Nelson Brock created a bloody wonderful implementation of the Nelson Pass "Amp Camp Amp" (ACA) and unveiled it a Forum thread: (here)
I liked it so much that I copied & reimplemented it, creating my own PCB layout, including a couple of new features (in post #57 of his thread). I called it "RACAM".
A few days later, Mr. Brock announced that he is working with the diyAudio Store to sell full and complete kits-of-all-parts, including PCB, (in post #70)
I want to support both the Store and Nelson Brock, so I won't publish my Gerbers, because I don't want to accidentally enable unscrupulous copycats and counterfeiters. Nobody wants $2.00 crap on eBay and Ali Express, labeled "guaranteed genuine Nelson Pass Amp Camp Amp". Certainly I don't.
However, for those confident and brave and experienced diyAudio members who (a) desire blank RACAM PCBs; (b) don't want to wait for the Store to begin selling full kits-of-all-parts; (c) are perfectly happy to order all of the necessary parts themselves: maybe I can help you.
I am willing to order a batch of ten PCBs from my Chinese PCB fab of choice [JLCPCB] and instruct the fab to ship those boards to your address. This way there is only one shipping fee (fab to you), whereas a traditional Group Buy would encounter two shipping fees: (fab to me, then me to you). The total delay is smaller too, because there is one fewer stop on the journey. Best of all, for orders outside my country, I don't have to deal with international customs paperwork. The fab handles all of that, and they are very experienced at international deliveries.
And nobody sees or touches the Gerbers except the fab and me.
The cost is approximately USD 40-60 for ten boards, shipped to the United States. The price will be somewhere between USD 60 and USD 80 for ten boards shipped to an address outside the United States. As a naive American, I was quite surprised to discover that the customs fees are VERY different for different countries. Higher in France than in Italy, for example. So I have installed an "approve the price quote" step in the buying procedure to avoid unhappy surprises for the buyer.
If you don't need all ten boards, you can give away your extras for free, or sell them at your cost, or sell them at a profit, to other diyAudio members. In effect you become a local distributor of RACAM boards in your own corner of the world.
Working with diyAudio member @peppennino , I ran a trial of this procedure and it worked handsomely. I ordered the boards in California on 28 Feb, and they were delivered to him in Italy on 11 March. JLCPCB and their shipping partner DHL International Express handled everything.
Here's how it works.
Notice that you never see the Gerbers, and I never see your banking information except your PayPal ID. Also notice that I never touch your PCBs and I don't go to the Post Office to fill out customs paperwork.
ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. I don't have any knowledge of the status or schedule or quantity or price, of any diyAudio Store products. Not even Nelson Brock's ACA Redux.
2. I only offer bare PCBs. Nothing else. If you prefer a full and complete kit (and who doesn't?), buy from the Store
3. I only offer batches of ten boards. I only offer one price and one shipping option.
4. I will not release the Gerbers
5. Tips for builders are found in (post #77) and a parts list is attached to (post #89)
6. This isn't a dead-simple project suitable for absolute beginners. However, Patrick Farrell's 11 year old daughter did successfully build a pair of these, there are photos in (post #80) . She and her Dad have built other amplifier PCBs before this one.
14 MAY 2022 UPDATE: my fab of choice has raised their shipping and handling fees, so now every RACAM build job I schedule (including to USA) will include an individual price quote and approval, before the PayPal money transfer.
_
I liked it so much that I copied & reimplemented it, creating my own PCB layout, including a couple of new features (in post #57 of his thread). I called it "RACAM".
A few days later, Mr. Brock announced that he is working with the diyAudio Store to sell full and complete kits-of-all-parts, including PCB, (in post #70)
I want to support both the Store and Nelson Brock, so I won't publish my Gerbers, because I don't want to accidentally enable unscrupulous copycats and counterfeiters. Nobody wants $2.00 crap on eBay and Ali Express, labeled "guaranteed genuine Nelson Pass Amp Camp Amp". Certainly I don't.
However, for those confident and brave and experienced diyAudio members who (a) desire blank RACAM PCBs; (b) don't want to wait for the Store to begin selling full kits-of-all-parts; (c) are perfectly happy to order all of the necessary parts themselves: maybe I can help you.
I am willing to order a batch of ten PCBs from my Chinese PCB fab of choice [JLCPCB] and instruct the fab to ship those boards to your address. This way there is only one shipping fee (fab to you), whereas a traditional Group Buy would encounter two shipping fees: (fab to me, then me to you). The total delay is smaller too, because there is one fewer stop on the journey. Best of all, for orders outside my country, I don't have to deal with international customs paperwork. The fab handles all of that, and they are very experienced at international deliveries.
And nobody sees or touches the Gerbers except the fab and me.
The cost is approximately USD 40-60 for ten boards, shipped to the United States. The price will be somewhere between USD 60 and USD 80 for ten boards shipped to an address outside the United States. As a naive American, I was quite surprised to discover that the customs fees are VERY different for different countries. Higher in France than in Italy, for example. So I have installed an "approve the price quote" step in the buying procedure to avoid unhappy surprises for the buyer.
If you don't need all ten boards, you can give away your extras for free, or sell them at your cost, or sell them at a profit, to other diyAudio members. In effect you become a local distributor of RACAM boards in your own corner of the world.
Working with diyAudio member @peppennino , I ran a trial of this procedure and it worked handsomely. I ordered the boards in California on 28 Feb, and they were delivered to him in Italy on 11 March. JLCPCB and their shipping partner DHL International Express handled everything.
