can you build a reciever ? cheap ?

v1d9uy · 17th January 2006, 09:18 PM

can a novice build a reciever ? i mean i want a heavy simple receiver but im no electical god here by any means and im not rich ...... so im not gunna blow 3-5k on some super receiver .. id consider 2-4 hundered to build one that was simple and would last a long time .. and if anything happened i could fix it .. cuz i built it ! any thoughts ? any kits ?or am im just crazy ?

quasi · 19th January 2006, 12:29 AM

Hi v1d9uy,

The tuner section worthy of any quality would be very complex and would cost maybe 2 - 5 times what you could buy a quality consumer tuner off the shelf. I would couple this to a DIY pre-amp and power amp.

I do recall seeing a kit from the 1990's that I may be able to dig out for you. It had a digital display and some basic memory functinality but the circuitry and layout are very involved. Let me know if you would like me to find it.

Cheers

v1d9uy · 19th January 2006, 12:54 AM

well actually i guess i could just build a preamp see i really dont care about a display ... or radio so a guess a super simple preamp would be what im looking for .. do preamps have sub output ? or would that be on the amp ? i wasnt sure about that part

quasi · 19th January 2006, 01:21 AM

Most pre-amp designs I have seen are for stereo. It would be easy though to add a sub-bass output using a seperate PCB. This could be contained in the same case and run off the power supply that feeds the pre-amp.

Cheers

v1d9uy · 19th January 2006, 03:35 AM

my main reason for this is i have a older sony str-de475 and the sub out is messing up i wiggle it and the front main speakers cut out and the sub plays at very low volume so there is something going on i did figure it was worth fixing being as how it was a $149.99 special when it wa new like 5-6 years ago

Larry Lomax · 27th January 2006, 10:02 AM

Hello,
Lets analyze your question.
You want something you could be able to repair yourself. But you aren’t so good in working with electronics. And probably you have not a wide experience on radio circuits.
Let me give you a suggestion. Once upon a time, I was in your same condition. But I wanted a real superheterodina receiver for long, medium, short waves and FM. FM stereo was not yet invented.
The quest was your own. I failed, many times. I spent a lot of resources on trying. But when I decided to study, dismounting old radios and taking advice from how they where made. After reading books, bought instrumentation, and started from … one valve receiver. After many years I succeeded, I built a full superheterodina with eight tubes capable of receiving from long to short waves to FM with stereo discriminator and It was a great achieving. After that, the next was the same receiver but with transistors. And after some failures I succeeded. After that I got interested in digital electronics and started building a PC with Z80 and CP/M, it was in the late 70’s. They are all still working, computer too. But, they are all projects for a life. Like to reach a doctoral degree. They all are projects for live. No matter what difficult they builds up. And achieving a goal like this is of a very great satisfaction.
But, if you are looking for a new tuner for your stereo… Just drop it. Save money and buy a shiny new made in Taiwan, Korea o China, tuner.
Thanks for reading cheers
Larry.

Is there a kind of corrector in the forum?
I wrote "projects for a life" and it shows "projects for live" ?

pinkmouse · 27th January 2006, 10:16 AM

Simple answer. Yes.

But as your pre is already broken, I suggest you try fixing that first, as it is likely from your symptoms that you just have some dry solder joints. You will need a small tipped soldering iron and some solder, not wasted money, as you will need them later if you build your own.

Unplug the unit from the mains, and open it up. Take a couple of pics, and post them here, then we can tell you what to do next.

hermanv · 28th January 2006, 10:59 PM

There are DIY kits, close to inventing your own, with risk and engineering decisions pretty much taken care of.

Try this link:
http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobesp.../foreplay3.htm

This OK design has been so customized that there is almost no limit to how involved you can build it, you can spend more and add layers of audiophile magic dust or not.

anatech · 28th January 2006, 11:48 PM

Hi v1d9uy,
Your Sony may have something as simple as cracked solder connections where the jacks are soldered to the PC board.

Patience, soldering iron and solder. Take your time. Don't add too much solder to the joints.

Use your eyes and your head.

-Chris

17th January 2006, 09:18 PM	#1
v1d9uy diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	can you build a reciever ? cheap ? can a novice build a reciever ? i mean i want a heavy simple receiver but im no electical god here by any means and im not rich ...... so im not gunna blow 3-5k on some super receiver .. id consider 2-4 hundered to build one that was simple and would last a long time .. and if anything happened i could fix it .. cuz i built it ! any thoughts ? any kits ?or am im just crazy ?

