How many hours, whoa to go?

rick57 · « **on:** 2 May 2006, 08:48 am »

. . would it take an innocent newbie to make an Aksa:
select & buy the extra bits, assemble say a kit case, fit everything, check and test – 15/ 25/ 35/ 40? hours

Cheers

EchiDna · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 May 2006, 11:21 am »

I'd say less than 25 hours...

but then again, you could spend 25 hours building a case alone

or in my case (pun intended!) two+ years to complete my final box!

AKSA · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 May 2006, 11:31 am »

Rick,

Glen is about right; 25 hours all up.

However, since you live in Melbourne, you get to bring it to me if there are difficulties..... that could bring the time down a little........

Cheers,

Hugh

fajimr · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 May 2006, 02:13 pm »

hi rick

here's my take on this... I came into this a total DIY newbie, meaning that I had never picked up a soldering iron before taking on the AKSA 55 N+ (do a search on my name in this circle and you can follow all my inquiries)... I started with a couple of practice kits to get a feel for soldering (keep that tip clean!!! that's the most important thing I learned... and yes, someone told me that along the way but I had to learn it on my own) and then jumped into the amp...

you ask how long.... hmmm, it's hard to say in actual work time but I would say that 25-30 hours is a good number. For me, with all sorts of life things going on that time has taken me about 2 months

but that's o.k. as I've learned a ton in the process. Being a newbie I am very methodical in the process, double and triple checking everything.

and the best thing is that if you have a problem/question/issue there always seems to be someone around to jump in and help. for me that has been reassuring. now if I had lived as close to hugh as you do, he might have had to change his locks.

FWIW- my amp is assembled and waiting to be tested (again I am looking for time to do that)...

good luck on the journey..
ask more questions

gorgeousgeorge · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 May 2006, 03:17 am »

im the same as Jim, absolutely no experience in DIY electronics, and I had no problem. If your interested in great quality audio for small $$$ i say go for it!!
its a load of fun and immensely satisfying once complete.

Cheers George

rick57 · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 May 2006, 03:25 am »

Thanks guys, that's pretty damned reasonable

ginger · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 May 2006, 04:55 am »

Rick57,
I recognize the name from some other forums (on which I post as Gingertube as someone else had already registered as Ginger).

I have been a bit delinquent on this forum since completing my GK-1 and 55N+ and subsequent mods BUT have been posting heaps on those other "toob" forums while trying with mixed success to design and build a "Toob" amp to better the 55N+. A large part of this delinquency is the fact that The GK1 and the 55N+ have long since been finessed to the Nth degree (at least I haven't been able to come up with additional worthwhile tweeks) and can be considered a mature product.

You can guage the success of my tube amp endeavours by the fact that the 55N+ is STILL my reference amp against which I judge the performance of these new amps - the simplest of which costs at least 2X a 55N+ and the more sophisticated of which cost about 10X a 55N+.

The 55N+ is the most tube like SS Amp I've ever heard and for DIY newbies it has some real advantages:
1) Sound which is better than 95% of tube amps (whilst offering tube character)
2) Voltages of <50V compared to tube amps with voltages of >250V (Save charcoaling more Audio DIY'ers that way). I can happily say to even complete newbies "have a go" at a 55N+, where I hesitate to suggest to some, that they dive in to the latest tube design, with my fingers crossed in the hope that they survive the experience.
3) A comprehensive "How to" manual.

Knowing that you are a bit of a "Toob" Nutter (no offense intended, being a toob nutter myself) I can happily and confidently RECOMMEND to you the AKSA 55N+.
I can also tell you that no matter which power amp I'm using at any time (AKSA 55N+, EL84 "Baby Huey" Ultralinear Push Pull, PPP EL34 Triode Mode, 845 SET etc.) they are all driven from my GK-1 which has a tube buffer output stage which includes some clever, but simple (and therefore elegant) tricks.

Cheers,
Ian

Geoff-AU · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 May 2006, 08:19 am »

Quote from: ginger

2) Voltages of <50V compared to tube amps with voltages of >250V (Save charcoaling more Audio DIY'ers that way).

There's still 240V mains wiring, but the typical SS amp has clear high and low voltage sections. It's not safe from idiots but less prone to costly mistakes than a tube setup.

AKSA · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 May 2006, 12:23 pm »

AND, Rick,

Since you live in Melbourne, if you buy/build, you get to bring it to me to throw the Frankenstein switch!!

Cheers,

Hugh

EchiDna · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 May 2006, 12:27 pm »

geez Hugh... despite my own misgivings at the time, there is no way I would let some one else do the initial power on test!

AKSA · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 May 2006, 12:45 pm »

Ah, yes,

But quite a few don't agree, Glen, and remember, I gotta VARIAC!!

Chars,

Hugh

EchiDna · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 May 2006, 02:30 pm »

Call it blind optimism, but after building it - I'd want to be the bloke who fried it... but then again, with your quality instructions Hugh... letting the smoke escape was not a possibility!

(don't let it go to your head now!)

AKSA · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 May 2006, 10:42 pm »

Glen,

No chance of that - my head is now so crammed full of circuits I'm getting headaches....... quite a few of them I can't work out, have to sleep on them, hope I understand in the mornings!

Cheers,

Hugh