Post your pics of your chip amp builds (anything from kits to self made amps and boards are fine). The winner of the "best chip amp" will get a free chipamp.com t-shirt shipped to their door AND 25 Chip Points! Thanks go to Brian at chipamp.com for donating this shirt and helping out SSGuitar.com as always.
Pictures may be submitted until 9pm EST on Saturday September 5, 2009. The decision will be made by the following Monday and the shirt will ship as soon as the winner PMs me their mailing address.
Let the contest - BEGIN!
**If anyone has issues posting pictures, please PM me or post a question in The Newcomer's Forum (http://www.ssguitar.com/index.php?board=15.0)**
I will be posting a picture of the shirt over the weekend when I get time just so everyone knows what they're shooting for :tu:
t-shirt
Hi Joe ,, Quick Q if I may;
Can I enter something on a bread board? With a schematic of course and maybe a short sound clip if I can get that to all happen.
Thanks,, Phil.
Quote from: phatt on August 24, 2009, 07:39:32 AM
Hi Joe ,, Quick Q if I may;
Can I enter something on a bread board? With a schematic of course and maybe a short sound clip if I can get that to all happen.
Thanks,, Phil.
Sure! That sounds great. Any project you have going on can be posted. Actually, any project you've done at all, it could be an "old" one that you did a while ago.
If you have a modified or restored amplifier that could count too.
Here is mine
Sound clips:
Ultra Sample.mp3 (http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/12/25/2237836/Roccaforte/Ultra%20Sample.mp3) - Wet
Ultra Sample1.mp3 (http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/12/25/2237836/Roccaforte/Ultra%20Sample1.mp3) - Dry
Images of THE AMP ;)
(http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/4162/dsc00015ifu.th.jpg) (http://img188.imageshack.us/i/dsc00015ifu.jpg/)
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/91/dsc00014m.th.jpg) (http://img210.imageshack.us/i/dsc00014m.jpg/)
(http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/8362/dsc00013ais.th.jpg) (http://img81.imageshack.us/i/dsc00013ais.jpg/)
(http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/4617/dsc00012its.th.jpg) (http://img34.imageshack.us/i/dsc00012its.jpg/)
(http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8572/dsc00011him.th.jpg) (http://img30.imageshack.us/i/dsc00011him.jpg/)
(http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/3333/dsc00007u.th.jpg) (http://img81.imageshack.us/i/dsc00007u.jpg/)
Quote from: mensur on August 24, 2009, 02:48:27 PM
Here is mine
Sound clips:
Ultra Sample.mp3 (http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/12/25/2237836/Roccaforte/Ultra%20Sample.mp3) - Wet
Ultra Sample1.mp3 (http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/12/25/2237836/Roccaforte/Ultra%20Sample1.mp3) - Dry
Images of THE AMP ...
Very nice looking amp. Any pics of the inside?
I didn't, take the guts, but I will tomorrow when I'm finished with work :)
Very nice and profesional amp.
Tell us something about the cabinet, the single most important stumbling block for electronics hobbyists
Remembering that, it´s been stated that box-less projects are very acceptable, with the only condition that they work.
MP3s are always welcome, of course.
Quote from: J M Fahey on August 25, 2009, 02:19:08 AM
Very nice and profesional amp.
Tell us something about the cabinet, the single most important stumbling block for electronics hobbyists
Remembering that, it´s been stated that box-less projects are very acceptable, with the only condition that they work.
MP3s are always welcome, of course.
Looks to me like maybe an old VCR - something I've considered many a time.
Well, I've posted this here before but what the heck... Here's my entry. The Hurricane was built for a friend as a gift for the harp player in his band.
Here are the particulars:
- LM386 preamp similar to a ruby/noisy cricket
- TDA2005 power amp
- Big Muff tone control
- Weber Signature Ceramic 6" speaker
- Cabinet start out life as a flower box from IKEA that was heavily modified
- Small leather handle hand made by a local leather repair shop for a whopping $12
Overall I'm pretty happy with the outcome. My first attempt at the amp had almost no distortion as I was running the preamp from the same 12V supply as the power amp. The distortion you hear in the clips is obtained by running the preamp at about 7V so it breaks up more. The "Category" control varies the gain of the preamp while the "storm surge" toggle enables an additional gain boost similar to the grit switch on the noisy cricket.
