I was looking at instructables.com and there were instructions for
making an amp for an ipod
(http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/70...3000D61419BA3/)
which got me thinking. I am working on a whole new PC/media system
with performance and space as the primary considerations. I was going
to go with powered speakers and drive them with the computer, but if I
can buy/build a *small* amp, that just did amplification, that would
be pretty cool. I don't need a lot of power, I have now what you guys
would consider low end that supposedly produces something like 70W per
channel and I don't come close to pushing it. I absolutely don't want
anything 17" wide. Is there a reasonable buy/build solution? Or should
I just go with the powered speakers?


TIA.


--
Matt Silberstein

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Why not just buy a smnall amp? Lots exist. Classic solution would be to
buy someone's cast-off home stereo.

On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 13:03:02 -0500, in rec.audio.tech , Joe Kesselman
in
wrote:

Why not just buy a smnall amp? Lots exist. Classic solution would be to
buy someone's cast-off home stereo.

Physical size is my issue.

--
Matt Silberstein

Do something today about the Darfur Genocide

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http://www.darfurgenocide.org
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Matt Silberstein wrote:
On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 13:03:02 -0500, in rec.audio.tech , Joe Kesselman
in
wrote:


Why not just buy a smnall amp? Lots exist. Classic solution would be to
buy someone's cast-off home stereo.


Physical size is my issue.

In that case, there were a number of posts in my inbox--just today--any
one of which *guarantees* to help you with that one.

But...as they say, it's not the size, it's how you use it....

BFG

(Sorry, I couldn't resist the above.)

On a more serious note:

I ordered a one-chip amp the other day which puts out around 20 watts
into an 8 ohm load. It's on a one-inch square circuit board and
requires a heatsink about three inches square. It took about 15 minutes
to solder it all up.

Is that small enough? Of course, the power supply really is the issue
as far as size is concerned. Transformers take up a lot of room. Even
switching supplies take some....

Google around. You'll find something.

jak

On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 13:47:46 -0600, in rec.audio.tech , jakdedert
in
wrote:

Matt Silberstein wrote:
On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 13:03:02 -0500, in rec.audio.tech , Joe Kesselman
in
wrote:


Why not just buy a smnall amp? Lots exist. Classic solution would be to
buy someone's cast-off home stereo.


Physical size is my issue.

In that case, there were a number of posts in my inbox--just today--any
one of which *guarantees* to help you with that one.

But...as they say, it's not the size, it's how you use it....

BFG

(Sorry, I couldn't resist the above.)

If that is the best I can get from my post it was worth it.

On a more serious note:

I ordered a one-chip amp the other day which puts out around 20 watts
into an 8 ohm load. It's on a one-inch square circuit board and
requires a heatsink about three inches square. It took about 15 minutes
to solder it all up.

Is that small enough? Of course, the power supply really is the issue
as far as size is concerned. Transformers take up a lot of room. Even
switching supplies take some....

"Lots" is relative, a 5" cube is much smaller, and much easier to put
on a shelf, than a "standard" size amp.

Google around. You'll find something.

Which is sufficient in that your response implies it is reasonably
worthwhile to explore. Thanks.


--
Matt Silberstein

Do something today about the Darfur Genocide

http://www.beawitness.org
http://www.darfurgenocide.org
http://www.savedarfur.org

"Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop"

On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 03:41:34 GMT, Matt Silberstein
wrote:

Why not just buy a smnall amp? Lots exist. Classic solution would be to
buy someone's cast-off home stereo.

Physical size is my issue.

Have you got sufficient space to locate the speakers optimally in the
listening room? This is arguably more important than choice of
equipment.

On Sun, 01 Jan 2006 19:42:01 +0000, in rec.audio.tech , Laurence Payne
in
wrote:

On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 03:41:34 GMT, Matt Silberstein
wrote:

Why not just buy a smnall amp? Lots exist. Classic solution would be to
buy someone's cast-off home stereo.

Physical size is my issue.

Have you got sufficient space to locate the speakers optimally in the
listening room? This is arguably more important than choice of
equipment.

I don't have sufficient space or room to do anything "optimally". OTOH
since space is my primary constraint, the question is how to put them
that is optimal for the room. (That is, there is always some optimal
for some set of constraints.)

