A bit of expert advice required for all these gainclone components

[elaar]

Hi all,

About 5 years ago I decided to build a gainclone. Instead of just building a simple design and perhaps later tweaking it, it seems I kept changing my mind on the design and where I had more money than sense, kept buying more components and yet never completed one.
Since then, repairing arcade boards has been my main hobby, but I would really like to actually finish this. I have 2 monoblock cases ready (which took a while to make and I found out that drilling into 3mm brushed stainless steel was near on impossible), with transformers and was hoping people could suggest a good way of using all of the components I have hoarded.

In a file, I have all of the print outs of designs I purchased the components for, these include Carlos Filipe's buffered inverted GC, regulated snubbed PSU v1.1, non-inverting v4, unregulated psu mkIV and a few more to boot.
I also have multiple PCBs, mostly from unisonus, LM3886, LM4780 and preamps




The transformers are 225v encapsulated 25v*2, and I plan to use these with B&W 8ohm, and somehow interface with the PC, but probably create a seperate preamp with buffer/volume control. I don't require a large output wattage as I live in a flat.

The components I have disgracefully amassed are:
4 x LM4780TA (and unisonus boards, although these don't have to be used)
2 x LM3886
2 x OPA627 (and 4 unisonus pre amp boards)
3 x OPA637
18 x 2200uF 50v Pana FC caps ( I was going for a low impedance PSU)
4 x LM338 5Amp regs (for the regulated designs)
2 x Audyn 4.7uF huge polypropylene caps
+ All the associated resistors/chokes etc for alot of designs.

With all of these components, and the advance of designs in the last 5 years, what would you do with these? I could do with putting the rest on ebay for some extra beer money.

Sorry this post is a bit long, any advice is gratefully received as always. I will continue to scour the forum posts for ideas.

Cheers,
Andy

[GloBug]

*Not an expert*

Sounds like you have ADD.
I would build something with the LM3886s and the caps.

You could sell the extra boards, regulators, LM4780, opamps and chokes etc. (I myself would keep at least the LM4780 for a rainy day)

I can't really recommend a specific design for you, as I have not heard many of them
Just build something, they make a nice amplifier.

At the moment I have the Audiosector LM3875 on breadboard. I have added proper capacitance, dual 25v transformers. I really enjoy it.

[elaar]

Thanks for your input Globug!
I don't feel I'm quite at the ADD stage yet, but you know what it's like when new designs come out and you're young (i'm not so young anymore).

The LM3886 is a good place to start I agree. I think I should sell the 4 x LM4780+boards, god knows how I accumulated 4 of them!

That still leaves the design, we have enough components for non/regulated psu with inverted/non inverted amp with enough to do a buffer...

Thanks!
Andy

[pacificblue]

You mean, you don't remember what you bought all those components for?

With 10 channels of amplification you could build five active 2-way speakers for a home theatre. You could also build a pair of 3- or 4-way active speakers, and use the left-over amps to bridge or parallel them for the ways that need more power. Then there is the possibility to make a stereo amp for each room in your house. Or you could simply build one variant of each non-inverted, inverted, regulated supply, unregulated supply, with and without all optional components, you name it. Then make a nice and thorough listening comparison and post the results.

Selling what you don't need is of course an option, too, but a pity.