I agree as well, I opened another thread and ask an admin to move the posts into it. Jason, or any admin please move all the posts requesting boards please.
Here is a link to the order thread, if you would be so kind as to move all the requests for boards.
DIYAUDIO "Wolverine Pre-order"
JT
Here is a link to the order thread, if you would be so kind as to move all the requests for boards.
DIYAUDIO "Wolverine Pre-order"
JT
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Note: The floor is under our loop in this test, so we really don't know what the figures will be until we build a magnifier and test again. What we do know, is this amp is very quite. Once the next version is built, I will do a tough love review of what I hear. If it's good you will know that, if it's not you will know that too.
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Hey everybody,
The design and test team would like everyone to know that we believe we are there! This has been quite a journey, one that has been compounded by parts availability and the variables/challenges that occur as a result. The team was not willing to compromise on the performance goals, so numerous tests were conducted to optimize performance under a variety of circumstances. The input stage, various driver combinations, as well as amplifier performance using several different output devices required testing. It was necessary to evaluate the various combinations in order to understand the different needs of the various builds and create a BOM with enough flexibility and guidance for everyone to be successful with their builds.
Now that we feel that the board design is complete, before we make a substantial order for boards, we have ordered a couple of “final” version test boards to validate the final version. If all goes to plan, we’ll have the boards before Christmas, in which I will quickly build and test one to validate the layout. No surprises expected, but the team wants to put the seal of approval on it. All that said, if you’re interested in building a Wolverine, now is the time to speak up.
The design and test team would like everyone to know that we believe we are there! This has been quite a journey, one that has been compounded by parts availability and the variables/challenges that occur as a result. The team was not willing to compromise on the performance goals, so numerous tests were conducted to optimize performance under a variety of circumstances. The input stage, various driver combinations, as well as amplifier performance using several different output devices required testing. It was necessary to evaluate the various combinations in order to understand the different needs of the various builds and create a BOM with enough flexibility and guidance for everyone to be successful with their builds.
Now that we feel that the board design is complete, before we make a substantial order for boards, we have ordered a couple of “final” version test boards to validate the final version. If all goes to plan, we’ll have the boards before Christmas, in which I will quickly build and test one to validate the layout. No surprises expected, but the team wants to put the seal of approval on it. All that said, if you’re interested in building a Wolverine, now is the time to speak up.
I haven't spoke with the group, but the only reason, it hasn't been published, was we didn't want people running to produce it before the team had something we could be confident of... So speaking for myself, hard yes.
It will also have a build guide and BOM to go with it.
I feel for Harry, the BOM has changed so many times, he had to feel like a politician. What seemed like it might be easy, was anything but, Thanks Harry!
JT
It will also have a build guide and BOM to go with it.
I feel for Harry, the BOM has changed so many times, he had to feel like a politician. What seemed like it might be easy, was anything but, Thanks Harry!JT
I built an integrated Gainclone amp for my parents to celebrate their 50th anniversary about 15 years ago and it's time I built something new for them. I've been considering various amplifier and preamp/buffer options for a while. The Wolverine is a very strong contender for the amplifier so long as the boards are made available sometime in the next 2-3 months. I'm happy to build on the bleeding edge but have a few questions for JT and the rest of the Wolverine design team:
I'm not asking for guarantees; best guesses are fine.
Many thanks,
Scott
- Is it reasonable to assume that Wolverine pcbs will be available in the February - March 2022 timeframe?
- Would a 3U Dissipante chassis from the store provide adequate heatsinking for the Wolverine?
- Do you foresee any issues with pairing a simple diamond buffer or a Wayne's Burning Amp 2018 line stage with the Wolverine design?
I'm not asking for guarantees; best guesses are fine.
