Can I beg and plead for some help

[ilikemonkeys]

I've watched you all talk about building an amp for about a year. Twice I've walked into electronics stores and twice I've walked out after getting so confused and frustrated. All the components look the same and the descriptions are so obscure. I've printed lists of parts and components and taken them in with me, but to no avail. I've been to EVERY diy amp site on teh net, and I cant find a single one that shows exactly what to buy to build your own amp, yes, even the tangentsoft site confuses me. I'm out of work right now so I'm trying to keep this as cheap as possible, and I'm trying to learn a new hobby that can take up some of the immense free time I've got right now. I'm super handy, and know it is within my ability to build an amp, but I just dont know what or where to buy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

BILL

 

[will75]

I just ordered parts from Digi-key to build a CMOY based on Tangent's site. I have never done this before but if it appears that I ordered everything correctly I can send you my parts list.

I bought the tools from radio-shack as well as the protoboard, copper hookup wire, and solder. All the components I ordered from Tangent's suggested list are coming from digi-key. The opamp I ordered was the OPA134 (supposed to be easier for a first timer)

I decided to order extras of everything (10 of each resistor) since it's cheaper in bulk, I will be messing up plenty, and I want to make more than one CMOY.

Only rely on me if you don't get a reply from someone out there with experience. I have no idea how to build this thing so I'm just going to jump in. I do, however, feel quite confident that I ordered the parts I need.

You kinda just have to look at the list, order pretty much everything Tangent suggests and go for it.

 

[tangent]

Your difficulty stems from trying to get the parts locally. There's such a great variety of electronic parts on the planet that each store you go to probably has some parts that none of the rest carry. Eventually you will get enough experience that you can select equivalents among part brands you've never seen before. Don't bother trying to actively acquire this skill. It's something you just pick up gradually as you learn more about electronics.

Order parts from a mail order house using someone else's part number list at first. Then once you have the parts in hand and see what they look like, you will start to understand what the similar looking parts you can find locally are. Later you'll start to develop an idea of what different grades of parts are available, so you can decide if the parts you can get locally are worth bothering with.

 

[ilikemonkeys]

thanks guys, you're making me feel less incompetent.

Will75, I would love to see the list if you can send me a link to it, post it here or just email it to me. either would be just fine. I check this forum several times a day.

I have a phenomenal electronics store right next to my house, but they do mainly large order stuff, and dont have time to hold my hand through a 20 dollar order.

thanks again

BILL

 

[phaedrus]

ilike,

Have you checked out the tutorials at http://www.tangentsoft.net/audio/?

http://www.tangentsoft.net/audio/new-diyer.html, for instance, is a run down on everything tool-wise you need to get started, what will work, what is recommended, where to get it and what the vendors call it.

I've found that tangent's tutorials are a great learning tool for figuring out how to buy parts. You'll start with exactly what you need for a CMOY, then be gently pushed towards independence if you continue with the Meta42 and the PPA (of course, you may be broke by then too

).

 

[will75]

I'm going to e-mail my parts list to you. Let me know when you get it and if you have any questions.