I need to understand components quality importance.

50AE · 12th September 2011, 04:42 PM

Hi there,

I'm a newbie learner in audio stuff, and I'm currently designing and bulding amps for my speakers. They were old, the lows needed repair, I did. Now I'm waiting for the measurement for their specs to rebuild the box volume.

They are 3 way speakers and I have planned to make active crossovers. I have solid state AB amps for the lows and I will build chip amplifiers for the middles and highs, because of cost and simplicity. I will choose chips with higher power, because as far as I know, they tend to distort very much when heavily loaded.

I need to know in which parts of the circuit I have to invest high quality components. In the active filter setup, the caps are low valued, they will be foil kind, it's alright. But what about the opamps. I read that the buffer has to have a good quality opamp, but not the filtering section. Is it true?

About the electrolytic caps in other parts, it would be a good idea to change them all with audio grade, no matter if they are coupling or decoupling, right?

What about the buffer and final transistors? From what specs is their quality determined?

gmphadte · 13th September 2011, 05:43 AM

It starts and starts with the quality of the speakers. If they have it u need other components to have it. It does not mean u cannot have high quality component filled gear, but the speaker quality is the most critical one.

Gajanan Phadte

marce · 13th September 2011, 11:52 AM

Second that speakers first...
As to components, some changes may improve sound, some may not, suggest you learn more about the various circuits (electronics).
Cahnging op-amps is not for the faint hearted, I have worked on some very sensitive analogue designs in the past (even more sensitive than audio!!!) where the difference in op-amps can have a disastourus effect on the circuit working. We have even seen changes between batches of the same op-amp when die and feature size has changed.
Look fo guidlines about changing op-amps from other users of this forum...
As to caps well if it rocks your boat, you'll get an improvement by changing them, but where decoupling is employed (generaly for RF) I would leave the caps as they are.

12th September 2011, 04:42 PM	#1
50AE diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sofia, Bulgaria	I need to understand components quality importance. Hi there, I'm a newbie learner in audio stuff, and I'm currently designing and bulding amps for my speakers. They were old, the lows needed repair, I did. Now I'm waiting for the measurement for their specs to rebuild the box volume. They are 3 way speakers and I have planned to make active crossovers. I have solid state AB amps for the lows and I will build chip amplifiers for the middles and highs, because of cost and simplicity. I will choose chips with higher power, because as far as I know, they tend to distort very much when heavily loaded. I need to know in which parts of the circuit I have to invest high quality components. In the active filter setup, the caps are low valued, they will be foil kind, it's alright. But what about the opamps. I read that the buffer has to have a good quality opamp, but not the filtering section. Is it true? About the electrolytic caps in other parts, it would be a good idea to change them all with audio grade, no matter if they are coupling or decoupling, right? What about the buffer and final transistors? From what specs is their quality determined?

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Importance of quality resistors ?????	Serratoga	Analog Line Level	10	28th October 2008 01:16 PM
Bias Supply Quality / Importance	luvdunhill	Planars & Exotics	15	28th November 2007 11:26 PM
Quality components in Australia	lordvader	Parts	9	6th January 2005 12:30 AM
quality of peavey components	chalieroundeye	Parts	2	30th May 2004 10:39 AM
Components and Sound Quality	fmak	Solid State	2	22nd February 2003 04:22 PM

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate Search Privacy Statement Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read


	Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you. Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving

13th September 2011, 05:43 AM	#2
gmphadte diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Dona paula, Goa	It starts and starts with the quality of the speakers. If they have it u need other components to have it. It does not mean u cannot have high quality component filled gear, but the speaker quality is the most critical one. Gajanan Phadte

13th September 2011, 11:52 AM	#3
marce diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Blackburn, Lancs	Second that speakers first... As to components, some changes may improve sound, some may not, suggest you learn more about the various circuits (electronics). Cahnging op-amps is not for the faint hearted, I have worked on some very sensitive analogue designs in the past (even more sensitive than audio!!!) where the difference in op-amps can have a disastourus effect on the circuit working. We have even seen changes between batches of the same op-amp when die and feature size has changed. Look fo guidlines about changing op-amps from other users of this forum... As to caps well if it rocks your boat, you'll get an improvement by changing them, but where decoupling is employed (generaly for RF) I would leave the caps as they are.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)