Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp

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Danny23

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1220 on: 2 Jun 2019, 07:43 pm »

zek

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1221 on: 2 Jun 2019, 10:54 pm »
Thanks. :thumb:

HT cOz

Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1222 on: 3 Jun 2019, 06:34 am »
 I think you guys are going to be in for a surprise with this new one. 
« Last Edit: 3 Jun 2019, 11:54 am by HT cOz »

annamarykahn

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1223 on: 3 Jun 2019, 02:52 pm »
waiting with anticipation :-)

how do we order/pre-order?

Danny23

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1224 on: 3 Jun 2019, 02:56 pm »
waiting with anticipation :-)

how do we order/pre-order?

See the link in my post above.

annamarykahn

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1225 on: 3 Jun 2019, 03:09 pm »
thx danny, i've inquired in getting the amp

SuperXRSSeattle

Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1226 on: 8 Jun 2019, 08:34 am »
Any possibility of purchasing pre-built of the new Folsom amp? If not, how long until all the parts can be acquired? Chancing the question as I'm not registered at DIY.

Hirst

Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1227 on: 8 Jun 2019, 12:15 pm »
Quote
Any possibility of purchasing pre-built of the new Folsom amp? If not, how long until all the parts can be acquired? Chancing the question as I'm not registered at DIY.

You can contact Folsom on this board.  He lives in the PNW and can most likely work something out for you.

Paul

mresseguie

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1228 on: 8 Jun 2019, 02:40 pm »
Any possibility of purchasing pre-built of the new Folsom amp? If not, how long until all the parts can be acquired? Chancing the question as I'm not registered at DIY.

There is a fellow named Radu Tarta who builds and sells tube amps and preamps. He will also build an amp such as Folsom's Little Chip amp. I know this because he built mine for me. He's very easy to communicate with and he did an excellent job on my little amp. His contact email is simplepleasuretubeampsrct@gmail.com .

His website:  https://simplepleasuretubeamps.wordpress.com/

Jeremy's little amp sounds great in my home office system. Mac Mini => Gustard X20u DAC => Folsom's amp => Wild Burro 8" OB FR drivers in Caintuck Audio's Betsy baffles = Happy me!

Michael

Folsom

Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1229 on: 8 Jun 2019, 04:56 pm »
Radu is a great suggestion!

SuperXRSSeattle

Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1230 on: 8 Jun 2019, 06:27 pm »
Hirst, mresseguie, Folsom - thanks!

Rivalaudio

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1231 on: 15 Jul 2019, 02:33 pm »

undertowogt1

Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1232 on: 15 Jul 2019, 04:28 pm »
Has anyone tried these caps with their Folsom amp?

http://www.soniccraft.com/product_info.php/miflex-kpal-15uf-600vdc-aluminum-foil-polypaper-in-oil-p-5278

I have not, but I was going to upgrade mine to the Jantzen Superior Z-Cap, 1.50µF 800VDC. These "look" nice. Do you think the Thru Hole is big enough on the boards? It say s it needs to be larger than .065

lacro

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1233 on: 15 Jul 2019, 05:35 pm »
I have not, but I was going to upgrade mine to the Jantzen Superior Z-Cap, 1.50µF 800VDC. These "look" nice. Do you think the Thru Hole is big enough on the boards? It say s it needs to be larger than .065

The thru holes for the caps are smaller than .065" More like .030" IMO/ chasing the "best" sounding caps for this amp is probably not worth the expense. I have heard different boutique caps, with this amp, and find the caps from the original BOM are all you really need for this great little chip amp! 

undertowogt1

Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1234 on: 15 Jul 2019, 09:16 pm »
The thru holes for the caps are smaller than .065" More like .030" IMO/ chasing the "best" sounding caps for this amp is probably not worth the expense. I have heard different boutique caps, with this amp, and find the caps from the original BOM are all you really need for this great little chip amp!
Good to know, really not worth it? So in your experience do you even hear a difference at all?

lacro

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1235 on: 16 Jul 2019, 03:27 pm »
Good to know, really not worth it? So in your experience do you even hear a difference at all?

I don't think there is enough difference if any to justify the price of admission. Everybody has a different system and set of ears. You may hear a significant difference using expensive boutique capacitors, where I may not. Maybe others that have tried different caps can chime in.

This sweet sounding little amp is designed around a $4 chip using good parts, and design. At the price point of this amp, and how easy it is to build, it's hard to beat without spending a lot more for something better. Trying to get a lot more out of it by changing 2 caps is probably not going to happen. If you do go that route, I wouldn't spend over $25 total for a pair of boutique caps. YMMV....

DeeJayBump

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1236 on: 23 Sep 2019, 05:30 pm »
What size screws/bolts should be used for mounting the PCB? And what kind + size board standoffs?

Thanks.

wushuliu

Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1237 on: 23 Sep 2019, 08:42 pm »
I think Folsom has a new amp out that's supposed to be better.

S Clark

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Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1238 on: 23 Sep 2019, 09:13 pm »
I took the sonicap platinums out of my LS9 speakers, and Folsom used them in another version of his amp.  Improvements, but modest.  Those caps are about detail, which is something that that amp does well to start with. 

undertowogt1

Re: Folsom's great little 7297 Chip Amp
« Reply #1239 on: 23 Sep 2019, 10:17 pm »
I took the sonicap platinums out of my LS9 speakers, and Folsom used them in another version of his amp.  Improvements, but modest.  Those caps are about detail, which is something that that amp does well to start with.
Thanks for the info. I think I have decided it is not worth any amount of money to change the caps in the amp for improvements. Just based on this forum.