The clips were all made with the little 6" speaker in the cab. I tried it out on a 4x12 sealed cab and it sounded great! Didn't get a recording of it though and now it's off at its new home.
(http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/8189/hurricanefrontkv8.th.jpg) (http://img397.imageshack.us/i/hurricanefrontkv8.jpg/)
(http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/1411/hurricaneback.th.jpg) (http://img397.imageshack.us/i/hurricaneback.jpg/)
(http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/5949/hurricaneguts.th.jpg) (http://img397.imageshack.us/i/hurricaneguts.jpg/)
(http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/6168/hurricanecontrols.th.jpg) (http://img397.imageshack.us/i/hurricanecontrols.jpg/)
Here are some clips:
Clean (http://www.mr2-power.com/01_midgain.mp3)
Some breakup (http://www.mr2-power.com/02_category5.mp3)
More overdrive (http://www.mr2-power.com/01_cat5surge.mp3)
Thanks Mensur and Armstrong, great home-builds.
Now all others please show us proudly whatever you have built.
Even if already posted somewhere else, or yet not mounted on a nice enclosure, remember that even a piece of wood with some plastic or metal sheet to hold pots and jacks and a taped-down protoboard, or a "Smokey" clone built in a soapbox or Coke Diet will be fine.
Hey!, maybe I´ll post one of those !!
This is not a "heavy" contest where just one wins and all others are deported to Siberia for 10 years , let's have fun building things that sound good.
Ideas are everywhere, for example a Brazilian friend mounted a footswitch into a dead Genius Mouse, it was cute!!
Sergscar should re-post his textured-cover mini Ruby, and so on.
As an example: I´m looking now at a "drum" 50 virgin CDs case and measuring it's around 4,5" diameter, perfect for a 4" speaker.
I´m also drinking some tea from a plastic glass, and a transparent plastic cone speaker fits perfectly in its mouth ..... hint ... hint ....
Keep posting.
Well here is one I did a year or so ago ..... I might have posted it here before ....
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/mr_sevs/DVC00361.jpg)
It is a PAiA "Stack In a Box" tube guitar preamp kit that is modded to provide 10x more Gain than stock and with better opamps .....
the Preamp then goes into a 15 band graphic eq (consumer gear) and then into a TDA7293 100w Mosfet Power amp chip ......
It sounds freaking awesome and loud as hell .....
I"m now working on a dual channel Tube/solid state hybrid amp with a 5 band eq for each channel and each channel can be used independantly with 2 seperate guitars or can be run in Paralell with a single guitar , each channel can also be summed at the output so the same signal goes out the two LM3886 chips or can be done independantly in stereo ......
Cheers
Hi guys !,
I can see people here is taking things seriously... so seriously that I feel so miserable posting my work ! ;D
Anyway, and just in case the judges are blind or something like that, I'm sending the pictures (already posted somewhere in the forum) of the "SCARFACE RT2" Preamp (LM386) and the "SCARFACE RT1" MiniAmp (also LM386).
THE "SCARFACE RT2" PREAMP:
- MDF box, painted and shielded
- LM386, fixed gain at 20db
- For the decalcs, I've used a very amateur process: a) with a brush, I've applied a coat of regular white glue, on a transparent plastic sheet (those used for transparencies), the printed the information with an inkjet printer, after dried, used an XActo knife to cut the pieces and unsticked from the transparency very carefully, then applied to the top, painting everything with dual layer varnish
(http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/6070/fronttop1.jpg)
(http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/5621/innerview1.jpg)
THE "SCARFACE RT1" MINIAMP:
- All construction from wooden scratch:
* Cover in wood, protected with PU varnish (that "dual layer varnish" used in cars)
* The case itself (100% handmade), was painted with a rubber paint (also used in the car industry), giving that particular "canvass" for, finally, using PU Varnish.
