DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part :p

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

Yeah, I noticed that though I actually think it might have been coming from the EL wire. I was testing that & had it on at the same time I recorded those clips. I don't hear the whine in any of the other mid-sweep clips, so it's probably the EL wire, but I will look into it. I don't think I had any Fx on but maybe the delay, I'm not really sure.

It might also be all the different bright caps. I don't know which one was in there when I recorded that clip, but I've since swapped it out. I'm using a 5k trimpot & a .1uf cap now, it sounds better than ever. In either case I can't hear any whining now and don't think the SMPS was the problem, but if you have any suggestions I'm open to them

Yeah, it's a little dark, but I'm not really into bright tones for the music I play ..so I'm cool with it the way it is. Extra treble would'nt hurt, but I don't know if I will actually need it. As for mic'ing ..it's at the edge of the dust cap with a $20 Chinese condenser mic ...so maybe not quite optimal lol. More for a rough idea..

I tried a bunch of pedals through it yeah..they all sounded good. My Biyang Metal End sounded brilliant, but I like that one as a pedal and it's got way too many options and stuff for me to ever consider trying to use it for an amp project especially one with space constraints.

On the other hand this preamp was just a PCB & I'd bought it for/always intended to use it for an amp project. Personally I do love the way it sounds too :bigthumb:


EDIT: OK, after checking the mic position with a torch it's actually about an inch lower from the edge of the dust cap. I'd just shoved it in front of the cab where I thought the centre of a driver would be..

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

Yeah, it was the EL wire. Hooked it up again and the whine was back. It's not really obvious until you turn the volume up. But I did find a way to minimise it. I'm running it off a seperate little sealed/epoxied 12V PS of it's own now straight from the mains input, not the auxilliary 12V supply on the main power supply board, so it is'nt being picked up and amplified now (though you can still hear it faintly with your ear pretty much just pressed right up against it...). Should'nt be a problem at all anymore.


My black fans & grilles came in so I switched them with the blue/chrome fans and grilles that were there before ..looks pretty good to me :bigthumb:

And from the back..

Can't wait to get it all done & just start rocking/gigging with it..every time I think I'm pretty much done with everything & I can start shifting things into the box ..turns out there's something else I need to wait for :grumble:

:lmao:

 

[DankStar]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

looks killer. I'd probably want a traditional handle on one side so's I could hold it with one hand if need be. Are the fans always on or something you turn on if you're playing for a long time and concerned about overheating?

So when you have to work on it, you just pop off the bottom and work on it upside down? (not judging just curious)

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

Thanks! Yeah..the handles are there more for aesthetics really. I thought it looked a bit too bare with just the grille and fans on top. They're solidly bolted in with large metal washers on the inside etc..so you could probably just hold it with one handle anyway. It does'nt weigh much either. (have'nt actually weighed it but my guess is 4-5kg's tops..probably less).

The fans, I think I'll just leave them so they're on all the time. My Randall T2 has a huge fan that works that way and I don't even notice it..

Regarding accessability for tinkering etc. I just need to undo the 4 clasp's that I'll be screwing onto the sides & lift the top off like a lid. The leads are all connected to the pots & other control panel switches etc with little molex type connectors..so those can be pulled out/disconnected. The rest is screwed onto a plexiglass board that fits into the enclosure. It should be very easy to work on..

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

Fitted the clasps..they work like a dream. Rock solid & super tight. I was a bit concerned about that ..but it turns out they're just fantastic for the purpose :bigthumb:

Now to screw the front panel in from the inside..then the chassis's all done...just have to sit back and wait for the high pass board/treble booster to come in..

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

I got the high pass board & hooked it up but found that I like the tone better without it.

Any large adjustments drastically alter the sweetness of the top end for the worse and make things feel pretty tacky. With marginal adjustments I can get it brighter without doing much damage but at that point the difference is pretty small & probably not worth it..

I'll mess around with it some more. Tiny knob adjustments produce the most useable changes/sounds, rather than the big turns...but all in all I think the direct tone is just nicer, so I'm mostly going to just stick with that :bigthumb:

 

[DankStar]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

What happens if you just use an EQ pedal for top end adjustments?

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

Same thing probably ..I mean if I really want to shave off bass/add treble, there are options.. like an EQ pedal, treble booster or even a Tubescreamer.

The truth is there's more top end available than I would dial in for rhythm work anyway & the higher strings are super glassy & bright for solo's. It's actually my ideal EQ curve.

In the end it's a high gain head for metal ..don't want it to chime, want it to roar (..& no struggling to dial out fizz is a plus) :laugh2:

 

[Demanic]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

Do you have any guitar with a Crunchlab in the bridge?

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[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

No, no Dimarzio's in any of my guitars at the moment. Why?

 

[Demanic]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

I just recently put one in my Jackson and love it through my tube/SS hybrid setup. I bet that it would crush in your amp. So I was just wondering.

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[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

I'll keep that in mind for when I'm looking around for a new pup (and a new guitar to put it in :lmao :bigthumb:

Actually all of the clips (apart from one with my AXL 1216 LP copy) were with my old Ibby S540 Sabre which has a set of A4 "SIN" pickups in it. They are really crunchy but have slightly rolled back/round highs as well..

My Lace Deathbuckers sound nuts through this amp as does the Custom 5 in my Charvel...

Oh yeah..did I mention EMG's?

METAAAAAAALLLL!!!

