Commercial Gainclone kit- building instructions - Page 231

Maakbow · 27th November 2020, 10:02 PM

Ok so I've got it all connected up on a test board and noticed my layout is less than ideal for easy wiring ( I can't test yet as I can't cut my heatsink yet).

So another question. Im sure it's ideal if all wiring is short as possible but is it ok if wires from rectifier to amps is a little longer as shown on Peter's integrated amp here

I can see it's an advantage to have a layout where all your boards are connected without top or bottom covers attached so wiring from both sides is easier but I cant find a layout that achieves that with the aluminium I have to build the case.(3mm and 5 mm sheet)

My test layout is similar to the diagram I previously posted but a bit tighter.

Also can I mount the amp boards vertically?. My transformer needs 65mm and the boards are 72mm so the case wouldn't get much taller.

Maakbow · 29th November 2020, 11:20 AM

I was thinking of something compact like this for a case layout. 200mm x 200mm x 80mm with the amp boards vertically on end. Is there any reason I shouldn't orientate the boards this way?

Will 5mm aluminium internal wall be sufficient heat sink?

Commercial Gainclone kit- building instructions-amp-diagram2-png

bullittstang · 29th November 2020, 01:14 PM

I don’t think 5mm heatsinks are sufficient for a stereo pair, unless you are bonding in a way to have the sides also conduct the heat away, which would be difficult for efficient heat transfer.

If the side are thicker aluminum - why not move one to each side and move the rectifier board elsewhere?

Looks nice to be so compact, but you will find is massively more difficult to actually install. I would suggest a 200x300 or even better a 300x300 IMO.

Maakbow · 4th December 2020, 03:20 AM

Thanks. I think I'll try with small heatsinks with my test setups and monitor the heat. What I'd like to know is is there any issue thermally or otherwise, placing the boards vertically so the chi would be in the side as in the diagram?

bullittstang · 4th December 2020, 03:55 AM

No you can place them any direction as long as there is adequate heatsink. Heat will always rise.

Maakbow · 11:44 AM

So YAY. The AMP works. On my test board with some old heat sinks on the chips. cant crank it because it's wee small hours here. Barely gets warm. DC at the binding posts is reading -48mV and -51mV. (No volume pot)
I'll give this some extended play over the next few days to see how warm/hot it can get

Maakbow · 09:18 PM

So I've been listening to this amp nearly all day everyday for the past week... in a largish art studio where I work 11m x 7m with a 3-4m sloped ceiling. Mostly at moderate volumes when the heat-sink gets just warm, and sometimes at loud-ish (talking not possible) volumes where the heat-sink gets hot, but not too hot to touch. Given that this is still on my test scenario with heatsink that wont fit inside my proposed case I will look at obtaining either a smaller finned heatsink or a larger aluminium or copper slab.

It sounds pretty nice also.
My only comparison here is mid 80's rotel (ra870bx) that I've used daily since then. My speakers are klipsch rp400m with a klipsch sub and another small 2 way diy so I have no comment on bass with the gainclone yet. A,B ing both amps the gainclone reminds me of a tube amp but thankfully not as warm. It seems to be better than the rotel at mid range transients. The soundstage is also bigger, I'm hearing things I never heard before in places I never herd them.
It's super quiet. My source is a diy streamer and dac playing flac files from a local server.

Thank you Peter Daniel for answering my dumb noob questions. I'll get this into hopefully a beautiful case over the holidays and share pics.

Next project is to replace the amazing diy towers I had that a past girlfriend made me get rid of cause they were too big. Finding driver supply in NZ difficult though.

RomanMarts · 22nd December 2020, 09:56 AM

Hi! After several iterations it's done. Works and sounds fine. I didn't found the reason of a small offset difference, because the chips were matched, and to be honest it's impossible to hear, only to see with voltmeter.
Peter, thank you a lot for this amp idea and for your help, advises and involvement! It was a pleasure! Next will be a matched monoblocks I think )

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/72...p/mp4/file.mp4

sthcoaster · 22nd December 2020, 11:21 AM

Beautiful!! Love the naked design. Is that copper pipe for your switch and volume? I’m gonna steal that idea. Again really love this implementation. Be proud.

mozarti · 31st January 2021, 02:37 AM

I put together one of Peter’s premium kits few years ago and I was thinking of upgrading by replacing the 680 and 22k kiwame resistors with Vishay 102 resistors, and I was wondering whether anyone has made this substitution and if so how it changed the sound. Thank you for sharing your experience.

