----------



## johnwmclean

Mark, looks awesome, absolutely incredible effort.


----------



## Mr.Sh0eWax

I've never heard of refined, and going the url on the back of amp (just read it off of the images) seems to be a dead link. Is it your own company? That case is very sleek.


----------



## fault151

Thank you! My next project is creating a buffalo dac with the new Buffalo II and Ivy3. I'm also adding a valve output to the dac. What it's done I'll post up some pics. Im still waiting on the buffalo's to be sent out.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mr.Sh0eWax* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I've never heard of refined, and going the url on the back of amp (just read it off of the images) seems to be a dead link. Is it your own company? That case is very sleek._

 

Yeh its not a company, just a made up brand I am going to use on my amps. I have bought the domain refinedaudio.co.uk. My intention is to design my own blog/site to showcase some of my projects and stuff related to audio. That's all. I can't actually design amps (i'm not clever enough) just build them up from kits.


----------



## Necrolic

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeh its not a company, just a made up brand I am going to use on my amps. I have bought the domain refinedaudio.co.uk. My intention is to design my own blog/site to showcase some of my projects and stuff related to audio. That's all. I can't actually design amps (i'm not clever enough) just build them up from kits. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

You should consider selling kits you build in the future on the site. I know I for one would happily buy one from you, they're simply beautiful.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Necrolic* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You should consider selling kits you build in the future on the site. I know I for one would happily buy one from you, they're simply beautiful._

 

Cheers. I would do but i tend to struggle sometimes with building them myself. I'd hate to build one for someone who has paid me and have problems with it. Maybe when I get a bit more experienced with it, i'll consider building from kits to order. Also it took me a year to build that B22, don't think anyone would wait that long!


----------



## tomb

I built a couple of GrubDAC-CableDACs this weekend -


----------



## swt61

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not sure if this belongs here or not but I wasn't sure where else to post it, so Nate or any other mods feel free to relocate it at your whim. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I was doing some extensive repairs on a K1000 for a friend, and had to repair the voice coil wire as part of the process. Thought some people might find this interesting:











 I feel like I've levelled up as a headphone geek in the process. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

To anyone who's known you as long as I have, or has owned some of your exceptional work, as I have, your level has never been in doubt.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I built a couple of GrubDAC-CableDACs this weekend -_

 

aren't you a bantam dac kind of guy, though? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 is that using the hard-to-find pcm chip?


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_aren't you a bantam dac kind of guy, though? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

The Bantam _and_ the GrubDAC will be at Beezar.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Quote:


 
 is that using the hard-to-find pcm chip? 
 

Sort of - it's a PCM2706, a pin-equivalent alternate to the PCM2707.


----------



## kuroguy

Tomb,
 You might think about putting a couple of zip ties around those wires before they exit the case to prevent pulling the wires out of the board.
 Dave


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kuroguy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Tomb,
 You might think about putting a couple of zip ties around those wires before they exit the case to prevent pulling the wires out of the board.
 Dave_

 

Actually, the slot is not deep enough to prevent the inside lip of the lid from clamping down on the cable on each end. The screwed in lid clamping down on each cable is much tighter than I can get with any twist tie.


----------



## mhamel

I picked up one of the Bravo amps that's been talked about in the Amp forum recently, and thought I'd do some modding... the board itself is tiny, so I didn't have room for the additional components unless I moved some things around, put some caps under the board, etc.

 I like the challenge of taking an existing case and re-working it into something completely different, so I decided to rebuild the Bravo into a Mac Mini case I found cheap.

 I've been away from DIY for far too long, and recently back into it... this was sort of a "get my feet wet again" quick/fun project.

 The result:


























 -Mike


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_aren't you a bantam dac kind of guy, though? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 is that using the hard-to-find pcm chip?_

 

Only hard for a little bit - Mouser has a large qty of both the PCMs coming in.


----------



## hembergler

mhamel, that's just ridiculously cool. What'd you do with the Mini's internals?


----------



## mhamel

hembergler,

 Thanks! I found the empty case on eBay, it was an old G4 mini that died, so they were parting out the case. A friend of mine suggested I post the pics on a Mac forum and tell them I converted the mini to run on tubes. Hahahah

 -Mike


----------



## Spacehead

I needed something to do and did 74HCU04 amplifier tonight from scrap parts. I used Sijosae's instructions (http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/bbs/zb...esc=asc&no=188) and headwize thread (HeadWize: DIY Workshop > Building amp with 74HCU04 (Pictures are smaller now. I am sorry about that)) in troubleshooting






 Very simple




 Yet very clean sound. With 9V battery it drives my HD 438 headphones pretty well. It has TLE2426 virtual ground too, buffered with NJM4556SA op amp. It is stronger than Cmoy. I have there a LM2940CT regulator because I tried to get it working with wall wart, but had grounding issues or something. I will remove it once I finish it to some kind of portable case. And probably I make a smaller virtual ground. 

 I had some problems with DC offset but somehow I managed to get rid of it. It took again too long, couple hours, for such a small project. Only couple parts... But I learn more every time.


----------



## Necrolic

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cheers. I would do but i tend to struggle sometimes with building them myself. I'd hate to build one for someone who has paid me and have problems with it. Maybe when I get a bit more experienced with it, i'll consider building from kits to order. Also it took me a year to build that B22, don't think anyone would wait that long! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

For a B22 that nice, I'd wait a year.

 You'll get faster with practice I'd imagine though haha.


----------



## nattonrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Necrolic* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You'll get faster with practice_

 

LIES.
 All you do is get better at making the builds more complicated and fancy... ends up negating your increase in speed lol


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Necrolic* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_For a B22 that nice, I'd wait a year.
_

 

Cheers. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Glad you like it.


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome work, I followed your blog, interesting stuff. Glad to see it finally done, what opamp is in your Jaycar?

 Cheers,
 Matt.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mattcalf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Awesome work, I followed your blog, interesting stuff. Glad to see it finally done, what opamp is in your Jaycar?

 Cheers,
 Matt._

 

cheers, yeh it took me such a long time to build the damn thing. As you probably know, I had a few problems with it along the way. Its all working now though and sounds really good.

 Oh I will eventually be swapping over to my new blog/site which i am currently designing.

 The Jaycar is using a moon op amp (Or possibly earth in that pic) amp by Audio GD. I will eventually use the Sun module as i found this sounded best. Unfortunately I snapped a pin/leg off the op amp and need to fix it if i can.

 Have you got a Jaycar amp? If so what you think to it?


----------



## mattcalf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_cheers, yeh it took me such a long time to build the damn thing. As you probably know, I had a few problems with it along the way. Its all working now though and sounds really good.

 Oh I will eventually be swapping over to my new blog/site which i am currently designing.

 The Jaycar is using a moon op amp (Or possibly earth in that pic) amp by Audio GD. I will eventually use the Sun module as i found this sounded best. Unfortunately I snapped a pin/leg off the op amp and need to fix it if i can.

 Have you got a Jaycar amp? If so what you think to it?_

 

I do indeed have a Jaycar, all the bells and whistles minus an upgraded op amp, which I'll have to investigate. I have Johnwmclean to thank for mine. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I haven't had much of a chance to evaluate it as my Q40's are out of action and I sold my HD650's before I had a decent source to listen through. Tempted by either a cheap, yet decent stax setup or a pair of Grado HF1 at the moment to let me use this awesome system I've (had) built up.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mattcalf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I do indeed have a Jaycar, all the bells and whistles minus an upgraded op amp, which I'll have to investigate. I have Johnwmclean to thank for mine. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I haven't had much of a chance to evaluate it as my Q40's are out of action and I sold my HD650's before I had a decent source to listen through. Tempted by either a cheap, yet decent stax setup or a pair of Grado HF1 at the moment to let me use this awesome system I've (had) built up. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Well I think it's safe to say the Audio GD op amps make a big difference! I especially like the sun module. The detail is immense! 

 Over all I found the the following characteristics with the op amps.

 Earth - very good, most neutral/natural sounding
 Sun- most open and detailed - My fav
 Moon - warmest sounding, very open, tube like characteristics.

 Thats my opinions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have also heard it with the stock op amp, LM4562 metal can, LM4562 normal, opa 627 on a Browndog adapter. All the audio GD's sounded best to me!


----------



## mattcalf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Well I think it's safe to say the Audio GD op amps make a big difference! I especially like the sun module. The detail is immense! 

 Over all I found the the following characteristics with the op amps.

 Earth - very good, most neutral/natural sounding
 Sun- most open and detailed - My fav
 Moon - warmest sounding, very open, tube like characteristics.

 Thats my opinions 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have also heard it with the stock op amp, LM4562 metal can, LM4562 normal, opa 627 on a Browndog adapter. All the audio GD's sounded best to me!_

 

I'll have to get my hands on the Sun then. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cheers!


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mattcalf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'll have to get my hands on the Sun then. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Cheers!_

 

I think there was a set going round on the Rock Grotto forum in which people were borrowing to trial all 3 modules. I'm not sure if thats still available, but you could ask?


----------



## Necrolic

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fault151* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cheers. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Glad you like it._

 

Just curious but how did you get that case made?

 If only I had the funds to get the parts for a B22 :|


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Necrolic* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just curious but how did you get that case made?

 If only I had the funds to get the parts for a B22 :|_

 

Well i designed the panels myself and then i had it made at Front Panel Express.


----------



## linuxworks

curious, how much (roughly) was shipping of the FPE panels to the UK? did they charge vat/tax/duty on it?


----------



## Nisbeth

Would imagine that he's used Home*- www.schaeffer-ag.de - Frontplatte, Front Panel, Face Avant, Frontplatten Designer which is FPE's European branch (or is it vice versa), which would make it VAT and duty free. 

 /U.


----------



## Lil' Knight

@fault151: That Beta is gorgeous! I love those Bulgin (or Lamptron?) switches.

 Just finished this tiny thing. 20 minutes of fun.


----------



## immtbiker

20 minutes surpasses Abdy Warhol/s 15 minutes of fame, so I guess it's time for a new shorter product, Lil' Knight


----------



## Yaka

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_curious, how much (roughly) was shipping of the FPE panels to the UK? did they charge vat/tax/duty on it?_

 

FPE has an european arm Home*- www.schaeffer-ag.de - Frontplatte, Front Panel, Face Avant, Frontplatten Designer shipping from schaeffer (germany) to other EU countries like the UK is not very expensive and there no tax/import duty on anything purchased within the EU. i sued to use them alot a few years ago when i was modding shuttle xpc cases


----------



## Spacehead

I love to use modern technology and put it working for me! 

 This weird thing has TPA6120 core by Sijosae
http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/bbs/zb...esc=asc&no=237

 DC servo (non inverting integrator, injecting to TPA6120 feedback loop from output) , AD8397 , 1M resistors and 0.1 uF capacitors + 12 kohm output resistor

 Ground channel referenced by TLE2426 to AD8620 buffered with IRF510 mosfet running 100 mA Class A 

 Sound is fine, there is no background hiss, but it feels to be little off balanced, maybe my servo doesn't work yet so well, (offset is 20-30 mV in other channel and other has 0.1 mV). It is very difficult to understand all of this, but I can listen to it and find it enjoyable. 

 Look, how cool is it:


----------



## tintin47

My recently finished beta-22 and sigma-22, with decent pics this time round. The cases are 100% aluminum scrap (3/16")which I finished by sanding to 600 grit with an orbital sander. The pieces are secured by bolts into aluminum L bracket at the edges/corners I really like the random look, but the pics can't really do it justice.

 Amber/orange was a theme with this amp for some reason. I don't really know myself. 

 The amp uses amphenol RCA and 4pin XLR connectors. I chose 4 pin xlr to avoid the shorting issue with TRS jacks and so that I don't have to recable my phones should I go balanced. Volume is controlled by Valab 50K stepper, and the hookup wire is 24 AWG silver plated copper from Navships. 

 The PS is a single Omega-22 with an 80 VA trafo. The bulgin switch is of the latching variety, and I used an Omron relay for the power. I will add a pic of the PS internals eventually when I clean up the wiring a bit.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *immtbiker* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_20 minutes surpasses Abdy Warhol/s 15 minutes of fame, so I guess it's time for a new shorter product, Lil' Knight 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Can't make it shorter with my amateur skill


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tintin47* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The amp uses amphenol RCA and 4pin XLR connectors. I chose 4 pin xlr to avoid the shorting issue with TRS jacks and so that I don't have to recable my phones should I go balanced._

 

So you are just using the shield as ground? Is that wise for what looks like a non-isolated connector?


----------



## tintin47

What do you mean by the shield? I am using the L-/R- as a combined ground. The pins are isolated from both the male and female connectors, so the signal is isolated even if the connector isn't.


----------



## Beefy

Ah, gotcha. I got the impression based on a discussion on another forum that if/when you go balanced you might try to use the same connector on the amp for both balanced and unbalanced phones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And what I mean by shield is that you can actually connect the housing of some XLRs to another wire, so a 4-pin XLR can actually be 5 conductor. Not always the best idea.


----------



## MrSlim

Tintin, Love the "rough hewn"(sp) look, very MANLY.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Kinda anti bling....


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tintin47* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My recently finished beta-22 and sigma-22, with decent pics this time round. The cases are 100% aluminum scrap (3/16")which I finished by sanding to 600 grit with an orbital sander. The pieces are secured by bolts into aluminum L bracket at the edges/corners I really like the random look, but the pics can't really do it justice.

 Amber/orange was a theme with this amp for some reason. I don't really know myself. 

 The amp uses amphenol RCA and 4pin XLR connectors. I chose 4 pin xlr to avoid the shorting issue with TRS jacks and so that I don't have to recable my phones should I go balanced. Volume is controlled by Valab 50K stepper, and the hookup wire is 24 AWG silver plated copper from Navships. 

 The PS is a single Omega-22 with an 80 VA trafo. The bulgin switch is of the latching variety, and I used an Omron relay for the power. I will add a pic of the PS internals eventually when I clean up the wiring a bit.

_


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tintin47* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





_

 

at the risk of giving advice too late (sorry), are you sure you want the power umbilical that close to the line-in area? those 2 rca jacks going to that long wire that goes very close to the power in, I'd worry you might be picking up some hum.

 the vol control also looks kind of close to the led-resistors, which means a power rail (which could mean hum). and its also close to one of the output 4pin molex plugs.

 finally, there's a speaker-out closer to your phones jack; I'd use that instead of the longer run you have now.


----------



## vixr

linuxworks,
 not too late...I haven't finished my B22 yet and all of your advice will be used. Thank you...


----------



## tintin47

Yeah, I considered that, and I decided to risk it because it fit the dimensions of my "ideal case". I had a fix prepared in case it did hum, but I can't hear any hum on my IEMs or grados, so I think I am safe. I made the decision based on the fact that most hum in this amp seems to come from the trafo.

 The wiring isn't perfect, because the backplane is really designed to be mounted rotated 90 degrees to the right. That was my backup plan, but I didn't want to cut it that close (amp small dimension = 11", backplane = 10")


----------



## mugdecoffee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_at the risk of giving advice too late (sorry), are you sure you want the power umbilical that close to the line-in area? those 2 rca jacks going to that long wire that goes very close to the power in, I'd worry you might be picking up some hum.

 the vol control also looks kind of close to the led-resistors, which means a power rail (which could mean hum). and its also close to one of the output 4pin molex plugs.

 finally, there's a speaker-out closer to your phones jack; I'd use that instead of the longer run you have now._

 

But all the power inputs are DC which should mean no hum no matter how close they are.


----------



## m11a1

Introducing my first build ever, Starving Student Millett Hybrid.











 Looking forward to my next build, the road into DIY has been exciting and educational.


----------



## oneplustwo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m11a1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Introducing my first build ever, Starving Student Millett Hybrid.

 Looking forward to my next build, the road into DIY has been exciting and educational._

 

Looks nice! Nice photos as well. (I really should try harder in my build photos.) Welcome to the club... what's the next build?


----------



## m11a1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *oneplustwo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks nice! Nice photos as well. (I really should try harder in my build photos.) Welcome to the club... what's the next build?_

 

Thanks! It was done with a point and shoot too. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I'm planning on building a Gamma2 next. Perhaps after that or concurrently, a MiniMax. I'm starting to really love the sound of vacuum tubes. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 now I understand why people say that K701 sounds better with tubes.


----------



## oneplustwo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m11a1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks! It was done with a point and shoot too. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm planning on building a Gamma2 next. Perhaps after that or concurrently, a MiniMax. I'm starting to really love the sound of vacuum tubes. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 now I understand why people say that K701 sounds better with tubes._

 

Some point and shoots are very capable these days.

 Have fun with the gamma 2 and minimax. I've built both (and a bunch of other stuff in the last year... poor wallet) and thought they were both fun builds with great performance.


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mugdecoffee* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_But all the power inputs are DC which should mean no hum no matter how close they are._

 

you'd think so; but its actually not true; hum happens even due to proximity of power lines near input lines. on this amp, it does.

 can't say it enough, wire routing matters a LOT, here.


----------



## wap32

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_you'd think so; but its actually not true; hum happens even due to proximity of power lines near input lines. on this amp, it does.
 [...]_

 

Could you elaborate on that?

 You'd think that with a good enough psu, the DC lines would be clean enough that no (noticable) EMI would pass to the audio input.
 Is it wrong to assume this? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Also, what makes the beta22 more susceptible to this?

 I usually take great care when routing wires, and probably wouldn't put the DC lines that close, but I'm pretty curious as to why it would make such a difference in this case.


----------



## tintin47

^ I don't think it does make a difference in this case. Like I said, the amp is totally without hum. One case that you could make for keeping DC away from inputs would be the change in current in during peaks in the music while the amp is running. That could induce a magnetic field which could induce current in the signal wiring. I find it difficult to believe that would actually happen though.

 ^linuxworks, power lines are high voltage AC, so 60 hz hum would make sense. The hum that people always talk about is from the 55-60 hz AC oscillation.


----------



## wap32

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tintin47* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_[...]
 One case that you could make for keeping DC away from inputs would be the change in current in during peaks in the music while the amp is running. That could induce a magnetic field which could induce current in the signal wiring. I find it difficult to believe that would actually happen though.
 [...]_

 

It is certainly plausible, but I'm guessing it would take a high current variation (could happen in a very high efficiency amp) to be heard on the input via induction.

 I'm guessing in practice though, the most you'd have to worry would be EMI interference from the AC power lines not filtered by the PSU.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_you'd think so; but its actually not true; hum happens even due to proximity of power lines near input lines. on this amp, it does.

 can't say it enough, wire routing matters a LOT, here._

 

Wait, are you suggesting the Sigma22 has a significant amount of AC on its output, enough to even be picked up on the wiring before the volume pot?


----------



## rille2

I made a γ2 in XXL:
















 It's powered by a σ11. I also added a gain switch.



 Also my Stax TransistorAmp is finished:






 Its the amp from high-amp.de. But I made my own PCB layout.


----------



## ShinyFalcon

With that much space in your y2 you could bypass the 4.5V regulators and even experiment with output coupling caps!


----------



## Spacehead

There is my Tori Szekeres amplifier with mosfet buffered ground channel. Power supply is 7815 adjusted to 24VDC (from 37V). Regulator and mosfets need large heatsink to dissipate about 10 Watts. 


 But the sound is harsh, too agressive highs with OPA2107 op amps. And I get dc offset with some other op amps I tried. It needs AD8066 I guess.

 Edit:

 Sound got little softer when I changed the mosfet heatsink to a larger one. And ground channel op amp is now AD8599, left and right opa2107.


----------



## MomijiTMO

xD I love the space rille2.


----------



## johnwmclean

rille2, that’s great work and looks terrific, is the chassis for the stax amp custom?


----------



## Listen2this1

Rille2, That DAC looks amazing. Reminds me of a Bryston. Again, good Work on both.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wait, are you suggesting the Sigma22 has a significant amount of AC on its output, enough to even be picked up on the wiring before the volume pot?_

 

I'm with you on this, there's no way the routing of DC power lines near the signal is going to matter one bit unless something else is drastically wrong with the build.


----------



## ix912

I'm the TA for my electronic manufacturing lab, so I was bored...

 DIY Scott Nixon DAC - Upgraded output caps (AudioCap Thetas + Black Gate NX's)

Flickr: ix912's Photostream


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wait, are you suggesting the Sigma22 has a significant amount of AC on its output, enough to even be picked up on the wiring before the volume pot?_

 

sometimes, proximity has a strange way of causing problems.

 it sounds counter-intuitive, but I've seen it happen. move wires around and watch the spectrum (or listen for hum). I keep saying 'wire routing MATTERS' and I'm not at all kidding.

 I went thru at least 3 b22 layouts (on wood mdf) before getting one that was hum free. and the trafo was on the floor the whole time, via a long wire away from things.

 I'm not kidding. I can't fully explain it but I have experienced it enough to not just take things for granted. I don't run 'power' near 'signal' and especially if its an input to an amp. even in car audio, they teach the same basic idea (run power down one side of the car and audio runs down the other).


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_sometimes, proximity has a strange way of causing problems._

 

Yes, proximity to something with 60Hz AC on it, which encompasses the mains wiring, transformer itself, and the output wiring from the transformer. You're essentially saying a low current DC power wire can generate a strong 60Hz EM field on its own.


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I went thru at least 3 b22 layouts (on wood mdf) before getting one that was hum free. and the trafo was on the floor the whole time, via a long wire away from things._

 

Just putting the transformer on the floor doesn't remove proximity from all AC wiring, so I'm not sure how that has is supposed to support the idea that DC wiring will induce hum on signal wires.


----------



## wap32

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I went thru at least 3 b22 layouts (on wood mdf) before getting one that was hum free. and the trafo was on the floor the whole time, via a long wire away from things._

 

I would think grounding issues (or lack of a ground loop breaker) would be a more probable cause of humming than noise on the DC lines being induced on the input lines.
 Specially considering the quality of the power supply used (assuming you used a sigma22).


----------



## tintin47

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yes, proximity to something with 60Hz AC on it, which encompasses the mains wiring, transformer itself, and the output wiring from the transformer. You're essentially saying a low current DC power wire can generate a strong 60Hz EM field on its own.




 Just putting the transformer on the floor doesn't remove proximity from all AC wiring, so I'm not sure how that has is supposed to support the idea that DC wiring will induce hum on signal wires._

 

Very true. 60 Hz hum comes from AC and AC alone. No way to induce it with DC current.


----------



## linuxworks

you guys can argue 'theory' all you want; it doesn't change how things are.

 I can't explain it but I have experienced this. your theory is trumped by actual experience, though.

 in a car, the battery is still 'DC' and yet hum is picked up by the power line (alternator) and DOES get into the signal when you run power and signal next to each other. its a fact, ask any car audio installer.

 same thing happens here. you can argue all you want but that does not change what happens.


 whatever....


----------



## wap32

Yes, but your car also has much higher currents, and doesn't have a sigma22 power supply.
 If it did, I doubt you'd pick up any noise on the DC lines. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 As I said, hum might also be caused by grounding issues, which I think would be more probable than AC noise on the DC lines.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *wap32* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yes, but your car also has much higher currents, and doesn't have a sigma22 power supply.
 If it did, I doubt you'd pick up any noise on the DC lines. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 As I said, hum might also be caused by grounding issues, which I think would be more probable than AC noise on the DC lines._

 

And a car's alternator is an extremely noisy power source that usually corrupts the ground. Also a car has a high voltage ignition system that also adds to the noise floor.


----------



## Fitz

Here's the results of a quick test of linuxwork's theory of DC wires spontaneously generating 60Hz hum, the results will shock and astound you. I set up the signal wire with an unshielded segment about one foot long in the "test area" and the rest shielded.

 Function generator was set to 1KHz 1mVpp to simulate a very weak audio signal:







 Any 60Hz fundamental present is buried in the noise floor:







 I wadded up about 25 feet of wire and mixed it in with the unshielded part of the signal wire, then put 1A of current through it. Hmm... still not getting anything at 60Hz:







 Unhooking the input wire and leaving the spectrum analyzer's input floating, now _that_ gets a small amount of 60Hz hum to show up:


----------



## Hopstretch

So it's the background noise of the universe? That sucks.


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Hopstretch* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So it's the background noise of the universe? That sucks._

 

Finally we are able to tap into the ether.


----------



## luvdunhill

I can't say I'm astounded.


----------



## naamanf

An auto alternator is a A/C generator with a simple bridge rectifier to produce DC. The Sigma22 (or any good DC PS) has a bit more going on to filter the ripple 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Not that I know anything of car audio.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_you guys can argue 'theory' all you want; it doesn't change how things are.

 I can't explain it but I have experienced this. your theory is trumped by actual experience, though.

 in a car, the battery is still 'DC' and yet hum is picked up by the power line (alternator) and DOES get into the signal when you run power and signal next to each other. its a fact, ask any car audio installer.

 same thing happens here. you can argue all you want but that does not change what happens.


 whatever...._

 

As someone who fashions themselves as contributor to the community you have a horrible attitude.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *luvdunhill* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I can't say I'm astounded._

 

What if I said I was naked the whole time I did the tests?


----------



## spritzer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not that I know anything of car audio._

 

Yeah about that...


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *naamanf* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Not that I know anything of car audio._

 

What about helicopter audio?


----------



## naamanf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Fitz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What about helicopter audio? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

It's really frick'n loud. It's when it goes quite you have to worry.


----------



## cegras

Won't you pick up hum from the mains because AC is time dependent, and thus generates a fluctuating magnetic field? AC is sinusoidal, so it will produce an oscillating magnetic field that could inductively alter nearby conductors ... maybe?

 edit: Woops, I just restated what everyone said.


----------



## Fitz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cegras* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_edit: Woops, I just restated what everyone said._

 






 Yeah, nobody's argued against keeping signal wires well away from the AC power wires. The real point of this whole discussion is that one doesn't need to go and redo their casework or wiring just because the signal wires happen to come near the DC power wiring.


----------



## jezz

Assorted things; a PPAv2, an σ11, Funch's old EHHA, a γ2, a mini3, a VFD clock... On my bent overloaded night stand.





 My hacked up Stax SR-Gamma's with a headband from a pair of Peltor safety earmuffs. Actually, they're incredibly comfortable, though the SRD-6/SB has volume wobble that makes me crazy. A KGSS is in my future...





 The insides of the PPAv2. I drilled the panels using my company's drill press. I should slap one of their CPU stickers on it just for fun, though I'm not sure they'd approve. Or maybe a GPU sticker, as those have audio processing stuff on board now.





 The insides of the PPAv2 again! The back panel is fully removable. The front panel basically isn't. That's navships wire in there; the cases are Hammond's and the caps are Okay-Brand-I-Forgot. Gain is set to 11 for my AKG K340's. There's electrical tape covering the hole I drilled for a bass boost pot but decided not to install after I liked the sound without it.





 I like this thread because there are lots of pictures and not a lot of off topic discussion. I think I like Fitz' sort-of-off-topic photos though - "Post pics of your builds and of science...."

 Does asking a girl to marry you count as a DIY project? Probably not in the context of Head-Fi, but hopefully there will be some little hacker/audiophiles in our future  It's really hard to type "engaged" when you read Engadget at work and don't keep it bookmarked!


----------



## sachu

Relcap RTE and Multicap RTX replacing the Multicap PPFMX caps in my Assemblagee DAC 2.7

 OPA2227 replacing OPA604 for servo and also OPA627 by the same chip in I/V role. Replaced OPA627 with AD797 in output buffer and filter role.


----------



## adamus

pics of my new dac, a groupbuy from DIY audio for the pcbs. 

 It is an ad1865nk dac, passive IV by a texas component 200r nude foil resistor, signal amplified by tube stage (5687), regulated dc heaters, regulated B+. I am going to mod the tube stage, LED bias and anode css. I am also very tempted to go with a completely new stage based on the 6n6p. 






 Front panel is not done yet, but it will match this pass B1 r2r preamp


----------



## m11a1

That looks awesome. Where can I find more information about that DIY preamp? It looks great.


----------



## adamus

Its a bit fo a mishmash project. 

 DC coupled pass B1 buffer here: Building a symmetrical psu B1 buffer - diyAudio
 There are still pcbs available in the group buy

 Attenuator was designed by a guy on diyaudio forums called bbp. I just bought the unit from him including the display. Linuxworks looks to be doing something more elaborate in the lcduino thread. 

 front panel was designed by me in Front panel express, or Shaeffer as its known in europe.


----------



## johnwmclean

adamus, congrats on your wonderful work, well thought out from start to finish and it shows in abundance.


----------



## Beefy (May 18, 2021)

My Gamma2 DAC, built as an upgrade to my existing Gamma1 that I posted here. It is a fairly standard build with WM8741, OPA2365, SRC4192, Crystek oscillator and Muse ES capacitors. But I didn't want filter or clipping switches, nor the USB-to-SPDIF functions and I prefer silver casing...... so instead of using AMB's panel set I designed my own based on AMB's dimensions, and I really like how it turned out.

Photos......
















Thanks for looking!


----------



## MomijiTMO

Awesome panels


----------



## jarpatus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My Gamma2 DAC, built as an upgrade to my But I didn't want filter or clipping switches, nor the USB-to-SPDIF functions and I prefer silver casing...... so instead of using AMB's panel set I designed my own based on AMB's dimensions, and I really like how it turned out._

 

Sweet! Where did order those from and how much did it cost, or did you make those yourself? 

 I ordered panels from Amb for full configuration, but I'm tempted to make few lite versions for friends and would need neat panels for them thus needing similar panels than you 8)


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jarpatus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sweet! Where did order those from and how much did it cost, or did you make those yourself?_

 

Thanks! Not nearly talented enough to do them myself, so I ordered them from Front Panel Express. Cost for both was $54.24 - the infill engraving really does cost a pretty penny, but was well worth it for me.

 Might be worth getting a price from Cam Expert as well.


----------



## cyberspyder

Technically a 'build', just in SW and not in real life.











 Will fit on the Galaxy series of cases...10mm panel from Hifi 2000. Will contain a chipamp, made to fit the Alps RK27 pot, the 29mm knob from Hifi-2000, standard M4 socket cap screws, and a 5mm LED (will only show a fraction of that on the front panel).

 Anyone know if FPE/any other front panel services will accept SW files or will I need to export to DXF/DWG?

 Brendan


----------



## srserl

Adamus - Have you posted impressions on your DAC and preamp anywhere yet? I love building DACs, and I am also curious about the B1, as I have some of those Salas boards and also a Pass Labs board.

 Beefy - Nice clean looking Gamma2...like it a lot.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Beefy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cost for both was $54.24_

 

Looks great! Price seems good to me.


----------



## adamus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *srserl* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Adamus - Have you posted impressions on your DAC and preamp anywhere yet? I love building DACs, and I am also curious about the B1, as I have some of those Salas boards and also a Pass Labs board.

 Beefy - Nice clean looking Gamma2...like it a lot._

 

not yet, the dac is still a new toy so waiting to live with it for a few weeks. Early impressions are good though, and its very different to my previous dac (transformer coupled using sowter)

 The dc coupled B1 is the 'cleanest' buffer i have tried yet. seems very transparant and made an important idfference in my system - which was suffering a slight impedance mismatch with just a passive pre.


----------



## pixeljedi

Was feeling a bit blue today


----------



## fishski13

adamus,
 as usual, looks amazing. i can't wait to get started on my B1 board and chassis.


----------



## adamus

cheers fishski

 The b1 is very good at its job.

 With the Dac + the B1 i now have 42 LED's in my system, most of them acting as voltage references. seems rather excessive doesnt it! thats for 5 Salas shunt supplies. I would thoroughly recommend the salas boards supplies, they do a fantastic job.


----------



## fishski13

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_cheers fishski

 The b1 is very good at its job.

 With the Dac + the B1 i now have 42 LED's in my system, most of them acting as voltage references. seems rather excessive doesnt it! thats for 5 Salas shunt supplies. I would thoroughly recommend the salas boards supplies, they do a fantastic job._

 

i was considering the Salas shunt but opted for a Pass PCB instead. i hope i have enough gain from my y2 and F5 to drive 88dB speakers. i just finished routering some sapele for the chassis.


----------



## Spacehead

OPA633 buffered ground channel 





 amplifier for testing japanese transistors 





 Sijosae Class AB I amplifier with ground channel. Sounds excellent for its size.


----------



## m1abrams

Finally got some photos of my M3. It is a single chassis M3 with a sigma 11 PSU configured for 27V. Bulgin power switch is wired with the e24 circuit and using thermal breakers on all heatsinks. M3 is set to gain of 5 and using the OPA627 opamps. Also have the e12 headphone muting and protection circuit.


----------



## linuxworks

therm detectors on ALL heatsinks? wow. very nice.

 lots of nice options on this build.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_therm detectors on ALL heatsinks? wow. very nice.

 lots of nice options on this build._

 

Did not see the point of only protecting half of them


----------



## unl3a5h3d

Great looking M^3.


----------



## pistolsnipe

where did you find the thermal breakers? those are sweet!


----------



## cyberspyder

Still virtual at this point and without heatsink. Will house a Chipamp.
















 Brendan


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome setup m1abrams, I was tempted by the M3 but ended up going with a Jaycar.
 Yours looks amazing though. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Can't wait to see the final product cyberspyder.


----------



## vixr

This is a Millett Hybrid I built a few years ago. I opened it up and reworked the wiring and upgraded some parts...this amp sounds effin fabulous.


----------



## immtbiker

vixr, that looks like a standard hammond case. Do they come with a carbon fiber finish, or did you do that?


----------



## fishski13

m1abrams,
 excellent. i hope you enjoy the M3. are those Goldpoint knobs?


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m1abrams* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Finally got some photos of my M3._

 

Where did you buy those feet? Are they adhesive or you have to drill holes on the case?


----------



## linuxworks

some progress on an LCDuino _application module_. the amb/linuxworks _Delta-1_ relay attenuator controller module, in hand-wired proto form:











 it consists of 2 port expanders (i2c serial), 2 relay driver chips (ULN2803), 4 resistor SIPs (for relay 'bias' and led current limit) and 2 LED bargraph 'debug' displays.

 the 2 white molex connectors are: power-in (5v) and i2c in. the big IDC connector goes to the relay board (not yet built; therefore not yet shown, lol).

 that big offboard IDC connector has pairs of wires (for 8 relays) and those simply have pulsed DC on them (for a short duration) and then no voltage across them during normal settled operation (latching relays).

 took all weekend to wire that much up (and update my software to verify/drive it.)


----------



## cyberspyder

Very clean work as usual


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *immtbiker* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_vixr, that looks like a standard hammond case. Do they come with a carbon fiber finish, or did you do that?_

 

They are scrap pieces of carbon fiber panels used at my job...I go behind the fabricators and scrounge up anything useful...


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *fishski13* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_m1abrams,
 excellent. i hope you enjoy the M3. are those Goldpoint knobs?_

 

Thanks I do enjoy it a great deal.

 Yes those are Goldpoint knobs, I am very happy with the knobs. They have a nice feel to them.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you buy those feet? Are they adhesive or you have to drill holes on the case?_

 

MNPCTech Billet Machined Aluminum Case Feet w/ Grooved Edges (Set of 4) - Black Products Model: MNPCTECH-GBF-BK [MNPCTECH-GBF-BK] : Performance-PCs.com, ... sleeve it and they will come

 They are meant to be drilled, they come with pretty good sized bolts for it. However because of my layout I did not have the clearance to bolt them. So I use some 3M double-sided adhesive which is pretty strong stuff and seems to work well.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Thanks for the link. The price would add up a lot cos I need 12 of them


----------



## nattonrice

m1abrams that is very slick work!
 I love the uber thermal protection =)


----------



## mugdecoffee

linuxworks, your wiring and soldering is always perfect. Does it just take a lot of planning?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mugdecoffee* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_linuxworks, your wiring and soldering is always perfect. Does it just take a lot of planning?_

 

I did the layout 'on the fly', just looking at the schematic. what's funny is that AMB was working on the official layout and the one he came up with (just hours later) was almost identical to mine! I guess that vetts it, to some degree 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 he also did the layout on the relay atten part (a 2nd board that connects to this one). look for both in the LCDuino1 thread in the next few days.

 part of the fun of this bargraph stuff is that you can run the code at 1/100x the speed and watch the relays sequence. its NOT just a simple sequencing, its pretty unique (I have not seen this algorithm used or described before) and when you slow down the i/o so that you can see things, its an interesting (and hopefully useful) demo. over time, I'd like to get the relay clicking to be even smarter than it is now; and the bargrah LEDs will help us develop the code better.

 each bargraph has an LED to indicate if that relay is being pulsed in the + or - direction. each led will only be on for a short time (enough to let the relay latch and then current for that 'bit' is removed). first step is to mute things before the relays 'run up' and so I'm using the highest bit (bit7) as a pseudo mute bit. that bit (relay) comes on first, then its pulsed off. then the rest of the relays are done in groups of 2 or 3 'changes' at a time, then they're pulsed off. finally, the mute 'bit' is unmuted (pulsed off) and this is seen as the high order by on the OTHER led bargraph flashing momentarily. (I'll take a short video and post that to show what I mean).


----------



## jtostenr

Are the bargraph leds there only for development, or are they going to be on the production board as well?


----------



## linuxworks

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jtostenr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Are the bargraph leds there only for development, or are they going to be on the production board as well?_

 

see the LCDuino thread for more discussion on that. (sorry, but I've been asked to move discussion and photos over there and not here.)


----------



## Beefy (May 18, 2021)

My completed beta Exstata solid state. First some photos......






















Tech highlights:
Parts essentially as per the Exstata BOM
JFETs matched within 2% for both IDSS and Vgs @ 1mA
HiFi2000 Pesante 2U 300mm deep case
FPE panels front (6mm) and back (4mm)
Integrated IEC inlet with DPDT switch, double fused and filter
AMB's E24 with SSR for mains power switching
Custom fully shielded and encapsulated amplifier transformer from SumR
Dual PGA2320 volume control with rotary encoder
Rotary encoder has push button for mute
Volume control powered by a TPA LCBPS, but with holes drilled for potential upgrade to TPA Placid BP
Amveco 62043 transformer supplying the LCBPS
Machined teflon Stax jacks
Neutrik XLR inputs
Belden hookup wire for all the HV

I still need to install the pro bias supply, some support struts coupling the bottom and top plates, and I have to chase down a gremlin in the power supply that makes it physically buzz for a few seconds on startup...... but it is otherwise complete. It sounds great with my Lambda normal bias; much better than the previous SRD7-SB energizer powered by a t-amp. So a big thanks to Alex for inviting me into the beta program, and I really hope that this amp gets an official release to the wider community.

Also, big thanks to luvdunhill for supplying the volume control and Stax jacks. I can't stress enough how awesome the volume control is...... it has an incredible range, precise 0.5dB steps and perfect channel matching. None of the drawbacks of traditional pots, steppers or relays and my tin ears certainly don't pick up any negative effect on sound quality from what is essentially an OPAMP right there at the start of the signal path. And the Stax jacks are just fantastic - the finished product wouldn't have looked half as nice with anything else.

Thanks for looking!


----------



## Lil' Knight

WOW, that's the best looking Exstrata I've seen so far! Wonderful job, Beefy! I love that 'industrial' looking a lot.


----------



## dBel84

Wow Beefy , that is very elegant. 

 I am looking for some inspiration on how to finish this up, perhaps I need to tap into the collective creativity of this community. Sound is FANTASTIC but it looks like it was built to kill Daleks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . 






 ..dB


----------



## johnwmclean

Beefy, you have really raised the bar - Hats off terrific build.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow Beefy , that is very elegant. 

 I am looking for some inspiration on how to finish this up, perhaps I need to tap into the collective creativity of this community. Sound is FANTASTIC but it looks like it was built to kill Daleks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 ..dB_

 

Tell us what where lookin’ at first, I have a good idea. lol. More info and tech highlights please!


----------



## sachu

That is the future masterpiece from Dr. Cavalli's stables...


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_that 'industrial' looking_

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_that is very elegant._

 

Industrial and elegant at the same time? My brain just kerploded!


----------



## nattonrice

Beefy that is very sexy~
 I love the dual teflon jacks!

 I didn't realize you were only getting the volume control; I thought you were doing the whole shamooze.


----------



## Wilf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow Beefy , that is very elegant. 

 I am looking for some inspiration on how to finish this up, perhaps I need to tap into the collective creativity of this community. Sound is FANTASTIC but it looks like it was built to kill Daleks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . 






 ..dB_

 

Oh, Superb! That description gave me such a good laugh! Thanks!


----------



## nattonrice

Oh I missed that pic here... dBel84 you tease :'(


----------



## wink

dbel84:-

 The question has to be asked - why would you want to hide perfection..........???????????


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beefy that is very sexy~
 I love the dual teflon jacks!

 I didn't realize you were only getting the volume control; I thought you were doing the whole shamooze._

 

Could have sworn I replied to this..... but apparently not 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Yep, just the volume control. But I do have a second one, so never say never! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But realistically, if I manage to find some spare money somewhere - unlikely over the next year, screw you Canadian government! - rather than building a new amp I will recase my M3 in the same style as the Exstata and Buffalo and add the volume control to that.

 My Balanced DAC, Electrostatic Amp and Dynamic Amp all in one big stack would be pretty sweet......


----------



## nattonrice

Hehe that's the reason I try not to buy two of everything... just gives me an excuse to start some other money and time black hole.

 I can't wait to see how you style the m3 then!


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow Beefy , that is very elegant. 

 I am looking for some inspiration on how to finish this up, perhaps I need to tap into the collective creativity of this community. Sound is FANTASTIC but it looks like it was built to kill Daleks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . 

 ..dB_

 

If it will fit, an old-style chromed toaster is the logical choice.


----------



## dBel84

I just picked up a traditional toaster rack so the amp could serve dual purpose and make toast for a cuppa tea while I am at it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ..dB


----------



## El_Doug

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow Beefy , that is very elegant. 

 I am looking for some inspiration on how to finish this up, perhaps I need to tap into the collective creativity of this community. Sound is FANTASTIC but it looks like it was built to kill Daleks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 . _

 

ohyes!


----------



## francisdemarte




----------



## wink

Borg of the universe - Unite. Slay the imposter.
 That doesn't even go near the head of a cyberman.


----------



## mmayer167

just finished up braiding and wiring up my old hd201's 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 its an acoustic research rca interconnect stripped and braided. cable cost $12 and definitely sounds better than stock, by better i mean a little warmer and punchier bass. the rest of the sq remained bout the same. its a flat litz btw, kinda looks like a candy cane! cant wait to see what kind of goofy looks i'll get on campus with these cables haha. cheers, Marc


----------



## Sathimas

Ah well, not finished yet but as we're talking about exstatas at the moment:





 Got the frontpanel and lid back from schaeffer today (FPE in Germany), really great work.
 I hope to finish it next week.


----------



## malldian

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mmayer167* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_just finished up braiding and wiring up my old hd201's 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 its an acoustic research rca interconnect stripped and braided. cable cost $12 and definitely sounds better than stock, by better i mean a little warmer and punchier bass. the rest of the sq remained bout the same. its a flat litz btw, kinda looks like a candy cane! cant wait to see what kind of goofy looks i'll get on campus with these cables haha. cheers, Marc_

 

What do you plug that into?


----------



## mmayer167

^ the rca outs of my uDAC or an rca to mini adapter. i just didnt have an extra plug laying around to terminate it with. the project took me bout 45 min to do including stripping the casing off and re braiding and soldering... fun afternoon project 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 PS. malldian i noticed you had a blog about Bon Iver, I went to the same highschool 2 years under justin! he is a really cool guy and his cabin is a few miles south of the home i grew up at in wisconsin. Blood bank their newer work is also good.


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow Beefy , that is very elegant. 

 I am looking for some inspiration on how to finish this up, perhaps I need to tap into the collective creativity of this community. Sound is FANTASTIC but it looks like it was built to kill Daleks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . 






 ..dB_

 

Lucy, You got some 'splaining to do..


----------



## sachu

You'll have to excuse the picture quality as i only had my webcam as I had forgot to bring my Canon digicam along on my trip..

 My first ever DIY project.

 An active 3 way speaker system. Completely built by me with help from a mentor who manufactures speakers for a living in my hometown of Bangalore ( Arasu from Laya Acoustics).
 I remember working on this even on the day i was due to leave to the US over 3.5 years ago. Only now am I getting the chance to enjoy (albeit for only a few days) the fruits of 2 years of blood sweat and tears.

 I must say they sound effing great for something built by a complete novice at the time.
 At the initial planning stages I was written off when i made my plans for this project known saying that it was too ambitious for a first ever DIY build. I loved building this thing every step of the way though there were times when i just wanted to trash it all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (like when the amp lost a transformer and i had to redo it completely including replacing 4 amplifier channels). 

 Total cost incurred was about 1000$ including speaker cabinets, drivers (Vifa D27 tweeters, Scan Speak 13M/8640 paper cone midrange drivers, dayton 10 inch classic woofers), amplifier chassis, 7 channels of gainclone amplification (LM3875 for highs, LM4080 in bridged mode for mids and lows, OPA541 for a center channel in case i want to move this to my HT here) and 3 way active xover which is housed inside the amplifier chassis (Linkwitz 24dB/octave).


----------



## regal

awesome, I love classic three-way speakers. Would love to hear a set with an active xover, must be incredible.


----------



## vixr

some diamond buffers I just finished building...got the PCBs from Per-Anders at no cost. He did have a small favor to ask though...


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_




_

 

Looks like you don't have much SMD soldering experience. Just saying, because I have almost zero exp on SMD and I would still expect to get something like that done. But it works, right? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 btw. how you intend to put that to use?


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Spacehead* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks like you don't have much SMD soldering experience. Just saying, because I have almost zero exp on SMD and I would still expect to get something like that done. But it works, right? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 btw. how you intend to put that to use?_

 

hahahahaaa...my eyes are not what they used to be...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I'm thinking about trying them in a Millett hybrid just for grins...


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_hahahahaaa...my eyes are not what they used to be...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I'm thinking about trying them in a Millett hybrid just for grins..._

 

Ah gee, they look fine for a first go. Let us know how they work in the Millett!


----------



## MASantos

vixr;6470956 said:
			
		

> some diamond buffers I just finished building...got the PCBs from Per-Anders at no cost. He did have a small favor to ask though...
> 
> http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m236/vixr/diamondbuffe
> 
> ...


----------



## G.Trenchev

Hello DIY-ers!I'm George.
 This is my first post,and my first headphone amp,which I've just finished.It's a Class A voltage follower with an op-amp based preamplifier.Here's some pics:











 Don't like the volume knob,but I'm looking for a good one,as well for opinions and suggestions.
 I will be happy to discuss whatever about headphones and stuff


----------



## linuxworks

hey george, welcome aboard.

 perf boards and wood case: great start!


----------



## nattonrice

Indeed!
 Self done case and perf is fantastic =)


----------



## fishski13

finially finished the fireplace-fi. 41Hz Amp4 driving uFonken FF85K speakers. ancient dvd player and DAC1 for source and pre. god i hate the blue LED on the DAC1. since my finishing skills are minimal, i was going for an aged, patina finish on the speakers. BB sanded with 80grit, wood conditioner, dark walnut gel-stain, and tung-oil.


----------



## mattcalf

Very nice fishski!


----------



## vixr

wow...very cool.


----------



## adamus

the final piece of my DIY speaker system.. the speakers






 this is my first go at woodwork, so its been a learning curve and a half.

 The veneer went on well, and has been finished with danish oil and wax. 

 How do they sound? fast and dynamic, absolutly stunning with female vocals. The imaging is great, much much better than old KEF's.

 edit - and the port is only stick out because i am messing with port lengths.


----------



## n_maher

Very cool looking cabinet adamus and the finish looks excellent as well.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_the final piece of my DIY speaker system.. the speakers

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/3310/leftspeaker.jpg_

 

Really impressed. Great looking design and woodwork.
 Well done!


----------



## G.Trenchev

Thanks for the nice comments guys
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 I happen to have something for wood cases,because my dad has a workshop.
 You make fantastic things here,adamus-well done !


----------



## steven2992

Here are some pictures of my mini^3 I built a few moths ago and my gamma 2 that I finished last week. If anyone wants the original 2000x3000px just pm me.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_this is my first go at woodwork, so its been a learning curve and a half._

 

Yeah right! Looks like you’ve been at it for years, par excellent!


----------



## adamus

cheers gents. 

 genuinely first ever attempt at woodwork. Veneer hides a multitude of sins.....


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_cheers gents. 

 genuinely first ever attempt at woodwork. Veneer hides a multitude of sins....._

 

Ain't that the truth! It's all good as long as you can putty/sand/mask it so that it's flat enough for veneer to sit on top of (at least that's what experience has taught me) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Great build and very nice veneering.


----------



## adamus

it wasnt that hard to be honest, i bought an enormous 8' x 4' sheet of cherry paper backed. cut to half inch over sized. I made some homemade softener out of water and glycerin, this allowed me to wrap the whole speaker (except the tops) as the corners are 3/4" radius roundover. 

 I used the dry pva method, paint back of veneer with pva, paint the cabinet with pva, let it dry them just iron it on. It was tricky, but a forgiving method as you can iron it again if there are any bubbles etcs.


----------



## Nebby

I've never used pva glue, only have experience with the heat-lock stuff. As for difficulty I was only saying that in reference to the fact that any mistakes on the substrate (MDF I'm guessing?) can be hidden by the veneer.


----------



## dBel84

That looks fantastic Adam, congrats ..dB


----------



## spritzer

This is my new KGSS desktop amp, codenamed "bomb shelter" by some of our members. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 The PCB's are from Headamp and the amp is bone stock with a 4-gang RK27 pot which will be replaced with a 4-gang TKD 2508 once my custom order arrives. The chassis I made by hand from 10mm thick aluminum for the front and sides, 6mm for the back and 5mm top and bottom. The two chassis alone are close to 8kg... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The front panels are just bare, polished aluminum while the rest of the chassis is lightly brushed and then coated with lacquer.


----------



## n3rdling

Very sexy


----------



## funch

spritzer;6482129 said:
			
		

> This is my new KGSS desktop amp, codenamed "bomb shelter" by some of our members.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## pabbi1

I do like the Nordic asthetic - survive the pulse and the fireball, as we used to say when making radar systems. Now that I have bought a wire welder, the aluminum fab club is about to expand - with a bit more artistic flair.


----------



## aloksatoor

beautiful work


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_the final piece of my DIY speaker system.. the speakers_

 

Wow adamus! Really impressive! Was there a specific project you followed? Or is this your design?


----------



## spritzer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I do like the Nordic asthetic - survive the pulse and the fireball, as we used to say when making radar systems. Now that I have bought a wire welder, the aluminum fab club is about to expand - with a bit more artistic flair._

 

Somebody called it brutally minimalistic and I think it is fitting.


----------



## adamus

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pixeljedi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow adamus! Really impressive! Was there a specific project you followed? Or is this your design?_

 

plans were purchased from bob brines from the aptly named 'brines acoustics'

 I figured for my first woodworking adventure, some plans would be a great help!

 had a really good listen to them last night, vocals are amazing. i wired in my old speakers for a test and it was like listening through cotton wool.


----------



## adamus

And here is the partnering DAC which has now recieved its finishing front panel






 The internals (photo taken when power relay + led driver for push button not installed)


----------



## FallenAngel

Cute, what is it?


----------



## adamus

its this design with a few personal mods

DAC End 2 - the AD1865N-K with single ended vacuum output stage

 there was a groupbuy on diyaudio forums for pcbs. 

 I has modding the tube stage, CCS and led bias have made a big impact.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *spritzer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is my new KGSS desktop amp, codenamed "bomb shelter" by some of our members. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 <snip>_

 

VERY nice, and the nick name fits like a glove as well. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Looks to be built to withstand "any" type of impact.

 Clean and minimalist, just the way I like it.


----------



## vixr

I built a PPAS (in the hammond case) with one of the boards I bought in the GB a few years ago and it is very nice...I got enough parts to build two. It sounds better than I thought it would... I was wondering if its built from the default parts BOM, could I use the 15v AAA cell pack in the picture to power the second one?

 um...nevermind. I just saw a picture from ATAT showing two 9v batteries connected to his prototype.


----------



## sachu

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_awesome, I love classic three-way speakers. Would love to hear a set with an active xover, must be incredible._

 

Thanks Regal. They do sound quite good for something built by a complete DIY novice at the time.
 However, they were built with a few compromises which in hindsight I have plans of revisiting to perfect over time.

 > the active xover should have been built into a separate box to have flexibility over amps and crossover. 

 > using caps in series with the tweeter to protect it from turn on thump and DC offset 

 > cabinets should have been made separate as well (though the mid and tweeter are in their own sealed box inside) , at least I should have raised the height of the speaker cabinet by 4 inches to bring the tweeter to ear level.

 > Tube amp for mids and highs, a simple 1st or 2nd orderr passive between the mids and highs would have been enough while using an active acrossover to ssplit the lows.

 I have had these ideas in mind ever since i finished this pair 4 years ago....someday when living conditions improve going back to speaker listening is going to be glorious.


----------



## mojo

Wow, for the first time this month I viewed this thread and it didn't scroll off the right side of the screen! Clearly we need more massive photos posted.

 Time to get a new laptop I think


----------



## mojo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I built a PPAS (in the hammond case)_

 

Nice work. I like those connectors you have on the interconnect. Mind sharing what they are?


----------



## regal

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow, for the first time this month I viewed this thread and it didn't scroll off the right side of the screen! Clearly we need more massive photos posted.

 Time to get a new laptop I think _

 

Sometimes I think I'm the only person left in the world with a 17" monitor on my desktop.


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sometimes I think I'm the only person left in the world with a 17" monitor on my desktop._

 

haven't owned a desktop in years , but it has been 9" for the past year and a real PIA when someone uploads some obnoxiously big images 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ..dB


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Sometimes I think I'm the only person left in the world with a 17" monitor on my desktop._

 

Lucky you!
 I have not had anything larger than 15" (laptop) on my desktop for some 7-8 years. At home that is.


----------



## rille2

I made a little balanced preamp. It has 3 inputs and 3 outputs. I used modules from the german company Funk Tonstudiotechnik. They are mounted at a self-designed PCB which offers some extras (delay, connections for headphone amp). I also designed the other PCBs (power supply and input/output).


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mojo* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work. I like those connectors you have on the interconnect. Mind sharing what they are?_

 

Newark P/N: 41M8337, Mfr (Rean) P/N NYS231G
 the body is Nickel with a gold tip...


----------



## smeggy

Daleks do not fear empty threats...






 Dalek suggests perfect enclosure for puny amp...














  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 I am looking for some inspiration on how to finish this up, perhaps I need to tap into the collective creativity of this community. Sound is FANTASTIC but it looks like it was built to kill Daleks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . 






 ..dB_


----------



## Kerry

Here is my latest Blue Hawaii build. The idea was to use Kevin Gilmore's thinking on the T2 DIY project he is working on and move most of the heat sources onto the main heat sinks. I also thought I'd be able to get away with a single chassis design. Hope this is not too many pictures in one post 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Here are the new boards with teflon sockets





 I spent a lot of time on the spreaders. I custom milled them from .75" x 1.5" x .125". I used a trim router to take some material off and drilled the mounting holes on a drill press. The finish is cool on the back side. I used a random orbital sander with a fine grit sand paper. They look just like the Conrad heatsink finish.





 This is the initial mount of boards on spreaders





 Here the transisotors, MOSFETs and CCSs are mounted. I may replace the Thermasil pads with aluminum oxide.





 Top view with the tubes in





 Cool shot of sand on Spreader





 Both boards mounted in the Chassis





 Power Supply and SumR Transformer mounted on a plate that comes out. Also finished this with the orbital sander. I really like the look and may do the entire inside like that.





 Close up of the power Umbilical going to amp boards





 Back of amp showing the two tier power supply layout. There is still more work to be done on the left side. This is where the input compartment will be. It will be isolated from the right side where the relay and filament transformer are.






 Amp and power supply top view with power on





 I've got it running for about 5 hours now with no headphones or inputs. I did test the amp with a test source and the sound is all there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Heat seems to be OK especially given the single chassis design.


----------



## vixr

wow Kerry...super job.


----------



## immtbiker

Kerry strikes again.

 Caution: Mad scientist at work. Stand clear.


----------



## nattonrice

You're getting quite good at bh's =D


----------



## spritzer

Damn Kerry!


----------



## adamus

Kerry, thats it looking very good indeed.


----------



## apatN

Great work! Keep us posted.


----------



## El_Doug

That looks totally wicked! Very clever idea with the PS up top and behind 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'd love to see a matte royal blue powdercoat over most of the amp, with the "front" of the power supply lapped to a mirror shine to reflect the tubes - my humblest of ideas presented to the master, of course


----------



## johnwmclean

Kerry, so very cool.


----------



## Kerry

Thanks for the complements


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my latest Blue Hawaii build. The idea was to use Kevin Gilmore's thinking on the T2 DIY project he is working on and move most of the heat sources onto the main heat sinks. I also thought I'd be able to get away with a single chassis design. Hope this is not too many pictures in one post 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Super Duper!


----------



## Spacehead

Singles op amp amplifier, my previous amplifiers have been for dual op amps. It is now after 10 hours of tweaking very quiet, I got all problems out of it and DC servo works so well, that DC offset is 0.6 mV. I have 1V DC on my source, X-FI. 




 I built it for ADA4898-1 specially, I used small resistors and tried to keep wires as short as possible. I also used first time in my DIY history SMD parts, 22 uF tantalums for decoupling op amps. I guess they keep things very stable. I have some high frequency noise still left, I don't understand where is that coming. I could try to search SMD ceramic caps and solder them on top of those tantalums. This starts to be quite sophisticated breadboard building. I start to be proud of my work. 





 Final problem was in this ground channel 




 I had some distortion in vocals and that area of freq range, and I was so desperately trying to find a solder bridge or some mistake from the main amplifier board, but just couldn't find anything. It took so much time. 
 I finally tried if op amp on ground channel was warm, and it was hot. It was oscillating. I took the input ground and op amp ground wires from its output and put them for TLE2426 to take care of. I also added a 10 uF tantalum across its supply pins. There possiby was also a solder bridge at its output. These measures helped and oscillating stopped and god at last it was so quiet (except very high freq noise which I am barely able to hear). Now I can begin to enjoy ADA4898-1 and soon I possibly solder ADA4627-1 to dip8 sockets and install them to this.


----------



## immtbiker

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks for the complements 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Those aren't compliments, Kerry, Those are statements of fact! 

 U da man.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Spacehead* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



_

 

I'm surprised to see those opamp's pins didn't short.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm surprised to see those opamp's pins didn't short._

 

I checked those with multimeter before plugging in and they have no continuity. There is tiny space between the pin solder joints, it is difficult to see on these pictures. They are nothing but pretty, shiny and big, just the way I like them. I wanted to make mechanically solid joints, not just electrical connections. 

 I tested the THD of this amp with RMAA. It is 0.0052% unloaded. That is op amp superiority, skills don't matter so much to end result on such simple circuit. 

 I got some comments elsewhere on that build and people said that it is hideous. 

 At this stage when I just try out things, it isn't so important that things look great. I am pretty happy that I can manage such many connections and remember the component values without writing anything down.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Spacehead* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ They are nothing but pretty, shiny and big, just the way I like them. I wanted to make mechanically solid joints, not just electrical connections. 
_

 

Cause that little opamp is under a lot of mechanical stress?


----------



## vixr

Quote Spacehead: *snip*...At this stage when I just try out things, it isn't so important that things look great....


 my early stuff was just plain ugly and has gotten only slightly better...


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m1abrams* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Cause that little opamp is under a lot of mechanical stress?_

 






 When I push it to socket multiple times it will be. 

 OK, there is a little too much solder. But why fix it when it works? I wonder if I could hear it if I removed some solder so that gaps between pins would be over 0.5 mm.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *vixr* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Quote Spacehead: *snip*...At this stage when I just try out things, it isn't so important that things look great....


 my early stuff was just plain ugly and has gotten only slightly better..._

 

Mine has evolved too. There is only one resistor per op amp on the top side. And rest start to gather to the under side. 

 BTW. I took a 1K ohm resistor from old motherboard and matched it with another one and then soldered them into op amps sockets pin. It was feedback resistor to ground. Now feedback loop is again little shorter.
 But it made THD worse. I used again too much solder.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Spacehead: You're a braver man than I, I'm too chicken to go the Surface Mount route. lol

 I was reading on anther build that someone was using pin sockets to allow easy swapping of caps, I suppose this technique could be used for other components. Handy for prototyping a circuit without using a massive protoboard.

 Bugger, I need a steady income so I can work on my killer amp.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Spacehead: You're a braver man than I, I'm too chicken to go the Surface Mount route. lol_

 

I got so excited of using SMD parts that I did a TPA6120 buffer on breadboard to that singles amplifier. I used very tiny smd resistors and smd tantalum caps. I need to tweak it a little more and then I get a picture of that too.
 SMT is so cool! 

 If you knew how horrible my equipment is , you would definitely dare to dive into SMT world 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 It is like through hole but requires a little more patience. It is actually faster to do on breadboard than through holes and less solder is needed.


----------



## vixr

my PPAS with a fast charger is coming along nicely...


----------



## Pageygeeza

Spacehead: I think I might get a SMT kit and try my skill out on that first. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Vixr: Me likes very much! 1: How does she sound? 2: What kinda runtime you looking at with that battery pack? 3: Are you aiming that as a portable amp?

 I've been looking around for a good amp with a built in battery charger, that would be perfect!


----------



## Jaypee

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *spritzer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is my new KGSS desktop amp, codenamed "bomb shelter" by some of our members. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The PCB's are from Headamp and the amp is bone stock with a 4-gang RK27 pot which will be replaced with a 4-gang TKD 2508 once my custom order arrives. The chassis I made by hand from 10mm thick aluminum for the front and sides, 6mm for the back and 5mm top and bottom. The two chassis alone are close to 8kg... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 The front panels are just bare, polished aluminum while the rest of the chassis is lightly brushed and then coated with lacquer. 












_

 

I had a bit of a deja-vu, tho mine are a bit more lightweight.. Very cool casing anyway!


----------



## Spacehead

OK Here is TPA6120 working on a breadboard






 It is actually quite easy to solder now, my skills have got better






 I took SMD resistors from a old Radeon graphics card and also those SMD capacitors. 
 Feedback loop is as shorts as possible, input resistors and output resistors as close as possible and supply pins have smd caps very close too. It is most stable TPA6120 circuit I have ever made. It is pretty quiet. 
 This has been added to my singles amplifier, it is working as a current buffer. Input stage gives some hiss, I should rework it so that 60 Mhz ADA4898-1 would work well stable. 

 Next I need to work on my Sound Blaster X-FI. I have bad THD and other values, plus horrible crosstalk problem. I have changed op amp so many times that all the pads are gone except output pads. 




 I get nervous when I work on my sound card and fail it always!


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_
 Vixr: Me likes very much! 1: How does she sound? 2: What kinda runtime you looking at with that battery pack? 3: Are you aiming that as a portable amp?

 I've been looking around for a good amp with a built in battery charger, that would be perfect!_

 

Well, I charged the pack in about 2.5 hours, I will have to get back to you with current draw and runtime...the amp is portable.


----------



## FallenAngel

Congrats on the PPAS, still my top portable.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote:


 Well, I charged the pack in about 2.5 hours, I will have to get back to you with current draw and runtime...the amp is portable. 
 

Could you give me some info on the charging board please? Actually, how much for the build?


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Congrats on the PPAS, still my top portable. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

yep...mine too. I built one with a 9v battery and one with the 10 AAA cell pack. The higher voltage is like night and day. Drives my HD-600s quite nicely.



 Pageygeeza, the charger is one of two boards I got from a prominent forum member who plans to have some boards for sale at some point...I would rather he announce it first...I will offer my opinion of it and say that it is simply fabulous.


----------



## FallenAngel

Yeah, my current PPAS runs off 8x AAA so that's about 10V charged, goes to 9.6V until 10% of battery or less, and those AAA's run for a LONG time. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll post a new amp I've been playing with lately later tonight - monstrous sized with 2x 9V, CFB ground channel and 2x OPA627 with discrete buffers on Left/Right.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote:


 Yeah, my current PPAS runs off 8x AAA so that's about 10V charged, goes to 9.6V until 10% of battery or less, and those AAA's run for a LONG time. I'll post a new amp I've been playing with lately later tonight - monstrous sized with 2x 9V, CFB ground channel and 2x OPA627 with discrete buffers on Left/Right. 
 

Stoppit, I'm drooling!!


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yeah, my current PPAS runs off 8x AAA so that's about 10V charged, goes to 9.6V until 10% of battery or less, and those AAA's run for a LONG time. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll post a new amp I've been playing with lately later tonight - monstrous sized with 2x 9V, CFB ground channel and 2x OPA627 with discrete buffers on Left/Right. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

woo hoo!!! cant wait to see THAT...


----------



## Pageygeeza

You two are gonna cost me a bloody fortune!


----------



## FallenAngel

My transportable amp, just slightly larger than the Hifiman HM-801 so the player sits well on top of the amp.

 It has an Alps RK27 pot, runs of 2x 9V, ground channel design similar to Larocco PRII with LT1210 (1A current sink), left/right channels run off 2x OPA627 with a discrete Class-AB output stage. Battery life should be around 12 hours. Those silver caps are actually 220uF/25V BlackGate FK going from rails to ground. Another 220uF/35V Elna Silmic II sits across the rails beside the ground channel (hiding the trickle charger for the batteries under it). Sounds pretty damn good too. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Photos:


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My transportable amp, just slightly larger than the Hifiman HM-801 so the player sits well on top of the amp.

 It has an Alps RK27 pot, runs of 2x 9V, ground channel design similar to Larocco PRII with LT1210 (1A current sink), left/right channels run off 2x OPA627 with a discrete Class-AB output stage. Battery life should be around 12 hours. Those silver caps are actually 220uF/25V BlackGate FK going from rails to ground. Another 220uF/35V Elna Silmic II sits across the rails beside the ground channel (hiding the trickle charger for the batteries under it). Sounds pretty damn good too. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Photos:




_

 

Niiice and on a protoboard too!! I take it that's using a charging system too? How would you compare her to the CmoyBB? Any chance or releasing Schematics?


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dBel84* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wow Beefy , that is very elegant. 

 I am looking for some inspiration on how to finish this up, perhaps I need to tap into the collective creativity of this community. Sound is FANTASTIC but it looks like it was built to kill Daleks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 . 






 ..dB_

 


 Ok Don, Spill the beans, and let those of us who are out of the loop in on the secret.. What the F^&* is that thing.. I promise not to tell..


----------



## dBel84

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrSlim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ok Don, Spill the beans, and let those of us who are out of the loop in on the secret.. What the F^&* is that thing.. I promise not to tell.._

 

Lol , I hadn't intended it to be secretive at all. It is a version of the embedded that Alex and I had spoken of soon after the original version had been prototyped and one that has been on the "backburner" for a very long time. When I depleted my amp stock recently I found myself wanting more than the mini3 could offer and the itch began. I resurrected the boards that I had etched 







 but AC soon intervened and had many new ideas of how this could be done. He was particularly interested in this amp design for himself. 

 The amp is pretty amazing, it runs both high voltage rails for the tubes and lower voltage rails for the mosfets, it is unique from the original design in that the tube provides the gain and remains DC coupled with no caps in the signal path. ( in sim, it is even faster too 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) The sound is a combination of my favourite amp thus far, the stacker with the added weight that the embedded has to offer. Stacker is truly a phenomenon to be heard, but it can run out of steam in very busy pieces when you ask it to work hard. This never troubled me as I am a low level listener and it never suffered in my hands, however, there have been reports and when I have pushed the amp, I can see where the sound could be considered congested - might have been the blood trying to escape the ear canal but it is what it is. Back on track, this amp will never be shy of power and offers that same delicate tube SET sound that I enjoyed with the stacker. I made a few minor mods for it to run the 6H30 and this amp really does shine with that tube, I never thought the 30V rails of the EHHA were doing it justice. Here is a pic with the 6H30 in place - I am going to get rid of those blue leds- the low light red ones i bought didn't work as they wanted 80mA of current 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










 And while I am posting ......

 Kabeer has been on at me for ages to complete my microstack take on the LD microtube - not finished but here is how it is going.











 ..dB


----------



## timmyGCSE

my SSMH 12AU7 completed weekend just gone..I designed and made the PCB myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
























 doesn't compare to some of the amazing builds here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but as a n00b I'm dead chuffed


----------



## netsky3

where you bought the kit??


----------



## bidoux

There is no kit, he did it hiself. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 However, if you are looking for a starving student kit, have a look there and there but i'm not sure they are still kits available.

 FallenAngel, your amp looks nice. Do you have a schematic ?


----------



## FallenAngel

Left/Right channels : http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/bbs/zb...esc=asc&no=225 (with lower gain)

 Ground channel : Virtual Ground Circuits (CFB opamp-based)


----------



## m11a1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *timmyGCSE* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my SSMH 12AU7 completed weekend just gone..I designed and made the PCB myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	
























 doesn't compare to some of the amazing builds here 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but as a n00b I'm dead chuffed_

 

Great work mate!


----------



## bidoux

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Left/Right channels : http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/bbs/zb...esc=asc&no=225 (with lower gain)

 Ground channel : Virtual Ground Circuits (CFB opamp-based)_

 

Thank you


----------



## m11a1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bidoux* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thank you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Now I'm confused, I was saying that to timmyGCSE


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m11a1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Now I'm confused, I was saying that to timmyGCSE 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I think he was thanking FallenAngel for the links


----------



## bidoux

I should always quote people's post


----------



## m11a1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *bidoux* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I should always quote people's post 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

hahahahaha, that was a good laugh 

 cheers


----------



## timmyGCSE

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m11a1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Great work mate! 




_

 

thanks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm actually quite proud of it, usually I'm quite hamfisted when it comes to DIY


----------



## Pageygeeza

Fallenangel: Thanks for that, didn't realise it was so simple. Might have a bash at that myself 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm looking at ordering the transistors, I've noticed there are quite a few variants of the BC337/327. Is there a particular spec I require?


----------



## rayk

Finished and fixed my mini3! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Now need to run some checks with multimeter.


----------



## Spacehead

I can now test different capacitors. Superb sound with those capacitors btw


----------



## midoo1990

are you all engineers here?i am still a frshman in engineering university and i will major in electrical engineering but i want to start now but i am afraid i dont know anything here.can i begin building now with some basic stuff with some tutorials of how to build or a sticky for beginners amp or something?any help will be appreciated.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Great place to start.


----------



## cyberspyder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *midoo1990* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_are you all engineers here?i am still a frshman in engineering university and i will major in electrical engineering but i want to start now but i am afraid i dont know anything here.can i begin building now with some basic stuff with some tutorials of how to build or a sticky for beginners amp or something?any help will be appreciated._

 

Yes. But I'm in Mech.


----------



## Forte

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *midoo1990* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_can i begin building now with some basic stuff with some tutorials of how to build or a sticky for beginners amp or something?any help will be appreciated._

 

Try reading here Audiologica


----------



## Beefy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *midoo1990* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_are you all engineers here?_

 

I'm sort of in biomedical engineering, but with no engineering training at all - purely biological.


----------



## dean0

Jaycar SCHA A.K. Modified, JLH PSU Addon


----------



## m11a1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Jaycar SCHA A.K. Modified, JLH PSU Addon 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Beautiful work!

 One question though, where did you find that illuminated on/off?


----------



## dean0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m11a1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Beautiful work!

 One question though, where did you find that illuminated on/off?_

 

thanks, it came with the case, its not self illuminating, you have to wire led's behind the semi transparent button and it gives the effect.


----------



## Volkum

Recased my PPA v2 and STEPS in a Par-metal case and added an ε12:



 





 



 Need to add a ground loop breaker (with my next parts order), but for now the unit is functional. Now on to buy some new 'phones.


----------



## Wilf

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Jaycar SCHA A.K. Modified, JLH PSU Addon 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Very nice, now that it's working


----------



## rayk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *midoo1990* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_are you all engineers here?_

 

An artist here, pretty sure there are fair few people in DIY don't do anything close to engineering haha


----------



## cyberspyder

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks, it came with the case, its not self illuminating, you have to wire led's behind the semi transparent button and it gives the effect._

 

Who makes the case? It looks fabulous!


----------



## Volkum

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *rayk* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_An artist here, pretty sure there are fair few people in DIY don't do anything close to engineering haha 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Not of any type that would be useful for DIY audio.


----------



## dean0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cyberspyder* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Who makes the case? It looks fabulous!_

 

Here; beautiful full aluminium Headphone AMP BOX for DIY on eBay (end time 30-Mar-10 17:44:11 BST)


----------



## cyberspyder

Looks sexy...thanks!


----------



## m11a1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here; beautiful full aluminium Headphone AMP BOX for DIY on eBay (end time 30-Mar-10 17:44:11 BST)_

 

Oh wow! Thanks for that


----------



## johnwmclean

dean0, that is so clean, congrats on such a beautiful build!


----------



## sachu

^^ what he said..very nice build. Is that additional Jaycar board a relay driver board for the power switch?


----------



## elliot42

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *sachu* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_^^ what he said..very nice build. Is that additional Jaycar board a relay driver board for the power switch?_

 

The smaller Jaycar board is the power supply and the third board is the JLH add-on which provides further filtering of power supply to remove ripple.

 Very nice build, by the way. I'm going to be re-casing my Jaycar into something a bit nicer soon.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_thanks, it came with the case, its not self illuminating, you have to wire led's behind the semi transparent button and it gives the effect._

 

How many leds did you put behind the button?


----------



## midoo1990

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Forte* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Try reading here Audiologica_

 

Thank you so much for the link,exactly what I needed.


----------



## frex

Hello,

 My little contribution, some pict of my DAC design just finished.
 It's summary features :
 Dual PCM1792 DAC mono mode.
 Fully differential output (XLR) & single ended (RCA).
 Programmable remote controlling for volume and mute (RC5).
 High contrast OLED green display.
 SPIDF coaxial and optical input with 24/192kHz support(WM8804 low jitter receiver).
 USB input (PCM2906) 44.1/48k/16bits support.
 Analog input for headphone amp use only.
 High-end TPA6120 headphone amplifier.
 OPA2134 output buffer with DALE resistors and polystyrene caps.

 It is fully my own design. 5 units has been build, for me and interested friends.
 And, of course, it's sound good.
 Frex.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Brilliant work, just a question why did you have to plait the legs on the T0220's was it for crosstalk or a "bugger" moment 

 either way impressive

 cheers
 FRED


----------



## Nisbeth

Very impressive! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 /U.


----------



## dean0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_How many leds did you put behind the button?_

 

2


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_2_

 

Do you know what's the mcd of your LEDs?

 I'm doing the same thing like yours, but with 4 5000mcd LEDs.


----------



## dean0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you know what's the mcd of your LEDs?

 I'm doing the same thing like yours, but with 4 5000mcd LEDs._

 

Iam not sure tbh, they are blue 3mm standard leds.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *frex* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hello,

 My little contribution, some pict of my DAC design just finished.
 It's summary features :
 Dual PCM1792 DAC mono mode.
 Fully differential output (XLR) & single ended (RCA).
 Programmable remote controlling for volume and mute (RC5).
 High contrast OLED green display.
 SPIDF coaxial and optical input with 24/192kHz support(WM8804 low jitter receiver).
 USB input (PCM2906) 44.1/48k/16bits support.
 Analog input for headphone amp use only.
 High-end TPA6120 headphone amplifier.
 OPA2134 output buffer with DALE resistors and polystyrene caps.
_

 

So you designed it, who built it? It looks commercial, not DIY.


----------



## IPodPJ

I'm impressed. He's using a regular power cord without a ground because the chassis is Class II insulated. This avoids many sound quality issues that come with using a ground wire.


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *IPodPJ* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm impressed. He's using a regular power cord without a ground because the chassis is Class II insulated. This avoids many sound quality issues that come with using a ground wire._

 

Who is?


----------



## FallenAngel

Looks like standard 1455-series Hammond. Really not sure what "sound quality issues" you would have from properly grounding equipment.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Who is?_

 

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/6511772-post6679.html


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_ Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
Who is?

 

]http://www.head-fi.org/forums/6511772-post6679.html_

 

That was my guess too for the fact that its clearly not grounded at the mains input, but it is not class 2 insulated. Perhaps its an older amp... yea, quick Ipod scroll back until you find an amp that is double insulated.


----------



## Nebby

I was looking for the double insulation as well....perhaps it's class 2 because it's labeled as such?


----------



## frex

Quote:


 So you designed it, who built it? It looks commercial, not DIY. 
 

Hello,

 It looks commercial because i have professional PCB of my design (from pcbcart).
 I have also make a real silkscreen on the rear and front panel.The finish looks better than engraving (IMHO).
 All soldering/wiring is made by me.It is DIY ! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I use a class II cord because it need less space in rear panel. But, to ensure this class, you need to have double insulation on all path connected to the main.
Appliance classes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  Quote:


 Fred_fred2004Brilliant work, just a question why did you have to plait the legs on the T0220's was it for crosstalk or a "bugger" moment 

 either way impressive 
 

Yes, it is a buggy moment..The original regulator is a 317, replaced by LM2940 because i had need LDO for proper work.


 Frex.


----------



## smeggy

Excellent work,Frex.

 Truly a remarkable piece of DIY. It looks perfect for commercial building should you ever go that route.


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks frex, brilliant piece of kit.


----------



## krmathis

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *frex* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hello,

 My little contribution, some pict of my DAC design just finished.
 <snip>_

 

Impressive work! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Looks like a commercial product. Both layout, PCB, chassis, ... and all.


----------



## lasraik

Finished my headphone amp and took it with me on my last business trip to Oakland. Don't know how I lived without it. I figured a CmoyBB would be a good place to start with amps and DIY.

 Bought the circuit board from JBS and ordered all the parts from various places, bought a few things locally and finally put it together. After a few tries and finally getting the holes punched properly in a green altoids tin, I bought a green LED to match.

 Hey, it's my first time so go easy on me. But a lot of thanks to the friendly folks here on head-fi and especially mhamel for all of his help and being kind enough to answer all of my newbie questions.

 Next up is an interconnect then I'll look into different amps to put together.


----------



## JamesL

woah, it's a green altoids! kewl =)


----------



## tomb

Hey - we always love to see another CMoy. It's how many of us started.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 That PCB looks like a sharp way to do one!


----------



## timmyGCSE

nice one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 and creme de menthe altoids? sweet


----------



## Prog Rock Man

Where do you guys source tins for C-moys? I would prefer something plain as opposed to the Altoids. Thanks.


----------



## Judge Buff

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Prog Rock Man* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where do you guys source tins for C-moys? I would prefer something plain as opposed to the Altoids. Thanks._

 

Altoid tins are ubiquitous since we eat so much of the product, but I guess you could remove the graphics with a Dremel/sander if you wanted.


----------



## nikongod

I would try some sort of paint thinner/stripper before sanding the case. It may save a LOT of work.


----------



## lasraik

Pretty sure you can get plain tins online for fairly cheap and less of a hassle than having to strip an altoids tin. 

 Did you just want it totally plain?


----------



## Prog Rock Man

Yes totally plain so I could then put my own design on it.


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *lasraik* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Pretty sure you can get plain tins online for fairly cheap and less of a hassle than having to strip an altoids tin._

 

Good call!
  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Prog Rock Man* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yes totally plain so I could then put my own design on it._

 

Googling:
 "unpainted hinged tin" 
 got this website:
link
 If that's not what you want there are for sure more


----------



## lasraik

Thanks for searching, at work I'm limited


----------



## Pageygeeza

prog rock man: You may be in luck, I have a few tins floating about. They are the same as the altoids tins, but they're not embossed (the M&S ones in the portable rig thread.)


----------



## Prog Rock Man

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Good call!

 Googling:
 "unpainted hinged tin" 
 got this website:
link
 If that's not what you want there are for sure more 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks, I did not think to look at craft sites. I have found this on a smoking site

Hinged Lid Tobacco Tins

 Is 11cm x 65mm x 28mm big enough?


----------



## forsakenrider

Where does everyone always get these, nice, larger enclosures from? I never seem to be able to weed through as find anything!


----------



## regal

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *forsakenrider* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where does everyone always get these, nice, larger enclosures from? I never seem to be able to weed through as find anything!_

 

For no frills budget enclosures Par-Metals is hard to beat, they look pretty nice too.


----------



## jtostenr

Finally got my S22 and B22 boards powered up (only one of each in pics). All 4 S22s tested fine. One B22 is all setup, getting too late to do the rest. I could only get the DC offset down to 7-8mV though. Barely even got hot enough to tell it was on (set at 160mA).

 Jeff


----------



## mattcalf

Audax woofer, SEAS tweeter, 13 months in the making. Sound awesome, my HF1 won't be getting any love for a while.


----------



## adamus

tell the truth....you took that naked didnt you.


----------



## Judge Buff

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *adamus* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_tell the truth....you took that naked didnt you._

 

I don't care who you are, that there is funny...


----------



## mattcalf

Haha even though living in northern Australia has rendered clothing as an enemy, I still had some pants on. 

 Thanks for the laugh though.


----------



## jamesbobo007

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Judge Buff* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I don't care who you are, that there is funny..._

 

X2
 thanks for the lolz


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *forsakenrider* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where does everyone always get these, nice, larger enclosures from? I never seem to be able to weed through as find anything!_

 

HEY! Are those control line combat planes in your avatar?


----------



## kuroguy

I remember that orange/black one from about 30 years ago. I seem to recall it was called the Lil Devil. Mine was orange and black just like the picture on the box.


----------



## kuroguy

Make that "Lil Satan"

Vintage Goldberg "Little Satan" Combat Airplane Kits - eBay (item 140395116733 end time Apr-02-10 15:32:00 PDT)


----------



## FraGGleR

I upgraded (in functionality at least) from my altoids 2 source/1 output in an Altoids tin to this 3 source/2 output in a Radioshack hobby box:















 One out to my Bravo amp, one out to my desktop speakers. Two rear inputs (Dac, PS3) and one mini jack input on the front for mp3 player hookup. Was a pain to solder with the bajillion wires criscrossing, but it works exactly the way I want it to (always a bonus for me). Still looking for a better (but still super cheap) way to label, but for now silver sharpie is good enough. The two sets of outer jacks are the new (to me) Neutriks. Seem like nice quality, but the plastic colored rings were very rough. I had to sand them down to even them out and get rid of the burrs. Middle jacks were some inexpensive guys off of ebay. Lorlin 3 pole/4 position rotary switches, Switchcraft mini jack, and various gauges of Mogami OFC wire that I had stripped from some excess cable. Overall pleased with the effort. One day I will have the cash to get decent enclosures, but for now $5 Radioshack hobby boxes rule the day.


----------



## nikongod

Thats a VERY nice touch with the 1/8" jack on the front.


----------



## dean0

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FraGGleR* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I upgraded (in functionality at least) from my altoids 2 source/1 output in an Altoids tin to this 3 source/2 output in a Radioshack hobby box:














 One out to my Bravo amp, one out to my desktop speakers. Two rear inputs (Dac, PS3) and one mini jack input on the front for mp3 player hookup. Was a pain to solder with the bajillion wires criscrossing, but it works exactly the way I want it to (always a bonus for me). Still looking for a better (but still super cheap) way to label, but for now silver sharpie is good enough. The two sets of outer jacks are the new (to me) Neutriks. Seem like nice quality, but the plastic colored rings were very rough. I had to sand them down to even them out and get rid of the burrs. Middle jacks were some inexpensive guys off of ebay. Lorlin 3 pole/4 position rotary switches, Switchcraft mini jack, and various gauges of Mogami OFC wire that I had stripped from some excess cable. Overall pleased with the effort. One day I will have the cash to get decent enclosures, but for now $5 Radioshack hobby boxes rule the day._

 

Nice work, simular to one I made a while back


----------



## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kuroguy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Make that "Lil Satan"

Vintage Goldberg "Little Satan" Combat Airplane Kits - eBay (item 140395116733 end time Apr-02-10 15:32:00 PDT)_

 

I thought it looked bigger than 1/2A, but maybe you're right.


----------



## apatN

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FraGGleR* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I upgraded (in functionality at least) from my altoids 2 source/1 output in an Altoids tin to this 3 source/2 output in a Radioshack hobby box:

 <SNIP>_

 

Nice work Fraggy! I need to build something like that as I keep switching cables.


----------



## forsakenrider

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *tomb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_HEY! Are those control line combat planes in your avatar?_

 

hahah! wow guys! Airplane geeks too eh! thats my style! yes those are all C/L planes. a stunter, two mouse racers and two combat. One of the combats is a Lil'satan! bravo!


----------



## FallenAngel

Haven't posted here for a while, but am nearing completion on a few projects so you'll see lots of things coming out by the end of the month.

 To start it off, here is my new GainClone poweramp.


----------



## mattcalf

Very nice FA, I'm thinking of building a GC. Probably a LM3785 from audiosector, what made you choose the LM3886?


----------



## FallenAngel

Thanks. The GainClone is actually quite a nice sounding amp, I was very impressed with it comparing to a few receivers and integrated amps I've tried. I went with the LM3886 because it has higher current output ability and can drive 4 ohm loads better. As I was using it with 6-ohm Wharfedale speakers at the time, it seemed like the better choice.

 I must say, it does sound nice and I also realized that a quality preamp really matters. The original GainClone I had (which I'm now selling) has a higher quality transformer, covered in MuMetal and a dual regulated power supply, yet this new amp sounds better as I'm using a Sigma22+Dynalo as preamp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Considerably better than a Mint.


----------



## pabbi1

Pecan front and back, jatoba (Brazilian cherry) sides, bocote feet.


----------



## FrankCooter

Al, your woodworking skills are improving! Nice job on the joints!


----------



## forsakenrider

My new VSPS!


----------



## Lil' Knight

Woot! Looks nice.


----------



## JamesL

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Haven't posted here for a while, but am nearing completion on a few projects so you'll see lots of things coming out by the end of the month.

 To start it off, here is my new GainClone poweramp._

 

Is there any hum with the transformer that close to the circuit with nearfield listening? 

 Using the case I bought, the proximity between the lm3886 boards and the transformer boards would be around where your PS board is now.
 I'm thinking about using a smaller 100VA transformer if noise is might be a problem =/


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *forsakenrider* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My new VSPS!




_

 


 Very nice!


----------



## Sathimas

My exstata in its final position, I made the wooden base for it to opticaly fit my M³:


----------



## pabbi1

Very nice wood - what is the species?

 And, very courageous to do the wood top - just can't bring myself to do that due to the heat, but commendable nonetheless.


----------



## MoodySteve

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JamesL* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm thinking about using a smaller 100VA transformer if noise is might be a problem =/_

 

100VA sounds pretty lean for a LM3886 GC - I think 160VA is about the minimum recommended. I went for 330VA myself.


----------



## JamesL

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MoodySteve* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_100VA sounds pretty lean for a LM3886 GC - I think 160VA is about the minimum recommended. I went for 330VA myself. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yeah it is, I'll probably get the 200va and hope for the best =P


----------



## FallenAngel

Consider grabbing one from Antek? Very inexpensive and decent quality.

 There is no noise with mine as wiring is short and all wires carry Hi-Z signal (might only run into a problem if you install a pot)


----------



## JamesL

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FallenAngel* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Consider grabbing one from Antek? Very inexpensive and decent quality.

 There is no noise with mine as wiring is short and all wires carry Hi-Z signal (might only run into a problem if you install a pot)_

 

Yup, I'm going with Antek. The problem is that they're normally larger for a given rating compared to ones from other manufacturers.


----------



## grawk

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JamesL* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Yup, I'm going with Antek. The problem is that they're normally larger for a given rating compared to ones from other manufacturers._

 

That's a feature


----------



## JamesL

not when it doesn't fit


----------



## Sathimas

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very nice wood - what is the species?

 And, very courageous to do the wood top - just can't bring myself to do that due to the heat, but commendable nonetheless._

 

Well the M³ does not dissipate much heat, so it's no problem.
 Also that wood has been dried and stored longer than I am living on this planet.
 It's from a tree my grandfather cut down arround 1983.
 He's the one who taught and teaches me woodworking.

 Species is german (or european) walnut, quite rare to be seen but one of my absolute favourites.


----------



## lordearl

I've started a thread on this build, but was pretty happy with it because it's my first project so am putting a few pics here, too!!

 I got this kit;
HeadAmp

 Changed a few things (over *a lot* of discussion with Greg Ball, who I must say is one of the most helpful people on earth, and Qusp here - who rocks) et voila!!


----------



## dorkvader

I hope my awesome casework inspires someone. 
















 Don't worry: I'm getting some (free) plexi-glass this weekend (with luck). I'm also putting my spare heatsinks on it (why not?). I'll try to get some wood or something for the sides from the nearby construction.

 All in all, It'll look really good (and be still under budget) hopefully by this weekend or so. To be honest, the solid-core hookup wire I used was a pain to work with.


----------



## the_equalizer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *forsakenrider* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_My new VSPS!_

 

VERY nice! Man, my own VSPS is sitting inside a boring light blue ABS plastic case... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 BTW, what do you think about the sound of the stage ?


----------



## MoodySteve

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dorkvader* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I hope my awesome casework inspires someone. _

 

Ha! No worries - just send your box off to FPE or a similar outfit and you can get sleek, professional results like this:


----------



## forsakenrider

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *the_equalizer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_VERY nice! Man, my own VSPS is sitting inside a boring light blue ABS plastic case... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 BTW, what do you think about the sound of the stage ?_

 


 So far I cant complain. For the price and simplicity I find it really sounds great. A lot better then the built in stage in my own amp and better then a "DJ" mixer into an amp, but I must admit I dont have much to compare it to in the phono world.


----------



## dorkvader

Wow, MoodySteve, That's a pretty impressive Amp:case price ratio. Since that box is flimsier, I imagine plugging headphones into the locking jack is exciting. I'm thinking about putting screws into the cardboard of mine to keep it steady-er. Don't set the box on fire!

 Perhaps I'll spend some more time twiddling on the trimpots, then give it a good listen.


----------



## oneplustwo

Nice... almost as classy as my first Beta build:


----------



## the_equalizer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *forsakenrider* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So far I cant complain. For the price and simplicity I find it really sounds great. A lot better then the built in stage in my own amp and better then a "DJ" mixer into an amp, but I must admit I dont have much to compare it to in the phono world._

 

My thoughts exactly. I'm enjoying it very much! If only mine looked as good as yours... 

 cheers!


----------



## forsakenrider

Im looking to buld a switch box like this, but have no idea what to look for in rotary switched! a 2P6T would be about right?

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice work, simular to one I made a while back



_


----------



## Anthony1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Jaycar SCHA A.K. Modified, JLH PSU Addon 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




]_

 

Nice enclosure Dean0

 Can I ask what it is and where you got it from?


----------



## johnwmclean

Here is my dual duty psu for both β22 and EHHA amps, designed for headphone and speakers.

 Technical hightlights include:
 • Dual mono σ22
 • Off-board heatsinks are from Conrad in Australia (something that I can get relatively cheaper for nice change 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
 • Sumr 120VAC core banded transformers
 • ε24 power switch driver circuit
 • σ24 transformer board
 • Bulgin vandal-resistant momentary switch
 • Par-Metal Series 20 chassis customised for a deeper length, the front and back panels are the thicker 4.7mm option
 • Front and back panels have been laser engraved and milled by a local shop
 • For wiring of the outputs I used Belden 19364, thick and painful 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 • 2 SpeakOn 8 pole connectors for left and right channels 
 • The IEC is a Schurter 2 fuse variety
 • Space has been left for accommodating another small transformer if needed, the extra AC output would handled through the vacant lines left from the SpeakOns 

 Thank you for looking


----------



## m11a1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thank you for looking 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

What?...are you selling it or something? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Congrats, it's an awesome build


----------



## Anthony1

johnwmclean[/QUOTE said:
			
		

> That is impressive.. would not for one minute even contemplate it was DIY. Looks like you just opened the box and pulled it out.
> 
> Well done


----------



## sachu

Nice going John..look forward to the amps..


----------



## regal

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here is my dual duty psu for both β22 and EHHA amps, designed for headphone and speakers.

 Technical hightlights include:
 • Dual mono σ22
 • Off-board heatsinks are from Conrad in Australia (something that I can get relatively cheaper for nice change 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
 • Sumr 120VAC core banded transformers
 • ε24 power switch driver circuit
 • σ24 transformer board
 • Bulgin vandal-resistant momentary switch
 • Par-Metal Series 20 chassis customised for a deeper length, the front and back panels are the thicker 4.7mm option
 • Front and back panels have been laser engraved and milled by a local shop
 • For wiring of the outputs I used Belden 19364, thick and painful 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 • 2 SpeakOn 8 pole connectors for left and right channels 
 • The IEC is a Schurter 2 fuse variety
 • Space has been left for accommodating another small transformer if needed, the extra AC output would handled through the vacant lines left from the SpeakOns 

 Thank you for looking 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 ]_

 


 John I have been using the Par Metals 20 series enclosures for years, even though they appear well ventilated they seem to hold a lot of heat. Are you having any issues with those big sinks heating up the enclosure too much? I've had to result to putting the sinks outside the enclosure on some projects.


----------



## TheShaman

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Room40* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That is impressive.. would not for one minute even contemplate it was DIY. Looks like you just opened the box and pulled it out.

 Well done_

 


 QFT.

 John, I'm thinking of going for a similar project (or a high-voltage Aikido, still undecided) so I'd be very interested to read your comments when you have everything up and running!


----------



## mattcalf

Very nice as always John, can't wait to see the amps!


----------



## Mr.Duck

Am I the only one around here that notices when people don't even bother with the safety earth at all??


----------



## lordearl

with reference to whom exactly?


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *lordearl* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_with reference to whom exactly?_

 

I believe John's build doesn't have the safety ground pin connected to chassis, at least not in that picture.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mr.Duck* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Am I the only one around here that notices when people don't even bother with the safety earth at all??_

 

You understand that for over 70 years most homes in the US were not even built with a safety ground. As long as you build the amp with good common sense and take care of how the AC lines are run and use double fuses your safety issue is minimal. True it is safer with the wiring the chassis to ground however the level of safety that affords you is not a great as many people think. You can still do a lot of damage to body and home and have the chassis grounded, such as not properly fusing the AC lines.

 Also if you live in a home that was built before (i think 72) then it does not matter if you have the earth ground wired or not because you home does not have an earth wire to ground to.


----------



## linuxworks

I can't tell from the photo but the iec ground tab should also be connected to its chassis holes and if john screwed that iec directly to the metal, it connects there.

 that would account for the back plate but not the chassis itself.

 it would be a good idea to have a green (standard color) wire from the lug going to the main bottom chassis, john. you're not supposed to solder the wire to the lugs (and a bunch of other 'safety things' that are part of the code) that you should follow, even on the ground lug details.

 some random links:

How To Specify an Equipment Chassis; Ground Lug Manufacturers

 the last illustration here shows some of the 'magic' you follow:

Chassis Grounding


 'grounding' is a bit more complicated than people initially think


----------



## Mr.Duck

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m1abrams* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_As long as you build the amp with good common sense and take care of how the AC lines are run and use double fuses your safety issue is minimal._

 

Minimal danger, maybe. But if it's so unsafe and dangerous that never in a million years would it pass required safety ratings and be allowed to be sold (if it were a commercial product) in stores over here, then I would say maybe you should think about earthing stuff?

 Ya so I'm not from the US which could be the main reason why I'm feel so uncomfortable when I see stuff that's not earthed. If that sort of thing went on over here, as in commercial products not being earthed as well as buildings, then that would just strike me as being terribly incompetent and needing to be rectified. I'm sure it's bad enough to send people to jail - but don't quote me on that lol. Even if an old house isn't up to scratch, it should be fixed before you move in don't you think? I don't want to be all preachy, but this really bugs me when I notice it.


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m1abrams* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You understand that for over 70 years most homes in the US were not even built with a safety ground. blla blla blla_

 

The fact that the home may not be up to modern standards of wiring is not your problem. Your problem & responsibility is for what you built.


----------



## m1abrams

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The fact that the home may not be up to modern standards of wiring is not your problem. Your problem & responsibility is for what you built._

 

Note I fully agree that ANY device that is to be sold should meet all safety standards. But for a device you build for yourself to use for yourself then the safety standard should be set by you. 

 As for "fixing" older homes without and earth wire is not exactly a cheap undertaking and is not required by code.


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks for the comments guys!


  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_John I have been using the Par Metals 20 series enclosures for years, even though they appear well ventilated they seem to hold a lot of heat. Are you having any issues with those big sinks heating up the enclosure too much? I've had to result to putting the sinks outside the enclosure on some projects._

 

Don’t know yet I haven’t tested under load, but yes Par-Metal cases do hold the heat, I have noticed this.

 GROUND
 The body of the Schurter IEC is already connected to the ground lug, and it's mounted directly to the aluminum. The holes on the rear panel are threaded, I measured full continuity of 0.2 ohms to the IEC’s ground tab from all chassis panels


----------



## linuxworks

it still would not be a bad idea (ie, its good form) to have a green wire with lots of lock washers and washers on a well mounted ground screw/lug.

 I've noticed a lot of attention to detail on ground lug hardware and it must be for a Good Reason(tm). so even if you have the iec screwed to metal, its not a bad idea to have a ground lug, as well,

 you've put so much else into the project, this part is cheap and easy! do it..


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_it still would not be a bad idea (ie, its good form) to have a green wire with lots of lock washers and washers on a well mounted ground screw/lug.

 I've noticed a lot of attention to detail on ground lug hardware and it must be for a Good Reason(tm). so even if you have the iec screwed to metal, its not a bad idea to have a ground lug, as well,

 you've put so much else into the project, this part is cheap and easy! do it.._

 

The standard is an ass, the Schurter IEC offers superior ground connection through it’s back metal plate if using a metal chassis. The standard does not take this into account _all_ products available, such as these IEC’s. I could have used an all plastic variety IEC and hooked it up as per the standard, I personally don’t think that would be as good as the connection I have now.

 I’m not alone in my opinion, AMB’s group build:


----------



## amb

The back panel is linked to the rest of the chassis with 5 threaded screws which, on the Par metal cases with clear finish, do indeed offer complete electrical continuity. This was verified by measuring actual resistance across all panels. The IEC used has a earthed metal body and is also screwed tightly, so there is no problem.

 Some anodizing finishes do isolate between panels, in which case an extra ground wire would be warranted.


----------



## wink

The only problem with the earth here is if you were working on the power supply and had the back panel unscrewed while the wiring was still attached.
 Highly unlikely, but possible.
 I personally would put in an earth lead for peace of mind, mainly because I have had worked on a piece of kit with both front and rear panels removed and all the other connections in place.
 I did not power the units up in this condition, but it could have been done.
 Safety must always come first.


----------



## n_maher

John,

 One more question/comment, please tell me that those heat sinks are bolted to the bottom panel of the amp in some way and not merely supported by their connection to the pcb.


----------



## Mr.Duck

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *linuxworks* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_it still would not be a bad idea (ie, its good form) to have a green wire with lots of lock washers and washers on a well mounted ground screw/lug._

 

I agree. I think it needs a dedicated earth wire for safety. Like others have said. Another reason would be... imagine if another user had to replace the IEC inlet somewhere down the line. If there was a dedicated earth wire there is no problem, but if they replace the inlet with one that's not grounded to the chassis, then that creates a dangerous situation (they might not even realize, not everything requires a safety earth).


 The PCBs need earthing from the ground to the safety earth too. This is in case the circuits see mains level voltages which is possible.

 The PCBs need to be grounded to the chassis as well. It may be counter intuitive to connect signal ground to the chassis, but it allows the chassis to be a shield for the electronics and it improves performance. It's explained in this rane note 151 (see fig 4)... Grounding and Shielding Audio Devices


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mr.Duck* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I agree. I think it needs a dedicated earth wire for safety. Like others have said. Another reason would be... imagine if another user had to replace the IEC inlet somewhere down the line. If there was a dedicated earth wire there is no problem, but if they replace the inlet with one that's not grounded to the chassis, then that creates a dangerous situation (they might not even realize, not everything requires a safety earth)._

 

This is getting ridiculous. If someone undertakes replacing the IEC inlet they had better know enough to check that they are replacing it in-kind in terms of functionality. If they don't that's their problem, not the original builder/designer's. If you chose to design and build your gear to deal with every hypothetical situation kudos to you, but there's nothing wrong that I can see with the way this amp was built. As far as I'm aware it is not being marketed as a commercial product so I think we can stop harping on this now.


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_John,

 One more question/comment, please tell me that those heat sinks are bolted to the bottom panel of the amp in some way and not merely supported by their connection to the pcb._

 

Nate, as well as being bolted on the pcb, each FET screw is bolted through to the chassis. In total there’s 16 bolts, 8 for the 2 pcbs and 4 bolts per heatsink. The heatsinks rest on the bottom and take the weight, the length of the stand-offs became critical as I also didn’t want to flex the pcb board’s, hence nuts and washers were used also.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is getting ridiculous. If someone undertakes replacing the IEC inlet they had better know enough to check that they are replacing it in-kind in terms of functionality. If they don't that's their problem, not the original builder/designer's. If you chose to design and build your gear to deal with every hypothetical situation kudos to you, but there's nothing wrong that I can see with the way this amp was built. As far as I'm aware it is not being marketed as a commercial product so I think we can stop harping on this now._

 

Clearly, John should have opted for the Digikey cardboard box chassis, as it has a much lower possibility of grounding issues 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






 John: Didn't say it earlier but beautiful work!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

John, thats one of the best pieces thats been shown here, ignore the nit picking

 I wish I could make something that good

 cheers
 FRED


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks guys, 

 I’ve been paranoid about turning the bloody kettle on this morning


----------



## shawn_low

Just wanted to tout the handiwork of Oya!? (Aristya).

 I bought this Jaycar SCHA Amp he built. Builder's notes:

_It's got pretty much all the standard A.K. mods outlined in the tweaks thread over at the Rock Grotto forums, and a JLH board built on protoboard. It's not as pretty as a proper PCB but it works great! Input caps are soldered onto Molex-style two-pin connectors and plugged in. Parts are standard as recommended for the mods. It's got the usual Alps pot, the headphone jack is switched in case you want to add additional line-out. The opamp is a LM4562MA. The whole amp was recently moved into a brand new 1U metal enclosure and looks very sleek (excluding the mounting feet, it's almost as thin as my TC-7510). It's very clean and quiet and sounds great, gain is standard. Please have a look at the pics below._


----------



## elliot42

Finally! Someone bought it. That Jaycar amp had been up FS for so long 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Congrats on the purchase, I'm sure you will enjoy it. It's a great amp, especially with the upgrades; and Oya's build looks very neat.


----------



## Hottuna_

Looking good John. 
 Some excellent workmanship yet again.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *forsakenrider* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Im looking to buld a switch box like this, but have no idea what to look for in rotary switched! a 2P6T would be about right?_

 

Are you going to switch the ground as well? Then you will need a three pole. Mouser.com has a bunch of reasonably priced ones. I used 2 3P4T by Lorlin and they were about $6 each.


----------



## fault151

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *dean0* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Jaycar SCHA A.K. Modified, JLH PSU Addon 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	














_

 

Very very nice!!!


----------



## pabbi1

This is a prototype from Dr. Cavalli - all SS (much to my chagrin), with the top plate (copper!) inbound. I'll have this at CanJam, and may even make it balanced by then. Each board is psu and one signal channel, so balanced would be a 4 board solution. The trafo is a 60vct, 400ma, running with no stress - it might even push 4 boards. 

 That I agreed to build (and listen to) a SS amp, much less Single Ended speaks for itself. Still in burn in, but so far it sounds just fabulous with the hd800. It is super fast, with plenty of reserve, which is exactly what the hd800 needs to drive it. This should pair VERY well with the HE-5, which I'll verify in the next couple of weeks.

 And, yes, I am using a crappy ALPS rh27 - it is a proto, so, who knew? That will be upgraded.

 More about balanced mode as it materializes. Full writeup as I hit the 100 hour burn mark, and run a few other phones through it.


----------



## sachu

Man..Dr.Cavalli sure is busy cranking circuits out..wonder what else he is going to pull out of his bag. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Would love to hear it..I like the form factor and design of the boards. Nice clean build too Al. 

 Wish I was going to Canjam.


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is a prototype from Dr. Cavalli - all SS (much to my chagrin), with the top plate (copper!) inbound. I'll have this at CanJam, and may even make it balanced by then. Each board is psu and one signal channel, so balanced would be a 4 board solution. The trafo is a 60vct, 400ma, running with no stress - it might even push 4 boards. 

 ..._

 

Nice Job! 

 Would love to see it at CanJam along with some of your other amps. I'm trying to swing the trip, but it's the day after my anniversary.


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice Job! 

 Would love to see it at CanJam along with some of your other amps. I'm trying to swing the trip, but it's the day after my anniversary._

 

It's the day before my daughter's birthday, i.e. man up Kerry, buy her something shiny and get it done.


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_It's the day before my daughter's birthday, i.e. man up Kerry, buy her something shiny and get it done. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

LOL 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Not a bad idea. I was trying to think of how to bring up the trip


----------



## pabbi1

I'll have all my amps there... and, hopefully, your beautiful psu will actually drive some signal. That is next on my plate as this just kinda popped up - or, as i like to think, was traded for something.

 But, I have solved my problem for how to make the hd800 rock... even single ended.


----------



## MrMajestic2

While waiting for spares for a couple of B22s, I finally got a balanced Diamante up and running. Very temporary wiring with crappy cable, but its working and sounding pretty good. Sorry for the awful iPhone photo, but its all I have access to at the moment.


----------



## adamus

dont turn it up with phones connected. test the offset first at all pot positions. 

 Basically the design required you to either use caps between boards and pot, or some modifications. I am yet to get mine working to a satisfactory point.


----------



## TimJo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is a prototype from Dr. Cavalli - all SS (much to my chagrin), with the top plate (copper!) inbound. I'll have this at CanJam, and may even make it balanced by then. Each board is psu and one signal channel, so balanced would be a 4 board solution. The trafo is a 60vct, 400ma, running with no stress - it might even push 4 boards. 

 That I agreed to build (and listen to) a SS amp, much less Single Ended speaks for itself. Still in burn in, but so far it sounds just fabulous with the hd800. It is super fast, with plenty of reserve, which is exactly what the hd800 needs to drive it. This should pair VERY well with the HE-5, which I'll verify in the next couple of weeks.

 And, yes, I am using a crappy ALPS rh27 - it is a proto, so, who knew? That will be upgraded.

 More about balanced mode as it materializes. Full writeup as I hit the 100 hour burn mark, and run a few other phones through it._

 

Hmmm... A new design. I can't wait to see what Alex is up to this time. I like the idea of the ps and amp on a single board. Any other tidbits you'd like to give us on the design? Keep us posted...


----------



## dorkvader

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nebby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Clearly, John should have opted for the Digikey cardboard box chassis, as it has a much lower possibility of grounding issues 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 John: Didn't say it earlier but beautiful work!_

 

To be fair, I'm fixing that as soon as possible. Also: it was the perfect size, how could I resist?

 I've got some sweet heatshrink, quick connect pins, and solid core wire with which to work later (bytheway, solid core is hard to work with, it's like a coathanger, I used pliers.) I plan on having the finished amp up to code.

 Also: _I_ really liked johnwmclean's build. I was especially impressed with the heatsink mounting work, when I read, I nodded slowly, and raised my eyebrows, an indication of how impressed I was.

 Fortunately for me, I can draw inspiration to all the great builds in this topic.


----------



## regal

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'll have all my amps there... and, hopefully, your beautiful psu will actually drive some signal. That is next on my plate as this just kinda popped up - or, as i like to think, was traded for something.

 But, I have solved my problem for how to make the hd800 rock... even single ended._

 

Is it single ended as in no NFB or as in unbalanced?


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is it single ended as in no NFB or as in unbalanced?_

 

Unbalanced...


----------



## nikongod

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is it single ended as in no NFB or as in unbalanced?_

 

You can make a single ended amp with global feedback, or a push pull without.


----------



## regal

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nikongod* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You can make a single ended amp with global feedback, or a push pull without._

 

True should have said "common collector amplifier" or "common emitter amplifier" maybe, basically with Alex making a new SS design I suspect some Nelson Pass inspired design, just curious.


----------



## runeight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *regal* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_True should have said "common collector amplifier" or "common emitter amplifier" maybe, basically with Alex making a new SS design I suspect some Nelson Pass inspired design, just curious._

 

Very gracious of Al to proto this amp to prove out the design. Seems to be working well.

 Regal, so far as I am familiar with Nelson's amps, this amp is not inspired by his work. It is simply putting together pieces that I have explored at some length into a slightly different version of their combined use. But, you guys know that in the analog audio world hardly anything is ever new, it's just a matter of using the pieces that were developed 80 years ago (and some more recently) in different ways.

 With this amp I was simply trying to make an excellent SS headphone amp that is relatively simple. Maybe I'll get lucky and achieve that.


----------



## the_equalizer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrMajestic2* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_While waiting for spares for a couple of B22s, I finally got a balanced Diamante up and running. Very temporary wiring with crappy cable, but its working and sounding pretty good. Sorry for the awful iPhone photo, but its all I have access to at the moment.

 </snip>_

 


 Nice! That looks like something I'd like to build. Did you buy the boards somewhere or did you etch them yourself ?


----------



## Lil' Knight

My second build after the SSMH, the balanced Mini3. Both of the Mini3 boards are fed by a TREAD. Power switch is the latching, illuminated Lamptron (pretty much the same as Bulgin), XLR inputs only but I'm using a XLR-RCA converter to use my SE DAC. Pretty nice sounding, little balanced amp I must say. The K1000 is merely for decoration 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's driving my balanced PK1s and KSC35s perfectly.


----------



## johnwmclean

Good work!
 Poor fella’s ears are way above the K1000’s drivers, put em on properly man!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *the_equalizer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nice! That looks like something I'd like to build. Did you buy the boards somewhere or did you etch them yourself ?_

 

I arranged a groupbuy over at diyaudio and I kept a few for myself.


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *runeight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_With this amp I was simply trying to make an excellent SS headphone amp that is relatively simple. Maybe I'll get lucky and achieve that. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

And, Dr Cavalli has delivered. In honor, I finished out Liquid Gold as fittingly as I could... funny how a tube fan (marginal sand hatah) gets the first shot at a great new sand amp. Of course, the post would be useless without pics:


----------



## sachu

^^ Looks sweet Al..however, where's the ventilation?


----------



## pabbi1

Funny thing - after running for 6 hours, the top isn't even warm to the touch. I was waiting to see how many vent holes it needed, and the answer is none. .0125 copper seems to be a really efficient heat sink, but even with a perforated aluminum bottom, and top, it never generated any heat (2.5" heatsinks).

 A truly green amp.


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_And, Dr Cavalli has delivered. In honor, I finished out Liquid Gold as fittingly as I could... funny how a tube fan (marginal sand hatah) gets the first shot at a great new sand amp. Of course, the post would be useless without pics:_

 

That looks nice. Looking forward to more impressions later.


----------



## m11a1

Just finished the Gamma 2. Definitely my most fun build and it sounds awesome too!


----------



## n_maher

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_A truly green amp._

 

Pffft. 

 Nice work Al, looks nice and I'm happy to hear that it's running without issue.


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *n_maher* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Pffft. 

 Nice work Al, looks nice and I'm happy to hear that it's running without issue._

 

Not my usual style, huh? Credit to the creator that a FET prototype can be built successfully on the first try.


----------



## Trysaeder

My first DIY, I'm 16 and I learnt my solder skills in year 8.

 Now when that Icelandic volcano stops having its period, I can finally complete this thing (missing opamp and 2w 1ohm resistor)


----------



## G.Trenchev

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *G.Trenchev* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_







_

 




 Having nothing to do today I've re-wired the amp and biased the opamps in class A.
 Sound is a step better now


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *runeight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very gracious of Al to proto this amp to prove out the design. Seems to be working well.

 Regal, so far as I am familiar with Nelson's amps, this amp is not inspired by his work. It is simply putting together pieces that I have explored at some length into a slightly different version of their combined use. But, you guys know that in the analog audio world hardly anything is ever new, it's just a matter of using the pieces that were developed 80 years ago (and some more recently) in different ways.

 With this amp I was simply trying to make an excellent SS headphone amp that is relatively simple. Maybe I'll get lucky and achieve that. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

So, Alex, whats the next step for your new baby? Need a larger group of prototypers? (raising hand) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Can't wait to see this out in the wild.


----------



## Nebby

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *m11a1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just finished the Gamma 2. Definitely my most fun build and it sounds awesome too!_

 

just finished mine as well!






 Agreed on the fun build + sounds awesome


----------



## sachu

nice and clean build you got there Nebby..


----------



## Spacehead

Nice looking builds! 

 that M3 looks neat! Good work!


----------



## kuroguy

This is a three channel active ground source follower headphone amp. The heat sink and volume knob are also DIY. Most of this amp came from my parts box. I scavenged a vandal resistant stop cover for a Sloan flush valve at work and turned a core from some scrap Delrin I had on my lathe to build the volume knob and I machined the heat sink using a chop saw and drill press. The front panel is just a scrap of bronze Acrylic I had laying around and the base is a scrap of Maple from my wood bin. She sounds wonderful and is a great conversation piece to boot.


----------



## MrSlim

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *kuroguy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_This is a three channel active ground source follower headphone amp. The heat sink and volume knob are also DIY. Most of this amp came from my parts box. I scavenged a vandal resistant stop cover for a Sloan flush valve at work and turned a core from some scrap Delrin I had on my lathe to build the volume knob and I machined the heat sink using a chop saw and drill press. The front panel is just a scrap of bronze Acrylic I had laying around and the base is a scrap of Maple from my wood bin. She sounds wonderful and is a great conversation piece to boot._

 

Very cool, extreme DIY at its finest. Is there a design you based the circuit on that you can share?


----------



## kuroguy

Started here: RJM Audio - Szekeres VE Headphone Buffer then added a volume control with capacitive coupling and a power supply, etc.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MrSlim* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Very cool, extreme DIY at its finest. Is there a design you based the circuit on that you can share?_


----------



## cobaltmute

PGA2311/Arduino based two input source selector and rotary encoder based volume control.

 Still one or two issues to overcome so more comments later...


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *cobaltmute* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_



 PGA2311/Arduino based two input source selector and rotary encoder based volume control.

 Still one or two issues to overcome so more comments later..._

 

wow...that is effin sweet!!!


----------



## Spacehead

PPA style headphone amplifier with buffered ground and left right.

 The left and right channels are driven by NJM4556, each dual op amp is configured so that one half is buffer and another is the gain stage. So 2 duals in this amplifier.

 Then the ground channel is TLE2426dip+OPA1642+Intersil HA-5002 buffer

 Power supply is LM317 configured to 13V. It has Cadj and Cout capacitors. 

 I am now listening to it, it can drive my Philips SHP2500 to insane volumes so there is enough current output, about 150 mA per channel + 400 mA on ground channel. 
 Voltage gain is 22K/4.7K+1 = 5.6X 
 there is no hiss in background. 

 I intend to sell this amplifier for 60 euros once I get those wires cleaned up and good case for it. 













 It sounds very close to my PPAv2. Very transparent and powerful.


----------



## mrtndoog

Do you have a circuit, its hard to follow the picture


----------



## immtbiker

This picture looks very similar to a map of the NYC subway system, however, I trust that it runs far more efficiently


----------



## Ferrari

I haven’t post here for a while. This time, not a fully cased up amp but a naked Pimeta with AD797 + quad-stacked BUF634, partly on perf-board, which I have used to teach. (my students seems to like it naked 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )

 The amp is feeding by a LM317T based 24V PS. The orange capacitors on the PS part are Sikorel (4400µF).


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *immtbiker* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_





 This picture looks very similar to a map of the NYC subway system, however, I trust that it runs far more efficiently 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Yeah there is a lot of wire. I needed to test it quickly so I used wires left over from previous projects. 
 I have been testing it and I prefer the sound to my PPAv2, maybe because there was involved some precious smd work.

 I will post a better picture, sorry about that mess.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *mrtndoog* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do you have a circuit, its hard to follow the picture_

 

No I don't have a schematic but I remember it.

 Ground channel
 TLE2426->OPA1642->HA-5002<-back to opa1642 with 1K feedback resistor->ground out

 left and right is sijosae's work


----------



## the_equalizer

My Millett MiniMAX and Bantam DAC. Lovely sound out of this pair!


----------



## Lil' Knight

Looks very nice. What's the case for the Bantam?


----------



## the_equalizer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks very nice. What's the case for the Bantam?_

 

Thanks ! The case is nothing special, a cheap ($2.50 USD) plastic enclosure from a local electronics provider.










 cheers!


----------



## Lil' Knight

Looks pretty much the same like the Hammond. But $33? I hope it's not in USD.


----------



## the_equalizer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks pretty much the same like the Hammond. But $33? I hope it's not in USD._

 

Certainly not ! The price is about $2.50 ~ $2.75 USD.


----------



## m11a1

Your setup looks great equalizer's!


----------



## Spacehead

Super CMOY for op amp testing:






 50K Alpha pot set to 0 ohm
 2200 uF Panasonic smoothing capacitance
 LM317 with Cout and Cadj, set to 24V
 Ground channel 
 Tle2426 -> Various op amps -> OPA633 with heatsink for maximum power output

 MKP X2 style input capacitors, with 100 kOhm input impedance = corner frequency 4.8 Hz 
 SMD and through hole cmoy core
 Feedback resistor soldered to pins 6+7 and 1+2 , 12K 
 R3 3K , gain = 5X 
 Opamp stabilized with 0.1 uF caps on power pins and Ferrite beads on pins 1 and 7

 In the pic AD8620 
 Currently running ADA4898-1 with singles to dual adapter. 

 When used with op amps that have the current output, this amplifier can drive 32 ohm headphones to very loud volumes without too much distortion!

 There is absolutely no hiss when there is silent signal. 

 Again this is in testing phase so I will put it neatly when I think it is ready.


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I haven’t post here for a while. This time, not a fully cased up amp but a naked Pimeta with AD797 + quad-stacked BUF634, partly on perf-board, which I have used to teach. (my students seems to like it naked 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )_

 

Now that's what I call a real Stacker! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Excellent work as always Ferrari. I have a few of those protoboards, and I never thought about using them on the bottom like that - I will now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I wouldn't mind seeing a close up pic of those chips stacked.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Spacehead* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Super CMOY for op amp testing:
 Again this is in testing phase so I will put it neatly when I think it is ready._

 

I hope this doesn't offend & you said it was a test bed, but I did get a chuckle when I saw that picture. 
 As if the parts, wire & glue were tossed into a container, shaken up & then the lid opened


----------



## the_equalizer

Just today I recovered my Beezar Millett "Starving Student" hybrid, as the friend I sold it to had to let it go. Since this was my first 'serious' DIY amp, I decided it had to come back home.

 Some pics


----------



## Lil' Knight

Neat work. 
 The SSMH is indeed an excellent amp.


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *the_equalizer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just today I recovered my Beezar Millett "Starving Student" hybrid, as the friend I sold it to had to let it go. Since this was my first 'serious' DIY amp, I decided it had to come back home.

 Some pics..._

 

That's really pretty and professional looking. It appeals to me a lot more than the early messy-looking point to point wired SSH amps that came out, including the one I had someone build for my son. The MSSH is a great little amp, and the only other thing I would change in the rds kit that I bought is maybe a nicer volume pot that would have less channel imbalance at extreme low volumes (so it can be used with IEM).


----------



## Lil' Knight

What pot was that it your SSMH?


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_What pot was that it your SSMH?_

 

In mine? It has whatever volume pot that head-fi user "rds" chose for the few kits that he put parts together for. He sold the parts kit for about $60 to several head-fi members, including me. I had -=someone=- wire up my kit for my son's 11th birthday, using a NASCAR candy tin that he supplied for me. If I recall Whiplash audio was selling completed rds kits at his cost for a little while. Maybe they know?


----------



## the_equalizer

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Neat work. 
 The SSMH is indeed an excellent amp._

 

 Quote:


  Originally Posted by *HeadphoneAddict* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That's really pretty and professional looking. It appeals to me a lot more than the early messy-looking point to point wired SSH amps that came out, including the one I had someone build for my son. The MSSH is a great little amp, and the only other thing I would change in the rds kit that I bought is maybe a nicer volume pot that would have less channel imbalance at extreme low volumes (so it can be used with IEM)._

 

Thanks guys! The Beezar PCB and custom Hammond case made it easy to make a neat, clean build. Though indeed, in keeping with the "Starving Student" spirit, the volume pot is nothing to write home about. Still, in a P2P build it would be easy to replace it with something better; I remember reading about a P2P build that used a stepped attenuator. 

 I clearly remember looking at pictures of your NASCAR amp when I was researching for my first P2P build. Your son must have *loved* his birthday present!

 cheers!


----------



## JamesL

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *HeadphoneAddict* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_the only other thing I would change in the rds kit that I bought is maybe a nicer volume pot that would have less channel imbalance at extreme low volumes (so it can be used with IEM)._

 

I added a 200k resistor to the input which really helped in this regard. Doing so effectively truncates the latter portion of the pot(the last 30% if I did my math correctly), but it gives better travel overall, and full attenuation when fully counterclockwise.


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *the_equalizer* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Thanks guys! The Beezar PCB and custom Hammond case made it easy to make a neat, clean build. Though indeed, in keeping with the "Starving Student" spirit, the volume pot is nothing to write home about. Still, in a P2P build it would be easy to replace it with something better; I remember reading about a P2P build that used a stepped attenuator. 

 I clearly remember looking at pictures of your NASCAR amp when I was researching for my first P2P build. Your son must have *loved* his birthday present!

 cheers!_

 

My young "HeadFanatic" is indeed a lucky boy, and somewhat spoiled to boot, but I'm expecting him to take me in when I am old and poor. 

 He does love the MSSH, which he keeps in his bedroom with a CD player and iPod dock. He uses some Grado HF-2 and Senn HD25-1 II with it (which he paid for with his savings). I have an eXStatA hybrid electrostatic amp planned for him, to use with his SR-Lambda and SR-80 electrets. Wiatrob has the stuffed boards and agreed to case it up for me, so I'll give it to my son as soon as I receive it (if Bill can finish it). Right now my son uses a Stax transformer off the Nuforce Icon, which really does keep him happy.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JamesL* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I added a 200k resistor to the input which really helped in this regard. Doing so effectively truncates the latter portion of the pot(the last 30% if I did my math correctly), but it gives better travel overall, and full attenuation when fully counterclockwise._

 

Thanks! I'll look into doing that.


----------



## digi01

recently building,6dj8 push 6L6G single ended poweramp/headamp.

 look,







 wiring,i made it p2p.











 zang


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pixeljedi* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Now that's what I call a real Stacker! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 ... I wouldn't mind seeing a close up pic of those chips stacked._

 


 I'm not good in making close up but here is a try.
 For a little chip based amp, it sounds pretty good to my ears.


----------



## Beefy

Nice. I really should build a Pimeta one of these days, just for shivs'n'giggles......


----------



## pixeljedi

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm not good in making close up but here is a try.
 For a little chip based amp, it sounds pretty good to my ears. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

Thanks Ferrari, very cool work.


----------



## sandbasser

Ferrari -

 Beautiful... 

 Do those stacked BUF634 buffers really help enough to justify the added cost???
 I'd like to see a photo of the bottom of the setup. I'm curious how the Sikorels connect (and the other stuff too).

 Thanks for sharing - your work is inspirational to a noobie like me.

 Regards,


----------



## Ferrari

The Sikorels are put in parallel, thick solid copper lead is used to keep parasitic inductance and resistance as low as possible.

 Whether the stacked BUF634 buffers really help enough to justify the added cost is not easy to answer.
 Most noticeable is going from a single to 2 stacked. The additional (3rd and 4th) stacked buffers are less noticeable.
 However the sound improvement is also depending on what kind of OpAmp is applied in the first stage.
 Going from OPA134 to AD 797BRZ makes a big different, in a good sense.

 The stacked BUF634 buffers I’m using here are from a group buy organized by my students, the cost is therefore quite acceptable.


----------



## MASantos

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Whether the stacked BUF634 buffers really help enough to justify the added cost is not easy to answer.
 Most noticeable is going from a single to 2 stacked. The additional (3rd and 4th) stacked buffers are less noticeable._

 


 I also noticed an improvement when adding a second buffer to my pimeta. I used one smd on the bottom side and one dip8. I never added more to try since that would require soldering them up and possibly ruining the ic's.


----------



## JSTpt1022

Random blurry cell phone shots of the mess that is my senior design project (work in progress).













 Behold the mysterious black box...


----------



## Spacehead

I have had so bad difficulties making good cases for my amplifiers. I don't have measuring tools for doing holes in exactly right places, I have only 135W multi-tool for grinding and drilling. I estimate by eye and then drill through. That either works or not. 

 I managed to stuff a good CMOY into very small case that was for op amp samples from Intersil. 

 With AD8620 and OPA1642 and Intersil HA-5002 buffer on the ground sound is very good. Nice texture and strong bass. OPA1642 is excellent on ground channel but not so good on left and right, there is now good synergy between op amps. 

 I first tried Sijosae's Class AB core there, but I couldn't get it to work right and got mad and changed it to my special SMD breadboard Cmoy. Feedback loop is only couple millimeters long (one resistor between -I and Output)
 This was pain in the ass to get it working right. So small space means that something seems to go wrong as I crammed the stuff into the case, maybe some wire got loose and so on. It took two days!! Now I am listening to it and offset is high still, 10 mV on both channels. Runs on one 9V external battery. I don't yet know if that will work in a shaky bus trips. Any tips appreciated!


----------



## cyberspyder

Klon Centaur guitar pedal clone.
















 Brendan


----------



## Kerry

Here's some Stax jacks I just made. I used 3/4" Teflon round stock. I drilled the holes on a drill press using a template I made. 

 They are meant to be mounted on a PCB, which is then mounted to the front of the amp chassis.






 I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out. They accept my Stax headphones very well.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Spacehead* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_








_

 

two more pictures of it: 




 Please give me some comments out of this layout. It is for high speed op amps. 





 I feel always that I need to be sorry for showing this mess. Forgive me. 

 The sound improved a lot now that I added 47 ohm output resistor and closed the feedback loop after it! Now output impedance is 0.01 ohm with OPA2613. 

 The improvements have got the DC offset down to 0.1 mV. Input impedances are now matched to 12K. 
 With OPA2613 and Intersil HA-5002 on the ground current output is very high and it can drive any headphones. Designed for 32 ohm though. Sound is tight and strong. Need to find best sounding op amp to left and right...
 Reliability is a question still. 
 Should I attach the wires somehow? I have never made a portable amplifier.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Spacehead* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Please give me some comments out of this layout. It is for high speed op amps. 

 I feel always that I need to be sorry for showing this mess. Forgive me. _

 

Admittedly it is a bit of a mess, yes I know it's a bit harsh and yes you are using smt, but it could be a lot cleaner. Having everything crammed into that box like that is going to make it harder to fix/change any problems/bugs that might arise.

 Wouldn't it be better to draw up a schematic for that amp and figure out a small form factor layout, rather than adding bits here and there? Normally I'd prototype a circuit on a breadboard first until I was happy with the circuit, then draw up how I'd connect it on a proto board then finalise it.

 Even if you had the whole board laid out properly but still undecided on certain components, you could make them swappable, but normally that would be done in the prototyping stage.

 Just my two pennies worth, feel free to argue anything with me.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Wouldn't it be better to draw up a schematic for that amp and figure out a small form factor layout, rather than adding bits here and there? Normally I'd prototype a circuit on a breadboard first until I was happy with the circuit, then draw up how I'd connect it on a proto board then finalise it.

 Even if you had the whole board laid out properly but still undecided on certain components, you could make them swappable, but normally that would be done in the prototyping stage.

 Just my two pennies worth, feel free to argue anything with me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I have still yet started using schematic programs. Simple op amp circuit doesn't need one, I have it on my mind. 

 That is my first implementation of cmoy with only SMD resistors. It is pretty cool that I got it working. I now have EL1516 on there, that is 350 Mhz op amp and it isn't running hot and there is only about 20 mV offset. So I guess it isn't oscillating.

 I have thought about doing it into one single piece of breadboard. But it is working fine, so why would I bother? (I will some time, I know). I have been changing the resistor values and added some decoupling capacitors. I am in a point where I don't need too much modifying. 

 What I am missing is the ground plane! I have read some Analog's and Linear's documents and as I don't have ground plane, performance suffers a lot. But is that audible, I don't know? 

 Now I hope that the layout is small enough so that I don't hear cell phone network changing beeps when I am traveling with a bus. Feedback loop is about 1/32 inch long. Is that small enough?

 I am enjoying music through this amplifier now. It sounds pretty hifi actually. Quite close to PPA v2 performance with proper high current op amp. Very silent too with battery.


----------



## El_Doug

i love the connectors, Kerry! 

 very clean and sophisticated-looking


----------



## Pageygeeza

The Only reason I mentioned drawing up the schematic for it is so you could optimize the layout. I did it by drawing the circuit on some squared paper and positioning all the components to make sure channels didn't cross, keeping it tidy and generally keeping a small profile. A lot of those wires inside that box aren't necessary and will only pick up RF interference easier, which leads onto the noises you get from phones through amplifiers. I've reboxed my CmoyBB into a plastic project box and that is a very optimized circuit and yet that still picks up phone signals. As for the ground plane, you won't be able to implement it into that circuit properly. Though I would love to see the schematics for it so I could see how it could be better arranged, I have a few prototyping ideas that might be beneficial to your project.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Though I would love to see the schematics for it so I could see how it could be better arranged, I have a few prototyping ideas that might be beneficial to your project._

 

I am interested

 Left and right: 







 ground channel:


----------



## Pageygeeza

Need a bit more info on that setup Spacehead. I need to know your virtual ground setup too. I also need to know how you are attaching the inputs and outputs to the channels.

 Just one thing to clarify, I'm a relative noob too, so I might need correcting.

 Is the feedback loop on the L+R channels really necessary? The way I'm reading it is that you're feeding the signal from the end of the amp into the headphones but returning it back to the input stage of the amp? If that is correct then the signal returns from each channel via the ground not the channel it's feeding.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Need a bit more info on that setup Spacehead. I need to know your virtual ground setup too. I also need to know how you are attaching the inputs and outputs to the channels.

 Just one thing to clarify, I'm a relative noob too, so I might need correcting.

 Is the feedback loop on the L+R channels really necessary? The way I'm reading it is that you're feeding the signal from the end of the amp into the headphones but returning it back to the input stage of the amp? If that is correct then the signal returns from each channel via the ground not the channel it's feeding._

 

that ground channel op amp gets virtual ground signal from TLE2426 through R1

 input jack left and right is connected to C1 and continues from there on. signal ground is driven by ground channel op amp before buffer

 output jack is connected to left and right channel op amp after the 47 resistor

 output jacks ground is connected to ground channel buffers output

 feedback loop sets the gain
 it is necessary that R3 is connected to ground, it is reference point 
 op amp sees ground 15K away and output 47K away
 it tries to catch up these differences and amplifies the signal so that these points are reached. but it can only amplify to its output, so R3 stay referenced and R4 gets the output signal back to -Input so that op amp knows it is doing the right thing
 In simple words, it tries to make both inputs the same voltage


----------



## Pageygeeza

Ok, think I've got my head around it now. I'll need to know your power supply/virtual ground supply setup so I can put it onto the same board. Or I might be able to design it as a plug-in module.

 Just one other thing, though this might be up for debate..... Which way round does the ground channel go? Going by current flow the input would be from the headphones, so it'll going the opposite direction to the channel amps themselves. Is this correct?


----------



## pabbi1

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's some Stax jacks I just made. I used 3/4" Teflon round stock. I drilled the holes on a drill press using a template I made. 

 They are meant to be mounted on a PCB, which is then mounted to the front of the amp chassis.

 I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out. They accept my Stax headphones very well._

 

Where did you source the pins?

 I make the backer pieces (just made 2 yesterday), where I use some 5/8" rosewood (or whatever scrap I have in 7/8").

 The process I use is:
 1. Start with 1.125" or 1.25" square material
 2. Draw a cross from the corners to get a center point
 3. Use a circle template (or compass) to mark the screw holes at 1.125"
 4. Use a 7/8" Forstner bit to drill to depth
 5. Drill the balance with a 3/4" Forstner (5/8" is marginally ok, but rubs the pins).
 6. Drill the screwholes.

 Should take no more than about 15 minutes once you have the sized stock. This is exactly why I save every scrap of wood from all my projects. Delrin or something more exotic might be better, but wood is expedient.

 The attached are walnut 7/8" stock, but I like the rosewood better.


----------



## nattonrice

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Kerry* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Here's some Stax jacks I just made._

 

So that's where all those connex pins that you bought went 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Great work~ They look fantastic!


----------



## Kerry

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *pabbi1* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Where did you source the pins?

 I make the backer pieces (just made 2 yesterday), where I use some 5/8" rosewood (or whatever scrap I have in 7/8").

 ..._

 

I sourced them from a group buy that Luvdunhill did not so long ago. I know that he has made a number of completed jacks that you might be able to source from him.

 I was planning on just mounting them to a PCB and mount the PCB to the front chassis with some standoffs. If it needs more strength, I might sandwich the PCB between some FR4.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *nattonrice* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_So that's where all those connex pins that you bought went 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Great work~ They look fantastic!_

 

Yes and thank you. I'm just very DIY and like to build as much as possible for my projects.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ok, think I've got my head around it now. I'll need to know your power supply/virtual ground supply setup so I can put it onto the same board. Or I might be able to design it as a plug-in module.

 Just one other thing, though this might be up for debate..... Which way round does the ground channel go? Going by current flow the input would be from the headphones, so it'll going the opposite direction to the channel amps themselves. Is this correct?_

 

parallel with the battery is 470 uF capacitor then comes TLE2426

 no it is not correct, ground channel input is from TLE2426 output


----------



## Pageygeeza

Think I may have not made myself very clear. I wasn't referring to the opamp, I was referring to the whole ground amp circuit. You have the input and output on the ground amp, I didn't mean change those. I meant where the inputs and outputs are coming from/going to. Basically the way I see it, the ground input to the circuit should be coming from the headphone and the output going back to the virtual ground.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Think I may have not made myself very clear. I wasn't referring to the opamp, I was referring to the whole ground amp circuit. You have the input and output on the ground amp, I didn't mean change those. I meant where the inputs and outputs are coming from/going to. Basically the way I see it, the ground input to the circuit should be coming from the headphone and the output going back to the virtual ground._

 

You can think it as return channel too. Ground channel drives the ground wire.


----------



## Ferrari

With some parts from my parts bin, I have made this 3-channel amp yesterday.
 It was a good perf-board exercise for me, and the amp works flawlessly from first power up, sounds very good without hum or hiss.
 Some details: power supply based on LM317T, all electrolytic capacitors on board are Sikorel (~5500µF).
 Opamps are AD843 biased into class A following by stacked BUF634.


----------



## Voodoochile

That's pretty elegant, Ferrari!
 I like the AD843 well, though am not as much a fan of the BUF634.

 Excellent for a parts project!


----------



## the_equalizer

Wow... such a nice clean build ! (as usual for Ferrari).


----------



## Pageygeeza

Nice stuff Ferrari, very clean and tidy. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Do we get and underneath shot?


----------



## immtbiker

Nice and clean and effective. Just the way I like it. 

 Monk would be proud


----------



## JSTpt1022

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Do we get and underneath shot? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


_

 

I'd be interested in seeing that as well.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Ferrari* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_With some parts from my parts bin, I have made this 3-channel amp yesterday._

 

Looks amazing. So clean. 

 It's funny that a couple pages back I saw an exactly opposite amp.


----------



## vixr

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Lil' Knight* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Looks amazing. So clean. 

 It's funny that a couple pages back I saw an exactly opposite amp._

 

hahahahaaa!!! like night and day


----------



## johnwmclean

I love that “parts bin”, it just keeps giving. Beautiful work Ferrari.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *johnwmclean* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I love that “parts bin”, it just keeps giving. Beautiful work Ferrari._

 

Was thinking that myself, it's one awesome "parts bin". I want one!


----------



## T.B.N.

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *JSTpt1022* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'd be interested in seeing that as well._

 

I'll third that, I would love to see the underside!


----------



## Ferrari

Thanks for the kind words gents!
 Here is a shot of the underside. I’m clearly not good as some experienced perf-boarders here (Fitz, Seaside…) but I’m quite happy with the results. (The in/outputs are going through teflon cable from/to the connectors at the front side).
 I was sitting back with a pencil and paper to make a raw sketch in less than an hour, but it takes almost 8 hours hard work to solder the thing together. Followed by an half hour testing… the job was done and the amp working.
   
   

   
   
   
  … and the little perf-board amp in action.


----------



## balderon

Very nice work Ferrari!


----------



## Pageygeeza

That's really clean Ferrari!  Looks almost bomb proof.


----------



## Spacehead

And I again feel sick because my builds are so ugly. THIS IS A beauty contest isn't it?


----------



## cobaltmute

Ferrari - Excellent work.
   
  Do you think you could do a post or a thread about how you go about getting the work so clean?  Like how you go from the schematic to such a clean layout?
   
  I really appreciate clean work like this, but I can never quite manage it so I give up and always design myself a PCB.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote: 





cobaltmute said:


> Ferrari - Excellent work.
> 
> Do you think you could do a post or a thread about how you go about getting the work so clean?  Like how you go from the schematic to such a clean layout?
> 
> I really appreciate clean work like this, but I can never quite manage it so I give up and always design myself a PCB.


 
   
  I'm pretty sure the way he does it is sketch up on paper roughly where the components go and basically draw up all connections.  Saves putting it together to find it doesn't work/look too good and redo it.  Just keep optimising it on paper, then when you're happy build it.  I actually use that method and it works flawlessly.


----------



## cobaltmute

I was hoping to find out any secrets.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  The layout I get.  It's how to do you solder and run the wires on the bottom so cleanly.  Never been able to get a board that neat.


----------



## Ferrari

What Pageygeeza said is indeed roughly what I have done. Actually there is no secret in doing perf-board.
  I will try to write down what (how) I have done (it).
   
*Layout:*
 The power supply is quite simple, but the amp part is more complicated and requires some more attention. With a pencil, I started to sketch one channel of the amp up on paper, all components and the associated connections while keep the signal path as short-and-logic as possible.
 Important here is understanding the components and circuits properly and how they are connected.
 Then copy this optimized channel of the amp to the other 2 channels (3-channel amp in my case).
   
*Stuffing parst:*
 Start with stuffing all the part on the perf-board, as you sketched but don’t solder them completely yet.
 The resistors can be semi-fixed on the perf-board by bending the resistor leads. Other components like transistors, IC-sockets, trimpots… can be semi-fixed on the perf-board by soldering only 1 pin of the component (easier to change or replace). Double-check the (number of the) parts against the schematics.

*Soldering:*
 Try to work structurally, first the power supply traces since you will need them, no matter how many channels the amp has. Then the amp part, try to complete 1 channel first. Check and re-check everything to be sure that all components are correctly mounted and soldered. When this is done, simply copy it to the other channels of the amp.
   
  I’m not sure if this is a success formula for everyone, but it is in short how I did it.


----------



## cobaltmute

Thanks.  I'll keep that in mind my next attempt.


----------



## Voodoochile

So Ferrari- you and Sijosae were separated at birth, right? That is beautiful board work! I don't think I could ever manage that with my fingers.
   
  This is a weak follower, but I finished this amp a couple weeks ago, but am just now getting to some pictures. It's a derivation of the mapletree design, with somewhat different operating points and a very different power supply.


  And another shot of it burning away:


----------



## JSTpt1022

A question for Ferrari.
   
  What are you using to make your traces on the underside of the board. Many of the connections seem too long and or too perfect to simply be device leads.


----------



## cobaltmute

A work in progress:
   

   
  Single channel of a an original Kumisa III.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

I have some suggestions...
  You have some imbalances in there.
  For the L/R channels, R1 should be 15K to match R3.
  R2 should be 50K or 10X your volume pot (if you are using one...).
  For the ground channel, R1 and R2 should be the same value.
   
  Hope this helps...
  
  Quote: 





spacehead said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> Originally Posted by *Pageygeeza* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> ...


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





jstpt1022 said:


> A question for Ferrari.
> 
> What are you using to make your traces on the underside of the board. Many of the connections seem too long and or too perfect to simply be device leads.


 

 The short traces are made from resistors leads, while the long (power and ground) traces are 0.4mm or 1mm solid copper leads, depends on location.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Here are some of my "works in progress" and builds...
   
  The first one is a dual voltage power supply.
   

   
  The next is a CMoy I design and built last year...it is being run from +/- 15 volt supply right now...
  It usually runs on one or two 9 volt batteries. Op Amp is a OPA2132.
   

   
  The next one here is a Bravo Hybrid amp...it has several mods on it and is waiting for upgraded electrolytic caps.
   

   
  And lastly is a 1793 DAC that is going under the knife today to replace the badly designed virtual ground with a tle2426.
  The kit was sourced from a Chinese DIY website


----------



## Pageygeeza

Avro:  Great work there!  Nice little Cmoy, Is there a virtual ground on it?  And you got any going spare?


----------



## Pageygeeza

Spacehead:  I went over your circuit and managed to get it onto a board 20x18 points, is that any good for ya?


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Thank You
   
  Yes, the virtual ground is provided by the DIP version of TLE2426. The chip has been removed in the picture so I
  could use the external dual voltage power supply. I built two versions...one with move common components and
  one with Wima and Os-Con caps. I don't have any bare boards left, they have all been populated but I do have a
  couple of finished amps left if you are interested. Here are a couple more pictures for you...
  They are the pictures I used on E-Bay, thats why they have been written on.
   

   

  
  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> Avro:  Great work there!  Nice little Cmoy, Is there a virtual ground on it?  And you got any going spare?


----------



## Spacehead

It would be helpful. I need to optimize couple points from it. Maybe 18x16 fits. 
  
  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> Spacehead:  I went over your circuit and managed to get it onto a board 20x18 points, is that any good for ya?


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote: 





spacehead said:


> It would be helpful. I need to optimize couple points from it. Maybe 18x16 fits.


 
  That's a bit of a push.  But I'll see if I can shave some more off.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Avro:  I'd love to take you up on that offer, but unfortunately I'm extremely strapped for cash.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

I know the feeling...
  
  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> Avro:  I'd love to take you up on that offer, but unfortunately I'm extremely strapped for cash.


----------



## Spacehead

Thanks!
   
  Here is the current ground channel setup:
   

  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> That's a bit of a push.  But I'll see if I can shave some more off.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Right, had another bash.  I'm trying to keep the whole thing as clean as possible and the only wires you should get from/to the board will be inputs/outputs and power.  Thing is I've managed to get the amplifying sections onto a 18/13 board but there is a problem with the power rails, I was playing around with the idea of using a second perfboard underneath the main one do deal with the power rails.  
   
  Now onto the updates.  
   
  I was just looking at the HA-5002 and it only has a single input and do you really need the 4 decoupling caps for it as well?
  
  Quote: 





spacehead said:


> Thanks!


----------



## Spacehead

Here is the current circuit if I remember right. 
 
 Nice!
   
  HA-5002 is single buffer, ground channel is in mono. The 100 uF decoupling caps can be omitted, they take a lot of space. It needs 0.1 uF - 1 uF SMD caps in its power pins. That makes it stable. 
   
  I got an idea to use broken wall wart case for a headphone amplifier. But that 18/13 point build would be really cool. There isn't space for another perfboard under the main board, the case is about high as 25V/470 uF cap. But they could be run as bare wires and attached with hot glue? When will you release your contribution?! I am very interested. 
  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> Right, had another bash.  I'm trying to keep the whole thing as clean as possible and the only wires you should get from/to the board will be inputs/outputs and power.  Thing is I've managed to get the amplifying sections onto a 18/13 board but there is a problem with the power rails, I was playing around with the idea of using a second perfboard underneath the main one do deal with the power rails.
> 
> Now onto the updates.
> 
> I was just looking at the HA-5002 and it only has a single input and do you really need the 4 decoupling caps for it as well?


----------



## Pageygeeza

Spacehead:  The most recent circuit, is that the ground or the L/R Channel?  With all these changes It's hard to keep it within the alotted size.  
   
  Oh another thing, resistors and caps, which will be surface mount and which will be through hole?  Plus, how good are you at SMT soldering, could you solder two to the same hole with a lead running through?  Might be able to shave a bit more off that way.
   
  I do at times find it pretty hard to follow your diagrams sometimes.  If you're running them through a sim, could you please knock off the parts that are needed for the sim, might make it a bit easier for me to follw.  Cheers.


----------



## Spacehead

I am pretty skilled in SMT soldering, I can do that. The recent circuit is L/R, one channel and then that is duplicated to another channel. All resistors are surface mount and most of the caps too. I don't have a capacitance meter so I just estimate proper sized cap. Resistors are soldered between points. C8 and C9, electrolytic and polyester, C1 polyester. I would like to check what kind of layout you have done so I could offer corrections. 
  
  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> Spacehead:  The most recent circuit, is that the ground or the L/R Channel?  With all these changes It's hard to keep it within the alotted size.
> 
> Oh another thing, resistors and caps, which will be surface mount and which will be through hole?  Plus, how good are you at SMT soldering, could you solder two to the same hole with a lead running through?  Might be able to shave a bit more off that way.
> 
> I do at times find it pretty hard to follow your diagrams sometimes.  If you're running them through a sim, could you please knock off the parts that are needed for the sim, might make it a bit easier for me to follw.  Cheers.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Not a problem mate.  So it's now a 6 chip design?  This is going to be a doozy even with the SMT's, I'll give it another bash tomorrow and I'll definitely post my workings then.


----------



## Spacehead

It has 5 ICs
   
  I have one dual op amp on L/R and one dual op amp on ground after TLE and then two stacked HA-5002. 
  
  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> Not a problem mate.  So it's now a 6 chip design?  This is going to be a doozy even with the SMT's, I'll give it another bash tomorrow and I'll definitely post my workings then.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Ok, let's see if I have this right....
   
  Both the L/R channels are going through the same IC and the ground is going through another IC then through the two HA-5002's?
   
  Right, few questions about that just to clear up.  
   
  1:  The LT-1028A is only a single channel design, so I'll need a 2 channel one so I can get the correct pinouts.
   
  2:  Both the HA-5002 and BUF634 are obviously single inputs, in the latest diagram you're feeding back the output of the buffer to the input of the buffer.  If that is the case, it is ok to put the output back into the input?
   
  3:  You seem to be posting a lot of conflicting stuff and it's starting to get very confusing.  I would imagine the amp sounds great, but the diagrams aren't making much sense to me as you keep changing things.  plus the fact you keep putting things in that aren't even in the amp, (leftover from the simulation you're using.)
   
  4:  This could easily be a 4 IC design including the 2 stacked buffers.
   
  Sorry, but you're not making my life any easier.


----------



## Spacehead

1. That is right, A dual channel op amp is needed. that schematic is half of the circuit. 
  2. LTSpice had only dual input op amp icon so I used it. BUF634 is internally connected like that, output is fed to non inverting input. So no need to externally connect it like that, only so that it gets signal from L/R and then outputs it. 
   
  4. Maybe TLE2426 could be left out, two SMD resistors would save some space. 
   
  Pimeta amplifier has pretty similar schematic as my amplifier, but there are differences. 
http://tangentsoft.net/audio/pimeta/misc/schematic1.pdf
  
  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> Ok, let's see if I have this right....
> 
> Both the L/R channels are going through the same IC and the ground is going through another IC then through the two HA-5002's?
> 
> ...


----------



## Pageygeeza

Actually, that all makes perfect sense.  
   
  I'll get on with this tomorrow, Should be smaller than my last attempt.  It'll have 3 x 8 pin DIP IC's plus the TLE2426.  I'll do a couple, one will be all through hole and the other will be surface mount too.


----------



## aempirei

Hi Pals! I'd like to introduce myself to the forums. I've lurked on head-fi for a few years now but haven't done any posting, just read posts by some of the more famous users like tangent. By some fluke I actually work for Huddler, the company that now hosts the forums. I was very excited to hear that we were going to get to host your datas and I figured it was about time to register an account. So be assured we're definately going to try to make the site super sweet like an El Camino SS.
   
  Anyhow, I make various electronics equiptment including analog stuffs like amplifiers so I wanted to post some sweet jpegs of various amplifiers I've built.
   
  Here's a series of headphone amplifiers I've designed and have been hand painted by various local (w/respect to the SF Bay Area) artists. These use an op-amp input / voltage amplification stage with a discrete power output stage with global voltage feedback, dubbed "The Triple Crown".
   
  Kevin Earl Taylor (http://www.kevinearltaylor.com/)
   

   
  Skinner Davis (http://www.theartofskinner.com/)
   

   
  Matthew Miller
   

   
  Aaron Lawrence (http://www.aaronlawrencedesigns.com/)
   

   
  Laureano Faedi (http://laureanofaedi.com/)
   

   
  I've also done some pure discrete designs of various classes with various levels and types of feedback. Here's a portable amplifier, albeit not a headphone amplifier, but rather a ghetto blaster with a 20V swing at an impressive 1 OHM yielding 2x100W.  I'll post the schematic I designed if anyone is interested. It's currently just primered white but soon Skinner will be painting an epic battle scene on it of undead warriors fighting hellish fiends of the underworld.
   

   
  Nice to chat on the internet with you!


----------



## dromios

That thing looks like it'd be illegal to own.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote: 





dromios said:


> That thing looks like it'd be illegal to own.


 

 Hah, which one?


----------



## fault151

> And another shot of it burning away:


 

 Wow, love this!!! Wish i could do my own wooden cases.


----------



## tamu

Bijou
   
  My first "proper" amp build.. so far Im loving the sound!


----------



## fishski13

tamu,
  congrats!  looks awesome!
   
  Voodoo,
  lovely woodwork.


----------



## sachu

Great work there Tamu..
   
  Enjoy!!


----------



## fishski13

my B1 buffer.  tung-oiled sapele and sanded aluminum.  the 10mm LEDs illuminate the interior and serve to indicate if the ouput is to a speaker amp (blue), or muted and line-out to a HP amp (slutty red) via the 3PDT switch on the front.  also added a pair of sub-woofer RCA outs.


----------



## sachu

lol..me like slutty red..man you guys are turning out some amazing stuff. That B1 buffer is just off the hook. Am all green-eyed now..want!!
  
  Quote: 





fishski13 said:


> my B1 buffer.  tung-oiled sapele and sanded aluminum.  the 10mm LEDs illuminate the interior and serve to indicate if the ouput is to a speaker amp (blue), or muted and line-out to a HP amp (slutty red) via the 3PDT switch on the front.  also added a pair of sub-woofer RCA outs.


----------



## milosz

My Bijou


----------



## Fred_fred2004

I love the simple look, that's classic
   
  great work


----------



## Pageygeeza

Right Spacehead, this is what I've managed to get.  This is basically using as much SMT as possible.
   
  Anything RED is on the underside of the board, black stuff is on top of the board
  The power supply side is left blank so you stick any sort of caps in there.
   
  I'm hoping you don't find it too confusing, but if you do ask away.  
   
  There is one mistake I've made with it:  The two channel input resistors aren't supposed to be connected to the ground (got carried away with the connection dots).


----------



## Spacehead

Could you label the resistors?
   
  decoupling capacitors need to have their other end connected to power supply pin + voltage and another end to ground (GIN)
   
  I have only 5 pin TO-220-5 BUF634Ts 
  BUF634T pin out
http://focus.ti.com/general/docs/lit/getliterature.tsp?genericPartNumber=buf634&fileType=pdf
   
   
  Single (OPA132) and Dual (OPA2132) pin outs
http://focus.ti.com.cn/cn/general/docs/lit/getliterature.tsp?literatureNumber=sbos054a&fileType=pdf


----------



## Pageygeeza

Right, as for the IC's that's not a problem.  But as for the decoupling issue, you could put the caps on after the rails leave the virtual ground.  As for GIN and GOUT, they are the audio ground and I really don't want to be putting anything else through them.
   
  I'll relabel the components tomorrow as I've fried my brain getting this done today.  :S


----------



## Ferrari

[size=x-small]Very cool first "proper" amp build Tamu, well done!!![/size]
  [size=x-small]Hope you enjoy it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





[/size]

  
  Quote: 





tamu said:


> Bijou
> 
> My first "proper" amp build.. so far Im loving the sound!


----------



## tamu

Thanks very much guys!


----------



## revolink24

Man, I love the heavy-duty industrial look of that thing. Nice work, and I hope to be seeing more


----------



## bidoux

> Aaron Lawrence (http://www.aaronlawrencedesigns.com/)


 
  Your builds are cool, I especially like this drawing. i'm sure we would all like to see the scematics of your various designs.


----------



## pabbi1

Tweed radio into a Fender Champ, in 75% of the usual space.


----------



## GeWa

Not yet completely finished but this is the stuff I've been working on the last two weeks. Had all the parts for months and months but didn't had the time to work on them.
  Top left to right: Sigma11 5V, Sigma11 9V and two other shunt regulated power supply's also one configured for 5V and the other for 9V.
  Middle left to right: Gamma1 & Gamma2 combo
  Bottom left to right: 3x Bantam (will be finished this week) & Gamma1
   
  Power supply's will be used for a Squeezebox Duet + Gamma DAC
   

   
  Regards


----------



## dBel84

That is great pabbi, I love the compactness of the amp ..dB


----------



## aempirei

very nice.


----------



## aempirei

dude that is pimpin, where did you get those meters.


----------



## tamu

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220537048193&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


----------



## MASantos

Do you have AMB's permission to use his design? 
  
  Quote: 





nems said:


> my mini3
> 
> pcb
> 
> ...


----------



## cfcubed

Apparently, many outside the US aren't too concerned.  Showing it off too.  Maybe he's gearing up for fleabay as others have.
  
  Quote: 





masantos said:


> Do you have AMB's permission to use his design?


----------



## Beftus

What a shameless copy... For a measly 10 bucks you can buy the Mini³ PCB, the ferrite beads and battery contacts. Why rip off AMB's design? Just because you can? Punk!


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Here is a picture of my Szekeres VE that I built today.
  Not to pretty to look at but it sure does sound good...


----------



## wap32

Quote: 





beftus said:


> What a shameless copy... For a measly 10 bucks you can buy the Mini³ PCB, the ferrite beads and battery contacts. Why rip off AMB's design? Just because you can? Punk!


 

  
  That's quite an aggressive stance.
   
  I have the utmost respect for AMB's work and his contribution to the DIY community, but I don't think modifying a pcb layout for personal use can be called a rip-off. He's not making money of it and he's not hurting anyone.
   
  If AMB's layout doesn't meet his requirements (say for example he wants to use different sized component), why shouldn't he modify it? As long as credit is given to AMB, I don't see what's so wrong about it.
  I thought that was what DIY was about, if there's nothing that suits my needs or is too expensive, I'll just make it myself.
   
  I'm sure AMB's layout is well thought and the pcb's are great quality, and they're probably the best option for 99% of builders, but why shouldn't I make my own if I want to add/change/remove something?


----------



## Beftus

I have gut feeling we'll see these PCB's on eBay soon. I hope I'm wrong though. Nems, perhaps you would like to chime in? Please do.


----------



## wap32

Quote: 





beftus said:


> I have gut feeling we'll see these PCB's on eBay soon. I hope I'm wrong though. Nems, perhaps you would like to chime in? Please do.


 

 I was under the impression nems made the pcb for personal use only, and that is why I wrote that post, I hope I'm not wrong.


----------



## MASantos

Because he probably doesn't have permission from AMB to do so.
   
  AMB clearly states in his website that people are not allowed to do so without his prior permission. And normally he only does allow for his designs to be integrated into something else, like the carrie USB powered amp, or using the e12 in other amplifier designs.
   
  Doing what this guy did is violation of copyrighted material, and above that an outright disrespect for the creator, who by selling these pcb's and specialty parts supports his designs and their future further development. He is hurting Ti's intellectual property. 
   
  And mostly because most members here don't like people ripping off other person's designs and hard work!!
   
  So this subject requires an aggressive stance and if these eventually end on ebay, this guy should be reported.
  Quote: 





wap32 said:


> That's quite an aggressive stance.
> 
> I have the utmost respect for AMB's work and his contribution to the DIY community, but I don't think modifying a pcb layout for personal use can be called a rip-off. He's not making money of it and he's not hurting anyone.
> 
> ...


 




  Quote: 





beftus said:


> I have gut feeling we'll see these PCB's on eBay soon. I hope I'm wrong though. Nems, perhaps you would like to chime in? Please do.


 



 Even using another persons design for personal use is a violation of intellectual property and against the law. One can't just copy another person's work and call it for personal use!
  Quote: 





wap32 said:


> I was under the impression nems made the pcb for personal use only, and that is why I wrote that post, I hope I'm not wrong.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote: 





masantos said:


> Do you have AMB's permission to use his design?


 

 I doubt. So funny that the PCB mentioned Mini3 but 'somehow' forgot AMB. As mentioned above, it's shamelessly show-off.


----------



## Juaquin

Quote: 





masantos said:


> Even using another persons design for personal use is a violation of intellectual property and against the law. One can't just copy another person's work and call it for personal use!


 

 The DIY Forum rules read: "the practice of "cloning" a viable presently for retail sale commercial product is OK if it is for personal use ONLY and we invite photographs of your handiwork ."
   
  You can read it here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/59279/diy-forum-rules
   
  Of course, it would have been NICE for him to consult with AMB before showing pictures or talking about it publicly. But as far as copyright infringment (or IP) it's legal as long as it's not for sale. I can clone a Shelby Mustang in my garage as long as I don't sell it.
   
  As others have said, I hope that this is for personal use only and they do not end up for sale, as I respect Ti's work very much.


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





juaquin said:


> But as far as copyright infringment (or IP) it's legal as long as it's not for sale. I can clone a Shelby Mustang in my garage as long as I don't sell it.
> 
> As others have said, I hope that this is for personal use only and they do not end up for sale, as I respect Ti's work very much.


 
  Well, I've just done a quick search and found his ad here, which is pretty new, updated just 3 days ago: http://vozforums.com/showthread.php?t=914344
   
  It's really a shame since he's regarded as one of the most enthusiastic diyer in my city


----------



## amb

That was without permission.  If someone really clones my design, there's not much I could do except to say "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", and urge people to get the real thing.  I would also prefer the "clones" to call themselves something else.  I don't like to have inferior products taking a free ride on my reputation.
   
  http://www.amb.org/forum/mini3-portable-headphone-amplifier-f16/shameless-mini3-copies-t206.html


----------



## wap32

Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> Well, I've just done a quick search and found his ad here, which is pretty new, updated just 3 days ago: http://vozforums.com/showthread.php?t=914344
> 
> It's really a shame since he's regarded as one of the most enthusiastic diyer in my city


 

 I guess the guy was really ripping off the design for profit, that's not cool.

  
  Quote: 





amb said:


> That was without permission.  If someone really clones my design, there's not much I could do except to say "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", and urge people to get the real thing.  I would also prefer the "clones" to call themselves something else.  I don't like to have inferior products taking a free ride on my reputation.
> 
> http://www.amb.org/forum/mini3-portable-headphone-amplifier-f16/shameless-mini3-copies-t206.html


 

 I just wanted to ask, what do you define as a clone?
   
  If I wanted to build a mini^3 for myself with a custom pcb, would that be considered fair use of your work?
  Or should one seek permission first?
   
  I ask because it has crossed my mind to build for example, a full smd mini^3, maybe with a li-on or even a dac, and I certainly don't want to be hurting anyone's property.


----------



## Juaquin

Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> Well, I've just done a quick search and found his ad here, which is pretty new, updated just 3 days ago: http://vozforums.com/showthread.php?t=914344
> 
> It's really a shame since he's regarded as one of the most enthusiastic diyer in my city


 
  Yes, it does seem like these are for sale. Sad.


----------



## Mr.Duck

So what's the bit that's been ripped off? Just the "mini3" name? The layout hasn't been stolen from AMB has it? I'm sure he doesn't openly release those eagle files...
   
  I thought this was an clone/imitation, not a copy. Like if you wrote your own song but copied the lyrics from another band, compared to a bootleg CD. I'm sure he copied the schematic too. But isn't the schematic public domain information? I'm not sure, that's why I'm asking.


----------



## tranhieu

From what I understand, the reason that the schematic and layout are available for everyone is for the sake of the diy community, not for doing business. This guy used the name mini3, which has been registered by AMB (unwrittenly?) without asking for permissions first, plust he didnt mention anything about AMB or Ti on his board, and last but not least, he's selling the kit or the fully assembled unit!


----------



## johnwmclean

I think this has gone far enough, hopefully Nate will delete the offending posts, as it's clearly not in the true spirit of this forum.


----------



## amb

Quote: 





wap32 said:


> I just wanted to ask, what do you define as a clone?


 
  If the result is close enough a resemblance to the original, I would consider it a clone.  I think the one from nems is without a doubt, a "clone".  Aside from changing to DIP opamps the rest are just about the same (nevermind that such a change clearly shows a lack of understanding of the design).
   
  Quote: 





> If I wanted to build a mini^3 for myself with a custom pcb, would that be considered fair use of your work?
> Or should one seek permission first?
> 
> I ask because it has crossed my mind to build for example, a full smd mini^3, maybe with a li-on or even a dac, and I certainly don't want to be hurting anyone's property.


 
  Then you have nothing to worry about.  I don't mind anyone making clones for their own personal use.  When someone (either for lack of ability or originality) makes clones not only to make a business from it, but also tries to ride on my reputation without my permission, then I do have a problem with it.  I post my designs in an open manner for the benefit of DIYers, not for scammers who do not respect intellectual property.


----------



## Mr.Duck

Ok, so just in case nems is still following this, he should remove all reference to AMB's design such as "MINI3" and I thought I saw a "www.amb.org/audio/" on there that should also go. Come up with a new name for it. Give some sort of credit to AMB for the original work that he used? While the schematic and layout is obviously a shameless clone, not sure there's anything wrong or can be done about that. We all copy each other all the time. Especially in the commercial world.


----------



## wap32

Quote: 





amb said:


> If the result is close enough a resemblance to the original, I would consider it a clone.  I think the one from nems is without a doubt, a "clone".  Aside from changing to DIP opamps the rest are just about the same (nevermind that such a change clearly shows a lack of understanding of the design).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## MASantos

Dude, how can't you understand that the mini3 design(this includes the schematic and pcb layout) is AMB's creation and property, and therefore no one can copy it for commercial reasons?
   
  Say you design a chair which is a design piece and very successful business wise, and some guy comes and steals your design and starts making copies, selling them for half the price and this way ruining your business. Do you also think there is nothing wrong with that?


----------



## elliot42

Could we move this discussion out of the "pics of your build" thread?
  Important topic and point of discussion, but it's cluttering the thread.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Ya, I agree...it is an important point but it should be somewhere else now.
  No one has even commented on how ugly my last build was...
   
  Quote: 





elliot42 said:


> Could we move this discussion out of the "pics of your build" thread?
> Important topic and point of discussion, but it's cluttering the thread.


----------



## n_maher

Rather than move the discussion I'm going to leave it here since nems has removed the original posts that he made on the topic and also edited his add on the other site to no longer include anything looking like the mini3.  But let this serve as a warning to others, the outright theft and reuse of any designer's work without permission (as was clearly the case here) is a good way to get yourself an unpopular custom title.
   
  Let's take this back on topic, here's a picture of my work-in-progress eXStata which incorporates the provision for switching of input voltages to accommodate internal 230V mains while using a latching illuminated switch in conjunction with a 120VAC relay.  The scheme used was designed and implemented by amb as a part of the krmathis beta22 and was adapted with Ti's help and guidance.


----------



## jjazzyj

I just finished my "multimode" EHHA. It can be wired in balanced configuration though at this time it is wired as a dual independent headphone amp. I have all the connectors to use it as a SE/Balanced Preamp, Dual SE/balanced headphone amp. The input jacks can be wired to convert unbalanced signal to balanced signal. (sort of more like dual active ground).
   
  The separate sigma22/12v heater supply at the moment only has one sigma22 board, but there's enough space to put another in there. The transformer is a custom made SUMr transformer with 30-0-30 5A secondary and 12-0 5A secondary.
   
  I used 9-pin AMP CPC connectors to build the umbilical cable for the sigma22 and any other amp I might use with it. The 9-pin connector has enough space two run DC power from two separate Sigma22 power supplies.
   
  Amperex Orange Globe 6gm8's
   
  The chassis are hand build from scratch (ugh it kinda shows) using 3/4" anodized aluminum angle and square tubing with 1/4" polycarbonate bottoms and 1/8" translucent white acylic panels. Everything is drilled and tapped. ground continuity is maintained throughout the aluminum frame through the stainless steel screws securing the frame together.
   
  The board mounted LED's are bottom mounted to shine through the clear polycarbonate bottoms for that "ground effect" look. Standard clear stick on rubber feet complete the chassis.
   
  The top panel has a chevron type vents cut into it which is adequate, the EHHA amp required more venting and I haven't figured out what to do there yet.
   

   
  This is an early picture, i fused two switches together on the transformer secondary due to inrush current. I also annihilated over 26 2A fuses before putting a CL60 thermister inline after the fuse. That made my power supply very happy. I also replaced the 30-0-30 switch with a heavy duty 20A industrial toggle, as I was tired of fused contacts.
   

   
  Starting to wire the EHHA
   

   
  mmm Polycarbonate
   

   
  $40 umbilical cable. *sigh*
   

   
  Rear Panel of Sigma22/heater supply
   

   
  Rear Panel of EHHA
   

   
  The Combo in action
   

   
  Blue Glowy Goodness, soon to be Annoying Blue Glowy
   

   
  My camera sucks for dark shots.
   
   
  I'm very impressed with the amp, though I only have my SOHA II to compare. Took me 8 months and probably $1000 dollars to get here.


----------



## Pageygeeza

jjazzyj:  Sweet build man!


----------



## tamu

Yes very nice indeed!


----------



## PJPro

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Ya, I agree...it is an important point but it should be somewhere else now.
> No one has even commented on how ugly my last build was...


 
   
  Yeah...it's ugly


----------



## Pricklely Peete

*jjazzyj* I love that chassis design and congrats on the very nice build ! Are you experiencing any heat issues ? Does that cost (1K) include the chassis ?
   
  The night shots look terrific (well the one that is in focus at least 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Peete.


----------



## kuroguy

Looks ugly, but makes you feel so good when you use it. You should call it "The vagina amp"
   
  Was that over the line? please delete this if it was.
   
  PS: I built one from scavenged parts and love the sound.


----------



## pabbi1

So pretty, but c'mon - light that puppy up already... such pretty work. Were that I had that type patience on a build (and no, pending design disasters do not count as patience, no matter how many YEARS they take).   
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Quote: 





n_maher said:


> Let's take this back on topic, here's a picture of my work-in-progress eXStata which incorporates the provision for switching of input voltages to accommodate internal 230V mains while using a latching illuminated switch in conjunction with a 120VAC relay.  The scheme used was designed and implemented by amb as a part of the krmathis beta22 and was adapted with Ti's help and guidance.


----------



## jjazzyj

Quote: 





pricklely peete said:


> *jjazzyj* I love that chassis design and congrats on the very nice build ! Are you experiencing any heat issues ? Does that cost (1K) include the chassis ?
> 
> The night shots look terrific (well the one that is in focus at least
> 
> ...


 
   
  The downside to night shots is you need a tripod. The only one in focus I used the ottoman as a stand... Thanks for the kudos. No heat issues, yet. But I haven't measured internal temps on the power supply yet. After a few hours running you can touch the heatsinks and hold your fingers there for 10-30 secs before it gets uncomfortable. It would make a nice space heater. The amp chassis requires significantly more venting so I haven't decided on a venting scheme. I used 2.6C/W heatsinks, largest on-board heatsinks you can get. And yes the 1k is including the chassis. I built both chassis (not including connectors/switches for about $120...


----------



## jjazzyj

Quote: 





pricklely peete said:


> *jjazzyj* I love that chassis design and congrats on the very nice build ! Are you experiencing any heat issues ? Does that cost (1K) include the chassis ?
> 
> The night shots look terrific (well the one that is in focus at least
> 
> ...


 




  Quote: 





jjazzyj said:


> The downside to night shots is you need a tripod. The only one in focus I used the ottoman as a stand... Thanks for the kudos. No heat issues, yet. But I haven't measured internal temps on the power supply yet. After a few hours running you can touch the heatsinks and hold your fingers there for 10-30 secs before it gets uncomfortable. It would make a nice space heater. The amp chassis requires significantly more venting so I haven't decided on a venting scheme. I used 2.6C/W heatsinks, largest on-board heatsinks you can get. And yes the 1k is including the chassis. I built both chassis (not including connectors/switches for about $120...


 
   
  To further answer the heat issue. The Sigma22/Heater supply internal temperature is around 40C the heatsinks themselves are around 50C. The EHHA's heatsinks are around 50C as well, 2-3 degrees lower cause it's uncovered. The internal temp of the uncovered EHHA is below 40C with the top on I'd imagine it would be higher then the Sigma22/Heater since there are more heatsinks dissipating heat. That isn't too bad IMHO.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Hi
  Just been mucking about with a tube
   













   
  Based on this circuit




   
  The board was made using toner transfer, and has a couple glaring mistakes
 the first is the heat sinks are too close together and too small, but that has an upside as I can now only listen to music in 5minute bursts otherwise the heat sinks tend to glow
  this means I get in less trouble with she who must be obayed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Any way it was fun and it sounds nice, I just need bigger heatsinks or water cooling 
   
  cheers
  FRED


----------



## mattcalf

Gonna offer that one on ebay fred?


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Not a chance! I'll leave the tubes to the chinese sellers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  cheers
  FRED


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Fred, throw a 300uF to 600uF cap across R102 and see how much better it sounds...


----------



## n_maher

Quote: 





pabbi1 said:


> So pretty, but c'mon - light that puppy up already... such pretty work. Were that I had that type patience on a build (and no, pending design disasters do not count as patience, no matter how many YEARS they take).


 

 If all goes well I'll flip the switch some time late tonight.  The inputs are pretty much wired now, just need to do the outputs and then it'll be time to run through the initial setup on 120VAC and then break out the variac and see if the international plan actually works.


----------



## Rescue Toaster

Little experiment.
   

   
  According to rightmark the noise floor is really high, I believe the gas discharge tube needs a bypass cap, I just have to dig out one of my old russian teflon 0.056uF's. Also the 120Hz is poking out of the noise floor as well, so I might need another LC stage, or OPT needs to be farther from the choke. The Hammond 193L is doing fantastic in choke-input duty, no mechanical hum at all.
   
  But, for mono, sounds pretty good. I tried some old Edcor XSM 10K:600's to do some preamp duty testing for rightmark, and they didn't measure very good at all. But the custom XSM 10K:38's that I had them make for phones measure extremely flat. First harmonics are at least -70db, can't tell the others due to the noise atm.


----------



## bidoux

Actively loaded and active ground ?


----------



## Rescue Toaster

The supply is split +147/-86, ground is just a reference voltage set by CCS-loaded gas discharge tube, and I might replace that with a simple resistive divider if I can't quiet down the discharge tube. But they are so pretty!
   
  It is differential push-pull. The XSM 10K:38 carries ~23ma per side.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Rescue Toaster:  That thing exudes evilness!


----------



## n_maher

Just for Al, so he'll get off my back.
   




   

   
  I got about 45 minutes of listening time tonight and I like what I'm hearing.


----------



## dBel84

that looks great Nate ..dB


----------



## sachu

That's tight Nate..As clean a build as they come.


----------



## T.B.N.

Quote: 





n_maher said:


> Just for Al, so he'll get off my back.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Is that a Par-Metal case? Most of the ones I saw didn't look so great to me but that seems to change my opinion, looks nice!


----------



## balderon

Yes I would say it is. The Bijou in my sig is also a Par-Metal case with over the top bling.


----------



## uberburger101

Wow. That's a real work of art.


----------



## tamu

I love it Nate. I wish I had designer skills like some of you guys too


----------



## johnwmclean

That's a rippa build Nate, did you go FPE? If you have time I'd love a close up of the logo, it looks amazing!


----------



## Pageygeeza

I'm with everyone else Nate, that build is so professional looking.


----------



## n_maher

Thanks for all the kind words guys, there was a lot of time invested in the planning of both the panels and the interior to try and segregate things as much as possible and keep wiring neat, clean and efficient.  To answer some questions raised:
   
  1. Yes, it's a stock par metals chassis using the stock front and back panels which were obviously custom machined.
   
  2. I have used FPE but these are from http://www.cam-expert.com/ who offers the same service and better pricing, in my experience.  It also doesn't hurt that they are less than an hour away so I get 1 day shipping at no expense. 
   
  3. The logo isn't really a logo, it's just text wrapped in a simple border but here's a better picture of the center of the panel.


----------



## pabbi1

You are a gentleman and a scholar. Was that 45 minutes with OII?
   
  Top shelf, my man.


----------



## n_maher

Quote: 





pabbi1 said:


> You are a gentleman and a scholar. Was that 45 minutes with OII?
> 
> Top shelf, my man.


 

 Thanks Al, I tried to do you proud on this one.  I don't have OII's anymore, unfortunately, just my lowly Lambda Sigs and at the time it was only sourced by my macbook.  I'll get it buttoned up over the next day or two and feed it some proper tunes. 
   
  One other important note to builders: be VERY careful around the power supply. I was using standard one-hand-in-the-pocket safety and still managed to get whacked with 320VDC last night. That's the voltage potential difference between the tops of the two large caps in the power supply. A few minutes into adjusting the bias and offset something started buzzing slightly (the trafo) and as I was feeling around two fingers happened to brush the top of the two power supply caps at the same time. *YIKES!!*  An hour later I could still feel it in my hand but thankfully no permanent damage was done.


----------



## fault151

Quote: 





n_maher said:


> Just for Al, so he'll get off my back.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Lovely build!!!!


----------



## cfcubed

Ouch!  Can sure see how that could happen w/those nice exposed metal cap tops.
   
  Might seem silly, and it sure looks silly, but after getting hit w/250VDC from a much less manly PS I've a pair of those yellow dish-washing gloves around for such mucking.
   
  Oh & great looking build, of course.  Come to expect such from you
  Quote: 





n_maher said:


> One other important note to builders: be VERY careful around the power supply. I was using standard one-hand-in-the-pocket safety and still managed to get whacked with 320VDC last night. That's the voltage potential difference between the tops of the two large caps in the power supply.


----------



## sachu

ummm..i usually cover those caps up with insulation tape on the top..I've got zapped exactly as Nate describes while building the first prototype...used a few grey cells after that.


----------



## n_maher

Quote: 





sachu said:


> ummm..i usually cover those caps up with insulation tape on the top..I've got zapped exactly as Nate describes while building the first prototype...used a few grey cells after that.


 

 Yup, I plan to make a couple small adhesive-backed tops for them to provide future protection.  One good note is that they discharge quickly after powering the amp down.  I checked after less than 10seconds and there was only a few volts left to discharge.


----------



## fishski13

Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> Might seem silly, and it sure looks silly, but after getting hit w/250VDC from a much less manly PS I've a pair of those yellow dish-washing gloves around for such mucking.


 
   
  great tip!!!


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Here is my Hybrid eXStatA built by wiatrob, and I promise to get better photos soon, and not from my iPhone.  
   
  PSU LED L1 is not turning on now, although it did after the boards were first assembled a few months ago.  Bill sent me an email saying both PS leds should light up, and that he would recommend following the initial setup procedure on the Cavalli website.  He thought it's quite possible the PS current needs to be tweaked and said to be sure to check both bias voltage settings, noting that settings can drift when the amp has been sitting disconnected. The boards sat for a few months before being cased up.  I don't know how to "tweak the current" but maybe after reading up on it I'll figure it out.  I have tested it once with SR-5 gold edition and it sounded great, but after discovering the LED being off I stopped using it until I can get it adjusted.
   
  Like Nate's, it's in a par-metal case with separate left and right volume pots which is great for older vintage phones with a channel imbalance, and both a pro and normal bias jack.  On the rear is one set of XLR inputs and one set of RCA inputs.
   

   

   
  PS:  Bill did this for the cost of parts, and even declined a gift from me in appreciation.  I really appreciate all his hard work!  This amp will be my son's as soon as Sachu has the luvdunhill attenuator in my SS eXStatA working.  My son will use it with his SR-Lambda, SR-003, along with SR-80 and SR-30 electrets (SR-30 have a L/R imbalance which needed dual volume pots to correct).


----------



## GeWa

My first Gamma1 now in operation in the bedroom system, I was really happy to got it working from the first power up.
  It sits between de Squeezebox Duet and my Tuner/Amp.
  Still need to replace the Duet wall-wart with a Sigma11. The new PS is already put together and tested.
   

   
  Regards


----------



## qusp

From Peranders, 2 x QRV08 for dual mono. shoulda seen the BOM for these puppies. these are going into my ackodac sabre ESS9012 dac as the headamp section, the IV stage is still undecided. I have a pair of symetric mosfet followers from the D1 buffer (yes D1, not B1) that i'm trying out in the next few days, but it does worry me a little to have an IV stage that dissipates 70W at the higher voltage i'm using to squeeze a bit more DNR out of the sabre.
   
  thinking i'll probably just stick with the transformers for LO until I can afford to shed a grand on some PTFE goodness from Erno; if I can nut out a solution to bias ground higher trying to get the illusive 140db. these pics were taken just before flicking the switch for the first time. thank god I paused for one final check, turns out the datasheet for the SMD LEDs in the superegulators denotes polarity on a profile diagram that is the only one of 4 pics to be inverted, a sound reminder to use the diode tester. troubleshooting these babies could definitely be a PITA I reckon
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. running OPA827 for the servos and AD825 in each of the 8 superegulators.
   
  but after this pause, flipped all of the LEDs, reflowed all the surrounding joints for good luck, said a quick prayer to the electronics deity and glowy goodness prevailed
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 will update with some more pics when I get this cased up, along with some brief impressions of the sound perhaps


  the reservoir caps (4700uf nichicon KG) tower above the rest of the build, I had planned to use mundorf lytics, but PCX were out of stock of the 3300 I wanted.


----------



## johnwmclean

Joy! That look awesome Jeremy, I’m making my way straight for that at the next meet. Looking forward to your impressions.


----------



## qusp

Thanks John, yeah I reckon they look pretty sweet too. loving SMD lately. this teamed with the ACKODAC will look like a thermonuclear device, flying down could be interesting  at least they dont give us much grief on domestic here in OZ. theres gonna be some seriously great new builds at this years meet, looking forward to see what youve come up with in this last year as well


----------



## qusp

BTW guys, what do you guys use for cleaning PCBs? I use cardas organic flux for builds. not sure if de-ionized water and a toothbrush is gonna cut it for removing this. the PCB is OK, not overly grubby, but I would like to get it looking squeaky clean if possible.
   
  metho?


----------



## Pageygeeza

Don't people use de-ionized for ultrasonic baths?  Basically doing the same thing.


----------



## Nebby

Water isn't normally good enough to remove flux, unless you're using water-soluble flux but that stuff is so strong you have to clean it. Use 99% Isopropyl Alcohol and a stiff toothbrush to scrub it down. I personally use two separate containers, one to scrub down the board and another to do a rinse.
   
  Speaking of ultrasonic baths, I've been tempted to throw a board into my ultrasonic cleaner filled with alcohol in order to clean pcb's, but I'm not sure what effect the ultrasonics will have on the parts.


----------



## qusp

of course!! thanks Nebby, knew it was something like that I had used before. I usually use so little rosin that I can just leave it on there, but used more than normal on this due to the small parts size. yeah an ultrasonic denture cleaner would do the trick 
   
  thanks again


----------



## Nebby

Usually a good idea to clean it off unless you're using no-clean flux solder, you also get the benefit of super shiny boards and contacts!  Btw, nice build there, let us know how it sounds!


----------



## qusp

yeah I always use cardas no-clean organic flux and cardas quad solder (the occasional bit of WBT was used, for lower melting point). got a couple tubs of it ages ago and its lasted me well for cables and such, as well as this sort of thing. but like I said I usually only use a bit of it, I used more than usual on this build due to being a bit fiddly and wanting to keep it quick. this project i'm going all out, because of course if I do it properly I wont have to build anything/spend anything for ages....... lol as if, but you know the drill i'm sure. So I want it to look its shiny best
   
  thanks for the kind words, will do, as far as I can tell i'm the only person on here to have built one and lived to tell the tale; apart from peranders himself of course; definitely the only one to have built 2 to use bridged for 'balanced' operation.


----------



## Nebby

You know, I was actually thinking for that much SMD soldering it might have been more efficient to buy some paste solder and a toaster oven


----------



## qusp

yeah I thought about doing it in an oven, but placing all the parts on the tiny little pads accurately and each with its own bit of paste, or making up a mask, seriously would have taken as long or longer than it took me to just solder it. now if I had to do more than 2, perhaps I might have thought longer about it. only took me about 2-3 hours for each amp and that includes riffling through my SMD parts filofax (yes I have a filofax of SMD parts 
   
  plus without a mask and such small parts, would be pretty easy to smear a bit under a part and cause a short


----------



## Pricklely Peete

I lament the demise of the Freon based solvents I used to use back in the 70's and 80s....that stuff worked great but carves a hole in the ozone apparently (who knew ?).
   
  Rubbing Alcohol and a stiff toothbrush (as Nebby rightly points out) are the only tools that work in a somewhat efficient manner (but not as easy to use or as thorough as the old commercial stuff).
   
  Peete.


----------



## Nebby

Are you talking about the stuff where all you needed to do was just rinse and the flux was magically gone? That was fun while it lasted.
  Quote: 





pricklely peete said:


> I lament the demise of the Freon based solvents I used to use back in the 70's and 80s....that stuff worked great but carves a hole in the ozone apparently (who knew ?).
> 
> Rubbing Alcohol and a stiff toothbrush (as Nebby rightly points out) are the only tools that work in a somewhat efficient manner (but not as easy to use or as thorough as the old commercial stuff).
> 
> Peete.


----------



## vixr

I find plain acetone (fingernail polish remover) on a Qtip works very well to remove flux...


----------



## nattonrice

Btw qusp isopropyl will (in one wipe) most likely remove the screen printing on the caps and traffos.
  Nothing some masking tape won't prevent.


----------



## qusp

cool guys, thanks for the tips. there are only a couple of ares of interest anyway as well as the underside. in general I was pretty frugal, but there was a couple of stubborn parts that I was a bit more liberal. 
   
  also guys remember i'm using organic cardas flux, its no clean, but its a bit of an ugly colour and leaves fingerprints. I dont fancy masking each one of those 100 or so caps, so think i'll do a test, but most likely do it selectively, rather than immersing the whole thing in a bath of it.


----------



## nattonrice

Ah, I was actually refering to the big KGs you used.
  The smd or otherwise polymer caps I've never tested.


----------



## qusp

no, i'm talking about the pana FK, which are also SMD I guess. yeah the KG are no problem, the tiny SMD dont have anything printed on them silly. yeah for sure would cover the KG, but they arent really in the areas of interest, its mainly around the area in front of them containing the multiple super regulators, where I had to flip the LEDs around and on the tiny refs that I wanted to subject to as little heat as possible. plus the underside of the PCB has a bit, but no need to mask anything there


----------



## johnwmclean

I never done anything SMD intense as your build, but I've had mixed results with isopropyl, make sure you get at least 97% pure, otherwise it just won't cut.
 My method is usually applied to the base mostly and then spot clean the top. I use a good liberal clean with a few cotton buds and isopropyl, I do this several times each time is kind of like a rinse until squeaky clean. Downside is that cotton frays and leaves behind strands, but these are easly picked up with several cleans and once you get a method happening you can avoid them.
 Anyway the Cardas stuff you've used leaves little mess, I've had great results from it. Congrats again on a great build - I'm looking forward to long session with it!


----------



## nattonrice

Iso + medium bristle toothbrush gives perfect results.
  It'll take one completely wet scrub plus a second pass to get a shiny result.
   
  Mind you I go crazy and flux every joint so I have a fair bit to clean when I'm done  =P
   
  This goes hand-in-hand with my ocd for other things... like checking every single component for value ect.


----------



## qusp

oh I flux every joint too, as it assures a nice smooth shiny fillet, but in this case that just means using a tiny spatula I have and scraping a small amount on the pads and the part, then solder, so not much to clean, but there were some areas on this I went a bit overboard to make sure I could be quick.
   
  so let me get this straight Tom, say you had a roll of 100nf 0805 SMD caps; you would still check every one before applying to the board? or just the first one in the roll like I do?
   
  oh and John, no problems on the long listen at the meet, buying my tickets today, this is just part of a much larger build its gonna be intense alright  hopefully I have my Blue PTFE dac board in by then; hey Tom?? 
   
  anyway should probably stop chatting in the pics thread, thanks again for all the tips guys


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Just mucking about
   
  Gotta love toner transfer 
   
  This is a Texas instruments TPA6111A2 as a gain stage, with a Szekeres output stage powered by a Tread type power supply
   




















   
   
   
  This is it's little brother that started it all off 
   














   
  I hate to say it but I think the little fellow sounds better,
   
  Any how just sharing
   
  thanks for looking
  FRED


----------



## fault151

@FRED, another nice D.I.Y build! I must have a go a making my own board some day.


----------



## Mr.Duck

Ya, a true DIY build, I love it.


----------



## qusp

very cool; the soul of DIY!! pity about the apparent outcome, perhaps the new amp will grow on you like the first one did??


----------



## pistolsnipe

hey fred, what is your countertop made out of, i really like the idea of having a grid on your workbench, is it durable?


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Its one of those rubber self healing craft mats, its the size of a desk blotter, should be available from any craft shop
   
  cheers
  FRED


----------



## sachu

A Broskie PS-2 HV power supply, 276VDC.. intended for the AIkido which I have decided not to build. So this tested PSU will go into the projects box for a future tube hybrid build.


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





sachu said:


> A Broskie PS-2 HV power supply, 276VDC.. intended for the AIkido which I have decided not to build. So this tested PSU will go into the projects box for a future tube hybrid build.


 
  2 words:
  SinglePower clone.
  
   
  My own fun.
  Last year I built an amp so that I would have something cool and new to bring to CanJam. I finished it on Wednesday, listened to it at work on Thursday and put it and me on the plane Friday. I'm ahead of schedule for this years project!
   

   
   

   
  It is a Zhaolu 2.5a with Edcor 10K:600 ohm output transformers.
   
  The transformers accept the balanced voltage output from the DAC, step it down a bunch, scrub off some HF, isolate the DC offset from the outputs without the use of a capacitor, and output balanced or single ended over TRS plugs. I used TRS plugs because of how easy they are to convert from inferiorly ended (single ended) to superiorly ended (balanced).
   
  As a neat trick, I used switched TRS plugs. I wired them so that when there is no cable inserted the built in headphone amp does its thing. I plan to use this as part of my work rig so that will be quite nice when I rotate other gear in and out of that system.


----------



## particleman14

here is my y2 with a new sigma25 5v power supply.


----------



## Spasticteapot

Quote: 





amb said:


> That was without permission.  If someone really clones my design, there's not much I could do except to say "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", and urge people to get the real thing.  I would also prefer the "clones" to call themselves something else.  I don't like to have inferior products taking a free ride on my reputation.
> 
> http://www.amb.org/forum/mini3-portable-headphone-amplifier-f16/shameless-mini3-copies-t206.html


 

 Suing someone over a copied PCB is pretty difficult. While you could probably nab him over the name, a very small difference in the PCB could render his design 100% kosher. And unless you've developed something new (and, let's be honest, linear audio amplifiers are about as old hat as anything could be), copyrighting your schematic is darn near impossible in practice.  A small rearrangement of the PCB (such as the switch to DIP op-amps) combined with a change of name, and he's golden.
   
   

 On the subject of "Fair Use": ​
So long as they're not profiting from it, you can't legally prevent someone from building a copy of anything. Furthermore, while reproducing an exact image of a schematic (e.g. a photocopy) is illegal, drawing up said schematic in Eagle and posting it to the forum is just fine. Unless you've done something nobody has ever done before and patented it, you're basically up a creek without a paddle. ​
   
  Quote: 





> If I wanted to build a mini^3 for myself with a custom pcb, would that be considered fair use of your work?
> Or should one seek permission first?




  Quote: 





> If I wanted to build a mini^3 for myself with a custom pcb, would that be considered fair use of your work?
> Or should one seek permission first?




  Quote: 





> If I wanted to build a mini^3 for myself with a custom pcb, would that be considered fair use of your work?
> Or should one seek permission first?


----------



## DaKi][er

Quote:


spasticteapot said:


> A small rearrangement of the PCB (such as the switch to DIP op-amps) combined with a change of name, and he's golden.  Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  He also has to have trademarked the name to sue over that as well. Apart from the community frowning upon it and discouraging people against it, there is pretty much nothing you can do about it


----------



## Yaka

wish we could chuck rotten eggs at peeps like that


----------



## n_maher

But that's the good part of the community (self policing) and you can count on me actively discouraging actions like this.
  
  Quote: 





daki][er said:


> Quote:
> 
> He also has to have trademarked the name to sue over that as well. Apart from the community frowning upon it and discouraging people against it, there is pretty much nothing you can do about it


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





sachu said:


> A Broskie PS-2 HV power supply, 276VDC.. intended for the AIkido which I have decided not to build. So this tested PSU will go into the projects box for a future tube hybrid build.


 


  
  [size=x-small]Sachu, perfboard is fun… isn’t it ?[/size]


----------



## Pageygeeza

Pretty awesome perfboad work as usual Ferrari!
   
  I noticed you've only placed the components, how long do you think it'll take to solder that beast?


----------



## mugdecoffee

Quote: 





ferrari said:


> [size=x-small]Sachu, perfboard is fun… isn’t it ?[/size]


 
   
  After you place the resistors and such in the perfboard, how do you solder them without flipping the board and having them all fall out?


----------



## sachu

hehe..its not too bad...kinda fun..probably going to P2P a Bijou for the PSU.
   
  Nice work there Ferrari..where did you source the black perf board from..its sweet.
   
  Quote: 





ferrari said:


> [size=small]Sachu, perfboard is fun… isn’t it ?[/size]


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> I noticed you've only placed the components, how long do you think it'll take to solder that beast?


 

  
  [size=x-small]Actually, the ±18V power supply (from the orange Sikorels to the right of the pic) is already up and running.[/size]
  [size=x-small]I have indeed to solder the remaining part … a 3-channel fully discrete amp, some parts are not placed on board yet. [/size]
  [size=x-small]Not sure how long it takes but most likely hours and hours of fun. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/size]



  
  Quote: 





mugdecoffee said:


> After you place the resistors and such in the perfboard, how do you solder them without flipping the board and having them all fall out?


 

  
  [size=x-small]I have placed the most parts on their positions (as I have in mind) to determine how the amp will look like as a whole, space needed…[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]Then all the bigger/higher parts will be taken off the board and the resistors will be soldered first while the board is flipped up side down. [/size][size=x-small]A piece of carton taped on the board, on top of the resistors (to create a sandwich of perfboard-resistors-carton) will keep the resistors on their place. The bigger/higher parts (IC sockets, transistors, film caps, outputs devices/heatsinks) will follow later.[/size]



  
  Quote: 





sachu said:


> hehe..its not too bad...kinda fun..probably going to P2P a Bijou for the PSU.
> 
> Nice work there Ferrari..where did you source the black perf board from..its sweet.


 


  
  [size=x-small]I like black, so I just "paint it black". 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/size]


----------



## sachu

^^ haha Awesome!


----------



## JamesL

I came across this thread a few weeks ago for pcb dying 
  I've "unintentionally" dyed some pcb's in the same fashion
http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=83904.0


----------



## jlefley

Some pics of a 4 board beta22 and dual sigma22 in progress:
   

   

   

   

   

   

   
  The build was fairly uneventful.  All boards powered up on the first try and I was able to dial in all the adjustments pretty easily.  I am just waiting to receive a few panel connectors and the chassis and then I'll be able to have the front and rear panels machined and finish it up.  Note the flux has not been yet been removed in the pictures.


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome build jlefley. You almost sound dissapointed that 'The build was fairly uneventful.' 
   
  @ferrari, I'd love to see the underside of the perf once you've soldered it all up!


----------



## Pageygeeza

Me too Mattcalf, I think Ferrari's perfboard work is fantastic!  I am humbled by his awesome skills.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote: 





mattcalf said:


> Awesome build jlefley. You almost sound dissapointed that 'The build was fairly uneventful.'


 
  x2
  
  Man, if only I could experience that fairly unevenful build.


----------



## elliot42

This isn't an audio device, but it will help me when I am making audio devices and I thought I'd share anyway.
  I was looking at getting an extractor fan for soldering, but the ones at Jaycar and Altronics cost at least $80. I thought I could do better.
  I got some filter foam from Clark Rubber, repurposed an old computer PSU (I was going to use the existing power supply, but opted instead to put together a really simple linear supply with parts I already had, which takes up a LOT less space).
   
  Here's the inside mid-construction:

   
  And the completed extractor in use:


----------



## regal

A work in progress,  but the best digital I've ever heard (hiface w/LiFePo4 powered clocks)


----------



## mmerrill99

Regal, I told you so 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It goes to show how important clean PS to the clocks are. Have you tried other non LiFePO4 batteries 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




?
   
  Now try substituting a battery for the 3.3V on-board regulator - another jump in sound - not as big a jump but noticeable, nonetheless! Not surprising as the CPLD I/O banks are powered by this 3.3V & they handle the clock muxing & buffering.


----------



## jdkJake

Here is my latest, a Millett MOSFET MAX. This is based upon the new version 1.2 PCB.
   
  Still breaking it in, but, it sounds WONDERFUL so far. Amazing control and sound from my Grados. Smooth, detailed highs, lush mids and deep, powerful bass.
   
  Thanks TomB and cetoole for a great build!
   
 
   
  jk


----------



## rbarth

Heard a number of electrostatic amps for the first time at the recent NYC meet and decided then and there that I had to have one!  Here is my first effort, which would never have seen the light of day without the patient and expert guidance of Spritzer, to whom I again say many thanks!  Thanks also to Kevin Gilmore for creating the KGSS and then sharing it with the diy community.


----------



## tamu

rbarth I really like the case. very nice job


----------



## diego

Check out my recently finished DIY Extreme:


----------



## Sathimas

Wow, very clean work !
   
  Do you plan to change the knob ?
  For me it just doesn't fit with the rest of the amp, I'd choose something less "rustic"


----------



## diego

Thanks, I had that knob around but it would be really easy to change it obviously. It doesn't bother me though.


----------



## fishski13

rbarth, looks great!
   
  diego, gorgeous craftsmanship.  mind sharing any of the details of the design and sonic impressions.  i also have a B22/K702.  fell free to PM me.  thanks.


----------



## Ech0

@ Diego, absolutely stunning amp. Love the casework & everything is obviously careflully done....


----------



## johnwmclean

beautiful builds rebarth and diego,
   
diego I’ve been looking for a similar ground lug for a star ground, where did you get it from?


----------



## jdkJake

Beautiful work diego!
   
  Do share in the details! What were you design goals? Did you meet them? 
   
  Very curious on what design you based this, or if it is one of your own.
   
  jk


----------



## diego

Thanks a lot for your kind words guys.
   
  This amp is an almost exact copy of a SP Extreme from a schematic posted by Kevin Gilmore. I built it because I missed my original SP Extreme that I sold two years ago. When I bought it "new" it came on a PPX3 Slam chassis with a negative feedback circuit that I hadn't ordered, but still it sounded pretty good. Before I sold it I had time to compare it to my B22 and in my opinion it had less detail resolution and the bass was a bit bloated. However, it's dynamics and soundstage were better. So, I decided to replace it using better parts and see if I could improve on those weaknesses. In addition to better parts, I made a few small changes but I wanted to keep the basic design. To the amplifier section I only added a bypass capacitor to the output caps. The PS is this:
   
  which has a few differences from the original but is still the same kind of supply.
   
   

   
  I'm pretty happy with the results so far. I think that the detail resolution is at least as good as in the B22 and from memory I think that the bass is more neutral than in the original SP Extreme. It still has pretty good dynamics and soundstage. In general, it is at least in the same category as the B22. Deciding which one is better is probably just a matter of taste. Personally, I tend to use my tube amps more.
   
  PS. The binding post is just a flat head M4 screw. I used pressure washers to tighten everything up.


----------



## jdkJake

EDIT: oops, never mind, answered my own question!

 jk


----------



## bidoux

I'm curious, how did you use C5 ? It ads smoothness to the sound...


----------



## yoyojoe

wow


----------



## diego

@Bidoux.
   
  By changing C5 from 10uf to 390uf I just added more filtering. However, in my opinion this PS is not particularly well filtered because it has too low resistance and too much capacitance. I wanted to start with a basic Extreme design and try to improve it later, that's in part why used a board for each section. In the future, I plan to build a new power supply with one choke and smaller capacitors to see how it works. For that I plan to make a board the same size of the LV PS and put the choke vertically in the space left in the back. I also want to change the Solen which is in the output current loop for a better capacitor.
   
  I want to add tough that the amplifier sounds really good as it is and I can't hear any noise. However, it's possible that cleaning up the power supply could increase detail resolution and instrument separation even if noise isn't evident.


----------



## RuiCanela

My last build a Cmoy based on JRC 4560D OpAmp it sounds great !!!!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





( for 15 USD!!)


----------



## RuiCanela

My Rogers Gomez ECC82 Tube/IRF610 Mosfet headphone amplifier is "growing"...


----------



## Zaubertuba

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> My own fun.
> Last year I built an amp so that I would have something cool and new to bring to CanJam. I finished it on Wednesday, listened to it at work on Thursday and put it and me on the plane Friday. I'm ahead of schedule for this years project!
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Wow!  I just looked up the pricing, and those Edcor's are seriously cost-effective! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  How do you like 'em?


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





zaubertuba said:


> Wow!  I just looked up the pricing, and those Edcor's are seriously cost-effective!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, they are certainly and without question cost effective. From what I have heard even their small-batch custom wound transformers (which have a design/setup fee attached) are still very reasonably priced.
   
  Anyways, for my opinion of the DAC its kind of hard to say: My system has been in pieces since 2 weeks before CanJam for one reason after the next. My politically correct & evasive answer is that it was well worth the cash expense, but from listening to JUST the Zhaolu headphone outs (so no comparison to another DAC through a headphone amp most people here consider "decent") I want to say that this little guy punches well above his weight class.
   
  I think I made a slight mistake in my selection of transformers. I would certainly buy from Edcor again, but I should have gotten the 2.4K:600ohm transformers. As built with the 10k:600 transformers the DAC doesn't have enough output swing for some of my gear which is designed around the philosophy of "exactly as much gain as I need (which isnt much in fact), plus a tiny bit more to make sure I have enough for an unusually quiet recording." Mneh, live and learn.


----------



## truto

Quote: 





rbarth said:


> Heard a number of electrostatic amps for the first time at the recent NYC meet and decided then and there that I had to have one!  Here is my first effort, which would never have seen the light of day without the patient and expert guidance of Spritzer, to whom I again say many thanks!  Thanks also to Kevin Gilmore for creating the KGSS and then sharing it with the diy community.


 
   
  Nice build


----------



## RuiCanela

Now in listening tests. Next step: case working...and decent connectors, plugs and wiring.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Finished up my Millet MiniMAX kit from Beezar. This was my first amp build, I had a great time with it. I swapped out the high output LEDs for diffused orange ones from Digikey (I'm not a big fan of bright LEDs), I also swapped four of the Nichicon caps in favor of the newer release Elna Cerafines from Partsconnexion. You'll also notice some Kimber TCSS wiring and Cardas RCAs. The knob is a milled-aluminum type from Digikey.


----------



## tomb

Nice work, HiGHFLYiN9!  Another MiniMAX lives!


----------



## RuiCanela

...is taking it's final shape......


----------



## francisdemarte

Thats pretty cool looking design! Can you tell us about it?


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Quote:


			
				francisdemarte said:
			
		

> Thats pretty cool looking design! Can you tell us about it?


   
   
  Its a classic Rogers Gomez ECC82 Tube/IRF610 Mosfet headphone amplifier in a tube...


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Actually, thats pretty cool. I love creative case work.
   
  I really need to get off my lazy a** and do some nice
  cases for my projects.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





tomb said:


> Nice work, HiGHFLYiN9!  Another MiniMAX lives!


 

 Thanks Tom, it's sounding great!!


----------



## steven2992

Here are some pics of my CTH I finished some time ago. It has an alps blue velvet pot, Wima coupling caps and I have an E82CC in there for the time being. The volume knob is solid bronze and was made by Vilts.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote:


> Here are some pics of my CTH I finished some time ago. It has an alps blue velvet pot, Wima coupling caps and I have an E82CC in there for the time being. The volume knob is solid bronze and was made by Vilts.


 
  Looks good.  Guess things went well with it.  Nice that you used a full-size 1/4" output jack, but I'm not seeing input jacking, betting you've RCAs somewhere.
  Also, with what looks like a single switch, did you forgo a power switch or a heater switch?


----------



## steven2992

The Input is an 1/8" just below the headphone out. I had a 1/8" for the headphones too but I didn't want to risk someone plugging them in wrong. I also had a neutrik 1/4" locking jack but that would have been a squeeze. What you see at the back are the two switches, The red one is the heater and the black one is power. The fuse is an in line one. It also uses an AMB E27 board for the pot


----------



## RuiCanela

Case almost finished...


----------



## Lil' Knight

Not 100% finished yet but my new DAC so far.
   
  DAC END 2 by Andrea Ciuffoli. The parts could be considered 'boutique' with PRP, Caddock and Kiwame resistors, Mundorf M-cap Supreme, Jensen PIO, Solen, Wima Black Box, Rubycon MXC, and Nichicon Muse KZ capacitors, AD1865NK chipset and Siemens E88CCs at the output stage. I'm still waiting for the traffos to fire up the DAC. Custom-made cases are also being designed and will be done by CNC locally.
   

   

   

   

   

   
  Still quite a long time to case up these stuffs:


----------



## jdkJake

Wow, that's a lot of material. Looks great so far. How many cases are you going to use? Power/dac/amp or combine the dac and amp in a single case?


----------



## Lil' Knight

At least 2, maybe 3, depending on how I deal with the hum from the Beta.


----------



## johnwmclean

That’s excellent work Tran, have you heard the DAC yet? Can I ask where you sourced it from etc love to know more. Your builds taking shape, looking good!


----------



## Lil' Knight

John,

 The DAC is basically designed basing on the Audio Note DAC but with some improvements in the PSU. I had a chance to try it and it was absolutely musical. Maybe it's not appealing in new techs but it has the sound that I think, will match the B22 perfectly. The Buffalo is quite transparent, and I need something smoother, musical and 'colored' in a positive way. 
   
  You could check out the designer's website here: http://www.audiodesignguide.com/DACend2/index.html


----------



## birser

Photos of my Beta22 amplifier. The cases are from hifi2000 and the front panel is customized by me, massive aluminium knob, alps pot, Wima and Panasonic FC capacitors, amphenol and neutrik  connectors.


----------



## rarebear

Nice looking case, how much does something like cost to have made and  hard anodized  ?


----------



## birser

The cases or the all amplifier?


----------



## rarebear

Case only...
  Thanks


----------



## birser

The cases are from hifi2000 and the cost was ~350EUR.


----------



## yossi126

Birser, I bought the GX388 based on your build  Also doing the active ground.


----------



## rarebear

Wow thats $450 USD
  Very Nice Looking Cases
   
  I need to start a custom case business  
   
   
  Anyone looking to make there own cases a company called 80/20 makes many extrusions in aluminum..
  They are very close to what is used to make the side plates..  These might also work for legs for a rack as well
http://stores.ebay.com/8020incgaragesale They sell used and left overs from jobs @ebay discounted


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Very cool looking DAC Lil' Knight. Did you source the kit from Quanghao?
   
  Is the IV stage a tube buffer of sorts?


----------



## gabriel-dan

Pics of the fantastic Bijou.The sound is sublime!!


----------



## jdkJake

Beautiful case work! I love that front panel.
   
  Interesting tube extenders. Why did you choose that over building the boards "upside down" and flush mounting to the top panel?


----------



## chobint

Sexy amp, nice job.


----------



## rds

Twisted Pear Audio Buffalo DAC


----------



## jdkJake

Wow, that's pretty cool. Is that the 8inch hammond case? You really maximized the available space.
   
  What do the knobs on the front control?


----------



## gabriel-dan

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Beautiful case work! I love that front panel.
> 
> Interesting tube extenders. Why did you choose that over building the boards "upside down" and flush mounting to the top panel?


 

 The case was too narrow. I couldn't mount the boards on studs, because with the tube sockets installed, they wouldn't  fit iside the case.
  I just used a piece of teflon sheet and a flat washer under each PCB. The caps on the Power supply were almost as high as the case. So I had to install the tubes on extenders away from the caps on the boards.


----------



## jdkJake

Makes sense. A lot of work, but, it seems to have paid off. It looks great!

 I like the SS peaking out on the side in the background. Thinking it just lost it's place in your amp hierarchy.


----------



## rds

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Wow, that's pretty cool. Is that the 8inch hammond case? You really maximized the available space.
> 
> What do the knobs on the front control?


 

 Thanks   Yep, that's the 8 inch hammond.
   
  The knob on the left selects the source and the one on the right adjusts the volume.


----------



## jdkJake

What DON"T you have crammed in there?
   
  Seriously, what is all enclosed in that case? What a nice tight implementation!


----------



## Nebby

IIRC, rds's Opus was even more packed. Must be very good at playing tetris


----------



## FallenAngel

Very nice builds guys, serious class all-round.


----------



## balderon

Nice job. I like the compact build.
  
  Quote: 





gabriel-dan said:


> Pics of the fantastic Bijou.The sound is sublime!!


----------



## gabriel-dan

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Makes sense. A lot of work, but, it seems to have paid off. It looks great!
> 
> I like the SS peaking out on the side in the background. Thinking it just lost it's place in your amp hierarchy.


 

 The SS is a great little amp. It sounds nice, but the Bijou is in a different league alltogether, so the SS will have to move near my computer


----------



## Pageygeeza

RDS:  Nice work!  Only one gripe though.  That power switch is cheap and tacky.  Don't mean the look of it, but the build quality is really poor, I had trouble with a couple like that, they didn't really last long.
   
  Apart from that, really nice.


----------



## jpelg

Quote:


n_maher said:


> Just for Al, so he'll get off my back.
> 
> I got about 45 minutes of listening time tonight and I like what I'm hearing.


 
   
  Dang, Nate - that is just beautiful, inside _and_ out. If it sounds half as good as it looks, it is a total winner!


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Very cool looking DAC Lil' Knight. Did you source the kit from Quanghao?
> 
> Is the IV stage a tube buffer of sorts?


 

 I only got the PCBs from him. Parts were sourced from a lot of places.
   
  Yes, the IV is tube buffer and you could use quite a lot of different tubes.


----------



## RuiCanela

A few mods on a original Rogers Gomez's NP-100v12 project



   
   
   
  ....and 18V version of Rogers Gomez's NP-100v12 with a ECC804


----------



## rds

Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> RDS:  Nice work!  Only one gripe though.  That power switch is cheap and tacky.  Don't mean the look of it, but the build quality is really poor, I had trouble with a couple like that, they didn't really last long.
> 
> Apart from that, really nice.


 

 Hmmm, I haven't had an issues with those switches so far.  I prefer low profile plastic switches like that one - is there one you'd recommend as a good substitute?


----------



## mhamel

First off... apologies for the crappy photos.  *both* of my cameras are having issues, so crappy cell phone pics it is...
   
  I've got several amps, and like to switch between them from time to time, so I decided to pick up a nice passive switch, but wasn't having luck finding something that was built as well as I'd like but wasn't super expensive for what it is.   I figured I might as well just build it myself.  I ended up using the 3-position selector switch + PCB from GlassWare as the board is really well built and makes for a nice, neat build.
   
  Hammond 1455 enclosure, Neutrik RCA jacks, silver plated copper/teflon wire, custom panels from FPE.
   
  If I had to do it again, I'd either find some smaller isolation washers or move the indicator lettering up a bit on the rear panel, but overall I'm happy with the end result.
   
  Again, apologies for crappy pics... but here they are:


----------



## revolink24

That looks really nice! Where did you get that rotary selector switch? I can't seem to find it.


----------



## mhamel

Thanks!  The switch is sort of buried in their store.  It's right here:  http://glass-ware.stores.yahoo.net/inseswandpcb.html

     -Mike
  
  Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> That looks really nice! Where did you get that rotary selector switch? I can't seem to find it.


----------



## rayk

Nothing fancy, just a simple CKKIII build


----------



## Beefy

As I said elsewhere, that really looks great. And I've only just noticed how you recessed the jack...... fancy! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Only very small suggestion for next time is to shorten the pot before you solder it in to the board. Secure the shaft of the pot very tightly with pliers close to the body of the pot, then take a few millimetres off the end with a hacksaw or dremel.


----------



## nattonrice

That recessed jack looks very swish!
   
  Yes don't do what I did on my b22 and fix an expensive dact to the front panel, wire it up, and forget to check the knob  \facepalm.
  Hack-sawing half an inch from a finished panel makes for an interesting experience...


----------



## fishski13

mhamel,
  that looks friggin' sweet!  i love the face-plares.  time to build another amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## mhamel

Thanks!
   
  I was planning a B22 build earlier this year, but mother nature stuck her nose into it... I was right in the middle of some bad flooding here in RI at the end of March, so the "build a new toy" budget had to go towards cleaning up/repairs.  Probably won't be until next year at this point.
   
     -Mike
   
  Quote: 





fishski13 said:


> mhamel,
> that looks friggin' sweet!  i love the face-plares.  time to build another amp
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## midoo1990

My first DIY attempt.i am buildings 2 gamma2(y1 full config.++) and a mini3.
  i dont have all parts and i have to order more.mini3 is nearly finished and the 2 y1 dont need much work while y2 is giving me a hard timemainly because of the darn chips.i already need to desolder couple of chips and one chip on y1.they are hard to solder.
   
  more to come when i finish them.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Getting started on the Millett Engineers Amplifier.


----------



## calico88

Woody Casing made of Jackfruit wood.
  Indian Rosewood and Alumunium.
   
  C
   
   
  C


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Beautiful work, I'm way past jealous  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  cheers
  FRED


----------



## johnwmclean

calico88 that’s a work of art, I’m not normally a fan of wood but that’s wow[size=11.0px].[/size]


----------



## elliot42

Wow. That looks amazing, calico88. Really beautiful.
  BTW, what's inside it?


----------



## calico88

it's a portable Headphone Amp. inside.
   
  Cal
  Quote: 





elliot42 said:


> Wow. That looks amazing, calico88. Really beautiful.
> BTW, what's inside it?


----------



## gabriel-dan

calico88 that looks sweet!. What amp is inside?


----------



## francisdemarte

Quote: 





calico88 said:


> Woody Casing made of Jackfruit wood.
> Indian Rosewood and Alumunium.
> 
> C
> ...


 

 Amazing wood working! I hope jackfruit wood doesn't smell like actual jackfruit


----------



## rbarth

Well, here is my hybrid eXStatA amp.  The idea for the case came from a post on the locked eXStatA thread (#2398) by macm75, who graciously offered me some construction tips along the way.  The help I got from everybody on the current eXStatA Build Thread II was also invaluable to me in getting this done.  It’s only two days old but, every time I turn it on, it takes me to new levels of listening joy….


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Wow!!! What a beauty! What was your source for the perforated metal mounted to the bottom, if you don't mind my asking.


----------



## ujamerstand

onlinemetal? That's where I bought mine. Would love to know a black anadonized perforated sheet metal source though.


----------



## rbarth

Yep.  onlinemetal it was.  Don't know of a black anodized perforated sheet metal source.


----------



## MisterX

It's pretty easy to spray paint it.


----------



## MASantos

Great job on that dovetail!! 
   
  What jig are you using? to do that?


----------



## rbarth

That was a Leigh jig.


----------



## krmathis

Quote: 





			
				calico88 said:
			
		

> Woody Casing made of Jackfruit wood.
> Indian Rosewood and Alumunium.
> 
> C


 

 Oh my, what a beauty!


----------



## primer

Quote: 





masantos said:


> Great job on that dovetail!! 7


 

 Yep nice dovetails.


----------



## johnwmclean

[size=medium]I dont know if I’m the first, I think so - but not sure.
   
*EHHA Speaker Amp Premier 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	


*
  All parts are based on the recommended power amp build up the Cavalli website. It’s a bit of a work in progress at the moment, so I’ll be sure to post finished pics soon.
   

   

   
  As one of the four boards is still waiting for some parts and a bit of troubleshooting, I thought I’d give a pair of 4ohm bookshelf speakers a whirl with two of my working boards a single σ22 and do a bit of testing. I’m delighted to say the EHHA makes a fantastic speaker amp, it’s running steady at 100mA and the sinks are still cool, I reckon I could probably push 200mA easily. The speakers sound awesome for what they are, much better than than I ever expected these cheapies could ever muster, if fact I spent the entire day listening... oh and I’m only using the kit supplied 6GM8’s.​[/size]


----------



## Beefy

Looks great, John. Seems like you have the dual S22 powering the amp boards, and a separate casing for the heater supply?


----------



## mattcalf

Awesome work John.


----------



## nattonrice

Looks awesome John!
  Great to hear that your getting that board sorted.


----------



## Reintz

Cmoy inside a Zippo.
  Emptied on the Zippo, drilled out the tube, that holds the flint, with a 5mm drill. A LED will be looking out of that hole.
   

   
  Then I measured the inside and made a PCB. I'm not very satisfied with it as the press-and-peel transfer film moved under the iron. But it wasn't bad enough to do it again. Besides I ran out of etching solution. Holes are drilled with a power drill 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   

   
  It fits inside with almost 8mm of space above it. Which is good, as the highest component is 7.5mm tall.
   

   
  The power will come from a female USB A jack that will be sitting inside the flame tower (or whatever it's called). Wires will be running through the wick hole. Power will be split by TLE2426 transistor and I will be running a low power op-amp with a minimal voltage of +/- 2V. Input and output jack will be Pro-signal MX-387GL that will be under the Zippo. I will have to drill two holes in the underside on the Zippo casing.
   
  I'm still waiting for the parts, should have them by the end of the week. Will post pics when it's done.
   
  BTW this is my fourth project. First was a big Cmoy that was clipping hard, second a Fulltone OCD guitar pedal clone and third was a Looper pedal. I don't have pictures of the Looper, but the first two are here...


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks guys!
  
  Quote: 





beefy said:


> Looks great, John. Seems like you have the dual S22 powering the amp boards, and a separate casing for the heater supply?


 

 Thanks right, it’s a three box build.


----------



## fishski13

Quote: 





reintz said:


> Cmoy inside a Zippo.
> Emptied on the Zippo, drilled out the tube, that holds the flint, with a 5mm drill. A LED will be looking out of that hole.
> 
> 
> ...


 

 that Zippo CMOY rulz!!!!  A+++++.  please post pics when finished.  i wish i had thought of it.  your etching looks awesome!  where does the battery fit?


----------



## balderon

Quote: 





reintz said:


> Cmoy inside a Zippo.


 

 So cool. Very original idea! Kudos. Please keep the progress pics coming.


----------



## Reintz

Quote: 





fishski13 said:


> where does the battery fit?


 

 It will be USB powered. Like this...


----------



## ujamerstand

^^ Very Impressive work. Are you using it in conjunction with a HTC phone with one of those hybrid audio/usb ports? OTOH, I probably wouldn't want to bring that to the airport. lol


----------



## Reintz

No, sadly my phone does not give out power through it's USB port.


----------



## spiftacu1ar

I finished my CK2III build a few weeks ago, and finally got the chance to upload some pics. No pics of it powered on, but when it is, there is an orange glow around the perimeter of the volume knob, and the dot on the knob that indicates position also lights up orange. The front panel is 10mm thick, and the rear panel is 6mm thick. Thanks to Front Panel Express for the milling. I will try to get picks of the glow later.


----------



## cyberspyder

Very clean build!


----------



## ujamerstand

Quote: 





spiftacu1ar said:


> I finished my CK2III build a few weeks ago, and finally got the chance to upload some pics. No pics of it powered on, but when it is, there is an orange glow around the perimeter of the volume knob, and the dot on the knob that indicates position also lights up orange. The front panel is 10mm thick, and the rear panel is 6mm thick. Thanks to Front Panel Express for the milling. I will try to get picks of the glow later.


 

 I must ask. What is the corner radius of the TRS jack?


----------



## spiftacu1ar

Quote: 





cyberspyder said:


> Very clean build!


 

 Thank you very much 

  
  Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> I must ask. What is the corner radius of the TRS jack?


 

 3.45mm radius is what I used. 2mm depth for perfectly flush fit. Height is 31.10mm and width is 26.10mm (I added the .10 so that it fits well given the tolerance of the jack dimensions)


----------



## ujamerstand

Thank you!


----------



## MrSlim

How does one go about measuring Corner radius?


----------



## spiftacu1ar

Its kinda difficult to actually measure, I suppose one could measure distance to opposite corners with a caliper, and then use some trig (or a cad program) to figure it out. Or,  you could check the data sheet . Neutrik priceds PDF and CAD drawings of a lot of their stuff. The corner radius wasn't specified in the pdf, so I opened up the cad, and checked the dimension in there.


----------



## Pageygeeza

I made a 9" toroid, does that count for DIY?


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> I made a 9" toroid, does that count for DIY?


 

 pics or it never happened. Also whats it for?


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> Â
> 
> pics or it never happened. Also whats it for?


 

  That's an A4 sheet just for comparison.  It's actually for a science project I'm working on.  Not audio related but I thought it was worthy for the DIY thread.


----------



## jdkJake

Cool! What are the ratings?

 I trust it is for power?


----------



## Pageygeeza

I really really couldn't tell you power ratings for it as it's not really being used as a transformer, but it IS being used for power.


----------



## aloksatoor

a small hadron collider 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ??


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote: 





aloksatoor said:


> a small hadron collider
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Best reply yet.


----------



## dbfreak

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Getting started on the Millett Engineers Amplifier.


 

 Great to see silver micas and carbon comps!


----------



## Steve Eddy

Quote: 





dbfreak said:


> Great to see silver micas and carbon comps!


 
   
  Ditto!
   
  se


----------



## Reintz

Cmoy inside a Zippo is finally done. Works a treat


----------



## pabbi1

Sweet!


----------



## jdkJake

That is AWESOME packaging!!
   
  Very original. I love the USB power.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Wow. Very creative way to use that USB jack. Best Cmoy ever!


----------



## krmathis

Awesome work on that Zippo cMoy.


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

That zippo is a very creative looking little amp!  It would have been cool if the flint striker could have been retained as a volume control.


----------



## jdkJake

headphoneaddict said:


> That zippo is a very creative looking little amp!  It would have been cool if the flint striker could have been retained as a volume control.







 That's a great idea. Kind of like the old blackberry thumbwheels.

 That would have been quite the trick though.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Here's my hot-rodded Bottlehead Crack. Please don't ask me how much I paid to have that custom badge made 
   

   
   
  pr0n

   
  A few more details in the Crack thread.


----------



## johnwmclean

That is plain gorgeous. Ok how much was the badge?


----------



## jdkJake

Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> That is plain gorgeous. Ok how much was the badge?


 

 I agree. Come on, fess up!
   
  You would not have mentioned it if, down deep. you wanted to share.
   
  You know it to be true.  
   
  BTW, it is gorgeous!


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Thanks gents  Well, I knew having a custom plate made would be a little pricey, but when I got the bill back, it was like that wonderful feeling you have when you get a surprise bill from the doctor. It was north of a C note if you can believe it


----------



## jdkJake

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Thanks gents  Well, I knew having a custom plate made would be a little pricey, but when I got the bill back, it was like that wonderful feeling you have when you get a surprise bill from the doctor. It was north of a C note if you can believe it


 

 But are you happy with it? 
   
  Regardless, that is all that truly matters. Truly.
   
  BTW, it looks sweet. It brings a finished look to the amp. A statement if you will.


----------



## krmathis

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Here's my hot-rodded Bottlehead Crack. Please don't ask me how much I paid to have that custom badge made


 

 Beautiful work!
  Ok, how much was the custom badge?


----------



## Sweeney

I built this mini3 from a kit a few months back. It is nothing special but I am rather proud of my first project.

 I cheated and bought the gamma2 after my latest attempt at smd soldering ended badly for everyone concerned... Namely the poor pcb that I ruined and promptly set about cutting in half in anger. One out of two ain't bad?



 I'm thinking of graduating to a MiniMAX over the summer.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> But are you happy with it?
> 
> Regardless, that is all that truly matters. Truly.
> 
> BTW, it looks sweet. It brings a finished look to the amp. A statement if you will.


 

 Very much so  It's a nice finishing touch.


----------



## Spacehead




----------



## FallenAngel

Looks cool, care to elaborate on what it is?


----------



## Spacehead

Headphone amplifiers.
  Basic CMOY circuit receives input signal. I am using SMD resistors only. Then signal is buffered by parallel dual op amps.
   
  Power supply is basic datasheet version of LM317 implementation, The resistor divider virtual ground is buffered with dual op amp.
   
  I had some problems with it so it took too much time. I learned a lot though. I used tape measure in case making and my new Dremel-copy (Cotech)
   
  Have you done anything similar FallenAngel?


----------



## FallenAngel

Yep, usually. 
   
  I haven't posted much lately, but I've been doing a lot of perfboard work lately.  I've recently made a TDA1308-based "CMOY" running off 4x AAA, taped an iPod Nano to it and velcro-taped it to my motorcycle.  That's after I stuck a pair of KSC-75 in the helmet. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  By my calculation, it should run about 400 hours per battery charge.  Only problem is, it's in a plastic box, unshielded, it has terrible interference from the Android phone in my pocket (lots of data usage in background).
   
  Just today, I built a PPAS with simple 78L09-based PSU and wired it into the 12V battery of the motorcycle (wired into horn so it's off when bike is off).   Going to test it tomorrow.
   
  I'll try to post some photos of another couple of amps I've played with lately.  Haven't had the 'real' workbench up for months so I make little things until I move and can really set up the workspace again.


----------



## Ikarios

Crossposting just images and gallery link from the main SSMH thread. My post is here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/319231/millett-starving-student-hybrid-amp/5430#post_6869925
   



   



   



   



   
  The rest of the pics (50 decent ones all told) are here:
   
  http://picasaweb.google.com/submergence/StarvingStudentMillettHybridSSMH?feat=directlink


----------



## limpidglitch

Finally finished my very first DIY project, a GrubDac:


----------



## jdkJake

Very Nice. Fashionable AND functional.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote:


limpidglitch said:


> Finally finished my very first DIY project, a GrubDac:


 

 That is fantastic, great idea  Does the LED provide enough light to illuminate the design?


----------



## limpidglitch

Thank you for the kind words.
   
  No, the LED isn't quite bright enough, and should ideally be white.
  I'm thinking about it, though it will have to wait a while. The Grub was made for my mother, to make the computer music available o the livingroom system, so I'll have to wait until I come to visit again.


----------



## particleman14

heres my ck2III all cased up
    
  gutss

   
  front panel..


----------



## tranhieu

nice! what pot is that? looks like a stepped attenuator?


----------



## ujamerstand

I'm more interested in the circuits at the left, care to share the part number for the relay and pushbutton?


----------



## particleman14

--


----------



## particleman14

tranhieu, it's a cheapo stepped attenuator from ebay.  search dact type attenuator.  was  only15$.  I got it to replace my alps pot which I wasn't liking..
   
  yoo ujamerstand, the relay is actually the same one amb recommended to me in my epsilon24 thread  it's (mouser) 653-G4B-112T-AC120.. only 2 left! leave 1 more for me! lol
  the switch is a lamptron, I got from performance-pcs.com.  Much cheaper than the bulgin switches and they have latching styles in several led colors which bulgin doesn't offer..


----------



## particleman14

--delete plz


----------



## ujamerstand

Very cool. Thanks!


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





particleman14 said:


> tranhieu, it's a cheapo stepped attenuator from ebay.  search dact type attenuator.  was  only15$.  I got it to replace my alps pot which I wasn't liking..
> 
> yoo ujamerstand, the relay is actually the same one amb recommended to me in my epsilon24 thread  it's (mouser) 653-G4B-112T-AC120.. only 2 left! leave 1 more for me! lol
> the switch is a lamptron, I got from performance-pcs.com.  Much cheaper than the bulgin switches and they have latching styles in several led colors which bulgin doesn't offer..


 
   
  thanks! no wonder it looks so familiar!


----------



## aloksatoor

very nice build... how did u flush fit the locking trs jack?


----------



## johnwmclean

particleman14, that’s a nice clean build. Congrats.


----------



## particleman14

i actually lifted it from spiftacu1ar's recent ckk3 build.  I originally only had the hole in place but then saw the recessed look and really liked it.
  thanks john, I hope my case quality can compare to yours one day


----------



## spiftacu1ar

Quote: 





particleman14 said:


> i actually lifted it from spiftacu1ar's recent ckk3 build.  I originally only had the hole in place but then saw the recessed look and really liked it.
> thanks john, I hope my case quality can compare to yours one day


 
   






 I feel special


----------



## particleman14

ya thanks for that tidbit, I plan to use it on most of my amps..I have it saved as a macro in my FPE.
   
   
  sooo, here is my soha-II almost fully cased up. worked out a few minor wiring and led resistor tweaks and it's running great!.  Thanks so much to Alex Cavalli for helping me with this guy.. 

  had to remove 1 leg in order for the stepped attenuator to fit..  and also I am kind of annoyed that on the 17th step the left channel gets like twice as loud as the right.  I can't see any visible defect on the atten, but it is kind of annoying and if I can't remedy it, I might switch out another pot..

  waiting on my other rca jacks.    I am using teflon russian FT-3 capacitors for my C1's.  I have them on alligator clips so the board can easily be pulled out for servicing..

  kinda low res working pic but has the top I'm using...

   
   
  that's it for now.


----------



## johnwmclean

particleman 14, my you gave been busy! Another great amp for your fast growing stable.
   
  Here’s my finally finished balanced EHHA speaker build. Thanks Alex for a great project.


----------



## tranhieu

very nice build johnwmclean! plain but beautiful!
  where did you have your front plate processed?


----------



## jdkJake

Wow.
   
  I am humbled.


----------



## Pageygeeza

JohnW:  That's just pure geek porn!


----------



## Ikarios

Indeed, those look incredible. What enclosures are those and how'd you do the front panels?


----------



## Nebby

Those look like Hifi2000 Galaxy cases; the front panel and top panel were probably done at FPE or CAMexpert?
   
  Just guessing.


----------



## Beefy

Great work as always, John!


----------



## johnwmclean

Thankyou Gents, bang on Nebby it was indeed CAMexpert.


----------



## Nebby

Great build btw, I _really_ like how thin the amp case is; to me it gives off a sleek and slim look.
  
  Nicely done, sir!
  Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Thankyou Gents, bang on Nebby it was indeed CAMexpert.


----------



## elliot42

Wow, John. The EHHA looks amazing!
   
  How does the cost of panels from CAMexpert compare with FPE, if you don't mind sharing.
  I'm still thinking about custom panels.


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks Owen,
   
  well I haven’t used FPE, but just to give you an idea, five panels (two of which were completely fabricated from scratch) plus perspex cutting for the volume hole cavity worked out to be $408 including shipping, although my most important requirement was the ability to use my own software, unlike FPE, Cam supports a  wide variety of file formats. Cam quote quickly on-line, there communication is great, although I had a few mishaps which were not my fault, they replaced and corrected the pieces quickly.


----------



## elliot42

Thanks for the info, John. They seem a lot more personal than FPE (just from the options available, tone of the web site, etc. I haven't worked with FPE at all) and the price seems comparable to what I was estimating for my design with FPE. I'll have to get a quote from them.


----------



## particleman14

just to chime in, FPE is definitely a great company, they always call me before they cut the metal to confirm everything with me.  They have even caught a mistake i accidentally made but they called me and the problem was quickly solved.. I go with FPE because I find their program easy for noobs like me and they are located close to me for fast shipping..


----------



## vilts

Finally I found time and started doing panels for my excellent gamma2. First 2 tries went to scrap, because I just couldn't get the holes where they have to be. So the next day I took another go and this time successfully. It's quite hard to get the holes right by hand... I really did want to inlay gold into the "y2" logo, but as the titanium got so soft after annealing, I'm still thinking about it.
   
  So, for your viewing pleasure - hand engraved titanium front plate for gamma2.

   

   
  Engraving in the process.

   
  Engraving WIP close-up. Yes, there are mistakes 

   
  When I'll finish the other side, I'll try to make better photos too.
   
  Viljo


----------



## Kuze

Looks nice, selling any? just in time too cause the ones over AMB sold out a few days ago.


----------



## digger945

That looks too cool. I don't even want to know how long it took you to do that.
   
  Titanium no less.
   
  Thanks for the pics. I think they convey the artwork very well.
   
  Look forward to seeing more.


----------



## limpidglitch

vilts.
   
  That rocks.


----------



## jdkJake

Excellent example of true craftsmanship.

 Very original and very well executed Viljo!


----------



## Uncle Erik

Great work, Viljo!  Would you mind sharing tips on how to engrave metal by hand?  I wouldn't mind trying it on a few of my projects.


----------



## aloksatoor

amazing dude!!! looks a lot classier than the fonts on FPE  love the details


----------



## Mr.Duck

Utterly bespoke! Looks raw and industrial, yet beautiful.


----------



## daigo

Very nice script on your engraving, vilts.


----------



## balderon

WOW! Very nice engraving vilts! A tutorial on this dying art would be an interesting thread to follow.


----------



## vilts

Thank you very much for the kind comments.
  
  Quote: 





kuze said:


> Looks nice, selling any? just in time too cause the ones over AMB sold out a few days ago.


 

 I might sell in the future, if I can make them at least twice faster. This was a first try and took just too long time, I guess around 7 hrs for one panel, not including the ones that went to scrap . Let's see how the rear panel works out... and the next gamma2 I'm going to build soon. 

 I sent price request to at least 3 CNC shops here, but after 3 weeks none of them has answered about doing the panels for me. Drilling and filing took more than half of the time and it still isn't as good as I'd like it to be.

 Quote:


uncle erik said:


> `
> Great work, Viljo!  Would you mind sharing tips on how to engrave metal by hand?  I wouldn't mind trying it on a few of my projects.


 
  Quote: 





balderon said:


> WOW! Very nice engraving vilts! A tutorial on this dying art would be an interesting thread to follow.


 

 Well, I could write pages about this 
   
  But first off I must say that (script) lettering is one of the hard(est) things to get right in engraving, because everybody knows how a letter should look like and mistakes are really easy to spot, especially in roman or block letters.
   
  Tools - there's a way to do engraving very cheaply with hand push graver and small loupe, or with air assisted graver, microscope and whatnot. I use the second method, it's much faster, easier to learn etc. But it will hurt your wallet.
   
  However, if you do decide to start engraving, then the absolute best way would be to take 1 week basic class. Yes, it costs, but it'll cut the learning curve shorter by few years.
   
  A while ago I made short video about engraving a Zippo, maybe this will help to get an idea of the process: http://www.youtube.com/vilts#p/u/7/8VS9k00pHtM. Back in 2007 when I started the engraving I made this post about process: http://www.knivesandengraving.com/2007/08/engraving-process/, pretty old and crappy engraving, but you'll get the idea 
   
   
*balderon, *hand engraving is actually having a renaissance now. There are new schools, tools, forums, books and a lot of interest in it. The work produced now is the best ever, if you see the high-end guns you just have to be careful not to drop your jaw too often.


----------



## Spacehead

I just completed (excluding minor tweaking) a AD8620 + LM6172 with 3x BUF634 amplifier. It is pretty close to PIMETA v1 but without multiloop. I guess I could add multiloop and Class A biasing to it too. I use SMD resistors so I can pack a lot of stuff into compact space. I still manage with breadboard, maybe I should soon start etching my own PCBs...
  But here is the breadboard beauty:
   

   

   

   

   

   
  This compares very well to my PPA v2. It is dead silent, because the gain is 3. I like BUF634 sound. It is so clean and transparent, with good bass. And AD8620 is also excellent in this circuit.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Nice job on the scratch build Spacehead.
  You can do so much more when you etch your own boards.
  Fred_Fred is a real expert with the toner transfer method.
  I've tried the toner transfer method but I could not get it
  to work to my satisfaction. I'm going to do the photo transfer
  method when I get my supplies.


----------



## Kerry

Beautiful work vilts.  That's a great skill to have.


----------



## tranhieu

@Spacehead: May I ask where you got the plastic case from? It looks very much like the Voyager's case.


----------



## Spacehead

Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> @Spacehead: May I ask where you got the plastic case from? It looks very much like the Voyager's case.


 

  
  It is Hammond 1593X-MU , Got it from electronics store.


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





spacehead said:


> It is Hammond 1593X-MU , Got it from electronics store.


 

 Thanks!


----------



## nattonrice

Not so much a build as it is a mod.
  A local member here had me repair (stuff 'sploded) and mod his Melos Gold.
  The mods:
   
  -> Replace the photenti-crap-ometer with a DACT ct2 stepped attenuator and a ct3 source selector.
  -> Replace the crappy loose rca jacks with good quality Connex "WBT Style" teflon isolated jacks.
  -> Isolated the board and added a proper ground-loop breaker.
  -> Replaced the input caps with Mundorf Silver-in-oil and wired them directly to where they need to be on the board (vs a random walk like the left channel does).
  -> Replaced the inter-stage and to-ground caps with Jantzen Superior-Z's.
  -> Replaced the final cap after the regulator section on the HV supply with a 100uf Solen.
  -> Replaced the HV and LV bridge rectifiers with FREDs.
  -> Did the left channel mod (reroutes the left channel interstage path over the top of the board instead of paralleling the HV power line).
  -> Rewired the whole thing with Cryoparts TWCu and Neotech Teflon solid cored copper (for people who care about these things hehe).
   
  Before:
   

   
   
  After:
   

   
   
  Back:
   

  
   
  Side:
   

   
   
  Left Channel Mode (well the part you can see from the top):
   

   
   
  New FREDs:
   

   
   
  Input Caps:
   

   
   
  Ground loop breaker:


----------



## johnwmclean

?


----------



## nattonrice

Cheeky SOB!
  ...
  John just found the t2 amp board stuffed full of prp muhahahaha   =D


----------



## milosz

Bottlehead Crack


----------



## qusp

mundorf brand grain silos


----------



## wink

You just gotta love that "prp muhahahaha   =D"


----------



## spritzer

Something similar here, changed all the caps and installed both bias supplies in a Stax SRM-Xs.  This was originally a electret only amp so no bias supply but the spots were on the PCB so it was easy to fix. 
   

   
  Just imagine how small this could be made today (this was produced in 1990).  Fully DC coupled, fully discrete and capable of being run fully balanced.  This one has mosfet outputs as well...


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> Not so much a build as it is a mod.
> A local member here had me repair (stuff 'sploded) and mod his Melos Gold.
> The mods:
> 
> ...


 

 Why take out the balanced preamp outputs? that was a very cool feature of the SHA-gold.


----------



## nattonrice

We'll put them back in when we change out the out put caps for that section to match the rest  
  He has no immediate need for them atm.


----------



## Coupe

Quote: 





milosz said:


> Bottlehead Crack


----------



## jdkJake

Quote: 





coupe said:


>


 
   
  Striking!!
   
  Congrats!


----------



## jdkJake

Not sure if this qualifies, but, it was fun to build from spare parts (except for the box and resistor).
   
  AMB MOSFET Tester/Matcher in-a-box:
   

   
  Does this qualify as point-to-point?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   
  In action:
   

   
  Works great! Now to build something real with the MOSFETS!


----------



## nattonrice

It is much sexier than a breadboard!


----------



## johnwmclean

...and you will need one for your EHHA Rev A.


----------



## Nebby

Next step would be to add a heater element to allow testing at operating conditions 
   
  Very nice build, I'll have to do something similar.


----------



## jdkJake

johnwmclean said:


> ...and you will need one for your EHHA Rev A.







 Already have two sets matched up just for that purpose.


----------



## jdkJake

nebby said:


> Next step would be to add a heater element to allow testing at operating conditions
> 
> 
> 
> ...







 Thanks. Thermocouple and a heat gun would probably work just fine if you really wanted to take it over the top!


----------



## Nebby

But if you're shooting for over the top, a heatgun won't keep the device under test at a consistent temperature


----------



## jdkJake

Point taken. 

 So I guess a full-up, temperature controlled, directed heating element is in order. Preferably under microprocessor control.


----------



## wink

Nah. Just overheat the dude until it's a pile of carbon, and it all becomes academic.


----------



## nikongod

You could just let the mosfet heat up naturally to a reasonable temperature.
   
  on a slightly related note:
  If you are seriously serious about this absurdly absurd absurdity 
  Build a little cover/enclosure for the test device. In my last FET matching efforts (to92 parts, but whatever) the FETs would drift when breathed on hard.


----------



## luvdunhill

yeah, that's not going to work very well. You need to match the devices at their target operating junction temperature and at the target current and voltage. I used a ceramic heater control block of aluminum to do the job. The heating element is in the back and you can see the probe:
   

   
  Also, I'd recommend an extra supply to bias the devices, in this case I used a battery with a simple adjustable regulator to vary the bias. This way I could control the exact current flowing through the device and matched this to the target current of the circuit, in this case it was 2.000A (the meter on the left, and see the bench supply reading as well).
   
  To give you an idea how the device behaves as it warms up, here's some data taken off the Fluke meter in the picture:
   

   
  Once you get things stable from a voltage, current and temperature standpoint, your matches will be very accurate. Here's a run for one device after it was dialed in:
   

   
  That's a variance of 0.0004V over 2.5 minutes, which in this case was how long I tested each device to get a stable reading. I then saved the data for each device and used that to correlate matches via a Python script which spit out the "best matches" based on plot data.


----------



## luvdunhill

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> If you are seriously serious about this absurdly absurd absurdity
> Build a little cover/enclosure for the test device. In my last FET matching efforts (to92 parts, but whatever) the FETs would drift when breathed on hard.


 

 like this?
   

   
  ...been there done that


----------



## luvdunhill

oh, before someone says something about the use of a crappy meter  that yellow meter isn't a yellow meter...it calculates hfe directly from wires that go to that box...


----------



## ujamerstand

Jesus. What devices are these?


----------



## luvdunhill

The big ones are Toshiba 2SJ201/2SK1530. Small ones are 2SA970/2SC2240. Medium ones are 2SA1145/2SC2705.


----------



## Nebby

Your insane matching quest was what came to mind as soon as I saw the matching device.


----------



## jdkJake

Holy crap! From the ridiculous to the sublime! I am humbled.

 I just wanted to make sure they worked and were within a couple percentage points. I didn't even break out the 179.

 You are, without a doubt, the man. Seriously, I am speechless.


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Holy crap! From the ridiculous to the sublime! I am humbled.
> 
> I just wanted to make sure they worked and were within a couple percentage points. I didn't even break out the 179.
> 
> You are, without a doubt, the man. *Seriously, I am speechless*.


 
   
  why is it that people always say that directly after they have managed to say something.......


----------



## Nebby

Well if they say they are speechless at the end then it's true. If they say they're speechless and then continue the post after saying so.... 
  Quote: 





qusp said:


> why is it that people always say that directly after they have managed to say something.......


----------



## Spacehead

3-channel TORI AMP

 IRF510 on left and right, OPA2132P op amp, gain 4 , LM317 CCS
   
  TIP41 (100 ohm resistor bias) on ground channel with OPA2132P and TLE2426
   
  Supply voltage 13V, All Class A


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





nebby said:


> Well if they say they are speechless at the end then it's true. If they say they're speechless and then continue the post after saying so....


 

 hmmm.....you may have a point. I suppose it depends on exactly where that line is drawn. hehe
   
  nice work spacehead, truly DIY . cant say i've heard if the TIP41 before. I guess its time for google


----------



## vilts

I finally managed to take photos of completed gamma2 panels. Still a lot to improve on, but they're OK for first try (and for using myself) 
   
  Hand engraved titanium...
   

   

   
   
  Vilts


----------



## Lil' Knight

Really nice work there, Vilts.


----------



## Soymilk

you engraved that yourself? it looks really good


----------



## logwed

Vilts say hand engraved what?!?!?! That is gorgeous.


----------



## Uncle Erik

That's more beautiful work, Vilts!

 I looked into engraving; it seems like you need to drop around $600 for an engraver and attend some classes or workshops. I might bite, since there's a guy who does nice work over by Phoenix who teaches workshops and gives individual lessons. What looks interesting is die-making. It would be nice to engrave steel in reverse and then use that to stamp copper or brass sheets that could be trimmed into tags and screwed to face/back plates.


----------



## Landis

Heck, I wish I could write that stylishly on paper, let alone titanium!
   
  Great work.


----------



## vilts

Thank you for the kind words.
   
  Uncle Erik, the equipment cost can vary quite a lot, from basically nothing (piece of sharpened tool steel and a hammer) to very much (air powered graver, stereo microscope, ball vise etc). I think I've acquired about 6k worth of stuff so far and end can't be seen yet.
   
  Die making is very interesting indeed. I've got one master die half finished even now. This is positive, called master hub, later it is hardened and pressed into working die creating negative 'working die'. And working die is used for the actual pressing. You could carve the negative in the first place too, like you said, but I find it easier to work in positive. But for doing all this you need relatively strong press, depending on size and material, but 50-100t would be nice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. Not a cheapest thing, unless you could find some old screw press or similar.
   
  Viljo


----------



## .Sup

kudos vilts


----------



## johnwmclean

Here’s a dual mono Buffalo II, not entirely all my build, all the parts were supplied by a very kind friend “wink” 
  I had fun with the (temporary) layout and testing all the boards, he’ll be wanting wanting it back eventually, I’ll be sure to have a good listen before he does.
   

   

   
  This does not come out when the kiddies are around, just so you know Mr Duck.


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Here’s a dual mono Buffalo II, not entirely all my build, all the parts were supplied by a very kind friend “wink”
> I had fun with the (temporary) layout and testing all the boards, he’ll be wanting wanting it back eventually, I’ll be sure to have a good listen before he does.
> 
> This does not come out when the kiddies are around, just so you know Mr Duck.


 

 Dual mono? Maybe I missed out on something but isnt the BII stereo?
  And what is that inlet? It looks so built!


----------



## Nebby

They are stereo but can be setup for mono; inlet looks like one of the filtered models.
  
  Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> Dual mono? Maybe I missed out on something but isnt the BII stereo?
> And what is that inlet? It looks so built!


----------



## Mr.Duck

Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> This does not come out when the kiddies are around, just so you know Mr Duck.


 

 Some one listened 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  My work here is done


----------



## vgjako

My PPA V2 
 
Here are the pictures:

   

   
I have more pictures of my PPA V2 on Photobucket, just follow this link: http://s789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/vgjako/PPA%20V2/
   
I have only used high-end components on this amp, listed below is the parts used:
- DACT CT-102 Audio Power supply (+/- 15 V)
- Burson Audio Single op-amps
- Elna Silmic II C1 and C4
- Wima MKP10 C2
- Wima MKS2 C5
- 10 pF Silver Mica C6
- Vishay 64W pots
- DACT CT2 50K
- Vishay Dale RN55 resistors
- Takman REY resistors
- 2N5484 Q1
- 2N5486 Q2
- PN4392 Q3, Q4
- 2N5087_J18Z Q-21-23
- 2N5088_J61Z Q31-33
- MJE243G Q24
- MJE253G Q34
- No TLE's (The power-supply is a dual supply)
 
Regards
vgjako


----------



## .Sup

very nice vgjako


----------



## Nebby

USB Isolator from Circuits@Home. Quick and easy kit build and worked first time. Now to find a good case to stuff it in....


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





vgjako said:


> My PPA V2
> 
> I have more pictures of my PPA V2 on Photobucket, just follow this link: http://s789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/vgjako/PPA%20V2/
> 
> ...


 


 Wao I like those bursons! how do they sound btw?
  
  Quote: 





nebby said:


> USB Isolator from Circuits@Home. Quick and easy kit build and worked first time. Now to find a good case to stuff it in....


 

 what's it for?


----------



## vgjako

Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> Wao I like those bursons! how do they sound btw?


 

 They sound excellent!


----------



## Nebby

It isolates the connection to the computer 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Not sure if I hear any difference, but I like the fact that my DAC now has galvanic isolation from the computer.
  
  Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> what's it for?


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





nebby said:


> It isolates the connection to the computer
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 dont you worry about jitter?


----------



## Nebby

I'm not touching that topic with a 10ft pole. You can worry about jitter for me instead 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> dont you worry about jitter?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Nice find Nebby, looks like a nice kit. I went ahead and ordered one. Hopefully it'll provide a small increase in SQ for the HiFace. I'll probably run a USB cable directly to the board rather than using the jack. Let me know if you find a suitable box to throw it in.


----------



## Nebby

I don't think it's compatible with the HiFace as I think I've read a few comments from folks saying it didn't work. The reason is probably due to the High Speed USB port requirement....the ADuM4160 only supports Full and Low speed.
   
  I will probably be putting it in a Box Enclosure case to match up with my Gamma2, that'll give me enough space to use Neutrik USB jacks and mount a beefier DC jack to the panel. I also plan on taking out the switched mode regulator and directly sourcing the downstream power from a sigma25/sigma11.


----------



## jdkJake

USB-only Gamma2/Sigma25:
   

   
  All power derived from the Sigma25. Adaptable cable inlet.
   

   
  For now, the filter and clipping settings are available from the front. That might change once I decide on a setting I like. I really like minimal panel installations.
   

   
  This one purposely leaves room for the inevitable upgrade to the Gamma3.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Learned that lesson with the Gamma1.


----------



## TzeYang

I LOVE what you did to the USB connector.


----------



## Beefy

Quote: 





tzeyang said:


> I LOVE what you did to the USB connector.


 


 Yeah, they are pretty handy. Details here.


----------



## oohms

Silicon chip headphone amp (SCHA) in a 3.5" external hard drive enclosure
   
  Minimal mods, gain to 4.7, larger low ESR caps, changed values on HF filtering caps
  The black box attached to the PCB is a switchmode PSU, 12 to +/-15v - makes less audible noise than any linear PSU i have had


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Here is a little something I put together to practice my circuit
  board making skills. 3 Channel design, gain of 2. Sounds good too!


----------



## ujamerstand

Cool, which technique did you use to etch your boards? Also, any cheap local supply store I should be aware of?


----------



## Avro_Arrow

I'm using the photo method.
  Drawn up in Eagle, laser printed on transparency.
  I built my own exposure light.
  Chemicals and board are from Sayal.
  Sometimes you can find better priced at Active so it
  pays to check both places.
  Pretty standard stuff, really.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Pretty standard stuff, really.


 

 Lol, yer kidding?
   
  It sure doesn't look standard to me!  It looks flawless!


----------



## sandbasser

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Here is a little something I put together to practice my circuit
> board making skills. 3 Channel design, gain of 2. Sounds good too!


 

 I'm curious about your batteries...care to share what they are???


----------



## Avro_Arrow

They're Lithium Ion salvaged from a laptop battery pack.
  I used to work in Laptop repair and I have bags full of them. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





sandbasser said:


> I'm curious about your batteries...care to share what they are???


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Thanks, I guess you didn't see the first couple...
   
   
  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> Lol, yer kidding?
> 
> It sure doesn't look standard to me!  It looks flawless!


----------



## Spacehead

I don't think my protoboard works lose much to those, what you think? Nice work though Avro_Arrow!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Avro_Arrow 
   
  Brilliant work, I think the DIY bar just raised another couple of notches
   
  congratulations
   
  cheers
  FRED


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Thanks Fred, I was just trying to keep up with you...
  
  Quote: 





fred_fred2004 said:


> Avro_Arrow
> 
> Brilliant work, I think the DIY bar just raised another couple of notches
> 
> ...


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Here is the amp I did this morning.
  It has a split power battery supply.
  AD8620 is the op amp. Gain is 2.
   
  A word of warning...some op amps will tolerate
  mis-matched rail voltages and some will put out
  a nasty DC offset. Try this design at your own risk.


----------



## ujamerstand

I guess its called the hornet for a good reason.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Exactly.
   
  Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> I guess its called the hornet for a good reason.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jdkJake

Wow, beautiful etching work avro_arrow!

 Really, really nice work.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Thank you.
  You would almost think I knew what I was doing...
  
  Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Wow, beautiful etching work avro_arrow!
> 
> Really, really nice work.


----------



## gilency

My second built, a cMoyBB. Have been trying several opamps.
  I know is a simple build but this is my second DIY and has taught me soldering skills and how to read a diagram.
  Waiting for the Meier crossfeed parts, and after that, eSXtatA SS


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Looks like you did a good job! Well done.


----------



## RockinCannoisseur

omg im in love
  
  Quote: 





beefy said:


> I originally posted pics of this amp way back in May last year, but I've finally got around to finalising a few changes yesterday, and couldn't resist taking new photos with my new camera......
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Beefy

That post is a year and a half old 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





rockincannoisseur said:


> omg im in love


----------



## Nebby

Well, sometimes it takes a bit of time for love to bloom


----------



## RockinCannoisseur

i really love that chassis and its so compact and awesome,  yes i am jealous of your amp
  and this thread is filled with works of art
  bravo


----------



## meme

Yay ~ Another CMoy!
   

   
  My first(ish) crack at one, my initial board had a problem with distortion in the left channel so failing to fix it I made another.
   
  Case is a small Hammond that I've cut to length (I could have made it a bit shorter) with panels made with wood I happened to find on the side of the road.
   

   
  ~Please excuse the horrible picture quailty~
   

   
  My first attempt was a lot neater underneath.


----------



## meme

~ Starving Student 12AU7 ~
   

   
  My second go at a Starving Student (first being the Beezar PCB kit)
   

   
  I've used Ohmite carbon composite resistors, Vishay axial electrolytic and TAD "mustard" caps as well as a pair of JJ Valves.
   
  I used star grounding as opposed to soldering the grounds to a plate.


----------



## Jerrycan

Beautiful woodwork!


----------



## Uncle Erik

Very nice work, meme! I like that you used a star ground in there - a few more wires, but a great way to do it!

 What kind of finish did you use on the wood?


----------



## meme

Thanks for the compliments.
  
  Quote: 





uncle erik said:


> What kind of finish did you use on the wood?


 
  I just applied three of coats of regular oil-based clear satin varnish (Ronseal I think) and just lightly wet and dried between coats.


----------



## Ferrari

First power up (always exciting), and yes... she starts singing


----------



## the_equalizer

STUNNING work, as usual, Ferrari; simply stunning...


----------



## steven2992

Quote: 





ferrari said:


> First power up (always exciting), and yes... she starts singing


 

 It's beautiful. I'd love to see some pics of the inside.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





the_equalizer said:


> STUNNING work, as usual, Ferrari; simply stunning...


 

  
  [size=x-small]Thanks! [/size][size=x-small]It’s still work in progress and I’m planning to tinker with this amp a bit this weekend but just realized that I’m in trouble…[/size]
  [size=x-small]it sounds amazing good and I really can’t take the headphone off my head and start to work. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





[/size]



  
  Quote: 





steven2992 said:


> It's beautiful. I'd love to see some pics of the inside.


 

  
  [size=x-small]I have posted a couple of pics of the internal in the other thread.[/size]
  [size=x-small]More pics of the internal will follow soon when I work on it.[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]Here is an o[size=x-small]bligatory night shot while I'm listening to music. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 [/size][/size]


----------



## johnwmclean

Ferrari, that is magnificent work.


----------



## Uncle Erik

Ferrari, those look like 832A tubes. Did you build the "Martian" circuit to use them? I came across a stash of NOS JAN 832As a couple years back - I've been planning to get around to building an amp that uses them.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





uncle erik said:


> Ferrari, those look like 832A tubes. Did you build the "Martian" circuit to use them? I came across a stash of NOS JAN 832As a couple years back - I've been planning to get around to building an amp that uses them.


 


   
  [size=x-small]Uncle Erik, I’m using GU32, the Russian equivalent of the Americans 832A.[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]My build was inspired by the "Martian" but not using the same schematic completely.[/size]
  [size=x-small]I borrowed the SE output stage from Maarten using 832A and modify the front-end to allow tubes rolling.[/size]
  [size=x-small]My aim is to use CCS in the first stage and make it more flexible so that both octal- and noval tubes can be used (some from my parts bin like 6H30-DR, 6SN7 or D3a in triode mode…).[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]Even far from completed, I’m very happy with how it turns out and, most important… the sound.[/size]
  [size=x-small]Probably thanks to the CCS and the full PIO/MKP used in the Pi-filter of the HV power supply.[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]The original "Martian" schematic works fine however (I have tried it too).[/size]
  [size=x-small]With some relative cheap parts as used by Maarten, it produces very good sound.[/size]


----------



## akgfan

Hi, I'm new here. My headamp is jfet mosfet in class A based on Richard Murdey's amp. (http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.edu/projects/showfile.php?file=murdey_prj.htm)
   
  Current consumption for each channel is set to 333mA so it generates some heat. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It is hum and noise free which is something I like the most on this amp. However, I have a minor problem with cracking volume when I turn it on.
   
  schematics (updated with ground loop breaker; not present on my photos):
   



   
  it all started here:
   



   
  and first prototype 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   



   
  final product:


----------



## m1abrams

Replace your pot with something a little nicer will most likely elimante the cracking.


----------



## akgfan

No, it's not a pot problem because it disapears after a while.


----------



## Listen2this1

Quote: 





ferrari said:


> First power up (always exciting), and yes... she starts singing


 


  More, More, More Pics Please and maybe a little more description.
   
    As always Ferrari, Great Work


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Ferrari, that is magnificent work.


 




  Quote: 





listen2this1 said:


> More, More, More Pics Please and maybe a little more description.
> 
> As always Ferrari, Great Work


 


 Thanks gents! And sure... there will be more pics to follow. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Since this is a tinkering project, it will take some more time than a straight forward build.
  I currently have to travel for work but when I'm back (in about 10 days), I will try to take some detailed pics of the internal and the completed amp.


----------



## igor0203

Ferrari, you build those amplifier for yourself or you're selling them? As they are very beautiful.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

I really like the way that volume control was mounted. I'd love to see some internal shots


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Here is the knob.
  Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> I really like the way that volume control was mounted. I'd love to see some internal shots


----------



## Ferrari

Quote:


igor0203 said:


> Ferrari, you build those amplifier for yourself or you're selling them? As they are very beautiful.


