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DIY audio: what are you building?


Paul Spencer

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Still plugging away on my OB project. I've had quite a few technical issues, right from the get go, that's slowed the project to a crawl. First, a couple of damaged speaker drivers upon delivery. Got that all sorted. Then 2 of my three amps had faults, one just didn't work, and one had faulty binding posts and volume pots. Got that all sorted. Then my moddified DCX developed a fault in it's DSP board, so ATM that's away getting fixed, and proving to be very stubborn to get sorted. Once that's back though I'll be able to make some more headway. At this stage I've only had everthing going and playing music for maybe 1 week, and I did like what I heard all be it a little 'Peaky' in some of the response and also needing some 'Boost' in others, but all in all I could hear some real potential. I'm yet to do any measurements though,(Didn't have it working long enough LOL!) so I'm in the process of getting the equipment sorted to do all that once I'm back up and running.

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Hi All,,

Ok, in the process of starting my next project, two 20W Class A 'mono block' amps.. Just ordered the 2 power supply transformers which are being custom made from a company in NSW.. Will keep you posted as the project develops..

I intend to use the amps to drive the HF side of active 2-way speakers.. I was actually thinking of a Zaph 2 way stand mount design,, but they're designed around a passive crossover,, I wonder if his original design will still work well as an active setup ??

Cheers..

M

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Here's how the weekend impacted on my Rythmik FV-15 build.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28271[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28269[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28268[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28270[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28267[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28272[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28273[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28274[/ATTACH]

The last photo shows where I had trouble. The Router couldn't reach all the way up to do the last line straight so I eventually had to go by hand... messy

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hi guys, havent been around here for a while; got a few things on the boil. will add more pics as I take them, plenty around I havent got pics of.

I have to say, they do not adequately warn of the dangers of DIY :confused:

A duo of salas blue hotrod DCB1 for buffering the ackodac signal through to my workshop studio monitors. nearly done here, just waiting on a TX from sumR and then i'll case them up. also gotta finish matching the IRFP240/9240

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28495[/ATTACH]

A gaggle of regulators, these are just some of the ones needed for current in progress projects. I have some of Peter Daniels PSU boards coming to use with the AJX, but in all honesty i'll probably just end up wiring it point to point, but with a rectifier PCB. no trace is chunky enough IMO, Copper bus bar will always = win IMO

a shout out to James Hill for the Rifas!! thanks mate you're a legend

so there is a sigma11, part of the dac supply, which will be teamed with a similary overbuilt sigma22 and some batteries, though the actual dac regs are not pictured. a couple of different Coffin minigold dual regs, some Sjostrom RFB03 rectifiers

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28498[/ATTACH]

a few Salas shunts including the beast with the rifa caps, CREE zero recover diodes and oversize conrad heatsinks. ;)

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28496[/ATTACH]

this was mainly an exercise in excess, kinda just having a laugh, but works really well at any current i've thrown at it, so far up to 500ma

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28497[/ATTACH]

in progress, dual special edition ackodac AKD12P which is the teflon version PCB with SMD BNC headers for all spdif and i2s connections, with a part way done Pass D1 variant by OPC and some pretty special output caps, plus Zfoil TX220Z power resistors. behind is the heatsink it all mounts to, conrad did a fantastic job in translating my file!! I got 20+ metric M3 holes tapped by CNC for the resistors and mosfets, plus some metric M4 mounting holes. some might wonder why such a huge heatsink for a dac IV... the thing uses +/-45vdc rails and dissipates 41W

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28499[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28490[/ATTACH]

the digital inputs, Hiface OEM based AKU24 async hirez USB->i2s with SMD BNC headers to match the dacs, 2 x AKS75 spdif drivers and 1 x AKS110 AES/EBU input.

wireless LAN connectivity module for ipad control incoming

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28491[/ATTACH]

tweaked IV stage and balanced headphone amp for the output of my portable A123 powered buffalo II. just under 2 x balanced voltage gain and sitting at about +/- 100ma current so about 900mW, plenty for my JH13 to sing :) and enough for my HD600 to sound pretty brilliant too. more authority than plenty of home gear i've tried.

