My first kit amp project. Advice quite welcome.

[tonequester]

tonequester here.

As I stated in the title, I've never built a kit amp before unless you count the battery powered poractice amp by Craig Anderton as outlined in Electronics Projects For Musicians about 27 years ago. I've built some simple Radio Shack type kits, repaired a tube amp, and my own stereo(blown power transistor), and done quite a few mods to guitars, amps and effects pedals. I also worked for a time as an electronics assembler. I have good assembly and solder skills, but am just now trying to actually teach myself electronics. I have to have some hands on work to keep it interesting. Reading books won't suffice. The kit that I have been considering would fit this
bill, plus meet a need(hopefully) in my guitar playing and attempts at musicianship. The kit is sold by electronickits.com (Carl's Electronics). has anybody out there had any experience with this company ? The kit is about $20.00 not counting shipping. It is a 20Watt power amp, based on the monolithic I.C. TDA 2003 in bridged configuration.
It appears that i will need to supply a power transformer, which I have located at Jameco Electronics. Cost, less than $20.00. I intend, with the proper Z and signal V matching to
run a 1Watt tube amp(as pre-amp) through the kit amp. I realize that the matching of the two amps is tricky, but I'm getting some help with this that I trust. If anybody has a better idea for my first build, knowing what I intend to do with(TO) it I'm all ears. Any advice on kit building as well will be greatly appreciated.

tonequester.

[big_teee]

tonequester here.

As I stated in the title, I've never built a kit amp before unless you count the battery powered poractice amp by Craig Anderton as outlined in Electronics Projects For Musicians about 27 years ago. I've built some simple Radio Shack type kits, repaired a tube amp, and my own stereo(blown power transistor), and done quite a few mods to guitars, amps and effects pedals. I also worked for a time as an electronics assembler. I have good assembly and solder skills, but am just now trying to actually teach myself electronics. I have to have some hands on work to keep it interesting. Reading books won't suffice. The kit that I have been considering would fit this
bill, plus meet a need(hopefully) in my guitar playing and attempts at musicianship. The kit is sold by electronickits.com (Carl's Electronics). has anybody out there had any experience with this company ? The kit is about $20.00 not counting shipping. It is a 20Watt power amp, based on the monolithic I.C. TDA 2003 in bridged configuration.
It appears that i will need to supply a power transformer, which I have located at Jameco Electronics. Cost, less than $20.00. I intend, with the proper Z and signal V matching to
run a 1Watt tube amp(as pre-amp) through the kit amp. I realize that the matching of the two amps is tricky, but I'm getting some help with this that I trust. If anybody has a better idea for my first build, knowing what I intend to do with(TO) it I'm all ears. Any advice on kit building as well will be greatly appreciated.

tonequester.

If you can afford it, I would start with something like a Tweed Champ.
You will really have something worthwhile when you get Her Built!
Tweed Champ Style Amplifier Kit - Mojotone.com
Terry

[JoeM]

If you can afford it, I would start with something like a Tweed Champ.
You will really have something worthwhile when you get Her Built!
Tweed Champ Style Amplifier Kit - Mojotone.com
Terry

+1

[Sowhat]

I took a look at that kit and it don't appear to be a kit, it comes already pre-assembled if I am indeed looking at the right amp. Guess you can't go wrong with it for $20.00 but it looks like it's really intended for automotive applications being able to run on 12VDC. I agree with big_teee Champ kits are the berries!!! I love those things, simple and you can slap one together in a few hours... A Champ kit will have you jamming by nightfall. No messing with matching high impedance tube preamps with low impedance solid state amplifiers and then there's that power supply to contend with... what a pain in the you know what.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Tweed Champ Style Amplifier Kit - Mojotone.com
That is a complete parts kit... you assemble it.

[tonequester]

My mistake and thanks !

Tweed Champ Style Amplifier Kit - Mojotone.com
That is a complete parts kit... you assemble it.

tonequester here.

I'm awful "slow" at many things, so please excuse me for "doubling -yp" on this reply. Sowhat. Pleased to make your 'aquaintance", and thank you for pointing out that the "kit" I had mentioned is pre-assembled. I'm pretty good at missing the obvious. A pre-assembled amp would have been o.k. for the experimental application that I
had in mind, but would not have done squat for the learning experience that I had in mind. My only reason for attempting the bizarre is simply that I have a 1W. practice amp that produces a very nice tone(and quite variable) on the clean channel, fully cranked. I don't care much for the "Dirty" channel, and in truth have never found thoes channels that "claim" fullky cranked tone at "bedroom" volumes. To my ears, they sound just a little too fuzz box. I thought to use the best possible means of attenuating the fully cranked tone of the Blackstar HT-1R , and to "re-amplify it with as close to "colorless" a power amp as I could afford. the building of which would also give me just that much more assembly practice. I appreciate your input Sowhat, and I'm re-thinking the whole thing.
Bruce/Mission Amps, I appreciate your response as well. I have looked at a few sites whiuch featured kits/clones for the Champ.
Somehow I managed to miss yours. I also see Mojotone in the "address" that i'm looking at right now. This site has been well recommended to me on several un-related items that I have posted about. I seem to need to re-think this whole thing. The only thing that might concern me with a Champ, would be output power. The "not a kit" amp is rated
20W. musical output@4 Ohms, and 16W. RMS@4 ohms. In additioin to wanting to get a good tone at less ear shattering volume, I had hoped to have the capability of using
it at higher volume than W. as well. I may be asking the impossible here. I do know that a lot of smarter folks than I have worked on this issue. I once again thank you both and all others who have "tuned in" to this highly opinionated topic. I am pleased to make your "aquaintance on the forum, and will check out your recommendations.
tonequester.

