How to DIY a HiFi Amp and save THOUSANDS - Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 พ.ค. 2024
- #HiFi #Amplifier #DIYHiFiAmplifier
Have you ever wanted to build a DIY HiFi amp? Well today you can. Thanks to Orchard Audio now you can build your very own DIY HiFi amp for considerably less than what it would cost you already built.
DIY HiFi Amp Parts Used:
Spade Connects: amzn.to/3KwMP4m
16ga wire: amzn.to/3IlmpBf
22ga wire: amzn.to/3i4lFpq
IEC Mount: amzn.to/37rGE3j
Starkrimson Ultra Kit: bit.ly/starkrimson
Amplifier Enclosure: bit.ly/starkrimsoncase
XLR Mount: bit.ly/3KKaxKB
RCA Mount: bit.ly/3KH146A
Standoffs: amzn.to/3JaI93S
Power Button: amzn.to/3I879aF
Binding Posts: bit.ly/3KAebGG
Rubber Feet: amzn.to/34EyuDH
SMSL DAC: amzn.to/3kvjA7t
📄Speaker Plans: toidsdiyaudio.com/shop
🔥 Where to Buy Speaker Parts and Kits: (affiliate links)
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Disclosure: This channel is viewer-supported. When you buy through links on my site, I may earn an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. . These Orchard Audio amplifier modules were given to me by Orchard Audio. The thoughts and opinions are mine alone. - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Want to know how well it measured? Check it out on the Forum: toidsdiyaudio.com/forums/discussion/diy-amplifiers-with-orchard-audio-live-what-is-gan/
There are complete schematics in repair manuals for thousands of amps - some of them famous and classic amps - online, complete with parts lists. For a couple hundred bucks and some effort, you could duplicate an amp that used to go for many thousands of dollars. And if you're familiar with electronics, you could even swap out parts and get even better results than the original.
These days, it's reasonably cheap and easy to get boards made however you want. And repair manuals usually include board layouts.
I'll save thousands more by avoiding an overpriced "kit".
Yes, way out of my budget also.
Where you gon get a good measuring gan amp for the same price?
@@ubacow7109 You buy hypex 400
@@wadimek116 This is true but gan designs have theoretical advantages in terms of heat, power output, and size, they're just really expensive to manufacture and produce right now because high powered modules are produced in lower numbers. Probably give it another 3 or so years before you start seeing any actual affordable modules for the average consumer.
No doubt! This video is nothing more than a sales pitch by a guy who has a strong incentive to say that this is such a great deal. He was given the kit by the owner of Orchard Audio.
Thank you for your time and creating the video.
Hey man... I'm the guy that wrote that huge 3 paragraph response to the Facebook group about shutting it down in favor of a website. I'm subbing now in support. I enjoyed the video. Looking forward to more content. Remodeling the kitchen a little, but I am ready for more DIY Audio goodness.
That does look really nice, and ultimately really easy to put together.
A big thanks to Leo for bringing Orchard Audio and all of its GAN technology to us regular folk.
I agree. I'm not sure where the difference in sound quality came from, but my assumption is due to the GaN technology. Such a smooth clear response.
@@Toid How do you know it is a "smooth clear response"? Maybe I missed the part where he scoped it out or even provided some sound so that we could hear the results of the music. Oh, I just noticed that I'm responding to remarks by the author of this video. You say "such a smooth clear response". You didn't even put up any music or sound at all from the Amplifier. I guess we just take your word for it?
