DIY audio
Encyclopedia
DIY Audio means "do it yourself
" audio. Rather than buying a piece of possibly expensive audio equipment, such as a high-end audio
amplifier or speaker, the person practicing DIY Audio will make it him/herself. The benefits of doing so include economic concerns, the satisfaction of creating something enjoyable, the possibility that the equipment made is of higher quality than commercially available products, and the feasibility of creating a custom-made device for which no exact equivalent is marketed.
kits from Dynaco
, Heathkit
, and McIntosh
, as well as solid state (transistor
) kits from Hafler allowed for consumers to build their own hi fidelity systems. Books and magazines were published which explained new concepts regarding the design and operation of vacuum tube and (later) transistor circuits.
While audio equipment has become easily accessible in the current day and age, there still exists an interest in building one's own equipment, including amplifiers, speakers, preamplifiers, and even CD players and turntables
. Today, a network of companies, parts vendors, and on-line communities exist to foster this interest. DIY is especially active in loudspeaker and in tube amplification. Both are relatively simple to design and fabricate without access to sophisticated industrial equipment. Both enable the builder to pick and choose between various available parts, on matters of price as well as quality, allow for extensive experimentation, and offer the chance to use exotic or highly labor-intensive solutions, which would be expensive for a manufacturer to implement, but only require personal labor by the DIYer, which is a source of satisfaction to them.
s make construction of DIY audio systems easier, but the proliferation of surface mount components (which are very small and difficult to solder with a soldering iron
) and fine pitch printed circuit board
s (PCBs) arguably make the physical act of construction more difficult. Nevertheless surface mounting is often used, as are conventional PCBs and electronic components, while some enthusiasts insist on using old-style perforated cardboard onto which individual components are "hardwired" and soldered. Test equipment
is readily available for purchase and enables convenient testing of parts and systems. Specifications of parts and components are readily accessible through the Internet including data sheets and equipment designs.
It has become easier to make audio components from "scratch" rather than from "kits" due to the availability of CAD
software for printed circuit board
(PCB) layouts and electronic circuit simulation
. Such software can be free, and a trial version may also be used. PCB vendors are more accessible than ever, and can manufacture PCBs in small quantities for the do-it-yourselfer. In fact, kits and chemicals for self-manufacturing one's own PCB can be obtained. Electronic parts and components are accessible online or in specialty shops, and various "high-end" parts vendors exist. On the other hand, a wide variety of kits, designs and premanufactured PCBs are available for almost any type of audio component.
To construct a device takes more than knowledge of circuits
, many would urge that the mechanical aspects of cabinets, cases and chassis' are the most time consuming aspects of audio DIY. Drill
ing, metalworking
and physical measurement
s are critical to constructing almost any DIY audio project, especially speakers. Measuring equipment such as a Vernier caliper is often essential. Woodworking skills are required to construct wooden enclosures (e.g. for speakers), with some enthusiasts going beyond traditional woodworking to CNC lathing, and luxurious veneer
s and lacquer
s. Room acoustics solutions are also popular among DIYers, as they can be made with cheap and readily available insulating materials, and can be dimensioned to fit each particular room in a precise and aesthetically pleasing way.
DIY audio involves "projects" directed to audio. Many DIY audio people fancy themselves to be audiophile
s. These people use rare and expensive parts and components in their projects. Examples are the use of silver
wire, expensive capacitor
s, non-standard solder
s of various alloys, and use of parts that have been cryogenically cooled
.
Vacuum tube or "valve"
projects are common in audio DIY. While, for mass market audio components, the vacuum tube has been replaced in modern times with the transistor
and IC, the vacuum tube remains prominent in specialty high end audio equipment. Thus, interest exists in building components using vacuum tubes, and the vacuum tube is still widely available. There is a wide variety of tubes manufactured nowadays, and many tubes on the market are advertised as "NOS" ("new, old stock", meaning unused stock of old manufacture); not all of the latter being genuinely NOS. Circuits utilizing tubes often are far less complicated than those utilizing transistors or op-amps. Tube enthusiasts often use transformers, sometimes custom-made ones, or even hand-wind their own transformers using cores and wire of their own choice. Note that vacuum tube projects almost always use dangerously high voltages
and should be undertaken with due care.
In case lead-containing solder is used instead of RoHS-compliant solder, appropriate environmental precautions with regard to lead and lead products should be taken.
. Changing an audio component in this way is similar to what a tweaker
or modder
does with a personal computer.