There is no reasonable way to get "audiophile" results in my
situation, a small urban apt. There is little room and lots of outside
noise. My question is how to get the best I can with my constraints. I
am switching over to having all my stuff on hard drives rather than CD
(2K+ CDs take lots of room), moving to bookshelf speakers instead of
my Time Windows (sobs), etc. In some ways the constraints work
together. Since the place is noise I don't actually need the best
speakers/placement, I will never be able to hear the difference.


--
Matt Silberstein

Do something today about the Darfur Genocide

http://www.beawitness.org
http://www.darfurgenocide.org
http://www.savedarfur.org

"Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop"

"Matt Silberstein" wrote in
message ...
On Sat, 31 Dec 2005 13:47:46 -0600, in rec.audio.tech , jakdedert
in
wrote:

Matt Silberstein wrote:
On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 13:03:02 -0500, in rec.audio.tech , Joe Kesselman
in
wrote:


Why not just buy a smnall amp? Lots exist. Classic solution would be to
buy someone's cast-off home stereo.


Physical size is my issue.

In that case, there were a number of posts in my inbox--just today--any
one of which *guarantees* to help you with that one.

But...as they say, it's not the size, it's how you use it....

BFG

(Sorry, I couldn't resist the above.)

If that is the best I can get from my post it was worth it.

On a more serious note:

I ordered a one-chip amp the other day which puts out around 20 watts
into an 8 ohm load. It's on a one-inch square circuit board and
requires a heatsink about three inches square. It took about 15 minutes
to solder it all up.

Is that small enough? Of course, the power supply really is the issue
as far as size is concerned. Transformers take up a lot of room. Even
switching supplies take some....

"Lots" is relative, a 5" cube is much smaller, and much easier to put
on a shelf, than a "standard" size amp.

Google around. You'll find something.

Which is sufficient in that your response implies it is reasonably
worthwhile to explore. Thanks.


--
Matt Silberstein

Do something today about the Darfur Genocide

http://www.beawitness.org
http://www.darfurgenocide.org
http://www.savedarfur.org

"Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop"

A very elegant (cast-off) solution would be to look for a Tandberg Troll. I
bought one in maple and it'll even drive my Magnepans (which I would NOT
recommend long-term). The Troll is tiny.

George

"Matt Silberstein"
wrote in
message news
On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 13:03:02 -0500, in rec.audio.tech ,
Joe Kesselman in
wrote:

Why not just buy a smnall amp? Lots exist. Classic
solution would be to buy someone's cast-off home stereo.

Physical size is my issue.

If small size is an issue and you only want a few dozen watts, look at an
appropriate auto-sound amp powered by a cast-off power DC supply from a
laptop in the 16-18 VDC 2-4 amp range.

On Wed, 4 Jan 2006 10:16:28 -0500, in rec.audio.tech , "Arny Krueger"
in wrote:

"Matt Silberstein"
wrote in
message news
On Fri, 30 Dec 2005 13:03:02 -0500, in rec.audio.tech ,
Joe Kesselman in
wrote:

Why not just buy a smnall amp? Lots exist. Classic
solution would be to buy someone's cast-off home stereo.

Physical size is my issue.

If small size is an issue and you only want a few dozen watts, look at an
appropriate auto-sound amp powered by a cast-off power DC supply from a
laptop in the 16-18 VDC 2-4 amp range.

Makes sense. I could easily hide something like that.

--
Matt Silberstein

Do something today about the Darfur Genocide

http://www.beawitness.org
http://www.darfurgenocide.org
http://www.savedarfur.org

"Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop"

AudioXPress in the US and several Brit magazines sell small prebuilt
solid state amp modules that are just the size and power you want.

http://www.tech-diy.com/amplifiers.htm
http://sound.westhost.com/projects-1.htm

On Wed, 4 Jan 2006 19:14:56 -0800, in rec.audio.tech , "Richard
Crowley" in
wrote:

http://www.tech-diy.com/amplifiers.htm
http://sound.westhost.com/projects-1.htm

Thanks. I think I have decided to try to go with some car amps after
all. Adding the amp built to the planned furniture build is just a bit
more than I want to take on.

--
Matt Silberstein

Do something today about the Darfur Genocide

http://www.beawitness.org
http://www.darfurgenocide.org
http://www.savedarfur.org

"Darfur: A Genocide We can Stop"