19th January 2006, 12:29 AM	#2
quasi diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Adelaide, Australia	Hi v1d9uy, The tuner section worthy of any quality would be very complex and would cost maybe 2 - 5 times what you could buy a quality consumer tuner off the shelf. I would couple this to a DIY pre-amp and power amp. I do recall seeing a kit from the 1990's that I may be able to dig out for you. It had a digital display and some basic memory functinality but the circuitry and layout are very involved. Let me know if you would like me to find it. Cheers __________________ http://sites.google.com/site/quasisdiyaudiosite/

19th January 2006, 01:21 AM	#4
quasi diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Adelaide, Australia	Most pre-amp designs I have seen are for stereo. It would be easy though to add a sub-bass output using a seperate PCB. This could be contained in the same case and run off the power supply that feeds the pre-amp. Cheers __________________ http://sites.google.com/site/quasisdiyaudiosite/

27th January 2006, 10:02 AM	#6
Larry Lomax diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: London Hammersmith	Hello, Lets analyze your question. You want something you could be able to repair yourself. But you aren’t so good in working with electronics. And probably you have not a wide experience on radio circuits. Let me give you a suggestion. Once upon a time, I was in your same condition. But I wanted a real superheterodina receiver for long, medium, short waves and FM. FM stereo was not yet invented. The quest was your own. I failed, many times. I spent a lot of resources on trying. But when I decided to study, dismounting old radios and taking advice from how they where made. After reading books, bought instrumentation, and started from … one valve receiver. After many years I succeeded, I built a full superheterodina with eight tubes capable of receiving from long to short waves to FM with stereo discriminator and It was a great achieving. After that, the next was the same receiver but with transistors. And after some failures I succeeded. After that I got interested in digital electronics and started building a PC with Z80 and CP/M, it was in the late 70’s. They are all still working, computer too. But, they are all projects for a life. Like to reach a doctoral degree. They all are projects for live. No matter what difficult they builds up. And achieving a goal like this is of a very great satisfaction. But, if you are looking for a new tuner for your stereo… Just drop it. Save money and buy a shiny new made in Taiwan, Korea o China, tuner. Thanks for reading cheers Larry. Is there a kind of corrector in the forum? I wrote "projects for a life" and it shows "projects for live" ? __________________ Nothing happens by itself, you have to work hard to arrange things to make it happen.

27th January 2006, 10:16 AM	#7
pinkmouse diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chatham, England	Simple answer. Yes. But as your pre is already broken, I suggest you try fixing that first, as it is likely from your symptoms that you just have some dry solder joints. You will need a small tipped soldering iron and some solder, not wasted money, as you will need them later if you build your own. Unplug the unit from the mains, and open it up. Take a couple of pics, and post them here, then we can tell you what to do next. __________________ Al I conceive of nothing, in religion, science or philosophy, that is more than the proper thing to wear, for a while. Charles Fort


	Please consider donating to help us continue to serve you. Ads on/off / Custom Title / More PMs / More album space / Advanced printing & mass image saving

19th January 2006, 12:54 AM	#3
v1d9uy diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	well actually i guess i could just build a preamp see i really dont care about a display ... or radio so a guess a super simple preamp would be what im looking for .. do preamps have sub output ? or would that be on the amp ? i wasnt sure about that part

19th January 2006, 03:35 AM	#5
v1d9uy diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	my main reason for this is i have a older sony str-de475 and the sub out is messing up i wiggle it and the front main speakers cut out and the sub plays at very low volume so there is something going on i did figure it was worth fixing being as how it was a $149.99 special when it wa new like 5-6 years ago

28th January 2006, 10:59 PM	#8
hermanv diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Northern California	How about a kit? There are DIY kits, close to inventing your own, with risk and engineering decisions pretty much taken care of. Try this link: http://www.bottlehead.com/et/adobesp.../foreplay3.htm This OK design has been so customized that there is almost no limit to how involved you can build it, you can spend more and add layers of audiophile magic dust or not.

28th January 2006, 11:48 PM	#9
anatech diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Georgetown, On	Hi v1d9uy, Your Sony may have something as simple as cracked solder connections where the jacks are soldered to the PC board. Patience, soldering iron and solder. Take your time. Don't add too much solder to the joints. Use your eyes and your head. -Chris

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