Power amp case faceplate, you like aluminium or wood ?

gaetan8888 · 27th June 2007, 02:05 AM

Power amp case faceplate, you like aluminium or wood ?

Hello

For commercials or diy amps, it's mostly made in aluminium and only few are made with woods. Things are changing ? or aluminium will continue to be the most popular ?

For a power amp case faceplate (or chassis front Panel), what do you prefer, aluminium or wood ?

For myself I like woods faceplate.

Thank

Gaetan

Cloth Ears · 27th June 2007, 02:12 AM

Black anodised aluminium.

Wood is 'pretty', and makes each item unique, but for a power amp I look for 'fade into the back-ground' black.

Now, pre-amps... Jarrah! And I'd like to replace the fromt panel of my Marantz tuner with reddish-blonde Tasmanian Oak...

But all my stuff is basic black except the afore-mentioned tuner.

MJL21193 · 27th June 2007, 02:16 AM

Can't beat aluminum...

tubewade · 27th June 2007, 02:38 AM

Each can look nice in their own respect. For valve amplifiers, with exposed chassis on the top, I like natural wood sides or wooden base altogether, but for solid state with nothing pretty to see I suppose aluminum, anodised or brushed, is OK. I have made preamps with wooden ash front panel painted delicate black and it looks really nice. I've never seen a preamp with a natural wood front panel but it might look nice too.

Wade

Conrad Hoffman · 27th June 2007, 04:09 AM

Wood is probably questionable with regards to regulatory requirements on safety (flammable) in most countries. I can see commercial manufacturers avoiding it for that reason. Some years ago, it was common for receivers to have wooden covers, with just some metal perf screen for ventilation. Now even wood side panels are rare. My preference is for aluminum chassis' with standard 1/8" aluminum rack panels.

XEAGLEKEEPER · 27th June 2007, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Can't beat aluminum

Yes you can..but that leaves ugly scratches and dents...

Anodised is the way I went http://www.par-metal.com/
Series 12.

Dave

AndrewT · 27th June 2007, 08:43 AM

Hi,
there are a few up-market units with sculpted wood facias. They can look very good.
I do not see a safety problem other than fuel for a fire. By then your fusing has failed to do it's job.

Conrad Hoffman · 27th June 2007, 11:09 AM

Certainly risks are low for a wood front panel, but in today's regulatory and legal environment, any risk that can be reduced from low to non-existent, likely will be.

I_Forgot · 27th June 2007, 01:21 PM

Are wood and aluminum the only options?

I_F

Cloth Ears · 27th June 2007, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by I_Forgot
Are wood and aluminum the only options?

I_F

Glass, plastic, ceramic - but each brings their own set of problems (eitehr with longevity or with the initial working with them).

27th June 2007, 02:05 AM	#1
gaetan8888 diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2007	Power amp case faceplate, you like aluminium or wood ? Power amp case faceplate, you like aluminium or wood ? Hello For commercials or diy amps, it's mostly made in aluminium and only few are made with woods. Things are changing ? or aluminium will continue to be the most popular ? For a power amp case faceplate (or chassis front Panel), what do you prefer, aluminium or wood ? For myself I like woods faceplate. Thank Gaetan

27th June 2007, 02:12 AM	#2
Cloth Ears diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Black anodised aluminium. Wood is 'pretty', and makes each item unique, but for a power amp I look for 'fade into the back-ground' black. Now, pre-amps... Jarrah! And I'd like to replace the fromt panel of my Marantz tuner with reddish-blonde Tasmanian Oak... But all my stuff is basic black except the afore-mentioned tuner. __________________ Jont. "It is impossible to build a fool proof system; because fools are so ingenious."

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27th June 2007, 02:38 AM	#4
tubewade diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2007	Each can look nice in their own respect. For valve amplifiers, with exposed chassis on the top, I like natural wood sides or wooden base altogether, but for solid state with nothing pretty to see I suppose aluminum, anodised or brushed, is OK. I have made preamps with wooden ash front panel painted delicate black and it looks really nice. I've never seen a preamp with a natural wood front panel but it might look nice too. Wade

27th June 2007, 04:09 AM	#5
Conrad Hoffman diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canandaigua, NY USA	Wood is probably questionable with regards to regulatory requirements on safety (flammable) in most countries. I can see commercial manufacturers avoiding it for that reason. Some years ago, it was common for receivers to have wooden covers, with just some metal perf screen for ventilation. Now even wood side panels are rare. My preference is for aluminum chassis' with standard 1/8" aluminum rack panels.

27th June 2007, 08:43 AM	#7
AndrewT diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Scottish Borders	Hi, there are a few up-market units with sculpted wood facias. They can look very good. I do not see a safety problem other than fuel for a fire. By then your fusing has failed to do it's job.

27th June 2007, 11:09 AM	#8
Conrad Hoffman diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canandaigua, NY USA	Certainly risks are low for a wood front panel, but in today's regulatory and legal environment, any risk that can be reduced from low to non-existent, likely will be.

27th June 2007, 01:21 PM	#9
I_Forgot diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, Az.	Are wood and aluminum the only options? I_F