raspunsen - Mouser is good about sending out replacements for bad parts at no charge, here in the USA anyway, via their customer support. You probably didn't kill it with the soldering iron. It would be more likely static electricity damage rather than soldering heat, from my experience anyway. But in this case maybe just a bad batch of parts from the factory. Something to check into with Mouser!
Just curious - what brand of regulator? Was it the On Semiconductor MC7812ACTG listed in the BOM? Matching of the positive and negative regulators isn't very critical in the O2. If your local store has a LM7812 in Fairchild, ST, or some other manufacturer that would work just fine.
Just curious - what brand of regulator? Was it the On Semiconductor MC7812ACTG listed in the BOM? Matching of the positive and negative regulators isn't very critical in the O2. If your local store has a LM7812 in Fairchild, ST, or some other manufacturer that would work just fine.
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Hi everyone;
I am looking to do my first diy project and I need a headphone amp so this looks perfect.
#1 being my first project I am starting at zero. I dont even have a soldering gun.
Is there an easy way or an all in one stop I can get all I need? With 80+ parts I dont want to miss ordering anything.
Also is there any precatuions I should take? Someone in another forum mentioned something called mosfets and how I might kill it if I touch the wires.
I am looking to do my first diy project and I need a headphone amp so this looks perfect.
#1 being my first project I am starting at zero. I dont even have a soldering gun.
Is there an easy way or an all in one stop I can get all I need? With 80+ parts I dont want to miss ordering anything.
Also is there any precatuions I should take? Someone in another forum mentioned something called mosfets and how I might kill it if I touch the wires.
Hey O2 owner. I just read this review from Head-fi and I think it does justice to the O2
Review: NwAvGuy's O2 DIY Amplifier
Review: NwAvGuy's O2 DIY Amplifier
The post after that one is more interesting:
I wonder if the extent to which synesthesia is triggered is a valid measure of sound quality.
@Drastion
Before you start the project, get yourself a small soldering iron, some 60/40 solder and a small pair of side cutters. You then need to learn how to solder reliably, and that takes some practice. There are plenty of 'how to solder' guides on the internet, so search one out and get practicing.
I wouldn't recommend the O2 as a first project, there are certain issues - sourcing the parts, component identification, anti-static handling - that really need a bit of previous experience. Maybe start with one or two of the cheap Velleman mini kits, then one of their more ambitious projects - catalogue is here Velleman.euand also contains some useful info for the beginner.
Once you've put a couple of these kits together, you should be sufficiently proficient to tackle the O2.
http://www.velleman.eu/downloads/files/spotlights/digimagazines/catkit09en/default.html
Before you start the project, get yourself a small soldering iron, some 60/40 solder and a small pair of side cutters. You then need to learn how to solder reliably, and that takes some practice. There are plenty of 'how to solder' guides on the internet, so search one out and get practicing.
I wouldn't recommend the O2 as a first project, there are certain issues - sourcing the parts, component identification, anti-static handling - that really need a bit of previous experience. Maybe start with one or two of the cheap Velleman mini kits, then one of their more ambitious projects - catalogue is here Velleman.euand also contains some useful info for the beginner.
Once you've put a couple of these kits together, you should be sufficiently proficient to tackle the O2.
http://www.velleman.eu/downloads/files/spotlights/digimagazines/catkit09en/default.html
I thought the fact that there is absolutely no SMD work on the o2 made it a great first project? My co-worker built his without a hitch...
Sourcing parts will be a hurdle at some point, so why not get over it when the BOM is fairly small?
Yes, that's half the work. Hard? no. Time consuming? yes.
EDIT:
To greenalien's point, I definitely would not recommend making your first soldering attempts on a fresh o2 board unless you have a second one handy (with parts). Practice removing and replacing components on an old receiver -- that should be good enough!
Sourcing parts will be a hurdle at some point, so why not get over it when the BOM is fairly small?
Yes, that's half the work. Hard? no. Time consuming? yes.
