New Pre-amp (has some wood)

[Racers]

Hi,

This is a Starfish Pre-amp and it has taken over my life for a while now and has some wood work in so I thought I would let you have a look.

Its innards

I made the cheeks from walnut and turned the knobs from bubinga. The 10mm aluminium front panel was cut and rounded over with my router, and all the aluminium was cut on me Startrite 352 with a fine blade.

It has taken a bout 3 months weekends and evenings to solder everything into the main board etch the PSU circuit board work out the switching make the case etc.

It sounds fantastic, if any one wants to know more about the Starfish have a look here http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/show ... hp?t=23485

Pete, off for a glass of something red and full bodyied.

 

[MikeG.]

What is it? What does it do? Why is there so much empty space in the box?

Mike

 

[xy mosian]

Etching pcb's, that takes me back. Trying like mad to get the two sides of a board to be located spot on. However, nice job Pete. How are you going to show labels on the front?

xy

p.s. Good woodwork too

 

[Chems]

Great job I bet your well made up with that. Something satisfying about wood and electrics coming together.

How was it to work with the ally? I've tried to machine ally once with a router and it was a horrible experience.

 

[wizer]

Nice clean simple look. What is the slot on the front? Lights? or a Display? Or?

 

[Harbo]

Mike Garnham said

What is it? What does it do? Why is there so much empty space in the box?

Pre Amp it's what it says - it amplifies the very small signals coming from a source such as a Turntable, Tuner etc before going to the main Power Amp which will drive the speakers.

Empty Space - could be for cooling/looks/sound quality?

The alternative is an Integrated Amp which is a one box solution combining the Pre and Power amps in a single case - but they could interfere with each other sound wise - hence the more expensive option.

Rod

 

[Racers]

Hi, Chaps

Its a pre-amplifier, its job is to take the input signal buffer it feed the volume control and then amplify the signal and feed a couple of power amplifiers and then the speakers, if you think it looks empty don't have a look in a cheap amp!

LEDs shine through a legend which input you have selected.

The ally was no problem to machine running at the lowest speed, I used a milling cutter for the slot and a TCT round over bit for the roundovers.


Pete

 

[bodgermatic]

Nice job Pete! How did you apply the resist on the PSU PCB? Have you tried toner transfer method yet? I've had excellent results with that.

Cheers,

Chris.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I painted on the tracks as it is only a small board, I have seen the press and peel stuff and it looks interesting, I need to rebuild my power amps next so I need to do 4 boards.


Pete

 

[blurk99]

are you over on the DIYAudio forums? some very interesting builds in the PassLabs section - looks good and very clean - how many sources?

then of course there was a thread a few years ago 'back engineering' an old Krell....

jim

 

[Doug B]

I`m impressed Pete, i really like the minimal look, reminds me of early Nad.

I`ve old Cambridge Audio Pre & power amps in the workshop, the sound is much better than the missus`s Bose gear in the house. But then i`m not allowed to take my audio in the house :roll:.

 

[Karl]

Nice work.

I used to be really into my audio gear a while back, but since moving house we have lost the dedicated room, and I have to put up with a pair of Bose speakers in the living room.

We're in the process of "renovating" the entire downstairs of our house, and i'm trying to convince SWMBO that we should have the living room as a music/av room. Not convinced i'll get my way though :roll:

Cheers

Karl

 

[Jake]

Nice work.

I have all the parts somewhere for a whole bunch of DIY Audio Pass stuff - then we bought a house that needed doing up and it has been in limbo for five years!

I've been doing some alu and ss polishing lately, and fine grits on a belt sander (hard to find, but CSM came up with some 280g ones eventually) make it very easy to get straight 'brushed' lines.

 

[Racers]

Hi, Chaps

I only look at Pink Fish not enough time to visit all the forums!!

"No highs no lows it must be Bose" as they say :wink:

We run the TV through the HiFi all the time it sounds so much better, may be you could do the same? come on chaps grow a pare :wink:


I rubbed the front panel with a scotchbrite pad to give that mat look.

Pete

 

[MickCheese]

It sounds fantastic, if any one wants to know more about the Starfish have a look here http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/show ... hp?t=23485

Well I had a look there. Unfortunately it is a foreign language and hieroglyphics. :?:

Amp looks good though.

Mick