DIY Pass labs 100watt amplifier.

[microwalsh8504]

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum and I have a question I would like to ask. Does pass labs make a DIY 100watt solid state, or tube amplifier?

If so, what would I need and how much do you think it would cost?

I have never tackeled an electronics project like this before. What pointers would you all have for me. Should there be any classes or books that I should take before doing a project like this?

What kind of chasis material do you use? Is hardwood a good choice?

thanks,
Mitchell

 

[roddyama]

Hi Mitchel,

Welcome to the forum.

Does pass labs make a DIY 100watt solid state, or tube amplifier?

If so, what would I need and how much do you think it would cost?

No Pass Labs does not sell kits. There are however, a few of his designs available on the forum. The Aleph, AlephX, and Zen amps are all Mr. Pass' designs which he allows us to use for DIY projects.

I have never tackeled an electronics project like this before. What pointers would you all have for me. Should there be any classes or books that I should take before doing a project like this?

If your interested in the Pass designs I would suggest you start with the Pass Labs site and the Passdiy site . There is a lot of information there.

What kind of chasis material do you use? Is hardwood a good choice?

Look at the Gallery at the Passdiy site.

Have Fun,

 

[microwalsh8504]

with the information on the amplifiers you said there are several designs to choose from. Which design would you say is the best?

Is there a way i could achive approximatly 100 watts a channel with it?

Where can i get diagrams, discriptions, and pictures of these models?

Thanks,
mitchell

 

[Netlist]

Mitchell
Go and have a look at the WIKI as well.
Go to Amplifiers, PassLabs -> AlephX.

Good luck and don't be shy to ask

/Hugo

 

[Merijn]

Welcome!

There is a lot to choose from. All the amps sound in there own way tremendously well. Mr. Pass has givven us some of the very best designs you could wish, but please keep in mind that if you don't have any experiences, every amp (Pass or non-Pass) does have a pricetag you might not be willing to test with. I mean: A hundred-Watts Pass amp will be an joy for the ear but a pain for your checkbook, so I would reccomend you to start with something easier/cheaper but equally big in sound.
(You dont want to abandon your project half-way with spending a couple of hundred of dollars do You? and the best motivation is succes...)

So I would suggest Aleph-X or SOZ 10-30 Watts/channel.

(I do not want to disencourage you, onely prevent you from falling in the same pit I did )

 

[tool49]

(You dont want to abandon your project half-way with spending a couple of hundred of dollars do You? and the best motivation is succes...)

This implies that he does have basic soldering/case working/testing material, else it might be more like a thousand dollars! (well this is what happened to me anyway) But the good thing is that if it is a pass time activity, money won't be an object

I second the suggestion for the 10-30 watts range at first. Now you might be successful on the first try, for the first project on a 100W thingy, but just to make your hand, the 30 watts will sound just as good (if your speakers are efficient enough) and will cost a lot less. Then after the first one is finished, you'll be able to tell more precisely whether or not a 100W project fits your skills and needs.

Sébastien

 

[microwalsh8504]

Merijn, and everyone else!

Thank you for your reply.

You suggest that I look into an Aleph-X or SOZ 10-30 Watts/channel.

That sounds pretty good to me.

I want to let you know that the speakers that I want to drive aren't a high efficient speaker. I am reffering to the OHM C-2. They can handle 30-120 watts continous, and have a sensitivity of 87 dB.

Would these amps be able to drive these speakers with Authority?

These speakers produce a lovely smooth sound that isn't strenuous. They play loud, and have very deep bass.

Will one of these amplifiers bring out these speakers even more?

Thanks,
Mitchell

 

[fcel]

Aleph-X may not be a beginner project. "We" have ordered over 1000 boards but very few of us has actually built it - at least that's what I read in this forum.

 

[roddyama]

Aleph-X may not be a beginner project. "We" have ordered over 1000 boards but very few of us has actually built it - at least that's what I read in this forum.

Agreed. I would suggest that if you must have 100W "with authority" the Aleph 4 would be a better way to go. Although as it has been suggested a few times now, it would be easier to start with a lower powered amp like one of the Zens.

 

[Magura]

If youre a little handy, the x-SOZ or the zen V.1 would be a good way to go.

10W is actually an awfull lot of power if from the right amp (i mean good quality 10w).

Just start out by deciding how much youre willing to spend on this, i mean both time and moneywise.

Magura

 

[Merijn]

Aleph-X may not be a beginner project. "We" have ordered over 1000 boards but very few of us has actually built it - at least that's what I read in this forum.

I must admit you are right, I have onely heard XA-160.

Boy, I had to cry over Bach (Suite no.1 in G, Prelude, performed by mr. Yo Yo Ma)

 

[Variac]

First, I thought that the Aleph 2 was 100w/ch not the Aleph 4?
Second, Almost any Pass clone is expensive- even using lots of surplus parts my two 10 watt monoblock Sons of Zen are approaching $500 I'm afraid (too afraid to check exactly )
I'll bet a pair of Aleph 2's would cost me about $1000 to
do with premium parts.

They tend to have huge power supplies, meaning expensive transformers and caps and inductors.

And dissipate lots of power, meaning lots of surprisingly expensive heatsinks.

The many variations of Zen amps on the Passdiy.com site
These are meant to be proven, educational, not too complicated projects, and don't require the huge power supply and heatsinks of the Son of Zen or Big Alephs. They also have to sound good or Nelson Pass wouldn't publish them!! Check out the Zen Enlightenment using lightbulbs instead of power resistors-that's what I would like to make!!

One fun activity for me is to make or print out a list of parts required and look up and carefully note where to get them and the prices.
Check out the surplus electrics websites and find bargains-you have to use those guys to keep costs under control!!

Mark

 

[BrianGT]

First, I thought that the Aleph 2 was 100w/ch not the Aleph 4?

The Aleph 4 is a 100W stereo amplifier, and the Aleph 2 is a 100W monoblock amplifier. Look over the manuals on the pass labs site. The Aleph 2 has a slightly higher bias current, which some say makes it sound a little better. If you built your own, you could bias it as high as the heatsinks would allow for.

--
Brian