@@richarddavis9362 if you want, he will scope each, and every amplifier he sells, and gives the results to the buyer for their particular amplifier. He provided the details on these. I did another video with Orchard idea where we went over that. As far as the sound quality goes, that’s my subjective opinion.
it is, by far, after like 11 years, still the smoothest sounding earphone
true technically not interesting for enthusiasts, but still great sounding esp for those who want to upgrade
you cant find those 3 anywhere for reason
This is a class D stereo amplifier. The kit only includes the two monobloc amp boards and costs over $1,000 (About $1,200 with tax and shipping. The heatsinks are a joke and badly oriented in the case. The case adds over $200 and apparently doesn't even include a power button or the correct standoffs. The capacitor banks (a necessity IMHO) look like they are designed with quality Japanese capacitors, but I could not tell from the video. No price is given (Guessing ~$150 for the pair, if the capacitors are high end). The power amp pricing also is not given, but at 1,200 watts (it looks well constructed, but I prefer a separate supply for each channel with toroidal transformers) it will surely exceed $150. BTW, screw terminals are not a great choice for a high-end amplifier due to oxidation over time,. I would need to see some third party audio output data before spending a dime on this. Overall the unit seems severely overpriced for a DIY at a likely total cost of over $1,800.
Agreed
Agree - there is absolutely no context given here as to what this amplifier is equivalent to, and why building this is a "good deal." If viewers want a genuine good build at a really good price with pretty great audio performance, just buy a TPA3255 Texas Instruments Class D chip amp from Aliexpress
The heatsinks appear undersized because it uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors. They have higher breakdown voltages and produce far less heat and are more energy efficient vs Si, but do have inherent disadvantages as well. The biggest problem being cost and quality consistency. I'm greatly disappointed with the pricing of this product though. It's website posts reviews from online publications that label this a "budget amp". Since when the fuck is $2,600 a damn budget?? Forget that noise. I would rather spend that on a Yamaha MX-D1 (built back in 04 to 06, but pop in some fresh electrolytics and good as new). Speaking of capacitors, the ones being installed in this vid are the unbranded garbage kind you find on eBay for super cheap. They intentionally put that "arrow stripe" on the side of them to mimic the look of real quality ELNA capacitors. Recognized those a mile a while. Those have a HUGE impact on sound quality, especially in class D amps like this. He didn't even fill all six openings on the cap boards! Soldering skills are novice as well, and that's being generous. Ok, im done here.
@@muppetb.lansing8374 T.I. does make excellent op amps and DAC chips. Of course most people wouldn't even know what to do with it. The dildo in this video would probably destroy it with his atrocious soldering skills.
the capacitors looked like knock off panasonic FC's
I've been looking for something like this for years. And for good hifi tube amps too.
Really nice video the only complaint is: "Save a thousand plus dollars"...when it is already $2499.95 out of the box with NO EXTRAS added. Might be DIY but it is way too expensive for the "average" person out there. By the time you add an extra you ARE closer to $3500. Then when you buy the other "aux" stuff....it will be closer to $4000.
Maybe the wording should say $1000+ dollars. Some of this depends on how you configure it. The way this build was configured is around $2900 from Orchard Audio and $1450 for the same DIY kit from Orchard Audio. Add in all the other expenses I chose, and it came out to be closer to $1,800. Total savings was around $1,100.
This is a review of Orchard Audios 150w monoblocks and the Purifi Eval1
The gist is that these amplifiers are transparent. They don’t exist if they meet your wattage needs. My next amp will be for near field listening and will replace a monster 50LB amp B&Ks best 2ch which is just a toned down version of their monoblocks. I’ll build a dual mono Orchard setup (costs an extra $350) and at this point after reading these reviews I’m not worried about the transformer. Or I’ll build the EVAL1. I haven’t decided yet. For simplicity’s sake I’d choose the Orchard. I’m a huge fan of GaN but it’s obvious that the EVAL1 get on just fine without it.
These amps aren’t cheap at all. They have to compete with Emotiva and in that sense I don’t think you save much. The Emotiva XPA-DR2 is $1800 for Monoblocks it’s $2800 for (2) XPA-DR1 or the XPA-HC1 is around $2000 for (2) of them plus a chassis to hold 2 of them together.
I’d rather build my own but for most people I don’t think you are going to see a huge difference in savings or sound quality between those offerings.
audioxpress.com/article/fresh-from-the-bench-a-tale-of-two-class-d-amplifiers-orchard-audio-bosc-and-purifi-audio-eigentakt-eval1
That’s awesome! So easy to change out a board and be back in business if something goes awry. It don’t get much better than that.