- LM386, variable gain.
- Powered by 9V DC battery or 12V DC adaptor (P4 Jack)
- 01 x 3'' Drive, 4 Ohm
- Ortophonic fabric was used as drive/speaker cover/protection
- Measurements: 13 (w) x 7 (d) x 10 (h) Cms.
- Weight: abt 400 Grs (battery not inc.)
(http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/1548/sout01lt.jpg)
(http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/3428/sout01ft.jpg)
(http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/7062/sout01bk.jpg)
A word to the judges: be nice ! :lmao:
I really like the second amp pictured. Looks like a retro radio :)
I think they are all really cool. :tu:
Quote from: armstrom on August 28, 2009, 10:21:59 PM
Well, I've posted this here before but what the heck... Here's my entry. The Hurricane was built for a friend as a gift for the harp player in his band.
Here are the particulars:
- LM386 preamp similar to a ruby/noisy cricket
- TDA2005 power amp
- Big Muff tone control
- Weber Signature Ceramic 6" speaker
- Cabinet start out life as a flower box from IKEA that was heavily modified
- Small leather handle hand made by a local leather repair shop for a whopping $12
Overall I'm pretty happy with the outcome. My first attempt at the amp had almost no distortion as I was running the preamp from the same 12V supply as the power amp. The distortion you hear in the clips is obtained by running the preamp at about 7V so it breaks up more. The "Category" control varies the gain of the preamp while the "storm surge" toggle enables an additional gain boost similar to the grit switch on the noisy cricket.
The clips were all made with the little 6" speaker in the cab. I tried it out on a 4x12 sealed cab and it sounded great! Didn't get a recording of it though and now it's off at its new home.
Really impressive !,
The case and the design resulted in a beautiful piece of art, and sounds really good !
Congratulations Armstrom !!!
I figured everyone has a final unit well here is my breadboard amp with the TDA7293 chip, Enjoy. I used a power supply I had for my tip33 tip34 amp. and preamp is my behringer v-amp. rocks like a champ to bad I cannot move it.
AWDman
Quote from: awdman on August 31, 2009, 10:02:37 PM
I figured everyone has a final unit well here is my breadboard amp with the TDA7293 chip, Enjoy. I used a power supply I had for my tip33 tip34 amp. and preamp is my behringer v-amp. rocks like a champ to bad I cannot move it.
AWDman
Do you have any close ups of the components (specifically the TDA7293)? - always good to have a beauty shot :tu: Also do you have any sound clips?
Looks great though, always neat seeing the test versions of stuff.
Hi all... It's been a while since I've posted here, but I've been lurking around, reading posts and what not. I've been working on a new ~18watt combo amp using the Qkit #105 board and the Hitachi HA13118 IC. It's together enough to enter into this contest (which is a VERY cool idea, but the way), but not completely finished yet. I'm having some issues with hum (prob a ground loop), and I'm going to replace the current preamp (the SSTS preamp I posted about in the preamp forum a year or so ago) with a modified Run Off Groove "Peppermill" that I have breadboarded, but haven't put on perf yet. I'm also fooling around still with the tone control. I started with the Simply Wonderful circuit, but now I'm probably going to build some variation of the BMP tone control. The metal chassis and face plate is from a scrapped radioshack brand PA amp I found at the goodwill. It had a good xformer in it, and also had the rectifier and heatsink. I built the amp body myself from som scrap lumber I had in the shed. I covered the speakers with some left over window screen, and I covered the top with "tweed" from some old curtains. I made the red leather handle myself as well from a "sample" I got from the IKEA sofa department (I won't tell you how I got it). I've made all the connections easily changeable by using screw terminal strips, so this amp can be modded VERY quickly. Another possible mod will be to make it be battery-powered (with a 12v sealed lead acid battery). Anyhow, here's some pics:
Overall front shot (Note that the top is not actually completely on it):
(http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/darwin_deathcat/Image021.jpg)
Shot showing the top:
(http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/darwin_deathcat/Image022.jpg)
Overall front shot showing my pedal board too (gratuitous!):
(http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/darwin_deathcat/Image055.jpg)
Shot from the back showing the speakers (2 awesome vintage eight inch speakers from an old organ):
(http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/darwin_deathcat/Image067.jpg)
Shot with the top off:
(http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/darwin_deathcat/Image065.jpg)
Shot zooming in on the "guts" (hitachi board at top center, SSTS preamp board at bottom right):
(http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/darwin_deathcat/Image066.jpg)
Here's the Peppermill on my breadboard. Mods are added swichable diode clipping (asymetric) and added switchable gain boost to the BS170 mosfet section. This makes it a VERY variable preamp, going from squeaky clean to really dirty:
(http://i622.photobucket.com/albums/tt309/darwin_deathcat/Image030.jpg)
Well, I hope you like it. I don't have any sound clips yet, but, like I said, the sound isn't quite "there" yet for me, and I'm still working on it!
