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Amplifier enclosure on the cheap?

downhiller20

downhiller20

New Generation Audiophile
I'm on the hunt for a new amp, and I am trying to convince myself to be patient and build an amp instead of buying. I was looking to spend $400 originally, but I think I can build an F5 turbo for around this cost and have an amp to end all amps! What's holding me back-enclosure cost! I can't afford to drop a couple hundred here! How would I build an enclosure with just heat sinks and sheet aluminum? We aren't going for Sir Byrd elegance here. What would cost minus heat sinks be around for anyone whose done this? Any ideas on how I could do this on the cheap would be appreciated.
 
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I would look at the construction of something like an old Hafler DH-220 or Bogen HTA-250A, or the like. They are pretty simple frames with bolt on heat sinks on the sides. Or better yet I've seen both Hafler and Bogen units that weren't working on ebay that went for not too much cash and you get heat sinks and other goodies as well.

By the way, there's an working ATI AT1502 on the Atlanta CL that might meet you needs.
 
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Look at the old SWTPC Tiger amp article here. It's not the circuit I'd use, but the construction method is straightforward.

Another popular method is to re-purpose a chassis. Find some blown up thing you can get cheap and install your own boards. With luck it will have a suitable power supply.

Most amps I've built started with a plain rectangular Bud chassis box, open side down, transformer and heat sinks on the top. If I liked it and got fancy, I'd just screw a 19" rack panel to the front and call it done.
 
F5 needs massive heatsinks. There is no compromise here as it runs very hot. So you either have to fork couple of hundred $ for a sufficient enclosure or look to build something else like a gainclone.

I also wanted to build F5 but the enclosure cost would kill 80% of my budget. So instead, I built LM3875 gainclone and I am happy with it.
 
It all comes down to surface area and airflow. If, like many of us, you have more time and tools than money, get some sheets of aluminum, some aluminum angle and some bar. Drill the angle for the output devices, then stack up a few spacers (from the bar) and some sheets to create fins. Use thermal grease between the parts. It's a PITA, but given the cost of big heat sink extrusions it's another way to do it. Add a quiet computer fan if necessary. If you don't need cosmetic perfection, you can create just about anything with a jig saw and some raw materials. Check with on-line metal suppliers for machine shops, as they'll be cheaper than the local home store.
 
I may be putting off my F5 plans for awhile. An Aragon 4004 MkII was just offered to me by someone local on the cheap. There is no way I could build a turbo for the price on the aragon. I may look at building a regular F5 in one of those Bogen chasis in the future to biamp or something. As much as I'd like to do a diy build here it is not looking like the economics will work out with the offer given to me on the aragon (besides the aragon runs in class a for the first 10-15w anyways :) )
 
downhiller20 said:
I'm on the hunt for a new amp, and I am trying to convince myself to be patient and build an amp instead of buying. I was looking to spend $400 originally, but I think I can build an F5 turbo for around this cost and have an amp to end all amps! What's holding me back-enclosure cost! I can't afford to drop a couple hundred here! How would I build an enclosure with just heat sinks and sheet aluminum? We aren't going for Sir Byrd elegance here. What would cost minus heat sinks be around for anyone whose done this? Any ideas on how I could do this on the cheap would be appreciated.
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Look below....

drabina said:
F5 needs massive heatsinks. There is no compromise here as it runs very hot. So you either have to fork couple of hundred $ for a sufficient enclosure or look to build something else like a gainclone.

I also wanted to build F5 but the enclosure cost would kill 80% of my budget. So instead, I built LM3875 gainclone and I am happy with it.
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True, about sinks.


shelly_d said:
Don't know how much heat sinking that amp needs, so I don't know if the prices on this website are too much or not. On the off chance you did not know about them I thought I'd post it:

http://www.heatsinkusa.com/


Shelly_D
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Good call, a lot of guys use this brand for the F5.

downhiller20 said:
I may be putting off my F5 plans for awhile. An Aragon 4004 MkII was just offered to me by someone local on the cheap. There is no way I could build a turbo for the price on the aragon. I may look at building a regular F5 in one of those Bogen chasis in the future to biamp or something. As much as I'd like to do a diy build here it is not looking like the economics will work out with the offer given to me on the aragon (besides the aragon runs in class a for the first 10-15w anyways :) )
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What speakers are you planning to push? The Aragon may be a better fit for some of the pairs in your sig.

Here's how I DIY an F5 case:
IMG_0001_12.jpg


IMG_0006-1.jpg


Or, The Baby Badass:

IMG_0001-10.jpg


IMG_0002-4.jpg
 
I had a local sheet metal shop make a cab once. They have all the shears and breaks to form whatever you want and its pretty cheap. They make electrical boxes and custom ducting for a living. It took the guy about an hour to make a nice cabinet. I finished it up myself with needed holes, brackets ect.
 
I am planning to pair this amp with the Snells and a Arcam pre that has been heavily modified by parts connexion, so I think the Aragon may be the better option here.
 
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The F5 would be the ticket, but $400 may be a bit under the cost even if you do a lot of the work. I too am building one; an f5 Turbo actually, so heat will be even more of a factor. I am planning on $180.00 for the heatsinks, $120.00 for the transformer, so as you can see almost to $400.00.
For my casing I am planning on a front and back out of wood, most likely walnut. The base will be from diyAudio store, top out of acrylic with aluminum angle tying it all together. This is my semi-standard case scheme. I expect this one to be about $300.00 when all said and done.

Here is a pic of a little integrated I made recently.

DSC_0055_zps595f0dd7.jpg
 
Very nice Westend. The tranny case is Rad!
F5 probably cost me around $750 to build for $3000 quality. Pretty good economics in my book. Chassis is biggest investment. - about 50%. Worth it considering the time and tools you need to do your own.
 
Interesting , while great joy can be obtained building one of Papa's gifts , i would be hard pressed to believe an F5 /F5T could beat other amplifiers currently available in its build cost range ...
 
a.wayne said:
Interesting , while great joy can be obtained building one of Papa's gifts , i would be hard pressed to believe an F5 /F5T could beat other amplifiers currently available in its build cost range ...
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It wil still be on the todo list at somepoint, but probably in a less powerful form and biamping with a minidsp for electronic crossover.
 
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