 


   
  [size=x-small]If it was intended for sale, I never posted anything in this *DIY forum.*[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]As a DIY-er, everything I do -from the first pencil sketch, selecting parts, prototyping, trials and errors to... putting the amp together- I do it my way…with love and passion. [/size]
  [size=x-small]To be honest, I couldn’t do it any other way![/size]


----------



## egotrip

It would be a crime to sell something that beautiful.
  This thread is a great inspiration.
  I want to build something right now, just looking at this pictures.


----------



## igor0203

I didn't mean to offend you, if I did, I apologize. So it means you have lots of amplifiers? As I saw you built lots of them.


----------



## Uncle Erik

igor0203 said:


> I didn't mean to offend you, if I did, I apologize. So it means you have lots of amplifiers? As I saw you built lots of them.





igor, we have strict rules about advertising products here without being a Member of the Trade (MOT). If someone wants to sell amps or any other audio gear, they have to become a MOT and follow different rules from regular members.

 Ferrari is not a MOT, and I think that's what I think he was getting at. Though I think you paid him a nice compliment by suggesting that his work is good enough for commercial sales.


----------



## Ferrari

Uncle Erik has pointed it in the correct direction.
   
  It was also an publicly answer to all the emails and PMs asking me for a quote or to buy a certain amp.
  [size=x-small]I’m a hobbyist and build my own amps just for fun (EE is my former profession accidentally).[/size]
  [size=x-small][size=x-small]I’m here now and then to enjoy and learning from some other inspired DIY-ers, [/size][/size]
  [size=x-small][size=x-small]and... also to share something whenever I can. [/size][/size][size=x-small]
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/size]


----------



## igor0203

I think you understood me in wrong direction. I certainly didn't mean to point to any negative direction, I was just curious if you maybe build amplifiers on order. I really respect what you share with us and admire your craftmanship as every amplifier I've seen from you, is state-of-the-art design.


----------



## rayk

Finished my miniMAX : ) . Big thanks to Tom for putting together such a great and comprehensive kit (even to the extent of labeling all the parts!).


----------



## tomb

Cool!  Another MiniMAX lives!


----------



## Soymilk

cmoy i built as a gift for my brother. was the first time i cased anything, took a LOT more effort / longer than i was expecting D: (my ppa sits in a cardboard box 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
   
  also, using a hand held power drill to drill something you're holding in your other hand makes it pretty hard to get your holes where you want them.
   
  in theory, when it's on the underside of the knob is supposed to light up (i drilled extra holes around the pot for light to shine through) but it didnt really work out that well, you can barely tell it's lit unless you're looking at it from the side. one of my two led's decided to short itself internally while i was assembling it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  the design on top is the logo my brother uses for his web stuff


----------



## compuryan

Here are a few long overdue pictures of my β24 amplifier. I am currently feeding it with my Buffalo32S DAC into a pair of BG Z-1 bookshelf speakers. It sounds absolutely fantastic. It has taken every speaker load I have thrown at it without a hiccup. I am looking forward to many, many years of enjoyment out of this amplifier.






 I swear the wire management doesn't look this bad in person...


----------



## Listen2this1

Compuryan, Great Build, Well Done


----------



## johnwmclean

compuryan, a most excellent build indeed, I’m especially interested as to how you built the chassis, is it off the shelf? Or did you put it together? Congratulations mate, it looks really impressive.


----------



## fishski13

compuryan,
  beautiful job.  i hope you had fun building it.


----------



## Nebby

I believe the case is a Hifi2000 4U Pesante Dissipante
  
  Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> compuryan, a most excellent build indeed, I’m especially interested as to how you built the chassis, is it off the shelf? Or did you put it together? Congratulations mate, it looks really impressive.


----------



## compuryan

It is indeed a 4U hifi2000 Pesante Dissipante w/ 10mm front panel. Drilling through the steel back panel was not fun, but overall it is an excellent case. AMB uses the same case in his reference build but he highly modified it. He uses an aluminum panel for the rear, acrylic for the top, and a slew of other things.


----------



## .Sup

It must be quite expensive to order those cases from Europe. My country is adjacent to Italy, where they are being sold, and as I have calculated the costs with shipping my valet nearly disintegrated.


----------



## adamus

I just ordered three cases (galxy m X2, and a pessante dissapante) shipping was only 17euro to uk.... not bad considering the weight.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





adamus said:


> I just ordered three cases (galxy m X2, and a pessante dissapante) shipping was only 17euro to uk.... not bad considering the weight.


 







 that's how much I paid for ground shipping to ship a pair of headphones to UK today.


----------



## compuryan

All things considered it wasn't bad at all to get the case from hifi2000, especially because it had integrated heatsinks. Finding a case that accepts large enough heatsinks, finding and ordering compatible heatsinks, plus the addition cost of shipping for the heatsinks really adds a lot of time and money. If you need big heatsinks, I would do all you can to find a suitable case with the heatsinks built in.


----------



## johnwmclean

[size=medium][size=13.0px]I just got quoted a very reasonable price shipped to Australia for two 3U hifi2000 Pesante Dissipante. Compuryan I agree the inconvenience of sourcing separate heatsinks and building the rest of the chassis around them would be lot of extra work, possibly more money and headache unless you have the tools and know how. The only other place I can find for separate heatsink’s of this quality is Conrad in Australia, even for me the Italian all in one solution is too tempting to refuse.[/size][/size]​


----------



## wink

Quote: 





> [size=large]I just got quoted a very reasonable price shipped to Australia for two 3U hifi2000 Pesante Dissipante.  [/size]


 
   What's the project?


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote: 





wink said:


> What's the project?


 


  I’m going to be building some F5 monoblocks, I believe the FW’s are a nice match for Ed Schillings horn speaker, which I should have in a month or so.


----------



## wink

I wish I knew about the 4U cases when I was building the "Mongrel".
  The heatsinks would have been totally enclosed, and I would have had to name it "Prince Charming" instead.......


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote: 





wink said:


> I wish I knew about the 4U cases when I was building the "Mongrel".


 

 I wish you’d take a photo of the “Mongrel” and post it in this forum, I swear I’ve seen headphones run and hide at the mere site of it. After seeing it run two K1000’s simultaneously without a mere hint of sweat I have a new respect for it.


----------



## Nebby

I would like to hear and see more details of this Mongrel amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I'm guessing it's this amp?


----------



## johnwmclean

Nebby, this is what wink used in his “mongrel” http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=K5127
  The build is balanced, 80W RMS Class A.


----------



## Nebby

Ohh, very nice!
  
  Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Nebby, this is what wink used in his “mongrel” http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=item&id=K5127
> The build is balanced, 80W RMS Class A.


----------



## qusp

i'm doing the conrad heatsink-case thing for a benchtop lab/power supply that i've been meaning to build for some time. using the ones with the dual device rails on them. then just a couple pieces of nice wood and some sort of intermediate layer so the wood isnt damaged by the heat. although the sinks will be so oversized for the job that I doubt they'll break a sweat. speaking of which john, Natonrice and I are going in on a conrad order, let me know if you feel like throwing in.
   
  it will also double as a supply for a X'd circlotron voltage follower headamp


----------



## fishski13

F5 with remote PS.  in addition to my speakers, it sounds great driving my K702.
   
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pass-labs/166784-pictures-your-diy-pass-amplifier-36.html#post2332027


----------



## KWS

My SOHA 1 with 12SN7


----------



## Bizzel

Looks great, KWS. Where'd you get the wooden case from (or did you build it)?
  
  Quote: 





kws said:


> My SOHA 1 with 12SN7


----------



## nikongod

I built some fun toys.
   
  The first one is a little box I built to indipendently adjust the load seen by an amplifier and output impedance seen by headphone. Im kind of curious how this will work out with the HD800's on the EC balancing act amp. 
   

   
  Its cute! I think it kind of looks like a face. This means its almost guaranteed to sound good.
   

   
  We dont need no stinking PCB's in NJ. 
   

   
  A pair of resistors to make sure you dont short out the amplifier while you screw with this thing. I wonder if they would sound better if they were both oriented the same way. Too late, its all soldered.
   

   
  part 2! The little guy is there on the right. The mindscrambler is there on the left. The mindscrambler is a continuation on my mint-tin transformer project based on dsavistik's website and awesome articles.
   
  The knob on the right is a volume control based on the transformer ratio. The switch in the middle is a -1.5db switch (neat!) If it was down and you flip it up its a +1.5db switch. 
   
  Due to what is probably best described as an error of measurements & calculations (or the continuation of the fukced advice that you need at least 15v on tap to drive 600ohm headphones) the mindscrambler will not play any quieter than about 80db with Beyer T1. Not too bad, but I like to rock out at 60. Oops. It should be a hit a the next NYC meet if I can sucker anyone into listening to it. Aside from the fact that I feel like the world is about to end when I listen at 80db it actually sounds really really nice.
   

   
  My edcor transformers are OK.
  Theres lots of wires in there. Still no PCB's because thats how I roll. Wiring this was quite the chore. I made life worse for myself by doing it wrong the first time :facepalm:
   

   
  Very very pretty edcor autoformers. If you do this, figure out a way to get edcor to wind different ratios...
   

   
  I have been daydreaming of building a new phono stage for some time. Part of that requires (at least in my opinion) some gear to verify that you are following the RIAA curve with some measure of accuracy. Several smart dudes have posted simple and inexpensive circuits to build your own inverse RIAA filter. What fun. 
   
  I bought the MCM thingy all built because this piece of gear is not something I plan to normally show to anyone. Please act like you didnt see it. 
   
  The 2 channels were the same from MCM, but didnt follow any of the posted inverse RIAA part selections I could find. I rebuilt it, using the PCB and salvaging the yellow box caps where they were the proper value. The stock circuit dosnt have any source resistors (What?) which the previously mentioned smart dudes all used. I figured they are on to something so broke the trace under the PCB and wired the resistors in "tombstone" style.


----------



## MrSlim

Quote: 





kws said:


> My SOHA 1 with 12SN7


 


  Have you compared the sound of the 12SN7 with the usual suspects(5963)?  Are there any mods that have to be done to the original design to use that tube? Besides the adapter that is..


----------



## Avro_Arrow

@  nikongod
   
  Great job, I always love your work, but you forgot the blue tape...
  BTW, I didn't see any store bought phono stage in your post...


----------



## nikongod

I have 2 old Radio Shack phono stages, and 1 DIY phono stage. 
   
  The DIY is based on a combination of the "front end" of the phonoclone - an inverting opamp to provide a very low input impedance and a boatload of gain, combined with an opamp passive-RIAA phono stage (single stage RIAA, NOT split RIAA). The thing is quite nice, but a bit noisy.


----------



## Horio

After many months, I finally had the time to finish up my CK2III-Gamma2 build.  The Gamma2 is power by the o24 power supply.  A Lorlin rotary switch allows for selection between two sets of RCA inputs and the Gamma2.  Both units are packaged up in a Hifi2000 case.
   
  Next up, finish my balanced EHHA/o22 dual chassis build...
   
  Now a few pictures:


----------



## fishski13

absolutely gorgeous.


----------



## johnwmclean

Wow Greg! That is a beautiful piece of kit. Great planning, it really shows!


----------



## Horio

Thanks John.
   
  It was kind of the "learning build" for what I was planning to do with my EHHA build.  Few things worked well, and a few things I'm going to do differently.  All around, I'm pleased with how it turned out!  Sounds great too.


----------



## fault151

wow super jealous of this thing! I want to build one now.
  
  Quote: 





compuryan said:


> Here are a few long overdue pictures of my β24 amplifier. I am currently feeding it with my Buffalo32S DAC into a pair of BG Z-1 bookshelf speakers. It sounds absolutely fantastic. It has taken every speaker load I have thrown at it without a hiccup. I am looking forward to many, many years of enjoyment out of this amplifier.
> 
> 
> 
> I swear the wire management doesn't look this bad in person...


----------



## Ferrari

Mission completed.


----------



## compuryan

Ferrari, I know it has been said before, but your builds are among the most beautiful I have ever seen, on the inside and the out. Not to mention, the volume control on that amp is totally badass. Bravo!


----------



## winzzz

^ x2...your built are so damn nice..what chasis is that ?


----------



## Ferrari

[size=x-small]Thanks gents![/size]
   
  [size=x-small]The chassis is my own design and made by Schaeffer AG Germany (FPE in Europe).[/size]
  [size=x-small]I wanted some thing flat and also has the dimensions I need (300mm x 300mm x 36mm internal).[/size]
  [size=x-small]It made from aluminum with some stiffener inside, also serves as heatsink for the current regulators (CCS).[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]There are some well-known manufactures in Europe with nice chassis/enclosures but [/size]
  [size=x-small]just not the dimensions I have in mind (too small or too wide…).[/size]


----------



## TheShaman

Pro work - as we've come to expect from you Ferrari!
  I'm actually thinking of going through the thread to save the pics of all the builds you've posted...


----------



## Pageygeeza

Ferrari: Those front tubes?  Are they VU meters?  Remember seeing something like that before.


----------



## TheShaman

Must be the same that Dared use on some of their desktop amps.


----------



## johnwmclean

Beautiful Ferrari!


----------



## wink

WOT...???  An Alps blue velvet pot?
  What happened to Noble or DACT, or Apls RK50?


----------



## nattonrice

They would prob be way too big for the height of that fpe case.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote: 





wink said:


> WOT...???  An Alps blue velvet pot?
> What happened to Noble or DACT, or Apls RK50?


 
  What made you so surprised?


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> Ferrari: Those front tubes?  Are they VU meters?  Remember seeing something like that before.


 
   
  These are level meter. And indeed, you have seen something like that before.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





wink said:


> WOT...???  An Alps blue velvet pot?
> What happened to Noble or DACT, or Apls RK50?


 

  
  [size=x-small][size=x-small]It started as a tinkering P-P project, made from junk parts, my primary focus is to make a hum-free working amp (and accidentally good sounding too). This is exactly why DIY is so fun.[/size][/size]
   
  [size=x-small][size=x-small]When it comes to assembling a proven design (β22, Ω33333333…), you ca[/size][/size][size=x-small][size=x-small]n substituting standard parts for more exotic/expensive parts or whatever you like that makes you happier.[/size][/size][size=x-small] [/size]

  
  Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> They would prob be way too big for the height of that fpe case.


 

 Well, it can probably be fit, with some creativity. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  The holes on the bottom are serving as air cooling -to create botom-top air flows- ...simple but efficient.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote: 





ferrari said:


> These are level meter. And indeed, you have seen something like that before.


 

 Actually, I'm going back a LOT further than that.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I remember my dad blagging an old reel to reel tape recorder, must be about 25 years ago now.  I remember that blue/green tube dancing away to the music, It was hypnotic.  I take it they aren't made anymore?


----------



## eertelppa

Quote: 





meme said:


> ~ Starving Student 12AU7 ~


 
  This is beautiful, I think something similar might be my entry into the DIY world.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Ah... the good old days. Your dad is a lucky man! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  You probably right that this kind of tubes (Magic eyes) is no longer made nowadays in the western world.
  What I'm using on my amp are from old Russian production.
  However, just like some other popular audio tubes, some limited types are still in production in China.


----------



## johnwmclean

Ferrari, may I where did you get those cool spiky feet?


----------



## Aynjell

Quote: 





ferrari said:


> Ah... the good old days. Your dad is a lucky man!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 lol
   
  I googled this stuff. Had to share this.
   
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWgDJVP33lM&feature=related


----------



## logwed

Quote: 





ferrari said:


> Ah... the good old days. Your dad is a lucky man!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 The tube is used in the Ming-Da MC 84C07. It's a good-looking design (looks a lot like Meme's Starving Student, actually), and apparently it has some of the best tube sound for ~$400. I know that Skylab was a pretty big fan when he had one. 
   
http://www.pacificvalve.us/MDMC84C07.html
   
  Regardless, Ferrari, your work is incredible. The fit and finish of everything I've seen from you is amazing, and I'm really taken by the magic eye tube design. I'm also impressed by how well you must know amplifier sound in relation to amplifier design. You're truly an asset to the head-fi community.


----------



## adamus

I have been busy building a parafeed amp using d3a tubes, electraprint custom transformers. Its a two chassis build. CLCRC PS, CCS loading on the d3a, led bias, Tx tapped for 32r, 300r, 600r. DC filaments.... the parts cost a bit!


----------



## FallenAngel

Amazing builds guys!


----------



## yellowjeep

Nice builds everybody. After reading up on those indicator tubes I have decided that I absolutely have to use one in my next yet to be determined project... after I finish the first one. I have ton of reading/learning to do.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





adamus said:


> I have been busy building a parafeed amp using d3a tubes, electraprint custom transformers. Its a two chassis build. CLCRC PS, CCS loading on the d3a, led bias, Tx tapped for 32r, 300r, 600r. DC filaments.... the parts cost a bit!


 
   
  [size=x-small]Yes… another build with D3a tubes, well done! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]I have used these tubes for a while now in my SE transformer coupled amp and I really like it. Hope you like it too.[/size]
  [size=x-small]For the relative low price (comparing to 6N30P-DR for example) it offers very good audio performance. [/size]


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Ferrari, may I where did you get those cool spiky feet?


 

   
  [size=x-small]I have those feet from a local DIY-speakers shop, where also accessories for turntable and speakers are available.[/size]
  [size=x-small]You should have to take a look at a good audio shop locally, there must be something useful for our DIY hobby.[/size]


----------



## adamus

cheers ferrari.
   
   
  The amp sounds STUNNING. I have never heard my HD 650's sound so good. Most of this has to be put down to Jack's customer Electraprint transformers - but the D3a certainly does its part.
   
  Schematic is here


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote: 





ferrari said:


> [size=x-small]I have those feet from a local DIY-speakers shop, where also accessories for turntable and speakers are available.[/size]
> [size=x-small]You should have to take a look at a good audio shop locally, there must be something useful for our DIY hobby.[/size]


 

 [size=medium][size=13.0px]Your a lucky man Ferrari, I live on another planet, the local audio shop dealer told me these were all the rage. [/size][/size]


----------



## TheShaman

Quote: 





adamus said:


> I have been busy building a parafeed amp using d3a tubes, electraprint custom transformers. Its a two chassis build. CLCRC PS, CCS loading on the d3a, led bias, Tx tapped for 32r, 300r, 600r. DC filaments.... the parts cost a bit!


 

  It's all Greek to me... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Great job!


----------



## johnwmclean

Adam, your build looks incredible, you do wonderful work. Congrats!


----------



## Joshatdot

Joshatdot CMoy v1.03
  OPA2227P
  C1=220uf
  C2=1.0uf Metal Poly
  VG=TLE2426
  R2=100k
  R3=2k
  R4=10k
  R5=49.9


----------



## digi01

tea2025 free wire building.


----------



## digi01

6*2sk30a preamp


----------



## adamus

Quote: 





theshaman said:


> It's all Greek to me...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 the amps name comes from... In Greek mythology, *Calliope* (Greek: _Καλλιόπη_ _Kalliope_ "beautiful-voiced")
  and power supply ....*Kratos* (Ancient Greek: Κράτος "strength" and "power"
  
  Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Adam, your build looks incredible, you do wonderful work. Congrats!


 

 Thanks John - I may be emulating your hybrid power amp soon. next 'from the ground up' project for sure.
   
   
  back to the parafeed amp, i am shortly going to recieve some very inexpensive edcor 10K : 300r : 32r parafeed tx's. I'll do some comparisons, I expect the electraprints to be considerable better given others experiences but lets see how far they get.
   
  I'll do a cheapo version, 6c45 rusky tubes, Edcor tx, basic mkp parafeed caps, CCS using much more common and less expensive parts (probably the morgan jones cascode), solid state rectified, ac heaters, but i may throw in a regulated B+ to help it along


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





adamus said:


> ...
> 
> The amp sounds STUNNING. I have never heard my HD 650's sound so good. Most of this has to be put down to Jack's customer Electraprint transformers - but the D3a certainly does its part.


 

  
  [size=x-small]Good to know you like it. And indeed, OPTs can certainly make or break the sound of an amp.[/size]
  [size=x-small]The only nasty thing about good OPTs (especially custom made) is that they can really hurt your wallet. [/size]
  [size=x-small]I recently got a couple of OPTs with amorphous core & silver wires for my next project… 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/size]
   
   
  [size=x-small]Distracted by crazy work schedule, but this weekend I just have the time to evaluate my new amp with different headphones. [/size]
  [size=x-small]All-round, she does her work very well and even the AKG K1000 can be driven easily without any audible distortion or shortage.[/size]


----------



## .Sup

beautiful


----------



## grokit

Damn I want that!


----------



## Ferrari

[size=x-small]You are more than welcome for a listen session (if you are in the neighborhood), but I prefer to keep my amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/size]


----------



## jdkJake

Function over form, this is switchbox, take-2.
   
  Since I was waiting for paint to dry (literally), I figured I would finish the update of my switchbox that has been staring me from my workbench for what seems like forever. This is take two, three switched in with three daisy-chained outputs. 
   
   

   

   


  Humble, but matches my mighty Millet setup and fills a much needed role. 
   
  This time I switched the grounds as well, mainly because I could. Not sure if I like it as much in that there is a slight pop when a new ground reference is established. That never happened with the old version which had a common ground. So, I might change that, we shall see.
   
  Hope to have something far more interesting soon...


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





ferrari said:


> [size=x-small]You are more than welcome for a listen session (if you are in the neighborhood), but I prefer to keep my amp.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks, if I ever make it back to Holland I will look you up!


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





ferrari said:


> [size=x-small]I have those feet from a local DIY-speakers shop, where also accessories for turntable and speakers are available.[/size]
> [size=x-small]You should have to take a look at a good audio shop locally, there must be something useful for our DIY hobby.[/size]


 

 nice work mate, really good job, love the power switch on top like that, did you use anything to give additional diffusion the light from the LED? are those feet from audiophonics? been considering getting a chassis from there because they have cool feets of all sorts, plus mundorf caps and a few other bits and pieces so I can take advantage of the pricey shipping, which is better than the shipping directly from HIFI2000 anyway.


----------



## ShinyFalcon

An RCA switch that switches ground as well, since my PS3 introduces some noise into my system.


----------



## tranhieu

cutie!


----------



## jdkJake

EHHA Rev A (MOSFET):
   

   

   

   
  Thanks to Horio for the idea to back-mount the neutriks. I really like the clean look.
   
  Details and more pictures on the main EHHA Rev A thread....


----------



## dBel84

Nicely done JDK, I have not followed the progress of the revised EHHA , but this tells me that it has come a looong way and looking fantastic too. Love the port hole windows and the overall clean build. I trust it sounds as good as it looks ..dB


----------



## Lil' Knight

Finally got time to put my DAC together. Took a lot of time but I'm quite satisfied with the result.


----------



## adamus

nice, I have the same dac( well, i have V1) 
   
  some mods that make a night and day difference...
   
  1) Get rid of the inductors and use the filterless schematic, this cleans things up and adds a little more sparkle. 
   
  2) Ditch the anode load resistors, use a CSS (dn2450 cascode + heatsinks)
   
  3) led bias the cathodes, elimating the electrolytic caps and resistors


----------



## Lil' Knight

I did try your 1) and 3) mods but felt the bass is not really adequate. Bumping the cathode caps does help this. I'll try the 2) when I finish the casework for my B22


----------



## adamus

Yes it was more bassy with the normal cathode scheme, but its too loose and wolly and artifically bumps it in my opinion and gets a bit 'one note'. CSS + LED is a lovely synergy.
   
  You got me wondering about the bass, and its raining so i had a play.
   
  I was abit lazy when doing the mods and only cut out the anode loads from one end, so reverting back was a two minute job.
   
  anode resistors + bypassed cathode resistor = warm and tubey, loose bass, big mids, rolled off highs.
   
  anode reistors + led bias = better top end, much ore sparkle, colder mids, tighter (some would say less) bass
   
  CSS + LED = superb top end (silky smooth, yet good detail), mids are fuller but not overly bloomed, bass is big yet taught.
   
  Its no contest, the CSS and LED are head and shoulders above the other combos. only issue is dropping the B+ as you just dont need the headroom with the CSS. I just stuck a big heatsink on the dn2450's as they will be dissapating 5 watts each.
   
  one more note, with the inductor circuit in, the highs are rolling off into the audible range.


----------



## jdkJake

dbel84 said:


> Nicely done JDK, I have not followed the progress of the revised EHHA , but this tells me that it has come a looong way and looking fantastic too. Love the port hole windows and the overall clean build. I trust it sounds as good as it looks ..dB







 Thanks for the kind words. IMHO, it sounds better than it looks!


----------



## aloksatoor

Hey Lil Knight that case rocks. Did you fab it yourself?


----------



## matthewh133

Quote: 





aloksatoor said:


> Hey Lil Knight that case rocks. Did you fab it yourself?


 

 X2. That's a beautiful case!


----------



## Lil' Knight

The case is custom built by my local builder. It's great to have someone around to tell exactly what I need. The front panel is 10mm brushed acrylic.
  I also have a matched one for my B22.
   

  Quote: 





aloksatoor said:


> Hey Lil Knight that case rocks. Did you fab it yourself?


----------



## Aynjell

Very nice, duders.


----------



## matthewh133

Beautiful, can't wait to see some pics of the completed B22!


----------



## TheLaw

Holy hell! That's your DAC? That thing has to sound gorgeous or is there an amp integrated in there with that? Either way, that's quite nice. Well I guess its coming from a person excited about GrubDAC. 
  
   
  Quote: 





lil' knight said:


> Finally got time to put my DAC together. Took a lot of time but I'm quite satisfied with the result.


----------



## johnwmclean

Tran - that DAC looks awesome, have you heard it against anything else?
 Matching chassis looks slick, very cool.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote:


thelaw said:


> Holy hell! That's your DAC? That thing has to sound gorgeous or is there an amp integrated in there with that? Either way, that's quite nice. Well I guess its coming from a person excited about GrubDAC.


 
  Yes, just a DAC. It can configured to add a volume pot and headphone jack to use as a headamp but I don't see the need here because I have a Beta Deux Deux waiting to finish 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Funny, I've just ordered the GrubDAC last week to finish the Carrie amp that has been untouched in my drawer for the last 4 or 5 months.

  
  Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Tran - that DAC looks awesome, have you heard it against anything else?
> Matching chassis looks slick, very cool.


 
  Thanks, John! I could only compare it with my last DACs by memory. My last reference DAC was the the TPA B32s. This one is not as detailed as the B32s but has the smooth, sugar-like mids that I've been looking for the B22 + HD800. Colored in a good way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Still waiting for TPA to release their new USB transport and I could have a full DIY rig.
   
  And oh, sad to see you part with your B22. That thing is a beast!


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote: 





> And oh, sad to see you part with your B22. That thing is a beast!


 
   
  I hate to see it go but...  I have another Beta22 on the go, the PSU is complete, the amp section will match the EHHA aesthetics, it will share pre amp and headphone duties.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Ahh, no wonder!


----------



## Nebby

The DIY itch never goes away....


----------



## ujamerstand

Quote: 





nebby said:


> The DIY itch never goes away....


 

 It's almost worse than collecting headphones. In fact, its even heftier on the wallet. >.>


----------



## Nebby

Yea, I hear you on the wallet. It's also heaftier in terms of weight once you start on power amps! 
  
  Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> It's almost worse than collecting headphones. In fact, its even heftier on the wallet. >.>


----------



## Reintz

Built myself another CMoy. This being the most expensive and useable of the lot.
It's in a Hammond 1455c801 enclosure. And as I don't have good source for those small Alps pots that have a switch built into them, I had to use a 16mm Alpha pot. And the only way to fit it was to turn it on the side and to cut a small hole for it to sit a bit lower on the pcb. Uses a TLE2426 and a 470uF Panasonic FM series for virtual ground, 330uF Philips input caps, 0.125w metal film resistors and BB OPA2132 in a gold plated socket. Lacquered the underside.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Nice, Clean build on that CMoy...Good Job!


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Here is the last CMoy I did, I went a little overboard on the ground driver though...
  It's a TLE2624 driving a BUF634 with an OPA1641 for feedback.
  The Channels are driven by an OPA1642.
  The power caps are 820uF Polymers and 3.3uF Wima.
  The TLE has the 1uF filter cap.


----------



## Zigis

Quote: 





reintz said:


> And as I don't have good source for those small Alps pots that have a switch built into them


 
  Nice build, Reintz,especially smart 90 degree pot.
  However you can order small Alps and other parts from amb;
  http://www.amb.org/shop/
  prices are good, but if you need only 1 pot, shipping is too much.
  Closer to home you can find Alps in elfa.ee, unfortunately without switch (or mono with switch) and prices are very "Scandinavian"


----------



## Pageygeeza

Reintz:  That is really sweet looking, the build is great considering the parts you had.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  And as for you Avro, I just accidentally in my pants.  lol


----------



## sachu

[size=medium]Here are some pics of my amp that i just completed. Sounds pretty sweet..but now i find myself in the situation where i have no stat headphone to call of mine. Will need to start saving up . Currently am using an SR-404 on loan from dewild to help test his and my own exstatas.
   
  many thanks to Frank Cooter for the jacks, Umajerstand for the exstata logo, ludunhill for the digital attenuator, Pabbi1 for the Sanyo output devices and last but not least Alex Cavalli for the design. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   

   
​[/size]


----------



## mmayer167

^ very nice!


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Sachu - Very nice build!


----------



## cfcubed

Nice builds guys.  Here's something I built (& finished!) over the last few days.  It's a CK²III in a Macally G-S350SU usb drive case.  Was looking for something unique to hold the CK²III& that one fit the bill @ $30 shipped.
  Was considering a one-case build but found the transformer needed to be at least 6" or so from PCB to eliminate all hum, so just went 2-case.  Transformer box sits on floor & press on/off w/your foot.
  Works fine & sounds good.


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> Here's something I built (& finished!) over the last few days.


 

 That is AWESOME! Very nice enclosure!


----------



## mmayer167

^x2 great looking 30$ enclosure !!


----------



## sachu

wicked cool casing there Chris. That is sure to get a few folks attention at the NY meet.


----------



## cfcubed

Thanks guys.  Picked the case also because its all aluminum w/steel chassis inside & has that front perf panel & top/bottom back panel gaps for venting.
   
  Here's some bits in case someone thinks about trying this.  I'd be lying if I said this casework didn't take some doing (a bit of blood & cursing like all projects).  Clearance is tight (trimmed heatsinks, used low-profile caps) & the cool sliders presented problems for PCB edge screws, Outer caps need tilting (elect tape is cause they come *very* close to the rails). PCB needed trimming on both sides (sheet metal cuters worked well) & new screw holes.  Had to make the new sheetmetal backplate.  But its all good in the end
   
  Anyway a few more pics.  Comes w/cool stand.  Made little sheetmetal ears for back panel to hold chassis in place (removing those 2 screws & whole bit slides out).


----------



## MomijiTMO

That is one awesome looking case!


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





mmayer167 said:


> ^ very nice!


 


  indeed very nice!
  this is the first SS amp I've seen for Stax phones


----------



## Mr.Duck

That case is brilliant!
   
  But in my country the cost of it is 70 USD to 125 USD! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  It gives me the idea though for similar products.


----------



## palchiu

Quote: 





qusp said:


> From Peranders...


 


  Awasome!  Full SMD soldering job on two QRV08.


----------



## Kerry

That was some great design work on the case.  Nice job!


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Just finished up my Bottlehead Seduction this evening and listening to it now 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   




   
   




   
   
  It features the following goodies:
  C4S Upgrade Board
  Gold Obbligato Caps (0.47uf and 0.1uf)
  Cardas Rhodium input and output RCAs
  Slightly nicer than stock Pany and Nichicon caps in the power supply
  Cardas, Kimber and Neotech Teflon wiring.
  Teflon Noval Sockets and PCBs
  Takman Carbon Film Resistors


----------



## cfcubed

That's an all-around gorgeous build HiGHFLYiN9.  Can't do the woodwork bit myself but it always looks great esp. w/tubes.


----------



## SP Wild

Finished assembling the Silicon Chip DAC kit from Altronics.  Does anybody else get to the end of a build and when the instructions tell you to check voltages at various stages before connecting it up, your brain refuses to decipher the jibberish and just fire the bloody thing and hope no sparks fly?  Thankfully everything worked - its remote controllable too - cost me $250 with the case included which was pre punched.  Warmer than the Dacmagic with greater precision...however compared to my Bryston DAC - there is very noticeable traces of the "digital confinement", though not nearly as severe as the Dacmagic.
   

   
  Also finished a balanced to single ended convertor and vice versa - one board per channel.  $20 per board.  Still burning it in - just finished this 15 mins ago.
   

   
   
  Also populated a second Silicon Chip head amp - I was going to bridge the two together, but one kit is from Jaycar and another from Altronics and they have different components and they do not sound the same, I can purchase one kit complete kit for $25 so I will have to build a third one if I want a balanced amp.  Gotta say - with the LM4562 op amp in the Altronics unit setup for 8 ohm loads, and some mods of ommiting some parts, the Lehman Black Cube Linear has been surpassed and I have no use for it - it will be sold, that's a 1K + headamp being surpassed by a cheap as chips kit...unbelievable.
   
  I have spent the last three days steeped in DIY - its my first forages into DIY and I am loving it.


----------



## Nebby

Nice builds SP Wild! I've learned the hard way that spending a hour or two to check your work before firing a project up can save days to weeks of troubleshooting to find out what blew up 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





sp wild said:


> Finished assembling the Silicon Chip DAC kit from Altronics.  Does anybody else get to the end of a build and when the instructions tell you to check voltages at various stages before connecting it up, your brain refuses to decipher the jibberish and just fire the bloody thing and hope no sparks fly?


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Just finished up my Bottlehead Seduction this evening and listening to it now


 

 That's a beautiful amp, congrats! Is that a phono ground on the input side?


----------



## shokka9




----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





grokit said:


> That's a beautiful amp, congrats! Is that a phono ground on the input side?


 
  Thanks  Yes indeed it's a phono ground. You can read a little more about the Seduction Phono Pre here if you have any interest: http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=220&rn=429&action=show_detail
   
  It's a nice easy build. The only mildly tricky part was the C4S upgrade, as a few of the through holes are a little too close to each other so you have to be careful not to bridge any gaps around the transistors.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> > Thanks  Yes indeed it's a phono ground. You can read a little more about the Seduction Phono Pre here if you have any interest: http://www.bottlehead.com/store.php?crn=220&rn=429&action=show_detail
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 That's interesting as it could be used as a phono stage in a pinch, are the output RCA's amplified or pass-through?
   
*edit:* never mind, it _is_ a phono stage, not a headphone amp!


----------



## .Sup

be-a-u-ti-ful *HiGHFLY**iN9!*


----------



## wink

SP Wild posted:-
   
   
  Quote: 





> I have spent the last three days steeped in DIY - its my first forages into DIY and I am loving it.


 
  He's got the bug......
   
  Next is a Cmoy, and then a Blue Hawaii...  tee hee  (chortle)


----------



## meme

~ M³ ~
   
  Finished this one a couple of weeks ago. It's pretty much a standard build using AD8610 opamps. I splashed out a bit on a TKD pot, the amp is very quiet.
   

   
  Case is made from reconstituted 5mm aluminium for the top, bottom, front and back that I've brushed and clear-coated. Sides are made from galvanized steel, alu angle and wood from a chopping board.
   

   
  Some more pics of the build here - http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa265/elton2007/AMB%20M3%20Build%20Oct%202010/


----------



## igor0203

Nice build, meme! How did you fix side walls?


----------



## .Sup

beautiful work meme! Are the wooden side panels glued onto the aluminium?


----------



## meme

Thanks guys!
   
  The wood sides are attached with 1/2" screws from inside through the steel brackets - just so if I get bored with them I can swap them for something else, e.g. darker wood.


----------



## .Sup

clever chap is clever


----------



## cfcubed

Nice M³for sure.   I've been busy again.  EL_something I took over from EL_nother member
  Works fine & sounds good.  Finishing her up tomorrow its time to go out.


----------



## stixx

Very nice build, meme!!
  Nice contrast of materials...


----------



## stixx

So might as well show some of mine... think I never posted them on Head-Fi.
   
  C3G headphone amp built in 2004, my first ever tube amp. I didn't know anything about tubes then,
  and had to learn to read a schematic first... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   
   
  Was based on s schematic from one Mr. Siemens (not THE Siemens) but changed to tube rectification
  and the massive power supply. Flipped the switch and it worked... (wiping sweat off...).
   

   
  Got me convinced that C3G triode wired is one fine tube...


----------



## stixx

Next was the Morgan-Jones headphone amplifier that was very popular on Headwize (too bad that the site is still down 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).
   
  Was supposed to be much cheaper to build than the C3G to recover from the hole in my wallet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




...
   

   
  Also converted to tube rectification and later to LED bias in the first stage.
  Was a nice sounding amp but never really convincing or "magic", the only amp I sold..


----------



## stixx

After two tube amps and still reading a lot in the forums (to improve my knowledge) next was an M3...
  Great project, Ti Kan is very nice to deal with, happily no problems during the build.
   

   

   
  Though I am a tube addict by now this is one fine sounding amp with tons of power...
  OPA 627, Panasonic FC, TKD pot.
   

   
  More to come...


----------



## .Sup

ausgezeichnet!


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





stixx said:


>


 


  
  [size=x-small]Sehr schön… really cool builds Herr Stixx !  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




[/size]
  [size=x-small]My next project is also accidentally a transformer coupled Siemens C3G in triode mode.[/size]


----------



## adamus

bizarrely me too.
   
  Still very much in prototyping clothes so not pretty yet. Salas HV shunt supply. running the cg3's at 14ma, 2v bias so roughly 150v on the plate. I'll have a play with the bias, many report them to sound better with a higher plate V and lower current.


----------



## stixx

Quote: 





> ausgezeichnet!


 
   
  Quote: 





> [size=small]Sehr schön… really cool builds Herr Stixx !
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks guys for the kind words and for your excellent german... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (I'm not kidding!)
   
  About the C3G... did I advertise them enough around here...?
  ...but fun aside, I  am very curious what you guys find out.
   
   
  Quote: 





> running the cg3's at 14ma, 2v bias so roughly 150v on the plate.


 
   
  Pretty close to what I am running mine in my spud, Salas shunt regged latest amp.
   

   
   
  I've tried running them hotter and, err, cooler... At 185V and 20mA they initially sounded great but too spectacular in the end so I came back to a somewhat tamer setting.
  Again, very curious about what you will find out...


----------



## adamus

well... I just fired it up.
   
  first comparison with and without the salas shunt (and bear in mind i am using a ccs load so this design should be ok poorer supply. Salas wins hands down. the difference is not subtle, the salas shunt is fuller bodied and better all round.
   
  I then had a play with different operating points (the joys of a ccs and clip leads!). 15ma is the sweetspot. A bit leaner and it sound more romantic. Much hotter and top end tends to dominate more. my guess is hot = more linear, and my ears are liking a bit of distortion.
   
  Compared to the d3a, the c3g isnt quite as detailed but has stronger mids.
   
  all of the above is subjective, and quite possibly nonsense!


----------



## adamus

double post


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





stixx said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 A bit off topic, but could you compare that stepped attenuator you are using with any other att/pot you have had? A rk27 would be fine, since I am having a smd one coming next week and I wonder how good it is for its price


----------



## stixx

Quote:


> the salas shunt is fuller bodied


 
   
  Quote:


> I then had a play with different operating points (the joys of a ccs and clip leads!). 15ma is the sweetspot. A bit leaner and it sound more romantic. Much hotter and top end tends to dominate more. my guess is hot = more linear, and my ears are liking a bit of distortion.


 
   
  Exactly what I found out... so that makes two who are subjectice 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  15mA is what I am running both my C3G amps although they are of much different topology.
  Cannot comment on your remark about the D3A being more detailed since I haven't heard the D3A long enough, but give it some more time.
   
  To my ears (again being subjective) the C3G is mighty fast and has absolutely fascinating transient response (don't know how to put it in better words).
  Drums, anything percussion, acoustic bass and such have a quality I haven't heard in any of my other amps (and still two more to be shown 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




),
  and the rest ot the tonal spectrum benefits from these qualities.
   
   
   
  Quote: 





> A bit off topic, but could you compare that stepped attenuator you are using with any other att/pot you have had? A rk27 would be fine, since I am having a smd one coming next week and I wonder how good it is for its price


 
   
  The one in the pic above is not my favourite (got it used from somebody) and will be replaced by a TKD pot. The one from the other thread is fine and and (to my ears) up to par with the TKD.
  I am basing this on the sheer amount of detail that I am hearing in different amplifiers. I wouldn't comment on tonal qualities of a pot since I cannot really compare that in amps of different topology. Both (stepper and TKD) to my ears are a good step up from a RK27...
  And considering the price difference it sure is worth trying out...


----------



## tranhieu

thanks


----------



## FallenAngel

Very beautiful casework stixx!  I love wood-sided enclosures, and the acrylic panels are very cool.


----------



## Ech0

@ meme, I really like the use of the angled aluminum you used in your build, ingenious. Just a beautiful build. Well done....


----------



## stixx

Thanks FallenAngel!
  Did you make progress on your 6N6P-OTL... ?


----------



## FallenAngel

It's actually put together already, but there is some nasty hum issue and it doesn't sound very good overall.   I haven't looked at it for some time because of the move, but now that I finally moved into my new apartment, the workbench is getting set up again.


----------



## sean-xenos

My new Beta22 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   



   


]
   



   



   
   
  Sounds great with my Beyer T1 and AKG K701.


----------



## .Sup

nice work sean, I love the old school writing


----------



## sean-xenos

Quote: 





.sup said:


> nice work sean, I love the old school writing


 


  Thanks!


----------



## Listen2this1

These builds are getting better and better as time passes. Great builds fella's.


----------



## nikongod

Stixx's amps on the previous page are totally awesome.
   
  I wanted to build this based on something someone posted a vague description of 
   

   
  One of dsavistik's transconductance amp ideas. AFAIK there is no schematic. 
   
  I think it will look quite nice with a silver volume knob.


----------



## .Sup

very nice nikon. Where did you but that power on/off switch?


----------



## stixx

Cool color scheme! 
   
  The knob can be silver, but should have a classic appearance to go with your power switch ...


----------



## TimJo

Quote:


nikongod said:


> I wanted to build this based on something someone posted a vague description of
> 
> One of dsavistik's transconductance amp ideas. AFAIK there is no schematic.


 

 Looks really nice... Those edcors look sharp.
   
  Hmmm. Maybe you should be the first to post a schematic for the amp. Just a thought...


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





.sup said:


> very nice nikon. Where did you but that power on/off switch?


 

 The power switch is from MPJA.com
   
  They usually have a bunch of similar looking switches for less than $2
   
  Quote: 





stixx said:


> Cool color scheme!
> 
> The knob can be silver, but should have a classic appearance to go with your power switch ...


 

 Thanks! 
   
  Good call for the knob. 
   
  Quote: 





timjo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> nikongod said:
> ...


 

 Thanks! The Edcors are nice. I deviated from Dougs instructions slightly, but since its his amp I'l ask him first to post...


----------



## karrtoons

.


----------



## sachu

[size=medium]My EHHA amp
   

   
​[/size]


----------



## cfcubed

Lots of nice builds...  Nice viewing the tubes in these EHHAs & sweet, consistent/themed stack you have there sachu.


----------



## balderon

Nice build sachu! I can't tell, are the tube viewports open to the air? (I am trying to figure out what special function the spoon is used for? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
  
  Quote: 





sachu said:


> My EHHA amp
> 
> 
> ​


----------



## sachu

hehe..my room is a constant mess..am glad it was just a spoon that photo bombed that pic 
   
  The tube windows are actually covered. They are rectangular perspex glass pieces that are screwed on to the back of the panel to hold them in place.
   
  Thanks for the kind words guys.


----------



## BK_856er

Very nice EHHA.  Can't quite identify the bike...single rotor, three spoke wheel, red...older monster perhaps?
   
  BK


----------



## balderon

Quote: 





sachu said:


> hehe..my room is a constant mess..am glad it was just a spoon that photo bombed that pic
> 
> The tube windows are actually covered. They are rectangular perspex glass pieces that are screwed on to the back of the panel to hold them in place.
> 
> Thanks for the kind words guys.


 

 Nice!


----------



## ujamerstand

Quote: 





sachu said:


> hehe..my room is a constant mess..am glad it was just a spoon that photo bombed that pic
> 
> The tube windows are actually covered. They are rectangular perspex glass pieces that are screwed on to the back of the panel to hold them in place.
> 
> Thanks for the kind words guys.


 

 Heh, not as messy as my room!


----------



## sachu

Quote: 





bk_856er said:


> Very nice EHHA.  Can't quite identify the bike...single rotor, three spoke wheel, red...older monster perhaps?
> 
> BK


 


  Its a 1992 Yamaha Seca 2...will probably be buying a 600RR or an R6 in a couple of months.


----------



## BK_856er

Quote: 





sachu said:


> Its a 1992 Yamaha Seca 2...will probably be buying a 600RR or an R6 in a couple of months.


 


 Nice!  Keep a supply of good earplugs handy.  I sometimes worry about my riding affecting my ability to use/enjoy my ears longterm.  Truth be told, I video most of my weekend corner carving using a good mic and replay during the workweek (from LCD-2) to get my adrenaline fix.  Captures the ducati sound pretty well!  Sorry for the OT content - hopefully I'll have a build pic to contribute soon.
   
  BK


----------



## karrtoons




----------



## mmayer167

Sweet EHHA Sachu!    I'm pretty jealous 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





   I bet the t50rp's are pretty awesome with that thing.


----------



## stringgz301

Had posted these in the EHHA rev A thread.


----------



## joQuFIN

I had some parts and access to make pcb so decided to make a47 with 11 gain, opa 4227, tle2426 and buf634. I havent finished it yet fully, but allready testing it with cheap ipuds for now. No hum and sounds pretty good with those ipuds. So quite successful project I would say. Its funny how university has no other than that thick cable, its kinda heavy for this purpose, I might change it. That finished photo is from old amp but this one is going to look exactly same.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

I have a question about your board design.
  It looks like you are using both a star ground and a ground plane at the same time...
  Is there some technical reason for you doing this?
  I'm just curious.

  
  Quote: 





joqufin said:


> I had some parts and access to make pcb so decided to make a47 with 11 gain, opa 4227, tle2426 and buf634. I havent finished it yet fully, but allready testing it with cheap ipuds for now. No hum and sounds pretty good with those ipuds. So quite successful project I would say. Its funny how university has no other than that thick cable, its kinda heavy for this purpose, I might change it. That finished photo is from old amp but this one is going to look exactly same.


----------



## 00940

The hybrid from this thread; http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/524191/cheapie-hybrid
   
  Ugly... yes. But is sounds good.


----------



## joQuFIN

quote from Avro_Arrow:
           I have a question about your board design.
           It looks like you are using both a star ground and a ground plane at the same time...
           Is there some technical reason for you doing this?
           I'm just curious.
   
  I just wanted to try if it works, plus it looks beter. Im not sure if there are any benefits from that groundplane, maybe I should make one without and try... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. But maybe I dont... I finished this today completely. For what I have listened, it sounds good with sennheiser 600HD, beter than my asus eccence stx headamp. I should have made adjustable gain to difersify what phones can be used, but Im too lazy.
   
  Edit: My quote doest work for some reason.


----------



## madcap386

Newbie here...
   
  Sharing pictures of my current build..
   
  Its a desktop headphone amp, coupled with a pmc2704 DAC board + my custom A47 board with a voltage step up regulator, RCA inputs all in a hammond 1455 enclosure.
  All powered by a 12v adaptor..


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Newbie or not!!
   
  top line work,
   
  looks brilliant
   
  cheers
  FRED


----------



## mmayer167

if thats noob circuit work than im not sure what id call my noob work... maybe "UberNoob" haha      nice work man^^


----------



## alphaphoenix

This thread is by far one of the best in existence on this site, IMHO.  I just spent the last two hours reviewing the last 200 pages and I'm just blown away at the creation and talent.   This and the headphone modders  is the true spirit and passion of what head-fi is all about.  Bravo to you all!!!


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





madcap386 said:


> Newbie here...


 
  Oh my god... That's freaking beautiful
   
   
   
  Quote: 





> This thread is by far one of the best in existence on this site, IMHO.  I just spent the last two hours reviewing the last 200 pages and I'm just blown away at the creation and talent.   This and the headphone modders  is the true spirit and passion of what head-fi is all about.  Bravo to you all!!!


 
   
  I have refrained from posting here until I do something awesome, until then I just keep looking through this thread.


----------



## RuiCanela

Nice work, what amp design are you using? Is it a cmoy? 
  I also have a PCM2704 DAC board, I noticed that you replaced the capacitors, did you got SQ improvement?
  Thanks
  Rui


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Here is the USB DAC I just completed.
  I had the board etched for a while but forgot a couple
  of components when I did the order for parts so I just got
  around to finishing it. You can plug phones directly
  or use an amp. I know it isn't fancy but it was my
  first try...I'm just glad it worked!


----------



## madcap386

Thanks guys!
   
  As this is the first time im building something this size, I'm not sure if it works at all..
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  My previous experience were only building cmoy and A47 in a mint tin can.

  
  Quote: 





ruicanela said:


> Nice work, what amp design are you using? Is it a cmoy?
> I also have a PCM2704 DAC board, I noticed that you replaced the capacitors, did you got SQ improvement?
> Thanks
> Rui


 

 Hi Rui,
  Its a A47,  as i love the sound of A47 so much so that i got it printed out in PCB for my penguin tins.
  (I'm using the leftovers for this project.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 )
   
  For the PCM2704 DAC board, i use back the stock capacitor..  The capacitors you noticed probably is for the rail splitter circuit. (Those gold colored Nichicon caps)


----------



## RuiCanela

Ok thank you for your reply.
  This afternoon build, a AMB Mini3 it sounds great! After is case work


----------



## joQuFIN

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Here is the USB DAC I just completed.
> I had the board etched for a while but forgot a couple
> of components when I did the order for parts so I just got
> around to finishing it. You can plug phones directly
> ...


 

 I should have signatured my amp, but didnt even game to my mind. I might post some finished amp inside-photos if I remember. Im using 12V battery now, but it is loaned from a friend. Not sure how Im going to power my amp in future, some wallwart might be enought however.


----------



## ujamerstand

Posted these in the exstata thread already, but I thought I might as well put them here too.


----------



## FallenAngel

Nice amp buddy... think the knob is big enough though?


----------



## Region2

Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> Posted these in the exstata thread already, but I thought I might as well put them here too.


 

 Vary nice work!  This isn't too different from how I'm planning my eXstata build (two headphone jacks and both balanced and se inputs).   I am still debating on the power button or just doing it simple and just leaving it with the IEC.
   
  Love the retro look to it.  But I agree with FallenAngel, that knob is HUGE!


----------



## El_Doug

Quote: 





region2 said:


> Love the retro look to it.  But I agree with FallenAngel, that knob is HUGE!


 


  That's what SHE said!


----------



## madcap386

Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> Posted these in the exstata thread already, but I thought I might as well put them here too.


 

 Niceee! Complete the look with those cans...
   
  and errr... What are those cans by the way? Looks damn cool...


----------



## ujamerstand

Its plenty big. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Here's something you might want to know if you plan on using amb's epsilon24: when you are setting the bias supply voltage for the exstata, the voltage will drop as you are taking measurements. This will cause the e24s to shut down. So If you are using a power button you should either bypass the e24 before you set the bias, or just get a latching version.


----------



## ujamerstand

Quote: 





madcap386 said:


> Niceee! Complete the look with those cans...
> 
> and errr... What are those cans by the way? Looks damn cool...


 
  Those are the Stax SR-507.


----------



## madcap386

Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Wooooo nice..
   
  Will be checking those out..
   
  Thanks!
   
  *Yikes... looks like it a balanced output headphone... so it out for me....


----------



## johnwmclean

Nice chassis work ujamerstand! What’s it like under the hood? Come on give up some internals.


----------



## stixx

Knobs can never be too big... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




                                                                                                                                   (--> see my amps)
   
  Nice stealth kook on that Exstata!


----------



## ujamerstand

This is actually my first full scale chassis work. Before this all the other things I've built came with a finished chassis and minimal wiring. So as you can tell my wiring job is full of suck.


----------



## stixx

I've seen worse...


----------



## balderon

Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> This is actually my first full scale chassis work. Before this all the other things I've built came with a finished chassis and minimal wiring. So as you can tell my wiring job is full of suck.


 

 It's not that bad, really!  Could you shorten the wires to the switch by moving the epsilon24 behind the front panel?


----------



## Mr.Duck

Don't forget to connect the chassis to signal ground if you haven't already. It lowers noise and increases performance. Contrary to intuition perhaps.


----------



## ujamerstand

Quote: 





mr.duck said:


> Don't forget to connect the chassis to signal ground if you haven't already. It lowers noise and increases performance. Contrary to intuition perhaps.


 
  Its connected through a ground loop breaker. The amp is absolutely pitch black until the volume is at 3 o'clock, then noise from my DAC creeps in from one side. (it switches side if I swap connectors.)
   
  Quote: 





balderon said:


> It's not that bad, really!  Could you shorten the wires to the switch by moving the epsilon24 behind the front panel?


 
  I could do that I guess. I don't think its problematic though. If anything I'll tie it down with cable ties so that it wouldn't move around.


----------



## cfcubed

Heh, heh.  Big knobs.
   

  Quote: 





el_doug said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## sachu

Dang chris!!  that is shredical!!


----------



## FallenAngel

That's one seriously low profile Beta22!  Great looking build!


----------



## cfcubed

Thanks guys.. I _think_ both of you know where I got the parts for those builds e.g. who designed 'em.   It was way tight - pretty much PCB-to-PCB. 
   

   
  Probably need a bit more ventilation cut into the top (its like the b32 on right of my prior pic), gets toasty.  All that's left is the PS box & umbilical.
   
  BTW those are fine looking builds ujamerstand.


----------



## ujamerstand

Great looking build you have there.  
   
  Toasty amps are always welcome in the north.  Those looks like hifi2000 cases? You could get their ventilated covers, it looks good, and it has lots of holes on them.


----------



## Mr.Duck

You could also use a fine black wire mesh. If you can keep it neat round the edges it should look very good and perform well.


----------



## jdkJake

Really nice work on the Exstata casework ujamerstand. I really like the red lettering and accents, quite striking!

Can't wait to see what you do with your EHHA.


----------



## El_Doug

zomg do I see 4 boards in there!? 
  
  Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> Thanks guys.. I _think_ both of you know where I got the parts for those builds e.g. who designed 'em.   It was way tight - pretty much PCB-to-PCB.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## cfcubed

Yes you do  Got that last board going a few days ago & spent most of yesterday on getting 'em all wired up & in the chassis. 
  BTW big green knob was only solid ebay one that size @ the time, it was supposed to be temporary but its growing one me.
   
  It was more involved than I thought squeezing everything in (e.g. 4-ch RK27 is up against boards/backpanel, pot shaft barely clears a couple caps, had to make very flat 4-LED protoboard, etc.).
   
  But spent some hours listening w/balanced HD600s today & it sure sounds good.  Nice when it works out that way  Again, just PS box & cable to go & she's done.
   
  Quote: 





el_doug said:


> zomg do I see 4 boards in there!?


----------



## ujamerstand

How's the heat on the PSU?


----------



## cfcubed

It's fine.. Per β22 site, one σ22 can handle 4-ch for headphone duty.  My σ22 has 2" sinks & is going in a 3" tall matching case (plenty of room/air).   β22 sinks are 1".
  Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> How's the heat on the PSU?


----------



## Forte

Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> It was more involved than I thought squeezing everything in (e.g. 4-ch RK27 is up against boards/backpanel, pot shaft barely clears a couple caps, had to make very flat 4-LED protoboard, etc.).
> But spent some hours listening w/balanced HD600s today & it sure sounds good.  Nice when it works out that way  Again, just PS box & cable to go & she's done.


 

  
  Great looking build.   Where did you get the PCB for the 4 channel RK27 pot?


----------



## cfcubed

Thanks.... That's just protoboard I wired up w/2-pos screw terminals I got in bulk from fleabay   That stuff comes in darn handy.
  I did the same thing for an alps black beauty in my 2-ch b22, here's the pic from NYC area meet:
   

   
  Did that one upside down because the pot's keying post was on opposite side from the RK27 that was in there.
  Quote: 





forte said:


> Great looking build.   Where did you get the PCB for the 4 channel RK27 pot


----------



## spritzer

That's a RK40 and not a RK50.  The latter is the solid brass monster with a 8mm shaft...


----------



## cfcubed

You are so right of course  I corrected my post within a minute or two.  You are a fast one. 
  
  Quote: 





spritzer said:


> That's a RK40 and not a RK50.  The latter is the solid brass monster with a 8mm shaft...


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> It's fine.. Per β22 site, one σ22 can handle 4-ch for headphone duty.  My σ22 has 2" sinks & is going in a 3" tall matching case (plenty of room/air).   β22 sinks are 1".
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


 
  NVM. Misread.


----------



## stew1234

What kind of 4 pin xlr jack is that? Really nice looking build. 
  
  Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> Heh, heh.  Big knobs.
> 
> 
> Quote:
> ...


----------



## cfcubed

Thanks... Think its a C series Switchcraft http://www.switchcraft.com/productsummary.aspx?Parent=472 .  It & the knob are recessing into the front panel.
  Quote: 





stew1234 said:


> What kind of 4 pin xlr jack is that? Really nice looking build.


----------



## holland

Wow, Chris.  You've really stepped up your builds.


----------



## elliot42

Aww, man. So many nice builds!
I've gotta get back into the DIY now that I'm finished with uni.


----------



## joQuFIN

Quote: 





elliot42 said:


> Aww, man. So many nice builds!
> I've gotta get back into the DIY now that I'm finished with uni.


 

 So many nice builds. Dam, now I want to build beter amp, maybe next year 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.
   

  Well here is one photo from insides of my finished amp. Notice the stylish led wire coming from diode, "somebody" forget to make holes for led...


----------



## grokit

Any DIY'ers out there have an old XLR switchbox they're not using anymore? I have been looking for a balanced 4-in 4-out (or 2 stereo channels) switch box but the closest I could find is a 4-in 2-out switchbox. Or if anyone thinks they can build a good one cheap, it doesn't have to be pretty... I am not really set up for a DIY project ATM.


----------



## RuiCanela

This afternoon build: The Mute Audio GrubDAC.....my debut on assemblies with SMD components. 
  It's now in testing, after it cames case work.


----------



## 00940

After years of procrastinating, my USB DAC is (almost) finished.
   
  What you've got here:
   
  DAC: PCM2707-SRC4192-PCM1798, power supply being seperate cap multipliers followed by reg101 for the PS of each chips.
  I/V: OPA1632, with a servo to bring the DAC outputs at 0V and shunt regs. After fiddling with open loop I/V stages, I can't convice myself of finding real improvements over those little buggers.
  Volume control: DS1802
  Summing amp/ headphones amplifier: dynalo, power supply being cap multipliers followed by improved lm317/337.
  Transformers are in an external enclosure (2X18V@30VA and 1X10V@15VA).
   
  I've to express my thanks to PRR who provided the final topology of the analog stage on headwize two years ago : http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.edu/ubb/showpage.php?fnum=3&tid=7616&fpage=2
   
  How does it sound ? Very nice. Dead silent into high sensitivity buds too. The DS1802 are extremely nice as volume control, very precise and smooth transition.
   
  Obviously, I've still to fit a proper frontplate, paint the box, and wire the preamp outputs.


----------



## grokit

Five PCB's 00940, quite a project! Looks like it's coming along nicely


----------



## johnwmclean

I see six.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> Five PCB's 00940, quite a project! Looks like it's coming along nicely


----------



## grokit

Whoops 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 !
  
  Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> I see six.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## balderon

I agree with johnwmclean. By my count there are 6 PCB's and 2 perf boards.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> I see six.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





balderon said:


> I agree with johnwmclean. By my count there are 6 PCB's and 2 perf boards.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Too late, I already capitulated


----------



## balderon

Quote: 





grokit said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Barely late. You got in right under the wire.


----------



## 00940

That's a lot of PCB, isn't it ? Which means a lot of wires too, I got lost sometimes. Especially considering that everything got modified quite a few times. In fact there is:
   
  - one pcb for the DAC section.
  - one pcb for the +/- 15V PS
  - one pcb for each channel of the dynalo.
   
  4 pcb.
   
  - one big perfboard for both the pre-regs of the DAC and the DS1802 (which is below the DAC pcb and the I/V section)
  - one smaller perfboard for the I/V.
   
  2 perfboards.
   
  If one wanted to get exhaustive, there is one perfboard with an offset protection waiting to be mounted (seen in the first pic, outside the box) and one could count the two small perfboards with the cap multiplier on the PS pcb


----------



## Spacehead

1206 SMD resistors fit really well between 1/8W resistor holes in Carrie Amp:

  Testing it with external LM317 12V power supply.
  Sounds pretty nice!


----------



## Spacehead

My latest special work,
  PPA v2 with GrubDAC integrated into Hammond 1455N1601BK case:
   

   
   
  I also recabled the DT770 600 Ohms.


----------



## T.B.N.

Quote: 





spacehead said:


> My latest special work,
> PPA v2 with GrubDAC integrated into Hammond 1455N1601BK case:
> 
> I also recabled the DT770 600 Ohms.


 


  That looks awesome! Any pics of the inside?


----------



## AirForceTeacher

I'm reading too many of these threads - I saw this at Best Buy, and I wanted to buy it _just for the packaging!_
   

   
  I can't remember what model it was, but the packaging is awesome - the silver part is aluminum all the way around and the end has a hole predrilled.  I think you press the plastic button in the hole and the plastic inner box slides out.  This could make a cool project box. (And I have no idea why the image is upside down)


----------



## Avro_Arrow

I thought maybe the box was filled with helium and had stuck to the bottom of the shelf...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





airforceteacher said:


> I'm reading too many of these threads - I saw this at Best Buy, and I wanted to buy it _just for the packaging!_
> 
> 
> 
> I can't remember what model it was, but the packaging is awesome - the silver part is aluminum all the way around and the end has a hole predrilled.  I think you press the plastic button in the hole and the plastic inner box slides out.  This could make a cool project box. (And I have no idea why the image is upside down)


----------



## mmayer167

^ i got a laugh out of your post. when i was reading through it i didnt know where you were going with it until you mentioned the case was nice lol.  DIY at heart!
   
  M


----------



## ph33lix

Hey guys! Been a while since my last build.
   
  Gotten myself a MDR V6 (I know I know, it's a cheap thrill) and found my Samsung Galaxy S i9000 having trouble driving it adequately.
   
  So I set out to build an A47 amp with Sijosae's discrete rail splitter. All layout plans and ideas were heavily inspired by Sijosae's gallery page, much kudos to him.
   

  Burr Brown OPA2134s employed. Layout allows even the OPA2604s to behave but the increased power requirements are not worth it.
   

  Double sided tape holds the battery in place adequately. Haha 
   
   
  More pics here:
  http://picasaweb.google.com/107052056203737077920/TinyA47WithDiscreteRailBufferForMobilePhone?feat=directlink
   
  Sorry about the high resolution. LOL


----------



## T.B.N.

Wow, that is really small! I love seeing your drawings of the layout, it gives an insight on how one actually comes up with it.


----------



## ph33lix

Hey TBN, I noticed that you too are in the midst of an A47 build. Take your time and read up on the Designing an Opamp Headphone Amplifier page as well as Tangent's detailed write ups.
   
  Thanks for taking a look!
   
  Hope to see your build soon too, a cigar box is a great idea for a classy case.


----------



## madcap386

Quote: 





spacehead said:


> My latest special work,
> PPA v2 with GrubDAC integrated into Hammond 1455N1601BK case:
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Nice!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## akgfan

I've learned new things so I started improving my mosfet amp:
   

   
  - Added ground loop breaker
  - All capacitors except power supply are low ESR Nichicon and two Hitano. Output caps are Nichicon and are a big improvement to my old Jamicon. You wouldn't believe me but they were non ESR and I had them for two years in this amp. What an error.
  - Fortunately, mosfets are original IRF510.
  - I want to replace two 20W wirewound resistors (inductive) with metaloxid 2W in parallel combination and put them under PCBs so I can make a room for new input caps. There is only 1W of heat on them so I think it wouldn't be a problem.
  - Input caps are Solen metalyzed polypropylene fast caps and I want to put them instead of 20W resistors. Again, I had metalized polyester capacitors.
  - I was experimenting with soft start and DC protection circuit and I made some very small PCB. I want to place it on output jack.
  - I have tried 220n output bypass polypropylene capacitors, but it has too much highs so I'm going to remove them.
  - I am looking for new volume potentiometer, but I am very limited with space (only 34x14mm).
   
  I was a sceptic and I didn't expect some improvement but I was obviously wrong. I am glad I came across this forum. Now this amp sounds more open and has a bit more highs. It sounded quite "good" and when I compared it to my other amplifiers, that I have built, and I liked it. But now, I can hear big improvement when I listen to for example Joe Satriani - if I could fly or Dire Straits - brothers in arms. These were my main test songs before and after.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

@akgfan
   
  You did such a great job on your MOSFET amp...I always want to hide mine
  after seeing yours.
   
  You should try the ELNA Silmic II for the output caps.
  I use them in a different build and they sound the best
  of any electrolytic I've tried.


----------



## akgfan

Even though I am doing DIY stuff more than ten years now, I just only now start discovering many things about audio. I was limited with my local shops and my lacking skill in english. But now with internet and paypal, ...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  As I said, I started experimenting so I will be probably swaping parts for a while. So maybe I'll try the ELNA caps.
   
  I wanted to replace that damn 20w resistors with riedon, but they were out of stock at welborne labs. Maybe I was lucky because I need to place there input caps and I can use cheap 2w metaloxid resistors instead. They are non-inductive, aren't they? I didn't find such an information in datasheet.
   
  BTW And now I know why my amp with lm3886 sounded so "boring". My roommate built mosfet and that was very nice sounding amp... It sounded so clear and no one had such good sounding amp. The amp is sitting somewhere in my cabinet for many years because I don't listen through speakers. I made big speakers with Czech Tesla loudspeakers.
   

   
  and dismanled speakers...


----------



## JohnFerrier

near completion . . . power supply left, headphone amplifier right . . .


----------



## qusp

borbely??


----------



## JohnFerrier

Good eye! Yes, Borbely Audio choke power supply (w/four pole capacitors) and headphone amplifier (teflon pcb).


----------



## gabriel-dan

Here are a Lampucera DAC $69  and a JHL amp $25 both bought in e-bay. I used tupperware for easy/fast casing and I was enjoying good sound in no time


----------



## T.B.N.

Quote: 





ph33lix said:


> Hey TBN, I noticed that you too are in the midst of an A47 build. Take your time and read up on the Designing an Opamp Headphone Amplifier page as well as Tangent's detailed write ups.
> 
> Thanks for taking a look!
> 
> Hope to see your build soon too, a cigar box is a great idea for a classy case.


 

 Cool, thanks for the link, hadn't seen that before. I've read tangent's stuff and keep going back to it as I understand more. Hopefully my amp will be up and running soon!


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





gabriel-dan said:


> Here are a Lampucera DAC $69  and a JHL amp $25 both bought in e-bay. I used tupperware for easy/fast casing and I was enjoying good sound in no time


 

 I like your style gabriel, get it up and running so you can listen to it while making proper cases.
   
  You are going to make some proper cases, right? I guess you could just drill vent holes into the lids and call it good...


----------



## mb3k

Just popping my head back in! Nice builds guys, what's the new case styling in amps these days?


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





gabriel-dan said:


> Here are a Lampucera DAC $69  and a JHL amp $25 both bought in e-bay. I used tupperware for easy/fast casing and I was enjoying good sound in no time


 

Have you seen this? http://www.lampizator.eu/lampizator/LAMPUCERA/CD%20DAC%20Lampucera%20lampizator.html
   
I really want one, and will probably buy one.
   
  EDIT: Nevermind. I just saw that a new version was released.


----------



## JohnFerrier

Quote: 





mb3k said:


> Just popping my head back in! Nice builds guys, what's the new case styling in amps these days?


 

 disney concert hall inspires me, i went stainless


----------



## gabriel-dan

Thanks grokit,

  


> You are going to make some proper cases, right? I guess you could just drill vent holes into the lids and call it good...


 

 or i just leave the top lid off !


----------



## BebopMcJiggy




----------



## FallenAngel

Awesome looking budget Beta22!  How do the panels look?


----------



## BebopMcJiggy

They're looking okay...  I am waiting on a 24mm drill bit that I ordered (curse you slow china shipping curse you......)  I might just go by home depot and pick up one of those stepped drill bits if it takes much longer.  I could finish up the psu case now, but I was going to use the drill press at work for all the bigger back and rear panel holes, I was just waiting till I got the drill bit to do them all at once after work one day.
   
  The power connector holes are useless right now anyhow as to use it on the amp without the other holes drilled would block up all the inputs ;p.
   
  There is an extra transformer and e25 switch in the psu case as you can see... this is actually meant to do double duty powering a EHHA (in the same size case as the b22) and the B22 (not at the same time).  I used separate power buttons for the heater filament supply & s22.  I am undecided upon mounting the dc regulator for that in the psu case or the Ehha case at the moment... still waiting on parts to ship to me for that, will determine based on size (mostly height) maybe.  Perhaps my current little lm317 regulator would work okay but it was running really hot when I tried it before, it is actually attached to one of the back panels (using it as a heat sink) but has not yet been tested with that "heat sink" instead of the small to-220 heat sink I was using before.  So hah probably gonna be 2 extra tiny ventilation holes on the back of the ehha case ;p.


----------



## Ferrari

Quote: 





mb3k said:


> Just popping my head back in! Nice builds guys, what's the new case styling in amps these days?


 

  
  [size=x-small]mb3k, good to see you back. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]It seems to be that there is not a real new case styling in amps at all recently.[/size]
  [size=x-small]However so many thing is possible in DIY regarding the used materials, colors, the shapes… [/size]
  [size=x-small]The inspiring work HF-member zkool448 is worth to mention.[/size]
   
  [size=x-small]Personally I think that it’s best to rely on your own creativity and create something that suits your taste/need.[/size]
  [size=x-small]The casing of my most recent tube amp is done that way… just what I have in mind.[/size]


----------



## RuiCanela

I finished the boxes to the work of AMB Mini3 and the Mute Audio GrubDAC.
 Great set, plays very well.

   
   
  All American designs. Mini3, UE TF10,  Mute Audio GrubDAC, MacBook Pro

   
   
  Wolfmother are Australians....


----------



## BebopMcJiggy

So I got fed up waiting and picked up a stepped drill bit at sears...
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
  Gonna turn this goofy thing into an amp, probably not the random pcbs that are in it though :O as I am waiting on another 2 channels and gonna put that in a similar case to the b22...  that is what the other plug on the psu is for btw, the heater transformer...  I think I will put the dc regulator inside the case for the ehha.  Incidentally that is probably not the dc regulator I am going to use for that project pictured but is something I was messing around with.  The holes on the back of the b22 case are from experimenting with that err I mean strategically placed ventilation holes...
   
  Those are not my feet.  Uggs are an abomination but my gf will hear none of it :O.


----------



## Pseudonyms

How about headphone stands? Do they count?
   

   
  Just finished it today. You can't really see it in the picture, but I laser engraved my name on it. I thought it turned out well. Still have to put some kind of seal or finish on it though.


----------



## jdkJake

Sure they count!

Just that there is a separate thread for them:

 http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/249671/the-diy-headphone-stand-thread

Looks great though!


----------



## Pseudonyms

Thank you!
   
  ooh I'll have to check out that thread.


----------



## MrSlim

Just in time for Christmas...


----------



## BobSaysHi

My jaw just dropped. Incredible.


----------



## tranhieu

I like the neat and clean look! Love it!


----------



## cfcubed

Very nice Mr Slim.  You've been busy


----------



## FallenAngel

Great looking wiring with all the safety heatshrink and front panel is beautiful, but do I see a single leaning cap?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Awesome looking build, I can't wait to finish the FPE work for my Buffalo2 so it can finally join my audio rack.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





bebopmcjiggy said:


>


 

 What kind of a power switch is this? I see them all around, but I don't actually know what it is.


----------



## BK_856er

Looks like the popular Bulgin MPI002/28/BL.
   
  BK


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





bk_856er said:


> Looks like the popular Bulgin MPI002/28/BL.
> 
> BK


 

 Wow, 26 dollars each? I'll pass. They look great, though.


----------



## Forte

Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  They are also available here http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=60_374_375&products_id=22162  as well as eBay and elsewere.
  Just make sure you order the correct type, Momentary or Latching, for your intended use.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





forte said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks a lot. I'll look around.


----------



## madcap386

Quote: 





mrslim said:


> Just in time for Christmas...
> 
> \


 
  Love the clean external look... The internal looks very clean too!


----------



## MrSlim

Thanks guys, much appreciated. It finally came together after a frustrating couple of mouths dealing with a USB and S/PDIF input selector that had problems with the USB input.  Once I ordered up the TP Mux everything just worked. 
  One cool thing I did that's not obvious from the pictures is the input selector LED's are sourced from the lock LED connection on the Mux board, so I didn't need to use an extra lock LED


----------



## stew1234

The DAC looks great. What type of USB module are you using?


----------



## akgfan

I've just finished pcb. I want to completely rebuild my amp. I will use lm317t as ccs instead of a resistor and pcb is smaller than my current version. It's beta and I wanted to experiment with ground. What do you think of it?


----------



## Avro_Arrow

I built my Szekeres VE with a TLE2426...worked great!
  Your layout looks pretty good.
   
  I just did a layout for a TORI amp.
  I'll build in January after all the Christmas excitement is over.
  
  Quote: 





akgfan said:


> I've just finished pcb. I want to completely rebuild my amp. I will use lm317t as ccs instead of a resistor and pcb is smaller than my current version. It's beta and I wanted to experiment with ground. What do you think of it?


----------



## MrSlim

Quote: 





stew1234 said:


> The DAC looks great. What type of USB module are you using?


 


  Thanks, I appreciate the compliment.  The USB module was one I found on Ebay, but I didn't keep a note about it and it's slipped off my ebay history.


----------



## akgfan

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> I built my Szekeres VE with a TLE2426...worked great!
> Your layout looks pretty good.
> 
> I just did a layout for a TORI amp.
> I'll build in January after all the Christmas excitement is over.


 

 I'll make some small changes on that pcb, but I'm quite pleased with it. My current pcb is a mess and grounding is pretty bad. I can't wait till january. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I received tle2426 this week and want to try epsilon protection. I would like to compare it with my modified loudspeaker protection, which is very simple. I could post a schematics later.
   
  I don't know which changes to make to psu. I've tried lm317t instead of 78s12 and I think that it has a bit more bass. I've read something about it and don't know if it is just a placebo. I don't have a clue if there is something better and simple enough. Except a choke which is very big.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Check out the Dynalo power supply here.
  Also AMB's O11 and O22 power supplies.
   
  We should probably change threads if you want to talk
  about this some more...
   
  Quote: 





akgfan said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## livewire

KGSSHV prototype, build cost $750. 
  90% complete, psu tested, just needs internal wiring and final test.


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Quote: 





livewire said:


> KGSSHV prototype, build cost $750.
> 90% complete, psu tested, just needs internal wiring and final test.


 

 Nice!  I'm jealous.


----------



## ujamerstand

What a Beaut! What plugs are you using for the stax connectors?


----------



## Beefy

Not so much a build, as a collection of builds. This is my home rig as of today, almost completely DIY. Fairly humble by many standards, but I'm quite proud of it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   




   
  Transport is a Squeezebox Touch
  DAC is a DIY Buffalo
  Amps are DIY Exstata SS and DIY Bottlehead Crack
  Phones are HD650 and SR-Lambda
  Shelving is DIY flexi from 11/16" laminated pine coated with Watco natural Danish oil and 5/8" threaded rod


----------



## BebopMcJiggy

Hah mind if I ask what the difference between a normal and a pro electrostat is? :O


----------



## Caphead78

Quote: 





beefy said:


> Not so much a build, as a collection of builds. This is my home rig as of today, almost completely DIY. Fairly humble by many standards, but I'm quite proud of it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Where did you get the hangers?


----------



## Beefy

Bias voltage.
  
  Quote: 





bebopmcjiggy said:


> Hah mind if I ask what the difference between a normal and a pro electrostat is? :O


 


 They are Koss Holdaphones. Lots of places sell them.
  
  Quote: 





caphead78 said:


> Where did you get the hangers?


----------



## livewire

Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> What a Beaut! What plugs are you using for the stax connectors?


 

 Thanks!
   
  The female connectors are the same ones that KG used on his original KGSS amp.
  They are Amphenol #WPI-78-S6S. I picked them up (new old stock) at a surplus place for around $7.50 each.
  I'm not sure if these are still being manufactured, the last time I checked new part pricing they were about $32 each
  because they are mil-spec connectors, typically used for professional microphone & speaker duty.
  In the past they were carried by Allied Electronics. They now carry a similar part without the chrome outer shell.
  It too works for the Stax plugs. It is Allied part number 79-0012. They are about $5 each.


----------



## grokit

Quote: 





beefy said:


> Not so much a build, as a collection of builds. This is my home rig as of today, almost completely DIY. Fairly humble by many standards, but I'm quite proud of it
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  That's a really nice setup, I may have to steal your DIY shelving strategy. It looks like that top shelf is waiting for a turntable though!


----------



## Beefy

Thanks! As tempting as a turntable is the WAF is low, and the top normally houses a plant and photos of said wife/partner...... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





grokit said:


> That's a really nice setup, I may have to steal your DIY shelving strategy. It looks like that top shelf is waiting for a turntable though!


----------



## Yaka

nice flexy stand


----------



## johnwmclean

Top rig Beefy! Is your M3 still around? 
   
  Here’s a shot of my set-up, the speakers are not DIY, these are Ed Schillings (Hornshoppe) Horns which use the Fostex 126e driver.
  I’ve changed the front and back panels of my DAC and PSU, all done by Cam-Expert.
   

   
  and... the mancave with my next beta22 in the works.


----------



## Beefy

Thanks, John. Yours isn't too shabby either 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  M3 is still around, in my work rig. But I'm in a bit of a quandary there because the y2-M3-ESW9 work rig which has served me so well just sounds really flat next to the Buffalo-Crack-HD650 and I'm not quite sure what to do to jazz it up. Probably some new closed phones, but we'll see......


----------



## stixx

Very nice low profile EHHA there!
  How'd you cram the heatsinks in what looks like 40mm?
  Connected to the top lid...?


----------



## wink

John, you showoff.
   
  Must admit - it sounds better than it looks, and it looks GREAT.
   
  I have a test CD which should help you set up the speakers.....


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote: 





stixx said:


> Very nice low profile EHHA there!
> How'd you cram the heatsinks in what looks like 40mm?
> Connected to the top lid...?


 

 The heatsinks are Conrads custom cut to depth.     
   
  Quote: 





wink said:


> John, you showoff.
> 
> Must admit - it sounds better than it looks, and it looks GREAT.
> 
> I have a test CD which should help you set up the speakers.....


 

 Hahaha - yes I‘m a show-off I know.
  I also have Michael Fix CD you left behind.


----------



## tvattbjorn

thought I'd chip in. here's my beta22:






   
  I have since added two black anodised aluminium knobs, 28mm in diameter, to the input selector and volume pot.


----------



## stixx

Very nice!!
   
  ...and the usual question: what cases are those...?


----------



## Mr.Duck

That looks like a hifi 2000 case from Italy for sure.
   
  I've managed to build a LM3886 based speaker amp in the smallest hifi2000 case I could fit it into. I use the case for heatsinking and it barely gets warm. Great cases.


----------



## tvattbjorn

quite right. those are hifi2000's galaxy 248 cases. dimensions are 230x280x40 mm (w,d,h). well actually 40mm is the internal height, I think the front plate is 5cm. I was a little concerned about heat issues, but the sigma22's heatsinks don't get much hotter cased up, than out in the free. The beta22 itself gets comfortably warm, but then again the entire case is my heatsink


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





tvattbjorn said:


> thought I'd chip in. here's my beta22:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Can I ask what that cap looking like thing with green cap/lid on one side is?


----------



## Nisbeth

Looks like a fuse holder mounted in a 35mm film container 
   
   
  /U.


----------



## tvattbjorn

well spotted. not following regulations, I know


----------



## Mr.Duck

Oh and what is the connector for the power output? 4 pole speakon?


----------



## tvattbjorn

yes that it is. It powers the beta22 through regular 18AWG lamp wire from the local supermarket (the cable is not shown cause my girlfriend "cleaned up" a bit and decided the jackets for the plugs were trash, so it's not so pretty). the toroid is a 2x22V 50W, the power switch is a powerswitch 16W (bulgin isn't available here) and the input selector is a 3 position four pole dact (can't recall the number), everything else is pretty much standard stuff that i sourced primarily from the local components pusher and schuro.de


----------



## tvattbjorn

but the hifi2000 cases really are nice. I'm planning on building a pair of ncc200 mono power amps, a buffalo ii dac and a pass labs pearl riaa stage in matching cases. The plan is to get rid of my cambridge 550a integrated amp (you know the one, it has these horrible blue led's). Then I can enjoy a discrete, discreet, compact and (hopefully) well sounding system. If only there was a way to also put my cd-, minidisc- and dvd-player into those galaxy cases...


----------



## tranhieu

I guessed it was a fuse holder since there's 'fuse' word written on it 
   
  Here is mine, just finished testing 2 days ago and my K1000 are having good times with its new mate!
   
  The set up including a hiface as transport, Buffalo 24 and of course you guys know the rest of the chain 
   

   
  My wiring is a mess...


----------



## FallenAngel

Very nice choice on parts, toroids, stepper - it's a fantastic build, similar what I was running as well before I downsized before a move, AMAZING!  Hope to rebuild something similar in the near future... a few months.


----------



## Mullet

I just recently decided to tackle making a decent amp for my Grados and came up with this variant of the Apheared 47. I found a layout on one of the Apheared threads and decided to utilize an altoids can given to me by a coworker for my enclosure. Thus far I'm pretty happy with the results with the exception of the heat problems I've had with the BUF634 heating up. I figured it was a result of the fact that my enclosure is a tin can and that it might be making contact with the dc power jack. So I added some masking tape as insulation. So far so good. If this fails I'll move on to electrical tape. Other than that all I can say is that this puppy has some power. I chose to use a 24v regulated wallwart from jameco with no battery power. Here are some pics... Enjoy!


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





fallenangel said:


> Very nice choice on parts, toroids, stepper - it's a fantastic build, similar what I was running as well before I downsized before a move, AMAZING!  Hope to rebuild something similar in the near future... a few months.


 
  Thanks! I'm actually thinking about building some firstwatt and have my B22 run as a power amp. I heard that would stimulate the K1000's performance even more


----------



## akgfan

New moduls for mosfet amp (irf510+lm317t):


----------



## Giordano

A CK2III built. Which is a current thread ? I have two problems : one hour warmup time to sound good, sensitivity to C7, C16. What cap for best clear treble ? (MKP, MKS too harsh, oil paper > dead treble).
   
  Thanks,
   
  JG


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Looks good, nice and clean.
  Give me a couple of weeks and I'll do my Tori...
  
  Quote: 





akgfan said:


> New moduls for mosfet amp (irf510+lm317t):


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Good job on the A47.
  Do you have the BUF634 running high bandwidth or low?
  In wide band mode, the BUF634 heats up a little.
  In low band mode it stays cool.
   
  I use OPA633 buffers in one of my amps and they run hot
  all the time...
  
  Quote: 





mullet said:


> I just recently decided to tackle making a decent amp for my Grados and came up with this variant of the Apheared 47. I found a layout on one of the Apheared threads and decided to utilize an altoids can given to me by a coworker for my enclosure. Thus far I'm pretty happy with the results with the exception of the heat problems I've had with the BUF634 heating up. I figured it was a result of the fact that my enclosure is a tin can and that it might be making contact with the dc power jack. So I added some masking tape as insulation. So far so good. If this fails I'll move on to electrical tape. Other than that all I can say is that this puppy has some power. I chose to use a 24v regulated wallwart from jameco with no battery power. Here are some pics... Enjoy!


----------



## Alcaudon

Finally found some time to finish my soha II (unfortunately still need to solve a noise issue)
   
  Some crappy pics (I'm sorry, I don't have a camera right now so I took them with the phone 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





):
   
   

   

   
  Inside:
   

   

   

   
  Happy new year to everyone!!!!!


----------



## FallenAngel

That is absolutely beautiful casework and layout Alcaudon!  Congrats.
   
  Curious on your noise issue, one of mine also had issues - the R4 zener was the culprit, post in the SOHA2 thread, we might be able to help.


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote: 





fallenangel said:


> That is absolutely beautiful casework and layout Alcaudon!  Congrats.
> 
> Curious on your noise issue, one of mine also had issues - the R4 zener was the culprit, post in the SOHA2 thread, we might be able to help.


 

 Many thanks FallenAngel 
   
  The noise problem is similar to the one described here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/526176/strange-hum-in-soha-ii-getting-louder-turning-into-hiss-and-disappearing-in-about-3min. (by the way, reflowing the whole amp did not solve the problem).
   
  If I'm not able to solve it myself I'll post detailed information in the Soha2 thread, I'm sure that the great minds there will help


----------



## funch

Daaang!!  And the award for the best looking SOHA II ever goes to..... Alcaudon.


----------



## jdkJake

Wow, outstanding casework (and immaculate wiring work) Alcaudon! Really, truly, nice work. 
   
  What DAC and relay switch are you using?


----------



## cfcubed

Quote: 





funch said:


> Daaang!!  And the award for the best looking SOHA II ever goes to..... Alcaudon.


 

 It is an excellent looking, neat build.  Note though that there are other contenders for that award   E.g.
   
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/85561/post-pics-of-your-builds/4950#post_5671489
   
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/422110/casework-share-your-diy-enclosures#post_5646690
   
  We _could_ have a beauty pageant but its in the eye of the beholder anyway.


----------



## revolink24

The casework in that second thread is stunning! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I don't know how I missed that thread.


----------



## Alcaudon

Many thanks for the compliments gents.
  
  Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Wow, outstanding casework (and immaculate wiring work) Alcaudon! Really, truly, nice work.
> 
> What DAC and relay switch are you using?


 
   
  Well, nothing really special, just an Alien DAC and a TPA Darwin.
   
  Quote: 





> It is an excellent looking, neat build.  Note though that there are other contenders for that award   E.g.
> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/85561/post-pics-of-your-builds/4950#post_5671489
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/422110/casework-share-your-diy-enclosures#post_5646690
> ...


 
   
  I would never dare to compete with Ferrari, his builds are at another level, the same level I'm aspiring to reach in the future (and I'm not talking about aesthetics here).
   
  Don't forget that this is just a case, real credit goes to all that people who create great designs and share them with the community (in this case runeight), and to all the beta builders and to all that people who help others to succesfully finish their builds. To all of them, thanks


----------



## Bizzel

Alcaudon, is that a set of 3 LED indicators at the top-left of the amplifier case? If so, how did you fill in the gap and what does it look like when lit?


----------



## Mullet

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Good job on the A47.
> Do you have the BUF634 running high bandwidth or low?
> In wide band mode, the BUF634 heats up a little.
> In low band mode it stays cool.
> ...


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Another test you can do if you can measure the current consumption is to
  measure it with no signal and compare it to the sum of all the currents from
  the specs in the data sheets. If it's pretty close then your good.
  If it's way higher than it should be then you have a problem.
  Either oscillations or a short.
  My BUF634's don't get more than warm in my ground channels.
  
  Quote: 





mullet said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Mullet

Quote:


avro_arrow said:


> Another test you can do if you can measure the current consumption is to
> measure it with no signal and compare it to the sum of all the currents from
> the specs in the data sheets. If it's pretty close then your good.
> If it's way higher than it should be then you have a problem.
> ...


 
  Excuse me for my ignorance. How would I measure the the current consumption? Also, I have downloaded the datasheet -- where would I find it's current consumption rating? Another thing to note -- before I added in some insulation I noticed this loud hum/buzz type noise that got progressively louder. I had to unplug my Grados to make sure they didn't get damaged. In my initial testing without the tin enclosure I didn't get this. So the heat and loud hum were the symptoms. Now with the insulation I'll get intermittent heat depending on if I fiddle with the thing too much. Perhaps, I should build a case that isn't made out of metal to insure I have no heat problems in the future. Any recommendations for the A47?


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Can we move this to a new thread so we don't clutter up this one?
  
  Quote: 





mullet said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> avro_arrow said:
> ...


----------



## nikongod

I dont think the huddler software makes it easy to move posts or split threads. Its really designed for SEO before friendlessness towards any of its users, moderators/admins included.
   
  I started a new thread with my own comment, and this text quoted for you here:
new thread
   
   ​ 


Free Web Counter   ​   
   
   
  Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Can we move this to a new thread so we don't clutter up this one?
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


----------



## johnwmclean

Alcaudon - it was utter joy to view your masterpiece, congrats. 
   
  ...is there a light show we‘re missing, love to see that too.


----------



## sachu

bloody brilliant work alcaudon...Masterstroke right there.


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote: 





bizzel said:


> Alcaudon, is that a set of 3 LED indicators at the top-left of the amplifier case? If so, how did you fill in the gap and what does it look like when lit?


 

 Yes it is, there are 3 white leds inside the small box at the left. The gaps are filled with small squares of plexiglass glued with silicone. This is how it looks when illuminated:
   

   
  Quote: 





> Alcaudon - it was utter joy to view your masterpiece, congrats.
> 
> ...is there a light show we‘re missing, love to see that too.


 
   
  Many thanks johnwmclean, I felt the same when I first saw your beautiful Balanced EHHA (I may ask you for some advices soon ). And, no there is no light show, just the input selector leds, sorry....


----------



## cfcubed

There sure are a lot of nice/unique touches to your build Alcaudon.  Makes me almost embarrassed to post this
  But I've finished my stack of joy (except for a different USB/Optical switch on B32s & riser for the ND-S1).


----------



## stew1234

Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> There sure are a lot of nice/unique touches to your build Alcaudon.  Makes me almost embarrassed to post this
> But I've finished my stack of joy (except for a different USB/Optical switch on B32s & riser for the ND-S1).


 
   
  Great looking work. Where did you get that volume knob from?


----------



## cfcubed

Thanks.  Had a thinner black knob w/spinner indent that I didn't care for so I just searched fleabay for "solid aluminum knob" & combed through for the diameter inset (like 44mm).  Was a surplus item from China IIRC.


----------



## El_Doug

w00t it is done!  hows the stack sounding?


----------



## Garage1217

Outstanding work visually, very modern and professional looking!
  
  Quote: 





alcaudon said:


> Finally found some time to finish my soha II (unfortunately still need to solve a noise issue)
> 
> Some crappy pics (I'm sorry, I don't have a camera right now so I took them with the phone
> 
> ...


----------



## cfcubed

Its sounding great.  Very good match for my "new" HD650s.  We'll see about getting you a listen sometime
  Quote: 





			
				El_Doug said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> w00t it is done!  hows the stack sounding?


----------



## jlefley

I finally got around to taking some pics of the β22/σ22 combo I finished up several months ago: (click for hi-res)





























































 Some specs:

 β22 boards built with recommended parts, configured for gain of 5
 4 channel, balanced configuration with selectable balanced/unbalanced input
 TPA Joshua Tree relay attenuator
 Dual XLR/TRS combo and 4-pin XLR output jacks
 Binding posts for speaker connections
 Dual σ22 boards built with recommended parts, configured for ±30V
 80VA Avel-Lindberg main transformers
 15VA Avel-Lindberg auxiliary transformer
 ε24 power switch driver circuit for power control
 σ25 power supply to provide DC to attenuation system
 DPDT relay switches power to both σ22 and σ25
 16 contact umbilical cord provides power to β22 boards and attenuation system and also carries ground returns for unbalanced headphone connections, uses AMP CPC connectors
 Recessed LED on the power supply front panel provides power indication
 Par-Metal 20-12123B 12" x 12" x 3" enclosures ordered without panels and with 2 front frames per enclosure
 Custom 6mm panels machined from raw aluminum by Cam-Expert, black anodizing and white text fill completed after receiving panels
 Lian Li case feet
 

   


  As for the performance, the amp sounds great. At this point I have been using it with a pair of Grado SR-60s and a Matrix Mini-i balanced DAC and the sound is phenomenal. Apart from this, I only have a Cmoy that I built ages ago so I don't have much to compare it to but the huge sound stage, clarity of individual instruments, and the speed this amp provides is nothing like I have heard before. The construction went fairly smoothly without any major problems. I was having some issues with noise and hum but ensuring that the case and panels were fully grounded eliminated nearly all the problems I was having. Even at full volume the amp is near silent with only a slight hiss which I assume is the noise floor of the DAC.

 More pictures, including some taken during construction, can be found here: http://tech.gotdns.org/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=161


----------



## FallenAngel

Awesome looking build jlefley, very impressive!


----------



## johnwmclean

cfcubed the stack looks very cool, nice and compact, any heat issues with the smaller sinks?
   
  jlefley, that’s one awesome looking black beast, congrats!


----------



## gabriel-dan

Wow!!! I would never be able to pull a build as spectacular as that SOHA II or the β22. Beautiful craftmanship.


----------



## Alcaudon

Oh my god!!! there's so much beauty in this thread....
   
  Congrats to cfcubed and jlefley for they impressive betas, really unique builds.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> cfcubed the stack looks very cool, nice and compact, any heat issues with the smaller sinks?


 
  Thanks.  I talk about the heatsink thing here & subsequent posts: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/85561/post-pics-of-your-builds/7515#post_7083203
   
  We could bring this to the b22 thread if necessary, but will say I did some testing on this - letting my b22s come up to temp.
  The 4-ch single s22 PS is comfy w/the tall sinks in the tall case, but found my 2-ch "budget" b22 mosfets regulating their bias down about 20% until I used my one & only small Greenlee punch to put some holes top & bottom:
   

   
  And that "fixed" the issue, mosfets maintained bias (no heat issues).... So did this to 4-ch b22 too & things are working very well.  Keeping it on top of stack of course (above buffalo32s
 ).


----------



## jlefley

Alcaudon, excellent looking SOHA II.  What process/technique was used to apply the lettering?


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





jlefley said:


> I finally got around to taking some pics of the β22/σ22 combo I finished up several months ago: (click for hi-res)


 

 I love how compact your build is. No space was wasted at all in those chassis. Great job!!


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote: 





jlefley said:


> Alcaudon, excellent looking SOHA II.  What process/technique was used to apply the lettering?


 

 Thanks jlefley, nothing compared to your beta.
   
  The lettering it's actually just a vinyl sticker. I just did the design of the logos and lettering and went to a local store, they cutted everything with a cutter plotter and then I used transparent tape to transport everything to the case.
   
  It's quite simple actually and turned out far better than I expected, it does not look as good as engraved letters but it's way more cheap (did enough logos for more than 10 amps for 20 €) and they can cut almost anything you draw  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## Forte

> The lettering it's actually just a vinyl sticker. I just did the design of the logos and lettering and went to a local store, they cutted everything with a cutter plotter and then I used transparent tape to transport everything to the case.
> It's quite simple actually and turned out far better than I expected, it does not look as good as engraved letters but it's way more cheap (did enough logos for more than 10 amps for 20 €) and they can cut almost anything you draw
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I would never have guessed that was stick on vinyl letters from those photos, looked like very shallow engraving with infill.  Very nice.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  How did you do the contrasting Black pieces with the vents and around the tubes?


----------



## cfcubed

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Forte* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> I would never have guessed that was stick on vinyl letters from those photos, looked like very shallow engraving with infill.  Very nice.
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  X2 on both...  It _looks_ like a full (flat) black plate under the top cover *but* don't see how its attached. 
  I've wanted to use a bit of screen on a couple of my top covers but couldn't figure out how to attach it under the top lid (w/o something like rivets through top cover).


----------



## Forte

Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> I've wanted to use a bit of screen on a couple of my top covers but couldn't figure out how to attach it under the top lid (w/o something like rivets through top cover).


 


  You could try J B Weld or something similar.


----------



## Alcaudon

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Forte* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> How did you do the contrasting Black pieces with the vents and around the tubes?


 
   
  It's just a piece of semi-transparent plexiglass (this one: http://www.plexiglas-shop.com/NL/en/plexiglas-truled-hrikze7jsb4/plexiglas-truled-black-9h04-sc-33cfo9caunz~p.html) glued with silicone:
   

   
  It's a great material, with a satin finish on one side (the side facing up) and a glossy finish on the other.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





alcaudon said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted by *Forte* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> ...


 

 Thanks for the link Alc, I might need it someday. Do they also cut the plexi as desired? Like holes and such?


----------



## Alcaudon

> Thanks for the link Alc, I might need it someday. Do they also cut the plexi as desired? Like holes and such?


 

 You're welcome 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. They cut the pieces as desired, but you'll have to drill the ventilantion holes yourself.... sorry 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





alcaudon said:


> > Thanks for the link Alc, I might need it someday. Do they also cut the plexi as desired? Like holes and such?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  heh no biggie, thanks for the info!


----------



## jlefley

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> I love how compact your build is. No space was wasted at all in those chassis. Great job!!


 

 Thanks, as you can see everything barely fit in the enclosures.  I went through a few design iterations in CAD to come up with the final layout.  I have to give credit to AMB's group build β22 for demonstrating that 4 boards can fit in a 12" x 12" footprint.
   


  Quote: 





alcaudon said:


> The lettering it's actually just a vinyl sticker. I just did the design of the logos and lettering and went to a local store, they cutted everything with a cutter plotter and then I used transparent tape to transport everything to the case.
> 
> It's quite simple actually and turned out far better than I expected, it does not look as good as engraved letters but it's way more cheap (did enough logos for more than 10 amps for 20 €) and they can cut almost anything you draw
> 
> ...


 
   
  Interesting, it almost looks like laser engraving from the photos.  This is definitely a good alternative to more costly engraving/machining considering how nicely it turned out.


----------



## PScal

Alcaudon and jlefley, inspirational builds.  Here is my contribution - although not as refined as what has been appearing in this thread lately.  It is an M cubed powered by a YJPS.  The MMM is configured with variable gain from about 4 to 14.  More photos can be found in this album.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Very clean build. I'd personally put the YJPS vertically to march the M3 board but that's still a nice amp.


----------



## PScal

I mounted it that way based on Tangent's recommendation in the assembly guide section of the YJPS website.
   
  Quote: 





> The best layout I’ve come up with is to put the AC inlet in the back left corner of the case, and the circuit being powered up in the right front. Then the YJPS board goes along the back left part of the case, leaving the regulated DC output at the back right, near the rear of the other board, where its DC inlet probably is. The pair make a kind of L shape.


 
   
  This puts the AC in the far left corner of the case, farthest away from the amplifier board.
   
  Edit: and thanks for the compliment


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Here's another unrefined build 
   
  Millet DCPP on a Zebrawood base.
   

   
   

   
   
   

   
   
  Took me forever, but its finally done


----------



## amb

Minor problem... Pete Millett's last name should be spelled with two 't's.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote: 





amb said:


> Minor problem... Pete Millett's last name should be spelled with two 't's.


 


  That'd cost quite a bit to fix the spelling


----------



## Daveze

The way I figure...it must be a different Millet...


----------



## fault151

Love this, it has a real retro feel to it! nice work!
   
   
   
   
  Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Here's another unrefined build
> 
> Millet DCPP on a Zebrawood base.
> 
> ...


----------



## fault151

Love the stealthy look of this amp! Awesome!
   
   
  Quote:


> Originally Posted by *jlefley* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I finally got around to taking some pics of the β22/σ22 combo I finished up several months ago: (click for hi-res)
> 
> ...


----------



## fault151

Wow, John you have been busy! These amps look sweet! Nice style you have going on there.
   
   
   
   

  
  Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Top rig Beefy! Is your M3 still around?
> 
> Here’s a shot of my set-up, the speakers are not DIY, these are Ed Schillings (Hornshoppe) Horns which use the Fostex 126e driver.
> I’ve changed the front and back panels of my DAC and PSU, all done by Cam-Expert.
> ...


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





amb said:


> Minor problem... Pete Millett's last name should be spelled with two 't's.


 
   
  Yeah, it's such a drag. I bit the bullet and ordered another "t". It shouldn't be too much effort to fix.
   
   
  Quote: 





			
				Lil' Knight said:
			
		

> /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> That'd cost quite a bit to fix the spelling


 
   
  Nah, it's not too much


----------



## jdkJake

Well, regardless of the spelling error, the build turned out beautiful. 

How does it sound?


----------



## holland

Nice build, highflyin9.  Do you have inside shots?  Feedback or no feedback?


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Thanks gents, I was definitely going for a vintage look on this one. The sound is very nice on my modest work room setup. The amp is crisp, clear and resolving without being clinical.
   

   
   
  Holland, this is a photo I have from a few weeks ago of the inside before I finished the IEC wiring and added a little LED array board that I made. I used the last little bit of Oyaide I had for the input wiring, the couple of feet of output wire is Kimber. Resistors are nearly all carbon comp. Most parts are the ones specified in the BOM except for a few subs. Coupling Caps are Russian PIOs. This board is quite easy to populate aside from the MOSFETs which I had to add wire to in order to have enough room to reach the plate. No loop feedback.


----------



## yossi126

3-ch Active Ground b22 Glass Jar kit
 Sigma22 from amb's site
 ALPS RK27 pot
 2 Galaxy Maggiorato GX388 cases
   
  Thanks to Oliver (Olli1324) for this project.


----------



## FallenAngel

Very simple and clean looking build, very nice!


----------



## Lil' Knight

Forgot to post pics of my 3-channel B22. Pretty standard build with the JTA. I'm having the faceplate remade because there's a small defection that I want to perfect.


----------



## FallenAngel

OMG!  Please tell me you aren't "testing" with HD800's!  You've got balls of steel!


----------



## Lil' Knight

The testing phones are just a pair of cheap, high sensitive IEMs  I need to 'upgrade' the DMM soon


----------



## ujamerstand

Cool stuff, did you fix the jta in the end?


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





fallenangel said:


> OMG!  Please tell me you aren't "testing" with HD800's!  You've got balls of steel!


 


  my first thought as well when I saw the photo


----------



## tranhieu

lil' knight said:


> The testing phones are just a pair of cheap, high sensitive IEMs  I need to 'upgrade' the DMM soon





 

I tested my b22 with my k1000 right in the 1st test since I had no other balanced fones or adaptor at that time and I was too eager to wait for my order. luckily nothing went wrong


----------



## BebopMcJiggy

Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> I tested my b22 with my k1000 right in the 1st test since I had no other balanced fones or adaptor at that time and I was too eager to wait for my order. luckily nothing went wrong


 


  Yeah but those things are really speakers anyhow no?  I think they can take quite a bit more current than the hd800 :O
   
  I test with orthos usually, it would suck to destroy them but needing in excess of 15 watts for an extended period I feel kind of safe.
   
  I suppose I should test with some cheap iems myself.


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





lil' knight said:


> I need to 'upgrade' the DMM soon


 

 Bah, I have the same multimeter, and it's survived the ages.
   
  Also, is the metal wall b/w the amp and the power supply there to block noise, or is it just for show?


----------



## Lil' Knight

It's made of steel and is meant to prevent EMI noise. Not sure if it does play any role, but I never experienced any transformer hum from the amp.


----------



## H22

Well, not near as sexy as the desktops that i have seen on this thread, but this is a Pimeta V2 I am working on. Mostly stock except for the
  Muse power caps ( that have been replacesd now with 3 470uf elna silmac II's ) and the 4 cell li-po pack and protection PCB. I keep tinkering with it, so it is back apart while i plan out a slightly modified PPA style bass boost. Also whitling up a nicer front pannel for it with front pannel designer.


----------



## walangalam

Here is my first tube head amp -- The Bijou.

   

   

   

   
  No tweaks yet, just the regal mod.  Sounds really good as it is. 
   
  Thanks to runeight for an excellent project!


----------



## walangalam

Overhead shot showing my toes somehow got lost in the post ...


----------



## .Sup

heh nice photos and a beautiful build walangalam


----------



## jlefley

Excellent work walangalam; the Bijou looks very nice.


----------



## Caphead78

Quote: 





walangalam said:


> Here is my first tube head amp -- The Bijou.
> 
> 
> No tweaks yet, just the regal mod.  Sounds really good as it is.
> ...


 

 May I ask where you got the case?


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





caphead78 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 ebay has it I think


----------



## walangalam

Yup, its ebay. from seller hlly_audio.


----------



## Handy Ray

My implementation of AMB Labs Mini3, I call mine Proto3 Mini3.  This was the 3rd prototype and the smallest one.  AMB gets all the credit for his engineering work with this 3 channel little monster.  I tinkered with the layout and design here and there to make it fit in a Hammond 1593K case and run from only wallwart.  Circuitry obviously isn't as neat as a pre-made PCB based Mini3, but hey, it gets the job done.  The sound so far is free from noise and very enjoyable.  Will be building a proper Mini3 soon to do some AB with.


----------



## FallenAngel

Looks like a great little build, congrats (as well as on the Homer in his "Here's Johny" expression).  Any instability with the opamps - they're quite picky to layout and PSU bypassing.


----------



## johnwmclean

My new β22, enjoy... 
   

   
   

   
  excuse the fingerprints on the base... 

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
  Once again thanks AMB (Ti) for all your support during the build process.


----------



## balderon

Nice build! Are you still working on the power supply? I liked the craftsmanship of the volume knob illumination ring. Would you care to share your technique for creating this ring?


----------



## .Sup

Beautiful John. Did you get the case from Italy or local?


----------



## elliot42

Oh, that's a beautiful B22, John.
Is that for you? What's happening with your current B22?


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks guys!
  
  Quote: 





balderon said:


> Nice build! Are you still working on the power supply? I liked the craftsmanship of the volume knob illumination ring. Would you care to share your technique for creating this ring?


 

 The psu was done a while ago, it’s dual duty for the EHHA and β22
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/85561/post-pics-of-your-builds/6735#post_6549866
   
  The illuminated ring is simply a 37mm cavity hole bored to 7mm (panel is 10mm thick). Two 37mm frosted perspex rings (3mm thick) are placed in the cavity with the centre hole cut out. I used two pieces of perspex as it spreads light evenly, you could use one piece and have the knob inset further into the panel. A front panel bearing bush locks everything into place. A LED from each amp board is used for the 4 LEDs and glued into place. The knob is a 30mm dact. 
   
  This is kind of what the panel looks like without the perspex.

  and this is a work on progress with the shaft not yet cut, to give you a better idea...
   

   
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> Beautiful John. Did you get the case from Italy or local?


 

 I bought the front panel and side flanks from Modushop, the top, bottom and back were all done at Cam-Expert.
   
   
  Owen, my previous β22 was sold, the reason I built another besides insanity... I’ll explain...
  My old β22’s psu was not up to scratch for speaker duty when building my EHHA, so I build another hefty sigma22 for the EHHA. I sold the old β22/sigma22 and re-built this new amp section with those funds.


----------



## elliot42

Aha, seems I've missed a bit not hanging around here the past few months


----------



## Handy Ray

Quote: 





fallenangel said:


> Looks like a great little build, congrats (as well as on the Homer in his "Here's Johny" expression).  Any instability with the opamps - they're quite picky to layout and PSU bypassing.


 


  I've always found the AD8397 ran quite warm.  I will eventually take this thing to my nearest scope to see if there is any high frequency oscillations.  In contrast, the OPA690's ran much much cooler.  Looking to build AMB's Gamma DACs soon, or the GrubDAC, haven't figured out which one yet.


----------



## Reintz

Here's my very first try at SMD - a tle2426 adapter. Also the smallest PCB I've ever made - little less than 10x10mm.


----------



## .Sup

nice clean work Reintz!


----------



## Pars

Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> My new β22, enjoy...
> 
> excuse the fingerprints on the base...
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nice and clean John, I like it!
   
  Can you tell me where you got the feet for this from?


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks Pars,
   
  The feet are from a small local supplier, here’s is an interesting link for those with foot fetishes:
   
  http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=130_133&zenid=06fe95641b7af6e6e4a6c921ff9304c2


----------



## Beefy

They look like the Jaycar ones? Or are they more fancy than that?
   
  Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Thanks Pars,
> 
> The feet are from a small local supplier, here’s is an interesting link for those with foot fetishes:
> 
> http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=130_133&zenid=06fe95641b7af6e6e4a6c921ff9304c2


----------



## Pars

One of you Aussies (skyscraper, maybe?) got me a couple of sets of the Jaycar ones (I believe). The ones John has on the B22 look bigger and nicer than those, at least from what I can tell from the pics. I'll check out the PC link tonight, good thought.


----------



## johnwmclean

Here’s the link, sorry I didn’t know they shipped international.
   
  http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=HP0832&keywords=feet&form=KEYWORD


----------



## LeMat

And here is another Beta22.... my very first build and first DIY experience.
  I took my time and everything went ok. Now I have some fine tuning left to do, minor hiss to get rid of. I had also some pops and clicks like an old vynil but I don't know why, it's gone... Usually it's cold joint. I'll relfux everyhting one of these days but for now, I'm enjoying it. Thanks AMB and the whole community who gave me support along what was a crazy challenge, starting DIY with the B22.


----------



## grokit

Hmm, thumbnails have stopped displaying properly in Chrome/Vista, but they still blow up fine, very nice job *LeMat*!


----------



## qusp

very clean work as usual John, definitely consistent


----------



## walangalam

very nice first built LeMat!


----------



## stixx

Very nice build LeMat!


----------



## nikongod

For many years I have lusted over the SME 3012 tonearm despite never having the opportunity to hear one the longgggg stick has managed to hold my attention and desire. I finally found one that I thought I could afford (lolerskates, Im an idiot) so I bought it. 
   
  Now the problem here is that the heart wants what the heart wants. You can see that my TT has nice user replaceable armboards. What the Heart didnt know is that the armboards can ONLY accept an ~11" arm. Why cant the heart ever want what is practical? Also, why does nobody make an 11" arm? they seem to go from 9" or less to 12" with a few odd lengths in the middle, but no 11"
   
  This was actually a very exciting project for me. I have never used a jigsaw before, so I borrowed one from a co-worker to cut the whole thing out, and make the cutouts for the power switch (between the c-clamps there) and another cutout for the rear C-clamp to clear the tonearm.
   
  Where there is a will there is a way..... Dont laugh.
   

   
  You like my handywork?
   

   
  So I didnt make too much in this photo, but its too cool to not show everyone.
   

   
  For the low low price of just $1200 I could make you an SME tonearm cable just like this. 
  The arm didnt come with a cable.


----------



## sachu

hahahaha 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  looks and is obviously functional and thus be deemed good in my book. Congrats Ari


----------



## 9pintube

Excellent job *Nikongod*, What difference did you hear using the 12" SME arm, any?.....That's a beautiful arm, and I've thought about  adding one to my Clearaudio Ref.Table.......I don't' use the Souther Linear tracking arm, Want to try one of those???.......They're just a pain in the butt to set up.....but sound nice when you've completed the task.....Anyway I was wondering if you could make a stand alone tower (if you will) out of "Brass for weight" that you could maybe drill out or have someone machine out the top of "said tower"  for mounting your arm pattern, plus a through hole for your $1200 buck cable.........You see many High buck tables (as I'm sure you are aware of) that use this kind of "Stand alone arm tower"........like the   Kuzma Tonearm used with the Stogi Reference table or the   AAS Gabriel / Da Vinci turntable with Da Vinci Grandezza twelve-inch, etc etc.. I don't think you would have to go as massive as they do, but stay with the Height you need for your table/ arm set up........Would you have the space for this arm tower off to the side of your table??? and most importantly do you think it would even be worth it??.......You know as well as me that would be one way to get rid of the c clamps (that was an excellent ideal) for seeing if "IT" worked and if you really wanted to use that gorgeous arm......Just a thought.........Once again Great job........


----------



## Fitz

Nice work Ari, so when can we expect to see those cables on sale?


----------



## nikongod

Thanks guys  It was a very fun project. 
   
  As for sound: I have only listened to 2 sides of a fairly bad record. I always play bad records first in case I really screw them up but I am familiar with it because its one of a few bad records I always play first  Compared to my shorter arms (the Audioquest PT6 {8.5"/LINN9"}, and the Technics EPA-500{9.5" or so}) I think this arm is simply "more awesome". I am going out on something of a limb as none of the arms carry the same cartridges: The audioquest has the wooden Grado cart, the EPA-500 has a Denon DL-s1, and this arm has a Denon DL-103. I also need to work on setup a little still - so far I have only set azimuth and VTA by eye, I normally set VTA using various DIY scales & jigs and will set Azimuth using the level meter in my digital things as a fogzometer. The other 2 arms dont offer azimuth adjustment but I have checked it and they measure quite nicely for crosstalk. In any case there is a lot of new and very nice sound coming from the system with this arm. 
   
  I did consider standalone pods, but am not generally a fan. The idea of totally decoupling the tonearm from the plinth/platter is kind of weird to me. The techincs table has a ton of vibration control including springy feet. Putting the tonearm in a standalone pod would put all of that into the signal path. Maybe it works better with TT's that are rigidly coupled to whatever they are sitting on, but i dont like the idea of that either . Anyways, I prefer coupling the tonearm to the plinth and controlling how everything matches up on a conceptual level and if nothing else I am not always the gentlest on my gear (I whacked my head on a PLAYING mega-VPI TT the other week) so having to realign everything every time I bump into the TT or arm pod would drive me mad. I am always swapping parts out of my system, so at the very least I would move it around doing that.


----------



## 9pintube

Sounds to me like you have a plan, Good luck with your new baby........ I bet the  wooden Grado cart. wood sound glorious with that arm.....Are you planning on swapping  cartridges around...About the part of You "Going out on a limb"...IMO,*With what you've accomplished*, you've got the right to say I've tipped toed to the end of the limb and walked backwards towards the trunk"........Ps, I can now under stand the thought process you used on the "table   having  a ton of vibration control including springy feet. Putting the tonearm in a standalone pod would put all of that into the signal path"!   That's what I call excellent pre thinking the out come benefits!.........Once again great work......


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

A freshly completed Dynaco ST-70 


  
   
   

  
   
   

  
   



 The kit is from Bob Latino of Tubes4HiFi. I snuck in a few little upgrades too, including:

 Teflon Tube Sockets and PCBs
 Kimber TCSS wiring
 Cardas RCAs / Binding Posts / Input wire
 Kiwame / Takman Resistors
 Mundorf Coupling Caps
 Nichicon 100uF Electrolytics
 Pilot light
 Teflon solder strip for pentode / triode switch wiring
 Heavy Duty On/Off Switch
 Custom brass input and name labels
 IEC Plug

 The tube compliment is Sylvania JAN input tubes, Winged C output tubes and Sovtek rectifier.


 One thing I realized during this build is that 16 gauge stainless steel is a b*tch difficult to work with  Other that that, it was a fairly easy build and a nice recommendable kit. The sound is lush and very engaging


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

I've got a matching PAS in the works too


----------



## BobSaysHi

*drool*
   
  I see you used several different types of wiring. What do you guys suggest for wire in the audio signal? I see you used Cardas, is there any other internal wiring you guys would suggest?


----------



## ujamerstand

Incredible. What did you do to the transformer covers?


----------



## elliot42

Awww, that looks amazing!


----------



## yossi126

My new beta22


----------



## Lil' Knight

C'mon... This is not a "post pic of your rig", it's pic of your build! Where are the underskirt pics?


----------



## yossi126

Quote: 





lil' knight said:


> C'mon... This is not a "post pic of your rig", it's pic of your build! Where are the underskirt pics?


 


  I already did that  
  On page 513.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> Incredible. What did you do to the transformer covers?


 
  It's a unique type of antique powdercoating, I assume it works similar to the hammerite paint you can get at Home Depot.

  
  Quote: 





bobsayshi said:


> *drool*
> 
> I see you used several different types of wiring. What do you guys suggest for wire in the audio signal? I see you used Cardas, is there any other internal wiring you guys would suggest?


 

 I used the Cardas 2x24 because it has a shield that would be beneficial running the signal next to those transformers. In most cases, I like to use Neotech solid core copper in teflon.


----------



## vixr

coming soon...


----------



## johnwmclean

I like the suspense. A starving student?


----------



## vixr

Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> I like the suspense. A starving student?


 


   Yes... I have built a couple of the 19J6 versions and saw the 12AU7 mod and wanted to give it a shot using better parts... I didn't think I would enjoy P2P as much as I do.


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





vixr said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Its very rewarding to P2P
   
  Cant wait to see it all done up


----------



## revolink24

nikongod said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I'm working on my P2P Starving Student as well, slowly but surely. It's one heck of an overkill build. Neutrik locking jack, Switchcraft RCAs, Blue Velvet pot, NKK gain switch, Sonicaps, etc. Should be interesting to make a (not so) budget amp with semi-boutique parts.

Mine's the 19J6 version, I'm lucky enough to have around 8 19J6s on hand.


----------



## RuiCanela

Just for the fun!
  a ...CMOY!Alps potentiometer/power switch, Philips input caps, Panasonic FM caps for power and precision resistors, a very decent sound.
  Great for op-amp rolling!
\


----------



## BobSaysHi

Wow, great job dude.


----------



## RuiCanela

Thanks *Zach!*
  Wiring in this space was a real challenge!


----------



## vixr

Here is one I built for my son. The tin is very small and the wiring had to be done from outside, so the wires are a bit long...
  8 AAA cells @1000mAh
  TLE2426
  Panasonic caps
  Mullard input caps
  OPA2132PA
  tomb trickle charger
  RK097 pot


----------



## vixr

a peek at the progress of my 12AU7 starving student


----------



## BobSaysHi

Quote: 





vixr said:


> a peek at the progress of my 12AU7 starving student


 

 Awesome. I love your builds.


----------



## tranhieu

vixr, that's the glossiest heatsink I've ever seen!


----------



## 32y0

My opus DAC


----------



## Forte

Quote: 





32y0 said:


> My opus DAC


 
   
   
  Love the clean minimalist look.
   
  What is the size of the LED hole you used and is the LED visible in the daylight?


----------



## 32y0

Quote: 





forte said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thank you!
   
  The LED is visible in the daylight, the hole is 1mm at the front and 5mm at the back of the front panel.


----------



## funch

My latest. Post #1508. http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/374941/soha-ii-builders-thread/1500#post_7252801


----------



## redsevn

Quote: 





funch said:


> My latest. Post #1508. http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/374941/soha-ii-builders-thread/1500#post_7252801


 


  That looks really cool. Did you drill those holes yourself or did you have some custom paneling company do it?


----------



## akgfan

Finaly received replacement for lm317 as ccs in my amp - two heatsink mounted Caddock mp930 20ohm 30w non-inductive power film resistors in to220 package. No modification was needed, it fits perfectly. Awesome parts.


----------



## zlobby

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> A freshly completed Dynaco ST-70
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 amazing.  Ive got a Pas3 would love to have a ST70 accompany it one day.  Great looking work.


----------



## funch

Quote: 





redsevn said:


> That looks really cool. Did you drill those holes yourself or did you have some custom paneling company do it?


 


   Check down the page a bit; post #1511.


----------



## Aynjell

Quote: 





fallenangel said:


> OMG!  Please tell me you aren't "testing" with HD800's!  You've got balls of steel!


 


  FallenAngel, when I saw this pic, I swear to god I didn't see your post but I said to myself the exact same thing, minus the OMG part. :O


----------



## backefel

*HiGHFLYiN9* that amp looks awesome! Have you considered adding like a hexagon steel net over the exposed pcb (in the same colour as the enclosure or black). Don't get me wrong I do love your design it was just a thought.


----------



## googleborg

absolutely gorgeous!  almost has a steampunk look about it with some guts on display like that


----------



## RuiCanela

My last build ongoing, a A47. Thanks Mullet, for your advises.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote:  


> *HiGHFLYiN9* that amp looks awesome! Have you considered adding like a hexagon steel net over the exposed pcb (in the same colour as the enclosure or black). Don't get me wrong I do love your design it was just a thought.


 
  Thanks  I have seen that look, Will Vincent, who restores Dynacos, does that.
   

   
  I'm not sure that it adds or detracts from the almost trademark dynaco exposed PCB, that's why I hadn't pursued it, but it may be worth trying down the line


----------



## madcap386

Quote: 





ruicanela said:


> My last build ongoing, a A47. Thanks Mullet, for your advises.


 
   
  Nice!
   
  Ur using 2 x opa2227? Its gonna be pretty hissy on the high man..


----------



## pabbi1

The Apocalypse is nigh - I am building (little) speakers. Happened onto a small desktop tube amp, that has crap for speakers... so, building a Martello enclosure with Fountek FR88EX 3" drivers.


----------



## Jeroen

Hi there,
   
  I usually don't post much, but being proud of finishing a project for once got the better of me. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




    
  My sort-of-clean looking CTH:

   
  Specs:
  Alps rk27 pot (I mounted some components on the bottom of the board to make space for it)
  Switchcraft rca's
  Nichicon caps (Muse ES, FG, KZ, etc.) and Panasonic FM for the heater supply
  Sprague Vitamin-Q coupling caps
  Vishay RN55 resistors
  Gold plated ceramic tube socket
  Hammond 1255K1202 enclosure (the smallest one that will fit)
  1.5A 24VAC supply
   
  Ok, more pics:


   
  Runeight/Alex: thank you for designing this little gem.
   
  Cheers!


----------



## cfcubed

Quote: 





jeroen said:


> I usually don't post much, but being proud of finishing a project for once got the better of me.


 
   
  Wow.  You really packed the goodies in there, didn't think RK27 was possible in the small/std case (or I would have tried it myself   Like the looks too.
   
  BTW its known, but if anyone wants black grommets/bushings for their tube holes something like this works (e.g. Mouser, see its datasheet for sizes):
http://www.keyelco.com/pdfs/M55p120.pdf
  but not sure it'd fly w/big C4s like those VitQs, and your hexagon cutout is a nice way to go too.


----------



## Jeroen

Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> Wow.  You really packed the goodies in there, didn't think RK27 was possible in the small/std case (or I would have tried it myself   Like the looks too.


 
   
  I'll take that as a compliment from the original CTH builder, it is indeed a little cramped and not-so-clean-looking on the inside. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  Quote: 





> BTW its known, but if anyone wants black grommets/bushings for their tube holes something like this works (e.g. Mouser, see its datasheet for sizes):
> http://www.keyelco.com/pdfs/M55p120.pdf
> but not sure it'd fly w/big C4s like those VitQs, and your hexagon cutout is a nice way to go too.


 
   
  The top does need more work. I think a ring around the tube would fit, mounting it on the metal mesh might be a problem. But I like the look of the mesh and it's great for ventilation. (And free from the surplus bin of the local metal store.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
   
  One more pic in the dark:
   

   
  Cheers!


----------



## holland

Here's the "EHHA I" I just finished.
   
  MOSFET build, 2-channel. 
  160mA quiescent current
  S22 power supply
  DC heater supply
  99 step relay attenuator and 4 input switch.
   
  I intend to remove some of the front panel lettering at a later date.


----------



## cfcubed

Looks good holland.  I think I'd seen that case/attenuator at one time & it looks like you've put it to good use


----------



## balderon

Nice build Holland. Did you use Kapton teflon wire for the signals? I've tried it a couple times but it didn't hold up to the stresses from modding.


----------



## holland

Thanks Chris & balderon.  Yes, I used Kapton shielded 2 conductor wire.  I find it works well if it's reinforced at joints, so I tend to use it for interior signal wire.  As you can see, I like to go vertically up, away from everything else, for signal.  The stiff Kapton wire helps there, and doesn't need any reinforcing tie downs.  The shielded wire can bend and it will hold.  I put a fair amount of solder on the shield when connecting to the jack, and it's really stiff.  That holds it in place so it won't break the tips off the tinned cable.
   
  I did the same on the e12.  I soldered the wire to the pins and tied the shields together with a large bead of solder.  It won't move or bend at all.
   
  I used unshielded Kapton from the headphone jack return, to the PSU.  I needed wire, and I don't like that wire too much, so I tend to use it when I need long runs that won't be moved, as it'll break the tinned leads really quick.
   
  I probably won't buy anymore once my stash runs out.  I'd stick with regular teflon jacketed SPC with lots of twists to stiffen it.  Unfortunately, I bought about 500 feet of the Kapton wire a few years ago, and I have about 250 feet left.


----------



## pabbi1

Finished speakers - still debating a filter and cavity stuffing with poly-fil, but now for some breakin.


----------



## Kerry

Very nice!
   
  I really love the wood on the face of the speakers


----------



## Lil' Knight

Finally got some spare time to finish the casework for the Carrie. Glossy powdercoated with carbon-fiber-like layer for the panels. Nothing exotic but I have a tiny Ferrari on my desk now


----------



## holland

@pabbi1.  Nice!  Are you going to veneer the sides and back?
   
  @Lil Knight.  Slick!  Where's the yellow...can't be a Ferrari without yellow and red.  Change the LED to yellow?   What material is that panel, and where'd you get it?  It looks slick, but curious if it's as easy to work as aluminum/plastic and not tricky like carbon fiber.  Or is it just the powdercoating?  If so, it must have cost a pretty penny for that weave-like pattern.


----------



## pabbi1

Nope - 5 coats of tung oil, and I'm done. Now struggling with filter and poly-fil tweaks.


----------



## Spacehead

Amazing workmanship in here!


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote: 





holland said:


> @Lil Knight.  Slick!  Where's the yellow...can't be a Ferrari without yellow and red.  Change the LED to yellow?   What material is that panel, and where'd you get it?  It looks slick, but curious if it's as easy to work as aluminum/plastic and not tricky like carbon fiber.  Or is it just the powdercoating?  If so, it must have cost a pretty penny for that weave-like pattern.


 
  The panel is just plastic. The case is a standard ABS one that pcx has on sale. Here's what it originally was:
  

   
  The carbon-fiber is actually just a transparent sticker. I applied it on the panels after powdercoating them, and then another clear, glossy layer to protect the carbon-fiber. Really simple and doesn't cost anything.


----------



## RuiCanela

A JDS Labs cMoyBB with gain 4 and no bass boost switch, OPA2227. Great design from JDS Labs!
  Why do people spend so much money on factory amplifiers when they can spend a little money by building one of these and have excellent results as well?


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

What's this valuable thread doing on the second page, I gotta bump it up 
   
  I finally finished up my Dynaco PAS rebuild, it's been months coming. I chose to use reproductions of the original PAS 3 boards from eBay and rather than recreate the selenium rectifier with standard capacitors, I used the ClassicValve PAS Regulated Power Supply. I/O board and RCAs were sourced from Tubes4HiFi, Transformer from TriodeElectronics, Elma switch from PercyAudio, Alps pots from Mouser, resistors and caps from Sonicraft, etc. etc.


   
   
   

   



   




 Be sure to check out all the build notes here: DIYAudioBlog.com


----------



## raindog1975

Headbanger variant : 
  9volt stabilized mains power supply , gain reduced to about 10 ( 15 K resistor in the feedback loop ) , 2 inputs , added 22 ohms in series with the output. It's stable at any load , no hum , no hiss and souns GREAT! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.
  From the front:


----------



## holland

sweet rebuild, highflyin9.  I noticed you've been putting some love into the dynaco stuff.
   
  is that a cmoy, raindog1975?


----------



## raindog1975

Nope , it's a "headbanger" =  2 x LM386N ( not quite as good as a cmoy but with some care in the construction it comes close ). I had a cmoy but I gave it to a good friend for his birthday a few weeks ago and I'll probably build another one soon , but first I want to do a Grado RA1 clone.


----------



## mralexosborn

Thought I'd post a pic of my speaker build. I am building proper cabinets this weekend but couldn't wait. They don't sound that bad but the shoe boxes are too resonant to produce any bass. The controls on my receiver help quite a bit though.