Many thanks,
Scott
It's whatever you want to build, the only diff in dual mono and mono is channel separation. (That, and cost) The power output will be, roughly, that of Badger, but better distortion and harmonics, and more resistant to outside influence. Also, it should be more happy with lower impedance loads, with proper rail consideration. My numbers at 4ohm looked very good. This was one of my primary concerns as my speakers are 4 Ohm. If I recall the amp produced 189W into 4 Ohms just before clip, my rails were about 62V
The plan is to have boards available asap. The team wants to validate the final board version before making a purchase of a large number of boards. That should be done in the next couple of weeks. So, yes. Boards should be available some time in January.
As for heat sinking, I did all of my testing with the 220mm x 300mm heat sink offered by the store. I listened to music using 2 boards on the same heat sink with no fan and it never got overly warm. That said, if you're pushing it hard into a 4 ohm load over a period of time, the overall heat load in a smaller case could be a reason to include a fan in your build.
The preamp I use is Wayne's Burning amp 2018. It works great....
neilshop:
That's great! My parents won't need a high-powered version of the Wolverine; they already have efficient 8 ohm speakers, probably needing no more than 50W per channel (their Gainclone is good for about 45W per channel into 8 ohms). The one thing is they play music all day long, so heat may become an issue. A 3U chassis is preferable mostly for aesthetic reasons (anything larger and my parents might object). I trust that lower rails will do the trick. This should be fun!
Regards,
Scott
That's great! My parents won't need a high-powered version of the Wolverine; they already have efficient 8 ohm speakers, probably needing no more than 50W per channel (their Gainclone is good for about 45W per channel into 8 ohms). The one thing is they play music all day long, so heat may become an issue. A 3U chassis is preferable mostly for aesthetic reasons (anything larger and my parents might object). I trust that lower rails will do the trick. This should be fun!
Regards,
Scott
Scott... There will be some excellent guidance in the build guide concerning the rail voltages, as a tremendous engineering effort was put into assessing the different outputs and SOA. In general, those who choose to run higher rails (greater than 60v) will have to carefully evaluate their selection of outputs. It really gets down to the size of the die and its ability to dissipate heat. MT-200 and TO-264 packages are going to be the ones to look at for the 60v+ rails pumping high power into difficult loads. Of course, it also depends on your speakers and your listening habits! By your description, your parents are going to be blown away by the spec build using 150w outputs powered with 57v rails. They will enjoy.....
To those that contributed to making the Wolverine a (soon-to-be) reality.
This has been a fascinating thread to read from the beginning. I've been following for a while, but I'm now watching/subbed. I am a hobbyist (at best). The transparency shown re: the design criteria and choices to be made along with the collaboration among the forum members was inspiring. Learning the impact of board layout and a bit about current loops was mesmerizing. Most of it went straight over my head, but it was fascinating to read the discussions.
There was some discussion around how to get more popularity and sales in the store. I can provide one perspective.
To me, the inclusion of the planned build and set up guide will be/is essential along with the promise of support from the community. There are a great number of people that can most likely build this successfully from a schematic. I'm getting very close, but I'm not one of them. Creating a safety-first build guide along with key measurement parameters (measure as you build) will go a very long way to making builds more accessible. Is this a first-timer project... an expert project? With documentation, it could be either. I think the First Watt guides, done by member 6L6, were a key contributor to their success. Taking the jitters out of that first "flip of the switch" is very important, IMHO. An exceptional example is the Bottlehead guides. An addition would be to include some basic audio measurements and the procedures used, so that would-be builders know that they not only "get music", but that the amplifier is actually performing to design specs. For some, that's not achievable due to equipment investment cost, but for others that's the next step.
I've seen the effort that has gone into the "shopping carts" and BoMs. That will certainly make things much more approachable, particularly if at least one alternate part and/or critical specs are shown. Parts availability will be a challenge for some. Having 1/2 of a thread's content surrounding, "Is this an OK substitution for X part?" can be tedious. An approach to consider is "transistor kits" offered through the store.
