My own Pumpkin preamp - Construction

Algar_emi · 22nd January 2008, 01:27 AM

I'n my spare time from the Maxon GB 2007 (and night and weekend

), I started to work on some enclosure to mount the Pumpkin preamp. I bought a set of PCB a few weeks ago. I'm collecting the parts for now.

The preamp will have a separate supply module that will contains a custom Plitron surplus transformer that I got directly from Plitron. It is hugely overkill. It has also some extra secondaries, one of which I will use to supply the preamp digital section and input selection boards, more on that later.

This is the transfo enclosure. It is made of laminated dried maple on the outside. The inside is a complete aluminium enclosure. The top has some spare space reserved to receive a plate of black tinted glass or black plexiglass for a nice finish all around.

Algar_emi · 22nd January 2008, 01:33 AM

I'm still working on the preamp enclosure. It is built the same way but has 1/4 inch alu inside side panel and a center 1/4 inch alu spine for extra case rigidity. The central spine will also insulate each channel from each other.

I'm planning to use my Placette attenuator kit as volume control. A set of external connectors will allow the Placette to be used by itself if I choose to. The Placette I have is fully balanced, as needed by the Pumpkin. The kit will also allow volume remote control. The processor and LCD Placette control PCB will be mounted on the front, inside the wood. The back will be closed by an alu plate for shielding. The processor and relay will use a separate digital supply. This supply has a built-in EMI filter.

The source selection will be done using a selector switch and back mounted relays PCB, close to the inputs conenctors.

The preamp back is made of brushed, anodized panel that I recycled from an other enclosure. The round notch on the back will receive the input power connector.

jupiterjune · 22nd January 2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

It is built the same way but has 1/4 inch alu inside side panel and a center 1/4 inch alu spine for extra case rigidity

Well, if you insist on using such thin material, it is the least you can do

Seriously--beautiful work--completely overdone as any good DIY project should be.

JJ

Zen Mod · 22nd January 2008, 08:15 PM

like always from AE - fugly!

Algar_emi · 22nd January 2008, 11:02 PM

As some said on this forum, what is the point in building something simple and cheap. We may as well buy some noise box from Circuit City and be done with it. Maybe half of the price of the very high end stuff is casing and cosmetic anyway.

Part of the fun is to try to build things differently and reach for the top.

I guest the Pumpkin with its sophisticated supply is worth nothing less

Nelson Pass · 22nd January 2008, 11:18 PM

Ooooooooooh.

Shiny.

Algar_emi · 22nd January 2008, 11:46 PM

Indeed. And great thing about covering the aluminium with wood, is that I'm better at finishing wood than alu

.

wirewiggler · 6th February 2008, 03:50 AM

I agree, I have limited metal machining tools, however wood is relative easy to machine. I like to refer to mine as the Pass woodies. I was reviewing your 2.2 BOM as mentioned R20,23,24,25 on Pumpkin need updating. On shunty D6,6a,7,7a leads are to big for holes, C19a),C4(a) C12(a) need to have 15mm spacing. C17,C17a,C18,C18a, Is Wima ok to use in place of ceramic (plead ignorance on my part)? I appreciate your work on the BOM Have you had any luck with heatsinks? I looked in all my catalogs and am unable to locate the ones used on Q1,Q1a. I will make a trip to Apex JR soon to see if I can find something suitable for the larger heat sinks, if something looks usable I can pick some up for you.

Thanks
Bill

moe29 · 6th February 2008, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Shiny.

Firefly fan?

----------

can't wait to see the finished product

wirewiggler · 7th February 2008, 02:26 AM

located heat sinks:
Futurlec has the little ones part # TO218S049B $.90 - http://www.futurlec.com/Heatsinks/TO218S049B.shtml and the Larger ones Surplus sales of Nebraska (HSK) HS-DMC501 $4.50 - http://www.surplussales.com/Heatsinks/HeatSink1.html . Will have to file the fins a little bit mabe 1/16, and they may overhang the sides a tad but close enough for me. Oh yea and Apex Jr has a Transformer 15-0042 92 VCT 250 VA (a little over kill ) $25.00 http://www.apexjr.com/miscellaneous.html#Transformers .

Bill

22nd January 2008, 08:15 PM	#4
Zen Mod diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: ancient Batsch , behind Iron Curtain	like always from AE - fugly! __________________ my Papa is smarter than your Nelson ! tnx to clean thread ; Cook Book ; PSM LS Cook Book ; Baby Diyaudio FORUM ; Mighty ZM's Bloggg;I'm dumb

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22nd January 2008, 11:02 PM	#5
Algar_emi diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Canada, Qc	As some said on this forum, what is the point in building something simple and cheap. We may as well buy some noise box from Circuit City and be done with it. Maybe half of the price of the very high end stuff is casing and cosmetic anyway. Part of the fun is to try to build things differently and reach for the top. I guest the Pumpkin with its sophisticated supply is worth nothing less

22nd January 2008, 11:18 PM	#6
Nelson Pass The one and only Join Date: Mar 2001	Ooooooooooh. Shiny.

22nd January 2008, 11:46 PM	#7
Algar_emi diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Canada, Qc	Indeed. And great thing about covering the aluminium with wood, is that I'm better at finishing wood than alu .

7th February 2008, 02:26 AM	#10
wirewiggler diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bakersfield Ca	located heat sinks: Futurlec has the little ones part # TO218S049B $.90 - http://www.futurlec.com/Heatsinks/TO218S049B.shtml and the Larger ones Surplus sales of Nebraska (HSK) HS-DMC501 $4.50 - http://www.surplussales.com/Heatsinks/HeatSink1.html . Will have to file the fins a little bit mabe 1/16, and they may overhang the sides a tad but close enough for me. Oh yea and Apex Jr has a Transformer 15-0042 92 VCT 250 VA (a little over kill ) $25.00 http://www.apexjr.com/miscellaneous.html#Transformers . Bill