What is a Gain Clone exactly?

Lars Clausen · 24th November 2003, 11:26 PM

What is the history of the GainClone?

Who 'invented' it, who invented the name, who is selling parts and PCB's for it?

Is any amplifier with a LM3875 chip to be called a Gain Clone? Or is there an official recipee?

What is considered to be it's prime qualities apart from low price?

Peter Daniel · 24th November 2003, 11:38 PM

Try this thread first Gainclone and Lab 47 - Peter Daniel?

and then some other threads in Chip Amps forum. This is a pretty good SS amp and properly implemented, might provide quite a competition to your current designs

Pedja · 24th November 2003, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lars Clausen
...who is selling parts and PCB's for it?

Are you interested exclusively to buy all the parts at one place?

Quote:

What is considered to be it's prime qualities apart from low price?

You shouldn't be an expert to build it.

Pedja

uvodee · 24th November 2003, 11:46 PM

and you have at least 8 options to build this thingy

I have right now a design for a non inverted, inverted, semi ultimate, pen ultimate, ultimate, a 3875, a 1875, a 3876 etc etc and then I have variation on each theme. ?????? with coupling caps, without, with carbon film resistors, with metal... , if you look at it, it is so incredibly confusing that one could give up before even getting the parts.

I kept with one design, and did not change anything after having ordered parts.

J-P

Lars Clausen · 24th November 2003, 11:50 PM

Thanks Peter.

What would be the estimated cost for a DIY'er to build a GC?

I understand that PCB's are not usual for the GC....

Peter Daniel · 24th November 2003, 11:57 PM

I've been constantly playing with those amps for almost a year. While my first amp had about 65% of performance capability, I think I won't be far from truth if I say that the current design provides at least 85% of performance. Just yesterday I tested it against a custom built Aleph 2 and I can say it's a fair match (in some areas actually superior to class A amp)

Although the amp seems to be simple (only 7 parts involved in my setup) it is not that easy to make a top performer out of it.

We are attending this years CES in Vegas (although US custom restrictions prevent me from being there)

Peter Daniel · 25th November 2003, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lars Clausen
Thanks Peter.

What would be the estimated cost for a DIY'er to build a GC?

I understand that PCB's are not usual for the GC....

The biggest cost is transformer, but even using exotic components the total cost shouldn't exceed $150 (not including chassis.

Check this thread for inspiration in chassis building

Trying to improve on a GainCard concept

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...496#post243496

Pedja · 25th November 2003, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lars Clausen
What would be the estimated cost for a DIY'er to build a GC?

(oh my gosh) Jocko, are you here?

Pedja

Peter Daniel · 25th November 2003, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pedja

(oh my gosh) Jocko, are you here?

Pedja

I don't remeber Jocko's being ever excited about Gainclones.

I've been seeing the name 'GainClone' for a year on a forum, before deciding to investigate the matter more seriously.

Pedja · 25th November 2003, 12:16 AM

AFAIK you are right about this, Jocko wasn’t excited about GCs. But Jocko was, just as me, excited about some kind of question.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...ht=#post247078

Pedja

24th November 2003, 11:26 PM	#1
Lars Clausen diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Lab	What is a Gain Clone exactly? What is the history of the GainClone? Who 'invented' it, who invented the name, who is selling parts and PCB's for it? Is any amplifier with a LM3875 chip to be called a Gain Clone? Or is there an official recipee? What is considered to be it's prime qualities apart from low price?

24th November 2003, 11:38 PM	#2
Peter Daniel diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Toronto, Canada	Try this thread first Gainclone and Lab 47 - Peter Daniel? and then some other threads in Chip Amps forum. This is a pretty good SS amp and properly implemented, might provide quite a competition to your current designs __________________ www.audiosector.com “Do something really well. See how much time it takes. It might be a product, a work of art, who knows? Then give it away cheaply, just because you feel that it should not cost so much, even if it took a lot of time and expensive materials to make it.” - JC

24th November 2003, 11:46 PM	#4
uvodee diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Washington	and you have and you have at least 8 options to build this thingy I have right now a design for a non inverted, inverted, semi ultimate, pen ultimate, ultimate, a 3875, a 1875, a 3876 etc etc and then I have variation on each theme. ?????? with coupling caps, without, with carbon film resistors, with metal... , if you look at it, it is so incredibly confusing that one could give up before even getting the parts. I kept with one design, and did not change anything after having ordered parts. J-P

24th November 2003, 11:57 PM	#6
Peter Daniel diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Toronto, Canada	I've been constantly playing with those amps for almost a year. While my first amp had about 65% of performance capability, I think I won't be far from truth if I say that the current design provides at least 85% of performance. Just yesterday I tested it against a custom built Aleph 2 and I can say it's a fair match (in some areas actually superior to class A amp) Although the amp seems to be simple (only 7 parts involved in my setup) it is not that easy to make a top performer out of it. We are attending this years CES in Vegas (although US custom restrictions prevent me from being there) __________________ www.audiosector.com “Do something really well. See how much time it takes. It might be a product, a work of art, who knows? Then give it away cheaply, just because you feel that it should not cost so much, even if it took a lot of time and expensive materials to make it.” - JC

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24th November 2003, 11:50 PM	#5
Lars Clausen diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Lab	Thanks Peter. What would be the estimated cost for a DIY'er to build a GC? I understand that PCB's are not usual for the GC....

25th November 2003, 12:16 AM	#10
Pedja diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Serbia	AFAIK you are right about this, Jocko wasn’t excited about GCs. But Jocko was, just as me, excited about some kind of question. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...ht=#post247078 Pedja

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