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Looking for good build project

post #1 of 18
9/29/09 at 6:38pm
Thread Starter 
Looking for good build project, like amplifier/pre amplifier.

That will work with 2X18V 2000mAH transformer.

Any advice on schematics will greatly appreciated.
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post #2 of 18
9/29/09 at 6:52pm
That's a first - building an amp around a transformer.

Might want to state budget, expected use - headphones/pre-amp/poweramp, tube vs solid-state vs hybrid considerations, etc.
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post #3 of 18
9/29/09 at 8:09pm
Thread Starter 
The transformer gathering dust for months .. Better to build something with it than to throw trash.

Budget is less than 100$

pre amplifier with musical tube sound would be great.
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post #4 of 18
9/29/09 at 8:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FallenAngel View Post
That's a first - building an amp around a transformer.
Kind of reminds me of that Kohler ad.

Where the couple are being walked through some prestigious architectural firm by some highly pretentious German architect. They get to his office and he asks "And now, what can we do for you?"

The wife pulls a Kohler faucet out of her purse, plunks it down on the table, and says "Design a house around this."



k
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post #5 of 18
9/29/09 at 8:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FOXY View Post
pre amplifier with musical tube sound would be great.
Do you actually need amplification? And are you wanting to use actual tubes or do you just want something that sounds good and musical?

k
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post #6 of 18
9/29/09 at 8:48pm
Tubes don't necessarily sound "good", nor "musical" - is that even a "sound signature"?

Oh well, anyway - there aren't many tube designs that go at that price, and most don't run those voltages. Just to share something with you - you can recreate the sound of most tube amps by simply sticking a cheap electrolytic cap on the output, sized a little smaller than required to distort the low end frequencies and muddy the highs to get that "warm, sweet tube sound".
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post #7 of 18
9/29/09 at 8:53pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Koyaan I. Sqatsi View Post
are you wanting to use actual tubes or do you just want something that sounds good and musical?

k
It does not matter to me, the Preamplifier could be SS or hybrid.
Exactly.
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post #8 of 18
9/29/09 at 8:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FOXY View Post
Exactly
Ok.

So as to my other question, do you need any actual amplification? Or would a simple buffered attenuator do?

k
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post #9 of 18
9/29/09 at 9:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Koyaan I. Sqatsi View Post
Ok.

So as to my other question, do you need any actual amplification? Or would a simple buffered attenuator do?

k
Yes, I need better control on volume.
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post #10 of 18
9/29/09 at 10:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FOXY View Post
Yes, I need better control on volume.
So with your current setup, if you have the volume all the way up, it's still not loud enough?

Sorry if this seems like a silly question, but I just want to be sure exactly what it is you're needing.

k
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post #11 of 18
9/29/09 at 11:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FallenAngel View Post
...you can recreate the sound of most tube amps by simply sticking a cheap electrolytic cap on the output, sized a little smaller than required to distort the low end frequencies and muddy the highs to get that "warm, sweet tube sound".
Scandalous!
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post #12 of 18
9/29/09 at 11:56pm
Rectified, you're looking at roughly +/-25v.

You could regulate this down to the +/-15v that seems to be the norm with most op-amp based SS designs pretty easily. You'd waste a lot of power as heat, but you don't seem to be short on it.
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post #13 of 18
9/30/09 at 4:39am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Koyaan I. Sqatsi View Post
So with your current setup, if you have the volume all the way up, it's still not loud enough?

Sorry if this seems like a silly question, but I just want to be sure exactly what it is you're needing.

k
Gamma 1 DAC - integrated amplifier - VS spekers.

The problem is with the low volume,
I have to set the amplifier to Minimum and then again in windows.

And it pretty interesting what wiil be the contribution of pre amplifier to current setup.
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post #14 of 18
9/30/09 at 4:58am
Another thing to set to minimum?

I don't know what VS speakers (google shows a lot of 'versus', not much VS) are but it sounds like they're either really sensitive or your amp has too much gain...
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post #15 of 18
9/30/09 at 6:26am
Thread Starter 
Von schweikert, it think also that the amplifer have to much gain.

So, any scheme for pre amp?
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