Anybody tried LM3886-based Gainclone amp?

[Dino Jakarta]

Dear All,

Would appreciate your advise whether friends here have tried or own LM3886-based Gainclone amp?
Kindly share the experience,

Best regards,
Dino Ary

[ole]

I have a TDA7294 based amp, which is comparable. Some people say it's better than LM3886, higher output, more robust, flatter response. I think it's pretty good for listening to pop/rock at somewhat higher levels, and for home theater applications. Tonally well balanced, not aggressive. Not so good for jazz and classical music, as it lacks resolution - too much NFB perhaps?

Cheap, easy to implement, good value for money. If you don't need the extra power, Charlize sounds better, though.

Ole

[Dino Jakarta]

Hi Ole!

Thanks for sharing your experience..  :)

Yep.. I'm budgeting to purchase Lovely Charlize in the very near future..
For now, I'm waiting the semi completed kit of LM3886 from a friend.. just want to experience the sound... ;)

Best regards,

[KenC]

Hi Dino,
Why wait for kit?
you can wire one up point to point with less the RM100, all in...
This is how I did it with mine some time ago.

[Dino Jakarta]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for sharing.....!!
Nice Layout...!!
What about the sound quality?  Mediocre or 'just fine' ?

FYI, I just ordered a kit (complete with steel casing & a custom wound toroid) and cost me around USD 60 here... Planning to built it soon...

Best regards

[soundbrigade]

It is very popular among members on a Swedish DIY/HiFi-forum. I think the general words are "cheapy, easy to build, well sounding".

[Passtube]

This type of chip amp. sounds detail but lacks of warmness. BJT produces lots of white noise and the chip internal circuitry is itself a differential amplifier. Hence, lots of even harmonics are canceled.

[Dino Jakarta]

Hi All, :)

Many thanks for your inputs.. really appreciated. :)

I've just finished installing my Gainclone Amp based on LM3886 - basic configuration:  non inverting and unbuffered and using non regulated PSU.

I'll surely share the experience after I compared it with my current amplification gear: "Old-but-reliable Denon AVR 1603"  8-),  of course... with milady Monica 3  ;)  and my tweaked NAD CD Player  ;) feeding the audio signal to this GC amp...

[Dino Jakarta]

Dear All, :)

After "running in" for couple of days... ;)
What I noticed of my GC LM3886 based integrated amp, compared to my Denon AVR 1603, is that the GC amp is like delivering 'more power'.
On the sound quality, Denon is a bit 'on the ofter side'... whilst GC amp is producing strong mid and high frequency without loosing details... which I believe 'truly amplifies' the strenght of mylady Monica 3.... ;)

Don't know why, but on the other hand, I'm missing the 'low freq punch' that Denon can produce.... :-?
I might have to tweak some components in the GC... :-?

[yeo]

hi dino

missing the bass?

in the case of an amp, it's usually the power supply.

if you can regulate the dc power supplies, i'm sure you'll get the bass back!

yeo

[Dino Jakarta]

Hi Yeo!  :)

Many thanks for your advise.

I'm using the unregulated PSU to feed the power to my GC amp.

I think I found out the cause of losing the bass.. Silly Me!!   :P
I have connected the left speaker to right output vice versa..!! Silly Me!!  :P
When I rectified the connection.. the bass comes back again ...!!  ;D

And as per your advise... I'll try to instal the regulated PSU.... It'll be my next step...

Best regards,

[Passtube]

That's true that flat power supply does contribute to better performance in both bass and high frequency response. If you are not into tube or Mosfet type power regulator supply, you might try by changing your e-cap to AC cap like Solen etc. Due to the low ESR of Solen cap, you might gain back your bass as well as the improvement of high-frequency.

But i suspect the performance of such IC amp :). As mentioned above, due to the white noise, the high frequency might be noisy :). Not suitable to listen for long period of time.

[Dino Jakarta]

Hi Passtube! :)

Many thanks for your advise.... I'll try to seek Solen AC cap or the likes in Jakarta... so long my budget permits ?;)

FYI, I have installed an input buffer kit on my GC amp and tweaked with additional components (as advised by the designer Mr. He Qinghua - I bought the kit back in 2006 - originally was installed as output buffer of mi Monica 2)... And I like the sound now.. bass has returned with 'the kind of punch' that I'm seeking.. not too much not too weak.. just right...

And combined with the gracefully sounding Monica 3 feeding the awesome audio signal to my GC amp ...... I believe that I'm closer to Audio Nirvana now.. {still on a budget though ?;) }

Best Regards,
Dino Ary

[Passtube]

congrats. You will enjoy the process of tweaking :) There is no end for DIYers. Later, you will start to look for something else  ;)

[Dino Jakarta]

 ;D Hi All..

Just want to share... what was predicted by Passtube on 'my DIY journey' has happened just recently...
On the effort of obtaining punchier bass I have installed additional two sets of 4 x Nichicon 4700uF/56V in addition to a pair of Nippon Chemicon 4700 uF/50V powersupply cap (supplied from the kit)...

And I also replace the bridge rectifier with a set of 4 SF Sinterglas diodes for each PS rail...

What I got now??? Punchier bass and clean midrange... and feed with the beautifully terrific DAC audio signal from Mi Magnifico Monica 3... ?;) ;)  .... me moppin' me own drools.... ;D