The Aleph30 PCB layout

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#23
The board is made to accomodate to247 package. The original A30 was using IRF244, I have plenty of IRFP140 and this is what I'll be using.

I also added the input diodes on board (in the bottom layer, so they did not change the layout).

I plan to send them for fabrication this week, and they might be ready next Friday. I'm considering gold plating with clear mask.
 
#24
Here's the updated part with input diodes. I also increased power traces width to 150mil.
 

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#31
With all due respect to Peter, I don't see anything too exciting about this layout.
It doesn't seem all that special to me but rather it looks half-assed thrown together with the components clumped in no particular order for no particular reason.
Brian seems much more 'down' with PCB design so maybe he should handle this aspect of the business?!?

There are much better ways to achieve the short signal path Peter's after, for a little hint see:

http://www.lyraconnoisseur.com/page3.html

Before wasting money on gold plating how about a small run for testing?
 
#32
grataku said:
There are much better ways to achieve the short signal path Peter's after, for a little hint see:

http://www.lyraconnoisseur.com/page3.html

Before wasting money on gold plating how about a small run for testing?
Click to expand...

I see they have added one more picture. What other hints you suggest I should take note from there?

I don't see anything special about my layout either. It's just (my) expression of the way this circuit can be put together. You either like it or not. I guess you the type who puts components in nice rows so you can count them easily.

I could almost swear someone else wrote your post. But this can't be true...
 
#36
Peter, don't get mad. I think you can 'express' yourself a little better than this, that's all. I say so because you always strive for the better design and in this particular case I feel you should strive much harder, I know you can. 😉

And don't worry Peter, I wrote the post. As you may or may not have noticed I don't post much anymore. I haven't disappeared either ( unfortunately, some would say)
I keep my eyes open for the rare gem that happens here for when I will have time and money to spend in audio again.
It felt the forum had reached an orgasm a couple of years ago followed by an anticlimax and the departure of a half a dozen 'special' members (no pun, no homo). Since then the forum feels like it has been de-clawed or de-balled or whatever so it doesn't interest me much anymore. I admire your stamina.
 
#37
grataku said:
With all due respect to Peter, I don't see anything too exciting about this layout.
It doesn't seem all that special to me but rather it looks half-assed thrown together with the components clumped in no particular order for no particular reason.
Brian seems much more 'down' with PCB design so maybe he should handle this aspect of the business?!?

There are much better ways to achieve the short signal path Peter's after, for a little hint see:

http://www.lyraconnoisseur.com/page3.html

Before wasting money on gold plating how about a small run for testing?
Click to expand...

I see no reason to give Peter a hard time. I feel that both layouts are decent layouts. I took a poll of both layouts to see what people prefer:
http://www.briangt.com/gallery/aleph-poll

The current results are shown on top, and here is what they are now:
my miniALEPH layout: 24 votes
Peter's A30 layout: 23 votes
So, it looks like an almost even opinion of the layouts. Peter's layout was up by 1 vote last night. Due to the appeal of both layouts, both boards will be offered in the future. I will have prototypes of my board arriving on Friday to Mark Gulbrandsen, who will build a test unit.

While the boards share a common schematic, my boards is focused on the Mini-A, with the option of the A30 configuration with the output boards. Peter's layout bypasses the idea of only using 1 device per side and allows making the A30 with a single board. (Mini-A can still be used by not stuffing all components).

--
Brian
 
#38
grataku said:
Peter, don't get mad. I think you can 'express' yourself a little better than this, that's all. I say so because you always strive for the better design and in this particular case I feel you should strive much harder, I know you can. 😉

And don't worry Peter, I wrote the post. As you may or may not have noticed I don't post much anymore. I haven't disappeared either ( unfortunately, some would say)
I keep my eyes open for the rare gem that happens here for when I will have time and money to spend in audio again.
It felt the forum had reached an orgasm a couple of years ago followed by an anticlimax and the departure of a half a dozen 'special' members (no pun, no homo). Since then the forum feels like it has been de-clawed or de-balled or whatever so it doesn't interest me much anymore. I admire your stamina.
Click to expand...

Well Paolo,

It's not stamina, I just can't do anything else. And the forum is only as good as the members. You might be nostaligic about certain long gone people, but they probably didn't have enough so called stamina, or maybe they were only here to full around.

With regards to this particular layout, I'm quite surprised with your assessment. In my humble opinion, it's the best A30 layout I've seen so far. If you have a chance to elaborate a bit more, about the reasons for your dislike, I would be all ears.

Or maybe you already forgot how Aleph circuit looks like?😉

And I would never gues you were Lyra Connoisseur fan. If you check this post of mine, you will know I expressed my admiration long time ago: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=573203#post573203
 
#39
grataku said:
There are much better ways to achieve the short signal path Peter's after, for a little hint see:

http://www.lyraconnoisseur.com/page3.html
Click to expand...

I still can't figure out what hints one can find with regards to short signal path from those pictures. Obviously, it's the designer's view, what makes short signal path, but it seems like the path could be still reduced there as well.

Those pictures were actually my inspiration for the next project, consisting of integrated preamp (S&B stage) buffered by a GC amp. When I post finished pics, you will see what short signal path is all about. 😉
 
#40
The project has been aproved by Mr. Pass and I'm ordering the boards today. They should be ready end of the next week.

One board will contain two complete channels of Aleph30, no other extra boards needed. I will also make available (copper) spreader plates to improve heat distribution.

I will try to come up with more efficient heatsink arrangement (possibly forced air) for more efficiency and smaller size. We are talking 30/60W class A amp the size of a GC 😉

The boards will be the usual appearance, gold plated with clear mask. The price will be less than $20 a set and any extras will be donated to diyAudio.
 

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