F5 power amplifier

Thanks for the info. Again, project looks great.

I have not had time to follow this thread completely. Also, I have not tried to make any boards myself. I have to limit myself somewhere because of the lack of time. Is there more info about Diptrace on a site somewhere? How long was the process to make your boards?

Thanks,

Dave
 
brian gt aleph pcb

Hi,

is this a bad idea to use two of brian's gt aleph psu pcb's
for the F5 power supply?

would 10-12AWG sold copper wire to join the grounds suffice or it's still too skimpy?

thx.
 

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Hi Skidave,

Don't do your own layout on diptrace or eagle if you haven't done it before, because it's time consuming. As what you mentioned, you have limited time but you want to build this amp. If I were you, I have to go for the existing layout on the link below and buy a press and peel paper, print the layout by Spind which is on adobe format on the press and peel paper, iron it on the pcb, etch it with etching solution, drill it and there you go, you're ready to solder the components. If you want to prevent the pcb from oxidation, you can buy a laquer varnish on a spray can to coat it. If you need more help, you can go to this link in you tube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6WJqjVleG0&feature=related


http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=1536556#post1536556

Hope this help.

Good luck,

Fred
 
I want to make some of boards with some copper clad FR4 but not sure how thick the copper should be. Can you guys suggest a thickness for me? I was considering 2oz but really, I am not sure if this is enough or overkill. I will be buying alot of this so I can make many different designs and I want to have enough copper to handle most amps and PSUs. I know thats vague. I just want an all around good measure of safety. I will use these for Nelsons stuff as well as chip amps. Thinking of making the My_Ref_C.
Hope someone can help.
Thanks
Uriah
 
two newbie questions re F5

1) Is it possible to raise the F5's input impedance so as to make it even friendlier to a delicate tube preamp? (Mine likes a 470k ohm input impedance on an amp). What would be the effect on the F5's performance of doing this?

2) Could one use paper-in-oil caps in the power supply? I know a diy'er who swears by them, even in the power supply, for imparting a rich, full, warm sound.

Thanks.
 
ChuckE,
You might consider building the supply on the last page of the F5's operating manual.
http://www.firstwatt.com/downloads/F5-om_sm-080527.pdf
If you go to www.apexjr.com you can get 12,000uf caps for 1.99 each. The PIO caps will NEVER have enough capacitance to work well in the power supply for this amp unless they are the size of a broom closet. You could use them to snubber the supply though.
Uriah
 
Brett,
I had similar questions about TH1 and TH2. From the answers I received I think that the thermistor you found will work fine. It seems that the wattage it is capable of really doesnt matter much and you are at 4.7k so that should work fine. I have mine 90% built for some reason and not 100% so I cant say that mine fired right up no problem yet. However, I could also add that Nelson says in his paper on the F5 that the Thermistor is not necessary and a few people have left it out of their amp, replaced by a resistor. So I think you can count yourself safe with that Thermistor.
Uriah