Millet or PIMETA?
Mar 2, 2006 at 1:45 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 43

seanohue

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They both cost about the same to build ($100, I think) but what would sound the best for the money? I a little bit of a bass head, and I only listen to classic rock/metal. It will be running my HD555's.
 
Mar 2, 2006 at 2:07 AM Post #2 of 43
The Millett (two Ts in Millett
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) costs more like $200 to build.
 
Mar 2, 2006 at 2:26 AM Post #4 of 43
Quote:

Originally Posted by Teerawit
The Millett (two Ts in Millett
tongue.gif
) costs more like $200 to build.




I believe i spent substantially less than $100 on my Millett.

Board: $18

100k step attenuator: $16

Tube Sockets: $0.75/ea

Power caps: Around $2 (already had them, bought them cheaply)

Film caps: About 80 cents

buf634 x2: eh, $12ish.

Tubes: $2.80/ea

CRDs: $1.75/ea iirc

Elna Silmic II output caps: $1.75/ea

Neutrik output jack: $2ish? I forget.

Small passives: I'll be generous and say $3.

Like $65, not including shipping costs.

No enclosure yet - that hammond everyone likes is, what, $18? I'll probably build something from scratch.

Power regulator has about $1 in it. lm317, three 1n4001, two resistors, 100uf 35v electrolytic, 2.2uf 35v tant.

Power is supplied by a 30vdc 500ma brick i paid $2 for at a thrift store.

Where do you get the $200 number from? I can see how you could spend $100+ after using all-boutique parts, but $200?

The only corners i intentionally cut were in using five 330uf 35v general-purpose caps i already had on hand for power, two 470uf 16v low-esr caps for cathode bypass, and high quality mylar & foil caps (that i have pounds of) in all the film positions. I'm not the tinyest bit disappointed with the results, and will post RMAA results the next time i revive my windows machine. I haven't booted it in 18 months and i think the hardware is in some sort of distress.
 
Mar 2, 2006 at 2:27 AM Post #5 of 43
I have both. With HD580s the Millet Is vastly superior IMO. It's like bathing in gravy and getting a rub down by beautiful Polynesian girls while the live band plays in the corner.

Sam
 
Mar 2, 2006 at 2:36 AM Post #6 of 43
Quote:

Originally Posted by Samgotit
I have both. With HD580s the Millet Is vastly superior IMO. It's like bathing in gravy and getting a rub down by beautiful Polynesian girls while the live band plays in the corner.

Sam



Well put sam lol Millett it is
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Mar 2, 2006 at 2:42 AM Post #7 of 43
ericj, not everyone is a penny pincher
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My tantalum cap costs twice as much as your whole power section. Same with a National LM317
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Around $90 parts cost + case + parts mounted to the case + hardware + power supply + shipping costs can add up to $200.
 
Mar 2, 2006 at 2:47 AM Post #10 of 43
Quote:

Originally Posted by Samgotit
I have both. With HD580s the Millet Is vastly superior IMO. It's like bathing in gravy and getting a rub down by beautiful Polynesian girls while the live band plays in the corner.

Sam



rofl
 
Mar 2, 2006 at 3:14 AM Post #11 of 43
Quote:

Originally Posted by Teerawit
ericj, not everyone is a penny pincher
tongue.gif
My tantalum cap costs twice as much as your whole power section. Same with a National LM317




My tantalum cap is Kemet and my LM317T is National. I'm just a better shopper than you are.

(well, maybe you have a much bigger tant than i do. I decided against my 47uf tants on the output.)
 
Mar 2, 2006 at 4:29 AM Post #12 of 43
Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj
Where do you get the $200 number from? I can see how you could spend $100+ after using all-boutique parts, but $200?


One of these days I'll roll out the $400 Millett but for now the $300 version will have to do, actually it's up to about $325 now with the DBs.
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And while I have no doubt that your sub $100 Millett is the king of the bang for your buck options it's probably not practical to assume that every one can find parts as cheaply as you did. A very realistic nubmer for the Millett is $150 though and I'd say that's not a bad number for a wall powered PIMETA either. Both are great amps so instead of choosing I built both, more than once
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.

My 2¢,

Nate
 
Mar 2, 2006 at 5:40 AM Post #13 of 43
Quote:

Originally Posted by n_maher
And while I have no doubt that your sub $100 Millett is the king of the bang for your buck options it's probably not practical to assume that every one can find parts as cheaply as you did. A very realistic nubmer for the Millett is $150 though and I'd say that's not a bad number for a wall powered PIMETA either. Both are great amps so instead of choosing I built both, more than once
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.




Yeah, I do agree that if you plan on paying retail for everything, most people should expect to spend $110-$130 on the Millett, and it could easily turn into more depending on how fancy you want to get.

Plus there's collateral damage - in truth a Millett builder may want to buy a few different brands/types of tubes to find what sounds good to them, and you could end up putting together a minimum order somewhere to get an exotic output capacitor.

I spent a total of $3.50 on output caps but somehow something like $17 flew out of my bank account when i did it. It's not that i don't have anything to show for the other $14.50, but until i actually use those bits, it's just collateral damage.

Never built a pimeta but i did kit one out for a friend for christmas . . . . and he hasn't even opened the static bags . . . but i was only into it about $60 w/o power supply or enclosure. the opamps i gave him were on the cheap side tho - ad823 and ad845 - and the power capacitors were just 470uf 35v Nichicon UHE which aren't at all expensive (but a lot of bang for the buck).

It's the little things that get ya, and i don't sweat the little things. I won't spend 50% of the money on the last 1% of SQ.

This all goes back to that long stupid thread about estimated costs. I am thoroughly disgusted with myself for spending close to $30 on Xicon resistors to turn that $25 Alps rotary switch into a ladder attenuator for my M3.

Things can easily spiral out of control. People with limited budgets should tread carefully.

How'd you spend so much money on the diamond buffers?
 
Mar 2, 2006 at 6:48 AM Post #15 of 43
$25?

there's only about $7 worth of discretes on the board.
 

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