I am a dabbler with zero background. I've done some mods, built some speakers etc...but in many ways my knowledge isn't advancing. I have some books but I get confused.
I realized what would really help me would be a total walkthrough from power and signal input to output.
Like...AC power enters via the IEC and goes into the transformer. The transformer job is to convert blah blah blah. And does this through each component in a linear way through the entire piece. Does such a guide exist? Or can you suggest a guide that will help me understand in a more unified way?
I'm a historian by training. Terrible at definitions, good at stories...
I realized what would really help me would be a total walkthrough from power and signal input to output.
Like...AC power enters via the IEC and goes into the transformer. The transformer job is to convert blah blah blah. And does this through each component in a linear way through the entire piece. Does such a guide exist? Or can you suggest a guide that will help me understand in a more unified way?
I'm a historian by training. Terrible at definitions, good at stories...
Not asking for much then.
I suggest you do alot of reading before paying a tutor.
Some examples would be;
https://www.teamwavelength.com/powe...4wWOD_0q4JV0eAMNJ2FTPFMTYj9a_XVvbg-ScKv0nTwu7
https://ecstudiosystems.com/discover/textbooks/basic-electronics/diodes/semiconductor-theory/
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/B.../RCA-Books/RCA-Transistor-Servicing-Guide.pdf
Just as a starting point.
Many many more tutorial books in your local library or online.
I suggest you do alot of reading before paying a tutor.
Some examples would be;
https://www.teamwavelength.com/powe...4wWOD_0q4JV0eAMNJ2FTPFMTYj9a_XVvbg-ScKv0nTwu7
https://ecstudiosystems.com/discover/textbooks/basic-electronics/diodes/semiconductor-theory/
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/B.../RCA-Books/RCA-Transistor-Servicing-Guide.pdf
Just as a starting point.
Many many more tutorial books in your local library or online.
Yes ok that first link is already giving me the kind of block diagrams I need. I dunno, I've been Internet reading for years without stumbling on resources that work for how I learn. I bought a Douglas self book and it's not really working for me. I do have some more books coming.
Much appreciated on those links I think you get what I need and don't seem to easily find. The Internet is big....
Much appreciated on those links I think you get what I need and don't seem to easily find. The Internet is big....
Douglas Self was a good choice. He has published multiple books and many are free to download. (Amazing!) He does not always fully explain, but he is very thorough and does not write nonsense.
If books don't work for you, try Youtube. Here an example:
There are many more channels. <brag alert>Usually I don't watch the beginner's stuff so I cannot assess how good it is. </brag alert> But you can see what works for you.
Youtube does a better explanation because it comes easy but you also forget more easy. Remember, knowledge does not come for free, you have to put effort in. (I don't say you did not). It takes about 4 years to study for electric engineer, and then some 10 years to gain experience. So don't be discouraged.
If books don't work for you, try Youtube. Here an example:
There are many more channels. <brag alert>Usually I don't watch the beginner's stuff so I cannot assess how good it is. </brag alert> But you can see what works for you.
Youtube does a better explanation because it comes easy but you also forget more easy. Remember, knowledge does not come for free, you have to put effort in. (I don't say you did not). It takes about 4 years to study for electric engineer, and then some 10 years to gain experience. So don't be discouraged.
Have you looked at "The Art of Electronics" by Horowitz and Hill?
I did order 2 books by Rainer zun but won't arrive for 2 months.
I bet YouTube is really useful but I can't do it. I'm a reader, mostly if just physical books but I can do the phone as needed.
I bet YouTube is really useful but I can't do it. I'm a reader, mostly if just physical books but I can do the phone as needed.
Look up on diyaudio store https://www.diyaudio.com/community/forums/the-diyaudio-store.160/ the honeybadger. Then download the explanation article honeybadger_build_guide . There is a schematic diagram, and an explanation of nearly every part. I downloaded my copy free from this site, the solid state forum. I was not saving URL's of my downloads in those days, but I think there was a link from the honeybadger sales page.
For less than $100, community college electronic technician courses have textbooks. The ones with obsolete problems go for about $2. I picked up Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory by Boylestad and Nashelsky for about that much at Goodwill resale shop. Self and Nelson Pass books are about circuit design which include a lot of theory I did not need to know to repair broken amplifiers. The textbooks my college courses used were much too theoretical and mathematical to be much use. It helps to know Kirchoff's laws, net theory, vector algebra to design electronic circuits. But that is not necessary to repair and build them.
