That's no good, Hugh. 😱
Was it a gas hw tank ... or electric? If the former ... are you able to purchase a replacement - or has Ms Allan passed the law yet, that forbids buying domestic gas replacement devices?
how much do the AE europe chokes cost? I may order from them, shipment from Belgium would be convenient for me
For the amp PSU I recomnend to take a look at this thread Power Supply with Active Rectifier, RF Filter and Super-Regulator
For the choke do these Würth 74482530 or Proterial chokes do the trick? Are they good as the big iron ones like AE Europe chokes?
For the choke do these Würth 74482530 or Proterial chokes do the trick? Are they good as the big iron ones like AE Europe chokes?
No, those Würth 74482530 or Proterial chokes are for AC,
you need chokes specified for DC.
X also has two active solutions:
The SLB (Smooth Like Butter) Active Rect/CRC/Cap Mx Class A Power Supply
Simple Cap-Mx Regulated Low-Noise PSU (low power, ex preamp)
you need chokes specified for DC.
X also has two active solutions:
The SLB (Smooth Like Butter) Active Rect/CRC/Cap Mx Class A Power Supply
Simple Cap-Mx Regulated Low-Noise PSU (low power, ex preamp)
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You are free to design your own layout for the AN amp but cannot use it for commercial purposes. However, no Gerbers are available for the original design.
@hbtaudio this thread is for the discussion of Hugh's design, not for using it for criticism and as a vehicle to promote your own offerings. Several posts have been deleted.
With X and HD touching on the concept of an even better Nirvana … you probably wouldn’t call concept a Nirvana II.
But I recalled the genesis of the Nirvana.
alas, nothing new from me. simply combining what seem to have been the best in the family
Forgive me if this or something similar has already been considered or done. Or wouldn’t work/ its gain would be be too low for some -
And to allow the heatsinks to be smaller, cooling by a good Noctua at half speed (or some other? CPU cooling?)
But I recalled the genesis of the Nirvana.
alas, nothing new from me. simply combining what seem to have been the best in the family
Forgive me if this or something similar has already been considered or done. Or wouldn’t work/ its gain would be be too low for some -
- Amplifier stage the Nirvana, possibly/ probably as is
- Power supply - CLC, probably similar to Danny’s
- front end the topology of the Aksa Yarra, allowing the use of the different daughter-boards. a number of which could be described as audio nirvana 😍
I have mine cooled by a massive pin heatsink I found on a certain auction website force cooled with a 200mm Noctua. Running at 9V the fan is completely inaudible a meter away.
post-7125792
post-7125792
The problem with Class A is always the thermal issues, particularly in hot climates. The AN39 partly resolves this because it more than 40% efficient, although even at idle the dissipation is a constant 97W (1.8A, 27V rails) but this is pretty horrific because this amp does almost 40W into 8R, a very high power for a Class A even in the commercial world.
My recent doodlings are an attempt to reduce dissipation whilst delivering more power; no success yet, however, but I have some ideas. But since this is already a viable, outstanding amplifier any holy grail would clearly be a commercial product, so you could not get it here at DIYaudio!
Life goes on. I stare at the shower plug each morning, sometimes I have great ideas...... I live in hope.
In the meantime, the AN39 is a VERY good amplifier with astonishing performance at all the subtle issues audiophiles like; staging, imaging, resolution, sweet vocals, powerful bass and I commend it to everyone on this thread. If you have some skills, build your own since all the information is available on this thread and many past builders can help during your project.
Cheers,
Hugh
My recent doodlings are an attempt to reduce dissipation whilst delivering more power; no success yet, however, but I have some ideas. But since this is already a viable, outstanding amplifier any holy grail would clearly be a commercial product, so you could not get it here at DIYaudio!
Life goes on. I stare at the shower plug each morning, sometimes I have great ideas...... I live in hope.
In the meantime, the AN39 is a VERY good amplifier with astonishing performance at all the subtle issues audiophiles like; staging, imaging, resolution, sweet vocals, powerful bass and I commend it to everyone on this thread. If you have some skills, build your own since all the information is available on this thread and many past builders can help during your project.
