Chip Amp Photo Gallery

Pre and power amp build

My first build and first attempt at SMD!

I used amp boards from Tom Christiansen (Neurochrome.com)

41419192095_1fff8a95cf_b.jpg

28447639688_2318f3e23e_b.jpg

41419192725_12cc8f29cc_b.jpg

28447640528_037ee73190_b.jpg
 
Is that a soft start in front of the smps in the amp? (Front circuit wise)

No, it's one of these
ON-OFF modul

There's one in the preamp too. In the preamp it's used to control the volume pot motor and IR remote control. In the power amp it's just used to receive a trigger signal from the preamp board so that I can power both amps from the switch (or remote) on the preamp.
 
This is my LM3886. I just started with electronics this year. I've made a couple of CMoy headphone amps, the O2 headphone amp and the ACA. I love how you can go from no knowledge whatsover to building an amp you're proud of, and enjoy listening to, in a short period of time by using this site and others.


LM3886-17.jpg

LM3886-18.jpg

LM3886-25.jpg
 
This is my LM3886. I just started with electronics this year. I've made a couple of CMoy headphone amps, the O2 headphone amp and the ACA. I love how you can go from no knowledge whatsover to building an amp you're proud of, and enjoy listening to, in a short period of time by using this site and others.

Nice build as one of your first. You'll never have to worry about heat dissipation with that case.

I would route the output wire around the sides of the transformer. A toroidal transformer is noisiest above and below.
 
The Ugly Little Chipling

It just goes to show that not everyone is making showroom-ready gear here. This is a stereo LM1875 amp with a front panel made from an old cookie sheet from the thrift store.

20180902_114336-796x448.jpg

20180902_184656_crop_1020x646-765x485.jpg

It's like the ugly little duckling of amplifiers. There's no PCB and the circuit is built up using what ham radio types call "ugly" construction or sometimes "Manhattan" construction where parts hang off the IC pins and are built over a solid unetched ground plane of copper plated PC board. Circuit nodes if needed are on little snips of PCB super glued onto the ground plane.

It gives very short lead lengths like the RF types prefer

20180823_204842_crop_597x597.jpg

There's a 100VA toroidal transformer in the box and the heat sinks are inside the box.

20180824_102504-796x448.jpg

20180902_084427-448x796.jpg

After a pair of speakers, this is my first ever audio electronics project. I have nothing fancy to compare it to, but my subjective experience is that it sounds very clear and balanced compared to the 1970s receiver that it is intended to replace. Running a computer or tablet straight in without a preamp is adequate.

I'm on my way to build Rod Elliot's preamp next and put up an all homebrew system in the living room.

My apologies for the rugged aesthetic, I like people to know it's home made! And I love that it sounds like a million bucks and looks like 50 cents.

-Neil N0FN
 
It just goes to show that not everyone is making showroom-ready gear here. This is a stereo LM1875 amp with a front panel made from an old cookie sheet from the thrift store.

It's like the ugly little duckling of amplifiers. There's no PCB and the circuit is built up using what ham radio types call "ugly" construction or sometimes "Manhattan" construction where parts hang off the IC pins and are built over a solid unetched ground plane of copper plated PC board. Circuit nodes if needed are on little snips of PCB super glued onto the ground plane.

And I love that it sounds like a million bucks and looks like 50 cents.

-Neil N0FN

Given that when I'm really listening to music I mostly listen with my eyes closed or in the dark, 50 cents or $500 shouldn't matter. Most of my projects are just breadboarded or pieced together with basement bin parts, repurposed dead audio gear, etc. My LM3886 was pieced together from a dead surround receiver. I shouldn't care about aesthetics but I'm mostly a tube guy so maybe I do care at least a little...