Here's how it works.
- Send me a Private Message "conversation" containing your ship-to address EXACTLY AS JLCPCB WANTS TO SEE IT (attachment #5 below -- boxes with red asterisk * require a nonblank answer). Please answer all nine of their questions.
- I will get a price quote from JLCPCB for delivery to your address with your country's customs fees. I will send this price to you by private message and ask for your approval.
- You respond with your approval and a promise to pay $X per the quote.
- I will send you my PayPal userID.
- You send me the specific quoted price, by PayPal, as a birthday gift.
- I tell the PCB fab to build ten boards and ship them to your address.
- About ten days later, JLCPCB emails me the tracking number of the package, and I copy that to you in a PM.
- Boards are delivered to your address.
- You decide what to do with the extra boards you don't need.
Notice that you never see the Gerbers, and I never see your banking information except your PayPal ID. Also notice that I never touch your PCBs and I don't go to the Post Office to fill out customs paperwork.
ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. I don't have any knowledge of the status or schedule or quantity or price, of any diyAudio Store products. Not even Nelson Brock's ACA Redux.
2. I only offer bare PCBs. Nothing else. If you prefer a full and complete kit (and who doesn't?), buy from the Store
3. I only offer batches of ten boards. I only offer one price and one shipping option.
4. I will not release the Gerbers
5. Tips for builders are found in (post #77) and a parts list is attached to (post #89)
6. This isn't a dead-simple project suitable for absolute beginners. However, Patrick Farrell's 11 year old daughter did successfully build a pair of these, there are photos in (post #80) . She and her Dad have built other amplifier PCBs before this one.
14 MAY 2022 UPDATE: my fab of choice has raised their shipping and handling fees, so now every RACAM build job I schedule (including to USA) will include an individual price quote and approval, before the PayPal money transfer.
_
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Status report on the fourth day of this Not Exactly A Group Buy:
To date, six members have participated; each ordered ten RACAM boards from JLCPCB. Three of the six are in the United States: alphabetically, CO / KS / NC .
Three of the six are in Europe: alphabetically, FR / IT / UK .
Congratulations to all!
To date, six members have participated; each ordered ten RACAM boards from JLCPCB. Three of the six are in the United States: alphabetically, CO / KS / NC .
Three of the six are in Europe: alphabetically, FR / IT / UK .
Congratulations to all!
The first six batches of RACAM PCBs have completed their trip through the manufacturing line, and are now en route to their destinations via DHL. As of this morning, the status of each shipment is shown in the table below. Each of the shipments includes qty=10 RACAM printed circuit boards. So, pretty soon, the informal and worldwide RACAM distribution network will have an inventory of sixty RACAM boards. For sale or trade or barter or gift or opportunistic severe price gouging.
And of course any diyAudio member can join this network & become another distributor, at any time. Just follow the instructions in post #1 of this thread, and I will order ten RACAM boards to be delivered straight to your home. When they arrive: give them away, or trade them, or sell them; however you wish.
_
And of course any diyAudio member can join this network & become another distributor, at any time. Just follow the instructions in post #1 of this thread, and I will order ten RACAM boards to be delivered straight to your home. When they arrive: give them away, or trade them, or sell them; however you wish.
_
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Mark, you must have a privileged VIP status at JLCPCB with those super fast deliveries - very impressive.
It is the fab who will (or won't) ship to you in Romania. Log on to their website JLCPCB.com and find out if Romania is on their list of countries served.
Boards received via the UK 'agent' and partially populated.
Came up with a parallel solution for 2.21k. Think I'm within 1%.
I have most parts here amd I also built some of Mark's smps filter so good for those parts.....I notice the Racam psu input doesn't have the 'big diode looking thing'! And also thought I was lucky with some board mount RCA but unfortunately the pins aren't compatible.
Ordered the heatsinks.
Great project. Thanks Mark and N.Brock
Came up with a parallel solution for 2.21k. Think I'm within 1%.
I have most parts here amd I also built some of Mark's smps filter so good for those parts.....I notice the Racam psu input doesn't have the 'big diode looking thing'! And also thought I was lucky with some board mount RCA but unfortunately the pins aren't compatible.
Ordered the heatsinks.
Great project. Thanks Mark and N.Brock
Kudos to Mark for the designing the board and finding a way to share it with us. I sent him a request for 10 boards today and he immediately sent out the order. Can't wait to see the round circuit board.
I do have one problem, sorry if it's been discussed and I missed it, but I can't find a source for the 120mm heat sink. It's not in stock at Aliexpress or Amazon. 133 mm's are available. Does anybody know of a supplier?
I do have one problem, sorry if it's been discussed and I missed it, but I can't find a source for the 120mm heat sink. It's not in stock at Aliexpress or Amazon. 133 mm's are available. Does anybody know of a supplier?
Got it ordered! When I enter the name of the item exactly as spelled on Aliexpress it brings up 100s of choices but not the desired item. When I click on the link in post #43, it brings up the right item! Odd. Thanks again Mark.
And now there are a total of 70 RACAM PCBs completed and out of fab, spread out all over the world. The informal distribution network continues to grow.
I see AudioSteve was selling boards ( For Sale: ACA Redux Boards, https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/aca-redux-boards.384932/). He has run out. I have a few pairs to sell at cost: $4/board plus shipping. PM me if interested. Take a look at AudioSteve's second post after he advert. It's a really nice photo of a completed board and the accompanying heat sink. Sweet!