• Write an article, win a kit!

    by
    JanAF
    9 Comments Comments
    Update:
    • Date deadline, 15:th of october
    • Winner gets to choose from an AMP2, AMP7, AMP8 or Truepath!
    • It is not a competition but a lottery. The winner will be picked lottery-wise. Each approved / published entry is one lottery ticket. Published parts will be merged into one entry.
    Now to the background:

    I am happy to have the new web site in a decent shape! There are always some more things to do but I am quite pleased now that progress is really going in the right direction; better structure, more functions.
    Especially our member FFF has made a lot of contributions, but there are many others too. Kudos to you all!


    So now I will take the opportunity to also promote better and more text content. So I am inviting everyone to write! What I would like to see published is more articles of two types
    • Customer Projects, describing what you have done with your kits. Describe your audio project and show it to the world.
    • Technical papers on just about anything that has to do with audio and technology. It does not need to be directly related to 41Hz kits or products.
    • It can be at any technical level, directed to newbies or advanced engineers, but target your writing.
    In both cases, it must be:
    • An original text. It must not be copied from elsewhere.
    • Be fairly completed in some way, not just ideas of what you may want do
    • Include pictures, diagrams or similar. Again, originals.
    • Pictures or diagrams must be uploaded to this site, not external links
    • Have a list of references, links and acknowledgements
    I suggest you start writing as a Blog, and add to it with time. You can save Blogs as drafts that are not displayed to others until you release it. When the text is ready, publish it and we will promote the ones that fulfill the requirements, to an article either in the Featured Projects pages or under the technical pages. As an incentive, I will make a lottery for an amp kit among those who have published pages!
    Comments 9 Comments
    1. Haggis Basher's Avatar
      I agree with Scratchy, a deadline date would provide genuine impetus to the competition.

      Can I enter “the design and construction of a very cheap, simple piece of equipment” as an intelligent solution for use with specific 41Hz kits, under your first heading?

      Perhaps you are expecting some very complex electronic solutions. Therefore, would I be causing my usual embarrassment to all and sundry?

      I would be quite happy to correspond with 41Hz in private, to discus this matter; “fat chance” of winning anything anyway!

      Ken.
      Reply
    1. JanAF's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Scratchy View Post
      When is the closing date for this great little incentive?
      How about 1st of october? Would not want you typing over your summer vaccation...
      Reply
    1. JanAF's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Haggis Basher View Post
      Can I enter “the design and construction of a very cheap, simple piece of equipment” as an intelligent solution for use with specific 41Hz kits, under your first heading?
      Sure!

      And you can always PM me with ideas....
      Reply
    1. mr-busy's Avatar
      hope it's a serious amp!
      Reply
    1. JanAF's Avatar
      Time flies. Let's fix things:
      • Date deadline, 15:th of october
      • Winner gets to choose from an AMP2, AMP7, AMP8 or Trupeath!
      Reply
    1. Haggis Basher's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by mr-busy View Post
      hope it's a serious amp!
      There is no chance that I could produce a new technological wonder, perhaps something a lot more down to earth, using original thoughts derived from boring old basics, from a beginner’s point of view.

      I am afraid that any offering I may make would be considered desultory, within these erudite confines. However, with a little encouragement, I am prepared to enter a very basic, low technology item; or should I favour your already critically high aspirations in these matters and quietly acquiesce and go back to soldering some input cables.

      Alternatively, I could give a new take on an old topic, wryly humorous, or would this seek general disparagement, due to lack of humungous shiny black cases enclosing wondrous levels of electronics?

      Is the gold plated pre-second world war valve amplifier more worthy than a badly boxed Truepath, slightly charred on the outside?

      I think I’ve talked you into entering this article lottery, only on the basis of your impetuosity? Or have I?

      Go on FFF, give us a real entry!

      Ken.
      Reply
    1. FFF's Avatar
      Right Ken.
      (this article is a thread too, reading as such (forum, new posts), will allow to read the next part better)
      You want something new to try? Build something useful for electronics-dudes?
      Try this:
      - get a amp9x (or use what you have, but using a TAA4100A is the goal)
      - make a sine or block oscillator (block gets TAA4100A into max 100W output per channel)
      - inputs max is 4Vpp. oscillator out via a pot to inputs.
      - maybe use output tranny to up output voltage
      - 1. create, with 2 (200W) channels, a symmetrical output DC of +/- 0-25Vdc or, with tranny, 0-50Vdc
      - 2. create with 1 (100W) channel, a 0-25Vdc output
      - 3. create with 1 (100W) channel, a 0-25Vdc output
      - yes, bridge rectifiers on output, no big caps after that (low capacitive load on TAA4100A, but try...)
      - for input power: use 2 trannies with each two secondaries, feed each TAA4100A ch. separately.
      On 1., if you use a tranny, tranny does not like a block, so then 160W.

