Help out a Dummy, maybe?!

[rageisthan]

Background: I have no experience with engineering as I come from a commerce background but am super eager to learn!

Main story:
I am super interested in understanding how each component of the audio chain works, than includes getting the basics about electricity and electrical components cleared out. And the best tuition fee one can pay is by undertaking DIY projects and getting one's hands dirty. I know this is a very expensive route to take, in terms of time, mental peace and money, but I feel it would be worth it. So, could someone please suggest me some beginner friendly projects to start out with that would help me better grasp the concepts? The end goal would be to complete a SS AMP, TUBE AMP and a PreAmp.


Thanks for taking out the time to read! Any help on my journey would be super helpful.

PS: I know the risks involved with electricity and would be super careful at all times.
PPS: I have been reading a lot on the DIYAudio community but getting those project kits to India (After customs) seems to be burning a hole, I mean, I could build 2 Amp Camp Amps in USA for the price of one in India

 

[IndianEars]

Could start with some pre assembled PCBs from Amazon India for less than Rs 1000 to Rs200.

Get 2 speaker drivers for a few hundred, wire, + Solder iron Rs 200 + Multimeter Rs 150 + solder wire n use yr phone as a music player.

Will get u going

 

[rageisthan]

Could start with some pre assembled PCBs from Amazon India for less than Rs 1000 to Rs200.

Get 2 speaker drivers for a few hundred, wire, + Solder iron Rs 200 + Multimeter Rs 150 + solder wire n use yr phone as a music player.

Will get u going

Did this! Was on my project to restore an old set of speakers,but got entangled in the type of capacitors and also stuck in how do I make an Inductor, as in, the coil length inductance etc etc.

 

[Nikhil]

Did this! Was on my project to restore an old set of speakers,but got entangled in the type of capacitors and also stuck in how do I make an Inductor, as in, the coil length inductance etc etc.

Share your build on here and I am sure you will get the info you need.
Its much easier when you are more specific.


.

 

[rageisthan]

Share your build on here and I am sure you will get the info you need.
Its much easier when you are more specific.


.

I was trying to repair the Akai Bush Sw-A1. I do not have any photos on me as of now because I thought I needed better understanding of electronics before I get my hands dirty, so I tucked away the cabinet. The original cabinet is all that I have, as of now. I am leaving a youtube link for a video of the same speaker (here). I am not in a hurry to get back on this specific project but need to take on bite sized projects that would give me an understanding electronics as a whole and then would take on that project. I do not want to go into the project with half baked knowledge.

Sorry for the late reply, I was traveling.

 

[amrutmhatre90]

Hi @rageisthan

I have recently built ACA Monoblocks, most of the parts are sourced in India apart from the PCBs. Here is the thread, Link.

You can get hold of the PCB board and collect parts in India or get the whole built board from eBay UK. They do deliver but it takes time.
ACA amps are easy to build and sound good.

But do try other amps which can be built easily in India too.

Cheers.

 

[rageisthan]

Hi @rageisthan

I have recently built ACA Monoblocks, most of the parts are sourced in India apart from the PCBs. Here is the thread, Link.

You can get hold of the PCB board and collect parts in India or get the whole built board from eBay UK. They do deliver but it takes time.
ACA amps are easy to build and sound good.

But do try other amps which can be built easily in India too.

Cheers.

Any electronics project that help me understand what Voltages, Amperes, Resistance, etc are? I am curious as to how frequencies are amplified in a Transistor and questions similar to this. So once I get a grasp over basic components, I shall try building an amp.

 

[amrutmhatre90]

Any electronics project that help me understand what Voltages, Amperes, Resistance, etc are? I am curious as to how frequencies are amplified in a Transistor and questions similar to this. So once I get a grasp over basic components, I shall try building an amp.

Check out the ACA build guide some of these are covered, you can also check out other builds on DIY audio website to learn.

 

[surfatwork]

Any electronics project that help me understand what Voltages, Amperes, Resistance, etc are? I am curious as to how frequencies are amplified in a Transistor and questions similar to this. So once I get a grasp over basic components, I shall try building an amp.

