DIY amp and such build gallery

[EdipisReks]

Originally Posted by thrice

This must be the month for fixed mistakes...I just got a balanced beta22 to look at (when I have time...someday). I should post pics...this one's a doosie. I'll give you a tease....the case has no bottom. Just wires taped to the sides and bottoms of the pcbs with electrical tape. It gets better from there.

wut.

[tkam]

Nice work as usual Nate. I think you should start outing who some of these builders are, it might help some people avoid them in the future.

[tkam]

Originally Posted by thrice

This must be the month for fixed mistakes...I just got a balanced beta22 to look at (when I have time...someday). I should post pics...this one's a doosie. I'll give you a tease....the case has no bottom. Just wires taped to the sides and bottoms of the pcbs with electrical tape. It gets better from there.

He got it for a bargain....he got what he paid for.

We absolutely need pics of that . I'm also thinking we need a new thread "Poorly built DIY Gear I've Fixed Gallery"

[n_maher]

Originally Posted by tyrion

With quotes of $0.00 you're never going to get that MOT designation you've always wanted.

That's the general idea, yes.

Originally Posted by thrice

This must be the month for fixed mistakes...I just got a balanced beta22 to look at (when I have time...someday). I should post pics...this one's a doosie. I'll give you a tease....the case has no bottom. Just wires taped to the sides and bottoms of the pcbs with electrical tape. It gets better from there.

He got it for a bargain....he got what he paid for.

Oh come on man, bust out the camera!!!

[dc]

Originally Posted by n_maher

For pay, no. I generally do stuff like this, repairs for the cost of parts, no labor charge. It's just for fun for me, if you want someone to do a good job and pay them for it you've got great options like MisterX and thrice.

so you'll build me an amp for the cost of parts!?

[deepak]

Originally Posted by dc

so you'll build me an amp for the cost of parts!?

I can do it. I can't promise it will work though

I will promise to use copious amounts of scotch tape and silver wire.

[EdipisReks]

would you build me a pair of X600.5s for cost, nate?

[dc]

Originally Posted by deepak

I can do it. I can't promise it will work though

I will promise to use copious amounts of scotch tape and silver wire.

that's ok, my dc mods already achieve similar build =) see here.... (I guess the pic isn't too out of place, Ori's board looks pretty DIY and I installed it myself so....)



psst... i promise it wasn't me who sent the b22 to thrice

[n_maher]

Originally Posted by dc

so you'll build me an amp for the cost of parts!?

A year ago, maybe, today probably not. There just isn't time these days and I've been ignoring my own stuff far too long to take on big projects for other folks and not make a dime on it.

Originally Posted by EdipisReks

would you build me a pair of X600.5s for cost, nate?

I'm pretty sure those are out of my comfort zone, I know my limits.

[n_maher]

Originally Posted by tkam

Nice work as usual Nate. I think you should start outing who some of these builders are, it might help some people avoid them in the future.

When I see stuff listed like that I try to privately contact anyone who expresses interest in the thread. It isn't really my place to tell someone what their eyes are clearly already seeing. I mean jebus, that thing was pure turd from day one. Thankfully the soldering was pretty decent and didn't require much in the way of repair.

[EdipisReks]

Originally Posted by n_maher

I'm pretty sure those are out of my comfort zone, I know my limits.

think of it as a learning experience! learning is priceless!

[dc]

Originally Posted by n_maher

A year ago, maybe, today probably not. There just isn't time these days and I've been ignoring my own stuff far too long to take on big projects for other folks and not make a dime on it.

thanks, i'll enlist the capable services of deepak instead

[deepak]

Originally Posted by EdipisReks

think of it as a learning experience! learning is priceless!

Is the schematic for the X series amps public domain? I was under the impression only the Aleph and FirstWatt stuff was.

[EdipisReks]

Originally Posted by deepak

Is the schematic for the X series amps public domain? I was under the impression only the Aleph and FirstWatt stuff was.

damned if i know.

[luvdunhill]

Originally Posted by deepak

Is the schematic for the X series amps public domain? I was under the impression only the Aleph and FirstWatt stuff was.

no, but there are a lot of UGS-ish / super-symmetric / etc. designs out there that are probably darn close.

[EdipisReks]

well there you go.

[Dusty Chalk]

Originally Posted by EdipisReks

wow, nate, you have cracked the secret to polishing a turd!

Yeah, really, he deserves some sort of turd-polishing award. if it didn't sound so bad.

Originally Posted by deepak

Those are some monster size heatsinks.

It'd be cool if they stuck up out of the case like tubes.

[Edwood]

Originally Posted by n_maher

So I'm always telling you guys about how I rebuild hack-job builds for folks but I never post pictures of the original. My most recent project warranted posting those pics. I honestly think that the original builder isn't all that bad a guy, he just got in way over his head with this build. Or at least I hope that's what happened. Anyway, here's the latest trainwreck M3.

Feature #1 - the case - kindly not the lovely steel Hammond chassis complete with tiny knobs and custom scratches all over the place. Amp thy name is fugly.

Feature #2 - locking neutrik jack - now I hate these things on general principle but this is a special case, JBWeld ftw. Next time you might try aligning the jack before making a permanent mistake.

Feature #3 - interior madness - where to start... from the starquad wiring that was hanging on in some spots by no more than 2 strands to the custom mounting hardware that included wood screws for standoffs , just a friggen mess. Also of note, the fact that neither alps pot sits flush or square on the pcb.

Other note-worthy features not able to be clearly seen - the front panel led literally fell out, even though it was super-glued in. The RCA jacks, you guessed, also super-glued in. The IEC jack, wait for it, super-glued in. Lots of super glue, not so super.

So what the hell do you do? Trash everything but the amp and PS pcb and start over with a new chassis and all the hardware. The result, what the amp should have looked like in the first place.

There's about 7 to 10 hrs of labor in that re-build but at least the owner can now listen and enjoy the amp without feeling like he got screwed. And what is worse is that this is only the second worst of the 4 M3's that I've repaired in the last 6 months.

The original build is TrevorNetwork approved.

[aerius]

Originally Posted by Edwood

The original build is TrevorNetwork approved.

His Dynahi's from back in the day were an example proof of everything which one could do wrong.

[luvdunhill]

Originally Posted by Dusty Chalk

It'd be cool if they stuck up out of the case like tubes.

that's what I did with my KGSS pics forthcoming after I get a few screws... maybe tomorrow!