Available kits for DIY assembly

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Bobby Empire
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Re: Up coming reviews of DIY stuff

Post by Bobby Empire » Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:14 am

As soon as I get 5 grand to spare, I'll be building the Drip Audio Fairchild 670.

Good luck with that!
Please keep me in the loop...I am a sucker for all things Fairchild.
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Robert McCormick
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unchartedthickets
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Post by unchartedthickets » Fri May 07, 2010 10:30 am

was wondering what the ETA was on the reviews....sounds exciting!!!!!
tanks.

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ghaines
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Review Updates

Post by ghaines » Sat May 08, 2010 12:47 pm

OK. The http://classicapi.com Classic Audio Products of Illinois VP26 was submitted and is on Andy's desk. It may run next issue or not. I can't comment once the editors have it as variables such as space, workload, page count, etc... are subject to change until the last minute. I can't disclose the finding of the review but I suspect that the kits will be in shorter supply after publication, so if you were on the fence about that guy you might want to consider placing an order sooner rather than later.

Presently in the build cycle (May 2010, in no particular order):
  • Seventh Circle Audio T15 Mic Pre
    Drip Electronics - 175 Tube Compressor (mono unit)
    Hairball Audio 1176 Blue Stripe (mono unit)
    Eisen Audio Custom 500-campatible preamp (featuring JML Op Amp, JML Input Xformer, and Crimson Audio Output Xformer)
There are also a few more kits that in pre-review stage. That means we might be reviewing them but I need to clear publication with the Editors Above Me. So, until those are confirmed, I won't start speculation here.
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SeventhCircle
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Post by SeventhCircle » Thu Jul 29, 2010 6:10 pm

Less work, easier assembly, same low prices!
  • All chassis kits now ship with soldered and crimped lamp and switch assemblies

    ImageImage

    No more MOLEX crimping!


    All module kits now ship with tapped XLR connectors!

    Image

    New A12 options

    We're now stocking CMOQ-2L low-nickel and CMOQ-2H high-nickel output transformers for the A12. These parts give lower distortion and less "color" than the standard steel transformers for more variations in tone.

    Check the order page for new A12 transformer options.

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ghaines
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Reviews Update

Post by ghaines » Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:23 am

Gang,

On our bench, in various states of assembly are:

Seventh Circle Audio T15 preamps. The most affordable SCA pre, based around a THAT Corp IC that was designed especially for audio preamps.

Hariball Audio Blue Strip 1176 - related, but different from the current line of 1176 LNs sold by UA.

Eisen Audio: 500 Series Mic Pre featuring JLM Audio and Crimson Audio components.

Other kits are on deck behind these three, but these are the priority as I write. Can't wait to report more.

Best,
Garrett H.
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ghaines
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EISEN DIY500 mk II photos

Post by ghaines » Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:39 am

Gang, first one is built. She's a beauty. Features:

http://www.jlmaudio.com/shop Input Transformer and Op Amp,

and a luxurious http://www.crimsonaudiotransformers.com/ Output Transformer.

Again, base kit and about 9,450 permutations (given transformer x op amp x transformer permutations -- AH will check the math!) at http://www.eisenaudio.com
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ghaines
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Now the T15 is coming to live

Post by ghaines » Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:09 am

Gang, we have the Seventh Circle T15 mic preamp coming to life. If you don't know about this model, the SCA T15 is a transformerless microphone preamplifier designed around integrated circuits made by THAT Corporation (models 1512 and 1646). These ICs were designed specifically for audio and preamplificaiton purposes, so do not be put off by the use of ICs in this preamp.

Image

I got all excited and was ready to test it with real audio and I realized I had a couple of things to do with the SSA case. They're actually small tasks. The big trouble maker - the power supply arrives from SSA already assembled. All you have to do is hook it up using some crimping and soldering skills you should have as a DIY'er -- or you should develop as a DIY'er given how many Molex connections are used in computer and audio applications.

At this point you can see one of my workbenches. Note the Halko soldering station, which is a pre requisite (not necessarily Halko, but a real soldering station. Weller and others make nice ones, too). The iPod is there to pump some back ground din, as well as multiple vises, clamps, multimeters and supplies. I would also like to point out that his is not a good example of how to have a desk. Its a total mess. When you're dealing with small parts and constant interruptions you need to have a clean, well-lit, well-ventilated, organized space. Do as I say - not as I do. There is some stuff going on that is cramping my style at Treelady Labs, but that's no excuse. I promise you we'll have it in order for the Hair Ball Audio 1176 Blue Stripe - because that baby is a force to be wrestled.

More to follow -- GH

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ghaines
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Hairball Audio / MNATS / 1176 BlueStripe ReCreation

Post by ghaines » Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:48 pm

We're down to the final wiring with the 1176 Blue Stripe Recreation Clone. The input transformers are custom made by Ed Anderson (US). The PCBs come from M. Nats (Austrialia) of the Prodigy DIY Forum. The bits are sourced by your regional supplier and the cosmetics (case, meters, push buttons, offsets, output transformer, toroidal coil, etc) are sourced from HairBall Audio of Seattle, WA (USA). Here are some shots of the front and inside of the case. Look for a review in an upcoming issue of Tape Op.

Best,
GH Treelady Studios - Mastering - Recording - Mixing - Pittsburgh, PA


Image

and

Image
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blackwaterstudios
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Post by blackwaterstudios » Fri Oct 01, 2010 2:08 pm

Great! I want to build a few of these. How accurate was the BOM and such? I noticed a few out of stock mouser parts when I just checked...

