Well , Philip has made the wrong post at the wrong place using the wrong words , he may haven't understand what DIY really means , if the part doesn't fit , we make it fit , if the part is dead we place a new one , what ever happens we make it , with the help of the community if needed , you surely need some background anyhow , here is the place to learn and make great stuff , are you ready for it 
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But no firstwatt @ passdiy, just papa... (not that they aren‘t great, they‘re just not fw [emoji851][emoji3166][emoji3526]
To answer your question, there are no other resources that are better or more complete than the DIYaudio store that I know of. This is a niche hobby for a small amount of people. This makes the DIY store a great resource. I don't suspect they are making a lot of money which would explain the lack of time put towards keeping everything accurate and updated.
Your situation is one thing that makes me slightly nervous regarding ordering and completing my first build (eventually). Well, that and trying to figure out what kit I want to build. From what I understand, it generally costs around $600 to build a FW amp. I plan to set my budget at something like $850 just so I am not surprised when I make mistakes.
Your situation is one thing that makes me slightly nervous regarding ordering and completing my first build (eventually). Well, that and trying to figure out what kit I want to build. From what I understand, it generally costs around $600 to build a FW amp. I plan to set my budget at something like $850 just so I am not surprised when I make mistakes.
there is no problem building any of the amps from the store. Just check and dobbelcheck that each component is of right value and/or orientation before soldering it. Make sure you don't use fake e-bay parts. And check and dobbelcheck every wire connection before putting any power to it. And it would be a good idea to use a bulbtester when first fireing up the amp.
All the amps in the store are well proven designs and PCB layouts.
All the amps in the store are well proven designs and PCB layouts.
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Before you get discouraged by another member's failure, you should understand what happened. Look at that member's posts and you will see when and how things went wrong.
My conclusion is that attitude, expectations and most of all, basic knowledge and skills, were all inadequate for the endeavor.
My conclusion is that attitude, expectations and most of all, basic knowledge and skills, were all inadequate for the endeavor.
I had made some suggestions to the OP regarding his F5, including posting photos of the PCB
in question so members can help see if anythings looked amiss. Until today's
thread, the last post from the OP was that he would check certain voltages.
That was nearly 3 weeks ago.
Perhaps the OP did not understand what was being asked. Maybe he felt
the store has the responsibility to provide the technical assistance he wanted.
In any case, there was no followup info from the OP to help with the troubleshooting.
in question so members can help see if anythings looked amiss. Until today's
thread, the last post from the OP was that he would check certain voltages.
That was nearly 3 weeks ago.
Perhaps the OP did not understand what was being asked. Maybe he felt
the store has the responsibility to provide the technical assistance he wanted.
In any case, there was no followup info from the OP to help with the troubleshooting.
It's easy to put bias pots in wrong side and when powered, overcurrent will burn some parts. Happened to many of us. That's why its recommended to use bulb current limiter, or better, variac. It's easy to solder something incorrectly, every one makes a mistake from time to time.
But it's despicable to accuse store from ones own mistakes.
But it's despicable to accuse store from ones own mistakes.
These are not Firstwatt products. They are one of Nelson Pass’ diy support efforts. Ones only available at the diyAudio store are an effort by Nelson to help support the forumm monetarily and to provide a good source of bits for the diyers who come here.
Support is on the forum, and i would say 1st rate. I have yet to see anyone with QC issues.
dave
I'm the person who put all seven of the First Watt "M2x" PCBs into the diyAudio Store, and I can certainly imagine that flubs, mistakes, and errors can happen when fulfilling orders. But perhaps the first thing to decide here is: what do you actually WANT? One reasonable answer is: I WANT TO OWN a faithful copy of a Nelson Pass "First Watt" amplifier but pay 1/5th what First Watt retail customers paid in a boutique audio salon. Another reasonable answer is: I WANT TO BUILD a faithful copy of a Nelson Pass "First Watt" amplifier, with my own two hands. Furthermore I want it to work and play music spectacularly well, and I want to pay only 1/5th what First Watt retail customers paid in a boutique audio salon.
If our thread originator, member "philiphifi" is in the first category, the path is pretty straightforward: simply purchase a DIY clone of a First Watt amp, built and debugged and carefully tested by a fellow diyAudio member. They are found in the Swap Meet section of this website. I myself have sold M2x amplifiers that I built with my own hands --- to people who I knew well and liked a lot --- for parts cost plus $0 labor cost. I bet you can find other First Watt clones on the swap meet at acceptable (to you) prices. Poke around and see what's there to be found.
On the other hand if our thread originator "philiphifi" desires to BUILD a faithful copy of a First Watt amp, it is painfully apparent he cannot find happiness through the diyAudio Store. Perhaps one way to proceed would be to pay the airfare, hotel, and restaurant bills of another diyAudio member, who would physically arrive on-site and personally supervise the complete build at philiphifi's home. Charging some reasonable consulting hourly rate, perhaps $50/hour. That's half of what Roto-Rooter charges you to unplug your sewer and I would suggest, amp building expertise is worth more than sewer unplugging expertise. Take out an ad and see who responds. What do they propose for fees? Are you comfortable paying that?
If our thread originator, member "philiphifi" is in the first category, the path is pretty straightforward: simply purchase a DIY clone of a First Watt amp, built and debugged and carefully tested by a fellow diyAudio member. They are found in the Swap Meet section of this website. I myself have sold M2x amplifiers that I built with my own hands --- to people who I knew well and liked a lot --- for parts cost plus $0 labor cost. I bet you can find other First Watt clones on the swap meet at acceptable (to you) prices. Poke around and see what's there to be found.
On the other hand if our thread originator "philiphifi" desires to BUILD a faithful copy of a First Watt amp, it is painfully apparent he cannot find happiness through the diyAudio Store. Perhaps one way to proceed would be to pay the airfare, hotel, and restaurant bills of another diyAudio member, who would physically arrive on-site and personally supervise the complete build at philiphifi's home. Charging some reasonable consulting hourly rate, perhaps $50/hour. That's half of what Roto-Rooter charges you to unplug your sewer and I would suggest, amp building expertise is worth more than sewer unplugging expertise. Take out an ad and see who responds. What do they propose for fees? Are you comfortable paying that?
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This is not directed at you, just raising a point for all people that wish to build an amp for the very first time.
The most expensive items in an amp build are the chassis, transformer, power supply caps, and pcbs, the other items are relatively cheap.
If you blow a resistor, so what. For less than a dollar you can buy a new one.
If you blow a mosfet so what. For around $2 you can buy a new one.
The chassis, transformer, power supply, and pcbs, are likely to cost around $500 (probably more)
The actual components found on the amp pcb is a relatively small additional figure to what you paid in just assembling the chassis and power supply.
Let's say you destroy $20 worth of components.
Still so what. It's less than 10% extra.
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My question was if there is another place to buy the kit because I want/need a different level of service from the place of purchase. If there isn't then there isn't. I am not asking for anything else. I am not blaming anyone or the store for my problems. As i have stated in my original post, the users in the forum have been most helpful.
The amp is built and working.
The amp is built and working.
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