The SMD parts are actually really big. there are 1206 resistors and caps, 1210 caps, TSSOP chips (however there is soldermask). the smallest components on this board are SOT-23 transistors and DO-323 diodes (these are 0805 sized) if you use 0.3mm solder you should be fine. I will agree that there are a lot of components ~ 150 of them...
I do not think we shall have quantities more than 28 (no of F5X cases), as it is tailor designed for that.
With that small number, it is not viable to have finish soldered and tested boards.
But even with my 50+ years old eyes, I managed to solder 0402 caps on the pins of a WM8804.
So this one is easy in comparison, and I think most of you should manage with a bit of practice.
A lamp with magnifying glass is a great help.
The circuit will never fit on the footprint without SMD.
Patrick
With that small number, it is not viable to have finish soldered and tested boards.
But even with my 50+ years old eyes, I managed to solder 0402 caps on the pins of a WM8804.
So this one is easy in comparison, and I think most of you should manage with a bit of practice.
A lamp with magnifying glass is a great help.
The circuit will never fit on the footprint without SMD.
Patrick
There is a second bit of PCB errata that fell through the cracks, There needs to be a pull up resistor on the status switch. this can be added to the existing boards easily enough (I will show the testing group how to do this.) It has already been changed on the layout and as such the GB members will not have to worry about this being a problem. I have thoroughly re-checked my schematics against yours and this seems to be the only unintentional change vs your board. all should now be correct (I hope)
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is it really of no use to those without the case, but plan to use regulated supplies? is it that the internal temperatures of the case and sinks will be different and thus throw out the sensing thresholds/mechanisms?
loving all the smd, I much prefer it for just about everything
loving all the smd, I much prefer it for just about everything
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I know what you mean, Patrick. My eyes turned 64 today--along with (groan) the rest of my body.
I just completed design and prototyping on a 35-gHz GaAs FET and SiC semiconductor pulsed-chirp radar using all SMT/SMD components....about 300 of them. Worst part was designing the eight-layer microstrip pcb (i.e., pcb traces as inductors, bi-directional couplers, filters, dispersive delay lines, etc) for that monster.....
So, I'm ready for the F5X challenge! I'm looking forward to it.....
My continued thanks to you and the gang.......
yeah i figured it had onboard supplies due to different power supply needs to the amp and your mentioning the to220 were regs; its just that Patrick saying he didnt expect any more boards available than there were case GB members threw me and this was mentioned some time ago also.
i would love to have the control/protection board in my amp, so it would be a bit disappointing for it not to be available to anyone else if it is able to be bent to the task of other cases. i plan to run a regulated supply and probably run everything else the same, but not only was it a bit out of my price range set aside for the case at the time, it must match the rest of my multichannel dac/amp setup, which is a bit of an unusual format.
John, if you do struggle with the smd definitely let me know, pretty much everything i choose to build these days has a large smd component. Really you shouldnt struggle with components that size, just take note which components pads connect to the ground plane and use a higher mass tip for them. I usually tin that pad first, then reflow and slide the component into place, hold while it cools and release. the other side is quick and easy; just watch the order you install them so nothing gets in the way.
the tssop i use the same method as tom, solder the hole row of pins at once, especially with soldermask, just flood the whole side with solder, then reflow and suck off the excess with a solder sucker, or remove with braid and then run down each pin after adding some flux to neaten it up. confidence is the key.
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Qsup. There is a more broadly focused board on the way. This upcomming board has been designed but probably will be laid out again with knowledge from this design but will not rely on the front panel for heatsinking. This will probably have a much larger distribution.
Also I want to ask, I have found a PCB shop that can make boards with a most unusual finish immersion gold over immersion silver (NOT ENIG). This I believe is the perfect finish for audio electronics and so, if I get enough interest I would like to make available a complete set of boards for the F5X made available to chassis GB members as a special thank you. This has already been approved by EUVL and just hinges on Variac's approval. And numbers of course. I believe that The set will have a cost of approximately 120 if done this way. Would anybody be interested. The standard HASL version would be the version for common sale.
Also please note that this is my idea and apart for his approval this is not endorsed by EUVL.
Also I want to ask, I have found a PCB shop that can make boards with a most unusual finish immersion gold over immersion silver (NOT ENIG). This I believe is the perfect finish for audio electronics and so, if I get enough interest I would like to make available a complete set of boards for the F5X made available to chassis GB members as a special thank you. This has already been approved by EUVL and just hinges on Variac's approval. And numbers of course. I believe that The set will have a cost of approximately 120 if done this way. Would anybody be interested. The standard HASL version would be the version for common sale.
Also please note that this is my idea and apart for his approval this is not endorsed by EUVL.
As I have told Alexis, there is little point in spending 10x money on proto boards.
And in the final build, there is also little point in spending money on a protection board full of 74xx logic chips.
If you really want fancy platings for the PCB, then I would say only the amp board.
Maybe regulator board if you really want.
But they will be available exclusively from the forum, as I promised.
So you need to convince Variac, and not me.
I only make the design available, which I did.
Patrick
And in the final build, there is also little point in spending money on a protection board full of 74xx logic chips.
If you really want fancy platings for the PCB, then I would say only the amp board.
Maybe regulator board if you really want.
But they will be available exclusively from the forum, as I promised.
So you need to convince Variac, and not me.
I only make the design available, which I did.
Patrick
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