Do It Yourself

In my current situation I don't really have a designated area for electronics work. While trying to find a wife-accepted permanent location I've had to make due with a few impromptu work areas, all of which have really inadequate lighting. Funds are tight, but I absolutely can't afford to ruin another component attempting to forge ahead despite poor lighting conditions. I'm looking for something <$40 shipped (or bought locally) that can work well as a light for electronics work. Anyone have any suggestions on what to go for?

Basically a two part question. I want to get some isolation feet for some of my gearses and speakerses. The speakers are easy, as I know they are M6. But... 1) How would I go about determining the thread size where I don't currently have a screw? In other words, the component has a threaded insertion point, but I don't know what size it takes. 2) For those components where I want to replace the current feet, what's the proper way to measure the screw so that I arrive at the proper thread size?

Hello Head-Case I am working on an amp using this transformer in a PP output from a 6h30 tube. I would like to know if anyone has had experience with wiring the secondaries in various series/parallel configurations as indicated on the datasheet for different stepdown ratios to drive different load impedances The schematics & articles I could find which use this transformer for headphone use (the Raven, and a few from Andrea Ciuffoli) dont make mention of using the secondaries this way, where other a few others with sowter & "unknown to me iron" do. I think its something worth exploring, but would like to know ahead of time if its a waste of time.

heh, but seriously. If you only have room for a single jack, and want to support balanced (4-channel bridged) and single ended cans, what do you do? Two options as I see it. Use 4-pin jack and tie ground to the shell and/or case or use a 5-pin jack and have a dedicated pin for ground. If the first case, I'm not sure if there are 4-pin female jacks where the where the "shell connection" can be isolated from the case. If this isn't possible, then is 5-pin the only real option? I cannot believe this hasn't come up before. Thoughts?

I have some gear that I've had a long time and have not fired them up in a long time. 2 Adcom GFA-555s 1 Pair Martin Logan Monoliths They are all around 20+ years old. The amps have spent some time in the garage in South FL. Should I just recap the cross-overs in the spkrs and the amps? I'm afraid to power them up. The woofers need the surrounds rebuilt anyhow. Just worried that firing them up would take out the boards if the caps were bad. I think I know the answer but thought I would ask anyhow.

I will be ordering some front a back panels for a gamma 2, if anyone wants a pair, let me know, I can order and if we get to 5 there's 10% from FPE. The panels are for no digital outputs on the front panel, neither to have a mini out on the front panel for the y1 output. I can also share the FPE files for double checking or if you wish to order them yourself(if you're in the US, it might be cheaper) Here's a picture: ps: mods, if there is any problem with this, please remove it and let me know

Not audio related but damn it's cool: Video: MakerBot's build-it-yourself 3D printer in action, replicator in the works -- Engadget CupCake CNC - MakerBot Industries If I had somewhere I could put it I'd be all over it. That is flat out frigging cool. Custom heaphone stands, knobs, wtf else. So cool

I started to think about upgrading my HT and my new plan is to have an AV processor plus power amp. After searching for a while, I figured that Hypex might be a good choice as a power amp. What would be a good option here? A) 5 X UcD400HG with HxR Softstart module Exodus MCH Power Supply Transformer 115/230V x40V 1KVA 5 X UcD400HG with HxR SMPS1200 Plus of course heatsinks, case and other accessories. My current speakers (Infinity Cascade Model Nine, Three C & Three V) don't need that much power, but you never know when upgradetis hits you and UcD180HG with HxR costs only a bit less. So, what do you think? Should I look for something else or …

I have finished two stage CSG-ACLF-001 AC power filter for audio. I can send one for free to person which has audio experience and can test and write review. This filter decigned for DAC or Headphone AMP or other audio product with total power 150W. Voltage Rating 110-230V AC Dimensions W/L/H 30/60/27mm Earth leakage curent 0.8A Temperature Rating -25C +85C

Twisted Pear Audio (Russ and I) are holding a raffle to raise money for Doctors Without Borders relief work in Haiti. I have set up a page on our site here: Relief Raffle for Haiti The Grand Prize for the raffle is a complete kits to build a Buffalo II-based digital preamp. This consists of a BuffaloII module, IVY-II I/V Stage, Placid power supply kits for both, an S/PDIF Mux kit, a Volumite Kit for the BuffaloII, and a pair of transformers. We are also giving away the following runner-up prizes: An Opus S/PDIF (or USB) Dual-Mono DAC Combination A COD S/PDIF (or USB) Dual-Mono DAC Combination A Ventus Headphone Amp Kit Each raffle ticket is $10. 100…

Does anyone have measured dimensions for the Cardas GRFA DBL RCA jacks? I am trying to do a PCB and case layout, and Cardas doesn't give quite enough information away to actually accomplish this. Even better, anyone have an Eagle part library for these? Drawings for an alternative part from another manufacturer (Vampire?) that is of decent quality would be fine, too.

I know I've seen it here before, but couldn't find it with a couple of searches. Someone told me to avoid the auto center punches at harbor freight and get one from ebay. I took a look on ebay, and see a number of $4.95 ones, plus some Starrett's that are going to go over $10 or $15. Any recommendations? Thanks, Chris

I have a pair of "Cheap" helping hands with magnifier. These things you have to have but are never quite right. I also have a Panavise that I use them in conjunction with. They end up breaking and the hinges and clamps for the clips are dodgy at best. Are there any "Good" or "excellent" ones out there? I have to have the magnifier. I can't pay $300 for a set, but I would be willing to invest more than the $5.95 you pay now to get junk.