Cheers,
Hugh
“particularly in hot climates” … there’s unwanted room heating, and environmental impact
as the vast majority of buildings in hot climates where the occupants can afford a class A will have air conditioning, I wouldn’t have thought the AN’s 200 watts significant. I say that partly by reference to a home electrical device which would be more than a thousand times more ubiquitous than class A amplifiers. TVs
Four years ago the most common sized TV being purchased was 65 inches. Most of which use between 200 and 300 watts - a bit more than the AN. Although we have global warming I can’t recall anyone being concerned about the higher power consumption of ever increasing tv sizes. Quite likely the most common size TV is 75 inch. I’m very environmentally conscious but aren’t concerned about these numbers because home entertainment equipment is a very minor contributor to climate change.
solar panels are increasingly being used, etc
And as you know much of the heat can be dissipated with inexpensive fans, some having sophisticated aerodynamics and are inaudible
“even at idle the dissipation is a constant 97W“ - I understood that all class A amplifiers use the same amount of input power regardless of whether there’s no signal passing through, or when amplifying at any level. Is a “byproduct”/ consequence of the AN topology being significantly more efficient than all other class A that its power consumption increases as output increases? … if so to what approximate maximum?
X and Hugh, I’m guessing that if you haven’t actually A-B’d then, you would be sufficiently familiar with the sound of the AN and its commercial brother of the same output etc the A40 to say - are there any areas where they don’t sound indistinguishable or at least very similar?
I heard that, neighbours permitting, if you play your class A very loud it generates less heat 🙂
Hello all - does anyone have a matched quad of KSA992's they could sell me for my build? I don't have a transistor checker, and honestly don't currently have the experience to do it myself with confidence. I am open to changing my mind about the DIY approach, but buying more gear and an bunch more transistors than needed doesn't really appeal to me ATM!
Let me check my stash and see if I can find a quad closely matched. Just pay me shipping 🙂
Hello Hugh,
my friend Dadod (forum name) designed amplifier which is combination B and A class where Class A OPS bootstrapped by Class B. I think you know him.
I've borrowed amplifier and tested. It is realy extraordinary. It is much more complicate than standard diy amplifier.
Attachments
But I don't want to be listening to my music system with the aircon unit on (and making a noise)! 😳
True. But in-room heat from a Class A amp (two, in my case, for my active spkrs) is a problem. So, alas, I don't use my ANs for the 4 months, Dec to Mar - I use my Class AB AKSA amps instead (which never get more than slightly warm).
Noctua fans are supposed to be 'sophisticated' - ie. low noise.
I found - even running them at a lower voltage than 12v - the noise of 4x Noctuas was annoying. So I changed to passive cooling, with 5RU cases.
The larger the fan and the lower the rpm, the lower the noise, unfortunately.
I have two 120mm fans running when I have one of my class a amps active. They have big rubber grommets on the outside, so they are damped for mechanical vibration. At the ‘low’ switch setting I cannot hear them unless I am next to them. It’s a valuable product. I’ve found that how fans are mounted is really important for low-noise.
I have two 120mm fans running when I have one of my class a amps active. They have big rubber grommets on the outside, so they are damped for mechanical vibration. At the ‘low’ switch setting I cannot hear them unless I am next to them. It’s a valuable product. I’ve found that how fans are mounted is really important for low-noise.
TA,
Thank you for your post - yes, I know Damir and have exchanged emails, where he taught me a few very important lessons, like Bode analysis, TMC and TPC.
He is a lovely man and I hope to talk to him again...... he is a couple of years older than me, and a brilliant telecommunications engineer.
I took am very interested in Class AB designs which 'sound' like Class A, it is a knurly, engineering challenge!
Hugh
Thank you for your post - yes, I know Damir and have exchanged emails, where he taught me a few very important lessons, like Bode analysis, TMC and TPC.
He is a lovely man and I hope to talk to him again...... he is a couple of years older than me, and a brilliant telecommunications engineer.
I took am very interested in Class AB designs which 'sound' like Class A, it is a knurly, engineering challenge!
Hugh