Thanks!!

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ghaines
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BOM

Post by ghaines » Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:26 pm

I know what you mean. For the 1176 Blue Stripe there were some out of stock things from Mouser. I gave up waiting for them. At that point, I got really angry/impatient about the BOM thing. (You know instant gratification society and all). So, I wrote Mike at Hairball and we were able to either substitute close values or find the exact replacement from Digikey. Mike from Hairball can chime in on why some parts are hard to find and why its ok to substitute. I believe some of it has to do with specifying parts that are more common in Australia (where the PCB designer lives). But don't quote me on that.

The thing about any 1176 clone project is there are various different REVISIONS that you can choose to make. Each will have a different BOM.

What are these revisions? Well, the very simplified story is that an "1176" has an input stage, a compression stage, and an output stage. The compression stage has been relatively unchanged since day one (including the models for sale by Universal Audio. And one of the reasons why you don't see any complaining from UA is they have done a vast amount of work on their input and output stages to optimize headroom and preserve the sound they were going for. And to my knowledge, the only way to get that specific revision is buy a unit from UA). Revisions were noted when when changes were made to the input and/or output areas. These were both design and component changes.

On one hand, an 1176-project is not for people who want everything to be perfect and step by step. If you want that, please buy a Seventh Circle Audio kit. (I dare say those are bullet-proof, not idiot proof, but bullet-proof). On the other hand, researching and learning about the differences in the 1176 line, and finding out when you can substitute a part and why and where and such --- that is the real value of the DIY experience. You end up learning more about audio electronics than you would have ever guessed - and you have a working compressor (hopefully).

Sorry for the long answer.
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Hairball Audio
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Post by Hairball Audio » Fri Oct 01, 2010 3:43 pm

Hi All,

I've added a couple docs recently which I think many will find useful. The first is a explanation of the revisions. It can be found here:
http://hairballaudio.com/docs/revisions.pdf

The other is a parts substitution guide. It's on the BOM page:
http://hairballaudio.com/shop/bom.php

Or here is the direct link:
http://hairballaudio.com/docs/SubGuide.pdf

Mouser gets a lot of orders and there will always be 1-7 parts temporarily out of stock. There is always an alternative on the site. The guide will give you the tools to find it.

I'll be adding some tech docs shortly which will address the common build questions. Garrett is correct, with all of the wiring that needs to be done, it's not a simple build. That said, a beginner can do it if he/she has some basic knowledge and the desire to learn.

Thanks,

Mike
Hairball Audio, LLC
Hairball Audio, LLC
DIY Parts and Kits
http://hairballaudio.com/shop

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ghaines
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1176 Wiring Update

Post by ghaines » Wed Dec 15, 2010 1:14 pm

Well, if you're thinking about the 1176 DIY project but were worried about the wiring, put those concerns aside. MNATS just posted a phenomenal step-by-step that includes safety notes and information about best practices that will help not only this but other DIY projects. Check it out at:

http://mnats.net/1176_reva-d_hairball_wiring_power.html
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Re: EISEN DIY500 mk II photos

Post by Gadget » Fri Dec 24, 2010 10:56 am

ghaines wrote:Gang, first one is built. She's a beauty. Features:

http://www.jlmaudio.com/shop Input Transformer and Op Amp,

and a luxurious http://www.crimsonaudiotransformers.com/ Output Transformer.

Again, base kit and about 9,450 permutations (given transformer x op amp x transformer permutations -- AH will check the math!) at http://www.eisenaudio.com
Image
I read your review in the mag (no. 80) with interest, but alas the kits are no longer available.

The website says...

"We are no longer selling DIY500 mkII Minimal Kits, nor building any more EAC preamps, unless via substantial bulk orders to a single contractor or reseller..."
I think, therefore... I... ummm......?

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ghaines
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Eisen update

Post by ghaines » Mon Dec 27, 2010 3:36 pm

I share your disappointment, as I wanted to order several more, myself. In fact, we are talking about whether we wanted to market a version...

Eisen Audio originally sent us the kits in October 2009. From there, I sourced parts from other manufacturers and didn't have all of the guts until early Spring 2010. Built it in June 2010 and tested it. Submitted it and by the time it got to print, it was Issue 80 (Nov/Dec 2010).

The combination of the delay in getting mats (short), building it (too long), testing it (short), and print cycle (short) by the time the review ran, the company decided to devote their resources to other areas. Given the quality of the boards, I don't think this was a small or inexpensive run.

I?m very sorry in the delay that I caused in getting the review out. There are times that Tape Op not being our full-time jobs can be a disadvantage for getting reviews in print. This is a perfect example. Combined with the economic conditions of the day, more companies are being forced to become more risk averse in terms of inventory and product offerings. In particular, the time Eisen offered in support (even for our review units), turned out to be significantly greater than expected.

If another vendor picks up the kits or something changes, I will be quick to post here.

Again, sorry for any expectations missed because of this situation.

GH
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Gadget
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Post by Gadget » Tue Dec 28, 2010 2:32 am

No need to apologise - I work in the media myself, so I know how long things can take to make it to print.

I just thought you (and others on the forum) might not know the current situation regarding availability.

All the best,

Bob.
I think, therefore... I... ummm......?

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