Build simple Class D gutiar amplifier (160W)

[eem2am]

Hello,

I wish to build a simple Half-Bridge Class D electric guitar amplifier of 160W power.

The only part of the project that i will design and build myself is the offline SMPS power supply.

I am aiming for +/-40V output at 2A.

I am thinking that is OK for a typical 8 Ohm speaker.(?)

I wish to simply buy in all the rest as kits and put them together.

So i will buy the Class D amplifier and the pre-amp, and simply connect them to the output of my SMPS.

Please could you tell me.....are these the building blocks that i need....?.....

1.....Magnetic pickup (already on electric guitar) (?)
2....Pre-amp.
3.....Class D amplifier
4.....Speaker.

Have i missed something and can you tell me where i can buy the above?

 

[SemperFi]

You're almost there!
1...yep, you'll find that on your geetar.
2...yep, you'll need one.
3...confirming yourself?
4...Yep, you'll need one of those too.

2A out will only give 16V over 8ohms...32watt peak.
40volts over 8ohms requires 5A...200watt peak.

 

[toprepairman]

This is a bass guitar I assume?

 

[tinitus]

if you only want power and ok sound, I guess it will be ok

but you might be disappointed if you expect especially high quality sound

 

[i2k92]

Without preamp & speaker which are designed for guitar use, the amp will not sound like a guitar amp. Most PA or hifi preamp & speaker are OK for keyboard amp or bass amp for some extent but certainly not OK to be connected directly to guitar. I've seen many Class D keyboard & bass amp, but haven't seen any Class-D guitar amp.

If you want to use PA or hifi amp & speaker, it is mandatory to have a guitar amp & speaker simulator like Line6 PODs or Tech 21 Sansamp pedals. The simulator will mimic the character of certain famous guitar amp & cabinet. While PODs can give zillion of digitally simulated amplifier type along with effects pedal simulation, Sansamp will give a very good analog amp simulation but for very limited amplifier type (like Fender, Marshall, Mesa & Vox tone only) and only overdrive/distortion effect. My simulator of choice is Sansamp GT2, go to tonepad -- a resource for d.i.y. music projects if you want to build one.

If it's for bass guitar, you don't really need simulator but you'll need a compressor before / after the preamp.

And I guess, 2A will not be enough to output 160W.

 

[eem2am]

OK Thanks,

Sorry i meant two 8 Ohm speakers in series.....so thats 40^2/16 = 100W.

The 160W from the power supply output is just taking into account the losses in the 100W Class D amplifier.

 

[gmarsh]

One thing I'll add: Guitar amp speakers tend to be quite efficient. I've got a '71 Fender Princeton Reverb that's capable of 'only' 15 watts, but when it's turned up to the point of compressing the output tubes, it'll make your ears ring if you're playing it indoors.

I'd almost suggest designing for a given dB level instead of a wattage, and take your speaker selection into consideration.

edit: Also... hit up a guitar store and play around for a while. Get an idea of what's out there, and what you want. Go from there.