Reading through the specs of the SMPS-86 I see inrush current is limited to 2A. Is this the value I should be looking at to see if a switch will be safe in this application?
Yeah. I'd choose a mains switch rated for 2-2.5 A to make sure it survives the inrush. The actual current in operation is 500-600 mA at the most.
Tom
Tom
Thanks Tom. I am getting real close to testing to see if it makes music. Hopefully I avoided making any stupid mistakes.
Attachments
It made music! More importantly it did not make any smoke or funny sounds so I think it is on to building a box.
Six channel hybrid
Hi folks,
First time posting on this forum but thanks to Billshurv's thread I thought I would add my finished build.
Also thanks to Tom for having the drive to go ahead with these products.
I required a six channel amp as I was running a pair of home made speakers, Volt bass, PHL midrange's and SB Acoustics Satori tweeters actively via a Citronix CX34 balanced crossover, the trouble was that with two Hypex UCD400's for the bass, a pair of Electrocompaniet AW400's for the midrange and a World Audio Design 6550 running the tweeters, the real estate was high as was the electricity bill and most importantly the heat.
After lots of research, a lot via this forum I settled on a Purifi 1ET400A stereo to drive the bass and four of Tom's sweet little Modulus 86's for the rest, the power from these was more than enough as the WAD 6550 can drive the main speakers to ear splitting levels with just 35 watts and through a passive crossover.
I guess pictures paint a thousand words so will add these, as to sound its been running for about 13 hours now and I do not regret selling the Electrocompaniets to fund the project, the amp runs at about 25C and the thermal camera struggled to find that, power usage about 40 to 42 watts depending on how loud I play, I used 0.480KW hours in 11 hours use yesterday, about 9 pence here in the UK, quite green! My Cary SLP05 uses 75 watts, I do love valves.
Total build cost around £2500.00 including a new bench drill and new tools.
The sound is truly excellent, better bass, a cleaner midrange and sweet treble, there is also silence between tracks, no hum and if you put your ear in the speaker, careful, the tiniest amount of hiss, the quietest that I have had since a full Mcintosh pre and power system.
Apologies for rambling on.
Hi folks,
First time posting on this forum but thanks to Billshurv's thread I thought I would add my finished build.
Also thanks to Tom for having the drive to go ahead with these products.
I required a six channel amp as I was running a pair of home made speakers, Volt bass, PHL midrange's and SB Acoustics Satori tweeters actively via a Citronix CX34 balanced crossover, the trouble was that with two Hypex UCD400's for the bass, a pair of Electrocompaniet AW400's for the midrange and a World Audio Design 6550 running the tweeters, the real estate was high as was the electricity bill and most importantly the heat.
After lots of research, a lot via this forum I settled on a Purifi 1ET400A stereo to drive the bass and four of Tom's sweet little Modulus 86's for the rest, the power from these was more than enough as the WAD 6550 can drive the main speakers to ear splitting levels with just 35 watts and through a passive crossover.
I guess pictures paint a thousand words so will add these, as to sound its been running for about 13 hours now and I do not regret selling the Electrocompaniets to fund the project, the amp runs at about 25C and the thermal camera struggled to find that, power usage about 40 to 42 watts depending on how loud I play, I used 0.480KW hours in 11 hours use yesterday, about 9 pence here in the UK, quite green! My Cary SLP05 uses 75 watts, I do love valves.
Total build cost around £2500.00 including a new bench drill and new tools.
The sound is truly excellent, better bass, a cleaner midrange and sweet treble, there is also silence between tracks, no hum and if you put your ear in the speaker, careful, the tiniest amount of hiss, the quietest that I have had since a full Mcintosh pre and power system.
Apologies for rambling on.
Awesome. Thanks for sharing. I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures.
(To attach pictures: Click the Go Advanced button, then the attachment "paperclip" icon.)
Tom
(To attach pictures: Click the Go Advanced button, then the attachment "paperclip" icon.)
Tom
Six channel hybrid
Thank you Tom, I did not press the Go Advanced first so hopefully they will get on this time.
I tried using Neotech interconnect from XLR's to boards but it was just too cumbersome, the twisted 1mm Neotech works great with no interference getting through, also there are a couple of cable tidying issues and a new transformer top plate to go on, they did not send one by mistake so I had to use an old larger one for now, new smaller one has arrived.
I can access everything by taking off the top plate, disconnecting the Purifi power and coms leads and the ISS soft start leads and then removing the bottom plate which as per photo has the Hypex power supply, Intelligent Soft Start and transformer.
The board builds were populating by numbers and very straight forward with Tom's instructions, the only hard part, apart from marking out the back panel for the fixed Purifi terminals was checking the parts against the list prior to fitting each one, time consuming but worth the work.
Cheers and give them a go, you won't be disappointed
.
Still can't see photos in the post review, back to school time.
Thank you Tom, I did not press the Go Advanced first so hopefully they will get on this time.
I tried using Neotech interconnect from XLR's to boards but it was just too cumbersome, the twisted 1mm Neotech works great with no interference getting through, also there are a couple of cable tidying issues and a new transformer top plate to go on, they did not send one by mistake so I had to use an old larger one for now, new smaller one has arrived.
I can access everything by taking off the top plate, disconnecting the Purifi power and coms leads and the ISS soft start leads and then removing the bottom plate which as per photo has the Hypex power supply, Intelligent Soft Start and transformer.
The board builds were populating by numbers and very straight forward with Tom's instructions, the only hard part, apart from marking out the back panel for the fixed Purifi terminals was checking the parts against the list prior to fitting each one, time consuming but worth the work.
