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Gainclone builders
Apologies if this has been mentioned before, but in the Mini-T amp enthusiasm, I fear that kit amps based on the Gainclone may have gone out of fashion...
Has anyone made one of these up. What did the end result look like and obviously, how did you think it sounded?
I ask because - it appears the Mini-T doesn't perform at its very best into BBC Legacy speakers, the bass disappearing and the soundstage seemingly rather flat ina very non HiFi kind of way. Enough people have had the opposite results with different speakers for me to assume it's just incompatibility here.. The gainclone only has around a dozen components, all the work being done in the chip itself, the power is around 40W conservative class AB I believe and Audiosector do some nice looking kits. All one nees is a transformer or two (for full dual-mono operation) and a heatsink plate cum case to put it all in....
Thoughts chaps?
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They are suppossed to be quite good. I am playing around with this at present http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MKll-Versi...item3a740a6631
A lot more bass than the standard version which for me did not have a enough grunt, still might be enough for your speakers but then their this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PAIR-MKII-...item3a732e9d02
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I build amps based on the LM3886 IC and they sound really excellent. I use mine to drive Briks - one's good, but two into a split crossover is better. One day I might even get around to going active with them. They're bullet-proof and the LM3886 is good for around 70W depending on the PSU.
As ever with these things, the devil's in the detail and small circuit and component changes can make quite big differences to the end result.
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The Peter Daniels Audiosector LM3875 kits are lovely quality but be aware there is also someone on ebay using that name so ensure you get the right one. The Chipamp.com 3886 kits are very good too.
I like the LM1875s best but they would be hard pressed to meet your power needs.
John
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Thanks. I think I'd go straight to Audiosector in the first instance :)
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Here's mine.
Basically a clone of the AudioZone amp-2 based on a Peter Daniels Premium kit.
This is an old pic, those yellow wired to the centre of the toroids are no longer there. :doh:
It's a dual mono design with a 300VA toroid per channel. Internal mains wiring is Mark Grant.
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/4744/layoutkm.jpg
Since this pic was taken all the signal wire is now solid single core silver and the RCAs are silver CMCs.
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/5403/circuitr.jpg
The case is from HiFi2000 in Italy (Modushop).
The switches are Onpow.
The feet are recycled from a dead Arcam tuner.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1734/frontvjm.jpg
I'm running 25v secondaries giving around 37v on the rails which is near the max for this chip. Theoretically that should mean 55-60W per channel.
All in all it was a fun little project and even a build using top quality components won't break the bank. Sound bloody good too!
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I have made several GCs. A few point to point LM3886s (one bridged - nice rats nest of wires!), a couple of LM3875 monoblocks. Very rewarding to build them from a schematic. I also had some Chipamp.com 3886 boards, but that amp never sounded as good as my "home brewed":lol:
Didn't realise I still had phuckbucket pic of the bridged amp
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...x/DSCF1801.jpg
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That amp looks absolutely beautiful. My first effort may wel be on a blockboard chopping board I have, but of course everything will be exposed, which I'm not happy with. I'm sure a neat assembly, layout and vital attention to earthing makes all the difference :)
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Have you seen the "basic GC" drawing on Decibel Dungeon? IMO the LM3875 makes a nicer sounding amp to the 3886.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2.../Gainclone.gif
http://www.decdun.me.uk/gainclone.html
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Dave,
Like Puffin I have built several gainclones - the LM3875s sounding the best. I did build a 10-channel amp using Peter Daniels Premium kits (for a pair of Linkwitz Orion speakers) - they sounded pretty good!
However I do not use this anymore so if you want to try out the sound I can loan you a pair of amp boards and psu's - the transformers are a bit heavy to send!
Let me know if this is of interest.