OMFG only just realized whats going on on this site

[stenwo123]

Ok so this site is called diy audio but i never realized you guys are actually making your own amps i made a 12 inch sub from a large metal can and a load of neodinium magnets from hard drives once sounded terrible and i mean terrible but you guys are building your own amps i wanna give it a go where do i start bearing in mind i only have basic knowledge ok very basic when it comes to electrical components i build pcs all the time but everybody knows thats just expensive lego :/

i know how to build step up and step down transformers i doubt building an amp would be as simple as building a step up transformer though

point me in the right direction guys also ime skint sooooo err yeah maybe i coulod modify an amp or summat

[Richard Ellis]

Welcome "Sten".......How's your electrical knowledge? Ohms law, Thevinin, Norton ........Ring any bells?? If not, you have a very long way to go.


__________________________________________________ ____Rick........

[KaffiMann]

Since this is posted in the Chip Amp forum, it would probably also be a very nice starting point.

I guess you could salvage some parts from old amps, like power transformer, casing, maybe resistors, heat sinks, potentiometer and so on.

So if you decide on a chip amp kit you want to build, and basicly discard most of the stuff inside a broken amplifier, replace the innards with the kit you put together, you're set. You may have to sacrifice several amplifiers to find an appropriate power transformer, that depends on the kit you decide to build.

You need some basic tools, like soldering iron, various screwdrivers, a multimeter and some pliers. A decent kit have been the first step on the road for many diy'ers.

Decide on a price range for the kit, and remember to include shipping.

[lanchile]

Welcome to diy audio stenwo123!. Yes you are right, here you can get all the help building your amp from start to finish. Here there are a lot of professional members that share their high knowledge, time and kindness with us. I would start with the simplest amp like the chip amps or "gainclones" using the LM3886/LM3875 IC like I did many years ago when I got into diy, Now I build discrete amps class A/B only. Good luck


PS: With the right help here you can accomplish building amplifiers that will outperform many of those commercial amps that costs thousands. Trust me it feels so good!

[AndrewT]

Read ESP (Elliot Sound Products) and DD (Decibel Dungeon).
Both good sites with lots of beginner and intermediate information.
When you are ready to go further, down load the Leach paper on his Lo Tim and much of the Pass site.
Read this
Audio Component Grounding and Interconnection - diyAudio
twice or maybe three times.

[KaffiMann]

That is a VERY good article! Extremely important!

[RobertHaze]

Gawd Richard,
Don't scare Sten off by mentioning Thevinen.
I've seen grown men wet themselves at the mere mention of it.
Sten,
Find a design which is thoroughly described in an article and have a go at it. Try something simple like a Pass Zen Amp or something similar.
Good Luck!

[fakeout]

I found this link somewhere here but haven't read all of it yet.
Building a Gainclone chip amp power supply.
At least they have drawings and pics. lol

Sometimes I wonder if it would make sense to make a 2x45w + 2x15w amp for a pair of two ways.

[stenwo123]

Thanks guys i may come across as a complete retard with the way i spell and my lack of grammar lol but i do well with steep learning curves especialy when its something ime very interested in i am slightly worried however i may be overdoing it somewhat with the hobbies
i currently do computer animation ie cgi
i play guitar
i also do computer programing
i build hho powered weapons childish yes but fun as hell
i make hho generators
now i wanna make amps lol

i do have an old marshall gutar amp ive just taken apart thats not working maybe fixing that would be a good start ???

thanks again guys and sorry for the torture that reading my threads must cause :/

[Richard Ellis]

Please, please, PLEASE don't go poking around your Marshall Amp before reading "Safety practices" in the tube forums.........This is assuming your Marshall is tube powered of course. Tube amps have high voltages in them which can kill you in the blink of an eye if you touch the wrong thing inside........OK? EVEN if you turned the power off........Tube amps can hold a lethal charge in them for quite a time after they are turned off....
Chip amps can be very fun & inexpensive to experiment with.with quite good results..........Tube amps are a completely different animal......but can be "tamed".

__________________________________________________ ____Rick..........