Wanting to build amp

[systemerror909]

Hi, I've been on these forums on and off for a couple years. I recently completing a 41hz.com AMP 5, which was a lot of fun and sounds great. I recently was checking out this site:

http://www.chipamp.com/

and noticed that they had PCB's for the Aleph 30 for sale. Looks like something I think I might be able to put together, but was wondering where I could find some more information about it. Is this project something a relative newbie could put together?

Thanks

 

[hifimaker]

Browsing and search are your friends....

There is currently an active thread on this topic.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=125315

-David

 

[Nelson Pass]

I think Zens and Alephs are easier to build than chipamps.

 

[systemerror909]

Thanks Mr. Pass,

I think I would agree with you. This PCB looks a lot simpler than the Amp 5 I built. Miraculously the amp sounds good, despite the messy job I did soldering it in the tight spots. Beats the pants off of Marantz, Rotel and Pioneer A/B class units I've owned previously. Can't wait to hear what a good Class A design sounds like now that I've got a better grasp of constructing an amp.

Any other suggestions for resources in building an Aleph or similar design amp?

 

[Magura]

Which sort of speakers do you intend the amp for?


Magura

 

[chinsettawong]

If you can find 300 watt light bulbs, I suggest you try to build Zen Light or Zen V8. They're very easy to build and a lot of fun.

Wachara C.

 

[systemerror909]

Currently my speakers are a set of Wharfedale Diamond 8.2's. Specs on these speakers are: 6 ohms, and if I recall correctly a meager 86 db/watt. I'm not too worried about a lower powered amp, the Marantz 2215B I was running them with a while back was more than able to provide satisfactory sound levels at a rated 15 watts.

It looks like the main two variants of Mr. Pass' designs are the Aleph and Zen designs, in a nutshell could someone explain the difference between the two?

 

[Magura]

It looks like the main two variants of Mr. Pass' designs are the Aleph and Zen designs, in a nutshell could someone explain the difference between the two?

In a nutshell:
Aleph= Commercial product
Zen= Pushing the limits projects, aimed for the DIY community

If 15W is enough, take a long hard look at the Zen articles at www.passdiy.com

Then go mix and match, to get what you think you want.

Presto! You got an amp, and most likely a bunch of ideas to what you're gonna build next


Magura

 

[systemerror909]

I think this was what I was really looking for:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52188&perpage=25&pagenumber=43

So apparently BrianGT's diyamps.com site is down, which is why I couldn't find a bill of materials for the power supplies.

My only other real pressing question is: how important are matched transistors in this design, and where would I be able to find some?

 

[MikeW]

http://www.chipamp.com/orders.shtml

Aleph boards for 9$

 

[systemerror909]

Hey,

I was hoping someone could answer my question relating to matched transistors, which in my research has come up as something that is fairly important:

http://www.passdiy.com/pdf/mos.pdf

Unfortunately, the only test equipment I have is a multimeter. If anyone knows where I might be able to find matched transistors for this project, it would be greatly helpful.


Also, Brian of Chipamp.com got back to my email and mentioned that someone here might have a copy of the Aleph service manual, which could clarify some things for me. Anyone know where I could get a copy?

Thanks

 

[Magura]

Hey,

I was hoping someone could answer my question relating to matched transistors, which in my research has come up as something that is fairly important:

http://www.passdiy.com/pdf/mos.pdf

Unfortunately, the only test equipment I have is a multimeter. If anyone knows where I might be able to find matched transistors for this project, it would be greatly helpful.


Also, Brian of Chipamp.com got back to my email and mentioned that someone here might have a copy of the Aleph service manual, which could clarify some things for me. Anyone know where I could get a copy?

Thanks

Short of a power supply, grab a 12V car battery as power source for matching mosfets. Just about any multi-meter will do.

But didn't you want to build a mini-A ? As far as I recall, there is only one fet per bank, so no need for matching. Just grab the first TO-247 size mosfets you see on your bench, and you're good to go. All you need to consider, is that you need 2 P-channels and 2 N-channels. Those could be anything from IRFP044 and all the way up to IRFP450, the P-channels are a little more limited in range, as they stop at IRFP9240, but again any TO-247 P-channel will do, so it's just gotta be IRFP9xxx.

Magura

 

[systemerror909]

Here is the parts list for Brian's PCbs:

http://www.chipamp.com/diyaudio/mini-A.xls

In the notes it says they should be matched for VGS.

 

[AndreaFx]

Hello Ryan, you can order the PCB for make an Aleph 30 here:
http://www.chipamp.com/orders.shtml

There's not a guide but an excel sheet where you find all the component end the corrispective part on the pcb when you solder.
http://www.chipamp.com/diyaudio/mini-A.xls

You can match the IRFP240 and the IRF9610. If you have a problem, in this forum someone sell the mosfet already matched (talk with user Tarrasque)