Yes, fair comment. Actually now looking at sourcing all parts the kit is starting to look like good value but I suppose y'all know that already
Can any UK buyers tell me how much they were hit for with duties and tax on kits?
I won't discourage you for sourcing your own parts and all as that is one of the goals of learning and DIY, but please don't focus just on the price of the kits. The total value is the key. Working on building two kids for the store myself, we should all be thankful to the folks putting the kits together even if they cost more than your sourcing the parts yourself. Its a TON of work sourcing the best parts available, putting them together, packaging and getting it to the store looking like a one-click product. And especially for newbies it takes most of the guess work out of the equation, and lets those types focus on learning how the project works and goes together. That is a lot of value in my personal experience. From there, its easy to riff on that theme from a known anchor point.
--Tom
Yes, fair comment. Actually now looking at sourcing all parts the kit is starting to look like good value but I suppose y'all know that already
Can any UK buyers tell me how much they were hit for with duties and tax on kits?
If they are used, I would strongly recommend going through them as if you were putting the kit together. Check the test points, etc... and certainly re-bias. Once you are there as a final test, check for the max heat sink temps and of course, the sweet audio that comes from the ACAs.
--Tom
My hifi is playing music 7/24. Turning the amp on & off usually ages the big caps faster.
dave
The cost of the electronic parts kit is very competitive if you add up the cost of all the parts ordered as a person building one or two would. Perhaps the same or cheaper.We find that we need to get the parts from various companies, so there's the multiple shipping charges too.
EDIT: Oh snap! I didn't see you were in the UK. Would be interesting to hear how much people are charged for duties. I'll bet it ranges from zero to 2x the cost of the kit!
EDIT: Oh snap! I didn't see you were in the UK. Would be interesting to hear how much people are charged for duties. I'll bet it ranges from zero to 2x the cost of the kit!
Yes, fair comment. Actually now looking at sourcing all parts the kit is starting to look like good value but I suppose y'all know that already
Can any UK buyers tell me how much they were hit for with duties and tax on kits?
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Thanks for that but things have just got a bit more complicated!!
Just went to order a board from the store, a message comes up that UK buyers now need to spend a minimum of 200 dollars due to Brexit changes. I then put the whole kit into my basket - with the case coming from Italy the rest of the kit effectively becomes a separate order and still doesn't add up to the minimum 200 dollars. The world has gone mad (or at least my part of it!!).
Just went to order a board from the store, a message comes up that UK buyers now need to spend a minimum of 200 dollars due to Brexit changes. I then put the whole kit into my basket - with the case coming from Italy the rest of the kit effectively becomes a separate order and still doesn't add up to the minimum 200 dollars. The world has gone mad (or at least my part of it!!).
Find a willing person to purchase the parts locally, in great quantity, then sort them out into individual parts-kits, then sell them to grateful members who wish to avoid paying fees and taxes and duties.
Gerber files for ACA clones and ACA improvements and ACA with Premium Parts have been posted on this thread, which your willing person could send off to a PCB fab and get ACA PCBs at a low price.
The only thing missing is the chassis with integrated heatsinks. Perhaps you don't REALLY need the circuitry to be enclosed in a beautiful box, all you REALLY need is mechanically stable mounting and thermally adequate heatsinking. ACA is after all a starter amp for total beginners, where's the shame if that's exactly what it looks like?
Oh and be sure to enthusiastically thank the willing person, because s/he has taken a huge financial risk and has also done a huge number of hours of work for free, assembling the parts lists, dealing with the vendors, sorting the parts-kits, and shipping them out to everyone else, who did nothing except sit on their duff and wait.
Gerber files for ACA clones and ACA improvements and ACA with Premium Parts have been posted on this thread, which your willing person could send off to a PCB fab and get ACA PCBs at a low price.
The only thing missing is the chassis with integrated heatsinks. Perhaps you don't REALLY need the circuitry to be enclosed in a beautiful box, all you REALLY need is mechanically stable mounting and thermally adequate heatsinking. ACA is after all a starter amp for total beginners, where's the shame if that's exactly what it looks like?
Oh and be sure to enthusiastically thank the willing person, because s/he has taken a huge financial risk and has also done a huge number of hours of work for free, assembling the parts lists, dealing with the vendors, sorting the parts-kits, and shipping them out to everyone else, who did nothing except sit on their duff and wait.
