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For want of a better name: the HackerNAP board

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Put me down for 4 boards please, Carl.

preamp pcb by Jim
poweramp by Hacker.

Jim Hacker!
That's what I'll call my amp.
The Right Honourable aMP from Birmingham East.

Err.. anyone remember "Yes, Minister"?
 
Carl

What's the VBE configuration. Can you post a schematic ?

BTW I think there are several areas on the layout where the gaps could be widened. Part of Les's version (upgrade ?) was an optimal board layout.

Also I hope everyone is aware they are going to have to come up with a new power transistor mounting/heatsink arrangement.......and these won't be an easy plug and play in existing Naim amps anyway.

Also Ceds PA design has several features that could be incorporated.....

Sorry Carl if I'm pissing on your parade....but I've been down some of this road already (as you know).
 
Can I have a little bag of the magic pixie dust you mention? Also will it give me a better sound without soldering? ;-)
 
Sparts155 said:
Will you be testing the board for stability and optimal compensation Carl? Thanks.
Click to expand...
I hope Carl says no. I would be embarassed to ask this of him.

Here's why..

Carl is trying out this idea.

He is offering us boards to join him in trying this idea.

We think it should work after all it is based on the proven ncc cct.

At 5 bucks a pop, I don't feel I am paying enough to ask for a fully developed and tested board. Just a ticket to join the ride and see where this leads.
 
midcm1 said:
Carl

What's the VBE configuration. Can you post a schematic ?
Click to expand...

It's an unmolested PigletsDad FET-based VBE:

negative-vbe-1.jpg


midcm1 said:
BTW I think there are several areas on the layout where the gaps could be widened. Part of Les's version (upgrade ?) was an optimal board layout.
Click to expand...

There probably are. Which areas give you particular concern? I'll try and address the issues but no promises.

midcm1 said:
Also I hope everyone is aware they are going to have to come up with a new power transistor mounting/heatsink arrangement.......and these won't be an easy plug and play in existing Naim amps anyway.
Click to expand...

I did mention that earlier in the thread. I'll make sure to update the 1st post to reflect that, too. I don't want anyone thinking that this will be a drop-in replacement for NAP or NCC modules, cos it won't.

midcm1 said:
Also Ceds PA design has several features that could be incorporated.....
Click to expand...

Please let me know what they are and where they're likely to be squeezed onto the current PCB layout ;)

midcom1 said:
Sorry Carl if I'm pissing on your parade....but I've been down some of this road already (as you know).
Click to expand...

Piss away ;) The voice of experience is always welcome.

stevec67 said:
Can I have a little bag of the magic pixie dust you mention? Also will it give me a better sound without soldering? ;-)
Click to expand...

Ten quid from my mate Dave down the pub.

Sparts155 said:
Will you be testing the board for stability and optimal compensation Carl? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Nope. I'll be testing it to make sure that it works for me. In fact this board is exactly my current configuration, just not all on one PCB.

Anything else is left as an exercise for the buyer. I will be ordering a few samples for test purposes before committing a bunch of people's money, but basically you're on your own with no guarantees other than "you will receive the boards you pay for".

If you're not comfortable with this, I understand completely and anyone is free to retract their interest with no hard feelings. These boards are for fun and experimentation! If you want a stable, known-good design then I suggest buying NCC200s from Avondale.

cromodora said:
I hope Carl says no. I would be embarassed to ask this of him.

Here's why..

Carl is trying out this idea.

He is offering us boards to join him in trying this idea.

We think it should work after all it is based on the proven ncc cct.

At 5 bucks a pop, I don't feel I am paying enough to ask for a fully developed and tested board. Just a ticket to join the ride and see where this leads.
Click to expand...

I can't argue with that!

Cheers,
Carl
 
Heck, 168 so far...not bad considering your initial remit was, "[to] throw it out there [to see if] anyone else interested" :)
 
Carl

I presume from your PCB diagram that TR9 and TR10 are the power output transistors. In which case would Sanken 2SA1216 (PNP) and 2SC2922 (NPN) MT200 type be suitable. It just happens that I have a set that I salvaged from an old Audiolab amp. I was wondering if I would ever get to use them. This would be ideal.
 
hacker said:
Nope. I'll be testing it to make sure that it works for me. In fact this board is exactly my current configuration, just not all on one PCB.

Anything else is left as an exercise for the buyer. I will be ordering a few samples for test purposes before committing a bunch of people's money, but basically you're on your own with no guarantees other than "you will receive the boards you pay for".

If you're not comfortable with this, I understand completely and anyone is free to retract their interest with no hard feelings. These boards are for fun and experimentation! If you want a stable, known-good design then I suggest buying NCC200s from Avondale.
Click to expand...

Understand where you are coming from, and my question wasn't at all meant in any negative sense. I do think it's best though that people are aware that there is no guarantee that it'll work optimally without some playing with first.

We think it should work after all it is based on the proven ncc cct.
Click to expand...

It is indeed, but the layout is new, and layout will have an effect on the correct compensation for the amp
 
Nope. I'll be testing it to make sure that it works for me. In fact this board is exactly my current configuration, just not all on one PCB.

Anything else is left as an exercise for the buyer. I will be ordering a few samples for test purposes before committing a bunch of people's money, but basically you're on your own with no guarantees other than "you will receive the boards you pay for".

If you're not comfortable with this, I understand completely and anyone is free to retract their interest with no hard feelings. These boards are for fun and experimentation! If you want a stable, known-good design then I suggest buying NCC200s from Avondale.
Click to expand...

This may be an impossible question to answer but here it is: what level of technical expertise should we have and what sort of test equipment should we have access to to make a reasonable go at this project?

If there is a BOM to tell me what part to put where, I can do that (usually). And I can solder. I can also measure DC at the output, adjust voltage across emitter resistors (at least on a NAP). But anything beyond that, things get more then a little fuzzy for me. Am I getting in over my head with this thing?
 
stackowax said:
This may be an impossible question to answer but here it is: what level of technical expertise should we have and what sort of test equipment should we have access to to make a reasonable go at this project?

If there is a BOM to tell me what part to put where, I can do that (usually). And I can solder. I can also measure DC at the output, adjust voltage across emitter resistors (at least on a NAP). But anything beyond that, things get more then a little fuzzy for me. Am I getting in over my head with this thing?
Click to expand...

Of all diy projects, an amp is the most tricky to build.
Seasoned bodgers with scopes and sig gens may get stumped halfway by a dud part while a newbie with only a cheap iron blithely goes on to complete a working amp just following a sketchy schematic with instructions in Chinese.
 
LoBo said:
Carl

I presume from your PCB diagram that TR9 and TR10 are the power output transistors. In which case would Sanken 2SA1216 (PNP) and 2SC2922 (NPN) MT200 type be suitable. It just happens that I have a set that I salvaged from an old Audiolab amp. I was wondering if I would ever get to use them. This would be ideal.
Click to expand...

2922 will fit and is actually the original trannies on CB NAP140.
You'll need 4 however and remember to salvage the insulating pads too.
They are hard to get/costly new.
 
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