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41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10351]

Mon, 26 December 2005 18:06

FredT
Messages: 704
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (1st Degree)

I asked my kids for one for my birthday in November, and when they gave me something else I ordered it myself. Much of early December was spent cursing the incomplete and ambiguous instructions, but with the help of others on the 41 hz forum I finally got it playing and ready to install in its case by Christmas eve.

Christmas morning waiting for me under the tree was another Amp 5 kit. The kids didn't know I already had one and got it for me for Christmas instead of my birthday. Like I didn't have enough grief building the first one! I also got a digital camera for Christmas, so I decided to document the building of the second kit. This will be ongoing, and you can find it at the link below. It will be too detailed for the casual reader, but hopefully useful for the novice kit builder who has ordered the kit and has the parts spread out on the table in front of him.

The amp 5 specs can be found at http://www.41hz.com/

Building the AMP 5

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Re: 41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10352 is a reply to message #10351]

Thu, 05 January 2006 15:16

GarMan
Messages: 960
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

Fred,

Do you have enough experience with a Gainclone (or similar chip amps) to provide a comparison between chip-based and T-amp?

I was very interested when someone pointed me to 41 Hz. But after adding up some numbers, found that its still cheaper for me to build Gainclones (which I'm very happy with).

thx,
gar.

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Re: 41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10353 is a reply to message #10352]

Fri, 06 January 2006 18:47

FredT
Messages: 704
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (1st Degree)

Sorry, I'm not familiar with gainclones. I wouldn't recommend the 41hz Audio Amp5 anyway. There are several mistakes in the manual, many ambiguous directions, some necessary parts are missing from all the kits, there are no illustrations to guide the builder, and repeated emails by several confused builders, including myself, have gotten no reply from the seller.

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Re: 41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10354 is a reply to message #10353]

Sun, 08 January 2006 20:09

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

I have the GC premium unit and the T-Amp used with several speakers. I spent some time with them if I can be of service.

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Re: 41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10355 is a reply to message #10354]

Mon, 09 January 2006 19:15

GarMan
Messages: 960
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

So what's the word, MB? Better, or just different? Should I stick with building GC's or give T-amps a try?

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Re: 41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10356 is a reply to message #10355]

Mon, 09 January 2006 20:15

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

Well IMHO; the GC is richer and more musical than the T-Amp which I find to be a little grainy on the highs and thin in the bass. But the T-Amp uses the cheap connectors and jacks. I do use the 1.8 amp wall-wart with the T-Amp so it has enough power. The GC uses a pretty good Hammond toriodal transformer and black-gate caps and Riken resistors so maybe that makes a difference. Back to back I like the GC and infact the GC is a really nice sounding amp. Of course the T-Amp is 30$ so for that money it is a good deal.
All-in-all I would spend the 100$ for the GC, it beats out my Carver TFM 35 on the Pi 4's. Much more open sounding. On acoustic bass it is nice and full and goes pretty deep without running out of steam. The GC definately has more balls and plays louder and cleaner at anything over conversation level. I see Brian's site offers the 4886 chip in a kit. That is I believe 65 watts a side and has a real clean output so that might be a good choice. I use the GC with a modded Bottlehead pre and thats a nice cheap combo with the Pi's.
Hope this is helpfull; I just want to stress that the GC as built is a real amp you can listen to for hours and not want to toss it out the window. I listen in the workroom to it for sometimes five six hours at a clip. Mine is the non-inverted circuit. There are some mods they use that supposedly improves on the sound so that is also an option.
One of these days.
I would really like to hear Nelson Pass's Class a amp in last months AudioeXpress. That looks nicely thought out and I like the class a sound.

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Re: 41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10357 is a reply to message #10356]

Tue, 10 January 2006 20:24

GarMan
Messages: 960
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

I've been using my GC as main amp for almost a year now and I have the exact same experience with my GC as you. In fact, my system's very close to yours. Grounded-grid tube pre-amp and GC powering a 2-way high-eff speaker (BR bottom, compression horn top).

I got caught up with all the excitment of T-amps and was looking forward to experimenting and building an inexpensive high-performer with this technology. Unfortunately, the costs seem to add up quickly. Considering there's no substantial improvement, I'll stick with GC's for now.

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Re: 41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10358 is a reply to message #10357]

Tue, 10 January 2006 20:45

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

Sounds good. One of us should try the upgrades and compare what we hear different. I don't think they cost anything; I think they go from non-inverting to inverting and add a resistor. I too like the amp as you can tell; if I had to live with it I could. I have all the parts and the circuit boards for the ESP DOZ pre-amp. I tried to use premium parts so naturally nothing fit on the board and it required a lot of creative wiring so is not up and running as of yet. But that is the pre I plan to run with the GC. Stupid that I bought all the passive parts before measuring the clearances on the board. It is a pretty popular SS pre-amp on the ESP site.

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Re: 41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10359 is a reply to message #10358]

Wed, 11 January 2006 07:36

GarMan
Messages: 960
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (2nd Degree)

I've always been temped to build an all-chip-based integrated amp by combining ESP's Audio Preamp MkII (project 88) with a GC in a single box. Always been impressed with the performance of the OPA2134. I'll just have to slot it behind the hundreds of things I need to do around the house first.

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Re: 41 hz Audio Amp 5 Kit [message #10360 is a reply to message #10359]

Wed, 11 January 2006 11:47

Manualblock
Messages: 4973
Registered: May 2009

Illuminati (13th Degree)

Priorities; the house can wait. Tell the wife you're busy with the stereo; than set up the tent in the backyard and wait until she lets you back in.
The ESP boards are kind of flimsy. They are very inexpensive so I can't complain but I would hardwire it next time. And use the generic brand parts so they actually fit.

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