I just noticed the intro thread.
I really am starting from scratch. Imagine a 5 year old looking over your shoulder
Loving the idea of making my own gear and learning some stuff.
Wanting to improve my SQ.
Realising that I need to start saving.
I am enjoying reading what you guys are up to. I am in awe.
If only I understood some of the words.
I just need to work out where to start ........
I really am starting from scratch. Imagine a 5 year old looking over your shoulder
Loving the idea of making my own gear and learning some stuff.
Wanting to improve my SQ.
Realising that I need to start saving.
I am enjoying reading what you guys are up to. I am in awe.
If only I understood some of the words.
I just need to work out where to start ........
Follow the link in my signature and start your study there.
Avoid all the crap about swapping capacitors, opamps, cables, etc. These are dead ends that can be extremely expensive and generally do nothing for you.
Stay with the science of electronics... avoid the religion of audiophilia.
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All hail the ears eh?That link is ideal, thanks loads for that.
I have been wanting to start somewhere with ‘what is electrickery’.
On the side of hifi, can I ask some simple(??) questions and check a few things?
I have been having a read, but am a bit basic for most of what I read.
I wasn’t sure where else I could ask such general noob stuff.
I am looking at this as a pretty long term game here.
I want to learn as I go. Also budget is pretty tight, so it will be a gentle progression.
I have two scenarios.
I have the garage and the lounge. I am thinking I can use the garage for practice, I really am not too bothered by quality in the garage right now.
But it would be good to use the garage as experience for the lounge.
I am looking forward in the future to making my own (well, from designs on here) speakers and amps and preamps. I would love to make a valve amp because a) they are meant to sound great, but also b) they just look incredible.
As I understand it, I am a VERY long way off making something worthwhile in terms of a DAC.
Even kit wise.
I am trying to decide what to focus on first.
I basically am starting from scratch.
Garage:
Have a pi zero (w) with a very cheap dac hat and an awful amp with some horribly cheap speakers.
It can’t get much worse, the amp is the worst part of the chain. (It all sounds like it is under water)
So I am thinking here is a good place to start.
House:
Am I right in thinking that you start with the speakers and work from there?
Working from room size etc etc
I currently have some Tannoy Mercury 2 (well, it turns out, one 2.0 and one 2.5
)Onkyo TX DS595.
I am wanting to use a Pi 3B+. Am thinking Coaxial and use Receiver DAC for now. Right?
So, my focus here should be LPSU first?
Or DAC?
Or just start drooling over speakers
?Sorry it is such a long post.
Thanks.
Welcome. You realise that this stuff can be addictive and you will go insane. I started with simple mods to Dacs and speaker crossovers (cap upgrades etc) If you are looking to make your own Dac there are loads of boards you can buy, a lot of which have been covered on here. All you need to do is to case it up and put in a power supply.
If you can find somebody near you that is into DIY audio it is good to get together and have 2 heads instead of one. I managed to find two in the early years and we had great fun together. One of the easiest things to put together yourself without a commercial PCB is a Gainclone amp. Very few parts and a sound that belies it's cost effective build. Have Fun, Rob.
If you can find somebody near you that is into DIY audio it is good to get together and have 2 heads instead of one. I managed to find two in the early years and we had great fun together. One of the easiest things to put together yourself without a commercial PCB is a Gainclone amp. Very few parts and a sound that belies it's cost effective build. Have Fun, Rob.
yes, I am getting the general idea of that.On the plus side, I am used to getting odd looks when I tell people what I am up to.
I also reckon I have a bunch of limitations.
I am 50 and have used power tools so I suspect my hearing is not optimal.
So that will save me a bunch of money and worry I reckon.
Also I am very much on a budget, so again that will limit me.
All of which I suspect is a good thing.
Thanks for that suggestion, I shall go and have a search.
I recommend starting small with some of the easier projects to get you more inspired to do larger ones. You want to be able to use something you made while you work on the next level up. Kits are probably the best way to get acquainted and give you something to poke a meter around and arouse other questions. Keep an eye out and ask for surplus parts from others.
Just wanted to thank people for their sage advice.
Slowly slowly (mainly due to life getting in the way (annoyingly))
I am slowly working my way around the info available and have received some very helpful advice from members which has been invaluable.
Although it isn't strictly DIY perhaps, but being able to bolt some boards together is a great way of starting.
Played with a Pi as a player and am improving that general set up with mostly Ian Canada bits.
Have been lucky with the Swap Meet section.
I have set up a NAS as a source, improved my cable layouts and speaker positions.
I made some Mini karlsonators from foam board as an intro to speakers which was great.
I was able to pick up a mostly done upgraded WHAMMY that i just needed to finish off.
Then I got a JLester TPA3255 that just needed a few bits done to it to get it going.
I have some Super Gainclone boards to populate and some drivers to play with to start making speakers.
Plus Abraxalito's DAC board to introduce me to surface mount stuff.
Slowly gaining tools that work.
You very quickly get a 'to do' want list as long as your workbench don't you?
Slowly slowly (mainly due to life getting in the way (annoyingly))
I am slowly working my way around the info available and have received some very helpful advice from members which has been invaluable.
Although it isn't strictly DIY perhaps, but being able to bolt some boards together is a great way of starting.
Played with a Pi as a player and am improving that general set up with mostly Ian Canada bits.
Have been lucky with the Swap Meet section.
I have set up a NAS as a source, improved my cable layouts and speaker positions.
I made some Mini karlsonators from foam board as an intro to speakers which was great.
I was able to pick up a mostly done upgraded WHAMMY that i just needed to finish off.
Then I got a JLester TPA3255 that just needed a few bits done to it to get it going.
I have some Super Gainclone boards to populate and some drivers to play with to start making speakers.
Plus Abraxalito's DAC board to introduce me to surface mount stuff.
Slowly gaining tools that work.
You very quickly get a 'to do' want list as long as your workbench don't you?