audioXpress and DiY mags

Jeremy Garber · Post by **Jeremy Garber** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:19 am

OK, so I have been really immersing myself with electronics reading. I've finally made time to begin going through my books (currently Basic Electricity to be followed by Electronics). I'll be getting my first couple of tools (Weller WES51 and an Extech EX330) for Christmas. I've been understanding the basic stuff, and realizing how far I still have to go (but can't wait to get there). I've been reading topics and checking out schematics on this and the Prodigy forum- even stuff I don't understand yet but I want to familiarize myself with it. I'd like a supplement to my current reading. Something similar to Tape Op but for electronic projects. I've checked out audioXpress and I may spring for a trial subscription. Are there any mags out there with the Tape Op feel that cater to this niche?

??????? · Post by **???????** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:31 am

I don't know about mags, but for learning in-depth stuff slowly as you go you cannot beet the NEETS manuals. Google them, they are downloadable for free various places. Extensive, they are navy training manuals and there is a whole module on vacuum tube amplification and another one on magnetic tape recording.

Andy Peters · Post by **Andy Peters** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 12:25 pm

SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ wrote:OK, so I have been really immersing myself with electronics reading. I've finally made time to begin going through my books (currently Basic Electricity to be followed by Electronics). I'll be getting my first couple of tools (Weller WES51 and an Extech EX330) for Christmas. I've been understanding the basic stuff, and realizing how far I still have to go (but can't wait to get there). I've been reading topics and checking out schematics on this and the Prodigy forum- even stuff I don't understand yet but I want to familiarize myself with it. I'd like a supplement to my current reading. Something similar to Tape Op but for electronic projects. I've checked out audioXpress and I may spring for a trial subscription. Are there any mags out there with the Tape Op feel that cater to this niche?

Magazines are often too limited in what they can cover.

Your best bet is to get some good books.

The absolute best book on electronics is The Art Of Electronics, 2nd Edition, by Horowitz and Hill. Get it and the accompanying student manual. It is worth quadruple whatever you'll pay for it.

Thank me later

-a

Jeremy Garber · Post by **Jeremy Garber** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:08 pm

The NEET manuals look nice.

I have the Art Of Electronics book, but not the manual. What I didn't like about the book was that there is no answer key. The two books I am working on now have keys. I still plan on using AoE as a reference now that I understand some things.

runrunrun · Post by **runrunrun** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 4:32 pm

not a mag but....an amazing website...

http://prodigy-pro.com/forum/

tons of diy stuff there...read the metas...

Jeremy Garber · Post by **Jeremy Garber** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:12 pm

Ah yes, I've been lurking the Prodigy forum for quite some time now.

I know there are a lot of great websites and books out there for reference (by all means feel free to suggest more), but I'm mainly looking for a casual read, as a break from my books and the heavy reading I do online.

It's the same way with Tape Op. I read lots on this board, and spend a lot of my free time writing and recording my music. When my Tape Op mag comes in, I really take a break from all of it and spend a few days to a week just reading Tape Op. I check out bands that are suggested in the mag, and look up gear mentioned, reviewed, or advertised.

I was kind of hoping for the same type of 'getaway' in a DiY electronics mag. I'm checking out the extra articles on the audioXpress website, and I think it may be just the thing I'm looking for. I remember getting an issue of Poptronics a long time ago- that was a great mag as well.

hulahalau · Post by **hulahalau** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:16 pm

I have been a subscriber since the early 1980s (when it was called The Audio Amateur), and I have copies from the mid 1970s. I have kept all my back issues, and it the greatest! They also published a magazine on tubes, called "Glass Audio," and on speakers, called "Speaker Builder." The market could not support it, and the publisher (Old colony, which is Edward Dell) eventually had to fold the magazines into one publication. A crying shame.

Lots of people continue to be skeptical of audiophile tweaks, and there is a lot of nonsense, BUT, this magazine has been at the forefront of this stuff, with technical explanations and data. With the exception of the original Jung/Marsh article on caps in "Audio" magazine, the magazines published by Old Colony were at the front of publishing articles on caps, cables, resistors, NOS tubes, you-name-it, CD player upgrades. All the electronic upgrades involving power supplies, caps, metal film and bulk film resistors, teflon insulation, etc, I first saw in TAA.

If anyone is in the DC metro area, I would be more than happy to lend sets of my back issues for you to peruse. Articles relevant to recording and studio work are few and far between, but when they do come, they are wonderful. Paul Stamler has published articles on solid state mic pre and tube mic pre (that in my mind, have the best topology of the schematics I have seen), Bill Ruck has published articles on controlling RFI/EMI in cable runs, and there was an article many years ago on a tube-based compressor using a photoresistor????

Jeremy Garber · Post by **Jeremy Garber** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 8:32 am

Thanks for the feedback. So, despite not being entirely dedicated to DiY recording, would you still suggest audioXpress as a good mag for me based on what I described? I have read one extra article on their site which was cool, but I want to check out some of the others.

hulahalau · Post by **hulahalau** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 12:38 pm

Most of the articles are related to home stereo playback - construction of amps, preamps, mods of products, etc, Here and there will be articles of direct relevance to the DIY studio constructor.

