i need to build something

[elder rookie]

hey everyone. i'm thinking of building my own preamp. i've built/modified a bunch of effects from old stompboxes with some interesting results and since i've got nothing more lying around broken i figured it'd be time to maybe try my hand at building my own preamp for vocal purposes and maybe some drum recording. now i still consider myself a beginner when it comes to soldering and wiring since i've only got 3 years or so of time under my belt (compared to some of the people on here that certainly makes me a beginner) and i'm looking to see if someone could recommend a good starting off point, like maybe a site with schematics that they know are good and complete or a good place to order parts from. i'd prefer if someone who has built their own preamp could recommend how to approach this sort of project. thanks a lot!

[tINY]

I've built a few pre-amps, but not from kits.

You might try the jensen transformers site and find some info there (at least for Transformer input pre-amps).

http://www.jensen-transformers.com/apps_sc.html



-tINY

[Jonkan]

this could be your new home...

www.groupdiy.com

I "live" there, and i cant stop building stuff now...

I have two ch api 312 preamps ready (very easy build), 2ch neve 1272 half ready...four ch of "green pre" on the way.. And a tube mic coming up after that.

Look in the "black market" to buy pcbs, or make your own...and then just order the parts and start soldering!

Then im gonna build some SDCs, then im broke (anybody want a kidney )

/Jonas

[Dog_Chao_Chao]

I know a guy that can make the assembly work for me. So i am also thinking wich piece of gear should be easy enough to start with but good enough for the effort. I would love a LA2a or a neve pre. What should be the best easy Vs. interesting gear to build first?
Thanks

[JonCraig]

i would say build a simple, class a solid-state pre. either way, i'll never attempt to build a pre again without a scope.

group DIY and jensen (as mentioned above) are the best sites i've come across for tips, schematics, etc. etc.

--jon

[Jonkan]

why not without a scope?

I just built 2ch of api312 clone without a scope, and they sound wonderful. No problems whatsoever.

Im just curious, am i missing something important here? In regards to tweaking the circuit etc?


btw, i can highly recommend api 312 as a good starter project. Very easy to get right, and not hard to find parts for.

/jonas

[audioez]

get your hands on some neve 3415 line amps. They make killer pre amps

http://www.ezraudio.com/article1.html

[elder rookie]

thanks for those links. tons of excellent info.

[JonCraig]

Originally Posted by Jonkan

why not without a scope?

I just built 2ch of api312 clone without a scope, and they sound wonderful. No problems whatsoever.

Im just curious, am i missing something important here? In regards to tweaking the circuit etc?


btw, i can highly recommend api 312 as a good starter project. Very easy to get right, and not hard to find parts for.

/jonas

the last pre i built (never made it past a very loose prototype) had all sorts of oscillations going on. actually, the thing would sound drastically different each time i powered it on. after trying various filter circuits, i finally drove ~50 miles to a friend's shop w/ a scope, and found all sorts of oscillations going on... and they would change with mic plugged in, open, phantom applied, phase of the moon, etc. etc. etc. i tried swapping opamps & the like, finally got something sort of working, but it didn't sound good, so i ditched it.

the api clone sounds interesting. wanna send me a schematic?

--jon

[Jonkan]

This is the type of 312 clone i built, check it out (pcb design by fabio bauman):
the diy pill forumfiles

The documents concerning the api312 is the ones who begins with r312...

I built mine with some melcor1731 opamps instead of the usual 2520.

Some more info: http://www.thediypill.phx.com.br/diy_api312.htm

I dunno if he has any pcbs left, but if not you could probably make your own since all the files for it is there.

If you look at the index page http://www.thediypill.phx.com.br there is also more kewl stuff and info.

/Jonas

[JonCraig]

great link! thanks!

--jon

[Dog_Chao_Chao]

Thanks. I think i will try the neve 3415 line amps. Is the la2a too hard for the first time?