Chip Amp Photo Gallery

Thanks for the praise! Don't know about the Amplimo, I found it here: http://www.deaudiofabriek.nl/
It was chosen because I knew it would physically fit the box and hopefully leave some room for the PSU board too... I would have preferred the 120VA version but wasn't sure if that would leave me with enough space to mount the PSU board in the orientation as it is now. One of the problems you encounter when you're buying over the internet.

Groetjes terug!
 
"To improve the WAF there's not gonna be a power LED. "

Put it on the bottom with small feet to lift the amp 5-6mm and it will glow only bright enough to see if you are LOOKING for it.

Beautiful implementation!! I love those cases. And the wood front would be nice also.

Is that Kimber Kable you are using for power jumper wires and signal inputs?
 
Beftus said:
I have discovered that the surface of the aluminium housing isn't very conductive at all. So I'm still thinking about how to make an amp->chassis and a chassis->ground connection that is conductive...

Yes, the surface is not conductive, because it is anodized.

Solution 1 is to make threads, so that the grounding screws get contact to the aluminium in the thread. Yet sometimes the aluminium is too soft to make safe contact that way.

Solution 2 is to use contact washers. You can get them from Rittal distributors. They are slightly convex and have teeth on the contact side, so when you tighten the screw/nut, the teeth cut through the anodized layer into the aluminium. They are specially made for earthing and grounding.
 
pacificblue to Beftus: " ... Solution 2 is to use contact washers. You can get them from Rittal distributors. They are slightly convex and have teeth on the contact side ..."

Another very good washer type for this application are the "star" washers that have internal or external "spikes" or scratching "tangs" around the circle ... I'm sure you have all seen these on automotive mounting situations.

The idea of all of these "specialty" washers is to make sure that the sharp tangs and rough surfaces scratch the aluminum surface, scraping some of the anodized coating away and thus making good electrical contact with the underlying "raw" aluminum.

pacificblue: "... Solution 1 is to make threads, so that the grounding screws get contact to the aluminium in the thread. ..."

This is best, although if the threads are questionable, do both, "special" washers and threads.
 
raypalmer said:
So you're just using the bottom of the case as a heatsink? Works okay?

The case is the heatsink, the heatsink is the case...

Works okay, at normal livingroom listening levels the case barely get warm at all. When playing loud it does get a bit warm to the touch. I think I'd need to play really uncomfortably loud to get it hot. For normal levels the case provides more than enough cooling.

BTW, I'm not the first to use these cases, here's my inspiration:
http://www.briangt.com/gallery/nigc-maarten
http://www.briangt.com/gallery/album03
 
Yes...I have looked into them (I have a few hammond cases). I am looking for similar dimension, which Hammond does not seem to carry.

If you know of one...please point it out. I will be the first to admit that I am not always as through when looking for things like that. Some of the sites can get quite confusing...so I usually tend to grab the closest dimension that I can find/that suits my needs.

Help is always appreciated in these matters.

Thanks,

Wayne