Variac:
As for the middle part, the choices are:
Type: FR1/CEM-1/CEM-3
There are different thicknesses. I will most likely get the copper 2oz, if the cost is not too much.
Once I have a finalized gerber layout, and starting the ordering process, I will find out how much more everything costs, and as long as the prices still stays reasonable (under $50 for 2 boards), then the extra stuff is great. I would prefer under $50 for 2 boards.
I have had 7 people e-mail me, so that is 8 people including me. I will probably end up charging what it cost me, plus a charge for packaging and shipping. I am not looking to profit on making some boards. I am happy, as long as I cover my costs, and don't get stuck with $200 of boards.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
As for the middle part, the choices are:
Type: FR1/CEM-1/CEM-3
There are different thicknesses. I will most likely get the copper 2oz, if the cost is not too much.
Once I have a finalized gerber layout, and starting the ordering process, I will find out how much more everything costs, and as long as the prices still stays reasonable (under $50 for 2 boards), then the extra stuff is great. I would prefer under $50 for 2 boards.
I have had 7 people e-mail me, so that is 8 people including me. I will probably end up charging what it cost me, plus a charge for packaging and shipping. I am not looking to profit on making some boards. I am happy, as long as I cover my costs, and don't get stuck with $200 of boards.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
just a quick reminder.....that setup cost is high. If you're worried about shipping then you might want to consider something \like I specified earlier againsuch as www.apcircuits.com as this cost is much more than shipping would be.
Although, if you have like 15-30 people who cares, its cheap anyway right?
Although, if you have like 15-30 people who cares, its cheap anyway right?
Joe,
The setup cost is high, but there are a few important considerations that lead me to pick them.
1) The board cost is the lowest that I have found yet.
2) I have actually seen boards made by them, the Leach Amp 4.5 boards, and they are high quality boards.
3) They are within driving distance of my residence. (15 min)
4) They offer 1 layer boards with a large variety of options.
My goal now is to get 15 people. This would bring to board cost to $40 or under each for 2 boards, including shipping to the individual people. I have had 2 people say that they will buy 2 sets if the final price is under $50. This would give me 10 sets of boards claimed.
We will see how this goes.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
The setup cost is high, but there are a few important considerations that lead me to pick them.
1) The board cost is the lowest that I have found yet.
2) I have actually seen boards made by them, the Leach Amp 4.5 boards, and they are high quality boards.
3) They are within driving distance of my residence. (15 min)
4) They offer 1 layer boards with a large variety of options.
My goal now is to get 15 people. This would bring to board cost to $40 or under each for 2 boards, including shipping to the individual people. I have had 2 people say that they will buy 2 sets if the final price is under $50. This would give me 10 sets of boards claimed.
We will see how this goes.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
At first I was against joining you guys cause private joint efforts like this would discourage Mr. Pass from offering more complete or semi-complete kits.
But with the release of the D1 DAC and his statement of...."The circuit is difficult to render and we don't want to devote alot of enegry to supporting the people who can't build it without help. It's tough enough keeping up with the support demands for the simpler circuits." Maybe this will free up some of the Pass Crew time. Speaking with them at CES, they are a very hard working lot.
I would like now to be included in the purshase of the Wayne Sankey version PCBs of the Aleph amplifier. Just let me know were to send a check or money order.
I have also laid out an ExperssPCB board. But I have about 12 other PCBs ahead of the Aleph that I want done.
But with the release of the D1 DAC and his statement of...."The circuit is difficult to render and we don't want to devote alot of enegry to supporting the people who can't build it without help. It's tough enough keeping up with the support demands for the simpler circuits." Maybe this will free up some of the Pass Crew time. Speaking with them at CES, they are a very hard working lot.
I would like now to be included in the purshase of the Wayne Sankey version PCBs of the Aleph amplifier. Just let me know were to send a check or money order.
I have also laid out an ExperssPCB board. But I have about 12 other PCBs ahead of the Aleph that I want done.