That's a really great point. Also, great to hear from you. Takr care my friend
You can order whole boards for major brand electronics as well. Component level repair is where one can actually save. Putting mounting screws into a ready-made kit isn't DIY either. Think IKEA furniture vs lumber.
Yup - Interested =) .. Nice build.
Terrific video! Great build and great explanation.
Thank you! I really appreciate the encouragement.
Will definitely give it a try.
5:30 not sure what safety norms are around the world, but here in central europe, connecting ground pin to the chassis is actually a must and should include a securing washer.
You want to have the chassis grounded as close to the plug as possible.
Exactly and the chassis has a connection point for you to do this right under the IEC inlet.
You've answered a couple of my questions, thank you!
Glad to hear it!
I'd really like to see a diy 5 or 7 channel amp, that's what I really need.
Is the wire solid or stranded would silver plated Teflon work well
What PC boards could you use for a 12 volt, car audio amplifier?
Great video, as usual. Please type what parts from Orchard you purchased! The kit of course but the other parts. How many? It’s a bit difficult to choose the right parts and amount. Keep up your great work.
Hello. I do sell the full kit that comes with everything you need to do the assembly. However, if you just want to purchase the modules from me and get everything else yourself you will save some additional money.
I've been wanting to build an amp with HDMI in/out put. For surround sound. Do you know of a DIY board I can buy for that?
I will admit that I am no electronics expert here (though through lots of car work I am handy with a soldering iron) but, that power supply / transformer (which I noticed isn't one of the much vaunted toroidal types) looks rather small compared to what is fitted in my old power amp that I was contemplating replacing?
What soft start is that?
At the early prices he offered them for, these Orchard Audio power amps made sense, but at the new prices - I’d just recommend Purifi over them any day of the week.
Is there a PuriFi DIY kit?
I know the Purifi are exceptionally good, have you heard them side by side with the Orchard audio boards?
I still think hypex nc400 is the best amp you can feasibly diy as a newbie. Dead simple to build and NUTS measurements for the cost. Class ab be damned
I'm a huge fan of Hypex amplifiers as well. I'm loving seeing all the new amplifiers available to DIYers.
I saw you used wire ferrules on your jumpers I would have used them on every wire , they make for a better connection and if you need to replace one board or upgrade makes things so much easier for pennys on the dollar and minimal time however love the video
I guess you mean ferrules?
@@oldrenders yes, I should have spell checked myself ... I stand corrected
I'm looking for a new power amp and I've been looking at the NAD C298. I would love to make this kit but is it at least as good as some of these higher end HIFI 2 channel power amps? I think the C298 is about $2k.
When I got this kit, Leo was nice enough to measure each amplifier module so I knew exactly what I was getting when I received it. If you check the description of the video there's a link to my website which includes those measurements. You're welcome to check them out. That way you can compare them to the NAD. And if you buy from Orchard Audio, he can measure yours for you before he ships them. That way you have the actual data to show exactly how good your amplifiers are.
Hi. Would a IEC AC 10A Socket with EMI Filter and Fuse Holder, be a good option at assembly? Reduce noise?
10A would not be enough for 110/120VAC, 15A should be the minimum.
How does its sound quality compare to Hypex class D amps?
I’m liking your content
Is there a Pre Amplifier kit? Please DIY it also thanks 👍
You mentioned choosing 120V for your use. Could this unit be powered by 12V power only?
Also, that DAC is no longer available. Is there another you would recommend would work well with a unit like this?
I see four capacitors but room for six on each board, why not use all six caps? and what is the capacitance in total what you used? And make of capacitor, you probably best of going with a split foil design capacitor that will filter out more EMI like dnm caps.
can you do a review on the “NEW 12" SubWoofer Speaker.Pro Audio.DJ.PA.Woofer w/ Cabinet.BASS Sub w/ box.8ohm” and your honest thoughts of it its a 12 inch pa subwoofer 300watts rms 600peak 8 ohms
How do you adjust the volume? I didn't see any volume knob.
