DIYAudio PassLabs Amp Camp Kit Preorders Available - Act Now

Discussion in 'DIY' started by highflyin9, May 9, 2018.

  1. highflyin9

    highflyin9 Facebook Friend

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    Pre-orders for the new Amp Camp kit are available until May 14th. I've been waiting patiently for the kits to be restocked for what seems like forever now, and just got the notification last night.

    The Amp Camp Amp is designed by Nelson Pass and is an incredibly simply build ... less than 30 parts per channel, and puts out 7 watts of Class A per side, or can be bridged for 15 watts single ended or 20 watts balanced.

    The kit with PCB, parts, chassis and power supply is $317, so the price should be accessible for most. If you're interested, I recommend acting quickly as the last set of kits were sold our for quite some time.

    DIYAudio Store

    [​IMG]
     
  2. E_Schaaf

    E_Schaaf MOT: E.T.A Headphones

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    Interesting. I built this last year, back when the kit was for 2 monoblocks as opposed to one 2-channel amp. I guess they thought the extra chassis was redundant when most people were using both channels anyway.

    Have there been any changes to the PCB / schematic? Last year it was rated as 6W/8Ohm, and now it's 7W?

    Absolutely killer amp for the HE-6 by the way. Best I've heard with them to date. And cheap.
     
  3. Taverius

    Taverius Smells like sausages

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    Amusingly the chassis ships from Italy, so I got to (and indeed had to) buy it directly from "Hi-Fi 2000 di Andrea Bettazzoni" so that was some unexpected fun :p

    I guess I'll have the chassis in days, taunting me.
     
  4. highflyin9

    highflyin9 Facebook Friend

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    I'd imagine the single chassis reduces the cost a little bit and allows easier bridging. Doesn't look there were any changes on the PCB. The new improvements to the V1.6 are:
    • Better connectors / switches
    • Ability to bridge to a 15W single-ended monoblock / 20W fully balanced monoblock
    • Neutrik XLR included so you can build balanced
    • New high quality 24V 5A power supply
    • Optional front power switch
    • Option of black or silver front panel, blue or red LEDs
    Very interesting to hear the amp works well with the HE-6. Hopefully someone will try it with the Susvara too.
     
  5. porkfriedpork

    porkfriedpork Friend

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    I just built the ACA 1.1 from the last round and own an HE6.

    I can't speak to dual monoblocks but in my opinion the ACA does not power the HE6 well at all.
    The volume doesn't get particularly loud and the bass is flabby and uncontrolled.
    7W into 8 ohms is probably closer to 1W into 50 ohms, which usually is not enough for the HE6.
     
  6. E_Schaaf

    E_Schaaf MOT: E.T.A Headphones

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    This is interesting to me. What's your chain? The ACA gives better bass and dynamic range in my chain than my 325W/4Ohm GFA-555.

    Edit:

    K̶e̶e̶p̶ ̶i̶n̶ ̶m̶i̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶t̶t̶ ̶r̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶p̶e̶r̶ ̶c̶h̶a̶n̶n̶e̶l̶,̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶H̶E̶-̶6̶ ̶r̶e̶c̶e̶i̶v̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶t̶ ̶l̶e̶a̶s̶t̶ ̶d̶o̶u̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶e̶s̶t̶i̶m̶a̶t̶e̶.̶ ̶M̶o̶s̶t̶ ̶p̶e̶o̶p̶l̶e̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶t̶e̶n̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶p̶r̶e̶f̶e̶r̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶p̶o̶w̶e̶r̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶H̶E̶-̶6̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶a̶l̶w̶a̶y̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶c̶a̶s̶e̶.̶ edit rescinded and redundant.

     
    Last edited: May 9, 2018
  7. porkfriedpork

    porkfriedpork Friend

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    Most devices are listed as watts per channel. A Magni 3 outputs slightly more power than the ACA.

    I mostly use a Cayin IHA6 with the HE6, and sometimes a vintage Sansui G5700 or Denon AVR X4200W.
    All of these drive the HE6 with much more authority.

    I'm a fan of Pass amps with the HE6. My favorite of the limited set I've heard was a First Watt F5 Turbo V2 clone.
    I'll build one sooner or later. The ACA isn't in the same league.
     
  8. E_Schaaf

    E_Schaaf MOT: E.T.A Headphones

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    I have no doubt there are much better amps out there for the HE-6 (that I haven't heard), I just know that I'm mostly happy with the way it sounds at my moderate listening level. Still a leap better than most of the dedicated headamps I've heard with the HE-6 despite higher power ratings and similar price points.

    I preferred the ACA in my HE-6 chain to the (unmentionable?) Schiit prototype and M22 I heard a few months back at the SoCal meet, both of which put out more power into the HE-6's ~50 Ohm load. I'd love to hear them off another Pass amp though.

    Sorry to get off track - all I'm saying is you could do much worse than the ACA at this price point, and for the HE-6 I'd recommend it at least over most ~$300 dedicated headamps.

    Happy to hear there's untapped potential with the HE-6 though - now I know where to look when it's time to upgrade.
     
  9. Azimuth

    Azimuth FKA rtaylor76, Friend

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    I can't get over the SMPS.

    Otherwise it looks like a great kit and I love the flexible options.
     
  10. MrTie

    MrTie Friend

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    I mean you can build a discrete PSU if you want, you'll just need bigger box most likely, plenty of people have done so on the DIY audio boards you can even change a couple resistor and up the voltage to around 24v for more power. However the spirit of the project was safe/easy enough for young people to build, hence the SMPS.

    That said if you end up going THAT far into changing from the kit, you may as well just build and F5/Aleph J/M2 etc.
     
  11. highflyin9

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    I discovered where the extra watt came from. Bumping up to 24V and changing one of the resistor values yields another watt.

    [​IMG]

    I may build a power supply for it. Spending $100 on two laptop AC adapters seems like a waste.
     
  12. highflyin9

    highflyin9 Facebook Friend

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    last call, less than 24 hours left.
     
  13. highflyin9

    highflyin9 Facebook Friend

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    Looks great! You fit that power inlet on the case perfectly.
     
  14. itsaok

    itsaok New

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    Hi all. Not sure whether I should have started a new thread so instead thought I'd post here.

    In case anyone is interested, Amp Camp v1.6 pre-orders are open again until Nov 12th at DIYAudio. I ordered one.

    The current price is $327US plus shipping.

    DIYAudio Link
     

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