For less than $100, community college electronic technician courses have textbooks. The ones with obsolete problems go for about $2. I picked up Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory by Boylestad and Nashelsky for about that much at Goodwill resale shop. Self and Nelson Pass books are about circuit design which include a lot of theory I did not need to know to repair broken amplifiers. The textbooks my college courses used were much too theoretical and mathematical to be much use. It helps to know Kirchoff's laws, net theory, vector algebra to design electronic circuits. But that is not necessary to repair and build them.
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"The Art of Electronics" by Horowitz and Hill is in libraries.
Some library's can search other library systems for books.
Some library's can search other library systems for books.
Reverse engineering:
I am a layman without any background. I have read some historical and mythological material, but I do not quite understand the connection: it is quite confusing.
A description, say of the Big Bang or if you like the Heavenly Creation, up to now, would really help me. Such as after a few milliseconds the sudden spatial inflation, the expansion of the universe (explained both in relativistic terms and also in accordance with quantum mechanics), such that all zodiacal phenomena and the connection with the meaning of life on earth, suddenly become clearly explainable. I cannot imagine that such a manual is not available, or can be easily downloaded from the internet.
I am trained as an electronics engineer. I am bad with mathematics but good with electronic circuits.
As an electronic engineer, it took me ten years (when I was young) to master this trade.
The other half of my brain is interested in mytholygy and history.
That's going on now for over fourty years: to grasp just a little bit deeper in the solidified soil to reach for the roots there.
The OP is not asking for an explanation of the universe, just of an amplifier. I think that RCA book mentioned in the second post could work.
Burning Amp is coming up in October. If there is another amplifier building lab, like in prior years, that might also be a good way to learn some basics.
Burning Amp is coming up in October. If there is another amplifier building lab, like in prior years, that might also be a good way to learn some basics.
Feels like there's some unnecessary snark there.
I could definitely recommend you a variety of books that give a solid grounding in a variety of different historical studies. I could also dissuade you from reading certain authors or interpretations that would be a poor start.
If someone wanted to understand Kant, I would never recommend just picking up anything written by Kant. You need someone to break it down into digestible servings way before you actually read Kant as written.
This is normal in all disciplines. And it is still difficult for me to find the best starting point for an endeavor even in my own field.
So yeah if this was snark it fell flat because it ...makes no sense whatsoever.
That link for power supplies was exactly what I was thinking. Totally worked for my brain. Something like that tip to tip would be amazing.
@Superchunk Thank you for asking this question. I think I'm in the same boat. Thanks, too, for all of the helpful responses and suggestions.
@Superchunk
My presentation at BAF last year covered some of what you are specifically asking about… it’s more about the connections inside the amplifier of the various building blocks, instead of exactly how it all works, however I think it may be helpful for you and will answer some of your questions.
My presentation at BAF last year covered some of what you are specifically asking about… it’s more about the connections inside the amplifier of the various building blocks, instead of exactly how it all works, however I think it may be helpful for you and will answer some of your questions.
Many older Japanese stereo receivers, tuners, amps service manuals have descriptions of the inner workings, some are better than others, but refer to block diagrams if you can’t make out the schematics. Associate the block diagrams to the pics showing innards, some detail where each assembly or device resides.
Utuber xraytony shows examples of servicing gear
Rod Elliot’s site is a trove of information
Utuber xraytony shows examples of servicing gear
Rod Elliot’s site is a trove of information
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I think you should start from the ground.
Learn about electricity. Ohms law. Kirchoffs laws. Norton and Thevenin theorem.
After that AC. Time period frequency. How an inductor or a capacitor really works.
When this sits it is time to begin to learn electronics.
Without that basic knowledge you will never be able to understand why one circuit is better than another.
Without that knowledge you maybe can follow a signal in a circuit and control if a current you measure is correct but you cant say 20% more dc current there or there and the distortion will be lower.
It is very common today that people memorize much without having the ground to understand how or why.
The sad thing is when you begin to read a textbook of this you will find out that you know at least the half. And that will be boring to read. But without the other half of the ground you miss the glue that binds the knowledge together. Often called understanding.
Learn about electricity. Ohms law. Kirchoffs laws. Norton and Thevenin theorem.
After that AC. Time period frequency. How an inductor or a capacitor really works.
When this sits it is time to begin to learn electronics.
Without that basic knowledge you will never be able to understand why one circuit is better than another.
Without that knowledge you maybe can follow a signal in a circuit and control if a current you measure is correct but you cant say 20% more dc current there or there and the distortion will be lower.
It is very common today that people memorize much without having the ground to understand how or why.
The sad thing is when you begin to read a textbook of this you will find out that you know at least the half. And that will be boring to read. But without the other half of the ground you miss the glue that binds the knowledge together. Often called understanding.