It's a straight power amp, you use a DAC or other control. I guess you could make your own volume control if you know how
Nice build. How do the Hypex boards compare to the Purifi?
It's GaN amp modules in the video. The Hypex mentioned shown in the video is a Hypex (SMPS) switch mode power supply.
Hypex make amp modules and also switch mode power supply's.
As for amp modules. Purifi amp modules measure slightly better overall than the top Hypex amp modules. Both excellent performance.
CA is correct. The big thing here is that it uses GaN technology. Which offers some benefits over traditional silicone. But all three mentioned are highly reviewed.
What are "cap boards"?
This looks like an amazing build! The only thing I would do differently is replace the power supply with a toroidal transformer and solder the wiring directly instead of using the terminals
Solder ......sodder lol
Hi. Please give us name on the toroidal transformer, that will fit.
You’d need to customize the design. It’s more than just the toroidal. You’d need that amp board but without the transformer on it.
I’d hit the orchard audio forums and ask around. I had the exact same question myself but I can say this.
These aren’t the same amplifiers we grew up with and we don’t live in the same households either. 25 years ago home where filled with all sorts of analog noise in the Powerline. Today that noise is digital and not as strong and it’s soaked up by all the filtering in all the devices you own. Also this amp has completely different transistors and the efficiency is much higher allowing for a smaller transformer that might not suffer as much.
I don’t really know enough to understand it all but the amplifier tests very well. It’s also NOT CHEAP. I know the (2) amp boards alone cost $1100 plus $350 for the power supply.
@@MrGivmedew Thanks for your answer. A bit to do, and me not being so skilled in electronics, I would choose the 350$ power supplie. Faster and probably cheaper in the long run.
@MrGivmedew you're right it needs a little cosimization, but i think it's worth it since I can pick the components myself. I would build the board myself, but perhaps there are standard boards out there that would do the job.
Does he make one now that has regular RCA inputs as opposed to his streaming only version?
The ultra modules have RCA input. You may also purchase the ultra amps with RCA inputs if you would like.
Nice video but you are missing some pretty basic key info about the amp. Who is Orchard Audio, I never heard of them. What chips are they using, what are the power specs, how does this differ from amp kits direct from ICE Power or Hypex, how much does it cost?
Speaking of that last point (I looked it up) yeah... kinda blew me away. This kit is by a fair bit more than Ive ever spent on a piece of audio gear and for a DIY kit that seems like a lot. I'd really like to know what makes this stand out vs. the other class D kits out there and and waht makes it worth the money but this video didn't really do any of that.
I did a separate video on Orchard Audio and the GaN technology used.
@@Toid I must have missed that.
Still it would be nice to preface the video with a bit of a summary before digging into the build. A separate video shouldn't be required viewing for proper context.
@@PhillioDoede it all depends on what the content of the video is supposed to be about. The reason why I did an hour long chat with Orchard audio was so that people could understand that aspect of it. This video was only about the DIY kit and how easy or hard it was to build in addition what other things you might need.
@@Toid The build process was/is great so no issues there and I'm not trying to pick apart your videos since your channel is one of the aspects of me getting back into DIY (I have the parts for the Ice Power amp on the way) but this one left me with lots of questions.
A quick what the amp is, who is it for, is it a good value would be good inclusions and woudln't add a ton of length to the video. Those are kinda key aspects that need to considered before even thinking about how to build it.
I'm confused, where is the full parts list and instructions?
Question for you - if 4 additional caps are good (and I am sure they are!) then why not have all 6? Is this an in-rush issue? Can the wires be soldered directly to the boards, and skip the screw terminals?
Edit: the link to the amp kit seems to be broken.
I redid the website about 6 months ago and some things moved. I still have this product but now with a better power supply than what was used for this video.
