Amp Camp Amp - ACA

Semmyroundel, i think you may be over complicating yourself a bit. Steps 52 to 55 are named accordingly to the options mentioned by Allan and the chart he pasted:
Step 52 is option 1 , 53 is 2, 54 is 3 and 55 (missing a picture) is 4. So, 54 is, as the title describes: single ended bridge mono for RCA input. Option 3 as discussed in the previous posts.
 
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.... They are all mono, so the question is: can a stereo sound be heard from any of these?

No, as their name says they become Mono amplifiers (or Monoblocks). One signal in one signal out. You have to build 2 to have a stereo system. (Quote from step 53, ''Regardless of how you wire for bridged operation, you'll need two ACAs for stereo now.'' Same for Parallel operation clearly.)

.... just one last question, because the wording has left me puzzled, and still hasn't made it any clearer, what of those three "mono" versions are in shown in step 54? Single ended?


'Single Ended'. Ummm, you are complicating things a bit here.
Single ended normally refers to the method or topology of amplification. You need to do a web search on Single ended and Push pull.
Very basically S.E uses only one device (transistor, valve, MOSFET) to handle both positive and negative halves of the signal. Push Pull uses 2 devices, to share the signal, one the positive side and the other the negative side.
The old analogy of the saw is still the best. If it is just me sawing a piece of wood I am single ended, I do all the work. If there are two of us, and there is a handle on each end of the saw, we can share the load, so Push Pull.

As it happens, each individual circuit board in an ACA is a single ended amplifier. It has only one 'output' device and that is Q1. It handles both the positive and negative going parts of the signal. So all four options are... single ended.

Alan
 
No, as their name says they become Mono amplifiers (or Monoblocks). One signal in one signal out. You have to build 2 to have a stereo system. (Quote from step 53, ''Regardless of how you wire for bridged operation, you'll need two ACAs for stereo now.'' Same for Parallel operation clearly.)




'Single Ended'. Ummm, you are complicating things a bit here.
Single ended normally refers to the method or topology of amplification. You need to do a web search on Single ended and Push pull.
Very basically S.E uses only one device (transistor, valve, MOSFET) to handle both positive and negative halves of the signal. Push Pull uses 2 devices, to share the signal, one the positive side and the other the negative side.
The old analogy of the saw is still the best. If it is just me sawing a piece of wood I am single ended, I do all the work. If there are two of us, and there is a handle on each end of the saw, we can share the load, so Push Pull.

As it happens, each individual circuit board in an ACA is a single ended amplifier. It has only one 'output' device and that is Q1. It handles both the positive and negative going parts of the signal. So all four options are... single ended.

Alan
Thanks again to all contributors. I think RafaPolit described it the best. I knew all along that I'd need two ACA's, but it's the terminology that's confusing-mono, bridged etc. especially for someone who can solder but not understand the circuitry.
It doesn't help not having step 55 shown as that may have eliminated a possibility.

I got single ended from the guide pdf, so not my assumption.
Good analogy Alan4411 about the saw and push-pull etc.
Got there in the end, but I would say that if it were possible, it might be helpful if it were described initially in in simplistic terms, then move on to technical, certain possibilities could be eliminated at an early stage.
But thanks to all for perseverence.
 
Hi All,

Hope I haven't hijacked the thread - if so let me know and I will open a new thread.

I have completed my ACA project and now want to use them as Balanced Mono-blocks! What options would best suit the ACA AmpCamp? I would appreciate advice from anyone who has:
1) Built the ACA
2) Has experience with ACA as stereo headphone amp
3) Auditioned ACA as a bridged RCA stereo mono blocks
4) Auditioned ACA as a bridged Balanced (XLR) with a Balanced Pre-amp (Active and or passive.)

Not really interested in all the theory and arguments pros and cons! Just some honest experienced advice before I pull the trigger on this one.

Thanks.
 
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Nuryev,

The beauty is that all your options can be built simultaneously, without affecting the AMP at all. I mean, stereo and Balanced mono can coexist in the same amp without any change, and single ended mono can be turned on with a switch.

So you can try it yourself without having to commit for one or the other variation.

The only real question would be: is it worth it to add a second one. Other than that, you can test the differences without any permanent side effect.

Maybe you already knew all this and are precisely trying to decide if you should buy or not the second one. But since you mention you want to try mono-blocks, I thought it best to emphasize this issue.

Best regards,
Rafa.
 
Nuryev,

The beauty is that all your options can be built simultaneously, without affecting the AMP at all. I mean, stereo and Balanced mono can coexist in the same amp without any change, and single ended mono can be turned on with a switch.

So you can try it yourself without having to commit for one or the other variation.

The only real question would be: is it worth it to add a second one. Other than that, you can test the differences without any permanent side effect.

Maybe you already knew all this and are precisely trying to decide if you should buy or not the second one. But since you mention you want to try mono-blocks, I thought it best to emphasize this issue.

