cobra_kai

Most expensive thing would be the transformer, probably $20-30. Everything else is cheap: the lm338, 5 diodes, a couple resistors, a pot to fine tune the voltage, and 3 or 4 caps. Probably cost about 40 bucks. You could do even cheaper if you got an ac to dc wallwort and just passed the dc through the lm338. Or you could go crazy and build a sigma 11

If I recall correctly the SPL amps have an output impedance of ~10 ohms which might not play that well with a low impedance headphone like the lcd3

I would take a look at the OPA541 data sheet before you get too excited about the darkstar, and particularly consider the power levels you will actually be using, especially with relatively efficient lcd3. Judging by the pictures posted by Rudewolf, you are paying a lot in this 'amp' for the chassis, the two huge motherboard pcbs, the DACT, and the relays + I/O connectors. That leaves very little for the amp itself . I'm sure if you did a bit of reading about gainclones/chipamps you could put together a bridged opa541 amp with a comparable power supply, still use a DACT, and have modest diy casework for around $500.

QFT

Don't know how you feel about ebay but you can find stuff like this for snakewood: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SNAKEWOOD-12x2-75x2-75-Lumber-Pool-Cues-Knife-Grips-Peppermills-SHIPPED-FREE-/370579325021?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56483fc05d

The wood casework is fantastic. Same with the B22

I used this: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Panasonic-Electronic-Components/EEU-FC1H101/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtZ1n0r9vR22ZOBEZetCii%252bbuqDJE2BU9s%3d Slightly different lead spacing and diameter than the one you linked.

Was there any discussion on the amount of power that can be dissipated with them? The datasheet claims 250 watts in the T0-264 package but I am a bit skeptical of that.

Digital power supplies won't be too important, I was imagining two 78xx supplies for the digital stuff (7805 and 7812) or maybe dual lm317s. You are going to want something nice for the analog side though. I think KG mentioned using the dynahi ps somewhere, but I was also thinking amb's sigma22 would be a good option.

Where is the fot gaffeting?

It makes it so you can use a really nice linear regulated supply for the lme 49830 and an unregulated supply on the output. So you don't have to have a massive regulated ps if you want to power speakers.

lookin good lme49830 can handle +/-100, as can the alf16. You won't be able to swing all the way to the rails so maybe +/- 95 on the output theoretically. No idea what you would need that much voltage for, and it probably wouldn't work on this pcb as capacitors for that voltage would be a lot larger. Something in the +/-40 volt ballpark should be adequate for almost all speakers I would think.

Been spending a bit of time on diyaudio recently and came across a very similar project to this: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/196932-wire-amp-class-ab-power-amplifier-based-lme49830-lateral-mosfets.html It has one feature that I particularly like - the ability to have a regulated power supply for the lme49830 front end and choose between the same for the output transistors or a separate unreg supply. I haven't spent the time to read through and see what heatsinks people are using but there may be some info in there.

Any pics of the tube headphone?

^^ thx

Link?

If you can get your hands on a pcb one of the versions of the the wire from diyaudio might be worth looking into. Three lme49990 configured as an instrumentation amplifier on the input and then a lme49600 buffer on the output. More info here: http://www.diyaudio.com/wiki/The_Wire_Headphone_Amp_GB \ You should be able to build it for under $150 I think. Or you could wait for KG's black hole. Construction will be more complicated I think cuz it needs external sinks

Lol perhaps

Doesn't seem very useful in a washing machine. I could see it in something like a stove, for remote turn on/off and temp control. Or similar for a coffee maker. What I want is a fridge that will keep track of what I have in it and make me a grocery list every week, or tell me what ingredients I need to buy for a given recipe.

I think they look good too. Very modern and sleek looking imo. I also like the hd600 quite a bit. I've only heard the hd800 at meets but wasn't overly impressed with it at the time, especially for the price.

Gerbers are available. Nothing to stop you from having your own boards made.

Nice job!

I actually tried to use the aavid things on the KGSSHV on the 10m90s, and ixtp01n100D, but they didn't fit either of them. I only tried a couple of them though and then gave up and just used the PEEK with the ceramic insulator by itself, so maybe I should have tried a few more (I got 100 I think). This has been working fine so far though.