Preface
To keep prices low and since production in Italy at competitive price is no more an option PCBs will be produced in China.
There will be, for whom is afraid of SMD soldering, the option for boards with SMD parts already hand-soldered with ROHS silver solder, thoroughly cleaned and visually inspected for 50€ more per kit, including SMD parts (a 20€ value).
If interested please PM me your PayPal associated email address and fill your nickname, country (2 letter code), number of kits and smd option on the OneDrive Spreadsheet (please leave blank the 'PP account sent' column, I'll fill it so you have a feedback that I've received your data)
February 2022, 20 price will be fixed and I'll start sending PayPal Invoices, all payments are due by February 2022, 27.
Until PCB order from manifacturer is done it will be possible to partecipate to the GB
Boards will be ordered by February 2022, 28 and should be in my hands in 7-10 days, then packaged and shipped in a week or so.
Now the usual (updated) opener:
The My_Ref Fremen Edition is a variation of Mauro Penasa's My_Ref with this goals:
I've been authorized by Mauro Penasa to proceed with this My_Ref derivate amp.

You can find references on development, beta and release candidate here:
My_Ref Fremen Edition - need help on PCB evaluation - diyAudio
My_Ref Fremen Edition - Beta build/Fine tuning - diyAudio
My_Ref Fremen Edition RC - Build thread - diyAudio
My_Ref Fremen Edition - Build Thread
KSTR's measurements on beta boards (final boards measured a tiny bit better but almost the same performance):

7th run boards measures even better (Measure by JosephK):

Distortion goes down ten times Vs. Beta (and previous) Boards.
Also Tomchr did a complete set of measurements.
On my OneDrive you'll find:
Mouser shared projects (order 2, each project is for a SINGLE board):
Industrial BOM
Industrial BOM without SMD parts
Industrial BOM + Evo A Mod
Industrial BOM + Evo A Mod without SMD parts
Actual price will depend on number of partecipants/kits, the Group Buy is about PCBs only, with an option for SMD populated ones.
Approximate price is 25-27€/Kit (one kit = 2 PCBs, PayPal fees and 1€/kit donation to DIY audio included):
Actual price will be calculated and fixed before ordering boards and it will lower as kits numbers goes up.
Shipping prices will be about (up to 2 kits, more than 2 will be calculated, final shipping prices will be indicated in February):
Italy 10€
Europe 14,50€
Rest of the world apart Oceania 18,50€
Oceania 20€
PCBs (circa 12 x 10.5 cm) will be blue, 2mm tick, 2 Oz/70um copper, gold plated, made in Italy (from 25 kits) or in China (up to 24 kits).
One transformer 160VA-300VA will be needed for each board (monoblock design)
BOM cost is around 67€ per board (premium industrial BOM) which can be lowered to 53€ (On a budget BOM).
Build a complete amp (premium industrial BOM with case, connectors, cabling, transformers etc.) will cost around 400€ and up.
Greetings:
Mauro Penasa (R.I.P.) for his great design and kind permission
LinuxGuru for his help on new compensation
Luka for the LM318 PS initial design
KSTR for the new C9, R10 arrangement.
Soongsc, Marce, Sebaastian, KSTR and Metal for help on PCB design
BMCBob for all support, tests and reviews
JosephK for his measurements and advice on further reducing distortion.
Images of boards from the 7th GB:

__________________
To keep prices low and since production in Italy at competitive price is no more an option PCBs will be produced in China.
There will be, for whom is afraid of SMD soldering, the option for boards with SMD parts already hand-soldered with ROHS silver solder, thoroughly cleaned and visually inspected for 50€ more per kit, including SMD parts (a 20€ value).
If interested please PM me your PayPal associated email address and fill your nickname, country (2 letter code), number of kits and smd option on the OneDrive Spreadsheet (please leave blank the 'PP account sent' column, I'll fill it so you have a feedback that I've received your data)
February 2022, 20 price will be fixed and I'll start sending PayPal Invoices, all payments are due by February 2022, 27.
Until PCB order from manifacturer is done it will be possible to partecipate to the GB
Boards will be ordered by February 2022, 28 and should be in my hands in 7-10 days, then packaged and shipped in a week or so.
Now the usual (updated) opener:
The My_Ref Fremen Edition is a variation of Mauro Penasa's My_Ref with this goals:
- a more stable and performing amp using SMD parts
- raise LM318's PS voltage thanks to a voltage limiter
- better PS for LM318
- bigger caps (16mm diameter with both 7 and 5 mm pads) for C1, C2, C9
- large use of SMD components
- quite all small caps and some critical resistors are still through-hole
- very small paths thanks to SMD
- ground planes design
- zener limiter based on schematic 5b from this link (which seems pretty similar to My_Evo one)
- CCS shunt PS for the LM318
- An alternate C9/R10 arrangement
- Different grounding
- Different compensation
- a double diode bridge like in most gainclones
- support TO247 resistors for R3
- support feedback resistor for fet-opamps compensation
I've been authorized by Mauro Penasa to proceed with this My_Ref derivate amp.

