Stuck at home? Make a kit!!


Hey all,

If you’ve been in audio for any length of time you might have talked shop about speakers, or amps, or tubes quite a bit. Maybe cables. If you are going to be quarantined, or socially isolating or just really don’t like other people (something I respect) maybe now is time to try a kit.

Lots of Pass fans here, so why not try a First Watt amp kit? Maybe build your own passive line stage?

How about pure silver interconnects? A speaker with a Be tweeter? How about a small coaxial speaker for the surrounds, or just to tinker? Desktop full range?

Build your own music streamer for Roon with a Raspberri Pi?

Got kids at home you need project ideas for? Just keep the solder fumes out of their faces, and use lead free. :)

Best,

E
erik_squires

To add to the posts of mc and Duke, make a GR Research sub or four. Rythmik sells the F12G as a factory finished model, and GRR sells it as a DIY kit. The kit includes the Rythmik A370 plate amp and a 12" woofer, which are used together in a servo-feedback system.

The Rythmik F12 has a 1.5cu.ft. enclosure, but the woofer may be used in an enclosure of up to 2cu.ft, which provides slightly higher output. Build the enclosure in any proportions you desire, and finish any way you like. Building it yourself, you can brace the h*ll out of it (take a look at how Jim Salk braces the enclosure he makes for the F12), and even use two layers of MDF or Baltic Birch ply (better yet, one of each), with constrained-later damping between the two. Dead as a doornail!

If you aren't interested in building an enclosure, Parts Express sells some real good sub enclosures as knock-down flat packs, very easy to assemble, wood glue and a few clamps (or even masking tape) the only tools required.

Got kids at home you need project ideas for? Just keep the solder fumes out of their faces, and use lead free. :)
No kid at home? Make one! No tools required. :)
 Been building various equipment since I was in high school. The thing to be careful of is the idea that what you built is some of the best out there. "Hey everybody, look at what I did". True enough, I see those who are incredibly talented, and to them I tip my hat. Some of what I have made over the decades is great, but was always someone else's design. Even at that, not all of it was what I had hoped. Just like the store bought stuff. OTOH, I wouldn't even try to build something too far out of my league. Somebody wants a good DAC, don't look at me. Speakers... I have a much better chance of hitting the mark as far as construction. I usually go with DIY because of the quality, real quality, has a pretty high price most of the time.
The thing to be careful of is the idea that what you built is some of the best out there.


True, but on the other hand, you will never learn as much by buying as you do building, and the value of experience is priceless, even if you do make a frog and end up giving to your kids. :)