AkitikA GT-102 unboxing/build/review

[MKG]

I was in the market for a <$400 amp kit, 50wpc minimum, and this seemed to fit the bill perfectly.
Arrived today. I was worried at first because it had a giant sticker on the box that said “gt-102 assembled”- I bought this to build it. I have a ridiculously stressful job (mortician) and populating boards and soldering things or repairing things is my destresser/therapy.
Thankfully it was not assembled and still in bits.
It was packaged well. Bits are separated per board which is nice. Torodial transformer has significant weight to it. Case is decently built with no weird mismatched bends.
Heatsinks have a few minor nicks and imperfections- potentially an issue given how moist it is here in the PNW, but easily fixed with a few dabs of black nail polish.
I went ahead and spent the extra $10 for the printed assembly manual- worth it, it’s of decent quality and I probably would have spent more than that on paper and ink.
This post will have a slow progression- it’s a simple enough build, but I work ridiculous hours, am on call half of every week, and have a number of volunteer/community commitments.
More to come, eventually...

 

[drabina]

Very nice. Looking forward to your build. What are you going to use as a preamp and what speakers are you going to be driving with the amp?

 

[MKG]

Preamp and speakers will both vary. This will be used in my shop system. Currently I’ve got a little 6j1 preamp out there as well as a Chinese tube pre that is waiting for me to rewire it. Speakers are NLA, but I’ve got a garage full of speakers that I’m slowly repairing and auditioning.
If I like the sound of the GT-102, it may end up going into my main system and powering either ads l810s or mcs 8228s, with an outlaw 990 for the pre.

 

[Binkman]

I'll tell ya humor is a good relaxation method... so it kinda hit me that if you did this in your mortician work space and somebody came in, they might think you're building a monster? but I'm sure you meant you home shop.. or did you?

bink

 

[MKG]

...Home shop.

 

[Binkman]

 

[avionic]

. I have a ridiculously stressful job (mortician)

You just need a good "stiff" drink.. At the "You stab'm ,we slab'm saloon.

 

[MKG]

As I said, this thread will be a slow progression. Had an hour free and got a start on the power supply board.
For any beginners out there with nothing other than basic soldering skills- you can totally do this build, the instructions are excellent.

 

[lotus23bsr]

Grats on the kit!
I am going to order one this week.
I'll be following this build.
I might do a build log as well.
Gerry

I almost forgot, I was going show you this guy's YouTube channel in case you haven't seen it...

 

[MKG]

I have not seen this guys channel, thank you!
I look forward to your build guide, please drop a link in this thread once you get it started.

 

[lotus23bsr]

I have not seen this guys channel, thank you!
I look forward to your build guide, please drop a link in this thread once you get it started.

You're welcome!
I just ordered mine a few minutes ago.
I'll touch base when it comes in.
Gerry

 

[MKG]

Had a little bit of time free today so I finished up the PSU.
I’m pretty sure I could blow through this build in a day or two if I had the time but I don’t, and I’m actually enjoying the slow build. It’s giving me something to look forward to whenever I have a spare hour or two.

 

[drabina]

I would recommend using sockets for any of the ICs. If there is a need to replace them, it would be a plug and play. It also allows you to roll any op-amps if you desire though I do not know if Akitika has them.

 

[MKG]

Put together one of the amp modules this evening. Nothing tricky, as easy and pleasant as the PSU.

 

[lotus23bsr]

Looking good
Have you figured out what speakers you are going to use yet.
I still need to get speakers and I'm trying to find a kit that is 8 ohm and have not decided on what to get yet.
My amp kit is due in today along with a soldering station, I hope to start on it this evening.
Gerry

 

[MKG]

It’ll get auditioned and reviewed with NLA first, as that’s what’s currently set up in my shop.
I think you’ll enjoy the build, I am.

 

[lotus23bsr]

I used to own a pair of the original large advents about 40 years ago. I don't know where they went? I still have the Yamaha PL-701 turntable, SAE 2200 power amp and Yamaha C-45 pre amp from those days. The SAE is not working but I have cleaned up the TT and pre and will use those with the Akitika.

I'm looking at this kit from PE https://www.parts-express.com/tritr...ock-down-cabinets--300-7128#lblProductDetails or Elac Debut 6 2.0 if I'm in a hurry.
Not sure yet, still researching speakers.

I started on the PSU last night, only got a little ways. I need to see if I can find one of the 1K resistors locally this morning as the kit was missing one.
If I can't find one I'll email Akitika and see if he can send me one. No worries
Update: Dan at Aktika is on it, he is sending out another resistor today and also advised on a temporary solution to finish the power supply.

And here is a recent review of the GT-102 that might interest some...
https://cheaptubeaudio.blogspot.com/2019/02/akitika-gt-102-power-amplifier.html

Gerry

 

[MKG]

I don’t have to work this weekend AND I’m not on call!
And my bathroom renovation is almost done and at a point where I can do anything to it today, need to let the paint dry before I can tape it.
So... spent the afternoon working on the amp. Finished the other amp channel and started on the hookup wiring.
The way the instructions have you alter the shielded cables is odd and I feel like there’s much simpler options like a bit of shrink wrap, but I followed the directions (remove black wire, strip another solid wire just for its casing, thread that casing onto the drain/shield wire.)
I think I might be able to finish this up tomorrow while I’m cold smoking some cheese and finally give it a listen!

 

[MKG]

I'm looking at this kit from PE https://www.parts-express.com/tritr...ock-down-cabinets--300-7128#lblProductDetails

I’ve been kinda curious about those PE kits. I’d like to check a set out but given that I have almost 50 pairs of speakers in the shop in various states of disrepair, I don’t think I can justify buying another pair rather than repairing or repurposing a cabinet.

 

[lotus23bsr]

Looking good!
You are coming along nicely.
Can't wait to read your review on how it sounds.

I finished the power supply a couple of days ago.
When I started working on one of the amp module's the resistor list didn't match up and I had a bunch that were not shown in the instruction list?
Finally with Dan's help at Akitika we discovered I was using the wrong manual! I don't know how I downloaded the wrong manual or where I got it from because the right one is right there on the web page.
Any ways pretty dumb move on my part and I was not really missing the 1K resistor in the power supply (just need to change one resistor) I was just
Did I say I'm new at this
Gerry