My first DIY headphone amp - a Cmoy.

[imported_amx]

Finally i finished building my cmoy. It took me a couple of good hours on saturday and sunday to complete it. It was lot of fun soldering, cutting and doing all sort of fun stuff.
Here are some pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amx/sets/110675/
It certainly give steroids to your headphones or earlugs. Even cheap headphones sounds pretty good with an amp. If you want to dive into DIY electoronics and pc bords, its a great first time DIY project. I definately learned a lot about circuits even though i took an electronic class in high school.

Enjoy
Akshay

Edit: I posted where i found the instructions below. Yeap its a altoids tin with silver primer spray pain

 

[Excelsior]

Good job dude, Id love to have a tin headphone amp.

 

[Colt45]

cool

I should take a pic of my 3 minute headphone amp. ugly.

 

[xEDIT409]

instructions?

 

[screw3d]

Originally posted by: xEDIT409
instructions?

 

[gabemcg]

lol, is that an altoids tin?

cool project tho

 

[imported_amx]

Originally posted by: xEDIT409
instructions?

Tangent and head-fi.org was alot of help.
the original cmoy article is posted on headwize.
www.tangentsoft.net/audio/cmoy-tutorial/

His tutorial is pretty good. Not very detailed, so if its your first time either read up or pm me if you have questions. head-fi is also a good place for help.

 

[Specop 007]

I've been thinking of doing one of those. The pre builts cost an arm and a leg compared to a DIY version. Just havent gotten around to it. What amp chip did you use?

 

[ProviaFan]

Cool, I might have to build one...

 

[ActuaryTm]

Originally posted by: gabemcg
lol, is that an altoids tin?

Most that I have seen use an Altoid tin. Really an ideal size.

 

[imported_amx]

Originally posted by: Specop 007
I've been thinking of doing one of those. The pre builts cost an arm and a leg compared to a DIY version. Just havent gotten around to it. What amp chip did you use?

Yea prebuilt cost a ton. I used a dual-op amp(OPA2132P). I think its made by TI. Bought most of the parts of Newark and radioshack. Tangent has a parts list.

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: amx

Originally posted by: Specop 007
I've been thinking of doing one of those. The pre builts cost an arm and a leg compared to a DIY version. Just havent gotten around to it. What amp chip did you use?

Yea prebuilt cost a ton. I used a dual-op amp(OPA2132P). I think its made by TI. Bought most of the parts of Newark and radioshack. Tangent has a parts list.

I didnt know if you used the recommended amp chip or an upgraded one. I had looked into a few other models with L/R outputs, and also looked at bridging outputs for more oomph.
Cant remember which ones I was looking at right off though.

 

[sygyzy]

Now you should build a MINT.

 

[imported_amx]

I really didnt want too much experiment on my first try, but next time i build one i will
I did change the layout of the components.
Yea i think i am definately going to build more complex ones in future.

 

[LongCoolMother]

not bad for the first time! next try a PIMETA

 

[Specop 007]

Look into some high ends caps or something. Go all out. I've heard good things about the Hovland Musicaps, but they run a pretty petty. Solen is supposed to be good too, for both caps and inductors.

 

[Zanix]

How long do the batteries last?

 

[TitanDiddly]

Cool, nice job.

 

[pennylane]

Originally posted by: Zanix
How long do the batteries last?

A good 9V should go for about 40-50 hours I think. I'm in the process of making one but I've had some... holdups.

 

[Zanix]

Originally posted by: fanerman91

Originally posted by: Zanix
How long do the batteries last?

A good 9V should go for about 40-50 hours I think. I'm in the process of making one but I've had some... holdups.

Holdups, as in dry martinis?


So if you wired them in a series and hooked two together then you could get like half a week?

 

[imported_amx]

mine is wierd in series. Im putting in roughly 18v into the amp which is 9v per channel.

 

[Zanix]

Originally posted by: amx
mine is wierd in series. Im putting in roughly 18v into the amp which is 9v per channel.

So have you had to change the batteries yet?

 

[imported_amx]

haha not yet, i just finished this weekend. I have only used it for about 10 hours.

 

[imported_KirbsAw]

Man I really want to make one of these, but i've never made anything like that before, i don't think it would work when i was finished.

 

[Specop 007]

Originally posted by: KirbsAw
Man I really want to make one of these, but i've never made anything like that before, i don't think it would work when i was finished.

One way to find out. Its like 40 bucks in parts man, your not gonna be out much if it doesnt work.