, the circuit schematic
s for the design, and/or even the publicly available PCB layouts. Such a "clone" will not be a perfect copy since different brands and types of parts (often newer parts) will be used, and mechanical aspects of construction will likely differ. However, the circuit or other distinguishing features should be the close to the original.
There are many reasons for wanting to recreate an existing design. The design might be historically important and/or out of production, so the only way to obtain the component is to build it. The design might be very simple so copying it is easily done. The commercial product might be very expensive but its design known, so it may be built for far less than it cost to be purchased. The original design may have some sentimental value to the person building the recreation, and the design built for the memories in one's past. The copy may be made to test or evaluate design concepts or principles in the original.
As an example, a well known "clone" includes amplifiers using high power integrated circuits, such as the National Semiconductor
LM3875 and LM3886. The use of a high power IC as part of a quality audio amplifier was popularized by the 47 Labs Gaincard amplifier, and thus the DIY amplifiers using power ICs are often called "chipamps" or "Gainclone
s."
Usually cloning additionally involves improving or tweaking (see above) the original design, potentially by using more modern components (in the case of discontinued designs) or higher quality parts.
Do it yourself
Do it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
" audio. Rather than buying a piece of possibly expensive audio equipment, such as a high-end audio
High-end audio
High-end audio is a term used to describe a class of consumer home audio equipment marketed to audio enthusiasts on the basis of high price or quality, and esoteric or novel sound reproduction technologies. High-end audio can refer simply to the price, to the build quality of the components, or to...
amplifier or speaker, the person practicing DIY Audio will make it him/herself. The benefits of doing so include economic concerns, the satisfaction of creating something enjoyable, the possibility that the equipment made is of higher quality than commercially available products, and the feasibility of creating a custom-made device for which no exact equivalent is marketed.
History of DIY audio
Audio DIY came to prominence in the 50s to 60s, as audio reproduction was relatively new and the technology "complex," audio reproduction equipment, and in particular high performance equipment, was not offered at the retail level. Kits and designs were available for consumers to build their own equipment. Famous vacuum tubeVacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
kits from Dynaco
Dynaco
Founded by David Hafler and Ed Laurent in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1955, Dynaco was an American hi-fi audio system manufacturer popular in the 1960s and 1970s for its wide range of affordable, yet high quality audio components..-Early company history:...
, Heathkit
Heathkit
Heathkits were products of the Heath Company, Benton Harbor, Michigan. Their products included electronic test equipment, high fidelity home audio equipment, television receivers, amateur radio equipment, electronic ignition conversion modules for early model cars with point style ignitions, and...
, and McIntosh
McIntosh Laboratory
McIntosh Laboratory is an American manufacturer of high-end audio equipment based in Binghamton, New York. The company was founded in 1949 by Frank McIntosh,. The "classic" vacuum tube components of the 1960s include the MC275 power amplifier, the C22 preamplifier, and the MR67 tuner...
, as well as solid state (transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
) kits from Hafler allowed for consumers to build their own hi fidelity systems. Books and magazines were published which explained new concepts regarding the design and operation of vacuum tube and (later) transistor circuits.
While audio equipment has become easily accessible in the current day and age, there still exists an interest in building one's own equipment, including amplifiers, speakers, preamplifiers, and even CD players and turntables
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
. Today, a network of companies, parts vendors, and on-line communities exist to foster this interest. DIY is especially active in loudspeaker and in tube amplification. Both are relatively simple to design and fabricate without access to sophisticated industrial equipment. Both enable the builder to pick and choose between various available parts, on matters of price as well as quality, allow for extensive experimentation, and offer the chance to use exotic or highly labor-intensive solutions, which would be expensive for a manufacturer to implement, but only require personal labor by the DIYer, which is a source of satisfaction to them.
Construction issues
In modern times, integrated circuitIntegrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
s make construction of DIY audio systems easier, but the proliferation of surface mount components (which are very small and difficult to solder with a soldering iron
Soldering iron
A soldering iron is a hand tool most commonly used in soldering. It supplies heat to melt the solder so that it can flow into the joint between two workpieces.A soldering iron is composed of a heated metal tip and an insulated handle...
) and fine pitch printed circuit board
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...
s (PCBs) arguably make the physical act of construction more difficult. Nevertheless surface mounting is often used, as are conventional PCBs and electronic components, while some enthusiasts insist on using old-style perforated cardboard onto which individual components are "hardwired" and soldered. Test equipment
Electronic test equipment
Electronic test equipment is used to create signals and capture responses from electronic Devices Under Test . In this way, the proper operation of the DUT can be proven or faults in the device can be traced and repaired...
is readily available for purchase and enables convenient testing of parts and systems. Specifications of parts and components are readily accessible through the Internet including data sheets and equipment designs.
