AKSA Gallery - See AC Gallery

stvnharr · « **Reply #160 on:** 5 Nov 2005, 07:24 pm »

Let me try again and see if this works.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=647

Zoran · « **Reply #161 on:** 26 Nov 2005, 08:46 pm »

Hi all!

My name is Zoran, and I am from Croatia. I am an audiophile with 15 years of DIY expirience, and with around 10 DIY amplifier projects finished. Two months ago I assembled an AKSA 55N, you can see pictures here:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=668

There were no problems during assembly and setup process. Sonic results are exceptional!!! This is overall best sounding amplifier that I have ever built, or heard.
Some of amplifiers that i built in the past are: Crescendo Millennium Edition (Elektor 4/2001), Pass Aleph3 (from service manuals at Pass Labs), Leach Amp, some chi(m)p amps (old TDA and newer LM series), and few more from various magazines that were available in Croatia in pre-internet times. I found AKSA to be more sonically satisfactory than any of those listed above. Sounds like it was made to please my ears rather than somebody's oscilloscope or spectrum analyzer.

Here are two pictures of my AKSA, you may notice that I added something on the primary side of transformers. That is a PCB that holds fuse, mains filter, solder pins for transformers and mains, relay for remote powering and totally unnecessary soft start circuit, set to around 0,5 sec delay.
Heatsinks are overkill for this amplifier, of course, this is what I had at hand and these are remains of times when I thought that only A-class amplifier could yield acceptable results.
This is an exceptional amplifier, very impresive! I don't really see (hear) any need for improvement, but a "plus" upgrade that I plan to order in future may prove me wrong.

Regards,
Zoran, Croatia

AKSA · « **Reply #162 on:** 26 Nov 2005, 10:47 pm »

Thanks Steven, works a treat!

Zoran, welcome to our forum, and thank you sincerely for pictures of your superbly built AKSA!

With your experience, and that of so many others here, we have an incredibly valuable discussion group about AKSAs which is very helpful to new builders and those considering their first purchase.

I appreciate your comments about the design. Just for a change, I decided to design an amp from a musical instrument standpoint rather than an engineering standpoint. It was more difficult, but it seemed to turn out!

Cheers,

Hugh

simbloke · « **Reply #163 on:** 1 May 2006, 02:37 pm »

Hi,

I've been AWOL for a long time. Moving house, getting married, buying house, new kitchen, decorating...

Finally I have a nice place to put my Aksa and a source to do it some kind of justice - a Squeezebox3.

I'm keeping things simple and using the built in volume control of the SB3 so I lowered the gain of the Aksa (following Hugh's instructions in another post).

The gallery is at:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=739

I consider the case (an APW model) to be OK but nothing like some of the beautifully finished work I have seen here.

Regards,
Simeon

Geoff-AU · « **Reply #164 on:** 3 May 2006, 12:26 pm »

not mad about the top cover but the rest of it looks nice and clean. looks like a very roomy box to be putting an AKSA in!!

simbloke · « **Reply #165 on:** 3 May 2006, 12:34 pm »

Quote from: Geoff-AU

not mad about the top cover but the rest of it looks nice and clean. looks like a very roomy box to be putting an AKSA in!!

Yes, the box is painted steel. It's Ok but looks a bit industrial. I hope to use these people http://www.schaeffer-ag.de/ for a really nice box one day.

AKSA · « **Reply #166 on:** 3 May 2006, 10:15 pm »

Hi Simeon,

Very nice job, full stereo mono layout!!

I nice touch I've found with steel is to bake an enamel coat over the top of the powder coating. This adds huge depth and lovely refinement to a steel top.....

Cheers,

Hugh

Greg Erskine · « **Reply #167 on:** 3 Jul 2006, 10:02 am »

Hi all,

Well I finally got around to uploading an image.

It doesn't look much, but its been going non-stop since May 2002.

My newer built amps may look a bit better, but none sound as good.

I cringe a bit looking at the wiring, but at the time I didn't know any better. I might rewire it when I upgrade to a Lifeforce.