Why to buy? A brief discussion of the design methodology on the store site might build some buzz. Many people don't/won't read the thread, sadly. My opinion is that people wandering to the site, may think anything other than "Pure Class A" can have a negative connotation. Perhaps mention why it shouldn't. As a recovering audiophool, I can relate. Tom Christianson does a very nice job of describing the goals of his projects and commercial offerings on his website, IMO. I am only providing a reference to what little I know, and the experiences I have. I am sure there are many wonderful examples I've missed. I am not sure if it would tread into sketchy waters, but any reference to a "known" commercial offering may also help quite a bit. The First Watt products are easy. I have just started Sandro's YouTube series, and when he shows his design criteria up against a commercial McIntosh, things "click".
I hope that offers a few helpful suggestions and affirms some of the choices you've already made.
I am really looking forward to building this amplifier and its follow-up IPSs. Why? Because I took the time to read about the passion that went into it. I'm sure it will perform exceptionally, but this project catches my fancy not because of the claimed performance, but because I got to see it evolve and learn from those that helped it come to fruition.
Thanks!
This has been a fascinating thread to read from the beginning. I've been following for a while, but I'm now watching/subbed. I am a hobbyist (at best). The transparency shown re: the design criteria and choices to be made along with the collaboration among the forum members was inspiring. Learning the impact of board layout and a bit about current loops was mesmerizing. Most of it went straight over my head, but it was fascinating to read the discussions.
There was some discussion around how to get more popularity and sales in the store. I can provide one perspective.
To me, the inclusion of the planned build and set up guide will be/is essential along with the promise of support from the community. There are a great number of people that can most likely build this successfully from a schematic. I'm getting very close, but I'm not one of them. Creating a safety-first build guide along with key measurement parameters (measure as you build) will go a very long way to making builds more accessible. Is this a first-timer project... an expert project? With documentation, it could be either. I think the First Watt guides, done by member 6L6, were a key contributor to their success. Taking the jitters out of that first "flip of the switch" is very important, IMHO. An exceptional example is the Bottlehead guides. An addition would be to include some basic audio measurements and the procedures used, so that would-be builders know that they not only "get music", but that the amplifier is actually performing to design specs. For some, that's not achievable due to equipment investment cost, but for others that's the next step.
I've seen the effort that has gone into the "shopping carts" and BoMs. That will certainly make things much more approachable, particularly if at least one alternate part and/or critical specs are shown. Parts availability will be a challenge for some. Having 1/2 of a thread's content surrounding, "Is this an OK substitution for X part?" can be tedious. An approach to consider is "transistor kits" offered through the store.
Why to buy? A brief discussion of the design methodology on the store site might build some buzz. Many people don't/won't read the thread, sadly. My opinion is that people wandering to the site, may think anything other than "Pure Class A" can have a negative connotation. Perhaps mention why it shouldn't. As a recovering audiophool, I can relate. Tom Christianson does a very nice job of describing the goals of his projects and commercial offerings on his website, IMO. I am only providing a reference to what little I know, and the experiences I have. I am sure there are many wonderful examples I've missed. I am not sure if it would tread into sketchy waters, but any reference to a "known" commercial offering may also help quite a bit. The First Watt products are easy. I have just started Sandro's YouTube series, and when he shows his design criteria up against a commercial McIntosh, things "click".
I hope that offers a few helpful suggestions and affirms some of the choices you've already made.
I am really looking forward to building this amplifier and its follow-up IPSs. Why? Because I took the time to read about the passion that went into it. I'm sure it will perform exceptionally, but this project catches my fancy not because of the claimed performance, but because I got to see it evolve and learn from those that helped it come to fruition.
Thanks!
Very well put! I had a hard time finding some things for my badger (in canada) and was reading and reading to find alternative parts!, Kits could work awesome .. but supply Is hard atm given what's going on. MAYBE could have a document that people can put what they use or how it worked for them ... CANT WAIT FOR THE WOLVERINE!