----------



## 00940

Everyone has leftover parts... mine were invading my desk so I drafted them and send them on active duty: a quick and dirty 24V/200ma regulator. Well, it looks dirty but the scope has nothing bad to say about it, even when fed from a cheap 30VDC printer PS. The parts are rather low-specs, that helps with the stability.


----------



## bcg27

Quote: 





mralexosborn said:


> Thought I'd post a pic of my speaker build. I am building proper cabinets this weekend but couldn't wait. They don't sound that bad but the shoe boxes are too resonant to produce any bass. The controls on my receiver help quite a bit though.


 


  Ha, that's awesome


----------



## mralexosborn

Postponed until next weekend again. Grr.
   
  On another note, I got a new cart for my TT (AT95e) and everything sounds so amazing. The bass of the TT is much more present than a digital source. I know this may sound like BS but it is true; I can feel it with the turntable but not with my Droid as a source.. Full rangers can't take the full bass boost though otherwise they just shake.


----------



## cobaltmute

Quote: 





00940 said:


> Everyone has leftover parts... mine were invading my desk so I drafted them and send them on active duty: a quick and dirty 24V/200ma regulator. Well, it looks dirty but the scope has nothing bad to say about it, even when fed from a cheap 30VDC printer PS. The parts are rather low-specs, that helps with the stability.


 

 Very cool deadbug power supply.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Almost done with this. Still waiting for some more parts.


----------



## El_Doug

got your C32 already to go?  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





lil' knight said:


> Almost done with this. Still waiting for some more parts.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Quote: 





el_doug said:


> got your C32 already to go?


 

 I'm looking for a buyer for one of my kidneys. If you know one, let me know!


----------



## ujamerstand

ooooh, finish it quickly and turn it on! 
  Quote: 





lil' knight said:


> Almost done with this. Still waiting for some more parts.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Finally fixed the logo with the Millet*t* Engineer's Amplifier  I also upgraded the Russian PIOs to AmpOhm PIOs while I was working on it.
   

   
   

   
   
  Check out all the build notes here: http://www.diyaudioblog.com/2011/03/millett-dcpp-engineers-amplifier.html


----------



## 00940

Follow up of the regulator, the phono preamp. Nothing too fancy, it's for an entry level setup (td166+AT95e). Filter caps are FKP, FKC (filter values are similar to those used by Grado, they give more attenuation under 20hz than those of the VSPS for example, for less rumble). Output caps are polyprop. All metal film resistors, op134 as opamps.
   
  Those two were my first attempt at deadbug with ICs and it's really fun. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   

   

   
  And the mandatory schematic:


----------



## Bizzel

Just got the front panels back today for my Dynamid (4 channel Dynalo) and Sigma22-based PSU. I started designing this build back in September and, while I'm often limited by funds, it should be finished in a few months if all goes well.
   
  The milling and painting was done by Schaeffer (the German branch of Front Panel Express) and I'm really pleased with the way they turned out. I don't know how Schaeffer do the infill on the text but it's superb quality and looks every bit as good as a proper silkscreen print. I had a couple of minor CAD errors such as not allowing enough tolerance for the LCD screen in the power supply panel but I think I can fix that with some gentle filing (on the screen, not the panel).
   
  The next step is to get my backplane PCBs fabbed and then I should be able to finish assembly, not in time for the 2011 UK meet sadly.


----------



## ujamerstand

That's a good looking set of panels, with nice chassis to match! Where did you get the chassis from? Also, how are you securing the panels to the chassis?


----------



## drbrutallica

Hi, I am just a week old in this forum. Just introducing myself with my project: ps-1 rebirth
  I've been an audiophile for about 3 years now and own a stereo system consists of krell kav 300i, conrad johnson mf2200, modded kef q5. linn axis, rega planet wadia 170i+musical fidelity xdac v3
  recently, I acquired a sennheiser hd280 due to impulse purchase. Then I decided to build my 2nd stereo (headphone stereo system) for my study desk. I bought headroom little as an amp. I think it sounds real good for a headphone amp. As the source, I decided to use sony playstation 1 inspired by this review by 6moon:
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/leben2/system_3.html
  that review basically says some audiophiles use ps-1 as a reference cd player and the sound is comparable to a 6000 dollars cd player. I bought the ps1 with rca jack at the back version for 16 bucks from the nearest thrift store. I really like the sound it produced but hate the look, very un-audiophily. Then, I decided to use a wooden picture frame to re-case the ps-1. The result is as below:
   
   early stage of transformation: red circle is separated psu and the black circle is the cd player itself with the joypad inside as controller:

   
   
  My headphone stereo system: done(i upgraded the headphones to senn hd580):
   

   

   

   
  I'm very happy with the performance of this system that I listen to it more than my main stereo. below is the video of its sound from my main stereo system(sorry, my 60 dollars camera is really bad at recording sound ):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8iku2bk7yw


----------



## Bizzel

The chassis is a DACT CT-encl1, although they're all sold out now. I picked up two of the black enclosures while they were on sale.
   
  The panels bolt on to thinner, secondary front panels that sit just behind them - this is using threads that are drilled into the rear-side of the panel so there aren't any visible mounting points on the front.
  
  Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> That's a good looking set of panels, with nice chassis to match! Where did you get the chassis from? Also, how are you securing the panels to the chassis?


----------



## raindog1975

Finished yesterday : cmoy in a old PC ( Siemens ) PSU "improved" with wooden face and sides ( stained and oiled ) . Inside standard cmoy ( 6 gain , 10k pot , 0.47uF Wima input caps,

   +/- 12 volts stabilized power supply ) ; for now it has a njm(jrc)4556 but it's socketed and I ordered opa2132pa ( but I have to wait two weeks for it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ) . Worked well at first try : no hiss , no hum , no oscillation ( checked with the oscilloscope ) and it sounds pretty good ( I expect the sound will improve  in about two weeks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 ).


----------



## ujamerstand

Quote: 





bizzel said:


> The chassis is a DACT CT-encl1, although they're all sold out now. I picked up two of the black enclosures while they were on sale.
> 
> The panels bolt on to thinner, secondary front panels that sit just behind them - this is using threads that are drilled into the rear-side of the panel so there aren't any visible mounting points on the front.


 

 Cool! Thanks a whole bunch.


----------



## bcg27

Hey everyone, I got my B22 finished and cased up this weekend. Been listening to it for about 6 hours so far today with my hd600s and it sounds awesome! Source is the gamma2. Here are some pics:
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
  Using software volume control for now since I am planning on using the alpha 10 for it eventually. If you notice the sigma 10 power supply for the alpha 10 is in the same case as the sigma 22 for the beta 22. The build includes an epsilon 24 switch driver, a 3 channel active ground beta 22 on the epsilon 22 backplane, and an epsilon 12 muting and offset protection.


----------



## pabbi1

Recased (and rerouted signal path) Vulcan (BH variant). PSU by Kerry, Case black walnut.


----------



## DarkWinter

Here is my 1st build!
   
  A quad 405 XD
   
  http://iforce.co.nz/i/l1vvmjl0.rjv.jpg
   
  http://iforce.co.nz/i/bhk4drfk.rhf.jpg
   
  That black box next to the Quad is a DIY jaycar Phono Preamp!


----------



## ujamerstand

Quote: 





pabbi1 said:


> Recased (and rerouted signal path) Vulcan (BH variant). PSU by Kerry, Case black walnut.


 

 Wonderful! How hot does it run?


----------



## pabbi1

Not very, but I haven't run it for long periods yet. Waiting on a set of cables (RCA to XLR)  to test with on a cheap CDP. Just a couple more days hopefully. But, it surely looks different now that what is shown in my Vulcan link.


----------



## dBel84

Quote: 





pabbi1 said:


> Recased (and rerouted signal path) Vulcan (BH variant). PSU by Kerry, Case black walnut.


 

  Neat lid pattern  , glad to hear it is working..dB


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Bottlehead S.E.X. Kit featuring:
   

 MagneQuest Transformers
 C4S Upgrade
 Cardas / Kimber / Neotech wiring
 Film power bypass caps
 Cardas RCAs and copper binding posts
 Neutrik locking plug
 Kiwame and Shinkoh resistors in a few places
 Teflon tube sockets and PCBs
 Vintage pilot light
 GoldPoint stepped attenuator
   

   

   

   
   
  For all the build notes and more photos, visit: DIYAudioBlog.com


----------



## ujamerstand

Sir, you have good taste.


----------



## Gotez

Good taste indeed.


----------



## Beefy

Yowza. Great work fitting all of that in the case!


----------



## qusp

thats a beautiful Bottlehead amp HiGHFLYiN9, nice choice in components, such a pity nobody makes an attractive locking phono, imo it looks pretty average and is not up to the quality of the rest of your build, but there arent many/any other options


----------



## bcg27

Quote: 





qusp said:


> thats a beautiful Bottlehead amp HiGHFLYiN9, nice choice in components, such a pity nobody makes an attractive locking phono, imo it looks pretty average and is not up to the quality of the rest of your build, but there arent many/any other options


 


  The best I found was a combo 1/4 inch/XLR connector from neutrik - from mouser it's part number 568-NCJ9FI-V. The body is black and it has a silver locking tab. IMO definitely looks better than that red tab. You can see it here, it matches the lcd connector very nicely!


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Thanks gents, I appreciate the compliments. There was definitely a little bit of shoehorning in order. I'd imagine a little bit of vinyl dye and reverse mounting the Neutrik may make it a little more tasteful, I may have to try that on the next build 
   
  That combo connector does look nice. I invested in a die cut for the Neutrik locking connector, so I'll likely continue to use it for the time being. Those little buggers aren't cheap


----------



## MrClean

After trolling this site for few months I decided to get headphones ATH - M50 (for now) and build an amplifier. I know that 32 ohm phones are not the best with Bijou but the combo sounds quite good to me.
   
  The Bijou

   
  testing output caps
   

   
  under hood


----------



## balderon

^ You've added some extra glass. What tweaks have you made?


----------



## MrClean

Quote: 





balderon said:


> ^ You've added some extra glass. What tweaks have you made?


 

  
  Two of those tubes are not connected, I wanted "upside down V" look but that would make boards very close together so I decided to get some sockets and use up couple of old tubes just for the show.


----------



## Gotez

Lol


----------



## TheShaman

Nothing fancy... A Buffalo 32S in a Galaxy case.
   

   

   

   
  And the essential blurry night shot:


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote: 





theshaman said:


> Nothing fancy... A Buffalo 32S in a Galaxy case.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Thats a nice clean build. What size is that Galaxy case?


----------



## TheShaman

Thanks! 
  It's a 330 x 280 mm case. Height is 1U (40mm).


----------



## tomb

Here's cobaltmute's new SkeletonDAC that I built awhile back, but I didn't post the pics in this thread.  It drives the KSC-75's fine and sounds very good - at least as good as an Alien/Bantam. The TI replacement DAC chips (PCM2704/5) for the PCM2702 have a built-in amplifier. It's not very powerful, but good enough to drive small phones and earbuds.


----------



## mralexosborn

My speakers should be done tomorrow. One of them got exposed to the sun while stain was drying though so the finish is not kosher, as they say. The whole aesthetic is meh since the boards were not cut straight (not by my hand). Let's hope they sound good. Pics tomorrow night.


----------



## jasonRF

Here is a super simple, single supply, single stage, portable discrete amp I recently built.
   


  Voltage gain is 2, and is from input differential stage.  Draws about 10 mA with 9V battery supply.  Has two outputs, as I built it for my kids to use with our laptop to watch movies (laptop phone output is severely current limited).  This amp also sounds good with my Grado SR-60 phones I've had for almost a decade now.   This was only my 2nd diy electronics project; I want my next one to look much neater inside than this!
   
  jason


----------



## limpidglitch

Neato, Jason. 
   
  Care to share a scematic? Loooks like something fit for a novice.


----------



## jasonRF

Quote: 





limpidglitch said:


> Neato, Jason.
> 
> Care to share a scematic? Loooks like something fit for a novice.


 


 The schematic is basically the first post of
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/521457/discrete-portable-toy-amp
  with R2=10k (for gain of 2), R3=680, Cin=22u,  and T7 and T8 replaced by 1N914 diodes.
   
  Yes, I am somewhat of a novice and could do this.  However, it does appear to be quite a bit more involved than a cmoy (I haven't built a cmoy ...).    Was a lot of fun on the breadboard and to solder up.  I did a back of the envelope calculation and see that the open loop gain depends upon the phone impedance, so effectively has less feedback for lower impedance phones than it does for higher impedance phones.


----------



## zlobby

Bottlehead Crack.  While its not modded at all, im very happy with both the sound and the aesthetics.


----------



## forsakenrider

Why are you running your "Crack" mono?


----------



## zlobby

Im not running it mono, its very much in stereo.  What makes you say mono?


----------



## bkmonkey

B22/S22 build.  Pretty much followed the standard BOM and added an epsilon24 for a bulgin switch in the S22 case.  I also installed wiring to add a epsilon-12 in the B22 case.


----------



## forsakenrider

Quote: 





zlobby said:


> Im not running it mono, its very much in stereo.  What makes you say mono?


 


  The picture really makes it look like the L and R signal wires are connected at the pot. I guess Its a dual layer pot and you took the pictures too perfectly perpendicular to the board! ha, my bad.


----------



## jantze

I took couple of pics from my set while debuggin the amp. The power button is misplaced in the DAC, but I have a new panel ready soon.
   
  Most of the parts are from Twisted Pear Audio and AMB Laboratories. Neutrik connectors, Hi-Fi 2000 knobs and slim line cases w/ custom covers, engaved at Schaeffer.

 PS:
  2 x σ22 (AMB)
 ε24 (AMB)
 σ24 (AMB)
 LCDPS (TPA)
 LCBPS (TPA)
 Transformers + relay

  


 AMP:
  4 x β22 (balanced, AMB)
 Joshua Tree Attenuator (TPA)
 Volumite Controller (TPA)
 OTTO 2:1 Switch (TPA)
 DIY output board w/ relays + Zobel network
 2 x DIY unbalanced-> balanced converter
 DIY board for Neutrik connectors w/ XLR + plug combo

  


 DAC:
  Buffalo-II DAC (TPA)
 IVY-III I/V Stage (TPA)
 S/PDIF 4:1 MUX/Receiver (TPA)
 2 x TOSLINK Module (TPA)
 USB Receiver/DAC (TPA)
 LCDPS (TPA)
 LCBPS (TPA)
 ε24 (AMB)
 σ24 (AMB)
 DIY board for transformers

  


 Set:


----------



## johnwmclean

That’s going straight into my ultimate builds folder for inspiration. Well done jantze.


----------



## MrClean

Bottlehead Foreplay and Paramour that I've build years ago combined into one.Anyone knows place to order custom logo plate?


----------



## Gotez

Wow,these last two builds are really beautifull!! Its a pleasure to see the pictures!!


----------



## munchzilla

*jantze*: drool. that is amazing... I'm going to have to snap some pics of my CK2 III soon, don't expect anything beautiful though. first build


----------



## Gotez

@Jantze, How do you connect your  Denons to the balanced system? Did you make an adaptor? Or did you balance the denons?


----------



## eertelppa

*jantze, *your build is absolutely beautiful and wonderful. I would love to build something like that one day. I saved it in my folder with other photos of builds (most of which were ferrari's builds haha)
   
  Am I correct that one is the amp, ps, and dac?
   
   
  ps, *MrClean* your build just makes me go woooo bc of my love for tubes.
   
  pps, *jantze *what wire do you use throughout your build? just curious some looks like jumpers and small rubber coated wired and others look like sleeved wires.


----------



## FallenAngel

2 AWESOME looking builds, love it!  Congrats!


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote: 





eertelppa said:


> *jantze, *your build is absolutely beautiful and wonderful. I would love to build something like that one day. I saved it in my folder with other photos of builds (most of which were ferrari's builds haha)
> 
> Am I correct that one is the amp, ps, and dac?
> 
> ...


 

  
  I can answer the questions about Jantzes setup since I built it for him. It is in fact a B22 amp with PSU and a Buffalo II DAC. The wiring is of two different types. The power cables are made with a wire from Huber+Suhner which is covered with an insulation called Radox that looks a lot like rubber. For audio wiring its silverplated copper insulated with teflon and some wiring is sleeved as well.


----------



## El_Doug

Are those real bulgin switches painted black, or are they one of the other generic brands? 
   
  either way, I really want some black illuminated momentary switches - could you link me to the source? 
  
  Quote: 





mrmajestic2 said:


> I can answer the questions about Jantzes setup since I built it for him.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Holy mother Jantze, what a ridiculously amazing build. I'm sure people looking in from the outside of our little hobby would be amazed that such a monstrous machine would be used to power a simple pair of headphones  
   
  Mr. Clean, beautiful job! I encourage you to display it in the Bottlehead Forum as well, there are plenty of people there that would appreciate your hard work.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote: 





el_doug said:


> Are those real bulgin switches painted black, or are they one of the other generic brands?
> 
> either way, I really want some black illuminated momentary switches - could you link me to the source?


 
   
  They are made by Lamptron and they can be bought from http://www.performance-pcs.com/. They are actually made from Black Polycarbonate, but they have a nice feel to them.


----------



## El_Doug

Thanks!  Ordering now  
   
  I assume, for the amb switch driver board, we would use the "always off" pins on the switch (numbers 3 and 4), and not the "always on"?


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote: 





el_doug said:


> Thanks!  Ordering now
> 
> I assume, for the amb switch driver board, we would use the "always off" pins on the switch (numbers 3 and 4), and not the "always on"?


 


  That would be correct sir


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





mrmajestic2 said:


> They are made by Lamptron and they can be bought from http://www.performance-pcs.com/. They are actually made from Black Polycarbonate, but they have a nice feel to them.


 
  Bookmarked! Thanks!


----------



## ujamerstand

Wow. I never thought to look into computer stores for fancy decorations. That's a lot of cool stuff there.


----------



## elliot42

Holy crap, jantze / MrMajestic2, reeealy nice build. I nearly wet myself looking at that :eek:
Definitely a benchmark for panel work for me.


----------



## aloksatoor

Thats a thing of beauty my frnd!!!
  
  Quote: 





jantze said:


> I took couple of pics from my set while debuggin the amp. The power button is misplaced in the DAC, but I have a new panel ready soon.
> 
> Most of the parts are from Twisted Pear Audio and AMB Laboratories. Neutrik connectors, Hi-Fi 2000 knobs and slim line cases w/ custom covers, engaved at Schaeffer.
> 
> ...


----------



## eertelppa

I just noticed is there a reason it looks as if the power text is off centered from the button. It could be my eyes or an optical illusion but was curious.
   
  Regardless, I have said it once will say it again what a wonderful and beautiful build. The inside even looks so neat and orderly.


----------



## El_Doug

the power text is perfectly centered - it is the power button itself on the buffalo dac that is off-center  
  
  Quote: 





eertelppa said:


> I just noticed is there a reason it looks as if the power text is off centered from the button. It could be my eyes or an optical illusion but was curious.
> 
> Regardless, I have said it once will say it again what a wonderful and beautiful build. The inside even looks so neat and orderly.


----------



## MrMajestic2

Yes, the button mounting hole is off center, not the text. Someone was drunk at Schaeffer that day because its perfectly centered in the software 
  Quote: 





el_doug said:


> the power text is perfectly centered - it is the power button itself on the buffalo dac that is off-center


----------



## eertelppa

Ah yes I did not even notice at first until was looking at it again last night and realized I needed to grab my glasses. Yeah I meant to say button (well originally meant it as the button and text seem to not be aligned) although by looking at them all on top of one another yeah they drilled the hole a little off.
   
  Well I think it is actually cool to have a few slight imperfections. It is all about the sound anyway! I think it is neat how there are separate lights for speakers, headphones, balanced, unbalanced (if I am squinting enough to read it correctly), etc etc. Seems like an all around awesome set up. The buffalo is a neat touch as well.
   
  Ahh look at me, I am like a kid in a candy store, just rambling away.
   
  Austin


----------



## jantze

Thank you all for your compliments.

 No more private messages, please, since I won't be reading them any more.

 If you have a question, please ask it in this thread, but do not expect a quick answer from me.
   
  MrMajestic2 was the builder and he is THE master mind of all those custom boards and clever design ideas 
   
   
  PS. I really stopped counting after 3500 euros, so be prepared.


----------



## eertelppa

Quote: 





jantze said:


> PS. I really stopped counting after 3500 euros, so be prepared.


 

 WOWZER. Well by the looks of it, it was worth every penny!


----------



## JohnFerrier




----------



## DefQon

Some amazing and creative builds in the last 5 pages. Especially jantze's


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





jantze said:


> PS. I really stopped counting after 3500 euros, so be prepared.


 


  Holy!!! All those cases cost you more than 2k euros???


----------



## MrSlim

Quote: 





johnferrier said:


>


 



 Care to enlighten those of us not in the Know what we are looking at?


----------



## cfcubed

Quote: 





mrslim said:


> Care to enlighten those of us not in the Know what we are looking at?


 
  All posts for the cagey one shows http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/85561/post-pics-of-your-builds/7575#post_7127523


----------



## JohnFerrier

This is before I make some changes.
   
   
  .


----------



## JohnFerrier

oO


----------



## MaxW

I designed and made this PGA2310 module. It uses an Arduino to control it 
  Some details here:
http://nospecifictopic.blogspot.com/2011/01/controlling-pga2310-with-arduino.html


----------



## milosz

Bottlehead Crack + Speedball

   
  Compact BIJOU build


----------



## S3TUP

And, yet another Bijou came to life! 

   
   
  The whole rack:
   - Bijou
   - GainClone /LM3886/
   - DAC with SAA7220/TDA1541 - under heavy tweaking right now.


   
  And some wires: http://s3t.it/cool/rca-wires-high-end-on-budget/


----------



## Forte

Nice setup S3TUP.
   
  Were did you get those volume knobs?


----------



## S3TUP

Thanks!
  It's 45x25 knob from eBay.
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=45x25+knob&_sacat=0&_odkw=volume+knob&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313
   
  The cases are from WonderCo
http://stores.ebay.com/wonderco-buy79/Metal-/_i.html?_fsub=2037457011


----------



## 00940

Testing of some PCBs. I've to say I'm very happy with the quality of these PCB from Olimex.
   
  The one with the big heatsinks is based on the soha II buffer. Bias at 75ma for now, I'll double it later on. Regulation at +/- 14.5V by two LM337 (I had no more lm317 on hand and little patience...).
   
  The smaller board is an opa134/tpa6120 preamp (tpa6120 inside the opa134 feedback loop) with onboard lm317/337 regs (giving +/- 11.5V). There's still an empty spot for a DS1802 volume control. It's also a quite decent headphones amplifier (listening to it right now). It's a development of this: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/544117/i-v-stage-for-pcm1794-8-tpa6120-preamp#post_7343784


----------



## Beefy

So incredibly understated and elegant, very much to my tastes. I love it! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





s3tup said:


> The whole rack:
> - Bijou
> - GainClone /LM3886/
> - DAC with SAA7220/TDA1541 - under heavy tweaking right now.


----------



## 00940

Quote: 





s3tup said:


> And, yet another Bijou came to life!
> 
> 
> The whole rack:
> ...


 

 Very clean build ! Compact too.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  You have no heat dissipation troubles with the heatsinks under the PSU pcb ?


----------



## anddy78

Hello friend, which case do you use for that build?
  
  Quote: 





lemat said:


> And here is another Beta22.... my very first build and first DIY experience.
> I took my time and everything went ok. Now I have some fine tuning left to do, minor hiss to get rid of. I had also some pops and clicks like an old vynil but I don't know why, it's gone... Usually it's cold joint. I'll relfux everyhting one of these days but for now, I'm enjoying it. Thanks AMB and the whole community who gave me support along what was a crazy challenge, starting DIY with the B22.


----------



## S3TUP

Quote: 





beefy said:


> So incredibly understated and elegant, very much to my tastes. I love it!


 
   
   
  There is reason for such ascetical design  I have'nt found any push buttons that could pair with my cases - so - no buttons. Power switches on the back are fine too.
 The TRS jack socket looks ugly imho, i have already ordered a proper one from Neutrik (with metallic hex nut and black plastic insulator).
   
  I'll make the GainClone amp understand Apple remote's commands - gonna be sexy combo 
   


   


  Quote: 





00940 said:


> Very clean build ! Compact too.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I haven't yet gave him a prolonged run to find it out, nor want to touch him (high voltage) - i plan to do lots of holes in the bottom cover for proper ventilation.


----------



## El_Doug

Looks like a hifi2000 case
  
  Quote: 





anddy78 said:


> Hello friend, which case do you use for that build?


----------



## Magedark

CMOY. 1st ever build. Then recabled my Grado SR60 and Portapros.


----------



## anddy78

Maybe *[size=x-small]Galaxy Maggiorato GX288 230 x 280 mm[/size]* ?
  
  Quote: 





el_doug said:


> Looks like a hifi2000 case


----------



## anddy78

How can I edit my post? Well, I want to add the model number: [size=x-small]1N[/size][size=x-small]GXA288N[/size]
  I think this is...


----------



## rjm003

The Sapphire Headphone Amplifier is an op amp voltage stage coupled to a diamond buffer current stage. Full dual mono construction.



Full description at the RJM Audio web site.


----------



## RuiCanela

Wonderfull, very clean, congratulations rjm003
  At lunchtime, I made this wonderful service! I was widening a hole in the back of a Hammond box for my A47. The piece got caught in the tip of the drill, started to spin and cut me with two fingers,I had to receive medical treatment.


----------



## johnwmclean

rjm003,
   
  Looks like you got some free advertising too, nice one.


----------



## particleman14

RJM, wat kind of switch is that?  very clean looking build.  might scoop some boards.. any measurements by chance?


----------



## .Sup

good stuff S3TUP!


----------



## G.Trenchev

Hi guys,I've just finished that little amp for my brother.It's similar to the AMB Mini3,except discrete-build virtual ground with BJTs.It sounds great,I've expected much worse from LM4562 on low-impedance headphone.Not even a hint of hiss or hum.The difference with my desktop amp isn't huge,I've got to build something serious now.Lazy me:rolleyes:
Pics!!!




Yeah,it's ugly,but my bro doesn't care.Neither me
Wallet also happy,~15$ everything 

P.S. LOL it's 3am what I'm doing,building amps,that's sick


----------



## WhiteCrow

wowowowowowowo 15$ for a on the go amp. Sign me up.


----------



## rjm003

Quote: 





particleman14 said:


> RJM, wat kind of switch is that?  very clean looking build.  might scoop some boards.. any measurements by chance?


 


  The power switch came with the hlly audio prefab case. I had nothing worse than a some 4mm holes to drill, therefore avoiding any chance of ending up like poor RuiCanela!
   
  I did some quick and dirty measurements to confirm that the circuit was operating as expected. DC offset is <10 mV, bass cutoff 3 dB about 3 Hz, and the output noise floor is clean of hum and ripple or any hf hash. 10 kHz square wave was clean, no overshoot. I also confirmed THD ~.01% for 1 kHz 60 mW into 15 ohms, unfortunately I cannot reliably measure THD below .001% so distortion at "normal" output conditions (class A operation) are simply too low to measure.
   
   

  All the harmonics at -90 dB or so 2 khz and above are artifacts from by the digitally synthesized input sine wave, not the amplifier. Therefore the true distortion of the amplifier in this test cannot be measured except to say they are at least lower than 0.03%. 60 Hz hum is noise pickup as the boards were tested bare on the desk, unshielded.
   


   
  /R


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Here is a little amp I just finished. My first double sided board.
  Includes a voltage trigger LED to let me know when battery
  voltage is low.
   
  Cheers!


----------



## qusp

well i've been getting into the breadboarding action. i needed to build an amp to amplify the 1khz sine AC mVrms voltage difference between 2 points in a mosfet matching/testing circuit to get accurate gm transconductance matches, at operating conditions that match the final cct they are going into.
   
  one of the points is well above ground so i couldnt use my hp3400a directly, without risking destroying the input with a dc transient and also without loading the circuit under test. my other meters simply arent accurate enough right down low in the ac mVrms range to be useful for this purpose.
   
  the 1khz sine signal is fed from my ipad using a signal/tone/noise generator app, sent via a traffo coupled lod (to stop the virtual ground in the ipad from effecting measurements) to what could best be described as a mono cmoy on steroids and this is fed into basically 1 arm of the pass D1 mosfet IV stage (the board these are going into as a tweak from the standard vds matched units i have in there.
   
  the measurement amp as you can see is basically an instrumentation amp, i could have just bought a single INAXXX chip, but i wanted to be able to control all parameters. in this case its set for unity gain non inverting input and 100x differential gain in the second stage where the voltage at the mosfet source is subtracted from the voltage at the gate and 100x gain added to the result. i then measure this result with the HP and divide by 100 as part of applying the transconductance equation in the bottom corner. the gate voltage path does not have a cap on it like the source side, because there is no dc to speak of coming from the signal source+amp, the source side does though, so there is a 10u film cap on that side. the HP is AC coupled also
   
  i also wanted to work through the whole process of drawing out the schematic on everything and planning it from beginning to end, it also had to meet the condition of being built nearly 100% from my parts bin. by using good chips, measuring the leads out carefully, using chips with good characteristics; low input offset etc. matching the gain setting resistors by hand and using 2 in parallel for each position and decoupling all supplies in a pretty over the top manner; i have been able to get pretty high accuracy, even at 100x gain
   
  and it was pretty fun in the end
   
  sorry for going on a bit in a gallery thread, but thought perhaps some of you guys might be interested in the details of this one
   



   
  but now the not so fun bit


----------



## qusp

in the pics it was set up with the same 3Vrms signal fed to both inputs to test accuracy, i'll dig out the results if anyone is interested, the grass was in the range of 3mV on the HP with the 100x gain, so 30uV error. i can live with that


----------



## Gregoirepat

Here is my B22 from AMB Lab.
 I specify that I'm 18 years old 

 I built it with an active ground (3-channel)
 I didn't finish because I haven't enought money for the chassis and I would realize something really beautiful.

 Sorry for the spelling, I'm French 
   

   
  http://nsa25.casimages.com/img/2011/04/29/110429105901975475.jpg
   

   
  http://nsa25.casimages.com/img/2011/04/29/1104291059238056.jpg
   

   
  http://nsa26.casimages.com/img/2011/04/29/110429110012737548.jpg


----------



## MrDavis

Very impressive!  I didn't get into DIY until I was 44.


----------



## Tinola

nice build! I wish I can build my own beta 22. I don't have the skills yet. Gonna work my way up before diving in.


----------



## mapleleafs

I just finished undergrad, and so I finally had some time to make a CMOY. Here are a couple pics:
   
   

   

   
  I for the most part followed the Tangent tutorial http://www.tangentsoft.net/audio/cmoy-tutorial/.
   
  A few remarks:
   
  - The amplifying caps that I got from DigiKey were quite a bit larger than I expected them to be. As a result, I had to adjust Tangent's layout slightly, and I wasn't able to fit a pot in my enclosure (well I possibly could but it would be a very tight fit).
  - The hardest part of this project (bearing in mind that this is my first DIY of any sort) was probably the soldering on the prototype board.
  - The amp definitely seems to make music louder, but its difficult to say for certain that it sounds better. I'm not sure how well PortaPros overall react to amping. (I don't have any high impedance cans to test these out on 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ). Perhaps in the future, I'll play around with higher capacitance capacitors to see what effect they have on the sound.
   
  Overall, it was a pretty fun project. For anyone who's hesistant to make a CMOY (especially if you have limited DIY experience), I say go for it!


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Mucking about with a tin and an Oatley K272A
   
   


   
  Cheers
  FRED


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





gregoirepat said:


> Here is my B22 from AMB Lab.
> I specify that I'm 18 years old
> 
> I built it with an active ground (3-channel)
> ...


 


 Nice build! I built my b22 last xmas and I'm nearly 20 now. Time flies


----------



## Gregoirepat

Quote:


> Nice build! I built my b22 last xmas and I'm nearly 20 now. Time flies


 


  Yes ^^ I built it last year !


----------



## mmayer167

^ that tin is sweet! you should paint it like the magic school bus    cheers, M


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Nice one Fred_fred2004!
  I wish I had your inventiveness for the "amp in a tin".


----------



## El_Doug

Finished turning my Charlize T-amp into a standalone headphone amp   Sounds very nice indeed with the LCD-2s
   

   

   

   

   
   
  Now I just need to put a knob on the pot  
   
   
  edit:  I need to learn how to use a camera.  Using my "point-and-shoot" with a flash is showing blemishes that I swear simply do not exist in real life!  The front of the amp looks fine in the "straight-on" photo, but looks like hell in the angled-shots


----------



## MaxW

Quote: 





el_doug said:


> Finished turning my Charlize T-amp into a standalone headphone amp   Sounds very nice indeed with the LCD-2s
> 
> Now I just need to put a knob on the pot
> 
> ...


 

 Very nice! Where did you get that case? Is it from vt4c? Was the front completely blank when you got it?


----------



## revolink24

gregoirepat said:


> Here is my B22 from AMB Lab.
> I specify that I'm 18 years old
> 
> I built it with an active ground (3-channel)
> ...




You're not the only 18 year old DIYer.


----------



## El_Doug

yeah, its a vt4c case - both the front and back were 100% blank
  
  Quote: 





maxw said:


> Very nice! Where did you get that case? Is it from vt4c? Was the front completely blank when you got it?


----------



## immtbiker

I got my electrical and computer engineering degrees in 1982 and I look at some of the builds shown here, and wonder how so many of you can call your builds and wonder how you call some of them "hi-end  "hi-end"? Especially some of the cmoy amps.
   
  But then I look at what's inside of them and feel humbled by the changes made since 1982 and now. It's exponential. I have been with Head-Fi since inception, and electronics, like many other things have grown by leaps and bounds. I see a "computer as source" and instantly dismiss them, although all my music comes from .flac/wav/aiff/and alac files that I create.
  After seeing what goes into a B22, especially one from Amb, I lose my breath and need nitro pills. 
  Since 1961, when I got my first 1962 cassette desk, and the Beatles White album which was recommended by the Lafayette Electronics salesman. He said, "Mark my words, this album is going somewhere.
  Things have come a long way since Dos 1.0, and a guy like me in his early '50's is trying to catch up.
  I went from the sharpest pencil in the box, to the pencil sharpener. I could give in and give up, but that's not what I'm made of. Things don't stick like they used to.
  It's an exciting time to be in this hobby (better than scrabble and Snakes an Ladders 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





), but it's not what we are learning in college. So I read, and read and read.
   
  This will happen to people in their 20's, 30 years rom now. Maybe not. The thrill of the chase is fun, but we are starting on different starting lines.
  So really what I'm saying is, that if a stupid question that might be obvious to you. it's because learning is a never-ending process, and take it with a grain of salt. I have let my defenses down here, and hopefully it will pay off.
   
  Thanks for your time.
  And remember, it's all about the love of the music.
   
  Aaron


----------



## High_Q

I would have never known you were a fellow ECE.  I'm a recent grad, and I've gain so much insight from this community, and really appreciate people's diversity that are brought to this community from what they learn from their DIY projects.  I am always learning, and there is not a point where I will stop learning.


----------



## RuiCanela

My DIY A47 headphone amp in a Hammond Box.With two OPA2227, great sound with MS1!


----------



## ilikepie116

I stuck a cmoy in a leather wallet box, added an knob and a led. Personally, I like the way it looks


----------



## mmayer167

^ looks nice!  what is your braided cable of or what did you strip down to braid that? looks good


----------



## JamesMcProgger

Leather cmoy is very fancy- kudos.


----------



## ilikepie116

Thanks! The cable is three 24g(?) silver strand wires braided together. 
   
  Here's a pic of the internals - doesn't look as nice as the outside, haha

  
  Jared


----------



## wildcat46734

can anyone post a link to a full tutorial on how to build a tube amp that is cheap (preferably under 50$)? Not just a schematic but a full tutorial seeing as I don't know how to read a schematic.


----------



## scompton

There's a whole tread on the Starving Student.  To get it under $50, you can't use the original tubes, but there are alternates in some posts in the thread.


----------



## Ikarios

Quote: 





wildcat46734 said:


> can anyone post a link to a full tutorial on how to build a tube amp that is cheap (preferably under 50$)? Not just a schematic but a full tutorial seeing as I don't know how to read a schematic.


 

 Sorry but you're not really going to be able to find a build under $50 if you're starting from scratch and want tubes. You can try emulating the Bravo tube amp (which IIRC has a schematic) but no one to my knowledge has produced PCBs. If you want to DIY, be aware - DIY builds have great value but it's very difficult to save money doing one instead of a commercial build. This has been rehashed in many of the "beginner DIYer here" threads, and other people have said it better than I have. I'm not looking to discourage you but you might want to start with the process of building a CMoy to familiarize yourself with reading schematics and choosing parts.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

The Bravo/Indeed amps are a rip-off of a Sijosae's design.
  You can find it here.


----------



## nikongod

Sijosae is an artist. totally super cool.


----------



## WhiteCrow

soooo any GOOD newbie friendly DIY DAC's *optical out is a feature I really want* for around...100$? or so I can make a case....maybe out of some classy wood or Some Plexyglass/metal.


----------



## particleman14

http://www.amb.org/audio/gamma1/


----------



## akgfan

Just recabling needed. I hope...


----------



## forsakenrider

Quote: 





ruicanela said:


> My DIY A47 headphone amp in a Hammond Box.With two OPA2227, great sound with MS1!


 


  Which Hammond case is that? Looks good!


----------



## RuiCanela

It's a Hammond 1455-L1601


----------



## ESCS

Does it matter if my "build" is not related to headphones or audio


----------



## jr41

Hi all, I just wanted to show off some photos of my AMB M³ and σ11 Build. I finished it literally a couple of hours ago 
   
  It's a standard build with simple case work;
   
  -Vishay Dale CMF Resistors
  -Nichicon PW Electrolytic Capacitors
  -Wima Film Capacitors
  -Analog Devices AD8610 Op-Amps (Aries Electronics Adaptors)
  -Alps RK27 Potentiometer
  -Neutrik Gold Plated Phono Connectors
  -Neutrik Locking 1/4" phone jack
  -Hammond 1455T2201BK Enclosure
  -Eagle Plastic Devices Brushed Aluminium Volume knob
  -Perforated Aluminium lid to aid cooling (an idea I shamlessly stole from darkisz's build in the M³ build gallery!)
  -24V σ11 PSU
   
  It has a gain of 5 for my Grado Labs SR225i, which works well as I find 9 o'clock on the volume knob makes for a comfortable listening level.
   
  Many here are familiar with just how good the M³ sounds, and I think it goes somewhat against the DIY ethos to make subjective comments, so I'll simply say it sounds amazing and I'm blown away by the sound quality it provides! 
   
  Of course, it doesn't stop here... The next project is the AMB y2


----------



## qusp

nice job!! one thing; if those are your only cans, or main cans, you might want to look at reducing the gain, you will be giving up some dynamic range and adding resistor noise that need not be there listening at 9 oclock the whole time. gain should be designed so that your main listening level is at least 12 oclock and i generally go for 2-3 oclock, just so that there is a little bit of extra in case of low level recordings. its an easy operation to change the gain if you end up getting less efficient cans


----------



## jr41

Thanks for the suggestion, qusp. I also have the Sennheiser HD 650, and while I will be using the M³ mainly with the Grado's, I wanted some flexibility to use this amp with different phones. I do find myself infatuated with the Grado sound at the moment, so if I end up using them solely, I may do as you recommend.


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





escs said:


> Does it matter if my "build" is not related to headphones or audio


 

 If you think other people will think its interesting, Id like to see it


----------



## ESCS

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> If you think other people will think its interesting, Id like to see it


 


  Well, its actually a piece of furniture 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  I will probably post a pic tomorrow if I can charge my ancient camera.


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





jr41 said:


> Hi all, I just wanted to show off some photos of my AMB M³ and σ11 Build. I finished it literally a couple of hours ago
> 
> It's a standard build with simple case work;
> 
> ...


 


  Congrats jr41! You should bring them along to the next meet!


----------



## jr41

Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> Congrats jr41! You should bring them along to the next meet!


 

 Cheers buddy, I most certainly will. Hopefully I have a few more projects done by then as well!
   
  How's your β22 coming along, have you got it cased up yet?


----------



## BK_856er

Here's a super cool CTH RevA.
   
  It's special on several levels.  I built it for my brother, who left for Afghanistan this morning.  I hope he gets a chance now and then to enjoy some good tunes, roll some tubes and take the edge off.  What really makes this build unique is that some fellow head-fiers from the CTH thread found out what I was up to and donated key components. How cool is that!  My brother was truly touched when I presented it to him and he learned that members here contributed.
   
  BK
   
  ---------------
   
  A very dense board!

   
  A few botique parts.

   
  Some creative wiring and initial power-up.  Sounds sweet!

   
  Some size perspective?

   
  Packed up for transit, with thanks to the contributors.  Mil-spec CTH, aka the "chill" kit!


----------



## Gotez

That last picture is really nice, that is one sweet case for an amp.

Hope you're brother enjoys it alot.


----------



## civilmonkey

My brother asked for a conversation piece. I settled on Roger Gomez's NP-100v12 because a) I wanted a tube amp, b) I seemed like a good project to learn to etch PCBs, c) why not learn to plastic solvent weld at the same time. Here is what I settled on. I'm pretty happy with it. The amp was very sensitive to noise from a power supply despite a LM317 supply I added to the circuit. I ended up air wiring a few more filtering capacitors to bring the noise floor down to very acceptable levels. The little LED board I added I thought was a fun way to spice it up.
   
  Initial testing:



   
  All cased up:


----------



## Mullet

Thought you already had a CTH at your disposal. Oh wait it's in the background 
   
  So now that you have 2 12au7 based hybrid amps... the question of the hour is... what sounds better the CTH Rev A or the NP-100v12?


----------



## civilmonkey

Quote: 





> So now that you have 2 12au7 based hybrid amps... the question of the hour is... what sounds better the CTH Rev A or the NP-100v12?


 

 Hmmm, I don't like making too many comparsions.  Both amps are great.  The NP-100v12 can't drive 600 ohm Beyers well, but it does really great with my ER-6 and RE-0.  The CTH drives my Beyers but I prefer the NP-100v12 for my IEMs.  I think perhaps because the NP is bass heavy with my setup, so it's a good match for IEMs.  I have been listening to the NP-100v12 as it settles in so I can set the tube bais, etc, before I send it off to my brother and I have to say it's a very fun amp.  I find myself head bobbing as I type emails.  The CTH has more power, more detail, more refined.  The CTH cost is also 4 or 5 times the NP-100v12.  So, they are both awesome to me.  Both have the tube sound, both are affected greatly by the tube you put in it.  The NP-100v12 is pretty sensitive to the power supply and you hear hiss if you're not careful.  The NP-100v12 is easier to build for sure.


----------



## Lil' Knight

Half way through the PSU  Still a lot of work ahead.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Civilmonkey: I hadn't heard of the NP-100v12. Would you mind if I ask you about how much it took to get one up and running? It looks like a nice alternative to the Starving Student. Where did you wire in the extra capacitors?
   
  Lil'Knight: that thing is a beast. What is it?


----------



## nattonrice

An electrostatic welder.


----------



## El_Doug

Looks like a T2DIY
  
  Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> Lil'Knight: that thing is a beast. What is it?


----------



## Kerry

Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> An electrostatic welder.


 

 LOL


----------



## Kerry

Yes.  It is a T2 DIY Power Supply. 

  
  Quote: 





el_doug said:


> Looks like a T2DIY


----------



## wink

Only one thing wrong with it....
   
   
  Quote: 





> Yes.  It is a T2 DIY Power Supply.


 
  It's not mine..   ;(


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote: 





lil' knight said:


> Half way through the PSU


 
   
  Homage to optimism.


----------



## wink

You mean it's a solid state spark maker?
   
  It is with bad sand built in.........


----------



## ujamerstand

Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> An electrostatic welder.


 

 Welder indeed!


----------



## wink

It turns toroidal transformers into hot coils of burnt copper       -       sometimes    -     for some people.
   
  Lil Knight, fortune favours the brave.
   
  The harder you work at it, the luckier you seem to get.....


----------



## Lil' Knight

Ok John, I admit I was too optimistic. It's 1/5 way through the PSU 

I think I have enough spare parts to build 3 PSUs, if one burnt, there'd be another one ready to burn 

I'm stuck with these for the next couple of months. Would take quite some time to finish the casework.


----------



## Sathimas

What kind of Monster is that?
   
  Looks enormous!


----------



## civilmonkey

Quote:


maverickmonk said:


> Civilmonkey: I hadn't heard of the NP-100v12. Would you mind if I ask you about how much it took to get one up and running? It looks like a nice alternative to the Starving Student. Where did you wire in the extra capacitors?


 
   
  I think the diyaudio webpage for it says $50 if you go barebones, not including PS.  I'm sure spent more.  The parts list is quite simple.  You need to feed it a clean ripple free 12.6 volts, so if you read the diyaudio forum you'll see some people had to try many different 13V printer and/or laptop supplies to find one that didn't hum/hiss.  I tried to skip that so I built a LM317 regulator, but I still needed more filtering (I think maybe because it was my first PCB layout so likely lots of issues).  I literally turned on the amp and connected various capacitors by hand (GND to Input Volts, and GND to regulated 12.6 volts) and when I found one that eliminated the hiss I soldered it on.  I can't recommend this method just incase a discharging capactor blows another componet up, but it worked for me.


----------



## spritzer

Quote: 





sathimas said:


> What kind of Monster is that?
> 
> Looks enormous!


 

 Our DIY version of the Stax SRM-T2 electrostatic amp.


----------



## revolink24

Nevermind.


----------



## DefQon

This is itching me to go spend some $$$ on local parts for a DIY tube amp......damn you headfi


----------



## G.Trenchev

Just a LM317/337 PS(if you don't mind)...it's going in my next amp!
  Uses ultra-fast HER108 diodes.


----------



## FallenAngel

Nice looking PSU, I'll be sure to upload my build this weekend too, also on perfboard.


----------



## G.Trenchev

Thanks!
  After some listening,I just want to note my conclusion on ultra-fast diodes.Actually,I've made two versions of this power supply-the one shown in my previous post,and one with a conventional 6A rectifier.The HER108 version definitely brings better sound to  the amp.The mids are clearer,more liquid,also some mid-bass warmth is developed,which is very pleasant.
  I just grabbed the diodes,they're cheap,I guess anyone should try this,as it is audible.


----------



## wink

Quote: 





> Thanks!
> After some listening,I just want to note my conclusion on ultra-fast diodes.Actually,I've made two versions of this power supply-the one shown in my previous post,and one with a conventional 6A rectifier.The HER108 version definitely brings better sound to  the amp.The mids are clearer,more liquid,also some mid-bass warmth is developed,which is very pleasant.
> I just grabbed the diodes,they're cheap,I guess anyone should try this,as it is audible.


 
  These are almost identical to the UF4007....


----------



## G.Trenchev

...and the amp.Just waiting for a proper enclosure.


----------



## Ferrari

Perfboards are indeed fun...


----------



## mmayer167

your layouts and parts are always so tidy and intriguing, you also always take good pictures!   ^  
   
  M


----------



## Gotez

Indeed a very nice layout.


----------



## Forte

Any photos of the underside of those Perfboards?


----------



## cyberspyder

I've missed your posts Ferrari .


----------



## madcap386

Very very neat!


----------



## tranhieu

top notch Ferrari!


----------



## G.Trenchev

Indeed great build,love the ROE's


----------



## dhaninugraha

a humble CMoy:
   

   
  board was made by psychaudio of audiophile-id. resistors are 1/8W Roederstein, caps are 2x 220uF Elna Cerafines, and there's the class-A biased AD825.
   
  caps were piggybacked and zip-tied simply because... I had nothing to do, and I wanted to smell some solder fume, LOL. I ran out of 220uF 35V Cerafines so I slapped on the 220uF 25V anyway.
   
  resistors on the input cap pads (1KOhm and 332Ohm) were actually meant for opamp input impedance matching; which turned out kinda unnecessary since R4 and R3 (the usual gain resistors) in parallel are ~1.3KOhm. oh well, they provided quite some attenuation anyway.
   
  not visible in the picture are the C2s (opamp rail bypass caps), which are Vishay 1837s placed under the board.


----------



## Garage1217

Old pics deleted


----------



## Ferrari

[size=x-small]Thanks for the kind words gents ![/size]
   
*[size=x-small]@ Forte[/size]*
  [size=x-small]I’m afraid that we are a bit too late for that. [/size]
  [size=x-small]The perfboards power supplies are no longer sitting on my table but are already built in one or other devices like this M3. [/size]
  [size=x-small]Taking the amp apart, just to take a photo of the perfboard underside is really too much work. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





[/size]
  [size=x-small]I will remember that for the next time when I make something on perfboard.[/size]
   
   
   
  [size=x-small][/size]
  [size=x-small][/size]


----------



## tranhieu

May I ask what the perfboard is for in the above photos?
  Looks great as always Ferrari


----------



## Lil' Knight

> _The perfboards power supplies _are no longer sitting on my table but are already built in one or other devices like this M3.


----------



## Ferrari

[size=x-small]Indeed, it’s a LT1085 based power supply, with Roederstein filter cap on a recycled heatsink.[/size]
  [size=x-small]Actually parts from my parts bin that otherwise never get used.[/size]


----------



## 32y0

One channel of an EL519 based power amp. Still without PSU and transformers, but ready for testing.


----------



## akgfan

Finally, I finished rebuilding my amp. All PCBs and capacitors are new. However, I'm not able to make that wiring look nice, as always.
   
  I know, it's not the ultimate amp, nor cool tube amp, but I like it with GrubDAC. There is almost no noticable hum even with high sensitive earbuds. RMAA shows strong second and third harmonics.


----------



## bidoux

Quote: 





32y0 said:


> One channel of an EL519 based power amp. Still without PSU and transformers, but ready for testing.


 
  I would love to see some more details, how you built it, the schematic and the power supply if you don't mind.


----------



## Garage1217

Nice work!


----------



## Flops

The casing looks fantastic!


----------



## nattonrice

Here is my quick and dirty kgss.
  DACT, Marc's sexy teflon jack, teflon coated HV spc, fully encapsulated sumr traffo, rsa approved gold knob.
   
  Not bad for a couple of hours work.
   
  o2 + this = whoa.


----------



## milosz

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS????
   
  (Winner gets a Chinese 12AU7 with an open filament!)


----------



## nattonrice

Apart from a (possible) tube phono stage?  =P


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> Here is my quick and dirty kgss.
> DACT, Marc's sexy teflon jack, teflon coated HV spc, fully encapsulated sumr traffo, rsa approved gold knob.
> 
> Not bad for a couple of hours work.
> ...


 

 Nice! Are you using the Headamp boards? If so, do you have a BOM or Mouser project handy for them? I just started putting the values into a project straight off the boards but I'm hoping to save some time. The only BOM I have is for different boards.


----------



## johnwmclean

Nice one Tom, give that o2 a workout. First impressions?


----------



## nattonrice

Curra:
   
  Yeah i used the pair I had from the last gb.
  I just read the bom straight off the boards actually.
  I do have a mouser project that I could gift you if you pm me your email addy (or you can be witty and find me on ミクシィ hehe).
  Keep in mind I make no claims of correctness and you'll have to check it... I relied on the girth of parts I have here to make up for any cock ups.
  The sand you can grab from bdent but being in Japan there will be better places for it.
   
   
  John: Haha the amp/o2 haven't been turned off in 8 hours... long enough for my ass to nicely fuse to my chair lolz


----------



## nattonrice

Oh and impressions... well as I said to Jeremy, they have restored my belief in headphones.
   
  The rest of the impression involves language that has a habit of getting posts deleted here


----------



## TigzStudio

Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> Here is my quick and dirty kgss.
> DACT, Marc's sexy teflon jack, teflon coated HV spc, fully encapsulated sumr traffo, rsa approved gold knob.
> 
> Not bad for a couple of hours work.
> ...


 


  Beauty, nice build!  I love that gold knob.


----------



## wink

Quote: 





> Beauty, nice build!  I love that gold knob.


----------



## qusp

hey those big rubber bumpers are excellent worn, i'm glad i got a fair few


----------



## TigzStudio

Quote: 





wink said:


>


 


  heh, nothing wrong with a little gold bling. It may cause unnecessary knob turning however.


----------



## nattonrice

Quote:


qusp said:


> hey those big rubber bumpers are excellent worn, i'm glad i got a fair few


 


 I told you they were the shiznitt.


----------



## wink

Quote: 





> heh, nothing wrong with a little gold bling. It may cause unnecessary knob turning however.


 
  Bingo, the point wuz understood..
   
  I personally would like a wood one - wood you believe it?
   
  I also like the handles that double up as knob-savers....


----------



## milosz

Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> Apart from a (possible) tube phono stage?  =P


 
   
  Ah, yes.... but WHICH DIY tube phono stage?
   
  Here's a headphone amp I built, a Bijou  (since this IS a headphone form...)


----------



## nattonrice

Well the one I'd like to build is SY's HMV but that can't be it...
  That is one of my fav Bijous!


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





wink said:


> Bingo, the point wuz understood..
> 
> I personally would like a wood one - wood you believe it?
> 
> I also like the handles that double up as knob-savers....


 

 have you been to thingamaknobs? very cool wooden knobs and faceplates


----------



## revolink24

Kinda looks like a modified Bottlehead Seduction.


----------



## wink

Qusp,
   
  Quote: 





> have you been to thingamaknobs? very cool wooden knobs and faceplates


 
  Thanks for the link..


----------



## qusp

no problem, been thinking about trying them out myself, ive read good feedback on diya for them and they look real nice, but as they are all custom made, i guess you have to ask for something specific to find out what the damage is.


----------



## wink

I asked for the price of a gabon ebony knob 2 inches dia by 1 inch thick with aluminium inlay and 1 grubscrew.
  I am guessing it will be somewhere on the wallet breaking side of US$30.


----------



## yossi126

Buffalo-II with IVY-III. Thanks Kevin for this project.


----------



## Lil' Knight

wink said:


> I asked for the price of a gabon ebony knob 2 inches dia by 1 inch thick with aluminium inlay and 1 grubscrew.
> I am guessing it will be somewhere on the wallet breaking side of US$30.




30 bucks for a custom made knob is quite reasonable to me


----------



## nattonrice

I'd be pleasantly surprised if that is what they come back with.


----------



## wink

I'm waiting for the email with the quote.......
  Will let you know as soon as I get it.
   
   
  Some would say I never get it............   boo hoo


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





milosz said:


> CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS????
> 
> (Winner gets a Chinese 12AU7 with an open filament!)




   
  Looks like a Hagerman Cornet to me... I think I spotted it on one of your other threads


----------



## funch

Quote: 





milosz said:


> CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THIS IS????
> 
> (Winner gets a Chinese 12AU7 with an open filament!)


 

      Octal Cornet.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

So does he win the chinese tube with the bad heater?


----------



## wink

Quote: 





> So does he win the chinese tube with the bad heater?


 
  It's worse - he wins the cornet....

  The real one, not the fake.....V V V V V V V this..


----------



## funch

Hey, I used to play the cornet, but I'll take a Besson compensating euphonium instead, cuz that's what I played in college and the 36th US Army Band.
  Mid '70's version, satin silver. Thanks in advance.


----------



## wink

You're welcome.... I'm sure..!!


----------



## milosz

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> So does he win the chinese tube with the bad heater?


 


  Absolutely.  He can stop over any time to get it. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  If he's not into tubes, I have some open and some shorted transistors he could have instead.


----------



## FullCircle

My own 20 driver Custom IEM
   
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1743020015221.2090595.1230330436


----------



## ESCS

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> My own 20 driver Custom IEM
> 
> http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1743020015221.2090595.1230330436


 





  Do they sound good?


----------



## qusp

someone just linked me to that iem earlier. I actually took it as a joke and find it quite ridiculous. an achievement, but to what end and for what purpose? just because you can? i would hope the crossover is wired in series, or some combination of series/parallel, otherwise the impedance would be way too low and impossible to drive without frying chips, like asking a player to drive a short circuit.


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





wink said:


> I asked for the price of a gabon ebony knob 2 inches dia by 1 inch thick with aluminium inlay and 1 grubscrew.
> I am guessing it will be somewhere on the wallet breaking side of US$30.


 


  that would be a great price imo, i paid 40+ for vy custom titanium knobs and if they cost close to that little, i'll definitely be buying some, A great volume knob really sets off a front panel and can make a very simple design look really classy


----------



## FullCircle

Impedance wasn't an issue
   
  Why did I do it? Mainly because of the "April Fools" joke pulled by Sleek Audio.
   
  I just wanted to show it could be done, not so much that it should be done. Besides that, there is some satisfaction gained by building something that has been said by many, impossible to build.


----------



## nattonrice

Here is my beta24.
   
  Same case and general layout as Ti's original.
  Differences: single SumR toroid, wanky resistors (prp, z-foils etc), solid core 16awg neotech teflon output wiring, ETI binding posts, no blue leds.
   
  I had to get a new bottom panel machined from 3mm Al as the stock one is less than useless.
  If I ever break it down and rebuild it as pure class-A monoblocks then I'll get sinks from conrad and build the rest of the panels from 5-10mm Al.
   
  Sorry about the bad camera and lighting!


----------



## FullCircle

Beautiful for sure


----------



## FullCircle

Siamese Rosewood


----------



## FullCircle

Amboyna Burl, with Bamboo


----------



## qusp

Beautiful build nattonrice, crappiest pics evar!! indeed those heatsinks look a little light on, but then i suppose its AB so reasonably efficient
   
  wooden customs?.......
   
  right so i was right, you did it just because its possible; fair enough, however i somehow think that someone that has the spare stock to throw 40 drivers at an april fools replica isnt just a diyer, so what company do you work for?


----------



## johnwmclean

I agree Jeremy, if only the photography was up to the same standard as Tom’s builds....
   

   
  I had to apply a photoshop curve to see that magnificent front panel.
  Bloody rippa build mate!


----------



## FullCircle

I am an audiologist, CIEMs are my hobby, my wife would say it is my passion.


----------



## nattonrice

LOL I hate cameras!
   
  I'll bring it to the meet and you can take better ones  =)


----------



## elliot42

Mean looking b24, Tom :evil:


----------



## FullCircle




----------



## jdkJake

Nice work FullCircle. Do you use veneers or are you working with solid pieces of wood?


----------



## High_Q

What's a rough estimate of cost of equipment to achieve customs like yours?
  
  Quote: 





fullcircle said:


>


----------



## High_Q

What headphones do you use it with and how does it sound?
  
  Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> Here is my beta24.


----------



## nattonrice

The beta24 is an all-discrete, fully (complementary and) differential speaker poweramp.
  I don't use it for headphones.
   
  It has a similar 3-stage (jfet input, bjt vas, mosfet output; each stage cascoded) to the beta22.
   
  Difference is these output devices can actually handle powering speakers unlike the piddly little to-220 ones on the beta22.
  Actually the differences are quite a few.
  You can read the synopsis on AMB's website.
   
  It really is a beautiful pcb layout which has its origins directly in the nature of the circuit's topology.


----------



## FullCircle

Costs associated with this type of work, I would think, would mainly be time.  By the time I get finished, the wood is around 2-3mm thick, not sure if that constitutes as a veneer or not. I don't have any "fancy" tools for working with wood. Just sand paper, hack saw, and a steady  hand


----------



## .Sup

Impressive FullCircle!


----------



## Avro_Arrow

@ FullCircle
   
  I've seen some impressive work in my time, but now
  I am in complete awe. I've wanted to do some custom
  IEM of my own and now I have a gold standard to
  look up to.


----------



## Flops

A timelapse video of sanding these would be awesome, they look so beatiful.


----------



## qusp

aha, well ok, yeah obsession is more appropriate given the last few pics, so are you using tonewoods? the last set is sexy!!, do they impact the resonant quality of the customs? cant imagine them being too neutral, but they sure are beautiful!!


----------



## jdkJake

fullcircle said:


> Costs associated with this type of work, I would think, would mainly be time.  By the time I get finished, the wood is around 2-3mm thick, not sure if that constitutes as a veneer or not. I don't have any "fancy" tools for working with wood. Just sand paper, hack saw, and a steady  hand




I guess my question was more centered on if you started with a veneer or a solid piece of wood. I was more curious if this was the result of careful carving or extremely well executed vacuum veneering. Either technique would be most challenging at this scale.

Regardless, the results speak for themselves. Exquisite to say the least.


----------



## FullCircle

To be honest, I blame the wood! Seriously, the woods that I select are sublime....   That said, generally speaking, bamboo doesn't leap out as a beautifl wood/grass, but cut in a cross grain fashion it does "bling" more.  I know most people like Laser etching and paint etc etc,  but I like wood.
   
  I have a 10 driver I am building right now, but due to time constraints, it is just a simple blue. I'll post that shortly.

  
  Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> @ FullCircle
> 
> I've seen some impressive work in my time, but now
> I am in complete awe. I've wanted to do some custom
> ...


----------



## FallenAngel

Beautiful Beta24!  It certainly looks like an extreme build... are you really using V-Caps for the zobel network?


----------



## nattonrice

V-cap cutf (the newer copper foil one) and mundorf m-resist resistors... I don't know what I was smoking the day I decided on that and the z-foils 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  The resistor should have been mox but meh, oh well.


----------



## FullCircle




----------



## FullCircle

Ten Driver finished, for sure more practical than 20 drivers!


----------



## kalinowski

The blue one is super pretty! You know, in case you need any testers...


----------



## Flops

I would love to know how to build those. Really.
   
  They are so awesome.


----------



## Ikarios

FullCircle, I'm beginning to wonder about the extent of your custom-ing.. do you happen to have a drawer full of them? care to take a picture of your entire collection together?


----------



## FullCircle

I have a lot, and I have been doing this for about 4 years....   so some of the IEMs that I built are torn down, salvaged etc etc.
   
  So some of the IEMs that I have photos of, are no longer in "service."  (but the "woodies" are not torn down, too much time and pride invested in those)


----------



## Ferrari

[size=x-small]FullCircle, you are a real wood-artist. Chapeau! [/size]
  [size=x-small]Here are some pics of my new toy (based on AMB [/size][size=x-small][size=x-small]α20).[/size][/size]
   
  [size=x-small][size=x-small][/size][/size]
   
  [size=x-small][size=x-small][/size][/size]
  [size=x-small][size=x-small][/size][/size]


----------



## Flops

It looks like it would be floating, awesome build.


----------



## samsquanch

just finished a Hagerman Bugle.  (Thanks to Nikongod for suggesting it!)  It's crammed inside a 6X6X4 hoffman electrical enclosure I had sitting at my shop.  I'll find a better case another day, time to turn it on...


----------



## G.Trenchev

I've put my amp in an aftershave case:
   

   

  Not very extravagant,but it's compact,sounds and measures good too:


----------



## MrSlim

Great Job!  What amp design is it based on?


----------



## kingpage

Quote: 





g.trenchev said:


> I've put my amp in an aftershave case:


 
  Your 4700uf caps look so small. What's the dimension?


----------



## G.Trenchev

Quote: 





mrslim said:


> Great Job!  What amp design is it based on?


 


  Well,It's my design,but there's nothing special about it.A buffered opamp.It's similar to "The Wire",but simpler,so I think that should be "The Wire Lite" then
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  Deeper measurements reveal noise lower than -103 dB and THD even lower than 0,0006%(that's my soundcard limits).The metal case provides shielding for the components.Here's the schematic:

   
  The large caps are 16x31 mm.There's additional local filtering on the amp board of 220uF+1uF(tantalum)+100nF not shown on the schematic.The rectifier is build of 4 HER108 diodes with 10nF snubber caps.


----------



## MrSlim

Cool, thanks for sharing..  I have a kit of parts for "The Wire" waiting to built, so I don't need another project, but this looks like a great little alternative..


----------



## akgk1000

[size=x-large]AKG K530 built in Sony MRD Q50 Earhook.[/size]
   
  Drivers of the Sony MRD Q-50

   
   
  Sony MRD Q-50 and the AKG K530
   

   
   
  AKG K530 inside
   

   
   
  Ready for use 
   

  Noise and open space .
  Bass is lean but tight!


----------



## marchenkovdmitr

My first DIY project. Lehmann black cube linear clone.


----------



## .Sup

Just like that dmitr. I wish I could do something like that for my first diy amp project. Very nice work!


----------



## Undisclosed

was this a kit? looks fantastic!
  Quote: 





marchenkovdmitr said:


> My first DIY project. Lehmann black cube linear clone.


----------



## marchenkovdmitr

Thank you!
  
  Quote: 





.sup said:


> Just like that dmitr. I wish I could do something like that for my first diy amp project. Very nice work!


 
       
      No, this is not the whole kit. It is made up of individual sets. All bought on Ebay.  Thank you!
   
  Quote: 





undisclosed said:


> was this a kit? looks fantastic!


----------



## Reintz

A little upgrade to my CMoy. Made a new PCB to accommodate a low voltage indicator circuit (LED turns red when battery drops below 7,2 volts) and a trickle charger. As I had used up all the space on the end panels, the first time I built it, I now had to mount the charger socket vertically. It's a Hammond 1455C801 enclosure.


----------



## kchapdaily

looks good!


----------



## Pageygeeza

Reintz:  That is fantastic!  I love the vertically mounted boards to save space, all that through hole work looks so classy!


----------



## Avro_Arrow

@ Reintz
   
  Good job on the etching...is that hand drawn?
   
  I've been using that voltage trigger in my builds too, works great
  doesn't it...


----------



## bcg27

So it took me longer than I expected, but I finally finished off my AMB alpha 10. Here are some pics:
   

   

   

   
  And here it is in action:
   

   
  alpha 10 is the top box, beta 22 is in the middle, and the sigma 22 for the beta 22 as well as the trafos/ssr for the alpha 10 are in the bottom box. 
   
  A big thanks to Ti for making all of these awesome projects so well documented and accessible!
   
  Just for kicks here is my complete AMB signal chain - PC --> gamma 2 --> alpha 10 --> beta 22


----------



## jr41

Quote: 





bcg27 said:


> So it took me longer than I expected, but I finally finished off my AMB alpha 10. Here are some pics:


 

 Wow, very impressive! Great looking too!


----------



## Pageygeeza

bcg27:  This makes me wish I had the time, space and money to build something like that!  Beautiful build dude.


----------



## bcg27

Quote: 





jr41 said:


> Wow, very impressive! Great looking too!


 
   
  Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> bcg27:  This makes me wish I had the time, space and money to build something like that!  Beautiful build dude.


 

 Thanks for the compliments!
   
  @Pageygeeza: I built these on and off over a period of about 6 months as I had some spare time. I also did all of my soldering, construction, and testing on my 4 foot diameter dining table. Any drilling or dremeling was done on my balcony which is maybe 8x10. So you don't really need a lot of space to do stuff like this, and since it is for yourself you can take as long as you want to build it.


----------



## Reintz

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> @ Reintz
> 
> Good job on the etching...is that hand drawn?
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks, I used ExpressPCB as always. And I'm rather pleased with that voltage trigger - great little thingy.


----------



## Pageygeeza

bcg 27:  Actually I just noticed, is that all through hole components?


----------



## bcg27

Quote: 





pageygeeza said:


> bcg 27:  Actually I just noticed, is that all through hole components?


 

 Everything in the alpha 10 is through hole. Same with the beta 22. All the ICs are smd in the gamma 2 though.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

How do you get ExpressPCB to print out?
  I didn't think it would print layouts...
  
  Quote: 





reintz said:


> Thanks, I used ExpressPCB as always. And I'm rather pleased with that voltage trigger - great little thingy.


----------



## Reintz

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> How do you get ExpressPCB to print out?
> I didn't think it would print layouts...


 


  I use pdf995 http://www.pdf995.com/ Just install it and when you print in ExpressPCB then choose "PDF995" as your printer. Instead of printing, it creates a .pdf file of the layout. Then just print that .pdf file.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Thats good information for anyone looking for a good/free layout program.
  I'll try and remember to pass that on to people. I use Eagle myself now,
  but I have used ExpressPCB  quite a bit when I was getting boards done at work.
  
  Quote: 





reintz said:


> I use pdf995 http://www.pdf995.com/ Just install it and when you print in ExpressPCB then choose "PDF995" as your printer. Instead of printing, it creates a .pdf file of the layout. Then just print that .pdf file.


----------



## wildcat46734

I was wondering if anyone had any extra heatshrink that they could send me? I would need about an inch or two of two different colors (preferably red and white) to identify the left and right side of a my headphones? PM me if you are able to help.
   
  Thanks


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Gorgeous work BCG, I bet that stack is keeping you warm this summer  
   
  I just finished my cute little AMB Mini Cubed. 
   

   
   
  As always, build notes and additional pics are here: DIYAudioBlog.com


----------



## bcg27

^^ Thanks, I love the steam punk look of your mini3


----------



## johnwmclean

bcg27, love it, well thought out build indeed.
   
   
  ...amazing casework HIGHFLYiN9, keeping in theme.


----------



## meme

That mini3 looks sweet, the grill adds a nice touch.
   
  For the last six months, on and off, my time has been spent building a Beta22!
   

   
  It isn't quite finished yet, as I have to properly wire up the inputs and sort out the slight rat's nest around the back.
   

   
  Owing to me making the case a little too small, I decided to go with a two channel version instead of the originally planned active ground configuration.
   

   
  The cases are made from 3mm aluminium and copper sheet that has been brushed and lacquered. The side cheeks are heavily stained wood chopping boards, these are temporary until I find something better.
   

   

   
  Cheers!


----------



## bcg27

Nice job - very clean build, and your casework is very unique! What kind of attenuator is that?


----------



## MisterX

Nice Beta 22 build!
   
   
   
  Quote: 





> the grill adds a nice touch


 
  It does add a little something extra but good luck fitting a Chi1 battery board in there.


----------



## meme

Thanks guys - though I have nicked a few ideas from others.
   
  Quote: 





bcg27 said:


> What kind of attenuator is that?


 
   
  It's the standard (vishay-dale) version shunt type from Khozmo.


----------



## WobblyGoblin

Those look great, chopping boards look good when properly cleaned up


----------



## nattonrice

Excellent work!
  I love the ventilation scheme.
   
  Edit: did you jbweld (or similar epoxy) the perforated mesh?


----------



## Lil' Knight

Wow, stunning build! One of the most beautiful B22 I've seen. Great job!


----------



## IPodPJ

Very nice, meme.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Wow! Absolutely beautiful! Very nice clean build there Meme. The porthole vents and copper front plate are gorgeous touches.


----------



## JSTpt1022

It's a bit of nitpicking Trenchev but you might want to swap the position of the large bulk caps with the small caps so that they are closer to the input and output of the LDO (assuming that you laid the circuit out similarly to the schematic). If the schematic is different than the actual layout then I would only say that typical conventions are to place bulk caps below the voltage nodes and the small bypass/stability caps at the pins. Other than that, nice design!
  
  Quote: 





g.trenchev said:


> Well,It's my design,but there's nothing special about it.A buffered opamp.It's similar to "The Wire",but simpler,so I think that should be "The Wire Lite" then
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## meme

Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> did you jbweld (or similar epoxy) the perforated mesh?


 


  I did consider various ways of fixing the mesh, but decided to simply clamp it in place between the top panel and angle. I'd actually never heard of JB Weld before, looks interesting.
   
  Anyway - thanks for the compliments everyone!


----------



## ujamerstand

meme, did you brush the aluminum panels yourself or did you have somebody else do it for you?


----------



## FullCircle

In my opinion, that is SAWEET, if not just SICK.  I would keep the wood, the color just sets it off!  All if it is so very clean. I give it a 10!

  
  Quote: 





meme said:


> That mini3 looks sweet, the grill adds a nice touch.
> 
> For the last six months, on and off, my time has been spent building a Beta22!
> 
> ...


----------



## meme

Quote:


fullcircle said:


> In my opinion, that is SAWEET, if not just SICK.  I would keep the wood, the color just sets it off!  All if it is so very clean. I give it a 10!


 

 OK ...you convinced me, I'll keep the wood 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I must say, your IEMs are simply beautiful works of sculpture. Lovely stuff!
  
  Quote: 





ujamerstand said:


> meme, did you brush the aluminum panels yourself or did you have somebody else do it for you?


 
   
  I did it by repeatedly dragging 80 grit production paper towards me while the panel was secured with masking tape wrapped sticky side out around a block of wood. Afterwards I did the same thing with scotch-bright to smooth and even out the surface before applying the clear coat.
   
  It isn't a difficult effect to achieve, as long as you keep pulling the paper in straight and continuous lines.


----------



## nattonrice

I've done the same in the past to good effect.
  An alternative to scotch-bright is some 0000 steel-wool.


----------



## Dan55

Quote: 





bcg27 said:


> So it took me longer than I expected, but I finally finished off my AMB alpha 10. Here are some pics:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 Looks awesome, bcg! Would you mind telling me where you got the case work done? Did you adjust the firmware at all?


----------



## Meliboeus

This is a four channel LM1876 "Gainclone" amplifier, it's just the recommended noninverting schematic with a minimalist power supply consisting of a diode bridge and a pair of 3300 uF caps per board, each fed by an 80VA toroid. It's a cheap and compact design, right now it powers a pair of active speakers via a L-R crossover filter.


----------



## bcg27

Quote: 





dan55 said:


> Looks awesome, bcg! Would you mind telling me where you got the case work done? Did you adjust the firmware at all?


 

 Thanks. The boxes are clear anodized custom par metal 20 series 12x12x3 so that the rear panel can be removed like the front. The panels themselves were milled by front panel express. Everything else was done by me. The firmware is esentially stock, the only change I made was to slightly increase the timeout when it is learning remote control commands. I had a bit of trouble with the setup timing out as I was searching for which button I wanted to use for a given function.


----------



## pus2meong

SOSLE (Smiling One Side Laser Eye) Amp   <= exaggerated name 
  Basically, just a standar Cmoy with one LED and with smiling face....
   
  This is my first attempt to build an amp. After I looking around over the internet, I decided to build Cmoy.
  The boom boom sound is good, but other than that everything are completely garbage T_T (probably because of my bad soldering and cheap components) 

   
  I dont have any puncher so... the result is messy.
  This amp supposed to have LED in both in and out jack, but since I dont have any spare resistor, I leave the second LED unconnected (that's why I came with SOSLE name).

   
  Need to go to electronic parts shop tomorrow because the volume control is a single channel pot (while I'm using Dual Op-Amp)


----------



## FallenAngel

Great start into DIY, congrats!  Let's see her naked! Open the case.


----------



## pus2meong

Here is the messy inside.
  The protoboard that I used for this DIY project is annoying, because the copper plate for each hole are too close to each other. One tiny soldering mistake, a short circuit will happen.
  Because of this, I use jumper cable all over the board. Not a wise decision but, oh well... I don't want too ambitious for this first attempt. My main goal is a working amp 
   
  I use cheap LM358P Dual Op-Amp.
  Don't wanna fried a pricy Op-Amp, so cheap one will do... 

   
   
  Without the volume control, this amp is turning my Headphone into a loud speaker...
  I don't want to install the Pot because I only got single channel Pot, but without Pot, the sound is too loud (I even try to set the DSi volume into 9%, still very loud).

   
  I will build another Cmoy with better PCB, and better components after this.
   
   
*EDIT: 17 July 2011*
  The momment I'm writing this, I just finished doing a test for my second Cmoy.
  The sound quality is completely better than the first one (my bad soldering).
  Because the tutorial got many optional for gain (and I wanna know the different), I use two 8 Pin DIP socket to housing the resistors


----------



## TestSubject

Pictures?


----------



## pus2meong

R2 to R5 Resistor using DIP Socket housing for gain experiment, may be I should using socket for the caps too?
  I use OPA2134PA now, but LM358 still sounding a nice result in this second build (at least better than the first build).

   

   
  Now using Stereo pot. But this pot is too big, since I reuse the tin from the first build and the DIP socket also eat more space, I have to remove the LED.

   
  Adding DC power jack to save battery when I'm at home.

  Based on the tutorial, I have to seal the ground from the tin surface. So I use electrical tape and small rubber hose.


----------



## WhiteCrow

I wish I know how to build a DAC, that way I wouldn't have to buy one...well aside form the DAC bundle.


----------



## jr41

Quote: 





whitecrow said:


> I wish I know how to build a DAC, that way I wouldn't have to buy one...well aside form the DAC bundle.


 

 Why don't you look into one of the well documented DIY projects, such as AMB's y1/y2?


----------



## DoYouRight

Pics coming soon of my new setup that is in planning stages. Buffalo3 when available and new B22 as I gave my gear to my dad 
   
   
  Loving the work on that tube amp Ferrari!


----------



## Ikarios

Quote: 





jr41 said:


> Why don't you look into one of the well documented DIY projects, such as AMB's y1/y2?


 

 Or even easier, build a GrubDAC or GrubCableDAC from one of Beezar's kits?


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





pus2meong said:


> R2 to R5 Resistor using DIP Socket housing for gain experiment, may be I should using socket for the caps too?
> I use OPA2134PA now, but LM358 still sounding a nice result in this second build (at least better than the first build).
> 
> 
> ...


 

 What tutorial did you use to help you build your CMoy? I'm using the TangentSoft guide. I like the little holders you have for the resistors, where did you find a pair? I'm waiting to get some wire and I'll see how *bad of a* solder job I do.


----------



## kchapdaily

the holders are just ic sockets you can find them at radioshack


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





kchapdaily said:


> the holders are just ic sockets you can find them at radioshack


 

 Ah I see. I didn't know you could put resistors in an IC socket. I've only used them to place op-amps on the board. >_<


----------



## kchapdaily

i think they probably have to be the cheaper radioshack type though. i dont think the good machined ones will work.


----------



## pus2meong

Quote: 





miceblue said:


> What tutorial did you use to help you build your CMoy? I'm using the TangentSoft guide. I like the little holders you have for the resistors, where did you find a pair? I'm waiting to get some wire and I'll see how *bad of a* solder job I do.


 

 I'm using Tangent's guide too.
  Just like what kchapdaily said, I use IC socket/DIP socket. You can buy it in any major electronic parts shop.
   
  Btw, another build, resistors and caps are more cheaper in my country 
  This one is using Alps RK097 pot (the one with switch).


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





pus2meong said:


> I'm using Tangent's guide too.
> Just like what kchapdaily said, I use IC socket/DIP socket. You can buy it in any major electronic parts shop.
> 
> Btw, another build, resistors and caps are more cheaper in my country
> This one is using Alps RK097 pot (the one with switch).


 

 Nice! It looks fantastic. The CMoy I'm planning to build will also use an RK097 potentiometer.


----------



## FullCircle




----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


>


 

 DIY?


----------



## Ikarios

Quote: 





defqon said:


> DIY?


 


 If you go back a few pages you'll see that FullCircle is an IEM magician and regularly uses witchcraft to produce his treasures.


----------



## kchapdaily

heres my starving student
   

   
  working on finding a better volume knob  i found this one at my local electronics store


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


>


 


  Darn! these things look tasty!


----------



## zammykoo

Quote: 





kchapdaily said:


> heres my starving student
> 
> 
> 
> working on finding a better volume knob  i found this one at my local electronics store


 

 Very nice dude! What kind of wood is that?


----------



## jdkJake

kchapdaily said:


> heres my starving student




Also, how about a pic or two of the p2p wiring!


----------



## kchapdaily

its cherry
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  ill take some pics of the inside tomorrow but i didnt do p2p i used a proto board from ratshack


----------



## Ikarios

Quote: 





kchapdaily said:


> its cherry
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 user TestSubject would probably be interested in seeing your protoboard layout...
  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/561994/sripboard-design-starving-student-millett-hybrid-vacum-tube-amp


----------



## kchapdaily

Quote: 





ikarios said:


> user TestSubject would probably be interested in seeing your protoboard layout...
> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/561994/sripboard-design-starving-student-millett-hybrid-vacum-tube-amp


 


  ive been keeping up with testsubjects progress and i think he/she is pretty dead set on designing the layout. 
   
  right now my tubes are kind of just floating in the holes because i forgot to order socket mounting brackets. but i have some in the mail and once there installed it should look better.


----------



## pus2meong

Voltage Indicator for my Cmoy.
   Still not that accurate, but at least it work.

  Two LEDs, Red and Blue (I should use Green) will light up with a new battery.
  When the battery start to dropping, the blue LED will dimmer and off. When the battery voltage is more lower, the Red LED will dimmer and eventualy off, a sign for a new fresh battery replacement.


----------



## Beftus

Two LED's for a voltage indicator? Why not just one? If battery life is important stick with a single LED, IMO. Now you have two LED's eating away at the available battery capacity...


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Maybe you should try this one...
  
  Quote: 





pus2meong said:


> Voltage Indicator for my Cmoy.
> Still not that accurate, but at least it work.
> 
> Two LEDs, Red and Blue (I should use Green) will light up with a new battery.
> When the battery start to dropping, the blue LED will dimmer and off. When the battery voltage is more lower, the Red LED will dimmer and eventualy off, a sign for a new fresh battery replacement.


----------



## pus2meong

Quote: 





beftus said:


> Two LED's for a voltage indicator? Why not just one? If battery life is important stick with a single LED, IMO. Now you have two LED's eating away at the available battery capacity...


 
  My main goal at first is to get simple sign if the battery is already too low for powering the amp. The LEDs already dimmer even with a new battery because I use higher resistor value. 
   
  Actually I want to use RGB LED, but I still can't figure it out how to turn on the LED one by one based on the battery voltage level. Blue willl light up when using DC power jack, Green will light up when the battery is full, and then RED will light up when the battery is low.
   
  Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Maybe you should try this one...


 

 Oh thanks! I'll try


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Finally finished up my Millett Jonokuchi. Took quite a while as I was waiting months for the powder-coater to get around to painting it. 
   

   

   
   

   
   
  Full build details and pics are available here: http://www.diyaudioblog.com/2011/02/starting-pete-milletts-jonokuchi.html


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

And another build I just finished up, a hot-rodded Dynaco ST35 amplifier. 
   

   
   

   
   
  Full build notes and pics available here: http://www.diyaudioblog.com/2011/06/customized-dynaco-st35-kit.html


----------



## kchapdaily

amazing job! i love the jonokuchi! first class stuff


----------



## riktw

I made a small headphone amp, its using LME49990 OPAMP's, but even with 1Ghz+ current feedback opamps it stable and working perfectly.
  Its not in a nice case at the moment, but it sounds nice so i'm going to make something for it


----------



## Navyblue

My first amp. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Yet another Beta 22.
   

   
  The wiring took me much longer that I thought to complete. If you wonder what's with those wiring, the inner left rotary switch is the usual input selector. The left most rotary switch is a bypass output selector, so this box also can serve as a input switch box for other headphone amp or preamp, eliminating the need for RCA splitter when using the same sources for multiple headphone amp / preamp. The right rotary switch is the line level output selector, it chooses to output from the internal amp boards or from other preamp/receiver. So this is also an input switch box for the power amp.
   

   
  Completed main enclosure.
   

   
  Transformer enclosure. I added a fuse holder after the photo. If you notice there are extra holes, switch and space. Those are for my planned second amp, the SOHA II. This enclosure also serves as a mains filter for my sources, hence the IEC outlet (will be shown in later photo).
   

   
  Back of the enclosures. You might not see it from this angle, but the alignment of the RCA jacks is atrocious, I haven't handled a drill in a while. I also cheated and used a male cable mounted speakon as the transformer inlet. I don't have any means to cut a square hole. This is where it showed that I am new at this. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

   
  In the stack. The LED indicator behind the volume knob is much dimmer in person. I shouldn't have used diffused LEDs. the colour of the LED also doesn't match with the rest of the LED (440 vs 460 nm). Fortunately it looks decent enough from the front without any major flaw, considering my relative ineptitude in case work.
   

   
  The transformer enclosure, with the non-functioning (yet) switch at the right.
   

   
  The stacks. A new DAC (Rega DAC) is coming in, to be placed on top of the right stack. The upcoming SOHA II will be on top of the left stack. The SOHA II will use an enclosure having identical foot print and look to the power supply enclosure, but taller. I got the details all planned. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I actually got the enclosure, knobs and switches ahead of the innards.
   

   
  Another angle. I also built the wooden spacers for heat dissipation on top of the Beta 22 and the speaker power amp. They can get a little warm. The Beta 22, and the upcoming SOHA II will be used mostly as preamp for my speaker setup. I only listen to headphones when it is late at night these days.
   

   
  Thanks for looking.


----------



## cyberspyder

A neat trick: Use a D-mount Speakon/Powercon jack. That way you only need to drill a hole for the jack portion as the rectangular plate sits on the outside.


----------



## kchapdaily

Quote: 





cyberspyder said:


> A neat trick: Use a D-mount Speakon/Powercon jack. That way you only need to drill a hole for the jack portion as the rectangular plate sits on the outside.


 


  great advice!


----------



## Navyblue

How does this D-mount look like? Different from the panel mount I guess?
   
  Actually the panel mount does not require a square hole, but it requires a pretty large round hole, larger than all the drill bits I have. May be I should get a larger stepped drill.


----------



## cyberspyder

No, if you are referring to the Speakon/Powercon panel mount, then we are talking about the same thing. D-size chassis mount is the standard name for this type of connector, yes, they do require a large bit, I believe Irwin makes one big enough, maybe a number 3?


----------



## Nisbeth

15/16" or 24mm is the right size for the Neutriks
   
   
  /U.


----------



## Revy

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Finally finished up my Millett Jonokuchi. Took quite a while as I was waiting months for the powder-coater to get around to painting it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

  
  Wow, that's neat! Did you make the enclosure yourself?


----------



## livewire

That amp has got bugs on it....
  Wazzup with that?


----------



## DingoSmuggler

looks like a scarab, maybe the builder wants to use this amp in the afterlife


----------



## funch

At least the bugs are on the outside, not the inside.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Very nice build, BTW.


----------



## FullCircle




----------



## kchapdaily

those look incredible! amazing work!


----------



## DefQon

FullCircle can you teach me how to make one of those?


----------



## livewire

WAT? Are you missing an ear???


----------



## cyberspyder

Haha.


----------



## forsakenrider

Fullcircle, where do you get the wire plugs from? or are the cables not removable?


----------



## FullCircle

Sorry, I don't fully understand the question, but if you are asking if the cables are removable, the answer is yes


----------



## FullCircle




----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





revy said:


> Wow, that's neat! Did you make the enclosure yourself?


 
  Nah, it's an off-the-shelf Hammond enclosure that received quite a bit of attention from the drill press.
   
  Quote: 





dingosmuggler said:


> looks like a scarab, maybe the builder wants to use this amp in the afterlife


 
  Haha, clever. The amp features a pair of brass scarabs, one on each output transformer. I felt like they went with the look. As an afterthought; Jonokuchi means "low-level wrestler" in Japanese and scarab beetles act as miniature wrestlers in countries such as Japan for entertainment... so that's my art school answer


----------



## forsakenrider

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> Sorry, I don't fully understand the question, but if you are asking if the cables are removable, the answer is yes


 


  Im wondering where you get the actual plugs (male and female) for the removable wires.
   
  They really looks wonderful!!


----------



## FullCircle

Males are already on the cables to begin with, the female sockets, those were more difficult to find.


----------



## tranhieu

That's why he was asking where to find them...


----------



## FullCircle

In my case, I had them custom made. But for a quicker sollution (but not a perfect one) 
  one can carefully drill out an IC socket.


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


>


 

 Holy moly those look amazing! How long did it take you to make that?


----------



## FullCircle

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> In my case, I had them custom made. But for a quicker sollution (but not a perfect one)
> one can carefully drill out an IC socket.


 


    Here is a photo of a set I made with drilled out IC sockets


----------



## Ikarios

FullCircle, if you happen to live anywhere nearby I wouldn't mind heading over and having you fit me for a pair of customs


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Yes, I'd love to get one of his creations too!
   
  Quote: 





ikarios said:


> FullCircle, if you happen to live anywhere nearby I wouldn't mind heading over and having you fit me for a pair of customs


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> Here is a photo of a set I made with drilled out IC sockets


 


 Man you truly are an artist!


----------



## Bizzel

Just finished up an AMB Sigma25 for +5v use. It sits alongside its big brother in my Hurricane power supply unit (very much a work in progress!) and is fed from a Sigma24. T'was a snap to put together and seems to do a good job of regulation when loaded.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





bizzel said:


> Just finished up an AMB Sigma25 for +5v use. It sits alongside its big brother in my Hurricane power supply unit (very much a work in progress!) and is fed from a Sigma24. T'was a snap to put together and seems to do a good job of regulation when loaded.


 


  What's this going to be powering?


----------



## Bizzel

The amp I'm building is a Dynamid - the two Dynalo boards run off the S22 while the S25 powers the Arduino, status LEDs, current and temperature sensors and an LCD (at the front of the enclosure above, not visible).
   
  It was originally just going to be a Dynalo in a lunch box but, like all my projects, it's suffered from serious scope creep! With the custom backplane PCBs (as opposed to point->point wiring), AMB supplies and a Goldpoint attenuator I'm hoping it'll go toe-to-toe with the Headamp GS-X in terms of sound quality.
   
  Here's a (poor quality, sorry!) picture of the whole shebang - the front panels are done but the inside and rear panels of the amp itself aren't fully assembled yet. Power supply is on the bottom, which is what the above photos show the inside of.
   

  Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> What's this going to be powering?


----------



## JohnFerrier

ThorstenL: "I learned things I NEVER wanted to about how magnetic fields behave . . ."
   
  Several plies of 16 gauge steel to enclose a torroid and chokes. Top covers removed. (Not quite done with this, yet.)


----------



## avid2010

Thanks Wizard for the tip on using IC Sockets for the female pin on the IEMs


----------



## MrSlim

That thing better have wheels when you are finished..  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  Quote: 





johnferrier said:


> ThorstenL: "I learned things I NEVER wanted to about how magnetic fields behave . . ."
> 
> Several plies of 16 gauge steel to enclose a torroid and chokes. Top covers removed. (Not quite done with this, yet.)


----------



## funch

Nah. Just re-direct the magnetic fields to levitate it. Should work fine, but make sure that it's not
  hovering over something you want to keep when you turn it off. Like your foot!


----------



## jmwreck

you guys are awesome!
   
  here is my build:
   
  Cmoy with modified power circuit


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





bizzel said:


> The amp I'm building is a Dynamid - the two Dynalo boards run off the S22 while the S25 powers the Arduino, status LEDs, current and temperature sensors and an LCD (at the front of the enclosure above, not visible).
> 
> It was originally just going to be a Dynalo in a lunch box but, like all my projects, it's suffered from serious scope creep! With the custom backplane PCBs (as opposed to point->point wiring), AMB supplies and a Goldpoint attenuator I'm hoping it'll go toe-to-toe with the Headamp GS-X in terms of sound quality.
> 
> Here's a (poor quality, sorry!) picture of the whole shebang - the front panels are done but the inside and rear panels of the amp itself aren't fully assembled yet. Power supply is on the bottom, which is what the above photos show the inside of.


 

 I managed to get in on the new Dynahi Balanced board run, so I hope, eventually (sometime in the next century) to build something similar.


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





jmwreck said:


> you guys are awesome!
> 
> here is my build:
> 
> Cmoy with modified power circuit


 
   
  Nice soldering job! It looks waaaay better than my soldering skills, hahahahaha.


----------



## jmwreck

Quote: 





miceblue said:


> Nice soldering job! It looks waaaay better than my soldering skills, hahahahaha.


 

 THANKS


----------



## Bizzel

Cool, let us know when you get it started! I designed the backplane PCB and power supply in my amp so that I should be able to plug in Dynahi boards at a later date. I doubt the case provides enough cooling capacity though, so I may need to get creative if I ever upgrade.
  
  Quote: 





currawong said:


> I managed to get in on the new Dynahi Balanced board run, so I hope, eventually (sometime in the next century) to build something similar.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





jmwreck said:


> you guys are awesome!
> 
> here is my build:
> 
> Cmoy with modified power circuit


 


  what plastic enclosure is that your using?


----------



## johnwmclean

Perhaps something not often seen around these parts, my balanced dcb1...


----------



## .Sup

Very nice nice, clean work. Now I know why your nickname consists of the word "clean".


----------



## jmwreck

Quote: 





defqon said:


> what plastic enclosure is that your using?


 
  its an enclosure from thailand, i'm not sure about the brand though, bought it in local store here in SG


----------



## elliot42

Nice work as always, John.


----------



## jdkJake

Excellent build John. The attention to detail is superb.
   
  How are you going to use the buffer? Between your DAC and amps? Headphones or speakers (or both)?


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks guys,
   
  jdkJake,
  I plan to used the buffer for a speaker system, like this DAC > BUFFER > F5X.
  Volume control via DAC (Volumite) or possibly a standalone volume solution of some sorts.
  I’ve recently bought a very nice pair of digital attenuator boards from a recent GB which may be the ticket.


----------



## ujamerstand

blowtorch?


----------



## nattonrice

Awesome work again!


----------



## johnwmclean

Thanks Tom.



ujamerstand said:


> blowtorch?




Would be awesome ujamerstand.


----------



## Audiodoc

My latest EHHA reincarnation.


----------



## .Sup

Quote: 





audiodoc said:


> My latest EHHA reincarnation.


 


  Very nice doc, I like the neatness and quality jacks used in the back. How much did everything set you back? What are the speaker jacks for? I don't see any wires soldered onto them.


----------



## wdahm519

I might have put this in the thread already but here's an updated picture.  I will add more pics of the other amps I've built after I finish my PIMETA v2.  
   
  In this picture:
   
  - Bijou tube amp
  - Opus DAC
  - Silver Dragon DIY cable
  - Mogami interconnects (tying the DAC to the amp -- you can't see them)
  - DIY HD650 headphone stand


----------



## Audiodoc

@Sup
   
  Thanks! Got the Chassis with all the jacks as well as the knobs for around $80 with $80 more in customs duty and shipping to India. Hope to find a friend with a CNC machine back home. People here are selling aluminum enclosures for $250. The default casing had speaker terminals though I like them as I am be planning to convert the same into a speaker driving EHHA at a later date after changing my flimsy heat sinks to highly efficient ones.
   
  The components cost me a little less than the glassjar kit but much of the headache was shared by my friend gurubhai. Buying quality components is really tough in India. The biggest market in Delhi has 800 shops in a square kilometer and when you want to buy a component they ask you to buy at least 50 or 100!
   
  Added a blue LED behind the volume knob powered by the heater supply so I know when the amp is HOT!


----------



## .Sup

So it was even a bigger challenge to build this thing as parts are harder and costlier to obtain. Kudos! Again thanks for sharing the story. Can't wait to see more from you.


----------



## MrClean

Here's my heavily modified Bijou next to  Bottlehead recently integrated 2a3 Paramour amp with Foreplay preamp


----------



## johnwmclean

Good god that is beautiful work.
  Is there s chance of posting some more pics (close-ups) would be fantastic


----------



## amb

Quote: 





audiodoc said:


> My latest EHHA reincarnation.


 

 Audiodoc,
   
  How did you do the front panel?
  Did you use a service such as Front Panel Express or another machining service?  Or did the case come that way (if so where did you get it)?
  The "look" reminds me a bit of some Pass Labs power amps.


----------



## elliot42

Wow, stunning work, MrClean.
I love the way the grain curves in the recessed parts of the Bijou.


----------



## Audiodoc

@amb
   
  The front panel came that way from a firm in Hong Kong. Just did some drilling for the backlit LED.


----------



## Audiodoc

@Mr Clean: 
   
  Beautiful build.


----------



## FullCircle

My "Green Lantern"
   
  Sorry about the photo quality, images taken with an I-phone 4.


----------



## FullCircle

Some Cherry Reds I finished up a few weeks back.


----------



## .Sup

^^amazing


----------



## dBel84

Been a while since I scanned this thread ...... holy macaroons ! You folk are producing some real eye candy . congrats all round. 
   
  ps - a group buy for those chassis is in order audiodoc  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  ..dB


----------



## Audiodoc

Even I wanted two more of the same for a power amp and a subwoofer amplifier. They are solidly built.


----------



## cfcubed

I bet it is http://www.ebay.com/itm/220x311x90mm-All-Aluminum-Case-DIY-Audio-Equipment-/310345137118?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item484202fbde
 Caught my eye as well when I was searching for nice enclosures.
  Quote: 





amb said:


> Audiodoc,
> <snip>
> Or did the case come that way (if so where did you get it)?  The "look" reminds me a bit of some Pass Labs power amps.


----------



## Lil' Knight

That is one nice looking case. Not sure if the ventilation is enough though.


----------



## cfcubed

BTW I'll be on my 3rd case from that 8audio, they are good quality for the cost but adequate ventilation for class A stuff could be an issue with them.
  For sheetmetal/steel lids I've a 1/2" punch to try to make neat sets of holes with, but for the thick solid aluminum lids on these I do plunge cuts from below using an aluminum cutting circ saw blade:

   
  Will probably black-out the slots above & wet-sand the coarse finish faceplate above.   As we know casework is a large part of a DIY job & I'm finding attractive/adequate ventilation the more difficult part of that...  Of course when a case does not already have it or when not using machining services.
  Quote: 





lil' knight said:


> That is one nice looking case. Not sure if the ventilation is enough though.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> My "Green Lantern"
> 
> Sorry about the photo quality, images taken with an I-phone 4.


 

 Woo Carbon Fiber ::drool:: Nice work!


----------



## Audiodoc

I have also used their case and it is tough to drill large holes into aluminum without the proper drill bits. I had to drill a 2.5 cm diameter hole using a 1 cm drill bit took me 30 minutes and lot of sweat to get good results still it was not flawless though the neutrix headphone out covers it. If it is to be done for the top plate it should be perfectly round. Use a circular drill bit set used to cut holes in doors to fix locks etc. 
   
  Also buy the rhodium plated tube protectors from 8 audio, will look cool.


----------



## Audiodoc

@ cfcubed. You recognized it right it is the same casing had been searching an year to get a case which fits my EHHA perfectly. 
   
  http://www.ebay.com/itm/220x311x90mm-All-Aluminum-Case-DIY-Audio-Equipment-/310345137118?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item484202fbde
   
  I am upgrading my heatsinks and when the air inside heats up the top panel gets a little warm in an air conditioned room even after long listening sessions. If I have any heating issues will try to make something like a laptop cooler cum isolation stand for the same.


----------



## wdahm519

Just finished a somewhat maxed out PIMETA v2 today.  Some tweaks include the NiMH battery charger using a 9.6V NiMH battery, brown dog adapter for separate L/R opamps, all Vishay/Dale resistors, R11 resistors, Class A biasing, 3 power reservoir caps, C6 L/R direct soldered to R6 L/R, Alps RK27 potentiometer, the list goes on and on...
   
  Here are the pics!


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Just finished a somewhat maxed out PIMETA v2 today.  Some tweaks include the NiMH battery charger using a 9.6V NiMH battery, brown dog adapter for separate L/R opamps, all Vishay/Dale resistors, R11 resistors, Class A biasing, 3 power reservoir caps, C6 L/R direct soldered to R6 L/R, Alps RK27 potentiometer, the list goes on and on...
> 
> Here are the pics!


 

 Looking preetty good. I look forward to building a Pimeta one of these days.


----------



## mmayer167

nice build!  inside?
   
  M


----------



## wdahm519

I'll try and take a picture later of the inside when I've got time.


----------



## DefQon

I don't know how people can carry bricks like that around. And I thought my Zune + GSP/E11/Cmoy....was big.....


----------



## mmayer167

no bigs, dont go taking it all apart for one pic.  
   
  M


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





defqon said:


> I don't know how people can carry bricks like that around. And I thought my Zune + GSP/E11/Cmoy....was big.....


 


  I don't wa't around and listen to it.  I throw it in my bag for when I'm working at a desk or something in the Engineering building or main Library.  Its more a desktop away from home type use -- I don't really listen to music while walking around and such.


----------



## mmayer167

You mean you don't have a theme song you walk the halls and streets to!? haha    that would be a good thread idea, "Song you like to play while walking amongst many people, aka theme song"
   
  I didn't think it was that huge, it would definitely fit in a coat pocket. 
   
  M


----------



## lehtinel

My Super Simple 6DJ8 amp:
   
  Elna Silmic II electrolytic capacitors
  Solen Fast Cap output capacitors
  Alps 'Blue Velvet' pot
  JAN / Phillpis 6922 tube
   
  This makes for a dynamic and airy sound, liking it.
   

   

   

   

   
  Nothing special on the casing. A crude Eddystone / Hammond case painted in black, about as simple as the amp circuitry. Sweet and mellow.


----------



## DefQon

Looks cute.


----------



## .Sup

I like your build a lot ehtinel!


----------



## wdahm519

Not bad.  How does it sound?


----------



## lehtinel

Thanks guys, for my second project, it was a lot nicer to build than the Cmoys. A proper PCB does a LOT.
  
  Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Not bad.  How does it sound?


 
   
  Very nice, on my HD600 the sound is very detailed and airy. The treble part is really nice and clean, the 'kling' in the intro of  Band of Horses 'No One's Gonna Love You' is unbeliveable krisp.


----------



## youngngray

Wow, after going through nearly this entire thread all I can say is wow for some of those builds. Also wow for how long it took too...
   
  Anyway, I finally finished going through this thread and now I wanted to share my first foray into DIY, a Tangent-style Cmoy.

   

   

   
  Now I'm off to learn everything I can about circuitry and headphone amps so that I can design and build one as a product for my culminating class (do research all year, write a paper, present a product). Any links that you've found especially useful (and ones you haven't) in this regard would be much appreciated!


----------



## wdahm519

OMG... Biggest... CMOY... EVER!!
   
  But hey, as long as it works, no one can complain right?  Either way, congrats on the build!  Now that you've got that under your belt, there will be much more to come.
   
   
  As for links, I don't have any links to share with you but be sure to check out the other Tangent projects like the PIMETA v2 which is an incredible amp.  Also, AMB Labs has tons of amps and DAC's for you to build, and they also bring a lot to the table.  Twisted Pear Audio sells a lot of boards for their projects, I've built an Opus DAC using their boards and its a great DAC.  I highly recommend checking them out as well.  The last major stop on my list would be Cavalli Audio.  He's got a small plethora of amazing amps to build too.


----------



## wje

Quote: 





youngngray said:


> Anyway, I finally finished going through this thread and now I wanted to share my first foray into DIY, a Tangent-style Cmoy.


 
   
  That is really nice.  It's kind of change from the CMOY in the Altoid tin option - not that the Altoid tin is a bad option at all.  I realize the beauty of the CMOY is in its portability, but has someone come up with a design for using a power supply with it - or, rather a power adapter?  Buying 2 9V batteries a time @ $5.50 would kill my wallet.  Thanks,


----------



## youngngray

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> OMG... Biggest... CMOY... EVER!!


 

  
  Haha, yea I would have gone for a tin, but I ended up getting those HUGE input caps that it just wasn't possible anymore. So instead I just found some random small-ish box around the house and used it. I wasn't really planning on using that much past learning anyway. At least this'll teach me to read the spec sheet before I buy again...


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





youngngray said:


> At least this'll teach me to read the spec sheet before I buy again...


 

 Its a good skill to have


----------



## Tommy Thong

My Mosfet Power Amp


----------



## .Sup

looks scary. How does it sound?


----------



## Tommy Thong

Yeah, it looks damn-big scary monster for 250 watt/ch class ab (4 pairs Power-Mosfet installed), btw  It sounded great bass response, good detail n sound-stage.


----------



## wdahm519

I hope this isn't a headphone amp.


----------



## Tommy Thong

Nope, it's power amp bro


----------



## Tommy Thong

My CMOY headphone amp with 2pcs OPA27


----------



## miceblue

I don't know if some of you have seen this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/573548/cmoy-power-circuit-debugging-help, but I'm kind of stuck in the processes of building my first Tangent CMoy. 

If you can provide any help or feedback, I would very much appreciate it.


----------



## AmarokCZ

Prototype of my electrostatic headamp (and STAX SR-3):
   

  ...and inside:


----------



## wdahm519

*Drool*
   
  Thats awesome.  Does it actually sound good?
   
  I'd love to transition to STAX sometime... its a big investment though.


----------



## AmarokCZ

Yep, those 40 years old cans with this amp sounds just amazing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  It's DIY part of forum .... here is schematic.


----------



## nattonrice

This is my take on a diy bhse.
   
  The front panel is Australian Jarrah and the panels are powder coated in antiqued copper.
  It is a stroke of blind luck that they somewhat "match".
  Unfortunately my craphouse camera does not show how nice the wood turned out.
   
  I used the same teflon tube sockets and teflon stax jack that were used on the t2.
  Speaking of which, I've just noticed its bigger brother is in the background of the first photo heh.
   
  It sounds rather excellent (!) and produces enough raw wattage in heat to completely negate the need for a space heater.


----------



## sachu

nicely done. congrats


----------



## .Sup

very nice!


----------



## livewire

WOW!
  She is a beauty.
   
  Where did you find the BH board set, especially the current source pcb's?


----------



## Beefy

Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> This is my take on a diy bhse.....


 

 Yowza! Looks like you have used original BH boards, but added a CCS load on the output tubes?


----------



## wink

Wunnerful, wunnerful......
  2 things.
  Are you gonna put a jarrah face to the power supply?
  Are you gonna upgrade the DACT-2 to a RK50 or Khozmo?


----------



## Hackez

Quote: 





nattonrice said:


> This is my take on a diy bhse.


 

 Beautiful. How much time would you say you have invested in it?


----------



## nattonrice

Quote: 





livewire said:


> Where did you find the BH board set, especially the current source pcb's?


 
   
  Quote: 





beefy said:


> Looks like you have used original BH boards, but added a CCS load on the output tubes?


 

 Indeed! The original pcb's were a last set of old ones that KG had lying around.
  I had the ixy ccs board made because I didn't want to pay ludicrous sums for 1968's and I kinda wanted to have a "bhse" ccs (minus a couple of things).
  The only slightly unusual thing was moving all of the components of the -300v supply to the little board as well for construction reasons.
   
   
  Quote: 





wink said:


> Are you gonna put a jarrah face to the power supply?
> Are you gonna upgrade the DACT-2 to a RK50 or Khozmo?


 

 Haha I don't consider the jaycar plastic box worthy of a wood faceplate... that and it sits up the back or underneath outta view.
  I don't plan on using the vol control actually (I intend to use volumite) so the dact is purely there for "legacy" reasons lol
   
   
  Quote: 





hackez said:


> Beautiful. How much time would you say you have invested in it?


 

 It has been kicking around my floor in this semi-state for about 2 months due to having no free time.
  If you mean my personal time then probably a solid 2 days worth of hours I'd think.
  The panel and pcb designs (there is also a simple timer pcb I had made for want of no perf board this time around) tool about 2-3 hours as there was nothing complicated there and mainly measurement checking. Stuffing was probably 2 hours. 
  Finishing the front panel, drilling and aligning / tapping the heatsinks and brackets, wiring and checking, etc (ie caswork) probably consumed the greatest amount of time because I'm slow and anal about those things.
   
  As is the going story I seem to be spending less and less time each new build... how ever the period of time the junk sits on my floor in an unfinished state seems to be on some exponential climb =S


----------



## elliot42

Beautiful build, Tom. Glad to see it finished.


----------



## johnwmclean

Tom, that is beautiful. I really like the personal style you've put into it.
Too early to form an impression against the Kgss?


----------



## wink

It's missing the big gold knob..........
  It's the only thing that makes the KGSS look glitzier.....


----------



## qusp

> I don't plan on using the vol control actually (I intend to use volumite) so the dact is purely there for "legacy" reasons lol
> 
> 
> 
> As is the going story I seem to be spending less and less time each new build... how ever the period of time the junk sits on my floor in an unfinished state seems to be on some exponential climb =S


 

  
  haha its an Aussie back slapping party 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  good job!! superb casework as usual Tom, 'cept it wont be the volumite but acko's version of it plus mcu , way to set the sniggering and tut tuttering off hehe, seriously, what miniscule tradeoffs there are are far outweighed by the advantages and less than any other form of control i know of.
   
  as far as the time spent on the floor, that might also be due to the sheer amount of stuff you take on at any one time growing exponentially, as with the scale of each project. me knows the syndrome well


----------



## nattonrice

Indeed although for the start it will be the old buf32s and volumite.
  The ackoDAC is the next on the bench and will eventually take over main duties so to speak.
   
  I'm on a massive reduction-of-stupidity currently.
  That floor in the picture is the sexiest it's looked in about 4 years.


----------



## qusp

yeah i nose, but not for long with any luck. yeah my stupidity is reaching a cresendo and hopefully will settle down, 2 projects nearing completion and then a crapload of casework to knock off a few more,


----------



## Magedark

Never again will I buy this kind of iPod dock connector.


----------



## tamu

Quote: 





magedark said:


> Never again will I buy this kind of iPod dock connector.


 

 Why not, I think they are pretty good..
   
  Also I just finished my new soha.. nothg special though


----------



## Magedark

Fitting everything in there was a nightmare. I prefer a bit larger dock. Maybe next time, I'll just drill a side hole.


----------



## AmarokCZ

Another amplifier prototype (this time for "ordinary" dynamic headphones) with crappy PSU everything in quite tiny box ... but sounds extremely good (suprisingly with no hum and noise).
   
  Inside:

   
  Front view:

   
  And back:


----------



## .Sup

Nice Amarok! How much did all the parts cost you?


----------



## AmarokCZ

In Czech Republic it was approx. 40€, two LT1122 OAmps was free sample from Linear.


----------



## VinnieLee

The start of what seems to be an expensive hobby, my first DIY audio build: AMB M3 with Sigma11.  Excited to be finished, and sounds great!  Pictured with ATH-M50's.


----------



## Magedark

Looks beautiful Vinnie! Gorgeous first post by the way.


----------



## elliot42

Nice clean build, Vinnie. Looks great!
Yes, this can be an expensive hobby. I find it's best not to think about the money spent, just about the enjoyment gained


----------



## sarals

Fellas, I am slowly working my way through this thread.  I am so astounded, impressed, inspired, mesmerized and in love with everything I have seen here!  The workmanship, the care, the ingenuity, the artistry - it's all there, and it's all beautiful.  Everything is just gorgeous!  This gal is so impressed.  My congrats to you all! 
   
  Now, I'm going to have to try this.  I've built many a kit, but not a DIY.  I will now - I'm inspired!


----------



## wdahm519

This isn't an amp, but an isolation table for my Technics SL-1300 turntable with AT120E cartridge.  I designed it entirely myself, and it uses springs to isolate the table instead of just damp the table's vibrations using sand or another solid medium.
   
  Here's the table underneath my turntable:
   

   
  And here's its performance:


----------



## Magedark

Its feet look really cool...There's just something about it. Or are those the springs?


----------



## dontdiewondering

Jarrah, you can't beat it!
   
I'm in the process of making a Jarrah and aluminum case for the Decware Zen Head and then for the ends of a Gainclone (Similar to Peter Daniels integrated amp).
   
Great work!


----------



## dean0

Bijou Amp


----------



## .Sup

amazin dean0


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





magedark said:


> Its feet look really cool...There's just something about it. Or are those the springs?


 


  Nope, the springs are inside the chassis.  The feet are brass spikes that are height adjustable.


----------



## johnwmclean

Beautiful Bijou, congrats.


----------



## sachu

Sweet Bijou..those knobs and the caps are wicked looking!! kudos


----------



## dean0

Thanks!


----------



## Audiodoc

Upgraded the EHHA with Aavid heatsinks for the sigma 22 and 2.5 inch sinks for the output BJT. Couldn't use the Aavid's for the output transistors becoz there was not enough space. 
  They get hot but I don't think that it will be problem. One of the transistors on the sigma 22 is cold while the parallel one is twice hot, nothing changed even after changing the cold transistor. Changed input and output wiring to shielded type and added a delay circuit to protect the tubes. Peace of mind as Sachu says!
   
  Everything is working fine will do anything about the cold transistor as the heat of its parallel transistor is being handled well by the Aavids though will check with AMB labs. I have spare IRF9Z34s so if one smokes can change.
   

   
  Some equipment for my gainclone LM3886 amp parts will arrive tomorrow. Will be up and running this weekend.


----------



## wdahm519

Nice!  I just ordered everything for my EHHA Rev A.  Its going to be a great build!


----------



## Paul Blythe

Hi, finished my very first build, a CMoy head'amp as per Tangetsoft's design ... finished the wiring last night [friday] and have been impressed that it not only works but sounds quite good also
   
  I'm still not sure on how many batteries I want to use, so just passed the power cable throught the back panel so I can decide later.
   

   

   

   
  I made a few mistakes as I went along, but have learned much and want to try adding buffers, class-a bias and maybe trying two boards [1 per channel] on my next builds ...
   
  Thanks
   
  Paul


----------



## .Sup

I like it a lot Paul! Congratulations!


----------



## madcap386

Just finished building my O2 amp.. Pretty solid piece of hardware...


----------



## BenAdamson

Wow, that's a beautiful amp madcap, and great photos too! How big is it?


----------



## madcap386

Quote: 





benadamson said:


> Wow, that's a beautiful amp madcap, and great photos too! How big is it?


 

  
  Here's a comparison:


----------



## stixx

SOHA I that I bought uncased from a former Headwize member and put in a vintage cookie box.


----------



## stixx

And finally, eventually my Aikido Parafeed headphone amp. I had it playing music on the
  breadboard for 1.5 years but it took forever to get it cased up.
   
  Tubes are 6CG7 RCA clear top and 6H30DR, boards are the first ones from Broskie with
  one of the boards rewired to have a symmetrical layout.
   
  The PSU is all regulated with a Salas HV shunt for B+ and a LM1084-based reg for the
  heaters. The PSU is in a separate case connected to the amplifier via thoroughly braided
  wires and XLR connectors (3 pole for B+ and 5 pole for the heaters).
   
  The Parafeed OPT's are custom wound C-core units from AE Europe in the Netherlands
  providing two secondary taps for 300 ohm and 64 ohm headphones. As Parafeed caps
  I am using ERO KP capacitors bypassed with a massive R. Jahre Mica.


----------



## stixx

err, forgot the look under the hood...


----------



## tranhieu

^ beautiful! very nice and clean!


----------



## Kerry

That's a really nice build.  Very elegant


----------



## Parall3l

Amazing builds people 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'll eventually post my yet to be started Beta 22 build here


----------



## jdkJake

Beautiful work stixx.

What attenuator is that you are using?


----------



## tranhieu

looks like a diy stepped attenuator, but you can always buy a complete one from ebay.

  
  Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Beautiful work stixx.
> What attenuator is that you are using?


----------



## stixx

Thank you everybody!
   
  @jdkJake: Its one of those DIY attenuators you can buy on Ebay. This one I got assembled years ago from a guy in Korea (when I recall correctly), realized with silver wire as the main rings and Caddock resistors. When you turn it all the way with headphones on it has minor switching noise (to put it that way 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) but I am listening in max three positions of the pot only...


----------



## John In Cali

Any cance i coul get a sematic? Sorry my keyboars acting funky
  Tis is to lehtinel


----------



## stixx

Don't exactly know what you mean...
  Aikido schematics are all over the place... just google.
  I think the latest revision is RevD .


----------



## John In Cali

Ya sorry is was to lehtinel from five pages back. Probably should have just PM'ed him.


----------



## .Sup

amazing stixx


----------



## lehtinel

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Ya sorry is was to lehtinel from five pages back. Probably should have just PM'ed him.


 


  Got your message and PM:ed you right back!


----------



## mmayer167

These gorgeous builds are making me wish i had time to get all googley eyed over my solder iron!   great work all!
   
  M


----------



## sarals

This is a kit, not really a DIY.  This is my Project Sunrise amp, SN K0010.  It was a fast, easy build.  Jeremy did a terrific job with this kit!!  I've got the top loose, because I'm doing tube rolling and I fiddle with the bias each time.  In the pictures a Telefunken ECC88 is fitted.  So far, it's my favorite tube!  SQ is terrific; it's a smooth, detailed, revealing, powerful amplifier - although I do think it could benefit from a real power supply as opposed to the wallwart it came with.  All told, I can't compliment Jeremy enough for this great little amp! 
   
  Oh - no, it's NOT my first build, by any means!!


----------



## Reintz

Just finished soldering and testing of this YAHA amp. Works great. Haven't drilled the enclosure yet.


----------



## stixx

Cute little build!
  Did you make the board yourself?
  And will you drill some holes in the case for ventilation?


----------



## Reintz

Thanks. Yes, I did the pcb myself. I'm planning to mill some thin slots on the top and bottom of the enclosure to where the tube sits. I have to get a mill set for my dremel tool first. Don't know if I should vent the LM317 aswell.


----------



## sarals

Reintz, that's a really clean little amp!  I like it.  You do nice work.  Is it in the same case as a Mini3?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





madcap386 said:


> Just finished building my O2 amp.. Pretty solid piece of hardware...


 


  How does the objective amp sound? And where did you get the parts/pcb? I've been very interested in making one since LFF's mention while ago.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





reintz said:


> Don't know if I should vent the LM317 aswell.


 

 You should, gets quite hot under slight to heavy/long use in my custom 12AU7 amp.


----------



## Reintz

Thanks sarals. No, it's Box Enclosures B1-080 which is just a bit bigger than Mini's. Mini's case (Hammond 1455C801) isn't high enough to fit the tube.


----------



## Reintz

Quote: 





defqon said:


> You should, gets quite hot under slight to heavy/long use in my custom 12AU7 amp.


 


  Ok, i'll keep that in mind when I start the casework.


----------



## Twinster

Quote: 





defqon said:


> How does the objective amp sound? And where did you get the parts/pcb? I've been very interested in making one since LFF's mention while ago.


 

 Their was a GB posted on the www.diyaudio.com site and the PCB will start to be distribute this coming Monday. We are all waiting patiently to build this amp. Over 1000 board was ordered and more peoples are still requesting it. Wait and see  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/group-buys/194708-o2-headphone-amplifier-gb.html


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





twinster said:


> Their was a GB posted on the www.diyaudio.com site and the PCB will start to be distribute this coming Monday. We are all waiting patiently to build this amp. Over 1000 board was ordered and more peoples are still requesting it. Wait and see
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  That sounds great, pcb+parts = around $30-40 like nwavguy mentioned?


----------



## Twinster

Quote: 





defqon said:


> That sounds great, pcb+parts = around $30-40 like nwavguy mentioned?


 


  You can get a fully assembled unit with nice aluminum case for about $110.


----------



## John In Cali

How much is just the PCB and parts. I already have a case and can assemble myself.
In fact how much would just the parts run? I can do the PCB myself.
Thanks.


----------



## Twinster

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> How much is just the PCB and parts. I already have a case and can assemble myself.
> In fact how much would just the parts run? I can do the PCB myself.
> Thanks.


 


  Pars only would be around $30.  You can find the BOM here.


----------



## Audiodoc

The twin LM 3886 gainclone 70+70W RMS Power Amp joins the EHHA headphone Amplifier.


----------



## gurubhai

Quote: 





audiodoc said:


> The twin LM 3886 gainclone 70+70W RMS Power Amp joins the EHHA headphone Amplifier.


 



 Some more internal pics, i would love to try this with my tannoy.....


----------



## Audiodoc

Gainclones are the best and cheap ways for basic audiophile amplification. Few components need to be added so you can buy high quality components. This one sounds better towards the lower end when compared to my Norge 1000 Gold. Thanks to the great supply I put it esp the Miracle transformer. You re-addicted me to DIY man after 10 long years.
   
.


----------



## sachu

Nice clean build.
   
  The gainclones are a decent entry amp. 
   
  Next up a Pass F3 or F5??


----------



## madcap386

Quote: 





defqon said:


> How does the objective amp sound? And where did you get the parts/pcb? I've been very interested in making one since LFF's mention while ago.


 


  Well, my impression of it:
   
  The first thing i notice is the bass.
 It got power, lots of power... The bass produce on this amp is wide with depth. Its drive the HD650 like a breeze..

 Sound stage is wide (very) on the HD650 and the TF10
 All little details like instruments placement were rendered nicely. The high/treble is a little subtle for my taste but the details is not missing.
   
  Like other had mentioned, you can get the parts for about $30 without the casing, battery, adapter and the pre-made front panels.. As for the PCB, i got it from my own supplier.. They help me to do a limited run on the PCB... so the price is not economical.
   
  Go built one..


----------



## tranhieu

^ that sounds very promising for an amp at that price, even a diy one.


----------



## onyu

Hey that's gregvds his build right?
   
  Should finish the soha board I've bought 3 years ago from him
  
  Quote: 





stixx said:


> SOHA I that I bought uncased from a former Headwize member and put in a vintage cookie box.


----------



## lehtinel

Portable rig built from spare parts: 
   
  A47 protoboard, OPA1642 with funky adapters. Hammond 1593P case. Will try to get a 9V NIMH battery and a tricke charger circuit in there still.


----------



## John Wilson

Pics won't show.


----------



## DefQon

Finally finished exams, got time now, here's some pic's of my 5th Cmoy build, 1 hours worth of work (drilling + soldering done all this afternoon). All that's left that is incomplete is I got to purchase some hot glue gun glue sticks to stick the faceplate to the bottom PCB and and some more dampening foam so the batteries don't bounce all around inside the enclosure when on the go. imo, this cmoy makes a great portable amp, going to leave it burning in tonight.
   









   
  Great size imo, hope you enjoyed


----------



## stixx

Well spotted, yes it is...
   
  I sold the SOHA early this year, too many headphone amps...
   
  Quote: 





> Hey that's gregvds his build right?
> 
> Should finish the soha board I've bought 3 years ago from him.


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> How much is just the PCB and parts. I already have a case and can assemble myself.
> In fact how much would just the parts run? I can do the PCB myself.
> Thanks.


 


  if you were doing that to save money you wont, you miss bulk buying power unless you can find an open group buy (most are closed now) and tbh 10 dollars for a pcb is more worthwhile than the hr of my time, don't know about you.


----------



## John In Cali

qusp said:


> if you were doing that to save money you wont, you miss bulk buying power unless you can find an open group buy (most are closed now) and tbh 10 dollars for a pcb is more worthwhile than the hr of my time, don't know about you.




Ehhh i'm a lifeless high schooler, so i have infinity time, plus ordering online is very hard for me as i have to get one of my parents to deposit the cash i give them, make a paypal and then order and they are usually really slow with the whole process.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Just finished my first audio DIY electronics project. The new JDS labs Cmoy 2.03R with the built in recharging circuit. I don't have the re-chargable 9-volt yet though, or the power jack. I buggered 2 of the resistors though, and that makes me mad (the one that's lifted up to the side of the op-amp, I accidentally bridged the solder hole and then lifted the bottom pad while de-soldering, so I had to top-mount it, making it ugly), and I destroyed a 24kohm LED resistor, so I had to solder 2 spare 10.2kohm resistors in series, which also looks pretty ugly. I think that 6x gain was too much, so I'm going to step it down to 4 and see if that gives me more throw with the potentiometer too. It was a fun build, took maybe 2 hours. My other lesson learned: Flush cutters are ESSENTIAL. Diagonal cutters don't cut nearly close enough to the circuit board.


----------



## santrully




----------



## santrully

my diy i bought at ebay and doit every thing by my self and make a case to clumsy but ok


----------



## John In Cali

Very nice the knob and case go together great, making me jealous.


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





santrully said:


>


 
  Is that the JLH + PSU transformer DIY amp kit you got off ebay? If so, how does it sound? Rockgrotto forums have a thread dedicated to the ebay JLH amp's based on modding them to sound much better.


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





santrully said:


>


 

 Wow, nice job! It looks great with the transparent case.


----------



## was ist los?

Nothing too fancy, but finished up casing my balanced Dynalo and Twisted Pear Audio Opus with transformer output.  Still waiting for new knobs and feet.


----------



## johnwmclean

^ That looks a very tidy package, nice small footprint - wonderful desktop build, congrats.


----------



## livewire

Nice two box build! On perfboard no less...
  How does it sound?


----------



## Paul Blythe

Hi, finally put my O2 into an enclosure [Hammond 1455N1602BK]. The case is a touch on the large size but the 2nd pcb fits perfect behind the 1st and stops any movement )
   
  My plans of a custom made case went horribly wrong, so my O2 has ended up more plain jane than planed...


----------



## Twinster

Very nice Paul.  How does it sound with the HD650? I have received my two boards but have yet ordered the parts (got to many. Project going on) I've also ordered he front plates from a GB. What gain did you select?
  Quote: 





paul blythe said:


> Hi, finally put my O2 into an enclosure [Hammond 1455N1602BK]. The case is a touch on the large size but the 2nd pcb fits perfect behind the 1st and stops any movement )
> 
> My plans of a custom made case went horribly wrong, so my O2 has ended up more plane jane than planed...


----------



## Paul Blythe

Hi, I have the gains set to x2.25 & x3.4, the 650's are well driven and there's no sign of that vail...
   
  I can only be subjective about the performance of the O2 as I've not much experience of other headphone amps: Denon AVR-2310 [home cinema amp], CMoy [various opamps] and a Asus Xonar Essence STX [headphone out only]...
   
  For me the O2 is a transparent amp and what I'm hearing is very much that of the 650's signiture. IMHO it sounds a bit like the standard STX but with better HF responce and deeper, cleaner, well controlled LF's. Overall it's got a well balanced sound, slightly warm [650's], with detailing and sound stage that are beyond anything I heard so far. For the price it's an amazing amp and well worth the money, how it compares to the likes of The Wire, Beta 22 etc, I don't know.

 Hope that's helpful.
   
   
  Quote: 





twinster said:


> Very nice Paul.  How does it sound with the HD650? I have received my two boards but have yet ordered the parts (got to many. Project going on) I've also ordered he front plates from a GB. What gain did you select?


 


 Edit: I've listened to 40-45 albums this last week, with a minor few of the cd's I've thought the amp sounded good but wasn't doing the material any favours, revealing everything. With the majority of recodings I've been completly blown away by it...


----------



## sarals

The Tachikoma is a nice touch!  I take it he helped you build it?


----------



## Paul Blythe

lol... he certainly tried to help out


----------



## Twinster

Very transparent amp. Good.  Thank you for sharing your feedback Paul.
  
  Quote: 





paul blythe said:


> Hi, I have the gains set to x2.25 & x3.4, the 650's are well driven and there's no sign of that vail...
> 
> I can only be subjective about the performance of the O2 as I've not much experience of other headphone amps: Denon AVR-2310 [home cinema amp], CMoy [various opamps] and a Asus Xonar Essence STX [headphone out only]...
> 
> ...


----------



## mmayer167

well this isnt my build but since were on the O2....
   
  I got my Objective 2 amp from aerohoff at diyaudio today.
   
  Initial power up and listening with the t50rp is very good. Plenty of headroom for the t50. Driven via LOD from flac's on the ipod it sounds great. Clean, accurate, zero noise, lots of black between music, very flat, bass is not shy, not as dynamic as the lyr but its got that solid state punch the lyr doesn't quite have. It really is like "wire with gain".  Overall very happy!
   
  I might dive in and transplant the board into a box i can put rca's and 1/4 into. Hard decision since its a nice brick as it is... maybe i'll just wait till the desktop boards come out 
   
  M
   
  picture for feast \/


----------



## sarals

It's not an Objective 2, but it is one of those Chinese eBay amps, and this one sounds quite good!  It is my first attempt at a true DIY.  It is merrily perking away right now as I break it in.  It gave it's first (musical) breaths last night, being fed by my iPhone, while it's power transformer sat on the counter next to it.  Today I finished the case, put the board and toroid in it, listened some more, and then did the finishing touches on it.  I thought I'd share some photos of it!  Yes, there is another thread about it - I'll give my impressions of it's sound on that thread.
   