I suspect (although i dont know for a fact) we traded with the US as a member of the european union which meant that the terms we traded on were
EU<-->US
Now the UK has left the EU, Im not sure the UK has a proper trade deal with them anymore. Ive definitely had problems trying to get stuff with smaller companies in the EU. I think mainly due to sorting out how VAT is collected/reported.
Ive just placed an order with mouser in Texas, and thats had a load of delays, but that appears to be covid stuff rather than EU stuff. I didnt see any minimum value with them though, but as my order was for a fair whack, i wasnt really looking either.
Then put on your Big Boy pants and create your own BOM starting from the ACA v1.6 parts list contained in the ACA build guide here on this website {see below}. Eschew laziness and then be delighted that you've avoided paying fees and taxes and duties. Or else embrace laziness, buy everything from the store, and eschew complaining about the costs that you have chosen to pay.
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It seems you are interested in trying to source your own parts to learn how to do it and to possibly save a bit of money. I think that's great. Forgive me if I assume too much, but I also think you may be looking for level of assurance that you have the "right" parts and "all" the parts. I also think you're willing to do the work if you get a bit of help.
An approach could be to take the information that you have and come up with your personal choices for the parts from the supplier(s) you've chosen. Then, you could post that here for comments. You can use the build guides as a resource if you really want "identical" parts and to ensure you've covered them all. Matching up parts in the guide visually against pictures from the supplier could be fun. Or, you may choose to use equally good parts that are functionally "the same" and save some time.
Once you've posted your list, I'm sure many folks would gladly point out any glaring errors or even share opinions if they feel you could have chosen different components both for cost and functionality.
It may be easy for you, and you may enjoy the process of learning how to do it. In addition, you'll probably gain an even greater appreciation for the time that it takes to find a grouping of parts in stock at one time that fit your needs. Paying for shipping of one forgotten or mis-spec'ed part is a DIY experience of its own.
Once you're done, you'll have a full list "ready to order" of in-stock parts from your favorite supplier that others may also benefit from. I believe others have shared "Mouser Carts" earlier in the thread that could be an excellent resource. Yours might be too.
I think you were going to get the boards from the store either way. I think that's wise.
Most importantly, have some fun, and enjoy the ACA.
An approach could be to take the information that you have and come up with your personal choices for the parts from the supplier(s) you've chosen. Then, you could post that here for comments. You can use the build guides as a resource if you really want "identical" parts and to ensure you've covered them all. Matching up parts in the guide visually against pictures from the supplier could be fun. Or, you may choose to use equally good parts that are functionally "the same" and save some time.
Once you've posted your list, I'm sure many folks would gladly point out any glaring errors or even share opinions if they feel you could have chosen different components both for cost and functionality.
It may be easy for you, and you may enjoy the process of learning how to do it. In addition, you'll probably gain an even greater appreciation for the time that it takes to find a grouping of parts in stock at one time that fit your needs. Paying for shipping of one forgotten or mis-spec'ed part is a DIY experience of its own.
Once you're done, you'll have a full list "ready to order" of in-stock parts from your favorite supplier that others may also benefit from. I believe others have shared "Mouser Carts" earlier in the thread that could be an excellent resource. Yours might be too.
I think you were going to get the boards from the store either way. I think that's wise.
Most importantly, have some fun, and enjoy the ACA.
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Capt P. I have an unbuilt kit in the loft waiting for my birthday (in a week) so happy to help you out with part references, etc. BTW, Modushop/Hifi2000 have a chassis which is the same as the ACA but without the holes and logos but is much cheaper. So if you can drill holes this might be a good solution for you.
ItsAllInMy Head and Logic80 Thanks a lot for all the offers of help. I'm actually fine making a BOM from the parts list I just asked originally if there was one to save time.
My only stumbling block is getting a board as I found out this morning that UK buyers have to spend a minimum of $200 at the diystore.
My only stumbling block is getting a board as I found out this morning that UK buyers have to spend a minimum of $200 at the diystore.
As a 'last resort' you might want to try a Chinese clone board? (Example 1pcs Class A Pass FET+MOS 5W Power Amplifier PCB Board Base on CAMP AMP Circuit | eBay)
They are nice quality and work fine. They do not match the Modushop case, but perhaps that is not a problem either? And you need to add R16, but that is easy.
They are nice quality and work fine. They do not match the Modushop case, but perhaps that is not a problem either? And you need to add R16, but that is easy.
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Very good boards indeed.
I have 6 of these, very easy to work, very easy to modify if needed.