I feel like it is a little misleading to say one might save "thousands" (plural) by building the ultra from a kit. There are many options, so total costs can vary depending on your selections. But I figured you would "save" roughly a $1,000 by assembling the ultra yourself. But it's not necessarily a picnic putting it together. AND is it still covered by warranty if the customer does the assembly?
The amp modules are covered by the warranty if you do the assembly yourself. I cannot cover anything else in this situation.
Could you use this in a home theater setup?
Yes. In fact. I am probably going to be using this on my front two towers
Absolutely. I have many customers doing this.
I own a Crown PSA-2 XH, it comes on but doesn't make sound. I wonder if learning about these kits would help......so fascinating.
I think its odd that people wanna get into electronics, but dont wanna learn how to solder... That's literally step one.. And its so damn easy to do.
That's a good point.
very impressive what sound people can get nowadays for like 20k
I like the hat. Go Redbirds.
You should note that with polarized capacitors, you must make sure the polarity is correct before soldering, which you did do yourself as seen in the video. The speaker binding posts from Dayton Audio are really great. The additional capacitor storage is really great. I was very unimpressed by the size of the transformer, usually hi end audio gear benefits greatly from a large, high quality toroidal transformer. You did not mention what type of amplifier this was, whether BJT Class A-B, Class D, MOSFET, or what. Please comment about the amp type as I would be interested.
It's a Class D amplifier that uses GaN transitors over silicone transistors. The GaN offers quite a few benefits over silicone. As far as I know, it's the only DIY kit that you can purchase that uses GaN.
@@Toid Class D's have typically been very efficient, but noisy, amps and therefore limited to subwoofer duty for the most part (where the higher distortion is much less impactful). I do see in the specs where this kit is actually very low on the distortion; would you mind educating me (and others) on how this class D is able to produce such relatively clean amplification?
@@HASTE347 I can see about doing a video on that. But class d has changed a lot since when they first came out. The output stage is so very important and good manufacturers have been creating some really great class d amps for a while now. This Orchard Audio has really pushed the envelope even more. I forgot to mention in the video, but when I had my employer units sent to me, Leo measured them and gave me all my distortion ratings and everything so I had them. It's kind of cool to know that those ratings are for your board exclusively. You could literally just without the data and say this shows you how clean this amplifier really is.
When class D took off there where quickly full range amazing sounding ultra low distortion amplifiers. In the early 00s you had Alpine and Blaupunkt for car audio. Sony did something in their ES line and Sonic Impact had a $30 amp that sounded good enough to get some decent reviews and a lot of people doing modifications to fix their short comings. Then the “Tripath” chips just disappeared! I’m guessing it took their parents expiring for the technology to come back. I don’t really know enough about it. But I have several chip amps including a modified Sonic Impact.
These are also GaN. That changes things.
So there has been good sounding switch mode amps for 20 years. They just went away for a while.
What is the power output and how many channels.
Each module is 250W into 8ohm or 500W into 4ohm. In this video he made a stereo amplifier, so that is 2 channels at 500W into 4 ohm each.
You think you can put on a hat and people won't notice that your Seth Rogan 😂
It's nice to build your own amplifier but you need the know how and with the emotiva selling really good amplifiers so cheap and they are good I was shocked on how good they are I wish I found out early about them
this type of amp basically use wire to connect power and amp board ,it looks like class D type of amp and switch power supply , if really want to try diy hifi amp,i prefer lm3886,4780 type of amp, simple and easy to build, and great sound too, the most beautiful thing is you can learn a lot of basic stuff in process, and you can applied everything you learned to this amp , like modify or tweak to find your taste, lm3886 type of amp, just so many different circuit you can find,can extreme simple circuit, like not many parts ,can point to point to build or extreme complicate,use 3 lm3886 one channel , thats really fun to build, that what really diy hifi about, not just put a complete build amp and power board into case connect some wire,lm 3886 ,4780,exist for long long time,studio monitor like to used them, out there still find 3886 kit, if want learn something, give it a try, dont get me wrong, class d is fine, I mean those amp basically per build, not really diy build to me,just less fun in build process,all people different taste, doesn't matter what kind of build,main thing is you like it and have some fun , sorry for my poor english.