To give you an idea what is in the current issue, there is an article on building a line array speaker (directly relevant to the studio), an articl about tweaks and mods, a great artcile on wall warts and how to use them to power audioprojects (including 48V phantom power) by Paul Stamler, a hybrid SSinput/tube output amp, a review of Jensen and Lundahl transformers utilized as the audio out for a Monarchy D/A converter, plus the always interesting advertisements.

If you are also interested in general DIY, then I would definitely subscribe. However, if you are looking solely for sudio/recording stuff, i think you may be disappointed.

Jeremy Garber · Post by **Jeremy Garber** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 3:19 pm

Cool. I am interested in general DiY, with a focus on audio projects. I suppose I'll have to stick to websites and forums for that. I'm interested in learning to build preamps as well, though I imagine there is a difference between building a pre for stereo and one for a mic? It still sounds interesting and I think I'm gonna spring for it. heheh

The Scum · Post by **The Scum** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 3:26 pm

AudioXpress is HiFi DIY. It's pretty down to earth as far as hifi goes, but when they say "preamp," they mean something you'd use to hook up a turntable. There's some decent theory and conceptual stuff there (I'm sorta a disciple of Nelson Pass, a regular contributor), but not buckets of studio or music stuff in there.

There are maybe a dozen magazines to keep an eye on, but nothing that does studio/music stuff often enough to warrant subscribing. I'll flip through them at the news stand and look for interesting articles, and bring home anything that really looks worthwhile. Here's a list of what I can remember without actially digging through my library:

-Recording Mag has published some DIY stuff from Scott Dorsey.
-Make Mag - wide ranging and free spirited...I think they published a little Ruby-like guitar amp recently.
-Nuts And Volts - exactly like it sounds...a hamfest on paper.
-The Circuit Cellar
-ETI, from Britain
-Poptronix, Electronics Now, etc...whatever the current crop of pulp electronics magazines are...they often run a couple of music-related projects a year.

hulahalau · Post by **hulahalau** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:38 pm

I imagine there is a difference between building a pre for stereo and one for a mic?

Yes there is. for one thing, there are different kinds of pres in the audio world- pres that work at phono level, pres (called pre-pres) for mvoing coil cartridges, and line level pres. Mike pres are more like phono pres, but they do not have EQ to properly compensate for the RIAA equalization curve that is used in cutting a vinyl record, and the input capacitance and loading conditions are different (including the fact that a mike has the differential input). Also, good mike pres have high current ouput stages to drive long wires with high caps. This is not necessarily a design goal of many designers (though not all) in the audio world).

FiveFish · Post by **FiveFish** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:04 am

SLEEPY BRiGHT EYEZ wrote:Cool. I am interested in general DiY, with a focus on audio projects. I suppose I'll have to stick to websites and forums for that. I'm interested in learning to build preamps as well, though I imagine there is a difference between building a pre for stereo and one for a mic? It still sounds interesting and I think I'm gonna spring for it. heheh

There are lots of places to get info.

I would hit the semiconductor websites, check out their Application Notes, Datasheets, Design Guidelines, Design Tools, etc... lots of stuff!

Some semi companies even provide downloadable PDFs (FREE) of books they publish... or you can purchase the same book at Amazon for $60+.

I second, and third the Art of Electronics book! This is the book that got me started... hmmm... 1980s I think.

And lastly.... buy a $5 or $10 kit and just start assembling something. You'd learn more by doing with your hands AND reading at the same time. It seems that information sticks deeper in your brain doing it this way.

Here's a $10 stereo mic kit to get you started.
http://www.diy-central.com/HowToBuildYo ... han10.aspx

Jeremy Garber · Post by **Jeremy Garber** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:06 am

Thanks! I'll check out some semiconductor sites. PDFs are great, though I much prefer extended reading in printed form. I don't mind forking out for good references. I suppose I could always print the PDF myself, but I wonder what it would cost compared to just buying a nicely printed copy. Too bad I don't have a friend at a local print shop. hah!

Ya, again, I have the AoE. I put it to the side because I had no way of checking my answers. If the student manual has an answer key, I will pick it up. I need to know that I understand this stuff, and these little self-tests help a lot (when you have an answer key to compare your answers).

I'm about halfway through Basic Electricity. I just finished a brief chapter on electromagnets. I'm just starting on basic AC. Finally getting into some cool stuff.

I do want to try my hand at some inexpensive kits while I'm reading. I agree that nothing replaces actual experience. That stereo mic kit looks really fun. I do wish the mics were in a proper XY pattern though with a balanced output. I wonder how easy it would be to change that. Having a couple of those little guys would be so handy, especially if I could put a mic stand thread into a case for it. I need to do a bit of searching on TOMB for case sources too.

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audioXpress and DiY mags

audioXpress and DiY mags

Re: audioXpress and DiY mags

AudioXpress

hard to say if you would get value

Mic versus other pres

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