PC and 5.1 Channel Amp

[tfreer85]

Okay need some help. I'm building a killer water cooled Quad core HTPC and a custom case. I currently have a standard Yamaha A/V reciever/amp its nice, but well I like learning DIY stuff and its currently only setup to for the Analog Audio Inputs. I have a pretty standard 5.1 Speaker setup, I'd like to upgrade the amplifier to something to power a future DIY speaker project and accept the HTPC sound(optical preferred but not necessary), a mac mini sound, and possiby a stand-alone DVD player sound. Now I "believe" I'm looking for a solid state amplifier to do this job for me (tell me different if otherwise please). Most of the amp examples ive seen appear to be 2 speaker outputs only
...
Now I'm sorry if this is uber-newb, but i've spent the past 3 days looking for ideas, trust me I hate when people don't search. I think what the problem is that I'm so new I don't know what I should be searching for. Ideas, threads, websites, books for me to read on?

Budget is around 1k to accept these inputs and power a 5 speaker system with a sub output, a KIT is quite preferred and if possible i'd like to try to incorporate the amps case into the custom pc case (base size: 17w 17d x "Y" tall). Thanks for any help,

Tyson

 

[AndrewT]

one amplifier in one box to feed one speaker.
That's the simplest and most likely the easiest to build as well as standing a chance to be best sounding as well.

 

[ex007]

I'v been thinking about the same thing, a DAC for 2-5 chanels with 41hz amp3 and B3N speakers.
I'v looked at the Twited Pear Opus dac (2 chanels) with a active filter for a sub.

 

[Nordic]

The amplifier part is the easy bit...
Solveing the 5 channel volume control gets more expensive...
You also have the digital side to figure out... I.e a DAC...

With some experience this project could still fall in the moderate difficulty range... but from where it sounds you are... I'd go out and buy something...

 

[tfreer85]

Hmm thanks for the ideas. I don't really want to go out and buy something I already have, defeats the purpose of wanting to try a DIY. Maybe what I need to look into is doing a preamp then going from there. Anything direction for were to start searching at least?

Thanks,
Tyson

 

[dangus]

A 5 channel Gainclone would be the best approach. Let the PC handle the volume control, so you don't have to bother with some 5-channel pot or step attenuator. See the Chip Amps forum for more info.

The best payoff for the buck in DIY is building subwoofers: for about $500 you should be able to build a beast that will annihilate many commercial subs costing 5 times as much. [one or two 12" or 15" plus a third-hand "pro" power amp and some MDF]