  The case is one of those (big) Chinese eBay items.  It's nice and sturdy, but rather staid.  It does look a little better than a Hammond, IMHO.  A little!
   
  What would I do differently?  Build an M3.  In fact, I think I will!


----------



## mmayer167

That looks really nice sarals! colorful 
   
  M


----------



## Ikarios

Sarals, that looks pretty good! Where did you find the case? The combo of that enclosure plus the Bulgin switch looks great. The recessed 1/4" jack is not bad either.


----------



## mmayer167

Ebay has lots of that case!
   
  M


----------



## KWS

SOHA I AMP with Mullard 12AU7 Square Getter~


----------



## sarals

Quote: 





ikarios said:


> Sarals, that looks pretty good! Where did you find the case? The combo of that enclosure plus the Bulgin switch looks great. The recessed 1/4" jack is not bad either.


 


  Thank you!
   
  The case is easily found on eBay.  HLLY has it, as do several other "stores".  The price varies a little, but it's usually around $60 with shipping, all told.
   
  @mmayer167 - thank you!  Yes, it is colorful!


----------



## Paul Blythe

That's a nice case and a very tidy looking build... I'm now looking through the enclosures on ebay, they're much nicer than the Hammond or Unicase stuff I can get my hands on locally. See if I can find something suitable for my 'Objective 2' & possibly 'The Wire' [if my order with the GB isn't to late]... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





sarals said:


> Thank you!
> 
> The case is easily found on eBay.  HLLY has it, as do several other "stores".  The price varies a little, but it's usually around $60 with shipping, all told.
> 
> @mmayer167 - thank you!  Yes, it is colorful!


----------



## sarals

Quote: 





paul blythe said:


> That's a nice case and a very tidy looking build... I'm now looking through the enclosures on ebay, they're much nicer than the Hammond or Unicase stuff I can get my hands on locally. See if I can find something suitable for my 'Objective 2' & possibly 'The Wire' [if my order with the GB isn't to late]...


 


  Thank you, Paul! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Yes, there are some nice cases on eBay.  I saw some from an Oregon seller that looked particularly nice just last week.  Some cases even have blank panels - Front Panel Express, maybe? - which I though offered possibilities for a future "high end build".  Hmmmm...   !


----------



## dean0

Bottlehead Crack with speed-ball upgrade, sounds fantastic!


----------



## bhjazz

Quote: 





dean0 said:


> Bijou Amp


 


 dean0,
   
  First the Bijou then the Crack.  Can he be stopped?!?!?!!!  Nice work, man.  They look like solid builds. 
   
  Where did you get the knobs for the Bijou?  I need something similar and large.  And which (monster) caps are you using for it?  They look like delicious overkill!
   
  Thanks!
  Brian


----------



## sarals

Quote: 





bhjazz said:


> dean0,
> 
> First the Bijou then the Crack.  Can he be stopped?!?!?!!!  Nice work, man.  They look like solid builds.
> 
> ...


 



 They are beautiful!  Such craftsmanship, and the casework is superb.  Kudos!!!


----------



## samsquanch

Got a little bored, so I decided to finally get around to building a source selector that uses relays, instead of going through rotary switches.  I had everything lying around except for the two circuit boards, which I snagged from radio shack, so a nice cheap project for me, always nice.
   
  Front panel:  Two banks of LED's, left four show the outputs, right three show inputs.  1/8" Switchcraft jacks on either corner, one on right is an input, the one on the left is an output, these will come in handy for testing portable headphone amps, and providing a line in for a bed guest's ipod (seriously, trying to explain to a girl that you have to fire up several pieces of gear before any music can be played is bad enough, but telling them that you have no way of hooking up their ipod because your hand build system doesn't have any way of connecting to it is even worse.  So a tip to all you single guys out there, make sure your system can play a lady's ipod, they're very attached to their music, which you'll have to listen to if you want to get attached to them...).  Right knob input selector, left knob output selector.
   

   
  Back side of the front panel:

   
  Inside shot of the rear:  I stacked the boards to save space, bottom board is controlling outputs, top board is controlling inputs.  Matsu****a relays (EDIT:  nice filter on matsush-ita, ha!).  Output relays default to 1k resistors to prevent hum in the system, inputs go to 10k.  On the underside of the boards there are diodes across the relay coils to prevent any noise/chatter.
   

   
  Rear panel:  I used what I had on hand, so the outputs are Canare RCA's, wish they had all been the same color, or at least three reds and three whites, inputs are Neutrik.  Using an xlr as the power jack, which is fed by a random 5v power supply I had laying around.
   

   
  I'm pretty happy with it, got rid of my passive selector box which I never really cared for, and it adds some more LED's to the system, always a good addition.


----------



## John In Cali

samsquanch said:


> Got a little bored, so I decided to finally get around to building a source selector that uses relays, instead of going through rotary switches.  I had everything lying around except for the two circuit boards, which I snagged from radio shack, so a nice cheap project for me, always nice.
> 
> Front panel:  Two banks of LED's, left four show the outputs, right three show inputs.  1/8" Switchcraft jacks on either corner, one on right is an input, the one on the left is an output, these will come in handy for testing portable headphone amps, and providing a line in for a bed guest's ipod (seriously, trying to explain to a girl that you have to fire up several pieces of gear before any music can be played is bad enough, but telling them that you have no way of hooking up their ipod because your hand build system doesn't have any way of connecting to it is even worse.  So a tip to all you single guys out there, make sure your system can play a lady's ipod, they're very attached to their music, which you'll have to listen to if you want to get attached to them...).  Right knob input selector, left knob output selector.
> 
> ...




Super nice but a 3.5 and 1/4 input and output might have been useful, no? They are more common than rca's. I get that you probably have rca to 3.5 adaptors but i would have still thrown one in for good measure. Still a very nice and useful project that i might have to repeat when i have more than one amp.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> Super nice but a 3.5 and 1/4 input and output might have been useful, no? They are more common than rca's. I get that you probably have rca to 3.5 adaptors but i would have still thrown one in for good measure. Still a very nice and useful project that i might have to repeat when i have more than one amp.


 


  3.5mm is more common to me, and I rarely see a 1/4" jack for anything beyond my bass guitar, the 3.5mm (1/8") is strictly for ipod (and assorted mp3 player) input and output to small portable headphone amps.  There's no amplification nor volume control, so no need for 1/4" jacks, at least for me.  If you're interested in building something similar let me know, it's real simple, and I can draw up a real quick, down and dirty, schematic.


----------



## John In Cali

samsquanch said:


> 3.5mm is more common to me, and I rarely see a 1/4" jack for anything beyond my bass guitar, the 3.5mm (1/8") is strictly for ipod (and assorted mp3 player) input and output to small portable headphone amps.  There's no amplification nor volume control, so no need for 1/4" jacks, at least for me.  If you're interested in building something similar let me know, it's real simple, and I can draw up a real quick, down and dirty, schematic.




oh I didn't realize that those were 1/8s on the front, and I was just saying 1/4 for direct headphone plugin.
And like i said i really don'tt have a use for it(yet) and have way to many projects and stuff to buy before dreaminof adding another one.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





john in cali said:


> oh I didn't realize that those were 1/8s on the front, and I was just saying 1/4 for direct headphone plugin.
> And like i said i really don'tt have a use for it(yet) and have way to many projects and stuff to buy before dreaminof adding another one.


 


  ha, my drunken ramblings have shown up on here again, fantastic.  It came off a little jerkish, sorry about that, whoops!
   
  I know the sentiment on too many projects...


----------



## shadow419

Still waiting for the enclosure and front panel from a group buy but here's my O2 build. It works well so I'm pleased with it
   
  .


----------



## stixx

My Aikido Parafeed headphone amp, finally finished.
  I had it playing music on the breadboard for almost 2 years but it took forever to get it cased up.

 Tubes are 6CG7 RCA clear top and 6H30DR, boards are the first ones from Broskie with one
 of the boards rewired to have a symmetrical layout.

 PSU is all regulated with a Salas HV shunt regulator for B+ and a LM1084-based reg for the heaters.
 The PSU is in a separate case connected to the amplifier via thorougly braided wires and XLR connectors
  (3 pole for B+ and 5 pole for the heaters).

 Parafeed OPT's are custom wound C-core units from AE Europe in the Netherlands providing two
  secondary taps for 300/64 ohm headphones. Parafeed caps are ERO KP bypassed with massive Richard Jahre Mica's.


----------



## gurubhai

^WOW !
  This Looks superb.


----------



## johnwmclean

That is WIN.
   
  I love how you partition the psu, that is very clever.
  The blue ribbon definitely is yours.
  Do you fab chassis from scratch?


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





stixx said:


> My Aikido Parafeed headphone amp, finally finished.
> I had it playing music on the breadboard for almost 2 years but it took forever to get it cased up.
> 
> Tubes are 6CG7 RCA clear top and 6H30DR, boards are the first ones from Broskie with one
> ...


 

 Those cases are damn sexy! I'm speechless!


----------



## stixx

Quote: 





> The blue ribbon definitely is yours.
> Do you fab chassis from scratch?


 
  Thank you guys, definitely appreciate your kind words!
   
  The chassis are made from scratch and are actually CNC cut on a five axis machine...
  but I have to tell that I have access to stuff like that at work... though it always takes
  some arm twisting and bribing with chocolate or else to have those things made.
  This was definitely the most elaborate case so far, and its not likely I'll do it again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  The blue ribbon (?) is the 20mm perspex front plate of my pre, nicely lit by the LED's.


----------



## qusp

VERY nice work stixx, i've actually got the pleasure of getting one of my latest build's cases fully CNC from solid billet alloy here too atm due to a skillshare/bater arrangement and i can agree its a real treat!! that and an order from fasteners express for some very cool hex bolts make qusp a very happy boy


----------



## stixx

Quote: 





> for some very cool hex bolts make qusp a very happy boy


 
   True... check out the custom made M8 aluminum allen bolts (by Pro Bolt) in my build...


----------



## qusp

yeah pro-bolt make great stuff and i actually have an order in with them soon too, but they are overly expensive IMO, very high quality though. i'm getting some titanium M5 from them for my 2 ways, as fasteners express only had M3 in titanium, while they had everything else i needed in alloy and stainless


----------



## G.Trenchev

My first digital attempt!
  A PCM2704 DAC.I'm really surprised of how it sounds.It rivals my M-Audio 2496.Free chip from TI and parts for cents.Not bad


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





g.trenchev said:


> My first digital attempt!
> A PCM2704 DAC.I'm really surprised of how it sounds.It rivals my M-Audio 2496.Free chip from TI and parts for cents.Not bad


 

 Any chance you can give me a review of the 2496 vs. that?  Im looking at purchasing the sound card a step above the 2496, but i havent seen any reviews on its outputs SQ.  Can it drive headphones?


----------



## G.Trenchev

Quote:


john in cali said:


> Any chance you can give me a review of the 2496 vs. that?  Im looking at purchasing the sound card a step above the 2496, but i havent seen any reviews on its outputs SQ.  Can it drive headphones?


   
  I'll be brief then,as I've listened to it for two hours.It's not a step above the 2496,but it's a major one over any motherboard or cheap soundblaster.
  Compared to the 2496 the sound space is a bit wider,the highs are brighter,the overall mids character is grainier.Bass is the same.The resolution is great.Perhaps I should use some boutique parts,these are the cheapest.The 2496 is overall smoother,neutral and has more micro-detail.
  Here's the RMAA report:
  http://www.2shared.com/document/yeJS1neD/PCM2704.html
   
  You can see my review on the 2496 here:
  http://www.head-fi.org/products/m-audio-audiophile-2496-midi-digital-recording-interface/reviews/5264
   
  P.S. It drives headphones pretty well


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





g.trenchev said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> john in cali said:
> ...


 
  Thank you for that, exactly what i was looking for.


----------



## samsquanch

Not sure that this completely fits in this thread, but hey, what the heck!
   
  I've wanted to build an equipment rack for a while, and finally had the time to do so.  It's roughly based on the FleXy design by TNT audio:  http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/flexye.html
   
  It uses three legs (the triangle dimensions were determined by the golden ratio, more on that at tnt's website) which makes it super easy to level, which is great because my room (well whole house) is slanted pretty bad.
   
  Without gear:

   
  With gear, TT on an isolation/leveling table which is soon to be replaced by an isolation table that is massloaded with sand....

   
  And a picture of the power strip mounted in the rear to keep things orderly.


----------



## shadow419

That is a pretty nifty rack.  The fact that it can be made very cheap makes it more than just just interesting.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





shadow419 said:


> That is a pretty nifty rack.  The fact that it can be made very cheap makes it more than just just interesting.


 


  Totally, definitely dirt cheap, and looks surprisingly nice considering the materials.  This was more of a proof of concept for me, some day I'll tear it down, paint the wood and get some of the rubber washers suggested by TNT, I went to buy them today but they were a $1 each, at 6 a shelf, that's $24 in washers,  WOOF!


----------



## shadow419

Group buy for rubber washers incoming...jk.
   
  Seriously, you could probably source those washers cheaper if you look around.


----------



## samsquanch

Yep, I was at homedepot, who are always overpriced for hardware.  I plan on scouring Fastenal and the likes soon.


----------



## takili

This is my SSMH build using 12AU7 and suggested circuit mods. It looks great, I think, only problem is it doesn't work!


----------



## TheShaman

Quote:


samsquanch said:


> Not sure that this completely fits in this thread, but hey, what the heck!
> 
> I've wanted to build an equipment rack for a while, and finally had the time to do so.  It's roughly based on the FleXy design by TNT audio:  http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/flexye.html


   
  I've built one of those as well. If I did it again, If you do a good job on the veneer it can look pretty awesome and you can actually build it according to your needs.
  Btw, I fine-tuned the type and number of washers needed by listening tests (j/k 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ).
   
  I'm actually thinking of modding it into a Double Flexy:
  http://www.tnt-audio.com/gif/2flexy.jpg


----------



## francisdemarte

Quote: 





shadow419 said:


> Group buy for rubber washers incoming...jk.
> 
> Seriously, you could probably source those washers cheaper if you look around.


 


  Checked out McMaster-Carr? http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-washers/=f5r7x7


----------



## liamstrain

The flexy is a great idea - I'm thinking of making a 2 shelf scaled down version for my desktop set.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





francisdemarte said:


> Checked out McMaster-Carr? http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-washers/=f5r7x7


 


  Haha, after posting about checking Fastenal (where I had no luck), I checked McMaster-Carr, they'll probably be the source I use.  Problem now is, the rack is built, and I don't want to take it apart, maybe I'll set aside some time during the holidays to tear it down, make better shelves (they were just scrap MDF I had laying around), paint the shelves, and put on the neoprene washers.
   
  I really like the look of the double flexy, wish I had the room for one!


----------



## scompton

At one meet someone brought a DIY rack like that.  I didn't notice if he used rubber washers.  He had 4 legs and wood shelves.  I can see the 3 legs being much easier to level.


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





scompton said:


> At one meet someone brought a DIY rack like that.  I didn't notice if he used rubber washers.  He had 4 legs and wood shelves.  I can see the 3 legs being much easier to level.


 

 I have a 4-leg flexxy, and the nuts make it very easy to level. 
   
  3 legs wins for never rocking, especically if its on a slightly uneven surface. Most floors or tabletops aren't really flat enough for a 4-leg stand. 
   
  Im too lazy to take it apart and drill another hole


----------



## funch

Mine is a three-legger also. Shelves are also made from 3/4" MDF, but are a little weird. The bottom two shelves are double thick,
  and the shelf for my CD player is triple thick. The top one for my turntable is also triple thick, but the middle piece has three
  chambers cut out. Each chamber has a 3/4" acces hole from the back. Each chamber was filled with lead shot, then plugged.
  That top shelf weighs probably 40 pounds.
   
  So, if you think that breaking down/reassembling a 'normal' one is a pain ........... .


----------



## wdahm519

I already posted these in the T50RP mods thread over at Full Sized Headphones but in spirit of keeping this thread alive...
   
  Here's my O2 amp that I completed today.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





funch said:


> Mine is a three-legger also. Shelves are also made from 3/4" MDF, but are a little weird. The bottom two shelves are double thick,
> and the shelf for my CD player is triple thick. The top one for my turntable is also triple thick, but the middle piece has three
> chambers cut out. Each chamber has a 3/4" acces hole from the back. Each chamber was filled with lead shot, then plugged.
> That top shelf weighs probably 40 pounds.
> ...


 

 woah, pictures?  this has me thinking about future modifications....


----------



## bcg27

Here is my latest creation, the KGSSHV, onboard heatsink version.


----------



## liamstrain

Oooh - pretty. Is that face plate engraved?


----------



## bcg27

Yes, the plates were all milled and engraved by front panel express.


----------



## John In Cali

bcg27 said:


> Here is my latest creation, the KGSSHV, onboard heatsink version.




:eek: Closest thing i could find to a dropped jaw. That is (at a loss of proper wording).


----------



## liamstrain

What 'stats are you running? (and how does it sound?) I keep toying with the idea of moving that direction.


----------



## livewire

Nice work!
   
  How does it sound? Are you running O2s?
  Also curious about the light ring behind the volume knob.
  I see that you have four LEDs going through the front panel.
  Is there a piece of plexi back there as well?
  If so, did you fabricate it or buy it pre-made somewhere?


----------



## bcg27

Quote: 





livewire said:


> Nice work!
> 
> How does it sound? Are you running O2s?
> Also curious about the light ring behind the volume knob.
> ...


 

 It sounds really, really good. I am using O2 mk1s, my only stax headphones. Everything is just extremely tight an in control, compared to the srd7 (all I had before) which could be a little boomy and loose. Compared to my LCD2s out of my beta 22 it really is better in pretty much every way except one - deep bass thump. Other than that the clarity, layering, note definition of the O2s out of the KGSSHV is just much better, where out of the srd7 I actually preferred the lcd2. 
   
  About the volume knob, you are correct, there is a piece of plexi there. I actually had it made at FPE, but only because I had the rest of my panels being made there. I then sanded both sides of the plexi to get a more diffuse light. If you wanted to do it on the cheap I'm sure you can get an acrylic disk from mcmaster or maybe somewhere like Tap Plastic with the right diameter and then just drill a hole in the center for the pot shaft. I actually posted my FPE files up on the KGSSHV thread on the other site, my user name is cobra_kai over there.


----------



## shadow419

That really is a remarkable looking piece of equipment bcg27.


----------



## kawazydude

droool at bcg27's equipment....


----------



## francisdemarte

Quote: 





bcg27 said:


> Here is my latest creation, the KGSSHV, onboard heatsink version.


 
   
  Where did you get that awesome balanced attenuator?


----------



## bcg27

Thanks for the compliments guys.
   
  The attenuator is from khozmo.com - expensive but I didn't want to skimp for this. Unfortunately it came without 2 of the 4 input resistors and I am still trying to work things out with khozmo to have them sent to me. Their product is very nice in theory, but it seems quality control and customer service can be lacking.


----------



## qusp

better to buy from PCX, i prefer the SMD version, thats another thing that seems to be unpredictable with Khozmo, getting what you pay for, as they seem to have several physical formats all sold under the one banner. at least at PCX you know they are in stock, can choose what type of input or shunt resistors. actually i'm not sure they still make the smd version? cheaper to use ASMP SMD zfoils rather than tx2575


----------



## bcg27

The reason I bought directly from khozmo is I wanted the 25k version, which pcx doesn't carry.  
   
  Edit: Khozmo just got in touch with me and was very apologetic and will be rectifying the situation.


----------



## funch

Thought I'd post some pix of my version of Thunderpants, which I call 'Plastic Pantz'.
   

   

   
  Cups are made from 3" (ID) ABS plastic pipe caps from Ace Hardware.
  Baffles are 1/4" alder from Home Depot. Wiring is #24 Mogami quad.
  The silver dots are Dynamat Extreme.
   

   
  The driver surface of the baffle is sanded smoot with #220 sandpaper,
  so I don't need any gasket.
   

   
  The edge of the cups was wet sanded with #320 so no gasket
  here either.
   

   
  Finish on the cups was done by wet sanding with #220, then
  #320, then #600 paper. The final step was done with a
  Dremel using a polishing pad and polishing compound (jewelers' rouge).
   

   
  Pads are Beyer gels.
   

   
  I drilled two bass vent holes; 3/32" and 1/8". The bass from these
  is very deep. Using only the 3/32" hole gives, IMHO, the best balance
  between the bass and the rest of the spectrum. The 1/8"
  hole is great for 'bass-head' days. Using them both is just
  sick (think cranial implosion).
   

   
  Pad mounting plates are made from aluminum. The pads just
  twist on and off.
   

   
  I use M2x20mm screws (cut down to about 15mm length) to
  mount the drivers. The three protruding brass screws are used
  to mount the pads.
   

   
  Cup mounting blocks are red oak. A 6/32 thread tap cuts perfect
  threads through the stock holes in the rods.
   

   
  The cable is 3' long, terminating in a 4-pin mini XLR. I made three
  pigtails to connect to most any amp.


----------



## liamstrain

Very nice looking mod! Some clever solutions. How do you plug the bass ports to adjust which you are using?


----------



## funch

Right now I'm just using a small square of black electrician's tape. Crude but effective. I'd like to
  find some way to be able to do it on the fly. Haven't come up with anything yet.


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





bcg27 said:


> Here is my latest creation, the KGSSHV, onboard heatsink version.


 

 Woah. And it is gorgeous! Mine's on the way, Although I wish I had some genuine O2mkI's. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  It looks a-mazing by the way. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Out of curiousity, those heatsinks look big, are you running above +/- 450 rails? I'm wondering if you built two boxes for the higher sinks for higher voltage?
   
  Just wondering the theory mate,  incredible and right on!!


----------



## pabbi1

A couple of Pete's filament regulators


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





pabbi1 said:


> A couple of Pete's filament regulators


 

 prettttty 
   
  Which DHT amp are you working on?


----------



## CFlux

First I want to say thank you for all of the really amazing examples in this thread. Also thanks to all of you who publish your wonderful designs for the rest of us to build.
  Posting my first build: a skeleton dac. It even worked on the first try.
   

  Initial testing. Soldered a phono jack on for easier testing will be replaced when I case it up
   

   
  Up Close:

   
  Still have to case it up, Next up CK2III.
   
  Thanks!


----------



## tomb

Congrats on that SkeletonDAC!  It's always pretty cool to successfully complete an SMD project.


----------



## CFlux

Thanks Tomb, 
  It was fun, not my first time with a soldering iron but definitely my first time with smd. With all the soldering I decided to hack together a fume extractor of sorts:
   

   
  Just a 12v 80mm computer fan, a ziploc container and a pet water filter (just carbon and floss). I don't know if it really gets rid of the fumes but it seems to help.


----------



## TestSubject

My Stripboard SSHM amplifier. Layout here LINK


----------



## Starfire

I really need to get a extractor, I doubt lead solder fumes are good for you.


----------



## Starfire

Quote: 





cflux said:


> First I want to say thank you for all of the really amazing examples in this thread. Also thanks to all of you who publish your wonderful designs for the rest of us to build.
> Posting my first build: a skeleton dac. It even worked on the first try.
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I just built one too, though it sounds kind of flat to me, I did use the optional larger output caps


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





starfire said:


> I really need to get a extractor, I doubt lead solder fumes are good for you.


 

 If you are soldering hot enough to vaporize the lead you are doing something VERY wrong. 
  The flux on the other hand is always vaporized, and nasty as hell.


----------



## bcg27

I like the smell of rosin fumes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Probably not good for you though.


----------



## Tilpo

bcg27 said:


> I like the smell of rosin fumes
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I recently did a lot of soldering without any ventilation (closed door, window and vent). 
I woke up with a tremendous headache the day after, and since I haven't been drinking then I wouldn't be surprised if the headache was induced by rosin fumes.


----------



## samsquanch

I used to work in a tv repair shop when I was in my teens, Saturdays were VCR day, where I would go through and fix all the VCR's that had accumulated through the week.  This would have me positioned at a work bench, hunched over piles of power supply boards (always a certain capacitor on JVC's....) soldering for about 7 hours straight, no ventilation, in a dirty old basement.  Usually around three in the afternoon my boss would come tap me on the shoulder, "You haven't moved in ten minutes, go outside and get some air."  Good ole air blocking fumes!  
   
  Moral of the story:  vent those fumes and take plenty of air breaks.


----------



## jdkJake

This is my build of the dsavitsk/Beezar "Torpedo" Parafeed Tube Amp.
   

   

   

   
  More details on the amp itself are found on this thread:
   
     http://www.head-fi.org/t/570317/dsavitsk-beezar-torpedo-build-thread


----------



## funch

Very nice Jake! I like the black paint. I'm curious to see how this amp sounds with planer-magnetics,
  specifically the T50RP, or low-impedence 'phones is general.


----------



## jdkJake

Thanks for the kind words funch. I seem to have a knack for the spray can.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





funch said:


> Very nice Jake! I like the black paint. I'm curious to see how this amp sounds with planer-magnetics,
> specifically the T50RP, or low-impedence 'phones is general.


 


  Should be fine with low impedance cans, if they manage to get the low level hum dealt with. Any luck with that Jake? Is it just the case lid that seems to initiate it?


----------



## jdkJake

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Should be fine with low impedance cans, if they manage to get the low level hum dealt with. Any luck with that Jake? Is it just the case lid that seems to initiate it?


 


  Still working it. It is definitely induced by the case. Uncased, it is silent.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Still working it. It is definitely induced by the case. Uncased, it is silent.


 


  Silly question, but could the case form a ground loop on its own? Is there a way to attach it to the drain (spot soldered jumper?) ?


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Silly question, but could the case form a ground loop on its own? Is there a way to attach it to the drain (spot soldered jumper?) ?


 


  Yes it can, normally you would be able to notice a slightly loud hum or buzz noises when you turn the amp on. I'm currently facing one of these problems at the moment which I'm not 100% positive on, but its probably because I've got multiple ground points from the circuit connected to just one area on the ground wire which probably explains the background hum noise. Another problem could your power filtering or transformer, yet another point to why I'm facing the hum as well.


----------



## tomb

No offense, guys, but how about posting these questions/comments in the Torpedo thread?  The Pics of Your Builds thread is not the ideal place to respond to these questions or start a detailed DIY discussion.  Someone may get the idea that the problem is worse than it is or that the design was not properly refined and prototyped.
   
  The hum is barely above the point of audibility and is only audible with some headphones.  With others, it's not heard at all.  The amp has been thoroughly researched and prototyped.  The first PCB layout was done more than a year and a half ago.  No less than 11 prototypes have been built over that time period with numerous scope and RMAA analysis done - including a showing at CanJam '10.  No one discovered the hum until the first production prototype was built a couple of months ago.  That was an unfortunate result to be sure, but we have been completely honest about it, will continue to try to solve it, and will continue to solicit your suggestions.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  As for the ground loop question - it's a good thought (not a silly question!), but we have tested the amp with the PCB completely isolated from the case and with no source connected.  It made no difference.
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Yes it can, normally you would be able to notice a slightly loud hum or buzz noises when you turn the amp on. I'm currently facing one of these problems at the moment which I'm not 100% positive on, but its probably because I've got multiple ground points from the circuit connected to just one area on the ground wire which probably explains the background hum noise. Another problem could your power filtering or transformer, yet another point to why I'm facing the hum as well.


 
    
  Quote:


liamstrain said:


> Silly question, but could the case form a ground loop on its own? Is there a way to attach it to the drain (spot soldered jumper?) ?


----------



## samsquanch

Finally finished both of my ME2... errr..  O2 amps, the one in blue is stock as per the BOM, the one in red is slightly modified (ceramic capacitors in signal path replaced with polyester foil caps, next step swap op amps).


----------



## DingoSmuggler

samsquanch, they be looking like polystyrene caps not polyesters, but i'm sure you meant to say that
   
  also using a tombstoned axial cap to replace a radial cap is likely <objectively> a step backwards, even though the type of cap is better, the added inductance of a 180deg bend and extra length of wire is not what you want.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





dingosmuggler said:


> samsquanch, they be looking like polystyrene caps not polyesters, but i'm sure you meant to say that
> 
> also using a tombstoned axial cap to replace a radial cap is likely <objectively> a step backwards, even though the type of cap is better, the added inductance of a 180deg bend and extra length of wire is not what you want.


 


  Yes, you are correct, polystyrene, not sure why I said polyester, long day, space brains.
   
  I couldn't find a radial cap of the proper value that would fit, all the ones I found were rather large, so this was a compromise.  I'd like to think that ~5mm of wire wouldn't be too awful in the way of acting as an antenna, I've done this before in circuits with seemingly no ill effect, but what possible issues could I be running into?


----------



## nikongod

I thought the signal path caps were always film on the O2. Arent they those boxy ones next to the pot near the front of the PCB?
   
  The ceramics look like decoupling caps for silly-high-speed opamps. The CCS's used in most opamps keep them wellllll out of the signal path even if you argue signal current loops...


----------



## DingoSmuggler

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> I couldn't find a radial cap of the proper value that would fit, all the ones I found were rather large, so this was a compromise.  I'd like to think that ~5mm of wire wouldn't be too awful in the way of acting as an antenna, I've done this before in circuits with seemingly no ill effect, but what possible issues could I be running into?


 

 Oh, I'm not talking about any noticeable differences, just that going to a polystyrene is moving closer to an ideal capacitor, adding series inductance is moving further away. Just seems like one step forward two steps back. It may be an improvement though, I'll leave that option open .


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> I thought the signal path caps were always film on the O2. Arent they those boxy ones next to the pot near the front of the PCB?
> 
> The ceramics look like decoupling caps for silly-high-speed opamps. The CCS's used in most opamps keep them wellllll out of the signal path even if you argue signal current loops...


 


  Besides the two boxy ones, which are film, the others that are in the feedback loops and the like are ceramics, pointless?  Yeah probably, but if it clears up some of the distortion that I'm supposedly making up, then cool, if not, then what evs.  This is just something to screw around with anyway.


  Quote: 





dingosmuggler said:


> Oh, I'm not talking about any noticeable differences, just that going to a polystyrene is moving closer to an ideal capacitor, adding series inductance is moving further away. Just seems like one step forward two steps back. It may be an improvement though, I'll leave that option open .


 


  haha gotcha.  Like I said above, if it improves things, cool, if not I ain't sweating it, this is just a fun little project while I work out a design I have in my head for an amp.


----------



## Tilpo

It would be interesting to match volumes and do ABX between those two amps. I really wonder whether the different caps can make an audible difference. 

Nice build btw.


----------



## Willakan

NwAvGuy analysed the currents across the caps: his conclusion was that capacitors upgrades would make no difference at all. Opamp rolling will likely degrade performance, especially if you touch the output stage opamps, which are virtually unique - the best-case scenario is that there is no audible difference! Regardless of parts swapping, audible distortion implies something is horribly wrong...
  More OT: My O2 build, which is ugly to start with: then I shoved everything on the front panel so I wouldn't have to do two.


----------



## samsquanch

I love how heated people get about this amp!  I'm just screwing around with it out of boredom, if I magically make it better, well then hooray!  If not, then no harm no foul, I'm not out to cure cancer here, I'm just building a headphone amp.  I will be throwing them both on minilyzer/minirator later today and do various tests.  What will the readings say????


----------



## francisdemarte

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> I love how heated people get about this amp!  I'm just screwing around with it out of boredom, if I magically make it better, well then hooray!  If not, then no harm no foul, I'm not out to cure cancer here, I'm just building a headphone amp.  I will be throwing them both on minilyzer/minirator later today and do various tests.  What will the readings say????


 

 Compare them to your CMoy and Beta22 and really turn up the heat here


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





francisdemarte said:


> Compare them to your CMoy and Beta22 and really turn up the heat here


 


  haha, on it!  Just have to remember to bring my Beta22 into my shop.  And I think I stole parts from the cmoy to build a preamp....


----------



## cfcubed

Perhaps my last CTH, built for Alex, using some materials & build techniques I've been mulling over for while:
   
 
   
  Just waiting on some solvent to wipe acrylic edges to make them water-clear.  Could post enclosure info in DIY enclosures thread if there's interest.
  Key bits are cutting & bending the acrylic was easy (used heatgun) but forming solid aluminum plate not so easy (e.g. the bending bit).


----------



## jdkJake

Nice work cfcubed! Very original.
   
  I would definitely like to see your acrylic bending technique on the other thread. Are you going to use something like MEK to clear the edges?


----------



## cfcubed

Thanks.    Yes either M.E.K. or Weld-On Acrylic cement will do the trick (_Edit: found Weld-On helps clear the edge but tricky work w/torch can make it clear)_.   Maybe you're in on this but had to figure out the cutting bit when I cut down my M/C windshield using the technique here:
http://tidyville.roadstarclinic.com/windshield.html
  then its just finding a piece of wood that's => the target interior width, heating top/bot of acrylic bend spot (w/heatgun) & making its right angles by pushing it down over the wood's edge.
   
  OK will post some build tips & pics in that other thread in a bit.  Here's one more pic to show some of the guts:
   

  
  BTW the angled ends of alum plate & assoc gaps were intentional to provide venting, my circ saw just got a bit carried away on 'em
  Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Nice work cfcubed! Very original.
> I would definitely like to see your acrylic bending technique on the other thread. Are you going to use something like MEK to clear the edges?


----------



## liamstrain

That looks great!


----------



## Rescue Toaster

Finally did a test fitting of my amplifier. Should hopefully be able to listen to/RMAA it sometime next weekend! (time permitting). I had this cool old CATV amplifier extrusion case that has a full RF shield/seal around it, so I'm going to use that (the PCB's *barely* fit, I had to file them down a bit in the middle). I hope it has enough dissipation laying down (since the fins run lengthwise). Otherwise I might turn it on end and make a combination amplifier/headphone stand or something...
   
  There's a gas discharge regulator & a CCS that will be mounted to the top plate. Either with the tube standing up normally, or I'll make a little wooden offset (I plan on making wooden endcaps) so the tube lays horizontally, since gas discharges work in any orientation.


----------



## Bow to Ed

These are my builds. They are like a Szekeres headphone buffer with some differences. There was a project like this on DiyAudioProjects.com but my amplifiers are a little different still.
   
  My first build. The base is a polished and lacquered piece of plywood. I wanted to keep it simple. There is no hum or noise and it sounds very good. When I turn the volume up all the way there is audible clipping distortion but that goes way beyond the loudest volume I can stand to hear. The only way I would go that high is if I were to set my headphones (Skull Candy) down on the desk and use them as speakers.
   

   
   
  The second build. I made this for my mentor who runs a Yahoo Group on vacuum tubes. It features increased filtering capabilities and a better enclosure. The enclosure was made of 9/16" plywood and painted with Rustoleum Gloss Black.
   

   
  The amp features the following:
   
  -DC input with filtering. The first amp uses a 1-ohm resistor into three 470 uF caps with +12v in. The second amp will use a 7.5-ohm resistor into a 1000 uF cap with +15v in. These schemes should remove all noise from the power supply.
   
  -50K input impedance due to the volume control knob.
   
  -Class A triode stage a la 12AU7 with un-bypassed cathode. Other tubes tried in this spot were EH12AT7, Sylvania 12U7, and JJ ECC82. The last tube doesn't like the low voltages so much. I don't know why.
   
  -Direct-coupled output to a class-A MOSFET output stage. The MOSFETs are IRF510 in my first build and IRF610 in the second. The output stages are loaded with constant current sources to about 100 mA each. The output capacitors are 470 uF types bypassed by a 330 nF green film cap.
   
  -Zero negative feedback. I don't have anything against using it but I just didn't implement it into this design.
   
  Also I can show off something I once called FET-Zilla. It is a similar amplifier to the types described above. The only differences are that the amplifying device is an MPF102 instead of a 12AU7 triode and the output MOSFETs are loaded by resistors at a much lower current instead of CCSed. Nonetheless, it was still a pretty good amplifier and is worth mentioning.


----------



## G.Trenchev

This is my small hybrid amp.Regulated power supply inside,powered by notebook charger.


----------



## Starfire

Two channel B22 I just finished, just in a cheap pactec case for now but sounds great no matter what case is around it


----------



## Tilpo

starfire said:


> Two channel B22 I just finished, just in a cheap pactec case for now but sounds great no matter what case is around it



Very nice pictures! You should have put in a little more effort and turn the 'B' into the proper 'β' :rolleyes:

Is it me, or do you have an extremely long DC umbilical cable?

Seeing this makes me all the more anxious to finish mine. Currently awaiting JFET's blew through accidentally switching the gate and source pins.


----------



## Starfire

Yeah true about the B, it's abbreviated so much I forget!  Still needs a knob too.
   
  The cord is long about 4 feet, but I hated to cut it after all the time spent braiding it.
   
  I'm actually thinking about adding the ground channel and I'd need a better case then.


----------



## davisoly

This is just spectacular. I can only imagine how "Plain Jane" it would look without the illumination. Great idea Sweetie!
  Lynn


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





starfire said:


> Yeah true about the B, it's abbreviated so much I forget!  Still needs a knob too.
> 
> The cord is long about 4 feet, but I hated to cut it after all the time spent braiding it.
> 
> I'm actually thinking about adding the ground channel and I'd need a better case then.


 


  imo stick with the 2 channel, or go all the way with a 4 channel. its a tired old fashionable argument, but i see no reason to go with a buffered virtual ground in a home amp and since your layout appears sound i think it will match or better the 3 channel.


----------



## Starfire

My only reason was I had read the ground channel widened the soundstage.


----------



## jcx

if the the "3-channel" active gnd has an audible effect then it proves it is less accurate - use a piece of Cu Roof flashing for output, signal gnd between boards and you won't have measurable "gnd contamination" - not that it is perceptible with Class A amps anyway
   
  EDIT - we should continue any circuit implemetaion discussions in a build thread - I edited to add this to cut down on non-subject posts


----------



## Starfire

Well then is balanced really that much of an improvement (I have no plans of going balanced though)


----------



## Tilpo

starfire said:


> Well then is balanced really that much of an improvement (I have no plans of going balanced though)



As far as I know balanced is only useful when you need very long wires, which is never the case in rigs for personal use. 
Balanced mainly finds its use in professional applications. In personal applications there really isn't any point in getting balanced except for the doubling of power output of the amplifier.


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> As far as I know balanced is only useful when you need very long wires, which is never the case in rigs for personal use.
> Balanced mainly finds its use in professional applications. In personal applications there really isn't any point in getting balanced except for the doubling of power output of the amplifier.


 


  This
  Seriously, I find it unnecessary building a balanced system if you are satisfied with your current se fones, unless your future rig requires so.


----------



## meme

Fancied a quick and dirty cheap pair of small speakers for my computer system, these were the result.
   

   

   
  Enclosures are made from Sainsbury's acacia placemats with stripwood inside for added strength and finished with a couple of applications of teak oil.
   
  I've used Tang Band W3-1364SA 3" Bamboo drivers, Solen binding posts and Twaron Angel Hair wadding.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> As far as I know balanced is only useful when you need very long wires, which is never the case in rigs for personal use.
> Balanced mainly finds its use in professional applications. In personal applications there really isn't any point in getting balanced except for the doubling of power output of the amplifier.


 


  Two different applications being mixed together here.  In pro usage, balanced is used to provide the ability to have longer cable runs with less noise, in a hifi system using balanced components provides better channel separation.  You could get similar results by having to discrete single ended channels.


----------



## Paul Blythe

Hi all, two things for showing:
   
  1... New case for my O2.



   
  2... SE-SE version of The Wire



   
  And both together...

   
  The case used for the Wire is a little on the large size but it was bought well before I got my hands on the miniscule pcb's designed by opc.
   
  Hope you like. Regards.
   
  Paul


----------



## Tilpo

samsquanch said:


> Two different applications being mixed together here.  In pro usage, balanced is used to provide the ability to have longer cable runs with less noise, in a hifi system using balanced components provides better channel separation.  You could get similar results by having to discrete single ended channels.



I don't think bad channel separation is an issue in the Beta22. Cross talk should be below an audible level on both 2 and 3 channel builds.


----------



## ilikepie116

Pioneer SE500 -- SFI 120Ω mod
 ​ Thought that the T50RP drivers would be cool to transplant in the SE500.. Then again, I think they deserve a better home. (And they probably not fit, due to the unusual enclosure)​   

Comparison between the Fostex T50RP and the Pioneer SE500.
   

   
   

PIEZO DRIVER!!! Never seen anything like it.
   
   

                                                                      Paxmate!!!
  

insides fitted with Paxmate!                           FOAM!!                                              
   

washin all the inkage out

"ink" foam, cut in half
   

   

The drivers are pressure-fitted, pressing against the Paxmate and the rear foam square.
   
   

DONE!!
They sound pretty good! Only took a couple of hours. 
Changing out the earpads would improve the sound, but I'm gonna live with them for now.


----------



## Starfire

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I don't think bad channel separation is an issue in the Beta22. Cross talk should be below an audible level on both 2 and 3 channel builds.


 


  I know I can't hear any on my build.


----------



## Starfire

Quote: 





paul blythe said:


> Hi all, two things for showing:
> 
> 1... New case for my O2.
> 
> ...


 

 That O2 case is nice, what is the case from?


----------



## Paul Blythe

Quote: 





starfire said:


> That O2 case is nice, what is the case from?


 


  
  Thanks, it's a custum design penned and built by myself... it's made from layered Styrene sheeting so is fully plastic. The inner case slides out for easy access of the O2's pcb should it be requied.
   
  Paul


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> As far as I know balanced is only useful when you need very long wires, which is never the case in rigs for personal use.
> Balanced mainly finds its use in professional applications. In personal applications there really isn't any point in getting balanced except for the doubling of power output of the amplifier.


 


  i guess everyone but jcx missed my point, but hes right i wont continue it here.


----------



## bcg27

Quote: 





ilikepie116 said:


> Pioneer SE500 -- SFI 120Ω mod
> ​  DONE!!
> They sound pretty good! Only took a couple of hours.
> Changing out the earpads would improve the sound, but I'm gonna live with them for now.


 

 Neat looking headphones. Cool project!


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Quote: 





meme said:


> Fancied a quick and dirty cheap pair of small speakers for my computer system, these were the result.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Beautiful.  How do they sound, and what are you driving them with?  How did you calculate the optimal enclosure and port for the drivers?


----------



## meme

Quote: 





headphoneaddict said:


> Beautiful.  How do they sound, and what are you driving them with?  How did you calculate the optimal enclosure and port for the drivers?


 
   
  Cheers!
   
  At the moment I'm driving them with an Icon Audio HP8 headphone amp that puts out a face melting 2 wpc.
   
  They sound better than I thought they would, obviously they have their limitations (rolled off extremes) but the midrange is nice and clear, the sound is generally on the warm/relaxed side and they actually do bass quite well.
   
  I didn't do any calculations, just based the enclosure on a Fostex design used for similar sized drivers.


----------



## rogan

reading this threads intimidating, i didnt know you'd need a whole box for a power supply :| :| i thort you just had to get a brick with leads either side!


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





rogan said:


> reading this threads intimidating, i didnt know you'd need a whole box for a power supply :| :| i thort you just had to get a brick with leads either side!


 

 Isn't the "brick" a "whole box?"  Seriously, it's not meant to be intimidating.  It's just that off-the-shelf "bricks" are not the best quality power supplies when it comes to high-fidelity audio.  More importantly, you can hear the difference.  Most of the bricks that we build around here are not very expensive and depending on how you use them, they can be used for many different headphone amps.


----------



## rogan

Quote: 





tomb said:


> Isn't the "brick" a "whole box?"  Seriously, it's not meant to be intimidating.  It's just that off-the-shelf "bricks" are not the best quality power supplies when it comes to high-fidelity audio.  More importantly, you can hear the difference.  Most of the bricks that we build around here are not very expensive and depending on how you use them, they can be used for many different headphone amps.


 


  Yeah i realised that from the internals of them but until i saw them in this context i'd never seen such a thing before! Anyway im in no way comeptent enough to take on most of these  going to hold out for the desktop O2 and i was to keep my setup on the smaller size!


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





rogan said:


> Yeah i realised that from the internals of them but until i saw them in this context i'd never seen such a thing before! Anyway im in no way comeptent enough to take on most of these  *going to hold out for the desktop O2 *and i was to keep my setup on the smaller size!


 
  There are much better alternatives out there, but to each his own.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  EDIT:  Sorry, I have a bad attitude lately that I'm trying my best to work on.  All I'm really trying to say is that there is a wealth of designs available here and elsewhere - proven through years of design, building, and yes - even legitimate testing:
   
http://www.ecpaudio.com/diy.shtml
http://www.tangentsoft.net
http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.edu/projects/index.htm
http://www.pmillet.com
http://elvencraft.com/mmm/
http://elvencraft.com/ppa/
http://www.amb.org/audio/
http://www.cavalliaudio.com/diy.html
http://www.djgardner.com/headphone/gilmore/
http://www.pimmlabs.com/
http://www.diyforums.org
http://www.passdiy.com/projects.htm
http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/ftp/sijosae/Gallery/
   
  There are more, but I'm getting tired of typing ...
   
  Any of those choices seems to me better than waiting for something unproven and with a controversial history.


----------



## nikongod

The suckiest thing about the default amp to build (whatever the flavor of the month may be) is that it eliminates one of the most fun things from the build - CHOICE. 
   
  It doesn't seem like many people take the time to look at a variety of options in DIY and then choose what they want to build. It really sucks. 
   
  The second bit of suck is that once the FOTM passes selling a FOLM (flavor of last month) amp is about the same as selling an amp that was never flavor of the month (or a flavor from a few years ago...), but was at least personally interesting to the builder.


----------



## Twinster

Very nice work Paul.  I won't make the Maple Leaf joke again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Wich amplifier do you prefer?  I toughs the Wire had bigger PCB.
  Quote: 





paul blythe said:


> Hi all, two things for showing:
> 
> 1... New case for my O2.
> 
> ...


----------



## rogan

really? what would you reccomend i only want to spend about $150 max really, and ive got to import into the UK as well so theres some costs there as theres too many links there for my to guess ;D not looking for anything overly complicated
  Quote: 





tomb said:


> There are much better alternatives out there, but to each his own.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





twinster said:


> Very nice work Paul.  I won't make the Maple Leaf joke again
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  well thats the smallest one, as both amp channels are on the one pcb and its single ended, but the bal-bal and bal-se are not heaps bigger. the size belies the sound


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





rogan said:


> really? what would you reccomend i only want to spend about $150 max really, and ive got to import into the UK as well so theres some costs there as theres too many links there for my to guess ;D not looking for anything overly complicated


 

 PIMETA, Mini3, 12AU7-based Starving Student.  'Course, I always recommend a CMoy first.  It's cheap, sounds better than many other lower-level commercial amps, and most importantly - it will let you learn without making a mistake on a huge investment.  Tangent's tangentsoft.net website is the best place to start for a CMoy.


----------



## rogan

Cheers! I like the look of starvin student but the kit doesnt seem to still be for sale anywhere?


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





rogan said:


> Cheers! I like the look of starvin student but the kit doesnt seem to still be for sale anywhere?


 

 No, I'm sorry to say that Pete Millett's original design and Dsavitsk's excellent PCB implementation were all based on the 19J6 tube.  Those tubes have disappeared from worldwide stock.  You can find onesie-twosies here and there, but nothing in the volume that it would take to support an economical PCB manufacturing run (200 - 300).  That's why I was careful to specify the 12AU7-version of the Starving Student, of which I'm sorry to say that there is no PCB (or kit) - so far.


----------



## Starfire

Speaking of Starving Students, this is my latest creation, the not-quite starving student.
   
  Using 17ew8 tubes , but I have switches on the perfboard (it's built on a perfboard not point to point) that allow me to drop the heater voltage so I can swap in 12au7's since they are the same pinout.  
   
  Also trying the active ground idea, which works but not perfect, it does drop the noise but it also makes for almost a crossover, I'm guessing it's from the output resistors that cross to ground, which is then picked up on the active ground channel, but you can't make a starving student without them.  I haven't messed with values on them yet though.
   
  There is a switch on the back to instantly switch from active to passive ground, and you can notice a difference, the sound stage gets wider, not tons but you can hear it.  Granted that probably means the active ground is actually not as accurate but it sound good to me, is it worth it?  Ehh... really the parts aren't expensive so it's just something to mess with.
   
  I also added LEDs under the tubes but they can be switched on and off.
   
  I call it the Apocalypse since that's what is printed on cigar box in the front.
   
  Here is a picture:


----------



## youngngray

Quote: 





starfire said:


> Speaking of Starving Students, this is my latest creation, the not-quite starving student.
> 
> Using 17ew8 tubes , but I have switches on the perfboard (it's built on a perfboard not point to point) that allow me to drop the heater voltage so I can swap in 12au7's since they are the same pinout.
> 
> ...


 

  
  Can we see her naked?


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





starfire said:


> Also trying the active ground idea, which works but not perfect, it does drop the noise but it also makes for almost a crossover, I'm guessing it's from the output resistors that cross to ground, which is then picked up on the active ground channel, but you can't make a starving student without them.  I haven't messed with values on them yet though.


 

 It is from series impedance in (on?) the shared ground channel and has nothing to do with the cap-discharge resistors.
   
  My yoda cryptic answer is:
  Series impedance of a capacitor consider you must at low frequencies. Mmmmh. 
  Into the same trap many others have fallen.


----------



## Starfire

Just a tangle of wires on the inside, though most everything is connected with a plug, makes it a bit easier to work on.  Still have a couple things to finish up.


----------



## Starfire

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> It is from series impedance in (on?) the shared ground channel and has nothing to do with the cap-discharge resistors.
> 
> My yoda cryptic answer is:
> Series impedance of a capacitor consider you must at low frequencies. Mmmmh.
> Into the same trap many others have fallen.


 


  Any suggestions, low ESR capacitors?  I'm not an electrical engineer or anything just a hobbyist.


----------



## Sylverant

I may post in this thread in the not so distant future, I'm going to build a miuaudio mra diy headphone amp next for my iPod Video. Should be both usable and fun. A mini3 and grubdac will eventually follow though I'll need to get in experience on other stuff before it.


----------



## Starfire

All I can say is this amp sounds ridiculously good with my HD650's, just as good as my B22 if not a bit better, synergy has been had.
   
  Fixed up some of the ground and it's silent now too, impressive for $100 worth of parts.


----------



## KWS

50K 25steps Pot


----------



## Starfire

That looks like a robust piece of hardware!  Was it a kit or just sourced parts?


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





starfire said:


> Any suggestions, low ESR capacitors?  I'm not an electrical engineer or anything just a hobbyist.


 

 Im just a hobbyist too  
   
  Low ESR is how the caps perform at high frequencies. IE whether they are truly ideal at high frequencies or not. 
  At lower frequencies it is still ESR, but instead of fighting for mili-ohms we are looking at dozens of ohms. 
   
  The key is to get rid of the cap in the ground channel, but I cant really think of a safe or easy way to do it while keeping the ground channel.
  One option is to replace the output caps on the "signal" channels with bipolar caps and just remove the ground cap. This is risky because it exposes the end user to whatever the voltage is there. Probably 12-18V from your description which is not totally safe.
  The other way would be to install ground channel at ground potential. Probably requires a negative voltage supply though.


----------



## CrucifixationOfFaith

kws said:


> 50K 25steps Pot




It's a shame that you didn't get the dark blue Dale resistors.


----------



## Oeufdepoire

My first DIY audio device. An acoustic simulator (another Chu Moy's project) should follow soon.
   
  It's a CMoy based on two military OP27's :
   

   
  It amplifies the interferences very, very well. Otherwise, it seems it changes the sound as much as I spent to build it : noting.
   
  EDIT : I've connected the box to ground, and there is no interference anymore. Only a weak white noise.


----------



## nightgost

sorry to off topic, but can you folks give me informations if there are any diy amp to (monitor)speakers? if so tell me names or links please.. and one day, soon, i'll post it here
  Thanks


----------



## bcg27

Quote: 





nightgost said:


> sorry to off topic, but can you folks give me informations if there are any diy amp to (monitor)speakers? if so tell me names or links please.. and one day, soon, i'll post it here
> Thanks


 
  I suggest you start a separate thread to avoid cluttering up this one with OT posts.


----------



## pabbi1

Quote: 





nightgost said:


> sorry to off topic, but can you folks give me informations if there are any diy amp to (monitor)speakers? if so tell me names or links please.. and one day, soon, i'll post it here
> Thanks


 

  
  Technically, this is a DIY effort of Pete's, but worthy of mention, now that he offers boards on ebay.
   
http://www.pmillett.com/Jonokuchi.htm


----------



## satwilson

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> As far as I know balanced is only useful when you need very long wires, which is never the case in rigs for personal use.
> Balanced mainly finds its use in professional applications. In personal applications there really isn't any point in getting balanced except for the doubling of power output of the amplifier.


 
  Agreed, anyone who hears an improvement in the balanced/config had an underpowered/compromised amp. That being said I have balanced between my B&K pre to my DBX DriverackPA feeding my AnthemMC20 amp to Boston VRM80/50 stack, sub to Carver PM900 bridged to subs, sub run 15ft, hence the balanced, in headphones it is a giggle/overkill.


----------



## CFlux

Finally Finished my Ck2III. Pretty much stock parts list except for the case and I integrated a skeleton dac into it so I can chose between usb and rca inputs. Loving it so far, listening to it with my ath-a700 right now, and was using my grado sr60's earlier and they all sound awesome. The front panel is spalted maple finished with teak oil, with a small bit of lexan glued into it. So far not too many problems with it but it was an experiment so i'll have to see how that joint goes with changes in temperature and humidity.


----------



## bcg27

^^ very cool panel


----------



## Tilpo

Incredible looking build, CFlux!

Especially the wiring. I was proud for using wires of different colors salvaged from an old PSU of a broken computer. I even went as far as braiding them and using heat shrinks. 
You wiring is on a whole other level, on the other hand. 

Front panel looks awesome too. Although I don't really like the look of the switch on the back.


----------



## drtturnip

PTP OCL OTL  Cmoy Especiale - .001/.000 vdc offset @ 2.8 gain


----------



## jdkJake

Sweet drtturnip.
   
  Please shared where you source the 18k gold, lama hair polarized wire.
   
  Gotta get me some of that!!


----------



## drtturnip

My nephew picked it up from South America were he was studying fish and playground equipment design . I made a trade with some old Bogen tube PA amps. Minus the tubes and transformers of course.


----------



## CFlux

Quote: 





bcg27 said:


> ^^ very cool panel


 
   
  Thanks!
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Incredible looking build, CFlux!
> Especially the wiring. I was proud for using wires of different colors salvaged from an old PSU of a broken computer. I even went as far as braiding them and using heat shrinks.
> You wiring is on a whole other level, on the other hand.
> Front panel looks awesome too. Although I don't really like the look of the switch on the back.


 
   
  Ya I don't like the switch that much either, I was having trouble finding a 4pdt switch that I liked, so I just got something simple. I figure its on the back so I didn't worry too much.
   
  Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Finished up my very own Torpedo amp from ECP Audio / Beezar. 
   

   
   
  Love the form factor!


----------



## mmayer167

Wow I like that color combo and style!
   
  -M


----------



## Horio

Very snazzy.  Love the emblem.


----------



## kingoftown1

Nice!  The stylings definitely fit the name


----------



## bhjazz

Nice work.  Love the copper rivets.  Rather retro.  Neat!


----------



## Oeufdepoire

A little bit more modest than the build shown above, here's my home-made acoustic simulator :


----------



## joeyjojo

Quote: 





starfire said:


> Well then is balanced really that much of an improvement (I have no plans of going balanced though)


 


  Read AMB's reply here, he makes an excellent case for maintaining a balanced chain all the way through, if possible
   
  http://www.amb.org/forum/benchmark-engineer-on-balanced-v-unbalanced-headphone-amps-t326.html


----------



## TheShaman

There is a nice article in the latest Diyaudio newsletter titled "The Way I See It: To balance or not to balance, that's the question", by Jan Didden.


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





oeufdepoire said:


> A little bit more modest than the build shown above, here's my home-made acoustic simulator :


 


  Nice! How does it sound? I read the project's page long time ago and thought about making one but never got around working on it.


----------



## Oeufdepoire

Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> Nice! How does it sound? I read the project's page long time ago and thought about making one but never got around working on it.


 
  I tried it last night on only one song from the album "Inhuman Rampage" by Dragonforce. I had the feeling that the singer was two or three meters farther from me that he used to. I didn't noticed any change on the instruments, but I didn't listened carefully.
  I'll test it again tonight, I'll send you my feelings.
   
***​   
  All of my builds : stand, cables, CMoy amp and CMoy acoustic simulator :
   
​


----------



## splinter450

I don't really post much on head-fi, but I thought I would share my first build(s).
   
  M Cubed:
  
   
  
   
  grubDAC:
  
   

   
  I'm loving the pairing of the M cubed with my HD580s. Thanks for the great work AMB. I've also been pretty impressed with the grubDAC.


----------



## Saintly

Beautiful chassis.  I love that white LED ring!


----------



## AmarokCZ

Big Odibu (powered by standard quality toroid made by INDEL + discrete voltage regulator)
   
  Simple front panel: 

   
  And inside:


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





splinter450 said:


> I don't really post much on head-fi, but I thought I would share my first build(s).
> 
> M Cubed:
> 
> ...


 

 That is a VERY beautiful chassis. Nice job!


----------



## Meliboeus

One channel of my Project Phono box SE II suddely stupped working, i opened it and found a pcb half the size of the whole enclosure stuffed with all smd components, nothing easily serviceable, so i decided to build something new and went for an Hagerman Bugle.
   
  I tried to fit both the power supply and the amplifier board into the old Project enclosure ( which is of pretty high quality ) but it turned out to be a mess so i reached for a cheap plastic box i had at hand to fit the power supply. It will be located out of my sight so the looks don't matter much.
   
   

   
   
  The amplifier board fit perfectly into the project box, no holes to drill, as the Phono Box already implemented the possibility to supply external dual DC power ( for battery operation i think ) via a din connector; not the best choiche, i think, but since it's a low current device, it should to its job. Decent quality Rean rca plugs fit in place of the old pcb mounted connectors.
   

   
  Panasonic polypropylene caps are used for the filter section, and two wima MKS for supply decoupling, i didn't use costly resistors, just standard 1% tolerance metal film. I went for three LM4562, as i never tried them before but i've read good impressions here and there, and i have to say they sound pretty good; compared with the Phono Box SE i think i've seen quite an improvement in sound quality, even if the project was a decent design:16V AC wallwart feeding a voltage doubler and a pair of  Lm337/317 regulators to provide full +/- 15V to some Jrc opamps implemented in a dual mono circuitry.
   
  Compared to the TCC-750 i was using as a temporary replacement it's a huge step-up, the TC is rather good, but with its cheap switching power supply and crappy electrolytics in the signal path it can't do any better than the bugle even being a discrete design rather than opamp based, not that in general discrete circuitry is automatically supposed to sound better than well implemented opamps...
   
   

   
   
  The enclosure looks pretty good doesn't it ? The brushed aluminum front plate is 3-4mm thick and the chassis is rather heavy and sturdy..


----------



## akiroz

I've been designing and building amps for around 2.5 years now and would love to share some of my stuff but I'm new to this forum, could anyone tell me how to link the photos in my albums in the user profile to this thread?
  
  For now, you can see my stuff on my profile page and lists...


----------



## Tilpo

akiroz said:


> I've been designing and building amps for around 2.5 years now and would love to share some of my stuff but I'm new to this forum, could anyone tell me how to link the photos in my albums in the user profile to this thread?
> 
> For now, you can see my stuff on my profile page and lists...



If you have a lot of images I suggest uploading them to imgur. You can then link these files to the forum using
	
	



```
[url=URLOfWebsiteGoesHere] Text to display [/url]
```
 tags, or click the hyperlink button in the toolbar you see above the post editor when replying to a thread (not 'quick reply').

Alternatively, if you just want to show the images use the image button in the toolbar. It shows a fairly straightforward interface helping you to upload the images.


----------



## kingoftown1

Very modest by this thread's standards, but here's my O2.  It'll probably be getting a new/nicer case in the near future.  This one was 100% diy from scrap aluminum.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks for the advice, but i was wondering if i could just link the photos in my albums directly to the thread instead of re-uploading them, cuz theres quite a lot of stuff.
 Nice DP by the way, Mio + K701 lol


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> Very modest by this thread's standards, but here's my O2.  It'll probably be getting a new/nicer case in the near future.  This one was 100% diy from scrap aluminum.


 


  I like styles like this, neat and clean, nothing fancy but still looks beautiful at the same time.


----------



## youngngray

Quote: 





splinter450 said:


>


 


  This question is directed at everybody, not just one person. If you look in that picture, the connector that the wires plug into in the upper (smaller) board that's green, yea, where can I find that? Preferably a Digi-key part number or something. Actually, I'd be satisfied with just the name of it so I can go look them up. I've been searching and searching and I just can't figure out _what_ exactly it is!


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Like this?
  http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/1868168-term-block-3pos-5-08mm-pcb-horiz-20020316-h031b01lf.html
   
  Or here:
  http://portal.fciconnect.com/res/en/pdffiles/doc_search/20020316.pdf


----------



## youngngray

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Like this?
> http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/1868168-term-block-3pos-5-08mm-pcb-horiz-20020316-h031b01lf.html
> 
> Or here:
> http://portal.fciconnect.com/res/en/pdffiles/doc_search/20020316.pdf


 


  Yep, that's what I was looking for. Thanks a lot!


----------



## Audiodoc

This is the result of my DIY efforts over the last 6 months. From Ground up.
   
  1. Gaincard Clone
  2. Classic EHHA Headphone Amplifier with AMB labs Sigma 32 Supply and Tube on Delay Circuit.
  3. Mauro Penasa MyRef Rev E Power Amplifier
  4. Quad Wolfson WM8740 DAC
  5. Pass B1 Preamplifier with Lightspeed Attenuator & R-core/LM Based Regulated power supply
  6. Cirrus Logic Based Dolby Digital / DTS Decoder for a Headless Logitech Z5500.
  7. Modded Discrete Norge Amplifier
  8. Tube buffer pre to add the necessary tube sound whenever required.
   
  Also in the picture are the FiiO E7 E9 Combo


----------



## sachu

lol.. you've been err busy. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Quite an impressive stack of components. Congrats!


----------



## Tilpo

Isn't stacking them like that horrible for heat dissipation? 

Very nice equipment you've got there.


----------



## mmayer167

wow that is some nice stack of work Audiodoc. I like those bottom larger cases, or faceplates rather. 
   
  -m


----------



## akiroz

WOW, that is some collection. You should get a rack to hold all of them so the bottom one don't get crushed.


----------



## Audiodoc

Planning on a good rack. It is the EHHA which gets the hottest of the lot even when compared to the other amplifiers. Though the hottest thing should be the upcoming pass 5 amplifier for which I am searching some good heatsinks.
   
  I don't stack more than three, similar sized ones (e.g DAC, pass B1 pre, Myref power). They were together for the photoshoot. LOL


----------



## SpudHarris

.


----------



## bperboy

It's not an audio thing directly, but here's photos of my NorCal 40A 40m ham radio I just finished this week. It includes some hand-wound inductors and transformers, which is not something you usually see on audio equipment too much.


----------



## Tilpo

Looks awesome!


----------



## johnman1116

Not the cleanest build but it was my first! yay! 

   
  Spent most of my time waiting for a first timers DIY-ing tools. Learned alot and had fun while doing it 
   
  P.S. I had that Altoids Tin for months before I finally decided to build the CMoy! haha


----------



## Maxvla

Looks pretty clean to me. Some solder bulbs on your resistors, but great first build!


----------



## tranhieu

That's a nice build for your first attempt. One thing though, use a bit less solder next time.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





johnman1116 said:


> Not the cleanest build but it was my first! yay!
> 
> 
> Spent most of my time waiting for a first timers DIY-ing tools. Learned alot and had fun while doing it
> ...


 

 Nice work there my friend  The CmoyBB is a fun and cheap build.


----------



## bengoshi2000

A couple years ago I built a subwoofer enclosure for a 500w 12" dual passive radiator subwoofer enclosure.  Last month I got the DIY bug again and tried my hand at a Millett Starving Student.  This is my first foray into building any sort of electronics.


----------



## kingoftown1

Got sick of black paint and decided to try my hand at a brushed finish 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   

   
  Still needs a clear coat, but I think I'll keep it.


----------



## ilikepie116

I'm one for unusual, vintage, or creative builds. 

 One design that's been on my mind for a while is headphones made from popsicle sticks! So I did it...
   

   
  The drivers are from the T50RP -- I would call 'em "Thundersticks" if I'm allowed to. 
   
   
*Pictures of the build process are up on* https://www.facebook.com/jaredmakesthings


----------



## Tilpo

That is awesome.


----------



## wdahm519

My latest build, a Cavalli Audio EHHA Rev A.  Power supply is on bottom, amp is on top.  I really love this amp, its fairly detailed, has incredible separation, great sound quality, imaging etc.  Overall a winner.  This build features things like:
   

 Custom oversized 10-pin pass-through power cable
 (2) Telefunken 6GM8 tubes
 Avel Lindberg Toroidal transformers
 Rear-panel mounted 1" x 1-1/4" 2A slow blow fuses and holders
 Left and Right channel separate power indication on front panel
 Locker-style volume knob
 "Big Red" power switch
 Filtered power
 Gold brass spike feet
 Black anodized aluminum enclosures
 Gold brass tube cages
 The famous locking headphone jack
   
  Everything measured out perfectly.  I got the heaters dialed in at exactly 6.3VDC, a perfect 220mV bias on each channel, < 0.7mVDC offset at the output, and 59.7V total swing to the amp section.  All measured/adjusted using fancy Fluke gear.
   
  Pics:


----------



## jdkJake

Interesting build. 

What made you decide to pass AC through the umbilical vice locating the power supplies with the transformers and pass DC?

I assume you are also passing a safety ground (earth ground) through the umbilical to allow both chassis to be properly grounded?


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Interesting build.
> What made you decide to pass AC through the umbilical vice locating the power supplies with the transformers and pass DC?
> I assume you are also passing a safety ground (earth ground) through the umbilical to allow both chassis to be properly grounded?


 

 More a packaging issue than anything else.  It worked out more cleanly that way.  Also, I would have had to source a connector with more than 10 pins (had those lying around already) to put the the AC/DC converter in the power supply box.  Most of the noisy crap comes from the transformers so I wanted those out of the way.  Furthermore, I wanted this on my desk, which means I couldn't get away with one box.  The boards are big enough as is, so it was easiest to plop them as one piece in the top box and throw the transformers in the bottom box.
   
  Both cases are earth-grounded.


----------



## GoldiLocks

ilikepie116 that's pretty creative.  How does that effect the sound? Are the "sound tight"?


----------



## cfcubed

wdahm519 - Nice looking build. And yes the EHHA is something special.
I don't see it mentioned but did you incorp muting delay/offset protection? Unless you never forget to unplug cans @ power on/off think the design really needs it.
BTW guess you did individual transformers for each channel, because I was able to get by w/5-wire umbilical (+/G/- DC amp, +/- DC heater).


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> wdahm519 - Nice looking build. And yes the EHHA is something special.
> I don't see it mentioned but did you incorp muting delay/offset protection? Unless you never forget to unplug cans @ power on/off think the design really needs it.
> BTW guess you did individual transformers for each channel, because I was able to get by w/5-wire umbilical (+/G/- DC amp, +/- DC heater).


 

 No I didn't incorporate and kind of muting delay, I'm pretty religious about letting my amp warm up for the proper amount of time before plugging cans in, and I always unplug them with the music off and volume turned all the way down every time.  It's just habit now.  
   
  I measured the DC offset at the output and it took a short amount of time to reach safe levels and about 2:30 min:sec to fall to very safe levels where it would be come absolutely stable, however I wait 4 minutes before plugging in headphones.  Its better than my Bijou.  That amp makes me wait a full 12 minutes!
   
  I have the same set up of transformers you do (30-0-30 AC, 9-9 AC) but I ran other wires from the transformer through the umbilical in case I want to add something later to give it power in different configs.


----------



## El_Doug

KGSSHV coming along nicely... just need a functioning PSU


----------



## ujamerstand

Looking good!


----------



## jdkJake

Indeed!

Are those heat sinks fully enclosed in the chassis or are the sides open as well?

Is that a Khozmo or an RK50?


----------



## El_Doug

It's an RK50, and the heatsinks are fully enclosed - will be a fun time with the CNC machine venting the top and bottom


----------



## jdkJake

I look forward to seeing the end result. That should be one sweet build once it is up and running!

I am particularly interested in how the internal syncs work out. It appears to make a nice clean package vice external syncs.


----------



## Hennyo

Quote: 





el_doug said:


> KGSSHV coming along nicely... just need a functioning PSU


 
   
  Woah El Doug! That is nice!


----------



## Kerry

Nice Doug!
   
  Looking forward to hearing it at the NYC meeting in June


----------



## TheShaman

3rd gen ICE 125ASX2 monoblocks (250W@8Ohms, 450W@4Ohms), with AMB A20s as input buffers and Cinemag transformers for SE-BAL conversion. All cables are shielded.


----------



## TheShaman

...and my M2Tech Evo Salas Supply (aka MESS).


----------



## stixx

cute!
   
  I need to build a supply for an EVO myself...
  good that I have some of the Salas boards around, too.


----------



## tranhieu

nice! how different does your evo sound after having the new friend?


----------



## TheShaman

Thanks guys!
  
  Quote: 





stixx said:


> cute!
> 
> I need to build a supply for an EVO myself...
> good that I have some of the Salas boards around, too.


 


  It's worth it. The power supply is almost three times the size and weight of the EVO itself but who cares... 
  Was actually tempted to go with batteries but charging management issues made me go for a mains-powered unit.


  Quote: 





tranhieu said:


> nice! how different does your evo sound after having the new friend?


 


  Well, the distributor here only ships a switching wall-wart along with the EVO. Compared to that the difference is significant (granted we're talking about a device that has a very specific/limited task in the sound chain).
  Less "edgy" highs, a recording's ambience is more evident and there is also a difference in soundstage (which is also surprisingly evident with headphones).


----------



## tranhieu

Quote: 





theshaman said:


> Thanks guys!
> 
> 
> Well, the distributor here only ships a switching wall-wart along with the EVO. Compared to that the difference is significant (granted we're talking about a device that has a very specific/limited task in the sound chain).
> Less "edgy" highs, a recording's ambience is more evident and there is also a difference in soundstage (which is also surprisingly evident with headphones).


 


  Thanks for the impression. I will put the salas down on my list should I choose the EVO in the future. Extremely happy with the Hiface 2 atm, but your impression made me restless again


----------



## miceblue

I finally got to finish my first Tangent CMoy amp.
   
  (Note there are a few cotton swab fibers on the board from the rosin cleaning process I did, I cleaned it up after taking this photo)

   

   

   

   
  Do you guys have any tips for soldering? I have a lot on my board because the solder wasn't 'sticking' or going around the various leads of the components. I was using Radio Shack's 62/36/2 rosin-core solder with 22 gauge single core wire (the multi-strand wire I got from Fry's wasn't working out for me).
   
  My process was:
  1. Heat iron
  2. Clean the tip with a wet sponge
  3. Melt some solder on the iron
  4. Heat copper pad and component lead
  5. Place solder next to the iron tip
  6. If step 5 didn't work, then I would melt some of the solder from the component next to it and add solder around the desired component, which usually works for me


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Looks like it came out pretty well.
  You might want to try and get a little heat shrink for
  some of those exposed spots in your wiring.
   
  As for soldering, just make sure your pads and wire
  are all clean and not oxidized. The rest is just practice.


----------



## wdahm519

You're going for super bass extension with those big caps eh?  
   
  One suggestions.  Coat the inner walls and inside top surface with electrical tape.  I see a few exposed solder joints that could get shorted on the metal case when you move around.


----------



## Breck

Here's a few shots of my most recent build.  There's a bit of work to be done yet (ground isolating mostly, though there will be some interesting LED lighting of the tube that I'll be showing off later as well  ).  This is the first audio amp I've designed and built completely from scratch.  It uses a 12AX7 in the preamp section and a class-AB bjt power section.  The sound is quite good, but will be better when I isolate the inputs and outputs from the case.
   
  Outside (sans knob at the moment):

   
  and Inside (the pretty part):


----------



## wdahm519

Looks good.  It would benefit from a more audiophile friendly case, but thats just me.  
   
  How does it compare to other amps like the Bijou/EHHA/beta22 (aka. full tube/hybrid/solid state)?
   
  What other amps have you built?


----------



## Breck

Yeah, the case could be a much better shield, but unless it gives me problems I'm okay with it.  Of course I have to cut plastic isolation gaskets, which is annoying, but such is life.
   
  I haven't actually had a chance to compare it to any other amps yet, other than to verify that yes, it does sound better than my smartphone .  I haven't had a chance to listen to it a whole lot yet, to be honest.  I'm waiting until I can eliminate the massive ground looping from using a grounded source.  Then I'll take it home from the lab and put it through its paces with my Grados.  Though with the topology I'm using I don't expect it to be a terribly magical match for them.  It will probably pair better with something more subtle like a pair of Senns.  We shall see however.  I'm going to take it with me when I visit my brother in a month and compare it to his Little Dot, and test it with his Senns.
   
  A quick evaluation shows that it kicks out a lot of highs and a lot of bass.  Its almost a tad harsh with my KSC75s.  However, it is very distinctly clear as well, and it widens up the soundstage quite nicely.  Hooray for better power-handling.  I'm going to order a nice new Mullard 12ax7 (or one of those russian tubes with the sheild in the middle that's like a 12ax7 but cleaner) and see if that cleans it up even further.  The tubes I've got right now are not very well balanced.
   
  I've only built one other headphone amp, actually.  Most of my past projects have been guitar-related.  I'm only just entering the world of HiFi audio.  My other headphone build is an all-tube clone of an existing amp.  I don't recall the name, to be honest, but it uses a 12ax7 preamp and a pair of 12b4a tubes in the power amp.


----------



## akiroz

Looks nice! 
   
  Do you mind sharing the schematic?
   
  I see 2 transformers, Dual Mono? or just dual supply with different voltage for tubes and transistors?


----------



## Breck

Thanks!  One transformer is for the 6.3v heater supply and the other is for the plate/collector supply (around 70V).  When I build my full-size stereo (2 projects away) I'll be doing a dual mono supply, but for this little experimental project I thought I'd keep it simple.  I may be able to upload a schematic a little later.


----------



## Evge

I built a Pimeta 2 or 3 years ago. It was difficult to source the buffers, so I built three Sijosae Dimond Buffers.
  Then I replaced them with Sjöström Dimond Buffers which I built last year.
  And finally this year I put it all in a new box, replaced most connectors, volume control & knob, wires etc.
   
  Short summary:
  - AD8599 for L&R channels
  - AD744 for ground
  - Sjöström Super Buffers
  - Blue Velvet volume control
  - headphone & RCA Neutrik jacks
  - TREAD power supply


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Looks like it came out pretty well.
> You might want to try and get a little heat shrink for
> some of those exposed spots in your wiring.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Will do, thank you for the advice.
   
   
  Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> You're going for super bass extension with those big caps eh?
> 
> One suggestions.  Coat the inner walls and inside top surface with electrical tape.  I see a few exposed solder joints that could get shorted on the metal case when you move around.


 
   
  Good suggestion, I think Tangent mentioned the grounding issues that could result from the edge of the mint tin as well. I will be sure to add some electrical tape where needed.


----------



## GoldiLocks

Here're some pictures of my first desktop build.  Its a PIMETA with a AD8620 opamp.  I use it to power my 650s and have been impressed by what I've been able to get out of it.  This last weekend I swapped some things around and put in two 1 uF capacitors in an attempt to coax more bass out of the amp.  It worked perhaps too well because now I'm stuck waiting for a pot so I can reel it back in a little.  The case is also my handiwork.  It ended up taking a lot more time than I would have guessed but also turned out nice.
   
  For those interested in more photos, or if you ever get tired of waiting for the images to load here, here are some of my pictures from this project:http://imgur.com/a/6rrDr
   
 
   
 
   

   
  As this is my first project of this kind, I'd appreciate some improvement ideas.


----------



## kingoftown1

Quote: 





evge said:


> I built a Pimeta 2 or 3 years ago. It was difficult to source the buffers, so I built three Sijosae Dimond Buffers.
> Then I replaced them with Sjöström Dimond Buffers which I built last year.
> And finally this year I put it all in a new box, replaced most connectors, volume control & knob, wires etc.
> 
> ...


 
   
  What case & volume knob is this?


----------



## joncgde2

miceblue said:


> My process was:
> 1. Heat iron
> 2. Clean the tip with a wet sponge
> 3. Melt some solder on the iron
> ...


 
   
   
  I used to do a little bit of soldering and occasionally had this problem.
   
  Sometimes your components are dirty, and you need to clean them.
   
  Otherwise, it helps to heat up the two points with the soldering tip first before applying solder.
   
  That used to work for me.
   
   
  On another note, VERY impressive work there!


----------



## Evge

Quote: 





> What case & volume knob is this?


 
   
  They are from ebay.
  I reckon both of them appear on this thread from time to time.
   
Case
   
Knob


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





goldilocks said:


> Here're some pictures of my first desktop build.  Its a PIMETA with a AD8620 opamp.  I use it to power my 650s and have been impressed by what I've been able to get out of it.  This last weekend I swapped some things around and put in two 1 uF capacitors in an attempt to coax more bass out of the amp.  It worked perhaps too well because now I'm stuck waiting for a pot so I can reel it back in a little.  The case is also my handiwork.  It ended up taking a lot more time than I would have guessed but also turned out nice.
> 
> For those interested in more photos, or if you ever get tired of waiting for the images to load here, here are some of my pictures from this project:http://imgur.com/a/6rrDr
> 
> ...


 
  improvement?
  Add a power switch
  Tidy up the wires (I recommend shielded cables for input)
  Add output relay and headphone protection now that you have so much free space in the box.
  Cheers.


----------



## kingoftown1

Wonderful, thanks Evge


----------



## GoldiLocks

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> improvement?
> Add a power switch
> Tidy up the wires (I recommend shielded cables for input)
> Add output relay and headphone protection now that you have so much free space in the box.
> Cheers.


 
   
  Thanks for the advice. The loose wires have been bothering me; I'll need to figure those out sometime soon.
   
  I was unfamiliar with the idea of an output relay; that's not a bad idea.  Is there one you could suggest that would fit into a box that size?
   
  I was thinking of putting together a crossfeed board to fill some of that space.  Does anyone know where I can get the board that Tangent used to sell?


----------



## samsquanch

Haven't been around in a while, been busy with work (doing the a/v system for a casino), but I finally got some time to myself to finish the sand mass loaded record player platform I'd started a while ago!  It's 1X6 Oak stained black for the sides, random piece of plywood for the bottom of the box, and a piece of half inch thick MDF for the player platform.  I didn't buy enough sand (20lb should have gotten like 30lb), probably because I went with the "that looks like enough" method instead of doing some simple math, oh well, with out enough sand the player sits inside the box, which makes it look pretty cool in my opinion, so it'll probably stay that way.  I blocked out three parts of the box with short sections of 2X4 so that I could drill into the base without sand pouring out, this allowed me to use 1/4" x 20 threaded inserts in a triangle pattern, thus allowing me to level everything fairly easily.  Overall I'm pretty happy, whether or not it makes "darks darker" or any of that is yet to be seen, I'm just trying to get the needle to not bounce when my heavy footed roommates go trouncing around the house, so far, seems to be doing the job!
   

   
  This picture shows the sand, if you care...


----------



## MrSlim

Nice job on the casing, its a nice change from the metal cases..  My only suggestion would be to get larger aluminum volume knob, 30mm ish..  in either champagne, or if you want some contrast, black.  For me, its a matter of esthetics, that the volume knob fits the size of the box..


----------



## jdkJake

samsquanch said:


> Haven't been around in a while, been busy with work (doing the a/v system for a casino), but I finally got some time to myself to finish the sand mass loaded record player platform I'd started a while ago!  It's 1X6 Oak stained black for the sides, random piece of plywood for the bottom of the box, and a piece of half inch thick MDF for the player platform.  I didn't buy enough sand (20lb should have gotten like 30lb), probably because I went with the "that looks like enough" method instead of doing some simple math, oh well, with out enough sand the player sits inside the box, which makes it look pretty cool in my opinion, so it'll probably stay that way.  I blocked out three parts of the box with short sections of 2X4 so that I could drill into the base without sand pouring out, this allowed me to use 1/4" x 20 threaded inserts in a triangle pattern, thus allowing me to level everything fairly easily.  Overall I'm pretty happy, whether or not it makes "darks darker" or any of that is yet to be seen, I'm just trying to get the needle to not bounce when my heavy footed roommates go trouncing around the house, so far, seems to be doing the job!
> 
> 
> 
> This picture shows the sand, if you care...




Interesting idea. You might want to consider sealing the inside with polyurethane (or similar). Sand tends to hold moisture and you might ultimately have issues with the wood rotting/warping/splitting. It is the main reason most folks use lead (beyond the density factor).


----------



## wdahm519

Sorry, the sand thing doesn't work.... There's no sound engineering behind it other than the fact that it adds some mass (but it doesn't isolate the table from anything!) This does work though (I designed and built it using engineering tactics from mechanical vibration damping, vibration isolation, and harmonic excitation):
   

   
  It has four springs underneath, with a specific spring constant.  Here's the data:


----------



## Pageygeeza

Just my two pennies worth:  How about a wooden shelf that the turntable sits on bolted to a base board, but the two boards are separated by springs.  Instead of the top board being directly connected to the bolts, they would would have springs from the top of the bolts down to the turntable shelf.  You could use this arrangement to adjust spring tension / levelling and possibly how much outside vibration you could remove.


----------



## kingoftown1

wdahm519 said:


> Sorry, the sand thing doesn't work.... There's no sound engineering behind it other than the fact that it adds some mass (but it doesn't isolate the table from anything!) This does work though (I designed and built it using engineering tactics from mechanical vibration damping, vibration isolation, and harmonic excitation):
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I don't really do vinyl anymore, but I have that table and enjoyed it a lot. Have you considered mass damping the plastic part of the base?


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Sorry, the sand thing doesn't work.... There's no sound engineering behind it other than the fact that it adds some mass (but it doesn't isolate the table from anything!) This does work though (I designed and built it using engineering tactics from mechanical vibration damping, vibration isolation, and harmonic excitation):
> 
> 
> 
> It has four springs underneath, with a specific spring constant.  Here's the data:


 
   
  That's pretty interesting, I had thought about doing spring dampeners, but I'm not an engineer, and anything I would have done would have been purely a shot in the dark.  I had read about the sand loaded box off of TNT Audio's site, and thought I'd give it a shot, I know certain spots on my floor that if I were to stomp the needle would skip, and this has seeming eliminated that, to what ever degree.  I'd be interested in trying your design if you don't mind sharing?
   
  I'd also thought about doing a magnetic isolation table, but I always have a million projects so I stuck with something quick and simple.
   
  Curious, you used 4 springs, do you think there is any value to the golden ratio/golden triangle approach when building something to prevent resonance?
   
  This is just the precursor to a full on table stand, so I'd love to try some more isolation techniques before I build something on a full scale.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> I don't really do vinyl anymore, but I have that table and enjoyed it a lot. Have you considered mass damping the plastic part of the base?


 
   
  What plastic part?  That thing is a giant hunk of 1980's steel, 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  The isolation table is wood, steel brackets, and brass feet.
   
  Also, on the feet of the table I removed the crappy rubber-on-spring style feet and put Isonodes on there.  The slip cover on the platter is a "Herbie Way Excellent" turntable mat.  It all works really well for general listening (not hifi or anything) with the AT-120E cartridge I'm using.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> Curious, you used 4 springs, do you think there is any value to the golden ratio/golden triangle approach when building something to prevent resonance?
> 
> This is just the precursor to a full on table stand, so I'd love to try some more isolation techniques before I build something on a full scale.


 
   
  I can send you the Excel file I made to solve for the type of spring you need.   Just PM me.
   
  Also, golden ratio?  Not with springs.  The golden ratio is for acoustic waves in a room.
   
  Basically, when you have springs in parallel (standing next to each other supporting the weight) their spring constants ("stiffness" if you will) add together.  You could use three springs instead of four to lower the effective spring constant (which would increase the isolation to the turntable) BUT at the same time your static deflection of the springs would increase.  Four springs is nice and stable so the turntable won't fall over when I'm messing with it, and the static deflection versus isolation is a good trade off.  Only 5.8% of the input disturbance at 20Hz is seen by the needle (and much, much less as frequency increases -- see Excel graph above), and actually its LESS than that because of the Isonodes and Herbie Way Excellent TT mat I'm using.  Its probably more like 2% if I had to estimate.


----------



## kingoftown1

It's an SL-1400 (MKi), right?  If so, the black bottom part of the turntable itself is actually plastic, and there's a bit of open space down in there if you have any interest in opening it up and mass loading it


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> It's an SL-1400 (MKi), right?  If so, the black bottom part of the turntable itself is actually plastic, and there's a bit of open space down in there if you have any interest in opening it up and mass loading it


 
   
  Nope sorry, SL-1300!  Bottom is metal plastic, I just checked.  The TT itself is about 21 lbs.  I thought about mass loading by using a stone slab instead of wood for the isolation plate on top of the springs, but it turns out the static deflection of the springs is just about right at the current weight, and since I get 94.2% isolation at worst operating point (20Hz), I think its good enough.  The best operating point, which is anything above 50Hz gets 99.991% isolation and greater.


----------



## kingoftown1

sounds good to me


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> sounds good to me


----------



## Maverickmonk

Brilliant work, I can't wait  until I know enough applicable physics to do this kind of stuff (I'm a 2nd year physics major)
  Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Sorry, the sand thing doesn't work.... There's no sound engineering behind it other than the fact that it adds some mass (but it doesn't isolate the table from anything!) This does work though (I designed and built it using engineering tactics from mechanical vibration damping, vibration isolation, and harmonic excitation):
> 
> 
> 
> It has four springs underneath, with a specific spring constant.  Here's the data:


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> Brilliant work, I can't wait  until I know enough applicable physics to do this kind of stuff (I'm a 2nd year physics major)


 
   

 You'll soon learn enough.  In fact, as a 2nd year physics major, and the known equation that the natural frequency of a system is equal to the square root of the spring constant divided by the mass of the object on top of the springs (that quotient inside the square root), you could pretty much start the FBD and solution yourself.
   
  I'm a graduating senior in Mechanical Engineering myself.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Oh, yeah, you're right! I'm sort of ashamed that I forgot that little nugget from my fundamentals 1 class. I was trying to solve the base differential equation (as I procrastinate from studying for my math physics exam) and having a rough time of it. Congrats on making it through the 4 years  Not everyone can appreciate just how difficult a challenge that is!


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





maverickmonk said:


> Oh, yeah, you're right! I'm sort of ashamed that I forgot that little nugget from my fundamentals 1 class. I was trying to solve the base differential equation (as I procrastinate from studying for my math physics exam) and having a rough time of it. Congrats on making it through the 4 years
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I hear you on that one, and thank you.  I have two more years left though, as I'm getting my Master's in Mechanical Engineering starting in January.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote: 





evge said:


> I built a Pimeta 2 or 3 years ago. It was difficult to source the buffers, so I built three Sijosae Dimond Buffers.
> Then I replaced them with Sjöström Dimond Buffers which I built last year.
> And finally this year I put it all in a new box, replaced most connectors, volume control & knob, wires etc.
> <snip>


 
   
  A bit farther back but wanted to say that build is very nice & like the clean look.  And you are right Evge others have used that type case from that ebay vendor in the past (like me
   

   
  And a larger one of the same for my "budget" b22 2-ch build...  Added to the ventilation in a bit ugly way (its thin steel so used on-hand 1/2" greenlee punch *top & bottom*), perhaps only important for class A amp builds.
   

   
*Note:* I've since asked the vendor to expand the cover ventilation on this particular case and he has nicely & quickly responded to my request creating the "*HB-350-1*" variant (due in a week or so).
   
  IMO they are functional cases, a bit thin and use a fair number of sheet metal screws, but relatively easy to work with and decent cost IF ordering more than one at a time.


----------



## liquidzoo

Pretty simple switchbox that switches my computer audio between speakers and headphones.  It was a first "project" and gave me some needed practice with some things (like soldering in tight-ish places and how to wire up switches/leds/etc)  LED comes on when the headphone jack is selected.


----------



## .Sup

Awesome cfcubed  and liquidzoo !


----------



## preproman

+1


----------



## SilkSuede

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Looks good.  It would benefit from a more audiophile friendly case, but thats just me.


 
  I am in the process of building a Bijou and I'm looking for a case. Are there any you could recommend?


----------



## Mullet

Haven't posted here in a while... so here are a few things I've been up to in the past 6 or so months...
   
  Decided to do a GrubDAC as a back up for my Gamma-2... wanted to use the Hammond case used in the Y1/Mini3... had to adapt the small GrubDAC board so I cut a piece of perf board to fit everything perfectly. Air wired the LED and 1/8" jack and got some FPE panels made courtesy of Beftus' prior measurements.
   

   
  And before that several months back... I brought to life a few CTHs...


----------



## .Sup

Nice collection Mullen! Is that "net" on top custom work or is it sold commonly? I have seen it before.


----------



## Tilpo

.sup said:


> Nice collection Mullen! Is that "net" on top custom work or is it sold commonly? I have seen it before.



I would guess he bought a large piece and just cut it up.
I really like the idea, though. Great way to get some good ventilation without all the bother of finding the right case, or drilling a ton of holes.


----------



## Mullet

It's perforated metal that I've found in various places around my office -- I work at a post-production company. I then used tin snips (huge scissors) to cut it to size. Finally, I used a metal hole punch to make my tube hole. I plan on using a bigger piece for my upcoming EHHA Rev A. It's perfect for ventilation and looks super cool.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





silksuede said:


> I am in the process of building a Bijou and I'm looking for a case. Are there any you could recommend?


 

  
  I always go with Par-Metal.


----------



## Tilpo

wdahm519 said:


> I always go with Par-Metal.



I looked into that company once, but when I made a inquiry on an order they didn't respond. After waiting for over a month and multiple email sent, I went for a different company instead.
I went with THL Audio, and they make some beautiful cases. Slightly more expensive than Par-metal, but the shipping costs (to Europe, at least) were lower.


----------



## SilkSuede

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> I always go with Par-Metal.


 
   
  Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I looked into that company once, but when I made a inquiry on an order they didn't respond. After waiting for over a month and multiple email sent, I went for a different company instead.
> I went with THL Audio, and they make some beautiful cases. Slightly more expensive than Par-metal, but the shipping costs (to Europe, at least) were lower.


 
  Thanks guys, I'll check both of those places out. I'm impressed by what I briefly saw.


----------



## wdahm519

Quote: 





silksuede said:


> Thanks guys, I'll check both of those places out. I'm impressed by what I briefly saw.


 
   
  Just don't use Par-Metal's custom sizes.  If you order from the Amplifier case series (Series 20 I believe) you will get a response from them.  I've done 3-4 orders from them with no hiccups.  I highly recommend paying for anodizing but I'll leave that up to you.
   
  Non-anodized cases of medium to large size (12 - 16" width) are roughly $50, and with anodizing it jumps to I think $70ish.  Don't quote me on that though.


----------



## Ampedup77

RA1 clone =)


----------



## Zigis

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> I went with THL Audio, and they make some beautiful cases. Slightly more expensive than Par-metal, but the shipping costs (to Europe, at least) were lower.


 
  Very boring page, lot of nice pictures, no prices.


----------



## eimis

How about a CanAmp clone prototype for you? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   

   
  First tests... Had some weird hum. Fixed that with some capacitors...

   

   

   
  Put everything together tidily..and finished.

   

   

   

   
LFF "felt the FA-003’s had particular synergy with the Heed CanAmp." That's the main reason I built this amp. It's dead silent and sounds amazing. Better than the internal amp of Yulong D-100.
   
  I read this whole thread in a month..


----------



## DefQon

Very nice ^^


----------



## wdahm519

Link to that knob?


----------



## KimLaroux

It looks like a vintage knob, something salvaged from a dead stereo.
   
  I tried to look for technical information on this build but couldn't find anything. Is there a web page somewhere with at least a schematic? I am principally interested in the power supply.


----------



## eimis

The knob is not vintage 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I got it from here: http://rcl.lt/index.php?lang=lt&id=2&pcode=IRAP002 It's probably just a plain chinese knob you can get from ebay...


----------



## AmarokCZ

Quote: 





eimis said:


> It's probably just a plain chinese knob you can get from ebay...


 
  YEP! http://www.ebay.com/itm/PKG3-40X19-Aluminum-Amplifier-Home-Theater-System-Knobs-/290571850244?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a76e9204#ht_757wt_754


----------



## wdahm519

Ah very nice, thank you!
   
  EDIT:  Press fit!?


----------



## Tilpo

wdahm519 said:


> Ah very nice, thank you!
> 
> EDIT:  Press fit!?



I was wondering about that too.
Don't knobs normally go on by tightening a screw?


----------



## AmarokCZ

Tightening by screw? Never seen that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  "Press-fit" is this potentiometer:


----------



## SilkSuede

Quote: 





wdahm519 said:


> Just don't use Par-Metal's custom sizes.  If you order from the Amplifier case series (Series 20 I believe) you will get a response from them.  I've done 3-4 orders from them with no hiccups.  I highly recommend paying for anodizing but I'll leave that up to you.
> 
> Non-anodized cases of medium to large size (12 - 16" width) are roughly $50, and with anodizing it jumps to I think $70ish.  Don't quote me on that though.


 
  Cool, thanks man. I ordered a Par-Metal amplifier case in black, and my Bijou kit and GrubDac kit are shipping. I should have pics up soon.


----------



## Oberst Oswald

You will love the Bijou...


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





eimis said:


> How about a CanAmp clone for you?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Not trying to sound really mean, but what is with that Overkill power supply just to power 2 OP-Amps??
  I mean who designed this thing?? Looks like someone *looks at designer* can't use a calculator properly or don't know basic electronics.
 (Or did it on purpose, which is even worse than not knowing...)
   
  The circuit looks similar to the Cmoy (single OP-amp design)


----------



## samsquanch

Never put this up here, thought some people might be interested in seeing it.  It's a cable tester, I can test from (male XLR, female XLR, 1/4" TRS, RCA) to (male XLR, female XLR, 1/4" TRS, RCA).  Push a button, if the corresponding LED lights up, you're good, if not then it's miss wired or open.  Runs off of one 9V, and I've used it to test cables through walls at lengths well over 500 feet.  At some point I'm going to add a ground post to it that I can run a lead from to a piece of conduit or ground point to see if a cable has had it's jacket burned off and is making contact somewhere it shouldn't, but, well, future projects....


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> Never put this up here, thought some people might be interested in seeing it.  It's a cable tester, I can test from (male XLR, female XLR, 1/4" TRS, RCA) to (male XLR, female XLR, 1/4" TRS, RCA).  Push a button, if the corresponding LED lights up, you're good, if not then it's miss wired or open.  Runs off of one 9V, and I've used it to test cables through walls at lengths well over 500 feet.  At some point I'm going to add a ground post to it that I can run a lead from to a piece of conduit or ground point to see if a cable has had it's jacket burned off and is making contact somewhere it shouldn't, but, well, future projects....


 
   
  Brilliant! I love simple builds that makes your life easier. Cause you know, sometimes commercial products just don't cut it.
   
  I posted this in another thread, but your build made me think I could share it here too.
   
  I turn off every electronics in my room when I go to bed because the noise from the switching power supplies annoys me to no end. I have two power strips trough which everything is connected. I don't like the idea of turning them off on a daily basis, as their switches are not rated for such high cycle. I also wanted a GFCI protected outlet in my room, as I do some DIY stuff and a GFCI adds a lot of protection against shocks. 
   

   
  It's basically a GFCI protected switchable power box. There's a breaker poking out on the right. The switch is a wall switch, the flat type that you just push. Perfect for toggling with your foot. Since this type of switch is designed for thousands of on/off cycles, it's better suited for this application. This thing plugs directly to the wall with a 15 amps power cable, and I plug my power strips into the GFCI. Note that power cables and sockets rated for 15 amps are a rare find. Most are 10 amps.
   
  It costs me around 10$ and took just a few minutes to build. Compare that to other GFCI protected power strips. And those don't have real switches.


----------



## J.Pocalypse

Amazing work by everybody here.. Few questions. 1. About how long would you say it takes to complete these projects on average? 2. Does it all come in a kit, or do you have to buy piece by piece? 3. What sort of tools would one need to get into this stuff? Soldering iron, screwdrivers.. what else?


----------



## qusp

I think you need to be a bit more specific. projects will range from a few hours to years


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





j.pocalypse said:


> Amazing work by everybody here.. Few questions. 1. About how long would you say it takes to complete these projects on average? 2. Does it all come in a kit, or do you have to buy piece by piece? 3. What sort of tools would one need to get into this stuff? Soldering iron, screwdrivers.. what else?


 
   
  1.)  As much time as you're willing to invest.
  2.)  No, some kits, some things people dream up all on their own, figure out what parts to buy, and with some wizardry, make it work.
  3.)  No matter how many tools you have, you'll always need more.  In other words, a lot.


----------



## Tilpo

DIY can take _a lot of time_. Especially if something goes wrong. 
I've been working on one project since last September, and I have easily spent 80-100 hours of work on the project. That may be a bit of an extreme example, but it can and will happen. 

The very basic tools are soldering iron, soldering wire, a desoldering tool (copper braid and/or pump), a multimeter, and a solvent to clean up the boards (IPA). 
But you can find purpose for an almost infinite variety of pliers and tweezers. Different wire clippers too.
If you're doing casework and/or painting you will also need a lot of tools for that. 

In my first project I spent far more money on the tools than on the actual parts.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





j.pocalypse said:


> Amazing work by everybody here.. Few questions. 1. About how long would you say it takes to complete these projects on average? 2. Does it all come in a kit, or do you have to buy piece by piece? 3. What sort of tools would one need to get into this stuff? Soldering iron, screwdrivers.. what else?


 
  1) On average for me is a few days, usually below 20Hr of total work time (Excluding Research, Design if any required)
   
  2) you can buy projects in a kit OR buy a empty PCB / Pref-board + components, Depends on what you want or available to you.
   
  3) Soldering Iron, Solder, Desoldering pump / braid, Screwdriver set, Wire cutter + stripper, Forceps, Pliers (big and small), Digital multimeter.
  A variable lab power supply would really help.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> DIY can take _a lot of time_. Especially if something goes wrong.
> I've been working on one project since last September, and I have easily spent 80-100 hours of work on the project. That may be a bit of an extreme example, but it can and will happen.
> 
> The very basic tools are soldering iron, soldering wire, a desoldering tool (copper braid and/or pump), a multimeter, and a *solvent to clean up the boards* (IPA).
> ...


 
  Something that should be done which I never do. LOL
  I put my iron on high heat and let the flux do the cleaning for me. (Bad role model!)


----------



## Woodiy

Here is my humble build, 12V suply and 12AU7/IRF510 hybrid in the candy box.


----------



## Fred_fred2004

Ingenious very nice work 
   
  well done


----------



## Tilpo

woodiy said:


>



Hahahaha, I use exactly the same headphone for testing purposes. 
Except one of the drivers blew due to a huge DC offset in a bad build.


----------



## Navyblue

SOHA II, has been half naked for a while, finally covered it up. Kinda out of vogue here for a while. For some reason even DIY has FOTM here.


----------



## funch

Very nice casework. What case is it?


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





funch said:


> Very nice casework. What case is it?


 
   
  I got the case from a local store, it has no brand. The front panel is rather sharp in the edges.
   
  Thank you for the kind words 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, but I am not sure if I deserve that. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  On the top panel, the 3 big ventilation holes are off by 2 cm to the right due to calculation mistake. The 2 rows of smaller ventilation holes are also could use more smoothing, I but I am lazy. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  On the front panel, the volume pot is oriented wrongly, if I match the D shaft with the knob's tightening screw, it would start at an odd position. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I ignored the D shaft orientation to solve that problem. The headphone jack should also be positioned close to the edge of the front panel. It is positioned at the dead center of the front panel, which is the weakest part, when the jack is pulled the front panel would flex.
   
  For the back panel, it turns out to be better than I expected. But I carved the holes upside down, so I have to install the panel upside down. The consequence is that only 2 of the 4 screw holes at the sides are aligned. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  So all in all looks fairly decent in picture, less so when examined closely. But when placed in the dim rack none of the flaws are visible (as you can see in the last picture), which I guess is enough to not bother me.


----------



## KimLaroux

Freshly finished Millett "Starving Student" hybrid. I designed a linear regulated power supply for it.
   

   

   
  These are the pictures of it's first test drive, directly from the bench where it was assembled. There's a few things to fix and tune before I can call it a completed project. But it's working, and magnificently! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I'm seriously impressed by the sound coming out of this simple design.


----------



## Dyaems

DIY MOSFET AMP pr0n.. 95% done


----------



## Avro_Arrow

That is some serious heat sinking...


----------



## Dyaems

Yup, the mosfet used is different than the "usual" so it gets really warm when using it. the mosfet is those two circle things at the center. supposed to be 4 for balanced but no case for it.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Yes, I recognized the TO-3 devices right off...


----------



## Judge Buff

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Yes, I recognized the TO-3 devices right off...


 
  That awesome A_A guy doesn't miss much and he's a veritable font of knowledge... a demi-god among mere mortals; and a really good guy.
   
  I however, did not recognize that it was an amp. I thought it was a parts drawer.
   
  I'm kidding! I'm kidding! I'm humbled by all of your expertise!


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





dyaems said:


> DIY MOSFET AMP pr0n.. 95% done


 
  Whoa... that's a serious mess you've got there...
 I see potential electrical hazard. Does it use forced cooling?


----------



## Dyaems

its completely safe. this is the 5th one btw 
  the other four with different sizes are already with their respective owners.
   
  EDIT: the SAC k1000 is way hotter than the previous four, so I assume that the 5th one is as hot as the SAC k1000.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





judge buff said:


> That awesome A_A guy doesn't miss much and he's a veritable font of knowledge... a demi-god among mere mortals; and a really good guy.
> 
> I however, did not recognize that it was an amp. I thought it was a parts drawer.
> 
> I'm kidding! I'm kidding! I'm humbled by all of your expertise!


 
  yep, there are few electronic experts here.
  not as much as the diyaudio forum but they are here!
   
  Quote: 





dyaems said:


> its completely safe. this is the 5th one btw
> the other four with different sizes are already with their respective owners, hehe..


 
  ^ that's what I thought when I first built an amp with heating elements, electrolytic caps and lots of stuff cramped in a box...
 I was wrong. LOL
  But seriously, You may want to clean up the wiring.
   
  Did you design it? What's the output power?
  *Sees TRS Socket on front panel...* 
  Noo.... Don't Tell me... THIS IS A HEADPHONE AMP???


----------



## Dyaems

yep and not yet done. it depends what headphone primarily it will be used, i think this one is for an LCD3. yeah it looks messy but youll forget what it looks inside once you put your headphone and switch on the amp and start playing the music, well, based on the previous four. 
   
  i can try using 2-3w for output power and see how it goes. the previous one is using 2w so i guess it doesnt hurt to try higher output lol


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





dyaems said:


> yep and not yet done. it depends what headphone primarily it will be used, i think this one is for an LCD3. yeah it looks messy but youll forget what it looks inside once you put your headphone and switch on the amp and start playing the music, well, based on the previous four.
> 
> i can try using 2-3w for output power and see how it goes. the previous one is using 2w so i guess it doesnt hurt to try higher output lol


 
  Haha, I though for sure it was a 300W speaker amp when first saw the Pic.
 Well I guess I'm not the one to talk because I once made a BJT output amp that needed 2 CPU headsink + fan to keep at non-hand-burning temperatures.....


----------



## Dyaems

yep i designed it thats why its messy LOL but hey, it works!
   
  and yes, this is a headphone amp.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





dyaems said:


> yep i designed it thats why its messy LOL but hey, it works!
> 
> and yes, this is a headphone amp.


 
  Haha, but why is there only 1 MOSFET per channel?
 did you use a huge resistor for the non-driving side of the output stage?


----------



## Dyaems

IMO less mosfet, the better sound. and the mosfet used has alot more power  compared to the mosfet "usually" used, like in beta22 for example. i say yes to answer your question, we dont want to kill headphones do we?


----------



## eimis

Second try at the CloneAmp...
   

   

   

   

   

   
  And finito. I just had to add that LED... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   

   

   

   

   
  Highs sound a lot better on this version... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Also this one's for sale. PM for details.


----------



## akiroz

Looks Nice, why is it called "CloneAmp" btw?
  Again with the ridiculous power supply to power 1 chip.... =.=


----------



## eimis

Because it's based on CanAmp. Sir, those heatsinks hold bd139s not regulators...


----------



## akiroz

@eimis
   
  Quote: 





> [size=inherit]
> Cable Inventory
> I don't believe in cables.
> [/size]


 
  Me -> Looks at your Headphone cable......... Riiiight.....
   
  Ok, I'm going to post some of the stupid things that I did so you guys can make fun of me too...
   
  First Up, After seeing SPL Lab's 120V technology, I thought to my self:
  What will happen if I made a amp that uses high voltage supply rails too? 
  The Result: A Head-amp that uses the LME49830 OP-amp on Dual ±80V Supply.

   
  Next, After looking at Pre-amps using the simple Class-A single-ended drive topology, 
  I decided to scale it up for higher output to drive Headphones....
  There are 2x TO-220 BJT's and 4x 5W resistors under that heatsink....


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





eimis said:


> Because it's based on CanAmp. Sir, those heatsinks hold bd139s not regulators...


 
  Ahh~~ That makes a whole lot more sense to me now, So that's a Resistor-Class-A Output Stage yeah?


----------



## eimis

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ha ha. By recabling my second headphones I found that doesn't change anything...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Ahh~~ That makes a whole lot more sense to me now, So that's a Resistor-Class-A Output Stage yeah?


 
  Yes, that's right.
   
  Quote: 





akiroz said:


>


 
  Looks like a bomb.


----------



## Tilpo

eimis said:


> Looks like a bomb.:blink:



If all those caps exploded at the same time it wouldn't just _look_ like a bomb.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  If you look at the values on those caps, it's actually not that much....
  2600µF per Rail is quite less considering I'm not using a regulator (for obvious reasons.)


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> If you look at the values on those caps, it's actually not that much....
> 2600µF per Rail is quite less considering I'm not using a regulator (for obvious reasons.)


 
   
  The TL783 can handle such voltage with one hand on it's back.
   
  It's still an impressive design without a regulator though.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> The TL783 can handle such voltage with one hand on it's back.
> It's still an impressive design without a regulator though.


 
  Yes, I'm aware of the TL783, but I'm using a bipolar supply and I can't find a negative complimentary regulator for it.
   
  The design is nothing special, Its based on the data sheet test circuits.
  I just thought I'm gonna try something special that nobody has done before.


----------



## Tilpo

akiroz said:


> Yes, I'm aware of the TL783, but I'm using a bipolar supply and I can't find a negative complimentary regulator for it.
> 
> The design is nothing special, Its based on the data sheet test circuits.
> I just thought I'm gonna try something special that nobody has done before.



That makes me wonder: do you have the ADC/DAC unit already so you can make actual measurements of the unit?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> That makes me wonder: do you have the ADC/DAC unit already so you can make actual measurements of the unit?


 
  Thought I told you that I'm getting a E-MU 0204 on the other thread....
 Well, now you know. It'll be here in 2 weeks.


----------



## Tilpo

akiroz said:


> Thought I told you that I'm getting a E-MU 0204 on the other thread....
> 
> Well, now you know. It'll be here in 2 weeks.



Yeah I know you were going to buy that one (just couldn't remember whether it was the 0202 or the 0204). You told us how you searched all over HK but couldn't find it in stock anywhere, and after that you've been silent about it as far as I know.

Seems interesting to see some measurements of your creations.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Yeah I know you were going to buy that one (just couldn't remember whether it was the 0202 or the 0204). You told us how you searched all over HK but couldn't find it in stock anywhere, and after that you've been silent about it as far as I know.
> 
> Seems interesting to see some measurements of your creations.


 
  I bought it from Amazon in the end, because their distributor is out of stock and I can't contact them...
   
  lol I predict crap measurements....


----------



## shake

I wanna play too!  Unfortunately, this is only a working prototype.


----------



## Dyaems

my next build: a SUPER cmoy.
   
  comes with a charging circuit, custom high capacity battery pack, high grade audio caps (blackgate/elna seraphine) and wires (kimber/etc), RCA/3.5mm input, the usual 3.5mm jack for your headphones/iems, and a possible 6.3mm jack. the size is big enough to fit the category "transportable"... somewhat 2/3 the size of an O2.
   
  already got a prototype. stay tuned =D


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





dyaems said:


> my next build: a SUPER cmoy.
> 
> comes with a charging circuit, custom high capacity battery pack, high grade audio caps (blackgate/elna seraphine) and wires (kimber/etc), RCA/3.5mm input, the usual 3.5mm jack for your headphones/iems, and a possible 6.3mm jack. the size is big enough to fit the category "transportable"... somewhat 2/3 the size of an O2.
> 
> already got a prototype. stay tuned =D


 
  Smaller than a Obj2???
 Wow....

 I'm building a obj2 with Li-ion batteries.
  and going to build a BJT Output discrete amp with DC Servo.


----------



## Dyaems

These are the parts that I might be using for the modded cmoy. the silver thing underneath will be the case.


----------



## J.Pocalypse

Quote: 





eimis said:


> Second try at the CloneAmp...


 
   
  Totally dig the retro styling.


----------



## FrankCooter

Quote: 





j.pocalypse said:


> Totally dig the retro styling.


 
  X2.
   
  Looks like something from "Mad Men".


----------



## eimis

Wow, thanks guys! :-D


----------



## shaunybaby

I started reading this about a week ago going through it when ever i got chance and now i am done and i really wanna build somthing! maybe i will start on a speaker build first to ease me in  any forums for that?


----------



## liamstrain

Lots of good speaker building going on at http://www.diyaudio.com/ - I'm building two sets of folded horn full range speakers now.


----------



## akiroz

My new "Chocolate" Portable Amp.
  Designed based on Features from "Objective2", "MINT",and "Cmoy"


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Lots of good speaker building going on at http://www.diyaudio.com/ - I'm building two sets of folded horn full range speakers now.


 
  Thanks alot for this link it has lead me to a desktop speaker design that is right up my street and will be a fun first build 
   
  I will post pics when i get it done to say thanks


----------



## Dyaems

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> My new "Chocolate" Portable Amp.
> Designed based on Features from "Objective2", "MINT",and "Cmoy"


 

 Creamy looking amp you got there, bro! Sweet!


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> My new "Chocolate" Portable Amp.
> Designed based on Features from "Objective2", "MINT",and "Cmoy"


 
   
  Wow, that actually looks really, really cool. Very nice job!


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

I just finished up my DIYTube Get SET Go amplifier. It puts out about 2.5 glorious single-ended watts. The tubes are a pair of 6B4Gs. 
   

   
   
  The photo below shows most of the wiring in place inside:

   
   
  I haven't tried it myself, but I'd imagine this design could be modified a bit for headphone use. I know the Clementine can.


----------



## liamstrain

That's really good looking, HighFlying9 - I love the red bell ends. That's a pure amplifier, no? No preamp, attenuation or multiple inputs?


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> That's really good looking, HighFlying9 - I love the red bell ends. That's a pure amplifier, no? No preamp, attenuation or multiple inputs?


 
  Thanks! Yes, this one will be used with a pre-amp. I've seen a few of these with a potentiometer mounted, but most are used with a pre.


----------



## Dyaems

i wish i can build amps as clean-looking as that =(
   
  nice job!


----------



## Navyblue

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> I haven't tried it myself, but I'd imagine this design could be modified a bit for headphone use. I know the Clementine can.


 
   
  Just need to replace the output transformer with an appropriate one.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





navyblue said:


> Just need to replace the output transformer with an appropriate one.


 
   
  Or even better: Use two output transformers and a toggle switch to select between "Speakers" and "Headphones"
   
  But either ways, it's a very good looking build. I love how the color scheme was meticulously respected.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





navyblue said:


> Just need to replace the output transformer with an appropriate one.


 
  Right'o. The eight ohm taps on the Transcendars aren't really ideal for headphones. 
   
   


kimlaroux said:


> But either ways, it's a very good looking build. I love how the color scheme was meticulously respected.


 
  Thanks!! I can be pretty obsessive when it comes to these sort of things


----------



## .Sup

wow Highfly, amazing, I am becoming a fan of yours


----------



## Dyaems

prototype of the "modded" cmoy done. dont mind the borrowed volume knob that looks awesome.
   
  3.5mm and 6.3mm headphone jack
   

   
   
  rca and 3.5mm jacks, gain switch

   
  sorry about the internals, yeah its messy

   
  all denko cables, BIG angela/audionote audio caps and the custom battery pack

   
  another pic of the caps and its using opa2134... for now

   
  everything "missing" is underneath hehehe...
   
  smooth, warm, musical, can drive 600ohm monsters at 10 o'clock, can drive yamaha orthos about the same volume level as the 600 ohm headphones, approx more than 30 hour battery life, and it has a charging circuit =D
   
  now time to use those blackgate caps =D =D


----------



## akiroz

^ Lookin' nice! But not quite portable...?
  With that size, you may as well use the Obj2 circuit. (which probably sounds better than a Cmoy.)


----------



## Dyaems

its half the size of an o2. maybe a few cm taller but thats it. maybe the same size of a stepdance. the pic is zoomed in thats why it looks big haha


----------



## vixr

this is a 12AU7 version of the Millett Hybrid Starving Student. I etched the board and installed it in an alumium enclosure. It sounds pretty good with my HD-600s. Just need a better knob...


----------



## liamstrain

That looks good Vixr - very clean build. Is that volume pot free spinning though? or is that sucker tacked down somehow?


----------



## Dyaems

the top view looks like a robot smiling. niiiice!


----------



## vixr

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> That looks good Vixr - very clean build. Is that volume pot free spinning though? or is that sucker tacked down somehow?


 
  its just a standard blue velvet pot...it is fastened with a hex nut, you can see one of the flats just behind the knob. Thanks for the kind comments guys.


----------



## MrMajestic2

This is a Buffalo II build I did for a friend:


----------



## liamstrain

Hah - well done. I love the solution of using the M2tech USB to SPDIF to add that capability to the box. Nice work overall.


----------



## Forte

Quote: 





mrmajestic2 said:


> This is a Buffalo II build I did for a friend:


 
   
   
  Very nice build,  Why the switch to turn off the Ground loop breaker?


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote: 





forte said:


> Very nice build,  Why the switch to turn off the Ground loop breaker?


 

 I've noticed in some situations that a ground loop breaker can mess things up with the signal lock.


----------



## qusp

you are using spdif out of the m2tech? why not tap the i2s?
  nice work though, youve gotta love those USB bulkhead connectors


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote: 





qusp said:


> you are using spdif out of the m2tech? why not tap the i2s?
> nice work though, youve gotta love those USB bulkhead connectors


 

 If I tapped i2s I wouldnt be able to use the SPDIF mux. I also wanted to be able to remove the m2tech and use it for other applications.


----------



## qusp

hmm yes, but its not like the TP mux is the only option for switching sources, neither does modding the m2tech preclude you from using the spdif out. since its for someone else I totally get why you would want to keep it simple though


----------



## MrMajestic2

Quote: 





qusp said:


> hmm yes, but its not like the TP mux is the only option for switching sources, neither does modding the m2tech preclude you from using the spdif out. since its for someone else I totally get why you would want to keep it simple though


 

 True, other options are available, but this is what the owner wanted. Keeping it simple was also a concern.


----------



## vixr

Here are a few more pics of my progress on the MHSS...


----------



## J.Pocalypse

That's wild lookin'! Really cool.


----------



## gilency

That is a really nice and different built. Care to describe it?


----------



## vixr

Quote: 





gilency said:


> That is a really nice and different built. Care to describe it?


 
  Its the Millett Hybrid Starving Student, home etched PCB, Nichicon Muse and Sprague caps, 12AU7 tubes...lexan enclosure. I built it tall to serve as a heaphone stand as well.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





> Its the Millett Hybrid Starving Student, home etched PCB, Nichicon Muse and Sprague caps, 12AU7 tubes...lexan enclosure. I built it tall to serve as a heaphone stand as well.


 
  Very Creative Indeed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  Good Job! 
   
  About the PCB's, did you do the Solder Mask and Silkscreen layers too?
  I've done a few myself but the copper traces will oxidize over time....
 So I've kinda gone back to Pref-boards.
   
  I'm currently making my own Custom IEM's 
  just finished a silicone cast,
  Maybe I can post some pics here if that counts as a "Build"


----------



## vixr

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Very Creative Indeed
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I just clean the copper with slightly used scotchbrite and coat with polyurethane...no silkscreen. I only etch my own so I can control the dimensions and shape of the boards. By all means let us see the IEMs


----------



## jdkJake

While this is not a headphone project, it is by far the biggest audio DIY project I have attempted. For the most part, they are finally finished. I have been working on these with most of my spare time over the past year.
   
  What started as this:
   

   
  Has become this:
   

   
  These are Elsinore MkV speakers. The design is by Joe Rasmussen, the build is my take on the project.
   
  For those interested or with far too much time on their hands, the entire journey has been documented with far too many photos and seemingly endless commentary by yours truly over the past year at:
   
     http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/97043-elsinore-project-thread.html
   
  And the requisite electronics porn (from the external cross-overs):


----------



## funch

Dang, Jake! Them's awful purtty. What's driving 'em?


----------



## akiroz

@ Jake
  Nice speakers!!
   
  Anyway, Here's a pic of my DIY CIEMs.
  The don't look pretty like the professional ones, but works perfectly!
  The drivers are from UE TF10's, bought them on Head-fi FS forums.
  (Click for high-res.)


----------



## akiroz

Double posted.


----------



## Tilpo

akiroz said:


> @ Jake
> Nice speakers!!
> 
> Anyway, Here's a pic of my DIY CIEMs.
> ...



Shouldn't you get a back plate on there? 
Won't the circuitry get damaged due to moisture and all that good stuff when you put it in your ears in the current state? 

Anyway, very nice work.


----------



## akiroz

QUOTE:
  Shouldn't you get a back plate on there?
  Won't the circuitry get damaged due to moisture and all that good stuff when you put it in your ears in the current state?
   
  Yes, I'm still missing a Faceplate, but they won't really get damaged by the moisture in my ears because the opening is on the outside.


----------



## Tilpo

akiroz said:


> Yes, I'm still missing a Faceplate, but they won't really get damaged by the moisture in my ears because the opening is on the outside.



Do you think you could make it out of metal?
You could attach it by supergluing it to the CIEM, shouldn't be too difficult. (or use whatever kind of glue)


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





tilpo said:


> Do you think you could make it out of metal?
> You could attach it by supergluing it to the CIEM, shouldn't be too difficult. (or use whatever kind of glue)


 
  Sure. Now that I think about it it's a pretty good idea.
  Gonna do that tomorrow.


----------



## jdkJake

funch said:


> Dang, Jake! Them's awful purtty. What's driving 'em?




Thanks funch!

At the moment, nothing of note. I have been using a NAD AVR and a small T-amp. The goal was to build a foundation speaker to begin experimenting with different amplifier technologies and implementations. So, you could say the first leg of the journey is complete, but really, the trip has just begun.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Thanks funch!
> 
> At the moment, nothing of note. I have been using a NAD AVR and a small T-amp. The goal was to build a foundation speaker to begin experimenting with different amplifier technologies and implementations. So, you could say the first leg of the journey is complete, but really, the trip has just begun.


 
  Good luck in your journey!
 Always make sure to test power amps with a dummy load and take measurements *before* connecting speakers!!
   - Speaking from experience.... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I'm planning a power amp build in the future too, for my Bi-amp system.


----------



## Pageygeeza

jdkJake:  Dude you should post that to "Hackaday" I'm sure they'd love that there too.


----------



## funch

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Thanks funch!
> At the moment, nothing of note. I have been using a NAD AVR and a small T-amp. The goal was to build a foundation speaker to begin experimenting with different amplifier technologies and implementations. So, you could say the first leg of the journey is complete, but really, the trip has just begun.


 
   
  Sound like a perfect 'excuse' to build a B24.


----------



## shaunybaby

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> *snip*
> 
> What started as this:
> 
> ...


 
   
  I am at the moment i,m on with a speaker build and i understand how hard it is to build speakers of this kind of grade, I hope to be showing mine off to you all soon


----------



## Dyaems

it is from someone i know and i think ill post it here because i think it its cool =)
   
  its a DIY output "energizer" for akg k1000. it has an input of 4-8 ohms and it has a switch for 32 to 120 ohm ( for k1000 ) output. it is used for any amps with 4-8 ohm so that the k1000 should be getting what is "needed"


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





funch said:


> Sound like a perfect 'excuse' to build a B24.


 

 i've seen a lot of jdkJake lately over at DIYA, pretty sure hes already got his head full of ideas. the B24 seems a good amp, but I think Jake has widened his horizons a little further than a speaker amp designed by a headfi kit seller. much as I think the SuSy thing is cool and the B24 aint no B22 on steriods, it would not be my first choice for these, the ellisnores are pretty darned efficient and want current drive dont they? B24 is pretty solidly in the voltage amp camp and with waaay OTT wattage I would think. maybe an F4 Jake?


----------



## jdkJake

qusp said:


> i've seen a lot of jdkJake lately over at DIYA, pretty sure hes already got his head full of ideas. the B24 seems a good amp, but I think Jake has widened his horizons a little further than a speaker amp designed by a headfi kit seller. much as I think the SuSy thing is cool and the B24 aint no B22 on steriods, it would not be my first choice for these, the ellisnores are pretty darned efficient and want current drive dont they? B24 is pretty solidly in the voltage amp camp and with waaay OTT wattage I would think. maybe an F4 Jake?




. Probably an F5 first, just to wet the feet.

We will see where we go from there....


----------



## qusp

ha sorry Jake, didnt mean to put words in your mouth, i've just seen you posting a fair bit over there lately in multiple forum areas.
   
  F5..which one? haha theres like 5 or 6 of them at least. plain vanilla DIYA store boards? definitely look at the F4, from my reading the ellisnore's prefer current drive. you would need a source or preamp with a bit of voltage gain, maybe +6-12dB (or just add a bit of gain to your dac's IV stage); as the F4 has current gain only.
   
   
  this is some of the stuff on my bench at the moment, the only thing headphone related is the LPUHP, which will also make superb headphone amps, but are mainly for my tweeters.
   
  the first are fully regulated 'SMPS' 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 seen by many as the devil (see details and measurements in spoiler) but these are designed for audio. Higher voltage +/-65vdc regulators for the front end and +/-55vdc 16A regulated outputs for the fets all with bugger all capacitance and 400gms each. they are for the lateral fet 'the wire' also pictured. all going together for 6 balanced power amp channels for multiway digitally crossed DIY speakers. with multichannel USB->i2s and multiple ESS dacs.
   
  i'll post pics when its all done, but anyone looking at building power amps these days should really give SMPS another look.
   


Spoiler: more%20involved%20technical%20description%20for%20those%20interested



 
  I'm looking forward to playing with these suckers (first 2 pics) on my 'the wire' power amps (second set, Mosfets will be soldered in once on the heatsink) they are the DPS-600 from Audiopower; hardcore PSUs. Finally we are starting to see SMPS designed for audio by music lovers. These are 600W fully regulated power supplies and only 400gms each. they have separate +/-65vdc regs for the front end and +/-55vdc 16A regulated main output for the Lateral fets. according to the designer, SMPS is a fairly poor description of them, as the high current output stage is basically a Class A amp. great attention has been paid to keeping the critical midrange free of the residual that plagued early SMPS
   
  As well as a digitally controlled power unit, I also get a free fast break which will pull the rails to ground using a logic low or high, so can be leveraged for a very effective DC protection (all my amps are DC coupled and no crossover..so..) output is only enabled after the rails are steady (about 500ms) and this state change is also available as a signal on the pinheader.  i'll be using this signal to increase the bias automatically, as although the LME front end reg can supply more than 1A pretty easily, they dont like starting up into more than ~380mA but after start up i'll ramp it up to about 600mA for more Class A, then theres other sundries like short circuit, overtemp, overload, UVLO error,  LEDs, remote switching etc etc. to round it out.
   
  did I mention its tiny?
   
  the transient response redefines stiff rails and they have very low noise and EMI/RFI. Independent measurements i've seen with them powering the amp, have the main outputs barely flinching with 100Hz full power 250W transients (now added below) rather than the sag you would get with even a pretty OTT linear unregulated supply (think more than 1kVA and 100000µF a channel).
   
  Its all rather exciting and a little bit daunting, should be excellent. i'm putting them together with the amps and the 2 x LPUHP down the bottom for a 6 channel power amp for diy multiway speakers i'm building, with software based digital crossover/convolver and multiple ESS dacs (Ackodac). integrating the whole thing with a beaglebone and a few xbees for controlling display, remote (wifi) multichannel volume control by interfacing with the ES9012's, sequenced start/shutdown and maybe even intelligent controls like checking ambient temp and weather forecast before setting bias. the possibilities are endless.
   
  measurements of the amp in dB/v ie. referenced to 1V
   

   

   
  100Hz full power transients. the red and blue traces are the power supply rails at +/-65vdc. nothing I would describe as sag

   
   


   
  it took a bit of convincing to get me to buy SMPS, but the performance is like nothing ive seen without basically building another pair of amps to power your amps; basically what these are.
   
  I plan to try and put my feet up for a while after this build and my speakers are done, the whole thing will have done some major wallet damage over the last couple of years, i'd rather not add it up.


----------



## Nebby

If only those SMPS's were available for us NA folks  Are those Scanspeak 4530's?


----------



## qusp

yeah thats a bitch eh? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  theres another similar model, the DPS-500 which is universal voltage. hes actually just received the new ones with the same upgraded power unit; its a bit more expensive and higher power than the dps-600. (800W vs 600W) if you need any customization it can take a while.... but he does deliver (took 40 days for our GB (30 units). He did fully rework the front end regs for us so they are higher rather than lower voltage for us (+/-65vdc vs what is normally just a single 12-15vdc) and he did that all by hand, it just took longer than estimated... I expect just buying one of the standard stock units would not be as problematic
   
  this was done so the fets can swing right into the rails without clipping the output, or rather without the input stage clipping. another neat feature is that you have +/-5% adjustment and it will proportionately increase the main outputs to match the FE outputs. looks sweet too IMO
   
   
  Quote: 





> Are those Scanspeak 4530's?


 
  close but not quite, they are SS 18W/8531G0 8ohm uncoated 6.5"


----------



## Nebby

Quote: 





qusp said:


> close but not quite, they are SS 18W/8531G0 8ohm uncoated 6.5"


 
  Drat! I was so close!


----------



## wakibaki

Most recent build of my TPA6120/PGA2320 LiPo powered desktop/portable - features relay on/off pop suppression and is fully DC coupled with servo. Charging is constant current/constant voltage. Three buttons - right: vol. up and wake from sleep, left:vol. down middle: select left, right or both channels controlled. The display and CPU sleep after ~10 sec to save power.
   
   

   
  Not too easy photographing black objects...
   
   

   
  ...the guts.
   
  w


----------



## qusp

indeed Nebby, very close! I think theyve discontinued the coated 6.5" a little while ago, with only NOS and the 15W version still available.
   