      This will create a power-supply with 3 voltages, very compact. Good to test a Truepath or play other things.
      Yes, you need to have stuff to work with (an amp9).
      This thingy is on my todo list, but bit out of money, and especially time. Brain still works (slowly though).
      Document it all, schematcs, pictures etc.
      Cando?
      Reply
    1. Haggis Basher's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by FFF View Post
      Right Ken.

      You want something new to try? Build something useful for electronics-dudes?

      This thingy is on my todo list, but bit out of money, and especially time. Brain still works (slowly though).
      Document it all, schematcs, pictures etc.
      Cando?
      Dear FFF,

      Of course you can do it!

      Thank you for leading me onto the new posts to read this thread, as it is much easier to digest in this format.

      Some of your descriptions of the system are “way over my head”, but I get the general drift.

      It’s odd that you are thinking along the same lines as me, although in a parallel universe. Please let me explain.

      I intend building a “boatload” of Truepaths and / or Amp2’s over the next couple of years. As I am now totally confident in my ability to build soft starts, main power supplies, 41Hz’s tough little cookie the VR board and SMD attenuators for these amplifiers, with only static testing of components, a power supply system for testing the amplifiers is an obvious way forward for me.

      Until I read your post, my thoughts on the matter were in three stages, of which I have passed stage (1) and I am currently working on stage (2):

      (1) A test rig “the piece of plywood”, where all an amplifiers parts, even SMD attenuators are fully tested in a live environment, prior to installation in a case. As requested by Krilli, it is shown on one of my previous posts, and this is a seriously cheap way to guarantee success with complex amplifiers.

      (2) “The piece of plywood mark 2”, which would now include six analogue cheapo multimeters (€2 each), permanently fixed to the plywood, and with soldered connections, and with switches to bypass the current measuring meters when carrying out listening (full load) tests.

      (3) “The piece of plywood mark 3”, which would now have my own homebrewed simple soft start (yet to be designed) and power supply (already built, using 80V capacitors to cover all possibilities), along with 41Hz’s VR board (at €28), all permanently connected, ready to test amplifier boards. I intend to use different transformers for the different rail voltages, and have already bought some transformers for future amps, which can be used for this function at no cost.

      I will now add stage (4), to my project list, a separate power supply system with variable voltage, as you have described. At my current rate of progress this may happen in 2015!

      All eyes are on you to produce such a beauty first, and I will be the first to congratulate you, if you win Jan’s lottery. Never mind the lack of money, we all suffer from that; “burn the midnight oil” and get this little beauty working!

      Ken.
      Reply
    1. FFF's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Haggis Basher View Post
      1- Dear FFF, Of course you can do it!

      Some of your descriptions of the system are “way over my head”, but I get the general drift.
      It’s odd that you are thinking along the same lines as me, although in a parallel universe. Please let me explain.

      2- I intend building a “boatload” of Truepaths and / or Amp2’s over the next couple of years. As I am now totally confident in my ability to build soft starts, main power supplies, 41Hz’s tough little cookie the VR board and SMD attenuators for these amplifiers, with only static testing of components, a power supply system for testing the amplifiers is an obvious way forward for me.
      3- I will now add stage (4), to my project list, a separate power supply system with variable voltage, as you have described. At my current rate of progress this may happen in 2015!
      4- All eyes are on you to produce such a beauty first, and I will be the first to congratulate you, if you win Jan’s lottery. Never mind the lack of money, we all suffer from that; “burn the midnight oil” and get this little beauty working!
      Ken.
      (new nrs. to reply better)
      1. you can too, really. (if it can be done)
      2. someone will like the 'bootload' term
      3. 2015? I wish I could plan that far ahead...usually I see forward about a month, but then family comes along.
      4. got a lot to do, and am that quick as I was.....was busy with site at 02.20 ....this morning.
      Maybe someone else wants to build it, the TAA4100A is a very versatile chip. hard to find modulated H-bridges in 4ch.!
      It can also be used to open/close (with motors) curtains, doors, you name it.
      Reply