Ok, here I am, slowly going nuts... I have a room in which I want to put a new amp. I have got a low budget and would like some really nice hifi quality sound in that room. I want to run my Arcam cd player and a set of TQWT broadbanders I am trying to get finished. They house high efficiency Isophone drivers, so I don't need a lot of wattage.
After considering cheap Chinese tube amps of Ebay or second hand amps from Rotel or NAD, I came to the conclusion that that might not be the way to go. A long time ago I read all the Gaincard/clone postings and got all excited about it. And then it died. Time has passed and I am back. So, what to do.
I am a beginner in building equipment. I do know how to solder, so that's alright.
However, I have not kept up much. Is the Gainclone still the best option? And then, which one to build? Suggestions? I have been recommended the one on the Decibel Dungeon site, and that looks good. However, is there anywhere I can find step by step build guides as well?
Thanks a lot for any answers!
After considering cheap Chinese tube amps of Ebay or second hand amps from Rotel or NAD, I came to the conclusion that that might not be the way to go. A long time ago I read all the Gaincard/clone postings and got all excited about it. And then it died. Time has passed and I am back. So, what to do.
I am a beginner in building equipment. I do know how to solder, so that's alright.
However, I have not kept up much. Is the Gainclone still the best option? And then, which one to build? Suggestions? I have been recommended the one on the Decibel Dungeon site, and that looks good. However, is there anywhere I can find step by step build guides as well?Thanks a lot for any answers!
http://www.chipamp.com/
Full kits, great manual.
Upupa Epops has a very nice LM4780(?) amp.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35572
http://c.webring.com/hub?ring=gaincloneamplifi
Full kits, great manual.
Upupa Epops has a very nice LM4780(?) amp.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35572
http://c.webring.com/hub?ring=gaincloneamplifi
Arne, have a little confidence!
I have had many complete novices contact me via Decibel Dungeon to say that they have built a GC and it has worked OK.
The trick is to do plenty of reading first. Go over each part of the circuit and try to visualise it and what it entails to put together.
Personally, I find hard-wiring a GC easier than putting a kit together but each to his (or her) own as they say.
I have had many complete novices contact me via Decibel Dungeon to say that they have built a GC and it has worked OK.
The trick is to do plenty of reading first. Go over each part of the circuit and try to visualise it and what it entails to put together.
Personally, I find hard-wiring a GC easier than putting a kit together but each to his (or her) own as they say.
Thanks so far for the suggestions.
@Nuuk; Thanks for your encouragement. I have been looking at your site and the GC's you have built. I looked for a way to get in touch with you, but the page on your site made me sit back and reconsider before I sent something. I will soon though. I have some questions left. If I look at your basic GC for instance, it has no volume control... However, I am wondering whether to build one or to build two monoblocks and add an input selector with a volume control so I can use 3 sources... But that is also making it much more complicated. I also like the TA-10 solution with jumpers, but that would probably compromise the sound quality over straight hard wiring. Which I feel is easier than a board as well.
The saga continues...
@Nuuk; Thanks for your encouragement. I have been looking at your site and the GC's you have built. I looked for a way to get in touch with you, but the page on your site made me sit back and reconsider before I sent something. I will soon though. I have some questions left.
If I look at your basic GC for instance, it has no volume control... However, I am wondering whether to build one or to build two monoblocks and add an input selector with a volume control so I can use 3 sources... But that is also making it much more complicated. I also like the TA-10 solution with jumpers, but that would probably compromise the sound quality over straight hard wiring. Which I feel is easier than a board as well.The saga continues...
It works!
I didn't want that to sound unfriendly Arne but I was spending far too much time answering questions that were already addressed on the site. To get you going, you only need a pot. I have a couple (10K and 100K) that I wired into small boxes that I an use to test nearly anything. I think this is covered in the FAQ section.
Re monoblocks, the amp section is monoblock. Start off with a shared PSU. You can add another later and see how that changes the sound.
My guru onece told me that a woman always does the washing up four times. Once in the kitchen sink and three times in her head!
Hehehehehe
I'm a Nuuk follower as well.
My everyday amplifier is a tube amp but during the warm weather I use a 3875 based on Nuuk's teachings. Just to keep the temp down in my place. It worked the first time I fired it up. Sounds quite brilliant as well. I run it with a tube preamp that doesn't generate anywhere near the amount of heat that my tube amp does.
Cheap, sounds great, what more can you ask for in the audio world? Oh, and I was totally new to the whole gainclone phenomenon so not a problem there. Good luck.
I'm a Nuuk follower as well.
My everyday amplifier is a tube amp but during the warm weather I use a 3875 based on Nuuk's teachings. Just to keep the temp down in my place. It worked the first time I fired it up. Sounds quite brilliant as well. I run it with a tube preamp that doesn't generate anywhere near the amount of heat that my tube amp does.
Cheap, sounds great, what more can you ask for in the audio world? Oh, and I was totally new to the whole gainclone phenomenon so not a problem there. Good luck.
It works!
Yep, it works. At least for me it does.
I want to make a worthwile post if I make one. And be prepared, because I will. As soon as I have got it all lined up here...
You are right. I overlooked it completely. As I did with the shoppinglist. Now there is a great addition to a beginner. Hmmm, interesting. Hadn't thought about that one yet.
Oh, and while cleaning out some mess, I found a Garrard. So tubes might be an option as well...
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