It has become easier to make audio components from "scratch" rather than from "kits" due to the availability of CAD
Computer-aided design
Computer-aided design , also known as computer-aided design and drafting , is the use of computer technology for the process of design and design-documentation. Computer Aided Drafting describes the process of drafting with a computer...
software for printed circuit board
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board, or PCB, is used to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components using conductive pathways, tracks or signal traces etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. It is also referred to as printed wiring board or etched wiring...
(PCB) layouts and electronic circuit simulation
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
. Such software can be free, and a trial version may also be used. PCB vendors are more accessible than ever, and can manufacture PCBs in small quantities for the do-it-yourselfer. In fact, kits and chemicals for self-manufacturing one's own PCB can be obtained. Electronic parts and components are accessible online or in specialty shops, and various "high-end" parts vendors exist. On the other hand, a wide variety of kits, designs and premanufactured PCBs are available for almost any type of audio component.
To construct a device takes more than knowledge of circuits
Electrical network
An electrical network is an interconnection of electrical elements such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, transmission lines, voltage sources, current sources and switches. An electrical circuit is a special type of network, one that has a closed loop giving a return path for the current...
, many would urge that the mechanical aspects of cabinets, cases and chassis' are the most time consuming aspects of audio DIY. Drill
Drill
A drill or drill motor is a tool fitted with a cutting tool attachment or driving tool attachment, usually a drill bit or driver bit, used for drilling holes in various materials or fastening various materials together with the use of fasteners. The attachment is gripped by a chuck at one end of...
ing, metalworking
Metalworking
Metalworking is the process of working with metals to create individual parts, assemblies, or large scale structures. The term covers a wide range of work from large ships and bridges to precise engine parts and delicate jewelry. It therefore includes a correspondingly wide range of skills,...
and physical measurement
Measurement
Measurement is the process or the result of determining the ratio of a physical quantity, such as a length, time, temperature etc., to a unit of measurement, such as the metre, second or degree Celsius...
s are critical to constructing almost any DIY audio project, especially speakers. Measuring equipment such as a Vernier caliper is often essential. Woodworking skills are required to construct wooden enclosures (e.g. for speakers), with some enthusiasts going beyond traditional woodworking to CNC lathing, and luxurious veneer
Wood veneer
In woodworking, veneer refers to thin slices of wood, usually thinner than 3 mm , that are typically glued onto core panels to produce flat panels such as doors, tops and panels for cabinets, parquet floors and parts of furniture. They are also used in marquetry...
s and lacquer
Lacquer
In a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
s. Room acoustics solutions are also popular among DIYers, as they can be made with cheap and readily available insulating materials, and can be dimensioned to fit each particular room in a precise and aesthetically pleasing way.
DIY audio involves "projects" directed to audio. Many DIY audio people fancy themselves to be audiophile
Audiophile
An audiophile is a person who enjoys listening to recorded music, usually in a home. Some audiophiles are more interested in collecting and listening to music, while others are more interested in collecting and listening to audio components, whose "sound quality" they consider as important as the...
s. These people use rare and expensive parts and components in their projects. Examples are the use of silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
wire, expensive capacitor
Capacitor
A capacitor is a passive two-terminal electrical component used to store energy in an electric field. The forms of practical capacitors vary widely, but all contain at least two electrical conductors separated by a dielectric ; for example, one common construction consists of metal foils separated...
s, non-standard solder
Solder
Solder is a fusible metal alloy used to join together metal workpieces and having a melting point below that of the workpiece.Soft solder is what is most often thought of when solder or soldering are mentioned and it typically has a melting range of . It is commonly used in electronics and...
s of various alloys, and use of parts that have been cryogenically cooled
Cryogenics
In physics, cryogenics is the study of the production of very low temperature and the behavior of materials at those temperatures. A person who studies elements under extremely cold temperature is called a cryogenicist. Rather than the relative temperature scales of Celsius and Fahrenheit,...
.
Vacuum tube or "valve"
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
projects are common in audio DIY. While, for mass market audio components, the vacuum tube has been replaced in modern times with the transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
and IC, the vacuum tube remains prominent in specialty high end audio equipment. Thus, interest exists in building components using vacuum tubes, and the vacuum tube is still widely available. There is a wide variety of tubes manufactured nowadays, and many tubes on the market are advertised as "NOS" ("new, old stock", meaning unused stock of old manufacture); not all of the latter being genuinely NOS. Circuits utilizing tubes often are far less complicated than those utilizing transistors or op-amps. Tube enthusiasts often use transformers, sometimes custom-made ones, or even hand-wind their own transformers using cores and wire of their own choice. Note that vacuum tube projects almost always use dangerously high voltages
High voltage
The term high voltage characterizes electrical circuits in which the voltage used is the cause of particular safety concerns and insulation requirements...
and should be undertaken with due care.
