Amplifier database

[jerryo]

I love reading and studying this forums contents but I find it actually to big to make the best of the resources that it contains.
If you are looking for an amp or speaker design to build there are many, many different designs to choose from and the information regarding these designs is contained in Threads that, in some cases, are extremely long.
This takes alot of time and although the information contained in the threads is all valuable and pertinent to the design in question I find it a bit of a pain to go through it all.
I have a proposal:
Would it be possible for a database to be set up that contains all the very best amplifier and speaker designs on its own page. What I mean is that whoever has designed an amp or speaker which has a good reputation, provides the all the information about the design in one place. The finished, most complete design.

For an amp for instance:

A description of the amp; whether class A, class B, class D etc
The specifications
All the files for the pcb design, component overlay etc so that they can be printed off the site.
A full BOM with component identification, and alternatives
Full details of the required power supply as intended by the designer
A good wiring/connection diagram
An assembly and set-up guide.
Some good photo's
Links to the main starter threads for the design.
Links to group buy's for pcb's that might be available.

Of course I am not talking about commercial offerings unless the vendor in question was happy to agree to their design being offered up in this way.

I am sure that there are many people out there (like myself) who are quite handy with a soldering iron and can follow instructions who would love to try different amps/speakers, so having all the information condensed into one place would be greatly appreciated.

If the information was arranged so that it could be printed off with one hit, even better.


What do you think?

[Gordy]

Reading so much really can take a long time, especially when one has to sift out all of the chaf (... I think I heard a couple of members shout "yeah, especially your comments Gordy" ).

But in those long threads there really is a goldmine of information waiting for you, along with a bunch of very helpful people. If you were to extract the core information you might loose some of the important peripheral information, and that would be a shame. For many of the amp designs the originators already do provide links to their home pages... click on their name (to the left) and there will be a drop down menu and this often provides a link to their home page.

Also, look at the menu bar at the top of the page and click on Articles. You will go to a page with some good quality projects. There are not so many at this moment, but the guys are most likely busy preparing more projects behind the scenes.

I understand your sentiment in asking your question, but it's going to be a shed full of work that 99.9% are not going to do. Instead they will point you at the 'search' facility and wish you good luck. When all is said and done it will take time, however it could be argued that it is time well spent.

G.

[jerryo]

Hi Gordy,
I do appreciate that there is alot of extremely important information in the threads; I said as much in my first post. I myself have spent many hours searching through the site and following the links to amp designers websites (much to my other half's annoyance) but I still maintain that to have a condensed database would allow people to see what is actually available there and then. You can do extensive searches and still miss designs that you might have liked to try out.
I think that most people would want to read the original design thread anyway in order to fully understand the particulars of the design when they had decided which one they wanted to build.
I would have really appreciated having such a database to look through when I first began looking at the DIY Audio forum and I'm sure others would to.

[Krisfr]

IMHO a link to the CURRENT Schematic and or bom would be fine. That link could summarize the type and nominal SPECS of the project in consideration.

Also a indicator of weather the project is Commercial or Just a PLAIN DIY would be informative.

[PhaseLockLoopy]

Great idea -- though what's best is very subjective - it could be you end up with only three in the database on this basis

why not just DB the lot as endeavors with a few words on why that approach - what motivated them and how it is expected to be better and what innovation is in the design

[sumaudioguy]

Been thinking the same thing after reading way to much myself. Many of the same questions get recycled and rediscussed and the same mistakes made over and over. I know in many cases consensus on exactly which solution is the best fill much of the discussions. Have not written anything as have not come up with a filter or organization to satisfy most of us, let me say "busy" posters'.

Conceptually this is a wonderful idea!!

[jerryo]

Hi fella's,
thanks for your support for this idea.

Maybe I/we should throw the invitation out to everyone who has come up with a finished design for a speaker or amplifier to make available their designs as a pdf document that contains the information that I mentioned in my first post.

I am sure that many more of their designs will end being made if the information about them is readily available.
So maybe I could ask the powers that be......the Moderators, whether they would be willing to support this idea and create a facility on this forum for this to happen if there is enough interest?
I know that it is possible that only a small handfull of designers might take the trouble to do this but it is worth a shot.
This idea extends to any project represented on the forum, not just amps and speakers, as long as it is a complete and proven design with full documentation.
Cheers

[jerryo]

Well this idea seems to have fallen flat on its face after a positive start.
It is I believe still a good idea, but if there is no concensus on this then I shall not labour the point. Many, many good ideas have gone by the wayside so I did not expect this to be any different.

PhaseLockLoopy and sumaudioguy are on the same wavelength as me and I should imagine there are others. Where are you?

To be honest I think it would help reduce the number of new threads asking something like, "what amp do I need for this or that application"?

If there is one thing missing on the DIY Audio Forum, it is a database of completed Amp and Speaker designs that anyone can access easily and quickly.

Think about it?

[sumaudioguy]

Hopefully, finally got it! What is needed is a simple voting system for each post. I have read a lot of post recently and some are so clear and so succinct they are ready for a database right there. IF these post could receive votes by members as a recognition of their content and clarity, the votes could select those particular post for inclusion into the database. Vote-less post would not be included which means most post.

Of course this needs vote number minimum and categories with some rules. Categories like: theory; actually built and worked; commercial products; commercial schematics; methodology (how to assemble); and so on. The vote could include selecting the category. This is a self sorting system and should require minimum maintenance and encourages participation.

The database could even allow a user to suggest a category like "Adcom 555 repairs" to receive votes.

What do you all think?

[jerryo]

Hi sumadudioguy,
any way that allows the various complete design's to be more immediately available gets my support. Your idea is good as long as we get participation, but I would still like to see a dedicated thread called something like Amplifier Design Database, or Speaker Design Database.
A voting system will be very democratic, which is a good thing. Lets hope this scheme builds some more support.
Cheers