Please add my name to the list for boards as well...
As far as making money on the DIY stuff goes...it seems pretty simple to me...
We need small Pass Labs stores across the country just like Radio Shack... They would offer real hifi equipment either pre-built or in kit form with knowledgeable staff as well as prematched fets, heatsinks and cases... Basically a fun place where anyone could go to either buy or build very cool stuff...
There must be a market for The Claw somewhere...perhaps as a skateboard ramp that makes bass...
I would think 1000 stores or so would do to start... (Just in case you are sitting around with nothing else to do...)
As far as making money on the DIY stuff goes...it seems pretty simple to me...
We need small Pass Labs stores across the country just like Radio Shack... They would offer real hifi equipment either pre-built or in kit form with knowledgeable staff as well as prematched fets, heatsinks and cases... Basically a fun place where anyone could go to either buy or build very cool stuff...
There must be a market for The Claw somewhere...perhaps as a skateboard ramp that makes bass...
I would think 1000 stores or so would do to start... (Just in case you are sitting around with nothing else to do...)
Thanks a lot Nelson, for approving of this. There is no money making goal in this, just the rewards of DIY.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
PCB layout
I made a PCB layout from scratch:
I verified it with the circuit shown here:
Aleph 2 Circuit
I am still confused with C7. It is different in the Aleph 1.2, 4 and 5 circuit. It is from collector to emitter on them... instead of the configuration on the aleph 2 picture.
I made the pcb exactly as shown in the circuit diagram.
My labeling should be pretty straight forward for the output boards:
D - connects to the drain part of the board
G - connects to the gate part of the board (221 ohm)
S - connects to the source of the irfp240
s - connects to the source part, after the 1 ohm resistor.
I made this in PCBExpress, in order to make a layout that I was content with. I am working now to transfer the layout to Orcad Layout, so that I can make the gerber files.
Please make comments, and look for mistakes. I double checked it, but I might have made some mistakes, as I am still going over it.
One more thing, with the final gerber layout, I am planning on fattening some traces and spacing stuff a little farther apart. I probably will stick with the same layout of the components and routing, assuming that it is correct. Orcad Layout is not too bad, as I have all of the part libraries. It is just a lot more complex, and I am using only a fraction of the components. I did manage to make the circuit in Orcad Capture (pspice), and use their auto route, but that was for all of the components (12 irfp240). We will see how it goes.
I appreciate all comments on this matter, even negative ones.
Note: Q1, Q2 and Q3 are placed for use with heatsinks (digikey HS104-1-ND) and all the component measurements are for RN60D (dale) resistors. The large resistors are planned for 7 - Vishay RS2B - .5 ohm resistors. I labeled it R2B by mistake.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
I made a PCB layout from scratch:
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I verified it with the circuit shown here:
Aleph 2 Circuit
I am still confused with C7. It is different in the Aleph 1.2, 4 and 5 circuit. It is from collector to emitter on them... instead of the configuration on the aleph 2 picture.
I made the pcb exactly as shown in the circuit diagram.
My labeling should be pretty straight forward for the output boards:
D - connects to the drain part of the board
G - connects to the gate part of the board (221 ohm)
S - connects to the source of the irfp240
s - connects to the source part, after the 1 ohm resistor.
I made this in PCBExpress, in order to make a layout that I was content with. I am working now to transfer the layout to Orcad Layout, so that I can make the gerber files.
Please make comments, and look for mistakes. I double checked it, but I might have made some mistakes, as I am still going over it.
One more thing, with the final gerber layout, I am planning on fattening some traces and spacing stuff a little farther apart. I probably will stick with the same layout of the components and routing, assuming that it is correct. Orcad Layout is not too bad, as I have all of the part libraries. It is just a lot more complex, and I am using only a fraction of the components. I did manage to make the circuit in Orcad Capture (pspice), and use their auto route, but that was for all of the components (12 irfp240). We will see how it goes.
