Dear SET forum,

Since I last wrote I have been searching around the internet for a good SE amp design. It is a very complex job. It is easy enough to find a circuit but how do you get going with gathering the right parts.

For example a huge range of Darling amps can be seen at

http://www.diyparadise.com/Darling.html

All the builders seem so experienced; they all skip the building basics and just again generally show a circuit and the final product. But how will I get to learn about selecting and buying power supply parts, tag boards (I am used to a PCB) and building a chassis

Can anyone direct me to a site that provides a step by step guide to building and parts selection?

I am very interested but a bit bewildered by it all

Howard

PS The old amp above (VERDIK) was picked up near a bin 20 years ago, was left in a workshop and brought back to life last year. It now has a partner which I found in NZ (SPOOKY EH?)

• my audio stuff

I find little bits and pieces here and there. Some of the best information about components is available from parts manufacturers themselves. There are lots of documents scattered here and there that show the manufacturing process of specific components and why they chose that type. As for amp circuits, it's kind of the same thing. You'll find one source that is very informative about one or two topologies, because that's what they've focused on. But they won't have much to say about any of the others. You just have to root around.

• http://pmillett.addr.com/elinear.htm

Thats exactly the sort of thing

Thanks

Howard

I would recommend 3 books to you. All available on the net.

1) book by Morgan Jones (forget title)
2) Tube amp cook book by Allen Wright (Vacuum state.com)
3) Audio Reality by Bruce Rosenblitz (Transedent OTL fame)

All 3 of the above are highly respected, have different points of veiw, discuss why they choose the parts they did.

Have fun

Joe

I agree there is a lot of info here. I would like to buy most of the parts locally (Australia) if I can. Sorting that out may take a bit of time.My main concern, not surprisingly is the power supply end. Downunder we are running on 240V

I have never heard a KT88 as far as I know. How would it compare with the KT66 with which I am fairly familiar?

I think I will be going with this KT88 design because I think I would prefer 1-2 W extra power.

Thanks for all your help. It would be good if it could build itself!

Howard
(Queensland)

What I'm trying to say is, if you're starting out, don't worry too much on the quality of parts. Breadboard the design on a piece of wood with the cheapest parts you can find and focus on getting the build correct (ie getting it to work with no hum). Make sure you like what you hear, THEN start swapping out parts with better quality components to fine tune it. If it sounds good with the cheap parts, quality components can make it even better. However, if the design sounds bad with the cheap parts, even the most expensive components can't help.

Gar.

Dear GarMan,

Thanks for your good advice. I did spend a lot of time listening to resistors in the early nineties. At the time comparing Roderstein, Holco (whole copper) Welwyn and the expensive and very clinical (and I mean that in a good way!)Vishay.

The passive controllers use them in key points. See picture above this shows some Vishay types

I used to buy them from Sonic Frontiers in Canada

Which in your opinion offer the best balance between sound quality and cost?

Thanks

Howard