EDIT:
To greenalien's point, I definitely would not recommend making your first soldering attempts on a fresh o2 board unless you have a second one handy (with parts). Practice removing and replacing components on an old receiver -- that should be good enough!
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Ok thanks for the advice. For someone who has made one outside of a group buy. What was the total cost including case and all the seperate shipping charges?
Thought I could save money and make it myself. But not sure how much I would save when taking into consideration all the gear I would have to buy to make it.
Also I cant seem to find the desingers recomendations on tool like soldering gun. Can someone point me in the right direction.
Thought I could save money and make it myself. But not sure how much I would save when taking into consideration all the gear I would have to buy to make it.
Also I cant seem to find the desingers recomendations on tool like soldering gun. Can someone point me in the right direction.
One more thing can anyone give me the dimensions of a fully assembeled board. I was going to make my own case. Maybe use a old vhs housing but I dont know if it would fit.
Also is there one place I can get the board, parts, batteries, and ac/ac adapter from?
If it is really only 35 in parts wouldnt bother me much if I needed to order two.
Ok one more question is it worth waiting to get the desktop version or would that be a major wait to see if anyone makes the pbc boards.
Also is there one place I can get the board, parts, batteries, and ac/ac adapter from?
If it is really only 35 in parts wouldnt bother me much if I needed to order two.
Ok one more question is it worth waiting to get the desktop version or would that be a major wait to see if anyone makes the pbc boards.
@Drastion - if you look in the Velleman catalogue, you will see that they supply beginners kits that include soldering iron, cutters and one or two simple starter projects. You want a soldering iron, 15 - 18W with a 2mm chisel tip - solder guns can be used, but are a bit on the large size and not so easy to manipulate.
The problem with buying the components as an individual is the shipping costs, Mouser and Digikey both charge a lot for small orders - hence the popularity of group buys.
The problem with buying the components as an individual is the shipping costs, Mouser and Digikey both charge a lot for small orders - hence the popularity of group buys.
It's not much gear. I even purchased RS's recommended soldering iron, which is also available in the UK, on the premise that I could use it to fix other things. Well, I've already made up it's cost in the 3 items I've fixed since I got it 3 months ago. That and a cheap dmm justify their cost without needing to build an O2. I haven't yet even built the O2. I'm also going to recap my Rotal amp once I've worked out the dangers of capacitor discharge.
Part of the inspiration for me was watching my landlord, who is a vicar, fixing the hot water problem we had by just going sequentially through the house with a DMM. And he's no electronics whizz. Just enough knowledge to stop himself getting electrocuted.
O2 as first project
The O2 was my first PCB-based DIY project, though I've done some soldering in the past. The only hitch I ran into is that I ended up putting the volume control into the wrong set of holes and had to move it. That was a real pain. I made sure to get two boards so that if I messed one up, I could still complete at least one build. As it turned out, the first build worked fine, so I went ahead and ordered a batch of parts for the second.
Second build went a little smoother, but I did put a couple resistors in the wrong spots and had to move them. Don't hurry--double check the parts sheet against the locations. I found it helped to rearrange the columns on the spreadsheet a little so the locations on the board were right next to the part #. I found it easiest to work from the smallest parts to the tallest, so that when you flip the board over to solder, they are easier to hold in place.
Anyway, I would say go ahead and do it if you are on the fence; it takes a lot to ruin the project--and even if you do, it's not terribly expensive to replace parts and/or the board. The expensive pieces are really the case, batteries, power adapter, etc., which likely won't break.
The O2 was my first PCB-based DIY project, though I've done some soldering in the past. The only hitch I ran into is that I ended up putting the volume control into the wrong set of holes and had to move it. That was a real pain. I made sure to get two boards so that if I messed one up, I could still complete at least one build. As it turned out, the first build worked fine, so I went ahead and ordered a batch of parts for the second.