In case lead-containing solder is used instead of RoHS-compliant solder, appropriate environmental precautions with regard to lead and lead products should be taken.
Motivation
The motivations for DIY audio can include cost, entertainment and quality of workmanship. Many DIYers take considerable personal pride in constructing a device that works to their satisfaction. This is sometimes carried to the extreme, with some makers claiming that their product outperforms any and all similar market products. In many cases this is due to excessive emotional attachment, akin to the attachment a parent feels towards their children. Nevertheless some DIY constructs can indeed possess superior sound quality. Part of the reason is the economics of modern manufacturing and commerce. A manufacturer needs to incorporate several cost factors in product pricing, including wages, housing, insurance, transportation, testing, spare parts, servicing, etc, whereas the retailer needs to mark prices up in order to cover their own expenses, stock, demonstration equipment, etc. All of the aforementioned do not apply to the DIY hobbyist who, furthermore, need not worry about product timing and marketability, and is free to allocate costs solely to superior quality parts. On the other hand a DIYer may not have access to sophisticated equipment and academic-level research, often have to limit themselves to off-the-shelf components, and cannot attain discounts from component suppliers the way a manufacturer may through large consignment orders.Tweaking and tweakers
DIY audio can also involve "tweaking" of mass market components. It is thought that mass market audio components are compromised by the use of cheap or inferior internal parts that can be easily replaced with high quality substitutes. As a result, an audio component of improved characteristics may be obtained for relatively low cost. Some common changes include replacing opamps, replacing capacitors (recap), or even replacing resistors in order to increase signal-to-noise ratioSignal-to-noise ratio
Signal-to-noise ratio is a measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. It is defined as the ratio of signal power to the noise power. A ratio higher than 1:1 indicates more signal than noise...
. Changing an audio component in this way is similar to what a tweaker
Tweaking
Tweaking refers to fine-tuning or adjusting a complex system, usually an electronic device. Tweaks are any small modifications intended to improve a system....
or modder
Modding
Modding is a slang expression that is derived from the verb "modify". Modding refers to the act of modifying a piece of hardware or software or anything else for that matter, to perform a function not originally conceived or intended by the designer...
does with a personal computer.
Cloning and cloners
Another common practice in the DIY audio community is to attempt to "clone" or copy a preexisting design or component from a commercial manufacturer. This involves obtaining a lawful public version of, or lawfully reverse engineeringReverse engineering
Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device, object, or system through analysis of its structure, function, and operation...
, the circuit schematic
Schematic
A schematic diagram represents the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures. A schematic usually omits all details that are not relevant to the information the schematic is intended to convey, and may add unrealistic elements that aid comprehension...
s for the design, and/or even the publicly available PCB layouts. Such a "clone" will not be a perfect copy since different brands and types of parts (often newer parts) will be used, and mechanical aspects of construction will likely differ. However, the circuit or other distinguishing features should be the close to the original.
There are many reasons for wanting to recreate an existing design. The design might be historically important and/or out of production, so the only way to obtain the component is to build it. The design might be very simple so copying it is easily done. The commercial product might be very expensive but its design known, so it may be built for far less than it cost to be purchased. The original design may have some sentimental value to the person building the recreation, and the design built for the memories in one's past. The copy may be made to test or evaluate design concepts or principles in the original.
As an example, a well known "clone" includes amplifiers using high power integrated circuits, such as the National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor was an American semiconductor manufacturer, that specialized in analog devices and subsystems,formerly headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. The products of National Semiconductor included power management circuits, display drivers, audio and operational amplifiers,...
LM3875 and LM3886. The use of a high power IC as part of a quality audio amplifier was popularized by the 47 Labs Gaincard amplifier, and thus the DIY amplifiers using power ICs are often called "chipamps" or "Gainclone
Gainclone
Gainclone or chipamp is a term commonly used to describe a type of audio amplifier made by do-it-yourselfers, or individuals interested in DIY audio. It is a design based on high-power integrated circuits, particularly the National Semiconductor Overture series. The Gainclone is probably the most...
s."
Usually cloning additionally involves improving or tweaking (see above) the original design, potentially by using more modern components (in the case of discontinued designs) or higher quality parts.