Hi Everyone,
Its been an age since I frequented these forums (life got in the way).
However I was always wanted to do a project of my own (well not my design) and I am finally in a position to do it.
Still looking at the original amps I wanted, either a vintage amp to restore with newer components and give it a new lease of life (like the VW golf advert "the originial, just updated").
Or to get a kit amplifier and PSU etc and build one up.
Anyhow my choices are still the same a 70s Sony TA-313 amp with the lovely seducing VU meters or a Musical Fidelity clone like the MX50x2.
Since I am still as clueless as when I wanted them, I was wondering which one would be the ideal project as they both "end" this weekend 😕.
I work as a repair tech but on HV LED drivers, and I am still learning and willing to learn. Design is not my thing and TBH I wouldn't know where to start. But I do have a lab at work full of senior design engineers who I am sure I could pester.
Power wise I don't need anything more than 50w, only one line input. Really all I need is a simple amp that sounds good. But the VU meters are like audio porn to me.
Sorry for the long write up but hoping someone could steer me to a decision 🙂
And total budget is £100, eg, I get the Sony amp for £50 and I have the same left on upgrading parts, though there doesn't seem much to change over.
Its been an age since I frequented these forums (life got in the way).
However I was always wanted to do a project of my own (well not my design) and I am finally in a position to do it.
Still looking at the original amps I wanted, either a vintage amp to restore with newer components and give it a new lease of life (like the VW golf advert "the originial, just updated").
Or to get a kit amplifier and PSU etc and build one up.
Anyhow my choices are still the same a 70s Sony TA-313 amp with the lovely seducing VU meters or a Musical Fidelity clone like the MX50x2.
Since I am still as clueless as when I wanted them, I was wondering which one would be the ideal project as they both "end" this weekend 😕.
I work as a repair tech but on HV LED drivers, and I am still learning and willing to learn. Design is not my thing and TBH I wouldn't know where to start. But I do have a lab at work full of senior design engineers who I am sure I could pester.
Power wise I don't need anything more than 50w, only one line input. Really all I need is a simple amp that sounds good. But the VU meters are like audio porn to me.
Sorry for the long write up but hoping someone could steer me to a decision 🙂
And total budget is £100, eg, I get the Sony amp for £50 and I have the same left on upgrading parts, though there doesn't seem much to change over.
You could go for a ready built 50W amp module off ebay.
Just add a power supply and put it in a nice case and you are done.
Just add a power supply and put it in a nice case and you are done.
If you want to do something with a simple, sure-fire result and almost guaranteed good performance, the chipamp forum is the place to go for your first project and the kit or pre-assembled Ebay options are still there. No doubt you are aware that kits save a lot of time and money on parts research and purchasing. For your £50, you can also have a lot more amplifier than a full, from the ground up, discrete parts design.
Your budget total allows enough for 40 or perhaps 50W at 8 ohms but you would have to get the case and heatsinks very cheaply to stay inside a total £100 total budget. A dead retro-Japanese amplifier from the 1970s might seem attractive if it originally delivered 50WPC but if you need to upgrade or downsize the transformer and power supply to your desired level, the new parts will then make the project much more expensive.
Secure your old amplifier first before setting the targets and look at the total requirements costs. It may be beyond your budget unless you dig up some major parts for free.
Your budget total allows enough for 40 or perhaps 50W at 8 ohms but you would have to get the case and heatsinks very cheaply to stay inside a total £100 total budget. A dead retro-Japanese amplifier from the 1970s might seem attractive if it originally delivered 50WPC but if you need to upgrade or downsize the transformer and power supply to your desired level, the new parts will then make the project much more expensive.
Secure your old amplifier first before setting the targets and look at the total requirements costs. It may be beyond your budget unless you dig up some major parts for free.
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The Sony seems to have a STK module which might be difficult to replace if defective.
Might be a consideration when purchasing.
Cheers,
Johan
PS. Nice looking machine though
Might be a consideration when purchasing.
Cheers,
Johan
PS. Nice looking machine though
Thanks for the replies guys.
Think I am going to be going for the Sony amp, and just restore it. It is in working condition anyway, was just thinking of recapping it and renewing components for tighter tolerance ones. And if the sound is good maybe lose the circuitry that is not needed and a possible chassis redesign - them damn VU meters have won me over. Can't really think of anything else I could do to it.
Did have a look at maybe doing a gain clone based on LM3886 and having it as 2 monoblocks outputting around 50-60w. Found lots of PCBs on ebay, but then it would be matching a transformer etc for it, and I don't think my knowledge is there just yet, unless someone could say - you need X,Y and Z but I don't think that would happen 🙂
Think I am going to be going for the Sony amp, and just restore it. It is in working condition anyway, was just thinking of recapping it and renewing components for tighter tolerance ones. And if the sound is good maybe lose the circuitry that is not needed and a possible chassis redesign - them damn VU meters have won me over. Can't really think of anything else I could do to it.
Did have a look at maybe doing a gain clone based on LM3886 and having it as 2 monoblocks outputting around 50-60w. Found lots of PCBs on ebay, but then it would be matching a transformer etc for it, and I don't think my knowledge is there just yet, unless someone could say - you need X,Y and Z but I don't think that would happen 🙂
You may have a good plan in the restoration and it seems everyone wants to do this at least once but be aware that 1970s amplifier distortion (which was significantly high at <0.5%) was not necessarily "nice" and the noise levels were several times those of present day equipment - even cheap products.
Given these are design topology, layout and assembly practice issues, a simple recap. won't change this and tighter tolerance components will do absolutely nothing other than by their lower noise materials which may help at the input stage and in tone control/preamp section, though this is generally bypassed for a significant reduction in noise and distortion which again, is not necessarily "nice".
If you follow any popular 3886, 3875, TDA7294 or such thread in the chipamp forum, you'll find plenty of builds and advice already there and in the vendor and manufacturer forums specialising in quality chipamp kits, such as Audio sector, who has an excellent sticky thread detailing all you need to know about assembling a great chip amp and it will apply to so-so and cheapo PCBs as well: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/audi...cial-gainclone-kit-building-instructions.html.
There is always a lot more than chat under the surface of the forum - read it, use it and let the contributors know how much they helped. You'll enjoy the ride either way you choose and even if you are unable to get the exact size power supply, the log. relationship between power and perceived sound level means even 50% power reduction doesn't make any difference in a typical household that can only suffer 5 watts at most. 😉
Given these are design topology, layout and assembly practice issues, a simple recap. won't change this and tighter tolerance components will do absolutely nothing other than by their lower noise materials which may help at the input stage and in tone control/preamp section, though this is generally bypassed for a significant reduction in noise and distortion which again, is not necessarily "nice".
If you follow any popular 3886, 3875, TDA7294 or such thread in the chipamp forum, you'll find plenty of builds and advice already there and in the vendor and manufacturer forums specialising in quality chipamp kits, such as Audio sector, who has an excellent sticky thread detailing all you need to know about assembling a great chip amp and it will apply to so-so and cheapo PCBs as well: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/audi...cial-gainclone-kit-building-instructions.html.
There is always a lot more than chat under the surface of the forum - read it, use it and let the contributors know how much they helped. You'll enjoy the ride either way you choose and even if you are unable to get the exact size power supply, the log. relationship between power and perceived sound level means even 50% power reduction doesn't make any difference in a typical household that can only suffer 5 watts at most. 😉
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