There are a lot of YouTube tutorials which cover these basics. Make sure you find one which helps you do some hands on experimentation. A multimeter, a breadboard and some basic components (resistors, caps, leds, diodes, transistors) will cost peanuts and should be more than enough to keep you tinkering for some time.
I am happy that you want to understand what's going on, rather than just plugging together a few boards and believing you've made an amp.
And post your doubts here - I am sure you'll get answers for the most part.

 

[rageisthan]

There are a lot of YouTube tutorials which cover these basics. Make sure you find one which helps you do some hands on experimentation. A multimeter, a breadboard and some basic components (resistors, caps, leds, diodes, transistors) will cost peanuts and should be more than enough to keep you tinkering for some time.
I am happy that you want to understand what's going on, rather than just plugging together a few boards and believing you've made an amp.
And post your doubts here - I am sure you'll get answers for the most part.

Thank you! I will surely keep you guys posted about the things I try out!

 

[talespin]

"I am super interested in understanding how each component of the audio chain works, than includes getting the basics about electricity and electrical components cleared out."

How deep you want to go?
Very Deep - Buy books used in ( Electronics Engineering )
Just high level - Watch You tube videos that teach and show practical.

Start with basic circuits, don't jump into audio straight away.

There is an application which can tell you gauge, No of turns for inductor winding (CoilMaestro).

 

[rageisthan]

Update:

1. So I took a heads first dive into the sea without gauging the depth. For my first DIY project I have completed the Nelson Pass B1 preamp with Korg nutube (The link for the kit is here ). I have attached a photo of the crude build which I plan on putting into a neat chassis with upgraded caps. I have come to find that the preamp has definitely improved the detail and sound stage. I am yet to understand what distortion figures mean , and toy around with the preamp to tune it to my liking.
2. I have found out two books which are super easy for a beginners in electrical and electronics field.
   1. Basic Electricity (Dover Books on Electrical Engineering)
   2. Basic Electronics (Dover Books on Electrical Engineering)

PS: Any help on process to upgrade caps would be really helpful.
PS: Can we place the kit within a full wooden chassis? Since I have rarely seen any audio electronic equipment enclosed in a wooden box, what are the pitfalls to it?

​

 

[amrutmhatre90]

congratulations @rageisthan this is a very good pre amp.
Did you buy it from US? what was the landed cost?

 

[rageisthan]

congratulations @rageisthan this is a very good pre amp.
Did you buy it from US? what was the landed cost?

I paid around 37K(All Inclusive) for two kits without the chassis as the chassis was out of stock.

 

[FlaCharlie]

PS: Can we place the kit within a full wooden chassis? Since I have rarely seen any audio electronic equipment enclosed in a wooden box, what are the pitfalls to it?

I'm a tube guy and I know nothing at all about SS, but all the DIY projects I've built from scratch have used a chassis that is either all wood or a metal top plate with wooden sides and I never use a bottom cover.

See my thread below for an example:

Glo-Tone Boogie Factor 1626 Tube Preamp

I mentioned this preamp in the thread about Class D amps and a couple of people seemed interested so this thread will offer some details. What I'll do here is to present an updated version of a thread I posted elsewhere in 2020, when I built this. Some background: I first got interested in...

www.hifivision.com

The only advantage that a fully enclosed metal chassis offers (that I'm aware of) is that it helps to shield the circuit from RFI (radio frequency interference). I've never had an issue with that but in some locations it's possible that you would. But if you're not having an issue with it attached to a board (breadboarded) then a wooden chassis should work fine.

I've also built some DIY projects that are modifications of an existing amplifier and in those cases I just use the existing metal chassis. But these are all vintage tube amps that use point to point construction. If you're interested in SS then that's probably not an option since circuit board construction typically eliminates your ability to modify the circuit. Everything I do uses point to point wiring which is simple modify.

Point to point construction also makes it much easier to follow the wiring and compare it to a schematic. Everyone learns differently but the ability to look at a schematic, follow the wiring and identify the parts helped me to understand what's going on when I got started. The traces on a circuit board are often difficult to impossible to follow.

Some people will benefit from reading technical literature and others might get more from a hands-on approach. I'm mostly doing DIY these days but when I started messing around with electronics about 20 years ago I was collecting and restoring vintage tube amps.

Some of them, the amps that were used in "console stereos" here in the US, are very simple and you don't really need to know anything about theory and technical details in order to replace old parts with new ones. That was my approach and I gradually picked up some of the technical knowledge along the way, mostly from reading and asking questions on various audio forums.