yes for those who recognize that glow, the gain and ilter resistors in the FB loop are naked SMD Zfoils. fiddly little buggers to solder as you have to use nylon tweezers to avoid scratching the nakedness

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28492[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28493[/ATTACH]

and my first full blown speaker amp project the Peter Daniels AJX PCBs for the bass drivers for my 2 ways, I will start stock, but have some semisouth jfets to try in the bottom half when I get the itch. The highs will be powered by an F5X by EUVL. initially using allocator and logic audio for the XO and room correction, but looking towards hardware digital XO via the ackodac MCU.

got some scanspeak 21W/8554 on the way, still undecided on the exact tweeter and cabinet design, though I will probably end up with a set of oversize monitor cabinets, there is a good deal on D2905/9700 that I like the look of, as they can be crossed low enough for the above woofer. I will eventually add a chip/mosfet hybrid amp for a low bass/sub channel, but I dont think i'll need it in my current room with these 8 inch woofers

TBH i'm a bit lost here in this land of speakers though, being a headphone geek primarily, so any tips for other suitable tweeters that can be crossed down as low as 1khz would be much appreciated. I have about scanspeak illuminator/low end revelator budget, but am open to other brands.

sooo much reading to do for the F5X and AJX to do them well too. as you can see i'm pretty covered to this point in the system and I think i've made some good choices with the amps, I dont need a pre with the current this power IV will put out and the volume is digital. I just need to research the speaker cabinets well, digital XO, but there are a few designs here to consider.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28500[/ATTACH]

i'm sick I tell you....sick...let this be a warning to some of you. leave now while you still can.

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better pic of the dac close up, love these BNC cables for interconnects. I love good silver wire, but performance this good wins out.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28505[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28510[/ATTACH]

thanks again James, you're awesome!!

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my kingdom for a CNC machine for my workshop, these things are so excellent, I would have destroyed this sexy hardened sink in a matter of minutes

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and this is what I was talking about, that sickness. I have been tediously matching japanese fets all week and will be for the foreseeable future :confused: there is a pay off though.

semisouth R550 and R100, IRFP240/9240, 2SK1530/201, 2SK170/j74, LU1014D, 2SJ109, LOTS of FQA32N20C, VCAP CuTF, TX220Z, ASMP zfoils

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28511[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28512[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28513[/ATTACH]

I would be nowhere here without DIYA and helping with this GB at least puts back a bit.

right thats it I promise ;). i'll be back when I have some finished pics and to give some impressions on the sound, which I expect to be mindblowing going on past experience with another version of the D1IV and the 'standard' version ackodac

Edited by fetischizm
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Good work there. I am about to do a parts order for my AJX mono blocks.

thanks, where are you getting your iron? yeah I thought about monoblocks and I may still do monoblocks for the AJX and a single amp for the F5X. i'll be lowering the rails from stock and pushing the bias up a bit, but I wont need massive monoblock beasts for my setup. 30-40W class A for bass and 30W class A for highs is more than enough.

one thing is i'm not all that keen on spreading an AJX over 2 heatsinks. you ordering from PCX for some stuff? let me know, i'm putting through an order for mills maybe we could split shipping?

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I was going to use one of Conrads 350mm x 151mm heatsinks on either side of the monoblock with custom 6mm ally elsewhere. What resistors are you using for the 3watt ones? Mouser is low in stock but there is another option I am looking at with a minimum order of 50 for a $1.80 each.

http://au.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=RS02BR4700FE12virtualkey61300000virtualkey71-RS02BR4700FE12

I am happy to order them if you think they are suitable and of good quality.

Where did you source your IRFP240's from?

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i'm using Mills 5W MRA-5 resistors for the 3W ones ;) same ones peter uses, i've been using them for years and wouldnt use anything else touch more than your 1.80 at 2.45 for singles, no discount for 50, but IMO they are a better; well I certainly feel fondly for them, they look way cool and spec is at least as good on paper as well. the vishay you link is also quite good, but unless buying the 0.1% type I would go for mills every time.

I bought some of my 240's ages ago at digikey and bought a fair few, but also got some from zhoufang about 3 weeks ago.

right same exact sink i'm using, but not doubling up unless I have to, I dont need the power I dont think and thermal coupling will be better using a single X'd stereo amp

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Do these 5W mills fit the pcb or do you need to mount vertically, or step in the legs to fit?

