pardon me

[Feelharmonic]

Hello

I'm new to the forum. I've been poking this site for weeks now and I just don't know how I could've missed the forum such as this. This site is truely awesome. I've been building DIY speakers for a while and always wondered if I could build amps as well. I am no engineering expert but I built several small DIY circuits to evedrop x-girlfriends and republicans.

Pardon me for skipping stepping stones ahead but in your opinion what would be the best sounding DIY amp on this site so far? Is it Aleph x or Leach, etc. I understand that it is very subjective matter and quite hard to point out based on this forum alone. I just can't afford $10,000+ or resources to build several DIY amps to compare amps side by side. I do jazz/classical audio recordings and midi composing so better amp is a good thing.

By the way I've always regarded the sleu rates and the damping factors to be the most important (today's modern amps generate low harmonic distortion anyway) measurements to determine the amp characteristics.

Regards

 

[Sparhawk]

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not an analogue designer or anything, but my vote for the best amps would have to go to Nelson Pass. I had originally planned on building one of the Zen variations, but now I'm leaning more towards the Aleph-X.

I used to be one of those people who jumped right to the specs when evaluating an amp, but if there is anything I have learned on this forum, it is that the specs only tell half the story, at best. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that a high damping factor often means a high-feedback design. I'm convinced now that low-feedback class A is the way to go, regardless of the specs.

You mentioned that you do jazz and classical recordings... I assume you meant as an engineer, rather than a player? I'm very interested in recording engineering... It is the field I trained in, before moving into an IT career.

 

[Feelharmonic]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I am both classically trained amature musician and a recording engineer. Coincidently, I am also gearing toward an IT career.
If you are interested in recording engineering, please check the forums on these sites.

www.digidesign.com
www.steinberg.net (check out new Nuendo 2.0 coming soon)
www.musicplayer.com

Also don't forget to check www.groupstudy.com (a great site for Cisco related topics).

 

[Sparhawk]

Thanks for the links.

I haven't had a chance to do any recording in ages, unfortunately. I don't own much equipment of my own, though I do dream of building a project studio some day. At the moment I have a Gadget Labs Wave 8*24 (8 in, 8 out, 24 bit) and a fair bit of software, including Pro Audio 9. I've played around with a couple of DIY mic preamps, and some day I'll get around to building an 8 channel pre.

Do you own your equipment, or do you work out of a studio?

 

[Feelharmonic]

Yes I own a few equipments on my own. One notable system is overly priced 16-channel Protool system (so called de facto of digital audio), few DAT recorders and not so impressive Mackie mixer.
From my experience, the sound qualities from one recording software to another is very subtle, but from a preamp to another is quite obvious. Most of the decent sounding 2-channel pres are priced at around $500. Top of the the line will be at around $3000+. BUT I guess the law of diminishing return applies to Pre amps considerably.
I am also planning to build 8-channel preamps some day. Please go to www.mercenary.com to check some of the well known 8-channel preamps.
I wouldn't buy any from them but they do have good lists of rare and the expensive pres out there.