What equipment are you currently working on?

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JoshK

What equipment are you currently working on?
« on: 9 Mar 2009, 07:20 pm »
Based on discussion in the "What equipment have you built recently?" thread, this topic seems to warrant its own thread.  Its always fun to gab about stuff you are working on currently as one usually has a lot of excitement about their current project.  It also might inspire others.  That is after all one of the benefit of diy related forums.

This weekend I was finishing up my Aikido preamp.  Its been a really long time (>1 year) since I stuffed the boards, but putting it all together in a chassis with connectors, selection switches and volume control, building the chassis and the PSU all took considerbly more time than expected.  Worthwhile it was though.

I didn't fire it up yet as I re-modeled the PSU in PSUDII and decided to change some components in the power supply.  I am awaiting a cap to use as a quasi cap input supply (small C, in a cLCLC supply).  I added the other LC section, as my original PSU was just LC, and that dropped ripple to a predicted 3mV level and the small c is being added to bring voltage level back up to around 300V.  The result is a PSU that has low ripple, good transients and doesn't ring. 

Since the Aikido stage is nicely self adjusting, I will like fire up the preamp san small-c to see how it sounds and works.  It is easy to add the cap after the fact. 

Secondly, my speaker project is coming along. I machined the baffles to countersink the waveguides (PITA!).  Next, I need to glue the waveguides to the baffles and then bondo and sand the seams to be seamless.  Also, more fiberglass is going to be added to the back of the waveguides for added rigidity and dampening.  My local Pepboys had all the necessary supplies as well as various primers and sealers for prepping the baffles for painting. 

I've been reading up on TL theory from quarter-wave.com.  I got the hair-brain idea to build a closed TL cabinet for the mid.  The idea is to absorb the back wave as much as possible so it is not reflected back through the cone.  Since, I plan to high pass the MT at somewhere between 200-300hz, the TL is targeted for ~200hz and tapered. 

The downside to the TL enclosure is the added size due to all the braces that make the line (folded).  So this will add to size, I just need to see how big this will be.

There is a website, I saw recently, of a RAAL/PHL MTM that uses such a cabinet.  That was partially the inspiration, JohnJ of AES was the other.

P.S. contact me if you know how to design such a TL, I'd love some verification since this is new territory for me.

« Last Edit: 9 Mar 2009, 08:51 pm by JoshK »

whubbard

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #1 on: 10 Mar 2009, 01:15 am »
I've posted this elsewhere, but I'm doing a DIY turntable with a Mark Kelly controller.


-West

JoshK

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #2 on: 10 Mar 2009, 01:19 am »
Is your platter being made from OSB? 

whubbard

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #3 on: 10 Mar 2009, 02:47 am »
Nope,
Lead filled Birds Eye Maple.

There is more about it in the first post here:
Turntable Build

This rest of the thread is currently hijacked with a discussion I'm okay with, but that means only the first post is relevant to the TT.

-West

Wayne1

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #4 on: 11 Mar 2009, 03:35 am »
I'm doing very nasty things to an old pair of New Larger Advent speakers.



I just cut out the baffle to install a JBL waveguide.

I have to refoam the woofers, next.

I will be using a Selenium D220Ti compression driver with the waveguides.

I love my VMPS, but you can never have enough speakers  :wink:

analognut

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #5 on: 11 Mar 2009, 03:57 am »
Currently my Sota Star is at Sota having a new sapphire thrust plate installed.
Also upgrading to zirconium ball and Vinyl-Format mat. Which means I'll basically
have a Nova when they're done with it. I just got this outfit a few weeks back and
I wanna treat that SME V arm right!  8)


sts9fan

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #6 on: 16 Mar 2009, 12:16 pm »
I currently have a few projects brewin

First and farthest along is a Pearl MM/xono MC phono stage
Next I got all the parts for a set of Nathan 10 speakers from Gedlee
Finally I have most of the parts for a Akidio linestage

JoshK

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #7 on: 16 Mar 2009, 02:17 pm »
This weekend I worked on my shop.  I set up my lab table, which had been taken down for well over a year, maybe two.  No more soldering on the dining room table.  I pulled my O'scope out (Kikusui 5ch 100Mhz). 