Postie just deliverey pumpkin preamp pcb's and matched fets, busy busy:-)

just saw Peter Daniels pics, they fit nicely. Thanks. Ill give PCX an order.

Edited by 3G_
answered own question
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Do these 5W mills fit the pcb or do you need to mount vertically, or step in the legs to fit?

Postie just deliverey pumpkin preamp pcb's and matched fets, busy busy:-)

just saw Peter Daniels pics, they fit nicely. Thanks. Ill give PCX an order.

aha Mighty ZM strikes again!! to the soldering iron hazaaah ;) yeah the mills fit perfect, although the FW BOM specs 3W, Peter would have had these in mind when he made the PCBs. yeah I have an order at PCX I have to hit the buy button on. was going to make it today. could have covered them for you if you like and just pop them in an envelope when they get here. expensive shupping from canada for a few resistors, but I supose you'

ll find something else you want. up to you, the offer is there, but I will be doing in the next 24hrs

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If you can order me the resistors that will be greatly appreciated. I will be utilising all the output spots on each board. I will look at the boards when I get home and confirm the number needed. If you pm me your bank details or paypal adress I can pay straight up.

Thanks

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If you can order me the resistors that will be greatly appreciated. I will be utilising all the output spots on each board. I will look at the boards when I get home and confirm the number needed. If you pm me your bank details or paypal adress I can pay straight up.

Thanks

OK mate, check PM, i'll send you my email. so please get a total togethe. no worries we can do it..ewrmm later today haha was going to say tomorrow

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better pic of the dac close up, love these BNC cables for interconnects. I love good silver wire, but performance this good wins out.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28505[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28510[/ATTACH]

thanks again James, you're awesome!!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28506[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28507[/ATTACH]

my kingdom for a CNC machine for my workshop, these things are so excellent, I would have destroyed this sexy hardened sink in a matter of minutes

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28508[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28509[/ATTACH]

and this is what I was talking about, that sickness. I have been tediously matching japanese fets all week and will be for the foreseeable future :( there is a pay off though.

semisouth R550 and R100, IRFP240/9240, 2SK1530/201, 2SK170/j74, LU1014D, 2SJ109, LOTS of FQA32N20C, VCAP CuTF, TX220Z, ASMP zfoils

[ATTACH=CONFIG]28511[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28512[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]28513[/ATTACH]

I would be nowhere here without DIYA and helping with this GB at least puts back a bit.

right thats it I promise :D. i'll be back when I have some finished pics and to give some impressions on the sound, which I expect to be mindblowing going on past experience with another version of the D1IV and the 'standard' version ackodac

Look's like a very interesting project feti ,any chance you could start a build thread of your own :) much easier to keep an eye on your project .:(

Cheers

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which one? theres like 5 different projects there, TBH mate I dont really have the time to maintain any sort of build thread and finding the time for my own hobby work is hard enough these days without having to document it. most of the projects are very close to completion including casework for a couple, so it wouldnt be much of a build thread. that being said, when i'm casing up the ackodac i'll take a few pics and maybe start an impressions thread for that, because I feel that acko's stuff should have a thread in his own country and IMO its a better more integrated lineup than the unnamed competition and I like to support him. BTW the only connection I have is of a very keen builder of his gear

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which one? theres like 5 different projects there, TBH mate I dont really have the time to maintain any sort of build thread and finding the time for my own hobby work is hard enough these days without having to document it.

The more diy threads the better :) ,life just gets in the way sometimes when it comes to diy or what work/jobs need to be done .

Cheers

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I have some diy active speaker cables in the works, one of many projects. Connectors arrived yesterday - ebay is much cheaper.

speakon-8.jpg

They will be 4 core speakon and eventually they will be built in so I'll have about a metre to the wall, then cable under the floor to the rack. The pest is I can't decide if to build my rack exposed, or hide it inside one of my bass traps. Yes, the bass traps are big and hiding them there saves me some effort with making the rack and diy boxes look good!

A bit more about the connectors/cables in the blog:

http://redspade-audio.blogspot.com/2011/02/diy-active-speaker-cable.html

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