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#1 DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:10 pm
by Cressy Snr
It started with an email from RD offering me a chance for a small fee, to use a pair of his amplifier boards and associated output devices, and build my own amp with "NVA Inside" (copyright Intel) I snatched his hand off.
A couple of days later, a package arrived:
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#2 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:12 pm
by Cressy Snr
I found a power supply in MJ 4th edition:
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#3 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:15 pm
by Cressy Snr
Started to order some bits, caps, wire, heatsink mounting epoxy, a few 25A bridge rectifiers and this nice case off eBay:
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#4 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:18 pm
by Cressy Snr
A few days later the bits arrived. I ran the layout below past Richard, who gave it the go-ahead:
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#5 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:21 pm
by Cressy Snr
Got the hardware mounted and the output devices glued down, with a two part, heat conductive epoxy adhesive made for the purpose:
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#6 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:23 pm
by Cressy Snr
Power supply wired in and giving two polar opposite voltages:
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#7 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:26 pm
by Cressy Snr
It all fired up correctly, nothing exploded. Here it is on soak test a couple of weeks ago:
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#8 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:29 pm
by Cressy Snr
Amp on first introduction to the rest of my system:
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#9 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:31 pm
by Cressy Snr
Finished job, complete with LED indicator:
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#10 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 12:42 pm
by Cressy Snr
The amp sounds excellent and is, after a fortnight of use, burned in beautifully and providing some mighty fine music.
Richard did me a great deal on some old, original NVA, LS5 speaker cable, which completed the picture perfectly.

I've fitted a pair of 1uF film caps across the final power supply electrolytics, since the picture above was taken.
Both Richard and Nick advised me to do this. The effect on the sound in the treble region was useful, adding that last degree of refinement and air.

Thanks to Richard for allowing me privileged access to his amp boards, for the advice on how not to blow it up and to both Richard and Nick for keeping me on the straight and narrow during the build.

It keeps me up, listening, late into the night. Awesome :D :D

Building this is the reason why I've been asking about easily understood introductions to solid state audio engineering.

#11 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 1:16 pm
by little eddy
Nice build as ever.

Looks so simple - I must be doing something wrong.

#12 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 2:26 pm
by Cressy Snr
I kept it dead simple, as I'm basically thick when it cmes to solid state.
Also, the Doc advised that less is more with his boards, so I did as he said.

#13 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 3:09 pm
by Dr Bunsen Honeydew
I am not starting to supply for DIY or kits, it is too much hassle and potential magic smoke, BUT Stu and Steve were different. Stu is hilarious (chainsaw hi-fi) plus a good solid state understanding and he entertains us at HFS with his continuous hi-fi adventures. Steve is just a nice bloke who appreciates help and information and has no ego or need to make himself into a guru, in other words genuine!! I watch his speaker fun and tried to help, and he bought a nva starter kit which he appreciated. Not much dosh so I decided to help push his music along for him.

So basically like in all things I need motivation, It is not done for money, it is done because it entertains me, or I see a genuine need. Dunn haters need not apply, one already did at HFS and got short shrift, so there is a maybe to others.

#14 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 3:15 pm
by Cressy Snr
Cheers Richard,
It turns out that I've now acquired three awesome amps, for not a lot of money. So maybe a bit of tri-amping of a set of giant omnis would be in order. :lol: :lol: :lol:
Or maybe not. The missus would kill me for sure. :mrgreen:

#15 Re: DIY Transistor Amp Using NVA Boards

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 3:32 pm
by Dr Bunsen Honeydew
I wouldn't advice mixing the valve with the solid state. NVA has different input sensitivity to account for the loss of gain from a passive pre-amp.

It would be nice to hear from you the benefits or not, strong points v weak points of the valve v solid state amps as I have very little experience of valve work and what I have goes back to the 60's.

Not asking for a winner.