D.I.Y chip amp.

Soldato
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13 May 2007
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On the wagon, sorta
been looking around the net last few days and something has took my attention. DIY chip amps, they look amaizing and very fun to build aswell.
Id like to know if any one has any idea wre the pcb kits can be bought and weaher any one has any experience with them. What sort of quality can you expect from one for music use?
 
I built a 41hz.com amp6 basic, and it's awesome. Blows away amps worth ten times as much. :cool:

What kit did you have in mind.... gainclone?
 
Not really sure to be hounest as im not sure how available or what sort of price they are, really just after something with stereo output which is relativly compact to a degree that i can use with my pc's sound card and a pair of eltax minitor III or some tannoy F1's or even some KEF cresta depending on what i can afford at the time.
the point of the DIY amp is more about the fun of the project and the learning curve that comes with it, also they look as if they can be as compact or as mighty as you want them to be and the case is all down to your own interpretation.
you got any pic's of your amp would be intrested to see it?
 
I'm not really a fan of the gainclone really, but then I've never really heard a good one so I'm not the best judge. As long as you use a nice heatsink and a good PSU it shuold be good tho.

Here's my amp6 basic:
imgp1078on4.jpg


It's bloody awesome, I can't recommend it highly enough. Use isolated speaker terminals, I learned this the hard way!
 
Innards:

imgp1074zl4.jpg


Low component count, all hole mount components so no fiddly SMD parts to worry about. Basically it's a piece of **** to build. They do sell some higher powered kits, but they're more tricky to build so I'm gonna wait until I'm a bit better at soldering before I attempt one...
 
To be hounest i cant really see why i cant use something from the 41Hz site if they are reallly as good as ive been reading, all i really need is something that can output a nice sound with stereo input and output and volume control feature. i am of course a complete novice to the point of insult but im a fast learner, how hard is it to source all the parts needed and? and how much did yours stand you all in with the power supply and other gubbins needed to get it all up and unning?
 
To be hounest i cant really see why i cant use something from the 41Hz site if they are reallly as good as ive been reading, all i really need is something that can output a nice sound with stereo input and output and volume control feature. i am of course a complete novice to the point of insult but im a fast learner, how hard is it to source all the parts needed and? and how much did yours stand you all in with the power supply and other gubbins needed to get it all up and unning?
Mine has stereo in and out, but no volume control... I could add one by soldering in a pot, but the case is a really tight fit, so right now I use an external volume control.

The 41hz.com kit I used kit includes everything apart from a PSU, heatsink, chassis and speaker binding posts.

It runs from 9v - 14v, so I use it from a 12v DC brick from an old LCD monitor. It works really well... I also sometimes use it from a 11.1v Li-ion battery pack so I can use it where the is no mains. I used Neutrik isolated RCA sockets as speaker terminals, but you can go for normal speaker terminals if you like.

As far as cost, the whole kit costs me less than £30 including delivery I think, but this may have changed as thier shop uses euros not sterling. You could pick up a decent PSU for £10-£20, but you may have a 12v PSU already. Make sure it can do 3A or more...

You won't find a better amp for the money IMO, plus this is their easiest kit to build. If I were you, I'd build the AMP6 basic, and if you manage this ok, then go on to the more high power kits if you want. I plan to try an AMP8 sometime, but this isn't for the faint hearted as it will do over 1Kw bridged. :eek:
 
So if i take this rite these kits are like pain by numbers in a sense? you buy the componants and source the ones you dont get in the kit, then you put them together as your told or use componants you feel work better depending on your skill set.
Aslong as you follow your instructions properly you build a working amp, in other words i dont just buy the kit and then do a lot of guess work to end up with an amp that may or may not work??
Obviously i know im going to have to do a little research to gauge what im undertaking but all in all its not a stab in the dark?

been looking at the amp10 kit, with a little revision and some hard work this would be a great amp?
 
When you buy the kit, you get the chip, the PCB, and all the resistors, inductors, capacitors and some of the connectors... They couldn't make it any easier really... They also give you some nice pdfs with step by step instructions.

The amp10 will be a little more difficult than the amp6 as it needs a transformerwith +-22v to +-35v, so you really need to know what you are doing here as it involves mains voltages... It should work well tho, just read up about transformers and how to wire them up. If you feel this is a but daunting, I'd build an amp6 first, power it from batteries or a 12v brick, then if you get on well with that then go for the amp 10. :)

If you feel brave, go straight for the amp10, and order a toroid also as well as:

You need to add / not included in the kit

* Transformer with mains fuse and power switch
* Enclosure with connectors for speakers and line input if required
* Heat sink. For many applications, screwing the components to a metal enclosure is sufficient as a heat sink. However, for high power applications like bridged mono 8 ohms or high power 4 ohms, a heat sink is recommended.
* Mounting screws
* Volume control or pot if required
 
Cheers mate you have been very very informative, when i undertake the task ill be sure to post my efforts. now i just need to get this bloody site to let me register, i have never had as much hassle getting registerd on a site in my life. 3 differant email address i have tryed to so far and havnt recieved my confirmation to any yet ggrrr!!!

one last thing and i know this may sound obvious to you but do these home made amps really sound so good they rival £100 amps for quality?

PS: loving the top tips:p
 
Glad you like 'em, I'll be adding some more soon. :D

This amp 6 sounds better than amps costing 10 times as much. Look up "tripath" in google and you will see what I mean.

Try registering or looking at thier forum, there may be a sticky about registration... I used a yahoo e-mail address and it worked ok....
 
ok just to check then, would this a toroidial transformer 160VA 2 x 30V be ok for the amp10 basic set up?
 
eltax monitor III or some tannoy F1's or even some KEF cresta depending.

The eltax are 4-8 ohms, 90 watts rms
the tannoy are 8 ohms, 100 watts rms
The kef cresta are 8 ohms, 100 watts rms

Just for argumants sake if i did go for the amp6 for an easyer start, how loud is this as im pretty used to listning to loud music its just the quality im not used to, and are the amp6 bridgable so it can run a single channel as im hoping to build an amp now and if all goes well add an identical one with both running a single channel each to make it an even better amp, if that is atall possible!

Secondly really finding it difficalt to get registerd on the site. cant find any instructions any were on registering so i think i have done it correctly but when i try and send an email through the contact us part of the main website to queary it it lets me send the mail aslong as i dont fill in the "your email address" part as soon as i put any kind of email in there the web site returns an error.
If at all possible would you be able to try and drop them a not or a post in the forum to queary the problem as i cant get in touch with them for love nor money and im really anctious to get on there and start asking all sorts of questions lol!
 
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