Will DIY audio go the way of the dodo?

[JRKO]

The dodo might have survived if it had access to the internet.

Nah, he'd be spending all his time at the deli counter of the nearest supermarket looking at chicken breasts

 

[jpc2001]

It has been a long time since I took a soldering iron to a circuit, but lately I have been planning a new audio system (one of those "bucket list" aspirations). In the course of my research and planning I have discovered that many parts that DIYers have had access to and relied upon in the past (especially semiconductors) have become unavailable, and that the general trend in electronics manufacture is toward various types of tiny surface-mount components, with many (if not most) of the newest parts only available in surface-mount packages.

I know that some of you have successfully used surface-mount components in your builds, but I have difficulty imagining that I might do so, and I suspect that many other DIYers feel the same as I do. I won't question the current-handling capabilities of some of those small components or the projected lifespan of their materials and structures (perhaps the more knowledgeable among you could do so), but it seems to me that the small size alone limits the usefulness of surface-mount parts to the kitchen-table builder.

Will suface-mount electronic components eventually completely supplant through-hole packages in general electronics usage, and will that spell the end of DIY audio?

Great question. You have technological concerns -- the rise of ICs and SMT. Others have raised social reasons, younguns with their iDevices.

Technology is not a problem. Think about components...

* Speakers. There are so many designs public on the web, so many drivers to choose from. 2014 is a great time to be building speakers.

* Amps. 2014 is a great time to be building amps. I've build two Honey Badger channels and four Wolverine channels. They sound great, they compete on specs with the best you can buy anywhere, and it's all through-hole components. Modern transistors are better than old ones, not leaps and bounds but generally faster and more robust. Modern c0g ceramic caps are excellent and cheap!

* Preamps. You might need SMT for op-amps. Or you can still build discrete preamps which sound excellent. And SMT is not so bad. It takes a little practice, a small tip, a steady hand, and a flux pen helps a lot. You can do it with patience. Small packages like opamps no longer scare me on SMT.

The social changes are interesting. To put a positive spin on it, the shift toward portable iDevices with their cloudy storage and DSP-tastic HT-in-a-box systems has pushed a lot of vintage stereo gear to Craigslist or into thrift shops. Restoring and modifying vintage gear is a great way to get started with DIY.