  So pumped to get this system finished, in the home stretch now! just need to put aside a little bit more coin for the last 3 milled panels for the amp chassis and a new dac chassis to account for more channels. for now i'll just hang everything for the amps off the 2 x MF35-151 conrad sinks
   
  the beaglebone control interface/MCU will take a while, but the system will work without it. I just wouldnt trust someone else to turn it on/off in the correct sequence
   
  nice work wakibaki, is there a dac in there too? portable? even I call my rig transportable. but i'm not going to tell you youre crazy, having superb sound on the go, even if its in a manbag to take on long-haul flights or work trips, is definitely a tool of sanity for me


----------



## wakibaki

Thanks. No DAC I'm afraid qusp. All-up weight is 432g or very close to 1lb. Longest dimension is 4 inches. There's no room to fit in a DAC as the main board has components on both sides and some of the area is given over to cooling.
   
  Obviously it's not going to fit in a shirt pocket. Against this you have to weigh a rail-to-rail swing of 25.2V fully charged or with the wallwart connected. The batteries mean that there is a huge current reserve for transient performance when operated as a desktop. Endurance is 12 hours+. The relay to control on/off pop imposes an inescapable current drain but means that phones are protected in all circumstances since the DC servo is also arranged to cause the relay to drop out if any offset (including input) exceeds the servo authority.
   
  Air-core inductors at the output mean the TPA6120's output impedance is not compromised. Maximum output current is 700mA with thermal limiting, although the wallwart charge circuit limit is set to 150mA.
   
  Worst case output offset is 0.12mV with the OPA2277 servo.
   
  Volume control from 0-255 represents a gain range from -89.5dB to 37.5dB in 0.5dB steps as currently configured.
   
  w
   
  I suppose I _might_ get a DAC in if I went to 4 layers, but it'd push the cost up quite a lot. It's really intended for use with a DAP. I just wish I had an AP analyzer to confirm that it performs up to the chips' capabilities, but I've done my best with with what I've got. Distortion should be below audible.


----------



## Pingupenguins

Wow, some crazy stuff here. I was tempted to post my miniUSB grubDAC just to be a troll, but I decided not to. I also don't have pictures and I'm too lazy to take pictures. Lol. It's bad enough I have to take pictures of every damn cable. :/


----------



## qusp

Quote: 





pingupenguins said:


> It's bad enough I have to take pictures of every damn cable. :/


 
  tell me about it …


----------



## Babaika

Quote: 





fault151 said:


> Hi guys here is my B22 Balanced Headphone Amplifier.
> 
> Features of the amp are:
> Balanced headphone amp/Single Ended
> ...


 
  Great bro!) Fantastic!) Welcome to Israel bro!) Im painter & designer too. Thanks for your art work B22!)


----------



## TiEx

ODAC --> PGA2320 --> The Wire


----------



## wakibaki

Good choice of modules for a project TiEx, but that is one _*ugly*_ box.
   
  w


----------



## Mullet

Here's a recent build of a prototype of the PupDAC. Had to wait for panels from Front Panel Express and was away for a bit. My calculations for panels were mostly correct with the exception of the USB jack and LED hole which are both slightly off. Everything still works though.


----------



## tomb

Looks great, Mullet.  You did a great job!


----------



## mmayer167

That looks really nice! Reminds me slightly of a pico dac.
   
  -M


----------



## Mullet

It's Cobaltmute's long standing project finally coming to fruition and subsequently coming in kit form on Beezar. I'd say it's definitely in the same ball park as a Pico. It sounds quite nice I must say.


----------



## DefQon

Looks really cute.


----------



## bidoux

I think the crowd here isn't a big fan of the white cathode follower topology. Anyway here is my new tube amp :
   
  (µ-follower and white cathode follower using only ECC88)


  http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=970878DSCN2436.jpg


  http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=504386DSCN2438.jpg
   

  http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=409283DSCN2437.jpg

 Pic of the inside (a bit messy)

  http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=340343DSCN2431.jpg
   
  Background noise and parasites seem to be down enough. Curiously swapping tubes helped reduce them.I think the batch of ECC88 I bought is faulty, but maybe  they are 6N23P since "CCCP" is written all over them


----------



## KimLaroux

I rebuilt my Starving Student in an Hammond aluminum enclosure. After a paint job, it looks much better than the original.
   


 


   


 


   
  I built Faraday cages around the tubes, but they still pick up WiFi interference. Does every tube amplifiers pickup EMI like this, or is it a design flaw of the MSSH?


----------



## Nebby

I'm not sure about the rest of your question, but for a Faraday cage to be effective it needs to be fully enclosed.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> I built Faraday cages around the tubes, but they still pick up WiFi interference. Does every tube amplifiers pickup EMI like this, or is it a design flaw of the MSSH?


 
   
  are you sure it's your tubes that are picking up the interference?  Some areas I'd look at first:
   
  -some of your wires in your case could be shorter
  -do you have a star based ground set up
  -are your pots and jacks isolated from the case
  -are the audio wires near any power wires shielded or at least when they come near power lines doing so at right angles?
   
as for the faraday cage, is the cage itself designed for the frequencies you want to block, the higher the frequency the smaller the hole/mesh.  Also, as stated, a faraday cage must be fully enclosed.
  This spurred me to do some further reading, the holes need to be less than one tenth the wavelength, so for wifi frequencies in the g or n spec, you're looking at 2.4GHz (rounding to 2.5GHz for convenience) you have a wave length of 12cm, so you would want holes smaller than 1.2cm.  For n and the ac bands it's 5GHz, wavelength = 6cm, mesh hole of <6mm.
   
  I had it in my mind that the holes would be much smaller, my mistake.


----------



## KimLaroux

I'm pretty sure the noise is picked by the tubes themselves: If I place my hands around the tubes, the noise stops. If I pick the amplifier up and lift it above my laptop, the noise stops.
   
  I'm guessing the mesh I used is too thin and has too many holes in it to effectively shield 2.4Ghz. I tried adding caps to completely close the cages, it helps, but the RF still gets trough. From the little information I can find about RF shielding, it seems that the only efficient way to shield those high frequencies is to use a solid sheet metal. I think the best option, short of enclosing the tubes inside a metal box, will be to reposition the amplifier relative to my laptop. Right now they are less than a foot apart, with a direct, unobstructed space between the laptop's WiFi antennas and the tubes.


----------



## samsquanch

Laptops are notoriously noisy, may I recommend a high impedance air gap?  AKA  move your amp away from your laptop.  Cheap and easy.
   
   
  ...further thoughts...
   
  Have you tried turning off your laptops wifi and see if you still have noise?  I would suspect that it's the power supply instead, as the frequencies they radiate are in the audible range where 2.5GHz is way past ultrasonic.  Not saying wifi couldn't cause trouble, but I find it unlikely.  If I'm proved wrong, I'd really like to do some reading on the matter.


----------



## KimLaroux

I did, in fact, I just have to stop using the internet for it to stop. When I have a torrent client open, it's hell inside those tubes. It's not the 2.4Ghz that you hear, but the WiFi protocol. Strings of 0s and 1s round up to a "chick-click-clack" type of noise, a bit like a dial up modem does. Ever heard interference of a cellphone through powered speakers? It's this type of noise.
   
  I tried moving the amplifier away, but it's not as efficient as just placing it above my laptop. This is explained like so: moving the source of the noise bellow the amplifier places the enclosure between the source and the tubes, which offers a better shield.


----------



## samsquanch

Fair enough, I've personally never run into this issue, but then again I don't screw around with tubes, so....
   
  Anecdote:
  A few years ago I was installing a large A/V plus video teleconference system for a software manufacture.  After a few months of install, we went to start turning on each room to test when we discovered some awful noise coming out of the ceiling speakers.  Time passes, heads are scratched, then it dawns upon me upon me to unplug the laptop that was installed in the rack, sure enough the power supply was dumping it's switching noise into the audio signal, even when it wasn't selected at the switcher as an audio source.  Awful nasty things.


----------



## OJNeg

Thought I'd share this while we're on the topic.
   
  The zone amp that I use for my desktop rig has a signal sensing trigger where it'll turn on when it detects an audio signal at the RCA input. You can adjust the input sensitivity with a pair of trimpots on the back of the chassis. Anyway, I figured out that whenever I turned on my lamp, the amp would trigger on as well. I guess the 120VAC in the lamp cord was enough to induce a voltage in the RCA cables that were running right beside it.


----------



## Mullet

Well finally here we go I've been working on this one for a few months now. I finally got my case and decided to "wire" things up...
   
   
   

   
   


   
  Wanted to use a smaller case but the power supply I ended up using forced a larger case. Then again it was a breath of fresh air working with a larger case -- my last few builds were Cavalli CTHs, which is as tight as it gets.


----------



## TiEx

Mullet, how do you like the sounf of The Wire amplifier? I build myself one and like it very much!


----------



## Mullet

At this point I've listened and built these amps in order: CMOY, Apheared 47, Cavalli CTH (2 variations), O2, The Wire. My next is going to be the EHHA Rev A -- someday. I know I can tell you I never liked the sound of the CMOY and A47. Maybe it was the opamps I was using -- maybe wrong headphone pairing. I love the CTH. I think I like it better than the O2 and Wire. Maybe it's the hybrid tube thing. I'm not sure. I have a hard time articulating the sound of an amp and the characteristics of what an amp sounds like, but I can tell you if I like something or not. I'm not sure what I prefer the O2 or Wire. I haven't had enough time with The Wire I guess. It sounds good though. My thoughts on this should be saved for another thread.
   
  When using volume control -- I know you implemented some sort of digital control. How far up do you go before you get a volume you like and what gain if any did you choose? I used an 50k RK27 with a gain of 4 and I have to go up to around 2 to 3 o'clock before the volume is to my liking. Other amps I've used its around 12 o'clock. I've been told it's probably because they have higher gain to begin with.


----------



## TiEx

I see you keeping yourself busy Mullet. Very nice. As for the digital PGA2320 volume control I use no gain at all, I think this chip is on unity gain settings by default or "1" so to say. The Wire i build is on default gain "1". With my 85 Ohm orthodynamics I feel good at about -4dB volume. At 0dB it gets loud enough for me. It can go higher up to about +20dB though. It is really good as many people with some engineering skills think that listening at reference level must be around 80-90% power of the amplifier for best quality and SNR. For your 2 to 3 o'clock on POT dial is good enough by these standards. Because you also have some headroom for harder to drive headphones. Just leave it like this. My plans for the future are somewhat difficult to build. Major part will take the FET transistors with possible minimal number of gain stages and likely balanced circlotron style.


----------



## shaunybaby

built to hold all my stuff


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





shaunybaby said:


> built to hold all my stuff


 
   
  Nice, I like my flexy myself!  

 Question, what's the notch in the bottom shelf for????


----------



## particleman14

Just finished a KGSSHV.  Here are some pics.  sounds really good!
   
  Warning: camera phone pics


----------



## Pingupenguins

Quote: 





particleman14 said:


> Just finished a KGSSHV.  Here are some pics.  sounds really good!
> 
> Warning: camera phone pics


 
   
   
  U crazy!
   
  Gratz on a successful build. Love the front panel. Where did you get that done?


----------



## .Sup

Very nice build p-man! I would love to do one as well If there was a manual for it with images like Bottlehead provides


----------



## particleman14

thanks.    front panel is done by Front Panel Express.
   
  @sup.  time and patience and you can build anything!  but definitely a harder project than many, plus the high voltage is not very forgiving


----------



## preproman

^^^^^That's a really good job..


----------



## Draygonn

particleman14 said:


> Just finished a KGSSHV.  Here are some pics.  sounds really good!


Very nice!

--
My afternoon was spent replacing the small O2 volume knob with the E9's. The small knob was too close to the jack. Dremeled my way through the faceplate to move the pot. 

Before 

After


----------



## cfcubed

^^^ Well that certainly represents the small and large extremes
I assume the new knob does not actually contact the surface the amp rests on. 
OTOH adding a rubber surround to the knob and a couple small wheels in the back you'd be able to adj the volume by rotating the whole amp, which might be cool too


----------



## .Sup

it looks much more pro now Draygonn!


----------



## Navyblue

This been quiet for a while, allow me to bump this up.

I build this Beta 22 a while back.







The transformer was housed in another chassis.






I wasn't entirely happy with it, but it at least had a proper chassis.

Then I ripped it apart, and turned it to this.


----------



## akiroz

^ LOL What are those boxes??


----------



## Maverickmonk

My god, these builds are gorgeous. I can only hope to get a somewhat professional result with my M^3 build. Still trying to find an affordable way to label the case in an attractive way.
   
   
  Since you've all had experience with this before, what layout do you prefer? Volume knob in the middle, with power/LED on one side and headphone Jack on the other? Or headphone Jack in the middle, volume on one side and power/LED on the other?


----------



## Mullet

I prefer Volume on the right. LED in the center. 1/4" jack on the left. But ultimately it's really up to you.


----------



## preproman

I prefer the volume knob in the Middle with a set of outputs on each side (if you have that).  For dual PSUs I like a LED on the top and to each side of the amp.


----------



## adamschuetze

I think I scrolled through 300 pages of posts so far, and wow.  You guys kick ass.  Amazing stuff.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Here is my Dynalo build.


----------



## Mikael109

Quote: 





oneplustwo said:


>


 
   
   
  Sorry to quote something so far back in the thread..
   
  But where is everyone getting this panel mounted LED?
   
  I checked all over mouser, ebay, ect and I couldn't find one that covers the center of the LED and makes it light up in a ring-like pattern.


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





colonelkernel8 said:


> Here is my Dynalo build.


 
   
  Very nice! I like the engraved text and carbon fiber surround. Great touches. 
   
  Where did you track down a board? or did you make your own?


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





mikael109 said:


> Sorry to quote something so far back in the thread..
> 
> But where is everyone getting this panel mounted LED?
> 
> I checked all over mouser, ebay, ect and I couldn't find one that covers the center of the LED and makes it light up in a ring-like pattern.


 
  You're looking for an illuminated metal push button with LED surround, sometimes called a momentary switch
   
  sample search: http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=16mm-Thread-Ring-Illuminated-Metal-Push-Button-Switch-


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Very nice! I like the engraved text and carbon fiber surround. Great touches.
> 
> Where did you track down a board? or did you make your own?


 
  I have had a few boards I bought several years ago and finally got around to building one.
   
  The carbon fiber is real, it's a 1mm thick plate that I inlayed into the panel so it was completely flush with the surface. I'm really happy with how well it turned out. When light hits it, it has an amazing depth and "3D-ness" to it.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote: 





mikael109 said:


> Sorry to quote something so far back in the thread..
> 
> But where is everyone getting this panel mounted LED?
> 
> I checked all over mouser, ebay, ect and I couldn't find one that covers the center of the LED and makes it light up in a ring-like pattern.


 
  Check "vandal resistant" buttons on Digi-Key.
   
  http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/PV6F240SS-311/EG4730-ND/2116209


----------



## funch

It's not an LED, but a Bulgin push-button switch. edit: Hmmm, when I posted this reply, the four posts above weren't there. Strange.


----------



## Mikael109

Thanks everyone!

I didn't realize it was a button.. It looks really nice but ouch ~$30


----------



## liamstrain

You can find it for ~$8-10


----------



## bidoux

Quote:  
  Wow, really nice. Dynalo builds are becoming scarce these days, it is a shame. By the way, what power supply are you using ?


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





bidoux said:


> Wow, really nice. Dynalo builds are becoming scarce these days, it is a shame. By the way, what power supply are you using ?


 
   
  Yah, we need another group buy on the boards... they've become rarer than hen's teeth.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote: 





bidoux said:


> Wow, really nice. Dynalo builds are becoming scarce these days, it is a shame. By the way, what power supply are you using ?


 
   
  Edit: Thanks, by the way!
   
  I'm currently using this: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/HAD15-0.4-AG/179-2306-ND/1634196
   
  I haven't decided if I'll build one or not.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Yah, we need another group buy on the boards... they've become rarer than hen's teeth.


 
   
  I've got one additional board, I'll sell it to you for a significantly inflated price


----------



## BK_856er

Those are Bulgin stainless steel vandal-proof momentary illuminated switches (i.e., Bulgin MPI002/28/BL).  Available in single or dual color, and probably latching, too.  Kinda pricey, but very nice.
   
  BK


----------



## BK_856er

Quote: 





bk_856er said:


> Those are Bulgin stainless steel vandal-proof momentary illuminated switches (i.e., Bulgin MPI002/28/BL).  Available in single or dual color, and probably latching, too.  Kinda pricey, but very nice.
> 
> BK


 
   
  Ooops - already answered - must remember to click next page before responding!
   
  BK


----------



## Mikael109

No worries, I appreciate all the help.

I checked out eBay and it looks like they have some imitation ones from china for ~$8-$13 as liam was saying.


----------



## colonelkernel8

Quote: 





mikael109 said:


> No worries, I appreciate all the help.
> I checked out eBay and it looks like they have some imitation ones from china for ~$8-$13 as liam was saying.


 
  There are several domestically available switches that look very similar to the Bulgin switches that don't cost as much.
   
  http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/PV7F2Y0SS-331/EG4737-ND/2116216
   
  http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/PV6F240SS-311/EG4730-ND/2116209
   
  The LAMB series of switches from E-Switch are actually *very* nice. The feel of the actuation is...satisfying, haha.


----------



## Maverickmonk

I'm personally switching to using vintage Marantz switches on my builds, partly because the power switch can look identical to audio switches, and also because I find the understated but solid aluminum push buttons quite nice


----------



## madcap386

Finally after many many builds of the the crystal Cmoy, here is my most satisfied version:
   

   

   

   
   
   
   
  Simple component setup: Vishay resistors, Nichicon FG caps,  OPA2134..
  But it sounds excellent..


----------



## Bad and Quiet

Quote: 





madcap386 said:


> Finally after many many builds of the the crystal Cmoy, here is my most satisfied version:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
   
perfectly!


----------



## miceblue

madcap386 said:


> Finally after many many builds of the the crystal Cmoy, here is my most satisfied version:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




That's a beauty! Well done!


----------



## El_Doug

that is SO cool - organizing all the components to look so neat must have taken forever!


----------



## bwshockley

Quote: 





madcap386 said:


> Finally after many many builds of the the crystal Cmoy, here is my most satisfied version:
> 
> *images removed for simplicity*
> 
> ...


 
   
  Wow, that is amazing.  I'm working on my own right now.  Can I ask how you made that case?


----------



## Pageygeeza

Quote: 





madcap386 said:


> Finally after many many builds of the the crystal Cmoy, here is my most satisfied version:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  That is a work of art, you thought of posting your build to "Hackaday"?


----------



## kchapdaily

your cmoy really is quite beautiful. well done.


----------



## FraGGleR

Almost embarrassing to follow that gorgeous Cmoy, especially since mine is a Cmoy as well, but oh well.
   
  The Batman Cmoy:
   
   

   



   
  Simple build based off of Tangent's tutorial.  OPA2227, added a closed circuit DC jack so I could use with 9v or wallwart.  Not very tidy, but I am still a beginner and it worked on the first try.


----------



## Dyaems

More random CMOY/DIY amp goodness... Pardon the appearances.. theyre ugly and need to be sourced outside our country =(
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
  both amps have a few things in common, both sound big and musical-- making closed headphones sound "open"
   
  sorry for the long post!


----------



## madcap386

Quote: 





bwshockley said:


> Wow, that is amazing.  I'm working on my own right now.  Can I ask how you made that case?


 

 Thank you for the compliment. 
   
  The acrylic case i got it off from ebay.. (Search for beanie baby display case)


----------



## madcap386

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Almost embarrassing to follow that gorgeous Cmoy, especially since mine is a Cmoy as well, but oh well.
> 
> The Batman Cmoy:
> 
> ...


 

 Looks really good for the first try!


----------



## Bad and Quiet

@FraGGleR
  how much it weighs your cmoy?


----------



## FraGGleR

I don't have a scale to weigh it, and I am bad at guessing, but it shouldn't be much heavier than a normal mint tin Cmoy.  Sorry I can't help more.


----------



## bwshockley

Well, I just completed my first amp build.  It is a Millet Hybrid MOSFET-MAX V1.2.  The amp itself sounds wonderful and really impressive.  Such a difference in sound a little tube can make.
   
  The case is custom.  I used .375" thick 6061 AL for the base.  I had to put in 8 drilled and tapped holes, four to hold the PCB and four for the amp's feet.  I found the feet on ebay, probably the most expensive part.  The wood is four solid blocks of Alder, glued together, then hollowed out to create the shell.  To keep the wood shell on the AL base I drilled four holes in each corner of each piece and glued in a couple neodymium magnets on each side.  Worked much better than expected.  I would carry the amp by the shell, but keeps it firmly in place while in use and easy enough to just pop off the shell for adjustments.


----------



## kchapdaily

@bwshockley    beautiful work! love the clean look, really well done.


----------



## KimLaroux

Wow nice job! Looks very clean. Any pictures of the inside?


----------



## jdkJake

bwshockley said:


> Well, I just completed my first amp build.  It is a Millet Hybrid MOSFET-MAX V1.2.




The wood shell is indeed very striking. Very nicely done.

That said, I am surprised you are not having issues with heat build up inside the enclosure. There appears to be little to no ventilation for the inside parts, particularly the MOSFETs. What did you end up biasing them at?

You might consider getting a thermal probe and measuring the inside temp to see what kind of heat build up you are reaching. I fear your amp may not last long buttoned up quite that tight.


----------



## bwshockley

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Wow nice job! Looks very clean. Any pictures of the inside?


 
   
  Check my signature for a link to a build gallery.  There are a few there.  I'm on travel right now, but when I get a chance, I'll take more of the internals.


----------



## bwshockley

Quote: 





jdkjake said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I biased the MOSFETS around 240mV, power supply is set at 27VDC.  I was also concerned with heat buildup, but I think my very thick AL plate has enough thermal mass to keep things cool for the durations I am running the amp, and maybe the ability to dissappate the heat as well.  I will definitely keep my eye on it though.  I can always add some vents in the rear if need be.


----------



## Fred_com

Hi all,
  here's my balanced Bijou (not really great casework, but considerably better than my previous attempts):


----------



## El_Doug

looks rugged


----------



## KimLaroux

The first word that came to mind is, epic.
   
  I like how you mounted the transformers at the back, it's one way to lower the profile of the whole thing. How's the back panel supporting the weight of these?
   
  The whole thing has an industrial look to it. I sure would not mind moving this thing around! It's not ugly, it's rugged. I think it's a great casework.


----------



## kchapdaily

i really like the way you set your build up. it looks quite nice. balanced bijou must sound amazing


----------



## Fred_com

Thanks for the kind words guys 
   
  @KimLaroux,  I had to mount L-brackets to the back panel, and back feet are mounted to those brackets, so that trafos are not over-balancing the whole thing. 
   
  @kchapdaily, yes, it does sound amazing.


----------



## funch

Where does the input come from? Preamp?


----------



## Fred_com

Funch, input is from a dual-mono TPA Buffalo II and IVY IV


----------



## RudeWolf

Behold! The Leatherface!
   

   
  Nothing special on the internals.
   

   
  I hope that now I'll have enough time to case up my Dynalo.


----------



## .Sup

I like the old school loo, GJ RudeWolf!


----------



## mirari

really nice setup


----------



## FraGGleR

Finally finished trouble shooting and casing up my Objective 2 build.  Slightly taller enclosure than the BOM enclosure to allow space for 1/4" output jack and RCA inputs in a more normal desktop configuration.  Used a drillpress on the included faceplates.  Not ready to drop $30+ to get slightly better finish since this is such a cheap build.


----------



## miceblue

fraggler said:


> Finally finished trouble shooting and casing up my Objective 2 build.  Slightly taller enclosure than the BOM enclosure to allow space for 1/4" output jack and RCA inputs in a more normal desktop configuration.  Used a drillpress on the included faceplates.  Not ready to drop $30+ to get slightly better finish since this is such a cheap build.




Very nice. I'm considering purchasing a JDS O2/ODAC myself.

This is off topic, but relevant to the ODAC, what advantages do RCA connections have? I only have 1 piece of audio equipment that uses it (home receiver), but it seems to be pretty popular here on Head-Fi. If I'm looking for a versatile DAC, should I buy the one with the RCA inputs even if I don't exactly know what they're for?


----------



## qusp

popular? its a decades old completely dominant worldwide audio standard that has been used on TV,s, Video players, CD players, Preamps, Dacs, etc etc.... for one separate connections make for lower crosstalk and you dont short the connection plugging in/out, more rugged etc. 

but its nothing fandangled, thats really surprising you have only one piece of gear that has them, that surprises me, your house must be full of low level consumer gear. stuff that does audio as a secondary function, not purpose built audio gear

if you will be using it at home, I would be recommend using it if you can, or better yet just build them into one enclosure and connect directly with wire.

no offense, but how old are you?


----------



## miceblue

qusp said:


> popular? its a decades old completely dominant worldwide audio standard that has been used on TV,s, Video players, CD players, Preamps, Dacs, etc etc.... for one separate connections make for lower crosstalk and you dont short the connection plugging in/out, more rugged etc.
> but its nothing fandangled, thats really surprising you have only one piece of gear that has them, that surprises me, your house must be full of low level consumer gear. stuff that does audio as a secondary function, not purpose built audio gear
> if you will be using it at home, I would be recommend using it if you can, or better yet just build them into one enclosure and connect directly with wire.
> no offense, but how old are you?




OK, 1 that's the kind of answer I was looking for.
2. I know RCA connections are used for L/R audio channels and video for TV's and video players...I was asking about audio gear in particular since I have little experience with home audio equipment (as opposed to portable audio equipment).
3. 21 years old


----------



## qusp

I asked about age simply because its a more recent development that audio gear doesnt always have them. even 10 years ago consumer audio gear would have them, even a 'boombox' would have them. lately with the invasion of ipods into the home and form before function design, they have started to disappear from all but separates. many wont even have a minijack, just an ipod dock, or wifi. all making quality worse, not better.


----------



## Pageygeeza

Dayyym!
   
  *tries to imagine a world without RCA's...
   
  *brainplosion.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





miceblue said:


> Very nice. I'm considering purchasing a JDS O2/ODAC myself.
> This is off topic, but relevant to the ODAC, what advantages do RCA connections have? I only have 1 piece of audio equipment that uses it (home receiver), but it seems to be pretty popular here on Head-Fi. If I'm looking for a versatile DAC, should I buy the one with the RCA inputs even if I don't exactly know what they're for?


 
   
  Qusp already answered about the RCA's purpose.  For me I wanted separate enclosures simply for flexibility.  This way I can use the ODAC with other amps and the O2 with other DACs to allow me to find the combo that works best for my needs.  Plus I think little matching stacks are fun and I love to build cables.


----------



## earfanatic

I have something in my mind for a year now...
  First, I really like the ODAC. When I bought mine, the first thing I noticed how small it is. I started wandering if I could design some components in the same form factor, and build something compact high-tech system based on them.
 This is how the idea came of the small form factor relay stepped attenuator (size almost matches the ODAC), it is an easy stack design (do I wanna few more channels? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





).
 It was is very fun!

 It is up and running on the test bench now in single ended:

   

 in system (left) - Closeup (right):
 
   
  (I put there match box for reference)
   
  I have not decided on the case yet, I need some time to think.


----------



## wankski

Hi guys,
   
  Thought I'd post my latest.... I built my 2ch b22 a while ago, but had issues with wiring in the Pot.... all sorted and finally in it's custom hardwood w/ plexiglass top!
   
  hope you like!


----------



## liamstrain

Quote: 





wankski said:


>


 
   Image fixed. Very nice, I am planning to do something similar for my Lovely Cube, so I can stack my Bottlehead Crack over it. I've got in a whole pile of Alder wood - now I just need to find a table saw. 
   
  Any concerns about heat? Or any ventilation built in?


----------



## drez

Quote: 





qusp said:


> I asked about age simply because its a more recent development that audio gear doesnt always have them. even 10 years ago consumer audio gear would have them, even a 'boombox' would have them. lately with the invasion of ipods into the home and form before function design, they have started to disappear from all but separates. many wont even have a minijack, just an ipod dock, or wifi. all making quality worse, not better.


 
   I agree minijacks are evil, I killed one of the inputs to my TV by not plugging one such connector in far enough.


----------



## qusp

drez said:


> I agree minijacks are evil, I killed one of the inputs to my TV by not plugging one such connector in far enough.




yup, thats another fail on their part, it shorts the outputs/inputs to ground plugging it in or out. things were designed for telephone switchboards in the mono form, not hifi equipment in the stereo format...


----------



## qusp

earfanatic said:


> snip/
> It is up and running on the test bench now in single ended:
> /snip




is there another way to run it? 

a few more channels for what? dont say surround? the ODAC is async and async only, meaning there is no way to synchronise the clock to multiple dacs, so there will be phase differences between the different drivers that will probably change each time you turn the system on and each time it changes samplerate, not so hot for multichannel or digital crossovers.


----------



## earfanatic

Quote: 





qusp said:


> is there another way to run it?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  As it has only one relay board now it can not attenuate balanced sources. Well you are right, the prototype shown is only single ended.
  I did not say it only works with the ODAC. Why would it? I just made it small.
  For the matter of fact, I wanted only single ended and put the whole thing below an ODAC to occupy the least space in a very compact box.
  In the design process I realised it can have more channels easily.
  Someone may find it useful or may not, I do not know yet. But I agree there is no use of the ODAC with multichannel.
   
  I admit I have strange ideas on casing something: my initial idea was to make a wooden box with front panel almost just enough big to look good with a 50mm knob. But my woodworking skills are... lets say not even developed yet.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





earfanatic said:


> I have something in my mind for a year now...
> First, I really like the ODAC. When I bought mine, the first thing I noticed how small it is. I started wandering if I could design some components in the same form factor, and build something compact high-tech system based on them.
> This is how the idea came of the small form factor relay stepped attenuator (size almost matches the ODAC), it is an easy stack design (do I wanna few more channels?
> 
> ...


 
  Lookin' good!
  Just a few questions....
  how many steps does it have?
  does it use a logarithmic resistor ladder? or just something like rotary stepped-attenuator with relays instead?
  what relays are you using? (that thing looks really small....)
  what are you using to control the relays? standard logic or microcontroller?
  it that a pot or rotary encoder behind that gold knob?
  Thanks! because I'm thinking of building one too... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





wankski said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> Thought I'd post my latest.... I built my 2ch b22 a while ago, but had issues with wiring in the Pot.... all sorted and finally in it's custom hardwood w/ plexiglass top!
> 
> hope you like!


 
  Very nice! So many heatsinks 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  btw, why's the power switch in a seperate box? 
  or it the transformer in there as well?
   
  and what happened with the pot?
   
  lol I'm a curious person 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I've recently made some pot. mounting PCBs for my builds and the manufacturer sent me *twice* the quantity I ordered! (20)
  So I was thinking if anyone here wants them? I have 10 leftover now. 
  Ofcourse, I will not pay the shipping...
   
  It's designed for the ALPS RK097, but will work with any other pot with a similar footprint.
  Also, it's got a common ground connected. (see PCB trace below.)


----------



## earfanatic

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Lookin' good!
> Just a few questions....
> how many steps does it have?
> does it use a logarithmic resistor ladder? or just something like rotary stepped-attenuator with relays instead?
> ...


 
  Hi there!
   
  Thanks!
  The attenuator is controlled with a single linear pot behind that glorious knob 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
 The pot is then read by the microcontroller's ADC to control the relays. The resistor set is logarithmic.
  There are 128 steps and two input channels. So I used 7 relays for the ladder and one more relay for channel selector.
  The relays are indeed small. The one I used are made by American Zettler.
   
  What do you want to use your attenuator with? Any plans yet?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





earfanatic said:


> Hi there!
> 
> Thanks!
> The attenuator is controlled with a single linear pot behind that glorious knob
> ...


 
  Thanks! 
  I was thinking of building one with a similar archetechture to yours, but still deciding weather to go with a 8-bit ADC chip or a microcontroller
  and also to use relays or analog switches. 
   
  I'll probably go with the relays because good analog switches don't come cheap and relays will not distort the sound.
  Few concern though, does it make lots of clicking noises as you turn the knob?
  and I was worried the the relay at the LSB may die very quickly because of all the switches it'll make...


----------



## earfanatic

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Thanks!
> I was thinking of building one with a similar archetechture to yours, but still deciding weather to go with a 8-bit ADC chip or a microcontroller
> and also to use relays or analog switches.
> 
> ...


 

 Well, I think it is a challenge either with a microcontroller or without. But you are facing issues easier to solve with a microcontroller like switching order.
  Actually all relay attenuators make clicking noise. Relays are not silent in this way. But you put it in an enclosure and play some music... it wont bother you much.
  The relay at LSB makes a lots of clicks, yes. Actually there are dip compatible relays. You can put them into dip ic socket if you like. But these relays are good for 10^8 times switching so I did not worry.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





earfanatic said:


> Well, I think it is a challenge either with a microcontroller or without. But you are facing issues easier to solve with a microcontroller like switching order.
> Actually all relay attenuators make clicking noise. Relays are not silent in this way. But you put it in an enclosure and play some music... it wont bother you much.
> The relay at LSB makes a lots of clicks, yes. Actually there are dip compatible relays. You can put them into dip ic socket if you like. But these relays are good for 10^8 times switching so I did not worry.


 
  That's why I was thinking of using analog switches instead of relays, since they're solid state.
   
  Wow! 10^8 times ?!?! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Your average pot only has 10^4 cycles. 
  In your setup each cycle has 128 steps so in the life time of your pot, the LSB relay would only have switched 1.28 x 10^6 times.
  So the pot dies before your LSB relay does !!


----------



## earfanatic

Yes, these relays are very durable, and has gold plated silver-palladium contacts.
  I had read somewhere about a mosfet switcher circuit but as I remember not many liked it in real world.
  Consider that the relays are ultra fast... sealed with very high grade contacts, and you can use even Nasa approved resistors if you can pay it.
  In my design I tried to make the shortest patches that possible with following manufacturer directions, and the resistors have 0.1% tolerance. Even the fancy Alps RK50 ($$$$) has total resistance tolerance of ±20%.


----------



## wankski

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Very nice! So many heatsinks
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


> or it the transformer in there as well?
> 
> and what happened with the pot?
> 
> lol I'm a curious person


 
   
  hehe, cheers.
   
  yeah, the b22 has it's own power supply. the regulator board is in the main box w/ the 2 channels, but the toroidal transformer is in the blac box and i chose to mount the switch there... this normally goes in a little shelf under my desk, with the main amp on the desk... the black box is outta sight and well outside range in which it can cause noise interference thru the amp... it;s also convenient to reach down and flick it on or off...
   
  the pot? i dunno... when i built the amp, i tried to wire it in and it screwed up... so i wired it out until i built the box. first time i tried to wire the pot back in, it worked... so i must have just been cross eyed after the lengthy build i guess...
   
  nice pcbs... sure would have come in handy for a clutz like me!


----------



## Twinster

madcap386 said:


> Finally after many many builds of the the crystal Cmoy, here is my most satisfied version:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Just pure ART. Very beautiful. Sorry for asking but where is the volume pot? :rolleyes:


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





twinster said:


> Just pure ART. Very beautiful. Sorry for asking but where is the volume pot?


 
  This.
  How did I not see something missing....


----------



## preproman

Quote: 





fred_com said:


> Hi all,
> here's my balanced Bijou (not really great casework, but considerably better than my previous attempts):


 
   
   
   
  Good job - hows the sound?


----------



## FraGGleR

Updated Objective stack.  Now it sounds even more transparent!


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Updated Objective stack.  Now it sounds even more transparent!


 
  Haha~ See what you did there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Is that laser engraved?


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Haha~ See what you did there
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   Yep.  I am lucky to have access to a laser cutter at a local community lab.  It cuts and etches acrylic with no problems.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Yep.  I am lucky to have access to a laser cutter at a local community lab.  It cuts and etches acrylic with no problems.


 
  Nice, I've had my share of experience with a laser cutter too.
  It's part of my middle school curriculum to do CAD / CAM.


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Updated Objective stack.  Now it sounds even more transparent!


 
  That...is BEAUTIFUL!


----------



## Dyaems

nice... an o2 with jacks in front and back =)


----------



## yuujin

Bijou that I built with custom wound transformers.


----------



## reza7392d

hi ... new member here...
  it's my first earbuds-recable.. not really full recable tough 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  i'm too scared to open the housing, any idea to opened it?


----------



## liamstrain

reza7392d said:


> hi ... new member here...
> it's my first earbuds-recable.. not really full recable tough
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Many of them are able to open once you remove a retaining ring around the earspeaker element. Then the seam can open up. But these are not usually designed with repair in mind and it depends quite a lot on which earbuds. I'll be honest - 98% of the time, they are not worth the effort to do so.


----------



## reza7392d

Quote: 





liamstrain said:


> Many of them are able to open once you remove a retaining ring around the earspeaker element. Then the seam can open up. But these are not usually designed with repair in mind and it depends quite a lot on which earbuds. I'll be honest - 98% of the time, they are not worth the effort to do so.


 
  thank's liamstrain...  i think, i'll stick with this mod


----------



## FraGGleR

Playing around with laser cutters and acrylic:
   
   




   
  Ended up darker (less translucent) than I wanted, but all they had at the lab.  Luckily only $7 of acrylic and cutting time.


----------



## aphexii

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Updated Objective stack.  Now it sounds even more transparent!


 
   
   
  nice!!


----------



## elliot42

Very nice panel work there, the leather looks great and is certainly unique.



rudewolf said:


> Behold! The Leatherface!


----------



## Jose C

...


----------



## Audiodoc

You can try an 8audio enclosure like I have used. Will perfectly fit the EHHA. You can also add a tube on delay and headphone protection circuit. Check my builds.


----------



## TiEx

The handwork acrylic ODAC case made for my friend.


----------



## tomb




----------



## kchapdaily

beautiful! great looking build.


----------



## funch

It gets better. You can have your own.  http://www.head-fi.org/t/385013/my-dac-design-pup1-dac/510#


----------



## kchapdaily

awesome. ill most likely be picking up a kit


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





tomb said:


>


 
  Woah that looks pretty cool. That's a nice electric blue colour.


----------



## KimLaroux

Woha, did you chose these capacitors because they color match? That would be insane, but totally something I would do. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  With a circuit board looking this good, I feel ashamed it gets sealed away in an enclosure. This thing would look amazing with a clear top cover.


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Woha, did you chose these capacitors because they color match? That would be insane, but totally something I would do.


 
   
  Nope.  Cobaltmute picked the Panasonic FC's for the best performance in this DAC.  I usually prefer FM's (there's one of those in the middle between the Micas), but their sizes/ratings are very limited compared to FC's.  Plus, the BOM's latest revisions are tailored to Mouser as much as possible.  Panasonic caps are not in the normal catalog listings at Mouser, so availability may be doubly-limited.
   
  But yeah - it's a nice color combo. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





> With a circuit board looking this good, I feel ashamed it gets sealed away in an enclosure. This thing would look amazing with a clear top cover.


 
  I suspect that if you build one, you'll appreciate cobaltmute's design even more.  It's laid out to go fairly easy with SMD hand-soldering for such a comprehensive design.  It's previously been a bit intimidating for me (5 so far), but the key has always been the two PCM chips.  Now with the longer extended pads, placement and soldering is much more forgiving with those chips.  It's straightforward to put together and very satisfying in the end.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Of course, the case adds a nice touch, too.


----------



## MisterX

There are quite a few Panasonic caps in the catalog at Mouser.
  (for example the FR series, http://www.mouser.com/Catalog/catalogusd/645/917.pdf ).
  Makes it is a bit of headscratcher when it comes to why the FCs and FMs are not...


----------



## jdkJake

Actually, they do have both FC and FM series caps. They are just not in the catalog per se.

If you go to the Mouser site and search on 667-EEU-FC and/or 667-EEU-FM you will come across them.

Not sure why they are not in the PDF catalog as they have had them available for quite some time.


----------



## akiroz

Desktop Objective2 using spare parts on my workbench:


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Desktop Objective2 using spare parts on my workbench:


 

 Wow, that looks really nice! I'm a fan of transparent cases, from calculators to USB flash/hard drives (OWC hard drives for example). I'm thinking of making my own case for the O2 some day when I have the time.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Desktop Objective2 using spare parts on my workbench:


 
   
  Nice job.  Laser cutters and press-fit boxes are great 
   
  Are you noticing any interference being picked up without shielding?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Nice job.  Laser cutters and press-fit boxes are great
> 
> Are you noticing any interference being picked up without shielding?


 

 Haha, I was inspired by your build.
   
  Not until I decided to use it with my CIEMs, but even then it's barely audible and only happens sometimes.


----------



## calico88

here is allmy DIY Link .....
   
  picasaweb.google.com/auahlap
   
   
   
   
   
  C


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





calico88 said:


> here is allmy DIY Link .....
> 
> picasaweb.google.com/auahlap
> 
> ...


 

 Beautiful wood work there, good job!


----------



## funch

WOW!! Double WOW!!!   You should go into business selling the LCD grills (at least).


----------



## johnwmclean

Quote: 





calico88 said:


> here is allmy DIY Link .....
> 
> picasaweb.google.com/auahlap
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Beautiful workmanship and skill.


----------



## joeyjojo

Quote: 





calico88 said:


> here is allmy DIY Link .....
> 
> picasaweb.google.com/auahlap
> 
> C


 
   
  Did you really squeeze 4 B22 boards into that case one on top of the other?? Ingenious and unique.


----------



## Nephiel

I've been using a pair of Creative EP-630s for about 4 years. Last week, the right earpiece stopped working - the conductor had broken at the plug.
The fix was easy (replace the plug) but I decided to spruce them up a bit as well.

I went with a Neutrik plug since I had one on hand, and added a paracord sleeve. I used the rubber cover of the original plug as a stress relief for the Neutrik, which IMHO turned out pretty well.

(original plug on the bottom, dissected to check the wiring).

The Creative logo and the L/R markings on both earpieces were almost completely worn off, so I needed another way to tell the left earpiece from the right.
I found a few colorful rubber rings in a drawer. Some of them fit nicely behind the earbuds, recognizable at a glance, but out of the way.
I used a red one for right and a blue one for left. I feel they also improve the seal a bit, if only by preventing the edge of the earbud from wrinkling.

These rings came in a sample pack, labeled as "Neoprene Rings, 16 Gauge 1/4" ID". Rings like these can be found here.

For the Y junction I used some heatshrink tube, and added a removable clip.


Here they are with my portable setup (iPod Video 5.5G 30GB (running Rockbox) -> Passive Crossfeed Filter (Modified Linkwitz, Low Z version) -> EP-630)


----------



## samsquanch

teaser pic of my phono pre build...  I suck at wood work, so this is taking way longer than I had expected.
   
   

   
  Currently I'm clamping square posts in the corners to screw the top into.


----------



## stixx

Pretty much finished my built of "The Wire" over from Diyaudio (I was lucky to snatch the last remaining assembled SE-board ).

 This year somehow I am pretty much into real wood, so I had a friend cut a solid one piece frame from Golden Madrona burl... just big enough to house the assembled pcb and the headphone jack. Power comes from the PSU underneath which is covered by a rusty cover made of 3mm soft steel.
  The tiny floating front panel is basically held by the headphone jack and lit from behind by an orange LED, signal wiring is solid silver with 5% gold (left over from interconnects) in cotton sleeving. The three aluminum feet contain small neodymium tablets to "snap" the amplifier to the psu.

 Sound is really good, even this being "only" the SE-SE it has tons of power, is V E R Y neutral and has bass control bordering brutality. It is also suited for all kinds of music and doesn't have the "coldness" I experienced with some SS gear.


----------



## Maverickmonk

I just finished my first faceplate/backplate on the mill, and I dare say, It doesn't look a 10th as beautiful and well done as your casework there. Brilliant!


----------



## akiroz

@stixx
Wow... Your case work looks absolutely professional! 
but no mains insulation? (Last pic - terminals on the IEC and Power Switch)


----------



## stixx

Quote: 





> but no mains insulation? (Last pic - terminals on the IEC and Power Switch)


 
  Thanks guys!
   
  And yes, no additional insulation since contacts are firmly soldered. They will not come loose...
  and when, there's still fuses.


----------



## Maverickmonk

Here's my rank amateur set of plates for my Gamma2. Doing this because it was a prototype, so the "real" plates didn't fit. As dreadfully as it came out, I'm tempted to try again...My milling technique is definitely in need of some work. Maybe next semester I can learn to use the small scale cnc mill to cut some plates.


----------



## kchapdaily

Quote: 





stixx said:


> Pretty much finished my built of "The Wire" over from Diyaudio (I was lucky to snatch the last remaining assembled SE-board ).
> 
> This year somehow I am pretty much into real wood, so I had a friend cut a solid one piece frame from Golden Madrona burl... just big enough to house the assembled pcb and the headphone jack. Power comes from the PSU underneath which is covered by a rusty cover made of 3mm soft steel.
> The tiny floating front panel is basically held by the headphone jack and lit from behind by an orange LED, signal wiring is solid silver with 5% gold (left over from interconnects) in cotton sleeving. The three aluminum feet contain small neodymium tablets to "snap" the amplifier to the psu.
> ...


 
  truly stunning craftsmanship. that has to be one of the best looking builds around. i have to say i love the rusty power supply!


----------



## stixx

Thanks kchapdaily


----------



## FraGGleR

Definitely not a complete DIY, but whatever.  I like playing around acrylic and cases.  Kind of warmup for some real upcoming case work.
   
   

   

   

   
  I got a replacement board from Nuforce which went into the original case, this is the one that was pulled and still functions normally as far as I can tell.  You can see that I am off by a mm or two.  Acrylic held together with hot glue since I was just testing the fit.


----------



## FraGGleR

A real DIY this time.  Sigma 11 for my Nuforce HDP:


----------



## 290752

Is there a kit I could buy under $50 for small speakers (30W 4ohms) that is hybrid or tubed?


----------



## RubberDuk

Since I've yet to build anything headphone-related myself, a couple of speaker photos will have to do:
   


   

   
  The veneer (birch) was very fragile and difficult to work with compared to what I've used before. It was, however, the only variety available that was wide enough. The result is aesthetically far from perfect but they sound great 
  They are clones of Duntech Marquis.
   

  Finally an older shot of the previous pair I built. These were much easier to work with than the big ones, thanks to smaller surfaces and different veneer(walnut). The design was a joint effort by Gradient and people from the technical university hi-fi club. Finish was originally meant to be dark brown, but the varnish turned out darker than I thought


----------



## John In Cali

Here are some nearfields I threw together.  8 inch Kevlar coned speaker salvaged from some Sony floorstanders.  Box salvaged from some Sony bookshelfs with 7" woofers. Tweeters purchased from parts express for 5 dollars with some 15" P.A. speakers that I bought.  I'll post pictures of the build with the 15s when I finish it.
  The midbass is extremely tight and controlled probably due to me filling the box with rockwool and the Kevlar coned drivers, but they don't extend very low because of the small closed box. But the crossover and tweeter sound pretty good to me and the speakers have some great imaging all together.  Im enjoy this virtually 5 dollar build quite a bit.


----------



## FraGGleR

Freshly finished O2 build.  Standard portable this time (instead of desktop) with translucent red acrylic faceplate and rearplate.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Freshly finished O2 build.  Standard portable this time (instead of desktop) with translucent red acrylic faceplate and rearplate.


 

 Nice!
  how many O2's have you built already?


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Nice!
> how many O2's have you built already?


 
  Just two   Had enough spare parts to do a second one.  Just received an ODAC that I am going to mount on the underside of the board so I can have battery power plus DAC in this case.  Will be my transportable rig until the HifiM8 arrives next year.


----------



## PintoDave

Here is the CMOY I built about 5 years ago. It was originally in a plastic project box from RatShack, but after cutting cups for my Grado's from the Paduk, I bought a cheap piece of 5x5x2 Zapote for $7.00 and hollowed it out to move the CMOY into something more attractive. The base is two 2.5x5x1/4" oak boards which can removed with some heat to melt the hot glue, should I need to service the components.
   
  I want to burn wording into the front panel for each switch, the knob and connection, but not sure how to go about that at the moment.


----------



## nonamodnar

That looks very sleek. May I ask how you planned and constructed the box?
    
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *PintoDave* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Here is the CMOY I built about 5 years ago. It was originally in a plastic project box from RatShack, but after cutting cups for my Grado's from the Paduk, I bought a cheap piece of 5x5x2 Zapote for $7.00 and hollowed it out to move the CMOY into something more attractive. The base is two 2.5x5x1/4" oak boards which can removed with some heat to melt the hot glue, should I need to service the components.
> 
> I want to burn wording into the front panel for each switch, the knob and connection, but not sure how to go about that at the moment.


----------



## kipkip

its my cmoy  3 ch http://www.flickr.com/photos/60241833@N03/8304936326/


----------



## PintoDave

The concept came from Grado's RA-1. Since I love the grain of Zapote hardwood on larger surface (not very much to appreciate when used with cups), I decided to get a bock of Zapote and hollow it out. I tried using a router but it wasn't working out very well, so instead I used a drill press with a table vice and went to work using a few sizes of forstner bits. Larger bits for the majority of material removal, smaller bits for the corners, and got as close to 1/8" as I could for the front and back walls, without breaking anything. The inside is reinforced with a cross pattern of 1/4" oak board which keeps the walls from flexing, and makes it ridged. Holes were drilled in the supports to route wiring through.


----------



## Pit-K

Hello
   
  this is my hybrid headphone amp. It works similar like a starving Student, with the different it uses not the tube filaments as source resistors for the Mosfets.
  I was worried about the heaters, so i built in 150 ohm-source resistors.
  The tubes are two PC96 (one per channel)
   

   

   

   
  greetings
  Pit


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





pit-k said:


> Hello
> 
> this is my hybrid headphone amp. It works similar like a starving Student, with the different it uses not the tube filaments as source resistors for the Mosfets.
> I was worried about the heaters, so i built in 150 ohm-source resistors.
> ...


 
  Love the old-school look!  Nice work.


----------



## LantherZero

Quote: 





pit-k said:


> Hello
> 
> this is my hybrid headphone amp. It works similar like a starving Student, with the different it uses not the tube filaments as source resistors for the Mosfets.
> I was worried about the heaters, so i built in 150 ohm-source resistors.
> ...


 

 That is beautiful. Nice carpentry! Hopefully I can make something that clean looking before too long...
   
  Also those are some supersexy cans!


----------



## SoundPon3

Wow....
  There are some really nice builds here. I wish I could say the same about my builds:
   

   

   
   
   


   
  There are a few things that I regret not doing now (eg. Having the screws face down so that you can't see them) but it works and I didn't need to spend that much on them and I was 13 and 14 at the time that I built these (mint tin amp was built when I was 13). The second one is just a mint tin amp with a similar circuit. 
  I should probably get back into the DIY game... I've done a little bit of valve stuff before so a valve headphone amp might be seen in future...


----------



## Pit-K

Hello People
   
  I´m glad you like my amp. 
   
  Hello Pinto Dave,
  your amp is beautyful!
  The polished Wood surface is wonderful.
  But i have no idea how to burn words in the front, whitout ruin the surface.
  You should test it on a waste piece of the same wood.
   
  greetz
  Pit


----------



## samsquanch

Finally finished my Hagerman Bugle phono pre, I had been using it in a battery powered setup for a while, which was fine, I really like the sound of this pre, but I hated changing batteries twice a month.  So I ordered the power supply board and built a box for it.  I am not a wood worker, I work with metal, I understand metal, it makes sense to me, wood on the other hand, well there's plenty of expletives I could use, but they'd all be censored, so I'll leave it at, this was difficult for me.
   
  Internals:
   

   
   

   
  The divider is an steel bar that I drilled and tapped then screwed to the case, 
   
   
  Picture of the rear.
   

   
   
  Front.
  -Off

   
  On.

   
   
  The wood knob is actually a push button for the power.  I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a power switch to use, eventually I settled on the idea of taking a push button switch which I then took a piece of round stock oak, cut, drilled a hole a little smaller than the plunger of the switch about 90% of the way through the wood, then another whole that was large enough to slide over the threaded portion of the push button's shaft.  I'm really really happy with how the button turned out, and might be my proudest part of this whole project.
   
  For the LED, I stole this idea from another members project in this thread, I don't remember who, but if you recognize it, pat yourself on the back.  I drilled a hole through the wood that was about half the diameter of the LED, then on the inside of the box, I drilled a hole to fit the LED, and epoxied the it to the wood.  It glows very nicely, and when it's off it doesn't look like an LED, I really wanted this project to look nice, and not have parts and pieces sticking out on the front panel.
   
  I stained the button with a cherry stain, and used an onyx stain on the case, in the end I can't tell the difference between the two, HA!  The button got two coats of lacquer clear, and the case got five.
   
  The top is a piece of MDF which I sealed with a mixture of water and wood glue spread on thin to harden the board and to allow for sanding, it was then sprayed with four or five coats of black lacquer, followed by the same number coats of clear lacquer.
   
  On the bottom I have gold speaker spikes for feet, I had a credit with parts express, so I figured why not?
   
  That's enough rambling from me for now.


----------



## funch

Looks good to me. I also have the Bugle/PS combo, but use PRP resistors and Orange drop cap's. I recently did this Caddock/Obbligato mod:http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=111983.0
  and it sounds fabulous. I got the parts for the mod from Parts Connexion.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


>


 
  Very nice case work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  but shouldn't you use Type-A PowerCon for inlet?


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





funch said:


> Looks good to me. I also have the Bugle/PS combo, but use PRP resistors and Orange drop cap's. I recently did this Caddock/Obbligato mod:http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=111983.0
> and it sounds fabulous. I got the parts for the mod from Parts Connexion.


 
   
  Hmm, just when I thought I was done...  I had been thinking about swapping the caps, I think I'll give your suggestion a shot when I get around to it.  (got a lot of records I'm jonesin to listen to)  Thanks
   
  Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Very nice case work
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks, I'm slowly losing my fear of wood work.
   
  We have a bunch of the power out type laying around my shop, so I just snagged one of those.  If someone ever runs into my bedroom and tries to jam a power cord into the back of my preamp to power their death ray, or what have you, well, the joke will be on them!


----------



## H22

My mini, pocket able, PPAv2:




  Thinking about calling it the PPAv2-_Ve_, the "_Ve" _standing for *Volume*tric efficiency, there is very little waisted space inside that case.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





h22 said:


> My mini, pocket able, PPAv2:
> 
> Thinking about calling it the PPAv2-_Ve_, the "_Ve" _standing for *Volume*tric efficiency, there is very little waisted space inside that case.


 
  Wow! This has got to be one of the most cramped PCBs I've ever seen!
  Very nice!
   
  Is is just me or does the PCB look completely different from the outline?


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Wow! This has got to be one of the most cramped PCBs I've ever seen!
> Very nice!
> 
> Is is just me or does the PCB look completely different from the outline?


 
   
  The populated PCB looks different from the schematic to me as well.  Must have been fun soldering everything in such close proximity to each other.


----------



## tomb

You guys are missing the daughter board that's sitting up vertical in the middle of the larger PCB.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  It's definitely nice work - love to see a packed case!


----------



## KimLaroux

You guys are right. The board in the first picture is his first version, shown beside the outline of his second version.
   
  Yes his second version is actually larger than the first one. We're still trying to talk him out of it.
   




   
  The best part is, has tomb pointed out, that he's got 2 daughter boards sitting vertically in the middle of the main circuit. All that to cram more SMT components into a small volume. Because if there's still empty space somewhere, it's wasted space. Which is why I personally find it silly that after all that work, he went for a larger design.


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> You guys are right. The board in the first picture is his first version, shown beside the outline of his second version.
> 
> Yes his second version is actually larger than the first one. We're still trying to talk him out of it.
> 
> ...


 
  Yeah - you're right - I missed the 2nd daughter board until I saw the pics in the other thread.


----------



## UnityIsPower

A tad primitive but it gets the job done


----------



## RudeWolf

NO KNOB?


----------



## SvenMZ8

Built a 2-channel buffered amp with no virtual ground, utilizing a voltage inverter charge pump TPS60403.
   
   

   

   

   
   

   

   
  Battery and amp fits inside a hammond 1455C801 casing


----------



## H22

That outline is a different layout I am working on, to allow for a larger battery.


----------



## H22

*You guys are right. The board in the first picture is his first version, shown beside the outline of his second version.

Yes his second version is actually larger than the first one. We're still trying to talk him out of it.



*

Not quite accurate, the second board design ( the outline in the pic) will not be any larger when finished than the current board. It simply allows for a larger battery at the expense of slightly less room on the PCB for op amp power rail caps. There are two daughter boards, one has the op amps and most of the feedback resistors, the other has most of the discrete buffer components. It is a very compact design.


----------



## UnityIsPower

rudewolf said:


> NO KNOB?




Too expensive....


----------



## H22

There is a larger case I could use;



But the only real advantage it has would be to allow for a 4 cell battery pack. I doubt I will use it. Hopefully I will be putting another amp together this week. I will try to get better pics of the assembly process. 

Next PCB order will be an updated design very similar to the boards in the pictures, as well as one similar to the print out in the first pic. The new boards will have removable op amp daughter boards as well 

Next step will be designing the front panel with FPE.

Joe


----------



## H22

Few more pics...


----------



## H22

Little better pic of the case and plastic chop job of a FP, AA sized battery to show some scale.


----------



## UnityIsPower

h22 said:


> Little better pic of the case and plastic chop job of a FP, AA sized battery to show some scale.


 
Where do you purchase most of the electrical components? How much have you spent on that project so far?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





unityispower said:


> Where do you purchase most of the electrical components? How much have you spent on that project so far?


 
  I see a huge mouser catalog in the background....


----------



## UnityIsPower

akiroz said:


> I see a huge mouser catalog in the background.... :rolleyes:



LOL, Hmmm hmmm... 

I do apologize good sir but;
I am on mobile and can't read any of the lettering on the background image. I have never used a paper catalog from either mouser or other sites like digi-key to be able to infer the answer to my question from that image. I'm also looking for where he gets "most" of his parts generally(maybe he has a preference) as some projects entail a certain specific seller and others a combination of many depending on parts wanted and/or seller preference. That is separate from the latter question of how much that specific project has cost him. I will withold the rolleyes facie on my end thank u very much, good day. 

Edit: One of the images seems to have not loaded completely the fist go. Explaines why it was blurry for me when I checked it. Besides that.. I would still like to know where he gets most of his parts and if possible why(first question).


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





unityispower said:


> LOL, Hmmm hmmm...
> 
> I do apologize good sir but;
> I am on mobile and can't read any of the lettering on the background image. I have never used a paper catalog from either mouser or other sites like digi-key to be able to infer the answer to my question from that image. I'm also looking for where he gets "most" of his parts generally(maybe he has a preference) as some projects entail a certain specific seller and others a combination of many depending on parts wanted and/or seller preference. That is separate from the latter question of how much that specific project has cost him. I will withold the rolleyes facie on my end thank u very much, good day.


 

 LOL that was a rolleyes face?
  I thought I was a "It wasn't me" face all along...
  Anyway, my previous post was simply meant as a joke, I wasn't trying to say that was a "stupid question" nor was I trying answer it.
   
   
  You can see the mouser logo on the pic on page 593
  Speaking of which, I have a few of those from RS components


----------



## UnityIsPower

akiroz said:


> LOL that was a rolleyes face?
> I thought I was a "It wasn't me" face all along...
> Anyway, my previous post was simply meant as a joke, I wasn't trying to say that was a "stupid question" nor was I trying answer it.
> 
> ...




It says rolleyes in the text editor when I entered it on my iPhone. Yeah, the images sometimes don't completely load for me without reloading the page. It also at times reverts to the top of the page when I'm scrolling: kills me on super long post like the multi-iem reviews, lol. Sometimes want to hit rage mode. Do u have a preferred seller to get your parts?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





unityispower said:


> It says rolleyes in the text editor when I entered it on my iPhone. Yeah, the images sometimes don't completely load for me without reloading the page. It also at times reverts to the top of the page when I'm scrolling: kills me on super long post like the multi-iem reviews, lol. Sometimes want to hit rage mode. Do u have a preferred seller to get your parts?


 
  Ah I see~
  I usually get my parts from RS components because they have a warehouse 40 mins drive from where I live and I could just buy from there.


----------



## UnityIsPower

akiroz said:


> Ah I see~
> I usually get my parts from RS components because they have a warehouse 40 mins drive from where I live and I could just buy from there.




I've been looking to get a better soldering iron/station... any u recommend and why? I've been looking at this guy,

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004M3U0VU/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1359471846&sr=8-6&pi=SL75


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





unityispower said:


> I've been looking to get a better soldering iron/station... any u recommend and why? I've been looking at this guy,
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004M3U0VU/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1359471846&sr=8-6&pi=SL75


 
  I'm not sure TBH, I've been using a Hakko 926 solder station (which is now obsolete) and an old version of the Hakko 900M Iron for as long as I can remember....
  I started soldering over 8 years ago and have been using it since then.


----------



## H22

Pst of the padre are from mouser, and I have spent a lot of money on this.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





h22 said:


> Pst of the padre are from mouser, and I have spent a lot of money on this.


 
  Lol @ Pst of the padre.  Sounds like some weird movie title.  I get "most of the parts" from Mouser, too.


----------



## FraGGleR

This guy: http://www.circuitspecialists.com/csi-station1a.html served me well for several years (it was $55 back when I got it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), and was only retired due to getting a ridiculous deal on a "smart" Metcal iron that somehow calculates the minimum heat necessary to solder stuff together.


----------



## UnityIsPower

If I may be so bold as to ask the gentleman... What is your age? Also, just how ridiculous of a deal we talking? 20-30, no, 50% off? As well, what is the first thing u ever built? What is your favorite thing ever built? Thanks for the link BTW. Nice avatar pic.


----------



## H22

My current iron is one I got years ago from Jameco electronics, Its an 80 watt digital Xtronics iron, think it was ~$80. They also offered an analog unit that was a bit cheaper.
   
  It has served me well for several years.
   
  I am looking at buying a new iron for doing work at home, I will be buying a Hakko FX-888 from amazon. I hear nothing but good things about this iron, and it has a lager selection of tips.


----------



## UnityIsPower

h22 said:


> My current iron is one I got years ago from Jameco electronics, Its an 80 watt digital Xtronics iron, think it was ~$80. They also offered an analog unit that was a bit cheaper.
> 
> It has served me well for several years.
> 
> I am looking at buying a new iron for doing work at home, I will be buying a Hakko FX-888 from amazon. I hear nothing but good things about this iron, and it has a lager selection of tips.




Yeah, so many good reviews. Think I'll purchase it as well.


----------



## FraGGleR

unityispower said:


> If I may be so bold as to ask the gentleman... What is your age? Also, just how ridiculous of a deal we talking? 20-30, no, 50% off? As well, what is the first thing u ever built? What is your favorite thing ever built? Thanks for the link BTW. Nice avatar pic.




34. 75% off. Mini to mini cable in 2009. First amp was a Cmoy. 
 The desktop O2 amp with acrylic faceplates that I posted a couple months ago. Hope my current B22 build turns out well enough to become my new favorite. Cheers.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Lol @ Pst of the padre.  Sounds like some weird movie title.


 
  haha~ you're right!
   
  Quote:  





> a "smart" Metcal iron that somehow calculates the minimum heat necessary to solder stuff together.


 
  Wait... WHAT? new irons can do that?!??!
   
  Quote: 





unityispower said:


> If I may be so bold as to ask the gentleman... What is your age? Also, just how ridiculous of a deal we talking? 20-30, no, 50% off? As well, what is the first thing u ever built? What is your favorite thing ever built? Thanks for the link BTW. Nice avatar pic.


 
  As for me, I'm 17
  First "real" build was a 2x 10W gainclone amp based on the TDA-something chip.
  Favorite build would be the community project I'm currently working on, codenamed "Project-H" (see sig)
   
  His avatar is the laughing man logo from Ghost in the Shell.
  Speaking of which... I still need to get around watching it....
   
  Quote: 





h22 said:


> I am looking at buying a new iron for doing work at home, I will be buying a Hakko FX-888 from amazon. I hear nothing but good things about this iron, and it has a lager selection of tips.


 
  Hmm.. Might get it if my current one ever breaks down.
  (but it's showing no sign of breaking even after all these years 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)
   
  Quote: 





fraggler said:


> 34. 75% off. Mini to mini cable in 2009. First amp was a Cmoy.
> The desktop O2 amp with acrylic faceplates that I posted a couple months ago. Hope my current B22 build turns out well enough to become my new favorite. Cheers.


 
  75% off?? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 how much was it?
   
  I'll be working on a 4-channel beta 22 in the near future as well, the stuff should arrive in about a week or so....


----------



## UnityIsPower

Thanks for the info guys! Yeah... Loved the TV series more then any of the movies. The TV format allowed more fleshing out of character and the struggle to define/understand the line(or lack of) between man and machine and its implications. Tachocoma(s) and 2501 FTW.

"We are... an adaptable species. It will not be we who reach Alpha Centauri and the other nearby stars. It will be a species very like us, but with more of our strengths, and fewer of our weaknesses; more confident, farseeing, capable and prudent." -Carl Sagan

I enjoyed Ghost in the Shell as much as the next guy but hope we do not form such a future. 

"The economics of the future is somewhat different. You see, money doesn't exist in the 24th century. The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. *We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity*."

Pipe dream? Maybe. The further improvement to our moral landscape gives me some hope. Baby steps my dear Watson.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> I'll be working on a 4-channel beta 22 in the near future as well, the stuff should arrive in about a week or so....


 
   
  A decent summary of my Metcal:  http://www.audioasylum.com/reviews/Other/Metcal/SP200/tweaks/30671.html
   
  I got it used for $75 from a friend when he wanted a new one, retailed around $300.  For pro solder guys, I don't know if the Metcal is necessary.  While I believe my board stuffing skills have gotten quite good, the Metcal makes things even easier, especially with heat sensitive or confined conditions.
   
  And Ghost in the Shell (especially the Stand Alone Complex) is phenomenal.  I feel that anyone truly interested in what our future might realistically look like, including the moral and philosophical struggles we might deal with should give it a shot, even if you don't care for Anime.  Truly special, and of course, the Tachikoma rule.
   
  And good luck with the B22!  I feel like stuffing the boards is easier than layout and casing if you want it to look good.  I can't afford custom face plates, so am trying to figure out how to do precise cuts using my sad tool set.  I think drills and files are in my future.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> A decent summary of my Metcal:  http://www.audioasylum.com/reviews/Other/Metcal/SP200/tweaks/30671.html
> 
> I got it used for $75 from a friend when he wanted a new one, retailed around $300.  For pro solder guys, I don't know if the Metcal is necessary.  While I believe my board stuffing skills have gotten quite good, the Metcal makes things even easier, especially with heat sensitive or confined conditions.
> 
> ...


 
  Damn! That's cool!
   
  I'm actually a HUGE anime fan... just haven't gotten around watching Ghost in the Shell because of the old art style....
  Someday.. maybe Ill give it a look.
   
  Don't you have access to a laser cutter?
 You can engrave panels with it right?
  (I'm doing that with my current project too.)


----------



## Crispy808

O2/ODAC combined in the same enclosure.  First ever DIY build which made for a good learning experience.
   
  Front:

  Rear:  (Note the RCA outputs above the ODAC USB input.  I opted for an external connection in the event I decide to try a different amp)


 Perspective w/the top off:
   

  And a shot of the inside.  Very messy wiring job, but it gets the job done. The ODAC is positioned below the O2 board out of sight.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





crispy808 said:


> O2/ODAC combined in the same enclosure.  First ever DIY build which made for a good learning experience.
> 
> Front:
> 
> ...


 
   Really nice job!  I'd love to do something similar, but I have limited access to tools to do any decent wood or metal work.  Kind of limited to off the shell boxes right now.


----------



## Crispy808

Thanks Fraggier!  I wish I had tools for metal work.  If I had access to a milling machine, I'd be set to make almost anything.


----------



## H22

hear is a better pic of the daughter boards, bottom is obviously the op-amp board, top is the discrete diamond buffer, all except the out-put transistors and output resistors.


----------



## SoundPon3

Quote: 





unityispower said:


> If I may be so bold as to ask the gentleman... What is your age? Also, just how ridiculous of a deal we talking? 20-30, no, 50% off? As well, what is the first thing u ever built? What is your favorite thing ever built? Thanks for the link BTW. Nice avatar pic.


 
  Umm.....
  I'm 15
  My first thing... I built it when I was 12 but it was a mini drink cooler/heater with lights that come on when you open the door, USB charger and 2 power socket on the back blah blah blah. How is it audio related? It has a remodeled and amped logitech speaker system in it. all battery powered
  But seriously, my first serious build was a Cmoy I built when I was 13. Since then, I've made about 5 of them.
  I saved lots when I made a jack to jack. Ampenol gold plated connectors, silver solder and eurocable or canare cable (can't remember, think it was canare). Still have it and I've been using it every day for the past 2 years
  Favorite thing: I don't actually know. I'm gathering parts for a hybrid hp amp which might become my favorite
  Don't know if what you meant is what I said but anyway
  BTW, my iron is a old Dick Smith station. Basic with temp readout, thermostat and temp control. Has worked a treat for me but you can't buy tips anymore so I'm stuck with the one I have


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> I'll be working on a 4-channel beta 22 in the near future as well, the stuff should arrive in about a week or so....


 
   
  Stuff arrived earlier than expected....


----------



## FraGGleR

akiroz said:


> Stuff arrived earlier than expected....




Wow, that was fast! I am waiting on parts since I accidentallyshorted some out during testing. Also going to lower gain which is going to be a bunch of desoldering.


----------



## Crispy808

What are your plans with casework for the B22?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





crispy808 said:


> What are your plans with casework for the B22?


 
  Black 19" aluminum case 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  but before that, I need to make an auxiliary power supply, a preamp, and a stepped attenuator.
   
  Schematics in case anyone is interested in what I'm building:


Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Large%20Images


----------



## Lil' Knight

What's the purpose of putting a preamp in front of the B22?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





lil' knight said:


> What's the purpose of putting a preamp in front of the B22?


 
  Several functions:

 Balanced line receiver
 Unbalance to balanced converter
 -6dB attenuation so that the unit can have a overall gain of 0dB (required if you want to drive IEMs)
 Buffers input signal


----------



## Lil' Knight

1,2 can be done with a simple 4pdt switch.
I fail to see the true advantage of using a balanced B22 to drive IEMs.
One of the best features of the B22 is its discrete design, putting an opamp stage before it would defeat the advantage.

Seems to me that preamp thing is just a 'cool factor'. I bet you would do a lot better with just the B22 alone.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





lil' knight said:


> 1,2 can be done with a simple 4pdt switch.
> I fail to see the true advantage of using a balanced B22 to drive IEMs.
> One of the best features of the B22 is its discrete design, putting an opamp stage before it would defeat the advantage.
> 
> Seems to me that preamp thing is just a 'cool factor'. I bet you would do a lot better with just the B22 alone.


 
  wait... common mode signal rejection AND convert a unbalance to balance signal with.... a SWITCH?
  You must have misread something there....
   
  I'd love to see something like that done with a switch,
  It would most definitely shock the world of electronics if not get you a Nobel prize


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> wait... common mode signal rejection AND convert a unbalance to balance signal with.... a SWITCH?
> You must have misread something there....
> 
> I'd love to see something like that done with a switch,
> It would most definitely shock the world of electronics if not get you a Nobel prize


 
   
  Why not just use a transformer for your unbalanced inputs?  1:1 or even 1:2 (will help level balance between balanced and unbalanced channels) is easily found.


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> Why not just use a transformer for your unbalanced inputs?  1:1 or even 1:2 (will help level balance between balanced and unbalanced channels) is easily found.


 
  QFT, slight modifier.
   
  Since the b22 does not run well at low gain, a 2or4:1 transformer may be even better. 
  10k:600ohms are available from a bunch of sources. 
  Run all inputs (yes, even the balanced ones) through the transformers for a good time, and ground loop proofing. 
   
  I agree with the aversion to op amps, even discrete power op amps. 
   
  On that note, building a b22 for IEMs is like killing a fly with an AA12


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> Why not just use a transformer for your unbalanced inputs?  1:1 or even 1:2 (will help level balance between balanced and unbalanced channels) is easily found.


 
  Are they? I've never used transformers in my designs before, my impression of transformers is that a decent audio one will cost $$$$.
  Ill dig around, see what I can find 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





nikongod said:


> I agree with the aversion to op amps, even discrete power op amps.
> 
> On that note, building a b22 for IEMs is like killing a fly with an AA12


 
  Even though the beta22 itself IS a discrete op-amp? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Overkill is my middle name 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Nah, a truly good amplifier should be able to drive anything from sensitive IEMs all the way to Speakers right?


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> QFT, slight modifier.
> 
> Since the b22 does not run well at low gain, a 2or4:1 transformer may be even better.
> 10k:600ohms are available from a bunch of sources.
> Run all inputs (yes, even the balanced ones) through the transformers for a good time, and ground loop proofing.


 
  So this (http://www.ebay.com/itm/120964873232?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649) won't sound as good as this (http://www.edcorusa.com/p/41/s2s600-600t)?
   
  Anything else in the sub $100 range that might be better?


----------



## samsquanch

I'm a fan of Jensen Transformers, but that might just be because I've worked with them more than any other company, it's funny how we form favoritism like that...
   
  http://www.jensen-transformers.com/ln_in.html
   
  If you scroll down that page you'll see 4:1 step down transformers, they're about $100 each, which should be no issue for someone with the middle name of "Overkill."
   
  Also, transformers, unlike opamps, require no power, so you can impress all your dreadlocked hippy friends with how green it is!


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> So this (http://www.ebay.com/itm/120964873232?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649) won't sound as good as this (http://www.edcorusa.com/p/41/s2s600-600t)?
> 
> Anything else in the sub $100 range that might be better?


 
   
  Oh deary me....  I just looked at that ebay auction, and I don't know if you read it or not, but, well, it's "[size=medium]ONLY FOR PROFESSIONALS".  Looks like you'll have to use a transformer, unless you have the proper forms that state you are indeed a professional.  People really seem to have it out for DIYer's these days![/size]


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> I'm a fan of Jensen Transformers, but that might just be because I've worked with them more than any other company, it's funny how we form favoritism like that...
> 
> http://www.jensen-transformers.com/ln_in.html
> 
> ...


 
  $100! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  That's more then the cost of my ENTIRE build!!
   
  Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> Oh deary me....  I just looked at that ebay auction, and I don't know if you read it or not, but, well, it's "[size=medium]ONLY FOR PROFESSIONALS".  Looks like you'll have to use a transformer, unless you have the proper forms that state you are indeed a professional.  People really seem to have it out for DIYer's these days![/size]


 

 Hahaha~


----------



## elliottstudio

I built a little tube / transformer amp for my brother. Read about it and see pictures here:http://adventuresinmodioland.blogspot.com/2013/02/prototype-headphone-amp-continued.html


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





elliottstudio said:


> I built a little tube / transformer amp for my brother. Read about it and see pictures here:http://adventuresinmodioland.blogspot.com/2013/02/prototype-headphone-amp-continued.html


 
  Looks great!
  How did you make that silver PCB?


----------



## dfferent

Made some custom cases for O2 amp and ODAC.
  Used my favourite material MDF.
  Sorry but don't have internal pics as after I finished this one I decided I din't like it so internals are now empty.
  Got some ideas for a different case that I will do instead.
   
  Raw MDF, 2 x 16mm thick, routered outside and jigsaw inside circles, then 6mm piece added on top.

   
  Primed, sanded and holes drilled for volume and switch

   
  Completed, rear view, DAC at the bottom

   
  Completed front view, the O2 amp on top has a headphone output and the volume switch clicks in and out for power switch
  "Volume knob" on the dac is a 2 way switch between headphone amp and my stereo preamp.
  Or the 3.5mm jack and RCA's

   
  The finish used was stone finish, topped with auotmotive clear coat.
  The first layer of clear coat has some pearl flakes mixed in.


----------



## DefQon

lol did I read b22 and iem's in the same sentence? It can be done, bit too much overkill and a bit too overpowered though...methinks


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





defqon said:


> lol did I read b22 and iem's in the same sentence? It can be done, bit too much overkill and a bit too overpowered though...methinks


 

 What are you talking about?
 I normally drive headphones with multi-hundred watt power amps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Oh and did I mention I'm using a 300VA toroid power transformer for my beta22


----------



## crispchicken

Hey everyone, this is my first post here at head fi.
   
  I thought I'd share my first ever fully working headphone amp, my pretty much stock cmoy on stripboard. I had a lot of trouble with the irregularly patterened stuff shown in the tangentsoft CMoy guide since i'd never used it before. I redid it using Fred_fred's instructions early in this thread. I'm shocked how good it sounds, and I'm already eager to find out what my next project is! I have a couple CMoy PCBs coming from fred too, so that's next but I am looking at some of the tube head amps with a great deal of interest, along with the Pimeta 2.
   
  Time will tell I suppose, but for now, enjoy, pictures of my amp.
   
  http://i.imgur.com/VJfgcgR.jpg
  http://i.imgur.com/duj4GI6.jpg
  http://i.imgur.com/h5kwV4m.jpg
   
  Sorry that the photo quality isn't anything amazing, I only have my phone for photography

 Big thanks to Howard (aka fred fred) for his advice and and patience with helping me, and also getting me the new boards that inspired me to have a practice run first 
   
  I hope to see you all around the forum at some point.
   
  Peace
   
  chris
   
  edit: it would seem img tags don't work here. those are direct links now. how many posts are required to get image attaching permissions? cheers


----------



## Beefy

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Oh and did I mention I'm using a 300VA toroid power transformer for my beta22


 
   
  Perfect! There should be more than enough stray magnetic fields from that huge transformer to bring the noise floor of the amp way up into the audible range with IEMs.
   
  Just because you _can_ do something does not prove that it isn't a terrible idea.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





beefy said:


> Perfect! There should be more than enough stray magnetic fields from that huge transformer to bring the noise floor of the amp way up into the audible range with IEMs.
> 
> Just because you _can_ do something does not prove that it isn't a terrible idea.


 
  Learn the maths!
  Bigger transformer ≠ more magnetic field.
  b-field strengths are dependent only on:

 current flowing through the wire
 number of turns
 permeability of the core material
   
  And TBH, toroidal transformers provide some degree of self-shielding in the first place, the electromagnetic radiation coming from the transformer is probably very small compared to other current-carrying wires in the system.
   
  With that said, I cannot empirically prove that what I just said is correct because I don't have the necessary equipment to do so. If you just happen to have a EM radiation meter laying around then by all means, take some measurements of toroidal transformers when they're operating and see if they will cause EMI in amplifiers.


----------



## Lil' Knight




----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Even though the beta22 itself IS a discrete op-amp?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Nobody gets my subtleties, congrats. 
   
  I lean towards the school of thought that headphone amps should be "high power pre amps" not "low-power speaker amps."
   
  There is something to say for both design methods, but I prefer an elegant solution to brute force. 
   
  Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> I'm a fan of Jensen Transformers, but that might just be because I've worked with them more than any other company, it's funny how we form favoritism like that...
> 
> http://www.jensen-transformers.com/ln_in.html


 
   
  Cinemag also makes well regarded 10K:600 transformers, for a bit less money. 
   
  Edcor is another option, but the more expensive options are probably worth it... 
   
  Quote: 





akiroz said:


> And TBH, toroidal transformers provide some degree of self-shielding in the first place, the electromagnetic radiation coming from the transformer is probably very small compared to other current-carrying wires in the system.
> 
> With that said, I cannot empirically prove that what I just said is correct because I don't have the necessary equipment to do so. If you just happen to have a EM radiation meter laying around then by all means, take some measurements of toroidal transformers when they're operating and see if they will cause EMI in amplifiers.


 
   
  Toroidal transformers do leak EMF - just not as much as EI transformers.
  When the transformers saturate due to DC on the mains or operation at or above rated power all bets are off. 
  When EI transformers leak EMF they do so quite predictably even when they saturate. It is easy enough to spin a toroid to quiet hum in normal operation but when toriods saturate they spew EMF everywhere. 
   
  The 2-box B22 was a very popular solution to transformers leaking EMF into what should have been a quiet amps. The issue with the 2-box B22 (or even one-box if you're not careful) is that DCR and inductance between the power supply and amp boards has been linked to a few B22 failures.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> I lean towards the school of thought that headphone amps should be "high power pre amps" not "low-power speaker amps."
> 
> There is something to say for both design methods, but I prefer an elegant solution to brute force.


 
  What's the difference?


----------



## samsquanch

Here's a little something silly I built, it's simply two pairs of rca's with a resistor placed across each channels signal and ground.  I'll be using this to lower the input resistance of a phono preamp.  My pre has an input resistance of 47k ohms, I'll be using this to drop it down to ~8k ohms by using 9.6k ohm resistors.  This puts them in parallel with the 47k input resistor in the preamp, using the formula for resistors in parallel:  1/((1/R1)+(1/R2))=Rt
   
  R1 = 47k ohms
  R2 = 9.6k ohms
  Rt = 7971 ohms
   
  The resistors are in sockets, so if I want to lower or raise the value I can just swap them out for other resistors.  I can also just remove them and have 47k again.
   
   

   

   
   
  I made it out of some scrap oak and lexan...


----------



## vixr

samsquanch, that is awesome...killer idea. Some of my best cases have come literally from the scrap bin.


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> Nobody gets my subtleties, congrats.
> I lean towards the school of thought that headphone amps should be "high power pre amps" not "low-power speaker amps."
> There is something to say for both design methods, but I prefer an elegant solution to brute force.
> </snip>


 
   
  Quote: 





akiroz said:


> What's the difference?


 
  One is _brute force_ and the other is _elegant_?


----------



## elliottstudio

*edited* See below


----------



## elliottstudio

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Looks great!
> How did you make that silver PCB?


 

 I had it made for me! It's a double sided PCB with tinned plating, I usually don't opt for the green enamel coating as it costs more and is just another dielectric. PCB Express has CAD software (their own) that's pretty good. You design it w/ their software and they send the finished product 2 days later.


----------



## cfcubed

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> . The issue with the 2-box B22 (or even one-box if you're not careful) is that DCR and inductance between the power supply and amp boards has been linked to a few B22 failures.


 
   
  Hey NG, I'm not aware of the failure case(s) you mention there.... Having built a few Beta22s, all of which were 2-box builds, and having seen most all Beta22-related posts since I've joined, the failure cases I've seen have to do with shorting of one type or another.   I'm curious about what you noted - could you maybe point me to problem posts/threads about it that I could read up on?  Merci beaucoup...


----------



## joeyjojo

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Learn the maths!
> Bigger transformer ≠ more magnetic field.


 
   
  There is another good reason to use an appropriate transformer for the job. An underloaded tranny will typically put out a higher voltage than spec, giving your regulators a harder time (=more heat and other problems down the line).
   
  I can't think of any *advantages* to using an oversized transformer at all.
   
   
  Quote: 





nikongod said:


> I lean towards the school of thought that headphone amps should be "high power pre amps" not "low-power speaker amps."
> 
> There is something to say for both design methods, but I prefer an elegant solution to brute force.
> 
> The 2-box B22 was a very popular solution to transformers leaking EMF into what should have been a quiet amps. The issue with the 2-box B22 (or even one-box if you're not careful) is that DCR and inductance between the power supply and amp boards has been linked to a few B22 failures.


 
   
  See this thread for another good reasons to use a robust headphone amp as a preamp, namely a very low output impedance is very beneficial for both (damping for the former, ability to drive very long cables for the latter).
   
  I also doubt your claims in the second point. The website suggests to keep the umbilical to less than 3 feet to keep inductance to a tolerable level when the power supply is in the second box (which is fine as the sigma22 is a beast). Alternatively (as I'm doing) you can keep the power supply and amp boards in the same box and run some long AC lines from the transformer in the umbilical. Problem solved.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





joeyjojo said:


> There is another good reason to use an appropriate transformer for the job. An underloaded tranny will typically put out a higher voltage than spec, giving your regulators a harder time (=more heat and other problems down the line).
> 
> I can't think of any *advantages* to using an oversized transformer at all.


 
  The rated output voltage is usually given as the unloaded one.
   
  Just to be clear, the only reason I'm a 300VA transformer is because I ripped it out of one of my older builds so I don't have to buy a new one.
   
  I will never do stupid things for the hell of it.
   
  Likewise, the only reason why a person like me who thinks headphones amps should be nothing more then a few op-amps is even making a 4-channel beta22 is because I got most of the stuff for free.
   
  To be completely honest, I think the beta22 is an absolutely stupid design.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> The rated output voltage is usually given as the unloaded one.
> 
> Just to be clear, the only reason I'm a 300VA transformer is because I ripped it out of one of my older builds so I don't have to buy a new one.
> 
> ...


 
   
  You do get the point that a beta22 is just an over blown discrete opamp, right?  So, if you think a headphone amp should be nothing more than a few op-amps, then why would you be opposed to one that is just a large op-amp?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> You do get the point that a beta22 is just an over blown discrete opamp, right?  So, if you think a headphone amp should be nothing more than a few op-amps, then why would you be opposed to one that is just a large op-amp?


 
  Well, it's not the opamp architecture but rather how the design wastes so many components for the sake of being overkill an no real advantage in boosting the performance at all.....


----------



## joeyjojo

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Well, it's not the opamp architecture but rather how the design wastes so many components for the sake of being overkill an no real advantage in boosting the performance at all.....


 
   
  That depends on what you mean by performance. The amp was designed to excel in performance metrics (measurements), and therefore (according to the theory) also sound great. You can see this from the "specifications" pages on the website - I haven't yet seen better specs in ANY amp. The B22 beats everything by large factors, often by orders of magnitude. It's a shame it hasn't been retested with some serious test kit yet, but I believe this on the "to do" list, as it far exceeds the audio interface it was tested with.
   
  Whether this approach automatically leads to something that sounds good isn't known. But by putting together a discrete amp you definitely have more control over its performance. More than anything it's a great example of simulation-driven circuit design.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





joeyjojo said:


> That depends on what you mean by performance. The amp was designed to excel in performance metrics (measurements), and therefore (according to the theory) also sound great. You can see this from the "specifications" pages on the website - I haven't yet seen better specs in ANY amp. The B22 beats everything by large factors, often by orders of magnitude. It's a shame it hasn't been retested with some serious test kit yet, but I believe this on the "to do" list, as it far exceeds the audio interface it was tested with.
> 
> Whether this approach automatically leads to something that sounds good isn't known. But by putting together a discrete amp you definitely have more control over its performance. More than anything it's a great example of simulation-driven circuit design.


 

 No, I mean performance as in measurements.
   
  I can name a few *power* amps that out performs the beta22, take Doug self's "blameless" amp for example or Bob cordell's MOSFET amp.
  They ALL use less components then then beta22, are cheaper the build, delivers more power AND has higher performance.
   
  Even integrated op-amp based power amps can achieve similar performance to the beta22 if implemented properly.
  Take a look at amps based on National semiconductor's Texas Instruments' LME49810 / LME49811 / LME49830 chips.


----------



## akiroz

Thought I might share some results of the community project I've been working on for the past half-a-year 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  We call it [Project-H] and it's funded entirely by 9 Head-fiers. (See sig for details)
   

  Panel Design
   

  Assembled unit front
   

  Assembled unit back
   

  9 assembled units, 2 with custom laser engraving.


----------



## joeyjojo

Of those two I could only find Cordell's paper "a MOSFET power amp with error correction" (1982). It's impossible to compare them as the test equipment used in the Cordell amp is way better than the audio interface used by Kan (e.g. you can forget about THD/noise measurements for the B22 as it's just the loopback signal).
   
  Don't forget the B22 can match the Cordell for power into 8 ohms if you build the bridged variant (50 Wrms), though clearly not for current (it can only put out an amp or two as the MOSFET packages are so small - I wonder how Cordell solved that one).
   
  It's interesting to see some of the principles used in the B22 coming from this 30 year old paper. Really they aren't so dissimilar - the B22 just uses more cascoding throughout and runs entirely in class A. My bet is it does have better specs, but obviously this is at the cost of parts. In the end the differences are probably inaudible


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Thought I might share some results of the community project I've been working on for the past half-a-year
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice! I saw that project in *bowei006*'s sig. I haven't read the details about it, but is it just an O2 with modified parts and enclosure? Too bad it isn't available for us mortals. XD


----------



## Talgarius

Hello.
  This is my music listening headphone + amplifier system.
   
  Made by P87, show stats:
   
*•80 mW into 600 Ohm, 0.00014% THD + N
 •Greater than 120 dB of Dynamic Range
 •SNR of 120 dB
 •Output Voltage Noise of 5 μVrms
 •1300 V/μs Slew Rate*
   
  The core operational amplifier is TPa6120A2 (http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tpa6120a2.pdf) and second amplifier is LM6172.
   
  Pictures (I cant insert these ):
  http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/826/p87amp01.jpg
  http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/543/p87amp02.jpg


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





talgarius said:


> Hello.
> This is my music listening headphone + amplifier system.
> 
> Made by P87, show stats:
> ...


 

 Nice case!
   
  Who's P87?
   
  Keep in mind that the specs of the op-amp is usually far from the entire amp's specs


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





miceblue said:


> Nice! I saw that project in *bowei006*'s sig. I haven't read the details about it, but is it just an O2 with modified parts and enclosure? Too bad it isn't available for us mortals. XD


 

 Thanks, It's actually a DAC + O2


----------



## Talgarius

akiroz said:


> Nice case!
> 
> Who's P87?
> 
> Keep in mind that the specs of the op-amp is usually far from the entire amp's specs




The P87 a person from Prohardver.hu, He did to me from my specs. Btw you know an usb dac diy for this amp? I saw Musiclands and Fiio but.. Not good rly. If maybe I can use for my smartphone would be best. (USB OTG).


----------



## crispchicken

So, today I got my package from Fred_fred with Cmoy boards and some on/off clicky pots. I put this together this afternoon, happy to say it was only about 40 minutes of work, and it worked perfectly the first time through. A bit of confidence, and only a couple of small audio projects under my belt, seems to be helping immensely with this, its a great feeling to be able to tell you're improving, especially considering the amount of time I spend per day reading about audio electronics!
   
  This specific amp is a gift for my father's birthday tomorrow and I'm stoked I managed to get the boards and parts before then! All I have to do tomorrow is find a nice enclosure for it and get some better quality connectors to replace then temporary ones I'm using.
   
  Here's a picture of my handywork...
   
  http://iforce.co.nz/i/2i1qty0k.vpa.jpg
   
  What really blows me away about this little one compared to my stripboard cmoy (that I've been logging some serious hours of use on in the past week or so), is the low noise floor and overall sound quality improvement, while using the same supply and exact same opamp chip(Yeah, it's damn expensive here in nz for a decent audio opamp. I paid 13.95 for this single one in Jaycar! It really adds to the scariness factor when your rather expensive ic's might produce the magical $13.95 smoke that smells so sweet, with just one little wiring mistake... yeah right...  
   
  The only difference between this and my other Cmoy was choosing slightly higher quality/better choices of components. Instead of polyester greencaps, I used 474pF polypropylene rectangular ones (if someone could enlighten me as to what the correct name for these are, I'd be grateful) There's also a small low-ESR electrolytic that I added between the two rail splitter caps and ground, I'm not really sure what it even does, but I suspect it might have something to do with the improved sound quality, and who am I to question the markings on the board?!  Finally, I also managed to scrounge a couple of 1000uF 15v Sanyo electrolytics out of an old car amp, which according to everyone I talk to, should beat the crap out of "Suntan" caps in quality... the last one I built had 220uF caps in the place of these, and I can definitely hear an improvement in bass "boom" with the much higher rating.
   
  My dc offset is only 0.6 on one channel, and 4.5 on the other. This is with an opa2134pa, would that be considered within spec/safe range?
   
  peace ya'll!
   
  chris


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





crispchicken said:


> My dc offset is only 0.6 on one channel, and 4.5 on the other. This is with an opa2134pa, would that be considered within spec/safe range?


 
  Congradz!
   
  $13.95 for a OPA2134? What currency is that??
  I got my OPA2134's for around that price in HK$ which is around US$1.8
   
  With 4.5mV you'd hear a click with IEMs. It should be safe though


----------



## n_maher

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> And TBH, toroidal transformers provide some degree of self-shielding in the first place, the electromagnetic radiation coming from the transformer is probably very small compared to other current-carrying wires in the system.


 
   
  There's been some pretty unproductive discussion in this thread in the last few pages.  I freely admit that I'm not around anywhere near enough anymore to try and fix it.  That said, your comment regarding the potential interference of a toroidal transformers and the beta22 is not correct based on my direct experience.  I was one of the first few people to build a beta22 years ago and my one box build definitely had trafo-induced noise.  I went to great lengths to squash it and in the end the only solution was a (relatively) massive amount of shielding around the transformer. 
   
  Here's the amp

   
  Inside the small black box in the upper left corner is the trafo.  At first I tried just the steel box to add additional shielding, it was insufficient to kill the noise.  Next I added mu metal banding around the outside of the trafo, again, not enough.  I then added layers of shielding above and below and that was finally enough to make the noise inaudible with my IEMs.  No simple task and directly the fault of the proximity of the trafo to the signal wires.
   
  Now, to get this thread a little more back on track here's the KGSS that I mostly finished last night.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





> That said, your comment regarding the potential interference of a toroidal transformers and the beta22 is not correct based on my direct experience.


 
  It's simply a speculation of mine based on theory. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  I've already said I have no empirical evidence backing that up.


----------



## crispchicken

I stay in new Zealand, where electronics as a hobby is already pretty unusual. Audio electronics being a subset of that... Yeah there's basically just not enough people in the scene to get OK prices.

I was intending to get myself a selection of useful ICs off of aliexpress soon, perhaps someone can suggest a better source.

Recently I've been dumpster diving behind this store that repairs TVs and home cinema gear, and have managed to find a lot of pcbs with assorted useful components on them. More power amp ics than you can shake a stick. it shocks me how bad most of the op amps these receivers from reputable brands are running super low end crapola. I do have some working dual opamps that I tend to use to test before I stick in an expensive one!

Chris


----------



## yuujin

hi n_maher, is that a stepped attenuator?
  what brand is that? looks pretty neat.


----------



## n_maher

Quote: 





yuujin said:


> hi n_maher, is that a stepped attenuator?
> what brand is that? looks pretty neat.


 
   


 Yes it's a stepped attenuator.  It's a first generation Khozmo that I picked up used.  They don't build them like this anymore so the current ones aren't nearly as neat looking but I think are more mechanically reliable.  I don't tend to volume hunt much, rather set it and forget it, so I think it'll do ok for me in the long run.  I've never liked standard, 24 step units that I've used and had high hopes for Khozmo when they first came out a few years ago.  They had issues initially that I think they've corrected but do your homework before making a selection (if you're in the market).


----------



## elliottstudio

This is my recent build:
 Here's a prototype headphone amp / linestage that I built for my brother. I is a two stage design using 12au7a's and output transformers, Quam 70V 4W speaker transformers in fact. The gain is 1.5 using the 2W input tap. There are 3 stereo inputs, a headphone output and defeat-able line out jacks. It is a pretty simple design but sounds very transparent and punchy. The basic circuit could be adapted for many functions, it could be a full function line stage if I added a mute switch and balance pot and a few more inputs. Or you could separate out the volume pots and add mic input transformers and make a nice two channel mic preamp.
   
  For more details go here: LINK


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





elliottstudio said:


>


 
  ooh~ is that a neon lamp down the middle?


----------



## elliottstudio

Yup. A 40 cent part!


----------



## crispchicken

Quote: 





elliottstudio said:


> This is my recent build ...


 
   
  That's absolutely gorgeous, inside and out. One question, how did you go about building that enclosure? Was it modified from something off the shelf? and the screen printing on the front, custom work, or did you do it yourself too?
   
  I hope he enjoys his gift, I know I sure as hell would, that looks like something off the shelf, in the best way possible  I think people often underestimate how much good clean wiring can do for aesthetics, its nice to see something built that tidy!
   
  Peace,
  Chris


----------



## elliottstudio

Quote: 





crispchicken said:


> That's absolutely gorgeous, inside and out. One question, how did you go about building that enclosure? Was it modified from something off the shelf? and the screen printing on the front, custom work, or did you do it yourself too?
> 
> I hope he enjoys his gift, I know I sure as hell would, that looks like something off the shelf, in the best way possible  I think people often underestimate how much good clean wiring can do for aesthetics, its nice to see something built that tidy!
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks so much! The enclosure is surplus, it used to house an Avid 8X8 Digital I/O box for Pro Tools ('90's vintage) that I picked up at a local recycler for 15 bucks. The front panel is my design and machined and engraved by Front Panel Express, also local to Seattle. The PCB is also my design and is from Express PCB out Beaverton Oregon. For more info about the build read my blog posts: http://adventuresinmodioland.blogspot.com/
   
  ~Kevin


----------



## spritzer

I haven't posted any new builds on HF in a long while but I'll follow Nate's lead as this build was influenced by him.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
   
  This project started after I had rehoused a RAKK DAC originally built by Nate.  That left me with the old Hammond steel chassis so I naturally had to use it for something.  I figured it was time to do a cheap EL34 based Stax amp  for the masses which would still outperform what's commercially available.  The key requirement was to build it on the cheap so I took cues from the WES and used the same power supply setup (+300/+600V) but this one had to be able to accept RCA input without any additional stages and DC coupled would be a plus.  That said focusing on making fully DC coupled tube amps often leads to something that sounds terrible so I wasn't too hung up on that. 
   

   

   
  The amp circuit is pretty simple, it uses the same cross coupled input stage of the Stax SRX.  That stage is fully DC coupled internally but AC coupled to the next stage and I built it with 6SL7's as I had them in stock.  They are also the only good choice for electrostatic amps in an octal envelope as we all the gain we can get plug high bandwidth.  The output stage is similar to the WES so grounded cathode with triode strapped EL34's but I used anode resistors instead of chokes to load the tubes.  The chokes when done properly (i.e. not how they are done in the WES) would be superior but they also cost more to have custom made so nice Mills non-inductive wire wounds it was.  In this setup the amp has two capacitors in the signal path, small cap between the front end and the output stage and much larger output caps.  Due to the single power supply output caps could not be avoided so this is not a bad result. 
   

   
  The tube heaters for the front end tubes are fed from the small DC supply in the corner with tubes wired as two pairs in series to lower the current requirement.  The output tubes are fed off two transformer windings which is crucial in an amp such as this.  The heaters have DC on them so they must be left floating.  It's also a good idea to isolate the channels from one another.  The high voltage power supply is a very simple design I did with Kevin Gilmore last year and it's basically two 300V supplies stacked one on top of the other.  The bias for the headphones is taken off the +600V line and fed through a voltage divider to get the desired voltages. 
   
  I quite like the end result and it more than holds its own against the Blue Hawaii I built earlier this year and it was cheap.  Not sure how much since I had everything in stock to build it but it was probably less than 1k$ even with all these very nice parts.


----------



## Maxvla

That's a clean, compact build. I like the case and the tower behind the forest of tubes.


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





spritzer said:


> I haven't posted any new builds on HF in a long while but I'll follow Nate's lead as this build was influenced by him.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Stunning.  I want one even though I have no Stax.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> *Stunning.*  I want one even though I have no Stax.


 
  Indeed, with that multi-hundred volt supply


----------



## DudeMyCans

Here's my almost completed MSSH. I had it running in a shoebox, but when I boxed it up properly the right hand channel isn't working, so a bit of troubleshooting needed. This explains why the top isn't fastened down and it's still on a workbench in my shed.
   
  Anyway it's in a 150 x100mm mahogany case. The top and bottom are 5mm thick plate aluminium and I think that the knob is 45mm alu. The wood is treated with boiled linseed oil. I'm pleased enough with it.
   
  Sorry about the poor photo, I took it with my phone.


----------



## spritzer

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Indeed, with that multi-hundred volt supply


 
   
  +600V is nothing, we have one on the drawing board that is +/-800V and we can go even higher...


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





spritzer said:


> +600V is nothing, we have one on the drawing board that is +/-800V and we can go even higher...


 
  Indeed, my corona-phone prototype runs on ±3kV supplies


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





dudemycans said:


> Spoiler: Picture%3A
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Now that's a proper starving student. I like what you did with the enclosure. It's simple, yet looks great. Is the wood case one solid block that you hollowed out?


----------



## Dyaems

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Indeed, my corona-phone prototype runs on ±3kV supplies


 
   
  what happened with your super DIY build? i think that was yours right...?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





dyaems said:


> what happened with your super DIY build? i think that was yours right...?


 

 A bit of _risk assessment_ is in order....
   
  I actually got myself a variable ±0-3kV power supply w/ auxiliary 6.3Vac that was designed for thermionic emission experiments:


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





spritzer said:


> *The tube heaters for the front end tubes are fed from the small DC supply in the corner with tubes wired as two pairs in series to lower the current requirement.  The output tubes are fed off two transformer windings which is crucial in an amp such as this.  The heaters have DC on them so they must be left floating.  It's also a good idea to isolate the channels from one another.  The high voltage power supply is a very simple design I did with Kevin Gilmore last year and it's basically two 300V supplies stacked one on top of the other.  The bias for the headphones is taken off the +600V line and fed through a voltage divider to get the desired voltages. *
> 
> *I quite like the end result and it more than holds its own against the Blue Hawaii I built earlier this year and it was cheap.  Not sure how much since I had everything in stock to build it but it was probably less than 1k$ even with all these very nice parts. *


 
   
  Example of engineering and components used right. I like.


----------



## DefQon

Actually come to think of it, I posted a thread that I thought could be Off/Topic to the DIY section and one of the posters that replied to my thread suggested I asked here.
   
  I've got some nos cap's that need to be reformed, I don't have the equipment nor time to do it and variacs ain't exactly cheap here, any DIY Aussies here willing to give me a helping hand with reforming about 13 or so 250v ROD EDG and Philips BC caps? If so a pm would be great, your services won't go unrewarded.


----------



## DudeMyCans

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Now that's a proper starving student. I like what you did with the enclosure. It's simple, yet looks great. Is the wood case one solid block that you hollowed out?


 
   
  Thanks KimLaroux. I built the enclosure out of strip mahogany, mitered and glued. I thinned down for the front and back faces with a chopsaw (as I don't have a router). It's worked ok, but I'm worried it's a bit fragile, so I'll be buying a pillar drill and a router for my next case. I wanted the simple, engineering type look and think it's come out quite well. There's still a bit more work to polish it up and I'll probably laquer the alu somehow to try and stop it oxidising.
   
  I'm planning to recase an SDS Labs amp soon, which I built years ago and have never got to work properly. My plan is to rebuild the amp section onto stripboard and seperate out the PSU into a seperate case. I was half thinking of going for two mono blocks for the amp section but reckon that may be a little overkill 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


----------



## dustinsterk

Not for my headphones...but a still my first DIY tube amp:
   
   

   
   
  Full album here:
http://imgur.com/a/6Dqpy
   
  --Dustin


----------



## elliottstudio

Great looking colors! Love that Edcor Iron. What is the configuration?


----------



## dustinsterk

Thanks!  I like the colors of the Edcor's too.  The setup is as follows:
   
   
  The power transformer is the XPWR005-120
  The other two are the CXPP25-MS-8K/23%
   
  Sound great...but just take a while for Edcor to ship them out.  Definitely worth the wait!
   
  For anyone else interested in building this amp, check out:
http://www.diytube.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=837


----------



## crispchicken

Well guys, my second RA1 Cmoy board got populated today, and put into a case. May I present to you, the desktop 'moy. Despite this one going quicker than any of my previous builds, this one came out a LOT cleaner and more professional looking too.
   
  The only issues I encountered were one weak trace on the pcb which snapped and so I had to insert a couple of wires to connect the traces, and I now have to find myself a 12 volt PSU to run it on rather than the battery I have connected at present. My plan with this little box of amp, is to use the rest of the space in the housing for a SkeletonDAC or similar when I get a chance to order one. I'm also thinking I'll use an OPA2134PA (and get myself a machined socket or solder it straight in since I'm using a crappy bent metal one at the moment), since I really loved the sound of my last one that I used the 2134 with. For now however, on it's 7ish volt battery pack and an ad4556 opamp, and it both sounds and looks pretty awesome. The metal box actually helps a fair bit with keeping the noise level down when there's no sound going on, which I like a whole heap over the last few I've built which just ended up sitting in free air.
   
  So, does anyone know of a similarly specced DAC like the SkeletonDAC, but with coax or optical in rather than USB? My pc has a SPDIF-out and I thought it'd be cool to use it, if I can do so for reasonable money. Is there really any reasons that I shouldn't put the DAC and amp together in this one box? Like interference, etc?
   
  Anyway, I'm pretty proud of how this one turned out, and I really love the case that I found for it, especially for only 12 bucks! I think I might build myself a starving student with a few upgrades in another box like this, maybe the next size up to keep it secure on the table with a bit of extra weight.
   
  I also rewired my HD465s today with a high quality 3.5mm plug since my last one was getting really scratchy. Got some PET sleeving to go with it which looks mean. The two really go together, soon even more so, I have to get slightly larger matching sleeving to put on the input cable of the amp.
   
  So, without further ado, I give to you, pictures!
   
  http://i.imgur.com/YDlH8Xp.jpg
  http://i.imgur.com/Y29Vpx0.jpg
  http://i.imgur.com/6Exkyrdh.jpg
   
  (sorry but it appears the H-F image hosting doesn't work for me. If anyone would like to explain why, that'd be dandy.)
   
  peace,
   
  chris


----------



## elliottstudio

Quote: 





dustinsterk said:


> Thanks!  I like the colors of the Edcor's too.  The setup is as follows:
> 
> 
> The power transformer is the XPWR005-120
> ...


 

 Very neat build on the inside too. Great job.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





crispchicken said:


> Well guys, my second RA1 Cmoy board got populated today, and put into a case. May I present to you, the desktop 'moy. Despite this one going quicker than any of my previous builds, this one came out a LOT cleaner and more professional looking too.
> 
> The only issues I encountered were one weak trace on the pcb which snapped and so I had to insert a couple of wires to connect the traces, and I now have to find myself a 12 volt PSU to run it on rather than the battery I have connected at present. My plan with this little box of amp, is to use the rest of the space in the housing for a SkeletonDAC or similar when I get a chance to order one. I'm also thinking I'll use an OPA2134PA (and get myself a machined socket or solder it straight in since I'm using a crappy bent metal one at the moment), since I really loved the sound of my last one that I used the 2134 with. For now however, on it's 7ish volt battery pack and an ad4556 opamp, and it both sounds and looks pretty awesome. The metal box actually helps a fair bit with keeping the noise level down when there's no sound going on, which I like a whole heap over the last few I've built which just ended up sitting in free air.
> 
> ...


 
   
  You simply don't have enough posts yet to upload pictures. It's a safety feature to fight spam. So you have to go spam some threads with useless posts in order to upload pictures.
   
  Here, I'll upload them for you:

   

   

   
  As for a DAC, I don't know any entry-level DIY DAC that has SPDIF input. I'm guessing the reason these are not as popular is because they need a dedicated power supply. A USB DAC is powered trough the USB cable, greatly simplifying the design and lowering the cost. This usually pleases more people, improving the project's chances of success. This doesn't mean such DACs do not exist. It's just that it's not the type of DAC one reasonably pairs with a CMOY.


----------



## DingoSmuggler

The gamma1 might be the cheapest DIY dac with spdif option.
  Not quite the simplest due to the modular nature, and no kits available(that i'm aware of anyway)


----------



## crispchicken

Quote:  





> This doesn't mean such DACs do not exist. It's just that it's not the type of DAC one reasonably pairs with a CMOY.


 
   
  I figured that might be so. It's less that it'll be using the cmoy forever as it's more just a simple project I've been working on to get the confidence to tackle something a bit more complex in the future when I have the money to do so. I suppose for 25 usd for the SkeletonDAC kit, I can just buy another different dac when I want to upgrade from it. What's the general consensus on them? Are they better than mid level integrated sound chips on gigabyte motherboards? (mines a Via VT 2021 sound chip) Would it sound okay for the entry level price (and ears 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)? 
   
  Well cheers for letting me know about the post count thing... I hate worrying about stuff like that on forums, It'd be way better to just make fewer quality posts, but sounds like I'm going to have to work up the count a bit then... One of the things that makes a quality post, IMO, is to have some images (if relevant...) Do you know what number of posts (or thereabout) that you gain that ability?


----------



## crispchicken

Quote: 





dingosmuggler said:


> The gamma1 might be the cheapest DIY dac with spdif option.
> Not quite the simplest due to the modular nature, and no kits available(that i'm aware of anyway)


 
  I appreciate the link, I've never heard of the gamma1 before now to be honest, I'll have to read around about it because it looks pretty interesting. A bit of complexity doesn't hurt IMO, it's nice to have a challenge. Lack of kit's aren't a big deal to me, so long as the PCB is available it's not too difficult to just get together the BOM off element14 or something who ship here from australia, which is probably quicker than getting an american PCB would be 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (and probably cheaper too, once you factor in the shipping)


----------



## Fred_fred2004

You can get kits for the Gamma 1
   
http://glassjaraudio.com/product.sc?productId=31
   
  cheers
  FRED


----------



## crispchicken

Being helpful as useful, thanks for the link Fred. That kit looks very appealing, I think I might order it after I get done with the skeleton I've got on the way.
   
  Well, I got the finishing touches onto the Desk-moy today. I replaced the input line with high quality microphone cable (it's 7mm or so diameter and super well shielded). it really does some great stuff with the slight hum and buzz that used to come through from my pc power supply and whatever else was generating lots of emi in my room.
   
  Its all sleeved up nice and tidy, I'm also developing a charging circuit so I can put in 2 cell Li-Po cell for the amp, and a socket for charging, but currently I've just internalised the battery box.
   
  Also swapped in a machined dip-socket and some better caps since not everything was very high quality before. The op-amp is now a brand new OPA2134PA (replacing the ad4556), since I far prefer it's tonal character, and it's also much cleaner, just over all, a better chip. Has anyone noticed that op-amps can degrade from mistreatment, but not fully die? I was comparing a new 4556 with my old one today and it sounded quite a bit better than the old one. I also noticed the new 2134 I got seems very clear and sharp compared to what I remember of the last one I had. Could it maybe be static damage? My old 4556 seems to occilate slightly, since it sounds much worse, very choppy at higher volume, and runs hot. the new one doesn't act like this in the same circuit with everything the same. Just thought I'd mention this interesting phenomenon in case someone knows more about it....
   
  pics:
  http://i.imgur.com/Qs26pLA.jpg
   
  http://i.imgur.com/DERwcVi.jpg
   
  On top of this, I'm in the process of getting the parts together for a new cmoyBB and some discrete diamond buffers I've etched, which is the first part of my Pimeta build. Still have to make up a single sided Pimeta pcb design so I can etch that too. I actually drew the diamond buffers by hand since I don't have a laser printer *yet* and the only laser copies I can get of my PCB traces are on regular paper, which doesn't really work for transfers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Man I wish I had the money to do more projects! every pay day, I spend my weeks "discretionary income" on new electronic gear... it's slowly building up though. I really need some better headphones more than anything else though, my 465's are 4ish years old and have been pretty well used. Still sound good, but I'm pretty sure the drivers have gotten kinda loose, the sound a lot sloppier than they did when I got em. Ahh well, I'm rambling,  my apologies. Hopefully, money permitting I can put some more stuff in this thread for your enjoyment.
   
  peace
   
  chris


----------



## MisterX

Quote: 





> I'm also developing a charging circuit so I can put in 2 cell Li-Po cell for the amp


 
  Dunno if it helps but this a 2 cell charger and protection circuit I did a while back.
   
   

   

   
   
  Was not much to look at but it worked very well and after a few little changes ended up as this:
   
http://www.amb.org/audio/chi1/


----------



## crispchicken

Wow, very cool. I've never seen SOIC chips mounted in SIP like that, I will have to try that some time. As for the charger, looks like I won't have to reinvent the wheel after all, which is good. I will have to read over the data sheets for the chips you chose so I can tweak it for higher capacity cells for this build. cheers!


----------



## crispchicken

Well, I put a little something together for portable listening. I compressed down the stripboard cmoy design so that it'd (juuuuuust) fit into a skinny little eclipse can. I've tried mounting into a full sized can before, but that was too easy. This one will never fit a 9v and a cmoy, at least as far as my skills at present allow, but I've got a nice insulated battery clip and I'm going to strap the battery to the flat side of the can, hopefully resulting in a pocketable device to go with my ipod touch. I'm on the lookout for a line out device for it too, but I'm not sure how well my high-off-low style switch will go with no volume control on the device too.
   

   
   
  I forgot to take any pictures during assembly, but I'm going to probably have it apart again before it's permanently put together so I'll post more later.
   
  has anyone successfully used potting epoxy to seal up small amps like this? Would the compound maybe run into swtiches and so on and stop them working? It seems like it'd be a good method of keeping stress on internal components and wires down in such a small device which will be getting bumped around a fair bit. 
   
   
  peace
   
  chris
   
  edit: awesome, I can embed images finally!


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





crispchicken said:


>


 
  LOL This will look more like a home-blew bomb when you strap the battery on, hope you don't get into trouble with a cop walking with that outside


----------



## kalinowski

+1 hah, don't take it to the airport ; )


----------



## FraGGleR

Definitely don't try to take it through security. I spent 30 minutes stuck talking to various TSA agents once because they couldn't understand the concept of a headphone amplifier, much less a home made one.


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Definitely don't try to take it through security. I spent 30 minutes stuck talking to various TSA agents once because they couldn't understand the concept of a headphone amplifier, much less a home made one.


 
  Wow, seriously? I always knew it could happen, and if I was the TSA I would be like "What IS THAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!", but I never actually heard it happen to someone.


----------



## FraGGleR

Yep this was at BWI airport in Baltimore a couple years ago.  Good thing I look respectable and am calm under pressure (and always show up to airports early).


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Yep this was at BWI airport in Baltimore a couple years ago.  Good thing I look respectable and am calm under pressure (and always show up to airports early).


 
   
  BWI!  That's about 10 minutes from where I work, very familiar with the unpleasantness that is that pit...  
   
  About 10 years ago when I flew all the time for work, I would use these trips as an excuse to hit up small used music instrument shops and buy weird/rare effects pedals, which I would then have to shove into a tool bag that was already full of electrical tools and scrap bits of wire.  When I got to the airport I would toss my bag on the conveyor along with everything else, wander through the metal detector, then get pulled aside to explain "what the hell is in this bag???"  Mind you I probably looked like a crazed terrorist to them, huge beard, dreaded hair, punk band shirts with anti-american/government/everything slogans on them.  The method I found to work best for getting right through the line was to get overly nerdy about the pedals themselves, go into way too much detail about what this delay pedal did, or how weird this distortion pedal was.  I'd just bore them to tears, SUCCESS!


----------



## saraengelstad

And here's my LNMP!
   
  Many, many thanks to Tangent _for everything!_


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





saraengelstad said:


> And here's my LNMP!
> 
> Many, many thanks to Tangent _for everything!_


 
  What's that?
  are those BNC connectors?


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





saraengelstad said:


> And here's my LNMP!
> 
> Many, many thanks to Tangent _for everything!_


 
  Great job!
   
  One thing I found out about mine - you may want to label those BNC's or you will be forever forgetting which is IN and which is OUT.  I would also recommend inspecting the battery pack periodically. Mine contacted the case back plate, melted from the resulting short and burned up the TLE when I stored it away in a vertical position.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Dsavitsk repaired it for me.


----------



## akiroz

Can someone tell me what this LNMP is? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  (google didn't help....)


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Can someone tell me what this LNMP is?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  You must learn the ways of Google searches.
   
  Top result for "LNMP amp":
  "Low Noise Measurement Preamplifier" from Tangentsoft.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





miceblue said:


> You must learn the ways of Google searches.
> 
> Top result for "LNMP amp":
> "Low Noise Measurement Preamplifier" from Tangentsoft.


 
  I didn't even know it was an amp because of the BNC connector.......
 so It's a mono amp? what for?


----------



## Beefy

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> I didn't even know it was an amp because of the BNC connector.......
> so It's a mono amp? what for?


 
   
  http://lmgtfy.com/?q=low+noise+measurement+preamp+tangent&l=1


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





beefy said:


> http://lmgtfy.com/?q=low+noise+measurement+preamp+tangent&l=1


 

 *Facepalm*
   
  Read the bloody post, I HAVE GOOGLED IT!!!
   
  Googleing "LNMP" alone returns nothing reverent, I have no idea it was an amp back then because of the BNC connectors.
   
  And that doesn't even answer my question of "what you'd use a monophonic audio amplifier for?"


----------



## Beefy

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Read the bloody post, I HAVE GOOGLED IT!!!


 
   
  If you spent more than 5 ADD-riddled seconds on a problem, or bothered to click the damn link I gave you, you would have come across the exact product page that says:
   
This is a circuit for boosting small AC signals for measurement with an oscilloscope, voltmeter, spectrum analyzer, etc. It was specifically designed for testing linear regulator noise, but it’s a fairly generic circuit, so you can probably find other uses for it.


----------



## loserica

Hello,
  I put here some pictures with Havana, which has fully-upgraded with:
  (I enumerate the most important components and which are currently in)
   
  V-Cap CuTF - Copper Foil and Teflon Film (0,01uF - 2 pcs. for input; 0,22 uF - 1 pcs. that feeds the Cirrus Logic 8414 digital receiver; 0,01uF for "characteristic" of the sound - 1 pcs;  0,47uF x 2 pcs. for output instead V-Cap OIMP;
  Auricap film capacitors by Audience 0,1uF/400V - 7 pcs;
  Black Gate electrolytic capacitors; they were installed instead Elna Silmic-I capacitors; ..so, BG FK series 2.200uF/35V - 1 pcs.; F series 100uF/25V - 8 pcs, 220uF/50V - 2 pcs., N series (non-polars) 47uF/50V - 4 pcs.
  Elna Silmic-II (470uF/16V - 3 pcs; 100uF/50V - 2 pcs); Elna Rob Tonerex (3.300uF) power filter capacitors -  4 pcs. (Elna ROB Tonerex replaced Elna ROD Starget)
  Sanyo Oscons (4,7uF/10V), 10 pcs. Six were implemented on digital section and four on analog section of the dac. Usually they are excellent on digital section only!
  Shinkoh Tantalum resistors, near the tube 6 pcs.
  K - grade japanese BB PCM-56P chips, 2 pcs.  They were recovered into a Technics cd-player (mod. SL-P 1300);
  Bendix 6385 (from 1964) which has replaced with AEG5670 (by Telefunken)
  Conectors: WBT 0210-Ag (Ms metal nut "pure silver"), bnc connector;
  R-Core transformer;
  Skhottky diodes;
  Hi-fi tunning fuse (slow)
   
  total price $2.500,


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





beefy said:


> If you spent more than 5 ADD-riddled seconds on a problem, or bothered to click the damn link I gave you, you would have come across the exact product page that says:
> 
> This is a circuit for boosting small AC signals for measurement with an oscilloscope, voltmeter, spectrum analyzer, etc. It was specifically designed for testing linear regulator noise, but it’s a fairly generic circuit, so you can probably find other uses for it.


 

 Sigh~
   
  Well... what can I say?
  Thanks for telling me this *again* 7 hours after miceblue told me how to find the product page by adding "amp" at the end.
  I already knew what the amp was for before you posted that LMGTFY link, all I said was that it didn't help at all.


----------



## Beefy

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> Well... what can I say?
> Thanks for telling me this *again* 7 hours after miceblue told me how to find the product page by adding "amp" at the end.
> I already knew what the amp was for before you posted that LMGTFY link, all I said was that it didn't help at all.


 
   
  What can you say? Well, you could try showing some humility when your laziness and inattentiveness is highlighted, instead of getting angry with everybody over your own failings.
   
  And what part of......
   
This is a circuit for boosting small AC signals for measurement with an oscilloscope, voltmeter, spectrum analyzer, etc. It was specifically designed for testing linear regulator noise, but it’s a fairly generic circuit, so you can probably find other uses for it.
   
  ...... do you not understand? The LNMP is a measurement tool.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





beefy said:


>


 
   
  Quote: 





akiroz said:


> I already knew what the amp was for before you posted that LMGTFY link


 
   
  Seriously.... read before you start posting?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> so It's a mono amp? what for?


 
  ok, I guess I kinda started this silly argument by posting this before I finished reading the whole product page.
  I apologize for that.
  I got what it was for shortly afterwards.

 but I was seriously offended by LMGTFY due to my past experiences with it.
  I don't see what's wrong with making people's life easier by answering a simple questions.
  If you don't know the answer simply say so.
  If someone asked you what's the date today, would you go and tell him/her to look it up on his/her phone in an insulting manner?
  That's just being mean IMO.


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> BWI!  That's about 10 minutes from where I work, very familiar with the unpleasantness that is that pit...
> 
> About 10 years ago when I flew all the time for work, I would use these trips as an excuse to hit up small used music instrument shops and buy weird/rare effects pedals, which I would then have to shove into a tool bag that was already full of electrical tools and scrap bits of wire.  When I got to the airport I would toss my bag on the conveyor along with everything else, wander through the metal detector, then get pulled aside to explain "what the hell is in this bag???"  Mind you I probably looked like a crazed terrorist to them, huge beard, dreaded hair, punk band shirts with anti-american/government/everything slogans on them.  The method I found to work best for getting right through the line was to get overly nerdy about the pedals themselves, go into way too much detail about what this delay pedal did, or how weird this distortion pedal was.  I'd just bore them to tears, SUCCESS!


 
  Haha, great story, luckily for the TSA I don't  fly, almost ever.


----------



## Beefy

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> If someone asked you what's the date today, would you go and tell him/her to look it up on his/her phone in an insulting manner?
> That's just being mean IMO.


 
   
  If they were sitting in front of a calendar, and asked me today's date...... well yes, I would insult them. It isn't mean, it is anti-stupidity.


----------



## yuujin

Thats a really nice DAC loserica!


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> *Facepalm*
> 
> Read the bloody post, I HAVE GOOGLED IT!!!
> 
> ...


 
  FEED ME ...
   
  No - maybe that's piling on after Beefy's posts, but based on your previous posts, it might be deserved.  Seriously - besides google, all you had to do was look at the user who posted it and could've easily found the current thread right here in the DIY section.
   
  If you're really interested in the real-world applicability, understand that any commercial DMM - no matter how good - is not going to discriminate between 0 and 1 mV when attempting to read AC.  Even the very best RMS-AC measuring Flukes can't do better than that.  What's needed is something specifically designed to amplify the AC by 10 or 100 fold so that a DMM can measure the resulting AC (in a DC power supply) in three significant digits precision.
   
  Why do we want to do this?  Well, based a lot on Tangent's research as much as anyone else, a linear-regulated power supply for audio has a desired ripple of somewhere between 0 and 1mVAC.  In my experience, something in the range of about 0.075mVAC or less is inaudible.  I believe AMB's Sigma power supplies may perform around 0.006mVAC.  Whether you can hear that difference from 0.075mVAC or not, I might question.  Tangent's early STEPS power supply was the headphone world's ultimate power supply before the Sigma series and provided 0.058mVAC (RMS).  His inexpensive, compact TREAD power supply was capable of 0.060mVAC of ripple.
   
  If you want to read a real-world, blow-by-blow account of removing noise from an amplifer power supply using the LNMP, you can refer to this Millett Hybrid MiniMAX page: http://www.diyforums.org/MiniMAX/MiniMAXhistory3.php  The LNMP allowed cetoole and I to try a multitude of different configurations and parts to finally come up with a very respectable performing ~0.045mVAC for the onboard power supply on the MiniMAX.  This was no small problem as we found out, because the very small resistance in any lead length and connectors used to connect a separate power supply to an amp was completely bypassed in the MiniMAX.  This was due to the power supply's location on the same PCB as the rest of the amp circuit.  The only output resistance in the power supply to the amplifier circuit was a small ground plane trace on the PCB.  This upset the conventional wisdom of parts selection at the output of a linear-regulated power supply, because the resistance was much lower than even the connecting leads in a conventional design.  We used a lot of trial-and-error and empirical measurement with the LNMP to come up with a solution.
   
  Anyway, the link gives you a real-world account of the value in using the LNMP in actual practice.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





tomb said:


> FEED ME ...
> 
> No - maybe that's piling on after Beefy's posts, but based on your previous posts, it might be deserved.  Seriously - besides google, all you had to do was look at the user who posted it and could've easily found the current thread right here in the DIY section.
> 
> ...


----------



## Nebby

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> If you're really interested in the real-world applicability, understand that *any commercial DMM - no matter how good - is not going to discriminate between 0 and 1 mV when attempting to read AC*.  Even the very best RMS-AC measuring Flukes can't do better than that.  What's needed is something specifically designed to amplify the AC by 10 or 100 fold so that a DMM can measure the resulting AC (in a DC power supply) in three significant digits precision.





> That's not true.
> Take the Tektronix DMM4020 for example.


 
  http://www.tek.com/datasheet/digital-multimeter/dmm4020-digital-multimeters
   
Under AC Input Characteristics, using the 200mV range and set to slow, the minimum resolution of the DMM4020 is 1mV. It's not rated for sub 1mV measurements.
   
  edit: Read the spec sheet wrong, disregard. On the flip side I do believe that tomb was referring to hand held meters...


----------



## crispchicken

Way too much hating going on, everyone should just take a step back and try... chill vibes!
   
  anyway, as to give me a reason to post here, I've got a pic of a work in progress. No longer will I be carrying around an eclipse can that looks like unexploded ordinance. Bought myself a really tiny little case that will just squeeze in the 9v and amp, with a little persuasion.
   
  so far I've just wired up the power supply end and sorted out the layout in the case so that I can etch and make the main pcb tomorrow. I also have a few high grade panasonic caps I'm using this time, will be interested to see if I can notice a difference. 
   
  going to have to experient with volume and gain resistor ratios on this, i'm using a 2 way high/low volume switch to save space. the case is slightly smaller than an altoids can and a fair bit thinner too. over all maybe 5-15 mm in all dimensions smaller, so ti's a pretty tight fit.
   
  here's a pic of the work in progress
   
  btw, i'm making a new board for it, that's the one I've been using up until now in the bomb shaped case
   
  peace
  chris


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





nebby said:


> http://www.tek.com/datasheet/digital-multimeter/dmm4020-digital-multimeters
> 
> Under AC Input Characteristics, using the 200mV range and set to slow, the minimum resolution of the DMM4020 is 1mV. It's not rated for sub 1mV measurements.


 
  Wut? I'm pretty sure that says 1µV on slow at the 200mV row......


----------



## tomb

If there's a high-quality bench meter that can get down that low ... fine.  Some of us don't consider bench meters in our repertoire - might as well get a scope, IMHO.  The small investment in an RMS-quality handheld and an LNMP don't come close to the expense of the bench.
   
  Regardless, I agree with crispchicken.  This is supposed to be a _pics of your builds_ thread, not the lengthy discussions and arguments you've started, b102r3i4s5.  Yeah, I agree the rest of us deserve some blame, too.


