Where to Learn About Building Solid State Amps?

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Mikerodrig27

Mikerodrig27

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Joined 2014
#1
Wow, this is a great forum topic. Very inspiring! I've been looking to get into building amps for my home theater and 2 channels. It looks like it would be a lot of fun.

Is there a sort of beginners guide to it all? I've looked throughout this site and have tried to make sense of it but nothing has quite clicked in my head completely.

There seems to be a lot of guides for tube amps where they break down how a tube amp actually works as well as how to make decisions on what parts to use etc but the equivalent doesn't seem to be as available for solid state.

I really want to learn about building solid state amps so thanks in advance!
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Q: Is it cheaper to make a high end amp as opposed to getting one from a high end manufacturer?
A: Building a high-end amplifier (whatever high end may mean) is generally cheaper than buying one. Many high-end manufacturers produce equipment in rather limited numbers and need to make their selling prices high to stay in business.


Places to purchase a kit:
Akitika Preamp and Power Amp KitsElliott Sound Products - The Audio Pages (Main Index)

Books and online information to read:

Leach Amp Plans
Leach Amp Plans - Part 1

Decibel Dungeon
Index page for Decibel Dungeon, a DIY hi-fi site for hi-fi lovers.

Nelson Pass:
https://www.passdiy.com/

Solid State Amplifiers: John Burnett:
http://http://education.lenardaudio.com/en/12_amps.html

Douglas Self
Robot Check
Robot Check

Bob Cordell:
Robot Check

(German) Tietze Schenk - Schaltungstechnik has a chapter on power amplifiers
Halbleiter-Schaltungstechnik: Amazon.de: Ulrich Tietze, Christoph Schenk, E. Gamm: Bcher

Bailey: 30-watt High Fidelity Amplifier
http://www.keith-snook.info/wireless-world-magazine/Wireless-World-1968/30-Watt%20High%20Fidelity%20Amplifier.pdf

Stuart: An approach to audio amplifier design
http://www.keith-snook.info/wireles...973/An approach to audio amplifier design.pdf

Newnes: Audio Engineering - know it all
Robot Check

Duncan: High Performance Audio Power Amplifiers
Robot Check

Louis Frenzel: Crash Course Electronics
http://www.amazon.com/Course-Electronics-Technology-Second-Edition/dp/0750697105

Harry Kybett: All New Electronics
http://www.amazon.com/Electronics-Self-Teaching-Guides-Kybett-2008-05-12/dp/B019NDHXSQ

Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuVqccvgNPM&feature=youtu.be
 
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#3
Do you want to learn how to build one (learn how to solder and how to read schematics) or do you want to learn how to design one? In the first case a kit would be a good starting point, in the second case start with studying the basic rules of electricity, then network theory, then basic electronics, then read a book about audio power amplifiers.

Building a high-end amplifier (whatever high end may mean) is generally cheaper than buying one. Many high-end manufacturers produce equipment in rather limited numbers and need to make their selling prices high to stay in business.

One nice feature about tube amplifiers is that quite simple amplifiers often sound good, even if their measured performance is only so-so.
 
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#4
Thanks for the info. If you guys have any links to good material, I can edit them into the first post. I've soldered before. I'll read up on that. I think a kit would be better for me. I've studied basic electrical electrical, haven't studied network theory or basic electronics. I'm going to look into those and see if I can find some good info on them.
 
#8
For the german speaking people "Tietze Schenk - Schaltungstechnik" has a chapter on power amplifiers too.

Shorter Readings:

Bailey: 30-watt High Fidelity Amplifier
Stuart: An approach to audio amplifi er design
Newnes: Audio Engineering - know it all
Duncan: High Performance Audio Power Amplifiers
 
#12
Nelson Pass has written some great information about simple circuits and how to learn from them, along the lines of what nigelwright7557 is talking about. Most of us start on a kit and, if the bug bites, keep going. The kits at the forum store might be a place to start. You've got a lot of backup here. In any case, it's fun. Regards, HeyBill
 
#14
Nigel, I'll keep an eye out for that stuff when I get to reading.

Heybill, I pulled up hjs site and put it up top.

Ian, Good links, I added them in and will go through them.

I'm going to do a lot of reading but I plan to get a couple of speakers from DIYsound group and build a couple of amps based of something like the Gaineclone.

Thanks guys.
 
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