BillB

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #8 on: 16 Mar 2009, 02:31 pm »
Oh I envy you! I need to build myself a workbench in the back of my theater as I am a dining room table solderer too...makes it a real pain when the pesky family wants to eat dinner and stuff.  :lol:

jwb

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 1
Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #9 on: 16 Mar 2009, 04:06 pm »
First post here, just wanted to introduce myself.  This site looks great.  Can't believe I didn't find it before now.

I've been in the lab for a week working on a shunt regulator for my new solid-state pre.  The preamp uses a CS3318 attenuator and OPA1632 line drivers.  There are three balanced inputs and six single-ended inputs, DC, AC, or transformer coupled, controlled with relay logic.  The shunt provides ±9V power for the attenuator and line drivers. 

Now that I have the shunt figured out I can finish up my drawings and I expect to have this preamp built within the next few months, give or take.

My other project right now is to build an infrared remote control for my Akai GX636 reel-to-reel tape deck.  Haven't really got started on that one.  If anyone knows the pinout for that connector, please spill the beans.


JoshK

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #10 on: 18 Mar 2009, 03:07 pm »
Welcome jwb.  Looks like a nice project. 

TomS

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #11 on: 18 Mar 2009, 03:36 pm »
Welcome jwb.  Nothing like breadboard and clipleads in the morning  :thumb:  Tom

56oval

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #12 on: 19 Mar 2009, 01:01 pm »
Hi ,I think this is my first post .I've been collecting parts over couple of years for an active speaker project ,drivers are PHL's,Ravens and a 15" Tempest-X driver .The amps for the R1 & PHL's are 300B SET's ,I no nothing about electronics or speaker design but have a couple of mates to help me and I can follow a circuit diagram  :duh:.Here's a couple of sketch's of the amps and speakers.The amp circuits have been drawn up by a friend and he winds all his own Tx's.




This is a philips based TDA1541 dac I modifed on the right you can just see my 6H30pi pre .


Cheers

Bill O'Connell

  • Industry Participant
  • Posts: 687
  • Retired . Music Lover
Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #13 on: 19 Mar 2009, 01:14 pm »
Just finished stripping down a pair of University Acoustic Baton cornerhorn speakers from the late 1950's.They are now residing in my computer room.May have to do some work on the N-3 crossovers though.

JoshK

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #14 on: 19 Mar 2009, 01:21 pm »
56oval, welcome!

Fantastic render and serious projects you have going there.  Who is your builder?  They look like a good mate to have!

What PHL drivers are you using for your TMW?  Looks like a cool project. 

mgalusha

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #15 on: 19 Mar 2009, 01:21 pm »
Quite the project you have going there 56oval, that is a LOT of iron.  :thumb: :thumb:

jwb, that sounds very cool. I thought "regulator" as soon as I saw the breadboard. Not sure why but that was my immediate thought.

56oval

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #16 on: 19 Mar 2009, 01:33 pm »
56oval, welcome!

Fantastic render and serious projects you have going there.  Who is your builder?  They look like a good mate to have!

What PHL drivers are you using for your TMW?  Looks like a cool project. 
Thanks Josh & Mike
My mates new website isn't up and running but here it is contact details are correct http://www.black-art.com.au/ ,he drew the circuit for me  and its up to me to put it together   :D.
The PHL's are 6.5"1120 & 10" 3020 ,I did have the PHL12" 4530 but swapped for the 10" the main reason I rather have SS running the 90hz down .

Cheers

JoshK

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #17 on: 19 Mar 2009, 01:38 pm »
Would love to see the circuit if you have it in electronic form.

56oval

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #18 on: 19 Mar 2009, 01:49 pm »
Would love to see the circuit if you have it in electronic form.
Lucas ask me not to post the ciruit until the amps are up & running and to make sure everything is ok ,hes put alot of effect into the design .

Cheers


JoshK

Re: What equipment are you currently working on?
« Reply #19 on: 19 Mar 2009, 01:58 pm »
That's fair and understandable.