Hi, I think I know the answer to this but I'll throw it out anyhow. I have some DMMs and would like to know about what you guys do with respect to calibrations. So I'll use 2 of my DMMs as an example. Fluke 87 and NEW VC99. I put them both in an electrical outlet at the same time and they both show the same V. The Fluke I bought around '96, the VC99 is about a month old. My plan is to measure some caps, resistors, etc and see how much they agree. So far the voltages measure the same. I'm not sure what it tells me if they disagree, but I thought I would just play around with a NEW meter and my Ol' Fluke. I may just send off the Fluke and get it calibra…

I need help putting together a simple TTL converter circuit to raise three DSD / SPDIF3 signals up to TTL level. I'm tapping the lines off a TI DSD1608. Here's what I have so far. Specifically, I was looking at a single TI SN74HCU04D for all three signals. Any recommendations on the cap here? I was thinking all surface mount here, but whatever the consensus is for the caps, I'm fine with. I'm thinking of adding a regulator as well nearby, like a National LP2985 5V regulator, or similar. Currently, these SPDIF3 lines won't leave the single box player, but perhaps down the line I'd route them to an external box via BNC cables. Either way, I'm assuming a single buffer…

Im interested in finding out as much about acoustic tubes and pipes as possible and so will be posting key and relevant information right here. I would appreciate any contributions around: -Who were the early manufacturers of piped sound translation apperatus, when did they first come out? -Models names and pictures? -Does anyone own a pair of headphones that make use of an acoustic tube, and are they any good?- whats your call on the worth of the tube?, will it go on... Cheers -Louis

Uh yeah, so I'm failing pretty hard at figuring out why the right channel doesn't make sound. I checked the DCR from each tab of the dynamic driver (which is hooked up to the electret, yes I did mod them so it's not run through the electret into the dynamic driver anymore) and it measures correctly, around 330 ohms. Measured from driver tab to tip/ring and it measures the same. The hell am I doing wrong here? I resoldered the tabs just to make sure, still to no avail, and it's always the right channel, and not the left.

Any you guys know what's in this box? [url=http://www.head-fi.org/forums/6245035-post760.html]Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio - View Single Post - REVIEW: Audiotailor

"There is no innovation in stereo amp design in a sense that there isn't any room for it, its based on an hi quality op amp chip that takes and input signal and outputs an amplified signal, the basic formula is still the same in every amp the difference is the ratio of resistors and caps and inductors used (value ratio which influences RC and LC constants in the cir), quality of components and the op amp chip" That is a quote from a local friend. We were discussing the Eico HF-81. He basically doesn't understand how an amp with bad measurements could sound good. Basically, what is truly important in the sound of an amp? I'm not into this side of the hobby but I'm s…

Hi all, I'm looking for advice on an upcoming soldering iron purchase, and I'm somewhat limited by my desire to buy from a Canadian store due to cross-border issues. I use the soldering iron a couple times a year, either for DIY cables or to repair a circuit board. Based on the recommendations I've read here, I'm deciding between (prices are CAD): Weller WLC100 - $60 Weller WES51 - $110 Hakko 936 - $115 For light work, is the WLC100 good enough? From what I can tell the WLC100 and WES51 use different tips, and the WLC100 has some rudimentary temperature control (I think) while the WES51 and Hakko have much better T-control. Reading specs on the net can onl…

I'm looking to get an inexpensive bench power supply, hopefully for less than $50. Can anybody recommend one. If not, please recommend the least expensive ps that will do the job. Thanks.

I was chatting to justin and cetoole last night, asking for a solution to produce low volumes of sound, max -40dB down into the -80`s and below. Comfortably loud for me with my rs-1`s is up to -52dBu with pro mastered (+4dBu) material, using my donuts (yh-100`s) comfortably loud rises up to -44 dBu. The suggestion that came up, apart from a vinyl source was to I know very little about what is required to drive electrostatics so will really need a builder to construct this for me. A pre-built stuffed Stax bias supply PCB is available from spritzer. I`d really like to try this with my SR-3`s. Anyone willing to construct this for me please let me know. I ha…

Sorry to pollute the forum -- does anyone have any Blackgate N 4.7u/50V or 10u/50V caps? I could use either 3 or 4 of the 4.7's (I have one) or 4 of the 10's. I am happy to pay the going rate, or I have lots of DIY stuff to trade (including some new WM8741 based DAC PCBs arriving in a couple of days). Thanks

I moved this from the build gallery thread cuz it was getting too far off topic. I am playing around with a Rotel 991 CD player and was going to replace the exisiting I/V stage with THS4031 and AD8599 buffers. My plan was to use Aries adapters and socket the opamps, with Pana FM 100uf caps as close to the V+/V- pins, and somewhere in the area of 1-3.3nf across V+/V-. I had removed the stock opamps, so I put a std. Mill Max socket in one of the I/V spots, and put the Pana FMs on the bottom, going from pins 7-3 (V+) and pins 4-3 (V-). The board has a top ground plane which would be a better spot to run these too than pin 3, but I felt I could get the caps closer to the …

I see that Panavises are highly recommended by a number of you. What base/head combination would you suggest as an initial purchase? The circuit board holder looks great, but there doesn't seem to be much expandability. I was thinking the model 350 (tray base, wide jaws) might be a better option because it can take a wire holder. Do the wide jaws work well for PCBs? Is the soldering station useful? Thanks for suggestions!