I use the Spud because I have it and it powers my Alpair 6P computer speakers just fine. I do sometimes toy with the idea of putting a MOD86 or LM3886DR with an SMPS-86 in its place, but that requires work. I mostly use the amp for listening to radio streams, so I wouldn't get all that much benefit from a better amp.
Tom
Tom
Passion and Sound make some good looking timber SS amplifiers: Photo Gallery, Hi-end audio equipment - Passion&ound.com
Cutting boards with amps in them. Nice! 
I actually do like those slabs of wood. Should anyone choose to go that route, make sure to buy quality wood. I recall a HiFi store back in the 1990ies with some Holfi gear on display, including their cherry wood turntable with a solid wood platter. Well ... "solid" except for the the huge split in it.
Tom
I actually do like those slabs of wood. Should anyone choose to go that route, make sure to buy quality wood. I recall a HiFi store back in the 1990ies with some Holfi gear on display, including their cherry wood turntable with a solid wood platter. Well ... "solid" except for the the huge split in it.Tom
An other thing about equipment is I don't like to see it. It all goes in a closet or cabinet. A simple chassis is all I need. The only aspect I send a lot of time on is the internal layout.
I spent a lot of hours building a CAD model of my Mod86 with the chassis, all components, wires and connectors, scaled to size. I moved things around for more than a month, off and on, before I drilled a single hole in the chassis. That is a large part of the fun for me. Aerospace designers never die, they just fly away.
I spent a lot of hours building a CAD model of my Mod86 with the chassis, all components, wires and connectors, scaled to size. I moved things around for more than a month, off and on, before I drilled a single hole in the chassis. That is a large part of the fun for me. Aerospace designers never die, they just fly away.
Wood! That's my cue
Due to manic work, youngest starting to move and the strange appearance of a yellow orb in the normally dank and overcast skies of GB Project has slipped again, but about to start on the mechanical part of my build. I'm so behind not even taken any photos of what I have to work with, so here is one borrowed off the interwebs. This is a pair of centaurs on their stands. The stands are hollow and normally sand filled, and just the right size to pop a pair of Mod into each one. The back panel will be replaced with the heatsink, which is handily just the right size. I still have to work out how everything else fits together though and where to put the on/off switch given tiny terror.
Due to manic work, youngest starting to move and the strange appearance of a yellow orb in the normally dank and overcast skies of GB Project has slipped again, but about to start on the mechanical part of my build. I'm so behind not even taken any photos of what I have to work with, so here is one borrowed off the interwebs. This is a pair of centaurs on their stands. The stands are hollow and normally sand filled, and just the right size to pop a pair of Mod into each one. The back panel will be replaced with the heatsink, which is handily just the right size. I still have to work out how everything else fits together though and where to put the on/off switch given tiny terror.
Attachments
Bill - one could implement remote start. 12 V trigger to power up amps. Just saying...
BTW: Some 800 posts ago, I wrote a thesis about solder following a discussion here. I've upgraded it to a short dissertation proposal and included it on my website. You'll find it here: Choosing solder: A guide for hobbyists and pros alike.
Tom
BTW: Some 800 posts ago, I wrote a thesis about solder following a discussion here. I've upgraded it to a short dissertation proposal and included it on my website. You'll find it here: Choosing solder: A guide for hobbyists and pros alike.
Tom
I've got a question regarding spring clips and copper oxidation. Most audio stuff I've read says, copper wire/cables should be either soldered or crimp connected such that a gas tight connection is achieved. The reason is oxidation would mess up the signal as it relates to skin effect.
I haven't seen any spring connectors that clamp tightly enough to create a gas tight connection. Is the whole" gas tight" thing part of the snake oil.
Just had to add this thought. The exposed copper wire stands must oxidize and I don't believe the sheathing is impervious to air so now I'm thinking it is BS promoted by cable makers. Am I off base here?
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My Dad built some TL speakers in the 1970's. Used lamp cord for internal speaker wire. A few years ago I unscrewed the base of the terminal screws to inspect inside. I was curious what gauge wire was in there. You can clearly see through the transparent plastic wire sheeth that the wire is completely green all through-out. I have not attempted to replace the old wire, so I can't comment if doing so would improve the sound, but I can say they still make music just fine as they are.
I use Cramolin Preserv IT to help keep oxidation at bay, and then (not often enough, though), I clean it using Cramolin DeOxit Red, and then reapply the Preserve IT. One thing I am thinking of trying is a silver platelet emulsion with food-grade oil, from Mapleshade. Can't figure out how to link to them, but they are at: Mapleshadestore.com. Look for Silclear - under contact cleaners and enhancers. NOTE: the DeOxit Gold - I do not recommend that for an initial cleaning. The DeOxit Red is what you need. I am a cheapskate and a confirmed non-tweaker, but the cleaning routine makes a difference. Simply breaking the connection periodically helps, but I have convinced myself that the cleaning is even more effective. Believe me, I would not do it (it is a pain) if I did not think it would help. Perhaps my system is not sufficiently high end but trying different cables did not make a substantial difference in sound quality, nor did the "green pen" treatment or de-static treatment using the old Dishwasher static gun properly.
However, I recognize that everyone's experience is different.
On my first amp, I got these heavy duty binding posts. They are gold plated brass if I recall correctly. Heavy like a roll of quarters. $40 bucks a set, so $80 for a stereo pair, and that's just for 2 channels on the amp side only.
For my Mod86 x 4 channel, got 4 pole SpeakOns. Each 4-pole Speakon will handle 2 channels (1+, 1-, 2+, 2-). The panel mount parts are 2 or 3 bucks a piece. I got 4 of them, (2 for amp side, 2 for speaker side). Then the cord-ends were like 6 bucks each, and I needed 4 (one for each end of 2 speaker cables). ($3 x 4 = $12, plus $6 x 4 = 24, total $36). This is for both ends of four channels.
By comparison if I had gone with the binding posts I used when I built my first amp and speakers a few years back, that cost would be $40 x 8 = $320 with free snake oil included.
For my Mod86 x 4 channel, got 4 pole SpeakOns. Each 4-pole Speakon will handle 2 channels (1+, 1-, 2+, 2-). The panel mount parts are 2 or 3 bucks a piece. I got 4 of them, (2 for amp side, 2 for speaker side). Then the cord-ends were like 6 bucks each, and I needed 4 (one for each end of 2 speaker cables). ($3 x 4 = $12, plus $6 x 4 = 24, total $36). This is for both ends of four channels.
By comparison if I had gone with the binding posts I used when I built my first amp and speakers a few years back, that cost would be $40 x 8 = $320 with free snake oil included.
Yes, that is why I recommend Speak-On for outputs (as I posted earlier). For those who choose other solutions, I recommend the use of Cramolin to clean and lower the oxidation rate. I do not want to change the outputs on my Scott tube integrated - there would be no practical way to add Speak-On, so I use the existing terminals and use Cramolin. But, the first choice is to avoid the need for cleaning by using the best solution which is Speak-On.