I appreciate all comments on this matter, even negative ones.
Note: Q1, Q2 and Q3 are placed for use with heatsinks (digikey HS104-1-ND) and all the component measurements are for RN60D (dale) resistors. The large resistors are planned for 7 - Vishay RS2B - .5 ohm resistors. I labeled it R2B by mistake.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
Apogee said:As far as making money on the DIY stuff goes...it seems pretty simple to me...
We need small Pass Labs stores across the country just like Radio Shack... They would offer real hifi equipment either pre-built or in kit form with knowledgeable staff as well as prematched fets, heatsinks and cases... Basically a fun place where anyone could go to either buy or build very cool stuff...
There must be a market for The Claw somewhere...perhaps as a skateboard ramp that makes bass...
I would think 1000 stores or so would do to start... (Just in case you are sitting around with nothing else to do...)
One problem I see with this is that given the extremely high price of any real commercially available hi fi equipment, very little of it would ever be sold in any such stores.... i do however see a place in the market of plans / schematics, kits, matched parts, HEATSINKS AND CASES !!!! etc etc etc etc.
PCB's are by far the most problematic part of practically any diy project where they are required and this alone would solve many of the problems that many of us encounter.
Somehow me thinks that Nelson wont be selling all his board layouts to us .... quite frankly, i cant blame him and i thank him for the ones he has made available to us .....
I think that when push comes to shove, any such venture would be best undertaken by a group of enthusiasts such as us with someone else managing the bank balance and the support of commercial developers such as Nelson would be of great service to us .... perhaps we could act as a reseller for passdiy.com and the legacy projects that still enjoy the spot light in the diy market today ....
Another advantage of such a venture would be that we may be able to secure devices that are nigh to impossible for most people to obtain .... anyone seen some 2SK389 Violets of late?
The idea has merit but it would take a great deal of time, money and support to get it off the ground....
I believe the primary reason why this would not be particularly appealing to Nelson as a business venture is that Nelson is in business to stay in business which means making money and the nature of our hobby does not make that a particularly easy thing to do as the number of diy projects in the market are more or less infinite.... mind you, anyone who with Nelson's approval went into business selling Aleph parts and boards would probably have steady business for many years to come ....
Just my 2cents.
1000 meetin' houses
I think Apogee was kinda kidding around.
But I've got a better idea: We call the organization
"The Church of Nelsonology" great tax advantages.
I would add to the other store features: coffee, junk food ala
Fry's, (esp. Haribo Gummi bears) Of course the shrine to NP
Lots of people sitting around talking about the projects the're gonna make real soon now.
I agreee that whatever features Brian gets, the board cost per pair shipped of $50 is about irrisistable.
I think Apogee was kinda kidding around.
But I've got a better idea: We call the organization
"The Church of Nelsonology" great tax advantages.
I would add to the other store features: coffee, junk food ala
Fry's, (esp. Haribo Gummi bears) Of course the shrine to NP
Lots of people sitting around talking about the projects the're gonna make real soon now.
I agreee that whatever features Brian gets, the board cost per pair shipped of $50 is about irrisistable.
getting e-mails that the picture is not showing up.. mirror:
Aleph PCB
Please comment on it.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
Aleph PCB
Please comment on it.
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
Brian,
I have looked at your layout and compared it with the Aleph 2 Service manuel. Here's my comments.
1. I guess you have renamed R5 (100K) to R6 to avoid confusion. The other R5 (10K) is located near the input.
2. I assumed you just know that C6 and C7 are not polarized ..... I don't see + sign. I don't know enough about the "right" connection for C7 ..... so other folks can comment on that.
3. I think you have mislabel R20 as R21. (the one going to the output board).
4. I think there is an error for the connection of R19. One side of R19 is connected to the transistor but the other side should be connected to R17. You show it connected to C10.