[tonequester]

tonequester here.

Pleased to make your "aquaintance" via this forum. Thank you for pointing what should have been obvious to me. I re-visited electronickits.co to find that you were perfectly correct about the amp being pre-assembled. That would have been one hell of a surprise on delivery ! I tried to "double up" on your post with one from Bruce/Mission amps
but I found that that doesn't work out as I had intended. I wanted to make sure that I replied to your post so I did it the right way. I also appreciate your "thumbs up" on the Champ.
It is a great amp, no songle doubt about it ! My only concern is that it not only would need to be"cranked up" to get the tone that I know is possible from it, but that it would not have the output for playing the small vanues that I play. I know that smarter people than I have worked on the issue for years. "Cranked tone at bedroom volume, but with enough power to gig with." I don';t care much for miking up. Laziness and too many bad sounding P.A.'s. I'm retired, so i have nothing to do but come up with crack pot ideas, and then try to make them work.
I must say that what I know about electronics, has been mostly due to such enterprises. I was an electronics assembler when very young so the actual hands on, is no problem. Theory, that's a different tale. however, this forum is a great learning experience as well. It also, as in the case of your catching a glaring mistake on my part, is a money and time saver.
I like plenty of opinions. I don't mind sorting them out. I like sharing my passion for music and it's related equipment. I'm in the right place. Thanks my friend for the most excellent post.
tonequester. P.S. : Hope that I can help you out some day.

[loudthud]

Those Champ kits are around $500. Maybe a little beyond your budget. If you still want to try the solidstate route, it won't require that level of investment. There are kits out there, keep looking. Velleman sells a couple with PCBs and all the parts, just add a transformer. You still have to provide a speaker and enclosure.

On the DIYAudio forum you can find people selling PCBs and sometimes part kits. In the vendors section of DIYAudio, TubeLab sells PCBs for tube power amps suited for audio and guitar amps. There are other vendors, keep looking. The easiest thing will be a PCB with a power amp IC.

There is a descrete power amp called the JLH that was designed in 1969. It's a little advanced because it's a class A amp that will require a BIG heat sink, but the basic circuit only has four transistors. You can find PCBs and maybe even parts kits on DIYAudio and Ebay. The JLH sounds great, but is limited to around 15W, maybe 25W with a big heatsink and a fan.

[loudthud]

Ran across this site. Several low to medium power amp projects. Some with PCBs available.

RED Free Circuit Designs - Audio

http://www.redcircuits.com/Music.htm

[tonequester]

s.s. amp project. Do or Don't

Ran across this site. Several low to medium power amp projects. Some with PCBs available.

RED Free Circuit Designs - Audio

tonequester here.

loudthud. Greetings ! I hve decided that I'm going to build a s.s. kit aftera. I agree with your advice. I know that there are many to choose from in my price range. I might as well get the experience. The prices of such kits are reasonable. I'm not out that much, while it will take me some time to save up for a proper tube amp kit. Thanks very much for the advice. Who knows, I could get lucky and end up with a functional "gain". Have a "great one". tonequester.


Quote :" A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week." George Patton.

[tonequester]

Greetings loudthud !

Ran across this site. Several low to medium power amp projects. Some with PCBs available.

RED Free Circuit Designs - Audio

RED Free Circuit Designs - Music related Circuits

tonequester here.

Thanks a bunch for the Redcircuit lead. I'll check it out. Hopefully, they'll have something that will be a good first build. I appreciate the time spent.
in tracking down the things that you and "the gang" have, to help me out. Have a great one ! tonequester oit.


Quote : " Do it again on the next verse, and people think that you mean it". Chet Atkins.

[tonequester]

tonequester here.

Hey My Man ! I got a message that you had a reply/post for me but I hit the wrong button and "POOF", it was gone. I haven't been able to find it on the forum. I've posted
too many times and too many places I guess. If you get this, I'm looking forward to "hearing" from you. Sorry about the SNAFU. tonequester, of the hair trigger.

[J M Fahey]

Hate to say this but many "Red Circuits" are not exactly reliable, it's a sort of "mixed bag" site.
I'd suggest that before building anything from there you link it here first so we can check it.
This said with the best of intentions.
Velleman kits are generally very good and well documented, not only schematics but layouts, parts codes explained, etc.
They even have "how to solder" instructions.

[tonequester]

tonequester here.


Thanks for the reply JM. I've wondered about the Velleman kits as I've come across them quite a few times. I appreciate your offer to "check out" whatever I come up with
before I encounter a mess. There's no doubt one or more just waiting for me to come along, check book in hand. I figure it will take me about a couple of weeks worth of "research' before
I come up with something in the reasonably priced, S.S. area. I'm going to spend a little more time figuring out what I wan't to do as far as an all-tube build. I'm prepared, and resigned to
pop the $500.00-$750.00 that I hope will cover the project. My biggest problem is just determining what I want to build. The advice and recommendations of the forum has "enlightened"
me as to the sheer possibilities that are out there. I seem to be leaning toward the "simpler" side right now, with lower power demands as well. It has penetrated my rather thick skull that complexity and higher power comes with a larger "output" on my part. You can be sure that before I commit to a tube build, I'll be bringing the whole thing here for scrutinity first.
Thanks again. tonequester.