Following on from my last post where I showed the headphones dummy load, I thought I would post the measurements I obtained from the other headphone amplifiers I have built. It’s also an excuse to play around with my new toys. I knew that eventually I would end up with an oscilloscope, I spent a…
Category: DIY Audio
Headphones Dummy Load
A dummy load simulates your headphones by presenting the amplifier with an impedance as close to that of your headphones as possible, using high wattage resistors. There are a number of reasons you may wish to use this – but primarily you are able to protect your headphones and your hearing. You can use higher…
RJM Audio Sapphire 4 Headphone Amplifier
I came across this headphone amplifier project about a year ago on DIYaudio.com. Built using the default choices, the class A output buffer provides 30 mW minimum output power into all headphone loads between 30 and 600 ohms. One of the things that impressed me was the continual input the designer Richard Murdey had on…
Nelson Pass H2 Harmonic Generator – Update
The events unfolding around the world at the moment are having impacts unheard of for generations. I am lucky; I’m well, I still have a job at the moment and am working from home, but, like many, that job may not be there for much longer. Whilst I am probably busier than normal as I…
ICEpower 50ASX2(SE) based Integrated Amplifier
I bought an ICEpower 50ASX2 amplifier from Ebay in 2018. It was an impulse buy if I’m honest as it was very cheap, they retail at about £100 in the UK and I got it for £35, but it’s been sat in my drawer since then waiting for a purpose. I must admit, I’m running…
A quick note on distortion
Recently I built the Nelson Pass H2 Harmonic Generator, a circuit that injects some 2nd harmonic distortion into the signal chain. Whilst I still need to get this boxed up to play with it properly, I’ve been mooching around and doing some reading on distortion. As part of my meandering, I came across this website…
PCM1794A DAC and Streamer project
As mentioned in a previous post, I wanted to build an integrated DAC and streamer to go with my XP-7 headphone amplifier. My search for a suitable DAC led me to the PCM1794A and further searching led me to the slowdiyer who, yet again, had built exactly what I wanted. A previous build had me…
Nelson Pass H2 Harmonic Generator
In a nice turn of events, my anniversary of 2 years as a member of the DIYAudio.com forum was coincidentally marked with a nice little gift. Nelson Pass and the good people at DIYAudio host an event called Burning Amp annually. It allows people to see and hear designs made by other DIY audio enthusiasts…
A novice’s guide to getting PCBs fabricated
In the previous post I talked about sourcing kits and boards suitable for novices. Once confidence builds and a little experience and knowledge is gained, other projects beckon and you find yourself perusing projects designed by generous folk who release their designs into the wild. Although most are usually just schematics, occasionally these may come…
A novice’s guide to DIY kits and boards with support
Whilst there is a proliferation of DIY audio PCBs available through sites such as Ebay and the many other Chinese based sites, there appears to be a relative dearth of suppliers of DIY kits and boards with accompanying support. For those with a little experience, a PCB with accompanying schematic is all that is required…