5. Also, your mislabel R21 (next to Q5 on board) should have one side connected to the same pin of Q5 as R19 and R21 legs. You might want to take another look at the layout on the upper right hand corner of the board.
6. Please label Q4 on the board. I'm assuming you do know what Q4 and Q5 looks like in real life ....... to orient the layout as what was shown.
That's all the comments I have.
I have looked at your layout and compared it with the Aleph 2 Service manuel. Here's my comments.
1. I guess you have renamed R5 (100K) to R6 to avoid confusion. The other R5 (10K) is located near the input.
2. I assumed you just know that C6 and C7 are not polarized ..... I don't see + sign. I don't know enough about the "right" connection for C7 ..... so other folks can comment on that.
3. I think you have mislabel R20 as R21. (the one going to the output board).
4. I think there is an error for the connection of R19. One side of R19 is connected to the transistor but the other side should be connected to R17. You show it connected to C10.
5. Also, your mislabel R21 (next to Q5 on board) should have one side connected to the same pin of Q5 as R19 and R21 legs. You might want to take another look at the layout on the upper right hand corner of the board.
6. Please label Q4 on the board. I'm assuming you do know what Q4 and Q5 looks like in real life ....... to orient the layout as what was shown.
That's all the comments I have.
roddyama: I labeled Q4, and the alignment is not really an issue now. This is not the final layout of the board. I am going to redo the board in gerber format in Orcad Layout, which I am working on now. Once this is done, I will post it when I finish.
fcel: Thank you for your input, I believe I fixed those problems. I was initially confused where the connect was to be made for R21 and C10, which triggered these problems. It should be correct now.
Overall, does the board layout and routing seem fairly solid?
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
fcel: Thank you for your input, I believe I fixed those problems. I was initially confused where the connect was to be made for R21 and C10, which triggered these problems. It should be correct now.
Overall, does the board layout and routing seem fairly solid?
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
Not to be critical BrianGT but I have about 40 different layout using ExpressPCB but you know red traces are the top layers and green is for bottom traces.
AudioFreak try Borbely Audio for the 2SK389. He sells them matched too. That is were I get mine from.
I think most DIYers have an idea of what their amps want to look like and don't want carbon copies of someone else amp. It may take some DIYers a little longer to finished their creation but it will be their baby, personality, or feeling at that monment. Just look at the gallery not many projects look the same.
Well Mr.Pass, you don't get off that easily. I figure you got loads and loads of Mosfets. I think selling them already matched would help alot of DIYers. Would have to sell off extras after buying too many.
Also ventures like we DIYers helping our selfs could free up your time for others things, like finishing the CLAW.
AudioFreak try Borbely Audio for the 2SK389. He sells them matched too. That is were I get mine from.
I think most DIYers have an idea of what their amps want to look like and don't want carbon copies of someone else amp. It may take some DIYers a little longer to finished their creation but it will be their baby, personality, or feeling at that monment. Just look at the gallery not many projects look the same.
Well Mr.Pass, you don't get off that easily. I figure you got loads and loads of Mosfets. I think selling them already matched would help alot of DIYers. Would have to sell off extras after buying too many.
Also ventures like we DIYers helping our selfs could free up your time for others things, like finishing the CLAW.
FBJ:
I like the color red much better for the layout, and I am not going to have the boards made by ExpressPCB, so I was just using it as a layout aid, since it is much easier to use then Orcad Layout. The red makes it easy to read. I actually had them all the neon green color, but it was harsh on the eyes. If I go with ExpressPCB, I will change them back.
Picture with green traces.. if you like green
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
I like the color red much better for the layout, and I am not going to have the boards made by ExpressPCB, so I was just using it as a layout aid, since it is much easier to use then Orcad Layout. The red makes it easy to read. I actually had them all the neon green color, but it was harsh on the eyes. If I go with ExpressPCB, I will change them back.
Picture with green traces.. if you like green
--
Brian
gte619j@prism.gatech.edu
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.