Cheers,
DDC
Well, I'm not done, but I posted a couple more pics here:
http://www.diystompboxes.com/analogalchemy/sch/dc_wip.html
I could have done some things better, so I might redo some of it. The final build will have the 4-stage JFET preamp shown on the breadboard, and the usual tone controls.
Thank you to all who entered, the contest is now closed and the winner will be announced soon!
And the winner is....
Armstrom, with his "Hurricane." http://www.ssguitar.com/index.php?topic=1237.msg7705#msg7705
This selection was made due to overall build quality and tonal abilities from the amp as posted in the recordings. Good work Armstrom, and thanks go to everyone else for their postings as well. Lots of excellent projects. I think next time I may have to do runners up or maybe several categories - it's good to see so many quality projects.
Wow, thanks. I think this is the first time I've ever won anything :)
Congratulations, Armstrom.
Now we need you post a couple pictures of yours truly wearing that T Shirt.
Nothing less will do.
Big congratulations to Armstrom! That Hurricane you built is way awesome! And I'd also like to say that all the entered amps were very awesome in their own right... Good job to all the other contestants! There is DEFINITELY some major Mojo goin' on here!
Very nice amp!!
Congratulations!!!
I agree the Hurricane was my pick.
I still havent had time to work on mine,and didnt enter it because it wasnt (and isnt)finished.
Congrats Armstrong :tu:
Congratulations on my behalf too. I think there were very nice looking and sounding amps in the competition. I'd like to give Mensur's Hemarra amp, Minion's FET-TUBE-MOSFET-HYBRID amp, and Sergscar's Scarface amp a honourable mention too. Great job!
Congratulations Armstrom!
My internet has been out for a little while so I missed out on this one.
There should be one of these contests every few months with a different theme, not necessarily with prizes, but just for fun for some of us to learn a new "trick" or to work with components we wouldn't normally.
Quote from: iTzALLgoOD on September 10, 2009, 02:59:55 PM
Congratulations Armstrom!
My internet has been out for a little while so I missed out on this one.
There should be one of these contests every few months with a different theme, not necessarily with prizes, but just for fun for some of us to learn a new "trick" or to work with components we wouldn't normally.
I'm not sure how often they will happen, but I do have more prizes to give away soon. Keep checking back, we're sure to have another contest soon.
Quote from: teemuk on September 09, 2009, 08:24:09 PM
Congratulations on my behalf too. I think there were very nice looking and sounding amps in the competition. I'd like to give Mensur's Hemarra amp, Minion's FET-TUBE-MOSFET-HYBRID amp, and Sergscar's Scarface amp a honourable mention too. Great job!
Hi Teemuk !
Thanks a lot for your comments on the "Scarface".
I do agree on 100% with the judgement of this contest, and hope more users do participate in the future ones.
It's always good to see others' beauties, since appreciating a good work can incentivate to "light-up" new ideas on all of us.
Cheers !