THE ORRONOCO AUDIO DIY

This part 2 is continue from the Part 1  here . After my office hour yesterday, I had a chance to visit my favorite component audio store. I bought several components to continuing this Tripath amplifier project. As you can see this Tripath amplifier projcet will be very interesting because the components that I choose for this project is so much better and expensive than the price of the kit itself.  

In this post, I will share the building process of the smallest LM1875 Gainclone amplifier. This is including the toroidal transformer in one casing. To make this amplifier looks simple inside, I will not using any PCB, instead all components connection is done by point-to-point wiring. Let's take a look shall we?!  

The Tripath amplifier is IC manufacture that specialized making high efficiency amplifier. Tripath patent it with the name of class-T amplifier. It is basically a PWM digital processing that found in most class D amplifier, although they claimed it is better. Because this Tripath is an IC based amplifier which come in finish board, this easily become the new star in DIY audio. It is simple to build and have a good the sound quality. This Tripath amplifier only supply with single rail DC, commonly only with 12 volt. The one I have right now is Tripath TK2050 amplifier which cost me only US$25 in this complete board.  

When you plan to build this Gainclone amplifier on your own, especially if this is the first-time build, you might asking the question, about of what kind IC's for this Gainclone amplifier should I use? This is a normal question and I will try to help you by describing the sound quality from each IC.

The result from making an electronic project is determined by how good the components you put them in. You can build with the cheapest components and the result mostly unsatisfying. Especially for the major components, one of them is the power transformer, I prefer using the high grade transformer that built for audio use. Like in this Gainclone amplifier project, I will using the special hi-end encapsulate toroidal transformer salvage from the old Bang & Olufsen power amplifier. This toroidal transformer is very slim and of course it is in used condition. But for the transformer, I don't think they have the short lifespan. Maybe it can be use forever as long as it is working within it's limit. This Gainclone amplifier is popular built for beginner because it made from the National Semiconductor IC. The Gaincard amplifier which is the original product of 47 labs using the same IC and it sound great based on the reviews I've read. This amplifier is simple, only using ...

If you into this DIY audio for quite long time, you should already know the audio guru: Nelson Pass with his First Watt products. His idea and concept in making the amplifier is simplicity. All of his amplifier are made by using only few FET transistors. The most important thing about Nelson Pass is he kind enough to shares all his design to this DIY audio community, so you can build one and having the same experience like he did with his design. Nelson Pass also designing pre-amplifier with the same concept. In this post I will share the B1 buffer pre-amplifier building process. The main function for this buffer pre-amplifier is to match the impedance between input and output. So the next equipment, such as the amplifier can be work optimally. This B1 buffer pre-amplifier is consist pairs of SK170 FET transistor per channel. It is simple to build without any PCB, or just with a point-to-point connection.

One article from the Stereophile magazine here is really taken me about what I find in this audio hobby. Issued on December 1996, it is on page 3 which mostly filled about the writer's perspective of the this audio industry. This article is written by Robert Harley for his observation about common finding in audio. It is quite funny to read it since I personally have meet the same experience like he written there. He is describing the true condition from most all audiophile facing with their system and with their society.

I can predict that most audiophile have ever read the Stereophile magazine. This is the famous audio magazine and for me, this magazine is become my holy bible in audio since the first time I am focusing into it. I still remember one quoted from the Stereophile magazine is like this: "if the source is bad, nothing on the downstream can make it better" It is so true indeed. I remember the first time my friend borrowing me his Sony Walkman portable CD player very long time ago, perhaps the series is D-55, then replacing my cassette deck to this CD player is just elevate my poor audio system to become so much better. The next month I should return it back and my audio system is back to crap sounding again. By that experience, I can tell how good your whole system is mostly determined by what source you are using in it. At that time, the new CD player are not affordable for me. I keep looking the great CD player in used condition for so long. Then this is what makes me choose the...

Welcome to ORRONOCO My journey into electronics started with a childhood habit of taking apart my parents' flashlights, phones, and stereos just to see how they worked. By the '90s, I was building beginner electronic kits from local bookstores, and it wasn't long before I picked up a soldering iron to build my first power supply. When I successfully built my first amplifier—playing music from a portable cassette player through a speaker inside a plastic cup—I knew I was hooked on audio for life. ORRONOCO is my personal notebook for my DIY audio journey. I created this space to share reviews, documentation, and builds born out of a pure love for audio gear. I hope you find some inspiration here for your own projects, or at least a bit of entertainment! Featured Build: Point-to-Point LM1875 Gainclone The amplifier pictured below is a dual-mono LM1875 Gainclone. Tired of the layout and size limitations of commercial PCBs, I challenged myself to build this solid-state amp usi...