looking for a good beginning kit for a good headphone amp or a DAC

[soloz2]

I am interested in building a headphone amp or a DAC but am a total noob and have never done anything like this before. So, I would really like to buy a kit with all the parts necessary for this build.

I do have experience with electronics and build all my own computers, have a sodering iron and can soder (although... not the best at it... just need more practice

) So I am confident that I can build an amp or a DAC at the beginning/moderate build level.

So, Does anyone know of any kits or would someone be willing to put a kit together for me, or help me put together a kit? I would like to try to keep the cost of parts and/or kit below $100.

I do have a Little Dot Micro+ amp, so I don't really need another portable amp unless it would be better. A desktop desin would be fine. Any and all help is much appreciated!


Thanks to everyone who helped me choose a good beginning project!

 

[FallenAngel]

Check out Tangent's Pimeta at www.tangentsoft.net/audio/pimeta, great amp and if you budget it properly, you can get it for around $100. For the power supply, use TREAD at www.tangentsoft.net/elec/tread, he sells complete TREAD kits for only $17 and it's a great bang/buck PSU which you can use with any cheap AC or DC wallwart (buy one seperately for around $10).

 

[regal]

I just did a Millett, it is very straightfoward and well documented. It also sounds great, much better than my LDM+.

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by regal I just did a Millett, it is very straightfoward and well documented. It also sounds great, much better than my LDM+.

where is information on that? and does it come in a kit?

 

[soloz2]

I was thinking about getting a TREAD psu kit and trying that out. it's a smaller project. Anything else I should know? is the dual psu a lot better? I might try that... what transformer would I need for that though?

 

[psilosome]

The Millett Hybrid is documented here: http://www.diyforums.org/millett.html

There is a new group buy for boards here: http://headwize.com/ubb/showpage.php?fnum=5&tid=2296

I'm not aware of any kits for this amp and judging by the dearth of responses to your question you might not find anything. However, the Millett and PIMETA, for example, are well documented with parts numbers for suppliers like Digikey and Mouser. Getting the parts together always seems to take a while but it's not especially hard.

 

[soloz2]

thanks. I know that I can configure a pimeta for about $100, but how much would a millet hybrid cost to put together?

I'm alright with ordering parts if I have the part # and a detailed product list. I've ordered from digikey before. I just get confused when people start discussing alternative parts and different options... being this is my first project and I don't know about the differences between one part from another... that's why I was asking for a kit... just somethiing easy that I can put together and learn as I go.

I may have to get some new tools and stuff... this is what I have:

regular and needlenose pliers
precision screw drivers
drill
dremel
tin snips
sodering iron (cheap walmart one)
wire strippers

anything else I need?

 

[BradJudy]

You'll need a basic multimeter.

There aren't many true kits out there and I can't think of any under $100 off the top of my head.

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradJudy You'll need a basic multimeter. There aren't many true kits out there and I can't think of any under $100 off the top of my head.

oh yeah, I've got one of those as well. It's a digital one from Sears. works well, nothing too fancy though.

 

[mb3k]

I'll list out some helpful but non-required items for DIY:
- "Helping Hands" that clamp things down such as PCB's (highly recommended)
- Unibig #1 step drill bit for making nice clean holes when you're fabricating a case for your projects
- Desoldering braid (recommended)
- Needle-nose-tweezers (not really required, but very helpful - I still use my fat needle-nose-pliers to hold SMD parts down steady)

Also, if you need bill-of-material lists, I have a bunch that I've put together, just PM me.

 

[soloz2]

Hmm... I just found a kit for a PINT, Might have to try that!

 

[FallenAngel]

I wouldn't suggest it, it's a very hard amp to build.

 

[soloz2]

hmm... so is a pimeta easy to build?

 

[FallenAngel]

I did it as a first build without any experience in DIY at all. Sure I ran into a few problems, but they were resolved fairly quickly and the forum is great with helping with builds.

And to stress how much of NO Experience I had, I didn't know how to read schematics and didn't even understand what components did what.

One of the harder things you need to do is the case work. Measure 10 times, cut once.

 

[soloz2]

hmm... that's good to know. I do have limited knowledge, it's just that I've never done a DIY project before. I also don't feel particularly comfortable with my sodering skills... but that could also be partly due to haveing a cheap sodering iron, and I learned on a soder gun that had a rather broad tip... my dad used it mainly for sodering pipes... nothing detailed. So I just need practice but I'm sure I can do it with some experience.

So, maybe pimeta is the way to go for me. I just like that the PINT comes as a kit and is a litttle cheaper. I wish I had some extra money becuse I'd love to pick up one of the PINT kits and make a desktop pimeta, but sadly it's one or the other.