How much was the kit please ?
Might be an idiot question but how do you adjust the volume. I see no potentiometer...
Other than that great video !
That's not a dumb question at all. With most HiFi amplifiers, you're going to be using some type of preamp. In the case of my testing, I used the smsl DAC that I linked to in the video description. In the future, I might be using my surround sound receiver with my RCA pre outs. So whatever you want to use as the preamp is up to you.
Good question, and Nick's response is correct. You have to use volume control on the device you used to drive the amplifier.
I had to learn this too. You have found a great teacher here, Jules. Never be afraid to ask questions here.
@@Toid is there a quality difference with pre outs or does it has no impact on the sound quality of the amplifier... When I would use the Pre out of my old AVR does it affect or color the sound in any way?
Can it handle drive pro drivers?
I am 99% sure the answer is yes. Please elaborate.
Looks like this isnt available anymore?
I redid the website about 6 months ago and some things moved. I still have this product but now with a better power supply than what was used for this video.
Is Orchard Audio a sister company to Peachtree Audio??
Shame there's harshness in the comments, probably a bit of a victim of your own success with the $300 build.
What you need is an in between priced amp next!
I appreciate it. I'll have to keep my eye out. If you know of something, let me know. Maybe we can make it work.
My 150W modules will be about half the cost of this build and the sound signature is very close. They just won budget product of the year from The Absolute Sound
If you are going in this direction the Hypex modules work just fine. Reliable and a good sound. Proof positive tradition is not the only way. Been doing audio over 50 years and the possibilities are greatest ever. ICE modules make packaging easy. These will never be for everyone, and that is okay. My take, as long the sound I want and headroom and reliability are there, why not? I pretty much left the high end audio sector for the B.S. it is/was famous for. Also I miss the kits you buy to build yourself as an option. Just as this here as long ago there is something about building it yourself. It really means the buck stops here.
This DIY kit really interested me.... untill I saw what the price would be to order it. WTH...with that money I can purchase a really nice still full of life vintage amp/receiver that will sound and look wayyyy better than this " save thousands of dollars " DIY kit
How much is the kit?
There are multiple levels of the kit all pricing is on my website.
Also I note that there's no facility for bi-wiring here.
Verrry similar to a west coast (California?) company called Mark V [Electronics?] (V = Roman numeral 5) that I became aware of in the mid-to-late 90s..... This far into this vid., the product and its options are nicely falling inline with that aforementioned company. (Recollecting....) Back in those days, the overall case was also an option - black, silver or, if you were custom-packaging it yourself, w/out - along with choosing to go with the control(s)/connections panels sans the case. ....Toroidal transformers back then were one of their upgrade/up-sell option as was the option to pay them to build the PCBs. Missed that comany when they [closed/bankrupted/clearanced and got out of the business?]. Typically Class A-B (with a few Class A left in the lineup) had quite appreciable power output and distortion spec.s for their day ranging from mono-amps up to 1500W incl. units for subs with decent enough damping spec.s as well as some stereo audio amp SKUs from 75W to 500W per channel versions offering either a single power supply on upward to SKUs with dual, fully isolated power supplies for each stereo channel and PCB topography+paths that were progressing towards better channel isolation just before they disappeared. Been lookimg for another such outfit. Looking forward to seeing what comes in the video, checking out the products and their company background and practices. 👍
Subbed. 👍🍻
I think the kit went up $1000
So $1,500.00 in "kit" parts, which are just the boards... then still have to buy a case, connectors etc.... yikes.
Kits . . .
This looks too easy . . idiot proof - but you pay for it
compared to
45 + years ago- building
Dynaco : a 120, an 80, the AM-FM tuner, the Dyna_quad box, PA-5 (?) pre-amp
good work here- TY
Don't you mean "assembling " it?
A heck of a lot of chips in this amplifier. Not good for the sound. Discrete usually sounds better.
So it's a kit. Hmm why do builders need to add standoffs wile they should be in the kit the first place.