 

[Demanic]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

I can imagine Deathbuckers sounding good. Or Dimarzio D-Activators too.
Or a Dime set.

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[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

Bump..

Been a few complications/developments..

My amp board died. Probably something I did, cause it happened when I tried to replace the onboard fan with a bigger/quieter one. Unscrewed the old fan..popped the new one in it's place..switched everything on ..and that was that..dead. Can't for the life of me figure out what I did wrong, but it was working just fine before I attempted the fan switch.

So I did something else I wanted to try and I think the amp dying gave me opportunity. I bought another amp board. This one is from the guy who makes the "NxGen" Effects pedals in Thailand. Now, I've been a big fan of his "VISA" distortion pedal for years and bought one myself a few years ago..ie ..this pedal here..

And Brett Kingman has a more comprehensive video here..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG4LOgk0PwI



Anyway, point being it's a killer pedal..and when I came across this thing which NxGen is making (Class D amp board with onboard power supply.. 140W RMS @ 8 Ohms)..I really wanted to give it a go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwUSXv_1iQ0


Which I did.. :bigthumb:



Firstly it's loud as hell ..probably in the same ballpark as the other board..or least as loud as I'll ever need.

Secondly, it's not as bassy/dark (what I was hoping for) & sounds really nice with the direct preamp signal (bypassing the mid-boost) ..it's also tighter & not quite as mushy/crunchy (still has that feel..just a little less so) since the "sag" resistors had to go as I have no way to put them between my power supply & the amp now.

Thirdly, no onboard fan/fan noise..not that there was much, but this is even quieter. Also I'd assume better components & build quality 'cause the NxGen guy makes quality stuff. I have his "Warm Drive" pedal as well & that's fantastic too.. they are'nt overly cheap either ($80-100 for most of his pedals ..$ 75 for this board) so not quite Chinese prices.

and lastly..it's simpler to hook up (less wires) & takes up less space since the PS & amp are both on the same board.

I will post clips when I can.. I think it sounds awesome.





Meanwhile I do have a couple more of the $15 chinese boards coming in as replacements as well..so I'll have some choosing to do haha. The NXgen board has a more balanced sound, is just as tubey/overtone-ridden & maybe a tad smoother/less hairy, it's also insanely quiet, but the Chinese board has a bit more "character" & maybe a touch more volume..

They will both work & sound great. I just have to decide which to go with.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

Another bump:

...been slacking again. I need to cut out a plexiglass square next to mount the guts on but have'nt been able to push mysef to get going with that :laugh2: I think a large part of me doesn't really want me to finish this :lmao:

I did get the feet screwed in and the EL wire mounted in it's slot to light up the front panel ..looks nice :bigthumb:

Also a crappy little Loop pedal clip with the new Nxgen power amp (solo's with the mid boost engaged)..direct recording with my Mooer IR loader (Celestion Gold). I'm all out of Soundcloud space so had to cut it short for a change

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

I had a power supply module die on me last night. In the amp I refer to back around page 3. No idea why, one moment I had two channels and then suddenly one.

I've been running this setup for almost 18 months. I've tested it , the amp is ok. I've ordered a new PS module and a couple more amp modules [spares], I like them so much.:biglaugh: I've got the two amp modules running off one power supply currently and it's working well.

About swapping fans. You need to make sure there's no stray solder around the contact points on the board or down the side of the board where those topside contacts for the fan wires are. You can create shorts very easily.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

That's too bad...but good to hear you can power two of those babies with one PS :bigthumb:

..did it go out quietly or with a bang? I blew up one of my power supply board's a couple of weeks ago as well, but luckily I had a spare.

I don't think it's really done for though. Pretty sure mine just had the protection cap or thermistor or fuse or whatever go bang because I had my positive & negative wires accidently touch each other from the auxilliary (12V) socket. A few loose strands from the positive wire touched the neg wire and ..bang..something went out with a pop! Now it won't turn on..

My amp board died quietly on the other hand. I did'nt even get around to desoldering the fan leads. All I did was unscrew it off the top of the heatsink and then screw it back on (the new fan I had bought was twice as thick and I needed longer mounting screws for it, so I put the old one back) . Worked fine before unscrewing..totally dead after. Can't imagine what went wrong? I think maybe the downward pressure affected the chip that's under the heatsink in some way maybe loosened the thermal paste contact ..or bent the board too much? I tend to be heavy handed with screwdrivers and stuff.. that's really all I can think of...it was weird.

Anyway..I now have 3 spare amp boards

What's been holding me up is not being able to decide between the NxGen power amp & the Chinese one. I keep swapping them around all the time :lmao:

One good thing I did get working was the high pass/treble booster board I'd bought a while ago which has totally solved the excessive bass issue with both amps. Sounds great and is dead quiet now as well. I think I just installed it wrong when I tried it before.

 

[GoldenVulture]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

.did it go out quietly or with a bang?

Quietly, I suddenly realized there was a channel missing. I've tested it, it still outputs voltage but it's down at the outputs and the 12 v out doesn't seem to work at all which is weird because there was nothing connected to it. It won't run anything. No signs of damage. There's a mounted fuse on them , near the power [AC] connections. I checked it - all good.

 

[Securb]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

I listened to the clips the amp sounds killer

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: DIY amp build: Done with the headshell ..now comes the tough part

Thanks :beerchug:

Just wish I could get myself to finally finish it :lmao: