My Completed Krell KSA 50 Clone - Pics

[Bigred]

Love the addition of the computer fan controller/temp. monitor
I'd be hocking that CD to help pay for that beast however

[Buzzy]

by using a fan can the size of heatsink be reduced significantly ?

[Leolabs]

A little bit messy wiring,but still a nice one.

[smithy666]

Originally posted by Buzzy
by using a fan can the size of heatsink be reduced significantly ?

Sure - just look at CPUs, dissipating up to 130W. Forced air cooling will significantly reduce the size of the heatsink required, but then you have to put up with the noise of the fan and no matter how quiet they are supposed to be, they always make a noise and it tends to get worse with age...

[Jozua]

Hi

Looks very impressive but how does it sound ?

Jozua

[wcleungoo]

My KSA50 clone, just finished yesterday and is under stress test. Power: 500W torodial Transformer, 2x100,000uF BHC cap. bi-bridge rectification per channel... natural cooling. How it sound ? solid bass, clean and clear mid and treble In comparing with my DIY Aleph 5, the sound is a "sharp". Aleph 5 sounds much warmer... different style. So, i think it is better for rock music while Aleph 5 better for vocal presentation. It is of course up to the preference of the listener!

[spurlte]

Can you please tell me why to stuck to the KSA-50 when the boards can also be used as KSA-100? Some say that the KSA-100 consumes to much current (needs larger tranny) and generates far to much heat. And that the KSA-50 delivers enough. True?

[spurlte]

Why you stuck using the KSA-50 MKII as a KSA-50 rather than its full potential, the KSA-100, that is? What are the components on each side of the main board? Fuse holders? If fuse holders. What type of fuses are you using?

[lgreen]

Nice job wcleungoo. I don't check here anymore but I randomly did today and saw your post. Looks like you have upgraded to a CRC power supply that Krell never used? What else did you modify and improve on?

I agree with your listening impressions generally though I do not like the weak sound of the Aleph amps at all (have built diy and bought the commercial version) - just my opinion that everyone here will disagree with.

I think the KSA -100 was not fully tested/functional from my memory of the related threads here, but the KSA-50 worked just fine for a lot of people. I know mine is sounding great after many years and while it is only 50 WPC, it plays LOUD and with authority, esp. the low end; but generates so much heat that evacuating it from the case is a problem. 100WPC ? I would not want to take on that heat-challenge!

Note- I used this amp to drive Wilson WP 5.1's for 2 years. Sounded fantastic, no need for more than 50 WPC; bass that will shake your windows from their frames. I am not really into audio that much anymore and my collection of impressive overpiced high end items has been mostly sold off though I have all my diy amps and some ok stuff.

Just happy to see some more activity on the KSA 50, nice amp.

[DJNUBZ]

Originally Posted by smithy666

Sure - just look at CPUs, dissipating up to 130W. Forced air cooling will significantly reduce the size of the heatsink required, but then you have to put up with the noise of the fan and no matter how quiet they are supposed to be, they always make a noise and it tends to get worse with age...

That is still somewhat true but I am beginning to think that the time of that being a fact is coming to an end. Just take a look at this this fan running at 5V.

AcoustiFan DustPROOF Premium Quality Ultra Quiet Computer Fan - 80mm AFDP-8025B

There are others that are just as quiet as well. I am sure that one day in the near future we will be able to use fans and smaller heat sinks just like the rest of the tech world.

The amp looks awesome. How much of a change is there between high bias and low bias?