Although it looks good, with good parts. Note I never add earth to my builds from mains, why you add distortion from earth to your amps.
Aslong as everything is isolated there is no problem.
Class D killed the AB, A and the rest.
Class D being much more energy efficient is what's killing off Class, A, AB etc.
@@C--A it also sounds the best. I have the hypex ncore amp. And it destroys the ab i have.
I watched this guy Leo who is supposed to be the founder/ owner. He tells you all the places he worked, which is an impressive list., even NASA.
And then all his education. Now the guy looks to be very young, maybe his early thirties, to have all that experience. Just saying.
Hi. Please see my linked-in profile for my full experience and background.
I would never build anything that is not Ultra Plus 🙂
You are misleading people Orchard Audio does not provide a kit, all they are selling is the amp module for this amp. You have to get everything else someplace else. It will run about $1500.
They offer the electronics kit. It comes with all of the electronics. The amplifiers the power supply the soft start module the capacitor boards. I said in the video that you get to decide whether you want RCA or XLR connections and you purchase those as well as decide on what type of case you want. It's the same thing as someone that offers a speaker kit without a flat pack. You get all the crossover components and all the speaker components, but it's up to you to decide things like binding posts, speaker wire, material for the enclosure and anything else you want to add such as paint feet etc. This is very common with electronics kits.
@@Toid I emailed Leo and he said they don't offer a kit.
@@rom553 call it whatever you want. It's all the electronics that you need to build the amplifier. It's the amplifier modules, the soft start, the power supply and even the capacitor upgrades. If you don't want to call it a kit don't call it a kit. I don't really care what you call it. I mentioned in the video all the other things that you need to build the amplifier. As far as I'm concerned, we're talking semantics. All in the way I built it is about $1,800 total. A huge savings from buying it outright.
I am now offering a full kit where you get everything you need to build the completed amplifier. Please see my website for details.
I'd call it assembly rather than build. Nice work though...
I'll save thousands by buying a second hand marantz
Save thousands? My BasX was on sale for $300 (100 wpc class a/b).
I love Emotiva, so you're not going to hear me say anything bad about them. The main difference between something like this and that would be, this is 500 watts per channel at 4ohm (2ohm capable) and uses new GaN transistors.
I had one, it sounded thin
@@Toid Now that is a big difference.
Nowhere in the video do you mention the cost ($1500 for the amp modules alone). You do, however, make the claim that this build will save money. Well, how much? If we're in that league you have to mention minimal specs - amp class, RMS watts per channel, etc. You also have to refer the viewers to some test measurements, address the psu noise issues common in switch mode power supplies, and class D performance. This is pure sales BS, and not fitting for the target audience of serious audiophiles with cash to spare. Thanks for wasting my time!
They need a designer for the logo. It’s awful. 😂 specially the typography
1000$ is cheap ? 🤣
Looks like a decent build kit, but he never ever informs the watcher what is the price of this "Kit". One has to go to the orchard audio site to find out that it is a HEFTY $2500 for this "Kit". Certainly NOT inexpensive. And it appears that Orchard Audio doesn't even supply all the parts for it at that price. Basically, what this video amounts to is a advertisement sales pitch for this Orchard Audio company. He also was apparently given this kit by Orchard Audio, so he has all the incentive to rave about it. Interesting video but realize this is NO bargain at $2500.
I would like to make a few comments here.
1. There are multiple kit levels ($2500 is the most expensive one), and all levels of the kit come with everything you need to build the kit minus the solder and tools.
2. The only thing I gave to the person running this channel is the amplifier modules. He had to use his own money to purchase everything else that is needed.
Starkrimson® Stereo Ultra $2500 or the same configuration DIY Kit comes to $2025. Savings: $475
You need to double check your math. I think you probably added dual power supply for the DIY kit. And a single power supply for the stereo Ultra without the capacitor upgrade. The stereo Ultra with the capacitor upgrade is $2,900. The DIY kit is $1,450 + whatever parts you decide to put into it. My total cost was a little under $1,800. And if someone wanted to use a different amplifier case and or parts, they could do it for even less. Or they could use even better parts and do it for a little bit more but you should have a savings of at least $1,000.