I don't know if there are any old tube stereo consoles or record players in India but if there are and if you have an interest in tubes that's a good place to start. I have SS and Class D amps too but I much prefer the sound of tubes. YMMV, of course, but if you've never heard tube gear I highly recommend the experience.

 

[reubensm]

The way I started was to build small projects on solderless breadboards and then quickly moved to projects with soldering. Back in those times, the only sources for circuits were either books borrowed from the British Council library or circuits published in the Electronics For You (EFY) magazines. My first project was a little 2-transistor beeper for practicing morse code. This was around 1979-80 when I was in Grade-3, built my first little amplifier the following year using germanium transistors. For starters who wish to develop good knowledge of electronic circuits, building on bread boards is the best option. Another important memory is that while the circuits from British Council library books used to always work on first attempt, I noticed that the EFY circuits often did not work straight away. One had to trouble-shoot and, in some cases, one had to even redesign the original circuit (with some help from Dad). This is how I learnt trouble-shooting and repairing at a very young age.

 

[rageisthan]

but if you've never heard tube gear I highly recommend the experience.

I haven't had the fortune of listening to High End tube gear as of now, but it was recently brought to my attention why they are a league apart and how they are actually superior to SS. Tubes are the path that I would follow once I have enough monetary resources but until then I will dive into making my current system better.

The way I started was to build small projects on solderless breadboards and then quickly moved to projects with soldering. Back in those times, the only sources for circuits were either books borrowed from the British Council library or circuits published in the Electronics For You (EFY) magazines. My first project was a little 2-transistor beeper for practicing morse code. This was around 1979-80 when I was in Grade-3, built my first little amplifier the following year using germanium transistors. For starters who wish to develop good knowledge of electronic circuits, building on bread boards is the best option. Another important memory is that while the circuits from British Council library books used to always work on first attempt, I noticed that the EFY circuits often did not work straight away. One had to trouble-shoot and, in some cases, one had to even redesign the original circuit (with some help from Dad). This is how I learnt trouble-shooting and repairing at a very young age.

Elektor magazines from the 1990s has been suggested to me for getting me off the ground. I was able to find them at archives.org. I will definitely look into EFY as well!

 

[rageisthan]

Update 2:

1. I read up about capacitors and how they impact the sound on the thread here. The FM Hari Iyer had talked about how Tibcon capacitors were doing good in his experience. It had me itching to try it out and I replaced the Nichicon 10uf signal capacitors with the Tibcon 10 MFD capacitors and I could "EXPERIENCE" (subjective) the difference right away. I had gained on the sound stage, the bass was crispy but the mids were subdued. But I was loving it until the following problems arose.
   1. There are major distortions due to grounds problem and I am not able to pinpoint where the problem lies. I tried removing the PCB from the standoff to isolate the circuit but didn't work. I resoldered the board also cleaned the board with a contact cleaner. There is a constant static in the speakers which gets louder as I increase the volume on the preamp. Even if I touch the potentiometer then the static increases. I know the problem lies with the preamp because if I connect the dac into the preamp there exists negligent distortion that I hear if I place my ear close to the tweeter. I have read up about ground loops and tried the methods suggested online.
   2. One of the channels keeps emitting a high pitch sound that increases in volume over time and then I have to switch off the preamp and start it back again. (I think this is a problem with the caps and I do not know how to trouble shoot this).

Any suggestions or guides would be extremely helpful.
Thank you for reading.

 

[FlaCharlie]

I haven't had the fortune of listening to High End tube gear as of now, but it was recently brought to my attention why they are a league apart and how they are actually superior to SS. Tubes are the path that I would follow once I have enough monetary resources but until then I will dive into making my current system better.

If you're interested in tube amps don't limit yourself by considering only "High End" tube gear. Even modest tube amps will give you the tube experience and, to my ears, sound better than SS or Class D amps. IMO, of course, and YMMV. Some people prefer SS and Class D.

In my earlier post I wondered if there might be something like vintage tube stereo consoles or portable record players floating around in India. If so, that is a very inexpensive way to get into tubes. Ask around, maybe you can find something suitable. Their circuits are very simple and they use common tubes so restoration is easy.