4th December 2020, 11:33 AM	#2306
Maakbow diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: NZ Northland countryside	So YAY. The AMP works. On my test board with some old heat sinks on the chips. cant crank it because it's wee small hours here. Barely gets warm. DC at the binding posts is reading -48mV and -51mV. (No volume pot) I'll give this some extended play over the next few days to see how warm/hot it can get Last edited by Maakbow; 4th December 2020 at 11:44 AM.

16th December 2020, 09:04 PM	#2307
Maakbow diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: NZ Northland countryside	So I've been listening to this amp nearly all day everyday for the past week... in a largish art studio where I work 11m x 7m with a 3-4m sloped ceiling. Mostly at moderate volumes when the heat-sink gets just warm, and sometimes at loud-ish (talking not possible) volumes where the heat-sink gets hot, but not too hot to touch. Given that this is still on my test scenario with heatsink that wont fit inside my proposed case I will look at obtaining either a smaller finned heatsink or a larger aluminium or copper slab. It sounds pretty nice also. My only comparison here is mid 80's rotel (ra870bx) that I've used daily since then. My speakers are klipsch rp400m with a klipsch sub and another small 2 way diy so I have no comment on bass with the gainclone yet. A,B ing both amps the gainclone reminds me of a tube amp but thankfully not as warm. It seems to be better than the rotel at mid range transients. The soundstage is also bigger, I'm hearing things I never heard before in places I never herd them. It's super quiet. My source is a diy streamer and dac playing flac files from a local server. Thank you Peter Daniel for answering my dumb noob questions. I'll get this into hopefully a beautiful case over the holidays and share pics. Next project is to replace the amazing diy towers I had that a past girlfriend made me get rid of cause they were too big. Finding driver supply in NZ difficult though. Last edited by Maakbow; 16th December 2020 at 09:18 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Commercial complete Gainclone kit for a beginner?	gychang	Chip Amps	371	20th January 2015 09:07 AM

New To Site?	Need Help?
Register to Participate Privacy Statement Contact Us	Frequently Asked Questions Did you forget your password? Mark Forums Read

27th November 2020, 10:02 PM	#2301
Maakbow diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: NZ Northland countryside	Ok so I've got it all connected up on a test board and noticed my layout is less than ideal for easy wiring ( I can't test yet as I can't cut my heatsink yet). So another question. Im sure it's ideal if all wiring is short as possible but is it ok if wires from rectifier to amps is a little longer as shown on Peter's integrated amp here I can see it's an advantage to have a layout where all your boards are connected without top or bottom covers attached so wiring from both sides is easier but I cant find a layout that achieves that with the aluminium I have to build the case.(3mm and 5 mm sheet) My test layout is similar to the diagram I previously posted but a bit tighter. Also can I mount the amp boards vertically?. My transformer needs 65mm and the boards are 72mm so the case wouldn't get much taller.

29th November 2020, 01:14 PM	#2303
bullittstang diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Detroit, MI	I don’t think 5mm heatsinks are sufficient for a stereo pair, unless you are bonding in a way to have the sides also conduct the heat away, which would be difficult for efficient heat transfer. If the side are thicker aluminum - why not move one to each side and move the rectifier board elsewhere? Looks nice to be so compact, but you will find is massively more difficult to actually install. I would suggest a 200x300 or even better a 300x300 IMO.

4th December 2020, 03:20 AM	#2304
Maakbow diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: NZ Northland countryside	Thanks. I think I'll try with small heatsinks with my test setups and monitor the heat. What I'd like to know is is there any issue thermally or otherwise, placing the boards vertically so the chi would be in the side as in the diagram?

4th December 2020, 03:55 AM	#2305
bullittstang diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Detroit, MI	No you can place them any direction as long as there is adequate heatsink. Heat will always rise.

22nd December 2020, 09:56 AM	#2308
RomanMarts diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2019	Hi! After several iterations it's done. Works and sounds fine. I didn't found the reason of a small offset difference, because the chips were matched, and to be honest it's impossible to hear, only to see with voltmeter. Peter, thank you a lot for this amp idea and for your help, advises and involvement! It was a pleasure! Next will be a matched monoblocks I think ) https://video.wixstatic.com/video/72...p/mp4/file.mp4

22nd December 2020, 11:21 AM	#2309
sthcoaster diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Vientiane, Lao PDR	Beautiful!! Love the naked design. Is that copper pipe for your switch and volume? I’m gonna steal that idea. Again really love this implementation. Be proud.

31st January 2021, 02:37 AM	#2310
mozarti diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2014	I put together one of Peter’s premium kits few years ago and I was thinking of upgrading by replacing the 680 and 22k kiwame resistors with Vishay 102 resistors, and I was wondering whether anyone has made this substitution and if so how it changed the sound. Thank you for sharing your experience.