Best regards,
Rafa.

I agree! The second ACA has aready been built and put into operation.
And yes, I have trialled using unbalanced vs balanced. However, the balanced use of the ACAs was using an Oppo95 with balanced ouput (Oppo 95 cd player as pre-amp with Oppo remote controlling the volume.

The ACAs were also trialed as monoblocks (unbalanced), through an Onkyo P-304 preamp and the results were impressive!

I am seeking information on the best Balanced Pre-Amp option as I wish to hook up the ACA monoblocks in an XLR setup permanently as I am concerned about plugging and unplugging components and want to avoid damaging connectors.

I have a balanced passive pre-amp and curious about the effectiveness of a balanced active or powered pre-amp.

Hope that makes sense.
 

6L6

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No, it just means I’m busier than a one-armed wallpaper contractor and am not going to have time to get to it well into December.

There nothing to it, however... feed both RCAs from a Y-cable, take the Black from both black posts and Red from either of the reds.
 
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Thanks Alan. It's actually 240x90mm high, and the "body" of the Mini Dissipante is 230x80. So there is 5mm overlap on each edge. The faceplate of the Galaxy 2U 230x230 is exactly the same item as the one used in the Mini Dissipante. Remember to get the "No holes" option for the Galaxy.
 

Thanks Alan. It's actually 240x90mm high, and the "body" of the Mini Dissipante is 230x80. So there is 5mm overlap on each edge. The faceplate of the Galaxy 2U 230x230 is exactly the same item as the one used in the Mini Dissipante. Remember to get the "No holes" option for the Galaxy.

Alan, Jason,

Thanks a lot on the info.
 
When is that parallel mono guide going to be up. I have some 4 ohm diy speakers I can’t wait to try it out with.

Thanks

I hope 6L6 does not mind if I post this for you, I know it is a very long thread...

There have been a couple of pictorials posted before, this one is easiest to do and understand by Mutuano. It is all external and easily reversible too.

Link the two pins in the XLR socket with a suitable loop or wire as shown. That joins the left and right inputs together.
Link the two Black speaker connections with a wire. (The Red ones are already joined internally.)
If you have wired the rear switch from the build guide step 38, make sure it is Down as in the pictures.

That's it.

Hello Zen and all,

Herein you will find some pics of my ACA set as parallel-mono:

16DA2491-F52D-4791-94D6-42F3BA5B2DE0_zpsj6qaese6.jpeg


E6B2B7D1-25D0-419B-A5A5-93F3E38A6949_zpsmbbglgem.jpeg


8F2EB1A9-DC57-4AAF-BB21-10D5F9B256E7_zps9s1li7z4.jpeg


832B1995-9B04-4FA6-9FCD-F20F5D42EC18_zps0tujtbwl.jpeg
 
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Thanks Alan. It's actually 240x90mm high, and the "body" of the Mini Dissipante is 230x80. So there is 5mm overlap on each edge. The faceplate of the Galaxy 2U 230x230 is exactly the same item as the one used in the Mini Dissipante. Remember to get the "No holes" option for the Galaxy.
Thanks for confirming it is the same size as the available Mini Dissipante. I thought they were the same size as the standard 2U MDs from the pictures. The ACA chassis page mentions "an internal space of 230mm wide" though which had me scratching my head trying to figure out how it could be 230mm wide + 80mm sinks and look nothing like the 330mm options.
 
Maybe papa can answer this?
I really like the fluid and detailed sound of the ACA’s in comparison to my Hypex nCore500 with 1200W power supply. What I like about the nCore’s is the micro and macro dynamics. Is there a Pass amp (maybe commercial) which combines them both? Fluid, detailed and dynamic?
 
Energy Connoisseurs

I used an online calculator to get an idea of what to expect hooking one of these amps to each of my CF-50s that I found at a thrift store (!). From the calculator I gather that the max handling of the speakers is irrelevant, and that at 15' I could expect about 85 dB out of the 96dB/W/M pair when giving them 8W ea (is it ea?). I feel like my old inclination to match the amp to the speaker in terms of Wattage is some kind of mysticism I developed from just figuring things out.
Feedback is appreciated in this scenario.
Beautiful kit you've put together there. My Hafler needs a break at some point.
 
I used an online calculator to get an idea of what to expect hooking one of these amps to each of my CF-50s that I found at a thrift store (!). From the calculator I gather that the max handling of the speakers is irrelevant, and that at 15' I could expect about 85 dB out of the 96dB/W/M pair when giving them 8W ea (is it ea?). I feel like my old inclination to match the amp to the speaker in terms of Wattage is some kind of mysticism I developed from just figuring things out.
Feedback is appreciated in this scenario.
Beautiful kit you've put together there. My Hafler needs a break at some point.

You may want to check out this thread:

A Test. How much Voltage (power) do your speakers need?