McC DNA-HT5 poweramp

[jeffreybehr]

I bought this amp after comparing the sound of my upgraded Marantz MA500 (in the center, here)...

...to a known-great-sounding amp, a Monarchy SE-160 in which I had improved some parts but sold to a friend. The Monarchy sounded enough better than the Marantz that I started looking for a better amp for CC (and maybe surrounds, too) use. I determined fairly quickly that the most-likely candidate was the 'HT5, for the brand's reputation for great sound quality, some 'extra' channels, and affordability. Turned out to sound quite nice, and initially it's powering the Vandersteen VCC-1 centerchannel-dialog speaker and the 2 surrounds. I've removed the output-stage rail fuses from one channel, thereby (theoretically) 'saving' a little power for the other-4 channels. I'm in the (slow) process of building a bassbox to augment the VCC-1's limited-by-design bass output; that'll be driven by the 4th channel of the HT5, thereby using 'all four'. Here 'tis this afternoon.



The 5-channel 'HT5, of course, is much-more crowded with parts...

...than the '750s, but I decided to improve some parts in one channel. Here's a pic...

...of that one channel. Also added a gain control...

...on the channel that I'll use for the CC bass.

More info is here...http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=107195.0 .

[admin]

Wow, awesome equipment. I like the inside of the HT5, it is crowded, but still well organized.

Let us know how the bassbox project is going. Looks like you have a very nice and sturdy box, I'm sure that will give you a very detailed low end.

[jeffreybehr]

Wow, awesome equipment. I like the inside of the HT5, it is crowded, but still well organized.

Let us know how the bassbox project is going. Looks like you have a very nice and sturdy box, I'm sure that will give you a very detailed low end.

TY, and yes, it is.

The bassbox is going slowly; my friend and I are still looking (not very hard) for a 2.5"-ID tube to use as a port. The wood is 1-1/8"-thick laminated beech from IKEA--a countertop--but it isn't as dense as I hoped it would be, so I'll have to add some internal bracing and damping, the latter probably with BlackHole-5.

[admin]

Wow, awesome equipment. I like the inside of the HT5, it is crowded, but still well organized.

Let us know how the bassbox project is going. Looks like you have a very nice and sturdy box, I'm sure that will give you a very detailed low end.

TY, and yes, it is.

The bassbox is going slowly; my friend and I are still looking (not very hard) for a 2.5"-ID tube to use as a port. The wood is 1-1/8"-think laminated beech from IKEA--a countertop--but it isn't as dense as I hoped it would be, so I'll have to add some internal bracing and damping, the latter probably with BlackHole-5.

Is this all your own design, or something you have seen/heard before? I think it would be really fun to design and make some of my own speakers but I have a little fear going into it as I have never done a speaker project. Also, I kind of like my speakers now so I would only want to partake in the project if it actually improved the sound.

I was looking on places like partsexpress.com that have some DIY speaker projects with all the materials and then all you have to do is assemble the parts. I'll have to give this some more thought.

[jeffreybehr]

Wow, awesome equipment. I like the inside of the HT5, it is crowded, but still well organized.

Let us know how the bassbox project is going. Looks like you have a very nice and sturdy box, I'm sure that will give you a very detailed low end.

TY, and yes, it is.

The bassbox is going slowly; my friend and I are still looking (not very hard) for a 2.5"-ID tube to use as a port. The wood is 1-1/8"-think laminated beech from IKEA--a countertop--but it isn't as dense as I hoped it would be, so I'll have to add some internal bracing and damping, the latter probably with BlackHole-5.

Is this all your own design, or something you have seen/heard before? I think it would be really fun to design and make some of my own speakers but I have a little fear going into it as I have never done a speaker project. Also, I kind of like my speakers now so I would only want to partake in the project if it actually improved the sound.

I was looking on places like partsexpress.com that have some DIY speaker projects with all the materials and then all you have to do is assemble the parts. I'll have to give this some more thought.

I dreamed this'n up all by myself...even chose the driver, a Peerless 830869, myself. I designed the box to the volume calculated by Sonic Craft's Jeffrey Glowacki and had a fellow highly skilled in fine woodworking build it...and it still looks exactly as it did in the pic above. One of these days...