Cheers and give them a go, you won't be disappointed
.Still can't see photos in the post review, back to school time.
Hi, Many thanks Mooly, That is what I have done, maybe the file sizes are to big, I will check and try again.
Aha, just looked, yes much too big, I will see about reducing them any trying again.
Thanks again.
Aha, just looked, yes much too big, I will see about reducing them any trying again.
Thanks again.
I was just made aware of a new SMPS300 derivative from Connex: The SMPS300RAh.
The SMPS300RAh adds an aluminum plate on the bottom, which acts as a heat sink for the switching transistors and diodes. It also looks like the mains connections are now done by quick-connect spades rather than a terminal block.
While I have not seen the SMPS300RAh in person, thus will stop short of making a formal recommendation, it does appear that Connex has alleviated my two concerns about the SMPS300RE: The input terminal block (which in some of their builds was prone to cracking) and the lack of heat sinking on the switching diodes. Excellent!
The ±30 V version of the SMPS300RAh would be perfect for a stereo Modulus-86 and Modulus-186. The ±36 V version is an excellent candidate for the Modulus-286.
Tom
The SMPS300RAh adds an aluminum plate on the bottom, which acts as a heat sink for the switching transistors and diodes. It also looks like the mains connections are now done by quick-connect spades rather than a terminal block.
While I have not seen the SMPS300RAh in person, thus will stop short of making a formal recommendation, it does appear that Connex has alleviated my two concerns about the SMPS300RE: The input terminal block (which in some of their builds was prone to cracking) and the lack of heat sinking on the switching diodes. Excellent!
The ±30 V version of the SMPS300RAh would be perfect for a stereo Modulus-86 and Modulus-186. The ±36 V version is an excellent candidate for the Modulus-286.
Tom
With ±30 V on the SMPS300RAh (or SMPS300RE), you're pushing the supply right to the edge with three channels, even when considering the crest factor of music. The RAh will have better survival chances. I would not recommend using the SMPS300RE or SMPS300RAh for a 4-channel amp. Go with the SMPS500R (±30 V) instead.
Tom
Three channel amp
I was in need for a three channel amplifier and looked att Hypex different amplifiers. I found this thread and it got me interested.
After a mail to Tom with a quick reply I ordered the circuit boards.
Tom shipped the circuit boards just about instant. (Impressive)
I got the build instructions by mail. Via a link in the instructions I made the components order to Mouser.
I ordered cabinet, power supply, cables, power switch and Neutrik contacts from Audiophonics in France.
I used the following:
Hifi 2000 MiniDissipante Chassis Heatsink 2U 300x250mm 10mm Silver front panel - Audiophonics
CONNEX SMPS300RAh Power supply Module 300W +/-30V - Audiophonics
CANARE 4S11 Star Quad Speaker cable Copper 4x2.08mm2 O10.7mm - Audiophonics
CANARE L-4E6S Star Quad High performance Microphone cable shielded O6mm - Audiophonics
Aluminium Switch with White Power Symbol 2NO2NC 250V 5A O19mm Silver - Audiophonics
I did want the LM3886 to be as much i center of the heatsink as possible.
I made some brackets from a peace of aluminum to mount the circuit boards on.
I rotated and placed the power supply to have the rectifier diodes as far from the circuit boards as I could.
Finally, I’m very happy with Tom’s products, support and manual.
I think the amplifiers sound very good. The amp are replacing three Meridian 505 monoblocks.
I have used the amp to drive my PMC twenty5.24 (8 ohm, 89 dB sensitivity) and I think the power is more then enough for my needs. I feed the amp balanced from a Meridian 568. The amp is running cool in my setup.
If I notice that the power supply is too limited in the future, I’ll change to the larger one Tom mentions in the post above.
Thanks Tom
Klas
I was in need for a three channel amplifier and looked att Hypex different amplifiers. I found this thread and it got me interested.
After a mail to Tom with a quick reply I ordered the circuit boards.
Tom shipped the circuit boards just about instant. (Impressive)
I got the build instructions by mail. Via a link in the instructions I made the components order to Mouser.
I ordered cabinet, power supply, cables, power switch and Neutrik contacts from Audiophonics in France.
I used the following:
Hifi 2000 MiniDissipante Chassis Heatsink 2U 300x250mm 10mm Silver front panel - Audiophonics
CONNEX SMPS300RAh Power supply Module 300W +/-30V - Audiophonics
CANARE 4S11 Star Quad Speaker cable Copper 4x2.08mm2 O10.7mm - Audiophonics
CANARE L-4E6S Star Quad High performance Microphone cable shielded O6mm - Audiophonics
Aluminium Switch with White Power Symbol 2NO2NC 250V 5A O19mm Silver - Audiophonics
I did want the LM3886 to be as much i center of the heatsink as possible.
I made some brackets from a peace of aluminum to mount the circuit boards on.
I rotated and placed the power supply to have the rectifier diodes as far from the circuit boards as I could.
Finally, I’m very happy with Tom’s products, support and manual.
I think the amplifiers sound very good. The amp are replacing three Meridian 505 monoblocks.
I have used the amp to drive my PMC twenty5.24 (8 ohm, 89 dB sensitivity) and I think the power is more then enough for my needs. I feed the amp balanced from a Meridian 568. The amp is running cool in my setup.
If I notice that the power supply is too limited in the future, I’ll change to the larger one Tom mentions in the post above.
Thanks Tom
Klas