@@Toid oh i see, my bad. I thought the $2500 included dual psu, cap upgrade. but those are options
@@tallpaull9367 no worries. It's always good to keep people accountable. I'm just glad we could figure out where the difference was.
Class D with a ton of SMD components. Thanks, but I'll pass.
You just build an expensive KIT ...
Ummm, no. This is over $1000 and will NOT be any better than S.M.S.L class d amplifiers, which are under $300. Audiophoolery!
Just to clarify, I love SMSL. They are some of my favorite non DIY amplifiers. You get a lot for your money. In fact, I run an SMSL DAC and headphone amp on my computer and the AO200 in my game room. And I've reviewed all of them on the channel. However this is a lot different than any of those. For one, this is a true 1000w power amplifier versus 180w (@4ohm). In addition this uses GaN transistors which are capable of switching significantly faster than silicone transistors. If you aren't familiar with GaN transistors, you should look it up. Here's a good link to what infineon has to say about it (the same manufacturer of the chips commonly used in SMSL).
It's advertising for the supplier, be very careful.
true2, this enleum f.ex gives nice 'highend' sound to the 64 which makes it more accurate and reliable, while still retain the fun/magic of 64
I'm not sure Class D amplifier can reproduce a clarity..
this is the worst amplifier. Even the distortion figures are worst. Please use LM3886 kits for cheap and HiFi sound - distortion figure - 0.038% at 68Watts.
I am not sure where you got your number. The distortion of these modules at 50W is
@@OrchardAudio from your name it seems you have experience in electronics. If yes, then we both know that the LM3886 is better in price and performance terms. Or younger engineers (like my son) prefer Class D or T but their performance cannot match LM3886.
Lol just checked these out, yall paying way too much for so little power..... Lawd jesus and there will be files here that say that this is better than my studio gear. Pro tip - no its not.... That guy laughing all the way to the bank.
So this is a class D amplifier? No thanks.
Obviously a freebie for the guy and a complete rip-off for anybody who was unfortunately sucked in by the content of this video. 2 thumbs down and a ‘do not recommend this channel’ click from me.
Unfortunately making assumptions are dangerous. I put a lot of money into this build and make absolutely no money if you buy this. However, I am more than willing to bring products that I enjoy to others. It's up to them to decide if it's for them.
@@ToidDangerous?
With a bit of research on AliExpress and you can have all the components shown in your video at a SUBSTANTIAL reduction in cost. Either you’re a fool with too much money or you’re affiliated in some way with the company selling this stuff.
@@nelsondog100 I'm in no way affiliated with Orchard Audio. I don't believe you can find a DIY amplifier board that uses GAN anywhere besides Orchard Audio. If you know of some, I'd be happy to know about them. There are a lot of other people that have reviewed these though and I haven't heard anything bad about them from anyone yet. I did notice though that you have one of my crossover videos saved. So you must think that some of the content that I put out is useful. I'm sorry that you didn't find this one useful. But if you ever get a chance to listen to one of the these amplifiers, I think you'd be very surprised at how it sounds.
Bla bla bla. Buy used high quality hifi. So you spend the most.!!!!🇩🇪😜
This is not a 'build" this is an assembly.. i'm sorry, all i see is a janky collection of chinese components tied together by screw terminals?? and powered by a noisy switch mode ps?? for how much?? nope.. this is garbage.. look in any quality amp.. you'll see linear or toroidal transformers... proper shielding of the signal path.. beefy protect circuits.. huge filter caps... this is a $200 dollar kids science project.. not a piece of hifi equipment.. you got bent over and bozakked!!..
Amphion Amp700 is cheaper and more powerful and it's not a kit. Also better than this overpriced kit.
if i had the chance to design an amp i sure as hell wouldnt fok it up by not putting in some sweet sweet VU meters!