[Nick77]

Pumpkin that looks very cool, curious about what your costs will be?

[Niteshade]

These amps are easy to drive, so a volume control will work perfectly. There is no need for an active preamp. Actives still work well, but you will find less travel in the volume control.

Anyone put a volume pot on theirs?

That was a good bit of information regarding the sound qualities of the TI based amp, posted earlier on.

[guest48077]

I would be interested in building one of these amps, Not very familiar with any amp/speaker combo. Would anyone here is this thread recommend these for LARGE ADVENTS? Which AMP/Watts would be best?

Any thoughts?

[pumpkinman]

Pumpkin that looks very cool, curious about what your costs will be?

Total costs at the sheet metal shop will be $15.00  Should I use spikes or just rubber feet ?
Poplar for the sides mdf for the top (paint grade) I was thinking about a Maple front. My primary reason
for doing this is I want the switch in the front this time and because like the mountain it's there.
Total costs should no more than 40.00 I'm guessing.Depending on feet. After reading some of the posts
it seems that an all wood cabinet is not the way to go that's why I went to the sheet metal shop......................Bill

Right after posting I remembered I had three cones I can use as feet

[srb]

Pumpkinman,
 
You either have a friend at the metal shop, or got lucky and found one that is uber-reasonable, but I think the majority of us would have trouble finding a shop that would cut and bend an aluminum back panel for $3.00 or a chassis for $15.00!
 
Steve

[Nick77]

  After reading some of the posts
it seems that an all wood cabinet is not the way to go that's why I went to the sheet metal shop.........                                                                 

While i wouldnt mind a grounded case my all wood cabinet works great and the price was very cheap and cheerful. 

[konut]

Pumpkinman,
 
You either have a friend at the metal shop, or got lucky and found one that is uber-reasonable, but I think the majority of us would have trouble finding a shop that would cut and bend an aluminum back panel for $3.00 or a chassis for $15.00!
 
Steve

My father was a sheet metal man, making custom duct work for heating and cooling of residential and commercial housing and businesses. A good sheet metal man could knock one of those cabinets out in 15 minutes or less. Look under heating contractors in the phone book.

[steve k]

You either have a friend at the metal shop, or got lucky and found one that is uber-reasonable, but I think the majority of us would have trouble finding a shop that would cut and bend an aluminum back panel for $3.00 or a chassis for $15.00!

It's the power of the pumpkinking!!  

steve

[dewardh]

I suggest you ask Tom this directly. He's very responsive to emails.

I have, and got no response to requests for schematics, information about changes from the IR reference design, or the NiO (apparently) input coupling cap.  He did respond about the undocumented change from RCA connectors (still pictured on the web site) to input terminal strips, and gain (but without noting the specific change made to change gain from the 30 of the reference design to the (nominal) 24 as delivered on mine).  Fortunately except for part numbering (a pesky inconvenience for circuit tracing) there appear to be no significant deviations (other than parts numbering and use of SMDs) from the circuit of the IRAUDAMP7S as described at:

http://www.irf.com/technical-info/refdesigns/iraudamp7s.pdf

unless you regard the input cap and output filter (particularly the inductor type) as significant, and that makes it (relatively) easy to figure things out.

Having had limited luck getting information about product actually delivered to me I wouldn’t expect to have any luck getting information about product still “on the drawing board”.  That’s why I directed that question to you . . . since Tom seems willing to discuss future plans with you.  A date for when he plans to start delivering the new 45k Ohm input impedance boards would be nice (for the users to whom it matters), as would schematics (and parts list) of the amps already, and to be, delivered.

[srb]

I have no doubt that a competent metal man could make a chassis in 15 minutes.  But I still think that the charge would normally be more than $15.00, and to have someone do anything to a piece of metal for $3.00 out the door is incredible!
 
So, if anyone else has a custom chassis made for them, please report back and let us know what you got and what you paid.
 
Steve

[konut]

I have no doubt that a competent metal man could make a chassis in 15 minutes.  But I still think that the charge would normally be more than $15.00, and to have someone do anything to a piece of metal for $3.00 out the door is incredible!
 
So, if anyone else has a custom chassis made for them, please report back and let us know what you got and what you paid.
 
Steve

Here's a hint. If you walk in, wearing a suit and tie, with a blue-tooth hanging from your ear, texting from a Blackberry, expect to pay retail+. OTOH, walk in wearing a stained white tee shirt, holey jeans, with a sketch on a dirty napkin FTW.

[pumpkinman]

Pumpkinman,
 
You either have a friend at the metal shop, or got lucky and found one that is uber-reasonable, but I think the majority of us would have trouble finding a shop that would cut and bend an aluminum back panel for $3.00 or a chassis for $15.00!
 
Steve

Actually you are quite correct I've been friends with Scott for about 25 years and he would do it for nothing
if I asked him to. This does include the friendship factor which I  never a second thought about.......Bill

[roymail]

If the amp works laying on a board, why wouldn't it work fine in a wood enclosure?

But, what do I know? 

[pumpkinman]

Here is a scrap piece that I tried out which will be the center of the front
Having a friend at the shop I hope won't diminish in any way my cabinet, to my
AudioCircle friends. I thought a circle in the center were the switch will be would
look good the center will orange in honor of all my pumpkin brothers......................Bill



To bad I'm home again as there is no work again that's why I can fool around with it today.................

[roymail]

These amps are easy to drive, so a volume control will work perfectly. There is no need for an active preamp. Actives still work well, but you will find less travel in the volume control.

Blair, thanks for that info.  What value VC do you recommend?  How about 20K ohms? 

[srb]

I thought a circle in the center w[h]ere the switch will be would look good the center will [be] orange in honor of all my pumpkin brothers

Maybe you could find a painter who isn't a friend and does lousy work, so that the end result will have plenty of "orange peel".
 
Steve

[gitarretyp]

If the amp works laying on a board, why wouldn't it work fine in a wood enclosure?

But, what do I know? 

It works fine in a wood enclosure, but the amp design/layout is not the best in terms of minimizing RF generation from the circuit board itself. So, using a non-metal enclosure increases the chances of interference of television and radio reception.

[dewardh]

It works fine in a wood enclosure, but . . . not the best in terms of minimizing RF generation

Exactly so . . . and the cost of EMI compliance/certification is probably part of the reason there is no assembled product or even complete "kit".  As it is the responsibility for emission control lies with the individual builders.

[pumpkinman]

Maybe you could find a painter who isn't a friend and does lousy work, so that the end result will have plenty of "orange peel".
 
Steve

Orange peel that would give it a hammered steel look, what a great idea !! Thanks Steve

[pumpkinman]

Exactly so . . . and the cost of EMI compliance/certification is probably part of the reason there is no assembled product or even complete "kit".  As it is the responsibility for emission control lies with the individual builders.

Welcome to AudioCircle