You can find references on development, beta and release candidate here:
My_Ref Fremen Edition - need help on PCB evaluation - diyAudio
My_Ref Fremen Edition - Beta build/Fine tuning - diyAudio
My_Ref Fremen Edition RC - Build thread - diyAudio
My_Ref Fremen Edition - Build Thread
KSTR's measurements on beta boards (final boards measured a tiny bit better but almost the same performance):

7th run boards measures even better (Measure by JosephK):

Distortion goes down ten times Vs. Beta (and previous) Boards.
Also Tomchr did a complete set of measurements.
On my OneDrive you'll find:
- Schematic
- BOM
- Build Tutorial
Mouser shared projects (order 2, each project is for a SINGLE board):
Industrial BOM
Industrial BOM without SMD parts
Industrial BOM + Evo A Mod
Industrial BOM + Evo A Mod without SMD parts
Actual price will depend on number of partecipants/kits, the Group Buy is about PCBs only, with an option for SMD populated ones.
Approximate price is 25-27€/Kit (one kit = 2 PCBs, PayPal fees and 1€/kit donation to DIY audio included):
Actual price will be calculated and fixed before ordering boards and it will lower as kits numbers goes up.
Shipping prices will be about (up to 2 kits, more than 2 will be calculated, final shipping prices will be indicated in February):
Italy 10€
Europe 14,50€
Rest of the world apart Oceania 18,50€
Oceania 20€
PCBs (circa 12 x 10.5 cm) will be blue, 2mm tick, 2 Oz/70um copper, gold plated, made in Italy (from 25 kits) or in China (up to 24 kits).
One transformer 160VA-300VA will be needed for each board (monoblock design)
BOM cost is around 67€ per board (premium industrial BOM) which can be lowered to 53€ (On a budget BOM).
Build a complete amp (premium industrial BOM with case, connectors, cabling, transformers etc.) will cost around 400€ and up.
Greetings:
Mauro Penasa (R.I.P.) for his great design and kind permission
LinuxGuru for his help on new compensation
Luka for the LM318 PS initial design
KSTR for the new C9, R10 arrangement.
Soongsc, Marce, Sebaastian, KSTR and Metal for help on PCB design
BMCBob for all support, tests and reviews
JosephK for his measurements and advice on further reducing distortion.
Images of boards from the 7th GB:

__________________
Last edited:
We're at 16 kits.
Whoever sign up on the spreadsheet, please post also something here so to keep the thread visible. 😉
Whoever sign up on the spreadsheet, please post also something here so to keep the thread visible. 😉
Hi , I've just updated now the spreadsheet with one more kit for me. Can you tell me where to find the LM3886TF chips? ,especially here in Italy near Milan?We're at 16 kits.
Whoever sign up on the spreadsheet, please post also something here so to keep the thread visible. 😉
(or on internet) due to to supply difficulties after Covid.
thank you
The unique source in this moment seems eBay, chinese sellers with the associated risks.Can you tell me where to find the LM3886TF chips? ,especially here in Italy near Milan?
(or on internet) due to to supply difficulties after Covid.
Reichelt is a reputable seller, anyway since they seem to have stock of LM3886T (the UNinsulated version) I'm starting a sub GB for LM3886T and Isabellenhuettes manganin resistor (Mundorf MResist Ultra is preferred), please update the One Drive Spreadsheet if interested, they will be priced according actual cost plus a small handling fee and PayPal fee.I found LM3886T on reichelt.com from Germany, but I don't know if they are original.
So far just one participant sent the email address associated with PayPal via PM.
Participants are required to do it, it's needed to send payment requests.
Please do it ASAP.
Thanks. 🙂
Participants are required to do it, it's needed to send payment requests.
Please do it ASAP.
Thanks. 🙂
Still waiting...So far just one participant sent the email address associated with PayPal via PM.
Participants are required to do it, it's needed to send payment requests.
Price is Fixed at 25€/kit but I still miss the majority of participants' PayPal accounts...guys, what's the problem? Please PM ASAP your PayPal accounts (email address asswociated with).
Some participants still have to PM email address for PayPal...please act now.
Mailing costs are confirmed and:
Isabellenhuette PBH (2x) 12€
TO247 Heatsink (2x) 4€
LM3886T + insulation pad + washer (2x) 17€ (just 1 available and already assigned)
Tomorrow I'll send invoices.
Mailing costs are confirmed and:
Isabellenhuette PBH (2x) 12€
TO247 Heatsink (2x) 4€
LM3886T + insulation pad + washer (2x) 17€ (just 1 available and already assigned)
Tomorrow I'll send invoices.
Sorry, this has been a very busy week at work and had no time to send invoices still... all deadllines are moved forward one week.
For those interested, It's still possible to participate to the GB and it will be until the actual order is submitted to the manufacturer, just fill in the spreadsheet and PM me your email address associated with PayPal.
For those interested, It's still possible to participate to the GB and it will be until the actual order is submitted to the manufacturer, just fill in the spreadsheet and PM me your email address associated with PayPal.
Invoices have all been sent (for the last 3 people that didn't PMd the email I've used the ones from previous GBs).
All payments are due by next sunday (March, the 6th).
For those interested, It's still possible to participate to the GB and it will be so until the actual order is submitted to the manufacturer, just fill in the spreadsheet and PM me ASAP your email address associated with PayPal.
All payments are due by next sunday (March, the 6th).
For those interested, It's still possible to participate to the GB and it will be so until the actual order is submitted to the manufacturer, just fill in the spreadsheet and PM me ASAP your email address associated with PayPal.
I've received an email from the manufacturer that since Shenzen is in lockdown for COVID PCBs could be one week late or so...we'll see.
Boards manufacturing is finally complete, they should be shipped tomorrow and be delivered to me by the end of the week.
I will keep you updated.
I will keep you updated.
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