Below is -=Germania=-'s handy work for your viewing pleasure. The unit is an opus dac with usb receiver and a 41hz amp 6 t-amp.

The big pictures are of the power supply to the amp that is now making a ticking sound. The front LED is no longer being powered. There is also a low hum from the unit, but I can't tell which board it is coming from. I have a multimeter and soldering iron, so if theres something uncomplicated to try, I am game. I built my power conditioner, so I'm not a total noob, but I never learned how to read circuits.

Biggie.

I'm still wondering what the hell possessed you to order something from her?

yeah seriously... what did you think you were gonna get?

Biggie,

you should really consider asking her for a full refund after seing those pics.

The wiring is piss poor, the layout isn't much better.

Really bad is that I can't see a fuse for the DAC power supply and there are a few airwired capacitors in that medical power supply which could mean trouble in the future...

Overall workmanship is terrible and you shouldn't be happy with that!

Umm..mind if I ask what you paid for this beautiful masterpiece?

I ordered it based on this thread, which I posted on here, and her good feedback:

http://www.head-case.org/forums/audio-gear-sale/4902-wtb-diy-dac-amp.html

If there were horror stories before me, they weren't documented on head-fi as far as I can tell.

Biggie.

Get a refund now, not later, now. If you choose any other route you're nuts. I can't believe that power supply is mounted on what looks like a plastic sheet. epic

And holy shit, are those McCallisteresque drill chatter marks I see too?!?!? Christ.

Its the sort of thing you could forgive for a total noob doing their first project...... but abso-freaking-lutely unacceptable for somebody selling it for profit

And holy shit, are those McCallisteresque drill chatter marks I see too?!?!? Christ.

Oh shit, I didn't see that. Awesome

Listen to the man ^^.

Just send it back and get a full refund. Ask her to deal with the insurance and tell her that she can pocket whatever she gets out of it (not happening seriously). Insist upon a refund.

Get a refund now, not later, now. If you choose any other route you're nuts. I can't believe that power supply is mounted on what looks like a plastic sheet. epic

damn!!!..hadn't noticed that Nate..wow.. that is fantastic FAIL!!

The USB connector is on the inside of the case too..

Thanks for the advice. I'll let the amp stay dead.

Biggie.

I'm digging how she got all the screws installed....oh wait never mind.

Also like the power supply hooked directly to the power LED. Sweet. And cool beans.

It does look like the IEC is the fused type so I think it's safe in that regards.

Biggie, you need to post those pictures in the thread over there. This isn't about public shaming, but about accountability. Based on a series of unbelievably lengthy pms, mostly unrelated to your issue, she has zero sense of it until it's hammered into her skull multiple times. She's is going to fight as long as she can to blame this on shipping, and unless she's more or less cornered into accepting responsibility, you won't get your refund.

I ordered it based on this thread, which I posted on here, and her good feedback:

http://www.head-case.org/forums/audio-gear-sale/4902-wtb-diy-dac-amp.html

If there were horror stories before me, they weren't documented on head-fi as far as I can tell.

Biggie.

Damn aardvark bag's post was a joke \

But she MEAN WELL

But she MEAN WELL

So did Hitler.

So did Hitler.

You confuse meaning well with being well mean

Or using Mean Well Products in his amplifiers.

Holy fuck, is that power supply screwed directly to the chassis with a piece of goddamn PACKING TAPE under it?!?!

Demand an immediate refund, no conditional, not 'if shit happens'. Post it publicly on Head-fi. That is inexcusable. Without knowing a forking thing, you could have done better yourself, just asking for guidance from folks on this thread.

And, no one, I mean no one can wander drill marks like Peter. And, no one can jerk a refund claim around for 9 months like Peter.

Don't let -=Stacy=- be like Peter.

Ok yeah, Biggie I would recommend that you not turn the amp on again until that PSU board is properly mounted on stand-offs. Actually, unless you can tell whether the power switch is on the live or neutral wire, probably best to leave it unplugged as well. That board is wired directly to 120V, and the chassis is not earth grounded, so if the wire that isn't switched happens to be the live one, the switch won't mean a damn thing if it the board shorts out against the chassis. I also see an exposed solder joint on the mains wiring between the two PSUs.

Biggie, that isnt a 41hz amp6, that is a prebuilt TA2020 amplifier that some guy on DIYaudio sells for 20 euros: diyAudio Forums - New ta2020 pcb'S - Page 1

Is it just me or is the wire that's going from the tranny to the board nicked? From the first pic it looks like it's nicked just up and to the right of the board. Other pics seem to suggest the same thing it's hard to tell with the focus.

Not nicked, rather it looks like a solder joint to repair the wire. With no heatshrink on it.

Exposed solder joint on a transformer wire? No chassis safety ground? That certainly sounds safe.

I can't see the pictures from work, but I'm somewhat afraid of seeing what the pictures look like.