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Enclosure end suggestions

post #1 of 8
4/11/10 at 3:19am
Thread Starter 
Have taken the advice of a fellow head-fier and have bought a Mini3 kit as my first DIY amp.

Are there any sites where you can get custom front and back panels for enclosures like the hammond or do you have to use the panels that come with the basic enclosure.

I do realise it would cost a bit but aesthetically it has to look good as well as sound great.
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post #2 of 8
4/11/10 at 4:03am
If you bought a kit from Jeff then for memory he also stocks a small quantity of AMB's custom front panels done in sexy thick black anodized Al.

Otherwise check out AMB's personal shop: amb.org/shop
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post #3 of 8
4/11/10 at 4:09am
AMB got them from frontpanelepress.com. You can get them from his site, or order them from fpe yourself, if you download the fpe software and build the panels based on the measurements from the AMB site. Going off of my experiences with FPE on another project, getting them from AMB is probably less expensive due to volume discounting. If you search, you'll find a few people on headfi who had good luck measuring carefully and drilling the stock hammond plates themselves. Personally, I'm a better woodworker than solderer, so I'm making custom laminated cocobolo endplates w/ copper shielding for my mini3, I just need some free time. Good luck.
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post #4 of 8
4/11/10 at 4:34am
The dimensions are provided in the "Board & panels" section of the Mini3 page

The Mini³ Portable Stereo Headphone Amplifier

It onlly takes about 10 minutes to drill the holes in the end panels that come with the enclosure.

Here is an example:

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post #5 of 8
4/11/10 at 4:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by barnaclebeau View Post
AMB got them from frontpanelepress.com. You can get them from his site, or order them from fpe yourself, if you download the fpe software and build the panels based on the measurements from the AMB site. Going off of my experiences with FPE on another project, getting them from AMB is probably less expensive due to volume discounting. If you search, you'll find a few people on headfi who had good luck measuring carefully and drilling the stock hammond plates themselves. Personally, I'm a better woodworker than solderer, so I'm making custom laminated cocobolo endplates w/ copper shielding for my mini3, I just need some free time. Good luck.
Thanks for that..

PS Would love to see some pics of your custom endplates.. please post
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post #6 of 8
4/11/10 at 5:18am
It will be cheaper to get AMB's ones instead of getting one offs made...
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post #7 of 8
4/11/10 at 7:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Room40 View Post
Have taken the advice of a fellow head-fier and have bought a Mini3 kit as my first DIY amp.

Are there any sites where you can get custom front and back panels for enclosures like the hammond or do you have to use the panels that come with the basic enclosure.

I do realise it would cost a bit but aesthetically it has to look good as well as sound great.
Good first steps!
Be careful with the SMD parts, also before you start do a quick check and see to if the battery assembly clears the top of the case, if not file the battery contacts down so as there’s clearance before soldering
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post #8 of 8
4/18/10 at 9:32pm
I bought the Hammond case with plastic end caps. Cutting the holes was not difficult and really mainly require attention to detail. It looks real good to me. I marked the "in" and "out" with a china marking pen on the bottom of the case.

AMB's end plates are real pretty.

F
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