solid state amp project on trademark 30-please help

[paku5535]

hello


i have decided to build a 30watt(maximum) solid state guitar amp.
i will use sansamp gt2 as the preamp section (as i am trying to make a clone of the tech21 trademark 30 SS) .probably i will add a reverb effect.

now i need the schematic of a good power section(for 30 watt max).
i have decided that i will use eminence governor (75 watts 12") speaker for
my project.

is this a right speaker to use it for a 30 watt amp??

you guys are experienced in the cabinet construction. can u help me with some doccuments on the requirements and procedure of cabinet construction(open back is preferable).

please help me please please!!!!!!!!

[J M Fahey]

Speaker choice is excellent.
Any amp, even if a humble Ruby, benefits from the best speaker you can buy.
Go for a 30W to 50W chipamp.
Those based on LM3886 are reliable, well documented, and relatively easy to build ... not forgetting they sound very good !!
Your preamp choice is good too, very versatile.
Simple cabinet building is easy, just go to your local home depot and have some plywood (or humble chipboard) cut to size, and with some nails and glue you will soon have an ugly but working cabinet.
Now if you want to rival Marshall or Mesa Boogie ... you'll have to learn more skills.
There are many tutorials online.
A much preferred method I recommend is to grab a cheap (even non working) "any brand" guitar amp at your local charity/garage sale/dumpster , strip it, and re-use its cabinet, chassis, maybe even the speaker (at least for starters) and even (if suitable), its power transformer.
Good luck.

[paku5535]

thanks for the reply sir.

sir i know you are experienced enough. between 30-50 watt can u upload me a good power section schematic which u consider the best
(as per sound, reliability and durability)

my last question to u as some one told me, that if i use 30 watt power amp for 75 watt speaker then it will never break out and most of the best sound comes when the speaker breaks. is that true?( may be a 'subjective' type question)


is it the case that the power dissipation is a factor of output volume or gain or it consume near about 50 watt every time irrespective of the volume and gain dial(considering lm3886).


another question i want to ask.

if you are given to give marks on the several key parts on the solid state amp(pre amp,power amp,wood,speaker) then how much percentages you will give to these sections?
thanks

[J M Fahey]

For starters, google LM3886 , then that + schematic or datasheet(most important) or PCB or project , etc.
They even suggest a PCB layout.
That said, search for somebody who sells an LM3886 kit, so you get everything, specially the PCB, plu instructions.
You may pay a couple extra $$ for the  convenience, but I think it's worth it.
Search SSGuitar, there was a guy selling very good kits here.
Maybe joecool can supply a direct link, I remember he had a couple of them.
Don't worry about "speaker breakup"as repeated over and over, there is something to it but not as they usually explain it.
The speaker you chose is very good, there are many others in that class.
Don't worry about that % rating either.
As a general rule (of course, with lots of exceptions), in SS World you *basically* try to get a good sound at the preamp, or with pedals, and then amplify it to band levels.
Of course, the speaker, which is not flat at all, adds its own color.

[paku5535]

thanks for the reply

[joecool85]

chipamp.com is the place Juan was referring to where you can buy LM3886 kits.

**edit**
He even sells a LM3886 single mono kit now (use to only sell dual mono) which is perfect for guitar.  $50 USD.

[paku5535]

does the amplifier Dissipated same amount of power all the time or it is dependent on the gain and volume control?


in terms of quality which one is better?
1. chip amp
2. amp with discrete elements

[teemuk]

does the amplifier Dissipated same amount of power all the time or it is dependent on the gain and volume control?

The dissipation depends on power output, which in turn depends on magnitude of signal fed to power amp, which in turn depends on gain control and volume control settings, and so on.

For example, in case of LM3886 chip consult the datasheet's page 14.
http://www.national.com/ds/LM/LM3886.pdf

in terms of quality which one is better?

Depends on...
1. chip amp
2. amp with discrete elements

[joecool85]

Depends on...
1. chip amp
2. amp with discrete elements

In other words, chip amps can be better than discrete and discrete can be better than chip amps depending on what circuits you are comparing.  On the whole they are effectively the same though.