----------



## akiroz

4 channel balanced Beta22:
  relay stepped attenuator (64 steps @ 1dB) controlled by an ATTINY26 MCU, used a linear pot. with the internal ADC as control.
  Some labeling work left to do, I'm thinking of using Dymo tape.
  There IS a bit of hum when using with sensitive IEMs, I might add a bit of shielding around the transformer, see if that helps.
  Used a Neutrik PowerCON instead of the standard IEC connector because I don't have a saw to make rectangular holes 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Input options:
  2x XLR (Balanced)
  2x TRS (Balanced)
  2x TS (SE)
   
  Output options:
  2x XLR (Balanced)
  4-pin XLR (Balanced)
  4x Banana plug (Balanced / Speaker)
  TRS (SE)
   
  Selectable Gain: 2x, 5x, 16x
  Selectable output: Headphone / Speaker


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> 4 channel balanced Beta22 w/ relay controlled stepped attenuator (64 steps @ 1dB)
> Some labeling work left to do, I'm thinking of using Dymo tape.
> There IS a bit of hum when using with sensitive IEMs, I might add a bit of shielding around the transformer, see if that helps.
> Used a Neutrik PowerCON instead of the standard IEC connector because I don't have a saw to make rectangular holes
> ...


 
  Nice!  Does the hum not show up with other, less sensitive headphones?  I want to do a single case 2channel, but worry about hum.  I won't be using with IEMs, though.  What size case is that?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> Nice!  Does the hum not show up with other, less sensitive headphones?  I want to do a single case 2channel, but worry about hum.  I won't be using with IEMs, though.  What size case is that?


 
  Thanks.
  There's no hum with full-sized headphones on low (2x) gain and a little bit on mid (5x) gain.
  It should be fine as long as there's a bit of room between the power / signal modules and shielded cables are used for the signal.
  That's a standard 3U 19" rack-mount case.


----------



## joeyjojo

Good job! A couple of questions.
   
  I can only see two amp boards so I assume the other two are underneath them in the same footprint? If so, are they running appreciably hotter?
   
  You say you have multiple gains. How have you implemented that? Is it simply a choice of fixed pre-attenuator?
   
  And a comment - you're very unlikely to be able to get rid of the hum by shielding the transformer. You can try buying a transformer with layers of shielding built in (if that one doesn't have it) and placing it inside a mu metal box, but success is rare.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





joeyjojo said:


> Good job! A couple of questions.
> 
> I can only see two amp boards so I assume the other two are underneath them in the same footprint? If so, are they running appreciably hotter?
> 
> You say you have multiple gains. How have you implemented that? Is it simply a choice of fixed pre-attenuator?


 
  Yep, there are 2 beta22s underneath.
  Well none of the beta22s are actually running hot, I used 120mA at the output stage and ± 27V supplies, so that's only 6.5W dissipated in the 4 heat sinks of each beta22 board.
  but it may be a problem if I'm driving speakers at high power, haven't tested that yet.
   
  The gain is changed by putting resistors in parallel with R3 in the feedback loop using a rotary switch.


----------



## joeyjojo

That's the naughty way to do it, as explained in this thread (I know that's for the mini3 but the R3 resistor serves a similar purpose in the B22). I would also be a bit concerned about C2-C5 being the wrong value as they were "carefully tuned".
   
  You'll find that the current jumps up with speakers (far exceeding the quiescent current) so be careful those MOSFETs don't overheat.
   
  I know you said you put this amp together because you got it for cheap, but I'm still a bit sad that you've assembled one of the finest amps in the world and done a shoddy job of the soldering (from zooming in on the photos) and made several of the classic errors (one box without shielding on the trafo, offboard gain switch, inadequate ventilation). Each to his own though I suppose.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





joeyjojo said:


> That's the naughty way to do it, as explained in this thread (I know that's for the mini3 but the R3 resistor serves a similar purpose in the B22). I would also be a bit concerned about C2-C5 being the wrong value as they were "carefully tuned".
> 
> You'll find that the current jumps up with speakers (far exceeding the quiescent current) so be careful those MOSFETs don't overheat.
> 
> I know you said you put this amp together because you got it for cheap, but I'm still a bit sad that you've assembled one of the finest amps in the world and done a shoddy job of the soldering (from zooming in on the photos) and made several of the classic errors (one box without shielding on the trafo, offboard gain switch, inadequate ventilation). Each to his own though I suppose.


 

 Haha, I guess I'd take some measurements when I have time.
  My scope can do FFT analysis.
   
  soldering? which part?
 I thought it was pretty good..... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I plan on adding shielding because of the hum with IEMs.
   
  as for the gain switch..... well I have one resistor on-board that will never be disconnected from the loop and wires going off-board are shielded, should be fine.
   
  I guess the main reason I'm not putting much effort into this is because I've already retired as an audiophile...
  I can no longer hear a significant difference between amps / DACs or even headphones because tuning sound with DSPs just overpowers everything else.
  and as a person into electronic engineering, I just can't appreciate this design (and any designs with "snake oil" for that matter).
  Pretty sad right?


----------



## joeyjojo

Sorry about the above post, it's a bit grumpy. Crappy day at work 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  If it sounds good and isn't oscillating then you're probably safe. The website says those parts are tuned to optimise the "speed/bandwidth", which are two things the B22 has in huge excess, so a little less won't be noticeable.
   
  I was just commenting on most of the parts being put in a bit "wonky" or not flat against the PCB. Just aesthetically not as nice. Most B22's are done as a "labour of love" so it's odd seeing a slightly ramshackle one 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but if it sounds good that's the main thing!


----------



## Beefy

akiroz said:


> as for the gain switch..... well I have one resistor on-board that will never be disconnected from the loop and wires going off-board are shielded, should be fine.


 
   
  Following in the footsteps of Trevor Networks, that's the spirit!
   

  Quote: 





joeyjojo said:


> but if it sounds good that's the main thing!


 
   
  You probably can't hear high frequency oscillation, but that doesn't mean it isn't there or won't cause problems. In either case, off-board gain resistors are a bad solution to a problem that shouldn't exist.


----------



## nikongod

Quote: 





beefy said:


> Perfect! There should be more than enough stray magnetic fields from that huge transformer to bring the noise floor of the amp way up into the audible range with IEMs.
> 
> Just because you _can_ do something does not prove that it isn't a terrible idea.


 
   
  QFT


----------



## Nebby

Quote: 





nikongod said:


> QFT


 
   
  But...Beefy was told to "Learn the maths!"
   
   


akiroz said:


> Learn the maths!
> Bigger transformer ≠ more magnetic field.
> b-field strengths are dependent only on:
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  Honestly that extra large transformer is causing excess heat, unnecessary hum, and possibly higher than spec'd secondary voltages due to low load. Anyways, I do have to wonder why the choice to go "all out" with a 300VA toroid only to settle for a 27V rail voltage?


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





nebby said:


> Honestly that extra large transformer is causing excess heat, unnecessary hum, and possibly higher than spec'd secondary voltages due to low load. Anyways, I do have to wonder why the choice to go "all out" with a 300VA toroid only to settle for a 27V rail voltage?


 
  Free. simple right?
  It's been sitting around my house for quite a while doing nothing.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





beefy said:


> You probably can't hear high frequency oscillation, but that doesn't mean it isn't there or won't cause problems. In either case, off-board gain resistors are a bad solution to a problem that shouldn't exist.


 
  lol did you have some bad experience with it?
   
  personally I find it better to have at least 2 gains because I have IEMs and speakers plugged into the same unit....


----------



## joeyjojo

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> lol did you have some bad experience with it?
> 
> personally I find it better to have at least 2 gains because I have IEMs and speakers plugged into the same unit....


 
   
 A far better solution is a normal fixed gain (say, 8x for the speakers) and an attenuator (just a pair of resistors as a voltage divider for each channel) to knock it down by 20 dB or whatever before the amp boards. Assuming your attenuator doesn't go low enough already.


----------



## Beefy

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> lol did you have some bad experience with it?
> 
> personally I find it better to have at least 2 gains because I have IEMs and speakers plugged into the same unit....


 
   
  I'm not going to engage you any further. It is pretty clear from your attitude, and your post-count-per-day, that you are more interested in talking than listening to good advice.
   
   


joeyjojo said:


> A far better solution is a normal fixed gain (say, 8x for the speakers) and an attenuator (just a pair of resistors as a voltage divider for each channel) to knock it down by 20 dB or whatever before the amp boards. Assuming your attenuator doesn't go low enough already.


   


   
  No, it is better to build the correct tool for the job. A smaller, more sensible amp for IEMs, along with a more sensible amp for speakers.


----------



## samsquanch

Quote: 





akiroz said:


> 4 channel balanced Beta22:
> relay stepped attenuator (64 steps @ 1dB) controlled by an ATTINY26 MCU, used a linear pot. with the internal ADC as control.
> Some labeling work left to do, I'm thinking of using Dymo tape.
> There IS a bit of hum when using with sensitive IEMs, I might add a bit of shielding around the transformer, see if that helps.


 
   
  My first suggestion would be to clean up your wiring, a good rule of thumb is keeping wires, carrying voltages with a peak to peak difference of 10 or more, at least 1 foot (30cm) apart.  A quick google search for Hong Kong wall voltage is 220VAC, your audio inputs, which we'll err on the safe side, at 1.5v is a difference of 146, even your outputs, run wide open at 8x gain (12v) would be a difference of 18.  So all that said, if you have the ability do a reading off the output to see what frequency the hum is, once again google says your wall is putting out 220VAC at 50Hz, so if you're reading a 50Hz signal, then I'd say that the wires bringing in your mains voltage are causing your trouble.
   
  If that's not the trouble, try disconnecting the wires that are used for gain switching, even though they're shielded, they might be picking up some noise, or as stated elsewhere in this thread, the issue with C2-C5 might be the culprit.
   
  If you have a spare case, I would move the transformer and power supply board to it and see if that clears up any of your issues.  I have mine built in a two cases and I've noticed that if I place the two close together, I'll start to hear some hum in my headphones.  The solution?  Keep them far apart and never think about it again.
   
  Now, just because I don't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there, but, do you have the ground loop breaker installed (might not be necessary with your set up, but I don't know you're full topology)?
   
   


> Ground loop breaker [size=small]For option 3 above, the ground loop breaker is a 10Ω 5W resistor in parallel with a 0.1µF capacitor rated at least 250VAC. For safety this capacitor should be rated for class X or Y (good for across-the-line use) with flame retardant casing. The ground loop breaker should be connected between the signal ground and the chassis (which is in turn connected to AC earth ground via the IEC power entry receptacle). Mount the resistor and capacitor in a secure manner so that it will not come loose and come into contact with other circuitry. A good way to do this is to use a [/size][size=small]terminal strip[/size][size=small].[/size]


 
   
   
  You say you're going to do some tests, for fairness sake, you should get yours operating correctly, and without modifications, first.


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





> I'm not going to engage you any further. It is pretty clear from your attitude, and your post-count-per-day, that you are more interested in talking than listening to good advice.


 
   
  I'm not really mad or anything. :/
   
  It's just that after all these years of taking audiophile BS from magic rocks to snake oil, made it really hard believe anything without empirical proof or evidence. So I have a habit of trying to falsify theories that doesn't agree with my knowledge rather than just blindly believing everything people say. I you're annoyed by that then I'm sorry, It's just my way of learning.
   
   
  Quote: 





samsquanch said:


> My first suggestion would be to clean up your wiring, a good rule of thumb is keeping wires, carrying voltages with a peak to peak difference of 10 or more, at least 1 foot (30cm) apart.  A quick google search for Hong Kong wall voltage is 220VAC, your audio inputs, which we'll err on the safe side, at 1.5v is a difference of 146, even your outputs, run wide open at 8x gain (12v) would be a difference of 18.  So all that said, if you have the ability do a reading off the output to see what frequency the hum is, once again google says your wall is putting out 220VAC at 50Hz, so if you're reading a 50Hz signal, then I'd say that the wires bringing in your mains voltage are causing your trouble.
> 
> If that's not the trouble, try disconnecting the wires that are used for gain switching, even though they're shielded, they might be picking up some noise, or as stated elsewhere in this thread, the issue with C2-C5 might be the culprit.
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks, I'll try that.
  Most of the wiring mess you see is actually just control signals with 5VDC for the push buttons and volume control.
   
  I actually haven't grounded the circuit to the real earth, might do that first.


----------



## miceblue

I have a question for the D.I.Y community here. This is for a personal project outside of audio but it relates to the O2's potentiometer.
   
  From the designer's part list for the O2, it uses an Alps RK09712200MC 10k potentiometer. The project I'm working on uses a regular 'ol 10k trimmer potentiometer, but I would like to put the finished product in a nice aluminum enclosure with [hopefully] easy access to the potentiometer. Would using the Alps pot instead of the trimmer work as a replacement?
   
  Right now I'm just using one of these really cheap trimmer pots:


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





miceblue said:


> I have a question for the D.I.Y community here. This is for a personal project outside of audio but it relates to the O2's potentiometer.
> 
> From the designer's part list for the O2, it uses an Alps RK09712200MC 10k potentiometer. The project I'm working on uses a regular 'ol 10k trimmer potentiometer, but I would like to put the finished product in a nice aluminum enclosure with [hopefully] easy access to the potentiometer. Would using the Alps pot instead of the trimmer work as a replacement?
> 
> Right now I'm just using one of these really cheap trimmer pots:


 
  I'm not sure you whether you are aware of the differences.  You haven't described any details about your "personal project outside of audio."  Audio potentiometers meant for volume control are based on a logarithmic scale.  That's the real-world approximation of human hearing (it gets more complicated with Fletcher-Munson curves).
   
  However, almost all trimmers used outside of an audio output circuit are linear-based.  If your "personal project outside of audio" uses a linear trimmer, then a volume pot is not going to be a good thing.
   
  Just an FYI, but there are many trimmers that are large and meant to be turned with a knob instead of a screwdriver/trimmer tool.  They are also linear.  Maybe you should look at one of those?  Bourns makes all sorts - trimmers driven with a trimmer tool, or large ones with shafts that allow you to clamp on a knob.


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





tomb said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Oh, I see. I didn't know that, but thank you so much for pointing that out! The project I'm working on is just a triangular voltage generator.
  I'll be sure to look through Bourns' website then for a linear potentiometer knob.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





miceblue said:


> I have a question for the D.I.Y community here. This is for a personal project outside of audio but it relates to the O2's potentiometer.
> 
> *From the designer's part list for the O2, it uses an Alps RK09712200MC 10k potentiometer.* The project I'm working on uses a regular 'ol 10k trimmer potentiometer, but I would like to put the finished product in a nice aluminum enclosure with [hopefully] easy access to the potentiometer. *Would using the Alps pot instead of the trimmer work as a replacement?*
> 
> Right now I'm just using one of these really cheap trimmer pots:


 
   
  I'm not sure I get the question... you want to use a stereo audio log pot to replace a single linear multiturn trimmer?
   
  If that's the case, then no it's not a good idea.
   
  You'd need something like these:
http://ca.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Vishay-Sfernice/PE30LLFL103KAB/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtC25l1F4XBUwRZBBMBj1ZqihfVXXfPTkw%3d
http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/3590S-2-103L/3590S-2-103L-ND/1088586


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Ah okay. I'll probably just stick to using the cheap potentiometers I'm currently using since $10+ for potentiometer sounds a bit unreasonable for the project at hand, not to mention the shipping costs. If I do a more elaborate project in the future, I'll be sure to keep those in mind though.
  Thank you for the suggestions!


----------



## Speedskater

The real question is, are you going to use it as the main volume control or as a set it and forget it level control?
  If it's just a level control then it doesn't matter much if it's logarithmic or linear.
  If it's a volume control, a trimmer well quickly wear-out.
   
  I don't have the O2 schematic handy,  what's the original purpose of the pot?  Input level, output level, gain adjust?


----------



## KimLaroux

Yeah his question is weird. He doesn't want to change something to the O2. He has another project which isn't audio related, and wants to replace the trimmer in it with the same pot used for the O2's volume control...
   
  You've gotta give NwAvGuy credit: his marketing is simply outstanding. He should go work for Apple, or Beats. To think that he managed to rebrand one of the most popular stereo audio potentiometer...
   
  But yeah I was gonna ask too:
   
  Will the control be used regularly?
  If yes, then you'll be better off using a pot, or, as tomb suggested, use a beefy trimmer meant to be used regularly.
  If not, then you can just drill a hole in the enclosure to adjust the trimmer using a screw driver without opening the enclosure.
   
  Do you need the same level of precision as a 10 turn trimmer?
  If yes, then you'll need a multi-turn pot.
  If not, then you may be able to get away with using a cheap single turn pot.


----------



## Speedskater

One thing about a trimmer pot, it might be used in or near the feed-back loop of an op-am.  Feed-back loops are not happy with long wires to remote parts.


----------



## kolyas

[size=small]withdrawn[/size]


----------



## joeyjojo

Shame the link is down. Why not just use step down audio transformers? They would have been much cheaper and probably higher quality.


----------



## kolyas

Joeyjojo
   
  Link seems to be working now. Please look at the ecp site before making such comments. What cheap step down transformer would adjust volume and be better than an amorphous core autoformer?


----------



## crispchicken

Sup guys (and girls)!
   
  I've been working on a few projects recently. Most importantly though, my SkeletonDAC arrived in the mail. I think I might be using it internally with my objective2 (in the battery area) for a desktop dac-amp unit. I shall post my other projects soon when I have the time to write up and photograph (and get them fully prepared to be photographed...)
   
  The DAC is my very first project with surface mount components. The only other experiemnce with smd was with desoldering a few off an old motherboard. I think it came out well for my first atempt. i started at the front side, i suspect you're probably able to tell 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  Anyways, I've taken some photos for your enjoyment. Sorry the quality is not amazing by any stretch as I took them with my phone.
   


  Heres a couple of close ups of both sides... Remember this is my first time soldering smd too, please...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   

  The full DAC unit. Its getting a small metal case as soon as jaycar opens (easter weekend in NZ, people love to close shop whenever the whim hits...)
   

  And this is how I'm keepng it safe for now. Its sitting on top of my amp, which is a metal case, so I wrapped it up in zip ties until it was fairly insulated.
  Personally I think it looks really cool this way!
   

  And finally, here is the interconnect I made up for the headapm to my power amplifier for speakers.
  I use my Cmoy as a preamp , and it works great.
   
  On a final note, to anyone lookng at the skeleton and wondering if it's any good for such a low price, I will say, YES. It totally is, its only 20ish dollars US for the kit with no case, which has to be the best performance-dollar ratio there is in dacs. I've heard the pupdac, several Fiio ones, total bithead and other diy gear too, and personally this thing really keeps up with it's far more espensive and complex designed competitors. I think there's a lot to be said for simplicity aand minimalism especially in this case, plus its just such a fun build! I'm eager to try more smd work now that I've gained a little confidence 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  The beezar kit was amazing to build because it was so well organised. It was a totally amazing experience over-all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Thats enough ranting, and I guess i sound like a shill at this point 
   
  peace
   
  chris


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





beefy said:


> Following in the footsteps of Trevor Networks, that's the spirit!


 
  +1, was thinking along the same line back when he used to build those Dynahi's that were never delivered.
   
  I'd personally go with having the power supply in a separate enclosure just to be on the safe hum free side.
   
  @*b1o2r3i4s5: *How much in total have you spent on the whole project so far? Not bad but assuming you're still going to be using those for IEM's and even if yo do have any balanced source/dac's, still overkill lol


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





defqon said:


> @*b1o2r3i4s5: *How much in total have you spent on the whole project so far? Not bad but assuming you're still going to be using those for IEM's and even if yo do have any balanced source/dac's, still overkill lol


 
   
  $160, I got most of the stuff for free.
   
  It's kinda On-hold right now because I have IB exams in less than a month.....


----------



## DefQon

Ah yeah true, nonetheless impressive build for the price (considering you got the parts from the anime thread), my 2nd balanced b22 amp is on hold as well, can't afford a nice enclosure for it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


----------



## FraGGleR

Rebuild of my O2 into a desktop version with two inputs.  Matching ODAC.


----------



## akiroz

^ Cool! How did you make those wooden panels??


----------



## FraGGleR

Thanks!  It was the trusty laser cutter I have used in the past for the acrylic faceplates.  Roughly 1/8" cherry plywood.


----------



## mawoca

fraggler said:


> Rebuild of my O2 into a desktop version with two inputs.  Matching ODAC.





That is absolutely gorgeous! Nice job!

/jealous


----------



## crispchicken

Beautiful! Did you use the box enclosures case specified in the bom? I was considering the same idea but with plexi and lit with some LEDs. That looks super classy


----------



## FraGGleR

Assuming you were asking me, the ODAC is in the Box enclosure from the BOM for the O2 amp.  The O2 amp is a Hammond enclosure that I had originally gotten for a different project.  The O2 board slides in, albeit, a touch more tightly than the Box enclosures.  Special effort has to be done to make sure no solder joints or other contacts are touching the case to prevent shorting.
   
  Lots of empty space in the Hammond, so I used a long screw to hold it in place.  The screw was also used as a ground connection, so two birds with one stone.  I think I am finally done with my O2 experiments.  I have to really have to get back to my B22.


----------



## Darr247

Quote: 





crispchicken said:


> Man I wish I had the money to do more projects!


 
   
  I don't know how much you pay for 9V batteries, but I get the longest life out of *Industrial Alkaline* cells.
  e.g. http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/tools/Batteries-Chargers/Batteries-Disposable/industrial-9v-alkaline-batteries-12-per-pack
  Those last 5+ years in my Fluke meters. Amazon, Grainger, _et al_, have them at slightly higher cost.
   
_i.e._ as opposed to 'heavy duty' carbon-zinc batteries, like in

   
  It's a poorly kept secret battery companies can make batteries that last *much* longer than those commonly sold, but if they did so they wouldn't sell as many.
  The 'industrial grade' 9V cells are examples of such tech, though they *could* make cells that last even longer than those.
   
  I'm all for rechargeables, too, but when a cell lasts 5+ years in a device, I have a hard time justifying the 4x-10x cost of those over the disposables.


----------



## stixx

Quote: 





> Rebuild of my O2 into a desktop version with two inputs.  Matching ODAC.


 
   
  Nice!!
   
  O


----------



## Battou62

@Fraggler 
   
  That's amazing


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





darr247 said:


> I don't know how much you pay for 9V batteries, but I get the longest life out of *Industrial Alkaline* cells.
> e.g. http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/tools/Batteries-Chargers/Batteries-Disposable/industrial-9v-alkaline-batteries-12-per-pack
> Those last 5+ years in my Fluke meters. Amazon, Grainger, _et al_, have them at slightly higher cost.
> 
> ...


 
   
  A DMM is not a good example to predict the life of a battery in an audio amplifier. The DMM is a very low current device, while the amplifier is a high current device.
   
  A DMM needs a battery with very low self-discharge. It would be silly to use a NIMH rechargeable in a DMM, because a normal NIMH will discharge itself trough its internal resistance within a couple of weeks, even if not used. Non-rechargeable have a very high internal resistance, which allows manufacturers to guarantee their charge up to 10 years. This does not mean the battery holds more power, just that its internal resistance is very high.
   
  This high internal resistance creates a voltage drop proportional to the current draw. In a high current application like an amplifier, the voltage drop across the internal resistance means that the voltage the amplifiers "sees" is much lower than what the battery can provide. This means the battery will be "dead" for the amplifier a lot sooner than it would be "dead" for the DMM. In fact, you could use a battery in a amplifier until the amplifier calls it dead, then use it for another year in the DMM. A rechargeable, with it's lower internal resistance, will actually last longer than a non-rechargeable in a high-current application, simply because the application can discharge it further.
   
  In short, just because _one_ type of battery lasts 5 years in _one_ device doesn't mean it's the best choice in _another_ device. A non-rechargeable will still be dead after a couple of days of use in an amplifier, and then you'll throw these in the cans and buy a new set. Not only is that insulting for the other humans trying to stay alive on this planet (read that as an environmental argument), but it won't be long before you spend more than the price of a set of rechargeable.


----------



## wakibaki

Not to disagree with Kim in general, because NiMh are well known for their fast self-discharge, but in 2006 LSD (not what you think, Low Self Discharge) NiMh started to appear. You can usually distinguish these types by the fact that they are sold charged. Brand names include Sanyo Eneloop and Ansmann Maxe. Worth knowing about because of their price/performance ratio but now also suitable for infrequent-use applications.
   
  w


----------



## KimLaroux

Yeah I thought about including LSD in the argument, but thought it would just make it heavier without being relevant. I actually use a set of AAA Powerex Imedion in my graphing calculator. These are the best LSD out there today, and they even market them as Ultra-low-self-discharge. But even these will lose between 20 and 30% of their charge per year in storage. They are great alternative in calculators, where the batteries last a few months, but still not so great to be used in a DMM or remote control. And LSD batteries generally have less capacity than their generic counterparts. In portable audio applications, I can see these being a good choice for someone who doesn't use their amps daily, but infrequently. LSD would guaranty your batteries will still be charged even if they've been sitting there for weeks.


----------



## crispchicken

Quote: 





darr247 said:


> I don't know how much you pay for 9V batteries, but I get the longest life out of *Industrial Alkaline* cells.
> e.g. http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/tools/Batteries-Chargers/Batteries-Disposable/industrial-9v-alkaline-batteries-12-per-pack
> Those last 5+ years in my Fluke meters. Amazon, Grainger, _et al_, have them at slightly higher cost.
> 
> _i.e._ as opposed to 'heavy duty' carbon-zinc batteries, like in [pic]


 
  Ahh, I do know that the alkalines are much better. In my situation I'm going to get a few nimh cells 9v sized soon for portable amp use. The choice I made was when I took the photo, and didn't have enough money (3ish dollars) and had to get the crap battery, cos I needed it then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Being a student and not having a job means I have like, nooooo money for my hobby of electronics. I was going to get some on dx I think because It'll be cheap as hell and that's the most important factor for me.
   
  I checked the link and that is a seriously ridiculous price for good alkaline batteries. I think I could make a lot of money off that here in nz. They cost 6-7 minimum here in stores, this crappy one was, I think, 5-6 dollars.
   
  I need a charger chip badly, I've got a bunch of near new 2200 mah 1865 I (think is the number, they look a bit like an AA but a fair bit bigger, just scaled out) The batteries are  Li Ion and 2200 MAh and I think it could be amazing. i could have a +- 12 volts supply potentially... I'm thinking a bag mount Pimeta, semi portable, not really pocketable, maybe in a huge jacket pocket... Hmmmm. I usually have a bag with me be it backpack or courier thing, man-bag, if you wanna call it that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I get the feeling it could be very convenient and also sound awesome.
   
  PS, speaking of diy... I got around to recabling a couple of headphones tonight.
   
  my Sennheiser hd465's were starting to get crusty because I had used a cheapass jaycar plug with them. I switched it to similar jack as my other one, but 4 contacts. I grounded the mic channel. This stopped my android phone making my music stop with Google search, and drive me nuts by getting a bit of charge on the pause-play-skip-forward-and-back button contact. So far it seems effective. I spend a fair bit of time using just my phone or iPod (broken atm) when I'm out walking, don't have room for an amp in my pockets, and the wolfson chip on my nexus sounds pretty okay. I'm going to try out the in ears because I don't remember what they were like, I barely used them.
   
  It's pic time! forgot to add them before so now I've gotta edit this in 
   
  Pics!
   
   
  These ones I've been super enjoying with my amp dac setup at the moment is these Samsung ones that came with my cell phone. I'd broken the cable around the plug, which was pretty well destroyed... Anyway, replaced it with a switchcraft plug. I guess that's technically not a recabling, hahaha. The part of this that's awesome about this, is these headphones are amazing. I've never heard in ears off an amp and good source until now. for 15 buck headphones I'm shocked really. the model is http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Headphone-Handsfree-EHS44ASSBE-GH59-10443B/dp/B005FUNYV2/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top, and people do seem to like them so maybe I just got a good model for free. I'm happy for 6 bucks of plug I'm enjoying having the music literally in my head. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




   
  Both of the headphones now have good connections and in the case of the 465's, much better quality. I was using the stock cable for 4-5 years now and it's gotten pretty worn out. They sound great because there's no more skipping and stuff. The cable I used was a silver-plated skinny mike cable I had laying around. I've finally got the perfect length of cable, and this one genuinely sounds better. maybe that's because something was wrong with my last one, but I'm glad any time it gets better!

   
  Sweeeet! Everything I see on here keeps my motivation to finish the o2 more and more, and to make it awesome. I hope it is,. though I'm getting a second pcb (in red 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




) that I'm going to build up and turn into a hardout overkill desk model. But yeah... Coming soon. I'm waiting on a few vital components, but I shall post the rest of the build in the future 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  peace to all,
  chris


----------



## John In Cali

Quote: 





crispchicken said:


> Ahh, I do know that the alkalines are much better. In my situation I'm going to get a few nimh cells 9v sized soon for portable amp use. The choice I made was when I took the photo, and didn't have enough money (3ish dollars) and had to get the crap battery, cos I needed it then
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Hahaha, i've been using those same earbuds for about 2 and a half years now, i put a new connector on mine as well.  I love their sound, it isn't crazy detailed or crazy bassy or anything, just right in the middle, perfectly average.


----------



## RudeWolf

My first DIY amplifier- the Dynalo!
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   
  The building process was quite adventurous to say the least.


----------



## johnwmclean

Nice work RW, the layouts well thought out, for a first amplifier build thats a big effort, looks a fine piece of kit.


----------



## Sunshine55

I thought long and hard about what type of cab to use. As a lover of wood, walnut and maple seemed to suit the warmth of the tubes. AS for the sound, buzzes, hummmm's etc, i would say traumatic. Using a new pair of Sony on ear phones i hooked up, plugged in,

   
  and powered,,,,,, nothing. I heard the delay relay click in, still nothing. Turned vol up to 11 oclock. Still nothing. Then the CD started. After picking myself up off the floor were i landed i am now a tube lover for life.


----------



## RudeWolf

Quote: 





johnwmclean said:


> Nice work RW, the layouts well thought out, for a first amplifier build thats a big effort, looks a fine piece of kit.


 
  Thanks, man! Coming from you that's a lot of praise! Currently I still need to iron out a hum issue that doesn't let me use the amp with IEM's. I have a bad feeling that the relay board might be picking something up from the controller board. The anodizing already gave me trouble with grounding, but thankfully after some scraping that's over.
   
  Nice case, Sunshine55! I'm still a firm believer that as far as parroting existing circuits goes, casing is by far the hardest part of the whole build.


----------



## jonyoo

wow nice! bunch of pictures of metal boxes! i like metal boxes. especially if they light up.
   
  im sorry. im just jealous you guys know how these things work and know how to build em.


----------



## RudeWolf

Well, one can build these things without knowing just about anything about electronics. I almost did it, but then I accidentally wired the amp to the PSU with reversed polarity and blew all the transistors. Two weeks of troubleshooting later I knew the circuit inside out.


----------



## tomb

Quote: 





sunshine55 said:


> I thought long and hard about what type of cab to use. As a lover of wood, walnut and maple seemed to suit the warmth of the tubes. AS for the sound, buzzes, hummmm's etc, i would say traumatic. Using a new pair of Sony on ear phones i hooked up, plugged in,
> 
> 
> and powered,,,,,, nothing. I heard the delay relay click in, still nothing. Turned vol up to 11 oclock. Still nothing. Then the CD started. After picking myself up off the floor were i landed i am now a tube lover for life.


 
  Very nice MOSFET-MAX and very cool case!
   
  P.S. Just curious - but what are the yellow bypass caps and the yellow relay?  I've never seen them in that color.


----------



## crispchicken

Quote: 





sunshine55 said:


> I thought long and hard about what type of cab to use. As a lover of wood, walnut and maple seemed to suit the warmth of the tubes. AS for the sound, buzzes, hummmm's etc, i would say traumatic. Using a new pair of Sony on ear phones i hooked up, plugged in,
> 
> 
> and powered,,,,,, nothing. I heard the delay relay click in, still nothing. Turned vol up to 11 oclock. Still nothing. Then the CD started. After picking myself up off the floor were i landed i am now a tube lover for life.


 
   
  I really like this wooden enclosure man. Well done. Unlike most I've seen, it looks sturdy and you're got the joints really nice and tight. The cooling grilles and two-tone look is a good one, very professional.
   
  I'm very tempted to attempt a wooden case for my next project, I'm thinking maybe Rimu, since it's pretty common here in NZ, and very very tough and durable. I'm considering adding light maple or maybe dark accents. Did you cut the vents holes with a router?
   
  Whats the general consensus on finishes for wooden amps? Would polyester or polyurethane be a good choice? I'm not all that fond of oiled finishes, but I think a satin or semi glossy clear coat could look really amazing. Hopefully I'll be able to sort this out, my only experience with woodwork was in construction and repairs on houses, which operate at much larger tolerances than you'd need for an amp enclosure, so it's going to be a whole new thing. Does anyone have any good literature on construction techniques, or shall I just keep looking at other's work for my ideas...
   
  peace
  chris


----------



## Zigis

My version of a Super-Simple 6DJ8 headphone Amp.
  Enclosure powder coated aluminum and oak side panels, linseed oil finishing.
   
   

   

   
  This one is with lin out, parallel to headphone jack:
   

   

   
  Inside - my own PCB, Alps RK27, PanasonicFM 1000uf power and output caps, 1% metal film resistors. Photo from another, early made amp, without lin out.


----------



## DudeMyCans

Very nice Zigis.


----------



## Zigis

Thanks, DudeMyCans!


----------



## Sunshine55

The yellow caps are generic film caps. The relay is from off shore i believe (Japan). Definatly not PB or Omron. I bought at local store in Vamcouver. Even though not much is wow audiophil the sound is better than anything i have heard so far. I have read many threads here with people asking the difference of dedicated amps vr phones outs on system amps and i would say there is a world of difference  between the two. Noise with a beat for phones out compared to music with dedicated amps. Definatly worth every penny spent. (Dedicated amps have their outs made for phones were as system outs are scalled down for phones.)
    The parts you enquired about are very resonable (1/4 and 1/2 price) Yet very good quality. The owner of store is trying to serve the audio comunity best he can. Family busness now run by son. Web sight has long way to go but is slowly getting there. Have a look.http://www.leeselectronic.com/index.php Raymond is a wonderful guy to deal with.
    After a time of listening i may try some high end caps to compare but for now the difference is noticable enough to please me over systen outs.


----------



## Sunshine55

Well Chris. First off it's miss. Don't apologize it happens all the time. The air vents i cut using a router bit in a drill press after making a wooden jig to move the board. Not the preferred method but as you can see works. I have a full set of pics of the build inside and out but just wanted to put up my first amp. I'm terrible at pics (and spelling) so just put up the finished ones. Either of the two caps types would work but i know people have their preferences. The ones i used in the signal chain i bought from Tom at Beezer (vitaminQ). The board is the latest (red) and is perfect for the longer caps so they lay down tight on the board.
    I used a screen from an old set of cheep spkrs to cover vents and used a 1" Forsner bit to inlay the slots so screen is close to the surface from outside look. Finish is Minwax wax polish and turned out beautiful. The important thing about finishing with hard woods is sanding sanding and more sanding.Most should be done with 220 grit then 400 and maybe even 600 to finish. I hope this helps and thank you for the complement. Happy building.


----------



## crispchicken

Hey everyone, I was hoping I could get some advice on parts selection in my o2 build... Its almost finished, but I'm stuck on this and could do with some input.
   
  I haven't had any replies to my topic on diyaudio so I figured I'd post here where a lot of people read in hopes someone could clear this up for me.
   
  Now, the BOM states that I should be using a matched pair of MOSFETs. Here is the part listed on the BOM, and the one I bought instead was this. The part it goes with is this.
   
  I don't really know much about selecting discretes, and have zero experience with mosfets in any form. Would the two that I have be apropriate to use together or do I need to buy the other part to go with the one I have already?
   
  peace
  chris


----------



## kingoftown1

Not really an entire build, but decided to spruce up my ODAC with a bit of that vintage Yamaha wood surround look.  Just threw together scrap wood and leftover walnut veneer for fun.  Not very detail oriented but I like it


----------



## joeyjojo

Quote: 





crispchicken said:


> I don't really know much about selecting discretes, and have zero experience with mosfets in any form. Would the two that I have be apropriate to use together or do I need to buy the other part to go with the one I have already?


 
   
  You'd really have to ask the circuit designer. The parts are similar (the one you have looks like a beefier version) but it depends on how critical the performance of that part is in the circuit.
   
  The only ways to know for sure are to 1. simulate the part in pspice or similar 2. stick it in and see how it performs.
   
  I wouldn't deviate from the BOM unless I knew exactly what I was doing


----------



## FallenAngel

Quote: 





akiroz said:


>


 
   
  One super simple thing to do is to rotate that transformer, the magnetic field is stronger depending on which way it's facing. Just plug in your most sensitive headphones and start twisting.


----------



## unhinged17

Wow drewd... love the "tube" amp!!!


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





unhinged17 said:


> Wow drewd... love the "tube" amp!!!


 
  Are you intentionally spamming all of the gallery threads?  You are shouting out to people who posted years ago.  At least quote the post you are responding to.


----------



## tintin220

Quote: 





unhinged17 said:


> Wow drewd... love the "tube" amp!!!


 
   
  Son, you're about to get the banhammer.


----------



## FallenAngel




----------



## xzobinx

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> My first DIY amplifier- the Dynalo!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  what a nice build you have there,Rude wolf. May I ask if it was hard to make the dynalo as your first project ? I read through some diagnose topic over the amb and diy forum and thinking I'd better start with something a bit less complex


----------



## RudeWolf

Quote: 





xzobinx said:


> what a nice build you have there,Rude wolf. May I ask if it was hard to make the dynalo as your first project ? I read through some diagnose topic over the amb and diy forum and thinking I'd better start with something a bit less complex


 
  Thanks!

 To tell the truth it can be easy or very hard. You could just parrot the build as stuffing the boards isn't hard as long as you don't mess up anything. Casing will most likely be the hardest part but that also can be simplified by using ready made e-bay cases that have most of the holes you need.
   
  The bad news is that there is a lot that CAN be messed up and despite the well written documentation there are some issues that are poorly documented (biasing, for example). Also if by some misfortune you do mess up (incorrect soldering, DMM probe slippage, etc.) there are quite a lot parts that can get damaged. Troubleshooting discrete circuits is a real pain in the rear end. If you lack the knowledge most of the times it might be easier to blindly swap out any of the parts that might've gone bad. That can get pretty expensive real fast and you still need to have some idea on what went wrong. When I accidentally connected the PSU out of polarity I had destroyed every transistor on the amp board and visually there was no sign of any damage. After two weeks of troubleshooting I still had to replace almost every active element save for the servo opamp and diodes. This brings me to the most important part- NEVER RUSH! I might have saved myself from all this trouble if I had taken my time. Also never work when tired- you will make mistakes and they can cost you dearly, especially when working with higher voltages.
   
  In any case- the Dynalo CAN be tackled as a first project. Would I recommend it as a first project? Depends on the person.
   
  P.S. There is a legend about a guy who made a T2 as his first project.
  P.P.S. I've never known as much about electronics as I do now if I had done everything correctly the first time around.


----------



## xzobinx

Thanks for the great detailed response. Casing is not a problem since I have a friend who can source that for me. My main fear is the trouble shooting you mentioned. knowing my self, skew up some things is just a matter of time. 
Anw reading your post made me decide to man up and take the job. Another thanks for that 
   
The guy with t2 must have his name written in the history of diy


----------



## spritzer

His name is Andy...


----------



## magiccabbage

just found this thread. some amazing stuff here. ye should be proud of yourselves people! 
  i am going to have to figure out this DIY thing and start building.


----------



## crispchicken

Hi all, I've been working on a project in the past couple of days, while trying to teach myself to use Diptrace a bit better, and at the same time solving my problem of not having a truly pocketable headphone amp.
   
  My design is a tiny, smd based Cmoy-style amp, which will be usable with the parts that I have available for cheap and not too much hassle (international shipping etc.). I've selected a buf-634 (to packaged) virtual ground. My first pcb design is as of yet untested since I'm waiting on my SMD parts to arrive, but it's simple enough that I'd think it'll work (perhaps with some bugs)
   

  all resistors are 0812 size for ease of use.
   

  This is my design, including the power supply. I haven't specified values yet since its still an early prototype, and I'm using a few shortcuts (eg, 2 sets of headers arranged for use as the potentiometer pads)
   
  My amp is based on a tiny 20x30 mm board which I'm hoping will be possible for pretty much anyone to toner transfer and do at home. I've had success with as small as .3 mm traces, but this board will be all .4 or greater for the sake of making it a little less finnicky. It's going to be single sided, again for ease of making it, and that it constrains me to routing in a bit better   I'm sure any decent commercial board maker wouldn't have any trouble with it at all, but I'm aiming to make it workable as a home made product (preferably with very few or no jumpers.)
   
  My first design is just the amp itself, since I have a power supply made with strip board to fit onto a 9v battery clip, and then wiring that to the seperate amp module. I've found it can be easier to fit into really small places if it can be separated out, though my final design will be for a single board, single battery solution.
   
  If anyone wants to post some critique or anything (and make sure my design is entirely sound!) it'd be hugely appreciated. So far this project has been really interesting, and its definitely helping to develop my skills at pcb layout in CAD.
   
  I'm going to etch my first prototype in the next day or 2, and will let you all know how it goes. I shall also be posting some follow up to this when I get the time (and enough material to justify a thread of it's own.)
   
  Anyone who's looking for a really simple but pretty damn powerful design tool, that has a very reasonable learning curve, I'd suggest having a look at DipTrace. It has a free version, and personally I think it's a much better tool than eagle, KiCAD and all the other free tools I've tried on windows or linux. Eventually I'd like to learn Altium, but I figure, one step at a time.


----------



## joeyjojo

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *xzobinx* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> Anw reading your post made me decide to man up and take the job. Another thanks for that


 
   
  RudeWolf said it all really. If you're patient, do all the research, and have reasonable skill at managing the project/soldering, you can tackle anything.
   
  My first project was a B22, which I chose over the dyna- amps for exactly the reasons above: better documentation and fantastic support from the designer should troubleshooting be needed (it wasn't in my case).


----------



## FallenAngel

Certainly possible to take on a Dynalo as a first project, given proper research beforehand and some soldering practice. Transistor matching and biasing makes it a little more difficult than the usual first project suggestions. Great job RudeWolf, the layout is incredibly well done!


----------



## crispchicken

Well, since this is a post pics of your BUILDS thread, rather than a post screenshots of your board designs thread, I thought I'd put up a couple images of my first prototype that I just started assembling tonight. At this point, I'm just waiting on the SMD parts from RS, hopefully that'll be tomorrow! I've decided to try out a 4556 since I got a few extras in my order, for super cheap (plus they're smd, which makes life easier than waiting for antoher order to get here!) it etched all good with toner transfer off of magazine paper, 0.4 mm traces all round. a few traces got a little skinny, and some were a tiny bit smudged, but nothing an xacto and marker couldn't fix up. I think I might widen the traces a tiny bit more
   
  I think there's still some refinement to do, but it's getting there. These pics are just of the prototype, it's powered by a seperate psu board. I had a play around with the partially populated board, and it looks like it'll fit nicely into the case I was considering, a skinny mint tin- "chewy" Eclipse mints if anyone knows what that container looks like (its about 80x30x20mm) (I shall probably post some more images once I start trying to stuff it in there with battery and PSU 
   
  Unfortunately I managed to rip up one tiny bit of a trace off one of the input caps, but I managed to keep it together, and I intend to apply some hot glue to keep it all secure. Its just a first prototype, so I don't even know if it's going to work yet (I can hope though 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





)
   
  Annnnnnyway, here you all go. Enjoy.


----------



## crispchicken

Well, I have a few photos of my current builds... There's a prototype cmoy SMD, and a TDA2050 gainclone that I'm building up.
   
  I took apart an old rear projection TV today, it was specced 100% with nichicon caps, all pretty decent series too, so I spent a couple of hours de-soldering them all carefully for later use. I've spot checked a few and they seem to be working and in good condition (no obvious signs of over heating or anything. but this is a sweet windfall considering how much high value and quality caps cost.
   
  I've gotta find myself some more rear projector TVs. Theyre brilliant for breaking down and taking components/leads from. The amount of parts I got was quite staggering, it was a huge heap, and there's still more on the boards I need to remove with a solder sucking pump which I don't have and need to go buy one tomorrow. There was heaps of audio related gear on a couple boards, and a nice big hybrid amp module. Plenty more plain ol' electronics stuff too, transistors, regulators, diodes, bridges, transfos. It was mighty sweet for me, I've always loved taking **** apart, and this was great because the gear was all high quality too.
   
  Anyway...
   
  Pics!
   
   

  Gainclone and some of the bigger caps.
   

  Cmoy smd on left, corner of gainclone on right. Huge pile of caps on, everywhere.
   

  Cmoy closeup. just waiting on a few smd parts to arrive by air mail and then I get to give this a first listen. I'm excited 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  There was one casualty during the disassembly process though... Owchchhh, I hope I don't get tetanus or gangrene or something similar.
   
  Oh well.
   
  Peace
   
  chris


----------



## magiccabbage

ouch!


----------



## fihidelity

Quote: 





kingoftown1 said:


> Not really an entire build, but decided to spruce up my ODAC with a bit of that vintage Yamaha wood surround look.  Just threw together scrap wood and leftover walnut veneer for fun.  Not very detail oriented but I like it


 
  Beautiful case, how did you make it if you don't mind me asking, I'd love to do something similar with my E-DAC


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Just finished up a very special Bottlehead Crack build I call the Coppermine Crack. This guy took quite a bit of work: I mitered and routed the wood base, then copper leafed it, which is a fun experience if you haven't tried it. The plate of the amp is a 12" x 12" x 0.1" copper plate, punched and drilled. Some fun little changes from the stock unit are the 6SN7 signal tube, the excessive use of film caps for power and coupling, and a pair of bulky chokes. Hope you enjoy the pics.


----------



## magiccabbage

it is beautiful


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Just finished up a very special Bottlehead Crack build I call the Coppermine Crack. This guy took quite a bit of work: I mitered and routed the wood base, then copper leafed it, which is a fun experience if you haven't tried it. The plate of the amp is a 12" x 12" x 0.1" copper plate, punched and drilled. Some fun little changes from the stock unit are the 6SN7 signal tube, the excessive use of film caps for power and coupling, and a pair of bulky chokes. Hope you enjoy the pics.


 
  Gorgeous work!  I will say your blog has encouraged me to redo my Bottlehead S.E.X. kit with a little more visual flare.  That and the Steampunk inspired book that I am reading right now.


----------



## KimLaroux

Wow! What a fine piece! I really love the steampunk look you gave it. Nicely done.


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Just finished up a very special Bottlehead Crack build I call the Coppermine Crack. This guy took quite a bit of work: I mitered and routed the wood base, then copper leafed it, which is a fun experience if you haven't tried it. The plate of the amp is a 12" x 12" x 0.1" copper plate, punched and drilled. Some fun little changes from the stock unit are the 6SN7 signal tube, the excessive use of film caps for power and coupling, and a pair of bulky chokes. Hope you enjoy the pics.


 
   
  have you got any other builds?


----------



## FraGGleR

Quote: 





magiccabbage said:


> have you got any other builds?


 
  check out his blog, he does a lot of nice work:  http://www.diyaudioblog.com/


----------



## magiccabbage

Quote: 





fraggler said:


> check out his blog, he does a lot of nice work:  http://www.diyaudioblog.com/


 
  wow coming from a fne art backround i can honestly say - he has an eye for aesthetics!


----------



## DefQon

Awesome work as always, your original Jonokuchi inspired me to build one (still haven't finished *** lol). Btw, do I see a Valab 100k 24 stepped non SMD based attenuator in that picture? If so, you stole my idea.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Thanks for the kind words! DefQon you're just like me, I accumulate builds and don't always get around to them  That is indeed a Valab stepper, quite the bargain as it's only a couple dollars more than a blue velvet.


----------



## DefQon

Nice nice, yeah those Valab steppers are good I find it hard justifying to spend $120+ on the Goldpoint ones I've used since both work the same. Used in my Crack, b22 and few other speaker amps.


----------



## Sunshine55

Now this is a beautiful piece of work Highflyin9.


----------



## muskyhuntr

Hi All;
   
  Finished this about a month ago.  Sounds great!  Build is mostly stock except for SUMR transformer and a splurge on Vampire connects.  A posting by Stixx gave me the idea for the case.
   

   

   

   
  Thanks for looking,
  Jim


----------



## daigo

Nice casework, muskyhuntr,


----------



## gilency

I am uploading pics in the gallery for my KGSSHV on board build.
  The best SS for electrostatics, but bested by the BHSE and T2.
  I am posting because I would like to encourage everybody to get on the DIY wagon.
  Nothing more satisfying than listening to your own build. No amount of money can buy that.
  Thanks to Kevin for his designs, To Spritzer for his building ideas.


----------



## livewire

Nice looking stat amp. Can't wait to hear it with the 009!


----------



## gilency

Look forward to see you guys at the LA meet 
Lots of very nice builds here. The Bottlehead is a piece of art.
Post moar!


----------



## stixx

Quote: 





> A posting by Stixx gave me the idea for the case.


 
   
  Thanks mate!
   
  I am flattered 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





...
   
  I definitely like your build! 
  I sold my M3 last year to a happy camper in 
  the Netherlands driving K1000's with it.


----------



## 00940

So many beautiful things being built... here's an ugly utilitarian one but it comes handy when testing stuff. It's a simple sine generator based on the xr2206. Project is based on the schematic/pcb here: http://www.loetstelle.net/projekte/xr2206neu/xr2206neu.php
   
  Goes from 1hz to 100khz (extreme distort too much to be useful to be true). Plenty of room inside the box still so I'll add a small board to turn the sines into square waves later on (which probably means next year...).
   

   
   
   
   
  Unrelated to headphones but in the utilitarian spirit, here are a pair of DI boxes (Bo Hansen 1975 models). Gotta love how tough those little hammond boxes are.


----------



## crispchicken

I got these in the mail today... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





  Put one together. I'm currently trouble shooting it, I shall let you all know how it sounds once I've got it working properly. Looks cool at the moment at least!
   
  and a good day to all
   
  chris


----------



## DefQon

How crispy are your Chicken's?


----------



## RudeWolf

Is the BUF634 in the feedback loop of the opamp? I've had great success with this circuit- http://www.ti.com/lit/an/sboa065/sboa065.pdf


----------



## crispchicken

My chicken's good- rather crispy. (at least the legs were, i didn't try any other parts today )
   
  The buf-634 is simply providing a virtual ground for the opamp. I've found it to be a fairly good component for this, it puts out a lot more power than any op amp I've ever tried in it's place. I love the TO package too, theyre really easy to route/mount, high power output, yet still more compact than say, a dip package
   
  I'm using a 4556 which I've found so far to drive my headphones beautifully without any extra help.  I have yet to find another with more output power (which is one of the most important specs for running headphones directly I've found.
   
  Keep in mind that my headphones are pretty low impedence compared to most so my requirements for power are on the low side.
   
  I'm still rather interested in trying a buffered design, maybe once I've ironed all the kinks out of this one.


----------



## DefQon

Link to the kit?


----------



## RudeWolf

I've swapped out the simple (yet silly) MOSFET follower buffers in my Parasound D/AC-1600 with OPA134/BUF634 composite buffers. For unity gain the implementation is as simple as it gets- just hook the two together as seen in TI paper and power them up. Just be sure that the opamp is stable in this config and the buffer chip must be fairly high bandwidth. The benefits of this is that you essentially get the performance of the opamp with much improved current capabilities. I've biased the BUF634 in high bandwidth mode and this means that at 18V it will give out a ton of heat- therefore be sure to heatsink it. For lower power dissipation applications an smd package might be good.


----------



## crispchicken

Defqon, were you aiming that question at me? This is my own design. I'm considering selling some pcbs or maybe made up boards if there's demand, but this is just a prototype that you're seeing at the moment. (I'm calling it the Micro-Moy)


----------



## DefQon

Ahk np CrispyChicken


----------



## 1Wire

Frankenphones...


----------



## 00940

I finally put together in a box a lot of pcb I had around. So here is my "good enough, TI ICs only, fully DC-coupled" dac. 
   
  Some details:
   
  - digital chain: USB-pcm2707-src4192 (with low jitter clock)-pcm1798. Regulation by multiple reg101 ldo.
  - I/V stage: opa1632 (with a little twist to get 0v at the DAC outputs) and opa134 to single ended and do the filtering (all fkp caps). Regulation by simple shunt regs at +/-9v.
  - output stage: volume control by ds1802 (controlled by a simple momentary up and down switch), opa2134 with the tpa6120a in multiloop. Regulation by lm317/337 at +/-12v.
  - headphones protection: upc1237
   
  First parts were put together 5 years ago, so it's difficult to get an idea of the whole project's true cost. Probably around 200-250€ (small runs of pcb aren't cheap) but I spent way more experimenting along the way.


----------



## crispchicken

00940, I love your build, its clean and elegant. respect!
   
  I was hoping someone could help me out with something really simple for the next run of my boards. I'm not 100% sure of how i shiou,d be wiring the pot in my cmoy based amp. I'll include an image of how it's routed now. The other way, was with the ground to the middle pins and the signal and source on the outer two.
   

  (the plane around the outside is GND)
   
  I know this is super simple but I've always had trouble wiring up pots correctly. It'd be super sweet to get this info so I can send of my gerbers and get my next version fabricated. I'll send a board to you if you want it for helping out too  (it'll be a month or 2 before it gets to you though)
   
   
  Peace to all


----------



## akiroz

Quote: 





crispchicken said:


> 00940, I love your build, its clean and elegant. respect!
> 
> I was hoping someone could help me out with something really simple for the next run of my boards. I'm not 100% sure of how i shiou,d be wiring the pot in my cmoy based amp. I'll include an image of how it's routed now. The other way, was with the ground to the middle pins and the signal and source on the outer two.
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, it's currently wrong, I'm not using the same software but here:
   

   
  PS:
  it would be a good idea to mark each pin on the input header like:
 L in
 R in
 Gnd
 or just like this if you don't have enough space:
  L
 R
  G
   
  While we're on the topic of PCBs, I've been working on a 2x 40Wrms speaker / headphone amp for the last couple of days
 Here's the power supply board that provides regulated ±32V, ±15V, 12V and 5V from a 25-0-25 transformer:
  (yeah, the 3D rendering is crap....)


----------



## miceblue

Ahaha, this isn't very practical, and it's not totally audio related, but I finished my triangular voltage generator project. XD


----------



## Heffa

Here are a few (cellphone-)pictures of my PPA with sigma11 power supply on it's first test-run.
   




   
  It sounds absolutely amazing!
 The only problem is that I now want a (much) better pair of cans...


----------



## akiroz

@Heffa
 Man! Those cases are pretty darn cool!
  The PowerCONs makes them look so Pro!
  Great job!


----------



## Heffa

akiroz said:


> @Heffa
> Man! Those cases are pretty darn cool!
> The PowerCONs makes them look so Pro!
> Great job!




Thanks! 
I know the PowerCONs are extreme overkill here, but I just love the way they look so I couldn't resist using them :-D

---
Sent a long time ago from a Galaxy far far away using Tapatalk HD


----------



## SoundPon3

Quote: 





heffa said:


> Here are a few (cellphone-)pictures of my PPA with sigma11 power supply on it's first test-run.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Man I love the powercon connectors on that!!!! Looks amazing


----------



## eimis

Just finished my O2. This build was a PITA for me. First I soldered the FETs in wrong position...then my soldering iron broke in two pieces. I didn't use DIP8 sockets as I'm not planning to roll opamps. Pointless because the Designer knows best.
  
Part are from Farnell, pcb from ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/O2-amp-PCB-printed-circuit-board-Objective-2-amplifier-/271219760002


----------



## crispchicken

Wonky parts alert!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  However, I'll bet the o2 is sounding great, even if it was a big pain to build. Mine went together easy but sadly had a few tracks go bad after swapping components too many times... So I'm waiting for a new pcb so I can build it again!
   
  Just another note, you might want to try and find a pot that fits in the spot on the board, or failing that, shorten the leads to your current one. Having big loops like that for a signal to go through can't be good for integrity with stray inductance/capacitance etc.
   
  Hope you're enjoying it anyhow matey


----------



## eimis

Indeed I am enjoying it. Thanks for the tip. I've plans for integrating into my DAC, yulong d100 and using a digital potentiometer...


----------



## KimLaroux

You're saying you believe the O2 to be a better amplifier than the one built in the D100? I have a very hard time believing that.


----------



## miceblue

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> You're saying you believe the O2 to be a better amplifier than the one built in the D100? I have a very hard time believing that.


 
  Is there anything wrong with that? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  I prefer the O2 over many more expensive headphone amplifiers.


----------



## Klechty

Hi, 
   
  A reviewed EHHA rev A.
  not finished yet, few things are changed:
  - replace the J511 .
  - replace the toroidal transformers.
  - i have totaly changed the layout.
   
  etc...
   
http://hpics.li/3fb3dd4
http://hpics.li/3f0e9c7


----------



## G.Trenchev

My new PCM1794 DAC with XMOS.Small & compact.


----------



## RudeWolf

Now that's real DIY! The implementation is as seen in the Datasheet?
   
  How do you like it?


----------



## crispchicken

Hey, please let me know if you go through with the digital pot, as I'm very interested in doing so myself. It'd be hugely helpful to know how someone else tackles the problem.
   
  In regards to o2's... 
   
  peace


----------



## G.Trenchev

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> Now that's real DIY! The implementation is as seen in the Datasheet?
> 
> How do you like it?


 

 It sounds much better than my AP2496.The dynamics and details are incredible.On measurements it repeats AP2496's baseline,which isn't much,but confirms a steady build.
  The implementations is as datasheet - only the gain is a bit lower(1.7V at 0dB),and opamps are LME49720.
  And finished:


----------



## sceleratus

[size=16pt]Hi,[/size]
   
   
[size=16.0pt]Don’t know how I missed this thread.  I’m pretty new to electronics, certainly theory, but I’ve forged ahead to build a valve amplifier.  [/size]I’m trying to finish it before the Los Angeles July 20th meet.
   
  [size=16pt]I'm using Tom Christiansen's boards for a 300B amp he designed.  The schematic, all the components and their DigiKey part numbers are supplied.  I started a [/size][size=16pt]build thread[/size][size=16pt], so perhaps ya’ll have seen these pictures before.  Anyway here's a few, I have a lot on the thread.[/size]
   
  [size=16pt]Maida high voltage regulator (400VDC) [/size]
   
   

   
Test layout waiting for working 300B valves
   

   
 300B's arrived yesterday and one was cracked.

   

   
   
   
6.3V and 5V filament regulators
   
   
   

   
PSU board
   

   
Driver Board
   

   

   

   
Early top panel layout
   

   
0805 SMD resistor


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





highflyin9 said:


> Just finished up a very special Bottlehead Crack build I call the Coppermine Crack. This guy took quite a bit of work: I mitered and routed the wood base, then copper leafed it, which is a fun experience if you haven't tried it. The plate of the amp is a 12" x 12" x 0.1" copper plate, punched and drilled. Some fun little changes from the stock unit are the 6SN7 signal tube, the excessive use of film caps for power and coupling, and a pair of bulky chokes. Hope you enjoy the pics.


 
  top shelf, very nice


----------



## sceleratus

I am new to the thread and this may have already been posted, but I think it bears repeating for noobs and others.
I have soldered off and on for years with mediocre results. I wanted to do a challenging DIY project so I sought out YouTube training.  
   
I found Dave Jones and the EEVBLOG.   He has hundreds of vids, from basic to extremely complex EE stuff. I cannot recommend his "Solder Series" enough.
   
After I watched his tutorials, I picked up a Hakko FX-888 (Amazing tool) and some 0.38mm 5 core solder.  I now feel like I can solder anything.  The components in my build pictures were the First Time I soldered surface mount components.
   
My hands have the shakes and I could still do a decent job with 0805 SMD components (2.00mm x 1.25mm) . Straight Away, no practice.  If you are new to DIY and don't know how to solder, Fear Not.  Or if, like me, your solder skills are limited and you want to brush up.  Watch the series.  You will never have a bad solder joint again.  Ok, rarely.  
   
I'm talking complicated IC's and tiny components.
   
Here are the links.  They are 30 min plus, Dave is a very animated Aussie, they are on the long side but complete and well worth watching.
   
EEVblog #180 – Soldering Tutorial Part 1 – Tools
   
   
EEVblog #183 – Soldering Tutorial Part 2
   
   
EEVblog #186 – Soldering Tutorial Part 3 – Surface Mount
   
   
EEVblog #434 – SMD Thermal Pad & Drag Soldering Tutorial


----------



## crispchicken

The latest in my line of "micro moy" boards arrived today...
   

   
   
   
   
  I've stuffed one board most of the way now, I'm very excited to get the last caps that I need and try this out which shouldn't be too long now. I tidied up the design a whole lot over the last prototype, it's also running so-8 because they're so much better to solder than TSSOP. I added a second, top-layer ground plane to help further shield it, and there's decoupling caps  too.. Over all I've just tidied up the overall design a whole heap.
   
  This is revision 3 of the kinda.. beta for lack of a better word. There's another PCB revision already on the way, this time I've added bass boost, and the overall design has almost reached the point that I'd consider not totally in-development anymore, which means I'll be getting a bunch of boards made so that I have some spare to sell if people are interested.
   
  Here's today's work


----------



## miceblue

They look nice! What PCB making software are you using if I may ask?


----------



## crispchicken

Quote: 





miceblue said:


> They look nice! What PCB making software are you using if I may ask?


 
  It's called Diptrace. It's really pretty wonderful. It's the only piece of software I've tried that's actually intuitive in it's use. It has 4 components, that being, pcb editor, schematic editor, and editors for components for the schematic and pcb footprints.
   
  I've tried altium, eagle, kicad, several others too and haven't found anything else that's as usable as diptrace.
   
  I think Altium is more powerful, but it's really too hard to follow for me. Maybe I'll get into it as my skills develop, but for now Diptrace even has a free version with a maximum of 300 pins, so I'm super happy with it. This design is around 60 (it included smd pads in the limit)
   
  (I'm not a shill, just a very happy customer )
   
  you can get it from here if you're interested.


----------



## cfcubed

> _ Diptrace even has a free version with a maximum of 300 pins_
   
  For non-profit / non-commercial use IOW for things you don't plan to sell.    I use Diptrace as well & for the same reasons, though for bone simple PCBs so far. 
  Bought the lowest cost version in case a PCB of mine ends up in something I sell & because IIRC only the bought versions can get/apply update patches.
   
  Very nice work on this CrispChicken & nice looking boards -  Think that project of yours deserves its own thread though, e.g. if anyone is interested in it or its development they'd have to comb through the Pics thread for your posts about it.   And think the pics thread is for pics & possibly brief descriptions, not full blown project development & discussion.   But I'm no moderator so what do I know


----------



## sceleratus

I am outta my mind that it  actually works !   It sounds amazing.
   
  Forgive me...
  I've only made 4 posts on different threads saying the same thing.


----------



## crispchicken

I do tend to waffle a bit... sorry about that. my intention was to make this project its own thread once development was at the refinement stage, right now its very much just a learning process still, which I thought would be cool to let other people in on

As for Dave's videos, I find them to be a wonderful resource and really entertaining too which isn't common in teaching electronics.

Even without good tools its very possible to produce pretty professional and work. All my stuff is solders with a cheapo “fire starter" iron and a roll of 2.99 eBay solder. Flux is the biggest trick I've ever learnt for small work

Peace


----------



## DefQon

Quote: 





sceleratus said:


> I am outta my mind that it  actually works !   It sounds amazing.
> 
> Forgive me...
> I've only made 4 posts on different threads saying the same thing.


 
  That right there is some nice tube porn. Might whack myself a kit sometime soon as I've always loved the 300B tubes.


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





defqon said:


> That right there is some nice tube porn. Might whack myself a kit sometime soon as I've always loved the 300B tubes.


 





   
  Still waiting for it to go "POOF"


----------



## miceblue

I would like to try to build a Bottlehead Crack some day. I don't have any headphones that really benefit from it though. I'll have to try *Doc B.*'s K 701 on Crack when I get the chance.


----------



## DefQon

The Crack is a piece of cake build and not so expensive. So far for me getting a FU-32/GU-29 amp built has become a PITA. 
   
  Anyway this 300B SET amp ain't cheap to build.


----------



## funch

Quote: 





sceleratus said:


> I am outta my mind that it  actually works !   It sounds amazing.
> 
> Forgive me...
> I've only made 4 posts on different threads saying the same thing.


 
   
  What amp is this? It looks like an interesting build.


----------



## sceleratus

The amp was designed by Tom Christiansen.  I purchased the boards from him.
All the details and schematics can be found on his site.  I'm having fun.
   
Here is my build thread.


----------



## 00940

Hmm.. 300B goodness. Nice  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
   
  Just some bad pics of an amplifier recasing. Typical dynalo, power supply with a pair of cap multipliers followed by lm317/337. Only oddity is the 12 steps attenuator. My sources have volume controls so I made the steps small (2db), just for adjusting the volume from track to track.
   
  I don't know quite how to finish the amplifier... top will be plexiglass, sanded. For the front, I've this big empty rectangle and the pot sticking out. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  A piece of wood would be the typical solution. Any ideas ?
   

   

   
   
  Edit: found a piece of wood and some free time...


----------



## yawg3d

Those two are a bit rough still, but they are my first PCB designs and my first proper solder works, so I'm really quite pleased with the way they turned out!
   
  9VAC to +-8VDC power supply for small headamps (7808/7908 linear regulators, 2200u Nichicon reservoir caps):
   
   

   
  Apheared 47 (based on OPA4134 quad opamp in SOIC14 package, MKT1813 input caps) :


----------



## Avro_Arrow

@yawg3d
   
  Nice job for a first try.
   
  Some advice:
  When using through hole components, they should be on
  the opposite side from the copper layer. The way you have
  it there will result in poor structural integrity. In other words,
  it will be easy for the wires and volume pot to rip the traces
  off the board. It is correct to mount the SMD on the copper
  side. For your next project, put the copper layer and SMD
  on the bottom, PTH on the top.
   
  Cheers!


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> @yawg3d
> 
> Nice job for a first try.
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks !
  I'm planning on making a board and I did not know that.


----------



## yawg3d

@Avro_Arrow:
   
  The boards are dual-layer with plated through holes. On the A47, the bottom layer hosts the star ground, on the PSU, it's a ground plane. But yeah, next time I'll try whether I can get away with a single layer. Thanks for the hint!


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





00940 said:


> Hmm.. 300B goodness. Nice
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  OK.... You asked.
   
  Sanded plexi is a very modern cool look.
   
  Couple of knee jerk thoughts.
   
  Sanded plexi in the front and detail it with some nice polished nickel, stainless or chrome, Oversized Hex, cap screws.
  You might be able to incorporate some stainless standoff's that push the plexi out 1/4" or so.  That would give it some extra dimensions.
   
  My other thought would be to do the same thing in Stainless.  But I think the sanded plexi would be bad ass.
   
  Here is a great site to order any type of hardware known to man.  Over 500,000 products.
  They have every fastener in every size and finish imaginable.  Probably have plexi too.... they got it all.
   
  http://mcmaster.com


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Quote: 





yawg3d said:


> @Avro_Arrow:
> 
> The boards are dual-layer with plated through holes. On the A47, the bottom layer hosts the star ground, on the PSU, it's a ground plane. But yeah, next time I'll try whether I can get away with a single layer. Thanks for the hint!


 

 Facepalm
   
  Yes, I remembered that about thirty seconds after I hit send.
   
  Still, advice stands for anyone etching their own, single sided board.


----------



## nippon

Pictures of my new enclosure for the "Lovely Cube/Matrix M-Stage whatever copy" from Ebay. Looks a little bit used - cost me 15€ on a fleamarket  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  No idee what it was exactly, but it was full of power wires and sockets with earthing contact. Need a new top, back and front...
   
  regards
  nippon


----------



## sceleratus

AquaTech did a great job water cutting the bronze top and rear panels.
Over 90 holes and cutouts.  Lots of 3mm mounting holes.  Impossible for me to do.
   
The enclosure is in the cabinet makers hands.
Next post will be the assembled (working?) build.
   
   

   
   
I got lazy polishing the rear panel.  It's a satin finish.
I really should fix that....


----------



## sceleratus

Finished


----------



## funch

Absolutely amazingly gorgeous amp. So how does it sound?


----------



## germanmusic11

Great!!! Wish you nice time to hear...


----------



## mvrk10256

Paint + removable jack + comfort mod on my ATH AD700s
http://imgur.com/a/v6SWK


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





funch said:


> Absolutely amazingly gorgeous amp. So how does it sound?


 
  That's like asking a dad how good a baseball player his son is. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I am very proud.  It turned out far beyond my expectations.  I'm a builder that knows a tiny bit about circuits but knows how to solder.
  I used Tom Christiansen's boards and component list and took it from there.  I upgraded to some fancy Mundorf caps and hand made resistors.
  Used some silver wire for the input and output leads.
   
  I took it to the Head-Fi LA meet last saturday.  I finished the build friday at 2PM  rather than tell you my thoughts, I'll give you some posts from the LA Meet appreciation thread.
  I am truly humbled.
   
DG 300B comment #1
DG 300B comment #2
   
  I probably posted this before.  Here is the Build Thread


----------



## glunteer

nice mrvk


----------



## Tjj226 Angel

Quote: 





sceleratus said:


> Finished


 
   
   
  Ok, you win the looks contest.....but can you win the sound contest?
   
  My stuff (mainly my outboard power supply looks like crap). Sorry, but all I had was a miter saw, a drill, and a screw driver. AND the saw is horribly uncalibrated, so I pretty much gave up on my power supply. My neighbor salvaged my main chassis. 
   
  My friend completely designed this amp from the ground up. So all I get to take credit for is owning it and building the chassis.......sort of. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  But it is 2 350bs with some 6SL7 tubes and a nice mullard tube for the rectifier. All the important capacitors are paper in oil, and all the resistors are allen bradley. The hookup wire is cardas and western electric. 
   
  Top that Mr. 300B 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (in all seriousness, your amp does look gorgeous)


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





tjj226 angel said:


> Ok, you win the looks contest.....but can you win the sound contest?
> 
> My stuff (mainly my outboard power supply looks like crap). Sorry, but all I had was a miter saw, a drill, and a screw driver. AND the saw is horribly uncalibrated, so I pretty much gave up on my power supply. My neighbor salvaged my main chassis.
> 
> ...


 
  Hey !
  I like yours.  It's .... "earthy"
   
  I sold my woodworking stuff years ago so the enclosure was done professionally.  I'll take credit for the design, done in illustrator, but you win because it's "hands on".   I did sand and finish.
   
  Top panel.  I win because I got a panel out of bronze, cut by a water jet using my AI files and professionally polished for $300.
   
  Did I read 350 pounds correctly.
   
  I have 15 lbs 9 + 9 in OPT's
   
  Design.  Even.  I didn't design or etch the boards.
  Electronics build.  6 boards with a goodly number of 0805 SMD components.  ????
  Hand made components.  Me too.  Texas Component hand made resistors and caps by Mundorf and Solen.  I had some Jupiter beeswax but yanked them.
   
  Spending Stupid Money category.  I win.
   
  Sound quality.  As noted above, I got some very nice reviews from some credible folks at the LA Meet.  ???
  Sound quality is a tie because no dad is going to say their kid has warts.
   
  Dumb Luck:  I win.


----------



## sceleratus

Obligatory Chassis Wiring Photo.
   

   
  Hand made resistors....   kinda cool


----------



## sceleratus

TJ226 Angel
   
  It's Phreak'n Awesome !!!! 
   
  EDIT:
   
  Sitting wearing cans with a**** eat'n grin..... while the tubes are rock'n the sockets...........Priceless.
  Can't nobody take that away !


----------



## Tjj226 Angel

Oh I am sorry, I wrote a post earlier, but it looks like it never sent. 
   
  The amp does not weigh 350 pounds (lbs). It uses the 350b tube and 2 6SL7s which I recently (as in yesterday) upgraded to 2 6SU7GTYs.


----------



## sceleratus

Nothing at all wrong with that bad boy.  Your ears can't see it.
  That said, it has to be a head banger amp.  In which case.  "IT LOOKS PERFECT"


----------



## Tjj226 Angel

Quote: 





sceleratus said:


> Nothing at all wrong with that bad boy.  Your ears can't see it.
> That said, it has to be a head banger amp.  In which case.  "IT LOOKS PERFECT"


 
   
  Actually it is more for relaxation at the moment. I have to get some better 350bs that are a tad bit faster sounding before any head banging starts happening. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. Fortunately my friend who built the amp is lending me some tubes....unfortunately I still have to buy decent ones for $$$ before the amp sounds it's best. Thanks for the encouragement. I will pass it along. It might be taboo to say this, but it was a 16 year old kid that designed this amp, and it sounds better than a LOT of stuff at the audio fest that is 10 times the amount. 
   
  On a different note, I actually just heard your amp today (well...it's sort of quasi brother that someone else built). 
   
  Very very nice bass, but I wanted to ask you if you are hearing any sharpness in the upper highs? I think this guy my not have done something right because every time I have heard something that used a 300b, it sounds supper rich. (well....with the exception of woo audio, but that is a different story all together). 
   
  I do not see why your/this amp should have a harsh high frequency, so I am wondering if he just bought crap tubes? Any thoughts that I could report back to the people at the audio fest tomorrow?


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





tjj226 angel said:


> Actually it is more for relaxation at the moment. I have to get some better 350bs that are a tad bit faster sounding before any head banging starts happening.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  16 yr old   AWESOME !
   
  My highs are like butter.  All the tubey goodness yet great clarity and sibilance. 
  However, Tom gave me a mod that allows me to use my collection of ECC88, 6922, 6DJ8, etc.  I do not use the 6N6P.
  I have some snow noise that really is a non issue when the music is playing.  A bit during classical music.  This is the first implementation, that Tom knows, of the DG300B as a HP amp, so everything is under the microscope.  I'm looking at the feasibility of implementing a stepped attenuator and killing the pot.  It's a matter of fitting it so it doesn't hit a board.


----------



## FrankCooter

Sceleratus' amp has excellent smooth and extended highs. A major accomplishment  for a single-ended DHT amp. No problem there whatsoever.


----------



## sachu

*sceleratus* ...wow. 
   
Beautiful work brotha


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





frankcooter said:


> Sceleratus' amp has excellent smooth and extended highs. A major accomplishment  for a single-ended DHT amp. No problem there whatsoever.


 
  Gosh Frank,
  I am am humbled.  Again
   
  Thank you.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  Quote: 





sachu said:


> *sceleratus* ...wow.
> 
> Beautiful work brotha


 
  Many thanks.
   
  I'm just a guy that can solder.
   
  I've been learning all about balanced XLR interfaces over the past couple of days.....
  Jacked up the implementation of a volume pot trying to use it for XLR.   RCA Yes.  XLR No   Why?  Don't have a clue.
   
  Since I now have a Gungnir I'm committed ( I should be) to XLR.  Looks like a stepped attenuator is in my future.  If it fits.
  All the gory details are in the build thread.


----------



## dsound

I also had a chance to listen to Scleratus' rig through LCD-2's and they were definitely one of the highlights of the LA meet.  
   
  The bass-attack was so powerful but the amp still sounded natural and musical.


----------



## dsound

Here are some pics of my humble build (in-progress).  Far from a 300B-build, this is a 3W EL84 amplifier.  The amp is designed by Shannon Parks and he has named it the Budgie SE:
   
  Just waiting for the Elcor's to arrive: 
  Picture of the underside:
   

   
  Picture of the Amp in the Hammond-enclosure (just a test-fit):
   

   
  Not sure if you can tell from the pics, but this amp is small! (about as long as 3 cd-cases end to end)


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





dsound said:


> Here are some pics of my humble build (in-progress).  Far from a 300B-build, this is a 3W EL84 amplifier.  The amp is designed by Shannon Parks and he has named it the Budgie SE:
> 
> Just waiting for the Elcor's to arrive:
> Picture of the underside:
> ...


 
  A very classy look for a small package.  (You can guess I like wood)  Nice build too.
  I like it a lot !
   
  Let me know how it sounds.
   
  Gonna ask for some input..


----------



## sceleratus

Input request.
   
  As if the DG 300B hasn't cost a lot already, my desire for balanced XLR's to match my Gungnir has gotten to stupid money.
   
  As I posted here and on the build thread,  I learned that an ordinary volume pot aint gonna work with XLR's
  I either need to go behind the IPT's or use a stepped attenuator.  @Holland also has an option. 
   
  I was determined to go the stepped attenuator route but due to the centered location of my volume hole and the length of a 4 deck attenuator I need add a flexible extension shaft. Including custom Misumi Automation bracket $100.  4 Deck Attenuator $275.  Already bought new cables, but DANG !
   
  Easiest go back to RCA.
   
  I'm now proceeding with Hollands option.  I have the jacks and new Mogami cables on the way.
  I'll check my parts and give it a go.
   
  Comments?


----------



## sceleratus

Just finished eliminating the volume pot altogether, wiring home-run from the XLR jacks to the board and controlling the volume from iTunes.
  This was supposed to be a test to find noise / hum.  (Ya, now I know the pot is incompatible with XLR / IPTs)
   
  Well guess what?  It's going to remain this way for quite some time.
  Balanced through the Gungnir....this amp has never sounded better.  A clear step above the voice it had at the meet.
  It's dead bang quiet with classical music.  Now it's a headphone amp.
   
   
  I think a working volume knob is overrated.  Perhaps a pullout bottle opener.


----------



## Tjj226 Angel

Quote: 





sceleratus said:


> Input request.
> 
> As if the DG 300B hasn't cost a lot already, my desire for balanced XLR's to match my Gungnir has gotten to stupid money.
> 
> ...


 
   
  Sorry, I just got done smashing my head against a car window for three hours due to some retard cop who had to stop some guy to give him a ticket in the middle lane.....of a 3 lane road. 
   
  I believe the poor guy ran out of gas, and instead of the cop pushing the car off to the side, the idiot left it in the middle of the road and caused major traffic. 
   
  So forgive me if I seem a bit too blunt or irritated. 
   
  I am doing you a massive favor because I think you made a critical error. 
   
  Ditch all your XLR stuff as quickly as possible.
   
  The benefit of having XLR is that you have 2 separate ground pins/wires which some say reduces the cross talk.
   
  1: the people who think that, are either the dumbest people in the world, or... their ground on the amp is literally so bad, that they actually are getting getting cross talk. Even then, it is because their amp is crap and it has NOTHING to do with cable.
   
  2: there are two types of "balanced" cable. 4 pin XLR is a true balanced cable. It still does absolutely nothing useful, but it is balanced. 3 pin XLR is pseudo balanced, but not really because they have a shared ground pin. 
   
  You have all 3 pin XLR connections. Skip it, save your money. Make a great grounding wire, get better tubes, upgrade your caps to something good. Simple really; spend that money on anything other than cables, or beats dre headphones....................................................... but don't spend your money on XLR anything.


----------



## RudeWolf

Three poles per channel should be okay- +/- and shield. By using this connection you omit BAL->UNBAL opamp circuit in the DAC.


----------



## muskyhuntr

Finished my EHHA Rev. A over the week end.  Sounds greater than great.  Tried a few different tubes and settled on a pair of Amprex 6GM8's.The build was from a Glass Jar Audio kit.  I upgraded a bit with a SumR transformer, some Vampire RCA's and a TKD pot.  Casing is based on a design by Stixx and matches my M3.
   
  A few pics:
   

   

   
  I have posted a few mor pictures on the EHHA Rev. A thread.
   
  Thanks for looking
  Jim


----------



## dsound

Great Job!  Looks super-clean.  What headphone(s) do you pair it with?
  Quote: 





muskyhuntr said:


> Finished my EHHA Rev. A over the week end.  Sounds greater than great.  Tried a few different tubes and settled on a pair of Amprex 6GM8's.The build was from a Glass Jar Audio kit.  I upgraded a bit with a SumR transformer, some Vampire RCA's and a TKD pot.  Casing is based on a design by Stixx and matches my M3.


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





tjj226 angel said:


> Sorry, I just got done smashing my head against a car window for three hours due to some retard cop who had to stop some guy to give him a ticket in the middle lane.....of a 3 lane road.
> 
> I believe the poor guy ran out of gas, and instead of the cop pushing the car off to the side, the idiot left it in the middle of the road and caused major traffic.
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks for your suggestion.
   
  Last night I ran home-run from the XLR jacks to the board.  No Volume POT.
  It was the cleanest this amp has ever sounded.  With RCA's I had some light snow I wanted to clean up.  It's gone.  Dead Bang quiet and a great voice.
   
  However when iTunes volume is at 1 of 20 clicks it volume is barely tolerable. I need to attenuate it in some way.  I am working on one design that allows for a POT with XLR.
  Again, the music with XLR was magnificent.   The only other way is to bite it for a stepped attenuator.  I could make one with a one deck 4P3T rotary.  I think I can fit the ELMA rotary and it would give me 3 steps where each step has 20 iTunes sub-setps.  Not ideal.


----------



## Tjj226 Angel

Quote: 





sceleratus said:


> Thanks for your suggestion.
> 
> Last night I ran home-run from the XLR jacks to the board.  No Volume POT.
> It was the cleanest this amp has ever sounded.  With RCA's I had some light snow I wanted to clean up.  It's gone.  Dead Bang quiet and a great voice.
> ...


 
   
  Slight snow with RCA????
   
  how exactly are you grounding your circuit, and what connectors are you using? 
   
  I don't care whether you prefer RCA or XLR. In either case, there should not be snow in any type of connector.


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





tjj226 angel said:


> Slight snow with RCA????
> 
> how exactly are you grounding your circuit, and what connectors are you using?
> 
> I don't care whether you prefer RCA or XLR. In either case, there should not be snow in any type of connector.


 
  To mains via Furman AC-215A
   
  Grounds as illustrated.
  Terminal blocks on boards as pictured.


----------



## muskyhuntr

Quote:dsound 





> What headphone(s) do you pair it with?


 
  For the most part, I use Senn 600HDs.  However, I had it at a meet a few weeks ago before it was 100% complete.  Two different pairs of phones stood out with this amp.  A set of Grados and a set of Beyerdynamic DT 880s (250 ohm).  My listening was limited to some Kodo and Iron Butterfly.  Both sounded great.  The Beyers did slightly better with this bass heavy material but the Grados held their ground too.  Mater of fact, both are on my buy list.  During construction, I also used some ear buds from Apple and others (down to 15 ohm).  The Apples sounded really good but the others were cheap and sounded that way. 
   
  Jim


----------



## RUMAY408

My new 3D setup OPPO BDP-105>Pioneer Elite DC-67>Samsung 7010
  Lossless>Meier Daccord>Meier Corda Classic>T1
  My man cave needs new speakers to pair with the AVR, right now using vintage Cerwin Vega 250 series front speakers and Polk Audio center, Yamaha SW, and Bose and KLF surround.


----------



## vilts

My very first humble case build. O2 with SkeletonDAC and selfmade pushon-pushoff circuit.


----------



## FraGGleR

.


----------



## sceleratus

That's a very clean build.  Well done.


----------



## Mullet

Quote: 





muskyhuntr said:


> Finished my EHHA Rev. A over the week end.  Sounds greater than great.  Tried a few different tubes and settled on a pair of Amprex 6GM8's.The build was from a Glass Jar Audio kit.  I upgraded a bit with a SumR transformer, some Vampire RCA's and a TKD pot.  Casing is based on a design by Stixx and matches my M3.
> 
> A few pics:
> 
> ...


 
   
  Looks great! I can't wait to build my EHHA Rev. A. I've wanted to build one for a few years now, but haven't had the desk space for an EHHA. I currently live in a small apt. in NYC. In the next 6 mos. I'll be in a new location so things should drastically change for me in terms of space.
   
  If you don't mind me asking what did it cost to build? I might buy the parts myself via Mouser etc. to lower the cost a little bit. Not sure if doing it this way will contribute to savings vs. buying a kit from Glass Jar. Already have tubes for it so I'll save in that way.


----------



## funch

You might want to consider the Glassjar kit. The last time I checked, some of the transistors and CRD1 were no longer available.


----------



## Mullet

Will do. Perhaps, it's the way to go. I always get bummed when it gets hard to complete a project because of obsolete or hard to find parts.


----------



## muskyhuntr

Hi All,
   
  By all means, go with the Glass Jar Audio kit.  That's what I used for the most part.  The kit is very inclusive and will build a fine amp.  Indeed, the included tubes sounded the best to my ears. All you need to do is provide the casing and a few hardware items.  I have read more than once that these kits are cheaper than ordering from one of the supply houses. And convenient!
   
  On mine, I did make a few enhancements. I replaced the the pot with a TKD model,  a SumR transformer, used taller heat sinks, gold tube sockets, and a pair of 10,000uF caps in the heater supply.  This added about $200.00 to the cost of the basic amp.  Of the enhancements, definitely use the taller heat sinks (this amp runs hot) and seriously consider the SumR transformer.  Another strong recommendation is to use a pair of AMB's Epsilon 12 muting boards.  About $50.00 for both assembled.  Good insurance!  Also bought some different tubes to roll, but prefer the ones included with the kit.
   
  The biggest expense on this amp was the case.  Around $600.00.  The most expensive part of that was having Front Panel Express mill 4 panels.  That in itself was about $425.00.  I also splurged on 2 pairs of Vampire RCA's. Bear in mind that I was after a certain look.  A very suitable case could be done for much less.  Check out diyaudio.com.  Their store has a variety of quality casing available for much less. 
   
  Soooo, with all that I mentioned, the total cost was about $1300.
   
  As I write this, I am listening to Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" played on two pianos.  Awesome!   You !can not go wrong building this amp.
   
  Jim


----------



## RudeWolf

NEVER underestimate the casing. Stuffing the board can be done in a few hours, plotting the case, however...


----------



## sceleratus

Last shameless pics, I promise.
  Took more time with these. 
   
   

   

   
  I better build something else now.


----------



## RudeWolf

Well shiver me entwives, if it isn't the tiniest LCD-2 I've ever seen...


----------



## cfcubed

Quote: 





vilts said:


> My very first humble case build. O2 with SkeletonDAC and selfmade pushon-pushoff circuit.


 
   
  Nice builds guys....  And what a nice clean integrated O2 build there Vilts.  Just the essentials on the front panel, care to share a shot of the back?


----------



## DefQon

Amp turned out bigger than I thought it would.


----------



## Roberval

6N28B + TDA 7050 :
   
   
http://www.homebuilthifi.com/images/projects/6541/P1010823A.jpg
   
   
http://www.homebuilthifi.com/images/projects/6541/P1010837A.jpg


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





defqon said:


> Amp turned out bigger than I thought it would.


 
  At a diode short of 55 pounds, it's a manly-man amp.


----------



## mvrk10256

I present the gruBravo


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Hey, thats cute.
   
  Maybe I'll stick my SkeletonDAC under my Bravo.
  I wonder what I could call it...?
   
  Quote: 





mvrk10256 said:


> I present the gruBravo


----------



## mvrk10256

sounds pretty good too. Once my HD650s get here I will do a head to head comparo between the gruBravo and the schiit M/M stack.


----------



## vilts

Quote: 





cfcubed said:


> Nice builds guys....  And what a nice clean integrated O2 build there Vilts.  Just the essentials on the front panel, care to share a shot of the back?


 
   
  Thanks. It's OK for the first build, but there are many things I'll do differently for the next one (one thing being USB hole size, just much too big here). There's not really much to see on the back


----------



## Zashoomin

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Hey, thats cute.
> 
> Maybe I'll stick my SkeletonDAC under my Bravo.
> I wonder what I could call it...?


 
  Skelvo


----------



## Zarrick19

Quote: 





mvrk10256 said:


> I present the gruBravo


 

 Yay, thats cute. But, what it is? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Looks like an amp and in the bottom there's a DAC?
   
  But hey! I got a DIY amp too! It was done in 2 days (one for the amp itself and one for the case and bracket) a few years ago as my highschool graduating project. It's a simple 2x11W amp into a 5,25" position with in/out on a slot bracket.
   
   

   


 It's based on a layout from the 90s so basically you could call it vintage 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 It's horribly built, you move a bit with the bracket's connection cable, and you lose one of the channels, the PCB isn't attached to the casing, and the worst - the PACB is painted to YELLOW! I... I have no idea what made me to paint it to yellow 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  But I'm heading to re-build it into a better case, remove those useless bass'n'trebble knobs and maybe it will get a battery as power source. Yeah, nice plans, I love doing DIY things but it takes me years to begin.


----------



## Avro_Arrow

Bravo
  Quote: 





zarrick19 said:


> Yay, thats cute. But, what it is?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Yes, it's a Bravo tube hybrid on top and a GrubDAC underneath.
   
  @ Zashoomin
  Skelvo...I like it


----------



## Zashoomin

Quote: 





avro_arrow said:


> Skelvo...I like it


----------



## Nisbeth

Not a completed build but still...
   
  A board for a stereo buffer based on the old (ancient?) BUF03 buffer. Some may know this as "Aunt Corey's buffered passive pre" or the Pawliw buffer 
   

   
   
  More detailed writeup in my blog 
   
  /U.


----------



## jhawk1729v2

Here's the album from my Bijou build with commentary in the album: http://imgur.com/a/0giVU . The amp drives HD650s.


----------



## Anthony1

Quote: 





jhawk1729v2 said:


> Here's the album from my Bijou build with commentary in the album: http://imgur.com/a/0giVU . The amp drives HD650s.


 
   
  Very nice jhawk


----------



## PintoDave

New enclosure for my tangent cmoy. Paudak body with mahogany top. Will have an aluminum access cover/base.

Tomorrow I will make cuts for the battery drawers and ac in connector and lacquer it.


----------



## sceleratus

I completed the re-cabling the Goldpoint 23 step attenuator using shields.  It passed the DMM test......now for music.   When the maple knob arrives this afternoon the project will be complete.


----------



## sceleratus

Attenuator works great and the knob came out exactly how I hoped it would.


----------



## mikeawesome

that turned out great


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





mikeawesome said:


> that turned out great


 
  Thank you !
   
  I have to put a coat of lacquer on the knob tonight.
  The grain should pop more.


----------



## dsound

Finally finished!  Budgie SE by Parks Audio:


----------



## RUMAY408

Nice build


----------



## dsound

Thanks!  There were some stumbles along the way but I had a blast making it.
   
  Quote: 





rumay408 said:


> Nice build


----------



## PintoDave

Finished the amp today. New switches and wiring, and added the power supply. This is my desk unit.


----------



## RudeWolf

Team *ϟ*[size=small]*ϟ* ! Got to give them tubesters a worthy retaliation![/size]
   
  Over 300 parts, 14W power consumption, bandwidth well in megahertz range so some limiting input filter must be used to tame the beast.
   
  Sound? Sublime!


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





pintodave said:


> Finished the amp today. New switches and wiring, and added the power supply. This is my desk unit.


 
   
   
  Yo !
  Long live Wooden Amps !!!!


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> Team *ϟ*[size=small]*ϟ* ! Got to give them tubesters a worthy retaliation![/size]
> 
> Over 300 parts, 14W power consumption, bandwidth well in megahertz range so some limiting input filter must be used to tame the beast.
> 
> Sound? Sublime!


 
  Gotta give it up for that build.
  SERIOUS !


----------



## RudeWolf

Quote: 





sceleratus said:


> Gotta give it up for that build.
> SERIOUS !


 
  Thanks, man! Here's some scarce info on the project - http://sjostromaudio.com/pages/index.php/hifi-projects/129-qrv08-headphone-amp
   
  I've heard that the BOM can be put together for about 250$ on your side of the pond. For me... more like 400$. Still it's very cheap for that kind of an amp.
   
  Oh, and then there's the soldering...


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> Oh, and then there's the soldering...


 
  and then there's soldering.... you say.
   
  I have meat hook hands.  I was lucky to get 20 odd 0804 components working.


----------



## RudeWolf

My secret is that I never solder sober.


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> My secret is that I never solder sober.


 
  single malt?


----------



## RudeWolf

Wine. Easier to control. Whiskey needs attention and there's none to spare when I'm soldering.
   
  We need a topic for choosing the right wine that goes well with the fumes.


----------



## crispchicken

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> Team *ϟ*[size=small]*ϟ* ! Got to give them tubesters a worthy retaliation![/size]
> 
> Over 300 parts, 14W power consumption, bandwidth well in megahertz range so some limiting input filter must be used to tame the beast.
> 
> Sound? Sublime!


 
   
Oh my god, this is beautiful. Just plain gorgeous. I hope it gets a nice enclosure to live in!
   
I've been bogged down with other projects that I'm working on (particularly a high end electronic-cig driver board with micro controller controlled VV/VI/VW settings and other such fanciness.
   
I checked out the page you linked for the qrv-08 and I think I'm in love. I was in the beginning stages of designing a high-end discrete SS amp, but looking at this, I think I might give it a go first for education's sake.
   
Any info, full sized schematics, even better, board layouts would be hugely appreciated, since every image on the site that you linked seems to only be available in low res (I couldn't download the pdf files)
   
Props to you mate, that thing is such a beast, I love it!
   
Team SS FTW! (not sure how I feel about the ϟϟ symbol though, its a little too nazi-ey for my liking )
   
Apologies for my typing, I have a pinched nerve in my arm thats really not helping my dexterity at the moment (and also making soldering a total beotch )
   
peace,
chris


----------



## RudeWolf

Ha, I'm just pulling everyone's leg with the sieg runes! You should see the faces of some neo-commie guys I've trolled with pictures of old Russian rubles with swastikas printed on them. Both of these are harmless symbols - sieg means "victory" and the swastika has plenty of good associated with it. A real shame that some idiots decided to take them for themselves, but oh well...
   
  Regarding full size schematics and other info - I'm bound by a contract to not reveal them. You can figure out the topology by looking at the small schematic, really. If you can't then the big one won't do you much good. The bom is pretty straightforward as well - I'm sure you could populate the board for 250$ or less.
   
  Tha amp itself is basically two modified diamond buffers stuck together. Due to low psrr it needs extremely clean juice therefore quad shuntregged PSU's are a must. 2/3 of the board are taken up by the PSU's. The real ising on the cake is the current feedback loop - not many audio amplifiers use this.
   
  In any case - I like the sound very much, even more than my Dynalo. Also it;s like 4x smaller than my Dynalo. Now to get a nice box for it. I might actually omit the volume pot because I'm looking to get a Violectric V800 that has digital volume control.
   
  Thanks for writing, Chris! Hope you get your arm situation sorted out!
   
  Cheers!
  Rudolfs


----------



## PintoDave

Quote: 





sceleratus said:


> Yo !
> Long live Wooden Amps !!!!


 
   
  Amen! I've always loved the look of exotic woods paired up with electronics. Seems stylish and elegant. And woodwork and electronics are two things I'm not afraid to dive into (not so literally! lol).
   
  While metal and wood combinations are sexy, the wood amps really get me!


----------



## FullCircle

My wife likes to Bake, I like to build CIEMs, and I think Speaker Cabinets will be something I want to get into as well.
   
   
   

   
   
  Some CIEMs
   
   

   

   

   
   
  My soldering tip....   really for me the secret is the "Tip."  Keep it very very clean and it helps make soldering much easier.  Radio Shack sells a tip cleaner ($10).


----------



## DefQon

Do you still have 20 driver red CIEM you made while back?


----------



## Zashoomin

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> My wife likes to Bake, I like to build CIEMs, and I think Speaker Cabinets will be something I want to get into as well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Oh wow.  Those look fantastic.  How do they sound?  Also did you build those speakers or are you planning on building them?


----------



## crispchicken

After looking further I realized that a donation is required to get the info on the website! I thought the downloads were just down or similar, hence my asking. I'm not interested in taking the creator's designs if he wishes to sell them (/donate to get the privilege of seeing them) as I fully understand needing to eat in order to make good stuff! I will have to make a donation some time, as I'm no pro at making amps, particularly even remotely exotic topologies, I am good at learning through example though, and I find the minor stuff, like component value/type selection very handy for learning getting a full picture of how these things in electronics work. Audio particularly is affected by so many small things that you can often take for granted in other design work.
   
  I have a friend with swastikas tattooed above his knees, and he's always keen to explain how they had many much better associations before they were taken by bad apples and used as symbols of hate. I suppose by using these symbols as a bit of a piss-take could be considered making their original meanings more relevant than what they have been twisted into by nasty people. Funny how seriously some people take them, huh 
   
  Symbolism is great like that. I have to admit the Seig runes have a very cool aesthetic 
   
  My hand is slowly recovering, I have a physiotherapist appointment on Friday, and until then, anti-inflammatory and attempting to do as much as I can with my cripple hand seems to be making the healing process go as fast as possible. Thanks for your good wishes, I'm going to be glad when I can solder (or even do PCB design ) properly again.
   
  peace
  chris


----------



## FullCircle

Quote: 





zashoomin said:


> Oh wow.  Those look fantastic.  How do they sound?  Also did you build those speakers or are you planning on building them?


 
   
       The CIEMs are a 5 driver configuration, sound great (at least I think so).   The towers were built by my brother, the wood was actually taken from his yard.  They had to cut down some trees when he built his house.  The trees were milled and the wood was dried for several years. I live in Thailand now, and this area of the world is like the "heart land" for exotic hard woods. (essentially a cabinet builders dream)
   
  My dad raised my brother and I up on wood, as his father raised him as well....  it is a family tradition, and I love audio....  so I like to fuse the two together.
   
  Quote: 





defqon said:


> Do you still have 20 driver red CIEM you made while back?


 
   
  No I broke that down long ago to use the parts for other projects. But I still remeber how to build it...  as that was a big challenge.


----------



## sceleratus

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> My wife likes to Bake, I like to build CIEMs, and I think Speaker Cabinets will be something I want to get into as well.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  That is just too COOL !


----------



## Zashoomin

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> The CIEMs are a 5 driver configuration, sound great (at least I think so).   The towers were built by my brother, the wood was actually taken from his yard.  They had to cut down some trees when he built his house.  The trees were milled and the wood was dried for several years. I live in Thailand now, and this area of the world is like the "heart land" for exotic hard woods. (essentially a cabinet builders dream)
> 
> My dad raised my brother and I up on wood, as his father raised him as well....  it is a family tradition, and I love audio....  so I like to fuse the two together.


 
  Well pictures of the finished product if you ever do build the speakers would be much appreciated 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  Ya I love working with wood as well but right now I am in an apartment so I don't have all the right equipment 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  I wish I was back at home with my saws and drills.


----------



## FullCircle

Quote: 





zashoomin said:


> Well pictures of the finished product if you ever do build the speakers would be much appreciated
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
        I hear you!   I live near Chaing Mai, an area of Thailand that is well known for their wood work achievements. Due to that, there are plenty of modern tools available.  I'm just doing the research now. My wife has a family Teak Wood farm.  She has probably around 100 planks of teak wood, around 10 feet long, 1 inch thick by 20 inches wide. Just monster pieces of Teak....   Trouble is, solid wood is not recommended for speaker cabinets as the resonant quality of each peice of timber is unique....   shame to see all that wood....   just waiting / begging to be used.
   
  Oh well, veneers can be more versatile.
   
   
  Cheers
   
  Wizard


----------



## Zashoomin

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> I hear you!   I live near Chaing Mai, an area of Thailand that is well known for their wood work achievements. Due to that, there are plenty of modern tools available.  I'm just doing the research now. My wife has a family Teak Wood farm.  She has probably around 100 planks of teak wood, around 10 feet long, 1 inch thick by 20 inches wide. Just monster pieces of Teak....   Trouble is, solid wood is not recommended for speaker cabinets as the resonant quality of each peice of timber is unique....   shame to see all that wood....   just waiting / begging to be used.
> 
> Oh well, veneers can be more versatile.
> 
> ...


 
  Oh man that sounds like it would look fantastic.  If I didn't have to worry about the sound of the wood I would do a japanese cherry with a very classic urushi finish on it.  Or maybe some alaskan cedar with a light polyurathane finish to bring out the grain.  But if I had that much teak man the stuff I would do.  Man I need to get myself a table saw and drill press.


----------



## FullCircle

I know what you mean....   We have so much teak "kicking around" it is being used to coral chickens. I need to get a table saw and a router ASAP.
   

   
   
   

   
  The dog is there to keep the cats away
   
  2000 Chickens
   

   
  Teak Walls
   

   
   
  The View


----------



## uchihaitachi

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> I know what you mean....   We have so much teak "kicking around" it is being used to coral chickens. I need to get a table saw and a router ASAP.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Nice Heir 5.0!


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Quote: 





fullcircle said:


> My wife likes to Bake, I like to build CIEMs, and I think Speaker Cabinets will be something I want to get into as well.


 
  Absolutely beautiful cabinets. Very nicely done!


----------



## FullCircle

Quote: 





uchihaitachi said:


> Nice Heir 5.0!


 
   
   
       Those have been retired, as I found something more noble.


----------



## FullCircle

So while on my cabinet research I have found that MDF, Plywood, and now tyres can be used for cabinets


----------



## DefQon

That green pasture looks really comforty.


----------



## Zashoomin

Just finished a Bottlehead SEX.  The finish on the wood is only stain I am contenplating doing a polyurathane coat/coats.


----------



## FullCircle

Very Nice


----------



## drizek

I really like the wood finish on that. Mind sharing what you used?


----------



## Zashoomin

drizek said:


> I really like the wood finish on that. Mind sharing what you used?


 
 Ya I used this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BZZ3GK/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
 It took 3 coats of the finish to get the color I wanted though.  3 thick coats that is.  Until than looks brown.  
  


fullcircle said:


> Very Nice


 
  
 Thanks


----------



## DefQon

Get that polyutherane on. Then it will be boss.


----------



## Zashoomin

defqon said:


> Get that polyutherane on. Then it will be boss.


 
 I will post pictures once I am done with the final product.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  Also put vibration isolation feet on there so it looks a bit different already.


----------



## miceblue

Early build of another project from the anime thread. In its current state it's caseless....and battery-less since I didn't have a 9 V battery lying around....and the leads stick out all over the place like a skeleton's ribcage because I didn't have my zero-clearance cutters with me.

  

  

  
 It's not bad. I can't recall what my Tangentsoft CMoy sounds like since its potentiometer died a long time ago (soldering failure), but it has a nice warm sound to it and the soundstage is pretty natural-sounding (decent depth and width).


----------



## Sathimas

Small teaser of what i'm working at the moment


----------



## Zarrick19

woah, at first I thought that's one of those high-end gaming/OC motherboards from Asus (Asus Maximus etc.). Whatever it is, looks really great!


----------



## gilency

Miceblue, nice!
 Sathimas, show us more!


----------



## Zashoomin

Alright guys I have an update on the bottlehead SEX.  I finished putting lacquer on it and also got new tubes and vibration isolation feet.  
 And this is the final product.  Well I might change some caps and pots but for now.
  

  

  

  

  
  
  

  
 Also a specail thanks to Sceleratus


----------



## miceblue

My gawd...that is probably the most beautiful-looking amp I've run across in the Head-Fi realm. Sweet, sweet honey.


----------



## DefQon

zashoomin said:


>


 
  
 Not bad, you need 6-8 more coats to get more shine and really reveal those grains.


----------



## Zashoomin

miceblue said:


> My gawd...that is probably the most beautiful-looking amp I've run across in the Head-Fi realm. Sweet, sweet honey.


 
 Thank you 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  It sounds good too.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


defqon said:


> Not bad, you need 6-8 more coats to get more shine and really reveal those grains.


 
  
 its not a gloss finish its satin so it won't shine much more than that.  Also the grain shows a lot more when I am not taking photos of it


----------



## gilency

It is beautiful. With those feet, it looks like a ballerina ready to dance


----------



## DefQon

zashoomin said:


> its not a gloss finish its satin so it won't shine much more than that.  Also the grain shows a lot more when I am not taking photos of it


 

  
 Good nonetheless.


----------



## Zashoomin

defqon said:


> Good nonetheless.


 
 Thanks.  Its strange that sometimes you take a picture and it looks so much better than it actually is and other times it just looks so much worse.  Both are a bit misleading but still.  And every once in a while it looks exactly like it is supposed to.  


gilency said:


> It is beautiful. With those feet, it looks like a ballerina ready to dance


 
  
 I wish it would dance for me... that would be awesome.  thanks though.  I think it looks like it could take off anytime and fly away.


----------



## DefQon

zashoomin said:


> Thanks.  Its strange that sometimes you take a picture and it looks so much better than it actually is and other times it just looks so much worse.  Both are a bit misleading but still.  And every once in a while it looks exactly like it is supposed to.


 
  
 Well the good thing is you can still sand it down light and apply the same branded spray but in gloss lacquer. It's when you cross-mix different branded paints/sprays it messes things up due to the incompatibility of the paint molecules and dye/mixture rates so you get a washy look to it, or at worst, peeling/flaking and it doesn't stick onto the old surface despite preparations already been met.


----------



## FullCircle

zashoomin said:


> Well pictures of the finished product if you ever do build the speakers would be much appreciated
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 GAME ON!


----------



## Zashoomin

fullcircle said:


> GAME ON!


 
  
 Haha BRING IT


----------



## Avro_Arrow

The listening room is starting take shape...


----------



## FullCircle

sweet man cave


----------



## wakibaki

Very nice Avro_Arrow, looks like a room with a lot of potential. You might need a few things in there to break up reflections...
  
 My home theatre:-
  

  
 w


----------



## miceblue

Carl Sagan? I love that guy!


----------



## Avro_Arrow

wakibaki said:


> Very nice Avro_Arrow, looks like a room with a lot of potential. You might need a few things in there to break up reflections...
> 
> My home theatre:-
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yes, the room is pretty lively at the moment...it will tame down somewhat after we get some furniture in there.
 I've been listening to headphones for so long now, I forgot just how good a half a kilowatt of power sounds...
  
 Cheers!


----------



## Roberval

DIY - ECC82 + OPA2107
  
http://www.homebuilthifi.com/images/projects/7470/P1010911A.jpg
  
http://www.homebuilthifi.com/images/projects/7470/P1010915A.jpg


----------



## FullCircle

roberval said:


> DIY - ECC82 + OPA2107
> 
> http://www.homebuilthifi.com/images/projects/7470/P1010911A.jpg
> 
> http://www.homebuilthifi.com/images/projects/7470/P1010915A.jpg


 
  
  
   I like it, a very clean and practical look


----------



## Roberval

Thanks !!!!


----------



## peranders

rudewolf said:


> Tha amp itself is basically two modified diamond buffers stuck together. Due to low psrr it needs extremely clean juice therefore quad shuntregged PSU's are a must. 2/3 of the board are taken up by the PSU's. The real ising on the cake is the current feedback loop - not many audio amplifiers use this.


 
 I must correct you a bit:
  
 The amp consists of a current feedback amp buffered with a diamond buffer. The power supply is not a shunt regulator. It's a series regulator with "Super Regulator" topology.


----------



## RudeWolf

peranders said:


> I must correct you a bit:
> 
> The amp consists of a current feedback amp buffered with a diamond buffer. The power supply is not a shunt regulator. It's a series regulator with "Super Regulator" topology.


 
  
 Many thanks! I thoroughly enjoyed the build and even more - the way the amp performs. The soldering part wasn't too hard - about six hours in total without rushing. 0805 parts actually are pretty big and quite easy to handle. Unless you accidentally don't drop something on the carpet whilst peeling off the tape off the reels.
  
 One thing tho - why did you choose to use smd electrolytic capacitors? Weren't through-hole parts as good? I'm asking because those were most likely the trickiest to solder.
  
 And good luck with the PSU group buy! Too bad I don't really have anything to power right now!


----------



## sceleratus

rudewolf said:


> Many thanks! I thoroughly enjoyed the build and even more - the way the amp performs. The soldering part wasn't too hard - about six hours in total without rushing. 0805 parts actually are pretty big and quite easy to handle. Unless you accidentally don't drop something on the carpet whilst peeling off the tape off the reels.
> 
> One thing tho - why did you choose to use smd electrolytic capacitors? Weren't through-hole parts as good? I'm asking because those were most likely the trickiest to solder.
> 
> And good luck with the PSU group buy! Too bad I don't really have anything to power right now!


 
  
 I laid down six 0805's about an hour ago.
 I am so glad they are inexpensive.  I double my order because my hands shake badly. 
 Today I was sneezing.
  
 They all look nice though.  It's the DAP on an LT3080 regulator that give me problems.


----------



## glunteer

anyone know any good toggle switch? My toggle broken and i need other for my audio switcher... (3 way)


----------



## DefQon

DPDT switch or ?


----------



## glunteer

defqon said:


> DPDT switch or ?




Yes, dpdt

For two output 3.5mm and one input 3.5mm


----------



## DefQon

I'm guessing any dpdt rated for 3a @ 250vac or 6a @ 125vac should be fine. You can use lower rated values but I like to choose the biggest max spec'd switch. What's important is the length of the protruding shaft (mm) and the overall size of the switch itself. 2-3 toggle DPDT assorted too.


----------



## glunteer

defqon said:


> I'm guessing any dpdt rated for 3a @ 250vac or 6a @ 125vac should be fine. You can use lower rated values but I like to choose the biggest max spec'd switch. What's important is the length of the protruding shaft (mm) and the overall size of the switch itself. 2-3 toggle DPDT assorted too.




Hummm... Thanks 

but you could spend some good brand or model ? (I use a box of altoids)


----------



## DefQon

glunteer said:


> Hummm... Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I bulk purchased off a local ebay supplier for a box of 50, no branding on them, haven't had problems. I purchased a few from ebay beforehand and had no issues with any of the toggle switches either. Do avoid the ones with long toggle shafts, don't have a picture but it's got a flat curvy base end, they are hollow in the middle and snap quite easily. They are used on the Darkvoice amplifiers, mainly the 336SE.


----------



## glunteer

defqon said:


> I bulk purchased off a local ebay supplier for a box of 50, no branding on them, haven't had problems. I purchased a few from ebay beforehand and had no issues with any of the toggle switches either. Do avoid the ones with long toggle shafts, don't have a picture but it's got a flat curvy base end, they are hollow in the middle and snap quite easily. They are used on the Darkvoice amplifiers, mainly the 336SE.


 
 thanks defqon


----------



## sceleratus

If you use the Altoids box, isn't the ps an external wall wort? Unless I'm missing something.
If so you can get away with a much lower rated switch. You can, most likely find the exact replacement switch at Digikey or Mouser.


----------



## glunteer

sceleratus said:


> If you use the Altoids box, isn't the ps an external wall wort? Unless I'm missing something.
> If so you can get away with a much lower rated switch. You can, most likely find the exact replacement switch at Digikey or Mouser.


 
 i take a picture for you to see


----------



## mvrk10256

Those blue body ones are really common on ebay. No idea who actually makes them, but I have used them inthe past, and they work great.


----------



## glunteer

mvrk10256 said:


> Those blue body ones are really common on ebay. No idea who actually makes them, but I have used them inthe past, and they work great.


 
 when i put left, only sound comes from one side of the headphone, but for right is normal...
  
 understand ? ^^

 My english is too bad


----------



## sceleratus

glunteer said:


> when i put left, only sound comes from one side of the headphone, but for right is normal...
> 
> understand ? ^^
> 
> My english is too bad


 
  
 It's an ONLEDA.  Sam brand that Schiit uses for mains power.
 Let me see if I can find a DPDT version
  
http://www.china-electronics.com/Products/Details/MTSp2.htm


----------



## glunteer

sceleratus said:


> It's an ONLEDA.  Sam brand that Schiit uses for mains power.
> Let me see if I can find a DPDT version
> 
> http://www.china-electronics.com/Products/Details/MTSp2.htm


 
 Thanks so much


----------



## sceleratus

glunteer said:


> Thanks so much


 
  
 I helped a fellow in the Checz Republic locate a similar one.  If I remember correctly I had to get another brand.
 There should be a model number stamped on the switch.  Please post it.


----------



## glunteer

sceleratus said:


> I helped a fellow in the Checz Republic locate a similar one.  If I remember correctly I had to get another brand.
> There should be a model number stamped on the switch.  Please post it.


 
 on my switch...
 3a 250vac
 6a 125vac
  
 i liked the *MTS-223-F1 *and *MTS-223-E1 *


----------



## sceleratus

glunteer said:


> on my switch...
> 3a 250vac
> 6a 125vac
> 
> i liked the *MTS-223-F1 *and *MTS-223-E1 *


 
  
 I had a .pdf of the ONLEDA SPST switch but I can't remember how I got it.
 China Electric only sells the in the hundreds to mfg's
  
 I believe that these Jameco switches are the right size... but that's up to you.
  
 Best O' Luck


----------



## glunteer

sceleratus said:


> I had a .pdf of the ONLEDA SPST switch but I can't remember how I got it.
> China Electric only sells the in the hundreds to mfg's
> 
> I believe that these Jameco switches are the right size... but that's up to you.
> ...


 
 thanks for the help! 
  
 Cheers !


----------



## FullCircle

zashoomin said:


> Haha BRING IT


 
  
  
 Bringing it


----------



## FullCircle

Bringing More


----------



## Zashoomin

fullcircle said:


> Bringing More


 
  


fullcircle said:


> Bringing it


 
 Well I can say with confidence that you BROUGHT IT.  I can't wait to see the finished product...those cabinets look fantastic already.


----------



## PintoDave

Here is my SSMH I recently "finished", they never really are though, are they? I stil want to burn labels into the enclosure but not sure how to go about it.


----------



## peranders

rudewolf said:


> One thing tho - why did you choose to use smd electrolytic capacitors? Weren't through-hole parts as good? I'm asking because those were most likely the trickiest to solder.


 
 I wanted to go SMD all the way but my latest SMD has modified footprint for easier hand soldering. Now the pads are more outside and more accessible.


----------



## RudeWolf

Ok, that was my thinking as well. And yeah - I have a set of the SSB01 boards as well, the caps were a bit easier to solder there. I might use them in an office amplifier - most likely I'll put one of the boards in the feedback loop of an OPA134.


----------



## sceleratus

I'm going to have my back panel re-cut to accommodate some changes.  Rather than 0.09" silicon bronze I'll use 0.07 T6061  AL-LEW_MINI-YUM
  
Aquatech water cuts the panels straight from my Adobe Illustrator file.  They have a fixed fee for anything up to 24" x 48".    Since I only need 6" x 16" I was going to buy a 24" x 24" piece.  I guess I could cut 3 more, but why.
  
So why am I posting?  I thought if any of ya'll might want a panel cut it would only cost the postage if it'll fit in the remainder of 24x24 otherwise add the difference between the cost of a 24x24 and a 24x48 AL sheet.  I have not purchased the material yet.  The pieces in the photo below were from a 24x24.  I'm only cutting the small one.  Including the perimeter, there are close to 90 things cutout.
  
Or if a couple guys have small pieces we could do that...
  
PM me if interested.  If needed, I'll help with getting your layout into Illustrator.


----------



## FullCircle

zashoomin said:


> Well I can say with confidence that you BROUGHT IT.  I can't wait to see the finished product...those cabinets look fantastic already.


 
  

  


  
  
 I have to delay my project for almost a week. I need to drive into Bangkok (10Hrs) and take care of some things.....   But I figure I have around 2-3 days left on prep work for the towers.
  
 Then on to the lacquer stage.


----------



## Roberval

6N28B + OPA 2134


----------



## Heffa

roberval said:


> 6N28B + OPA 2134




That's really really nice! 
You got any more info on the schematics? Your own design? 

---
Sent a long time ago from a Galaxy [Tab] far far away using Tapatalk HD


----------



## Roberval

Circuit :


----------



## RudeWolf

Cool amp, how's the sound?


----------



## Roberval

Sounds very good (at least for me). This one is an update from previous version with JFET´s. These are the main modificatios :
  
 - OPA 2134 instead of the JFET´s (IFR 740);
 - Better filtering – I was able to get rid of a huge electrolytic cap ;
 - Audio grade caps .
  
 Resulting in better sound and lower power consumption (from 530ma to 280ma).
  
 Old Project :


  
  
 Thanks.


----------



## shipsupt

Looks good.  The giant cap hanging off the back had a certain charm 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 but the new version seems like a move in the right direction.  Nice work.


----------



## miceblue

What do the capacitors do for an amp? People have done mods to their iPod Videos by replacing the "caps" with larger ones, but I don't exactly know why or what they do.


----------



## shipsupt

A capacitor stores energy and can be thought of like a battery in a circuit.  That's a bit of an over simplification, but it's a start.  
  
 Capacitors play different roles depending on where they are in the amplifier circuit. Among other things they may be used to smoothing or filtering current, provide energy storage for times of peak demand, or acting to block DC as a coupling capacitor.  
  
 I know how this works, the minute I post an answer like this some of the really smart guys are going to chime in with a far better explanation, so just wait for it!


----------



## sceleratus

shipsupt said:


> A capacitor stores energy and can be thought of like a battery in a circuit.  That's a bit of an over simplification, but it's a start.
> 
> Capacitors play different roles depending on where they are in the amplifier circuit. Among other things they may be used to smoothing or filtering current, provide energy storage for times of peak demand, or acting to block DC as a coupling capacitor.
> 
> I know how this works, the minute I post an answer like this some of the really smart guys are going to chime in with a far better explanation, so just wait for it!


 
  
 I like that explanation


----------



## Roberval

A very good thread about capacitors :http://www.head-fi.org/t/284863/orgy-of-capacitors-the-cap-thread


----------



## magiccabbage

i had a lot of catching up to do on this thread, some great pics guys - keep up the good work


----------



## yaboin




----------



## miceblue

Wow, that looks really nice. Great job on that!


----------



## sceleratus

Added new back plane (polished 6061-T6):
 Output selector
 Input selector (not implemented)
 Speaker binding posts (upgraded OPT's)
 Bias adjustment jacks


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Very nice! Were you able to get rid of that hum problem you were experiencing?


----------



## sceleratus

to be determined


----------



## DutchGFX

After tons of help from Avro_Arrow, and tons of dumb questions on various forums...
  
 I present,_ the _*Twisted Pear Ventus EZ* 
  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  
  
 These are actually the first pictures of a completed Ventus EZ I have seen online, I wasn't able to find any previous pictures of this amplifier for whatever reason
 Its built with a Twisted Pear LCBPS, and an ALPS RK27, which is stylishly hot glued to its platform 
  
  
 Case was cut with an Epilog Laser Cutter at school, I designed each piece individually, and since I haven't seen much case design, I figured it'd be cool to post a few pictures of the files in Illustrator aswell
  

  

  

  
 Sorry if I uploaded way too many pics


----------



## sceleratus

dutchgfx said:


> After tons of help from Avro_Arrow, and tons of dumb questions on various forums...
> 
> I present,_ the _*Twisted Pear Ventus EZ*
> 
> ...


 
 The more pic's the better.
 Great job.  Naturally I love two-tone !
  
 I couldn't tell, is the diamond pattern on the side cut through?
 Very, very, nice.
  
 EDIT.   It is all the way through !!!
 Awesome!


----------



## DefQon

Where did you get the square rings around the Neutrik jacks? May be very well useful for some of the stuff I'm doing.


----------



## DutchGFX

defqon said:


> Where did you get the square rings around the Neutrik jacks? May be very well useful for some of the stuff I'm doing.


 
 http://www.redco.com/Neutrik-SCDP.html


----------



## n0str3ss

dutchgfx said:


> After tons of help from Avro_Arrow, and tons of dumb questions on various forums...
> 
> I present,_ the _*Twisted Pear Ventus EZ*
> 
> ...


 
 That case shure is nice looking!


----------



## shipsupt

Great job Dutch!  Thanks for sharing the pictures.


----------



## RudeWolf

Good casework, Dutch! The innards however need rearranging badly. Keep everything that conducts AC away from the low level input wires!


----------



## dbfreak

Sweet.


----------



## sceleratus

highflyin9 said:


> Very nice! Were you able to get rid of that hum problem you were experiencing?


 





 My speaker / headphone switch works great.
 Everything has been completed.  Buttoned up... finito. 
 The Audeze LCD2 R2's sound amazing !  As do my 15 year old Thiel CS 1.5's
 The amp is driving them just fine  and I like the sound better than the Zu Audio Soul 
 Zero static / fuzz / snow / hum.
 Stop the music and they're as quiet as a dead church mouse.


----------



## dsound

sceleratus said:


> My speaker / headphone switch works great.
> Everything has been completed.  Buttoned up... finito.
> The Audeze LCD2 R2's sound amazing !  As do my 15 year old Thiel CS 1.5's
> The amp is driving them just fine  and I like the sound better than the Zu Audio Soul
> ...


 
  
 I suggest a mini-meet at your house? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Do you have any idea how many watts your 300B amp generates?  I only ask because aren't your Thiels 4 ohms & 83db efficient?  My tiny SET amp could barely make them whisper


----------



## Mullet

Great job DutchGFX!!! I can't wait to see it and hear it in action at the NYC meet next month! We'll have to do a little DIY talk.
  
 Here's something I just finished in time for the meet on the 9th... It's a world-wide venture courtesy of peeps mostly from diyaudio.com. ESS ES9023 based DAC board with JG Buffer designed by Curryman and Joachim Gerhard in Germany; Isolator/Re-clocker board designed by Acko in Australia; USB Combo384 transport by Amanero in Italy; Sigma 25 power supplies by AMB in Sunnyvale, CA and the chassis by a few peeps in Albany, OR. I slapped it all together and I'm thoroughly enjoying it with my "Wire" amp and LCD-2s...


----------



## miceblue

mullet said:


> Great job DutchGFX!!! I can't wait to see it and hear it in action at the NYC meet next month! We'll have to do a little DIY talk.
> 
> Here's something I just finished in time for the meet on the 9th... It's a world-wide venture courtesy of peeps mostly from diyaudio.com. ESS ES9023 based DAC board with JG Buffer designed by Curryman and Joachim Gerhard in Germany; Isolator/Re-clocker board designed by Acko in Australia; USB Combo384 transport by Amanero in Italy; Sigma 25 power supplies by AMB in Sunnyvale, CA and the chassis by a few peeps in Albany, OR. I slapped it all together and I'm thoroughly enjoying it with my "Wire" amp and LCD-2s...


 
 Woah.....that is absolutely beautiful! Really nice job on that!
  
 Isn't the "Wire" just a gain circuit with no volume control?


----------



## Mullet

Thanks!
  
 The Wire is a fantastic amp... It's compared to the O2 amp - a wire with (unity) gain and a buffer for higher current output. I highly recommend it.  In it's default setup it's at unity gain. I added a gain of two because my DAC at the time (Gamma-2) only outputs 1.6Vrms. You can add an attenuator - I did, or some people slap it in with a DAC and use digital volume control. With this new DAC at 2Vrms the extra gain isn't really needed.


----------



## jdkJake

Nice work Mullet. That's a whole lot of SMD work.


----------



## cfcubed

> Originally Posted by *Mullet* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Here's something I just finished in time for the meet on the 9th... It's a world-wide venture courtesy of peeps mostly from diyaudio.com.
> <snip>


 
 Yes, very nice, neat build there Scott.


----------



## sceleratus

dsound said:


> I suggest a mini-meet at your house?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 How about a maxi-meet in San Diego, Sat Nov 2nd?
 However, I live an hour closer in OC, but it'll cost you pastries.
  
 8 watts into 8 ohms, to clipping,  -60.5db floor


----------



## sceleratus

Sometime things don't go well in the process.
  
 Since everyone like a train wreak....
  

  
  (I forgot to photograph the incinerated resistors.)


----------



## sceleratus

It's hard to believe but these Mundorf Silver Oil Caps are amazing.
 There was and immediate sonics upgrade over the Solen fast caps they replaced.
 A big difference!


----------



## mvrk10256

Built a nice switch with pupDAC built in. 
  
http://imgur.com/a/xFytk


----------



## tomb

mvrk10256 said:


> Built a nice switch with pupDAC built in.
> 
> http://imgur.com/a/xFytk


 
 Looks great from the outside, but this was the only picture I could find for the inside:
  

  
  
 Looks cool!


----------



## mvrk10256

Sorry for potato quality but here is the birds eye view.


----------



## drizek

Happy to finally be able to contribute to this thread (seven years after I started reading it),


----------



## shipsupt

A very nice contribution!  Well done.


----------



## mvrk10256

nice just finished mine..


----------



## shipsupt

What did you do for your dark/black finish mark?  I am planning to do something similar on a build and I've been looking around at options.


----------



## PintoDave

Here are some christmas gifts I am working on for some of my siblings and my father. Nothing special case wise, but a lot of heart and soul put into it all. It's not retail quality, but they should sound nice! They will be 12AU7 SSMH builds, still waiting on components to arrive from Mouser, should be here early November, then I have three weeks to assemble, troubleshoot and scope all three, then onto some nice exotic wood keepsake boxes for the female members of the family!


----------



## vixr

MHSS... home brew PCB, lexan case, used Mullard 12AU7 tubes


----------



## tomb

Absolutely fantastic.  You should send these pics to Pete Millett, personally!


----------



## DefQon

Very unique execution on the case/enclosure work, for a second I thought it was some ITX pc with tubes in clear plexiglass acrylic. lol


----------



## Kerry

Now that's really cool.  Nice build.


----------



## glunteer

vixr said:


> MHSS... home brew PCB, lexan case, used Mullard 12AU7 tubes


 

 it's so beautiful !


----------



## FrankCooter

Wow! Very beautiful and innovative casework! I love it when an amp is a statement of both the sonic and artistic vision of the builder!


----------



## whirlwind

Just beautiful.


----------



## mvrk10256

shipsupt said:


> What did you do for your dark/black finish mark?  I am planning to do something similar on a build and I've been looking around at options.


 
 I use an "ebony" stain from my local home depot


----------



## shipsupt

mvrk10256 said:


> I use an "ebony" stain from my local home depot


 
  
 Thanks.
  
 I'm wanting to do something with a little gloss, or a lot, like a piano black finish.


----------



## DefQon

shipsupt said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I'm wanting to do something with a little gloss, or a lot, like a piano black finish.


 
 Japanese black with polyutherane finish, gives a really nice deep black finish and polyutherane for the final glossy touch, recommend minimum 4 layers or 7 layers if you are going to buffer it for a polished shine.
  
 Stains and dyes don't really have glossy properties they change the colour and reveal the wood grain, lacquer, varnish and polyutherane is what you need for a finished gloss look.


----------



## shipsupt

Thanks for that!


----------



## DefQon

I'm still keen in seeing your Monolith you know.


----------



## MWP

A few years ago i went backpacking OS for 12 months.
 Not satisfied with my laptop's internal soundcard (no surprise there), i built this.
  
 It has a bit of a nasty power-on surge current which shuts down some USB ports, but with most its ok.
 The TA6120a is supplied +-12V rails by two DC-DC converters on the back of the PCB.
 Not ideal, but it sounds surprisingly good, is very compact and doesn't require any extra external power supply.
  
 Designed by me. Double sided PCB etched & assembled at home.
  

  
 Larger PCB photo: http://goo.gl/aDmTqr


----------



## shipsupt

defqon said:


> I'm still keen in seeing your Monolith you know.


 
  
 Ask and you shall receive!  Actually, I just happened to get some time to box it up this weekend.  I went sort of old school...


----------



## DefQon

Wow very nicely built, looks very alike to my Ross Martin DAC with the wooden ends (maple?). 
  
 So what was the total cost of this thing? How does it fair with low impedance headphones <100 ohms?


----------



## shipsupt

Thanks.  It's just the basic Hammond case.  They claim walnut.
  
 Having the boards mounted on the base plate and the XLR's, power switch, LED, etc... mounted to the top case turned out to be sort of PITA for wiring.  I needed to set everything up with the right slack so when I take the top cover off I can lean it back and gain access to everything.  
  
