First time amp builder OR where do I start?
Jul 3, 2004 at 8:19 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 6

Mr.Radar

Headphoneus Supremus
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Hello. I've been reading up here in the DIY section for the past few days and I'd like to build an amp. I've never used a soldering iron before and I know almost nothing about electronics. I'd like to spend less than $50 on the whole thing and I'd prefer to use an inexpensive wall wart (I have tons of unregulated ones lying around so those would be best) to power it as I don't have any rechargable batteries and I can't afford to buy them. What would be some good amps for me that are easy to build and (hopefully) include step-by-step instructions?
 
Jul 3, 2004 at 11:58 PM Post #4 of 6
Cmoy is your only option.

It gives you a great intro into the basics of audio electronics, how it works, how power is supplied to opamps. Since it uses a single chip from Burr Brown part cost / count is low and it's simple to put together. There's endless information availuable about the design on headwize, and tangent's website, and it's really easy to debug too.

If you have a problem then get just post here and i'm certain that it can be fixed.
The design itself is also pretty scalable. A dual mono cmoy built around an Analogue Devices opamp or the BurrBrown 637 sounds fantastic and comparable to some much higher grade stuff.

THe next logical progression up the opamp path would be a MINT or a PIMETA or something similar.

Start bylooking here http://tangentsoft.net/audio/
 
Jul 4, 2004 at 12:04 AM Post #5 of 6
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Radar
I've never used a soldering iron before and I know almost nothing about electronics.


The best thing to do would be to practice soldering. Go buy an inexpensive iron, some solder, some 24awg solid core wire, and some protoboard. Then practice soldering the wire to the board. Quote:

I'd like to spend less than $50 on the whole thing and I'd prefer to use an inexpensive wall wart (I have tons of unregulated ones lying around so those would be best) to power it as I don't have any rechargable batteries and I can't afford to buy them.


Parts cost for the Cmoy would come in well under that. But the tools you will need to get (mini pliers, cutters, solder, iron, etc) will probably exceed it. Quote:

What would be some good amps for me that are easy to build and (hopefully) include step-by-step instructions?


Tangent's tutorial is your best friend.
 
Jul 4, 2004 at 1:25 AM Post #6 of 6
Thanks for your responses. I'd looked previously into making an RA-1 clone, and I still might do that, however I think that I'll go with a CMOY for now.
 

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