Amp Camp Amp - ACA

[Stanislav]

Extreme DIY.
Great stuff.

 

[Gregje]

I would say impatience.
The PCBWay pcbs look better but you have to wait for them...

 

[captain pugwash]

Thanks a lot chaps, all very helpfull, I've been thinking along the same lines. Point to point is probably beyond me, vero board possibly if I had a proven layout. The ebay clones are a dilemma as I'm sure the Pass design is released in a 'not for profit' spirit.
I have nothing against Chinese stuff per se but the cloning of current commercial designs is off limits for me. As the diyaudio store seems to be the 'official vendor' of the boards and kits it could be argued that the kit is a current commercial design albeit in kit form.
I built an F5 many moons ago with very nice Peter Daniels boards. At the time there was nothing like it available in the diyaudio store and I can't imagine Peter made any profit from it so there was no issue for me.
If anyone in the know can clarify the legitimacy of these ebay boards it would be really useful.

 

[Logic800]

Great Gregje, it reminded me of when we used to etch pcbs in a sink in the works' toilets during lunch. This was back in the 70s so never any thoughts about H&S...

 

[Alan4411]

@Captain Pugwash, then a WTD advert in the Swap Meet section might find you someone in the UK with boards or a 1/2 completed kit, whatever?

 

[captain pugwash]

Ignoring the board problem for a moment its time to crack on.. Can anyone advise if using this would be ok to power a pair of amps? https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDetail/MEAN-WELL/LRS-200-24?qs=ah3jBNVE1PQukNhKX3jUsA%3D%3D&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhP2BBhDdARIsAJEzXlGb_Nae3DexabF4YGbcC3v5WuViEaUnDezMTwz8bX1V-k7xAyj--68aAlmSEALw_wcB

 

[avitkauskas]

Will it be shipped to private customer?
"Product available only to OEM/EMS Customers. Product is not shipped to consumers in the EU."

 

[captain pugwash]

That's ok as I already have one, It was more a question of the feasibility of powering a pair of the amps with such a power supply?

 

[Alan4411]

Plain ACAs consume about 1.5 - 1.6A each @ 24 volts. So yes, fine.

 

[Gregje]

I powered my ACA from a smaller/less powerful one. I believe it was meanwell 120-24 so 5A.
It was fine. The nice thing is that you can increase the voltage a bit using the trimmer.

 

[captain pugwash]

Yes, the main advantage is I already have one but also it's one less mains cable plugged into the wall! Also there is the possibility of switching both amps on at the same time at the AC end.

 

[captain pugwash]

This will be about the 20th diyaudio based project I have undertaken in the last 14 years. I have always been amazed at the levels of help I have received in this time and yesterday was no exception when a member offered me some boards so that I can get the project under way, amazing!
The unique selling point for me of the ACA over other FirstWatt designs is the small form factor of the cases. Modern media TV units won't take a full size FirstWatt amp but a pair of ACAs in a monoblock style is perfect, I can now have Class A in my TV room.
(not everyone wants a room like Steve Guttenburg!!)

 

[Gregje]

I can now have Class A in my TV room.

Lucky you! I have only class D amp hooked up to the TV. I was playing with the idea of using ACA there but that might be too many boxes for SWMBO.
Having said that I have a tube pre in front of the class D amp ;-)

 

[ItsAllInMyHead]

I have always been amazed at the levels of help I have received in this time and yesterday was no exception when a member offered me some boards so that I can get the project under way, amazing!

Wonderful news!!!!! +1

It never ceases to amaze and delight me re: just how wonderful this community is.

 

[captain pugwash]

Lucky you! I have only class D amp hooked up to the TV. I was playing with the idea of using ACA there but that might be too many boxes for SWMBO.

Don't knock Class D!! It might be heresy on this forum but properly implemented they deserve to be taken very seriously, tiny form factor a great bonus. If you haven't already, get your tape measure out and see how small the 2U ACA case is then you get SWMBO involved by suggesting new furniture for the ACA to live in, easy!!

 

[kmj]

Just checking back in with the result.
200VA transformer went out along with rectifiers and caps and in went a cheap £10 smps of 24v 5a and no more buzzing.
Dead quiet background.

It stings a bit but it's the result that counts

 

[6L6]

The more I experiment with and use SMPS the more I like them. More than half my upcoming projects are planned around a switching PSU of some sort.

 

[Mooly]

Good to hear you have a hum free ACA now. The SMPS is really part of the whole design concept of the ACA and should always be thought of as such.

 

[TonyTecson]

The more I experiment with and use SMPS the more I like them. More than half my upcoming projects are planned around a switching PSU of some sort.

good to know, i am also using them for my class AB amps, and hopefully tube amps too...

 

[NBPK402]

Does anyone know what the input voltage is to get to max power on the ACA... I am setting up my MiniDSP DDRC88A, and I need the info for internal output gain.