Second build went a little smoother, but I did put a couple resistors in the wrong spots and had to move them. Don't hurry--double check the parts sheet against the locations. I found it helped to rearrange the columns on the spreadsheet a little so the locations on the board were right next to the part #. I found it easiest to work from the smallest parts to the tallest, so that when you flip the board over to solder, they are easier to hold in place.
Anyway, I would say go ahead and do it if you are on the fence; it takes a lot to ruin the project--and even if you do, it's not terribly expensive to replace parts and/or the board. The expensive pieces are really the case, batteries, power adapter, etc., which likely won't break.
I have been building for a while, the O2 is a snap to build, stuff and solder!
I would reccomend it highly as a first build. Here is why. First, it is one of the most documented projects in DIY Audio. RS did a phenominal job, almost too good as I sometime get frustrated by the sheer volume when I need to look up a small tidbit of info. Take your time read ALL of it, it is well worth it. You will find everything you need or want to know including some good reccomendations for tools. Secondly the amount of support offered by the community and the designer, these folks are knowledgeable and friendly and more than willing to help you out.
I don't think there are many things better than doing this, you get to do the research, find the parts, order them, you get goodies in the mail, meet new folks online, and then when it's all said and done, you turn it on and it makes glorious noise.... Ahhh so sweet!!
I would reccomend it highly as a first build. Here is why. First, it is one of the most documented projects in DIY Audio. RS did a phenominal job, almost too good as I sometime get frustrated by the sheer volume when I need to look up a small tidbit of info. Take your time read ALL of it, it is well worth it. You will find everything you need or want to know including some good reccomendations for tools. Secondly the amount of support offered by the community and the designer, these folks are knowledgeable and friendly and more than willing to help you out.
I don't think there are many things better than doing this, you get to do the research, find the parts, order them, you get goodies in the mail, meet new folks online, and then when it's all said and done, you turn it on and it makes glorious noise.... Ahhh so sweet!!
Folks, we've got a fellow DIYer with some O2 problems over here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/head...my-objective-2-will-not-turn.html#post2867050
I just tried doing the AC adapter test. I put the negetive pin on the multimeter to the outer casing on the gain switch push button. I then put the positive pin on the battery terminal on the outer most socket and the innermost socket and I couldn't get any readings at all for either. I just wanted to use this without batteries but that right there tells me something doesn't it? I think this is the problem I have been looking for unless that 3.3 Ohm is way off on the 3.9 Ohm that I read from it. I can order new OPAmps but I need help with this. I did touch the pins on the anti static pieces as well and that was cautioned otherwise, but I made sure I touched my hands to metal casings all around like I do with my power supply on the computers I am assembling and this shouldn't be that much different, I didn't have any static in my hands. Please help!
As a DIYer then the Fostex T50rp is pretty nice modded. $75. Find the super-thread at head-fi for mods. Compared to $300 headphones, and some mods compared to LDC-2. There's also an ebay mod kit for those phones to make getting materials easy (you need high density modelling clay/plasticine and a specific acoustic foam, plus other bits and bobs). They sound superb but they need a lot of current. The O2 or a hifi amp are needed. Read from the end of the super-thread not the beginning.
The cheap but pretty good option is the Superlux HD681 equalized. They cost about $30 but are high on the treble with also a couple of treble spikes on top. If you have a parametric equalizer (ie. rockbox on the clip+) then use these settings: low-shelf: 1db 80Hz q=.7, -8db 8000Hz q=1.4, -8db 12300Hz q=2.4, and set treble to -4 for normal and -7 for mellow. Their low impedance may not suit older Ipods (in which case the HD668 is a better option but I don't know the equalizations: there's a handy head-fi thread on the subject). They may not need an amp (seem fine on the clip+ and Fuze) but some devices may struggle.
I have both and the T50rp modded is leagues better though it does (for most mods) need equalizing out a shouty mid spike: incredible texture to the instruments. But the superlux is pretty darned amazing for $30. I have two of them as they are so cheap right now.
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