 I've not tried anything low impedance yet, I've only had the DT-990, 880, and HD-800 connected.  I'd like to try it, but my dynamic collection of cans is pretty much gone now.  I'd really like to try an ortho with it too, none of those left over either.
  
 Hopefully one of the other Monolith builders can let us know!


----------



## spritzer

Clamshell type chassis are a brilliant idea until you actually try to build one...


----------



## vixr

12AU7 single tube...sounds pretty good


----------



## sceleratus

vixr said:


> 12AU7 single tube...sounds pretty good


 
 Excellent !
  
 Very cool design.
 What board software do you use?


----------



## Avro_Arrow

vixr said:


> 12AU7 single tube...sounds pretty good


 

 Great build.
 Good job on the etching!


----------



## vixr

sceleratus, 
 Thank you... Express PCB, it's not the greatest, but very simple to use.


----------



## vixr

avro_arrow said:


> Great build.
> Good job on the etching!


 
 Thank you sir.


----------



## claudiomas

6SN7 6V6 OTL CLASS A BALANCED HEADPHONE AMP



 sound great


----------



## miceblue

claudiomas said:


> 6SN7 6V6 OTL CLASS A BALANCED HEADPHONE AMP
> 
> 
> sound great




Holy smokes. You built that??? That looks friggin' AMAZING!


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Very nice! Love the internal layout. The chassis has a Shanling "feel" to it with the brushed aluminum and rounded edges.


----------



## claudiomas

thank you for the "like"
 details:


----------



## FallenAngel

claudiomas - that is a very beautiful build, a testament to DIY!


----------



## PintoDave

Three simple ssmh builds going out as x-mas gifts to family this year. Just have a tangent mint cmoy to throw together for the traveling brother and the electronic projects will be done for the year!


----------



## claudiomas

fallenangel said:


> claudiomas - that is a very beautiful build, a testament to DIY!


 
 Yes, very beautiful,
 I call it "SOGNO ", Italian like me, means "dream"
 claudiomas


----------



## luisdent

I'm building an a/b audio switch out of my spare jds labs c5 amp case.  It works great and look purdy.


----------



## vixr

Something I'm working on...A 6DJ8 amp by Bruce Heran. I'm waiting on my 6DJ8 tubes and some iron from Edcor. I etched the boards and have my fingers crossed for a nice outcome...not because of the design, I'm worried about my iffy board fab skills.


----------



## nikongod

A long long time ago I haxored some HD580. 
  
 I bought them with busted drivers in hopes of finding a suitable driver to put in, at lower expense and greater adventure (mostly adventure) than just buying new drivers from Senn. 
  
 Well, being hopelessly frugal I plopped some KSC75 drivers in and created a funky hybrid that is does not sound too bad. 
 It would have been FAR too easy to solder a cable to the driver, never mind my constant efforts at design obfuscation, so I chopped up the busted drivers and put the little things for the interchangeable cable back in. 
  

  
 In case you dont know what HD-580 look like. 
 At some point I spray-painted the grills matte black because that dull grey blue has got to go!
  
  

  
 Boom! 
 That does not belong there. 
  
  

  
 Detail. 
 The female part of the connector is glued in. 
  

  
 Here is one of the original HD580 drivers with the cable-end bits cut off. 
  

  
 Closer detail on the original driver. 
 I was thinking of maybe making a microphone out of the driver, so I was very careful to keep the wires intact (only 1 driver was actually broken) but have not found any real motivation for it.


----------



## Sunshine55

vixr said:


> Something I'm working on...A 6DJ8 amp by Bruce Heran. I'm waiting on my 6DJ8 tubes and some iron from Edcor. I etched the boards and have my fingers crossed for a nice outcome...not because of the design, I'm worried about my iffy board fab skills.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## vixr

sunshine55 said:


>


 
 Cool! thanks for the advice... by the way, what size fuse did you go with on the AC in?


----------



## 00940

sunshine55 said:


> If i may, I would suggest you raise R2, R3 off the board 1/8" or so and use a more robust heatsink. I know these three parts to be the hot ones needing much air and air circulation.


 
  
 +1 Just as an add-on: the heatsink is much too close to the capacitors. You will significantly reduce their lifespan as you increase the temperature they're at.


----------



## Sunshine55

vixr said:


> Cool! thanks for the advice... by the way, what size fuse did you go with on the AC in?


 

 I haven't put in a fuse yet as on the bench i use an electronic fuse which is adjustable from 40 to about 500 watts.
 Having said that, looking at trans specs, the low volt side is capable of 12-watts and high side, 8-watts, for 20 total which is 0.166ma at 120v. Adding in about 100% over for turn-on surge and 1/4 Amp should do.


----------



## Sunshine55

I agree. Most small heat-sinks can be mounted with fins facing out off the board projecting heat away from those caps and physically leaving more room between cap and sink. A general rule of thumb with any power resistor is to board mount with space between. Many diff ways of holding res off board can be used from nothing to special ceramic tubes which slip over the leads before bending them and soldering in.


----------



## Sunshine55

vixr said:


> Something I'm working on...A 6DJ8 amp by Bruce Heran. I'm waiting on my 6DJ8 tubes and some iron from Edcor. I etched the boards and have my fingers crossed for a nice outcome...not because of the design, I'm worried about my iffy board fab skills.


 
 I do see one possible problem. Have the pics you put up been inverted. The reason being is, in the bottom board pic, the ground for vol pot is on the left. Therefore if pot is mounted as per pic with pot on it,,,,,,,, Full clockwise rotation will turn vol down not up. I must admit,,,"Been there done that".


----------



## vixr

sunshine55 said:


> I do see one possible problem. Have the pics you put up been inverted. The reason being is, in the bottom board pic, the ground for vol pot is on the left. Therefore if pot is mounted as per pic with pot on it,,,,,,,, Full clockwise rotation will turn vol down not up. I must admit,,,"Been there done that".


 
 Thanks for the heads up...I'm going to be wiring the pot to the board anyway. I've done so many amps with the tubes showing, I thought I would try one with everything inside this time, so the pot will have to be wired off the board. Its actually a coincidence that the traces and pads are so similar to the pins on the pot...thanks again.


----------



## vixr

Well, I have my boards all done, just waiting on the transformers now...and some inspiration to strike on the enclosure.


----------



## sceleratus

Put in some Jensen Line Input Transformers.
 Now I can use the Balanced XLR's on my Gungnir.  I got about a 20% boost in power.  Not measured just by feel.  This is just what I needed with my ripped LP's that are at a lower level.
  
 Also have a set of Sophia Electric™ Princess Mesh 300B sometime this week.


----------



## Steve Eddy

If you go the transformer route again, I would suggest going with CineMag. As good as Jensen, but not quite as expensive. Their CMLI-15/15B is a good choice.

se


----------



## sceleratus

Thanks Steve.
 I ripped it out.  Distortion.
 Done.


----------



## Steve Eddy

sceleratus said:


> Thanks Steve.
> I ripped it out.  Distortion.
> Done.




Distortion? Huh?

se


----------



## sceleratus

Yes.
 The music seemed to break up and not just at high volumes.  Some tracks were better than others.  Some, the Dead, were damn near unlistenable.  I switched back to the SE (not Steve Eddy) harness and everything was clean.
  
 The transformer leads are very thin, I don't know if  they were picking anything up.


----------



## 00940

Could you remind us what is the signal path, from the xlr output of the DAC to the grid of the input tube ?
  
 This xformer can normally handle up to 5vrms (more than the gungnir can output), so it shouldn't be going bad on you. What's your volume control ?


----------



## Steve Eddy

sceleratus said:


> Yes.
> The music seemed to break up and not just at high volumes.  Some tracks were better than others.  Some, the Dead, were damn near unlistenable.  I switched back to the SE (not Steve Eddy) harness and everything was clean.
> 
> The transformer leads are very thin, I don't know if  they were picking anything up.




That's odd. Can you check to see if there's any DC offset on the Gungnir's balanced outputs? You shouldn't have any distortion issues with that transformer with a maximum 4 volt RMS input from the Gungnir.

EDIT: Also, what's the input circuit the transformer is feeding? Any chance of DC current t flowing in the transformer's secondary?

se


----------



## sceleratus

Thanks for all the ideas. I'll be back home in a few hours and respond.


----------



## sceleratus

Here's the schema..
 Volume POT is a 100K Ohm Alps Blue.
  
 I was so PO'd I pulled the assembly last night and returned to an ALPs Blue 10k ohm straight to the driver.
  
 There are a lot of connections integrating the trans.
 I'd have to solder the XLR's in again, but that's not too big a deal.
 I used a SchmartBoard for the connections.  The board has groups of five pads in a buss. Each corner has three pads that are bussed to ground.  I used those for all grounds on both transformers.  I did not use that for the ground lift.  I home run the ground lift to mains ground.  The ground lift worked in that there was no difference between switch positions.
  
 I enjoyed the boost and thought it was great until I listened carefully.
 It sounded as if the speaker driver blew.  Very rough and not just at high volumes.  The Dead are known for their recording prowess.  I put on an HD Tracks "Uncle John's Band"  It was horrible.    Although some folks might think that's normal.


----------



## Steve Eddy

Well, don't see anything that would be putting any DC on the secondaries. How difficult would it be for you to jumper those 220nF caps temporarily?

Have you checked the output of the Gungnir for DC offset yet?

se


----------



## sceleratus

steve eddy said:


> Well, don't see anything that would be putting any DC on the secondaries. How difficult would it be for you to jumper those 220nF caps temporarily?
> 
> Have you checked the output of the Gungnir for DC offset yet?
> 
> se


 
 Do you mean break the grounds between L/R ?
  
 I have not checked the Gungnir outputs.
 Is that simply looking for DC voltage on the outputs with a DMM or scope?


----------



## 00940

Moving my answer to your thread to stop OTing this one


----------



## Sunshine55

It almost sounds like you may have an impedance miss-match. Have you tried changing the value of the 24K, maybe a bit higher value even up to 100K same as pot?


----------



## Zashoomin

My first beta 22 build.  I am so happy and I think lucky that everything worked the first time I plugged it in.  So glad I didn't have to trouble shoot.


----------



## funch

Did you mount everything to the top cover of the chassis?


----------



## Zashoomin

funch said:


> Did you mount everything to the top cover of the chassis?


 
 top or bottom, I am not sure but it had more vent holes so it was a bit easier to work with.


----------



## sceleratus

Does anyone have a design recommendation for a high pass filter?
  
 I put in a sub that I had doing nothing.  I cabled it straight off the second RCA's on the Schiit Gungnir DAC.
 It works great.  Because I only have 10W max from my 300B, it only required a tiny fraction of volume.  I used FuzzMeasure Pro to capture the room freq levels with the sub and my Thiel CS1.5's  Turns out that 100-120Hz is about right.
  
 The High Pass.  It is my understanding that a filter on the Thiels will make them more efficient.  That would be good for me.
  
 Any input  will be appreciated.  The BLUE is the room without the sub.
 The GREEN is after dialing in the volume, freq, and phase of the sub.
  
 EDIT:   Is this just a matter of calculating one resister and one cap?  Where 110Hz is 150 ohm and 10uF ?


----------



## wakibaki

I think that you ideally want to combine both channels and feed the result through a lowpass filter, then have independent high-pass filters for the left and right channels. I think Linkwitz-Riley is now the rolloff of choice, but this is not my area of expertise. I do, however, have a copy of Doug Self's active crossovers book, so I'll have a look. Right now my wife is serving dinner, so I'll get back to you...
  
 A totally passive filter might not be ideal, but it does have the advantage of not needing any power supply.
  
 w


----------



## sceleratus

Update.
  
 I'm working with a friends preamp.   There is no question that I need one.
 The Thiel's are handling the bass fine from the preamp.
  
 I couldn't get a source file to put the Gungnir over 1 V
  
 Update II.
 Bought an Adcom GFP 565 on Audiogon.
  
 Using the Preamp is HUGE.  I have all the power I'll ever need.
 I'm getting 1.7V to the amp.
 3.7V is clipping.


----------



## PintoDave

Here is the mint tangent CMOY I put together for my busy traveling brother for x-mas:
  
 I am also including with it a short 3.5mm cable for his source, some fresh 9V batteries, and two sizes of paired custom silicone wrist bands which are debossed with the words "CMOY AMPLIFIED". I think he will love it!


----------



## RealSpark

My build of 12AU7 version of SS. Did not use 12AU7 though... Used GE 5814A to replace.


----------



## miceblue

realspark said:


> My build of 12AU7 version of SS. Did not use 12AU7 though... Used GE 5814A to replace.


 
 Woaaaaaaah, that's friggin awesome! Very creative, and resourceful.
  
  


pintodave said:


> Here is the mint tangent CMOY I put together for my busy traveling brother for x-mas:
> 
> I am also including with it a short 3.5mm cable for his source, some fresh 9V batteries, and two sizes of paired custom silicone wrist bands which are debossed with the words "CMOY AMPLIFIED". I think he will love it!


 
 Aw, that's nice of you. That looks a lot cleaner than my Tangentsoft CMoy. XD


----------



## PintoDave

realspark said:


> My build of 12AU7 version of SS. Did not use 12AU7 though... Used GE 5814A to replace.




I love the case choice! I love the 5814 tubes, they sound more "defined". I find the 12au7 tubes to have a little more rounded, smooth, sound. It depends on what mood I am in, really.


----------



## crispchicken

mwp said:


> A few years ago i went backpacking OS for 12 months.
> Not satisfied with my laptop's internal soundcard (no surprise there), i built this.
> 
> It has a bit of a nasty power-on surge current which shuts down some USB ports, but with most its ok.
> ...


 
 I dig this design! I've been thinking about doing something similar myself and I'd love to see more detail on how you put it together.
  
 Is there any chance that you could provide me with schematics/board layout/BOM/anything else of value?
  
 I'd be super appreciative 
  
 Chris


----------



## Roberval

Recently I did a plastic surgery in one of my projects (the metalic paint was getting blemishes everywhere). I repainted it and did a little trim in the PSU cover and put descent RCA jacks.
  
 Before :
  


  
 After :


----------



## Mullet

Roberval what amp is this? Looks like a 6DJ8 based amp.


----------



## Roberval

Its a ECC82 + OPA 2107.
  
 The circuit :


----------



## vixr

roberval said:


> Recently I did a plastic surgery in one of my projects (the metalic paint was getting blemishes everywhere). I repainted it and did a little trim in the PSU cover and put descent RCA jacks.


 
 Very nice... I'm a fan of unique case work, very nice...12 volts on the heaters seems a bit high.


----------



## 00940

vixr said:


> Very nice... I'm a fan of unique case work, very nice...12 volts on the heaters seems a bit high.


 

 12.6v is the normal value for ecc82 (heaters wired in serie).
  
 @Roberval: very nice build btw, very clean looking. I would have wired the output opamp in non-inverting configuration to avoid using such high feedback resistors (it increases noise a bit) but it is only a minor concern.


----------



## Roberval

Thanks everyone and 00940 thank for the tip. I am not and advanced electonic guy - normally I put the pieces together and pray for them to work well he, he, he....


----------



## 00940

I really need to get a digital camera...
  
 Anyway, here's a 2K, 36 steps volume control. It's made of a 12 positions shorting switch, for -2 to -24db attenuation in 2db increments (+/- 0.1db, since I used "common" resistor values), and of a 3 positions switch, with pads for -0db, -15db, -30db. Thus three overlapping ranges, depending on needs.
  
 It is for the output of dac. 2k is high enough to be driven by the dac output stage and low enough to drive the input stages of my amps. The -2db first step, rather than 0, provides protection for the output stage (it always sees a 430 resistor even if the output is shorted).
  
 It is a reasonably cheap built. The big switch is 5€, the lorlin 2€, the 34 resistors about 3€ so 10€ total (+ shipping of course).


----------



## PScal

I recently completed a pair of Decware zkit1 amplifiers for my father-in-law.  He calls it SteamBilly.  It's not 100% done, but DIY projects like this rarely are.  I realize it's different from what a lot of folks on here are into, but here it is.
  

  
  
  
  
 Tube glow


----------



## mcandmar

1st build, a DIY rechargeable CMOY,

  
 2nd build had a bit more class, an RA-1 clone in a cigar box,


 Latest build, the Bottlehead S.E.X.


----------



## sceleratus

pscal said:


> I recently completed a pair of Decware zkit1 amplifiers for my father-in-law.  He calls it SteamBilly.  It's not 100% done, but DIY projects like this rarely are.  I realize it's different from what a lot of folks on here are into, but here it is.


 
 OUTSTANDING !!!!


----------



## Zashoomin

pscal said:


> I recently completed a pair of Decware zkit1 amplifiers for my father-in-law.  He calls it SteamBilly.  It's not 100% done, but DIY projects like this rarely are.  I realize it's different from what a lot of folks on here are into, but here it is.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 That (excuse my teenage lingo) looks sick.  How does it sound?


----------



## PScal

zashoomin said:


> That (excuse my teenage lingo) looks sick.  How does it sound?


 

 Thank you.  It sounds fantastic.  Next week it's going to live at his place, so in the meantime I'm trying to get as much enjoyment out of it as I can.


----------



## miceblue

My Prototype of Project Palaios, PP-P?, finally has a case. XD







Spoiler: Inside









^ I hate multi-stranded wire...the things broke twice on me >.>



The potentiometer turns really easily, but luckily the 6.3 mm hole I drilled in the case has a snug fit and it's harder to turn now.


----------



## Mullet

Multi-stranded wire should hold up if you tin it first i.e. twist it and apply some solder to the end. That's at least what I've found.


----------



## 00940

Let's continue with accessory builds. Here's a small transformers box. The aim is to provide impedance matching in between high-gain, low-current amps and low impedance headphones (anyone remembers the Audiovalve "Impedanzer" ?). It uses 100v line transformers from monacor. Two positions: 5:1 and 10:1 (voltage ratio).
  
 Most probably very low inductance so best driven from a low impedance output. It is intended to complement my current headphones amp. It sounds "right" using the hd650 on the 5:1 tap but I'll have to measure the FR one of these days.


----------



## vixr

Well, here is the third set of boards for this amp I've etched with the latest changes...still waiting on my transformers from Edcor. I hope they get here soon before I run out of copper clad.


----------



## vixr

I got some wiring done this evening, I am trying to keep the power trans as far from the OP trans as possible. I bought a 12x12x4 enclosure, so with some luck there should be plenty of space between the transformers. I intend to put the power switch in the back and a 1/8 mini in front to keep the wiring simple and keep the input away from the A/C stuff...
  

 This little toggle switch on the left will let me switch between the 300 and 600 Ohm taps on the output transformers.


----------



## Atomicus88

My first EVER project requiring a soldiering iron: a very ugly mono LM386 pocket amp. Im proud, but also humbled by some of the stuff you other guys make.


----------



## sceleratus

atomicus88 said:


> My first EVER project requiring a soldiering iron: a very ugly mono LM386 pocket amp. Im proud, but also humbled by some of the stuff you other guys make.




Watch all three parts of this tutorial and you will be able to solder anything. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ&sns=em


----------



## DutchGFX

My new soldering iron came an I'm hoping for a crack kit for Christmas


----------



## Atomicus88

sceleratus said:


> Watch all three parts of this tutorial and you will be able to solder anything.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ&sns=em


 

 Thanks, I got some advice from a family member and as it turns out I was doing it almost all wrong. I'm surprised the thing even worked after watching that. Oh well, glad I learned something!


----------



## Mullet

Soldering is the easy part. There is quite a bit of a learning curve once you get beyond the paint by numbers type of builds.


----------



## GrindingThud

PSU for my KSA5:


----------



## DefQon

realspark said:


> My build of 12AU7 version of SS. Did not use 12AU7 though... Used GE 5814A to replace.


 
  
 AWESOME!
  
 I've been thinking hard for a long time whether or not the Apple mac mini enclosures will do some good as amplification or even dac enclosures, with plenty afloat on ebay, I'm glad somebody finally took the lead for the team.


----------



## vixr

...got my 6DJ8 amp on the run...my EDCOR iron is slated to be delivered tomorrow. I used hammered black and colonial red spray bombs.


----------



## DefQon

Does the paint scuff easily?


----------



## vixr

defqon said:


> Does the paint scuff easily?


 
 The hammered stuff goes on pretty thick, I dont think it will scuff easily...the colonial red is just enamel, I'm sure it would scuff without too much effort.


----------



## DefQon

vixr said:


> The hammered stuff goes on pretty thick, I dont think it will scuff easily...*the colonial red is just enamel, I'm sure it would scuff without too much effort.*


 
 Yeah 
  
 I'd like to know a paint (no powder coat or resort to professional air brush/spray painting services) that is tough to withstand dirty fingers and abrasive materials or the ability to not scuff up easily (gloss black under the sun light).


----------



## vixr

I'm not much of a paint guy...I stood in front of the spray paint cans at the hardware store for 1/2 an hour trying to get something good...here is my latest finished amp. It sounds pretty darn good.


----------



## starchypants

maybe add a thin coat of matt varnish over the top of the paint to avoid scratches and scuffs?


----------



## GrindingThud

Almost finished my KSA5 clone, sounds great:


----------



## dsound

grindingthud said:


> Almost finished my KSA5 clone, sounds great:


 
  
 That looks awesome, great job!


----------



## bearFNF

Pics of my Decware Zenhead (first DIY amp and first attempt at using automotive metallic paint).
  


Spoiler: DIY Zenhead kit



The board

  
 The final paint job.  Victory Sunset Red


----------



## vixr

Nice...how does it sound?


----------



## bearFNF

Very nice actually, the customization really helps, I can use my studio V and my DX50 with it and it drives my UE7's, PS500, HD800's just fine.  Only issue is that the switches for gain, input impedance, crossover, and output impedance are inside and require me to take it apart to get at them.  Will be looking into maybe putting and access hole with a cover on it.
  
 It might jus get dedicated to a certain setup soon as I just order a UHA760.


----------



## Nisbeth

An updated classic - opamp and BUF634 based headamp/preamp 
  

  
  
 Eagle files available for download from my blog if anyone's interested.
  
 /U.


----------



## jdkJake

defqon said:


> I'd like to know a paint (no powder coat or resort to professional air brush/spray painting services) that is tough to withstand dirty fingers and abrasive materials or the ability to not scuff up easily (gloss black under the sun light).




The gloss requirement is the tough part. Otherwise, the material used to spray truck bedliners would meet your requirements. I've seen a fellow member use it on a set of speakers and I thought it turned out great. Looked good and is durable beyond belief.


----------



## bearFNF

I'd look into the Duplicolor offerings, they have a few tough duty paints...


----------



## vixr

I found a few 19J6 tubes in my stash and realized the I needed to build something with them...So, I etched myself a board and started this amp. I'm waiting on my parts from Mouser, and I need to find some decent standoffs...I will post some pictures of the finished amp soon...


----------



## miceblue

Wow, that's really unique! I like it!


----------



## Zashoomin

Ya can't wait to see the outcome.


----------



## NLNH

vixr said:


> I found a few 19J6 tubes in my stash and realized the I needed to build something with them...So, I etched myself a board and started this amp. I'm waiting on my parts from Mouser, and I need to find some decent standoffs...I will post some pictures of the finished amp soon...


 

 Triangles!


----------



## vixr

I was able to get the tube holes cut and polished, the outside height is just over 2 inches.


----------



## BaTou069

I don't take any credit for this
  
 just found this while surfing from
  
http://makezine.com/2012/04/12/the-most-beautiful-homemade-device-ive-ever-seen/


----------



## shipsupt

Spent some time this week with the mill getting the chassis built for my Pete Millett Engineer's Amp.  A work in progress...


----------



## vixr

XP-90 CPU cooler! Those IRF510s don't stand a chance...


----------



## Mullet

@vixr - really cool stuff! Someday in the near to distant future when I have my small shop up and running I'd like try my hand at etching PCBs.
   
@shipsupt - that is one cool combo drill press / milling machine. I'm in the market for a drill press and haven't settled on anything yet. Should I take the plunge and go for a combo unit like that?


----------



## crispchicken

Here's my latest audio project:
  

 It's a SSMH based on Fred_fred's board, and Sylvania 12au7's. Sorry about my super-messy desk  The bread-board enclosure is just a temporary home until I can make up a metal case for it, but I kind of like the super basic look for now... I've buffed the markings off the tubes, as they looked kinda crappy and had half worn off in storage for who knows how many years.
  
 It sounds very "tubey" which is nice on occasion, and for certain material, I'm currently using it as a preamp in my pc audio system, more than for my headphones, as my phones don't need to get any more muddy than they already are! It really does give the speakers I'm using a really nice glow, but the sound definitely isn't for every track, nor movies or games particularly. Either way, it's been an interesting foray into tube audio, I'm very interested in trying again, but with a "real" amp, running a few hundred volts rather than the 48 this one is on.
  
 I have noticed a difference in the gain level per channel, would this be based on the beta of the tubes themselves, or could I maybe adjust some resistors to even it out?


----------



## shipsupt

mullet said:


> @shipsupt - that is one cool combo drill press / milling machine. I'm in the market for a drill press and haven't settled on anything yet. Should I take the plunge and go for a combo unit like that?


 
  
 It's just a very basic mini-mill, also often called a hobby-mill.  It's useful if you take your time with your work, but everything is manual and you need to be careful to accomplish accurate work when it's needed.  Your work area is also somewhat limited, but I've yet to find an audio project that I can't get in there somehow.  It gives you a lot more options than a drill press, but I have the advantage of some formal machinist training and work from early in my career.


----------



## n_maher

shipsupt said:


> Spent some time this week with the mill getting the chassis built for my Pete Millett Engineer's Amp.  A work in progress...


 
 Very nice.  I've always wanted to build one of those (being both an engineer and a fan of Pete's work) but have yet to find a use for it if I did.


----------



## jarscrew

vixr said:


> XP-90 CPU cooler! Those IRF510s don't stand a chance...


 
 Cool..., love the idea..


----------



## shipsupt

Boxed up and ready for testing...


----------



## Roberval

I am re-doing an old project :


----------



## DefQon

@vixr: Somehow you've tapped into my mind and retrieved the idea's I've been holding for 3 years now. Seriously though I need some 1 inch thick smoked clear black arcylic perspex how much did you get yours for? My local retailer only has up to 8mm. But I've got plans for a $4.5k preamp project for a customer.
  
 @Chris: The engineers amp is a good one had it along with my Jonokuchi (another of Pete's diy if you hadn't known). Good stuff indeed before I flogged it for cheap.


----------



## vixr

DefQon,
     I got mine free from the scrap bin at work...I bet its pretty expensive.


----------



## mwhouston

Here is my latest HP amp: 6AS7 with Sophia Electric Mesh Plate rec.tube - 274B. This build was inspired by the Woo Audio HP amp which can be purchased with the same rec. tube.
  




  
 Take a look at the write-up: Sanguine


----------



## mwhouston

Here are a couple Oatley K272C portable triode HP amps I built up from kits.





  Take a look K272C


----------



## DefQon

@vixr: Luck you 
  
 @houston: Good Lord that's a nice looking build but isn't the chassis a bit too small? Especially the power supply enclosure?


----------



## mwhouston

@DefQon: the chassis for the PS did get a little tight but I like working with these cast Al enclosures because they are solid and I get them cheap from work. There was plenty of room in the amp section. I'll post some images of under the bonnet.


----------



## vixr

mwhouston said:


> Here are a couple Oatley K272C portable triode HP amps I built up from kits.
> 
> 
> Take a look K272C
> ...


----------



## mwhouston

It's great to think you can have your own portable triode HP amp which runs on a few batteries. I think the K272C is the best so far. Some like the K272 original because it ran on one 9V battery. But I have had a number of every model including a K272B which never made product. I got an early prototype. The "C" is the best sonically.


----------



## mwhouston

Here are some under the bonnet shots of Sanguine, the 6AS7 HP amp. It was mentioned that the the PS chassis looked small. It does get tight but workable. In the PS note the 4uf PIO Russian cap (big brown) and the mains power filter at the opposite end.


----------



## vixr

mwhouston said:


> Here are some under the bonnet shots of Sanguine, the 6AS7 HP amp. It was mentioned that the the PS chassis looked small. It does get tight but workable. In the PS note the 4uf PIO Russian cap (big brown) and the mains power filter at the opposite end.
> 
> 
> NICE! your P2P is seriously good.


----------



## Roberval

Finished.


----------



## mwhouston

mwhouston said:


> Here is my latest HP amp: 6AS7 with Sophia Electric Mesh Plate rec.tube - 274B. This build was inspired by the Woo Audio HP amp which can be purchased with the same rec. tube.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Dropped the amp on the CRO and here are some specs. I think the most impressive is the Ultra low noise figures:
  
  
 With 33ohm load:
 -3db points -10Hz to 240KHz
 max power with 2.03Vpp input = 1Vpp @ 1KHz
 noise with input S/C = 0.45mV to 0.88mV RMS (that's really low) knob at 10:30 position my comfortable listening level
 Xtalk - 1Khz at 2.03Vpp input in one channel = 1.6mV in the other channel (excellent)
  
 With 180ohm load
 -3db points -10Hz to 164KHz
 max power with 2.03Vpp input = 6Vpp @ 1KHz
 noise with input S/C = 0.45mV to 0.77mV RMS (that's really, really low)
 Xtalk - 1Khz at 2.03Vpp input in one channel = 1.6mV in the other channel (same, excellent)
 Channel matching was perfect 100%. Noise didn't change with attenuator fully open.


----------



## diego

After four months of work I finally finished my Buffalo IIISE . It is a very nice upgrade over my five year old Buffalo DAC.
  
  

  

  

  

  

  

  
 Added higher resolution pictures.


----------



## mwhouston

Very neat pro looking build. Dual PSs?


----------



## nippon

Wow, first my pessimistic mind was thinking about the 2x switches near the volume controll... but no. It is very very close to the perfect DIY DAC.
 I can identify the impressive powersupply, the input stage and the protection relay(!?), but can you tell us something about the signal path in detail?
 Does the DAC oversample?
  
 It looks just awesome


----------



## diego

Thank you guys.
  
 For the power supply I used AMB Sigma 22 and Sigma 11 power supplies. The first has a +15 and -15 output and feeds the IVYIII amplification stage and the second has a +5 volt output and feeds the DAC and WaveIO  USB converter. Additionally, both the DAC and WaveIO have their own local regulators that improve performance and isolate them from each other. Both of these supplies have very low noise and output impedance. I also put an AC filter and SumR 50VA custom transformers with a metal band to reduce horizontal radiation from them.
  
 The switches and the volume control do not carry signal. They just control a small voltage that orders the dac chip to digitally modify the volume or the input. I used ufl coaxial cables for the digital inputs to minimize noise. All output and power supply cables are twisted and go between two grounded planes that protect them from some noise.
  
 It is not a relay, it´s a ground loop breaker. The signal ground is connected through the ground loop breaker and has a switch to float it so that I can choose what gives me the lowest noise.
  
 It is a Twisted Pear Audio Buffalo IIISE. There is plenty of info on their website but yes it oversamples and reclocks the input.
  
 The whole thing has 0 DC offset at the output and the noise is too low to measure with my Fluke 179, so the total output noise is probably less than 100 microvolts. I certainly can´t hear any at least.


----------



## vixr

simply stunning sir...


----------



## RudeWolf

Why did you opt for Sigma PSU's instead of shuntregulators?


----------



## diego

Mainly for better thermal efficiency. Shunt regulators waste a lot of current particularly in the case of the WaveIO. This card uses a lot less current when playing 44.1 khz material than it uses when playing 384khz but if you want it to be able to do 384khz you have to set the current for it and waste it most of the time.
  
 Additionally, the buffalo IIISE has it´s own shunt regulators so even if I put a linear regulator behind them the dac still is going to see a shunt regulator. In the case of the WaveIO, it has on board linear regulators so even if I put a shunt behind them the card still is going to see a linear regulator.
  
 Finally, Sigma PSUs have very good performance and I am not convinced that I can gain anything by using shunts.


----------



## 2leftears

I built this headphone amp back in 1992 when I was a student.  It was very loosely based on the NAD 1020 pre-amplifier high output/ headphone section, but I made a lot of major modifications (Darlington output stage, switchable bias spreader etc.) so pretty much completely my own design.
  

Runs either on mains or 4 x 8.4V NiMH batteries (about 10hrs)
Fully discrete amplifier
Full class A for headphones down to 32Ohms at normal listening levels
Can be switched to class AB to preserve battery power
Output can be used as a pre-amplifier
Output impedance just over 5 Ohms
  
 I recently treated it to a new Alps pot and a full new set of Nichicon caps.
  
 Of course I am biased but I think it still holds up very well against my Lehmann Linear!


----------



## RudeWolf

What elements are in the TO-99 packages that I see heatsinked?


----------



## 2leftears

rudewolf said:


> What elements are in the TO-99 packages that I see heatsinked?


 
 BC516 and BC517 Darlingtons in the output stage, hFE > 30,000.  They are no longer being made I think.
  
 These are not meant to be heatsinked, but the heatsinking helps a bit. They are running 25mA at 12V when on mains supply, dissipating 0.3W each. They are rated at 625mW.  At a stretch the current could be set at 50mA, but with the high impedance headphones I have got I don't need more for full class A operation.
  
 The other transistors are various BC546, BC556 and BC559 used in the input stage, voltage amplification stage, and also for short-citcuit protection.
  
 I built this as a student, and although the amp sounds really great, there are some things I would do different now.


----------



## Androb

Dad just finished building this little badboy 
  


  
 A phono stage


----------



## 2leftears

Neat!


----------



## KimLaroux




----------



## mwhouston

Looking very smart. Nice build. Some technical info please?


----------



## KimLaroux

mwhouston said:


> Looking very smart. Nice build. Some technical info please?


 
  
 It started as a Millett Starving Student hybrid amplifier. It uses 12AU7 tubes as voltage gain and MOSFETs as current gains. The MOSFETs are loaded using the heaters of the tubes.
  
 The transformer has a 30-0-30 ouput, which is what made this project possible.
  
 I built a voltage multiplier identical to the one in the SOHA II, giving me ~180V at its output. This rail is regulated down to 138V using a TL783 linear regulator and powers the tubes. Each triode operates at 70V/2mA. Each tube has its triodes paralleled.
  
 I built a high-current 25V rail for the MOSFETs from the same transformer taps, regulated using an LM317.


----------



## mcandmar

My latest project, a fun little headphone amp based on the Bottlehead Quickie pre-amp.  It still uses a low voltage 40v supply, but with plate chokes and output transformers. Works great with Grados


----------



## mwhouston

Neat


----------



## Johnnyhi

mcandmar said:


> My latest project, a fun little headphone amp based on the Bottlehead Quickie pre-amp.  It still uses a low voltage 40v supply, but with plate chokes and output transformers. Works great with Grados


 
 Nice Flooring... i like the color...


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

2leftears said:


> I built this headphone amp back in 1992 when I was a student.  It was very loosely based on the NAD 1020 pre-amplifier high output/ headphone section, but I made a lot of major modifications (Darlington output stage, switchable bias spreader etc.) so pretty much completely my own design.


 
 Handsome little unit, nice work!


----------



## 00940

A simple "Curryman" DAC, with a CM6631a USB receiver from Diynhk. Case is a Galaxy GX247.


----------



## mwhouston

Very neat. Looks pro.


----------



## KT88

The amp is finally "complete". Just have to add one more ceramic in the regulator board when the order gets here, but it isn't required for operation. This baby started singing a little while ago. Driven from the y2 and going into the K1000's  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Front:

 Back:

 Inside:

 Another angle:

 Case is from eBay, I engraved the panels in my DIY CNC machine so this was quite cheap to do (although a massive PITA). Transformer is a 50VA 2x15VAC (series connected) AntekInc toroid, with a steel case. The IEC module includes the switch + fuse + line filter inside of it. A ToliRegV3 regulator (obviously ) set to 30VDC with a current limit of 1.5A. There is an amplified zener set to 35V as a protection in case something goes wrong with the supply voltage. There's a ground loop breaker bolted to the case, I went for the one with the diode bridge mainly because its easier to mount 
 M3 with 2.5" high heatsinks set to 140mA bias, OPA627 for all 3 channels. Gain is set to 5, a compromise between driving the K1000 to sufficient volume and using it with my other headphones. I was pleased to see that with this gain I get sufficient listening volume with the K1000's even when playing a quite recording from my Sansa Fuse player (used it for testing since it has a low output level). When using the y2 I'm mostly around the 1-2 o'clock position.
 e12 mounted on the center aluminum plate I've added to the case. It was slightly too sensitive when playing music with lots of bass at high volume levels, so I've replaced R5-R8 with 33K to lower the gain at low frequencies.
 Since all the input wires are shielded, and the transformer (which is itself a shielded transformer) is placed inside a steel case, there's no hum. Plugged in a pair of PX100 and rotated the volume knob from minimum to maximum position, no hum/noise anywhere.


----------



## funch

That, sir, is a fabulous piece of work.


----------



## mwhouston

KT88: great work.


----------



## 00940

And here's a dynalo to match the DAC above


----------



## Sunshine55

I'm starting to get my pics changed for the net so here is a bit of eye candy.

 This is a mic and stand i made to go with an audio analyzer i had built to complete my home system at the time.
  The rods are from discarded printers and scanners. Each section raises and lowers like velvet. And it is as sturdy as any mic stand.



 This mic pre-amp i got off the net and have duplicated many times as it preforms great. Using a quad op-amp 1-for precision DC supply, 1-for mic/amp, and 2-for pos and neg over excursion monitor and display. It also has high and low gain settings.


----------



## Zashoomin

I guess I will shamelessly post my beta here as well even though I already posted pictures in the beta thread.  
  

  

  

  

  

  
 It is a 4 channel fully balanced beta with upgraded large heat sinks, 2 sigmas, 2 epsilon 12's for relay delay and protection, and a goindpoint attenuator.  
  
 Of course it has balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs as well as preamp out and speaker taps.


----------



## funch

Post 3166
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/243379/roll-call-whos-building-built-or-thinking-of-building-a-beta22/3165#post_10561878


----------



## RudeWolf

This is how my QRV-08 ended up looking!


----------



## stixx

> And here's a dynalo to match the DAC above


 
 Nice build  00940!
  
 When I am allowed a tiny bit of nitpicking I would redo the spaghetti wiring...


----------



## adydula

Here's my ODA!
  
 Check out.....
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/719611/objective-desktop-amp-a-version-from-agdr#post_10570300
  
 Its what an ODA might have been!!
  
 Alex


----------



## 00940

@RudeWolf: nice and compact    What knob is that ?
  
  
  
  
 Quote:


stixx said:


> Nice build  00940!
> 
> When I am allowed a tiny bit of nitpicking I would redo the spaghetti wiring...


 
  
 Thanks.  Yes, the wiring could be a bit tidier  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 but I swear it looks much worse in picture than in real life.


----------



## RudeWolf

Got it on fleabay for not that many monies.


----------



## adydula

Front Panel on still needs labeling.....ODA.
  

  
 Alex


----------



## Avro_Arrow

This is not so much of a build as a re-build...at least it's music related.
  
 I got this Korg M1 for $30 in non-working condition and re-built it.
 Replaced all the tactile switches, re-soldered all the i/o
 connectors, replaced the back-up battery and reloaded the sound
 banks. Works and looks as good as new now.


----------



## mcluxun

modified singlepower squarewave
 removed coupling caps and replaced with op servo


----------



## muskyhuntr

Just completed my CK2III build.  Sounds fantastic.

  

  

 Thanks for looking.
 Me


----------



## Mullet

Nice build musky. I know you built an EHHA not too long ago, which do you like better?


----------



## muskyhuntr

Please don't think this is a cop out.  Before the CK2III my best sounding builds were my M3 and the  EHHA (rev. a) with the M3 just slightly better over all.  The M3 seemed to be a bit quicker and better on complicated tracks.  The EHHA seemed to have the edge on female voices and was a bit smoother.. The differences are so slight that another listener may have another opinion.  The CK2III doesn't seem to have quite the speed or resolution as the M3 has.  Female voices are excellent but misses some of the smoothness the EHHA has.  Again, the differences are so slight, another listener might have a different opinion.  I would have to rate the CK2III and the EHHA as being equals but with slightly different presentations. One thing to consider is that I found my Beyer Dt 880's (600 ohm) sounded slightly better on the CK than on the EHHA.  My Senn HD 600's sound great on both.
  
 If you are thinking of building one of the two, I would recommend the CK2III over the EHHA for a number of reasons.  It is an easier build, the only problem I had was setting the bias.  Took me a couple of days before I was satisfied. The EHHA, depending on how you case it, can be a challenge to wire neatly and properly, lots of wires.  The CK a cheaper build, none of the parts were expensive.  Tubes for the EHHA can range from moderate to expensive.  Also, I like the fact that the CK is desk top sized, where as the EHHA is in a rack.  Being more portable, means that I will probably use it more.
  
 I only have about 3 hrs listening time on the CK,  given more time and a refresher with the EHHA, my impressions may change.
  
 Me


----------



## Mullet

Musky thanks for your thoughts. I know it can be hard to put impressions to words. I often have difficulty with this.
  
 I'm actually building an EHHA Rev A as I write this. I'm going to socket R11, R13 and R14. Don't think I need to socket R10. I figure this will allow me to tailor the sound. I'm a big fan of Alex's designs having built a few CTHs and listened to his other amps. I know the wiring is the biggest challenge so I'm in for a treat. Thus far I've read that it is on par DIY-wise with the B2 amp. I've only heard one so we'll find out how they compare.
  
 I've also at some point want to build a CK2III, which coincidentally was co-designed by AC as well. Other than that my DIY references are the CTH, The Wire designed by OPC over at diyaudio, and the O2 with it's new booster board designed by AGDR. The booster board really kicks the O2 up a notch.
  
 Before I can even get into the CK2III, I have to finish the EHHA and also have the Krell KSA-5 Klone PCB sitting in my closet.


----------



## muskyhuntr

Mullet, we must think alike.  I have a KSA5 populated with the passive parts.  One of the transistors has been back ordered, so I'm waiting on those before I do some rough matching and installing. The power supply is finished and measures well. (I have a few extra power supply boards for sale if you need one) I'm also working on the Wire.  Have the  power supply and amp boards populated.  Kind of lucked out on this one as I am going to use the same transformer/wall wort that I made for the CK.  I haven't listened to it yet but I have ran some square, sine, and triangular waves through it at various frequencies and they look good on my scope.  Going to box it up the same as my CK2III  Unfortunately, I have another project or 2 before that happens.
  
 Me


----------



## GrindingThud

What transistor r u missing?


----------



## Zashoomin

muskyhuntr said:


> Mullet, we must think alike.  I have a KSA5 populated with the passive parts.  One of the transistors has been back ordered, so I'm waiting on those before I do some rough matching and installing. The power supply is finished and measures well. (I have a few extra power supply boards for sale if you need one) I'm also working on the Wire.  Have the  power supply and amp boards populated.  Kind of lucked out on this one as I am going to use the same transformer/wall wort that I made for the CK.  I haven't listened to it yet but I have ran some square, sine, and triangular waves through it at various frequencies and they look good on my scope.  Going to box it up the same as my CK2III  Unfortunately, I have another project or 2 before that happens.
> 
> Me


 
 If you are missing the MJF15031G like most people, you can order them directly from ON Semiconductor through their website.  That is what I did.  I also have a KSA5 in progress


----------



## Mullet

Anyone have a Mouser / Digikey BOM they want to share for the KSA5 Klone?


----------



## GrindingThud

This one has some back ordered parts with alternates added for I think most of the silicon.....I've not gone back and back filled the resistors, but those are easy. The MJE vs MJF is metal backed case vs insulated/plastic. Insulate accordingly:
https://www.mouser.com/ProjectManager/ProjectDetail.aspx?State=EDIT&ProjectGUID=df581a66-f0dd-417a-9e40-bd9346f974b3
https://www.mouser.com/ProjectManager/ProjectDetail.aspx?State=EDIT&ProjectGUID=4BF9A07D-45AF-401B-9932-6C4A7B2AF1DB


----------



## muskyhuntr

What great tip.  I had no idea you could purchase directly from On Semi.  I actually have the MJF15031G's.  What I'm waiting for are the MPSA56's. I checked On Semi's web site for those, and they are not selling that particular part direct but they do list a couple of distributors who do have them in stock.
  
 Me


----------



## GrindingThud

Looks like mouser has them....I happen to like the tape/reel configuration:
http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=MPSA56RLRAGvirtualkey58410000virtualkey863-MPSA56RLRAG



muskyhuntr said:


> What great tip.  I had no idea you could purchase directly from On Semi.  I actually have the MJF15031G's.  What I'm waiting for are the MPSA56's. I checked On Semi's web site for those, and they are not selling that particular part direct but they do list a couple of distributors who do have them in stock.
> 
> Me


----------



## muskyhuntr

I saw that when I made my original order but thought MPSA56RLRAG and MPSA56G were different devices and not just a packaging difference.  Item ordered and thank you for pointing that out.
  
 Me


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Here's a unique build of the DIYtube Budgie SE (Single Ended). This one features Elna Silmic II electrolytics, Koa Speers resistors, a Noble potentiometer, Cardas wiring, and Russian silver mica caps. Everything is mounted to a 0.1" thick copper plate and is sitting on a copper leafed wood frame. Tested with Sennheiser Amperiors and sounds quite nice  
  

  

  

  
 Shannon at DIYTube (I have no business affiliation FYI) offers a mounting PCB to make the build super easy if you are interested in building. It's a fairly low cost build if you stick to the BoM.


----------



## dsound

highflyin9 said:


> Here's a unique build of the DIYtube Budgie SE (Single Ended). This one features Elna Silmic II electrolytics, Koa Speers resistors, a Noble potentiometer, Cardas wiring, and Russian silver mica caps. Everything is mounted to a 0.1" thick copper plate and is sitting on a copper leafed wood frame. Tested with Sennheiser Amperiors and sounds quite nice


 
 Beautiful build.  Your casework always looks awesome.


----------



## troymadison

I just finished a beta22...


----------



## Zashoomin

troymadison said:


> I just finished a beta22...
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!


 
 That looks amazing.  How does it sound with the K1000s and do you have any heat issues with just the vents in the back?


----------



## troymadison

zashoomin said:


> That looks amazing.  How does it sound with the K1000s and do you have any heat issues with just the vents in the back?


 

 The heatsinks touch the top metal enclosure cover as extra "heatsinking". It does get warm but not hot when I drive my Magnepan MMGs which need the same volume position as my K1Ks with the drivers positioned all the way out. Keep in mind I have two sigma22 power supplies powering two beta22 boards. I can tell there is an improvement driving the K1K out of the beta22 compared to the cheap power amp I bought from the Good Will. The biggest difference is that they seem to be "faster" and "sharper" compared to before, as if the beta22 can actually keep up with the K1K. The cheap power amp didn't do a horrible job either though. The Big Joe amp was pretty crappy at driving them though which made me give up on the K1000 the first time.


----------



## Zashoomin

troymadison said:


> The heatsinks touch the top metal enclosure cover as extra "heatsinking". It does get warm but not hot when I drive my Magnepan MMGs which need the same volume position as my K1Ks with the drivers positioned all the way out. Keep in mind I have two sigma22 power supplies powering two beta22 boards. I can tell there is an improvement driving the K1K out of the beta22 compared to the cheap power amp I bought from the Good Will. The biggest difference is that they seem to be "faster" and "sharper" compared to before, as if the beta22 can actually keep up with the K1K. The cheap power amp didn't do a horrible job either though. The Big Joe amp was pretty crappy at driving them though which made me give up on the K1000 the first time.


 
 interesting heatsinking idea.  I like it.  Ya having one sigma per board seems to be a good idea.  I run a 4 channel beta with two sigmas though and it powers speakers just fine...to a point but I am glad you are liking the amp.


----------



## cfcubed

troymadison - Congrats on the build.  Something to consider for more ventilation (w/o access to CNC) is using table saw if you've access to one.  One of my amp builds used a case similar to yours & I'd agonized on how to make "nice" holes. 
 I used table saw with proper aluminum cutting blade, with bottom plate clamped down well & slowly raised the blade into the material, making nicely spaced / equal-length slots the width of the blade cut.  Got the process down well then did the top plate.   They came out pretty nice.  Lots of noise during the cut & used all safety precautions esp. as its not a proper cut to make.


----------



## troymadison

cfcubed said:


> troymadison - Congrats on the build.  Something to consider for more ventilation (w/o access to CNC) is using table saw if you've access to one.  One of my amp builds used a case similar to yours & I'd agonized on how to make "nice" holes.
> I used table saw with proper aluminum cutting blade, with bottom plate clamped down well & slowly raised the blade into the material, making nicely spaced / equal-length slots the width of the blade cut.  Got the process down well then did the top plate.   They came out pretty nice.  Lots of noise during the cut & used all safety precautions esp. as its not a proper cut to make.


 

 Yeah! I'll take that into consideration! It hasn't got alarmingly hot or warm yet I think.


----------



## milosz

This is a Beta 22 build that I just finished.  It's a '3 channel' or so-called 'active ground' version. The power supply is completely isolated from chassis ground using rubber sheets, Delrin blocks, etc. This maintains safety (the AC "subchassis" is bonded to the safety earth ground of the line cord) while keeping any noise from the AC safety ground off the signal ground.  The power transformer is inside a box of mild steel, which pretty effectively reduces it's radiated magnetic field, enough so that noise currents are not induced into the low level, high impedance circuits.
  
 Other things I've done include rather heavy silver plated / Teflon wiring for the power rails - 12 gauge for the + and - rails, and 10 gauge for the common rail, in order to keep supply impedance at an absolute minimum, and noise rejection high.  The front panel was milled from a billet of 3/4" aluminum- not for any performance reason, but just because I like thick metal.
  
 A Goldpoint attenuator is fitted, as are better quality RCA input jacks, being gold-over-copper rather than the more common gold-over-nickel-over brass.  The gold/copper jacks are said to be lower noise.
  
 Side panels are made from selected "tiger" maple with a gloss finish (12 coats) for maximum depth and chatoyance.
  

  
  

 This photo doesn't do justice to the 3-dimensional depth of the wood grain.
 The wood sides can be removed if one prefers an all-aluminum look.
 The front panel is milled from a single billet of aluminum.
 Neutrik non-locking headphone jack. (I don't like locking jacks.)
  
  

  
  

 Power supply is completely isolated, giving the circuit advantages of a 2-chassis build without the inconvenience and cost.
  
  

 LED brightness was toned down to offer subtle white light indicating "ON" for the Bulgin-style on/off switch.  
 Front panel is bead-blasted natural aluminum for a frosted look, with the raised area along the bottom polished to high gloss.
  
  

 Good quality input jacks
  

  
 The Goldpoint attenuator is rear-mounted to keep signal leads as short as possible
 Efforts were made to keep the attenuator mechanical action as silky and smooth as possible- the attenuator is mounted to a machined Derlin block for rigidity and the shaft extension uses a high-quality aluminum flex coupling. The bushing holding the shaft to the front panel is closely fitted to the shaft and lined with Teflon to eliminate play and maintain smooth action.
  
 I will be making a foam-lined, fitted wood case for the amplifier next. 
  
 The amplifier will be offered for sale at some point. Since starting this build in 2013, I have (ironically) decided to concentrate on electrostatic 'phones and so don't need this Beta.
  
 Gain is "medium" -  5?  I think?  Not 2 or 8.  I forget exactly, 5 I think.


----------



## cfcubed

Very nice unique & innovative build there milosz.  Clearly a lot of thought, time & expense when into it.  Especially like the front panel & power supply treatment.


----------



## Zashoomin

Very nicely done.  The cable management is amazing and I can tell that the pictures don't do this amp justice....especially the wood.


----------



## milosz

Thanks a lot for the comments.  They mean a lot to me.
  
 I really enjoyed building this.


----------



## gilency

Milosz, that is a nice built. I am looking around for cases. Did you make that one?
To continue with the electrostatic builds, here is the Kevin Gilmore Megatron electrostatic amplifier, minus the casing


----------



## gilency

.


----------



## milosz

The Beta 22 case is Par-Metal *20-16123N, *with a DIY front panel and wood 'cheeks'
  
 The rear area has been modified too, cut away to fit the Delrin (Or is ir Derlin?) the PLASTIC block that holds the IEC inlet and is part of the isolation setup for the power supply.
  
 By the way there's a real sapphire set into the volume knob for the pointer dot.... it's only 2 mm but it's there. (REAL but lab-made, not mined.)
  
 Lotta tubes in that Megatron.  I'd like to build one maybe but boards are not available (last I heard) and I don't have the energy to organize a board run.  For a casework feature on that baby you house the valves in Pyrex tubes cut to differing lengths like the ranks of pipes in an organ....
  
 Lotta transformers in that thing, too, holy cow.
  
 I gotta finish my DIY T-2.  So many projects....


----------



## Zashoomin

Alright I guess I will start to post pictures soon.  I am working on a fully balanced Pass Labs F4.  The goal is to try to fit two mono blocks into one chassis without it being so hot that it melts though my floor.  So far I have built all the boards and have only snapped one 4-40 tap so I think I am looking in good shape  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.  Pictures are on the way.  I estimate this thing to weigh over 50lb and also hope that I can get it done in time for the bay area meet  because I know that some people want to hook up their HE-6 to it. 
  
 Stay tuned


----------



## mwhouston

Both neat builds.


----------



## Zashoomin

Some teasers. Finished with mounting all 4 boards and 24 mosfets to the heat sinks and all hardware to the bottom of the amp. Now working on the back pannel. Not sure how I am going to drill holes big enough for the for jacks and make a square hole for the iec connector. Anyone have any suggestions?


----------



## RudeWolf

IEC? Drill, drill, drill and file, file, file. Then file some more.


----------



## Zashoomin

Some progress


----------



## muskyhuntr

Finally got around to finishing my HeadWatt.  This is a design by Bruce Heron based on the 6DJ8. Vixr did the board layouts with some modifications by me.  How does it sound?  First of all, the amp is dead silent, even at full volume.   After listening for a few hours with my Senn. HD600's, a few things stood out. Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" on two pianos was fantastic as were all of the Janis Joplin I could throw at it. Chamber music also does very well with this amp. The amp falls off a bit and seems a little slow when there is a lot of bass as when playing Kodo. It still sounds good but the bass is just a bit weak. This was to be expected due to the smallish output transformers.  Still have a bit of wire management.
One last thing, I have 2 extra sets of boards if any one is interested.
  
 Jim
  
 A couple of pictures:
  
 :


----------



## nippon

rudewolf said:


> IEC? Drill, drill, drill and file, file, file. Then file some more.


 
  
 Once i had the same task. It was so annoying and after 9 pm i was filing underneath my blanket because it was so loud. Allways buy a case with a pre cut for the IEC connector!


----------



## RudeWolf

Some eBay cases come with pre-cut IEC inlets, however sometimes they could end up not matching the inlet you've chosen. Fortunately I have a CNC house where I can do all the holes I need on two panels for like 30EUR.


----------



## Zashoomin

I was going to get one of those as it would have saved me the money to have to send it over to Front Pannel Express, but they didn't have one that was big enough or with XLR inputs.


----------



## Zashoomin

Finally finished.  Just biasing and burning in to do.  First Watt F4.  I put two monoblocks in one chassis.  One monoblock per side.  The advantage of this is that it is lighter overall than having two monoblocks, and I can choose between having many many different configurations.  This will do 25Wx4 into 8ohms, 50Wx2 into 8ohms or even 100Wx2 into 8ohms.  The disadvantage is that instead of having two big amps I now have one monsterous one that weighs enough to break my back.  

  

  

  

 This is a standard 12oz can for scale.  Yes, it is monsterous.  
  
 Krell KSA-5 and Speakers are in the works.  Stay tuned.


----------



## mwhouston

zashoomin said:


> Finally finished.  Just biasing and burning in to do.  First Watt F4.  I put two monoblocks in one chassis.  One monoblock per side.  The advantage of this is that it is lighter overall than having two monoblocks, and I can choose between having many many different configurations.  This will do 25Wx4 into 8ohms, 50Wx2 into 8ohms or even 100Wx2 into 8ohms.  The disadvantage is that instead of having two big amps I now have one monsterous one that weighs enough to break my back.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Good work.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Haha, very nice! One of my projects on the horizon is the Aleph J. Where did you find such a monstrous chassis? I'm assuming the sinks reach a nice warm temp in that config.


----------



## Zashoomin

highflyin9 said:


> Haha, very nice! One of my projects on the horizon is the Aleph J. Where did you find such a monstrous chassis? I'm assuming the sinks reach a nice warm temp in that config.


 
 The Aleph J sounds like a really fun project as well.  I am personally really excited for new up and coming F6.  Modushop I think recently came out with this chassis.  Its a 5U 500mm chassis.  I believe that it is the largest one that they sell.


----------



## EmpJ

Who here makes the nicest DIY cables on the forums?


----------



## Zashoomin

empj said:


> Who here makes the nicest DIY cables on the forums?


 
 A couple things.  First of all, that should probably be asked in the DIY Cables section.  Secondly,  there are many people who make very nice cables but no one here will make the nicest.  It isn't a competition so please don't make it one.  This is for people who want to have a bit of fun building something that can be very satisfying and maybe save a bit of money while we are at it.


----------



## KT88

zashoomin said:


> Some teasers. Finished with mounting all 4 boards and 24 mosfets to the heat sinks and all hardware to the bottom of the amp. Now working on the back pannel. *Not sure how I am going to drill holes big enough for the for jacks and make a square hole for the iec connector*. Anyone have any suggestions?


 
 Simple, build a your own CNC machine, then you can do what ever you want. That's the way I did the panels for this build


----------



## Zashoomin

kt88 said:


> Simple, build a your own CNC machine, then you can do what ever you want. That's the way I did the panels for this build


 
 I acutally wanted to, but I don't have any room to put it.  Otherwise I would also have a table saw and drill press in my little apartment as well


----------



## 00940

In the serie "00940 has fallen in love with the 40mm galaxy cases", after a dac and a dynalo, here is a 6e5p parafeed amp (as discussed here ).
  
 B+ is a comfortable 270Vdc, the CCS are set at 18mA and the 6E5P settle at 150Vdc. Originally, the transformer was supposed to go inside the main case... but the induced hum was excessive. Hence the external box. Everything said, it's roughly a 300€ build.
  
  
 Outside:
  
  

  
 Inside:


----------



## wiak

sceleratus said:


> Watch all three parts of this tutorial and you will be able to solder anything.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Sb21qbpEQ&sns=em


  
  

 PACE has some great *ancient* training videos on their youtube page, perfect for beginners like me 
 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL926EC0F1F93C1837
  
 note: some of the stuff is not used anymore/ or is used only during manufacturing but the solder joints and how you apply the solder is the same


----------



## Nisbeth

Not really a "build" yet, but it will come. No prizes for guessing what it is going to be though 
  

  
 /U.


----------



## GrindingThud

Balanced Dynalo Mk2, almost done:


----------



## GrindingThud

Finished:


----------



## dsound

grindingthud said:


> Finished:


 
 Congrats, that looks fantastic.  If I were to build a SS amp the Dynalo would be at the top of my list.   How does it sound with your LCD-2?


----------



## GrindingThud

Thanks! With LCD2.2, single ended output with +/-16 supply drives it louder than I'd normally listen. Very clean, neutral, and black background. Not up to the KSA5 single ended though (power wise). Still need to finish my balanced cable to see what it sounds like all out. 



dsound said:


> Congrats, that looks fantastic.  If I were to build a SS amp the Dynalo would be at the top of my list.   How does it sound with your LCD-2?


----------



## 00940

Too much stuff in my drawers again, the following build was made without ordering anything.
  
  
 It's a simple DAC. PCM2707 input, followed by PCM1798 and an opamp I/V stage. The opamps in the I/V stage have class a buffers in their feedback loop to improve performance (see for example: here) and the output ne5532 is biased with a simple jfet ccs. The supplies have two stages: open loop regs for HF crud followed by regular three terminals regs (lm7812-7912 and reg101).
  
 First time I tried to etch a tssop board btw, it's easier than I thought.


----------



## Zashoomin

Love your builds.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.  I need to do some reading up to start designing my own circuits.


----------



## 00940

Thanks but to be honnest, there is very little in there I'd call my own. It's just a matter of putting together datasheets' suggested designs and reading what is suggested by more knowledgeable persons.
  
 The tricky thing is that it's very hard to properly test such a DAC. Ok, there's no offset nor oscillation (that I can see with a 20Mhz scope) but, since it's better than my soundcard ADC (an aureon sky), I've no idea of actual performances, except it's better than 90db SNR and 0.0026%thd at 1K.


----------



## Johnthurston

This is more a "work in progress" than a completed build, but I'm getting closer. My Bijou has been in a "temporary" case for about six months as I decide on a case design and find the materials for its permanent home. The chassis is going to be of Alaskan Yellow Cedar, with jade-green leather on the top-plates, and copper heat sinks for the FETs.
 I haven't yet decided on the knobs. I'm leaning towards leather-wrapped wood, but that means finding someone to turn some of my cedar for me (I don't own a lathe). I'm also want to reshape the profile of these copper heat sinks to be domed so they better matches the tops of the tubes. I need to find a way to support the pins so I can file and grind without mangling them.


----------



## RudeWolf

johnthurston said:


> My Bijou has been in a "temporary" case for about six months as I decide on a case design and find the materials for its permanent home.


 
  
 Nothing's more permanent than a temporary solution.


----------



## DingoSmuggler

johnthurston said:


> I need to find a way to support the pins so I can file and grind without mangling them.


 
 Ice? It would probably put too much of a limitation on working time to be useful, but clean up would be a breeze.


----------



## muskyhuntr

After what seemed to be a couple of years, I finally completed my Wire.  I have only had time to listened to a few albums but I am very happy so far.  This amp is a good match for my HD 600's but it will not play to full volume with my DT 880's, though at 600 ohms, it was expected.  A few pics.
  
 Me


----------



## mwhouston

Very smart looking build.


----------



## Mullet

musky - great job on The Wire. I've been using this amp for about a year and a half now and love it. OPC did a great job with the design.
  
 I love your chassis that you use for all of your builds. Do you do the wood work yourself? or you have a custom maker?
  
 I found with my DT880 - 250ohms (before I killed them with my current  EHHA build) that the volume was pretty damn good at around 3:30 on the dial. I also used a gain of 2 instead of the default unity gain. Maybe you might want to consider to add a little gain - 2 or 3 at most.


----------



## stixx

Nice build Muskyhuntr!
  
 I see that it is still an interpretation of my theme... but you are more than welcome to use it in such a nice build.
 I like how the two boards are facing each other but have the wooden volume under them


----------



## muskyhuntr

To answer a few of Mullets questions.  For the most part, I do it all my self.  Up until a year ago, my nephew ripped the the pieces for me on his table saw but a while back, I purchased my own and now do the ripping myself.  The final shaping is done on a table router.  Cutting a shaping aren't all that hard but the sanding takes quite a while.  I start with 80 grit and work my way through 120, 150, 220, and 400 grits.  I use 600 grit between coats of tung oil.  The wood used is Cocobolo.  I use it not only for it's looks but because it machines very well.  I actually tap the holes for many of the screws.  Panels are from Front Panel Express.  I ended up liking this wood so well, that I bought grips made from it for 2 of my guns.  As Stixx points out, the design is based on one he posted a few years back.  I have a couple of projects that I am currently working on (a dual chassis KSA5, a 300B amp, and probably AMB's Y3) that will use the same theme.  A few other projects will be using the Pesante Dissipante style boxes, most probably my Dynahi.
  
  
 I have considered raising the gain on the amp, but as of now, I am undecided.  It does sound good with my HD600's.  It also sounds good with the DT880's, but the volume is just a bit lacking.  Decisions...decisions.
  
 I have attached another image of the Wire this time stacked on top of my CK2III.  Front panels are identical except for the name badging.  Top, bottom, and rear panels are sized a bit different to account for slight differences in the size of the wooden sides.  On top of the stack is the wall wart I made that works with both amps (lucked out on that one).  In the back ground is my EHHA I recently re biased.
  
 Me


----------



## Johnthurston

I decided that I could live with square heatsinks, and if I didn't get moving, this project might die on the bench. I want to get it cased up so I can listen to it again 
 The heat sinks are from Enzotech (designed for RAM). The top plates are MDF. The Jade green leather is from cameraleather.com. I had expected the leather to bridge the gaps around the T-nuts better. If I were doing it over again, I'd apply a coating of leveling compound and sand it flat before attaching the leather.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Here's a fun new one, a Grado with Mahogany wood cups (I copper leafed and sealed), Turbulent X drivers, and a Turbulent Labs headband. The grill is generic metal grillwork that I had powdercoated a copper color. Love those new Amphenol minis by the way. Burnt this set in for about 60 hours, it sounds incredible.


----------



## DutchGFX

Are they really grados if you replaced the drivers, headbands, and cups? Hahaha

Anyways, love your work man, I'm a huge fan. They look amazing .


----------



## mwhouston

Look sweet.


----------



## Zashoomin

About a month ago I finished building my linkwitz LxMini. I have to say they sound fantastic....now to build an amp for them


----------



## OJNeg

zashoomin said:


> Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!
> 
> 
> 
> About a month ago I finished building my linkwitz LxMini. I have to say they sound fantastic....now to build an amp for them


 
  
 Very nice! I've been thinking about building this one myself. How do they compare to your Selah's?


----------



## Klechty

here a revised ehha in test with major upgrade .
 It's not finished yet, i have to fix some issue.


----------



## Zashoomin

ojneg said:


> Very nice! I've been thinking about building this one myself. How do they compare to your Selah's?


 
 Much better sound stage, and nice crisp highs.  A little bit lacking in the base, and the mids on the Selahs are a bit better.  The only problem I find is that finding a good 4 channel amp for it is very hard and therefore it could sound even better, but I have yet to build anything for it yet.  The Selahs are powered by a world class amp (the F4) and therefore have better power into them.  I think that if the LxMinis where powered by something as good as an F4, than they would blow the Selahs out of the water, but of course building 4x100w amp is not an easy task.  (I also don't have the room for it if I want pure class A).  Any ideas on amps would be much appreciated.


----------



## GrindingThud

KAV-500
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Krell-KAV-500-5-Channel-Power-Amplifier-KAV500-Amp-/151468165921?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item234434cb21



zashoomin said:


> Much better sound stage, and nice crisp highs.  A little bit lacking in the base, and the mids on the Selahs are a bit better.  The only problem I find is that finding a good 4 channel amp for it is very hard and therefore it could sound even better, but I have yet to build anything for it yet.  The Selahs are powered by a world class amp (the F4) and therefore have better power into them.  I think that if the LxMinis where powered by something as good as an F4, than they would blow the Selahs out of the water, but of course building 4x100w amp is not an easy task.  (I also don't have the room for it if I want pure class A).  Any ideas on amps would be much appreciated.


----------



## Zashoomin

grindingthud said:


> KAV-500
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Krell-KAV-500-5-Channel-Power-Amplifier-KAV500-Amp-/151468165921?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item234434cb21


 
 preferably a diy one


----------



## GrindingThud

Ah, ok. 


zashoomin said:


> preferably a diy one :evil:


----------



## OJNeg

zashoomin said:


> preferably a diy one


 

 Pair of FirstWatt F5's maybe?


----------



## Zashoomin

ojneg said:


> Pair of FirstWatt F5's maybe?


 
 I was thinking about this one, but I would like to try to get 100w per channel, so I was thinking 4, F5Turbos.  At the same time though, I don't have the space to put 4 amps so I am now trying to figure out how I can fit 2 monoblocks in one chassis without needing an industrial strength air conditioner for each of the chassis.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

dutchgfx said:


> Are they really grados if you replaced the drivers, headbands, and cups? Hahaha
> 
> Anyways, love your work man, I'm a huge fan. They look amazing .


 
 Haha, yeah, they are pretty much as far removed as you can get. However, they still have that distinct Grado sound signature that presents rock music so well despite being a Franken-can


----------



## ChrisCaubin

Quote (from millet starving student thread): 





smeggy said:


> Took more pics after making the small wood tube surrounds for those who wanted more views.


 
 Hi,
 Long time lurker... I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I want to try replicate this word of art of Smeggy's. Could anyone tell me what parts he used for the chassis (under the wood), the volume knob and the heat sinks? Also, any ideas on what wood that is?
 Thanks,
 Chris


----------



## Sathimas

highflyin9 said:


> Here's a fun new one, a Grado with Mahogany wood cups (I copper leafed and sealed), Turbulent X drivers, and a Turbulent Labs headband. The grill is generic metal grillwork that I had powdercoated a copper color. Love those new Amphenol minis by the way. Burnt this set in for about 60 hours, it sounds incredible.


 
  
 What kind of wire did you use?
 That looks fantastic, although the style itself is not my taste.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Thanks Sathimas, I appreciate the compliment. It's actually my own proprietary cable for my company - it's a custom made UP-OCC 99.99997% wire with clear dielectric and a nice flexible 19 strands.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Cute little Gainclone build. The PCBs are from ChipAmp, I chose most of my own parts as that's part of the fun... Silmic IIs, Kiwame resistors, and the largest WIMA bypasses I could jab into the boards. I also snuck a little GrubDAC into the unit. There's a switch so you can choose USB or RCA input. The case is a cheapie Bud aluminum enclosure (which is way too malleable, not going to get another). I gave it a spritz of red enamel, decided I didn't like it, and switched over to a copper Hammertone color. 
  
  

  

  
 The sound is way better than expected. It doesn't have a typical solid state sound, but is very dynamic and crisp. The unit was purpose built for an arcade cabinet I built: 
  

  
 It features a pair of MarkAudio drivers in the top marquis area. This was built using RecRoom Masters kit (no affiliation, but happy with their service), and yes... I _am_ an SNK fan


----------



## GrindingThud

Sweet! I've got a MV-1FZ crammed into an old double dragon cabinet. Fun stuff. 


highflyin9 said:


> The sound is way better than expected. It doesn't have a typical solid state sound, but is very dynamic and crisp. The unit was purpose built for an arcade cabinet I built:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Ah Double Dragon, one of the best games of all time


----------



## DingoSmuggler

chriscaubin said:


> Hi,
> Long time lurker... I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I want to try replicate this word of art of Smeggy's. Could anyone tell me what parts he used for the chassis (under the wood), the volume knob and the heat sinks? Also, any ideas on what wood that is?
> Thanks,
> Chris


 
 The chassis looks just like your basic die-cast aluminium project box, but painted black. The feet are cabinent/drawer handles.


----------



## ChrisCaubin

Thanks DingoSmuggler,
 Does anyone know about the volume knob and heat sinks?


----------



## MisterX

Looks like a P2/K7 CPU heatsink.


----------



## ChrisCaubin

They look similar, but not 100% the same from this:
 http://www.suntekpc.com/htm-2/fnc-slot-p2-k7-1-cpu-fan-with-heatsink-active-cpu-cooler.htm
 Doesn't the P2/K7 CPU heatsink have a fan on it? Did smeggy just remove it? 
 Is there any way to contact smeggy since he went off the radar?
 Thanks
 Chris


----------



## MisterX

Yep, the fan is removable.
 Look close and you can see where the screws (that held the fan in place) were threaded into it.


----------



## ChrisCaubin

Ok, thanks a million


----------



## DutchGFX

Where do y'all get knobs for the Alps blue velvet 50k? I want a sweet wood knob


----------



## muskyhuntr

Try  Thingamaknobs at http://thingamaknobs.webs.com/thingamaknobinfo.htm
  
 Me


----------



## Mullet

musky - cool site. Will have to think of going with them for my next build. I have to flip a quarter -- Krell KSA5 Klone or HeadWatt amp.
  
 For now here are some pix of my EHHA Rev A. Still haven't figured out why I'm having intermittent low level hum. It still sounds fantastic. Right now I'm running the amp with the 6N27Ps. Had the Tele 6GM8s in there, but felt they gave my Alpha Primes too much edge on the upper mids.


----------



## muskyhuntr

Your amp looks great!  A couple quick and easy's you might try is to twist all of your AC wiring.  Also, your AC wiring for the heater supply on the right (?) channel seems pretty close to your input wiring, though the wiring there does appear to be shielded.
  
 I received the front and rear panels a couple of days ago for my KSA5 build.  Should have it running in a week or two.  The box for the power supply has been finished for a couple of months now.  I did manage to give it a listen for a few minutes a while back and it sounded good.  Waves on my scope also looked good.  Too many projects to finish anything quickly.   Started on AMB's y3.
  
 I wish I could help you decide what to build next.  I like the sound all my amps, though I will say that something keeps drawing me to the HeadWatt.
  
 Me


----------



## DutchGFX

Next amp for you has to be all tube  you have enough SS and Hybrid!


----------



## gabriel-dan

Congrats Mullet nicely built! I've got the EHHA kit from glassjar, but haven't had time to start building it.


----------



## Mullet

Thanks gabriel-dan. It's a fun build. The only thing I'm not a fan of is all the wiring. It's a bunch of spaghetti. Get building!!! I wanna see pix.
  
 musky -- I'll take a look at the wiring situation. I don't think the input wiring is close to the right side heater wiring. It's weird the buzz comes and goes. I'm having a strange suspicion it's the tube socket. I recently changed tubes and it went away. Then after turning it on and off came back a little bit later. Anyhow, I'll eventually crack this puppy open again to see if I can figure it out.
  
 DutchGFX - yup my next build will be the HeadWatt. It's an all tube design, well almost... it uses output transformers.


----------



## arny73

that's my signal cable.
 Bullet Plug and quad 22AWG cable teflon/kapton isulated


----------



## Kerry

Nice job on the amp Mullet!

I'm sure you'll figure out the hum issue.

Just noticed the knob on there. It looks really cool. Did it come with the chassis or did you get it separately?

Enjoy


----------



## Mullet

Kerry thanks for the encouragement.
  
 The knob was made by a head-fier from Estonia. Engraving is his specialty. His work is impeccable. A better picture of my knob is in his gallery on his website.
  
 viljomarrandi.com


----------



## Sko0byDoo

DIY 45/2A3 SE amp.  Auto-bias with Lundahl output/Electra-Print interstage.  Regulated DC filaments for output (AC for input).  Six selectable output impedances.  Separate amp and power chassis (not shown):


----------



## DutchGFX

I'm in the process of building my own 2A3/45 SE amp, cathode bias as well, but no selectable output impedance, as the transformers are so expensive. 

Curious as to what B+ voltage and Cathode resistors you used?


----------



## Klechty

mullet said:


> Kerry thanks for the encouragement.
> 
> The knob was made by a head-fier from Estonia. Engraving is his specialty. His work is impeccable. A better picture of my knob is in his gallery on his website.
> 
> viljomarrandi.com


 
 The knob is absolutly amazing , a piece of art ; i would love to see it on my amp


----------



## Zashoomin

sko0bydoo said:


> DIY 45/2A3 SE amp.  Auto-bias with Lundahl output/Electra-Print interstage.  Regulated DC filaments for output (AC for input).  Six selectable output impedances.  Separate amp and power chassis (not shown):


 
 Love the point to point.  I wish I had the balls to try point to point as well.  Very lovely amp.  how does it sound?


----------



## Sko0byDoo

zashoomin said:


> Love the point to point.  I wish I had the balls to try point to point as well.  Very lovely amp.  how does it sound?


 
 Thanks for the compliment.  It may sound crazy, but 275-ohm output to the HD800 sounds amazing.


----------



## Zashoomin

sko0bydoo said:


> Thanks for the compliment.  It may sound crazy, but 275-ohm output to the HD800 sounds amazing.


 
 I don't think it sounds crazy at all.  275 is a bit high(I think), but for the 300ohm HD800 it doesn't sound that insane.  I mean if it sounds good, it sounds good.


----------



## joeyjojo

sko0bydoo said:


> Thanks for the compliment.  It may sound crazy, but 275-ohm output to the HD800 sounds amazing.


 
  
 Interesting. A damping factor of 1.09 is miserably low. I wonder if it sounds better to you because the flabbyness of the amp cancels out the precision of the headphones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Nice craftsmanship all the same.


----------



## Sko0byDoo

joeyjojo said:


> Interesting. A damping factor of 1.09 is miserably low. I wonder if it sounds better to you because the flabbyness of the amp cancels out the precision of the headphones
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks.  The amp got 5 other, lower output impedances and I've tried them all.  The low damping brings out the bass booming in the 800.


----------



## 00940

I cannot resist posting a pic of an amp in progress. It's kind of the opposite of my most recent project (a small usb dac-amp). It's a rebuild of this amp in order to use some parts I had stashed around. 
  
 Ridiculously big caps ? Check.
 Ridiculously big stepped attenuator ? Check.
 Ridiculously big knob ? Check.
 Ridiculously low power ? Check.


----------



## funch

Sounds perfect to me.


----------



## muskyhuntr

Completed pictures of my KSA5.  I have only listened to it for a short time but so far it sounds great.  Bass seems to be especially well controlled.
  

  

  

  
 Me


----------



## vixr

muskyhuntr said:


> Completed pictures of my KSA5.  I have only listened to it for a short time but so far it sounds great.  Bass seems to be especially well controlled.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 WOW! That's AWESOME!!!


----------



## Mullet

As always Musky your builds are immaculate. I've heard from another long-time head-fier, that he's tried a lot of headphone amps and he keeps on going back to the KSA-5. He has one of the original Krells, not the Klone. I have the boards, so eventually when money isn't so tight I'll build this one.


----------



## GrindingThud

Sweet!



muskyhuntr said:


> Completed pictures of my KSA5.  I have only listened to it for a short time but so far it sounds great.  Bass seems to be especially well controlled.
> 
> Me


----------



## joeyjojo

sko0bydoo said:


> Thanks.  The amp got 5 other, lower output impedances and I've tried them all.  The low damping brings out the bass booming in the 800.


 
  
 Off-topic, but I'm just reading an article that made me think of this. Especially this bit:
  


> Axel Grell, the chief-designer at Sennheiser, once told me that their top-of-the-range headphones are always designed to sound best at a low output impedance. The figure below shows the current flow of a HD-800 with the amplifier having an output impedance of 0 Ohm. There is no oscillation. Just a nice bump after the initial pulse-current, as could be expected from a critically damped system.


 
  
 http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/musings-headphone-amplifier-output-impedance
  
 This confirms my thoughts on the HD800, that it loves very-low output impedance amps to get the most driver control. If I were you I'd be using the lowest output impedance mode on the amp and bumping the LF up a bit with a good EQ.


----------



## customcoco

joeyjojo said:


> Off-topic, but I'm just reading an article that made me think of this. Especially this bit:
> 
> 
> http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/musings-headphone-amplifier-output-impedance
> ...


 

 It's funny though, the amp Sennheiser has released (named HDVD 800, if I'm not mistaken) has a 40-ish ohm output impedance


----------



## 00940

@customcoco: on your parafeed amp, the high gain position has a +/- 58r output impedance and the low gain position about 10r. Time to test


----------



## customcoco

00940 said:


> @customcoco: on your parafeed amp, the high gain position has a +/- 58r output impedance and the low gain position about 10r. Time to test


 

 Indeed, we'll see. I'll try to get some A/B'ing done tonight.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

LGK 1.0 from GR Research. Uses a proprietary 3 inch (!) driver, along with a baffle compensation network. Flat packs are available from SubAssemble. I have no affiliation with either company. Nice resolving treble and surprising bass response out of these little guys. I used Duratex coating to get that cool texture.


----------



## Drsparis

Just completed a headband for a pair of Grados, Wasn't sure what I was doing built it ended up looking soo much better than expected!


----------



## mwhouston

Take a look at my genuine America Oak wood knobs on my Audio person blog.


----------



## mwhouston

Highflying: I developed a similar finish using a high quality house paint, a semi-dry roller and secretly, now well known, technique. Take look at my DIY, retro-thermionic blog spot (Google it).


----------



## mwhouston

Highflying: You have me thinking.


----------



## Ocean7

I just finished building the NP-100V12 by Rogers Gomez and I though I could share a few pics.

That's an excellent little amp as far as I can tell. And it's even cheaper to build than the SSMH.

Comments are more than welcome!


----------



## BaTou069

ocean7 said:


> I just finished building the NP-100V12 by Rogers Gomez and I though I could share a few pics.
> 
> That's an excellent little amp as far as I can tell. And it's even cheaper to build than the SSMH.
> 
> Comments are more than welcome!


 
  
 Maybe not a comment, but a (noob) question.. Aren't two tubes needed for Stereo? Dont untertand the logic using one tube  Thanks


----------



## tomb

batou069 said:


> ocean7 said:
> 
> 
> > I just finished building the NP-100V12 by Rogers Gomez and I though I could share a few pics.
> ...




Many tubes in audio are dual triodes, meaning two circuits are contained in the same glass.

There are some of us (me) who've tested thousands of tubes and would tell you that matched output of two circuits within the same glass is the exception, not the rule. Nevertheless, some still design for one tube and are successful with it.


----------



## Ocean7

batou069 said:


> Maybe not a comment, but a (noob) question.. Aren't two tubes needed for Stereo? Dont untertand the logic using one tube  Thanks




Sure you need two tubes and that's what you get with a 12AU7  It's a dual triode tube so essentially two tubes in one.

Cheers!


----------



## Roberval

Very nice and clean.
  
 Have you tried 12AX7 instead ? In one of mine sounds a lot better.


----------



## funch

roberval said:


> Very nice and clean.
> 
> Have you tried 12AX7 instead ? In one of mine sounds a lot better.


 
  
 This is a very nice looking amp. The colors are perfect together. Classy.


----------



## Ocean7

roberval said:


> Very nice and clean.
> 
> Have you tried 12AX7 instead ? In one of mine sounds a lot better.




Lovely little beast Roberval!

I did not try the 12AX7. Maybe one day. I have too many ongoing projects!

May I ask about your amp? What's that big cover on top? Transformer and power supply? Also what are those two things (LEDs? Outputs?) in front of the switch?


----------



## Roberval

Thanks !
  
 The cover I've bougth somewhere on Ebay, the main case is from Hammond and the two things as P3 jacks (I can use the RCA´s with my HT or the P3´s with a headphone).
  
 First time I used a transformer (the top cover was higher), but I changed for a simple 12V psu and trim a bit the cover.
  
 Instead of FET´s I used an OPA2134.
  
 Before was like that :
  

  
 The paint was getting blemishes, so I change to an automotive one.


----------



## Ocean7

roberval said:


> Thanks !
> 
> The cover I've bougth somewhere on Ebay, the main case is from Hammond and the two things as P3 jacks (I can use the RCA´s with my HT or the P3´s with a headphone).
> 
> ...




Thanks for the explanations. I prefer your updated version. More elegant!


----------



## Jose R

My most recent project, an M3 balanced amplifier with sigma11 dual mono power supply.
  

  

  

  

  
  
 Build thread at amb.org: http://www.amb.org/forum/balanced-m3-design-considerations-t2702.html
  
 Gallery of pics: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jomanos/sets/72157645794784231/


----------



## gilency

That is a very nice M3. Congratulations !


----------



## Glyn1967

This is my first headphone amp, based on the Appeared 47 with a gain of 2 setup to run my daughters AKG K551s 

I used Panasonic FM and Vishay caps, opa2134 and buf634 and built it on proto board









I was in the process of making a hardwood enclosure for it when I had an unfortunate slip with the bench saw leaving me with a somewhat damaged block of wood and some badly cut fingers



It works great, far superior sound to the phone or tablet alone


----------



## mwhouston

Looks like a good start.


----------



## Klechty

glyn1967 said:


> This is my first headphone amp, based on the Appeared 47 with a gain of 2 setup to run my daughters AKG K551s
> 
> I used Panasonic FM and Vishay caps, opa2134 and buf634 and built it on proto board
> 
> ...


 
 Hope nothing serious about your fingers.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Bottlehead Mainline headphone amplifier with powder-coated top plate, Jupiter caps, Cardas wire, copperleaf wood base.


----------



## mwhouston

God! That's good.


----------



## funch

Your best yet! Love the brass screws, copper rivets and shields.  Neat how you got the powder coat to look like that.
  
 I'm assuming that those mondo film cap's replace the 'lytics?
  
 The knobs are Kilo? That style is my favorite, as is the Cardas wiring.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Thanks! The big Jupiter caps replace the stock Dayton audio film caps, which are made by Bennic and a very nice value, but not the end-all be-all audiophile capacitor.


----------



## funch

I thought those big film cap's looked familiar. I remember seeing seeing your amp in the build stages over at the Bottlehead forum.


----------



## Sko0byDoo

Very nice, tidy work!  Love how the wires are neatly together, perfect lengths and all...
  
 Cardas 2 x 23.5 awg?


----------



## Roberval

Impressive !!!


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

sko0bydoo said:


> Cardas 2 x 23.5 awg?


 
 Yes indeed! I got a good 30-40 feet of it when Soniccraft had it on clearance. Great for internal wiring whenever a shield is needed. Takes a little bit of effort to prepare with the layers of tape to remove and the enamel to burn off, but totally worth it.


----------



## Kerry

Very nicely done.


----------



## GrindingThud

Added balanced DC protection circuit and balanced pot to my SuSy Dynalo. Still working on the balanced inputs:


----------



## macm75

Something I have been listening to for at least a few years - my only rig and never an urge to change (after years of change up to this combo).  I told myself to post after I built transformer covers that match the base but I've never got around to it - hence the delay in post.  The circuit is dsavitsk's Electric Avenue - http://diy.ecpaudio.com/2008/03/SSS.html 
 The Lundahl LL1660's are wired for 4.5:1 - this amp is specific for high impedance HP's - quite incredible sweetness, detail, and spaciousness with 600ohm DT-880's.


----------



## Sko0byDoo

macm75 said:


> Something I have been listening to for at least a few years - my only rig and never an urge to change (after years of change up to this combo).  I told myself to post after I built transformer covers that match the base but I've never got around to it - hence the delay in post.  The circuit is dsavitsk's Electric Avenue - http://diy.ecpaudio.com/2008/03/SSS.html
> The Lundahl LL1660's are wired for 4.5:1 - this amp is specific for high impedance HP's - quite incredible sweetness, detail, and spaciousness with 600ohm DT-880's.


 
  
 Nicely done...Get the matched Lundahl covers, then everything is super sweet!


----------



## Klechty

Here a revised EHHA rev A, with some improvements , dc stopper added.


----------



## Sko0byDoo

Just completed my 45 Direct Reactance Drive headphone amplifier from  Jack Elliano design.
  
 -Tube rectifier instead of diodes (as in the plan).
 -DC filaments on 45s with Rod Coleman regulators.  AC filaments on drivers.
 -Custom silver secondary output, switchable 25/50/300-ohm.
  
 Runs a little hot due to high resistance (the 7.5K/10W resistor) to lift the 45s ~230V off from ground.  Separate PSU chassis helped to get the floor noise to dead black,  With 5U4GB, I'm getting 514VDC B+, probably the highest voltage I dare to play around with.  Sounds fantastic with LCD-3Fs.


----------



## macm75

sko0bydoo said:


> Just completed my 45 Direct Reactance Drive headphone amplifier from  Jack Elliano design.


 
 Fantastic implementation - obviously a lot of sweat went into that amp.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

sko0bydoo said:


> Just completed my 45 Direct Reactance Drive headphone amplifier from  Jack Elliano design.


 
  
 Beautiful! Very nice interior layout. 45s are a very special tube, are they not?


----------



## OJNeg

Very well done! Are we going to see that bad boy at Canjam?


----------



## Zashoomin

Just thought that I would show off my recently finished Krell KSA 5 clone.  Need to finish biasing it but so far so good.  The wiring in the PSU is a mess 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 because I didn't not plan it properly. Very excited though to listen to it.  Will post what I think tomorrow when it is up and running.


----------



## GrindingThud

Nice! Make sure you get those posted over at the other site. 


zashoomin said:


> Just thought that I would show off my recently finished Krell KSA 5 clone.  Need to finish biasing it but so far so good.  The wiring in the PSU is a mess   because I didn't not plan it properly. Very excited though to listen to it.  Will post what I think tomorrow when it is up and running.


----------



## thekingstallion




----------



## glunteer

Guys, how to paint/write in a enclosure ?
  
 I want to make my diy O2 amp "more friendly"  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 My O2:
  

  
 i want to seems like that:
  

  
 any help is helpful, thanks


----------



## funch

http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/


----------



## DutchGFX

That ^^ or you can do it yourself with a CNC machine


----------



## glunteer

funch said:


> http://www.frontpanelexpress.com/


 
  
  


dutchgfx said:


> That ^^ or you can do it yourself with a CNC machine


 
 Thanks so much !


----------



## dsavitsk

macm75 said:


> The circuit is dsavitsk's Electric Avenue - http://diy.ecpaudio.com/2008/03/SSS.html




I didn't see this when you posted. Very cool 



sko0bydoo said:


> Nicely done...Get the matched Lundahl covers, then everything is super sweet!




Yes on the covers.


----------



## Headzone

Could someone point me in some direction on how to build a notch filter to tame treble 2-3dB?
  
 I have those headphones on my avatar but they are a bit too bright. It needs to be hardware, cause I use software that uses asio drivers, gaming etc so I can't have eq in those.
  
 can't buy an amp/dac either, because sound has to come out of my pc mixer or dac.


----------



## Headzone

I knew it no one on this forum actually knows nothing


----------



## DutchGFX

What frequency do you want to tame from? You could build an RC filter. That would likely do the trick. I havent ever worked with filters but I don't see why you couldn't just make a nice RC

The reason noone answered is that most folks here don't believe in EQ, they believe if you need tk EQ, you need new gear lol


----------



## MisterX

> The reason noone answered is that most folks here don't believe in EQ, they believe if you need tk EQ, you need new gear lol


 
  
  
 No, Google plus 4 seconds and he could find his own friggin answer.
 You know the part about doing in Doing It Yourself. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 http://www.ti.com/general/docs/litabsmultiplefilelist.tsp?literatureNumber=sloa093


----------



## DutchGFX

misterx said:


> No, Google plus 4 seconds and he could find his own friggin answer.
> You know the part about doing in Doing It Yourself.
> 
> http://www.ti.com/general/docs/litabsmultiplefilelist.tsp?literatureNumber=sloa093




Fair point indeed sensei.


----------



## selwin

the best i can do is this url ,than go to the headphone portofolio  https://grabcad.com/selwin.lisand-1


----------



## lextheimpaler




----------



## ryans51

Here is my first real project. This is a NP-100 v12 amp with built in power supplies. I have one transformer supplying the tube heater, and the other supplies the MOSFETs and the tube. Both supplies gonthrough full wave bridge, 4700uF caps, and then LM 317's set to 12.6 and 12 V. The corners are solid cherry wood, and the ply is 1/4 inch oak. I have a metal case on the inside for some EMI shielding.


----------



## Roberval

My next tubeamp :
  

  
 Soviets 1ZH18B + K312 germanium transistors.


----------



## Roberval

It´s alive !!!


----------



## 00940

It's been a while I didn't post something.
  
 Here's a small amp inspired by the Van Waarde/Crack kind of things. Tubes are Mullard ecc82 and Syvlania 6080wc Quite tubey without surprise but still fun into hd650.
  

  

  
 For the guys with good eyes: the red standoffs were to mount small output transformers. But they were too close of the main transformers and got induced hum. So they'll probably go in their own little box.


----------



## Nisbeth

Looks good! Really like that chassis design 
  
 /U.


----------



## JamesBr

headzone said:


> I knew it no one on this forum actually knows nothing


 
 lol


----------



## Rhino73

headzone said:


> I knew it no one on this forum actually knows nothing


 

 ^^ Literally makes no sense ^^


----------



## p90036

detachable minixlr to the 990 and "modular" cable via minixlr ... using mogami 2534 ... yeah.. dont look too close at the connectors its not pretty


----------



## Movezig

glunteer said:


> Guys, how to paint/write in a enclosure ?
> 
> I want to make my diy O2 amp "more friendly"
> 
> ...


 
  
 I really dig the plain look to be honest. Did you machine the parts or is there a kit?


----------



## kolyas

Hi – many of the builds in this DIY thread are truly awesome. So it is with some trepidation that I post my new build here.
 
Dsavitsk’s head amps and DIY pages offer several excellent examples of the art of the amplifier; indeed his Electric Avenue featured here a short while ago. So now I offer my version of Dsavitsk’s Less Espessivo. Please read the internet page below.  
http://www.ecp.cc/less-pressivo-plus-plus.html
 
There are two innovations here to merit this detailed post:
 
_First, the use of volume controlled Autoformers as described by Dsavitsk_ – see link.
 
_Second the use of an electronic choke in the power supply._
 

Top view C3G OTL now my Espressivo
 
First I would like to explain why I built it. Until a year ago my source was the Linn Akurate DS with an output of 2 volts. I ran two amplifiers: the Schitt Lyr and a self built C3G OTL for my AKG K702 and Audeze LCD 2. I also had Tribute mono volume controlled amorphous core Autoformers running directly to the K702 from the source and with a sensitivity of 105db 2 volts was adequate.
 
A year ago the Linn Akurate stopped working. I did not have the funds to repair or replace it. The sound card in my computer is the Juli@ and is a truly excellent source but the output is a mere 0.316 volts. The two amplifiers still worked fine but the very expensive autoformer volume controls were useless. As they cost over 400 Euros I wanted to find a proper use for them.
 

  
After analyzing the C3G OTL (circuit above) I found that as constructed the voltage gain was 25 and the output impedance a whopping 1466 ohms (which probably explains why I preferred the Lyr). The Tribute Autoformer can accept just 6 volts AC No volts DC and its primary impedance is 3000 ohms. So I needed a gain of 19 (19*.316 =6 volts) and an output impedance of about 1000 Ohms. By reducing the RLoad resistor from 10K ohms to 3K ohms on the original schematic above the gain was the magical 19 and the output impedance was 1092. So I swapped out the input resistor and changed the RLoad to 3k. The major difference between my Espressivo and *Dsavitsk’s *it that no CCS is used -unpredictable and too big a gain factor.
 
As the inductance of the Tribute Autoformers is 150 H I sized the output capacitor to 3.3mF and used the excellent and highly rated Audyne True Reference.
 

Revised signal circuit with original PSU
                                    
 
Result = Audio microscope! Sound stage became holographic and the texture of all instruments accurate revealed. Definition was much better and I discovered what a truly superb headphone the K702 really is.  In all, this was a major step up from the Schiit Lyr.
 
However, although in my opinion a better signal circuit would be very hard to find there was something missing. Good SE amplifiers are capable of such high definition reproduction but they are also capable of providing that elusive quality of vibration. Music, after all, is merely and primarily vibration. Instruments whether plucked, bowed, blown or struck offer massive vibration. In the concert hall one can feel the vibration in the chest. A good amplifier lets you at least sense that vibration. I put this loss down to the rudimentary power supply of the C3G OTL.
 
Most audio enthusiasts state that the performance of an amp is absolutely dependent on the power supply. My power supply was definitely the week link in this amplifier. I only used the most basic PSU for the OTL: a CRCRC filter using 47mF electrolytics and two Kiwame 5 watt resistors supplying 297 volts DC. What I felt I really needed was a CLC Pi filter. The Duncan Power Supply app shows that two final RC filters were needed to knead out kinks, reduce voltage, provide separation of channels and the ability to use a high quality output cap.
 
I could not use a convention choke – size etc. But after searching on line I found the Tentlabs MEC-50 Electronic Choke:
 
http://tentlabs.com/Components/Tubeamp/page36/page36.html
 
Using Duncan’s power supply programme I constructed the following:

 
As you can see from the above curve the PSU is extremely fast and ruler flat. The first three caps are F&T elctrolytics rated at 500volts. The first is bypassed with an obbligato premium .47mF. The last cap is a 4.7mF Obbligato Premium bypassed with .1mF Russian FT-3 Teflon a gift from my son. The resistors are a 5 watt Mills and 2 Jantzen Superes. The caps were too large for the main amp so I fitted them under the plinth of the amp.
 

  
The resulting sound from the amp is truly remarkable. And yes I can now sense the vibration. The sound stage is further enhanced. The fine detail is even finer. The instrumental texture is more obvious. And like a true SE amplifier it vibrates, vibrates. I rebuilt the power supply of a piece and not incrementally so I do not know whether the choke or the higher quality capacitors gave the higher overall quality.
 
A tube amp? Yes of course, But the C3G is so neutral that I would characterize is as character less. The Schiit Lyr, a hybrid amp, is far more tube like.
 
Now, it will be impossible to replicate this amplifier as Tribute has ceased making the autoformer for DIY enthusiasts. And it is highly unlikely that your source output is just .316 volts so 19X amplification will not be necessary. However, if you crave an Espressivo then I heartily recommend making Dsavitsk’ 12B4 version with the Slagel autoformers. If you have sensitive headphones this might just be your game changer.
 
The k702 headphones with their 105db sensitivity really shine, The LCD 2 prefers the Lyr – perhaps the 14db less sensitivity is the problem here. I have always loved AKG headphones. My first pair were K1000s which I ran off the back of my self built 300b SE. My next upgrade will be to replace the LCD 2 with the 110db AKG K812.
 
Finally I would like to thank some audio masters and suppliers for their superb products and service:
 
*Dsavitsk:  *always an inspiration – thanks mate!
 
*TentLabs MEC-50*
 
*Pieter Treurniet of Tribute Transformers Holland* makes possibly the best volume controlled amorphous core autoformers in the world and a very helpful guy. Unfortunately he has decided to build no new transformers for new clients. A great loss to the DIY community.
 
*Nick Lucas* of *Hi Fi Collective* UK. He is always helpful and speedy. Supplied all caps, resistors and e=choke
 
*Toroidy *of Poland. *Tomasz* *Lachowski* sent me the inexpensive and beautiful power transformer seen on my Espressivo. He and his colleagues are always helpful and wonderful to work with.


----------



## kolyas

Update
  
 Peiter T of Tribute has just informed me that he is still willing to supply autoformers to DIYers. Good news.


----------



## NiHaoMike

OpenDAC HD:

 In summary, it's a project my best friend and I did. It's not just a DAC but also a headphone amp with three outputs and a microphone preamp for headsets.
 https://github.com/NiHaoMike/OpenDAC-HD


----------



## MisterX

It kind reminds me of a DAC and headphone amp project that was put together with one of my friends.
  
  
 http://www.amb.org/audio/gamma1.5/


----------



## mik000000

finished Millet Max. i wanted case that would show off the innards and this is what i came up with. i have it paired with Y2 dac


----------



## amb

Some photos of my prototype γ3 high resolution DAC. General release is late November 2015. I am working on the official website (now just a placeholder with a list of features, to be replaced with the full site later).


----------



## Kerry

I've been following this build. Really nicely done!

Congrats


----------



## Jose R

Most recent build (actually a rebuild from an earlier project): 2A3/300B convertible SET speaker amp with headphone out. Classic topology, cap-coupled, three-stage. 6V6GT drivers. And a 6SN7 as input.
  
 Fixed bias schemes for the output tubes and driver tubes.
 Rod Coleman filament regulators for output tubes.
 DC heaters for input/driver tubes.
 Separate power supply chassis.
 Two power transformers, one for the output stage and the other for the input/driver stages.
 pseudo Choke input for all supplies (small-CLCLC for HT and small-CLCRCRC for LT).
 Hybrid rectification for both B+.
  
 Signal chassis:
  
  
  
 Power supple chassis:
  

  

  

  

  
 More build pics at my Flickr album: https://flic.kr/s/aHskagaFHE


----------



## funch

Stunningly brilliant craftsmanship. Uber clean and seriously professional. Well done sir!


----------



## gilency

Beautiful build! Wow!


----------



## Sko0byDoo

Nice work!
  
 Wonder how you worked out same Rod Coleman board for 2A3 and 300B (I recall different input voltages and output resistors)?


----------



## Jose R

sko0bydoo said:


> Nice work!
> 
> Wonder how you worked out same Rod Coleman board for 2A3 and 300B (I recall different input voltages and output resistors)?


 
  
 I emailed Rod and he sent me the boards for dual use of 300B and 2A3.
  
 R1 is a .82 ohm 12 watt resistor.
 R2 is another .82 ohm 12 watt resistor.
  
 i use a switch to parallel R2 with R1 for 2A3. For 300Bs R2 is switched out of the circuit.
  

  
 I get the correct raw DC supply voltage for both set of tubes:
  
 300B: 9.2 VDC
 2A3: 7.1 VDC
  
 The wiring to the switch needs to be as short as possible. And the switch should be rated for at least 5 amps.
  
 And thanks all for the nice comments! It was a lot of work.


----------



## Sko0byDoo

Didn't know that Rod can custom his boards...I got a few boards from him too, for my 45 and 300B projects.  Did you consider to include 45 into the mix (OPT may need switching for correct impedance)?  Truly nice work on the P2Ps; my P2Ps look like a spider web.


----------



## Jose R

I don't know whether the board was custom. He may just have included the additional dropping resistor for R2.

And yeah, the primary impedance for the OPT is 3.5K. Not suited for the 45. And trying to build for three distinct output tube is a bit too difficult. Note that I am also switching the secondaries of the power transformer with a high voltage relay. In order to dial in appropriate operating points for each output tubes.

I do plan to use the 45 in my next build: a D3a/45 DRD headphone amp, pretty much a copy of the one you made a few months ago.


----------



## stixx

> Finally I would like to thank some audio masters...
 
 @ Kolyas:  Nice project... you could have mentioned that you also obviously took inspiration from my C3G SET amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 No pun intended.


----------



## Sko0byDoo

Both D3a and C3g are fine tubes.  Let us know how you like your 45 DRD.  My 45 DRD drives the HD800 beautifully; probably the best I've heard from the HD800.
  
 Thinking about doing a 300b DRD but the heat through that bottom cathode resistor gonna be horrendous.


----------



## kolyas

STIXX
  
 So, you consider yourself a master do you?
  
 In what way does my espessivo resemble your C3g?


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Finally finished up my second LM3886 Chipamp build. My objective was to create a solid state amp that didn't look like a solid state amp, to get away from that idea that SS amps are just big black blocks with heatsinks. In this case I hid the heatsinks on the inside and positioned the toroids out of the main chassis to give a more vintage, tube-amp like look. Chipamp PCBs, DIYAudio Soft Start board, and Cardas wire and connectors are used throughout. Kilo knobs adorn the front, and Antek torroids and torroid shields sit on top. The chassis is made by Horace Atkinson of www.iagaudio.com, VERY solid .125mm aluminum with figured maple wood accents. I opted to finish the maple my typical red stain, but with a glossy finish this time (took quite a few coats). The chassis and shields are powdercoated for a nice durable finish. 
  
 Additional parts include 100uF Clarity Caps w Sonicap bypasses, Elna Silmic electrolytics, Nichicon power filter caps, Wima PP film caps, Audio Note Tantalum and  Takman film resistors.
  
  
  



  

  
  
 Ended up being a nice tight build with little wasted space. Features 5 inputs and subwoofer output, the wattage output is (I believe) ~68 watts. Sounds very nice, a bit more refined and "present" than my previous attempt. I'm sure the film caps and separate power supplies have something to do with that. Still presents a mildly warm, natural sound with a bit of emphasis on the top end. Compared to my everyday integrated, a Manley Stingray with upgraded tubes, the sound is a bit less emotional and loses some midrange liquidity, but is more crisp and detailed with a bit more force. We'll see if anything changes with burn-in. I'd still recommend this as a nice SS to try for people who usually only listen to tube amps, as it doesn't have that clinical sound that some SS amps possess.


----------



## mcandmar

Looks up to your usual standards, nice one


----------



## stixx

"So, you consider yourself a master do you?

In what way does my espessivo resemble your C3g?"

First, No  
Second, ... forget about it. Did I say no pun intended?


----------



## prot

A truly beautiful build amb .. congrats and good luck!


----------



## Azpaint

Picked up a whole bunch of NOS Western Electric (including some becoming-harder-to-find NOS KS13385L1 WE16GA & WE14GA recently praised by Jeff day: http://jeffsplace.me/wordpress/?p=7469 ), some Beldin 8402 for interconnects and other misc NOS the last few weeks!
 DIY headphone cables, PCs and speaker cables to come!
  

  



 I'm excited!


----------



## 00940

Here's a little amp. It's very simple: external 30vdc wallwart, regulated down to 24vdc. Opa134 in unity gain with a class A buffer in the loop followed by transformers set for a voltage gain of 2. All cased up in an old NAS box (I still have to find a nice frontplate, so no external pictures)
  
 Not really suitable for low impedance cans (because of the output transformers, the impedance seen by the power stage is divided by 4) but it works well into high impedance cans. If I wasn't lazy, I could add a switch to change the transformer from 1:2 to 2:1 as wanted.


----------



## Budgie

Interesting build on that amp, 00940!


----------



## Sathimas

Finally done after 4 years and three months...


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Very cool! I like the asymmetrical venting. Are those dials on the front?


----------



## Sathimas

Older pic with a little more light 
  
 Amp inside the case is a Cavalli Audio EHHA Rev. A


----------



## kahei036

Hi all,
  
 Not sure if it is appropriate to share here, as mine is such a small one compare to the biggies here (which all look very cool!).
  
 I've recently made a pair of AAW W100 (CIEM). So I decided to pay a little to upgrade my gear (which was an iPhone). I bought a second hand iPod mini, and followed the guide on this board to have my iPod mini modded. Now I have a modded line-out bypass, why not making a dock cable and amp myself? I then made a dock cable with 3.5 out with micro USB for charge and data sync.
  
 Get long story short, I decided to start with an old, but simple design - an A47. Here I would first of all thank Tangent's website, which helped me a lot on electronics basics. 
 I've been making a few HPAs back in few years ago, those are "giant" (able to case 4x 9V cells in, you can imagine) and they are not portable at all. This time I tried to challenge myself to house it in a smaller case.
 In terms of size I am quite satisfied  
  
 There are few areas to improve though, it is running with 2 LiPo cells, but there is no charge nor protection circuit, I had a few bad experience of over discharge and damaged 1 or 2 pack of cells. 
 Next up I would like to challenge myself with MINT, with few modifications after digesting Tangent, as well as other materials, and understanding the circuit.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

Looks great! Nice job breadboarding


----------



## 2leftears

Nice build, but:




kahei036 said:


> There are few areas to improve though, it is running with 2 LiPo cells, but there is no charge nor protection circuit, I had a few bad experience of over discharge and damaged 1 or 2 pack of cells.




Best not use LiPo's then. Discharged below 3.0V They can get damaged. Below 2.5V most chargers will reject the battery as it is considered too dangerous to attempt charging (fire risk).

I don't quite understand why a lot of DIY-ers (and manufacturers for that matter) insist on using Lithium-chemistry based batteries. They are downright dangerous if not treated appropriately. Standard NiMh batteries are a lot safer to work with, and for the same power capacity are indeed bigger/heavier, but not disproportionately so... So for a phone, sure, but for laptops / cameras / headphone amps etc, why go through the trouble/risk of using Lithium chemistry? Remember all the laptop battery recalls over the years? And even Boeing have trouble to get that stuff working reliably :rolleyes:. Many airlines are now restricting the quantity and state of LiPo's you're allowed to take on board. Some are restricting LiPo batteries to only those inside the appliance, spare ones carried separately are sometimes prohibited. And with electric cars becoming more commonplace, expect a lot of burn-out wrecks at the side of the road over the next few years.

I also have a theory about the increasing number of fires happening at waste-dumps & recycle sites...


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## kahei036

2leftears said:


>


 
  
 Hi 2leftears, thank you for your comment. Yes before I start this project I indeed have read a lot about the cons on LiPo cells, however given my case is that tiny, there are not much choices left for me.
 a 9V cell is slightly thicker than my case that I can't fit it in (Yes I used to use 9V batts for my portable amps)
 2A and 3As are also out due to space in case and the voltage they can supply. With a pack of 4x 2A batts i can get only around +6V at most. Most opamps only run at +- 4V or above.. I also try avoid using DC step-up circuit, mostly due to, again, space issue within the housing; and personally I am kind of negative on such step up circuits.
  
 These LiPo cells draw my attention, firstly of coz they are tiny enough to fit in my case; and they can be reused in my remote control cars  (If one knows that well will probably notice it's actually a remote-con car battery!)
 Also with 2-cell LiPo I can get +8V at most for a batt pack. Running 2 packs I can get +-8V, that can drive most opamps happily (Not MUSES01 tho, that needs at least +-9V)
 300Mah per pack is releatively a low capacity one, but in my practical test my amp can run more than 10 hours. I am quite happy with that coz even my reborn iPod mini can't stand that long lol
 They are also light in weight, 2 batt packs are slightly lighter than a 9V Alkaline batt, with similar physical size.
  
 Anyway, thanks a lot for your input and I truly agree that one should strongly consider before they get on LiPo, they are dangerous and can easily die due to over discharge.
 However, for myself, after above consideration and judgement I have chosen LiPo for good and using them with extra care


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## 99wombats

Just finished this 12AU7 headphone amp (instructions), my first diy hifi project - got a bit of quiet hum I"m trying to get to the bottom of but pretty chuffed with it to be honest 
 Potentiometer knob and hex head screws to replace those cross heads are on the way


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## skyhakuu

musical fidelity combo + hd800 (house)
  
 velvet+z3 in the street


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## Vidal

My modified DT990s - these have been recabled with 26AWG silver plated cable and have been fitted with a 4 pin mini XLR socket for use with a balance amp. I've added extra damping and the cable will have inter-changeable adaptors 3.5mm or XLR once the male mini XLRs come back in stock at Canford.


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## kahei036

Another attempt in a chocolate box. It's with a modified MINT circuit due to some parts restrictions. Running with gain opamp LME49710HA and buffer LME49600, it turns out to be the combination stated in NS datasheet lol.
  
 I actually got the 49710s in hand for few years, but most of my projects are running dual opamp so it's hard to fit in. I decided this time to build a dual mono amp to have that in. Luckily after some opamp rolling it doesn't let me down, really a good one. 
  

  
 Close up
  

  
 Did quite a few opamp rolling, maybe i will share later in the opamp thread.


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## FallenAngel

kahei036 said:


> Another attempt in a chocolate box. It's with a modified MINT circuit due to some parts restrictions. Running with gain opamp LME49710HA and buffer LME49600, it turns out to be the combination stated in NS datasheet lol.
> 
> I actually got the 49710s in hand for few years, but most of my projects are running dual opamp so it's hard to fit in. I decided this time to build a dual mono amp to have that in. Luckily after some opamp rolling it doesn't let me down, really a good one.


 
  
 Very nicely built. Simple, elegant and a good design.


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## gilency

Nice little amp.


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## Sunshine55

After building my avatar amp, a Millit-Maxed. I had the tube bug and extra wood left over so built more.
 The amp OTL 6dj8 / 6as7 / 5v4. Headphone Amp. (first)     Then i built a 5-in / 2-out audio switcher with
 iphone, ipad, dap, dac, etc,,,,, perch. The perch folds down for transport. Switching is done using touch
 sw's made of stainless steal rods taken from old CD player. I used the finished end as sensors to drive
 a small pic which also controls the indicator leds and, the relay's contained in a metal cab also holding the RCA's.
 All in all i am pleased with the way it turned out. That great looking high/low volt connecting cable cost
 me $1.00 at junk shop for European (220v) travel iron. Cool the way things turn out sometimes. I do
 love DIYing. Cables will get shortened when they find their perch. Cabs are 6"Wx8"Dx2 1/2"H. Sound is
 better than my ears are used to so this unit will be with me for a while.

  
  
 The Switcher

 Touching left sensor advances to next input (led only) and the right sensor selects (led and relay).
 Doing the opposite way round (within 250msec) selects the outputs, (front or back). Makes it handy
 for front access of stereo 3.5mm input and output.

 And if you think i may have a few grey hairs after cutting out, sanding,
 and spraying that musical note stand. You'd be right. Again, the piano
 hinge, and the back rest support (both solid brass) just turned out to
 be the perfect size. Luck not design, just pure dumb luck as well as the
 last peice of 3/8" walnut i had, which made the stand/rest. Go figure.

 The banana jack and switch allow me to connect the metal cab to either cir/sig gnd or earth gnd.
 All internal wiring is silver. Just a little audiophile touch.


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## silvrr

How did you join your corner posts to the sides and front? I am looking to do something similar and can't decide between biscuits, dowels or just a tenon type joint.


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## Guidostrunk

BRO! Your work is FANTASTIC! I do carpentry, for a living, and love the simplicity of the design. I would seriously buy for looks alone. Contemporary/Rustic. 



sunshine55 said:


> After building my avatar amp, a Millit-Maxed. I had the tube bug and extra wood left over so built more.
> The amp OTL 6dj8 / 6as7 / 5v4. Headphone Amp. (first)     Then i built a 5-in / 2-out audio switcher with
> iphone, ipad, dap, dac, etc,,,,, perch. The perch folds down for transport. Switching is done using touch
> sw's made of stainless steal rods taken from old CD player. I used the finished end as sensors to drive
> ...


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## Sunshine55

Very kind words Guidostrunk thank you. That is the last of the walnut
 and maple from building my main system. OK maybe a few small desk lamps.
 I love the smell of wood, the texture of it, the warmth it radiates. Hence the
 orange soft led's on the front and the glow of the heaters is a perfect combo
 and perfect for relaxing and listening in the eve's quiet hrs.
  Of coarse i had to chop down one walnut tree and one maple tree to get it.
 Truth be told there are 5 pieces in total, the other two are pwr sply and
 phono-preamp designed by Bruce Heran which are about 95% done before
 I got sidetracked. Have all the parts no time.
 Silvrr,,,, the box is small enough to carry in one hand and made of 1" walnut
 and 3/4" maple. It stands 2 1/2"H x 6"W x 8"D. Granted if you threw it against a
 rock or boulder it would break. But, you could drive a truck wheel over these
 boxes and scuff-up the 600 grit sanding. Butt joints all the way. Strait, clean
 cuts and tube clamps for a day per stage. <24 hours no cheating>>. Very good
 to scuff up the mating surfaces though.
  
 Always use wood between clamp and cabinet surface.
 Keep moist cloth rags near to wipe all joints of glue that seeps out. Do it
 immediately after clamps are tight and secure. Any glue let soak in will not
 allow any finish of any kind to penetrate the wood surface. Which translates
 Eewwwww when the final stage of the varnishing starts and WT.....oh noooo
 I used a 18" table saw with 8" blade,and a kitchen blender motor for power.
 1- clamp 2 side panels to top.   Do this step first and use the back panel between
 the sides so when clamping the sides to the top they are 90deg
 2- clamp 2 front posts to front panel. Flush with each other on the inside surface.
 3- clamp 2 back posts to back panel. Same flush surfaces on the inside.
 4- clamp front to top and sides.
 5- clamp front, top and sides to back group and you are done.
 It is not going to break unless deliberately done. Then even biscuits
 won't mend a broken heart.


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## Sunshine55

In this set the wood boxes are each covering
 aluminum Hammond chassis for shielding due to
 the high gain stages of the phono-amp.
 Here the wood "feels" best.
  
  
This is when the color and warmth set in. After spraying
 with varnish.
 
  
 Here the pwr spply is done and tested under load but
 preamp is about 90 to 95% done. Good job i can work
 with wood cause i can't take a pic to save me. Sorry.


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## Guidostrunk

TOP NOTCH BRO!!!! Absolutely love the 2 tone wood scheme. You should definitely consider a marketing plan. 


sunshine55 said:


> In this set the wood boxes are each covering
> aluminum Hammond chassis for shielding due to
> the high gain stages of the phono-amp.
> Here the wood "feels" best.
> ...


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## Dogmatrix

My 6x6 switch
 Seiden switches and Mundorf hook up


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## GermanGuy

This is my latest protoype of a medium sized portable hybrid tube amp:
  

  
 I call it night design, just want to see Input (green), Output (red) and Volume Level even when starting to listen in the dark:
  

  

  
 The case is a Standard Hammond 120x54x23 mm Aluminium housing:
  

  

  
 The amp consists of the main module or -board (potentiometer, opamp amplifier ...USB Ports), the battery-, the charger- and the tube-preamp-module:
  

  
 Implementing it this way has something of a 3D puzzle, but the benefit is having much more soldering points and space for the needed lines and connections:
  

  
 This build is based on my (third) prototype for a (also fully functional) submini portable hybrid tube amp, technically they are nearly identical (but for charging i made a small external CCCV charger implemented as USB Stick, not shown here):
  

  
 Detailed view:
  

  
 Both amps have a star ground topology with dedicated, separate ground (and power) lines for L+R pre and main amp, Input and Output. Except for the battery it is a double mono design with a let´s call it "power rail splitter" to separate the power of left and right channel as good as possible.
  
 Runtime is about 17 hours (medium sized amp) and about 9 hours (submini amp) fully charged.


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## Klechty

germanguy said:


> This is my latest protoype of a medium sized portable hybrid tube amp:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Nice done .
  
 You should make a real pcb now and it will be perfect .
 What kind of mini tube did you use ?


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## GermanGuy

JAN 6418 tubes and OPA 2132 opamps. the pcb used is FR4 HF prototyping board, solder and wires are Mundorf Silver Gold Solder and Mundorf Silver Gold Wires.


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## v2517

Hello,


  
 I have been a fan of this forum for awhile, but didn't really have anything to contribute. Until now, I would like to share my SennGrado build.
  
 This build started when doing research to rewire my px-100's. The left channel would go in and out when the plug was moved. I saw the builds here, and since these are not my primary headphones, I decided it's time for a new project.
  
 I wanted to keep the build simple and cheap. Buying a set of cups was not in the budget and so was a lathe, which I also don't have room for. In my parts bin, was a set of Nakamichi's that I got a while back on sale for 10 bucks. To be honest, the only reason I bought them was for the N on the sides of it, they didn't sound all that good. But now I have a headband and hopefully some cups.
  
 After dissembling the cups and cutting out the backs, I felt these would be too shallow. But, I did like the way I can use them to mount the drivers. Off to Home Depot to see what goodies the plumbing section will prevail. And low and behold, I found a 2" x 1.5" flush bushing. I have no idea what it is used for, but they were like 75 cents each, and the perfect diameter to glue to the Nakamichi's. And, they look like they were made for this.
  
 So, after some glue, painting and soldering, this is how they turned out.
  
 http://s53.photobucket.com/user/v2517/library/ (sorry for the link, I'm not at the level to upload yet, i think that's the problem)
  
 They have been finished for a few months now, and I really enjoy how they sound. I actually think I prefer these over my SR60's.


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## FallenAngel

Looks great! Where can I grab a headband like that?


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## v2517

They were from a set of Nakamichi's  http://amzn.to/1YLDU0H
 I believe they are the same as the Platten style headphones found at Five Below and other dollar like stores.
  
 I made the gimbals from 2" rings I cut from some PVC, then stretched them over a soup can and carefully heated them with a hair dryer. I attached them, using the top half of the original gimbals.


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## tomb

I recently finished building Pete Millett's LR Phono Preamp.  It uses purely inductors and resistors for the RIAA equalization - no capacitors in the signal path at all.  Pete designed and built it for the European Triode Festival in 2013.  He's got an excellent presentation about designing it, RIAA theory, inductors, etc. on his web site:
http://pmillett.com/LR_phono.html
  













  
 + and - 15VDC supply on left side and LR phono preamp board on the right.  It blows away other phono preamps I've heard and beats many DACs I've heard and built.  It's the best I've ever heard phono (using a good turntable, cartridge and stylus).


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## tomb

Here's another one, quite simply the best DAC I've heard - ECP Audio's Walnut 5.0 DAC:
  












 I actually built the PCB and rubbed some oil onto the wood. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Dsavitsk of ECP Audio takes the credit for the rest, though: PCB design, case design, woodwork, etc.  Still, building the PCB was pretty fun.  It was the most challenging electronics project I've ever soldered - very rewarding.
  
 Balanced output, high-res, high-bit, asynchronous USB - can't ask for much more.


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## Zashoomin

Beautifully done on both projects love the look of the chassis, especially the wood.  You don't by chance have any extra circuit boards on that dac that you can throw at me do you?


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## jh4db536

Stuff that i've made over the years:
  
 m3 (work amp/2015), y3 (2016), b22 (home amp/2010 and rebuilt in 2016)


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## Sodacose

Finished a 6C45Pi parafeed headphone amp recently (CCS load, Edcor OPTs):
  

  
 There's some more info and pics of the build process here: http://imgur.com/gallery/dR9Qu
  
 Also on my project website (What Amps link in sig, non-commercial site).


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## Sodacose

One more pic of the guts:


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## jh4db536

AMB CK^2III - all-discrete featuring a JFET input stage, BJT voltage gain stage, complementary feedback pair BJT output stage, and no global negative feedback powered by a Sigma22 @15v


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## eddie0817

Tube DAC CS 4328
  
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/93828100@N00/sets/72157639763477653
  

  
 Preamp LH0032+0033
  
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/93828100@N00/sets/72157625927446955
  

  
 Power amp classic A 60W
  
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/93828100@N00/albums/72157623931977294


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## Pars (Dec 17, 2017)

DynaFET (working) that I went back to several years after building it (and having oscillation problems). Got the oscillation problems ironed out (gate zobels ala Bob Cordell, ferrite beads, and yet to be installed Amb zobels, ala B22).

As far as I know, this is the only working one out there (other thank KG, but I've never seen or heard it). Mock up of layout before I case it up. I will probably replace the sigma22 PSU with a GRLV set at +/-30V. I am thinking I will also put the amp boards on the right heatsink and the transformer/PSU on the left side, and use the heatsink for the PSU pass devices.

















This sounds really good. I also have a pair of dynahi boards I can swap in/out, and I prefer the FET version so far. I'll need to do some more comparison listening though.


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## DutchGFX

Not a picture but here's a video of an electronic instrument I built in school. I did all the electrical and hardware work, and did some of the code, promarily the data fitting


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## rellik (May 19, 2017)

Dude, is the electronics tech lab still there.? How about Richard Dean Andersen. you know Jack O'Neil from that hit series Stargate.
Its kinda near the comp sci lab and closer to the machine shop aka the old automotive tech lab. and maybe a bit of drywall... Try to figure out what the oscillator/synth and the football dac are doing.

Breadboards do go bad. More likely a self error generating UV erase ROM module with a UV led on the top glass window. It sounded bad in '06 but i guess it can also programma tetragramma tech via UV bulb and/or DAC feedback punchies. hehe. not so funny am I...oh yes I am. Do the dance Dukakis. Please do the dance..... Seriously DO the dance.

If you dont believe me, just take a look from the Outside of the school, dont worry. Im sure they will let you back in.

Legal etcetera, this post is a vague description of a electronics "build".


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## tomb

New ECP Audio Walnut DAC 5.1.  Similar to the one I posted several pages back, but this one has Lundahl transformers on the output.  Dsavitsk found some really nice looking walnut for me to use!  24 bit, 192 Khz, asynchronous USB:


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## funch

Simply elegant. Is this production, or a one-off?


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## Ech0

@tomb, very nicely done. Elegant indeed. .


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## Pars

Looks great Tom!


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## bluebyte60 (Dec 18, 2017)

My beta22 and sigma22. They take me months and almost drive me crazy. The final build is not perfect but I am happy it works!!! The internal is not too elegant so I rather not show its ugly truth lol


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## SonicTrance

Great looking projects everyone!

Here's my new balanced headphone/speaker amp.


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## funch

Beautiful. I followed your build 'over there'. It turned out first class. How does it sound?


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## funch

bluebyte60 said:


> My beta22 and sigma22. They take me months and almost drive me crazy. The final build is not perfect but I am happy it works!!! The internal is not too elegant so I rather not show its ugly truth lol



Great job. This looks so professional that we need to see inside.


----------



## Mullet

Here's my latest project. I obtained some boards from Head-Fi user muskyhuntr a few years back, put them in a closet and almost forgot about them after building my EHHA Rev A amp. The EHHA has been a really good amp, but in my opinion, but not great - too much hum. So I decided to try something else. I'm glad I finally finished this amp, because I think it's a real winner, especially since it's so simple yet elegant. I like it better than the EHHA with certain headphones.

Here is the project page...
http://diyaudioprojects.com/Tubes/6DJ8-Tube-Headphone-Amp/

This particular amp has output transformers that match with either 600Ω or 300Ω headphones with a flick of a switch. It also uses a pair of 6DJ8 tubes, which are very easy to get at a decent price. So the price is low to build... maybe $300 in total with a pair of tubes. The chassis was the most expensive part of the amp.

Special thanks to vixr, @muskyhuntr, and Bruce Heran for this project.

Here are a few pics of the build...


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## muskyhuntr

Great work, looks good!  I love mine.  I tried to get Bruce to release a set of boards to make this amp available to others, but to no avail.
The problem with the EHHA was that it was designed by committee.  As such, there were about a thousand ways to ground the amp.  Some worked in in a few situations, others worked in other situations.
I was lucky and got mine hum free on the second try.  My final solution was different from what was suggested on Cavelli's web site.  

Me


----------



## Whitigir

Wow nice, didn’t know we have such sub forum here


----------



## Audiodoc

My EHHA is dead silent. One cannot tell whether it is powered on or off even at maximum volume. 
I have crammed a tube heater delay circuit two toroids a low noise regulated supply to my tubes in series a temperature sensor based fan assembly and amb headphones protection circuit in my chassis of 20 x 30 cm. 

 Initially i had some hum which was coming from the main ground. Grounded the pot screw and put in a main ground isolator. That was it.


----------



## Pars

Looks really nice! Where did you source the case from? Also, where's the PRoN?


----------



## bluebyte60 (May 26, 2018)

After half a year, finally finished a tube amp. It's a Aikido Octal single end preamp. Happy to finish this project.


----------



## FullCircle




----------



## HiGHFLYiN9 (Dec 18, 2018)

Finally finished up an interesting build for an Aikido-based OTL headphone amp with enough drive for low impedance cans. The boards are available on ebay for just $30 - hvforless on eBay (no affiliation). They can be configured with 6BL7 or 6BX7, as well as 6SN7, and uses a standard 5AR4 rectifier.


----------



## bluebyte60

HiGHFLYiN9 said:


> Finally finished up an interesting build for an Aikido-based OTL headphone amp with enough drive for low impedance cans. The boards are available on ebay for just $30 - hvforless on eBay (no affiliation). They can be configured with 6BL7 or 6BX7, as well as 6SN7, and uses a standard 5AR4 rectifier.


look nice!


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## Whitigir (Dec 18, 2018)

Balanced out ? Very interesting...the schematic doesn’t show balanced out though ?


HiGHFLYiN9 said:


> Finally finished up an interesting build for an Aikido-based OTL headphone amp with enough drive for low impedance cans. The boards are available on ebay for just $30 - hvforless on eBay (no affiliation). They can be configured with 6BL7 or 6BX7, as well as 6SN7, and uses a standard 5AR4 rectifier.


----------



## HiGHFLYiN9

It's single-ended. The 4 pin is just there for convenience.


----------



## FallenAngel

bluebyte60 said:


> After half a year, finally finished a tube amp. It's a Aikido Octal single end preamp. Happy to finish this project.



Very nice!


----------



## mwhouston

Havent posted here for a long time and have had a few email changes in that time. All Telstra Australia email accounts fail eventually and they cant fix them so moved to gmail. All good.

A few new builds since Sanguine. Ill just leave links to my mian blog if you would like to take a look at some 6AS7 based headphone amps and a two stage 6H3N build. The 6H3N has tuned out to be an excellent tube and I’ve used the amp as both a HP amp and a stunning preamp in my all DIY system.

Links: 
http://retro-thermionic.blogspot.com/2017/11/sanctum-simple-tube-headphone-amp.html

http://retro-thermionic.blogspot.com/2017/12/sanctorum-simple-headphone-amp-on.html

http://retro-thermionic.blogspot.com/2022/04/apparition-6h3n-triode-headphone-amp.html


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