For the historians out there, this is a standard AKSA 55 v1.6.

orenskl · « **Reply #168 on:** 6 Oct 2006, 01:26 pm »

Hello All,

My name is Oren Sokoler and I am from Israel, after 2 long years of effort it was finished ... my 5 channels AKSA 55. This is my first high-end DIY project and it sounds GREAT !!! Bass is very accurate and the sound stage is amazing - everything where it should be. This is a perfect match for my Marantz CD63 and newly purchased Triangles. It was mainly designed for HT but currently it is used only for stereo.

It includes 3 torodials ( Front, Back and Center) and a cool blue

led that drives me nuts on my long hours of listening ( I need to replace the resistor ... )

Wiring is not finished yet - so don't go crazy when you see the inner pictures

Pics are here : http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=846

Many Many thanks to Hugh for his support when I needed it ... this was a fun and a very enlightening experience.

Cheers

fishmalt · « **Reply #169 on:** 4 Nov 2006, 08:24 am »

Another AKSA 100N+ to add to the collection.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=864

Mike - Fishmalt
Anchorage, Alaska

Tabascosauce · « **Reply #170 on:** 4 Nov 2006, 09:53 am »

Fishmalt,

Very nice effort. That is one nice case. Where did it come from?

fishmalt · « **Reply #171 on:** 5 Nov 2006, 12:25 am »

Thanks for the feedback.

I designed the case and took the plans to a local metal shop to build for me. It's stainless steel. I hope to build a matching preamp kit sometime down the road. I took a similar approach with my speakers. I designed what I wanted and hired an artist/furniture maker to build the cabinents. I don't own the proper tools (or possess the skill) to build the case or speaker cabinents to the style and quality that I want so hiring someone to build my design is still alot of fun (just not DIY from start to finish).

Mike-(Fishmalt)

rookster · « **Reply #172 on:** 5 Nov 2006, 10:53 am »

Fishmalt,

That is a very impressive case. I am (very) slowly building cases for my Aksa 55N+s and GK-1 preamp. I am using standard cases, but adding special touches to make it look unique.

It is always impressive to see the variety of different designs that people come up with. Good luck with the pre-amp.

RonR · « **Reply #173 on:** 8 Nov 2006, 06:27 pm »

Hi,

Just made a quick update to my gallery to include some pics of the upgrade from 55N+ to LifeForce.

Gallery: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;album=422

Cheers,

Ron.

Grumpy_Git · « **Reply #174 on:** 9 Nov 2006, 10:17 am »

Ron

I'd completely forgotten how much I love your setup, where did the cases come from? when I go to lifeforce I want the same...

Nick.

AKSA · « **Reply #175 on:** 13 Nov 2006, 10:46 am »

Hi Ron,

I agree with Nick, this is superb work, beautiful quality. Congratulations.

How do you find the sound, would you like to comment on the LF upgrade compared to the AKSA?

Cheers,

Hugh

Martyn · « **Reply #176 on:** 9 Jan 2007, 07:12 am »

Hi, Folks.

I've added my recently completed 100 N+ to the AC Gallery (I think). If I did it correctly, you should be able to see four photographs here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;user=39648.

Cheers,

Martyn

simbloke · « **Reply #177 on:** 9 Jan 2007, 08:50 am »

Quote from: Martyn on 9 Jan 2007, 07:12 am

Hi, Folks.

I've added my recently completed 100 N+ to the AC Gallery (I think). If I did it correctly, you should be able to see four photographs here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=gallery;area=browse;user=39648.

Cheers,

Martyn

That's nice and neat. Did you make the case yourself? The phono connectors look unusual.

Sim

Martyn · « **Reply #178 on:** 9 Jan 2007, 08:41 pm »

The case is made from 2mm pre-anodised aluminum with a front panel from 10 x 100 aluminum bar stock. A machine shop made the front panel and a sheet metal shop bent up the four other pieces as blanks. I saved some money by cutting all the holes in the sheet metal myself. The phonos are Neutrik and have a very solid feel to them.

fajimr · « **Reply #179 on:** 9 Jan 2007, 08:57 pm »

beautiful job martyn- inside and out