Does anyone have a list of the more popular chips?

[meltmanbob]

Ok that may not have been the best title but basically what I'm trying to find without piecing it all together is a brief run down on the more common chips used to make chip amps. I'm very new to all of this but I would have thought that there would have been a compiled list of the more popular/applicable chips being used along with their key attributes.

It was suggested to me that chip amps would be a decent solution for an idea I have but I don't know where to start except to compile a list of the chips I read about and then do individual research. I would just like to get a general idea of which chip or chips I should focus my time on that would be most applicable to my idea so I'm not wasting so much time just trying to figure out where to start, any help is greatly appreciated.

My idea is to build a 5.1 system, speakers and crossovers, amp, and most likely the PSU. The goal is to keep it reasonably small to fit in a custom PC case I will eventually make since I'm trying to create an HTPC that will be my only entertainment system for the next few years. Also I'm not going for anything super loud since my living space will be either a bedroom, small apartment or dorm for the next few years.

[pacificblue]

All you need to do is leaf through the Forum. You will find the names/numbers of the most popular chip amps in the thread titles. (TDA2030A, LM1875, TDA7293/7294, LM3875, LM3886, etc.)

How much power are you looking for? Crossovers for a 5.1 system?

[LAJ]

I'd go to an electronics store and get a copy of the latest NTE Semiconductor guide. Its a softback manual that sells for about $5. Its chock full of data including pinouts.

[VictoriaGuy]

Are you planning to build 'from scratch' or by connecting up chip amp boards?
If assembling boards, eBay will give you an idea of the more popular choices.
That's a pretty involved project in any case, if you are just starting out.
I don't think of '5.1 Home Theatre' and 'Portable' working together, so if you are going to have a mobile lifestyle perhaps 2-channel or even a headphone-type system would be ideas to consider.
I've built up a couple of chip-based amps: 2-channel and also a 2-channel bi-amp and they were good projects. If I ever decide I want a 5.1 (or bigger) HT setup, I think I'd just go with a factory unit- probably cheaper. I can see a diy 5.1 project hitting $1000 pretty quickly, depending on the speakers you choose.
John

[glennb]

Originally Posted by pacificblue

All you need to do is leaf through the Forum. You will find the names/numbers of the most popular chip amps in the thread titles. (TDA2030A, LM1875, TDA7293/7294, LM3875, LM3886, etc.)

Many specs of the LM chips are compared at LM4780 / 3886 / 3875 / 1875 Comparison